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(KTLA) – The power of mother nature was captured on video Saturday when flash floods hit the San Bernardino Mountains in Southern California.
Garrett Rehmer and his family were driving home from the Big Bear area when they encountered a massive mudslide in Forest Falls.
Their video shows mud, rocks, debris, and even large tree trunks flowing over the highway, making the road impassible.
A second video shows the aftermath as crews began clearing Valley of the Falls Drive, which was closed Saturday evening.
Elsewhere in the San Bernardino Mountains, four adults and three children had to be rescued when they became trapped by floodwaters. Search and Rescue crews utilized a rope system to get the group across a swollen creek.
No one was injured. | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/video-captures-massive-mudslide-in-california-mountains/ | 2022-08-15 02:35:24 | 1 | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/video-captures-massive-mudslide-in-california-mountains/ |
A 41-year-old Illinois man told Midland County Circuit Court Judge Stephen Carras, via an interpreter, that he regrets stealing and it won’t happen again after his attorney said his client only came to this area to steal.
Prior to sentencing, Reiner Jose Paz-Morales’ attorney, John Wilson, said his client “came here to steal because he had no job and no money at all.”
Wilson also told Carras that Paz-Morales had more than $5,500 on hand to pay restitution. Wilson told Carras he saw no reason for probation.
Carras, who acknowledged Paz-Morales’ history of felonies in Florida, sentenced him to two years of probation in Illinois, where he will be living. He was also ordered to pay $5,520 in restitution to the stores he stole from.
Carras ordered $4,184 in restitution to be paid to Home Depot and $1,335 to go to Lowe’s.
Paz-Morales pleaded guilty on Dec. 8, to one count of first-degree retail fraud in connection with multiple thefts including from Home Depot and Lowes. Paz-Morales pleaded guilty to stealing high-dollar items from the stores, including the same Home Depot in Midland twice on Aug. 24. He then allegedly committed theft at an Isabella County Home Depot store also before being arrested on the same day.
Paz-Morales was arrested on Aug. 24, then released the next day on a $25,000 cash bond in connection with the Home Depot thefts. Midland County Prosecutor J. Dee Brooks previously said per a plea agreement, Paz-Morales received two-days for time served for pleading guilty to one of two counts he was charged with regarding the Midland Home Depot. Brooks said Target and Lowes also reported thefts by Paz-Morales.
Midland Police Department Community Relations officer Brennon Warren said Paz-Morales entered the Midland Home Depot, at 1100 Joe Mann Boulevard, around 11 a.m. Aug. 24, and left with about $2,300 in stolen items. He again stole from the store about 12:30 p.m., fleeing with an additional $1,800 in merchandise.
Warren said Paz-Morales entered the Midland store with a shopping cart and began selecting high-dollar items. He left the store both times without attempting to pay. Among the items taken were 500-foot wire spools.
Paz-Morales later traveled to the Mount Pleasant Home Depot, where he is accused of stealing from that store. Shortly after the Mount Pleasant offense, a be-on-the-lookout was issued to area police departments.
Authorities were provided the description of the suspect’s car. Shortly after Paz Morales left the Mount Pleasant Home Depot store, Isabella County and Clare County sheriff’s deputies were able to arrest Paz-Morales near the Isabella-Clare county line. He was immediately transferred to the Midland County Jail. | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/police_and_courts/article/reiner-jose-paz-morales-sentenced-said-came-steal-17845583.php | 2023-03-17 19:46:08 | 1 | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/police_and_courts/article/reiner-jose-paz-morales-sentenced-said-came-steal-17845583.php |
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Microsoft will pay a fine of $20 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it illegally collected and retained the data of children who signed up to use its Xbox video game console.
The agency charged that Microsoft gathered the data without notifying parents or obtaining their consent, and that it also illegally held onto the data. Those actions violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, the FTC stated.
In a blog post, Microsoft corporate vice president for Xbox Dave McCarthy outlined additional steps the company is now taking to improve its age verification systems and to ensure that parents are involved in the creation of child accounts for the service. These mostly concern efforts to improve age verification technology and to educate children and parents about privacy issues.
McCarthy also said the company had identified and fixed a technical glitch that failed to delete child accounts in cases where the account creation process never finished. Microsoft policy was to hold that data no longer than 14 days in order to allow players to pick up account creation where they left off if they were interrupted.
The settlement must be approved by a federal court before it can go into effect, the FTC said. | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/business/ap-business/microsoft-will-pay-20m-to-settle-u-s-charges-of-illegally-collecting-childrens-data/ | 2023-06-06 18:11:53 | 0 | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/business/ap-business/microsoft-will-pay-20m-to-settle-u-s-charges-of-illegally-collecting-childrens-data/ |
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Acute malnutrition among pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers has increased by 25% in the past two years in 12 countries hard hit by rising food prices fueled by the fighting in Ukraine, according to a new United Nations report.
Surveys in 10 countries in Africa and two in the Middle East that are worst affected by the food crisis were used in a UNICEF report, released Tuesday, a day before International Women’s Day.
Poor nutrition in pregnant and breastfeeding women can lead to weak immunity and complications during pregnancy and birth. Some countries in sub-Saharan Africa have in previous studies recorded high infant mortality rates due to various complications.
Globally, 51 million children under two years old are too short for their age due to malnutrition, a condition called stunting, and half of these become stunted during pregnancy or within their first six months of life, the report states.
“Without urgent action from the international community, the consequences could last for generations to come,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said.
The affected girls and women have increased from 5.5 million in 2020 to 6.9 million in 2022 in Burkina Faso, Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Yemen and Afghanistan, according to the report.
UNICEF recommends increased nutrition assistance and supplying fortifications to highly consumed basic foods such as flour, cooking oil and salt to reduce micronutrient deficiencies.
Ensuring that pregnant and breastfeeding mothers have access to nutrition services and supplements has also been recommended in the report.
Some of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa have high rates of teenage pregnancies and low attendance at prenatal clinics.
Faith Kanini, 28, who lives in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, told The Associated Press she cannot afford to attend the prenatal clinics although it is recommended.
“I pay cash for the few clinics I have attended. It is expensive for me and I cannot pay the NHIF (state health) insurance monthly premiums because I am unemployed and I rely on friends and family,” the first-time mother-to-be said in a phone interview.
Women in poor households are twice as likely to be underweight as those from the wealthiest households, according to the UNICEF report.
“South Asia and sub-Saharan African remain the epicenter of the nutrition crisis among adolescent girls and women, home to two in three adolescent girls and women suffering from underweight globally, and three in five adolescent girls and women with anemia,” the report adds.
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This story has been corrected to take out typo in which Nigeria was listed twice. Countries should include Niger and Nigeria. | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ap-international/malnutrition-rises-in-pregnant-women-in-12-at-risk-countries/ | 2023-03-07 21:04:00 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ap-international/malnutrition-rises-in-pregnant-women-in-12-at-risk-countries/ |
DETROIT (AP) — Owners of new Ford vehicles will be able to tune in to AM radio in their cars, trucks and SUVs after all.
CEO Jim Farley wrote in social media postings Tuesday that the company is reversing a decision to scrub the band after speaking with government policy leaders who are concerned about keeping emergency alerts that often are sounded on AM stations.
“We’ve decided to include it on all 2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles,” Farley wrote on Twitter and LinkedIn. “For any owners of Ford’s EVs without AM broadcast capability, we’ll offer a software update” to restore it, Farley wrote.
The move comes after a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers introduced a bill Wednesday calling on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to require AM in new vehicles at no additional cost.
Sponsors of the “AM for Every Vehicle Act” cited public safety concerns, noting AM’s historic role in transmitting vital information during emergencies, such as natural disasters, especially to rural areas.
Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., one of the bill’s sponsors, has said eight of 20 major automakers including Ford, BMW and Tesla have pulled the band from new vehicles.
“Ford’s reversal reflects an overdue realization about the importance of AM radio, but too many automakers are still going the wrong direction,” Markey said in a written statement Tuesday. He said Congress should still pass the bill to keep access to the band.
Ford removed AM from the 2023 Mustang Mach-e and F-150 Lightning electric pickups after data collected from vehicles showed that less than 5% of customers listened to it, spokesman Alan Hall said. Electrical interference and reducing cost and manufacturing complexity also played a role.
The company also took it out of the 2024 gasoline-powered Mustang, but will add it back in before any of the muscle cars are delivered, Hall said.
The EVs will get an online software update to put AM back into the vehicles, and Ford will keep including it in future vehicles as it looks at innovative ways to deliver emergency alerts, Hall said.
Ford and others also suggested that internet radio or other communication tools could replace AM radio. But Markey and others pointed to situations where drivers might not have internet access.
The Federal Communications Commission and National Association of Broadcasters praised the legislation, which is also backed by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., Rep. Tom Kean, Jr., R-N.J., Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., among others.
But the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a U.S. trade group that represents major automakers including Ford and BMW, criticized the bill, calling the AM radio mandate unnecessary.
The trade group pointed to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Integrated Public Alerts and Warning System, which can distribute safety warnings across AM, FM, internet-based and satellite radios — as well as over cellular networks.
The alliance said the bill gives preference to a technology that’s competing with other communications options.
BMW said in a statement that if the bill is approved, the automaker will review the language and decide what to do next. Messages were left seeking comment from Tesla.
According to the National Association of Broadcasters and Nielsen data, more than 80 million people in the U.S. listen to AM radio every month.
____
Grantham-Philips reported from New York. | https://www.kark.com/news/tech-news/ap-technology/ap-ford-decides-to-keep-am-radio-on-2024-models-will-restore-am-on-two-electric-vehicles-from-2023/ | 2023-05-24 15:45:37 | 0 | https://www.kark.com/news/tech-news/ap-technology/ap-ford-decides-to-keep-am-radio-on-2024-models-will-restore-am-on-two-electric-vehicles-from-2023/ |
INDIANAPOLIS — All month long, race fans are encouraged to show what “This is May” means by hosting a fun racing-themed Porch Party.
The Blue family is revving up for their big celebration.
“The flag banners, that’s really fun. Just tons of black and white flags," Erika Blue said.
The annual tradition helps neighbors connect, build local communities and celebrate the spirit of the Indianapolis 500.
“The culture of the 500 is like celebrating something that makes Indianapolis great. We want to strengthen neighborhoods. We want a good, strong vibrant city. We want people to feel like they have community here," Gallery Coordinator Sarah Peacock said.
The Harrison Center has spearheaded these campaigns since 2014.
“Get out and have a party on your front porch. Invite your neighbors. Invite your friends. Invite people you don’t think would naturally get to know each other," Peacock said.
That’s exactly what Plainfield resident Daisy Velez is doing this month.
“We decorate with different colors. I went to the airport today and they had all different colors. We put all the flags in front of the garden," Velez said.
She hopes neighbors will come for her festive decor and stay for some good eats.
“And I cook too," Velez said. "I’m Puerto Rican so imagine."
Fans are encouraged to register their decorated homes for the chance to win prizes courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. | https://www.wrtv.com/sports/indianapolis-500/indy-500-fans-encouraged-to-kick-off-race-month-with-porch-parties | 2023-05-06 03:33:58 | 1 | https://www.wrtv.com/sports/indianapolis-500/indy-500-fans-encouraged-to-kick-off-race-month-with-porch-parties |
WFO PORTLAND Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Friday, December 23, 2022
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WINTER STORM WARNING
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Portland OR
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1203 PM PST Fri Dec 23 2022
...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS
AFTERNOON...
* WHAT...Significant icing. Additional ice accumulations of one
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tenth to two tenths of an inch.
* WHERE...Portions of northwest Oregon and southwest Washington.
* WHEN...Until 4 PM PST this afternoon.
* IMPACTS...Difficult travel conditions are likely. Very
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slippery sidewalks, roads and bridges are likely.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in
your vehicle in case of an emergency. Prepare for possible power
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outages.
For the latest road conditions call 5 1 1, or visit for Oregon:
https://www.tripcheck.com and for Washington:
https://wsdot.com/travel/real-time/map
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...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM PST THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...Heavy mixed precipitation. Additional snow
accumulations of up to one inch and ice accumulations of one
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to two tenths of an inch.
* WHERE...In Oregon, Northern Oregon Cascades. In Washington,
South Washington Cascades.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM PST this evening.
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your vehicle in case of an emergency.
...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS
tenth to two tenths of an inch. Storm total ice accumulations
between two tenths of an inch and four tenths of an inch.
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* WHERE...In Oregon, Greater Portland Metro Area. In Washington,
Greater Vancouver Area.
* WHEN...Until 10 PM PST this evening.
...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM PST
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SATURDAY...
half to three quarters of an inch. Winds gusting as high as 75
mph in the western Columbia River Gorge. There will be
considerably less wind in the central Columbia River Gorge and
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Upper Hood River Valley.
* WHERE...In Oregon, Upper Hood River Valley, Western Columbia
River Gorge and Central Columbia River Gorge. In Washington,
Western Columbia River Gorge and Central Columbia River Gorge.
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* WHEN...Until 10 PM PST Saturday.
* IMPACTS...Expect power outages and tree damage due to the ice.
Difficult travel conditions are likely. Very slippery
sidewalks, roads and bridges are likely.
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Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.seattlepi.com/weather/article/WA-WFO-PORTLAND-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17674649.php | 2022-12-23 20:44:21 | 0 | https://www.seattlepi.com/weather/article/WA-WFO-PORTLAND-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17674649.php |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The group photo of the Supreme Court’s nine members is a long-standing ritual. But it has never looked quite like the one taken on Friday.
The new image includes Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black female justice, who joined the court in June. With her addition, the court marks a number of firsts. It’s the first time white men don’t hold a majority on the court and the first time four women have served together. It’s also the first time the court has had two Black justices.
Jackson participated in her first arguments this week because the justices began their summer break when she joined the court.
Friday’s formal photo captured by news photographers is sometimes called the group’s “class photo.” In it, the justices are positioned in front of a red curtain, similar to their courtroom’s red drapes. Five of the justices are seated in their black robes with Chief Justice John Roberts in the center. The four remaining justices stand behind them. The justices sit in order of seniority with the longest-serving justice, Justice Clarence Thomas, sitting on Roberts’ right. Jackson is standing at the far right.
Because no cameras are allowed in the courtroom when the justices hear arguments, the class photo is one of the few times the group is photographed together. The justices also were photographed together at Jackson’s ceremonial investiture last week. A new class photo generally won’t be taken until another justice joins the court. | https://fox59.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-supreme-courts-new-class-photo-includes-number-of-firsts/ | 2022-10-07 18:48:54 | 0 | https://fox59.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-supreme-courts-new-class-photo-includes-number-of-firsts/ |
TOKYO — Saying it is one thing, but doing it is another.
Perhaps an understatement: Japan is in Group E with Germany and Spain — two former World Cup champions — and Costa Rica, which made the quarterfinals in 2014 in Brazil.
This is Japan’s seventh World Cup appearance, and it has reached the round of 16 on three occasions. In 2018 it lost 3-2 in stoppage time to Belgium after leading 2-0. It also was eliminated by Paraguay on penalties in 2010, and lost to Turkey 1-0 in 2002 when the country co-hosted the event with South Korea.
“Hopefully, we have a different view of the landscape this time,” Moriyasu said.
There were no real surprises on the 26-player squad, certainly not among the first line of players who are expected to play the most.
Defenders Maya Yoshida and Hiroki Sakai will be playing in their third consecutive World Cup. Defender Yuto Nagatomo and goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima will be playing in their fourth.
Japan opens against Germany on Nov. 23, faces Costa Rica on Nov. 27, and Spain on Dec. 1. It will play its last friendly on Nov. 17 against Canada in Dubai.
__
Japan squad:
Goalkeepers: Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt, Eiji Kawashima.
Defenders: Miki Yamane, Hiroki Sakai, Maya Yoshida, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Shogo Taniguchi, Ko Itakura, Hiroki Ito, Yuto Nagatomo, Yuta Nakayama.
Midfielders: Wataru Endo), Hidemasa Morita, Ao Tanaka, Gaku Shibasaki, Kaoru Mitoma, Daichi Kamada, Ritsu Doan, Junya Ito, Takumi Minamino, Takefusa Kubo, Yuki Soma.
Forwards: Daizen Maeda, Takuma Asano, Ayase Ueda.
___
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/soccer/world-cup-goal-for-japan-is-quarterfinals----at-least/2022/11/01/dacf8530-59bb-11ed-bc40-b5a130f95ee7_story.html | 2022-11-01 10:55:24 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/soccer/world-cup-goal-for-japan-is-quarterfinals----at-least/2022/11/01/dacf8530-59bb-11ed-bc40-b5a130f95ee7_story.html |
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The questions came one after another the moment Xavier announced it was bringing back Sean Miller, its former and wildly successful basketball coach. The guy who had been fired by Arizona and left in his wake multiple NCAA violations.
Most of them were of the variety of: “What were you thinking?”
Athletic director Greg Christopher went on the defensive, calling the allegations “troubling." He said Xavier maintains a program of “high integrity” and that Miller had learned from his mistakes.
Yet the Musketeers are hardly the only one taking chances on coaches with checkered pasts these days. Just this week, Auburn hired once-disgraced Liberty coach Hugh Freeze to lead its football team, raising plenty of eyebrows on the Plains.
It begs the question: Has the line of acceptability when it comes to hiring coaches shifted as the stakes soar ever higher, to the point where a successful coach who may have once been persona non grata is now greeted with open arms?
How toxic is too toxic?
“That's an interesting question, and I think it is 100% situational with the school,” said Kyle Bowlsby, who runs Bowlsby Sports Advisors, a search firm that assists colleges and universities through the hiring process.
“I also think to a certain degree the legal system and the NCAA have created quite a bit of gray area as it relates to what is reported in terms of infractions and what is actually being pursued or prosecuted legally," Bowlsby said. “I think the system to a certain degree has made it very hard for school admins to decipher what is ‘toxic’ and what is not.”
Indeed, the gray area has never been more expansive.
The creation of name, image and likeness legislation that allows college athletes to profit for the first time has made what was once an NCAA violation a key sales point or recruiting pitch. And when penalties do arise, the NCAA has been reluctant to hand down the sort of long-ranging punishments that hit athletics programs hard.
“I think the question depends on where the university is in terms of trying to grow,” said Jed Hughes, who heads the sports sector at the Korn Ferry management consulting firm.
“Winning is so important to so many people,” Hughes said, “so they close their eyes sometimes to things that happen. Just look at Kansas. They just suspended Bill Self for four games. But he's done an incredible job. He has been there a long time and they have a tremendous tradition. So people there are going to be more forgiving.”
There has always been pressure to win. But as coaching contracts once worth seven figures now hit eight, and TV deals once measured in the millions are now worth billions, the stress on administrators to succeed has never been higher.
A school like Xavier, which had missed the NCAA Tournament four consecutive years, is perhaps more willing to give a perennial winner like Miller a second chance, despite the wreckage he left behind at Arizona.
“More than anything it comes down to the relationships a coach has built," explained Chad O’Donnell, whose Capital Elite Agency represents numerous coaches, and who spoke in general terms but would not discuss specific situations.
“It comes down to how well he or she is liked in the profession throughout his or her career," O'Donnell said, "and their ability to admit fault whether privately or publicly in regards to the actions.”
The case at Arizona involved one of Miller's former assistants, Book Richardson, who pleaded guilty to a 2017 federal bribery charge after he was accused of accepting $20,000 to send players to aspiring sports agent Christian Dawkins.
At one point during Dawkins' trial, a phone call was played in which Richardson said Miller was paying $10,000 a month to current NBA star Deandre Ayton. Miller has consistently denied paying any players to play for his program.
Nevertheless, Arizona was hit with five Level I infractions, the most serious handed out by the NCAA, including a charge that Miller failed to monitor assistants accused of academic fraud and improper recruiting inducements. Miller failed to demonstrate “an atmosphere for compliance," the NCAA said, though he escaped the dreaded show-cause penalty.
Arizona already self-imposed a one-year postseason ban, but its case is still hanging in the Independent Accountability Resolution Process, even as Miller wades through his first season back at Xavier. It is possible he serves some type of suspension.
“There will be a time, and I'm confident in saying that, that topic an be talked about. It's coming to an end. It's not here yet," Miller said in March. "When the time comes, I'm looking forward to sharing more.”
Would he have been hired again by Xavier had he not won 73% of his games? Of course not. Nor would Auburn have given a second chance to Freeze, whose 76–47 record would be even better without a slew of vacated wins.
“If a coach with a proven track record of success, despite previous proven or alleged NCAA violations, can instill confidence in an administration who has a strong desire to win or achieve a higher level of success than has recently been achieved, a university may take that chance,” said Brian Stanchak, a longtime college administrator and now an agent for numerous college basketball coaches. “It certainty may impact the contract negotiation process."
By that, Stanchak means contracts likely include safeguards against similar issues arising during a coach's tenure.
In Freeze's case, he resigned from Ole Miss in 2017 after school officials uncovered a “pattern of personal misconduct” that began with a call to a number used by an escort service from a university-issued cell phone. By the time things unraveled, the Rebels had landed on NCAA probation and Freeze was out after 21 violations tied to academic, booster and recruiting misconduct were found to have occurred mostly on his watch.
Freeze won games, though. He took Ole Misss to the Sugar Bowl in 2015, beat Nick Saban and Alabama head-to-head and, after he was ousted from the SEC, he built Liberty into a Top 25 program.
Auburn athletic director John Cohen declined to answer questions from reporters at Freeze's introductory news conference, leaving his new coach to explain his past and why he deserved a second chance in football's most visible league.
The answer Freeze offered was the perfect script for the next wayward coach who gets a second chance.
“Get to know us. Get to know our family. Get to know the truth of our story,” Freeze said, “and I think the ones who have done that have said, ‘Man, you know what? I kind of like this guy and this family.’ But that’s all you can ask is, man, give us a chance to earn your trust and I think you’ll like the end result.”
___
AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 | https://www.mrt.com/sports/article/Schools-increasingly-giving-disgraced-coaches-17624766.php | 2022-12-01 21:47:13 | 0 | https://www.mrt.com/sports/article/Schools-increasingly-giving-disgraced-coaches-17624766.php |
4 children die in Iowa house fire
MASON CITY, Iowa (KTTC/Gray News) – Four children died in a house fire in Mason City, Iowa, on Wednesday morning.
KTTC reported John Michael Mcluer, 12, Odin Thor Mcluer, 10, Drako Mcluer, 6, and Phenix Mcluer, 3, were pronounced dead at the hospital.
According to Mason City Fire Department, the fire had spread to the first and second floors of the house by the time crews arrived.
Firefighters began rescue operations and removed multiple victims from the house.
Six people were taken to the hospital.
An unidentified 55-year-old and an 11-year-old were able to evacuate the home before firefighters arrived.
Mason City Fire Department, Mason City Police Department and the Iowa State Fire Marshall’s Office are investigating the cause of the fire.
Copyright 2022 KTTC via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wflx.com/2022/11/17/four-children-die-iowa-house-fire/ | 2022-11-17 17:19:14 | 1 | https://www.wflx.com/2022/11/17/four-children-die-iowa-house-fire/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — An inflation gauge closely tracked by the Federal Reserve jumped 6.6% in March compared with a year ago, the highest 12-month reading in four decades, further evidence that surging prices are pressuring household budgets and the health of the economy.
Yet there were signs in Friday's report from the Commerce Department that inflation might be slowing from its galloping pace and perhaps nearing a peak, at least for now.
Excluding the especially volatile food and energy categories, so-called core prices rose 5.2% in March from a year earlier. That was slightly below the 5.3% year-over-year increase in February, and it was the first time that 12-month figure has declined since February 2021, before the inflation spike began. And on a month-to-month basis, core prices rose 0.3% from February to March, the same as from January to February.
The report also showed that consumer spending rose at a solid pace last month, though the gain largely reflected higher prices at the gas pump, grocery store and other places where Americans shop for necessities. But even adjusted for inflation, spending rose 0.2%.
Still, inflation is eroding Americans' purchasing power and leading the Federal Reserve to plan a series of sharp interest rates hikes in the coming months.
At the same time, paychecks are expanding at a healthy pace, helping consumers keep up with some of the inflation spike. Employers are raising wages because many of them are desperate to find and keep workers. Job openings are near a record high, and the unemployment rate, at 3.6%, is just above the half-century low it reached just before the pandemic.
Still, inflation remains chronically high, and Americans are taking an increasingly negative view of the economy as a result. About one-third of respondents to a Gallup poll, released Thursday, cited inflation as the most important financial problem their family faces today, up from fewer than one in 10 who said so a year ago.
The gloom that has gripped public opinion as inflation has accelerated is posing a growing political threat to President Joe Biden and Democrats running for Congress. Biden has pointed to a strong job market and solid consumer spending as evidence that his policies have helped Americans. But that view absorbed a setback Thursday, when the government reported that the economy actually contracted in the first three months of this year at a 1.4% annual rate.
Even so, consumers and businesses increased their spending at a solid pace in the January-March quarter, even after adjusting for inflation, a sign that the economy is much healthier than Thursday’s dismal figure for the nation’s gross domestic product suggested.
How consumers respond to inflated prices — and much higher interest rates from the Federal Reserve — is one of the unknowns facing the economy this year. Moody’s Analytics estimates that the average household is spending $327 more each month to buy the same things they bought a year ago.
In addition to higher pay, some economists think that elevated savings, which many Americans built up from stimulus checks and other government aid during the pandemic shutdowns, could help sustain consumer spending in the coming months.
Economists have estimated that Americans have about $2.1 trillion more in savings than they did before COVID, with some of that cash in lower-income Americans’ bank accounts. Economists at Bank of America note that, according to the bank’s data on checking and savings accounts, Americans who earn under $50,000 a year had an average of about $3,000 in their accounts in February — roughly double the pre-pandemic level. | https://www.mrt.com/news/article/A-key-inflation-gauge-jumped-6-6-in-March-most-17136133.php | 2022-04-29 12:57:37 | 0 | https://www.mrt.com/news/article/A-key-inflation-gauge-jumped-6-6-in-March-most-17136133.php |
NEW YORK, Oct. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Jakubowitz Law announces that a securities fraud class action lawsuit has commenced on behalf of shareholders of Fulgent Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLGT).
To receive updates on the lawsuit, fill out the form:
https://claimyourloss.com/securities/fulgent-genetics-inc-loss-submission-form/?id=32614&from=4
The lawsuit seeks to recover losses for shareholders who purchased Fulgent between March 22, 2019 and August 4, 2022.
Shareholders interested in acting as a lead plaintiff representing the class of wronged shareholders have until November 21, 2022 to petition the court. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.
According to a filed complaint, Fulgent Genetics, Inc. issued materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Fulgent had been conducting medically unnecessary laboratory testing, engaging in improper billing practices in relation to laboratory testing, and providing or receiving remuneration in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute and Stark Law; (ii) accordingly, Fulgent was likely to become subject to enhanced legal and regulatory scrutiny; (iii) Fulgent's revenues, to the extent they were derived from the foregoing unlawful conduct, were unsustainable; (iv) the foregoing, once revealed, was likely to subject the Company to significant financial and/or reputational harm; and (v) as a result, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.
Jakubowitz Law is vigorous in pursuit of justice for shareholders who have been the victim of securities fraud. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
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SOURCE Jakubowitz Law | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/10/14/flgt-shareholder-alert-jakubowitz-law-reminds-fulgent-shareholders-lead-plaintiff-deadline-november-21-2022/ | 2022-10-14 10:44:32 | 0 | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/10/14/flgt-shareholder-alert-jakubowitz-law-reminds-fulgent-shareholders-lead-plaintiff-deadline-november-21-2022/ |
PITTSBURGH, Aug. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "I wanted to create a simple, sanitary and strain-free way to collect pet waste when walking your dog," said an inventor, from Kansas City, Mo., "so I invented the POOH LOOP. My design eliminates the hassle of bending to scoop or scrape pet waste from the pavement or grass."
The invention provides an effective way to capture and dispose of pet dog waste. In doing so, it eliminates the need to bend and collect waste from ground surfaces. As a result, it enhances sanitation and it reduces strain. The invention features a portable design that is easy to use so it is ideal for pet dog owners, boarding facilities, kennels, etc. Additionally, a prototype is available.
The original design was submitted to the Jackson sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 20-JKK-112, 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.wagmtv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/09/inventhelp-inventor-develops-convenient-device-collecting-pet-waste-jkk-112/ | 2022-08-09 16:04:32 | 1 | https://www.wagmtv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/09/inventhelp-inventor-develops-convenient-device-collecting-pet-waste-jkk-112/ |
(THE CONVERSATION) There are questions that worry me profoundly as a population- and environmental-health scientist.
Will we have enough food for a growing global population? How will we take care of more people in the next pandemic? What will heat do to millions with hypertension? Will countries wage water wars because of increasing droughts?
These risks all have three things in common: health, climate change and a growing population that the United Nations forecasts will reach 8 billion people around Nov. 15, 2022 – double the population of just 48 years ago.
In my 40-year career, first working in the Amazon rainforest and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and then in academia, I have encountered many public health threats, but none so intransigent and pervasive as climate change.
Of the multitude of climate-related adverse health effects, the following four represent the greatest public health concerns for a growing population.
Infectious diseases
Researchers have found that over half of all human infectious diseases can be worsened by climate change.
Flooding, for example, can affect water quality and the habitats where dangerous bacteria and vectors like mosquitoes can breed and transmit infectious diseases to people.
Dengue, a painful mosquito-borne viral disease that sickens about 100 million people a year, becomes more common in warm, wet environments. Its R0, or basic reproduction number – a gauge of how quickly it spreads – increased by about 12% from the 1950s to the average in 2012-2021, according to the 2022 Lancet Countdown report. Malaria’s season expanded by 31% in highland areas of Latin America and nearly 14% in Africa’s highlands as temperatures rose over the same period.
Flooding can also spread waterborne organisms that cause hepatitis and diarrheal diseases, such as cholera, particularly when large numbers of people are displaced by disasters and living in areas with poor water quality for drinking or washing.
Droughts, too, can degrade drinking water quality. As a result, more rodent populations enter into human communities in search of food, increasing the potential to spread hantavirus.
Extreme heat
Another serious health risk is rising temperatures.
Excessive heat can exacerbate existing health problems, such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. And when heat stress becomes heat stroke, it can damage the heart, brain and kidneys and become lethal.
Today, about 30% of the global population is exposed to potentially deadly heat stress each year. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that percentage will rise to at least 48% and as high as 76% by the end of this century.
In addition to lives lost, heat exposure was projected to have resulted in 470 billion potential work hours lost globally in 2021, with associated income losses totaling up to US$669 billion. As populations grow and heat rises, more people will be relying on air conditioning powered by fossil fuels, which further contributes to climate change.
Food and water security
Heat also affects food and water security for a growing population.
The Lancet review found that high temperatures in 2021 shortened the growing season by about 9.3 days on average for corn, or maize, and six days for wheat compared with the 1981-2020 average. Warming oceans, meanwhile, can kill shellfish and shift fisheries that coastal communities rely on. Heat waves in 2020 alone resulted in 98 million more people facing food insecurity compared with the 1981-2010 average.
Rising temperatures also affect fresh water supplies through evaporation and by shrinking mountain glaciers and snowpack that historically have kept water flowing through the summer months.
Water scarcity and drought have the potential to displace almost 700 million people by 2030, according to U.N. estimates. Combined with population growth and growing energy needs, they can also fuel geopolitical conflicts as countries face food shortages and compete for water.
Poor air quality
Air pollution can be exacerbated by the drivers of climate change. Hot weather and the same fossil fuel gases warming the planet contribute to ground-level ozone, a key component of smog. That can exacerbate allergies, asthma and other respiratory problems, as well as cardiovascular disease.
Wildfires fueled by hot, dry landscapes add to the air pollution health risk. Wildfire smoke is laden with tiny particles that can travel deep into the lungs, causing heart and respiratory problems.
What can we do about it?
Many groups and medical experts are working to counter this cascade of negative climate consequences on human health.
The U.S. National Academy of Medicine has embarked on an ambitious grand challenge in climate change, human health, and equity to ramp up research. At many academic institutions, including the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Public Health, where I am dean, climate and health are being embedded in research, teaching and service.
Addressing the health burden on low- and middle-income countries is pivotal. Often, the most vulnerable people in these countries face the greatest harms from climate change without having the resources to protect their health and environment. Population growth can deepen these iniquities.
Adaptation assessments can help high-risk countries prepare for the effects of climate change. Development groups are also leading projects to expand the cultivation of crops that can thrive in dry conditions. The Pan American Health Organization, which focuses on the Caribbean, is an example of how countries are working to reduce communicable diseases and advance regional capacity to counter the impact of climate change.
Ultimately, reducing the health risks will require reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that are driving climate change.
Countries worldwide committed in 1992 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Thirty years later, global emissions are only beginning to flatten, and communities around the world are increasingly suffering extreme heat waves and devastating floods and droughts.
The U.N. Climate Change Conference underway in November 2022 – which, in my view, isn’t focusing enough on health – can help bring attention to key climate impacts that harm health. As U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres noted: While we celebrate our advances, “at the same time, it is a reminder of our shared responsibility to care for our planet and a moment to reflect on where we still fall short of our commitments to one another.”
Samantha Totoni, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, contributed to this article. | https://www.krqe.com/news/world/8-billion-people-four-ways-climate-change-and-population-growth-combine-to-threaten-public-health-with-global-consequences/ | 2022-11-13 16:22:42 | 1 | https://www.krqe.com/news/world/8-billion-people-four-ways-climate-change-and-population-growth-combine-to-threaten-public-health-with-global-consequences/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — As it pushes to renew a cornerstone law that authorizes major surveillance programs, the Biden administration faces an American public that’s broadly skeptical of common intelligence practices and of the need to sacrifice civil liberties for security.
Congress in the coming months will debate whether to extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Section 702 authorizes U.S. spy agencies to collect large amounts of foreign communications for intelligence purposes ranging from stopping spies to listening in on allies and foes. Those collection programs also sweep up U.S. citizen communications that can then be searched by intelligence and law enforcement officers.
The new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that Democrats and Republicans have similar views on surveillance tactics, while Republicans have become substantially less likely over the last decade to say it’s at least sometimes necessary to sacrifice freedom in response to threats.
U.S. intelligence officials say Section 702 is necessary to protect national security and to counter China, Russia and other adversaries. They credit the program with better informing U.S. diplomats and enabling operations like last year’s strike to kill a key plotter of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
But officials will have to overcome sharp divisions in Congress and bipartisan anger at the FBI, though most observers still believe Section 702 will be renewed in some form.
Driving a political shift is increasing skepticism among Republican elected officials of the FBI and intelligence agencies. Conservatives have battered the FBI for misleading the primary surveillance court in its investigation into former President Donald Trump campaign’s ties to Russia. Trump and other top Republicans often accuse the so-called government “deep state” of using its powers to target conservatives.
Historically, “the left flank has been the more vocal objector to government surveillance on privacy and civil liberties grounds,” said Carter Burwell, who was chief counsel to Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, when the law was last renewed in early 2018.
”Over the past five or 10 years, with the rise of the libertarian wing of the Republican Party, call it the antigovernment wing of the Republican Party, that is an equally vocal and powerful plurality,” said Burwell, now a lawyer at the firm Debevoise & Plimpton.
The poll asked U.S. adults whether they support several practices authorized by Section 702. It found that 28% of adults support the government listening to phone calls made outside of the U.S. without a warrant, while 44% oppose the practice. Views are similar about the U.S. reading emails sent between people outside of the U.S. without a warrant.
The public was more receptive to surveillance of activity outside of the U.S. a decade after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. That shifted significantly by the 20th anniversary of the attacks in 2021.
In the latest poll, 48% of Americans this year said they believed it necessary to sacrifice their rights and freedoms to prevent terrorism, down from 54% in 2021 and nearly two-thirds in 2011. That shift was especially dramatic among Republicans, with just 44% saying that’s sometimes necessary compared with 69% in 2011. Among Democrats, 55% still say so, similar to the 59% who said so in 2011.
Sarah Apwisch, a 57-year-old from Three Rivers, Michigan, described herself as somewhat opposed to the monitoring of foreign emails and phone calls. A Democrat, Apwisch said she was “mostly pro-FBI” but concerned after years of negative stories about the bureau.
“Honestly, I don’t want to hear anything about the FBI,” she said. “I want the FBI to go do their business and not be in the news because they’re doing their job well and not doing things that make waves. How they do that, I don’t know.”
Apwisch also said she supports the FBI and other agencies trying to hunt down enemy spies, but was uncertain about whether the FBI should also use foreign intelligence to investigate other U.S. crimes.
White adults were somewhat more likely to say they were opposed to various forms of surveillance — 48% said they opposed the government listening to foreign calls without a warrant — than Black or Hispanic adults, each at 34%.
Rob Redding, a 47-year-old journalist who lives in New York City, said he was neutral about many surveillance practices — but said he felt that way because as a Black man, he didn’t expect to have privacy.
Redding mentioned the FBI’s spying in the 1960s on Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders as well as officials in Black nationalist movements.
“As a Black man in America, as someone who speaks out about the government all the time, I understand that Black people and especially Black leadership cannot trust America,” Redding said.
