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SAN FRANCISCO, July 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Thoma Bravo, a leading software investment firm, today announced that Donna Riley Bebb has joined the firm as Head of ESG, a newly created role that builds upon Thoma Bravo's long-standing commitment to environmental, social and governance efforts.
Bebb will be responsible for leading Thoma Bravo's enterprise-wide ESG strategy. She will focus on enhancing Thoma Bravo's existing ESG initiatives by building an ESG function and framework that is integrated across the firm and shapes its engagement with key stakeholders. She will also work with investment teams to assess ESG risk and opportunities throughout the investment cycle and will serve as a strategic advisor to portfolio companies on the implementation of best practices.
"Donna is a highly regarded ESG expert, and we are thrilled that she will be leading this important function at Thoma Bravo," said Orlando Bravo, a Founder and Managing Partner at Thoma Bravo. "Our firm has long championed diversity of thought and background, promoted inclusion and partnership, and celebrated entrepreneurship and innovation. The addition of Donna to our team reflects Thoma Bravo's ongoing commitment to ESG and the powerful role it plays in driving long-term value creation."
"I'm excited to join this talented team to help further elevate Thoma Bravo's ESG strategy," said Donna Riley Bebb. "As the investment community continues to embrace the core tenants of ESG, Thoma Bravo has a significant opportunity to be a leader in this increasingly important space. I look forward to working closely with the entire Thoma Bravo team, as well as with our portfolio companies, to drive positive impact for all stakeholders as they seek to manage risk and capture opportunities across an ever-evolving ESG landscape."
Bebb joins Thoma Bravo from Google, where she served as the Head of Global Credit and ESG for nearly five years. In that role, Bebb oversaw $56 billion of corporate cash and designed an investment grade ESG portfolio strategy to lower risks and enhance returns in alignment with Google's mission and values. Prior to Google, Bebb spent three years as a Research Fellow focused on ESG innovation for the Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance at Stanford University. She spent the beginning of her career at various corporate and investment firms in credit and financial roles. Bebb earned an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University after graduating summa cum laude from Temple University with a BA in risk management.
Thoma Bravo is one of the largest private equity firms in the world, with more than $114 billion in assets under management as of March 31, 2022. The firm invests in growth-oriented, innovative companies operating in the software and technology sectors. Leveraging the firm's deep sector expertise and proven strategic and operational capabilities, Thoma Bravo collaborates with its portfolio companies to implement operating best practices, drive growth initiatives and make accretive acquisitions intended to accelerate revenue and earnings. Over the past 20 years, the firm has acquired or invested in more than 380 companies representing over $190 billion in enterprise value. The firm has offices in Chicago, Miami and San Francisco. For more information, visit www.thomabravo.com.
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SOURCE Thoma Bravo | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2022/07/26/donna-riley-bebb-joins-thoma-bravo-head-esg/ | 2022-07-26 12:45:27 | 1 | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2022/07/26/donna-riley-bebb-joins-thoma-bravo-head-esg/ |
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A former Minneapolis police officer who pleaded guilty to a state charge of aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter in the killing of George Floyd was sentenced Wednesday to three years.
Thomas Lane is already serving a 2 1/2-year federal sentence for violating Floyd’s civil rights. When it comes to the state’s case, prosecutors and Lane’s attorneys had agreed to a recommended sentence of three years — which is below the sentencing guidelines — and prosecutors agreed to allow him to serve that penalty at the same time as his federal sentence, and in a federal prison.
Judge Peter Cahill accepted the plea agreement, saying he would sentence Lane below the guidelines because he accepted responsibility.
“I think it was a very wise decision for you to accept responsibility and move on with your life,” Cahill said, while acknowledging that the Floyd family has not been able to move on with theirs.
Under Minnesota rules, it’s presumed Lane would serve two years of his state sentence in prison, and the rest on supervised release, commonly known as parole.
Floyd, 46, died in May 2020 after Officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, pinned him to the ground with a knee on Floyd’s neck as the Black man repeatedly said he couldn’t breathe. Lane, who is white, held down Floyd’s legs. J. Alexander Kueng, who is Black, knelt on Floyd’s back, and Tou Thao, who is Hmong American, kept bystanders from intervening during the 9 1/2-minute restraint.
The killing, captured on widely viewed bystander video, sparked protests in Minneapolis and around the globe as part of a reckoning over racial injustice.
Wednesday’s sentencing hearing was held remotely. Lane appeared via video from the Federal Correctional Institution Englewood, the low-security federal prison camp in Littleton, Colorado. He made no statement to the court prior to sentencing. But after the hearing was adjourned, Lane complained to his attorney that the judge had said he would have to register as a predatory offender “if required.”
“I gotta register as a predatory offender? What the (expletive) is that?” Lane said. And he added: “That’s what Chauvin has to do. If I have a minimal role, why the (expletive) do I have to do that?”
His attorney, Earl Gray, told him he would look into it.
Chauvin was convicted of murder and manslaughter and was given a 22 1/2-year state sentence in 2021. He also pleaded guilty to a federal count of violating Floyd’s civil rights, and his state and federal sentences are being served at the same time.
Kueng and Thao were also convicted on federal civil rights charges and were sentenced to three and 3 1/2 years respectively. They have not yet reported to federal prison, and are scheduled to go to trial on state charges of aiding and abetting both murder and manslaughter in October.
When Lane pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter earlier this year, he admitted that he intentionally helped restrain Floyd in a way that created an unreasonable risk and caused his death. As part of the plea agreement, a more serious count of aiding and abetting second-degree unintentional murder was dismissed.
In his plea agreement, Lane admitted that he knew from his training that restraining Floyd in that way created a serious risk of death and that he heard Floyd say he couldn’t breathe, knew Floyd fell silent, had no pulse and appeared to have lost consciousness.
The plea agreement says Lane knew Floyd should have been rolled onto his side — and evidence shows he asked twice if that should be done — but he continued to assist in the restraint despite the risk. Lane agreed the restraint was “unreasonable under the circumstances and constituted an unlawful use of force.” | https://www.kxnet.com/news/ex-officer-lane-gets-3-years-in-plea-deal-in-george-floyd-death/ | 2022-09-21 17:32:24 | 1 | https://www.kxnet.com/news/ex-officer-lane-gets-3-years-in-plea-deal-in-george-floyd-death/ |
LINCOLN -- The Lincoln Consolidated School District recently approved salaries for certified employees that meet requirements under the new, comprehensive education law approved by the Legislature and signed by the governor.
The LEARNS Act, a 145-page omnibus law signed by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on March 8, raises the starting teacher salary to $50,000, with $2,000 raises for other teachers.
The law includes funding for the new salaries for two years.
The Lincoln School Board on April 10 approved the salaries as presented by Superintendent Mary Ann Spears. She said the proposal had been approved by the district's certified and classified personnel committees.
Spears said Lincoln is going one step further than what is required by law for its teachers with master's degrees.
"It concerned me that we were going to have a master's teacher with 10 years experience, basically be sitting at $50,000, and a brand new person with a bachelor's off the street or maybe not even a teaching license, maybe a nontraditional, they were going to make $50,000. So I added $2,000 additional to the base. So our veteran teachers who were thinking they were going to get a $2,000 raise are going to get a $4,000 raise to their base."
For 2023-24, a beginning teacher in Lincoln with no experience will receive $50,000. Under the district's current salary schedule, beginning teachers make $40,000. A beginning teacher with master's degree will receive a $52,000 salary next year, compared to $43,000 under the current salary schedule.
All certified employees who are earning less than $48,000 with a bachelor's degree will be bumped up to $50,000 next year, and teachers with a master's degree will receive $52,000.
For teachers now earning $48,000 or more in Lincoln, those with a bachelor's degree will receive a $2,000 raise. Those with a master's degree will receive a $4,000 raise.
Academic stipends will remain the same for 2023-24, and this involves personnel involved in organizations such as FFA, FBLA, band and choir.
The board approved Spears' recommendation to change the salary schedule for coaching personnel. For 2023-24, all coaches will be on a 190-day teacher's contract with a multiplier index to compensate them for coaching responsibilities. The index will be based on whether the team is considered a major or minor sport.
Spears said Athletic Director Deon Birkes worked on the multiplier index, looking at what others are doing around the state and also in other states.
"No one is going to be penalized. Everybody is going to see a gain in pay [for 2023-24], regardless of where they were," Spears said.
Spears said the new law does not include money for a raise for classified employees, but her proposal recommends a $1 per hour raise for 2023-24.
Spears said all the raises will cost about $600,000 next year, and the state will pay $550,000. The additional amount is the larger raises Lincoln is giving its teachers with master's degrees, she said.
For 2023-24, salaries for certified and classified employees will increase from $4.9 million, not including benefits, to $5.5 million, not including benefits.
Spears said she believes the district is in good shape and can afford the increase.
"I feel good about this proposal. It's above and beyond what we're getting in funding, but we have some cushion here and there and some things we can adjust. I feel good about it. I was losing sleep over our teachers with master's degrees."
There is one caveat, Spears said, about the teacher contracts for next year.
Because petitions are being circulated to recall the LEARNS Act and because some groups are threatening lawsuits, she said attorneys around the state are advising school districts to add a statement to contracts that if litigation causes an injunction of the new rules for salary increases under the LEARNS Act, the 2023-24 salary schedule would revert back to the previous schedule.
"I don't know how that works once we issue contracts and people sign a contract and we get to the business of school and the new rules and regs come out," Spears said. "And you can quote me, I will stand on the governor's desk and say you're going to have to pony up the money. You can't say you're going to give me a half a million plus dollars to comply with the LEARNS Act and then take it away from me. That's not gonna be cool."
She said she did not anticipate this coming to fruition but noted there are some very small schools that are going to struggle to comply with the law.
Another change is that the district is doing away with its salary schedule with a $500 step increase each year for teachers because of the LEARNS Act. The new state law also repealed the Teacher Fair Dismissal Act, but teachers will have due process if they receive notice they will be fired. Spears said due process is very similar to the Teacher Fair Dismissal Act.
The salary schedule for classified employees will remain as written, except that hourly rates will be increased $1 per hour for those employees.
[] | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/apr/29/lincoln-school-board-increases-teacher-salaries/ | 2023-04-29 07:49:16 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/apr/29/lincoln-school-board-increases-teacher-salaries/ |
ORRVILLE, Ohio, May 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The J. M. Smucker Co. is recalling select Jif® peanut butter products sold in the U.S. due to potential Salmonella contamination. Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.
The recalled peanut butter was distributed nationwide in retail stores and other outlets. Recalled products include the products below with lot codes 1274425 – 2140425. Lot codes are included alongside best-if-used-by date.
If consumers have products matching the above description in their possession, they should dispose of it immediately.
Consumers who have questions or would like to report adverse reactions should visit www.jif.com/contact-us or call 800-828-9980 Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM ET.
This recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Based on the information known to date, we are unable to estimate the financial impact of the recall either on our fiscal year ended April 30, 2022, or on our current fiscal year 2023. We will provide additional information as soon as possible.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements. Readers should understand that the risks, uncertainties, factors, and assumptions listed and discussed in this press release, including the following important factors and assumptions, could affect the future results of the Company and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements:
- the impact of food security concerns involving either our products or our competitors' products, including product recalls;
- the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, industry, suppliers, customers, consumers, employees, and communities;
- disruptions or inefficiencies in our operations or supply chain, including any impact caused by product recalls, political instability, terrorism, armed hostilities (including the recent outbreak of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine), extreme weather conditions, natural disasters, pandemics (including the COVID-19 pandemic), or other calamities;
- risks related to the availability of, and cost inflation in, supply chain inputs, including labor, raw materials, commodities, packaging, and transportation;
- risks associated with derivative and purchasing strategies we employ to manage commodity pricing and interest rate risks;
- our ability to generate sufficient cash flow to continue operating under our capital deployment model, including capital expenditures, debt repayment, dividend payments, and share repurchases;
- our ability to implement and realize the full benefit of price changes, and the impact of the timing of the price changes to profits and cash flow in a particular period;
- general competitive activity in the market, including competitors' pricing practices and promotional spending levels;
- the concentration of certain of our businesses with key customers and suppliers, including single-source suppliers of certain key raw materials and finished goods, and our ability to manage and maintain key relationships;
- impairments in the carrying value of goodwill, other intangible assets, or other long-lived assets or changes in the useful lives of other intangible assets or other long-lived assets; and
- risks related to other factors described under "Risk Factors" in other reports and statements we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Readers are cautioned not to unduly rely on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made, when evaluating the information contained in this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made, to reflect new events or circumstances.
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SOURCE The J.M. Smucker Co. | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2022/05/21/j-m-smucker-co-issues-voluntary-recall-select-jif-products-sold-us-potential-salmonella-contamination/ | 2022-05-21 01:54:19 | 0 | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2022/05/21/j-m-smucker-co-issues-voluntary-recall-select-jif-products-sold-us-potential-salmonella-contamination/ |
Strong Finish to FY22, up 23% Y/Y, supports guidance of $6.5-7.0 Revenue for FY23
CUPERTINO, Calif., June 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - (TSXV: BWLK) (OTCQB: BWLKF) – Boardwalktech Software Corp. ("Boardwalktech" or the "Company"), a leading digital ledger platform and enterprise software solutions company, is pleased to report its financial results for the three and twelve-month period ended March 31, 2022. All figures are reported in U.S. dollars, unless otherwise indicated. Boardwalktech's financial statements are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS").
Financial Highlights:
- Revenues for Q4-FY22 of $1.20 million grew 23% versus $1.06 million of revenue in Q4-FY21 and up 13% from $1.0 million in Q3-FY22. Revenue from recurring license contracts was up 31% in Q4-FY22; while revenue from contracts signed since 2018 is now 95% of revenue (100% retention), growing at 46% CAGR since 2018. Total revenue for FY22 was $4.38 million versus $4.34 million
- ARR at March 31, 2022, was $3.7 million, a 30% year-over-year increase versus ARR of $2.8 million at March 31, 2021. The Company defines annual recurring revenue ("ARR"), a non-IFRS metric, as the recurring revenue expected based on annual license subscriptions and recurring services.
- Gross margin in Q4-FY22 of 87.9% increased 2.2% points over Q4-FY21 gross margin of 85.7%, due to higher sales volume. FY22 gross margin finished at 86.6%.
- Adjusted EBITDA loss for Q4-FY22 narrowed to $(0.45) million, an improvement of 24% versus Adjusted EBITDA of $(0.60) million in Q4-FY22. Adjusted EBITDA loss for FY22 was $(1.9) million.
- Non-IFRS net loss for FY22 (as defined in the Non-IFRS Financial Measures section) totaled $(2.0) million, or $(0.05) per basic and diluted share, a 14% improvement when compared to a net loss of $(2.4) million, or $(0.10) per basic and diluted share, while the Non-IFRS net loss for Q4-F22 improved 40% year-over-year.
- Reported IFRS loss $(4.1) million in Fiscal 2022, or $(0.08) per basic and diluted share, versus $(3.6) million, or a loss of $(0.15) per basic and diluted share, in Fiscal 2021, but a 25% improvement in Q4-FY22 over prior year.
Outlook and Guidance:
- Based upon the Company's recent contract closings and those in the process of closing, the Company projects revenue for the upcoming fiscal year to be $6.5 million to $7.0 million (49% - 60% growth; 54% at the midpoint). Over 95% of the incremental growth in this initial guidance is derived from recurring license revenue. This does not preclude any additional professional service revenue above this guidance, just that this guidance does not assume any revenue growth based on professional services. This initial guidance is not based on pipeline potential but based on what is in the Company's control or already closed, which means any pipeline conversion would be incremental to this initial guidance range.
- The Company believes it has sufficient funds and current receivables such that that it does need to, nor does it plan to do any equity financing events to achieve its guidance or upside growth, while reaching profitability during the next year.
- Due to the increase of new recurring revenue contracts, as well as a growing pipeline of similar deals, the Company will be providing guidance on a go forward basis as the predictability of the business improves.
Operations highlights
- On March 31, 2022, the Company announced it had signed a long-term recurring license agreement with one of the world's largest banking and financial services companies based in New York, with a focus on compliance, risk, data management, and business process improvement. This new client was brought via a teaming agreement with an existing Boardwalktech client/partner, with the Company projected to recognize net proceeds (i.e., Adjusted-EBITDA) in excess of $4 million over the first three years of the contract.
- On a related note, on April 25, 2022, the Company announced it had signed its second banking client via a new license contract with a major India bank, with initial revenue beginning at the end of Q4-FY22.
- On March 7, 2022, the Company announced it had signed a third recurring license with an existing North American Fortune 500 multinational consumer products customer, reflecting the Company's "land and expand" strategy. This new application will automate managing their global excess inventory by automating this process on the Boardwalk Digital Ledger low-code application platform, with revenue in the first year expected to exceed $150,000.
- On March 1, 2022, the Company announced that its common shares became eligible for electronic clearing and settlement through the Depository Trust Company (DTC). Since then, the Company's common shares also became FAST eligible. DTC eligibility is expected to simplify the process of trading and enhance the liquidity of the Company's common shares in the United States.
- On April 18, 2022, the Company also migrated its transfer agent services to Odyssey Trust Company to further simplify and improve the processing of Company's common share and improve liquidity.
- On January 4, 2022, the Company announced that it had signed an engagement with Harbor Access investor relations advisors to improve its investor relations services along with engaging in cross-border IR activities and services.
"Fiscal Year 2022 will prove to be an inflection point in Boardwalktech's history, not based on outlook and optimism but on actual results. Since several of our recent deals closed at the end of Fiscal 2022, investors should see material sequential revenue growth in Fiscal 2023 as those license contracts are recognized" Chief Executive Officer Andrew T. Duncan commented, "We continue our 'land and expand' strategy throughout our existing client base and have successfully executed on our SaaS business model with predictable, annual recurring revenues. Additionally, at the end of fiscal 2022, we have entered into a new business channel by welcoming two global banking institutions to join our list of large multinational Fortune 500 client companies using the Boardwalktech products. These deals came via leveraging partnerships with existing customers that have access to these large clients, meaning we can execute direct licenses without long and expensive sales cycles or extra hiring needs if we had to prospect clients alone. We see the financial services channel as a very significant business opportunity for the Company, as our low code digital ledger platform addresses many of the compliance issues that these institutions are facing. We are currently in discussions with other global financial institutions and view this new banking channel as an area of significant growth for the Company. The growing prevalence of ESG compliance (Environment, Sustainability and Governance) as a related and broader market trend is another derivative opportunity for our solutions as well, to address risk management while enabling better business decision effectiveness."
Boardwalktech will be hosting its inaugural earnings conference call today (June 29, 2022) at 10AM PST/1PM EST.
Conference Call Details:
Wednesday, June 29, 2022 – 10AM PST / 1PM EST
Webcast: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/5pofu739
US/CANADA Toll-Free Dial-In Number: (844) 838-0772
US/CANADA International Dial-In Number: (213) 320-2559
About Boardwalktech Software Corp.
Boardwalktech has developed a patented Digital Ledger Technology Platform currently used by Fortune 500 companies running mission-critical applications worldwide. Boardwalktech's digital ledger technology and its unique method of managing vast amounts of structured and unstructured data is the only platform on the market today where multiple parties can effectively work on the same data simultaneously while preserving the fidelity and provenance of the data. Boardwalktech can deliver collaborative, purpose-built enterprise information management applications on any device or user interface with full integration with enterprise systems of record in a fraction of the time it takes other non-digital ledger technology-based platforms. Boardwalktech is headquartered in Cupertino, California with offices in India and operations in North America. For more information on Boardwalktech, visit our website at www.boardwalktech.com
For more information on the benefits of \Velocity, please visit: www.boardwalktech.com/products/velocity
Forward-Looking Information and Statements
This press release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only the Company's beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company's control. Generally, such forward-looking information or statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved".
By identifying such information and statements in this manner, the Company is alerting the reader that such information and statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information and statements.
An investment in securities of the Company is speculative and subject to several risks including, without limitation, the risks discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's filing statement dated May 30, 2018. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended.
In connection with the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release, the Company has made certain assumptions. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. All subsequent written and oral forward- looking information and statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Contacts:
Charlie Glavin, CFA
Boardwalktech, Inc.
650-618-6163
charlie.glavin@boardwalktech.com
Harbor Access
Graham.Farrell@harbor-access.com
(416) 842-9003
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SOURCE BoardwalkTech | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/06/29/boardwalktech-reports-fourth-quarter-fiscal-2022-financial-results/ | 2022-06-29 11:50:43 | 0 | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/06/29/boardwalktech-reports-fourth-quarter-fiscal-2022-financial-results/ |
Highlights Iconic Athletes Devin Booker, Sabrina Ionescu, Coco Gauff, Collin Morikawa and Justin Herbert
LOS ANGELES, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Autograph, the Web3 brand co-founded by Tom Brady that is pioneering a new era of digital experiences, today announced their "The Future is…" athlete partners also featured in a new brand campaign. The first year of Autograph saw the brand launching collections with all-time legends across sports - this next generation is made up of athletes who have their own potential for greatness and who are changing their categories in real time. The group of superstars includes Devin Booker, guard for the Phoenix Suns, Sabrina Ionescu, guard for the New York Liberty, Coco Gauff, American professional tennis star, Collin Morikawa, American professional golfer and two-time major champion and Justin Herbert, quarterback for the Los Angeles Chargers. The collection will also be accompanied by Autograph's first brand campaign across digital and select broadcast channels, featuring all five stars.
Each athlete collection consists of three NFTs and will feature challenges that unlock utility and rewards, enhancing the NFT experience over the course of multiple weeks. Challenges allow community members exclusive access and reflect the athletes' passions from style to shoes and cars. The first collection from the program will kick off with Sabrina Ionescu, which will drop on May 10th at 3pm ET and it will be available to view on Autograph.io and can be purchased on the DraftKings Marketplace (Nasdaq: DKNG). The designs of the NFTs were also made in collaboration with up-and-coming artists to give distinct creative for the next generation.
"During the first year of Autograph, our brand has become synonymous with the 'GOATs' of the sports world - Tom Brady, Tiger Woods, Simone Biles, Wayne Gretzky, and more," said Patrick Cassidy, CMO at Autograph. "When we choose to partner with an athlete, it means something. We believe that Devin, Sabrina, Coco, Collin, and Justin not only have the chance to be all-time greats in their sports, but we also want to recognize that they are here now, building that legacy right in front of our eyes. We are honored to partner with them to create dynamic collections and experiences for their most engaged fans."
"Autograph is a fresh, strong brand at the forefront of Web3, so it was a no-brainer for me to partner with them," said Devin Booker. "By creating my own collection, it allows me to interact with my fans in a more meaningful way than I already do and I'm excited to see what we are going to create."
"I'm so excited to be a part of the next era of digital collecting and the Web3 world alongside so many other amazing athletes," said Sabrina Ionescu. "I want to make sure the next generation knows that there's a place for them in Web3, and Autograph is helping to pave the way."
In addition to the collection, Autograph will launch its first official brand campaign as a way to bring fans closer to their favorite icons through unique access and exclusive content. Featuring all five athletes, the campaign speaks to the younger Gen-Z fan bases of these stars and focuses on creating an accessible pathway to NFTs and web3 for the fans of this next generation.
"The Future Is…" athletes are joining an all-star roster of Autograph sports and entertainment icons who have released collections that have sold out within minutes, including Naomi Osaka, Derek Jeter, Tony Hawk, The Weeknd, and more. Autograph has also recently expanded into new verticals with their recent partnership announcements and drops with Penske Entertainment and Team Penske, Top Rank and AEG.
For more information on Autograph and The Future Is…Already Here Collection please visit: www.autograph.io.
About Autograph
Autograph is an NFT platform that brings together the most iconic brands and legendary names in sports, entertainment, and culture to create unique digital collections and experiences for users around the world. Cofounded by Tom Brady and headquartered in Los Angeles, Autograph is ushering in a new era of collecting through a streamlined and inclusive process, authentic and creative products, and exclusive partnerships.
Media Contact
teamautograph@jonesworks.com
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SOURCE Autograph | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2022/05/04/autograph-announces-new-brand-campaign-future-is-nft-collection/ | 2022-05-04 17:17:20 | 1 | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2022/05/04/autograph-announces-new-brand-campaign-future-is-nft-collection/ |
GENEVA (AP) — The acting U.N. human rights chief on Monday urged European Union member states to avoid “backtracking” on their efforts to develop renewables and energy-efficiency projects at a time when soaring energy prices have prompted some to ramp up use of and searches for fossil fuels.
Nada al-Nashif, the acting U.N. high commissioner for human rights, laid out rights concerns about more than 30 countries, regions and territories including Ethiopia, Ukraine, Myanmar and Haiti in an opening speech to the latest session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Beyond expressing concerns about the direct impact of Russia’s war in Ukraine, she noted how the war has dented exports of food and fuel from those two countries, who are major producers of both, forcing EU states, for example, to scramble to boost their energy sources.
“In the face of soaring energy prices which threaten to impact the most vulnerable as winter approaches, some EU member states are turning to investments in fossil fuels infrastructure and supplies,” al-Nashif said.
While such an impulse was “understandable,” she warned of the long-term consequences of boosting use of fossil fuels that contribute to global warming and called for faster development of energy-efficiency projects and renewables.
“There is no room for backtracking in the face of the ongoing climate crisis,” she said.
In Germany, the EU’s biggest economy, use of carbon-spewing coal rose as a share of the country’s total electricity production in the first half of 2022 compared with a year earlier. The Dutch government this summer issued permits for a joint gas exploration project with Germany.
EU nations have been looking to tap new sources of natural gas to help them wean themselves off supplies from Russia.
Al-Nashif made only passing reference to a report raising concerns about China’s controversial campaign to fight terrorism and extremism in Western Xinjiang that could at times have amounted to “crimes against humanity” against Uyghurs and other minorities. It was released in the waning minutes of the tenure of former rights chief Michelle Bachelet. Beijing lashed out at the report, calling it part of a plot by Western nations to block China’s rise.
Al-Nashif has held the temporary post since the term of former Chilean President Bachelet expired on Aug. 31. Her successor — Austrian diplomat and U.N. veteran Volker Türk — takes over the job in coming days.
The four-week autumn session at the council, which brings together 47 U.N. member states, is expected to take up “country situations” in many places including Afghanistan, Congo, Myanmar, Ukraine and Venezuela. | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/un-to-eu-dont-backtrack-on-climate-goals-amid-energy-pinch/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world | 2022-09-12 10:45:58 | 0 | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/un-to-eu-dont-backtrack-on-climate-goals-amid-energy-pinch/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world |
Live updates: Illini Bluffs and St. Bede tied in Class 1A softball state championship
PEORIA — Illini Bluffs plays for its third consecutive softball state championship on Saturday in an 11:30 a.m. game against Peru St. Bede at the Illinois High School Association Class 1A state finals at Louisville Slugger Complex.
The Tigers (25-5) are attempting to become the first team to win three straight softball titles since Cobden won 1A titles from 2008-10. St. Bede (25-7-1) will win its third trophy and is seeking its first title.
IB advanced to the title game with a 10-0 victory Friday over LeRoy. St. Bede moved on with a 4-1 victory over Goreville.
Follow along here for updates from Louisville Slugger.
12:47 p.m. — Illini Bluffs ties the game
After a leadoff walk and a single, the Tigers tie the game 6-6 with a two-run triple from Hanna Thomas. We head to the bottom of the fifth inning.
12:42 p.m. — St. Bede gets a new pitcher
Reagan Stoudt will sit down in the top of the fifth inning, and Ella Hermes will come in and try to close out the state championship game. Hermes threw 95 pitches over seven innings in the Friday semifinal, a 4-1 win over Goreville.
12:31 p.m. — Illini Bluffs gets one back
Leadoff hitter Sara Finn delivers an RBI hit in the top of the fourth inning to cut St. Bede's deficit to 6-4.
12:16 p.m. — St. Bede pouring it on
The Bruins add another pair of runs and now have batted around, scoring six runs for a 6-3 lead. The Bruins have chased IB pitcher Cora Ellison. She has been replaced with Hannah Thomas.
12:11 p.m. — St. Bede takes the lead
Ella Hermes drives a double to the outfield and scores two runs to give St. Bede a 4-3 lead.
12:07 p.m. — St. Bede gets on the board
After reaching base with a triple. Lily Bosnich scores on an error when the catcher dropped a throw home. The Bruins added another run and have pulled within 3-2 and have two runners in scoring position with no outs.
11:44 a.m. — Adding to the lead
Leadoff hitter Sara Finn singles up the middle to increase the Tigers' lead to 3-0 in the top of the second inning.
11:33 a.m. — Early lead for Illini Bluffs
Pitcher Cora Ellison hits a two-run triple to stake Illini Bluffs to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
11:25 a.m. — Early start for the title
Sara Finn is the leadoff batter for Illini Bluffs, as the game starts a touch early at Louisville Slugger. Reagan Stoudt is the starting pitcher for St. Bede.
The lineup for IB: RF Finn, CF Lilly Hicks, SS Zoe Eeten, C Lexi Brinkman, P Cora Ellison, 2B Annabelle Fortin, 1B Kennedy Kawolsky, 3B Chloe Eeten, DP Morgan Lowe.
More IHSA softball coverage
- Semifinal win:Illini Bluffs dominates LeRoy to move into championship game
- Predictions and outlook:We pick the Class 1A and Class 2A state champions
- What to know:Tickets, directions, matchups at Louisville Slugger
- Supersectional: How Illini Bluffs earned another spot at the state finals
- The Tigers tale:The simple secret to IB's softball success | https://www.pjstar.com/story/sports/high-school/softball/2023/06/03/ihsa-softball-championship-score-results-illini-bluffs-vs-st-bede-in-class-1a/70284541007/ | 2023-06-03 18:12:37 | 0 | https://www.pjstar.com/story/sports/high-school/softball/2023/06/03/ihsa-softball-championship-score-results-illini-bluffs-vs-st-bede-in-class-1a/70284541007/ |
For Wausau Pilot & Review
WAUSAU – The Wausau Woodchucks baseball team won their first game of the season on the back of stellar pitching by a score of 5-0 against the Lakeshore Chinooks on Thursday night at Athletic Park.
Jared Burch (Houston Baptist University) started his first game on the mound for Wausau and came out firing with the first three batters he faced striking out, and five of the first nine going by the strikeout as well.
The Chucks got the bats rolling after Tim Conway (University of North Georgia) moved into scoring position and Hamilton Anderson (State Fair CC) drove in the first run of the day, but the scoring wasn’t done as Daniel Helfgott (Lackawanna College) crossed home plate to go up on the Chinooks 2-0.
Burch had everything going for him, striking out eight and allowing just one hit in six innings on the mound. Wausau added another run in the fifth as Dean Bittner (Mesa CC) drove in a run on a pop fly.
Conway started the Woodchucks off in the sixth with a double to put two into scoring position, and an Anderson single brought in two more and push the Chucks out to a 5-0 lead.
Mike Reagan (Barry University) picked up right where Burch left off, going the final three innings with five strikeouts and only two hits allowed to finish off the shutout with his first save of the season.
The Chucks (1-3) will face the Green Bay Rockers at 6:35 p.m. Friday at Athletic Park, with fireworks to follow the game. | https://wausaupilotandreview.com/2022/06/02/wausau-woodchucks-baseball-picks-up-first-win-of-season-with-shutout-of-lakeshore/ | 2022-06-03 05:40:26 | 0 | https://wausaupilotandreview.com/2022/06/02/wausau-woodchucks-baseball-picks-up-first-win-of-season-with-shutout-of-lakeshore/ |
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China denied all accusations of an overseas police presence, saying Tuesday that the United States was making “groundless accusations” after U.S. law enforcement arrested two men in New York for establishing a secret police station.
“The relevant claims have no factual basis, and there is no such thing as an overseas police station,” spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wang Wenbin said Tuesday.
U.S. authorities arrested two men, identified as “Harry” Lu Jianwang, 61, and Chen Jinping, 59, both U.S. citizens, on Monday morning. Under the direction of an official in China, the two men allegedly set up a station where they offered some basic services, such as helping Chinese citizens renew their Chinese driver’s licenses.
The station, however, also took on roles beyond ordinary bureaucracy, including locating Chinese dissidents living in the U.S., officials said.
The U.S. Justice Department also charged 34 officers in the Ministry of Public Security on Monday with creating and using thousands of fake social media accounts on Twitter and other platforms to harass dissidents abroad.
Wang said China does not interfere in other countries’ sovereignty.
China has shown that it is willing to target its own citizens even after they have left China for various reasons, whether political or economic. The Associated Press has previously reported that a Chinese woman was detained in Dubai at a Chinese-run detention facility.
In recent years, Beijing has been running two separate campaigns to bring suspects wanted mostly for economic crimes back to China as part of an anti-corruption drive. It has begun flexing its muscles abroad to bring people back home, whether through the use of extradition treaties or unofficial methods, such as putting coercive pressure on relatives back home in China.
“China firmly opposes the smear and political manipulation by the U.S., who maliciously fabricated the narrative of so-called cross-border suppression and blatantly prosecuted Chinese law enforcement officials,” Wang said. | https://www.localsyr.com/news/national/china-calls-us-accusations-of-police-stations-groundless/ | 2023-04-19 11:16:52 | 1 | https://www.localsyr.com/news/national/china-calls-us-accusations-of-police-stations-groundless/ |
YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron, in Cameroon to start his 3-nation Africa tour, is expected to discuss the food crisis in Africa provoked by Russia’s war in Ukraine, the need for Cameroon to increase its agricultural production and the country’s upsurge in insecurity.
In Yaounde, Cameroon’s capital, for a three-day visit to this central African country, Macron then visit Benin and Guinea Bissau.
The Cameroon government gave the capital a facelift for Macron’s visit. Bulldozers razed makeshift market stalls and shacks on all streets in Yaounde where Macron’s envoy will pass.
“They have destroyed my only source of livelihood,” said Solange Kemje, 28, among the several hundred stall owners affected.
Others welcomed the visit of France’s leader, hoping that Macron will extend help in the face of rising insecurity from jihadi violence that has spilled over from neighboring Nigeria.
The central African state is also battling a separatist conflict that has killed at least 3,300 people and displaced more than 750,000 in five years, according to the U.N. Rebels are fighting for Cameroon’s English-speaking minority to have an independent country called Ambazonia.
Some hope that hope Macron will influence President Paul Biya to end the use of force as a solution to the separatist crisis in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions, Capo Daniel, deputy defense chief of the Ambazonia Defense Forces, one of the separatist groups, said.
“One of our factions in our liberation movement called for a lockdown to protest Emmanuel Macron’s visit. But other movements will be watching this event with the hope that Emmanuel Macron will push Paul Biya to choose the path of peaceful resolution of the war (of separatist violence) as an alternative to the current posture of the state of Cameroon to use war to resolve the problem with Ambazonia,” Capo said.
Cameroon says France supports its military to fight separatists and the jihadi violence from Nigeria’s Boko Haram rebels but has given no details on how many weapons have been received from France.
Others hope that Macron will encourage Cameroon’s 89-year-old President Paul Biya, who has been in power for close to 40 years, to retire.
“The discussion should go around a peaceful transition of power in Cameroon and also the issues of human rights and democracy in Cameroon,” Prince Ekosso, leader of the United Socialist Democratic Party said.
Biya is accused of rigging elections in order to stay in power until he dies. Biya maintains he has always won democratic elections fairly.
Cameroon has signed a defense treaty with Russia and has agreed for China to carry out mining, both of which reduced the influence of France in the country, he said.
Cameroon, Benin and Guinea Bissau should ask Macron to reconsider EU trade sanctions on Russia, Cameroon’s Consumers League said. The consumer advocacy group blames the EU sanctions for fuel and wheat shortages and rising food prices across Africa.
Macron will likely try to strengthen multilateral cooperation to stop the spread of jihadi terrorism across West Africa including in Cameroon, Benin and Togo, Kulu said.
Macron is accompanied by the French ministers of Foreign Affairs, Armed Forces and Foreign Relations, as well as the French Secretary of State for Development. | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/international/frances-macron-in-cameroon-at-start-of-3-nation-africa-tour/ | 2022-07-27 03:05:31 | 1 | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/international/frances-macron-in-cameroon-at-start-of-3-nation-africa-tour/ |
CHICAGO, April 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- For the fourth consecutive year, Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts has been designated a Military Friendly® School, earning Top 10, Gold Level status for 2023-2024. Escoffier was ranked second in the nation among other institutions in the non-traditional/online/vocational category.
Military Friendly® Schools demonstrate the highest levels of student support and satisfaction using best practices from the Departments of Defense and Veteran Affairs. They must also be in compliance with Department of Education laws and regulations regarding Veterans and the GI Bill®.
Every year designations are awarded by VIQTORY, a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business. Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in this year's survey.
"It's an honor for us to support our military students and we're humbled to earn Top 10 School Gold Level Military Friendly® designation," said Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts' vice president of student finance operations, Anthony Williams.
"We remain committed to helping military and veteran students meet their educational goals and offer support services for them during and after graduation," added Williams.
Escoffier is the only U.S.-accredited institution offering 100 percent online degrees with culinary classes and hands-on industry externships.* This can allow active-duty military students or veterans with full-time jobs to get their education from anywhere in the world with internet access.
"Schools who achieve awards designation show true commitment in their efforts, going over and above that standard," said National Director of Military Partnerships, Military Friendly®, Kayla Lopez.
Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution's survey scores with the assessment of the institution's ability to meet thresholds for Student Retention, Graduation, Job Placement, Loan Repayment, Persistence (Degree Advancement or Transfer) and Loan Default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.
The 2023-2024 Military Friendly® Schools list will be published in the May and October issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.
For more information about Escoffier's student veteran programs, visit Escoffier at https://www.escoffier.edu/admissions-aid/active-military-veterans/.
About Military Friendly® Schools:
The Military Friendly® Schools list is created each year based on extensive research using public data sources from more than 8,800 schools nationwide, input from student veterans, and responses to the proprietary, data-driven Military Friendly® Schools survey from participating institutions. The survey questions, methodology, criteria and weighting were developed with the assistance of an independent research firm and an advisory council of educators and employers. The survey is administered for free and is open to all postsecondary schools that wish to participate. Criteria for consideration can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.
*More about Escoffier
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts is the largest culinary school brand in the U.S. (based on comparable student population data currently reported in IPEDS). It is the only U.S. accredited institution, available through its Boulder campus, to offer 100 percent online culinary degrees which include culinary classes and real-world industry externships. Ranked in the top 10 culinary schools in the United States by USA Today and number one in the world by Chef's Pencil, the school's professional programs offer the proven combination of a classic and contemporary approach to modern industry skills training as well as sustainability-centered and business-focused curriculum. Escoffier offers Diploma programs for Culinary Arts, Pastry Arts, Food Entrepreneurship and Plant-Based Culinary Arts as well as Associate of Applied Science Degrees in Culinary Arts, Pastry Arts and Associate of Occupational Studies Degrees (AOS) in Culinary Arts, Baking and Pastry, Plant-Based Culinary Arts, Hospitality and Restaurant Operations Management, Holistic Nutrition and Wellness and Food Entrepreneurship. Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in Boulder, Colorado is nationally accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET). Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in Austin, Texas is nationally accredited by the Council on Occupational Education (COE). Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts is a Great Place to Work-Certified™ institution, a Newsweek Top Online Learning School and its Boulder (includes online programs) and Austin campuses are designated as Military Friendly® Schools.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION,
Contact: Patti Thomas, pattithomas8888@gmail.com
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SOURCE Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts | https://www.wkyt.com/prnewswire/2023/04/11/auguste-escoffier-school-culinary-arts-earns-military-friendly-designation-fourth-consecutive-year/ | 2023-04-11 15:30:33 | 0 | https://www.wkyt.com/prnewswire/2023/04/11/auguste-escoffier-school-culinary-arts-earns-military-friendly-designation-fourth-consecutive-year/ |
The 2023 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Odds & Preview: Minjee Lee
Following the first round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Minjee Lee is currently 33rd with a score of +1.
Looking to place a bet on Minjee Lee at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship this week? Read on for the betting odds and stats you can use before you make your picks.
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Minjee Lee Insights
- Lee has finished below par on nine occasions, completed her day bogey-free once and finished 11 rounds with a better-than-average score over her last 17 rounds played.
- She has recorded the best score of the day in two of her last 17 rounds, while scoring among the top five in five rounds and the top 10 on eight occasions.
- Over her last 17 rounds, Lee has finished within three strokes of the best score of the round six times, and within five strokes of the top score of the day on nine occasions.
- Lee has finished in the top five in one of her past five appearances.
- Lee has finished within three shots of the leader in one of her past five events. In that span, she finished within five shots of the winner two times and with a better-than-average score four times.
- Lee will attempt to prolong her streak of made cuts to 12 by qualifying for the weekend again.
Over the last year
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KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Insights and Stats
- In Lee's previous two appearances in this tournament, she has finished among the top five once. Her average finish has been 18th.
- Lee made the cut in each of her last two attempts at this event.
- Lee finished 33rd when she last played this event, which was in 2023.
- Baltusrol GC measures 6,621 yards for this tournament, 394 below the average course on the Tour in the past year (7,015).
- Baltusrol GC checks in at 6,621 yards, 30 yards longer than the average course Lee has played in the past year (6,591 yards).
Lee's Last Time Out
- Lee shot below average over the 20 par-3 holes at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, with an average of 3.30 strokes to finish in the third percentile of the field.
- She finished in the 98th percentile on par 4s at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, averaging 3.84 strokes on those 32 holes.
- Lee shot better than 99% of the field at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give on the tournament's 20 par-5 holes, averaging 4.30 strokes per hole compared to the field average, which was 4.63.
