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Tracking lifestyle consumption drivers & trends across Asia
HONG KONG, July 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Asia's leading brand distributor and operator Bluebell Group released today the second volume of the "Asia Lifestyle Consumer Profile". Based on an Asia-wide survey covering 2,100 premium lifestyle consumers across 6 markets - Mainland China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia (Singapore and Malaysia) – the study outlines five leading consumer personas and sheds light on evolving trends shaping consumption across premium and luxury segments including fashion, accessories & footwear, beauty, fragrance & make-up, active lifestyle and jewellery & watch.
"Last year we launched the first edition of the Asia Lifestyle Consumer Profile to understand the differences and commonalities in consumer outlooks across Asia", said Bluebell Group President and CEO, Ashley Micklewright. "With this second volume, keeping in mind the different post-COVID policies in each market, we explore the evolution of these trends and of the main consumer personas in Asia, and dive deeper into some of the biggest opportunities for lifestyle retail, from Instagram preferences to the growing appetite for niche brands, second-hand products and eco-conscious desires."
Movers and shakers (updates from 2021)
- Across all markets in Asia, consumers are increasingly showing interest in niche brands that fewer people know about, but that offer great style and quality. The biggest year-on-year increases in consumer interest for this brand category are found in Mainland China (+34%), Taiwan (+31%) and Japan (+31%).
- Second-hand products are also slowly winning hearts, again with a year-on-year increase in consumer openness across all markets, led by the largest increase in interest from Japan (+22%) and Taiwan (+26%).
- Meanwhile, demand for brand experiences (through events, tech, entertainment, gaming) continues to grow, with the highest year-on-year increases in consumer interest in Japan (+27%) and Hong Kong (+8%).
- More unequal across Asia, we see interest in home entertainment & home spa gaining traction in Japan (+7% interest year-on-year), while losing ground in South Korea (-11%) and South-East Asia (-8%).
- Finally, interest in products associated with healthy / active lifestyle is down overall, with the biggest year-on-year decreases in interest in South Korea (-8%) and Taiwan (-6%).
Channels of Influence:
Social media, websites and friends & family are the most influential channels for brand preference and purchase decisions
For all product categories, social media remains the most effective channel for brands to engage and inspire consumers to purchase their products: 44% of consumers count it among the channels that have the most influence on them (Fig. 1). This is followed by official websites (31%) and recommendations by friends or family (27%). Interestingly, international celebrities are said to be more influential than local celebrities.
Different channels enjoy different levels of influence across Asia
When considering all categories of premium goods, South Korean consumers are the most likely to feel influenced by social media and online blogs and reviews (60% and 34% respectively, while consumers in South-East Asia are the most likely to feel influenced by the in-store environment (26%). Magazines & Newspapers enjoy the greatest popularity among Hong Kong consumers.
Instagram: not just in the West
On average, social media is found to be the most influential channel in Asia (selected by 44% of respondents). Instagram seems to be gaining traction, even in markets across Asia that have strong local social media channels. Mainland China, South Korea and Taiwan count the highest percentage of followers on Instagram (84%, 81% and 76% respectively, Fig. 2), while Japan counts the lowest (54%). Digging deeper into Instagram, consumers across most markets show almost equal interest in local and/or international accounts (Fig. 3), except for Japan and Hong Kong, where Instagram followers are significantly more interested in local accounts (45% and 30%, respectively) than international ones.
Consumer personas
Against this backdrop of evolving consumer sentiment and behaviours, Bluebell Group has updated five broad consumer personas driving consumption trends across Asia in 2022.
- Experientialist: From culture to entertainment and content, "immersion" is the name of the game for experientialists who want to feel part of a brand's universe.
- Neophilist: From niche brands to mix & matched products and the rising pre-owned market, neophilists are drawn to originality.
- Traditionalist: Traditionalists look for the quintessential luxury shopping experience: big names, in-store service and a sense of status.
- Idealist: Idealists want to feel good about their purchase, and care about brands' ethics and values – but may still be driven by other priorities.
- Comfort-me-ist: From their body to their home, consumers are paying attention to clean and natural options to feel healthier and more comfortable.
To download the full report, please visit https://www.bluebellgroup.com/market-insights/.
About Bluebell Group
Bluebell Group has pioneered building successful brands in Asia since 1954. As Asia's partner of choice, Bluebell Group is present in Japan, South Korea, Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Taiwan, Macau SAR, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia and Australia.
The Group's distribution network includes flagship stores, shop-in-shops, counters, its own multi-brand concepts, as well as a highly selective wholesale network, together with both direct e-commerce and marketplaces, covering both domestic and Travel Retail.
The Group operates across multiple product categories: Accessories, Footwear, Apparel, Fragrance, Beauty, Gourmet, Jewellery, Watches, Eyewear and Tobacco.
A family-owned group, Bluebell Group today has over 3,800 employees, 650 points-of-sale, US$2b in turnover.
Media Contact:
Anne Geronimi
Group Communication Director
ageronimi@bluebellgroup.com
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SOURCE Bluebell Group | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/20/bluebell-group-releases-2022-asia-lifestyle-consumer-profile/ | 2022-07-20T04:51:39Z |
Global nonprofit partners with mental health organization to shine light on the mental toll associated with managing a chronic condition and provide mental health resources to community
SAN MATEO, Calif., May 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Beyond Type 1, a global diabetes nonprofit, today announced the launch of its mental health portal in support of Mental Health Awareness Month. The global nonprofit partnered with BetterHelp to provide affordable mental health resources and services to its online community with two weeks of free, professional online therapy.
The new portal is meant to serve as a starting point for those living with diabetes to learn more about resources available to them, share their experiences and seek support regarding their mental health.
"We must acknowledge how the burden associated with managing a chronic illness impacts our mental wellbeing," said Mariana Gómez, Beyond Type 1's Vice President of Emerging Markets. "Living with a chronic condition like diabetes is not only taxing on our bodies, but also our minds. We recognize there are no breaks when it comes to managing diabetes, which can be an incredibly daunting burden. We want to provide the diabetes community a space to connect with and hear from others experiencing similar burnout and learn about the tools available to them."
The portal includes poignant firsthand accounts from those managing diabetes and their mental health, as well as action plan options and resources for caregivers and people living with diabetes.
"Living with chronic health conditions can be emotionally taxing and lead to feelings of loneliness—especially if those conditions cause someone to miss out on activities or rituals they see those around them participating in regularly," said Courtney Cope, LMFT, BetterHelp's Clinical Operations Lead. "Online therapy with a licensed BetterHelp provider makes strengthening one's inner resilience in the face of chronic illness easier and more accessible than ever."
Beyond Type 1 will continue to expand the resources available on the site throughout Mental Health Awareness month and beyond.
"This new portal is just the beginning of our renewed efforts to put mental health at the forefront of our work at Beyond Type 1," Gómez continued. "By partnering with organizations like BetterHelp, we can expand the accessibility of mental health resources and amplify the voices of people managing mental health and living with type 1 and 2 diabetes."
To learn more about mental health resources available and hear personal anecdotes about managing mental health from those living with diabetes, visit the portal at https://beyondtype1.org/mental-health/.
About Beyond Type 1
Beyond Type 1 is a nonprofit organization changing what it means to live with diabetes. By leveraging the power of social media and technology, Beyond Type 1 empowers people to both live well today and support a better tomorrow. Through peer support programs, global campaigns and digital platforms, Beyond Type 1 is uniting the global diabetes community across both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, helping to change what it means to live with chronic illness. Founders + Leadership support operational expenses so that 100% of every dollar raised directly supports the most promising global efforts and programs working to educate, advocate and cure type 1 diabetes.
Media Contact
Kim Pace
kim@beyondtype1.org
817.308.5251
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SOURCE Beyond Type 1 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/13/beyond-type-1-launches-mental-health-portal/ | 2022-05-13T16:33:50Z |
High inflation leaves food banks struggling to meet needs
(AP) – Kendall Nunamaker and her family of five in Kennewick, Washington, faced impossible math this month: How to pay for gas, groceries and the mortgage with inflation driving up prices?
Like many other working families, the Nunamakers are grappling with the 8.3% inflation in the consumer price index in April announced Wednesday — slowing slightly from the March figure which was the largest year-over-year increase since 1981, according to the Labor Department. The national average gas price reached a record high Wednesday of $4.40 a gallon. And global food prices are climbing after shortages caused by Russia’s war against Ukraine and other supply chain problems.
Food banks across America say those economic conditions are intensifying demand for their support at a time when their labor and distribution costs are climbing and donations are slowing. The problem has grown to the point where last week President Joe Biden called for a Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health in September, the first since 1969.
For many families like the Nunamakers, food insecurity became a painful surprise.
“There’s no reason us as a couple and a family should be struggling so hard,” Nunamaker said. “We make decent money.”
She works three days a week at a home décor store for $15.25 an hour; her husband, Nick, works a full-time union job as a paratransit driver at $27 an hour. Though they receive some money from a state nutrition program for young children that their two youngest qualify for, they still spent $360 on groceries last week.
Because of inflated prices, those groceries didn’t go far enough to feed everyone. And the family still lacked money to pay other household bills, leaving Nunamaker wondering how she would stretch their next paychecks to cover those bills and their mortgage this month.
In the past, to bridge the gap, the family sold off possessions like VR headsets and firearms.
“At some point,” Nunamaker said, “we’re not going to have anything because we would have sold everything.”
So Nunamaker and her husband visited two local food banks for the first time last week.
The pandemic forced roughly 60 million Americans to seek help for food insecurity, according to Feeding America. At the end of 2021, as hiring boomed, demand for food banks returned to regular levels. But the relief was short-lived.
“In the last few months, with this increase in inflationary pressures, we’re seeing 95% of our 200 member food banks saying that they have seen either leveling or an increase in need,” said Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America.
In the area along the Columbia River where Nunamaker lives, the number of clients seeking food aid at a church pantry jumped 40% between December and March, according to Eric Williams, director of community partnerships at Second Harvest, an organization that works to supply local pantries with food.
He said his organization must make more happen with less because its suppliers are subject to the same cost increases. The price that Second Harvest pays for obtaining donated produce has risen from about 6 cents a pound a year ago to about 10 or 11 cents a pound now, Williams said.
Some of Feeding America’s food pantry partners have closed because of dwindling donations and higher costs for receiving and delivering food. Others have less food on their shelves even though they have higher demand.
“Our network emphasizes access and equity,” Babineaux-Fontenot said. “So we are working extra hard to reach people who have the deepest food insecurity rates. Well, how far out can we go when gas prices are high? We have data that shows that race and place are significant indicators of whether or not you will be food insecure and how deeply you will be food insecure.”
Because of inflation and a reduction in aid, a food bank that serves three counties in Ohio — also called Second Harvest — is facing a drop in the amount of food it’s able to provide.
“Compared to last year at this time, we’re about 50% down in what we have received in the past in federal food donations and then about 20% down from food drives in our collection of food at the grocery stores,” Executive Director Tyra Jackson said. “All of that combined is truly having an impact on our budget because we’re needing to purchase more food outright.”
The struggles of families are heightened by the fact that government benefits that were increased during the pandemic like food stamps or unemployment insurance have stopped or will end shortly.
“Our work is always important,” Babineaux-Fontenot said. “It’s increasingly important when we have all of these headwinds.”
Williams, of Spokane, extended gratitude to the donors and volunteers that keep his organization running, some of whom worked more than 100 shifts last year. He said it can be difficult to witness first hand the scale of the food insecurity in his community when helping with distributions at a mobile food bank.
“You see the need and you just go, ‘Oh God, oh my God,’ " Williams said. “But then as you hand somebody a box of food and they drive off: ‘Yeah, we were able to help,’ which is heart-wrenching on one hand and heartwarming on the other.”
Because it upsets her so much, Nunamaker said, she hasn’t discussed her family’s struggles with her three children, age 2, 4 and 7, or her network of friends and relatives. She said the food banks helped her family last week.
“People should know that just because you have to go to a food bank or you have to seek assistance, that doesn’t make you any less of a parent or a person,” she said. “Because everybody needs help sometimes.”
___
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.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/05/11/high-inflation-leaves-food-banks-struggling-meet-needs/ | 2022-05-11T17:34:22Z |
New York teacher put on leave after parents allege he made 7th-graders pick seeds out of cotton
By Kiely Westhoff and Laura Studley, CNN
A Rochester, New York, teacher has been placed on leave, according to a statement from the Rochester City School District Board of Education, after parents alleged he made his students pick seeds out of cotton during a lesson one parent said was about slavery.
Rochester School of the Arts teacher Patrick Rausch allegedly gave pieces of cotton to all of his seventh-grade students last week and instructed them to pick the seeds out of the cotton as part of an assignment, according to two parents of students in the class.
Rausch allowed White students in the class to throw their cotton away and forgo the assignment to work on their Chromebooks, Precious Morris, mother of a 13-year-old student, told CNN on Sunday.
Morris said that when her daughter Ja’Nasia Brown, who is Black, attempted to throw her cotton away, Rausch allegedly said she was not allowed to do so and if she did, she would receive a poor grade on the assignment. Morris said Rausch’s actions were rude and disrespectful.
“He is making a mockery out of slavery,” Morris said.
“I never would have thought a teacher would do such things. When you send your kid to school, you are sending them to school in the hands of those teachers.”
Another mother, Vialma Ramos-O’Neal, said her 13-year-old son Jahmiere O’Neal was taught the same lesson by Rausch in a separate social studies class. He is half Black and half Puerto Rican, she said.
Both parents are calling for Rausch’s teacher’s license to be revoked.
Rausch, who is White, told CNN he had no comment about the allegations or the ongoing school investigation.
CNN has reached out to the school for comment.
In a letter sent to the families of impacted seventh-graders, Rochester School of the Arts said it is investigating the incident and is interviewing students about Rausch’s conduct. A substitute teacher has been assigned to the class in the interim, and the school has made counselors available for students “who may need to discuss the situation,” the letter states.
In a statement to CNN, Rochester Board of Education President Cynthia Elliott said “in a District of black and brown students, it is important to be sensitive of the historical framework by which our students are engaging and learning,” Rochester Board President Cynthia Elliott said in a statement.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/news/national-world/cnn-national/2022/05/02/new-york-teacher-put-on-leave-after-parents-allege-he-made-7th-graders-pick-seeds-out-of-cotton/ | 2022-05-02T17:59:22Z |
Two long-time agency leaders promoted to expand client service and future growth opportunities
CHICAGO, June 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Colman, Brohan & Davis, Inc. (CBD Marketing), an award-winning integrated B2B marketing agency, has announced the promotion of two of its longstanding executives, Mary Olivieri and Mark Shevitz.
"In their decade-long tenures at CBD Marketing, both Mark and Mary have made enormous contributions to the agency, and I am incredibly proud to announce their well-deserved promotions," said Liz Brohan, CEO at CBD Marketing.
"Mary brings a highly unique viewpoint and innovative techniques to drive customer and end-user insights that help clients Market What's Meaningful® and grow their business," continued Brohan. "She's also been instrumental in building CBD Marketing's culture and making us one of the best places to work."
"Mark has spearheaded all research, brand development and marketing strategy to assist clients in exceeding their performance goals," added Brohan. "Together, these two dedicated leaders offer the kind of employee- and client-first thinking that is sure to contribute to the agency's continued success."
Oliveri, the Direct Marketer of the Year (2018), has been promoted from EVP, Executive Creative Director to President of CBD Marketing. As the agency's new President, she will guide the agency and the creative department to further nurture and innovate their clients' exciting vision and unique brand identities.
"My goal is to continue the growth trajectory of both CBD Marketing and our clients and provide new opportunities for our entire staff to rise to new levels within their own careers," explained Olivieri. "We have an incredible group of deeply creative people. With Liz, Mark, and I at the helm, we are situated for an extremely exciting future."
Shevitz, an esteemed strategic branding expert and frequent presenter at industry conferences, moves from his role as EVP, Director of Client Strategy into that of Chief Strategy Officer. In his new position, Shevitz looks to further guide business, marketing, and strategy for the agency's wide variety of clients.
"It's a really interesting time in the economy, workforce, and the agency world. There are a lot of cultural and economic forces at play that could provide us with new paths for taking an even more client- and industry-centric approach to what we do," said Shevitz. "Being elevated alongside Mary, who I have been partnering with for over 10 years, is makes this all the more meaningful. I'm excited to continue working with Liz and Mary to help write the next chapter of the agency."
For over a decade, Olivieri and Shevitz's expertise has allowed them to help evolve the agency's proven approach to B2B marketing and expand its service offerings designed to meet the needs of clients ranging from education and financial services to manufacturing, building products, and food ingredients. With complementary perspectives and insights into effective collaboration on exponential growth opportunities, Olivieri and Shevitz's promotions will result in continuing the agency's track record for innovative strategic practices and creative campaigns.
Colman Brohan & Davis, Inc. (CBD Marketing) is a Chicago-based integrated marketing and advertising agency that builds strong connections between brands and the hearts and minds of their customers. Founded in 1988, CBD serves national and global clients in manufacturing, energy, appliances, building products, education, retail, financial services, food, food ingredients and other industries. Companies and organizations count on CBD to Market What's Meaningful®, building more intimate and profitable relationships in emotional and rational ways.
Contact:
Brett Gerrish
CBD Marketing
Bgerrish@cbdmarketing.com
312-661-1050
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SOURCE Colman, Brohan & Davis, Inc. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/30/colman-brohan-amp-davis-marketing-announces-two-senior-leadership-promotions/ | 2022-06-30T14:12:55Z |
Jelenew：The first cycling brand who creates the first 1+1 model outer padded cycling pants in the world
Published: May. 16, 2022 at 9:43 AM CDT|Updated: 1 hours ago
The new "1+1 model outer padded cycling pants" may provide new ideas of the development of the women's cycling industry
WILMINGTON, Del., May 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- American avant-garde cycling brand Jelenew has launched a new "1+1 model outer padded cycling pants" structure. Outer padded cycling pants are developed and designed based on women's differentiated embedded, open physiological structure and the disassembly of muscle force data during women's cycling. A 19-year study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine showed that more than 58% of female cyclists who participated in the survey experienced genital numbness and hip pain while riding due to unreasonable cycling pad structure, groin pain, genital itching, and other physical discomforts. This result shows that the typical built-in pad cycling pants structure in the women's cycling pants industry is far from meeting the physiological needs of women's cycling. The pad structure of women's professional cycling pants needs to be transformed and innovated.
The structure of 1+1 mode outer padded cycling pants includes one pair of tight-fitting leggings and one pair of detachable cycling shorts with a pad. They are different from traditional cycling pants with built-in pads. Its launch just happened to fill the women's cycling industry gap. It could reduce or eliminate the physical discomfort of women's cycling, providing new ideas for developing the women's cycling apparel industry.
The cycling simulation pressure test conducted by Jelenew's technicians with an outer cycling pad shows that the pressure test results match the cycling force distribution map 100%. As women's intimate areas have high demands on hygiene, quality, and safety, Jelenew's detachable outer padded cycling pants physically isolate the intimate areas prone to bacterial infection. Professional cyclists and cycling enthusiasts who have experienced the Jelenew outer padded cycling pants have said that under the riding intensity of 3 hours of riding, the Jelenew outer pad cycling pants are comfortable after comparing many similar products. Up to 95%, much higher than other similar products. Moreover, the Jelenew outer padded cycling pants can be freely detached according to the riding time, which solves the scene limitation problem of different brands of "pads and pants integrated riding pants." Riders can detach the cycling pad during the cycling break to help with physical ventilation and quick-drying. At the same time, it is also convenient for the rider to enter other leisure scenes to rest on the way, which solves the problem of "embarrassing bulges" in traditional cycling pants.
Thanks to Jelenew for its innovative inventions, and we look forward to seeing more innovations from it. The cycling apparel industry needs more innovative R&D teams like Jelenew so that the entire industry will have fresh vitality and creativity.
About JELENEW
Jelenew is an American avant-garde cycling brand born for women.It creates the first cycling pants that are truly made for women in the world. It brings the groundbreaking combination of "Haute Couture and Sportswear",and carefully designs each product with "luxury moulage technique" to provide a more refined sports experience and promote a healthy lifestyle for cyclists to enjoy elegant and stylish suburban cycling.
The above press release was provided courtesy of PRNewswire. The views, opinions and statements in the press release are not endorsed by Gray Media Group nor do they necessarily state or reflect those of Gray Media Group, Inc. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/05/16/jelenewthe-first-cycling-brand-who-creates-first-11-model-outer-padded-cycling-pants-world/ | 2022-05-16T16:41:26Z |
JERUSALEM, Aug. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- C2A Security, a leading provider of Electric Vehicle focused cybersecurity solutions, and ThunderSoft, the world leading operating system products and technologies provider, announced today a collaboration to provide cybersecurity solutions for the automotive industry in China. The partnership will provide powerful cybersecurity products and solutions for OEMs and suppliers in China to enable the development of intelligent connected and electric vehicles.
The collaboration between C2A Security and ThunderSoft will provide necessary tools for OEMs and suppliers to effectively identify and respond to cyberattacks and provide full lifecycle security protection for the automotive industry. As the Chinese automotive industry continues to develop it is inevitable that cybersecurity issues will become prevalent. In 2019 it was reported by the Chinese Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Promotion Agency (EVCIPA) that there were 808,000 EV chargers in the country, a number expected to grow rapidly in the coming years.
According to a recent report, in 2020 there were 2.8M malicious attacks on automotive related companies. The report also included cybersecurity breaches with companies like Toyota, where the privacy of 3.1 million people was compromised, Daimler's Car2Go had 100 vehicles stolen due to a malicious actor hacking a mobile app, and a breach to the BMW network system.
To combat these automotive cybersecurity issues, new standards were passed including the ISO 21434 standard and UNECE WP. 29 regulations, which require automotive companies to update their cybersecurity measures. Due to recent cybersecurity incidents and the new regulations, OEMs and Tier-1s are racing to catch up and revamp their cybersecurity processes.
"The Chinese automotive industry is one of the fastest growing markets in the world and will need to catch up quickly to the rising need to protect connected vehicles from cybersecurity vulnerabilities," says Roy Fridman, CEO of C2A Security. "To meet the needs of the industry and fill the current gap in the market, C2A Security partnered with ThunderSoft to provide an advanced cybersecurity management system to local OEMs and Tier-1s."
C2A Security provides OEMs and Tier-1s with a new cybersecurity management system that automates cybersecurity for the electric vehicle ecosystem, which includes the vehicle, charging station, grid, and their communications protocol. The company's newest product EVSec breaks down communication silos and enables sharing and collaboration of the entire cybersecurity process in one of the most complex known ecosystems - Electric Vehicles.
ThunderSoft, one of the world's leading intelligent operating system products and technology providers, has been deeply involved in the automotive market since 2013. Based on the technological advantages in intelligent networked vehicle operating systems and artificial intelligence, it has gradually built three major product line-ups: smart cockpit, smart driving, and a central computing-based vehicle operating system. ThunderSoft provides customers with full product lifecycle solutions from the operating system development, core technology authorization to application customization, automated testing, etc. To date, more than 40 million vehicles around the world have adopted Thundersoft's smart vehicle products and solutions.
"We have deeply felt the growth of the intelligent connected vehicle business and cybersecurity is an indispensable part of the intelligent connected vehicle," says Wenguang Wu, Executive President of ThunderSoft. "The cooperation with C2A Security will provide cybersecurity solutions for the whole lifecycle of connected vehicles in China. We look forward to expanding the cooperation globally and bringing the vehicle industry to a safer future."
C2A Security is a leading provider of cybersecurity solutions that addresses the specific needs of modern vehicles with a focus on the unique security challenges of electric vehicles. C2A Security's new flagship product EVSec is a cybersecurity management system that automates cybersecurity for the electric vehicle ecosystem, which includes the vehicle, charging station, grid, and their communications protocol. Using EVSec, C2A's customers save time and money on managing cybersecurity activities and increase protection with a centralized risk management system. C2A Security breaks down communication silos to create a true cybersecurity single pane of glass that delivers transparency, communication, and collaboration with one automated and centralized solution. For more information, visit https://www.c2a-sec.com.
ThunderSoft, the world leading intelligent operating system products and technologies provider, has been continuously accumulating and innovating in the operating system field, with its business expanding gradually from smart terminals to AIoT, smart vehicle and smart industries. It has been successfully listed in 2015, which leads it to be China's first listed technical company specialized in the intelligent operating system. Till now, the branches, subsidiaries and R&D centers of ThunderSoft have covered 37 cities around the world, with a total of nearly 10,000 employees.
Contact:
DeeDee Rudenstein
drudenstein@propelsc.com
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SOURCE C2A Security | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/04/c2a-security-thundersoft-collaborate-provide-cybersecurity-solutions-chinese-automotive-industry/ | 2022-08-04T13:31:40Z |
ASPEN, Colo., June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Staunch Moderates Intellectual Movement released its iconic "Staunch Moderates News" music video today, to kick off summer and to help de-escalate the Divide as we approach our midterms! "Staunch Moderates News" is the 13th track on the Movement's 14-track debut hip-hop album The First Realm, which was released last September to celebrate the beginning of the 2021-22 NFL football season. Yes, Staunch Moderates love sports! They have successful Bigfoots Football™ and Bigfoots Baseball™ music videos, but those are other stories, so back to the Staunch Moderates News music video! It's an intellectually tasteful retelling of our country's story since the 2020 election, a "Dick Clark retelling of the past year on New Year's Eve so to speak," says Staunch Moderates founder Greg Simmons. "It should be relatable to all and not a bore!"
View the "Staunch Moderates News" music video on YouTube; on one of the Staunch Moderates' main channels Staunch Moderates News YouTube or StaunchModerates.org; the Staunch Moderates Media Network; or any of their social media channels.
The "Staunch Moderates News" track and music video chronologically touches on a few of the major news beats of the past several years, from the aftermath of the 2020 Presidential election and the rise of the Covid-19 pandemic to the economic upheaval and the latest international strife the nation currently faces. This music video is yet another audiovisual presentation representative of the Movement's belief that it can reach a broader, more diverse audience through multiple creative media, and it seems to be working for them. The Movement is consistently increasing its following across social and digital outlets and has been growing its rotation on numerous traditional radio and cable outlets across the country.
The First Realm album features rap artists Casanova Ace and the Movement's DJ Staunch, along with Jeffrey "Skunk" Baxter, lead guitarist of the Doobie Brothers and founding member of Steely Dan (Jeffrey is non-political however; and is simply performing due to his love of music!) Enjoy the video and stay tuned for much more to come from Staunch Moderates Studios this year!
Staunch Moderates are an Intellectual Movement that addresses our country's current intellectual and political divide and strives for both national and world peace. Formed in December of 2019, the Movement hit the ground running, campaigning for their messages throughout the 2020 Election Year. They actively campaigned in sixteen different states by hosting 35 vital societal issue forums, conducting polls and producing several interviews with different political celebrities during the conventions and debates. With Casanova Ace rapping, the team even hosted a live Election Day Show with a panel of ten of their closest political celebrity friends, including former Congressman Barry Goldwater, former bodybuilding champion Lou Ferrigno, Olympian Maggie Connor and former White House press office Edward P. Lozzi, among others. For fans, constituents and the curious, check it all out at StaunchModerates.org or any of their social media channels.
Follow Staunch Moderates:
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
YouTube
Soundcloud
Spotify
Contact: Eric Green/The Right Now eric@therightnow.co
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SOURCE Staunch Moderates | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/02/staunch-moderates-intellectual-movement-releases-its-latest-music-video-promoting-platforms-news-outlet-staunch-moderate-news/ | 2022-06-02T20:35:39Z |
3 people dead in hotel shooting, including suspect; 2 Phoenix police officers hurt
PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5/Gray News) - Two Phoenix police officers are injured and two people as well as a possible suspect were killed during a shooting in north Phoenix.
Phoenix police said the shooting happened after the officers responded to reports of a shooting at the Days Inn around 8:45 p.m., just west of Interstate 17. When they arrived, officers were shot at by an unidentified suspect, who was later found dead, according to Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams.
Two people died at the scene, and an unknown number of other people were taken to a hospital, Arizona’s Family reported. Both injured officers are in stable condition at the hospital, Phoenix police said.
“Once again, this is another example of gun violence in our community,” Williams said. “How many more officers have to be shot? How many more community members have to be killed before those in our community take a stand? This is not a Phoenix police issue, this is a community issue. If not now, when?”
No suspect has been identified yet, and what led up to the shooting is still under investigation.
Copyright 2022 KTVK/KPHO via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/08/29/2-people-dead-hotel-shooting-including-suspect-2-phoenix-police-officers-hurt/ | 2022-08-29T12:55:06Z |
World-Renowned Relationship Therapy Couple, Helen & Harville, Joined Gen Z Influencers and Artists Live Onstage To Demonstrate Dialog Life Skills And Why It Works
LAS VEGAS, April 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dialog Life Skills, the first easy to learn solution that helps the largest generation in history overcome their mental health challenges, is being taught to Gen Z by world-renowned relationship therapy couple Helen LaKelly Hunt (Ph.D) and Harville Hendrix (Ph.D).
For 40 years, Helen and Harville have been teaching people to have better relationships. They and their relationship work were featured on Oprah! 17 times in 20 years. They wrote four New York Times best-selling books and have trained 2800 licensed therapists to teach people the importance of learning to become dialogical. The Dialog process reduces anxiety and creates healthier connections with others.
For the first time, they are being invited by Jaxon John Huffman of Creators Capital to be a Gen Z Ally and teach teens and young adults to have better relationships, so that they have improved mental health and access to more success and joy in their lives.
"We believe there is so much unnecessary suffering in the world and have struggled for years to get our work to as many people as possible," Helen explained. "Jaxon came up with a way to reach billions of people with our solutions to their relationship and mental health struggles. We would've never imagined that solution would be to work with teens and young adults, but we are already seeing beautiful results and that this generation will be the one to take this skill out of the clinic and into the world."
Friday night at the start of Grammy Weekend, Helen and Harville, along with Gen Z creators came together to demonstrate how the Dialog process works and to debut Dialog Songs. This multi-platform vision to support Gen Z, is being created by Jaxon John Huffman, of Creators Capital, a company he founded to fullfil a need in the industry for talented entrepreneurs, at a time when we are entering the creative age and the creator economy is booming.
"Dialog Songs represent a new genre of music, co-written by Helen & Harville with our songwriting and production team," Huffman explains. "The lessons turn into songs, inspired by Helen and Harville's library of love, a four-decade body of work that serves as our unprecedented access to source material."
Singer, songwriter and influencer, Melle, kicked off the performance with a set of her songs, produced by 2022 Album of the Year Grammy-winning producer, Kizzo. Her starkly personal lyrics about fighting depression, becoming empowered and the plight of the planet prompted rousing applause from the house full of young people, looking to make their way in the music industry, but discovering the powerful, positive influence Dialog can have on their lives.
"When I was a teen, I tried to take my life twice," Melle shared. "I've been dialoging for eight months, and my mental health has improved. I feel like I am empowered with the skills to have better relationships and thrive."
Melle's set led into a medley of Dialog Songs, co-produced by Grammy Award-winner Carlos "Los Da Mystro" McKinney, 18-year-old Nauz and 20-year-old, Matrell.
The set featured:
- "I Wonder," about learning how to love without judgement, which has been proven to increase neural plasticity (you can have a heathier brain).
Performed by Jireh, Symphony and Matrell, featuring the Anthemicz - "Same Difference" about how to go from rejecting to celebrating difference in our relationships with others.
Performed by Keke and Demarcia, featuring the Anthemicz - "Connection," about using Dialog to improve our relationships and address feelings of anxiety and loneliness.
Performed by Melle, Symphony, Jireh featuring the Anthemicz - "Unconditional Love," which Helen and Harville teach is the third of the three stages of love, when you love someone for who they are, expecting nothing in return.
Performed by Haley West, featuring the Anthemicz
It was clear the power of Dialog Songs resonated strongly with the audience. Kami Kehoe, 18, had this reaction to Haley West, via DM. "Aye, it was dope meeting you last night! Would love to work with u on some stuff! or even some feedback or tips. U killed it on ur performance for real. Love ur voice and ur message."
Rob Lacy, with Notes for Notes (Las Vegas Recording Arts Program for Youth) declared, "I was inspired by the dialog message you gave. Our recording arts program is located inside the Boys and Girls Club. I'd like to introduce the concept and practice to our kids. A lot of them come from broken homes and rough backgrounds. I'd love to be a Gen Z Ally."
For more information on learning to Dialog, go to Dialog Life Skills
About Creators Capital:
Creators Capital is the world's first startup studio and incubator, with content houses for artists, influencers, entrepreneurs and investors.
We empower creators with the tools, knowledge, connections, and capital to build sustainable businesses by developing their talent, creating their assets and maximizing the value of their work.
For more information: CreatorsCapital
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MESA, Ariz., July 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Verra Mobility Corporation (NASDAQ: VRRM), a leading provider of smart mobility technology solutions, announced today that it will report financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022, after market close on August 3, 2022.
Verra Mobility's Chief Executive Officer, David Roberts, and Chief Financial Officer, Craig Conti, will host a conference call and live webcast to discuss financial results for investors and analysts at 5:00 p.m. ET on August 3, 2022.
To access the conference call, dial 1-800-289-0720 for the U.S. or Canada and 1-323-701-0160 for international callers with conference ID 1070500. A live webcast will be available on the "Investor Relations" section of the Company's website at ir.verramobility.com.
An audio replay of the call will also be available until 11:59 p.m. ET on August 17, 2022, by dialing 1-844-512-2921 for the U.S. or Canada, and 1-412-317-6671 for international callers and entering passcode 1070500.
In addition, an archived webcast will be available in the "News & Events" section of Verra Mobility's Investor Relations website at ir.verramobility.com.
About Verra Mobility
Verra Mobility Corporation (NASDAQ: VRRM) is committed to developing and using the latest in technology and data intelligence to help make transportation safer and easier. As a global company, Verra Mobility sits at the center of the mobility ecosystem – one that brings together vehicles, devices, information and people to solve complex challenges faced by our customers and the constituencies they serve.
As a leading provider of connected mobility systems, Verra Mobility serves the world's largest rental car companies and commercial fleets by managing tolling and violation transactions for millions of vehicles each year through integration and connectivity with hundreds of tolling and issuing authorities. Verra Mobility also fosters the development of safe cities, partnering with law enforcement agencies, transportation departments and school districts mainly across North America operating thousands of speed, red-light, bus lane and school bus stop arm safety cameras, and by offering parking hardware and software solutions. Arizona-based Verra Mobility operates in North America, Australia, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.verramobility.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about Verra Mobility's plans, objectives, expectations, beliefs and intentions and other statements including words such as "hope," "anticipate," "may," "believe," "expect," "intend," "will," "should," "plan," "estimate," "predict," "continue" and "potential" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. The forward-looking statements herein represent the judgment of the Verra Mobility, as of the date of this release, and Verra Mobility disclaims any intent or obligation to update forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated. This press release should be read in conjunction with the information included in Verra Mobility's other press releases, reports and other filings with the SEC and on the SEC website, www.sec.gov. Understanding the information contained in these filings is important in order to fully understand Verra Mobility's reported financial results and our business outlook for future periods. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in the forward-looking statements and the assumptions and estimates used as a basis for the forward-looking statements.
Additional Information
We periodically provide information for investors on our corporate website, www.verramobility.com, and our investor relations website, ir.verramobility.com. We intend to use our website as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, investors should monitor our website, in addition to following the Company's press releases, SEC filings and public conference calls and webcasts.
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SUZHOU, China, June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kintor Pharmaceutical Limited ("Kintor Pharma", HKEX: 9939), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing innovative small molecules and biological therapeutics, today announced that its "clinical trial cooperative research and development and overseas application demonstration of the anti-COVID-19 drug (pruxelutamide, used to be called proxalutamide)" project was selected as one of the Belt and Road Innovation Cooperation Projects and was included in the list of proposed projects for special fund supported by the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Science and Technology (Innovation Support Plan for International Science and Technology Cooperation/Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan Science and Technology Cooperation). Kintor Pharma and Etana, an Indonesian company, developed the project together.
The fund was built by the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Finance. By integrating and allocating resources to improve innovation in the Jiangsu Province, the fund will focus on supporting industrial research and development, innovation, and high-quality development with countries and regions worldwide involved in the Belt and Road project. The Belt and Road Innovation Cooperation Project is required to support international R&D, technology transfer, and overseas demonstrations of projects in the countries involved in the Belt and Road project. The project must also promote technology or products from the Jiangsu Province globally while promoting open cooperation in innovation.
Pruxelutamide's inclusion in the Belt and Road Innovation Cooperation Project is based on Kintor Pharma and Etana's collaboration on the clinical development and commercialization of pruxelutamide for the treatment of COVID-19 in Indonesia. The project's success serves as recognition of Kintor's R&D and innovation capabilities. The company will continue to focus on improving its R&D capabilities along with industrial innovation to promote open global cooperation in biotech.
About Pruxelutamide
Pruxelutamide is an ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) and TMPRSS2 (transmembrane protease, serine 2) proteins inhibitor that inhibits the entry of the SARS-CoV-2 virus into host cells. For COVID-19 patients with early symptoms, targeting the ACE2/TMPRSS2 signal axis by pruxelutamide could significantly inhibit the entry of the virus into host cells. For severe patients, pruxelutamide promotes the clearance of pathogens and decreases inflammation by activating the Nrf2 pathway, which inhibits the over-production of IL-6, proinflammatory cytokines, and chemokines, thus minimizing cytokine storms and tissues damage. In this way, pruxelutamide might be well-positioned as an effective drug for COVID-19 patients from early symptoms to hospitalized/severe conditions.
On August 25 2021, Kintor Pharma announced that it had entered into a licensing agreement with PT Etana Biotechnologies Indonesia, for the commercialization of proxalutamide for the treatment of COVID-19 in Indonesia.
About Kintor Pharmaceutical Limited
Kintor Pharmaceutical Limited is developing and commercializing a robust pipeline of innovative small molecule and biological therapeutics for androgen-receptor-related disease areas with unmet medical needs, including COVID-19, prostate, breast and liver cancers, alopecia and acne. For more information, visit www.kintor.com.cn.
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SOURCE Kintor Pharma | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/14/kintor-pharma-etanas-collaboration-pruxelutamides-covid-19-project-awarded-with-belt-road-innovation-project-fund-support-science-technology-department-jiangsu-province/ | 2022-06-14T05:50:24Z |
...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM EDT /10 AM CDT/
THIS MORNING TO 8 PM EDT /7 PM CDT/ THIS EVENING...
* WHAT...Heat index values between 105 and 110 expected.
* WHERE...Portions of southeast Alabama, south central and
southwest Georgia, and Big Bend and Panhandle Florida.
* WHEN...From 11 AM EDT /10 AM CDT/ to 8 PM EDT /7 PM CDT/ Today.
* IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat
illnesses to occur.
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.
&&
Justin Bieber offers an update on his facial paralysis
"Wanted to share a little bit of how I've been feelin," he wrote. "Each day has gotten better and through all of the discomfort I have found comfort in the one who designed me and knows me."
Bieber has been outspoken in the past about his Christian faith and wrote in his statement that "I'm reminded he knows all of me."
"He know the darkest parts of me that I want no one to know about and he constantly welcomes me into his loving arms," the statement continued. "This perspective has give me peace during this horrific storm that I'm facing."
Bieber revealed last week that he's been diagnosed with the rare neurological syndrome, which is caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox and shingles.
In a video he posted, he showed how one side of his face was unable to move as a result and explained the diagnosis is why he canceled some concerts and plans to take a break from touring while he recuperates.
He ended his statement Monday by writing, "I know this storm will pass but in the meantime Jesus is with me."
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article. | https://www.albanyherald.com/entertainment/justin-bieber-offers-an-update-on-his-facial-paralysis/article_86f2296a-6bb6-53a1-af1a-6ba338926894.html | 2022-06-14T14:43:36Z |
Achieved High-End of Guidance
Continued Growth in ARPD, Dealer Customers and Revenue
CHICAGO, Aug. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cars.com Inc. (NYSE: CARS) ("CARS" or the "Company"), the leading digital automotive platform that provides a robust set of digital solutions, today released its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022.
Q2 2022 Financial and Key Metric Highlights
- Revenue of $162.9 million, up $7.3 million, or 5% year-over-year
- Net income of $5.5 million, or $0.08 per diluted share, compared to Net income of $6.0 million, or $0.08 per diluted share, in the prior year
- Adjusted EBITDA of $45.3 million, or 28% of revenue, down $3.2 million, year-over-year
- Average Monthly Unique Visitors ("UVs") of 27.1 million, up 3% year-over-year
- Traffic ("Visits") of 148.0 million, down 7% year-over-year
- Monthly Average Revenue Per Dealer ("ARPD") of $2,326, up 1% from $2,299 in the prior year period
- Dealer Customers[1] of 19,517 as of June 30, 2022, 17 higher compared to 19,500 as of March 31, 2022, and up 672, or 4%, compared to June 30, 2021
Operational Highlights
- Dealer Inspire was named by Subaru as a Certified Website and Technology Platform Provider for its 570+ U.S. retailers, helping them increase sales and efficiency through a platform of industry-leading technology solutions
- Accu-Trade continues to gain momentum as dealers adopt digital vehicle appraisal and acquisition solutions
- Instant Offer is now available on Cars.com, connecting shoppers with the Company's nearly 20,000 dealers, enabling consumers to sell their cars quickly and efficiently
- The Company continued to bolster its editorial content with the annual publication of its 2022 American Made Index, which showcases the most American-made vehicles, that announced Tesla as the winner for the second year in a row, driving more than 500 media stories
"Momentum continued into the second quarter, as we delivered revenue and ARPD growth and robust sequential margin expansion. Our newest integrations are enabling consumers and dealers to connect and facilitate faster sales leveraging technology to speed transactions," said Alex Vetter, Chief Executive Officer of CARS. "We are well-positioned to further our growth in the second half of 2022 and beyond, reflective of our reliable marketplace platform, dealer friendly solutions and the growing opportunity from our recent acquisitions that further expand our end-to-end capabilities."
