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NEW YORK, Nov. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Olaplex Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: OLPX), and certain officers. The class action, filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, and docketed under 22-cv-08395, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants that purchased or otherwise acquired Olaplex common stock pursuant and/or traceable to the Company's initial public offering conducted on or around September 30, 2021 (the "IPO" or "Offering"), seeking to recover compensable damages caused by Defendants' violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 11 and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act") (the "Class").
If you are a shareholder who purchase or otherwise acquired Olaplex securities, you have until January 17, 2023 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.
Olaplex was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Santa Barbara, California. Olaplex manufactures and sells hair care products. The Company offers hair care shampoos and conditioners for use in treatment, maintenance, and protection of hair. Olaplex purports to participate in the "prestige segment" of the haircare market, which the Company claims is "expected to be the fastest growing segment of the global haircare market from 2020 to 2025."
On August 27, 2021, Olaplex filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the SEC in connection with the IPO, which, after several amendments, was declared effective by the SEC on September 29, 2021 (the "Registration Statement").
On October 1, 2021, Olaplex filed a prospectus on Form 424B4 with the SEC in connection with the IPO, which incorporated and formed part of the Registration Statement (collectively, the "Offering Documents").
Pursuant to the IPO, Olaplex issued 73,700,000 shares of its common stock to the public at the Offering price of $21.00 per share for approximate proceeds of $1,466,445,750 to the Company, after applicable underwriting discounts and commissions.
The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, the Offering Documents were negligently prepared and, as a result, contained untrue statements of material fact or omitted to state other facts necessary to make the statements made not misleading and was not prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations governing its preparation. Specifically, the Offering Documents made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) macro-economic pressures and competition in the haircare market were more robust than the Company had represented to investors; (ii) accordingly, the Company was unlikely to maintain its sales and revenue momentum; and (iii) as a result, it was unlikely that the Company would be able to achieve the financial and operational growth projected in the Offering Documents; and (iv) as a result, the Offering Documents were materially false and/or misleading and failed to state information required to be stated therein.
On September 29, 2022, a Piper Sandler analyst downgraded Olaplex to Neutral from Overweight, stating that her work revealed that "competition and misinformation pose growing risks to the company." In addition, the analyst indicated that she anticipated investments in marketing and education were needed to offset the headwinds and that "little room for valuation upside given the risks at play."
On this news, Olaplex's stock price fell $1.33 per share, or 12.15%, to close at $9.62 per share on September 29, 2022.
Then, on October 18, 2022, Olaplex issued a press release in which "the Company revised its guidance for the 2022 fiscal year". Olaplex said it now expects fiscal year 2022 revenue between $704 million and $711 million, significantly down from its prior guidance range of $796 million to $826M. Olaplex stated that "[t]he Company's updated guidance primarily reflects a slowdown in sales momentum that it attributes to macro-economic pressures, increased competitive activity including discounting, and a moderation in new customer acquisition, as well as inventory rebalancing across certain customers which the Company believes are in response to these same macro-economic pressures."
On this news, Olaplex's stock price fell $5.55 per share, or 56.69%, to close at $4.24 per share on October 19, 2022.
As of the time this complaint was filed, the price of Olaplex common stock continues to trade below the Offering price of $21.00 per share, damaging investors.
Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com
CONTACT:
Robert S. Willoughby
Pomerantz LLP
rswilloughby@pomlaw.com
888-476-6529 ext. 7980
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SOURCE Pomerantz LLP | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/11/22/shareholder-alert-pomerantz-law-firm-reminds-shareholders-with-losses-their-investment-olaplex-holdings-inc-class-action-lawsuit-upcoming-deadline-olpx/ | 2022-11-22 03:14:39 | 1 | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/11/22/shareholder-alert-pomerantz-law-firm-reminds-shareholders-with-losses-their-investment-olaplex-holdings-inc-class-action-lawsuit-upcoming-deadline-olpx/ |
Wisconsin court bats down challenge to Kohler golf course
Conservatives on the Wisconsin Supreme Court have ruled that a conservation group can’t challenge an agency’s decision to sell state park land for the construction of a high-end golf course along the shores of Lake Michigan
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Conservatives on the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a conservation group couldn’t challenge an agency’s decision to sell state park land for the construction of a high-end golf course along the shores of Lake Michigan.
Opponents said the ruling will make it much harder for the public to challenge decisions of state agencies.
The court's 4-3 ruling said that the Friends of the Black River Forest can't challenge the Department of Natural Resources policy board’s decision to hand Kohler Co. 5 acres of Kohler-Andrae State Park and a 2-acre easement to be used in the company's planned “world-class” golf course in Sheboygan County north of Milwaukee and about 10 miles from Kohler's headquarters.
The court ruled that state law does not protect public use of the park.
“Today’s decision sets a disturbing new precedent for Wisconsinites and their ability to fight arbitrary and oppressive agency actions that affect their daily lives — actions that may extend far beyond where and whether they enjoy Wisconsin’s natural resources,” the Friends of the Black River Forest said in a statement.
Thursday's ruling overturned a standard used by courts in Wisconsin since 1975 to determine when the public has standing to challenge agency decisions. The majority found that standard had no basis in statute.
The court’s liberal justices accused the conservative majority of rewriting state law to limit the ability of courts across Wisconsin to rule on decisions that may harm the public.
“The majority opinion inexplicably and of its own accord rewrites the law to restrict the right to judicial review beyond that which the legislative text grants,” their dissent reads.
Kohler-Andrae State Park encompasses about 990 acres along the shore of Lake Michigan just south of the city of Sheboygan. The Department of Natural Resources board in 2018 agreed to swap the land in question for about 10 acres Kohler Co. owned west of the park. Kohler, which is known for making bathroom fixtures, intended to use the land for a parking lot, maintenance facility and road for a golf course.
Friends of the Black River Forest challenged the land swap, alleging that it would deprive group members and the public of the use of public park land, reduce habitat for a range of animals and plants, and lead to increased noise and traffic around the park.
Judges in Sheboygan and Dane counties rejected the lawsuit, saying the group lacked standing to sue because the swap itself hadn’t caused any harm. An appellate court reversed those decisions, finding that the swap started a sequence of events that could lead to harm.
Thursday's opinion was written by Justice Rebecca Bradley, who was joined by the court’s three other conservative justices, Annette Ziegler, Patience Roggensack and Brian Hagedorn. The three liberal justices — Jill Karofsky, Rebecca Dallet and Ann Walsh Bradley — dissented.
____
Harm Venhuizen is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Harm on Twitter.
___
This story has been corrected to reflect that the Department of Natural Resources board approved the sale in 2018, not 2014, and that Kohler-Andrae State Park is south of Sheboygan, not north. | https://www.kttc.com/2022/06/30/wisconsin-court-bats-down-challenge-kohler-golf-course/ | 2022-07-01 02:30:56 | 0 | https://www.kttc.com/2022/06/30/wisconsin-court-bats-down-challenge-kohler-golf-course/ |
It’s not over yet. And it might not be for a while.
Pennsylvania’s Republican Senate primary was still undecided Wednesday, with celebrity surgeon Mehmet Oz clinging to a narrow lead of about 2,500 votes over David McCormick. But with thousands or even tens of thousands of votes still to be counted (including both some in-person votes and mail ballots), it was unclear who would have the edge once the initial count was complete.
Either way, it appeared very likely the race would go to an automatic recount, which happens if the winning margin is less than 0.5% of the total votes cast. To avoid that, the winner would have to end up with a margin of about 6,000 to 6,800 votes. If there is a recount, it could take weeks to get a final resolution, effectively freezing the race on the Republican side.
Lt. Gov. John Fetterman coasted to a dominant victory in the Democratic Senate primary.
And even though the number of uncounted votes is likely in the tens of thousands, the voting patterns so far — showing an almost even amount of support for Oz and McCormick — suggest that neither of them is likely to suddenly run away with the race.
There were about 105,000 mail ballots hadn’t yet been tallied into the public results as of midday Wednesday, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State, which oversees elections. Of those, it wasn’t clear how many were from registered Democrats and how many were from Republicans. Republicans have largely avoided voting by mail, with Democrats making up about three times the number of mail ballots as Republicans.
That means the number of Republican votes to be counted in the race is much smaller.
» READ MORE: 5 takeaways from the Pennsylvania primary election
It’s impossible to know exactly how many Republican votes remain to be counted, in part because some, such as overseas and military ballots, are still coming in.
A much bigger but still unknown number of uncounted ballots are the in-person votes from voting machines that haven’t yet been uploaded to the state’s election system. That happens every election, often because of human error — a poll worker accidentally taking home a voting machine USB drive, say, or returning the voting machine results cartridge to the wrong place.
As counties chase down those final voting machine numbers, the tally of fully counted precincts will rise, and the vote counts will tick upward.
There are also always a number of mail ballots that counties will have to adjudicate because there’s some sort of question about them. For example, if a voter returned a ballot to a drop box in another county, should it still be counted? And there are also an unknown number of provisional ballots, only some of which will be counted.
That all adds up, as of Wednesday, to likely tens of thousands of votes.
The below graphic shows the most recent results reported. It is updated in real time.
Pennsylvania law calls for the secretary of state, who oversees elections, to order a recount by 5 p.m. the second Thursday after the election. That would be Thursday of next week, or May 26.
Leigh Chapman, Pennsylvania’s acting secretary of state, said Wednesday on CNN that she’d have a good sense by Tuesday of whether the state would automatically recount votes in the race. If there is a recount, Chapman would issue an advisory next Wednesday, then officially order the recount Thursday.
”Unofficial returns come to me on Tuesday, so I’ll have a very good sense,” Chapman said.
Both candidates acknowledged the uncertainty in addressing supporters late Tuesday night.
“Right now, we have tens of thousands of mail-in ballots that have not been counted that are gonna need to be counted beginning tomorrow,” McCormick told several dozen friends and family at an election night party in Pittsburgh. “So unfortunately we’re not going to have a resolution tonight, but we can see the path ahead. We can see victory ahead.”
“We’re not going to have a result tonight,” Oz told his supporters at the Newtown Athletic Club in Bucks County. “When all of the votes are tallied, I am confident we will win.”
» READ MORE: What to know about Pennsylvania’s election recount rules
There were several other tight, critical contests still in the air Wednesday.
In the Pittsburgh-based 12th Congressional District, only about 440 votes separated State Rep. Summer Lee from her Democratic primary rival Steve Irwin. The winner of that race will almost certainly be headed to Congress given the district’s deep-blue politics.
Meanwhile, the Republican primaries in two competitive congressional districts were also too early to call. In the 6th District, based in Chester County, Guy Ciarriocchi led by about 2,000 votes over Steve Fanelli in a contest that will decide who faces Democratic Rep. Chrissy Houlahan in the general election.
And in the 7th District, in the Lehigh Valley, Lisa Scheller was leading Kevin Dellicker by a little less than 2,000 votes in the Republican primary. The winner will run against Democratic Rep. Susan Wild. Scheller was the GOP nominee in 2020.
Both parties have made the 6th and 7th districts top priorities as Republicans aim to take control of the House.
-Staff writers Anna Orso, Julia Terruso, and Sean Collins Walsh contributed to this article. | https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/pa-republican-senate-primary-recount-oz-mccormick-20220518.html | 2022-05-18 17:38:15 | 0 | https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/pa-republican-senate-primary-recount-oz-mccormick-20220518.html |
MADISON, Wis. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Monday evening's drawing of the Wisconsin Lottery's "SuperCash" game were:
01-03-09-14-26-31, Doubler: N
(one, three, nine, fourteen, twenty-six, thirty-one; Doubler: N)
¶ Maximum prize: $350,000
MADISON, Wis. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Monday evening's drawing of the Wisconsin Lottery's "SuperCash" game were:
01-03-09-14-26-31, Doubler: N
(one, three, nine, fourteen, twenty-six, thirty-one; Doubler: N)
¶ Maximum prize: $350,000 | https://www.sfchronicle.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-SuperCash-game-17453169.php | 2022-09-20 03:26:02 | 1 | https://www.sfchronicle.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-SuperCash-game-17453169.php |
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The National Nuclear Science and History in New Mexico now has a rare addition to its missile collection.
It’s a Soviet built SA-2 surface-to-air missile from the first built in the 1950s and used up through the 1980s by the Russians.
James Stemm, curator of the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, told Albuquerque TV station KOB that the missile belongs to the New Mexico Museum of Military History in Rio Rancho and they were looking for a place to display it so more people could see it.
Stemm said the missile is about 40 feet long when the launcher is included.
The missile named “Tina” was used by Russians in defense against the United States years ago.
Stemm said the missile was built to defend the Soviet Union against American B-52 and B-47 bombers, two of which the museum already has on display.
A curator for more than 25 years, Stemm said museums are used to show all sides of history.
“As far as I know, the only one in New Mexico,” he said of the Soviet missile. “There are a few in other museums back east the Smithsonian has one, the Air Force Museum has one, but they aren’t very common in the U.S.” | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/new-mexico-nuclear-museum-gets-a-soviet-missile-17765065.php | 2023-02-05 17:30:33 | 1 | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/new-mexico-nuclear-museum-gets-a-soviet-missile-17765065.php |
Syracuse scores touchdown in final seconds to take down Purdue during fourth quarter shootout
Forty-two of the game's 61 points were scored in the fourth quarter
Garrett Shrader hit Oronde Gadsden II for a 25-yard touchdown pass with seven seconds left to lift Syracuse to a 32-29 win over Purdue on Saturday.
That touchdown throw capped a wild fourth quarter of dramatic lead changes. Syracuse led 10-9 after three quarters and outscored the Boilermakers 22-20 in the final period. The Orange improved to 3-0, its best start since 2018. Purdue fell to 1-2.
Aidan O’Connell’s 12-yard touchdown pass to tight end Payne Durham with 51 seconds left in the fourth quarter gave the Boilermakers a 29-25 advantage and seemed to seal it for Purdue.
O’Connell, who completed 38 of 54 passes for 415 yards and three touchdowns, threw for two fourth-quarter scores to rescue the Boilermakers from a 10-point deficit. Charlie Jones caught 11 passes for 188 yards and one score.
But before those O’Connell heroics, Syracuse scored two touchdowns within nine seconds and led 25-15 midway through the fourth quarter.
A scrambling 46-yard touchdown pass from Shrader to Gadsden on fourth-and-one gave Syracuse an 18-15 advantage after Shrader ran for a 2-point conversion. That touchdown happened with 8:17 left in the game.
On Purdue’s next possession, SU’s Jatius Geer wrapped up O’Connell as the Purdue quarterback attempted a pass. The ball wobbled into the hands of Orange defensive end Caleb Okechukwu, who trotted 17 yards into the end zone.
Syracuse led 25-15 at that point, but O’Connell hooked up with favorite receiver Jones for a 55-yard score that got the Boilermakers within 25-22 with 6:41 left in the game. A missed 41-yard field goal by Mitchell Fineran with 2:54 left could have tied it.
The teams had met only once before, when in 2004 Purdue beat the Orange 51-0 at Ross-Ade Stadium.
THE TAKEAWAY
Purdue: The Boilermakers were without running back King Doerue, who is nursing a calf injury. Doerue rushed for 68 yards on 18 attempts with three touchdowns in Purdue’s first two games. Without him, the Boilermakers struggled to get much going on the ground, but typically got plenty in the air from O’Connell. The Purdue quarterback had lots of time in the first half and threw for 175 yards on 21 of 27 attempts. Syracuse applied more pressure on him in the second half, but O’Connell still managed to successfully throw deep.
Syracuse: Shrader had been one of the nation’s most accurate passers through his first two games this season (38-48, .792), but Purdue put sustained pressure early on him, forcing Shrader to scramble and mostly abandon an air attack. He completed 4 of 10 passes for just 35 yards in the first half. He was much more effective in the second half, completing 9 of 19 passes for 146 yards and three touchdowns. Purdue locked up Syracuse running back Sean Tucker, who rushed 18 times for 42 yards.
UP NEXT
Purdue hosts Florida Atlantic on Saturday night.
Syracuse continues its four-game homestand against ACC foe Virginia on Friday night. | https://www.foxnews.com/sports/syracuse-scores-touchdown-final-seconds-take-down-purdue-fourth-quarter-shootout | 2022-09-17 22:47:41 | 1 | https://www.foxnews.com/sports/syracuse-scores-touchdown-final-seconds-take-down-purdue-fourth-quarter-shootout |
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday evening's drawing of the Washington Lottery's "Match 4" game were:
01-07-09-16
(one, seven, nine, sixteen)
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday evening's drawing of the Washington Lottery's "Match 4" game were:
01-07-09-16
(one, seven, nine, sixteen) | https://www.mrt.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Match-4-game-17363403.php | 2022-08-10 04:34:26 | 0 | https://www.mrt.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Match-4-game-17363403.php |
CARSON CITY, Nevada and LONDON, July 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --
WHO: Newly formed organization, The Committee to Restore Nymox Shareholder Value, Calls for Shareholder Support
WHAT: Following the distribution of a press release by Nymox Pharmaceutical Corporation (the Company) regarding a NASDAQ Hearing Delist Decision at the open of business on July 7, 2023, rebuttal letters are being issued to all Company shareholders. Access the documents at www.crnsv.com
When: July 10, 2023
Where: CARSON CITY, Nevada; LONDON
Why: Summary of Rebuttal Letters:
- Lack of Company Leadership:
- Inability to Realize the Potential for Valuable and Promising Results Through Relationship with AscellaHealth LLC: a highly respected global healthcare and specialty pharmacy solutions company with expertise to help commercialize the Company's BPH product.
- Lack of Solution or Plan for Financial Recovery of Shareholder Value
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SOURCE The Committee to Restore Nymox Shareholder Value | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/10/rebuttal-letters-issued-shareholders-nymox-pharmaceutical-corp/ | 2023-07-10 19:53:43 | 1 | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/10/rebuttal-letters-issued-shareholders-nymox-pharmaceutical-corp/ |
Leadership Executive Coach Markus Neukom joins Gayle Guyardo the host of the nationally syndicated health and wellness show Bloom with
Bloom airs in 40 markets across the country, with a reach of approximately 36 million households, and in Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Madison, WI.
You can watch Bloom in the Tampa Bay Market weekdays at 2pm on WFLA News Channel 8. | https://www.wfla.com/bloom/bullying-the-workplace/ | 2022-08-31 21:59:17 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/bloom/bullying-the-workplace/ |
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SULLIVAN, Ind. (WISH) — A Bloomington man was charged with possession of cocaine and a stolen vehicle in Sullivan.
According to the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office, at 2 a.m. Saturday, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on State Road 54, near Sullivan.
Further investigation revealed the vehicle had been reported stolen from Bloomington. The driver of the stolen vehicle was identified as Markeith Brown from Bloomington.
A probable cause search of the stolen vehicle was conducted, in which the deputy discovered that Brown was also found to be in possession of cocaine, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
Brown was taken to the Sullivan County Jail where he remains on a $35,000 bond. | https://www.wishtv.com/news/crime-watch-8/bloomington-man-charged-with-possession-of-cocaine-stolen-vehicle-in-sullivan-county/ | 2022-12-10 16:16:53 | 1 | https://www.wishtv.com/news/crime-watch-8/bloomington-man-charged-with-possession-of-cocaine-stolen-vehicle-in-sullivan-county/ |
PHILADELPHIA, June 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The following statement is being issued by Kroll Settlement Administration regarding the Google Search Engine Settlement.
Si desea recibir esta notificación en español, llámenos o visite nuestra página web.
A proposed Settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit called In re Google Referrer Header Privacy Litigation, Case No. 5:10-cv-4809-EJD, pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
The lawsuit claims that Google improperly shared Class Member search queries with third-party websites and companies between October 25, 2006 and September 30, 2013. Google denies any wrongdoing and the Court has not decided who is right or wrong. Defendants are entering into this settlement to avoid burdensome and costly litigation and to focus on timely addressing consumer complaints.
Who is included?
You are included as a Settlement Class Member if you used Google Search and clicked on a Search link at any time on or between October 25, 2006 and September 30, 2013. The Settlement Class also includes anyone who could bring any of the claims in the Lawsuit on behalf of these users of Google Search, such as representatives, heirs, administrators, and assigns.
What does the Settlement provide?
Under the Settlement, Google will pay $23 million to make payments to settlement class members, payments to class representatives, attorneys' fees, litigation costs, and settlement administration costs related to the Settlement. Google will also revise its "FAQs" and "Key Terms" webpages to include conspicuous, clear and concise explanations of how and when search queries may be disclosed to third parties via referrer headers.
The only way to receive benefits from the proposed Settlement is to file a claim. Claim Forms may be submitted online or mailed to the Settlement Administrator at: In re Google Settlement, c/o Kroll Settlement Administration, P.O. Box 225391, New York, NY 10150-5391. The deadline to file a claim is July 31, 2023.
What are your options?
- File a Claim. You must submit a Claim Form to be eligible to receive a payment under the Settlement. The deadline to file a claim is July 31, 2023. Claim Forms must be submitted online at RefererHeaderSettlement.com or mailed to the Settlement Administrator at: In re Google Referrer Header Settlement, c/o Kroll Settlement Administration, P.O. Box 225391, New York, NY 10150-5391.
- Do nothing. You will not receive any benefits from the Settlement. You will be legally bound by decisions of the Court and you give up your right to sue the Defendant relating to the claims resolved by this Settlement.
- Exclude Yourself. If you do not want to be included in the Settlement, you must submit a written request to the Settlement Administrator, Settlement Class Counsel, and Defendants' Counsel by July 31, 2023. You will keep your right to sue Defendants about the claims in this case, but you will not receive money. Detailed instructions on how to exclude yourself can be found at RefererHeaderSettlement.com.
- Object. You have the right to object to the Settlement and still get benefits. If you want to object to or tell the Court what you think about the Settlement, you must submit your Objection in writing by July 31, 2023. Detailed instructions on how to object can be found at RefererHeaderSettlement.com.
The Court has scheduled a Final Approval Hearing for the Settlement of this case on October 12, 2023 at the San Jose Courthouse, Courtroom 4, 5th Floor, 280 South 1st St, San Jose, CA 95113 at 9:00 a.m. PST to consider: 1) whether to approve the Settlement; 2) any objections; 3) the requests for awards to the Settlement Class Representative of $5,000 each; and 4) the request for an award of costs as well as attorneys' fees of up to 25% of the Settlement Fund. Motions for attorneys' fees and costs are due June 26, 2023. You may attend the Final Approval Hearing and ask to be heard by the Court, but you do not have to attend. Attorneys' fees and expense requests will be posted on RefererHeaderSettlement.com, after they are filed with the Court.
This is only a summary. For more information about the settlement and benefits, visit RefererHeaderSettlement.com or call toll-free 1-833-512-2306.
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SOURCE Kroll Settlement Administration | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2023/06/01/if-you-used-googles-search-engine-october-25-2006-september-30-2013-you-could-get-cash-class-action-settlement/ | 2023-06-01 21:48:11 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2023/06/01/if-you-used-googles-search-engine-october-25-2006-september-30-2013-you-could-get-cash-class-action-settlement/ |
Many changes to the genomes of early humans had opposing effects from each other, possibly because of a delicate balance between improved cognition and psychiatric disease risk
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Humans and chimpanzees differ in only one percent of their DNA. Human accelerated regions (HARs) are parts of the genome with an unexpected amount of these differences. HARs were stable in mammals for millennia but quickly changed in early humans. Scientists have long wondered why these bits of DNA changed so much, and how the variations set humans apart from other primates.
Now, researchers at Gladstone Institutes have analyzed thousands of human and chimpanzee HARs and discovered that many of the changes that accumulated during human evolution had opposing effects from each other.
"This helps answer a longstanding question about why HARs evolved so quickly after being frozen for millions of years," says Katie Pollard, PhD, director of the Gladstone Institute of Data Science and Biotechnology and lead author of the new study published today in Neuron. "An initial variation in a HAR might have turned up its activity too much, and then it needed to be turned down."
The findings, she says, have implications for understanding human evolution. In addition—because she and her team discovered that many HARs play roles in brain development—the study suggests that variations in human HARs could predispose people to psychiatric disease.
"These results required cutting-edge machine learning tools to integrate dozens of novel datasets generated by our team, providing a new lens to examine the evolution of HAR variants," says Sean Whalen, PhD, first author of the study and senior staff research scientist in Pollard's lab.
Pollard discovered HARs in 2006 when comparing the human and chimpanzee genomes. While these stretches of DNA are nearly identical among all humans, they differ between humans and other mammals. Pollard's lab went on to show that the vast majority of HARs are not genes, but enhancers— regulatory regions of the genome that control the activity of genes.
More recently, Pollard's group wanted to study how human HARs differ from chimpanzee HARs in their enhancer function. In the past, this would have required testing HARs one at a time in mice, using a system that stains tissues when a HAR is active.
Instead, Whalen input hundreds of known human brain enhancers, and hundreds of other non-enhancer sequences, into a computer program so that it could identify patterns that predicted whether any given stretch of DNA was an enhancer. Then he used the model to predict that a third of HARs control brain development.
"Basically, the computer was able to learn the signatures of brain enhancers," says Whalen.
Knowing that each HAR has multiple differences between humans and chimpanzees, Pollard and her team questioned how individual variants in a HAR impacted its enhancer strength. For instance, if eight nucleotides of DNA differed between a chimpanzee and human HAR, did all eight have the same effect, either making the enhancer stronger or weaker?
"We've wondered for a long time if all the variants in HARs were required for it to function differently in humans, or if some changes were just hitchhiking along for the ride with more important ones," says Pollard, who is also chief of the division of bioinformatics in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at UC San Francisco (UCSF), as well as a Chan Zuckerberg Biohub investigator.
To test this, Whalen applied a second machine learning model, which was originally designed to determine if DNA differences from person to person affect enhancer activity. The computer predicted that 43 percent of HARs contain two or more variants with large opposing effects: some variants in a given HAR made it a stronger enhancer, while other changes made the HAR a weaker enhancer.
This result surprised the team, who had expected that all changes would push the enhancer in the same direction, or that some "hitchhiker" changes would have no impact on the enhancer at all.
To validate this compelling prediction, Pollard collaborated with the laboratories of Nadav Ahituv, PhD, and Alex Pollen, PhD, at UCSF. The researchers fused each HAR to a small DNA barcode. Each time a HAR was active, enhancing the expression of a gene, the barcode was transcribed into a piece of RNA. Then, the researchers used RNA sequencing technology to analyze how much of that barcode was present in any cell—indicating how active the HAR had been in that cell.
"This method is much more quantitative because we have exact barcode counts instead of microscopy images," says Ahituv. "It's also much higher throughput; we can look at hundreds of HARs in a single experiment."
When the group carried out their lab experiments on over 700 HARs in precursors to human and chimpanzee brain cells, the data mimicked what the machine learning algorithms had predicted.
"We might not have discovered human HAR variants with opposing effects at all if the machine learning model hadn't produced these startling predictions," said Pollard.
The idea that HAR variants played tug-of-war over enhancer levels fits in well with a theory that has already been proposed about human evolution: that the advanced cognition in our species is also what has given us psychiatric diseases.
"What this kind of pattern indicates is something called compensatory evolution," says Pollard. "A large change was made in an enhancer, but maybe it was too much and led to harmful side effects, so the change was tuned back down over time—that's why we see opposing effects."
If initial changes to HARs led to increased cognition, perhaps subsequent compensatory changes helped tune back down the risk of psychiatric diseases, Pollard speculates. Her data, she adds, can't directly prove or disprove that idea. But in the future, a better understanding of how HARs contribute to psychiatric disease could not only shed light on evolution, but on new treatments for these diseases.
"We can never wind the clock back and know exactly what happened in evolution," says Pollard. "But we can use all these scientific techniques to simulate what might have happened and identify which DNA changes are most likely to explain unique aspects of the human brain, including its propensity for psychiatric disease."
The paper "Machine learning dissection of human accelerated regions in primate neurodevelopment," was published in the journal Neuron on January 13, 2023.
Other authors are Kathleen Keough, Alex Williams, Md. Abu Hassan Samee, and Sean Thomas of Gladstone; Fumitaka Inoue, Hane Ryu, Tyler Fair, Eirene Markenscoff-Papadimitrious, Beatriz Alvarado, Orry Elor, Dianne Laboy Cintron, Erik Ullian, Arnold Kriegstein, and John Rubenstein of UC San Francisco; Martin Kircher, Beth Martin, and Jay Shendure of University of Washington; and Robert Krencik of Houston Methodist Research Institute.
The work was supported by the Schmidt Futures Foundation and the National Institutes of Health (DP2MH122400-01, R35NS097305, FHG011569A, R01MH109907, U01MH116438, UM1HG009408, UM1HG011966, 2R01NS099099).
To ensure our work does the greatest good, Gladstone Institutes focuses on conditions with profound medical, economic, and social impact—unsolved diseases. Gladstone is an independent, nonprofit life science research organization that uses visionary science and technology to overcome disease. It has an academic affiliation with the University of California, San Francisco.
Media Contact: Julie Langelier | Associate Director, Communications | julie.langelier@gladstone.org | 415.734.5000
1650 Owens Street, San Francisco, CA 94158 | gladstone.org | @GladstoneInst
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SOURCE Gladstone Institutes | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2023/01/13/evolution-uniquely-human-dna-was-balancing-act-study-concludes/ | 2023-01-13 19:15:34 | 0 | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2023/01/13/evolution-uniquely-human-dna-was-balancing-act-study-concludes/ |
Contract negotiations have led to friction between members of the Chicago Sun-Times union and the paper's new owner.
Union members with the Chicago Sun-Times, who are represented by the Chicago Newspaper Guild, say that Chicago Public Media has been sending them the same offers since negotiations began and are trying to take rights that they've had for decades. | https://www.chicagobusiness.com/marketing-media/chicago-sun-times-union-criticizes-new-owner-contract-negotiations | 2022-11-07 22:01:48 | 1 | https://www.chicagobusiness.com/marketing-media/chicago-sun-times-union-criticizes-new-owner-contract-negotiations |
Valley parents urge against drinking and driving as Labor Day weekend approaches
District attorneys from Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy counties came together on Monday to warn drivers not to drink and drive ahead of the Labor Day weekend.
Law enforcement agencies Valley-wide will be on the alert for drunk drivers as part of their No Refusal initiative that starts Thursday and ends Sept. 5.
One Valley family spoke about how a suspected drunk driver changed their lives forever. Marilyn Munoz del Valle's daughter died in a crash in Austin in 2015.
Seven years later, her death continues to weigh heavily on the family.
"From there, we have experienced a lot of pain, PTSD, grief," Munoz del Valle said. "Every time we hear an ambulance or we see a police car, we really pray that there is no one losing their life because of drunk driving."
The family is hoping that sharing their story will convince others not to drink and drive, not just during the Labor Day holiday but every day.
"We don't want anyone to experience the type of loss and the type of pain that we've had to endure over the years and the years to come," said James Lane.
Cameron County District Attorney Luis Saenz is warning drivers who get behind the wheel after having a few drinks.
"If you drink and drive, these young folks they're going to arrest you, and you're going to come to court and you're going to be held accountable," Saenz said. | https://www.krgv.com/news/valley-parents-urge-against-drinking-and-driving-as-labor-day-weekend-approaches | 2022-08-30 05:08:23 | 1 | https://www.krgv.com/news/valley-parents-urge-against-drinking-and-driving-as-labor-day-weekend-approaches |
Philadelphia (WPHL)- Philadelphia police found a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in a Mill Creek apartment Sunday.
The incident happened on the 4900 block of Aspen Street around 3:59 pm.
According to police, responding officers found a man suffering from several gunshot injuries in the rear bedroom on the second floor.
Medics pronounced the man dead at the scene at 4:06 pm, police say. He was later identified as Lavell Lewis, 29, from the 4900 block of Aspen Street.
READ MORE: Man found dead with a bullet wound to the head in Hill Creek Circle
No arrests were made, and no weapons were found.
By: Doc Louallen/ PHL17 Digital Reporter
Got a great idea for a story? Tweet me @LouallenDoc | https://phl17.com/phl17-news/man-found-dead-inside-the-bathroom-of-his-apartment-in-mill-creek/ | 2022-05-24 14:01:59 | 1 | https://phl17.com/phl17-news/man-found-dead-inside-the-bathroom-of-his-apartment-in-mill-creek/ |
California bill could lead to a ban on Skittles and other popular candies
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A first-of-its-kind bill in California could lead to the ban of popular candies like Skittles, Nerds, and Hot Tamales due to certain additives considered dangerous and toxic.
Assembly Bill (AB) 418 would prohibit the manufacture, sale, or distribution of any food containing Red Dye no. 3, titanium dioxide, potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil, or propyl paraben.
The bill was introduced by State Assemblymembers Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) and Jesse Gabriel (D-Woodland Hills), who said the chemicals are harmful and readily found in grocery store aisles.
"Californians shouldn’t have to worry that the food they buy in their neighborhood grocery store might be full of dangerous additives or toxic chemicals," said Gabriel, who chairs the Assembly Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection.
Wicks has said that the harmful effects of the chemicals came to be a concern for her as a mother and that the ingredients can be easily avoided in the use of products.
SEE ALSO: Deadly fungal infection C. auris spreading at 'alarming rate,' CDC says
The five additives named in the bill are often used to extend foods’ shelf life and enhance flavor. They've been banned by the European Union (EU) based on studies that have shown they’re linked to health dangers including increased risk of cancer, harm to the reproductive system, and behavioral issues among children, according to the bill's sponsors.
They also said the ingredients have ended up in our foods through a loophole in federal law under the FDA's "Generally Recognized as Safe," or GRAS designation, which the bill's sponsors said was intended to apply to common household ingredients like vinegar.
"Shockingly, most of these chemicals have never been independently evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or were last reviewed decades ago," Gabriel’s office said, adding, "As a result of this loophole, chemical companies have added new substances to the food supply with almost no meaningful federal oversight."
Advocates of the ban said many of the products containing the harmful chemicals were being targeted toward children and also being marketed to low-income consumers and communities of color.
In a statement to KTVU, the manufacturer behind Hot Tamales, Just Born, said the company made its products in compliance with FDA guidelines, and added, "Our product development team is continually exploring opportunities to provide expanded options for our consumers, including colors derived from natural sources that can deliver the same visual impact and stability as their certified counterparts."
The National Confectioners Association (NSA) and a coalition of food and beverage retailers, manufactures, and distributors have also expressed their opposition to the bill and challenged the assertion that the chemicals posed health risks.
"All five of these additives have been thoroughly reviewed by the federal and state systems and many international scientific bodies and continue to be deemed safe," the coalition said in a letter to the State Assembly Committee on Health.