- Lee fared the same as the field average on par-3 holes in the last time out, carding a birdie or better on two of 20 par-3s at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give.
- On the 20 par-3s at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, Lee had more bogeys or worse (seven) than the tournament average (2.1).
- Lee's nine birdies or better on par-4s at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give were more than the tournament average of 3.0.
- In that last outing, Lee carded a bogey or worse on four of 32 par-4s (the field averaged 4.8).
- Lee finished the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give outperforming the field's average of birdies or better on par-5s (6.4) with 14 on the 20 par-5 holes.
- On the 20 par-5s at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, Lee outperformed the field's average of 1.1 bogeys or worse on those holes by carding one.
KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Time and Date Info
- Date: June 22-25, 2023
- Course: Baltusrol GC
- Location: Springfield, New Jersey
- Par: 71 / 6,621 yards
- Lee Odds to Win: +2500 (Bet now with BetMGM!)
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All statistics in this article reflect Lee's performance prior to the 2023 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wagmtv.com/sports/betting/2023/06/24/minjee-lee-kpmg-women-s-pga-championship-lpga-tour-odds/ | 2023-06-23 07:00:26 | 0 | https://www.wagmtv.com/sports/betting/2023/06/24/minjee-lee-kpmg-women-s-pga-championship-lpga-tour-odds/ |
HOUSTON, June 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Huda Zoghbi, pioneering neurologist at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, has been awarded the prestigious 2022 Kavli Prize in the field of neuroscience. She is being recognized for two discoveries – first, of the gene responsible for spinocerebellar ataxia 1 (SCA1), a progressive and often deadly disease in which neurons in the cerebellum and brain stem degenerate, causing loss of balance and coordination as well as swallowing difficulties. Second, for her discoveryof the MECP2 gene responsible for Rett syndrome, a developmental disorder that strikes children, mostly girls, causing regression and disability. She is the first Kavli prize winner for Baylor and Texas Children's.
Zoghbi is one of 11 scientists from across the globe being named a Kavli Prize Laureate. The Kavli Prize is a partnership among the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research and the Kavli Foundation to recognize scientists in astrophysics, nanoscience and neuroscience for breakthroughs that transform our understanding of the big, the small and the complex.
Her longtime collaborator and colleague Dr. Harry T. Orr, professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at the University of Minnesota, also is receiving the same honor. He and Zoghbi independently discovered the gene known as ATAXIN1, which is responsible for SCA1. Working together, Orr and Zoghbi discovered that a repeat expansion causes SCA1 and discovered that the mutation caused proteins to misfold and accumulate, eventually leading to neuronal dysfunction and death. The Zoghbi and Orr teams have elucidated the disease mechanism and identified paths that can be pursued for therapeutic interventions.
"I am deeply honored by this recognition and credit my mentors, trainees, collaborators and the incredible research environment at Baylor and Texas Children's Hospital in helping me advance the work on SCA1 and Rett syndrome," said Zoghbi, who is also a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. "To be acknowledged alongside Harry Orr, Jean-Louis Mandel and Chris Walsh is especially meaningful as it is beautiful recognition of the power of genetics for understanding disease."
Zoghbi is the founding director of the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's and a Distinguished Service Professor at Baylor.
"Dr. Zoghbi is a superb scientist and talented innovator. She has expanded the field of neurogenetics and continues to do so not only with her research and patient care, but also through her mentorship and educational leadership at Baylor," said Dr. Paul Klotman, president, CEO and executive dean of Baylor. "Her discoveries have helped to treat pediatric patients and now even adults as she continues to make new discoveries in her field of neurodegenerative diseases."
The journey to ATAXIN1
Zoghbi started her career as a clinical neurologist. Encountering girls with Rett syndrome inspired her to go into research. Zoghbi's patient care and research focuses on developmental disorders. It was during her early work treating Rett syndrome, which is not inherited, that she took note of an inherited neurodegenerative disorder, spinocerebellar ataxia.
Her research with families suffering from spinocerebellar ataxia led her to Orr, who was also working with families with spinocerebellar ataxia. His research was pointing to the same chromosome that Zoghbi was investigating as playing a role in the development of this disease. However, they were each studying separate regions of that chromosome.
"Curiously, because of where the genes mapped in the respective families in our research, we were looking at two different parts of chromosome 6 despite being fairly certain we were studying the same disease," she said.
Zoghbi continued to investigate while working with Orr, the two sharing their research techniques from their respective work. After pinpointing the genetic line responsible for passing on the gene within the family she was working with, Zoghbi realized the gene mapped on top of the gene in Orr's spinocerebellar ataxia family.
Zoghbi and Orr decided to collaborate even more intensely, recognizing they were working on the same gene. They split the region in half, and each started working from the outside in, searching for triplet repeats while moving toward the middle.
"Finally, on April 8, 1993, we both discovered the disease-causing gene [ATAXIN1] on the same day, right in the middle of the candidate region. Harry was sending me a fax of the expansion he detected in his family, while I was sending him ours. We had the pleasure of sharing the discovery and our data at an international ataxia meeting in Capri, Italy, that summer.
"After the gene discovery, we had to plan the next steps: do we continue to collaborate, or do we go our different ways? We chose to continue our collaboration," Zoghbi said.
"Studying ataxias led me to one of the highlights of my scientific career, the collaboration with Harry Orr, and ensured that I could be productive while I was still struggling to understand Rett," Zoghbi said.
Dr. Huda Zoghbi describes what being named a Kavli Prize Laureate means to her and the future of her research, followed by images of her lab, here.
Patient care leads to Rett discovery
Prior to her work and findings regarding ATAXIN1, Zoghbi's first experiences with Rett syndrome began when she joined Baylor and Texas Children's in 1983 to begin her residency in child neurology. She encountered two patients with symptoms and soon identified other children who had similar symptoms. She then began research to uncover what causes this disorder.
"From the moment Dr. Zoghbi arrived at Texas Children's Hospital, we knew immediately that she was essential to unlocking the mystery of these devastating diseases," said Mark A. Wallace, president and CEO of Texas Children's Hospital. "Dr. Zoghbi continues to amaze us with her commitment to not only understanding what causes neurological diseases but also her dedication to lead the discovery and development of new treatments that will undeniably transform the landscape of neurological research and, ultimately, change lives for generations to come."
In 1999, she and her research team were able to identify mutations in methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 gene, known as MECP2, as the root cause for Rett syndrome. The discovery of the Rett syndrome gene provided a straightforward diagnostic genetic test, allowing early and accurate diagnosis of the syndrome.
Her work also revealed how sensitive the brain is to varying levels of the protein MeCP2. The gene MECP2 is responsible for production of this protein. Too little MeCP2 causes Rett syndrome; however, doubling MECP2 levels causes extra MeCP2 production, which leads to an increase in protein function, causing neurological deficits. MECP2 duplication syndrome in humans causes a progressive neurological disorder.
Mutations in MECP2 also can cause a host of other neurological phenotypes ranging from autism to juvenile onset schizophrenia. Her findings provided evidence that an autism spectrum disorder or an intellectual disability disorder can be genetic even if it is not inherited.
Zoghbi and her team's discoveries opened a new area of research on the role of epigenetics in neuropsychiatric phenotypes. Epigenetics is the study of changes in organisms caused by modification of gene expression rather than the genetic code. Zoghbi's use of an antisense oligonucleotide to lower MECP2 levels provided a potential therapeutic strategy for the MECP2 duplication syndrome and is inspiring similar studies for other disorders caused by altered gene dosage.
Neurological Research Institute
As the founder of the NRI, Zoghbi's vision of generous, multidisciplinary collaboration has guided the NRI to become a remarkable leader in neurogenetic research. Baylor and Texas Children's opened the NRI in 2010, building on each institution's strengths in genetics, neuroscience and pediatrics. Zoghbi collaborations have been critical for the success of many projects throughout her career; the NRI was therefore designed to foster a multidisciplinary, collaborative environment to facilitate fundamental discoveries in neuroscience with the goal of translating them to therapies for many incurable neurological and neurodegenerative conditions.
Currently, the NRI is home to 30 principal investigators and 400 scientists and trainees. The NRI faculty have published more than 1300 scientific studies in top-tier journals and discovered more than 60 disease-causing genetic mutations. Promising clinical trials for numerous disorders are underway.
Kavli Prize Honorees
This year's Kavli Prize Laureates are:
- Kavli Prize in Astrophysics: Conny Aerts (Belgium), Jørgen Christensen-Dalsgaard (Denmark) and Roger Ulrich (USA).
- Kavli Prize in Nanoscience: David L. Allara (USA), Ralph G. Nuzzo (USA), Jacob Sagiv (Israel) and George Whitesides (USA).
- Kavli Prize in Neuroscience: Jean-Louis Mandel (France), Harry T. Orr (USA), Christopher A. Walsh (USA) and Huda Y. Zoghbi (Lebanon/USA).
"We honor the 2022 Kavli Prize Laureates for their transformative contributions to science and society. Their discoveries created entirely new fields, opened up new realms of scientific research and advanced science for the benefit of humankind," says Lise Øvreås, president of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.
About Baylor College of Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine (www.bcm.edu) in Houston is recognized as a health sciences university and is known for excellence in education, research and patient care. It is ranked 22nd among medical schools for research and 17th for primary care by U.S. News & World Report. Baylor is listed 20th among all U.S. medical schools for National Institutes of Health funding and No. 1 in Texas. The Baylor pediatrics program ranked 7th among all pediatric programs, reflecting the strong affiliation with Texas Children's Hospital where our faculty care for pediatric patients and our students and residents train. Nationally our physician assistant program was ranked 3rd in the health disciplines category and our nurse anesthesia program ranked 2nd. Located in the Texas Medical Center, Baylor has affiliations with seven teaching hospitals and jointly owns and operates Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center, part of St. Luke's Health. Currently, Baylor has more than 3,000 trainees in medical, graduate, nurse anesthesia, physician assistant, orthotics and genetic counseling as well as residents and postdoctoral fellows. Follow Baylor College of Medicine on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/BaylorCollegeOfMedicine) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/BCMHouston).
About Texas Children's Hospital
Texas Children's Hospital, a not-for-profit health care organization, is committed to creating a healthier future for children and women throughout the global community by leading in patient care, education and research. Consistently ranked as the best children's hospital in Texas, and among the top in the nation, Texas Children's has garnered widespread recognition for its expertise and breakthroughs in pediatric and women's health. The hospital includes the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute; the Feigin Tower for Pediatric Research; Texas Children's Pavilion for Women, a comprehensive obstetrics/gynecology facility focusing on high-risk births; Texas Children's Hospital West Campus, a community hospital in suburban West Houston; and Texas Children's Hospital The Woodlands, the first hospital devoted to children's care for communities north of Houston. The organization also created Texas Children's Health Plan, the nation's first HMO for children; Texas Children's Pediatrics, the largest pediatric primary care network in the country; Texas Children's Urgent Care clinics that specialize in after-hours care tailored specifically for children; and a global health program that's channeling care to children and women all over the world. Texas Children's Hospital is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine. For more information For more information, go to www.texaschildrens.org. Get the latest news by visiting the online newsroom and Twitter at twitter.com/texaschildrens.
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SOURCE Texas Children's Hospital | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2022/06/01/dr-huda-zoghbi-named-2022-kavli-prize-laureate-neuroscience/ | 2022-06-01 20:58:40 | 0 | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2022/06/01/dr-huda-zoghbi-named-2022-kavli-prize-laureate-neuroscience/ |
German tuner and supercar manufacturer Ruf has announced a new home for its U.S. operations to cover its growing base of North American customers.
The new Ruf North America is run by Victor Gomez and headquartered at The Concours Club, an automotive resort located in Miami, Florida. The operations is responsible for import and distribution of Ruf vehicles, as well as sales, service, parts, track driving experiences, and private events. A showroom is due to be completed in mid-2023.
Ruf held a recent meet at The Concours Club to mark the announcement of Ruf North America. The company had a number of its products on display, including the latest CTR.
The Concours Club is located within the grounds of Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport, and includes a FIA-certified racetrack, as well as a restaurant, events area, and private garages. One of the reasons Ruf picked the site is that it enables customers to fly in and be on the track within minutes of landing.
“When I first came to the U.S. in 1970, I was amazed by the incredibly active car culture,” Alois Ruf Jr., Ruf’s director, said in a statement. “Now, after 53 years, we are thrilled to be opening our U.S. home base in Miami, where we can share our passion for motoring with our North American customers.”
Ruf was founded by Alois Ruf, Sr. in 1939, originally as an auto repair center located in the German town of Pfaffenhausen, a short drive from Munich. Today, Ruf, Jr. is running the company. It specializes in modifying Porsche 911s but also builds its own cars from scratch, albeit with bodies that resemble Porsche sports cars.
The latest is the fourth-generation CTR, which resembles a 911 but features a bespoke carbon-fiber monocoque chassis, along with other thoroughly modern mechanicals. It was launched in 2017 as homage to Ruf’s original 1987 CTR “Yellow Bird”, which it also resembles.
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- Paul Newman-modified 1988 Volvo 740 Turbo Wagon up for auction | https://phl17.com/automotive/internet-brands/ruf-sets-up-shop-in-us/ | 2023-03-17 15:41:23 | 1 | https://phl17.com/automotive/internet-brands/ruf-sets-up-shop-in-us/ |
Democrats eye Wisconsin high court’s new liberal majority to win abortion and redistricting rulings
By SCOTT BAUER
Associated Press
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s Supreme Court will flip from majority conservative to liberal control in August and Democrats have high hopes the change will lead to the state’s abortion ban being overturned and its maps redrawn to weaken GOP control of the Legislature and congressional districts.
Democrats in the perennial battleground state focused on abortion to elect a liberal majority to the court for the first time in 15 years. The Democratic Party spent $8 million to tilt the court’s 4-3 conservative majority by one seat with the election of Janet Protasiewicz, who spoke in favor of abortion rights and against the Republican-drawn map in a campaign. Her April victory broke national spending records for a state Supreme Court race.
Still, there are no guarantees. Republicans were angered when a conservative candidate they backed in 2019 turned out to sometimes side with liberal justices.
While the court is widely expected to weigh in on abortion and redistricting, liberals also are talking about bringing new challenges to school choice, voter ID, the 12-year-old law that effectively ended collective bargaining for most public workers and other laws backed by Republicans.
“When you don’t know the extent of the battle you may have to fight, it’s concerning,” said attorney Rick Esenberg, president of the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty. “It’s very concerning.”
Some issues could take years to reach the court, said liberal attorney Pester Pines, who like Esenberg has argued numerous times before the state Supreme Court. Unlike under the conservative majority, Pines said the new liberal court will be unlikely to rule on cases before lower courts have heard them.
“They’re not going to do it,” Pines said.
There is already a pending case challenging Wisconsin’s pre-Civil War era abortion ban, and a circuit court judge ruled earlier this month that it can proceed, while also calling into question whether the law actually bans abortions.
The case is expected to reach the Supreme Court within months. Protasiewicz all but promised to overturn the ban by repeatedly speaking out for abortion rights, winning support from Planned Parenthood and others.
“When you’re a politician and you’re perceived by the voters as making a promise, and you don’t keep it, they get angry,” Esenberg said.
There is no current redistricting lawsuit, but Democrats or their allies are expected to file a new challenge this summer seeking new districts before the 2024 election.
The state Supreme Court upheld Republican-drawn maps in 2022. Those maps, widely regarded as among the most gerrymandered in the country, have helped Republicans increase their hold on the Legislature to near supermajority levels, even as Democrats have won statewide elections, including Tony Evers as governor in 2018 and 2022 and Joe Biden in 2020.
Protasizewicz declared those maps to be “rigged” and said during the campaign they should be given another look. Democrats also hope for new congressional maps improving their chances in the state’s two most competitive House districts, held by Republicans.
“What we want to see is maps that are fair and that represent the will of the people and the actual make up of their state,” Democratic strategist Melissa Baldauff said.
Four of the past six presidential elections in Wisconsin have been decided by less than a percentage point. The outgoing conservative court came within one vote of overturning Biden’s win in 2020. The new court will be in control to hear any challenges leading up to the election and in the months after.
That includes voting rules. Courts have repeatedly upheld Wisconsin’s voter ID requirement, in place since 2011, but some Democrats see a chance to challenge it again, particularly over what IDs can legally be shown. There is also a looming fight over the state’s top elections administrator.
“It seems to me that the most consequential topics that could come before the new court would have to do with elections,” said Alan Ball, a Marquette University Law School history professor who runs a statistical analysis blog of the court and tendencies of justices.
Considering comments Protasiewicz made during the campaign, “it’s really hard for me to imagine she would not side with the liberals on those issues,” Ball said.
A national Democratic law firm filed a lawsuit on Thursday seeking to undo a Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling last year banning absentee ballot drop boxes. The case could make its way to the state high court before the 2024 presidential election.
Other sticky issues that have garnered bipartisan criticism, including powers of the governor, also could come before the new court.
Evers surprised many with a veto this year putting in place a school spending increase for 400 years. Republicans said a challenge was likely.
In 2021, the court struck down three of Evers’ previous partial vetoes but failed to give clear guidance on what is allowed.
A Wisconsin governor’s veto power is expansive and used by Republicans and Democrats, but the new court could weigh in on whether it should be scaled back. Esenberg, who brought the previous case challenging Evers’ veto powers, said he expected another legal challenge in light of the 400-year veto. | https://localnews8.com/news/ap-national/2023/07/22/democrats-eye-wisconsin-high-courts-new-liberal-majority-to-win-abortion-and-redistricting-rulings/ | 2023-07-23 05:56:40 | 1 | https://localnews8.com/news/ap-national/2023/07/22/democrats-eye-wisconsin-high-courts-new-liberal-majority-to-win-abortion-and-redistricting-rulings/ |
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The only thing that stopped Tennessee fans from singing “Rocky Top” as time was expiring Friday night was the need to serenade Joe Milton with something else.
“M-V-P!” they chanted, over and over. With good reason.
Milton — who regained the starting job only after his close friend Hendon Hooker got hurt late in the year — led Tennessee to one of its finest moments in the last couple decades.
He completed 19 of 28 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns, and No. 6 Tennessee never trailed on its way to a 31-14 victory over No. 10 Clemson in the Orange Bowl.
“I trust myself, I trust my coaching and I just let it happen,” Milton said.
The Volunteers finished 11-2 — they hadn’t had an 11-win season since 2001 — and capped a year when they beat Alabama, LSU and Clemson — programs that combined to win six of the seven recent College Football Playoff national titles.
“All the adversity this group’s faced during their careers, what they’ve done the last 23 months, I couldn’t be prouder of a group of individuals,” said Tennessee coach Josh Heupel, who won a national title as an Oklahoma player in the Orange Bowl. “These players, our staff, Vol Nation, everybody’s been along for the journey.”
Squirrel White, Bru McCoy and Ramel Keyton had the scoring catches for the Volunteers. Jaylen Wright rushed for 89 yards and Jabari Small had a touchdown run for Tennessee.
Cade Klubnik, making his first start for Clemson, completed 30 of 54 passes for 320 yards with two interceptions. But Clemson (11-3) just kept coming up empty on prime scoring chances; the Tigers got into Tennessee territory on nine of their first 10 possessions — and turned those trips into only two field goals.
Klubnik ran in from 4 yards out to get Clemson within 21-14 with 10:01 left, but Milton connected with Keyton for a 46-yard score on the next Tennessee possession. The Volunteers intercepted Klubnik on a desperation fourth-down heave about a minute later, just about sealing the outcome.
In this very orange Orange Bowl — both teams have it as their primary color — it was the Tennessee hue that was superior. Hooker was there, having flown in about a week ago to be with his team and help Milton prepare for the game.
“Blood can’t make us closer,” Milton said. “That’s my brother ’til the end.”
Milton opened the scoring with a 16-yard pass to McCoy, and Small’s 2-yard rush pushed the lead to 14-0 with 9:03 left in the half. The nation’s most prolific offense wasn’t at its best — Tennessee led the nation this year in yards and points per game — but it didn’t have to be.
Clemson got the ball seven times in the first half, getting inside Tennessee territory all seven times and getting to the Vols 25 on four occasions.
Somehow, that only became three points.
The other six possessions: a stuffed fake field-goal run by Drew Swinney, the son of Clemson coach Dabo Swinney; a punt; three missed field goals by B.T. Potter — the most prolific kicker in school history — and a brutal final drive when Klubnik was tackled on a keeper with 6 seconds left. Clemson was out of timeouts, couldn’t get the field-goal unit on the field and went into halftime trailing 14-3.
Potter opened the second half with a 40-yarder of the no-problem variety — the 73rd field goal of his career, a school record for the Tigers. But White caught a 14-yard pass with 5 seconds left in the third, giving the Vols a 21-6 lead going into the fourth.
When it was over, Milton took a knee, tucked the game ball under his left arm and simply would not let it go. He’ll enter 2023 as Tennessee’s presumed starter — and expectations will be high for a program that went 20-27 in the four seasons before Heupel’s arrival, went 7-6 last year under him and now won an Orange Bowl.
“It’s been a fun climb,” Heupel said. “The best is yet to come.”
THE TAKEAWAY
Tennessee: Peyton Manning was on the sideline pregame and had a prime seat for the contest. When he got shown on the in-stadium screens during the second half, he pointed to his Tennessee hat and nodded knowingly as the Vol fans roared.
Clemson: The three big plays that the Tigers will lament aren’t hard to identify. The fake field-goal run was one, Klubnik’s time-management blunder to end the first half was another, and the third was a decision to go for it on fourth-and-2 from the Vols 31 late in the third. Will Shipley was stopped on a run left, and four plays later, Milton found White for the 21-6 lead.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Tennessee may climb a spot or two, depending on what happens in the College Football Playoff games. It’ll be the Vols’ best finish in at least 20 years; they were No. 4 in 2001 and No. 1 in 1998.
Clemson will be part of the final poll for the 12th consecutive year, extending the longest such run in school history. The Tigers were in six straight season-ending AP polls from 1986 through 1991.
UP NEXT
Tennessee: The Vols open next season against Virginia on Sept. 2 in Nashville. It’ll be Virginia’s first game since the shooting that killed three players and led to the cancellation of the Cavaliers’ last two games of 2022.
Clemson: A Week One game against an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent awaits, likely to be announced sometime in January. Clemson’s first nonconference game is set for Sept. 9 against Charleston Southern.
___
More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap_top25. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/mrxhe6f2 | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-no-6-tennessee-tops-no-10-clemson-31-14-in-orange-bowl/ | 2022-12-31 05:49:27 | 1 | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-no-6-tennessee-tops-no-10-clemson-31-14-in-orange-bowl/ |
STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. — A 64-year-old woman is in custody, accused of stabbing and killing her adult son, police say.
DeKalb County Police Department officers were called to a deadly stabbing at a home along Mountain View Pass in Stone Mountain Sunday around 10:30 p.m. When police arrived, they found Robert Franklin, 43, dead.
Officers said they arrested the suspect, his mother, at the scene. Carolyn Williams is accused of murder, jail records show.
Investigators said they are working to learn what led up to the violence and did not provide any other details.
News happens fast. Download our 11Alive News app for all the latest breaking updates, and sign up for our Speed Feed newsletter to get a rundown of the latest headlines across north Georgia. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/stone-mountain/carolyn-williams-accused-of-stabbing-son-to-death/85-d67d28c5-810f-4e33-aa65-8971a9c33c03 | 2023-02-20 20:45:27 | 1 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/stone-mountain/carolyn-williams-accused-of-stabbing-son-to-death/85-d67d28c5-810f-4e33-aa65-8971a9c33c03 |
BUFFALO, N.Y., Feb. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- M&T Bank Corporation (NYSE:MTB)("M&T") will participate in the RBC Capital Markets Global Financial Institutions Conference being held in New York City. Representatives of M&T are scheduled to deliver a presentation to investors and analysts on March 8, 2023 at 9:20 a.m. (ET).
A link to the webcast will be available at https://ir.mtb.com/events-presentations. The webcast may contain material information as well as forward-looking information, and cautionary statements regarding such forward-looking information will be available on the webcast link.
M&T is a financial holding company headquartered in Buffalo, New York. M&T's principal banking subsidiary, M&T Bank, provides banking products and services in 12 states across the eastern U.S. from Maine to Virginia and Washington, D.C. Trust-related services are provided in select markets in the U.S. and abroad by M&T's Wilmington Trust-affiliated companies and by M&T Bank.
CONTACT: Brian Klock
(716) 842-5138
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SOURCE M&T Bank Corporation | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/02/23/mampt-bank-corporation-participate-rbc-capital-markets-global-financial-institutions-conference/ | 2023-02-23 18:48:18 | 1 | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/02/23/mampt-bank-corporation-participate-rbc-capital-markets-global-financial-institutions-conference/ |
PITTSBURGH, April 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- F.N.B. Corporation (NYSE: FNB) announced today that it plans to issue financial results for the first quarter of 2023 after the market close on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Vincent J. Delie, Jr., Chief Financial Officer, Vincent J. Calabrese, Jr., and Chief Credit Officer, Gary L. Guerrieri, plan to host a conference call to discuss the Company's financial results on Thursday, April 20, 2023, at 8:30 AM ET.
Participants are encouraged to pre-register for the conference call at: https://dpregister.com/sreg/10176840/f8b054e198. Callers who pre-register will be provided a conference passcode and unique PIN to bypass the live operator and gain immediate access to the call. Participants may pre-register at any time, including up to and after the call start time.
Dial-in Access: The conference call may be accessed by dialing 844-802-2440 (for domestic callers) or 412-317-5133 (for international callers). Participants should ask to be joined into the F.N.B. Corporation call.
Webcast Access: The audio-only call and related presentation materials may be accessed via webcast through the "About Us" tab of the Corporation's website at www.fnbcorporation.com and clicking on "Investor Relations" then "Investor Conference Calls." Access to the live webcast will begin approximately 30 minutes prior to the start of the call.
Presentation Materials: Presentation slides and the earnings release will also be available on the Corporation's website at www.fnbcorporation.com by accessing the "About Us" tab and clicking on "Investor Relations" then "Investor Conference Calls."
A replay of the call will be available shortly after the completion of the call until midnight ET on Friday, April 29, 2023. The replay can be accessed by dialing 877-344-7529 (for domestic callers) or 412-317-0088 (for international callers); the conference replay access code is 4795805. Following the call, a link to the webcast and the related presentation materials will be posted to the "Investor Relations" section of F.N.B. Corporation's website at www.fnbcorporation.com.
About F.N.B. Corporation
F.N.B. Corporation (NYSE: FNB), headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a diversified financial services company operating in seven states and the District of Columbia. FNB's market coverage spans several major metropolitan areas, including: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Baltimore, Maryland; Cleveland, Ohio; Washington, D.C.; Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham and the Piedmont Triad (Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point) in North Carolina; and Charleston, South Carolina. The Company has total assets of nearly $44 billion and approximately 350 banking offices throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington, D.C. and Virginia.
FNB provides a full range of commercial banking, consumer banking and wealth management solutions through its subsidiary network, which is led by its largest affiliate, First National Bank of Pennsylvania, founded in 1864. Commercial banking solutions include corporate banking, small business banking, investment real estate financing, government banking, business credit, capital markets and lease financing. The consumer banking segment provides a full line of consumer banking products and services, including deposit products, mortgage lending, consumer lending and a complete suite of mobile and online banking services. FNB's wealth management services include asset management, private banking and insurance.
The common stock of F.N.B. Corporation trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "FNB" and is included in Standard & Poor's MidCap 400 Index with the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) Regional Banks Sub-Industry Index. Customers, shareholders and investors can learn more about this regional financial institution by visiting the F.N.B. Corporation website at www.fnbcorporation.com.
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SOURCE F.N.B. Corporation | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2023/04/03/fnb-corporation-schedules-first-quarter-2023-earnings-report-conference-call/ | 2023-04-03 21:27:53 | 1 | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2023/04/03/fnb-corporation-schedules-first-quarter-2023-earnings-report-conference-call/ |
NELSON, N.Y. – A Madison County assistant district attorney has resigned after emergency responders were called to his home for reported drug overdoses on July 30.
Madison County sheriff’s deputies were called to Bradley Moses’ home on Tuscarora Road just before 9 p.m. for a report of two people who were unconscious and unresponsive due to a suspected overdose.
Witnesses at the home told deputies the drug was believed to be cocaine. After a sample was tested, authorities confirmed the substance was positive for fentanyl, which is a synthetic opioid 50 times more potent than heroin.
Both people received multiple doses of Narcan and were transported to Syracuse hospitals for further treatment. The two have since been released.
Madison County District Attorney William Gabor released the following statement following the incident:
“The Madison County District Attorney’s Office is aware of a life-threatening incident which occurred on July 30, 2022, in the Town of Nelson. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office responded and is completing its investigation. One of the individuals involved was a member of the District Attorney’s Office. He is completing a Family Leave application to address a personal problem and has offered his resignation; which will be accepted.” | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/madison-county-ada-resigns-following-drug-overdoses-at-his-home-in-nelson/article_86688e84-14fa-11ed-ab4e-7fb39fd7cde0.html | 2022-08-05 21:44:29 | 1 | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/madison-county-ada-resigns-following-drug-overdoses-at-his-home-in-nelson/article_86688e84-14fa-11ed-ab4e-7fb39fd7cde0.html |
The New York grand jury weighing an indictment of former President Trump in connection with an investigation into a hush money payment is no longer scheduled to meet Wednesday, according to multiple news outlets.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D) reportedly told the panel of jurors they should still be on standby to report on Thursday.
The delay was first reported by Business Insider.
The cancellation comes after Trump predicted over the weekend that he could be arrested as soon as Tuesday in connection with the probe.
Bragg’s office declined to comment.
The grand jury last met Monday, hearing testimony from attorney Bob Costello, who appeared at the behest of the Trump team in an effort to discredit former Trump attorney and fixer Michael Cohen.
Cohen, who served jail time on campaign finance and tax fraud charges, has testified repeatedly in the probe about the $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels, which he said he made on Trump’s behalf.
The grand jury empaneled for Bragg’s investigation typically meets Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Still, it’s not unusual for grand juries to shift their schedules, adjusting based on witness availability or other conflicts.
Updated at 12:44 p.m. | https://www.yourbasin.com/hill-politics/manhattan-da-cancels-wednesday-meeting-of-grand-jury-in-hush-money-probe/ | 2023-03-22 19:47:12 | 1 | https://www.yourbasin.com/hill-politics/manhattan-da-cancels-wednesday-meeting-of-grand-jury-in-hush-money-probe/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans cut back sharply on retail spending last month as the holiday shopping season began with high prices and rising interest rates forcing families, particularly lower income households, to make harder decisions about what they buy.
Retail sales fell 0.6% from October to November after a sharp 1.3% rise the previous month, the government said Thursday. Sales fell at furniture, electronics, and home and garden stores.
Americans’ spending has been resilient ever since inflation first spiked almost 18 months ago, but the capacity of Americans to continue spending in a period of high inflation may be beginning to ebb. Inflation has retreated from the four-decade high it reached this summer but remains elevated, enough to erode the spending power of Americans. Prices rose 7.1% in November from a year ago.
“The weakness in sales … suggests that higher borrowing costs, slower employment growth and an unusually low saving rate are now catching up with consumers,” said Andrew Hunter, senior U.S. economist at Capital Economics.
Consumer spending is still likely to grow at a solid pace in the final three months of the year, Hunter said, but he expects a sharp drop early next year.
Monthly sales data can be volatile and one negative report is often followed by a rebound, other economists said.
Sales plunged 2.3% at auto dealers, and slipped 0.6% at sporting goods stores and 0.1% at general merchandise stores, a category that includes large chains such as Walmart and Target. Sales at online and catalog stores fell 0.9%.
The steep 2.5% decline in sales at home and garden stores likely reflects the sharp decline in home sales due rapid interest rate hikes in the U.S., which have put homes increasingly out of reach for more Americans.
Solid hiring, rising pay, and enhanced savings from government financial support during the pandemic have enabled most Americans to keep up with rising prices. Yet many are now digging into their savings to maintain the same level of spending. The saving rate declined to its second-lowest level on record in October.
Americans are also putting more purchases on their credit cards. Total credit card debt jumped 15% in the July-September quarter, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the biggest jump in 20 years.
Shopping at a Walmart in New Jersey, Eric Cruz, said he planned to cut his holiday shopping budget by roughly 20% this year, to about $800. The 33-year-old Jersey City entrepreneur said rising costs for utilities and rent now take a bigger chunk of his income. He is trying to offset rising costs by seeking out credit cards with greater rewards, like 5% back on spending.
“I am looking for extra incentives and credit cards allow me to do that,” he said.
Symptoms of economic stress are beginning to appear, retailers have noted.
Craft supplies chain Jo-Ann Stores this week announced a pause in quarterly dividends for investors after comparable store sales fell 8% during its most recent quarter, which ended in October.
“Budget-conscious consumers have been under a prolonged period of stress for many months now, and they are getting more selective,” said CEO Wade Miquelon.
Miquelon said, however, that inflation is subsiding even as the U.S. potentially heads into “something more typical of a recessionary environment in the short term.”
Overstock, the online retailer that sells a lot of furniture, began promoting holiday items as early as October this year to pull in cautious shoppers, said CEO Jonathan Johnson.
“Everyone is competing for wallet share by offering the best deals they can offer,” Johnson said. “Customers continue to look to stretch their dollars as far as possible.”
Black Friday weekend, which kicks off the holiday shopping season, was strong this year, said Sonia Lapinsky, managing director in the retail practice at consultancy AlixPartners.
Yet, Lapinsky noted, people are buying less overall with almost everything more expensive than it was last year.
“Inflation is going to continue to put pressure on the wallet,” Lapinsky said. “I think consumers are going to hunker down.”
___
D’Innocenzio reported from New York. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/business/ap-retail-sales-slip-at-start-of-key-holiday-shopping-season/ | 2022-12-15 21:29:36 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/business/ap-retail-sales-slip-at-start-of-key-holiday-shopping-season/ |
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – Just in their third season of existence, Fort Wayne FC celebrated some club history on Sunday when the USL League 2 squad clinched their first division title.
Fort Wayne shut out Toledo Villa FC in a 4-0 win to earn the division title in front of a packed crowd at Bishop D’Arcy Stadium.
Leo High School grad Reid Sproat headed in Fort Wayne FC’s first goal of the night on a corner kick from Tom Abrahmsson in the tenth minute. Abrahmsson then floated in his own goal in the 35th minute to double Fort Wayne’s lead. Seth Antwi chipped in another goal late in the first half to give Fort Wayne a 3-0 lead at halftime.
Henri Kumwenda knocked in Fort Wayne’s final goal of the night in the 62nd minute.
Fort Wayne remains undefeated in USL League 2 play at 9-0-2, winning six straight matches while shutting out eight straight opponents. The team is off until Saturday when they host Northern Indiana FC for a friendly. | https://www.wane.com/sports/local-sports/fort-wayne-fc-locks-up-first-division-title-in-shutout-win-over-toledo-villa-fc/ | 2023-07-03 03:11:50 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/sports/local-sports/fort-wayne-fc-locks-up-first-division-title-in-shutout-win-over-toledo-villa-fc/ |
The lobbying group J Street, which markets itself as “the pro-Israel, pro-peace” organization, wants you to know this: it, uniquely, is “pro-peace,” and if you beg to differ with some of its stranger pronouncements on the Middle East, you aren’t.
But there’s more.
If you believe that some of what J Street asserts is wrong, and you desire to say so publicly — including, say, by supporting political candidates that J Street doesn’t — it wishes to inform you that you are a “dark” force that is improperly “intervening” in American democracy.
That’s the takeaway thus far from the Democratic primary season, in which J Street has locked arms with some of the most egregiously antisemitic operators around, blasting the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the group it both despises and seeks to emulate. AIPAC has long been the bogeyman for anti-Jewish conspiracy theorists on the extreme right and the extreme left, who contend that Jews control Congress, the media and Major League Baseball’s wild card races. J Street has taken to attacking AIPAC in terms right out of Antisemitism for Dummies.
But its attacks aren’t merely increasingly ugly. They are unabashedly hypocritical.
J Street was launched in 2008, boosted by massive cash infusions from the not-exactly-Israel-friendly George Soros, a mysterious Pittsburgh businessman and an even more mysterious character from — where else? — Happy Valley, Hong Kong. It flourished thanks to the frosty relationship between President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During the Trump years it benefited from the hubris of some in the traditional pro-Israel community, including AIPAC, who ignored the fact that Trump’s embrace of Israel functioned as a poison kiss, causing Democratic constituencies to run for the exits where Israel was concerned.
By 2020, J Street boasted that it was funneling over $9 million to candidates it supported and “had emerged as one of the top bundlers in Democratic politics.” There was nothing “dark” about its own money — just that of others.
The election of a staunchly pro-Israel Democratic president in Joe Biden left J Street on shaky footing. Trump’s defeat and Netanyahu’s replacement with a moderate Israeli government encompassing a wide left-to-right coalition of parliamentarians left J Street without a foil.
Except AIPAC.
The more mainstream of the two organizations, AIPAC was never the Monopoly card caricature Israel-haters had portrayed it to be: the fat cat with the cigar hanging out of his mouth and cash hanging out of his pockets. With 1.8 million members across America and with national conferences that drew as many as 20,000 Americans to Capitol Hill, it has always surpassed J Street in all metrics.
To make matters worse, last year AIPAC announced that it was forming its own political action committee, and a super PAC to boot. It decided to support Democratic primary candidates it believed understood Mideast realities, and to oppose those it believed did not. Virtually all of the candidates it supported were people of color, women or both. And so far, of the nine Democratic primaries in which it has engaged, AIPAC’s choices have won seven times. Washington, D.C., is a town that notices this sort of thing.
J Street lost those seven races despite spending tons of money of its own on them. It is displeased. “This aggressive intervention in Democratic primaries to promote an unpopular agenda is harmful to the Democratic Party and ultimately to the State of Israel,” it proclaimed graciously after losing another race last week.
When J Street pours millions of dollars into campaigns it cares about, is it “dark” money? When Emily’s List supports women, is it “aggressively intervening” in politics? When the American Federation of Teachers or the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, among the top PAC contributors in recent elections, supports candidates that share their views, is it harmful to democracy according to J Street or the Democratic left?
Spoiler alert: It isn’t. Which raises real questions not about AIPAC but about those expending so much effort demonizing it.
Jeff Robbins is a Boston lawyer and former U.S. delegate to the United Nations Human Rights Commission. | https://www.bostonherald.com/2022/08/08/robbins-j-street-heaps-cash-on-dem-candidates-blasts-others-for-doing-same/ | 2022-08-09 00:15:01 | 1 | https://www.bostonherald.com/2022/08/08/robbins-j-street-heaps-cash-on-dem-candidates-blasts-others-for-doing-same/ |
Have you ordered all three rounds of the free at-home rapid antigen tests from COVID.gov/tests? The latest round comes with eight test kits, whereas the previous two rounds offered four kits each. Once you order the third set of test kits, they'll ship through the US Postal Service in two packages, so you might receive the two shipments on separate days.
Reported COVID-19 cases nationwide are slowly decreasing compared to spring -- cases were down by 5.6% as of June 22 compared to the week before. But cases vary by region, and 38 of California's 58 counties are now considered at high risk for transmission, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Getting tested for coronavirus remains crucial as summer travel has increased and testing requirements for travelers entering the US have ended.
It takes less than 2 minutes to order your tests and, in my experience, USPS ships them out pretty quick. And if you haven't ordered any at all, you can still get the first and second rounds. See below to find out how to get more test kits, when they'll arrive and what to do if you have problems.
How to get free COVID-19 tests
You only need to provide the Postal Service with a few bits of information to get your free test kits. You won't be asked to provide any credit or debit card details, as both the tests and the shipping are free. Here's how to get your free test kits.
1. Visit special.USPS.com/testkits. You can also get there via covidtests.gov.
2. Enter your contact details and shipping information.
3. Click Check Out Now.
4. Verify that your information is correct and select Place My Order.
All orders will be shipped via First Class Package Service.
People who can't access the website or who have trouble ordering online can call a hotline -- 800-232-0233 -- to order their free tests.
How can I track my order?
Once you place your order, you should receive a confirmation email. When your package ships, you'll receive email notifications providing you with shipping updates, including a tracking number and estimated delivery date. Note that for the third round, you'll receive two packages that'll likely arrive on different days so look for two confirmation emails with your tracking numbers.
Once you receive it, you can either click the tracking link or copy and paste the tracking number into the Postal Service's website's tracker.
How many test kits can I get?
According to the USPS, each residential household is eligible for three rounds of free at-home rapid antigen COVID-19 tests, for a total of 16 kits.
Only one person per address will be able to place an order for the free tests -- even if you have multiple people living in your home.
Can I choose which brand test I get?
No, there isn't an option to choose which brand of test you will receive. All tests are rapid antigen tests authorized by the Food and Drug Administration, like iHealth.
When will the test kits arrive?
Tests are typically sent out within seven to 12 days of an order being successfully placed and are delivered by the USPS within one to three days of shipping.
What if I haven't received my first or second batch of test kits?
The USPS says its site has had some difficulties recognizing certain residential addresses, especially apartment buildings, multifamily homes and residences connected to commercial properties.
If you have had issues placing an order, you can file a service request online or call the USPS Help Desk at 800-ASK-USPS.
Is it OK to use a test kit that was left outside?
According to the FDA, manufacturers have ensured the tests remain stable at various temperatures, "including shipping during the summer in very hot regions and in the winter in very cold regions."
But a test may be impacted by being left outdoors in freezing temperatures or being used immediately after being brought inside from freezing temperatures.
The ideal temperature to store rapid antigen COVID-19 test kits is between 59 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
To ensure appropriate performance with a test delivered in freezing temperatures, bring the package inside and leave it unopened at room temperature for at least two hours before opening.