In Congress, some Democrats and Republicans have found common cause over their complaints about Section 702. Two lawmakers earlier this year issued a statement calling for an end to U.S. surveillance without a warrant. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., chairs the liberal Congressional Progressive Caucus, while Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, is a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus.
“We must take this opportunity to reform Section 702 and overhaul privacy protections for Americans so that they truly protect the civil rights, civil liberties, and privacy rights that are foundational to our democracy,” Jayapal and Davidson said.
Previous lawmaker efforts to require warrants for searching intelligence databases have failed. Intelligence officials argue they have ramped up training for agents searching the databases and tightened requirements to consult with lawyers on sensitive queries.
Supporters of Section 702 argue most U.S. adults want the government to stop foreign adversaries even if they state misgivings about how American intelligence operates.
Glenn Gerstell, a former general counsel at the National Security Agency who is advocating for Section 702 to be extended, noted that while Congress has to be responsive to public opinion, “some of this gets pretty technical and isn’t easily understood by the public.”
He said he still believed the law would be renewed with some amendments to bolster civil liberties protections and enshrine into law changes that the FBI has made in response to a series of wrongful uses of foreign intelligence.
“At the end of the day, I think most members of Congress understand the value of the statute and understand that when we don’t have the statute, there is no substitute,” Gerstell said.
___
Associated Press writer Emily Swanson contributed to this report.
___
The poll of 1,081 adults was conducted March 16-20 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points. | https://pix11.com/ap-political/ap-norc-poll-finds-both-democrats-republicans-skeptical-of-us-spying-practices/ | 2023-06-08 09:24:46 | 0 | https://pix11.com/ap-political/ap-norc-poll-finds-both-democrats-republicans-skeptical-of-us-spying-practices/ |
The General Services Administration is giving away six lighthouses to nonprofits or government agencies willing to take care of them. Four lighthouses are being sold at auction.
Copyright 2023 NPR
The General Services Administration is giving away six lighthouses to nonprofits or government agencies willing to take care of them. Four lighthouses are being sold at auction.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.nepm.org/national-world-news/national-world-news/2023-05-29/10-u-s-lighthouses-are-being-sold-or-given-away-for-free-by-the-government | 2023-05-29 10:03:27 | 1 | https://www.nepm.org/national-world-news/national-world-news/2023-05-29/10-u-s-lighthouses-are-being-sold-or-given-away-for-free-by-the-government |
Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell in June to the slowest pace since January, as a near-historic low number of homes for sale and rising mortgage rates kept many would-be homebuyers on the sidelines. The national median sales price fell on an annual basis for the fifth month in a row, though fierce competition led to about one-third of homes selling for more than their list price.
Existing home sales fell 3.3% last month from May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.16 million, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday. That’s slightly below what economists were expecting, according to FactSet, and marks the slowest sales pace since January.
Sales sank 18.9% compared with June last year. All told, sales are down 23% through the first half of this year.
The national median sales price fell 0.9% from June last year to $410,200. That's the smallest annual decline since March. While down from a year earlier, the median sales price rose from the previous month, reaching the second-highest level on records going back to January 1999.
“Perhaps home prices are beginning to firm up or at least certainly any downward pressure is ending,” said Lawrence Yun, the NAR’s chief economist.
The latest housing market figures are more evidence that even with prices easing back on an annual basis after rising for more than a decade many house hunters are being held back by a persistently low inventory of homes for sale.
Some 1.08 million homes remained on the market by the end of June, down 13.6% from a year earlier, the NAR said. That amounts to a 3.1-month supply at the current sales pace. In a more balanced market between buyers and sellers, there is a 5- to 6-month supply.
The shortage of homes for sale has kept the market competitive, driving bidding wars in many places, especially for the most affordable homes. About one-third of homes purchased last month sold for above their list price, and 76% of homes sold in June were on the market for less than a month.
“This is a tough market to be a buyer,” Yun said.
The combination of high borrowing costs and intense competition for the most affordable homes on the market is shutting out many first-time buyers. They accounted for 27% of home sales last month, down from 28% in May and 30% in June last year, the NAR said. In a normal housing market, that would be 40%.
The U.S. housing market has yet to emerge from a slump that started a little more than a year ago, when the average rate on a 30-year mortgage began to climb from ultra-low levels as the Federal Reserve began raising its short-term rate in its fight against inflation.
Global demand for U.S. Treasurys, which lenders use as a guide to pricing loans, investors’ expectations for future inflation and what the Fed does with interest rates influence rates on home loans.
The average rate on a 30-year home loan is still more than double what it was two years ago, when the ultra-low rates spurred a wave of home sales and refinancing. Weekly average rates on a 30-year mortgage ranged between 6.67% and 6.79% in June, according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac. This week, the average rate slipped to 6.78%, the lowest level in four weeks. A year ago, the rate averaged 5.54%.
Higher mortgage rates can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for homebuyers on top of already high home prices. They also discourage homeowners who locked in those low rates two years ago from selling -- one reason the supply of homes for sale has been low even during the traditionally busy spring homebuying season. | https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/housing/2023/07/20/home-sales-in-june-fell-with-near-historic-low-inventory-for-sale | 2023-07-20 19:34:56 | 1 | https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/housing/2023/07/20/home-sales-in-june-fell-with-near-historic-low-inventory-for-sale |
A simmering dispute between Major League Baseball and the Hunt Valley-based broadcaster Sinclair erupted into public view Wednesday in federal bankruptcy court.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in court that Sinclair’s executive chairman threatened to force its Diamond Sports Group regional sports networks into bankruptcy, potentially hurting the league, if MLB refused to give it baseball game streaming rights.
Manfred made the accusations against David D. Smith, Sinclair’s executive chairman, while appearing at a bankruptcy hearing in Houston for the struggling Diamond Sports, according to reports of the hearing.
Diamond, a Sinclair sports network subsidiary that broadcasts MLB, NBA and NHL games, filed for bankruptcy reorganization in Texas in March, burdened by more than $8 billion in debt and struggling as viewers increasingly stream live sports instead of paying for cable television to view matchups.
The rocky relationship between Sinclair and the MLB emerged during Wednesday’s hearing. Reports said the hearing was scheduled to decide whether Diamond Sports, in bankruptcy, should pay a reduced TV contract value for four of the 14 MLB teams for which Diamond holds broadcast rights or, as MLB has requested, pay the full value or give up rights to the teams. The teams under consideration included the Texas Rangers, the Minnesota Twins, the Cleveland Guardians and the Arizona Diamondbacks, according to The Athletic, a sports news website.
Diamond offered to pay full value if it was given direct streaming rights, a strategy MLB outside counsel James Bromley called “blackmail,” The Athletic reported.
Manfred said during the hearing that Smith had met with him in New York to pursue getting streaming rights for all of Diamond’s MLB teams, The Athletic reported. The broadcaster has been going after streaming rights while it was taking losses on the sports networks it bought in 2019 for $10.6 billion from The Walt Disney Co.
Manfred said in court that when he told Smith that Sinclair would not get streaming rights, Smith replied, “‘I put $2 billion into the purchase of these RSNs … so what I’m going to do is I’m going to keep this going long enough until I get my $2 billion out, OK? And then I’m going to start squeezing your clubs to take their rights fees down, OK, in order to make sure that I stay profitable in the RSN business. And if they don’t agree to that, I’m going to put the entity into bankruptcy, and then I’m going to selectively reject contracts,’” according to The Athletic.
A spokesman for Sinclair did not respond Thursday to a request for comment on Manfred’s remarks.
Diamond Sports filed to reorganize its finances in bankruptcy in March.
Diamond Sports said Tuesday that it has decided not to pay a rights fee owed to the San Diego Padres.
“While DSG has significant liquidity and has been making rights payments to teams, the economics of the Padres’ contract were not aligned with market realities,” a Diamond spokesperson said in a statement. “MLB has forced our hand by its continued refusal to negotiate direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming rights for all teams in our portfolio despite our proposal to pay every team in full in exchange for those rights. We are continuing to broadcast games for teams under our contracts.”
Meanwhile, MLB said Wednesday that it had begun to take over production and distribution of all San Diego Padres locally-distributed games. It said in a news release that the new arrangement gives fans the option of watching on TV or streaming digitally.
“While we’re disappointed that Diamond Sports Group failed to live up to their contractual agreement with the club, we are taking this opportunity to reimagine the distribution model, remove blackouts on local games, improve the telecast, and expand the reach of Padres games by more than 2 million homes,” said Noah Garden, MLB chief revenue officer, in the release.
() | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/06/01/mlb-commissioner-accuses-sinclair-chairman-of-threatening-diamond-sports-bankruptcy-in-streaming-rights-dispute/ | 2023-06-17 08:24:36 | 0 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/06/01/mlb-commissioner-accuses-sinclair-chairman-of-threatening-diamond-sports-bankruptcy-in-streaming-rights-dispute/ |
INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Renaissance Foundation, established by Renaissance Life & Health Insurance Companies, announced it will donate $25,000 to the American Red Cross to help people recovering from the devastating effects of Hurricane Ian. Renaissance serves thousands of plan members in the southern U.S., including Florida and the Carolinas, where the storm and flooding left a path of destruction in its wake.
"We are thankful for the efforts of the American Red Cross and others who are working together to provide basic necessities and assistance to those affected by this storm," says Jeff Kolesar, interim president and CEO of Renaissance. "With thousands of people suffering losses from Hurricane Ian, we trust the Red Cross to help with relief and recovery efforts."
"We are grateful to the Renaissance Foundation for its generous gift to support the Red Cross disaster relief and response efforts in Florida," says Eric Corliss, regional chief executive officer, American Red Cross of Central Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands, whose local workforce is among the more than 2,400 Red Crossers that have supported this relief effort to date. "The Red Cross is using financial donations to help provide shelter, meals and relief supplies to people in need. Our top priority is to get people the help and assistance that they urgently need."
"We know it will take many months for communities to recover and rebuild, and we encourage others, whether corporations or individuals, to join in supporting relief efforts," says Kolesar.
About the Renaissance Foundation
The Renaissance Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization established by Renaissance Life & Health Insurance Company with a mission to protect the overall health and well-being of individuals and families. Renaissance Life & Health Insurance Company of America and its sister company Renaissance Life & Health Insurance Company of New York, offer ancillary benefits for employer groups and individuals nationwide. With headquarters in Indianapolis, Ind., Renaissance is focused on providing outstanding dental, vision, life and disability insurance solutions and service. Visit www.renaissancebenefits.com, and find us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
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SOURCE Renaissance Life & Health Insurance Company of America | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/10/25/renaissance-foundation-donates-25000-american-red-cross-support-hurricane-ian-disaster-relief-efforts/ | 2022-10-25 14:52:47 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/10/25/renaissance-foundation-donates-25000-american-red-cross-support-hurricane-ian-disaster-relief-efforts/ |
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Friday formally announced his bid to replace Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) at the top of the party in the House next year, one day after the longtime Democratic leader said she would step out of that position in the next Congress.
Jeffries, the chair of the House Democratic Caucus, has long been eyeing a run to replace Pelosi as the leader of House Democrats when she stepped down. If he succeeds, as expected, he would become the first Black leader of either party, in either chamber, in the history of Congress.
To launch his bid, Jeffries sent a four-page letter to colleagues Friday morning outlining his goals for the caucus as it heads into the next Congress as the minority party.
“When I initially sought the position of Chair of the House Democratic Caucus two terms ago, none of us could have predicted the challenges the American people would confront in the years to come. However, time and time again, throughout a period of enormous turmoil for our nation, House Democrats rose to the occasion,” Jeffries wrote.
“Today, I write to humbly ask you for your support for the position of House Democratic Leader as we once again prepare to meet the moment,” he added.
Jeffries is one of three up-and-coming Democratic leaders who have been eyeing a chance to move up the leadership ranks whenever the opportunity emerged. With Pelosi stepping down on Thursday, and her two deputies — Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (Md.) and Democratic Whip Jim Clyburn (S.C.) — following close behind, the path was clear for them to do so.
Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), currently the fourth-ranking House Democrat, launched her bid on Friday to move up to the No. 2 whip spot in the next Congress. And Rep. Pete Aguilar (Calif.), the sixth-ranked vice chair of the caucus, is vying to replace Jeffries as caucus chairman.
In his own letter to Democrats on Friday, Aguilar emphasized that he is the only member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus in the highest ranks of the party — and he wants the group to be represented in the next Congress, as well.
Aguilar’s decision to jump into the caucus chairman race was a late surprise, and it pits him against Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), who like Jeffries and Clyburn is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus.
The unexpected challenge for the No. 3 slot came after Clyburn delivered a surprise of his own: Unlike Pelosi and Hoyer, who stepped down from leadership altogether, he’s vying to remain as the assistant leader — the same spot Aguilar was initially thought to be seeking.
Clyburn’s endorsement of Joe Biden in South Carolina during the 2020 Democratic presidential primary was crucial to Biden securing the nomination. And in a letter to Democrats, he reminded his colleagues of that episode while touting his long experience in the leadership ranks.
Jeffries gave a hat-tip to the outgoing “big three” in his letter announcing his bid for Democratic leader, underscoring the “invaluable opportunity” he had to learn from Pelosi, Hoyer and Clyburn.
“I am thankful for the invaluable opportunity I have had to learn from legendary figures like our iconic Speaker Nancy Pelosi, our resolute Leader Steny Hoyer and our historic Majority Whip James E. Clyburn, who has mentored and nurtured my leadership development the moment I arrived in Congress,” Jeffries wrote.
The New York Democrat said his candidacy for the top House Democrat is based on three operating principles: empowering every member, prioritizing lawmaker security and reclaiming the majority.
In the second prong, he proposed creating a “Task For on Member Safety” to document challenges and experiences members and their families have faced, and propose a set of steps to address the issues.
He said such a group is necessary after the assault on Paul Pelosi, the husband of Speaker Pelosi, at their San Francisco home last month, and the shootings involving House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (La.) and former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Ariz.).
—Updated at 11:24 a.m. | https://www.ksn.com/hill-politics/jeffries-announces-bid-for-house-democratic-leader/ | 2022-11-18 18:12:35 | 1 | https://www.ksn.com/hill-politics/jeffries-announces-bid-for-house-democratic-leader/ |
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Saturday evening's drawing of the Washington Lottery's "Keno" game were:
09-10-18-19-23-24-36-40-41-50-55-57-61-62-67-68-69-70-71-79
(nine, ten, eighteen, nineteen, twenty-three, twenty-four, thirty-six, forty, forty-one, fifty, fifty-five, fifty-seven, sixty-one, sixty-two, sixty-seven, sixty-eight, sixty-nine, seventy, seventy-one, seventy-nine) | https://www.sfgate.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Keno-game-17220340.php | 2022-06-05 05:12:38 | 1 | https://www.sfgate.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Keno-game-17220340.php |
Which body moisturizer is best?
Anything from taking a bath to using harsh soaps to cold weather or exposure to UV rays can leave your skin feeling itchy, tight and dry. That’s where a body moisturizer comes into play. Applying a body moisturizer daily can give your skin what it needs for regeneration and nourishment. For a top choice that is non-greasy, vegan and cruelty free, try the Osea Undaria Algae Body Oil.
What to know before you buy a body moisturizer
Choose a body moisturizer with antioxidants
Antioxidants can help nourish your dry and aging skin by targeting the free radicals that lead to skin cell deterioration and lipid oxidation. These antioxidants can help improve the ability of your skin to stimulate collagen production and regenerate skin cells.
Some of the most popular antioxidants in body moisturizers include grape seed extract, licorice root, soy extract, selenium or glutathione, green tea, vitamin A or beta-carotene, vitamin C or ascorbic acid and vitamin E or tocopherols.
Select the best body moisturizer for your skin type
It’s crucial to understand your skin type and what your skin needs when choosing a body moisturizer. For example, if you have normal skin, you can use any lightweight body moisturizer with a blend of soothing scents, emollients and humectants.
But if you have dry skin, you need a thicker body moisturizer with ingredients like silicone derivatives, mineral oils, lanolin and petrolatum. And if you have oily skin, you need a lightweight, oil-free body moisturizer with humectants like hyaluronic acid and propylene glycol.
Find a body moisturizer with anti-irritants.
Anti-irritants can help decrease inflammation and boost the healing process for your skin. There are several anti-irritant ingredients out there that can reduce inflammation, including chamomile, calendula, licorice root, green tea, allantoin and aloe.
What to look for in a quality body moisturizer
Feels lightweight
The best body moisturizers feel lightweight. Moisturizers have a higher water-to-oil ratio, so they have a thin consistency that is simple to spread and doesn’t leave your skin feeling too oily or greasy. Most body moisturizers work well in warm climates and absorb quickly.
Offers sensory indulgence
Applying a high-quality body moisturizer is an excellent chance to do some self-pampering. You should use a circular motion to rub in your body moisturizer to help stimulate your blood circulation and soothe and relax your muscles. Look for body moisturizers that are lightly scented with essential oils like ylang-ylang, chamomile and lavender, which can act as relaxing aromatherapy.
Replenishes moisture
You should also look for a body moisturizer that actually replenishes moisture in your skin. Applying this type of body moisturizer daily can keep your skin healthy and hydrated. Also, search for a formula that nourishes trouble spots like your heels, knees and elbows. You can regularly use a nourishing body moisturizer to smooth and hydrate these dry and rough areas.
How much you can expect to spend on a body moisturizer
You can typically expect to spend anywhere from $5 for a basic body moisturizer to $40 for a high-end body moisturizer. Premium body moisturizers usually range in price from $15 to $40 for 8 ounces, while basic body moisturizers cost between $5 and $15 for 10 ounces.
Body moisturizer FAQ
Can you use body moisturizer on your face?
A. Keep in mind that the skin on your face is more sensitive and delicate than the skin on your body, so if you use a regular body moisturizer, it could lead to a breakout on your face. That being said, you can usually apply a lightweight and unscented body moisturizer to your face without causing harm or a breakout.
How often should you use body moisturizer?
A. Personal and environmental criteria factor into how often you should personally apply a body moisturizer. That being said, you should probably apply body moisturizer at least once per day, if not more.
When is the best time to apply body moisturizer?
A. It’s important to apply a layer of body moisturizer after you take a bath or shower since the moisturizer will help your skin retain the water. Your pores are also ready and open to receive nutrients after a bath or shower. That being said, you should use body moisturizer any time you think your skin needs some extra hydration.
What are the best body moisturizers to buy?
Top body moisturizer
What you need to know: This algae oil moisturizing offers impressive hydration for all skin types.
What you’ll love: This daily body moisturizer oil smooths and hydrates skin and absorbs quickly without leaving any residue. It firms skin while softening and nourishing it.
What you should consider: It’s expensive considering the price of the bottle.
Where to buy: Sold by Ulta Beauty and Amazon
Top body moisturizer for the money
NIVEA Essentially Enriched Body Lotion
What you need to know: This simple and affordable body moisturizer soothes sensitive and dry skin with a lightweight formula with almond oil.
What you’ll love: This budget-friendly body moisturizer is best for dry or very dry skin, and one application will hydrate for 48 hours. It absorbs quickly, despite being a hydrating formula.
What you should consider: This body moisturizer is not fragrance-free, which could be a deal-breaker for those with sensitive skin.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This popular body moisturizer from CeraVe hydrates the skin well and comes with a rich formula full of good-for-you ingredients.
What you’ll love: This rich body moisturizer spreads on the skin easily and moisturizes the skin without leaving any film or residue. It contains three essential ceramides and hyaluronic acid to help restore your skin barrier.
What you should consider: Some customers claimed to have received spoiled or bad-smelling bottles.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://fox59.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/luxury-skincare-br/best-body-moisturizer/ | 2023-01-29 22:37:47 | 0 | https://fox59.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/luxury-skincare-br/best-body-moisturizer/ |
A 34-year-old man is charged with the murder of his mother in Truro after authorities responding to a well-being check found the woman’s body burning on the front lawn of a home Friday night, officials said.
Emergency personnel responding to a request for a well-being check and a separate report of a fire went to a residential property in Truro around 9:30 p.m., according to a statement Saturday morning from Cape & Islands District Attorney Michael O’Keefe and Truro Police Chief Jamie Calise.
When they arrived, they encountered a man, later identified as Adam T. Howe, standing outside the house and saw a fire burning on the front lawn.
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“As the emergency personnel realized that it was a body that was burning, the male subject ran into the house and locked the door,” the statement said. “The Cape Cod Regional SWAT Team responded and ultimately made entry into the home placing the subject into custody.”
Evidence suggests that the body found on the front lawn is of Howe’s mother, Susan Howe, 69, according to the statement.
Arrangements are being made to have Howe evaluated for mental health issues “as a result of conversations with and information from family members,” the statement said.
The murder is under investigation by Truro police, the State Fire Marshal’s Office, and State Police detectives assigned to the district attorney’s office, the statement said.
John Hilliard can be reached at john.hilliard@globe.com. John R. Ellement can be reached at john.ellement@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @JREbosglobe. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/10/01/metro/da-man-charged-with-murdering-mother-burning-her-body-truro-friday-night/ | 2022-10-01 15:57:53 | 1 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/10/01/metro/da-man-charged-with-murdering-mother-burning-her-body-truro-friday-night/ |
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In recognition of their impact, Talenti is celebrating the four culinary creators by providing monetary grants to support their work and creating a limited-edition tasting menu
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., July 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As a brand that sources inspiration from the culinary world, Talenti is committed to supporting diverse culinary creators and celebrating their heritage, culture and contributions to their communities. That's why, this National Culinary Arts Month, Talenti® Gelato & Sorbetto is partnering with Black Food Folks to amplify the voices of and provide monetary grants to four trailblazing Black culinary creators. This is the third consecutive year that Talenti has partnered with Black Food Folks, a fellowship of Black professionals in food and drink, to provide grants and recognition to culinary creators and celebrate their craftsmanship.
Talenti is honoring Maya-Camille Broussard, a native of Chicago's South Side and founder of Justice of the Pies, as the Culinary Creator Hero. Maya-Camille founded Justice of the Pies in honor of her late father and gives back to her community in his memory through her culinary workshop I KNEAD LOVE which supports children who reside in lower income communities affected by food insecurities. This fall, Maya-Camille plans to achieve her dream by opening her first-ever Justice of the Pies storefront on the South Side of Chicago. In addition to selling delicious pies, Maya-Camille hopes to create a space that brings together her community and fosters relationships. In addition to Maya-Camille, three additional individuals are receiving grants and being recognized as the brand's Culinary Creator Honorees: Jasmine Macon, Felicia Mayden and Ashleigh Pearson.
Together with the Culinary Creator Honorees, Talenti is releasing a limited-edition Tasting Menu that will include delicious treats created by Jasmine, Felicia, and Ashleigh, using their favorite Talenti Gelato. The limited-edition recipes can be found at each of their establishments from July 18th to August 14th.
"At Talenti, we are so inspired by the work Maya-Camille, Jasmine, Felicia and Ashleigh are doing in their communities and sharing their love of food and giving back in meaningful ways," said Russel Lilly, General Manager, North American Ice Cream at Unilever. "We are proud to continue supporting local businesses and celebrating the successes of the Black culinary community, while giving them a platform and resources to amplify their voices and expand their culinary reach."
Talenti is celebrating Maya-Camille's impact with a video that highlights her background, personal story and contributions to the culinary world. Read more on Maya-Camille on OprahDaily.com as part of Oprah Winfrey's "The Life You Want" program.
More on the Culinary Creator Honorees and their recipes:
- Jasmine Macon from Charlotte, NC is paving her own culinary path and chasing her dream of opening her own donut shop, Beyond Amazing Donuts (B.A.D.), this summer. Jasmine created a Mango Donut with Basil Caramel and Ginger Crumb with Talenti Alphonso Mango Sorbetto. Available at Hex Coffee (1824 Statesville Ave. 101, Charlotte, NC 28206), every Saturday from July 23 to August 13 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Felicia Mayden, executive pastry chef at The Emily Hotel in Chicago, IL, participates in #BakersAgainstRacism, which connects Bakers across the globe to fight against racism, amongst other community outreach and fundraisers. Felicia's recipe incorporates Talenti Madagascan Vanilla Bean Gelato in a Banana Pudding Ice Cream Sandwich. Available at The Emily Hotel (311 N Morgan St, Chicago, IL 60607).
- Ashleigh Pearson, of Petite Soeur in Washington D.C., has taken her background in science and turned it into a business that delivers on her belief that luxury chocolate should be more accessible without sacrificing quality. Ashleigh created a Coconut Lime Brownie Pop with Talenti Caribbean Coconut Gelato. Available at Petite Soeur (1332 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20007).
"We are so thankful for our ongoing partnership with Talenti, a brand that shares our vision for supporting and lifting up Black culinary creators," said Clay Williams and Colleen Vincent, founders of Black Food Folks. "The grants from Talenti will allow these four women to continue the incredible work they are doing in their communities and invest in their growing culinary endeavors."
Learn more about the Culinary Creators and their recipes at TalentiGelato.com.
About Talenti® Gelato & Sorbetto
Talenti® Gelato & Sorbetto is crafted for taste – using only the highest quality ingredients sourced from around the world, and using a slow-cooking process that's so unmistakable – it's "Clearly Talenti." It's with this unique focus on real ingredients and craftsmanship that the brand has grown from a small gelateria in 2003 to the best-selling gelato in the United States. Packaged in recyclable and reusable containers, Talenti is not only the difference you can see, but the one you can taste.
For a full list of Talenti products and to find retail locations that sell Talenti, please visit www.TalentiGelato.com. To keep up with Talenti news, visit Talenti on Facebook, Instagram or follow us on Twitter.
About Unilever North America
Unilever is one of the world's leading suppliers of Beauty & Personal Care, Home Care, and Foods & Refreshment products, with sales in over 190 countries and products used by 3.4 billion people every day. We have 148,000 employees and generated sales of €52.4 billion in 2021. Over half of our footprint is in developing and emerging markets. We have around 400 brands found in homes all over the world – including iconic brands like Dove, Knorr, Hellmann's, Magnum, Axe, Ben & Jerry's, Degree, Seventh Generation, St. Ives, Suave, TRESemmé, and Vaseline.
Our vision is to be the global leader in sustainable business and to demonstrate how our purpose-led, future-fit business model drives superior performance. We have a long tradition of being a progressive, responsible business. It goes back to the days of our founder William Lever, who launched the world's first purposeful brand, Sunlight Soap, more than 100 years ago, and it's at the heart of how we run our company today.
The Unilever Compass, our sustainable business strategy, is set out to help us deliver superior performance and drive sustainable and responsible growth, while:
- improving the health of the planet;
- improving people's health, confidence and wellbeing; and
- contributing to a fairer and more socially inclusive world.
While there is still more to do, in the past year we're proud to have achieved sector leadership in S&P's Dow Jones Sustainability Index, 'Triple A' status in CDP's Climate, Water and Forest benchmarks, and to be named as the top ranked company in the GlobeScan/SustainAbility Sustainability Leaders survey for the eleventh consecutive year.
For more information on Unilever U.S. and its brands visit: www.unileverusa.com
For more information on Unilever Canada and its brands visit: www.unilever.ca
Media Contact:
Caroline Seelen
Caroline.Seelen@Edible-Inc.com
207-650-8210
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SOURCE Talenti Gelato & Sorbetto | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2022/07/19/talenti-partners-with-black-food-folks-honor-four-culinary-creators-making-difference-culinary-world/ | 2022-07-19 15:30:48 | 0 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2022/07/19/talenti-partners-with-black-food-folks-honor-four-culinary-creators-making-difference-culinary-world/ |
JUNO BEACH, Fla., June 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NextEra Water Pennsylvania, LLC ("NextEra Water"), an indirect subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, today announced that it has entered into an agreement to purchase the wastewater system owned by Towamencin Township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
The Towamencin wastewater system consists of a treatment plant and collection system and serves approximately 7,500 customer accounts.
"We are pleased to have been awarded the bid through a competitive process to purchase the Towamencin wastewater system. NextEra Water is committed to meeting high standards for the wastewater system and providing high-quality service to community residents and businesses," said Bruce Hauk, president of NextEra Water. "The acquisition of the Towamencin wastewater system furthers our goal of creating a national water utility and is consistent with our strategy of adding high-quality regulated assets to our portfolio."
The sale requires regulatory approval from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. Assuming timely regulatory approval, the sale is targeted to close in the second half of 2023.
The Towamencin wastewater system acquisition is NextEra Water's second acquisition. NextEra Water expects to complete the purchase of several water and wastewater systems from Quadvest, L.P. in Texas in the third quarter of this year.
NextEra Water and its affiliate, NextEra Water Texas, LLC, are regulated water and wastewater utilities that pursue opportunities to acquire, develop, build and operate potable water, wastewater and reclaimed water utilities projects. To learn more, visit www.NextEraWater.com
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SOURCE NextEra Water | https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/prnewswire/2022/06/16/nextera-water-enters-agreement-purchase-pennsylvania-wastewater-system/ | 2022-06-16 12:06:43 | 0 | https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/prnewswire/2022/06/16/nextera-water-enters-agreement-purchase-pennsylvania-wastewater-system/ |
100 students are walking across the stage debt-free from Wiley College after an anonymous donor pays paid their balances.
The East Texas historically Black college released a newsletter saying that the students were at graduation when the school’s president, Herman J. Felton Jr., made the announcement, informing graduates they “do not owe the college a penny.”
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“If you have a balance, you had a balance,” Felton Jr. said at the graduation. “You no longer have a balance.” The estimated total balance owed by the graduating class of 2022 was around $300,000, as stated in the newsletter.
“Our commitment to our students goes beyond their time while they are enrolled,” the president added in the release. “We are constantly communicating with donors to assist students in these ways so that they can begin their after-college experience with less debt. We are grateful for this anonymous donor who will assist the students in paying off their balances to Wiley College and help us achieve institutional goals of graduating our students with little to no debt.”
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“The anonymous gift sets graduates on a continued path to success and allows Wiley College to strengthen its commitment to providing an affordable exceptional education,” Felton Jr. said. “As Wiley College closes the academic semester and prepares for its Sesquicentennial Celebrations beginning in July, this is a great way to end the semester and start the celebration of 150 years of the College’s contributions to the world.”
The college is widely known for the inspiration behind the 2007 Denzel Washington film “The Great Debaters” which followed Wiley winning over the University of Southern California’s nationally-known team in 1935.
Wiley College was founded in 1873 in Marshall, Texas. The Historically Black College’s (HBCU) mission is to be “a premier liberal arts institution, affiliated with the United Methodist Church, with an intentional focus on social good and leadership.”
SEE: Finally Degreed! Anthony Anderson Celebrates At The Club After Graduating From Howard University
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‘You Do Not Owe The College A Penny’ Anonymous Donor Pays Debt For Texas HBCU Graduates At Wiley College was originally published on rickeysmileymorningshow.com | https://wzakcleveland.com/4314645/you-do-not-owe-the-college-a-penny-anonymous-donor-pays-debt-for-texas-hbcu-graduates-at-wiley-college/ | 2022-05-10 21:07:28 | 1 | https://wzakcleveland.com/4314645/you-do-not-owe-the-college-a-penny-anonymous-donor-pays-debt-for-texas-hbcu-graduates-at-wiley-college/ |
A federal grand jury has indicted two men who are accused of flying drones over Cincinnati Bengals and Cincinnati Reds games.
Dailon Dabney, 24, of Cincinnati, allegedly flew his drone over the Cincinnati Bengals NFL playoff game on Jan. 15, recording the flight and posting the video to social media websites and YouTube. The drone was allegedly flown into the stadium and hovered over players and portions of the stadium crowd, said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker.
Travis Lenhoff, 38, of Northern Kentucky, allegedly flew a drone into a restricted area at Great American Ballpark on April 12 during Opening Day activities for the Cincinnati Reds baseball team.
“This is a growing problem that poses a direct risk to the players and the individuals in the stands,” said Parker. “Even if the operator does not have an intent to harm, the operator could easily lose control and injure someone. Moreover, the sight of a drone flying overhead could lead to a panic in the crowd. If you attend these events like Reds games and Bengals games — leave the drones at home.”
“Flying a drone over a stadium full of fans is dangerous and illegal without the proper FAA training, licensing, and approved flight plan,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge J. William Rivers. “We will continue to work with the FAA and local police to investigate these incidents when proper FAA protocols and procedures are not followed.”
Any drone that weighs more than .55 pounds and less than 55 pounds must be registered with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Parker’s office said. Dabney’s and Lenhoff’s drones are not registered with the FAA and they do not have a remote pilot certification.
The defendants are each charged charged with operating an unregistered drone — a federal crime punishable by up to three years in prison. Dabney is also charged with violating a temporary flight restriction, which is punishable by up to one year in prison.
About the Author | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/2-men-indicted-for-flying-drones-over-bengals-reds-games/3SMUVW4BO5DJBFV5VEOVKTNTT4/ | 2022-09-22 12:52:49 | 0 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/2-men-indicted-for-flying-drones-over-bengals-reds-games/3SMUVW4BO5DJBFV5VEOVKTNTT4/ |
Braves sixth. Matt Olson strikes out swinging. Austin Riley singles to right field. Sean Murphy doubles to left field. Austin Riley scores. Ozzie Albies strikes out swinging. Eddie Rosario grounds out to first base, Jason Vosler to Graham Ashcraft.
1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Braves 1, Reds 0.
Braves seventh. Orlando Arcia walks. Kevin Pillar called out on strikes. Eli White strikes out swinging. Ronald Acuna Jr. singles to left field. Orlando Arcia to third. Matt Olson walks. Ronald Acuna Jr. to second. Matt Olson to second. Ronald Acuna Jr. to third. Orlando Arcia scores. Austin Riley strikes out swinging.
1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 left on. Braves 2, Reds 0.
Reds eighth. Jose Barrero strikes out swinging. Jonathan India doubles to deep left field. TJ Friedl lines out to right field to Ronald Acuna Jr.. Jake Fraley singles to right field. Jonathan India scores. Tyler Stephenson grounds out to third base, Austin Riley to Matt Olson.
1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Braves 2, Reds 1.
Braves eighth. Sean Murphy strikes out swinging. Ozzie Albies singles to left field. Marcell Ozuna pinch-hitting for Eddie Rosario. Marcell Ozuna grounds out to shallow infield to Jason Vosler. Ozzie Albies to second. Orlando Arcia singles to left center field. Ozzie Albies scores. Kevin Pillar lines out to shortstop to Jose Barrero.
1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Braves 3, Reds 1.
Reds ninth. Wil Myers singles to deep right field. Stuart Fairchild pinch-hitting for Jason Vosler. Stuart Fairchild triples to deep left field. Wil Myers scores. Spencer Steer singles to shallow center field. Stuart Fairchild scores. Kevin Newman pinch-hitting for Will Benson. Kevin Newman grounds out to shortstop. Spencer Steer out at second. Jose Barrero grounds out to first base to Matt Olson.
2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. Reds 3, Braves 3.
Reds tenth. Jonathan India singles to shallow right field. Jose Barrero scores. TJ Friedl out on a sacrifice bunt to shallow infield, Matt Olson to Ozzie Albies. Jonathan India to second. Jake Fraley strikes out swinging. Tyler Stephenson grounds out to shortstop, Orlando Arcia to Matt Olson.
1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 left on. Reds 4, Braves 3.
Braves tenth. Sean Murphy homers to center field. Austin Riley scores.
2 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Braves 5, Reds 4. | https://www.expressnews.com/sports/article/cincinnati-atlanta-runs-17889851.php | 2023-04-11 03:11:12 | 1 | https://www.expressnews.com/sports/article/cincinnati-atlanta-runs-17889851.php |
WFO PENDLETON Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, January 17, 2023
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DENSE FOG ADVISORY
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Pendleton OR
942 AM PST Tue Jan 17 2023
...DENSE FOG ADVISORY WILL EXPIRE AT 10 AM PST THIS MORNING...
Dense fog advisory will be allowed to expire at 10am. Department
of transportation cameras are showing the fog has begun to lift.
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Copyright 2023 AccuWeather | https://www.expressnews.com/weather/article/WA-WFO-PENDLETON-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17723094.php | 2023-01-17 19:20:40 | 1 | https://www.expressnews.com/weather/article/WA-WFO-PENDLETON-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17723094.php |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Four members of the Oath Keepers were convicted Monday of seditious conspiracy in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack in the second major trial of far-right extremists accused of plotting to forcibly keep President Donald Trump in power.
The verdict against Joseph Hackett of Sarasota, Florida; Roberto Minuta of Prosper, Texas; David Moerschel of Punta Gorda, Florida; and Edward Vallejo of Phoenix comes weeks after after a different jury convicted the group’s leader, Stewart Rhodes, in the mob’s attack that halted the certification of President Joe Biden’s electoral victory.
It’s another major victory for the Justice Department, which is also trying to secure sedition convictions against the former leader of the Proud Boys and four associates. The trial against Enrique Tarrio and his lieutenants opened earlier this month in Washington and is expected to last several weeks.
The Washington jury deliberated for about 12 hours over three days before delivering their guilty verdict on the rarely used charge, which carries up to 20 years in prison. The four were also convicted of two other conspiracy charges as well as obstructing an official proceeding: Congress’ certification of the 2020 election. Minuta, Hackett and Moerschel were acquitted of lesser charges.