The NSA shared its opposition in a letter to Gabriel and Wicks saying that the bill was misguided. "The substances that would be prohibited by AB 418 have all been approved by FDA," the group said, adding that the FDA’s food safety evaluation "determines an appropriate level of use that includes a built-in safety margin - a factor that allows for uncertainty about the levels of consumption that are expected to be harmless."
The confectioners association also suggested that the legislation would be detrimental to the state economy, as the candy industry represented a $7.7 billion economic output in California and created well paying jobs for tens of thousands of residents.
AB 418 was expected to be heard in committee in the coming weeks.
This story was reported from Oakland, Calif. | https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/california-bill-could-lead-to-a-ban-on-skittles-and-other-popular-candies | 2023-03-23 00:47:57 | 0 | https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/california-bill-could-lead-to-a-ban-on-skittles-and-other-popular-candies |
The Giants will report to training camp on July 26 to kick off the 2022 season, the real start to Brian Daboll’s tenure as head coach. There are a lot of question marks after a quiet offseason in free agency, with GM Joe Schoen hamstrung by the mistakes of his predecessor.
Expectations are low, but if certain players step up — especially some key rookies — maybe the Giants can win more games than many are predicting.
In the weeks leading up to training camp, NJ Advance Media will be counting down the 21 most important players for the 2022 season.
That is: the players that will be the most important to the team’s success this upcoming season.
First up: A rookie drafted on Day 3 that might wind up starting as soon as Week 1.
He’s a rookie, a likely Day 1 starter and one of the most talked about players in minicamp and OTAs.
No, not Evan Neal. Not Kayvon Thibodeaux.
Daniel Bellinger, the fourth round tight end from San Diego State that only scored five touchdowns in four college seasons. The Giants went into the NFL Draft knowing they’d need to draft a tight end early — and that he’d have to be big enough to step into a big role right away.
Ricky Seals-Jones and Jordan Akins were never going to cut it as the top options.
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Now, the new Giants regime led by coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen are hoping they found a diamond in the rough, a quality starter at an important position for the quarterback — especially Daniel Jones in 2022 — as they did with Dawson Knox when they were with the Bills.
Knox was a late third-round pick (96th overall, Bellinger went 112th overall) out of Ole Miss in 2019, stepped into an offense that didn’t heavily feature the tight end for his first two years (52 catches, 676 yards, five touchdowns) and then broke out with an impressive leap in 2021 (49 catches, 587 yards, nine touchdowns). He started 11 games as a rookie, so a Knox-esque trajectory should be the goal for Daboll. Like Bellinger, Knox wasn’t especially productive in college (zero touchdowns) but the Bills saw something in him, like Daboll and Schoen see something in Bellinger now.
And he’ll can’t the chance to prove them right, as soon as this year.
Who: Daniel Bellinger
Position: Tight End
Age: 21
Year: First (First with Giants)
How he did in 2021: The 6-foot-5, 253-pound Bellinger’s stats didn’t jump off the page at San Diego State — only 31 catches for 357 yards and two touchdowns — but those numbers don’t tell the whole story. The Aztecs didn’t heavily feature tight ends and Bellinger spent a lot of time blocking in a run-heavy offense. An important stat: Bellinger had zero drops on 43 targets, and his drop percentage was only 4.2% for his career, per Pro Football Focus.
At the NFL Combine, Bellinger had a solid 4.63-second 40-yard-dash and a 10-foot, 5-inch broad jump, putting him in the 93rd percentile among tight ends.
Why he’s important: The Giants had a lot of roster turnover over the last five years, but one player remained consistent across three coaching regimes: Tight end Evan Engram, the last first-round pick of the Jerry Reese era. It was a surprise to no one that Engram didn’t re-sign this offseason — his struggles with drops and relationship with the fan base has been well-documented — but that did leave a gaping hole in the offense. Especially after the Giants also cut Kyle Rudolph and Kaden Smith. They essentially entered the offseason without any tight ends, and free agent signings Ricky Seals-Jones and Jordan Akins weren’t going to scare any defensive coordinators.
Enter Bellinger: The Giants snagged Bellinger at the top of the fourth round with the expectation that he’d eventually develop into their full-time starting tight end. He’s really the antithesis of Engram: Where Engram was extremely athletic, versatile, struggled with blocking and drops, Bellinger is not quite as versatile or athletic but is much more sure-handed and already a better blocker than Engram. In OTAs and minicamp, Bellinger got the most reps with the first-team ahead of Seals-Jones or Akins and already seems penciled in as the starter.
It’s unclear as of yet how much Daboll will feature the tight end in his offense, so maybe he won’t get a lot of targets in an offense with Saquon Barkley, Kenny Golladay, Kadarius Toney and Sterling Shepard, but he’ll still be a crucial part of what the Giants do — and hopefully can be a weapon in the red zone at least too.
He said it: “It’s pretty easy just to come out of that whole stage of, ‘Oh, I’m in the league.’ It doesn’t matter now. Everybody here is trying to compete. Everybody here has to put in the work if they want to be on the field. It’s really easy to let that go and quickly get into it and understand that you have to focus on your job ...
“A tight end needs to pass block, needs to run block, needs to go out and create space and make himself open so he can catch balls and create opportunities for the offense.” — Bellinger during OTAs.
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Zack Rosenblatt may be reached at zrosenblatt@njadvancemedia.com. | https://www.nj.com/giants/2022/06/ranking-giants-21-most-important-players-no-21-is-a-surprising-rookie-already-expected-to-play-a-big-role-helping-daniel-jones.html | 2022-06-13 12:51:22 | 1 | https://www.nj.com/giants/2022/06/ranking-giants-21-most-important-players-no-21-is-a-surprising-rookie-already-expected-to-play-a-big-role-helping-daniel-jones.html |
During Big 12 media days in July, Steve Sarkisian was blunt: he wouldn’t be the head coach of Texas if not for Nick Saban.
Sarkisian’s roundabout career spun through Tuscaloosa twice, once as an analyst in 2016, then as the offensive coordinator in 2019, before eventually leading to Austin. This Saturday, Sarkisian will cross paths with the Crimson Tide once again.
Alabama’s biggest nonconference game of the year and first overall matchup against the Longhorns since the 2010 BCS National Championship brings another familiar storyline, too. Saban — fresh off his first two defeats to former assistants last season — will man the sidelines against a former employee for the 28th time.
The connections go past the head coaches as four other staffers and one graduate assistant have a history with the Crimson Tide. But don’t assume their insight to significantly impact the scoreboard. In fact, Saban reasoned on Monday during his press conference, that his own knowledge of the Longhorns’ coaches could cancel out, leaving the players between the lines to determine the outcome.
“We’ve seemed to play several teams now that kind of know us, but you act like we don’t know them,” Saban, who’s 25-2 against assistants, said. “So just because somebody knows you when they play you, doesn’t mean they’re going to beat you. And just because you know them when you play them, doesn’t mean you’re gonna beat ‘em either. It’s gonna come down to how you execute.”
All of the Alabama-Texas connections from coaches to players
What Saban said about Texas, Steve Sarkisian and recruiting Texas
Alabama’s coach then heaped praise on a few of the Longhorns (1-0) the Tide (1-0) will see this Saturday at 11 a.m. CDT inside Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium.
Junior running back Bijan Robinson “can do everything” and showcased it with 101 scrimmage yards and two scores (one receiving touchdown, one rushing) against Louisiana-Monroe. Sophomore Xavier Worthy is a “great receiver” at 6-foot-1, 164-pounds. Saban also praised Quinn Ewers as a quarterback with “a tremendous” talent for throwing the ball.
Sure, Bryce Young will match up against his former play-caller and Tide fans will see receiver Agiye Hall and others in front of a “hostile” crowd, as Young put it. But the Week 2 matchup is still predicted to be a two-touchdown Alabama win, an early season benchmark to see if the Tide are as good as its 55-point shutout of Utah State showed it could be.
“To think we’re gonna go change a lot of things that we do, that our players know how to do, that they do well, that they have confidence in—I don’t think that’s the answer when it comes to getting execution and having confidence in how you have to adjust in what you need to do,” Saban said.
More on Alabama’s 55-0 win over Utah State: What Nick Saban said after Utah State
Newcomers complement Alabama football’s offense in win over Utah State
Bryce Young scrambles for 100 yards, sets career-high against Utah State
Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at NAlvarez@al.com. | https://www.al.com/alabamafootball/2022/09/saban-addresses-familiarity-with-texas-ahead-of-week-2-matchup-you-act-like-we-dont-know-them.html | 2022-09-05 21:35:25 | 1 | https://www.al.com/alabamafootball/2022/09/saban-addresses-familiarity-with-texas-ahead-of-week-2-matchup-you-act-like-we-dont-know-them.html |
DALLAS, Sept. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As America's conservative insurance group, they are committed to providing, simple, high quality, and affordable insurance solutions, while fighting tirelessly for the shared values we collectively believe in.
CEO Tony Lani stated: "We are reaching out to conservative consumers using a variety of non-traditional marketing and alternative media approaches". In describing what makes this business model unique, Tony Lani, continued: "The current media influencer panel includes: conservative National Radio and TV personality Grant Stinchfield, Arizona Sheriff Mark Lamb ("America's Sheriff"), Pastor Greg Locke, social media personality and pastor Joshua Feuerstein, and Dear America Host, Author, and Veteran Graham Allen". Lani also added, "More media influencers will be announced in the upcoming weeks that will allow America First Insurance to reach an even greater audience".
Also, each month, throughout the coming 12 months, we will be featuring and highlighting a product in our product suite. So, for example, since September is Life Insurance Awareness month, we will be featuring the importance of life insurance as part of a sound financial plan. To help consumers decide between final expense insurance and term life insurance, we have developed a proprietary Smart Coverage Tool™ available at: https://afig.smartcoveragetool.com/"
A portion of every dollar AFIG earns in profit will go back to organizations who serve Veterans and First Responders, Faith-Based Organizations, and other Organizations that share our values and are fighting to keep America Great.
For more information, please visit the America First Insurance Group's website http://www.americafirstinsurance.org that officially went "live" on the 4th of July, 2022.
To receive future announcements, email info@americafirstinsurance.org or visit our website at http://www.AmericaFirstInsurance.org
Press Contact: Tony Lani, email: tlani@americafirstinsurance.org
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SOURCE America First Insurance Group | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2022/09/01/americas-conservative-insurance-group-created-fight-wokeness/ | 2022-09-01 13:27:03 | 1 | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2022/09/01/americas-conservative-insurance-group-created-fight-wokeness/ |
Kremlin open to talks over potential prisoner swap involving detained US reporter Evan Gershkovich
MOSCOW (AP) — The Kremlin on Tuesday held the door open for contacts with the U.S. regarding a possible prisoner exchange that could potentially involve jailed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, but reaffirmed that such talks must be held out of the public eye.
Asked whether Monday’s consular visits to Gershkovich, who has been held behind bars in Moscow since March on charges of espionage, and Vladimir Dunaev, a Russian citizen in U.S. custody on cybercrime charges, could potentially herald a prisoner swap, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow and Washington have touched on the issue.
“We have said that there have been certain contacts on the subject, but we don’t want them to be discussed in public,” Peskov said in a conference call with reporters. “They must be carried out and continue in complete silence.”
He didn’t offer any further details, but added that “the lawful right to consular contacts must be ensured on both sides.”
The U.S. Ambassador to Moscow, Lynne Tracy, on Monday was allowed to visit Gershkovich for the first time since April. The U.S. Embassy did not immediately provide more information.
The 31-year-old Gershkovich was arrested in the city of Yekaterinburg while on a reporting trip to Russia. He is being held at Moscow’s Lefortovo prison, notorious for its harsh conditions. A Moscow court last week upheld a ruling to keep him in custody until Aug. 30.
Gershkovich and his employer deny the allegations, and the U.S. government declared him to be wrongfully detained. His arrest rattled journalists in Russia where authorities have not provided any evidence to support the espionage charges.
Gershkovich is the first American reporter to face espionage charges in Russia since September 1986, when Nicholas Daniloff, a Moscow correspondent for U.S. News and World Report, was arrested by the KGB. Daniloff was released 20 days later in a swap for an employee of the Soviet Union’s U.N. mission who was arrested by the FBI, also on spying charges.
Dunaev was extradited from South Korea on the U.S. cybercrime charges and is in detention in Ohio. Russian diplomats were granted consular access to him on Monday for the first time since his arrest in 2021, Nadezhda Shumova, the head of the Russian Embassy’s consular section, said in remarks carried by the Tass news agency.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kait8.com/2023/07/04/kremlin-open-talks-over-potential-prisoner-swap-involving-detained-us-reporter-evan-gershkovich/ | 2023-07-04 13:12:07 | 1 | https://www.kait8.com/2023/07/04/kremlin-open-talks-over-potential-prisoner-swap-involving-detained-us-reporter-evan-gershkovich/ |
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger wants his state to become an early presidential primary host — just not in 2024, as President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party are pushing.
The Republican election chief, who garnered attention for rebuffing then-President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 loss in Georgia, told The Associated Press he’d back an early primary in 2028.
It’s the first time Raffensperger, who sets Georgia’s primary election dates, has endorsed the idea of Georgia as an early nominating state, though not as soon as the Democratic National Committee and the White House want.
“Georgia would be a great early primary state in 2028,” Raffensperger told the AP.
“It has a good cross-section of engaged voters from both parties, and, as everyone seems to now recognize, we run great elections,” the secretary added in a dig at Democrats’ assertions that he and Republican Gov. Brian Kemp have worked to limit ballot access.
Raffensperger’s position highlights the Democrats’ challenge in reordering their nominating calendar to elevate racially diverse electorates and de-emphasize Iowa and New Hampshire. Those overwhelmingly white states have opened the nominating process for both major parties for decades and still lead Republicans’ 2024 calendar as it’s currently set — with national GOP officials showing little interest in reconsidering their slate.
The secretary’s announcement nonetheless shows Democrats aren’t alone in wanting Georgia, now a premier general election battleground, to expand its burgeoning influence into presidential nominating politics.
The question is whether Democrats can find momentum among the Republicans who control the Georgia statehouse and with the national GOP forces necessary to make such a change. That’s decidedly harder than Atlanta’s push to win the 2024 Democratic convention, a decision that will be made entirely within the party.
Top Georgia Democrats including Sen. Raphael Warnock and U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams of Atlanta support a presidential primary move, and the state party’s former executive director, Scott Hogan, has taken on the role of the top unofficial lobbyist for the idea, reaching out to Republicans and the business community.
“This isn’t just a political conversation. This is very much an economic conversation,” said Williams, who is also the state Democratic chairwoman. “It’s a benefit across the board, whether Republicans or Democrats.”
Audrey Haynes, a University of Georgia professor tracking the debate, cited studies showing how much more influential an average American voter becomes when they live in an early nominating state. The economic boon, she added, ranges from candidates’ television advertising to a year’s worth of tourism and consumer spending by traveling national media and the top campaigns’ permanent field staffers.
“There’s just all this spending to go along with the attention on voters and on local elected officials,” Haynes said.
Under the Democratic National Committee plan approved Saturday, the party’s 2024 presidential primaries would begin Feb. 3 in South Carolina, the state that propelled Biden’s campaign in 2020. That primary would be followed by Nevada and New Hampshire on Feb. 6, Georgia on Feb. 13 and Michigan on Feb. 27.
The national party has given Georgia Democrats until June to show they can comply with that calendar, though deadline could be extended.
Raffensperger noted the Republican National Committee has locked in its 2024 calendar, with the usual opening slate of Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada. The GOP also plans to limit convention delegates from states that move up to disrupt that traditional quartet.
“This type of move would need to be equitable, take place on the same day, and ensure that no one loses delegates,” Raffensperger said, offering no indications that he’d try to persuade the RNC to reconsider.
Jordan Fuchs, Raffensperger’s deputy, said calendar reshuffles must “at the start” be a “bipartisan decision,” a tacit acknowledgement that Biden being the genesis of Democrats’ plan does it no favors in Georgia.
“Just because one party is pushing it doesn’t mean it has bipartisan support,” she said.
Kemp, meanwhile, has given no public sign that he wants a change ahead of 2024. Additionally, Kemp’s advisers have noted he has no official role in setting the primary dates.
That said, Kemp is at the apex of his influence as a second-term, battleground governor who won reelection by nearly 8 percentage points; he defeated Democratic power player Stacey Abrams for a second time after dominating a Republican primary challenger who had Trump’s backing. So he would be key in any eventual shift.
A top Kemp adviser, who wasn’t authorized to speak on the record about an issue the governor isn’t actively pursuing and requested anonymity, said Kemp and his inner circle do not dispute the long-term benefits Georgia would accrue as an early state.
Yet the considerations for the GOP aren’t as straightforward as for Democrats.
Multiple recent presidential cycles — Barack Obama’s nomination in 2008, Hillary Clinton’s in 2016 and Biden’s in 2020 — have highlighted the power Black voters in the South already have in Democratic politics. Biden’s path was especially emphatic, as he stormed to the nomination in a matter of weeks after finishing fourth in Iowa and fifth in New Hampshire, effectively highlighting their shortcomings as Democratic bellwethers. Those two states, though, still reflect the Republican Party’s overwhelmingly white base, giving the GOP little incentive to depose them.
National Democrats, meanwhile, have made clear they want their early nominating window to be stacked with November battlegrounds; that would give their eventual nominee early exposure in key Electoral College states. Georgia Republicans, conversely, are still adjusting to their state’s tossup status after dominating at all levels of government for decades before 2020, when Georgia opted narrowly for Biden and two Democratic senators.
“I certainly believe it’s a two-party state,” said Chip Lake, a veteran GOP campaign operative. “But the conversations among Democrats on what all this means at the presidential level is just more advanced than it is for Republicans right now,” Lake said.
And, he added, Kemp’s previous statements have effectively cut off any bipartisan movement on primaries.
“No one,” Lake said, “wants to get out in front of the governor.” | https://www.myarklamiss.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-key-republican-wants-ga-as-early-primary-state-in-2028/ | 2023-02-06 23:33:16 | 0 | https://www.myarklamiss.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-key-republican-wants-ga-as-early-primary-state-in-2028/ |
TACOMA — Perhaps it is fitting that if Garfield is to become the first Class 3A girls basketball team to win three straight state titles that it had to go through Metro League rival Lakeside — the only team to beat the Bulldogs this season.
Playing against each other for the fourth time — this time with the most at stake — No. 1 Garfield held off No. 7 seed Lakeside 53-46 in a Thursday morning quarterfinal at the Tacoma Dome.
Garfield led almost the entire game, but could never quite put away the pesky Lions. On the few times the Bulldogs built a double-digit lead, Lakeside would come back.
The Lions got as close as four points in the third quarter and cut the deficit to five points a couple of times in the fourth quarter, but Garfield answered every mini-run with one of its own.
“You know, they want to back-to-back state championships,” Garfield coach Tre Simmons said of the Bulldogs, which won the state title in 2020 and 2022 (there was no state tournament in 2021). “They know what it’s like to be here. They’re up for the big moments. So we’re not rattled at all.”
Garfield (21-1) plays No. 4 seed Mead (20-3) of Spokane, which defeated Stanwood 62-54 in a quarterfinal, on Friday at 3:45 p.m.
Lakeside (17-5) plays Stanwood (20-6) in a consolation-bracket game Friday at 9 a.m.
Simmons, a Garfield alum, took over as the Bulldogs girls coach this season for Marvin Hall, and he also works as an assistant for the Garfield boys team.
Simmons missed Garfield’s 58-36 loss to Lakeside on Jan. 18 because of a previous engagement. The Bulldogs beat the Lions in the other previous matchups, 48-39 and 53-47.
“Maybe we are a little bit more talented, and maybe we come out more aggressive, but (Lakeside) has some great coaches doing a great job,” said Simmons, who played for the University of Washington.
Jayda Lewis had 15 points for Garfield, Sarah Lessig added 12 points and seven rebounds and Katie Fiso had 12 points and a game-high four assists.
Mia Broom had 17 points for Lakeside and Claire O’Connor added 15 points, six rebounds and three assists.
O’Dea boys earn matchup with top seed Mt. Spokane
O’Dea lost almost all of its 12-point halftime lead, but Mountlake Terrace could never quite catch the Fighting Irish.
No. 6 seed Mountlake Terrace (19-7) closed to two points on a few occasions in the second half, but No. 5 seed O’Dea (20-8) hung on for a 54-52 win to earn a semifinal matchup against No. 1 seed Mount Spokane.
Mason Williams led O’Dea with 14 points. He was 3 of 17 from the floor, but an excellent 8 of 9 from the foul line.
Zaevon Jones had 24 points and 11 rebounds to lead Mountlake Terrace (19-7).
Mt. Spokane (24-1) had a much easier time in its quarterfinal win, beating Bellevue 73-43.
The Wildcats led 26-12 at halftime, and were not threatened in the second half by No. 10 seed Bellevue (23-5).
Junior guard Ryan Lafferty scored 21 to lead Mt. Spokane. No one scored in double figures for Bellevue.
Notes
- The Mead girls got a huge game from junior guard Teryn Gardner in its 62-54 win over No. 6 seed Stanwood. She had 29 points, eight rebounds and five assists, and shot 9 of 19 from the field and 9 of 10 from the foul line.
- The No. 2 seed Arlington (22-2) girls rolled to a 61-43 win over No. 8 seed Meadowdale (19-8), with three players scoring all but two of the Eagles’ points. Samantha Morrow, a junior point guard, scored 28, senior guard Jenna Villa scored 20 and sophomore forward Kierra Reese had 11. | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/high-school/3a-notebook-garfield-girls-bid-for-historic-threepeat-still-intact-after-win-over-lakeside/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-03-03 04:44:35 | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/high-school/3a-notebook-garfield-girls-bid-for-historic-threepeat-still-intact-after-win-over-lakeside/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (AP) — Chase Elliott won the NASCAR Cup pole on Saturday at Watkins Glen International, edging Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson for the top spot.
Elliott, a two-time winner at The Glen, turned a fast lap of 1 minute, 10.477 seconds around the 2.45-mile natural terrain road course. Larson, who won last year’s race at The Glen, finished in 1:10.516, just ahead of Michael McDowell.
“I’m really proud of our team,” Elliott said. “We’ll try to give them a good run tomorrow.”
William Byron was fourth and Tyler Reddick, winner of the past two road races on the Cup schedule, will start fifth as Chevrolet took four of the top five spots.
AJ Allmendinger was sixth, followed by Chris Buescher, Austin Cindric, Daniel Suárez and Kyle Busch.
Ryan Blaney and Martin Truex Jr., battling for the final playoff spot with just two races left in the regular season, will start side-by-side in Row 13.
“Definitely not the day we wanted, for sure,” Truex said. “We’ll just keep working on it, battle and fight through it and get all we can like we always do.”
Former Formula One champion Kimi Raikkonen, who came out of retirement for the chance to enter NASCAR’S top series, qualified 27th in his Cup debut. Raikkonen is driving for TrackHouse Racing and its Project91 program designed to raise NASCAR’s international exposure.
“I wish there were more laps to put everything together,” Raikkonen said. “I thought I was pretty OK. It’s good.”
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell blew the engine during practice in the No. 20 Toyota and will start at the back of the 39-car field.
___
More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/elliott-wins-cup-pole-at-watkins-glen-international/ | 2022-08-21 03:23:45 | 1 | https://www.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/elliott-wins-cup-pole-at-watkins-glen-international/ |
Nick Cannon welcomes baby No. 12
By Marianne Garvey
Nick Cannon has expanded his family once again.
“The Masked Singer” host and the model had daughter Halo Marie Cannon, on Dec. 14, Scott revealed on Instagram Thursday. Their daughter — Cannon’s 12th child to date — arrived roughly one year after the death of the duo’s son Zen, who died at age 5 months from brain cancer.
“December 14, 2022. Our lives are forever changed,” Scott wrote. “Zen is in every breath I take. I know his spirit was with us in the room that morning. I know he is watching down on us. He shows me signs every day. I will hold onto this memory forever.”
She added, “I will remember the sound of Nick’s voice saying ‘it’s a girl’ and the look of everything we’ve been through flash across his face. I will remember the sound of her crying out with her first breath and feeling her heartbeat against mine.”
Scott had shared photos throughout her pregnancy on social media.
Cannon has fathered a dozen children to date.
Cannon has three children with model Brittany Bell — sons Rise Messiah, 10 weeks, and Golden Sagon, 5, and daughter Powerful Queen, 2.
He also has three children with Abby De La Rosa — Beautiful Zeppelin, 6 weeks, and twins Zion and Zillion, 18 months — and 11-year-old twins Monroe and Moroccan with ex-wife Mariah Carey.
Cannon’s also father to son Legendary Love, 5 months, with model Bre Tiesi and daughter Onyx Ice Cole, 3 months, with model LaNisha Cole.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/news/2022/12/29/nick-cannon-welcomes-baby-no-12/ | 2022-12-29 22:14:48 | 0 | https://localnews8.com/news/2022/12/29/nick-cannon-welcomes-baby-no-12/ |
The former band director of the Pittston Area School District lost his bid Monday to overturn his convictions for engaging in sexual conduct and inappropriate games and dares with underage boys.
Brendan J. Carter, 33, is serving seven to 14 years in prison after he was deemed a sexually violent predator for the sexual conduct he engaged in with nine boys. Prosecutors said Carter engaged in a predatory pattern of conduct going back to 2013, soliciting teenage students to send him nude images of themselves and others, exposing himself in front of male band members and coercing a student to perform oral sex.
After being convicted at trial, Carter filed an appeal arguing a number of issues, including that his constitutional rights were violated because he did not receive his Miranda warning until after the police interviewed him.
The Pennsylvania Superior Court on Monday ruled against Carter, finding that he was not in police custody when he was questioned and therefore the police were not required to provide notice of his rights.
The court also noted that Carter signed a consent form allowing the police to search his cellphone without a warrant, invalidating his claim that the evidence from the warrantless search should have been suppressed.
Carter is serving his sentence at State Correctional Institution at Frackville.
In May, four plaintiffs agreed to settle their sex-abuse lawsuits against the school district for a total of $6 million.
At least two other former students still have lawsuits pending against the district. | https://www.citizensvoice.com/news/crime-emergencies/former-pittston-band-director-loses-child-sex-appeal/article_e89617e5-e6e8-5fc3-bf9b-da184bf2d4b9.html | 2023-07-11 02:58:37 | 0 | https://www.citizensvoice.com/news/crime-emergencies/former-pittston-band-director-loses-child-sex-appeal/article_e89617e5-e6e8-5fc3-bf9b-da184bf2d4b9.html |
Reduce out-of-shelf and fresh waste in real time!
ATLANTA, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The future of retail chain operations will be supported by computer vision and AI. Knowing this, the French start-up, belive.ai, recently opened its doors in Atlanta, GA, making its solutions available to the North American retail industry market.
Since its inception in 2019, belive.ai has grown quickly into the largest AI install base in terms of supermarkets and users: more than 15 grocery chains, 400 supermarkets, and more than 1,000 users using the application every day. A number of grocery and retail outlets in North America are already using belive.ai solutions with positive results.
"Our solutions focus on both improving customer satisfaction and employee experience," said Aurelien Escartin, belive.ai Co-Founder & CEO.. "By reducing wait lines, shelf outs, and even promo and price inaccuracies, belive.ai improves customer satisfaction and guides employees to work better and faster. Store managers can quickly make better decisions, all the while improving supply chain and merchandising execution."
The value of belive.ai resides in its simplicity of operation and its capacity to execute at scale. Images are continuously captured, and then transformed, in real time, into usable data. From this data, task oriented actions are created. "With the largest number of supermarkets equipped in the world," said Pierre-Marie Rallu, General Manager for belive.ai North America, "our dedicated solutions are scalable and provide proven ROI in just a couple of weeks. This low cost acquisition solution requires low maintenance and has a short learning curve. The Retailer owns the data and decides what to do with it: Use of our dashboards, integrate data within their own KPIs, and even share with vendors."
"We are the only company with referenceable grocery retailers using this solution across their entire organization," Rallu said. "We have developed a reputation for going that extra mile to adapt to the grocer's organization and processes. Our clients keep investing with us. They know, as our AI evolves, we will continue to deliver high value on their investment."
belive.ai will be at GroceryShop, the leading event for grocery & CPG, on September 19-22, 2022 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, NV. Come visit Booth # SC5.
To learn more about belive.ai visit https://belive.ai
Press Contact:
Séverine Rigaud, +1 770.820.9004
srigaud@belive.ai
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SOURCE belive.ai | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/beliveai-drive-your-store-with-ai/ | 2022-09-12 15:16:14 | 1 | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/beliveai-drive-your-store-with-ai/ |
DETROIT (AP) _ The winning numbers in Saturday evening's drawing of the Michigan Lottery's "Classic Lotto 47" game were:
07-10-28-31-32-42
(seven, ten, twenty-eight, thirty-one, thirty-two, forty-two)
DETROIT (AP) _ The winning numbers in Saturday evening's drawing of the Michigan Lottery's "Classic Lotto 47" game were:
07-10-28-31-32-42
(seven, ten, twenty-eight, thirty-one, thirty-two, forty-two) | https://www.sfgate.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Classic-Lotto-47-game-17294964.php | 2022-07-10 00:16:54 | 1 | https://www.sfgate.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Classic-Lotto-47-game-17294964.php |
NEW YORK and LONDON, May 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Monarch Alternative Capital LP, a leading investment firm with approximately $11 billion of assets under management, today announced the continued expansion of its hospitality portfolio through purchases of non-performing mortgage loans on the Hotel Felix in Chicago and the YOTEL San Francisco. Monarch subsequently took ownership of those two properties through a settlement of the debt. Monarch's flexible approach and process-driven edge enabled the firm to acquire and quickly restructure the debt of the hotels, securing the hotels at attractive valuations and setting the properties on a path for operational success. These transactions highlight the firm's continued ability to identify and source attractive opportunities in limited competition or entirely off-market processes.
"As the opportunity set in the commercial real estate market continues to evolve, we have leveraged our restructuring expertise and deep relationships to access high-quality assets at significant discounts to the previous lenders' bases through the credit markets," said Ian Glastein, Managing Principal and Co-Head of Real Estate at Monarch. "To further enhance these properties, our in-house asset management team is exploring several options to create incremental revenue streams by implementing strategic hands-on revenue management, upgrading the food and beverage spaces and enhancing amenities."
Monarch was drawn to the high-quality nature of each property. Both hotels are located within vibrant, emerging submarkets of their respective greater metropolitan areas, which have continued to exhibit improving trends in demand following dislocation driven by COVID-19. The Hotel Felix is a 228-room boutique hotel located in the heart of the River North submarket of Chicago, and the YOTEL San Francisco is a newly-converted 203-room "micro-hotel" located in the Mid-Market submarket of San Francisco. Though the hotels vary in service offerings, both assets are ideally located in bustling neighborhoods frequently visited by tourists and locals alike and also benefit from a strong corporate presence, as well as a ramp up of convention center activity. On top of the innate demand drivers of each locale, Monarch is further encouraged by the continued recovery of business and group travel nationally, in addition to the increasing demand of leisure travelers.
While urban markets like Chicago and San Francisco have only recently started to normalize, Monarch believes that both properties present an opportunity to capitalize on the continued dislocation in the hospitality market caused by the pandemic and would be overlooked by other institutional investors. Furthermore, the ongoing market disruption has put pressure on capital structures of properties, making it difficult for previous ownership groups to refinance their legacy debt. Through realignment and new ownership by Monarch, these properties are now financially situated to focus on improving operations and capitalize on improving fundamentals.
About Monarch Alternative Capital LP
Monarch Alternative Capital LP is a global investment firm founded in 2002 with approximately $11 billion in assets under management. Monarch focuses primarily on opportunistic and distressed situations across corporate debt, real estate, special situations, and other market segments. Monarch draws on the skills and experience of its employees across its offices in New York and London. For more information, please visit www.monarchlp.com.
Media Contacts:
Jeremy Fielding / Emma Young
Kekst CNC
jeremy.fielding@kekstcnc.com / emma.young@kekstcnc.com
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SOURCE Monarch Alternative Capital LP | https://www.kfyrtv.com/prnewswire/2023/05/01/monarch-alternative-capital-expands-hospitality-portfolio-through-loan-purchases/ | 2023-05-01 23:06:25 | 0 | https://www.kfyrtv.com/prnewswire/2023/05/01/monarch-alternative-capital-expands-hospitality-portfolio-through-loan-purchases/ |
LONDON (AP) — A foreign correspondent, a consultant, a businessman, a retired accountant and his wife stand in a line for nearly eight hours.
That is how this story begins, once I claim my spot among a growing queue of mourners coming from all corners of the United Kingdom and the world to pay their last respects to Queen Elizabeth II in England’s capital.
It ends when the five of us exit the majestic hall — each in awe, in our own individual way, of the forces of change that swirl around us.
One step into the line, a volunteer named Kofi jots down my number; a wristband later confirms I am No. 3,017 in the queue.
I look back, and the chain of people has already grown by a dozen. It will stretch for miles along the south bank of the River Thames toward Westminster Hall, where the late queen is lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday.
We were told to expect this. Long waiting times, potentially for 30 hours, in lines that could stretch more than five miles.
A single-zip backpack was all we were allowed to bring; food and drink would be tossed before entering the hall. I packed as I would for a hostile assignment: Layers and waterproofs to account for the notoriously moody weather. Protein bars and a fully charged power bank. An obscene number of pens. And good shoes.
___
The first challenge is finding the end of the ever-moving queue. I start from the beginning, near the Albert Embankment, and work my way through the sea of humans from all walks of life who are lined up in single file.
My fellow queuers and I assess each other silently. There is Ramakant and his wife Usha, a retired pair with a passion for mountains. Daniel, a jolly businessman from Essex, specializes in office refurbishment. There is a consultant whose identity I’ve sworn to secrecy because she was skipping work to stand in line.
In the course of our normal lives, we are unlikely to ever cross paths. But the forces of history have somehow bound us together, at least for these next few hours. Quietly, not explicitly, a sense of community has mysteriously formed between us.
We have different reasons for coming. Ramakant and Usha adored the queen. Daniel admired her dedication. For the unnamed consultant, saying goodbye to the queen was something she had to do “for myself.”
Me? I was curious. Death has been on my mind lately.
A week prior, I had been in southern Iraq to witness thousands of pilgrims make their way to the holy city of Karbala to mark the Shiite religious observance of Arbaeen — a 40-day mourning period to commemorate the death of Imam Hussein, Prophet Mohammed’s grandson.
I watched an endless procession of pious Iraqis recreate scenes from seventh-century Islam under the scorching 105-degree (40 degrees Celsius) sun. Men rode camels in Hejazi regalia and black-clad youth waved religious flags. Food stalls that dotted the many miles to the shrine gave out rice and beans.
