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BRENHAM, Texas, May 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Memorial Day is this weekend and BRIANNAS Fine Salad Dressing is excited to introduce a new line of marinades that will elevate your grilling game and bring food to the table that all will enjoy.
BRIANNAS is known for producing premium salad dressings, made in small batches using high-quality ingredients to ensure great taste in every bottle. Customers have been using their dressings as marinades for years, and for the first time ever, BRIANNAS is expanding their offerings to include a line of robustly flavored marinades created to make better tasting meals and enhance mealtime.
The new marinades include:
Sriracha Honey Ginger Marinade combines the spice of sriracha with sweet Grade A honey and zesty ginger. It's perfect for adding complex flavor to grilled pork and chicken wings. Try BRIANNAS' Pork Chops with a delicious kick of spice.
Roasted Garlic and Herb Marinade is made with an abundance of savory roasted garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes. It's a delicious addition to chicken, grilled vegetables, or crusty bread. It's featured in BRIANNAS' easy recipe for Garlic and Herb Grilled Chicken Kabobs.
Classic Steak Marinade is a sweet and savory combination of balsamic vinegar, sweet figs, garlic, onion, black pepper, and spices. Perfect for marinating steaks, chicken or sautéing with mushrooms. Try it with BRIANNAS' staple recipe for Classic Grilled Steak.
Smoked Chipotle and Lime Marinade is made with smoked chipotle peppers, garlic, lime, and spices. It adds smoke and spice to your favorite grilled meats, including beef, chicken, and pork. These BRIANNAS' Steak Fajitas are a guaranteed summer hit.
Citrus Mediterranean Marinade adds the bright and fresh flavor of citrus mixed with oregano, basil, and rosemary. Simply delicious on fish, chicken, and grilled vegetables. BRIANNAS' Mediterranean Salad with Citrus Shrimp is a fresh way to try it out.
"We're thrilled to launch our new line of marinades just in time for summer," said Jenny Van Dorf, Director of Marketing and Communications. "We've developed five unique flavors that we think our customers will absolutely love, and we produce every bottle with care and craft to make the grilling experience even more tasty and enjoyable."
BRIANNAS Marinades are gluten-free, contain no artificial flavors, and are made without high fructose corn syrup. To find a store near you, for more recipe inspiration, or to purchase online, visit BRIANNAS.com.
Get Fired Up for Summer Grilling.
We've got five bold new BRIANNAS Marinades to inspire you.
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SOURCE BRIANNAS Fine Salad Dressing | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2023/05/25/briannas-introduces-new-line-marinades-just-time-summer-grilling/ | 2023-05-25 18:13:42 | 0 | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2023/05/25/briannas-introduces-new-line-marinades-just-time-summer-grilling/ |
2023 SKITTLES® Pride Packs highlight meaningful LGBTQ+ stories this June in collaboration with Audible, GLAAD and artists within the LGBTQ+ community.
NEWARK, N.J., June 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its ongoing mission to support and increase visibility for the LGBTQ+ community, the SKITTLES® brand is celebrating Pride 2023 by elevating LGBTQ+ stories through teaming up with Audible, actor and comedian Cameron Esposito's QUEERY podcast, GLAAD, and the five talented artists who designed SKITTLES' 2023 Pride packs. Starting today consumers can scan the QR code on any SKITTLES Pride pack, which will direct fans to a free collection of LGBTQ+ stories on Audible, upcoming special edition Pride episodes of Cameron Esposito's QUEERY podcast and other meaningful stories of Pride.
The SKITTLES Pride Audible collection, which features Audible Originals and excerpts from classic LGBTQ+ titles, is available to stream for free from now until July 31 and can be discovered through the QR code on pack or at SKITTLES.com/pride. The SKITTLES Pride collection was curated by multiple teams at Audible including Editorial, Marketing, and Content in collaboration with GLAAD. Categories of programming include Queer Fiction; Real People, Real Voices; and Audible Theater Originals. Audible's June "5 Listens" was curated by the five LGBTQ+ artists who designed this year's SKITTLES Pride packs: Zipeng Zhu, Symone Salib, Mady G, Bianca Xunise, and Shanée Benjamin. Free titles in the collection include Audible Originals like Sorry Charlie Miller and The Inheritance, plus excerpts from important LGBTQ+ literature such as Giovanni's Room and Girl Woman Other.
To further elevate voices and stories in the community, SKITTLES is partnering with actor and comedian Cameron Esposito to develop special Pride edition episodes of her QUEERY podcast, highlighting the individual stories of the artists who designed the 2023 SKITTLES Pride Packs, and other LGBTQ+ storytellers. Fans can explore the episodes – which roll out starting in early June – and submit their own stories of Pride for a chance to be featured in a podcast episode by visiting SKITTLES.com/pride.
"The SKITTLES brand is proud to continue our four-year partnership with GLAAD and introduce new collaborations this year with Audible and Cameron Esposito, to help uplift and provide visibility to the LGBTQ+ community," said Gabrielle Wesley, Chief Marketing Officer, Mars Wrigley North America. "The SKITTLES brand is honored to have the opportunity to help amplify voices from the LGBTQ+ community through the power of storytelling, which will help to increase support, generate inclusion, and build community."
"We're on a mission to ignite the world's imagination by bringing stories, ideas and characters to life," said James Finn, Head of Global Brand and Content Marketing, Audible. "Teaming up with SKITTLES for Pride 2023 epitomizes our focus and passion to elevate LGBTQIA+ voices that deserve to be heard."
Earlier this month, SKITTLES unveiled five unique, colorful Pride packs designed by artists within the LGBTQ+ community. For every SKITTLES Pride pack purchased, SKITTLES will donate $1 (up to $100,000) to support GLAAD's ongoing efforts to uplift and support the LGBTQ+ community. Beyond Pride month, SKITTLES supports GLAAD throughout the year with a focus on moments that shine a spotlight on visibility, including the annual GLAAD Media Awards and Spirit Day.
"The ongoing support and partnership we receive from SKITTLES helps us advance our critical mission to further dialogue that leads to cultural change," said Melissa Harris, Vice President, Strategic Partnerships at GLAAD. "SKITTLES' mission this year to spotlight LGBTQ+ stories is a profound initiative that can maximize awareness, support and acceptance for the LGBTQ+ community while advancing diversity and inclusion."
The limited-edition artist-designed SKITTLES Pride packs are available to purchase in 4oz Share Size Packs and 15.6oz Stand Up Pouches at select retailers nationwide from now through mid-July.
For more information about SKITTLES Pride initiatives, including the various partnerships and Pride packs artists, visit Skittles.com/PRIDE or follow SKITTLES on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
ABOUT MARS, INCORPORATED
Mars, Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As a global, family-owned business, Mars is transforming, innovating, and evolving to make a positive impact on the world.
Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of quality confectionery, food, and pet care products and services, we employ 140,000+ dedicated Associates. With almost $45 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world's best-loved brands including Ben's Original™, CESAR®, Cocoavia®, DOVE®, EXTRA®, KIND®, M&M's®, SNICKERS®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, and WHISKAS®. We are creating a better world for pets through our global network of pet hospitals and diagnostic services – including AniCura, BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, Linnaeus and VCA™ – using cutting edge technology to develop breakthrough programs in genetic health screening and DNA testing.
For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
ABOUT GLAAD
GLAAD rewrites the script for LGBTQ acceptance. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change. GLAAD protects all that has been accomplished and creates a world where everyone can live the life they love. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org or connect with GLAAD on Facebook and Twitter.
ABOUT AUDIBLE
Audible, Inc., an Amazon.com, Inc. subsidiary (NASDAQ:AMZN), is the leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, offering global audiences a powerful way to enhance and enrich their lives through extraordinary content. Audible's catalog includes more than 800,000 audio titles, including Audible Originals as well as audiobooks and podcasts from leading studios, print, audio and magazine publishers and world-renowned entertainers.
ABOUT CAMERON ESPOSITO/QUEERY
Cameron Esposito is an award-winning standup comic, actor, writer, bestselling author and podcast host. In addition to her work as a nationally touring headliner, Cameron has appeared in big budget films and beloved indies, on HBO, Hulu, NBC, CBS, Cartoon Network and more, including most recently on ABC's A Million Little Things and The Rookie: Feds, Amazon's With Love, and E!'s If We're Being Honest With Laverne Cox. She also hosts her own podcasts, QUEERY – a series of hour-long conversations with some staffs of the brightest luminaries in the LGBTQ+ family – and Survive or Die Trying – a SONY comedy podcast about surviving life's most, and least, serious situations.
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SOURCE Mars, Incorporated | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2023/06/01/skittles-spotlights-lgbtq-stories-reminding-fans-that-there-is-story-every-rainbow/ | 2023-06-01 14:42:33 | 0 | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2023/06/01/skittles-spotlights-lgbtq-stories-reminding-fans-that-there-is-story-every-rainbow/ |
With support from the George Kaiser Family Foundation and Ascension St. John, the program will provide summer training and paid, yearlong internships to high school seniors at select Tulsa Public Schools
TULSA, Okla., May 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Continuing to expand its proven approach to early-career talent development, the nonprofit Genesys Works announced today the launch of its program in Tulsa.
Rising high school seniors at select Tulsa Public Schools will receive eight weeks of technical and professional skills training this summer and will then participate in paid, yearlong internships at local employers, including Williams, ConsumerAffairs, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma and Helmerich & Payne.
"ConsumerAffairs is investing in the Tulsa community by providing internships and opportunities for TPS seniors through the Genesys Works program," said Zac Carman, CEO of ConsumerAffairs, which helps consumers learn more about products before making big purchases. "There is no better way to learn about professional careers than a work-based experience like this."
Genesys Works participants will receive more than 60 hours of guidance, counseling and planning toward future career paths, including college selection and application assistance, certification training & placement, and financial aid support.
"Through our partnership with Genesys Works, Tulsa Public Schools will be able to offer students more meaningful work-based learning opportunities while simultaneously growing a skilled, career-ready talent pool for local employers," said Dr. Deborah Gist, superintendent of Tulsa Public Schools.
Dr. Gist serves on the steering committee of Genesys Works Tulsa, which also includes Mayor G. T. Bynum, Aydre Park, Talent Acquisition Manager at ONE Gas, and Stephania Grober, President of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma.
"This program is going to provide opportunities for TPS students to explore careers that exist right here in northeast Oklahoma, while providing employers here in Tulsa with an opportunity to begin developing a talent pool before these students pursue opportunities elsewhere," said Mayor Bynum, "It's a win-win-win for students, for employers, and for Tulsa's ongoing economic development."
Students accepted into the program will begin their training in June and will start their internships in August, working approximately 20 hours per week for $14 per hour.
"There's been a tremendous amount of enthusiasm and support for our expansion into Tulsa from both local employers and the public school system," said Jeffrey Artis, President and CEO of Genesys Works. "For employers, investing in early-career talent is critical to ensuring they have a pool of skilled, diverse applicants to draw from now and in the years to come."
Nationwide, more than 70 percent of Genesys Works alumni go on to graduate from college and report median annual earnings of $55,000 six years post-program. Three out of four participants are first generation college students, and more than 90 percent are people of color.
In keeping with its goal to make Tulsa the best city for children to be born, grow and succeed, Genesys Works has received initial support from the George Kaiser Family Foundation and Ascension St. John to support its expansion into Tulsa this year.
To partner with Genesys Works in Tulsa, contact Jamie Grant at jgrant@genesysworks.org.
About Genesys Works
Genesys Works provides pathways to career success for high school students in underserved communities. Our program consists of 8 weeks of technical and professional skills training, paid year-long corporate internships, college and career coaching, and long-term alumni support to move individuals out of economic inequality and into professional careers. Founded in 2002, Genesys Works now serves thousands of students annually in Houston, Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, the San Francisco Bay Area, Washington's National Capital Region, New York City, and Tulsa. To learn more, visit genesysworks.org.
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SOURCE Genesys Works | https://www.kait8.com/prnewswire/2023/05/25/genesys-works-launches-tulsa-program-grow-early-career-talent-pool-local-employers/ | 2023-05-25 13:10:00 | 1 | https://www.kait8.com/prnewswire/2023/05/25/genesys-works-launches-tulsa-program-grow-early-career-talent-pool-local-employers/ |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The 15th-seeded Princeton Tigers upset the number two Arizona Wildcats in the first round of the NCAA tournament, 59 to 55.
Tosan Evbuomwan and Princeton used a late-game run to earn the school's first NCAA Tournament win in 25 years, topping No. 2 seed Arizona 59-55 on Thursday.
The 15th-seeded Tigers (22-9) scored the final nine points to finish the upset, holding the Pac-12 Tournament champion scoreless over the final 4:21.
Evbuomwan scored 15 points in Princeton's first tournament victory since beating UNLV in 1998 when current coach Mitch Henderson was a player for the Tigers.
Princeton advanced to face seventh-seeded Missouri on Saturday. Mizzou just won its first NCAA Tournament game in 13 years, beating Utah State 76-65.
Azuolas Tubelis scored 21 points for the Wildcats (28-7), who haven't won a tournament game in consecutive years since 2014-15.
It's not the first upset of the 2023 NCAA tournament, after Furman handed fourth-seed Virginia a stunning first-round loss. | https://www.newswest9.com/article/sports/ncaa/ncaab/march-madness/princeton-beats-arizona-march-madness-upset/507-1acf7b78-a596-4565-832b-1486b77fb931 | 2023-03-16 22:44:33 | 1 | https://www.newswest9.com/article/sports/ncaa/ncaab/march-madness/princeton-beats-arizona-march-madness-upset/507-1acf7b78-a596-4565-832b-1486b77fb931 |
‘I wish we were dead’: Syrian quake survivors left to fend for themselves with little help in sight
By Jomana Karadsheh, Kareem Khadder, Lorenz Huber and Lianne Kolirin, CNN
Three-month-old Mohammad is all alone in intensive care, his little head and face covered in bandages and tubes attached to a ventilator. He is alone for every labored breath he takes.
Neighbors found Mohammad, who lost both his parents in last Monday’s 7.8 magnitude earthquake, and brought him to the hospital in the last rebel-held territory in northwestern Syria. In the hours following the quake, this hospital in Idlib alone received 700 patients.
The few hospitals left standing after years of Russian and Syrian regime bombardment were ill-equipped to deal with an emergency of this magnitude. Medical facilities across the northwest were overwhelmed, with the injured lying in the hallways and on floors.
The combined death toll across Turkey and Syria currently stands at more than 36,000. The confirmed death toll in Syria is 4,574. That number includes more than 3,160 in opposition-held parts of northwestern Syria, according to the health ministry of the Salvation Government governance authority.
The situation in Syria is starkly different to Turkey, where dozens of countries and international organizations have offered teams of rescuers, donations and aid. The delivery of urgent supplies to quake-hit areas of northern Syria has been complicated by a long-running civil war between opposition forces and the Syrian government, led by President Bashar al-Assad, who is accused of killing his own people.
Little meaningful international aid has made it into the enclave and doctors have been left feeling helpless.
“This is the biggest disaster we have had,” Dr. Ahmad Alaabd told CNN during a visit to the Babs Al Hawa hospital, run by the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS), this weekend. “We dealt with war injuries but never head to deal with this many casualties.”
SAMS and others appealed to the international community for urgent assistance but it only began to trickle in at the end of last week — too little, too late.
“We called for assistance but there was no response, especially in the critical first two, three days,” said Alaabd. “We lost a lot of patients because of shortages in medical supplies. If we had those, we could have saved more lives.”
Dozens in need of complex surgeries remain in hospital, many in intensive care. The necessary supplies and equipment are yet to arrive.
Syrians say their cries for help during the darkest days of war were ignored and once again they are left to pick up the pieces without international support.
Entire neighborhoods have been flattened in Idlib and the Aleppo countryside. On Saturday CNN witnessed residents of Bsaina and Harem — among the hardest hit towns in Idlib — digging through the rubble with bare hands and garden tools.
They have lost all hope of survivors — now they just want to bury their dead.
Children were removing the debris and scouring for bodies of loved ones. One man said he was looking for brothers, cousins, nephews and nieces.
“Twenty-one, two of them are children,” Ahmad said expressionless and numb.
Feeling abandoned
In this part of Syria life seems like an endless cycle of loss and grief. Most have fled their homes several times, escaping a merciless campaign by the Syrian regime and Russia.
The lack of urgent mobilization by the international community following the deadliest natural disaster the region has witnessed in generations has left them even more disillusioned.
Ismail Abdullah of the White Helmets told CNN his group had been documenting the suffering for a decade, but their repeated calls for assistance have come to nothing.
“We called the whole world a million times to stop the bombing — no one stopped. We said they used chemical weapons. Now after the humanitarian crisis we know they don’t consider the population in northwest Syria as human beings,” Abdullah said. “If they sent the heavy equipment and search and rescue advanced equipment to locate those trapped beneath the rubble of course we could have saved more people.”
On Friday, after 108 hours of searching, the group — also known as the Syrian Civil Defense — announced an end to the rescue operation. The mission instead became one of search and recovery.
Aid groups had already been warning of a humanitarian crisis when the harsh winter began to bite.
In Bsaina, the lucky ones have tents. Others sleep in the open with children, desperate for any shelter.
“We were sleeping under the trees … but it is so cold we came here,” said Umm Sultan, breaking down in tears with her 2-year-old grandson in her arms.
“I wish we had died with everyone else so we don’t go through this,” she said. “We survived only to live this misery and agony.”
The mother-of-eight has lost all faith in the world responding to Syria’s pleas.
She and her family have not had a home in seven years. They fled airstrikes in Aleppo province and moved closer to the Turkish border believing they would be safer.
“We came here to escape the planes … airstrikes were killing us,” she told CNN.
UN admits failings in Syria
On the night of the earthquake, people ran through the streets barefoot and screaming, soaked and freezing from the heavy downpour and with nowhere to shelter, she recalled.
“We heard people screaming, ‘get us out … get us out.’ Then they went quiet. They all died. There was no one there to get them out. Two days later they pulled [out] a little boy and girl. Their dead bodies were still warm.”
There were no aid trucks lining up at the Turkish-Syrian border on Saturday. Instead there was a constant flow of dead bodies. More than 1,000 Syrian refugees perished in the earthquake in Turkey and are now returning home in body bags.
As men pray over their dead, a mother broke down wailing, her anguished cries for her entire family echo across the parking lot.
“This is a little boy … this one a little girl,” one man said as body after body were loaded onto a truck.
Aid has finally begun to trickle through, with UN convoys crossing into the region from Turkey through the Bab Al-Hawa crossing over the weekend. But just how far will it go?
On Sunday, Martin Griffiths, the UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, tweeted from the Turkey-Syria border saying that the people of northwest Syria “rightly feel abandoned.”
“We have so far failed the people in northwest Syria,” Griffiths said adding that his focus and obligation now is “to correct this failure as fast as we can.”
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
Journalist Zaher Jaber and CNN’s Celine Alkhaldi and Chris Liakos contributed reporting. | https://kion546.com/news/national-world/cnn-europe-mideast-africa/2023/02/13/i-wish-we-were-dead-syrian-quake-survivors-left-to-fend-for-themselves-with-little-help-in-sight/ | 2023-02-13 17:57:26 | 1 | https://kion546.com/news/national-world/cnn-europe-mideast-africa/2023/02/13/i-wish-we-were-dead-syrian-quake-survivors-left-to-fend-for-themselves-with-little-help-in-sight/ |
WFO SAN DIEGO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Saturday, June 11, 2022
_____
EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service SAN DIEGO CA
1246 PM PDT Thu Jun 9 2022
...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM PDT
SATURDAY...
* WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions with temperatures up to 105
expected.
* WHERE...Apple and Lucerne Valleys.
* WHEN...From 10 AM this morning to 8 PM PDT Saturday.
* IMPACTS...Extreme heat will significantly increase the
potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those
working or participating in outdoor activities.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
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.
Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When
possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or
evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat
stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when
possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent
rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone
overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.
Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.
SUNDAY...
* WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions with high temperatures of 110
to 115 expected.
* WHERE...San Diego County Deserts, Coachella Valley and San
Gorgonio Pass Near Banning.
* WHEN...From 10 AM this morning to 8 PM PDT Sunday.
...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM PDT SATURDAY...
* WHAT...High temperatures of 95 to 105 expected.
* WHERE...San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys-The Inland
Empire.
* IMPACTS...Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses to occur.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.mrt.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-SAN-DIEGO-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17231224.php | 2022-06-09 22:08:31 | 0 | https://www.mrt.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-SAN-DIEGO-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17231224.php |
Harris to meet with CEOs about artificial intelligence risks
Washington – Vice President Kamala Harris will meet on Thursday with the CEOs of four major companies developing artificial intelligence as the Biden administration rolls out a set of initiatives meant to ensure the rapidly evolving technology improves lives without putting people's rights and safety at risk.
The Democratic administration plans to announce an investment of $140 million to establish seven new AI research institutes, administration officials told reporters in previewing the effort.
In addition, the White House Office of Management and Budget is expected to issue guidance in the next few months on how federal agencies can use AI tools. There will also be an independent commitment by top AI developers to participate in a public evaluation of their systems in August at the Las Vegas hacker convention DEF CON.
Harris and administration officials on Thursday plan to discuss the risks they see in current AI development with the CEOs of Alphabet, Anthropic, Microsoft and OpenAI. The government leaders' message to the companies is that they have a role to play in reducing the risks and that they can work together with the government.
Authorities in the United Kingdom also said Thursday they are looking at the risks associated with AI. Britain’s competition watchdog said it's opening a review of the AI market, focusing on the technology underpinning chatbots like ChatGPT, which was developed by OpenAI.
President Joe Biden noted last month that AI can help to address disease and climate change but also could harm national security and disrupt the economy in destabilizing ways.
The release of the ChatGPT chatbot late last year has led to increased debate about AI and the government's role with the technology. The latest technology's ability to generate human-like writing and fake images has added to ethical and societal concerns about automated systems.
Some of the companies, including OpenAI, have been secretive about the data their AI systems have been trained upon. That's made it harder to understand why a chatbot is producing biased or false answers to requests or to address concerns about whether it’s stealing from copyrighted works.
Companies worried about being liable for something in their training data might also not have incentives to rigorously track it, said Margaret Mitchell, chief ethics scientist at AI startup Hugging Face.
"I think it might not be possible for OpenAI to actually detail all of its training data at a level of detail that would be really useful in terms of some of the concerns around consent and privacy and licensing,” Mitchell said in an interview Tuesday. “From what I know of tech culture, that just isn’t done.”
Theoretically, at least, some kind of disclosure law could force AI providers to open up their systems to more third-party scrutiny. But with AI systems being built atop previous models, it won’t be easy for companies to provide greater transparency after the fact.
“I think it’s really going to be up to the governments to decide whether this means that you have to trash all the work you’ve done or not," Mitchell said. "Of course, I kind of imagine that at least in the U.S., the decisions will lean towards the corporations and be supportive of the fact that it’s already been done. It would have such massive ramifications if all these companies had to essentially trash all of this work and start over.”
While the White House on Thursday signaled a collaborative approach with the industry, companies that build or use AI are also facing heightened scrutiny from U.S. agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission, which enforces consumer protection and antitrust laws.
The companies also face potentially tighter rules in the European Union, where negotiators are putting the finishing touches on AI regulations first proposed two years ago. The rules could vault the 27-nation bloc to the forefront of the global push to set standards for the technology.
When the EU first drew up its proposal for AI rules in 2021, the focus was on reining in high-risk applications that threaten people’s safety or rights such as live facial scanning or government social scoring systems, which judge people based on their behavior. Chatbots were barely mentioned.
But in a reflection of how fast AI technology has developed, negotiators in Brussels have been scrambling to update their proposals to take into account general purpose AI systems. Provisions added to the bill would require so-called foundation AI models to disclose copyright material used to train the systems, according to a recent partial draft of the legislation obtained by The Associated Press.
Foundation models are a sub-category of general purpose AI that includes systems like ChatGPT. Their algorithms are trained on vast pools of data.
A European Parliament committee is due to vote next week on the bill, but it could be years before the AI Act takes effect.
Elsewhere in Europe, Italy temporarily banned ChatGPT over a breach of stringent European privacy rules, and the European Data Protection Board set up an AI task force, in a possible initial step to draw up common AI privacy rules.
___
O'Brien reported from Cambridge, Massachusetts. AP Business Writer Kelvin Chan in London contributed to this report. | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/nation/2023/05/04/harris-to-meet-with-ceos-about-artificial-intelligence-risks/70183467007/ | 2023-05-04 16:35:54 | 0 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/nation/2023/05/04/harris-to-meet-with-ceos-about-artificial-intelligence-risks/70183467007/ |
Rodolphe Jaar pleaded guilty in US federal court to three counts involving providing material support including personnel and services in a conspiracy to kidnap and kill Moise, according to the plea agreement.
As part of the deal, Jaar has agreed to be sentenced by a judge. The maximum sentence for each of the three counts is life in prison.
In exchange for the deal, Jaar must provide truthful testimony, produce documents and records, and appear before a grand jury and at other legal proceedings when called upon by federal prosecutors. He also agreed that he "will not protect any person or entity through false information or omission, that he will not falsely implicate any person or entity, and that he will not commit any further crimes."
In accepting the plea deal, he also waived his rights to appeal any sentence imposed.
The plea deal can be revoked if Jaar is found to have misrepresented any facts or commits any misconduct after entering into the deal, according to the agreement.
Jaar, who is from Haiti, was one of several suspects who were at large during the months after Moise's assassination, CNN previously reported. He was arrested in the Dominican Republic and extradited to the United States in January 2022.
Jaar's sentencing is scheduled for June 2, 2023.
Authorities have said that dozens of people were involved in Moise's death, including 26 Colombians and two Haitian Americans. Colombian suspect Mario Palacios was extradited just weeks before Jaar.
Jaar provided funds that were used to acquire weapons, provided food and lodging to other co-conspirators, and provided funding to bribe Haitian officials responsible for Moise's security, according to a proffer tied to the plea agreement. | https://www.albanyherald.com/news/suspect-in-haitian-presidents-assassination-accepts-plea-deal-in-florida/article_eaf23275-3277-52cb-8283-74917dd9cd46.html | 2023-03-25 16:16:01 | 0 | https://www.albanyherald.com/news/suspect-in-haitian-presidents-assassination-accepts-plea-deal-in-florida/article_eaf23275-3277-52cb-8283-74917dd9cd46.html |
GREENWOOD, Ind. (WXIN) — Police say the actions of an Indiana man saved lives after a shooter opened fire in the Greenwood Park Mall on Sunday evening.
Around 6 p.m. Sunday, a lone suspect entered the food court of the Greenwood Park Mall in Bartholomew County and opened fire, killing three people and injuring two more.
The shooter was shot and killed by a man, later identified as Elisjsha Dicken, who was visiting the mall. The Good Samaritan, as police called him, was armed with a handgun.
Police said the 22-year-old Dicken, of Seymour, Indiana, was near the cookie counter, close to the main walkways of the mall. A witness said after the shooting, he moved closer to the downed shooter.
“There was a guy with his pistol held on the bathroom, and I believe that guy to have possibly been the guy, to have shot the shooter,” said Mike Wright, a witness to the shooter.
After the shooting, Greenwood Police Chief Jim Ison called Dicken “the real hero.”
“Investigators are still questioning the individual involved, but it appears that a Good Samaritan that was armed observed the shooting in progress and shot the shooter,” said Ison. “I’m going to tell you, the real hero of the day was the citizen that was lawfully carrying a firearm in the food court and was able to stop the shooter almost as soon as he began.”
Greenwood Mayor Mark Myers also issued a statement, calling the man’s actions heroic.
“As of now, we do not know the shooter’s identity or motive. We do know that someone we are calling the ‘Good Samaritan’ was able to shoot the assailant and stop further bloodshed,” he said. “This person saved lives tonight. On behalf of the City of Greenwood, I am grateful for his quick action and heroism in this situation.”
Attorney General Todd Rokita also issued a statement, praising the man’s actions.
“The bravery of the armed individual who took action to stop the shooter undoubtedly saved lives, and for that I and many others are grateful,” Rokita said via Twitter.
Indiana lawmakers said they were grateful for his actions. In a statement, Sen. Mike Braun said he was grateful for the man.
“Praying for families of those killed in a senseless act of violence in Greenwood tonight, and grateful for the brave armed citizen who took action to stop the perpetrator and prevent further tragic loss of life,” Braun said via Twitter.
Rep. Jim Banks said: “I am praying for the three victims of the tragedy in Greenwood this weekend and their families. It’s painful to see this sort of senseless violence so close to home. But I’m grateful a good guy with a gun was there to prevent further casualties.”
“Today, we continue to pray for the families of the fallen and those injured in yesterday’s senseless tragedy. Please join me in recognizing the heroism of the citizen who subdued the shooter and whose actions surely prevented further loss of life,” said Congressman Jim Baird.
Congressman Greg Pence said Dicken “ended the trajectory of this incident.”
“Yesterday, and the coming days will be difficult for the community of Greenwood. I ask everyone to join me in praying for the victims of last night’s tragedy at Greenwood Park Mall, and those who have lost a loved one,” said Pence. “We commend not only local and federal law enforcement agencies for their swift and coordinated response, but also the law-abiding Good Samaritan who ended the trajectory of this incident.”
Greenwood Park Mall sent the following statement Monday morning, “We grieve for the victims of yesterday’s horrific tragedy in Greenwood. Violence has no place in this or any other community. We are grateful for the strong response of the first responders, including the heroic actions of the Good Samaritan who stopped the suspect.” | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/good-samaritan-praised-for-actions-in-indiana-mall-shooting/ | 2022-07-19 16:42:20 | 1 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/good-samaritan-praised-for-actions-in-indiana-mall-shooting/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Country superstar Dolly Parton, who made a big donation to help fund coronavirus vaccine research in 2020, is among this year’s Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy recipients.
Also being honored are Dallas entrepreneur Lyda Hill, Kenyan industrialist Manu Chandaria, and Lynn and Stacy Schusterman, from the Oklahoma investment family.
The award, presented by the international family of Carnegie institutions to honor innovative philanthropists, debuted in 2001 and is normally awarded every two years. It was not issued in 2021 due to the pandemic.
The 2022 honorees will receive their medals in a private ceremony in New York on Oct. 13. A priority of the ceremony is fostering personal meetings to encourage the exchange of ideas and spur potential collaboration — something this year’s honorees have already done, said Eric Isaacs, president of the Carnegie Institution for Science and a member of the medal selection committee.
Parton’s $1 million donation to Vanderbilt University Medical Center has received plenty of attention. But her fellow honoree Hill, through her Lyda Hill Philanthropies, was also an early donor to the work that would yield the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
“I invested before it was anything,” Hill told The Associated Press. “One of the things that Warren Buffett said that stuck with me was, ‘Don’t do what other people can do and will do. Do what other people can’t do and won’t do. And take risks.’ I have had to apply that to my philanthropic investments.”
Hill, who focuses her funding on advances in science and nature conservancy, as well as supporting women in those careers, said she never did get a Moderna shot.
“Unfortunately,” Hill said, “when I went to get my vaccine, I rolled my sleeves up and said, ‘What do you got?’ And she said, ‘Pfizer.’ I said, ‘OK.’”
Parton, in a statement, said she was honored to receive the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy.
“I’ve always believed that if you are in a position to help, you should help, and I truly hope that I can be an inspiration for others to lift up those around them,” said Parton, who will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in November, and makes most of her donations through her Dollywood Foundation. “Whether through my Imagination Library or giving to COVID-19 research, I try to support things that have a special meaning for me. I hope everyone can find something they’re passionate about supporting and do what they can to help make this world a better place.”
Considering the intense need created by COVID-19, the pandemic was top of mind while the selection committee was making its decisions, Isaacs said.
“Obviously, this is a very difficult time with the pandemic,” he said. “But we think environmental issues are probably equally, if not more, impactful in the sense that pandemics like COVID-19 are likely to become more frequent as the atmosphere heats up. I think we take the long view in terms of our selections.”
The Schustermans exemplify philanthropists whose donations have made a long-lasting impact, in addition to making timely grants to address current needs.
The Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation was established in 1987 to invest in systemic change in the United States and Israel on matters of justice and equity. When Charles died in 2000, Lynn Schusterman took over the foundation, expanding its work and becoming an outspoken advocate for inclusion, especially for the LGBTQ community. In 2018, their daughter Stacy Schusterman took over the foundation, which changed its name last year to Schusterman Family Philanthropies and now also includes work in reproductive equity, voting rights and criminal justice — all hot-button issues this summer.
“I hope that work like this will inspire other people to give more now,” Stacy Schusterman told the AP. “It’s important for people to give a meaningful percentage of their family’s assets. And I think the partnership that can exist between philanthropy and the communities that we’re seeking to help is vital. Government can’t address all problems.”
She said she’s thrilled to be carrying on her parents’ work and that she will be celebrated with her mom.
“I’m really excited that we’re being honored together,” she said. “It’s fun to have it happen as a mother-daughter team.”
The Chandaria Foundation had its start as a family enterprise in the 1950s, though the Kenyan-born industrialist of Indian descent had to do some convincing before it began.
When he first brought up the issue, Chandaria remembers his father asking if something was wrong with him and whether he had lived in the United States too long. “We are not the Rockefellers,” Chandaria’s father told him. “You better get to work. There’s a big hole over there.”
But by 1956, they had established a charitable organization providing scholarships in Kenya and, decades later, its work has expanded into building education and healthcare infrastructure in Africa.
“It’s a basic principle of the Gandhian philosophy: If you have wealth, you are not owners of the wealth,” said Chandaria, who also attributes generosity to being a follower of the Indian religion Jainism. “You really should go and help others who cannot help themselves.”
Isaacs said the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy is meant to recognize the work of the honorees in their various fields and locations. This year, the Carnegie institutions will also launch the Carnegie Catalyst award to “celebrate the transformative power of human kindness,” which will go to World Central Kitchen, the anti-hunger nonprofit founded by chef Jose Andres.
That award was inspired by the late Vartan Gregorian, the president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the co-founder of the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy, who died in 2021.
“World Central Kitchen is an outstanding model of how humankind can respond in times of dire need by activating the inherent goodness in others — an ideal that was embodied through the life and work of Vartan Gregorian,” Thomas H. Kean, chairman of Carnegie Corporation of New York’s board of trustees and former governor of New Jersey, said in a statement.
____
Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy. | https://www.wric.com/business/us-world-business/dolly-parton-among-carnegie-medal-of-philanthropy-winners/ | 2022-08-03 21:37:19 | 1 | https://www.wric.com/business/us-world-business/dolly-parton-among-carnegie-medal-of-philanthropy-winners/ |
Record Player Acquisitions in October Confirms Growth Strategy
CALGARY, AB and ISLE OF MAN, Oct. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Real Luck Group Ltd. (TSXV: LUCK) (OTCQB: LUKEF) (the "Company") and its subsidiary companies doing business as "Luckbox" (the "Group"), an award-winning provider of licensed, real money esports betting, sports betting and casino games, confirms that it has received two inconsistent proposals from Adam Arviv of KAOS Capital Ltd, which if pursued would not be in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders. Mr. Arviv appears to have recently acquired shares of the Company and has not indicated his level of ownership.
Mr. Arviv initially proposed a merger with a private gambling company valuing the Company at $0.09 per share, to be paid in shares of the target company only. Mr. Arviv then appeared to have changed his mind and proposed a "wind down of the Company'', ignoring the Group's now finished platform and growing player base. Neither proposal reflects the value represented by the Company's significantly growing business and is also well below the Company's net cash position.
The Company is undervalued. Real Luck Group has a strong cash position, no debt and a robust plan to reach profitability and scale in the next six-ten months. This makes the Company an industry outlier and a target for individuals such as Mr. Arviv, seeking to gain access to the Company's cash, with no regard for its stakeholders. The Board therefore has a duty to resist such opportunistic conduct. In that regard, the Board has retained McMillan LLP as legal counsel, and DuMoulin Black LLP continues to advise the Company.
Notwithstanding the Company's concerns regarding whether Mr. Arviv is acting in good faith, the Company remains prepared to meet with Mr. Arviv in his capacity as a shareholder of the Company. It should be noted that the Company had previously proposed an in person meeting with Mr. Arviv, which he declined. Another meeting that was suggested by the Company was also declined.
Real Luck Group remains committed to optimizing shareholder value. The Company continues to execute on its corporate strategy as outlined at the annual general meeting of shareholders held in August 2022, which can be found here and consists of the following key milestones:
Player Acquisition ++
Q4 2022 - Gradually accelerated growth through Q4 and into Q1 2023
B2B Offering & Partnerships
Q1 2023 - Products offered to global audience via B2B partnerships
Cash Flow Positive
Q2 2023 - Positive monthly EBITDA achieved
Next Gen Betting Product
Q3 2023 - Proprietary, immersive, live micro market betting product
Results of initial marketing efforts were announced in September Real Luck Group Ltd. Announces Triple Digit Growth in Key Operational Metrics — Real Luck Group Ltd and early October KPIs give confidence to the statement that the Company will reach positive EBITDA in the next 6 to 10 months without any additional funding.
Player Registrations for 26 days in October hit 24,411, a record for the Group. Deposits grew 254% and global Active Players grew 14 fold due to the accelerated player acquisition efforts and enhanced customer retention strategy.
About Luckbox
The Company is an award-winning betting company that offers legal, real-money betting, live streams, and statistics on all major esports and sports on desktop and mobile devices. The Company has a Business-to-Consumer (B2C) platform, and by leveraging shared technology, data, and resources, the Company can offer an extensive range of betting options for esports tournaments. The Company's in-house customized user interface and user experience, built on a technology stack that supports multiple odds and streaming sources, allows the Company to deliver deep esports betting coverage. The Company has been built by a team combining experience in the igaming industry and a passion for esports to offer players a unique, broad, engaging, and legal CS:GO betting, Dota 2 and League of Legends betting experience. The Company serves esports fans in more than 80 territories across the globe. In November 2020, Luckbox was named Rising Star at the EGR Operator Awards. The Company (via the Group) holds a full license under the Online Gambling Regulation Act (OGRA), issued by the Isle of Man Gaming Supervision Commission. As the Group is fully licensed in the Isle of Man for B2C and B2B esports & sports betting and casino, the Company has access to favorable payment processors. Luckbox is committed to supporting responsible gambling.
Follow Luckbox on Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn
CAUTION WITH RESPECT TO FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The TSX Venture Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
This news release may contain certain "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, including the Company achieving certain milestones in 2023 and reaching positive EBITDA in the next 6 to 10 months without any additional funding. In some cases, when used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target, "plan", "forecast", "may", "schedule" and other similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. Such statements represent the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company's estimates, beliefs and assumptions may prove to be incorrect. The risks and uncertainties that may affect forward-looking statements and information include, but are not limited to, market conditions, the regulatory environment for the online gaming industry, and other factors discussed under "Risks and Uncertainties" in the Company's management's discussion and analysis dated August 23, 2022 and "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form dated April 26, 2022, copies of which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking statements and information in this news release speaks only as of the date of this news release. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.
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SOURCE Real Luck Group Ltd. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/10/27/real-luck-group-confirms-receipt-two-contradictory-opportunistic-proposals-activist-shareholder/ | 2022-10-27 20:49:19 | 0 | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/10/27/real-luck-group-confirms-receipt-two-contradictory-opportunistic-proposals-activist-shareholder/ |
BERLIN, Feb. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Levere Holdings Corp. (the "Company"), a blank check company formed for the purpose of entering into a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses, today announced that because the Company will not consummate an initial business combination within the time period required by its Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association (the "Articles"), the Company intends to dissolve and liquidate in accordance with the provisions of the Articles, effective as of the close of business on March 23, 2023, and will redeem all of the outstanding shares of Class A ordinary shares that were included in the units issued in its initial public offering (the "Public Shares"), at a per-share redemption price of approximately $10.20.
As of the close of business on March 23, 2023, the Public Shares will be deemed cancelled and will represent only the right to receive the redemption amount.