"As long as the test line[s] appear as described in the instructions, you can be confident that the test is performing as it should," according to the FDA site.
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives. | https://www.cnet.com/health/you-can-still-order-8-free-covid-tests-from-covidtests-gov-heres-how/ | 2022-07-08 20:32:15 | 1 | https://www.cnet.com/health/you-can-still-order-8-free-covid-tests-from-covidtests-gov-heres-how/ |
Some think of politics as a sport — a matter of scoring points and keeping score. And in this game, party partisanship is part of the play.
But real politics, politics that leads to things getting done and building our community, is about dialogue and collaboration. For that we need elected officials who are open minded, listen well, and are committed to crafting solutions.
Elizabeth Johnston has demonstrated her ability to build dialog across party divide. She’s a problem solver and facilitator, Elizabeth Johnston is a true leader. We need open-minded listeners on the McLean County Board. We need family-oriented, community-focused public servants. We need to re-elect Elizabeth Johnston to her District 5 seat on the McLean County Board.
In medicine, physicians practice evidence based medicine and share factors and options with out patients to assist them in making the best choices in their healthcare. I want politics to play out like healthcare where we only want the best outcomes for our patients.
I have witnessed her sensitivity and integrity in managing mental health concerns with people in our community. I have watched as she teaches our future social workers, behaviorists and counselors. I have carefully examined Elizabeth’s first two-year term. She has proven to be highly efficacious. Let’s re-elect Elizabeth Johnston. She’s a proven leader and I believe our best choice for McLean County.
Ira Halperin, Bloomington | https://pantagraph.com/opinion/letters/letter-elizabeth-johnston-a-proven-leader/article_de59ff6c-4e64-11ed-80a8-8f34798f2a13.html | 2022-10-21 02:16:45 | 0 | https://pantagraph.com/opinion/letters/letter-elizabeth-johnston-a-proven-leader/article_de59ff6c-4e64-11ed-80a8-8f34798f2a13.html |
WASHINGTON, Nov. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- With an estimated 54.6 million people traveling to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday this year, the American Trucking Associations and ATA's Share the Road highway safety program provided safe driving tips in preparation for the Thanksgiving holiday.
"Given the high volume of travelers for Thanksgiving, it is important to implement safe driving measures so everyone can make it to the dinner table," said Share the Road Professional Truck Driver Gina Jones of Werner Enterprises. "As a professional truck driver, I am delivering all the trimmings necessary for Thanksgiving. I hope my fellow motorists will consider these safe driving tips when traveling to their Thanksgiving destinations."
Thanksgiving offers several other driving challenges beyond traffic congestion. Winter weather conditions present unique problems for motorists, including high wind and blowing snow, which contribute to reduced visibility in many regions throughout the country. Similarly, freezing temperatures can have a profound impact on vehicles and roadways. A thorough pre-trip inspection and understanding of driving conditions can play a significant role in driving success this holiday season.
"As a truck driver from Maine, I have been trained to deal with wintery road conditions," said Share the Road Professional Truck Driver Ron Round of Pottle's Transportation LLC. "It is important to make sure your vehicle is prepared for extended trips. Check your wiper fluids, antifreeze, and pack a few extra blankets before you start your travel in case of an emergency."
Share the Road's professional truck drivers promote these safety tips to motorists, students, members of the media, and elected officials throughout the country with the Share the Road program and through the Share the Road award-winning instructional video. They emphasize these safety tips to remind motorists of all ages about key elements of safe driving, especially for those operating small passenger vehicles near large tractor-trailers.
- Buckle Up: Safety belts save lives. Day or night, and even if you are riding in the back seat – wear your safety belt.
- Remove ice and snow from your vehicle: Clear your windows and roof of snow to ensure you have maximum visibility and avoid creating a hazard for the vehicle behind you. Don't allow ice and snow to create additional blind spots on your vehicle.
- Slow Down: Chance of a crash nearly triples when driving faster than surrounding traffic. Icy conditions can make the roads slippery, slow down to avoid losing control of your vehicle.
- Do not drive impaired: There is much to celebrate this time of year during the holiday season. With that said, driving is a great responsibility, and your fellow travelers are relying on safe and attentive drivers to respectfully share the road and make good decisions.
- Be aware of truck blind spots: When sharing the road with large trucks, be aware of their blind spots. If you cannot see the professional truck driver in his or her mirrors, then the professional truck driver cannot see you.
- Keep your eyes on the road: Distracted driving is a major cause of traffic accidents, especially among young drivers. Even just two seconds of distraction time doubles the chances of an accident. Never text while driving.
- Do not cut in front of large trucks: Remember trucks are heavier and take longer to make a complete stop, so avoid cutting quickly in front of them.
- Prepare your vehicle for long distance travel: Check your wipers and fluids. Have your radiator and cooling system serviced. Simple maintenance before you leave your home can prevent many of the problems that might strand motorists on the side of the road.
- Leave early and avoid risks: Leave early so you will not be anxious about arriving late. Road conditions may change due to inclement weather or traffic congestion.
- Be aware of the vehicle in front of you: Leave extra room between you and the vehicle ahead.
- Understand congestion patterns: High traffic volumes lead to greater opportunities for accidents, so plan your trip to avoid traffic bottlenecks and increased traffic volumes.
Share the Road is a highway safety outreach program of the American Trucking Associations that educates all drivers about sharing the roads safely with large trucks. An elite team of professional truck drivers with millions of accident-free miles deliver life-saving messages to millions of motorists annually. The safety program is sponsored by Mack Trucks, Inc., and supported by Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC, Solera Omnitracs, Premier Trailer Leasing, PrePass Safety Alliance, Shell Lubricants, Travel Centers of America, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Great Dane Trailers, and Hendrickson International. www.atastr.org. Follow the Share the Road on Twitter and Facebook.
American Trucking Associations is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of 50 affiliated state trucking associations and industry-related conferences and councils, ATA is the voice of the industry America depends on most to move our nation's freight. Follow ATA on Twitter or Facebook. Trucking Moves America Forward.
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SOURCE American Trucking Associations | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2022/11/18/atas-share-road-program-serves-up-safe-driving-tips-thanksgiving-travel/ | 2022-11-18 15:38:33 | 1 | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2022/11/18/atas-share-road-program-serves-up-safe-driving-tips-thanksgiving-travel/ |
Six men arrested in Sturgis Motorcycle Rally sex-trafficking investigation
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - Authorities announced the results of a joint investigation on the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally sex trafficking operations led to the arrest of six men.
According to United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell, multiple investigative agencies worked together to conduct a sex-trafficking operation during the 2022 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The operation began on Aug. 5, 2022, and continued through Aug. 11, 2022.
The mandatory minimum penalty upon conviction for Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet is 10 years up to life in federal prison; and any term of years, not less than five, up to lifetime supervised release.
The following six men from Rapid City ranging from 24 to 61 years old were arrested and charged with Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet:
• Brandon Reide Prue, 27 years old
• Donald William Laun, 61 years old
• Kordelle Ray Running Hawk, 24 years old
• Siddiq Ahmed Damkiwala, 32 years old
• William Henry Riese, 31 years old
• Christopher Daniel Luna, 32 years old
The charges are merely accusations, and all six defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The cases are being federally prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins.
The agencies involved in the operation include the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Ellsworth AFB Office of Special Investigations, Rapid City Police Department, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to extend its appreciation to all law enforcement partners involved in the investigations for their efforts and continued cooperation.
Copyright 2022 Dakota News Now. All rights reserved. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/08/19/six-men-arrested-sturgis-motorcycle-rally-sex-trafficking-investigation/ | 2022-08-20 20:11:13 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/08/19/six-men-arrested-sturgis-motorcycle-rally-sex-trafficking-investigation/ |
CALGARY, AB, June 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Parkland Corporation ("Parkland") (TSX: PKI) announces that a dividend of $0.3250 per share will be paid on July 15, 2022 to shareholders of record on June 22, 2022. The dividend will be an 'eligible dividend' for Canadian income tax purposes. The ex-dividend date is June 21, 2022.
Enhanced Dividend Reinvestment Plan
Parkland's enhanced Dividend Reinvestment Plan ("Enhanced DRIP") allows shareholders to reinvest their cash dividends to purchase additional Parkland shares from treasury at a 2% per share discount to the average of the daily volume weighted average trading prices during the Pricing Period. For further details on the Enhanced DRIP and the Pricing Period, please visit www.parkland.ca/en/investors/dividends.
Shareholders who wish to enroll in the Enhanced DRIP must do so prior to the June 21, 2022 (ex-dividend date) to reinvest this month's dividend in Parkland shares at a discount.
Use of Funds
The Enhanced DRIP allows Parkland to retain amounts that would otherwise be paid to shareholders as dividends in cash, thereby incrementally raising equity capital which may be used by Parkland to, among other things, fund its capital program, fund acquisitions, build new locations and upgrade existing locations: all of which help contribute to Parkland's growth and ability to execute on its strategy.
Enrolling
Shareholders who own their shares through a brokerage and who wish to participate in the Enhanced DRIP should ensure they are enrolled by checking their online brokerage portal or by calling their investment advisor.
Shareholders who hold certificates in their own name (registered shareholders) who wish to enroll can find out more from Computershare by calling 1-800-564-6253.
Copies of the Plan and the enrollment form are also available on Parkland's website at http://www.parkland.ca/en/investors/dividends/.
Brokerage entitlement and corporate actions departments are encouraged to ensure that they have properly elected with Clearing and Depository Services Inc. ("CDS") those shares that should participate in the enhanced Dividend Reinvestment Plan.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking information and statements (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). When used in this news release, the words "expect'', ''will'', ''could'', ''would'', "well positioned," ''pursue'' and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking statements with respect to, among other things, the uses by Parkland of the amount of cash dividends that are reinvested by shareholders in the Enhanced DRIP.
These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this news release. Parkland does not undertake any obligations to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements except as required by securities laws. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of numerous risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to: failure to achieve the anticipated benefits of acquisitions, general economic, market and business conditions, industry capacity, competitive action by other companies, refining and marketing margins, the ability of suppliers to meet commitments, actions by governmental authorities and other regulators including increases in taxes, changes and developments in environmental and other regulations, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Parkland. See also the risks and uncertainties described under the headings "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information" and "Risk Factors" in Parkland's current Annual Information Form, and under the headings "Forward-Looking Information" and "Risk Factors" in Parkland's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the most recently completed financial period, each as filed on SEDAR and available on Parkland's website at www.parkland.ca.
About Parkland Corporation
Parkland's purpose is to Power Journeys and Energize Communities. We serve essential needs in our communities, providing our customers with the essential fuels they depend on to get around, quality foods and convenience items, while helping them achieve their goals of lowering their environmental impact. Through our portfolio of trusted and locally relevant brands, we serve well over one million customers per day across Canada, the United States, the Caribbean region and Central and South America.
In addition to leveraging our supply and storage capabilities to provide the essential fuels our diverse customers depend on; we are leading our customers through the energy transition. From electric vehicle charging, renewable fuels, solar energy and compliance and carbon offset trading, we are leaders in helping our customers lower their environmental impact.
Parkland's proven strategy is centered around organic growth, our supply advantage, acquiring prudently, and integrating successfully. We are focused on developing our existing business in resilient markets, growing, and diversifying our retail business into food, convenience, and renewable energy solutions and helping our commercial customers decarbonize their operations. Our strategy is underpinned by our people, as well as our values of safety, integrity, community, and respect, which are deeply embedded across our organization.
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SOURCE Parkland Corporation | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2022/06/13/parkland-corporation-announces-second-quarter-2022-dividend/ | 2022-06-14 00:09:14 | 0 | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2022/06/13/parkland-corporation-announces-second-quarter-2022-dividend/ |
NEW YORK, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- VIGORPOOL, a company that provides portable, green energy solutions, will launch its new flagship product, the Captain 1200, on Indiegogo, on June 15th EST. The power station supports a parallel function allowing users to connect two units and double the capacity to 2560Wh, with a continuous output power of 2400W and a peak power of 4800W. It also features a dual fast charging function, allowing it to fully charge in 1.5 hours. Paring the Captain 1200 with solar panels creates an environmentally friendly solar generator that will provide safe, clean, pollution-free, renewable energy. In addition, it has better durability and is safer than similar products of the same power capacity. Even if used and recharged every day, its battery will last approximately nine years.
VIGORPOOL CAPTAIN 1200 FEATURES:
1. Parallel Function
The launch of the Parallel Function has brought a breakthrough to the mobile power supply industry. Connecting two Captain 1200s in parallel doubles the capacity to 2560Wh, and the continuous output power can reach up to 2400W. Longer battery life and higher power output make the Captain 1200 more useful on a broader array of mobile power applications.
2. Durable And More Economical
The Captain 1200 uses a safer and more durable lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery. Compared with the ternary lithium battery, which loses around 20% of its charge capacity after 500 cycles, LiFePO4 batteries last 3500+ charge cycles before falling to 80% remaining capacity. This improved durability means that even if the unit is used and recharged every day, it will continue to function for 9 years without a significant capacity drop. Therefore product replacement and the need for repeat purchases are drastically reduced.
3. A Mobile Portable Energy Station
The Captain 1200's high output and 12 power ports of varying types make it compatible with 99% of equipment and appliances on the market. It also features a built-in wireless charging station for cordless phone charging on the go.
4. Recharge In As Little As 1.5 Hours
The Captain 1200 achieves true fast charging while the advanced built-in BMS system keeps the unit and battery safe. The wall charger and solar panel can simultaneously charge the Captain 1200 to achieve Duel Fast Charging, which only takes 1.5 hours to fully charge.
5. Uninterruptible Power System (UPS)
When kept plugged into a wall outlet, any devices plugged into the Captain 1200 will run directly off the power supplied by the outlet. Within 10 milliseconds of a power outage, the Captain 1200's UPS function will restore power, ensuring the function of critical equipment, such as household refrigerators, CPAPs, and computers.
6. Three-Layer BMS Protection System
Safety is always the first consideration of VigorPool. While similar products only support two-layer BMS protection, the VigorPool Captain 1200 uses a three-layer BMS system to ensure the safety of the user and the device.
7. A Green Energy System
Users can match the VigorPool Captain 1200 with 100W, 200W, or 400W solar panels to form a solar generator, bringing users a green power solution anywhere. In addition, its built-in MPPT charge controller automatically adjusts the charging power to provide 30% better solar charging efficiency than traditional solar charging systems.
8. Smart Control System
The VIGORPOOL APP allows users to conveniently check battery stats, control the charge and discharge functions, and access other features from their phone or tablet.
About VigorPool
VigorPool was created to bring a safer, more affordable, and longer-lasting solution to the portable solar system industry. Our strong environmental awareness and advanced technological skills drive us to bring high-quality, green, portable power to the world. It is a humanitarian belief that green power should be accessible to everyone, and the desire in our hearts to make that belief a reality drives the high-quality product design and innovation you find in our products.
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SOURCE VIGORPOOL INC | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/08/vigorpool-launches-new-generation-smart-solar-generator-captain-1200/ | 2022-06-08 15:22:43 | 1 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/08/vigorpool-launches-new-generation-smart-solar-generator-captain-1200/ |
PREP FOOTBALL=
Akr. Buchtel 19, Akr. East 13
Akr. Firestone 28, Akr. North 0
Bellaire 49, Shadyside 6
Cin. Gamble Montessori 28, Cin. College Prep. 14
Cin. Moeller 25, Cle. St. Ignatius 10
Cin. Withrow 38, Cin. Woodward 6
Cols. Marion-Franklin 28, Cols. Africentric 12
Hunting Valley University 34, Bedford 6
Montcalm, W.Va. 28, Beallsville 8
Painesville Riverside 36, Martinsburg, W.Va. 35
Warren De La Salle, Mich. 48, Day. Ponitz Tech. 3
___
Some high school football scores provided by Scorestream.com, https://scorestream.com/
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Armando Bacot didn’t bolt early from North Carolina after a memorable run to the NCAA championship game to chase a professional playing career. Neither did Gonzaga’s Drew Timme, an All-American star of one of the nation’s top programs.
No, business is already good for men’s and women’s college basketball players able to cash in on their fame now.
The option to remain in school is more enticing than ever since the NCAA permitted college athletes to profit from use of their name, image and likeness in summer 2021.
“It definitely is a factor, definitely something that helped,” said Timme, a two-time Associated Press second-team All-American and a preseason pick this year. “If you look across the landscape of not only college basketball, but all college sports, it’s a big reason a lot of people are inclined to come back."
That’s particularly true on the women’s side, where NIL deals and chartered travel offer more appeal than rookie salaries and much-debated commercial flights in the WNBA.
The women's game has seen stars like Connecticut's Paige Bueckers – who is sidelined this year by a knee injury but will return in 2023-24 – and Iowa State’s Ashley Joens opt to stick around. Other prominent names like Louisville’s Hailey Van Lith and North Carolina’s Deja Kelly soon face choices; they become draft eligible by turning 22 next year.
“If you’re an influencer, especially as a student-athlete in college, and that’s your appeal for NIL, you’re going to want to stay in college because that’s how you’re going to make your money,” Van Lith said. “But I think when it comes to people who are going to pursue professional (playing) careers, I don’t know if it’ll make much of a change.”
Deals have come fast from businesses seeking the most marketable of athletes, many of whom have hired agents to manage those opportunities. College-town businesses have looked for ways to partner with an athletes to tap into local notoriety. National companies have done it with social-media promotions or ads.
Athletes are given wide latitude provided they provide some type of service in exchange for compensation. While deal terms aren’t public, they’re estimated to be in some cases six figures or more – with some of the most well-known athletes even pushing past million-dollar projections.
“The difference in college sports, and we’ve seen this time and again, is: do they follow individuals?” said Columbia University lecturer Joe Favorito, a sports and entertainment marketing consultant. “Kind of. But they really follow the school.
“So there are people investing in Duke or North Carolina or Notre Dame because that’s part of the school. So if you go from St. John’s and transfer to Villanova, does that mean all the brand equity is going to come along with you? Maybe not.”
Favorito added: “That’s the challenge of college athletics. It’s much more about community and the collective than it is about individuals sometimes.”
Yet that also explains why there's value in sticking around to stay tied to the college's brand, especially in the annual spotlight of March Madness.
On the women’s side, Bueckers’ partnerships include Gatorade. Van Lith has deals with adidas, Dick’s Sporting Goods and JCPenney – which led to a back-to-school shopping spree for Louisville-area kids over the summer. Kelly's partnerships include Dunkin' Donuts and Beats By Dre – even presenting her team with custom headphones from the company – and she modeled a Sports Illustrated-themed swimsuit line for retailer Forever 21.
“It’s kind of just taking that (NIL) into consideration as far as I definitely do want to play professionally,” Kelly said. "But it’s just seeing what the best option is as far as what’s going to set me up best successfully, financially in that moment. So I guess we’ll talk about it when the time comes.”
Joens, a preseason AP All-American, returned to Iowa State instead of entering the WNBA draft. While NIL money and chartered flights factored into her decision, the biggest motivator was getting her finishing her graduation requirements this fall.
“It was a long process and I went back and forth,” she said. “I didn’t think about it much last year because you’re focused on the season. I talked to my family a little more and they said what’s more important to you right now? I knew being able to graduate and have a degree was a big.”
Dynamics differ on the men’s side with players eligible for the NBA draft at age 19. There's also the fact that big men who formerly were surefire first-round draft picks have seen their value slide as the pro game evolves to more floor spacing and 3-point shooting.
Neither Bacot nor Timme were considered first-round prospects. Nor was Kentucky big man Oscar Tsheibwe, last year’s AP national men’s player of the year. All three are back in college and making money from NIL partnerships, notably with Timme turning his handlebar mustache into a deal with Dollar Shave Club.
And then there’s Bacot. The 6-foot-11 fourth-year center suffered a bad ankle sprain in the Final Four and limped his way through the NCAA title-game loss to Kansas, so he wouldn't have been healthy enough for NBA pre-draft workouts.
But NIL mattered, too.
The preseason AP all-American's long endorsement list includes local outlets such as having a burger named for him at Town Hall Burger and Beer and helping the local Me Fine organization raise money for families with children suffering a medical crisis.
Expanding beyond North Carolina, Bacot partnered with Arkansas-based Bad Boy Mowers and Kentucky-based horse thoroughbred and breeding facility Town & Country Farms – which ultimately had him travel to this year's Kentucky Derby.
“Because of the success we had at the end of the year and me, just having a pretty big name in college, it allowed me to leverage that and capitalize on those big opportunities,” Bacot said. “It definitely was something that weighed into coming back.”
And Bacot's not done. Over the summer, he filmed a role in the upcoming season of Netflix’s “Outer Banks,” a teen adventure series set on the coast of the Carolinas.
The only problem? His summer practice schedule interfered with filming dates, prompting him to joke that Netflix was “probably pissed at me” and might write him out of the show.
If he sticks around long enough, he even might get his own IMDB page.
Not a bad haul for sticking around to play for the preseason No. 1-ranked team.
“It allowed me to know I have some security and I had a little money, which is better than having no money,” he quipped. “That’s great.”
___
AP Basketball Writer John Marshall in Phoenix contributed to this report.
___
Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap | https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/In-NIL-era-business-is-good-for-college-hoops-17556878.php | 2022-11-04 00:49:58 | 0 | https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/In-NIL-era-business-is-good-for-college-hoops-17556878.php |
(WHTM) – The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced that about 33,100 of Kawasaki’s riding lawn mower engines are being recalled due to fire hazards.
The affected engines were sold nationwide under the Ferris and SCAG brand names from November 2017 through September 2022.
According to the CPSC, contact with the fuel pump cover can damage the high-pressure fuel line, causing a fuel leak that can result in burn and fire hazards.
The engines involved in the recall are from model years 2018 through 2022 for the Kawasaki FT730V-EFI series. The series numbers are printed on the engine air filter covers, while the engine model and serial numbers can be found on the engine fan housing.
The following model and serial number ranges are included in this recall:
Kawasaki has received four reports involving leaking high-pressure fuel lines, including one fire. No one has been injured so far.
Consumers should immediately stop using mowers with the recalled engines and contact Kawasaki or a Kawasaki dealer to schedule a free repair. Kawasaki is also contacting all known purchasers directly. | https://www.yourbasin.com/news/national-news/kawasaki-motors-recalling-lawn-mower-engines-due-to-fire-hazards/ | 2023-03-24 18:33:37 | 0 | https://www.yourbasin.com/news/national-news/kawasaki-motors-recalling-lawn-mower-engines-due-to-fire-hazards/ |
Starbucks worker suspended over alleged ‘monkey’ label on drink
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJLA) - A Starbucks employee from Maryland has been suspended after the word “monkey” was reportedly printed as the name on a Black customer’s drink label.
Customer Monique Pugh believes the Nov. 19 incident was racially motivated. She says she was the only Black woman at the Starbucks store in Maryland’s Annapolis Mall when an employee reportedly entered “monkey” where her name should have been.
“If you didn’t hear my name, you should have said, ‘Excuse me, can you repeat yourself?’ Not once did she do that. She labeled me what she wanted to label me,” Pugh said.
Impeccable Brands, the company that operates that Starbucks store involved in the incident, says that the “label was made in error.” Nonetheless, in a letter to Pugh, they apologized and said the employee involved has been suspended, pending further investigation.
The company also wrote that with additional training, they will work to make sure this doesn’t happen again.
Pugh says she feels the apology and letter were “bogus.”
“To say you’re taking the necessary steps to make sure that word isn’t put on any more customers’ drinks, it’s like, ‘What were you doing before?’” she said. “And the fact that they keep saying it was an honest mistake. So, now, it’s an honest mistake and a labeling error?”
A Starbucks spokesperson made sure to differentiate between a Starbucks-operated store and a licensed store, such as the one at Annapolis Mall, but Pugh says there should not be a difference in how customers are treated.
“It’s triggering because it’s basically like, ‘OK, this occurred in our store, but we’re wiping our hands clean.’ Maybe [Starbucks] corporate does need to get involved,” she said.
Copyright 2022 WJLA via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.kfyrtv.com/2022/11/27/starbucks-worker-suspended-over-alleged-monkey-label-drink/ | 2022-11-27 10:49:33 | 1 | https://www.kfyrtv.com/2022/11/27/starbucks-worker-suspended-over-alleged-monkey-label-drink/ |
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NEW YORK (AP) — Frances Tiafoe ended Rafael Nadal’s 22-match winning streak at Grand Slam tournaments by beating the 22-time major champion 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the U.S. Open’s fourth round on Monday.
Tiafoe is a 24-year-old from Maryland who is seeded 22nd at Flushing Meadows and reached the second major quarterfinal of his career.
He is the youngest American man to get that far at the U.S. Open since Andy Roddick in 2006, but this was not a case of a one-sided crowd backing one of its own. Nadal is about as popular as it gets in tennis and heard plenty of support in Arthur Ashe Stadium as the volume raised after the retractable roof was shut in the fourth set.
Nadal won the Australian Open in January and the French Open in June. Then he made it to the semifinals at Wimbledon in July before withdrawing from that tournament because of a torn abdominal muscle; that does not go into the books as a loss, because he pulled out before the match. | https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/No-1-Swiatek-comes-back-at-US-Open-faces-No-8-17420794.php | 2022-09-05 22:23:27 | 1 | https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/No-1-Swiatek-comes-back-at-US-Open-faces-No-8-17420794.php |
A long-unidentified murder victim in Canada was a Tennessee spa owner who went to Montreal in 1975
TORONTO (AP) — A woman found dead in eastern Ontario 48 years ago has been identified as a Tennessee spa owner who disappeared on a trip to Montreal, and a Florida man who knew her has been charged in her murder, police said Wednesday.
The woman had been known for decades only as the “Nation River Lady” after the remains were found on May 3, 1975, floating in the Nation River, a short distance from a highway bridge near Casselman, Ontario.
Technology that uses DNA to find genetic matches led to identifying her as Jewell Parchman Langford, Ontario Provincial Police said at a news conference.
Detective Inspector Daniel Nadeau said the 48-year-old woman was a well-known member of the business community in Jackson, Tennessee, who co-owned a spa with her ex-husband.
She had travelled to Montreal in April 1975 and never returned home.
“At that time, her family in Tennessee had reported her missing,” said Nadeau. “While I cannot get into the specifics that will be entered at trial, I can tell you that the accused and the victim were known to each other.”
Rodney Nichols, 81, of Hollywood, Florida, was charged with murder last year, but the charge was not announced at the time so as to not jeopardize his extradition from the United States. Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported that Nichols has yet to appear in court in connection with the charge and has not entered a plea.
Police say Langford’s case was the first use in Canada of genetic forensic technology to identify a victim.
Other methods of identification, including creating a 3D facial approximation of her in 2017, were tried but had no success.
The Centre of Forensic Sciences in Toronto obtained a new DNA profile of the victim in 2019. The data was sent to a lab in California where matches were made to two individuals in a family DNA tree.
The DNA Doe Project, which works to identify victims in cold cases, said Ontario police contacted them for help and the victim’s DNA profile was uploaded to genetic genealogy databases in 2020. The organization’s volunteers identified Langford as a likely candidate within a few weeks.
Ontario’s chief coroner, Dr. Dirk Huyer, said the DNA profile was used to help establish possible connections between the victim and others.
DNA samples were then obtained from the surviving relatives of Langford, including her nieces, Huyer said.
Police say Langford’s remains were repatriated to the United States in 2022, and a memorial service and burial were held for her.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/07/06/long-unidentified-murder-victim-canada-was-tennessee-spa-owner-who-went-montreal-1975/ | 2023-07-06 12:12:14 | 1 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/07/06/long-unidentified-murder-victim-canada-was-tennessee-spa-owner-who-went-montreal-1975/ |
Pope Francis hospitalized for a respiratory infection, Vatican spokesperson says
Originally Published: 29 MAR 23 14:48 ET
Updated: 29 MAR 23 14:49 ET
By Delia Gallagher and Sharon Braithwaite, CNN
(CNN) -- Pope Francis has a respiratory infection and will need to spend "a few days" in the hospital, the Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a statement on Wednesday.
"In recent days Pope Francis complained of some respiratory difficulties and this afternoon he went to Policlinico A. Gemelli for some medical checks," Bruni said. "The outcome of the same showed a respiratory infection (excluding Covid 19 infection) that will require a few days of appropriate hospital medical therapy. Pope Francis is touched by the many messages received and expresses his gratitude for the closeness and prayer."
This is a developing story.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://kion546.com/top-stories/2023/03/29/pope-francis-hospitalized-for-a-respiratory-infection-vatican-spokesperson-says/ | 2023-03-30 03:46:41 | 1 | https://kion546.com/top-stories/2023/03/29/pope-francis-hospitalized-for-a-respiratory-infection-vatican-spokesperson-says/ |
Updated December 22, 2022 at 8:45 AM ET
On the list of unfinished business of the departing Democratic-controlled Congress is reforming an often-overlooked keystone of U.S. democracy — the census.
Democratic lawmakers were among the most prominent critics of the years of census interference by former President Donald Trump's administration. The meddling laid bare many of the vulnerabilities facing the national tally.
Those numbers are used to determine each state's share of congressional seats and Electoral College votes, redraw voting maps for every level of government, and guide an estimated $1.5 trillion a year in federal funding for public services.
As risks to the 2020 count's accuracy mounted, Democrats held hearings, launched a congressional investigation and even took Trump officials to court after holding them in contempt of Congress. That extraordinary move came after the officials refused to hand over documents about their Supreme Court-blocked push for a census question about U.S. citizenship status, which was part of a scheme to exclude unauthorized immigrants from a key count the 14th Amendment requires to include the "whole number of persons" living in each state.
In these first two years of the Biden administration, however, no new census-related laws have been enacted, despite a number of bill introductions.
With a divided government coming to Capitol Hill next year, some census advocates are already looking past the new Congress for other ways to stand up more protections against any interference with 2030 census planning, a decade-plus-long process that is close to a third completed.
"The window of opportunity to actually frame what the next census will look like is closing quickly," said Terri Ann Lowenthal, a former staff director of the House oversight subcommittee for the census.
A lame-duck bill caps off a largely no-action Congress on the census
Days before this Congress is set to end, a senator squeezed in a bill intended to help block the kind of census interference by the Trump administration that upended the country's 2020 head count.
Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii — a Democrat who has been a vocal census supporter — introduced the legislation on Dec. 15 as a companion to a similar bill the U.S. House passed in September.
Asked about the timing of his last-minute bill — which is not expected to get through a committee, let alone the Senate floor, in this lame-duck period — Schatz pointed to difficulty finding bipartisan support.
"I've been rooting around for a Republican to co-sponsor it with me," Schatz told NPR. "While they are quietly supportive on the appropriations side, we have not been able to get as much enthusiasm for introducing standalone legislation. So we're still working on that because, you know, we have no desire to turn the census into a political football."
Many census watchers have been urging Congress to put more legal safeguards in place for the 2030 census and other future counts after Trump officials carried out what career civil servants at the Census Bureau have described as an "unprecedented" level of interference with the 2020 tally.
After its failed attempt to add to census forms a citizenship question that was likely to further suppress census participation among households with Latinos and Asian Americans and produce costly and inaccurate data, the previous administration cut short the time for counting amid the COVID-19 pandemic and tried to pressure the bureau to change its plans for protecting people's privacy.
The Trump administration also brought on four additional appointees with no obvious qualifications to join the bureau's top ranks during the final months of counting.
Like the House bill introduced by outgoing Democratic Rep. Carolyn Maloney of New York, who lost a primary race this year, Schatz's proposal would limit the number of political appointees at the Census Bureau to four, including the agency's director. The bureau would also only be able to have one deputy director, who would be a career civil servant appointed by the director.
This Senate bill, however, does not include a provision in Maloney's original House bill that would allow the president to remove the bureau's director "only for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office."
"I think these are close calls here because you do want to have the president retain their executive authority," Schatz said. "You have to be careful here. If you get the wrong census director and they need to be removed, you want to make sure that the president has the authority to do that."
Schatz's proposals do include designating a bureau employee to focus on "optimizing racial and ethnic equity" in the census, a provision that is also part of the House-passed bill. Under the Trump administration, the bureau extended a decades-long census problem of undercounting people of color while overcounting people who identify as white and not Hispanic or Latino. According to the bureau's follow-up survey for the 2020 census, the net undercount rate for Latinos soared to more than three times the rate of a decade earlier, and the undercounting rates for Native Americans living on reservations and Black people remained high.
Another proposal in Schatz's bill would require the bureau to report to Congress a lifecycle cost estimate for the 2030 census by the start of 2026, in addition to what resources the agency needs to improve its ability to get an accurate count. Getting those details early, Schatz said, could help make sure funding for the count won't be "hijacked and subject to the political winds."
Schatz said he plans to reintroduce all of his proposals in a new bill after the next Congress begins in 2023. While the Senate will remain under Democratic control, Republicans are set to control the House, likely further limiting chances of census reform.
For now, the senator said introducing this soon-to-be-dead bill is a way to "lay down a marker because a lot of times people don't think of the census until it's census time."
"The Constitution enshrines the census, and that is part of our American-style democracy. The attempts to turn it into a partisan cudgel were really unfortunate," Schatz added, referring to the years of Trump-era census interference. "We mostly beat them back, but we have to be prepared for the possibility that this is something that we have to fight against every 10 years."
The Senate filibuster and a lack of public bipartisan support blocked census reform
Asked whether the Democrats dropped the ball on enacting more protections against census interference while their party controlled both houses of Congress and the White House, Schatz pointed to the challenge of the filibuster, the 60-vote requirement for most legislation in the Senate.
"We were stuck. And so you're not going to get me defending the filibuster, but it is a fact of life in the United States Senate until we change the rules," Schatz said about census reforms. "My guess is we had all 50 Democrats and just a handful of Republicans, but not the 10 that we needed."
The way Schatz sees it, the new year could bring a different political calculus for GOP lawmakers who previously were "trying to be supportive of the census without drawing attention to themselves and drawing an angry tweet or whatever" from Trump.
"Now that I think he is a less powerful force in American politics generally, but also in Republican politics, people can go back to their normal position, which is, 'Yeah, we ought to count everybody.' That's what the Constitution requires," added Schatz, who said he is counting on GOP colleagues in Congress to be "pragmatic" when it comes to funding 2030 census preparations.
Among potential Republican allies on census issues next year, Schatz named Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who two years ago joined Schatz in co-sponsoring a bipartisan bill to extend 2020 census counting after Trump officials curtailed it. Murkowski did not make herself available for an interview for this report.
In the House, however, Democratic Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, a nonvoting member of Congress from Washington, D.C., is concerned that the next census is far from the minds of many lawmakers.
No mention of the census appeared in the "Commitment to America" that House Republicans released in September as a preview of their agenda for the next Congress. A spokesperson for House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., did not respond to requests for comment.
"To be honest with you, I really don't think anybody in the Congress is even thinking about the years of preparation it takes and what the delay will do in shortening the preparation time needed," Norton said, referring to the delay in passing any census reforms. "I'm trying to make that more clear myself, but it will take a whole lot more people than me to make that clear."
In May, Norton introduced a bill that would ban the bureau from adding a census question about a person's citizenship, nationality or immigration status — a kind of addition that some House Republicans have continued to call for on census forms despite the bureau's research warning against one to help ensure full public participation in the count.
"I would think this would be a nonpartisan bill for God's sake," Norton said. "We need to know the number of people that are in the United States. We need to know it for federal funding. So you would think Republicans would understand that their own districts, who get the same federal funding as mine, would lose money if we don't get a complete and accurate count of just how many people there are," Norton added.
For Lowenthal, the former staff director of the House oversight subcommittee for the census, it's not surprising that the next head count is not at the top of most lawmakers' priority lists.
"Congress doesn't do long-term planning well. And once each census is over, lawmakers turn to other issues that have more immediate, tangible benefits for their constituents," explained Lowenthal, who now serves as a consultant on census issues.
In addition to that perennial challenge, Lowenthal has noticed a troubling new reality.
"I'm not sure, based on what I've seen written in conservative publications over the last couple of years since the 2020 census, that there is a common set of facts around which lawmakers agree," she said. "I think some believe that the Census Bureau's career staff represents the 'deep state' and was insubordinate when it came to carrying out the policies that then-President Trump wanted to put forward for the last census."
Some census advocates are looking to the White House and future elections
With a divided Congress next year, some census advocates are keeping their focus on funding for the next count, rather than any new laws.
Budget shortfalls ahead of the 2020 census ultimately forced the bureau to cancel test runs planned in part to inform its outreach efforts in rural and military communities. Many census watchers fear that reduced funding in these early stages of planning for the 2030 count could lead to similar cutbacks to research the bureau has relied on to try to get complete and accurate tallies.
"We're going to continue to emphasize that if we want to realize cost savings and we want to modernize how we conduct census 2030, then we have to start to invest now. Investments now will lead to modernization and cost savings for the future," said Rosalind Gold, chief public policy officer of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund.
After two years of the Biden administration not keeping the census high among its priorities, Marc Morial — the president and CEO of the National Urban League, which led a lawsuit against the Trump administration's push to end 2020 census counting early — said the time has come for executive action. Morial, who chaired the Census Bureau's advisory committee for the 2010 count, is calling for the Biden administration's support on more local census offices in 2030 to help with outreach and on changing how incarcerated people are counted in the census numbers used to redraw voting districts.
"We have to do things right now pretty immediately in the next year to 18 months to solidify the executive changes that are needed while President Biden is in his first term of office," Morial said.
Meeta Anand, senior program director of census and data equity at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, is looking toward a review of the federal government's standards for data about race and ethnicity that the Biden administration revived after it stalled under Trump. Biden officials may end up carrying out policy changes in 2024 that, the Census Bureau's research suggests, are likely to produce more accurate data about Latinos and people with roots in the Middle East or North Africa.
"That feeds into the 2030 census, so we will focus on other opportunities where we think we can improve the census so that we really do see all of our communities counted," Anand said.
In the meantime, the Census Bureau's career civil servants are on their own
While advocates outside the bureau try to muster more census support from the White House and Congress, career civil servants at the Census Bureau have already started working on plans for the 2030 tally while also trying to mitigate the effects of 2020 under- and overcounting on other critical data the bureau produces.
To try to produce more accurate annual population estimates for counties and states, the bureau factored in undercount estimates for children under the age of 5 to produce the 2021 estimates it released this year — a change the agency told NPR in a statement that it plans to continue for the next round of estimates due out next year. The bureau has also assembled a team of researchers to explore whether racial and ethnic over- and undercounting rates can be factored into future population estimates.
And while counting stopped more than two years ago, the 2020 census is not quite over yet.
The bureau is gearing up for releases of more detailed 2020 demographic data that has been held up by delays resulting from COVID-19, the Trump administration's last-minute changes to the census schedule and new, controversial privacy protections the agency is applying to the statistics.
Those planned releases starting in May are likely to bring the head count back into the national spotlight again and could offer an opportunity to remind the public of the stakes involved with the census.
"It's very hard to focus people just on good government and on statistics unless there's a crisis," said Nancy Potok, a former deputy director and chief operating officer at the bureau.
While serving as the chief statistician of the U.S. within the White House Office of Management and Budget in 2019, Potok told NPR she was close to having to formally reject the Trump administration's proposal for a citizenship question as part of the paperwork approval process for census forms. Potok said she was prepared to resign if the Supreme Court allowed the question to move forward and Trump officials overruled her decision not to approve it.
"It was that big of a deal and that big of a violation of all of the principles and practices and standards that I was basically sworn to uphold, that I could not have stayed in the job," said Potok, who later retired from the post in 2020. "I wouldn't have been the first person to resign during those years and not the last either. But the Supreme Court stepped in and I stayed on the job."
For current Census Bureau officials, Potok added, staying on the job could become more difficult under a different administration.
"If we don't sort of learn from what happened in 2020 and put safeguards in, the same exact thing could happen and it could be even worse," Potok said.
Former Census Bureau Director John Thompson has recommended limiting the number of political appointees at the bureau so that the agency is still run by career civil servants and giving more authority over the census to the bureau's director rather than the secretary of the Commerce Department, which oversees the bureau. A key challenge, Thompson said, is how to make sure future appointees "have the best interest of our democracy at heart."
"The American people have it in their hands to elect people that respect our democracy. And they also have it in their hands to elect people that don't," Thompson said.
The bureau as an institution also has much work to do ahead of 2030, according to Thomas Saenz, president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund who has served as an outside adviser to the agency. The more than tripling of the net undercount rate for Latinos in 2020 compared to a decade earlier, Saenz said, is an alarming signal about the country's second-largest racial or ethnic group that deserves more attention.
"That undercount could become a permanent feature of the census unless significant steps are taken today to address the very serious reputational harm dealt to the Census Bureau by the Trump administration and President Trump's very threatening rhetoric about immigrant families and his depiction of the census as a zero-sum game," Saenz added. "We can't wait until the eve of the 2030 census. That rehabilitation has to happen now."
Edited by: Benjamin Swasey
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.ctpublic.org/2022-12-16/a-divided-congress-may-sideline-protecting-the-census-after-trumps-interference | 2022-12-22 21:02:46 | 0 | https://www.ctpublic.org/2022-12-16/a-divided-congress-may-sideline-protecting-the-census-after-trumps-interference |
Pregnancy and childbirth complications have increased nearly 10% for all women with both commercial and Medicaid insurance
CHICAGO, Sept. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) released a report that confirms women of color are at higher risk of pregnancy-related complications, regardless of having commercial health insurance or Medicaid. Instead, the data indicates U.S. maternal health disparities are likely the result of broader health system and societal challenges, including underlying chronic conditions, racial inequities, and likely biases within the health care system. Pregnancy-related complications have worsened 9% since 2018, with marked increase during the COVID-19 pandemic, with some women of color at nearly 70% higher risk of pregnancy-related complications than White women.