The judge didn’t immediately set a date for sentencing. The judge denied prosecutors’ bid to lock up the men while they await sentencing, finding them not to be a risk of flight. They were ordered to remain in home detention with electronic monitoring.
It was one of the most serious cases brought so far in the sweeping Jan. 6 investigation, which continues to grow two years after the riot. The Justice Department has charged nearly 1,000 people in the riot and the tally increases by the week.
Attorney General Merrick Garland told reporters after the verdict that he is “grateful to the prosecutors, agents and staff for their outstanding work.”
Oath Keepers leader Rhodes and Florida chapter leader Kelly Meggs were convicted of seditious conspiracy in the previous trial that ended in November. They were the first people in decades found guilty at trial of the Civil War-era charge. Three other Oath Keepers were cleared of the charge in that case but were found guilty of other serious crimes. They are all awaiting sentencing.
Lawyers for Moerschel and Minuta suggested after the verdict that their clients were hurt by not being able to stand trial alongside Rhodes because the judge split the case into two groups. Moerchel’s lawyer, Scott Weinberg, said he could have pointed to Rhodes as the “real bad guy.”
“I think it would be easier to be a low-level person in the same case as Stewart Rhodes, who is basically the figurehead of of this organization,” Weinberg said.
William Shipley Jr., Minuta’s attorney, said he was disappointed and “somewhat puzzled” by the verdict. He said the government’s witnesses didn’t stand up to scrutiny and there were gaps in the evidence presented.
“We didn’t really think that in the 15 days of trial testimony the government really had a good day,” Shipley said.
Vallejo left the courthouse without speaking to reporters. Joseph Hackett’s attorney, Angela Halim, declined to comment after the verdict.
Prosecutors told jurors that Rhodes and his band of extremists began shortly after the 2020 election to prepare an armed rebellion to keep Trump in power. Messages show Rhodes and the Oath Keepers discussing the prospect of a “bloody” civil war and the need to keep Biden out of the White House.
“Our democracy was under attack, but for the defendants it was everything they trained for and a moment to celebrate,” prosecutor Louis Manzo told jurors in his closing argument.
Prosecutors alleged that the Oath Keepers amassed weapons and stashed them at a Virginia hotel for so-called “quick reaction force” teams that could quickly shuttle guns into Washington to support their plot if they were needed. The weapons were never used.
Defense attorneys sought to downplay violent messages as mere bluster and said the Oath Keepers came to Washington to provide security at events before the riot. They seized on prosecutors’ lack of evidence that the Oath Keepers had an explicit plan to storm the Capitol before Jan. 6 and told jurors that the extremists who attacked the Capitol acted spontaneously like thousands of other rioters.
Prosecutors argued that while there is not evidence specifically spelling out a plan to attack the Capitol, the Oath Keepers saw the riot as a means to an end and sprung into action at an apparent opportunity to help keep Trump in power.
Hackett, Moerschel and other Oath Keepers approached the Capitol in a military-style stack formation before they entered the building, according to prosecutors. Minuta and his group from a second stack of Oath Keepers clashed with police after heeding Rhodes’ call to race to the Capitol, according to court documents.
Prosecutors said that Vallejo, a U.S. Army veteran and Rhodes ally, drove from Arizona to prepare with the “QRF” — the quick reaction force — at the hotel outside Washington. Jurors heard an audio recording of Vallejo talking about a “declaration of a guerilla war” on the morning of Jan. 6.
Three other Oath Keepers have pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in the hopes of getting a lighter sentence. They are among about 500 people who have pleaded guilty to riot-related charges.
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Richer reported from Boston. Associated Press reporters Lindsay Whitehurst and Andrew Harnik contributed from Washington.
____
Follow AP’s coverage of the Capitol riot at: https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege | https://www.wdtn.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-four-oath-keepers-convicted-of-jan-6-seditious-conspiracy/ | 2023-01-24 13:34:37 | 0 | https://www.wdtn.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-four-oath-keepers-convicted-of-jan-6-seditious-conspiracy/ |
By JOE REEDY
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lakers coach Darvin Ham had seen his squad on the wrong end of close losses for the past week.
On Friday night, Ham saw his team’s mettle and resolve pay off.
Dennis Schröder completed a three-point play with 7.6 seconds after a steal, and Los Angeles rallied past Memphis 122-121 to snap the Grizzlies’ winning streak at 11 games.
“To get a win like this is a momentum swing,” Ham said. “The guys were kind of down after the Sacramento game, but we addressed areas that we needed to get better. There’s no way we win this game if we didn’t have the type of fight that we had.”
The Lakers had lost their last three games by a total of 10 points. They trailed 114-107 with 3:04 remaining before outscoring the Grizzlies 15-7 the rest of the way.
Schröder stole the ball from Desmond Bane near halfcourt and made a layup while being fouled by Bane to tie it at 120. Schröder then hit a free throw for the lead.
“We wanted to trap first before we fouled,” said Schröder, who scored 19 points. “I saw Bane catch the ball, he had his back to me and I made a play. I got the steal, pushed the ball, got fouled and finished the play.”
After a timeout, Memphis’ Brandon Clarke was fouled with 1.9 seconds remaining. He made the first free throw, but missed the second. Bane got the offensive rebound but lost control of it, giving the Lakers possession with 0.4 seconds left.
Russell Westbrook led the Lakers with 29 points and LeBron James added 23. It was only the second time this season Los Angeles won when trailing after three quarters.
The Lakers were outrebounded 63-47, but had a 20-4 edge in fast-break points.
“We were resilient the whole game,” James said. “We stuck with the game plan. We’ve given ourselves a chance to win games.”
Ja Morant led Memphis with 22 points. Clarke and Tyus Jones added 20 apiece, and Steven Adams had 16 points and 17 rebounds.
One significant reason for the Grizzlies’ loss was free throws. They were 26 of 40 from the line, the ninth time this season they shot 65% or worse.
“They outcompeted us for 48 minutes. Plain and simple. Terrible effort,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said.
Morant missed his first five shots and was 2 of 10 with six points in the first half before he had a heated courtside conversation with Shannon Sharpe — the Pro Football Hall of Famer and Fox Sports personality — before halftime.
Morant had 14 points in the third quarter and the Grizzlies held a 13-point lead late in the period.
“We gave up too many second-chance points. Just have to win the 50-50 plays,” Morant said. “We’ve got a lot of good, but a lot of cleaning up to do.”
TIP-INS
Grizzlies: Memphis pulled down a season-high 24 offensive rebounds. … Clarke also had 10 rebounds. … Bane scored 16 points and Jaren Jackson Jr. added 12. … Adams had seven rebounds in the first quarter, the fifth time this season he has had seven or more in the first.
Lakers: Troy Brown Jr. and Kendrick Nunn scored 11 points apiece and Troy Brown Jr. had 10. … LA blocked five shots in the first quarter. … Los Angeles scored 41 points in the fourth quarter and has scored at least 40 in four quarters this season.
UP NEXT
Grizzlies: At Phoenix on Sunday night.
Lakers: At Portland on Sunday night.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2023/01/21/lakers-rally-to-snap-grizzlies-winning-streak-at-11-games-6/ | 2023-01-24 03:22:02 | 0 | https://wtmj.com/national/2023/01/21/lakers-rally-to-snap-grizzlies-winning-streak-at-11-games-6/ |
FAYETTEVILLE — ESPN’s David M. Hale has rated 131 college football teams in tiers as we near the 2022 season.
Hale placed Arkansas in Tier 6 which is supposedly the under-the-radar gems. With Arkansas is BYU, Cincinnati, Iowa, Ole Miss and Pitt. Here’s what Hale wrote about this tier.
“This tier was a combined 63-18 last year. Cincinnati made the playoff. Pitt went to a New Year’s Six bowl. Iowa was ranked as high as No. 2. Arkansas, BYU and Ole Miss spent time in the top 10, too. And yet, none are getting much respect as real playoff contenders this year. True, each team lost some important players, but they all return their fair share of talent, too. So while teams like USC, Miami and Texas spent the offseason more popular than an inanimate carbon rod, it’s about time the teams in this tier earned some respect, too.”
In Tier 1 was Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State. Tier 2 has Oklahoma, Michigan, Notre Dame and Clemson. Tier 3 is composed of NC State, Texas A&M, Utah and Wisconsin. Tier 4 Miami, USC and Texas. Then Tier 5 includes Baylor, Houston, Kentucky, Michigan State, Oklahoma State and Wake Forest.
So ESPN has four SEC schools ahead of the Hogs and another, Ole Miss, in the same tier. Arkansas also opens against Cincinnati on Sept. 3 and plays at BYU on Oct. 15.
In Tier 7 just behind Arkansas’ group Hale has Mississippi State, Tennessee, Oregon, Minnesota and Purdue. Auburn, Florida and LSU are in Tier 8. South Carolina is in Tier 12 and Missouri in Tier 14. Vanderbilt is the final SEC school and in Tier 20. | https://www.fox16.com/sports/local-sports/espn-places-hogs-in-tier-6/ | 2022-08-23 22:16:09 | 0 | https://www.fox16.com/sports/local-sports/espn-places-hogs-in-tier-6/ |
DENVER, Colo. — Suicide isn't easy to talk about but it's necessary in order to acknowledge the pain behind it. As the movement to normalize mental-health issues becomes more prevalent, it's even more crucial.
Currently, the construction industry has the highest suicide rate compared to other industries.
Hundreds of feet off the ground, hanging off the side of a building, that's what life as a construction worker can look like.
"In construction, safety is a hot topic. We talk about that every single day on the job sites," said Molly Cape, marketing manager at MTech Mechanical.
Every day, these employees risk their lives performing dangerous tasks, but that's not where the biggest threat lies. Deaths by suicide are five times higher than all construction-related deaths.
"It started out of a personal pain of losing my brother to suicide," said Sally Spencer-Thomas, who is with United Suicide Survivors International.
Since her brother's death, Spencer-Thomas has devoted her life to suicide prevention, specifically in these types of workplaces.
"What most people don't realize is that the majority of people who die by suicide are men, it's one attempt, it's fatal and they've never stepped foot into any kind of mental health resource," Spencer-Thomas said.
Construction is a male-dominated industry where sharing feelings and talking about issues has long been considered weak, which in part, has led to these high numbers of suicide.
Daniel Carlin's company, Jobsite Care, brings doctors to injured workers and they've seen first-hand how that physical pain contributes to mental health problems.
"It is exceedingly common in construction, after you've been in it for 10 15 20 years, you are in chronic pain," Carlin said. "We sort of have our own little pandemic going on here with suicide in this industry."
It wasn't until recently the industry began to make changes.
"We're starting to send a message to those that we're working with on job sites just to say hey this is important and we encourage you guys to talk about it too," said Murphy.
Dan Lester works for Clayco, a national design-builder, and he has seen changes starting from the top.
"When you have those folks at the top levels championing the cause, that's the first part but then you have to have your middle management, those who are actually applying this work talk about it," Lester said.
As someone who has experienced thoughts of suicide himself, he knows how much that support along with sharing personal stories means.
"Anytime I share my story, anytime I begin to remotely share my story or even talking about the issues and making that personal connection with people, I am always approached by some of the roughest, toughest looking gentleman in the room that will come and tell me that was me," Lester said.
As experts explain, when people don't talk about suicide, it becomes invisible. They say realizing the impact is necessary to preventing suicide. | https://www.kgun9.com/news/national/construction-industry-has-the-highest-suicide-rate | 2022-07-13 13:42:19 | 1 | https://www.kgun9.com/news/national/construction-industry-has-the-highest-suicide-rate |
PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — NATO will send 700 more troops to northern Kosovo to help quell violent protests after clashes with ethnic Serbs there left 30 international soldiers wounded, the alliance announced Tuesday.
The latest violence in the region has stirred fear of a renewal of the 1998-99 conflict in Kosovo that claimed more than 10,000 lives, left more than 1 million people homeless and resulted in a NATO peacekeeping mission that has lasted nearly a quarter of a century.
The clashes grew out of a confrontation that unfolded last week after ethnic Albanian officials elected in votes overwhelmingly boycotted by Serbs entered municipal buildings to take office. When Serbs tried to block them, Kosovo police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.
More violence followed on Monday when Serbs clashed with police and NATO peacekeepers.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said an additional reserve battalion would be put on high readiness in case additional troops are needed.
“These are prudent steps,” said Stoltenberg, who made the announcement in Oslo after talks with the Norwegian prime minister.
The NATO-led peacekeeping mission in the region is known as KFOR and currently consists of almost 3,800 troops.
Also Tuesday, KFOR’s multinational peacekeepers used metal fences and barbed-wire barriers to reinforce positions in a northern town that has become a hot spot. The troops sealed off the municipal building in Zvecan, where unrest on Monday sent tensions soaring.
A former province of Serbia, Kosovo’s 2008 declaration of independence is not recognized by Belgrade. Ethnic Albanians make up most of the population, but Kosovo has a restive Serb minority in the north of the country bordering Serbia.
Stoltenberg condemned the violence and warned that NATO troops would “take all necessary actions to maintain a safe and secure environment for all citizens in Kosovo.”
He urged both sides to refrain from “further irresponsible behavior” and to return to EU-backed talks on improving relations.
The United States and most European Union nations have recognized Kosovo’s independence from Serbia while Russia and China have sided with Belgrade. China on Tuesday expressed its support for Serbia’s efforts to “safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” and Moscow has repeatedly criticized Western policies in the dispute.
In response to the confrontation last week, Serbia put the country’s military on the highest state of alert and sent more troops to the border with Kosovo. The Serbs protested again Monday, insisting that both ethnic Albanian mayors and Kosovo police must leave northern Kosovo.
The confrontations worsened when Serbs attempted to enter the municipal offices in Zvecan, 45 kilometers (28 miles) north of the capital, Pristina. They clashed first with Kosovo police and then with the international peacekeepers.
In a video message issued Tuesday evening, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said the mayors elected on April 23 “are the only ones who have the legitimacy to be at the municipal buildings and to the citizens’ service.”
Instigators of the violence have been identified, according to the prime minister, who named some Serb businessmen who oblige their employees to protest.
“In Kosovo, power is won through elections, not with violence and crime,” he said.
The United States and the EU recently stepped up their efforts to negotiate an agreement between Serbia and Kosovo, fearing instability as Russia’s war rages in Ukraine. The EU has made it clear to both Serbia and Kosovo that they must normalize relations if they’re to make any progress toward joining the bloc.
“We have too much violence in Europe already today. We cannot afford another conflict,” the EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, told reporters Tuesday in Brussels.
As a first step to easing tensions, he said, Kosovo police should suspend the operation focusing on municipal buildings in the north, and violent protesters should “stand down.”
In response to the recent unrest, NATO has decided to increase its KFOR troops with the deployment of “operational reserve forces” for the Western Balkans, a statement said, without specifying a number. Another unit will be on standby “to be ready to reinforce KFOR if necessary.”
A statement issued Tuesday by KFOR said 30 soldiers — 11 Italians and 19 Hungarians — were hurt, including fractures and burns from improvised explosive incendiary devices.
Three Hungarian soldiers were “wounded by the use of firearms,” but their injuries were not life-threatening, the statement added.
Serb officials said 52 people were injured, including three seriously. Four protesters were detained, according to Kosovo police.
“Both parties need to take full responsibility for what happened and prevent any further escalation, rather than hide behind false narratives,” KFOR commander Maj. Gen. Angelo Michele Ristuccia said.
Belgrade and Pristina have blamed each other for the escalation.
Meanwhile, ambassadors from the so-called Quint countries — France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the U.S. — met Monday with Kurti in Pristina and on Tuesday with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade.
Vucic later also met with the ambassadors in Serbia of Russia and China.
In a statement from his office, Vucic expressed “immense dissatisfaction and strong concern” over what he described as international “tolerance” of Kurti’s actions that fueled violence against Serbs.
Urgent measures to guarantee the security of the Serbs in Kosovo are a precondition for any future talks, Vucic insisted.
Kurti has thanked KFOR troops for “valiant action to preserve peace in the face of violent extremism.”
Russia and China both have sharply criticized Western backing for Kosovo’s independence. Russian President Vladimir Putin often has cited the “precedent” of NATO bombardment of Serbia in 1999 to justify his unlawful annexation of parts of Ukraine.
The conflict in Kosovo erupted in 1998 when separatist ethnic Albanians rebelled against Serbia’s rule, and Serbia responded with a brutal crackdown. About 13,000 people, mostly ethnic Albanians, died.
NATO’s military intervention in 1999 eventually forced Serbia to pull out of the territory and paved the way for the establishment of the KFOR peacekeeping mission.
___
Semini reported from Tirana, Albania. Associated Press writers Dusan Stojanovic and Jovana Gec in Belgrade, Serbia; Lorne Cook in Brussels; and Nicole Winfield in Rome, contributed to this report. | https://www.qcnews.com/news/world-news/ap-nato-to-send-700-more-troops-to-kosovo-to-help-quell-violent-protests/ | 2023-05-31 11:07:24 | 1 | https://www.qcnews.com/news/world-news/ap-nato-to-send-700-more-troops-to-kosovo-to-help-quell-violent-protests/ |
WHO: 1 child has died in mystery liver disease outbreak
BERLIN (AP) - The World Health Organization says at least one death has been reported in connection with a mysterious liver disease outbreak affecting children in Europe and the United States.
The U.N. health agency said late Saturday that it has so far received reports of at least 169 cases of “acute hepatitis of unknown origin” from a dozen countries.
The cases were reported in children aged one month to 16 years old, and 17 of those who fell ill required liver transplants. WHO didn’t say in which country the death occurred.
The first cases were recorded in Britain, where 114 children have been sickened.
“It is not yet clear if there has been an increase in hepatitis cases, or an increase in awareness of hepatitis cases that occur at the expected rate but go undetected,” WHO said in a statement.
Experts say the cases may be linked to a virus commonly associated with colds, but further research is ongoing.
“While adenovirus is a possible hypothesis, investigations are ongoing for the causative agent,” WHO said, noting that the virus has been detected in at least 74 of the cases. At least 20 of the children tested positive for the coronavirus.
WHO said affected countries are stepping up their surveillance of hepatitis cases in children.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/04/24/who-1-child-has-died-mystery-liver-disease-outbreak/ | 2022-04-25 00:26:01 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/04/24/who-1-child-has-died-mystery-liver-disease-outbreak/ |
Correction: A previous version of this article misidentified the location of airports where ground stops had been ordered on Saturday afternoon.
(NewsNation) — The U.S. government is continuing to monitor a huge, high-altitude Chinese balloon that has been moving across the United States for a few days now.
A senior Defense Department official said there is “very high confidence” the balloon is owned and operated by the Chinese government. The Pentagon, meanwhile, says it knows it is a surveillance balloon — although officials did not get into specific details on Friday as to why they thought that.
While questions remain about what exactly the balloon is being used for, here is what is known so far:
What happened?
U.S. Defense officials have been tracking the Chinese balloon, which they say is being used for spying, for days. It drifted over the Aleutian Islands off Alaska’s mainland and Canada before coming back to the United States.
Is the balloon dangerous?
Federal officials say the balloon does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground.
While there were concerns Friday about the balloon floating over three airbases in or near Montana, U.S. officials have downplayed any tactical advantage it may have.
The three airbases, which are known to have long-range nuclear missile silos, are Malmstrom Air Force Base, about four hours north of Billings, Montana; Minot Air Force Base, to the east in North Dakota; and Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, just south in Wyoming.
On “NewsNation Live,” Retired Maj. Gen. William Enyart said this balloon is “really insignificant.”
“This balloon is not going to add anything that the Chinese aren’t already getting,” Enyart said. “The only two possible useful pieces of information that they could get from it would be weather and wind patterns at altitude — which could potentially impact missiles and bombers — and secondly, our ability to detect, track and react to a high-altitude, airborne device.”
Where is the balloon?
On Friday, the balloon was over the central United States, though the Pentagon wouldn’t get into specifics about its location. They did say it is 60,000 feet above the U.S.
“The balloon is currently traveling well above commercial air traffic and does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground,” Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement.
Local news reports on Saturday said it was flying above North Carolina. That afternoon, a ground stop had been ordered in three airports — one in North Carolina and two in South Carolina, per the Federal Aviation Administration.
What is the United States going to do about it?
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden was briefed Tuesday about the balloon and asked military advisers to present options. It was their strong recommendation at that time not to take action, advice the president took “seriously,” she said. At this time, Jean-Pierre said the U.S. is keeping all options open.
On Saturday, however, President Biden remarked that officials are “going to take care” of the suspected surveillance balloon, but did not elaborate on what they had planned, Reuters reported.
But officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Associated Press the Biden administration is considering a plan to shoot down the balloon by bringing it down once it is above the Atlantic Ocean where the remnants could potentially be recovered.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Antony Blinken had already postponed a planned high-stakes diplomatic trip to Beijing because of the balloon. Although he had been prepared on Thursday to travel to China this weekend, the Biden administration began to reconsider the trip after the balloon was detected Wednesday.
CNN reported that Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, said Friday that the UN is concerned “whenever there are heightened tensions between China and the U.S.”
“Given the global leadership position of both countries, I think it is incumbent on them to do whatever they can to lower tensions,” Dujarric said, according to CNN.
Why haven’t officials shot it down yet?
Former President Donald Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social that the U.S. should shoot down the balloon, something Republican lawmakers including Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia have also said.
However, defense officials have said this would not be a safe option, as falling debris could be a risk to residents on the ground.
Retired Gen. Philip Breedlove, former supreme allied commander of NATO, said the U.S. also likely would not want to begin shooting in areas that are considered contentious.
“We fly in a lot of places in the South China Sea with our aircraft. … China claims that as their airspace. There may be a consideration out there that we don’t want to start a process of shooting things that are in these kinds of contested areas,” Breedlove told NewsNation host Leland Vittert in an interview.
Even if U.S. officials did decide to bring the balloon down, the likelihood that it would strike anything of value is pretty low, Breedlove went on to say.
“I think the military is making the right call in not shooting it down,” Enyart said.
What has China said, and how has the U.S. responded?
Though China has angrily denounced surveillance attempts by the U.S. and others in the past, it was relatively conciliatory in its response to the complaints about the current balloon, The Associated Press reported.
The AP said China’s statement “approached an apology,” adding the Chinese foreign ministry claimed the balloon was a civilian airship used mainly for meteorological research.
The balloon had limited “self-steering” capabilities, and winds caused it to deviate far from its planned course, China said.
“The Chinese side regrets the unintended entry of the airship into U.S. airspace due to force majeure,” the statement said. “Force majeure” is a legal term used to refer to events beyond one’s control.
Ryder said Pentagon officials are aware of China’s statement, but still think it is a surveillance balloon. He did not get more specific than that.
“The balloon has violated U.S. airspace and international law, which is unacceptable,” Ryder said. The U.S., he added, has communicated that to Chinese leaders at multiple levels.
How many balloons are being tracked right now?
The U.S. is currently tracking one balloon. Canada, the Toronto Star reported, was tracking a potential second balloon on Friday.
“Canadians are safe and Canada is taking steps to ensure the security of its airspace, including the monitoring of a potential second incident,” Canada’s Department of National Defence said in a statement, according to The Star.
Also on Friday, Ryder told NewsNation the Pentagon saw reports of a balloon “transiting Latin America.”
“We now assess it is another Chinese surveillance balloon,” he said, adding that there was no further information to provide at this time.
How big is the balloon?
Pentagon officials would not get into the specific size of the balloon, only saying that it is large enough that any potential debris would be significant and cause property damage, civilian injuries, or even death.
The AP reported that one defense official said the balloon is the size of three buses.
The Associated Press and NewsNation digital content producer Tyler Wornell contributed to this report. | https://www.kark.com/news/national-news/what-we-know-and-dont-know-about-the-chinese-balloon/ | 2023-02-04 20:56:13 | 0 | https://www.kark.com/news/national-news/what-we-know-and-dont-know-about-the-chinese-balloon/ |
DARIEN, Conn., Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Smile Compostable Solutions® won the compostability category for the first-ever U.S. Plastics Pact Sustainable Packaging Innovation Award. The award showcases companies that are eliminating problematic and unnecessary plastic packaging while taking actions to ensure that 100% of plastic packaging is reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. Smile is recognized as a business making strides to advance sustainable packaging solutions that contribute to a circular economy.
Smile was chosen by a panel of expert judges in circularity and packaging engineering from leading retailers and sustainability organizations. Criteria was based on the improved environmental impact of the product, likelihood of commercial viability and the level of potential impact in moving the industry towards circularity. Smile's pods provide a convenient, sustainable solution for polypropylene plastic (PP #5) coffee pods, especially where there is limited recycling available and food contact is present. PP #5 pods are rarely recycled, due to small size, food contact, and the need to separate the lid, filter and grounds before recycling. Smile's pods compost whole, eliminating water waste from cleaning and lid disposal.
"This validation from the U.S. Plastics Pact should prove to companies sitting on the sustainability fence that there is an immediate compostable, carbon neutral and plant-based solution that gives everyone in the coffee pod industry the opportunity to reduce their plastic and carbon footprints to help improve the environment," stated Smile Compostable Solutions CEO and Co-Founder Michael Sands. "Why wait until 2025 when consumers want it and it is available today?"
The compostability category judges how well a product meets Biodegradable Products Institute's (BPI) composting certification standards. In addition to passing ASTM D6400 and D6868 standards, BPI Certified products must be associated with the diversion of feedstocks desired by compost manufacturers and cannot be a redesign of a product that's a better fit for recycling. Aligning with BPI's prohibition on fluorinated chemicals, Smile's pod is also free from BPA, PFAS, and petroleum plastic while exceeding BPI's certification mark requirements by displaying accurate marketing language and certification logos on all packaging, including on the actual lid of the pod itself.
"Smile Compostable Coffee Pods are a fully compostable packaging solution with countless opportunities for expansion. The judges were impressed with their holistic approach to making sure the full package was compostable and designed to clearly communicate that to the consumer," said Crystal Bayliss, U.S. Plastics Pact Program Manager, Circular Economy Strategic Relationships. "We applaud Smile Compostable Solutions on their efforts to help businesses and individuals meet their plastic and carbon reduction goals and can't wait to see what they do next."
Smile Compostable Solutions® is the only fully-certified compostable turn-key pod system to help an entire brand's offerings go sustainable. Smile also offers TÜV-Austria OK Home compostable straws and certified commercially compostable laminate bags. Our award-winning material meets or exceeds all new state regulations and can be used across many food categories. We offer the convenience of a one stop shop across pods, straws, bags and foodware with the best compostable materials.
© 2022, Smile Coffee Werks
Smile Coffee Werks and the green coffee pod are U.S. registered trademarks of Smile Beverage Werks, LLC. All rights reserved. Smile is not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by Nespresso or Keurig Dr Pepper. Commercial composting facilities may not exist in your area. Visit FindAComposter.com or CompostNow.org to find a compost facility near you!
About Smile Beverage Werks PBC
Smile Beverage Werks, PBC is a Delaware Public Benefits Corporation d/b/a Smile Compostable Solutions. Smile utilizes its best-in-class compostable materials for solutions in food packaging, including single-use coffee pods, straws and bags. Founded by Michael Sands and Frank Schuster, Smile produces all plant-based, compostable and carbon neutral products. Follow Smile on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram or visit our website SmileCoffeeWerks.com to learn more.
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SOURCE Smile Beverage Werks PBC | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/10/31/first-ever-us-plastics-pact-sustainable-packaging-innovation-award-goes-smile-compostable-solutions/ | 2022-10-31 15:16:40 | 0 | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/10/31/first-ever-us-plastics-pact-sustainable-packaging-innovation-award-goes-smile-compostable-solutions/ |
NFL playoffs schedule, television information: How to watch AFC, NFC Championship Games
The NFL playoffs have now reached the final four, with the AFC Championship Game and NFC Championship Game on Sunday.
The winners advance to the Super Bowl, which will be played in Glendale, Arizona on Feb. 12.
Here's the schedule for the next two NFL playoff games.
All times MST.
More:San Francisco 49ers vs. Philadelphia Eagles odds: NFC point spread, moneyline, over/under
More:Cincinnati Bengals vs. Kansas City Chiefs odds: AFC point spread, moneyline, over/under
Sunday, Jan. 29
NFC Championship Game: San Francisco 49ers vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 1 p.m., Fox
The 49ers went 13-4 in the regular season to earn the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs. The 49ers crushed the Seattle Seahawks in the first round, 41-23. They beat the Dallas Cowboys in the Divisional Round, 19-12.
The Eagles had a bye in the NFL Wild Card Round after going 14-3 in the regular season and earning the NFC's top seed. They beat the New York Giants in the Divisional Round, 38-7.
The 49ers and Eagles did not play in the regular season.
More:NFL playoffs odds: Point spreads, moneylines, over/unders for NFC, AFC Championship Games
AFC Championship Game, Cincinnati Bengals vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 4:30 p.m., CBS, Paramount+
The Bengals went 12-4 to win the AFC North and get the No. 3 seed in the AFC. They beat the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card Round, 24-17 before topping the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round, 27-10.
The No. 1 seeded Chiefs went 14-3 and had a bye in the first round of the postseason. They defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Divisional Round, 27-20.
The Bengals beat the Chiefs in Week 13 in Cincinnati, 27-24.
Who will win the Super Bowl?:Odds for all four teams left in NFL playoffs
Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nfl/2023/01/23/nfl-playoffs-schedule-television-how-to-watch-afc-nfc-championship/69827348007/ | 2023-01-23 04:31:31 | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nfl/2023/01/23/nfl-playoffs-schedule-television-how-to-watch-afc-nfc-championship/69827348007/ |
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said Thursday that a tentative railway labor agreement has been reached, averting a strike that could have been devastating to the economy before the pivotal midterm elections.
Railroads and union representatives had been in negotiations for 20 hours at the Labor Department on Wednesday to hammer out a deal, as there was a risk of a strike starting on Friday that could have shut down rail lines across the country.
Biden made a key phone call to Labor Secretary Marty Walsh at 9 p.m. as the talks were ongoing after Italian dinner had been brought in, according to a White House official who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss closed negotiations. The president told the negotiators to consider the harm to families, farmers and businesses if a shutdown occurred.
What resulted from the back and forth was a tentative agreement that will go to union members for a vote after a post-ratification cooling off period of several weeks.
“These rail workers will get better pay, improved working conditions, and peace of mind around their health care costs: all hard-earned,” Biden said. “The agreement is also a victory for railway companies who will be able to retain and recruit more workers for an industry that will continue to be part of the backbone of the American economy for decades to come.”
The strike would also have disrupted passenger traffic as well as freight rail lines, because Amtrak and many commuter railroads operate on tracks owned by the freight railroads. Amtrak had already canceled a number of its long-distance trains this week, and said the rest of its long-distance trains would stop Thursday ahead of the strike deadline.
Following the tentative agreement, Amtrak said it was “working to quickly restore canceled trains and reaching out to impacted customers to accommodate on first available departures.”
The five-year deal, retroactive to 2020, includes the 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses that a Presidential Emergency Board recommended this summer. But railroads also agreed to ease their strict attendance policies to address some of the unions’ concerns about working conditions.
Railroad workers will now be able to take unpaid days off for doctor’s appointments without being penalized under railroad attendance rules. Previously, workers would lose points under the attendance systems that the BNSF and Union Pacific railways had adopted, and they could be disciplined if they lost all their points.
The unions that represent the conductors and engineers who drive the trains had pressed hard for changes in the attendance rules, and they said this deal sets a precedent that they will be able to negotiate over those kinds of rules in the future. But workers will still have to vote whether those changes are enough to approve the deal.
The threat of a shutdown had put Biden in a delicate spot politically. The Democratic president believes unions built the middle class, but he also knew a rail worker strike could damage the economy ahead of the midterms, when majorities in both chambers of Congress, key governorships and scores of important state offices will be up for grabs.
That left him in the awkward position on Wednesday. He flew to Detroit, a stalwart of the labor movement, to espouse the virtues of unionization, while members of his administration went all-out to keep talks going in Washington between the railroads and unionized workers.
As the administration was trying to forge peace, United Auto Workers Local 598 member Ryan Buchalski introduced Biden at the Detroit auto show as “the most union- and labor-friendly president in American history” and someone who was “kickin’ ass for the working class.” Buchalski harked back to the pivotal sit-down strikes by autoworkers in the 1930s.
In the speech that followed, Biden recognized that he wouldn’t be in the White House without the support of unions such as the UAW and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, saying autoworkers “brung me to the dance.”
But without a deal among the 12 unions in talks back in Washington, Biden also knew that a stoppage could halt shipments of food and fuel at a cost of $2 billion a day.
Far more was at stake than sick leave and salary bumps for 115,000 unionized railroad workers. The ramifications could have extended to control of Congress and to the shipping network that keeps factories rolling, stocks the shelves of stores and stitches the U.S. together as an economic power.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, speaking aboard Air Force One as it jetted to Detroit, said a rail worker strike was “an unacceptable outcome for our economy and the American people.”
Biden faced the same kind of predicament faced by Theodore Roosevelt in 1902 with coal and Harry Truman in 1952 with steel — how do you balance the needs of labor and business in doing what's best for the nation? Railways were so important during World War I that Woodrow Wilson temporarily nationalized the industry to keep goods flowing and prevent strikes.
Union activism has surged under Biden, as seen in a 56% increase in petitions for union representation with the National Labor Relations Board so far this fiscal year.
With the economy still recovering from the supply chain disruptions of the coronavirus pandemic, the president's goal was to keep all parties so a deal could be reached. Biden also knew a stoppage could worsen the dynamics that have contributed to soaring inflation and created a political headache for the party in power.
Eddie Vale, a Democratic political consultant and former AFL-CIO communications aide, said the White House pursued the correct approach at a perilous moment.
“No one wants a railroad strike, not the companies, not the workers, not the White House," he said. "No one wants it this close to the election.”
Sensing political opportunity, Senate Republicans moved Wednesday to pass a law to impose contract terms on the unions and railroad companies to avoid a shutdown. Democrats, who control both chambers in Congress, blocked it.
The economic impact of a potential strike was not lost on members of the Business Roundtable, a Washington-based group that represents CEOs. It issued its quarterly outlook for the economy Wednesday.
“We’ve been experiencing a lot of headwinds from supply chain problems since the pandemic started and those problems would be geometrically magnified,” Josh Bolten, the group's CEO, told reporters. “There are manufacturing plants around the country that likely have to shut down. ... There are critical products to keep our water clean.”
By 5:05 a.m. Thursday, it was clear that the hard work across the government, unions and railway companied had paid off as Biden announced the deal, calling it “an important win for our economy and the American people.”
___
AP writer Josh Funk contributed. | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/nation-world/tentative-railway-deal-reached/507-7af40486-236a-4464-8f6a-680439d2ed9a | 2022-09-15 15:03:23 | 1 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/nation-world/tentative-railway-deal-reached/507-7af40486-236a-4464-8f6a-680439d2ed9a |
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's superhero reign just won't let up.
The actor, who previously appeared in 2018's Aquaman and 2019's Watchmen, has scored the lead role in the upcoming Disney+ series Wonder Man, according to Deadline.
The series will be directed by Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' Destin Daniel Cretton and written by Andrew Guest, best known for his work on Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Community.
Wonder Man will also see Ben Kingsley reprise his role as The Mandarin (a.k.a. Trevor Slattery), who he played in 2021's Shang-Chi and 2013's Iron Man 3.
Created by Stan Lee and artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, Wonder Man (a.k.a. Simon Williams) first appeared in 1964's The Avengers #9.
Working under villain Baron Zemo, Wonder Man gains ion-based superpowers and initially works to destroy The Avengers. The son of industrialist Sanford Williams, he assumes control of the family munitions business and runs head-on into confrontation with Tony Stark and Stark Industries.
It's not all bad news, though, as Wonder Man is later re-born as a superhero and joins his former rivals in the fight against evil.
Wonder Man is part of a growing list of new Marvel programming hitting Disney+ in the near future, including Secret Invasion starring Samuel L. Jackson and Olivia Colman, Ironheart starring Dominique Thorne and Shea Coulée and Daredevil: Born Again starring Charlie Cox.
Plus, there's a rumored WandaVision spin-off centered on Vision, starring Paul Bettany, in the works.
Marvel fans might want to start doing their endurance exercises now.
In the meantime, on the DC Comics side of things, you can check out Yahya reprise his role of Black Manta when Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom hits theaters in December 2023. | https://www.eonline.com/news/1352693/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii-cast-as-the-lead-in-disney+-s-lessigreaterwonder-manlessigreater?cmpid=rss-syndicate-genericrss-us-top_stories | 2022-10-31 23:47:51 | 1 | https://www.eonline.com/news/1352693/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii-cast-as-the-lead-in-disney+-s-lessigreaterwonder-manlessigreater?cmpid=rss-syndicate-genericrss-us-top_stories |
Can you run for president from prison? Yes, it’s been done before
Following the news that former President Trump faces his second indictment in a year – this one after being accused of mishandling classified documents – it remains unclear how his presidential campaign will be impacted.
Trump’s legal troubles will likely galvanize critics who say Trump lied and cheated his way to the top but simultaneously embolden supporters who feel the Republican is being unfairly targeted by Democratic prosecutors.