In order to provide for the disbursement of funds from the trust account, the Company will instruct the trustee of the trust account to take all necessary actions to liquidate the securities held in the trust account. The proceeds of the trust account will be held in a non-interest bearing account while awaiting disbursement to the holders of the Public Shares. Record holders will receive their pro rata portion of the proceeds of the trust account, less $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses and net of taxes payable, by delivering their Public Shares to Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the Company's transfer agent. Beneficial owners of Public Shares held in "street name," however, will not need to take any action in order to receive the redemption amount. The redemption of the Public Shares is expected to be completed within ten business days after March 23, 2023.
There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to the Company's warrants, which will expire worthless, and the Company's Class B ordinary shares issued prior to the Company's initial public offering. After March 23, 2023, the Company shall cease all operations except for those required to wind up the Company's business.
The Company expects that the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC will file a Form 25 with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") to delist the Company's securities. The Company thereafter expects to file a Form 15 with the Commission to terminate the registration of its securities under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company anticipates that the Public Shares, as well as the Company's publicly traded units and warrants, will cease trading as of the close of business on March 22, 2023.
Levere Holdings Corp. is a blank check company formed for the purpose of entering into a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses.
This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company's annual report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC and subsequent reports filed with the SEC, as amended from time to time. Copies of these documents are available on the SEC's website, at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.
Investor Contact:
José Ignacio Domenech
Levere Holdings Corp.
info@levereholdings.com
Media Contact:
Daniel Yunger
Kekst CNC
daniel.yunger@kekstcnc.com
+1 212 521 4800
Knut Engelmann
Kekst CNC
knut.engelmann@kekstcnc.com
+49 174 234 2808
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SOURCE Levere Holdings Corp. | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2023/02/23/levere-holdings-corp-announces-it-will-redeem-its-public-shares/ | 2023-02-23 22:55:08 | 1 | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2023/02/23/levere-holdings-corp-announces-it-will-redeem-its-public-shares/ |
The sight of a U.S. president announcing the death of a terrorist leader has been a fixture in American politics over the past 11 years.
The words each president uttered and their mannerisms at the podium reveal a lot about the type of leaders former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump attempted to be and in the case of President Joe Biden, attempt to be.
This week, Biden announced that the U.S. had killed al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul over the weekend.
In 2019, Trump revealed that the U.S. killed ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. And in 2011, Obama shared with the American people that Osama bin Laden, the architect of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the U.S., was killed.
In the days following Biden's announcement, edited videos have popped up online comparing the speeches by Biden, Obama and Trump. Though some of the videos are created to put certain leaders in a bad light, analyzing these three speeches is worthwhile, according to historians and rhetoric experts that spoke to NPR.
Taking a deeper look at each speech, their delivery, even down to the words each used, provides a small window into each man, those experts said.
Though starkly different characters, there are similarities worth noting, said Thomas Schwartz, a professor of history, political science and European studies at Vanderbilt University.
The fact that Obama, Trump and Biden took center stage to announce the execution of another person is "a little bloodthirsty," Schwartz said.
"But they do recognize that there's a domestic political gain from taking out terrorist leaders, and they want to claim it," he added.
Each president in their speech makes special note to say that they directed the military and intelligence officers to act on the intel provided, that they gave the orders, Schwartz said. Each man ultimately wants to assert his leadership on the global stage, he said.
"Underneath it all are presidents trying to justify themselves politically and gain something politically," Schwartz said. "So I think our comparison on that level is probably justified even if, on stylistic things, it also reminds people what they liked and didn't like about various presidents."
Obama's speech on bin Laden looms large
Each expert that spoke to NPR agreed: Obama's speech was iconic. Though Trump and Biden took out major terrorist leaders, the gravity of killing bin Laden is unmatched. To some degree, Trump and Biden attempted to even emulate Obama's bin Laden speech, Schwartz said.
"Bin Laden was, of course, someone who was a household name in a way that the other two men were not," said Margaret O'Mara, a history professor at the University of Washington. "So it was sort of an extraordinary historic moment, and something that in a way looms larger than the other two, because it was bin Laden."
O'Mara noted that Obama took time to acknowledge the emotion for victims of 9/11 nearly a decade after the attacks.
"Obama's speaking almost within a decade of 9/11 so it's much more raw," she said.
Obama, in a measured and somber tone, said in his nine-minute speech: "It was nearly 10 years ago that a bright September day was darkened by the worst attack on the American people in our history."
He went on to say: "And yet we know that the worst images are those that were unseen to the world. The empty seat at the dinner table. Children who were forced to grow up without their mother or their father. Parents who would never know the feeling of their child's embrace. Nearly 3,000 citizens taken from us, leaving a gaping hole in our hearts."
Obama also carefully described how the White House came to receive intelligence on bin Laden and a short description of the steps special forces took to kill him.
"There's no question that watching Obama, you got reminded of how deliberative and almost academic his style could be in discussing things," Schwartz noted.
Trump rejects traditional presidential rhetoric
Former President Trump took a far different approach in announcing the execution of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in 2019.
Taking a moment to analyze Trump's speech in comparison to Obama and Biden provides "a window into a lot of things," O'Mara said.
"In kind of a very blunt way, it's a window into how Trump was such a very different president — and not just different from the two men who were on either side of him, but modern presidents generally," she said. "If you dial back and look at presidential oratory of presidents of both parties, it's very different in terms of not only the tone, but what type of information is being relayed."
Trump, known for lengthy rally speeches during his presidency, spoke for far longer than Obama or Biden in this announcement. His initial speech went on for over eight minutes, but he went on to take questions from reporters for another 40 minutes.
And with his usual flair, Trump spoke about the raid in dramatic detail using emotive language to describe both al-Baghdadi and the manner in which he died.
"No personnel were lost in the operation, while a large number of Baghdadi's fighters and companions were killed with him. He died after running into a dead-end tunnel, whimpering and crying and screaming all the way," Trump said.
He went on describing the operation, saying, "The thug who tried so hard to intimidate others spent his last moments in utter fear, in total panic and dread, terrified of the American forces bearing down on him."
This goes back to Trump's background not in politics, but as a businessman and reality TV star, these experts noted.
"One of the things that was very noteworthy about Trump's presidential rhetoric was that he claimed to not want to use it, he said that he didn't want to be presidential," said Jennifer Mercieca, a historian of American political rhetoric and professor at Texas A&M University. "He thought that presidential [style] was boring and lame and he thought that he won the office of the presidency by being dynamic and interesting. And so that's, I think, very clearly reflected."
In comparison, Biden and Obama delivered very somber speeches, she said.
Biden tries to project strength
Biden is known to struggle with blunders and flubs in speeches. He's even sometimes said the opposite of what he means, as noted by a New York Times piece during the 2020 presidential campaign.
For the announcement regarding the killing of al-Zawahiri, Biden (like the two presidents before him) wanted to communicate strength and power, Schwartz said.
Both Obama and Biden showed restraint in the language and description used to explain the killing of al-Zawahiri and bin Laden, Mercieca said.
Both men used the office of the president to sound official and to talk about justice owed to victims of 9/11.
Biden said of al-Zawahiri: "He carved a trail of murder and violence against American citizens, American service members, American diplomats, and American interests. And since the United States delivered justice to bin Laden 11 years ago, Zawahiri has been a leader of al Qaeda — the leader."
He added: "Now justice has been delivered, and this terrorist leader is no more."
Presidents do this to "sort of elevate what could be a very crass event, which is that the United States has exacted revenge and murdered someone else," Mercieca said.
"What Donald Trump did was the opposite. He didn't try to elevate it," she said. "Instead, he called the person a 'dog,' he very crudely described how they died, and what it meant."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.kcbx.org/npr-top-news/2022-08-05/how-3-presidents-announced-the-deaths-of-terrorist-leaders-and-what-it-says-about-them | 2022-08-05 15:17:38 | 0 | https://www.kcbx.org/npr-top-news/2022-08-05/how-3-presidents-announced-the-deaths-of-terrorist-leaders-and-what-it-says-about-them |
WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s employers added a solid 223,000 jobs in December, evidence that the economy remains healthy yet also a sign that the Federal Reserve may still have to raise interest rates aggressively to slow growth and cool inflation.
The December job growth, though a decent gain, amounted to the lowest monthly increase in two years. The unemployment rate remained fell to 3.5%, matching a 53-year low, the Labor Department said Friday.
Last month’s job growth capped a second straight year of robust hiring during which the nation regained all 22 million jobs it lost to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet the rapid hiring and the hefty pay raises that accompanied it likely contributed to a spike in prices that catapulted inflation to its highest level in 40 years.
The picture for 2023 is much cloudier. Many economists foresee a recession in the second half of the year, a consequence of the Fed’s succession of sharp rate hikes. The central bank’s officials have projected that those increases will cause the unemployment rate to reach 4.6% by year’s end.
Though the Fed’s higher rates have begun to cool inflation from its summertime peak, they have also made mortgages, auto loans and other consumer and business borrowing more expensive.
For now at least, the job market is showing surprising resilience in the face of higher interest rates across the economy. Employers added 4.6 million jobs in 2022, on top of 6.7 million in 2021. All that hiring was part of a powerful rebound from the pandemic recession of 2020.
In June, year-over-year inflation reached 9.1%, the highest level in 40 years, before slowing to 7.1% in November. Last year, in an aggressive drive to reduce inflation back toward its 2% goal, the Fed raised its benchmark rate seven times.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell has emphasized in recent remarks that consistently strong job growth, which can force employers to raise pay to find and keep workers, can perpetuate inflation: Companies often raise prices to pass on their higher labor costs to their customers. And higher pay typically fuels more consumer spending, which can keep inflation elevated.
For that reason, Powell and other Fed officials have signaled their belief that to get inflation under control, unemployment will have to rise from its current low level.
Fed officials have projected that they will raise their benchmark short-term rate to about 5.1% this year, the highest level in more than 15 years. If hiring and inflation remain strong, the Fed’s rate might have to move even higher.
Technology companies have been laying off workers for months, with some, including Amazon, saying that they had hired too many people during the pandemic. Amazon has boosted its layoffs to 18,000 from an earlier announcement of 10,000. Cloud software provider Salesforce says it will cut 10% of its workers. And Facebook’s parent company Meta says it will shed 11,000.
Smaller tech companies are also being hit. Stitch Fix, the fast fashion provider, said Thursday that it’s cutting 20% of its salaried workers. DoorDash has said it will eliminate 1,250 jobs.
Yet outside of high tech, smaller companies, in particular, are still hiring. According to the payroll processor ADP, companies with more than 500 employees cut jobs in December, while businesses below that threshold added many more workers. And an analysis by investment bank Jefferies showed that small companies were posting a historically high proportion of job openings.
The Fed is concerned about the fast pace of wage growth, which it sees as a reason why inflation is likely to remain high. Average hourly pay is rising at about a 5% pace, one of its highest levels in decades.
Economists think growth likely amounted to a solid annual rate of roughly 2.5% in the final three months of last year. But there are signs it is slowing, and most analysts expect weaker growth in the current first quarter of 2023.
Consumers barely increased their spending in November, held down by modest holiday shopping. And manufacturing activity contracted in December for a second straight month, with new orders and production both shrinking.
And the housing market, an important economic bellwether, has taken a severe hit from the Fed’s rate hikes, which have more than doubled mortgage rates in the past year. Home sales have plummeted for the past 10 months. | https://fox59.com/business/ap-business/ap-another-strong-month-of-hiring-would-put-fed-in-tough-spot/ | 2023-01-06 14:00:42 | 0 | https://fox59.com/business/ap-business/ap-another-strong-month-of-hiring-would-put-fed-in-tough-spot/ |
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — A federal commission tasked by Congress with renaming military bases named after Confederate leaders on Tuesday announced recommendations for new titles.
“We’ve got some exciting news,” retired U.S. Army Brigadier General Ty Seidule said. “We believe that these new names will inspire soldiers.”
The commission was formed after public backlash about Confederal symbols on public land.
Its suggestions for new names include Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was a general during World War II before becoming president. His name would go on what is now Fort Gordon in Georgia.
The list of people honored also includes historic firsts for women and minorities. Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia would become Fort Walker after Dr. Mary Walker, an abolitionist who served as the first female U.S. Army surgeon during the Civil War. Fort Hood, Texas, would be renamed for the first Hispanic four-star general, Richard Cavazos.
Fort Lee in Virginia would be renamed Fort Gregg-Adams after two African American service members, Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg and Lt. Col. Charity Adams. Adams was the highest-ranking Black woman officer during World War II.
“It is our honor to unanimously recommend these names,” Seidule said.
He said the names are the result of months of work with each community.
“We received more than 34,000 submissions,” he said.
According to rules devised by lawmakers last year, each name must be approved by Congress and the secretary of defense before becoming official. | https://www.cenlanow.com/washington-dc/bases-may-honor-eisenhower-female-civil-war-surgeon-black-wwii-officer/ | 2022-05-24 23:32:32 | 1 | https://www.cenlanow.com/washington-dc/bases-may-honor-eisenhower-female-civil-war-surgeon-black-wwii-officer/ |
Both Companies Committed to Ongoing Sustainability
ATLANTA, Sept. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- T5 Data Centers (T5), the telecommunications industry's only full lifecycle data center partner, announces a long-term lease and build-to-suit project with Flexential, a leading provider of data center colocation, cloud and connectivity, which will result in a combined 54MW campus at T5's Hillsboro, Oregon location, just outside of Portland.
T5 Construction Services will provide development and construction services to deliver an initial 138,000 sq. ft. / 18 MW data center and a subsequent 358,000 sq ft / 36 MW+ facility, provided in a fully customized, turnkey manner in accordance with Flexential's standards, specifications, and commitment to sustainability.
"Flexential's expansion within our Hillsboro data center campus aligns perfectly with T5's commitment to sustainability and customer service," said Pete Marin, CEO of T5 Data Centers. "T5's Development and Construction Services team has already engaged and is working closely with Flexential to deliver 500,000 sq. ft and 54MW of industry-leading quality and performance that will support the needs of their customers and our environment."
T5 is a founding member of the Infrastructure Masons Climate Accord and was an early data center pioneer in the Portland area with its Hillsboro, Oregon facility. The company's first project was delivered in 2014, followed by the current campus breaking ground in 2020.
"Development and construction are the roots of T5's lifecycle data center services platform," stated Robbie Sovie, Executive Vice President of T5 Construction Services. "T5's ability to manage tight supply chain constraints and history of delivering world-class data centers on time and within budget were the key differentiators for us to land this exciting opportunity."
For T5, this represents a long-term lease of its Hillsboro, OR campus to a high-quality tenant with a shared vision for service. The project further solidifies T5's position as a developer and operator of innovative, high quality data centers for the world's best companies.
"When Flexential made the decision to expand our Hillsboro footprint, partnering with T5 was the natural next step as we value their commitment to quality, customer service and providing customized industry solutions to a dynamic space," said Ryan Mallory, Chief Operating Officer, Flexential. "Both companies have a long-established presence in the Portland market, and we look forward to working together as we continue to bring esteemed data center projects and services to the region."
For more information about T5 Data Centers, visit www.t5datacenters.com.
T5 Data Centers (T5) is a leading data center owner and operator, committed to delivering scalable mission-critical facilities, facility management and construction services that provide a "Forever On" environment. T5 Data Centers provides life-cycle data center services and purpose-built data center facilities to organizations across North America and Europe featuring robust design, redundant and reliable power and telecommunications, and a 24-hour staff to support mission-critical computing applications. Visit t5datacenters.com or call (888) 239-7133 to learn more.
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SOURCE T5 Data Centers | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/07/t5-announces-54-mw-expansion-its-oregon-location-host-flexential-multi-phase-build-to-suit-project/ | 2022-09-07 13:13:33 | 0 | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/07/t5-announces-54-mw-expansion-its-oregon-location-host-flexential-multi-phase-build-to-suit-project/ |
WFO NEW YORK CITY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Friday, August 5, 2022
_____
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service New York NY
323 PM EDT Fri Aug 5 2022
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of west central Orange
County through 400 PM EDT...
At 322 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Oakland, or 7 miles north of Port Jervis, drifting northwest.
HAZARD...Pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible.
Locations impacted include...
Cuddebackville and Deerpark.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
LAT...LON 4149 7474 4150 7456 4150 7454 4141 7467
4148 7475
TIME...MOT...LOC 1922Z 137DEG 8KT 4148 7467
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...<30 MPH
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.ourmidland.com/weather/article/NY-WFO-NEW-YORK-CITY-Warnings-Watches-and-17354961.php | 2022-08-05 20:05:19 | 0 | https://www.ourmidland.com/weather/article/NY-WFO-NEW-YORK-CITY-Warnings-Watches-and-17354961.php |
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A World Boxing Council championship belt belonging to former South African President Nelson Mandela has been stolen from a museum in Soweto, according to police.
The belt was given to Mandela by American boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard during one of his visits to South Africa.
It was one of many artifacts inside the Nelson Mandela National Museum, a major tourist attraction for local and international travelers.
Mandela, a former amateur boxer, revered the belt and it was prominently displayed in the museum in a house where he once lived in Soweto township, west of Johannesburg.
The museum is one of the top attractions on Vilakazi Street, the only street in the world to claim two Nobel laureates as former residents. Mandela and the late anti-apartheid stalwart Archbishop Desmond Tutu both lived on the street.
According to police, the belt was stolen when thieves broke into the museum, popularly referred to as Mandela House, and the theft was reported to police on July 1.
No suspects have been arrested and police have appealed for any information related to the theft, police spokeswoman Dimakatso Sello said.
Mandela became South Africa’s first democratically elected leader in 1994 after spending 27 years in prison for his battle against apartheid, the brutal system of white minority rule in effect in the country from 1948 to 1994. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/boxing-champion-belt-given-to-mandela-stolen-in-south-africa/ | 2022-07-14 14:19:51 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/international/boxing-champion-belt-given-to-mandela-stolen-in-south-africa/ |
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — We might see two hurricanes swirling in the water at the same time this week.
The National Hurricane Center is currently monitoring Hurricane Danielle and Tropical Storm Earl, which is expected to become a hurricane sometime in the next few days. It’s also watching a tropical wave off the coast of Africa that could soon become a tropical depression.
Hurricane Danielle
According to the NHC’s latest advisory, Danielle is located about 835 miles west-northwest of The Azores with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph. It is moving northeast at 8 mph with hurricane-force winds extending outward up to 25 miles from the storm’s center and tropical storm-force winds extending outward up to 150 miles. The system is forecast to weaken over the next several days and will likely have no impact on the United States.
Tropical Storm Earl
At 5 a.m. ET, the hurricane center said Earl was looking a bit disheveled as it moved about 345 miles off St. Thomas. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph and was traveling north at 7 mph with tropical storm-force winds extending outward up to 115 miles from the storm’s center.
Earl is forecast to strengthen over the next couple of days as it moves north and north-northwestward. It’s expected to turn toward the north-northeast Wednesday night and Thursday.
“Interests in Bermuda should monitor the progress of Earl,” the hurricane center said.
Tropical wave
The hurricane center is also monitoring an area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms stretching from the Cabo Verde Islands southwestward several hundred miles. It has a 40% chance of developing into a tropical depression in the next two days as it moves west to west-northwest at 15 to 20 mph over the eastern and central tropical Atlantic. Upper-level winds are likely to become less conducive for development late this week, the hurricane center said. | https://www.wdtn.com/weather/weather-stories/tracking-the-tropics-we-could-see-two-hurricanes-at-the-same-time-this-week/ | 2022-09-09 21:50:11 | 0 | https://www.wdtn.com/weather/weather-stories/tracking-the-tropics-we-could-see-two-hurricanes-at-the-same-time-this-week/ |
World's Leading Anime Pop Stars Together On Stage for the First Time in an Immersive Live Concert Experience Starring Virtual Music Idols Kizuna AI Original Singeroid "#kzn," vocal duo HIMEHINA, GUMI, vocal trio MaRiNaSu, and pop twins LiLYPSE
Two month North American tour kicks off February 6, 2023 at Vancouver's Orpheum Theatre
Tour is produced by Anime Entertainment LLC, which is led by industry veterans and two of the founders of BASE Hologram, Bob Ringe and Marty Tudor
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The inaugural International Anime Music Festival announces its debut tour, bringing virtual music superstars to 37 venues across North America starting Feb. 6, 2023. This marks the first time the popular VTubers (virtually generated animated YouTubers) and Vocaloids (virtual singers with computer generated voices) appear on stage together.
Starring Kizuna AI Original Singeroid "#kzn", vocal duo HIMEHINA, vocal trio MaRiNaSu, the North American debut of fan favorite GUMI, and pop twins LiLYPSE, the show will be in LIVE, DJ-led multimedia concert rave. Featuring brand new songs and never-before-seen content, the tour brings these characters to life on state-of-the-art LED and high-definition digital projections. These characters are among the fan-favorites of the international anime-music movement. Originating in Japan, these superstar avatars have exploded globally over the past two years, drawing tens of millions of followers worldwide, generating over 62 million Google searches, and more than 1.2 billion views (YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and others).
Artist Presale starts on Monday, October 31st at 10am local time. Tickets for all North America shows go on sale Friday, November 4th at 10am local time. Visit IAMF.LIVE to learn more, sign up for presale access and to purchase tickets.
The worldwide festival will continue its tour throughout 2023, in Europe, Southeast Asia and South America.
"I feel honored and privileged to be working with the talented IP holders and character creators of the five acts appearing on our International Anime Music Festival," says producer Bob Ringe. "The response from the Anime community and Anime creators worldwide has exceeded my expectations. See you all at the festival!"
"I am excited to work with this extraordinary visually exciting Art Form," says producer Marty Tudor. "The energy that this group of Virtual Artists has is amazing and incites the best of our superb creative team. This show will be a blast!"
Banc of California is providing the financial support.
The International Anime Music Festival is produced by Anime Entertainment LLC – led by industry veterans and two of the co-founders of BASE Hologram Bob Ringe and Marty Tudor – with Creative Director Rob Roth (Tony Award winner for Disney's Beauty and the Beast). The tour is represented by Wasserman Music (North America) and UTA (Internationally).
NORTH AMERICA 2023 TOUR SCHEDULE:
Mon, February 6, 2023 | Vancouver, BC | Orpheum Theatre
Wed, February 8, 2023 | Seattle, WA | Paramount Theatre
Thu, February 9, 2023 | Portland, OR | Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
Sat, February 11, 2023 | San Jose, CA | San Jose Civic Auditorium
Tue, February 14, 2023 | Los Angeles, CA | Microsoft Theatre
Thu, February 16, 2023 | Phoenix, AZ | Arizona Financial Theatre
Fri, February 17, 2023 | Las Vegas, NV | The Theater at Virgin Hotels
Sat, February 18, 2023 | Albuquerque, AZ | Revel Entertainment Center
Sun, February 19, 2023 | Denver, CO | Mission Ballroom
Tue, February 21, 2023 | Kansas City, MO | Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland
Thu, February 23, 2023 | Austin, TX | ACL Live at Moody Theater
Fri, February 24, 2023 | San Antonio, TX | Tech Port Arena
Sat, February 25, 2023 | Irving, TX | The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
Sun, February 26, 2023 | Houston, TX | 713 Music Hall
Tue, February 28, 2023 | Oklahoma City, OK | The Criterion
Wed, March 1, 2023 | St. Louis, MO | The Factory At The District
Thu, March 2, 2023 | St. Paul, MN | Myth Live
Fri, March 3, 2023 | Milwaukee, WI | Riverside Theatre
Sat, March 4, 2023 | Chicago, IL | Riviera Theatre
Sun, March 5, 2023 | Detroit, MI | Masonic Temple Theatre
Tue, March 7, 2023 | Indianapolis, IN | Murat Theater at Old National Center
Wed, March 8, 2023 | Cleveland, OH | The Agora
Thu, March 9, 2023 | Cincinnati, OH | Bogart's
Fri, March 11, 2023 | Montreal, QC | MTELUS
Sun, March 12, 2023 | Toronto, ON | HISTORY
Tue, March 14, 2023 | Pittsburgh, PA | Roxian Theatre
Wed, March 15, 2023 | New York, NY | Terminal 5
Thu, March 16, 2023 | Boston, MA | Roadrunner
Fri, March 17, 2023 | Mashantucket, CT | The Premier Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino
Sat, March 18, 2023 | National Harbor, MD | MGM National Harbor
Sun, March 19, 2023 | Philadelphia, PA | Franklin Music Hall
Tue, March 21, 2023 | Charlotte, NC | Blumenthal Performing Arts Center - Belk Theatre
Wed, March 22, 2023 | Jacksonville, FL | Florida Theatre
Thu, March 23, 2023 | Durham, NC | DPAC
Fri, March 24, 2023 | Atlanta, GA | Fox Theatre
Sat, March 25, 2023 | Orlando, FL | Hard Rock Live
Sun, March 26, 2023 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Broward Center for the Performing Arts
Thu, March 30, 2023 | Monterrey, Mexico | Arena Monterrey
Fri, March 31, 2023 | Mexico City, Mexico | Arena CDMX
For more about the artists and tour, please visit IAMF.LIVE.
INTERNATIONAL ANIME MUSIC FESTIVAL ON THE WEB
Website: IAMF.LIVE
Instagram: @IAMFLIVE
Facebook: @IAMFLIVE
Twitter: @IAMFLIVE
TikTok: @IAMFLIVE
YouTube: International Anime Music Festival
DIGITAL PRESS KIT
https://shorefire.com/roster/iamf
PRESS CONTACTS | SHORE FIRE MEDIA
Rebecca Shapiro | rshapiro@shorefire.com
Andrea Evenson | aevenson@shorefire.com
Maria Eilert | meilert@shorefire.com
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SOURCE International Anime Music Festival | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/10/28/international-anime-music-festival-announces-2023-north-american-tour/ | 2022-10-28 20:52:12 | 0 | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/10/28/international-anime-music-festival-announces-2023-north-american-tour/ |
DALLAS, Dec. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NexPoint Real Estate Finance, Inc. (NYSE: NREF) (the "Company") today announced a dividend for its 8.50% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (NYSE: NREF PRA) of $0.53125 per share. The dividend will be payable on January 25, 2023, to stockholders of record at the close of business on January 13, 2023.
NexPoint Real Estate Finance, Inc., is a publicly traded REIT, with its shares listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "NREF" primarily focused on originating, structuring and investing in first mortgage loans, mezzanine loans, preferred equity, multifamily properties and common stock investments, as well as multifamily commercial mortgage backed securities. More information about the Company is available at nref.nexpoint.com.
Investor Relations
Kristen Thomas
IR@nexpoint.com
Media Relations
Prosek Partners for NexPoint
pro-nexpoint@prosek.com
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SOURCE NexPoint Real Estate Finance, Inc. | https://www.wymt.com/prnewswire/2022/12/15/nexpoint-real-estate-finance-inc-announces-preferred-stock-dividend/ | 2022-12-16 01:15:08 | 0 | https://www.wymt.com/prnewswire/2022/12/15/nexpoint-real-estate-finance-inc-announces-preferred-stock-dividend/ |
There will be more hurricanes and tropical storms than usual during this year's Atlantic hurricane season, federal forecasters warn.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts 14 to 21 total storms will grow large enough to be named. Of those, forecasters expect 6 to 10 hurricanes, 3 to 6 of which will have sustained wind speeds above 110 miles per hour.
If the forecast is correct, this will be the seventh year in a row with an above-average number of storms – by far the longest streak in recorded history. The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins on June 1 and ends on November 30, though storms sometimes form outside those dates.
Last year, NOAA updated its definition of a normal hurricane season to reflect the new normal of climate change. It now considers hurricane seasons that are "above-average" to have more than 14 named tropical storms, instead of 12. For context, the record-breaking 2020 hurricane season produced 30 named storms. Not all storms make landfall, but when they do, the damage can be enormous.
Hundreds of millions of people in the U.S. are threatened by storms that form over the Atlantic Ocean and move toward the Eastern seaboard and Gulf of Mexico. That includes many who live far away from where storms generally make landfall, and who may feel a false sense of security as a result.
For example, last year, Hurricane Ida carved a path of destruction across nine states from Louisiana to New England and caused billions of dollars in damage and dozens of deaths along the way.
NOAA emphasized the widespread risk by announcing this year's hurricane forecast at a press conference in New York City – far from the traditional epicenter of hurricane risk in the U.S. and one of the places hammered by Ida's rain last September.
"No one is immune from the effects of these tropical storms," says Deanne Criswell, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Forecasters say a combination of cyclic regional weather patterns and climate change are driving the escalating hurricane hazards in the U.S.
"There are certain ingredients that drive the intensity and frequency of hurricanes," says Matthew Rosencrans, the lead hurricane season outlook forecaster with NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, including how much dust is in the air, how windy it is and how warm the water on the surface of the ocean is.
Some of those ingredients are unrelated to human-caused global climate change. For example, the natural climate variation known as La Niña has been happening for multiple years, and it drives ocean and wind conditions that support the formation of tropical storms in the Atlantic.
But many of the other ingredients for a destructive hurricane season are related to human-caused climate change. Hotter ocean water and hotter air create perfect conditions for hurricanes to form, and to get large and destructive. And sea level rise exacerbates flooding when storms hit land.
An extra warm ocean current is also bulging into the Gulf of Mexico this spring, threatening to release a large and deep blob of hot water during hurricane season. That would create a dangerous hurricane incubator, and make it more likely that a powerful storm would hit Mexico or the U.S. Gulf Coast.
When this current has bulged into the Gulf of Mexico in the past, it fueled some of the most notorious storms in recent history, including Hurricanes Katrina, Ida and Harvey.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.apr.org/2022-05-24/get-ready-for-another-destructive-atlantic-hurricane-season | 2022-05-24 20:28:49 | 0 | https://www.apr.org/2022-05-24/get-ready-for-another-destructive-atlantic-hurricane-season |
Records are thrown out the window in late February in Indiana. Unlike in other states, every boys basketball team makes the playoffs. The brackets are not seeded. There’s reason for optimism in every locker room.
With that in mind, area teams learned their postseason fates Sunday evening with the sectional pairings show on IHSAA TV.
In Class 4A, the area’s two 20-win teams are part of the Sectional 1 field at Munster. The host Mustangs (20-2) will take on Merrillville (8-12).
Hammond Central (20-1) opens with West Side (5-15). The Wolves are 4-0 against teams in this bracket, including a 54-49 win over Lake Central last week. The Indians (14-8) play EC Central (10-9) for a chance to see the Munster and Merrillville winner.
“We were happy with the way the draw lined up. We still feel like we’re the underdog so the other team don’t even matter, at this point,” Hammond Central coach Larry Moore Jr. said. “When you listened to the (pairings) show, they spoke about Munster and they didn’t speak about us. So we still have the mindset of an underdog and that’s how we’re going into sectionals.”
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Lake Central beat Munster 47-44 on Dec. 20. That’s the only loss for the Mustangs in six games against teams who will play at Munster.
“Once we get to this place, I think we’ve played all styles of teams and we’ve prepared for this moment,” Moore said. “We played Lake Central. We played Chesterton and some other guys to prepare for the tournament. You don’t want to have an easy schedule in late February and get complacent.”
Chesterton, last year’s 4A runner up, is the favorite in Sectional 2 at Crown Point. The Trojans (17-5) start with a bye and will take on either the host Bulldogs (12-8) or Portage (12-8) in the semifinal.
“You have to play one less game (with a bye) but it’s also a tough position to be in,” Chesterton coach Marc Urban said. “We know we’re going to play the winner of Crown Point and Portage, both really good teams who are really well coached. We’ll just have to wait and see who comes out of that.”
Hobart (9-11) and Kankakee Valley (9-13) play in another opener. Valparaiso (11-12) and Lowell (2-19) meet in the other.
Urban said he hopes his team’s experience making a run to the state championship game a year ago makes a difference now.
“We have guys that have played in games that really matter,” he said. “Our guys understand what to expect and understand that you have to just go through the process, really focus on every game every day.”
The other 4A sectional featuring Region teams will be at LaPorte. The Slicers (16-6), Mishawaka (16-5) and Michigan City (16-6) have had similar regular seasons.
LaPorte gets a bye to the semifinal, where the Slicers will play South Bend Adams (7-13) or the Wolves. The Cavemen will play Plymouth (8-12) on the other side with that winner meeting South Bend Riley (12-9) in the semifinal.
Lake Station (18-2) has the best record in the local Class 3A sectional at Hanover Central. The Wildcats, though, have wins against six of the other schools in the bracket. Only the Eagles beat Hanover by four points on Jan. 21 in Cedar Lake.
Lake Station won its only postseason trophies in 1941. It’ll play Griffith (10-12) first with a chance to see either Boone Grove (5-15) or River Forest (6-14) next.
The other half of that bracket is Highland (3-19) versus Bishop Noll (11-11) and Calumet (3-16) against Hanover Central (14-7).
The most exciting area sectional final could be in Class 2A. 21st Century (15-5) and Illiana Christian (16-4) will both play at Whiting. They wouldn’t meet until the championship.
The Cougars, ranked No. 8 in the state, are hoping to make another deep playoff run. Last season ended in a 68-65 overtime loss to Lafayette Central Catholic in the Lafayette Jefferson semistate.
“We were heartbroken last year to make it all the way to semistate and then come within a shot of going to the state finals. I think we played off that hunger all year,” 21st Century coach Larry Upshaw said. “We should be battle-tested. We’ve got some guys who’ve been in the fire for three or four years now and that experience should help us out a lot.”
The Cougars start with the host Oilers (9-11), with the winner meeting Andrean (6-14).
“We can’t look at (Whiting’s) record. To play the home teams in the first game of the sectional is pretty tough,” Upshaw said.
The Vikings play North Newton (12-9), the only other team in this group over .500. Illiana coach Tom Roozeboom said the two schools attempted to schedule each other during the regular season but it didn’t work out.
“It’s kind of refreshing to see a new team but you’ve got to prep a little bit more, too,” Roozeboom said. “We are most certainly not overlooking our first round by any means, with our recent history.”
The Vikings lost their first postseason game last year to Andrean in overtime.
Should Illiana Christian win the opener this season, it will play Bowman (9-11) or Lighthouse (3-15).
“I would love to get to the championship but we most certainly are not looking past anyone,” Roozeboom said. “I think (avoiding 21st Century in the opening round) gets our feet wet a little bit and then we can hopefully get to that sectional final where, hey, it’s going to be a battle.”
North Judson (19-3) is the big favorite in the other 2A sectional that features Region schools. Wheeler (3-17) gets the Bluejays first with the winner playing South Central (5-15). LaVille (13-9) plays Hebron (11-10) with the victor meeting South Bend Career Academy (9-12) in the other semifinal. The Hawks beat the Lancers 60-47 on Dec. 21.
Morgan Township is looking for its first sectional title in 12 seasons when it hosts Class 1A Sectional 49. The Cherokees (18-4) open with Tri Township (3-16). Kouts (11-9) and Washington Township (5-12) are the other opening matchup.
Hammond Science and Tech (4-14) and DeMotte Christian (12-9) get byes.
The other 1A sectional is at Triton. The best records in the bracket, Marquette Catholic (15-7) and Westville (15-7), square off right away. The winner of that one will play the Triton (11-9) and Argos (13-7) winner. | https://www.nwitimes.com/sports/high-school/boys-basketball/class-4a-2a-matchups-highlight-boys-basketball-sectional-draw/article_9c2ccef2-2e08-54ea-a4f3-62bf3e872b7c.html | 2023-02-20 03:10:10 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/sports/high-school/boys-basketball/class-4a-2a-matchups-highlight-boys-basketball-sectional-draw/article_9c2ccef2-2e08-54ea-a4f3-62bf3e872b7c.html |
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ROME (AP) — Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni acknowledged “anomalies” in the handling of a Russian businessman who escaped from house arrest in Italy to avoid extradition to the United States and said Saturday she would speak with the justice minister to understand what happened.
During a visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Meloni termed the case of Artyom Uss “grave” and vowed to get to the bottom of it when she returned to Rome.
Uss, the 40-year-old son of a Russian regional governor, was detained in October 2022 at Milan Malpensa Airport on a U.S. warrant accusing him of violating sanctions. In November, a ruling from a Milan appeals court resulted in him being moved from jail to house arrest and outfitted with an electronic monitoring bracelet.
He escaped from Italy on March 22, a day after a Milan court recognized as legitimate the U.S. extradition request, and surfaced in Russia earlier this month.
“For sure there are anomalies,” Meloni told reporters in Ethiopia. “The principal anomaly, I’m sorry to say, is the decision of the appeals court to offer him house arrest with a frankly debatable motivation, and to then maintain that decision even after there was an extradition request. Because obviously in that case, the flight risk becomes more obvious.”
She welcomed the decision by Italian Justice Minister Carlo Nordio to undertake a disciplinary investigation, saying “we have to have clarity.” But she also said Italy didn’t have detailed intelligence information from the U.S. Justice Department “about the nature of the person.”
Italian daily newspaper La Repubblica reported Saturday that U.S. authorities made clear that the Russian presented a “very high flight risk” in two notes to Nordio’s office — one from Oct. 19, two days after Uss’ arrest, and the other sent after he was granted house arrest on Nov. 25.
The U.S. asked for Uss to remain jailed pending the outcome of extradition proceedings and cited six cases in the past three years in which suspects escaped from house arrest in Italy while extradition requests were pending, Repubblica quoted the notes as saying.
The newspaper said Nordio assured the U.S. in a Dec. 6 note that the electronic monitoring bracelet put on Uss and his required periodic check-ins with police were sufficient. Repubblica cited the Milan court's reply to Nordio’s investigation as saying the justice minister had the authority at any time to impose tougher restrictive measures on someone in extradition proceedings. | https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/politics/article/italy-s-meloni-acknowledges-anomalies-in-17899091.php | 2023-04-15 14:13:38 | 1 | https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/politics/article/italy-s-meloni-acknowledges-anomalies-in-17899091.php |
The NFL has a habit of zealously defending its various trademarks and logos. The league has landed in a legal issue over an effort to defend trademarks and logos when no trademarks or logos were being used.
The Dimopoulos Law Firm has sued the NFL, in response to a cease-and-desist letter threatening “heightened legal penalties” over a commercial including Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby in a silver and black uniform that does not include any logos or trademarks owned by the league or the Raiders.
The lawsuit, which can be seen here , seeks a declaratory judgment (in English, a ruling that the NFL is wrong and the law firm is right) on the question of whether the commercial crosses the line into infringement.
The firm began using the commercial last month. On February 22, NFL Properties allegedly sent a cease-and-desist letter vowing to file a lawsuit against the law firm.
In the commercial, Crosby wears a black football jersey with silver letters and numbers. No names or logos (other than “Crosby”) can be seen. He also has a silver helmet with no logo.
The league demanded a response by March 1. It got one, in the form of the lawsuit.
Is this potentially a Slippin’ Jimmy-style effort by the Dimopoulos Law Firm to get a little free publicity? Sure. But so what? The NFL threatened the firm with a fight, and the firm decided to take the fight to the NFL.
Thus, the story is significant -- even if it also gives the Dimopoulos firm some organic attention that it possibly didn’t expect when hiring Crosby to appear in the commercial. | https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/las-vegas-law-firm-sues-nfl-over-effort-to-shut-down-commercial-featuring-maxx-crosby-in-generic-uniform | 2023-06-30 21:06:06 | 0 | https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/las-vegas-law-firm-sues-nfl-over-effort-to-shut-down-commercial-featuring-maxx-crosby-in-generic-uniform |
OSLO, Norway, Aug. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lytix Biopharma AS ("Lytix" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage company with an in situ vaccination technology platform, today announces data from its ATLAS-IT-04 trial in patients with progressive metastatic soft tissue sarcoma (STS). The data from this Phase II proof of concept study shows that LTX-315 in combination with Adoptive Cell Therapy (ACT) was able to stabilize the disease in 3 out of 4 fully treated patients in this hard-to-treat patient population, and that the LTX-315 treatment generated tumor-specific T cells.
The data is presented June 5th, 2022, as a poster at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2022 Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, U.S.A.
The ATLAS-IT-04 trial was an open label, exploratory, Phase II trial assessing the effect of LTX-315 when used in combination with ACT in patients with metastatic STS. ACT with tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is a potent treatment that can induce complete and durable tumor regression as documented in patients with melanoma. The use of ACT with TILs for patients with advanced STS has not previously been reported.