Q2 2022 Results
Revenue for the second quarter totaled $162.9 million, an increase of $7.3 million, or 5%, compared to the prior year period. Dealer revenue grew 5% year-over-year, driven by 4% growth in Dealer Customers and 1% growth in ARPD, primarily related to continued penetration of the Company's digital solutions. As anticipated, solid growth in Dealer and Other revenue was offset by a 13% year-over-year decrease in OEM and national revenue, reflecting delayed production by OEMs and lower advertising investments.
Total operating expenses for the second quarter were $147.5 million, compared to $139.9 million for the prior year period. Adjusted Operating Expenses for the quarter were $138.9 million, a $6.5 million increase compared to the prior year period driven by increased Product and technology expenses, primarily due to higher compensation and consulting costs related to the Accu-Trade and CreditIQ acquisitions, and increased Marketing and sales investments to help drive traffic generation, partially offset by a decrease in Depreciation and amortization.
Net income for the quarter was $5.5 million, or $0.08 per diluted share, compared to Net income of $6.0 million, or $0.08 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2021.
Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter totaled $45.3 million, or 28% of revenue, compared to $48.5 million, or 31% of revenue, for the prior year period.
For the quarter, we delivered 3% growth in Average Monthly Unique Visitors, compared to the prior year, while total Traffic was 7% lower compared to the second quarter of 2021. The decline in Traffic was primarily due to elevated traffic in the prior year period related to an increase in consumer confidence and heightened consumer demand from the federal economic stimulus program that ran during the prior year period.
As of June 30, 2022, Dealer Customers totaled 19,517, an increase of 672, or 4%, year-over-year, driven by sustained strong retention rates and new sales to Dealer Customers. Compared to the first quarter of 2022, Dealer Customers increased by 17, due to growth in traditional dealers and the inclusion of 180 Accu-Trade only dealers and cancellations related to a single digital dealer. Excluding these two items, Dealer Customers would have still grown during the quarter.
Second quarter ARPD was $2,326, up 1% year-over-year, driven by continued growth in digital solutions.
Cash Flow and Balance Sheet
Net cash provided by operating activities for the six-month period ended June 30, 2022 was $42.3 million, compared to $79.6 million in the prior year. Free Cash Flow in the first six months totaled $33.7 million compared to $66.5 million in the prior year. This decline was primarily due to a $9.1 million income tax refund received in the first quarter of 2021 related to the carryback of NOLs, as well as, the impact of unfavorable changes in working capital in the current year driven by the timing of vendor payments, in that the current year period reflected an additional cycle of vendor payments.
The Company made $5.0 million in debt payments during the first six months of 2022, thereby reducing total debt outstanding to $517.5 million as of June 30, 2022. Total net leverage at quarter end was 2.8x, compared to 2.4x as of June 30, 2021. Total liquidity was $203.1 million, including cash and cash equivalents of $18.1 million and $185.0 million revolver capacity, as of June 30, 2022.
The Company repurchased 1.7 million of its common shares for $18.3 million during the second quarter of 2022 and 2.1 million shares for $23.3 million during the six months ended June 30, 2022.
"We delivered another quarter of robust performance. The strength of our cash flow and balance sheet provided us the financial flexibility to return $23.3 million to shareholders through share repurchases during the first half of the year, and enables us to maintain modest leverage while investing in both organic and inorganic growth drivers," said Jandy Tomy, Interim Chief Financial Officer of CARS.
2022 Outlook
For the third quarter of 2022, the Company expects to deliver Revenue of approximately $163.5 million to $165.5 million, representing year-over-year and sequential growth. Guidance reflects strong first half 2022 performance balanced against the continuation of the impact of the macro-economic environment, including the industry-wide inventory shortages, rising inflation and interest rates.
Adjusted EBITDA margin for the third quarter is expected to be between 29% and 31%, reflecting sequential margin expansion and diligent expense management with a continued focus on investing in the integration and launch of our recently acquired dealer solutions, marketing and our people.
The Company expects revenue growth to accelerate and projects growth of 6% to 8% year-over-year in the second half of 2022, assuming inventory shortages do not begin to recover until 2023. This reflects a continued acceleration of revenue growth driven by the Company's execution of its solutions strategy.
Q2 2022 Earnings Call
As previously announced, management will hold a conference call and webcast today at 8:00 a.m. CT. This webcast may be accessed at investor.cars.com. A replay of the webcast will be available at this website following the conclusion of the call until August 17, 2022.
About CARS
CARS is the leading automotive marketplace platform that provides a robust set of digital solutions to connect car shoppers with sellers. Launched in 1998 with the flagship marketplace Cars.com and headquartered in Chicago, the Company empowers shoppers with the data, resources and digital tools needed to make informed buying decisions and seamlessly connect with automotive retailers and OEMs. In a rapidly changing market, CARS enables dealerships and OEMs with innovative technical solutions and data-driven intelligence to better reach and influence ready-to-buy shoppers, increase inventory turn and gain market share.
In addition to Cars.com, CARS brands include Dealer Inspire, a technology provider building solutions that future-proof dealerships with more efficient operations and connected digital experiences; FUEL, which gives dealers and OEMs the opportunity to harness the untapped power of digital video by leveraging Cars.com's pure audience of in-market car shoppers, DealerRater, a leading car dealer review and reputation management platform, automotive fintech platform CreditIQ, and Accu-Trade, a leading provider of vehicle acquisition technology and valuation data.
The full suite of CARS properties includes Cars.com™, Dealer Inspire®, FUEL™, DealerRater®, CreditIQ™, Accu-Trade™, Auto.com™, PickupTrucks.com™ and NewCars.com®. For more information, visit www.Cars.com.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This earnings release discusses Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Free Cash Flow and Adjusted Operating Expenses. These financial measures are not prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("GAAP"). These financial measures are presented as supplemental measures of operating performance because the Company believes they provide meaningful information regarding the Company's performance and provide a basis to compare operating results between periods. In addition, the Company uses Adjusted EBITDA as a measure for determining incentive compensation targets. Adjusted EBITDA also is used as a performance measure under the Company's credit agreement and includes adjustments such as the items defined below and other further adjustments, which are defined in the credit agreement. These non-GAAP financial measures are frequently used by the Company's lenders, securities analysts, investors and other interested parties to evaluate companies in the Company's industry. For a reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures presented in this earnings release to their most directly comparable financial measure prepared in accordance with GAAP, see "Non-GAAP Reconciliations" below.
Other companies may define or calculate these measures differently, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures. Because of these limitations, non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation or as substitutes for performance measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. Definitions of these non-GAAP financial measures and reconciliations to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures are presented in the tables below.
The Company defines Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) before (1) interest expense, net, (2) income tax (benefit) expense, (3) depreciation, (4) amortization of intangible assets, (5) stock-based compensation expense, (6) unrealized mark-to-market adjustments and cash transactions related to derivative instruments, and (7) certain other items, such as transaction-related items, severance, transformation and other exit costs and write-off and impairments of goodwill, intangible assets and other long-lived assets.
Transaction-related items result from actual or potential transactions such as business combinations, mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, spin-offs, financing transactions, and other strategic transactions, including, without limitation, (1) transaction-related bonuses and (2) expenses for advisors and representatives such as investment bankers, consultants, attorneys and accounting firms. Transaction-related items may also include, without limitation, transition and integration costs such as retention bonuses and acquisition-related milestone payments to acquired employees, consulting, compensation and other incremental costs associated with integration projects, and amortization of deferred revenue related to the Accu-Trade acquisition.
The Company defines Free Cash Flow as net cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures, including purchases of property and equipment and capitalization of internal-use software and website development costs.
The Company defines Adjusted Operating Expenses as total operating expenses adjusted to exclude stock-based compensation, write-off and impairments of goodwill, intangible assets, long-lived assets, severance, transformation and other exit costs and transaction-related items.
Key Metric Definitions
Traffic ("Visits"). Traffic is fundamental to the Company's business. Traffic to the CARS network of websites and mobile apps provides value to the Company's advertisers in terms of audience, awareness, consideration and conversion. In addition to tracking traffic volume and sources, the Company monitors activity on its properties, allowing the Company to innovate and refine its consumer-facing offerings. Traffic is defined as the number of visits to CARS desktop and mobile properties (responsive sites and mobile apps), measured using Adobe Analytics. Traffic does not include traffic to Dealer Inspire websites. Traffic provides an indication of the Company's consumer reach. Although the Company's consumer reach does not directly result in revenue, the Company believes its ability to reach in-market car shoppers is attractive to its dealer customers and national advertisers.
Average Monthly Unique Visitors ("UVs"). Growth in unique visitors and consumer traffic to the Company's network of websites and mobile apps increases the number of impressions, clicks, leads and other events it can monetize to generate revenue. The Company defines UVs in a given month as the number of distinct visitors that engage with its platform during that month. Visitors are identified when a user first visits an individual CARS property on an individual device/browser combination or installs one of its mobile apps on an individual device. If a visitor accesses more than one of the Company's web properties or apps or uses more than one device or browser, each of those unique property/browser/app/device combinations counts toward the number of UVs. UVs do not include Dealer Inspire UVs. The Company measures UVs using Adobe Analytics.
Average Revenue Per Dealer ("ARPD"). The Company believes that its ability to grow ARPD is an indicator of the value proposition of its platform. The Company defines ARPD as Dealer revenue, excluding digital advertising services, during the period divided by the monthly average number of Dealer Customers during the same period. For the three months ended June 30, 2022, Accu-Trade is included in our ARPD metric, which had an immaterial impact on ARPD; however, no prior period has been recast as it would be impracticable to do so.
Dealer Customers. Dealer Customers represent dealerships using the Company's products as of the end of each reporting period. Each physical or virtual dealership location is counted separately, whether it is a single-location proprietorship or part of a large, consolidated dealer group. Multi-franchise dealerships at a single location are counted as one dealer. As of June 30, 2022, this key operating metric includes Accu-Trade; however, no prior period has been recast as it would be impracticable to do so.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include information concerning the Company's industry, Dealer Customers, results of operations, business strategies, plans and objectives, market potential, outlook, trends, future financial performance, planned operational and product improvements, potential strategic transactions, recent acquisitions, such as CreditIQ and Accu-Trade, liquidity, including draws from the Company's revolving credit facility, expense management and other matters and involve known and unknown risks that are difficult to predict. These statements often include words such as "believe," "expect," "project," "anticipate," "outlook," "intend," "strategy," "plan," "estimate," "target," "seek," "will," "may," "would," "should," "could," "forecasts," "mission," "strive," "more," "goal" or similar expressions. As a result, the Company's actual financial results, performance, achievements, strategic actions or prospects may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current expectations, beliefs, strategies, estimates, projections and assumptions, based on its experience in the industry as well as the Company's perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments, current developments regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors the Company thinks are appropriate. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company and its management based on their knowledge and understanding of the business and industry, are inherently uncertain. These statements are expressed in good faith and the Company believes these judgments are reasonable. However, you should understand that these statements are not guarantees of strategic action, performance or results. The Company's actual results and strategic actions could differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Given these uncertainties, forward-looking statements should not be relied on in making investment decisions. Comparisons of results between current and prior periods are not intended to express any future trends, or indications of future performance, unless expressed as such, and should only be viewed as historical data. Whether or not any such forward-looking statement is in fact achieved will depend on future events, some of which are beyond the Company's control.
Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other important factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control, that could cause its actual results and strategic actions to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. For a detailed discussion of many of these and other risks and uncertainties, see the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, its Current Reports on Form 8-K and its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, available on the Company's website at investor.cars.com or via EDGAR at www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. You should evaluate all forward-looking statements made in this press release in the context of these risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based only on information currently available to the Company and speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation, other than as may be required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking or cautionary statements to reflect changes in assumptions, the occurrence of events, unanticipated or otherwise, or changes in future operating results over time or otherwise.
The forward-looking statements in this report are intended to be subject to the safe harbor protection provided by the federal securities laws.
CARS Investor Relations Contact:
Robbin Moore-Randolph
rmr@cars.com
312.601.5929
CARS Media Contact:
Marita Thomas
mthomas@cars.com
312.601.5692
1 As of June 30, 2022, this key metric includes Accu-Trade; however, no prior period has been recast as it would be impracticable to do so. For the second quarter 2022, this metric includes 180 Accu-Trade only customers.
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SOURCE Cars.com Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/03/cars-reports-second-quarter-2022-results/ | 2022-08-03T12:50:12Z |
Record rain causes heavy flooding in St. Louis area; 1 dead
O’FALLON, Mo. (AP) — Record rainfall caused widespread flash flooding across the St. Louis area early Tuesday, killing one person, displacing many others and prompting rescues from vehicles and homes.
One person died when a car in St. Louis was found covered in more than 8 feet (2.4 meters) of water. Several puppies drowned when a building became flooded at Stray Paws Adoptables, a stray dog rescue operation in St. Peters, a St. Louis suburb. Firefighters in boats rescued other dogs from the building.
Damage across the region was widespread after a massive downpour dropped more than 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain in parts of St. Charles County and up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) elsewhere in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Most of the rain fell in a few hours shortly after midnight.
By noon, about 9 inches (23 centimeters) of rain had fallen at Lambert Airport, demolishing the previous daily record of 6.85 inches set Aug. 20, 1915, when remnants of the Galveston, Texas, hurricane moved north to St. Louis. Forecasters expected more storms through the rest of the week.
Firefighters were busy with water rescues. Sections of interstates 70, 64, 55 and 44 were all closed at various times as water swamped the roadways. Some motorists took to social media to report being stranded for hours.
In the city of St. Louis, the fire department rescued people from several homes after floodwaters made it into houses. Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson said at a news conference that many homes suffered significant damage, and some roofs were collapsing under the weight of the water.
Across the region, firefighters and other first responders rescued more than 100 people, mostly from vehicles that tried to pass through water-covered roadways.
“We’ve had a tremendous amount of cars that have been door-deep and also roof-deep in some of these low-lying areas,” Jenkerson said.
The water was above the roof of a car found just after 10 a.m. in a neighborhood near Forest Park. One person was pulled out but pronounced dead. Their identity has not been released.
In the St. Louis County town of Brentwood, residents were forced to evacuate when Deer Creek overflowed. Rising waters also threatened homes in Ladue, one of the wealthiest cities in Missouri.
Flooding was so bad that the iconic Gateway Arch closed for the day.
National Weather Service meteorologist Marshall Pfahler said a storm stalled over the St. Louis area around midnight and kept pouring water over the same relatively narrow band.
“You have this swath of up to 10-inch amounts, and a county or two south they had a trace or even less,” Pfahler said.
The remarkable rainfall followed a period of extended drought in the region. The ground was rock-hard before Tuesday morning and Pfahler said that may have played a small role in the flash flooding. A bigger factor, he said, was that the storm hit a metro area with a lot of concrete and asphalt, rather than grassy areas that could absorb the moisture more readily.
While the St. Louis region got the worst of it, other places were soaked, too. The central Missouri town of Mexico received more than 6 inches (15 centimeters) of rain. Similar rainfall totals were reported in parts of southern Illinois.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/07/26/record-rain-causes-heavy-flooding-st-louis-area-1-dead/ | 2022-07-26T20:58:30Z |
The new suite will enable agencies to streamline workflows, generate leads and better service clients
MILWAUKEE, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading insurtech provider, Zywave, today announced the launch of Sales Cloud for Personal Lines, a new offering that brings together key industry-leading solutions, establishing a dedicated solution for agencies specializing in personal lines.
The comprehensive suite in Sales Cloud will enable agencies to free up time by streamlining mission-critical workflows, while elevating their sales, renewals, and servicing process, ultimately fueling business growth.
"Consumer expectations for simple, delightful digital experiences, coupled with market pressures for profitable growth, create a very real need for rapid evolution of traditional insurance agency sales processes," said vice president of data solutions and product management, Mikhail Palatnik. "This new world requires creating effective digital presence, productive engagement with prospects and clients, and pairing the right carrier offerings with the right individual risks."
"We've created this new suite to address the pain points personal lines agencies are experiencing today, while also looking toward the future of the industry," added Palatnik. "Zywave is thrilled to expand our offerings for personal lines, alongside our growing portfolio of commercial and employee benefits insurance solutions."
The Sales Cloud – Personal Lines suite includes two primary functions: marketing and lead generation, which helps agencies drive digital consumer engagement and effective marketing motions; and quoting and proposals (CPQ), powered by Zywave's acquisition of TurboRater and IBQ Systems, a solution that efficiently matches consumer needs with the right product and coverage.
Modern marketing and lead generation is supported by Zywave Websites, enabling agencies to manage a mobile-responsive website, ensure it is search-optimized to drive necessary traffic, and allow consumers self-service access to generate and review quotes online. In addition, email marketing automation enables users to communicate efficiently with clients and prospects, freeing up more time to focus on revenue-generating activities.
Zywave CPQ for Personal Lines, powered by TurboRater and IBQ Systems, provides configure, price and quote functionality simplifying complex and time-consuming processes and ensuring proper protection for policyholders.
This market-leading solution includes the capability to leverage pre-built data integrations to auto-fill customer information from eight leading providers of auto and homeowner's data. Further, users of Zywave CPQ for Personal Lines typically receive a new lead, review an average of nine carrier options, and begin binding a customer's policy with a single carrier, in under two minutes.
For more information on Sales Cloud - Personal Lines visit, https://zywv.us/SalesCloudPL.
About Zywave
Zywave leads the insurtech industry, fueling business growth for its partners with cloud-based sales management, client delivery, content and analytics solutions. Zywave's all-in-one platform provides customizable, user-friendly options that enable insurance professionals to build a unique solution to fit their specific growth goals—their own Modern RevOps Machine. More than 15,000 carriers, agencies and brokerages worldwide—including all of the top 100 U.S. insurance brokerages—use Zywave solutions to enhance client services, achieve business growth and promote greater health, wellness, risk management and safety. Additional information can be found at www.zywave.com.
Contact: Megan O'Shea
megan.oshea@zywave.com
414-454-6117
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SOURCE Zywave | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/07/zywave-launches-dedicated-cloud-suite-personal-lines-agencies/ | 2022-07-07T18:28:40Z |
NEW YORK, July 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Wells Fargo & Company ("Wells Fargo" or the "Company") (NYSE: WFC) 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-03811, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants that purchased or otherwise acquired Wells Fargo common stock between February 24, 2021 and June 9, 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 Wells Fargo common stock during the Class Period, you have until August 29, 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.
Wells Fargo is a diversified financial services company that provides banking, investment, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance products and services in the U.S. and internationally.
In 2020, Wells Fargo expanded its so-called "Diverse Search Requirement", also referred to as a diverse slate hiring policy, requiring that at least 50% of interview candidates must represent a historically underrepresented group with respect to at least one diversity dimension (including race/ethnicity, gender, LGBTQ, veterans, and people with disabilities) for most posted roles in the U.S. with total direct compensation greater than $100,000 per year. In addition, at least one interviewer on the hiring panel must represent a historically underrepresented group with respect to at least one diversity dimension.
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) Wells Fargo had misrepresented its commitment to diversity in the Company's workplace; (ii) Wells Fargo conducted fake job interviews in order to meet its Diverse Search Requirement; (iii) the foregoing conduct subjected Wells Fargo to an increased risk of regulatory and/or governmental scrutiny and enforcement action, including criminal charges; (iv) all of the foregoing, once revealed, was likely to negatively impact Wells Fargo's reputation; and (v) as a result, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.
On May 19, 2022, the New York Times published an article entitled "At Wells Fargo, a Quest to Increase Diversity Leads to Fake Job Interviews". Citing discussions with "seven current and former Wells Fargo employees", including Joe Bruno, a former executive in the Company's wealth management division, the article reported, in relevant part, that "[f]or many open positions, employees would interview a 'diverse' candidate", but that "often, the so-called diverse candidate would be interviewed for a job that had already been promised to someone else." The article further reported that Mr. Bruno was fired after "complain[ing] to his bosses" about the practice.
On this news, Wells Fargo's common stock price fell $0.44 per share, or 1.04%, over two trading sessions, closing at $41.67 per share on May 20, 2022.
On June 6, 2022, Reuters published an article entitled "Wells Fargo pauses diverse slate hiring policy after reports of fake job interviews." The article reported that "Wells Fargo . . . is pausing a hiring policy that requires recruiters to interview a diverse pool of candidates, after the New York Times reported such interviews were often fake and conducted even though the job had already been promised to someone else." The same article also reported that "[t]he bank also plans to conduct a review of its diverse slate guidelines, Chief Executive Officer Charles Scharf told staff on Monday, according to a memo seen by Reuters."
Then, on June 9, 2022, the New York Times published an article entitled "Federal Prosecutors Open Criminal Inquiry of Wells Fargo's Hiring Practices." The article reported that federal prosecutors are investigating whether Wells Fargo violated federal laws by conducting fake job interviews in order to meet the Company's Diverse Search Requirement. The article also revealed that, since the New York Times' May 19, 2022 article focusing on the bank's wealth management business, "another 10 current and former employees have shared stories about how they were subject to fake interviews, or conducted them, or saw paperwork documenting the practice", and that "sham interviews occurred across multiple business lines, including its mortgage servicing, home lending and retail banking operations."
That same day, Wells Fargo issued a press release entitled "Wells Fargo response to New York Times article", which confirmed that "[e]arlier this week, the [C]ompany temporarily paused the use of its diverse slate guidelines", and that, "[d]uring this pause, the [C]ompany is conducting a review so that hiring managers, senior leaders and recruiters fully understand how the guidelines should be implemented – and so we can have confidence that our guidelines live up to their promise."
Following these disclosures, Wells Fargo's common stock price fell $3.68 per share, or 8.62%, over the following two trading sessions, closing at $38.99 per share on June 13, 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.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/13/shareholder-alert-pomerantz-law-firm-reminds-shareholders-with-losses-their-investment-wells-fargo-amp-company-class-action-lawsuit-upcoming-deadline-wfc/ | 2022-07-13T22:11:21Z |
PHILADELPHIA, June 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The need to fill vacant positions has become a national struggle. At Easterseals, teacher vacancies directly impact the ability to provide and expand services to children with disabilities. Recently, teacher vacancies required that the amount children served by Easterseals in Delaware County had to be reduced by 25%. Easterseals is known for its extraordinary team of teachers, teacher assistants (TA's), and therapists and easily identified several TAs for their dedication and skills. The Foundation for Delaware has awarded Easterseals funding to create a career advancement path for TA's that will help them achieve a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education for Pre-K -4 and special education Pre-K-8. This partnership will address the shortage of qualified teachers while also offering career advancement for paraprofessionals living in Delaware County.
Through a community partnership with Drexel University. Drexel's Early Childhood Education Scholarship for teacher preparation will work with Easterseals to provide scholarships funded by Public Health Management Corporation. Easterseals will use funds from the Foundation for Delaware County to cover the cost of application and book fees. Additionally, the funds will be used to cover the fees necessary for the TA's to earn the Childhood Development Associate (CDA) credential, an Easterseals requirement for teaching positions. The funds will also allow Easterseals to provide a stipend for Easterseals teachers or therapists to support the TA's as mentors. This mentoring support will allow for greater success in the completion of their education by having a co-worker who is also investing their time, energy, and expertise into their efforts.
Though several internal candidates have been identified for the Teacher's Assistant to Teacher Program, Easterseals is still looking for more candidates. This exciting program allows professional growth and education while simultaneously working to meet the educational needs of local children with disabilities.
Locally, Easterseals of Southeastern Pennsylvania serves Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties in an effort to maximize the independence of children and adults with disabilities. Program and services include, but are not limited to, Approved Private School, Early Intervention, physical, occupational and speech therapies and assistive technology. Last year Easterseals served over 8,000 local individuals by providing direct quality services for individuals with disabilities. For more information visit www.easterseals-sepa.org.
Contact: Melanie O'Brien
Director of Communications
484.234.8009
mobrien@easterseals-sepa.org
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SOURCE Easter Seals of Pennsylvania | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/21/foundation-delaware-county-funds-easterseals-teachers-assistant-teacher-program/ | 2022-06-21T17:53:44Z |
Company provides anticipated impact to second quarter 2022 financial results due to recently completed business development transactions
TARRYTOWN, N.Y., July 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Sanofi's stake in Libtayo® (cemiplimab), providing Regeneron with exclusive worldwide development, commercialization, and manufacturing rights to the medicine originally discovered in Regeneron's laboratories. The intent to purchase Libtayo was announced on June 2, 2022.
In 2015, Regeneron and Sanofi entered into the Immuno-oncology License and Collaboration Agreement whereby the companies split Libtayo's worldwide operating profits equally and co-commercialized Libtayo in the U.S., with Sanofi solely responsible for commercialization outside the U.S. With today's closing, Regeneron will now record 100% of global net sales and expenses for Libtayo.
Regeneron intends to update its full year 2022 financial guidance to reflect the Libtayo purchase during its second quarter 2022 earnings announcement in early August.
There is no financial or accounting impact to second quarter 2022 financial results as a result of the Libtayo transaction.
On May 31, 2022, Regeneron announced that it had successfully acquired Checkmate Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for a total equity value of approximately $250 million. As a result of the Checkmate acquisition, Regeneron expects to record in the second quarter of 2022 an acquired in-process research and development (IPR&D) charge of approximately $195 million, which would negatively impact GAAP and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share by approximately $1.70. This acquired IPR&D charge and its resultant impact on diluted earnings per share represent unaudited estimates that have not been subject to Regeneron's quarterly financial statement closing procedures, and therefore actual amounts could differ from what the Company currently anticipates.
Regeneron (NASDAQ: REGN) is a leading biotechnology company that invents life-transforming medicines for people with serious diseases. Founded and led for nearly 35 years by physician-scientists, our unique ability to repeatedly and consistently translate science into medicine has led to nine FDA-approved treatments and numerous product candidates in development, almost all of which were homegrown in our laboratories. Our medicines and pipeline are designed to help patients with eye diseases, allergic and inflammatory diseases, cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, pain, hematologic conditions, infectious diseases and rare diseases.
Regeneron is accelerating and improving the traditional drug development process through our proprietary VelociSuite® technologies, such as VelocImmune®, which uses unique genetically humanized mice to produce optimized fully human antibodies and bispecific antibodies, and through ambitious research initiatives such as the Regeneron Genetics Center, which is conducting one of the largest genetics sequencing efforts in the world.
For additional information about the company, please visit www.regeneron.com or follow @Regeneron on Twitter.
This press release includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties relating to future events and the future performance of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Regeneron" or the "Company"), and actual events or results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Words such as "anticipate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "believe," "seek," "estimate," variations of such words, and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Risks that may cause these forward-looking statements to be inaccurate include, among others: risks related to the Company's ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the restructuring (the "Restructuring") of the Company's Immuno-oncology Collaboration with Sanofi related to Libtayo® (cemiplimab-rwlc) and/or the acquisition (the "Acquisition") of Checkmate Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Checkmate") discussed in this press release, including the possibility that the expected benefits from the Restructuring and/or the Acquisition will not be realized or will not be realized within the expected time period and that Checkmate will not be integrated successfully; the impact of the Restructuring on Regeneron's business, operating results, and financial condition, as well as effects of the consummation of the Restructuring on the market price of the Company's common stock; future costs associated with the Restructuring and/or integration of Checkmate; the impact of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that has caused the COVID-19 pandemic) on Regeneron's business and its employees, collaborators, and suppliers and other third parties on which Regeneron relies, Regeneron's and its collaborators' ability to continue to conduct research and clinical programs, Regeneron's ability to manage its supply chain, net product sales of products marketed or otherwise commercialized by Regeneron and/or its collaborators or licensees (collectively, "Regeneron's Products"), and the global economy; the nature, timing, and possible success and therapeutic applications of Regeneron's Products, product candidates being developed by Regeneron and/or its collaborators or licensees (collectively, "Regeneron's Product Candidates") and research and clinical programs now underway or planned, including without limitation Libtayo; uncertainty of the utilization, market acceptance, and commercial success of Regeneron's Products and Regeneron's Product Candidates and the impact of studies (whether conducted by Regeneron or others and whether mandated or voluntary) on any of the foregoing or any potential regulatory approval of Regeneron's Products and Regeneron's Product Candidates; the likelihood, timing, and scope of possible regulatory approval and commercial launch of Regeneron's Product Candidates and new indications for Regeneron's Products (such as Libtayo); the extent to which the results from the research and development programs conducted by Regeneron and/or its collaborators or licensees may be replicated in other studies and/or lead to advancement of product candidates to clinical trials, therapeutic applications, or regulatory approval; the ability of Regeneron's collaborators, licensees, suppliers, or other third parties (as applicable) to perform manufacturing, filling, finishing, packaging, labeling, distribution, and other steps related to Regeneron's Products and Regeneron's Product Candidates; the ability of Regeneron and/or its collaborators to manufacture and manage supply chains for multiple products and product candidates; safety issues resulting from the administration of Regeneron's Products and Regeneron's Product Candidates in patients, including serious complications or side effects in connection with the use of Regeneron's Products and Regeneron's Product Candidates in clinical trials; determinations by regulatory and administrative governmental authorities which may delay or restrict Regeneron's ability to continue to develop or commercialize Regeneron's Products and Regeneron's Product Candidates; ongoing regulatory obligations and oversight impacting Regeneron's Products, research and clinical programs, and business, including those relating to patient privacy; the availability and extent of reimbursement of Regeneron's Products from third-party payers, including private payer healthcare and insurance programs, health maintenance organizations, pharmacy benefit management companies, and government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid; coverage and reimbursement determinations by such payers and new policies and procedures adopted by such payers; competing drugs and product candidates that may be superior to, or more cost effective than, Regeneron's Products and Regeneron's Product Candidates; unanticipated expenses; the costs of developing, producing, and selling products; the ability of Regeneron to meet any of its financial projections or guidance and changes to the assumptions underlying those projections or guidance; the potential for any license, collaboration, or supply agreement, including Regeneron's agreements with Sanofi, Bayer, and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (or their respective affiliated companies, as applicable), to be cancelled or terminated; and risks associated with intellectual property of other parties and pending or future litigation relating thereto (including without limitation the patent litigation and other related proceedings relating to EYLEA® (aflibercept) Injection, Dupixent® (dupilumab), Praluent® (alirocumab), and REGEN-COV® (casirivimab and imdevimab)), other litigation and other proceedings and government investigations relating to the Company and/or its operations, the ultimate outcome of any such proceedings and investigations, and the impact any of the foregoing may have on Regeneron's business, prospects, operating results, and financial condition. A more complete description of these and other material risks can be found in Regeneron's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 and its Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2022. Any forward-looking statements are made based on management's current beliefs and judgment, and the reader is cautioned not to rely on any forward-looking statements made by Regeneron. Regeneron does not undertake any obligation to update (publicly or otherwise) any forward-looking statement, including without limitation any financial projection or guidance, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Regeneron uses its media and investor relations website and social media outlets to publish important information about the Company, including information that may be deemed material to investors. Financial and other information about Regeneron is routinely posted and is accessible on Regeneron's media and investor relations website (http://newsroom.regeneron.com) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/regeneron).
This press release includes non-GAAP net income per share, which is a financial measure that is not calculated in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP"). This non-GAAP financial measure is computed by excluding certain non-cash and/or other items from the related GAAP financial measure. The Company also includes a non-GAAP adjustment for the estimated income tax effect of reconciling items. The Company makes such adjustments for items the Company does not view as useful in evaluating its operating performance. Management uses this and other non-GAAP measures for planning, budgeting, forecasting, assessing historical performance, and making financial and operational decisions, and also provides forecasts to investors on this basis. Additionally, such non-GAAP measures provide investors with an enhanced understanding of the financial performance of the Company's core business operations. However, there are limitations in the use of such non-GAAP financial measures as they exclude certain expenses that are recurring in nature. Furthermore, the Company's non-GAAP financial measures may not be comparable with non-GAAP information provided by other companies. Any non-GAAP financial measure presented by Regeneron should be considered supplemental to, and not a substitute for, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP.
Regeneron Media Relations
Alexandra Bowie
Tel: +1 914-847-3407
Alexandra.bowie@regeneron.com
Regeneron Investor Relations
Ryan Crowe
Tel: +1 914-847-8790
ryan.crowe@regeneron.com
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SOURCE Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/01/regeneron-completes-purchase-sanofis-stake-libtayo-cemiplimab/ | 2022-07-01T11:33:39Z |
Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson knows his Demon Deacons must prepare to run their high-scoring offense without quarterback Sam Hartman.
Beyond that, it’s unclear how long the veteran will be gone.
The school said Wednesday that Hartman will miss “an extended period of time” for treatment of what it described as a medical condition unrelated to football.
In a statement, the school said Hartman sought medical attention Tuesday following a workout. He will miss team activities indefinitely and it’s unclear when he might be able to return to competition. The school cited privacy laws in not revealing specifics of Hartman’s condition.
“We expect him to be back,” Clawson said told reporters after Wednesday’s practice. “It’s too early to tell exactly what the timeline is. So anything that’s said is just speculation right now. But we expect him to be back and it goes along, we’ll get a better idea.”
Clawson said Hartman had a medical procedure Tuesday to deal with “just one of those things that could happen to any one of us.” Hartman was also present at practice, with Clawson saying the quarterback “just wanted those guys to see him and know that he was OK.”
The fifth-year junior was one of the top passers in the Bowl Subdivision ranks last year and helped the Demon Deacons reach the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game while tying a program record with 11 wins.
In a statement, Hartman called Tuesday “a frustrating day.”
“I look forward to attacking this rehabilitation process and I am so appreciative of the support I have received from my family, teammates and coaches,” he said.
Hartman ranked 11th in the FBS ranks in passing yardage (302.0 per game) and tied for fifth with 39 touchdowns last season at the helm of the nation’s No. 4 scoring attack (41.0). That helped Wake Forest crack the top 10 of the AP Top 25 poll last season and win the ACC’s Atlantic Division title.
The Demon Deacons are considered among the top contenders for the ACC title this season behind preseason favorite Clemson.
Clawson said third-year freshman Mitch Griffis got most of the first-team quarterback reps Wednesday, followed by fourth-year sophomore Michael Kern. Wake Forest opens the season in three weeks, hosting VMI on Sept. 1.
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Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at https://twitter.com/aaronbeardap
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More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/wake-forest-qb-hartman-out-indefinitely-with-medical-issue/ | 2022-08-11T08:39:32Z |
Expanding Product Offering to Include Diet-Friendly, Low Sodium Version of the Popular Seasoning
LOUISVILLE, Ky., Sept. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dan-O's Seasoning, a Dan-tastic diet-friendly blend of low-sodium, all-natural, sugar-free, and non-GMO herbs and spices that enhance the flavor of any recipe, recently announced the launch of their new Everything Bagel Seasoning. The Everything Bagel Seasoning is the newest addition to Dan-O's Seasoning lineup, which currently includes Original, Spicy, and Hot Chipotle Seasoning. Dan-O's Seasoning's recipes have earned them over 2.6 million followers and 39.6 million likes on TikTok.
The new Everything Bagel Seasoning will provide a fresh new twist on classic recipes. Dan-O's Everything Bagel Seasoning has a delicious high flavor profile, the seasoning is also low sodium, gluten-free, sugar-free, and zero calories. Dan-O's Everything Bagel Seasoning brings the crunchy savory flavor of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, onion, and garlic to the classic Dan-O's seasoning profile. The seasoning is now available on danosseasoning.com and on Amazon.
Dan-O's Seasoning was created by Dan Oliver. Dan-O's Seasoning blends only contain 50 milligrams of sodium per serving, compared to other popular seasonings that contain 200 milligrams to 300 milligrams of sodium per serving. Less sodium allows for the spices to truly shine without an overpowering salt taste. Dan-O's Seasoning is compatible with vegan, Keto, Paleo, and Mediterranean diets as well as many other diets, making it accessible to many.
"This is one of the most exciting product releases that we have had to date!" said Dan Oliver, founder of Dan-O's Seasoning. "Our fans have been begging us to make an Everything Bagel blend and we are thrilled to finally bring this product to the market. It's all-natural, diet-friendly, and it tastes Dan-O-Myte! People are going to love it!"
Find the new Dan-O's Everything Bagel Seasoning on Dan-O's website and on Amazon.
Dan-O's Seasoning was founded in 2017 by Louisville, KY native Dan Oliver. Our mission is to change the world one table at a time by offering the best all-natural, sugar-free, low-sodium seasoning products on the market. Our goal is to provide you with real flavors to make healthier food choices without ever sacrificing taste. Dan-O's all-purpose seasoning blends can be found nationwide in over 8,000 retailers including Kroger, Walmart, Hy-vee, Dollar Tree, and more. Additionally, all products are available online through Amazon or on our website at danosseasoning.com. To learn more, follow Dan-O's Seasoning on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.
Press Inquiries:
Sara Lambley
JMG Public Relations
212-206-1645
sara@jmgpr.com
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SOURCE Dan-O's Seasoning | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/06/dan-os-seasoning-launches-new-everything-bagel-seasoning-blend/ | 2022-09-06T17:31:22Z |
Which portable carpet cleaners are the best?
No matter how fastidious or clean you may be, carpet stains are inevitable. Even in homes free of children or pets, carpeting is a magnet for dust and dirt. To keep your carpets clean and looking brand new, you can use a portable carpet cleaner. The BISSELL SpotClean Pro Portable Carpet Cleaner is the ideal solution for those looking to quickly address spills, dirt or pet stains before they set in permanently. Its powerful suction makes short work of small messes, and its compact design offers easy storage.
What to consider before you buy a portable carpet cleaner
Whole house cleaning
Portable carpet cleaners are great for spot cleaning your floor and bringing color and loft back to small rugs after removing muddy footprints, dropped makeup, spilled drinks or other common household messes. However, they are not a substitute for the equipment and solutions used by professional cleaners and are not suitable for deep cleaning your entire property.
Set your expectations
Today’s portable carpet cleaners are powerful appliances that are able to make short work of most messes. However, not all dirt is created equal. Stains that have been allowed to set in or particularly stubborn spills involving wine, chewing gum or hair dye may never completely disappear, even with professional cleaning services.
Storage
While portable carpet cleaners are similar in shape to upright vacuum cleaners, they tend to be a bit wider due to their water tanks. Because of this, they can be challenging to store. Consider where you will keep your carpet cleaner, and be sure that it will be in an area that can withstand the occasional spill of water or cleaning solution.
What to look for in a quality portable carpet cleaner
Ease of use
Similar to a vacuum, some portable carpet cleaners are meant to be moved around the room. Consider those carpet cleaners are heavier than most other appliances due to their liquid storage and select a model that you will be able to navigate around your home without difficulty. If using a model that is designed for spot cleaning, be sure that it features an ergonomic grip and an easy-to-use handle.
Suction and heat
Some models heat their water tanks using the same motor that they use to generate suction. As a result, you may find that heated models provide less suction power. Consider the usage of your carpet cleaner to determine how best to split the difference between these two features. More suction makes for a deeper clean, but it may also be frustrating while cleaning smaller rugs or floor mats, as they tend to stick to the cleaner’s nozzle.
Tank capacity
A smaller tank makes for a lighter appliance, but it will necessitate more frequent water changes during long cleaning sessions. A larger tank capacity will let you work longer without interruption but poses a challenge when moving it up and down stairs.
Attachment accessories
Many carpet cleaners include an array of attachment accessories designed to make certain cleaning situations easier and your appliance more effective. From brushes made to clean furniture and upholstery to tips intended for car interiors, selecting a model with a wide range of accessories will increase the usability of your cleaner.
How much you can expect to spend on a portable carpet cleaner
Portable carpet cleaners cost as little as $100 and all the way to $400 or more for advanced models designed with extreme cleaning power.
Portable carpet cleaner FAQ
What kind of soap does my portable carpet cleaner need?
A. Portable carpet cleaners require specially formulated shampoo, and many come with a bottle to get you started. Never use a soap or shampoo in your machine that is not designed for carpet cleaning, as this can result in damage to both your carpet and appliance.
Do carpet cleaners kill bed bugs?
A. No. Bed bugs or other insect infestations require the services of a professional exterminator.
Can I use a portable carpet cleaner in my car?
A. Yes. Some models include attachments that are specifically designed to allow you to clean your automobile interior, including the upholstery. Never use a carpet cleaner on leather or vinyl interiors.
What’s the best portable carpet cleaner to buy?
Top portable carpet cleaner
BISSELL SpotClean Pro Portable Carpet Cleaner
What you need to know: This portable carpet cleaner from Bissell is an effective stain remover and is popular with pet owners.
What you’ll love: Designed to target spots and stains, this cleaner is an excellent addition to any household that frequently experiences spills or pet accidents. Great for auto cleaning, it is compact and includes sample products so you can determine which shampoo you like best.
What you should consider: Designed for spot cleaning, this appliance is not intended for large jobs.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Bed Bath & Beyond
Top portable carpet cleaner for the money
Hoover PowerDash Pet Compact Carpet Cleaner
What you need to know: Lightweight and low cost, this carpet cleaner is easy on your back thanks to its upright design.
What you’ll love: This cleaner can be operated just as you would use a vacuum. Its powerful brushes and heating technology deeply clean and even dry your carpet.