And, of course, the former president is innocent until proven guilty. But even the possibility of prison time isn’t likely going to put a huge cog in the wheel of Trump’s path to the White House.
In fact, not only can Trump still run for president while under investigation by several law enforcement agencies, he can still run for president if he actually does indeed find himself locked away in a cell.
Yes, Trump can still run for president
Nothing in the U.S. Constitution prohibits candidates with criminal records from holding office.
The only qualifications needed to run is to be at least 35 years old and be a natural-born citizen who has lived in the country for at least 14 years.
However, according to Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, a person who has engaged in an insurrection or rebellion against the United States cannot hold office unless overcome with a two-thirds vote from Congress.
Can Trump pardon himself? It’s complicated
The big question is whether or not Trump can pardon himself if he does get elected. Unfortunately there is no definitive answer to this question as the Constitution does not explicitly address this.
Some scholars say a self-pardon collides with other provisions of the Constitution or even fundamental principles of law. The Constitution’s text — affording the president "power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment" — can be read to suggest that the Founding Fathers envisioned some sort of limitations on a president’s pardon power. It could also mean the power is to be used on someone else, not yourself.
The consensus seems to be split down the middle, with some scholars arguing that a self-pardon can’t happen because no person can or should be the judge in their own case.
"You could say, implicit in the definition of a pardon or implicit in the notion of granting a pardon — because the Constitution uses the word ‘grant’ — is that it’s two separate people," Brian Kalt, a law professor at Michigan State University told the Associated Press in 2020. "You can’t grant something to yourself. You can’t pardon yourself."
But other historians and scholars say the constitutional pardon power is very broadly worded for a reason.
It’s been done before
While it seems that many things Trump does or is involved with are unprecedented, running for office from prison isn’t unthinkable.
The most well known example of this is when, in 1920, American Socialist, political activist and labor leader Eugene V. Debs ran and lost the 1920 presidential election.
Debs received nearly a million votes – or 3.5% of the popular vote – while serving a 10-year federal sentence for his efforts to get people to resist the World War I draft, Smithsonian Magazine reported. Debs was arrested two years prior to the election and charged with 10 counts of sedition.
Debs had run for president four times before, but it was reported that his fifth and final campaign was promoted with campaign buttons that read "For President Convict No. 9653."
According to a report from the Washington Post, Debs wrote in a statement saying "I thank the capitalist masters for putting me here. They know where I belong under their criminal corrupting system. It is the only compliment they could pay me."
Oh yeah, Joe Exotic is running for president from prison
The man the internet won’t allow you to forget announced his candidacy to run for president earlier this year.
Joe "Exotic" Maldonado, also known as "The Tiger King" from the popular Netflix documentary series, was incarcerated in 2018 on murder-for-hire charges. He’s running as a Democrat.
"Put aside that I am gay, that I am in prison for now, that I used drugs in the past, that I had more then one boyfriend at once and that Carole hates my guts. This all has not a thing to do with me being able to be your voice. The best thing you have going for supporting me is that I am used to fighting my whole life just to get by. I am broke, they have taken everything I ever worked for away, and it's time we take this country back," Maldonado writes on his campaign website.
The Associated Press contributed to this story. It was reported from Los Angeles. | https://www.fox29.com/news/can-you-run-for-president-from-prison-yes-its-been-done-before | 2023-06-09 22:46:39 | 1 | https://www.fox29.com/news/can-you-run-for-president-from-prison-yes-its-been-done-before |
Welcome to 11740 Greyhawk Circle. Located minutes from city limits and over 3 acres, this custom-built home in Whispering Creek offers seclusion and almost 6,200 finished sf. From hickory floors to alder wood doors, no expense was spared. The views cannot be beat with floor to ceiling windows! The main floor has an open floor plan with a gorgeous kitchen, two pantries, formal and informal dining, living room with soaring ceilings, large office, and HUGE primary suite. This suite has everything you need: fireplace, soaking tub, walk-in shower, and tons of closet space with laundry. The walkout basement allows the entertaining to continue with a theater, large wet bar, workout room, 4 bedrooms, and pool drop zone. Once outside, you'll love the covered outdoor kitchen with fireplace and deck overlooking your 20' x 46' pool. If the attached garage is not enough, you can store additional toys in your heated and cooled 1,500 sf drive-through outbuilding. Call today for a private showing! | https://journalstar.com/5-bedroom-home-in-lincoln---1-999-999/article_7fb40800-31f9-5081-acb5-63abbb30c2f1.html | 2023-06-17 06:49:37 | 0 | https://journalstar.com/5-bedroom-home-in-lincoln---1-999-999/article_7fb40800-31f9-5081-acb5-63abbb30c2f1.html |
Kansas State vs. Florida Atlantic Predictions & Picks: Spread, Total - NCAA Tournament Elite Eight
Saturday's game between the Florida Atlantic Owls (34-3) and Kansas State Wildcats (26-9) going head to head at Madison Square Garden has a projected final score of 73-71 (based on our computer prediction) in favor of Florida Atlantic, so expect a tight matchup. The game will tip off at 6:09 PM ET on March 25.
Based on our computer prediction, Florida Atlantic should cover the point spread, which currently sits at 2.5. The two sides are projected to eclipse the 143.5 total.
Kansas State vs. Florida Atlantic Game Info & Odds
- Date: Saturday, March 25, 2023
- Time: 6:09 PM ET
- TV: TBS
- Where: New York City, New York
- Venue: Madison Square Garden
- Line: Kansas State -2.5
- Point Total: 143.5
- Moneyline (To Win): Kansas State -140, Florida Atlantic +115
Bet on this matchup with BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks!
Kansas State vs. Florida Atlantic Score Prediction
- Prediction: Florida Atlantic 73, Kansas State 71
Spread & Total Prediction for Kansas State vs. Florida Atlantic
- Pick ATS:
Florida Atlantic (+2.5)
- Pick OU:
Over (143.5)
Kansas State is 23-10-0 against the spread this season compared to Florida Atlantic's 21-11-0 ATS record. A total of 18 out of the Wildcats' games this season have gone over the point total, and 17 of the Owls' games have gone over. The two teams score an average of 154.2 points per game, 10.7 more points than this matchup's total. Kansas State has a 7-3 record against the spread while going 7-3 overall in the last 10 contests. Florida Atlantic has gone 7-3 against the spread and 9-1 overall in its last 10 games.
Put your picks to the test and bet on this matchup with BetMGM Sportsbook.
Kansas State Performance Insights
- The Wildcats outscore opponents by 6.6 points per game (scoring 76.2 points per game to rank 68th in college basketball while giving up 69.6 per contest to rank 159th in college basketball) and have a +230 scoring differential overall.
- The 31.8 rebounds per game Kansas State averages rank 179th in the country, and are 1.6 more than the 30.2 its opponents grab per outing.
- Kansas State hits 7.1 three-pointers per game (209th in college basketball), while its opponents have made 6.5 on average.
- The Wildcats' 95.4 points per 100 possessions on offense rank 134th in college basketball, and the 87.1 points they allow per 100 possessions rank 65th in college basketball.
- Kansas State and its opponents have been relatively even in the turnover battle. The Wildcats commit 13.3 per game (311th in college basketball) and force 14.3 (36th in college basketball action).
Florida Atlantic Performance Insights
- The Owls' +486 scoring differential (outscoring opponents by 13.2 points per game) is a result of putting up 78 points per game (36th in college basketball) while giving up 64.8 per contest (40th in college basketball).
- Florida Atlantic averages 35.9 rebounds per game (14th in college basketball) while allowing 30.3 per contest to opponents. It outrebounds opponents by 5.6 boards per game.
- Florida Atlantic connects on 9.6 three-pointers per game (14th in college basketball), 3.1 more than its opponents. It shoots 36.5% from beyond the arc (55th in college basketball), and its opponents are shooting 31.4%.
- Florida Atlantic and its opponents have been mostly even in the turnover battle. The Owls commit 11.1 per game (104th in college basketball) and force 11.9 (175th in college basketball).
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/sports/betting/2023/03/25/kansas-state-florida-atlantic-college-basketball-picks-predictions-ncaa-tournament-elite-eight/ | 2023-03-24 12:32:53 | 1 | https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/sports/betting/2023/03/25/kansas-state-florida-atlantic-college-basketball-picks-predictions-ncaa-tournament-elite-eight/ |
Only Study to Provide Nation-wide Estimates of Local Food Insecurity
Adds Analysis by Race and Ethnicity
CHICAGO, July 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- For the twelfth year, Feeding America has published its landmark research study, Map the Meal Gap, which once again finds that food insecurity exists in all 3,143 counties and county equivalents as well as 436 congressional districts in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Map the Meal Gap is the only study that provides local-level estimates of food insecurity and food costs across the United States. This year's study, which provides data for 2020, for the first time includes food insecurity rates for several racial and ethnic groups at the local level and reveals that disparities can vary greatly by population and place.
"Every community in this country experiences food insecurity, but we do not all experience it the same way. These data provide the most complete picture available, and we know behind these data are people and communities who will be impacted by the changes we must make to ensure no one goes hungry," said Tom Summerfelt, PhD, Chief Research Officer of Feeding America. "It is only by understanding the realities of food insecurity within our communities that we can truly address them. Map the Meal Gap provides incredible insights and data and is available to everyone so that people facing hunger, policymakers, and community leaders can come together and craft policies that increase food access for all."
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Household Food Security in the United States in 2020 report found that 38 million people, including nearly 12 million children lived in food insecure households. Map the Meal Gap uses the most recent data from USDA, the Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics and food price data and analysis provided by NielsenIQ to estimate food insecurity and related statistics at the county and sub-county level. Map the Meal Gap shows that though food insecurity exists in every county, the percentage of the population estimated to be food insecure ranges from a low of 3% in Bowman County, North Dakota up to nearly 30% in places like Holmes County, Mississippi. Child food insecurity rates range from less than 1% in Falls Church City, Virginia to 46% in East Carroll Parish, Louisiana.
Of the 38 million people experiencing food insecurity in the U.S., 15.2 million are white, 11.1 million are Latino, 9.5 million are Black, and 2.4 million are Native Americans, Asian American and Pacific Islanders or multiple races. While nearly 40% of the food insecure population in the U.S. is white, Black, Native American, and Latino individuals are 2 to over 3 times more likely to live in food insecure households. Among counties where data are available to compare, food insecurity among Black and Latino individuals is higher than among white, non-Hispanic individuals in nearly every case. These disparities range in magnitude. In some places, Black and Latino individuals experience food insecurity at a rate over 10 times that of white, non-Hispanic individuals.
"Map the Meal Gap provides invaluable data to help better illuminate racial and geographic disparities. That in one county, one group experiences hardship at a rate ten times higher than another group should be an awakening. Still, we know that there are other groups, such as Native Americans and Asian American and Pacific Islanders, for which data are not available that also are underserved," Summerfelt continued. "To address these gaps, federal and state surveys must invest in adequately sampling and collecting food insecurity data that can be disaggregated in meaningful ways. If we do that, with that knowledge, communities can be better equipped with the tools necessary to support their neighbors in need."
Other key findings of Map the Meal Gap include:
- 9 out of 10 high food insecurity counties are rural: Rural counties – those outside of major metropolitan areas – make up 63% of all U.S counties, but 87% of counties with food insecurity rates in the top 10% of all 3,142 counties.
- 8 out of 10 high food insecurity counties are in the South: An estimated 82% of counties with the highest rates of food insecurity are in the South, though the South comprises less than half of all U.S. counties.
- The national average cost per meal was $3.25: The national average cost per meal, a measure based on weekly food expenditure data from the Census Bureau Current Population Survey as reported by individuals who are food secure, was $3.25 in 2020, up slightly from 2019.
- 1 in 3 people facing hunger are unlikely to quality for SNAP: SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is the first line of defense against hunger, yet availability can vary in part by state income thresholds, which range from 130% to 200% of the federal poverty line (between $36,075 to $55,500 for a family of four as of January 2022). As such, county estimates indicate that, on average, 1 in 3 individuals who live in food-insecure homes may not be eligible for SNAP.
Dr. Craig Gundersen, Snee Family Endowed Chair at the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty and a Professor in the Department of Economics at Baylor University and a member of Feeding America's Technical Advisory Group is the lead researcher of Map the Meal Gap. The study is supported by Conagra Brands Foundation and NielsenIQ.
"Conagra Brands Foundation is proud to support Feeding America and its network of food banks in raising awareness of food insecurity. Map the Meal Gap is a vital annual resource that now also documents the disproportionate impact that food insecurity has on communities of color. It is our hope that this national research continues to drive vital conversations about the prevalence of hunger in America and informs meaningful actions that increase consistent access to nutritious food for people in all communities," said Robert J. Rizzo, Senior Director, Community Investment, Conagra Brands and Conagra Brands Foundation.
"At NielsenIQ, we are committed to promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth for all, including people experiencing food insecurity. Our comprehensive datasets play a critical role in helping Feeding America achieve their mission of increasing access to nutritious food for all. Nutritious food is expensive, and the higher cost of healthy foods often put them out of reach for low-income populations, many of which are disproportionately communities of color. We believe that retailers and manufacturers have a duty to implement business strategies to solve food inequities and help make food more accessible to millions of Americans," said Kymberly Graham, Vice President and Head of Diversity Initiatives, NielsenIQ, a global measurement and data analytics company.
Map the Meal Gap also reports on food price variation across counties and the study finds that county meal costs range from 68% of the national average in places like Llano County, Texas ($2.19) up to three times the national average in Pacific County, Washington ($10.61), with most high food insecurity counties seeing around two times the national average. For a household struggling to afford housing, utilities, transportation and other necessities, the additional burden of high food prices can have a significant impact on a household's budget – important to note especially as the country is experiencing record inflation not seen in 40 years.
Map the Meal Gap provides the following data online through an interactive map:
- The estimated prevalence of food insecurity among the overall and child population for every U.S. state, county, and congressional district, as well as the service area of each Feeding America food bank.
- The estimated food insecurity prevalence for Black, Latino, and white communities where sufficient sample sizes have allowed estimates to be generated.
- The percentage of the food-insecure population who likely qualifies for SNAP and other federal nutrition programs.
- The percentage of the food-insecure population who likely does not qualify for federal nutrition programs and thus must rely even more on charitable food assistance. These percentages reflect individuals in households with earnings that are higher than the state gross income limits for federal nutrition programs.
- The average meal cost in every state and county.
- The food budget shortfall in every state and county.
Map the Meal Gap was awarded the 2021 Policy Impact Award by the American Association for Public Opinion Research. The full suite of Map the Meal Gap research from Feeding America allows policymakers, state agencies, corporate partners, food banks and advocates to develop integrated strategies to fight hunger on a community level.
To explore the various research tools and briefs available from Feeding America, visit feedingamerica.org/research.
Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations, and over 60,000 partner agencies, food pantries and meal programs, we helped provide 6.6 billion meals to tens of millions of people in need last year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; brings attention to the social and systemic barriers that contribute to food insecurity in our nation; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
Contact
Zuani Villarreal, Feeding America
(312) 641-6532
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Feeding America | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/07/20/new-study-feeding-america-shows-extensive-disparities-food-insecurity-county-level/ | 2022-07-20 18:36:42 | 1 | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/07/20/new-study-feeding-america-shows-extensive-disparities-food-insecurity-county-level/ |
HIGH POINT, N.C. (AP) — Former North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Martin will be the founding dean of the developing High Point University School of Law, the university announced Tuesday.
Martin will return to work in North Carolina after more than three years as the head of the Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Martin served as chief justice from September 2014 until early 2019, when he stepped down to take the Regent job.
Martin "has led a distinguished judicial career in North Carolina, and he’s demonstrated tremendous results as a law school dean,” High Point President Nido Qubein said in a news release.
Martin, who was appointed to a local judgeship at age 29, made history in his judiciary career by becoming the youngest Court of Appeals judge in state history in 1994 and the youngest justice at age 35 after getting elected in 1998. Republican Gov. Pat McCrory elevated him as the state’s 28th chief justice, and he won a full term a few months later.
Martin called the High Point dean's job that he'll begin officially next week a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” The law school, which was announced in March as part of a $400 million academic expansion plan, is expected to open as soon as 2024.
“I look forward to working with a broad array of extraordinary legal scholars and leaders to build a law school of distinction, one with a national reputation for excellence,” Martin said.
The announcement came the same day that Pat Robertson, Regent's founder and CEO, said faculty member Bradley Lingo will succeed Martin as dean this month. The Harvard Law School graduate co-founded the Robertson Center for Constitutional Law in 2020.
“Under his proven leadership and extraordinary legal expertise, Regent Law will continue to provide the finest legal education to prepare students who are purpose-driven and practice-ready,” Robertson said in a news release, which also revealed that the law school has received a reaffirmation of accreditation from the American Bar Association.
The Regent release said the school was grateful for Martin during his tenure, which was marked by increasing student enrollment, new degree programs and national awards.
“My three years at Regent have truly been a blessing for me and my family," Martin said. | https://www.mrt.com/news/article/Ex-Chief-Justice-Martin-returning-to-NC-work-at-17224981.php | 2022-06-07 16:15:17 | 1 | https://www.mrt.com/news/article/Ex-Chief-Justice-Martin-returning-to-NC-work-at-17224981.php |
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Tuesday he hopes both parties' lawmakers can work together to keep the government open, boost spending for Ukraine and avert a crippling rail strike. But the Republicans' pick to be the next House speaker shrugged off the sunny talk, serving notice that things are “going to be different” once the GOP takes control of the chamber.
Biden's meeting with congressional leaders at the White House came as he looks to lock in more legislative wins before Democrats lose unified control of Washington on Jan. 3. In the meantime, the president is dependent on Congress to avoid a government shutdown on Dec. 16, and he wants major new funding to fight COVID-19 response and bolster U.S. support for Ukraine's economy and defense against Russia's invasion.
Most urgently, Biden has called on Congress to step in and impose a tentative agreement between railroads and workers to avert a potentially crippling freight rail strike next week.
Congress is months behind on passing funding legislation for the current fiscal year, relying on stopgap measures largely maintaining existing funding levels that federal agencies have warned leave them strapped for cash and don't address new priorities.
“We’re going to work together, I hope, to fund the government," Biden told the visiting lawmakers, emphasizing the importance of Ukraine and pandemic funding as well.
The president said the “economy's at risk” because of the looming rail strike, and he said he is “confident” that Congress can act to avert it. “There’s a lot to do, including resolving the train strike," he said.
Meeting in the Roosevelt Room, Biden sat at the head of the conference table, flanked by Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the two smiling brightly at the start of the meeting.
But Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell appeared more reserved.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House, McCarthy said Biden “got an indication that it’s going to be different” once Republicans take control of the House. He blasted the Biden administration’s immigration policies, and promised a new round of investigations once the GOP is in power.
McCarthy is working to become speaker in January, though he must first overcome dissent within the GOP conference to win a floor vote on Jan. 3.
McCarthy, who has hardly spoken with Biden during the president's first two years in office, said, "I can work with anybody," but that the Nov. 8 midterm elections show that “America likes a check and balance.”
Democrats Schumer and Pelosi described the meeting as “good” and “productive” as they left the White House. “There was good will in the room,” Schumer said, “trying to have a meeting of the minds.”
All the leaders said their preference was to pass a comprehensive spending bill for the fiscal year, rather than a continuing resolution that largely maintains existing funding levels.
“If we don’t have an option we may have to have a yearlong" stop-gap bill, Pelosi added.
McCarthy, who has promised to look more critically at the Biden administration's requests for Ukraine aid, told reporters that, “I’m not for a blank check for anything." He said he wasn't necessarily opposed to more funding, but wanted to ensure “there’s accountability and audits."
Congress is also taking up legislation to codify same-sex marriage, raise the debt limit and reform the Electoral Count Act in a bid to prevent another attempt like 2020 when then-President Donald Trump and allied lawmakers tried to overturn his loss in the presidential election won by Biden.
The Senate approved the marriage bill late Tuesday, sending it to the House before it goes to Biden's desk.
“We’re going to find other areas of common ground, I hope,” Biden added, “because the American people want us to work together.”
As the meeting began, he quipped, “I’m sure this is going to go very quickly” to reach agreement on everything. Lawmakers spent a bit more than an hour with the president, joined by Vice President Kamala Harris and senior White House aides.
Republicans will hold a narrow majority in the House come January, while Democrats will retain control of the Senate. A runoff election in Georgia next week will determine whether Biden's party will hold a 51-49 majority or Vice President Kamala Harris will be needed to break a 50-50 tie.
Credit: Andrew Harnik
Credit: Andrew Harnik
Credit: Andrew Harnik
Credit: Andrew Harnik
Credit: Andrew Harnik
Credit: Andrew Harnik
Credit: Andrew Harnik
Credit: Andrew Harnik
Credit: Susan Walsh
Credit: Susan Walsh | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/biden-tells-gop-his-hopes-gets-stiff-response-from-mccarthy/MKKSUP5AMJH3FFSEXRQWTCQO7M/ | 2022-11-30 02:13:12 | 0 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/biden-tells-gop-his-hopes-gets-stiff-response-from-mccarthy/MKKSUP5AMJH3FFSEXRQWTCQO7M/ |
(NEXSTAR) – After a human foot was found floating in a hot pool at Yellowstone National Park, investigators uncovered hundreds of dollars in cash and handwritten poems in the missing man’s car, according to new documents released Tuesday.
Mystery still surrounds the grisly discovery, however. Rangers found the foot, still inside a size 8.5 black shoe, in the Abyss Pool Aug. 16, 2022, after a park visitor reported it to a tour driver. Geologists didn’t find any other significant human remains, but “fatty deposits were found floating to the surface over time,” the documents said.
Using DNA analysis, investigators were able to identify the man to whom the foot belonged as 70-year-old Il Hun Ro, of Los Angeles. Investigators later determined that whatever happened to Ro took place on the morning of July 31, but nobody saw it. Foul play was not suspected, according to an earlier statement.
After bagging evidence and interviewing witnesses at the scene, investigators found that there were three unaccounted-for vehicles left in the parking lot. Two people claimed their vehicles in the next hour, and the third, a Kia Niro SUV, belonged to Ro.
Inside the vehicle was Ro’s laptop, personal photos, park maps, his wallet with $447 in it, and a small book of poems, according to the documents. Investigators used Google Translate to comb through the poems and Ro’s handwritten notes but found no evidence of a suicide note.
Using the driver’s license found in his wallet, investigators determined that Ro stayed for one night at the Canyon Lodge, about an hour away from the pool, located in the West Thumb Geyser Basin.
Upon a request from Nexstar, park officials provided background on the investigation, but did not disclose any additional new details not included in the document.
Yellowstone officials urge visitors to stay on boardwalks and trails in thermal areas and to exercise extreme caution as the ground surrounding the features can be very thin, with scalding water below.
Abyss Pool is over 50 feet deep with a temperature of roughly 140 degrees F. | https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/national-news/man-whose-foot-was-found-in-yellowstone-pool-left-poems-447-in-cash-in-car-investigators/ | 2023-01-05 02:18:31 | 0 | https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/national-news/man-whose-foot-was-found-in-yellowstone-pool-left-poems-447-in-cash-in-car-investigators/ |
DALLAS, Sept. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NexBank Capital, Inc. (the "Company"), the financial services and parent company of NexBank, today announced it closed a private placement of 20,000 shares of its Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series B, on September 23, 2022, resulting in gross proceeds to the Company of $20 million. Together with the capital raised in the initial placements of preferred stock, the Company has raised $280 million in preferred stock pursuant to this private placement round.
The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the offering as growth capital and for other general corporate purposes. Its preferred stock has a private credit rating of 'BBB' from Egan-Jones Ratings Company.
Jefferies LLC served as financial advisor and Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP served as legal counsel to the Company in the offering.
This press release is for informational purposes only and shall not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or sale is not permitted.
NexBank Capital, Inc. is a financial services company that serves its clients through three core businesses: Institutional Banking, Commercial Banking, and Mortgage Banking. It provides customized financial and banking services primarily to institutional clients, financial institutions, and corporations nationwide.
NexBank | Member FDIC | Equal Housing Lender
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE NexBank Capital, Inc. | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2022/09/27/nexbank-capital-inc-increases-preferred-stock-offering-280-million/ | 2022-09-27 20:44:42 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2022/09/27/nexbank-capital-inc-increases-preferred-stock-offering-280-million/ |
LONDON – Behind wire fences in southeast England, children wave their arms and chant “freedom” to grab the attention of people on the other side. A young girl throws a bottle with a message inside. “We need your help. Please help us,” the note reads.
The children are among thousands of people being held in dangerously overcrowded conditions at a closed airport serving as a processing center for migrants who recently arrived on British shores after crossing the English Channel in small boats. The situation there has reignited a heated debate about the Conservative U.K. government's treatment of asylum-seekers.
Located at the site of a former British air force base that had a short life as the civilian Manston Airport, the center in Kent was designed as a short-term processing facility housing about 1,600 newcomers. Up to 4,000 were staying there at one point this week, with some reportedly detained unlawfully for a month or more.
Independent government inspectors said they saw families sleeping on floors in prison-like conditions that presented fire and health hazards. The inspectors warned of the risk of outbreaks after cases of scabies, diphtheria and other conditions were reported.
“Welcome to the U.K,” read a headline in the Metro newspaper, accompanied by a close-up photo of young children gazing out from behind metal fences.
Facing pressure over the situation, U.K. Home Secretary Suella Braverman defended the government's policies and described the increasing number of migrants arriving via the English Channel as “ an invasion on our southern coast.” Her comment drew widespread condemnation.
The conditions at the center in the village of Manston has put a spotlight on wider problems in Britain’s asylum system, which is struggling to cope with a record number of small boat crossings at a time when border officials are trying to clear a massive backlog of refugee applications.
“We’ve got this kind of perfect storm of more people coming — which the government was warned about — and added to the mix we have this huge waiting list of around 100,000 individuals who have sought asylum,” said Jonathan Ellis, the policy and public affairs lead at Britain’s Refugee Council. “There’s a lack of political will, a lack of political focus, and therefore, (a lack of) the associated resources to really tackle this issue.”
Around 40,000 people from countries that include Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq and Albania have crossed one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes in dinghies and other unseaworthy boats from northern France so far this year, hoping to start new lives in the U.K.
That’s the highest number ever recorded, and it represents an exponential increase from 2018, when only 299 migrants were detected arriving in England in small boats without authorization, official data showed. Last year, there were 28,536.
Dozens of people have lost their lives attempting the passage, including 27 who died when a packed smuggling boat capsized in November 2021.
Braverman, who is known for an uncompromising approach to immigration, has blamed criminal gangs for facilitating the crossings and focused on what she called spurious claims by some of those seeking refuge.
She told lawmakers in Parliament this week to "stop pretending that they are all refugees in distress.” Her harsh language has drawn criticism, including from within the governing Conservative Party. Some critics accuse Braverman of fueling anti-immigration hate.
“The government rhetoric since I arrived has been scapegoating migrants, blaming us for the problems of this country. But it's gotten a lot worse," said Hassan Akkad, a documentary maker who fled Syria in 2012 to seek asylum in the U.K.
“When you have a home secretary comparing asylum-seekers to an invading enemy, you are giving a green light to the public to attack them," added Akkad, who works with refugee charity Choose Love.
The overcrowding at the Manston center reached a breaking point this week after hundreds of people were moved there from another migrant processing center nearby that was hit with gasoline bombs. Police said the man who carried out the Oct. 30 attack and killed himself afterward was likely driven by a “hate-filled grievance.”
Braverman also faced accusations that she blocked hotel bookings for asylum-seekers to ease overcrowding at Manston and ignored legal advice on the matter. She denied the claims.
Critics say government incompetence in managing Britain's asylum system extend beyond Manston and precede Braverman becoming interior minister in September. The opposition Labour Party said only 4% of asylum claims from small boat arrivals were processed last year, meaning that more than 100,000 people are in limbo waiting for their applications for protection to be considered.
The U.K. is a preferred destination in Europe for migrants who speak English or have family connections in the country. Before the coronavirus pandemic, many tried to cross from northern France by hiding in freight trucks traveling through the Channel Tunnel. COVID-19 travel restrictions and stricter security measures on the route made the hazardous sea journey a more viable way to enter the U.K.
But despite the unprecedented increase in people arriving in small boats, the U.K. receives far fewer asylum-seekers than many other European countries, including France, Germany and Italy. Last year, 48,540 people applied for British asylum, compared to 148,200 applicants in Germany and more than 103,000 in France.
A controversial deal the U.K. government struck with Rwanda in April added to its reputation of not being the most welcoming. The agreement called for deporting some asylum-seekers to the African country, where their claims would be processed and successful applicants would be allowed to stay in Rwanda. The plan was meant to deter people from entering the U.K. illegally, but no one to date has been deported because of legal challenges to the policy.
U.K. authorities have also sought to work with their French counterparts to stop the Channel crossings. The two sides engaged in tense wrangling over the issue last year, but relations appeared to improve after Liz Truss — and her successor Rishi Sunak — became prime minister.
In a call with French President Emmanuel Macron last week, Sunak said the U.K. and France were “committed to deepening our partnership to deter deadly journeys across the Channel that benefit organized criminals.”
Ellis, at the Refugee Council, said authorities ultimately would need to focus less on hostile rhetoric and deterrence and more on safer routes for legitimate asylum seekers to apply for refuge.
“We need to challenge this political rhetoric that people should only come to this country through legal routes,” he said. “Ostensibly that’s reasonable, but for someone who’s fleeing the Horn of Africa, where are they meant to go? What are those safe routes? There is none.”
___
Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed to this report.
___
Follow AP's coverage of global migration at https://apnews.com/hub/migration | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/world/2022/11/05/prison-like-center-puts-focus-on-uks-response-to-migrants/ | 2022-11-05 20:59:41 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/world/2022/11/05/prison-like-center-puts-focus-on-uks-response-to-migrants/ |
SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korea's foreign minister Friday called the Group of Seven wealthy democracies a "tool for ensuring the U.S. hegemony" as she lambasted the group's recent call for the North's denuclearization.
The top diplomats from G-7 nations, who met recently in Japan, had jointly condemned the North's recent ballistic missile tests and reiterated their commitment to the goal of North Korea's complete abandonment of its nuclear weapons.
North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui said her country will take unspecified "strong counteraction" if G-7 countries -- the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, Italy and the European Union -- show "any behavioral attempt" to infringe upon the fundamental interests of North Korea.
"G7, a closed group of a handful of egoistic countries, does not represent the just international community but serves as a political tool for ensuring the U.S. hegemony," Choe said in a statement carried by North Korean state media.
Choe said the G-7 communique "malignantly" raised the North's legitimate exercise of its sovereignty.
North Korea has steadfastly argued it was forced to develop nuclear weapons because of U.S. nuclear threats against it. It has said the United States' regular military drills with South Korea are a rehearsal for invasion, though U.S. and South Korean officials have said their drills are defensive and they have no intentions of attacking the North.
The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons sought to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons beyond the five original armed powers -- the U.S., Russia, China, Britain and France. It requires non-nuclear signatory nations to not pursue atomic weapons in exchange for a commitment by the five powers to move toward nuclear disarmament and guarantee non-nuclear states' access to peaceful nuclear technology for producing energy.
Choe said North Korea is free from any of the treaty's obligations because it withdrew from the treaty in 2003, citing what it called U.S. aggression. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/apr/22/north-korea-foreign-minister-issues-warning-to/ | 2023-04-22 10:20:41 | 1 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/apr/22/north-korea-foreign-minister-issues-warning-to/ |
CA San Diego CA Zone Forecast for Thursday, May 26, 2022
_____
394 FPUS56 KSGX 270943
ZFPSGX
Zone Forecast Product for Extreme Southwestern California
National Weather Service San Diego CA
243 AM PDT Fri May 27 2022
CAZ552-272200-
Orange County Coastal Areas-
Including the cities of Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa,
Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and San Clemente
243 AM PDT Fri May 27 2022
.TODAY...Mostly cloudy in the morning...becoming partly cloudy.
Patchy fog in the morning. Highs 66 to 71. Light winds becoming
west 15 mph with gusts to 25 mph in the afternoon.
.TONIGHT...Partly cloudy in the evening...becoming mostly cloudy.
Patchy drizzle overnight. Lows 54 to 59. Areas of winds west
15 mph in the evening becoming light.
.SATURDAY...Cloudy in the morning...becoming partly cloudy.
Patchy drizzle in the morning. Highs 64 to 69. Light winds.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy in the evening...becoming mostly
cloudy. Lows 54 to 59. Light winds.
.SUNDAY...Partly cloudy. Highs 66 to 71 at the beaches to
72 farther inland and near higher coastal terrain. Light winds
becoming southwest 15 mph in the afternoon.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening...becoming partly
cloudy. Lows 53 to 58.
.MEMORIAL DAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming mostly
sunny. Highs 69 to 74.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening...becoming partly
cloudy. Lows 53 to 58.
.TUESDAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming mostly sunny.
Highs 71 to 76 at the beaches to 76 to 81 farther inland and near
higher coastal terrain.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening...becoming partly
cloudy. Lows 56 to 61.
.WEDNESDAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming mostly
sunny. Highs 70 to 75 at the beaches to 75 to 80 farther inland
and near higher coastal terrain.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening...becoming partly
cloudy. Lows 55 to 60.
.THURSDAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming mostly sunny.
Highs around 70 at the beaches to 72 to 77 farther inland and
near higher coastal terrain.
$$
CAZ554-272200-
Orange County Inland Areas-
Including the cities of Santa Ana, Anaheim, Garden Grove, Irvine,
Orange, Fullerton, and Mission Viejo
243 AM PDT Fri May 27 2022
.TODAY...Mostly cloudy in the morning...becoming partly cloudy.
Patchy fog in the morning. Highs 70 to 75. Light winds becoming
west 15 mph in the afternoon.
.TONIGHT...Partly cloudy in the evening...becoming mostly cloudy.
Patchy drizzle overnight. Lows 53 to 59. Areas of winds west
15 mph in the evening becoming light.
.SATURDAY...Cloudy in the morning...becoming partly cloudy.
Patchy drizzle in the morning. Highs 67 to 72. Light winds
becoming southwest 15 mph in the afternoon.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy in the evening...becoming mostly
cloudy. Lows 52 to 59. Areas of winds south 15 mph in the evening
becoming light.
.SUNDAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming mostly sunny.
Highs 71 to 76. Light winds becoming southwest 15 mph with gusts
to 25 mph in the afternoon.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening...becoming partly
cloudy. Lows 52 to 58.
.MEMORIAL DAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming mostly
sunny. Highs 73 to 78.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear. Lows 53 to 58.
.TUESDAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming mostly sunny.
Highs around 82.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear. Lows 56 to 61.
.WEDNESDAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming mostly
sunny. Highs around 80 towards the coast to 81 to 86 farther
inland.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening...becoming partly
cloudy. Lows 56 to 61.
.THURSDAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming mostly sunny.
Highs 76 to 81.
$$
CAZ043-272200-
San Diego County Coastal Areas-
Including the cities of Oceanside, Vista, Carlsbad, Encinitas,
Chula Vista, National City, and San Diego
243 AM PDT Fri May 27 2022
.TODAY...Mostly cloudy in the morning...becoming partly cloudy.
Patchy fog in the morning. Highs 67 to 72. Light winds.
.TONIGHT...Partly cloudy in the evening...becoming cloudy. Patchy
drizzle overnight. Lows 54 to 59. Light winds.
.SATURDAY...Cloudy in the morning...becoming partly cloudy.
Patchy drizzle in the morning. Highs 65 to 70. Light winds.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Lows 54 to 59. Light winds.
.SUNDAY...Mostly cloudy in the morning...becoming partly cloudy.
Highs 67 to 72. Light winds becoming southwest 15 mph in the
afternoon.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy in the evening...becoming mostly
cloudy. Lows 53 to 58.
.MEMORIAL DAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming mostly
sunny. Highs 69 to 74.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening...becoming partly
cloudy. Lows 53 to 58.
.TUESDAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming mostly sunny.
Highs 69 to 74 near the coast to 77 inland.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening...becoming partly
cloudy. Lows 55 to 60.
.WEDNESDAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming mostly
sunny. Highs 69 to 74 near the coast to 75 to 80 inland.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening...becoming partly
cloudy. Lows 55 to 60.
.THURSDAY...Partly cloudy. Highs 67 to 72 near the coast to 72 to
77 inland.
$$
CAZ050-272200-
San Diego County Valleys-
Including the cities of Escondido, El Cajon, San Marcos, La Mesa,
Santee, and Poway
243 AM PDT Fri May 27 2022
.TODAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming mostly sunny.
Patchy fog in the morning. Highs 69 to 74 in the western valleys
to 73 to 78 near the foothills. Light winds becoming west 15 mph
in the afternoon.
.TONIGHT...Partly cloudy in the evening...becoming mostly cloudy.
Patchy fog overnight. Patchy drizzle overnight. Lows 49 to 56.
Light winds.
.SATURDAY...Mostly cloudy in the morning...becoming partly
cloudy. Patchy fog in the morning. Patchy drizzle in the morning.
Highs 69 to 74. Light winds becoming west 15 mph in the
afternoon.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy in the evening...becoming cloudy.