Patients with advanced stages of STS have few effective treatment options and respond poorly to current treatment as well as to immunotherapy tested in clinical trials. The trial design of ATLAS-IT-04 included intratumoral injections of LTX-315 ahead of surgical removal of tumors, followed by in vitro expansion of T cells as the first step. In a second step, the expanded T cells were infused back to the patients and the effect of LTX-315 on the tumor microenvironment was assessed.
LTX-315 is a first-in-class non-viral oncolytic molecule, representing a new and superior in situ therapeutic vaccination principle to boost the clonal expansion of T cells that kill tumor cells through a targeted immune response. In a recent Phase I/II study LTX-315 has been shown to increase TILs in malignant solid tumors after intratumoral injection.
The immune response data from the ATLAS-IT-04 trial demonstrates that the treatment induce both new and tumor-specific T cells which provides proof to the concept that LTX-315 generates an immune response that targets the tumor. Moreover, the data shows that LTX-315 induce expansion of a heterogenous pool of T-cell clones in blood, and a pool of these are also present in tumor tissue after treatment.
"This trial demonstrates that the combination of LTX-315 and ACT is not only feasible and tolerable, but that tumor-specific T cells can be expanded in vitro from tumors that have been pretreated with the oncolytic molecule LTX-315", Inge Marie Svane, PI and Professor at the National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, comments.
She adds: "This combination therapy invokes tumor specific T cells that can be cultured and infused as part of an adoptive transfer regimen for several subtypes of soft tissue sarcoma, and its treatment schedule should be further optimized to achieve superior signs of efficacy."
The poster is presented June 5th at the ASCO 2022 Annual Meeting.
Poster Session: Sarcoma
Abstract: 11567
Poster: 471
The poster can be found here https://www.lytixbiopharma.com/research-development/posters.html
CONTACT:
For further information please contact:
Øystein Rekdal (CEO), Telephone: +47 975 73 358, E-mail: Oystein.Rekdal@lytixbiopharma.com
This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com
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SOURCE Lytix Biopharma AS | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/08/15/lytix-biopharma-announces-that-ltx-315-with-adoptive-cell-therapy-has-been-shown-generate-tumor-specific-t-cells-stabilize-disease-patients-with-metastatic-soft-tissue-sarcoma-sts/ | 2022-08-15 18:04:51 | 1 | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/08/15/lytix-biopharma-announces-that-ltx-315-with-adoptive-cell-therapy-has-been-shown-generate-tumor-specific-t-cells-stabilize-disease-patients-with-metastatic-soft-tissue-sarcoma-sts/ |
NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tennessee Association for Home Care (TAHC) is offering free At-Home COVID-19 and Flu Vaccines to homebound Tennesseans. The program is designed to help Tennessee residents who want to get their COVID-19 or Flu vaccine but may have difficulty getting to an appointment due to age, health, income, or disability. Tennesseans who meet these conditions can reach out to their county's provider and request an appointment. Once the appointment is made, the process is simple: a qualified nurse travels to the residence for free and with no travel required for the resident. The flu vaccine should be available around Fall 2023, so once flu season begins both vaccines can be administered on the same day at home. To find the provider for your area and schedule an appointment, visit www.tnhomecare.org/armup.
The Tennessee Association for Home Care is a non-profit organization serving home health agencies, hospice organizations, and home care agencies in Tennessee. Through representation, advocacy, and education, TAHC works to improve access to home care services across the state. Learn more about the Tennessee Association of Home Care at tnhomecare.org. For questions, please contact Maegan Carr Martin, JD at maegan@tnhomecare.org.
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SOURCE Tennessee Association for Home Care | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/07/15/tennessee-association-home-care-vaccinating-homebound-residents/ | 2022-07-15 14:41:56 | 1 | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/07/15/tennessee-association-home-care-vaccinating-homebound-residents/ |
NEW DELHI (AP) — A Muslim woman who was gang raped while pregnant during India’s devastating 2002 religious riots has appealed to the government to rescind its decision to free the 11 men who had been jailed for life for committing the crime, after they were released on suspended sentences.
The victim, who is now in her forties, was pregnant when she was brutally gang raped in communal violence in 2002 in the western state of Gujarat, which saw over 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, killed in some of the worst religious riots India has experienced since its independence from Britain in 1947. Seven members of the woman’s family, including her three-year-old daughter, were also killed in the violence.
The Associated Press generally doesn’t identify victims of sexual assault.
The 11 men, released on Monday when India celebrated 75 years of independence, were convicted in 2008 of rape, murder and unlawful assembly.
The victim said the decision by the Gujarat state government has left her numb and shaken her faith in justice.
“How can justice for a woman end like this? I trusted the highest courts in our land,” she said in a statement late Wednesday, adding that no authorities reached out to her before making the decision. “Please undo this harm. Give me back my right to live without fear and in peace.”
On Thursday, dozens of women protested against the release of the men in the capital, New Delhi. Maimoona Mollah of the All India Democratic Women’s Association said they are demanding the state to roll back its decision.
“(The victim) and other survivors should be allowed to live in peace and dignity,” Mollah said.
Raj Kumar, additional chief secretary in Gujarat, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party holds power, told the Indian Express newspaper that the convicts’ application for remission was granted because they had completed over 14 years in jail. A state government panel made the decision after considering other factors like their age and behavior in prison.
Kumar said the men were eligible under a 1992 remission policy that was in effect at the time of their conviction. A newer version adopted in 2014 by the federal government prohibits remission release for those convicted of certain crimes, including rape and murder.
The riots have long hounded Modi, who was Gujarat’s top elected official at the time, amid allegations that authorities allowed and even encouraged the bloodshed. Modi has repeatedly denied having any role and the Supreme Court has said it found no evidence to prosecute him.
Videos on social media showing the men being welcomed with sweets and garlands after their release from prison went viral, triggering outrage and anger from women, rights activists and opposition politicians.
Vrinda Grover, a lawyer, called the decision a “travesty and grave miscarriage of justice,” while speaking to India Today TV.
Opposition lawmaker Rahul Gandhi took aim at Modi on Twitter, questioning what kind of message it sent to women in India from a government that says it wants to empower women.
“The entire country is seeing the difference between your words and deeds,” he wrote in Hindi. | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/indian-woman-condemns-release-of-her-convicted-rapists/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2022-08-18 10:26:06 | 0 | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/indian-woman-condemns-release-of-her-convicted-rapists/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
CALGARY, AB, June 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Vermilion Energy Inc. ("Vermilion", "We", "Our", "Us" or the "Company") (TSX: VET) (NYSE: VET) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Myron Stadnyk to our Board of Directors.
Mr. Stadnyk brings over 35 years of business and industry knowledge, with extensive experience in senior leadership, cost management, operational effectiveness, governance, health, safety, and environment. He most recently served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of ARC Resources Ltd. where he led ARC's transformation from a royalty trust to a top-tier Montney producer demonstrating outstanding strategic leadership. Prior to ARC, Mr. Stadnyk worked at a major oil and gas company in both domestic and international operations.
He currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Crescent Point Energy Corp., Prairie Sky Royalty Ltd. and the University of Saskatchewan Engineering Trust.
Mr. Stadnyk holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan and is a graduate of the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program. He is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta and served as a Governor for the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers for over 10 years.
We are excited to welcome Mr. Stadnyk to our Board of Directors, and look forward to his diverse skills, perspectives and expertise contributing to the ongoing success of Vermilion.
Vermilion is an international energy producer that seeks to create value through the acquisition, exploration, development and optimization of producing assets in North America, Europe and Australia. Our business model emphasizes free cash flow generation and returning capital to investors when economically warranted, augmented by value-adding acquisitions. Vermilion's operations are focused on the exploitation of light oil and liquids-rich natural gas conventional resource plays in North America and the exploration and development of conventional natural gas and oil opportunities in Europe and Australia.
Vermilion's priorities are health and safety, the environment, and profitability, in that order. Nothing is more important to us than the safety of the public and those who work with us, and the protection of our natural surroundings. We have been recognized by leading ESG rating agencies for our transparency on and management of key environmental, social and governance issues. In addition, we emphasize strategic community investment in each of our operating areas.
Employees and directors hold approximately 4% of our outstanding shares and are committed to delivering long-term value for all stakeholders. Vermilion trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol VET.
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SOURCE Vermilion Energy Inc. | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2022/06/01/vermilion-energy-inc-announces-appointment-new-board-member/ | 2022-06-01 23:46:38 | 1 | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2022/06/01/vermilion-energy-inc-announces-appointment-new-board-member/ |
WHO worried about surge of COVID in China amid lack of info
Video above: Officials worried about new COVID-19 surge
The head of the World Health Organization said the agency is "concerned about the risk to life in China" amid the coronavirus' explosive spread across the country and the lack of outbreak data from the Chinese government.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the agency recently met with Chinese officials to underline the importance of sharing more details about COVID-19 issues including hospitalization rates and genetic sequences, even as the pandemic continues to recede globally since it began in late 2019.
"Data remains essential for WHO to carry out regular, rapid and robust risk assessments of the global situation," Tedros said at a press briefing.
Video below: Students return to school wearing masks after holiday break
Tedros said he understood why numerous countries have recently taken measures against travelers coming from China, saying "it's understandable that some countries are taking steps to prevent their citizens" given the void of information about COVID-19.
WHO emergencies chief Dr. Michael Ryan said the testing protocols implemented by some countries were not a restriction against travel.
"It's not an excessive measure based on individual countries' risk assessment," Ryan said.
He noted that for the past three years, China has had some of the world's harshest rules regarding COVID-19. "The reality for China is that many countries (now feel) they don't have enough information to base their risk assessment," he said.
Earlier this week, Chinese officials sharply criticized COVID-19 testing requirements imposed on visitors from China and threatened countermeasures against countries involved, which include the U.S. and several European nations.
"We believe that the entry restrictions adopted by some countries targeting China lack scientific basis, and some excessive practices are even more unacceptable," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a briefing Tuesday.
The WHO's Ryan added that there were continuing concerns about how Chinese officials are recording coronavirus deaths, saying that their definition, which only counts COVID-19 deaths if there is a record of respiratory failure, is too narrow.
Video below: COVID-19 subvariant XBB.1.5 leaves doctors concerned
Throughout December, China recorded only 13 official COVID-19 deaths, despite many thousands of cases every day and reports about overwhelmed hospitals, fever clinics and crematoriums.
A WHO expert group said Wednesday that no worrying new COVID variants have been identified in China based on the information authorities have shared, including genetic sequences deposited into a public database. The WHO said Chinese scientists have now shared more than 770 sequences, with omicron subvariants BA.5 and its descendants accounting for more than 97% of all local infections. Globally, BA.5 variants comprise about 68% of all sequences.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said it did not expect the surge of COVID-19 in China to affect the outbreak in Europe, given the high rates of vaccination across the continent. It also noted that the variants spreading in China were already present in Europe, suggesting that any spillover from China would have a negligible impact.
Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's technical lead on COVID-19, said the agency was currently evaluating the significance of the variant known as XBB.1.5, which has recently comprised an increasing proportion of cases in the U.S.
"Our concern is how transmissible it is," Van Kerkhove said. "The more this virus circulates, the more chances it will have to change," she said, adding that further waves of transmission do not necessarily have to translate into more deaths, with the wide availability of vaccination and drugs.
Van Kerkhove said there is no data yet to prove that XBB.1.5 causes more severe disease, but that the WHO is working on a new risk assessment of the variant that it expects to release soon. | https://www.wmur.com/article/china-covid-surge-who-worried-amid-lack-of-info/42418773 | 2023-01-06 18:31:43 | 1 | https://www.wmur.com/article/china-covid-surge-who-worried-amid-lack-of-info/42418773 |
Rail industry firm moving headquarters to Charlotte, creating 150 jobs
The project will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – A rail industry firm will move its headquarters to Charlotte, creating over 100 jobs and investing millions in Mecklenburg County, Gov. Roy Cooper announced Tuesday.
TTX Company, which is currently headquartered in Chicago, provides railcars and related freight-car management services to the North American rail industry, according to information from the governor’s office.
The company’s Charlotte headquarters will include units involved with finance, information technology, human resources, and business and product development, among others.
TTX Company will create 150 jobs with the Charlotte-based headquarters and a $14.5 million investment, according to the announcement.
“Designated as the number one state in the nation to do business for the second year in a row, our quality of life, infrastructure and talented, well-educated workforce lets companies know they will find success in North Carolina,” Cooper said in a statement. “Charlotte’s stellar reputation as a place to do business makes TTX’s decision to move its headquarters to the Queen City no surprise.”
Although wages will vary depending on the position, the average salary for the new positions will be, at a minimum, $162,000, according to the news release. The current average wage in Mecklenburg County is $80,349.
The project will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee on Tuesday, according to the governor’s office.
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Copyright 2023 WBTV. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/2023/07/11/rail-industry-firm-moving-headquarters-charlotte-creating-150-jobs/ | 2023-07-11 17:25:45 | 0 | https://www.wbtv.com/2023/07/11/rail-industry-firm-moving-headquarters-charlotte-creating-150-jobs/ |
13.4 million-unit SAAR Expected for 2022
SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Sept. 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- S&P Global Mobility analysts expect US light vehicle sales to be limited to 1.105 million units in September, marking an annual rate of 13.4 million units. The cumulative impacts of supply shocks on auto manufacturing in North America and globally continue to severely constrain sales by limiting the availability of new inventory to consumers. While wholesale prices for new vehicles are up a subdued 3.7%, consumer prices for new vehicles are posting double-digit year-over-year gains. Consumers' willingness to pay for available vehicles at these prices is evidence that pent-up demand remains in the market.
"Production issues relating to ongoing shortages, especially for semiconductors, and other supply chain, labor, and logistics issues will continue to translate into US inventory remaining at below-average levels, under 2.0 million units or a 40 days' supply, well into 2023," said Joe Langley, associate director, US production analysis, S&P Global Mobility.
Despite the tight inventory picture industrywide, the battery-electric vehicle (BEV) segment continues to see share gains. Numerous automakers are introducing BEV models in new body style segments, spreading the technological impact of electric vehicles to an increasing population of buyers. BEVs sitting beside legacy internal combustion engine vehicles in dealer showrooms are enticing more consumers to the new segment. The importance of the transition to BEVs was highlighted at the recent Detroit Auto Show.
"The event embodied the dynamics of today's auto market and the interplay between needing to support current demand for ICE products and the need for helping consumers along the path of transitioning to electrification and EVs," added Stephanie Brinley, principal research analyst, S&P Global Mobility.
Through September year-to-date 2022, volumes will likely be down an estimated 1.6 million units compared to the 11.7 million units year-to-date in 2021. Through the end of the year, the S&P Global Mobility forecast for 2022 sits at 14.0 million units, although risks to the downside remain.
On a manufacturer level, September volumes will remain consistent with recent results. One less selling day in September compared to August will result in slow m/m volume comparisons but expected manufacturer performances for the month reflect the ongoing market conditions.
At S&P Global Mobility, we provide invaluable insights derived from unmatched automotive data, enabling our customers to anticipate change and make decisions with conviction. Our expertise helps them to optimize their businesses, reach the right consumers, and shape the future of mobility. We open the door to automotive innovation, revealing the buying patterns of today and helping customers plan for the emerging technologies of tomorrow.
S&P Global Mobility is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI). S&P Global is the world's foremost provider of credit ratings, benchmarks, analytics and workflow solutions in the global capital, commodity and automotive markets. With every one of our offerings, we help many of the world's leading organizations navigate the economic landscape so they can plan for tomorrow, today. For more information, visit www.spglobal.com/mobility.
Michelle Culver
S&P Global Mobility
248.728.7496 or 248.342.6211
Michelle.culver@spglobal.com
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SOURCE S&P Global Mobility | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/09/26/sampp-global-mobility-supply-constraints-lack-inventory-cap-us-light-vehicle-sales-september/ | 2022-09-26 15:15:25 | 1 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/09/26/sampp-global-mobility-supply-constraints-lack-inventory-cap-us-light-vehicle-sales-september/ |
Promenade for Butchers Built Specifically to Help Meat and Seafood Stores Take Their In-Store Experience Online
SANTA MONICA, Calif., July 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- With 61% of meat and seafood consumers now shopping online,1 the more than 12,000 local butchers and seafood shops in the U.S. have struggled to find e-commerce solutions designed to meet their specific needs. Recognizing this, Promenade Group, a leader in small business e-commerce solutions, today announced it is expanding its acclaimed platform to include Promenade for Butchers—an offering specifically built for independent butcher and seafood shops. Promenade for Butchers is a platform that includes a custom search engine-optimized website, online ordering, delivery options, marketing, back-office management, and online and in-store sales that enables butcher and seafood shops to expand their ordering and delivery services and reach new and existing customers online.
"Leveraging over a decade of expertise in the florist, restaurant, and beverage markets, Promenade has developed an efficient way to bring the personal in-store meat shopping experience online," said Farbod Shoraka, CEO and co-founder, Promenade. "We are excited to provide local butchers with a comprehensive platform that allows them to reach new and existing customers, and are looking forward to continuing Promenade's rapid expansion of services to small shops in other vertical markets nationwide."
Providing everything from traditional cuts of beef and chicken to specialty offerings of buffalo and venison, butchers acquire and retain loyal customers by delivering outstanding products and services—from order to table. Promenade for Butchers deepens the independent store owner's relationship with new and existing customers by offering an easy ordering and delivery experience. Each website is customized to fit the shop's brand and provides a simple and safe online shopping experience with a variety of delivery options, including in-store pick up and same-day delivery.
Promenade for Butchers also simplifies back-end business tasks with marketing, payment, fulfillment, and inventory management services, providing business owners with additional time to negotiate with suppliers, cut and trim meat, and provide retail and wholesale customers with a truly personalized interaction.
Promenade for Butchers benefits include:
- Premium ecommerce website: A complete online SEO-optimized storefront built to inform visitors and turn them into customers
- In-store and online order processing and management: Accept and manage customer orders quickly and easily in the back-office
- In-store card reader: Process payments online and in-store
- Delivery services: Support for self-delivery, third-party delivery, or in-store pickup
- Review management: Automatically request, manage, and publish customer reviews regarding your store or a specific order
- Marketing Services: Customized email marketing, social media campaigns, and search engine optimization, as well as outreach campaigns to engage customers between purchases
- Premium Customer Service: Easy-to-reach customer support with a direct line of access to product and engineering teams
Promenade for Butchers is now available. For more information, visit www.getpromenade.com/butchers.
Promenade started as BloomNation in 2010 with a clear vision of empowering local businesses with the technology, knowledge, and support to attract and retain customers with a best-in-class experience. The Promenade e-commerce platform offers an intuitive online sales and shopping experience for thousands of neighborhood businesses across the country. From flowers to food to liquor, Promenade empowers small business owners with the tools they need to reach new customers, grow online sales, and easily manage both online and in-store orders. For more information, visit www.getpromenade.com.
1 Food Industry Executive Magazine, March 11, 2022
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SOURCE Promenade Group | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2022/07/25/promenade-continues-vertical-market-expansion-with-launch-turnkey-e-commerce-solution-local-butcher-shops/ | 2022-07-25 08:56:51 | 0 | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2022/07/25/promenade-continues-vertical-market-expansion-with-launch-turnkey-e-commerce-solution-local-butcher-shops/ |
BELOIT, Wis., Jan. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Regal Rexnord Corporation (NYSE: RRX) announced today that it plans to release its fourth quarter 2022 financial results after the market closes on Wednesday, February 1, 2023.
Regal Rexnord will host a conference call to discuss the earnings release at 9:00 am CT (10:00 am ET) on Thursday, February 2, 2023. To listen to the live audio and view the presentation during the call, please visit Regal Rexnord's Investor website: https://investors.regalrexnord.com. To listen by phone or to ask the presenters a question, dial 1.888.317.6003 (U.S. callers) or +1.412.317.6061 (international callers) and enter 9123957# when prompted.
A webcast replay will be available at the link above, and a telephone replay will be available at 1.877.344.7529 (U.S. callers) or +1.412.317.0088 (international callers), using a replay access code of 7067063#. Both will be accessible for three months after the earnings conference call.
Regal Rexnord Corporation is a global leader in the engineering and manufacturing of industrial powertrain solutions, power transmission components, electric motors and electronic controls, air moving products, and specialty electrical components and systems, serving customers around the world. Through longstanding technology leadership and an intentional focus on producing more energy-efficient products and systems, Regal Rexnord helps create a better tomorrow – for its customers and for the planet.
Regal Rexnord is comprised of four operating segments: Motion Control Solutions, Climate Solutions, Commercial Systems and Industrial Systems. Regal Rexnord is headquartered in Beloit, Wisconsin and has manufacturing, sales, and service facilities worldwide. For more information, visit RegalRexnord.com.
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SOURCE Regal Rexnord Corporation | https://www.weau.com/prnewswire/2023/01/16/regal-rexnord-corporation-host-fourth-quarter-2022-earnings-conference-call-thursday-february-2-2023/ | 2023-01-17 00:53:39 | 0 | https://www.weau.com/prnewswire/2023/01/16/regal-rexnord-corporation-host-fourth-quarter-2022-earnings-conference-call-thursday-february-2-2023/ |
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Article continues below this ad | https://www.seattlepi.com/sports/article/San-Francisco-49ers-17701356.php | 2023-01-07 15:43:25 | 1 | https://www.seattlepi.com/sports/article/San-Francisco-49ers-17701356.php |
A look at how Coralville plans to renovate 5th Street and green spaces ahead of 150th anniversary
Coralville wants to rework one of its major roadways soon after it marks its 150th anniversary as a city next year.
5th Street is a major arterial corridor in Coralville, running from 1st Avenue to 20th Avenue with prominent buildings like City Hall, the Coralville Public Library and the Coralville Center for Performing Arts. The street plays host to the 5th Street Social in late summer, is a key route on the 4thFest parade, and is an entryway to many events in S.T. Morrison Park.
Coralville wants to improve 5th Street to make it easier for drivers, bikers and pedestrians, but also revamp its civic spaces in S.T. Morrison Park and in front of city buildings.
The two are separate projects and would be bid separately. The projects are planned to run adjacent to each other and each had separate consultants. Shive-Hattery is handling the road project while Confluence is handling the civic spaces.
Scott Larson, the city engineer, said Coralville's 150th anniversary could take place sometime in July 2023 after the usual 4thFest.
"This is par for the course for Coralville, especially over the last 30 years. Lots of growth, lots of changes," he said.
Larson said this will be the final portion of the corridor to be reconstructed, a process that began in 1996. Portions of 5th Street from 1st Avenue all the way to 12th Avenue have had major work done over the years.
"I think we've had around six different projects that have rebuilt most of (5th Street) with the exception of west of 12th Avenue. That's what that project is doing," Larson said.
Road reconstruction is intended to modernize 5th Street
The plan is to have 5th Street reconstructed from 12th to 20th Avenue starting next year around the time Coralville is planning to celebrate its 150th anniversary, or sesquicentennial, of its founding in 1873.
Larson said the road project would happen in phases, rather than closing the entire 5th Street corridor at once. He said it could start on the western side near 20th Avenue, take a break from work in July for 4thFest, and then continue.
"We can't just close all eight blocks of 5th Street for a year to build this. We are developing a staging plan that will really take construction from starting in 2023 and carry through until the end of 2024," he said.
Larson said the cost estimate is around $5 million, but that can change. He said the city has about $1.65 million it can use from the Surface Transportation Block Grant in 2018 and could seek more grant funding.
Larson said rebuilding the road will remove all of the old pavement and include redoing the sidewalks, adding new features and public utility work. The city would replace all the old concrete and add a six-inch modified sub-base under the pavement, a gravel-like material that allows water to filter through the street and into the storm sewer system.
The new features could include new trees, decorative lighting and landscaping. The city would install new a 12-inch water main, replacing the existing eight-inch water main; modernize the storm sewer along 5th Street; and put MidAmerican utilities underground instead of overhead on utility lines.
The road will remain two lanes, but a new eight-foot wide multi-use path will go alongside the north side of the road for bicycles to use that would tie into some of the other paths in S.T. Morrison Park.
Larson said the city hopes to place bus stops closer to marked crosswalks near the library and city hall. Two other crosswalks will be placed near S.T. Morrison Park and near a senior living facility west of the park on 5th Street.
Larson said the improvements on 5th Street never went to the west of 12th Avenue because the growth was largely happening to the east. That growth and the effects of the flood of 2008 led to a transformative change to 5th Street.
"It was elevated to be part of our flood mitigation, which led to the whole redevelopment of what we call 'Old Town Coralville' now," he said.
Larson said anytime the city does street improvements, the goal is to improve the public's experience driving and walking along the roadway. But the city thinks these improvements could lead to other changes on 5th Street down the line.
S.T. Morrison Park will benefit from civic space improvements
Coralville displayed several renderings for the 5th Street civic space master plan, which include enhancing offerings in the green spaces in S.T. Morrison Park and in front of city-owned buildings along the north side of the street.
The entrance to the park would have a gateway arch on 7th Street and a new monument sign for the park to the west along 5th Street.
In the park, there is plans to reconfigure one of the two baseball diamonds, add multi-purpose trails and extend an existing trail into the park from south of 5th Street. The plan includes several amenities surrounding the pond in the park, including two boardwalks or pedestrian foot bridges on the north and south side of the pond.
Surrounding the pond are a new shelter area, a canopy-covered fitness station, a fix-it station for bikes and a dry stream bed that allows lake overflow to go into the nearby Morrison Creek. Surrounding the pond will be an event area with a covered stage and lawn, two lake overlook areas with seating and a play area with safety surfacing.
The renderings for the spaces in front of City Hall and the library are a bit more modest, but would attempt to revitalize the spaces. City Hall would get a small outdoor employee break area, while the library would get outdoor seating areas and outdoor "story time corners" with retractable canopies.
The plan would also add trees in all areas of the park and in front of City Hall and the public library.
George Shillcock is the Press-Citizen's local government and development reporter covering Iowa City and Johnson County. He can be reached at (515) 350-6307, GShillcock@press-citizen.com and on Twitter @ShillcockGeorge | https://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/2022/07/05/coralville-plans-5th-street-infrastructure-and-civic-space-improvement-st-morrison-park/7633266001/ | 2022-07-05 14:40:18 | 1 | https://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/2022/07/05/coralville-plans-5th-street-infrastructure-and-civic-space-improvement-st-morrison-park/7633266001/ |
GRAPHIC: ‘We’re all Tyre’: Family prepares to lay Nichols to rest
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The family of Tyre Nichols plans to lay him to rest Wednesday, three weeks after he died following a brutal beating by Memphis police after a traffic stop.
In those three weeks, harrowing video of the beating was released, and five police officers have been fired and charged with murder. Their specialized unit was disbanded. Two more officers have been suspended. Also fired: two Memphis Fire Department emergency medical workers and a lieutenant. And more discipline could be coming.
But Wednesday will be about Nichols, a 29-year-old skateboarder and amateur photographer who worked making boxes at FedEx, made friends during morning visits to Starbucks, and always greeted his mother and stepfather when he returned home with a sunny, “Hello, parents!”
WARNING: Videos in this story contain extremely graphic content. Viewer discretion is advised.
Nichols was the baby of their family, born 12 years after his closest siblings. He had a 4-year-old son and worked hard to better himself as a father, his family said.
Nichols grew up in Sacramento, California, and loved the San Francisco 49ers. He came to Memphis just before the coronavirus pandemic and got stuck. But he was fine with it because he was with his mother, RowVaughn Wells, and they were incredibly close, she said. He even had her name tattooed on his arm.
Friends at a memorial service last week described him as joyful and kind, quick with a smile, often silly.
“This man walked into a room, and everyone loved him,” said Angelina Paxton, a friend who traveled to Memphis from California for the memorial service.
Nichols’ funeral will be held at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church beginning at 1 p.m. Central time, its start delayed because of icy weather and travel delays. The Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network, will deliver the eulogy. Ben Crump, a national civil rights attorney who represents the Nichols family, will deliver a call to action.
The funeral was set to take place on a frigid day when icy weather shut down many schools and businesses in the city.
Sharpton gathered Nichols’ family and local activists Tuesday evening at Mason Temple Church of God in Christ in Memphis. The historic landmark is where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his final speech the night before he was assassinated nearly 55 years ago.
Sharpton said the family intends to have a “dignified funeral service, not a marathon.”
“This is not about politics, it’s about justice,” Sharpton said. “People are coming from all over the world, and we are coming because we’re all Tyre, now.”
Those expected to be in attendance include Vice President Kamala Harris; Tamika Palmer, the mother of Breonna Taylor; and Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd.
The deaths of Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky, and Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of police sparked protests across the nation about racial injustice.
___
Loller reported from Nashville, Tenn. For more coverage of the Tyre Nichols case, go to https://apnews.com/hub/tyre-nichols.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.newschannel6now.com/2023/02/01/graphic-were-all-tyre-family-prepares-lay-nichols-rest/ | 2023-02-01 14:31:39 | 0 | https://www.newschannel6now.com/2023/02/01/graphic-were-all-tyre-family-prepares-lay-nichols-rest/ |
DOTHAN, Ala., Oct. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Construction Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ: ROAD) (the "Company"), a vertically integrated civil infrastructure company specializing in the construction and maintenance of roadways across five southeastern states, today provided an initial update following the landfall of Hurricane Ian regarding its impact on the Company's operations.
Fred J. (Jule) Smith, III, the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by Hurricane Ian. This was a record storm that tore through three of the five states in which we operate, causing significant destruction, power outages and hardships for many communities across Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina. At CPI, the safety of our employees is our top priority, and I am proud of our team's proactive measures to give our employees time and encouragement to prepare for the storm's impact. CPI now stands ready to help repair and rebuild our affected communities once we are called upon by our city and state customers.
"While our facilities in Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina did not sustain significant damage, operations were affected across many of these markets during the final week of September as we sought to keep our people safe and secure our operating assets.
"Following the passage of Hurricane Ian, we have now resumed work that was delayed in the final week of September across all of our markets, and new project work will be necessary in certain local markets impacted by the storm. Despite the hardships faced by many in our local communities, we are thankful to have endured the storm, and we are prepared to assist with the much-needed recovery efforts."
About Construction Partners, Inc.
Construction Partners, Inc. is a vertically integrated civil infrastructure company operating across five southeastern states. Supported by its hot-mix asphalt plants, aggregate facilities and liquid asphalt terminal, the company focuses on the construction, repair and maintenance of surface infrastructure. Publicly funded projects make up the majority of its business and include local and state roadways, interstate highways, airport runways and bridges. The company also performs private sector projects that include paving and sitework for office and industrial parks, shopping centers, local businesses and residential developments. To learn more, visit www.constructionpartners.net.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Contact:
Rick Black
Dennard Lascar Investor Relations
ROAD@DennardLascar.com
(713) 529-6600
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SOURCE Construction Partners, Inc. | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/10/04/construction-partners-inc-provides-operational-update-following-hurricane-ian/ | 2022-10-04 21:03:39 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/10/04/construction-partners-inc-provides-operational-update-following-hurricane-ian/ |
PITTSBURGH, June 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "I wanted a better and more respectful way to take a 'selfie' with a harvested trophy animal," said an inventor from Flaxville, Mont. "so I invented the X HAND."
The patent-pending invention eliminates the need for hunters to hold the animal by its head, horns, antlers, etc., making it easier for them to take a "selfie". It results in more respectful and dignified photographs by showing respect for the animal. It also eliminates the need for a hunter to search the surrounding area for an object to use as a prop prior to taking a photo. It's lightweight and portable design makes it convenient and easy to use and.
The original design was submitted to the Jacksonville sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 20-FJK-143, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.
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SOURCE InventHelp | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/06/20/inventhelp-inventor-develops-photo-taking-accessory-hunters-fjk-143/ | 2022-06-20 19:07:43 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/06/20/inventhelp-inventor-develops-photo-taking-accessory-hunters-fjk-143/ |
BURLINGAME, Calif., July 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today unitQ, the leading platform empowering companies to take a user-centric, data-driven approach to improving product quality, has announced a new tool — Impact Analysis. Impact Analysis is a first-of-its-kind tool utilizing machine learning enabling organizations to surface critical product quality issues and determine the impact of fixing them.
"Impact Analysis provides our customers with new capabilities to reduce churn rates, make for happier customers and to enhance revenue streams," says Christian Wiklund, Founder and CEO at unitQ. "Our customers improve their product quality by over 20% after using unitQ for just a month, and with every new tool we build, including Impact Analysis, we should continue to see that number rise."
The Impact Analysis tool is cross-functionally built to work across different teams — from support, to product, to engineering and marketing. Impact Analysis surfaces relevant user feedback parsed through proprietary artificial intelligence to identify issues blemishing the customer experience. With Impact Analysis, teams can learn what impacts fixing an issue might have on KPIs like one star reviews, support tickets, brand sentiment and more before taking action.
In addition, Impact Analysis calculates how much an organization's unitQ Score and Internal unitQ Score could be boosted by fixing customer-surfaced issues. A unitQ Score allows companies to measure product quality against other organizations in the same industry with Apple App Store and the Google Play Store reviews. An Internal unitQ Score, meanwhile, includes the same user feedback as well as additional user feedback from social media such as Twitter, Reddit, internal support applications and a host of other sources.
The team at unitQ is excited to continue to build with security top of mind. You can read more about today's news on the unitQ blog here.
Leading technology companies including Spotify, Klarna, Pandora, and Strava rely on unitQ for product quality. unitQ has raised $41M in funding from Accel, Creandum and Gradient Ventures, Google's AI-focused venture fund. The company is based out of Burlingame, California and is founded by Christian Wiklund and Niklas Lindstrom, entrepreneurs who previously founded Skout, a social app with over 50 million users that was acquired by The Meet Group in 2016. Learn more at https://www.unitQ.com.
For more information, reach out to unitQ at david@unitQ.com.
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SOURCE unitQ | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/07/11/unitq-launches-new-tool-enabling-organizations-determine-impact-fixing-product-quality-issues-reduce-churn-enhance-brand-loyalty/ | 2022-07-11 16:40:04 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/07/11/unitq-launches-new-tool-enabling-organizations-determine-impact-fixing-product-quality-issues-reduce-churn-enhance-brand-loyalty/ |
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — From fire departments to governments, from school districts to corporations, from local utilities to grassroots organizers around the world, Twitter at its best is a tool to get a message out quickly, efficiently, directly.
It’s also a constant risk-and-reward calculation.
A recent bombshell whistleblower report from Twitter’s former head of security alleges that the social media company has been negligently lax on cybersecurity and privacy protections for its users for years. While worrisome for anyone on Twitter, the revelations could be especially concerning for those who use it to reach constituencies, get news out about emergencies and for political dissidents and activists in the crosshairs of hackers or their own governments.
“We tend to look at these companies as large, well-resourced entities who know what they’re doing — but you realize that a lot of their actions are ad hoc and reactive, driven by crises,” said Prateek Waghre, policy director at the Internet Freedom Foundation, a digital rights nonprofit in India. “Essentially, they’re often held together by cello tape or chewing gum.”
Peiter “Mudge” Zatko, who served as Twitter’s security chief until he was fired early this year, filed the complaints last month with federal U.S. authorities, alleging that the company misled regulators about its poor cybersecurity defenses and its negligence in attempting to root out fake accounts that spread disinformation. Among Zatko’s most serious accusations is that Twitter violated the terms of a 2011 FTC settlement by falsely claiming that it had put stronger measures in place to protect the security and privacy of its users.
Waghre said the allegations in the complaint about India — that Twitter knowingly allowed the Indian government to place its agents on the company payroll where they had “direct unsupervised access to the company’s systems and user data” — were particularly worrisome. He also pointed to an incident earlier this month where a former Twitter employee was found guilty of passing along sensitive user data to royal family members in Saudi Arabia in exchange for bribes.
The consequences of privacy and security lapses can range from inconvenience and embarrassment — such as when an Indiana State Police account was hacked and tweeted “poo-poo head” earlier this year — to much worse. In October 2021, a Saudi humanitarian aid worker was sentenced to 20 years in prison because of an anonymous, satirical Twitter account that the kingdom says he ran. It’s possible that the case is linked with the men accused of spying on behalf of the kingdom while working at Twitter.
As an advocate for dissidents and others detained in Saudi Arabia, Bethany Al-Haidari has been concerned for years about Twitter’s user privacy safeguards. The new whistleblower allegations make her all the more worried.
“Given what we know about how social media is used around the world, that is incredibly problematic,” said Al-Haidari, who works for The Freedom Initiative, a U.S.-based human rights group. The possibility of hackers or governments exploiting the alleged cybersecurity lapses at Twitter to get users’ identities, private messages or other personal information “is quite disturbing to me,” she said.
Chinese-Australian artist and activist Badiucao, who regularly publishes art that criticizes the Chinese Communist Party, expressed concern about the whistleblower’s allegations, noting that many users provide their phone numbers and emails to Twitter.
“Once that personal information is leaked, it could be used to trace your identity,” he said. Badiucao said he regularly receives death threats and propaganda from what appears to be bot or spam accounts.
But the artist plans to keep using Twitter, saying it’s probably the best option Chinese-speaking activists and artists have for a “shelter for free speech.”
Twitter says the whistleblower claims present a “false narrative” about the company and its privacy and data security practices, and that the claims lack context. “Security and privacy have long been company-wide priorities at Twitter and will continue to be,” the company said in a statement.
Despite the heightened concerns sparked by Zatko’s claims, none of the groups The Associated Press spoke to this week plan to stop using Twitter. Security experts say while the whistleblower’s claims are alarming, there’s no reason for individual users to delete their accounts.
High-profile Twitter users and world governments may be at greater risk than average users, experts say. In 2020, for instance, Twitter suffered an embarrassing hack by a teenager who accessed the accounts of then-President Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Mike Bloomberg and a number of tech billionaires including Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Musk is currently embroiled in a battle with Twitter as he tries to back out of a $44 billion deal to buy the company.
Yet another security incident raised alarms for Jennifer Grygiel, a Syracuse University communications professor who follows Twitter closely. In 2017, a Twitter customer support worker deactivated then-President Donald Trump’s account for a few minutes during their last day on the job. While the account was restored quickly, Grygiel said, the incident showed how vulnerable Twitter was when it comes to governments, heads of state and military branches that use the platform.
“Am I surprised and shocked by the whistleblower’s allegations? I’m not,” said Trav Robertson, chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party, which uses Twitter to communicate with about 18,700 followers. But he argues that it’s especially important for people not to assume that “the constant attacks on our emails, our databases, our Twitter accounts, our Facebooks” are the new normal. “When we become desensitized to it, we fail to be proactive,” he said.
At the City of Denver’s fire department, public information officer JD Chism acknowledges concern over security issues. But the department has to weight that risk against the way Twitter has become integral to communicating emergencies to the public. The department’s Twitter feed hosts real-time updates on fires and consequent road closures and injuries, alongside retweets from other agencies warning of dangers such as flash floods.
For now, the department will keep using Twitter as it always has, Chism said, “It’s good for taking care of people, and that’s what we are here for.”
—
Associated Press Writers Krutika Pathi in New Delhi; Jesse Bedayn in Denver; Jennifer Peltz in New York; James Pollard in South Carolina; Zen Soo in Hong Kong; Margaret Stafford in Kansas City; Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia; Jay Reeves in Birmingham, Alabama; Amy Taxin in Orange County, California; Rebecca Santana in New Orleans; Jonathan Mattise in Nashville, Tennessee; and Michael Goldberg in Jackson, Mississippi, contributed to this story. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/science-and-technology/ap-tape-or-chewing-gum-twitters-lapses-echo-worldwide/ | 2022-08-28 22:40:20 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/science-and-technology/ap-tape-or-chewing-gum-twitters-lapses-echo-worldwide/ |
Chicago Sky coach and general manager James Wade resigned from the team Saturday to accept an assistant coaching position with the NBA’s Toronto Raptors, leaving the WNBA franchise reeling in the midst of a rebuilding season.
Operating Chairman and co-owner Nadia Rawlinson told the Tribune that Wade had received approval from the Sky to take coaching interviews during the season, but his departure this week still came as a surprise to the front office.
“It was relatively fast,” Rawlinson said. “This was an unexpected opportunity.”