What you should consider: No attachments are included.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon, Home Depot and Bed Bath & Beyond
Worth checking out
Vacmaster Wet Dry Shampoo Vacuum Cleaner
What you need to know: For a more professional cleaning job, consider this high suction model from Vacmaster.
What you’ll love: This portable appliance is loaded with accessories, making it an all-purpose carpet cleaning powerhouse. With controls placed at your fingertips on the device’s handle and a port for tank emptying, this cleaner is powerful and convenient.
What you should consider: This cleaner’s tank is made from plastic that is too thin and fragile for some applications.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Carpet cleaning tips
- Plan ahead to make your cleaning job as easy as possible. Move furniture out of the way and try to clean your carpet during a time when it is less likely to be walked on while drying.
- Follow directions carefully. Using too much cleaning solution may leave soapy residue on your carpet, which will cause even more dirt and grime to stick to it.
- Use caution while cleaning carpeted stairs. Not only is falling a possibility, but dropping your cleaner can result in a messy spill if the tank accidentally opens.
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/home-br/cleaning-tools-supplies-br/best-portable-carpet-cleaner/ | 2022-06-15T15:58:04Z |
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., June 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, Encompass Health (NYSE: EHC), a national leader in integrated healthcare services company with a network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals and home health and hospice agencies, launched its 150th post-acute inpatient rehabilitation hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, with Oracle Cerner Corporation's electronic health record (EHR) system. Implementing Oracle Cerner technology in all Encompass hospitals enables clinicians to learn and use one platform.
In 2009, Encompass Health paired with Oracle Cerner to deploy an inpatient rehabilitation hospital EHR, piloting the technology for two years in three hospitals. Following the successful pilot, in 2011, the companies began a large and complex rollout to implement the system in every Encompass Health hospital nationwide. Named ACE IT for Advancing Clinical Excellence through Information Technology, the project transformed Encompass Health from a paper-based system to an electronic workflow and documentation system.
"Having a standardized EHR and deployment strategy across all our hospitals has increased our ability to successfully complete and integrate developments, acquisitions, investments and joint ventures consistent with our growth strategy, including realization of anticipated revenues, cost savings and productivity improvements," said Rusty Yeager, Encompass Health Senior Vice President, and CIO.
The implementation attained Stage 6 Certification of the EMR Adoption Model from the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society. Clinicians utilize the same system in every Encompass Health hospital, which promotes documentation efficiency and allows more time to focus on providing quality patient care. Encompass Health and Oracle Cerner also continue to develop the joint Post-acute Innovation Center, which received a 2019 CHIME Collaboration award.
"Our focus at Oracle Cerner is helping to solve ongoing challenges in healthcare including building more reliable, intuitive, and useful tools to reduce complexity and help improve the caregiver and patient experience," said Bob Kopanic, Oracle Cerner senior vice president of North American client relationships. "Supporting Encompass Health in implementing Oracle Cerner technology across all its hospitals, ensures clinicians can work at any of their facilities without needing to relearn systems and workflows – giving them more time to focus on great patient care."
Since 2011, Encompass Health has opened 61 de novo or acquired hospitals with Oracle Cerner technology in place on day 1, and there are plans to add 6 to 10 more each year.
As a national leader in integrated healthcare services, Encompass Health (NYSE: EHC) offers both facility based and homebased patient care through its network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, home health agencies and hospice agencies. With a national footprint that includes 150 hospitals, 252 home health locations, and 99 hospice locations in 42 states and Puerto Rico, the Company provides high-quality, cost-effective integrated healthcare. Encompass Health is ranked as one of Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For. For more information, visit encompasshealth.com, or follow us on our newsroom, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Oracle Cerner's health technologies connect people and information systems at thousands of contracted provider facilities worldwide dedicated to creating smarter and better care for individuals and communities. Recognized globally for innovation, Oracle Cerner assists clinicians in making care decisions and assists organizations in managing the health of their populations. The company also offers a connected clinical and financial ecosystem to help manage day-to-day revenue functions, as well as a wide range of services to support clinical, financial, and operational needs, focused on people. For more information, visit Cerner.com or The Oracle Cerner Blog, or connect on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter or join the discussion on The Oracle Cerner Podcast.
Encompass Health Media Contact:
Casey Winger | 205 970-5912
casey.winger@encompasshealth.com
Oracle Cerner Media Contact:
Kelsey Haynes | 316-210-7033
kelsey.haynes@cerner.com
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SOURCE Encompass Health Corp. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/20/encompass-health-celebrates-launching-its-150th-hospital-with-oracle-cerner-ehr/ | 2022-06-20T23:22:11Z |
SHENZHEN, China, Aug. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TD Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: GLG) (the "Company"), a commodities trading service provider in China, today announced its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022.
Ms. Renmei Ouyang, the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, stated, "We made tremendous progress in growing and enhancing our business during the second quarter of fiscal year 2022, despite the many challenges presented by the resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic. We continued to see increased demand for our services, highlighting the breadth and resilience of our business model against a challenging macro environment. To achieve the growth potential of our business, we will continue to expand our business by executing strategic initiatives, exploring growth opportunities, and providing high-quality products and services to our customers. We remain focused on providing invaluable services and support to best serve the demand of our customers. Specifically, we will continue to make progress and work toward on our strategic expansion, including expanding sales channels, growing our customer base, and keeping explore growth opportunities in the global gold spot trading market, digital cloud warehouse market and lightweight new materials market. In addition to our strategic expansion, we aim to manage expenses prudently and improve operating efficiency. We believe these initiatives will support us to generate new business growth and build momentum toward our growth objectives. As we look ahead to the fiscal year 2022 and beyond, we will strive to expand our capabilities to serve our customers, grow our business, and provide higher returns to our shareholders."
Financial Highlights
In the quarter ended June 30, 2022
- Total revenue was $53.68 million, consisting of $53.11 million from sales of commodity products, and $0.57 million from supply chain management services for the quarter ended June 30, 2022, a decrease of 10% from $59.84 million for the same quarter ended June 30, 2021.
- Net income was $1.43 million, compared with $0.36 million for the same quarter ended June 30, 2021.
- Basic and diluted earnings per share was $0.01, compared with $nil for the same quarter ended June 30, 2021.
In the six months ended June 30, 2022
- Total revenue was $101.84 million, consisting of $100.69 million from sales of commodity products, and $1.15 million from supply chain management services for the six months ended June 30, 2022, an increase of 14% from $89.42 million for the same period ended June 30, 2021.
- Net income was $3.02 million, as compared with net loss of $1.18 million for the same period ended June 30, 2021.
- Basic and diluted earnings per share was $0.01, compared with basic and diluted loss per share of $0.01 for the same period ended June 30, 2021.
Financial Results
In the three months ended June 30, 2022
Revenues
For the three months ended June 30, 2022, the Company sold non-ferrous metals to 22 customers at fixed prices, and earned revenues when the product ownership was transferred to its customers. The Company earned revenues of $53.11 million from sales of commodity products for the three months ended June 30, 2022, compared with $59.51 million from sales of commodity products for the three months ended June 30, 2021, among which, $1.52 million was generated from the related party.
For the three months ended June 30, 2022, the Company earned revenue of $0.57 million from supply chain management services to third-party customers, compared with $0.33 million to third-party customers for the three months ended June 30, 2021.
Cost of revenue
Cost of revenue primarily includes cost of revenue associated with commodity product sales and cost of revenue associated with management services of supply chain. Total cost of revenue decreased by $6.22 million, or 10% to $53.24 million for the three months ended June 30, 2022, from $59.47 million for the three months ended June 30, 2021, primarily due to a decrease of $4.68 million in cost of revenue associated with commodity product sales from the third party. The decreased cost of revenue is in line with the decrease in revenue.
Selling, general, and administrative expenses
Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased by $0.18 million or 9%, to $1.88 million for the three months ended June 30, 2022, from $2.05 million for the three months ended June 30, 2021. Selling, general and administrative expenses primarily consisted of salary and employee benefits, office rental expense, amortizations of intangible assets and convertible promissory notes, professional service fees and finance offering related fees. There is no big decrease for the three months ended June 30, 2022 compared with the three months ended June 30, 2021.
Interest income
Interest income was primarily generated from loans made to third parties and related parties. Interest income increased by $1.42 million or 48%, to $4.37 million for the three months ended June 30, 2022, from $2.95 million for the three months ended June 30, 2021. The increase was full due to loans made to third-party vendors for the three months ended June 30, 2022.
Amortization of relative fair value of warrants relating to service provider
For the three months ended June 30, 2022, the item represented the amortization of beneficial conversion feature of $0.32 million and relating to the convertible promissory notes.
For the three months ended June 30, 2021, no such expenses incurred.
Net income
Net income was $1.43 million for the three months ended June 30, 2022, compared with $0.36 million for the three months ended June 30, 2021.
In the six months ended June 30, 2022
Revenues
For the six months ended June 30, 2022, the Company sold non-ferrous metals to 22 third-party customers at fixed prices, and earned revenues when the product ownership was transferred to its customers. The Company earned revenues of $100.69 million from sales of commodity products for the six months ended June 30, 2022, compared with $88.95 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021.
For the six months ended June 30, 2022, the Company earned commodity distribution commission fees of $1.15 million from 16 third-party vendors, compared with commission fees of $0.47 million from third-party vendors for the six months ended June 30, 2021.
Cost of revenue
Cost of revenue primarily includes cost of revenue associated with commodity product sales, cost of revenue associated with management services of supply chain. Total cost of revenue increased by $11.96 million, or 13% to $100.85 million for the six months ended June 30, 2022, from $88.89 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021, primarily due to an increase of $11.96 million in cost of revenue associated with commodity product sales. The increased cost of revenue is in line with the increase in sales volume.
Selling, general, and administrative expenses
Selling, general and administrative expenses increased by $0.50 million or 14%, to $4.12 million for the six months ended June 30, 2022, from $3.62 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021. Selling, general and administrative expenses primarily consisted of salary and employee benefits, office rental expense, amortizations of intangible assets and convertible promissory notes, professional service fees and finance offering related fees. The increase was mainly attributable to 1) salary and employee benefits increased by $0.62 million and, 2) amortization of convertible promissory notes increased by $0.22 million.
Interest income
Interest income was primarily generated from loans made to third parties and related parties. Interest income increased by $3.71 million or 74%, to $8.76 million for the six months ended June 30, 2022, from $5.05 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021. The increase was primarily due to loans made to third-party vendor customers, among which, $0.70 million was attributed to related parties and $8.05 million was generated from third-party vendors.
Share-based payment for service
On March 4, 2021, the Company issued 750,000 fully-vested warrants with an exercise price of $0.01, with a five-year life, to an agent who was engaged to complete the warrant waiver and exercise agreements. The Company applied Black-Scholes model and determined the fair value of the warrants to be $1,695,042. Significant estimates and assumptions used included stock price on March 4, 2021 of $2.27 per share, risk-free interest rate of one year of 0.08%, life of 5 years, and volatility of 71.57% for the six months ended June 30, 2021.
For the six months ended June 30, 2022, no such expenses incurred.
Amortization of beneficial conversion feature and relative fair value of warrants relating to issuance of convertible notes
For the six months ended June 30, 2022, the item represented the amortization of beneficial conversion feature of $0.53 million relating to the convertible promissory notes.
For the six months ended June 30, 2021, no such expenses incurred.
Net income (loss)
Net income was $3.02 million for the six months ended June 30, 2022, compared with net loss of $1.18 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021.
Six Months Ended June 30, 2022 Cash Flows
As of June 30, 2022, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $3.93 million, as compared with $4.31 million as of December 31, 2021.
Net cash provided by operating activities was $0.47 million for the six months ended June 30, 2022, compared with net cash used in operating activities of $3.79 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021.
Net cash used in investing activities was $60.10 million for the six months ended June 30, 2022, compared with $15.81 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021.
Net cash provided by financing activities was $59.92 million for the six months ended June 30, 2022, compared with $23.10 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021.
About TD Holdings, Inc.
TD Holdings, Inc. is a service provider currently engaging in commodities trading business and supply chain service business in China. Its commodities trading business primarily involves purchasing non-ferrous metal product from upstream metal and mineral suppliers and then selling to downstream customers. Its supply chain service business primarily has served as a one-stop commodity supply chain service and digital intelligence supply chain platform integrating upstream and downstream enterprises, warehouses, logistics, information, and futures trading. For more information, please visit http://ir.tdglg.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release may contain certain "forward-looking statements" relating to the business of TD Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiary companies. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included herein are "forward-looking statements." These forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes," "expects" or similar expressions, involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they do involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements: there is uncertainty about the spread of the COVID-19 virus and the impact it will have on the Company's operations, the demand for the Company's products and services, global supply chains and economic activity in general. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in the Company's periodic reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on its website at http://www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, the Company does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements.
For more information, please contact:
Ascent Investor Relations LLC
Ms. Tina Xiao
Email:tina.xiao@ascent-ir.com
Tel: +1 917 609 0333
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SOURCE TD Holdings, Inc. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/09/td-holdings-inc-reports-second-quarter-2022-financial-results/ | 2022-08-09T13:05:38Z |
NEW ORLEANS, La., May 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until June 24, 2022 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. (NYSE: IIPR, IIPR-PA), if they purchased the Company's securities between May 7, 2020 and April 13, 2022, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.
Get Help
Innovative Industrial investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-iipr/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.
About the Lawsuit
Innovative Industrial and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.
The alleged false and misleading statements and omissions include, but are not limited to, that: (i) the Company's focus is to be a cannabis company lender rather than a real estate investment trust (REIT); (ii) the true values of the Company's properties are significantly lower than represented; (iii) the Company's top customers experienced significant issues; (iv) as a result, its top customers may not be able to continue making payments to the Company and it would face significant issues replacing these customers; and (v) as a result of the foregoing, the Company's financial statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.
When the true details entered the market, the price of the Company's shares fell, damaging investors.
The case is Mallozzi v. Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc., et al., No. 22-cv- 2359.
About ClaimsFiler
ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations.
To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.
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SOURCE ClaimsFiler | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/21/innovative-industrial-shareholder-alert-claimsfiler-reminds-investors-with-losses-excess-100000-lead-plaintiff-deadline-class-action-lawsuit-against-innovative-industrial-properties-inc-iipr-iipr-pa/ | 2022-05-21T03:57:28Z |
M2 Pro Max Empowers Wider Range of Underwater Drone Operations among Multiple Industrial Scenarios including Search, Salvage & Rescue, Hull and Dock Inspections, Aquaculture and Fish Farming, Hydro dam, Reservoir and Water Utility Inspections, Environmental Protection Survey, Offshore Wind Farms Inspections and Monitoring, and Other Underwater Missions.
QINGDAO, China, June 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Chasing-Innovation Technology ("Chasing"), a world-leading developer and manufacturer of unmanned underwater vehicles and ROVs, releases its latest intelligent flagship underwater robot product at East Asia Marine Expo 2022 on June 21. The CHASING M2 PRO MAX, an industrial-grade underwater ROV, designed with exceptional expand-abilities, provides innovative solutions for underwater search, salvage & rescue, vessel and hull inspections, aquaculture and fish farming, hydro dam, reservoir and water utility inspections, environmental protection survey, offshore wind farms inspection and monitoring, and other underwater missions. M2 PRO MAX is a great assistant with many advantages such as reduced inspection times, increase inspection coverage areas, and improved inspection report accuracy.
"This is the third generation of our M series drones designed for industrial applications. We hope that the release of the M2 PRO MAX will offer more intelligent solutions to underwater inspections and operations in various industries, thereby improving efficiency, reducing risks and reducing costs, " said Jacky Yang, Chief Marketing Officer at Chasing. "This new product opens a new chapter for underwater ROV industry, especially for search and rescue, hull and dock inspections, and aquaculture and fish farming, offer-shore wind farms inspections, among others."
CHASING M2 PRO MAX is perfect for long dives up to 200 meters(656 feet) deep. Its maximum radius of movement can reach 400 meters (1312 feet). Using different tethers of varied lengths, this new ROV is suitable for various kinds of underwater missions and can accomplish much more in underwater work.
M2 Pro Max is built robust, capable to mount up to 5 accessories at the same time. It provides the flexibility to easily attach and detach accessories with payload skid structure. It enables quick-mounting and quick-release so that it makes the truly rapid deployment possible. Moreover, it works well with some third party accessories as well as over 20 kinds of accessories exclusive to CHASING ROVs.
When equipped with imaging sonar, the scan of terrain or detection of target objects beyond the capability of visual sight can be done in low visibility underwater conditions. When mounted with USBL underwater positioning system, the ROV location coordinates can be acquired in real time and the movement trajectory can be accurately recorded. Additionally, with the compatible DVL ( Doppler Velocity Logs ) Doppler rangefinder, the ROV can be navigated to work at the accurate location, no matter if there is environmental interference, or shifting positioning.
Also, the second generation robotic grippers, which are frequently attached, have several alternative tool heads such as two-jaw clamps, pull rings, and sediment samplers.
In the environmental protection industry, CHASING M2 Pro Max can work with attached water quality sampler and water quality sensor. CHASING Water Sampler can take water samples up to 500ML, and the Multi-parameter Sonde can collect pH value, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, conductivity, salinity and other data in real time.
In the tasks of underwater salvage and rescues, M2 PRO MAX can significantly shorten rescue time, and determine the best salvage plan for underwater emergencies with compatible Blueprint Oculus Imaging Sonar, USBL Underwater Positioning Kit and new generation of Chasing Robotic Grippers with alternative heads.
In terms of applications in many inspection jobs, instead of hiring commercial divers, fish farm owners and shipping companies are able to decrease their operating costs and safety hazards during underwater inspections with the M2 PRO MAX. Compatible with Power Supply System (C-SPSS), the ROV can satisfy the needs of long run-time inspections.
CHASING has been working hard to lead the underwater technology in many fields, such as underwater communications, underwater vehicle design, electric power and propulsion systems, navigation control and so one. Its mission is defined to make human beings' underwater explorations easier and provide users with the best experience and innovative underwater solutions.
For more information, please visit Chasing-Innovation Technology or its Facebook, INS, and LinkedIn.
About Chasing-Innovation Technology
CHASING was founded by a group of passionate diving enthusiasts and hardware & software professionals in 2016. Within the first 6 years, it has developed 7 generations of underwater drones, underwater micro-ROVs and mini-ROV products, completed 5 rounds of financing, and become a leading innovator in the underwater technology industry. Up till now, it has won more than 50 awards at all levels worldwide. Because of its powerful performance, low cost, easiness to operate, outstanding portability and other characteristics, it has been widely applied in underwater observation and photography, inspection jobs and intervention tasks. Every day CHASING products are delivered to a wide range of organizations in over 80 countries. The company currently runs two manufacturing bases, one of which is based in Ganzhou, Jiangxi province, the world's largest manufacturing facility for underwater robots. There are several offices or subsidiaries in Beijing, Chengdu, Kunming, Qingdao, Hainan, Ganzhou, and Seattle, US. CHASING boasts more than 130 invention patents, PCT international patents, utility models, and design patents.
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SOURCE Chasing-innovation | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/21/better-than-ever-chasings-new-generation-industrial-grade-underwater-drone-m2-pro-max-gets-easier-to-use-more-capabilities-powerful-performance/ | 2022-06-22T00:31:10Z |
‘I got down to half a can:’ WNC mothers feel impact of baby formula shortage
By Anjali Patel
Click here for updates on this story
ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — Western North Carolina is not immune to the baby formula shortage that is sweeping the nation.
Forest City mother Samantha Casteel is like many local mothers, constantly searching the Internet and scouring grocery stores to find what she needs for her baby.
“It just feels kind of like you’re failing them in a way, like you can’t find what they need, and it’s stressful. It’s very, very stressful,” Casteel said.
Her daughter, Emory, was born about 10 weeks early, and she needs a special, high-calorie formula called Similac Neosure for Babies Born Prematurely.
“I got down to where I had half a can, and it was to the point that I was going every day to different stores, seeing if they had it,” Casteel said.
Casteel said she’s even paid for someone in Colorado to ship some formula all the way to the North Carolina mountains.
“We have friends all over the United States searching for it for us. If they see it, I tell them to buy it for me,” Casteel said.
Right now, she has four cans — about two weeks’ worth — of formula left.
“It’s something that she has to have. I have to be able to provide that for her,” Casteel said.
She said seeing the empty shelves is disheartening, but she tries to not let it get her down.
“I’ll tear up, but I know I have to stay strong because if I break down, then both of my kids will break down, too,” Casteel said.
County WIC programs, which are special supplemental nutrition programs for women, infants and children, are also feeling the impact of the shortage. As part of the many services and resources they provide, they help provide baby formula to low-income mothers in need.
Haywood County Health Director Sarah Henderson said their WIC program has noticed a shortage for a couple months now.
“Luckily, we have been able to accommodate those needs. If it’s something in particular we couldn’t find, they’re working to make comparable changes with something we do know is on the shelf,” Henderson said.
She said the biggest problem they’re having is finding more specific formulas, like hypoallergenic formula for babies that have soy and milk protein allergies. Officials urge families to consult their doctors, though, before making any changes.
“Those are kind of hard to come by to begin with, and they seem to be in the biggest shortage,” Henderson said.
Henderson said she realizes this can be a stressful situation for mothers, but urges them not to water down their formulas, ration them or make their own. She also urges that when you do find formula, only buy what you need.
“That’s one thing we want to urge people to do is to put in your cabinets what you need and not to stockpile formula,” Henderson said.
You can find more information on Haywood County WIC here.
Buncombe County WIC Director Sarah Bennett has some advice for mothers, in an effort to minimize stressful trips to the store.
“Some recommendations that we’re giving when looking for products in the grocery store is to consider calling a store ahead of time to see if the specific product they’re looking for is in stock,” Bennett said.
Bennett said the county’s WIC team is keeping an open line of communication with local vendors, health care providers and the state WIC office to stay apprised of the situation and supply fluctuations.
“We discourage anyone attempting to make homemade formula milk or some of those other potential recommendations that they might find floating out there,” Bennett said.
You can find more information on Buncombe County WIC here.
Henderson County Community Health Director Stacy Taylor said they, too have been impacted by formula shortages. She offered the following suggestions:
Breastfeed as much as possible. Be flexible with formula brands. Try different stores. NEVER over-dilute formula. It can cause a dangerous and life-threatening problem. DO NOT use homemade recipes. They do not have the correct amount or types of nutrients needed for infants. If you find any of the formula Samantha Casteel’s daughter needs, feel free to contact News 13 reporter Anjali Patel at avpatel@sbgtv.com and she can let Casteel know.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform. | https://localnews8.com/cnn-regional/2022/05/14/i-got-down-to-half-a-can-wnc-mothers-feel-impact-of-baby-formula-shortage/ | 2022-05-14T20:29:26Z |
STOCKHOLM, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Electrolux is initiating a cost reduction program on the back of weaker-than-expected market demand and weak earnings in the third quarter. The cost measures are expected to result in a material positive earnings contribution in 2023. Ricardo Cons, currently Head of Business Area Latin America, has been appointed Head of Business Area North America.
Market demand for core appliances in Europe and the US so far in the third quarter is estimated to have decreased at a significantly accelerated pace compared with the second quarter, driven by the impact of high inflation on consumer durables purchases and low consumer confidence. High retailer inventory levels have amplified the impact of the slowdown in consumer demand.
In combination with supply chain imbalances resulting in significant production inefficiencies and increased costs, the third quarter earnings for the Group are expected to decline significantly compared to the second quarter 2022 also excluding the one-time cost to exit the Russia market. This has been driven mainly by Europe and North America. Business Area North America is expected to report an operating loss in the third quarter exceeding the loss in the second quarter.
Since market demand for 2023 is expected to continue to be weak in both regions, the Board has today decided to initiate a Group-wide cost reduction program addressing both variable and structural costs. The program, which starts immediately, will focus on reducing variable costs, with special attention to eliminating cost inefficiencies in our supply chain and production. The structural cost reductions will primarily take place in Europe and North America and include prioritization and efficiency measures leveraging recent organizational changes which took effect July 1. The measures include increasing productivity in operations as well as optimizing the R&D portfolio, administration, sales and marketing activities.
In business area North America, the strategy to strengthen and broaden our product offering with consumer experience innovations remains. However, the production transformation with two new facilities and several new product platforms, in combination with the particularly challenging supply chain conditions in the region, require additional measures to return to stability and profitability. A turnaround program will therefore be conducted under the leadership of Ricardo Cons, who has been appointed new Head of Business Area North America. Ricardo Cons has successfully led the transformation of the Electrolux business in Latin America over the last six years. He succeeds Nolan Pike, who takes up a new position continuing to report to Anna Ohlsson-Leijon. A new leader of Electrolux Latin America is anticipated to be appointed shortly.
The Group cost reduction program and the North American turnaround program are expected to result in a material positive earnings contribution from both Cost efficiency and Investments in innovation and marketing in 2023. More information on cost reduction targets for 2023, as well as a potential material restructuring cost, will be communicated in the third quarter interim report published on October 28.
The share buyback program initiated on May 2, 2022, was completed on September 2. Given the current market environment, the Board does not intend to initiate additional share buybacks before the AGM 2023.
Telephone conference
Electrolux will today hold a telephone conference at 10.00 CET, with comments from Jonas Samuelson, President and CEO, followed by a Q&A session.
- To only listen to the telephone conference, use the link:
OR
- To both listen to the telephone conference and ask questions, use the link:
This is information that AB Electrolux is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, on 12-09-2022 08:45 CET.
For further information, please contact:
Sophie Arnius, Investor Relations, +46 70 590 80 72
Paul Palmstedt, Corporate Communications, +46 70 593 92 83
This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com
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SOURCE Electrolux | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/electrolux-cost-reduction-program-management-changes/ | 2022-09-12T08:06:01Z |
DALLAS (KDAF) — “It takes two to make a thing go right!” That fun song lyric is ringing true as the Texas Lottery reports two new top prize winners from one of its games.
Two $25,000 winning tickets from the Cash Five game were sold in Central and North Texas over the weekend. The drawing was on Saturday night and the winning numbers were 3, 10, 12, 14, and 26.
The lottery tweeted, “There were 2 top prize winning tickets sold for last night’s #CashFive drawing! Winning tickets were sold in #Austin and #Garland!”
The first of the winning tickets was sold at a RaceTrac on West Buckingham Road in Garland and it wasn’t a Quick Pick, meanwhile the second of the tickets was sold at a John’s Food Mart on East Ben White Boulevard in Austin and this ticket was a Quick Pick. | https://cw33.com/news/local/2-25000-winning-texas-lottery-tickets-sold-in-central-north-texas/ | 2022-08-30T19:41:14Z |
Graphite elevated into select group of "super-critical minerals" after receiving DPA Title III designation
VANCOUVER, BC, April 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Graphite One Inc. (TSXV: GPH) (OTCQX: GPHOF) ("Graphite One" or the "Company") offers the following comments on President Joe Biden's announcement today that graphite and other critical battery materials are designated as "essential to national defense" under the Defense Production Act (DPA) of 1950.
Graphite and other battery minerals – lithium, manganese, cobalt and nickel – join rare earth materials the only U.S. Government-listed Critical Minerals eligible for the comprehensive support provided by the DPA. Unlike Presidential Executive Orders, designations under the DPA, first passed during the Korean War, carry the full force of U.S. federal law.
"With this new defense designation under U.S. law, graphite joins a select group of 'super-critical minerals' that are essential to commercial technology and national security applications," said Anthony Huston, CEO of Graphite One. "This action by President Biden validates Graphite One's strategy of creating a full supply chain for advanced graphite materials located in the United States."
According to the Department of Defense, the (DPA) "provides the President a broad set of authorities to ensure the timely availability of essential domestic industrial resources to support national defense and homeland security requirements."
According to the White House statement, President Biden
"…issue[d] a directive, authorizing the use of the Defense Production Act to secure American production of critical materials to bolster our clean energy economy by reducing our reliance on China and other countries for the minerals and materials that will power our clean energy future. Specifically, the DPA will be authorized to support the production and processing of minerals and materials used for large capacity batteries–such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, and manganese—and the Department of Defense will implement this authority using strong environmental, labor, community, and tribal consultation standards. The sectors supported by these large capacity batteries—transportation and the power sector—account for more than half of our nation's carbon emissions. The President is also reviewing potential further uses of DPA – in addition to minerals and materials – to secure safer, cleaner, and more resilient energy for America."
Earlier this month, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Joe Manchin (D-WV), former and current Chairs of the Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee, sent a letter to President Biden urging him to make a DPA Title III designation to "invoke the Defense Production Act to accelerate domestic production of lithium-ion battery materials, in particular graphite, manganese, cobalt, nickel, and lithium." Mr. Huston commented: "All of us at Graphite One want to thank Senator Murkowski, the Senate's undisputed expert on critical minerals, and Chairman of the Senate ENR Committee, Joe Manchin who made such a compelling case for President Biden to take this step. Giving graphite and the battery materials the DPA Title III designation – as 'essential to national defense' – is a strong signal that the full force of the U.S. federal government will now be behind domestic development of these 'super-critical minerals'. With the USGS recognizing Graphite One's Alaska deposit just last month as being America's largest known graphite deposit, and adding to that our plan to produce battery-ready anode material, Graphite One is ready to answer the call, and create a complete advanced graphite supply chain solution for the U.S."
Dean of the House, the Honorable Don Young
"I also want to single out a real leader, a great patriot and friend who we mourn and miss: Congressman Don Young, Dean of the House," continued Mr. Huston. "Congressman Young was a supporter of Graphite One from the first moment I had a chance to meet him, and he was an advocate of DPA Title III being used to drive domestic production of graphite and other critical minerals. We talked about the issue the last time we met. On a personal level, all of us at Graphite One want to express our deepest condolences to Mrs. Young and the Young family. When you were talking to him, it didn't matter what huge issues of government were in play on Capitol Hill, Don Young had a way of making you feel like the conversation you were having with him was the most important thing he could be doing. He was a happy warrior – and Alaska and all of America were lucky to have him."
With the United States currently 100 per cent import dependent for natural graphite, Graphite One is developing a complete U.S.-based, advanced graphite supply chain solution anchored by the Graphite Creek resource near Nome, Alaska. The Graphite One project plan includes an advanced graphite material and battery anode manufacturing plant expected to be sited in Washington State1 with the development of the Graphite Creek resource.
As announced on March 7th2, Graphite One Inc.'s Graphite Creek resource in Alaska has been cited as the largest known graphite deposit in the United States by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in its updated U.S. Mineral Deposit Database (USMIN).
The USGS report confirms Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy's statement in support of Graphite One's designation as a U.S. government high-priority infrastructure project, stating, "Graphite Creek is the largest deposit of graphite in the nation and would be a superior domestic supply of this critical mineral.
GRAPHITE ONE INC. (GPH: TSXV) (GPHOF: OTCQB) continues to develop its Graphite One Project (the "Project"), whereby the Company could potentially become an American producer of high-grade anode materials that is integrated with a domestic graphite resource. The Project is proposed as a vertically integrated enterprise to mine, process and manufacture high grade anode materials primarily for the lithium‐ion electric vehicle battery market. As set forth in the Company's Preliminary Economic Assessment, potential graphite mineralization mined from the Company's Graphite Creek Property, is expected to be processed into concentrate at a graphite processing plant. The proposed processing plant would be located on the Graphite Creek Property situated on the Seward Peninsula about 60 kilometers north of Nome, Alaska. Graphite anodes and other value‐added graphite products would be manufactured from the concentrate and other materials at the Company's proposed advanced graphite materials manufacturing facility expected to be located in Washington State. The Company intends to make a production decision on the Project once a feasibility study is completed.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
"Anthony Huston" (signed)
For more information on Graphite One Inc., please visit the Company's website, www.GraphiteOneInc.com.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, including those related to future production, establishment of a processing plant and a graphite manufacturing plant, and events or developments that the Company intends, expects, plans, or proposes are forward-looking statements Generally, forward‐looking information can be identified by the use of forward‐looking terminology such as "proposes", "expects", or "is expected", "scheduled", "estimates", "projects", "intends", "assumes", "believes", "indicates" or variations of such words and phrases that state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". The Company cautions that there is no certainty that tests of the Company's material will be successful or that such tests will result in the development of successful products. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continuity of mineralization, uncertainties related to the ability to obtain necessary permits, licenses and title and delays due to third party opposition, changes in government policies regarding mining and natural resource exploration and exploitation, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this forward-looking information, which is given as of the date it is expressed in this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, except as required by applicable securities laws. For more information on the Company, investors should review the Company's continuous disclosure filings that are available at www.sedar.com.
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SOURCE Graphite One Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/04/01/graphite-one-comments-white-house-defense-directive-designating-graphite-essential-national-defense/ | 2022-04-01T12:06:42Z |
BOGO deal is good through Zaxby's app all day long on July 29
ATHENS, Ga., July 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Zaxby's, the premium quick-service restaurant known for its Chicken Fingerz™, wings and signature sauces, is celebrating National Chicken Wing Day with a special 'Buy One, Get One' Boneless Wings Meal when ordering through the Zaxby's app. The offer is valid all day long Friday, July 29, while supplies last. Zaxby's Boneless Wings Meal features five tender, tasty boneless wings tossed in one of eight different sauces and is served with Texas Toast, crinkle fries and Ranch sauce.
"Zaxby's is known for our signature sauces and Fingerz, but our wings are second to none. What better occasion than National Chicken Wing Day to celebrate with not one, but two Boneless Wings Meals," said Patrick Schwing, chief marketing & strategy officer at Zaxby's. "Given our obsession with serving great chicken to our guests, we want everyone to enjoy our wings this Friday. When you order a Boneless Wings Meal through the Zaxby's app or online, you'll get another boneless wing meal FREE."
From the famous Zax Sauce that started it all to Tongue Torch for those that appreciate heat with their wings, Zaxby's offers eight signature tossing sauce options to choose from.
To redeem the Boneless Wings Meal offer, customers have to download the app on Google Play or the App Store and place an order for two Boneless Wings Meals on July 29. Upon checkout, one will be discounted. The offer can be redeemed on the Zaxby's app or online and is valid on July 29 only.
Guests who want to experience Zaxby's nationally recognized loyalty program and redeem more rewards can sign up online at zaxbys.com.
Founded in 1990, Zaxby's is committed to serving delicious chicken fingers, wings, sandwiches and salads in a fun, offbeat atmosphere where customers are considered friends. For the second year in a row, Zaxby's iconic Signature Sandwich has won Thrillist's 2022 Fasties Award for Best Fried Chicken Sandwich. Zaxby's has grown to more than 900 locations in 18 states and is headquartered in Athens, Georgia. For more information, visit zaxbys.com or zaxbysfranchising.com.
Media Contact:
Jacob Teetzmann
Tombras
+1.423.494.3673
jteetzmann@tombras.com
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SOURCE Zaxby's | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/27/zaxbys-celebrates-national-chicken-wing-day-with-boneless-wings-meal/ | 2022-07-27T14:16:44Z |
TIFTON — Jerry Baker, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, received an honorary agricultural education pin at the recent pinning ceremony for graduates of the agricultural education program at ABAC.
“Receiving the honorary agricultural education pin is a capstone of my professional career in agriculture,” Baker said. “During high school, my two ag ed teachers really encouraged me to set high expectations and work hard.
“This honorary pin will remind me of the importance of teachers and especially my ag ed teachers to prepare young people to set goals and then give back to our professions.”
Baker served as dean of the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources at ABAC for three years before he was selected as the provost and vice president for academic affairs in 2017. He plans to retire from ABAC this year.
“Provost Baker was pivotal in the development and implementation of the vision shared by President (David) Bridges,” Andrew Thoron, head of the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication at ABAC, said. “His work as the dean for the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources and as provost enabled our Agricultural Education certification program to achieve accreditation from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.
“The Department of Agricultural Education recognizes this drive and guidance in laying the foundation for the success this program has attained.”
A total of 34 ABAC graduates received their bachelor’s degrees in agricultural education at the recent spring commencement ceremony. For the fourth consecutive year, ABAC produced more graduates with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education than any other college or university east of the Mississippi River.
“The pinning ceremony is an event that signifies the student teachers’ completion of a true capstone experience,” Thoron said. “This event really holds up and recognizes those who have not only achieved a B.S. degree, but also those who went through and completed a certification program as well.”
Thoron said the unique pin symbolizes the integrity and high ideals expressed in the Agricultural Education Teacher’s Creed. The pin was specially designed for bachelor’s degree graduates in agricultural education from ABAC.
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One reform listed in the proposal is to help states include and implement "red-flag" laws. These are aimed at keeping guns out of the hands of those who pose a threat to themselves or others and the legislation would provide significant funding to help states create these laws.
The second measure is mental health and telehealth investment. The proposal includes "major investments to increase access to mental health and suicide prevention programs; and other support services available in the community, including crisis and trauma intervention and recovery."
The next measure would deal with closing the boyfriend loophole which deals with whether unmarried partners could keep guns if they were found guilty of violence against a dating partner.
Another major change in the legislation is issuing a more thorough review process for people between ages 18 and 21 who go to buy a gun like an AR-15.
Next, the bill would clarify the definition of a Federally Licensed Firearm Dealer. It would require these dealers to conduct background checks under federal law.
Lastly, the legislation would address school safety. The proposal provides money "to help institute safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools," while also supporting "school violence prevention efforts"
This poll is not scientific and only reflects that opinions of those voting. | https://www.albanyherald.com/features/abraham-baldwin-agricultural-college-provost-receives-honorary-agricultural-education-pin/article_c4c6b3ac-eb49-11ec-aa82-173172148bb6.html | 2022-06-13T19:43:14Z |
WATCH: Paralyzed teen walks across stage to get high school diploma
BOSTON (WCVB) – A high school senior in Massachusetts who was paralyzed during a hockey game took a big step Friday during his graduation.
Determined to walk again, Jake Thibeault was able to receive his diploma standing on his own two feet.
As Jake rolled his wheelchair across the lawn as part of the graduating class at Milton Academy, nobody was quite sure if he would be able to keep a promise he’d made to himself nine months ago.
During a youth hockey game, Jake collided with another player, hit the boards and dropped to the ice, leaving him with two broken bones in his back and paralyzed from the waist down.
He then became laser-focused on one goal: to walk again.
By February, Jake was crawling, pushing through hours of grueling physical therapy nearly every day.
“They were just like, ‘Oh, try by yourself,’” he said. “And I made it two mats and I was like, ‘OK, holy cow.’”
A few weeks later, he was back on campus. But as graduation day approached, his goal started to seem out of reach.
“We kind of realized that he wouldn’t necessarily be able to walk under his own power, but he was still determined, in his words, to be vertical,” Mike Thibeault, Jake’s father, said.
When his name was called at the graduation ceremony, Jake started rolling his wheelchair across the stage.
He then stopped… and stood up.
With leg braces and a walker, but completely on his own, Jake took 30 steps and crossed his personal finish line.
And with that action, the graduates struck out into the world, led by a living example that nothing is impossible.
“Just an overwhelming feeling of being proud for Jake, never more honored to be his father,” Mike Thibeault said.
Jake is headed to Babson college to study in the fall. His father said Jake is as determined as ever to walk even better and go even further.
Copyright 2022 WCVB via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/06/12/watch-paralyzed-teen-walks-across-stage-get-high-school-diploma/ | 2022-06-13T00:39:01Z |
—Brings proven experience in cost management and budget control—
—Replaces Esteban Galindez, who will be Deputy CFO of Grupo Salinas—
MEXICO CITY, June 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TV Azteca, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV: AZTECACPO Latibex: XTZA), one of the two largest producers of Spanish-language television programming in the world, announced today that Jorge Luis Zúñiga Montiel was appointed Chief Financial Officer of the company, replacing Esteban Galíndez Aguirre, who will be Deputy CFO of Grupo Salinas.
Mr. Zúñiga has more than two decades of proven experience in cost management at TV Azteca, where he has developed solid budget control strategies that create operational efficiencies and adequate allocation of resources dedicated to the production and acquisition of content.
In his new position, he will promote the development of strategies that strengthen the offer of competitive content on each of the company's platforms and that maximize the profitability of programming, in order to gain larger audiences while strengthening the results of TV Azteca.
Esteban Galíndez, who held the position of CFO of TV Azteca, will be Deputy CFO of Grupo Salinas, where he will continue to implement corporate finance and financial planning projects that have a positive impact on the continued development of its companies.
Mr. Galíndez has extensive experience in strategic positions in Grupo Salinas' companies since 2000, where he has developed planning, financial strategy and treasury functions. He has a degree in Business Administration from the Universidad Iberoamericana and a Master's degree in Administration from McGill University, in Canada. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
The company thanks Esteban Galíndez for his valuable contribution to results, and is certain that in his new position he will continue to strengthen the financial performance and capital structure of the companies of Grupo Salinas.
TV Azteca firmly believes that Jorge Zúñiga will further expand the offer of agile and competitive content, which will strengthen the company's market positioning and preserve its financial and operational viability.
About TV Azteca
TV Azteca is one of the two largest producers of Spanish-language television programming in the world, operating four television networks in Mexico: Azteca uno, Azteca 7, adn40 and a más +, through more than 300 owned and operated stations across the country. The company also owns TV Azteca Digital, operator of several of the most visited digital platforms and social networks in Mexico.