Patchy fog overnight. Lows 47 to 55. Light winds.
.SUNDAY...Mostly cloudy in the morning...becoming partly cloudy.
Patchy fog in the morning. Highs 70 to 75. Areas of winds south
15 mph. Gusts to 25 mph in the afternoon.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy. Patchy fog. Lows 47 to 54.
.MEMORIAL DAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming mostly
sunny. Patchy fog in the morning. Highs 73 to 78.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening...becoming partly
cloudy. Patchy fog overnight. Lows 49 to 54.
.TUESDAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming sunny. Patchy
fog in the morning. Highs 80 to 85.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear. Patchy fog overnight. Lows 54 to
59.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly sunny. Patchy fog in the morning. Highs 78 to
83 in the western valleys to 82 to 87 near the foothills.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening...becoming partly
cloudy. Patchy fog overnight. Lows 54 to 59.
.THURSDAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming mostly sunny.
Patchy fog in the morning. Highs 74 to 79 in the western valleys
to 80 to 85 near the foothills.
$$
CAZ048-272200-
San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys-The Inland Empire-
Including the cities of Riverside, San Bernardino, Ontario,
Moreno Valley, Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, and Corona
243 AM PDT Fri May 27 2022
.TODAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming mostly sunny.
Patchy fog in the morning. Highs 77 to 83. Light winds becoming
west 15 mph with gusts to 25 mph in the afternoon.
.TONIGHT...Partly cloudy. Patchy fog overnight. Patchy drizzle
overnight. Lows 49 to 56. Areas of winds west 15 mph with gusts
to 25 mph in the evening becoming light.
.SATURDAY...Mostly cloudy in the morning...becoming mostly sunny.
Patchy fog in the morning. Patchy drizzle in the morning. Highs
72 to 77. Light winds becoming west 15 mph with gusts to 25 mph
in the afternoon.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy in the evening...becoming mostly
cloudy. Patchy fog overnight. Lows 48 to 55. Areas of winds
southwest 15 mph with gusts to 25 mph in the evening becoming
light.
.SUNDAY...Mostly cloudy in the morning...becoming mostly sunny.
Patchy fog in the morning. Highs 73 to 78. Areas of winds south
15 to 20 mph. Gusts to 30 mph in the afternoon.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening...becoming partly
cloudy. Patchy fog overnight. Lows 47 to 54.
.MEMORIAL DAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming mostly
sunny. Patchy fog in the morning. Highs 76 to 81.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear. Lows 49 to 56.
.TUESDAY...Mostly sunny. Warmer. Highs 84 to 89.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear. Lows 55 to 60.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly sunny. Highs 88 to 93.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear. Lows 55 to 60.
.THURSDAY...Mostly sunny. Highs 85 to 90.
$$
CAZ057-272200-
Santa Ana Mountains and Foothills-
243 AM PDT Fri May 27 2022
.TODAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming mostly sunny.
Highs 69 to 79. Light winds becoming west 15 mph with gusts to
25 mph in the afternoon.
.TONIGHT...Partly cloudy. Patchy fog overnight. Lows 47 to 53.
Areas of winds west 15 mph in the evening becoming light.
.SATURDAY...Mostly cloudy in the morning...becoming partly
cloudy. Patchy fog in the morning. Highs 64 to 74. Light winds
becoming southwest 15 mph with gusts to 25 mph in the afternoon.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy in the evening...becoming mostly
cloudy. Patchy fog overnight. Lows 46 to 52. Areas of winds
southwest 15 mph with gusts to 25 mph in the evening becoming
light.
.SUNDAY...Partly cloudy. Patchy fog in the morning. Highs 66 to
75. Light winds becoming southwest 15 to 20 mph with gusts to
30 mph in the afternoon.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening...becoming partly
cloudy. Patchy fog overnight. Lows 46 to 52.
.MEMORIAL DAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming mostly
sunny. Patchy fog in the morning. Highs 69 to 78.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear. Lows 49 to 54.
.TUESDAY...Mostly sunny. Warmer. Highs 77 to 85.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear. Lows 54 to 60.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly sunny. Highs 79 to 88.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear. Lows 53 to 58.
.THURSDAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming mostly sunny.
Highs 75 to 85.
$$
CAZ055-272200-
San Bernardino County Mountains-
Including the cities of Crestline, Lake Arrowhead, Big Bear City,
Big Bear Lake, Running Springs, and Wrightwood
243 AM PDT Fri May 27 2022
.TODAY...Mostly sunny. Highs 74 to 84. Areas of winds south 15 to
25 mph. Gusts to 25 mph...becoming 35 mph in the afternoon.
.TONIGHT...Partly cloudy. Colder. Lows 39 to 49 above 6000 feet
to 46 to 56 below 6000 feet. Areas of winds west 15 to 25 mph
with gusts to 35 mph.
.SATURDAY...Partly cloudy. Highs 68 to 78. Areas of winds west
15 to 25 mph with gusts to 35 mph.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy. Lows 38 to 48. Areas of winds
west 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 45 mph.
.SUNDAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming sunny. Highs
60 to 70 above 6000 feet to 65 to 75 below 6000 feet. Areas of
winds west 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 45 mph.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear. Windy. Lows 35 to 45.
.MEMORIAL DAY...Mostly sunny. Breezy. Highs 59 to 69 above
6000 feet to 66 to 76 below 6000 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Clear. Lows 37 to 47.
.TUESDAY...Sunny, warmer. Highs 65 to 73 above 6000 feet to 73 to
80 below 6000 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Clear. Lows 43 to 53.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly sunny. Warmer. Highs 71 to 79 above 6000 feet
to 78 to 86 below 6000 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Clear. Lows 46 to 56.
.THURSDAY...Mostly sunny. Highs 70 to 80 above 6000 feet to 77 to
86 below 6000 feet.
$$
CAZ056-272200-
Riverside County Mountains-
Including the city of Idyllwild-Pine Cove
243 AM PDT Fri May 27 2022
.TODAY...Mostly sunny. Highs 76 to 86. Light winds becoming west
15 to 20 mph with gusts to 30 mph in the afternoon.
.TONIGHT...Partly cloudy. Colder. Lows 43 to 53. Areas of winds
west 15 to 25 mph. Gusts to 35 mph...becoming 40 mph overnight.
.SATURDAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming mostly sunny.
Highs 68 to 78. Areas of winds west 20 to 30 mph. Gusts to
35 mph...becoming 45 mph in the afternoon.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy. Lows 40 to 50. Areas of winds
west 25 to 35 mph with gusts to 55 mph.
.SUNDAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming mostly sunny.
Highs 67 to 77. Areas of winds west 20 to 30 mph with gusts to
45 mph.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening...becoming partly
cloudy. Windy. Lows 37 to 47.
.MEMORIAL DAY...Mostly sunny. Breezy. Highs 68 to 77.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Clear. Lows 40 to 50.
.TUESDAY...Sunny. Highs 75 to 82.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Clear. Lows 45 to 55.
.WEDNESDAY...Sunny. Highs 80 to 88.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear. Lows 48 to 58.
.THURSDAY...Mostly sunny. Highs 79 to 89.
$$
CAZ058-272200-
San Diego County Mountains-
Including the cities of Julian and Pine Valley
243 AM PDT Fri May 27 2022
.TODAY...Mostly sunny. Highs 75 to 85. Areas of winds west 15 to
20 mph. Gusts to 35 mph in the afternoon.
.TONIGHT...Partly cloudy. Colder. Lows 44 to 53. Areas of winds
west 15 to 25 mph. Gusts to 35 mph...becoming 40 mph overnight.
.SATURDAY...Partly cloudy. Highs 66 to 76. Areas of winds west
20 to 30 mph. Gusts to 35 mph...becoming 45 mph in the afternoon.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy. Lows 43 to 49. Areas of winds
west 25 to 35 mph with gusts to 50 mph.
.SUNDAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming mostly sunny.
Highs 64 to 74. Areas of winds west 20 to 30 mph with gusts to
45 mph.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening...becoming partly
cloudy. Windy. Lows 41 to 48.
.MEMORIAL DAY...Mostly sunny. Breezy. Highs 67 to 76.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear. Lows 44 to 51.
.TUESDAY...Sunny, warmer. Highs 75 to 82.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear. Lows 50 to 58.
.WEDNESDAY...Sunny. Highs 79 to 88.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear. Lows 51 to 59.
.THURSDAY...Mostly sunny. Highs 78 to 88.
$$
CAZ060-272200-
Apple and Lucerne Valleys-
Including the cities of Victorville, Hesperia, Apple Valley,
and Lucerne Valley
243 AM PDT Fri May 27 2022
.TODAY...Mostly sunny in the morning...becoming partly cloudy.
Highs 89 to 99. Areas of winds west 15 to 25 mph. Gusts to
25 mph...becoming 40 mph in the afternoon.
.TONIGHT...Partly cloudy. Lows 52 to 62. Areas of winds west
15 to 25 mph. Gusts to 35 mph...becoming 40 mph overnight.
.SATURDAY...Mostly sunny in the morning...becoming partly cloudy.
Areas of blowing dust in the afternoon. Highs 82 to 92. Areas of
winds west 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 40 mph...becoming 25 to
30 mph with gusts to 45 mph in the afternoon.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy in the evening...becoming mostly
clear. Areas of blowing dust. Local visibility one quarter mile
or less at times. Lows 48 to 56. Areas of winds west 20 to
30 mph. Gusts to 45 mph...becoming 40 mph overnight.
.SUNDAY...Mostly sunny. Areas of blowing dust. Highs 78 to 87.
Areas of winds west 25 to 35 mph. Gusts to 45 mph...becoming
50 mph in the afternoon.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Clear. Areas of blowing dust. Local visibility
one quarter mile or less at times in the evening. Windy. Lows
46 to 53.
.MEMORIAL DAY...Sunny. Highs 78 to 85.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Clear. Lows 48 to 55.
.TUESDAY...Sunny. Highs 84 to 89.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Clear. Lows 53 to 60.
.WEDNESDAY...Sunny. Highs 91 to 96.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Clear. Lows 56 to 64.
.THURSDAY...Mostly sunny. Highs 91 to 99.
$$
CAZ065-272200-
San Gorgonio Pass Near Banning-
Including the cities of Banning and Desert Hot Springs
243 AM PDT Fri May 27 2022
.TODAY...Mostly sunny. Highs around 88 through the pass to 94 to
99 in the northern Coachella Valley. Areas of winds west 15 to
25 mph with gusts to 40 mph...becoming 25 to 35 mph with gusts to
55 mph in the afternoon.
.TONIGHT...Partly cloudy. Cooler. Lows 57 to 62 through the pass
to 68 in the northern Coachella Valley. Areas of winds west 30 to
40 mph with gusts to 60 mph.
.SATURDAY...Mostly sunny. Areas of blowing sand and blowing dust
in the afternoon. Highs around 80 through the pass to 87 to 92 in
the northern Coachella Valley. Areas of winds west 25 to 35 mph.
Gusts to 55 mph...becoming 50 mph in the afternoon.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy. Areas of blowing sand and
blowing dust. Local visibility one quarter mile or less at times
in the evening. Lows 55 to 64. Areas of winds west 25 to 35 mph
with gusts to 50 mph.
.SUNDAY...Partly cloudy in the morning...becoming sunny. Areas of
blowing sand and blowing dust. Highs around 80 through the pass
to 86 to 91 in the northern Coachella Valley. Areas of winds west
25 to 35 mph. Gusts to 55 mph...becoming 50 mph in the afternoon.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear. Areas of blowing sand and blowing
dust. Windy. Lows 54 to 63.
.MEMORIAL DAY...Sunny. Areas of blowing sand and blowing dust in
the morning. Breezy. Highs around 83 through the pass to 87 to
92 in the northern Coachella Valley.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Clear. Lows 58 to 67.
.TUESDAY...Sunny. Highs around 89 through the pass to 92 to 97 in
the northern Coachella Valley.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Clear. Lows 63 to 73.
.WEDNESDAY...Sunny. Highs around 93 through the pass to 97 to
102 in the northern Coachella Valley.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Clear. Lows 65 to 75.
.THURSDAY...Mostly sunny. Highs around 93 through the pass to
98 to 103 in the northern Coachella Valley.
$$
CAZ061-272200-
Coachella Valley-
Including the cities of Indio, Palm Springs, Cathedral City,
Palm Desert, Palm Desert Country, La Quinta, and Coachella
243 AM PDT Fri May 27 2022
.TODAY...Mostly sunny. Highs 98 to 103. Areas of winds southeast
15 to 20 mph. Gusts to 25 mph...becoming 30 mph in the afternoon.
.TONIGHT...Partly cloudy. Lows 66 to 71. Areas of winds northwest
15 to 25 mph. Gusts to 40 mph...becoming 35 mph overnight.
.SATURDAY...Mostly sunny. Highs 94 to 99. Areas of winds
northwest 15 to 20 mph with gusts to 35 mph...becoming 20 to
30 mph with gusts to 45 mph in the afternoon.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening...becoming partly
cloudy. Areas of blowing dust and blowing sand. Lows 62 to 67.
Areas of winds north 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 45 mph.
.SUNDAY...Mostly sunny. Areas of blowing sand and blowing dust.
Highs 92 to 97. Areas of winds northwest 20 to 30 mph. Gusts to
40 mph...becoming 45 mph in the afternoon.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Clear. Areas of blowing sand and blowing dust in
the evening. Breezy. Lows 61 to 66.
.MEMORIAL DAY...Sunny. Highs 91 to 96.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Clear. Lows 63 to 68.
.TUESDAY...Sunny. Highs around 97.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Clear. Lows 67 to 72.
.WEDNESDAY...Sunny. Highs around 102.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Clear. Lows 70 to 75.
.THURSDAY...Mostly sunny. Highs around 104.
$$
CAZ062-272200-
San Diego County Deserts-
Including the city of Borrego Springs
243 AM PDT Fri May 27 2022
.TODAY...Mostly sunny. Highs 100 to 105. Light winds becoming
west 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 40 mph in the afternoon.
.TONIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening...becoming partly cloudy.
Lows 65 to 74. Areas of winds west 20 to 30 mph. Gusts to
45 mph...becoming 40 mph overnight.
.SATURDAY...Partly cloudy. Highs 93 to 98. Areas of winds west
20 to 30 mph. Gusts to 35 mph...becoming 45 mph in the afternoon.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening...becoming partly
cloudy. Areas of blowing dust in the evening. Lows 61 to 69.
Areas of winds west 20 to 30 mph. Gusts to 50 mph...becoming
45 mph overnight.
.SUNDAY...Mostly sunny. Areas of blowing dust. Local visibility
one quarter mile or less at times in the afternoon. Highs 91 to
96. Areas of winds west 25 to 35 mph. Gusts to 45 mph...becoming
50 mph in the afternoon.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear. Areas of blowing dust. Local
visibility one quarter mile or less at times in the evening.
Windy. Lows 58 to 66.
.MEMORIAL DAY...Sunny, breezy. Highs 91 to 96.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Clear, breezy. Lows 61 to 69.
.TUESDAY...Sunny. Highs 94 to 99.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Clear. Lows 66 to 75.
.WEDNESDAY...Sunny. Highs 100 to 105.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Clear. Lows 68 to 77.
.THURSDAY...Sunny. Highs 102 to 107.
$$
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.sfgate.com/weather/article/CA-San-Diego-CA-Zone-Forecast-17202738.php | 2022-05-27 10:04:26 | 1 | https://www.sfgate.com/weather/article/CA-San-Diego-CA-Zone-Forecast-17202738.php |
CENTENNIAL, Colo., July 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AlloSource®, one of the largest allograft providers in the U.S., creating innovative cellular and tissue allografts to help surgeons heal their patients, today announced the addition of a quadricep tendon to its AlloConnex™ line of tendons, ligaments and fascia.
The use of a quadricep tendon for ligament repair has gained popularity in recent years. AlloSource's AlloConnex quadricep tendon is a robust option for cruciate ligament procedures and is available with or without the bone block for various surgical techniques.
"As a provider of tendons to the surgeon community for close to 30 years, we know how important it is to have a consistent supply of the allografts they need," said Kevin Whitten, AlloSource Chief Commercial Officer. "AlloSource has always been about being the best, most reliable allograft partner to do what's best for patient healing. The addition of a quadricep tendon to our product offerings supports that goal."
The AlloConnex tendon and ligament portfolio supports a multitude of procedures surgeons perform. In addition to the new quadricep tendon, specific allografts in the AlloConnex portfolio include the Achilles, anterior tibialis, gracilis, peroneus longus, posterior tibialis and semitendinosus tendons, as well as patellar ligaments. AlloSource's tendon supply includes single strand, double strand and pre-shaped configurations.
AlloConnex tendons, ligaments and fascia are cleansed in AlloSource's unique, proprietary, patented cleansing process, AlloTrue™. The process is designed to penetrate deep within donor tissue, removing blood and lipids, as well as reducing viable microorganism load, while maintaining biomechanical properties of the tissue.
To learn more about AlloSource's AlloConnex tendons, ligaments and fascia, please visit allosource.org/products/alloconnex or visit us at the annual AOSSM meeting in Colorado Springs, July 14-16, 2022, booth 616.
Founded in 1994, AlloSource is a nonprofit leader in providing allografts that maximize tissue donation to help surgeons heal their patients. The company has grown into one of the largest tissue networks in the country creating more than 200 types of precise bone, skin and soft-tissue allografts for use in an array of life-saving and life-enhancing medical procedures. As a leading manufacturer of cartilage tissue for joint repair and skin allografts to help heal severe burns, AlloSource's products bridge the proven science of allografts with the advanced technology of cells. The company is accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks and is headquartered in Centennial, CO. For more information, please visit allosource.org.
Media Contact
Cindy Mason
AlloSource
720. 873. 4744
cmason@allosource.org
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE AlloSource | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/07/12/allosource-adds-quadricep-tendons-its-alloconnex-line-tendons-ligaments-fascia/ | 2022-07-12 20:57:12 | 0 | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/07/12/allosource-adds-quadricep-tendons-its-alloconnex-line-tendons-ligaments-fascia/ |
Hotter’N Hell organizers trying to get more kids involved
WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) - The hottest bike ride of the summer is right around the corner, and work to get everything ready is already in full swing.
Organizers of the Hotter’N Hell Hundred said one issue the event is trying to overcome this year is getting kids involved.
Chip Filer, the executive director for HHH says it’s because their regular riders are starting to age out, so four years ago they decided to provide coupons to families that would allow kids 12 and under to participate in 10K endurance ride for free.
“If you look at out demographics, our road cyclists that ride the endurance rides, the groups are getting older year by year by year. Well Robbi says lets start looking at kids for the future of cycling,” Filer said.
The coupon is for kids 12 and under only and only applies to the 10K endurance ride.
To use the coupon make sure you register on the Thursday before HHH, Aug. 24th, as a late registration.
“From our standpoint it’s a chance to get the children or the younger kids interested in riding bicycles, get the parents to bring them to Hotter’N Hell Hundred and,” said Filer. “So if they’re interested they can pick up a coupon at Endurance house, we left them down there or we have some here in the office.”
Copyright 2023 KAUZ. All rights reserved. | https://www.newschannel6now.com/2023/07/17/hottern-hell-organizers-trying-get-more-kids-involved/ | 2023-07-17 23:30:53 | 0 | https://www.newschannel6now.com/2023/07/17/hottern-hell-organizers-trying-get-more-kids-involved/ |
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Anatomage Inc, a market leader in medical imaging technology, today announced the release of the Anatomage VR - a virtual reality application that gives users the opportunity to explore Anatomage's real human bodies in the metaverse.
Imagine you have the superpower to see through the person in front of you. While looking at their body, you can peel back the skin to see their muscle and tissue. You can trace their veins and arteries moving blood throughout their body. You can fly into the chambers of the heart to experience how cardiac structures work together to make the heart beat. In the metaverse, you have this superpower with Anatomage VR.
Since the company's inception in 2004, Anatomage has offered the most detailed, accurate and interactive human anatomy tool available with the Anatomage Table. Today, Anatomage has successfully incorporated that same flagship technology into Anatomage VR.
Designed to accompany accredited high school anatomy and life science programs, Anatomage VR grants students the power to explore the world's most realistic human anatomy through a virtual reality headset. Anatomage VR seamlessly pairs with the Anatomage Table or can be purchased and used as a standalone product in the classroom.
With Anatomage VR, students can:
- Interact with Anatomage Table's digital bodies, including highly detailed male and female human cadavers
- Visualize more than 2,500 anatomical structures in each digital body
- Play 71 animated anatomy shows to inspect anatomy regions in 3D
- Access, customize, and incorporate 536 presets into curriculum-focused anatomy lessons
- Simulate flythroughs to travel through 10 regions of a human body endoscopically
- Increase student engagement with quizzing models
- Analyze real-life pathology cases with 300 real-patient CT & MRI scans
"As the world continues to embrace new virtual reality experiences, we are excited to bring Anatomage's world-class anatomy content to the metaverse. With Anatomage VR, students can engage with anatomy learning in a never before seen way through the cutting-edge world of VR. We are so proud that our educational content is being used to teach the next generation of medical and healthcare professionals." — Jack Choi, CEO of Anatomage
Get ready to interact with real human bodies in virtual reality through Anatomage VR.
About Anatomage
A market leader in medical imaging technology, Anatomage offers an ecosystem of 3D anatomy hardware and software, allowing users to visualize world-class content at the highest level of accuracy. Through its highly innovative products, Anatomage is transforming standard anatomy learning, medical diagnosis, and treatment planning.
Contact:
Joe Foster
Phone: 323-572-5361
Email: Anatomage@finnpartners.com
www.anatomage.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Anatomage | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2022/10/04/anatomage-vr-brings-interactive-anatomy-learning-metaverse/ | 2022-10-04 11:41:15 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2022/10/04/anatomage-vr-brings-interactive-anatomy-learning-metaverse/ |
“Shoplifting” is too mild a word for the crimes with which Montgomery County police charged six people last month. The group was allegedly responsible for stealing $49,000 worth of goods in raids on 11 Ulta Beauty, Sephora, Target and Nike stores in Montgomery County until officers captured the suspects on June 15. Construction traffic impeded their getaway in a stolen car. Authorities believe the group sold the goods for cash and is responsible for 80 similar heists in D.C.; four of the alleged thieves were juveniles, the youngest of them just 13.
No community, it seems, is immune from the recent spike in organized retail crime (ORC), which is the term security specialists use to distinguish planned, large-scale stealing to supply the black market from individual cases of the “five-fingered discount.” The impression that the problem is growing comes not only from viral videos depicting masked people smashing display cases and dumping the contents into large bags. It is also based on data: A study published by the National Retail Federation in April reported that 70 percent of retailers surveyed last year considered ORC a growing burden on stores. And ORC accounted for half of the $94.5 billion in losses due to theft that companies reported in 2021, a nearly $4 billion increase over 2020. Causes of the surge range from the opioid epidemic — ORC rings often recruit addicts to steal for them — to lax enforcement of shoplifting laws in some jurisdictions to the ease with which goods can be resold online.
The half-dozen-member ring arrested in Montgomery is typical in size; ORC is not organized on a national scale. Yet that does not mean combating it can be left to local officials alone, although more, and more aggressive, local police work of the kind Montgomery County demonstrated obviously forms much of the solution. Federal and state action will be needed, in part because some ORC — as in the D.C. area — does cross state lines and in part because its cumulative impact extends widely.
- D.C. Council reverses itself on school resource officers. Good.
- Virginia makes a mistake by pulling out of an election fraud detection group.
- Vietnam sentences another democracy activist.
- Biden has a new border plan.
1/5
Though small in relation to overall sales of more than $5 trillion per year (excluding “noncore” items such as gasoline), the cost of retail stores’ anti-theft measures gets passed on to paying customers; states cannot collect sales taxes on stolen goods; and, in extreme cases, unchecked theft can force stores out of business, contributing to urban decay. This is not “just” a property crime: When thieves smash glass cases with crowbars — the Montgomery County group’s M.O. — it can traumatize onlookers. “They put fear in people’s hearts — workers at stores who are just trying to earn a living and people who were out shopping,” the county’s police chief, Marcus Jones, told The Post.
The most significant federal measure to date, the Inform Act, took effect on June 27. Under the law, online marketplaces such as eBay and Amazon have to collect, verify and disclose certain identifying information about high-volume third-party sellers of consumer products, to help deter vendors of stolen and counterfeit goods. (The Post’s owner, Jeff Bezos, is the founder of Amazon; interim Post CEO Patty Stonesifer is on Amazon’s board.) Also last month, California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) announced a plan for voluntary information-sharing among brick-and-mortar stores, online marketplaces and law enforcement.
It’s too early to judge these policies’ impact. But at least they reflect the reality, articulated in the National Retail Federation’s April report, that ORC’s decentralized nature makes fighting it largely “an intelligence problem,” which calls for “significant improvements in data collection.” The next step should be for Congress to enact the bipartisan Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, which has been pending in both houses since early this year. The bill declares that ORC “threatens … safety and liberty,” and gives federal prosecutors the authority to go after money-laundering connected to ORC. Most important, it would establish a federal ORC coordination center, staffed by officials from federal law enforcement agencies and housed in the Department of Homeland Security, to facilitate information-sharing among investigators at all levels of government and the businesses affected.
Government and business have been slow to react to ORC, at times seeming almost bewildered by the sheer brazenness and undeniable smarts with which the thieves and associated fencing rings have operated. Meanwhile, damage has been done to the economy and to the public’s basic feeling of safety in retail spaces. Law enforcement needs to be given the tools to respond — then use them with countervailing speed and sophistication. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/07/19/organized-retail-crime-shoplifting-theft/ | 2023-07-19 21:28:03 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/07/19/organized-retail-crime-shoplifting-theft/ |
Very few Richmond-area residents knew how to pronounce John Beilein’s last name when the University of Richmond hired him as basketball coach in March of 1997.
Soon, they learned - BEE-line – as he guided the Spiders to the NCAA tournament in his first season.
Sports fans across the country now know how to pronounce that distinctive last name. The National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in late June announced Beilein as a member of its Class of 2022. His college teams won 829 games, and 100 of those victories came at UR 1997-2002.
Beilein gained most of his national fame while leading Michigan to a pair of Final Four appearances (2013, 2018), but his restorative power at Richmond provided a pivotal lift for a program trying to establish that it could sustain success.
Coach Dick Tarrant’s teams put the Spiders on the hoops map. From 1981 to 1993, Tarrant led UR to a 239-126 record, eight 20-win seasons, four Colonial Athletic Association championships, five NCAA tournament appearances and four trips to the National Invitation Tournament.
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Bill Dooley, a former player and assistant under Tarrant, succeeded Tarrant and immediately faced crippling attrition. Early in his tenure, Dooley, never before a head coach, was required to played several freshmen. The Spiders endured an extended dip. Dooley’s contract was not renewed after four years and a 43-69 record.
"When you're dealing with somebody who was a student here and an assistant coach here, someone who deeply loved and respected the university, that made it very, very difficult," Chuck Boone, then the UR director of athletics, said regarding Dooley.
But doubts had begun surfacing about whether UR in its flagship sport could return to the prestigious status reached while Tarrant was in charge.
Boone looked into Washington State’s Kevin Eastman, a former Spiders captain, Radford’s Ron Bradley, former Pittsburgh and Navy coach Paul Evans, and Cornell’s Scott Thompson. But Boone was partial to the 44-year-old Beilein, who was coaching at Canisius College, in Buffalo, and had spent his entire life in that region.
In 1995, Le Moyne Athletic Director Tom Niland stopped Boone at a meeting of college sports administrators and passed along Beilein’s name as one to remember if the Spiders needed a coach.
"He started at the bottom. He was at every level, and he always won," Boone said of Beilein, who began his career at Newfane Central High School in western New York while a Niagara University graduate student in 1976, then moved to Erie (N.Y.) Community College, Nazareth College, Le Moyne and Canisius.
At every stop, he had been a head coach.
Beilein had eight brothers and sisters. Most lived in that Buffalo area. A move to Virginia was a tough sell to Beilein, Boone recalled. In upstate New York, Beilein and his wife, Kathleen, had four children. There, he had an 83-year-old mother. There, he had most of those siblings and 40 nieces and nephews. There, he had roots and a comfort zone.
But Boone kept pitching, and finally Beilein accepted. Boone learned later that Niland, the Le Moyne AD who offered the tip, was Beilein’s uncle.
Never an assistant, Beilein took a very unusual coaching path to the Robins Center. Beilein said he was "very hard-headed at the age of 22." Following his graduation from Wheeling (W.Va.) Jesuit University, he knew he wanted to become a college basketball coach. Beilein sought advice, and then ignored it.
Work the summer-camp circuit, he was told. Hook on somewhere as a college assistant, then climb the ladder.
"I just didn't want to do it that way," Beilein said.
His first Spiders team, comprised of veterans who gained experience under Dooley, immediately splashed. At the Robins Center, UR defeated Virginia in double-overtime in Beilein’s first Richmond game. That Spiders crew went on to win the CAA championship and, as a No. 14 seed, knock off South Carolina, a No. 3 seed, in the 1998 NCAA tournament.
The success Richmond generated with Beilein as coach set the stage for UR’s shift to the Atlantic 10 for the 2001-02 season. Beilein’s Spiders went 100-53, with one trip to the NCAA tournament (1998) and two to the NIT (2001, 2002).
He left Richmond for West Virginia, a Big East Conference member at the time, after fulfilling his five-year contract at UR. Eight previous opportunities to coach at higher levels were available to Beilein earlier during his UR tenure, he said. Beilein declined each because of his five-year commitment to Richmond.
In tears during an interview after accepting the WVU job, Beilein said, "I think it's my competitive nature to want to coach at that level. That really made the final decision. Ever since I've been in coaching, to get to the Big East or the ACC has been a dream. But it was very hard to leave this [UR] program. Very hard."
Each of Beilein’s UR teams had winning records, including the final one that went 11-5 (22-14) in the Spiders’ first A-10 season. Richmond was back as a significant player in college hoops.
Other members of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2022 are players Richard Hamilton of Connecticut, Larry Miller of North Carolina, Frank Selvy of Furman, and the late Jimmy Walker of Providence, along with coaches Jerry Krause and Lon Kruger.
The Class of 2022 will be enshrined on Nov. 20 in Kansas City as part of National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame Weekend, which also features the annual Hall of Fame Classic tournament. | https://richmond.com/sports/college/richmond/john-beilein-bound-for-college-hoops-hall-of-fame-sparked-spiders-with-restorative-powers/article_7f2c65dc-06e4-54fb-a6ff-c217f1e60202.html | 2022-07-05 17:33:03 | 0 | https://richmond.com/sports/college/richmond/john-beilein-bound-for-college-hoops-hall-of-fame-sparked-spiders-with-restorative-powers/article_7f2c65dc-06e4-54fb-a6ff-c217f1e60202.html |
BRAINTREE, Mass. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Saturday evening's drawing of the Massachusetts Lottery's "Megabucks Doubler" game were:
13-26-29-36-44-46, ST: 1
(thirteen, twenty-six, twenty-nine, thirty-six, forty-four, forty-six; ST: one)
Estimated jackpot: $11,400,000 | https://www.sfchronicle.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Megabucks-Doubler-game-17173789.php | 2022-05-15 04:58:21 | 1 | https://www.sfchronicle.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Megabucks-Doubler-game-17173789.php |
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WATERBURY, Conn. (AP) — A lawyer for conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' Infowars empire acknowledged on the witness stand Wednesday that the show and website spread falsehoods about the Sandy Hook school shooting.
“I don’t think that we disagree that there were false statements made,” Brittany Paz testified at a civil trial involving Jones' claims that the nation’s deadliest school shooting was a hoax concocted as a pretext to tighten gun regulations.
Asked whether an Infowars headline that suggested the massacre was a “false flag” operation was itself untrue, Paz said she didn't disagree it was false.
The jury is tasked only with determining what Jones has to pay to eight victims’ families and an FBI agent — a judge already found the Infowars host liable for damages, by default. She made that determination after he failed to turn over documents as ordered during the lawsuit.
Jones is expected to testify eventually but hasn't attended the trial so far. On his Infowars web show Wednesday, he called the proceeding a “show trial” meant to squelch dissent. He has cast the case as part of a dark campaign against him, his audience and Americans’ First Amendment rights.
“We knew they were using Sandy Hook to get the Second, but now they’re using it to kill the First,” he said. The trial comes about a month after a Texas jury ordered him to pay nearly $50 million to the parents of a child killed at Sandy Hook.
Jones' lawyer, Norm Pattis, has urged the Connecticut jury to keep any damages minimal, arguing that the families are making overblown claims of harm.
The families say the emotional and psychological harm was serious, deep and persistent — social media harassment, death threats, strangers videotaping them and their children, and the surreal pain of being told that their loss wasn’t real.
“It’s hurtful. It’s devastating. It’s crippling. You can’t grieve properly because you’re constantly defending yourself and your family and your loved ones,” Carlee Soto Parisi testified Tuesday.
Her sister, teacher Vicki Soto, was among the 26 people killed in the 2012 carnage at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Twenty victims were children.
Soto Parisi described seeing social media comments claiming that she was a crisis actor, that her sister wasn’t shot or didn’t exist, and that the massacre never happened. She testified about getting ominous social media messages with gun emojis and a note on her door from a stranger saying she needed to go to church.
And one time, she said, a conspiracy theorist showed up and shouted, “This never happened!” at a fundraising run that the family holds in Vicki Soto’s honor.
The families argue that Jones trafficked in lies to boost his audience and, with it, customers for Infowars merchandise. Data shown in court Wednesday charted spurts in people viewing his websites and social media accounts after he started talking about Sandy Hook.
By 2016, Jones' show aired on 150 affiliate radio stations, and the Infowars website got 40 million page views a month, according to data that the company used to pitch advertisers. Paz, whom the defense hired to testify on the company's workings, said she believes Jones has made hundreds of millions of dollars in the decade since the Sandy Hook slayings.
Jones now acknowledges the shooting was real. At the Texas trial, he testified that he realizes what he said was irresponsible, and he apologized.
He insists, however, that his comments were protected free speech.
“I don't apologize for questioning it,” he said on his show Wednesday. “I apologize if, out of context, I hurt somebody's feelings.”
___
Peltz reported from New York. | https://www.seattlepi.com/entertainment/article/Infowars-lawyer-There-were-false-statements-on-17441259.php | 2022-09-14 20:17:11 | 1 | https://www.seattlepi.com/entertainment/article/Infowars-lawyer-There-were-false-statements-on-17441259.php |
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Author Salman Rushdie on ventilator after New York stabbing
CHAUTAUQUA, N.Y. (AP) — Salman Rushdie's agent says the writer is on a ventilator after being stabbed in the neck and abdomen on a western New York stage where he was about to give a lecture. The 75-year-old Rushdie was flown to a hospital and underwent surgery after Friday's stabbing at the Chautauqua Institution. His agent, Andrew Wylie, said the writer had a damaged liver, severed nerves in an arm and an eye he was likely to lose. Rushdie's novel “The Satanic Verses” drew death threats from Iran’s leader in the 1980s, Police arrested the man who attacked the writer and identified him as 24-year-old Hadi Matar of Fairview, New Jersey. Matar's lawyer declined to comment.
Praise, worry in Iran after Rushdie attack; government quiet
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iranians are reacting with praise and worry over the attack on novelist Salman Rushdie — the target of a decades-old fatwa by the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini calling for his death. It remains unclear why Rushdie’s attacker, identified by police as Hadi Matar of Fairview, New Jersey, stabbed the author as he prepared to speak at an event Friday in western New York. Iran’s theocratic government and its state-run media have assigned no motive to the assault as well. But in Tehran, some willing to speak to The Associated Press offered praise for an attack targeting a writer they believe tarnished the Islamic faith with his 1988 book “The Satanic Verses.”
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FBI seized top secret documents in Trump estate search
WASHINGTON (AP) — Court papers show that the FBI recovered documents labeled “top secret” from former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The papers released Friday indicate the seized records include some that were marked top secret and also “sensitive compartmented information,” a special category meant to protect the nation’s most important secrets and those that if revealed publicly could cause “exceptionally grave” harm to U.S. interests. The court records did not provide specific details about what information the documents might contain. Trump backed the warrant’s “immediate” release, but contended the government could have had them any time by asking.
Expanded IRS free-file system one step closer in Dems' bill
WASHINGTON (AP) — The flagship climate change and health care bill passed by Democrats and soon to be signed by President Joe Biden will bring U.S. taxpayers one step closer to a government-operated electronic free-file tax return system. It’s something lawmakers and advocates have been seeking for years. For many Americans, it’s frustrating that beyond having to pay sometimes hefty tax bills, they also have to shell out additional money for tax preparation programs or preparers because of an increasingly complex U.S. tax system. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says, “It’s definitely something we should do, and when the IRS is adequately resourced, it’s something that will happen."
