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The deal expands SETWorks disability service management software across the state, improving service delivery, outcomes.
KANSAS CITY, Mo., July 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SETWorks, an established provider of software for the disability service industry, today announced its acquisition of EDoc, the leading electronic documentation platform for Iowa intellectual and developmental disability (I/DD) service agencies. SETWorks purchased EDoc from Imagine the Possibilities, an Iowa I/DD service provider.
Over 50 Iowa providers serving 5,100 individuals use EDoc to manage individual records, documentation, and billing. With this acquisition, SETWorks becomes the largest I/DD software provider in Iowa. The deal brings SETWorks' modern, disability service management platform and industry expertise to Iowa providers of all sizes.
"SETWorks invests in every state we serve to ensure our system works well for providers," said SETWorks Co-CEO David Lindell. "We've already made significant investments in the state of Iowa, and with this acquisition, we gain a great partner and opportunity to make an even larger impact in Iowa."
"We're excited for the fruits of our labor to provide a top-of-the-line solution for Iowa providers, and seamlessly onboard so many organizations," said SETWorks Co-CEO Henri McCracken. "We aspire to become the de-facto solution for Iowa."
Together, SETWorks and Imagine the Possibilities will transform service delivery by providing I/DD agencies with data insights and solutions needed for today's challenges.
"Post-pandemic, providers must do more with less," said Tiffany Higgins, COO of Imagine the Possibilities. "Iowa providers need a flexible, easy to use platform so less time is spent documenting and more time is spent providing quality services — and SETWorks provides that."
"SETWorks shares our values and vision, and is committed to taking care of EDoc customers," said Imagine the Possibilities CEO Todd Seifert. "Partnering with SETWorks allows us to focus on our core mission, while accomplishing our goal of modernizing data management for EDoc customers."
EDoc will be retired over the next 12 months with customers having the option to switch to SETWorks. SETWorks and Imagine the Possibilities communicated these changes to EDoc customers before publicly announcing the acquisition.
SETWorks has longstanding relationships with the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS), Iowa Medicaid Enterprise (IME), and Iowa Association of Community Providers (IACP). Through these relationships SETWorks will continue to adapt the SETWorks platform to serve and empower Iowa providers.
SETWorks connects people and information systems across the U.S. dedicated to empowering organizations serving individuals with disabilities. Recognized for state-based innovation, SETWorks equips direct care providers with an intuitive platform for delivering care, and organizations with clear insight and reduced administrative burden. SETWorks offers an integrated network of solutions to help manage day-to-day functions as well as a team of committed industry experts. For more information visit SETWorks.com.
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SOURCE SETWorks | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/12/setworks-acquires-edoc-modernizing-data-management-iowa-disability-service-providers/ | 2022-07-12T22:48:00Z |
(NEXSTAR) – There are thousands of asteroids and comets — known as Near-Earth objects, or NEOS — that orbit the Sun like any other planet in our solar system, but some can pose a risk to Earth. Thankfully, NASA is prepared to protect our planet.
You’ll be able to see proof of that soon.
NEOs are defined as objects that come within 30 million miles of Earth’s orbit, and most are typically larger than a small football stadium. NASA created the Planetary Defense Coordination Office in 2016 to find NEOs, warn of their close approaches, coordinate an action plan, and mitigate any potential impacts.
Currently, the PDCO is preparing to make its first-ever attempt to deflect an asteroid and change its path in space with a kinetic impact. During the mission, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), NASA will launch an autonomous spacecraft at an asteroid to change its course.
Using telescopes back on Earth, NASA hopes to be able to measure how much DART changes the asteroid’s course. The data will be able to help NASA better prepare for an asteroid that could “pose an impact or hazard to Earth,” if that ever becomes a reality.
DART’s target is Didymos, a near-Earth asteroid system that is home to 2,560-foot diameter Didymos and 530-foot diameter Dimorphos, which orbits Didymos. While neither poses a threat to Earth, DART will collide with Dimorphos and, if the mission is successful, will change its orbit in the Didymos system.
Dimorphos is expected to be pushed closer to Didymos after DART’s impact, making its orbit smaller.
The DART spacecraft is “roughly the size of a small car” built by the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. It has one instrument aboard — the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical Navigation, or DRACO — that will autonomously guide DART toward Dimorphos with the help of Small-body Maneuvering Autonomous Real Time Navigation, or Smart Nav.
Flying into space with DART is a ride-along CubeSat, LICIACube, that will separate before DART’s impact to record the collision.
NASA will be streaming live coverage of DART colliding with Dimorphos on its social media accounts — Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube — starting at 6 p.m. ET on September 26. Impact is expected at 7:14 p.m. ET. More details can be found here.
The spacecraft will be launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. | https://cw33.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/nasa-is-firing-a-spacecraft-at-an-asteroid-and-you-can-watch-it-live/ | 2022-09-03T16:51:29Z |
Auburn-Washburn named 10th best employer in Kansas by Forbes
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Auburn-Washburn USD 437 has been chosen by Forbes as the 10th best employer in the State of Kansas.
Auburn-Washburn USD 437 says it has been recognized as part of Forbes’ America’s Best-In-State Employers 2022 list. It was chosen as the 10th best employer in the Sunflower State.
USD 437 noted that the prestigious award is presented by Forbes and Statista Inc., - the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider.
Auburn-Washburn said that Forbes and Statista chose the best in-state employers based on an independent survey of about 70,000 employees across 25 industry sectors. It said direct and indirect employee recommendations were analyzed on a state level.
The District indicated that the survey considered every aspect of an employee’s experience like working conditions, salary, the potential for growth and diversity. Of the thousands of eligible workplaces, it said only a few are awarded in each state.
USD 437 also said it is still looking for new members to join its great team in a variety of positions and schedules. For more information about employment opportunities, click HERE.
To see where other Kansas workplaces ranked on the list, click HERE.
Copyright 2022 WIBW. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/08/27/auburn-washburn-named-10th-best-employer-kansas-by-forbes/ | 2022-08-27T17:10:22Z |
FORT SMITH, Ark., July 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ArcBest® (Nasdaq: ARCB) will announce its second quarter 2022 financial results prior to the opening market on Friday, July 29, 2022. A conference call with company executives will be held that day at 9:30 a.m. EDT (8:30 a.m. CDT) to discuss these results. Interested parties are invited to listen by calling (800) 891-8357.
Following the call, a recorded playback will be available through the end of the day on September 15, 2022. To listen to the playback, dial (800) 633-8284 or (402) 977-9140 (for international callers). The conference ID for the playback is 22019591.
The call is being webcast and can be accessed live on ArcBest's website at arcb.com. A replay of the webcast can be accessed at ArcBest's website through September 15, 2022.
ABOUT ARCBEST
ArcBest® (Nasdaq: ARCB) is a multibillion-dollar integrated logistics company that helps keep the global supply chain moving. Founded in 1923 and now with nearly 15,000 employees across more than 250 campuses and service centers, the company is a logistics powerhouse, fueled by the simple notion of finding a way to get the job done. Through innovative thinking, agility and trust, ArcBest leverages their full suite of shipping and logistics solutions to meet customers' critical needs, each and every day. For more information, visit arcb.com.
Investor Relations Contact: David Humphrey
Title: Vice President – Investor Relations
Phone: 479-785-6200
Email: dhumphrey@arcb.com
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SOURCE ArcBest | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/05/arcbest-announces-its-second-quarter-2022-earnings-conference-call/ | 2022-07-05T19:13:30Z |
BELTON — A man charged with capital murder in the 2017 death of 81-year-old Lonnie Taplin Sr. wanted to represent himself, but a hearing on the matter was rescheduled.
Juan Antonio Macias Jr., 50, of Belton, was arrested in May 2018 and charged with capital murder with intent to commit a burglary of a habitation.
During a hearing Tuesday in the 27th District Court, Judge John Gauntt appeared to talk Macias out of representing himself and asked him to provide a name of a defense attorney he trusted.
Macias told Gauntt he wanted to represent himself since he claimed he did not have enough communication with the attorneys that have been assigned to him since he was jailed in 2018.
“The lawyer that was appointed to this case for a year and a half, I talked to him twice,” Macias told Gauntt. “When I asked him questions, he couldn’t answer. I understand I can’t request a lawyer that I trust.”
Bell County First Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Newell said she had talked with the appointed attorneys about the case but did not know if they passed that along to their client.
Macias said he was recommended an attorney by his original attorney Anthony Smith, who left the area to practice law elsewhere, but could not remember the attorney’s name.
Gauntt told Macias to get the name and phone number of the attorney, and he would see what he could do.
At the start of the hearing, Gauntt asked Macias directly if he could talk him out of representing himself.
“I pretty much made up my mind,” Macias responded, citing his long history of incarceration has allowed them to learn about criminal cases.
As part of the procedure, Gaunt pulled out a questionnaire to ask Macias about his knowledge of court proceedings needed to represent himself. Gauntt stopped midway through the interrogation when it became apparent that Macias was not well-versed in court procedures.
“If I let you (represent yourself),” Gauntt told Macias, “it would be like a semi-truck going against a rabbit.”
Gauntt offered Macias the opportunity to have standby counsel present to help him if he got overwhelmed during proceedings, stating that it was the judge’s job to take care of everyone involved in a court proceeding.
“I would like that,” Macias responded.
A new date for another pretrial hearing was not immediately scheduled.
No arrest affidavit for Macias has been provided or filed with the Bell County District Clerk.
Newell said there was no complaint or arrest affidavit filed since the case was presented directly to a grand jury when Macias was arrested.
A 2018 indictment issued by a grand jury said Macias intentionally caused Taplin’s death by striking him about the head and body with a hammer or an object unknown while committing or attempting to commit a robbery.
The Temple Police Department reported entry into the Taplin home at 3605 W. Adams Ave. was forced but never pinpointed the location or where Taplin’s body was found.
An autopsy report said Taplin died from blunt force trauma. The majority of the investigation after the homicide was discovered seemed to occur in the Taplin garage, the Telegram previously reported.
Macias has a long history of arrests dating back to 1988. He was sentenced to five years probation in Cameron County for an attempt to commit a burglary of a habitation, according to Texas Department of Public Safety criminal records.
In 1989, Macias was sentenced to 10 years in prison for two burglaries. Then in 1993, he was sentenced to 35 years for an aggravated robbery, court records showed.
His most recent felony conviction included possession of a controlled substance less than 1 gram on a June 29, 2013, charge out of Lubbock County. He was sentenced to 12 months in jail and released on June 28, 2014. | https://www.tdtnews.com/news/central_texas_news/article_acb2476e-d0bd-11ec-af73-db96fb461e74.html | 2022-05-11T03:50:43Z |
Offers Planning Tools and Advertising Resources Ahead of November Midterms
LOS ANGELES, June 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AdQuick.com, the leading out-of-home (OOH) advertising platform in the world, today announced it's releasing the Out-of-Home Toolkit for Political Advertisers, a collection of OOH media planning tools tailored to help political marketers leverage the trust, reach and efficiency of OOH advertising ahead of November's midterms.
"With broadcast impressions experiencing sharp declines and distrust in digital channels higher than ever, political advertisers are being forced to rethink strategies that may have worked for them in the past," said Matthew O'Connor, chief executive officer of AdQuick. "We created AdQuick's Out-of-Home Toolkit for Political Advertisers to help campaigns leverage outdoor advertising, which is both a highly trusted and effective advertising medium. With this political advertising toolkit, campaigns will have everything they need to develop multi-layered, highly effective OOH plans to reach their target audiences and drive voters to the ballot box this November."
As political advertisers seek to connect with established and new voters, they're turning to OOH, which offers the highest recall of any media channel. Outdoor advertising also offers among the lowest CPMs and highest value of any advertising media, making it a budget-friendly choice for campaigns needing to make every dollar count. And while regulations limit the types of outdoor ad formats advertisers can use, high-impact billboards, wildpostings, and car wraps reach voters where they are.
"OOH advertising is perfectly suited to political messaging because it is efficient, fraud-free and geographically precise," said O'Connor. "Whether advertisers are experienced with OOH or leveraging it for the first time, AdQuick's Political OOH Toolkit makes it easy to explore the outdoor ad units available in their district, city, or state, identify the necessary budget levels to reach voters, and even turn their digital campaign into an OOH campaign in a few clicks."
The toolkit includes the following:
- Market Explorer Tool - With the Market Explorer tool, political advertisers can explore the OOH landscape that's available within their target markets such as their target city, state or congressional district. They can explore market-specific cost data (e.g. average price, lowest price and median CPM) to determine the average cost to reach voters in different geographies and plan media campaigns accordingly.
- OOH Budget Estimator - The Budget Estimator tool helps political advertisers identify the investment level they need to reach a saturation point within their city, state or district. With the understanding of their ideal OOH investment level, political advertisers can set appropriate fundraising goals.
- Look-alike Markets Tool - The Look-alike Markets tool helps political advertisers uncover new markets and high-value areas for national or statewide campaigns. This tool allows users to scale their media buying efforts without sacrificing efficiency or campaign performance.
- Audience Buying Tool - With the Audience Buying Tool, political advertisers can better pinpoint and reach voters that are most likely to be interested in a campaign's message. Users can segment audiences by political affiliation, demographics, special interests that may indicate specific voting behavior and more.
In addition to the Political OOH ToolKit, political advertisers will have access to AdQuick's suite of complementary OOH buying solutions, AdQuick Pro and AdQuick DSP, to develop a multi-layered OOH strategy and diversify their media mixes faster, easier and more successfully. AdQuick Pro offers one-stop-shopping to reach voters with billboards, car wraps, GSTV and the like, while AdQuick DSP allows advertisers to take advantage of programmatic digital OOH to quickly reach voters when and where it matters with flexible campaign execution and real-time optimization.
To create a free account and gain instant access to the Political OOH Toolkit, please visit www.adquick.com/toolkit/political. Or, to learn more about the power of OOH, visit www.adquick.com.
Founded in Los Angeles in 2016, AdQuick.com is the leading out-of-home (OOH) advertising platform that makes it easy to plan, buy, and measure every kind of outdoor advertising. With over 1100 media partners spanning all types of OOH media, AdQuick connects advertisers and agencies to OOH media owners anywhere in the U.S. and abroad, including the UK, Canada, Germany, France, and 13 other countries.