"When it comes to racial disparities in childbirth complications, the pandemic has only sent us further in the wrong direction—and we were in a bad place to begin with," said Kim Keck, president and CEO of BCBSA. "We have a bold goal of reducing racial disparities in maternal health by 50% in five years, and BCBS companies are taking action through advocacy, partnerships and local programs to support mothers at every stage of their pregnancy. Every mother deserves to have a healthy pregnancy, deliver a healthy baby, and live a healthy postpartum life. We invite everyone to join us in making this a reality."
The study, Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Maternal Health, examined the rate of childbirth complications in nearly 11 million U.S. births to women with either commercial insurance or Medicaid as measured by the CDC's Severe Maternal Morbidity Measure (SMM).
This comprehensive analysis found Black, Latina and Asian women have higher rates of SMM than White women, regardless of age or type of health insurance. Preexisting health conditions, such as hypertension, diabetes or asthma going into delivery, strongly correlate with higher SMM and worse pregnancy complications, increasing the likelihood of a risky delivery or challenges postpartum. While across all populations women ages 35-44 were identified as most likely to have an SMM event, Black women in this age range have a 66% higher rate of SMM and are more likely to suffer pregnancy-related complications than White women.
"One's race or ethnicity should not determine how likely you are to suffer from pregnancy-related complications. We must address deep-rooted issues like implicit bias and systemic racism that cause these disparities in the first place," said Dr. Adam Myers, senior vice president and chief clinical transformation officer for BCBSA. "To achieve better outcomes, we need to make sure care before pregnancy is easily accessible and equitable for all women, in addition to robust prenatal care, and ongoing postpartum care to ensure the safety of future pregnancies."
The findings further emphasize why BCBSA launched its National Health Equity Strategy in 2021 and is first focused on reducing racial disparities in maternal health by 50% in five years. Through the strategy, Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) companies are committed to:
- Advocating for all mothers by working with policymakers to strengthen and scale policies to make care more equitable nationwide.
- Creating incentives and trainings for providers to offer care that is sensitive and remove unconscious bias within health care delivery.
- Addressing social drivers of health, focusing on root causes to better help pregnant women, mothers and babies get the care they need.
- Collaborating with industry partners to standardize data collection and analysis to better understand care gaps and create interventions that will address them.
Guided by efforts already underway at BCBS companies, BCBSA also developed a list of 10 actions organizations can adopt to improve maternal health and make a measurable difference in health disparities.
Read the full report, "Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Maternal Health," part of the Blue Cross Blue Shield, The Health of America Report® series. For more information about the BCBSA National Health Equity Strategy and maternal health programs, visit BlueHealthEquity.com.
About Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is a national federation of 34 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide health care coverage for one in three Americans. Blue Cross, Blue Shield and Blue Cross Blue Shield, The Health of America Report are registered trademarks of Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
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SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield Association | https://www.wkyt.com/prnewswire/2022/09/21/new-blue-cross-blue-shield-association-report-finds-racial-ethnic-disparities-maternal-health-complications-climbed-during-covid-19-pandemic/ | 2022-09-21 10:51:15 | 0 | https://www.wkyt.com/prnewswire/2022/09/21/new-blue-cross-blue-shield-association-report-finds-racial-ethnic-disparities-maternal-health-complications-climbed-during-covid-19-pandemic/ |
After 31 years in the lead, the Labrador retriever has been replaced as the most popular dog in America, with the French bulldog taking over the No. 1 spot in 2022.
It’s the first time the French bulldog has topped the American Kennel Club’s new list of most popular breeds, though it has been gaining popularity over the past decade. After taking the No. 14 spot in 2012, registrations for the breed increased by more than 1,000%, moving it to the No. 2 spot in 2021 before it was crowned the most popular last year.
The AKC describes “Frenchies” as a “smart, compact breed” that can fit into various different lifestyles, which makes it perfect for people all across the country.
“They [French Bulldogs] are beloved by everyone from families to single owners for their charming and adaptable nature,” AKC writes. “They have surged in popularity in cities across the country since their small size and generally quiet demeanor make them good fits for apartments and smaller homes.”
Aside from the French bulldog taking the top spot, the AKC says the rest of the list of most popular breeds looks pretty much the same as previous years.
With 199 dogs on the list, the Labrador retriever (No. 2), golden retriever (No. 3), German shepherd dogs (No. 4) and poodle (No. 5) round out the top five. Rottweilers moved from No. 8 to No. 7, and the dachshund bumped the German shorthaired pointer from No. 9 to No. 10. Other breeds that gained popularity over the last year include the American hairless terrier, Gordon setter, Italian greyhound and Anatolian shepherd.
The least popular dog breeds, in spots 197-199, include the Sloughi, Norwegian lundehund and English foxhound.
You can read the full list here.
The AKC bases their annual list of most popular dog breeds on registrations from members.
“As the world’s largest registry of purebred dogs, the AKC uses our registration statistics to rank the most popular breeds of the past year,” the organization said in the press release.
If you’re considering adding one of the above breeds to your family, did you know around 25%-30% of shelter dogs are purebreds? Not only is it more cost-effective to adopt a purebred dog from a shelter, but you are also saving their life.
There are also numerous rescue organizations that focus solely on rehoming specific breeds, like the French Bulldog Rescue Network that has dozens of the now most popular dog in the country waiting for a forever home.
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Check out Simplemost for additional stories. | https://www.wrtv.com/french-bulldog-is-now-the-most-popular-dog-breed | 2023-03-16 14:14:05 | 0 | https://www.wrtv.com/french-bulldog-is-now-the-most-popular-dog-breed |
WASHINGTON, Oct. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- To stay ahead of the urgent needs of equitable healthcare, Martis Capital, a leading middle market healthcare fund, is excited to announce its investment in Alcanza Clinical Research. Founded in December 2021 and named for the Spanish word "reach," Alcanza is a clinical research site network platform dedicated to creating a sustainable and inclusive clinical trial environment for all.
As patient advocacy groups, research stakeholders, and regulators urge sponsors to expand clinical trial inclusion, Alcanza is actively transforming the model for research access to underrepresented populations across different races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, disability statuses and more while enhancing clinical research quality and patient recruitment efforts.
As a first step, Alcanza has acquired five high-performing clinical research companies. These include Coastal Carolina Research Center, Boston Clinical Trials, ActivMed and Allcutis Research, Quest Research Institute and Charlottesville Medical Research across eight locations in Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Virginia. Each site brings 20 to more than 30 years of experience in clinical research and a strong reputation for clinical and operational excellence, with complementary therapeutic specialization in psychiatry, neurology, vaccines and infectious disease, among others. Alcanza will continue to expand its national site network to provide full-scale Phase I-IV capabilities in multiple therapeutic areas while maintaining a broad client base of blue-chip biopharmaceutical companies and contract research organizations (CROs).
Alcanza is led by CEO Carlos Orantes, a recognized industry leader with nearly three decades of experience. Most recently, Orantes led the site operations for Accelerated Enrollment Solutions, the wholly owned captive site network of PPD, a global CRO part of ThermoFisher Scientific. There, he held responsibility for more than 50 sites across the U.S. and Latin America. "We are excited to collaborate with Martis Capital to develop the next-generation site model that combines education, community engagement and exceptional patient care for truly inclusive research," said Orantes. "Our leadership team looks forward to expanding the reach of clinical research for all."
"This partnership is a unique opportunity to drive sustainable improvements in the highly fragmented clinical trial space by focusing on improving disparities in clinical research," said Mario E. Moreno, Managing Partner at Martis Capital. "Carlos and the Alcanza team have a clear vision for how their differentiated approach to clinical research can address these longstanding challenges."
Martis Capital has made a meaningful commitment to grow and expand Alcanza's capabilities and will continue to leverage its partnership approach, healthcare relationships and sourcing network to drive additional acquisitions and strategic partnerships.
Alcanza Clinical Research is the next-generation site network established to support the most significant demands in our industry: diverse patient access, efficient enrollment performance and clinical quality. It practices inclusive clinical research that delivers education and a range of clinical trial opportunities to all people on their terms. Located in Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Virginia, Alcanza specializes in conditions across psychiatry, neurology, dermatology and infectious disease therapeutic areas.
Based in San Francisco, CA and Washington, DC, Martis Capital is a team of investment professionals who share a passion for helping build companies that seek to improve the quality of care and address the complex challenges facing the healthcare industry today. Martis seeks to identify exceptional investment opportunities and achieve shared growth objectives with founder-led companies and management teams. Martis Capital manages more than $2 billion of equity capital and is currently investing out of its fourth fund.
For more information, please visit www.martiscapital.com or follow us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/martis-capital.
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SOURCE Martis Capital | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/10/03/alcanza-brings-equity-rampd-with-first-of-a-kind-site-network-focused-inclusive-clinical-research/ | 2022-10-03 17:43:52 | 1 | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/10/03/alcanza-brings-equity-rampd-with-first-of-a-kind-site-network-focused-inclusive-clinical-research/ |
NEW YORK, Aug. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AIkido Pharma Inc. (Nasdaq: AIKI) ("AIkido" or the "Company") today confirms that on August 9, 2022, the Company received an unsolicited offer from Mr. Shalom Auerbach to acquire all of the Company's outstanding common stock for $8.00 per share in cash.
The Company's Board of Directors will carefully review the proposal to determine the course of action that it believes is in the best interest of the Company and all AIkido shareholders. The Company will respond in due course.
There is no need for shareholders to take any action at this time.
About AIkido Pharma Inc.
AIkido Pharma Inc. was initially formed in 1967 and is a biotechnology Company with a diverse portfolio of small-molecule anticancer and antiviral therapeutics. The Company's platform consists of patented technology from leading universities and researchers, and we are currently in the process of developing an innovative therapeutic drug platform through strong partnerships with world renowned educational institutions, including The University of Texas at Austin and University of Maryland at Baltimore. Our diverse pipeline of therapeutics includes therapies for pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer. We are constantly seeking to grow our pipeline to treat unmet medical needs in oncology. The Company is also developing a broad-spectrum antiviral platform that may potentially inhibit replication of multiple viruses including Influenza virus, SARS-CoV (coronavirus), MERS-CoV, Ebolavirus and Marburg virus.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "continue," "predict," "forecast," "project," "plan," "intend" or similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations, are forward-looking statements. While the Company believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking statements, which are based on information available to us on the date of this release. These forward-looking statements are based upon current estimates and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including without limitation those set forth in the Company's filings with the SEC, not limited to Risk Factors relating to its business contained therein. Thus, actual results could be materially different. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
Contact:
Investor Relations:
Hayden IR
Brett Maas, Managing Partner
Phone: (646) 536-7331
Email: brett@haydenir.com
www.haydenir.com
AIkido Pharma Inc.:
Phone: 212-745-1373
Email: investorrelations@aikidopharma.com
www.aikidopharma.com
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SOURCE AIkido Pharma Inc. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/08/10/aikido-pharma-confirms-receipt-unsolicited-offer/ | 2022-08-10 14:00:58 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/08/10/aikido-pharma-confirms-receipt-unsolicited-offer/ |
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BEIJING (AP) — Factories in China’s southwest have shut down after reservoirs used to generate hydropower ran low in a worsening drought, adding to economic strains at a time when President Xi Jinping is trying to extend his position in power.
Companies in Sichuan province including makers of solar panels, cement and urea closed or reduced production after they were ordered to ration power for up to five days, according to news reports Wednesday. That came after reservoir levels fell and power demand for air conditioning surged in scorching temperatures.
“Leave power for the people,” said an order from the provincial government dated Tuesday.
The shutdowns add to challenges for the ruling Communist Party as Xi, the country's most powerful leader in decades, prepares to try to break with tradition and award himself a third five-year term as leader at a meeting in October or November.
Growth in factory output and retail sales weakened in July, setting back China’s economic recovery after Shanghai and other industrial centers were shut down starting in late March to fight virus outbreaks.
The economy grew by just 2.5% over a year earlier in the first half of 2022, less than half the official annual goal of 5.5%.
Areas across central and northern China ordered emergency measures to ensure drinking water supplies after summer rain was as little as half normal levels. The official Xinhua News Agency said firetrucks carried water to two dry villages near Chongqing in the southwest.
Hundreds of thousands of hectares (acres) of crops across central and northern China have wilted due to lack of water and high temperatures, according to the government. Some areas have reported the summer growing season a failure.
The weather agency has warned temperatures in some areas could spike to 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).
In Sichuan, which has 94 million people, water levels at hydropower reservoirs are down by as much as half this month, according to the Sichuan Provincial Department of Economics and Information Technology.
A subsidiary of Guoguang Co., Ltd. that makes pesticide and fertilizer closed from Monday through at least Saturday, according to a company announcement through the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.
Makers of solar power equipment in Sichuan including Tongwei Solar Co. Ltd. and GCL-Poly Energy Holdings Ltd. said they received notices to ration power.
Tongwei said the “power cut and production shutdown have not had much impact," the business news outlet East Money reported.
China faced similar strains last year when Guangdong province in the southeast, one of the world's most important manufacturing centers, ordered factories to shut down after hydropower reservoirs ran low due to sparse rain.
The government has allocated 280 million yuan ($41 million) for drought relief in Hebei and Shanxi provinces and the Inner Mongolia region in the north and Liaoning province in the northeast, according to Xinhua.
“Some small and medium-size rivers are so dry that they have stopped flowing,” the report said.
Meanwhile, authorities on Tuesday warned some parts of the country face possible flooding from heavy rains forecast in areas from the northwest across Inner Mongolia to the northeast. | https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Chinese-factories-close-as-drought-hurts-17378626.php | 2022-08-17 05:33:36 | 0 | https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Chinese-factories-close-as-drought-hurts-17378626.php |
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In 2020, Thai youth sparked the largest wave of anti-government protests since the 2014 military coup. But human rights activists say persecutions and systematic harassment have weakened the pro-democracy movement.
'It's like a gigantic sword of Damocles has been hung over the head of the entire democracy movement,' says Human Rights Watch
In the wake of the US-ASEAN Summit in Washington between Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and US President Joe Biden, crowds gathered in front of the US embassy in Bangkok.
Waving large banners, members of the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration (UFTD) demanded the release of their imprisoned friends and an end to military rule.
Since 2020, the area around the US embassy has repeatedly been the scene of pro-democracy demonstrations in Thailand, which turned into the largest wave of protests the country has seen since the military coup in 2014.
For months, mainly young people took to the streets of Thailand to demonstrate against the military-led government. They demanded a new constitution, the dissolution of parliament and an end to state repression.
Despite calls for comprehensive democratic reforms, not much has changed in Thai society since the outbreak of the protests in 2020.
Despite mobilization on social media, major street protests disappeared in 2022. The main reason for this is the climate of fear and persecution created by the Thai government, Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch in Asia, told DW.
"It’s like a gigantic sword of Damocles has been hung over the head of the entire democracy movement," Robertson said.
Systematic harassment, imprisonment of activists, the announcement of a new law to restrict civil society activities and COVID-19 restrictions have caused the movement to lose strength over time.
Demands for more democracy have been met with a backlash from the state, which has denied young demonstrators a voice in shaping the politics of their country.
According to Robertson, Thais also questioned the government's restrictions on public gatherings during the pandemic.
"The government also used the emergency decree and claims to try to prevent COVID… to stop protests, to arrest people, to persecute people," Robertson said.
People began asking, "Is this just about stopping us from protesting, or is it really about public health?" he said, adding that more than 1,600 criminal cases have been filed against activists in Thailand since 2020.
Over time, the suppression of protests led to the splitting off and formation of various subgroups, explained Praphakorn Lippert from the University of Passau in Germany.
Those sometimes diverged from the movement's core demands and now represent other interests. This increasingly impedes mobilization for the common cause and has exacerbated the decline of the core movement from 2020, Lippert told DW.
The movement is increasingly fighting internal divisions, Lippert said. "There is no longer a large unified movement, but only actions by various small groups."
But the democracy movement is increasingly dominated by a generational conflict.
"The new fault line is really between the progressive youth who want change, who want reforms, who want the government to respect their rights; and the old conservative elites in politics, but also in business and in the military," Robertson said.
At their core, the protests are directed against an economic and political system that has been established for decades and has three privileged groups of participants.
The first is a razor-thin layer of 1% of the population, which owns two-thirds of all Thai assets, according to the Germany-based Heinrich Böll Foundation. Second is the military, which is also endowed with many financial privileges and is intertwined with state enterprises. And third is the world's richest monarchy, which continues to exert strong political influence.
The military coup in 2014 further solidified this system. The military sees itself as the guardian of the monarchy, is not subject to civilian control and has taken precautions through its own enforced constitution to weaken the influence of democratic institutions in the long term, Robertson said.
Many young, cosmopolitan Thais in particular, who are increasingly questioning the system, find no place in the country's power structure.
When the Future Forward Party, which with six million votes was very popular among young voters, was dissolved in February 2020 because of alleged financial irregularities by the parliament — where military-affiliated parties have a majority — many people felt betrayed by politics.
"I think that people feel that it's important they need to express their views and that they are not going to be silenced like they were in the past. Thailand needs to progress and walk into the future," Robertson said.
Thailand's young protest movement broke a taboo by calling for a reformed monarchy. The royal family in Thailand has long been protected by the lèse-majesté law known as Article 112, which criminalizes public criticism of the monarchy with prison sentences of up to 15 years.
"It is the first time that the issue of the monarchy has been made a public agenda and critically discussed. We have never had anything like this before in the past," Pavin Chachavalpongpun, one of the most prominent faces of the democracy movement, told DW.
His Facebook group, "The Royalist Marketplace," founded in April 2020, now has 2.4 million members, making it the largest Facebook group in the country. According to Pavin, it still has a significant influence on political discourse in social media.
Pavin does not see Thailand's democracy movement at a standstill.
"The genie has been let out of the bottle. I don't think it would be able to go back into the bottle again," Pavin said, referring to his Facebook group, which is still growing daily. He said the last two years have not only broken taboos, but also increased the space for criticism of rulers and the elite in traditional and social media.
Robertson predicts a resurgence of activism with Thailand's upcoming 2023 general election. It remains to be seen, however, whether the movement has the potential to shift from virtual space back to the streets once again.
Edited by: Sou-Jie van Brunnersum | https://www.dw.com/en/thailand-what-happened-to-mass-anti-government-protests/a-61861179 | 2022-05-19 15:42:05 | 1 | https://www.dw.com/en/thailand-what-happened-to-mass-anti-government-protests/a-61861179 |
Milwaukee Public Schools and other area districts cancel classes Thursday, as winter storm approaches
The Milwaukee area will be under a winter storm warning for 12 hours on Thursday, as a winter storm approaches that could bring up to 10 inches of snow.
Most of southeastern Wisconsin is under the warning including Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Waukesha, Washington, Racine and Kenosha counties.
Meteorologists with the National Weather Service expect 6 to 10 inches of snow, after initially remaining optimistic that the storm would miss the area. The winter storm watch was upgraded to a warning just before 2 p.m. Wednesday.
A number of closures and cancellation have been announced Thursday. Here is a list of schools and other facilities that announced closures in the Milwaukee area:
Milwaukee Public Schools
Milwaukee Public Schools has decided to cancel classes and events on Thursday, making the announcement around 5:45 p.m. Wednesday.
"All schools and district offices are closed as well as all district after school, recreation and athletic programs and events," the district said in a statement.
Milwaukee suburbs
The following Milwaukee County suburban schools also have announced closures:
- Wauwatosa
- West Allis-West Milwaukee
- Whitnall
- Greenfield
- Greendale
- Franklin
- Oak Creek
- Brown Deer
- Glendale-River Hills
- Fox Point-Bayside
- Shorewood
- Cudahy
- South Milwaukee
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee
All Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee will be closed on Thursday.
Arrowhead High School
Arrowhead High School in Hartland will be closed and all co-curricular events are also canceled unless you hear differently from a coach or advisor.
Elmbrook Schools
Classes are canceled for Elmbrook schools, and all co-curricular events and parent-teacher conference are also canceled. Principals will communicate a plan to reschedule conferences.
Hartland/Lakeside School District
Due to inclement weather, Hartland/Lakeside schools will be closed.
Lake Country School District
All classes at Lake Country School District have been canceled. Afternoon and evening activities are also canceled. School is scheduled to be closed on Friday and Monday, any conferences that are scheduled for Friday will be held.
Menomonee Falls
Students in 4K through eighth grade will get the day off from school, but students at Menomonee Falls High School will have a virtual learning day.
This story will be updated as more closures are announced. If you would like to add a school or building to the list please email jsmetro@jrn.com. | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2023/02/15/milwaukee-public-schools-other-districts-cancel-classes-due-to-snow/69908897007/ | 2023-02-16 01:23:56 | 0 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2023/02/15/milwaukee-public-schools-other-districts-cancel-classes-due-to-snow/69908897007/ |
In a Nod to New York Fashion Week, Gown and Accessories to be Worn by IAC Executive at Charity Preview Event
SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- International Automotive Components Group (IAC Group), a leading global supplier of automotive components and systems, has contributed to some of the automotive industry's most modern luxury interiors. Today, the company celebrated the convergence of fashion, sustainability, and automotive design with the unveiling of a bespoke gown created by a global team of IAC Group's talented designers and award-winning seamstresses in honor of the return of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS).
"IAC Group is dedicated to creating sustainable environments that we live, work, and move in," said IAC Group chief administrative officer, Iwona Niec Villaire. "This gown exemplifies how beautiful sustainable products can be, and I'm honored to have been chosen to showcase IAC's creativity in such an exciting way."
IAC Group's reveal of this gown at the Charity Preview Event at NAIAS coincides with New York Fashion Week, where designers from around the world unite in New York for the fashion industry's biggest showcase.
The gown uses three types of sustainable materials traditionally found in several of IAC Group's automotive applications today:
- The dress is composed of Dinamica®, a microfiber fabric material partially derived from recycled polyester. IAC Group uses the same material in the production of its headliners in the US, and in headliners and door bolster coverstock in Europe.
- The gown's flower appliques are made of a combination of cork coverstock and laser wood coverstock. Both are plant-based renewable resources with lower carbon footprints compared to other synthetic coverstocks such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), thermoplastic polyolefins (TPO), thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU), polyurethane (PU) or leather.
- The jewelry accompanying the gown is made from two sustainable materials, ocean plastics and mold in color plastic. The former is made from discarded polypropylene fishing nets that make their way to the shore and was used in the foil pieces of the jewelry. IAC's award-winning mold in color plastic has a decorated look without any paints or films, thereby eliminating negative paint by-products such as fumes, gasses, and solvents and making the material more easily recyclable. The Society of Plastics Engineers recognized IAC Group and Ford Motor Company with an Automotive Innovation Award for this technology in 2021
Materials selected for the dress were done so in collaboration with IAC Group's advanced engineering team, Susan Kozora, director of advanced engineering and Michael Behnke, director, innovation & advanced technology in Europe. This team is responsible for designing and leading technology development for the automotive market with a focus on reducing the company's carbon footprint.
"IAC Group is dedicated to identifying, sourcing and utilizing the most responsible materials when creating our inspired, sustainable mobile environments," said Kozora. "Our team was thrilled to be part of this exciting challenge."
As a testament to IAC Group's commitment to sustainability, the company was recently awarded the EcoVadis Gold Medal for its sustainability program in 2022. This award places IAC Group in the top three percent of companies rated by EcoVadis within its peer group.
The initial design for the gown was hand sketched by Villaire herself. As IAC group's Chief Administrative Officer, Villaire is responsible for leading the company's legal, human resource and sustainability functions. This project was an opportunity for her to exhibit her personal creativity and passion for design.
Using that sketch, Urszula Olkiewicz, junior trim engineer at IAC Group's Opole, Poland facility worked with Kozora and Behnke to select materials. Using her experience in the creation of new products such as jacket designs for the sewing department at IAC Group, Olkiewicz designed and developed the gown from the selected materials to bring Villaire's vision to life. Olena Korolova, sewing production operator who is responsible for sewing for serial production and new products at IAC Group's Opole facility, assisted Olkiewicz. Korolova and Olkiewicz also created a tie that will be worn by IAC Group Chief Commercial Officer Sebastian de Coster.
"This gown exhibits the collective skills, expertise and attention to detail our teams at IAC Group have for each and every product we touch. Our seamstresses are on par with those whose work is dawning the runways of New York this week for fashion week," said Villaire.
Despite international distances and conflicting timezones, the gown progressed from concept to debut in a remarkable timeframe of just 16 short weeks.
Having been recognized with multiple awards such as the 2021 Ford World Excellence Award for the Mach-E Frunk, this sustainability effort is just another example of IAC Group's dedication to bold execution in each of its programs.
"Watching my idea come to life has been an amazing experience," said Villaire. "Kicking off this year's show with such a creative way to demonstrate our passion for elegant engineering and bold execution showcases the creative talent and opportunities at IAC Group and the industry as a whole."
Headquartered in Luxembourg, International Automotive Components (IAC) Group is a leading global supplier of automotive components and systems, including instrument panels, console systems, door panels, headliners and overhead systems to automakers around the world. Employing nearly 18,000 people, IAC Group is a multi-billion dollar global manufacturing company that operates in 55 locations, including more than 40 manufacturing facilities in 17 countries. For more information, visit www.iacgroup.com.
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SOURCE IAC Group | https://www.wkyt.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/iac-unveils-couture-gown-crafted-sustainable-automotive-materials-north-american-international-auto-show-event/ | 2022-09-12 12:39:44 | 0 | https://www.wkyt.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/iac-unveils-couture-gown-crafted-sustainable-automotive-materials-north-american-international-auto-show-event/ |
Joe McGovern, co-owner of Stan & Joes Saloon in Annapolis
“If I had to pick a real animal, it’s a tie between a sloth and a koala. Both are beautiful and affectionate, laid-back, hanging out in the trees, maybe having a frozen drink every now and then. If I got to pick an imaginary animal, it would probably be a Kraken, an eight-legged beast.”
Bob Mosier, spokesperson for Anne Arundel County Public Schools
“It would be a retired racing greyhound. I don’t have to imagine what it’s like because my family and I have adopted nine retired racers over the last 31 years and work with a group that helps find homes for these amazing animals once their racing days are over. Noble and regal, they are among the finest athletic specimens on the planet. Yet, they are the most relaxed, loving, and loyal pets anyone could imagine having. If you have a couch, you have room for a greyhound.”
Bishop Antonio Palmer, Kingdom Celebration Center
“I would pick a dragon because it could fly me to my mission trips around the world or simply to any of my meetings or appointments at no cost (except for food). Like dogs, dragons can be friendly and loyal to their owner. So loyal that if you try to harm their owner, it will provide executive protection.” | https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/anne-arundel/annapolis/ac-mg-cs-pet-real-or-imaginaryprnt-20230611-vvtav2i5obbnlfv6r3pro2r2a4-story.html | 2023-06-11 13:03:27 | 1 | https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/anne-arundel/annapolis/ac-mg-cs-pet-real-or-imaginaryprnt-20230611-vvtav2i5obbnlfv6r3pro2r2a4-story.html |
SAN DIEGO (AP) — SAN DIEGO (AP) — Neurocrine Biosciences Inc. (NBIX) on Wednesday reported a loss of $76.6 million in its first quarter.
On a per-share basis, the San Diego-based company said it had a loss of 79 cents.
The results fell short of Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of 10 analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 26 cents per share.
The biopharmaceutical company posted revenue of $420.4 million in the period, exceeding Street forecasts. Eleven analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $413 million.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on NBIX at https://www.zacks.com/ap/NBIX | https://www.ourmidland.com/business/article/neurocrine-q1-earnings-snapshot-18075596.php | 2023-05-03 12:51:13 | 0 | https://www.ourmidland.com/business/article/neurocrine-q1-earnings-snapshot-18075596.php |
The investment is being made through the first round of PartnerHero's CX Innovators Fund
BOISE, Idaho, April 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Customer operations outsourcing leader PartnerHero (www.partnerhero.com), announced today that it is investing $50,000 in a customer experience-focused startup, Jiffy (https://www.learnwithjiffy.com/). The investment is part of the CX Innovators Fund, an investment vehicle launched by PartnerHero in 2022 to support founders coming from backgrounds in customer experience who are working on products designed to improve the CX landscape.
In addition to the $50,000 in funding, invested using a SAFE note, Jiffy will receive mentorship from a group of CX experts from PartnerHero and other companies.
"We created the PartnerHero CX Innovators Fund because we saw a gap in the startup funding landscape," said Mercer Smith, VP of Insights & Community at PartnerHero. "Traditional equity investors tend to back engineers, designers, and business school grads, but we think a career in customer experience is just about the best preparation someone can get for being a founder. We were rewarded with applications from some extremely innovative companies, including our winner Jiffy."
The company selected for the inaugural CX Innovators Fund will also be able to receive valuable feedback on their products from PartnerHero's more than 2,000 customer experience associates.
"The CX Innovators Fund is truly one of the only funds that is specifically tailored to the world of CX and support," said Ben Wright, cofounder of Jiffy. "I have admired the PartnerHero team for many reasons, and that made the decision to apply that much easier. We're seeing decent early traction with Jiffy, and have validated the product with over 50 CS leaders. This money will help get the MVP into our early customers' hands, as well as additional marketing support."
PartnerHero intends to repeat the CX Innovators Fund in 2023. Details will be made available later this year.
About Jiffy
Jiffy is an automated knowledge base that helps CX teams save time and streamline operations by making knowledge management part of the team's day-to-day workflow.
About PartnerHero
PartnerHero is a provider of premium customer operations outsourcing, including customer support, trust & safety, content moderation, QA, tooling implementation, and CX strategy. The company has offices in the United States, Honduras, Romania, and the Philippines, and remote employees in dozens of additional countries.
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SOURCE PartnerHero | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2023/04/20/partnerhero-makes-an-investment-jiffy-an-early-stage-cx-software-product/ | 2023-04-20 15:39:30 | 0 | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2023/04/20/partnerhero-makes-an-investment-jiffy-an-early-stage-cx-software-product/ |
The three of us participated in one or more of the three branches of Idaho’s government for decades and, as they say, we have seen it all. Well, except a legislative power grab so brazen as Senate Joint Resolution 102, which would allow the Legislature to call itself into special session upon the request of 60% of the members of each House.
The special session could only consider the “subjects” listed in the request petition, but it is not hard to envision how that would work. Legislators wanting to get some favorable publicity in an election year would start a petition to meet on their favored “subjects,” a rather inclusive word. If the petition listed taxes, the special session could consider proposals throughout the state’s voluminous tax code. Other legislators might say they would sign the petition only if the subject of health care or education or whatever else was to be considered. In other words, getting the required 60% could entail listing practically every subject under the sun.
A special session called by the governor under our Constitution can only last a maximum of 20 days. The special session he recently called lasted just one day. A special session called by the Legislature under SJR 102 could last for days, weeks or months, opening up the possibility of a full-time Idaho Legislature.
The Idaho Legislature conducted a test run of their idea last year. In clear violation of the Idaho Constitution, which allows only the governor to call a special session, the House simply refused to say it had concluded business and claimed it could remain in session until the end of the year. First, if it really does have such power already, why does it need SJR 102? Second, look at the fiasco that occurred when it did reconvene in November for no good reason. The House saw the introduction of 29 bills, none of which made it through the legislative process. It was merely political theater, which wasted $100,000 of taxpayer money.
When Idaho’s constitutional framers were meeting in Boise in 1889, they were not certain how often the Legislature should meet to consider state business. They were wary of having the body in session more than absolutely necessary. Some proposed the Legislature meet every other year, while others contended every third year would suffice. Some even thought every fourth year would be enough. The framers decided to try every other year, figuring they could always go to triennial sessions if that was too often. They provided for the governor to call special sessions in case an emergency arose between sessions. In 1968, legislators convinced voters to approve a constitutional amendment providing for annual sessions.
Granting the governor the exclusive right to call special sessions was one element of the concept of governmental checks and balances, which was of paramount importance to the framers. They would not have dreamed of giving the Legislature the power to call itself into session. The Legislature demonstrated the folly of that idea with its shameful, wasteful rump session last year. There was absolutely no emergency to be dealt with. Many just wanted to use the gathering to snipe at the governor for measures taken earlier to combat the pandemic. Most all of those measures had lapsed by the time the session was held in violation of the Constitution.
The Legislature has become dysfunctional in recent years, choosing to devote much of its time to tilting with meaningless culture war windmills. Important concerns of the voters — like providing for construction and maintenance of public school facilities which the Constitution requires the state to do, or providing property tax relief to homeowners — are neglected. Approval of SJR 102 would only add to the problem of legislative malfeasance.
Please vote no on SJR 102.
Ben Ysursa served as Idaho secretary of state from 2003 to 2015. He served as deputy in the office from 1974 to 1976 and as chief deputy from 1976 to 2002.
Bruce Newcomb served 20 years in the Idaho House of Representatives (1996 through 2006) and was speaker of the house for eight years (1999 through 2006).
Jim Jones served eight years as Idaho attorney general (1983-1991) and 12 years as a justice on the Idaho Supreme Court (2005-2017).
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Tell us your personal accounts and the history behind articles. | https://www.postregister.com/opinion/guest_column/opinion-voters-should-reject-sjr-102-legislative-power-grab/article_a213e5ca-4b19-11ed-8751-67f03d549473.html | 2022-11-02 08:25:02 | 1 | https://www.postregister.com/opinion/guest_column/opinion-voters-should-reject-sjr-102-legislative-power-grab/article_a213e5ca-4b19-11ed-8751-67f03d549473.html |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Defense Department should implement a series of gun safety measures to reduce suicides in the force, an independent committee recommended Friday, calling for waiting periods for the purchase of firearms and ammunition by service members on military property.
The panel said the department should also raise the minimum age for service members to buy guns and ammunition to 25, and should also require anyone living in military housing to register all privately owned firearms. In addition, the panel said the department should restrict the possession and storage of privately owned firearms in military barracks and dorms.
The report reflects increasing concerns about suicides in the military, despite more than a decade of programs and other efforts to prevent them and spur greater intervention by commanders, friends and family members. But gun safety and control measures are likely to face resistance, particularly in Congress, where such legislation has struggled in recent years.
The committee released its findings in a report Friday, saying the Pentagon needs to improve and modernize its suicide prevention training, and take steps to address risk factors such as alcohol use, in order to address recurring spikes in suicides.
“Despite considerable investment in suicide prevention strategies, DOD (the Defense Department) has shown an increasing trend over a 15-year period in suicide rates,” said Jerry Reed, a consultant for the panel.
The report said the military infrastructure and other systems have not kept up with the changes in technology. All of that, it said, increases stress and the risks of suicide.
Confirming findings in annual suicide reports, the panel noted that about 66% of all active-duty military suicides —- and more than 70% of those by National Guard and Reserve members — are done with firearms. It said reducing access to guns could prevent some deaths.
Craig Bryan, a clinical psychologist and member of the Suicide Prevention and Response Independent Review Committee, said the department should slow down troops' access to guns — specifically those bought in stores on bases — so people under stress can survive periods of high risk.
He likened the expanded gun safety measures to requirements that the department puts on motorcycle usage — such as mandated helmets — that are often more strict than some state laws. Asked how likely such changes would be, Bryan said he believes troops are more receptive to such limits than civilians may be.
“My sense is that so many of us who have served have lost friends to suicide. And so many of those suicides involve firearms, that we recognize that there is a connection between the two," said Bryan. “Many of us are tired of our friends and loved ones dying and we recognize that we have to absolutely take on this issue.”
He said the choice of age 25 was driven by historical patterns and data, which showed that half of all military suicides happened between the ages of 21 and 25, and that the use of guns for suicides by service members — particularly men — increased after the age of 21.
The panel also concluded that alcohol use and financial problems are often connected to suicides. As a result, it recommended the department fix pay systems to avoid delays, and address excessive alcohol use.
The commission also said the department's “complex and rigid hierarchical structure” impedes its ability to do effective suicide prevention.
Suicides across the active-duty U.S. military decreased a bit during the 18 months from 2021 through June 2022, driven by sharp drops in the Air Force and Marine Corps last year and a similar decline among Army soldiers during the first six months of this year, according to a Pentagon report.
But those numbers show a dramatic reversal of what has been a fairly steady increase in recent years. | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/panel-miliary-needs-gun-safety-measures-to-limit-suicides/LVNV35UNU5G5VOGEGUKOITOLWE/ | 2023-02-24 22:26:47 | 0 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/panel-miliary-needs-gun-safety-measures-to-limit-suicides/LVNV35UNU5G5VOGEGUKOITOLWE/ |
- prodisc® C SK expands availability of Centinel Spine's portfolio of FDA-approved cervical total disc replacement (TDR) devices.
- Centinel Spine now has three cervical TDR devices available in the U.S. for 1-level indications: prodisc C, prodisc C Vivo, and prodisc C SK.
- Centinel Spine offers the broadest spectrum of TDR solutions to address individual patient anatomy and meet surgeon preference needs.
WEST CHESTER, Pa., Nov. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Centinel Spine®, LLC, ("the Company") a leading global medical device company addressing cervical and lumbar spinal disease through anterior surgical access, today announced the first implantation of its prodisc® C SK Cervical Total Disc Replacement (TDR) product. In July, the Company received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for 1-level indications for prodisc C Vivo, prodisc C SK, and prodisc C Nova. The prodisc C SK system is the second of the three new products to be released with the Company recently announcing the 100th completed procedure with its prodisc C Vivo TDR product. Along with the currently available prodisc C implant, Centinel Spine has the broadest offering of cervical TDR solutions in the world to address individual patient anatomy and meet surgeon preference needs.
"In spine care, each patient's circumstances are different, so it is critical to provide surgeons with the ability to address each patient's unique needs," said Centinel Spine CEO Steve Murray. "With the release of both the prodisc C Vivo and prodisc C SK devices, we have expanded the options available to surgeons to allow for better matching of the disc to the patient. While these two new product releases have been conducted on a limited scale, we have already seen a strong positive response from surgeon partners related to the potential patient benefits."
The prodisc C SK device features a flat endplate design for optimized implant positioning that allows surgeons to address individual patient anatomy—and a low-profile central keel that provides immediate fixation and enables a streamlined keel preparation technique. Similar to all prodisc products, the prodisc C SK device incorporates prodisc CORE technology, the basis behind the predictable clinical outcomes of the prodisc platform after 30 years and over 225,000 implantations worldwide.*
According to orthopedic spine surgeon Ehsan Jazini, MD, from the Virginia Spine Institute in Reston, Virginia, "I am proud to be the first surgeon to use this innovative technology in the DC metro region. As a pioneer working to make disc replacement surgery ultra-customized for each patient, the prodisc C SK and prodisc C Vivo devices provide me the versatility to match the disc to the patient's anatomy. With this advanced proven technology, we can best gain motion preservation and stability as appropriate for each cervical surgery."
Orthopedic spine surgeon Jason Tinley, MD, founder of the DFW Center for Spinal Disorders in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, agrees, noting, "With prodisc C SK now FDA-approved along with prodisc C Vivo and the original prodisc C, I have the intra-operative modularity to change implant characteristics based on patient morphology. While an MRI or X-ray may appear to favor the need for a flat endplate and keels versus a superior dome shape with spikes, once your carpentry is performed, I've found that it's not uncommon that the alternative option may actually offer better stability and endplate conformity upon trialing."
* Data on file
Centinel Spine®, LLC is a leading global medical device company addressing cervical and lumbar spinal disease through anterior surgical access. The company offers a continuum of trusted, brand-name, motion-preserving and fusion solutions backed by over 30 years of clinical success—providing the most robust and clinically-proven technology platforms in the world for total disc replacement (prodisc®) and Integrated Interbody™ fusion (STALIF®).
Centinel Spine continues to advance its pioneering culture and corporate mission to become a catalyst of change in the spine industry and alter the way spine surgery is perceived. Centinel Spine remains the only company with comprehensive motion-preserving and fusion solutions for both cervical and lumbar anterior column reconstruction.
For more information, please visit the company's website at www.CentinelSpine.com or contact:
Centinel Spine
Varun Gandhi
Chief Financial Officer
900 Airport Road, Suite 3B
West Chester, PA 19380
Phone: 484-887-8871
Email: v.gandhi@centinelspine.com
Media
Kyle Evans
ICR Westwicke
Phone: 646-677-1295
Email: kyle.evans@westwicke.com
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SOURCE Centinel Spine, LLC | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/11/10/centinel-spine-announces-first-commercial-use-prodisc-c-sk-cervical-total-disc-replacement-product/ | 2022-11-10 16:10:55 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/11/10/centinel-spine-announces-first-commercial-use-prodisc-c-sk-cervical-total-disc-replacement-product/ |
Leading Fast-Casual Concept's New Prototype Optimizes Off-Premise Channels with Redesigned Pick-Up Area, Among Other Features
WICHITA, Kan., April 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Fast-casual restaurant concept Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers® announced today the opening of a corporate-owned restaurant location in Belleville, Illinois, featuring its newest restaurant design. Now available to prospective franchisees, the format features a standard drive-thru and an enhanced mobile pick-up window to meet the increased consumer demand for off-premise dining. Standing at either 2,800 square feet or 2,400 square feet, the design includes an enhanced kitchen layout to enable each order channel to maintain high efficiency across the operation. The opening in the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area comes on the heels of Freddy's recent announcement to open a location within the region's professional baseball arena, Busch Stadium.
"We recognize the importance of adapting with the constant shifts in consumer preferences and making it easier for people to access Freddy's. With nearly 70 percent of sales being consumed off-premise, our team has been focused on developing restaurant prototypes that cater to this preferred method of dining by increasing convenience and ease of use for our guests," says Chris Dull, CEO of Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers. "The new prototype design opening in Belleville increases the convenience our guests seek by optimizing off-premise channels and not sacrificing the speed and quality that has maintained loyalty to our brand with over 20 years of history."