Southern Baptists say denomination faces DOJ investigation
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention say that several of their denomination’s major entities are under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. The SBC’s statement gave few details about the investigation, but indicated it dealt with sexual abuse. The SBC, the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S., has been plagued by problems related to clergy sex abuse in recent years. Earlier this year, an SBC task force released a blistering 288-page report from outside consultant, Guidepost Solutions. The firm’s seven-month independent investigation found disturbing details about how denominational leaders mishandled sex abuse claims and mistreated victims.
Sinema took Wall Street money while killing tax on investors
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Kyrsten Sinema received a $1 million surge of campaign cash over the past year from private equity professionals, hedge fund managers and venture capitalists whose interests she has staunchly defended in Congress. That's according to an Associated Press review of campaign finance disclosures. The revelation comes after the Arizona Democrat single-handedly thwarted her party's long-standing goal of raising taxes on such investors. Sinema says the contributions did not influence her thinking on the matter. But many in her party see Sinema's defense of the favorable tax treatment received by such investors as indefensible.
Ukrainian minister says Russia blocking access to medicines
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s health minister has accused Russian authorities of committing a crime against humanity by blocking access to affordable medicines in areas its forces have occupied since invading the country 5 1/2 months ago. In an interview with The Associated Press, Ukrainian Health Minister Viktor Liashko said Russian authorities repeatedly have blocked efforts to provide state-subsidized drugs to people in occupied cities, towns and villages. The World Health Organization says it recorded 445 attacks on Ukrainian hospitals and other health care facilities as of Aug. 11 that directly resulted in 86 deaths and 105 injuries. But Liashko said the much higher number of casualties caused by damaged roads and bridges delaying ambulances “cannot be calculated.”
Jury: Democratic PAC defamed Roy Moore, awards him $8.2M
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Republican Roy Moore of Alabama has won a defamation lawsuit against a Democratic-aligned super PAC over campaign ads dating to his failed 2017 Senate bid. A jury awarded Roy Moore $8.2 million in damages Friday after finding a Democratic-aligned super PAC made false and defamatory statements with a TV ad during the U.S. Senate race in Alabama. Moore called the ruling a vindication. The Senate Majority PAC argued the ad was substantially true and planned to appeal. Moore is a former judge known for backing public display of the Ten Commandments and hardline stances against same-sex marriage. Misconduct allegations against Moore rocked his 2017 race, which was won by a Democrat.
Suspect in 4 New Mexico killings left trail of violence
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Police and court records show the main suspect in the slaying of four Muslim men in Albuquerque has committed regular acts of violence in the six years since he resettled in the United States. Police believe 51-year-old Afghan refugee Muhammad Syed tracked the movements of his victims before ambushing them late at night, motivated seemingly by interpersonal conflicts. He is charged in the deaths of two men and is the primary suspect in the slayings of two others. Syed has denied involvement in the killings. Members of Albuquerque's small, close-knit Muslim community are coming to terms with the idea that maybe they never really knew Syed. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/national/ap-news-summary-at-7-01-a-m-edt/article_6aa1717a-6cd5-5484-9461-3c3c75eb8c8e.html | 2022-08-13 12:22:47 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/national/ap-news-summary-at-7-01-a-m-edt/article_6aa1717a-6cd5-5484-9461-3c3c75eb8c8e.html |
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Posted: Oct 10, 2022 / 05:29 AM PDT
Updated: Oct 10, 2022 / 05:29 AM PDT
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Stocks closed higher again as more fear evaporates from Wall Street.
The S&P 500 added 0.6% Thursday, its fifth gain in the last six days. The benchmark index is headed for a gain in March after struggling in earlier weeks on worries about whether the banking system was cracking under the weight of higher interest rates.
Forceful actions by regulators worldwide have helped restore confidence. Also boosting stocks have been big bets that the Federal Reserve may cut rates in coming months. But such expectations are also raising concerns of their own for some professionals on Wall Street.
On Thursday:
The S&P 500 rose 23.02 points, or 0.6%, to 4,050.83.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 141.43 points, or 0.4%, to 32,859.03.
The Nasdaq composite rose 87.24 points, or 0.7% to 12,013.47.
The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 3.22 points, or 0.2%, to 1,768.38.
For the week:
The S&P 500 is up 79.84 points, or 2%.
The Dow is up 621.50 points, or 1.9%.
The Nasdaq is up 189.51 points, or 1.6%.
The Russell 2000 is up 33.46 points, or 1.9%.
For the year:
The S&P 500 is up 211.33 points, or 5.5%.
The Dow is down 288.22 points, or 0.9%.
The Nasdaq is up 1,546.99 points, or 14.8%.
The Russell 2000 is up 7.14 points, or 0.4%. | https://www.seattletimes.com/business/how-major-us-stock-indexes-fared-thursday-3-30-2023/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world | 2023-03-30 21:38:30 | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/business/how-major-us-stock-indexes-fared-thursday-3-30-2023/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world |
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Rand Paul was a political outsider more than a decade ago when the renegade Republican rode a conservative tea party wave right past the GOP establishment in Kentucky, bringing his libertarian-leaning brand to the U.S. Senate.
But as Paul seeks a third Senate term against financially overmatched Democrat Charles Booker in the November midterm election, the senator still relishes his willingness to stand alone as he promotes his vision of limited government and restraint in foreign policy.
“The easy way out is to vote yes,” Paul said in an interview during a recent Kentucky campaign stop at a fish fry in Garrard County, a rural GOP stronghold. “It’s a little more of a challenge to explain why we’re spending too much money.”
Paul’s unconventional approach is in many ways a new model of governing, one that has boosted his political profile by rejecting and even shutting down Washington’s normal workings. It’s a style that at times frustrates Senate colleagues on both sides of the aisle.
“I’ve never really seen things in terms of party,” Paul said. “I see things in terms of right and wrong.”
Despite 12 years in office, the senator doesn’t brag about bringing federal funding to Kentucky, which struggles with pockets of deep poverty. In fact, he opposed some policies and domestic spending for philosophical reasons, even when that could impact Kentuckians directly.
His critics point to a career they say is long on grandstanding and light on accomplishments.
“Rand Paul is a contrarian and nothing is going to change that,” said Booker, the progressive Democrat seeking the upset in a state that hasn’t elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1992.
Booker said Paul has a penchant for political and legislative “chaos” motivated by his desire for the limelight, particularly in conservative media outlets. Such appearances raise the senator’s profile, and with it the funding for his campaigns.
One of Paul’s priorities — reducing federal spending and debt — shows the limits of his singular style.
Paul has consistently presented spending blueprints he touts as road maps to a balanced federal budget. However, his attempts failed by wide margins, opposed by Republicans and Democrats alike.
The Kentuckian is unfazed, seeking his next opportunity to speak out against what he sees as excessive federal spending and an obstinate establishment. Paul issues yuletide “Festivus” reports to point out examples of wasteful government spending.
“If you ask people in Washington, their heads explode because they could never conceive of ever reducing spending,” Paul said in a Senate speech this year touting his latest balanced-budget plan.
Paul defied leaders of both parties this spring when he briefly delayed Senate approval of an additional $40 billion to help Ukraine and its allies withstand Russia’s invasion. Paul wanted language inserted that would have an inspector general scrutinize the new spending.
The standoff over military spending reflected his broader message that U.S. foreign aid should be drastically reduced. During a recent trip to eastern Kentucky, Paul said he heard a common theme from constituents: “Quit sending it to Ukraine and send it to Perry County, send it to Letcher County.”
Paul has voted against federal farm bills — vitally important for Kentucky’s agriculture sector — balking at the cost and railing against its food aid sections. He was one of two senators to vote against passage of legislation ensuring a victims’ compensation fund related to the Sept. 11 attacks never runs out of money. Paul questioned its 70-year time frame and said any new spending should be offset by corresponding cuts.
“While I support our heroic first responders, I can’t in good conscience vote for legislation which to my dismay remains unfunded,” Paul explained.
He has a history of holding up or threatening to delay bills on the brink of passage, including measures dealing with sanctioning Russia, averting a federal shutdown, the defense budget and government surveillance. In 2018, Paul held up votes on a bipartisan, budget-busting spending deal, forcing a brief federal government shutdown.
“I didn’t come up here to be part of somebody’s club. I didn’t come up here to be liked,” Paul said then.
Paul’s anti-spending zealotry builds on the libertarian brand of politics embraced by his father, former longtime U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas. Supporters and critics agree Paul has forged a distinct path but view his approach differently.
“He don’t back down from nobody,” said Joe Oakes, an 81-year-old Paul supporter at the fish fry. “That’s about the best thing you can say about him, that he stands for what’s right and he sticks by it.”
When sizing up Paul’s record, Kentucky political commentator Al Cross said recently: “He’s been a senator largely about Rand Paul, not about Kentucky interests, which is completely different from almost any other United States senator this state has ever had.”
Paul’s reputation as a disrupter has at times complicated things for his Kentucky colleague — Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who supported another GOP candidate during Paul’s first Senate run.
Paul won reelection in 2016 by a wide margin, and Kentucky’s senators have maintained a working relationship to advance conservative causes. Their uneasy alliance frayed this year when Paul blocked plans for a federal judicial nomination pushed by McConnell for their home state.
The Kentucky senators reflect “different brands of Republicanism,” charting their own paths and worldviews, said Scott Jennings, a Kentucky-based political commentator close to McConnell and a former adviser to George W. Bush.
“I think Kentuckians value his contrarian voice because he’s often ahead of the curve on things,” Jennings said of Paul. “Rand covers a more visceral messaging end that taps into the emotions of a majority of Kentucky’s voters.”
Paul’s occasional successes in getting legislation passed often came when he found common ground with Democrats on key priorities, including privacy and criminal justice issues.
Paul, a former presidential candidate whose message was drowned out by Donald Trump in 2016, found allies on the left as he railed against the federal government’s surveillance programs. More recently, Paul teamed with Democratic Sen. Cory Booker on Senate-passed legislation to end animal testing mandates for federal drug approvals.
And whether it leads to legislative successes or not, Paul’s ideology has gained traction in Kentucky, where supporters credited the senator for taking principled stands.
“I like him because he’s got a backbone,” 71-year-old Vernon Willard said at the fish fry.
___
Mascaro reported from Washington.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of the elections at: https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections
Check out https://apnews.com/hub/explaining-the-elections to learn more about the issues and factors at play in the 2022 midterm elections. | https://www.myarklamiss.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-kentuckys-rand-paul-relishes-outsider-role-in-3rd-term-run/ | 2022-10-27 03:14:05 | 0 | https://www.myarklamiss.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-kentuckys-rand-paul-relishes-outsider-role-in-3rd-term-run/ |
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — A man was shot around 7 pm at the corner of South River and Market Streets near the Market Street Bridge.
Wilkes-Barre Police say the person who pulled the trigger is on the loose. The commotion shut down that area for some time.
There is no word on the condition of the man who was shot.
See news happening? Call our Newstip hotline. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/man-shot-wilkes-barre-bridge-market-street/523-23dd7eb5-aed4-4bc8-a76c-ce4c5266a95a | 2023-04-13 10:45:33 | 1 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/man-shot-wilkes-barre-bridge-market-street/523-23dd7eb5-aed4-4bc8-a76c-ce4c5266a95a |
Bella Hadid's got a bangin' new look.
The supermodel has been hard at work walking nearly every runway show during fashion month. But when the 25-year-old isn't sporting the latest and greatest pieces from the spring/summer 2023 collections of Versace, Burberry and more, she's setting trends of her own.
On Sept. 28, Bella debuted choppy bangs while out and about in France for Paris Fashion Week. If anything, she exuded rocker chic vibes as her fringe bangs cooly grazed her futuristic-looking sunglasses and complemented her black distressed leather jacket and low-rise cargo pants.
Later in the evening, Bella hid her fresh cut, opting to keep her hair out of her face by accessorizing with a thick headband.
However, she maintained her grunge style, wearing a fiery maroon-colored top with a plunging neckline that featured flame-shaped collars. She completed her look with black leather pants, a coordinating jacket, knee-high boots and a jaguar-printed handbag.
Bella stepped out with boyfriend Marc Kalman, who also looked like a '90s rocker with his oversized Sick Of It All band tee and cargo pants.
The model, who has kept her relationship out of the public eye, made a rare Instagram tribute to the art director on his 34th birthday.
"Time of my life," she wrote in May. "Healthy, Working and Loved."
Bella is certainly booked and busy during Paris Fashion Week. But between her new bangs and date night, she's clearly making time for herself.
See her epic transformation below! | https://www.eonline.com/news/1348449/bella-hadid-debuts-choppy-bangs-at-paris-fashion-week?cmpid=rss-000000-rssfeed-365-topstories&utm_source=eonline&utm_medium=rssfeeds&utm_campaign=rss_topstories | 2022-09-29 21:53:18 | 1 | https://www.eonline.com/news/1348449/bella-hadid-debuts-choppy-bangs-at-paris-fashion-week?cmpid=rss-000000-rssfeed-365-topstories&utm_source=eonline&utm_medium=rssfeeds&utm_campaign=rss_topstories |
After three men fell through the ice and died this past week while fishing on Lake Champlain, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department warned people on Saturday to stay off the frozen lake due to unsafe conditions.
The 43rd annual Islands Ice Fishing Derby, planned for this past weekend, was cancelled on Saturday as well, according to a post on the derby’s Facebook page. It said the Grand Isle County Sheriff’s Department requested the cancellation due to the ice conditions.
Vermont brothers John Fleury, 71, of Williamstown, and Wayne Fleury, 88, of East Montpelier, fell through the ice in Keeler Bay in South Hero on Saturday while riding in an enclosed side-by-side utility terrain vehicle, according to the Vermont State Police.
COAST GUARD SUSPENDS SEARCH FOR MISSING ICE CLIMBER WHO FELL FROM CLIFF INTO LAKE SUPERIOR
Their deaths came just two days after another ice fisherman, Wayne Alexander, 62, of Grand Isle, Vermont, fell through the ice on Thursday. He had left home shortly before noon to go ice fishing and when he did not return home by that evening a relative went looking for him and then called emergency crews, according to Vermont State Police.
Alexander, who was wearing a floatation suit, was found in the water around 9:30 p.m. and brought to shore by emergency crews, police said. He was pronounced dead at the hospital, according to police.
"Ice conditions on Lake Champlain are not currently safe for recreation due to the past week’s warm weather," Christopher Herrick, commissioner of the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, said Saturday. "Do not venture onto the ice on Lake Champlain."
The ice situation coincides with a winter that has been warm overall, despite a short-lived bitter cold event earlier this month.
ILLINOIS COUPLE DIES IN ICE FISHING ACCIDENT DESPITE SEVERAL HOURS OF LIFESAVING EFFORTS
New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Maine each had its warmest January on record, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported last week.
In Maine, two men riding an ATV broke through the ice on Sunday and were rescued by a game warden and sheriff’s deputy in Searsmont. The men were suffering from hypothermia after 30 minutes in the water.
Lake Champlain is a 120-mile-long lake between Vermont and New York and in part of Quebec.
While ice conditions might be better on inland lakes in Vermont, the Fish and Wildlife Department asked anglers to be cautious, check the ice as they go, and leave vehicles on shore. | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/national/3-vermont-fishermen-dead-after-falling-through-ice/article_e4912835-8ea4-5551-bef3-801237e3f202.html | 2023-02-14 03:12:32 | 1 | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/national/3-vermont-fishermen-dead-after-falling-through-ice/article_e4912835-8ea4-5551-bef3-801237e3f202.html |
Pharmacists work together to meet demand amid shortages
JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - Major medicines are down in numbers, causing the number of prescriptions on shelves to shrink.
Pharmacies see hundreds of people a day, keeping pharmacists busy by filling prescriptions.
Now they are working around the clock looking for the medicine to fill orders.
“It does take quite a bit of time, but like I would suggest to anybody work with your pharmacist,” said Rian Snell, pharmacist, and owner at Hilltop Market Pharmacy.
Snell has been a pharmacist for over 20 years. He said recently the number of major prescriptions has dwindled, especially for those used to treat diabetes.
“We saw the first big shortages kind of trickle in at the end of October, started to grow into November, then into December, definitely at the end of the year,” he said.
One resource they are using to keep up with demand is working with other pharmacists.
“Between our stores, we share products and do what we can to get medication to patients,” Snell said.
They also look at other options for patients.
“Work with local providers to give alternative medications when they just don’t exist,” he said. “Sadly we are seeing that quite a bit where patients are having to change therapies to something that is available and being made currently.”
Snell explained they are seeing the amount of some medicines increasing, like Adderall. He hopes that is a good sign for others.
“We are starting to see it come back a little bit, got my fingers crossed that we can continue that,” Snell said.
He added some diabetic medications are being strained because they are also being used for weight loss, causing issues for the manufacturers.
Snell advised working with your pharmacist and doctor on treatment options is the best way to navigate these shortages.
Copyright 2023 KAIT. All rights reserved. | https://www.kait8.com/2023/01/21/pharmacists-work-together-meet-demand-amid-shortages/ | 2023-01-21 05:18:40 | 1 | https://www.kait8.com/2023/01/21/pharmacists-work-together-meet-demand-amid-shortages/ |
SAN FRANCISCO, March 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Brex today announced it will be launching advanced AI-powered tools for CFOs and their teams, all built using advanced machine learning and natural language processing technology from OpenAI, an AI research and deployment company.
The new features will provide relevant insights on corporate spend and answer critical business questions in real time. This expands on the work Brex has done with Scale over the past year to automatically parse receipts and invoices, extracting rich information to enable automatic policy enforcement.
Through the Brex Empower platform, finance leaders will have access to a chat interface that will provide them complex, AI-powered insights. The natural language AI-features will further enhance Brex Empower's live budget capabilities, and will be able to answer a wide range of questions related to utilization on various budgets, insights on spend patterns, vendor trends, and more. Since trends change over time, finance leaders will also be provided with custom graphs that help visualize spend evolution and can provide per-employee data to better understand efficiency and opportunities.
Even more, finance leaders will be able to compare their business activities to others in similar industries. The new tools will incorporate data from millions of transactions in order to provide relevant comparables that help benchmark performance and spend, all while maintaining and preserving strict privacy. Finance leaders can look forward to receiving answers to questions such as, "What is our Github spend relative to other companies who experienced similar employee growth?" and "Which vendors provide overlapping services and what are the savings opportunities?"
"The future of insights is more than just automated dashboards and charts that take time to analyze. To us, clear, tangible answers to business questions should be received in real-time, all through natural language," said Henrique Dubugras, co-Founder and co-CEO of Brex. "Our goal with these new features is to empower CFOs and their teams to make more informed decisions and ultimately drive growth for their companies, and we're incredibly excited to work with OpenAI and Scale to help bring this vision to life."
"We are thrilled to work with Brex to bring the power of OpenAI's platform to CFOs and their teams," said Brad Lightcap, COO of OpenAI.
Brex has been leveraging machine learning and AI-powered features over the past year, including:
- Smart policy controls to restrict spending on specific merchant categories such as gambling, charitable donations, etc.
- Auto-filled reimbursements for out-of-pocket expenses using data from the purchase receipt.
- Autonomous receipts and memos to meet IRS requirements, save employees time, and make finance teams' lives easier.
"We're excited to continue to combine the benefits of AI with spend management through our partnership with Brex," said Alexandr Wang, co-Founder and CEO of Scale. "As Brex customers ourselves and advocates for AI-ML applications, we understand firsthand the advantages of having tools that not only cut costs, but enable speed, growth, and efficiency."
These features will be made available later in 2023 through the Empower platform.
About Brex
Brex empowers the next generation of businesses with integrated corporate cards and spend management software. We make it easy for our customers to manage every aspect of spending and empower their employees to make better financial decisions from anywhere they live or work. Brex proudly serves tens of thousands of growing businesses, from early-stage startups to enterprise leaders.
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SOURCE Brex | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/03/07/brex-brings-groundbreaking-tools-finance-teams-with-openai/ | 2023-03-07 14:46:09 | 0 | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/03/07/brex-brings-groundbreaking-tools-finance-teams-with-openai/ |
Hidalgo County COVID-19 report: Aug. 2, 2022
Related Story
Hidalgo County on Tuesday reported three coronavirus-related deaths and 1,283 new positive cases of COVID-19, according to a report from the Hidalgo County Health and Human Services Department.
Out of the three people who died, one was not vaccinated, according to the report.
The report covers a four-day period from July 29 through August 1.
The people who reportedly tested positive are in the following age groups:
The county also reported that 113 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, including 98 adults and 15 children.
Out of the 113 people hospitalized with COVID-19, 27 people are in intensive care units. They include 24 adults and three children.
Since the pandemic began, 220,942 people have tested positive.
There are currently 2,618 reported active cases in the county. | https://www.krgv.com/videos/hidalgo-county-covid-19-report-aug-2-2022 | 2022-08-10 02:21:26 | 1 | https://www.krgv.com/videos/hidalgo-county-covid-19-report-aug-2-2022 |
After a power outage caused by a fire Sunday night in downtown Little Rock affected over 170 customers, and an Entergy spokesperson said Monday that power had been almost completely restored.
Brandi Hinkle, a spokesperson for Entergy, said Monday afternoon most of the power had been restored except for at the Pulaski County Courthouse and at least one street light.
Hinkle said in a telephone interview Monday afternoon that the goal is to return power to the courthouse Monday night.
"If not at 10 p.m. tonight, we're aiming for 7 a.m. tomorrow," she said.
The power outage in downtown Little Rock late Sunday, caused by a nearby fire, affected the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and KATV, Channel 7, along with other customers, according to Entergy Arkansas' online outage map.
Little Rock firefighters responded to a manhole fire near West Second Street and Broadway around 10:30 p.m., spokesman Capt. Jason Weaver said on Sunday.
The manhole fire caused smoke to drift across the downtown area, Weaver said. Fires related to manholes can sometimes disrupt electricity lines.
On Monday Capt. Jacob Lear-Sadowsky, a spokesman for the Little Rock Fire Department said firefighters responded to an electrical underground fire on Sunday.
"There was a fire in one of the vaults downtown and Entergy made the decision to cut the power," said Lear-Sadowsky.
Hinkle said sparks from an underground equipment malfunction caused a fire to start.
"It's not unusual for electrical equipment to have some sparks," she said, "But the sparks led to some of our wires starting to burn."
Lear-Sadowsky said there were flames barely visible just above the manhole, but it was not a larger fire than what they'd expect to see. He said the firefighters cleared the scene just after 11:45 p.m. on Sunday.
Neither Hinkle or Lear-Sadowsky could say if there was any extensive damage to the equipment.
Hinkle said the cause of the malfunction and the investigation into how damaged the equipment is remains ongoing. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2022/oct/18/fire-causes-power-outage-in-downtown-lr/ | 2022-10-18 10:48:10 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2022/oct/18/fire-causes-power-outage-in-downtown-lr/ |
Indy-area elementary school wins 2023 I Love to Read Challenge
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — After eight weeks of competition, one group of central Indiana third-graders has bested the competition to win the I Love to Read Challenge for 2023.
This year, 120 classrooms in 55 different schools around central Indiana joined the contest. More than 2,600 students read for a combined total of more than 1.2 million minutes.
The winner of the I Love to Read challenge for 2023, with a total of 76,586 minutes read, is Mrs. Kimberly Barnes’ class at Irvington Elementary School in Indianapolis!
Mrs. Barnes’ students will receive a championship trophy, a pizza party, a classroom library refresh from Scholastic, and more!
This year’s runner-up is Ms. Tricia Johnson’s third-grade class at Robey Elementary School in Indianapolis.
WISH-TV is proud to partner with the NCAA Readers Become Leaders program to encourage a love of reading in third-graders at a time when students are developmentally adapting from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.”
Recent studies show that young children have been hit the hardest by academic disruptions from the pandemic, so reading is more important now than ever. | https://www.wishtv.com/news/local-news/indy-area-elementary-school-wins-2023-i-love-to-read-challenge/ | 2023-03-10 14:58:18 | 0 | https://www.wishtv.com/news/local-news/indy-area-elementary-school-wins-2023-i-love-to-read-challenge/ |
Nancy Grace, the TV legal commentator and former prosecutor, was awarded an honorary doctorate by Jacksonville State University during its spring commencement ceremony on Saturday.
Grace, the keynote speaker at JSU’s commencement, recalled her fiance’s murder, a tragic event that decades ago inspired her to go to law school and represent victims of crime.
“Everyone before me and behind me will meet with that day when you get the call to stand up and be counted to stand for something, to go to the plate and don’t just swing, you hit a home run,” she said. “That call will come. My only question today is will you answer the call?”
JSU announced an endowed scholarship named for Grace to support the education of the children of first responders who lost their lives or were disabled in the line of duty.
Grace, a legal analyst and former prosecutor, did not attend JSU. She earned her bachelor’s and law degrees at Mercer University in Georgia.
She was recently named one of the most impactful and powerful women in entertainment by “Variety” and “The Hollywood Reporter.” For 11 years, she led a top-rated crime show for CNN’s Headline News and now hosts “Crime Stories with Nancy Grace for Fox Nation and SIRIUS XM.
Prior to her TV career, Grace prosecuted felony cases for the Atlanta Fulton County District Attorney’s Office. During her time as a special prosecutor, she met Joseph Scott Morgan, a forensic investigator who is now a JSU associate professor and Distinguished Scholar of Applied Forensics.
“She truly cares about victims of crime,” Morgan said in a news release. “I have seen her sit for hours at conventions listening to people’s stories. She has tried to help thousands of people.”
To contribute to the Nancy Grace scholarship fund, contact University Development at 256-782-5605. | https://www.al.com/news/2023/04/nancy-grace-awarded-honorary-doctorate-at-jacksonville-state.html | 2023-04-30 00:19:14 | 1 | https://www.al.com/news/2023/04/nancy-grace-awarded-honorary-doctorate-at-jacksonville-state.html |
ASTORIA, Ore. — The listing agent for the Victorian home featured in “The Goonies” in Astoria, Oregon, said this week the likely new owner is a fan of the classic coming-of-age movie about friendships and treasure hunting, and he promises to preserve and protect the landmark.
The 1896 home with sweeping views of the Columbia River flowing into the Pacific Ocean was listed in November with an asking price of nearly $1.7 million.
Jordan Miller of John L. Scott Real Estate said the sale is expected to close in mid January, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. The new owner, a self-described 'serial entrepreneur,' will make his name known at that time, Miller said.
Since the movie came to theaters in 1985, fans have flocked to the home in northwestern Oregon’s historic port of Astoria. The city celebrates Goonies Day on June 7, the film’s release date, and welcomes thousands of people for the event.
An offer was accepted six days after the house was listed, according to public record.
“After the word spread that the property was for sale, we received multiple offers, at asking price and higher, and we have a full backup offer,” Miller said.
Seller Sandi Preston is passing along movie memorabilia she has collected or has been given, and some of the furniture in the home, restored to its original 1896 style, may also be sold to the buyer, according to Miller.
Preston was known to be largely welcoming to visitors. But she lived in the house and the constant crowds were a strain that prompted her at times to close it to foot traffic.
After the film’s 30th anniversary drew about 1,500 daily visitors in 2015, Preston posted “no trespassing” signs prohibiting tourists from walking up to the property. She reopened it to the public in August.
Based on a story by Steven Spielberg, the film features a group of friends fighting to protect their homes from an expanding country club and threats of foreclosure. In the process, they discover an old treasure map that leads them on an adventure and allows them to save their “Goon Docks” neighborhood. | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/nation-world/goonies-house-in-oregon-bought/507-d975bde9-831b-4229-9d56-8cd727459389 | 2022-12-05 13:26:23 | 1 | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/nation-world/goonies-house-in-oregon-bought/507-d975bde9-831b-4229-9d56-8cd727459389 |
Russian President Vladimir Putin has already placed big bets on Ukraine.
He sent troops to storm the capital Kyiv in the first days of the war, only to have them retreat a month later. He wagered that the West and other countries would not act in such a swift and coordinated manner to isolate Russia.
Despite this track record, Putin's latest gamble may be his biggest yet. In the face of battlefield setbacks, the Russian leader has doubled down. Russia will mobilize 300,000 additional troops — a number larger than the original invasion force — and Moscow also appears poised to annex Ukrainian territory under its control.
To drive home his intentions, Putin made his announcement on Russian national television Wednesday, speaking just hours before President Biden and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the United Nations.
"Washington, London and Brussels are openly urging Kyiv to bring the fight to Russian territory and defeat Moscow by any means," Putin said in a speech that portrayed Russia as a country under siege by "the collective West."
Putin's move addressed growing criticism from pro-war Russian nationalists at home, who say Russia is in danger of losing because it hasn't unleashed its full fighting force.
Yet Putin called it a "partial mobilization," and continues to call the conflict a "special military operation." This appears to be a nod toward Russians who have misgivings about the military adventure in Ukraine.
Biden lambasts Putin in his U.N. speech
Putin's moves will need time to play out on the battlefield.
But the Russian leader is already facing a new wave of international criticism led by President Biden. In his remarks to the U.N., Biden described the conflict in Ukraine as a "war chosen by one man." He said Russia is "trying to extinguish Ukraine's right to exist" and is carrying out a large numbers of war crimes.
The U.S. president also said Putin was making "overt nuclear threats against Europe." This was a reference to Putin's remark that Russia has "various means of destruction." Putin has issued veiled nuclear warnings previously. Now, he says, "This is not a bluff."
In his remarks, Zelenskyy said, "A crime has been committed against Ukraine, and we demand punishment."
"Ukraine wants peace, Europe wants peace, the world wants peace, and we have seen who is the only one who wants war," Zelenskkyy added. "There is only one entity among all U.N. member states, who would say now, if he could interrupt my speech, that he's happy with this war."
Other Ukrainian officials say Putin is acting now because he knows he's in trouble and he wants to change the narrative, which has focused on Ukraine's military advances in recent weeks.
A ballot that could lead to annexation
Putin's military announcement was accompanied by other risks as well.
The Russian leader expressed his support for choreographed referendums in four partially occupied regions in eastern and southern Ukraine to formally join the Russian Federation.
Putin's endorsement came just one day after the Russia-backed separatist leaders in Ukraine announced they would hold five days of voting that would get underway as soon as Friday.
In recent months, Moscow had worked to lay the groundwork for eventual annexation. Key Kremlin advisers were dispatched to oversee integration efforts through proxy governments. But as the fighting raged on, the voting was put off.
Even now, Russia and its separatist allies in Ukraine have not publicly addressed any of the obvious questions. For example, how is it possible to hold a credible ballot in the middle of a war zone, where much of the population has fled and daily life has been turned upside down?
Ukraine and its supporters have dismissed the entire exercise as a sham, and Western countries have already made clear there's no chance it will win international approval.
Ukraine says Russia is holding these referendums so it can formally declare the lands to be Russian territory — and then argue that it is Ukraine that is attacking Russian lands.
"This is a cynical attempt in response to what is going on on the battlefield," Mykhailo Podolyak, a top Zelenskyy adviser, told NPR. "There's no legal basis for this. You can't have a referendum in a place that is currently under military occupation. This is to distract from Ukraine's effective counteroffensive."
Russia's conscription could be a gradual mobilization
From Russia's perspective, the referendums and annexation could be carried out quickly, while the mobilization of additional troops appeared an even greater challenge.
Almost immediately, Putin's announcement stirred debate over just who — and how many — would ultimately be called to serve.
Alexander Baunov, a senior Russian fellow at the Carnegie Institute for International Peace, says Putin has essentially written an open ticket for his Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
"Shoigu is saying he needs 300,000 people. Then it could be 100,000 more and then 100,000 more. So it's not a 'partial mobilization,' it's a gradual mobilization," Baunov said.
The move sparked protests in dozens of cities across Russia, as primarily younger Russians defied government warnings of criminal penalties.
By Wednesday night, police had made more than 1,300 arrests nationwide, including at least 500 in Moscow.
Meanwhile, Russia's parliament on Wednesday approved laws criminalizing desertion and voluntary surrender by Russian troops. The punishment can be up to 10 years in prison.
Yet many military analysts in the U.S. predicted the mobilization effort would not provide a quick solution for Russia's military problems.
They noted that many of the best Russian troops have not fared well in combat with Ukrainians over the past seven months, adding that the reservists have generally not had the same level of training or experience.
Also, sending fresh troops into battle is unlikely to make much of a difference if Russia can't solve other chronic military problems in Ukraine, including poor leadership, breakdowns in logistics, and the loss of large quantities of equipment.
Greg Myre is an NPR national security correspondent. Follow him @gregmyre1. NPR's Charles Maynes contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.knau.org/npr-news/npr-news/2022-09-22/facing-setbacks-vladimir-putin-makes-his-biggest-gamble-yet-in-ukraine | 2022-09-22 13:59:11 | 1 | https://www.knau.org/npr-news/npr-news/2022-09-22/facing-setbacks-vladimir-putin-makes-his-biggest-gamble-yet-in-ukraine |
The eighth Dustin Deckard 5K run and 1-mile walk will be held Saturday, Sept. 17 in Pennsville at Riverview State Park.
The one-mile walk begins at 8:45 a.m., while the 5K begins at 9 a.m. Cost is $25 for the run and $20 for the walk through Friday with race-day registration available for an extra fee.
Prospective runners can sign up for the race and find more information at runsignup.com.
Deckard was a four-time district champion, region champion and two-time state placewinner at Pennsville and Camden Catholic. After graduation, he began competing in triathlons and half-Iron mans while in college at Wilmington as he battled overcoming a drug addiction.
Deckard moved to Florida and was the victim of a murder on Aug. 30, 2012 - the 10-year anniversary of his untimely passing occurring last month.
The Dustin Deckard Scholarship Fund was established in his memory to continue the work he would have done if he was still alive. The first race was held the year after his death and after a break during the pandemic returned in 2021.
The money has gone to scholarships and travel expenses for wrestlers competing in national tournaments. Three scholarships have already been awarded this year.
The N.J. High School Sports newsletter now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now and be among the first to get all the boys and girls sports you care about, straight to your inbox each weekday. To add your name, click here.
Bill Evans can be reached at bevans@njadvancemedia.com. 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/2022/09/dustin-deckard-memorial-run-set-for-saturday-honoring-former-pennsville-wrestler.html | 2022-09-15 22:36:25 | 0 | https://www.nj.com/highschoolsports/2022/09/dustin-deckard-memorial-run-set-for-saturday-honoring-former-pennsville-wrestler.html |
WASHINGTON — A tumultuous election season that tugged again at America's searing political divides and raised questions about its commitment to a democratic future comes to a close on Tuesday as voters cast ballots in the first national election of Joe Biden's presidency.
Democrats were braced for disappointing results, anxious that their grip on the U.S. House may be slipping and that their hold on the U.S. Senate — once seen as more secure — has loosened. The party's incumbent governors in places like Wisconsin, Michigan and Nevada are also staring down serious Republican challengers.
Returning to the White House Monday night after his final campaign event, Biden said he thought Democrats would keep the Senate but acknowledged “the House is tougher.”
The GOP was optimistic about its prospects, betting that messaging focused on the economy, gas prices and crime will resonate with voters at a time of soaring inflation and rising violence. Ultimately, they're confident that outrage stemming from the Supreme Court's decision to eliminate a woman's constitutional right to an abortion has faded and that the midterms have become a more traditional assessment of the president's performance.
“It will be a referendum on the incompetence of this administration,” Minnesota Republican Rep. Tom Emmer, who's running the GOP effort to retake the House, said of the election.
The results could have a profound impact on the final two years of Biden's presidency. Republican control of even one chamber of Congress would leave Biden vulnerable to a slew of investigations into his family and administration while defending his policy accomplishments, including a sweeping infrastructure measure along with a major health care and social spending package. An emboldened GOP could also make it harder to raise the debt ceiling and add restrictions to additional support for Ukraine in the war with Russia.
If Republicans have an especially strong election, winning Democratic congressional seats in places like New Hampshire or Washington state, pressure could build for Biden to opt against reelection in 2024. Former President Donald Trump, meanwhile, may try to capitalize on GOP gains by formally launching another bid for the White House during a “very big announcement” in Florida next week.
The midterms arrive at a volatile moment for the U.S., which emerged this year from the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic only to confront sharp economic challenges. The Supreme Court stripped away the constitutional right to an abortion, eliminating protections that had been in place for five decades.
And in the first national election since the Jan. 6 insurrection, the nation’s democratic future is in question. Some who participated in or were in the vicinity of the deadly attack are poised to win elected office on Tuesday, including House seats. A number of GOP candidates for secretary of state, including those running in Arizona, Nevada and Michigan, have refused to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election. If they win on Tuesday, they would manage future elections in states that are often pivotal in presidential contests.
Democrats acknowledge the headwinds working against them. With only rare exceptions, the president's party loses seats in his first midterm. The dynamic is particularly complicated by Biden's lagging approval, which left many Democrats in competitive races reluctant to appear with him.
Only 43% of U.S. adults said they approved of how Biden is handling his job as president, according to an October poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. In the same poll, just 25% said the country is headed in the right direction.
Still, Biden's allies have expressed hope that voters will reject Republicans who have contributed to an extreme political environment.
“I think what we’re seeing now is one party has a moral compass," said Cedric Richmond, who was a senior adviser to Biden in the White House and now works at the Democratic National Committee. "And one party wants a power grab.”
That's a message that appeals to Kevin Tolbert, a 49-year-old who works in labor law and lives in Southfield, Michigan. He plans to support Democratic candidates amid worries about the future of democracy.