AdQuick enables data-led OOH media planning powered by robust datasets and proprietary tools, facilitates fast and efficient campaign execution, and provides accurate measurement across every brand objective and campaign KPI. AdQuick was named in the top ten Best Places to Work in 2020 by Los Angeles Business Journal, recognized as the 74th fastest growing company in Inc. 5000 Regionals, and was honored as one of the Inc 5000 fastest growing companies in 2021. To learn more please visit www.adquick.com or follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Contact
Kristin Hege
kristin@conveycommsagency.com
480.540.6496
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SOURCE AdQuick.com | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/30/adquickcom-releases-free-out-of-home-toolkit-political-advertisers/ | 2022-06-30T12:39:56Z |
Award-winning ad agency Liquified Creative announces celebration of 15-year anniversary with continued growth.
ANNAPOLIS, Md., June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- This year, Annapolis-based creative agency Liquified Creative is celebrating its 15th anniversary.
The agency, founded in 2007, has grown to become one of the region's leading boutique-style advertising agencies, known for award-winning creative work for various branding, marketing, and web projects, to name a few.
Humble Beginnings
In 2006, founder Shawn Noratel left his job at Borcz + Dixon (now AdsIntelligence), and launched Liquified Creative, an agency of one that initially offered creative and web design services supporting the efforts of various regional agencies, public relations firms, and non-profit organizations.
Bootstrapped since day one, Noratel started with a computer, a desk, and the humble ambiance of his basement.
"I remind myself everyday about where this company came from, leading me to instill the concept in my team that greatness comes not only from humility, but accepting challenges that are greater than yourself. I believe that helps drive the collaborative nature of the work that we produce each and every day," says Noratel. "This is what led me to grow. I've always believed in the power of collaboration. It's why we approach every client project as a true partnership."
In the early years, Liquified Creative produced creative for clients such as Bozzuto Homes, Maple Lawn, Broadstripe, and National Geographic. Liquified's current portfolio still includes a wide variety of clients such as Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center Foundation, Providence Center, AeroVanti Airlines, Wye River Group, Annapolis Plastic Surgery, DeCaro Auctions, American Breast Cancer Foundation, and Realtime Medical Systems, among others.
Continued Growth
Agency leadership continues to be acutely aware of changing consumer habits and evolving technologies which are shaping individuals' engagement with media. As a result, Liquified Creative has evolved to a strategically led, full-service creative agency.
Most recently, the agency has added a public relations division, offering clients a full suite of communication services.
"Our agency success and growth are directly attributable to the strength and talent of our team," says Caitlin Wiggins, Liquified's current Director of Marketing. "We've positioned ourselves as a thought leader through our non-traditional conformities – providing clients with everything they need under one roof, no matter the ask. That's why I could not be more thrilled to announce the new public relations division of the agency as we continue to support our clients with a truly holistic approach to their brand development initiatives."
To support the launch of the company's public relations division, Liquified Creative brought on Jaclyn Fenton as Associate PR Manager.
Fenton joins Liquified Creative from 10 Tampa Bay, where she was an associate producer with the CBS television affiliate serving Tampa and St. Petersburg, Florida. Working closely with producers and executive producers, she developed special newscast segments, wrote for 10 Tampa Bay's social media and digital platforms and managed long-term news projects.
While the agency is cultivating the next generation of leadership for the future, Noratel continues to actively lead Liquified as Founding Partner and Creative Director.
The Future is Only the Beginning
The agency isn't looking to slow down anytime soon. Noratel points to the continued expansion of staff, capabilities, partnerships, and even office locations.
"It's been an amazing journey and I speak for our entire team when I say that we offer our heartfelt thanks to all of our clients and partners who have joined us on this adventure," stated Noratel. "I am so proud of what has been achieved in turning the agency into what it is today. As we look to the future, we're excited about building on that success together in the years ahead."
About Liquified Creative
Liquified Creative is an award-winning advertising agency based in Annapolis, Maryland. The agency's in-house creative and marketing team provides strategic integrated marketing services, including branding, graphic design, creative web design & development, strategic digital and traditional advertising services, experience marketing, and public relations, among others. The agency works with Fortune 500, top mid-size, and enterprise-level companies throughout Maryland, Washington DC, and Virginia.
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SOURCE Liquified Creative | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/02/liquified-creative-celebrates-15th-anniversary-by-announcing-new-public-relations-division/ | 2022-06-02T18:55:54Z |
A mountain climber from Japan is presumed dead after falling into a crevasse at Alaska’s Denali National Park
By Paradise Afshar, CNN
A Japanese mountain climber is presumed dead after falling into a crevasse in Alaska’s Denali National Park, officials said.
The 43-year-old from Kanagawa, Japan — who was not named by officials — was un-roped from his teammates and “fell through a weak ice bridge near their camp at approximately 8,000 feet on the southeast fork of the Kahiltna Glacier,” according to a Wednesday release from the Denali National Park and Preserve. He was at the base of Mount Hunter’s North Buttress.
A member of the climber’s team reached out for help on Tuesday night, the statement said, and one of the responding park rangers rappelled into the crevasse “as deep as possible.”
The ranger was able to confirm that an “ice bridge collapse had filled the narrow crevasse with a large volume of snow and ice approximately 80 feet below the glacier surface,” the release said.
Descending any further to investigate or find the man was not possible, and the climber was presumed dead based on the volume of ice, the distance of the fall and the duration of the burial, the release said.
Officials will determine the feasibility of recovering the body in the days ahead.
Body of another climber was recovered
Elsewhere on the preserve, the body of a 35-year-old solo climber who had gone missing and was located by officials earlier this month has been recovered, park officials said.
The remains of Austrian climber Matthias Rimml were recovered Tuesday via a long-line helicopter operation, according to the park’s statement.
Rimml, a professional mountain guide, was the first registered climber this season to attempt climbing Denali — a 20,310-foot peak and the tallest in North America — and was alone during his attempt.
He began his climb from base camp on April 27, and the last known phone call he made was on April 30, officials said.
“Rimml likely fell on the steep traverse between Denali Pass at 18,200 feet and the 17,200-foot plateau, a notoriously treacherous stretch of the West Buttress route,” the statement said.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/news/national-world/cnn-national/2022/05/19/a-mountain-climber-from-japan-is-presumed-dead-after-falling-into-a-crevasse-at-alaskas-denali-national-park/ | 2022-05-20T07:15:10Z |
OBERAMMERGAU, Germany (AP) — Almost 400 years ago, the Catholic residents of a small Bavarian village vowed to perform a play of “the suffering, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ” every 10 years, if only God would spare them any further losses from the plague known as the Black Death.
Legend has it that ever since 1634, when the villagers of Oberammergau first performed their passion play, no more residents died of that pestilence or any other plagues — until 2020, when the world was hit by a new plague, the coronavirus pandemic. Oberammergau, like so many places worldwide, suffered some COVID-19 deaths, though residents who confirmed that were unsure how many.
Another consequence: The villagers could not fulfill their vow to stage the play after a 10-year interval. It was set to open in the spring of 2020, but was postponed due to the pandemic.
Now, after a two-year delay, the famous Oberammergau Passion Play is finally opening on May 14 — the 42nd staging since its long-ago debut. Almost half of the village’s residents — more than 1,800 people, including 400 children — will participate in the play about the last five days before Christ’s crucifixion.
It’s a production modernized to fit the times, stripped of antisemitic allusions and featuring a diverse cast that include refugee children and non-Christian actors.
The play will be one of the first major cultural events in Germany since the outbreak of the pandemic, with almost half a million visitors expected from Germany and all over the world, notably from the United States.
“Just a few weeks ago, many could not believe that the Passion Play would premiere,” said director Christian Stueckl, who was born in Oberammergau and has been in charge of the play for more than 30 years.
“We don’t know what COVID-19 will do, if there will be another wave,” he said. “But we have an endless desire to bring our passion play back to the stage and we are highly motivated.”
All the actors tested themselves for the virus before every rehearsal and will continue to do so for all 103 performances which run through Oct. 2, Stueckl said. They have all been letting their hair grow — and the men letting beards grow — for over a year, as tradition dictates.
With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine still underway, themes such as war, hunger, persecution and displacement play prominent roles in this year’s production — showing the timelessness of human suffering from 2,000 years ago and from today.
The play — which for hundreds of years reflected a conservative, Catholic outlook — has received a careful makeover to become reflective of Germany’s more diverse society. It includes a leading Muslim actor for the first time and has been purged of the many notorious antisemitic plot lines which drew widespread criticism.
“The history of the Oberammergau Passion Play as being one which manifests these antisemitic tropes — Jews as villainous, Jews as deceptive, Jews as bloodthirsty, Jews as manipulative, Jews as Christ killers — was always part of the story,” Rabbi Noam Marans told The Associated Press in a recent interview in Oberammergau.
Marans, the director for interreligious and intergroup relations for the American Jewish Committee in New York, has been advising Stueckl together with a team of Christian and Jewish American experts for several years on how to rid the play of antisemitic content.
It’s been a success story. The play no longer depicts the Jews as Christ’s killers, and shows clearly that Jesus was a Jew himself. It places the story of Jesus’ last days in historical context, with all its intra-Jewish tensions and the Jews’ oppression by the Romans.
The male performers wear yarmulkes, making them clearly recognizable as Jews. Of course, there are many Christian elements as well, such as the famous choir and orchestra whose musical compositions go back to the early 19th century.
The mix of Christian and Jewish influences on the current performance is vividly illustrated during the depiction of the Last Supper, when a huge Menorah is lit on the table and the disciples of Jesus recite both Hebrew prayers and the Christian Lord’s Prayer.
“Let there be no doubt: in Oberammergau, in the play, antisemitism has no place, and it has no place in the lives of the performers either,” Stueckl said.
Along with tackling the play’s antisemitism, Stueckl made it a more inclusive performance overall.
Until the 1990s, when Stueckl took over as director, performers had to belong to one of the two major German churches, Roman Catholic or Lutheran. These days, people who have left the church, atheists, Muslims, and members of any other religious affiliation are welcome to participate as long as they are residents of Oberammergau.
Judas is played by Muslim actor Cengiz Gorur. The deputy director, Abdullah Karaca, is the son of Turkish immigrants. And several children of refugees from Africa and elsewhere, who only recently arrived in Oberammergau after fleeing their home countries, were invited to perform.
When it comes to women, there’s still some work to be done. Stueckl called the play “very male-dominated” — all leading roles are male, with the exception only of Jesus’ mother, Mary, and Mary Magdalene.
Asked whether he could imagine a future performance in which women played leading male roles, Stueckl shook his head.
“I don’t think I will live to see Jesus being played by a woman — or Mary by a man,” he said. Then he paused for a moment, smiled, and added: “Even though the world would not come to an end because of that.”
___
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. | https://cw33.com/entertainment-news/ap-entertainment/centuries-old-passion-play-returns-after-pandemic-break/ | 2022-05-09T07:16:19Z |
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD/STREAM/PURCHASE: https://empire.ffm.to/coldrobjones
DOWNLOAD ARTWORK: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PytPIYfS9__2otOoZzswVL3CzRaiGb4d/edit
ATLANTA, Aug. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- R&B music is constantly making a comeback, and blind singer, musician, producer, and songwriter Rob Jones is guaranteed to be a part of that success with the release of his new single "Cold". "Cold", originally recorded by country music legend Chris Stapleton, is all about loss of love and heartbreak and Rob Jones puts his spin on it. Rob's version of "Cold" is a soulful timeless ballad filled with emotion, power, and grittiness showcasing Rob's amazing vocal ability and range. "Cold" is a song that is extremely relatable, and even with its simplicity, it quickly grabs your attention; from the first note that Rob sings to the musicality of the track. Rob states, "I love the passion and soul displayed in this song and the familiarity of the story is so relatable. I always wanted to do my own version to introduce this song to an audience that's not familiar with Chris Stapleton's version. It's actually one of my favorite songs by him." "Cold" is now available on all DSPs.
Rob Jones is a multi-talented musician, singer, and songwriter who was born and raised on the South side of Chicago. At the age of 10, he was struck in the head by a stray bullet which caused him to lose his sight immediately. Rob was introduced to music by his teacher who was also blind at Skinner Elementary School, and that's where his love for music began. Rob Jones became skilled in all genres of music; from classical to jazz to R&B to contemporary. Even through the losses he endured, Rob doesn't see himself as a blind man and doesn't want anyone else to treat him that way. Rob moved to Atlanta to further his music career in which he met and worked with a lot of top producers. Rob Jones is ready to let the world hear his immense talent with the release of his soulful, gritty, and emotional single "Cold" under Blackground Records 2.0. Be prepared for greatness because that's exactly what Rob Jones will bring to the music industry.
Founded by Barry Hankerson initially and launched in 1993, Blackground Records became a staple name in music and pop culture in the 1990s and early 2000s with the Hankerson's expert ear for artist development that would evolve into prolific careers for the aforementioned artists. Over the years, Blackground Records - with artists such as the late Aaliyah, Timbaland, Tank and JoJo - sold millions of records, had ten Top 10 Billboard 200 albums and won countless awards. Now as Blackground Records 2.0, Hankerson plans to continue its undeniable impact on pop culture.
Press Inquiries,
Tu Love
tu@blackgroundrecords.net
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SOURCE Blackground Records 2.0 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/12/blind-singer-rob-jones-bringing-back-soul-with-his-new-single-cold/ | 2022-08-12T20:43:00Z |
Kansas steam rolls Tennesse Tech in season opener, 56-10
Published: Sep. 2, 2022 at 11:44 PM CDT|Updated: 37 minutes ago
LAWRENCE, Kan. (WIBW) - The run game for the Jayhawks was the difference in their dominate win over the Golden Eagles.
Devin Neal led the way with 108 yards and two touchdowns, while four other running backs scored as well.
Defensive end Lonnie Phelps was all over, recording three sacks and seven total tackles.
KU’s offense exploded with 502 total yards of offense while Tennessee Tech could only muster 190.
Head Coach Lance Leipold wins his second straight season opener and they now hit the road to play West Virginia Sept. 10 at five p.m.
Copyright 2022 WIBW. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/09/03/kansas-steam-rolls-tennesse-tech-season-opener-56-10/ | 2022-09-03T05:22:23Z |
TODAY’S HISTORY: In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson issued the first presidential proclamation calling for a national Mother’s Day holiday.
In 1974, the U.S. House of Representatives opened impeachment hearings against President Richard Nixon.