TV Azteca is a Grupo Salinas company (www.gruposalinas.com), a group of dynamic, fast growing, and technologically advanced companies focused on creating: economic value through market innovation and goods and services that improve standards of living; social value to improve community wellbeing; and environmental value by reducing the negative impact of its business activities. Created by Mexican entrepreneur Ricardo B. Salinas (www.ricardosalinas.com), Grupo Salinas operates as a management development and decision forum for the top leaders of member companies. These companies include TV Azteca (www.TVazteca.com; www.irtvazteca.com), Grupo Elektra (www.grupoelektra.com.mx), Banco Azteca (www.bancoazteca.com.mx), Purpose Financial (havepurpose.com), Afore Azteca (www.aforeazteca.com.mx), Seguros Azteca (www.segurosazteca.com.mx), Punto Casa de Bolsa (www.puntocasadebolsa.mx), Totalplay (irtotalplay.mx; www.totalplay.com.mx) and Totalplay Empresarial (totalplayempresarial.com.mx). TV Azteca and Grupo Elektra trade shares on the Mexican Stock Market and in Spains' Latibex market. Each of the Grupo Salinas companies operates independently, with its own management, board of directors and shareholders. Grupo Salinas has no equity holdings. The group of companies shares a common vision, values and strategies for achieving rapid growth, superior results and world-class performance.
Except for historical information, the matters discussed in this press release are concepts about the future that involve risks and uncertainty that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Other risks that may affect TV Azteca and its subsidiaries are presented in documents sent to the securities authorities.
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SOURCE TV Azteca, S.A.B. de C.V. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/27/jorge-luis-ziga-montiel-is-appointed-cfo-tv-azteca/ | 2022-06-27T21:36:53Z |
Over 30,000 People Attended In-Person While Thousands more Engaged Virtually via Uplive's Live-Streaming Platform
PALM SPRINGS, Calif., May 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Asia Innovations Group's (AIG) Uplive, a global leader in video social entertainment, is proud to have presented the White Party Global Palm Springs, an annual multi-day music festival and the largest party on the US LGBTQ party circuit. This year's headliner, legendary pop star and Grammy Award winner Paula Abdul, delivered a showstopping performance, featuring some of her #1 hits and world class choreography. The event was streamed live exclusively on Uplive. By expanding the audience beyond the 30,000 attendees in Palm Springs to hundreds of thousands of viewers around the globe, Uplive celebrated the LGBTQ community worldwide.
The event was held on Sunday, May 1st, in an outdoor stage constructed across from the Palm Springs Convention Center. It was the first in-person White Party Palm Springs since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and also the first since the passing of the founder and face of White Party Global, Jeffrey Sanker, who first launched the event in 1990. Over the years, the party has featured iconic performances from some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Ariana Grande.
In addition to Abdul, Uplive provided exclusive streaming coverage of DJ sets and live performances from Raye, Netta, and Karina Kay. Attendees in Palm Springs had the opportunity to visit the Uplive booth, decorated by Uplive banners and a beautiful Ferris wheel, to download the app, receive free gifts, and commemorate the event with pictures against a spectacular backdrop. By downloading the app, attendees were also entered for the chance to win grand prizes, including a 3-night stay at Hilton Palm Springs.
Uplive allows video social hosts to broadcast to the world, sharing their talents and building connections in real-time with users across the globe. It has more than 300 million registered users from over 150 regions, making it the leading independent video social entertainment platform globally. Uplive empowers users from all walks of life and all identities to authentically express themselves and offers the potential for users to earn money in a true boost to the creator economy.
Photos and a more in-depth recap of the event can be found on the White Party Palm Springs website or @whitepartypalmsprings on Instagram.
About Uplive
AIG's Uplive is a video social platform that allows video social hosts to broadcast to the world, live streaming their talents and building connections in real time with users across the globe. It has more than 300 million registered users from over 150 regions, making it the leading independent video social entertainment platform globally.
About Asia Innovations Group
Asia Innovations Group (AIG) is a leading live social company with more than 500 million registered users located in over 150 regions worldwide. It has built a comprehensive and diverse portfolio as it seeks to achieve its mission of enriching people's lives worldwide through innovative and enjoyable live social products, which foster meaningful human connection. AIG's portfolio includes leading apps such as Uplive, the global live video platform, CuteU and Lamour, leading dating apps in global emerging markets, as well as other fast-growing voice and game based live social apps. It includes operations in eighteen offices around the globe that brings deep local market knowledge across all major emerging markets. Combined with cutting-edge technology and a scalable global infrastructure, AIG is bringing the most exciting social product experiences to users across emerging markets.
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SOURCE Asia Innovations Group | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/05/07/uplive-paula-abdul-collaborate-white-party-palm-springs/ | 2022-05-07T08:11:35Z |
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – South Carolina State Sen. Mia McLeod earned an endorsement from her opponent’s ex-wife just a day before voters cast their ballots in the state’s 2022 gubernatorial primary.
Amanda Cunningham, who was once married to former Congressman Joe Cunningham, announced her support for Mia McLeod in an email to the media Monday.
Cunningham said her values line up with McLeod’s and noted that it was time a woman “held the mic” when it comes to South Carolina leadership.
“For the last decade, my work has been rooted in advocating for female equality — fighting gender-based violence and intergenerational poverty by helping uplift voices quieted from systemic oppression. The system is long overdue to have women in places their PowHERful voices are heard to create, nurture and enact policies that drive all humankind forward.
“In alignment with my work, my values, and the change I wish to see, I am excited to support Mia for SC as our first Black female Governor of South Carolina,” said Cunningham.
She added, “Mia’s life has been spent in leadership roles where HER innate ability to advocate has shone bright and she has demonstrated her words match her actions in our state’s legislature over the past 12 years. She is not afraid to be herself or speak up to those who have held the mic for far too long. Mia’s well-earned experience and feminine embodiment will make for a governorship that is representative and fruitful for all.”
Joe and Amanda Cunningham announced plans to divorce in March 2021. They co-parent their child, Boone. | https://cw33.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/gubernatorial-candidate-in-south-carolina-gets-endorsement-from-opponents-ex-wife/ | 2022-06-14T19:17:27Z |
LONDON (AP) — Paramount+ flexed the star power of its shows as it prepares to launch in the United Kingdom with an event attended by Sylvester Stallone, Viola Davis, Kevin Costner, Jessica Chastain and more.
The expansion delivers overseas some popular programs like Costner’s “Yellowstone” and “Star Trek Discovery” to U.K. audiences. Subscribers will also get to see Stallone’s scripted television debut in “Tulsa King,” in which he plays a Mafia capo.
“It’s just something I’ve always wanted to do, and I don’t know how I’ve avoided playing a mobster my whole life. I don’t get it — that’s the way people look at me anyway. So finally, an opportunity comes along,” Stallone said.
The service launches Wednesday.
Paramount+ joins an already crowded market of streaming giants in the U.K. and will compete with Amazon, Netflix and others. It arrives with more than 8,000 hours of programs, including the expanding “Yellowstone” series. Paramount and MTV Entertainment Studios announced Monday that its next spinoff starring Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford would be titled “1923” and would focus on the Prohibition era following World War I.
Chastain stars with Michael Shannon in the series “George & Tammy,” while Davis, Michelle Pfeiffer and Gillian Anderson appear in “The First Lady,” about U.S. presidents’ wives.
Sonequa Martin-Green was thrilled that her series “Star Trek Discovery” will reach a wider audience. “Especially with ‘Trek,’ I think it should always be globally celebrated because of what it represents and because of what it’s done.”
Miranda Cosgrove’s hit series “iCarly” will also feature on the streaming platform.
“Hopefully it’ll make people happy here like it did in the United States,” said the 29-year-old actor, singer and producer. “I’ve played the character Carly for most of my life. So, yeah, it’s definitely something that I hold very dear to my heart.” | https://cw33.com/entertainment-news/ap-entertainment/stallone-costner-chastain-help-launch-paramount-in-uk/ | 2022-06-21T02:52:12Z |
DENVER, July 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pivot Energy, a national renewable energy provider, is pleased to announce the start of construction of ten new community solar projects in Illinois that will provide low cost electricity to households and businesses across the state. The portfolio of projects represents 17.1 megawatts of capacity through the Illinois Adjustable Block Program across Ameren and Commonwealth Edison utility service territories.
Unlike traditional on-site solar energy, community solar allows local households and residents to subscribe to the portion of electricity generated by a local project. Also known as "shared solar" or "community solar gardens", these projects expand the benefits of solar, including lower energy costs, to those who do not own their home or do not have adequate space for their own solar energy system.
"We are fiercely dedicated to providing equitable access to community solar," said Garrett Peterson, Senior Vice President of Project Development of Pivot Energy. "By offering solar energy to those who need it most, we are empowering individuals and expanding the benefits to entire communities in the form of cleaner air, lower electricity bills, and jobs."
With the passing of the Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA) in 2016 and the subsequent Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) in 2021, Illinois has gradually become a nationwide leader in the deployment of renewable energy. The legislation puts the state on a path to 100% clean energy by 2045.
"We applaud Governor Pritzker's efforts to transition Illinois to clean energy," said Peterson. "Our company is proud to employ Illinoisans and invest in the local economy in our effort to deploy renewable energy for those who previously did not have access."
Pivot Energy previously developed a 34-megawatt portfolio of community solar projects across Illinois in early 2021. With the new portfolio, the company's community solar capacity now stands at 51 megawatts, making Pivot Energy one of the leading providers of community solar in the state.
The portfolio is expected to produce 80 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, offsetting the equivalent of more than 60,000 tons of carbon emissions according to the EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalency Calculator.
Pivot partners with community organizations in allocating subscriptions to those most in need and manages them through the SunCentral platform, their proprietary cloud-based software. If your organization could benefit from partnering with Pivot, please reach out to info@suncentral.net.
Pivot Energy is a national renewable energy provider that develops, finances, builds, owns, and manages solar and energy storage projects. Pivot offers a distributed energy platform that includes a range of services and software that serves the full solar ecosystem. Pivot is a Certified B-Corporation that proudly follows a corporate strategy that provides a positive impact on society as measured by Environmental stewardship, Social leadership, and responsible Governance (ESG) factors. Learn more at pivotenergy.net.
Contact:
David Ganske
(424) 209-2394
david@dgplusdesign.com
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SOURCE Pivot Energy | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/20/pivot-energy-starts-construction-17-megawatt-community-solar-portfolio-illinois/ | 2022-07-20T15:38:21Z |
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — California became the latest to declare an emergency over monkeypox, following Illinois and New York. The nation’s rising case count – over 5,800 cases as of Monday night, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows – has many wondering how the disease is spreading.
That’s especially true in San Francisco amid large gatherings, like the three-day music and arts festival Outside Lands that kicks off this weekend.
Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, Infectious Disease Expert with the University of California San Francisco, broke it down into three levels of risk when it comes to the spread of monkeypox: high, medium and low. He credits the vaccine with being able to put more people in the low-risk group.
Prolonged skin-to-skin contact is the most common – and thus, high-risk – way that monkeypox is spread, according to Dr. Chin-Hong. “Intimate contact is very efficient because you’re making little cuts in the skin with the person who’s not infected and the virus from the open sore can enter very easily.”
Another way that monkeypox is spread is through shared bedding and clothing. It’s not as likely, but still possible. “Usually with someone who’s had an open lesion, slept in the bedding, and then it survives in that way with a high load, so I would call that … maybe medium,” said Dr. Chin-Hong.
He said monkeypox can only be spread from the time someone feels sick to the time their rash scabs off. Casual interactions such as a simple handshake are low-risk that would require very specific scenarios for spread.
“You could be shaking somebody’s hand, have a cut in your hand and the person has an open sore and they didn’t know it, or recognize it — that’s possible,” said Chin-Hong.
As far as events like Outside Lands, the doctor is more concerned about what happens behind closed doors than among those gathering in Golden Gate Park. “Risky activities are not in Outside Lands. It’s in the events or the intimate settings that people have or encounters they have after the event,” said Chin-Hong.
Dr. Chin-Hong said the vaccines that have been and continue to be administered will be a game-changer with monkeypox. He said the shot will abort the disease completely if taken within the first four days of being infected.
Scientists say that unlike campaigns to stop COVID-19, mass vaccinations against monkeypox won’t be necessary. They think targeted use of the available doses, along with other measures, could shut down the expanding epidemics that were recently designated by the World Health Organization as a global health emergency.
President Joe Biden is set to name top officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the CDC – Robert Fenton and Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, respectively – to serve as the White House coordinators to combat the growing monkeypox outbreak on Tuesday. The White House said the pair would coordinate “strategy and operations to combat the current monkeypox outbreak, including equitably increasing the availability of tests, vaccinations and treatments.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | https://cw33.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/how-does-monkeypox-spread-an-infectious-disease-expert-explains/ | 2022-08-02T04:16:12Z |
ATLANTA, Sept. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pye-Barker Fire & Safety is pleased to announce its acquisition of Briscoe Protective in New York from Novidam Capital Partners. Briscoe Protective is the largest privately held security company in the NYC-Metro area and the 20th largest security organization in the United States as ranked on the SDM 100. The deal enables Pye-Barker to expand its reach to New Yorkers from New York City to Long Island and Westchester.
Briscoe Protective specializes in fire alarms, intrusion alarms, access control, and CCTV for customers throughout New York City's five boroughs, Long Island and Westchester. It is managed by Alexander Schuil who took the helm in 2016 and negotiated the acquisition and merger of Worldwide Security, SCAN Security, Bellringer Security, GC Alarm, Marlarm Security Group, Alarms R Us, and Supreme Security, among others. Briscoe Protective was founded in 1978 under the name Delco Security Systems. The name was later changed to Briscoe Protective in honor of Bert Briscoe, the grandfather of a prior owner Bob Williams and coach of Lightweight World Champion Archie Moore, who inspired the company's mission to "do good."
"This partnership with Pye-Barker will help us 'do more good' for the communities we serve and our employees," said Alexander Schuil, CEO of Briscoe Protective. "With our shared values and philosophies and the additional resources from Pye-Barker, the future is bright together."
"Briscoe Protective is a respected name in security and fire protection for its lengthy industry experience and reputation for high-quality customer service," said Bart Proctor, CEO of Pye-Barker. "We are proud to work with Briscoe to further our shared values of investing in employees, protecting communities, and fostering a true family culture."
Briscoe Protective will continue to be operated by Alexander Schuil and its team of highly skilled technicians.
Pye-Barker Fire & Safety, founded in 1946, is a leader in fire protection and life safety, with over 140 locations and 4,100 team members. It is a full-service company offering all the necessary specialties including portable extinguishers, restaurant fire suppression, special hazard systems, fire sprinklers, fire alarms, and security. Pye-Barker invests heavily in providing the best-in-class training for its team while offering industry competitive benefits and is rapidly expanding its national footprint.
Contact:
Eric Garner
President, Pye-Barker Alarm Division
(801) 395-8738
egarner@pyebarkerfire.com
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SOURCE Pye-Barker Fire & Safety | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/09/06/pye-barker-fire-amp-safety-adds-briscoe-protective-new-york-its-family-companies/ | 2022-09-06T19:08:30Z |
- Patrick A. Rogers to Succeed David J. Rubin as Law Firm's Managing Partner -
BOSTON and PROVIDENCE, R.I., Aug. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hinckley Allen announced today that Patrick A. Rogers, a business lawyer and former chair of the firm's corporate department, will succeed David J. Rubin as Managing Partner effective September 1, 2022. Rogers was elected by the unanimous vote of the firm's equity partners. Rubin has held the leadership role since 2014 and completes his final term this summer; he will continue his legal practice as a real estate partner at the firm.
"It's an honor to work at Hinckley Allen and I'm excited to serve as Managing Partner," Rogers said. "We have an incredible group of lawyers and staff – and most of all – loyal and satisfied clients who put their trust in us to handle their most important legal matters. David Rubin has done a great job as our Managing Partner for nearly a decade. The firm has enjoyed a period of strong performance in all our markets and four major practice areas: Construction, Litigation, Real Estate, and Corporate. I look forward to building on that record of success and positioning Hinckley Allen for continued growth."
"Our lawyers and team members continue to deliver impressive results for our clients," added Rubin. "Knowing that I was stepping down from my role as Managing Partner, the firm started a thoughtful transition process -- led by a Managing Partner Succession Committee -- to identify our next leader and ensure a seamless transition. We are all confident that Pat has the skills, experience, and vision to help lead the firm into the future. He has the full support of our lawyers and staff, including the Executive Committee and Practice Group leadership."
Rogers started his legal career as a law school summer associate at Hinckley Allen. Since then he has held a variety of leadership roles. He was an aide to U.S. Senator John H. Chafee and later served as Chief of Staff and Executive Counsel to Governor Lincoln Chafee. At Hinckley Allen, Rogers served as an Executive Committee member and Chair of the firm's Corporate Department. Rogers is a graduate of LaSalle Academy, the College of the Holy Cross, and Catholic University Law School. Before his legal career, Rogers served as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in the Republic of Gabon, Africa.
During Rubin's tenure, Hinckley Allen has grown significantly and enhanced its position as one of the top 200 law firms in the U.S. Under his leadership, the firm opened a Chicago office, added lawyers in every market, and deepened its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The firm also established the Hinckley Allen Social Justice Fund and is currently participating in the Mansfield Rule program, which is focused on increasing the representation of historically underrepresented lawyers in law firm leadership. Hinckley Allen has been consistently rated a Best Places to Work in multiple cities.
About Hinckley Allen - Hinckley Allen is a client-driven, forward-thinking business law firm with one goal: to provide value and deliver results for our clients. Recognized as an AmLaw 200 firm, our lawyers collaborate across practices and pursue excellence to deliver exceptional client service. Our clients include leading regional, national, and international companies in a wide range of industries. With offices throughout the Northeast – Boston, Hartford, Providence, Manchester, Albany – and in Chicago, Hinckley Allen has been a vital force in law, business, government, and our communities since 1906.
Contact: Gina Fajardo
gfajardo@hinckleyallen.com, 617.378.4514
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SOURCE Hinckley Allen | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/16/hinckley-allen-announces-leadership-transition/ | 2022-08-16T14:46:13Z |
Cluster 5 expands company's capacity to meet high demand for RF analytics
HERNDON, Va., May 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- HawkEye 360 Inc., the world's leading commercial provider of space-based radio frequency (RF) data and analytics, today announced that its Cluster 5 satellites have successfully launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral on May 25. Once Cluster 5's on-orbit checkout is complete, the recent launches in 2022 will have doubled capacity and revisit rates, expanding HawkEye 360's constellation to 15 satellites. This significantly boosts the constellation's ability to serve global customer demand and to monitor activity across places such as Ukraine.
"Every enhanced satellite cluster we launch helps us deliver a higher density of valuable data to our government, commercial and humanitarian customers and partners – advancing our efforts to monitor global activities for a safer and more secure world," said HawkEye 360 John Serafini. "Launch by launch, these space-based innovations are analyzing the knowns and uncovering the unknowns of the RF spectrum across the globe."
Cluster 5 includes enhanced antenna functions introduced with Cluster 4, which allow greater flexibility in geolocating signals across a wide range of frequencies important to customers. Cluster 4 launched on April 1 has been completing checkout and moving into final formation to begin collecting data in late June. Cluster 5 is slated to achieve initial operating capability in August 2022.
These recent launches keep HawkEye 360 on track to exponentially increase the size of the constellation, with upcoming launches now scheduled every few months. HawkEye 360 will continue to grow the constellation to achieve revisit rates around 15 minutes in order to support timely defense, national security, and commercial applications.
For more information on the HawkEye 360 satellite constellation and enhanced capabilities of HawkEye Cluster 5, please visit https://www.he360.com/.
About HawkEye 360
HawkEye 360 is delivering a revolutionary source of global knowledge based on radio frequency (RF) geospatial intelligence to those working to make the world a safer place. The company operates the first-of-its-kind commercial satellite constellation to detect, characterize, and geolocate a broad range of RF signals. This unique RF data and analytics equip our global customers with high-impact insights needed to make decisions with confidence. HawkEye 360 is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia.
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SOURCE HawkEye 360 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/25/hawkeye-360-launches-next-generation-cluster-5-satellites/ | 2022-05-25T23:40:04Z |
Ahead of crime stat update, City Manager says Topeka is safe
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Interim City Manager Bill Cochran says he believes crime stats due out this week will provide a positive picture of the direction crime is headed in Topeka.
Cochran took issue with a real estate marketing company’s recent report that listed Topeka as one of the least-safe cities in the nation. Cochran says even the FBI disputed the site’s data.
Cochran, who previously served as Topeka’s Police Chief, believes Topeka has made great strides over the past decade. He credits an improved relationship with the community.
“The police department doesn’t have success without success of the community,” he said. “We have to have involvement from people within the community. We have to have those partnerships with all the different entities throughout the city whether they are nonprofit, for-profit, GTP, other governmental agencies - all those working together. When all those entities come together, work together and we go in a positive direction for a common goal, then positive things happen, and when positive thing happen, then the crime rate tends to go down.”
Cochran also cautions against seeing his recent budget proposal as a sign of potential trouble down the road. The 2023 budget proposal allocates money toward recruiting employees, citing a 12 percent overall vacancy rate. Topeka Police is budgeted for 299 officers, but only has 262 on the street right now.
“Vacancies at the police department is kind of an ebb and flow type situation,” Cochran explained. “We have our own police academy, so we hire in bulks - 5, 10, 15, 20 officers. So what happens is vacancies get held until we start another academy.”
Cochran says the situation is not ideal, but he does not see it as long-term problem.
“We’ll get through that and it will be a tough time. We’ll have to pull together, work together as a whole and that’s why it’s so important that we have the relationships that we have with the community because, being short on staff, we rely a lot more on other resources than we do just police officers on the streets,” he said.
Cochran also updated the search for a new city manager. Applications close Friday, July 15.
He says the city has received more than 30 resumes. He says five of those people live in Kansas, including two Topekans. Another 10 applicants have Kansas ties.
The governing body plans a July 19 executive session to discuss narrowing the field.
Copyright 2022 WIBW. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/07/12/ahead-crime-stat-update-city-manager-says-topeka-is-safe/ | 2022-07-12T02:38:15Z |
Gunter-Pilot Point Softball Highlights
Published: May. 7, 2022 at 11:05 PM CDT|Updated: 1 hours ago
Gunter-Pilot Point Softball Highlights
Copyright 2022 KXII. All rights reserved.
Gunter-Pilot Point Softball Highlights
Copyright 2022 KXII. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/05/08/gunter-pilot-point-softball-highlights/ | 2022-05-08T05:49:43Z |
WILLIAMSBURG, Va., July 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TYGES has reached another milestone, celebrating 20 years of business this July. Its mission and core values are the heartbeat of the organization, allowing it to produce an exceptional customer experience.
Founder, Tim Saumier, reflected on reaching this milestone by sharing, "This coming July 29th is the twentieth anniversary of TYGES. We truly have come a long way since that first day and it has much to do with the culture we have built together along with our mission and values that keep us focused on making good things happen for other people."
From the start, TYGES focused its recruiting services in the industrial manufacturing sector which it continues today. Since then, TYGES has opened a behavioral health division, acquired an office in Georgia, expanded to Florida, received a Great Place to Work certification, and awarded a Best Place to Work in Virginia. Saumier explains, "The success that TYGES has experienced since the company's inception can be attributed to its strong relationships, the desire to serve its clientele, and living its mission."
"I wanted to raise the bar in the recruiting industry when I started this company. Our core values and mission evolved because of our culture." Saumier continues, "We bring the entire team together each year to team build and show appreciation. We identify one of our core values as an overarching theme. This year our theme is integrity. We use some opportunities to say you cannot spell integrity without grit and we use other opportunities to say we need to do what is right; not what is easy."
TYGES is an executive and professional search firm placing leaders at all levels. We are guided by our core values: integrity, respect, accountability, determination, and courage. Our proven process, THE TYGES WAY, will bring your organization the talent you need while developing and motivating your people. TYGES focuses on an overall fit, meaning when you entrust your talent search to us, we take forming a partnership seriously.
Learn more at tyges.com and on LinkedIn, and Facebook.
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SOURCE TYGES | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/26/20-years-building-integrity/ | 2022-07-26T15:04:17Z |
SARASOTA, Fla., April 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- After 7 months of chemotherapy, legendary ESPN broadcaster Dick Vitale is in remission. Flanked by his doctors and nurses and buoyed by the good news, the college basketball announcer rang the victory bell in a special ceremony at Sarasota Memorial Hospital's Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute on Thursday.
In a small gathering outside the hospital's oncology tower, Vitale shared his love for his family, his oncology team, and the many friends and fans who have supported him with daily tweets, messages and prayers.
With a voice full of emotion, he said he was inspired through his own cancer journey by the words of his friend and former colleague, the late Jim Valvano — "Don't Give up DON'T EVER GIVE UP!" and the promise he made to all the courageous kids fighting cancer to continue raising awareness and funds for pediatric cancer research and treatment.
In October 2021, doctors at Sarasota Memorial's Jellison Cancer Institute diagnosed Vitale with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. He underwent six rounds of chemotherapy and completed his last course on Thursday. His PET scan in March showed no signs of lymphoma, said Richard Brown, MD, medical director of the Jellison Cancer Institute and the medical oncologist managing Vitale's cancer care.
Vitale's lymphoma diagnosis came just a few months after treatment for melanoma earlier in the year, and while he was receiving continuing treatment in another state for a vocal cord disorder – all amid the challenges of a global pandemic.
"At 82, despite all of the treatments, traveling and medical challenges, Dick has done phenomenally well – he is in remission and we are excited to see him return to the life he loves," said Brown, who will continue to provide follow-up care and periodic scans to monitor Vitale for any signs of recurrence.
During the chemo completion ceremony, Vitale recognized his medical team and nurses by name, saying "If I were on ESPN now, I would simply say, "They are AWESOME baby, with a capital A!"
The oncology team presented him with a river rock they hand-painted with a basketball, March Madness brackets and a NCAA Final Four theme. Vitale also selected a rock inscribed with the word "LOVE" to leave behind in the hospital's Oncology Tower rock garden to inspire cancer patients following in his footsteps.
At the ceremony, Dr. Brown and Jellison Cancer Institute oncology specialists Stephen Kucera, MD, and Kenneth Meredith, MD, who helped diagnose Vitale, honored him for his commitment to cancer research and children battling the disease. Vitale has raised millions of dollars for the V Foundation for Cancer Research and each May hosts a fundraising gala in Sarasota to support pediatric cancer research.
"You're an inspiration to us all, and the world is a better place with you in it," Kucera said at the ceremony. "Now let's get out and raise some money for these kids."
Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute
The Oncology Tower on the Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Sarasota Campus is one of several advanced cancer care facilities that make up Sarasota Memorial's Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute. The tower serves as a central location and collaborative space where more than 70 community physicians and oncology specialists work with oncology nurses, navigators, counselors, and other cancer care professionals to guide patients through every step of their cancer journey and ensure they have coordinated access to advanced, personalized treatments for their specific cancers. For information, visit www.smh.com/cancer.
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SOURCE Sarasota Memorial Hospital | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/04/15/legendary-espn-basketball-announcer-dick-vitale-celebrates-his-cancer-victory/ | 2022-04-16T07:00:16Z |
Seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi was omitted from the 30-man list of nominees for the prestigious award on Friday for the first time since 2005.
The Argentina great edged out Poland striker Robert Lewandowski for the Ballon d’Or last year but wasn’t nominated this time after an underwhelming first season at Paris Saint-Germain.
The 35-year-old forward also won the prize in 2019 — it was not held in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Neymar also missed the cut this time.
Lewandowski, Kylian Mbappé, Karim Benzema, Erling Haaland and five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo were all included, as were Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané, Kevin De Bruyne, Harry Kane and Son Heung-min.
The list features six Manchester City players: Phil Foden, Joao Cancelo, De Bruyne, Riyad Mahrez, Bernardo Silva, and new signing Haaland (formerly Borussia Dortmund).
Liverpool also has six nominees: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Luis Diaz, Fabinho, Darwin Nunez, Salah and Virgil van Dijk.
Mané, who helped Senegal win its first African Cup before leaving Liverpool for Bayern Munich, is included, as is Bayern teammate Joshua Kimmich.
Benzema leads a group of six Real Madrid players. The others are Casemiro, Thibaut Courtois, Luka Modric, Vinicius Junior and new signing Antonio Rudiger.
The other nominated players are Sébastien Haller (Ajax), Rafael Leao and Mike Maignan (both of AC Milan), Christopher Nkunku (Leipzig), and Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus).
The award will be presented on Oct. 17.
Among changes announced in March, the award is now being awarded based on performances over the course of a regular European season, rather than a calendar year. A reduction in the number of voters was among other changes, with the goal of streamlining the process. Voters also will no longer consider a player’s career accomplishments.
France Football magazine has given out the award to men every year since 1956 and to women each year since 2018, though both were canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic.
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/lionel-messi-misses-cut-for-ballon-dor-list-of-nominees/ | 2022-08-13T18:35:18Z |
AUSTIN, Texas, June 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Motion Recruitment is proud to announce that this year the company received AgileOne's Innovator award for supplier excellence! The award was presented to Motion Recruitment during AgileOne's Supplier Excellence Award ceremony this May, which took place during the AgileOne Customer Forum at the Hyatt Regency Austin in Austin, Texas.
"With each candidate interaction and each successful placement, our suppliers play a critical role in our success at AgileOne. We are constantly evaluating our suppliers to ensure they are providing the best possible service to our clients. The Supplier Excellence Awards allow us to recognize the suppliers that consistently exceed expectations," Brian Clark, President, AgileOne. "As a trusted partner, Motion Recruitment has risen to the challenge of delivering world-class customer service and high-quality talent for AgileOne's clients around the world."
This is one of several awards that Motion Recruitment has received across almost a decade of affiliation with AgileOne. Motion Recruitment has previously received the Top IT Supplier and All-Star awards. Throughout this partnership, AgileOne has looked to Motion to help support several new clients, entering new regions and verticals.
"Our partnership with AgileOne has helped foster innovation within the staffing industry while achieving the goals of our mutual end client," said Nicholas Campo, VP of Enterprise Business Development at Motion Recruitment. "Working with AgileOne is a collaborative process; we often discuss industry trends and share market insights to help promote the success of the program."
Partnering with AgileOne over the past nine years, Motion has evolved from being a new supplier for the MSP to a trusted partner across multiple enterprise programs. Striving to do things differently over its 30-year history, winning AgileOne's Innovation Award reflects how Motion is always finding new ways to innovate, serve the staffing market, and better engage with customers and candidates, especially in a competitive tech talent market.
About Motion Recruitment
Motion Recruitment is part of Motion Recruitment Partners, LLC, parent company of leading global talent solutions providers and industry game-changers. Motion Recruitment offers IT Staffing solutions across North America for contract, contract to hire, and direct hire needs and also hosts 'Tech in Motion' a networking event and award series connecting tech enthusiasts to meet, learn, and innovate. Motion's highly specialized tech placement teams offer unparalleled consultation to clients and candidates in Cybersecurity, DataOp, Software Engineering, Web and Mobile Development, Cloud Engineering, Network Infrastructure & Dev Ops, Product & UX, and Functional/Project Management. Find more information at motionrecruitment.com about staffing services.
About AgileOne
From cutting-edge technologies to award-winning services, AgileOne has the expertise to provide true total talent management with access to world-class workforce solutions and technologies configured to meet your unique enterprise needs. We are minority/woman-owned, with operations across the globe.
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SOURCE Motion Recruitment | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/23/motion-recruitment-receives-agileones-innovator-award/ | 2022-06-23T14:42:16Z |
New investment deepens W&B's partnership with NVIDIA and signals further integrations and
collaboration as more enterprises invest heavily in their machine learning infrastructure
SAN FRANCISCO, May 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Weights & Biases, the leading developer-first MLOps platform, today announced an investment from NVIDIA, which has pioneered accelerated computing, machine learning and AI. This investment will accelerate W&B's ability to provide ML developers the best tools in machine learning and AI, and to deepen the integrations between W&B and NVIDIA's offerings.
"We're incredibly proud of our partnership with the team at NVIDIA," said Lukas Biewald, CEO and Co-Founder of Weights & Biases. "Nearly all of our customers train or deploy at least some of their models on NVIDIA hardware often at massive scale and our integration with NVIDIA gives them new visibility right out of the box."
The investment accelerates the growing partnership between NVIDIA and Weights & Biases, which already includes a W&B integration with NVIDIA's Base Command, an enterprise-grade platform for NVIDIA-accelerated infrastructure, as well as integrations with software frameworks such as NVIDIA NeMo, an automatic speech recognition toolkit.
Weights & Biases is an NVIDIA DGX-Ready MLOps software partner and a launch partner of NVIDIA's AI Accelerated program as it works to build best-in-class AI applications. The latest partnership will provide customers an integrated and validated W&B experience with both NVIDIA's accelerated computing and ML/AI technologies. In a recent episode of Biewald's podcast, Gradient Dissent, NVIDIA's founder and CEO Jensen Huang highlighted how W&B enables complex workflows.
"AI is transforming industries worldwide and will ultimately be embraced by virtually every company that creates data," said Vishal Bhagwati, head of Corporate Development, at NVIDIA. "We look forward to working with Weights & Biases as they expand their pioneering developer-focused MLOps platform and powerful tools that enable organizations to apply machine learning to their most challenging business problems."
The investment allows W&B to continue improving its core experiment tracking offering as well as expanding its platform to meet the evolving needs of their shared customer base.
About Weights & Biases
Weights & Biases is the leading developer-first MLOps platform to build better models faster. Used by top researchers including teams at OpenAI, Lyft, Pfizer, Toyota, Github, and MILA, W&B is part of the new standard of best practices for machine learning.
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SOURCE Weights & Biases | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/05/17/weights-amp-biases-announces-investment-nvidia-unleash-more-value-developers-with-worlds-leading-mlops-platform/ | 2022-05-17T16:30:04Z |
Eight Weight Loss Champions Were Each Awarded a $5,000 Cash Prize
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nutrisystem®, a leading provider of health and wellness and weight management solutions, announced the winners of the Nutrisystem Real $40,000 Giveaway. Eight weight loss champions from across the United States collectively lost over 560 pounds* and were each awarded a $5,000 cash prize.
"Hearing stories from our customers continues to be one of my favorite parts of this business," said Stephen Mikulak, President of Nutrisystem. "Each year, we receive hundreds of entries in the Real Giveaway, and while no two stories are the same, they are all equally inspiring. We applaud each of our winners on their weight loss success and are proud that they chose Nutrisystem as their health and wellness partner."
A panel of qualified Nutrisystem judges selected the following eight winners:
- Audrey B. of Indiana lost 50 pounds
- Chris C. of California lost 194 pounds
- Emily D. of New York lost 20 pounds
- Ben K. of West Virginia lost 10 pounds
- Taylor M. of Georgia lost 64 pounds
- Keith P. of Texas lost 55 pounds
- Adam R. of Iowa lost 40 pounds
- Rachel S. of Pennsylvania lost 130 pounds
"I knew I had to change when I didn't recognize myself on my home security system footage," says Chris C., who mentions he has been overweight most of his adult life. "I started reading up on Nutrisystem after seeing TV commercials and thought I'd give it a try."
"My only regret is not starting Nutrisystem sooner," continues Chris. "I am now able to go on hikes and play with my dog without having to stop and catch my breath every few minutes. I feel like a different person."
"After going to college, I gained a substantial amount of weight and food became a comfort for me," says Taylor M., a former athlete. "There were many fluctuations as I tried every diet plan possible, but I could never lose the weight and keep it off until Nutrisystem."
Taylor adds, "I feel like myself again. I am confident and happy without constantly worrying about what to eat and when. I find myself going out and doing more, and I enjoy clothes shopping and putting effort into looking good. I am also finally able to play soccer again. I have Nutrisystem to thank!"
Utilizing a high-protein, low glycemic approach that is designed to keep blood sugar levels steady and hunger in control, Nutrisystem helps individuals lose weight and achieve lasting results. Today, Nutrisystem offers the same great weight loss, now with premium meals, including skillet options, that are 50% bigger and have up to 30 grams of protein. The program also includes one-on-one coaching and an intuitive app that guides a person through their weight loss journey and holds them accountable to their goals. All plans are delivered to the customer's door.
"When it comes to losing weight and focusing on your health, every person has their own unique wants and needs," concludes Mikulak. "At Nutrisystem, we continue to focus on developing programs and products that speak directly to our various customer segments. With plans for women, men, partners and diabetics, Nutrisystem offers a solution for everyone."
For more information, visit www.nutrisystem.com.
*On Nutrisystem, expect to lose an avg 1-2lbs per week.
About Nutrisystem®
Nutrisystem® is a leading provider of health and wellness and weight loss solutions having helped millions of people lose weight for 50 years. Nutrisystem offers a high protein, low glycemic approach to weight loss designed to help keep blood sugar levels steady and hunger in control. The Nutrisystem menu includes a combination of ready-to-go and frozen meals including new premium options with up to 30 grams of protein and perfectly-portioned restaurant favorites. For more information, go to newsroom.nutrisystem.com.
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SOURCE Nutrisystem, Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/09/nutrisystem-giveaway-winners-lose-collective-total-over-560-pounds/ | 2022-08-09T14:25:57Z |
FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J., Aug. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE: BDX) (the "Company" or "BD") today announced the early tender results for its previously announced Tender Offers (as defined below) to purchase for cash certain of its outstanding debt securities listed in the table below.
In making the announcement, the Company has exercised its previously disclosed right to amend such Tender Offers to increase the Offer SubCap (as defined below) applicable to the 3.794% Senior Notes due 2050 from $175,000,000 principal amount to $190,000,000 principal amount.
The Tender Offers are being made pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth in the offer to purchase, dated August 8, 2022 (as amended and supplemented hereby, the "Offer to Purchase"). Except as specifically amended hereby, all other terms of the Tender Offers as previously announced in the Offer to Purchase remain unchanged. The Company refers investors to the Offer to Purchase for the complete terms and conditions of the Tender Offers.
The Company is offering to purchase for cash up to $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount (which, subject to applicable law, may be increased in the Company's sole discretion, the "Aggregate Offer Cap") of its (i) 3.794% Senior Notes due 2050, (ii) 7.000% Senior Debentures due 2027, (iii) 6.700% Senior Debentures due 2028, (iv) 6.000% Senior Notes due 2039, (v) 5.000% Senior Notes due 2040, (vi) 4.685% Senior Notes due 2044 and (vii) 4.669% Senior Notes due 2047 (collectively, the "Securities" and each a "series"), in the order of priority set forth in the table below (each, an "Acceptance Priority Level"), subject to an aggregate principal amount of each series of Securities that does not exceed the applicable Offer SubCap, if any, set forth in the table below (each, an "Offer SubCap") (collectively, the "Tender Offers"); provided that the Company will only accept for purchase up to an aggregate principal amount of all series of Securities that does not exceed the Aggregate Offer Cap.
As of the previously announced early tender date and time of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on August 19, 2022 (the "Early Tender Date"), according to information provided by Global Bondholder Services Corporation, the tender and information agent for the Tender Offers, the aggregate principal amount of each series of Securities set forth in the table below under "Principal Amount Tendered at Early Tender Date" has been validly tendered and not validly withdrawn in the Tender Offers. Withdrawal rights for the Securities expired at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Early Tender Date.
All conditions, including the financing condition, in respect of the Tender Offers were satisfied or waived by the Company at the Early Tender Date. The Company has elected to exercise its right to make payment for the Securities that were validly tendered prior to or at the Early Tender Date and that are accepted for purchase on August 23, 2022 (the "Early Settlement Date").
As previously disclosed in the Offer to Purchase, because the aggregate principal amount of 3.794% Senior Notes due 2050 validly tendered and not validly withdrawn prior to or at the Early Tender Date exceeds the applicable Offer SubCap and the aggregate principal amount of Securities validly tendered and not validly withdrawn prior to or at the Early Tender Date exceeds the Aggregate Offer Cap, the Company will accept for purchase the 3.794% Senior Notes due 2050 and the 4.685% Senior Notes due 2044 on a prorated basis as set forth in the table above. As described further in the Offer to Purchase, Securities tendered and not accepted for purchase will be promptly credited to the tendering holder's account. Since the Tender Offers are fully subscribed at the Early Tender Date, the Company does not expect to accept for purchase any Securities tendered after the Early Tender Date on a subsequent settlement date.
The applicable consideration (the "Total Consideration") offered per $1,000 principal amount of each series of Securities validly tendered and accepted for purchase pursuant to the applicable Tender Offer will be determined in the manner described in the Offer to Purchase by reference to the applicable fixed spread for such Securities specified in the table above plus the applicable yield based on the bid-side price of the applicable U.S. Treasury Reference Security specified in the table above as displayed on the applicable page on the Bloomberg Bond Trader FIT1 page at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on August 22, 2022. The Company expects to announce the pricing of the Tender Offers later today.
Only holders of Securities who validly tendered and did not validly withdraw their Securities at or prior to the Early Tender Date are eligible to receive the Total Consideration for Securities accepted for purchase. Holders will also receive accrued and unpaid interest on Securities validly tendered and accepted for purchase from the applicable last interest payment date up to, but not including, the Early Settlement Date ("Accrued Interest").
All Securities accepted for purchase will be retired and cancelled and will no longer remain outstanding obligations of the Company.
Information Relating to the Tender Offers
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC are the lead dealer managers for the Tender Offers. Academy Securities, Inc., Loop Capital Markets LLC and Siebert Williams Shank & Co., LLC are co-dealer managers for the Tender Offers. Investors with questions regarding the Tender Offers may contact Citigroup Global Markets Inc. at (800) 558-3745 (toll-free) or (212) 723-6106 (collect) or Wells Fargo Securities, LLC at (866) 309-6316 (toll-free) or (704) 410-4759 (collect) or by email at liabilitymanagement@wellsfargo.com. Global Bondholder Services Corporation is the tender and information agent for the Tender Offers and can be contacted at (855) 654-2014 (toll-free) or (212) 430-3774 (collect).