“It is something that has to be protected and we protect that by voting and being out and supporting our country," Tolbert said. “It’s a fragile space that we’re in. I think it’s really important that we protect it, because we could end up like some of the things we saw in the past — dictators and such. We don’t need that.”
But in Maryland, where Democrats have one of their best chances to flip a Republican-held governor's seat, Shawn Paulson said there were “too many questions, not enough investigations" into the results of the 2020 election.
“It shouldn’t be a negative thing or illegal in any way to talk about what you’re going to do to improve security,” said Paulson, a 45-year-old who chairs the Kent County Republicans Central Committee.
Federal and state election officials and Trump’s own attorney general have said there is no credible evidence the 2020 election was tainted. The former president’s allegations of fraud were also roundly rejected by courts, including by judges Trump appointed.
Thirty-four Senate seats are up for grabs with cliffhangers in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin and Arizona possibly deciding which party controls a chamber currently split 50-50, with Vice President Kamala Harris as the tie-breaking vote. Democrats are hoping for upsets in Ohio and North Carolina's Senate contests, while the GOP believes it can oust a Democratic incumbent in Nevada and possibly in New Hampshire.
Thirty-six states are electing governors, with Democrats particularly focused on holding control of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. All three critical presidential battlegrounds have Republican-controlled legislatures and GOP gubernatorial candidates who have championed Trump’s 2020 election lies.
Republican wins in governor's races could see states adopt tighter voting laws and ultimately refuse to block efforts to delegitimize the 2024 presidential election should Trump, or any other Republican candidate, lose it.
Amid predictions of a Republican surge, Democrats are hoping that abortion can energize their base while wooing independents and swing voters angered by the Roe v. Wade ruling's reversal.
“People recognize that this fundamental freedom has been taken away," said Alexis McGill Johnson, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, which teamed up with other Democratic advocacy groups to spend $150 million to mobilize “infrequent" voters for the midterms.
"They see this is an economic issue, a health care issue, a freedom issue,” McGill Johnson added. “And they’re enraged.”
Still, Biden confronted the possibility of presiding over a divided Washington on Monday. As he returned from an event with Wes Moore, the Democratic candidate for governor in Maryland, Biden was asked what his new reality would be if Congress is controlled by Republicans.
His response: “More difficult.” | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/nation-world/2022-midterm-elections-results/507-8fbc44ac-8cfa-4006-bca7-b4a20040eb44 | 2022-11-08 10:55:10 | 1 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/nation-world/2022-midterm-elections-results/507-8fbc44ac-8cfa-4006-bca7-b4a20040eb44 |
President Biden is on his first trip to Asia since taking office. In South Korea and Japan, he'll try to coordinate more closely with them on priorities including strategic competition with China.
Copyright 2022 NPR
President Biden is on his first trip to Asia since taking office. In South Korea and Japan, he'll try to coordinate more closely with them on priorities including strategic competition with China.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.wlrn.org/2022-05-20/biden-begins-a-5-day-trip-to-asia-with-a-stop-in-south-korea | 2022-05-20 09:51:53 | 1 | https://www.wlrn.org/2022-05-20/biden-begins-a-5-day-trip-to-asia-with-a-stop-in-south-korea |
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky has cleared the way for the roll out of vaccines for children five years and under as early as this coming week.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky has cleared the way for the roll out of vaccines for children five years and under as early as this coming week.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.wunc.org/2022-06-18/cdc-oks-vaccinations-for-children-6-months-to-5-years-old | 2022-06-18 22:19:24 | 1 | https://www.wunc.org/2022-06-18/cdc-oks-vaccinations-for-children-6-months-to-5-years-old |
Workers and Allies Protest Planned Layoffs, Attack on Organizing Rights
STOCKTON, Calif. , May 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On Tuesday, May 31 at 10:30 AM PST, AAA Insurance Sales Agents and their allies in will rally outside of the company's Stockton, Calif. branch to protest the planned closure of the facility.
The workers recently voted to affiliate with the Teamsters and are in the midst of negotiating their first collective bargaining agreement. The branch is the fourth most profitable out of 70, indicating that the decision to shutter it is a clear retaliatory action. Furthermore, none of the affected workers have been offered jobs elsewhere, in a clear break from past practice on behalf of AAA.
Teamsters Local 665 represents over 5,000 members throughout the Bay Area in a wide variety of industries. For more information, go to https://www.teamsters665.org/.
Contact:
Matt McQuaid, (202) 624-6877
mmcquaid@teamster.org
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Teamsters Local 665 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2022/05/31/teamsters-rally-valley-aaa-workers/ | 2022-05-31 01:46:29 | 0 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2022/05/31/teamsters-rally-valley-aaa-workers/ |
By AYA BATRAWY
Associated Press
Shipping companies are not rushing to export millions of tons of trapped grain out of Ukraine, despite a breakthrough deal to provide safe corridors through the Black Sea. That is because the waters are mined, ship owners are still assessing the risks and many still have questions over how the deal will unfold.
The complexities of the agreement have set off a slow, cautious start, but it’s only good for 120 days — and the clock began ticking last week.
The goal over the next four months is to get some 20 million tons of grain out of three Ukrainian sea ports blocked since the Feb. 24 invasion. That provides time for about four to five large bulk carriers per day to transport grain from the ports to millions of impoverished people worldwide who are facing hunger.
It also provides ample time for things to go awry. Only hours after the signing Friday, Russian missiles struck Ukraine’s port of Odesa — one of those included in the agreement.
Another key element of the deal offers assurances that shipping and insurers carrying Russian grain and fertilizer will not get caught in the wider net of Western sanctions. But the agreement brokered by Turkey and the U.N. is running up against the reality of how difficult and risky the pact will be to carry out.
“We have to work very hard to now understand the detail of how this is going to work practically,” said Guy Platten, secretary-general of the International Chamber of Shipping, which says it represents national shipowners associations, accounting for about 80% of the world’s merchant fleet.
“Can we make sure and guarantee the safety of the crews? What’s going to happen with the mines and the minefields, as well? So lots of uncertainty and unknowns at the moment,” he said.
Getting wheat and other food out is critical to farmers in Ukraine, who are running out of storage capacity as they harvest their fields. Those grains are vital to millions of people in Africa, parts of the Middle East and South Asia, who are already facing food shortages and, in some cases, famine.
Ukraine and Russia are key global suppliers of wheat, barley, corn and sunflower oil, with fighting in the Black Sea region, known as the “breadbasket of the world,” pushing up food prices, threatening political stability in developing nations and leading countries to ban some food exports, worsening the crisis.
The deal stipulates that Russia and Ukraine will provide “maximum assurances” for ships that brave the journey through the Black Sea to the Ukrainian ports of Odesa, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny.
“The primary risk that’s faced is obviously going to be mines,” said Munro Anderson, head of intelligence and a founding partner at Dryad. The maritime security advisory company is working with insurers and brokers to assess the risks that ships could face along the route as sea mines laid by Ukraine to deter Russia are drifting.
Shipowners, charterers and insurance firms are seeking to understand how the deal will play out in real time.
“I think it’s going to come (down) to the position of the marine insurers that provide war risk and how much they are going to be adding in additional charges for vessels to go into that area,” said Michelle Wiese Bockmann, shipping and commodities analyst at Lloyd’s List, a global shipping news publication.
Bockmann said vessels carrying this kind of load typically have between 20 to 25 seafarers on board.
“You can’t risk those lives without something concrete and acceptable to the shipowners and to their charterers to move grain,” she said.
Marine insurers reached by The Associated Press declined to comment on whether they would provide coverage for these ships.
Ukrainian officials have expressed hope that exports could resume from one of the ports within days, but they have also said it could take two weeks for all three ports to become operational again.
The war has wreaked havoc on global trade, stranding over 100 ships in Ukraine’s many ports.
Since the war began in late February, 22 bulk carriers and cargo ships have been stuck at the three ports included in the export agreement, data from Lloyd’s List Intelligence shows. Around 13 are docked at Chornomorsk, six in Odesa and three at Yuzhny.
Some of those ships might still have crews aboard that could be mobilized to start exporting grains.
Ukrainian traders have able to send some grain through the Danube River, which helped buoy exports to about 1.5 million tons in May and up to around 2 million tons in June, though that is still less than half the monthly grain shipments of 4 to 5 million tons prior to the war, according to Svetlana Malysh, a Black Sea agriculture markets analyst with Refinitiv.
Over the 2021-2022 marketing year, Russia exported about 30 million tons of wheat, according to Refinitiv trade flows. That is the lowest level since 2017, in part because of the chilling effect of sanctions. Russian fertilizer exports also saw a drop of 25% in the first quarter of the year compared with the same period last year, in part due to Western sanctions, Malysh said.
For ships heading to Ukraine’s three ports, smaller Ukrainian pilot boats will guide the vessels through approved corridors. The entire operation, including the scheduling of ships along the route, will be overseen by a Joint Coordination Center in Istanbul staffed by officials from Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations.
Once ships reach port, they will be loaded with tens of thousands of tons of grains before departing back to the Bosphorus Strait, where representatives from Ukraine, Russia, the U.N. and Turkey will board the ships to inspect them for weapons. There will likely be inspections for ships embarking to Ukraine as well.
“The balance of power on this agreement still sits with Russia,” said Anderson, Dryad’s head of intelligence. Any Ukrainian ports outside the agreement face increased risk of attack, he said.
“I think what Russia wants … is to be seen as the state that controls the narrative within the Black Sea,” Anderson said.
___
Associated Press writers Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations and Susie Blann in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report.
___
Follow Aya Batrawy on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ayaelb.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/ap-news/2022/07/27/risks-mined-waters-slow-rush-to-extract-grains-from-ukraine/ | 2022-07-27 11:47:33 | 0 | https://wtmj.com/ap-news/2022/07/27/risks-mined-waters-slow-rush-to-extract-grains-from-ukraine/ |
Jury in defamation suit against Fox News won’t hear about Jan. 6
DOVER, Del. (AP) — The upcoming trial in a voting machine company’s defamation lawsuit against Fox News for airing false allegations of vote fraud in the 2020 presidential election will not include testimony about the Jan. 6 uprising at the U.S. Capitol, a judge ruled Wednesday.
Denver-based Dominion Voting Systems claims that Fox program hosts, with the knowledge of executives for both Fox News and parent company Fox Corp., repeatedly allowed allies of former President Donald Trump to falsely claim that the machines and the software the company used were responsible for Trump’s election loss. Documents released during the lawsuit have shown that top Fox executives and personalities didn’t believe the claims but aired them anyway.
“I don’t see Jan. 6 as relevant in this case,” Superior Court Judge Eric Davis said during a hearing Wednesday. “I know that probably shocks everyone.”
The trial is set to begin April 17. Davis ruled last week that the statements that were aired were false, but he said a jury must decide whether Fox News acted with actual malice, whether Fox Corp. participated in the publication of the statements, and whether Dominion is entitled to any damages. Dominion is seeking $1.6 billion.
Dominion has specifically alleged that it was defamed by comments made on 17 programs that aired between Nov. 8, 2020, and Jan. 26, 2021, and in three tweets from former Fox Business Network host Lou Dobbs.
Davis noted that only one of the challenged programs aired after Jan. 6, and that it contained no mention of the uprising. That show was a Jan. 26 Tucker Carlson program in which My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell complained that he was the victim of “cancel culture” and asserted that he had found evidence of “machine fraud.”
“What parties were thinking in January is not very relevant, if at all, to what happened in November and December,” the judge said, adding that allowing any testimony about Jan. 6 could result in unfair prejudice to Fox.
“Fox is not the cause of Jan. 6 in its relation to Dominion,” Davis added. “I do think that’s a really big issue that has to be stayed away from.”
Dominion alleged in its complaint that some Fox viewers believed the lies about the company “with such devotion that they took the fight from social media to the United States Capitol and at rallies across the country to #StopTheSteal, inflicting violence, terror, and death along the way.”
In another ruling, Davis denied requests from Dominion attorneys to compel certain executives for Fox News and Fox Corp., including several producers, to testify in person at the trial.
Under Delaware law, Davis can compel officers, directors and managing agents of a Delaware corporation to appear in court to testify. He has already indicated that he can compel court appearances by Fox Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch, CEO Lachlan Murdoch, director Paul Ryan, and Viet Dinh, chief legal and policy officer. Fox attorneys have nevertheless argued that 92-year-old Rupert Murdoch should not be forced to testify in person after having been deposed for seven hours.
Meanwhile, Dominion asked Davis to compel live testimony of six other Fox officials, arguing that their high-level positions and discretionary acts made them “managing agents” for the defendants. The judge said he could compel the appearance only of Tom Lowell, senior executive vice president and managing editor for both Fox News and Fox Business. In doing so, he noted that Lowell had previously been chosen by Fox News to be deposed as a representative of the company.
Dominion was unsuccessful in seeking to compel live testimony from Fox officials including Jerry Andrews, executive producer of the Justice with Judge Jeanine Pirro show, and Gary Schreier, senior vice president of programming for Fox Business. They also sought to force live testimony from Irena Briganti senior vice president of corporate communications for Fox News Media; Ron Mitchell, vice president of primetime programming and analytics, and Raj Shah, a senior vice president at Fox Corp. who is responsible for “brand protection.”
Davis refused to force those officials to travel to Delaware, but noted that Dominion could still seek to introduce their testimony through depositions, or even remotely through Zoom.
The judge ended the hearing by encouraging attorneys to make final decisions on whom they plan to call as live witnesses, so that court personnel can begin making any necessary security preparations.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wistv.com/2023/04/05/jury-defamation-suit-against-fox-news-wont-hear-about-jan-6/ | 2023-04-05 22:21:39 | 0 | https://www.wistv.com/2023/04/05/jury-defamation-suit-against-fox-news-wont-hear-about-jan-6/ |
Political ad revenue was the highest-ever for second quarter; company is on track for record full-year political results
CINCINNATI, Aug. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) delivered $594 million in revenue and $132 million in segment profit for the second quarter of 2022, driven by higher Local Media political advertising and retransmission revenues.
The company is on track to deliver at least $270 million of Local Media political advertising revenue for the full year, outpacing its 2020 adjusted-combined presidential election year political revenue, after record-setting second-quarter results.
Highlights:
- During the second quarter, Scripps benefitted from strong political advertising revenues in the Local Media division. Higher retransmission revenues also contributed to its 10% total revenue growth, and the company saw continued moderation in the decline of pay TV households. Local core advertising was down just slightly, despite the macroeconomic climate.
- The Scripps Networks division revenue performed better than the national cable and broadcast networks marketplace, and the division delivered a 31% segment profit margin, despite a challenging national advertising climate.
- The Networks division increased connected TV revenue by 35% in Q2 and continues its aggressive expansion onto CTV platforms, with six networks either launched or launching before October on services including Roku, FreeVee, Samsung TV Plus, TCL, Tubi, Vizio Watchfree and Xumo.
- The company is carefully managing expenses in the face of the current economic environment, without negatively impacting its long-term commitment to its local media and national networks strategies.
- Free cash flow for the full year is now targeted at about $400 million.
"For the second quarter, Scripps met or exceeded overall expectations. Foreshadowing the record performance we expect in the back half of the year, political advertising during the first two quarters nearly equaled the level of revenue we saw for the same period of the presidential election year 2020, when Michael Bloomberg spent early and heavily in our markets to promote his presidential campaign. We also experienced smaller declines in our pay TV subscriber household counts year over year," said Adam Symson, Scripps president and CEO.
"While Scripps Networks revenue was short of guidance – a reflection of the weakness in the national ad market – it still equaled last year's extraordinary performance and delivered results better than peers as well as a margin of more than 30%."
"The Networks benefited from growth in connected TV revenue, with continued momentum expected in the back half of the year. By the end of the third quarter, most of our Scripps networks will be nearly fully distributed across connected TV platforms, and our previous CTV launches this year are garnering significant viewing, driving the increases in CTV revenue. Our networks also are available on cable and satellite and to nearly every U.S. television household through over-the-air broadcast.
"The Scripps strategy is to deliver quality programs to media consumers on their preferred TV viewing platforms – an all-of-the-above distribution approach that is paying dividends as Scripps establishes itself as a leader in free, ad-supported television."
Operating results
Total second-quarter company revenue was $594 million, an increase of 5.2% or $29.4 million from the prior-year quarter due to higher political and retransmission revenue in our Local Media division.
Costs and expenses for segments, shared services and corporate were $463 million, up from $413 million in the year-ago quarter.
Income attributable to the shareholders of Scripps was $29.2 million or 32 cents per share. In the prior-year quarter, the company had reported a loss from continuing operations attributable to its shareholders of $11.4 million or 14 cents per share. The prior-year quarter included a $13.8 million loss on extinguishment of debt from the redemption of our 2025 senior notes, a $31.9 million non-cash adjustment due to the increase in the fair value of the outstanding common stock warrant liability, acquisition and related integration costs of $6.7 million, and $514,000 of restructuring costs. These items decreased income from continuing operations by $47.6 million, net of taxes, or 58 cents per share.
Second-quarter 2022 results by segment compared to prior-period amounts:
Local Media
Revenue from Local Media was $356 million, up 9.5% from the prior-year quarter.
- Core advertising revenue decreased 2% to $158 million.
- Political revenue was $24 million, compared to $3.2 million in the prior-year quarter.
- Retransmission revenue increased 9.4% to $171 million.
Segment expenses increased 5.7% to $275 million, driven by network affiliation fees and the impact of Scripps employees returning to working in its station buildings, resuming more normal operating procedures.
Segment profit was $80.7 million, compared to $64.6 million in the year-ago quarter.
Scripps Networks
Revenue from Scripps Networks was $239 million, equal to the prior-year quarter. Incremental ad revenue earned from the July 2021 launch of Defy TV and TrueReal networks was offset by weakness in the national advertising market.
Segment expenses for Scripps Networks increased 26% to $166 million, consistent with the company's strategic commitment to new national networks launches and continued programming improvements.
Segment profit was $73.3 million, compared to $107 million in the year-ago quarter.
Financial condition
On June 30, cash and cash equivalents totaled $58.2 million and total debt was $3.1 billion, including $60 million outstanding under our revolving credit facility.
During the first quarter of 2022, we redeemed a total of $123 million of the outstanding principal on our senior notes. In addition, we made mandatory principal payments of $9.3 million on our term loans during the first half of the year.
Preferred stock dividends paid in 2022 were $24 million. Under the terms of Berkshire Hathaway's preferred equity investment in Scripps, we are prohibited from paying dividends on or repurchasing our common shares until all preferred shares are redeemed.
Year-to-date operating results
The following comparisons are to the period ending June 30, 2021:
In 2022, revenue was $1.2 billion, which compares to revenue of $1.1 billion in 2021. Political revenue was $30.8 million, compared to $4.5 million in the prior year.
Costs and expenses for segments, shared services and corporate were $913 million, up from $821 million in the year-ago period, reflecting costs attributed to our recent over-the-air network launches, continued investment in programming, higher affiliation fees and the impact of Scripps employees returning to working in its stations and offices.
Income from continuing operations attributable to the shareholders of Scripps was $39 million or 42 cents per share. Pre-tax costs for the 2022 period included $1.6 million of acquisition and related integration costs as well as a $1.2 million gain on extinguishment of debt from the redemption of senior notes. In the prior-year period, loss from continuing operations attributable to the shareholders of Scripps was $19.5 million or 24 cents per share. Pre-tax costs for the prior year included an $81.8 million gain from the sale of Triton, a $13.8 million loss on extinguishment of debt, a $99.1 million non-cash adjustment due to the increase in the fair value of the outstanding common stock warrant liability, acquisition and related integration costs of $35.3 million and $7.6 million of restructuring costs. These items decreased income from continuing operations by $76.9 million, net of taxes, or 94 cents per share.
Looking ahead
Comparisons for our segments are to the same period in 2021.
Conference call
The senior management of The E.W. Scripps Company will discuss the company's quarterly results during a telephone conference call at 9:30 a.m. Eastern today. To access the live webcast, visit http://ir.scripps.com and find the link under "upcoming events."
To access the conference call by telephone, dial (844) 867-6169 (U.S.) or (409) 207-6975 (international) and give the access code 1864935 approximately five minutes before the start of the call. Investors and analysts will need the name of the call ("Scripps earnings call") to be granted access. The public is granted access to the conference call on a listen-only basis.
A replay line will be open from 1:30 p.m. Eastern time Aug. 5 until midnight Sept. 7. The domestic number to access the replay is (866) 207-1041 and the international number is (402) 970-0847. The access code for both numbers is 4808441.
A replay of the conference call will be archived and available online for an extended period of time following the call. To access the audio replay, visit http://ir.scripps.com/ approximately four hours after the call, and the link can be found on that page under "audio/video links."
Forward-looking statements
This document contains certain forward-looking statements related to the company's businesses that are based on management's current expectations. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties, including changes in advertising demand and other economic conditions that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations expressed in forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this document and should be evaluated with the understanding of their inherent uncertainty. A detailed discussion of principal risks and uncertainties, including those engendered by the COVID-19 pandemic, that may cause actual results and events to differ materially from such forward-looking statements is included in the company's Form 10-K, on file with the SEC, in the section titled "Risk Factors." The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date such statements are made.
About Scripps
The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) is a diversified media company focused on creating a better-informed world. As one of the nation's largest local TV broadcasters, Scripps serves communities with quality, objective local journalism and operates a portfolio of 61 stations in 41 markets. The Scripps Networks reach nearly every American through the national news outlets Court TV and Newsy and popular entertainment brands ION, Bounce, Grit, Laff, ION Mystery, Defy TV and TrueReal. Scripps is the nation's largest holder of broadcast spectrum. Scripps runs an award-winning investigative reporting newsroom in Washington, D.C., and is the longtime steward of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Founded in 1878, Scripps has held for decades to the motto, "Give light and the people will find their own way."
Notes to Results of Operations
1. SEGMENT INFORMATION
We determine our business segments based upon our management and internal reporting structures, as well as the basis on which our chief operating decision maker makes resource-allocation decisions.
Our Local Media segment includes our 61 local broadcast stations and their related digital operations. It is comprised of 18 ABC affiliates, 11 NBC affiliates, nine CBS affiliates and four FOX affiliates. We also have 12 CW affiliates - four on full power stations and eight on multicast; five independent stations and 10 additional low power stations. Our Local Media segment earns revenue primarily from the sale of advertising to local, national and political advertisers and retransmission fees received from cable operators, telecommunications companies, satellite carriers and over-the-top virtual MVPDs.
Our Scripps Networks segment is comprised of nine national television networks that reach nearly every U.S. television home through free over-the-air broadcast, cable/satellite, connected TV and digital distribution. These operations earn revenue primarily through the sale of advertising.
Our respective business segment results reflect the impact of intercompany carriage agreements between our local broadcast television stations and our national networks. We also allocate a portion of certain corporate costs and expenses, including accounting, procurement, human resources, employee benefit and information technology to our business segments. These intercompany agreements and allocations are generally amounts agreed upon by management, which may differ from an arms-length amount.
The other segment caption aggregates our operating segments that are too small to report separately. Costs for centrally provided services and certain corporate costs that are not allocated to the business segments are included in shared services and corporate costs. These unallocated corporate costs would also include the costs associated with being a public company. Corporate assets are primarily cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, property and equipment primarily used for corporate purposes and deferred income taxes.
Our chief operating decision maker evaluates the operating performance of our business segments and makes decisions about the allocation of resources to our business segments using a measure called segment profit. Segment profit excludes interest, defined benefit pension plan amounts, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, impairment charges, divested operating units, restructuring activities, investment results and certain other items that are included in net income (loss) determined in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
2. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
3. EARNINGS PER SHARE ("EPS")
Unvested awards of share-based payments with rights to receive dividends or dividend equivalents, such as our RSUs, are considered participating securities for purposes of calculating EPS. Under the two-class method, we allocate a portion of net income to these participating securities and, therefore, exclude that income from the calculation of EPS for common stock. We do not allocate losses to the participating securities.
The following table presents information about basic and diluted weighted-average shares outstanding:
4. NON-GAAP INFORMATION
In addition to results prepared in accordance with GAAP, this earnings release discusses free cash flow, a non-GAAP performance measure that management and the company's Board of Directors uses to evaluate the performance of the business. We also believe that the non-GAAP measure provides useful information to investors by allowing them to view our business through the eyes of management and is a measure that is frequently used by industry analysts, investors and lenders as a measure of valuation for broadcast companies.
Free cash flow is calculated as non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA (as defined below), plus reimbursements received from the FCC for repack expenditures, less capital expenditures, preferred stock dividends, interest payments, income taxes paid (refunded) and contributions to defined retirement plans.
Adjusted EBITDA is calculated as income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax, plus income tax expense (benefit), interest expense, losses (gains) on extinguishment of debt, defined benefit pension plan expense (income), share-based compensation costs, depreciation, amortization of intangible assets, loss (gain) on business and asset disposals, mark-to-market losses (gains), acquisition and integration costs, restructuring charges and certain other miscellaneous items.
A reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to the comparable financial measure in accordance with GAAP is as follows:
ADJUSTED COMBINED SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Due to the effect that the ION acquisition has on our segment operating results, and to provide meaningful period over period comparisons, we are presenting supplemental non-GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) information for certain financial results on an adjusted combined basis. The adjusted combined financial results have been compiled by adding, as of the earliest period presented, the impact from the acquired ION television stations' historical revenue, employee compensation and benefits, programming and other expenses to Scripps' historical revenue, employee compensation and benefits, programming and other expenses captions reported within the Scripps Networks segment. These historical results are adjusted for certain intercompany adjustments and other impacts that would result from the companies operating under the ownership of Scripps as of the earliest period presented.
Management uses the adjusted combined non-GAAP supplemental information for purposes of evaluating the Company's segment results. The company therefore believes that the non-GAAP measure presented provides useful information to investors by allowing them to view the company's businesses through the eyes of management, facilitating comparison of Scripps Networks results across historical periods and providing a focus on the underlying ongoing operating performance of our segments.
The company uses the adjusted combined non-GAAP supplemental information to supplement the financial information presented on a GAAP historical basis. This non-GAAP supplemental information is not to be considered in isolation from, or as a substitute for, the related GAAP measures, and should be read only in conjunction with financial information presented on a GAAP basis.
The adjusted combined financial results contained in the following supplemental information is for informational purposes only. These results do not necessarily reflect what the historical results of Scripps would have been if the acquisition of ION had occurred on January 1, 2021. Nor is this information necessarily indicative of the future results of operations of the combined entities.
The adjusted combined financial information is not pro forma information prepared in accordance with Article 11 of SEC regulation S-X, and the preparation of information in accordance with Article 11 would result in a significantly different presentation.
Scripps Networks adjusted combined segment profit
Non-GAAP reconciliation
Below is a reconciliation of Scripps historical reported revenue and segment profit for its Scripps Networks segment to the adjusted combined revenue and adjusted combined segment profit for the Scripps Networks segment following the acquisition of ION.
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SOURCE The E.W. Scripps Company | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2022/08/05/scripps-q2-revenue-grows-benefiting-political-advertising-distribution-gains/ | 2022-08-05 13:06:53 | 0 | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2022/08/05/scripps-q2-revenue-grows-benefiting-political-advertising-distribution-gains/ |
Trump campaign selling T-shirt with fake mug shot
(Gray News) - Former President Donald Trump reportedly did not have his mug shot taken Tuesday, but his 2024 election campaign is now selling an “Official Trump Mugshot T-Shirt.”
His campaign tweeted a picture of the shirt Tuesday afternoon, around the time Trump surrendered to authorities in New York City and pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts related to hush money payments made during his 2016 presidential campaign.
The shirt shows a fake booking photo of the former president with a letter board. The words “NOT GUILTY” appear beneath the picture.
The numbers 45-47 appear on the letter board, presumably indicating Trump’s status as the 45th U.S. president and his current campaign to become the 47th.
Trump is shown standing at 6 feet, 5 inches, though his doctor is reported to have listed him at 6 feet, 3 inches.
Trump was fingerprinted Tuesday, but police didn’t take his mug shot, according to New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, citing “a person familiar with events.”
The Trump campaign website says the price of the shirt is $36.
Trump’s campaign claims he’s raised $7 million since the news of his indictment broke Thursday, according to Forbes magazine.
Copyright 2023 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wcjb.com/2023/04/05/trump-campaign-selling-t-shirt-with-fake-mug-shot/ | 2023-04-05 00:46:19 | 0 | https://www.wcjb.com/2023/04/05/trump-campaign-selling-t-shirt-with-fake-mug-shot/ |
Updated September 18, 2022 at 12:28 PM ET
TOKYO — A powerful typhoon slammed ashore in southern Japan on Sunday as it pounded the region with strong winds and heavy rain, causing blackouts, paralyzing ground and air transportation and prompting the evacuation of thousands of people.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said Typhoon Nanmadol was heading north after making landfall in Kagoshima city on Japan's southern main island of Kyushu. It was packing maximum winds of 162 kilometers (101 miles) per hour, and is forecast to reach Tokyo on Tuesday.
The weather agency predicted as much as 50 centimeters (20 inches) of rainfall by Monday evening and warned of flooding and landslides. It also alerted residents in the affected areas of "unprecedented" levels of powerful winds and waves, urging them to evacuate early.
Storm and high wave warnings were in effect in Kagoshima, where residents were told to stay inside stable buildings on second floor or higher, if it's deemed a safer option than going to evacuation centers.
More than 12,000 people took shelter at evacuation centers. In neighboring Miyazaki prefecture, about 8,000 people left their homes.
Local officials said several people had been injured. In Kushima city in Miyazaki, a woman was slightly hurt by shards of glass when winds broke windows at a gymnasium. NHK national television said 15 people had been injured, citing its own tally.
Power outages were expanded across the Kyushu region as the typhoon damaged more power lines and facilities while moving north. By Sunday night, 216,450 homes were without electricity, according to Kyushu Electric Power Co.
Footage on NHK television showed a pachinko pinball parlor with part of its glass wall shattered by the gust in Kanoya city in Kagoshima. Elsewhere in the prefecture, an elderly woman in suffered a minor injury after falling, NHK said.
Hundreds of domestic flights have been canceled and more are planned to be grounded in western Japan through Tuesday as the typhoon headed northeast, according to Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways.
Public transportation including trains and buses in many areas on the Kyushu island were suspended throughout Sunday. Railway operators said bullet trains on Kyushu island also have been suspended, and more stoppages are expected in greater areas in the southwest Monday.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wbaa.org/2022-09-18/thousands-have-been-evacuated-as-a-powerful-typhoon-hits-southern-japan | 2022-09-18 17:19:19 | 0 | https://www.wbaa.org/2022-09-18/thousands-have-been-evacuated-as-a-powerful-typhoon-hits-southern-japan |
Ask the Rational Investor: Analyzing the value of predictable railroads
An investment philosophy is an important and often overlooked part of any portfolio. Our firm focuses on investing in large, predictable and highly profitable businesses that have a track record of allocating capital toward dividends, share repurchases and internal investment.
An investment philosophy is an important and often overlooked part of any portfolio. Our firm focuses on investing in large, predictable, and highly profitable businesses that have a track record of allocating capital towards dividends, share repurchases, and internal investment.
When we are assessing a company, we review upwards of 20+ years of company data and question how the company’s competitive positioning has generated historical results. As well as how future industry dynamics will impact the company going forward.
One sector where competitive positioning stays relatively constant is the railroad industry. When examining an industry, one of the first areas we tend to look at is gross margins. High gross margin businesses tend to have extreme pricing power and few competitors.
Another factor we focus on is the after-tax profit margins of an industry and potential investment. The S&P 500’s net margins are about 12% and most large businesses operate close to this level, but few exceptional businesses can be much higher in the range of 20% to 40%.
One example would be the railroad industry where the average net margin is about 28% or more than double that of the broad stock market. Simply put there is only so much physical rail across America and these routes are often semi-exclusive, which results in great profitability.
Union Pacific Railroad has consistently been one of the best operated railroads and consistently has allocated capital towards shareholders through dividends and buybacks.
Over the last five years the company has generated capital of over $130 billion deploying 32% toward dividends and share repurchases. These allocation decisions resulted in the share count declining 22% and shareholders receiving $12 billion in dividends.
Based on history and management’s communicated capital allocation priorities we expect similar trends to occur over the next 4 years with approximately $164 billion in capital being generated and similar amounts being allocated to shareholders. These decisions should result in a steadily growing dividend and a shrinking share count.
Finding a great business is challenging but finding one attractively valued is even harder.
Instead of valuing Union Pacific on traditional metrics such as price-to-earnings or enterprise value to EBITDA looking at the relative dividend yield to the S&P 500 is useful. On this metric the company is trading at its cheapest valuation in the last 15 years.
Every investor’s goals and risk tolerance are unique and they should consult with their portfolio manager prior to investing.
Beese Fulmer Private Wealth Management was founded in 1980 and is one of Stark County’s oldest and largest investment management firms. The company serves high-net-worth individuals, families, and non-profits, and has been ranked as one of the largest money managers in Northeast Ohio. | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/business/finance/2023/01/01/ask-the-rational-investor-analyzing-the-value-of-predictable-railroads/69754415007/ | 2023-01-01 11:47:44 | 1 | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/business/finance/2023/01/01/ask-the-rational-investor-analyzing-the-value-of-predictable-railroads/69754415007/ |
CoPeace Will Provide Strategic and Financial Consulting.
KidGlov Will Provide Marketing and Advertising Services.
DENVER, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- CoPeace (www.copeace.com), an impact investing and services company, and KidGlov (www.kidglov.com), an advertising, marketing and branding agency, announced today a strategic partnership to supply services to one another. Both companies are incorporated as Colorado and Nebraska Public Benefit Corporations, respectively, and are Certified B Corporations, focused on delivering excellent services while also being socially responsible.
CoPeace will provide KidGlov with a variety of strategic consulting services from across its deep team of operations, finance and business development experts. The work will focus on streamlined financial systems, improved forecasting, increased operational efficiency, and identification of new client opportunities.
"We're looking to supercharge our growth and impact," said KidGlov president and founder, Lyn Wineman. "Our partnership with CoPeace brings a full and diverse team of highly-qualified experts and a customizable suite of services that will move us to the next level."
KidGlov's engagement with CoPeace started with the relaunch of www.copeace.com. The refreshed website features upleveled messaging and design highlighting the CoPeace mission to "Grow your money for good" through impact investing, a portfolio of companies that innovatively combat world problems, and services that help impactful companies grow. Future KidGlov work will include marketing and publicity to build awareness of this unique organization.
"We are impressed with the quality of strategy and creativity provided by KidGlov. We look forward to helping them put a megaphone in front of companies who are doing good," said CoPeace founder and CEO, Craig Jonas. "Both KidGlov and CoPeace are aligned in our respective missions to make the world a better place through the impactful services we provide."
KidGlov and CoPeace will be teaming up to provide joint services to a variety of purpose-driven organizations throughout the country.
About CoPeace
CoPeace helps impactful companies grow. As an impact-driven holding company, CoPeace is building a portfolio of carefully selected businesses with measurable social and environmental impact. Additionally, CoPeace provides a variety of consulting services to organizations demonstrating positive social or environmental impact.
As a fully certified B Corp and public-benefit corporation (PBC), CoPeace is committed to acting morally, ethically and responsibly in regard to society and the environment. Equity, inclusion and justice are not just valued at CoPeace – they are pillars supporting our mission. CoPeace was recently selected as an Emerging Impact Manager (EIM) for the ImpactAssets 50™ 2023 (IA 50). The EIM list represents firms with unique strategies, under-represented impact themes or diversity in leadership in view of the full IA 50 application pool.
To learn more, visit https://www.copeace.com
About KidGlov
KidGlov is a boutique, full-service advertising, branding and content marketing agency, as well as a certified B Corp, which specializes in nonprofit marketing, healthcare marketing, financial marketing, social impact marketing and purpose-driven businesses.
The woman-owned agency has been named as a Best Places to Work, and has won several accolades for its work, including awards from the American Marketing Association, Public Relations Society of America and the American Advertising Federation. Learn more about KidGlov at www.kidglov.com.
KidGlov hosts the Agency for Change podcast which can be found on all major podcast streaming platforms.
Contact:
Lyn Wineman
lyn.wineman@kidglov.com
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SOURCE KidGlov; CoPeace | https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2023/04/05/copeace-kidglov-announce-strategic-partnership/ | 2023-04-05 18:48:07 | 1 | https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2023/04/05/copeace-kidglov-announce-strategic-partnership/ |
Two Connecticut police officers who were killed in an apparent ambush both died of multiple gunshots to their heads and torsos, the state chief medical examiner's office said Friday as law enforcement officials remained tightlipped about the shooting.
The two Bristol officers, Sgt. Dustin Demonte and Officer Alex Hamzy, were gunned down Wednesday night outside a home where they responded to a 911 call about possible domestic violence that authorities said appeared to be a “deliberate act” to lure police there. A third officer, Alec Iurato, was also hit by gunfire but survived.
On Friday afternoon, a procession was planned to bring Demonte's body to a funeral home in his hometown of North Haven, where he lived with his pregnant wife and two children.