In 2001, 126 soccer fans died in a stampede at the Accra Sports Stadium in Ghana.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS: John Brown (1800-1859), abolitionist; J.M. Barrie (1860-1937), author/playwright; Howard Carter (1874-1939), archaeologist; Mike Wallace (1918-2012), journalist; James L. Brooks (1940- ), director/producer; Candice Bergen (1946- ), actress; Billy Joel (1949- ), singer-songwriter/pianist; Tony Gwynn (1960-2014), baseball player; Rosario Dawson (1979- ), actress; Prince Fielder (1984- ), baseball player.
TODAY’S FACT: When Federal Communications Commission Chairman Newton Minow described network TV programming as a “vast wasteland” during a speech on this day in 1961, the top-rated shows in the United States were “Gunsmoke,” “Wagon Train” and “Have Gun Will Travel.”
TODAY’S SPORTS: In 1984, the Chicago White Sox finally defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 7-6 in a 25-inning game that had been suspended from the day before. It was the longest timed game in Major League Baseball history to date, at 8 hours and 6 minutes.
TODAY’S QUOTE: “Let no one who loves be called altogether unhappy. Even love unreturned has its rainbow.” -- J.M. Barrie, “The Little Minister”
TODAY’S NUMBER: 27 -- current member nations in the European Union. Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey are candidates for membership.
TODAY’S MOON: Between first quarter moon (May 8) and full moon (May 15).
Stacker surveyed film history and compiled a diverse list of movies to bring you the 25 most memorable mothers across film history, using data from IMDb. Click for more.
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New vaccine may be option for troops with religious concerns
WASHINGTON (AP) — A COVID-19 vaccine that could soon win federal approval may offer a boost for the U.S. military: an opportunity to get shots into some of the thousands of service members who have refused other coronavirus vaccines for religious reasons.
At least 175 active duty and reserve service members have already received the Novavax vaccine, some even traveling overseas at their own expense to get it. The vaccine meets Defense Department requirements because it has the World Health Organization’s emergency use approval and is used in Europe and other regions. The Food and Drug Administration is considering giving it emergency use authorization in the U.S.
The Novavax vaccine may be an acceptable option for some of the 27,000 service members who have sought religious exemptions from the mandatory vaccine. Military officials say many troops who refuse the shots cite certain COVID-19 vaccines’ remote connection to abortions.
Laboratory-grown cell lines descended from fetuses that were aborted decades ago were used in some early-stage testing of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and to grow viruses used to manufacture the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The vaccines do not contain fetal cells. Novavax, however, says that “no human fetal-derived cell lines or tissue” were used in the development, manufacture or production of its vaccine.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory last year, saying the shots were critical to maintaining military readiness and the health of the force. Military leaders have argued that troops for decades have been required to get as many as 17 vaccines, particularly for those who are deploying overseas.
One group involved in lawsuits targeting the military’s vaccine requirement said it’s possible some shot opponents may see Novavax as an amenable option.
“I definitely think it is for some, but certainly not for all,” said Mike Berry, director of military affairs for First Liberty Institute. “There are some for whom abortion is really the ultimate issue, and once that issue is resolved for them spiritually, then they’re willing.”
Berry added, however, that for others, abortion is “just a tangential issue,” and they have broader opposition to vaccines as a whole. “A rudimentary way of looking at it is that they’ve asked for God’s will, and they believe that it would be wrong for them to get the vaccine,” Berry said. “In other words, they believe that God has told them no.”
Novavax also may appeal to people who are uncomfortable with the new genetic-based technology used in Pfizer and Moderna’s so-called mRNA vaccines. They deliver genetic instructions for the body to make copies of the coronavirus’ outer coating, the spike protein.
The Novavax vaccine is made with a more familiar technology, like those used for years to prevent hepatitis B and shingles. It trains the body to fight the coronavirus by delivering copies of the outer coating which are grown in insect cells, then are purified and packaged into nanoparticles that to the immune system resemble a virus, according to Novavax research chief Dr. Gregory Glenn.
While some religious groups oppose the shots, when COVID-19 vaccines first started rolling out the Vatican’s doctrine office called the options “morally acceptable” and Pope Francis, who has received Pfizer shots, has strongly encouraged widespread vaccination.
Berry said he doesn’t know how many would consider Novavax acceptable, but guessed it may be a small percentage. First Liberty Institute and the law firm Schaerr Jaffe LLP are representing a number of Navy sailors in one lawsuit, and nine airmen in another.
Military officials declined to publicly detail the nature of any service members’ religious exemption requests, but spoke on condition of anonymity to provide some descriptions. They said that the most predominant issue mentioned in waiver requests is the remote link to fetal cell lines, while others argue that their body is a temple that must remain pure. Others, officials said, describe reasons that appear to have less connection to faith.
Berry said his firm carefully screens individuals for the lawsuits, to make sure their objections are based on sincerely held religious beliefs, rather than political or other opposition masquerading as faith-based views.
The military can’t administer the Novavax shot now, and won’t pay for anyone’s travel overseas to get it. But tens of thousands of American forces are based in Europe, where Novavax is available.
Earlier this week, advisers to the FDA backed the Novavax vaccine. Next, the FDA must decide whether to authorize it. A final FDA decision isn’t expected immediately, as the agency finishes combing through the data.
Across the military, more than 5,000 service members have been discharged for refusing the vaccine, according to the latest statistics provided by the services. Of those who requested religious exemptions, only slightly more than 100 have been approved.
In the lawsuit against the Navy, a federal judge in Texas agreed the case can go forward as a class-action lawsuit and issued a preliminary injunction barring the service from taking action against sailors who objected to the vaccine on religious grounds. Berry said the Justice Department has said it will appeal the ruling to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.
In the Air Force lawsuit, Berry said, lawyers have asked that it also be a class action, and they are seeking a temporary restraining order preventing the Air Force from taking any adverse actions. The court has not yet ruled.
___
AP Medical Writer Lauran Neergaard contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/06/09/new-vaccine-may-be-option-troops-with-religious-concerns/ | 2022-06-09T12:17:08Z |
Record Quarterly Free Cash Flow and over $1.7 Billion of YTD Shareholder Distributions
HOUSTON, Aug. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Marathon Oil Corporation (NYSE:MRO) reported second quarter 2022 net income of $966 million, or $1.37 per diluted share, which includes the impact of certain items not typically represented in analysts' earnings estimates and that would otherwise affect comparability of results. Adjusted net income was $934 million, or $1.32 per diluted share. Net operating cash flow was $1,678 million, or $1,586 million before changes in working capital (adjusted CFO). Free cash flow was $1,323 million, or $1,213 million before changes in working capital and including E.G. distributions (adjusted free cash flow).
- Generated record quarterly adjusted free cash flow of over $1.2 billion at 24% reinvestment rate
- Continue to exceed commitment to return at least 40% of adjusted CFO to equity investors
- Expect $4.5 billion of 2022 free cash flow, assuming $100/bbl WTI and $6/MMBtu Henry Hub
"Second quarter represents another quarter of comprehensive delivery on our Framework for Success, including strong corporate returns, sustainable free cash flow generation, significant return of capital to shareholders, and ESG excellence," said Chairman, President, and CEO Lee Tillman. "Our commitment to providing investors with the first call on cash flow through our unique percentage of operating cash flow framework is delivering truly compelling results, including generating over $2 billion of adjusted free cash flow and returning over $1.7 billion of capital to shareholders year-to-date, while also driving significant per share growth. Despite ongoing macro and equity market volatility, we remain well positioned to continue delivering financial results that compete with the best companies in the S&P 500."
Return of Capital
Marathon Oil's percentage of CFO framework provides clear visibility to significant return of capital to equity investors and ensures the shareholder gets the first call on cash flow generation. In a $60/bbl WTI or higher price environment, the Company targets returning a minimum of 40% of CFO to equity investors.
During second quarter, Marathon Oil returned 51% of adjusted CFO to equity investors. Second quarter return of capital totaled $816 million, including $760 million of share repurchases and $56 million base dividend.
Since achieving its minimum leverage objective in October 2021 Marathon Oil has returned $2.5 billion of capital to shareholders. This includes over $2.3 billion of share repurchases that have driven a 15% reduction in outstanding share count, contributing to significant growth in per share metrics. Over the trailing three quarters, the Company has consistently outperformed its minimum return of capital objective, as shareholder distributions have accounted for approximately 55% of adjusted CFO (~75% of adjusted free cash flow).
In the current environment, given its strong free cash flow profile and attractive market valuation, Marathon Oil's preferred return of capital approach remains a competitive and sustainable base dividend in addition to significant share repurchases.
2Q22 Financials
CASH FLOW AND CAPEX: Net cash provided by operations was $1,678 million during second quarter, or $1,586 million before changes in working capital. Second quarter cash additions to property, plant, and equipment totaled $355 million, while capital expenditures (accrued) totaled $375 million.
FREE CASH FLOW: Free cash flow was $1,323 million, or $1,213 million of adjusted free cash flow before changes in working capital and including E.G. distributions.
BALANCE SHEET AND LIQUIDITY: Marathon Oil ended second quarter with $1,162 million in cash and cash equivalents. In July, Marathon Oil extended its revolving credit facility by three years to 2027 and amended the capacity to $2.5 billion.
ADJUSTMENTS TO NET INCOME: The adjustments to net income for second quarter reduced net income by $32 million, primarily due to the income impact associated with unrealized gains on derivative instruments.
2Q22 Operations
UNITED STATES (U.S.): U.S. production averaged 283,000 net barrels of oil equivalent per day (boed) for second quarter 2022. Oil production averaged 157,000 net barrels of oil per day (bopd). The Company brought a total of 49 gross Company-operated wells to sales during second quarter, consistent with guidance for approximately 50 wells to sales. U.S. unit production costs averaged $5.80 per boe during second quarter.
Marathon Oil's second quarter production in the Eagle Ford averaged 84,000 net boed, including 54,000 net bopd of oil, with 19 gross Company-operated wells to sales. In the Bakken, production averaged 114,000 net boed, including 75,000 net bopd of oil, with 20 gross Company-operated wells to sales. In Oklahoma, production averaged 56,000 net boed, including 14,000 net bopd of oil, with 10 gross Company-operated wells to sales (excluding joint venture wells). Northern Delaware production averaged 20,000 net boed, including 10,000 net bopd of oil.
INTERNATIONAL: Equatorial Guinea production averaged 60,000 net boed for second quarter 2022, including 10,000 net bopd of oil. Unit production costs averaged $2.83 per boe. Net income from equity method investees totaled $152 million and total cash distributions from equity method companies amounted to $146 million during second quarter.
For full year 2022, Marathon Oil raised E.G. equity income guidance to a new range of $520 million to $560 million.
A slide deck and Quarterly Investor Packet will be posted to the Company's website following this release today, August 3. On Thursday, August 4, at 9:00 a.m. ET, the Company will conduct a question and answer webcast/call, which will include forward-looking information. The live webcast, replay and all related materials will be available at https://ir.marathonoil.com/.
Non-GAAP Measures
In analyzing and planning for its business, Marathon Oil supplements its use of GAAP financial measures with non-GAAP financial measures, including adjusted net income (loss), adjusted net income (loss) per share, net cash provided by operating activities before changes in working capital (adjusted CFO), free cash flow, adjusted free cash flow, capital expenditures (accrued) and reinvestment rate.
Our presentation of adjusted net income (loss) and adjusted net income (loss) per share is a non-GAAP measure. Adjusted net income (loss) is defined as net income (loss) adjusted for gains or losses on dispositions, impairments of proved and certain unproved properties, goodwill and equity method investments, changes in our valuation allowance, unrealized derivative gains or losses on commodity and interest rate derivative instruments, effects of pension settlements and curtailments and other items that could be considered "non-operating" or "non-core" in nature. Management believes this is useful to investors as another tool to meaningfully represent our operating performance and to compare Marathon to certain competitors. Adjusted net income (loss) and adjusted net income (loss) per share should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net income (loss) or net income (loss) per share as determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
Our presentation of adjusted CFO is defined as net cash provided by operating activities adjusted for changes in working capital and is a non-GAAP measure. Management believes this is useful to investors as an indicator of Marathon's ability to generate cash quarterly or year-to-date by eliminating differences caused by the timing of certain working capital items. Adjusted CFO should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net cash provided by operating activities as determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
Our presentation of free cash flow is a non-GAAP measure. Free cash flow is defined as net cash provided by operating activities and cash additions to property, plant and equipment. Management believes this is useful to investors as a measure of Marathon's ability to fund its capital expenditure programs, service debt, and fund other distributions to stockholders. Free cash flow should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net cash provided by operating activities as determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
Our presentation of adjusted free cash flow is a non-GAAP measure. Adjusted free cash flow before dividend ("adjusted free cash flow") is defined as adjusted CFO, capital expenditures (accrued), and EG return of capital and other. Management believes this is useful to investors as a measure of Marathon's ability to fund its capital expenditure programs, service debt, and fund other distributions to stockholders. Adjusted free cash flow should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net cash provided by operating activities as determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
Our presentation of capital expenditures (accrued) is a non-GAAP measure. Capital expenditures (accrued) is defined as cash additions to property, plant and equipment adjusted for the change in capital accrual and additions to other assets. Management believes this is useful to investors as an indicator of Marathon's commitment to capital expenditure discipline by eliminating differences caused by the timing of capital accrual and other items. Capital expenditures (accrued) should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to, or more meaningful than, cash additions to property, plant and equipment as determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
Our presentation of reinvestment rate is a non-GAAP measure. The reinvestment rate in the context of adjusted free cash flow is defined as capital expenditures (accrued) divided by adjusted CFO. The reinvestment rate in the context of free cash flow is defined as cash additions to property, plant and equipment divided by net cash provided by operating activities. Management believes the reinvestment rate is useful to investors to demonstrate the Company's commitment to generating cash for use towards investor-friendly purposes (which includes balance sheet enhancement, base dividend and other return of capital).
These non-GAAP financial measures reflect an additional way of viewing aspects of the business that, when viewed with GAAP results may provide a more complete understanding of factors and trends affecting the business and are a useful tool to help management and investors make informed decisions about Marathon Oil's financial and operating performance. These measures should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. A reconciliation to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures can be found in our investor package on our website at https://ir.marathonoil.com/ and in the tables below. Marathon Oil strongly encourages investors to review the Company's consolidated financial statements and publicly filed reports in their entirety and not rely on any single financial measure.