Now I am witness to a dramatically different queue of mourners, there to mark the passing of a monarch whose 70-year reign encompassed the end of an empire. Unlike in the parched terrain of Iraq, people here are fearful it may rain.
___
The queue, observed: Readers engrossed in thick novels. Groups of friends chatting and sharing large bottles of champagne. A woman practicing tai chi.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Ramakant says.
Usha marvels at how Elizabeth worked up until hours before she died, handling the transition of power from Boris Johnson to Liz Truss two days before her demise.
“Imagine all the things she has done behind the scenes, in the background, none of us know anything about,” she says.
They can’t believe Elizabeth is dead, despite the fact they knew she could not live forever. “Did you notice her fingertips?” Daniel says of Elizabeth’s last appearance two days before her death. “They were see-through almost, weren’t they?”
We are silent, listening to the gentle soundtrack of the Thames.
It’s a good thing, he adds, that she died soon after Prince Philip, her husband of 74 years. It had been the same with his parents; they died within two weeks of each other. “It’s the best death, really.”
The consultant ducks to avoid a TV crew. Later she scrolls social media, hoping not to find herself on international news broadcasts. A colleague calls, and she tells them she is just “getting lunch.”
I ask: Why not just tell them you are here?
“It’s just one of those things I want to do for myself, and not have to explain.” ___
Suddenly, the line is moving. The queen’s coffin has arrived in the Hall.
Everything that follows is the epitome of order. The line snakes quickly around the bank, down to the embankment, where we watch boats cruise by. Before us, in the late-afternoon sun, the gothic complex of Westminster glimmers.
Ramakant was an accountant and has spent his retirement years traveling the world with his wife. From Niagara Falls to Mt. Kilimanjaro, they have been everywhere. “The key,” says Usha, “is not to wait until tomorrow.”
“You might be dead,” Ramakant says. To our left is the National COVID Memorial Wall, with one heart for each life lived and lost.
The consultant has to use the bathroom, but the line is now moving rapidly. So we share our location with her and, moments later, wave when we are many yards ahead and are reunited.
At the final stretch, we eye the security check just before the hall entrance. We are surprised by how fast the line has moved. A woman behind me complains to the volunteers who come to take away drinks: “I’ve got 30 hours’ worth of alcohol in here!”
Ramakant is stopped from taking off his shoes before the X-ray. “This isn’t like Gatwick!” jokes one policeman, invoking the name of one of London’s airports.
Inside the hall, all falls silent and still. We look up at the lofty wood-beam ceilings. We look down, and there it is — the queen’s coffin on a raised platform, surrounded by honor guards. On top, the imperial state crown glitters with its 3,000 diamonds.
The line divides in two, and each of us is given three seconds to pay last respects. A man in a tartan kilt and with a walking stick salutes. An elderly woman rises from her wheelchair and makes the sign of the cross. Daniel gets on one knee. Ramakant and Usha bow their heads. Then it is my turn. Outside, the sun is setting.
“We probably would never have met if it weren’t for this,” Daniel says afterward. Everyone exchanges numbers. “Even in death, she’s still doing her work.”
Total time elapsed: Just over 7½ hours.
Ramakant turns to me. “So,” he says. “What will you write about us?”
___
Samya Kullab, Iraq correspondent for The Associated Press, is on assignment in London covering the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/samya_kullab | https://www.kark.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-london-diary-reflections-from-the-queue-to-mourn-the-queen/ | 2022-09-16 20:36:47 | 1 | https://www.kark.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-london-diary-reflections-from-the-queue-to-mourn-the-queen/ |
Women’s World Cup security heightened ahead of opening match following deadly shooting in Auckland
AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Security was heightened ahead of Thursday night’s opening Women’s World Cup game after a gunman killed two people at a downtown construction site in Auckland, roughly 12 hours ahead of co-host New Zealand’s match against Norway.
Norway’s team hotel was located within a short distance of the shooting, which occurred in the tourist area of the city near the harbor ferry terminal. Norway captain Maren Mjelde said teammates were awakened by a helicopter hovering outside the hotel but everyone was calm and prepared as normal for the game.
Officials from Eden Park, where New Zealand had an 1-0 upset win following an opening ceremony for the tournament, had encouraged ticket holders to arrive at the stadium early. Most of the roads surrounding the stadium were closed to vehicles hours ahead of the start.
A minute of silence was observed before the start of the game in Auckland.
The shooting happened early Thursday morning at the start of rush hour in New Zealand’s largest city. The gunman was armed with a shotgun, said New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins. He added police arrived within minutes of the first emergency call and ran straight into harm’s way to save the lives of others.
The gunman was found dead in an elevator, said Acting Police Superintendent Sunny Patel.
In addition to the three dead, at least four others were injured, including a police officer who was transported to the hospital in critical condition but is now listed in stable condition, the New Zealand police wrote on Twitter.
“New Zealand Football are shocked by the incident in Auckland CBD this morning,” the team said in a statement. “We can confirm that all of the Football Ferns team and staff are safe.”
Hipkins had initially said his attendance of the opening match was “under review” after the shooting, but he was in the stands and singing the New Zealand national anthem during the opening ceremony. He visited the team in the locker room after the game to congratulate the players.
“Clearly with the FIFA World Cup kicking off this evening, there are a lot of eyes on Auckland,” Hipkins said in an earlier news conference. “The government has spoken to FIFA organizers this morning and the tournament will proceed as planned. I want to reiterate that there is no wider national security threat. This appears to be the action of one individual.”
FIFA issued a statement saying its president, Gianni Infantino, and Secretary-General Fatma Samoura, were in constant contact with local authorities and participating teams in the vicinity.
Soccer’s world governing body “has been informed that this is an isolated incident that was not related to football operations and the opening match will proceed as planned,” FIFA said in a statement.
Tourism New Zealand canceled a welcome party, which was scheduled to be held Thursday afternoon at a location within the cordoned off area that included many hotels in which participating teams are being housed.
The United States women’s team hotel is also located in the vicinity of the shooting and the team said in a statement it was “saddened by the inexcusable loss of life to gun violence, and our thoughts are with the people of Auckland/Tamaki Makaurau and Aotearoa New Zealand.”
Jennifer Deering, a tourist from Orlando, Florida, was initially shocked to learn of the shooting after a tour guide had previously assured her that Auckland “was very safe here, other than some petty thieves.”
Then she went about her day.
“It’s sad that it’s normal for us (Americans) to see something like this on the news,” she added.
The month-long, 32-team tournament is being co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia, where the final will be staged on Aug. 20. There are strict gun laws in both countries, and fatal shootings are rare.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families in these difficult times. As a peace-loving nation, we stand with New Zealand in solidarity,” Football Australia’s head of marketing and communications Peter Filopoulos said. “The situation seems to be contained now, thanks to NZ authorities. This incident is unrelated to the Women’s World Cup. Stay safe everyone.”
__
AP Sports Writer Steve McMorran contributed from Wellington, New Zealand.
___
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wafb.com/2023/07/20/womens-world-cup-security-heightened-ahead-opening-match-following-deadly-shooting-auckland/ | 2023-07-20 13:31:44 | 1 | https://www.wafb.com/2023/07/20/womens-world-cup-security-heightened-ahead-opening-match-following-deadly-shooting-auckland/ |
TUBINGEN, Germany (AP) _ Immatics N.V. (IMTX) on Tuesday reported a loss of $14.8 million in its second quarter.
On a per-share basis, the Tubingen, Germany-based company said it had a loss of 23 cents.
The company posted revenue of $18.2 million in the period.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on IMTX at https://www.zacks.com/ap/IMTX | https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Immatics-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17361174.php | 2022-08-09 12:56:52 | 1 | https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Immatics-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17361174.php |
ATLANTA (AP) — Kyle Wright pitched seven scoreless innings to earn his major league-leading 17th victory, Austin Riley and Ronald Acuña Jr. homered, and the Atlanta Braves beat the Colorado Rockies 3-2 on Wednesday night.
Wright broke a tie with Houston’s Justin Verlander and Tony Gonsolin of the Los Angeles Dodgers to take the lead in wins.
“Yeah, it’s pretty cool how quickly it’s turned around,” Wright said. “I had two starts last year, and they were both pretty bad before I got called back up for the World Series. Just to see the growth I made last year at Triple-A and to continue to build on what I’m working on is definitely exciting doing this. It’s a great feeling, winning.”
The defending World Series champion Braves avoided their first four-game losing streak since last Sept. 14-18. Atlanta, with the NL’s third-best record at 80-51, remained three games behind the New York Mets in the East Division.
Facing Colorado for the first time in his career, Wright (17-5) allowed five hits with two walks and six strikeouts, throwing 63 of his 96 pitches for strikes. The No. 5 overall draft pick of 2017 is trying to become the first Braves pitcher to lead the NL in wins since Russ Ortiz had 21 in 2003. Hall of Famer Tom Glavine was the last Atlanta pitcher to lead the majors in victories with 21 in 2000.
A.J. Minter faced the minimum for Atlanta in the eighth, and Kenley Jansen earned his 30th save in 35 chances after facing five batters in a shaky ninth.
Riley’s 32nd homer, an opposite-field, two-run shot to right-center off Ryan Feltner (2-6), put the Braves up 2-0 in the first. Acuña made it 3-0 with his 11th long ball, an estimated 444-foot blast to center off Feltner that left his bat at 111 mph.
“It always feels good to be on the field and it feels good to produce and whenever you can put on a show for the fans, that’s great because you know they deserve it,” Acuña said through a translator.
Michael Toglia hit his first career homer, a two-run shot, to make it 3-2 in the ninth off Jansen.
“I wasn’t sure because I saw it bounce back in and I wasn’t positive if it hit the brick or the railing,” Toglia said. “But going around second, I knew and I looked at my family and saw them hugging, and that was more emotional.”
Wright, coming off seven scoreless innings in a 14-2 victory Aug. 24 at Pittsburgh, pitched around a walk in the first before stranding two runners in scoring position in the second when Brian Serven popped up and in the third when José Iglesias flew out. He didn’t allow a runner to advance past first the rest of the way.
The Rockies were attempting to win three straight on the road for the first time this year, the last stretch coming Sept. 12-18, 2021 when they won five in a row. Colorado is 20-43 away from Coors Field and has the majors’ worst road winning percentage.
Prior to Atlanta’s four-game sweep June 2-5 at Coors Field, the Rockies had won 30 of 42 games against the Braves. They are 15-5 in Atlanta since the start of 2015 and are 11-3 at Truist Park.
Riley began the night hitting .317 over his last 88 games and he has 24 homers and 67 RBIs over that stretch.
“Sometimes there’s no holes in his swing, so you have to mix what you’re doing with him and not show him any patterns,” Feltner said of Riley. “That pitch was on the outer edge of the plate, and he put a really good swing on it. Tip of the cap to him for that.”
Wright improved to 11-2 with a 2.82 ERA in 15 starts at Truist Park this year. He has won four straight starts and eight of nine overall.
Feltner allowed three runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings. He began the game 0-2 with a 19.06 ERA in two career starts against Atlanta and dropped to 0-4 with a 5.97 ERA in eight road games this season.
YOU’RE OUT
With two outs in the first and Atlanta leading 2-0, William Contreras tried to score from first on Michael Harris II’s double into the right-field corner but was tagged out on Brendan Rodgers’ relay throw to the plate. … Rockies CF Randal Grichuk laid out on a running dive to his left to catch Acuña’s liner for the first out of the third.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Acuña, who homered for the first time since Aug. 13 at Miami, went 1 for 4 after returning from missing three games with pain in his surgically repaired right knee. “It feels terrible, but we’re just going to play through it until the season ends,” he said. … The Braves are 63-29 with him in the lineup and 17-22 without. … Atlanta 2B Ozzie Albies will begin a rehab assignment on Thursday. He’s been sidelined since June 14 with a broken left foot. … The Braves returned RHP Darren O’Day and C Chadwick Tromp from rehab assignments after both were reinjured Tuesday. O’Day has a sprained right big toe and Tromp has an injured left quadriceps.
UP NEXT
Braves RHP Spencer Strider (8-4, 2.87 ERA) will face RHP Chad Kuhl (6-7, 5.17) as the teams wrap up a three-game series.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.cenlanow.com/sports/ap-wright-wins-17th-riley-acu%C3%B1a-homer-as-braves-edge-rockies/ | 2022-09-01 22:37:08 | 1 | https://www.cenlanow.com/sports/ap-wright-wins-17th-riley-acu%C3%B1a-homer-as-braves-edge-rockies/ |
ORLANDO, Fla. — A central Florida television journalist and a little girl were fatally shot Wednesday afternoon near the scene of a fatal shooting from earlier in the day, authorities said.
Orange County Sheriff John Mina said during a news conference Wednesday evening that they’ve detained Keith Melvin Moses, 19, who they believe is responsible for both shootings in the Orlando-area neighborhood.
Besides the Spectrum News 13 journalist and the 9-year-old girl, a TV crewmember and the girl’s mother were wounded during the second shooting. They were in critical condition at a local hospital.
“I want to acknowledge what a horrible day this has been for our community and our media partners,” Mina told a room full of reporters. “I work closely with all of you and know many of you and know the the very difficult job that you do and also the very important job that you do for our community and for law enforcement. No one in our community — not a mother, not a 9-year-old and certainly not news professionals — should become the victim of gun violence in our community.”
Mina said they don’t immediately have a motive for any of the shootings.
“So, the suspect is not saying much right now,” Mina said. “It is unclear if he knew they were news media or not. We’re still trying to work all that out.”
Mina said the News 13 vehicle did not look like a typical news van with TV station markings.
Deputies had initially responded to the Pine Hills area, just northwest of Orlando, on Wednesday morning following reports of a woman in her 20s being shot.
Moses "was an acquaintance of the woman this morning, but as far as we know, had no connection to the reporters and no connection to the mother and the 9-year-old,” Mina said.
According to witnesses, a man approached the news vehicle later Wednesday and opened fire, hitting the two reporters. The man then walked to a nearby home and shot the mother and daughter.
WFTV crews, who were also reporting on the morning shooting, tried to give medical aid to the Spectrum 13 journalists.
Mina said Moses is already facing a murder charge for the initial victim, and charges are expected soon for the other four victims. Moses’ criminal history includes gun charges, as well as aggravated battery, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary and grand theft offenses, the sheriff said.
“Our hearts go out to the family of the journalist killed today and the crew member injured in Orange County, Florida, as well as the whole Spectrum News team,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Twitter.
Spectrum News 13 was not identifying the crew members who were involved in the shooting, according to a story on the TV station’s website.
“Please, please, say a prayer tonight for our co-worker who is in critical condition. And while you’re at it, please say a prayer for every victim of gun violence in this country,” Spectrum 13 journalist Celeste Springer said during her live on-air report.
Worldwide 40 journalists were reported killed last year, plus another two this year before Wednesday, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Only one of those was in the United States.
Jeff German, who who covered politics and corruption for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, was found dead outside his home with multiple stab wounds in September. Former Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles has been charged with murder in the slaying.
In 2015, Virginia reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward were shot and killed during their live TV broadcast for CBS affiliate WDBJ7. The suspect, a former reporter for the TV station, died by suicide during the law enforcement search for him. | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/nation-world/florida-shooting-journalist-young-girl-killed/507-c188cce2-054c-41ff-a03c-c71cd7eff0fb | 2023-02-23 02:35:46 | 0 | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/nation-world/florida-shooting-journalist-young-girl-killed/507-c188cce2-054c-41ff-a03c-c71cd7eff0fb |
NEW YORK, Dec. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Amynta Group, a leading insurance services provider of property & casualty and warranty protection products and services, announced the appointment of Brett Davis as Non-Executive Chairman of Specialty Equipment Insurance Services (SEIS), Amynta's heavy equipment protection and insurance services business. Davis will work with SEIS to expand its position across the heavy equipment market and drive growth in the business. This appointment expands Davis's role as Executive Advisor to SEIS.
"Brett has been a valued partner to SEIS for years. Brett is a highly respected and knowledgeable leader in the construction and agriculture equipment sector, with deep relationships across the market. His experience and relationships will be invaluable as we continue to build new opportunities and expand our platform with equipment dealers in the US and Canada," said Anthony R. Slimowicz, EVP of Amynta Group and President of SEIS.
Davis previously served at CNH Industrial, where he held multiple leadership roles during his 25-year tenure, including President and Chairman of CNH Industrial Capital, president of CNH Latin America Financial Services and Vice President of New Holland North America. He has also served on the board of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association.
Specialty Equipment Insurance Services (SEIS), a subsidiary of Amynta Group, is a leading equipment protection and insurance service provider delivering best in class enterprise solutions to Original Equipment Manufacturers, Dealer Networks and Dealer Partners.
Amynta Group is a premier insurance services company with more than $3.5 billion in managed premium and 2,000 associates across North America, Europe, and Australia. An independent, customer-centered, and underwriting-focused company, Amynta serves leading carriers, wholesalers, retail agencies, auto dealers, OEMs, and consumer product retailers with innovative insurance and warranty protection solutions. Amynta operates through three segments: Managing General Agencies; Warranty, including automotive, consumer and specialty equipment; and Specialty Risk Services. For more information, please visit amyntagroup.com.
Media Contact:
Brenna Tetley
Phone: +1.646.887.9498
Email: Brenna.Tetley@amyntagroup.com
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SOURCE The Amynta Group | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2022/12/19/amynta-appoints-brett-davis-chairman-specialty-equipment-insurance-services/ | 2022-12-19 20:01:11 | 1 | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2022/12/19/amynta-appoints-brett-davis-chairman-specialty-equipment-insurance-services/ |
CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — The first racing book Justin Marks ever read was called “The Unfair Advantage,” written during a one-year sabbatical by the late Mark Donohue about his boss Roger Penske.
Marks grew up in admiration of Penske, Rick Hendrick and Joe Gibbs, the top owners in American motorsports. When he was 15, Marks got his picture taken with Gibbs at the 1996 Daytona 500. He wanted to be a racecar driver and made it happen with 80 starts across NASCAR’s three national series.
He never ran a full season, won only one career race and eventually switched to his entrepreneurial efforts, which included entering NASCAR ownership. He started Trackhouse Racing one season ago.
On Sunday, the organization enters its 100th race poised to advance both its drivers into the round of eight.
The 41-year-old is beyond humbled at what he’s accomplished and how quickly the team has become a legitimate challenger to NASCAR’s big dogs.
“These guys were my heroes and they represent what the true top of the sport is, a sport that I’m so passionate about,” Marks said. “Just to have an opportunity to walk through the garage as colleagues is incredibly humbling. Then for us to be in the playoffs and in position to compete against them this deep is just humbling and a testament to how talented everyone is in this building and how hard they are working.”
Ross Chastain and Daniel Suárez have combined this season to give Trackhouse its first three wins in team history. Chastain heads into Sunday’s playoff race on The Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway ranked third in the standings, needing to finish ninth or better to automatically advance into the next round. Suárez is seventh in the standings, 12 points above the cutline needing a finish in the top eight to guarantee he advances.
The field will be trimmed from 12 to eight but really only three drivers will be dropped: Alex Bowman is sidelined for a second consecutive week with a concussion and will be eliminated.
Suárez believes he and Chastain can both contend for the race win on Charlotte’s hybrid road course that uses part of the oval. Chastain scored his first career Cup win on the COTA road course in Texas and Suarez’s only Cup win came on the Sonoma Raceway road course.
“We have a very good road course program at Trackhouse Racing. Both Ross and I have won races and been strong in each race,” Suárez said. “It’s a great feeling as a driver to know you have a strong chance to win every time you race.”
Marks launched the team last season around Suárez, the only Mexican driver in NASCAR’s top level, on a leased charter because the demand to buy the guaranteed spots in the field was too high. When he found through negotiations last year that the charter price was only rising — 23XI paid a record $13.5 million last season for its second one — Marks took a different route.
He cold-called Chip Ganassi and asked whether Ganassi was interested in selling him his NASCAR team. Ganassi listened to the pitch and in November turned over the keys to his race shop, the contracts for his employees and his two charters. Chastain was retained from the Ganassi lineup and the team has been the surprise of the season.
Marks credits NASCAR’s new Next Gen car for some of Trackhouse’s success. Although the car is currently under intense scrutiny because three full-time drivers will miss Sunday’s race with injuries suffered in crashes, Marks firmly believes the car has delivered on its promise of leveling the playing field and improving competition.
NASCAR heads into Charlotte with a record-tying 19 different winners of points-paying races, while Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney won non-points races to make it 21 different drivers in victory lane this season.
“I am a huge believer this car is going to be successful by cultivating a great – and I sound super redundant because I say it all the time – is building a great culture where people are really excited about coming to work here,” Marks said. “The work that we do on these race cars, now that where in such a tight window and you can’t engineer a piece of equipment that is superior to another team’s piece of equipment, it’s the pride that you take in the work that you do in assembling that piece of equipment.
“That is what has given us the opportunity to do what we’re doing.”
LOGANO ON POLE
Joey Logano won the pole for Sunday’s race on The Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway with a lap of 103.424 mph to earn the top starting spot for the third time this season.
William Byron, who earned 25 points back from an appeals committee this week that keep him in the championship race, qualified second and was followed by Daniel Suárez as playoff drivers took the top three spots.
Tyler Reddick and Austin Cindric, who is below the cutline and in danger of elimination on Sunday, completed the top five. Playoff driver Ross Chastain veered off course during the final round of qualifying and damaged his Chevrolet, which was being repaired so he would not need a backup car.
The No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Ford for Josh Williams was not permitted to qualify after three failures in pre-qualifying inspection. IndyCar driver Conor Daly’s Cup debut got off to a rough start when the No. 50 The Money Team Racing Chevrolet failed inspection twice and Daly brushed the wall in practice.
ODDS AND ENDS
Chase Elliott, who has already clinched his spot in the round of eight, is the FanDuel favorite. Elliott has won two of his four starts on The Roval. … Rick Hendrick this week sent a bouquet of flowers to the Petty GMS Racing shop in Statesville to congratulate the team on Erik Jones’ win at Darlington and thank them for Jones pushing Elliott to the win at Talladega last week. … The four drivers below the cut line in danger of elimination are Chase Briscoe of Stewart-Haas Racing, Cindric of Team Penske, Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing, and Bowman of Hendrick Motorsports. Noah Gragson is replacing Bowman for a second consecutive week.
___
More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/apf-AutoRacing and https://twitter.com/AP | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/ap-trackhouse-heads-into-100th-start-in-championship-contention/ | 2022-10-09 00:01:37 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/ap-trackhouse-heads-into-100th-start-in-championship-contention/ |
BEIJING (AP) — Chinese Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu will visit Russia next week for meetings with counterpart Sergei Shoigu and other military officials, China’s Defense Ministry said Friday.
Li’s visit underscores China’s strengthening engagement with Russia, with which it has largely aligned its foreign policy in an attempt to reshape the world order to diminish the influence of the United States and other Western democracies.
China has refused to criticize Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and blamed the U.S. and NATO for provoking Moscow. During a 2022 visit to Beijing, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping issued a joint statement declaring a “no limits” relationship between the two countries.
Li will also visit Russia’s military academy during his April 16-19 trip, Defense Ministry spokesperson Col. Tan Kefei said.
The trip follows an official visit to Moscow last month by Xi that emphasized how China is increasingly becoming the senior partner in the relationship as it provides Russia with political cover and an economic lifeline during its war on Ukraine.
Officially, however, China remains neutral in the conflict and has yet to offer a full-throated endorsement of Russia’s actions.
While Moscow and Beijing have said they would increase contacts between their militaries and stage more joint sea and air patrols and drills, the Chinese foreign minister said Friday that China would not be helping Russia with weapons, as the U.S. and other Western allies have feared.
“Sino-Russian military relations have continued to operate at a high level, and new progress has been made,” Tan was quoted as saying in a ministry news release announcing Li’s visit.
The “China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era” has been enriched by “strategic communication, joint exercises and practical cooperation” at the military level, Tan said.
Military power in China is concentrated in the ruling Communist Party’s Military Affairs Commission led by Xi and two vice chairs.
An aerospace engineer by training, Li is under U.S. sanctions over Chinese purchases of Russian fighter jets and air defense missiles. He was appointed minister in March at the annual meeting of China’s ceremonial legislature. | https://www.wfla.com/news/international/ap-international/china-defense-minister-to-meet-russian-counterpart-in-moscow/ | 2023-04-14 18:29:04 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/news/international/ap-international/china-defense-minister-to-meet-russian-counterpart-in-moscow/ |
Hard Rock Hotels, Cafes and Casinos will participate by "going dark" for one hour on March 25, 2023
HOLLYWOOD, Fla., March 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hard Rock International is once again teaming up with global conservation leader World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for its annual Earth Hour movement, bringing the world-renowned brand's "Save the Planet" motto to life. Hard Rock Hotels, Cafes and Casinos around the globe will participate on March 25, 2023, by "going dark" for one hour starting at 8:30 pm local property time. Guests at participating properties' restaurants, bars, Rock Shops®, hotel rooms, lobbies and outdoor spaces will partake in the movement by engaging in fun, entertaining activities, without the use of electricity: from candle-lit dinners and acoustic musical performances to flame shows, cocktail promotions, and ROXITY Kids Club events.
WWF's annual Earth Hour encourages countries, businesses, and iconic landmarks around the world to host events and switch off lights to build awareness for climate change action. Throughout the years, the Hard Rock International and WWF partnership has helped conserve more than 603,000 kilowatts to-date through the Earth Hour movement. In 2022, 114 Hotels, Cafes and Casinos spanning two dozen countries saved nearly 391,800 kilowatts of electricity – enough to power more than 1,500 outdoor concerts.
"It's with great enthusiasm each year that Hard Rock partners with World Wildlife Fund for Earth Hour in support of its continued mission to protect the future of nature and create impact together," said Paul Pellizzari, Vice President of Global Social Responsibility for Hard Rock International. "As one of our four founding mottos, Hard Rock is committed to "Save the Planet" and we're thrilled to unite team members from all over the world for this worthy cause, while inspiring others for the good of the planet."
Hard Rock continues to grow efforts to sustainably address waste, energy, and water, by driving operational improvements, engaging non-profit partners, and pursuing best practice collaborations with vendors. As part of an impact collaboration with global health leader Clean The World (CTW), participating Hard Rock Hotels will donate soap and bottled in-room amenities such as shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion to create sanitized hygiene kits crafted with recycled materials. Hard Rock and Seminole Gaming's participation in Clean The World's Hospitality Recycling program diverted 13,660 pounds of plastic waste and distributed approximately 66,370 bars of soap and 10,339 pounds of leftover soap through Hygiene Kits used in shelters, food pantries and disaster recovery organizations in the United States to date.
To learn more about Hard Rock's mottos and Save the Planet commitment including partnership with WWF and CTW, please visit www.hardrock.com/living-our-mottos.aspx. Additional information on Hard Rock International can be found by visiting www.hardrock.com.
About Hard Rock®:
Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies with venues in over 70 countries spanning 265 locations that include owned/licensed or managed Rock Shops®, Live Performance Venues and Cafes. HRI also launched a joint venture named Hard Rock Digital in 2020, an online sportsbook, retail sportsbook and internet gaming platform. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world's largest and most valuable collection of authentic music memorabilia at more than 86,000 pieces, which are displayed at its locations around the globe. In 2022, Hard Rock Hotels was honored as the number one brand in Outstanding Guest Satisfaction for the second year in a row among Upper Upscale Hotels in J.D. Power's North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study. This designation is the fourth consecutive year the iconic brand has been among top brands in this category. HRI is the first privately-owned gaming company designated U.S. Best Managed Company by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal for the second year. Hard Rock's recognition by Forbes in the 2023 list of America's Best Large Employers for the seventh year in a row, stands amongst other accolades by Forbes such as ranking amongst World's Best Employers, as well as Best Employers for Women, Diversity and New Grads and a Top Large Employer in the Travel & Leisure, Gaming, and Entertainment. In the 2022 Global Gaming Awards, Hard Rock was named Land-Based Operator of the Year for the second time in four years. In 2021, Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos received first place ranking in the Casino Gaming Executive Satisfaction Survey conducted by Bristol Associates Inc. and Spectrum Gaming Group for six of the last seven years. Hard Rock International currently holds investment grades from primary investment rating agencies: S&P Global Ratings (BBB) and Fitch Ratings (BBB). For more information on Hard Rock International, visit www.hardrock.com or shop.hardrock.com.
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SOURCE Hard Rock International | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2023/03/21/hard-rock-international-honor-save-planet-motto-part-ongoing-partnership-with-world-wildlife-fund-during-annual-earth-hour-movement/ | 2023-03-21 14:05:29 | 0 | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2023/03/21/hard-rock-international-honor-save-planet-motto-part-ongoing-partnership-with-world-wildlife-fund-during-annual-earth-hour-movement/ |
WFO SACRAMENTO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, August 18, 2022
_____
EXCESSIVE HEAT WATCH
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Sacramento CA
114 PM PDT Sat Aug 13 2022
...EXCESSIVE HEAT WATCH IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH
THURSDAY EVENING...
* WHAT...Hot conditions with Valley highs 100 to 109 degrees and
foothill highs 95 to 106 degrees.
* WHERE...Sacramento Valley, northern San Joaquin Valley, and
adjacent foothills. Includes the cities of Sacramento, Stockton,
and Redding.
* WHEN...From 11 AM PDT Tuesday through 10 PM PDT Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Widespread moderate to locally high heat risk
expected. Hot temperatures will significantly increase the
potential for heat-related illnesses, particularly for those
working or participating in outdoor activities.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Warm overnight lows are expected, ranging
from 65 to 75 degrees in the Valley and 70 to 78 degrees in the
foothills.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Monitor the latest forecasts and warnings for updates on this
situation. Be prepared to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-
conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives
and neighbors.
Young children and pets should never be left unattended in
vehicles under any circumstances. This is especially true during
warm or hot weather when car interiors can reach lethal
temperatures in a matter of minutes.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.sfgate.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-SACRAMENTO-Warnings-Watches-and-17371781.php | 2022-08-13 20:52:16 | 1 | https://www.sfgate.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-SACRAMENTO-Warnings-Watches-and-17371781.php |
HONOLULU (AP) — Governor-elect Josh Green was scheduled to be sworn into office on Monday to become the state of Hawaii's ninth governor.
Green was due to take over from fellow Democratic Gov. David Ige who served two terms marked by a series of emergencies and crises ranging from volcanic eruptions to the COVID-19 pandemic and a false missile alert.
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He defeated Republican former Lt. Gov. Duke Aiona in last month's general election by a wide margin.
Green campaigned on boosting Hawaii's affordable housing and addressing homelessness.
He's spent the past four years as lieutenant governor under Ige. Before that he was a state senator and representative.
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Green, who hails from Pittsburgh, served worked as a doctor in rural Kau on the the Big Island before he was elected to the Legislature. He moved to Hawaii with the National Health Service Corps in 2000.
He has continued working part time as a physician while in the state Legislature and as lieutenant governor.
Lt. Gov.-elect Sylvia Luke is also expected to be sworn in. | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Hawaii-s-Green-scheduled-to-be-sworn-in-as-new-17632833.php | 2022-12-05 19:57:48 | 0 | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Hawaii-s-Green-scheduled-to-be-sworn-in-as-new-17632833.php |
Tuition on Phoenix campus will remain at its current cost through 2023-24
PHOENIX, Dec. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In a time when record-setting inflation rates are impacting the prices on everything, Grand Canyon University is freezing tuition costs on its Phoenix campus for the 15th straight year.
The private Christian university's ground campus tuition in 2023-24 will remain at $16,500 before institutional scholarships are included. Because more than 90% of GCU students qualify for institutional scholarships that totaled $180 million in 2022, that brings the average tuition cost in 2022-23 to approximately $9,200, which is comparable to public universities and well below other private schools. That total does not include federal aid such as Pell grants and subsidized student loans or external scholarships that lower students' out-of-pocket expenses further. In addition to tuition, GCU students pay an average of roughly $1,000 annually in fees, excluding book access fees, which is less than last year's amount and often much less than both public and private universities.
According to data from the College Board's "Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid Report," since 2008-09 when GCU began its tuition freeze, the average cost for in-state tuition and fees at four-year public colleges has risen 66% to $10,940, while it has risen 56.5% to $39,400 at four-year private institutions.
"The college experience should not be negatively impacted by the prospect of taking on large amounts of debt," GCU President Brian Mueller said. "GCU is committed to making higher education affordable to all socioeconomic classes and freezing tuition is one example of how we do that. As a result, our students take on significantly less debt than the average for students at state universities and pay back their loans at higher rates than the national average. Affordable tuition has also resulted in a high-quality student body that is very diverse with over 40% students of color."
GCU's housing costs are also well below the national average. The average cost of room and board at a four-year public college rose to $12,310 in 2021-22 and to $14,030 at a four-year private institution, according to the College Board. GCU's average room and board cost is just $8,897 even though nearly all of the modern residence halls have been built in the past 10 years and roughly 58% of the university's beds are single-occupancy, apartment-style living.
GCU's remarkable transformation in the past decade is visible because you can see the growth as you walk around campus. During the 15-year tuition freeze, GCU has invested $1.7 billion into new academic programs, technologies, classrooms, laboratories, research spaces, residence halls and other student amenities in order to keep up with the growth of the university. On-campus enrollment has grown from less than 1,000 traditional students in 2008 to 25,000 today, while the number of colleges has increased from 4 to 9 and the number of academic programs, emphases and certificates is over 300.
"In challenging times with high inflation, it's important to know that your tuition costs will not be rising every year," Mueller said. "We have been blessed in that we have been able to continually invest in a campus that is now ranked among the top 20 in the country without passing those costs on to students through increases in tuition on our ground campus."
About Grand Canyon University: Grand Canyon University was founded in 1949 and is Arizona's premier private Christian university. GCU is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers 312 academic programs, emphases and certificates for both traditional undergraduate students and working professionals. The University's curriculum emphasizes interaction with classmates, both in-person and online, and individual attention from instructors while fusing academic rigor with Christian values to help students find their purpose and become skilled, caring professionals. For more information, visit gcu.edu.
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SOURCE Grand Canyon University | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2022/12/13/grand-canyon-university-freezes-tuition-15th-consecutive-year/ | 2022-12-13 17:37:44 | 0 | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2022/12/13/grand-canyon-university-freezes-tuition-15th-consecutive-year/ |
-- CHEQ Also Adds Social Payment Allowing Purchases for Fans to Occur Outside of the Arena --
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Jan. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Sacramento Kings, in partnership with CHEQ, announced an innovative technology partnership for mobile ordering, social payments and express kiosks at Golden 1 Center. Through the partnership, fans will be able to use CHEQ's technology to reduce order wait times in the arena and share the gameday experience with their friends during the 2022-23 NBA Season.