NBA teams, including the Raptors, will report to Las Vegas next week for summer league. Sky players were informed of Wade’s exit Saturday morning shortly before the team’s announcement.
Assistant coach Emre Vatansever was named interim general manager and head coach. His first game will be Sunday against the Indiana Fever. Rawlinson said the Sky plan to keep Vatansever in the interim position through the end of the 2023 season.
“Right now we’re concentrating on the season and making sure we can get through the season,” Rawlinson said. “We have a lot of confidence in what (Vatansever) will bring. We have a lot of faith there. So the process will unfold as we see what’s right for the franchise and our goals for the future.”
Under Wade’s leadership, the Sky won their first championship in 2021, then recorded the winningest regular season in franchise history in 2022. He posted an 81-59 record over 4 1/2 seasons, plus a 13-8 playoff record.
The Sky signed Wade in January 2021 to a four-year contract extension through 2025, a deal that would have made him one of the longest-tenured coaches in WNBA history had he completed it.
This loss is twofold for the Sky, who relied on Wade to shape the vision for the team in his dual role as coach and general manager. He secured major free-agent signings such as Candace Parker and trading for young talent such as Gary native Dana Evans. He was named WNBA Coach of the Year in 2019 and WNBA Executive of the Year in 2022.
After four starters, including Parker, departed the Sky in free agency last offseason, Wade took risks to trade away the bulk of the team’s 2023 draft picks in order to retool the roster around All-Star guard Kahleah Copper. The Sky are 7-9 to start this season.
Rawlinson said the Sky have not determined whether they will pursue separate hires to fill the general manager and coach openings or maintain one person in both roles. With Vatansever filling the dual position on an interim basis, the front office hopes to encounter “no speed bumps” in continuing the development plan for this season.
Despite the challenges created by Wade’s exit, Rawlinson voiced support for his decision, citing his move to the NBA as a reflection of the Sky’s growth as a franchise.
“I am so proud of (Wade) and we are as a franchise, the players are — it’s really fantastic,” Rawlinson said. “I think it’s a signal, quite honestly, to the quality not just of the WNBA but the type of talent we have at the Chicago Sky and the culture that we have cultivated. We’re looking forward to continuing that narrative.”
() | https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/02/coach-gm-james-wade-leaves-the-chicago-sky-at-midseason-to-join-the-toronto-raptors-coaching-staff/ | 2023-07-02 17:27:11 | 0 | https://www.twincities.com/2023/07/02/coach-gm-james-wade-leaves-the-chicago-sky-at-midseason-to-join-the-toronto-raptors-coaching-staff/ |
HOUSTON, Nov. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Direct Digital Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: DRCT) ("Direct Digital Holdings" or the "Company"), a leading advertising and marketing technology platform operating through its companies Colossus Media, LLC ("Colossus SSP"), Huddled Masses LLC ("Huddled Masses") and Orange142, LLC ("Orange142"), today announced that the Company will be participating in The Benchmark Company 11th Annual Discovery One-on-One Investor Conference taking place on December 1, 2022 at The New York Athletic Club in New York, NY.
Keith Smith, President of Direct Digital Holdings, and Susan Echard, Chief Financial Officer of Direct Digital Holdings, will be attending on behalf of the Company and available for meetings during the conference. For more information, or to schedule a meeting with management, please reach out to your Benchmark Company representative.
About Direct Digital Holdings
Direct Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: DRCT), owner of operating companies Colossus SSP, Huddled Masses, and Orange 142, brings state-of-the-art sell- and buy-side advertising platforms together under one umbrella company. Direct Digital Holdings' sell-side platform, Colossus SSP, offers advertisers of all sizes extensive reach within general market and multicultural media properties. The company's subsidiaries Huddled Masses and Orange142 deliver significant ROI for middle market advertisers by providing data-optimized programmatic solutions at scale for businesses in sectors that range from energy to healthcare to travel to financial services. Direct Digital Holdings' sell- and buy-side solutions manage approximately 90,000 clients monthly, generating over 100 billion impressions per month across display, CTV, in-app and other media channels. The company has been named a top minority-owned business by The Houston Business Journal.
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SOURCE Direct Digital Holdings | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2022/11/28/direct-digital-holdings-participate-benchmark-company-11th-annual-discovery-one-on-one-investor-conference/ | 2022-11-28 15:21:29 | 1 | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2022/11/28/direct-digital-holdings-participate-benchmark-company-11th-annual-discovery-one-on-one-investor-conference/ |
Josh Flagg and former husband Bobby Boyd are not the friendliest of exes.
In fact, the Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles star and his former partner have an explosive reunion on the hit Bravo show's upcoming 14th season, which premieres Dec. 8.
"That will be one of the higher rated episodes of Million Dollar Listing," Josh exclusively told E! News. "We have a big, massive fight."
The drama unfolds after the two are forced to co-list a Holmby Hills property together on the series. But as Josh put it, "I think that that will be the last deal that I will be working on with him."
And tensions haven't improved since their split, which they announced in March after five years of marriage. "We're still getting divorced," Josh added, "so that's never a fun thing."
Josh didn't stay single for long though, as he began dating fellow real estate agent Andrew Beyer earlier this year.
"Everything's going great," he shared of their romance. "He's adorable, super great relationship, very healthy, very strong. We've been together for almost 10 months now, but we've known each other for years and we just have a lot in common."
So does Josh see a wedding in his and Andrew's future? "I don't think we're getting married tomorrow," he shared, "one day, but not tomorrow."
He added, "I love the theory that there's no point in spending time or being with somebody unless you plan on spending the rest of your life with them. Life is short, there's no time to date somebody just to keep yourself company."
Another important man in Josh's life is his former MDLLA foe turned BFF Josh Altman, who he says is "like my brother." His co-star has been a major support system during his ongoing divorce.
"He's one of my closest friends and you talk to your friends about the private things," Josh explained. "Basically he was just very much there for me and he was very supportive and he's really deep down a really good guy. He knows that if he ever needs anything he can talk to me about it and the same vice versa."
See more of the Joshes' bromance when Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles returns tonight, Dec. 8, at 9 p.m. on Bravo.
(E! and Bravo are both part of the NBCUniversal family) | https://www.eonline.com/news/1357422/mdlla-s-josh-flagg-teases-massive-season-14-fight-with-ex-husband-bobby-boyd | 2022-12-08 18:08:11 | 1 | https://www.eonline.com/news/1357422/mdlla-s-josh-flagg-teases-massive-season-14-fight-with-ex-husband-bobby-boyd |
Host Team: Williston "All Stars" - Williston ND Aug 9, 2022 Aug 9, 2022 Updated 4 hrs ago Comments Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Back Row: (L to R) Jaxon Tamez, Eden Mortenson, Rhett Carns, Brody Smith, Justin Irgens, McCrae Heller, Roberto Mendoza, Brooks Bratlien.Front Row:(L to R) Caleb Bernal, Ashton Nickoloff, Grayden Bowles, Carter Suchy, Lucas Finders, Jaxon Jeannotte. Provided × Purchase Access See More Offers details close × You are logged in Switch accounts Secure & Encrypted What's your e-mail address? E-mail Password Confirm What's your delivery address? 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Jaxon TamezCoaches: Dustin Bratlien, Aaron Finders, Jamie TamezAmbassadors: Micah Fleck, Giselle Perez, Jasiyah Wright Copy article link Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Tags Williston Sport Nd Jaxon Jeannotte Justin Irgens Brody Smith Roberto Mendoza Lucas Finders Load comments See more e-editions View Today's Digital Edition E-Edition Williston Herald 3 hrs ago Comments MOST POPULAR Plentywood man dies after being struck by a vehicle on US 83 2022 Babe Ruth World Series teams announced After ten years working in the Bakken oil field Jonathan Dean is living his best life ever Flamingos in the Bakken Watford City woman involved in pedestrian fatality Sun Country adding seasonal flights to Phoenix Miss North Dakota's Outstanding Teen feels the love at her send-off party Highway patrol released names in Williams County crash Inflation Reduction Act includes better carbon sequestration credits Entertainment Inc.! announces season lineup | https://www.willistonherald.com/host-team-williston-all-stars---williston-nd/article_ba8600b2-185a-11ed-8995-9fd399c4798b.html | 2022-08-10 08:54:37 | 1 | https://www.willistonherald.com/host-team-williston-all-stars---williston-nd/article_ba8600b2-185a-11ed-8995-9fd399c4798b.html |
NEW YORK, Jan. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Alico, Inc. ("Alico" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: ALCO). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980.
The investigation concerns whether Alico and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.
On December 13, 2022, Alico filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2022 (the "2022 10-K"). In the 2022 10-K, Alico "restate[d] the Company's previously issued audited consolidated balance sheet, audited consolidated statements of changes in equity and related disclosures as of September 30, 2021 included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2021 (the '2021 10-K') previously filed with the SEC and the Company's previously issued unaudited consolidated balance sheet, unaudited consolidated statements of changes in equity and related disclosures as of the end of each quarterly periods ended June 30, 2022, March 31, 2022, December 31, 2021, June 30, 2021, March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 included in the Company's respective Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for each of the quarters then ended previously filed with the SEC (together with the 2021 10-K, the 'Financial Statements')." The Company also disclosed that "[o]n December 12, 2022, the audit committee (the 'Audit Committee') of the board of directors of the Company concluded that the Company's previously issued Financial Statements can no longer be relied upon due to an error identified during the completion of the 2022 10-K." Specifically, Alico stated that "[t]he error that led to the Audit Committee's conclusion relates to the calculation of the deferred tax liabilities for the fiscal years 2015 through 2019, which resulted in a cumulative reduction in the Company's deferred tax liability, and a corresponding cumulative increase in retained earnings, of approximately $2,512,000 on the Company's balance sheet as of September 30, 2022."
On this news, Alico's stock price fell $2.64 per share, or 9.53%, to close at $25.05 per share on December 14, 2022.
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.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/01/04/shareholder-alert-pomerantz-law-firm-investigates-claims-behalf-investors-alico-inc-alco/ | 2023-01-04 11:17:59 | 1 | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/01/04/shareholder-alert-pomerantz-law-firm-investigates-claims-behalf-investors-alico-inc-alco/ |
(NEXSTAR) – Supply chain struggles have been apparent for the last few years. They have caused empty shelves, shipping delays, and, even shopping limits. Will it get any better in the new year?
Based on the current data, it’s hard to say.
Around this time last year, dozens of container ships were waiting off the coast of California to unload cargo at the U.S.’s two largest ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach. If you couldn’t find the item you were looking for in-store (likely because it was trapped on a container ship), you may have decided to order it online. That put an even greater demand on importers, leading to more backorders.
Now, there aren’t dozens of cargo ships waiting to unload. Stores have fewer backorders and more overstock. Many COVID-related restrictions have been lifted. Global supply chain pressure has increased since September, but at a much slower rate than we experienced in 2020 and much of 2021, data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows.
“We are in a very different place than we were,” Phil Levy, chief economist at the supply chain consultancy Flexport, told the Associated Press. “If you ask, how long does it take to move stuff, there has been notable improvement. If you measure it by how long would it take to get a cargo from Asia to a destination port, dramatically better.”
Many retailers are still dealing with an abundance of inventory they need to clear out as well. That could, for some, slow the influx of new inventory.
Some experts believe another unfortunate economic struggle, inflation, is helping to ease the pressure on supply chains. With less available spending money, Americans aren’t seeking out goods in such high demand, allowing supply chains to rebound.
Speaking with Bloomberg, Heath Zarin, founder and CEO of EV Cargo, says he believes 2023 will start with the “economic softness or weakness” we’re experiencing now. This may then “manifest itself in supply chains that are working better” but with less demand.
For some commodities, like poultry and eggs, the supply chain problem wasn’t all human-caused. Instead, a widespread avian flu outbreak put a strain on the industry as thousands of birds were killed to prevent the further spread of the virus. Experts expect the flu to wane into the new year, likely allowing that sector to recover.
Even if the supply chain is better than we have experienced since the start of the pandemic, some industry experts say it could take another year before it stabilizes. In a survey conducted in May and June, most supply chain executives said they “don’t expect a return to a more normal supply chain until the first half of 2024 or beyond.” Far less, 22%, say they expect a return to normal in the second half of 2023.
Other factors like a potential rail strike, geopolitical tensions, and downward shifts in demand, could, according to Forbes, still cause supply chain challenges in 2023 as well.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/national/will-the-supply-chain-troubles-get-any-better-in-2023/ | 2022-12-30 16:36:49 | 0 | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/national/will-the-supply-chain-troubles-get-any-better-in-2023/ |
AUBURN, Ind. (WANE) — The Lucky Duck Children’s Consignment Sale, a bi-annual sale for mothers and expecting moms, is moving from Fort Wayne to Auburn.
The sale has long been held at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.
The upcoming fall sale will be held at Kruse Plaza, according to a post on the Lucky Duck Children’s Consignment Sale Facebook page.
The post boasts a way to save money, as there will be no charge for parking or Ticketmaster fees associated with pre-sale tickets for the sale at Kruse Plaza. They said a new ticket service will have a “minimal fee.”
An additional comment on the post from the Lucky Duck account added an additional reason for the move.
The comment reads: “We know this move won’t make everyone happy. However, the coliseum kept raising our rent… and they were going to do it again in 2024. Which means we would have had to raise the consignor fee. And we DID NOT want to do that. So it made sense to start looking… and it’s hard to find a location large enough to accommodate our needs!”
The fall sale at Kruse Plaza is set for October 5 through October 8, 2023. Consignor registration opens June 30 at 9:00 a.m. | https://www.wane.com/news/local-news/lucky-duck-consignment-sale-leaves-coliseum-for-new-location/ | 2023-06-11 21:44:15 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/local-news/lucky-duck-consignment-sale-leaves-coliseum-for-new-location/ |
Ask random people for their favorite year in music, and they'll often name the year they turned 19. Ask people under 50 for their favorite "Weird Al" Yankovic record, though, and they're likely to come up with the one that came out when they were 12 or 13. That idea helps account for Yankovic's many comebacks: New 12-year-olds are minted every day, and as listeners age into adulthood, they're not likely to leave behind the man who helped provide their gateway into grown-up comedy – and in the process made adolescence a tiny bit bearable.
But that alone doesn't account for Yankovic's incredible staying power. He's also evolved constantly as he's moved from spare early parody singles (1979's "My Bologna," 1981's "Another One Rides the Bus") to the masterfully joke-dense satires and lavishly arranged originals that fill his later records.
Yankovic's self-titled debut album came out exactly 40 years ago on May 3, so I decided to mark the occasion by doing the only reasonable thing a person who's been a fan for that entire span could possibly do: I listened to all of his songs in chronological order and ranked the 40 best. The man has assembled a remarkably diverse catalog, too: There are song parodies, of course, but also originals, pastiches (Yankovic calls them "style parodies"), polka medleys, TV theme songs and even movie skits to choose from.
Now, a rigorous adherence to professional ethics dictates that I acknowledge a personal bias, in the form of my fondness for the man himself. I idolized him as an adolescent dork in the '80s, I've known him since the late '90s, he contributed commentaries to a book I edited in 2002, I wrote the liner notes to his 2009 compilation The Essential "Weird Al" Yankovic, I produced his Tiny Desk concert in 2010 and I even got to play a tiny role in his effort to secure Lady Gaga's permission to parody "Born This Way" in 2011.
With that caveat out of the way, I tried not to ding songs too hard for aging poorly, whether due to out-of-date cultural references or phrasing and terminology that wouldn't fly today. (Any comedy catalog spanning 40 years is bound to contain a few punchlines that have curdled into slurs, and Yankovic's is no different.) And I decided early on to pick at least one song from every full-length studio album, just to capture the breadth of work here. That approach was easy when the album at hand was, say, Straight Outta Lynwood or Alpocalypse, but it took a little more digging when it came to Polka Party! or the consistently good-but-not-great Alapalooza.
40. "Christmas at Ground Zero," Polka Party! (1986)
(Original)
Polka Party! was Yankovic's fourth album, after a string of records that rank among his classics. When it tanked, peaking on the Billboard albums chart at No. 177, it seemed like a career-ender: the last hurrah of a novelty act that had run its course. Listening back, it mostly just sounds uninspired, particularly when it comes to one-dimensional parodies like "Living With a Hernia" and "Addicted to Spuds." Still, the album closes with a Yankovic original that might have aged into a holiday classic, had the phrase "Ground Zero" not assumed greater significance in the fall of 2001. In its time, though, "Christmas at Ground Zero" recalled the dark-hearted cheer of Tom Lehrer, as Yankovic sang of decking the halls and trimming the tree in the immediate aftermath of nuclear annihilation.
39. "Frank's 2000" TV," Alapalooza (1993)
(Original)
Alapalooza is a tricky album to revisit 30 years later. In some ways, it's very much a product of the early '90s: "Bedrock Anthem" sets the story of the Flintstones (who were about to get their own movie) to the tune of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Under the Bridge" and "Give It Away," and "Jurassic Park" reworks Richard Harris' infamous 1968 hit "MacArthur Park" to be about rampaging dinosaurs. But it doesn't feel fully plugged into the musical revolutions that were underway – particularly in hip-hop – and leans into the safety of older references. Still, "Frank's 2000" TV" is a timeless, wide-eyed charmer about the envy of the neighborhood and the eighth wonder of the world, rolled into one. Performed in a style reminiscent of R.E.M., it's a harmony-rich earworm.
38. "CNR," Alpocalypse (2011)
(Parody: The White Stripes)
By the time this song came out, its namesake ('70s game-show fixture Charles Nelson Reilly) was decades removed from his heyday. In fact, he died in 2007, before "CNR" first surfaced on Yankovic's Internet Leaks EP in 2009. Still, the song transcends its silly concept — it's essentially taking Chuck Norris Facts and applying them to an un-Norris-like public figure — thanks to funny gags, a nifty video and a rousing rock arrangement that pays homage to The White Stripes.
37. "You Don't Love Me Anymore," Off the Deep End (1992)
(Original)
The mournful closer from Yankovic's early-'90s comeback album is built around understatements that don't stop with the plaintive acoustic arrangement. (Sample acknowledgement: "I guess I lost a little bit of my self-esteem / That time that you made it with the whole hockey team.") From there, "You Don't Love Me Anymore" is all severed brakes, piranhas in the bathtub and cobras in dresser drawers — enough carnage to give our narrator the nagging suspicion that all might not be well.
36. "Melanie," Even Worse (1988)
(Original)
Dysfunctional relationships reside at the center of a lot of "Weird Al" Yankovic songs, which makes a certain amount of sense. After all, anyone who spends 40 years parodying love songs is bound to come up with some twisted counterpoints. Still, even by those standards, "Melanie" gets pretty dark — dark enough to trigger content warnings about stalking and suicide — yet it's somehow slight enough to contain one of the most deceptively buoyant choruses of Yankovic's career. At the risk of giving too much away, poor Melanie needn't worry about our narrator by song's end.
35. "Albuquerque," Running With Scissors (1999)
(Original)
Yankovic has said of "Albuquerque" that he'd expected it to be a song even fans would never listen to more than once. "I made it, on purpose, as long and as obnoxious as I possibly could," he told GQ late last year. "I was basically trolling my fans." Naturally, they embraced the song wholeheartedly — all 11 long and obnoxious minutes of it. With a lyric sheet that clocks in at more than 1,800 words, "Albuquerque" unleashes an absolute hailstorm of non sequiturs, asides and explosions of hyperactive id, with a chorus that somehow transforms one word into an earworm.
34. "Gump," Bad Hair Day (1996)
(Parody: The Presidents of the United States of America's "Lump")
One of Yankovic's sturdiest formulas has him using a pop hit as a framework to creatively recap the plot of a hit movie or TV show with the occasional gag tossed in. With its copious references to the 1994 smash Forrest Gump, "Gump" isn't the very best of those songs, but it's the best that isn't in some way connected to Star Wars. It helps that The Presidents of the United States of America's 1995 hit "Lump" kinda plays out like a "Weird Al" Yankovic song to begin with — and that its brief run time keeps the joke from going stale. It also helps that Yankovic opted to spoof Forrest Gump and not a New York real-estate mogul with a one-syllable last name everyone knew in the '90s.
33. "Mr. Frump in the Iron Lung," "Weird Al" Yankovic (1983)
(Original)
Really? A tasteless, two-minute, 40-year-old deep cut makes a list of Weird Al's all-time greatest songs? Trust me: If it hadn't, I'd be on the receiving end of a haughty, handwritten-in-cursive letter from my 12-year-old self. Maybe it's all those memories of "Mr. Frump in the Iron Lung" spinning (and occasionally skipping) on the turntable in a certain pre-adolescent bedroom in tiny, lonely Iola, Wis. Maybe it's the fact that, all these decades later, I could wake up from a dead sleep and still recite every tiny vocal inflection from memory. But let's go with this: "It made me happy when I was 12" is not only high praise, but also cause for deep and abiding gratitude.
32. "If That Isn't Love," Alpocalypse (2011)
(Parody: Hanson)
If you didn't know that "Weird Al" Yankovic is tight with the members of Hanson, you will after hearing "If That Isn't Love," which uses the band's sound as a blueprint nearly 15 years after "MMMBop." The wholesomely Hansonian arrangement provides a perfect canvas on which to paint a portrait of a relationship that only clears the lowest of bars: "Every time I see you trying to lift some really heavy thing," he promises, "you can always count on me to help by saying something encouraging." It's not the most messed-up messed-up-relationship song in Yankovic's arsenal, but it's a sparkling portrait of a romance marked by comically low expectations.
31. "Your Horoscope for Today," Running With Scissors (1999)
(Original)
A curious and oft-hilarious pop-cultural artifact, "Your Horoscope for Today" uses the late-'90s ska revival as the musical backdrop for a series of mock astrological predictions. Heavily inspired by the horoscopes in The Onion (hat-tip to my brilliant friend and former colleague, John Krewson, who wrote most of them in those days), the track lets its arrangement's frenetic pace dictate the sheer volume of gags. "Your Horoscope for Today" is an object lesson in joke density, as well as a reflection of the way Yankovic's songwriting evolved in the early internet era: Throwing a ton of one-liners at the wall means many are bound to stick.
30. "The Weird Al Show Theme," Running With Scissors (1999)
(Original)
In the fall of 1997, Yankovic got his own CBS Saturday-morning TV program, The Weird Al Show. It was canceled almost immediately, but it still has a cult following and it still streams on Peacock, where you can soak up all 13 frenetically silly episodes, complete with guest appearances from the world of comedy, music, TV and movies. (Imagine a playroom big enough to fit Alex Trebek, Dick Clark, Patton Oswalt, Hanson, Teri Garr, Dick Van Patten, Emo Philips, Gilbert Gottfried, Fabio and "Macho Man" Randy Savage, and you've got a pretty good idea.) As for the theme song, it's an appropriately overstuffed 74-second joy — a perfect summation of the chaos the show could barely contain.
29. "Craigslist," Alpocalypse (2011)
(Parody: The Doors)
Digging through 40 years' worth of Weird Al songs is a great way to relive carbon-dated moments in history: fads and phenomena and specific points when some new entity entered our lives and changed the way we go about our business. Craigslist still exists, of course, but "Craigslist" captures with spot-on specificity the way countless listings were (and are) written. Whether or not you've ever made a lowball offer, followed up on a fleeting missed connection, tried to pass off your free garbage as a generous giveaway or written a snotty open letter to a local business, you'll recognize the universal truths behind these vignettes — all delivered with the slithery portentousness of Jim Morrison.
28. "eBay," Poodle Hat (2003)
(Parody: The Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way")
While we're on the subject of early internet obsessions, here's a pretty clear sense of what 2003 felt like, minus the wars and whatnot. Sure, The Backstreet Boys' indelible "I Want It That Way" was already four years old by the time Poodle Hat came out, but it's not as if that song has ever really gone away — and, boy, were we ever on eBay. Never let it be said that Yankovic doesn't do the research: This one's got lists of funny possible eBay purchases (ex: "a Kleenex used by Dr. Dre"), critiques of eBay to keep the song from sounding like a commercial and a pitch-perfect feel for the site's intricacies, from "A++" reviews to the folks who wait around and post the high bid with two seconds left on the clock.
27. "Confessions Part III," Straight Outta Lynwood (2006)
(Parody: Usher's "Confessions Part II")
From the moment "Confessions Part II" dropped in 2004, this parody was inevitable; it would have been malpractice for Yankovic not to keep the series going. From the gross-but-mundane ("I haven't changed my underwear in 27 days") to the gross-but-less-mundane ("FYI, it was not a cold sore"), the horrors keep unspooling — not escalating so much as accumulating until it's time, inevitably, to set up Part IV.
26. "Like a Surgeon," Dare To Be Stupid (1985)
(Parody: Madonna's "Like A Virgin")
Yankovic has a policy of not listening to pitches for parodies, but when it's 1985 and Madonna thinks you should writhe around on the floor in medical scrubs, you writhe around on the floor in medical scrubs. The pun at the center of Weird Al's "Like a Virgin" parody doesn't seem on paper like it would yield huge laughs. So call the result a testament to his execution, whether it's the tease in the first verse about how "I still make a mistake or two," the plan to "pull his insides out and see what he ate" or the very idea that Yankovic is "the disgrace of the AMA / 'cause my patients die ... before they can pay." Just solid gags all the way down, and the video's a classic.
25. "I Love Rocky Road," "Weird Al" Yankovic (1983)
(Parody: Joan Jett & The Blackhearts' "I Love Rock 'n' Roll")
Beginning with "My Bologna" all the way back in 1979, food-related tomfoolery has been one of Yankovic's signature moves: He's turned "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" into "Girls Just Want to Have Lunch," "Rico Suave" into "Taco Grande," "La Bamba" into "Lasagna" and so on. The concept of "I Love Rocky Road" isn't any more complex than the others — our protagonist sure does love this particular flavor of ice cream! — but it's a silly and deeply committed goof, performed with utter conviction. "I Love Rocky Road" helped serve notice that Yankovic's band wasn't just backing him up, but also contributing to the comedy by mirroring the energy and sound of their source material.
24. "The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota," UHF: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Other Stuff (1989)
(Original)
When my girlfriend ghosted me on my 17th birthday — hang on, I'm going somewhere with this — I went where any young, pockmarked nerd would drown his sorrows on August 1, 1989. I sat in a near-empty theater to watch UHF, Yankovic's debut as a feature-film leading man. The film flopped at the box office (my contribution notwithstanding) but has since found a sizable cult audience, and its soundtrack's highlight remains "The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota," a charming ramble about a family road trip to the Upper Midwest's greatest string-based roadside attraction. More than three decades later, the song remains one of the purest distillations of Road Trip Dad vibes the world has ever known.
23. "Canadian Idiot," Straight Outta Lynwood (2006)
(Parody: Green Day's "American Idiot")
22. "Party in the CIA," Alpocalypse (2011)
(Parody: Miley Cyrus' "Party in the U.S.A.")
It's hard not to combine these two song parodies, given that they represent an identical phenomenon: Their concept and intention are instantly identifiable from their titles, yet they're somehow executed to perfection. In both cases, the source material – by Green Day and Miley Cyrus, respectively – is remarkably sturdy, allowing for extremely high joke density (in the case of "Canadian Idiot") and a funny juxtaposition between the sunny arrangement and lines about torture and assassination (in the case of "Party in the CIA"). Both have a sharp way of exceeding audience expectations without subverting or copping out on the jokes the titles imply.
21. "The Check's in the Mail," "Weird Al" Yankovic (1983)
(Original)
By the time his first album came out, Yankovic had dealt with enough show-business phonies to inspire one of his first (and best) original songs. Fueled by an irresistible sing-song hook, "The Check's in the Mail" unleashes a torrent of funny, smarmily charming, weapons-grade insincerity. It's hard to believe May 3 marks 40 years of "The Check's in the Mail" getting stuck in the heads of Weird Al fans every time they have to make a payment the old-fashioned way.
20. "Couch Potato," Poodle Hat (2003)
(Parody: Eminem's "Lose Yourself")
Poodle Hat is one of Weird Al's three poorest-selling albums — the others are the cursed Polka Party! and the UHF soundtrack, both from the late '80s — but it's not for a lack of great highlights. This TV-centric parody of Eminem's "Lose Yourself" could have easily taken off as the first single, had the rapper not denied Yankovic permission to make a video. It's one of Weird Al's very best songs about TV (one ill-considered Richard Simmons joke aside), as well as an evocative snapshot of virtually every show that aired 20 years ago.
19. "Whatever You Like" (2008)
(Parody: T.I.'s "Whatever You Like")
T.I.'s "Whatever You Like" was a massive hit in the fall of 2008, and Weird Al greeted the song as an opportunity to try a new distribution method. After a speedy permissions process, he released his version — in which the lavish spending documented in the original gives way to Top Ramen, 2-ply toilet paper and a night spent clipping coupons — as a download while T.I.'s song was still atop the Billboard singles chart. (Yankovic's "Whatever You Like" later appeared on the Internet Leaks EP and finally on Alpocalypse in 2011.) It's the only Weird Al song to bear the same title as the work it parodies, but what really jumps out here is the strength of the jokes. "My wallet's fat and full of ones / It's all about the Washingtons" is an A-plus gag, now and forever.
18. "It's All About the Pentiums," Running With Scissors (1999)
(Parody: Puff Daddy's "It's All About the Benjamins [Rock Remix]")
Yankovic's history with hip-hop dates all the way back to a brief Beastie Boys parody on 1988's Even Worse, and the genre has spawned several of his biggest (and best) hits. "It's All About the Pentiums," which parodies the rock remix of Puff Daddy's "It's All About the Benjamins," is especially rousing; when Lin-Manuel Miranda gushed about it in an interview, it marked one of the least surprising endorsements in music history. Are the rapid-fire references to turn-of-the-century computing technology hilariously dated? Sure, but hilarity is kinda the point.
17. "Don't Download This Song," Straight Outta Lynwood (2006)
(Original)
It takes all of two seconds for "Don't Download This Song" to register as a pitch-perfect parody of treacly '80s benefit singles. As with "It's All About the Pentiums," the references are dated — Grokster! Limewire! Kazaa! — but the jokes land from every direction, whether you're Metallica's Lars Ulrich or a 7-year-old girl. There's just one missed opportunity here: Given the sheer size of Yankovic's contacts list, how did he pass up the opportunity to recruit a cast of all-stars for vocal assistance?
16. "The Saga Begins," Running With Scissors (1999)
(Parody of Don McLean's "American Pie")
Yankovic has learned over the years that you don't want to wait too long to get your parody out into the world (see "Whatever You Like" at No. 19, above). So he smartly pulled out all the stops to prepare a song to coincide with the summer of Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace. He scoured internet spoilers, released "The Saga Begins" while the film was still in theaters and ultimately came up with a song that thoroughly outshined the work it summarized. (You may or may not prefer "The Saga Begins" to Don McLean's "American Pie," but most should agree that it's way better than Phantom Menace.)
15. "Perform This Way," Alpocalypse (2011)
(Parody: Lady Gaga's "Born This Way")
A song parody that doubles as an artist parody, this captures the moment in history when Lady Gaga was emerging from giant eggs and wearing meat dresses instead of crooning with Tony Bennett and dressing down at the Oscars. The sheer pace of Gaga's "Born This Way" necessitated a barrage of jokes about bizarre attire and other efforts to grab attention, as well as a bonus dig at the song's similarities to Madonna's "Express Yourself." But Yankovic nails every one of them — and all while donating the song's proceeds to the Human Rights Campaign.
14. "Polkas on 45," In 3-D (1984)
(Parody: Medley)
All but two of Yankovic's albums come equipped with a medley of hits, performed as polkas with original lyrics intact. And, just in case you've never tried it, listening to them all in chronological order will give you a fascinating snapshot of popular music through the decades. Picking which one to include in this ranking was tough — the format works especially well alongside the self-seriousness of alternative rock and nü-metal, for example — but it made sense to settle on the medley that started it all. For one, it had the entirety of pre-1984 pop and rock music to choose from, which means you get the likes of the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and The Who jockeying for time with The Lawrence Welk Show's theme song. Bonus points are also awarded for being both a medley and a parody; "Polkas on 45" spoofs the popular-at-the-time early-'80s pop medleys by the Dutch group Stars on 45.
13. "Another One Rides the Bus," "Weird Al" Yankovic (1983)
(Parody: Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust")
This one is crucial to the history of Weird Al — and, by extension, pop music itself. Yankovic's performance of the song on The Dr. Demento Show not only went a very "December 1980" version of viral — it burned up Dr. Demento's request lines for weeks and helped Weird Al land a record deal — but it was also captured mere hours after Yankovic met and began working with drummer Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz. (More than four decades later, Schwartz remains Yankovic's drummer.) Re-recorded for Weird Al's debut album, the song is genuinely remarkable: It's a memorable Queen parody, sure, but it also features one of the most committed, unhinged vocals of Yankovic's career. "Another One Rides the Bus" actually kicks ass, is what I'm saying. Just try not to recite it like a mantra the next time you're stuck on crowded public transportation.
12. "Pancreas," Straight Outta Lynwood (2006)
(Parody: Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys)
The No. 1 rule of parody is that you have to be able to perfectly duplicate your subject. Just as The Onion wouldn't work if its writers didn't know how to write Associated Press copy, "Weird Al" Yankovic's music wouldn't work if he and his band were incapable of mastering the sound of just about any song imaginable. There's another immutable rule in place when it comes to "Pancreas": You can't re-create the ornately masterful compositions of Brian Wilson without being genuinely gifted yourself. This wonderfully crafted, wittily arranged biology lesson provides an excellent occasion to hail Yankovic's long-serving band: Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz (who, as noted above, has played with Weird Al since 1980) on drums, Steve Jay (1982) on bass, Jim West (1983) on guitar and latecomer Rubén Valtierra (1992) on keyboards. Together, they transform a frothy trifle into a masterclass.
11. "Yoda," Dare To Be Stupid (1985)
(Parody: The Kinks' "Lola")
This is another one of Yankovic's earliest parodies, dating all the way back to 1980, when Yoda made his debut in The Empire Strikes Back. By the time an official version was finally released — after years of wrangling to get permission from Ray Davies and George Lucas — the source material (The Kinks' "Lola") was 15 years old. Yet "Yoda," which is sung from Luke Skywalker's perspective, still endures as a counterpoint to the idea that every "Weird Al" Yankovic song has to provide a rapid response to a present-day pop-cultural moment. It helps that Star Wars is eternal, a fact "Yoda" acknowledges: "The long-term contract I had to sign / Says I'll be making these movies till the end of time." (Mark Hamill made his last movie appearance as Skywalker in 2017, so Weird Al was onto something.)
10. "Trapped in the Drive-Thru," Straight Outta Lynwood (2006)
(Parody: R. Kelly's "Trapped in the Closet")
It's hard to separate anything R. Kelly-adjacent from Kelly himself, so you'd be forgiven if you wish to skip an 11-minute parody of the wildly overwrought song series Trapped in the Closet. "Trapped in the Drive-Thru" is one of many Trapped parodies that floated around in the mid-'00s, but that hardly made the original easy to satirize; it's not as if Yankovic was going to come up with something more ludicrous or salacious than the yarn Kelly spun. So Weird Al tilts his song in a more mundane direction — a night in which a routine trip to grab fast food spins out into greater and greater frustration — while maintaining every ounce of Trapped's fists-clenched urgency. Perhaps the greatest feat of all: It never gets dull for a moment.
9. "Word Crimes," Mandatory Fun (2014)
(Parody: Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines")
"Word Crimes" pulls off a neat trick: It offers a funny and quotable takedown of common grammar mistakes, lampoons the nitpickers themselves and justifies the existence of Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" by stripping it of terrible ingredients such as misogyny and Robin Thicke. The result is both worthy of Schoolhouse Rock! and much meaner in its disposition, as Yankovic sprinkles in dyspeptic insults (ex: "You should know when / It's 'less' or it's 'fewer' / Like people who were / Never raised in a sewer"). It's funny, catchy and joke-dense, and it's even got lessons to impart — and, by hitting No. 35 on the Billboard Hot 100, it gave Weird Al a Top 40 hit for the fourth decade in a row. Only five artists accomplished that feat from the '80s to the '10s: Yankovic, Madonna, Michael Jackson, U2... and Kenny G.
8. "Hardware Store," Poodle Hat (2003)
(Original)
Yankovic has never performed this one live, even though it's a fan favorite. Why not? Because it's basically impossible to pull off: The song is too intricate, its harmonies are too precise and its line readings require too much speed and dexterity to be re-created on stage with any regularity. This is a glorious song, with an arrangement that properly mirrors the intense enthusiasm our narrator feels for, well, the opening of a new hardware store in his area. Weird Al's discography is peppered with songs that hurl high praise at some mundane household item, foodstuff or profession. "Hardware Store" is the best of them all.
7. "Eat It," In 3-D (1984)
(Parody: Michael Jackson's "Beat It")
Michael Jackson is a complicated figure, to put it mildly, but he had an unmistakably profound impact on Yankovic's career. His "Beat It" inspired Weird Al's first Top 40 hit in 1984, his "Bad" got re-created as "Fat" a few years later, and his refusal to grant permission for a "Black or White" parody called "Snack All Night" paved the way for Yankovic's early-'90s comeback. (After Jackson's said no to "Snack All Night," Yankovic cast around for an alternative, just in time for "Smells Like Teen Spirit" to hit big. There's no way another food-based Jackson retread would have done for Weird Al what "Smells Like Nirvana" did.) And the thing is, "Eat It" still holds up, even after nearly 40 years and a zillion other food-related parodies. It even provided a vital public service in the early days of the pandemic, as an assortment of actors and comedians performed the song in the style of Gal Gadot's "Imagine" disaster, just to remind the world of a simple truth: We're all in this together.
6. "Dare To Be Stupid," Dare To Be Stupid (1985)
(Parody: Devo)
Yankovic has done dozens of pastiches — or style parodies, depending on which terminology you prefer. None shine as brightly as a Devo tribute that feels an awful lot like a top-of-the-line Devo song. As a Weird Al mission statement, "Dare To Be Stupid" fits perfectly alongside Devo's theory of de-evolution, doing right by parodist and subject alike. Blending subverted aphorisms ("Bite the hand that feeds you / Bite off more than you can chew"), non sequiturs ("Stick your head in the microwave and get yourself a tan") and references to old TV commercials ("You should squeeze all the Charmin you can while Mr. Whipple's not around"), "Dare To Be Stupid" is deeply, lovably silly, even as it hints at deeper truths about life's absurdity.
5. "I Lost on Jeopardy!," In 3-D (1984)
(Parody: The Greg Kihn Band's "Jeopardy")
You want a sense of how long "Weird Al" Yankovic has been doing this? His song about Jeopardy! predates Alex Trebek's entire 37-season run as host. Instead, it's 1970s host Art Fleming who gets referenced in the song — "Art Fleming gave the answers / Oh, but I couldn't get the questions ri-i-ight" — and appears in the hilarious video alongside original announcer Don Pardo. "I Lost on Jeopardy!" parodies a 1983 song called "Jeopardy" by The Greg Kihn Band, whose hit-making days dried up shortly thereafter; it's fair to say that Yankovic's parody has overshadowed its subject in the public's imagination. But that's not really fair to Kihn, who remains active and was, after all, a good enough sport to appear in the "I Lost on Jeopardy!" video. The song is just too funny to be denied — and, seriously, watch the video if you haven't seen it.
4. "Amish Paradise," Bad Hair Day (1996)
(Parody: Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise")
And now, to run down the entire list of serious controversies in Yankovic's epic comedy career:
1) He thought he'd gotten Coolio's permission to parody "Gangsta's Paradise," but it turned out he hadn't and Coolio was mad.
That's Yankovic's dark side, right there, which helped make for one of the most amusingly boring episodes of VH1's Behind the Music ever made. But even this story has a happy, albeit bittersweet, ending: The two had apologized and reconciled years before Coolio's death in 2022 — Coolio spoke of the subject humbly and graciously in self-effacing interviews — and Yankovic posted a sweet tribute on social media.
As for "Amish Paradise" itself, Coolio got it right in 2014: "It's actually funny as s***." The whole concept is right there in the title, and yet every moment of the song builds on it, piling on gags from every possible angle. And the video, with Florence Henderson as our narrator's "very plain" wife, is basically perfect.