Forward-looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, including without limitation statements regarding the Company's future capital budgets and allocations, future performance (both absolute and relative), expected free cash flow, reinvestment rates, returns to investors (including dividends and share repurchases, and the timing thereof), business strategy, capital expenditure guidance, production guidance, E.G. equity method income guidance and other statements regarding management's plans and objectives for future operations, are forward-looking statements. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "future," "guidance," "intend," "may," "outlook," "plan," "positioned," "project," "seek," "should," "target," "will," "would," or similar words may be used to identify forward-looking statements; however, the absence of these words does not mean that the statements are not forward-looking. While the Company believes its assumptions concerning future events are reasonable, a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, including, but not limited to: conditions in the oil and gas industry, including supply/demand levels for crude oil and condensate, NGLs and natural gas and the resulting impact on price; changes in expected reserve or production levels; changes in political or economic conditions in the U.S. and Equatorial Guinea, including changes in foreign currency exchange rates, interest rates, inflation rates and global and domestic market conditions; actions taken by the members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and Russia affecting the production and pricing of crude oil and other global and domestic political, economic or diplomatic developments; capital available for exploration and development; risks related to the Company's hedging activities; voluntary or involuntary curtailments, delays or cancellations of certain drilling activities; well production timing; liabilities or corrective actions resulting from litigation, other proceedings and investigations or alleged violations of law or permits; drilling and operating risks; lack of, or disruption in, access to storage capacity, pipelines or other transportation methods; availability of drilling rigs, materials and labor, including the costs associated therewith; difficulty in obtaining necessary approvals and permits; the availability, cost, terms and timing of issuance or execution of, competition for, and challenges to, mineral licenses and leases and governmental and other permits and rights-of-way, and our ability to retain mineral licenses and leases; non-performance by third parties of contractual or legal obligations, including due to bankruptcy; unexpected events that may impact distributions from our equity method investees; changes in our credit ratings; hazards such as weather conditions, a health pandemic (including COVID-19), acts of war or terrorist acts and the government or military response thereto; security threats, including cybersecurity threats and disruptions to our business and operations from breaches of our information technology systems, or breaches of the information technology systems, facilities and infrastructure of third parties with which we transact business; changes in safety, health, environmental, tax and other regulations, requirements or initiatives, including initiatives addressing the impact of global climate change, air emissions, or water management; other geological, operating and economic considerations; and the risk factors, forward-looking statements and challenges and uncertainties described in the Company's 2021 Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other public filings and press releases, available at https://ir.marathonoil.com/. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Media Relations Contact:
Kathy Sauve: 713-296-3915
Investor Relations Contacts:
Guy Baber: 713-296-1892
John Reid: 713-296-4380
The following table sets forth outstanding derivative contracts as of August 2, 2022, and the weighted average prices for those contracts:
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SOURCE Marathon Oil Corporation | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/03/marathon-oil-reports-second-quarter-2022-results/ | 2022-08-03T22:15:40Z |
Russia or die: After weeks under Putin’s bombs, these Ukrainians were given only one way out
By Eliza Mackintosh, Oleksandra Ochman, Gianluca Mezzofiore, Katie Polglase, Teele Rebane and Anastasia Graham-Yooll, CNN
Lviv, Ukraine — When Russian forces and allied separatist soldiers arrived offering a path to safety, it felt like a sick twist of fate.
It was mid-March and residents in Mariupol had spent weeks in freezing, damp basements, hiding from relentless Russian bombardment and fearing for their lives. Now, they were being told that to survive, there was only one way out: to Russia.
If they didn’t leave they would die in the rubble, the Russian soldiers warned. They said they had little choice.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s siege of Mariupol has come to epitomize his scorched-earth war in Ukraine. The assault from land, air and sea has leveled the southern port city to the ground, destroying or damaging 90% of its infrastructure, according to the mayor. A drama theater and an art school sheltering hundreds of women and children were obliterated. A maternity hospital was bombed.
More than 100,000 people remain trapped in Mariupol, living in dire and rapidly deteriorating conditions without water, food, heat or electricity. Because communication to the city has largely been cut off, it’s nearly impossible for residents to know when it might be safe to surface from bomb shelters, or how to catch evacuation buses out. Many attempts to set up evacuation corridors have collapsed due to continued attacks.
Rather than allowing safe passage out of the city, Russian and separatist troops are taking tens of thousands of civilians to so-called “filtration centers” in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) in eastern Ukraine, which Moscow recognizes as independent, before moving them to Russia, according to Ukraine’s government, humanitarian watchdogs, and US officials. Ukraine’s deputy prime minister Iryna Vereschuk has estimated that some 45,000 Ukrainian citizens have been forcibly deported since the war began.
The Mariupol City Council said in a statement that Russia’s failure to agree on evacuation corridors, and its creation of filtration centers, were part of a broader effort to cover up potential war crimes carried out in the city. “The occupiers try to identify all potential witnesses to the occupiers’ atrocities through filtration camps and destroy them,” the council said. CNN could not verify that claim.
The practice has stirred painful memories of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin’s forced deportation of millions from their homelands, including more than 230,000 Crimean Tatars, to remote parts of the Soviet Union during World War II. Russian forces also used “filtration camps” during the war in Chechnya in the 1990s, where human rights groups documented extensive abuses, including torture, hostage-taking and extrajudicial killings.
“I do not need to spell out what these so-called ‘filtration camps’ are reminiscent of. It’s chilling and we cannot look away,” US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said. She cited credible reports — including from Mariupol City Council — of Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) agents confiscating passports and IDs, taking away cell phones, and separating Ukrainian families from one another.
Few families in Mariupol have been left unscathed by Russia’s reign of terror. In a recent press conference, Mariupol’s mayor said that some of his neighbors and municipal colleagues were taken to Russia against their will. “A man with a weapon comes in at night and says it’s an evacuation. People who have been in the shelter for about 20 days get out, they’re put in the car and sent somewhere. In the morning, they saw that this was not Ukraine,” Vadym Boychenko said. “Then they were put on trains and they were already going to the hinterland of the Russian Federation.”
Moscow has denounced the claims as lies, alleging that Ukraine has hindered its efforts to “evacuate” people to Russia. Russian Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev said that more than 550,000 people had been evacuated from “dangerous regions of Ukraine” to Russia since the war began, including more than 121,000 people from Mariupol, according to state-owned Russian news agency TASS.
But a CNN investigation into deportations reveals a very different reality, one in which people were given only two options: Go to Russia or die. In interviews with 10 people, including local Mariupol residents and their loved ones, many describe Russian and DPR soldiers descending on bomb shelters and ordering those inside to leave immediately. None knew where they were being taken.
Some said that after weeks of uncertainty they didn’t care where they ended up — that anywhere would be safer than Mariupol, in their view. Five were ultimately sent to Russia; three have since made it out.
They have asked to be identified only by their first names, or by pseudonyms for their protection. All have shared evidence of their journey with CNN, including copies of the Russian migration cards they filled out and had stamped at the border. Those still in Russia, who are trying to find a way back home, are worried for their safety.
These are some of their stories.
Andrey, 45
After weeks of heavy shelling, the basement where Andrey was sheltering with his neighbors was starting to crumble. They had to leave, he thought, before the ceiling caved in.
Andrey, a 45-year-old athletic trainer, had repeatedly tried to escape from the left bank of Mariupol’s Kalmius River and join evacuation convoys leaving the city from the other side. But he had been unable — by car or foot — to navigate streets littered with corpses and debris to cross the central bridge. CNN analyzed satellite imagery of the four bridges on the Kalmius; all were impassable or destroyed by March 22.
In the rare moments Andrey had cell service, he called and texted his wife Iryna, a 50-year-old English teacher living in a suburb of Kyiv. He was desperate to find safe passage from Mariupol so that the couple of 15 years could be reunited. And yet there appeared to be no way out. “It seemed there were no options. Because of that, we already understood that we would appear either in the DPR or in the Russian Federation,” Andrey said. “There was a feeling that the left bank was simply abandoned.”
Iryna shared their messages on WhatsApp and Telegram with CNN, revealing her gut-wrenching attempts to help her husband. Each text was signed off with the date and time, so they could be sure when it was sent. In response, Andrey, frustrated, told her he was unable to locate the evacuation convoys she mentioned, but would continue to try.
In a last-ditch effort, Iryna reached out to her mother in Russia, with whom she had stopped speaking because of disagreements over the war. If Andrey had no other way out of Mariupol, could he stay with her, she asked. Her mother said yes. “He didn’t want to go to Russia, he wanted to go home, he really wanted to go home. But in such a situation it was necessary to decide. Either go there and stay alive or stay in Mariupol and die from a bullet or under the rubble,” she said.
On March 17, Andrey was told by a neighbor that Russian troops were entering people’s homes and demanding that residents evacuate. The next day, he and his neighbors fled their shelter and ran to a checkpoint near the sea. There, DPR soldiers told the men to undress to the waist and searched them for “tattoos,” then checked their passports, before taking them in cars to Bezimenne, a seaside town 16 miles east.
Andrey was put in a school, where he said his passport and cell phone were checked again; he heard rumors of a tent camp nearby but wasn’t taken there. Officials at the school asked whether he was planning to stay in the DPR or go elsewhere. “Maybe there were only a couple of acquaintances who wanted to go to Russia. But basically, everyone who wanted to leave wanted to leave for Ukraine,” he said. None were given that option.
On March 21, Andrey said he was taken to Dokuchaevsk, 65 miles north in the Donetsk region, to what he described as a “filtration center,” where Ukrainians were processed. He was fingerprinted, photographed, his phone searched and contacts downloaded.
Maxar satellite imagery showed white buses parked outside the Center of Culture and Leisure in Dokuchaevsk, where Andrey said he was registered. The “filtration center” in Dokuchaevsk has been cited by the US ambassador to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Michael Carpenter, among other officials.
Two days later, Andrey said he was driven back south to Novoazovsk and then across the border to Russia, where he went through customs, had his passport checked and migration card stamped. Early on March 24, he was taken by bus to Taganrog, a Russian port city on the Sea of Azov, where a refugee center was set up at an Olympic sports school. Andrey took a 10-hour train from Taganrog to Voronezh, where he is now staying with his mother-in-law. He said that at the train station in Taganrog, he saw other Ukrainians who had no money or documents taken by force to Penza, more than 600 miles northeast, deep into Russian territory.
Andrey is trying to figure out how to return from Voronezh to Ukraine, possibly through Belarus.
“Some people in Ukraine may think that those who left for Russia are traitors, but this is an exception to the rule. Most people understand that we were going where we can get out. But some do not understand that we had no choice — we had only one road, this was to Novoazovsk,” he said.
Human rights defender, Svetlana Gannushkina, who runs a refugee organization in Moscow, told CNN she has received dozens of requests for help from Ukrainians like Andrey, now stranded in towns and cities dotted across Russia. Many decided to stay with friends or relatives, with the largest number gathered in the Rostov region, near Ukraine. Those who have reached out have told her that the choice to come to Russia was made for them.
“These are people who find themselves between two fires in a completely terrible situation,” Gannushkina said. “There is no question of free will here. They went where they could go at that moment. And there was no other road but the road to Russia.”
Anna, 24
Anna had been living in a bunker for two weeks, sheltering in a northern suburb of Mariupol with her family, when the soldiers stormed inside. “They came in and said, ‘It’s an order: Women and children have to leave.’ Some of those who asked to stay were told no,” the 24-year-old translator told CNN.
The men were dressed in military uniforms and carrying weapons, but she said it was impossible to tell whether they were DPR or Russian forces because they weren’t wearing insignia and didn’t identify themselves.
All of the women and children were forced out — about 90 in total, including her mother, teenage brother, grandmother, aunt and her aunt’s two children. When Anna emerged above ground, she could hardly recognize the landscape. “Everything was completely destroyed,” she said.
Anna described being bused to a nearby town, where they were questioned by DPR police officers overnight in a school. On March 16, she said they were sent east to the Ukrainian village of Bezimenne, where they were directed to a “registration camp.”
At a massive military tent, they were joined by hundreds of other people from Mariupol — about 900 altogether, she was told by one soldier — where they were fingerprinted and photographed, their phones searched and contacts downloaded. “Once you surrender your phone, they check you in for the first phase of the process. They photograph you from all angles, for facial recognition I suspect. Next you give them your fingerprints and, strangely, palm prints. I don’t know why,” Anna said. “After that they enter your details in the database, like your address, phone number, and passport information. The next stage you go in for questioning.”
They were interrogated about their politics, attitudes towards the DPR and Russian authorities. Questions included information about relatives serving in the Azov battalion, the Ukrainian army’s main presence in Mariupol, she said.
Satellite images from Maxar Technologies show a tent encampment in Bezimenne, near the school where Andrey and other Mariupol residents said that they stayed. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has not been able to verify the number of Mariupol residents taken to Bezimenne or other parts of the DPR, but say they believe the number is “considerable” based on statements from DPR officials and interviews with several people moved to Donetsk. “In some cases, the residents expressed their clear preference to be evacuated to government-controlled territory but were told that only the evacuation towards the territory of the self-proclaimed ‘republic’ or the Russian Federation was possible,” a mission spokesperson told CNN.
Russian state-owned domestic news agency RIA Novosti published a report on Mariupol refugees in Bezimenne on March 25, describing DPR officials providing food, medical care and shelter for people displaced from the city to “help them feel safe.” One photo caption reads: “People have to decide what to do next.” DPR officials say that more than 11,000 people from Mariupol are now in Donetsk.
After several hours, Anna said she was bused to the Russian border, where she was given a migration card and a voucher for 10,000 rubles (about $100). They were brought through Russian customs, had their documents stamped and then, Anna said, she was selected for questioning by someone she suspected was an officer with the FSB. “We were treated like criminals, being held as the property of the Russian Federation. I didn’t feel we were free to leave,” she said.
Police accompanied their bus into Taganrog, where they were dropped off at a railway station. Those who didn’t have family or friends in Russia, or money for transport, were being sent to Vladimir, a town more than 600 miles east. Anna said her aunt and children, who fled Mariupol without any of their documentation, were taken there.
Anna, her mother, grandmother and brother broke away to go to Rostov; they were allowed to do so because they had friends there, she said. From Rostov, Anna traveled by train to Moscow, then St. Petersburg, and eventually crossed the border from Russia into northern Estonia on March 22. In a separate interview, Anna’s mother, who has also managed to leave Russia, corroborated her account.