"Golden 1 Center continues to push the envelope, remaining at the forefront of new technology to provide a seamless payment experience for our fans," said Sacramento Kings President of Business Operations John Rinehart. "Additionally, with CHEQ's new social sharing feature, fans outside of the arena can add to the fun of the game by sending purchases to their friends and family inside the venue from anywhere in the world."
"We're thrilled to partner with the Kings and the entire Sacramento community to enhance the gameday experience," said CHEQ Co-Founder and CRO Jake Stone. "In addition to social sharing, our technology enables fans to reduce wait times for their favorite foods by placing orders on their phones for select locations."
Mobile ordering for pick-up will be available at select concession locations throughout the arena starting Friday as the team takes on the Oklahoma City Thunder, enabling fans to enjoy their favorite food, beverages and treats easily and friction-free. In addition, express kiosk ordering will be enabled at four of the busiest concessions in the arena, allowing fans multiple ways to enjoy their favorite treats easily and friction-free.
Under the agreement, CHEQ will become the Official Mobile Ordering and Social Payments Partner of the Sacramento Kings, Golden 1 Center and Kings Guard Gaming.
For more information, visit Kings.com.
CHEQ is the world's first social payments platform, connecting consumers and businesses to create frictionless, amazing in-person experiences. CHEQ's universal ordering and payment app can be used by any restaurant, café, bar, or stadium to make transactions fun, easy, and worry-free. Users can even send food and drinks directly to their friends from anywhere in the world. CHEQ lets venues retain their unique branding within the app and keep their direct relationships with their guests. www.cheqplease.com
Media Contacts:
Kyra Moeller, kmoeller@kings.com
Carma Connected, cheq@carmaconnected.com
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The HCS Arlington Major hosted by OpTic Gaming starts today
(Gray News) - The Halo Championship Series (HCS) Arlington Major hosted by OpTic Gaming starts at the Esports Stadium Arlington today and will go through the weekend. Teams will compete for a $250,000 prize pool, and HCS points to bolster their position in the season-long standings. Pool Play kicks off the HCS Arlington Major today with four pools of four teams.
The host of the Major, OpTic Gaming, has been placed into Pool C alongside Six Karma and Shopify Rebellion. Saying OpTic is the predominant force in the HCS is an understatement. They have not lost a Major in the HCS since May of 2022, a run that includes their season-defining win at the 2022 HCS World Championship.
This level of success is due to their powerhouse roster comprised of Bradley ‘aPG’ Laws, Tommy ‘Lucid’ Wilson, Joey ‘Trippy’ Taylor, and Matt ‘FormaL’ Piper. This foursome’s time together as a team hasn’t been long, given the length of competitive Halo’s tenure, but they quickly found a flow and team dynamic stronger than any of their competitors.
OpTic won the first major of the 2023 HCS season in Charlotte earlier this year but found a bit of resistance from FaZe Clan. In the off-season, FaZe was the team that decided they needed to stop the dominant OpTic front. They dropped everyone but Jonathan ‘Renegade’ Willette from their roster to do this. FaZe then picked up Bradley ‘Frosty’ Bergstrom, Matthew ‘Royal2′ Fiorante, and Paul ‘SnakeBite’ Duarte. This group has the firepower to end OpTic’s win streak and will look to do so this weekend.
FaZe is starting in Pool A, so we will likely see OpTic and FaZe face off in the Winners Bracket. First and second place in each pool go on to the Winners Bracket, while the third-place finisher will be put in the Elimination Bracket. Teams finishing fourth in their pool are eliminated from the tournament. Joining FaZe in Pool A are Sentinels and Quadrant.
Pool B comprises Spacestation Gaming, Natus Vincere (NAVI), and Gamers First (G1). Spacestation Gaming is the squad to pay attention to in this pool, as they finished 3rd at the Charlotte Major earlier this year.
Native Red, Native White, and BitterSweet round out Pool D. Native White should have a solid hold over this pool as they finished fourth in the Charlotte Major. The final spot in each Pool will be decided by Open Bracket play which will take place alongside the initial Pool Play matches. Once those spots are filled, the final matches of Pool Play will be played.
The HCS Arlington Major, Hosted by OpTic Gaming, starts today at 12 PM CST / 1 PM EST / 10 AM PST and will be played throughout the weekend until Grand Finals on Sunday, July 2nd, at 5 PM CST / 6 PM EST / 3 PM PST.
Go to the official Halo Infinite Twitch Stream A or the official HCS Twitch Stream B to watch the action. FaZe Clan’s first match takes place at 3 PM CST / 4 PM EST / 1 PM PST against Sentinels and will be streamed on Stream B. OpTic Gaming’s first match is against Six Karma and starts at 4:30 PM CST / 5:30 PM EST / 2:30 PST. OpTic’s match will be streamed on Stream A.
Gray Television is an investor in OpTic Gaming.
Copyright 2023 Gray Media Group. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/sports/esports/2023/06/30/hcs-arlington-major-hosted-by-optic-gaming-starts-today/ | 2023-06-30 19:06:10 | 0 | https://www.kxii.com/sports/esports/2023/06/30/hcs-arlington-major-hosted-by-optic-gaming-starts-today/ |
On Sept. 5, 1989, President George H.W. Bush appeared on live television to discuss what he called the nation's "gravest domestic threat." Sitting at his desk in the oval office, Bush held up a bag of crack cocaine that had been seized in a park across from the White House, saying: "It's as innocent looking as candy, but it's turning our cities into battle zones."
Looking back now, author and journalist Donovan X. Ramsey describes Bush's press conference as a form of propaganda designed to create a panic about the crack epidemic and to "demonize drug dealers and also addicts."
"George H.W. Bush really wanted to start his administration with a bang and being tough on crime and was a big part of that," Ramsey says. "His office made a decision that they wanted to give a big address on drugs and they wanted to use crack cocaine as a prop."
In his new book, When Crack Was King: A People's History of A Misunderstood Era, Ramsey examines the crack epidemic of the 1980s and early '90s from the points of view of four people who lived through it — and considers the lasting harm inflicted on the Black community by the government's response. For Ramsey, who grew up in Columbus, Ohio, the story is personal.
"Being a Black man who was born in 1987, the crack epidemic predates me; I've never existed in a world where crack didn't exist," he says. "So I had this real kind of deep yearning to ... fill in what felt like a gap in between the civil rights movement that we hear so much about and where we are today. And the crack epidemic seemed like that missing link."
Ramsey traces the advent of crack to a group of chemistry students at U.C. Berkeley who devised a recipe for freebasing cocaine using water and baking soda. The resulting substance provided a cheap, smokable way for people to get high quickly.
Crack spread "like wildfire" across America, Ramsey says, but it tended to hit Black neighborhoods particularly hard: "What it means to be Black in this society is to be hit first and worst."
As the epidemic took hold, the media presented apocalyptic views of Black neighborhoods transformed by the drug, and warned of a coming wave of "crack babies." Meanwhile, instead of treating the issue as a public health emergency, politicians instituted sentencing guidelines that punished users of crack more harshly than users of powdered cocaine.
"It was originally 100-to-1, meaning that you got essentially 100 times the amount of [prison] time for crack than you would for the same substance in powder form," he says. "That was reduced to 18-to-1 around 2010. But it still exists. With all that we know about crack, with all the compassion that we have now for addicts, we still haven't moved far enough to eliminate that disparity entirely."
Interview highlights
On the government's role in allowing cocaine into the country in the 1980s
We had ongoing efforts in South and Central America, in countries like Nicaragua, where we wanted to support rebels, known as Contras in Nicaragua, to overthrow their government. That was in our political interest. But Congress would not allow the U.S. government to fund a war in another country. So the U.S. government got creative — and this is well documented — through programs to actually deliver weapons to the Contras. And when that was no longer feasible, when that became exposed through Ollie North in the whole Iran-Contra affair, we just allowed them to smuggle drugs.
And so a lot of those drugs, cocaine, ended up in the United States. And this has been investigated by a commission led by John Kerry, by efforts led by Maxine Waters. It's well documented through reporting at the time that there were lots of Contras that were selling cocaine to the two dealers in the United States. And a lot of it ended up in cities on the West Coast, in Oakland and in Los Angeles.
On how the anti-drug campaign spearheaded by Ronald and Nancy Reagan vilified drug users
They helped to fund the partnership for a Drug Free America, which produced lots of those really memorable commercials like the scrambled egg [PSA ad]: "This is your brain on drugs." And there also was a real campaign to ask Hollywood directors and writers to send their scripts to the White House for approval, ways of working in anti-drug messaging. This is how you get Nancy Reagan on an episode of Diff'rent Strokes. This is how you get Jesse on Saved by the Bell saying, "I'm so excited. I'm so excited. I'm so scared," because she's hopped up on speed. ... This is the birth of the "very special episode." And we have them to thank for that.
Look, I'm a kid of the '80s. I remember so much of that messaging. ... It didn't really teach me anything useful about drugs. What it really did was just made me deathly afraid of drug addicts. It made me keep people who I even suspected of being drug addicts — the average houseless person on the street — so far away from me because I was terrified that they were just these zombies that were out to get me and to get me hooked on drugs. It made them untouchables. ... I think that many people will will try to credit Nancy Reagan and the "Just Say No" campaign and DARE and all that stuff for ending the drug epidemic or the crack epidemic. There's no evidence of that. But I do think there's lots of evidence that the propaganda made us not understand addiction in ways that we're still paying for.
On the myth of the "crack baby"
A researcher named Ira Chasnoff in Chicago did one study of a handful of Black mothers who were cocaine users. And what he found after those mothers had given birth was that many of their babies had things like tremors and low birth weight, and they sort of struggled to meet benchmarks in their infancy. And from that, he published a report about cocaine-exposed babies that then launched what became this "crack baby" notion. And lots of reporting was done about these irredeemable babies, mostly Black and Latino children, and how they were going to be a huge weight on society, that they would sort of never be able to come back from what their mothers had done to them.
Charles Krauthammer, a columnist who was writing for the Post at the time, said that death would have been more suitable for these babies than to actually live. And what we've seen through the research, longitudinal studies of cocaine-exposed babies, was that ... the symptoms that Chasnoff were seeing were actually related to premature birth. [Read more on that reasearch here.] That the effect of cocaine is that it can cause complications that then lead to premature birth, and that the tremors and the developmental things that were being seen in infancy were actually associated with the babies being born early, and not necessarily with the cocaine exposure. And then, decades later, there is no measurable difference between those children and their counterparts, children born at the same time raised in the same areas with the same sort of resources. So I say that to say that the "crack baby" myth has been debunked.
On how the "crack baby" myth impacted all Black children
For me, as a Black child growing up in the '80s and '90s, I was treated as though I was a suspect of being a "crack baby," that the ways that teachers treated me and really other Black children in my classes — mainly Black boys — was as though there was something fundamentally wrong with us that we needed to be maybe medicated to be able to be in class, or that any challenge that we presented as students, whether it was talking too much, which was my problem, or if it was not being able to sit still, that that was evidence that something was wrong with us.
On crack providing a way for members of the Black community to escape poverty
I hadn't really considered this when I set out to write the book because in my family, drug dealers had really kind of always been villainized, even though I had relatives that sold drugs. ... For the average, usually young, man, someone like Shawn McCray, who I write about in my book, is that you saw people who had walked holes in their shoes, whose families struggle to pay the rent, be able to provide basic necessities to have some piece of what maybe felt like the American dream. Not most drug dealers got rich, not most were kingpins ... or super predators who were out to get kids hooked on drugs and who were eager to get into gun battles in the middle of streets. Most of them were terrified for their lives. But it was really the only way that they could make money in a period where unemployment was so high, and Black youth unemployment was even higher. And anybody that's been a Black teenager trying to find a job understands just how frustrating that can be.
On how the crack epidemic came to an end
let's celebrate the fact that the crack epidemic is over. Let's celebrate the fact that we survived it without a whole lot of intervention from the government and that it was young people who made the decision to not continue the trend.
The crack epidemic ended not because the drug warriors rode in on white horses or because Nancy Reagan said, "Just Say No." The crack epidemic ended because the next cohort of young people who would have used crack looked around at their communities and saw the devastation and said, "Not for me." And I think a really important thing to underline, is that .. we didn't celebrate that. So let's celebrate the fact that the crack epidemic is over. Let's celebrate the fact that we survived it without a whole lot of intervention from the government and that it was young people who made the decision to not continue the trend. And that's not according to me. That's according to research by the Department of Justice, where they surveyed the hardest hit cities around the country and interviewed young people and said essentially "Why? Why aren't you doing crack?" And they said, "That whole world is too scary."
On the difficulty of telling this story
In covering Black America, I've also had to cover a lot of tragedy and hear a lot of traumatic things from people. And I had always prided myself on being able to kind take it in and to process it and turn it into something beautiful and meaningful and not be affected. But after five years of putting together this book, I was completely wrecked. I lost 40 pounds. I had a heart tremor where I was getting palpitations and had to wear a heart monitor. Every loud noise scared me. My nerves were completely shot. ...
I had to take seriously what had happened and what had happened to the people that I talked to, and how seriously impactful those events were in their lives and how the stuff that I went through impacted me. I was a kid having to get down on the ground when I heard gunshots. And that was just a normal thing: You're in the middle of play, you hear gunshots, you get on the ground, you get back up and you keep playing. Having my first bike stolen by a crack addict and the fear of having to go home and explain that to my mom, that I had given somebody my bike to fix and he never came back with it. That stuff lived in me and it needed to be excavated.
I want to say that that I'm doing much better now, including having gained the weight back, unfortunately. But I think the message from that for me is that lots of us that lived through that period, we still have some stuff that we have to deal with. We need to ask our family about that aunt or uncle who kind of disappeared and nobody talks about. We need to first learn their stories, then lift their stories up as a part of our stories. ... We won't heal until we make sense of the crack epidemic — not as this aside, but as a part of who we've been and what we've been through.
Sam Briger and Thea Chaloner produced and edited this interview for broadcast. Bridget Bentz, Molly Seavy-Nesper and Meghan Sullivan adapted it for the web.
Copyright 2023 Fresh Air. To see more, visit Fresh Air. | https://www.kunm.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-13/why-the-crack-cocaine-epidemic-hit-black-communities-first-and-worst | 2023-07-13 20:22:29 | 0 | https://www.kunm.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-13/why-the-crack-cocaine-epidemic-hit-black-communities-first-and-worst |
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — The most controversial goal of the World Cup so far was scored by Japan, and it eliminated Germany.
The Japanese came from behind to beat Spain 2-1 on Thursday and advance to the round of 16 on a goal that many felt went out of play before the ball went into the net. The victory also meant that four-time champion Germany, playing at the same time, was knocked out of the competition in Qatar.
FIFA confirmed Friday that an overhead camera positioned along the goal line verified the ball stayed in play.
WHAT HAPPENED?
After trailing 1-0 at halftime, Japan substitute Ritsu Doan scored in the 48th minute. A draw wasn’t enough, though. They needed another goal.
Three minutes later, Japan was again swarming the Spain net as the ball rolled across the goalmouth. Two Japanese players slid trying to hook the ball back in front and Kaoru Mitoma succeeded.
Mitoma’s kick sent the ball down into the turf and bouncing up in a slow loop for the onrushing Ao Tanaka to guide into the net with his right knee.
WHAT IS THE RULE?
The soccer rule from the International Football Association Board related to the incident comes in “Law 9: The Ball In and Out of Play.”
Section 9.1 states: “The ball is out of play when it has wholly passed over the goal line or touchline on the ground or in the air.”
The entirety of the width, or circumference, of the ball has to cross the line to be out of play. It does not have to be touching the white line.
A field-level camera angle on Thursday showed green space between the line and the ball, making it look out of play.
“If it was not a goal I would not have been disappointed,” Tanaka said.
VIDEO REVIEW
World Cup match officials get the benefit of 42 broadcast cameras to review all plays during the 64 games in Qatar, “eight of which are super slow motion and four of which are ultra slow motion,” FIFA said.
The VAR technology has been in use since the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
The VAR team includes four officials who review all plays in front of a bank of screens. They alert the on-field referee to “clear and obvious errors” and missed incidents in “match-changing” events.
They are not allowed to intervene for every potential infringement of the rules — only the ones that relate to goals, potential penalties, red cards and cases of mistaken identity in the awarding of yellow and red cards.
Every goal at the World Cup is reviewed to ensure the build-up play is valid.
It took more than two minutes on Thursday for the VAR team to confirm the Japan goal was good.
OTHER SPORTS
Other sports have different ways to decide if the ball in in play.
In tennis, the camera-based Hawk-Eye system verifies if any part of the ball was touching the line and therefore inbounds.
In basketball, a player can keep the ball in play as long as no part of the player’s body is touching the ground outside the court.
___
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/sports/ap-explainer-why-japans-world-cup-goal-was-judged-valid/ | 2022-12-03 08:13:20 | 0 | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/sports/ap-explainer-why-japans-world-cup-goal-was-judged-valid/ |
Preventing food waste saves money, resources and the planet. So, why is it so hard?
In the United States, about one-third of food goes uneaten, according to ReFED, a nonprofit group. That’s billions of meals and millions of tons of food rotting in landfills — and it’s exactly why I’m willing to be that food-saving weirdo.
More waste happens in homes and places such as restaurants, grocery stores and cafeterias than on farms or in factories, ReFED reports. While the Environmental Protection Agency has found that food fills landfills more than any other material, the individual choices leading to that waste can be quite small. The lonely egg roll no one had room for, the side of broccoli you neglected because the cornbread was more enticing, the half-dish of just-okay pasta you don’t want to bother taking home. They add up. And, to me, the egg roll can pair with a salad for lunch. And the pasta? Maybe I’ll spruce it up with that leftover broccoli.
Whenever I see good, edible food at risk of being thrown away, I see all the effort behind it. The farmers. The truckers. The cooks chopping and arranging food that will … go into the trash?! So I fish a container out of my bag and bundle the goodies. This doesn’t always jibe with social norms. But as long as food waste is a significant contributor to climate change, I will go against the grain, so to speak, to make an impact and hope my oddball ways catch on.
Here’s how you can follow my lead:
Bring your own containers to restaurants and pack up EVERYTHING
This eliminates the need for disposable to-go boxes and prevents eager servers from packaging items separately in a tower of containers. Plus, I can easily toss in the bones (which I save for stock) and whatever might be left in the bread basket. Sometimes our dining companions look askance and say, “You know they’d give you a new container …” And sometimes servers avert their eyes. But more often people say, “Oh! That’s great!” Or once, “My mom would be proud of you.”
Pack up wedding leftovers
Some may consider it tacky to take home leftover food after a reception. (To which I wonder: Is it tackier than filling landfills with food?) But I’m a sucker for hors d’oeuvres and often can’t finish my entrees, so salmon and mashed potatoes, meet to-go box. One caveat: I refrigerate as soon as possible. Baked goods should be good through an evening of dancing, but anything perishable left at room temperature for more than a couple of hours may not be safe.
Take home buffet extras
Whether it’s a happy-hour mixer or a black-tie affair, as an event with a buffet is winding down, I ask the hosts if it would help if I grabbed a few things. Usually they are thrilled. So, as people start trickling out, I shake off my shyness and collect what I can. The amazing thing? Once I or another brave soul starts packing up food, others do the same, like they’ve been given permission. Because while it’s hard to stick your neck out — or in this case, brazenly fill up a to-go container — it’s also hard to see good food go to waste. Plus, the tahini brownies really were delicious, right?
Buffets can be wasteful, but I hope they can evolve to be less so. With some planning, organizers can design them more efficiently and donate extras to nonprofit groups. And, increasingly, I’ve seen hosts proactively set out to-go containers. Shout-out to those food waste heroes!
Bring a chicken carcass home from a dinner party
Once, after a dinner of rotisserie chicken, my hosts asked if I wanted the carcass for stock. They would have prepared soup with it themselves, they explained, but already had a turkey carcass in their freezer. When values align, making the most of food is that much easier.
Fly with frozen lasagna
Out-of-town gatherings often mean big meals and more extra food than our extended family can eat. So I freeze some, pop it in an insulated lunch bag and nestle the bundle in my rollaboard. It’s usually still an icicle after a two-hour flight. But if I worry that it warmed too much, I use a food thermometer to make sure the surface is still within the refrigerator standard of 40 degrees or less. I just budget a little extra time for security, where there are usually some questions about the cold lump in my suitcase.
‘Borrow’ space in fridges and microwaves
Refrigeration keeps leftovers safe. So if I’m staying at a hotel without an in-room fridge or microwave, I’ll ask the staff if I can stash something in a breakroom fridge or if they can heat leftovers. They usually happily oblige. Once, when I went from lunch with a friend to a medical appointment, the doctor’s office kindly kept my pho cool.
Attempt to bring home half-finished beer in a jar
Okay, I’ll admit that this was a terrible idea. No matter how delicious that sour craft beer is, no matter how much you can’t bear to part with your unfinished portion as the hosts are collapsing tables and your spouse is gently nudging you toward the door, a jam jar is not the answer. It may not be watertight. First, please send tips for removing beer odors from leather. Second, if you’re ever on the cusp of leaving an event but don’t want to abandon your beverage, I recommend a leakproof Mason jar.
Clearly, not every rescue mission succeeds. Sometimes I’m stymied by self-consciousness, or by forgetting a container, or by food that’s sat out too long. I once took home an absurd amount of cubed cheese and then, as I struggled to finish it, discovered that some cheese I had purchased beforehand had gone moldy in the fridge. Oops. (Next time, I’ll freeze the cubes and use them in cooked dishes.)
No matter how hard we try, some food will inevitably go to waste. I accept that. And taking home buffet goodies is clearly not enough to solve the complex puzzle of food waste. But I do think that if we can value food enough that it’s more taboo to waste it than to embrace leftovers in any context — even when we’re wearing ball gowns and tuxedos, even when it’s a little inconvenient — we’ll also make more deliberate and less wasteful decisions just about every time we open our fridges or sit down to eat.
See you at the buffet? I’ll be the one with a Mason jar.
Rachael Jackson is a D.C.-based writer and the founder of EatOrToss.com. Reach her at rachael@eatortoss.com. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2023/04/20/how-to-reduce-food-waste/ | 2023-04-20 13:12:10 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2023/04/20/how-to-reduce-food-waste/ |
People who believe they are descendants of victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre can now provide genetic material to help scientists when they begin trying to identify remains of possible victims.
Danny Hellwig, laboratory director with Intermountain Forensics, said Wednesday that researchers are not ready to begin trying to match DNA for identification, but an outpouring of requests from local residents on how to provide genetic material led them to begin the process of accepting donations.
“That’s what prompted this,” Hellwig said. “We didn’t expect the amount of support and willingness to help… people have jumped out of the woodwork” to offer their DNA for testing.
Black people who had ancestors in Tulsa in 1921 are sought, Hellwig said.
“What we need is to populate these databases with family lines” of direct descendants, making identifications of the remains possible within days, Hellwig said.
“If we’re only matched with very distant relatives it can take much longer,” with previous efforts to make such matches taking four years or more, he said.
The Salt Lake City nonprofit foundation is examining 14 sets of remains removed from a local cemetery a year ago and has said at least two of the remains contains enough usable DNA for testing for possible identification.
The remains have not been confirmed as victims of the 1921 massacre, a finding that officials say could be impossible because of the length of time since they died.
People can provide their information from genealogy sites such as ancestry.com or 23andme.com and upload that to www.tulsa1921dna.org, but it isn’t known when the process of trying to match the DNA will begin.
Hellwig said donor have the option to prohibit their information from being shared with other agencies, including law enforcement, and can remove their information at any time.
The 1921 massacre occurred when a white mob descended on Greenwood, a predominantly Black neighborhood in Tulsa. More than 1,000 homes were burned, hundreds were looted and the thriving business district known as Black Wall Street was destroyed.
A search for the graves of massacre victims began in 2020 and resumed last year with nearly three dozen coffins containing remains of possible victims recovered.
Investigators haven’t said when they’ll analyze additional sites where suspected mass graves are located, but potential search areas are planned, according to city officials in Tulsa.
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For AP coverage of the 100th Tulsa Race Massacre anniversary, go to https://apnews.com/hub/tulsa-race-massacre | https://www.koin.com/news/national/descendants-of-possible-tulsa-massacre-victims-can-give-dna/ | 2022-07-14 17:48:26 | 0 | https://www.koin.com/news/national/descendants-of-possible-tulsa-massacre-victims-can-give-dna/ |
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Monday evening's drawing of the Illinois Lottery's "Lucky Day Lotto" game were:
01-16-17-43-44
(one, sixteen, seventeen, forty-three, forty-four)
Estimated jackpot: $200,000
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Monday evening's drawing of the Illinois Lottery's "Lucky Day Lotto" game were:
01-16-17-43-44
(one, sixteen, seventeen, forty-three, forty-four)
Estimated jackpot: $200,000 | https://www.ourmidland.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Lucky-Day-Lotto-game-17602719.php | 2022-11-22 05:11:34 | 1 | https://www.ourmidland.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Lucky-Day-Lotto-game-17602719.php |
Help is coming for many people with medical debt on their credit reports.
Starting Friday, the three major U.S. credit reporting companies will stop counting paid medical debt on the reports that banks, potential landlords and others use to judge creditworthiness. The companies also will start giving people a year to resolve delinquent medical debt that has been sent to collections before reporting it — up from six months previously.
Next year, the companies also will stop counting unpaid medical debt under at least $500.
The companies say these moves will wipe out nearly 70% of the medical debt listed on consumer credit reports.
Patient advocates call that a huge advance. But they question whether medical debt should be on credit reports at all, given that many see it as a poor indicator of whether someone is trustworthy for a loan or rent.
“These aren’t people who bought shoes they couldn’t afford,” said Amanda Dunker, of the nonprofit Community Service Society of New York. “They went to a doctor because they were sick or needed help with an injury.”
Brooke Davis had about $1,300 in medical debt from a breast cancer scare that lingered for years on her credit report.
The 48-year-old McDonough, Georgia, resident said that made it difficult to rent an apartment, and she needed a co-signer for a car loan.
“You can’t get anything, you can’t even get a credit card if you have bad credit,” she said.
The non-profit RIP Medical Debt relieved Davis’s debt last fall. But more health problems and the loss of a job have pushed Davis back into debt. She’s currently stuck with a swollen knee for which she can’t see her doctor.
“I don’t have the money to really go for my knee right now, so I’ve just been suffering with it,” she said.
The federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has said its research shows mortgages and credit cards are better predictors than medical bills of whether someone will repay a debt.
The agency, which monitors banks, lenders and other financial institutions, has noted that people often don’t have time to shop for the best price when they seek care and may have little control over the progress of a serious illness.
Medical billing errors can wind up on credit reports. And patients are sometimes unsure about what they owe or whether an insurer will eventually pay it.
The agency said earlier this year it estimates that 58% of the debt in collections and on credit records is from medical bills, and past-due medical debt is more prevalent among Black and Hispanic people.
The bureau is trying to determine whether unpaid medical bills should be included on credit reports.
John McNamara, an assistant director with the bureau, declined to estimate when the agency might make a decision. It could propose a rule, after hearing from all sides on the issue, that would end the practice.
Credit reporting companies also are considering whether medical debt should remain on the reports, said Justin Hakes, a vice president with the Consumer Data Industry Association.
The three national credit reporting agencies — Experian, Equifax and TransUnion — announced the medical debt changes in March, after the bureau said it would hold those companies accountable for the accuracy of their reports.
Patient advocates said those changes will help a lot of people.
The wait in reporting delinquent debt will give patients time to figure out how to resolve a bill, noted Chi Chi Wu, an attorney with the National Consumer Law Center.
“It gives more breathing room to deal with the insurance company or your provider,” Wu said. “Everybody has a story about that.”
Much of the medical debt that landed on Melina Oien’s credit report several years ago was for bills that were under $500. The Tacoma, Washington, resident said she was living in an expensive place, Hawaii, where her former husband was stationed for the military. They were getting care for a daughter who had health issues that included a rare condition that affected her metabolism.
“We would zero out our checking account with living expenses every month,” she said. “When you are counting out $5 for gas until the next payday, how do you pay a $30 bill?”
A severance package from the military eventually helped them pay their medical debt a few years ago. Oien said her credit score jumped about 70 points just from that.
But before that happened, they had to deal with higher interest rates on any loans they took out, and they could only get a mortgage after her sister gave them money to pay down some debt.
“It was embarrassing, it was very stressful,” said Oien, who now works as a patient advocate.
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Follow Tom Murphy on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thpmurphy
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | https://www.seattletimes.com/business/some-medical-debt-is-being-removed-from-us-credit-reports/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_business | 2022-06-30 19:32:49 | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/business/some-medical-debt-is-being-removed-from-us-credit-reports/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_business |
King Charles III quite literally had picture perfect end to his coronation weekend.
Two days after the monarch and his wife Queen Camilla were crowned at London's Westminster Abbey, their first official coronation portraits were unveiled.
For the photos, which were taken inside Buckingham Palace after the May 6 coronation ceremony, Charles wore his royal regalia, which included the Robe of Estate and the Imperial State Crown. The photo captured the 74-year-old sitting on an ornate chair, holding out two important pieces of the crown jewels—Sovereign's Sceptre With Cross and the Sovereign's Orb.
As for Camilla, the 75-year-old was photographed in the Green Drawing Room donning her white coronation dress, Queen Mary's crown and the Robe of Estate.
In addition to their solo portraits, the King and Queen also posed for a photo alongside senior members of the royal family.
The photo includes Charles' sister Princess Anne and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence; brother Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh and his wife Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh; son Prince William, the Prince of Wales and his wife Kate, the Princess of Wales. The late Queen Elizabeth II's first cousins were also featured: Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent; Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester and his wife Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester; and Princess Alexandra, the Hon. Lady Ogilvy.
The portraits—which were taken by one of the royal family's go-to photographers Hugo Burnand—conclude a weekend-full of celebrations for Charles, who was formally coronated eight months after the death of his mom, Elizabeth in September 2022.
And the monarch couldn't be more grateful for those who celebrated the coronation alongside him.
"To those who joined in the celebrations - whether at home, at street parties and lunches, or by volunteering in communities - we thank you, each and every one," Charles said in a message posted to the royal family's Twitter May 8. "To know that we have your support and encouragement, and to witness your kindness expressed in so many different ways, has been the greatest possible Coronation gift, as we now rededicate our lives to serving the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and Commonwealth."
Keep scrolling for every must-see moment from King Charles III's coronation. | https://www.eonline.com/news/1373806/king-charles-iii-s-official-coronation-portrait-revealed?cmpid=rss-syndicate-genericrss-us-top_stories | 2023-05-08 22:22:21 | 0 | https://www.eonline.com/news/1373806/king-charles-iii-s-official-coronation-portrait-revealed?cmpid=rss-syndicate-genericrss-us-top_stories |
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | https://wtmj.com/ap-news/2023/01/12/ap-top-business-news-at-255-a-m-est-3/ | 2023-01-13 22:13:42 | 1 | https://wtmj.com/ap-news/2023/01/12/ap-top-business-news-at-255-a-m-est-3/ |
Company's Tech and Partnerships Garner Recognition
CARLSBAD, Calif., June 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Emerge Diagnostics announced today it had been awarded the 2023 Business Insurance Innovation Award for its EFA Wellness Program. For the past 14 years, Business Insurance's Innovation Awards have recognized innovation in new products and services that insurers, brokers, technology companies, and other service providers create for professional risk managers.
Emerge's Wellness award-winning program is unique and the only offering to feature the EFA evaluation, the gold standard for the diagnosis and treatment of Musculoskeletal Conditions (MSC), a leading healthcare spend at $50 billion annually.
"Without an object road map of what is happening in the body with an EFA evaluation, true results can not be delivered. We fix this by identifying the issue and helping employees and their families get and stay healthy. We know that movement is medicine for both mind and body, and our Wellness Program overcomes the limitations that in-person physical therapy and home health cannot provide," says Emerge co-founder and CSO MaryRose Reaston, Ph.D.
Specially designed for a complete MSC assessment, Certified Athletic Trainers work with EFA findings for customized sessions and can integrate an extensive library of live classes and videos for yoga, fitness, and training. The online platform is available 24/7 and is accessible to employees and their families. The EFA Wellness evaluation, looks at the body as a whole, with a targeted treatment delivered via partnerships with Omzi Medical and Yoga Your Way, LLC.
"The future for employers to retain employees, manage productivity, prevent injuries, and reduce healthcare and workers' compensation costs is wellness." says Emerge CEO Brett Ottemeier. "No other Wellness Program has the ability to go beyond the surface and identify the specific issue and integrate a targeted treatment program. Simply put, by identifying the problem quickly, we help people get well faster."
Emerge's Wellness program offers unprecedented results with claims cost savings of 55% or more. The company's approach has directed site-specific attention to areas of pain. Still, more importantly, this comprehensive approach has prevented injuries, illness, unnecessary surgeries, and reliance on pain medication.
The EFA Wellness Assessment is a customized protocol for which both companies truly understand and help integrate the site-specific training and online platform to correlate with EFA findings.
"It has always been a goal to bring innovative EFA technology to benefit and promote overall health and wellbeing. Anything that can improve quality of life, care, wellness and vitality is a victory for our healthcare system," says Reaston.
For more information, please visit www.emergedx.com
About Emerge Diagnostics
Emerge Diagnostics Inc. provides technology and services to optimize Musculoskeletal Care allowing patients to get back to living faster. The company's Electrodiagnostic Functional Assessment (EFA) technology is now the gold standard for soft-tissue injury diagnosis and treatment, using a host of proprietary technologies to assess root causes—and from virtually anywhere in the world. Headquartered in Carlsbad, CA, Emerge Diagnostics serves clients in all industries, providing the information necessary to treat soft-tissue injuries more accurately and build care management and monitoring programs rooted in objective data. www.emergedx.com
Media Contact:
Mary Reaston
mreaston@emergedx.com
(760) 517-1825
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SOURCE Emerge Diagnostics | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/06/21/emerge-diagnostics-wins-innovation-award/ | 2023-06-21 14:50:26 | 1 | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/06/21/emerge-diagnostics-wins-innovation-award/ |
Tock's latest campaign highlights its positioning as a one-stop shop for discovering local culinary experiences, from neighborhood mom-and-pop restaurants to fine-dining destinations in cities around the globe.
CHICAGO, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tock, the industry leading hospitality platform and application system, launched a new campaign, Delicious Starts Here, that showcases how customers can easily discover and book a vast range of food and beverage offerings in cities around the world. Launched in 2014 and acquired by Squarespace in 2021, Tock is now home to thousands of businesses, including wineries, events, galleries, breweries, pop-ups and more— offering memorable experiences for every type of consumer.