None of the Company or its affiliates, their respective boards of directors, the dealer managers, the tender and information agent or the trustee with respect to any series of Securities is making any recommendation as to whether holders should tender any Securities in response to any of the Tender Offers, and neither the Company nor any such other person has authorized any person to make any such recommendation. Holders must make their own decisions as to whether to tender any of their Securities, and, if so, the principal amount of Securities to tender.
The full details of the Tender Offers, including complete instructions on how to tender Securities, are included in the Offer to Purchase. Holders are strongly encouraged to read carefully the Offer to Purchase, including materials incorporated by reference therein, because they contain important information. The Offer to Purchase may be downloaded from Global Bondholder Services Corporation's website at www.gbsc-usa.com/BectonDickinson or obtained from Global Bondholder Services Corporation, free of charge, by calling toll-free at (855) 654-2014 (bankers and brokers can call collect at (212) 430-3774).
This press release is for informational purposes only and is not an offer to buy, or the solicitation of an offer to sell, any of the Securities and the Tender Offers do not constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell Securities in any jurisdiction or in any circumstances in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful.
About BD
BD is one of the largest global medical technology companies in the world and is advancing the world of health by improving medical discovery, diagnostics and the delivery of care. The company supports the heroes on the frontlines of health care by developing innovative technology, services and solutions that help advance both clinical therapy for patients and clinical process for health care providers. BD and its 75,000 employees have a passion and commitment to help enhance the safety and efficiency of clinicians' care delivery process, enable laboratory scientists to accurately detect disease and advance researchers' capabilities to develop the next generation of diagnostics and therapeutics. BD has a presence in virtually every country and partners with organizations around the world to address some of the most challenging global health issues. By working in close collaboration with customers, BD can help enhance outcomes, lower costs, increase efficiencies, improve safety and expand access to health care.
Contacts: |
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain estimates and other forward-looking statements (as defined under federal securities laws) regarding BD's performance, including in relation to the consummation of the Tender Offers. All such statements are based upon current expectations of BD and involve a number of business risks and uncertainties. Actual results could vary materially from anticipated results described, implied or projected in any forward-looking statement. With respect to forward-looking statements contained herein, a number of factors could cause actual results to vary materially. These factors include, but are not limited to, the factors discussed in BD's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. BD does not intend to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof, except as required by applicable laws or regulations.
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SOURCE BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/22/bd-announces-early-tender-results-upsizing-offer-subcap/ | 2022-08-22T12:46:35Z |
16 Uvalde fourth graders waited an hour with injured teacher
UVALDE, Texas (AP) — Elsa Avila slid to her phone, terrified as she held the bleeding side of her abdomen and tried to stay calm for her students. In a text to her family that she meant to send to fellow Uvalde teachers, she wrote: “I’m shot.”
For the first time in 30 years, Avila will not be going back to school as classes resume Tuesday in the small, southeast Texas town. The start of school will look different for her, as for other survivors of the May 24 shooting at Robb Elementary School in which 21 people died, with an emphasis on healing, both physically and mentally. Some have opted for virtual education, others for private school. Many will return to Uvalde school district campuses, though Robb Elementary itself will not ever reopen.
“I’m trying to make sense of everything,” Avila said in an August interview, “but it is never going to make sense.”
A scar down her torso brings her to tears as a permanent reminder of the horror she endured with her 16 students as they waited in their classroom for an hour for help while a gunman slaughtered 19 children and two teachers in two adjoining classrooms nearby.
Minutes before she felt the sharp pain of the bullet piercing her intestine and colon, Avila was motioning students away from the walls and windows and closer to her. A student lined up by the door for recess had just told her something was going on outside: People were running — and screaming. As she slammed the classroom door so the lock would catch, her students took their well-practiced lockdown positions.
Moments later, a gunman stormed into their fourth-grade wing and began spraying bullets before ultimately making his way into rooms 111 and 112.
In room 109, Avila repeatedly texted for help, according to messages reviewed by The Associated Press. First at 11:35 a.m. in the text to her family that she says was meant for the teacher group chat. Then at 11:38 in a message to the school’s vice principal. At 11:45 she responded to a text from the school’s counselor asking if her classroom was in lockdown with: “I’m shot, send help.” And when the principal assured her that help was on the way, she replied simply: “Help.”
“Yes they are coming,” the principal wrote back at 11:48 a.m.
It’s unclear whether her messages were relayed to police. District officials did not respond to requests for comment on actions taken to communicate with law enforcement on May 24, and an attorney for then-Principal Mandy Gutierrez was not available for comment.
According to a legislative committee’s report that described a botched police response, nearly 400 local, state and federal officers stood in the hallway of the fourth-grade wing and outside the building for 77 minutes before finally entering the adjoining classrooms and killing the gunman. Lawmakers also found a relaxed approach to lockdowns — which happened often — and security concerns, including issues with door locks. State and federal investigations into the shooting are continuing.
The district is working to complete new security measures, and the school board in August fired the district’s police chief, Pete Arredondo. Residents say it remains unclear how — or even if — trust between the community and officials can be rebuilt even as some call for more accountability, better police training and stricter gun safety laws.
Avila recalls hearing the ominous bursts of rapid fire, then silence, then the voices of officers in the hallway yelling, “Crossfire!” and later more officers standing nearby.
“But still nobody came to help us,” she said.
As Avila lay motionless, unable to speak loud enough to be heard, some of her students nudged and shook her. She wished for the strength to tell them she was still alive.
A light flashed into their window, but nobody identified themselves. Scared it might be the gunman, the students moved away.
“The little girls closest to me kept patting me and telling me, ‘It’s going to be OK miss. We love you miss,’” Avila said.
Finally, at 12:33 p.m. a window in her classroom broke. Officers arrived to evacuate her students — the last to be let out in the area, according to Avila.
With her remaining strength, Avila pulled herself up and helped usher students onto chairs and tables and through the window. Then, clutching her side, she told an officer she was too weak to jump herself. He came through the window to pull her out.
“I never saw my kids again. I know they climbed out the window and I could just hear them telling them, `Run, run, run!’” Avila said.
She remembers being taken to the airport, where a helicopter flew her to a San Antonio hospital. She was in and out of care until June 18.
Avila later learned that a student in her class was injured by shrapnel to the nose and mouth but had since been released from medical care. She said other students helped their injured classmates until officers arrived.
“I am very proud of them because they were able to stay calm for a whole hour that we were in there terrified,” Avila said.
As her students prepare to return to school for the first time since that traumatic day, Avila is on the way to recovery, walking up to eight minutes at a time on the treadmill in physical therapy and going to counseling. She looks forward to teaching again someday.
Outside of a shuttered Robb Elementary, a memorial for the people killed overflows at the entrance gate. Teachers from across Texas stopped throughout the summer to pay their respects and reflect on what they would do in the same situation.
“If I survive, I have to make sure they survive first,” said Olga Oglin, an educator of 23 years from Dallas, her voice breaking.
“Whatever happens to a student at our school, it just happens to one of my kids,” Olgin said, adding that she as the first person to greet parents, students and staff at the door in the mornings, she likely would be the first person shot.
Ofelia Loyola, who teaches elementary school in San Antonio, visited with her husband, middle school teacher Raul Loyola. She was baffled at the delayed response from law enforcement on May 24, as seen on security and police video.
“They are all kids. It doesn’t matter how old they are, you protect them,” she said.
Last week, Avila and several of her students met for the end-of-year party they were unable to have in May. They played in the pool at a country club and she gave them each a bracelet with a little cross to remind them that “God was with us that day and they are not alone,” she said.
“We always talked about being kind, being respectful, taking care of each other — and they were able to do that on that day,” Avila said.
“They took care of each other. They took care of me.”
___
More on the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/09/05/16-uvalde-fourth-graders-waited-an-hour-with-injured-teacher/ | 2022-09-05T15:00:50Z |
Merchants Bancorp Reports Second Quarter 2022 Results
Published: Jul. 28, 2022 at 3:05 PM CDT|Updated: 35 minutes ago
Second quarter 2022 net income of $53.9 million increased 5% compared to the second quarter of 2021 and increased 8% compared to the first quarter of 2022
Second quarter 2022 diluted earnings per common share of $1.11 increased 5% compared to the second quarter of 2021 and increased 9% compared to the first quarter of 2022
Total assets of $11.1 billion increased 15%, compared to March 31, 2022, and decreased 2% compared to December 31, 2021
Return on average assets was 2.20% in the second quarter of 2022 compared to 2.14% in the second quarter of 2021 and 1.92% in the first quarter of 2022
Net interest margin was 3.03% in the second quarter of 2022 compared to 2.75% in the second quarter of 2021 and 2.62% in the first quarter of 2022
Tangible book value per common share of $19.70 increased 25% compared to $15.73 in the second quarter of 2021 and increased 5% compared to $18.70 in the first quarter of 2022
Credit quality remained strong, as nonperforming loans represented 0.07% of loans receivable compared to 0.08% at March 31, 2022 and 0.01% at December 31, 2021
During the second quarter 2022, the Company repurchased $3.9 million of its common shares
On May 5, 2022, the Company completed a $214 million Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities (CMBS) securitization of 14 multifamily mortgage loans secured by 24 mortgaged properties through a Freddie Mac-sponsored Q-Series transaction
CARMEL, Ind., July 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Merchants Bancorp (the "Company" or "Merchants") (Nasdaq: MBIN), parent company of Merchants Bank of Indiana, today reported second quarter 2022 net income of $53.9 million, or diluted earnings per common share of $1.11. This compared to $51.4 million, or diluted earnings per common share of $1.06 in the second quarter of 2021, and compared to $50.1 million, or diluted earnings per common share of $1.02 in the first quarter of 2022.
"We have continued to successfully manage our capital, liquidity, and resources to maximize returns in the second quarter as we expanded the reach of our products and services, while also minimizing our credit risk. With a tangible book value of $19.70 per share, an industry-leading return on average assets of 2.20% and efficiency ratio of 29.6% in the quarter, we have established significant momentum and anticipate continued strength in the second half of 2022 and beyond," said Michael F. Petrie, Chairman and CEO of Merchants.
Michael J. Dunlap, President and Chief Operating Officer of Merchants, added, "Achieving these superior results can be attributable to the tremendous efforts of our employees who operate with an entrepreneurial spirit and focus on continuous improvement. Their successes have led to an expansion of our business platforms in a unique and powerful way that has benefited all our customers. We also believe that we are still in the early stages of reaping all the revenue opportunities from our investments."
Net income of $53.9 million for the second quarter 2022 increased by $2.5 million, or 5%, compared to the second quarter of 2021, primarily driven by a $16.8 million, or 23%, increase in interest income and a $7.0 million higher fair market value adjustment to mortgage servicing rights. These increases were partially offset by a $9.2 million increase in interest expense, a $6.5 million increase in the provision for credit losses, a $4.8 million increase in noninterest expense, and a $3.6 million decrease in gain on sale of loans.
Net income for the second quarter 2022 increased by $3.8 million, or 8%, compared to the first quarter of 2022, primarily driven by a $13.2 million, or 17%, increase in interest income and a $3.6 million increase in gain on sale of loans. These increases were partially offset by a $7.0 million increase in interest expense, a $3.8 million increase in the provision for credit losses, and a $1.9 million increase in noninterest expense.
Total Assets
Total assets of $11.1 billion at June 30, 2022 increased 15%, compared to March 31, 2022, and decreased 2%, compared to December 31, 2021. Both periods reflected significant increases in loans, primarily from growth in the multi-family and healthcare financing portfolio.
Return on average assets was 2.20% for the second quarter of 2022 compared to 1.92% for the first quarter of 2022 and 2.14% for the second quarter of 2021.
Asset Quality
The allowance for credit losses on loans of $37.5 million at June 30, 2022 increased $5.3 million compared to March 31, 2022 and increased $6.1 million compared to December 31, 2021. The increases compared to both periods were primarily from growth in the multi-family and healthcare loan portfolios and also reflected a contingent reserve related to a Freddie Mac-sponsored Q-Series securitization transaction. As of June 30, 2022, the Company had one loan remaining in a COVID-19 payment deferral arrangement, with an unpaid balance of $36.8 million.
Non-performing loans were $4.8 million, or 0.07%, of loans receivable at June 30, 2022, compared to compared to 0.08% at March 31, 2022 and 0.01% at December 31, 2021.
Total Deposits
Total deposits of $8.3 billion at June 30, 2022 increased $823.9 million, or 11%, compared to March 31, 2022, and decreased $682.9 million, or 8%, compared to December 31, 2021. The increase compared to March 31, 2022 was primarily due to an increase in brokered certificates of deposits.
Total brokered deposits of $1.2 billion at June 30, 2022 increased $844.8 million, or 222%, from March 31, 2022 and decreased $935.1 million, or 43%, from December 31, 2021. Brokered deposits represented 15% of total deposits at June 30, 2022 compared to 5% of total deposits at March 31, 2022 and 24% of total deposits at December 31, 2021.
The Company continues to offer new products, such as adjustable-rate certificates of deposits, to minimize interest rate risks by aligning the rate and duration characteristics of its deposit and loan portfolios.
Liquidity
Cash balances of $258.1 million at June 30, 2022 decreased by $153.4 million compared to March 31, 2022 and decreased by $774.5 million compared to December 31, 2021. The Company continues to have significant borrowing capacity, with unused lines of credit totaling $1.7 billion at June 30, 2022 compared to $2.2 billion at March 31, 2022 and $2.4 billion at December 31, 2021. This liquidity enhances the ability to effectively manage interest expense and asset levels in the future. Additionally, the Company's business model is designed to continuously sell a significant portion of its loans, which provides flexibility in managing its liquidity.
Comparison of Operating Results for the Three Months Ended June 30, 2022 and 2021
Net Interest Income of $72.0 million increased $7.6 million, or 12% compared to $64.4 million, reflecting higher yields and average balances on loans and loans held for sale that were partially offset by higher interest rates and average balances of deposits and borrowings.
Interest rate spread of 2.90% increased 22 basis points compared to 2.68%.
Net interest margin of 3.03% increased 28 basis points compared to 2.75%.
Interest Income of $89.3 million increased 23% compared to $72.4 million, reflecting an increase in both yields and average balances of loans and loans held for sale, driven by increases in the multi-family and healthcare portfolios.
Average balances of $8.6 billion for loans and loans held for sale increased $737.5 million, or 9%, compared to $7.9 billion.
Average yield on loans and loans held for sale of 3.99% increased 53 basis points compared to 3.46%.
Interest Expense of $17.2 million increased $9.2 million, or 115%, compared to $8.0 million. Interest expense on deposits of $14.8 million increased $8.1 million, or 121%, compared $6.7 million, reflecting higher rates on interest bearing checking and money market accounts.
Average balances of $7.4 billion for interest-bearing deposits decreased $33.9 million, essentially unchanged compared to $7.4 billion.
Average interest rates of 0.81% for interest-bearing deposits increased 45 basis points compared to 0.36%.
Noninterest Income of $39.2 million increased $6.3 million, or 19%, compared to $32.9 million, primarily due to a $7.9 million increase in loan servicing fees, partially offset by a $3.6 million decrease in gain on sale of loans.
Loan servicing fees included a $7.7 million positive fair market value adjustment to mortgage servicing rights, of which $1.1 million was in the Banking segment and $6.6 million was in the Multi-family Mortgage Banking segment. This compared to a $0.7 million positive fair market value adjustment to mortgage servicing rights, of which $0.6 million was in the Banking segment and $0.1 million was in the Multi-family Mortgage Banking segment.
Syndication and asset management fees of $1.6 million more than tripled and are becoming a meaningful source of noninterest income growth.
Noninterest Expense of $33.0 million increased $4.8 million, or 17%, compared to $28.2 million, primarily due to increases in salaries and employee benefits to support business growth.
The efficiency ratio of 29.6% increased 66 basis points compared to 29.0%.
Comparison of Operating Results for the Three Months Ended June 30, 2022 and March 31, 2022
Net Interest Income of $72.0 million increased $6.3 million, or 10% compared to $65.7 million, reflecting higher yields and average balances on loans and loans held for sale that were partially offset by higher interest rates on deposits and borrowings.
Interest rate spread of 2.90% increased 35 basis points compared to 2.55%.
Net interest margin of 3.03% increased 41 basis points compared to 2.62%.
Interest Income of $89.3 million increased $13.3 million, or 17%, compared to $76.0 million, reflecting an increase in yields and average balances of loans and loans held for sale, driven by increases in the multi-family and healthcare portfolios.
Average balances of $8.6 billion for loans and loans held for sale increased $593.4 million, or 7%, compared to $8.0 billion.
Average yield on loans and loans held for sale of 3.99% increased 35 basis points compared to 3.64%.
Interest Expense of $17.2 million increased 68% compared to $10.3 million. Interest expense on deposits of $14.8 million increased $6.0 million, or 68%, compared to $8.8 million, reflecting higher interest rates on interest bearing checking and money market accounts.
Average balances of $7.4 billion for interest-bearing deposits decreased $682.5 million, or 8%, compared to $8.0 billion.
Average interest rates of 0.81% for interest-bearing deposits increased 37 basis points compared to 0.44%.
Noninterest Income of $39.2 million increased $4.6 million, or 13%, compared $34.6 million, primarily due to a $3.6 million, or 20%, increase in gain on sale of loans.
Loan servicing fees included a $7.7 million positive fair market value adjustment to servicing rights, of which $1.1 million was in the Banking segment and $6.6 million was in the Multi-family Mortgage Banking segment. This compared to a $7.6 million positive fair market value adjustment to servicing rights, of which $4.3 million was in the Banking segment and $3.3 million was in the Multi-family Mortgage Banking segment.
Syndication and asset management fees of $1.6 million more than tripled and are becoming a meaningful source of noninterest income growth.
Noninterest Expense of $33.0 million increased 6% compared to $31.0 million, primarily due to increases in salaries and employee benefits to support business growth.
The efficiency ratio of 29.6% decreased 129 basis points compared to 30.9%.
About Merchants Bancorp
Ranked as a top performing U.S. public bank by S&P Global Market Intelligence, Merchants Bancorp is a diversified bank holding company headquartered in Carmel, Indiana operating multiple lines of business, including multi-family housing and healthcare facility financing and servicing; mortgage warehouse financing; retail and correspondent residential mortgage banking; agricultural lending; and traditional community banking. Merchants Bancorp, with $11.1 billion in assets and $8.3 billion in deposits as of June 30, 2022, conducts its business primarily through its direct and indirect subsidiaries, Merchants Bank of Indiana, Merchants Capital Corp., Farmers-Merchants Bank of Illinois, Merchants Capital Servicing, LLC, and Merchants Mortgage, a division of Merchants Bank of Indiana. For more information and financial data, please visit Merchants' Investor Relations page at investors.merchantsbancorp.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements which reflect management's current views with respect to, among other things, future events and financial performance. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as "may," "might," "should," "could," "predict," "potential," "believe," "expect," "continue," "will," "anticipate," "seek," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "projection," "goal," "target," "outlook," "aim," "would," "annualized" and "outlook," or the negative version of those words or other comparable words or phrases of a future or forward-looking nature. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts, and are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the industry, management's beliefs and certain assumptions made by management, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and beyond our control, such as the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, management cautions that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, assumptions, estimates and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date made, actual results may prove to be materially different from the results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in these forward-looking statements, including the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the severity, magnitude, duration and businesses' and governments' responses thereto, on the Company's operations and personnel, and on activity and demand across its businesses, and other factors identified in "Risk Factors" or "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and other periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statements presented herein are made only as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect changes in assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events, or otherwise.
The above press release was provided courtesy of PRNewswire. The views, opinions and statements in the press release are not endorsed by Gray Media Group nor do they necessarily state or reflect those of Gray Media Group, Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/28/merchants-bancorp-reports-second-quarter-2022-results/ | 2022-07-28T20:40:04Z |
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Tonga on Tuesday as he continued his regional island-hopping tour a day after failing to ink an ambitious deal with 10 South Pacific nations.
While Wang didn’t manage to get consensus on the multilateral security and economic plan at a meeting in Fiji after several nations voiced concerns, he has been notching up smaller wins by signing bilateral agreements with the countries he’s been visiting, and he signed more deals in Tonga.
His tour comes amid growing international concerns about Beijing’s military and financial ambitions in the region.
Tonga is continuing to recover from a massive volcanic eruption and tsunami in January which killed three people locally and destroyed hundreds of homes. The tsunami also cut the nation’s internet connection to the rest of the world when it severed an undersea cable which took five weeks to repair.
In Tonga, Wang met with King Tupou VI and Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni and signed several agreements with Sovaleni that covered everything from disaster management to a royal tomb improvement project.
Chinese Ambassador Cao Xiaolin said in a statement the two countries already had close ties in a number of areas including trade, infrastructure and clean energy. He said China had provided various training programs to about 1,200 Tongan government officials and people.
“The relationship between China and Tonga is a shining pearl,” the ambassador said in his statement.
Tonga’s government said the two sides had “fruitful talks” and thanked China for sending two military planes and two naval ships to deliver supplies after the tsunami.
Wang’s tour is causing consternation among some Western nations that see themselves as traditional partners with the South Pacific. Australia last week sent new Foreign Minister Penny Wong to Fiji in an attempt at counter-diplomacy.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a speech last week that China posed an even more serious long-term threat than Russia.
“China is the only country with both the intent to reshape the international order — and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military, and technological power to do it,” he said.
At a news conference Monday in Fiji, Wang said China had long championed developing nations both in the Pacific and around the world, addressing how “some have been questioning why China has been so active in supporting Pacific Island countries.”
“My advice for those people is: Don’t be too anxious and don’t be too nervous,” Wang said. | https://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/chinas-foreign-minister-arrives-in-tonga-on-pacific-tour/ | 2022-06-01T02:00:24Z |
Advanced design offers the highest availability, reliability and density, resulting in lower total cost of ownership
HERNDON, Va. and AMSTERDAM, Sept. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ST Engineering iDirect, a global leader in satellite communications, will be launching its new MCX8000 multi-carrier satellite gateway at IBC2022 in Amsterdam. The MCX8000 enables broadcasters to cater for every type of broadcast scenario, including high IP encapsulation rates for Over the Top (OTT) applications.
The MCX8000 is a high density, high availability and fully redundant modular system that is suitable for a variety of broadcast use cases. These include direct-to-home broadcasting, where bringing quality content to the largest possible subscriber base with high reliability is key. The MCX8000 Multi-Carrier Satellite Gateway is highly bandwidth efficient, thus maximizing the throughput. It utilizes the DVB-S, DVB-S2, or DVB-S2X standard, assuring highly reliable transport stream delivery.
In Distribution to Towers (DTT), the MCX8000 ideally fits as a satellite front-end, feeding multiple Integrated Receiver Decoders (IRDs), and one MCX8000 in a multi-carrier, multi-stream configuration can be used for hundreds of TV channels.
For OTT delivery, the MCX8000's high IP encapsulation rates and efficient multicast capabilities uniquely position it to provide a path to support the transport of today´s traditional broadcasts and tomorrow´s OTT services.
Built upon the trusted technology of the MDM6100 and MCX7000 software suite capabilities, the MCX8000 offers users higher density and reduced total cost of ownership (TCO) through its unique features:
With its modular design and functionality, users can easily swap out modem boards and power supply units (PSUs) without interrupting the system setup and with no requirement for tools, thus avoiding downtime for repairs and reducing operating expenses (OPEX). In the unlikely event of a failure in one PSU, the other can still power both modem boards and the redundancy switch. The MCX8000 also features ST Engineering iDirect's Clean Channel Technology which ensures the highest bandwidth efficiency, also resulting in lower OPEX. The MCX8000's energy efficient design means that this is also a more environmentally friendly option.
The MCX8000 offers higher availability to broadcasters and by combining two modem boards and a 1+1 redundancy switch in one unit, it becomes a three-in-one solution. This results in lower TCO due to reduced downtime for repairs and low power consumption.
Simple configuration and ease of use is critical, and the MCX8000 features a brand new, intuitive interface designed to streamline the entire process, reducing the requirement for specialist knowledge. This focuses on the logical flow of configuration, from general system settings to configuring inputs/outputs and defining monitoring requirements. The system also benefits from over-the-air updates rather than suspending services to carry them out manually.
"The broadcast sector relies on equipment that will promote maximum uptime, allowing operations to continue at all times," said Sean Yarborough, Vice President of Product Management at ST Engineering iDirect. "Broadcasters are also looking to lower CAPEX and OPEX and be more cost-effective in a competitive landscape. We designed the MCX8000 with the idea of bringing together the best of both worlds - high density and high reliability - through robust design and industry-leading redundancy solutions. The result is a future proof system that combines video and IP multiservice capabilities to support the transport of today´s and tomorrow´s services."
Visit ST Engineering iDirect at IBC2022, September 9-12, in Hall 1, stand #1.A49 where there will be a live demonstration of the MCX8000.
ST Engineering iDirect, a subsidiary of ST Engineering, is a global leader in satellite communications (satcom) providing technology and solutions that enable its customers to expand their business, differentiate their services and optimize their satcom networks. With over 35 years of innovation focused on solving satellite's most critical economic and technology challenges we are committed to shaping the future of how the world connects. The product portfolio, branded under the names iDirect and Newtec, represents the highest standards in performance, efficiency, and reliability, making it possible for its customers to deliver the best satcom connectivity experience anywhere in the world. ST Engineering iDirect is the world's largest TDMA enterprise VSAT manufacturer and is the leader in key industries including broadcast, mobility and military/government. In 2007, iDirect Government was formed to better serve the U.S. government and defense communities. For more information on our platforms please visit www.idirect.net.
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SOURCE ST Engineering iDirect | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/09/06/st-engineering-idirect-introduces-mcx8000-multi-carrier-satellite-gateway-future-broadcasting/ | 2022-09-06T11:36:28Z |
(The Hill) – White Sox closer Liam Hendriks said “something needs to be done” after a shooting in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park, Illinois, left six people dead on Monday.
“[I]n this day and age, it’s becoming all too commonplace. I think the access to the weaponry that is being kind of used in these things is that something needs to change. Something needs to be done. Something needs to happen because there’s way too many people losing their lives,” he said.
Hendriks, who is Australian, called it “stupid” that the United States has tighter restrictions on driving a car than buying a handgun.
“There’s a lot of things that are good over here, but you look at the negatives, and it’s just the complete kind of … I can walk into a store as a non-American and buy a handgun in certain states. And that baffles me because it takes longer,” he said.
“I had to take a driving test when I was over here. I won’t have to take a test if I want to get a gun. That’s stupid. Whoever thought that was a great idea is an idiot,” he added.
Hendriks’ remarks came hours after a Fourth of July parade became the scene of a mass shooting on Monday morning, leaving six people dead and dozens wounded. Robert E. Crimo III, who was identified as a person of interest in the shooting, is now in custody.
Many nearby Chicago suburbs canceled their Independence Day parades out of caution, and the White Sox canceled their fireworks for the evening but played their game against the Minnesota Twins as scheduled.
The development comes against the backdrop of recently signed bipartisan gun safety legislation passed in the wake of several high-profile shootings in Buffalo, N.Y. and Uvalde, Texas. | https://cw33.com/sports/chicago-white-sox-pitcher-on-july-fourth-shooting-something-needs-to-be-done/ | 2022-07-05T21:52:52Z |
Some medical debt is being removed from US credit reports
(AP) - Help is coming for many people with medical debt on their credit reports.
Starting Friday, the three major U.S. credit reporting companies will stop counting paid medical debt on the reports that banks, potential landlords and others use to judge creditworthiness. The companies also will start giving people a year to resolve delinquent medical debt that has been sent to collections before reporting it — up from six months previously.
Next year, the companies also will stop counting unpaid medical debt under at least $500.
The companies say these moves will wipe out nearly 70% of the medical debt listed on consumer credit reports.
Patient advocates call that a huge advance. But they question whether medical debt should be on credit reports at all, given that many see it as a poor indicator of whether someone is trustworthy for a loan or rent.
“These aren’t people who bought shoes they couldn’t afford,” said Amanda Dunker, of the nonprofit Community Service Society of New York. “They went to a doctor because they were sick or needed help with an injury.”
Brooke Davis had about $1,300 in medical debt from a breast cancer scare that lingered for years on her credit report.
The 48-year-old McDonough, Georgia, resident said that made it difficult to rent an apartment, and she needed a co-signer for a car loan.
“You can’t get anything, you can’t even get a credit card if you have bad credit,” she said.
The non-profit RIP Medical Debt relieved Davis’s debt last fall. But more health problems and the loss of a job have pushed Davis back into debt. She’s currently stuck with a swollen knee for which she can’t see her doctor.
“I don’t have the money to really go for my knee right now, so I’ve just been suffering with it,” she said.
The federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has said its research shows mortgages and credit cards are better predictors than medical bills of whether someone will repay a debt.
The agency, which monitors banks, lenders and other financial institutions, has noted that people often don’t have time to shop for the best price when they seek care and may have little control over the progress of a serious illness.
Medical billing errors can wind up on credit reports. And patients are sometimes unsure about what they owe or whether an insurer will eventually pay it.
The agency said earlier this year it estimates that 58% of the debt in collections and on credit records is from medical bills, and past-due medical debt is more prevalent among Black and Hispanic people.
The bureau is trying to determine whether unpaid medical bills should be included on credit reports.
John McNamara, an assistant director with the bureau, declined to estimate when the agency might make a decision. It could propose a rule, after hearing from all sides on the issue, that would end the practice.
Credit reporting companies also are considering whether medical debt should remain on the reports, said Justin Hakes, a vice president with the Consumer Data Industry Association.
The three national credit reporting agencies — Experian, Equifax and TransUnion — announced the medical debt changes in March, after the bureau said it would hold those companies accountable for the accuracy of their reports.
Patient advocates said those changes will help a lot of people.
The wait in reporting delinquent debt will give patients time to figure out how to resolve a bill, noted Chi Chi Wu, an attorney with the National Consumer Law Center.
“It gives more breathing room to deal with the insurance company or your provider,” Wu said. “Everybody has a story about that.”
Much of the medical debt that landed on Melina Oien’s credit report several years ago was for bills that were under $500. The Tacoma, Washington, resident said she was living in an expensive place, Hawaii, where her former husband was stationed for the military. They were getting care for a daughter who had health issues that included a rare condition that affected her metabolism.
“We would zero out our checking account with living expenses every month,” she said. “When you are counting out $5 for gas until the next payday, how do you pay a $30 bill?”
A severance package from the military eventually helped them pay their medical debt a few years ago. Oien said her credit score jumped about 70 points just from that.
But before that happened, they had to deal with higher interest rates on any loans they took out, and they could only get a mortgage after her sister gave them money to pay down some debt.
“It was embarrassing, it was very stressful,” said Oien, who now works as a patient advocate.
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Follow Tom Murphy on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thpmurphy
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/06/30/some-medical-debt-is-being-removed-us-credit-reports/ | 2022-06-30T18:42:56Z |
DALLAS (KDAF) — What if you could know what’s going on inside your body and search for more than 500 conditions with one 60-minute scan and no radiation?
Inside DFW host Jenny Anchondo takes a trip to Prenuvo, a state-of-the-art facility in Dallas that does a full-body MRI scan. Prenuvo just opened up shop in North Texas within the past few months and they have been booked nonstop, as they are the only location in the southern part of the U.S.
“Our goal is to help people live happier, healthier, and longer lives through early detection and unparalleled clarity into their health. To us, success means that our patients and their families can spend more time focusing on what truly matters: enjoying life,” as their website states.
Officials with Prenuvo have created a promo code for our viewers and followers that will give them $300 off the price of our full body scan.
You can redeem this offer by either clicking the link prenuvo.com/INSIDEDFW when booking online or by mentioning the code INSIDEDFW for over-the-phone bookings.
WATCH the video player above for more information. | https://cw33.com/news/inside-dfw/new-dallas-facility-prenuvo-lets-you-get-a-full-body-scan-in-just-60-minutes/ | 2022-08-09T17:59:15Z |
This follows aha!'s announcement of Santa Rosa/Sonoma County as the newest nonstop destination from its Reno-Tahoe hub
RENO, Nev., May 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Powered by veteran ExpressJet Airlines, aha! officially took flight Oct. 24, 2021 with a nonstop flight to Pasco/Tri-Cities, Wash., the first of the carrier's eight initial destinations from Reno Tahoe International Airport. On Monday, May 9 the airline will surpass 1,500 flights.
"We're very grateful to our community partners and customers for the support they have shown aha! and look forward to expanding our reach from Reno-Tahoe in the coming months and years," said Tim Sieber, head of ExpressJet's aha! business unit. "Our recent announcement of service to Santa Rosa is a sign of more to come."
Network Fare Sale
To celebrate the milestone, aha! is offering $39-$59* fares across its entire network of nonstop destinations throughout the western U.S.
Travelers can purchase discounted tickets at www.flyaha.com over Mother's Day weekend, Saturday, May 7 through Tuesday, May 10, for travel completed by July 31, 2022 (blackout dates apply). The discounted one-way fares are available with promo code: MOMS2022
aha! currently provides nonstop flights between Reno-Tahoe and:
- Bakersfield, Calif.
- Eugene/Springfield, Ore.
- Fresno/Yosemite, Calif.
- Medford/Ashland, Ore.
- Ontario/Los Angeles, Calif.
- Pasco/Tri-Cities, Wash.
- Redmond/Bend, Ore.
- Spokane, Wash.
- Palm Springs, Calif.
Special Introductory $49** Fares for newly announced Santa Rosa flights
Nonstop service will also begin on July 14 to Santa Rosa, Calif. aha! is offering an introductory, limited-time launch fare of $49 each way* for flights between the Charles M. Schultz-Sonoma County Airport and the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, available for purchase through May 31, 2022 for travel completed by August 15, 2022, no code needed.
For more information or to book a flight, visit www.flyaha.com or call the aha! contact center at 775-439-0888.
About aha!
aha! is a leisure brand of ExpressJet Airlines. aha! seeks to provide travelers in smaller communities, many who have seen air service reduced over the past decade through airline mergers, with convenient, short, nonstop flights to high-quality destinations like the Reno-Lake Tahoe region. In addition to offering value-priced, nonstop flights, aha! will soon partner with resorts, casinos and attractions to "bundle" value-priced vacation packages. www.flyaha.com
About ExpressJet Airlines
ExpressJet Airlines operates Embraer ERJ145 regional jet aircraft and has more than 40 years of experience as a regional airline. ExpressJet operates its leisure brand aha!, which provides travelers in smaller communities with convenient, short, nonstop flights to high-quality destinations like the Reno-Lake Tahoe region. The company is expanding its service with specialty charter flights and additional future routes. ExpressJet is majority owned by KAir Enterprises with United Airlines holding a minority interest. www.expressjet.com
Mother's Day Weekend Fare Sale*
$39 and $59 one-way fares available with promocode: MOMS2022. Reservations must be made by 11:59 on May 10 and travel completed by July 31, 2022. Blackout Dates are May 27-30, 2022 and July 1-5, 2022. Discount does not apply to other charges such as seat assignments and baggage fees. A $25 per booking fee applies to all bookings made through aha! call center. This offer is not combinable with other offers or promo codes. Blackout dates, schedules, discounts, and fares are subject to change without notice.
STS Introductory Fare Sale**
Introductory, limited time $49 airfare is one-way and includes taxes, carrier charges & government fees. Must be purchased by May 31, 2022 and travel completed by August 15, 2022. Travel dates and fares are limited. Note that additional fees apply for call center bookings, baggage, etc. Fare rules, routes and schedules are subject to change without notice. Restrictions apply. Not valid on previously purchased itineraries. See www.flyaha.com for full details of fare, restrictions, and charges.
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SOURCE aha! | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/05/06/aha-course-complete-1500-flights-announces-fare-sale-across-entire-network/ | 2022-05-06T14:29:34Z |
Digital Health for Epilepsy Company Positions for Future Growth with Closing of Latest Investment Round and Expansion of Board of Directors
BALTIMORE, April 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- EpiWatch, Inc., a digital health company focused on epilepsy, announced today the closing of its latest financing round and appointment of three new members to its Board of Directors.
The latest financing round will position the company to complete the clinical validation of its innovative tonic-clonic epileptic seizure detection and alerting software as a medical device to be offered initially on the Apple watch. Approximately 3.4 million people in the U.S. have epilepsy, and 3,000 of those die each year from "Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy" (SUDEP), the leading cause of death in people with uncontrolled epileptic seizures.
"We are pleased to have closed our latest financing round, adding talented and experienced experts to our Board of Directors. The combination of additional funding and expertise from our new directors will help galvanize our mission to bring to market digital health technologies which could substantially improve the lives of people with epilepsy and those who care for them," said Dean Papadopoulos, EpiWatch CEO.
Concurrent with the financing close, EpiWatch announced the following three additions to its Board of Directors:
Daniel F. Hanley Jr., MD - Dan is Professor of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Anesthesiology/Critical Care Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Founder and Director of the Division of Brain Injury Outcomes (BIOS) at Johns Hopkins Medicine. He brings 35 years of experience in clinical trial design, organization and interpretation of drug and device trials; development of strategic research plans; and FDA regulatory compliance.
Richard C. Schmitt - Dick brings a long career in higher education administration, executive search, and coaching. Early in his career, Dick was an assistant dean at the Stern School of Business at New York University. Dick has two decades of experience in executive search, most recently as Managing Director, Europe for A. T. Kearney Executive Search based in Brussels. He has also served on 10 boards. Dick has an MBA from the Tuck School and remains very active in alumni affairs at Tuck.
Richard W. Thomas, MD, DDS, and Major General, U.S. Army (Retired) – Tom was most recently the President of the Uniformed Services University and Director, Healthcare Operations and Chief Medical Officer, Defense Health Agency (DHA). Tom brings expertise as a senior healthcare executive, academic leader, and University president as well as extensive leadership and personnel management experience in policy development, healthcare operations, academic systems, and strategic planning.
"The additions of Dan, Dick, and Tom bring vital capabilities to the Board as we complete the clinical phases of development and move to commercialization," stated Michael Singer, EpiWatch Executive Chairman.
EpiWatch will lead the digital transformation of epilepsy care by delivering innovative and integrated services that keep people with epilepsy safe; enable them, their caregivers, and their physicians to better manage their condition; and provide peace of mind for their loved ones. EpiWatch will connect people with epilepsy, caregivers, physicians, and researchers in a community working together to advance research, optimize care, and improve outcomes. EpiWatch is initially developing a proprietary capability to detect and alert for potentially dangerous tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizures. The company was founded by Nathan Crone, M.D. and Gregory Kraus, M.D., Professors of Neurology and epileptologists at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and uses technology licensed from Johns Hopkins University. For more information visit www.epiwatch.com.
Media and Investor Contact:
Dean Papadopoulos, CEO
dnp@epiwatch.com
(667) 900-8450
EpiWatch® is a registered trademark of the Johns Hopkins University in the United States and other countries. All trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners.
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SOURCE EpiWatch | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/04/07/epiwatch-closes-financing-round-appoints-new-directors/ | 2022-04-08T01:31:02Z |
NEW YORK, July 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Attention Unilever PLC ("Unilever") (NYSE: UL) shareholders:
The Law Offices of Vincent Wong announce that a class action lawsuit has commenced on behalf of investors. This lawsuit is on behalf of all persons who purchased or otherwise acquired Unilever American Depositary Receipts between September 2, 2020 and July 21, 2021, inclusive.
If you suffered a loss on your investment in Unilever, contact us about potential recovery by using the link below. There is no cost or obligation to you.
ABOUT THE ACTION: The class action against Unilever includes allegations that the Company made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: a) in July 2020, the board of Ben & Jerry's, one of Unilever's marquee brands, passed a resolution to end sales of its ice cream in "Occupied Palestinian Territory" ; and b) this boycott decision risked adverse governmental actions for violations of laws, executive orders, or resolutions aimed at discouraging boycotts, divestment, and sanctions of Israel adopted by 35 U.S. states.
DEADLINE: August 15, 2022
Aggrieved Unilever investors only have until August 15, 2022 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. You are not required to act as a lead plaintiff in order to share in any recovery.
Vincent Wong, Esq. is an experienced attorney who has represented investors in securities litigations involving financial fraud and violations of shareholder rights. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
CONTACT:
Vincent Wong, Esq.
39 East Broadway
Suite 304
New York, NY 10002
Tel. 212.425.1140
E-Mail: vw@wongesq.com
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SOURCE The Law Offices of Vincent Wong | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/18/class-action-alert-law-offices-vincent-wong-remind-unilever-investors-lead-plaintiff-deadline-august-15-2022/ | 2022-07-18T10:11:34Z |
The event will feature presentations from experts Dr. Peter Dicpinigaitis, MD, and Dr. Brian Kim, MD, MTR
Virtual event to be held on Monday, September 19th from 10 AM – 12:30 PM ET
NEW HAVEN, Conn., Aug. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Trevi Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRVI), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing an investigational therapy Haduvio™ (oral nalbuphine ER) for the treatment of prurigo nodularis and chronic cough in adults with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), today announced that it will host a virtual R&D Day on Monday, September 19, 2022, from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM Eastern Time.
The event will feature presentations from key opinion leaders on the current treatment landscape and unmet medical need in patients with chronic cough and prurigo nodularis. Speakers include Dr. Peter Dicpinigaitis, MD, Professor of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Division of Critical Care Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Director, Montefiore Cough Center and Editor-in-Chief, LUNG, and Dr. Brian Kim, MD, MTR, Sol and Clara Kest Professor, Vice Chair of Research, and Director of the Mark Lebwohl Center for Neuroinflammation and Sensation. They will be joined by Trevi's leadership team who will provide an update on the Company's development plans for Haduvio, followed by a live Q&A session. To register for the event please click here.