Anna said she felt that the evacuation was some kind of “trap all along.” And although she had been terrified to go to Russia, she said the fear of staying in an occupied area of Ukraine was greater.
Dmytrii, 21
Dmytrii moved to Mariupol in February to attend university. Less than a month later, the 21-year-old masters student found himself hiding out with thousands of other people in Terrasport, a sports complex-turned-shelter in the city.
On March 14, he said that DPR soldiers turned up at the center. “They said, ‘We’re taking over the building. Go away for evacuation,’ but they didn’t say where to go,” Dmytrii recalled. “They were smiling and we had to smile back to stay safe, no one wanted to have problems.”
Crowds of people fled on foot to a checkpoint near the Portcity shopping mall, about 1.5 miles away, where they spotted buses emblazoned with the letter Z — a symbol that has become synonymous with support for Russia’s brutal war. Dmytrii said they’d never seen the sign before.
At the checkpoint, men were asked to undress so they could be checked for tattoos. Dmytrii said displaced people were told they could be taken to Russia or find their own way Ukraine, but were later advised that Ukrainians would do nothing to help them. “‘Nobody will evacuate you. Ukrainian authorities don’t give a damn about you,'” Dmytrii recalled the soldiers saying.
Oleksandra Matviichuk, head of the Kyiv-based Ukrainian Center for Civil Liberties, said that she interviewed several people transferred from Mariupol to Russia, who described similar ultimatums. “They were told, ‘You have an option to stay and die, or to go to Russia.’ And for sure, it’s not an option at all,” Matviichuk told CNN, adding that they were pressured with disinformation about Ukraine’s willingness to take them in. “They were told that, ‘There is no empty space in Ukrainian cities, they couldn’t provide you accommodation. Only Russia can do it.'”
She continued: “Regardless of whether Russian troops used physical violence to transfer them to Russia or not. It’s illegal. Why? Because according to standards of international humanitarian law, the sides of the conflict have to open humanitarian corridors and provide a possibility for civilians to safely evacuate from the dangerous zone. But the problem is that Russia hasn’t allowed these corridors.”
Dmytrii said that the “Z” buses drove them 10 miles northwest to Nikolske, a town in the DPR, where they were brought to a “registration camp” set up in a school. “There was Russian humanitarian aid, posters — everything to pretend like ‘we help you,'” he recounted. There they were registered, passport checked, and put on the list of “refugees.”
Soon after, they were told there was no room for them to stay in the town and were loaded onto 13 buses bound for Russia. At the Novoazovsk border crossing they were once again interrogated and their phones checked. “We were really afraid for our documents — we thought they can take them away. But it didn’t happen,” Dmytrii said.
The group was told they would be sent to Rostov, but instead they ended up at a refugee center in the Taganrog Olympic sports school. There, Dmytrii said, he was given a SIM card, food and toiletries for a shower. He hadn’t slept for 48 hours and was exhausted.
When he heard an announcement that a train was departing for Yaroslavl, northeast of Moscow, he decided to take it. Dmytrii said that he and other Ukrainians were brought to a recreation center in Sakharezh, in Yaroslavl region, where hundreds were being processed for refugee status, registered for biometrics, given Russian bank cards, offered jobs and interrogated by who he believed were FSB agents. “It was very well organized. In my opinion, they were trying to assimilate us,” he said.
In hushed conversations, Ukrainians at the center passed information and plotted how they might get out. Estonia seemed to be the best option. Dmytrii registered for a bank card so that Russian relatives could send him rubles. He purchased train tickets to Moscow, then St. Petersburg and finally Ivangorod. At the Ivangorod-Narva border crossing to Estonia, Dmytrii said he was asked by a Russian official why he was travelling without documents — he had Ukrainian ID, but not a passport.
“If we were taken to Novoazovsk with smiles, then there was already a boorish attitude. It was visible. A woman who took my documents to register, asked me, ‘Why the hell did you come to the border without international passport?'”
Dmytrii, who is now safely in Estonia, replied, “And why the hell did you forcibly take me to this land from my Ukraine?”
The-CNN-Wire
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Eliza Mackintosh wrote and reported from Lviv. Oleksandra Ochman reported from Lviv. Gianluca Mezzofiore and Katie Polglase reported from London. Teele Rebane reported from Hong Kong. Nathan Hodge and Yuliia Presniakova contributed reporting. Video by Lauren Kent and Oscar Featherstone. | https://localnews8.com/news/national-world/cnn-europe-mideast-africa/2022/04/07/russia-or-die-after-weeks-under-putins-bombs-these-ukrainians-were-given-only-one-way-out/ | 2022-04-07T23:30:49Z |
TSX: MFI
Meat Protein delivers top-line growth of 3.8% and Adjusted EBITDA Margin of 9.0% in the quarter
Plant Protein targeting neutral or better Adjusted EBITDA in the latter half of 2023
MISSISSAUGA, ON, Aug. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Maple Leaf Foods Inc. ("Maple Leaf Foods" or the "Company") (TSX: MFI) today reported its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022.
"This chaotic and unpredictable operating environment is unprecedented in my 40-year career in the food industry," said Michael H. McCain, President and CEO of Maple Leaf Foods. "Driven by a post-pandemic economy and the tragic conflict in Eastern Europe, we have been unable to hire adequate people resources to operate our supply chains, experienced unnatural agricultural and trading markets, and realized hyper-inflation that has been challenging to keep up with pricing. While our Q2 results fell short of expectations with an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 9% in the Meat Protein Group, we see signs of these conditions abating. Our commitment to achieve 14-16% Adjusted EBITDA was grounded in the assumption of normal, five-year average market conditions and we are confident we will deliver that once the environment stabilizes, although predicting this timeline at the moment is challenging. Our focus on executing our Blueprint to be the most sustainable protein company on earth is absolute."
"In our Plant Protein business, we are in full motion executing our transition to a different business model," continued Mr. McCain. "At the end of Q2, we took steps to materially reduce the size of the organization. We expect to achieve our SG&A targets by the end of this year, and a right sizing of the manufacturing footprint in the first half of 2023, giving us the back half of 2023 as time to make final adjustments. Revenue management adjustments will also occur over the course of the next 12 months. This is a business model in transition back to one of profitable growth."
- Total Company sales grew 3.1% to $1,195.1 million, with an Adjusted Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization ("EBITDA")(i) Margin of 6.2%.
- Meat Protein Group sales grew to $1,160.2 million, an increase of 3.8% year over year. Adjusted EBITDA was $104.1 million, and Adjusted EBITDA Margin was 9.0%.
- In the Plant Protein Group, the Company recorded an $18.6 million restructuring charge and took steps to rightsize its Selling, General and Administrative expenses ("SG&A") spend as part of the journey towards Adjusted EBITDA neutrality in the second half of 2023.
- Capital expenditures were $89.7 million and consisted mainly of Construction Capital(i) of $49.9 million, primarily related to the London, Ontario poultry facility.
- Meat Protein: Expect mid-to-high single digit sales growth in 2022, and Adjusted EBITDA Margin expansion to achieve a target range of 14% - 16% when market conditions normalize.
- Plant Protein: Targeting to deliver neutral or better Adjusted EBITDA in the latter half of 2023.
Sales for the second quarter of 2022 were $1,195.1 million compared to $1,158.9 million last year, an increase of 3.1%, driven by higher sales in the Meat Protein Group, partially offset by lower sales in the Plant Protein Group. For more details on sales performance by operating segment, refer to the section entitled Operating Review.
Year-to-date sales for 2022 were $2,321.7 million compared to $2,211.9 million last year, an increase of 5.0%, due to similar factors as noted above.
Net loss for the second quarter of 2022 was $54.6 million ($0.44 per basic share) compared to earnings of $8.8 million ($0.07 per basic share) last year. The net loss resulted from weaker commercial performance due to cost inflation and labour challenges, as well as higher restructuring costs and start-up expenses.
Year-to-date net loss for 2022 was $40.9 million ($0.33 per basic share) compared to earnings of $56.5 million ($0.46 per basic share) last year. The net loss resulted from weaker commercial performance due to cost inflation and labour challenges, as well as higher restructuring costs and start-up expenses.
Adjusted Operating Earnings for the second quarter of 2022 were $23.6 million compared to $58.3 million last year, and Adjusted Earnings per Share for the second quarter of 2022 were $0.00 compared to $0.29 last year due to similar factors as noted above.
Year-to-date Adjusted Operating Earnings for 2022 were $39.7 million compared to $109.8 million last year, and Adjusted Earnings per Share for 2022 were $0.03 compared to $0.56 last year due to similar factors as noted above.
For further discussion on key metrics and a discussion of results by operating segment, refer to the section titled Operating Review.
Note: Several items are excluded from the discussions of underlying earnings performance as they are not representative of ongoing operational activities. Refer to the section entitled Non-IFRS Financial Measures at the end of this news release for a description and reconciliation of all non-IFRS financial measures.
As an essential service, Maple Leaf Foods is focused on protecting the health and well-being of its people, maintaining business continuity and broadening its social outreach. To manage through this unprecedented environment, the Company has taken a number of measures in its business and operating practices that include heightened safety policies and procedures, adopting a vaccination mandate for all employees and contractors, and close communication and collaboration with public health authorities, including hosting on-site vaccination clinics in 2021. The measures enacted to protect the health and safety of employees have increased the Company's current cost structure due to higher labour, personal protective equipment, sanitation and other expenses associated with the pandemic.
Overall, the Company believes its proactive and comprehensive efforts have, and should continue to mitigate adverse operational impacts. As the COVID-19 situation evolves, Maple Leaf Foods will continue to adapt and adopt best practices that prioritize the health and safety of its employees and the stability of the food supply. As part of Maple Leaf Foods' broader social responsibility since the pandemic began, the Company has provided extensive support to front-line staff, emergency food relief efforts and health care providers.
COVID-19 continues to have an impact on the global economy, leading to increased inflation, labour shortages and disruptions in the global supply chain. To date, the Company's leading brands, revenue management capabilities and robust supply chain have enabled it to mitigate these impacts. Maple Leaf Foods continues to monitor the ongoing environment and believes it is well-positioned to face these headwinds.
The Company has two reportable segments. These segments offer different products, with separate organizational structures, brands, financial, and marketing strategies. The Company's chief operating decision makers regularly review internal reports for these businesses: performance of the Meat Protein Group is based on revenue growth, Adjusted Operating Earnings and Adjusted EBITDA, while the performance of the Plant Protein Group in the short term is focused on obtaining Adjusted EBITDA neutral or better results.
The following table summarizes the Company's sales, gross profit, SG&A, Adjusted Operating Earnings, Adjusted EBITDA, and Adjusted EBITDA Margin by operating segment for the three months ended June 30, 2022 and June 30, 2021.
The following table summarizes the Company's sales, gross profit, SG&A, Adjusted Operating Earnings, Adjusted EBITDA, and Adjusted EBITDA Margin by operating segment for the six months ended June 30, 2022 and June 30, 2021.
The Meat Protein Group is comprised of prepared meats, ready-to-cook and ready-to-serve meals, value-added fresh pork and poultry products that are sold to retail, foodservice and industrial channels, and agricultural operations in pork and poultry. The Meat Protein Group includes leading brands such as Maple Leaf®, Maple Leaf Prime®, Maple Leaf Natural Selections®, Schneiders®, Schneiders® Country Naturals®, Mina®, Greenfield Natural Meat Co.®, and many leading regional brands.
Sales for the second quarter of 2022 increased 3.8% to $1,160.2 million compared to $1,117.5 million last year. Sales growth was driven by pricing action to mitigate inflation and a favourable mix-shift in product sales, including growth in sustainable meats and branded products, partially offset by lower sales volume.
Year-to-date sales for 2022 increased 5.6% to $2,249.6 million compared to $2,131.2 million last year. Sales growth was driven by pricing actions to mitigate inflationary cost increases and favourable mix-shift towards sustainable meats, branded products and growth in sales to the United States. These positive factors were partially offset by lower sales volume.
Gross profit for the second quarter of 2022 was $136.0 million (gross margin of 11.7%) compared to $167.0 million (gross margin of 14.9%) last year. Gross profit was negatively impacted by cost inflation, labour shortages, and pork market headwinds, partially offset by pricing action. Gross profit for the second quarter included start-up expenses of $9.0 million (2021: $1.5 million) associated with Construction Capital projects, which are excluded in the calculation of Adjusted Operating Earnings.
Year-to-date gross profit for 2022 was $266.9 million (gross margin of 11.9%) compared to $333.1 million (gross margin of 15.6%) last year. Gross profit was negatively impacted by operational and supply chain disruptions, inflationary cost increases, and pork market headwinds, partially offset by pricing action. Gross profit year-to-date included start-up expenses of $17.7 million (2021: $2.1 million) associated with Construction Capital projects, which are excluded in the calculation of Adjusted Operating Earnings.
SG&A expenses for the second quarter of 2022 were $87.3 million compared to $81.2 million last year. The increase in SG&A expenses was largely driven by the timing of advertising and promotional expenses and a gradual normalization of discretionary spending.
Year-to-date SG&A expenses for 2022 were $176.0 million compared to $168.3 million last year. The increase in SG&A expenses was driven by the timing of advertising and promotional expenses, a gradual normalization of discretionary spending and donations to support the relief efforts in Ukraine.
Adjusted Operating Earnings for the second quarter of 2022 were $57.7 million compared to $87.3 million last year, consistent with factors noted above.
Year-to-date Adjusted Operating Earnings for 2022 were $108.7 million compared to $167.0 million last year, consistent with factors noted above.
Adjusted EBITDA for the second quarter of 2022 were $104.1 million compared to $131.2 million last year, driven by factors consistent with those noted above. Adjusted EBITDA Margin for the second quarter was 9.0% compared to 11.7% last year, also driven by factors consistent with those noted above.
Year-to-date Adjusted EBITDA for 2022 were $201.6 million compared to $255.1 million last year, driven by factors consistent with those noted above. Year-to-date Adjusted EBITDA Margin for 2022 was 9.0% compared to 12.0% last year, also driven by factors consistent with those noted above.
The Plant Protein Group is comprised of refrigerated plant protein products, premium grain-based protein, and vegan cheese products sold to retail, foodservice and industrial channels. The Plant Protein Group includes the leading brands Lightlife® and Field Roast™.