"With over 7,000 restaurants, wineries and events, Tock is the starting point for discoverability and possibilities. Whether it's a hot new restaurant, a chef's tasting menu, or a winery experience, Tock is the ultimate one-stop shop for all things delicious. And that's exactly what our new brand campaign and tagline reflects—Delicious Starts Here," says Bryan Ferschinger, Tock's Chief Marketing Officer.
Designed to showcase the vast range of businesses using Tock's platform, the campaign highlights distinct customer ambiences, delectable dishes, one-of-a-kind tastings and everything in between. Each of these elements differentiates one restaurant from the next, and are exactly what Tock wants to hone in on to grab both consumers' and businesses' attention.
"The category is so experiential and socially driven. We want people to see the ads and think, 'I want to try that dish' or 'We have to go there this weekend.' Tock puts forward a confident, bold expression that highlights striking photography alongside simple, direct messaging to allow the businesses on our platform to really shine," adds Ferschinger.
Tock will be investing behind "Delicious Starts Here" throughout the year and beyond via a variety of advertising channels including digital, partnerships, out-of-home, and print campaigns.
Additionally, Tock will continue to launch more exciting, first-of-its-kind features and services this year—both for businesses and consumers. The platform's mission has always been to help the hospitality industry succeed while providing a space for consumers to discover unique, delicious possibilities. The evolved brand campaign and tagline makes that connection even more clear and impactful.
Tock. Delicious Starts Here.
Tock empowers guests to discover and book the best culinary experiences at restaurants, bars, wineries, pop-ups, and events across the globe. Acquired by Squarespace in 2021, the all-in-one platform with everything to sell anything, Tock offers a robust reservation, guest, and table management system that puts businesses in complete control of the booking process. The platform provides free and prepaid reservations, event ticketing, and sophisticated hospitality and dynamic pricing tools, making it easy for guests to see everything a culinary destination has to offer all in one place. Tock has processed over $1.9B in prepaid experiences in addition to millions of standard reservations in 32 countries around the globe. Discover more at exploretock.com and exploretock.com/join. Tock. Delicious starts here.
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SOURCE Tock, LLC | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/06/08/tock-squarespace-company-unveils-new-brand-campaign-delicious-starts-here/ | 2022-06-08 13:57:11 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/06/08/tock-squarespace-company-unveils-new-brand-campaign-delicious-starts-here/ |
Growth equity fund announces new capital to continue investing in transformational healthcare companies
SILICON VALLEY, Calif., May 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- HealthQuest Capital, a sector specialist capital firm focused on companies optimizing value in health care, today announced the close of HealthQuest Partners IV, L.P., at its hard cap of $675 million.The oversubscribed fund will enable HealthQuest to continue to invest in growth-stage companies that are revolutionizing the healthcare industry.
HealthQuest invests across healthcare subsectors, and believes healthcare innovation occurs at the convergent points between medical technologies, diagnostics/tools, digital health and innovative services. Target markets for fund IV include commercial-stage companies that improve patient outcomes, or reduce cost and inefficiency in the healthcare system. HealthQuest will also seek growth companies with an emphasis on current trends in the healthcare sector that are hitting an adoption inflection point with long-term impact. Fund IV will look for companies innovating on the clinical/technology side, such as AI-enabled diagnostics and precision oncology, as well as companies innovating on the care model side, including evolving primary care and mobile caregiver solutions.
"The pandemic, the evolution of value-based care and increasingly informed patients have produced an environment that has created an unprecedented openness towards the adoption of new technologies," said Garheng Kong, MD, PhD, MBA, HealthQuest's founder and managing partner. "With our investment partners and ecosystem of advisors, we are uniquely positioned to ensure these innovations are adopted at scale and at price points that will meaningfully improve patients' lives."
Since the firm's founding in 2013, HealthQuest has raised more than $1.6 billion across four funds and has made investments in a variety of healthcare startups including Everly Health, Lunit, Thirty Madison and TigerConnect. The team has also seen 18 exits across IPOs and M&A transactions, including the sale of BardyDx to Hillrom (now Baxter), BioIQ to LetsGetChecked, Biotheranostics to Hologic, and the IPO of Castle Biosciences.
The HealthQuest team is led by founder Garheng Kong, a physician, scientist, and engineer by training. With over two decades of experience investing, Garheng has led nearly 30 companies to successful exits. The HealthQuest team is strengthened by a board of advisors comprised of current or former CEOs in the most influential healthcare companies in the country, including Aon Hewitt, Becton Dickinson, Bon Secours Mercy Health, Cardinal Health, Humana, LabCorp, Medtronic, OptumHealth and a former U.S. Surgeon General. Together, the HealthQuest ecosystem provides portfolio companies unique strategic insights, access, and opportunities.
"When it comes to the adoption of new healthcare innovations, there is a natural tension between patients, providers and payers. Our team helps our portfolio companies understand how each player sees the problem in order to increase the likelihood of commercial success," Kong said. "With the new fund, HealthQuest Capital is able to work alongside these companies to give them the support they need to make a widespread impact in the healthcare sector."
About HealthQuest Capital
Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, HealthQuest Capital is a growth capital firm investing in commercial-stage companies that are optimizing value in healthcare by improving outcomes and reducing costs. With more than $1.6 billion in capital under management, the firm focuses on fostering innovation across the health care spectrum, including medical technologies, diagnostics, digital health and innovative services. The HealthQuest team combines decades of successful investing experience with deep domain expertise in all aspects of the healthcare industry. For more information, visit www.healthquestcapital.com.
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SOURCE HealthQuest Capital | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2022/05/17/healthquest-capital-closes-675-million-fund-iv/ | 2022-05-17 16:25:41 | 0 | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2022/05/17/healthquest-capital-closes-675-million-fund-iv/ |
(iSeeCars) — A vehicle’s Check Engine light can turn any car ride into a harrowing experience. As soon as the check engine light illuminates, it’s hard not to hear the cha-ching sound of a cash register right along with it.
If the engine stops, so does the vehicle. That’s what can make the check engine light warning so scary. However, it’s important to understand that a Check Engine light can often be caused by something very simple. Let’s run through some of the main reasons your Check Engine light might be on so you have a better understanding of what your vehicle is trying to tell you.
What Your Check Engine Light Means
When your check engine light turns on, one or more onboard diagnostic trouble codes are stored in the car’s computer. To diagnose what’s triggering your check engine light, you can retrieve the codes by using an OBD-II scanner. This can be done by a mechanic, or you can purchase a code reader from an auto parts store. Even if you use your own code reader to see what may be causing the problem, you should still get the problem diagnosed by a professional.
Be sure not to confuse your check engine light with other warning lights that may appear on your dashboard. You can refer to your vehicle’s manual for what some other warning lights mean, and what your check engine light will appear as. Sometimes it’s just an image of an engine, while others will have “check engine” along with it. You may also see a warning light that says “Service Engine Soon,” which can easily be confused for the check engine light and simply means that your vehicle is due for routine maintenance such as an oil change, brake inspection, or timing belt replacement. These warnings typically occur at regular mileage intervals such as when your odometer reaches 30,000, 60,000, and 100,000 miles.
What To Do When Your Check Engine Light Comes On
Various problems can change how the check engine light appears. Here are some common scenarios as a guide:
1. The check engine light flickers or appears under certain conditions.
This means that there is only a problem during some driving conditions. Does the vehicle run differently when the light is on? If you notice a difference in performance, take the car to a mechanic immediately. If you don’t notice a change in vehicle performance, you can safely drive home, but it should be seen by a professional as quickly as possible.
2. The check engine light remains on.
If your check engine light stays on continuously and there are no noticeable problems with the car’s performance, there’s likely a problem with the emissions system. You should get the car professionally serviced as soon as possible, but immediate towing is not required.
3. The check engine light stays on with performance problems.
This indicates that your vehicle has a serious problem that likely involves a component or system needed for the vehicle to operate properly. If engine power is clearly reduced the vehicle might have gone into “limp mode”, which essentially means the engine is trying to protect itself by offering a bare minimum of power. In this case, you should pull over to a safe spot and have your vehicle towed to a dealer or repair shop.
4. The check engine light continually blinks in a pattern.
This scenario likely indicates that there’s a severe failure of the vehicle’s emission control system that’s causing the engine to misfire. This could indicate that the catalytic converter is overheating which could lead to a fire under the vehicle. In this case, you should pull over immediately and have your vehicle towed to a dealer or professional mechanic.
Common Causes for a Check Engine Light:
1. Loose Gas Cap
Something as benign as a loose gas cap can trigger your Check Engine light. That’s because the most common reason for a Check Engine light is from emissions system problems. Your fuel system is a pressurized system. The vehicle’s computer is monitoring that pressure at all times when your vehicle is running. If you leave your fuel cap off or loose (even by half a turn) it can trigger an emissions code in your vehicle’s computer. This, in turn, will cause the computer to turn on your Check Engine light. So, the first thing you should do if your light comes on is stop your vehicle somewhere safe, turn it off, and check your fuel cap. If it’s loose, put it back on and off automatically after a few moments. A worn or defective fuel cap can also cause this problem.
2. Malfunctioning Oxygen Sensors
Your oxygen sensors are another emissions system part that will trigger your Check Engine light. Ironically, they aren’t really attached to the engine. They are screwed into your exhaust system in various places to monitor the air coming out of your engine. They tell your computer if your air/fuel mixture is running rich or lean. Most cars today have at least two sensors, one before the catalytic converter and one after (this is to monitor the air on both sides to see if the converter is also doing its job), while some vehicles have several for redundancy’s sake. Each sensor is electronically connected to your computer. If the sensor fails, becomes clogged, or if it gets a reading it’s not supposed to be getting, the faulty oxygen sensor will trigger your Check Engine light.
3. Other Emissions System Parts
With today’s emissions standards, the emissions control systems on most vehicles have become very complex. They are much more complex than a catalytic converter and a couple of sensors. They now consist of filters, canisters, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valves, positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valves, smog/air pumps, bypass valves, and several sensors to monitor the entire system. Should any of these areas fail, it can trigger any of a number of various codes in your computer. These codes all trigger the Check Engine light.
4. Failing Mass Airflow Sensor
Your vehicle’s mass airflow sensor (MAF) measures the amount of air entering your engine to determine how much fuel is required to run properly. If there are any leaks before or after the mass airflow sensor, a light will illuminate. These mass airflow sensors are sensitive to oil, water vapor, or any debris. Sometimes, a simple cleaning can fix the issue. Or, the sensor may need to be replaced. Failure to replace a faulty mass airflow sensor can lead to reduced performance and diminished fuel economy.
5. Faulty Catalytic Converter
Your vehicle’s catalytic converter protects the environment by converting carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide. Oxygen sensors carefully monitor the catalytic converter’s performance, and if something is wrong with the converter a trouble code will appear. A failed catalytic converter is usually a secondary issue and is likely caused because other issues were ignored. If you don’t fix your catalytic converter, you will fail an emissions test, experience reduced performance and fuel economy, and can cause eventual engine failure.
6. Misfires
An engine misfire occurs when something goes awry as the spark plug ignites the air/fuel mixture in your car’s combustion chamber. A misfire can be caused either on one cylinder or on multiple cylinders. Here are some common culprits:
- Defective ignition coil
- Defective fuel injector
- Vacuum leak
- Worn spark plugs and/or wires
- Bad compression
If you don’t address the misfire, your vehicle will have poor performance and reduced fuel economy, and can lead to eventual mechanical failure in the car’s engine.
Bottom Line:
You should never ignore your vehicle’s check engine light. While the scenarios for the light can range from mild to severe, you should always have your vehicle checked by a trusted professional to properly diagnose the issue. The way your check engine light appears can provide clues as to whether your vehicle needs immediate attention, or if you can safely drive home before going to an auto repair shop. Ignoring a check engine light can lead to more expensive repairs down the road and can also present a safety hazard.
More from iSeeCars.com:
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If you’re in the market for a used or new vehicle, you can search over 4 million used cars and new cars, trucks, and SUVs with iSeeCars’ award-winning car search engine that helps shoppers find the best car deals by providing key insights and valuable resources, like the iSeeCars free VIN check report.
This article, Why is My Check Engine Light On? originally appeared on iSeeCars.com. | https://wgntv.com/automotive/why-is-my-check-engine-light-on-2/ | 2023-07-02 16:43:35 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/automotive/why-is-my-check-engine-light-on-2/ |
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Patrick Mahomes took the podium at training camp Friday and was asked about the criticism leveled at Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray over his now removed contract addendum that required independent study hours each week.
Mahomes was asked by KSHB Kansas City's Aaron Ladd if he feels he's evaluated differently because he's a Black quarterback. Mahomes said he didn't want to take it that far, but he did speak candidly about the criticism he and fellow star Black QBs Lamar Jackson and Kyler Murray face.
"Obviously, the Black quarterback has had to battle to be in this position that we are to have this many guys in the league playing,'' Mahomes said. "Every day, we're proving that we should have been playing the whole time. We've got guys that can think just as well as they can use their athleticism. It's always weird when you see guys like me, Lamar [Jackson], Kyler kind of get that on them when other guys don't. But at the same time we're going out there to prove ourselves every day to show we can be some of the best quarterbacks in the league.''
Mahomes went on to acknowledge that he still feels he has plenty to prove.
"You always feel like you have more to prove,'' he said. "I promise Tom Brady is feeling like he has more to prove. That comes with any sport, any competitor. If you're not getting better, you're getting worse. They build you up to tear you down. You've got to kind of know that. For me, it's all about how I can make myself better, not what other people say. How can I make myself better so that we go out there and play football games? At the end of the day nothing matters until you're on that football field playing and that's where you get to prove who you are every single day.''
Kyler Murray recently signed a contract that required him to study game material on his own for four hours per week. Murray spoke out on Thursday calling it disrespectful that people don't think he's a student of the game. The Cardinals, that day, removed that requirement from his contract after the distractions that came out of it. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/sports/locked-on/lo-national/locked-on-nfl/patrick-mahomes-its-weird-when-lamar-jackson-kyler-murray-and-i-get-criticism-others-dont/535-ca1f29d7-2880-4248-a2bd-f765e1ea9a75 | 2022-07-29 22:44:27 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/sports/locked-on/lo-national/locked-on-nfl/patrick-mahomes-its-weird-when-lamar-jackson-kyler-murray-and-i-get-criticism-others-dont/535-ca1f29d7-2880-4248-a2bd-f765e1ea9a75 |
Which jute rug is best?
There’s no better way to tie a room together than with an all-natural jute rug. Jute is an inexpensive and high-quality fiber that can complement rustic, traditional and modern home decor. Whether kept in its natural earthy hue or dyed with vibrant patterns, a jute rug can tie a home together with its practicality and flattering style.
RV Home Decor’s 100% Natural Jute Rug is made entirely of jute fiber. This rug is reversible and can be placed by itself or layered to your aesthetic preference. It comes in multiple dimensions or can be custom ordered to fit any room perfectly.
What to know before you buy a jute rug
What is jute?
Jute is an inexpensive fiber that is both sturdy and biodegradable. The jute plant these rugs are made from only takes 4-6 months to grow and requires little effort to care for. The plant and its efficient production make a jute rug an inexpensive and eco-friendly option.
Texture
Jute rugs are not made for comfort, and the fibers are scratchy unless mixed with soft materials such as wool, cotton or chenille. These eco-friendly rugs are soft enough to be walked on barefoot but are rough compared to other natural and synthetic carpets. The natural texture repels water, making these rugs great as doormats for entryways.
Style
Naturally, jute fibers are a neutral brown shade, making them fit for any household theme. Some are bleached to be a lighter color but most are a sandy beige. These rugs are stylish on their own but can also be placed as the base in a pile of rugs.
Cons
Although easy to clean due to their neutral color and flatweave nature, these rugs have qualities you should be aware of. This fiber is notoriously slippery, and it will not be stationary if placed on a hard surface. You can fix this by pinning it under furniture or purchasing non-slip backing (a rug pad or tape should suffice).
100% jute rugs are prone to shedding tiny fibers that appear dust-like. The “jute dust” often collects underneath the fabric and is easy to clean up with routine vacuuming.
What to look for in a quality jute rug
Non-slip backing
Being naturally slippery, most jute rugs are made with a non-slip backing or have an additional rug pad available. Make sure you don’t purchase a non-slip rug pad that’s the same size as your rug, even if the seller recommends it. Your pad should be 1 inch smaller than your rug on all sides so it doesn’t peek out the sides and potentially trip someone.
A quality rug pad not only keeps your carpet in place, but it reduces wear and tear on the rug that causes shedding. It makes vacuuming much easier and keeps your rug from scratching wooden floors.
Weave
If you want a rug that’s easily maintained, you want a tight-weave style of jute. Looser weaves can be pulled apart by vacuums and are more prone to fraying and shedding, impeding the quality as the jute rug ages.
Never use a vacuum with a beater bar or the rotating brush unless your rug specifies otherwise. Cheap vacuums don’t have beater bars and more advanced vacuums may have a removable one or a button to disable it while in use.
Avoiding false markups
It’s important to remember that jute is a cheap material that’s quickly grown and easily produced. A pricey 100% jute rug is not necessarily better quality — it’s likely being marked up for the brand name.
How much you can expect to spend on jute rug
Standard-size jute rugs cost $50-$350, on average. If other materials such as wool, cotton and chenille are mixed in, the rug price may increase significantly.
Jute rug FAQ
Are jute rugs high-maintenance?
A. Jute rugs are low-maintenance and can be cleaned by a quick vacuum (without the beater brush) or shaking them out. You should wash them with warm water and detergent occasionally, as you would with any other rug.
Can jute rugs get wet?
A. Jute rugs are naturally water-resistant, meaning they repel water. The water-resistant fibers also push away dirt and dust, preventing buildup in your home.
How do you get bad smells out of a jute rug?
A. If an unpleasant smell is wafting from your ute rug, you can use baking soda to neutralize it. Sprinkle a thin layer over the rug and let it sit for at least 15 minutes before vacuuming. If the smell persists, sprinkle another layer and let it sit overnight.
What’s the best jute rug to buy?
Top jute rug
RV Home Decor 100% Natural Jute Rug
What you need to know: This is a rectangular handmade rug in a natural shade of beige.
What you’ll love: It’s handwoven and eco-friendly, constructed from 100% natural jute fiber. It’s reversible and can be used in high-traffic indoor and outdoor areas.
What you should consider: There are creases in the material from shipping, but they’ll flatten over time.
Where to buy: Sold by Etsy
Top jute rug for the money
nuLOOM Eleonora Farmhouse Bordered Jute Area Rug
What you need to know: This nuLoom jute rug offers a modern style with a bordered design.
What you’ll love: This rug comes in either a rectangle, circle or square shape with a 0.3-inch pile height. The rug can be used outdoors or inside your living room, bedroom or dining room.
What you should consider: You’ll need to purchase a rug pad.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon, Bed Bath & Beyond, Home Depot and Kohl’s
Worth checking out
Dhurrie World Natural Jute Scalloped Rug
What you need to know: This is a handmade jute rug with scalloped edges.
What you’ll love: This rug can be added to your living room, bedroom or hallway and can withstand heavy foot traffic. It’s 100% natural jute, making the product eco-friendly and sustainable.
What you should consider: The rug arrives creased from shipping, but this will go away.
Where to buy: Sold by Etsy
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.localsyr.com/reviews/br/best-jute-rug/ | 2022-07-11 20:50:19 | 1 | https://www.localsyr.com/reviews/br/best-jute-rug/ |
Man accused of opening fire into NY pizza shop
NEW YORK - The New York State Police arrested a man accused of opening fire into a pizza shop in Dutchess County.
It happened Sunday at Antonella's Pizza on Route 9 in Fishkill.
Responding officers found six people who were in the building at the time of the shooting. None was injured.
Police began a search for the shooter. They identified the suspect as 42-year-old Gary P. Bonventre Jr. of Fishkill. He was arrested without incident and investigators say they found a Rohm .22 short caliber revolver.
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Bonventre faces six counts of attempted assault, criminal use of a firearm, criminal possession of a weapon and six counts of reckless endangerment. All of the charges are felonies.
Bonventre was arraigned and remanded to the Dutchess County Jail in lieu of $100,000 cash bail, $100,000 secure bond, or $1,000,000 partially secure bond. He is due back in court on October 17, 2022.
In a Facebook post on Monday morning, the restaurant noted that it was open for business and thanked people for their support. | https://www.fox5ny.com/news/man-accused-of-opening-fire-into-ny-pizza-shop | 2022-10-03 23:10:32 | 0 | https://www.fox5ny.com/news/man-accused-of-opening-fire-into-ny-pizza-shop |
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Will Anderson Jr. believes he’s the best defensive player in this year’s NFL draft.
Heck, he might even be this year’s top overall pick.
And the former Alabama star insists he’s willing to do whatever he must to earn both accolades — even working out at this week’s NFL annual scouting combine in Indianapolis.
Still, Anderson recognizes this week’s big stage only adds a new chapter to what could be a potentially special journey, hearing commissioner Roger Goodell calling his name first on April 27.
“It’s about what you’ve got in here and that’s what’s carried me through life,” Anderson said Wednesday, tapping his heart. “It would mean a lot. It would mean all the hard work is paying off.”
The reward would be sizable — a lucrative contract, the prestige of being selected first overall. Travon Walker and Anderson could become the first defensive players selected No. 1 overall in consecutive years since Russell Maryland and Steve Emtman in 1991 and 1992.
Anderson also realizes this is not a coronation.
The Chicago Bears have the first overall pick, but have acknowledged they would be willing to trade the selection to a quarterback-needy team for the right price — and if they can find a trade partner. Then Anderson would need to impress another decision-maker that he’s the best option.
Even if the Bears stand pat, though, the competition just to be the first defensive player selected this year promises to be fierce.
Anderson’s biggest challenger was expected to be the athletic 300-pound defensive tackle Jalen Carter.
The two have faced off before on the field.
Alabama won the national title in 2020 then beat Georgia in the 2021 SEC title game. Georgia beat Alabama for the 2021 national title in Indy before Georgia repeated as champs this past season.
The two schools have combined for the past three national championships with Carter winning two and Anderson one.
But Carter, who announced earlier this week he was opting out of the on-field drills, is now charged with reckless driving and racing in conjunction with a January crash that killed Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock and a recruiting staff member.
Carter did not speak to reporters in Indy, as scheduled Wednesday, and instead issued a statement on Twitter.
“It is my intention to return to Athens (Georgia) to answer the misdemeanor charges against me and to make certain that the complete and accurate truth is presented,” he wrote. “There is no question in my mind that when all of the facts are known that I will be fully exonerated of any criminal wrongdoing.”
Still, the charges could make general managers and coaches reconsider Carter’s evaluation and press him for answers as the draft process continues.
But beyond Carter, there is plenty of other defensive talent, too.
Tyree Wilson of Texas Tech and Will McDonald IV of Iowa State appear to be the top defensive ends. Wilson has been climbing fast on some draft boards, something Anderson also has noticed as the two did combine prep work together following Wilson’s foot surgery in November.
“I think I’m real close to 100 percent,” said Wilson, who intends to work out at his pro day. “I just started running. After the combine, I’m going to take it to the next level and start opening up.”
Cornerbacks Christian Gonzalez of Oregon and Devon Witherspoon of Illinois also could be top-10 picks.
But working out with the linebackers, instead of what draft analysts believe are stronger, deeper position groups such as defensive line and cornerbacks, could help the 6-foot-4, 243-pound Anderson prove he’s the most dominant defender in Indy.
“Being at Alabama made me very versatile,” he said. “I was dropping into coverage, pass rushing. I can do a lot of things.”
Still, Anderson also must prove he’s more valuable than the four quarterbacks projected to go in the first round — C.J. Stroud of Ohio State, Will Levis of Kentucky, Anthony Richardson of Florida and Bryce Young, the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner and Anderson’s former teammate at Alabama.
Even Anderson said he would be hard-pressed to pass on Young.
“If I’m in the position to take him, I’d take him,” Anderson said.
Can he outperform them all? He’s going to give it a shot.
“Every day is a business day, there are no days off,” Anderson said. “Practice is going to get you prepared for a game and practice is harder than a game.”
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://www.wivb.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-defensive-players-again-rising-to-top-of-nfls-draft-class/ | 2023-03-02 15:34:43 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-defensive-players-again-rising-to-top-of-nfls-draft-class/ |
Experienced industry professional to lead the firm's new sales and distribution firm.
DALLAS, Nov. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwestern Group ("Southwestern"), a privately held Texas-based holding company and majority shareholder of Southwestern Asset Management ("SwAM"), announced today that Michael Whitney would be the President and Managing Member of its new distribution firm, Southwestern Capital Markets ("SwCMG"). He will also join SwAM's Board of Directors and Southwestern's Alternative Investment Committee.
A seasoned industry veteran with 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, Whitney will be responsible for growing the distribution division from formation documents to profitability while leading SwAM's current distribution efforts and building his team. Working directly with firm executives, staff, and third-party vendors, Whitney will also lead national accounts and wholesale distribution as Southwestern grows its brand and essential asset investment offerings.
"Michael has the full faith and backing of myself and our entire firm," said Cole Gilliam Parks, President and Managing Member of Southwestern. "The best investments we've made were always in people. That goes for our commodity producers on each farm, our team here at Southwestern, and the other investments in our portfolio. We are all excited to partner with Michael on this because he was already out in the industry living our core values – and when I find someone that is successful, likable, and already in alignment with us, I am going to try and find a way to bring them onboard."
Parks also shared that he and Whitney first connected at industry events like Alternative & Direct Investment Securities Association (ADISA) and The National Due Diligence Alliance (TNDDA). They stayed in contact at broker-dealer and due diligence conferences, while Southwestern had moved some allocation to a couple of the investment offerings Whitney represented at InvestX.
Before joining SwCMG, Whitney served as the Vice President, Sales – U.S. West, for InvestX Capital. He worked with financial advisors and high-net-worth individuals, providing education and access to the emerging asset class of late-stage private equity. He also served as an investment consultant for Clark Capital Management Group and regional director for Russell Investments.
"Throughout my career, I have had the great fortune to partner with some of the best financial advisors in the nation and help them deliver sophisticated investment solutions to their most important clients," Whitney said. "I am excited to continue these partnerships at Southwestern. I look forward to introducing the crucial concept of investing in our most essential assets to both advisors and their clients."
Whitney earned bachelor's degrees in political science and philosophy from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. In addition to volunteering with his children's sports teams, Whitney enjoys the outdoors and spending time with his wife and three children.
About Southwestern Asset Management
The founders of Southwestern Asset Management have deep roots in the agriculture industry, coming from at least six generations of farming, livestock production, and agribusiness services. The firm currently manages multiple limited partnerships and real estate investments. SwAM is a Southwestern Group subsidiary.
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SOURCE Southwestern Asset Management | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2022/11/14/southwestern-taps-michael-whitney-head-capital-markets-division/ | 2022-11-14 22:18:26 | 0 | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2022/11/14/southwestern-taps-michael-whitney-head-capital-markets-division/ |
(The Hill) – Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), a member of the House select committee investigating the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, on Friday said former Trump White House counsel Pat Cipollone did not contradict the testimony of previous witnesses when he met with the panel that day.
The meeting took place behind closed doors and came after explosive public testimony from Cassidy Hutchinson, a former aide to ex-Trump chief-of-staff Mark Meadows, that placed him as a central player in the behind-the-scenes drama at the White House on Jan. 6.
“Mr. Cipollone did appear voluntarily and answer a whole variety of questions. He did not contradict the testimony of other witnesses. And I think we did learn a few things, which we will be rolling out in the hearings to come,” Lofgren told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.
“So I think it was a, you know, a grueling day for all involved — Mr. Cipollone and the staff and the members, but it was well worth it.”
Blizter asked if people could be assume that Cipollone confirmed the testimony offered by Hutchinson.
“Not contradicting is not the same as confirming,” Lofgren said.
“He could say so-and-so was wrong, which he did not say. There were things that he might not be present for, or, in some cases, couldn’t recall with precision. My sense was that he, as I say, he did appear voluntarily. I think he was candid with the committee. He was careful in his answers, and I believe that he was honest in his answers,” she said.
The House panel subpoenaed Cipollone following surprising testimony offered by Hutchinson.
Hutchinson said she had a conversation with him the morning of the riot, and he had stressed that Trump should not be taken to the Capitol that day, warning that “we’re going to get charged with every crime imaginable” if Trump went.
The former Meadows aide also testified that Cipollone had urged Meadows to take action on Jan. 6, at one point saying, “Mark, something needs to be done or people are going to die and the blood is going to be on your effing hands.” | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/cipollone-did-not-contradict-the-testimony-of-other-witnesses-in-meeting-with-jan-6-panel-lofgren-says/ | 2022-07-09 15:47:04 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/cipollone-did-not-contradict-the-testimony-of-other-witnesses-in-meeting-with-jan-6-panel-lofgren-says/ |
Fireworks stands prepare for busiest week of the year
The week leading up to Independence Day unsurprisingly spikes fireworks sales.
TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — The middle of the calendar year is quickly approaching and that means July Fourth is just around the corner.
With that comes the firework stands around Twin Falls that have been set up this week ahead of the first day of firework sales Friday.
A local stand is hoping that despite some of the issues they have had this year, consumer habits won’t change from last year
“Shipping costs are still really high we’re having a hard time getting our product from China,” said stand operator Desiree Romano. “We’re hoping for a great year, [that] everyone is going to be super safe with their fireworks and have a good time.”
Ground fireworks can be used in twin falls county through July 5 and if they are used beyond that date, you can face a civil penalty up to $156.50 per offense.
Copyright 2023 KMVT. All rights reserved. | https://www.kmvt.com/2023/06/26/fireworks-stands-prepare-busiest-week-year/ | 2023-06-26 02:40:42 | 0 | https://www.kmvt.com/2023/06/26/fireworks-stands-prepare-busiest-week-year/ |
A Middle Eastern and North African category could be added to U.S. federal surveys and censuses, and changes could be made to how Hispanics are able to self-identify, under preliminary recommendations released Thursday by the Biden administration in what would be the first update to race and ethnicity standards in a quarter century.
The federal government's standards haven't been changed since 1997, two decades after they were created as part of an effort to collect consistent race and ethnicity data across federal agencies when handling censuses, federal surveys and application forms for government benefits.
Questions about race and Hispanic ethnicity are asked separately using the 1997 standards. They would be combined into a single question under the initial proposals, which were made by a working group of representatives from different federal agencies convened by the Office of Management and Budget.
Some advocates have been pushing for combining the race and Hispanic origin questions, saying the way race is categorized often confuses Hispanic respondents who are not sure how to answer. Tests by the Census Bureau in the 2010 census showed that combining the questions yielded higher response rates.
Using the 1997 standards, U.S. residents from Middle Eastern and North African countries were encouraged to identify as “white." Under the new proposal, there would be a separate category for people often referred to by the “MENA" acronym. The Census Bureau recommended adding a MENA category to the 2020 census form, but the Trump administration dropped the idea.
“Research suggests that many MENA respondents view their identity as distinct from White, and stakeholders have, for over 30 years, advocated for collecting MENA information separate from White," the Biden administration said in a Federal Register notice that will be published on Friday.
Among the countries of origin that would get a check for the MENA category would be Lebanon, Iran, Egypt, Syria, Morocco and Israel, the notice said.
The proposals encourage the collection of more detailed race and ethnicity information by allowing respondents on government forms to list their country of origin when answering a question about their race or ethnicity. They also recommend striking from federal government forms the words “Negro," “Far East" — and the use of the terms “majority" and “minority," saying they can be considered pejorative or outdated, and that the standards need to be “respectful of how people refer to themselves."
The need to update the standards was driven by increasing racial and ethnic diversity, a growing number of people who identify as more than one race or ethnicity, and changing immigration and migration patterns, according to the Federal Register notice.
The working group said their proposals were preliminary and that they don't yet reflect the official standards of the federal government since they will continue to be hashed out with input from the public. The goal is to ensure that that “the standards better reflect the diversity of the American people," Karin Orvis, the U.S. chief statistician, said in a blog post.
“As we consider these recommendations, we want to hear directly from the American people," Orvis said.
___
Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at @MikeSchneiderAP | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/new-us-race-ethnicity-standards-proposed-first-17744125.php | 2023-01-26 19:29:14 | 0 | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/new-us-race-ethnicity-standards-proposed-first-17744125.php |
ATHENS, Ga. and LOS GATOS, Calif., July 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CyanVac LLC, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing intranasal vaccines using a proprietary transformational parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV5)-based vector, announced that Dr. Biao He, founder and CEO of CyanVac, participated yesterday as a panelist at the White House Summit on the Future of COVID-19 Vaccines. The event was held on the White House campus in Washington DC on July 26, and featured US scientists from academic institutes, organizations, and companies on the cutting edge of innovative next-generation COVID-19 vaccines. Dr. He spoke on a panel entitled "Innovation in Vaccine Delivery", moderated by Dr. Francis Collins, Acting Science Advisor to the President and Acting Co-Chair of the President's council of Advisors on Science and Technology and former director of the National Institutes of Health.
"We were truly honored to be invited by the White House to speak at this summit," said Dr. He. "COVID-19 is an ongoing challenge for the world, and as Dr. Fauci pointed out in his opening remarks yesterday, there is a need for a vaccine that generates mucosal immunity to help break the cycle of viral transmission. It is encouraging that the Administration and its scientific advisors have recognized that our intranasal COVID vaccine may be part of the solution."
The panel discussed innovative vaccines that use alternative delivery routes and elicit broad and durable immune responses, and the need for manufacturing infrastructure and funding for clinical trials to support the development of these vaccines. Intranasal vaccines were highlighted as perhaps the best way to generate mucosal immunity which could block transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and thereby help end the pandemic. CyanVac has previously shown that its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, CVXGA1, generates mucosal immunity and reduces SARS-CoV-2 transmission between animals in a ferret cohabitation model (data which were peer-reviewed and published in Science Advances in July 2021).
CyanVac is currently conducting a Phase 1 clinical trial of CVXGA1, its PIV5-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Its subsidiary, Blue Lake Biotechnology, Inc., is currently conducting a Phase 1 clinical trial of BLB-201, a PIV5-based RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) vaccine candidate.