The suspected shooter, Nicholas Brutcher, 35, also was shot dead at the scene, and his brother, Nathan Brutcher, was wounded. The chief medical examiner's office said an autopsy on Nicholas Brutcher was planned for Friday afternoon. Information on Nathan Brutcher's condition was not available.
Law enforcement officials, meanwhile, released no new information about the shooting Friday.
Here is what is known, and not known, about Wednesday night's shooting:
WHO SHOT WHO?
While authorities say Nicholas Brutcher shot the three officers, it remains unclear who shot Brutcher and his brother.
On Friday, state police referred questions to the state inspector general's office, which is overseeing the investigation by state police. The inspector general's office released no new information, and a spokesperson did not return messages Friday.
Several other officials did not return messages, including a spokesperson for Bristol police and Bristol Mayor Jeffrey Caggiano.
Witnesses said they heard around 30 gunshots and smoke from the shots filled the air.
WHAT LED TO THE SHOOTING?
Law enforcement officials also have not released any information on the events that preceded the killings or a motive.
WHO WERE THE OFFICERS?
Police officials said all three officers were respected and had received commendations.
Demonte, 35, was a 10-year veteran officer and co-recipient of his department’s 2019 Officer of the Year award. His wife is expecting their third child.
Hamzy, 34, worked eight years for his hometown police force. Like Demonte, he was an advisor to a police cadet program.
Iurato, 26, joined the Bristol department in 2018 and has a bachelor’s degree in government, law and national security. He was released from a hospital Thursday morning.
WHO WAS THE SUSPECTED SHOOTER?
Nicholas Brutcher was a divorced father of two and a gun, hunting and fishing enthusiast, according to his social media pages.
In a photo posted on both brothers' Facebook pages in 2016, Nicholas Brutcher is pointing a handgun at the camera while others including Nathan Brutcher are holding rifles.
Other photos show Nicholas Brutcher with a 10-point deer he shot and with fish he caught.
Online state court records list no pending criminal cases or convictions for either brother.
WHAT'S NEXT?
What is expected to be an intensive investigation by state police is underway and no timetable has been set for the release of any information. Inspector General Robert Devlin is expected to issue a report at some point.
Funeral services for Demonte and Hamzy are expected within the coming week or so and are expected to draw scores of police officers.
Funeral plans for Nicholas Brutcher are unknown. | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Medical-examiner-2-officers-died-from-multiple-17510102.php | 2022-10-14 21:08:06 | 1 | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Medical-examiner-2-officers-died-from-multiple-17510102.php |
The Detroit Pistons might have set their starting backcourt for the foreseeable future Thursday by selecting Jaden Ivey of Purdue with the fifth pick in the draft.
General manager Troy Weaver then landed another lottery pick, acquiring 6-11 center Jalen Duren, the 13th selection by the Charlotte Hornets, for the 2025 first-round pick he acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers (owned by Milwaukee) Wednesday for Jerami Grant.
“So far, so good,” Weaver said after the moves.
The 6-4 Ivey joins Cade Cunningham, last year’s first overall selection, to form a dynamic, athletic tandem for a team that finished with the third-worst record in the NBA (23-59).
“Dream come true, coming from my background with Detroit ties,” Ivey said. “It felt like home when I went there for my workout. It was a special place. Everybody was so genuine. It felt like a family.”
Ivey’s father is Javin Hunter, a former receiver for the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers who played at Birmingham-Detroit Country Day. His late grandfather, James Hunter, was a defensive back for the Detroit Lions. His mother, Niele, is he head coach for the Notre Dame women’s basketball team and a former WNBA player for the Detroit Shock.
“When my agent told me I was going to the Pistons, I just broke down in tears,” Ivey said. “Grandpa is up in heaven smiling right now.”
Weaver likes Ivey’s speed, athleticism and length and believes he will blend in well with Cunningham, saying they have “versatility, length, athleticism, competitive spirit.”
“I’m looking forward to watching those guys play together,” Weaver said. “(Ivey) will help generate easy buckets, play on the second side, be able to create for others on the floor as well, so we think it’s a big-time fit.”
Ivey was ball-dominant at Purdue, where he averaged 17.3 points and shot 35.8 percent from 3-point distance as a sophomore.
“I think I fit well with Cade,” Ivey said. “He’s a guy who wants to win and is a very unselfish player. I can play on the ball or off the ball. We can take turns, whatever the coaches need to do to win.”
Weaver has no doubt Ivey’s shot will improve.
“Absolutely, because he’s a worker,” Weaver said.
Weaver said Ivey is a “tremendous young man with tremendous roots.”
“He’s a very thoughtful young man,” Weaver said. “He really plans his success. Not only does he want to be great, but he puts the work behind it, so that’s a great recipe for success.”
Weaver added “it makes all the difference in the world” to get a player who wants to be here.
“Players we’ve selected in the past, they’ve wanted to be here, and it bodes well,” Weaver said. “It’s a win-win on both sides. You want them, and they want to be here, so you know you’re going to get their best effort.”
Said Ivey: “I think I fit in well (with Detroit’s culture). I think I’m going to come in and work my hardest on the defensive end and offensive end.” | https://www.mlive.com/pistons/2022/06/pistons-see-dynamic-backcourt-with-jaden-ivey-cade-cunningham.html | 2022-06-24 04:08:48 | 0 | https://www.mlive.com/pistons/2022/06/pistons-see-dynamic-backcourt-with-jaden-ivey-cade-cunningham.html |
Don’t talk numbers.
Among the many threads connecting the Rolls-Royce of the past to the Rolls-Royce of the electric future, one of the most important is the fact that the company’s first production electric car, the Spectre, softens its focus away from the numerical.
In a world of acceleration times, lateral grip, and top-speed bragging rights, not to mention fast-charging specs and range ratings, that may take a bit of adjustment. But it might just lower the blood pressure of the alpha types.
That part is nothing new from a brand that for decades referred to its horsepower as “sufficient.” Luxury buyers entrust this global benchmark for all luxury brands to provide a splendid driving experience, while they find aesthetic satisfaction in their own custom creations, as the word “bespoke” applies to nearly everything else, from options to trim to cabin materials, and more.
Going electric also doesn’t complicate things. As Rolls executives said countless times at an introduction and first drive opportunity this past week in California’s Napa wine country, the Spectre is a Rolls first and an EV second. Yes, it’s a long overdue shift; Charles Stewart Rolls saw the future of the brand as electric back in 1900.
If you really must know those numbers, here they are. The Spectre has 190-kw front and 360-kw rear excited synchronous motors, making a combined peak of 584 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque. The rear motor can twist out all that torque on its own, while the front motor can contribute up to 524 lb-ft of it.
The battery pack carries 120 kwh of gross capacity, but the Spectre taps into 102 kwh of that as its net (usable) capacity. It’s good for CCS-format DC fast-charging at a peak 195 kw, enabling a 10-80% charge in 34 minutes. That seemingly modest capacity—in a world of 200+ kwh electric pickups—brings an EPA range rating of 260 miles. A massive 22-kw onboard charger means that, given the Level 2 setup to support it, the Spectre can get a full charge in one’s own garage in about five and a half hours.
Rolls-Royce Spectre performance: No drama
During my drive, I learned quickly that this is an electric car that calms, soothes, and satisfies. It doesn’t produce the gasp-inducing launch experience that generates TikTok reaction videos from the likes of Tesla Performance or Plaid models or other performance-oriented EVs. The Spectre takes off assertively but with an uncanny lack of drama.
Because you expect the front end to lift and the body to shift back, it’s almost as if the Spectre leans into its launch.
There’s a bit of a trick behind that. To avoid the jarring body motions that can accompany high-power EVs, Rolls-Royce intentionally dialed in a delay of a fraction of a second to foot-to-the-floor launches—partly because the nearly instantaneous response of electric propulsion can get ahead of its chassis systems, which act to keep the car level and pleasant-riding.
“Wafting” is the other term that Rolls mentions frequently, and going fully electric maximizes the brand’s signature impression. The combination of a level body, a stoically soft ride, and a super-hushed interior mean that it’s possible to easily blast past the speed limit without feeling like you’ve blasted in any sense. Acceleration and velocity are almost non-events. You also don’t hear sounds outside or the vehicle (with an asterisk I’ll get to). The superbly supportive front seats, with pillowy head support and firm backing where it counts, do their best to limit drama with comfort.
As with other new Rolls-Royce models, the Spectre rides on a “magic carpet ride” suspension, here with both active damping and a four-corner air suspension. Components work in harmony with sensors for nearly 20 different parameters for suspension behavior, including decoupling the anti-roll bars to prevent undulation on choppy surfaces.
The Spectre takes on choppy, narrow backroads surprisingly well—aided by the light touch of its four-wheel steering—but you can’t expect to defy the realities of the tape measure. Excluding the mirrors, the Spectre is five inches longer than a standard-length Lincoln Navigator and about as wide as that plus-sized SUV. The Spectre rides on gigantic 23-inch wheels shod with low-profile Pirelli P Zero rubber—a key to getting the proportions and ride height all dialed in.
The Spectre follows the same extruded-aluminum space-frame construction as other current Rolls-Royce models, but there are no carryover pieces, and what underpins this massive electric coupe is unique to it—outside of the battery pack, which is mostly shared with the BMW i7. Rolls-Royce built a structure aimed at keeping the center of mass low and around the battery pack, while providing the floor height needed for a spacious cabin. The space-frame is 30% stiffer than that of other Rolls-Royce vehicles, and each motor is mounted on its own subframe.
Rolls-Royce Spectre range and charging
Based on what I saw over about 140 miles that included a range of speeds and some mountainous topography, trip-computer results suggested a real-world driving range of more than 300 miles in gentle real-world touring in mild temperatures (70s). My drive partner and I averaged 3.0 miles per kwh, so its 260-mile EPA rating appears easy to achieve in less-than-ideal conditions.
The battery pack and range were chosen to optimize packaging with the needs of those who might actually take their Spectre on a longer road trip, Rolls-Royce director of engineering Mihiar Ayoubi explained to Motor Authority. According to the brand, its owners drive their Rolls-Royces about 3,200 miles a year and have an average of “more than seven cars to choose from for any occasion.”
Tech such as bidirectional charging isn’t on the menu, either. Owners are likely to have multiple properties, with different vehicles at each one, and their own energy master plan for each, so thinking of the car as a hub for daily life is something of a moot point.
That leads directly to one of two elements that stood out to me as great engineering achievements in the Spectre. To put it simply, Rolls-Royce managed to make this coupe feel like you’re sitting in it, not on it. That’s a challenge with any electric vehicle that’s not an SUV, and here some careful work with the car’s seating and overall packaging yielded a lower, more carlike feel—even relative to other gasoline Rolls-Royce models.
Only after driving the Spectre, when I immediately hopped into a Black Badge Ghost, did that difference stand out so starkly. While it may involve some trickery in shifting the cowl up a bit relative to the seats’ hip point, it feels like you sit lower in the Spectre.
Rolls Spectre interior: A packaging triumph
That packaging triumph extends to the back seat, where I managed to fit comfortably behind several different 6-footers—and I’m 6-foot-6. There are places to put your toes beneath the front seat, and getting in and out doesn’t require bracing on the seat or door thanks to the rear-hinged door. It’s smartly laid out.
The other breathtaking engineering achievement is how Rolls-Royce managed to imbue stunning silence and quiet within the cabin without the use of electronic means such as active noise cancellation. It took lots of methodical engineering work, Ayoubi admitted, including thick glass and extra pounds of sound-deadening materials, but the end result is you hear no motor whine or reduction gear hum, let alone road or wind noise.
That’s not bad at all for a vehicle that, in following Rolls-Royce tradition, is shaped like a brick. Looks are a bit deceiving as is its coefficient of drag of just 0.25, despite the blocky frontal area.
Taking a final walk around this beauty and sizing it all up, it’s far more practical than I had expected. It has the requisite bins and cupholders front and rear. Trunk space is good for a couple large suitcases as well as several more bags, with extra room in a rearmost well. Oddly, there’s no frunk space. Rolls execs said owners won’t miss it, but why not take advantage of the EV layout to add every bit more space?
Rolls-Royce interface: Simplicity is very posh
The Spectre’s control interface points feel charmingly simple, in everything from the gauge cluster layout to the climate controls, and to the real metal vents you aim yourself with mechanical pulls. The infotainment system is managed via a controller or by touch, and an owner-exclusive app called Whispers can remotely manage many functions.
In stark contrast to the vehicles from Rolls’ cousins at BMW, there are no driving modes here. Buying a Rolls-Royce means entrusting its engineers to calibrate the car for the most enjoyable experience. There are just two things you can do to modify the driving behavior: Hit the “Low” toggle on the shifter to engage stronger regenerative braking, or engage brake hold, which means the car no longer creeps ahead when you lift off the brake pedal. The car is at its best in its default setting, where it scrubs off just a little more velocity in coasting than a gasoline model might.
However, I did have an issue with the power-opening feature of the massive doors, which simply stopped when partly open on a few occasions. It was unclear if the culprit was uneven ground, the tilt of the vehicle, or the wind. Conversely, a hold of the brake pedal from the driver seat or the toggle of a switch from the front passenger seat always consistently closed the doors.
The cabin isn’t always so quiet if you don’t want it to be. The Spectre allows a cabin-based supplemental sound. As design director Anders Warming described, it’s based on a mix of sounds and isn’t meant to sound like the V-12 of a Rolls’ other vehicles, or to replace it, but rather to provide a different experience. I found it a bit ominous and unnecessary—think Gregorian monastery hum, with a growl mixed in—and I suggest you just celebrate the quiet.
Likewise, if you need to think too much about the price of the Spectre, you probably can’t afford it (it starts at $422,750 in the U.S., including a destination fee of $2,750, and my test vehicle likely added up to more than a half-million).
Rolls-Royce Spectre takeaways
In terms of driving and the overall experience, the Spectre is one of the more delightfully simple EVs on the market (trick doors aside). But who said simple was cheap?
Much like the transcendence that Rolls’ gasoline vehicles accomplish in and of themselves, the Spectre takes you to a mental space that allows you to forget about the numbers, and simply take in the experience.
Whether you’re so fortunate to be able to afford a Rolls-Royce or not, isn’t that what life’s about?
Rolls-Royce paid for travel and lodging for Motor Authority to bring you this firsthand report.
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- Jay Leno samples a Ferrari 296 GTB | https://www.krqe.com/automotive/internet-brands/review-2024-rolls-royce-spectre-ev-charms-with-effortless-extravagance/ | 2023-07-06 17:33:37 | 1 | https://www.krqe.com/automotive/internet-brands/review-2024-rolls-royce-spectre-ev-charms-with-effortless-extravagance/ |
What Thanksgiving foods can you take through TSA checkpoints?
Many Thanksgiving foods can be taken through a TSA checkpoint, but there are some items that will need to be transported in checked baggage in order to ease your travel experience at the airport.
Here’s some food for thought.
It might not come as a surprise, but stuffing a firearm in your Thanksgiving bird for travel is just fowl. It won't get past a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint and will likely delay your arrival at grandma's in time for dinner.
But that didn't stop one traveler earlier this month. The TSA said the poor packing choice was uncovered at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida.
THANKSGIVING DINNER TO GOBBLE UP MORE MONEY FROM YOUR BANK ACCOUNT THIS YEAR
Guns aside, before you agree to bring a family favorite food item to contribute to the holiday table, it’s important to think about how you’re planning to transport it while flying.
The TSA said most foods could be carried through airport checkpoints, but some items will need to be transported in checked bags.
"If it’s a solid item, then it can go through a checkpoint," the TSA said. "However, if you can spill it, spread it, spray it, pump it or pour it, and it’s larger than 3.4 ounces, then it should go in a checked bag."
WHAT ARE THE WORST AIRPORTS TO FLY INTO DURING WINTER?
What foods can you take through TSA?
Many Thanksgiving foods can be taken through a TSA checkpoint, but there are some items that will need to be transported in checked baggage in order to ease your travel experience at the airport.
Thanksgiving foods that can be carried through a TSA checkpoint:
- Baked goods – Homemade or store-bought pies, cakes, cookies, brownies and other sweet treats
- Meats – Turkey, chicken, ham and steak – frozen, cooked or uncooked
- Stuffing – Cooked, uncooked, in a box or in a bag
- Casseroles – Traditional green beans and onion straws or something more exotic
- Mac ‘n cheese – Cooked in a pan or traveling with the ingredients to cook it at your destination
- Fresh vegetables – Potatoes, yams, broccoli, green beans, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, beets, radishes, carrots, squash and greens
- Fresh fruit – Apples, pears, pineapple, lemons, limes, cranberries, blueberries, strawberries, bananas and kiwi
- Candy
- Spices
Thanksgiving foods that should be carefully packed with your checked baggage:
- Cranberry sauce – Homemade or canned are spreadable
- Gravy – Homemade or in a jar/can
- Wine, champagne and sparking apple cider
- Canned fruit or vegetables – It has liquid in the can
- Preserves, jams and jellies – They are spreadable
- Maple syrup
WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF A WHITE THANKSGIVING?
Food items often need some additional security screening, the TSA warns. It is best to place those items in an easily accessible location of the carry-on when packing them, and then removing those items from your bag and placing them in a bin for screening at the checkpoint.
If you are still unsure if a food item should be packed in a carry-on or checked bag, click here to find out. | https://www.foxweather.com/lifestyle/thanksgiving-foods-airport-tsa-checkpoint | 2022-11-23 16:16:02 | 1 | https://www.foxweather.com/lifestyle/thanksgiving-foods-airport-tsa-checkpoint |
WFO LAS VEGAS Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, August 17, 2022
_____
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
The National Weather Service in Las Vegas has issued a
* Flash Flood Warning for...
San Bernardino County in southern California...
* Until 715 PM PDT.
* At 415 PM PDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing
heavy rain across the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or
expected to begin shortly.
HAZARD...Life-threatening flash flooding. Thunderstorms
producing flash flooding.
SOURCE...Radar.
IMPACT...Life-threatening flash flooding of low-water
crossings, creeks, normally dry washes and roads.
* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
Needles, Highway 95 And I-40.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.mrt.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-LAS-VEGAS-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17380641.php | 2022-08-18 00:09:11 | 0 | https://www.mrt.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-LAS-VEGAS-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17380641.php |
RPU launches new thermostat program
(ABC 6 News)- Rochester Public Utilities (RPU) is launching a Bring Your Own Thermostat (BYOT) program to help reduce energy consumption during periods of high demand.
RPU’s voluntary demand response program is designed to reward customers for reducing their electricity use during periods of high demand, while helping the environment and reliability of the grid.
Program participation requires customers to agree to brief, limited Peak Savings Events, which adjust their thermostats during peak electric demand periods from May 1 through September 30. Peak demand periods for adjustments typically occur on hot or humid days, but Peak Savings Events may also be called under other circumstances to reduce strain on the grid. Peak Savings Events will not occur on weekends or holidays.
Customers who install qualified smart thermostats will receive a one-time $50 enrollment incentive, in the form of a bill credit, and those that stay enrolled throughout the summer season will receive a year-end $25 bill credit.
“Our new BYOT program is part of RPU’s continuing efforts to take advantage of newer technologies. Smart thermostats are part of a growing number of energy efficiency tools developed in recent years, that can be monitored and controlled remotely by users,” explained by Patty Hanson, Manager of Utility Programs and Services at RPU. “The thermostats have been shown to reduce customer energy bills, and in large numbers, they could significantly reduce electric grid load, especially during hot summer months when air conditioning use is high.”
For additional program information, visit www.rpu.org. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/top-news/rpu-launches-new-thermostat-program/ | 2023-03-21 23:11:32 | 0 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/top-news/rpu-launches-new-thermostat-program/ |
Moorhead parents will receive a notice if their child will have a bus to ride or not
FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) - If parents haven’t already been notified that buses will not be going through their neighborhood this school year, today is the last day.
The Moorhead school board made changes to the transportation plan this year due to bus driver shortages.
Families living within 2 miles of Horizon Middle School or Moorhead High School will not have buses available for their students.
Families within one mile of the elementary school will also have to find a different ride for their students to school.
Bus capacity will increase this year, along with ride times due to shared routes.
The Moorhead school district is working with the city to ensure safe crosswalks for children having to now walk, along with pedestrian signs and on-duty cross guards.
Moorhead school district said this should be a temporary problem, they aim to hire more bus drivers in order to increase routes back and be to full capacity before winter.
Copyright 2022 KVLY. All rights reserved. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/08/19/moorhead-parents-will-receive-notice-if-their-child-will-have-bus-ride-or-not/ | 2022-08-19 17:25:20 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/08/19/moorhead-parents-will-receive-notice-if-their-child-will-have-bus-ride-or-not/ |
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society urges patients to utilize its free support services every step of the way
RYE BROOK, N.Y., Sept. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Leukemia, a blood cancer, is the most common cancer diagnosed in children and adolescents and the second leading cause of all cancer deaths. For good reason, during two national awareness months in September – Childhood Cancer and Blood Cancer Awareness Month – the global leader in the fight against blood cancers, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is urgently reminding patients and their families to learn about its free support services available all year-round.
Every 180 seconds someone in the US is diagnosed with a blood cancer. LLS is the leading source of free blood cancer information, education, and support for patients, survivors, caregivers, families, and healthcare professionals.
"When someone is diagnosed with blood cancer, every minute matters — to them and their families, to the healthcare professionals treating them, and to us at LLS," said Gwen Nichols, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at LLS. "We know time becomes more precious and so we support patients' and survivors' needs, strive to help improve the quality of their lives, and try to inspire hope every step of the way."
The organization offers free one-on-one support including:
- LLS Information Specialists are highly trained oncology professionals who provide free, personalized assistance to patients, families, and healthcare providers. LLS Information Specialists are ready to help at (800) 955-4572, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET or by live chat/email on LLS.ORG.
- LLS Clinical Trial Nurse Navigators are registered nurses with expertise in blood cancers who conduct comprehensive clinical trial searches and personally assist patients, parents, and caregivers throughout the entire clinical trial process.
- LLS's registered dietitian has expertise in oncology nutrition and provides patients, parents, and caregivers with free nutrition consultations.
LLS also offers financial assistance, a podcast, peer-to-peer support, online chats, webcasts, videos, caregiver support, education and outreach programs like Myeloma Link, the LLS Scholarship program, which provides up to $7,500 to cover tuition, and so much more.
LLS Community is an online gathering place for patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals to share experiences and provide support. Once registered, patients can ask questions, provide and receive support, and share stories with others who are going through similar experiences.
While many children survive leukemia, the treatments are harsh and outdated. Through LLS's recently launched Dare to Dream Project, LLS is taking on children's cancer from every direction, disrupting the status quo with a bold vision for young patients – to not only survive their cancer, but thrive in their lives after treatment. The project aims to power innovative research, new, safer treatments, support services, and advocacy.
Cruz Perez-Jimenez, of El Paso, TX knows the devastation of childhood cancer all too well. Diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia at just four years old, he endured approximately one year of treatment that came with grueling side effects no child should have to experience.
Today, Perez-Jimenez is proud to call himself a survivor, especially after all he overcame. He gives back through LLS's advocacy network and shares his heroic story with others battling blood cancer. He hopes to one day attend medical school and work in the oncology field himself.
"Cancer almost killed me, but it can't take away who I am and who I will become," said Perez-Jimenez.
According to Dr. Nichols, "Every action can make a difference and lead the way to a future without blood cancers." And, LLS offers some ways to help the fight against blood cancer including:
- Donating at LLS.ORG to help more patients and families.
- Registering for one of our inspirational Light The Night community events this fall to bring light to the darkness of cancer.
- Becoming an advocate or exploring volunteer opportunities.
- Following LLS on social media (@LLSusa) and sharing our stories or contributing your own with #BloodCancerAwarenessMonth
To learn more, visit www.LLS.org.
Blood cancer patients and their families should contact the LLS Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., ET.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS) is a global leader in the fight against cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care.
Founded in 1949 and headquartered in Rye Brook, NY, LLS has regional offices throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit www.LLS.org. Patients should contact the LLS Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., ET.
For additional information visit lls.org/lls-newsnetwork. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Media Contacts:
Kristin Hoose, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
914-821-8973
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SOURCE The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) | https://www.wkyt.com/prnewswire/2022/09/01/when-someone-is-diagnosed-with-blood-cancer-every-minute-matters/ | 2022-09-01 12:27:28 | 1 | https://www.wkyt.com/prnewswire/2022/09/01/when-someone-is-diagnosed-with-blood-cancer-every-minute-matters/ |
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today at the DISTRIBUTECH 2023 conference, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm announced a new competition, administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in collaboration with EPRI, to advance the integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) into U.S. energy systems.
Meeting decarbonization goals set by the U.S. government will require integrating an increased number of DERs on the energy grid. DERs, such as solar and wind, offer new opportunities to introduce increased low-carbon resources into the grid. However, visibility into the output of DERs is a challenge to assist with reliability. The American-Made Net Load Forecasting Prize is accepting applications from organizations with potential solutions to make forecasting of the net load more accurate and adaptable. The net load forecast refers to the difference between the amount of demand predicted and the amount of renewable energy forecast that will be available.
"Grid security and reliability are critical pieces to solving our nation's challenges around moving to clean energy," said Becca Jones-Albertus, director of the DOE Solar Energy Technologies Office. "Increasing the accuracy of net load predictions will not only enable that reliability, but also allow for cost-efficient planning and the dispatch of energy generation and storage."
The American-Made program is funded by DOE and incentivizes innovation by connecting the nation's entrepreneurs and innovators to America's national labs. Participants will employ EPRI's Solar Forecast Arbiter tool, designed to help users more consistently and accurately evaluate solar and net-load forecasts.
"Efficiently and rapidly integrating and operating so many DERs presents many challenges and opportunities," said Daniel Brooks, EPRI's vice president of Integrated Grid and Energy Systems. "From flexible and integrated control schemes that allow DERs to support grid reliability to providing needed cyber and physical security, the industry has much to tackle to fully leverage the decarbonization and resilience benefits of grid-edge resources. We're pleased to work with DOE and NREL on such an important component to a successful clean energy transition."
"EPRI's Solar Forecast Arbiter will allow competitors to use historical load data as they develop and evaluate forecasting models of their own," said Emily Evans, lead prize administrator for the Net Load Forecasting Prize at NREL. "It's a key part of the Net Load Forecasting Prize, and without EPRI, this program wouldn't have the same impact for innovators."
The competition is open to U.S.-based institutions, companies, and non-profit organizations. DOE plans to announce three winners, with three runners-up receiving in total $600,000 in cash prizes. For more information, NREL is hosting an informational webinar on Feb. 20 at 3 p.m. ET.
To learn more about the contest and see other technology demonstrations, visit EPRI's DISTRIBUTECH booth located at #5216, or visit https://www.epri.com/DISTRIBUTECH.
Contact
Samantha Gilman
Communications Manager
980-348-8783
sgilman@epri.com
About EPRI
Founded in 1972, EPRI is the world's preeminent independent, non-profit energy research and development organization, with offices around the world. EPRI's trusted experts collaborate with more than 450 companies in 45 countries, driving innovation to ensure the public has clean, safe, reliable, affordable, and equitable access to electricity across the globe. Together, we are shaping the future of energy.
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SOURCE EPRI | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2023/02/07/doe-nrel-epri-launch-prize-advance-der-integration/ | 2023-02-07 22:24:52 | 1 | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2023/02/07/doe-nrel-epri-launch-prize-advance-der-integration/ |
WASHINGTON, Sept. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Fannie Mae (FNMA/OTCQB) is reminding homeowners and renters that have been or may be impacted by a natural disaster, including those affected by Hurricane Ian in Florida and other southeastern states, of available mortgage assistance and disaster relief options. Under Fannie Mae's guidelines for single-family mortgages impacted by a natural disaster:
- Homeowners may request mortgage assistance by contacting their mortgage servicer (the company listed on their mortgage statement) following a disaster.
- Mortgage servicers are authorized to offer a forbearance plan for up to 90 days – even without establishing contact with the homeowner – if the servicer believes the home was affected by the disaster.
- Homeowners affected by a disaster are often eligible to reduce or suspend their mortgage payments for up to 12 months. During this temporary reduction or pause in payments, homeowners will not incur late fees and foreclosure and other legal proceedings are suspended.
- Following a forbearance plan, there are a number of options available to potentially help homeowners catch up on missed payments, including Disaster Payment Deferral.
In addition, homeowners currently on a COVID-19-related forbearance plan who were subsequently impacted by a natural disaster may still be eligible for assistance and should contact their mortgage servicer to discuss options.
Fannie Mae also offers help navigating the broader financial effects of a disaster to homeowners and renters through its Disaster Response Network.* The Disaster Response Network's Department of Housing and Urban Development-approved housing counselors are trained disaster-recovery experts who will assess each caller's unique situation and provide:
- A needs assessment and personalized recovery plan.
- Help requesting financial relief from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), insurance, and other sources.
- Web resources and ongoing guidance for up to 18 months.
- Services available in Spanish and other languages.
"We urge everyone who has been or may be impacted by Hurricane Ian to focus on their safety," said Cyndi Danko, Chief Credit Officer, Single-Family, Fannie Mae. "Fannie Mae is committed to ensuring assistance is available to homeowners in need and we encourage them to contact their mortgage servicer to seek relief options and assistance as soon as possible. Additionally, homeowners can learn more and receive personalized support by contacting Fannie Mae's free Disaster Response Network."
Homeowners and renters can call 877-542-9723 to access Fannie Mae's Disaster Response Network™* free of charge or visit KnowYourOptions.com for more information.
*Operated by Money Management International/MMI
About Fannie Mae
Fannie Mae advances equitable and sustainable access to homeownership and quality, affordable rental housing for millions of people across America. We enable the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage and drive responsible innovation to make homebuying and renting easier, fairer, and more accessible. To learn more, visit:
fanniemae.com | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube | Blog
Fannie Mae Newsroom
https://www.fanniemae.com/news
Photo of Fannie Mae
https://www.fanniemae.com/resources/img/about-fm/fm-building.tif
Fannie Mae Resource Center
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SOURCE Fannie Mae | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/27/fannie-mae-reminds-homeowners-renters-mortgage-servicers-disaster-relief-options-those-affected-by-hurricane-ian/ | 2022-09-27 22:14:24 | 0 | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/27/fannie-mae-reminds-homeowners-renters-mortgage-servicers-disaster-relief-options-those-affected-by-hurricane-ian/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — With dozens of African leaders descending on Washington this week, the Biden administration is offering a not-so-subtle pitch in its economic competition with China on the continent: The U.S. offers a better option to African partners.
Ahead of Tuesday’s start of the three-day U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, Deputy Commerce Secretary Don Graves acknowledged that the U.S. has fallen behind as China has surged past American foreign direct investment in Africa but argued that the U.S. remains the “partner of choice” in Africa.
“We took our eye off the ball so to speak, and U.S. investors and companies are having to play catch up,” Graves said at an event hosted by the news outlet Semafor. He added, “We’re bringing the best technologies and innovations, the highest standards.... The U.S. helps to build capacity in our partner countries as opposed to exploiting those countries.”
Heads of states from 49 African nations and the African Union have been invited to take part in the summit that has been billed as an opportunity for President Joe Biden’s administration to re-engage the continent’s leaders.
The continent, whose leaders often feel they've been given short shrift by leading economies, remains crucial to global powers because of its rapidly growing population, significant natural resources, and a sizable voting bloc in the United Nations. Africa remains of great strategic importance as the U.S. recalibrates its foreign policy with greater focus on China — what the Biden administration sees as the United States' most significant economic and military adversary.
Even before the summit officially began, the White House announced Biden's support for the African Union becoming a permanent member of the Group of 20 nations and that it had appointed Johnnie Carson, a well-regarded veteran diplomat, to serve as point person for implementing initiatives that come out of the summit.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Monday also said that the administration would commit to spending $55 billion in Africa over the the next three years on “a wide range of sectors to tackle the core challenges of our time.”
“If you compare what the United States is committing over the next three years to what any other country is committing, I think we stack up extremely favorably,” Sullivan said.
And while the administration has tried to minimize concerns about China’s deepening presence on the continent as a driving force at this week's talks, Beijing’s shadow over the biggest international gathering in Washington since the start of the pandemic nearly three years ago looms large.
Without direct mention of China, Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo on Monday sounded the alarm about petering private investment in middle- and low-income countries, particularly in Africa. The infrastructure finance gap, or money needed for essential projects like lighting homes and businesses, responding to the COVID pandemic and to making communities resilient against extreme weather, sits at $68 billion to $108 billion per year, Adeyemo said.
At the same time, Adeyemo lamented that huge amounts of private capital among the wealthy nations around the globe remains untapped.
“There is a clear disconnect between the large amount of available private sector capital and the urgent need to fund critical infrastructure projects in Africa and elsewhere. The question for us is: how do we connect this massive supply of savings with high-quality infrastructure projects in Africa?” Adeyemo said at the U.S. Trade and Development Agency.
Trade between the U.S. and sub-Saharan Africa was $44.9 billion last year, a 22% increase from 2019. But foreign direct investment into the region fell by 5.3% to $30.31 billion in 2021. Trade between Africa and China last year surged to $254 billion last year, up about 35% as Chinese exports increased on the continent.
The Biden administration, as it addresses criticism that Africa has remained an afterthought in U.S. foreign policy, has taken veiled jabs at China.
During his visit to Nigeria last year, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that “too often, international infrastructure deals are opaque, coercive” and “burden countries with unmanageable debt." The language — while tough — may have been more restrained than the Trump administration's rhetoric; Vice President Mike Pence at the time accused Beijing of “debt diplomacy” in Africa and elsewhere.
China's ambassador to the U.S., Qin Gang, pushed back on Monday against the Chinese debt trap notion and made the case that China has long been "sincere" in approaching Africa as the vibrant emerging market of the future.
“We are not interested in the views of any other countries on China’s role in Africa,” Qin said at the Semafor forum.
Asked whether Biden administration officials would directly approach U.S. concerns about Chinese involvement in Africa during this week's meetings, officials bristled.
“It’s not going to be about China,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre added. "It’s going to be about Africa.”
But the Pentagon has acknowledged that China’s increasing efforts to set up military bases in Africa and forge stronger economic ties across the continent fuel U.S. security concerns that will limit how much the America's military can work with countries that have growing ties to Beijing.
Officials said in the run-up to the meetings that while America can’t and won’t tell African countries to turn away from China, the administration is making it clear that allowing Chinese bases on their soil and using Chinese telecom systems could hurt U.S. military relations with them.
“We have a particular type of security and military and defense relationship ... with African partners, and that could be jeopardized if they were to have Chinese basing in their region just because of the type of exercises, the type of work, the type of collaboration and training that we do with them,” Chidi Blyden, the deputy assistant defense secretary for African affairs, told reporters last week.
Speaking at a defense forum put on by George Washington University’s Project for Media and National Security, Blyden said the use of China’s Huawei communications network “makes it hard for us to be able to work with African partners.” She said it impacts the ability of the U.S. to communicate on a “clear and secure channel.”
The comments underscore longstanding concerns among military commanders that the U.S. must not only keep pace militarily with China in the Indo-Pacific, but in other regions of the world also. Those include Africa, South America and the Middle East, where China is eyeing military and economic expansion.
U.S. officials have also expressed concerns that China is looking to establish a military base on the western coast of Africa.
“China’s Huawei network, which is very robust across the continent, makes it hard for us to be able to work with African partners who may adopt some of these systems,” she said.
___
Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim and Fatima Hussein contributed to this report. | https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/China-casts-long-shadow-over-US-Africa-Leaders-17649461.php | 2022-12-13 01:03:12 | 0 | https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/China-casts-long-shadow-over-US-Africa-Leaders-17649461.php |
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s police watchdog is investigating after armed officers pulled over Portuguese sprinter Ricardo dos Santos' car in London two years after a traffic stop of the athlete led to accusations of racial profiling.
The Metropolitan Police force said officers on a routine patrol pulled over a car in west London early Sunday because they thought the driver might be using a mobile phone at the wheel. The force said officers spoke to the driver, who then went on his way.
Police said the driver lodged a complaint and the force has referred the incident to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, “recognizing the public interest.”
Dos Santos, 27, said Tuesday that he doesn't feel safe driving in the British capital.
“I’ve recently changed cars. I’ve got a family car just so I can stand out a lot less, but I guess it’s not the car - it’s the person driving the car,” he told the BBC.
“And every time I do see a police car when I’m driving I think, ‘Is it going to happen this time? Will it happen this time? When is it going to happen again?’” he said.
In 2020, dos Santos and his partner, British runner Bianca Williams, were stopped in west London while traveling with their 3-month-old baby in a car. The couple, who are both Black, were handcuffed and searched for weapons and drugs. Nothing was found.
Police later apologized, and five officers face gross misconduct hearings over the 2020 stop and search.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said in 2020 that the incident highlighted the need to overhaul the leadership of the Metropolitan Police, Britain’s largest police department.
London police chief Cressida Dick quit in February after Khan publicly criticized her leadership following a string of allegations involving racist and misogynistic behavior within her department’s ranks. | https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/UK-watchdog-probes-police-stop-of-sprinter-dos-17376288.php | 2022-08-16 10:49:29 | 1 | https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/UK-watchdog-probes-police-stop-of-sprinter-dos-17376288.php |
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