Sales for the second quarter of 2022 decreased 15.1% to $40.8 million compared to $48.1 million last year. Excluding the impact of foreign exchange, sales decreased 18.4%, driven by lower volumes in retail products. This more than offset pricing action implemented to mitigate inflation and structural cost increases, and growth in foodservice volumes.
Year-to-date sales for 2022 decreased 5.5% to $85.7 million compared to $90.7 million last year. Excluding the impact of foreign exchange, sales decreased 7.5%, driven by lower volumes in retail products. This more than offset growth in foodservice volumes and pricing action implemented to mitigate inflation and structural cost increases.
Gross profit for the second quarter of 2022 was a loss of $10.1 million (gross margin loss of 24.7%) compared to income of $0.3 million (gross margin of 0.6%) last year. The decrease in gross profit was driven by inflationary costs and strategic investments in capacity ahead of anticipated demand, which resulted in increased overhead and short-term costs. This was partially offset by pricing action. Gross profit for the quarter also included start-up expenses of $2.3 million (2021: $0.4 million) associated with Construction Capital projects which are excluded in the calculation of Adjusted Operating Earnings.
Year-to-date gross profit for 2022 was a loss of $16.3 million (gross margin loss of 19.1%) compared to income of $0.4 million (gross margin of 0.5%) last year. The decrease in gross profit was driven by inflationary costs and strategic investments in capacity ahead of anticipated demand, which resulted in increased overhead and short-term costs. This was partially offset by pricing action. Year-to-date Gross profit also included start-up expenses of $4.5 million (2021: $1.0 million) associated with Construction Capital projects which are excluded in the calculation of Adjusted Operating Earnings.
SG&A expenses for the second quarter of 2022 were $26.3 million (64.4% of sales) compared to $29.8 million (61.9% of sales) last year. The decrease in SG&A expenses was primarily attributable to lower advertising expenses, partially offset by higher consulting and people costs.
Year-to-date SG&A expenses for 2022 were $57.1 million (66.6% of sales) compared to $58.6 million (64.6% of sales) last year. The decrease in SG&A expenses was primarily attributable to lower advertising expenses, partially offset by higher consulting and people costs.
Adjusted Operating Earnings for the second quarter of 2022 were a loss of $34.0 million compared to a loss of $29.1 million last year. The decrease in Adjusted Operating Earnings is consistent with the factors noted above.
Year-to-date Adjusted Operating Earnings for 2022 were a loss of $68.9 million compared to a loss of $57.1 million last year. The decrease in Adjusted Operating Earnings is consistent with the factors noted above.
On August 3, 2022, the Board of Directors approved a quarterly dividend of $0.20 per share (an increase of $0.02 per share from the 2021 second quarter dividends), $0.80 per share on an annual basis, payable September 29, 2022 to shareholders of record at the close of business September 8, 2022. Unless indicated otherwise by the Company at or before the time the dividend is paid, the dividend will be considered an eligible dividend for the purposes of the "Enhanced Dividend Tax Credit System".
A conference call will be held at 8:00 a.m. ET on August 4, 2022, to review Maple Leaf Foods' second quarter financial results. To participate in the call, please dial 416-764-8650 or 1-888-664-6383. For those unable to participate, playback will be made available an hour after the event at 416-764-8677 or 1-888-390-0541 (Passscode: 642262#).
A webcast of the second quarter conference call will also be available at: https://www.mapleleaffoods.com
The Company's full unaudited consolidated interim financial statements ("Consolidated Interim Financial Statements") and related Management's Discussion and Analysis are available on the Company's website.
An investor presentation related to the Company's second quarter financial results is available at www.mapleleaffoods.com and can be found under Presentations and Webcasts on the Investors page.
Maple Leaf Foods is a leading consumer protein company, supported by a portfolio of market leading brands, a solid balance sheet and capital structure that provide financial flexibility. Over the last several years, the Company has developed a foundation to pursue compelling growth vectors across its business and to create value for all stakeholders.
Meat Protein Group
In Meat Protein, the Company's strategy is to drive profitable growth. In 2017, Maple Leaf Foods articulated its target to reach an Adjusted EBITDA Margin of 14% - 16% in 2022, assuming normal market conditions, including a pork complex in-line with the 5-year average.
Given the unprecedented market dynamics, marked by a challenging post-pandemic economy, the conflict in Europe, high inflation and significant market and supply chain disruption, Maple Leaf Foods expects that its Meat Protein Group will achieve the following:
- Mid-to-high single digit sales growth in 2022, driven by continued momentum in sustainable meats, leveraging brand leadership, and growth into the U.S. market.
- Adjusted EBITDA Margin expansion to 14% - 16% target range once markets normalize, driven by mix-shift benefits in prepared meats resulting from growth in sustainable meats and brand renovation, as well as operational efficiencies.
Plant Protein Group
- In late 2021, the Company announced that it was re-evaluating its outlook for the Plant Protein Group and launching a comprehensive review of the overall plant protein category. This decision was driven by a pronounced slowdown in growth rates in the category, particularly in the second half of the year, which fueled the Company's imperative to identify and thoroughly assess the causes, near and long-term trends, and overall implications. While the Company's analysis is ongoing, the results to date confirm that the very high category growth rates previously predicted by many industry experts are unlikely to be achieved given current customer feedback, experience, buy rates and household penetration. Based on this new information, the Company believes that the category will continue to grow at more modest, but still attractive rates. Current estimates suggest that the category will grow at an average annual rate of 10% to 15%, making it a $6 billion to $10 billion market by 2030. Accordingly, the Company is pivoting its strategy and investment thesis for the Plant Protein Group and has set a new goal to deliver neutral or better Adjusted EBITDA in the latter half of 2023. Work is ongoing to implement this pivot. Given the current size of the Plant Protein Group of approximately US$150 million of annual revenue in 2021, the expected resultant business model from this strategy would deliver a 30% gross margin, with less than US$50 million in SG&A, to achieve the stated Adjusted EBITDA target.
Capital
- The Company's capital expenditure estimate for the full year of 2022 remains unchanged and in the range of $400 million to $500 million, with approximately 50% to be comprised of Construction Capital attributable to the construction of the London, Ontario poultry facility and the remainder largely relating to other projects to add growth and capacity in the Prepared Meats business and to expand hog production.
- The Company expects the London, Ontario poultry facility to start to deliver approximately $100 million annually of additional Adjusted EBITDA once fully ramped up which is expected to be by the end of 2023. Additionally, the Company expects the Bacon Centre of Excellence to contribute approximately $30 million annually of additional Adjusted EBITDA once fully ramped up which is expected to be in the second half of 2023.
The ongoing effects of COVID-19 induced supply chain disruptions and the war in Ukraine are unpredictable and may impact a number of factors that drive growth in the business, including:
- Agricultural commodity and foreign exchange markets;
- Inflationary cost pressures;
- Disruptions in the global supply chain;
- Availability of labour; and
- The balance between retail and foodservice demand.
For more information on the impact of COVID-19 on the business and the associated risks, refer to the section titled Response to COVID-19, and for more information on the factors that may influence future performance, see the section titled Forward-Looking Statements in this news release.
The execution of the Company's financial and operational priorities are embedded in a commitment to deliver shared value for the benefit of all stakeholders. The Company's guiding pillars to be the "Most Sustainable Protein Company on Earth" include Better Food, Better Care, Better Communities, Better Planet and are core to how Maple Leaf Foods conducts itself. To that end, the Company's priorities include:
- Better Food - leading the real food movement and transitioning key brands to 100% "raised without antibiotics".
- Better Care - further advancement of animal care, after achieving our transition of all sows under management to open housing systems in 2021.
- Better Communities - investing a minimum of approximately 1% of pre-tax profit to advance sustainable food security.
- Better Planet - continuing to amplify its commitment to carbon neutrality, while focusing on eliminating waste in any resources it consumes, including food, energy, water, packaging, and time.
The Company uses the following non-IFRS measures: Adjusted Operating Earnings, Adjusted Earnings per Share, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Construction Capital, Net Debt, Free Cash Flow and Return on Net Assets. Management believes that these non-IFRS measures provide useful information to investors in measuring the financial performance of the Company for the reasons outlined below. These measures do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and therefore they may not be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other publicly traded companies and should not be construed as an alternative to other financial measures determined in accordance with IFRS.
Adjusted Operating Earnings, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin are non-IFRS measures used by Management to evaluate financial operating results. Adjusted Operating Earnings is defined as earnings before other income, income taxes and interest expense adjusted for items that are not considered representative of ongoing operational activities of the business and items where the economic impact of the transactions will be reflected in earnings in future periods when the underlying asset is sold or transferred. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as Adjusted Operating Earnings plus depreciation and intangible asset amortization, adjusted for items included in other expense that are considered representative of ongoing operational activities of the business. Adjusted EBITDA Margin is calculated as Adjusted EBITDA divided by sales.
The table below provides a reconciliation of earnings (loss) before income taxes as reported under IFRS in the Consolidated Interim Financial Statements to Adjusted Operating Earnings and Adjusted EBITDA for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022 as indicated below. Management believes that these non-IFRS measures are useful in assessing the performance of the Company's ongoing operations and its ability to generate cash flows to fund its cash requirements, including the Company's capital investment program.
Adjusted Earnings per Share, a non-IFRS measure, is used by Management to evaluate financial operating results. It is defined as basic earnings per share and is adjusted on the same basis as Adjusted Operating Earnings. The table below provides a reconciliation of basic earnings per share as reported under IFRS in the Consolidated Interim Financial Statements to Adjusted Earnings per Share for the three and six months ended June 30, as indicated below. Management believes this basis is the most appropriate on which to evaluate financial results as they are representative of the ongoing operations of the Company.
Construction Capital, a non-IFRS measure, is used by Management to evaluate the amount of capital resources invested in specific strategic development projects that are not yet operational. It is defined as investments and related financing charges in projects over $50.0 million that are related to longer-term strategic initiatives, with no returns expected for at least 12 months from commencement of construction and the asset will be re-categorized from Construction Capital once operational. The current balance of construction capital includes investments in the London, Ontario poultry production facility. The expansion of the Bacon Centre of Excellence in Winnipeg, Manitoba, was completed in the fourth quarter of 2021 and recategorized. Investments in capacity at the Walker Drive facility in Brampton, Ontario, and the plant protein production facilities in Indiana were completed in the first quarter of 2022 and have been recategorized. The following table is a summary of Construction Capital activity and debt financing for the periods indicated below.
The following table reconciles Net Debt to amounts reported under IFRS in the Company's Consolidated Interim Financial Statements as at June 30, as indicated below. The Company calculates Net Debt as cash and cash equivalents, less long-term debt and bank indebtedness. Management believes this measure is useful in assessing the amount of financial leverage employed.
Free Cash Flow, a non-IFRS measure, is used by Management to evaluate cash flow after investing in the maintenance or expansion of the Company's asset base. It is defined as cash provided by operations, less cash additions to long-term assets and capitalized interest. The following table calculates Free Cash Flow for the periods indicated below:
Return on Net Assets ("RONA") is calculated by dividing tax effected earnings from operations (adjusted for items which are not considered representative of the underlying operations of the business) by average monthly net assets. Net assets are defined as total assets (excluding cash and deferred tax assets) less non-interest bearing liabilities (excluding deferred tax liabilities). Management believes that RONA is an appropriate basis upon which to evaluate long-term financial performance.
This document contains, and the Company's oral and written public communications often contain, "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates, projections, beliefs, judgments and assumptions based on information available at the time the applicable forward-looking statement was made and in light of the Company's experience combined with its perception of historical trends. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to objectives and goals, in addition to statements with respect to beliefs, plans, targets, goals, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates, and intentions. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "should", "could", "would", "believe", "plan", "intend", "design", "target", "undertake", "view", "indicate", "maintain", "explore", "entail", "schedule", "objective", "strategy", "likely", "potential", "outlook", "aim", "propose", "goal", and similar expressions suggesting future events or future performance. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict.
By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. The Company believes the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied upon.
Specific forward-looking information in this document may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to:
- implications of COVID-19, including implications for supply chain, workforce availability and consumption patterns;
- future performance, including future financial objectives, goals and targets, category growth analysis, expected capital spend and expected SG&A expenditures for the Company and each of its operating segments;
- the execution of the Company's business strategy, including the development and expected timing of business initiatives, brand expansion and repositioning, plant protein category investment and performance, and other growth opportunities, as well as the impact thereof;
- the impact of international trade conditions and markets on the Company's business, including access to markets, implications associated with the spread of foreign animal disease (such as African Swine Fever ("ASF")) and other animal diseases such as Avian Influenza, as well as other social, economic and political factors that affect trade, including the war in Ukraine;
- competitive conditions and the Company's ability to position itself competitively in the markets in which it competes;
- capital projects, including planning, construction, estimated expenditures, schedules, approvals, expected capacity, in-service dates and anticipated benefits of construction of new facilities and expansions of existing facilities;
- the Company's dividend policy, including future levels and sustainability of cash dividends, the tax treatment thereof and future dividend payment dates;
- the impact of commodity prices on the Company's operations and financial performance, including the use and effectiveness of hedging instruments;
- expected future cash flows and the sufficiency thereof, sources of capital at attractive rates, future contractual obligations, future financing options, renewal of credit facilities, and availability of capital to fund growth plans, operating obligations and dividends;
- operating risks, including the execution, monitoring and continuous improvement of the Company's food safety programs, animal health initiatives and cost reduction initiatives;
- the implementation, cost and impact of environmental sustainability initiatives, as well as the anticipated future cost of remediating environmental liabilities;
- the adoption of new accounting standards and the impact of such adoption on the financial position of the Company;
- expectations regarding pension plan performance, including future pension plan assets, liabilities and contributions; and
- developments and implications of actual or potential legal actions.