3. "Smells Like Nirvana," Off the Deep End (1992)
(Parody: Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit")
New 12-year-olds are minted every minute, bringing with them a fresh zeal for Weird Al's music. But new 20-year-olds are minted every minute, too, bringing with them some of their earliest pangs of nostalgia for the music of their childhood. So it shouldn't have come as a surprise that "Smells Like Nirvana" activated both demographics (among others), sparking the first of many Weird Al comebacks. Still, this was the big one: the first clear sign that Yankovic wouldn't fade into the cozy obscurity of I Love the '80s flashbacks. The song marks a creative reinvigoration for the singer and his band, who combine to mimic Nirvana flawlessly amid funny commentary on the inscrutability of Kurt Cobain's lyrics. Like "Perform This Way" (see No. 15, above), this is a song parody that also serves as a larger-scale meta-commentary on the artist who made it possible. As such, it perfectly captures its moment in pop history, even as it helps reshape it along the way.
2. "One More Minute," Dare To Be Stupid (1985)
(Original)
The first joke takes a full 50 seconds to materialize. Amid a light-and-breezy doo-wop arrangement, Yankovic spends the song's opening moments establishing that his lover is leaving him, and that he's responded by tossing keepsakes and losing her number. Then, the first twist: "And I burned down the malt shop where we used to go, just because it reminds me of you." Then, a bit more doo-wop.
From there, without breaking format, the song gets weirder and more visceral. The topic shifts, inevitably, to a series of tortures he'd be willing to endure rather than spend one more minute in her company — from the relatively mundane ("I'd rather get my blood sucked out by leeches") to object lessons in how to paint pictures with words ("I'd rather jump naked on a huge pile of thumbtacks / Or stick my nostrils together with crazy glue").
It all adds up to a remarkably cathartic experience. "One More Minute" is not only the greatest Weird Al original, but also a truly great breakup song, period. And, though the reference has fallen out of date, I'm not sure there's a better gag in Yankovic's arsenal than the one found in these simple words: "I'm stranded all alone in the gas station of love / And I have to use the self-service pumps."
1. "White & Nerdy," Straight Outta Lynwood (2006)
(Parody: Chamillionaire's "Ridin'")
There are lengthy stretches of this Chamillionaire parody, which gave Yankovic his first and only Top 10 hit, in which jokes land at a rate of one every 1 to 2 seconds. Cumulatively, it's funny enough to make you dizzy as the gags geyser forth:
First in my class here at M.I.T.
Got skills, I'm a champion at D&D
MC Escher, that's my favorite MC
Keep your 40, I'll just have an Earl Grey tea
My rims never spin — to the contrary
You'll find they're quite stationary
All of my action figures are cherry
Stephen Hawking's in my library
Those eight lines speed by in 13 seconds.
This is a song by nerdiness, of nerdiness, for nerdiness; it's meant to be picked apart, line by line, and studied. Yankovic even loaded its video with fresh Easter eggs for devotees to locate, annotate and fuss over; the fact that Key & Peele show up, pre-superstardom, is just a lucky bonus for a song that never stops getting everything right all the time.
Yankovic is legendarily devoted to craft; he's known for compiling countless jokes for each song in binders and then culling all but the best ones. So "White & Nerdy" was perhaps destined to be his greatest song: He himself is white and nerdy and, as with so many great writers, he's in top form when documenting the world he knows best. Also, at the risk of sounding extremely white, and also nerdy, he's a pretty damn good rapper.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wunc.org/2023-05-03/40-songs-from-40-years-of-weird-al-yankovic | 2023-05-03 11:48:05 | 1 | https://www.wunc.org/2023-05-03/40-songs-from-40-years-of-weird-al-yankovic |
Russia will take control of French car manufacturer Renault’s operations in the country and resurrect a Soviet-era auto brand, officials said Monday, marking the first major nationalization of a foreign business since the war in Ukraine began.
Renault said it would sell its majority stake in Avtovaz, a Russian car company best known for its Lada brand, to a state-run research institute known as NAMI.
Renault’s other Russia operations, primarily a factory in Moscow, will be sold to the Moscow city government. The mayor of the Russian capital, Sergei Sobyanin, said the city would bring back the Moskvich brand for cars made at the factory. Moskvich was a major auto brand in the Soviet Union but went into steep decline in the 1990s and vanished from the market in the early 2000s.
“Today, we have taken a difficult but necessary decision,” Renault CEO Luca de Meo said in a statement, “and we are making a responsible choice towards our 45,000 employees in Russia, while preserving the Group’s performance and our ability to return to the country in the future, in a different context.”
Renault didn’t give any financial details of its sales but said the deal included an option to buy back the Avtovaz stake in the next six years. Trade and Industry Minister Denis Manturov indicated last month to Russian media that the Avtovaz deal could be conducted for a symbolic one ruble.
Ministry official Denis Pak told state TV that the deal allows Avtovaz to keep making Renault’s Duster passenger car design, now badged as a Lada, and that the new Moskvich operation was likely to produce cars this year.
Selling gets Renault out of a bind that Western companies are facing as they determine whether to pull out of Russia and weather the hit to their income. But continuing to work in Russia after the invasion could risk damaging corporations’ reputations with customers. With an eye on avoiding unemployment, the Russian government has been urging reluctant foreign investors to either resume operations or sell to someone who will.
Renault’s announcement came the same day McDonald’s said it is moving to sell its Russian business, which includes 850 restaurants that employ 62,000 people. The fast food giant did not name a prospective Russian buyer but said it would seek one that will hire its workers and pay them until the sale closes.
The new Russian owners taking over Renault’s operations will have to grapple with a shortage of imported components for cars, especially electronics. The Russian auto-making sector is heavily dependent on international supply chains that have been disrupted by sanctions over the war, while getting deliveries from abroad has become more difficult and expensive.
The NAMI research institute has some experience developing luxury cars used by Russian leaders, including President Vladimir Putin, but on a much smaller scale than the sprawling Soviet-era Avtovaz plant, where Russian and foreign investors have for decades struggled to make mass-market cars profitably.
Nearly half a million vehicles were sold in Russia last year under Renault and Avtovaz brands.
Sobyanin, the Moscow mayor, outlined ambitious plans for the resurrected Moskvich brand on his blog, saying it would start with traditional engines but produce “in the future, electric cars,” in a partnership with Russian truck manufacturer Kamaz.
Sobyanin said the city was motivated by keeping jobs but stopped short of ruling out staff cuts, saying only that “we will try to keep the majority of the personnel working directly at the plant and for its subcontractors.” | https://pix11.com/ap-business/french-carmaker-renault-to-sell-russian-operations-to-moscow/ | 2022-05-17 11:23:35 | 0 | https://pix11.com/ap-business/french-carmaker-renault-to-sell-russian-operations-to-moscow/ |
Organic India USA, the Boulder-based American subsidiary of an Indian tea and herbal supplement company, is opening a Boulder brick-and-mortar space to serve as a café, teahouse and community gathering space.
Organic India Café is celebrating its grand opening Tuesday at 1795 Pearl St.
The stateside outpost of Organic India, which has several dozen local employees, has been based in Boulder for two decades and has historically focused on business-to-business sales.
The company is Boulder’s “best-kept secret,” Organic India CEO Miguel Gil told BizWest. But it’s “a bit of a shame” that the company hasn’t taken advantage of the “halo effect” that a Boulder presence can bestow open a natural-foods brand.
The goal of the café is to serve as a physical manifestation of Organic India’s Boulder bona fides.
The Pearl Street operation is meant to highlight “the brand’s array of Tulsi-based teas, whole-herb supplements and fiber products, while providing a community space to host events, speakers and champion like-minded organizations to showcase the company’s iconic heritage,” Organic India said in a statement. “The public will be able to relish in the café’s nature-inspired atmosphere, where all are welcome to work, connect and relax, while enjoying an organic smoothie, fair-trade coffee or plant-based cuisine.”
The operation will partner with local groups such as Nude Foods, which bills itself as a zero-waste market, and Repeater, which offers reusable takeout containers, Gil said.
Gil told BizWest that the primary function of the cafe isn’t retail sales, but rather providing a venue to educate consumers about healthy and functional foods and beverages.
The ultimate goal of the Organic India Café is to provide insight about “how to incorporate more and more beneficial herbs into your diet in a really yummy, plant-based, super original way,” he said. “I think people are going to be blown away by it.”
This article was first published by BizWest, an independent news organization, and is published under a license agreement. © 2022 BizWest Media LLC. | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/06/27/organic-india-opening-cafe-community-gathering-space/ | 2022-06-28 01:39:58 | 0 | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/06/27/organic-india-opening-cafe-community-gathering-space/ |
Lawyer: Principal unaware boy had gun before teacher shot
(AP) - The former principal of the Virginia elementary school where a 6-year-old shot his teacher was not aware of reports that the student had a gun before the shooting occurred, her lawyer said Thursday.
Briana Foster Newton was principal at Richneck Elementary in Newport News last month when first-grade teacher Abby Zwerner was shot and wounded in her classroom.
“It continues to be reported that unidentified school administrators were aware that the 6-year-old student had a gun at school on January 6 and simply failed to act,” attorney Pamela Branch said during a news conference in Richmond, Virginia.
“Mrs. Newton has been assumed to have been one of those administrators,” Branch said. “However, this is far from the truth. The fact of the matter is that those who were aware that the student may have had a gun on the premises that day did not report this to Mrs. Newton at all.”
Branch provided the first public statement from Newton since the shooting occurred and sought to clarify Newton’s role in an incident that has drawn mounting criticism of the school’s administrators.
Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew has repeatedly characterized the shooting as “intentional.” He said there was no warning and no struggle before the child pointed the gun at Zwerner and fired one round, striking her in the hand and chest inside her classroom.
Zwerner, 25, hustled her students out of the classroom before being rushed to the hospital, where she stayed for nearly two weeks.
Diane Toscano, Zwerner’s lawyer, said last month that concerned staff at Richneck warned administrators three times that the boy had a gun and was threatening other students, but that no one called police, removed the boy from class or locked down the school before the shooting occurred.
Toscano said she has notified the school board that Zwerner intends to sue the school district.
Then-Superintendent Gary Parker took the brunt of criticism from outraged parents and teachers. Before the school board fired him last month, Parker said at least one administrator at Richneck received a tip that the boy may have taken a weapon to school. Parker said the boy’s backpack was searched but that no weapon was found.
Newton is no longer listed as the principal on the school’s website. Michelle Price, a spokesperson for the school district, said last month that Newton is still employed by the district, but she did not say what position Newton now holds.
Assistant Principal Ebony Parker has resigned from the school division, Price said.
Karen Lynch, who has worked as a principal in Newport News for 17 years, is now listed as the school’s administrator. In a letter to Richneck families this week, Lynch said she was working “on special assignment” at Richneck.
The boy’s family has also retained an attorney. Police have said the 9 mm handgun used in the shooting was legally purchased by the boy’s mother. The family has said the gun had been “secured.” Their attorney, James Ellenson, told The Associated Press in January that his understanding was that the gun was in the woman’s closet on a shelf well over 6 feet (1.8 meters) high and had a trigger lock that required a key.
The family also said the boy has an “acute disability” and was under a care plan “that included his mother or father attending school with him and accompanying him to class every day.” The week of the shooting was the first when a parent was not in class with him, the family said.
Richneck resumed class on Monday, a full three weeks after the shooting occurred.
___
For more coverage of the shooting: https://apnews.com/hub/newport-news
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/2023/02/02/lawyer-principal-unaware-boy-had-gun-before-teacher-shot/ | 2023-02-02 19:36:34 | 1 | https://www.kttc.com/2023/02/02/lawyer-principal-unaware-boy-had-gun-before-teacher-shot/ |
67-year-old hiker found alive after missing for several days at national park
PONCA, Ark. (KY3/Gray News) - Officials in Arkansas say search and rescue crews have found a lost hiker.
KY3 reports rescuers were able to locate 67-year-old Clinton “Preston” Smith Tuesday afternoon after going missing from a hike at the Hemmed-in-Hollow Trail in the Buffalo National River on Oct. 27.
Crews said they found Smith about 2.5 miles from the trail along with his vehicle at the trailhead.
According to rescue crews, the 67-year-old was able to speak to them when they found him. They delivered first aid, food and water.
Newton County Sheriff Glenn Wheeler said Smith was found with no significant injuries.
Crews said the team had previously searched the area, but his movement made it difficult for them to locate him.
Authorities said the terrain around Buffalo National River could be rugged and steep. According to rangers, off-trail travel is often dangerous.
Copyright 2022 KY3 via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/11/01/67-year-old-hiker-found-alive-after-missing-several-days-national-park/ | 2022-11-02 00:20:01 | 1 | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/11/01/67-year-old-hiker-found-alive-after-missing-several-days-national-park/ |
Ms. Sowell, a pre-kindergarten through second-grade teacher at Long Elementary School is seeking multi-pocket chair pockets for her students to improve organization and learning.
The post expires on Oct. 27, and there is still $400 needed to fully fund the organizers – they will reach 22 students. The post states these chair pockets will give each student an organized space for their pencils, water bottles, scissors, glue and other educational necessities.
This will allow Sowell’s classes to spend more time learning and building classroom relationships rather than trying to find lost items, the listing states.
The product:
- Really Good Stuff Store More Multi-Pocket Chair Pockets
Online: https://www.donorschoose.org/project/controled-cooperative-chaos/6532971/ | https://www.mrt.com/news/education/article/Long-Elementary-teacher-seeks-to-improve-17483358.php | 2022-10-05 03:21:00 | 0 | https://www.mrt.com/news/education/article/Long-Elementary-teacher-seeks-to-improve-17483358.php |
‘Intentionally wounded’ vulture dies at Dallas Zoo; 3rd concerning incident this month
DALLAS (CNN) - Officials with the Dallas Zoo said someone killed an endangered vulture that was found dead in its enclosure over the weekend – marking the third concerning incident at the zoo in recent weeks.
Dallas Zoo Director David Hudson said in a news conference Monday that it appears someone intentionally wounded the vulture named Pin.
Pin lived at the zoo for the past 33 years and was one of only 27 lappet-faced vultures in captivity in the United States.
Harrison Edell, executive vice president for animal care and conservation with the Dallas Zoo, said animal deaths are always difficult, but this one is particularly upsetting.
“Obviously, this is an endangered species, which makes him all the more important to long-term sustainability of the vulture population. And we’re also really disturbed by the idea that someone might have intentionally done this,” Edell said.
Pin’s death comes just more than a week after two cage-tampering incidents at the zoo. On Jan. 13, officials said someone let the clouded leopard out of its cage. Later that same day, officials found that one of the monkey habitats had a hole cut in it, but none of those animals escaped.
The clouded leopard was found safe on zoo grounds after a day-long search.
The Dallas Police Department has been called in to investigate.
“Given the recent events that have happened here at the zoo, the clouded leopard in particular from last Friday, and the suspicious nature of this animal’s death, we alerted DPD,” Hudson said.
The zoo is also asking for the public’s help. The zoo is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to arrest and indictment, Hudson said.
In addition, the zoo has added night vision cameras throughout the facility and increased on-site security during overnight hours.
Copyright 2023 KTVT via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wafb.com/2023/01/24/intentionally-wounded-vulture-dies-dallas-zoo-3rd-concerning-incident-this-month/ | 2023-01-24 17:53:17 | 1 | https://www.wafb.com/2023/01/24/intentionally-wounded-vulture-dies-dallas-zoo-3rd-concerning-incident-this-month/ |
Buick has revived its Electra nameplate for a family of electric vehicles, the first member of which is the Electra E5 compact crossover destined for sale in China later this year.
Buick revealed the exterior design of the Electra E5 last December, and on Tuesday it provided a first look at the crossover’s interior. While the Electra E5 isn’t likely to reach the U.S., both its exterior and interior designs may preview what’s to come for electric Buicks sold on these shores.
The cabin design isn’t exactly groundbreaking, though the space looks like a comfortable place to be. The highlight is a 30-inch curved screen incorporating a digital instrument cluster and an infotainment screen. A head-up display will be available.
Other technologies include wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless charging for smartphones, 5G connectivity, support for over-the-air updates, and Bose audio.
The Electra E5 measures 192.6 inches in length and has a wheelbase of 116.3 inches, making it roughly the same size as the U.S.-bound 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV. According to Buick, it will be one of the roomiest vehicles in its class.
The Electra E5 is known to use General Motors’ Ultium EV platform and battery technology, but Buick is saving specific powertrain details until closer to the market launch.
As for Buick’s U.S.-bound EVs, there will be at least two in showrooms by the end of 2024, both of them SUVs. One will have conventional proportions, while the other will sport a more coupe-like profile.
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- Updated Volkswagen ID.3 boasts new styling, tech | https://wgntv.com/automotive/internet-brands/buick-reveals-interior-of-electra-e5-crossover/ | 2023-03-02 17:16:32 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/automotive/internet-brands/buick-reveals-interior-of-electra-e5-crossover/ |
Phoenix police ID woman’s body found in suitcase in desert
CAVE CREEK, Ariz. (AP) — A woman’s body found in a suitcase in a desert area north of Phoenix has been identified, authorities said Monday.
According to Phoenix police, the victim was 39-year-old Jennifer Beede.
They said the cause and manner of death will be determined by the Maricopa County medical examiner’s office.
Police were called to the scene near Cave Creek Road and the Carefree Highway around 6:45 a.m. Saturday after a bicyclist reported seeing adult human remains in a container on a trail.
Police said the container was a suitcase and a body was inside it, but they didn’t immediately release any other details.
Phoenix TV station KPHO reported that someone saw a head and knee sticking out of a suitcase.
Police said detectives are trying to determine what led to the woman’s death and locate any possible suspects in the case. | https://kion546.com/news/ap-arizona/2022/09/19/phoenix-police-id-womans-body-found-in-suitcase-in-desert/ | 2022-09-19 16:44:22 | 1 | https://kion546.com/news/ap-arizona/2022/09/19/phoenix-police-id-womans-body-found-in-suitcase-in-desert/ |
Toilet paper was seen on a street in Revere, Massachusetts, on Monday morning after a crash that involved a porta-potty truck.
The crash happened on Furlong Drive at Revere Beach Parkway, where police and fire crews were seen responding and cleaning up the debris left behind.
It's unclear exactly how the crash unfolded, but it appeared to have involved two trucks.
One person appeared to be hurt during the incident.
Additional details have not yet been made available. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/toilet-paper-litters-revere-road-after-crash-involving-porta-potty-truck/3270942/ | 2023-06-06 12:42:16 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/toilet-paper-litters-revere-road-after-crash-involving-porta-potty-truck/3270942/ |
August 22 is National Tooth Fairy Day
OAK BROOK, Ill., Aug. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to findings of the 2022 Original Tooth Fairy Poll® released by Delta Dental, the Tooth Fairy visited 79% of homes across the country with children ages 6-12 who have lost teeth. Most kids are demonstrating patience for the Tooth Fairy's visit, with more than half of parents (61%) reporting that their child waited for their loose tooth to fall out, unlike 18% of their children that pulled their own tooth! One in 3 parents agree that the Tooth Fairy is a positive way to instill good oral health habits in their child. The 2022 poll builds on insights gleaned over nearly a quarter of a century. A few additional highlights from this year's poll include:
- More than 1 in 2 parents say the Tooth Fairy gives their child something to be excited about (55% 2022 versus 53% 2021).
- This year, more parents indicate that the Tooth Fairy provides their child with an opportunity to celebrate something fun (55% 2022 versus 48% 2021).
- In fact, 35% of parents express the Tooth Fairy was the perfect way to spread joy in a year when they needed it most (compared to 34% 2021).
"Our oral health is essential to our overall health, and the time-honored tradition of the Tooth Fairy can help bring attention in a fun way to the importance of establishing proper oral hygiene habits at an early age," said Jennifer Elliott, Chief Marketing Officer, Delta Dental Plans Association. "Delta Dental is committed to increasing the public's oral health care awareness as we support millions of dental health journeys across America."
Since 1998, Delta Dental has been analyzing the Tooth Fairy's U.S. annual giving trends. The 2022 Original Tooth Fairy Poll® indicates the Tooth Fairy's average cash gift reached $5.36 per tooth, an all-time high in the 24-year history of the poll. This year's value of a lost tooth has more than quadrupled since the inception of the Original Tooth Fairy Poll® when the value of a lost tooth was $1.30. The 2022 poll's average gift of $5.36 per tooth is 66 cents (14%) higher than the previous peak of $4.70 set last year and well over $1 (33%) more per tooth in 2020 ($4.03). The 2022 poll also finds that 80% of the time the Tooth Fairy leaves only money rather than some other physical gift.
The Original Tooth Fairy Poll® was conducted between January 19 and January 28, 2022, among a nationally representative sample of 1,000+ parents of children ages 6-12. The survey has a margin of error of +/- 3%.
For more information about the Delta Dental-sponsored survey, Tooth Fairy resources for families and kids, and oral health tips for infants to pre-teen, visit the Original Tooth Fairy Poll®.
Follow us on Twitter @DeltaDental and Facebook: Delta Dental Plans Association
Based in Oak Brook, Illinois, Delta Dental Plans Association is the not-for-profit national association of the 39 independent Delta Dental companies. Through these companies, Delta Dental is the nation's largest dental insurance provider, covering more than 85 million Americans and offering the country's largest dental network with approximately 154,000 participating dentists. Over the last decade, Delta Dental companies provided over $1.8 billion in direct and in-kind support to improve the oral health of our communities. Visit deltadental.com for information on individual dental insurance plans and group dental insurance plans.
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SOURCE Delta Dental Plans Association | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2022/08/18/tooth-fairy-tradition-remains-strong-across-united-states-finds-2022-original-tooth-fairy-poll-released-by-delta-dental/ | 2022-08-18 11:36:18 | 1 | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2022/08/18/tooth-fairy-tradition-remains-strong-across-united-states-finds-2022-original-tooth-fairy-poll-released-by-delta-dental/ |
LOS ANGELES — At the LitCo dispensary downtown, Brett “Rollan Buds" Davis approached me with a weed waiver. “It’s so you don’t blame us for getting high,” said Davis, who owns Weed Bus Los Angeles and was guiding the Movie Set Tour on a recent Thursday afternoon. With two joints and a container of edibles in my bag, I took full responsibility.
Davis sealed our group of nine inside the bus like astronauts rocketing to space. Immediately, everyone lit up. Joints were passed among friends or savored privately.
I’d been here before — or at least somewhere like it. In 2014, I boarded a cannabis tour bus in Denver soon after Colorado became the first state to legalize recreational marijuana. All of us were giddy, even before the THC kicked in.
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Almost 10 years have passed since that memorable ride, and weed is no longer such a novelty. Since then 21 states have legalized adult-use cannabis and more could be switching sides. “I think we are seeing the last of the elected officials who oppose cannabis,” said Wanda James, an activist and co-founder of Simply Pure Dispensary in Denver.
Despite the momentum, obstacles in the burgeoning cannabis economy have surprisingly hindered innovations in weed tourism. For one, marijuana is still illegal federally, which means states must craft their own rules. In addition, a majority of states ban smoking in public places and many have amended their clean indoor air acts to include cannabis.
Legalization opened the door to buying recreational weed, but stumbled on the next obvious step: where to enjoy it with like-minded souls. Imagine a world with only liquor stores but few places where you can raise your glass — no pubs or baseball stadium beer stands or winery tasting rooms. That’s the conundrum weed tourism is facing. You can smoke, just not here.
“You’d think that cannabis tourism would be booming, but it isn’t,” said Rosie Mattio, founder and chief executive of MATTIO Communications, which works with cannabis companies. But, she added, “I see the promise of it, and the concepts are coming to life.”
Still, several destinations have become pioneers in the green rush. And each city approaches cannabis tourism with its own signature flavor.
Las Vegas is pouncing on pot; one hotel plans to open this year with an entire cannabis-friendly floor. Michigan created the Cannabis Trail, which includes a calendar of events, statewide dispensary map, culinary offerings and hotel recommendations. New Jersey is a year into legally lighting up, and all eyes are watching developments in Atlantic City.
“The cannabis traveler looks like travelers from every other category. They are dog lovers, foodies and outdoorsy. They range in age from 21 to 90,” said Todd Aaronson, chief executive of Visit Modesto, which created the MoTown CannaPass in 2021.
To check up on the state of cannabis tourism, I flew out West, where the recreational movement has a steady foothold. My high priority: to see how Denver, Los Angeles and Portland, Ore., roll out the green carpet for cannabis tourists.
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Denver: For an outdoorsy high
With a wealth of dispensaries, buying cannabis in Denver is easy. But for travelers, consuming it has been more difficult, especially after state legislators amended a 2006 clean indoor air act to include marijuana and vaping. In April 2021, however, the Denver mayor created a marijuana hospitality licensing program.
Until 2027, most licenses are available only to a pool of “social equity applicants” who are low-income residents or Coloradans impacted by previous marijuana-related arrests. To date, the Cannabis Experience and Colorado Cannabis Tours are the only tour operators with a license for mobile consumption.
“There is tons of opportunity, but not a lot of competition,” said Sarah Woodson, founder of the Color of Cannabis and the Cannabis Experience, which leads mural, taco and city highlights tours.
Denver, then and now, is the state’s epicenter of pot tourism. Its cannabis-centric diversions naturally blend into — and even enhance — the Rocky Mountain-high lifestyle. As Sen. John Hickenlooper, the former governor, told me, “One of the reasons tourists will come here to go skiing rather than Utah is because when they finish skiing, they can relax and ingest some marijuana. They feel like they had a more enjoyable vacation.”
The dispensary with ‘a whole charcuterie of cannabis’
At Simply Pure, I stepped into the lobby of what might be the country’s first African American-owned dispensary and immediately exhaled. The waiting room was more tranquil and less paranoid than the last Colorado retailer I visited in 2014. Mirrored windows and an armed guard at the door do not induce calm.
A man named Moses sat behind a glass window, his beatific smile parting his bushy beard. I handed him my driver’s license, which would get more action than my credit card, and waited for the door to the inner sanctum to click open.
Moses, the lead budologist, led me to one of three stations where budtenders provide personalized service on par with buying an engagement ring or a securing a loan. Moses was all mine for as long as I had questions, concerns and cash burning in my pocket.
“You can get a whole charcuterie of cannabis,” he said, as we stood before glass cases and shelves displaying products that you can eat, drink, smoke and dab.
My first legal pot purchase in Colorado was a sticky yellow lollipop that I never finished. Nearly 10 years later, Moses was showing me gourmet chocolate bars, sea salt popcorn and pre-rolled joints packed in artful tins.
The BYO weed lounge
To consume my purchases, Moses recommend Tetra Lounge, which operates like a private club. Generally, consumption lounges allow guests to smoke weed they’ve purchased beforehand or bought on-site, depending on licensing.
On a Monday afternoon, owner Dewayne Benjamin was behind the counter welcoming visitors. Guests bring their own weed and pay a membership fee ($20 a day), which grants them access to the couches, paraphernalia, mural-splashed backyard and a tub of bottled water.
Benjamin waived the fee for me — it was a slow day; I was one of three people — and handed me an ashtray. I sat on a low-slung couch facing a photo gallery of legendary stoners, including Bob Marley, Seth Rogen and Snoop Dogg. Plumes of smoke drifted by like morning fog.
The tour that includes a grow facility
Around lunchtime, I headed to the meeting place for Colorado Cannabis Tours, which has been offering excursions since legalization and earned its mobile consumption license a few days after my visit. Our guide, Gina, who declined to provide a last name, handed me a joint and an edible the color of Boo Berry cereal.
My outing with Cannabis Experience had been canceled because of low attendance, so I was relieved to see two other people on the bus. The married couple were from Texas, where cannabis is not legal. They said it was so freeing to be here, but also a little unsettling. “When we left the dispensary, I thought the cops would follow us,” said Heather, who chose Colorado because of its mountains and cannabis lifestyle.
The bus took us on a spin through the life cycle of cannabis. We toured the Del Mundo grow facility and picked up some goodies at its dispensary. At a glass-blowing studio, artist Chris Schutz cranked up a flame and transformed a piece of glass into a pipe that the couple added to their pile of souvenirs.
“Weed is definitely part of our culture at this point,” said Gina, the tour guide.
The hotel is building its own lounge
Chris Chiari is attempting to revolutionize 420-friendly lodging at the Patterson Inn, where I spent one night. The owner invited me inside the attached carriage house that he is transforming into a cannabis lounge.
Once he resolves the HVAC filtering issue, the 1890s B&B will become the model for his grand plan to create a collection of boutique properties that will cater to guests who fancy a pre-shuteye smoke.
“I will offer it as an amenity to guests, guests of guests and annual members,” he said. “I’m the place you will come to right before bed.”
Arrowhead Manor, which is near Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre about 16 miles from Denver, allows smoking on its decks and outdoor spaces. The property can also arrange cannabis dinners. During my night there, I discovered a smoker’s kit in the vending machine, next to the Honey Buns. However, as the only guest, I didn’t smell any smoke, just pine-scented mountain air.
For now, Denver feels like it’s on the cusp of something great, but like a skier on a new run, it is taking slow and cautious turns to avoid a messy fall.
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Los Angeles: The Amsterdam of SoCal
The cannabis lounges on Santa Monica Boulevard are a short downhill walk from a row of posh hotels on Sunset Boulevard. A number of cannabis industry people had told me that many properties will look away if guests smoke on their room’s private balcony or by the rooftop pool. But with a hefty fine, I wasn’t prepared to risk it.
California’s Clean Indoor Air Act requires that up to 80 percent of a hotel’s guest rooms are smoke-free, but properties have the authority to go all-in at 100 percent.
Based on the sniff test, weed is everywhere in the Los Angeles area. But West Hollywood is the A-list spot for cannabis celebutantes. If Cher from “Clueless” grew up to be a toker, she would definitely shop and puff here.
The celebrity-owned dispensary
At Zen Cannabis, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary Thursday, the staff is discreet about its celebrity clientele. A few blocks away, however, workers often drop “Woody” into conversation.That’s Woody Harrelson, the actor and co-proprietor of the Woods, a retail shop and consumption lounge that opened last year.
The city of West Hollywood is positioning itself to become a SoCal Amsterdam. According to a map created by the Emerald Village West Hollywood, the city’s official marketing organization for licensed cannabis businesses, there are eight dispensaries, including two with lounges — with more on the horizon.
For now, visitors can light up at the Woods and Artist Tree, a multilevel space with an art gallery, a dispensary and an indoor/outdoor lounge with table service and special events, such as a wake-and-bake drag brunch show and a Spoken Herb night. “Having this safe space where we can come together is a completely different experience that we aren’t used to having,” said Meghan Pool, a manager at the WeHo outpost.
On a chilly weekday afternoon, I connected withCal Wolfe, the manager who, when not putting out small fires (such as a guy illegally smoking in the back), showed me around the Woods. He told me that the company — and especially Woody — advocates for two main causes: small family-run farms and the release of nonviolent cannabis offenders. Its upside-down marijuana leaf is a symbol of their commitment to right the wrong.
“We’re not free until everyone is freed,” said Wolfe, as we stood before NFTs of artworks created by incarcerated cannabis users. “The leaf will not face up until everyone is freed from cannabis crimes.”
To consume their purchases, guests can enter a Technicolor oasis called the Ganja Giggle Garden. For $20, they can sit among a tropical profusion of plants sheltering Buddhist sculptures and secluded seating. A bar sells THC-infused drinks and offers free tea, coffee and water. For now, customers can only smoke in one of the enclosed cabanas, but Wolfe said once they install proper ventilation, visitors can light up outdoors.
California law prohibits a cannabis business from serving alcohol, but the Woods figured out how to have both: A door will separate the dispensary and garden from the alcohol bar, which could open by the end of the month. Patrons must keep their indulgences on the appropriate side. Wolfe said the venue’s working title is Holy Water or Mars Bar, a nod to the other celebrity co-owner, Bill Maher.
The hotel with pot brownie room service
Despite its ubiquitous no-smoking signs, Hotel Ziggy was cannabis tolerant. At the front desk, I asked for a menu from Urbn Leaf West Hollywood. The nearby dispensary created a curated list of products that do not emit smoke, such as vegan brownies and infused lemonade.
“Wyld’s sleepy time is the most popular order from the hotel,” said Kurt Haaker, the outlet’s general manager, referring to the edible company’s elderberry flavor. He said the store plans to open a lounge and will soon offer delivery service, so that guests won’t have to dash across the Sunset Strip for their night cap.
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Portland: The den of DIY
Paul Stanford’s desk was strewn with pads of hemp paper and bags of herb. When I met with him in Portland, the founder of the Hemp and Cannabis Foundation told me how activists had tried several times to legalize cannabis, starting in 1986. To illustrate their fight, he pointed at a green campaign sign urging voters to back Prop 80. Two years later, the measure passed.
“We have more than 400 dispensaries in Oregon, and the price is the lowest in the country,” he said. “It’s rare to go in a park or on the street and not smell it.” (Even so, outdoor consumption is illegal here.)
Portland has no shortage of dispensaries, including many chains that run counter to the state’s indie spirit and fondness for mom-and-pop shops. But the City of Roses lacks other cannabis attractions. Since the state legalized marijuana in 2015, several tour operators and consumption lounges have opened and closed. But unlike Denver and Los Angeles, there does not seem to be any rumbling of new offerings.
The nonexistent tour
Even the Potlandia Experience tour I had booked was called off because of low interest.
“I kind of have a monopoly on the Portland market, but it’s still been kind of rough,” said Matt Onkka, who has been running the city’s only operating cannabis tour company since 2019. “The pandemic really ruined it.”
Leia Flynn, the co-founder of Flight Club, the members-only cafe in Portland and clubhouse in Oregon City, can relate.
“I feel like there needs to be one of these in each neighborhood, like bars are,” Flynn said. “But I’m it. They don’t have any lounges. It’s just me.”
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The apothecary/dispensary
Without the guiding hand of a tour, I set out on my own to learn more about Portland’s cannabis culture, basically knocking on doors like a canvasser. I started at Home Grown Apothecary and Dispensary, which was coincidentally a planned stop on Onkka’s tour.
Inside, I was greeted warmly by Andi Keller, the media director who also makes candles for the apothecary. The room was homey and healing with a fireplace, vintage couch with throw pillows and a fringe lamp that emitted a honey glow.
Before we entered the dispensary, which was concealed behind a door, I asked Keller how much I could legally purchase. “You can essentially leave a dispensary with a shopping car of cannabis,” she said. But this no CVS of cannabis: The store supports organic farmers and small crafters who mirror the staff’s composition: women, minorities, LGBTQ+, immigrants. “We don’t want big pharma cannabis,” she said.
Home Grown is just off Sandy Boulevard, also known as the Green Mile. I also passed Nectar, Electric Lettuce and Tree House Collective.
To continue my education, Stanford suggested I drop by Oregon Grown, a dispensary that doubles as the Library of Congress of Cannabis. After buzzing me in, Michael Bachara led me to his wall of posters for festivals and marches. He pulled out books, photos and pamphlets that documented the push for legalization, which I looked at while he helped customers.
One of the most memorable artifacts is a green-painted wooden sign that read “Cannabis Cafe,” a former consumption lounge in the basement of the building that houses the dispensary. It was open for two years, before the medical community raised concerns about secondhand smoke. It closed in 2011.
“It had a big bar like ‘Cheers,’” Bachara said, his voice tinged with nostalgia. “We had bingo nights and comedy nights. We were like a family.”
Bachara is not done fighting. He is filing an initiative that will allow public cannabis lounges with indoor consumption. He is seeking 250,000 signatures. A customer withdrawing money from the ATM said she would support the petition.
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The lounge with all the trinkets — and a place to sleep
The Flight Lounge is the only cannabis-friendly club in Oregon and the only cafe of its kind in the Pacific Northwest, according to Flynn, a legal assistant for the Oregon Cannabusiness Compliance Counsel. The venues occupy a fuzzy gray space. They only accept members who pay a one-time fee of $10, plus $5 per visit, which is waived if they order food. (Available only at the Portland location.)
Like Tetra Lounge, guests must bring their own cannabis, but Flight Club provides the bongs, ashtrays and entertainment — movies, pool tables, live music, drag queen shows.
“Our passion was to create a safe space for people. A lot of these people risk getting a ticket or evicted for smoking,” she said. “The food is just a perk.”
Flynn rents out two rooms above the lounge and throws in temporary membership as an amenity. I didn’t need to go downstairs to indulge: Room 420 came with a fine selection of bongs and ashtrays. But I didn’t want to squander my membership.
I scanned the menuhanging behind the counter, my eye stopping at “stoner cereal.” On a display case filled with CDB tincture and giant cookies, I read a sign that explained why the lounge could remain open and Flynn was always in motion: “We are a private club. We are not a place of employment and have no employees.”
Flynn and her business partner were running the whole show: They cooked, served, cleared and cleaned the tables. They also greeted, joked with and encouraged their guests.
“Do your homework,” she called out to a member who often studied at the cafe.
I settled into a table next to two brunch buddies who were digging into plates piled high with French toast, shrimp and grits and breakfast meats. Smoke rose from their table, as the women toked between bites.
Opposite me, a guy dug into a reusable shopping bag and extracted a bong as long as his forearm. He considered it for a minute before selecting a bong from a corner shelf where, in a more traditional restaurant, the staff would stockpile the condiments. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2023/04/20/weed-tours-denver-la-portland/ | 2023-04-20 12:02:11 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2023/04/20/weed-tours-denver-la-portland/ |
(NEXSTAR) – Actor and WWE wrestler Kevin Nash has opened up about the death of his son Tristen, who passed away last week at the age of 26.
Tristen, who had been working on his father’s podcast in recent months, died of cardiac arrest after suffering a seizure brought on by alcohol withdrawal, according to Nash.
“The seizure caused a cardiac arrest,” Nash said on the latest episode of his “Kliq THIS” podcast. “He was basically dead in his room on the floor with EMT working on him. And, they got him back, and got him in the ambulance, and tried to save his life. And, so, to the people at Halifax Hospital — doctors and nurses — I thank you.”
Nash said he and his son had recently decided to quit drinking cold-turkey after “a couple of incidents,” including one in which Tristen was drinking beers during the podcast a few weeks back.
“I got pissed at him … because he had had this situation, at the beginning of the year, where he was hospitalized for almost 60 days,” Nash said.
Nash said both he and Tristen agreed to cut out alcohol, and soon found themselves feeling “not great” during withdrawal. Nash also noted that alcohol withdrawal can increase the chance of seizures, a severe symptom called “the most dramatic and dangerous component of the alcohol withdrawal syndrome” in a study published with the National Institutes of Health.
Nash added that he had already lost two friends to alcoholism, “and now it’s taken my son.”
“He is the sweetest, kindest, gentlest human being on Earth,” Nash said of Tristen at one point, speaking of him in the present tense.
Tristen, who died Wednesday, had been working as a podcast technician on “Kliq THIS.” He also played in a grunge band called The Builders, according to his Instagram account.
Upon his passing, the Nash family issued a statement confirming his death and asking for privacy. Sean Oliver, the co-host of the “Kliq THIS” podcast, said at the time that Nash would address his son’s passing in an upcoming episode. | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/wwe-star-kevin-nash-reveals-26-year-old-sons-cause-of-death/ | 2022-10-25 21:15:14 | 0 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/wwe-star-kevin-nash-reveals-26-year-old-sons-cause-of-death/ |
RUSTON, La (KTVE/KARD) – Welcome to the Karl Malone Auto Group Athlete of the Week, this week we highlight Louisiana Tech’s Jonathan Fincher, who became a three-time academic All-America honoree on Wednesday as the College Sports Communicators (CSC) selected the Bulldog pitcher to the 35-man team.
Fincher, who was voted third team in 2023, joins Kim Mulkey as one of only two LA Tech student-athletes to ever earn three academic all-America honors.
The fifth-year senior graduated in the spring of 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in biology and minor in chemistry while having a cumulative GPA of 3.89. He is currently pursuing a second degree in kinesiology and health sciences in which he has a cumulative GPA of 3.92. | https://www.myarklamiss.com/sports/karl-malone-auto-group-athlete-of-the-week-jonathan-fincher/ | 2023-06-08 06:11:15 | 1 | https://www.myarklamiss.com/sports/karl-malone-auto-group-athlete-of-the-week-jonathan-fincher/ |
Convinced that the boom in leisure travel is permanent, Airbnb aims to expand its listings by convincing more people to turn their homes into short-term rentals.