CVXGA1 is a clinical-stage COVID-19 vaccine candidate that encodes the spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2. The PIV5 vector itself is a respiratory virus that is not known to cause disease in humans, although it has been commonly administered to dogs as part of combination distemper / kennel cough vaccines for decades. CyanVac and its subsidiary, Blue Lake Biotechnology, Inc., are developing CVXGA1 as a single dose, intranasal vaccine to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection and serious complications associated with COVID-19. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that CVXGA1 is immunogenic, protective, and prevents transmission of SARS-CoV-2. CVXGA1 is currently being studied in a multi-center Phase 1 clinical trial in adults and adolescents led by Dr. Paul Spearman, Director of Infectious Diseases at Cincinnati Children's Hospital and Medical Center, with additional clinical trial sites in Rochester NY, Bardstown KY and Plano TX. Learn more about the trial at https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05281263
BLB-201 is a clinical stage RSV vaccine candidate that has received Fast Track designation from the Food and Drug Administration for prevention of RSV-associated acute disease in adults older than 60 years and children under 2 years. BLB-201 encodes a full-length RSV F protein and uses a proprietary PIV5 vector which is not known to cause disease in humans, although it has been commonly administered to dogs as part of combination distemper / kennel cough vaccines for decades. Blue Lake Biotechnology and CyanVac LLC are developing BLB-201 as a single dose, intranasal vaccine to prevent acute and severe disease associated with RSV infection. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that BLB-201 is immunogenic and prevents RSV infection in animal challenge studies. BLB-201 is currently being studied in a Phase 1 clinical trial also led by Dr. Spearman at Cincinnati Children's Hospital and Medical Center, with an additional clinical trial site in Charleston SC. Learn more about the trial at https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05281263.
CyanVac LLC and its subsidiary, Blue Lake Biotechnology, Inc., are technology-driven companies developing lifesaving intranasal vaccines based on a proprietary PIV5-based vaccine platform licensed from the University of Georgia. Our COVID-19 and RSV vaccine programs are in Phase 1 clinical trials. In addition, the companies have early-stage proof of concept vaccine programs targeting norovirus and Lyme disease. CyanVac and Blue Lake Biotechnology are headquartered in Athens, Georgia, with a second site in Los Gatos, California.
Learn more at https://www.cyanvacllc.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including with respect to the clinical development of CVXGA1 and BLB-201, prophylactic vaccines to prevent COVID-19 and RSV-associated disease, respectively, which are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, but not limited to the timing and success of clinical trials and potential complications thereof; the ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval; the labeling for any approved product; the scope, progress and expansion of developing and commercializing product candidates; the size and growth of the markets and the rate and degree of market acceptance thereof vis-à-vis alternative therapies; the establishment and maintenance of any applicable collaborations; and the ability to achieve business development transactions on favorable terms to the Company, if at all, in light of these risks and uncertainties, the events and circumstances discussed in such forward-looking statements or which are either made by or on behalf of CyanVac and/or Blue Lake Biotechnology may not occur, and CyanVac's and/or Blue Lake Biotechnology's actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied thereby. Factors which may affect CyanVac's and/or Blue Lake Biotechnology's results include, but are not limited to, uncertainties and/or unexpected results related to research and development and clinical testing, the timing, costs and uncertainty of obtaining any required regulatory approvals, changes in the regulatory landscape, uncertainties related to obtaining additional capital as needed to meet CyanVac's and/or Blue Lake Biotechnology's needs on acceptable terms, or at all, the absence of any guarantee of product demand, market acceptance or competitive advantage for any of CyanVac's and/or Blue Lake Biotechnology's product candidates, if approved, and certain trade, legal, social and economic risks. Any forward-looking statements in this release speak only as of the date of this press release and are based on information available to CyanVac as of the date of this release, and neither CyanVac nor Blue Lake Biotechnology has any obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statement.
CONTACT:
CyanVac LLC and Blue Lake Biotechnology, Inc.
Gary Titus
Chief Financial Officer
gtitus@cyanvacllc.com
(650) 862-9757
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SOURCE CyanVac LLC | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/07/27/cyanvac-ceo-speaks-white-house-summit-future-covid-19-vaccines/ | 2022-07-27 10:19:45 | 0 | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/07/27/cyanvac-ceo-speaks-white-house-summit-future-covid-19-vaccines/ |
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil , Aug. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Aliansce Sonae Shopping Centers S.A. (B3: ALSO3), one of the largest shopping mall owners and operators in Brazil, announces its results for the second quarter of 2022 (2Q22).
2Q22 Highlights
Aliansce Sonae and brMalls business combination approved. Shareholders of both companies approved the business combination by a vast majority. The transaction is under analysis by CADE, and Bain & Co. has already been hired to work on the integration process.
Uberlândia Shopping's divestment. Contract for the sale of Uberlândia Shopping was signed with an accretive valuation for the Company. The mall was already part of Aliansce Sonae's divestment pipeline.
Shopping Eldorado's management. Contract was signed for the management of Shopping Eldorado, which has a relevant presence in the capital of São Paulo. This transaction ratifies Aliansce Sonae's thesis on synergies and commercial levers as one of the rationale pillars for the merger with brMalls.
Sales advance 21% vs. 2Q19. Sales reached R$2.9 billion in 2Q22, growing 46% and 21% versus 2Q21 and 2Q19, respectively.
SSR reaches 38%. The indicator's performance in 2Q22 follows the consistent recovery of activities in the Company's malls and consequent reduction in discounts. The level of discounts over rents reached its lowest point since 4Q19. SSR net of discounts was 31% in 2Q22.
High occupancy rate of 96.7%. Commercial demand for spaces in Aliansce Sonae's malls remains heated, with 173 new contracts in 2Q22. Leasing activity was even stronger than in 4Q21.
EBTIDA and AFFO growth. EBTIDA and AFFO grew 12% and 3%, respectively in 2Q22 vs. 2Q19. Under the proforma concept, EBITDA posted an expansion of 16%. Considering the investment in brMalls shares as cash, AFFO would report a 16% increase versus 2Q19.
Aliansce Sonae joins the UN Global Compact. Aliansce Sonae achieved another important milestone in its sustainability journey and made a public commitment by joining the UN Global Compact.
For a full version of 2Q22 Earnings Release, please, refer to https://ri.alianscesonae.com.br/en
Aliansce Sonae will hold its conference call and webcast on August 11th, at 02:00 p.m. BRT (in english). To access the call, dial +1 (412) 717-9627 / +55 11 3181-8565 / +55 11 4090-1621, code "Aliansce Sonae". Webcast is available at https://ri.alianscesonae.com.br/en
For more information, please, contact Daniella Guanabara, IRO, at + 55 21 2176-7272 or ri@alianscesonae.com.br
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SOURCE Aliansce Sonae Shopping Centers | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2022/08/11/aliansce-sonae-consistent-operating-performance-leverages-results/ | 2022-08-11 01:27:01 | 0 | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2022/08/11/aliansce-sonae-consistent-operating-performance-leverages-results/ |
13.2 lb. newborn greets the world with a bang, just in time for July 4th
Published: Jul. 6, 2023 at 11:26 AM MST|Updated: 1 hour ago
FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WSMV/Gray News) – A baby in Tennessee is getting recognition for coming into the world with a bang, just in time for Independence Day.
The child was born this week at Williamson Medical Center in Franklin and weighed an impressive 13.2 pounds.
Congratulations to the mother and hats off to the staff at Williamson Medical Center’s OB, NICU, and maternity departments.
According to Guinness World Records, Anna “Babe” Bates was the heaviest baby born in the United States. She was born in Ohio at 22 lbs. on Jan. 19, 1879.
Copyright 2023 WSMV via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.azfamily.com/2023/07/06/132-lb-newborn-greets-world-with-bang-just-time-july-4th/ | 2023-07-06 19:41:19 | 1 | https://www.azfamily.com/2023/07/06/132-lb-newborn-greets-world-with-bang-just-time-july-4th/ |
Lately, drag has been dragged through the mud.
The art form has been cast in a false light in recent months by right-wing activists and politicians who complain about the “sexualization” or “grooming” of children. Opponents often coordinate protests at drag events that feature or cater to children, sometimes showing up with guns. Some politicians have proposed banning children from drag events and even criminally charging parents who take their kids to one.
Performers and organizers of events, such as story hours in which colorfully clad drag queens read books to children, say the protesters are the ones terrorizing and harming children and making them political pawns — just as they’ve done in other campaigns around bathroom access and educational materials.
The recent headlines about disruptions of drag events and their portrayal as sexual and harmful to children can obscure the art form and its rich history.
WHAT IS DRAG?
Drag is the art of dressing and acting exaggeratedly as another gender, usually for entertainment such as comedy, singing, dancing, lip-syncing or all of the above.
Drag may trace its roots to the age of William Shakespeare, when female roles were performed by men. The origin of the term is debated, but one possibility is that it was coined after someone noticed the dresses or petticoats that male actors wore onstage would drag along the floor. Another casts it as an acronym — an unproven notion that notes in scripts would use “DRAG” to indicate the actor should “dress as a girl.”
Drag performances could later be seen on the vaudeville circuit and during the Harlem Renaissance. They became a mainstay at gay bars throughout the 20th century, and remain so.
RuPaul took things a step further with his reality-competition show “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” which became an award-winning hit and allowed drag to explode in popularity — and into the mainstream.
IS DRAG SEXUAL?
Many drag opponents cite nudity in their objections. Every performer makes different choices, but drag queens often wear more, not less, clothing than you’d see on a typical American woman of the 21st century, at a public beach or on network TV.
Their costumes tend toward extravagant, sometimes floor-length gowns. Drag queens may use false breasts, wear sheer costumes, and use makeup or other means to show cleavage and appear exaggeratedly feminine.
The difference, performers note, is that opponents of drag see sexual deviance in the cross-dressing aspect.
Drag does not typically involve nudity or stripping, which are more common in burlesque, a separate form of entertainment. Explicitly sexual and profane language is common in performances meant for adult audiences. Such routines can consist of stand-up comedy that may be raunchy — or may pale in comparison with some mainstream comedians.
SHOULD CHILDREN SEE OR DRESS IN DRAG?
It’s up to parents and guardians to decide that, just as they decide whether their children should be exposed to or participate in certain music, television, movies, beauty pageants, concerts or other forms of entertainment, parenting experts say.
Performances in nightclubs and brunches meant for adults may not be suitable for children, while other events, such as drag story hours, are tailored for children and therefore contain milder language and dress.
Drag performers and the venues that book them generally either don’t allow children if a performance has risque content, or else require children to be accompanied by a parent or guardian — basically, how R-rated movies are handled by theaters.
Drag story hours, in which performers read to children in libraries, bookstores or other venues, have become popular in recent years. The events use a captivating character to get their child’s attention — any parent whose kid can’t take their eyes off Elsa from “Frozen” gets the idea. The difference here is that the goal is to get kids interested in reading.
Some children have performed drag at age-appropriate events. One 11-year-old who dons a princess dress and tiara was scheduled recently to perform at a story and singing event at an Oregon pub — but was downgraded to “guest of honor” after protests outside broke out into fighting.
“Part of keeping our children safe is allowing them to be children, to be playful, to take risks, and to be silly, without it necessarily meaning anything deeper or more permanent,” says Amber Trueblood, a family therapist. “Many parents are OK with children dressing as assassins, evil villains or grim reapers, yet they seldom take the costume choice to mean anything more than playful and fun.”
THREATS AND ‘GROOMING’
Opponents of drag story hours and other drag events for audiences of children often claim they “groom” children, implying attempts to sexually abuse them or somehow influence their sexual orientation or gender identity.
The term “grooming” in a sexual sense describes how child molesters entrap and abuse their victims. Its use by opponents of drag, as well as by protesters in other realms of LGBTQ opposition, seeks to falsely equate it with pedophilia and other forms of child abuse.
Perpetrators of the false rhetoric can then cast themselves as saviors of children and try to frame anyone who disagrees — a political opponent, for example — as taking the side of child abusers.
The objections are often religious in nature, with some opponents citing the devil at work. Threats to drag events, and story hours in particular, have increased along with the rhetoric. In addition to the protest in Oregon that failed to suppress one such event, organizers of a recent one in Florida did cancel theirs after what they said were threats from hate groups.
The threats are likely an attempt to scare parents into not taking their children to such events, leading them to fizzle out and push drag back into the closet, observers say. Some organizers, parents and performers have dug in their heels, insisting they won’t cave.
In another tactic to discourage attendance, drag opponents have been known to attend performances, take and post a video that lacks context, and then troll or “dox” the performer or venue.
One such video clip showed a profane drag act in front of a young child and framed it as abuse — though the child was with adults and the venue had advised attendees about coarse content, suggested parental discretion and required any children to be accompanied by parents.
Other undermining efforts include a false claim that a performer flashed children at a Minnesota library and another false claim that the head of the Drag Queen Story Hour organization was arrested for child pornography.
Despite some opponents’ claims, drag cannot “turn” a child gay or transgender, although its playful use of gender may be reassuring to kids who are already questioning their identity. That way, therapist Joe Kort wrote in a blog post in Psychology Today, gender-nonconforming kids can have “other templates as they begin to sort out their feelings about who they authentically are.” | https://www.localsyr.com/news/national/ap-explainer-drag-queens-and-how-they-got-pulled-into-politics/ | 2022-10-29 17:59:23 | 1 | https://www.localsyr.com/news/national/ap-explainer-drag-queens-and-how-they-got-pulled-into-politics/ |
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Trotz takes home Jack Adams Award
June 22, 2016 08:31 PM
This year's Jack Adams Award goes to Washington Capitals head coach Barry Trotz. Trotz led the Caps to a franchise win record and the Presidents' Trophy.
Close Ad | https://www.nbcsports.com/watch/nhl/trotz-takes-home-jack-adams-award | 2023-07-04 02:14:18 | 0 | https://www.nbcsports.com/watch/nhl/trotz-takes-home-jack-adams-award |
SHANGHAI, July 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Trip.com Group hosted a delegation led by H.E. Saleh Al Geziry, the Director General for Tourism at the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi, on 6 July 2023.
During their visit to the Group's HQ, H.E. Saleh Al Geziry and his delegation were welcomed by Trip.com Group CMO Bo Sun. Both parties discussed ways to enhance the strong relationship as well as new areas of collaboration to promote Abu Dhabi.
The two parties signed a strategic partnership at the Arabian Travel Market last year to promote the UAE capital as a premium travel destination, with campaigns targeting travellers in key markets across Asia and Europe.
During the discussion, both sides expressed willingness to deepen cooperation in various areas, including product development and marketing, particularly in newly developed Abu Dhabi attractions.
Mr Bo Sun and H.E. Saleh Al Geziry shared ideas on enhancing product variety and strategies to leverage Trip.com Group's channels to further promote Abu Dhabi's new offerings and increase visitor arrivals.
Both sides also touched on various ideas to enhance Abu Dhabi's presence and influence in the Chinese market.
Ctrip search volume shows that Abu Dhabi-related keywords far exceeded the level seen from January to June 2019. The average daily flight search volume in 2023 has increased by 78% compared to the same period.
Mr Bo Sun, expressed, "We at Trip.com Group are excited to enhance our partnership and collaboration with Abu Dhabi, a remarkable travel destination known for its fascinating history, breathtaking natural beauty, and lively cultural scene.
"With its extensive brand portfolio and worldwide network, Trip.com Group will strategically expand its reach in the Middle East while supporting its destination partners, including Abu Dhabi.
"We are honoured to host H.E. Saleh Al Geziry and his delegation, and we appreciated the engaging discussion. Going forward, Trip.com Group will continue to leverage its strengths in marketing and technology capabilities to showcase and promote Abu Dhabi's beauty and diverse experiences to international travellers worldwide."
About Trip.com Group
Trip.com Group is a leading global travel service provider comprising of Trip.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner, and Qunar. Across its platforms, Trip.com Group helps travellers around the world make informed and cost-effective bookings for travel products and services and enables partners to connect their offerings with users through the aggregation of comprehensive travel-related content and resources, and an advanced transaction platform consisting of apps, websites and 24/7 customer service centres. Founded in 1999 and listed on NASDAQ in 2003 and HKEX in 2021, Trip.com Group has become one of the best-known travel groups in the world, with the mission "to pursue the perfect trip for a better world". Find out more about Trip.com Group here: group.trip.com.
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SOURCE Trip.com Group | https://www.weau.com/prnewswire/2023/07/07/tripcom-group-hosts-abu-dhabi-delegation-foster-collaboration-strengthen-destination-expansion/ | 2023-07-07 15:19:55 | 1 | https://www.weau.com/prnewswire/2023/07/07/tripcom-group-hosts-abu-dhabi-delegation-foster-collaboration-strengthen-destination-expansion/ |
ATLANTA, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Eagle Merchant Partners has invested in Eskola Roofing & Waterproofing, a commercial roofing contractor with locations in Tennessee and Kentucky.
Founded in 1972 by their father and operated by brothers Jon Eskola and Ben Eskola, Eskola is a leading provider of commercial roofing and waterproofing services with a diversified customer base centered on education, infrastructure and healthcare. Jon Eskola and Ben Eskola will remain in their leadership positions, carrying on the company's rich history while overseeing the continued growth throughout the Southeast.
"Eagle has been researching the roofing industry for several years and looking for the right opportunity," said Brady Sumner, Vice President of Eagle. "We were attracted to Eskola for its strong customer relationships, exceptional growth record and commitment to safety. As we spent additional time with the leadership, we knew this was the team Eagle wanted to partner with to help expand its services throughout Southeast U.S."
"It is humbling to partner with such a trusted and valued partner as Eagle Merchant Partners," said Jon Eskola. "We are excited about the knowledge and expertise Eagle brings to the Eskola team. We look forward to working together to navigate the next steps of executing our growth strategy. Eagle aligns well with our culture and the values that have defined us for several generations. We feel blessed to have them partnering with us."
Ben Eskola added, "Over the previous several months, we have been searching for a partner who will assist us in our growth strategy while staying true to our core values: Safety, Quality and Customer Service. With the Eagle Merchant Partners team and their track record, I believe we will be successful in this endeavor."
As a part of this partnership, Carl Franseen has been named Chief Financial Officer.
"I am honored to team up with my long-time friends at Eskola and excited for the future growth opportunity facilitated by the partnership with Eagle," said Franseen.
Eagle Merchant Partners is an Atlanta-based private equity firm focused on investments in founder-owned companies with unique growth opportunities. The partnership is one of the region's most experienced private equity investors. Eagle Merchant Partners is currently investing out of Fund I. For more information, visit eaglemerchantpartners.com.
Media Contact
Thornton Kennedy
404-210-0363
thornton@prsouth.net
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SOURCE Eagle Merchant Partners | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2022/10/31/eagle-merchant-partners-makes-play-commercial-roofing-market-with-eskola-roofing-amp-waterproofing-investment/ | 2022-10-31 17:20:38 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2022/10/31/eagle-merchant-partners-makes-play-commercial-roofing-market-with-eskola-roofing-amp-waterproofing-investment/ |
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Mike Trout has left the Los Angeles Angels’ game against Houston with upper back spasms.
The three-time AL MVP didn’t come out for the fifth inning Tuesday night after striking out in his first two plate appearances against Luis Garcia and the AL West-leading Astros.
Trout was selected earlier this month to appear in his 10th All-Star Game, to be held next Tuesday at Dodger Stadium.
Trout has been bothered by several minor injuries during the first half of the season. He went just 6 for 34 (.177) with one homer, four RBIs and 16 strikeouts while the Angels went 1-8 on their just-completed road trip.
Trout is hitting .270 this season with 24 homers and 51 RBIs.
Monte Harrison took over in center field for the Angels, who have plummeted out of contention by going 14-36 over the past eight weeks.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.localsyr.com/sports/sports-news/mike-trout-leaves-angels-game-with-upper-back-spasms/ | 2022-07-13 10:53:41 | 0 | https://www.localsyr.com/sports/sports-news/mike-trout-leaves-angels-game-with-upper-back-spasms/ |
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has allowed one of the nation’s largest wholesale drug distributors to keep shipping highly addictive painkillers for nearly four years after a judge recommended it be stripped of its license for its “cavalier disregard” of thousands of suspicious orders fueling the opioid crisis.
The DEA did not respond to repeated questions from The Associated Press about its handling of the case against Morris & Dickson Co. or the involvement of a high-profile consultant the company had hired to stave off punishment and who is now DEA Administrator Anne Milgram’s top deputy.
But the delay has raised concerns about how the revolving door between government and industry may be impacting the DEA’s mission to police drug companies blamed for tens of thousands of American overdose deaths.
“If the DEA had issued its order in a timely manner, one could then credibly believe that its second-in-command was not involved despite an obvious conflict of interest,” said Craig Holman, an ethics expert at the watchdog group Public Citizen in Washington. “The mere fact that its action has been delayed four years just raises red flags. It casts the entire process under grave suspicion.”
Last week, after the AP reached out to the DEA for comment, the agency broke its silence on the issue and abruptly notified Morris & Dickson that it has decided to revoke its registration to distribute controlled substances, according to two people familiar with the development who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the exchange. However, no final order has yet been published. The company has described revocation as a “virtual death sentence” and is almost certain to challenge the decision in federal court.
Louis Milione, who was named DEA’s principal deputy administrator in 2021, did not respond to requests for comment. He retired from the DEA in 2017 after a storied 21-year career that included two years leading the division that controls the sale of highly addictive narcotics. Like dozens of colleagues in the DEA’s powerful-but-little-known Office of Diversion Control, he quickly went to work as a consultant for some of the same companies he had been tasked with regulating, including Morris & Dickson.
Milione was brought in by Morris & Dickson as part of a $3 million contract to save its registration to supply painkillers after the DEA accused the company in 2018 of failing to flag thousands of suspicious, high-volume orders.
Testifying in 2019 before federal Administrative Law Judge Charles W. Dorman, Milione argued that Morris & Dickson “spared no expense” to overhaul its compliance systems, cancel suspicious orders and send daily emails to the DEA spelling out its actions.
But those efforts were too little, too late, the judge wrote in a 159-page recommendation which has not been previously reported and was recently obtained by the AP. Anything less than the most severe punishment, he said, “would communicate to DEA registrants that despite their transgressions, no matter how egregious, they will get a mere slap on the wrist and a second chance so long as they acknowledge their sins and vow to sin no more.”
“Acceptance of responsibility and evidence of remediation are not get-out-of-jail-free cards that erase the harm caused by years of cavalier disregard,” Dorman wrote. “Allowing the respondent to keep its registration would tell distributors that it is acceptable to take a relaxed approach to DEA regulations until they are caught, at which point they only need to throw millions of dollars at the problem to make the DEA go away.”
Shreveport, Louisiana-based Morris & Dickson, the nation’s fourth-largest wholesale drug distributor with $4 billion a year in revenue and nearly 600 employees, did not respond to requests for comment. But the company repeatedly said in court filings that losing its license would effectively shut it down and have a “catastrophic” effect on patients in 29 states.
Neither Milgram nor two DEA administrators who preceded her have taken any enforcement action since Dorman’s 2019 recommendation, allowing Morris & Dickson to continue operating even as it pursued a potential settlement. Former DEA officials told AP a nearly four-year wait in such a case is highly unusual, noting it rarely takes the agency more than two years to issue a final order.
Milgram’s management of DEA has been called into question on another front. AP reported last month that a federal watchdog is investigating whether the agency improperly awarded millions of dollars in no-bid contracts to hire Milgram's past associates.
Opioid Crisis:
As for Milione, federal ethics rules bar government employees from taking part in decisions that could benefit companies where they previously worked, but DEA did not respond to questions about whether Milione recused himself from the matter. He would have also faced restrictions on his interactions with the DEA when he left government as a senior official — an issue the agency’s own lawyers raised in an attempt to disqualify his testimony in support of Morris & Dickson.
Milione, a lawyer and former bit Hollywood actor, impressed fellow DEA agents for his risk taking and toughness. Among his achievements was running the overseas sting that in 2008 nabbed Russia’s notorious arms trafficker Viktor Bout, aka “The Merchant of Death.”
But after taking over as the head of Diversion Control in 2015, he ended his predecessor’s refusal to meet with drug manufacturers and distributors and opened the DEA’s doors to the industry it was charged with regulating.
Among those Milione met with on at least two occasions was Paul Dickson Sr. — then-president of Morris & Dickson. That included a 2016 visit to the Louisiana headquarters with DEA investigators to discuss the company’s compliance program.
John Gray, the head of the Healthcare Distributors Alliance, a lobbying group that includes Morris & Dickson, recounted in a 2015 email how Milione, under orders from then-incoming DEA Administrator Chuck Rosenberg, wanted to “reset” relations with the drug industry. And Milione even delivered the keynote speech at the group’s annual meeting.
“Overall, he was engaging, exceedingly pleasant and seemed genuinely concerned that we had lost touch with each other,” Gray wrote. “It is a very different tone and approach than we have all seen in the past 8-10 years.”
Morris & Dickson had been punished for its mishandling of addictive drugs before. In 2019, before Dorman issued his recommendation, the company agreed to pay $22 million in civil penalties to resolve federal prosecutors' claims that it violated the Controlled Substances Act by failing to report suspicious orders of hydrocodone and oxycodone. The company also agreed to multimillion-dollar upgrades of its compliance program to ensure it reports suspicious orders moving forward.
The case drew far less attention than the enforcement actions DEA took in recent years against Morris & Dickson’s larger competitors, a trio of pharmaceutical distributors who have agreed to pay the federal government more than $1 billion in fines and penalties for similar violations. Cardinal Health, AmerisourceBergen and McKesson also agreed to pay $21 billion over 18 years to resolve claims as part of a nationwide settlement.
Among the more than 12,000 suspicious orders that Dorman said Morris & Dickson should have reported to the DEA were 51 unusually large orders of opioids made by Wilkinson Family Pharmacy in suburban New Orleans.
Wilkinson purchased more than 4.5 million pills of oxycodone and hydrocodone from Morris & Dickson between 2014 and 2017, and federal prosecutors say during that time owner Keith Wilkinson laundered more than $345,000 from illegal sales made with forged prescriptions or written by “pill mill” doctors.
In one month, as many as 42% of all prescriptions filled by Wilkinson were for painkillers and 38% of those were paid for in cash. The DEA considers a pharmacy’s sales of controlled substances suspicious whenever they surpass 15% or cash transactions exceed 9%.
Yet Morris & Dickson never suspended any shipments to the pharmacy. Over three years, it filed just three suspicious order reports to the DEA – none of which resulted in shipments being suspended.
“Anybody with half a brain could’ve seen something wasn’t right,” said Dan Schneider, a retired pharmacist near New Orleans whose fight to hold drug companies accountable for the opioid epidemic was featured in a Netflix documentary series. “They were way out of line.”
_____
Goodman reported from Miami. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/national-international/a-drug-company-was-accused-of-fueling-the-opioid-crisis-its-hiring-of-a-dea-deputy-keeps-pills-flowing/3264090/ | 2023-05-24 13:29:42 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/national-international/a-drug-company-was-accused-of-fueling-the-opioid-crisis-its-hiring-of-a-dea-deputy-keeps-pills-flowing/3264090/ |
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., July 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian has recruited innovative colorectal surgeon Elizabeth R. Raskin, M.D., as surgical director for the Margolis Family Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Program within Hoag's Digestive Health Institute. Dr. Raskin comes to Hoag from University of California, Davis Medical Center, where she served as Chief of the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery and Director of Robotic Surgical Education.
With nearly 20 years of experience in state-of-the-art technologies and surgical techniques, Dr. Raskin's patient-centric approach provides cutting-edge, comprehensive, compassionate care to improve surgical outcomes and speed recovery. Her expertise includes laparoscopic and robot-assisted surgical techniques to treat complex colon, rectal and anal conditions, and she is often asked to lecture, teach and train surgeons of all levels on robotics.
"Dr. Raskin is a perfect fit for Hoag in that, in her own words, she challenges doctors to 'use their experience, instinct and imagination to reach beyond traditional boundaries to pave the way for better healthcare today and tomorrow,'" said Robert T. Braithwaite, president and CEO of Hoag. "She embodies Hoag's ethos of innovation, and we are proud to welcome her to our growing Digestive Health Institute."
Skilled in minimally invasive surgery, Dr. Raskin views robotic surgery and developing technologies as means to improve patient treatment options and outcomes. She is impressed by Hoag's commitment to robotic surgery: Hoag has been designated as a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery (COERS) from the Surgical Review Corporation.
"Hoag is known for putting patients first and for supporting technologies and treatments that advance the standard of care," she said. "I'm excited to be joining Hoag's Digestive Health Institute and collaborating with Dr. Caroline Hwang, among other distinguished colleagues, to bring world-class IBD care to Orange County and our region."
Though a sought-after expert, Dr. Raskin considers herself a "perpetual student." Her intellectual curiosity extends beyond surgery to include energy medicine and functional healing as an adjunct to surgical care. Her publications include research about IBD, complex diverticular disease, and ostomy creation and care. She has written and contributed to many peer-reviewed publications and textbooks and has presented multiple national and international lectures on a wide array of colorectal topics.
"Dr. Raskin shares our belief that moving the needle in leading-edge, evidenced-based techniques and innovations can improve lives," said IBD Program Director Caroline Hwang, M.D. "We are excited to work with her to further advance our digestive health treatments and services for the communities we serve."
Additional information about Hoag's Margolis Family IBD Program can be found at www.hoag.org/IBD.
ABOUT HOAG
Hoag is a nonprofit, regional health care delivery system in Orange County, California. Delivering world-class, comprehensive, personalized care, Hoag consists of 1,800 top physicians, 15 urgent care facilities, 10 health & wellness centers, and two award-winning hospitals. Hoag offers a comprehensive blend of health care services that includes six institutes providing specialized services in the following areas: cancer, digestive health, heart and vascular, neurosciences, women's health, and orthopedics through Hoag's affiliate, Hoag Orthopedic Institute, which consists of an orthopedic hospital and four ambulatory surgical centers. Hoag is the highest ranked hospital in Orange County by U.S. News & World Report and the only OC hospital ranked in the Top 10 in California, as well as a designated Magnet® hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). For more information, visit hoag.org.
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SOURCE Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian | https://www.weau.com/prnewswire/2022/07/19/hoag-digestive-health-institute-welcomes-dr-elizabeth-raskin-surgical-director-inflammatory-bowel-disease-program/ | 2022-07-19 18:26:55 | 0 | https://www.weau.com/prnewswire/2022/07/19/hoag-digestive-health-institute-welcomes-dr-elizabeth-raskin-surgical-director-inflammatory-bowel-disease-program/ |
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Coast Energy, an independent power producer that develops, owns and operates renewable distributed generation and storage projects for commercial and industrial (C&I) real estate, today announced that it has acquired an 8.6 megawatt project in the Town of Brookhaven on Long Island, New York.
The project site spans almost 35 acres of limited use, capped landfill where over 16,000 solar panels will be constructed using a fixed-tilt, ballasted installation. This clean, renewable solar power plant will feed into the Public Service Enterprise Group – Long Island (PSEG-LI) utility grid. The project will convert an otherwise dormant tract of land into a value-add site for the community that delivers affordable electricity to Long Island residents and creates local job opportunities.
Coast Energy acquired the project from i.on Renewables (www.ionrenewables.com/), a boutique solar developer based in White Plains, New York.
"This project is a perfect illustration of how we work with our development partners to make distributed solar power generation a reality," says Kip Perry, Chief Development Officer at Coast Energy. "We've had great collaboration with ion renewables and highly value their local development expertise. Co-development opportunities play a big role in our continued expansion throughout the United States, and we're looking forward to completing the late-stage development and breaking ground in Brookhaven."
Coast Energy will own, operate and perform ongoing maintenance on the system.
Daniel Prokopy, CEO & Founder of i.on renewables, worked closely with the Town of Brookhaven to develop the project, and led negotiations and agreements with Coast Energy.
"This project has been coming for a long time and I'm grateful for the support from the Town of Brookhaven as Supervisor Romaine and his major staff has helped us at every step along the way. The solar array on the Brookhaven Landfill will help bring jobs and affordable clean energy to Long Island, helping both the economy, climate and local air quality. I'm very excited to have found Coast Energy as a fantastic partner on this project. Coast brings significant expertise from an engineering, construction, and operations perspective that has helped to expedite the project's development and construction timeline. We are now excited to see it come to fruition."
Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine said,
"The collaboration between the Town of Brookhaven and Coast Energy is another big step toward creating the energy park at our Yaphank waste management facility that has been our goal for many years. We have been at the forefront of alternate sources of green energy that are more efficient, cost effective and better for the environment than fossil fuels. Now, with Coast Energy on board, we can expect to maintain and strengthen our position as a leader in green energy."
About Coast Energy
Coast Energy is a private equity backed solar solutions company providing commercial real estate owners and communities with clean solar energy. We operate with integrity and innovation, helping commercial real estate leaders access the sustainable solutions they need to maximize property value and to protect the planet for future generations.
About i.on renewables
Founded in 2017, i.on renewables is a quick-moving and fast-growing company with experience in the development, installation, and operation of solar facilities worldwide. The firm's goal is to supply sustainable energy solutions today in order to fight global climate change for both today and tomorrow.
About the Town of Brookhaven
The Town of Brookhaven is the largest town by area in the state of New York, and second largest by population.
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SOURCE Coast Energy | https://www.kfyrtv.com/prnewswire/2023/02/24/coast-energy-developing-solar-landfill-projects/ | 2023-02-24 01:50:33 | 1 | https://www.kfyrtv.com/prnewswire/2023/02/24/coast-energy-developing-solar-landfill-projects/ |
Braves first. Ronald Acuna Jr. singles to deep center field. Matt Olson homers to center field. Ronald Acuna Jr. scores. Sean Murphy singles to shallow center field. Austin Riley reaches on a fielder's choice to first base. Sean Murphy out at second. Eddie Rosario strikes out on a foul tip. Ozzie Albies walks. Austin Riley to second. Marcell Ozuna strikes out swinging.
2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Braves 2, Mariners 0.
Mariners fourth. Jarred Kelenic singles to center field. Eugenio Suarez singles to left field. Jarred Kelenic to second. Teoscar Hernandez reaches on a fielder's choice to shallow infield. Eugenio Suarez to second. Jarred Kelenic to third. Fielding error by Orlando Arcia. Taylor Trammell singles to right field. Teoscar Hernandez to second. Eugenio Suarez to third. Jarred Kelenic scores. Tom Murphy strikes out swinging. Jose Caballero out on a sacrifice fly to deep left center field to Eddie Rosario. Teoscar Hernandez to third. Eugenio Suarez scores. J.P. Crawford singles to right field. Taylor Trammell to third. Teoscar Hernandez scores. Fielding error by Ronald Acuna Jr.. Ty France grounds out to shallow infield, Austin Riley to Matt Olson.
3 runs, 4 hits, 2 errors, 2 left on. Mariners 3, Braves 2.