Various factors or assumptions are typically applied by the Company in drawing conclusions or making the forecasts, projections, predictions or estimations set out in the forward-looking statements. These factors and assumptions are based on information currently available to the Company, including information obtained by the Company from third-party sources and include but are not limited to the following:
- expectations regarding the impact and future implications of COVID-19 and adaptations in operations, supply chain, customer and consumer behaviour, economic patterns and international trade;
- the competitive environment, associated market conditions and market share metrics, category growth or contraction, the expected behaviour of competitors and customers and trends in consumer preferences;
- the success of the Company's business strategy, including execution of the strategy in the Meat Protein Group and the outcome of the category analysis related to the strategy for the Plant Protein Groups;
- prevailing commodity prices, interest rates, tax rates and exchange rates;
- the impact of the war in Ukraine on international relations, trade and markets, as well as the economic condition of and the sociopolitical dynamics between Canada, the U.S., Japan and China, and the ability of the Company to access markets and source ingredients and other inputs in light of global sociopolitical disruption;
- the spread of foreign animal disease (including ASF and Avian Influenza), preparedness strategies to manage such spread, and implications for all protein markets;
- the availability of capital to fund future capital requirements associated with existing operations, assets and projects;
- expectations regarding participation in and funding of the Company's pension plans;
- the availability of insurance coverage to manage certain liability exposures;
- the extent of future liabilities and recoveries related to legal claims;
- prevailing regulatory, tax and environmental laws; and
- future operating costs and performance, including the Company's ability to achieve operating efficiencies and maintain high sales volumes, high turnover of inventories and high turnover of accounts receivable.
Readers are cautioned that these assumptions may prove to be incorrect in whole or in part. The Company's actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in any forward-looking statements.
Factors that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from the results expressed, implied, or projected in the forward-looking statements contained in this document include, among other things, risks associated with the following:
- implications of COVID-19 on the operations and financial performance of the Company, as well the implications for macro socio-economic trends;
- competition, market conditions and the activities of competitors and customers, including the expansion or contraction of key categories (including plant protein);
- the health status of livestock, including the impact of potential pandemics;
- international trade and access to markets and supplies, as well as social, political and economic dynamics, including the war in Ukraine;
- availability of and access to capital;
- decision respecting the return of capital to shareholders;
- the execution of capital projects, including cost, schedule and regulatory variables;
- food safety, consumer liability and product recalls;
- cyber security and the maintenance and operation of the Company's information systems and processes;
- climate change;
- strategic risk management, including the outcome of the analysis of the plant protein category;
- acquisitions and divestitures;
- fluctuations in the debt and equity markets;
- fluctuations in interest rates and currency exchange rates;
- pension assets and liabilities;
- cyclical nature of the cost and supply of hogs and the competitive nature of the pork market generally;
- the effectiveness of commodity and interest rate hedging strategies;
- impact of changes in the market value of the biological assets and hedging instruments;
- the supply management system for poultry in Canada;
- availability of plant protein ingredients;
- intellectual property, including product innovation, product development, brand strategy and trademark protection;
- consolidation of operations and focus on protein;
- the use of contract manufacturers;
- reputation;
- weather;
- compliance with government regulation and adapting to changes in laws;
- actual and threatened legal claims;
- consumer trends and changes in consumer tastes and buying patterns;
- environmental regulation and potential environmental liabilities;
- consolidation in the retail environment;
- employment matters, including complying with employment laws across multiple jurisdictions, the potential for work stoppages due to non-renewal of collective agreements, recruiting and retaining qualified personnel, reliance on key personnel and succession planning;
- pricing of products;
- managing the Company's supply chain;
- changes in International Financial Reporting Standards and other accounting standards that the Company is required to adhere to for regulatory purposes; and
- other factors as set out under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2021.
The Company cautions readers that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive.
Readers are further cautioned that some of the forward-looking information, such as statements concerning future capital expenditures, Adjusted EBITDA Margin growth in the Meat Protein Group, and Adjusted EBITDA target in the Plant Protein Group (including the timing, pace and impact of restructuring activities), may be considered to be financial outlooks for purposes of applicable securities legislation. These financial outlooks are presented to evaluate potential future earnings and anticipated future uses of cash flows and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Readers should not assume these financial outlooks will be achieved.
More information about risk factors can be found under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2021, that is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The reader should review such section in detail. Additional information concerning the Company, including the Company's Annual Information Form, is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
All forward-looking statements included herein speak only as of the date hereof. Unless required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. All forward-looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.
Maple Leaf Foods is a carbon neutral company with a vision to be the most sustainable protein company on earth, responsibly producing food products under leading brands including Maple Leaf®, Maple Leaf Prime®, Maple Leaf Natural Selections®, Schneiders®, Schneiders® Country Naturals®, Mina®, Greenfield Natural Meat Co.®, Lightlife® and Field Roast™. The Company employs approximately 13,500 people and does business primarily in Canada, the U.S. and Asia. The Company is headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario and its shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (MFI).
Income (Loss)
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SOURCE Maple Leaf Foods Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/04/maple-leaf-foods-reports-second-quarter-2022-financial-results/ | 2022-08-04T11:48:36Z |
DALLAS (KDAF) — Today, April 6, is National Acai Bowl Day and if you are looking for where to get the best acai bowl in Dallas, we got you covered.
Now before you order that delicious fruit bowl, we just gotta make sure you don’t fumble the pronunciation of this fruit.
READ: Where to get the best acai bowl in Dallas?
In our research, we actually found that this topic has been the subject of debate, with Late Night with Seth Meyers doing an entire segment just dedicated to the topic. Click here for that hilarious segment.
So what is correct? The correct pronunciation is ah-sigh-ee. You have full permission to use this article to prove your friends wrong. | https://cw33.com/lifestyle/how-do-you-pronounce-acai/ | 2022-04-06T22:23:05Z |
Compelling evidence that chronic neuroinflammation induces neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD)
Hypothesized that microglial inflammasome activation propagates chronic neuroinflammation in PD
IC 100, a CNS-penetrating monoclonal ASC Inhibitor, targets multiple types of inflammasomes to block initiation and perpetuation of damaging chronic inflammation
WESTON, Fla., July 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ZyVersa Therapeutics, Inc. (ZyVersa), a clinical-stage specialty biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class drugs for treatment of inflammatory and renal diseases, is honored to receive a grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF) to determine if IC 100 inhibition of inflammasomes and ASC specks blocks microglial-mediated inflammation in a PD model. The research will be conducted at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in the labs of IC 100 inventors, Drs. Robert W. Keane and Juan Pablo de Rivero Vaccari. Dr. Keane is Professor, Departments of Physiology and Biophysics, Neurological Surgery and Microbiology, Immunology, and The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Dr. de Rivero Vaccari is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neurological Surgery and The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, and a Distinguished Faculty Member of the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Aging at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
"We are grateful to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for funding this research," says Dr. Robert Keane. "This project will be the first to determine if α-synuclein preformed fibrils (PFF) and ASC specks trigger microglial inflammasome activation, causing them to shift to a detrimental phenotype and whether inflammasome inhibition with IC 100 prevents this shift by inhibiting ASC speck formation."
"There is a significant unmet need for therapies that can delay or halt the progression of Parkinson's disease, which impacts the lives of around one million people in the U.S. and more than six million globally," stated Stephen C. Glover, ZyVersa's Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman. "This research will help determine the potential of IC 100 (inflammasome ASC inhibitor) to block the damaging neuroinflammation that induces neural degeneration in Parkinson's disease, similar to what we have seen in other CNS conditions. In animal models of multiple sclerosis, aging, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and stroke, IC 100 has been shown to interfere with CNS inflammasome signaling, resulting in improved histopathological and behavioral outcomes."
"MJFF continues to fund therapeutic research to improve the lives of people with Parkinson's disease," said Jessica Tome-Garcia, Ph.D., Associate Director of Research Programs at MJFF. "We are optimistic in funding ZyVersa's research to further our understanding of neuroinflammation pathways and to see if the IC 100 inhibition of inflammasomes will block the gateway of activation."
ZyVersa is a clinical stage specialty biopharmaceutical company leveraging advanced, proprietary technologies to develop first-in-class drugs. Our focus is on patients with inflammatory or renal diseases who have significant unmet medical needs. Our development pipeline includes a novel inflammasome ASC inhibitor with potential to treat multiple CNS and other inflammatory diseases. It also includes phase 2a-ready VAR 200, a cholesterol efflux mediator for treatment of rare kidney disease, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). VAR 200 has potential to treat other kidney diseases, such as Alport Syndrome and Diabetic Kidney Disease. For more information, please visit www.zyversa.com.
As the world's largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson's research, The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to accelerating a cure for Parkinson's disease and improved therapies for those living with the condition today. The Foundation pursues its goals through an aggressively funded, highly targeted research program coupled with active global engagement of scientists, Parkinson's patients, business leaders, clinical trial participants, donors, and volunteers. In addition to funding $1.5 billion in research to date, the Foundation has fundamentally altered the trajectory of progress toward a cure. Operating at the hub of worldwide Parkinson's research, the Foundation forges groundbreaking collaborations with industry leaders, academic scientists and government research funders; creates a robust open-access data set and biosample library to speed scientific breakthroughs and treatment with its landmark clinical study, PPMI; increases the flow of participants into Parkinson's disease clinical trials with its online tool, Fox Trial Finder; promotes Parkinson's awareness through high-profile advocacy, events, and outreach; and coordinates the grassroots involvement of thousands of Team Fox members around the world. For more information, visit us at www.michaeljfox.org, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn.
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SOURCE ZyVersa Therapeutics, Inc. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/27/zyversa-therapeutics-university-miami-awarded-grant-michael-j-fox-foundation-determine-if-inhibition-microglial-inflammasome-activation-with-ic-100-blocks-neuroinflammation-driving-parkinsons-disease-pathology/ | 2022-07-27T12:45:01Z |
Quong Will Lead Society Brands' Product Development Efforts for Tech-Enabled CPG Brands
CANTON, Ohio, Aug. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Society Brands, an ecommerce aggregator built for and by founders, today announced the acquisition of Power Theory, a leading global brand in the screen protector market, as it aggressively expands its portfolio within the consumer electronics space. In addition, Society announced the hiring of a core group of former original team members at mophie, including Charlie Quong, who was named Chief Product Officer.
In this role, Quong will lead strategic product development efforts to support the growth of Society Brands' tech-enabled consumer electronics brands, including Power Theory, which offers a robust lineup of screen protection solutions and mobile accessories for flagship Apple, Samsung, and Google devices. With Quong at the helm of a robust product development team, Society Brands is positioning itself as one of the first ecommerce aggregators equipped to acquire and grow tech-enabled consumer electronics brands.
"I couldn't be more excited to have nearly a dozen and growing original mophie team members who worked with me to build the brand from the ground up join Society Brands," said Shawn Dougherty, Chief Operating Officer of Society Brands. "This group has worked in the tech industry and with each other for more than 20 years and bring with them an unmatched level of expertise in delivering game-changing products to the marketplace, as well as long standing relationships with key decision makers in the ecommerce and retail space. It is a dream come true to have them all on board, with Charlie at the helm to round out and complement our 'A-team' at Society."
Charlie Quong has more than 20 years of experience leading product teams in developing, innovating, and managing consumer and commercial products and mobile software solutions across a broad range of categories. He has successfully launched thousands of SKUs representing over $3B in total revenue. Prior to joining Society Brands, Quong served as Vice President of Product Development at mophie, where he led efforts to make mophie the first Apple MFi-certified accessory developer in the smart battery case and power categories. During his time at the company, mophie products were sold in 130 countries and in 30,000 retailers worldwide.
"I'm thrilled to be a part of this amazing organization that co-founders Michael, Justin and Shawn have created, and am excited to help lead the product team to introduce new innovations and drive portfolio brand performance within the consumer electronics space," said Charlie Quong, Chief Product Officer of Society Brands. "Power Theory is well established in the screen protection category and is in a prime position for expansion and growth with the collective Society team's experience and expertise in this space."
Quong has also held product leadership roles with Telecommunications Systems, Inc., Magellan Navigation, Clarion Corporation of America, and Directed Electronics and been responsible for supplier strategies, technology developer partnerships, and supplier base development of suppliers and manufacturing partners throughout the U.S. and Asia.
With Power Theory now part of the Society Brands family, founder Matt Dreier will assume the role of Brand President, continuing to lead the Power Theory team as it grows its product portfolio and expands into new categories and channels. This move reflects Society Brands' unique "founder-friendly" business model, where founders have the option to stay on board with their brand and be part of a community of like-minded entrepreneurs.
"I'm very excited to work with the amazing team at Society Brands, who are focused on building a robust platform for brands like Power Theory to grow," said Matt Dreier, Founder and Brand President of Power Theory. "The collective management team has amazing experience, and it is a huge benefit to have their support and shared resources in product development, marketing, operations, quality management and supply chain to take Power Theory to new heights."
Society Brands is a tech-enabled consumer products company that acquires ecommerce native brands that primarily sell on Amazon and their own DTC sites. The company was built for and by founders, providing entrepreneurs meaningful liquidity while at the same time affording them an opportunity to stay on board, build their brand and roll equity into Society Brands' platform. Society Brands is headquartered in Canton, Ohio and has offices in Kalamazoo, Mich., Rogers, Ark. and Newport Beach, Calif. For more information, please visit www.societybrands.com.
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SAN DIEGO, June 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Top Digital marketing agency PPC Profit Pros, founded and led by performance marketing expert, Aaron Adamson, is adding in CallRail software into their powerful mix of deep pay-per-click marketing experience, and proven expertise in three of the world's top artificial intelligence and machine learning marketing platforms, Skai (formerly Kenshoo), Adalysis, and Unbounce. This digital marketing firm has a track record of growing profits, 25% to 327%, across all industries and for B2C and B2B brands. Now, with CallRail in their toolset, PPC Profit Pros will be able to track your offline call center type conversions and tie them back to the PPC keywords and ads that produced your leads and sales allowing for offline profit maximization.
With CallRail, PPC Profit Pros can set up personalized call routing for all of your tracked numbers, give your customers options for text messaging, and allow you to engage your customers with automated responses so that your customers know when they will hear back from you.
"CallRail has a lot of great features for our clients, but from our standpoint, the best one, is the ability to send the call lead into our clients CRM with special tracking that tells us what Google PPC keyword, ad and landing page was involved. This gives us something really special. We can finally tie these offline transactions to the online places that our clients are spending money on, and dial the whole system into maximum profit! We have seen amazing profit increases with our clients, whereby we typically can double their profit on call center calls," says Founder and CEO, Aaron Adamson.
PPC Profit Pros delivers superior profit by controlling ROI all along the customer journey across: Keywords, ads, landing pages, and conversion forms. "We use specific tools for specific purposes, at each point from ad impression to lead and sale. These tools are complex, but we've become experts with them, which allows us to give valuable time back to brands; time that they can use to work harder on their businesses," says Adamson.