The company said Wednesday that it will increase the amount of liability coverage for hosts, up to $3 million, in a play for owners of nicer houses in high-cost places such as California. It will also pair newbies with a “superhost” to guide them through the process of becoming a short-term landlord, from signing up through welcoming their first guest.
More listings would not seem to be Airbnb's biggest challenge.
CEO Brian Chesky says the San Francisco company is taking steps to make price more transparent when consumers browse Airbnb listings, and he predicts that will reduce sky-high cleaning fees that many hosts tack on well into the booking process — a major complaint of consumers.
The company also continues to try to crack down on large parties at rentals, a few of which have turned violent. And it faces efforts to increase regulation of short-term rentals.
Through it all, Airbnb has fared better than most travel companies during the pandemic. This month, it reported a record $1.21 billion profit for the third quarter. Its stock fell, however, because earnings and bookings were less than Wall Street expected and the company gave a cautious fourth-quarter outlook.
Investors worry that consumers paying more for food, gas and housing — and facing predictions of recession — will cut back on discretionary spending like travel, hurting Airbnb.
Some current hosts are worried that might already be happening. Last month, a post on a Facebook page for Airbnb “superhosts" asked, “Has anyone seen a huge decrease in bookings over the last 3 to 4 months? We went from at least 50% occupancy to literally 0% in the last two months.”
Other hosts on social media have suggested theories ranging from a fragile economy to pent-up travel demand finally running out, and some think the problem might be that Airbnb already has too many listings.
Chesky said in an interview that Airbnb has enough hosts now — he didn't say it has too many — but needs more because leisure travel will keep growing. And, he said, a recession could push more people to turn their homes into Airbnbs. After all, he likes to point out, Airbnb launched during the great recession in 2008.
“People are pulling back spending in tons of areas, but not travel," he said. "And with a looming recession, we felt like more people than ever are going to want to make extra money.”
Potential hosts sometimes hesitate, Chesky said, because they are uncomfortable having strangers in their homes. The company's response is to triple the amount of coverage for hosts — from $1 million to $3 million — against damage, including to vehicles, boats and a wider range of art on the property.
Chesky is betting that will persuade more owners of nice homes to list them on Airbnb.
“Exactly, and home values have increased since we wrote the $1 million plan,” he said. “We just noticed more than 20% of the homes on Airbnb, and maybe even more than that, were over the $1 million limit in value.”
The company said it is also launching a system to verify the identity of guests and flag potential parties, immediately in the U.S. and Canada and worldwide by next spring. Chesky said the system is “not a silver bullet,” and he didn't provide many details but said in the U.S. it will include a check of criminal and sex-offender records.
In the meantime, the company is working on a plan to display the all-in price of a stay up front on its app and website — an amount that would include cleaning fees, which can be very high and only appear later in the booking process.
Chesky said he didn't want to bar or cap cleaning fees — that's a decision for hosts, he said. But including fees in the upfront price — and in the order in which search results are displayed — “is going to correct the market,” he said. | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Airbnb-aims-to-convince-more-people-to-rent-out-17588722.php | 2022-11-16 14:24:28 | 1 | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Airbnb-aims-to-convince-more-people-to-rent-out-17588722.php |
MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes won the Democratic Senate primary on Tuesday and will face two-term Republican Sen. Ron Johnson in what is expected to be one of the country’s most competitive races as the parties battle for control of the U.S. Senate.
Barnes’ top rivals dropped out of the race late last month and backed the former legislator, a sign of Democrats’ intense focus on defeating Johnson, who is one of former President Donald Trump’s most vocal supporters. The Senate is currently split 50-50, with Democrats relying on the vice president to break ties, and the Wisconsin contest is one of the few races seen as toss-ups in November.
In his victory speech in Milwaukee, Barnes emphasized his middle-class background and upbringing while casting Johnson as “self-serving” and “an out-of-touch politician” who cares only about special interests and wealthy donors.
“It is time for a change, everybody,” said Barnes, who would be Wisconsin’s first Black senator if elected. “It’s time for us to be represented by somebody who shares our experiences.”
Johnson called Barnes the “most radical left candidate” Democrats could have chosen.
“This is a contest between radical left socialism versus freedom and prosperity,” he said.
Voters also were choosing a Republican nominee for Wisconsin governor who could reshape how elections are conducted in the marquee battleground, where Trump is still pressing to overturn his 2020 loss and backing candidates he sees as allies.
Trump has endorsed businessman Tim Michels, a self-described outsider who has put $12 million into his own campaign, against former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, who has support from former Vice President Mike Pence and ex-Gov. Scott Walker. Both candidates falsely claim the 2020 election was rigged, though Kleefisch has said decertifying the results is “not constitutional,” while Michels said “everything will be on the table.”
The race to face Democratic Gov. Tony Evers is another proxy war between Trump and Pence, one-time partners now pursuing different futures for the Republican Party. They also backed opposing GOP rivals in primaries in Arizona and Georgia — swing states that like Wisconsin are expected to be critical in the 2024 presidential race, when both men could be on the ballot.
The primary comes a day after FBI agents searched Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate as part of an investigation into whether he took classified records from the White House to his Florida residence, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.
Trump also has backed a little-known challenger to the state’s most powerful Republican, state Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who has rejected the former president’s pressure to decertify the 2020 results.
Tuesday’s outcomes have far-reaching consequences beyond Wisconsin, a state that is almost evenly split between Republicans and Democrats and where 2022 will be seen as a bellwether for the 2024 presidential race. The person elected governor this fall will be in office for the presidential election and will be able to sign or veto changes to election laws passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature. The next governor and U.S. senator also may sway decisions on issues from abortion to education and taxes.
“We’re a 50-50 state and so every race in Wisconsin, just by definition, is going to be decided by a few percentage points one way or another,” said former Gov. Jim Doyle, a Democrat. “And those few percentage points in Wisconsin may well determine what the course of the nation is in the coming years.”
Elsewhere Tuesday, another Trump-backed candidate won Connecticut’s GOP primary to face two-term Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal. Republican National Committee member Leora Levy, whom Trump endorsed last week, defeated former state House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, who had support from the state party. Voters in Vermont — the only state to never have a woman in its congressional delegation — chose a woman, Becca Balint, as the Democratic nominee for the state’s lone House seat. She is favored in the race to replace Rep. Peter Welch, who won the Democratic nomination for the Senate seat long held by Patrick Leahy, who is retiring. And Minnesota Republicans chose Dr. Scott Jensen, a COVID-19 vaccine skeptic endorsed by the state GOP, to face Gov. Tim Walz.
But the most-watched races are in Wisconsin, where Trump has kept up his pressure campaign to cancel President Joe Biden’s 2020 victory. Biden won by nearly 21,000 votes, four years after Trump also narrowly won the state by roughly the same margin. The 2020 outcome has been upheld in two partial recounts, a nonpartisan audit, a review by a conservative law firm and multiple lawsuits.
Both Michels and Kleefisch have said overturning the 2020 election results is not a priority. But they have said they would dismantle the bipartisan commission that runs Wisconsin elections and would support prohibitions on voters having someone else turn in their absentee ballots, as well as ballot drop boxes located anywhere other than staffed clerk offices.
Evers has made voting and elections a focus of his own campaign, telling voters he’s the only candidate who will defend democracy and “we are that close to not having our vote count in the state of Wisconsin.”
Kleefisch is a former TV reporter who served with Walker for two terms, including when he effectively ended collective bargaining for most public employees in the state in 2011, drawing huge protests and a failed recall attempt. She says she is the best prepared to win statewide in November and to enact conservative priorities, including investing more in police, expanding school choice programs and implementing a flat income tax.
During a campaign stop with Kleefisch last week, Pence said no other gubernatorial candidate in the U.S. is “more capable, more experienced, or a more proven conservative.”
Michels is co-owner of Wisconsin’s largest construction company and has touted his work to build his family’s business. He lost the 2004 Senate race to Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold, and has been a major donor to GOP politicians.
At a rally on Friday, Trump praised Michels as an “incredible success story.” He criticized Kleefisch as part of the “failed establishment” and also took aim at Vos. He told supporters that Michels will win the primary “easily” and that he’s the better choice to defeat Evers.
Michels pledged that “we are going to have election integrity here in Wisconsin.” He also said he will bring “law and order” back to Wisconsin, criticized Evers’ handling of schools and blamed Biden for rising prices.
Voter Gary Steinbrecher, 62, said he cast his ballot Tuesday for Kleefisch because she opposes abortion and has “been around for a long time.” He also thinks she has the best chance of defeating Evers.
“I think she would appeal to the suburban women voters more than the other candidates,” said Steinbrecher, who is semi-retired.
Franklin Szpot, 42, voted for Michels. He said he appreciated that Michels is a business owner and that he served in the U.S. Army. Szpot also liked the candidate’s “to the point” commercials.
“It just seems like he is a no-nonsense kind of guy and that’s the kind of person we need in office right now,” he said.
GOP state Rep. Tim Ramthun is also making a long-shot bid for governor, and has made rescinding Wisconsin’s 10 electoral votes for Biden the centerpiece of his campaign.
The candidate Trump endorsed to take on Vos, Adam Steen, has said he would decertify Biden’s victory.
___
Burnett reported from Chicago. Reporter Gretchen Ehlke contributed from Thiensville, Wis.
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rewrite this content material with complete duration and stay HTML tags Vikings common supervisor Kwesi Adofo-Mensah known as a Justin Jefferson contract extension a excessive precedence right through his NFL Combine press convention on the finish of February. With the Vikings finishing the signing in their draft elegance, a brand new deal for Jefferson will have to transfer to the top of Minnesota’s to-do record.Jefferson is scheduled to make an absolutely assured $2,399,473 in 2023 on a $4,175,438 wage cap quantity. His 2024 wage is $19.473 million since the Vikings picked up his totally assured fifth-year possibility. Nobody has ever had a extra productive begin to an NFL occupation at huge receiver than Jefferson as 2020’s twenty second general select has 324 receptions for 4,825 yards and 25 touchdowns right through his first 3 seasons. Jefferson’s 128 catches and 1,809 receiving yards now not simplest led the NFL ultimate season however are the 7th and 6th perfect single-season totals in league historical past. He was once named 2022’s NFL Offensive Player of the Year and earned All-Pro honors for a 3rd immediately 12 months (2d staff in 2020 and 2021) on account of his efforts. His 96.5 receiving yards according to sport are essentially the most in NFL historical past.Jefferson hasn’t been collaborating within the Vikings’ voluntary offseason exercises. Missing the two-day obligatory minicamp to be hung on June 13-14 would matter Jefferson to a $49,379 fantastic. Ideally, the Vikings will succeed in an settlement with Jefferson sooner than the necessary minicamp. There are more than one components that might complicate a deal.Wide receiver marketplaceJefferson’s efficiency warrants him changing into a minimum of the NFL’s highest-paid huge receiver. Tyreek Hill set the huge receiver marketplace. He signed a four-year, $120 million contract extension, averaging $30 million according to 12 months, in March 2022 as part of his commerce from the Chiefs to the Dolphins. The extension has $72.2 million in promises the place $52.535 million was once totally assured at signing. Realistically, Hill has a three-year extension for $75 million on account of $45 million in 2026, the overall contract 12 months. Davante Adams is subsequent at $28 million according to 12 months. He won a five-year, $140 million contract from the Raiders additionally in March 2022 when he was once traded by way of the Packers after being designated as a franchise participant. There are $65.67 million in promises, of which $42.75 million was once totally assured at signing within the deal. The most worth of Adams’ contract is $141.25 million on account of an annual $250,000 Pro Bowl incentive. In reality, Adams has $67.5 million for 3 years as a result of there is $72.5 million over the past two years. Odds are he is not going to play 2025 and 2026 for $36.25 million every when he is 32 and 33 years outdated.The Vikings may just declare that Cooper Kupp is truly the league’s highest-paid huge receiver since the Hill and Adams offers are deceptive because of artificially inflated salaries behind their offers in particular incorporated for beauty functions. Kupp signed a three-year, $80.35 million extension with the Rams, averaging $26,783,333 according to 12 months ultimate June. The deal has a large receiver document $75 million in promises, of which $35 million was once totally assured at signing. Wide receivers as NFL’s absolute best paid non-quarterbacksJefferson can be justified in atmosphere his points of interest on changing into the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback. The present benchmark is Rams inner defensive lineman Aaron Donald. The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year signed a three-year, $95 million contract, averaging $31,666,667 according to 12 months, ultimate June. Donald’s deal is exclusive as a result of $40 million was once added to his present deal with out the Rams getting any new contract years in go back.There is precedent for a large receiver being the league’s highest-paid non-quarterback. It has took place 4 instances for the reason that 2011 NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement was once ratified. The seven-year, $113 million extension, averaging $16,142,857 according to 12 months, Larry Fitzgerald won from the Cardinals in 2011 in a while after the lockout ended put him on the top of the non-quarterback wage hierarchy. Less than a 12 months later, Calvin Johnson surpassed Fitzgerald when he signed a seven-year, $113.45 million extension with the Lions in 2012, averaging $16,207,143 according to 12 months. Hopkins eclipsed Chargers edge rusher Joey Bosa’s $27 million according to 12 months when he signed a two-year, $54.5 million extension, averaging $27.25 million according to 12 months, with the Cardinals proper sooner than the beginning of the 2020 common season, even supposing he had 3 years left on his present contract. Negotiations are about how a lot new cash and what number of new contract years are being added when a participant has contract years closing. Outside of Donald’s case, negotiations when there are present years are not working as if offers are being ripped up like a participant wasn’t already beneath contract.Hill had the consideration of being the NFL’s first $30 million-per-year non-quarterback along with his Dolphins contract. The Vikings may beg to fluctuate on account of Hill’s unrealistic wage in his ultimate 12 months inflating the price of his deal.Potential structural problemsContract construction may well be the largest sticking level with a Jefferson deal since the Vikings’ conventions with wage promises are fairly other than how maximum groups function. All of Minnesota’s profitable veteran contracts signed lately, except for quarterback Kirk Cousins, had been structured the place the one cash totally assured at signing is composed of the first-year base-salary ensure and a signing bonus. The signing bonuses had been somewhat modest. The three-year contract Cousins signed in 2018 to sign up for the Vikings as an unrestricted unfastened agent was once totally assured. Cousins’ next extensions have had the second one 12 months totally assured at signing. Any third-year ensure has been for harm upon signing the place the conversion to being totally assured comes a 12 months early (i.e.; Cousins’ harm assured 2022 base wage was once totally assured in 2021). These mechanisms are commonplace across the NFL with high-end contracts.For each different Vikings participant, base-salary promises after the 1st contract 12 months had been for harm simplest first of all at signing and in most cases turn into totally assured at the 1/3 day of the league 12 months in every explicit 12 months (i.e.; an harm assured 2025 base wage is totally assured in March 2025). The Seahawks are one of the most few groups that do not totally ensure the second one 12 months at signing with veteran contracts. A trade-off has been Seattle giving massive signing bonuses. For instance, DK Metcalf’s $30 million signing bonus was once the largest ever for a large receiver when the Seahawks signed him to a three-year, $72 million extension, averaging $24 million according to 12 months, ultimate July. Any new deal Jefferson indicators will have to set a brand new same old for general promises with huge receiver contracts that eclipses Kupp’s $75 million. This manner there will have to be promises into Jefferson’s fourth contract 12 months or 2d new-year contract, which might be 2026. It might require now not just a document signing bonus for a large receiver however with non-quarterbacks as smartly for Jefferson to just accept a deal the place an harm ensure in 2026 would convert to being totally assured in March 2026 at the 1/3 day of the 2026 league 12 months as an alternative of in March 2025 at the 1/3 day of the 2025 league 12 months. The $40 million signing bonus Donald were given in his 2018 extension is essentially the most ever for a non-quarterback.Contract durationJefferson will have to glance to restrict the duration of the extension to 3 years according to contemporary developments with huge receiver contracts. A deal the place Jefferson gave up 3 new years would put him beneath contract thru 2027. Three-year offers or three-year extensions have been the commonest duration in ultimate 12 months’s explosion of the huge receiver marketplace the place 11 gamers signed contracts, averaging $20 million according to 12 months or extra. Seven gamers (Chris Godwin, Kupp, Terry McLaurin, Metcalf, D.J. Moore, Deebo Samuel and Mike Williams) gave up 3 new years of their offers. Five of the 11 huge receivers signed extensions of rookie contracts. Four of the 5 (McLaurin, Metcalf, Moore and Samuel) won three-year extensions. A.J. Brown was once the lone exception. He signed a four-year, $100 million extension, averaging $25 million according to with 12 months, in connection along with his commerce from the Titans to the Eagles right through the 1st spherical of the 2022 NFL Draft.Randy Moss remedyJefferson is not the one Vikings huge receiver decided on within the first spherical to have a prolific begin to an NFL occupation. Randy Moss, who slipped to the twenty first select within the 1998 draft, had 226 receptions for 4,163 yards and 43 receiving touchdowns in 48 video games right through his first 3 seasons. His yards and landing catches nonetheless rank 2d and primary all time after 3 seasons. The Vikings rewarded Moss with a seven-year extension, averaging $9.3 million… | https://blackchronicle.com/agents-take-can-vikings-justin-jefferson-top-rams-aaron-donald-as-nfls-highest-paid-non-quarterback/ | 2023-06-08 11:18:13 | 0 | https://blackchronicle.com/agents-take-can-vikings-justin-jefferson-top-rams-aaron-donald-as-nfls-highest-paid-non-quarterback/ |
NEW YORK, July 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Weiss Law is investigating possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law by the board of directors of VAALCO Energy, Inc. ("VAALCO" or the "Company") (NYSE: EGY), in connection with the Company's proposed acquisition of TransGlobe Energy Corporation ("TransGlobe") (NASDAQ: TGA). Under the merger agreement, the Company will acquire each TransGlobe share for 0.6727 of a VAALCO common share, leaving VAALCO shareholders owning approximately 54.5% and TransGlobe shareholders owning approximately 45.5% of the combined company upon closing of the transaction. The stock-for stock transaction is valued at approximately $307 million.
If you own VAALCO shares and wish to discuss this investigation or have any questions concerning this notice or your rights or interests, visit our website:
https://www.weisslaw.co/news-and-cases/egy
Or please contact:
Joshua Rubin, Esq.
Weiss Law
305 Broadway, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10007
(212) 682-3025
(888) 593-4771
stockinfo@weisslawllp.com
Weiss Law is investigating whether (i) VAALCO's board of directors acted in the best interests of Company shareholders in agreeing to the proposed transaction, (ii) the per-share merger consideration and percentage of ownership is fair to VAALCO's shareholders, and (iii) all information regarding the sales process and valuation of the transaction will be fully and fairly disclosed.
Weiss Law has litigated hundreds of stockholder class and derivative actions for violations of corporate and fiduciary duties. We have recovered over a billion dollars for defrauded clients and obtained important corporate governance relief in many of these cases. If you have information or would like legal advice concerning possible corporate wrongdoing (including insider trading, waste of corporate assets, accounting fraud, or materially misleading information), consumer fraud (including false advertising, defective products, or other deceptive business practices), or anti-trust violations, please email us at stockinfo@weisslawllp.com
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Heat vs. Hawks Injury Report Today - March 6
Ahead of a matchup with the Atlanta Hawks (32-32), the Miami Heat (34-31) will be keeping their eye on three players on the injury report. The game starts at 7:30 PM ET on Monday, March 6 at FTX Arena.
These squads match up for the second straight game after the Heat took down the Hawks 117-109 on Saturday. Bam Adebayo led the Heat to the victory with a team-high 30 points. Saddiq Bey scored 22 points in the Hawks' loss.
Miami Heat Injury Report Today
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Atlanta Hawks Injury Report Today
Hawks Injuries: Trae Young: Questionable (Groin)
Heat vs. Hawks Game Info
- When: Monday, March 6, 2023 at 7:30 PM ET
- Where: FTX Arena in Miami, Florida
- TV: NBA TV, BSSUN, and BSSE
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Heat Season Insights
- The Heat record 108.1 points per game, 8.8 fewer points than the 116.9 the Hawks give up.
- Miami has a 7-4 record when scoring more than 116.9 points.
- On offense, the Heat have had a tough time putting the ball in the basket over their last 10 games, scoring 105.3 points per contest over that span compared to the 108.1 they've racked up over the course of this year.
- Miami makes 11.6 three-pointers per game (17th in the league), 1.5 fewer than its opponents (13.1). It is shooting 33.4% from beyond the arc (28th in the NBA) while allowing opponents to shoot 36.8%.
- The Heat average 108.6 points per 100 possessions on offense (27th in the league), and give up 109.3 points per 100 possessions (fourth in the NBA).
Heat vs. Hawks Betting Info
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US forest issues kill order for feral cows in New Mexico
By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN
Associated Press
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A helicopter with a shooter will fly over a portion of the vast Gila Wilderness in southwestern New Mexico next week, searching for feral cows to kill.
U.S. Forest Service managers approved the plan Thursday to protect sensitive spots in the nation’s first designated wilderness area. The move sets the stage for legal challenges over how to handle unbranded livestock and other stray cows as drought deepens in the West.
The Gila National Forest issued the decision amid pressure from environmental groups who raised concerns about nearly 150 cattle whose hooves and mouths are damaging streams and rivers. Ranchers, meanwhile, have criticized the plan to shoot cows from a helicopter as animal cruelty. They said the action violates federal regulations and will be problematic when carcasses are left to rot.
A section of the Gila Wilderness will be closed to the public starting Monday. A helicopter will launch Thursday, with shooters spending four days looking for feral cattle in rugged areas that include the Gila River.
Forest Supervisor Camille Howes said the decision was difficult but necessary.
“The feral cattle in the Gila Wilderness have been aggressive towards wilderness visitors, graze year-round, and trample stream banks and springs, causing erosion and sedimentation,” she said in a statement.
Ranching industry groups and other rural advocates are concerned that the action taken in New Mexico could set a precedent as more grazing parcels become vacant across the West.
Ranchers say fewer people are maintaining fences and gone are the rural neighbors who used to help corral wayward cows. Some have left the business because of worsening drought, making water scarce for cattle, and skyrocketing costs for feed and other supplies.
The New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association estimates roughly 90 grazing parcels are vacant in New Mexico and Arizona. Increased use of public lands — including hunting and hiking — also has resulted in knocked-down fences, the association said. Elk, too, are to blame for damaging fences meant to keep cows in check.
Tom Paterson, chair of the association’s wildlife committee, said the group has tried to find a solution that wouldn’t involve shooting feral cattle. He pointed to a recent directive issued by the New Mexico Livestock Board that allows neighboring permittees to gather and herd the cattle out.
With snow on the ground, access is limited. Paterson said federal official are not giving enough time to see if the directive will work. His organization also has accused the U.S. Forest Service of skirting its own regulations that call for a roundup first, and shooting as the last resort.
“Easy is not an exception to their own rules. Frustration is not an exception to the rules,” he said. “Our society should be better than this. We can be more creative and do it a better way where you’re not wasting an economic resource.”
Environmentalists in dozens of lawsuits filed in courts around the West over the years have argued that cattle ruin the land and water by trampling stream banks. They applauded the Forest Service’s decision.
“We can expect immediate results — clean water, a healthy river and restored wildlife habitat,” said Todd Schulke, co-founder of the Center for Biological Diversity.
The position marks a shift from the environmental community’s stance on shooting other wildlife — from a fight over protecting bison at the Grand Canyon to annual complaints about the actions of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services, an agency often vilified for killing birds, coyotes, wolves, mountain lions and other animals.
Just last month, environmentalists sued in Montana over a program aimed at managing grizzly bears. In 2021, conservation groups settled another lawsuit over Wildlife Services’ practices in Idaho. Environmental groups there and elsewhere have long claimed that the agency’s predator-control activities violate environmental laws.
But in New Mexico, the Center for Biological Diversity contends that water quality issues will only worsen if feral cattle aren’t removed. The group estimates that 50 to 150 cows graze, unauthorized, in the Gila Wilderness, a remote stretch that spans more than 870 square miles (2,253 square kilometers) and is home to endangered Mexican gray wolves, elk, deer and other wildlife.
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association had asked the Forest Service to hold off on lethal action for a year after the New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association had reached an agreement with federal officials following last year’s operation. The New Mexico group is expected to challenge the latest decision.
According to the Forest Service, the feral cattle problem dates back a half-century, when a cattle operation went out of business and subsequent grazing permits were suspended. Hundreds of unauthorized cattle have been removed over the years.
In 2022, a Forest Service contractor killed 65 cows in an aerial gunning operation similar to the one planned for next week.
Photos shared by ranchers of the 2022 operation showed dead cattle upside down in the Gila River. Federal officials said those carcasses were pulled out of the water. A survey done 90 days later found that no carcasses remained. Scavenging birds and other animals consumed them, officials said.
The upcoming operation will cover about 160 square miles (414 square kilometers).
No carcasses are to be left in or adjacent to waterways or springs — or near designated hiking trails or known, culturally sensitive areas.
The work, namely noise from the helicopter, also can’t interrupt the breeding season for the Mexican spotted owl, the southwestern willow flycatcher and other endangered species. The aerial gunning operation is expected to be complete before April, when the season begins for Mexican gray wolves to have pups.
Environmentalists used to point to the removal of livestock carcasses as a preventative measure to limit conflict between wolves and ranchers. However, federal officials stated in documents that were released this week that there’s no scientific research or observational data to suggest that once wolves scavenge on a livestock carcass, they become habituated to cattle. | https://localnews8.com/news/ap-national-business/2023/02/16/us-forest-issues-kill-order-for-feral-cows-in-new-mexico/ | 2023-02-17 01:56:53 | 0 | https://localnews8.com/news/ap-national-business/2023/02/16/us-forest-issues-kill-order-for-feral-cows-in-new-mexico/ |
Arizona is limiting development in the Phoenix metro area due to a lack of groundwater. But the development party isn't over.
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LONDON, June 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- RegTech Associates, a research firm specialising in the RegTech and RiskTech markets, today announces the launch of its Expert Network to deepen its expertise and further strengthen the services it offers to its many clients.
The Network brings together nine industry heavy hitters from several domains including financial crime, conduct risk, cyber, operational risk, blockchain and financial market infrastructures who will be on hand to provide input and advice to the RegTech Associates team.
RegTech Associates is the premium worldwide brand conducting research into the RiskTech and RegTech markets. The firm works with a wide range of technology providers, government bodies and regulators to provide research-led strategic advice on topics as varied as RegTech adoption, European market entry for Cyber scale ups and ESG regulatory and technology advice for financial institutions.
The Expert Network comprises the following people who are all leading authorities in their respective field:
- Mark Cooke, Advisor to FinTech & Academia and Principal of Mores Risk Advisory
- David Cowland, Head of Technology Services at Eliga Services
- Gareth Evans, Founder, Digital Risk Advisors
- Marc Fungard, Senior Managing Directors, Technical Services at K2 Integrity
- Victoria Lemieux, Professor of Archival Science at the University of British Columbia's School of Information
- Marta Lia Requeijo, Experienced Financial Crime Professional
- Emma Parry, Senior Advisor on Conduct Risk and Culture, RegTech and FinTech
- Prof Cameron Rogers, Head of Cyber and Information Security at BAE-Systems Air
- Lilia Tira, Senior Consultant in Strategic Business Development
Jason Boud, Co-Founder and CEO of RegTech Associates explains why they are launching the Expert Network:
"As the RegTech and RiskTech markets continue to expand and mature, we are dedicated to ensuring we maintain our track record in providing deep subject matter expertise and evidence-based advice to our growing roster of global clients. This group of experts, all of whom are well-renowned in their own fields, now enables us to provide an unparalleled breadth and depth of knowledge and insight."
Explaining why he was keen to join the Expert Network, David Cowland says;
"RegTech Associates has the broadest view of the RegTech market that I have seen. As an advisor in this space, it seemed a natural fit to join up our knowledge, skills and experience. The Expert Network will complement RegTech Associates' strategy in the marketplace with individuals who have expertise across their taxonomy of RegTech companies"
Contacts
Jason Boud, CEO at jason.boud@rtassociates.co
Tel. 0333 090 7640
About RegTech Associates
RegTech Associates is a research company using its analysis to provide strategic insight and advice to clients. RegTech Associates brings all sides of the market together to help RegTech and RiskTech vendors grow and regulated firms manage compliance more effectively. Founded in 2017, RegTech Associates is a privately held company based in London.
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/leading-research-firm-regtech-associates-launch-industry-expert-network-301572041.html
SOURCE RegTech Associates Limited | https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_technology/leading-research-firm-regtech-associates-launch-industry-expert-network/article_d7a79128-2eef-5796-9a75-baca025b6b6e.html | 2022-06-23 11:41:58 | 0 | https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_technology/leading-research-firm-regtech-associates-launch-industry-expert-network/article_d7a79128-2eef-5796-9a75-baca025b6b6e.html |
Spyder, Inc's new CTO Mike Upright promises to bring transformative change to the insurance and wealth management industry!
FORT SCOTT, Kan., April 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Effective April 1, Mike Upright has joined Spyder, Inc., a Saas software company based in Fort Scott, Kansas. Previously, Mike was the technology leader for an insurance-based disability claim company serving veterans. Mike's guidance and leadership made it possible for his previous firm to launch a successful IPO. Mike is an accomplished Information Technology Leader delivering years of experience, expertise, and achievements in driving innovation, change, organizational transformation, and technology strategy. Mike brings experience and expertise with specific focus on leadership of technology innovation while driving business transformation, building high performing teams, processes and relationships that are instrumental in driving revenue results and generating new innovations.
"For a tech company like Spyder, Inc, the position of CTO is a vital and important one" says Spyder CEO Nedra Barr. "With technology and business transforming every day, sometimes at lightning speed, technology officers are expected to develop and implement ingenious strategies on time and on budget. Consequently, aligning these plans with organizational goals is what a technology leader does best. We are excited to have such a strong dynamic technology leader in Mike. Mike's expertise and leadership will be key to our success."
Mike has already begun the process of designing a product roadmap for Spyder's multi cloud document storage solution with the important features to be released over the next 90 days. "It's exciting to work on such a transformative solution as Spyder Storage" says Mike Upright. "Soon everyone will learn about why Spyder Storage is the storage solution for today and the future! The fact that every client gets a primary and a secondary backed up cloud of all of their documents is amazing and highly needed in the age of ransom and cyber-attacks. Security is at the forefront of everything we create at Spyder. Every one of us has lost important documents in our pasts. Spyder Storage is in the cloud, and with a secondary backed up cloud, you won't lose access to your important documents again. What a big relief for businesses. With the average cost of a ransom attack being $4M per IBM, we want to make certain we are helping protect companies' important documents."
Mike lives in sunny St Augustine, Florida. The oldest established city in the United States. Mike has a wife Carrie, three adult children and one granddaughter.
About Spyder
Spyder is a fast-moving, forward thinking, Saas software company providing enterprise solutions designed to solve security and compliance concerns. Our initial target markets are insurance and financial services. Spyder offers a cyber computer/device protection solution for field forces and a multi cloud document storage solution that is 17a4, HIPAA, and GDPR compliant. This solution provides clients ransom protections and backed up clouds. Spyder never wants their clients to lose their important documents. Based in Fort Scott, Kansas Spyder is a mission-driven firm that believes in bringing new technology jobs to support the revitalization of rural southeast Kansas. Please visit us at www.spyderloop.com
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SOURCE Spyder, Inc. | https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_stocks/spyder-inc-announces-new-cto/article_dcfbbd51-933f-5c2d-b8e1-b9e5522377ec.html | 2022-04-20 13:35:54 | 1 | https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_stocks/spyder-inc-announces-new-cto/article_dcfbbd51-933f-5c2d-b8e1-b9e5522377ec.html |
BANGKOK, Oct. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- From October 27 to 28 this year, the 8th Ultra-Broadband Forum (UBBF) co-hosted by the UN Broadband Commission and Huawei will be held in Bangkok, Thailand. This forum will bring together global leading operators, industry leaders, regulators, standards organizations, industry alliances, and more, and focus on the theme of "Stride to Ultra-Broadband 5.5G". It will thoroughly analyze the business opportunities that ultra-broadband networks bring to the digital development of homes and industries, and explore the evolution and innovation development directions of the fixed network industry for the next 5 to 10 years.
New Milestones in the Ultra-Broadband Industry
Currently, major 5G deployments can be seen in all industries, and applications such as smart home, smart campus, and smart factory are profoundly changing people's work and life. As the most important digital infrastructure, ultra-broadband connections are vital to the digital development of homes and industries. Moreover, industries are now moving from 5G to 5.5G, and new digital applications have surging demands on connectivity, such as ubiquitous ultra-broadband, multiple clouds and diversified computing power, and high quality, driving home and enterprise connections to the 10G era. To achieve ultra-broadband 5.5G, network capabilities will be upgraded from carrier grade to industrial grade, more enterprises will move to the cloud and intelligently connect to multiple clouds, and service boundaries will extend beyond connectivity to sensing. The ultra-broadband 5.5G will achieve new milestones of the ultra-broadband industry, create business opportunities, and accelerate the journey to an intelligent world.
At UBBF 2022, Huawei will work with global industry partners to define the generations of the fixed network industry, analyze the DNA of business success, and boost further industry development.
Industry Leaders Gather for In-Depth Discussions on Ultra-Broadband 5.5G
During the two-day forum, more than 30 industry leaders from standards organizations, regulators, analyst organizations, and leading operators will gather in Bangkok, Thailand to delve deep into the development and business practices of the ultra-broadband industry.
During two keynote speeches, focusing on industry and business respectively, as well as three industry summits, all participants will come together to discuss and define the evolution directions and key technical standards of F5.5G and Net5.5G, and share insights into the huge market space and success stories brought by home and industry digitalization. They will also talk about the latest industry viewpoints, such as Green All-Optical Network, Intelligent Cloud-Network, and autonomous driving network (ADN). And that's not all: five industry white papers will also be released to offer in-depth insights into the industry trends and strategic development directions of the ultra-broadband industry over the next 5 to 10 years.
Experience First-Hand the Latest Solutions and Successful Business Practices
UBBF 2022 will have three exhibition areas in the digital exhibition hall covering over 1000 m2 — Solution Exhibition Hall, Future Zone, and Ecosystem Zone — to present the latest technological innovations and solutions to participants, covering FTTR all-optical home, slice-based industry private line, best-experience 5.5G integrated IP bearer network, 400G, next-generation GPON evolution direction 50G PON, and L3 ADN. In addition, these exhibition areas demonstrate operators' successful practices in multi-cloud connection, gigabit broadband, industrial Internet, and fast network construction for homes and enterprises, as well as systematically present the latest development trend, standards, and progress of the industry.
At this year's UBBF, Huawei will work with leading operators in Thailand to share success cases in the actual deployment of all-optical networks and Intelligent Cloud-Network 2.0. Participants can experience the latest and real FTTR all-optical home, OTN premium private line, Cloud-Network Express, Qiankun Cloud-Network Express, and all-wireless campus office services onsite.
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SOURCE Huawei | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/10/21/upcoming-ubbf-2022-set-delve-into-evolution-ultra-broadband-55g/ | 2022-10-21 08:40:34 | 1 | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/10/21/upcoming-ubbf-2022-set-delve-into-evolution-ultra-broadband-55g/ |
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Texas Tech named second-year assistant Corey Williams as its interim coach Monday night for the Big 12 tournament as the school continues its investigation of suspended coach Mark Adams.
Athletic director Kirby Hocutt said he was doing a more thorough inquiry into Adams' interactions with his players and staff after the coach's suspension for what the school said was the “use of an inappropriate, unacceptable, and racially insensitive comment” when addressing a player last week.
Adams was suspended Sunday. He had coached the regular season-ending 71-68 loss to Oklahoma State at home Saturday, a day after Hocutt was made aware of the incident. Hocutt initially gave Adams a written reprimand and allowed him to continue coaching.
The Red Raiders (16-15, 5-13 Big 12) went to the NCAA Sweet 16 last season, Adams' first as coach of his alma mater. They are the No. 9 seed in the Big 12 tournament and play West Virginia on Wednesday in Kansas City, Missouri.
Williams was head coach at Stetson for six seasons, and then an assistant for two seasons at Arkansas before joining the Tech staff. He was 58-133 as the Hatters' head coach.
The 66-year-old Adams was on Chris Beard's staff over a five-season span when the Red Raiders made the national championship game in 2019, a year after getting to the NCAA Elite Eight.
Adams became the head coach when Beard left to coach Texas, his alma mater. Beard was fired this season by the Longhorns after he was charged in a felony domestic violence case; prosecutors later dropped the charge.
___
AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 | https://www.ourmidland.com/sports/article/texas-tech-names-interim-coach-for-b12-with-adams-17823694.php | 2023-03-07 03:13:38 | 0 | https://www.ourmidland.com/sports/article/texas-tech-names-interim-coach-for-b12-with-adams-17823694.php |
HERZLIYA, Israel, April 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nayax Ltd. (TASE: NYAX), a global commerce enablement and payments platform designed to help merchants scale their business, today announced that Yair Nechmad, co-founder and chief executive officer and Sagit Manor, chief financial officer, will virtually participate in a moderated discussion hosted by Canaccord Genuity on April 26, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. ET.
A live webcast and archive of the webcast will be available by using this link below: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2332/45265
About Nayax
Nayax is a global commerce enablement and payments platform designed to help merchants scale their business. Nayax offers a complete solution including localized cashless payment acceptance, management suite, and consumer engagement tools, enabling merchants to conduct commerce anywhere, at any time. With foundations and global leadership in serving unattended retail, Nayax has transformed into a comprehensive solution focused on our customers' growth across multiple channels. Today, Nayax has 8 global offices, over 550 employees, connections to more than 80 merchant acquirers and payment method integrations and is a recognized payment facilitator worldwide. Nayax's mission is to improve our customers' revenue potential and operational efficiency. For more information, please visit www.nayax.com.
Forward-looking statements
The information included in this press release contains, or may be deemed to contain, forward-looking statements (as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and the Israeli Securities Law, 1968). Said forward-looking statements, are subject to uncertainties and assumptions and the actual results may materially differ. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Nayax on the date hereof. All written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to Nayax are expressly qualified in their entirety by the factors referred to above. Nayax does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.
Investor Relations Contact:
Virginea Stuart Gibson
ICR
Public Relations Contact:
Courtney Tolbert
5W PR
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SOURCE Nayax | https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_stocks/nayax-to-present-at-canaccord-genuity-investor-forum/article_e3735015-075b-5d71-87e9-15372dbe8268.html | 2022-04-18 14:12:26 | 1 | https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_stocks/nayax-to-present-at-canaccord-genuity-investor-forum/article_e3735015-075b-5d71-87e9-15372dbe8268.html |
SEATTLE — The new animated film “Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken” stars an actress who was born to dive into the role.
Lana Condor grew up on Whidbey Island and always dreamed about appearing in a DreamWorks movie. That she would do so as a Kraken is almost mythical, because her father is the Editor-in-Chief for Seattle’s NHL team.
The film follows Ruby, high school student living with with her family in a seaside town. Her typical teenage insecurities and feelings of inadequacy are heightened with she begins showing Kraken characteristics, like glowing and growing as big as buildings. The story of self-discovery teaches her to embrace her differences and turn them into her super powers.
Entertainment reporter Kim Holcomb talked to Condor about playing the role, and surprised her with a “fan question” from her dad.
HOLCOMB: "We had to start with a fan question for you… (plays video)”
BOB CONDOR: "Hey Lana, big fan. Love all your movies, TV shows and new podcast…"
CONDOR: "It's my dad! Oh, I'm gonna cry…"
BOB CONDOR: "I know you're partial to the Gillman family but besides those Kraken, can you tell us, who's your favorite Kraken player for Seattle? Love you!"
CONDOR: "Oh my God, that's my dad, how did you get that?”
HOLCOMB: “Because Seattle – and your dad loves you so he had to ask a question!”