Genuine hospitality remains a cornerstone of Freddy's brand value and is showcased through the new restaurant design. The format prioritizes guest satisfaction by incorporating innovative features that promote order accuracy and process efficiency through all order channels. These updates include Accutemp's XLR8 kitchen technology, which presses Freddy's steakburger patties into a consistent shape each time, making grill operations less physically demanding while increasing consistency for guests. Additionally, the restaurant's designated digital pickup area has a custard freezer to give quick access to mobile and delivery orders without interfering with the dine-in order queue. The back-of-house also has a transformed bagging station with a simplified, easy-to-interpret display, and a shared expo counter to give the shift lead the ability to manage every aspect of the operation from one location.
As Freddy's maintains a high level of growth across the country, the brand will look to gather insights and key data from the new restaurant in Belleville to continue refining real estate options for new and existing franchisees. Slated to open over 60 locations before the close of the calendar year, Freddy's remains committed to franchisees, team members and a one-of-a-kind guest experience to support the chains greater development goal of doubling its footprint within the next three years. Franchise opportunities remain in nine of Canada's provinces, excluding Quebec, and in the U.S. including the Northeast, Upper Midwest, California, Florida, Oregon, and Washington, and large metro areas such as Pittsburgh.
Freddy's wide variety of traditional and non-traditional restaurants has consistently earned the brand recognition as a leading fast-casual concept and franchise system. Most recently, the brand ranked #70 on Entrepreneur Magazine's highly competitive Franchise 500 ranking of the top franchise brands, QSR Magazine's esteemed QSR 50 list at #46, as well as being awarded North America's Best New National Brand Concept by Airports Council International for the opening of Freddy's first airport location in 2021 in Oklahoma City's Will Rogers World Airport.
For more information about development opportunities, contact Mary Coots, Vice President of Franchise Development, at maryc@freddysusa.com or 316-719-7854; or contact Gregg Most and Jim Werschler at franchising@freddyscanada.net for Canadian inquiries. Prospective franchisees can also visit freddysfranchising.com for the latest information regarding available opportunities.
About Freddy's
Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers is a leading fast-casual franchise concept with more than 460 locations across 36 states nationwide. Founded in Wichita, Kansas, in 2002, the brand offers a unique combination of cooked-to-order steakburgers, all-beef hot dogs, shoestring fries and other savory items, along with freshly churned frozen custard treats. Known for operating The Freddy's Way, Guests experience genuine hospitality and food prepared fresh with premium ingredients. This signature approach has fueled Freddy's ongoing growth throughout the U.S. and garnered national recognition from industry-leading rankings, including being named No. 1 on Forbes Best Franchises to Buy and No. 70 on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500. For more on Freddy's, visit the Newsroom and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For more information about development opportunities, visit https://freddysfranchising.com/.
Contact:
Nate Rubinstein
(954) 893-9150
nrubinstein@fishconsulting.com
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SOURCE Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers | https://www.wagmtv.com/prnewswire/2023/04/11/freddys-frozen-custard-amp-steakburgers-unveils-new-restaurant-design-with-opening-belleville-illinois/ | 2023-04-11 16:45:18 | 1 | https://www.wagmtv.com/prnewswire/2023/04/11/freddys-frozen-custard-amp-steakburgers-unveils-new-restaurant-design-with-opening-belleville-illinois/ |
VANCOUVER, BC, Nov. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Planet Based Foods Global Inc. (CSE: PBF) (OTCQB: PBFFF) (FRA: AZ0) ("PBFG", "Planet Based Foods" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the company has entered into distribution agreements with KeHE Distributors ("KeHE"), United Natural Foods, Inc. ("United Natural Foods, or UNFI") and DPI Specialty Foods ("DPI") (collectively known as the "Distributors") effective immediately.
The Distributors have already committed to various purchase orders in November, adding to the incredibly eventful year for the Company. KeHE and United Natural Foods are known as premiere food distributors that focus on both the Natural & Specialty Distribution Channel as well as Conventional Distribution Channels in the United States. DPI has established an efficient network of wholesale specialty food distribution centers in key geographic locations across the Western United States.
Prospective distribution locations are expected to distribute the following Planet Based Foods products:
- KeHE Romeoville, IL: Southwest Burger, Original Taquito and Southwest Taquito
- DPI Aurora, Colorado: Southwest Burger, Original Taquito and Southwest Taquito
- DPI Ontario, California: Southwest Burger, Original Taquito and Southwest Taquito
- UNFI Riverside, California: Southwest Burger, Original Burger, Mild Sausage Patty, Hot Sausage Patty, Original Crumble, Italian Crumble, Original Taquito and Southwest Taquito
- UNFI Ridgefield, Washington: Mild Sausage Patty, Original Crumble, Southwest Burger, Original Taquito and Southwest Taquito
"Partnering with these world-renowned distributors is exactly what the company needs for us to hit our aggressive growth milestones", Planet Based Foods President and Co-Founder Braelyn Davis quotes. "KeHE, United Natural Foods and DPI service the largest grocery chains in the country. We're confident that our consumers will see our products in more stores than ever in these coming weeks."
For further details about the Company, please refer to the Company's listing statement at www.thecse.com as well as the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. To view information about the Company and subscribe to automated email alerts for future news and public filings, visit the Planet Based Foods website at www.planetbasedfoods.com.
Kehe Food Distributors is a leading U.S. distributor of natural and specialty food products that fit the lifestyle of today's consumer. They distribute more than 40,000 products - including natural and organic, international, specialty, perishable, Kosher, and Latin American food items - to more than 15,000 retail outlets in 49 states, Mexico and the Caribbean.
United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) is a Providence, Rhode Island–based natural and organic food company. They are the largest publicly traded wholesale distributor of health and specialty food in the United States and Canada. It is Whole Foods Market's main supplier, with their traffic making up over a third of its revenue in 2018. UNFI was founded in 1996 by the merger of two regional distributors, Mountain People's Warehouse (founded in 1976, serving the Western U.S.) and Cornucopia Natural Foods (founded in 1977, serving the Eastern U.S.), forming the first natural products distributorship with national scope. Since 1996, other regional distributors have merged with UNFI, filling in the distribution footprint and making UNFI the largest distributor of natural products. In 2007 UNFI acquired Millbrook Distribution Services. In 2011, UNFI signed a distribution agreement with Safeway Inc. for the distribution of non-proprietary natural, organic and specialty products. In 2012 UNFI partnered with Buyer's Best Friend to create a unified reordering system. In 2016, the company announced the acquisition of Nor-Cal produce, Inc. It also completed the acquisition of Haddon House Food Products, Inc. in 2016. That same year, it announced the acquisition of Gourmet Guru, Inc.On October 22, 2018, UNFI completed the acquisition of SuperValu, Inc.
DPI has established an efficient network of wholesale specialty food distribution centers in key geographic locations across the Western U.S. They're people with a passion for fine specialty foods. DPI staff works directly with customers to bring the very best in specialty food goods to their retail locations. Their strength in grocery distribution, independent retail sales and foodservice, incorporates a product mix that includes gourmet, specialty, natural, organic, gluten free, local and ethnic foods. DPI warehouses and delivers frozen, refrigerated and dry goods. Their unique combination of product knowledge and options for in-store, cross-dock and direct delivery services ensure that we will deliver sales growth for our retailer and vendor partners. Today DPI supplies over 40,000 SKUs comprised of perishable and non-perishable food items from five continents. The team at DPI brings unique market niche and retail experience to create exciting programs, tailored for each retailer's individual needs. These programs have a proven track record of delivering sales growth.
PBFG, through its wholly-owned subsidiary in San Diego, California, Planet Based Foods, is a producer of sustainable plant-based meat substitutes. Planet Based Foods was founded in 2018 in San Diego, California. With a mission to build a better food system by providing hemp-formulated superfood products to people today that support our planet tomorrow, all Planet Based Foods products are 100% vegan.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
"Braelyn Davis"
Braelyn Davis
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
For more information, please visit: www.planetbasedfoods.com or contact: invest@planetbasedfoods.com
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS:
Certain statements included in this news release constitute forward-looking information or statements (collectively, "forward-looking statements"), including those identified by the expressions "anticipate", "assume" "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "should" and similar expressions to the extent they relate to the Company or its management. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect current expectations regarding future results or events. This news release contains forward looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions which are difficult to predict. Such statements are based on current expectations and various estimates, factors and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future. The Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances unless required by law. Readers should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. For more information, please visit: www.planetbasedfoods.com or contact: invest@planetbasedfoods.com.
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SOURCE Planet Based Foods | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2022/11/09/planet-based-foods-confirms-new-distribution-channels/ | 2022-11-09 13:04:10 | 1 | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2022/11/09/planet-based-foods-confirms-new-distribution-channels/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy surprisingly accelerated to a 2.4% annual growth rate from April through June, showing continued resilience in the face of steadily higher interest rates resulting from the Federal Reserve’s 16-month-long fight to bring down inflation.
Thursday’s estimate from the Commerce Department indicated that the gross domestic product — the economy’s total output of goods and services — picked up from the 2% growth rate in the January-March quarter. Last quarter’s expansion was well above the 1.5% annual rate that economists had forecast.
Driving last quarter’s growth was a burst of business investment. Excluding housing, business spending surged at a 7.7% annual rate, the fastest such pace since early 2022. Companies plowed more money into factories and equipment. Increased spending by state and local governments also helped fuel the economy’s expansion in the April-June quarter.
Consumer spending, the heart of the nation’s economy, was also solid last quarter, though it slowed to a 1.6% annual rate from a robust 4.2% pace in the first quarter of the year.
Investment in housing, though, fell, weakened by the weight of higher mortgage rates.
“This is a strong report, confirming that this economy continues to largely shrug off the Fed’s aggressive rate increases and tightening credit conditions,’’ said Olu Sonola, head of U.S. economics at Fitch Ratings. “The bottom line is that the U.S. economy is still growing above trend, and the Fed will be wondering if they need to do more to slow this economy.”
In fighting inflation, which last year hit a four-decade high, the Fed has raised its benchmark rate 11 times since March 2022, most recently on Wednesday. The resulting higher costs for a broad range of loans — from mortgages and credit cards to auto loans and business borrowing — have taken a toll on growth.
Still, they have yet to tip the United States into a widely forecast recession. Optimism has been growing that a recession isn’t coming after all, that the Fed can engineer a so-called “soft-landing” — slowing the economy enough to bring inflation down to its 2% annual target without wrecking an expansion of surprising durability.
This week, the International Monetary Fund upgraded its forecast for U.S. economic growth for all of 2023 to 1.8%. Though that would be down from 2.1% growth for 2022, it marked an increase from the 1.6% growth that the IMF had predicted for 2023 back in April.
At a news conference Wednesday after the Fed announced its latest quarter-point rate hike, Chair Jerome Powell revealed that the central bank’s staff economists no longer foresee a recession in the United States. In April, the minutes of the central bank’s March meeting had revealed that the Fed’s staff economists envisioned a “mild” recession later this year.
In his remarks, Powell noted that the economy has proved resilient despite the Fed’s rapid rate hikes. And he said he still thinks a soft landing remains possible.
By any measure, the American job market has shown itself to be remarkably strong. At 3.6% in June, the unemployment rate hovers just above a five-decade low. A surge in retirements after COVID-19 hit in early 2020 has contributed to a shortage of workers across the country, forcing many companies to raise wages to attract or keep staffers.
Higher pay and job security are giving Americans the confidence and financial wherewithal to keep shopping. Indeed, consumer spending, which drives about 70% of economic activity, rose at a 4.2% annual rate from January through March, the fastest quarterly pace in nearly two years. Americans have kept spending — crowding airplanes, traveling overseas and flocking to concerts and movie theaters.
And the Conference Board, a business research group, reported Tuesday that Americans this month are in their sunniest mood in two years, based on the board’s reading of consumer confidence.
Indeed, many consumers are finally enjoying some relief from spiking prices: Year-over-year inflation, which peaked at 9.1% in June 2022, has eased consistently ever since. Inflation-adjusted hourly pay rose 1.4% in June from a year earlier, the sharpest such gain since early 2021.
“Inflation is easing, moving in the right direction,” said Rubeela Farooqi, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics. ”In other words, the Fed is achieving what it wants without causing damage to the economy, so they don’t need to push too hard from this point on.”
Still, Farooqi suggested, the surprisingly healthy GDP report makes it somewhat more likely that the Fed will raise rates again because the economy appears to be “much stronger” than what the central bank would like to see. With stronger growth comes a greater likelihood of high inflation.
But Thursday’s GDP report contained some encouraging news for the Fed’s inflation fighters: One measure of prices — the personal consumption expenditures index — rose at a 2.6% annual rate last quarter, down from a 4.1% pace in the January-March quarter, to the lowest level since the end of 2020.
Though that is still above the Fed’s 2% inflation target, it amounts to “another welcome sign of disinflation,” said Mike Fratantoni, chief economist at the Mortgage Bankers Association.
The Biden White House’s Council of Economic Advisers estimated Thursday that investment in factories and other manufacturing facilities added 0.4 percentage point of growth last quarter, the largest such proportion since 1981. President Joe Biden pushed the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS Act last year to encourage domestic manufacturing. Michael Feroli, chief U.S. economist at JP Morgan Chase, agreed that much of last quarter’s uptick in business investment was “likely in response to recent federal incentives.’’
“This progress wasn’t inevitable or accidental,’’ the president said in a statement. “It is Bidenomics in action.’’
The risk remains that the weight of ever-higher interest rates will eventually slow borrowing so much — for homes, cars, renovations, business expansions and other costly expenses — as to pull the economy into recession.
Among the economy’s weakest links has been the housing market. In June, sales of previously occupied homes sank to their slowest pace since January. The problem is that a near-historic low number of homes for sale and higher mortgage rates kept many would-be homebuyers on the sidelines. Sales fell 19% compared with June 2022 and were down 23% through the first half of the year.
___
AP Writer Josh Boak contributed to this report. | https://phl17.com/business/ap-business/ap-us-economy-grew-at-a-faster-2-4-rate-in-april-june-quarter-despite-fed-rate-hikes/ | 2023-07-28 10:24:01 | 0 | https://phl17.com/business/ap-business/ap-us-economy-grew-at-a-faster-2-4-rate-in-april-june-quarter-despite-fed-rate-hikes/ |
The Philippines has boosted its military presence in the South China Sea after spotting numerous Chinese fishing boats in its coastal waters. Washington is supporting Manila in the dispute.
Copyright 2022 NPR
The Philippines has boosted its military presence in the South China Sea after spotting numerous Chinese fishing boats in its coastal waters. Washington is supporting Manila in the dispute.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.apr.org/2022-12-24/philippines-boosts-military-presence-in-south-china-sea | 2022-12-24 13:11:14 | 1 | https://www.apr.org/2022-12-24/philippines-boosts-military-presence-in-south-china-sea |
PITTSBURGH, June 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "I thought there should be a simple way for a musician or singer to produce the tones and sounds of various musical instruments," said an inventor, from Danville, Ill., "so I invented the ANTI- PRODUCER. My design enables you to create and record music whenever inspiration strikes."
The patent-pending invention provides an effective way to create and record music without instruments. In doing so, it eliminates the need to purchase a drum machine, mixer, etc. It also saves time and effort and it could make the creative process easier and more convenient. The invention features a compact design that is easy to use so it is ideal for singers, musicians, music hobbyists, etc. Additionally, it is producible in design variations.
The original design was submitted to the Chicago sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 20-SGM-126, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.
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SOURCE InventHelp | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2022/06/24/inventhelp-inventor-develops-convenient-device-createrecord-music-sgm-126/ | 2022-06-24 16:23:07 | 1 | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2022/06/24/inventhelp-inventor-develops-convenient-device-createrecord-music-sgm-126/ |
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Just two days before the World Cup opener, host nation Qatar banned the sale of beer at stadiums in a sudden U-turn that was criticized by some and welcomed by others.
Qatari officials have long said they were eager to welcome soccer fans from around the world to the tournament but that visitors should also respect their culture and traditions. Alcohol consumption, impermissible in Islam, is one of the areas where the country has been attempting to strike a delicate balance.
Here’s a look at some of the issues related to alcohol and Muslim beliefs.
WHAT DOES THE QURAN SAY ABOUT ALCOHOL?
Drinking alcohol is considered haram, or forbidden, in Islam. As proof of the prohibition, Islamic scholars and Muslim religious authorities typically point to a verse in the Quran, the Muslim holy book, that calls intoxicants “the work of Satan” and tells believers to avoid them. Additionally, they cite sayings of Prophet Muhammad and the negative effects that alcohol can have.
Beyond abstaining from drinking, some Muslims also seek religious edicts on a variety of related day-to-day questions or dilemmas. These include whether or not to consume food mixed with alcohol; if it’s considered a sin to work at a restaurant that serves alcohol in a Western country; if perfumes containing alcohol are allowed; and whether to attend ceremonies or events where booze is served.
MUSLIM ATTITUDES ON ALCOHOL
While the prohibition on alcohol in Islam is believed to be widely heeded, not all Muslims abstain from drinking. Some drink, whether privately or publicly. In a Pew Research Center survey of Muslims around the globe, most people surveyed said that drinking alcohol was morally wrong. More than half in all countries where Muslims were surveyed held this view, including more than nine-in-ten in Thailand, Ghana, Malaysia, the Palestinian territories, Indonesia, Niger and Pakistan, according to the Pew report, which was published in 2013 and included 38,000 interviews. Still, in 11 of the 37 countries where this question was asked, at least one-in-ten said that drinking alcohol is morally acceptable and in some countries, sizable percentages said consuming alcohol is not a moral issue, the report added.
HOW IS THE BAN ON ALCOHOL APPLIED?
Alcohol is available in some Islamic nations though regulations vary widely and there can be intricate rules and restrictions on its sale or where it can be consumed. Some countries, like Saudi Arabia, outlaw alcohol altogether. Drinking there can be punished by flogging, fines, imprisonment and, for foreigners, deportation. The kingdom has in recent years been opening up entertainment options, which has spurred speculation about whether exceptions for alcohol consumption may be made in the future.
Other places have a more relaxed approach, such as Dubai, a top travel destination in the United Arab Emirates that is known to many for its glitz and love for superlatives. Dubai boasts a variety of bars, nightclubs and lounges that attract many visitors and well-to-do expatriate residents. In recent years, the city has also been increasingly loosening laws governing alcohol sales and possession of liquor. As in some other places, alcohol sales there provide a lucrative tax revenue source.
Alcohol is sold freely in liquor stores in Jordan and served in bars and restaurants throughout the capital of Amman. It is also available in Muslim-majority Egypt, which is traditionally popular with tourists and is home to a Christian minority. There, the young and rich can sip on cocktails or wines in beach clubs or bars, many with foreign names, while swaying to music. Wine, beer and spirits can also be ordered online among other options. Still, drinking is rejected by most; in the Pew study, 79% of surveyed Muslims in Egypt said they viewed alcohol as morally wrong.
BREAKING THE RULES
In dry countries, some have gone to great lengths to obtain alcohol, at times risking arrest, or worse. In Saudi Arabia, home to Islam’s holiest sites, there have been reports of efforts to skirt the ban, including liquor runs by some to neighboring Bahrain. Attempts to sneak booze into the kingdom have over the years included bottles of whisky hidden in socks and cans of beer disguised as Pepsi. Some endeavors, however, end in tragedy. In 2002, 19 people in Saudi Arabia died and others were hospitalized after drinking cologne containing methanol. In Iran, some have also died from methanol poisoning after they drank toxic homemade brews.
DRINKING IN QATAR
Qatar, which like Saudi Arabia follows an ultraconservative version of Islam known as Wahhabism, has strict limits on the purchase and consumption of alcohol, though its sale has been permitted in hotel bars for years. During the World Cup, beer was originally supposed to be sold also at stadiums and at fan zones in the evenings. That changed Friday when it was announced that only non-alcoholic beer would be available at the stadiums, except for in the luxury hospitality areas where champagne, wine, whiskey and other alcohol is served. The vast majority of ticket holders don’t have access to those areas.
The World Cup in Qatar is not the first to spur debate over whether alcohol sales should be allowed in matches. For the 2014 tournament, Brazil was forced to change a law to allow alcohol sales in stadiums — but the same cultural issues were not at play. Brazil had banned alcohol sales at soccer matches in a bid to curb fan violence. Some of those who were pushing for the ban’s lifting said at the time that in-stadium beer sales were a key part of World Cup tradition.
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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. | https://www.cenlanow.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-explainer-islams-ban-on-alcohol-and-how-its-applied/ | 2022-11-21 00:56:28 | 0 | https://www.cenlanow.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-explainer-islams-ban-on-alcohol-and-how-its-applied/ |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two former Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies are accused of violating the civil rights of a skateboarder in 2020 and perpetrating a coverup, federal prosecutors said Thursday.
A grand jury handed down the indictment last month, and both ex-deputies surrendered to authorities Thursday when it was unsealed.
Miguel Vega and Christopher Hernandez allegedly threw the skateboarder — identified as “J.A.” in court papers — in the back of their cruiser and detained him without cause April 13, 2020, in Compton. He was still in the patrol vehicle when they then engaged in a pursuit and crashed the car, injuring the skateboarder. Prosecutors say the duo then conspired to coverup the then-23-year-old man’s unlawful detention.
Vega, 32, and Hernandez, 37, are charged with conspiracy, deprivation of rights under color of law, witness tampering and falsification of records. Vega is charged with another falsification of records count. Their attorneys did not respond to an emailed request for comment Thursday.
The same ex-deputies were involved in the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old man later that year during a foot chase. Authorities say Vega shot Andres Guardado shot five times in the back after the deputies chased him on foot. Guardado’s killing sparked protests, and his family settled a lawsuit with the county for $8 million.
The federal indictment was first reported Thursday by the Los Angeles Times. Vega and Hernandez are scheduled to be arraigned Thursday afternoon.
The deputies remained on active duty until December 2020, the LA Times reported.
“The indictment alleges that these two deputies violated a young person’s constitutional rights by willfully and illegally detaining him without just cause,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a news release. “Officers who abuse their power must be held accountable, and my Office is committed to prosecuting violations of civil rights by those who violate their oaths and victimize those who they were sworn to protect.”
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department did not immediately have a comment after the indictment was unsealed. | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/2-ex-la-sheriffs-deputies-face-federal-civil-rights-charges/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-04-13 21:50:09 | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/2-ex-la-sheriffs-deputies-face-federal-civil-rights-charges/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
RESTON, Va. (AP) — RESTON, Va. (AP) — K12 Inc. (LRN) on Tuesday reported fiscal third-quarter profit of $55.5 million.
The Reston, Virginia-based company said it had net income of $1.30 per share.
The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.08 per share.
The online education company posted revenue of $470.3 million in the period, which also topped Street forecasts. Three analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $453.9 million.
K12 expects full-year revenue in the range of $1.81 billion to $1.83 billion.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on LRN at https://www.zacks.com/ap/LRN | https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/k12-fiscal-q3-earnings-snapshot-17918235.php | 2023-04-25 22:10:48 | 1 | https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/k12-fiscal-q3-earnings-snapshot-17918235.php |
ADANA, Turkey (AP) — They lifted slabs of cement with enormous cranes and smashed rubble with jackhammers. Then, they stopped.
Silence.
Key to detecting the faintest noise, which could be the sign of a survivor buried beneath rubble from Monday’s quake in Turkey and Syria.
Among the wreckage of a collapsed 14-story building in the Turkish city of Adana, the shriek of a whistle pierced the noise every few minutes on Wednesday. Rescue workers hollered for quiet, and listened for any hint of voices from the debris. Hundreds of people watching hushed.
During one moment of digging, Volunteer Bekir Bicer uncovered a crushed birdcage, he said. Inside was a blue-and-yellow bird, alive after nearly 60 hours.
“I was very happy. I nearly cried,” Bicer said. “The cage was broken, but the bird was still inside.”
Friends and family of the trapped sat beside fires, waiting for a miracle even as the survival window for those trapped under the rubble was closing.
Suat Yarkan, 50, said his aunt and her two daughters lived in an apartment on the building’s fourth floor. They would have been home asleep when the quake struck. He was desperate for hope that they could be rescued alive.
“Look at the bird. Sixty hours,” he said. “It makes me feel like maybe God is helping us … I have to believe that they will recover everyone.”
Regular moments of silence are essential to such operations, said David Alexander, professor of emergency planning and management at University College London.
“We often find helicopters chattering overhead, making a huge noise and sometimes also blowing up dust whilst the teams are desperately trying to listen for any kind of noise that might indicate someone alive and moving under the rubble,” he said.
Sophisticated rescue teams will use microphones to pick up faint noises, while specially trained dogs and fiber-optic cameras pick up heat inside mounds of debris. But given the need to move quickly, and the limited number of rescue teams deployed across a huge area, cries for help are key.
“If a person can attract attention under the rubble, their chance of being saved is about three times higher than it would be if they’re in a coma, statistically speaking,” Alexander said.
As the sun set Wednesday for the third time on devastated cities and towns in Turkey and Syria, the push to recover survivors became more urgent as the lack of food and water, bitterly cold weather and potential injuries grew even more acute.
Prospects for finding survivors almost three days after the quake are narrow, experts say.
“The first 72 hours are considered to be critical as the condition of people trapped and injured can deteriorate quickly and become fatal if they are not rescued and given medical attention in time,” said Steven Godby, an expert in natural hazards at Nottingham Trent University in England.
In Adana on Wednesday, rescue workers at another collapsed building draped a white sheet across a recess in the mound of debris, obscuring the view of what they’d discovered there.
The digging machines came to a stop, and a stretcher was pulled behind the sheet as the workers looked on in silence.
An ancient city of more than 2 million inhabitants just 20 miles (32 km) from the Mediterranean Sea, Adana has experienced earthquakes before. A 6.3 magnitude tremor in 1998 killed nearly 150 people in the city and its surroundings, and left thousands homeless.
This week’s stronger quake left a large number of Adana’s buildings, many of them modern, seemingly untouched. Many high-rise apartment buildings appeared entirely undamaged. On the city’s northern fringe, however, several 14-story buildings collapsed.
As of Tuesday night, Turkey’s government reported that 167 people had been killed by the earthquake in Adana, with others still trapped beneath the rubble. That was only a tenth of the deaths reported in the devastated Hatay province, miles away.
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Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Frank Jordans in Berlin, and Danica Kirka and Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report. | https://www.wivb.com/news/ap-in-earthquake-rescues-noisy-gear-and-digging-then-silence/ | 2023-02-08 22:28:40 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/news/ap-in-earthquake-rescues-noisy-gear-and-digging-then-silence/ |
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The CJ Cup is on the move again in America, this year shifting across the country from Las Vegas to South Carolina.
The PGA Tour said a limited-field CJ Cup, which left Jeju Island in South Korea when the COVID-19 pandemic restricted travel, will be played this year at Congaree Golf Club, about an hour inland from Hilton Head Island.
Congaree last year held the Palmetto Championship in place of the RBC Canadian Open, which was canceled because of travel restrictions. Garrick Higgo won his first PGA Tour event.
The CJ Cup in South Carolina is scheduled for Oct. 20-23. The event typically attracts one of the strongest fields of the fall schedule.
After three years in South Korea, the CJ Cup relocated in 2020 to Shadow Creek north of Las Vegas, part of a move that brought the tour’s two Asia-based events to the West Coast. The Zozo Championship (Japan) was shifted to California. Last year, the CJ Cup stayed in Las Vegas at the ultra private Summit Club, while the Zozo Championship returned to Japan.
South Korea-based CJ Group, unlike Zozo, has a marketing platform in the U.S. through its Bibigo food brand.
The CJ Cup in South Carolina will have a 78-man field that includes five players designated by the Korea PGA and the top three available Korean players from the world ranking. The majority of the field is based on the previous year’s FedEx Cup standings on the PGA Tour.
Rory McIlroy won the CJ Cup at The Summit Club last year.
The move again gives South Carolina two PGA Tour events, along with the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head Island a week after the Masters.
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More AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.ourmidland.com/sports/article/CJ-Cup-on-the-move-again-to-Congaree-in-South-17273914.php | 2022-06-29 15:03:29 | 1 | https://www.ourmidland.com/sports/article/CJ-Cup-on-the-move-again-to-Congaree-in-South-17273914.php |
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Wednesday evening's drawing of the "Pick Four-Evening" game were:
4-9-9-5, Fireball:
(four, nine, nine, five; Fireball: zero)
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Wednesday evening's drawing of the "Pick Four-Evening" game were:
4-9-9-5, Fireball:
(four, nine, nine, five; Fireball: zero) | https://www.sfchronicle.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-Four-Evening-game-17213915.php | 2022-06-02 03:26:05 | 0 | https://www.sfchronicle.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-Four-Evening-game-17213915.php |
Calls to observe Muslim holidays in school calendars are growing in the U.S., along with the population of Muslim students. In 2018, Pew Research Center projected that Islam could be the country’s second-largest religion by 2040.
After students and advocates spoke up, Stamford's school board voted to observe Eid al-Fitr in the upcoming school year. Eid al-Fitr is the final, celebratory day of Ramadan, and the culmination of 29 or 30 days of fasting.
The Islamic calendar and each of its holy days are linked to the lunar cycle; the ninth lunar month of Ramadan rotates throughout the year, depending on when the new moon falls. So since about 2002, Ramadan has occurred during the American school year.
The Stamford school calendar will also notate Eid al-Adha, in addition to Diwali and Three Kings Day. While these three holidays will fall on weekends in the next school year, the notations ensure they are a consideration for classrooms.
This hour, we discuss the importance of educator awareness around religious holidays with Chaplain Aida Mansoor. Plus, Stamford Superintendent Dr. Tamu Lucero joins.
GUESTS:
- Dr. Tamu Lucero: Superintendent, Stamford Public Schools
- Aida Mansoor: Chaplain; Director of Field Education, Hartford International University
Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! | https://www.ctpublic.org/show/where-we-live/2023-04-20/students-lead-push-to-observe-muslim-holidays-in-school-calendars | 2023-04-20 13:39:47 | 1 | https://www.ctpublic.org/show/where-we-live/2023-04-20/students-lead-push-to-observe-muslim-holidays-in-school-calendars |
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The mass shooting at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center in 2019 changed the city forever. Nearly four years later, family members of those killed are banding together and fighting for more money and resources from the government.
Sarah Gayle-Leonard’s mother, Mary Louise Gayle, was one of the 12 people killed on May 31, 2019. Leonard describes the treatment of her family as an “indescribable hell that it's hard to even put into words.”
Last week, she spoke to the Virginia Beach Mass Shooting Commission in Richmond about how her mother devoted herself to Virginia Beach for 24 years.
"Her work family was our family, and the City of Virginia Beach has been part of our identity," said Gayle-Leonard. "We have been exploited for our loyalty, silenced with empty promises, and our loved ones have been given no justice.”
Eleven others were killed that day when city employee DeWayne Craddock opened fire on his former employees. Four others were wounded in the attack.
Victim Bert Snelling was the only person killed who didn’t work for the city. He was in the building for a construction project he was working on and getting documents.
Eight families of those killed are now being represented by the former lieutenant governor of Virginia and attorney, Justin Fairfax.
Fairfax said they've asked to have $40 million set aside in the state budget for the 12 families who lost someone during the mass shooting, and the 400 employees who were impacted that day. They're waiting to see what lawmakers decide as they continue to work on the details of the state budget.
“The resources that they need will go towards their mental health care, which they have been having to pay for out of pocket themselves," said Fairfax. "That will go towards alleviating some of the burden that [has] accumulated now over the last four years. These families are suffering tremendously.”
The families have the support of VTV Care, a nonprofit created to honor the victims of the mass shooting at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007. According to the the VTVCare website, the group works to support the survivors and advocates for change that promotes a safer, more compassionate and caring world.
Fairfax said the Virginia Tech victims' families and others impacted by the shooting in 2007 received financial support from the state after an $11 million settlement. He also noted that some of them have free mental health resources for life.
But family members of those killed in the 2019 mass shooting tell News 3 they feel forgotten. Some said they had previously struggled to find lawyers to represent them.
“These families have not gotten support at the levels they need to heal," said Fairfax.
One major issue family members have continually expressed is their belief of a clear motive from Craddock. They said he was angry and disgruntled, and their loved ones had complained about his behavior before he killed them.
Previously, the city and Hillard Heintze — an outside agency hired by the city — concluded that there was no evidence that could provide a clear motive.
Some of the victims' families were furious. Several told News 3 that this assessment hindered their healing processes, reaffirming that they believe Craddock had a motive.
“If anybody tells me that they don’t have a motive, that’s insane,” said Jason Nixon, who lost his wife, Kate, and has been outspoken about the motive since the beginning of the investigations.
Nixon said his wife was concerned about Craddock and complained about him several times.
During her speech to the State Commission in Richmond, Gayle-Leonard said her mother raised similar concerns about Craddock.
“Mom knew DeWayne wasn’t okay," she said. "His performance was suffering, which affected hers, and his mannerisms indicated he was progressively mentally troubled. Temper flares, throwing small things, and staring intently at walls."
Later in her speech, she said her mother's concern for Craddock worsened with time.
“Over the course of their last six months, [my] mom’s concern for DeWayne escalated into fear. I encouraged her to report DeWayne herself, and she came back from that meeting with her supervisor saying, quote, ‘the City does not care.' She lost sleep over this,” said Gayle-Leonard.
According to the FBI, the Virginia Beach Police Department requested assistance from the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU), based in Quantico, Virginia.
An excerpt of BAU's findings on Craddock is as follows:
“The shooter was motivated by perceived workplace grievances, which he fixated on for years. BAU found the shooter struggled with how he perceived his own work performance and how others at work viewed him. The shooter’s inflated sense of self-importance contributed to this conflict and led him to believe he was unjustly and repeatedly criticized and slighted. Violence was viewed by the shooter as a way to reconcile this conflict and restore his perverted view of justice.”
The News 3 I-team has met with these families over the last few months.
Aliaksei Huseu’s twin brother, Alexander, was killed in the mass shooting. He said there is a perception that the families have been taken care of emotionally and financially, but he said that is not the truth.
“It was a lot of words in the beginning, a lot of promises,” said Huseu.
Each family received a different amount of money depending on their situation.
Many tell us they got worker’s compensation from the state, life insurance for the death of their loved ones and donations from the United Way Fund.
United Way distributed the funds to each family on the amount of need. That money came from the community's generous donations, which the family members said they were extremely grateful for.
They said they're upset over what they call a lack of compensation, resources and support from the city.
Gayle-Leonard's brother, Matthew Gayle, said they grew up in Virginia Beach. They said their mom loved her community and the city and as children, they were always with her at her job. They were stunned and extremely disturbed by the way they said they were treated.
“We thought of the city as family and we trusted them," said Matthew. "And instead, they’re using my mom’s face to sell t-shirts and bumper stickers while we go into debt to pay for mental health care.”
The city of Virginia Beach provided News 3 with the following statement:
"The impact of the events of May 31 cannot be understated. You would be hard-pressed to find anyone in the organization who was not touched by this tragedy in some way, in addition to the loss and pain that the families of the victims have endured.
To that end, the City has engaged VB Strong Center to be a conduit for those who wish to seek counseling services. The City itself does not provide these services, however if anyone, especially those who were directly impacted by this event, have had difficulty accessing services through our partner, the City needs to hear about it so this can be addressed as appropriate from our end.
Regarding answers about what happened in Building 2 that day, the official reports from Hillard Heintze and the Virginia Beach Police Department are publicly available. The FBI noted that only the shooter knew the real reason why he committed this horrific act of violence which is understandably frustrating. However, the City remains committed to participating in investigative efforts that may provide more answers about what happened on May 31, 2019. Unfortunately, there is nothing additional to add beyond what has been publicly stated.
The City continues to reach out and connect with the families of all of the victims in an effort to ensure they are provided with information and resources for ongoing support. However we recognize that individuals grieve and heal at their own pace and will remain steadfast in our efforts to keep them informed about resources available to them and any new information that may become available about the tragedy."
News 3 recently sat down with leaders of the VB Strong Center, an organization created in the aftermath of the shooting that is a partnership between the city and Sentara. It's set up to help those impacted by the shooting by providing resources, support, and education.
Several family members of those killed told us the center has not been a helpful resource for them.
“For my family, they were absolutely useless,” said Huseu.
“They'll tell you some of their nightmare stories about VB Strong," said Fairfax. "How they've gone in there and tried to get psychological services. Some of them are absolutely at the end of their rope. They got there for help, and they basically get nothing, or get turned around, or turned away or referred to some, red tape Byzantine system where they don't actually get care."
He said the families have been tortured by the red tape and the difficulties getting mental health help.
Gayle-Leonard told us some counseling sessions were reimbursed in the first two years by the VB Strong Center, but that ended when she got an email just before the two-year anniversary of the mass shooting.
The email stated in part:
Unfortunately, the VB Strong Center has always been a short term, time limited endeavor as it is funded by a federal grand with very specific and limited timeframes. I am sorry if you were told or led to believe that the VB Strong Center and its funding was a permanent fixture.
My self and the VB Strong Center want to assist you in getting signed up with the Virginia Victims Fund as soon as possible, so that financial assistance for your counseling appointments can continue. Due to the federal grant that supports the VB Strong Center and controls how funds are spent, we can only assist with fees that are not covered by any other program, and that will only last as long as the Center is open. So please allow us to help you get connected quickly.
Gayle-Leonard said she was told she didn't qualify Virginia Victims Fund.
News 3 sat down with leaders from the center and presented the concerns, including the email that was sent to Leonard.
“My heart goes out to her. My heart goes out to all those who are affected, but I want them to know that even though the grant is short term, we are here for them," said Nedra Moncrief-Craig, the system director of Sentara Behavioral Health Services.
"We have other services that we can guide them at Sentara and in the community and we’re helping to build out services in the community to other providers. We’re going to be here long after the grant is gone. Sentara is working with other partners to fund services in the community."
Leaders say the center was created with a $3.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. They say the grant has strict limitations on what they can and can't provide.
“I think that’s very important to understand [the grant] is time sensitive," said Glinda O’Neill, a leader with the VB Strong Center and a manager for Sentara Health Care. "It’s not a grant that goes on for an extended amount of time and it also works with a set amount, that amount is set by the DOJ, that amount is provided to the organization providing the services."
They say they’ve provided services to 600 people since October 2019, including first responders, and continue to support the community.
“It’s not a simple process in any regard and there are steps that have to be taken on the part of the patient,” she added.
News 3 asked what they would say to those that are still struggling right now.
“First and foremost, I would say that we are here and we are available to assist," O'Neill said. "Secondly, I would say from a mental health perspective, the navigators can provide resources and we will assist you with navigating those resources.”
She said, unfortunately, based on the grant and its parameters, they cannot provide individual psychotherapy, but they can help connect people to the right resources.
Leaders say they provide educational courses or classes that look at depression and anxiety and how to manage both grief and everyday activities. They say yoga, physical fitness and art therapy are offered to promote mental well-being.
"I attended the place a few times," said Huseu. "Tried to get the help that I needed. It appears they did not have the help that I need. They have an art class or something, you can pet the dog, they have a yoga, but at [this] time I don’t need a yoga class.".
Leaders say they want to speak to those who’ve had a bad experience with the center.
“Let’s sit down and let’s see if we can help with that going on and see if we could help you and guide you in the right direction,” said Moncrief-Craig. | https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/families-of-those-killed-in-2019-virginia-beach-mass-shooting-fight-for-more-compensation-resources | 2023-03-13 16:32:54 | 1 | https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/families-of-those-killed-in-2019-virginia-beach-mass-shooting-fight-for-more-compensation-resources |
Microsoft said it is shifting vacation policy to give U.S. workers unlimited time off, matching a system already in place at its LinkedIn unit.
The changes start Jan. 16 and apply only to full-time employees in the U.S., according to a company spokesperson. The company has been considering the change for a few years in order to adapt to more flexible working schedules.
This kind of policy, in place at companies like Netflix and for senior bankers at Goldman Sachs Group can prove challenging when managers set expectations that favor little or no time off. The spokesperson said that Microsoft has considered the possible flaws in such a system and that the company expects it can ensure workers get adequate vacation time.
Unlimited time can also be a boon for employers because the plan requires less work to administer and because employees who quit or are fired don’t have to be compensated for accrued, unused time. Microsoft will make a one-time payout in April to workers with accrued time.
The Verge reported the policy change earlier. | https://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsoft-says-it-will-give-u-s-workers-unlimited-time-off/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world | 2023-01-11 20:49:10 | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsoft-says-it-will-give-u-s-workers-unlimited-time-off/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world |
A bill that creates a structure for transferring responsibility of public defenders to the state has passed the Idaho House of Representatives.
House Bill 236 carries forward the work begun last year with the passage of the State Public Defender Act, which transferred responsibility of providing public defenders from the counties to the state.
The Idaho Association of Counties had a hand in shaping the bill, and Twin Falls County Commissioner Don Hall was involved in those discussions.
In a phone call, Hall told the Times-News that the task of transferring these responsibilities to the state will take a lot of work.
“This is a pretty dramatic change,” Hall said. “The complication is: How does this big system that counties have handled for decades, how does that get transitioned to the state?”
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A new state agency, the Office of State Public Defender, would be created under the bill and would be headed by a governor-appointed official.
“This is going to be like the ITD (Idaho Transportation Department) or Idaho State Police,” Hall said. “Those departments answer to the governor... This will be an office like that.”
Each of Idaho’s seven judicial districts would have a District Public Defender, who would also be appointed by the governor.
When persons charged with a crime are unable to hire their own representation in court, their Sixth Amendment rights require a defense be provided for them.