Interim data from the Phase 2 Cough and Nalbuphine (CANAL) trial and topline data from Trevi's Phase 2b/3 Pruritus Relief through Itch-Scratch Modulation (PRISM) trial both demonstrated statistically significant results with Haduvio and no new safety signals were identified. Haduvio has the potential to be a first-in-class oral therapy for both chronic cough in IPF as well as prurigo nodularis and the dual central and peripheral mechanism of action provides a differentiated approach to these refractory conditions.
A live webcast, including audio, video, and presentation slides, will be accessible on ir.trevitherapeutics.com at the time of the meeting. Interested parties unable to watch the live webcast will be able to view and listen to an archived copy of the webcast, including the slides, which will be available on ir.trevitherapeutics.com.
About Trevi Therapeutics, Inc.
Trevi Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of the investigational therapy Haduvio for the treatment of prurigo nodularis and chronic cough in adults with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. These conditions share a common pathophysiology that is mediated through opioid receptors in the central and peripheral nervous systems.
Founded in 2011, Trevi Therapeutics is headquartered in New Haven, CT.
About Haduvio
Haduvio, an investigational therapy, is an oral extended-release (ER) formulation of nalbuphine. Nalbuphine is a mixed ĸ-opioid receptor agonist and µ-opioid receptor antagonist that has been approved and marketed as an injectable for pain indications for more than 20 years in the United States and Europe. The ĸ- and µ-opioid receptors are known to be critical mediators of itch, cough and certain movement disorders. Nalbuphine's mechanism of action may also mitigate the risk of abuse associated with µ-opioid agonists because it antagonizes, or blocks, µ-opioid receptors. Parenteral nalbuphine is not currently scheduled as a controlled substance by the DEA in the United States or by regulatory authorities in most of Europe. Trevi intends to propose Haduvio as the trade name for nalbuphine ER. Nalbuphine ER has been granted Fast Track designation by the FDA for the treatment of itch in patients with prurigo nodularis. Its safety and efficacy have not been evaluated by any regulatory authority.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expected timing of reporting top-line data from the full set of subjects' data from Trevi's Phase 2 CANAL trial of Haduvio in chronic cough in adults with IPF ; Trevi's business plans and objectives, including future plans or expectations for Trevi's product candidates; expectations regarding Trevi's uses and sufficiency of capital; and other statements containing the words "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," and similar expressions. Risks that contribute to the uncertain nature of the forward-looking statements include: uncertainties regarding the success, cost and timing of Trevi's product candidate development activities and ongoing and planned clinical trials, including with respect to the timing of reporting top-line data from the Phase 2 CANAL trial; uncertainties regarding Trevi's ability to execute on its strategy; the risk that positive interim or top-line results from a clinical trial may not necessarily be predictive of the results of the completed trial or other future or ongoing clinical trials; potential regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries; uncertainties regarding fast track designation and the effect such status could have on the regulatory review or approval process; uncertainties inherent in estimating Trevi's cash runway, future expenses and other financial results, including Trevi's ability to fund future operations; uncertainties regarding the scope, timing and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Trevi's clinical operations and actions taken in response to the pandemic; as well as other risks and uncertainties set forth in the quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2022 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and in subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Trevi undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.
Investor Contact
Katie McManus
Trevi Therapeutics, Inc.
203-304-2499
k.mcmanus@trevitherapeutics.com
Media Contact
Rosalia Scampoli
914-815-1465
rscampoli@marketcompr.com
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SOURCE Trevi Therapeutics, Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/30/trevi-therapeutics-host-virtual-rampd-day-september-19-2022/ | 2022-08-30T20:28:50Z |
Oklahoma will soon begin executing death row inmates at a pace of about one man per month, with plans to put to death 25 prisoners over the next two years despite cries by critics and experts who point not only to outstanding questions of the mental fitness or possible innocence of some but also the state's recent history of botched lethal injections.
"It's just yet one more reckless move by Oklahoma," Deborah Denno, a Fordham University law professor, told CNN of the state's scheduled execution timetable, which she said is in line with its staunch, decadeslong record of capital punishment. "If there was going to be any state that was going to do something so obviously irresponsible and unjust ... it would be the state of Oklahoma, given the history."
James Coddington is the first scheduled to be executed on August 25. He would have been followed about a month later by Richard Glossip, who has maintained his innocence and on Tuesday got a 60-day stay of execution so an appeals court can complete its review of his petition for a new hearing.
Twenty-three more men are set to be executed through 2024, and when the executions are complete, more than half the 43 inmates convicted and sentenced to death in Oklahoma are due to have been killed.
"The family members of these loved ones have waited decades for justice," Oklahoma Attorney General John O'Connor said, referring to the families of the condemned men's victims, in a July 1 statement as the executions dates were set. "They are courageous and inspiring in their continued expressions of love for the ones they lost.
"My office stands beside them as they take this next step in the journey that the murderers forced upon them," he said.
"Oklahomans overwhelmingly voted in 2016 to preserve the death penalty as a consequence for the most heinous murders," the attorney general said. "I'm certain that justice and safety for all of us drove that vote."
Oklahoma's proposed series of executions follows similar sprees in Arkansas in 2017 and by the US government under the Trump administration. But experts say these undertakings are anomalies, standing in contrast to the continued decline of the death penalty in America in recent years.
Oklahoma's execution docket is a particularly troubling prospect, given the state's "recent history with capital punishment has been characterized by botched executions," according to Death Penalty Information Center. While those can be cases in which an inmate suffers inordinately, experts use "botched" to describe any execution that deviates from officials' prescribed protocol for a given method -- what Austin Sarat, author of "Lethal Injection and the False Promise of Humane Execution," said might be called "standard operating procedure."
And carrying out a series of death sentences in quick succession could raise the chances of a botched execution, experts said.
"When a state or the federal government makes a commitment to execute people in bulk, to do it over a period of time in a way that doesn't give it a lot of time to adjust to errors and problems, that political momentum is often hard to resist," Sarat told CNN. It can encourage "a kind of carelessness ... and Oklahoma is not a national model of scrupulousness in the world of lethal injection."
In 2014, Oklahoma death row inmate Clayton Lockett writhed and moaned during his execution by lethal injection for 43 minutes before suffering a heart attack. Months later, witnesses reported Charles Warner said, "My body is on fire," as he was put to death in the state. And last October, after a yearslong moratorium on the state's death penalty spurred in part by the Warner case, John Grant convulsed and vomited on the gurney, per witnesses.
"I think that the problems that were present when Lockett was executed remain present in Oklahoma today," said Sarat, a professor of law and politics at Amherst College. "And the Grant execution is a testimony to that fact."
Pointing to Lockett's and Warner's executions, a number of the inmates now slated for execution sued corrections officials in federal court, claiming in part that Oklahoma's three-drug lethal injection protocol was unconstitutional. Midazolam, one of the drugs used in the protocol, would not render them adequately unconscious, they argued in part, and could put them at risk of severe pain as they died, violating their Eighth Amendment protection against "cruel and unusual punishments."
But the judge ruled in June against the inmates, citing the US Supreme Court's ruling in Bucklew v. Precythe, in which Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote the Eighth Amendment "does not guarantee a prisoner a painless death."
The inmates' attorneys responded with claims the judge had ignored "the overwhelming evidence presented at trial that Oklahoma's execution protocol ... creates an unacceptable risk that prisoners will experience severe pain and suffering."
Oklahoma's attorney general later that month requested the execution dates.
A history of troubled executions
Like most states, Oklahoma primarily uses lethal injection to carry out its executions. But today, the "very meaning of 'lethal injection,' or the thing that it designates, is now hard to specify from state to state," said Sarat.
Across the country, "lethal injection" used to refer to a three-drug procedure: The first drug would put the prisoner to sleep, rendering him unconscious. The second caused paralysis, and the third would stop the heart. But about a decade ago, states began struggling to obtain the drugs they needed, after a US manufacturer stopped making the drug and European companies began withholding the chemicals so they wouldn't be used in these procedures.
As a result, states have scrambled to find alternatives they can reliably obtain, resulting in what Denno described as a "constant experimentation with drugs."
Midazolam has been used as the first drug in several states' fatal three-drug cocktails, even as critics long have argued it is a sedative -- not a painkilling anesthetic -- and can leave an inmate suffering immense pain during the execution, even if they look peaceful. Still, the US Supreme Court has upheld its use.
Oklahoma's recent troubling incidents date to Lockett's 2014 execution -- the first time the state used midazolam as the first of its three-drug cocktail. The execution began with officials struggling for 51 minutes to place an IV line on his body to deliver the fatal drugs before placing the line in Lockett's groin. The inmate then writhed and moaned on the gurney for 43 minutes before officials called off the execution. Lockett died anyway after he suffered a heart attack.
Then-Gov. Mary Fallin, a Republican, halted executions while the state investigated what went wrong, and the state Department of Public Safety ultimately said the complications with the placement of the IV played a significant role in the execution's problems.
Warner was executed the following January. But months later, officials aborted an attempt to execute Glossip after they procured the wrong drug for his execution: potassium acetate instead of potassium chloride, the drug used to stop an inmate's heart approved by the state's protocol. Then it emerged officials had, in fact, used that drug to put Warner to death.
Fallin again halted executions and a grand jury again reviewed the execution protocol and recommended protocol revisions. Then, a bipartisan state commission recommended in 2017 the state extend the moratorium until it implemented "significant reforms," including dozens of recommendations from a 294-page report that addressed everything from the drugs used to inmates' innocence claims.
The state announced in 2020 it would resume executions, saying it had found a "reliable supply" of drugs and would use a revised protocol that included recommendations by the grand jury. That protocol still called for the use of midazolam.
But "virtually none" of the commission's recommendations have been implemented, its cochairs, former Democratic Gov. Brad Henry and former magistrate judge Andy Lester, wrote last month in an op-ed for The Oklahoman. "Yet the state is barreling ahead," they wrote, "with an unprecedented number of executions despite the numerous flaws in the implementation of the death penalty."
'Oklahoma is swimming upstream against the tide'
These issues and risks are not limited to Oklahoma: The execution just last month of Joe Nathan James in Alabama, for instance, has drawn wide scrutiny after a three-hour delay and a report in The Atlantic that he suffered. Indeed, between 1890 and 2010, 3% of all American executions were botched, with lethal injection showing the highest rate of any method at 7%, according to Sarat. Since 2010, the overall rate of botched executions has increased, he said, rising to 8% -- and as high as 20% in executions in which a sedative, like midazolam, was used.
Oklahoma also is not the first jurisdiction in recent years to attempt a lengthy series of executions: In 2017, Arkansas moved to execute eight men in 11 days, though it ended up executing four. And the federal government after a nearly two-decade hiatus executed 13 inmates under the Trump administration between July 2020 and January 2021.
These sprees, though, are "anomalies," said Sarat. The US is in a "period of a national reconsideration of capital punishment," he said, as evidenced by declines in numbers of death sentences and executions and the growing number of states that have abolished the death penalty.
"Oklahoma is swimming upstream against the tide across the country," he said, "in which the death penalty is waning and in which the death penalty is increasingly discredited."
But Oklahoma's insistence on carrying out these executions reflects the stance it's held toward the death penalty for decades, Denno said. It was the first state in the country and the first jurisdiction in the world to adopt lethal injection as its preferred execution method in 1977, developing a protocol soon adopted by states including Texas, which carried out the first execution by lethal injection in 1982.
It was also among the first to switch to midazolam, Denno said, when states began having problems obtaining drugs. And Oklahoma was the first state to allow nitrogen hypoxia as a potential method of execution -- one that has never been used.
Taken together, Oklahoma is a "state that will do anything to keep executions going, including trying to execute 25 people between August of 2022 and December of 2024," she said. "It's just one more chip in a state that stands out, perversely, really, in its efforts to engage in reckless adoptions" of execution methods and drugs.
"There's no question" that an execution spree would "enormously increase the risk" of a botched execution, Denno said. "How could they ever improve upon that with this many executions? It's just going to be worse."
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Drivers filled tanks with water instead of gas at Phillips 66 in Connecticut
HARTFORD, Conn. (WFSB/Gray News) – As if high gas prices aren’t frustrating enough, imagine paying a pretty penny at the pump to realize you filled your tank with water.
That’s what happened to several people who filled up at a Phillips 66 gas station in Hartford.
Not only does filling a gas tank with water put drivers at risk of running out of fuel while on the road, but it causes major damage to the vehicle.
The gas station owner told WFSB that Monday’s heavy rains were likely to blame, saying the rain saturated the parking lot and got down into the station’s fuel pumps.
Selena Pineda is one of the drivers who was affected. She filled her tank around 11:30 p.m. Monday, which cost her $53. Shortly after, she nearly got in a car accident.
“Filled up my tank with $53, I assumed was gas at the time,” Pineda said. “I hopped on the highway I want to say not even a minute, two minutes down the highway, my car completely stalled out. Someone could have hit me from behind.”
Pineda managed to pull over and waited for a tow truck in heavy rain on the interstate.
She later learned her Kia’s gas tank was filled with water instead of gas, which is costing her more than $1,000 in damages to fix.
After reaching out to the gas station’s owner, Pineda said she learned she was not the only one in this situation.
“He told me that six other people had called, prior to me calling, saying that they had similar issues,” Pineda said.
Pineda said although she has racked up expenses, she feels lucky to be alive.
“It’s just ridiculous,” she said. “A lot of innocent people could have gotten hurt.”
The gas station owner didn’t want to go on camera, but he told WFSB he has been working with his insurance company to reimburse drivers who were affected.
Connecticut’s Department of Consumer Protection is asking anyone who may have had their cars damaged at the gas station to file a claim.
Copyright 2022 WFSB via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/07/21/drivers-filled-tanks-with-water-instead-gas-phillips-66-connecticut/ | 2022-07-21T21:59:49Z |
Scholarship Program helps grow the next generation of leaders and changemakers
MEMPHIS, Tenn., June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TruGreen, the nation's leading lawn care provider, is proud to support First Tee, a youth development organization that helps kids and teens build their strength of character through golf, and their selection of the First Tee College Scholarship Program Class of 2022. The Class features 25 college-bound students as First Tee celebrates 25 years of impact.
TruGreen, and other corporate partners who stand behind the program and First Tee's mission, were part of the national selection committee for the Class of 2022. The process included written applications and interviews that evaluated the participants on academic performance, financial need, First Tee chapter involvement, volunteerism, and other criteria.
Part of TruGreen's support is to increase access to science-based careers, like agronomy. Within the Class of 2022, there are 3 Scholars aspiring to pursue careers in plant science or other science-based careers, while other Scholars are looking to become physicians, computer scientists and lawyers.
Through the College Scholarship Program, each of the Scholars receives access to professional development workshops, internships and full-time employment placement post-graduation, as well as up to $5,000 for four-years.
Another key factor of the program is pairing each Scholar with a dedicated mentor. Throughout their college career, select TruGreen associates will serve as mentors to select Scholars and contribute to professional development and educational sessions, helping to share industry knowledge and science-based expertise as the Scholars prepare to take their passions and education into real-world application.
"We are proud that for the second consecutive year, TruGreen will support well-deserving participants with scholarships through First Tee, as well as provide ongoing mentorship and career development through our associates," said John Cowles, President & CEO of TruGreen. "Congratulations to the First Tee Scholars Class of 2022! We look forward to supporting the next generation of leaders and changemakers as they prepare for their futures, find opportunities and reach their goals."
For more information about TruGreen's partnership with First Tee and the First Tee College Scholarship Program visit TruGreen.com and follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
TruGreen is the nation's leading lawn care provider offering neighborhoods across the country tailored lawn, tree and shrub care along with protection against mosquitoes and other pests. As a company rooted in scientific expertise with a customer-centered approach, TruGreen helps homeowners achieve an outdoor living space that brings them pride. There are approximately 260 TruGreen branches in the United States and Canada, plus 38 franchise locations. Visit TruGreen.com, Facebook.com/TruGreen, or the TruGreen app for more information.
First Tee (www.firsttee.org) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization that is supported by the PGA TOUR. Its mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character and instill life-enhancing values through the game of golf. In 2022, First Tee celebrates its 25th anniversary and reaching millions of youth through its network of 150 chapters, 10,000 schools and 1,700 youth centers. Headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, USA, programs are delivered in all 50 United States and select international locations. President George W. Bush serves as Honorary Chair.
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SOURCE TruGreen | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/14/trugreen-supports-recipients-2022-first-tee-college-scholarship-program/ | 2022-06-14T17:55:30Z |
Navy sailor killed in training accident was Texas man
Published: May. 11, 2022 at 5:24 PM CDT|Updated: 43 minutes ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Navy says the Naval Special Warfare sailor killed in a training accident in Virginia was Electronics Technician 1st Class Ryan DeKorte, from Lubbock, Texas.
DeKorte died Monday from injuries received late last week during a helicopter landing incident during an exercise at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story in Virginia. He was 35.
According to a Navy official, the helicopter experienced a hard landing near DeKorte, who was on the ground and not in the aircraft. The cause of the incident is under investigation. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/05/11/navy-sailor-killed-training-accident-was-texas-man/ | 2022-05-11T23:07:24Z |
NEW YORK, June 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of HUMBL, Inc. ("HUMBL" or the "Company (OTCMKTS: HMBL). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980.
The investigation concerns whether HUMBL and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.
HUMBL began trading publicly on November 12, 2020, after a reverse merger with Tesoro Enterprises, Inc. HUMBL failed to disclose that the HUMBL Pay App did not have the basic functionality promised to investors and that several of the Company's hyped international business partnerships had a very low chance of contributing material revenues to the Company's bottom line. The Company also sold a series of highly speculative unregistered securities called BLOCK Exchange Traded Index ("ETX") products. These products purported to "simplify digital asset investing" for customers seeking exposure to cryptocurrency investments. In reality, these were unregistered securities that were collateralized by a variety of highly speculative and risky digital assets. On April 25, 2022, the price of HUMBL common stock hit a low of $0.11 per share, down from a price high of $6.84 during the Class Period. Likewise, the price of BLOCK ETX has dropped over 87% from its height during the Class Period and has not recovered.
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.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/20/shareholder-alert-pomerantz-law-firm-investigates-claims-behalf-investors-humbl-inc-hmbl/ | 2022-06-20T06:34:24Z |
Union workers hope ‘informational picket’ will jolt contract negotiations with Evergy
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Members of the IBEW Local 304 are hoping a Monday morning ‘informational picket’ outside of Kansas’ largest electric utility will bring a surge of energy back into their contract negotiations.
Members of IBEW 304 were outside of Evergy Headquarters in Downtown Topeka from 10 a.m. to noon. The Union says they have been negotiating in good faith, however, negotiations with Evergy have been slow and unproductive.
IBEW 304 says Evergy is unwilling to give workers equity with other workers in Missouri amid their reasonable proposals and concessions. The Union says members are also upset with the utility’s changes in a work from home policy, which does not allow union workers to work from home until negotiations for all Evergy unions are complete.
IBEW 304 says that non-union workers are able to work from home, and were given equity in 2018 when Evergy was formed.
In a statement provided to 13 NEWS Monday afternoon, the utility responded saying “Evergy is committed to continue offering a compelling salary and benefits package while managing costs to keep customer rates affordable and competitive. We have reached agreement with IBEW Local 304/1523 on multiple items over the past few months and will continue our dialogue in order to reach agreements that are balanced and equitable. Since July of 2021, IBEW Local 304/1523 employees have received a 6% increase to their negotiated wages. The compensation of employees is among costs that impact the prices our customers pay, so we must balance interests carefully.
Since being formed by the merger, Evergy has been focused on cost containment that has reduced average retail rates for customers by 4 percent. We expect to continue to keep cumulative rate increases through 2025 to less than the rate of inflation.”
Copyright 2022 WIBW. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/08/22/union-workers-hope-informational-picket-will-jolt-contract-negotiations-with-evergy/ | 2022-08-22T18:40:09Z |
(NewsNation) — The annual Florida Python Challenge concluded Sunday, and snake hunter Dusty Crum hailed it as one of the most successful ever.
Crum was one of more than 800 participants who scoured the Florida Everglades over the past eight days looking for the invasive Burmese python. The Python Challenge is an annual competition that awards prizes for the most pythons removed and longest python removed.
“More hunters equals more snakes caught,” Crum said. “That’s a huge win for the Everglades.”
The Burmese python poses a threat to native wildlife, preying on birds, mammals and other reptiles. Females can lay 50 to 100 eggs at one time, according to a news release from the Florida Python Challenge.
“The rabbits are gone because they’re the easiest of prey,” Crum said.
Catching a python is no easy task; it requires dedication and a lot of driving, Crum said.
“The more time you put out in the Glades, the more chances you’re gonna cross paths with one,” he said. “You can’t catch them sitting on the couch.”
While the competition is only a week long, Crum catches snakes year-round. He estimates he and his team have captured more than 6,000 over the past four years.
Statewide, more than 17,000 Burmese pythons have been removed from Florida since 2000, according to the Python Challenge. The effort seems to be paying off, too.
“We’re seeing some native wildlife return to areas that have been hit hard,” Crum said. “We’re not gonna stop until it’s a done mission.” | https://cw33.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/burmese-python-hunt-a-huge-win-in-florida-everglades/ | 2022-08-16T16:08:35Z |
SINGAPORE, May 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- HistoIndex, a global leading artificial intelligence digital pathology (AI-DP) provider, is very pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. David John Jeans CBE as Non-Executive Director of the company's Board. John brings with him a global and diverse experience in life sciences, along with a deep interest in healthcare technologies to improve clinical standards and care for patients. His vast professional background spans more than 45 years in medical devices, pharmaceutical development, in-vivo and in-vitro diagnostics encompassing research, product development, manufacturing, and commercialisation.
John will provide guidance to the senior management at HistoIndex to transform histopathological standards in diagnostics and drug development with the global adoption of stain-free AI digital pathology for fibrotic diseases.
Says John, ''I am thrilled to be appointed to the Board of Directors and to support the continued progress of HistoIndex, a leading stain-free digital pathology provider involved in clinical trials for Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) and other fibrotic diseases. With our mutual aspirations in enhancing the quality of pathology standards with artificial intelligence, we are confident of initiating better outcomes for drug development and patient care in HistoIndex's global disease portfolios."
John has helmed senior leadership positions in international healthcare corporations such as Smith & Nephew, Bristol Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson and Amersham plc, which is now GE Healthcare. He was previously the Chairman of Cardiff University, Deputy Chief Executive of the Medical Research Council, chaired the Trustee Board of MRC Technology, involved in the Science Advisory Council for Wales, and served as Trustee of the Francis Crick Institute. He is currently the Chairman of the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre in Scotland and notably in Singapore, John is a co-Chair of the Strategic Advisory Panel at the Diagnostics Development Hub (DxD Hub), led by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).
In 2012, John was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his significant contributions to Life Sciences, Healthcare and Science. And in 2014, he was appointed by then-Prime Minister of Great Britain, Mr. David Cameron, as the Life Science Champion for the medical technology sector. In 2021, John was awarded a Public Service Medal by The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in Singapore.
Says Dr. Gideon Ho, Chief Executive Officer of HistoIndex, "All of us at HistoIndex are very delighted to welcome Dr. John Jeans, a renowned thought leader and visionary in the life sciences space. I envision that John's wealth of experience and insights along with his enthusiasm for healthcare innovation will further reinforce our multidisciplinary Board and propel HistoIndex to greater heights as a leading AI digital pathology provider.
About HistoIndex
Founded in Singapore, HistoIndex is a leading MedTech/Healthcare company that specializes in its proprietary integrated stain-free AI digital pathology platform. Enabled by Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) and Two-Photon Excitation (TPE) along with automated imaging analysis algorithms, the integrated platform accurately quantifies histological features and fine measurements that are critical for the evaluation of therapeutic efficacy in clinical trials. The stain-free AI platform is currently involved in multiple FDA clinical trials for Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH). In addition, it has benefitted more than 150 research and academic institutes, CROs and biopharma companies around the world in drug discovery and development efforts for fibrotic diseases and cancers.
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SOURCE HistoIndex | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/05/18/histoindex-welcomes-life-sciences-medtech-visionary-david-john-jeans-cbe-board-directors/ | 2022-05-18T12:12:20Z |
RIYADH, May 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Muslim World League (MWL) - the world's largest Islamic NGO - has concluded the Forum on Common Values among Religious Followers event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between 10-11 Shawal 1443 H, corresponding to 11-12 May 2022.
The Forum, for the first time in history, convened within Saudi Arabia Christian, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist religious leaders alongside Islamic leaders to explore shared values and a common global vision for interfaith cooperation. Approximately 100 religious leaders attended the first of its kind conference, including over 15 Rabbis.
Attendees and speakers at the event included:
· HE Muhammad Al-Issa: Secretary General of the Muslim World League
· Chief Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni (of Rome)
· Cardinal Pietro Parolin: Vatican Secretary of State
· His Holiness Bartholomew I: Ecumenical patriarch and spiritual leader to 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide
· His Eminence Ivan Zoria: Archbishop of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine
· Rev. Father Daniil Matrusov: Representative of the Patriarch of Russia
· Banagala Upatissa Thero: President of the (Buddhist) Mahabodhi society of Sri Lanka
· Pastor, Rev. Walter Kim: President, National Association of Evangelicals (United States)
· Mr. Ven Swami Awdheshanand Giri: Chairman, Hindu Dharam Acharya Sabha (India)
· Rabbi Moise Lewin: Special Adviser to the Chief Rabbi of France
· His Eminence Sheikh Dr. Shawki Allam: Grand Mufti of Egypt
· Rabbi David Rosen: Director, International Interreligious Affairs, AJC (American Jewish Committee)
· Ambassador Rashad Hussain: United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom
· Dr. Ahmed Hasan Taha: Chairman, Iraqi Jurisprudence Council
· Archbishop Prof. Thomas Paul Schirrmacher: Secretary-General, World Evangelical Alliance (Germany)
Areas of agreement between conference participants included:
· The need to respect religious diversity and the unique characteristics of every religion/sect.
· Human rights are universal irrespective of religion, gender or race - and enforced through international law.
· The need for continued dialogue between religious leaders, institutions and communities to help pre-empt and defuse civilizational clashes.
· The need for religious leaders to engage in inter and muti faith work to counter extremist ideologies.
Recommendations from the Conference included:
· Relevant national institutions and United Nations organs must do more to confront all forms of discrimination and exclusion against religious, cultural, and ethnic minorities; And work to create strong and effective legislation in doing so.
· Various platforms of influence; especially the media and social media platforms must remain mindful of the moral responsibility entrusted upon them.
· We appeal to all countries and the international community to do all they can to provide adequate protection for places of worship, to ensure free access to them, to preserve their spiritual role, and to distance them from intellectual and political conflicts and sectarian strife.
· Launching of a global forum called: "Religious Diplomacy Forum for Building Bridges" based on the influential role of religions in human societies, and the important role of religious followers in bridging the relationship between religions and cultures for the purpose of peacebuilding.
· To work on issuing an international compilation under the name: "The Encyclopaedia of Common Human Values".
· Inviting the United Nations General Assembly to adopt an international day for "Common Human Values" that celebrates the commonalities between religions and cultures around the world
Amongst the Conference's key goals are the following:
· To establish a set of values common to all major world religions, and a vision for enhancing understanding, cooperation, and solidarity amongst world religions.
HE Muhammad Al-Issa, Secretary General of the host organization, the Muslim World League, said:
"The aims of this conference align to the values of Muslim World League, which strives to build humanitarian partnerships for a more cooperative and peaceful world and more harmonious communities. This conference tackles some of the major issues of our day. As the world's largest Islamic NGO, headquartered in the birthplace of Islam in Saudi Arabia, we have a special responsibility to do this work. Whether it is to tackle climate change, to support refugees and vulnerable communities around the world, or simply to spread messages of peace and co-existence, the kind of interfaith trust and cooperation this event is fostering is desperately needed to support those real-world goals."
The Forum supported the Muslim World League's mission to strengthen its global role as an independent international non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting Islamic values that call for peace, as stated in its statute and bylaws.
About the Muslim World League
The Muslim World League is an international non-governmental Islamic organization based in the Holy City of Makkah. It aims to present the true Islam and its tolerant principles, provide humanitarian aid, extend bridges of dialogue and cooperation with all, engage in positive openness to all cultures and civilizations, follow the path of centrism and moderation to realize the message of Islam and ward off movements calling for extremism, violence and exclusion for a world full of peace, justice and coexistence.
About H.E. Dr. Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa
H.E. Dr. Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa is the head of the world's largest Islamic NGO – The Muslim World League (spanning 1200 Islamic scholar across 139 countries). He is also one of the world's foremost Islamic scholars and theologians and convened over 6000 global Islamic religious leaders in Mecca in 2019 to endorse the Makkah Charter, one of the most important documents in recent Islamic theological history, outlining a universal set of human rights and values drawn from Islamic scripture. Dr Issa was also the most senior Islamic cleric ever to have visited Auschwitz in Poland out of respect for the victims of the Holocaust.
For interview requests or further information on the conference, please contact:
Elina Kuusio, +44 (0)207 060 3955, elina@unitascommunications.com. You can find more photographs from the event here.
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SOURCE The Muslim World League | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/05/13/world-faith-leaders-convene-saudi-arabia-first-time-ground-breaking-conference-build-bridges-with-muslim-leaders/ | 2022-05-13T19:57:48Z |
Lawyers are pushing for a judge to reconsider the prison sentence of a South Carolina activist who was convicted for "breach of peace," aggravated over remarks she made to police during racial justice protests in 2020.
Brittany Martin, a 34-year-old Black woman, is expecting a baby later this year, but in the past months, she has suffered several health complications and lost weight, said Sybil Dione Rosado, one of the attorney's representing her.
"She has had preterm labor, she's had several events where she had to be taken on an emergency basis to the hospital," Rosado told CNN.
Martin was arrested in Sumter, South Carolina, after taking part in June 2020 protests prompted by the police killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.
Rosado said the verbal encounter that led to Martin's arrest was along the lines of, "I'm willing to die for the Black, are you willing to die for the blue? This is just a job for you. This is my life."
CNN has requested documents detailing Martin's arrest. Sumter Police Department declined to comment on the case. Tonyia McGirt, a police spokeswoman, said it would be "inappropriate" to comment as the case may be reconsidered.
Martin's attorneys said she was not "physically violent or threatening" during the encounter.
Last year, Martin was indicted on charges of aggravated breach of peace, instigating a riot and five counts of threatening the life of a public official, according to court records.
Earlier this year a jury found her guilty of one count of high and aggravated breach of peace. In May, a judge sentenced Martin to four years in prison, court records show.
In South Carolina, breach of peace is a crime punishable by no more than a $500 fine or 30 days in prison. However, aggravated breach of peace is an escalated offense, and the judge hearing the case is charged with handing down a penalty "as is conformable to the common usage and practice in this state, according to the nature of the offense, and not repugnant to the Constitution," according to state law.
"She's spending four years in jail and pregnant and struggling for the life of her baby because she's loud and Black. It's an absolute travesty of justice," Rosado told CNN.
In an effort to have Martin's sentence reduced to time served, civil rights attorney Bakari Sellers recently joined Martin's legal team and filed a memo last month. Sellers is a CNN political analyst and a former representative from South Carolina.
In his memo requesting a reconsidered sentence, Sellers wrote that reducing Martin's sentence "will allow her to seek and receive the prenatal care she needs to sustain what has been a high-risk pregnancy, plagued by complications."
He alleges the medical care offered by the South Carolina Department of Corrections is "insufficient to address the needs" of Martin's "fragile pregnancy," according to the memo. CNN has reached out to the department for comment.
A reduced sentence, Sellers says, "will adequately reflect the serious nature" of Martin's actions.
Stacker compiled a list of stories behind the Trail of Tears for each of the nine states it passed through based on news, tribal histories, and government reports. Click for more.
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ACE vehemently disagrees with the CFPB's claims of deception, unfairness and abuse. Over 140,000 ACE customers have availed themselves of ACE's payment plan option since 2013, which clearly indicates borrowers were aware of this option.
The CFPB claim regarding alleged improper withdrawals only relates to approximately 0.028% of ACE's loan transactions during the applicable time period and the CFPB misinterpreted the relevant language in the loan agreement. Furthermore, despite no consumer harm, ACE has refunded over $670,000 to loan customers they will never be required to pay back.
DALLAS, July 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Populus Financial Group, which operates ACE Cash Express (ACE), today responds to a meritless lawsuit containing a series of false allegations filed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
ACE, a provider of financial products and services to millions of consumers, has spent more than 50 years serving its customers fairly and transparently, while creating a culture of service and compliance that aligns with the goals of its regulators and its many constituents. In doing so, ACE has built a strong relationship with its customers, who are extremely satisfied with ACE's products and services. In June of this year, ACE received over 9,600 Google reviews with an average rating of 4.88 out of 5 stars, and ACE's Net Promoter Score (NPS), a customer loyalty and satisfaction measurement, is currently 65.3, which is substantially higher than the average NPS for the financial services industry.
Therefore, ACE is disappointed that the CFPB decided to file a baseless lawsuit over a voluntary payment plan process that benefits, and has been long disclosed to, ACE customers, and the CFPB's misinterpretation of a loan agreement provision that impacted a small number of borrowers. Unfortunately, the CFPB has left ACE with no choice but to litigate and defend itself against these unjustified claims.
In states that do not require a payment plan, ACE voluntarily offers a no-cost payment plan option on its payday loan products as an alternative to refinancing and as a benefit to a customer who has expressed difficulty with making payments.
In 2013, ACE created a process for consistently and uniformly offering its payment plan and added language to its loan agreements to further educate borrowers of the availability of the payment plan option. ACE believed this process met the CFPB's expectations at that time. ACE revised its process again in 2020. This revised process has been in place for more than two years, and ACE again believes this process has met the CFPB's new expectations. But instead of engaging with ACE and providing supervisory guidance, the CFPB is now attempting to penalize ACE for a process it used in connection with a voluntary payment plan that is not required by law.
ACE vehemently disagrees with the CFPB's claims of deception, unfairness and abuse. Over 140,000 ACE customers have availed themselves of the payment plan option since changes were implemented in 2013, yet the CFPB wrongly alleges ACE hid the payment plan option from borrowers and steered them to refinance. The facts reflect customers were aware of the voluntary payment plan option because of disclosures in their loan agreements, and language on ACE's website and in other communications.
Separately, the CFPB has accused ACE of unfairly withdrawing money from customers without authorization. This allegation relates to only approximately 0.028% of ACE's loan transactions during the applicable time period, and despite disagreeing with the CFPB's interpretation of certain loan agreement provisions and a lack of consumer harm, ACE immediately revised the language, audited other documents and self-reported additional similar language. Additionally, more than two years ago, ACE voluntarily refunded over $670,000 of principal, interest and fees to affected consumers, most of which amount was principal, and has voluntarily forgiven the debt. In other words, ACE has given over half a million dollars to loan customers that they will never be required to pay back.
The CFPB has also asserted that ACE is a repeat offender. This is not true. Until the CFPB filed this lawsuit, it has never brought any enforcement action based on ACE's payment plan. The second allegation involving the CFPB's misinterpretation of certain loan agreement provisions has also never been at issue—until now.
In the weeks leading up to the lawsuit, ACE expressed a strong desire to reach a satisfactory resolution with the CFPB by offering to make certain changes that would have been beneficial to consumers, even though those changes are not required by law and are outside of the scope of these claims. ACE also requested multiple times for an in-person meeting between CFPB senior leadership and ACE executives to resolve the CFPB's misunderstandings.
ACE's consumer-friendly and impactful law-changing proposals were unfortunately met with outrageous and unprecedented demands, and ACE's requests for a face-to-face meeting were denied. These discussions and the CFPB's refusal to meet with ACE executives made it clear to ACE that the CFPB had no real intention to settle, leaving the only path to fairness in court. We look forward to sharing the facts with an impartial judge.
About Populus Financial Group and ACE Cash Express
Populus Financial Group™ provides financial services through its family of brands including ACE Cash Express®, ACE Elite® Visa® Prepaid Debit Card, Flare Account® and Porte™. Populus Financial Group delivers a broad range of financial products and services including short-term consumer loans, card services, check cashing, money transfers, bill payments and money orders. Visit PopulusFinancial.com for more information.
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SOURCE Populus Financial Group Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/12/populus-financial-group-ace-cash-express-respond-baseless-litigation-filed-by-consumer-financial-protection-bureau/ | 2022-07-12T21:15:30Z |
You Story Tell as You Watch and Create Video – All at The Same Time
TORONTO, Aug. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- vidThat is on a mission to transform, simplify and inspire visual communication towards achieving better understood messaging with easy short videos made superfast on the iPhone. Turn any image(s) on the iPhone into instant video and quickly synchronize with a user's voice: then send the message on the vidThat instant messenger. Imagine video made with still images looking like it originally started as quality video.
Click here to download vidThat to an iPhone.
James Tran, Founder and CEO of vidThat says; "our system saves users vast amounts of time because storytelling, video creation, and video watching are all uniquely synchronized. And at the same time, the storytelling is very efficient, authentic, and dynamic."
Spontaneous Micro Storytelling
vidThat is currently free in the App Store, and vidThat will help everyone use visual and audio storytelling in the fastest and easiest way possible inside what is believed to be the world's first instant videoization messenger.
Voice-To-Text Transcription on All Video
Your voice is automatically shown as a text caption on any video you make with vidThat. If you choose, you can make slight or major changes to the sound of your recorded voice. To get the best representation of your video message inside the vidThat Video Messenger; you can quickly select from the many pre-set filters and apply to your video image thumbnail which is shown in the vidThat Video Messenger.
Fast Auto Reply to Any Video
Our proprietary video file system lets your friends and teammates, immediately video-reply to your video messages that you sent them through vidThat. This automatically deploys the same visual assets (still images and/or a variety of short video clips) from the video that you originally sent. Your contact can use these assets for their own instant video reply. This back-and-forth video sharing will inspire you and your friends to collaborate more easily on anything and in addition, effortlessly cocreate any video.
Quickly Automate Video Creation
Our save to draft system automates your video creation, where the same visual content is a requirement for multiple voice recordings. Your productivity will transform as you effortlessly scale your personal touch with all your contacts. vidThat iOS is grateful to be funded and supported by the Canada Media Fund.
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SOURCE vidThat | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/08/vidthat-video-storytelling-made-easy/ | 2022-08-08T18:42:28Z |
Registration Now Open for Contractors and Sustainable Living Advocates Seeking to Host or Sponsor Free, Open House Tours Showcasing Money-Saving Innovations for Homes, Businesses, Commercial Structures and Non-Profits via the October 1-2 National Solar Tour, America's Largest Grassroots Solar Living Event
BOULDER, Colo., July 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hot on the heels of Independence Day, the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) is partnering with the Energy and Environmental Building Alliance (EEBA) to inspire net zero, solar-powered and sustainable living improvements to help people assert their energy independence and combat runaway energy costs on properties of all scope and scale via the 27th ASES National Solar Tour, America's largest concurrent collection of free, in-person and virtual open house tours.
The National Solar Tour introduces consumers to innovative renewable energy, green building and electric vehicle solutions that are improving property values, slashing energy costs, and creating smarter, more efficient work and living spaces while accelerating ASES and EEBA's shared vision of a world equitably transformed to a 100% clean energy future.
"Any successful climate protection strategy must consider residential and commercial buildings, which are responsible for almost 40 percent of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions(1)," noted Energy and Environmental Building Alliance Executive Director Aaron Smith.
"Sustainability is our core value," Smith continued. "With over 90,000 green building stakeholders, EEBA is a force for smarter, safer, more resilient homes that compels a healthier, decarbonized future. Our alignment with ASES delivers a potent partnership that empowers communities to live sustainably and save as they accelerate America's burgeoning clean energy economy."
The official tour weekend is slated for October 1-2, but tours can occur anytime throughout the year and are open to all 50 states. The opportunity for tax-deductible sponsorships is now available for sustainable, ESG-oriented brands, electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle manufacturers and innovators in the solar, clean energy, water efficiency, green building and home improvement space eager to showcase their solutions and keep the tours free for the tens of thousands sustainably-inclined consumers who participate each year.
"The National Solar Tour offers a casual, no-pressure environment that allows families, businesses, public agencies and non-profits to talk with builders, installers, and fellow property owners about solar, storage, energy efficiency and an array of sustainable solutions to reduce their carbon footprint and live cleaner, healthier lives while hedging against rising energy costs," said ASES National Solar Tour Director Lauren Reddington. "In these inflationary times, every penny counts!"
The National Solar Tour is a free public service. Join a scheduled tour – or start one of your own! It's free; it's turnkey. And it's a great way to introduce the latest energy-frugal, money-saving sustainable living innovations – and the rebates and tax incentives they deliver in your neck of the woods. Click here to see the range of open house tours slated for 2022, then register to showcase your innovation.
About the Energy and Environmental Building Alliance (EEBA): EEBA delivers turnkey educational resources and events designed to transform residential and commercial construction practices through high performance design, marketing, materials, and technologies to realize a future where everyone's homes are healthy, resilient, zero energy and zero carbon. With over 90,000 key stakeholders, EEBA is a force paving the way for better homes and a better future. Learn more at www.eeba.org.
About the American Solar Energy Society: Established in 1954, the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that advocates for sustainable living and a 100% renewable energy future via in-depth reporting, educational events, Webinars, and conferences that cultivate community and power progress. ASES integrates the perspectives of science, industry, policy and citizens via the award-winning Solar Today magazine, the e-newsletter Solar@Work, monthly Webinars, the ASES National Solar Conference and the National Solar Tour. Learn more at ases.org.
(1) Web Source: Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI).