CONDOR: “Yes. My God, that's amazing! When I got this movie, I was so excited to tell him – I was like, 'The Kraken is your life, now it's mine!’ My favorite Kraken player? I mean, I love Grubauer. I love our goalie, I think he's amazing. (laughs)"
HOLCOMB: "Obviously, you were going to play Ruby Gillman. Who else could have done it?”
CONDOR: “I genuinely – my dad is always so proud of me and always so supportive, but I will say with this film, I think he was maybe the most happy."
HOLCOMB: "If Ruby was coming to Seattle, where should she eat and what should she do?”
CONDOR: “Oh my gosh, I think she should go to Seattle Fish Guys or the fish monger in Pike Place Market, but Seattle Fish Guys, I love, and I think she should go to a hockey game. I mean, it's basically her team!"
HOLCOMB: “This is the first DreamWorks film with a female titular hero, and that’s you.”
CONDOR: “I know!”
HOLCOMB: “Were you thinking about this while you were recording?
CONDOR: "I didn't record it with that knowledge, and I think weirdly that helped me because I think had I known, I would have been like extra, extra nervous. Just in general, being able to work with (DreamWorks) is amazing. I never ever thought I would ever be in this position. So I'm really honored and it's got to be probably top 3 greatest things in my career that's happened. (laughter)"
HOLCOMB: "Best part about doing a role that's off camera? Did you wear sweats every day?”
CONDOR: “Sweats, duh! Sweats every day, you're not in hair and makeup, you can kind of roll in looking crazy."
“Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken” is rated PG and opens in theaters June 30.
KING 5's Evening celebrates the Northwest. Contact us: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Email. | https://www.king5.com/article/entertainment/television/programs/evening/lana-condor-whidbey-island-teenage-kraken-animated-film-interview-dreamworks/281-55a268ab-8984-4d84-8568-01021ff181c0 | 2023-06-28 04:01:42 | 1 | https://www.king5.com/article/entertainment/television/programs/evening/lana-condor-whidbey-island-teenage-kraken-animated-film-interview-dreamworks/281-55a268ab-8984-4d84-8568-01021ff181c0 |
Only users who pay a monthly fee for Twitter's subscription service will get to use text message authentication in order to keep their accounts secure, the social media company says.
Two-factor authentication is not required to be a user on Twitter, but it is a proven and easy way to help keep accounts secure. It makes it so if someone wants to hack into an account they'd have to have the password and access to the account owner's device.
Twitter Blue costs $11 a month on Android and iOS in the U.S. It's $8 a month for web users. Users have 30 days to sign up or they will see their SMS two-factor authentication (2FA) turned off automatically, the company said.
This announced change to the platform is just the latest in a series of decisions causing serious upheaval at the social media company following Elon Musk's takeover last year.
Twitter says the reason for this move is due to phone number-based two-factor authentication being "abused by bad actors." But the planned move has riled up many users, concerned about wider implications.
At least one user called the decision "vile" and "disgusting."
The company says "disabling text message 2FA does not automatically disassociate your phone number from your Twitter account," but others say it does put user security at risk.
Another user speculated that Twitter's latest move could "lead to class action suits when people get hacked and have damages."
Evan Greer, director of Fight for the Future, a nonprofit digital rights advocacy group, took to Twitter denouncing the move.
In an email to NPR, she called this decision another one of Musk's "chaotic moves." She has been critical of recent actions by Twitter following Musk's takeover of the company.
"Twitter users should never have been put in this situation. Making changes to something as sensitive as 2 factor authentication, which could mean the difference between someone's physical safety and a stalker, abuser or authoritarian government gaining access to their account, should never be made in such a reckless and poorly thought out manner," Greer said in her email to NPR.
The potential impact for users outside of the U.S.
There also seem to be broader implications for accounts in other parts of the world.
Gavan Reilly, a reporter in Ireland, tweeted that Twitter Blue isn't even available in his country yet, "so there is literally no option to maintain the current choice of security."
Twitter Blue only exists in the U.S, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the U.K., Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, India, Indonesia, and Brazil. The company says it plans to expand it.
Greer said limiting the ways a user can protect their accounts "is also a gift to authoritarian governments."
"Sure, it's nice to tell people to go use an authenticator app, but what if their government blocks that authenticator app, criminalizes its use, or gets it banned from the app store?," she noted.
And there are apps, like Duo, that won't work in certain countries if a user's IP address originates in a region sanctioned by the the U.S., including Cuba, Iran, Syria, and areas in Ukraine controlled by Russian forces.
Users should find alternatives to SMS authentication
Two-factor authentication is "one of the most basic forms of security many people use and have access to," Greer said.
It's considered "better than nothing," but she notes it's actually one of the least secure measures to use. That's "because of a relatively simple attack called a 'sim swap' that has become more and more common."
This is when "an attacker calls your cell phone company pretending to be you and convinces them to transfer your phone number to a new device, then sends the 2 factor authentication code" to themselves, she said.
It's generally recommended by digital security experts to switch over to an authenticator app instead of just relying on a phone number, Greer added.
"For readers looking to protect themselves: even if you do have Twitter Blue you should switch away from using SMS for 2 factor and start using an authenticator app," she said. "There are a number of reputable ones, and some password managers even have them included."
Still, Greer said making 2FA a "luxury feature" for certain subscribers is silly and potentially dangerous.
Greer worries for users who are not tech savvy.
"We know that most users simply stick with defaults or just don't take action if they're confused or unsure," she said. "In practice this could mean that millions of vulnerable Twitter users are suddenly booted off of 2 factor authentication and don't set it back up again."
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.kunm.org/npr-news/2023-02-18/twitter-will-limit-uses-of-sms-2-factor-authentication-what-does-this-mean-for-users | 2023-02-18 21:04:56 | 0 | https://www.kunm.org/npr-news/2023-02-18/twitter-will-limit-uses-of-sms-2-factor-authentication-what-does-this-mean-for-users |
Lancium Smart Response™ Technology Enables Facility to Provide Stability Services to the Power Grid
HOUSTON, Nov. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lancium, Inc., an energy technology and infrastructure company that advances the decarbonization and stability of the electric power grid, today announced the company's Fort Stockton, Texas Clean Campus has been qualified as a "Controllable Load Resource" (CLR) by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). As a CLR, large power users can reduce their energy costs by dynamically avoiding periods of high prices while simultaneously providing highly desired grid stability services.
"More extreme weather and increasing demand for power present new challenges for the electrical system. By using Lancium Smart Response™ we have uniquely proven that large power consumers can be transformed into a resource for power grid operators during times of stress," said Michael McNamara, co-founder and chief executive officer of Lancium. "Historically, only power generators could provide specific critical services to help balance the electric grid and ensure grid stability. We are excited that ERCOT has certified our Fort Stockton facility to provide these necessary and valuable resources to the power grid at scale."
A CLR is a designation by ERCOT. Entities in the CLR load category can provide grid stability services because of their unique ability to adjust power consumption, or "load," up or down within seconds as directed by ERCOT. CLRs must also be able to independently react to conditions on the power grid, such as the unexpected loss of generation capacity. To qualify as a CLR, an operator must meet stringent technical requirements and successfully demonstrate the ability to proportionally respond to the needs of the power grid, as opposed to simply shutting off. It is this flexibility that makes CLRs very unique and valuable.
During the summer of 2022, ERCOT experienced multiple days of record power demand. During that time, Lancium used its Lancium Smart Response™ software to dynamically adjust power usage at its Fort Stockton facility during peak periods. By doing so, Lancium avoided peak power prices and returned power to the grid when it was needed most.
"For large energy consumers, the ability to manage power consumption using Lancium Smart Response™ can be a competitive advantage," said Michael McNamara, CEO of Lancium. "Beyond the benefits to an individual business, as the energy transition continues, power grid operators will be increasingly challenged by the natural intermittency of renewable power generation. The ability to adjust power consumption within seconds based on economics, grid conditions or return power in an emergency is a real game changer."
Since 2017, Lancium has invested millions of dollars and tens of thousands of personnel hours in research and development efforts to improve the efficient operation and dispatchability of rampable datacenters. Lancium holds a number of patents for the technologies it has developed. As a result of these efforts, in June 2020, Lancium successfully qualified the first datacenter CLR in ERCOT's history.
Learn more about how miners can take control of their power costs and improve their facility's performance with Lancium.
Headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas, Lancium is dedicated to accelerating the energy transition through technologies and infrastructure designed to enable more clean energy production while also balancing and stabilizing the power grid. Lancium's Clean Campuses are designed to provide a low-cost, sustainable solution for large-scale, energy-intensive customers through our propriety Lancium Smart Response™ technology. For more information, visit www.lancium.com. Follow Lancium on social media: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube
Lancium contact:
andy.schonert@lancium.com
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SOURCE Lancium | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2022/11/02/lanciums-fort-stockton-facility-qualifies-ercot-controllable-load-resource/ | 2022-11-02 16:05:13 | 1 | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2022/11/02/lanciums-fort-stockton-facility-qualifies-ercot-controllable-load-resource/ |
LEXINGTON, Ky., May 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
- Quarterly net income was $41.5 million (diluted EPS of $0.92) and Adjusted EBITDA was $64.1 million for the first quarter of 2022. Quarterly net income and Adjusted EBITDA were 123% and 103% higher than our previous respective quarterly records. During the first quarter of 2022, due to rail service delays and disruptions the Company was unable to ship roughly 100,000 tons of contracted production and spot export shipments to customers, which then was added to inventory. This dynamic negatively impacted EPS by $0.38 and Adjusted EBITDA by $23.0 million1.
- As of May 9, the Company has total booked sales of roughly 2.4 million tons, with roughly 90% or 2.1 million tons of those sales booked at a fixed price and 300,000 tons sold for export at index-based prices which will be shipped throughout the balance of the year. Based on the midpoint of our cost guidance, we estimate that these 2.4 million tons of committed sales currently translate into estimated 2022 net income of roughly $235 million (EPS of over $5.00) and Adjusted EBITDA of $330 million2.
- Roughly 1 million tons remains open to be sold into export markets, which represents approximately 30% of our 2022 production guidance of up to 3.4 million tons (increased from 3.3 million tons previously) at the top end of the range. Our most recent realized margins on spot sales have been at roughly $275 per short ton FOB mine.
- As previously announced, the Company's Board of Directors ("Board") authorized an annual base dividend increase to $20 million from $10 million, resulting in an increase in the regular quarterly dividend to $5.0 million from $2.5 million. Our second quarter dividend will be paid on June 15, 2022, to shareholders of record on June 1, 2022 in the amount of approximately $0.1129 per share.
- Quarterly production of 666,000 tons came in slightly ahead of budget. The Company anticipates an increase in second quarter of 2022 results due to improving rail service. In addition, the Company expects second half of 2022 results to be stronger than the first half of 2022. This is on the back of production increases mainly at the Berwind Mining Complex, in-line with our previously announced growth strategy, as well as lower cash costs per ton due to the anticipated startup of our Berwind Preparation Plant this summer, as well as a meaningful reduction in coal royalty costs resulting from the Ramaco Coal acquisition.
- As previously announced, the Company has closed on the purchase of 100% of the equity interests of Ramaco Coal, LLC ("Ramaco Coal"). We anticipate this transaction will provide the immediate benefit of an accretive reduction in royalty cost. We project this on-going royalty savings will in essence pay for the entire acquisition in roughly 2.5 years, based on current spot prices, and will continue to provide an ongoing cost benefit for the projected 20-year life of the reserves.
Ramaco Resources, Inc. (NASDAQ: METC) ("Ramaco" or the "Company") today reported quarterly net income for the three months ended March 31, 2022 of $41.5 million, or $0.92 per diluted share. This was over 900% above net income of $4.1 million, or $0.10 per diluted share for the three months ended March 31, 2021.
The Company's adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, and equity-based compensation ("Adjusted EBITDA") for the three months ended March 31, 2022 was $64.1 million, 455% higher than $11.5 million of Adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended March 31, 2021. (See "Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measure" below.)
_______
1 Using spot pricing as of March 31, 2022 for the portion of future export sales.
2 Mine level, before corporate expenses, using index pricing as of May 9, 2022 for the portion of future export sales.
Key operational and financial metrics are presented below:
First Quarter 2022 Summary
In the following paragraphs, all references to "quarterly" periods or to "the quarter" refer to the first quarter of 2022, unless specified otherwise.
Year over Year Quarterly Comparison
Overall production in the quarter was 666,000 tons, up 15% from the same period of 2021. Elk Creek alone produced 503,000 tons. Production from the Berwind and Knox Creek Mining complex increased from 66,000 tons in 2021 to 163,000 tons this quarter. Overall total sales were 583,000 tons, up from 422,000 tons in the first quarter of 2021.
Cash margins on Company produced coal were $128 per ton during the quarter, up approximately 325% from the same period of 2021. Pricing was $234 per ton of Company produced coal sold during the quarter, which was 163% higher compared to the first quarter of 2021. Company produced cash mine costs during the first quarter of 2022 were $106 per ton. Quarterly cash mine costs per ton were 80% higher than for the same period of 2021, principally due to higher sales-related costs, as well as inflationary pressures on overall costs due to the robust metallurgical coal market environment. Cash mine costs at Elk Creek were $98 per ton during the quarter. Higher sales-related costs accounted for $17 per ton of the cost increase at Elk Creek compared to the first quarter of 2021. This accounted for 40% of the year over year increase, which should come down meaningfully going forward given the reduction in royalties from the Ramaco Coal acquisition. The other 60% of the increase was due to an increase in labor and other inflationary pressures such as higher supply costs, which are being seen industry wide.
We anticipate a meaningful decline in per ton costs in subsequent quarters due to much lower trucking costs at our Berwind Mine complex after the anticipated startup of our Berwind Preparation Plant this summer, as well as a material reduction in coal royalty costs from the recently closed Ramaco Coal acquisition and an increased cadence in production as greater levels of coal are mined in the second half of 2022.
Sequential Quarter Comparison
Total sales volume of 583,000 tons for the quarter was up 9% from the fourth quarter of 2021. During the first quarter of 2022, the Company built a meaningful 83,000 tons of inventory, due to rail service delays and disruptions, alongside having production of 666,000 tons come in slightly ahead of budget. In April, we began to observe an improvement in rail service, though rail shipments continue to remain below optimal levels. We remain hopeful about a return to normal in the second half of 2022, based on recent comments by our railroad partners related to an increase in capacity from manpower and equipment additions.
Cash margins on Company produced coal nearly doubled to $128 per ton during the quarter from $66 per ton in the fourth quarter of 2021, due to higher revenue per ton sold. As noted above, cash mine costs on Company produced coal were $106 per ton during the quarter compared to $77 per ton in the fourth quarter of 2021. The 38% sequential increase in cash mine costs during the quarter was more than offset by the 64% increase in revenue per ton during the quarter relative to the fourth quarter of 2021.
Additional Financial Results
As of March 31, 2022, the Company had record liquidity of $111.1 million, consisting of $71.5 million of cash on hand plus $39.6 million of availability under its revolving credit facility.
Quarterly capital expenditures totaled $19.7 million, an increase of 67% versus $11.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2021 (excluding the Amonate acquisition), principally due to the continued development of new mines and preparation plant renovation at the Berwind complex, as well as the ongoing plant expansion of the Elk Creek complex.
The Company's effective quarterly tax rate was 19.5%. For the first quarter 2022, we recognized an income tax expense of $10.7 million, as compared with income tax benefit of $0.2 million in the first quarter of 2021.
The following summarizes key sales, production and financial metrics for the periods noted:
Outlook and Comment
Randall Atkins, Ramaco Resources' Chairman and Chief Executive Officer commented, "The first quarter was our best financial performance by a wide margin on continued favorable market conditions and our growing production levels. Despite some logistical rail challenges, somewhat outside our ability to control, we managed to produce record results. Compared against our previous quarterly record metrics, net income was $41 million or almost 125% higher, Adjusted EBITDA was $64 million or 103% higher and Free Cash Flow3 was $44 million or almost 125% higher. We also managed to exceed both our internal production budget and achieve record gross margins. Importantly, we ended the quarter with record cash generation holding almost $72 million in cash and equivalents up $50 million from year-end.
Unfortunately, operationally during this quarter, because of rail delays we built far more inventory of coal (over 80,000 tons) than we had planned. Like many other producers in our industry, we could not control our rail logistics and received cars for only roughly 80% of our expected shipments. Had we been able to make timely shipments our first quarter earnings per share would have been $0.38 higher and Adjusted EBITDA would have increased by $23 million to almost $90 million4.
Looking ahead, we anticipate a record second quarter and an increased cadence in all key metrics in second half results. We have already committed sales for 2.4 million tons or almost 70% of our 2022 production at the high end of guidance. Of those sales 2.1 million tons or 90% has already priced or shipped. Using current market pricing for the remaining 300,000 tons, we have now booked roughly $235 million of 2022 net income and $330 million of 2022 Adjusted EBITDA53and over $5.00 of EPS5 committed.
Equally positive, we still have almost 30% of our production left to sell into export markets at currently record levels of pricing. We therefore are on track for a record 2022 on both earnings and cash generation. We expect to increase guided production from up to 3.4 million tons this year by over 20% to over 4 million tons in 2023 (up from our previous guidance of 3.7 million tons). At this point, 2023 also looks to be another record year, based on our production guidance and the current forward curve.
For the balance of this year, we have dual aims to increase both the cadence of production, while reducing costs. We anticipate higher earnings by next quarter from improving rail service, greater production and a decrease in overall costs…especially on royalties as a consequence of the Ramaco Coal acquisition. We project production increases mainly at Berwind, as well as lower cash costs there due to the anticipated startup of our Berwind Prep Plant this summer and reduction or elimination of more expensive trucking.
For some greater background on the Ramaco Coal acquisition, I would refer you to our inaugural Shareholder Letter included in the recent 2021 Annual Report. This letter articulates the cost savings, synergies, and transformational opportunities that this acquisition hopefully brings.
First, now owning the Ramaco Coal assets provides an immediate accretive royalty savings which should allow us to recoup the entire purchase cost in roughly 2.5 years, based on current spot pricing. Second, the acquisition also includes unique assets held by Ramaco Carbon, LLC. The Company hopes to profit from the ultimate commercialization of a wide body of intellectual property and licensing rights on technologies Ramaco Carbon has developed over the past eight years working alongside the Department of Energy's national labs in the field of advanced carbon products and materials. In addition, its permitted reserves in Wyoming hold promise for development as a potential rare earth deposit, which we are pursuing now through enhanced geological assessment.
Another recent event I want to highlight is the increase in the free float of our common stock to roughly now 50% from 34% at year-end 2021. In March, Energy Capital Partners, one of our two original private equity sponsors, distributed to their limited partners virtually all their almost 13% holdings of our common stock. Our other private equity sponsor Yorktown Energy has also made significant stock sales over the past year. Since we became public just over five years ago, we have received frequent investor comment that the amount of our stock publicly available to trade was constrained by the large majority institutional ownership of our private equity sponsors. I am pleased to note since these sales and distributions that our stock has now traded at almost a 1.3 million share average daily volume in the month of April. This confirms the thesis that with more share availability in our float that our stock would trade more widely.
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3 Free cash flow is a non-GAAP financial measure and is defined as Adjusted EBITDA minus purchases of property, plant, and equipment, which can be found on page 10.
4 Using index pricing as of March 31, 2022, for the portion of future export sales.
5 Mine level, before corporate expenses, using index pricing as of May 9, 2022 for the portion of future export sales.
Turning to our 2022 forward outlook, we are increasing our production guidance by 100,000 tons, to 3.4 million tons at the high end of the range, with virtually all of that increase coming in the second half of the year. Specifically, the Board recently approved the opening of the second section at our #2 Gas mine at Elk Creek. As a result, we are increasing our capital expenditure and SG&A guidance largely based on an acceleration of our budgeted production growth in order to take advantage of today's strong met coal pricing market. In fact, while immediate met coal spot prices are currently down from the peak, today's forward curve is now up roughly $70 per ton over the past month to almost $400 per ton in the fourth quarter of 2022.
Also, despite the issues we faced in the first quarter, I am pleased that we are maintaining our full-year 2022 cost guidance in the $82-90 per ton range. Highlighting another benefit of the Ramaco Coal acquisition, given higher than anticipated inflationary headwinds, as well as stronger pricing, we would not have been able to maintain this cost guidance were it not for the material reduction in coal royalty costs we will see from this month of May onward.
Lastly, in terms of our capital return program, the second quarter dividend of $5 million will be paid on June 15, 2022, to shareholders of record on June 1, 2022. As I mentioned, we generated record free cash flow in the first quarter and anticipate increasing our cash position meaningfully especially in the second half as the year progresses. This should set the table for discussion of additional future capital return plans later in the year. While we will always try to maintain the discipline of a conservative balance sheet, we look forward to further forms of returning meaningful cash to our shareholders as we continue to grow."
About Ramaco Resources, Inc.
Ramaco Resources, Inc. is an operator and developer of high-quality, low-cost metallurgical coal in southern West Virginia, southwestern Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania. Its executive offices are in Lexington, Kentucky, with operational offices in Charleston, West Virginia and Sheridan, Wyoming. The Company currently has three active mining complexes in Central Appalachia and one mine in development in Wyoming. Near Sheridan, Wyoming the Company owns a roughly 500-million-ton resource and reserve, as well as a permitted mine. Contiguous to the mine it operates a research and pilot facility related to the production of advanced carbon products and materials from coal. In connection with these activities, it holds a body of roughly 40 intellectual property patents, pending applications, exclusive licensing agreements and various trademarks. News and additional information about Ramaco Resources, including filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, are available at http://www.ramacoresources.com. For more information, contact investor relations at (859) 244-7455.
Earnings Conference Call
Ramaco Resources will hold its quarterly conference call and webcast at 11:30 AM Eastern Time (ET) on Thursday, May 12, 2022. An accompanying slide deck will be available at https://www.ramacoresources.com/investors-center/events-calendar/ immediately before the conference call.
The conference call can be accessed by calling (844) 852-8392 domestically or (703) 639-1226 internationally. The Conference ID is 2464838. The webcast for this release will be accessible by visiting https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/t7nzgn2p.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements represent Ramaco Resources' expectations or beliefs concerning guidance, future events, anticipated revenue, future demand and production levels, macroeconomic trends, the development of ongoing projects, costs and expectations regarding operating results, and it is possible that the results described in this news release will not be achieved. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of Ramaco Resources' control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. These factors include, without limitation, risks related to the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic, unexpected delays in our current mine development activities, failure of our sales commitment counterparties to perform, increased government regulation of coal in the United States or internationally, the further decline of demand for coal in export markets and underperformance of the railroads, the expected benefits of the Ramaco Coal acquisition to the Company's shareholders, and the anticipated benefits and impacts of the Ramaco Coal acquisition. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and, except as required by law, Ramaco Resources does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Ramaco Resources to predict all such factors. When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements found in Ramaco Resources' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including its Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. The risk factors and other factors noted in Ramaco Resources' SEC filings could cause its actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement.
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures
Adjusted EBITDA
Adjusted EBITDA is used as a supplemental non-GAAP financial measure by management and external users of our financial statements, such as industry analysts, investors, lenders and rating agencies. We believe Adjusted EBITDA is useful because it allows us to more effectively evaluate our operating performance.
We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income plus net interest expense, equity-based compensation, depreciation and amortization expenses and any transaction related costs. Its most comparable GAAP measure is net income. A reconciliation of net income to Adjusted EBITDA is included below. Adjusted EBITDA is not intended to serve as an alternative to GAAP measures of performance and may not be comparable to similarly-titled measures presented by other companies.
Non-GAAP revenue and cash cost per ton
Non-GAAP revenue per ton (FOB mine) is calculated as coal sales revenue less transportation costs, divided by tons sold. Non-GAAP cash cost per ton sold is calculated as cash cost of coal sales less transportation costs, divided by tons sold. We believe revenue per ton (FOB mine) and cash cost per ton provides useful information to investors as these enable investors to compare revenue per ton and cash cost per ton for the Company against similar measures made by other publicly-traded coal companies and more effectively monitor changes in coal prices and costs from period to period excluding the impact of transportation costs, which are beyond our control. The adjustments made to arrive at these measures are significant in understanding and assessing the Company's financial condition. Revenue per ton sold (FOB mine) and cash cost per ton are not measures of financial performance in accordance with GAAP and therefore should not be considered as an alternative to revenue and cost of sales under GAAP. The tables below show how we calculate non-GAAP revenue and cash cost per ton:
We do not provide reconciliations of our outlook for cash cost per ton to cost of sales in reliance on the unreasonable efforts exception provided for under Item 10(e)(1)(i)(B) of Regulation S-K. We are unable, without unreasonable efforts, to forecast certain items required to develop the meaningful comparable GAAP cost of sales. These items typically include non-cash asset retirement obligation accretion expenses, mine idling expenses and other non-recurring indirect mining expenses that are difficult to predict in advance in order to include a GAAP estimate.
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SOURCE Ramaco Resources, Inc. | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2022/05/11/ramaco-resources-inc-reports-first-quarter-2022-financial-results/ | 2022-05-11 22:02:23 | 0 | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2022/05/11/ramaco-resources-inc-reports-first-quarter-2022-financial-results/ |
Kim Kardashian, Kanye West reach divorce settlement
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kim Kardashian and Ye have reached a settlement in their divorce, averting a trial that had been set for next month, court documents filed Tuesday showed.
The former couple and their attorneys filed documents asking for a judge’s approval of terms they have agreed on, including $200,000 per month child support payments rom Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, to Kardashian.
The two will have joint custody, and neither will pay the other spousal support, according to the documents filed in Los Angeles Superior Court.
The judge declared the two legally single at Kardashian’s request in March, ending their eight-year marriage, but issues of property and custody remained that were to be worked out in a trial starting Dec. 14.
The two have four children whose ages range from 3 to 9 years old.
Kardashian and Ye will equally split the expenses for the kids’ private security and private school, including college, according to the settlement proposal.
They will also each pay their own debts the settlement said. The two had a pre-nuptial agreement and kept their property largely separate.
The couple began dating in 2012 and had their first child in 2013. West proposed later that year using the giant screen at the empty waterfront ballpark of the San Francisco Giants, and the two married May 24, 2014, in a ceremony at a Renaissance fortress in Florence, Italy.
The two appeared to be headed for a cordial split with agreed-upon terms when Kardashian first filed for divorce in February of 2021. Neither discussed the split publicly until early this year, when Ye started lashing out on social media against Kardashian, her family, and then-boyfriend Pete Davidson. Among his complaints were that he was not being allowed to make major parenting decisions and was been excluded from birthday parties and other events for their children.
Ye, who has fired two lawyers since the divorce filing, also raised several technical issues and demands, including seeking the right to question any new husband of Kardashian’s under oath, which Judge Steve Cochran promptly rejected.
The settlement comes soon after several companies have cut ties with Ye ove r offensive and antisemitic remarks that have further eroded an already withering public image.
His latest lawyer, Nicholas Salick, did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the settlement.
It was the third marriage for Kardashian, the reality TV superstar, businesswoman and influencer, and the first marriage for the rap and fashion mogul Ye. Theirs was one of the most closely followed celebrity unions in recent decades.
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Follow AP Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton on Twitter: https://twitter.com/andyjamesdalton
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/2022/11/30/kim-kardashian-kanye-west-reach-divorce-settlement/ | 2022-11-30 00:52:55 | 0 | https://www.wbtv.com/2022/11/30/kim-kardashian-kanye-west-reach-divorce-settlement/ |
This morning, the Supreme Court of the United States ended the constitutional right to abortion access by overturning two landmark decisions, Roe v. Wade and Casey v. Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania. The decision, which sent shock waves around the country, was part of a ruling in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health, upholding the state of Mississippi's 15-week ban on abortion.
Despite the ruling, abortion access remains protected in Illinois thanks to a 2019 law signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker. The state has its own long history with abortion laws, stretching back nearly 200 years. That history is traced in the timeline below, from the first law to today's controversial ruling. | https://www.chicagobusiness.com/government/history-illinois-abortion-law | 2022-06-24 17:06:35 | 1 | https://www.chicagobusiness.com/government/history-illinois-abortion-law |
NEW YORK, June 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz Llp announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Okta, Inc. ("Okta" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: OKTA) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, and docketed under 22-cv-02990, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants that purchased or otherwise acquired otherwise Okta securities between March 5, 2021 and March 22, 2022, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), seeking to recover damages caused by Defendants' violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, against the Company and certain of its top officials.
If you are a shareholder who purchased or otherwise acquired Okta securities during the Class Period, you have until July 19, 2022 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.
Okta provides identity solutions for enterprises, small and medium-sized businesses, universities, non-profits, and government agencies in the United States and internationally. The Company offers a variety of cybersecurity products and services. Following its completed merger with Auth0, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Auth0"), on May 3, 2021, Okta began providing additional Auth0 products related to cybersecurity and login solutions.
The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operations, and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Okta had inadequate cybersecurity controls; (ii) as a result, Okta's systems were vulnerable to data breaches; (iii) Okta ultimately did experience a data breach caused by a hacking group, which potentially affected hundreds of Okta customers; (iv) Okta initially did not disclose and subsequently downplayed the severity of the data breach; (v) all the foregoing, once revealed, was likely to have a material negative impact on Okta's business, financial condition, and reputation; and (vi) as a result, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.
On or around March 21, 2022, hackers known as LAPSUS$ posted screenshots on their Telegram, a cloud-based instant-messaging service, channel showing what they claimed was Okta's internal company environment. Thereafter, on March 22, 2022, the Company's Chief Executive Officer, Defendant Todd McKinnon ("McKinnon"), posted a statement on his Twitter account, disclosing that, "[i]n late January 2022, Okta detected an attempt to compromise the account of a third party customer support engineer working for one of our subprocessors" (emphasis added); that "[t]he matter was investigated and contained by the subprocessor"; that "[w]e believe the screenshots shared online are connected to this January event"; and that, "[b]ased on our investigation to date, there is no evidence of ongoing malicious activity beyond the activity detected in January."
On this news, Okta's stock price fell $2.98 per share, or 1.76%, to close at $166.43 per share on March 22, 2022.
Later, on March 22, 2022, during after-market hours, in a statement on Okta's website, the Company's Chief Security Officer, Defendant David Bradbury ("Bradbury"), disclosed, inter alia, that "[a]fter a thorough analysis of [the LAPSUS$] claims, we have concluded that a small percentage of customers – approximately 2.5% – have potentially been impacted and whose data may have been viewed or acted upon."
Following Okta's updated statement, multiple news outlets reported that hundreds of the Company's clients were potentially affected by the January 2022 data breach. For example, on March 23, 2022, CNN published an article entitled "Okta concedes hundreds of clients could be affected by breach[,]" noting that, despite the Company's statement that "a small percentage of customers – approximately 2.5% – have potentially been impacted[,]" the Company "has over 15,000 customers, according to its website." That same day, Reuters and others published similar reports.
Separately, Okta was downgraded by Raymond James from "strong buy" to "market perform," noting, among other things, that "[w]hile partners were willing to trust Okta's track record, the handling of its latest security incident adds to our mounting concerns."
Following Okta's after-market update and Raymond James downgrade, the Company's stock price fell $17.88 per share, or 10.74%, to close at $148.55 per share on March 23, 2022.
Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, 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.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2022/06/27/shareholder-alert-pomerantz-law-firm-reminds-shareholders-with-their-investment-okta-inc-class-action-lawsuit-upcoming-deadline-okta/ | 2022-06-28 01:34:23 | 0 | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2022/06/27/shareholder-alert-pomerantz-law-firm-reminds-shareholders-with-their-investment-okta-inc-class-action-lawsuit-upcoming-deadline-okta/ |
Live From Washington, D.C. with an All-Star Cast and Fireworks!
WASHINGTON, June 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The 42nd annual edition of A CAPITOL FOURTH on PBS, America's longest-running live national Independence Day TV tradition, returns hosted by country music star and four-time Grammy-nominee Mickey Guyton. Joining Guyton, who will be hosting and performing during the celebration, will be top stars from pop, country, R&B, classical and Broadway with the National Symphony Orchestra. After making history as the first African American female artist to earn a Grammy nomination in a country category, Guyton went on to host the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards and performed the "National Anthem" this year at Super Bowl LV in front of an audience of 112.3 million. The line-up for A CAPITOL FOURTH will feature:
- Emmy and SAG Award-winning actor, singer and songwriter Darren Criss (AMERICAN CRIME STORY, GLEE);
- five-time Grammy Award-winning Gospel legend Yolanda Adams;
- multi-platinum pop artist and songwriter Andy Grammer;
- Grammy Award-winning music legend Gloria Gaynor;
- platinum-certified country music singer songwriter Jake Owen;
- ground-breaking five-time Grammy Award-winning blues musician Keb' Mo';
- Grammy Award-winning pianist, composer and recording artist Emily Bear (THE UNOFFICIAL BRIDGERTON MUSICAL);
- multi-platinum selling singer, songwriter and recording artist Loren Allred (THE GREATEST SHOWMAN); and
- the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of top pops conductor Jack Everly.
Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8676256-capital-concerts-pbs-a-capitol-fourth-2022/
Broadway legend and one of the most nominated performers in Tony Award history, Chita Rivera, will lead a 65th anniversary celebration of WEST SIDE STORY featuring the National Symphony Orchestra who will perform a special musical tribute to one of Broadway's most successful shows. A theatrical icon, Rivera's electric performance as Anita in the original Broadway premiere of WEST SIDE STORY in 1957 brought her stardom. The segment will feature a performance of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim's iconic ballad "Somewhere" by Tony, Emmy, and Grammy winner and two-time Oscar nominee, Cynthia Erivo.
The evening will also include a special tribute to our men and women in uniform and their families by Emmy Award-winning, multiplatinum selling recording artist and published author Rachel Platten who will perform her hit song "Stand by You."
The concert also marks the 100th anniversary of the Lincoln Memorial, one of America's most famous and majestic landmarks. It was built as a tribute to a President whose leadership united the nation in a time of crisis, and whose eloquence spoke to our aspirations and dreams of a better tomorrow. The segment will feature a stirring performance of "Battle Hymn of the Republic" by Yolanda Adams live from the Lincoln Memorial.
Returning live from Washington, D.C., the top-rated, award-winning program available on television, radio and digital media puts viewers front and center for America's biggest birthday party. The celebration will be capped off with the greatest display of fireworks in the U.S.A. lighting up our nation's iconic skyline featuring twenty cameras positioned around the city to capture the best views. Accompanied by patriotic musical favorites, the fireworks extravaganza will also feature The U.S. Army Band "Pershing's Own," with a commemoration of its 100th anniversary.
A CAPITOL FOURTH airs on PBS Monday, July 4, 2022 from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. ET, as well as to our troops serving around the world on the American Forces Network. The program can also be heard in stereo over NPR member stations nationwide and will be streaming on YouTube and www.pbs.org/a-capitol-fourth and available as Video on Demand for a limited time only, July 4 to July 18, 2022.
Also participating in the event will be the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets, U.S. Army Presidential Salute Battery, Members of the Armed Forces carrying the State and Territorial Flags, the Armed Forces Color Guard provided by the Military District of Washington, D.C., the Choral Arts Society of Washington and Patrick Lundy & The Ministers of Music.
A CAPITOL FOURTH is made possible by grants from The Boeing Company, the National Park Service, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Department of the Army, PBS and public television stations nationwide. Air travel is provided by American Airlines.
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SOURCE Capital Concerts | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/29/pbs-capitol-fourth-americas-independence-day-celebration/ | 2022-06-29 10:27:26 | 1 | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/29/pbs-capitol-fourth-americas-independence-day-celebration/ |
OSOGBO, Nigeria — Dozens of civilians have been killed in northeast Nigeria by Islamic extremist rebels targeting farmers and the local militia group, local authorities told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
Boko Haram, Nigeria’s homegrown jihadi rebels, launched an insurgency in 2009 to fight against western education and to establish Islamic Shariah law in Nigeria. At least 35,000 people have been killed and 2.1 million people displaced as a result of the extremist violence, according to data from U.N. agencies in Nigeria.
In Sunday’s attack, 43 people, mostly members of the local self-defense militia, were ambushed on their way to Muduh, close to the northern border with Cameroon, Idris said. The local government isn’t yet able to confirm the exact number of those killed, but the toll is likely higher than the 22 dead initially reported by the military, he said.
“As I am talking to you now, even their dead bodies are still there,” he told AP. “The chairman is liaising with the army to find and carry the dead bodies from the bush.”
Some of those also killed by the rebels in the latest attack included farmers who were working in their fields, said Adam Rappa, another government official in the council area. The extremists “targeted everybody and not just farmers,” he said.
“Their intention was to kill everyone,” said Rappa, referring to the insurgents who often attack remote communities arriving on motorcycles in large numbers.
The affected area is a “no-go area,” said Idris. Many parts of Kala/Balge are not accessible as they have often been hit by the extremists largely because of its proximity to the Cameroonian border — an escape route for the militants.
With the Nigerian military overstretched while responding to other pockets of security crises in addition to the war against the extremist rebels, the local militia known as the Civilian Joint Taskforce has supported military operations in northeast Nigeria.
Those members of the local militia killed on Sunday “used to gather to go around villages to check if there are Boko Haram ambushes,” said Idris with the Kala/Balge administrative office. “This time, they just went alone without the army.”
Nigerian security forces have repeatedly claimed victory in the war against Boko Haram and its offshoot the Islamic State in West Africa Province. But spontaneous attacks still target remote communities that have little security presence.
Most times when they attack remote communities, the militants “may be trying to get something from the town — maybe they are hungry and want to get something to eat — or they want to take over some communities,” said local official Rappa. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/extremists-kill-dozens-in-latest-attack-in-northeast-nigeria/2022/05/24/6ee041ba-db68-11ec-bc35-a91d0a94923b_story.html | 2022-05-24 14:32:12 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/extremists-kill-dozens-in-latest-attack-in-northeast-nigeria/2022/05/24/6ee041ba-db68-11ec-bc35-a91d0a94923b_story.html |
Could Tennessee Vols win SEC football title in 5 years? | Adams
Tennessee fans should have been exuberant last week when athletics director Danny White outlined his five-year plan for the department.
Why? Because that proved he has a plan.
I assumed some previous UT ADs – I won’t mention any names - were making things up as they went along. And at least one of them was more apt to nod off during a staff meeting than formulate a plan for anything that extended beyond the next 24 hours.
What I like best about White’s plan: He set expectations for every sport.
White said he expects each program to win at least one SEC championship every five years and finish in the top 16 nationally at least once every four years.
Those goals might be too high in some cases and too low in others. But they give coaches in each sport an understanding of what their boss has in mind. Excuses will be harder to come by when numbers figure prominently into the evaluation of your program.
No longer can a coach boast how he has “changed the culture,” when his won-loss record remains stagnant or worse.
Based on White’s goals, you don’t have to look hard to see what coach faces the greatest challenge.He’s the only coach who had to follow Jeremy Pruitt.
Football coach Josh Heupel assumed the reins of a program that lost seven of 10 games in Pruitt’s last season while cheating its way into an NCAA investigation now a year and a half in the making.
Can you really expect Heupel to win an SEC championship in his first five seasons?
UT’s previous four football coaches didn’t win so much as a divisional title in 12 years combined. Tennessee last won a conference championship in 1998 under coach Phillip Fulmer. He didn’t win another SEC title in his last 10 seasons.
Pruitt believes in his replacement:Why Jeremy Pruitt is singing the praises of Tennessee football under Josh Heupel
Vols recruiting:Why isn't Nico Iamaleava drawing top recruits to Tennessee like Arch Manning is to Texas?
It’s no coincidence the Vols last won a conference championship the same year they won a national championship. If you’re good enough to win an SEC championship, you’re probably good enough to win a national title as well.
And the nation’s strongest football conference will become even stronger no later than 2025 when Texas and Oklahoma join the league. Also, further expansion could include Clemson, which has won two of the past six national championships and hasn’t won fewer than 10 games since 2010.
Despite the enormous challenge of SEC football, I applaud White’s unwillingness to accept mediocrity. Instead, he’s choosing to be bullish on the Vols. By setting an SEC championship as a five-year goal, he’s implying Tennessee should become nationally prominent.