An ongoing lawsuit against the state contends that the public defense system is inadequate, and that is one element this bill attempts to address.
In Idaho, counties have been responsible for the public defenders. Some of the larger counties have their own public defender, but the majority of counties in Idaho have contracted the service to private lawyers.
The bill will now be taken up by the Idaho Senate. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/house-oks-public-defender-bill/article_bc966036-bee0-11ed-b24d-c735e936ea58.html | 2023-03-10 16:41:28 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/house-oks-public-defender-bill/article_bc966036-bee0-11ed-b24d-c735e936ea58.html |
The U.S. economy slowed sharply from January through March, decelerating to just a 1.1% annual pace as higher interest rates hammered the housing market and businesses reduced their inventories.
Thursday’s estimate from the Commerce Department showed that the nation’s gross domestic product—the broadest gauge of economic output—weakened after growing 3.2% from July through September and 2.6% from October through December.
But consumer spending, which accounts for about 70% of U.S. economic activity, remained resilient, growing at a 3.7% annual pace, the fastest such rate in nearly two years. Spending on goods, in particular, was solid: It rose at its fastest pace since the second quarter of 2021.
Economists had been expecting overall GDP to grow at a 1.9% pace in the January-March quarter. Behind much of the quarter’s weakness was a sharp reduction in business inventories, which subtracted roughly 2.3 percentage points from overall growth. Companies typically slash their inventories when they anticipate a coming downturn.
The economy’s slowdown reflects the impact of the Federal Reserve’s aggressive drive to tame inflation, with nine interest rate hikes over the past year. The surge in borrowing costs is expected to send the economy into a recession sometime this year. Though inflation has steadily eased from the four-decade high it reached last year, it remains far above the Fed’s 2% target.
The housing market, which is especially vulnerable to higher loan rates, has been battered. And many banks have tightened their lending standards since the failure last month of two major U.S. banks, making it even harder to borrow to buy a house or a car or to expand a business.
“The economy had less forward momentum at the start of this year than previously thought,” Andrew Hunter of Capital Economics wrote in a research note. “We continue to expect the drag from higher interest rates and tightening credit conditions to push the economy into a mild recession soon.″
Many economists say the cumulative impact of the Fed’s rate hikes has yet to be fully felt. Still, the central bank’s policymakers are aiming for a so-called soft landing: Cooling growth enough to curb inflation yet not so much as to send the world’s largest economy tumbling into a recession.
There is widespread skepticism that the Fed will succeed. An economic model used by the Conference Board, a business research group, puts the probability of a U.S. recession over the next year at 99%.
The Conference Board’s recession-probability gauge had hung around zero from September 2020, as the economy rebounded explosively from the COVID-19 recession, until March 2022, when the Fed started raising rates to fight inflation.
Thursday’s GDP report was the first of three estimates the Commerce Department will make of growth in the January-March quarter. Economists expect growth to further weaken in the current April-June quarter—to just a 0.3% annual pace, according to the latest survey by the data firm FactSet.
A key question is whether—and by how much—consumer spending will weaken. Retail sales had enjoyed a strong start in January, aided by warmer-than-expected weather and bigger Social Security checks. But in February and again in March, retail sales tumbled, suggesting that consumers were tiring as the first quarter of the year came to an end.
Even so, some economists were impressed that spending has held up as well as it has even after nine Fed rate hikes have led to higher costs for loans ranging from mortgages and auto purchases to credit cards and corporate borrowing.
“The focus is on the weak top-line (GDP) number, but the economy remains resilient,’’ said Robert Frick, an economist at Navy Federal Credit Union. “Businesses have underestimated both consumer buying and business buying.”
The worst fears of a 2008-style financial crisis have eased over the past month. But lingering credit cutbacks, which were mentioned in the Fed’s survey this month of regional economies, is likely to hobble growth.
Political risks are growing, too. Congressional Republicans are threatening to let the federal government default on its debts, by refusing to raise the statutory limit on what it can borrow, if Democrats and President Joe Biden fail to agree to spending restrictions and cuts. A first-ever default on the federal debt would shatter the market for U.S. Treasurys—the world’s biggest—and possibly cause a global financial crisis.
The global backdrop is also looking bleaker. The International Monetary Fund this month downgraded its forecast for worldwide economic growth, citing rising interest rates around the world, financial uncertainty and chronic inflation. American exporters could suffer as a consequence.
Still, the U.S. economy has surprised before. Recession fears rose early last year after GDP had shrunk for two straight quarters. But the economy roared back in the second half of 2022, powered by surprisingly sturdy consumer spending.
A strong job market has given Americans the confidence and financial wherewithal to keep shopping: 2021 and 2022 were the two best years for job creation on record. And hiring has remained strong so far this year, though it has decelerated from January to February and then to March.
The jobs report for April, which the government will issue on May 5, is expected to show that employers added a decent but still-lower total of 185,000 jobs this month, according to a survey of forecasters by FactSet.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content. | https://www.ibj.com/articles/u-s-economy-grew-at-weak-1-1-rate-in-first-quarter | 2023-04-27 16:46:21 | 0 | https://www.ibj.com/articles/u-s-economy-grew-at-weak-1-1-rate-in-first-quarter |
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Transportation and Transit | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/transportation-and-transit/tanker-truck-turns-upside-down-leaks-fuel/3427657/ | 2022-11-17 13:29:51 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/transportation-and-transit/tanker-truck-turns-upside-down-leaks-fuel/3427657/ |
SAN JOSE, Calif., June 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Open XR Forum announced today its first approved specification defining a new paradigm for enhanced network management of pluggable coherent optical technology. This specification, developed through a collaboration of leading global service providers, establishes the framework for solving challenges associated with managing advanced coherent optical engines and features as they are deployed in a wider variety of networking devices such as routers, servers, and mobile radios.
The development of Open XR Forum's first specification paves the way for creating an architecture that seamlessly disaggregates the management of intelligent Open XR-compliant pluggable transceivers from host devices. The same management framework could be used to manage features in any advanced coherent module. By clearly delineating transport and IP management functions, this management architecture resolves the remaining obstacles to widespread deployment of IP over DWDM. At the same time, it establishes a foundation for managing emerging point-to-multipoint coherent networks based on XR-compliant pluggable transceivers. The result is a seamless and holistic management solution that will facilitate deployment of powerful coherent optical engines closer to the network edge, fueling network growth and enabling new services within existing network management frameworks.
The complete specification, "Open XR Management Architecture," can be downloaded from the Open XR Forum website under "Documents" here.
About Open XR Forum
Open XR Forum was founded to foster collaboration between its members to facilitate the adoption and accelerate the growth of network architectures leveraging intelligent point-to-point and point-to-multipoint coherent pluggable transceivers. Members will work to ensure the products and services developed align with existing standards and operational models by driving the standardization of network interfaces and electro-mechanical hardware interfaces, demonstrating interoperability, establishing multi-sourcing potential, and developing and publishing new specifications as needed. This will accelerate the wide adoption and deployment of XR optics' innovative technology by a broad spectrum of network operators in a wide variety of applications. Open XR Forum membership is intended for network operators, network equipment vendors, and component suppliers. For more information, visit www.openxrforum.org.
Media Contact
Engage PR for Open XR Forum
Jeannette Bitz
jbitz@engagepr.com
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SOURCE Open XR Forum | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2022/06/27/open-xr-forum-releases-specifications-enhanced-management-intelligent-coherent-optical-pluggables/ | 2022-06-27 13:29:25 | 0 | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2022/06/27/open-xr-forum-releases-specifications-enhanced-management-intelligent-coherent-optical-pluggables/ |
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Federal attorneys have filed a lawsuit alleging that the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs refused to pay a woman applying for a supervisor position as much as male candidates.
The U.S. Department of Justice filed the action against the state agency in federal court in Madison on Thursday.
The lawsuit alleges that Michelle Hartness applied for a supervisory position within Wisconsin Emergency Management, a WDMA division, in 2016 after earning stellar reviews as a state emergency management director over the previous five years.
The salary range for the supervisor position was listed as $79,040 to $91,250 in the job posting. The WDMA’s leader at the time, Adjutant General Donald Dunbar, offered Hartness the job at a $78,000 annual salary, according to the lawsuit. Not only was the salary offer below the range advertised, it was about 11% less than the outgoing male supervisor made, the lawsuit said.
Dunbar eventually raised the offer to $79,049, the lower end of the salary range. That was still about $8,174 less than what the outgoing male supervisor made, according to the lawsuit, and Hartness turned down the job.
WDMA posted the job again. Hartness was still interested, but according to the lawsuit, Dunbar refused to consider her again even though the job posting said the agency would consider all applicants from the first round.
Dunbar offered the job to three different men in succession, promising to pay the first two $87,000. Both turned down the offers. The third man accepted the position for $85,000 with a $1,000 raise after the first year.
The lawsuit alleges that the WDMA discriminated against Hartness based on her sex, arguing she was more qualified than the man who ultimately got the job. That man was a state emergency government specialist when he applied for the supervisor position, which was a lower-level position than what Hartness held when she applied, according to the lawsuit. He also lacked Hartness’ experience managing grants and a selection panel ranked Hartness more qualified than him, the lawsuit alleges.
The lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount of back pay for Hartness as well as damages to compensate her for pain and suffering.
WDMA spokesperson AmyLyn Reynolds said that the agency takes the conduct alleged in the lawsuit “very seriously” but declined to comment further since the lawsuit is pending.
Dunbar resigned at Gov. Tony Evers’ request in December 2019 following a scathing federal report that found the Wisconsin National Guard had been mishandling soldiers’ sexual assault and harassment complaints for years. The report from the National Guard Bureau in Washington, D.C., found that the Wisconsin Guard had allowed internal investigations of complaints in violation of federal law as well as Department of Defense and National Guard Bureau policies.
The Wisconsin National Guard is housed within the WDMA. | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/local-news/feds-sue-wisconsin-military-department-over-discrimination/ | 2023-01-27 20:18:55 | 1 | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/local-news/feds-sue-wisconsin-military-department-over-discrimination/ |
Crews working to create containment lines around Hayden Fire
LEADORE, Idaho (KIFI)- Fire crews are continuing to work on making containment lines around the Hayden Fire. The fire has burned over 9,660 acres as of Tuesday morning and 0% contained. The wildfire is located 18 miles west of Leadore in the Salmon-Challis National Forest.
Chris Burger, a BLM spokesperson, says part of the reason they haven't been able to contain the fire is simply due to the challenges the forest presents.
"The Salmon-Challis National Forest is is steep, rugged terrain, and it has high fuel loadings at the mid elevations, which means there's a lot of timber, a lot of dead and down, there's a lot of available fuel. And it makes fighting the fire difficult because firefighters and public safety are always our number one priorities on these fires. And so the reason it is 0% contained is that we are still constructing containment lines around the fire and given weather conditions and the activity that the fire has displayed, it's tough to make a determination until we have several days of good progress before we start saying we've got percentages contained," Burger said.
Burger says many of the crews are prepared for any situation the fire may present.
"Two days ago, when the fire got up and burned really aggressively, some of our primary containment lines became no longer valid. The fire got around the end before it was completed or spotted over them. And when that happens, that forces us to reevaluate and we have to sometimes literally pull resources back, shuffle the deck and redirect them to our alternate or contingency plans. However, there are many spots on the fire where the primary fire line is still and it is still an option," Burger said.
While there is no evacuation order in place currently crews are working with the Lemhi County Sheriff's office to make sure plans are in place in case evacuations are needed.
"The team has set up evacuation zones on the east side of the fire, so the high valley. And in order to figure out what zone you're in and to understand, ready, set, go, the public should go to the Lemhi County Emergency Services or the Lemhi High County Sheriff's Department website or Facebook pages that are explained there and will help people understand what zone they're in and when they may need to actually evacuate," Burger said.
There is an area closure in the Salmon-Challis National Forest around the fire. Burger says people should become aware of the closure and avoid the area for their safety and the safety of the crews working on the fire. | https://localnews8.com/news/top-stories/2023/07/25/hayden-fire-rages-on-how-are-crews-fighting-the-blaze/ | 2023-07-25 22:35:12 | 0 | https://localnews8.com/news/top-stories/2023/07/25/hayden-fire-rages-on-how-are-crews-fighting-the-blaze/ |
Scott Simon talks with Elizabeth Sepper, a law professor at the University of Texas at Austin about the legal landscape of abortion access in the state.
Scott Simon is one of America's most admired writers and broadcasters. He is the host of Weekend Edition Saturday and is one of the hosts of NPR's morning news podcast Up First. He has reported from all fifty states, five continents, and ten wars, from El Salvador to Sarajevo to Afghanistan and Iraq. His books have chronicled character and characters, in war and peace, sports and art, tragedy and comedy. | https://www.kunm.org/npr-news/npr-news/2022-08-27/new-texas-trigger-law-makes-abortion-a-felony | 2022-08-27 13:16:03 | 0 | https://www.kunm.org/npr-news/npr-news/2022-08-27/new-texas-trigger-law-makes-abortion-a-felony |
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., June 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Marketing agency Luckie recently hosted an event to launch the opening of their new office in downtown Birmingham, not far from the neighborhood where the agency started 70 years ago. At the event, which included a panel discussion about preparing businesses for the workforce of the future, Luckie also announced the purchase of a plot in the metaverse for their first virtual office.
Luckie's virtual office is in Decentraland. The space design was developed by the agency and incorporates the company's clover logo in its rooftop and features a dynamic unrestricted building that welcomes people in to look around and collaborate.
The space also includes a gallery of NFTs the agency has created for partners like Regions Bank, Alabama Power, and the U.S. Civil Rights Trail. The gallery is situated on the ground floor; the second and subsequent floors will be spaces for presentations and gatherings so employees and partners can experiment in the web3 world.
"We are helping clients innovate and there's no better way to remove the luck from that process than immersing ourselves in the experience first," said Fred Schank, Luckie's chief experience officer. "From the crypto purchase to the 3D design, to launching a smart contract, we've worked through each step so we can guide clients through the possibilities."
Luckie also recently finished a renovation and expansion of their Atlanta office, doubling the size of the space. The company has experienced steady revenue and team growth, despite the disruptive economy, and over the last seven months has named a new CEO and CMO, invested in a Chief Experience Officer, and doubled the size of their strategy team.
"We can only help our partners grow if we're investing in the future ourselves," said John Gardner, CEO of Luckie. "The offices, including the virtual space, are an important part of our collaborative culture and help us work better and smarter as a team."
About : Luckie is a creative, data-driven agency that builds brands and brand experiences to solve real business problems and achieve results luck can't explain. Luckie works with companies in healthcare, travel & tourism, consumer packaged goods, and financial services including Regions Bank, Alabama Power, GlaxoSmithKline, Little Debbie, and Panama City Beach. The company has offices in Birmingham, Atlanta, Raleigh and Decentraland.
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SOURCE Luckie and Company | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/06/22/luckie-opens-three-new-offices-space-birmingham-an-expanded-office-atlanta-new-virtual-office-decentraland/ | 2022-06-22 14:17:56 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/06/22/luckie-opens-three-new-offices-space-birmingham-an-expanded-office-atlanta-new-virtual-office-decentraland/ |
DALLAS, June 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Law Offices of Dean Omar Branham Shirley has secured a place on the list of the nation's "Top Verdicts" for 2022 for its success in securing a verdict of more than $54 million in Chapman v. Avon, a case involving asbestos exposure. The firm's trial team was led by attorneys Jessica M. Dean, Benjamin H. Adams, and Rachel A. Gross.
The outcome ranks as the 63rd largest verdict of the year on the list published today by The National Law Journal.
At the December 2022 trial in Los Angeles County Court, evidence was presented that Ms. Chapman's decades of use of Avon cosmetic products containing talc and asbestos led to her mesothelioma diagnosis.
The jury assigned 90% of the blame for Ms. Chapman's cancer to Avon Products, Inc., and the remaining 10% to Hyster-Yale Group, Inc. The monetary damages awarded included $40 million for non-economic damages. Avon also received a punitive damage award of $10.3 million, as the jury wanted to send a message to the company. Avon had chosen to continue selling four talc products with high levels of asbestos for 103 days to exhaust its stock, which influenced the jury's decision. Additionally, the jury imposed $1 million in punitive damages against Hyster.
"Our team is incredibly honored to receive the Top Verdicts recognition, which is a testament to our firm's commitment to gain justice for mesothelioma victims," said Jessica Dean, firm partner. "This recognition speaks to the relentless efforts and unwavering dedication of our talented team, who consistently strive for the best possible outcomes for our clients."
Top Verdicts recognize U.S. law firms and attorneys who have obtained one of the highest jury verdicts, settlements, or bench awards in the nation or an individual state, in a particular area of law, and year. The rankings are based on court records reported by VerdictSearch, a National Law Journal affiliate.
The case is Rita-Ann Chapman et al. vs. Avon Products, Inc. et al., Case number 22STCV05968 in California Superior Court, County of Los Angeles, Central District.
About Dean Omar Branham Shirley, LLP
Dean Omar Branham Shirley, LLP, is a nationally recognized trial firm that handles cases across the country for individuals who have suffered catastrophic injuries or have died as a result of the irresponsible conduct of others. For more information, visit www.dobslegal.com.
Media Contact:
Barry Pound
800-559-4534
barry@androvett.com
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SOURCE Dean Omar Branham Shirley, LLP | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/06/30/law-offices-dean-omar-branham-shirley-receive-top-verdicts-honor-54-million-win-asbestos-case/ | 2023-06-30 15:14:00 | 1 | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/06/30/law-offices-dean-omar-branham-shirley-receive-top-verdicts-honor-54-million-win-asbestos-case/ |
A Methodist Bible college in the U.K. fired a Christian theologian and threatened to report him as a terrorist because of his tweets in opposition to homosexuality, his attorneys claimed.
Dr. Aaron Edwards, who taught theology at Cliff College in Derbyshire, England, was dismissed from the school after being accused of "bringing the college into disrepute" on social media last month.
"Homosexuality is invading the church," Edwards tweeted on Feb. 19. "Evangelicals no longer see the severity of this [because] they're busy apologizing for their apparently barbaric homophobia, whether or not it's true.
"This *is* a ‘Gospel issue,’ by the way. If sin is no longer sin, we no longer need a Savior," Edwards added.
CONGRESS MEMBERS BLAST UK FOR ‘HARASSMENT’ OF CHRISTIANS IN RARE REBUKE OF CLOSE US ALLY
Edwards' tweet went viral and prompted blowback, to which Edwards responded: "That *is* the conservative view. The acceptance of homosexuality as ‘not sinful’ *is* an invasion upon the Church, doctrinally. This is not controversial. The acceptance is controversial. Most of the global Church would agree. It is not homophobic to declare homosexuality sinful."
CANADIAN PASTOR ARRESTED SECOND TIME FOR PROTESTING CHILDREN'S DRAG QUEEN EVENTS: ‘SICK, TWISTED PERVERSION’
"I expressed the conservative view as a doctrinal issue, re. the implications for sin/the Gospel. It was not an attack on individuals, it was addressed to evangelicals. It seems that holding the view that homosexuality is sinful is only welcome if it remains 'unexpressed,'" he added.
Edwards' tweets reportedly caused "distress" among members of the Methodist Church in Britain, with one senior staff member saying they "could be extremely damaging" and "impact the college’s core work" and "business plan," according to Edwards' legal counsel at the London-based Christian Legal Centre.
Edwards was suspended from the school pending an investigation and the college revealed during a disciplinary hearing on March 8 that it was considering referring him to Prevent, which polices allegations of terrorism in the U.K.
UK SCHOOL CHAPLAIN SUES AFTER BEING FIRED, REPORTED AS TERRORIST FOR SERMON QUESTIONING LGBTQ ACTIVISTS
Edwards was reportedly asked during the hearing what he would do if he were asked to pray with a student about their same-sex attraction, which he believes was an attempt to trap him into affirming "conversion therapy," which the U.K. Parliament has debated criminalizing.
"The reaction to my tweet and the unjust treatment I have experienced by Cliff College and the Methodist Church in Britain completely illustrates the problem my tweet addressed," Edwards said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.
TEXAS MEGACHURCH VOTES TO LEAVE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH AS MAINLINE DENOMINATION FRACTURES OVER LGBT ISSUES
"The tweet was not defamatory; it was not an attack on any colleague or individual; it was not abusive; and it was not an extremist religious view. It was addressed to evangelicals as a point of doctrine, and it has been misunderstood by many who wish to cause personal and institutional trouble for those who express that view," he continued.
Edwards added that traditional Christian beliefs about sexuality are being "silenced and stamped out" in the Methodist Church.
With the aid of the Christian Legal Centre, Edwards is weighing his legal options against Cliff College for potential discrimination under the Equality Act 2010. He is claiming that the disciplinary procedure lacked "requisite fairness" and that the investigation was prejudiced and filled with an "astonishing" imbalance, exaggeration and misrepresentation.
Cliff College did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment by time of publication.
Edwards' case comes amid a growing rift among Methodists globally over the issue of same-sex marriage and gender. The United Methodist Church in the U.S. has been hemorrhaging congregations in recent years, with many of them joining the new conservative Global Methodist Church. | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/national/bible-college-fires-theologian-for-tweet-against-homosexuality-threatens-to-report-as-terrorist-lawyers/article_c14add12-2015-5d9e-84f0-341e1d76bb0f.html | 2023-03-19 21:57:08 | 0 | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/national/bible-college-fires-theologian-for-tweet-against-homosexuality-threatens-to-report-as-terrorist-lawyers/article_c14add12-2015-5d9e-84f0-341e1d76bb0f.html |
Tactical Combat Training System Increment II Program
Exclusively Uses INTEGRITY-178 tuMP
SANTA BARBARA, Calif., April 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Green Hills Software, today, is thanking Collins Aerospace for highlighting the Tactical Combat Training System (TCTS) Increment II program in the technical white paper "Face 3.1 Enhancements: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?". Coauthored with LDRA and Lynx Software Technologies, the white paper highlights how conformance to the FACE™ Technical Standard is vital to the TCTS II program. Because Lynx is a coauthor of the white paper, some readers might come to the erroneous conclusion that a Lynx product is being used for the TCTS II program when it really is the INTEGRITY®-178 tuMP™ real-time operating system (RTOS) from Green Hills Software. The TCTS II program exclusively uses the FACE certified INTEGRITY-178 tuMP RTOS.
TCTS II provides multi-domain Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) training capabilities to modern warfighters while aligning with industry software standards such as the FACE Technical Standard and the Software Communications Architecture (SCA). TCTS II fields the first certified multi-level security (MLS) training equipment in both airborne and ground equipment to protect the tactics, techniques, and procedures being used. Collins Aerospace selected the INTEGRITY-178 tuMP RTOS due to its proven Multiple Independent Levels of Security (MILS) architecture, the ability to host MLS applications such as cross domain solutions (CDS), the ability to host a guest OS and legacy applications in a secure virtualized partition, and its conformance to the FACE 3.0 Technical Standard.
Collins Aerospace is using the INTEGRITY-178 tuMP RTOS as part of the TCTS II system to meet the NSA's Raise the Bar (RTB) initiative for Cross Domain Solutions. The RTB standard goes well beyond the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) Risk Management Framework (RMF) controls that many government agencies implement. RTB standards ensure that CDS systems are at low risk of failing, even when under persistent attack. Jim Marek, CISSP, Technical Fellow for Mission Systems at Collins Aerospace, explained that the integration of Green Hill Software's INTEGRITY-178 tuMP made this Raise the Bar CDS certification approval possible, by "uniquely meeting the functionality requirements of the Navy's TCTS II CDS and security assurance requirements of RTB." INTEGRITY-178 tuMP is the only RTOS that has been used to meet RTB standards.
The INTEGRITY-178 tuMP high-assurance RTOS from Green Hills Software is uniquely designed to meet both DO-178C DAL A airborne safety objectives and the strictest security requirements. The INTEGRITY-178 tuMP RTOS is a MILS operating system that has been deployed on numerous MLS and CDS programs. Long before the creation of the RTB standards, Green Hills Software led the way to meeting CDS requirements for an operating system by getting INTEGRITY-178 certified to the NSA-defined Separation Kernel Protection Profile (SKPP) in 2008. The SKPP is the highest assurance set of requirements ever created for an operating system, and INTEGRITY-178 was certified to Common Criteria EAL 6+ and "High Robustness." Beyond the separation kernel, INTEGRITY-178 tuMP provides a complete set of APIs for use by multi-level security applications within a secure partition, e.g., an MLS guard, which is a fundamental requirement in a cross-domain system. INTEGRITY-178 was the first commercial RTOS approved as complying with DO-178B Level A objectives, and INTEGRITY-178 tuMP is the only RTOS to be part of a civil certification on a multicore system to DO-178C and CAST-32A multicore objectives. INTEGRITY-178 tuMP directly supports a Modular Open Systems Approach, and it was the first RTOS to be certified conformant to the FACE™ Technical Standard, edition 3.0.
Further Reading:
"Raise the Bar: Demanding Cybersecurity Excellence for Cross Domain Solutions in the Battlespace," The Modern Battlespace, 3-Mar-2021. www.modernbattlespace.com
About Green Hills Software
Founded in 1982, Green Hills Software is the worldwide leader in embedded safety and security. In 2008, the Green Hills INTEGRITY-178 RTOS was the first and only operating system to be certified by NIAP (National Information Assurance Partnership comprised of NSA & NIST) to EAL 6+, High Robustness, the highest level of security ever achieved for any software product. Our open architecture, integrated development solutions address deeply embedded, absolute security and high-reliability applications for the military/avionics, medical, industrial, automotive, networking, consumer and other markets that demand industry-certified solutions. Green Hills Software is headquartered in Santa Barbara, CA, with European headquarters in the United Kingdom. Visit Green Hills Software at www.ghs.com.
Green Hills, the Green Hills logo, INTEGRITY and tuMP are trademarks or registered trademarks of Green Hills Software in the U.S. and/or internationally. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
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SOURCE Green Hills Software | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2023/04/26/green-hills-software-thanks-collins-aerospace-including-tcts-ii-program-their-recent-face-white-paper/ | 2023-04-26 13:18:56 | 1 | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2023/04/26/green-hills-software-thanks-collins-aerospace-including-tcts-ii-program-their-recent-face-white-paper/ |
MACOMB, Mich., May 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascent Aerospace, a leading provider of aerospace tooling systems, factory automation and integration services, is thrilled to announce its partnership with True Position Robotics (TPR) at the upcoming Automate 2023 trade show in Detroit, MI. The show will take place from May 22-25 and will bring together the world's premier robotics and automation suppliers and buyers.
TPR is a leading provider of high accuracy robot metrology and End of Arm Tooling (EOAT) technology. In the Ascent Aerospace booth at Automate, TPR will be showcasing its cutting-edge technology, demonstrating its capability in delivering high-quality, value-added services to customers. The TPR technology, coupled with the advanced integration capabilities of Ascent, proves to be a powerful solution for automated aircraft assembly applications. Experienced engineers from both teams will be on hand to discuss the cutting-edge manufacturing capabilities and automated assembly technology of this system.
"It is an honor to be partnered with Ascent Aerospace at the upcoming Automate 2023 trade show," says Roger Holden, Director at TPR. "We look forward to showcasing our advanced manufacturing capabilities and expertise along with our partner and demonstrating how we can save time and money for our customers while enhancing their overall productivity."
This partnership is a testament to the teams' commitment to excellence and innovation in the aerospace, defense, and space industries. Visit booth 5207 at Automate to see this solution in action.
About True Position Robotics (TPR)
True Position Robotics (TPR) is an independent UK SME formed in 2018. TPR specializes in high accuracy robot metrology and End of Arm Tooling (EOAT) technology, focused on aerospace and high value manufacturing. Visit https://www.tpr.solutions/ for more information.
About Ascent Aerospace
Ascent Aerospace is a world renowned, single-source provider of production and automated assembly systems for the aerospace, defense and space industries. As the industry's largest tooling group, Ascent produces a full suite of both mold and assembly tooling required for the aerospace manufacturing market, including the largest Invar molds ever made for aerospace. As an automation provider and production system integrator, Ascent works with airframers to develop their project and see it through from process engineering, to build and installation, to ensure it is an efficient and cost effective solution. Visit www.ascentaerospace.com for more information.
Media Contact
Marisa Bennett - Marketing Manager
Marisa.Bennett@ascentaerospace.com
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SOURCE Ascent Aerospace | https://www.kbtx.com/prnewswire/2023/05/09/ascent-aerospace-true-position-robotics-partner-automate-2023/ | 2023-05-09 16:02:09 | 1 | https://www.kbtx.com/prnewswire/2023/05/09/ascent-aerospace-true-position-robotics-partner-automate-2023/ |
Special counsel John Durham was both lionized and scrutinized by lawmakers as he appeared before the House Judiciary Committee to discuss his probe into the FBI’s 2016 investigation into the Trump campaign.
Durham provided little new information in his May report but confirmed a series of FBI missteps previously documented by the news media, including that the FBI failed to provide a full picture of the evidence when seeking a wiretap of Trump campaign aide Carter Page.
In a rare public appearance Wednesday, Durham called his findings “sobering.”
“The problems identified in the report are not susceptible to overnight fixes. … They cannot be addressed solely by enhancing training or additional policy requirements. Rather, what is required is accountability, both in terms of the standards to which our law enforcement personnel hold themselves and in the consequences they face for violation of laws and policies of relevance,” he said.
Over more than five hours of questioning, Republicans and Democrats zeroed in on the parts of the report most favorable to their positions.
To Republicans, Durham’s scathing 305-page report supports their arguments about a Department of Justice and FBI that has been weaponized against former President Trump.
Democrats argued the report backed the FBI’s initial decision to open a probe into the Trump campaign, something they view as significant, since Trump called for Durham’s appointment with high expectations that he’d find damaging material on the FBI.
Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), a chief Trump defender who has cast the FBI as “rotted to the core,” said the report served as an example that the bureau requires serious reform, as “any one of us could be next.”
“There is [a double standard at the Department of Justice]. That has got to change, and I don’t think more training, more rules is going to do it. I think we have to fundamentally change the FISA process, and we have to use the appropriations process to limit how American tax dollars are spent at the Department of Justice,” he added, referring to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which has the power to authorize a wiretap.
It was a tip from an Australian diplomat that ignited the FBI’s interest. The diplomat had spoken with Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos, who told him that Russia had damaging emails from then-competitor Hillary Clinton. It was that tip, not the later debunked Steele Dossier, that led the FBI to initiate the investigation.
“We have many areas of disagreement across the aisle, but I am relieved that we have no disagreement about one of the fundamental conclusions of your report: that it was incumbent upon the FBI to open some form of investigation when presented with evidence that a presidential candidate and his associates are either coordinating campaign efforts with a hostile nation or being manipulated by such a hostile nation,” said Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.).
Several Democrats attacked Durham’s work, criticizing the report for not offering any recommendations for the FBI and calling attention to its failure to lead to criminal convictions.
Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) noted that five Trump campaign associates were convicted of various crimes following the Mueller investigation.
“In contrast to multiple Trump associates who were convicted, you brought two cases to a jury trial based on this investigation, and you lost both. So I don’t actually know what we’re doing here, because the author of the Durham report concedes that the FBI had enough information to investigate,” he said.
“And thank goodness the FBI did, because vulnerable Trump associates who committed crimes were held accountable. And the best way to summarize what happened is: Thank you to the brave men and women of the FBI for doing their jobs.”
Republicans pivoted between complaints over the Justice Department and the treatment of Trump to possible FISA reforms that would limit law enforcement authority for spying both in the U.S. and abroad.
“You detail how FBI personnel working on FISA applications violated protocols. They were cavalier at best, as you said, in your own words, towards accuracy and completeness. Senior FBI personnel displayed a serious lack of analytical rigor towards information that they received, especially information received from politically affiliated persons or entities and … a significant reliance on investigative and leads provided or funded by Trump’s political opponents were relied upon here,” Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) said.
Johnson went on to lament the involvement of Peter Strzok, previously deputy assistant director the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division, who made negative comments about Trump in texts.
“He said horrible things about President Trump, and all of his supporters by the way, how could we say he did not have political bias?”
Rep. Laurel Lee (R-Fla.) criticized the FISA application that allowed the FBI to wiretap Page.
“A FISA application was pursued without disclosing some relevant information to prosecutors or the court, without following standard procedural rules, utilizing investigative techniques that were the most intrusive without first exhausting other techniques, and instead pursuing the most invasive method possible from the outset against Mr. Page,” she said.
Durham was also at times berated for his work, including by those who said he did not do enough to probe FBI misdeeds after Trump said Durham’s report would reveal the “crime of the century.” Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) was also gifted time by other members to question the course of the investigation.
Schiff critiqued Durham’s decision to issue a statement about an inspector general’s report on the same topic and repeatedly asked why one of the top prosecutors on the investigation resigned, a question Durham refused to answer.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) said Durham’s investigative trip to Italy was just “looking for authentic pasta” as he griped that the special counsel’s work was insufficient.
“It seems like more than disappointment. It seems like you weren’t really trying to expose the true core of the corruption,” Gaetz said.
“It’s not what’s in your report that is telling, it’s the omission, it’s the lack of work you did. … You let the country down.” | https://www.kxnet.com/hill-politics/both-parties-hear-what-they-want-to-hear-during-rare-durham-public-hearing/ | 2023-06-21 22:07:19 | 1 | https://www.kxnet.com/hill-politics/both-parties-hear-what-they-want-to-hear-during-rare-durham-public-hearing/ |
The coming-of-age drama Stay Awake takes its title from the efforts of two teens to get their mother safely to the hospital after an accidental overdose of prescription pills.
Copyright 2023 NPR
The coming-of-age drama Stay Awake takes its title from the efforts of two teens to get their mother safely to the hospital after an accidental overdose of prescription pills.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.knau.org/2023-05-19/stay-awake-explores-the-fallout-for-brothers-after-their-mom-overdoses | 2023-05-19 22:17:43 | 1 | https://www.knau.org/2023-05-19/stay-awake-explores-the-fallout-for-brothers-after-their-mom-overdoses |
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Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen have finalized their divorce, they announced Friday, ending the 13-year marriage between two superstars who respectively reached the pinnacles of fashion and football.
Brady and Bündchen posted statements on Instagram late Friday morning, each saying they had “amicably” reached the decision. Checks of court dockets Friday morning in Tampa, Miami and West Palm Beach did not immediately show a divorce petition from either member of the couple, who are entitled to file in any Florida county.
“The decision to end a marriage is never easy but we have grown apart and while it is, of course, difficult to go through something like this, I feel blessed for the time we had together and only wish the best for Tom always,” Bündchen wrote.
Both said their priorities lay with their children and asked for privacy.
“We arrived at this decision to end our marriage after much consideration,” Brady wrote. “Doing so is, of course, painful and difficult, like it is for many people who go through the same thing every day around the world.”
The divorce landed in the midst of Brady's 23rd NFL season, and amid his first three-game losing streak in 20 years, just months after the seven-time Super Bowl champion put an end to his short-lived retirement. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback — who had long stated a desire to spend more time with Bündchen and his three children — announced his departure from the game in February, only to change his mind 40 days later.
“What more do you have to prove?” Bündchen told her husband on the sidelines after his last, record-shattering Super Bowl victory, as Brady himself recounted shortly after the win.
Despite Brady initially saying his retirement was a chance to focus his “time and energy on other things that require my attention,” part of his motivation to come back was what he has referred to as “unfinished business” with the Buccaneers. The team failed to reach the Super Bowl last season in their effort to repeat as champions.
Bündchen told “CBS This Morning” in 2017 that she was concerned about her husband after he played through a concussion the previous year. Brady's then-team, the New England Patriots, and agent declined to respond to her comments at the time, and an NFL spokesperson said there were no records he had suffered a head injury. Brady later said he preferred to keep his medical history private.
“I mean, we don’t talk about it," Bündchen said during the interview. "But he does have concussions. I don’t really think it’s a healthy thing for anybody to go through.”
She more recently contended that the characterization in reports that she was desperate for her husband to retire carried sexist overtones.
“Obviously, I have my concerns. This is a very violent sport, and I have my children and I would like him to be more present,” the supermodel told Elle magazine in September. “I have definitely had those conversations with him over and over again. But ultimately, I feel that everybody has to make a decision that works for (them). He needs to follow his joy, too.”
Bündchen and Brady were introduced by a mutual friend and married — twice — a little over two years later. They said their first “I dos” in early 2009 at a Catholic church in Santa Monica, California, before family and close friends, followed by an equally small second wedding at her house in Costa Rica nearly two months later.
Their son Benjamin was born later that year, followed by a daughter, Vivian, in 2012. Brady also has a 15-year-old son, Jack Moynahan, from a previous relationship with actor Bridget Moynahan.
Bündchen, who was discovered by a modeling scout at age 13 in Brazil, secured her place as one of the industry's highest-paid models by the 2000s and became a tabloid staple, fueled by a relationship with Leonardo DiCaprio. In addition to walking the runways of top designers, appearing in campaigns for high street and high fashion brands alike, she signed on as a Victoria's Secret Angel and took on small film roles — including in “The Devil Wears Prada."
She took a step back from modeling in 2015, giving up runway work and limiting herself to a few advertising campaigns and magazine covers a year. She made one big exception, wearing a glistening gown and a huge smile in 2016 as she crossed a 400-foot (120-meter) runway at the Rio Olympics while fellow Brazilian Daniel Jobim performed “The Girl from Ipanema.”
Since paring back her modeling commitments, she has dedicated herself to environmental activism, particularly with regard to the Amazon rainforest's conservation, and business ventures like eco-friendly skin care and a lingerie line. She has also been vocal about mental health, disclosing debilitating panic attacks that she said had her contemplate suicide and criticizing unrealistic beauty standards.
Above all, Bündchen told Elle, her top priority was her family.
“I’ve done my part, which is (to) be there for (Tom). I moved to Boston, and I focused on creating a cocoon and a loving environment for my children to grow up in and to be there supporting him and his dreams,” she said. “Seeing my children succeed and become the beautiful little humans that they are, seeing him succeed, and being fulfilled in his career, it makes me happy. At this point in my life, I feel like I’ve done a good job on that.”
After years in Boston — where Brady played for the Patriots — and then moving again to Tampa with him in 2020, she said she had her own plans: “I have a huge list of things that I have to do, that I want to do. At 42, I feel more connected with my purpose.”
Brady turned 45 in August, when he left the Buccaneers for 11 days for unspecified personal reasons. The team supported the leave, calling it a pre-planned break agreed to before the start of training camp in July.
A three-time NFL MVP and the league's all-time leader in yards passing and touchdowns, Brady signed a 10-year contract reportedly worth $375 million to become the lead football analyst for Fox Sports once he hangs up his cleats. When that will be is yet uncertain — while Brady had expressed an interest in extending his playing career beyond his mid-40s if he remained healthy, his now ex-wife had a different idea back in 2017.
“That kind of aggression all the time, that cannot be healthy for you,” she said during the CBS interview. “I’m planning on him being healthy and do a lot of fun things when we’re like 100, I hope.”
___
Associated Press journalists Curt Anderson and Rob Maaddi contributed to this report. | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Tom-Brady-Gisele-Bundchen-announce-divorce-17541455.php | 2022-10-28 16:04:26 | 1 | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Tom-Brady-Gisele-Bundchen-announce-divorce-17541455.php |
MCLEAN, Va., March 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Royal Schiphol Group is starting a collaboration with security technology company Pangiam to develop a new way to screen hand baggage quickly and safely. The new technology, powered by artificial intelligence, could eventually help enable travellers to go through security checks faster, without compromising on safety.
The aim of the collaboration is to explore how Pangiam's new technology can speed up hand baggage screening at Schiphol and other airports. The technology uses artificial intelligence and algorithms to analyse images of hand baggage and identify prohibited items and other security risks. Part of that process is currently carried out by security staff. In the future, the technology could support employees in this and speed up the process for travellers.
"We are fully committed to recruiting security colleagues and have been increasing the productivity of our security equipment recently, of course without compromising on the quality of security. In the future, this collaboration can contribute to more comfort for travellers thanks to secure and faster hand baggage screening." – Philip van Noort, Director Security at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
"Royal Schiphol Group has an international reputation for innovation and excellence in technology. This collaboration allows us to bring the benefits of artificial intelligence to the security checkpoint and improve the process," says Alexis Long, Head of Project DARTMOUTH at Pangiam.
Schiphol is the first major European airport to support Project DARTMOUTH, a collaboration between Pangiam and Google Cloud. Schiphol is testing the new technology in practice and on a small scale in order for the self-learning system to be developed further. The technology can be applied to existing hardware and equipment, such as Schiphol's CT scans. It can also be used in combination with other software. If the technology meets all requirements and European regulations, and the trial period is successful, it will be implemented at scale. Schiphol is working closely with the National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism on this trial.
The collaboration between Pangiam and Schiphol is part of a wider programme to accelerate the innovation and development of promising in-house and partner technology solutions.
Schiphol: press@schiphol.nl
Pangiam: media@pangiam.com
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SOURCE Pangiam | https://www.kbtx.com/prnewswire/2023/03/13/schiphol-pangiam-innovate-with-artificial-intelligence-security-process/ | 2023-03-13 14:54:57 | 0 | https://www.kbtx.com/prnewswire/2023/03/13/schiphol-pangiam-innovate-with-artificial-intelligence-security-process/ |
ActionIQ Earns Editor's Choice on Built In's Best Places to Work List
NEW YORK, Jan. 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Built In this week announced that ActionIQ was honored in its 2023 Best Places To Work Awards. Specifically, ActionIQ earned a place on "Editor's Choice: Best Hybrid Places to Work". The annual awards program includes companies of all sizes, from startups to those in the enterprise, and honors both remote-first employers as well as companies in large tech markets across the U.S.