TERRI STEELE FOR
The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) National Solar Tour
(858) 220-3317
toursponsors@ases.org
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SOURCE American Solar Energy Society | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/05/energy-amp-environmental-building-alliance-joins-american-solar-energy-society-showcasing-innovations-help-consumers-cut-rising-energy-costs-assert-their-energy-independence-via-ases-national-solar-tour/ | 2022-07-05T14:59:24Z |
CALGARY, AB, July 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Gibson Energy Inc. announced today that it expects to release its 2022 second quarter financial and operating results on Tuesday, August 2, 2022 after the close of North American markets. The 2022 second quarter management's discussion and analysis and unaudited consolidated financial statements will be available on the Company's website at www.gibsonenergy.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
A conference call and webcast will be held to discuss the 2022 second quarter financial and operating results at 7:00am Mountain Time (9:00am Eastern Time) on Wednesday, August 3, 2022.
The conference call dial-in numbers are:
- 416-764-8659 / 1-888-664-6392
- Conference ID: 31070574
This call will also be broadcast live on the Internet and may be accessed directly at the following URL:
The webcast will remain accessible for a 12-month period at the above URL. Additionally, a digital recording will be available for replay two hours after the call's completion until August 17, 2022, using the following dial-in numbers:
- 416-764-8677 / 1-888-390-0541
- Replay Entry Code: 070574#
Gibson Energy Inc. ("Gibson" or the "Company") (TSX: GEI) is a Canadian-based liquids infrastructure company with its principal businesses consisting of the storage, optimization, processing, and gathering of liquids and refined products. Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, the Company's operations are focused around its core terminal assets located at Hardisty and Edmonton, Alberta, and include the Moose Jaw Facility and an infrastructure position in the U.S.
Gibson shares trade under the symbol GEI and are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. For more information, visit www.gibsonenergy.com.
For further information, please contact:
Mark Chyc-Cies
Vice President, Strategy, Planning & Investor Relations
Phone: (403) 776-3146
Email: mark.chyc-cies@gibsonenergy.com
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SOURCE Gibson Energy Inc. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/05/gibson-energy-confirms-2022-second-quarter-earnings-release-date-provides-conference-call-amp-webcast-details/ | 2022-07-05T19:11:08Z |
Powerful ‘rivers in the sky’ could cause Antarctic Peninsula’s biggest ice shelf to collapse
By Angela Dewan, CNN
When temperatures in Antarctica soared to 38 degrees Celsius above normal — around 70 Fahrenheit — in March, a teetering ice shelf the size of Los Angeles collapsed. Scientists don’t know what role the extreme temperatures may have played in the event, but the heat rushed in through what’s known as an atmospheric river, a long plume of moisture that transports warm air and water vapor from the tropics to other parts of the Earth.
A new study published Thursday shows that these “rivers in the sky” — which dump rain and snow when they make landfall — are also causing extreme temperatures, surface melt, sea-ice disintegration and large ocean swells which are destabilizing ice shelves on the Antarctic Peninsula, a long, spindly mountain chain that points northwards to the tip of South America.
These conditions were observed during the collapse of two of the peninsula’s ice shelves — Larsen A and B — in the summers of 1995 and 2002, respectively. And now, as the climate crisis is projected to warm the Earth further, the biggest remaining ice shelf, Larsen C, is also at risk of total collapse, the study says.
The authors of the study, published in the Nature journal Communications Earth & Environment, used algorithms, climate models and satellite observations to determine that 60% of the peninsula’s calving events — where an iceberg breaks off an ice shelf or glacier — were triggered by atmospheric rivers between 2000 and 2020.
There are many ways these ice shelves can destabilize. For Larsen A, B and C, there has been evidence of foehn winds — warm, dry air that streams down a mountain after cool, moist air had risen up the other side. These can cause sudden and dramatic changes in temperatures, and in Antarctica, it causes ice melt. That can have knock-on effects, including fracturing in ice shelves — the portion of a land-based ice sheet that juts out over ocean water.
Melting sea ice also exposes ice shelves to ocean swell, which can cause further destabilization.
“What our study found was that all these different aspects are actually caused by atmospheric rivers, especially the intense ones,” one of the study’s lead authors, Jonathan Wille from the Université Grenoble Alpes in France, told CNN.
“And we found that almost all the really extreme temperature events that happen in the Antarctic Peninsula where happening with atmospheric rivers.”
What it means for sea level
A collapse of Larsen C would spell bad news for the sea level around the planet.
Ice shelves breaking off and can cause sea level rise, but they don’t add a huge volume — that’s because they are already floating in the water. But ice shelves play a critical role in preventing much larger sea level rise.
“Ice shelves keep the glaciers that are on land behind them from flowing into the ocean,” Wille said. “And when these shelves disappear, there’s nothing holding back those glaciers. Their velocity increases and starts flowing into the ocean. And that then directly contributes to sea level rise.”
Scientists don’t yet know what link there may be between atmospheric rivers and climate change, but the recent heatwave and conditions in Antarctica at the time were were so extreme that experts are starting to hypothesize the crisis could be playing a role. That will only really become clearer if a similar event happens again in the future.
“The question is whether or not atmospheric rivers will happen more often as the climate changes,” Julienne Stroeve told CNN. Stroeve, who was not involved in Thursday’s study, is a professor of polar observation and modeling at University College London.
“I think it’s too soon to say it will,” she said, adding that different atmospheric analyses were giving differing results. “However, it’s likely that the atmosphere will play an increasing role in ice shelf breakup by weakening them through surface melting.”
While the future frequency of atmospheric rivers may be an unknown, Wille believes they will at the very least become more intense, and that could be enough to cause more destabilization.
“It’s kind of simple — as the atmosphere becomes warmer, it’s able to hold more moisture, and since an atmospheric river is essentially the transport of moisture, that means there will be more moisture that can be transported to Antarctica,” he said.
John Turner, a meteorologist at the British Antarctic Survey who was also not involved in the study, said that most of an ice shelf’s instability was due to basal melt — that’s melting that happens from the bottom — and warned against placing too much emphasis on the role of atmospheric rivers. The study published in Nature did not find a link between atmospheric rivers and basal melt.
“You have to be careful — you do get extremes for other reasons which don’t have a river. Sometimes you just get strong northerlies, which will generally give you a lot of snow and high temperatures, which may not be classified as a river,” he told CNN.
Turner agrees, however, that the wind that atmospheric rivers bring may be “the nail in the coffin of some of these ice shelves.”
To put in perspective what a ice loss in Antarctica could mean for the world, Turner explained there are 60 meters — nearly 200 feet — of potential sea level rise if the whole continent’s ice melted. Western Antarctica, the broader region around the peninsula, represents 6 meters (20 feet) of rise, which in itself would swallow entire islands and be catastrophic for millions of people living on coasts and beyond.
Most of the world’s ice melt and sea level rise so far can be attributed to melting of the Greenland ice sheet in the Arctic.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/news/national-world/cnn-world/2022/04/14/powerful-rivers-in-the-sky-could-cause-antarctic-peninsulas-biggest-ice-shelf-to-collapse/ | 2022-04-14T15:27:28Z |
Awardees honored for their outstanding contributions to the economic growth of the region
DULLES, Va., June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Unanet, the leading provider of project-based ERP and CRM for the GovCon and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industries, is proud to share that Jon Sabo, the company's vice president of business operations, is a recent winner of the 26th annual NVTC Greater Washington Technology Rising Star Award from the Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC), the trade association representing the region's technology community. The awards recognize chief financial officers and financiers for their extraordinary achievements and excellence in promoting the region's economic growth.
"Congratulations to this year's group of financial executives, who exemplify exceptional financial leadership, community involvement, and commitment to bettering our region," said Jennifer Taylor, president and CEO of NVTC. "Each award winner has made a tangible, significant impact at their respective companies and serves as a role model for the next generation of financial professionals."
Sabo joined Unanet in April 2020 and has been vice president of business operations since July 2021. In that short time, Sabo was instrumental in integrating the people, systems, processes and cultures of three companies — those of Unanet and the two businesses it recently acquired — into a single framework.
The NVTC's program attracted more than 50 nominations from companies, organizations, and individuals working to break barriers and cultivate industry innovation throughout the National Capital region. Winners were selected by an independent panel of judges consisting of former awardees.
Unanet is a leading provider of project-based ERP and CRM solutions purpose-built for Government Contractors, architecture, engineering, construction, and professional services. More than 3,400 project-driven organizations depend on Unanet to turn their information into actionable insights, drive better decision-making, and accelerate business growth. All backed by a people-centered team invested in the success of your projects, people, and financials. For more information, visit www.unanet.com.
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SOURCE Unanet | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/14/unanets-jon-sabo-receives-2022-greater-washington-technology-rising-star-award/ | 2022-06-14T18:09:44Z |
Dramatically altered workplace dynamics require innovative use of technology for talent engagement and retention
NEW YORK, June 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Executives are confident they can maintain their culture in a long-term hybrid work environment, but at the same time remain concerned about negative impacts the pandemic has had on employee experience, according to a new study released today by Genpact (NYSE: G), a global professional services firm focused on delivering digital transformation.
Conducted with FORTUNE Brand Studio, Tech for Progress 360 is a three-part series analyzing how companies are using technology to drive impact beyond the bottom line. The series examines business progress across three distinct objectives: enhancing workforce culture; delivering environmental sustainability; and achieving diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The first report, Tech for Progress 360: Engage employees, strengthen company culture, examines the challenges and opportunities businesses face as they embrace new working models. The study, which reflects input from 500 senior executives from large global enterprises, underscores technology's critical role in employee engagement and organizational culture. Indeed, among the respondents whose organizations were the biggest adopters of new technologies during the pandemic, 76% strongly agree that their company can maintain its culture in a hybrid working environment, vs. 35% of others.
Similarly, executives who say their companies' business performance improved significantly over the past two years are more likely to see the potential of groundbreaking technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced analytics to empower people to learn and grow.
"The rapid shift to remote work has been one of the most important management innovations of the past 20 years. It's proven work can be done remotely at scale. But in a post pandemic world, leading companies will be defined not just by their ability to get work done, but in their ability to create agile, adaptable, hybrid work environments that allow culture and creativity to thrive," said Tiger Tyagarajan, chief executive officer, Genpact. "To lead through this seismic shift, businesses must combine digital technologies and smart data to drive actionable insights that integrate employees into company culture, enable collaboration, and maintain learning and wellbeing — whether people work remotely, in the office, or blend both."
There are many lessons in workplace innovation that will enable the next generation workforce. For example, the report cites a large communications company which created an enterprise social site within its intranet that connects employees — including those who might never have otherwise met — to share stories, discuss best practices, socialize, and collaborate, allowing associates and leaders to connect on a more human level. This business is also updating its conference spaces with cameras and monitors to ensure people have the same experience regardless of whether they are in an onsite meeting room or remote.
Pandemic's lessons underscore future risks in corporate culture
While nearly all respondents (97%) believe their company has a shared culture it can maintain in a hybrid working environment, the report highlights fundamental areas businesses need to address, which if left untouched, could jeopardize their ability to maintain a community of shared values and positive employee experience:
- Network building – Almost everyone (91%) agrees that since the pandemic's onset, employee interactions have shifted toward problem-solving and away from socializing. While there are some positive benefits to this problem-solving focus, casual exchanges with colleagues enable people to build their networks and integrate with the culture.
- New-hire integration – Having opportunities for employees to connect and form relationships are critical to the onboarding experience and instilling shared values from the start. Almost half (48%) of executives surveyed say increased remote working has negatively impacted their organization's ability to integrate new hires into their culture.
- Cross-level relationship building – The bonds between colleagues across different levels of the organization are not being nurtured, potentially hindering development of future leaders. In fact, 42% of respondents say remote working has negatively impacted the connection between senior and junior leaders.
- Effective collaboration – In the hybrid world, people working in the office and remotely must be able to collaborate quickly and seamlessly. When asked which technology holds the greatest potential for enhancing teamwork, 59% of executives surveyed say virtual meeting technologies, but only 11% recognize the potential that improving onsite meeting room technologies has on effective collaboration, suggesting that aligning remote and office experiences may need more experimenting.
Collectively, the study's findings challenge businesses' ability to nurture a shared culture if they do not take heed of lessons from the pandemic while continuing to innovate for the future.
"As people adjust to a hybrid world, companies must remember that work requires collaboration and deep human connection — wherever it is performed," Tyagarajan stressed. "Technology can play an important role in supporting a hybrid environment that works for both employees and customers, while delivering long-term business and individual success."
The next two reports in the Tech for Progress 360 series will address the role of technology in environmental sustainability and enabling diversity, equity, and inclusion. For more information, see https://www.genpact.com/tech-for-progress/employees.
About the Research
Genpact and FORTUNE Brand Studio conducted an online survey of 500 senior executives across the U.S, U.K, Germany, Australia, Japan, and Canada in the fall of 2021 to study how companies are using technology beyond the bottom line by examining progress toward three distinct objectives: enhancing the employee experience; strengthening communities through diversity, equity, and inclusion; and protecting the environment About 30% of respondents hold C-level positions and the remainder are director-level or above. Respondents represent the finance, IT/technology, supply chain/procurement, operations/ production, compliance/risk, general management, digital innovation, business transformation, sales, marketing, and HR sectors. All respondents report annual company revenue of $1 billion or higher.
About Genpact
Genpact (NYSE: G) is a global professional services firm that makes business transformation real. Led by our purpose – the relentless pursuit of a world that works better for people – we drive digital-led innovation and digitally enabled intelligent operations for our clients. Guided by our experience reinventing and running thousands of processes for hundreds of clients, many of them Global Fortune 500 companies, we drive real-world transformation at scale. We think with design, dream in digital, and solve problems with data and analytics. Combining our expertise in end-to-end operations and our AI-based platform, Genpact Cora, we focus on the details – all 100,000+ of us. From New York to New Delhi, and more than 30 countries in between, we connect every dot, reimagine every process, and reinvent the ways companies work. We know that reimagining each step from start to finish creates better business outcomes. Whatever it is, we'll be there with you – accelerating digital transformation to create bold, lasting results – because transformation happens here. Get to know us at Genpact.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook.
Media Contacts
Americas:
Danielle D'Angelo
danielle.dangelo@genpact.com, +1 914-336-7951
Australia:
Neha Chopra
neha.chopra1@genpact.com, +61 466-626-580
Europe/UK:
Judith Schunke,
judith.schunke@genpact.com, +44 (0)7887 661155
India:
Roopanki Kalra
Roopanki.Kalra@genpact.com, +91 9971634388
Japan:
Satoko Hashiba
satoko.hashiba@genpact.com, +81 80 4944 3907
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SOURCE Genpact | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/27/genpact-study-reveals-hybrid-workplace-dichotomy-executives-confident-they-can-maintain-corporate-culture-concerned-about-employee-experience/ | 2022-06-27T12:24:03Z |
As the need for practical professional management increases in all career sectors, KU offers flexible, online undergraduate courses for those looking to complete their bachelor's degree.
OVERLAND PARK, Kan., June 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- KU is launching a new online bachelor's degree program in professional studies for the 2022-2023 academic year, giving students with an associate degree or equivalent hours the chance to enter a growing and in-demand field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in management occupations is projected to grow 9% from 2020 to 2030 and is expected to result in about 906,800 new jobs in a wide variety of sectors. Offered through KU's School of Professional Studies, the online Bachelor of Professional Studies (BPS) program is designed with transfer students in mind and focuses on preparing students with professional and workforce ready skills to ensure employment immediately following completion of the program.
Stuart Day, dean of KU Edwards Campus and School of Professional Studies, believes this new program addresses a growing need in the Kansas City area and beyond.
"There are no other in-state options for students to pursue a BPS degree," says Day. "The KU program is distinguished by its close connections with Lawrence and Edwards Campus academic programs, as well as community college partners like Johnson County Community College and Kansas City Kansas Community College. This bachelor's program was designed with attention to the transfer students entering the program, and the preparation of students to acquire professional and workforce-ready skills leading to employment immediately following completion of the bachelor's degree."
The goal of a professional studies program is to prepare students with highly valued and relevant skills to help them achieve their desired career objectives. The curricular flexibility allows students to pursue a wide variety of professional paths and management opportunities after graduation. Students will be able to demonstrate their ability to succeed in courses relevant to their anticipated professions including project management, healthcare management, and more.
The new online professional studies degree program, supported by the Johnson County Education Research Triangle (JCERT), aims to graduate professionals ready to fill in-demand jobs in the Kansas City area and beyond.
Media Contact:
Chris Gregory
cgregory@ku.edu
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SOURCE University of Kansas Edwards Campus | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/29/ku-announces-online-professional-studies-undergraduate-programs-fall-2022/ | 2022-06-29T18:11:47Z |
More than $2.2 million in scholarships has been awarded to 420 students through the LP Scholarship Program
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- LP Building Solutions (LP), a leading manufacturer of high-performance building products, today announced that it has awarded 56 college scholarships to the children of LP employees for the 2022–23 academic year.
The LP Scholarship Program recognizes and rewards the accomplishments of employees' children who excel in their studies and make positive contributions in their communities.
"The LP Scholarship Program has given me an incredible opportunity to further my post-secondary education," said first-year recipient and Northern Michigan University freshman Allison LaVarnway, daughter of LP Sagola Maintenance Superintendent Mike LaVarnway. "As a student pursuing my bachelor's degree in hopes of enrolling in veterinary school, the contribution LP is providing to my education is extremely helpful. I am beyond grateful for this scholarship program whose goal is helping students like me to realize their dreams."
Recipients are awarded up to $6,000 for four years of full-time undergraduate study or until the student has completed their academic program, whichever comes first. Twenty-two first-time recipients and 34 renewal recipients received LP scholarships for the 2022–23 academic year.
"My daughter, Emily, is a proud recipient of this scholarship," said James Edelen, resource manager at LP's Carthage, Texas facility. "She works very hard to keep her grades up all while also working 30-50 hours per week to pay for her additional costs of living and school. She is proud to receive this scholarship, and I am proud to work for a company willing to invest in the next generation of leaders."
Since 2001, LP has provided more than $2.2 million in scholarships to help more than 420 students complete their undergraduate college education.
"The people are the most vital part of any successful company," said LP Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources and Transformation Officer, Robin Everhart. "The LP Scholarship Program for the children of our employees, as well as the Tuition Assistance Program for employees themselves, supports not only the growth and development of tomorrow's leaders but provides a real and tangible boost to the well-being of our LP families today. We are immensely proud of the work this year's scholarship recipients have done in the classroom and in their communities, and we look forward to supporting them as they continue their academic journeys."
The LP Scholarship Program is administered by Scholarship America. Submissions are evaluated based on each student's academic record, demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities, honors, work experience, statement of goals and aspirations, personal or family difficulties, and an outside appraisal. Financial need as calculated by Scholarship America must be demonstrated for the student to be awarded a scholarship.
To learn more about LP's giving programs, click here.
About LP Building Solutions
As a leader in high-performance building solutions, Louisiana-Pacific Corporation (LP Building Solutions, NYSE: LPX) manufactures engineered wood building products that meet the demands of builders, remodelers, and homeowners worldwide. LP's extensive offerings include innovative and dependable building products and accessories, such as Siding Solutions (LP® SmartSide® Trim & Siding, LP® SmartSide® ExpertFinish® Trim & Siding, LP BuilderSeries® Lap Siding, and LP® Outdoor Building Solutions®), LP Structural Solutions (LP® TechShield® Radiant Barrier, LP WeatherLogic® Air & Water Barrier, LP Legacy® Premium Sub-Flooring, and LP® FlameBlock® Fire-Rated Sheathing, LP NovaCore™ Thermal Insulated Sheathing, and more), LP® TopNotch® Sub-Flooring, and oriented strand board (OSB). In addition to product solutions, LP provides industry-leading customer service and warranties. Since its founding in 1972, LP has been Building a Better World™ by helping customers construct beautiful, durable homes while our shareholders build lasting value. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, LP operates 22 plants across the U.S., Canada, Chile, and Brazil. For more information, visit LPCorp.com.
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SOURCE LP Building Solutions | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/15/lp-building-solutions-awards-more-than-50-college-scholarships-employees-children-2022-23-academic-year/ | 2022-08-15T14:21:25Z |
Exploring beneath the surface of other planets may be the key to determining whether life has ever existed outside of Earth.
As other missions, including that of NASA's InSight lander, have shown, drilling down through the surface of planets like Mars is tough -- a little too tough to get more than a few inches into the subsurface.
Recently, the Curiosity rover measured total organic carbon, a necessary ingredient in the molecules of life, in Martian rocks for the first time. But it doesn't prove that life ever existed on Mars, because carbon can also be produced by nonliving sources.
New research suggests that the best chance of finding past or present evidence of life on Mars requires going below its surface -- at least 6.6 feet (2 meters) below. Mars has an incredibly thin atmosphere, which means that the surface of the red planet is bombarded by high energy radiation from space, and that could quickly degrade substances like amino acids that provide fragile evidence of life.
Those harsh surface conditions also present a challenge for astronauts, which is one reason scientists have suggested that caves on other planets could be the key to future exploration. Vast cave systems on the moon and Mars could act as shelters for future space travelers.
Caves could also contain resources like water, reveal more about the history of a planet -- and be havens for evidence of microbial life. On Earth, there are a varied range of cave systems, many of which remain unexplored, and they support diverse groups of microorganisms. But caves are dangerous -- and since we've never peered inside a Martian cave, it's difficult to know what to expect.
Before humans land on Mars and explore its subsurface, a group of scientists want to send ReachBot -- a robot designed to crawl and climb through extraterrestrial caves.
A spelunking robot
The idea for ReachBot was born in 2018 when Marco Pavone, director of the Autonomous Systems Lab at Stanford University, and his students were brainstorming concepts for a Martian cave explorer.
They knew the robot would need to be able to grab anchor points so it could move without falling -- and if it couldn't find enough anchor points, it wouldn't get very far.
One of his students suggested the idea of a small robot with extendable arms that reach out like measuring tape, which could be used the same way Spider-Man slings webs to help him navigate the skyline of New York City.
The robot concept is between the size of a basketball and a toaster oven and covered in extendable booms equipped with spiny grippers that could grab objects and grasp or push off the steep, rocky surfaces of Martian caves. It would be able to anchor itself and crawl across long distances.
When the robot's booms aren't needed, they roll up to stay out of the way.
Pavone, who is also associate professor of aeronautics and astronautics at Stanford University's School of Engineering, and his students arrived at the idea of a robot with extendable booms. They created a proposal to submit to NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts Program, which funds visionary concepts in the field of space robotics that could transform future missions.
The ReachBot concept received funding for Phase I, which the team used to conduct a round of studies that proved the concept was a feasible one, Pavone said.
Now, ReachBot has received funding for Phase II. The team will use the next two years to work on 3D simulations, a robot prototype, develop strategies that help the robot avoid risk, and test out ReachBot in a realistic mission environment -- likely a cave site in New Mexico or California. These tests will determine how ReachBot could be used for future exploration.
Exploring beneath Mars
If ReachBot becomes its own mission, it will likely rely on a larger, more capable robot -- like a rover -- to access the caves it will explore. The rover will deliver ReachBot to the cave entrance or drop it off at a cliff face, which ReachBot would be able to scale.
ReachBot will likely be equipped with cameras, microscopes and a remote sensing method called LIDAR. But instruments require power and add weight, in addition to the power and communication system the robot will need.
The team envisions that ReachBot will be tethered to the surface-bound rover, which can provide power and act like a communications relay, said Stephanie Newdick, a doctoral student in aeronautics and astronautics at Stanford University's School of Engineering.
In addition to sending data to the rover, ReachBot may also have a conveyor belt system that allows it to collect samples and dispatch them to the surface. The rover will be larger and have instruments that can analyze the samples in detail, Newdick said.
Any initial findings from ReachBot can determine the next step for follow-up missions.
"Caves are risky environments, but they're scientifically interesting," Newdick said. "Our idea for this robot is to go far before people would get there to do interesting science and scope out the area."
Future destinations
Martian caves are just one possible opportunity for a robot like ReachBot. Pavone sees the potential for these robots to operate alongside humans in a place like the International Space Station, handling some tasks so astronauts can make better use of their time.
The Gateway, a planned lunar outpost that will exist between Earth and the moon, won't be crewed all the time like the space station. Robots like ReachBot could perform maintenance and upkeep, Newdick said. ReachBot could also crawl inside of lunar caves that may serve as a resource for astronauts exploring the moon.
In the future, the team believes that ReachBot could be customizable depending on its destination, influencing the design choices like its size and number of extendable arms, Pavone said.
The ends of ReachBot's arms could also be equipped with scientific instruments that can go inside tiny cracks and crevices where a robot wouldn't fit.
With so many capabilities, the team sees their creation as a way to further exploration across our solar system, going places where humans cannot yet tread.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.albanyherald.com/news/meet-reachbot-a-robot-designed-to-explore-martian-caves/article_ace550f2-208d-56b9-8295-ab6b04204444.html | 2022-07-01T17:44:00Z |
Aims At Becoming No.1 Multi-Family Office And Investment Platform In The Asia-Pacific Region
HONG KONG, June 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Focused on the needs of its core family office clients, DL Holdings Group (DL Holdings, DL), with US$3 billion in assets under management and advisory, is transforming itself into a "multi-family office and investment platform" with its own capital and assets, which will differentiate itself from industry peers such as single-family offices, multi-family offices on an advisory basis, multi-family offices on a discretionary basis, and traditional funds and asset management companies. DL Holdings aims to provide comprehensive services such as private banking, investment banking, funds, trusts, immigration, education, philanthropy, and impact investing. It has expanded its footprint to the Chinese Mainland, Singapore, the United States, and Japan, with an eye on becoming the leading multi-family office and investment platform in the Asia-Pacific region.
DL Holdings Group (1709. HK), a Main Board listed company, announced its annual results on June 23rd. For the year that ended on 31 March 2022, the company posted total revenue of HK$309 million, gross profit of HK$170 million, gross profit margin of 55.9%, net profit of HK$110 million, and a net profit margin of 35.5%. The company also declared dividends amounting to HKD$99 million to its shareholders. Despite a highly volatile market in 2021-2022, DL Holdings managed to post a trend-setting net profit of over HK$100 million, reflecting its strong competitive advantages in the industry.
Maintains Profitable and Optimized Structure
From March 2021 to March 2022, the Hang Seng Index plummeted from 28,378 points to 21,996 points, recording a drop of more than 22%, mainly due to the shifting policies in Mainland China, the Federal Reserve's decision of tapering and raising interest rates, the Russia-Ukraine war, and Hong Kong capital markets. Meanwhile, dollar bonds issued by Chinese real estate developers declined sharply and created huge losses for investors as well as the overall economy. The number of initial public offerings declined sharply, while new IPOs saw steep falls on debut. The market saw sharp fluctuations, making it a difficult year for brokerages and investment banks.
Despite the harsh environment, DL Holdings still maintained strong profitability. According to its annual report, the company's provisions for financial services from licensed businesses generated HK$140 million in revenue and HK$72 million in profit. There was also a significant optimization of the revenue structure, indicating that the company's ability to resist risks and fluctuations have been greatly enhanced, while the foundation of its business became more solid. The company's overall earnings in the future are expected to increase further as the market gradually recovers.
Acquisitions of Family Office to Accelerate its Growth in Asset Management
DL Holdings initiated a number of acquisitions and investments in the past year, among which the most important was the acquisition of 45% equity stake in affiliate DL Family Office (HK) Ltd. The listed company initiated the acquisition in September 2021 and signed the agreement in May 2022. Together with the acquisition of Emerald Wealth Management Ltd which provides insurance brokerage services, the acquisition of DL Family Office is expected to significantly expand the group's future asset management scale and enhance profitability as well as shareholder returns. DL Family Office was established in 2012 and is one of the earliest and most successful multi-family offices in Hong Kong. Currently, the total assets under management of DL Family Office are about US$1.27billion (HK$10 billion). DL Family Office provides asset management, family heritage, investment management, citizenship and residency planning, education, and healthcare services to ultra-high net worth families both in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland.
In October 2021, the listed company acquired 100% equity stake in One Advisory, a company that provides one-stop services to high-net-worth clients with residency planning services, global immigration consulting services, and global education consultation. With an experienced team from world-renowned immigration and residency planning companies, DL Group has expanded its high-net-worth client base by providing more private and considerate consulting services as well as implementation without the need to seek outsourced services from third parties.
Strengthening business in Singapore and North America
DL Holdings entered Singapore three years ago and received approval from MAS in early 2021, thereby accelerating the diversification of family office services. In North America, ONE Carmel, a major property investment project with DL's own funds, made promising progress. Since the listed company's investment in 2021, the valuation of the property has doubled to US$66 million. ONE Carmel is a premier real estate project located in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA, which has received attention and strong interest from elite families around the world for its concept of a family legacy. The first phase of the project will start construction in July this year with infrastructure construction set to be completed by 2023. ONE Carmel is considered to be the last premier residential site in Northern California, with a thirty-year time frame from application to approval. The superstar project in Northern California aims to build an exclusive gated community with a limited number of 73 tech-enabled and eco-friendly luxury homes.
Expanding channels to enrich partners
During the past year, DL Holdings formed a strategic partnership with YF Life Insurance, seeking to expand its high-net-worth client base and enhance its insurance product service capabilities through insurance channels. The company also entered into a distribution and business cooperation agreement with Harvest Global, the overseas subsidiary of China's largest public fund Harvest Fund for cooperation in a wide range of sectors including but not limited to product categories, distribution channels, fund investment, resource sharing, and cross-border financial services.
DL Holdings is also one of the first vice-presidents of the Hong Kong Limited Partnership Fund Association (HKLPFA) and has established 18 limited partnership funds (LPFs). It has been endorsed by the HK Financial Services Development Council and InvestHK, and is a founding member and working group member of the Hong Kong-Israel Cooperation Programme. DL will further assist the Hong Kong government and professional institutions to strengthen cooperation within the Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Europe in areas of financial investment and wealth management.
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SOURCE DL Holdings | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/27/dl-holdings-group-1709hk-reports-net-profit-over-hk100-million/ | 2022-06-27T10:01:20Z |
A unique 21st Century evolution of the grand piano
NEW YORK, July 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On July 19, 2022, celebrated pianist Kirill Gerstein's performance at the Verbier Festival, which will be broadcast live on Medici.tv, will mark the public debut of the Maene-Viñoly Concert Grand Piano.
The novel instrument was developed jointly by master piano maker Chris Maene and renowned architect Rafael Viñoly. The piano's curved ergonomic keyboard matches the natural sweep of a pianist's arms rotating from the shoulders and facilitates effortless playing across all registers. The keyboard's radial arrangement is extended to strings that fan out over a much larger soundboard augmenting the instrument's capacity for nuance, clarity, and power.
Mr. Viñoly is an avid amateur pianist whose own experience and close friendships with master pianists has sharpened his awareness of the instrument's biomechanical demands and inspired his idea to curve the keyboard. In a 2016 conversation with legendary artists Maestro Daniel Barenboim and Martha Argerich, he was encouraged to develop the concept. Soon after, Viñoly sought out a partnership with Chris Maene, who had previously developed a straight-strung grand piano for Maestro Barenboim.
First, the team collaborated with noted piano kinematics researcher Renzo Pozzo, professor at the Department of Medical and Biological Sciences at the University of Udine (Italy), and German pianist and researcher Dr. Henriette Gärtner to determine the keyboard's ideal arc. The further technical and aesthetic development leveraged time-honored piano-building traditions, computer-aided design and acoustic modeling, and the generous feedback and support of some of the world's most prominent piano technicians and artists including Emanuel Ax, Daniel Barenboim, Kirill Gerstein, and Stephen Hough, among others.
After six years of development, we are proud to present a grand piano that exceeds our team's expectations of sound quality, ergonomics, construction, and aesthetics.
Classical forms remain vibrant and relevant through change and development. The Maene-Viñoly concert grand advances the discourse of what a modern grand piano is while acknowledging and utilizing the traditions and ideas of the past. Its curved keyboard, designed to follow the natural arc of the arm's movement, is a starting point for a re-examined layout of the larger soundboard that follows along this curvature. The unified design, ergonomics, and function give the piano a unique sonic signature. This piano is a musical and artistic creation, as art innovates and provokes by building on the achievements of the past to look into the future. I am thrilled and honored to give the first public performance on the Maene-Viñoly Concert Grand.
Rafael Viñoly is an exceptional architect with a clear vision and a profound passion for his creations. In the instrument's design, the visual aspects are a logical extension of the drive to meet its acoustic and ergonomic goals. By considering it as an integrated whole, he drove us to challenge a grand piano's traditional set-up and embrace the consequences of the foundational idea. The physics of conveying the forces applied to the ergonomic keyboard lent itself to a radial straight strung arrangement and to our unique expertise. The result is astonishing: from Rafael Viñoly's ideas arose a radically new concert grand, with unique looks and an exquisite sound!
Chris Maene's obvious expertise, sensitivity and commitment to excellence can only have come out of a lifetime of probing and learning about making pianos. But more than that, no other piano maker has the courage to challenge the status quo of a culture and industry that has seen little innovation on behalf of its most important exponents, professional artists. Chris has the courage of an artist, because he is one, as well as a consummate craftsman.
**At 1pm on July 19, 2022, immediately following the piano's debut, a Maene-Viñoly Concert Grand will be presented to the press and the public by Messrs. Maene, Viñoly, and Gerstein at the W Verbier, Rue de Médran 70, 1936 Verbier, Switzerland. Light refreshments will be served.
PRESS KIT AND IMAGES:
https://spaces.hightail.com/receive/yIS5zdyxPN
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Henk Swinnen, Senior Adviser
Atelier Chris Maene
+32 (0) 484 151 989
chrismaene.be
Raymond Lee, Communications Director
Rafael Viñoly Architects
+1 212 924 5060
vinoly.com
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SOURCE Rafael Viñoly Architects | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/13/maene-violy-concert-grand/ | 2022-07-13T08:26:21Z |
CINCINNATI, June 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) has appointed Jeff Kiernan to the role of vice president and general manager for KTNV, Scripps' ABC affiliate in Las Vegas, effective Monday, July 25.
Kiernan has served as senior director of news at WXYZ and WMYD, Scripps' ABC affiliate and independent local television stations in Detroit, since January 2021.
"Jeff is a veteran journalist dedicated to serving the community with enterprise, objective journalism," said Local Media President Brian Lawlor. "With his experience leading large newsrooms, Jeff knows how to connect with the community on the issues that matter and build brands that will benefit our advertisers. His career path across multiple Scripps stations is a great example of the culture of employee growth and development we are cultivating at Scripps. We're proud to have him step into this new role."
During his tenure at WXYZ and WMYD, Kiernan led the news department's implementation of Scripps' content strategy across all media platforms. Prior to his time in Detroit, he led the newsroom at WTMJ, Scripps' local television station in Milwaukee. In this role, he guided WTMJ's coverage of drunk driving – its signature local reporting issue – and steered the development and launch of the station's local news on over-the-top platforms.
"I am very proud of what we were able to accomplish in Detroit, and I know the team there will continue to improve the lives of those it serves through its high-caliber reporting," said Kiernan. "I look forward to continuing my Scripps journey in Las Vegas, and I am thankful to be given the opportunity to lead the great team at KTNV."
Kiernan received a bachelor's degree in journalism from Marquette University in Milwaukee. Marquette named him Communicator of the Year in 2010 and honored him with its James T. Tiedge Award for ethics and responsibility in 1999. He also served as a visiting faculty member for new managers at the Poynter Institute in 2007.
About Scripps
The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) is a diversified media company focused on creating a better-informed world. As one of the nation's largest local TV broadcasters, Scripps serves communities with quality, objective local journalism and operates a portfolio of 61 stations in 41 markets. The Scripps Networks reach nearly every American through the national news outlets Court TV and Newsy and popular entertainment brands ION, Bounce, Defy TV, Grit, ION Mystery, Laff and TrueReal. Scripps is the nation's largest holder of broadcast spectrum. Scripps runs an award-winning investigative reporting newsroom in Washington, D.C., and is the longtime steward of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Founded in 1878, Scripps has held for decades to the motto, "Give light and the people will find their own way."
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SOURCE The E.W. Scripps Company | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/30/scripps-names-jeff-kiernan-vp-gm-ktnv-las-vegas/ | 2022-06-30T21:54:47Z |
COMPARES TO QUESTION ASKED 10 YEARS AGO
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C., June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Adam & Eve and adameve.com, America's most trusted source for adult products, are back with the latest statistics from an all-new survey that compares results to the same question they asked 10 years ago: Do you engage in "dirty talk" during sex? And the comparison may surprise you.
For better or worse, cursing, swearing and four-letter-words are often associated with lovemaking. But based on adameve.com's latest findings, adults aren't partaking in dirty talk quite as much as they used to. In 2011, 12% of the respondents said they always talked dirty during sex, while 11% of 2021's respondents did. Over 38% of those surveyed in 2011 said they sometimes engaged in dirty talk, compared to 31% in 2021. And 29% of those polled in 2011 said they rarely talked dirty, while 20% admitted they did in 2021. In addition, 18% of the respondents in 2011 said they never engaged in dirty talk, compared to 20% of those polled in 2021.
Dr. Jenni Skyler, resident sexologist at Adam & Eve, believes these figures may be representative of our current culture. "While using dirty talk in the bedroom can be fun and exciting, many people tend to engage in lovemaking for comfort and reconnection during times of heightened stress," Skyler says. "During uncertain times, couples often prefer intimacy – more eye contact, skin-on-skin stimulation and cuddling – to rougher, more aerobic sex."
Chad Davis, Marketing Director for Adam & Eve, adds, "When it comes to sex, Adam & Eve offers a wide variety of products to enhance any encounter."
The web-based survey, conducted by an independent third party survey company, of over 1,000 American adults age 18 and up, was sponsored by Adam & Eve to study sexual preferences and practices.
For more information about Adam & Eve, visit their website, https://www.adameve.com. For additional information on Adam & Eve, please contact Adam & Eve Director of Public Relations Katy Zvolerin at 919.644.8100 x 3121 or katy@adameve.com.
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SOURCE adameve.com | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/02/adamevecom-asks-do-you-engage-dirty-talk-during-sex/ | 2022-06-02T15:50:48Z |
Showcasing the excitement of its smart connected lifestyle large screen Mini LED QLED TV collection, latest display technology and full category offerings
HONG KONG, July 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TCL, one of the dominant players in the global TV industry and a leading consumer electronics brand, returns to IFA 2022 in Berlin in September, the first major offline edition of the global trade fair for consumers and home electronics since 2019. TCL will be showcasing a collection of world-first exhibits, including the latest display technology for large screen Mini LED QLED TVs with live demonstrations and introductions to the full category offerings.
Meanwhile, TCL is hosting a global press conference on 1 September, followed by a five-day exhibition with an expansive TCL booth spanning over 2,500 square meters.
"We are excited to be back at IFA 2022 and proud to be part of this dynamic industry. With our new branding signature 'Inspire Greatness', TCL will continue to inspire people unleashing the greatest moments in their lives with our products and services," said Shaoyong Zhang, CEO of TCL Electronics.
At the TCL IFA booth, visitors will be able to experience the aesthetics, superior performance and functionality of the latest displays, soundbars and smart wearables, along with a full range of smart home appliances, and an assortment of new TV prototypes. With first-hand opportunities to explore the technology behind the innovations, TCL will also introduce deep-learning AI that delivers the next level of image quality.
TCL Press Conference at IFA 2022
Date: September 1st, 2022
Time: 14:00 (CEST)
Venue: Hall 21B, Messedamm Berlin, Germany (entrance through the Sommergarten, between Halls 21 and 22)
Livestream: TCL Electronics on YouTube
Speakers:
- Frédéric Langin, Vice President Sales and Marketing (TCL Europe)
- Marek Maciejewski, Product Development Director (TCL Europe)
- Olivier Semenoux, Head of Product Marketing and Go-To-Market Director (TCL Europe)
Twitter: @TCL_TV_Global
Facebook: @TCLElectronicsGlobal
Instagram: @tclelectronics
YouTube: TCL Electronics
TCL will be exhibiting at IFA 2022 as follows:
Date: September 2-6th, 2022
Venue: HALL 21A, Messedamm Berlin, Germany
About TCL Electronics
TCL Electronics (1070.HK) is a fast-growing consumer electronics company and a leading player in the global TV industry. Founded in 1981, it now operates in over 160 markets globally. TCL specializes in the research, development and manufacturing of consumer electronics products ranging from TVs, audio and smart home appliances.
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SOURCE TCL Electronics | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/18/tcl-unveils-full-category-exhibition-global-press-conference-ifa-2022/ | 2022-07-18T08:42:38Z |
Bobbye Robinson
Bobbye Robinson was born in 1938 in Winnfield, LA, to Doris and Robert Kraft and died on July 19, 2022 at her residence after a long illness. She was raised on a farm outside Winnfield by very loving and nurturing parents, and in close proximity to several loving aunts, uncles, cousins and her maternal grandfather, Matthew (Bud) Allen. She described her childhood as “full of love, laughter and play – almost like a fairy tale.”
She attended Austin College in Sherman, TX, where she met James Robinson, who she would marry in Galveston in 1964 after James completed his military obligation and his first year of medical school.
Bobbye’s love of people and strong work ethic led to many jobs and activities. In Galveston, she was the religion editor of the daily newspaper, and later the author of the medical school periodic publication. In Temple and Belton she was a journalist for the Belton Journal, chairman of the Bell County Republican party, president of the Bell county Medical Auxiliary, president of the Good Earth Garden club, president of the Belton TAG Parent Assoc., active in the Temple Service League, author of a St. Francis Episcopal Church periodic publication. In 1984 she renovated a century-old building in downtown Belton and opened Mrs. Robinson’s Neighborhood, which sold food, custom jewelry, antiques, etc., until she moved to Lubbock in 1992. In 1984, the Belton Chamber of Commerce, named Bobbye the first female Man of the Year. She served on its board of directors for 3 years and was also a director of the Belton United Way. In 1977 she received a Political Science degree from UMHB. Her love of politics derived from her hometown, Winnfield, LA, the birthplace of two Louisiana Governors (Huey and Earl Long) and home to many relatives (including her grandfather Bud) of another LA governor, O.K. Allen.