In the meantime, here are a few short-term goals that would indicate Heupel is heading in the right direction:
Win two games combined against Alabama and Georgia in the next three seasons.
Beat Florida twice in the next three seasons.
Win at least nine games in each of the next three seasons.
Finish in the top 25 in each of the next three seasons.
Finish in the top 10 once in the next three seasons.
If the Vols could accomplish all of that in the next three seasons, maybe White's five-year goal isn't beyond their reach.
John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@knoxnews.com. Follow him at: twitter.com/johnadamskns. | https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/columnists/university-of-tennessee/john-adams/2022/07/12/could-tennessee-vols-win-sec-football-title-5-years/10018062002/ | 2022-07-12 12:57:23 | 1 | https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/columnists/university-of-tennessee/john-adams/2022/07/12/could-tennessee-vols-win-sec-football-title-5-years/10018062002/ |
Car goes over Fort Myers bridge, driver badly hurt, Florida police say
FORT MYERS, Fla. - A driver remains in critical condition after their car went over a Fort Myers bridge and into the water below over the weekend, officials said.
Just before 7 a.m. Saturday, crews with the Fort Myers Fire Department were called out to the Caloosahatchee Bridge after receiving a report that a car had flipped over the bridge.
When they arrived, they found a vehicle submerged in water. With help from other agencies, officials were able to access the driver using a charged hose line from over the side of the bridge, the fire department said in a Facebook post.
Video showed paramedics performing CPR on the driver. The person was taken to a nearby hospital and is being treated in the ICU, according to police. | https://www.wogx.com/news/driver-hospitalized-after-crash-sends-car-over-fort-myers-bridge-florida-police-say | 2022-12-19 20:58:22 | 1 | https://www.wogx.com/news/driver-hospitalized-after-crash-sends-car-over-fort-myers-bridge-florida-police-say |
RIVERSIDE, Calif., Aug. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- With the current drought and sky-high water prices, water-wise landscaping is becoming the go-to solution for Southern California homeowners. One Riverside, CA home opted for premium synthetic grass landscaping to transform their backyard and pool deck while retaining the lush, natural look of real grass. With the help of Cal-Green Turf, these homeowners were able to have a luxurious and beautiful backyard with a fraction of the maintenance time and water bills.
Cal-Green Turf recently installed 2,244 square feet of Synthetic Grass Warehouse's Diamond Pro Fescue in a home in Riverside, CA. TigerTurf Diamond Pro Fescue artificial grass features a dual coloring of field green and olive green blade tones with brown thatch, and it has a pile height of 1.875 inches. With a 75-ounce face weight, it is ideal for moderate to heavy foot traffic. The state-of-the-art 3D curvy "W" fiber grass blades provide enhanced resiliency and stability while creating an ultra-realistic appearance. It's also manufactured with UV inhibitors for long-lasting color that won't fade with extended exposure to sunlight. All synthetic grass products from SGW are non-toxic, lead-free, and will drain at a rate of 30 inches of rain per hour per square yard.
Cal-Green Turf's clients were seeking a long-term landscaping solution that would create the illusion of a natural, healthy lawn without all of the required maintenance of a healthy natural grass lawn. After contemplating several options, they chose Synthetic Grass Warehouse's Diamond Pro Fescue because it provided the darker, natural fescue appearance the client desired while offering optimum durability and innovative TigerCool temperature control. "From its pile height and density ratio to its TigerCool technology — as well as the color scheme being spot on with his expectations — Diamond Pro Fescue checked all the boxes and was an easy winner for our client," said Cal-Green Turf owner Phillip Nazarian. It also provided a solution for the yard's gopher problem, with Cal-Green Turf installing a gopher mesh beneath the turf's base to keep the pesky rodents from tunneling under the yard.
Cal-Green Turf is a full-service artificial grass installer founded in 2015. After becoming one of the top salespeople for an industry-leading turf company, Nazarian took each aspect of what he thought made a company successful, as well as what he thought could use improvement, and applied them to his company. After 7 years in business, Cal-Green Turf is proud to serve the Orange County, Riverside, and La Canada areas. Cal-Green Turf takes great pride in its customer service and installation quality, and it aims to create unmatched positive relationships with all of its clients.
Cal-Green Turf is Synthetic Grass Warehouse's "Install of the Month" winner for August 2022.
Cal-Green Turf specializes in artificial grass installations for Orange County, Riverside, and La Canada homeowners and businesses. The company was formed in 2015, and it takes pride in providing industry-leading synthetic turf products and installations while doing its part to save the planet. You can learn more about Cal-Green Turf by visiting their website at www.CalGreenTurf.com or their Instagram (@calgreeturf).
Synthetic Grass Warehouse is the exclusive national distributor for TigerTurf and Everlast brands of artificial grass products. Founded in 2004, Synthetic Grass Warehouse specializes in turf products designed for landscaping, pets, putting greens, and playgrounds. SGW provides same-day shipping on all turf orders. Learn more at https://www.syntheticgrasswarehouse.com
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SOURCE Synthetic Grass Warehouse, Inc. | https://www.1011now.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/synthetic-grass-transformation-enhances-riverside-pool-deck/ | 2022-08-31 12:53:51 | 0 | https://www.1011now.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/synthetic-grass-transformation-enhances-riverside-pool-deck/ |
NEW YORK, July 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --
WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces an investigation of potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of Outset Medical, Inc. (NASDAQ: OM) resulting from allegations that Outset Medical may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public.
SO WHAT: If you purchased Outset Medical securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses.
WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=17760 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.
WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: On July 7, 2023, Outset Medical disclosed in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that "[o]n July 6, 2023, Outset Medical, Inc. (the 'Company') received a Warning Letter, dated July 5, 2023 (the 'Warning Letter'), from the United States Food and Drug Administration (the 'FDA')." The filing stated that, as previously disclosed in the Company's annual report, "the FDA issued an FDA Form-483 identifying four inspectional observations resulting from an FDA inspection that concluded on February 10, 2023" and that "[t]he Warning Letter raises two additional observations. The first observation asserts that certain materials reviewed by the FDA and found on the Company's website promote continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), a modality outside of the current indications for the Tablo® Hemodialysis System. The Company believes this concern has been effectively addressed through labeling and promotional changes already underway. The second observation asserts that the TabloCart with Prefiltration (the 'TabloCart'), requires prior 510(k) clearance for marketing authorization. . . . The Company intends to work collaboratively with the FDA to resolve this observation, including potentially submitting a 510(k) on TabloCart."
On this news, Outset Medical's stock price fell $1.20 per share, or 5.87%, to close at $19.26 per share on July 10, 2023.
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. 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.
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.
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The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
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SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A. | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/27/rosen-respected-leading-firm-encourages-outset-medical-inc-investors-inquire-about-securities-class-action-investigation-om/ | 2023-07-27 22:30:20 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/07/27/rosen-respected-leading-firm-encourages-outset-medical-inc-investors-inquire-about-securities-class-action-investigation-om/ |
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PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — The man suing Gwyneth Paltrow over a 2016 collision at one of the most upscale ski resorts in North America is expected to take the stand on Monday as the closely watched trial goes into its second week in Utah.
Attorneys said Friday that retired optometrist Terry Sanderson, 76, would likely testify first on Monday, before his attorneys rest and hand the courtroom over to Paltrow's defense team to make their case. Paltrow's attorneys are expected to call her two children — Moses and Apple — and a ski instructor who was present the day of the collision.
Sanderson is suing Paltrow for more than $300,000, claiming she skied recklessly into him from behind, breaking four of his ribs and head trauma that post-accident manifested as post-concussion syndrome. Paltrow has countersued for $1 and attorney fees, alleging that Sanderson was at fault and veered into her from behind in a — first gradual and then sudden — crash.
After Paltrow testified Friday that the collision began when Sanderson's skis veered between her two legs, attorneys will likely question Sanderson on his recollections. Craig Ramon, the sole eyewitness of the crash, testified that he heard a loud scream and saw Paltrow hit Sanderson, causing his skis to fly up into the air before he plumetted down on the beginner run in a “spread eagle” position.
Attorneys will also likely question Sanderson on the post-concussion symptoms that medical experts and his doctors testified about last week. And Paltrow's attorneys are expected to ask about his references to Paltrow's fame and whether the lawsuit amounts to an attempt to exploit it.
Though the courtroom in Park City, Utah, was far from full throughout the first week of the trial, the case has emerged as the most closely watched celebrity trial since Johnny Depp took Amber Heard to court almost a year ago in Virginia. Clips of attorney outbursts and Paltrow's Friday testimony have been cut and circulated widely on social media, while observers have debated the motivations on both sides to sustain the prolonged legal battle seven years after the collision.
The amount of money at stake for both sides pales in comparison to the typical legal costs of a multiyear lawsuit, private security detail and expert witness-heavy trial. | https://www.ourmidland.com/entertainment/article/man-suing-gwyneth-paltrow-to-testify-in-utah-ski-17861534.php | 2023-03-27 08:04:40 | 0 | https://www.ourmidland.com/entertainment/article/man-suing-gwyneth-paltrow-to-testify-in-utah-ski-17861534.php |
Good, Nicholas M.Age 80, of Dayton, OH, passed away April 1, 2023. Newcomer Funeral Home, Centerville, OH.View the obituary on Legacy.comIn Other News1Washington, Glynn2Harvey, Guy3Downing, Daniel4Breno, Ruby5Pohlkotte, Dean | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/obituaries/good-nicholas/TSVPYD62IFF2BI4EG7CRC7ZI6Y/ | 2023-04-16 06:43:07 | 1 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/obituaries/good-nicholas/TSVPYD62IFF2BI4EG7CRC7ZI6Y/ |
Kia, Hyundai settle class-action lawsuit after a rash of thefts due to security flaw
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hyundai Motor America and Kia America will resolve a class-action lawsuit prompted by a surge in vehicle thefts with a settlement agreement that could be valued at $200 million, the automakers announced Friday.
The settlement covers about 9 million 2011-2022 model year Hyundai and Kia vehicles in the U.S. today, according to the companies. The cars are not equipped with push-button ignitions and immobilizing anti-theft devices — which has allowed them to be stolen easily by using just a screwdriver and a USB cord, creating a recent auto-theft outbreak across the country.
The settlement will provide cash compensation to customers who incurred theft-related losses or damage that was not covered by insurance — as well as reimbursement for insurance deductibles, increased insurance premiums and other losses, Kia and Hyundai said.
A software upgrade will also be provided to eligible owners as part of the settlement. For customers with vehicles that cannot accommodate the software upgrade, the agreement will provide a up to $300 reimbursement for anti-theft devices.
The total settlement amount will depend on how many customers choose to participate.
The wave of Hyundai and Kia thefts began in 2021 and spread nationally, with a peak last summer, as a result of instructional videos posted on TikTok and other social media sites. Some police departments report continued rampant thefts despite the automakers’ unveiling of anti-theft software nearly three months ago.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/05/19/kia-hyundai-settle-class-action-lawsuit-after-rash-thefts-due-security-flaw/ | 2023-05-19 18:52:39 | 1 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/05/19/kia-hyundai-settle-class-action-lawsuit-after-rash-thefts-due-security-flaw/ |
By WILL WEISSERT
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden issued an executive order Wednesday to stymie what what he called discriminatory legislative attacks on the LGBTQ community by Republican-controlled states, declaring before a signing ceremony packed with activists, “pride is back at the White House.”
The order seeks to discourage “conversion therapy” — a discredited practice that aims to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity — while also promoting gender-affirming surgery and expanding foster care protections for gay and transgender parents and children.
Tapping money already allocated to federal agencies rather than requiring new funding, Biden said the order is meant to counter 300-plus anti-LGBTQ laws introduced by state lawmakers over the past year alone. The Department of Health and Human Services will draft new policies to expand care to LGBTQ families and the Education Department will devise rules to better protect LGBTQ students in public schools.
The president, first lady Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris attended a crowded reception in the White House’s East Room, where the adjacent hallway was decorated in rainbow colors. Attending were LGBTQ activists, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other members of Congress, and top administration officials, including Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who adopted twins with his husband, Chasten.
The gathering is part of the Biden administration’s recognition of Pride Month.
“All of you in this room know better than anyone that these attacks are real and consequential for real families,” the president said before sitting to sign the order. He pointed specifically to the arrest last weekend of 31 members of the white supremacist group Patriot Front near an Idaho pride event.
Actions listed within the order attempt to bolster programs better addressing the issue of suicide among LGBTQ children and seek to make adoptions easier for LGBTQ parents and children.
“It shouldn’t take courage to be yourself,” said Jill Biden, who noted that it was a little too hot and humid in summer sun-drenched Washington to hold the event on the South Lawn. “We know that, in places across the country like Florida or Texas or Alabama, rights are under attack. And we know that in small towns and big cities, prejudice, and discrimination still lurk.”
Among the state laws the White House has opposed is the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” measure in Florida, which was signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis in March. It bars instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. Critics say it marginalizes LGBTQ people, and the law sparked a public battle between the state and the Walt Disney Co.
Biden’s action creates a federal working group to help combat LGBTQ homeless and one promoting educational policies for states and school districts that encourage inclusive learning environments for LGBTQ children. His order also establish new rules to discourage conversion therapy, though efforts to enforce bans against it in places where state law allows the practice will rely on legal challenges from outside the White House.
While some Republican-led legislatures have championed conversation therapy, other states and communities have banned it. The American Psychological Association says conversation therapy is not based on science and is harmful to a participant’s mental health.
The order further directs health officials to spell out that federally funded programs cannot be used to fund conversion therapy. And it seeks to ease barriers to health care and certain types of treatment for the LGBTQ community, including gender affirming surgery.
That follows Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s February order directing Texas’ child welfare agency to investigate reports of gender-confirming care for kids as abuse. A judge has since issued a restraining order that halted investigations into three families, and prevented others.
“We have a lot more work to do,” Biden said. “In Texas, knocking on front doors to harass and investigate parents who are raising transgender children. In Florida, going after Mickey Mouse for God’s sake.”
In earlier orders, Biden has sought to direct that gay and transgender people are protecting from discrimination in schools, health care, housing and at work. He ordered federal agencies to update and expand regulations prohibiting sexual discrimination to include sexual orientation and gender identity, and reversed a ban on transgender people serving in the military.
Biden on Wednesday also renewed his calls for Congress to pass the Equality Act, which would amend existing civil rights law to explicitly include sexual orientation and gender identification as protected characteristics. The measure has been stalled on Capitol Hill but the president said it’s necessary to “enshrine the long overdue civil rights protections of all Americans, every American.”
___
Associated Press writer Aamer Madhani contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/06/15/biden-seeks-to-counter-state-actions-he-sees-as-anti-lgbtq-2/ | 2022-06-16 00:57:44 | 1 | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/06/15/biden-seeks-to-counter-state-actions-he-sees-as-anti-lgbtq-2/ |
PHOENIX — Some of Arizona's healthcare facilities have financially taken a nosedive this year as local hospitals attempt to adjust to a post-pandemic environment.
A report released Friday by the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association shows the net operating margins of local facilities fell from an average of 4.6% in 2021 to -8.7% in the second quarter of 2022.
“These losses have been driven by extraordinary inflation in the labor and supply market, with contract labor increasing by 188% in the first quarter of 2022 and by 263% during the second quarter compared to the same periods in 2021,” said Ann-Marie Alameddin, president and CEO of AzHHA, in a statement.
The association's report represents the financials of about 20 reporting hospitals in Arizona.
The costs of drugs and medical supplies have increased over the last year, AzHHA says, but the financial assistance allocated by the government during the pandemic hasn't kept pace with the growing costs.
“Payments from public payers and commercial payers alike must account for the extraordinary strain on hospital and health system expenses in this post-COVID world,” Alameddin added.
AzHHA members say recruiting and retaining employees have become created a major financial challenge since hospitals must now spend more money on overtime and contracting third-party labor to fill shifts.
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12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona. | https://www.12news.com/article/news/health/report-arizona-hospitals-experiencing-financial-strain/75-d95a739a-082d-4868-8ce4-5b4000d80d27 | 2022-10-04 01:15:18 | 1 | https://www.12news.com/article/news/health/report-arizona-hospitals-experiencing-financial-strain/75-d95a739a-082d-4868-8ce4-5b4000d80d27 |
Gov. John Bel Edwards has made clear in recent weeks that while he strongly opposes abortion, he thinks Louisiana’s sweeping ban on the procedure should have exceptions for survivors of rape and incest.
But that belief hasn’t stopped Edwards – a Democrat who won an improbable two terms as governor in part by spotlighting his pro-life bona fides – from signing strict anti-abortion laws that did not include such exceptions. And he may not be done, even with the stakes rising this year. Edwards appears likely to sign a bill passed overwhelmingly by the Legislature in the recently ended session that would strengthen Louisiana’s 2006 “trigger law.” That law immediately bans abortions in Louisiana if the U.S. Supreme Court, as expected, overturns Roe v. Wade.
The new bill would ensure doctors are subjected to jail time if they perform abortions at any point, with exceptions only for instances where the mother’s life is at risk or the fetus is “medically futile,” including an ectopic pregnancy.
In a recent press conference, Edwards seemed to acknowledge that some of his past actions on abortion were opportunistic. Before it became clear Roe would potentially be overturned, the abortion debate at the Legislature was “largely an academic exercise.” Though he didn’t say it, signing extreme pro-life measures has had political benefit, especially for a Democrat in a solidly red state.
Edwards made plain his discomfort with the new bill, acknowledging that once-theoretical restrictions are going to become “more real” if Roe is finally toppled.
But even with his stated misgivings, Edwards has indicated he will likely sign it.
“I would prefer that it contain an exception for rape and an exception for incest,” Edwards said. “But it doesn’t change the law that’s otherwise going to be on the books in that regard either. So I really don’t want to go anywhere near veto language on the bill because vetoing the bill wouldn’t accomplish what I’m saying I would like to have, and that’s the exceptions for rape and incest.”
The trigger law now on the books – signed by then-Gov. Kathleen Blanco in 2006 – also makes no exception for victims of rape and incest.
If Edwards signs the bill, it would position him to the right of some leading Republicans on abortion, including Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, who is expected to run for governor next year.
Nungesser said last month he thinks Louisiana should allow abortions until about six weeks into a pregnancy, when fetal cardiac activity is first detected. Attorney General Jeff Landry, another leading potential GOP candidate, takes a more absolutist line: He said that Louisiana women who want abortions should “pack your bags and move to California.”
Only a small fraction of people who get abortions in Louisiana cite rape and incest as their reason; at least 376 - less than half of 1 percent – said that was the reason they got an abortion in the past decade, according to state data. Abortion rights groups say the total is likely higher because many people don’t report, since rape and incest are crimes.
A sticky wicket
In 2019, when a bill to ban abortions after about six weeks came before the House, state Rep. Mary DuBuisson, R-Slidell, voted to add rape and incest exceptions. But when the amendment failed, DuBuisson voted for the bill anyway.
When Sen. Katrina Jackson’s bill came before the House this year, though, DuBuisson voted against the bill once the exceptions failed. She was the only Republican to vote against it.
DuBuisson said she talked to several GOP colleagues who agreed there should be exceptions, but “politically said they could not vote against it because of re-election.” She said she was told she’d have a “target on my head” because of her vote, and was urged to change her position. But she decided to vote against the bill, saying it allowed her to “put my head on the pillow at night.”
“Reagan was in favor of exceptions. Bush was in favor of exceptions,” DuBuisson said. “Now it’s like, you have to be a Democrat to think that’s the way it should be?”
Then-state Rep. Julie Stokes, a Kenner Republican who identifies as “pro-life,” tried to get rape and incest exceptions added to that 2019 law. Stokes was also one of 79 House members who ultimately voted for the bill, which was signed by Edwards and would only go into effect if upheld by the courts.
Stokes said there is immense pressure in the Legislature to be an “absolutist” on abortion, or risk being tabbed with a “pro-choice” label or worse. But with the “guardrail” of Roe v. Wade disappearing, she said, “we have to be very thoughtful and careful of what we legislate.”
“Politically we’re in difficult times, where everybody on each side feels like they have to be all in 100% on everything,” Stokes said. “Or they’re going to get called out as being pro-choice or whatever, just because they can’t fathom making that decision in every instance they can’t possibly imagine.”
Jackson, a Monroe Democrat who has sponsored a number of the most strongly anti-abortion bills the Legislature has passed in recent years, declined to comment for this story.
Rep. Julie Emerson, R-Carencro, who carried Jackson’s bill in the House, called the debate over rape and incest exceptions “tough.” But she defended the absence of exceptions by arguing that “the child is innocent in this situation.”
“I know this is a hard decision for a lot of people in here,” Emerson said. “But for me, I try to be consistent in things I do here. I do believe that this is consistent with supporting life in this way.”
Louisiana Right to Life, the state’s most powerful anti-abortion group, sent a note to House members ahead of the vote cautioning them they “reserve the right to score votes on final passage and all amendments in our scorecard,” which ranks lawmakers on how often they aligned with the organization.
“Please oppose any amendment that allows for abortions in cases of rape and incest,” the note said. “Rape and incest are terrible crimes, but the child should not pay for the crimes of the father. These exceptions would create difficulty to enforce laws.”
Public's views are nuanced
The new trigger law is out of step with public opinion on the issue.
Polls have consistently shown Louisianans are more anti-abortion than the rest of the country -- but the less than one in four people say it should be illegal in all cases.
In the most recent Louisiana Survey by the LSU Public Policy Research Lab, 22% of respondents said abortion should be illegal in all cases, and 23% said it should be legal in all cases. Among Republicans, 31% said abortion should be illegal in all cases.
A larger share fell somewhere in between. The poll found 23% believe abortion should be legal in most cases, and 27% believe it should be illegal in most cases.
Across America, 59% say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, compared to 39% who say it should be illegal.
Mike Henderson, director of the research lab, said opinions in Louisiana seem to have shifted on the issue. From 2016 to 2022, opinions shifted 12 percentage points toward supporting at least some abortion rights.
The overall change is largely driven by shifting opinions among Democrats, who have become more strident in their support of abortion rights, though it is difficult to say why, Henderson said.
Edwards is out of step with most Democrats on abortion, and he is catching some flak from his party for it.
The White House called Jackson’s bill “extreme,” noting the lack of exceptions for rape and incest. The Louisiana Democratic Party sent a letter to Edwards asking him to veto the bill, as did U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans and 15 House Democrats.
“We beg you to think of those whose life and health will be seriously jeopardized as physicians are faced with the impossible choice between withholding necessary medical care, or being thrown in jail for 10 years or more because their patient wasn't deemed close enough to dying,” the House members wrote.”
If Edwards did veto the bill, the Legislature could potentially muster the votes to override him. The House voted 72-25 to pass the bill, with five Republicans absent. They need 70 votes to override a veto.
The original trigger law was ushered through the Legislature in 2006 by Sen. Ben Nevers, D-Bogalusa, who later served as chief of staff to Edwards.
As then-state Rep. Danny Martiny was presenting the bill in the House, he railed against the idea that lawmakers should add exceptions for survivors of rape and incest.
“I believe the majority of people out here are pro-life. And if you’re pro-life, you should be for preserving life,” Martiny said at the time. “There should be no exceptions…We’re either pro-life or we’re not pro-life.”
The bill passed on an 86-17 vote after the House voted 67-36 to reject amendments adding exceptions for rape and incest. | https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/legislature/article_dd4cbf24-e90b-11ec-aac7-57bf8d832c78.html | 2022-06-13 09:55:45 | 1 | https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/legislature/article_dd4cbf24-e90b-11ec-aac7-57bf8d832c78.html |
Cognizant will implement a digital platform designed to monitor and forecast emissions in real-time, and help develop its new ESG data strategy, reporting and governance model
TEANECK, N.J., Feb. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Cognizant has extended its relationship with Orica, a leading manufacturer of commercial explosives and innovative blasting systems, to deliver an ESG data strategy and a digital platform, through agile methods, that provides real-time reporting and forecasting of scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The project is a key component of Orica's Net Zero strategy, specifically its AUD37 million (USD27 million) Kooragang Island Decarbonization Project.
As part of the agreement, Cognizant will leverage Orica's existing technology investments, specifically its Microsoft Azure data lake, and provide Orica with a single ESG data platform. This platform is expected to capture and curate Orica's GHG emissions data, including structured, unstructured and real-time data, with the goal of enabling Orica to monitor, report and forecast its GHG emissions reductions and track the origination of Australian Carbon Credit Units.
"There is a growing market-driven need for large organizations in the resources industry to understand, report on and reduce their carbon footprint. As a major supplier to mining and construction companies, Orica also has an important role to play in reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions," said Chris Crozier, Chief Information Officer, Orica. "As such, we needed a trusted partner with a similar focus on ESG goals and sustainability and one with an expertise in data analysis, AI, design and IoT. We look forward to working with Cognizant to help us achieve our own sustainability objectives, while we look for ways to support our customers meeting their own goals."
"Core to our company's purpose of engineering modern businesses to improve everyday life is our commitment to embed sustainability into our thinking, decisions, and actions. Growing numbers of customers, investors, regulators, and governmental bodies now expect corporations to make measurable progress toward reducing their greenhouse gas emissions," said Jonathan Smith, Sustainability Lead, ANZ, Cognizant. "To do so, these companies will need to transform their product and technology strategies, supply chains, logistics models, and more. Data is a crucial factor that allows companies to analyze their current emissions and measure against ESG goals over time, and we are incredibly proud of having been appointed as the data, AI and analytics partner for Orica to be able to measure Orica's ESG efforts to reduce its carbon footprint."
Orica has installed catalyst abatement technology at its nitric acid production facility at Kooragang Island, forecasting a significant reduction in GHG emissions, specifically nitrous oxide. The Kooragang Island decarbonization inititiave is forecasted to provide cumulative emission reductions of 4.7 million tonnes of CO2e by 2030. The expected cumulative reduction of this project has been calculated to be equivalent to 1% of Australia's annual carbon footprint, or, on an annual basis, avoiding GHG emissions produced by the equivalent of 35,000-50,000 Australian homes.
Orica has previously engaged Cognizant to move its IT infrastructure to the cloud to enable Orica to achieve higher levels of efficiency, agility and business impact and optimize operating costs.
About Orica
Orica (ASX: ORI) is one of the world's leading mining and infrastructure solutions providers. From the production and supply of explosives, blasting systems, mining chemicals and geotechnical monitoring to our cutting-edge digital solutions and comprehensive range of services, we sustainably mobilise the earth's resources.
Operating for nearly 150 years, today our 12,000+ global workforce supports customers across surface and underground mines, quarry, construction, and oil and gas operations.
Sustainability is integral to our operations. We have set an ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and are committed to playing our part in achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement.
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SOURCE Cognizant Technology Solutions | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/02/05/orica-selects-cognizant-accelerate-development-digital-platform-report-greenhouse-gas-emissions/ | 2023-02-05 21:29:50 | 1 | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/02/05/orica-selects-cognizant-accelerate-development-digital-platform-report-greenhouse-gas-emissions/ |
Memphis pastor prays for continued peace after video release
By MIKE HOUSEHOLDER, LEAH WILLINGHAM and ADRIAN SAINZ
Associated Press
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Members of Mt. Olive Cathedral Church in Memphis gathered for worship on Sunday, two days after Tyre Nichols’ parents spoke from the sanctuary and called for peace following the release of video showing their son’s fatal beating at the hands of police.
“We’ve had calm so far, which is what we have been praying for,” Pastor Kenneth Thomas said before the service. “And, of course, we hope that continues.”
Cities nationwide had braced for demonstrations after body camera footage was released Friday showing Memphis officers beating 29-year-old Nichols, who died of his injuries three days later. Several dozen demonstrators in Memphis blocked the Interstate 55 bridge that carries traffic over the Mississippi River toward Arkansas. Protesters also blocked traffic in New York City, Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon, but the protests have been scattered and non-violent.
During the church service, Thomas offered a prayer for Nichols’ family, asking God to “shower them with your blessings.”
The loss is “still very emotional” for the family, a lawyer representing them said Sunday, but they are using all their energy to advocate for reforms both in Memphis and on the federal level.
“His mother is having problems sleeping but she continues to pray with the understanding, as she believes in her heart, that Tyre was sent here for an assignment, and that there will be a greater good that comes from this tragedy,” Attorney Ben Crump said on ABC’s “This Week.”
Crump welcomed disbanding the city’s so-called Scorpion unit, which Police Director Cerelyn “CJ” Davis announced Saturday, citing a “cloud of dishonor” from the newly released video.
Davis acted a day after the harrowing video was released, saying she listened to Nichols’ relatives, community leaders and uninvolved officers in making the decision. Her announcement came as the nation and the city struggled to come to grips with the violence of the officers, who are also Black. The video renewed outrage over repeated fatal encounters with law enforcement that keep happening despite nationwide demands for change.
Crump told “This Week” that Nichols’ case points to a systemic problem in how people of color are treated regardless of whether officers are white, Black or any other race.
The “implicit, biased police” culture that exists in America is just as responsible for Nichols’ death as the five Black officers who killed him, Crump said.
“I believe it’s part of the institutionalized police culture that makes it somehow allowed that they can use this type of excessive force and brutality against people of color,” Crump told “This Week.” “It is not the race of the police officer that is the determinant factor whether they’re going to engage in excessive use of force, but it is the race of the citizen.”
He alleged other members of the Memphis community have been assaulted by the now shuttered Scorpion unit, which was composed of three teams of about 30 officers whose stated aim was to target violent offenders in high-crime areas. The unit had been inactive since Nichols’ Jan. 7 arrest.
Scorpion stands for Street Crimes Operations to Restore Peace In Our Neighborhoods.
The five officers involved in Nichols’ beating — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr., Emmitt Martin III and Justin Smith — have been fired and charged with murder and other crimes in Nichols’ death. They face up to 60 years in prison if convicted of second-degree murder.
Video images of Nichols’ encounter with police show officers savagely beating the FedEx worker for three minutes while screaming profanities at him. Nichols calls out for his mother before his limp body is propped against a squad car and the officers exchange fist-bumps.
Brenda Goss Andrews, president of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, told The Associated Press she was struck by the immediate aggression from officers as soon as they got out of the car: “It just went to 100. … This was never a matter of de-escalation,” she said, adding, “The young man never had a chance.”
On a phone call with U.S. President Joe Biden, Crump and Nichols parents discussed the need federal reform like the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which would prohibit racial profiling, ban chokeholds and no-knock warrants, limit the transfer of military equipment to police departments, and make it easier to bring charges against offending officers.
Biden said he told Nichols’ mother he would be “making a case” to Congress to pass the Floyd Act “to get this under control.”
Memphis Police had already implemented reforms after Floyd’s killing, including a requirement to de-escalate or intervene if they saw others using excessive force.
Speaking on “This Week,” Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, who chairs the Judiciary Committee, said Congress can pass additional measures like “screening, training, accreditation, to up the game so that the people who have this responsibility to keep us safe really are stable and approaching this in a professional manner.”
The fact that law enforcement is primarily a state and local responsibility “does not absolve us. Under the federal Constitution we have standards, due process standards and others, that we are responsible for,” Durbin said.
“What we saw on the streets of Memphis was just inhumane and horrible,” he continued. “I don’t know what created this — this rage in these police officers that they would congratulate themselves for beating a man to death. But that is literally what happened.” | https://localnews8.com/news/ap-national/2023/01/29/memphis-pastor-prays-for-continued-peace-after-video-release/ | 2023-01-29 20:34:09 | 1 | https://localnews8.com/news/ap-national/2023/01/29/memphis-pastor-prays-for-continued-peace-after-video-release/ |
BETHESDA, Md., July 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Empower Energies has executed over 24 MW of renewable energy contracts for a Fortune 100 client. These projects will be built throughout Texas, Delaware, Arizona and Ohio and include solar parking canopies and rooftop solar projects. This portfolio is in addition to 18 projects that are in various stages of construction across the US with this client totaling over 60 MW. The new projects represent a continuation of this relationship that spans the nation as more markets become viable.
"We're excited to execute this additional 24 MW of projects," said Michael Belko, CEO of Empower Energies. "Empower Energies takes our mission to address climate change very seriously and this is a significant step toward that end. We strive to earn the trust of our clients every day and this portfolio demonstrates our client's confidence in Empower's ability to build beautiful, and critical, renewable energy projects."
Empower Energies specializes in a portfolio approach. For clients with multiple facilities, this model involves assessing these sites simultaneously to determine a priority of execution based on a client's unique finance and energy savings goals. Empower Energies' in-house finance, engineering, procurement, construction, and asset management teams ensure quality at every step of a project's lifecycle.
"Empower Energies continues to be the choice for Fortune 500 clients seeking national clean energy solutions to address ESG goals, and for those with more regional portfolios as well," said Patrick Corr, Chief Strategy Officer of Empower Energies. "I'm proud of this team's continual commitment to excellence from design and diligence though finance, construction, and operations of these projects. We are excited to continue to grow and execute on our clean energy mission."
Empower Energies has completed over 200 MW of clean energy projects nationwide, with over 800 MW of solar and storage projects currently in development. These include some of the largest commercial solar canopies on the planet for its Fortune 100 clients. Their leadership team, which include alumni of SunEdison, SolarCity, NRG and Tesla, represent a combined 1.7 GW in clean energy project experience.
Contact:
Megan McPherson
megan.mcpherson@empowerenergies.com
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SOURCE Empower Energies | https://www.wagmtv.com/prnewswire/2022/07/27/empower-energies-announces-execution-243-mw-renewable-energy-projects-fortune-100-client/ | 2022-07-27 15:43:17 | 0 | https://www.wagmtv.com/prnewswire/2022/07/27/empower-energies-announces-execution-243-mw-renewable-energy-projects-fortune-100-client/ |
Reds vs. White Sox Predictions & Picks: Odds, Moneyline, Spread - May 7
Sunday's contest features the Cincinnati Reds (14-19) and the Chicago White Sox (11-23) clashing at Great American Ball Park in what is expected to be a tight matchup, with a projected 4-3 victory for the Reds according to our computer prediction. First pitch is at 4:10 PM ET on May 7.
The Reds will give the ball to Graham Ashcraft (2-0, 2.00 ERA), who is eyeing win No. 3 on the season, and the White Sox will counter with Michael Kopech (0-3, 5.97 ERA).
Reds vs. White Sox Game Info & Odds
- When: Sunday, May 7, 2023 at 4:10 PM ET
- Where: Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio
- How to Watch on TV: BSOH
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
Bet on this matchup with BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks!
Reds vs. White Sox Score Prediction
Our pick for this contest is Reds 4, White Sox 3.
Total Prediction for Reds vs. White Sox
- Total Prediction: Under 9.5 runs
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Discover More About This Game
Reds Performance Insights
- The Reds have played as the favorite in five of their past 10 games and have won three of those contests.
- In its last 10 games with a total, Cincinnati and its opponents have combined to hit the over five times.
- The Reds did not cover its most recent game with a spread.
- The Reds have entered the game as favorites 10 times this season and won six of those games.
- Cincinnati has entered six games this season favored by -130 or more and is 4-2 in those contests.
- The bookmakers' moneyline implies a 56.5% chance of a victory for the Reds.
- Cincinnati ranks 21st in the majors with 140 total runs scored this season.
- The Reds' 4.92 team ERA ranks 26th among all MLB pitching staffs.
Put your picks to the test and bet on with BetMGM Sportsbook.
Reds Schedule
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wymt.com/sports/betting/2023/05/07/reds-white-sox-mlb-picks-predictions/ | 2023-05-07 15:53:02 | 0 | https://www.wymt.com/sports/betting/2023/05/07/reds-white-sox-mlb-picks-predictions/ |
MIDDLETOWN, Pa. (WHTM) — A Pennsylvania school has canceled its 2022 football season due to widespread hazing among its football team.
According to a letter from Middletown Area School District Superintendent Chelton Hunter, the school district recently obtained video from a hazing incident involving students in a heat acclimation room. That video came on the heels of an investigation already underway due to a separate hazing incident.
“Unfortunately, this video demonstrates that this hazing was much more widespread, and involved many more students than we had previously known,” Hunter said in the statement.
The original video from August 11th showed students pinning down two players and poking them in the buttocks with two different objects on school property during a team practice.
The school has shared the video of the additional incident with law enforcement officials and will continue its own investigation as well. The students who have participated in the incident will be disciplined in accordance with the student code of conduct and hazing policy, according to the school district.
Hunter’s statement also explains that any staff member who was found to have ignored the hazing will also face discipline.
“The kind of hazing that occurred in our facilities with this team is reprehensible. It simply cannot and will not be tolerated,” Hunter said. “We know we must work to address the culture of this team, educate our student body about hazing, and put programs in place to help us ensure that this kind of atmosphere is never allowed to exist in our school facilities.”
Middletown Area School District says it will work to find other opportunities this fall for the cheerleading team and marching band, who are both impacted by this season’s cancellation.
“I know this decision will be met with many different opinions and emotions and will impact many students and families,” Hunter said.
In response to the Middletown news, a nearby school has already offered opportunities for the band and cheerleading teams to perform.
Middletown was set to kick off the 2022 football season on the road against Lower Dauphin School District. That team was unable to find an alternate opponent. | https://www.qcnews.com/nexstar-media-wire/school-district-cancels-football-season-due-to-widespread-hazing/ | 2022-09-23 04:42:22 | 0 | https://www.qcnews.com/nexstar-media-wire/school-district-cancels-football-season-due-to-widespread-hazing/ |
The development plan for the downtown hotel and conference center has been approved.
The Kokomo Plan Commission on Tuesday voted to approve the plans. The approval was the last needed for the project before it can be issued building permits. Construction on the public-private development — to be located in the block between Main and Union streets just north of Wildcat Creek — is expected to break ground this spring, nearly five years after it was unveiled at Kokomo City Hall in the summer of 2018.
The six-story, 123-room hotel, set to be a Hilton Garden Inn, will be privately developed by Dora Hotel Company LLC, while the conference center will be paid for with public money and owned publicly. The exact funding mechanism for the conference center is not yet finalized, though it will include a mixture of READI grant money, county money and a portion of the county’s yearly innkeeper’s tax revenue. The city is also expected to contribute a portion.
According to the development plan, guests who walk through the front door will be greeted with a lobby, bar, pool and restaurant. The hotel’s second floor includes a meeting room and a collection of double-queen bedrooms and one-king-size bedrooms. More double-queen beds and one-king-size bedrooms populate the third, fourth and sixth floors.
In total, according to the development plan, the hotel will have 46 king-size bedrooms, three corner king-size suites, 67 double-queen-size rooms and seven handicap-accessible rooms. The vast majority of onsite parking will be located south of the two buildings, and the hotel’s main entrance will be located at the northeast corner of Superior and Union.
The adjacent two-story conference center will be the new home of the Kokomo Automotive Museum and will include office space for the Greater Kokomo Economic Development Alliance and hotel staff offices. An enclosed bridge that includes walking space and meeting rooms will connect the buildings.
The auto museum, according to the development plans, will be located in the basement of the convention center and will have its own ground-floor entrance on the south side of the building. On the first floor is the main ballroom and five other smaller conference rooms, as well as bathrooms and a kitchen.
On the second floor will be the aforementioned Alliance offices and hotel staff offices, as well as the aforementioned meeting rooms. | https://www.kokomotribune.com/news/local_news/development-plan-for-downtown-hotel-conference-center-okd/article_aa6531b4-ae12-11ed-853c-47745808cf93.html | 2023-02-17 02:10:53 | 1 | https://www.kokomotribune.com/news/local_news/development-plan-for-downtown-hotel-conference-center-okd/article_aa6531b4-ae12-11ed-853c-47745808cf93.html |
Here's the latest on the July Fourth parade attack in Highland Park, Ill., where seven people were killed by a shooter using a high-powered rifle.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Here's the latest on the July Fourth parade attack in Highland Park, Ill., where seven people were killed by a shooter using a high-powered rifle.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.wdiy.org/2022-07-05/the-latest-on-the-investigation-into-the-highland-park-july-fourth-shooting | 2022-07-05 22:38:50 | 0 | https://www.wdiy.org/2022-07-05/the-latest-on-the-investigation-into-the-highland-park-july-fourth-shooting |
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