"We are thrilled to be honored by Built In by being included on their Esteemed 2023 Best Places To Work Awards. Since our inception, we have worked to provide our employees a great place to not only work, but to thrive. This comes with having benefits that focus on the whole person like generous PTO, parental leave, wellness initiatives, professional development, and a charitable matching program to enable our employees to give back to causes that matter to them," said Stacy Larkin, Vice President, People & Employee Success, ActionIQ. "If our employees feel valued and cared for, they do good work – which any company would value."
Built In determines the winners of Best Places to Work based on an algorithm, using company data about compensation and benefits. To reflect the benefits candidates are searching for more frequently on Built In, the program also weighs criteria like remote and flexible work opportunities, programs for DEI and other people-first cultural offerings.
"It's my honor to congratulate this year's Best Places to Work winners," says Sheridan Orr, Chief Marketing Officer, Built In. "These exemplary companies understand their people are their most valuable asset, and they've stepped up to meet the modern professional's new expectations, including the desire to work for companies that deliver purpose, growth and inclusion. These winners set the stage for a human-centered future of work, and we can't wait to see that future unfold."
Built In is creating the largest platform for technology professionals globally. Monthly, millions of the industry's most in-demand professionals visit the site from across the world. They rely on our platform to stay ahead of tech trends and news, learn skills to accelerate their careers and find opportunities at companies whose values they share. Built In also serves 2,000 customers, innovative companies ranging from startups to those in the Fortune 500. By putting their stories in front of our uniquely engaged audience, we help them hire otherwise hard-to-reach tech professionals. www.builtin.com
Built In's esteemed Best Places to Work Awards, now in its fifth year, honor companies across numerous categories: 100 Best Places to Work, 50 Best Startup Places to Work, 100 Best Midsize Places to Work, 100 Best Large Places to Work and Editor's Choice: 100 Best Hybrid Places to Work. The program honors companies – remote, hybrid and in-office – with the best total rewards packages across the U.S. and in the following tech hubs: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Colorado, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington DC.
ActionIQ brings order to CX chaos. Our Customer Experience Hub empowers everyone to be a CX champion by giving business teams the freedom to explore and action on customer data while helping technical teams extend and enhance existing technology investments to manage data governance, costs and performance. Enterprise brands such as Autodesk, Neiman Marcus, Hertz and many more use our CX Hub to drive growth through extraordinary customer experiences. Learn more at actioniq.com .
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SOURCE ActionIQ | https://www.kbtx.com/prnewswire/2023/01/12/built-honors-actioniq-its-esteemed-2023-best-places-work-awards/ | 2023-01-12 18:04:22 | 1 | https://www.kbtx.com/prnewswire/2023/01/12/built-honors-actioniq-its-esteemed-2023-best-places-work-awards/ |
The tide started to fully turn at the end of the third quarter.
In a game that was already filled with offensive possessions that lasted for minutes at a time, New Providence dug in even more on the defensive end.
For almost a minute-and-a-half, the Pioneers almost forced four turnovers, fought through screens, shuffled to stay front, boxed out, and were each other’s eyes and ears out on the floor. After a foul call that kept the ball in the hands of Middle Township, the Pioneers got right back to it and forced the Panthers to heave up a shot at the buzzer that went nowhere near the basket.
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The power dynamic had fully shifted in favor of the Pioneers, and it rode that momentum all the way until the final buzzer in its 49-34 win over Middle Township in the semifinal round of the Group 2 tournament at Central Regional High School, in Bayville.
The Pioneers will play for the Group 2 state championship on Saturday at Toms River North against the winner of Jefferson and Secaucus.
That end of third quarter defensive stand for New Providence, No. 9 in the NJ.com Top 20, was just a continuation of what the Pioneers did all game and have been doing all season. Playing hard nosed defense in the face of a potent offense, and doing whatever it takes to keep its opponent off of the scoreboard.
After leading by just two points at halftime, the Pioneers (27-3) outscored Middle Township (23-9) 29-16 in the second half and pulled away early in the fourth quarter. Panthers top scorer Jada Elston, who in her last seven games was averaging 24.5 points, was held to just four points in the second half. Grace Kinum and co. hounded Elston on defense all game, and did a much better job in the second half of denying her looks inside the paint.
The Pioneers pride itself on its defensive play, and so far in the postseason it has shown that. Since its first postseason game in the Union County tournament, the Pioneers are giving up just 32 points against per game.
“They’re all just willing to do what it takes to get stops,” coach Cap Pazdera said. “Whether it’s stepping in or helping in front of a screen or boxing out and getting rebounds. This team just buys into the fact that we don’t want the other team to score and we’ll do our best to make that happen.”
“[Buying in defensively] is just how we’re taught to play,” Meghan Lamanna said. “We just communicate to try and be on the same page which just feeds into a lot of energy throughout the game.”
The third quarter was also when more shots began to fall for New Providence on the offensive end. After struggling to create good looks and missing on several outside shots in the first half, Annie Conover connected on a three pointer on the Pioneers’ first offensive possession of the third.
Kinum followed that up with a block on the other end, and got out in transition for a clean look at the basket. A few possessions later, Jasmine Miller hit a three, and then another three just over a minute later. With just over four and a half minutes left in the third the Pioneers had stretched its lead out to 29-22.
“There were definitely bumps at the start,” Lamanna said. “We just had to work through it. We were looking to push the ball and get to the rim early because our outside shots weren’t falling, but then those shots started falling and we built from there.”
Lamanna, who scored a game high 25 points, took over to start the fourth quarter and scored seven straight points to help extend the Pioneers lead to 38-26 with 5:33 left.
The Pioneers kept its offensive strategy the same: run clock and be patient while looking for the best shot. Lamanna was key in the pacing and tempo, as she would cycle around the basket, often get the ball on the left wing, and drive in for an open layup.
Lamanna punctuated her seven-point run after drawing two defenders, putting on a hesitation move to get to the rim and laying the ball in as the Pioneers bench erupted.
“To win big games you need your best players to step up,” Pazdera said. “They’ve continued to do that over and over again. They’ve been fantastic and that’s what we need out of them. Keep having good games and if they draw attention away from other people, other people will get their opportunities to make shots. But if they can create on their own, go score.”
New Providence’s four main goals coming into this season were to win a conference title, county title, section title, and group title.
Three of those four have been accomplished. One more awaits them on Saturday, and it’ll employ the same strategy that’s gotten it this far - be patient offensively, but be a disruptive force on defense.
“It means so much to get this far,” Lamanna said. “In the Rumson-Fair Haven and Mansquan games we were playing some of our best basketball so we’re just looking to keep that going and get the state title. Our four goals in the beginning of the season are conference, county, section, and state. We’re one game away.”
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Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. | https://www.nj.com/highschoolsports/2023/03/girls-basketball-no-9-new-providence-shuts-down-middle-township-to-advance-to-group-2-final.html | 2023-03-02 02:57:43 | 0 | https://www.nj.com/highschoolsports/2023/03/girls-basketball-no-9-new-providence-shuts-down-middle-township-to-advance-to-group-2-final.html |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Lawmakers this year have kicked rival colleagues out of office in Tennessee and off the chamber floor in Montana. They have staged walkouts in Oregon and filibusters in Nebraska, where interactions are so fraught that some lawmakers say they’re unsure they can work together anymore.
In a year of outsized acrimony at statehouses, it would be wrong to say tensions have never been worse. Legislatures have seen fistfights, unpopular members hounded from office, mass expulsions and even armed confrontations.
Experts say what’s different now is that politics can reward sparring and punish bipartisanship, making reelection tougher for those who seek compromise.
Lawmakers “recognize that the general electorate would prefer that they compromise, but they think that the primary electorate wants them to oppose it,” said Laurel Harbridge-Yong, a Northwestern University political scientist.
Civility can crumble when lawmakers draw gerrymandered districts or make voting rules that pick political winners and losers. It also erodes, Harbridge-Yong said, when lawmakers debate hard-to-compromise identity and morality issues, including abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. But lawmakers in districts dominated by one party need to stave off internal challengers rather than satisfy the broader voting public, she said.
In Tennessee, Republicans flexed their supermajority numbers to expel Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, two young Black lawmakers, for protesting for gun control on the House floor with a bullhorn after a deadly school shooting in Nashville. They were booted for violating decorum. Though protesters didn’t enter the House floor, some Republicans, including the House speaker, labeled it an “insurrection,” akin to the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol breach.
The ouster of the since-reinstated Democrats gave their party more exposure in the state than it’s had in years. Jones and Pearson, along with Rep. Gloria Johnson, who escaped expulsion by one vote, traveled a national TV circuit, visited the White House, and hauled in donations.
But to political observers the conflict showed further erosion of Tennessee’s former reputation for conservative compromisers such as former U.S. Sen. Howard Baker — a key figure in holding President Richard Nixon accountable over Watergate.
Republican Gov. Bill Lee, meanwhile, is seeking to keep guns away from people who could harm themselves or others. GOP lawmakers have shown little appetite to consider the plan despite bipartisan appeal in polling.
When majorities grow decisively large, the minority party has no power and can only complain and shout, said John Geer, dean of Vanderbilt University’s arts and sciences school. Meanwhile, the majority doesn’t need to bargain and is drawn to extreme policies as primary elections become the key to winning.
In a supermajority, the majority and minority parties “are no longer politicians, they become activists,” said Geer, also a political science professor.
Lately, Tennessee legislative districts have rarely been competitive, even as more than one-quarter of House seats have changed hands since 2020. Only four races, of 116 House and Senate seats on the 2022 November ballot, were decided by 10 percentage points or fewer. Conversely, 61 House and Senate seats were uncontested.
Geer said Tennessee is conservative, but the GOP drew districts to widen its partisan advantage further. Democratic lawmakers are almost only elected in major cities.
Division can disrupt an entire legislative session. In Oregon, a Republican Senate walkout began May 3 and could continue through the session’s June 25 end. The boycott has prevented the Senate from reaching its required two-thirds quorum.
That’s preventing a floor vote on a bill to protect abortion rights and transgender health care that GOP senators say is extreme. It’s also blocking more than 100 other bills, including a GOP-opposed gun-safety measure that would increase the purchasing age to 21 for semiautomatic rifles.
GOP Minority Leader Sen. Tim Knopp says the boycott will end only on the session’s last day to pass “bipartisan” legislation and budget bills. Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek has failed to break the impasse, and could have to call a special session if lawmakers don’t approve budgets covering the next two years.
Senators walked out despite voters in 2022 deciding lawmakers could not be reelected with 10 or more unexcused absences. Republican senators are likely to sue over the measure if they’re not allowed to register as candidates. Republicans also walked out in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
On June 1, Democrats cited a state constitutional provision to fine senators $325 every time their absence denies a quorum.
“Senators who do not show up need to start returning the hard-earned tax dollars they do not earn,” said Senate Majority Leader Kate Lieber.
In Nebraska, a handful of progressive lawmakers filibustered nearly every bill — even ones they supported — to protest legislation targeting transgender minors. The filibuster revealed lawmakers’ ideological divides, with yelling, name-calling, crying and refusals to even speak to other lawmakers. Nebraska’s single-chamber Legislature is officially nonpartisan and had prided itself on avoiding dysfunction.
Following Tennessee’s expulsions, Montana Republicans voted to bantransgender lawmaker Zooey Zephyrfrom the House floor for the rest of the now-completed session. Zephyr was initially silenced after telling lawmakers looking to ban gender-affirming medical care for minors that they would have blood on their hands and exiled for participating in a protest for her right to debate in the House.
Discord in statehouses is hardly new.
A white supremacist militia in 1874 attempted to overthrow Louisiana’s Republican government in a New Orleans street battle, retreating only when federal troops arrived. Republicans ejected legislators they claimed weren’t lawfully elected and Democrats established a competing body. White supremacist Democrats took control when federal troops departed in 1877.
Not all rifts were racial. Kansas Republicans and Populists in 1893 seated rival Houses. After Populists locked themselves in the House chamber, Republicans sledgehammered open the door and chased out the Populists. Kansas’ Populist governor called up the militia, but mostly Republican militiamen refused to obey. The Kansas Supreme Court eventually sided with the Republicans.
And not all breaches are ancient history. In 1960s Georgia, Civil Rights activist Julian Bond won election to the House three times, but lawmakers refused to seat him, citing Bond’s opposition to the Vietnam War. A U.S. Supreme Court ruling let Bond take office in 1967.
Even considering past upheaval, Harbridge-Yong said tensions today are “very high” and “concerning” for democracy.
“It’s both concerning for how our legislatures function, for people’s trust in the government and their view of policies as they’re determined by government as legitimate,” she said.
___
Amy reported from Atlanta. Associated Press reporters Andrew Selsky contributed from Salem, Oregon, and John Hanna from Topeka, Kansas. | https://www.yourbasin.com/news/national/expulsions-walkouts-filibusters-lawmakers-grapple-with-acrimonious-legislative-sessions/ | 2023-06-09 17:10:04 | 0 | https://www.yourbasin.com/news/national/expulsions-walkouts-filibusters-lawmakers-grapple-with-acrimonious-legislative-sessions/ |
WASHINGTON – A Virginia man who told his wife — and a federal jury — that he had “fun” at the U.S. Capitol riot was sentenced on Friday to six years in prison for attacking police as he stormed the building.
Markus Maly's prison sentence is significantly lower than the punishment that prosecutors sought for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. The Justice Department had recommended a prison sentence of 15 years and eight months for Maly, a flooring installer.
A prosecutor described Maly, 49, as a “lifelong criminal” with 33 prior convictions on his record, including two for battery of a law enforcement officer. But the judge who sentenced Maly noted that most of his crimes date back to his 20s.
Maly told U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta that he regrets traveling to Washington and following the mob of then-President Donald Trump's supporters to the Capitol. But he insisted that he merely “occupied space” in the crowd and denied attacking and pepper-spraying police.
“I went to a rally. That's what I did," he told the judge.
The judge said jurors had ample evidence to convict Maly of assaulting police.
"It's not that you were there and ‘occupying space.’ It's that you did these things and kept doing them that day,” the judge told him.
Prosecutors say Maly is one of many Capitol rioters who have tried to profit from their notoriety, portraying themselves as patriots, martyrs or political prisoners as they solicit donations from supporters. While prosecutors acknowledge that defendants have a right to raise money for legal defenses, they're increasingly asking judges to impose fines on top of prison terms to claw back donations used for personal expenses.
Maly has raised more than $16,500 through a GiveSendGo donation page, referring to himself as a “January 6 P.O.W." Prosecutors asked the judge to fine him an amount commensurate with his fundraising haul, noting that he had a public defender and didn't owe any legal fees.
The judge declined to impose a fine. He said Maly's fundraising activities may have been “unseemly,” but he questioned whether there was a legal basis for clawing back the money.
Maly testified at his trial that participating in the Capitol riot was “fun” for him. He also described the events of Jan. 6 as “fun” and “awesome” in messages sent to his wife and others.
“Maly admitted to being proud of what he had done at the Capitol and that he had bragged about it,” prosecutor Stephen Rancourt wrote in a court filing. “Despite seeing police officers assaulted, injured, and distressed on January 6, and knowing that it was a bad day for members of Congress and the police officers who had to live through the riot, Maly reiterated that his experience that day was ‘fun.’”
The judge at Maly's trial previously handed down the longest sentence for a Capitol riot case: 18 years for Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, who was convicted of orchestrating a violent plot to keep Trump, a Republican, in the White House after he lost the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden, a Democrat.
Maly has been jailed since a jury convicted him in December of all eight charges against him, including felony counts of civil disorder and assaulting, resisting or impeding police using a dangerous weapon.
On the morning of Jan. 6, Maly took a bus from his home in Fincastle, Virginia, to Washington to attend Trump's “Stop the Steal” rally. He later joined the mob that attacked police on the Capitol's Lower West Terrace, one of the most violent clashes of the day.
Maly sprayed a chemical, possibly pepper spray, at Metropolitan Police Department Officer Christopher Boyle as he and other officers retreated into a tunnel and guarded an entrance. Maly passed a spray cannister from one rioter to another, joined a coordinated “heave ho” push against police and left the tunnel with a stolen riot shield as a “trophy,” Rancourt said.
Maly was charged and tried with co-defendants Peter Schwartz and Jeffrey Scott Brown. Schwartz passed the spray canister to Maly, who passed it to Brown. The jurors who convicted Maly also found Schwartz and Brown guilty of related charges.
The judge sentenced Schwartz last month to 14 years and two months in prison, the longest for a Jan. 6 case before Rhodes, and sentenced Brown in April to four years and six months in prison.
Prosecutors say Maly lied on the witness stand when he testified that he only showed a cannister to Boyle but didn’t spray the officer.
“Maly claimed that the stream of liquid coming out of the canister was actually a piece of fringe on his hat. However, his hat didn’t have a fringe,” Rancourt wrote.
Defense attorney Benjamin Schiffelbein said Maly believed that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Trump.
“He fervently believed that he was protesting in the name of liberty and freedom. His motives, however (factually) wrong they may have been, were based in values this country celebrates,” Schiffelbein wrote. "What is more American than fervently defending democracy — even from one’s own government — and perhaps especially then?"
More than 100 police officers were injured during the riot. More than 1,000 people have been charged with federal crimes related to Jan. 6. Over 500 of them have been sentenced, with more than half getting terms of imprisonment, according to an Associated Press review of court records.
___
Follow the AP's coverage of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection at https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege. | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/politics/2023/06/09/man-who-told-jurors-he-had-fun-at-the-capitol-riot-is-sentenced-to-6-years-in-prison/ | 2023-06-09 18:40:20 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/politics/2023/06/09/man-who-told-jurors-he-had-fun-at-the-capitol-riot-is-sentenced-to-6-years-in-prison/ |
The easiest way to make a scarecrow this fall
Fall is a magical time. The leaves change color, the air turns brisk, hot apple cider and bonfires trend and scarecrows arrive.
If you’ve never ventured beyond pumpkin carving because you are not sure how to craft a scarecrow, that changes today. Our DIY expert Beth Allen, founder of HIP Chicks (Home Improvement Project Chicks), shared the easiest way to make a DIY scarecrow. And the best part of it is that your kids can help.
In this article: Barndance Hat, Adjustable Suspenders and Neckerchief.
A brief history of scarecrows
While it wasn’t something we would recognize as a scarecrow, ancient Egyptians used wooden frames draped in nets to help protect their crops. When startled by farmers hiding in the fields, birds would fly into the netting and become trapped. Often, they would also become a meal.
It wasn’t until ancient Greek farmers began carving wooden figures to look like Priapus that the modern scarecrow was born. According to mythology, Priapus was cursed by a jealous Hera to be so ugly just the mere sight of him scared away birds.
With other ways to protect crops from birds today, scarecrows have become a symbol of the season. While they can be designed to look scary for Halloween, these decorative items represent the entire fall season, from the first harvest through Thanksgiving.
How to make a DIY scarecrow
While making your own scarecrow might seem a little overwhelming, our DIY expert assures you it is fun and easy and can involve the whole family. Allen has broken the process into two sections: building the frame and making the scarecrow.
Building the frame
The frame is what holds the scarecrow. While many other articles say to use wood or lash two posts together, Allen said to consider PVC pipe and fittings: yes, the same type of materials that you use for plumbing. “If you’re using wood and you’re trying to screw and nail things together, it’s a little bit harder to get your kids involved,” Allen reasoned. “Using PVC is easy. And it’s a way to get the kids engaged.”
Basic materials:
- A 5-foot piece of 1-inch PVC tubing for the body
- A 1-foot piece for the head
- Two 2-foot pieces for the arms
- One 1-inch PVC cross fitting
- One PVC cutter
- Sandpaper for smoothing cut edges of the PVC pipes
- PVC primer and PVC cement for making your frame permanent (optional)
Instructions:
- Cut all pieces of PVC tubing to size
- Deburr and smooth any rough edges that resulted from cutting
- Assemble the frame: place the 2-foot pieces on either side, the 1-foot piece on the top and the 5-foot piece on the bottom of the PVC cross-fitting. If you wish to disassemble the frame after use for easy storage, do not cement it. If you prefer a sturdier build, follow the PVC primer and PVC cement directions to fasten all pieces together.
Making the scarecrow
This is where your creativity comes into play. Consider this section a springboard and give your imagination permission to adapt these guidelines when building your scarecrow. For example, you could use a burlap bag for the head and add gloves and boots.
Basic materials:
- A large shirt (button-down is best)
- Rugged pants
- A large plastic flower pot
- A straw hat
- A neckerchief
- Suspenders
- Straw
- Rubber bands
Instructions:
- Put the shirt over the frame and button it up.
- Rubber band the waist and wrists.
- Fill with straw.
- Hang the pants using the suspenders.
- Rubber band the cuffs and fill with straw.
- Place the plastic flower pot upside down on the top and add the hat and scarf.
What is furniture-grade PVC?
When shopping for PVC, you may notice some offerings of furniture-grade PVC. All this means is the pieces are specifically made to be seen. They have a richer pigmentation, there is no writing on them and the edges may be rounded for better aesthetics. Also, this type of PVC is designed to endure direct sunlight better. Since the frame for your scarecrow will be hidden from view (and sunlight) for the most part, using furniture-grade PVC is an option, not a necessity.
Do scarecrows work?
If you have a garden and want to protect your crops, a scarecrow is an option. However, you can’t just stick one in the ground and expect it to scare away birds for the entire season. There are a few tricks to getting the most out of your scarecrow.
- Make it flashy: A bird depends on its eyes and ears to gather information about the environment, predators and other hazards. Adding reflective tape, old CDs or a reflective safety vest can make a bird a little more cautious about getting too close.
- Make it move: You don’t have to make the scarecrow move. Just hang something, like a wind spinner, from the scarecrow to keep the birds on their toes.
- Make it noisy: Anything that makes noise can startle a bird away. Rustling straw, wind chimes or any other item that makes noise can help increase the scarecrow’s performance.
- Change details: Since birds have keen eyesight, changing the clothing on your scarecrow from time to time may help. However, this can be a time-sensitive process, unless you are just swapping out a hat.
- Move the scarecrow: Animals adapt. If your scarecrow remains in the same location, birds will learn it isn’t a threat. Pulling it out of the ground and moving it to a new location may temporarily cause enough concern so birds stay away for a few more days.
What you need to make a DIY scarecrow
1Formufit 1 in. by 5 ft. Furniture-Grade PVC Pipe
These durable PVC pipes are ideal for your scarecrow’s frame. They are UV-resistant to hold up better when outdoors.
Sold by Home Depot
Formufit 1 in. Furniture-Grade PVC Cross Fitting
This is the cross piece you need for the center of your scarecrow frame. Again, it is UV-resistant for durability.
Sold by Home Depot
There are several ways to cut PVC pipes. However, this ratcheting model is the best way to get a precise, clean cut.
Sold by Home Depot
3M Pro Grade Precision Fine Sanding Sheets
Sanding is optional. You want to do it to give your pieces a better fit. If you are going to sand, this fast-cutting fine paper is an excellent option.
Sold by Home Depot
Oatey PVC Primer and Cement Combo Pack
To make your frame permanent, the PVC will need to be primed and glued. This convenient combo pack has everything you need to do exactly that.
Sold by Home Depot
Most of us do not have a neckerchief lying around. If you want to add a little personal flair, this offering comes in red, blue, black or white.
Sold by Amazon
You need a tough rubber band to tie off the opening, so the straw doesn’t fall out. These heavy-duty options are suitable for the task.
Sold by Amazon
Home Accents Holiday 20-inch Straw Bale
If you do not have straw, you cannot fill your scarecrow. This sun-baked straw has a beautiful rustic color.
Sold by Home Depot
While you can use rope or twine to hold your scarecrow’s pants up, suspenders are a much more fashionable option.
Sold by Amazon
Bloem Dayton Tall Plastic Planter
Just flip this affordable plastic planter upside down, draw a face and your scarecrow now has a personality.
Sold by Home Depot
This fun toy hat can be a good, affordable option to top off your creation.
Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wivb.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/lawn-care-br/how-to-make-a-diy-scarecrow-according-to-our-diy-expert/ | 2022-10-16 12:13:28 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/lawn-care-br/how-to-make-a-diy-scarecrow-according-to-our-diy-expert/ |
Retired Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) announced on Friday that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has closed a 2 1/2-year investigation of his stock trading activities without taking action against him.
“This week, the SEC informed me that they have concluded their investigation with no action. I am glad to have this matter in the rearview mirror as I begin my retirement from the Senate following nearly three decades of public service,” said Burr, who retired earlier this week after serving three terms in the Senate.
The SEC had been investigating Burr’s sale of $1.65 million worth of stock at the first outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in February 2020. The sale included a large share of hospitality industry stocks, which took a hit when worldwide travel and tourism ground to a halt a few weeks later.
The agency had scrutinized communications between Burr and his sister and brother-in-law, Gerald Fauth, before they sold stocks before many retail investors fully realized the extent of the pandemic’s impact on the economy.
Burr’s trades were also reviewed by the Justice Department, which closed its investigation in early 2021.
“Sen. Burr is pleased that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as did the U.S. Department of Justice, conducted a thorough review and closed their investigation with no action,” said Burr’s lawyer, Alice Fisher of Latham & Watkins.
“We have believed all along that this is the right result. He is glad to put this matter behind him as he embarks on his retirement from his dedicated service in the Senate,” Fisher said.
Burr stepped down as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee in May 2020 because of the investigation, giving the gavel to Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.).
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), with whom Burr is closely allied, praised the retiring North Carolina senator last month.
“For five years, Richard’s colleagues tasked him with helming the Intelligence Committee. Some of this institution’s most sensitive and critical responsibilities wound up in his lap. But Senators on both sides knew that Richard’s thoughtfulness, fairmindedness, and discretion tailor-made him for that role,” McConnell said.
Burr most recently served as the ranking member on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. | https://www.yourbasin.com/hill-politics/sec-closes-probe-into-burr-stock-trading-without-taking-action/ | 2023-01-06 18:52:46 | 0 | https://www.yourbasin.com/hill-politics/sec-closes-probe-into-burr-stock-trading-without-taking-action/ |
STOCKHOLM, Jan. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- BioArctic AB's (publ) (Nasdaq Stockholm: BIOA B) partner Eisai announced today that under the Accelerated Approval pathway the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved lecanemab-irmb[1] (Brand Name in the U.S.: LEQEMBI™) 100 mg/mL injection for intravenous use, a humanized immunoglobulin gamma 1 (IgG1) monoclonal antibody directed against aggregated soluble ("protofibrils[2]") and insoluble forms of amyloid beta (Aβ) for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The accelerated approval is based on Phase 2b data in early AD patients which demonstrated that LEQEMBI reduced the accumulation of Aβ plaque in the brain, a defining feature of AD. Using the recently published data from the large global confirmatory Phase 3 clinical trial, Clarity AD, Eisai will work quickly to file a Supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) to the FDA for approval under the traditional pathway. The approval of lecanemab-irmb by the FDA entitles BioArctic to a milestone payment of MEUR 25 from Eisai.
Indication
LEQEMBI is indicated for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Treatment with LEQEMBI should be initiated in patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia stage of disease, the population in which treatment was initiated in clinical trials. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on reduction in amyloid beta plaques observed in patients treated with LEQEMBI. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial.
Dosage and administration (patient selection, dosing instructions, monitoring and dosing interruption for ARIA)
The recommended dosage of LEQEMBI is 10 mg/kg administered intravenously once every two weeks to eligible patients with confirmed presence of Aβ pathology prior to initiating treatment. Enhanced clinical vigilance for amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA) is recommended during the first 14 weeks of treatment with LEQEMBI. Baseline, recent (within one year) brain MRI prior to initiating treatment with LEQEMBI and periodic monitoring with MRI prior to the 5th, 7th, and 14th infusions are obtained.
Adverse reactions
The safety of LEQEMBI has been evaluated in 763 patients who received at least one dose of LEQEMBI. The most common adverse reactions reported in at least 5% of patients treated with LEQEMBI 10 mg/kg biweekly (N=161) and at least 2% higher incidence than patients on placebo (N=245) were infusion-related reactions (LEQEMBI, 20%; placebo, 3%), headache (LEQEMBI, 14%; placebo, 10%), ARIA-E (LEQEMBI, 10%; placebo, 1%), cough (LEQEMBI, 9%; placebo, 5%) and diarrhea (LEQEMBI, 8%; placebo, 5%). The most common adverse reaction leading to discontinuation of LEQEMBI was infusion-related reactions which happened in 2% (4/161) of patients treated with LEQEMBI compared to 1% (2/245) of patients on placebo.
Concomitant antithrombotic medication and other risk factors for intra-cerebral hemorrhage
In Phase 2b, patients who received LEQEMBI and an antithrombotic medication (aspirin, other antiplatelets, or anticoagulants) did not have an increased risk of ARIA-H compared to patients who received placebo and an antithrombotic medication. The majority of exposures to antithrombotic medications were to aspirin; few patients were exposed to other antiplatelet drugs or anticoagulants, limiting any meaningful conclusions about the risk of ARIA or intracerebral hemorrhage in patients taking other antiplatelet drugs or anticoagulants. Because intracerebral hemorrhages greater than 1 cm in diameter have been observed in patients taking LEQEMBI, additional caution should be exercised when considering the administration of antithrombotics or a thrombolytic agent (e.g., tissue plasminogen activator) to a patient already being treated with LEQEMBI. Additionally, patients were excluded from enrollment in Phase 2b for the following risk factors for intracerebral hemorrhage: prior cerebral hemorrhage greater than 1 cm in greatest diameter, more than 4 microhemorrhages, superficial siderosis, evidence of vasogenic edema, evidence of cerebral contusion, aneurysm, vascular malformation, infective lesions, multiple lacunar infarcts or stroke involving a major vascular territory, and severe small vessel or white matter disease. Caution should be exercised when considering the use of LEQEMBI in patients with these risk factors.
"The FDA's approval of LEQEMBI under the Accelerated Approval pathway is an important milestone not only for BioArctic and our partner Eisai, but for the whole field as well as for patients, families and caregivers who can now benefit from the more than 20 years of research and development that lies behind this achievement. We are impressed by our partner Eisai's excellent work with LEQEMBI and are proud of our long-standing relationship that has led us to today's announcement," said Gunilla Osswald, CEO at BioArctic.
LEQEMBI's access and initiatives to support people living with Alzheimer's disease
The Eisai Patient Support Program will be available to offer several support programs to help patients and care partners. Dedicated Patient Navigators will work directly with patients and families to navigate treatment and coverage for eligible and appropriate patients and to help with what to expect regarding insurance coverage, co-pay and patient access programs. To learn more visit LEQEMBI.com, call 1-833-4-LEQEMBI (1-833-453-7362), Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time or by fax at 1-833-770-7017.
In addition, to support access to LEQEMBI for certain financially disadvantaged patients, Eisai's Patient Assistance Program (PAP) will provide LEQEMBI at no cost, for eligible uninsured and underinsured patients, including Medicare beneficiaries, who meet financial need and other program criteria.
Eisai has stated that they will continue to engage constructively with various payors, including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), TRICARE, the U.S. Veteran's Health Administration and private health insurance companies to ensure appropriate beneficiaries have access to this new therapy. Currently Medicare patients do not have access to LEQEMBI. Medicaid sole beneficiaries who are diagnosed by a healthcare professional with early AD and with confirmed presence of amyloid plaque in the brain will have access to LEQEMBI under the Medicaid program post accelerated approval, depending on individual state processes.
Furthermore, Eisai is developing a multi-faceted educational initiative to further advance the understanding in the AD healthcare community of the real-world management and monitoring of ARIA. This initiative, Understanding ARIA™, will provide resources and programs that will include peer-to-peer education, individual and group educational sessions and subject-matter-expert evaluation of historical case studies. Understanding ARIA will include engagements with leading experts in medical imaging as well as major professional societies. Initial resources will be available by January 2023.
LEQEMBI will be available during or before the week of January 23, 2023. Eisai has announced the U.S. pricing and rationale for LEQEMBI today in a separate news release. Eisai has based on a health economic analysis estimated the yearly societal value of Leqembi to be 37,600 USD per patient in the US. Eisai has decided to set the US launch price for Leqembi to 26,500 USD per year for the average patient, aiming to promote broader patient access, reduce overall financial burden and support health system sustainability.
Eisai has also issued a separate news release today regarding Eisai´s commitment to scientific evidence and patient safety. Both these news releases can be found on Eisai's website.
Eisai serves as the lead of LEQEMBI development and regulatory submissions globally with both Eisai and Biogen co-commercializing and co-promoting the product and Eisai having final decision-making authority. BioArctic has right to commercialize lecanemab in the Nordic under certain conditions and is currently preparing for commercialization in the Nordics together with Eisai.
INDICATION, dosage and administration, and important safety information in the U.S.
INDICATION
LEQEMBI is indicated for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Treatment with LEQEMBI should be initiated in patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia stage of disease, the population in which treatment was initiated in clinical trials. There are no safety or effectiveness data on initiating treatment at earlier or later stages of the disease than were studied. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on reduction in amyloid beta plaques observed in patients treated with LEQEMBI. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
Amyloid Related Imaging Abnormalities
LEQEMBI can cause amyloid related imaging abnormalities-edema (ARIA-E) and -hemosiderin deposition (ARIA-H) ARIA-E can be observed on MRI as a brain edema or sulcal effusions, and ARIA-H as microhemorrhage and superficial siderosis. ARIA is usually asymptomatic, although serious and life-threatening events, including seizure and status epilepticus, rarely can occur. Reported symptoms associated with ARIA may include headache, confusion, visual changes, dizziness, nausea, and gait difficulty. Focal neurologic deficits may also occur. Symptoms associated with ARIA usually resolve over time.
ARIA monitoring and dose management guidelines
- Obtain recent (within one year) brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) prior to initiating treatment with LEQEMBI. Obtain an MRI prior to the 5th, 7th, and 14th infusions.
- Recommendations for dosing in patients with ARIA-E and ARIA-H depend on clinical symptoms and radiographic severity. Depending on ARIA severity, use clinical judgment in considering whether to continue dosing, continue treatment, or permanently discontinue LEQEMBI.
- Enhanced clinical vigilance for ARIA is recommended during the first 14 weeks of treatment with LEQEMBI. If a patient experiences symptoms suggestive of ARIA, clinical evaluation should be performed, including MRI if indicated. If ARIA is observed on MRI, careful clinical evaluation should be performed prior to continuing treatment.
- There is no experience in patients who continued dosing through symptomatic ARIA-E or through asymptomatic, but radiographically severe, ARIA-E. There is limited experience in patients who continued dosing through asymptomatic but radiographically mild to moderate ARIA-E. There are limited data in dosing patients who experienced recurrent ARIA-E.
Incidence of ARIA
- In Study 1 (Phase 2b), symptomatic ARIA-E occurred in 3% (5/161) of LEQEMBI-treated patients. Clinical symptoms associated with ARIA resolved in 80% of patients during the period of observation.
- Including asymptomatic cases, ARIA was observed in LEQEMBI: 12% (20/161), placebo: 5% (13/245). ARIA-E was observed in LEQEMBI: 10% (16/161), placebo: 1% (2/245). ARIA-H was observed in LEQEMBI: 6% (10/161), placebo 5% (12/245). There was no increase in isolated ARIA-H for LEQEMBI compared to placebo.
- Intracerebral hemorrhage >1 cm in diameter was reported after one treatment in LEQEMBI: 1 patient, placebo: zero patients. Events of intracerebral hemorrhage, including fatal events, in patients taking LEQEMBI have also been reported in other studies.
Apolipoprotein E ε4 (ApoE ε4) carrier status and risk of ARIA
- In Study 1 (Phase 2b), 6% (10/161) of patients in the LEQEMBI group were ApoE ε4 homozygotes, 24% (39/161) were heterozygotes, and 70% (112/161) were noncarriers.
- The incidence of ARIA was higher in APOE ε4 homozygotes than in heterozygotes and noncarriers among patients treated with LEQEMBI. Of the 5 LEQEMBI-treated patients who had symptomatic ARIA, 4 were ApoE ε4 homozygotes, 2 of whom experienced severe symptoms. An increased incidence of symptomatic and overall ARIA in ApoE ε4 homozygotes compared to heterozygotes and noncarriers in LEQEMBI-treated patients has been reported in other studies.
- The recommendations on management of ARIA do not differ between ApoE ε4 carriers and noncarriers.
- Consider testing for ApoE ε4 status to inform the risk of developing ARIA when deciding to initiate treatment with LEQEMBI.
Radiographic findings
- The majority of ARIA-E radiographic events occurred early in treatment (within the first 7 doses), although ARIA can occur at any time and patients can have more than 1 episode. The maximum radiographic severity of ARIA-E in patients treated with LEQEMBI was mild in 4% (7/161) of patients, moderate in 4% (7/161) of patients, and severe in 1% (2/161) of patients. Resolution on MRI occurred in 62% of ARIA-E patients by 12 weeks, 81% by 21 weeks, and 94% overall after detection. The maximum radiographic severity of ARIA-H microhemorrhage in patients treated with LEQEMBI was mild in 4% (7/161) of patients and severe in 1% (2/161) of patients; 1 of the 10 patients with ARIA-H had mild superficial siderosis.
Concomitant antithrombotic medication and other risk factors for intra-cerebral hemorrhage
- Patients were excluded from enrollment in Study 1 (Phase 2b) based on baseline use of anticoagulant medications. Antiplatelet medications such as aspirin and clopidogrel were allowed. If anticoagulant medication was used because of intercurrent medical events that required treatment for ≤4 weeks, treatment with LEQEMBI was to be temporarily suspended.
- Most exposures to antithrombotic medications were to aspirin; few patients were exposed to other antiplatelet drugs or anticoagulants, limiting any meaningful conclusions about the risk of ARIA or intracerebral hemorrhage in patients taking other antiplatelet drugs or anticoagulants. Because intracerebral hemorrhages >1 cm in diameter have been observed in patients taking LEQEMBI, additional caution should be exercised when considering the administration of antithrombotics or a thrombolytic agent (e.g., tissue plasminogen activator) to a patient already being treated with LEQEMBI.
- Patients were excluded from enrollment in Study 1 (Phase 2b) for the following risk factors for intra-cerebral hemorrhage: prior cerebral hemorrhage greater than> 1 cm in greatest diameter, more than 4 microhemorrhages, superficial siderosis, evidence of vasogenic edema, evidence of cerebral contusion, aneurysm, vascular malformation, infective lesions, multiple lacunar infarcts or stroke involving a major vascular territory, severe small vessel or white matter disease. Caution should be exercised when considering the use of LEQEMBI in patients with these risk factors.
Infusion-related reactions
- Infusion-related reactions were observed in LEQEMBI: 20% (32/161), placebo: 3% (8/245, and the majority (88%, 28/32) occurred with the first infusion. All infusion-related reactions were mild (56%) or moderate (44%) in severity. Infusion-related reactions resulted in discontinuations in 2% (4/161) of patients treated with LEQEMBI. Symptoms of infusion-related reactions include fever and flu-like symptoms (chills, generalized aches, feeling shaky, and joint pain), nausea, vomiting, hypotension, hypertension, and oxygen desaturation.
- After the first infusion, 38% of LEQEMBI-treated patients had transient decreased lymphocyte counts to less than 0.9 x109/L compared to 2% in patients on placebo, and 22% of patients treated with LEQEMBI had transient increased neutrophil counts to greater 7.9 x109/L compared to 1% of patients on placebo.
- In the event of an infusion-related reaction, the infusion rate may be reduced, or the infusion may be discontinued, and appropriate therapy initiated as clinically indicated. Prophylactic treatment with antihistamines, acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or corticosteroids prior to future infusions may be considered.
ADVERSE REACTIONS
- In Study 1 (Phase 2b), 15% of LEQEMBI-treated patients, compared to 6% of placebo-treated patients, stopped study treatment because of an adverse reaction. The most common adverse reaction leading to discontinuation of LEQEMBI was infusion-related reactions that led to discontinuation in 2% (4/161) of patients treated with LEQEMBI compared to 1% (2/245) of patients on placebo.
- The most common adverse reactions reported in >5% of patients treated with LEQEMBI (N=161) and >2% higher than placebo (N=245) in Study 1 (Phase 2b) were infusion-related reactions (LEQEMBI, 20%; placebo, 3%), headache (LEQEMBI, 14%; placebo, 10%), ARIA-E (LEQEMBI, 10%; placebo, 1%), cough (LEQEMBI, 9%; placebo, 5%) and diarrhea (LEQEMBI, 8%; placebo, 5%).
Please see full Prescribing Information.
This information is information that BioArctic AB (publ) is obliged to disclose pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was released for public disclosure, through the agency of the contact person below, on January 6, 2023, at 20:30 a.m. CET.
For further information, please contact:
Oskar Bosson, VP Communications and IR
E-mail: oskar.bosson@bioarctic.se
Phone: +46 70 410 71 80
About LEQEMBI™ (lecanemab-irmb)
LEQEMBI™ (lecanemab-irmb) is a humanized immunoglobulin gamma 1 (IgG1) monoclonal antibody directed against aggregated soluble and insoluble forms of amyloid-beta (Aβ). LEQEMBI is indicated for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the U.S. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on reduction in Aβ plaques observed in patients treated with LEQEMBI. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial. Using the recently published data from the large global confirmatory Phase 3 clinical trial, Clarity AD, Eisai will work quickly to file a Supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) to the FDA for approval under the traditional pathway.
Lecanemab is the result of a strategic research alliance between Eisai and BioArctic. Eisai has initiated submission of data for BLA to the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China in December 2022. Eisai plans to file for marketing authorization applications of lecanemab in Japan and Europe by the end of the first quarter 2023.