Bobbye was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Jamie. She is survived by her husband James and four sons- Robert Matthew (wife Dawn and daughters Savannah and Rebecca), Jon (fiancée Melissa, daughters Avery, Caroline and Hope), Mark (wife Dawn and children Sarah and Jacob) and James Luke, and by great-grandson Hunter, and her sister Betty Kraft Mixon.
Bobbye’s favorite Bible chapter is 1 Corinthians 13 which teaches us that:
Love is patient and kind, Love bears all things, Love never fails or ends. Though I have faith and hope, without love, I am nothing. This Bobbye believed, and this she lived.
Goodnight sweet Princess and Angels flight thee to thy rest.
A private family service for Bobbye will be held at a later date.
Paid Obituary | https://www.tdtnews.com/obituaries/article_7592d0c2-0f66-11ed-bb71-af5500a0c37a.html | 2022-07-31T11:21:03Z |
Rocker Ronnie Hawkins, patron of Canadian rock, dies at 87
(AP) - Ronnie Hawkins, a brash rockabilly star from Arkansas who became a patron of the Canadian music scene after moving north and recruiting a handful of local musicians later known as the Band, has died.
His wife Wanda confirmed to The Canadian Press that Hawkins died Sunday morning after an illness. He was 87.
“He went peacefully and he looked as handsome as ever,” she said by telephone.
Born just two days after Elvis Presley, the Huntsville native friends called “The Hawk” was a hell-raiser with a big jaw and a stocky build. He also nicknamed himself “The King of Rockabilly” and “Mr. Dynamo.”
He had minor hits in the 1950s with “Mary Lou” and “Odessa” and ran a club in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where acts included such early rock stars as Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Conway Twitty.
“Hawkins is the only man I ever heard who can make a nice sexy song like ‘My Gal is Red Hot’ sound sordid,” Greil Marcus wrote in his acclaimed book about music and American culture, “Mystery Train,” adding that “The Hawk” was alleged to “know more back roads, back rooms and backsides than any man from Newark to Mexicali.”
Hawkins didn’t have the gifts of Presley or Perkins, but he did have ambition and an eye for talent.
He first performed in Canada in the late ‘50s and realized he would stand out far more in a country where homegrown rock still barely existed. Canadian musicians had often moved to the U.S. to advance their careers, but Hawkins was the rare American to try the reverse.
With drummer and fellow Arkansan Levon Helm, Hawkins put together a Canadian backing group that included guitarist-songwriter Robbie Robertson, keyboardists Garth Hudson and Richard Manuel and bassist Rick Danko. They became the Hawks, educated in the Hawkins school of rock.
“When the music got a little too far out for Ronnie’s ear,” Robertson told Rolling Stone in 1978, “or he couldn’t tell when to come in singing, he would tell us that nobody but Thelonious Monk could understand what we were playing. But the big thing with him was that he made us rehearse and practice a lot. Often we would go and play until 1 a.m. and then rehearse until 4.”
Robertson and friends backed Hawkins from 1961-63, putting on raucous shows around Canada and recording a howling cover of Bo Diddley’s “Who Do You Love” that became one of Hawkins’ signature songs.
But Hawkins wasn’t selling many records and the Hawks outgrew their leader. They hooked up with Bob Dylan in the mid-’60s and by the end of the decade were superstars on their own who had renamed themselves the Band.
Hawkins, meanwhile, settled in Peterborough, Ontario, and had a handful of top 40 singles there, including “Bluebirds in the Mountain” and “Down in the Alley.”
He admittedly didn’t keep up with the latest sounds — he was horrified the first time he heard Canadian Neil Young — but in the late 1960s he befriended John Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono. They stayed with Hawkins and his wife, Wanda, and three children while they were visiting Canada.
“At that particular time, I thought I was doin’ them a favor,” he later told the National Post. “I thought the Beatles were an English group that got lucky. I didn’t know a lot about their music. I thought Yoko’s was (silly). To this day, I have never heard a Beatle album. For 10 billion dollars, I couldn’t name one song on ‘Abbey Road.’ I have never in my life picked up a Beatle album, and listened to it. Never. But John was so powerful. I liked him. He wasn’t one of those hotshots, you know.”
Hawkins also kept in touch with the Band and was among the guests in 1976 for the all-star, farewell concert that was the basis for Martin Scorsese’s documentary “The Last Waltz.”
For a few moments he was back in charge, grinning and strutting under his Stetson hat, calling out “big time, big time” to his former underlings as they tore through “Who Do You Love.”
Besides “The Last Waltz,” Hawkins also appeared in Dylan’s film “Renaldo and Clara,” the big-budget fiasco “Heaven’s Gate” and “Hello Mary Lou.” A 2007 documentary about Hawkins, “Alive and Kickin,’” was narrated by Dan Aykroyd and featured a cameo from another famous Arkansan, Bill Clinton.
Hawkins’ albums included “Ronnie Hawkins,” “The Hawk” and “Can’t Stop Rockin,’” a 2001 release notable for Helm and Robertson appearing on the same song, “Blue Moon in My Sign.” Helm and Robertson were no longer speaking, having fallen out after “The Last Waltz,” and recorded their contributions in separate studios.
Over time, Hawkins mentored numerous young Canadian musicians who went on to successful careers, including guitarist Pat Travers and future Janis Joplin guitarist John Till.
He received several honorary awards from his adopted country, and, in 2013, was named a member of the Order of Canada for “his contributions to the development of the music industry in Canada, as a rock and roll musician, and for his support of charitable causes.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/05/29/rocker-ronnie-hawkins-patron-canadian-rock-dies-87/ | 2022-05-29T22:42:29Z |
BROOMFIELD, Colo., July 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- At Backyard Farming Supply, they believe that eating healthy starts at home. They figure hey, if you love your veggies and want to live long, don't worry! A new study by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has discovered that eating lots of fruits and vegetables may help increase the human lifespan! The study, published in the British Medical Journal, investigated over 130,000 Americans from 1992-1996 and tracked their dietary habits over the next 24 years. In the end, researchers found that people who consumed more than five servings of fruits and vegetables per day had an 11% lower risk of death during the follow-up period compared to those who consumed less than one serving per day.
The benefits of a plant-based diet are seemingly endless. Plants tend to be packed with fiber, which can help lower cholesterol levels and regulate bowel movements. They're also high in important nutrients like potassium, folate, magnesium, vitamin C, riboflavin, manganese, and dietary fiber—all of which contribute to our body's ability to function efficiently. In fact, eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is one of the easiest ways we can stay on top of our health.
According to The American Heart Association, men need at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, and women need at least 7. That's roughly 2 cups of fruits and veggies per day for men and 2.5 cups for women. These are just minimum recommendations—the more you can eat, of course, the better!
Start small. If you're not a vegetarian, start by reducing your meat intake to once per day. Then try adding more plants to each meal. Use tomato-based sauces, top your food with avocado or guacamole, or throw some spinach into your next stir-fry. Over time, you can incorporate more plant foods into your meals—and see how much healthier you feel in return!
While people often think of vegetables when they think of plants, there are plenty of other plant-based foods you can incorporate into your diet. Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes (beans), nuts, and seeds are all plants. Plants have many different nutrients that your body needs to stay strong and healthy, including protein, vitamin C, calcium, and iron. Adding more of these foods to your diet can help you get all of these benefits as well as gain protection against cancer.
Tip #1: Practice moderation to avoid consuming an excess of added sugar, salt, fat, etc. Tip #2: Invest in a well-stocked pantry to make cooking plant-based meals at home easier. Tip #3: Experiment with different recipes until you find your favorite combinations. For example, give tofu a try if you're worried about missing meat or want to try something new when you cook plant-based meals at home.
If you're interested in learning more about how to start your own garden so that you can start eating healthier for cheaper at your own home, please contact Backyard Farming Supply. Their people have the knowledge and tools to help make your garden successful, sustainable and prolific! Contact them today!!
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SOURCE Backyard Farming Supply | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/03/looking-live-long-healthy-life-eating-plants-may-be-answer/ | 2022-07-03T15:20:30Z |
US official: Russia appoints new Ukraine war commander
WASHINGTON (AP) — After its striking post-invasion setbacks, Russia has appointed a new Ukraine war commander, a U.S. official said Sunday.
Russia has turned to Gen. Alexander Dvornikov, 60, one of Russia’s most experienced military officers and — according to U.S. officials — a general with a record of brutality against civilians in Syria and other war theaters. The senior official who identified the new commander was not authorized to be identified and spoke on condition of anonymity.
But the White House national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said “no appointment of any general can erase the fact that Russia has already faced a strategic failure in Ukraine.”
“This general will just be another author of crimes and brutality against Ukrainian civilians,” Sullivan told CNN’s “State of the Union.” “And the United States, as I said before, is determined to do all that we can to support Ukrainians as they resist him and they resist the forces that he commands.”
WARNING: Videos may contain graphic content.
The decision to establish new battlefield leadership comes as Russia gears up for what is expected to be a large and more focused push to expand Russian control in the Donbas and follows a failed opening bid to conquer Kyiv, the capital.
Dvornikov gained prominence while leading the Russian group of forces in Syria, where Moscow has waged a military campaign since 2015 to shore up President Bashar Assad’s regime during a devastating civil war.
Dvornikov is a career military officer and has steadily risen through the ranks after starting as a platoon commander in 1982. He fought during the second war in Chechnya and took several top positions before being placed in charge of the Russian troops in Syria in 2015.
In 2016, Putin awarded Dvornikov the Hero of Russia medal, one of the country’s highest awards. Dvornikov has served as the commander of the Southern Military District since 2016.
Sullivan described the general as having a record of brutality against civilians in Syria and said “we can expect more of the same in this theater.” But he stressed that the U.S. strategy remains the same in providing Ukraine the military and logistical support it needs.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/04/10/us-official-russia-appoints-new-ukraine-war-commander/ | 2022-04-10T15:51:43Z |
Best time for babies to start wearing shoes
A car seat, diapers, onesies, socks — the must-have list when preparing for the arrival of your new baby is lengthy. If you’re wondering whether you should include baby shoes on that list, you’re not alone.
The first year of your baby’s life will seem like a blur. Before you know it, your baby will be teetering around on their itty bitty feet. As cute as tiny shoes would look, putting shoes on your baby is a giant step. So, when is the best time to buy your baby their first pair of shoes?
Why your baby shouldn’t wear shoes
Proper development
With pliable bones and soft spots on their skull, it’s no secret that babies are fragile when they’re first born. However, not many people realize that the bones in your baby’s feet are also soft. Newborn baby feet are technically made up of spongy cartilage. The cartilage will slowly ossify and turn into strong bones as your baby grows and develops.
Until those bones are fully developed, they are malleable and easily susceptible to developmental abnormalities. So the best way to ensure your baby’s little feet are developing correctly is to keep them free of tight shoes and allow their feet to experience the world around them.
Balance and coordination
Being able to feel the ground beneath their feet is vital to a baby’s balance and coordination. Any natural movement is essential, including wiggling, playing in a jumper and crawling. Natural foot movement also helps your baby gain muscle and encourages proper posture. Putting shoes on a baby too early and too often can hinder a baby’s balance and coordination.
Healthy feet
Putting your baby in shoes that are too tight or too structured can cause issues, including ingrown toenails and fungal infections. If you’re worried about the cold or protecting your baby’s feet from sharp debris, socks or loose booties are excellent alternatives to structured shoes.
When should babies wear shoes?
While there’s not one specific age or stage, most experts agree that it’s best to wait until your baby has been walking for a few weeks or even months before using shoes for prolonged periods. This waiting period will ensure your baby develops the proper coordination, balance and posture in this new stage of life.
If you’re going to be at a park or an area with sharp objects where they need shoes to protect their feet, be sure they aren’t too tight or rigid. However, it’s still best to keep them barefoot while indoors or on soft ground for as long as possible.
Tips for choosing your baby’s first pair of shoes
- Always protect your baby’s feet. Experts agree that it’s best to keep your baby barefoot for as long as possible. However, if you live in cold temperatures or your baby is playing in an area with sticks, the biggest concern is keeping your baby’s feet protected with socks, booties or shoes.
- Choose a lightweight material. Shoes that are too heavy or have thick soles can impede your baby’s ability to walk or cause them to alter the way they walk. Breathable materials like canvas or cotton are ideal for keeping your baby’s feet from sweating.
- Make sure it fits correctly. Shoes that are too tight can cause your baby’s feet to develop abnormally and contribute to ingrown toenails. However, you also don’t want shoes to be too big because they could be hazardous and cause tripping or stumbling. Aim to have about a thumb’s width of space between your baby’s toes and the tip of the shoe. Since babies grow so quickly, you’ll also want to check that it still fits appropriately every few weeks.
- Look for nonslip soles. To prevent slipping, make sure you choose shoes with nonslip soles.
Best baby shoes for new walkers
If your baby isn’t walking yet, but you’re concerned about keeping their feet warm, these fleece baby booties are an ideal option. The adjustable snaps ensure they stay put and won’t squish tiny baby feet.
Sold by Amazon
Robeeze Ro + Me Alex Athletic Sneaker
The Velcro snap ensures these sneakers don’t fall off, while the slip-resistant outsole keeps them safe. Plus, they’re approved by the American Podiatric Medical Association.
Momo Baby First Walker Sneaker Shoes
Since they’re accepted by the APMA, you can be sure these sneakers will protect your baby’s feet. They’re made of a durable mesh that’s lightweight and breathable.
Sold by Amazon
See Kai Run Stevie II First Walker Sneakers for Infants
This shoe boasts a generous toe box to provide room for your baby’s developing feet. The full rubber outsole offers traction and flexibility. Additionally, they’re accepted by the APMA.
Sold by Amazon
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Bre Richey writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/baby-kids-br/clothing-shoes-br/when-should-you-buy-your-baby-their-first-pair-of-shoes/ | 2022-04-27T19:02:28Z |
NEW YORK, April 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Oway, the world's first brand in the professional cosmetics industry to reach 99% plastic-free packaging, officially launches in the United States. With the use of certified biodynamic and organic raw materials, obtained by ensuring maximum transparency throughout the supply chain, from the field to the formulations, Oway guarantees pure plant ingredients and extracts in all its treatments respecting biodiversity. The company works with a network of certified Italian partners and with biodynamic and organic farmers who grow according to rigid agricultural and eco-friendly standards.
Founded in 1948 with over 70 years of experience, Oway believes in a formulation based on the balance of ingredients that add value, properties, and effectiveness to the product without the use of aggressive substances. Oway is a portmanteau of the Organic Way, an expression that combines biology (Organic) with lifestyle (Way).
agricosmetica®
Coining the term agricosmetica®, Oway's manifesto supports their commitment to growing zero-mile plants, flowers, and medicinal and aromatic shrubs on their Ortofficina estate, which rests on the hills of Bologna, in Italy. Established in 2010, the commercial farm grows its herbs and plants in the most earth‑friendly way, distilling them directly and then using them in products. Oway is not just a brand, but a set of values, a healthy and ecological lifestyle.
Sustainability
Sustainability is embraced not only in Oway's production processes and packaging choices but actively involves the company's entire routine, manifesting itself in everyday life, through small but important green habits. Oway was the first Italian brand in the professional sector to have chosen to replace plastic in favor of glass and aluminum for all bottles and jars. By eliminating unnecessary packaging in 2013 and working exclusively with eco-sustainable materials, Oway has reduced its environmental footprint significantly while still providing high-quality products.
"Glass can preserve and protect the integrity of the formulas' botanical extracts, shielding them from UV rays and protecting them from bacteria. Committed to becoming completely plastic-free in the near future, we are so excited to officially launch in the United States, bringing pure and infinitely recyclable products and packaging to both salons and consumers," said Sharon Nykaza, General Manager of Oway United States.
From ideation and conception to hand-crafting and harvesting the materials needed, Oway creates all of its products in-house. In 2017 Oway decided to open Artigiano, a wood workshop and a manufacturing laboratory where ecological solutions, tools and furnishings for beauty salons are made according to the principles of circular design.
Salons
Oway creates exclusive rituals in the salon to be continued at home through extremely effective multisensory treatments. Salon partners differentiate themselves through the use of natural and exclusive products and treatments, choosing to work in an environment that is 99% plastic-free and putting in place true, sustainable practices by using safe, hygienic, and protective containers such as glass and aluminum.
Oway carries the first permanent agricosmetic hair coloring treatment with more than 35% biodynamic and organic sage macerate. Compared to other professional treatments, Oway guarantees comfort and gentleness for both hairstylists and their guests, providing dermatologically nickel-tested formulas made with up to 97% biodegradable ingredients.
Following its launch in the United States, Oway USA is looking for salon partners to adopt their sustainable values, providing exclusive treatments and multisensory experiences as an official Oway salon. Find more information on becoming an Oway salon here.
To learn more about Oway, visit oway.com or follow @owayusaoffical on Instagram and Facebook.
About Oway:
Oway is a brand of organic and biodynamic agricosmetics for hair, skin, and body, manufactured in Bologna, Italy, and adopted in salons and spas all over the world. In 2013, Oway converted all containers into glass bottles and aluminum tubes, the first to do so in the professional beauty industry. They believe that real beauty is plastic-free, organic is more than a word or a certification on the label, and a circular lifestyle is the only way to preserve and protect our environment's future. Holding true to these core principles, Oway only produces ultra-concentrated formulas with a very high percentage of plant-based and biodegradable ingredients, using biodynamic practices and upholding their carbon-neutral promise. All of their formulas are Vegan, Cruelty-Free, Biodynamic, Organic, and Fair-Trade, without sacrificing fashion-forward, high-quality results.
Contact:
Email: nykaza@owayusa.com
Phone: 312-771-0242
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SOURCE Oway | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/04/11/oway-launches-biodynamic-99-plastic-free-haircare-line-united-states/ | 2022-04-11T14:06:50Z |
Dad who lived in dorm convicted of abusing daughter’s friends
NEW YORK (AP) — A man who moved into his daughter’s college dorm and charmed her schoolmates with claims of influence and wisdom was convicted Wednesday of charges that he exploited the close-knit group, using threats and violence to enrich himself with millions of dollars as he ruined their lives.
Lawrence Ray, 62, was convicted at a trial where weeks of testimony chronicled his psychologically manipulative relationship with young people he met in fall 2010 at Sarah Lawrence College, a small New York liberal arts school. Ray moved into his daughter’s dorm after finishing a prison stint for a securities fraud conviction.
Sentencing was set for Sept. 16 on charges including racketeering, conspiracy, forced labor, sex trafficking and obstruction of justice. Ray, who stood with his arms at his side and faced the Manhattan jury as guilty verdicts were returned on 15 counts, could face up to life in prison. One charge carries a mandatory minimum 15-year term.
After the verdict was read, Ray was returned to custody, where he had been since his early 2020 arrest.
His lawyers declined comment outside court and did not return email messages seeking comment.
In a statement, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said Ray had changed “a group of friends who had their whole lives ahead of them.”
“For the next decade, he used violence, threats, and psychological abuse to try to control and destroy their lives,” Williams said. “He exploited them. He terrorized them. He tortured them. Let me be very clear. Larry Ray is a predator. An evil man who did evil things. Today’s verdict finally brings him to justice.”
Jurors concluded deliberations less than a day after receiving the case following a monthlong trial that featured testimony from numerous victims who usually referred to Ray just as “Larry.” Some testified that Ray had made them believe they had poisoned or otherwise harmed him and they needed to pay him back.
One woman testified that she became a sex worker to try to pay reparations to Ray after becoming convinced that she had poisoned him. She said that, over four years, she gave Ray $2.5 million in installments that averaged between $10,000 and $50,000 per week.
Another woman who was educated at Harvard and Columbia and was about to become a medical doctor in 2012 testified that her career and life were derailed when she met Ray and became romantically involved with him. She said he sometimes demanded that she have sex with strangers and film it for him.
Ray’s lawyers maintained he was victimized by former friends who fabricated their stories.
Ray did not testify. Twice, the trial was interrupted as he was taken to the hospital in an ambulance for undisclosed illnesses.
Several students testified that they were drawn into Ray’s world as he told them stories of his past influence in New York City politics, including his role in ruining the career of former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik after serving as the best man at his wedding years earlier. Ray had, in fact, been a figure in the corruption investigation that derailed Kerik’s nomination to lead the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Some of the students agreed to live with Ray in the summer of 2011 at his Manhattan one-bedroom apartment, where his sinister side emerged as he started to claim that the students had poisoned and harmed him or his property.
To make amends, they testified, they did what he asked, including turning over money. One man said he gave Ray over $100,000.
Prosecutors said the money was never enough. Through threats and violence and videotaped “confessions,” Ray tightened his hold on the young people, including forcing them to do landscaping and other work at the Pinehurst, North Carolina home of his stepfather for weeks in 2013, they said.
The abuse culminated in October 2018 when Ray for hours repeatedly abused the woman who gave him her proceeds from sex work, forcing her to be tied naked to a chair while he berated her, choked her with a leash and made her fear for her life by putting a bag over her head, prosecutors said.
Ray carried out his crimes with help from his daughter and Isabella Pollok, a woman who has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges, prosecutors said. Her trial is set for later this year. The daughter has not been charged.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/04/06/dad-who-lived-dorm-convicted-abusing-daughters-friends/ | 2022-04-07T05:53:14Z |
(The Hill) — Authorities said the brother of former NFL cornerback Aqib Talib is a person of interest in a shooting at a youth football game in Texas that occurred on Saturday that killed a coach.
A statement released by Lancaster, Texas officials indicated on Sunday that Yaqub Salik Talib is considered a suspect in the incident at the Lancaster Community Park in Dallas County. There is a warrant out for his arrest.
Police said Lancaster police officers arrived at the scene where an argument had ensued between the coaching staff and officiating crew. During a physical altercation, police said someone discharged a firearm that struck Coach Mike Hickmon.
The Dallas County medical examiner’s office confirmed the identity of the lone victim in the incident as the 43-year-old Hickmon, Dallas Morning News reported.
A video of the incident on social media shows a coach arguing with a game official as a brawl erupts in the background.
North Dallas United Bobcats owner Tevar Watson told the newspaper that he was aware of the incident and that his team was among those competing.
“We don’t condone any of that, there is no place for anything like that to happen in youth sports — in any type of sport,” Watson told the Morning News.
Aqib Talib, who recently joined Amazon’s Prime Video as a studio analyst for its “Thursday Night Football” NFL coverage, released a statement through his attorney expressing his condolences, according to TMZ.
The 36-year-old Talib enjoyed a fruitful NFL career, making five Pro Bowls, two All-Pro teams, and winning a Super Bowl championship with the Denver Broncos in 2015 during his twelve years in the league.
Talib also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams, and Miami Dolphins. | https://cw33.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/brother-of-former-nfl-star-sought-as-suspect-in-texas-youth-football-game-shooting/ | 2022-08-15T16:19:56Z |
NEW YORK, June 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Otera Capital ("Otera"), a major institutional investor based in Canada and which has been active in commercial real estate financing in the United States, announced it has opened an office in New York City via its wholly-owned subsidiary Otera Capital U.S. Inc. ("Otera US"). The office will be led by Alfred Trivilino, Managing Director, U.S. Real Estate Credit.
The new office will focus on referring high quality commercial real estate financing opportunities as well as developing and maintaining relationships with top tier stakeholders in real estate investments in the U.S. The New York office will provide advisory services to Otera's Canadian Investment Team on a variety of U.S. credit investments consisting of construction, bridge and term loans.
"The addition of the New York office will strengthen Otera's presence in the U.S. and facilitates the delivery of even more personalized services to our clients. This further demonstrates our commitment to and the importance of the U.S. market to the long-term growth and diversification of Otera's portfolio" said Rana Ghorayeb, Otera's President and Chief Executive Officer.
"We are delighted to have Alfred's leadership and experience to assist us in the execution of our growth and diversification strategy" said Paul Chin, Otera's Executive Vice-President and Chief Investment Officer. "He brings strong relationships and extensive experience in all types of real estate financings, as well as an in-depth knowledge of the major U.S. real estate markets and stakeholders. His involvement will further strengthen our presence and help us in establishing long term partnerships in the U.S. and facilitate the efficient execution of transactions." Chin added.
With over U.S. $21 billion in assets under management and a vertically integrated team of commercial real estate lending professionals, Otera Capital is a major institutional investor active in commercial real estate financing across North America. Based in Montreal with offices in New York and Toronto, Otera is known for its expertise, professionalism, and reliability. Otera Capital is a subsidiary of Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec ("CDPQ"), a global investment manager with U.S. $332 billion in assets under management. Otera offers a wide range of commercial real estate financing solutions tailored to the needs of clients and partners in a variety of markets and asset classes including multi-family, office, life sciences, industrial, mixed-use and selective alternative sectors.
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SOURCE Otera | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/01/otera-capital-opens-office-new-york-city/ | 2022-06-01T15:36:03Z |
Shareholders with $100,000 losses or more are encouraged to contact the firm.
BENSALEM, Pa., June 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Law Offices of Howard G. Smith announces that investors with substantial losses have opportunity to lead the securities fraud class action lawsuit against Okta, Inc. ("Okta" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: OKTA).
Class Period: March 5, 2021 – March 22, 2022
Lead Plaintiff Deadline: July 19, 2022
Investors suffering losses on their Okta investments are encouraged to contact the Law Offices of Howard G. Smith to discuss their legal rights in this class action at 888-638-4847 or by email to howardsmith@howardsmithlaw.com.
The complaint filed alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (1) Okta had inadequate cybersecurity controls; (2) as a result, Okta's systems were vulnerable to data breaches; (3) Okta ultimately did experience a data breach caused by a hacking group, which potentially affected hundreds of Okta customers; (4) Okta initially did not disclose and subsequently downplayed the severity of the data breach; (5) all the foregoing, once revealed, was likely to have a material negative impact on Okta's business, financial condition, and reputation; and (6) as a result, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.
To be a member of the class action you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the class action. If you wish to learn more about this class action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to the pending class action lawsuit, please contact Howard G. Smith, Esquire, of Law Offices of Howard G. Smith, 3070 Bristol Pike, Suite 112, Bensalem, Pennsylvania 19020, by telephone at (215) 638-4847, toll-free at (888) 638-4847, or by email to howardsmith@howardsmithlaw.com, or visit our website at www.howardsmithlaw.com.
This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.
Contacts
Law Offices of Howard G. Smith
Howard G. Smith, Esquire
215-638-4847
888-638-4847
howardsmith@howardsmithlaw.com
www.howardsmithlaw.com
View original content:
SOURCE Law Offices of Howard G. Smith | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/23/okta-investors-have-opportunity-lead-okta-inc-securities-fraud-lawsuit/ | 2022-06-23T05:34:40Z |
NEW YORK, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
Summary Notice of Proposed Class Action Settlement
If you transacted in Euribor Products1 between June 1, 2005 and March 31, 2011, inclusive ("Class Period"), then your rights will be affected by a pending class action settlement, and you may be entitled to a portion of the settlement fund.
The purpose of this Notice is to inform you of your rights in connection with the proposed settlement with Settling Defendants Crédit Agricole S.A. and Crédit Agricole CIB (collectively, "Crédit Agricole") in the action titled Sullivan, et al. v. Barclays plc, et al., 13-cv-2811 (PKC) (S.D.N.Y.). The settlement with Crédit Agricole (the "Settlement") is not a settlement with any other Defendant and thus is not dispositive of any of Plaintiffs' claims against other Defendants.
The Settlement has been proposed in a class action lawsuit concerning the alleged manipulation of the Euro Interbank Offered Rate ("Euribor") and the prices of Euribor Products during the Class Period. The Settlement provides a total of $55 million to pay claims from persons who transacted in Euribor Products during the Class Period. If you qualify, you may potentially receive benefits from the Settlement if you (a) previously submitted a Proof of Claim and Release form ("Claim Form") in connection with prior settlements in this Action or (b) submit a Claim Form by the deadline set forth below. You can also choose to exclude yourself from the Settlement, or object to the Settlement.
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (500 Pearl St., New York, NY 10007-1312) authorized this Notice. Before any money is paid, the Court will hold a Settlement Hearing to decide whether to approve the Settlement.
You are a "Settlement Class Member" if you purchased, sold, held, traded, or otherwise had any interest in Euribor Products during the Class Period, and during the Class Period were either domiciled in the United States or its territories or, if domiciled outside the United States or its territories, you transacted in Euribor Products in the United States or its territories during the Class Period. "Settlement Class Members" include, but are not limited to, all persons who during the Class Period traded CME Euro currency futures contracts and options, all persons who during the Class Period transacted in NYSE LIFFE Euribor futures and options from a location within the United States, and all persons who during the Class Period traded any other Euribor Product from a location within the United States or its territories.
Contact your brokerage firm to see if you purchased, sold, held, or traded or otherwise had any interest in Euribor Products. If you are not sure you are included, you can get more information, including the Settlement Agreement,2 the Notice of Proposed Class Action Settlement, October 4, 2022 Settlement Hearing Thereon, and Settlement Class Members' Rights (the "Settlement Notice"), Plan of Allocation, Proof of Claim and Release, and other important documents, at www.EuriborSettlement.com ("Settlement Website") or by calling toll free 800-492-9154.
Plaintiffs allege that during the Class Period, Defendants (including Crédit Agricole) conspired to manipulate and manipulated Euribor and the prices of Euribor Products. Plaintiffs allege that Defendants did so by using several means of manipulation. For example, Plaintiffs allege that panel banks that made daily Euribor submissions to Thomson Reuters, falsely reported banks' costs of borrowing in order to financially benefit their Euribor Products positions. Plaintiffs also allege that Defendants requested that other Defendants make false Euribor submissions on their behalf to benefit their Euribor Products positions.
Plaintiffs further allege that Defendants continuously conspired to fix the prices of Euribor Products in the over-the-counter market to financially benefit their own Euribor Products positions. In addition to coordinating Euribor submissions and agreeing on where to price Euribor Products, Plaintiffs allege that to effectuate their alleged manipulations of Euribor and Euribor Products during the Class Period, Defendants engaged in "pushing cash," transmitted false bids and offers, used derivative traders as submitters, and rigged bids and offers for Euribor Products.
Plaintiffs have asserted legal claims under various theories, including the Sherman Act, the Commodity Exchange Act, the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, and common law.
Crédit Agricole has agreed to enter into this Settlement Agreement, while denying the allegations brought in this action and maintaining that it has meritorious defenses to Plaintiffs' claims of liability and damages, in order to avoid further expense, inconvenience and the distraction of burdensome and protracted litigation, and thereby to resolve this controversy and avoid the risks inherent in complex litigation.
Under the Settlement, Crédit Agricole agreed to pay a total of $55 million into the Settlement Fund. If the Court approves the Settlement, eligible Settlement Class Members who either previously submitted a Claim Form in connection with an earlier settlement in the Action or submit a valid Claim Form before the claims filing deadline may receive a share of the Settlement Fund after they are reduced by the payment of certain expenses. The Settlement Agreement, available on the Settlement Website, describes all of the details about the proposed Settlement. The exact amount each qualifying Settlement Class Member will receive from the Settlement Fund cannot be calculated until (1) the Court approves the Settlement; (2) certain amounts identified in the full Settlement Agreement are deducted from the Settlement Fund; and (3) the number of participating Class Members and the amount of their claims are determined. In addition, each Settlement Class Member's share of the Settlement Fund will vary depending on the information the Settlement Class Member provides on their Claim Form.
The number of claimants who send in claims varies widely from case to case. If less than 100% of the Settlement Class sends in a Claim Form, you could get more money.
If you timely submitted a Claim Form pursuant to either: (1) the November 29, 2017 Notice (the "2017 Notice") related to the $94 million settlement with Defendants Barclays plc, Barclays Bank plc, and Barclays Capital Inc. (collectively, "Barclays"), the $45 million settlement with HSBC Holdings plc and HSBC Bank plc (collectively, "HSBC"), and the $170 million settlement with Deutsche Bank AG and DB Group Services (UK) Ltd. (collectively, "Deutsche Bank"); and/or (2) the December 19, 2018 Notice (the "2018 Notice") related to the $182.5 million settlement with Citigroup Inc. and Citibank, N.A. (collectively, "Citi") and JPMorgan Chase & Co. and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (collectively, "JPMorgan"), then YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SUBMIT A NEW CLAIM FORM TO PARTICIPATE in the Settlement with Crédit Agricole. Any Settlement Class Member who previously submitted a Claim Form in connection with the 2017 Notice and/or the 2018 Notice will be subject to and bound by the releases set forth in the Settlement Agreement with Crédit Agricole, unless such member submits a timely and valid request for exclusion, explained below.
If you are a Settlement Class Member and have not previously submitted a Claim Form, you may seek to participate in the Settlement by submitting a Claim Form to the Claims Administrator at the address in the Settlement Notice postmarked no later than November 3, 2022. You may obtain a Claim Form on the Settlement Website or by calling the toll-free number referenced above. If you are a Settlement Class Member and do not file a Claim Form, you will still be bound by the releases set forth in the Settlement Agreement if the Court enters an order approving the Settlement Agreement.
All requests to be excluded from the Settlement must be made in accordance with the instructions set forth in the Settlement Notice and must be postmarked to the Claims Administrator no later than August 23, 2022. All requests for exclusion must comply with the requirements set forth in the Settlement Notice to be honored. The Settlement Notice, available at the Settlement Website, explains how to exclude yourself or object. If you exclude yourself from the Settlement Class, you will not be bound by the Settlement Agreement and can independently pursue claims at your own expense. However, if you exclude yourself, you will not be eligible to share in the Net Settlement Fund or otherwise participate in the Settlement.
The Court will hold a Settlement Hearing in this case on October 4, 2022 at 3:45 p.m. (ET), to consider whether to approve the Settlement and a request by the lawyers representing all Settlement Class Members (Lowey Dannenberg, P.C. and Lovell Stewart Halebian Jacobson LLP) for an award of attorneys' fees of no more than sixteen and one-half percent (16.5%), or $9,075,000, of the Settlement Fund for investigating the facts, litigating the case, and negotiating the settlement, and for reimbursement of their costs and expenses in the amount of no more than $1,000,000. The Plaintiffs may also request no more than $400,000 from the Settlement Fund as reimbursement of their own expenses and compensation for their time devoted to this litigation. The lawyers for the Settlement Class may also seek additional reimbursement of costs and expenses in connection with services provided after the Settlement Hearing. These payments will also be deducted from the Settlement Fund before any distributions are made to the Settlement Class.
You may ask to appear at the Settlement Hearing, but you do not have to. For more information, call toll free 800-492-9154 or visit the website www.EuriborSettlement.com.
1 "Euribor Products" means any and all interest rate swaps, forward rate agreements, futures, options, structured products, and any other instrument or transaction related in any way to Euribor, including but not limited to, New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange ("LIFFE") Euribor futures contracts and options, Chicago Mercantile Exchange ("CME") Euro currency futures contracts and options, Euro currency forward agreements, Euribor-based swaps, Euribor-based forward rate agreements, and/or any other financial instruments that reference Euribor.
2 The "Settlement Agreement" means the agreement between Plaintiffs and Crédit Agricole S.A. and Crédit Agricole CIB, entered into on March 10, 2022, and filed with the Court in this action.
View original content:
SOURCE Lowey Dannenberg, P.C. and Lovell Stewart Halebian Jacobson LLP | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/08/lowey-dannenberg-pc-lovell-stewart-halebian-jacobson-llp-announce-settlement-those-who-have-transacted-euribor-products-between-june-1-2005-march-31-2011/ | 2022-06-08T21:15:04Z |
NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge hit his third walk-off homer this year, his major league-leading 39th home run of the season, to lift the New York Yankees over the Kansas City Royals 1-0 Thursday night.
New York was held to one hit before Judge drove a first-pitch fastball from Scott Barlow (4-3) into the Kansas City bullpen with one out in the ninth, a 431-foot drive that gave the Yankees their 12th walk-off win this season.
Judge sent the crowd of 43,836 into a frenzy, joining Mickey Mantle as the only Yankees with three walk-off home runs in one season. Tommy Henrich had two in 1949 plus another off Brooklyn’s Don Newcombe in the World Series opener.
Barlow walked off with his head down as Judge’s teammates mobbed him at home plate.
Judge had never hit a big league walk-off homer before May 10 against Toronto’s Jordan Romano, then hit another on June 26 off Houston’s Seth Martinez.
New York had not won a 1-0 game on a walk-off homer since Ruben Sierra connected off the Blue Jays’ Vinnie Chulk on April 22, 2004.
Judge had been 0 for 2 with a pair of strikeouts and a walk before the homer. He also stole his 10th base, a career high.
Andrew Benintendi went 0 for 4 with one strikeouts in his Yankees debut, facing Kansas City one day after the Royals dealt him to New York for three minor league pitchers.
Clay Holmes (5-1) worked around two walks in a hitless ninth, combining on a four-hitter with Jameson Taillon and Ron Marinaccio.
New York has an AL-best 67-33 record but had lost 10 of its previous 15 games, getting swept this week in a two-game Subway Series at the NL East-leading Mets and losing both games of a doubleheader last week at AL West-leading Houston.
Taillon struck out a season-high eight and allowed four hits in six innings. Rookie Ron Marinaccio got six outs with two hitless innings and has not allowed a run in 19 innings. Batters are 1 for 57 against him in that span.
Brady Singer allowed one hit in seven innings, a two-out single in the fourth by Gleyber Torres. Kansas City, last in the AL Centrl, dropped to 39-60.
NOT SO FAST
With a 2-2 count in the sixth inning, Judge looked at ball three. MJ Melendez apparently thought the pitch was a strike, emphatically firing the ball down to third base. Judge remained in the box while plate umpire Ramon De Jesus informed the rookie catcher he was mistaken, but Singer fanned Judge swinging on the next pitch.
CHEERS FOR BUCK
The Yankees paid tribute to the late Buck O’Neil prior to the game Public address announcer Paul Olden reading the Kansas City legend’s many accomplishments followed by a touching tribute video shown on the center field scoreboard. A two-time All-Star first baseman in the Negro Leagues and the first Black coach in the National or American leagues, O’Neil played a key role in Kansas City Monarchs championships as both a player and manager. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame on Sunday.
MOVES
Royals: Recalled SS Maikel Garcia from Double-A Northwest Arkansas.
Yankees: Optioned OF Tim Locastro to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Royals: SS Bobby Witt Jr. (hamstring) took batting practice and fielded ground balls. He has missed four straight games. … C Salvador Perez (left thumb) continued his rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha, going 0 for 1 with a walk as the designated hitter. “He’s getting close,” Kansas City manager Mike Matheny said.
Yankees: RHP Luis Severino (strained right lat) could start throwing soon. A decision on whether or not he’s ready to do so is expected either Thursday or Friday, according to manager Aaron Boone. … INF DJ LeMahieu was given a day off.
UP NEXT
Royals: LHP Kris Bubic (2-6, 5.53 ERA) has allowed just two earned runs in 14 innings over his past two starts.
Yankees: RHP Gerrit Cole (9-3, 3.09 ERA) makes his seventh start against Kansas City. The five-time All-Star has a 2.04 ERA over 39 2/3 innings in their previous encounters.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/judges-3rd-walk-off-hr-of-year-lifts-yanks-over-royals-1-0/ | 2022-07-29T02:49:56Z |
OAKLAND, Calif., July 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Clorox Company (NYSE: CLX) announced today that its board of directors has declared a 2% increase in the quarterly dividend, from $1.16 to $1.18 per share on the company's common stock. The dividend is payable Aug. 12, 2022, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on July 27, 2022.
Clorox has a long history of providing value to its stockholders through regular dividends. The company has increased its dividend for 20 consecutive years and paid an annual dividend for more than 50 consecutive years.
The Clorox Company
The Clorox Company (NYSE: CLX) is a leading multinational manufacturer and marketer of consumer and professional products with about 9,000 employees worldwide and fiscal year 2021 sales of $7.3 billion. Clorox markets some of the most trusted and recognized consumer brand names, including its namesake bleach and cleaning products; Pine-Sol® cleaners; Liquid-Plumr® clog removers; Poett® home care products; Fresh Step® cat litter; Glad® bags and wraps; Kingsford® grilling products; Hidden Valley® dressings and sauces; Brita® water-filtration products; Burt's Bees® natural personal care products; and RenewLife®, Rainbow Light®, Natural Vitality CALM™, and NeoCell® vitamins, minerals and supplements. The company also markets industry-leading products and technologies for professional customers, including those sold under the CloroxPro™ and Clorox Healthcare® brand names. More than 80% of the company's sales are generated from brands that hold the No. 1 or No. 2 market share positions in their categories.
Clorox is a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. The company has been broadly recognized for its corporate responsibility efforts, included on the Barron's 2022 100 Most Sustainable Companies list, 2022 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, the Human Rights Campaign's 2022 Corporate Equality Index and the 2021 Parity.org Best Places for Women to Advance list, among others. In support of its communities, The Clorox Company and its foundations contributed about $20 million in combined cash grants, product donations and cause marketing in fiscal year 2021. For more information, visit TheCloroxCompany.com and follow the company on Twitter at @CloroxCo.
CLX-F
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SOURCE The Clorox Company | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/12/clorox-increases-quarterly-dividend-2-118-per-share/ | 2022-07-12T21:47:55Z |
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