Mariners fifth. Julio Rodriguez walks. Jarred Kelenic singles to right field, advances to 2nd. Julio Rodriguez to third. Throwing error by Ronald Acuna Jr.. Eugenio Suarez out on a sacrifice fly to left center field to Eddie Rosario. Julio Rodriguez scores. Teoscar Hernandez singles to right field. Jarred Kelenic scores. Taylor Trammell pops out to shallow right field to Ozzie Albies. Tom Murphy strikes out swinging.
2 runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 1 left on. Mariners 5, Braves 2.
Mariners seventh. Julio Rodriguez walks. Jarred Kelenic grounds out to shallow infield, Orlando Arcia to Matt Olson. Julio Rodriguez to third. Eugenio Suarez homers to center field. Julio Rodriguez scores. Teoscar Hernandez walks. Taylor Trammell called out on strikes. Tom Murphy singles to right field. Teoscar Hernandez to second. Jose Caballero called out on strikes.
2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Mariners 7, Braves 2.
Braves eighth. Ronald Acuna Jr. singles to right center field. Matt Olson doubles to deep right center field. Ronald Acuna Jr. to third. Sean Murphy lines out to second base to Jose Caballero. Austin Riley out on a sacrifice fly to right field to Jarred Kelenic. Ronald Acuna Jr. scores. Eddie Rosario flies out to right field to Jarred Kelenic.
1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Mariners 7, Braves 3. | https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/sports/article/seattle-atlanta-runs-18110652.php | 2023-05-21 02:24:20 | 0 | https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/sports/article/seattle-atlanta-runs-18110652.php |
STROUDSBURG, Pa. - The preliminary hearing of the Poconos man accused of slaying four Idaho college students is just about two months away. New court documents show one of the two surviving roommates does not want to be there, after the defense said she may have information exculpatory to suspect Bryan Kohberger.
Recently unsealed court documents show an attorney for a surviving roommate of the Idaho killings is requesting that the roommate not attend Kohberger's preliminary hearing.
In an affidavit filed last month, Kohberger's defense said she should be there, since she may have information that could clear Kohberger. The courts have five days set aside for that hearing, starting June 26.
Also in March, an Idaho magistrate judge said the roommate "may" be a material witness, and that she must be at the Latah County Courthouse June 28.
This month, her attorney filed a motion to quash the subpoena, saying the defense's description of the information she could offer was vague, and that if needed, this could wait for trial.
The purpose of a preliminary hearing is to make sure prosecutors have enough evidence to go to trial.
The roommate is now believed to live in Nevada, and the motion said there isn't authority for an Idaho defendant to summon a Nevada witness for this type of hearing.
This roommate in question is the one who was reportedly sleeping on the first floor during the attacks, not the one who told police she heard noise and saw a masked man in the middle of the night.
It's unclear how or when the courts will respond.
69 News has requested additional court documents via public records request and is waiting to hear back from Latah County District Court.
The back and forth surrounding the hearing comes as Idaho's Supreme Court denied a request by more than two dozen news organizations to lift a gag order on the case. That prevents anyone involved from talking about it. | https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/poconos-coal/bryan-kohbergers-attorney-survivors-attorney-at-odds-over-whether-survivor-should-be-at-preliminary-hearing/article_761a065c-e3a8-11ed-9c98-437eba5c3525.html | 2023-04-25 23:01:09 | 1 | https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/poconos-coal/bryan-kohbergers-attorney-survivors-attorney-at-odds-over-whether-survivor-should-be-at-preliminary-hearing/article_761a065c-e3a8-11ed-9c98-437eba5c3525.html |
This first CPT III code for AI-supported brain MRI reading brings icometrix to the standard of care
BOSTON and LEUVEN, Belgium , July 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Medical Association (AMA) has issued a Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code for icometrix' FDA-cleared, AI-related brain MRI quantification software, thereby creating a path to reimbursement.
icometrix is the world-leading brain imaging AI company, providing clinically relevant metrics for cerebral MRI scans. The quantitative analysis AI insights assist clinicians to diagnose, monitor, and assess treatment response for brain disorders such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia, Epilepsy, Traumatic Brain Injury, Stroke, etc.
In the US, Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial health plans use CPT codes to identify healthcare procedures and services. Once in effect, hospitals and imaging centers can use the new CPT codes to submit claims for icometrix' AI-based analysis of brain MRI scans.
"Precision medicine is vital for improving treatment of neurological conditions, and especially for multiple sclerosis", says Tim Coetzee, Chief Advocacy, Services & Science Officer at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. "This recognition creates a path for icometrix' innovative technology to be integrated into the management of multiple sclerosis and takes us one step closer to a future where precision medicine guides treatment decisions", he continues.
"Precision and personalized medicine are indeed becoming the standard of care quickly in neurology", agrees Dr. Joseph Fritz, CEO of Dent Neurological Institute and co-founder of NeuroNetPRO. "As brain MRI scans are a crucial part of the diagnosis and monitoring in neurology, the quantitative analysis of the icometrix' AI-software together with the radiological reading are needed for a data-driven clinical decision-making in neurology."
"Shifting demographics and aging populations are key drivers increasing the demand for brain MRI procedures, and for developing and measuring biomarkers to assess and manage the growing burden of neurologic diseases", adds Dr. John Jordan, chair of the American College of Radiology Commission on Neuroradiology, and chair of the Standards and Guidelines Committee of the American Society of Neuroradiology. "Neuroimaging can be a tedious and extremely challenging task for radiologists, particularly as clinical burdens and disease complexity continue to increase. With rapidly evolving technology and new treatments on the horizon for high impact diseases such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, we only expect the need for quantitative imaging and assessment of brain MRI scans to increase rapidly".
"This is a major milestone for icometrix, for the radiology and neurology communities, and most of all for patients living with neurological conditions", says Wim Van Hecke, CEO of icometrix. "To date, only three other companies, in the field of heart disease, lung cancer, and liver disease, have successfully obtained a CPT III code in radiology AI. As this is the first CPT code for quantitative brain MRI analysis, we are thrilled about the impact this code will have on the care and management of patients with brain disorders", concludes Dirk Smeets, Chief Technology Officer at icometrix.
Contact
- General email: info@icometrix.com
- Press kit
Europe: +32 (0)16 396 000
United States: +1 617 528 0980
Address Belgium
Kolonel Begaultlaan 1b / 12
3012 Leuven
Belgium
Address USA
50 Milk Street, 16th floor icometrix
Boston, MA 02109
United States
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SOURCE icometrix | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/07/01/ama-issues-cpt-iii-code-icometrix-ai-related-brain-mri-quantification-software/ | 2023-07-01 05:51:47 | 1 | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/07/01/ama-issues-cpt-iii-code-icometrix-ai-related-brain-mri-quantification-software/ |
HONOLULU (KHON) – Getting infect with COVID-19 can result in flu-like symptoms, respiratory issues, brain fog, and in very rare cases temporary facial paralysis.
Bell’s palsy describes an “unexplained episode of facial muscle weakness or paralysis” caused by damage to the facial nerve, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Usually the pain or discomfort is isolated to one side of the face. It starts suddenly and then gets worse over a 48-hour period.
Waking up not being able to move the face and suffering through the pain that follows, while still rare, has become a more common experience since the pandemic began. It could be a rare side effect of COVID-19 infection, though scientists say more research is needed.
“Case reports of Bell’s palsy associated with COVID-19 are emerging, but association does not mean causation,” writes one case study author in the NIH’s National Library of Medicine. “That said, we need to report these cases to draw attention to the possible neuroinvasive propensity of this virus.”
A 2021 study of the connection between Bell’s palsy and COVID-19 found despite the increases, the overall occurrences were still low. Of the 348,088 with COVID-19 identified in the study 284, or 0.08%, were diagnosed with Bell’s palsy within eight weeks of getting sick. About half of those people had a history of Bell’s palsy, while half did not.
The occurrence of Bell’s palsy (BP) was even rare following COVID-19 vaccination, the study found. “This analysis found a statistically significant higher risk of BP in patients with COVID-19 compared with those who were vaccinated against the disease,” it reads. “Further long-term analysis is necessary to determine the relationship between COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccine on BP.”
Another 2021 study found the risk of getting Bell’s palsy after the COVID-19 vaccine was no greater than after other viral vaccines.
The exact cause of Bell’s palsy is unknown, according to Johns Hopkins, but it’s thought to be triggered by inflammation caused by an overactive immune system. That’s why it often occurs in conjunction with a viral infection.
What are the signs of Bell’s palsy? The Mayo Clinic has provided a list:
- Rapid onset of mild weakness to total paralysis on one side of your face — occurring within hours to days
- Facial droop and difficulty making facial expressions, such as closing your eye or smiling
- Drooling
- Pain around the jaw or in or behind your ear on the affected side
- Increased sensitivity to sound on the affected side
- Headache
- A loss of taste
- Changes in the amount of tears and saliva you produce – for many, they experience extreme dry eyes to point where they develop sores
According to Johns Hopkins, facial paralysis usually starts to improve in two weeks, but could take months to fully resolve.
Experts recommend speaking to a health care provider if you believe you have Bell’s palsy so you can seek appropriate treatment and care. | https://www.wane.com/news/is-bells-palsy-a-side-effect-of-covid-19/ | 2023-02-20 17:34:16 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/is-bells-palsy-a-side-effect-of-covid-19/ |
LEIDEN, Netherlands, Aug. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Vico Therapeutics B.V., a neurology-focused genetic medicine company, today announced the appointment of Micah Mackison as Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Mackison brings significant biotechnology and pharmaceutical leadership experience to Vico. He will lead the company as it advances its neurology programs into the clinic and expands its oligonucleotide-based RNA modulation platform.
"We are very excited to welcome Micah to the Vico team," said Luc Dochez, Chairman of Vico. "His leadership in building biotech companies, experience in genetic neurological diseases and patient-centric focus make him uniquely suited to guide Vico as we progress to a clinical stage company."
"I am delighted and grateful to have the opportunity to lead Vico as we plan for many important milestones in execution of our business strategy," said Mr. Mackison. "As VO659 approaches the clinic and the VICOMER™ platform continues to develop, we are well positioned to deliver on the promise of genetic medicine for the patients and families that are at the center of our mission."
Micah joins us from Locanabio, an RNA-targeted gene therapy company, where he was Chief Business Officer and Executive Vice President of Strategy and Corporate Development. At Locanabio, he was instrumental in setting strategy, raising capital and helping build an organization focused on genetic neurological diseases. Prior to Locanabio, he was Senior Vice President, Corporate Development and Strategy at Assembly Biosciences, where he led a range of business development efforts. Previously, Micah served as Head of Corporate Strategy and Senior Director, New Ventures at H. Lundbeck A/S focused on neuroscience. Prior to the acquisition by Lundbeck, he was Director, Corporate Development and M&A at Ovation Pharmaceuticals, a neuroscience-focused company that launched the first product for Huntington's disease.
Micah also held roles in corporate finance at Eli Lilly and Pfizer. He earned a B.S. in Finance from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.
Vico Therapeutics is committed to advancing RNA modulating therapies for patients with severe, genetic neurological disorders. Vico's lead product candidate, VO659, is being developed for spinocerebellar ataxia types 3 and 1 and Huntington's disease. Our VICOMER™ platform designs antisense oligonucleotides for various genetic defects by modulating or editing RNA. For more information, visit www.vicotx.com
SOURCE Vico Therapeutics B.V. | https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2022/08/01/vico-therapeutics-appoints-micah-mackison-chief-executive-officer/ | 2022-08-01 06:56:39 | 1 | https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2022/08/01/vico-therapeutics-appoints-micah-mackison-chief-executive-officer/ |
Thompson named to Unitas Award Watch List
LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - Nebraska quarterback Casey Thompson was named to the watch list for the 2022 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, announced on Wednesday. Thompson was one of 76 FBS quarterbacks named to the watch list.
The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award annually recognizes the nation’s top senior or upperclassmen quarterback. The 2021 winner was Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett, who flourished under the direction of offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Mark Whipple, who is in his first season as Nebraska’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach this fall.
Thompson is also in his first season at Nebraska after transferring from Texas. He played in 19 games with 10 starts as a Longhorn and was Texas’ starting quarterback last season. In 2021, Thompson started the final 10 games and completed 63 percent of his passes for 2,113 yards and 24 touchdowns despite battling a hand injury. He threw for five touchdowns against Oklahoma and produced six total touchdowns against Texas Tech and seven against Kansas. His three career games with five or more touchdowns are the most in the history of Texas football.
Thompson is one of six Huskers who have earned a spot on a preseason watch list for a major national award. Thompson and his teammates open the season on Saturday against Northwestern at the Aer Lingus Classic in Dublin, Ireland.
Huskers on Preseason Watch Lists:
Brian Buschini, Ray Guy Award
Ochaun Mathis, Bronko Nagurski Trophy
Trey Palmer, Paul Hornung Award
Ethan Piper, Allstate Good Works Team
Luke Reimer, Butkus Award
Luke Reimer, Chuck Bednarik Award
Casey Thompson, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
Copyright 2022 KOLN. All rights reserved. | https://www.1011now.com/2022/08/25/thompson-named-unitas-award-watch-list/ | 2022-08-25 03:44:34 | 0 | https://www.1011now.com/2022/08/25/thompson-named-unitas-award-watch-list/ |
All users can access 1,024GB (1TB) of free cloud storage
SUNNYVALE, Calif., July 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TeraBox, a cloud storage service, recently reached 50M global downloads, signaling the increasing demand for secure and affordable cloud storage.
Offered a large amount of space, users can easily get 1,024 GB (1TB) of cloud storage for free, with the option to upgrade to a Premium membership with expanded features. Focusing on usability and convenience, TeraBox automatically syncs files across devices and backs up photos and videos, as well as saves files to the local storage on users' devices.
"At halfway through 2022, we're thrilled to celebrate this milestone and welcome new users to the platform every day," said Olivia Tian, product lead at TeraBox. "We're dedicated to providing our users with the best cloud storage experience and look forward to the app's continued success."
TeraBox has a dedicated team in Japan, which is where its servers are located. Furthermore, TeraBox leverages Amazon Cloud and Google Cloud to provide high quality services to its worldwide users.
Available for download on Android, iOS, and Windows devices, data can also be accessed online at www.terabox.com.
About TeraBox
TeraBox is an innovative cloud storage app that protects and organizes all the files on a user's device, helping them to quickly back up and navigate photos, important documents, and files with the aid of powerful AI technology. TeraBox enables worldwide users to experience the future of data backup and cloud storage solutions.
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SOURCE TeraBox | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/07/20/terabox-achieves-50m-global-downloads/ | 2022-07-20 16:20:32 | 1 | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/07/20/terabox-achieves-50m-global-downloads/ |
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Two neglected tigers rescued from a long-shuttered roadside tourist attraction in Oklahoma are beginning new lives more than 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) away at California’s Oakland Zoo after receiving much-needed medical treatment.
The female tigers, now named Lola and Mia, were rescued in June from an Oklahoma attraction that was closed in 2008 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for multiple animal safety and welfare violations.
Lola had a facial deformity caused by an untreated infected tooth and underwent dental surgery on Thursday at the Oakland Zoo.
Mia had been declawed as a cub, a painful process that removes part of the animal’s paws and it is believed the big cat was used for taking pictures with tourists.
A concerned citizen alerted the Oakland Zoo that there were underfed big cats still living in small cages at the Oklahoma drive-thru zoo that were not receiving proper care. The Oakland Zoo did not disclose the name of the roadside attraction business because it said doing so could reveal the name of the tipster.
The tigers were kept in enclosures that were probably about 10 feet (3 meters) by about 15 feet (4.5 meters) and lived among piles of feces and dirty water dishes, said Colleen Kinzley, Director of Animal Care, Conservation and Research, at the Oakland Zoo.
“These are just atrocious conditions for an animal to live in and receive no medical care,” she said. “We’re very happy to be able to provide them with a forever home and a good quality of life.”
The animals are now receiving medical care and regaining their strength before they move to Oakland Zoo’s newly remodeled tiger exhibit, which had been empty since their previous rescued tiger passed away last year.
“It will be very heartwarming to see them be able to walk out on grass for probably the first time ever. Tigers love water. The moment they get to jump into the pool, I think there’s going to be so many times when we really will be so happy about this work that we’re doing,” Kinzley said.
The owner of the Oklahoma attraction was known to trade tigers with Joe Exotic from the Netflix series “Tiger King,” according to the Oakland Zoo. But since there were no records of the big cats’ history, it’s not known if either were bred or raised by Joe Exotic.
Joe Exotic — whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage — is serving a 21-year prison sentence after being convicted of hiring two different men to kill animal welfare activist Carole Baskin.
The former private zookeeper was sentenced in January 2020 to 22 years in prison but after an appeal on his murder-for-hire conviction, a judge this year lowered his sentence to 21 years.
The Oakland Zoo says the treatment the tigers need points to the need to pass the federal Big Cat Public Safety Act, which would regulate the possession, exhibition, or breeding of the animals and restrict direct contact between the public and the big cats.
The bill has stalled since being introduced in the House last year. Currently, the ownership and breeding of exotic animals is controlled by state laws.
California has strict laws protecting big cats but other states like Oklahoma are more lenient. | https://www.ksn.com/news/national-world/ap-us-news/rescued-oklahoma-tigers-get-care-in-california-and-new-home/ | 2022-07-16 17:32:09 | 0 | https://www.ksn.com/news/national-world/ap-us-news/rescued-oklahoma-tigers-get-care-in-california-and-new-home/ |
NEW YORK, May 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --
WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (the "Company" or "TDS") (NYSE: TDS, TDSPrU, TDSPrV) between May 6, 2022 and November 3, 2022, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important July 3, 2023 lead plaintiff deadline.
SO WHAT: If you purchased TDS securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.
WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the TDS class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=15807 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than July 3, 2023. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.
WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.
DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, the Company and its subsidiary, United States Cellular Corporation ("UScellular"), made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) defendants had no reason to believe UScellular's "free upgrade" promotional activity, which was tested and trialed during the second quarter of 2022, was effective at reducing the Company's postpaid churn rate as they represented to investors, as opposed to merely adding new postpaid subscribers, when its churn rate was actually increasing or remaining constant over most quarters in the class period; (2) UScellular was not making progress with respect to its churn rate, as it represented to investors; (3) UScellular was not in fact balancing its promotional activity and its profitability; (4) due to extreme competition among postpaid carriers, UScellular did not have the flexibility to offset the costs from widespread, expensive promotions with price increases; and (5) as a result of the Companies' decision for UScellular to continue engaging in heavy promotions to address its postpaid subscriber churn rate despite any lack of positive impact on churn rate, UScellular's profitability substantially declined. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.
To join the TDS class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=15807 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.
No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Contact Information:
Laurence Rosen, Esq.
Phillip Kim, Esq.
The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
Fax: (212) 202-3827
lrosen@rosenlegal.com
pkim@rosenlegal.com
cases@rosenlegal.com
www.rosenlegal.com
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SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2023/05/13/rosen-skilled-investor-counsel-encourages-telephone-data-systems-inc-investors-secure-counsel-before-important-deadline-securities-class-action-tds-tdspru-tdsprv/ | 2023-05-14 19:48:29 | 1 | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2023/05/13/rosen-skilled-investor-counsel-encourages-telephone-data-systems-inc-investors-secure-counsel-before-important-deadline-securities-class-action-tds-tdspru-tdsprv/ |
In the immortal words of Tyra Banks on America's Next Top Model, "You wanna be on top?"
The iconic catchphrase has finally been answered—because when it comes to Amelia Hamlin's passion for fashion, there's nothing she won't do. Case in point? The 21-year-old unveiled a dramatic transformation on TikTok, in which she completely shaved off her eyebrows for an upcoming photo shoot for Interview magazine.
"Wow, OK. That was a big one," Amelia said in the one-minute clip, posted by the publication on Oct. 7. "I felt them go."
While the model noted that she had been "wanting to shave them" for quite some time, she didn't pull the trigger until Interview's editor-in-chief, Mel Ottenberg, gave her a reason to.
"I love it," she squealed after touching the first shaved brow for the first time. "It's f--king sick."
In a since-expired Instagram Story, Amelia shared a behind-the-scenes moment of the makeover, writing, "Only 4 u @melzy917 & fashion of course."
The daughter of Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin is no stranger to bold beauty trends.
Last September, during New York Fashion Week, Amelia debuted bleached brows, making them her signature style long before Kendall Jenner, Kim Kardashian and other A-listers decided to opt for the look in 2022.
While Amelia has enjoyed taking risks in the fashion and beauty arenas, not everyone is thrilled about it. In June, the star had to address her haters after she received negative comments over her bleached eyebrows.
"Every single person that slides into my DMs telling me they hate my eyebrows and that [you want to] unfollow me [because] of them," she wrote on Instagram Stories, per Bravo TV, "Thank god they're my eyebrows and not [yours and please] unfollow me if you don't get it."
@interviewmag #AmeliaGray takes it to the next level for us. Shoot coming soon to the pages of #InterviewMagazine ? original sound - Interview Magazine
So far, Amelia's shaved brows have been praised on Interview's TikTok, so she won't need to clap back at the critics any time soon.
See her new look in the video above. | https://www.eonline.com/news/1349571/amelia-hamlin-shaves-off-her-eyebrows-for-must-see-fashion-photoshoot | 2022-10-07 23:08:52 | 1 | https://www.eonline.com/news/1349571/amelia-hamlin-shaves-off-her-eyebrows-for-must-see-fashion-photoshoot |
AUSTIN, Texas. -- A federal judge in Texas on Friday ordered a hold on the U.S. approval of the abortion medication mifepristone, throwing into question access to the nation's most common method of abortion in a ruling that waved aside decades of scientific approval.
The abortion drug has been widely used in the U.S. since 2000 and there is essentially no precedent for a lone judge overruling the medical decisions of the Food and Drug Administration. Mifepristone is one of two drugs used for medication abortion in the United States, along with misoprostol, which is used to treat other medical conditions.
U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk, a Trump administration appointee in Amarillo, Texas, signed an injunction directing the FDA to stay mifepristone's approval while a lawsuit challenging the safety and approval of the drug continues. But the immediate impact of the ruling was unclear.
He didn't go as far as the plaintiffs wanted by withdrawing or suspending the approvals of chemical abortion drugs and removing them from the list of approved drugs. But he put a "stay" or hold on approval of the drug. His ruling, however, doesn't immediately go into effect.
Kacsmaryk gave the government seven days to appeal.
Federal lawyers representing the FDA are expected to swiftly appeal.
Clinics and doctors that prescribe the two-drug combination have said that if mifepristone were pulled from the market, they would switch to using only the second drug, misoprostol. That single-drug approach has a slightly lower rate of effectiveness in ending pregnancies, but it is widely used in countries where mifepristone is illegal or unavailable.
Mifepristone is part of a two-drug regimen that has long been the standard for medication abortion in the U.S. Clinics and doctors that prescribe the combination say they plan to switch to using only misoprostol. The single-drug approach is slightly less effective at ending pregnancies.
The lawsuit was filed by the Alliance Defending Freedom, which was also involved in the Mississippi case that led to Roe v. Wade being overturned. At the core of the lawsuit is the allegation that the FDA's initial approval of mifepristone was flawed because it did not adequately review its safety risks.
Courts have long deferred to the FDA on issues of drug safety and effectiveness. But the agency's authority faces new challenges in a post-Roe legal environment in which abortions are banned or unavailable in 14 states, while 16 states have laws specifically targeting abortion medications. | https://abc30.com/mifepristone-tablets-approval-halted-federal-judge-abortion-drug/13100439/ | 2023-04-07 23:26:21 | 0 | https://abc30.com/mifepristone-tablets-approval-halted-federal-judge-abortion-drug/13100439/ |
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BRUSSELS (AP) — A group of more than 100 European Union lawmakers is urging European soccer's governing body to ban Belarus from qualifying for the 2024 European Championship.
MEPs from across the political spectrum wrote in a letter sent to UEFA president Alexander Ceferin that the Belarusian national team should not be able to compete because of the country's terrible human rights record.
"These are not only UEFA values at stake, but also UEFA’s reputation and image within democratic societies and international community," they said.
Last week, a court in Belarus sentenced exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya to 15 years in prison after a trial in absentia on charges including conspiring to overthrow the government, the latest move in a months-long effort by the government to suppress dissent.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin in his war against Ukraine. Russia used Belarusian territory to send troops into Ukraine more than a year ago at the start of the war.
Russia — which is already excluded from UEFA and FIFA competitions — has maintained troops and weapons in Belarus and the two countries have regularly conducted joint drills as part of their military alliance.
This stance left Lukashenko even more isolated in Europe, where his country faces sanctions from the European Union for both its role in the war and his repression of domestic opposition.
All Belarusian teams have been banned from hosting international soccer games and play home games in neutral countries, with no fans allowed to attend. But UEFA decided last year to let Belarus enter the Euro 2024 qualifying draw despite a government request from tournament-host Germany to remove the team because the country is a military ally of Russia.
“The very fact of participating in UEFA Championship by the Belarusian national team will be later used by Lukashenko and his propaganda team to prove he is well-received in the international community,” the MEPs wrote in their letter Wednesday.
"This would be an offense to the victims of the Russian aggression in Ukraine and to all the Belarusians who were forced to flee from their homeland as well as those who stayed in Belarus and now must live in fear and terror," they added.
Belarus is set to start its qualifying campaign against Switzerland on March 25 in neutral Serbia, a decision that has caused some unease with the Swiss. Players with family roots in Kosovo and Albania — including Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri — could face a hostile reception in the city of Novi Sad.
Israel, Romania, Andorra and Kosovo are also in the gorup.
Most Olympic sports have excluded athletes from Russia and Belarus after Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. But fencing and judo have recently reopened access to athletes from the two countries ahead of qualifying events for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
___
AP Sports Writers Graham Dunbar in Geneva and James Ellingworth in Duesseldorf, Germany, contributed to this report.
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.mrt.com/sports/article/eu-lawmakers-ask-uefa-to-ban-belarus-from-euro-17840731.php | 2023-03-15 15:45:00 | 0 | https://www.mrt.com/sports/article/eu-lawmakers-ask-uefa-to-ban-belarus-from-euro-17840731.php |
Amber Alert issued for missing 11-month-old girl last seen in Midland, Texas
MIDLAND, Texas - An Amber Alert has been issued for a missing 11-month-old girl last seen in Midland, Texas on Monday morning.
Authorities are looking for 11-month-old Darla Steve.
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Darla was last seen on the 2700 block of Southwest Street on Monday morning around 12:30 a.m.
Darla is described as a white female, with brown eyes and black hair.
Authorities are also looking for 29-year-old Zach Smith in connection with Darla's disappearance.
Smith is described as a white male, 5'6" tall, 167 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair.
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Authorities believe they may be in a gray 2022 Dodge Ram 3500 bearing Texas license plate SDD9435.
If you have any information on where Darla is contact 911 or the Midland Police Department at (432) 685-7110. | https://www.fox4news.com/news/amber-alert-issued-for-missing-11-month-old-girl-last-seen-in-midland-texas | 2023-01-18 06:53:06 | 0 | https://www.fox4news.com/news/amber-alert-issued-for-missing-11-month-old-girl-last-seen-in-midland-texas |
MIAMI, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK) today announced that Carnival Corporation (the "Company") intends to commence the marketing of a new senior secured first lien term loan B facility (the "New First Lien Term Loan") with an original principal amount of $1.0 billion, expected to mature in 2027. In conjunction with the New First Lien Term Loan, and subject to market and other conditions, the Company may raise $500 million of other secured debt maturing in 2029 (together with the New First Lien Term Loan, the "Refinancing Transactions"). The Company intends to use the proceeds from the Refinancing Transactions to repay a portion of the borrowings under the Company's existing first-priority senior secured term loan facility maturing in 2025.
After the closing of the Refinancing Transactions, the Company intends to redeem all of the Company's 10.500% second-priority senior secured notes due 2026 and 10.125% second-priority senior secured notes due 2026 (collectively, the "2026 Notes"), saving over $120 million in interest expense on an annualized basis. The $1.2 billion of redemptions will be conditioned on the closing of the Refinancing Transactions. The Company expects to use cash on hand to finance the redemptions. This press release does not constitute a notice of redemption with respect to the 2026 Notes.
The Company's Chief Financial Officer David Bernstein commented: "Given the confidence we have in our business and its cash flow generation, we plan to retire $1.2 billion of our highest cost debt. In connection with this retirement, we plan to extend some of the lowest cost public debt in our portfolio. This is yet another step forward in our deleveraging journey, building on the $1.4 billion we already early retired this year. With this debt repayment, we now expect our year end debt balance to be less than $32.0 billion, an improvement over the November 30, 2023 debt balance of less than $33.0 billion provided in our June guidance."
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase any security and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any state or jurisdiction in which such offering, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.
About Carnival Corporation & plc
Carnival Corporation & plc is the largest global cruise company, and among the largest leisure travel companies, with a portfolio of world-class leading cruise lines - AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises (Australia), P&O Cruises (UK), Princess Cruises and Seabourn.
Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
Carnival Corporation and Carnival plc and their respective subsidiaries are referred to collectively in this press release, as "Carnival Corporation & plc," "our," "us" and "we." Some of the statements, estimates or projections contained in this press release are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions with respect to us, including some statements concerning the refinancing transactions described herein, future results, operations, outlooks, plans, goals, reputation, cash flows, liquidity and other events which have not yet occurred. These statements are intended to qualify for the safe harbors from liability provided by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical facts are statements that could be deemed forward-looking. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about our business and the industry in which we operate and the beliefs and assumptions of our management. We have tried, whenever possible, to identify these statements by using words like "will," "may," "could," "should," "would," "believe," "depends," "expect," "goal," "aspiration," "anticipate," "forecast," "project," "future," "intend," "plan," "estimate," "target," "indicate," "outlook," and similar expressions of future intent or the negative of such terms.
Forward-looking statements include those statements that relate to our outlook and financial position including, but not limited to, statements regarding:
Because forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, there are many factors that could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. This note contains important cautionary statements of the known factors that we consider could materially affect the accuracy of our forward-looking statements and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial position. Additionally, many of these risks and uncertainties are currently, and in the future may continue to be, amplified by our substantial debt balance as a result of the pause of our guest cruise operations. There may be additional risks that we consider immaterial or which are unknown. These factors include, but are not limited to, the following:
- events and conditions around the world, including war and other military actions, such as the invasion of Ukraine, inflation, higher fuel prices, higher interest rates and other general concerns impacting the ability or desire of people to travel have led, and may in the future lead, to a decline in demand for cruises, impacting our operating costs and profitability;
- pandemics have in the past and may in the future have a significant negative impact on our financial condition and operations;
- incidents concerning our ships, guests or the cruise industry have in the past and may, in the future, negatively impact the satisfaction of our guests and crew and lead to reputational damage;
- changes in and non-compliance with laws and regulations under which we operate, such as those relating to health, environment, safety and security, data privacy and protection, anti-corruption, economic sanctions, trade protection, labor and employment and tax have in the past and may, in the future, lead to litigation, enforcement actions, fines, penalties and reputational damage;
- factors associated with climate change, including evolving and increasing regulations, increasing global concern about climate change and the shift in climate conscious consumerism and stakeholder scrutiny, and increasing frequency and/or severity of adverse weather conditions could adversely affect our business;
- inability to meet or achieve our sustainability related goals, aspirations, initiatives, and our public statements and disclosures regarding them, may expose us to risks that may adversely impact our business;
- breaches in data security and lapses in data privacy as well as disruptions and other damages to our principal offices, information technology operations and system networks and failure to keep pace with developments in technology may adversely impact our business operations, the satisfaction of our guests and crew and may lead to reputational damage;
- the loss of key team members, our inability to recruit or retain qualified shoreside and shipboard team members and increased labor costs could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations;
- increases in fuel prices, changes in the types of fuel consumed and availability of fuel supply may adversely impact our scheduled itineraries and costs;
- we rely on supply chain vendors who are integral to the operations of our businesses. These vendors and service providers may be unable to deliver on their commitments, which could negatively impact our business;
- fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates may adversely impact our financial results;
- overcapacity and competition in the cruise and land-based vacation industry may negatively impact our cruise sales, pricing and destination options;
- inability to implement our shipbuilding programs and ship repairs, maintenance and refurbishments may adversely impact our business operations and the satisfaction of our guests;
- Failure to successfully implement our business strategy following our resumption of guest cruise operations would negatively impact the occupancy levels and pricing of our cruises and could have a material adverse effect on our business. We require a significant amount of cash to service our debt and sustain our operations. Our ability to generate cash depends on many factors, including those beyond our control, and we may not be able to generate cash required to service our debt and sustain our operations; and,
- the risk factors included in Carnival Corporation's and Carnival plc's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on January 27, 2023 and Carnival Corporation's and Carnival plc's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on March 29, 2023 and June 28, 2023.
The ordering of the risk factors set forth above is not intended to reflect our indication of priority or likelihood.
Forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a prediction of actual results. Subject to any continuing obligations under applicable law or any relevant stock exchange rules, we expressly disclaim any obligation to disseminate, after the date of this document, any updates or revisions to any such forward-looking statements to reflect any change in expectations or events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.
Forward-looking and other statements in this document may also address our sustainability progress, plans and goals (including climate change and environmental-related matters). In addition, historical, current and forward-looking sustainability- and climate-related statements may be based on standards and tools for measuring progress that are still developing, internal controls and processes that continue to evolve, and assumptions and predictions that are subject to change in the future and may not be generally shared.
SOURCE Carnival Corporation & plc
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SOURCE Carnival Corporation & plc | https://www.wkyt.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/carnival-corporation-amp-plc-announces-anticipated-debt-pre-payment-12b-refinancing-transaction/ | 2023-07-31 12:56:25 | 0 | https://www.wkyt.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/carnival-corporation-amp-plc-announces-anticipated-debt-pre-payment-12b-refinancing-transaction/ |
HOUSTON (AP) _ U.S. Physical Therapy Inc. (USPH) on Thursday reported first-quarter net income of $8.8 million.
The Houston-based company said it had profit of 67 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring gains, came to 65 cents per share.
The results topped Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 63 cents per share.
The physician staffing services company posted revenue of $131.7 million in the period, which also beat Street forecasts. Three analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $129.3 million.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on USPH at https://www.zacks.com/ap/USPH | https://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/U-S-Physical-Therapy-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17149916.php | 2022-05-05 12:43:40 | 0 | https://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/U-S-Physical-Therapy-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17149916.php |
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — The PGA Tour is in Delaware for the first time and the buzz still surrounded Tiger Woods, even if he didn’t have clubs and might not be seen.
Woods was scheduled to come to Wilmington Country Club on Tuesday for a private meeting of top players to discuss the threat of Saudi-funded LIV Golf, according to two people aware of the plans at the BMW Championship.