Since July 2020 Eisai's Phase 3 clinical study (AHEAD 3-45) for individuals with preclinical AD, meaning they are clinically normal and have intermediate or elevated levels of amyloid in their brains, is ongoing. AHEAD 3-45 is conducted as a public-private partnership between the Alzheimer's Clinical Trial Consortium that provides the infrastructure for academic clinical trials in AD and related dementias in the U.S, funded by the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health, Eisai and Biogen.
Since January 2022, the Tau NexGen clinical study for Dominantly Inherited AD (DIAD), that is conducted by Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network Trials Unit (DIAN-TU), led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, is ongoing. Eisai has completed a LEQEMBI subcutaneous bioavailability study and subcutaneous dosing is currently being evaluated in the Clarity AD open label extension study.
About Amyloid-Related Imaging Abnormalities (ARIA)
ARIA is an important adverse event of amyloid-lowering therapies that is critical to monitor and manage during treatment. ARIA is most commonly seen as temporary swelling/effusion (ARIA-E) in areas of the brain that usually resolves over time. Some people may also have small spots of bleeding in or on the surface of the brain (ARIA-H) with the swelling. Although most people with ARIA-E do not have symptoms, some people may have symptoms such as headache, confusion, dizziness, vision changes and nausea.
About the collaboration between BioArctic and Eisai
Since 2005, BioArctic has a long-term collaboration with Eisai regarding the development and commercialization of drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The most important agreements are the Development and Commercialization Agreement for the lecanemab antibody, which was signed in December 2007, and the Development and Commercialization agreement for the antibody BAN2401 back-up for Alzheimer's disease, which was signed in May 2015. In March 2014, Eisai and Biogen entered into a joint development and commercialization agreement for lecanemab. Eisai is responsible for the clinical development, application for market approval and commercialization of the products for Alzheimer's disease. BioArctic has right to commercialize lecanemab in the Nordic under certain conditions and is currently preparing for commercialization in the Nordics together with Eisai. BioArctic has no development costs for lecanemab in Alzheimer's disease and is entitled to payments in connection with regulatory filings, approvals, and sales milestones as well as royalties on global sales.
About BioArctic AB
BioArctic AB (publ) is a Swedish research-based biopharma company focusing on disease-modifying treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and ALS. BioArctic focuses on innovative treatments in areas with high unmet medical needs. The company was founded in 2003 based on innovative research from Uppsala University, Sweden. Collaborations with universities are of great importance to the company together with its strategically important global partner Eisai in Alzheimer disease. The project portfolio is a combination of fully funded projects run in partnership with global pharmaceutical companies and innovative in-house projects with significant market and out-licensing potential. BioArctic's Class B share is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm Mid Cap (ticker: BIOA B). For more information about BioArctic, please visit www.bioarctic.com.
[1] Lecanemab has been given the -irmb add-on by the FDA for the approved substance. -irmb is a suffix required by the FDA. Suffixes are used to differentiate originator biological products, related biological products, and biosimilar products containing related drug substances
[2] protofibrils is large Aβ aggregated soluble species of 75-500 Kd.
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SOURCE BioArctic | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2023/01/09/fda-approves-leqembi-lecanemab-irmb-under-accelerated-approval-pathway-treatment-alzheimers-disease/ | 2023-01-09 03:21:06 | 1 | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2023/01/09/fda-approves-leqembi-lecanemab-irmb-under-accelerated-approval-pathway-treatment-alzheimers-disease/ |
7 of 8 victims in San Diego migrant boat disaster presumed to be Mexican, consulate says
Seven of the eight people who died late Saturday night when two suspected human smuggling boats capsized near Black’s Beach are presumed to be citizens of Mexico, officials from the foreign consulate said Monday.
That presumption was “based on the identifications that some of them carried,” Alberto Lozano, a spokesperson for the Consulate General of Mexico in San Diego, wrote in a news release.
The nationality of the eighth person was unknown Monday. Personnel from the San Diego County medical examiner’s office will identify the victims.
San Diego lifeguards and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers discovered the victims in the water and along the sand at Black’s Beach, at the foot of the bluffs a little south of the Torrey Pines Gliderport, after a woman called 911 around 11:30 p.m. Saturday. The woman, who spoke Spanish, told a dispatcher there were eight people on her boat and somewhere between eight and 15 on a second boat that had overturned.
When emergency crews arrived, they found two overturned boats, eight victims and no survivors, authorities said Sunday, adding that some people may have left before emergency personnel arrived. Several life jackets and fuel barrels had been abandoned along a roughly 400-yard stretch of sand.
Search-and-rescue efforts soon transformed into a search-and-recovery mission, though one hampered by thick fog that rendered helicopters useless.
Lifeguards from the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department searched the area until about 5 a.m. Sunday. Since then, lifeguards have been patrolling the site and surrounding areas, spokesperson Mónica Muñoz said.
The Coast Guard sent a helicopter to the site late Saturday, but the poor visibility caused them to quickly abandon the search. On Sunday morning, the agency sent a small boat, a cutter and a helicopter to help with the search, but called off their resources about 4 p.m., according to Adam Stanton, a Coast Guard spokesperson.
With no additional bodies discovered, authorities have turned their attention to identifying the eight victims and investigating who was responsible for the deadly mishap.
Border Patrol officials said a maritime task force from Homeland Security Investigations, an agency under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security, is investigating the incident. A DHS spokesperson declined to comment on the investigation Monday.
A spokesperson from the county medical examiner’s office said there was no information available about the victims’ identities as of Monday, but that autopsies were being performed. He said staff will often work closely with consulate officials from a victim’s country of origin.
“There is a reasonable assumption all are from another country,” Chuck Westerheide, a spokesperson for the medical examiner’s office, wrote in an email.
Westerheide said even if the victims had identification on them, that “serves as more of a clue or guide” and is not enough to start notifying family members. Fingerprints can help, though matching them with records from another country is “sometimes difficult,” Westerheide wrote. “Tattoos or other identifying marks” can also help investigators confirm someone’s identity.
Lozano, the Mexican consulate spokesperson, said that as soon as the medical examiner’s office confirms the identities, consulate officials will notify the victims’ families.
Carlos González Gutiérrez, the consul general of Mexico in San Diego, thanked emergency crews for their efforts and offered a warning to migrants to avoid putting their lives at risk.
“People planning to cross the border into the United States, either by land or sea, should know that human smugglers will take advantage of their need in order to obtain illicit money, distorting reality, creating false expectations, and exposing them to high-risk conditions where they may lose their lives,” he said in a statement.
Lozano said those who believe their relatives may be among the dead can call the consulate’s emergency line at (619) 843-6399 or contact the office at proteccion@consulmexsd.org.
They can also contact the Center for Information and Attention to Mexicans — known as CIAM by its Spanish acronym — in the U.S. at (520) 623-7874.
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You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. | https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-03-13/victims-san-diego-migrant-boat-disaster-presumed-to-be-mexican | 2023-03-14 01:05:17 | 0 | https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-03-13/victims-san-diego-migrant-boat-disaster-presumed-to-be-mexican |
DUBLIN (AP) — Italy’s rugby federation opened an investigation Thursday after a Black player at Benetton Treviso was given a rotten banana as a holiday gift.
Benetton also suspended a player for the duration of the probe as a “precautionary” measure, the club said in taking action a day after Cherif Traore aired his frustrations on social media.
Traore, a 28-year-old prop who was born in Guinea, described the anonymous gift from a Secret Santa event as an “offensive gesture” that later prompted apologies from teammates.
The United Rugby Championship earlier Thursday called for Benetton to take “meaningful action.” Benetton is one of two Italian clubs that play in the 16-team competition.
Benetton and the federation then published a joint statement announcing the suspension and the investigation.
Traore also plays for the Italian national team and made two appearances in this year’s Six Nations tournament. He said he had lost sleep over the incident.
Benetton had been criticized for its initial response. The club held a team meeting during which teammates apologized to Traore. The club then announced that Traore accepted the apologies before it posted a video message from Traore on its Twitter account.
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More AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/italy-rugby-investigates-racist-gift-club-suspends-a-player/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2022-12-22 21:57:56 | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/italy-rugby-investigates-racist-gift-club-suspends-a-player/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
WASHINGTON – Rep. Jeff Jackson of North Carolina has used it to explain the complex fight over raising the debt limit. Rep. Robert Garcia of California has used it to engage with members of the LGBTQ+ community. And Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania has used it to give an overview of Election Day results.
As pressure against TikTok mounts in Washington, the more than two dozen members of Congress — all Democrats — who are active on the social media platform are being pushed by their colleagues to stop using it. Many defend their presence on the platform, saying they have a responsibility as public officials to meet Americans where they are — and more than 150 million are on TikTok.
“I’m sensitive to the ban and recognize some of the security implications. But there is no more robust and expeditious way to reach young people in the United States of America than TikTok,” Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota told The Associated Press.
Yet the lawmakers active on TikTok remain a distinct minority. Most in Congress are in favor of limiting the app, forcing a sale to remove connections to China, or even banning it outright. The U.S. armed forces and more than half of U.S. states have already banned the app from official devices, as has the federal government. Similar bans have been imposed in Denmark, Canada, Great Britain and New Zealand, as well as the European Union.
Criticism of TikTok reached a new level last week as CEO Shou Zi Chew testified for more than six hours at a contentious hearing in the House. Lawmakers grilled Chew about the implications of the app for America's national security and the effect on the mental health of its users. And the tough questions came from both sides of the aisle, as Republicans and Democrats alike pressed Chew about TikTok’s content moderation practices, its ability to shield American data from Beijing, and its spying on journalists.
“I've got to hand it to you," said Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, as members questioned Chew over data security and harmful content. “You’ve actually done something that in the last three to four years has not happened except for the exception of maybe (Russian president) Vladimir Putin. You have unified Republicans and Democrats.”
While the hearing made plain that lawmakers view TikTok as a threat, their lack of first-hand experience with the app was apparent at times. Some made inaccurate and head-scratching comments, seemingly not understanding how TikTok connects to a home Wi-Fi router or how it moderates illicit content.
Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., who is active on the app and opposes a nationwide ban, called the hearing “cringeworthy."
“It was just so painful to watch,” he told the AP on Friday. “And it just shows the real problem is Congress doesn’t have a lot of expertise, whether it be social media or, for that matter, more importantly, technology.”
Garcia, who said he uses TikTok more as a consumer, said most of his colleagues who are proposing a nationwide ban told him they had never used the app. “It gets hard to understand if you’re not actually on it,” the freshman Democrat said. “And at the end of the day, a lot of TikTok is harmless people dancing and funny videos.”
“It’s also incredibly rich educational content, and learning how to bake and learning about the political process,” he said.
Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., who has more than 180,000 followers on the app, held a news conference with TikTok influencers before the hearing. He accused Republicans of pushing a ban on TikTok for political reasons.
“There are 150 million people on TikTok and we are more connected to them than Republicans are,” Bowman said. “So for them, it’s all about fear-mongering and power. It’s not TikTok, because, again, we’ve looked the other way and allowed Facebook and other platforms to do similar things.”
Critics of TikTok in Congress say their opposition is rooted in national security, not politics. TikTok is a wholly owned subsidiary of Chinese technology firm ByteDance Ltd., which appoints its executives. They worry Chinese authorities could force ByteDance to hand over TikTok data on American users, effectively turning the app into a data-mining operation for a foreign power. The company insists it is taking steps to make sure that can never happen.
“The basic approach that we’re following is to make it physically impossible for any government, including the Chinese government, to get access to U.S. user data,” general counsel Erich Andersen said during an interview with the AP on Friday at a cybersecurity conference in California.
TikTok has been emphasizing a $1.5 billion proposal to store all U.S. user data on servers owned and maintained by the software giant Oracle. Access to U.S. data would be managed by U.S. employees through a separate entity run independently of ByteDance and monitored by outside observers.
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina took the unusual step of releasing a public statement urging all members of Congress to stop using TikTok, including from his home state — seemingly a jab at Jackson, who is one of the more active members with more than 1.8 million followers.
“I was just saying if we’re having a discussion about TikTok then I think we ought to at least reduce the pull factor by elected officials who can simply come off of it,” Tillis said this week, when asked about his statement. “I don’t have a TikTok account. So that was an easy separation for me.”
Loud warnings about TikTok have also been coming from the Biden administration. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and FBI Director Christopher Wray have told Congress in recent weeks that TikTok is a national security threat. Blinken told lawmakers the threat “should be ended one way or another."
But some members are unconvinced.
“It’s like turning your cell phone off on an airplane. You’re supposed to do. And if it was super dangerous, I don’t think we will be allowed to have the phone on the plane,” Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio, said Wednesday, “So if it was super dangerous for members of Congress to have this app on their phone, you have to imagine the administration or our government would say absolutely not, you can’t have it on a government phone.”
Concerns about what kind of content Americans encounter online, or how their data is collected by technology companies, also aren’t new. Congress has been wanting to curtail the amount of data tech companies collect on consumers through a national privacy law, but those efforts have stalled repeatedly over the years.
Supporters of TikTok on Capitol Hill are urging their colleagues to educate themselves about social media as a whole so Congress can pass legislation that deals with broader issues of data privacy, instead of hyper-focusing on a ban of TikTok, which could risk political backlash and a court fight over the reach of the First Amendment.
“We are uninformed and misinformed. We don’t even understand how social media works. We don’t know anything about data brokers and how data brokers sell our data to foreign countries and foreign companies right now,” Bowman said. “So ban TikTok tomorrow, this stuff is still going to be happening.”
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Associated Press writer Haleluya Hadero in Sausalito, California, contributed to this report. | https://www.wsls.com/news/politics/2023/04/03/members-of-congress-on-tiktok-defend-apps-reach-to-voters/ | 2023-04-03 05:13:09 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/politics/2023/04/03/members-of-congress-on-tiktok-defend-apps-reach-to-voters/ |
- DOE program supports critical domestic clean energy & national security priorities
- Pending membership in DOE HALEU Consortium to support fuel for next generation advanced nuclear reactors
LAKEWOOD, Colo., Dec. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR) ("Energy Fuels" or the "Company"), a leading U.S. producer of uranium and rare earth elements ("REE"), today announced that it has been awarded a contract to sell $18.5 million of natural uranium concentrates ("U3O8") to the U.S. government for the establishment of a strategic uranium reserve (the "Uranium Reserve"). The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration ("NNSA"), an office within the U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE"), is the agency tasked with purchasing domestic U3O8 and conversion services for the Uranium Reserve. The Uranium Reserve is intended to be a backup source of supply for domestic nuclear power plants in the event of a significant market disruption. Additionally, the Company announced its application for membership in the DOE's newly created HALEU Consortium.
Energy Fuels expects to complete the sale of uranium for the Uranium Reserve to NNSA during Q1-2023 and realize total gross proceeds of $18.5 million. The U3O8 the Company expects to sell to the U.S. government is currently held in the Company's inventory at the Metropolis Works Conversion Facility, located in Metropolis, Illinois. The sale does not involve the physical movement of material, so the sale and transfer can be completed quickly.
Mark S. Chalmers, President and CEO of Energy Fuels stated: "Energy Fuels is pleased to contribute to U.S. energy security by supplying U.S.-origin uranium to the U.S. uranium reserve. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has highlighted America's troubling dependence on Russia and its allies for our nuclear fuel and uranium supply, and the need for the U.S. to rebuild its uranium and nuclear fuel capabilities. Today, nuclear energy provides the U.S. with roughly 20% of all electricity, and 50% of our clean, carbon-free electricity. U.S. and European nuclear industries are actively working to shift away from Russian uranium supply, but the process will be difficult and lengthy. The U.S. can rely on supply from allies like Canada, Australia and others for a large proportion of our uranium and nuclear fuel supply, but we must also restore our own capabilities. For the past several years, U.S. uranium production has been near-zero and our only uranium conversion facility has been shut-down. The Uranium Reserve is a small, but important, step toward resolving this untenable situation."
On December 12, 2022, Energy Fuels also applied for membership in the DOE's newly created HALEU Consortium. The HALEU Consortium is a program managed by the DOE's office of Nuclear Energy ("NE") intended to help create a secure domestic supply of high-assay, low-enriched uranium ("HALEU") used by many of the next generation of advanced nuclear reactor technologies. HALEU enables many advanced reactor designs to be smaller and more efficient than traditional reactors. The uranium used in traditional nuclear reactors is enriched to roughly 3% - 5% of the fissionable isotope, uranium-235 ("U-235"). HALEU is enriched to between 5% and 20% U-235. Today, only Russian companies are able to supply HALEU, which is causing delays in the development of advanced reactors. For example, TerraPower recently announced a delay in building its first Natrium reactor in Wyoming. TerraPower is a high-profile next generation advanced reactor developer funded by Bill Gates. TerraPower specifically attributed the delay to the lack of availability of HALEU outside of Russia.
As the leading producer of U3O8 in the U.S., and the owner and operator of the only conventional uranium mill in the U.S., Energy Fuels believes it can play an important role in advising the DOE and teaming with other companies for this critical program. Furthermore, Energy Fuels is pursuing other DOE priorities related to uranium production, including rare earth element and medical isotope production.
Mr. Chalmers continued: "Energy Fuels is increasingly recognized by the U.S. government and other market participants as indispensable to weaning the U.S. off of Russian uranium supply, and as a solid partner in other important priorities. Our White Mesa Mill is critical and unique domestic infrastructure, with licenses, expertise and capabilities found nowhere else in the U.S., that are needed to produce uranium, and many other critical minerals and materials. We stand ready to play a critical role in restoring America's uranium, rare earths, and other critical material capabilities, while reducing our troubling dependence on Russia and China."
About Energy Fuels: Energy Fuels is a leading U.S.-based uranium mining company, supplying U3O8 to major nuclear utilities. The Company also produces vanadium from certain of its projects, as market conditions warrant, mixed rare earth element carbonate ("RE Carbonate") from uranium-bearing monazite ores and is ramping up to full commercial-scale production of separated rare earth oxides. Its corporate offices are in Lakewood, Colorado near Denver, and all its assets and employees are in the United States. Energy Fuels holds two of America's key uranium production centers: the White Mesa Mill in Utah and the Nichols Ranch ISR Project in Wyoming. The White Mesa Mill is the only conventional uranium mill operating in the U.S. today, has a licensed capacity of over 8 million pounds of U3O8 per year, and has the ability to produce vanadium when market conditions warrant, as well as RE Carbonate from various uranium-bearing ores. The Nichols Ranch ISR Project is currently on standby and has a licensed capacity of 2 million pounds of U3O8 per year. In addition to the above production facilities, Energy Fuels also has one of the largest S-K 1300 and NI 43-101 compliant uranium resource portfolios in the U.S. and several uranium and uranium/vanadium mining projects on standby and in various stages of permitting and development. The primary trading market for Energy Fuels' common shares is the NYSE American under the trading symbol "UUUU," and the Company's common shares are also listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol "EFR." Energy Fuels' website is www.energyfuels.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains certain "Forward Looking Information" and "Forward Looking Statements" within the meaning of applicable United States and Canadian securities legislation, which may include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: any expectation that the Company will complete the contemplated sale of uranium to the DOE in Q1-2023 or at all; any expectation that the Company will maintain its position as a leading uranium company in the United States; any expectation that the Company will be admitted as a member of the HALEU Consortium or that the Company can play an important role in this critical program; any expectation that the Mill will be successful in producing RE Carbonate and/or separated rare earth element oxides on a full-scale commercial basis or at all; any expectation that the Company will successfully produce radioisotopes to be used for the production of medical isotopes on a commercial basis or at all; any expectation that the Company is increasingly being recognized by the U.S. government and other market participants as an indispensable party in efforts to wean the U.S. off of Russian uranium supply, and a partner in other important priorities; and any expectation that the Company stands ready to play a critical role in restoring America's uranium, rare earths and other critical material capabilities, while reducing America's dependence on Russia and China. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans," "expects," "does not expect," "is expected," "is likely," "budgets," "scheduled," "estimates," "forecasts," "intends," "anticipates," "does not anticipate," or "believes," or variations of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may," "could," "would," "might" or "will be taken," "occur," "be achieved" or "have the potential to." All statements, other than statements of historical fact, herein are considered to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements express or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include risks associated with: commodity prices and price fluctuations; processing and mining difficulties, upsets and delays; permitting and licensing requirements and delays; changes to regulatory requirements; legal challenges; the availability of feed sources for the Mill; competition from other producers; public opinion; government and political actions; available supplies of monazite sands; the ability of the Mill to produce RE Carbonate to meet commercial specifications on a commercial scale at acceptable costs; the ability of the Mill to separate rare earth oxides to meet commercial specifications on a commercial scale at acceptable costs; market factors, including future demand for rare earth elements; the ability of the Mill to be able to separate radium or other radioisotopes at reasonable costs or at all; market prices and demand for medical isotopes; and the other factors described under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is available for review on EDGAR at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml, on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, and on the Company's website at www.energyfuels.com. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company disclaims, other than as required by law, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, results, future events, circumstances, or if management's estimates or opinions should change, or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update the information in this communication, except as otherwise required by law.
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SOURCE Energy Fuels Inc. | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2022/12/16/energy-fuels-awarded-contract-sell-185-million-uranium-us-uranium-reserve/ | 2022-12-16 12:39:50 | 1 | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2022/12/16/energy-fuels-awarded-contract-sell-185-million-uranium-us-uranium-reserve/ |
MIAMI (AP) — “The Greatest Show on Earth” is making a comeback five years after shutting down its three-ring circus.
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey announced Wednesday that their show will go on in September 2023 — without animals.
The show will be interactive, featuring audience engagement, and celebrate performers from around the world, displaying what it calls "incredible feats that push the limits of human potential.”
“We are innovating all aspects of the live show and modernizing the franchise to create an engaging property that is built for today’s families and will last another 150 years,” said Kenneth Feld, chair and chief executive officer of Feld Entertainment, which operates the show.
The Florida-based company says it is conducting a global talent search, with rehearsals beginning next month.
"More than 1,000 applications and digital submissions have already been received," the company said in a statement.
The tour will be in 50 cities across North America. | https://www.wptv.com/news/state/ringling-bros-announces-comeback-tour-but-without-animals | 2022-05-18 17:21:43 | 1 | https://www.wptv.com/news/state/ringling-bros-announces-comeback-tour-but-without-animals |
Investigators search for suspect after Orange County hit-and-run kills man
Investigators search for suspect after Orange County hit-and-run kills man
WE’RE LEARNING NEW DETAILS ABOUT A DEADLY HIT AND RUN THAT HAPPENED IN ORANGE COUNTY THE CRASH TOOK PLACE THAT UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD AND GOLDENROD ROAD MONDAY NIGHT, FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL SAYS THE DRIVER HIT A 39 YEAR OLD MAN WHO LATER DIED FROM HIS INJURIES. THE FHP REPORT SAYS THE DRIVER WAS IN A SEDAN POSSIBLY A BLUE TOYOTA CAMRY AND WAS HEADING EAST ON UNIVERSITY THE DRIVER HIT THE MAN WHO WAS CROSSING THE STREET NOT AT A CROSSWALK. INVESTIGATORS SAY THE DRIVER DID NOT STOP THEY’RE ASKING ANYONE WITH INFORMATION TO CALL FHP O
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Investigators search for suspect after Orange County hit-and-run kills man
An Orange County hit-and-run crash killed a pedestrian Monday, according to Florida Highway Patrol.A 39-year-old Orlando man was crossing the road on University Boulevard near Goldenrod Road when he fell in one of the lanes. Around 11:12 p.m. Monday, a vehicle struck the pedestrian, Florida Highway Patrol said. State troopers are still searching for the driver involved in the crash.A piece of a vehicle's front tire was recovered at the scene, and troopers say they believe it belongs to a dark blue Toyota Camry. Florida Highway Patrol is asking anyone with information to contact them or call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.Top headlines: 4 killed in Orlando shooting including child, suspect Deputies: Body found in missing Volusia County teacher’s car Healthcare workers take video of dementia patient, call her ‘embarrassing’, officials say
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. —
An Orange County hit-and-run crash killed a pedestrian Monday, according to Florida Highway Patrol.
A 39-year-old Orlando man was crossing the road on University Boulevard near Goldenrod Road when he fell in one of the lanes.
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Around 11:12 p.m. Monday, a vehicle struck the pedestrian, Florida Highway Patrol said.
State troopers are still searching for the driver involved in the crash.
A piece of a vehicle's front tire was recovered at the scene, and troopers say they believe it belongs to a dark blue Toyota Camry.
Florida Highway Patrol is asking anyone with information to contact them or call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.
Top headlines: | https://www.wesh.com/article/hit-and-run-man-dies-orange-county/43548064 | 2023-04-10 00:03:09 | 1 | https://www.wesh.com/article/hit-and-run-man-dies-orange-county/43548064 |
Cars crash into buildings in Toms River, Linden NJ
Two cars caused significant damage after running into buildings in Linden and Toms River Thursday.
A car headed eastbound on St. Georges Avenue in Linden around 3:35 p.m. crashed into Za's Convenience Store after the driver lost control turning onto Adams Street, according to Linden police.
The driver was not injured but a 46-year-old man inside the store suffered a medical episode and was taken to Trinitas Regional Medical Center. Fire crews shored up the building afterwards.
A comment on the Linden police Facebook page said the store had just completed a renovation.
It was the second time a car crashed into a building in Linden in August.
A car on Aug. 8 struck the Team Car Wash on the Roselle side of St. Georges Avenue, crossed the street and went through the front window of Timeless Furniture in Linden.
Foot stuck behind the brake pedal
An 86-year-old Brick woman slammed into the side of St. Justin's Roman Catholic Church on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River around 10:15 a.m., putting a hole in the wall.
Toms River police said Frances Baranowski’s foot became stuck on the gas pedal and behind the brake pedal causing the car to accelerate forward, hit the curb, and go airborne before crashing into the building.
The building sustained considerable damage to the structure and was deemed unsafe by the Toms River Township Building Department. Baranowski refused medical treatment at the scene.
Rev. Mark A. Kreder said on the chruch's Facebook page that repairs have already started on the building and a determination will be made on Friday about weekend services.
No charges have been filed in either incident.
Dan Alexander is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com
Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story. | https://nj1015.com/cars-crash-into-buildings-in-toms-river-linden-nj/ | 2022-08-19 18:08:49 | 1 | https://nj1015.com/cars-crash-into-buildings-in-toms-river-linden-nj/ |
A long-running religious freedom case has come full circle, with a court ruling this week that a deeply conservative Amish community in Minnesota cannot be threatened with the loss of homes if its members don’t install septic systems to dispose of their bath, laundry and dish water.
The state Court of Appeals on Monday found that members of the Swartzentruber Amish community in southeastern Minnesota don’t need to install septic systems to dispose of “gray water,” which is dirty water left from dishwashing, laundry, bathing, and other tasks not involving toilet waste. Two years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed court rulings that had required the group to install septic tanks.
The Supreme Court ruling said governments can infringe on sincerely held religious beliefs only as a last resort and sent the case back to Minnesota, where the appellate panel ruled that state and local officials “failed to demonstrate a compelling state interest” to justify overriding the Amish families’ religious freedom.
Here’s a look at the legal dispute and the traditionalist religious community at the root of it.
The Amish are a Christian religious group that, based on its religious beliefs, shuns many modern technologies like electric and gas-powered machinery. Members are likely most recognizable by their use of horse-and-buggy transportation. There are more than 360,000 Amish in the U.S., and at least 32 states had an Amish population as of 2022, concentrated in the Midwest and East Coast states.
The Swartzentruber Amish are among the most restrictive concerning the use of technologies and eschew everything from tractors and refrigeration to phones and flushing toilets.
It’s essentially about plumbing — specifically, the disposal of gray water. The Swartzentruber Amish do not have modern running water in their homes. Water arrives through a single line and is either pumped by hand or delivered by gravity from an external cistern.
In 2013, Fillmore County adopted an ordinance requiring most homes to have a septic system for the disposal of gray water. The Amish community sought an exemption “in the name of our Lord,” explaining that their religion forbids the use of such technology. They also offered an alternative used in more than a dozen other states that would allow them to funnel gray water from their homes by pipes to earthen basins filled with wood chips to filter solids and grease from the water as it drains, similar to how a septic system would work.
But the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency refused, and filed an administrative enforcement action against 23 Amish families in Fillmore County, threatening criminal penalties, civil fines and even to force them from their homes if they didn’t comply. State officials presented testimony from an expert in court that said the mulch basins would not be as effective and that the mulch would quickly clog with solids and grease, requiring frequent relocating of new mulch pits.
State courts acknowledged that the requirement for septic tanks systems burdened the Amish community’s religious beliefs. But the courts also found that septic systems — not mulch basins — would be the least-restrictive means for the Amish families to meet the government’s interest in protecting public health and the environment.
The case made it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2021, which found that Minnesota courts overstepped. It said the burden was on the government to prove that the mulch basins wouldn’t work, not on the Amish to show they would. And it sent the case back to the Minnesota courts for reconsideration. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote that if “the government can achieve its interests in a manner that does not burden religion, it must do so.”
Gray water is more hazardous to public health than it might sound, wastewater treatment expert Sara Heger testified in the lawsuit over the Fillmore County septic system requirement.
Heger, a researcher at the University of Minnesota, acknowledged that gray water is less dangerous than toilet waste, or “black water.” But gray water carries contaminants such as human fecal material, harmful bacteria and viruses, and a variety of chemicals, commercial soaps and detergents that contain nitrogen and phosphorous that pose environmental problems.
“Whatever might make you sick, that’s also present in the gray water,” she said.
The lower courts also found that while mulch basins may work in other states, the topography of Fillmore County — including fissures, fractures and sinkholes in the area’s limestone bedrock — lends to more rapid travel of wastewater to ground and surface water than in other places.
If dumping gray water is occasional — like washing a car or wastewater by hunters and anglers — it poses very little risk, experts said. But large families produce much more wastewater where they live, testified Brandon Montgomery, with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
An attorney for the families, Brian Lipford, argued that it made little sense for the state to target his clients over gray water disposal when it allows their use of outhouses — where residents essentially relieve themselves in a hole dug into the ground.
But state officials argued there are already regulations in place governing outhouses that require them to be a certain distance from wells and other sources of water. It’s the addition of water in wastewater, they argued, that has the potential to spread contaminants much further.
Fillmore County Attorney Brett Corson is hoping to decide in the coming days whether to appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court. He has 30 days from Monday’s ruling to decide.
“We’re just taking the chance to digest the decision and consider what we’re going to do,” he said.
Officials with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether they’ll appeal.
Corson said he recognizes the issue is important to both the county and to the Amish.
“In a county like ours, the Amish community is a big part of our community,” he said. “They’re our neighbors and friends. We work together. It’s one of those things we have to make a solid decision on.” | https://www.ksn.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-religious-freedom-vs-gray-water-ap-explains-ruling-favoring-amish-families-who-shun-septic-tanks/ | 2023-07-14 13:02:37 | 0 | https://www.ksn.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-religious-freedom-vs-gray-water-ap-explains-ruling-favoring-amish-families-who-shun-septic-tanks/ |
Due to COVID-19, graduates from the 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 classes joined together for an in-person ceremony
FREMONT, Calif, June 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- San Francisco Bay University (SFBU) celebrated the in-person graduation of four years' worth of students on June 11, 2022. Due to COVID-19 restrictions and in consideration of the safety of the community, SFBU finally welcomed graduates of the 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 classes to participate in an on-campus graduation ceremony.
The guest speaker, Ms. Julie Nguyen, shared her inspirational story of climbing the ladder at Google and in her career despite adversity. She implored students by stating, "When you exit through the doors today, take what you learned.... leave with passion and determination and use your accomplishments to make a difference." Ms. Nguyen is currently a Director of Business Development at Mack Talent and is known as a leadership expert and business professional.
Also speaking at the ceremony, SFBU Executive Vice President Paul Choi congratulated the graduates and praised them for their perseverance in the face of adversity, citing COVID-19 as an example. "This university is about providing opportunities; it's our mission. So, we didn't sit idly during the pandemic; we actually worked hard to meet our goal," said Choi.
Choi continued, "We hope that you are proud of your university and the opportunities, education, and experience it has given you. And this is all in the hopes that you can make a positive difference in life, however big or small."
Graduates from these classes received bachelor's and master's degrees in computer science, business, and electrical engineering. All are highly sought-after professions, even during an economic downturn. These graduates join the ranks of over 10,000 SFBU alumni who are making a difference within the business and tech industries, with graduates working at Tesla, Cisco, Wells Fargo, and Google as well as in their communities all over the world. Recent graduates are working at Google as a Software Development Engineer, Nokia as a Software Quality Assurance Engineer, TiVO as the Lead Technical Architect, and Verizon Media as a Software Engineer.
Congratulations, SFBU grads! We can't wait to see what you'll do next!
Please contact pr@sfbu.edu for additional information.
SFBU is a premier WASC/WSCUC-accredited, nonprofit university located in the San Francisco Bay Area/Silicon Valley. SFBU offers degree programs in computer science, engineering, technology, and management. Learn more at www.SFBU.edu.
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SOURCE San Francisco Bay University | https://www.weau.com/prnewswire/2022/06/29/san-francisco-bay-university-celebrates-graduation-four-years-worth-classes/ | 2022-06-29 18:12:28 | 1 | https://www.weau.com/prnewswire/2022/06/29/san-francisco-bay-university-celebrates-graduation-four-years-worth-classes/ |
BOSTON, June 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Stealth BioTherapeutics Corp (Nasdaq: MITO), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel therapies for diseases involving mitochondrial dysfunction, announced today that its Board of Directors (the "Board") has received a preliminary non-binding proposal letter dated June 24, 2022 (the "Proposal Letter") from Morningside Venture (I) Investments Ltd. for itself and on behalf of its affiliates ("Morningside") and J. Wood Capital Advisors LLC ("J. Wood Capital") to acquire all outstanding ordinary shares (the "Shares") of the Company not already beneficially owned by Morningside, including Shares represented by American Depositary Shares of the Company (the "ADSs", each representing 12 Shares), in a going-private transaction (the "Proposed Transaction") for US$0.026 in cash per Share and US$0.313 in cash per ADS. A copy of the Proposal Letter is attached hereto as Exhibit A. The Board previously formed a committee of three independent directors (the "Special Committee"), consisting of Mr. Kevin McLaughlin, Dr. Francis Chen, and Dr. Lou Lange to, among other authority delegated to the Special Committee, evaluate all strategic alternatives available to the Company. The Special Committee expects to retain a financial advisor to assist with its evaluation of the Proposed Transaction or any alternative transaction the Company may pursue. Consistent with the powers granted by the Board, the Special Committee will evaluate the Proposed Transaction and all other strategic alternatives available to the Company.
The Board and the Special Committee caution holders of the Company's Shares, including Shares represented by ADSs, and others considering trading the Company's securities that no decisions have been made with respect to the Proposed Transaction or any alternative transaction that the Company may pursue. There can be no assurance that any definitive agreement will be executed relating to the Proposed Transaction or that any alternative transaction will be received, approved or consummated. The Company does not undertake any obligation to provide any updates with respect to any transaction, except as required under applicable law.
About Stealth BioTherapeutics
We are a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel therapies for diseases involving mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondria, found in nearly every cell in the body, are the body's main source of energy production and are critical for normal organ function. Dysfunctional mitochondria characterize a number of rare genetic diseases and are involved in many common age-related diseases, typically involving organ systems with high energy demands such as the eye, the neuromuscular system, the heart and the brain. We believe our lead product candidate, elamipretide, has the potential to treat ophthalmic diseases entailing mitochondrial dysfunction, such as dry AMD, rare neuromuscular disorders, such as primary mitochondrial myopathy and Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and rare cardiomyopathies, such as Barth syndrome. We are evaluating our second-generation clinical-stage candidate, SBT-272, for rare neurological disease indications, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal lobar dementia, following promising preclinical data. We have optimized our discovery platform to identify novel mitochondria-targeted compounds which may be nominated as therapeutic product candidates or utilized as mitochondria-targeted vectors to deliver other compounds to mitochondria.
Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include those regarding Stealth BioTherapeutics' and the Special Committee's plans to evaluate the Proposed Transaction, any alternative transaction received by the Special Committee and other strategic alternatives. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Stealth BioTherapeutics' beliefs, plans and expectations, are forward-looking statements. The words "anticipate," "expect," "hope," "plan," "potential," "possible," "will," "believe," "estimate," "intend," "may," "predict," "project," "would" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Stealth BioTherapeutics may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements as a result of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors, including: Stealth BioTherapeutics' ability to obtain additional funding and to continue as a going concern; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; the ability to successfully demonstrate the efficacy and safety of Stealth BioTherapeutics' product candidates and future product candidates; the preclinical and clinical results for Stealth BioTherapeutics' product candidates, which may not support further development and marketing approval; the potential advantages of Stealth BioTherapeutics' product candidates; the content and timing of decisions made by the FDA, the EMA or other regulatory authorities, investigational review boards at clinical trial sites and publication review bodies, which may affect the initiation, timing and progress of preclinical studies and clinical trials of Stealth BioTherapeutics product candidates; Stealth BioTherapeutics' ability to obtain and maintain requisite regulatory approvals and to enroll patients in its planned clinical trials; unplanned cash requirements and expenditures; competitive factors; Stealth BioTherapeutics' ability to obtain, maintain and enforce patent and other intellectual property protection for any product candidates it is developing; and general economic and market conditions. These and other risks are described in greater detail under the caption "Risk Factors" included in Stealth BioTherapeutics' most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), as well as in any future filings with the SEC. Forward-looking statements represent management's current expectations and are inherently uncertain. Except as required by law, Stealth BioTherapeutics does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements made by us to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
Investor Relations
Kendall Investor Relations
Adam Bero, Ph.D.
abero@kendallir.com
IR@StealthBT.com
Exhibit A
The Board of Directors (the "Board")
Stealth BioTherapeutics Corp
c/o Intertrust Corporate Services (Cayman) Limited
One Nexus Way, Camana Bay
Grand Cayman
KY1-9005 Cayman Islands
Dear Directors:
Morningside Venture (I) Investments Limited, for itself or on behalf of its affiliates (collectively, "Morningside") and J. Wood Capital Advisors LLC ("J. Wood Capital" and together with Morningside, "we"), are pleased to submit this joint preliminary non-binding proposal to acquire all outstanding ordinary shares (the "Ordinary Shares"), including Ordinary Shares represented by American depository shares ("ADSs", each representing 12 Ordinary Shares), of Stealth BioTherapeutics Corp (the "Company") that are not already beneficially owned by Morningside in a going private transaction (the "Transaction").
Our proposed purchase price for each Ordinary Share is US$0.026 and for each ADS is US$0.313 in cash. We believe that our proposal provides an attractive opportunity for the Company's shareholders. Our proposed purchase price represents a premium of approximately 11.7% to the closing trading price of the ADSs on the date hereof and a premium of 20% to the 30 trading day average closing price.
Morningside currently beneficially owns approximately 65% of the total issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares. Subject to approval by the Company's board of directors and shareholders, we expect that the Transaction may be effected via a merger at the proposed purchase price.
The principal terms and conditions upon which we are prepared to pursue the Transaction are set forth below.
1. Purchase Price. We propose to acquire all of the outstanding Ordinary Shares and ADSs, other than those beneficially owned by us, at a purchase price equal to US$0.026 per Ordinary Share and US$0.313 per ADS in cash.
2. Financing. We intend to finance the Transaction with cash on hand and will not require debt financing to consummate the Transaction. With respect to the Company's ongoing capital requirements following the closing of the Transaction, we anticipate consummating a private placement from certain co- investors familiar to us contemporaneous with the closing of the Transaction. Such private placement would not be a condition to our obligation to close the Transaction.
3. Due Diligence. We are prepared to move expeditiously to complete the proposed Transaction as soon as practicable and will not require broad due diligence given our knowledge of the Company. We will request targeted confirmatory due diligence with respect to matters that directly bear on the execution of the Transaction, which we will be able to complete expeditiously. We have engaged Goodwin Procter LLP and Campbells LLP as our legal counsel.
4. Definitive Documentation. We are prepared to promptly negotiate and finalize the definitive agreements (the "Definitive Agreements") providing for the Transaction. We expect that such Definitive Agreements with respect to the Transaction will contain limited representations, warranties, covenants and conditions given Morningside's knowledge of the Company.
5. Process. We believe that the Transaction provides significant value to the Company's shareholders and a superior degree of speed and certainty to consummate the Transaction, which allows the Company's shareholders to de-risk their investment and obtain liquidity at a compelling premium. In considering this proposal, you should be aware that we are interested only in pursuing the Transaction and we do not intend to sell our stake in the Company to any third party.
6. Confidentiality. Morningside will, as required by law, timely file an amendment to its Schedule 13D to disclose this proposal. We trust you will agree with us that it is in our mutual interests to ensure that we proceed in a confidential manner, unless otherwise required by law, until we have executed Definitive Agreements or terminated our discussions.
7. No Binding Commitment. This proposal is not a binding offer, agreement or an agreement to make a binding offer. This letter is our preliminary indication of interest and does not contain all matters upon which agreement must be reached in order to consummate the proposed Transaction, nor does it create any binding rights or obligations in favor of any person. A binding commitment will result only from the execution of Definitive Agreements, and then will be on the terms and conditions provided in such documentation.
In closing, we would like to express our commitment to working together to bring this proposed Transaction to a successful and timely conclusion. Should you have any questions regarding this proposal, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
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SOURCE Stealth BioTherapeutics Inc. | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2022/06/27/stealth-biotherapeutics-corp-announces-receipt-preliminary-non-binding-proposal/ | 2022-06-27 11:53:08 | 0 | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2022/06/27/stealth-biotherapeutics-corp-announces-receipt-preliminary-non-binding-proposal/ |
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