They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the privacy of the meeting. One person invited to the meeting said it was to get on the same page against LIV Golf, along with taking more ownership in the direction of the PGA Tour.
The meeting led to a previously scheduled Players Advisory Council meeting being moved up Tuesday afternoon to leave time for the private meeting.
“There is a player meeting, but that’s all I can tell you about that,” Jon Rahm said.
It was not clear if PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan would be involved. He met with the players informally last week following a hearing in which a federal judge denied a request by three LIV Golf players seeking to play in the PGA Tour postseason.
Monahan also met with the players a week after the U.S. Open to details plans for big increases in prize money on the PGA Tour, qualifying changes and a new schedule that will return to a January start to the season in 2024.
“I’m not sure what, if anything, will change, what will be the result of it,” Patrick Cantlay said. “I think it’s good that a lot of the players are getting together to discuss the situation out here, especially given the current circumstances.”
Woods has been a strong opponent of LIV Golf. The rival league’s leader, Greg Norman, confirmed in an interview with Fox News last month that Woods was offered in the range of $700 to $800 million to take part. Norman said that was before he was hired to run LIV Golf.
Norman and Woods have never been close, going back to when Woods arrived on the PGA Tour and instantly became the biggest star golf had seen in generations.
Woods was particularly forceful at the British Open last month when he said of Norman not being invited to festivities around the 150th Open, “Greg has done some things that I don’t think is in the best interest of our game.”
He said he disagreed with players getting enormous signing bonuses to defect to LIV Golf, saying they have turned their backs on the tour that made them famous.
The PGA Tour has reacted to the depth of Saudi funding with a $50 million bonus pool called the Player Impact Program that pays 10 leading players based on how much attention they get. Some players, such as Cantlay, the defending FedEx Cup champion, don’t like the program.
Also in the works is a series of overseas tournaments at the end of the year that will reward the top performers. The tour hasn’t announced set details or a sponsor.
LIV Golf has played three events offering $25 million apiece in prize money to a group of players that include Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau. It resumes its eight-tournament schedule after the FedEx Cup ends next week.
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More AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.myarklamiss.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-sources-tiger-to-meet-with-top-players-against-liv-golf/ | 2022-08-16 21:48:51 | 0 | https://www.myarklamiss.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-sources-tiger-to-meet-with-top-players-against-liv-golf/ |
Former President Trump pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges on 37 counts following a Department of Justice indictment alleging he violated both the Espionage Act and obstructed justice in taking classified records from his presidency and refusing to return them.
The arraignment was Trump’s second this year but his appearance in a Miami courthouse was his first on federal charges. He is the first former president or candidate for president to face such charges.
Trump, who is the odds-on favorite to win the 2024 GOP presidential primary, previewed in a conversation with conservative radio host Howie Carr how he would plead.
“I just say, ‘not guilty.’ I didn’t do anything wrong. I did nothing wrong. Presidential Records Act. It’s not even a criminal event. There’s no criminality here. It’s ridiculous,” Trump said during the interview.
Trump was indicted Thursday in connection with the investigation led by special counsel Jack Smith, with the unsealed document revealing Trump would also be facing charges on concealing documents and making false statements.
The arraignment was held before Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman, though Judge Aileen Cannon, who oversaw Trump’s earlier challenge to the Mar-a-Lago investigation, is slated to oversee subsequent hearings in the case.
Trump was accompanied by attorneys Todd Blanche, who is also representing him in a New York prosecution related to hush money payments, as well as Christopher Kise, who previously represented Trump in the Mar-a-Lago probe. Trump’s main attorneys on the case resigned Friday, and Trump is still searching for a Florida-based firm to round out his legal team.
“We most certainly enter a plea of not guilty,” Blanche said.
Trump was reported to have spent the hearing sitting with his arms folded with a serious expression on his face but waved to supporters and observers when exiting the Wilkie D. Ferguson courthouse.
Courtroom drawings, the only visuals allowed of the proceeding, show Trump standing alongside his attorneys.
Blanche entered the not guilty plea on Trump’s behalf.
Trump and his co-defendant Walt Nauta, who is alleged to have aided Trump in concealing the records, were released without bond restrictions or travel restrictions.
Trump’s attorneys and the Justice Department clashed over Trump’s contact with witnesses in the case, including many who still work for him at Mar-a-Lago, a group that includes Nauta. Prosecutors spoke with a number of Mar-a-Lago employees while crafting the case.
Goodman determined that Trump and Nauta could only communicate about the case through their attorneys, while the Justice Department is tasked with crafting a list of witnesses it wishes to block Trump from communicating with.
The bulk of the Justice Department case is based on 31 documents found among the more than 300 kept at Mar-a-Lago. A breakdown of the documents indicates many were classified at a high level; the documents included information on U.S. military capabilities and details on nuclear weapons. White House intelligence briefings on foreign countries and their military capabilities and plans were also listed in the indictment.
Espionage Act prosecutions do not require proving that someone mishandled classified records, but that they willfully retained documents important to the national defense.
Trump has previously said the documents in his possession were declassified, claiming a president is able to do so just by thinking about it.
Evidence relayed in the indictment counters that, relaying an audio recording of a conversation in which Trump laments he did not declassify a document while in office and therefore cannot share it.
The indictment also alleges that Trump took efforts to mislead his attorney, having Nauta move boxes in and out of the storage room ahead of a search in response to a subpoena for the return of classified records.
Trump also suggested to his attorney that they lie about the document or destroy them in order to avoid lawful compliance.
Those efforts are also likely to be key to the case, as prosecutors must show Trump willfully kept the records.
Special counsel Jack Smith in announcing the indictment on Friday, asked the public to read the indictment to “understand the scope and the gravity of the crimes charged,” he said.
“The men and women of the United States intelligence community and our Armed Forces dedicate their lives to protecting our nation and its people. Our laws that protect national defense information are critical to the safety and security of the United States, and they must be enforced. Violations of those laws put our country at risk.”
Immediately after his court appearance concluded, Trump made an appearance at Cafe Versailles, a hub of the politically-active Cuban population in Miami.
The visit effectively turned his court appearance on federal charges stemming from his handling of classified documents into a campaign stop with supporters.
“Food for everyone,” Trump shouted shortly after supporters in the restaurant repeatedly chanted “USA!”
Those in the building also sang “happy birthday” to Trump, who will turn 77 on Wednesday.
Following the hearing, Trump is slated to return to New Jersey, where he is expected to address supporters.
— Updated at 5:29 p.m. | https://www.wdtn.com/hill-politics/trump-pleads-not-guilty-in-classified-documents-indictment/ | 2023-06-13 21:40:00 | 1 | https://www.wdtn.com/hill-politics/trump-pleads-not-guilty-in-classified-documents-indictment/ |
Disneyland adds dolls in wheelchairs to ‘It’s a Small World’
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Disneyland on Friday added two new characters in wheelchairs to its iconic “It’s a Small World” attraction, saying it wanted a “more accurate representation of diversity around the world.”
The animatronic dolls are among some 300 costumed dolls representing singing children from many nations featured in the attraction. One is in the Latin American section of the boat ride and the other appears in the finale.
The dolls were unveiled on the first day of Disneyland’s Christmas season. Each year, the park adds special holiday decor and Christmas carols to the ride, which opened at the Anaheim park in 1966 after appearing at the 1964-65 World’s Fair in New York.
The new characters will remain after the seasonal decor is removed sometime in January.
In a statement, Disneyland said it was part of an ongoing effort of enhancing attractions “to reflect more accurate representation of diversity around the world.”
While the ride has special boats designed to accommodate guests who use wheelchairs, it was the first time in Disneyland’s 67-year history that an attraction has included a character in a wheelchair.
It took more than six months to design and create the dolls, with collaboration by a Disney unit in charge of park accessibility.
Erin Quintanilla, manager of accessibility for the Disneyland Resort, said the designs sought to combine authenticity with the colorful, cheerful style of the original standing dolls.
The chairs have details such as a push rim “so that the doll would be able to move through the story in a way that I move through the world,” he said, according to CNN.
“I feel seen. I feel represented. It’s a monumental moment to have my community be in an attraction and represented,” said Quintanilla, who uses a wheelchair. “I teared up when I saw them in the attraction.”
Similar dolls will be added next year to “It’s a Small World” rides at Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland Paris.
Disney has added characters to “It’s a Small World” in the past. A new “Spirit of America” scene added in 2009 included Woody and other “Toy Story” characters along with dolls in Native American dress. | https://kion546.com/news/ap-california/2022/11/11/disneyland-adds-dolls-in-wheelchairs-to-its-a-small-world/ | 2022-11-12 03:05:04 | 1 | https://kion546.com/news/ap-california/2022/11/11/disneyland-adds-dolls-in-wheelchairs-to-its-a-small-world/ |
ELLENTON, Fla., June 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) has recognized Colony Cove in Ellenton, Florida with its Leadership in Sustainability Award for 2023. Colony Cove is a resort-style, 55+ manufactured home community that planted more than 4,000 trees on a 1.5-acre peninsula located within the community, creating an environmentally beneficial microforest with a scenic nature trail woven into the forest. Microforests are very dense plantings of native species and are a powerful way to help improve the quality of the local environment and combat climate change.
As part of the community's ongoing sustainability efforts and in collaboration with Sarasota Urban ReForesters (SURF), more than 150 Colony Cove residents, employees and volunteers helped transform the peninsula to a microforest in June 2022.
Residents enjoy the natural beauty of the microforest and learn about the environmental and ecological benefits, as well as the flora and fauna it attracts to the neighborhood. The 2,500-site Colony Cove community also features amenities including a private marina, six spacious clubhouses, six heated swimming pools, pickleball and tennis courts, a community garden, fitness center, dog parks and much more.
The annual MHI awards recognize communities that deliver extraordinary resident experiences as a result of their all-around excellence in operations, professionalism, amenities and community involvement. The award is open to all HUD-code manufactured home land-lease communities. The Leadership in Sustainability Award was presented by MHI President Mark Bowersox (center left) to Stephen Schmitt, vice president of asset management (center right) at the 2023 Congress & Expo in Las Vegas in April.
"Colony Cove consistently expands the resident experience and the microforest provides many benefits to the environment, the native landscapes, and provides residents a sense of serenity, along with physical and mental health benefits," said Scott Payrits, general manager of Colony Cove. "We're thrilled to be recognized by the Manufactured Housing Institute for our focus on sustainability."
About Colony Cove
Colony Cove is an age-qualified, resort-style manufactured home community situated along the scenic Manatee River and featuring waterfront views, planned events and activities, and amenities designed around an active lifestyle. Visit www.mymhcommunity.com for more information.
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SOURCE Colony Cove | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/06/01/floridas-colony-cove-community-earns-leadership-sustainability-award-manufactured-housing-institute/ | 2023-06-01 10:48:08 | 0 | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/06/01/floridas-colony-cove-community-earns-leadership-sustainability-award-manufactured-housing-institute/ |
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry plans to drop out of Wisconsin's U.S. Senate race on Wednesday, less than two weeks before the Democratic primary, his campaign spokesman said.
Lasry's departure in the race would leave Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes as the top Democratic candidate in the primary where the winner will advance to take on Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson.
Barnes has led in public polls, all of which showed a tight race between him and Lasry. This week, Barnes’ campaign released an internal poll that showed Barnes ahead of Lasry by 14 points.
State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski and other lesser-known candidates remain in the contest. On Monday, Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson dropped out of the race and endorsed Barnes. Lasry will endorse Barnes, his campaign spokesman Thad Nation said.
Lasry, 35, already had spent more than $12.3 million of his own money on the race. His plans to drop out of the race were first reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Lasry was born in New York City and moved to Milwaukee in 2014 after his billionaire father was part of a team that bought the NBA's Bucks. Lasry served as an executive vice president for the team and has touted his connection to the 2021 championship Bucks, frequently mentioning both their title run and employing union workers to build the stadium where the team plays. | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/democrat-alex-lasry-to-drop-out-of-wisconsin-senate-race/KMQYWWGZMVFQHMFSNJUWWJVPH4/ | 2022-07-27 16:40:02 | 1 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/democrat-alex-lasry-to-drop-out-of-wisconsin-senate-race/KMQYWWGZMVFQHMFSNJUWWJVPH4/ |
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — The yearly celebration is almost here! In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, Green beer events are back this year and approaching fast!
There’s nothing like Syracuse’s own, Coleman’s Green Beer Sunday! But, if you want to go to a new green beer event in Central New York this year, you do have a few options.
Green beer is an American custom that has become a tradition in the U.S. to drink at St. Patrick’s day celebrations.
This is because of an Irish-American physician and eye surgeon, Thomas H. Curtain, who actually invented green beer for a St. Patrick’s Day party at the Schnerer Club of Morrisania in the Bronx, in 1914. The doctor mentioned in an article released during that time, that the secret was adding a touch of blue dye to the beer and voila, green beer was invented.
This tradition has been celebrated for 109 years since, and in Syracuse, it’s being celebrated at three different bars this year.
Coleman’s Green Beer Sunday
Celebrate green beer at Coleman’s on February 26, for their annual Green Beer Sunday!
Coleman’s Green Beer parade will start at 12:00 p.m. and music by Mere Mortals Band will start at 3:00 p.m. The event is free to get in but make sure to arrive early as lines form pretty quickly and can get quite long.
Make sure to bring lots of cash as well, because the celebration is mostly held outside and the outdoor bars only accept cash.
Beak and Skiff Green Beer St. Patrick’s Day Party
A new green beer celebration comes to Central New York with the popular brewery and apple-picking business, Beak and Skiff!
Beak and Skiff is hosting its own green beer celebration this year with a St. Patricks’s Day party on Saturday, March 4.
The party at the 1911 Tasting Room at Beak & Skiff starts at 5:00 p.m. and ends at 9:00 p.m.
At the party there will be a handcrafted buffet-style dinner and dessert, included in the price of admission, that’s inspired by the tastes of Ireland. Guests will also of course receive their festive beverage and an exclusive St. Patrick’s Day x 1911 gift to take home!
Not only will there be food and drinks but live music from The Flyin’ Column.
Tickets are $43.35 and can be purchased here.
Landmark Green Beer Tour
Looking for a more casual green beer event? Why not go to the Landmark Theatre’s new green beer tour of the theatre!
Enjoy a free complimentary green beer with admission as you walk around and take in the beauty of the iconic theatre while learning about its history and cultural and economic impact on CNY.
Tickets are $50 and can be purchased on Ticketmaster.com. All proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Landmark’s Improving Arts Access Fund. Landmark members at the Gold level or higher get admission for two complimentary.
Space is limited so make sure to get your tickets now. Members at the Gold level or higher can reserve their complimentary tickets by calling the Landmark Theatre Box Office at 315-475-7979 option 3. | https://www.localsyr.com/news/bars-and-businesses-hosting-green-beer-events-in-central-new-york/ | 2023-02-15 17:01:08 | 0 | https://www.localsyr.com/news/bars-and-businesses-hosting-green-beer-events-in-central-new-york/ |
For just the seventh time in history, an asteroid was observed in space before hitting Earth.
The object, Sar2667, entered the Earth’s atmosphere early Monday morning over the English Channel. It was observed on Sunday by the International Meteor Organization.
The organization predicted a bright fireball would occur over the skies of Great Britain and France – which is exactly what happened. As it came crashing to Earth, many people tweeted videos and photos of the fireball in the sky. The fireball remained in the sky for several seconds.
Observers believe the asteroid was about 1 meter wide. It was projected to come down near the French town of Le Havre.
It’s unclear how much, if any, of the asteroid made it all the way to the ground. Small asteroids tend to lose much of their mass in the atmosphere before reaching the ground.
The last time an asteroid was observed before hitting Earth was in November when WJ1 was seen over the skies of Toronto. That object was about 1 meter wide. | https://www.wptv.com/news/national/hours-after-being-observed-in-space-asteroid-slams-into-earth | 2023-02-13 14:47:29 | 1 | https://www.wptv.com/news/national/hours-after-being-observed-in-space-asteroid-slams-into-earth |
Alongside All-Scholastic outside hitter Matteo Luciani, Lexington middle Justin Cheng has the build, athleticism and talent to be the one of the best players on the court.
But with a 2-1 match lead against Div. 1 power St. John’s Prep on Tuesday, the senior captain was struggling in the fourth set. Mightily.
Cheng missed several blocks in a row. His hits didn’t consistently make it over the net. His serve didn’t make it over the net. The opposing Eagles were winning the frame to threaten a fifth set, so Lexington head coach Jane Bergin took him out for a quick conversation.
“I said ‘Look it, you’ve got to get it together. You can be the best player out there but you’re beating yourself up right now, and this is not helping. You’ve got to calm down,’” Bergin recalled. “I subbed him right back in, and honest to God, he gets these two giant blocks in a row. Then he blasts this ball on a quick middle, the ball hits the one-spot and then flies up onto the wall. It was monster. Really, it was unreal. His comeback was great.”
That sequence before taking the fifth set 15-12 as part of a 3-2 victory resembles the Minutemen’s focus the last couple of weeks.
In a year Bergin has declared the Div. 1 field as wide open on numerous occasions, her 13-5 Lexington group is in the mix. Two wins over Winchester to secure the Middlesex League title, as well as impressive nonleague wins over St. John’s of Shrewsbury and St. John’s Prep, show how strong the Minutemen can be. Mistake-ridden losses to Wayland, Milford and Acton-Boxboro, coupled with falling to Needham and Cambridge, reveals a frustrating flip side.
There isn’t any shame in losing to those teams. Bergin is right to call the volleyball scene wide open this season. But the Minutemen players came into the year with grand aspirations for a state title, and the way they lost a few of those games left them feeling they should have won.
Frustration reached a boiling point after the 3-2 collapse against title-hungry Acton-Boxboro on May 1. Their No. 12 spot in the Div. 1 power rankings was low compared to expectations, and it would go on to fall to as low as No. 15. Lexington needed to rally, and it seemed like it didn’t know how to.
“After we lost to Acton-Boxboro, the wheels fell off the bus,” Bergin said. “It’s hard to get high school kids to put negativity behind them in a split second. That’s coaching I think in general. More so with us, we just really had a problem with that. And when we started dropping, the real perspective hit us.”
After spending all of practice a couple days later in a classroom to gain a better understanding of each other on a personal level, Lexington is reinvigorated.
There’s little reason to believe the Minutemen couldn’t make a deep run in the tournament. Tammer Haddad and Cheng have an incredible reach and athletic ability in the middle. First-year starting setter Jack Fan, who Bergin feels is about as competitive as they come, has improved his decision-making. Luciani needs little introduction as a premier hitter in the state, especially after dropping 33 kills against St. John’s Prep.
The parts just needed a finer-tuned direction, and a new motto of playing “smarter, not harder” has simplified the game for them. Bergin felt like she could “fill her tip jar” if she had a dollar for every time she said those words in the game against St. John’s Prep. Cheng recalled at least three times she said it in practice two days later.
Up until losing to Cambridge 3-2 to close out the regular season, a six-game win streak after the loss to A-B shows it’s definitely working wonders. As of the latest power rankings, Lexington rose to No. 10.
“We feel like we’re getting it going at the right time, we’re playing our best volleyball,” Cheng said. “We’ve gotten to the point where we’re feeling pretty confident. … We definitely learned (from the losses) there are a lot of good teams this year. For us, we really want to focus and take that next step.”
“It’s absolutely different, it’s like a different season,” Bergin added. “To have the kids buy into it and then actually be able to execute that – that mental perspective of the game – it’s huge. Not just for volleyball, this is more of a life lesson, too. … Mentality is it. It controls everything that you do in life.”
Side-outs
- The regular season cutoff date has come and gone. Boys volleyball tournament brackets will be released Tuesday at 11 a.m.
- It’s no coincidence that independent Milford has the second-highest strength of schedule rating in the state. Wayland, in a Dual County league with looser obligations for league play, was first. Now that strength of schedule plays a large role in tournament seeding, many coaches feel the need for more nonleague play is at an all-time high. Two required games between contenders and rebuilders within the same league packs the schedule and does little for either program in many cases.
- Speaking of Milford, the Scarlet Hawks head into the Div. 2 postseason with momentum. Topping O’Bryant 3-1, beating North Quincy 15-1 in a fifth set, and falling two points shy of ending Needham’s historic streak (3-2 loss) confirms they’re a serious threat.
- If the latest MIAA Div. 2 power rankings hold up, the stage would be set for a potential all-Western Mass. state final. Defending champion Westfield ranks No. 1, Agawam is No. 2. Much of Central and Western Mass. are well-represented in the meantime with 12 teams occupying the top-16 spots. | https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/05/27/volleyball-notebook-lexingtons-scary-potential/ | 2023-05-27 18:39:38 | 1 | https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/05/27/volleyball-notebook-lexingtons-scary-potential/ |
Human enablement technology is quickly gaining traction in the world of human capital investment. Here's why.
GREENWICH, Conn., April 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hunt Scanlon Ventures has released its latest human capital M&A investment blog, ExitUp, underscoring growing investor interest in human enablement technologies.
In the current issue, Caleb Edmundson – editor-in-chief of ExitUp – interviews Sergio Monsalve who is an early-stage investor focused on human enablement technologies.
"As the founder of Roble Ventures, Sergio has developed a proven playbook that has helped entrepreneurs generate $8B in market value," said Mr. Edmundson. "During his 14-year term as a partner at Norwest Ventures, Sergio was an early investor in 3 unicorns – so he's the real deal," said Mr. Edmundson.
Today, Mr. Monsalve spearheads investment strategies around helping entrepreneurs increase equity via human enablement technology. "It is all part of a new ecosystem which is quickly gaining traction in the world of human capital investment . . . and that makes this week's lead story a must-read," said Mr. Edmundson.
Roble Ventures' investment strategy is centered around DE&I – initially by investing in diverse firms – but on a larger scale by investing in technology that empowers a new wave of human potential across society. "We believe that this is not just a smart way to invest, but a movement to bring some much-needed empathy and human-centric benefits back into venture capital," Mr. Monsalve told ExitUp in a recent conversation.
Read today's exclusive issue of ExitUp
Hunt Scanlon Ventures is an M&A advisory firm focused on the human capital markets. The firm assists in global merger and acquisition advisory, sourcing and facilitating transactions, buyouts, and growth capital investments as it guides founders and management teams to successful exits.
Contact: Caleb Edmundson
Editor-in-Chief – ExitUp
caleb@huntscanlon.com
SOURCE Hunt Scanlon Media
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SOURCE Hunt Scanlon Media | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/04/11/hunt-scanlon-ventures-spotlights-roble-ventures-founder-sergio-monsalve-latest-exitup-investment-blog/ | 2023-04-11 17:35:22 | 0 | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/04/11/hunt-scanlon-ventures-spotlights-roble-ventures-founder-sergio-monsalve-latest-exitup-investment-blog/ |
Something remarkable is happening at Nora Forester Elementary School in San Antonio, Texas, in teacher Patrice Bravo's STEM lab — a wonderland of technicolor gears, tools and laboratory doo-dads, all overseen by STEM's playful patron saint: Albert Einstein, poking out his tongue from a poster on the back wall.
"If the wind is going against your hand, what's your hand going to do?" Bravo asks, blowing dramatically against her open, upright hand. Today's lesson: aerodynamics.
"The wind is strong! It makes your hand go 'Whoa!,' like this." Her hand quivers like a sail. "But! If your hand is like this," she asks, pointing it into the wind, "like an airplane wing?"
The second-graders giggle and chirp their predictions.
Bravo asks student Christopher Olivarez to help by being the wind, and together they perform a playful duet between wind and wing, student and teacher.
This is the remarkable part. While Christopher is a student, he is taller than the other second-graders, his voice deeper. Because he's actually a ninth-grader — part of a brand new high school, just a couple miles away, for teens who are interested in becoming teachers.
At a time when school districts across the U.S. are struggling with teacher shortages, including Bravo's own Northside Independent School District in and around San Antonio, Christopher represents many things in addition to the wind: a bold experiment, an expensive risk, a glimmer of hope.
Society has taken teachers for granted, and 'now that is falling apart'
According to limited federal data, as of October, 45% of public schools in the U.S. had at least one teacher vacancy. For several months, NPR has been exploring the forces at work behind these local teacher shortages. Interviews with more than 70 experts and educators across the country, including teachers both aspiring and retiring, offer several explanations.
For nearly a decade, fewer people have been going to school to become teachers; pay remains low in many places; and, with unemployment also low, some could-be teachers have chosen more lucrative work elsewhere. Researchers and educators also point to a cultural undertow pulling at the profession: a long decline in Americans' esteem for teaching.
Many districts are now racing to bolster the traditional, college-level teacher-training pipeline that has, over the past decade, failed to produce enough educators to meet schools' increasing demands. In Mississippi, a so-called Grow Your Own Program has helped Jackson schools provide no-cost master's degrees to aspiring, local teachers, and is now playing a critical role in tending hard-to-staff classrooms across the district.
In San Antonio, and in Bravo's classroom, the plan at work is less conventional. The idea of a teacher training program for high-schoolers like Christopher Olivarez isn't unique to Northside, but because of its implicit longview — it'll be at least another seven years before the current ninth-graders become full-fledged teachers, assuming they stick with the profession — it's less common and, in the short-term, less helpful to districts with immediate staffing gaps.
Northside Superintendent Brian Woods says, when the idea of creating a high school for aspiring teachers first came up, there was no teacher shortage. The purpose was to raise the profile of teaching and to eventually help staff Northside schools with Northside graduates.
"I cannot recall a year, and I've been here over 30, where we began a school year with any vacancies. Zero," he says.
That changed recently, though. This school year, Woods had to fill around 200 vacancies — in a district with roughly 7,000 classroom teachers.
"We have taken for granted that people of mission and faith will come to public schools. And they largely have. And now that is falling apart," Woods warns.
How to pitch the teaching profession to middle schoolers
The CAST Teach High School is a partnership between the University of Texas at San Antonio, the Northside Independent School District, which serves big chunks of the city, and the CAST Schools Network, a nonprofit behind several career-focused, San Antonio high schools. And it is a labor of love for veteran teacher Ericka Olivarez.
Olivarez is the school's founding principal and the new program's emotional engine. Last year, she traveled the district's middle schools, trying to recruit her very first freshman class.
" 'Come and enjoy a career in education!' " she remembers telling anyone who would listen. " 'Come and explore this possible field.' And middle school kids were kinda like, 'Meh, school.' "
So, Olivarez says, she changed her approach. "We started asking students, 'What are you passionate about?' " If you love writing, or playing basketball, or video game design, she told them, those are all skills that someone is lucky enough to teach.
The pitch worked: 85 rising ninth-graders signed up.
This first year, they've done most of their learning in portable classrooms. Next year, though, they'll have a brand new building. On a tour of the construction site, Olivarez points out what will be a fully operational early childhood classroom, including a window with two-way glass, so the high-schoolers can observe each other as well as other teachers working with the children.
Olivarez says too many new teachers quit because they didn't get this kind of classroom experience until the end of college. The high-schoolers at CAST Teach, on the other hand, will be exposed to lots of classrooms and student age groups.
"We firmly believe that, when a student walks the graduation stage out of CAST Teach, they're going to be better prepared than the vast majority of people we're taking out of a college setting," says Superintendent Woods.
These student teachers have a passion for the classroom
Back at Forester Elementary, several ninth-grade student teachers squeeze into the teacher's lounge for pizza and chatter. There's a lot of laughing, but also something more surprising from a bunch of teenagers: a passion for the classroom.
"I had an eighth-grade counselor who made the biggest impact on me," says Jayanne Garza, who's known as Miss J to her grade-schoolers. "More than words can express. And now I want to go into counseling, so I can do the same and pass on the knowledge that she gave me."
Jayanne says, even though she chose to leave her friends to attend this new teaching high school, "I love it here. I love the work I'm doing. I love the teachers, just the environment, and just generally feeling like a family."
In the doorway of the lounge stands CAST Teach principal Ericka Olivarez, quietly crying. Christopher, from Mrs. Bravo's STEM lab, is her son. He surprised his mother by enrolling in the program without even telling her. She didn't need to recruit him, he says.
"She's been teaching since obviously I was born. So I spent my mornings, my afternoons — all my time at school. My home was school," Christopher says about hanging out in his mother's classroom. Even outside of school, he can see the important role his mother has played in the lives of so many students.
"We'll be in the middle of a store," Christopher says, and regularly his mother's former students will "come say 'Hi' to her and say, 'Oh my God, you did this and this!' I mean, just how much she changed their lives and how much she affected them."
"I'm feeling a little emotional," Ericka Olivarez says, listening to her son and his classmates talk about why they think they may want to teach. "When you start a project that's never existed before and you're trying something new, it's really risky. And you know, you put a lot of your heart into that. It's just, I'm very proud of them."
Today's experiment could be tomorrow's solution
Back in Mrs. Bravo's classroom, in a quiet moment between periods, Bravo reveals this is actually the second time she's taught Christopher Olivarez. Long before he was her student teacher, he was here as a kindergartener.
"I remember where he sat. He was close to the door, 'cause he was actually really quiet in school," Bravo says.
As a new class of kids pours in, she pauses and smiles.
"That's one of the things I love about teaching. It's not just about telling kids things. It's pulling out the best in them. And when I get to see it full-circle, teaching is one of the best careers."
The district acknowledges this new teaching high school is still an experiment. But just as Mrs. Bravo watched Christopher grow from a quiet kindergartener into a confident, hands-on student teacher, so too may today's experiment grow into tomorrow's solution.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.nepm.org/national-world-news/national-world-news/2023-04-25/as-teacher-shortages-loom-one-district-grows-future-educators-in-high-school | 2023-04-26 21:20:22 | 0 | https://www.nepm.org/national-world-news/national-world-news/2023-04-25/as-teacher-shortages-loom-one-district-grows-future-educators-in-high-school |
World Navigator and World Traveller Continue to Deliver Once-in-a-lifetime, Luxe-adventure Expeditions to Seventh Continent
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Atlas Ocean Voyages opened its winter 2023-24 Antarctica season for sale today, offering experienced travelers more once-in-a-lifetime expeditions to this remote and bucket-list destination for a third season. From November 2023 through March 2024, small luxury expedition ships World Navigator and World Traveller will return to the Seventh Continent to deliver breathtaking landscapes, penguins, seals, whales, seabirds, and other wildlife that can only be witnessed there. Travelers can choose among 23 voyages, ranging from nine to 20 nights, nearly all departing round-trip from Ushuaia, Argentina. World Navigator will offer Antarctic Peninsula voyages while World Traveller embarks on more comprehensive Antarctic regional expeditions. For more information about Atlas Ocean Voyages' new winter 2023-24 season, please visit www.AtlasOceanVoyages.com.
"World Navigator and World Traveller offer the perfect combination of adventure and luxury on an Antarctica expedition," said Alberto Aliberti, President of Atlas Ocean Voyages. "Atlas focuses on boots-on-the-ground and feet-in-the-water expeditions that travelers may have waited a lifetime to experience. With Atlas, travelers can start at the top of their bucket list for an immersive and transformative expedition to Antarctica."
On World Navigator and World Traveller's Antarctica expeditions, guests can expect up to two outings from the ship daily, depending on weather and sea conditions. The ships' Captains monitor onboard weather and underwater sensors and meteorological forecasts to plan for safe passage and harbors for guests to go ashore or enjoy waterborne safaris aboard zodiacs to sight marine wildlife and iceberg formations, as well as opted for kayaking and paddleboarding.
Qualified expedition team members escort guests for all off-ship experiences and each member of the expedition team represents an academic specialty, such as ornithology, marine biology, history, environmental sciences, mountaineering and others, and offer guests greater depth and breadth to their expedition. At times, weather and sea conditions can change rapidly and the Captain may change course or landing sites to avoid risk to guests and the ship.
World Navigator will offer 13 Antarctica departures beginning on November 9, 2023. Travelers can choose from nine- and 11-night itineraries that focus on the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula. Guests will enjoy four days exploring Antarctica on the nine-night voyages while the 11-night voyages offer six days cruising the region and cross into the Antarctic Circle to earn membership in the Order of the Blue Nose. Both itineraries also include a scenic cruise by Cape Horn, Chile, the southernmost point of South America.
At the end of the season, World Navigator will embark on March 15, 2024, for a special 14-night itinerary that combines the Falkland Islands and the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands. There, guests will have opportunities to catch sightings of the thriving marine wildlife that have grown accustomed to warmer climes, including the King Penguin. The itinerary also calls at Punta del Este and Montevideo, Uruguay, and concludes with an overnight in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
For her part, World Traveller brings the explorers on 13-, 16- and 20-night immersive expeditions that offer a combination of the Antarctic Peninsula, the South Shetland Islands, Diego Ramirez Islands, Falkland Islands, and South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands. Nearly all World Traveller expeditions in Antarctica include a passage through the Lemaire Channel, considered one of the most dramatic Antarctic landscapes ever traveled and venture across the Antarctica Circle.
World Traveller also offers two unique trans-Atlantic crossings to bookend her Antarctica season. The 12-night, westbound itinerary departs October 24, 2023, from the Canary Islands, Spain, to Recife, Brazil, via Western Africa, with calls at Dakhla, Western Sahara; Dakar, Senegal; and Banjul, the Gambia. To conclude her season, World Traveller departs on March 13, 2024, from Ushuaia to Cape Town, South Africa on a 19-night voyage. Guests enjoy two days in the Falkland Islands, three days in the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, and three days in Tristan da Cunha, the world's most remote inhabited archipelago located deep in the Southern Atlantic.
Atlas Ocean Voyages is a luxe-adventure, expedition cruise line designed for discerning, fun-seeking travelers to immerse in unique and awe-inspiring moments in remote and captivating destinations. World Navigator, launched in August 2021, and World Traveller, launching November 2022, both feature 98 suites, solo suites with no single supplements, and staterooms, and is the line's first two small expedition ship, bringing travelers to smaller, authentic, and exclusive locales. Three additional sister ships, World Seeker, World Adventurer and World Discoverer, will join the fleet through 2024.
For more information, please visit www.AtlasOceanVoyages.com. Please also follow Atlas Ocean Voyages on Facebook (www.facebook.com/AtlasOceanVoyages), Instagram (www.instagram.com/AtlasOceanVoyages), and LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/atlascruises). Travel Advisors can call 1.844.44.ATLAS (1.844.442.8527) to book their clients on an unforgettable luxe-adventure expedition.
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SOURCE Atlas Ocean Voyages | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2022/06/02/atlas-ocean-voyages-opens-2023-24-antarctica-expedition-season-sale/ | 2022-06-02 14:42:41 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2022/06/02/atlas-ocean-voyages-opens-2023-24-antarctica-expedition-season-sale/ |
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