PPC Profit Pros is an online marketing firm that combines vast experience, exceptional tools, and robust analytics with exceptional marketing techniques to maximize performance in the following areas: Paid search marketing, social PPC, retargeting, performance display, and conversion rate optimization.
For more information, visit https://ppcprofitpros.com.
CONTACT: press@ppcprofitpros.com
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SOURCE PPC Profit Pros | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/01/ppc-profit-pros-teams-up-with-callrail-offer-brands-profit-maximization-offline-phone-calls/ | 2022-07-01T00:52:30Z |
STOCKHOLM, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Oncopeptides AB (publ) (Nasdaq: ONCO) (Stockholm: ONCO), a biotech company focused on research and development of therapies for difficult-to-treat hematological diseases, today announces that the 2021 Annual Report has been published.
The Annual Report summarizes an extraordinary eventful year, including significant regulatory hurdles. The year started with a major milestone, the accelerated approval of Pepaxto® (INN melphalan flufenamide) in the US. This was followed by an application to the European Medicines Agency, EMA, for marketing authorization in Europe, and the read out of the phase 3 OCEAN study, a head-to-head comparison between melflufen and pomalidomide in lenalidomide refractory multiple myeloma patients with 2-4 prior lines of therapy. The OCEAN study met the primary endpoint and showed superior progression free survival with a Hazard Ratio of 0.79, however the overall survival Hazard ratio of 1.10 was favoring pomalidomide. This led the FDA to request a partial clinical hold and issue a safety alert, which resulted in a voluntary withdrawal of Pepaxto in the US, and a substantial downsizing of Oncopeptides´ operations. In the beginning of 2022, the Company rescinded the withdrawal based on further analyses of the survival data and has ongoing discussions with the FDA on how to interpret the data.
"2021 has by far been the most revolutionary year in our Company´s history," says Jakob Lindberg, CEO, Oncopeptides. "We have refocused the company, restructured the organization and increased cash runway. These measures led to a cash position of SEK 362 M by year-end 2021. If the re-structuring continues according to plan, we will have the necessary liquidity to fully support the EMA-filing in Europe and continue our operations for at least the next 12 months."
The 2021 Annual Report is available in a pdf document: www.oncopeptides.com.
For further information, please contact:
Rolf Gulliksen, Global Head of Corporate Communications, Oncopeptides AB (publ)
E-post: rolf.gulliksen@oncopeptides.com
Mobile: + 46 70 262 96 28
The information in the press release is information that Oncopeptides is obliged to make public pursuant to the Swedish Financial Instruments Trading Act. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons above, on April 21, 2022, at 10.00 (CET).
About Oncopeptides
Oncopeptides is a biotech company focused on research and development of therapies for difficult-to-treat hematological diseases. The company uses its proprietary PDC platform to develop peptide-drug conjugated compounds that rapidly and selectively deliver cytotoxic agents into cancer cells. The first drug coming from the PDC platform, Pepaxto® (INN melphalan flufenamide), also referred to as melflufen was granted accelerated approval in the U.S., on February 26, 2021, in combination with dexamethasone, for treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. The Company voluntarily withdraw the drug on October 22, 2021 and then rescinded the withdrawal on January 21, 2022. The product is currently not marketed in the US. Oncopeptides is developing several new compounds based on the PDC platform. The company is listed in the Mid Cap segment on Nasdaq Stockholm with the ticker ONCO.
More information is available on www.oncopeptides.com.
This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com
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SOURCE Oncopeptides AB | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/04/21/oncopeptides-publishes-2021-annual-report/ | 2022-04-21T09:31:46Z |
- Data suggest efficacy over standard of care for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis
- Izokibep was well-tolerated, having a safety profile consistent with previous studies and the IL-17A inhibitor therapeutic class
- Supports hypothesis that izokibep offers greater efficacy with high potency and small size, as well as strategy of evaluating IL-17A inhibition's potential for transformative efficacy across many disease states
LOS ANGELES and SOLNA, Sweden, and SHANGHAI, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ACELYRIN, INC., Affibody AB and Inmagene Biopharmaceuticals today announced data from a 16-week, global, Phase 2 clinical trial of izokibep in 135 patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) presented by Frank Behrens, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Head of Rheumatology Clinical Research, University Hospital & Deputy Director Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Germany and a founding member of the Group of Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA), during a podium session at the 2022 European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) Congress in Copenhagen.
The randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase 2 clinical trial evaluated the safety and efficacy of izokibep dosed 80 mg every two weeks (Q2W) or 40 mg Q2W, versus placebo Q2W, in adult patients with active PsA. The global study assessed various endpoints at 16 weeks including the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) response, the Leeds Enthesitis Index (LEI), the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score and Quality of Life via the Psoriatic Arthritis Impact of Disease (PsAID) questionnaire.
1 FAS, observed data for LEI > 0 at baseline – N=43 (32%) – post-hoc analysis
2 FAS, observed data for psoriasis BSA ≥ 3% at baseline – N=74 (55%) – post-hoc analysis
"Psoriatic arthritis is a painful and debilitating inflammatory disease of the peripheral joints, skin, and nails, and it can also affect the spine," said Professor Behrens. "Furthermore, residual entheseal pain and inflammation, which occurs in up to 60% of patients, is associated with more severe disease, poorer quality of life and is considered one of the most significant unmet needs of psoriatic arthritis patients. The data presented at EULAR demonstrate there is potential opportunity for increased therapeutic efficacy in joints, entheseal pain and inflammation resolution and improved quality of life, all of which would be meaningful for patients living with psoriatic arthritis."
Izokibep was well-tolerated in the study, having a favorable safety profile consistent with that previously observed for izokibep and the IL-17A inhibitor therapeutic class. The most commonly reported AEs were injection site reaction and injection site erythema, the majority of which was mild.
"The improvements demonstrated in arthritis, psoriasis and enthesitis are exciting relative to responses reported for the current standard of care," observed Professor Peter Taylor, Norman Collison chair of musculoskeletal sciences at the University of Oxford. "Combined with the clinically meaningful improvement in disease-specific quality of life and well-tolerated safety profile, izokibep seems promising for patients living with the painful and debilitating symptoms of psoriatic arthritis, and I am eager to see its continued development for patients."
ACELYRIN holds worldwide rights to izokibep except development and commercialization rights by Inmagene in selected Asian countries, including China, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan, and excluding Japan. Affibody holds commercialization rights in the Nordic countries.
To date, more than 300 patients – many for up to three years – have received izokibep, a unique, antibody mimetic, interleukin-17A (IL-17A) inhibitor designed to overcome the limitations of monoclonal antibodies. With high potency and small molecular size, izokibep can reach high drug exposure levels through a single, subcutaneous injection that monoclonal antibodies require IV administration to achieve. Additionally, the small size of izokibep – about one tenth the size of a monoclonal antibody – enables its potential to reach targeted tissues that may otherwise be inaccessible to the much larger monoclonal antibodies.
Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory musculoskeletal condition affecting the peripheral joints, the skin (with psoriasis), the nails, and in approximately 30 percent of individuals, the spine. Left under-treated, PsA leads to chronic joint pain, swelling, and damage with a high potential for permanent disability. Psoriatic arthritis pathology is dominated by pro-inflammatory T-helper (Th-17) cells that lead to over expression of IL-17, IL-23, and TNF cytokines.
ACELYRIN, INC. is a Los Angeles area-based biopharma company focused on providing patients life-changing new treatment options by identifying, acquiring, and accelerating development and commercialization of promising drug candidates and leveraging its expertise to rapidly advance these medicines to patients. For more information, please visit www.acelyrin.com
Affibody AB is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with a broad product pipeline focused on developing innovative bi- and multi-specific next generation biopharmaceuticals based on its unique proprietary technology platforms: Affibody® molecules and Albumod®. Affibody is a holding of Patricia Industries. For more information, please visit www.affibody.com
Inmagene Biopharmaceuticals, with wholly owned subsidiaries in San Diego, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Wuhan, is a leading biotech company focused on immunology-related therapeutic areas. Believing in "borderless innovation", the Inmagene team integrates efficient resources worldwide to develop drugs for patients globally. Inmagene is operating twelve "Smart Innovation" programs to create and develop novel drug candidates for the global market. For more information, please visit www.inmagenebio.com
This press release contains forward-looking statements. While ACELYRIN, INC., Affibody AB, and Inmagene Biopharmaceuticals consider the projections to be based on reasonable assumptions, these forward-looking statements may be called into question by numerous hazards and uncertainties, so that actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements.
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SOURCE ACELYRIN, INC. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/03/acelyrin-inc-affibody-ab-inmagene-biopharmaceuticals-announce-data-global-phase-2-trial-izokibep-patients-with-psoriatic-arthritis-presented-during-2022-european-alliance-associations-rheumatology-congress/ | 2022-06-03T10:12:27Z |
NEW YORK, April 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Gatos Silver, Inc. ("Gatos" or the "Company") (NYSE: GATO). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980.
The investigation concerns whether Gatos and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.
On January 25, 2022, post-market, Gatos issued a press release disclosing that "[d]uring the Company's resource and reserve update process for the Los Gatos Joint Venture ("LGJV") . . . the Company concluded that there were errors in the technical report entitled 'Los Gatos Project, Chihuahua, Mexico' with an effective date of July 1, 2020 (the '2020 Technical Report'), as well as indications that there is an overestimation in the existing resource model." Accordingly, "[o]n a preliminary basis, the Company estimates a potential reduction of the metal content of CLG's mineral reserve ranging from 30% to 50% of the metal content remaining after depletion" and advised that "the mineral resource and reserve estimates in the 2020 Technical Report should not be relied upon."
On this news, Gatos' stock price fell $7.02 per share, or 68.89% percent to close at $3.17 per share on January 26, 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.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/shareholder-alert-pomerantz-law-firm-investigates-claims-behalf-investors-gatos-silver-inc-gato/ | 2022-04-12T02:17:14Z |
DALLAS (KDAF) — Well, the $9.25 million jackpot from the Texas Lottery game Lotto Texas rolls onto Monday night’s drawing with a jackpot of $9.5 million (cash value of $6.22 million).
But the August 6 drawing wasn’t short of winners; five $12,062 tickets were sold across Texas those five were of the 12 winners who got five of the six winning numbers correct to win $2,062 each.
The winning numbers for this drawing were 4, 8, 21, 28, 31, and 53. The next drawing is set for August 8. In total, there were over 46,000 winners from the past drawing who won at least $2 and as much as $12,062. | https://cw33.com/news/texas/lotto-texas-jackpot-rolls-on-as-5-12062-winning-tickets-sold-across-texas/ | 2022-08-08T20:11:29Z |
HERNDON, Va., June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nacha has awarded Nacha Certified status for a second consecutive term to Paycor, a leading provider of Human Capital Management software.
Third-Party Senders using the ACH Network such as Paycor set themselves apart by becoming Nacha Certified. It shows their clients that they have met Nacha's rigorous standards in areas including ACH Rules compliance and risk management, and that they have demonstrated sound corporate governance. Upon being granted Nacha Certified status, a full review and recertification, such as the one Paycor recently completed, is required every two years.
"The modern ACH Network is a trusted, secure payment system, and its participants have a key role in keeping it that way. Nacha is recognizing Paycor's commitment to sound risk management and quality controls," said Michael Herd, Nacha Senior Vice President, ACH Network Administration.
"We are honored to become Nacha Certified for a second consecutive term, as this highlights our commitment to our customers and partners alike," said Adam Ante, Chief Financial Officer at Paycor. "The continued recognition from Nacha showcases Paycor's steady assurance to perform at the highest standards of ACH processing, compliance, and payroll security."
Learn more about the Nacha Certified program for Third-Party Senders by visiting nachacertified.org.
Nacha governs the thriving ACH Network, the payment system that drives safe, smart, and fast Direct Deposits and Direct Payments with the capability to reach all U.S. bank and credit union accounts. More than 29 billion ACH Network payments were made in 2021, valued at close to $73 trillion. Through problem-solving and consensus-building among diverse payment industry stakeholders, Nacha advances innovation and interoperability in the payments system. Nacha develops rules and standards, provides industry solutions, and delivers education, accreditation, and advisory services.
Paycor creates Human Capital Management (HCM) software for leaders who want to make a difference. Our HCM platform modernizes every aspect of people management, from recruiting, onboarding and paying associates, to developing and retaining them. But what really sets us apart is our focus on business leaders. For over 30 years, we've been listening to and partnering with leaders, so we know what they need: HR technology that saves time, powerful analytics that provide actionable insights and personalized support. That's why more than 29,000 customers trust Paycor to help them solve problems and achieve their goals.
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SOURCE Paycor | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/14/nacha-certified-status-renewed-paycor/ | 2022-06-14T12:52:39Z |
The plaintiff, represented by RMO LLP, was recorded while showering by employers
LOS ANGELES, April 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- National probate litigation law firm RMO LLP announced today that it recently secured a $3.65 million jury verdict on behalf of a client who was taken advantage of by her host family who videotaped her while showering.
Led by RMO LLP Partners Sean Muntz and Matthew Baker, the firm sought damages for sexual harassment, invasion of privacy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, among other claims.
After a four-day trial in Los Angeles Superior Court, the jury returned a verdict in the client's favor, including $3 million in punitive damages and not including attorney fees and costs yet to be determined. Muntz, a co-founder and co-managing partner of RMO, said their client "finally got the vindication she deserved."
Baker added "[s]eeing the client's reaction when the verdict was read was heart-warming."
RMO LLP provides personal, cost-effective litigation services to individual and institutional clients. The firm's attorneys focus on litigation contested trust, estate, probate, and conservatorship matters. RMO has offices serving clients with probate disputes throughout California, Florida, Texas, Kansas and Missouri. For more information, please visit https://rmolawyers.com/.
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SOURCE RMO LLP | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/04/25/jury-awards-rmo-client-365-million-following-four-day-trial/ | 2022-04-26T00:18:29Z |
Sarasota Military Academy partners with SunCoast Blood Centers on blood drive
Published: Aug. 24, 2022 at 5:37 PM EDT|Updated: 21 minutes ago
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - The students at Sarasota Military Academy will be hosting a blood drive with SunCoast Blood Centers from Aug 25-26.
Donations across the nations have been down and local blood bank drives help make up nearly 25-percent of total donations at SunCoast Blood Centers.
The Sarasota Military Academy and SunCoast Blood Centers have been working together since 2006. More than 6,456 donations have been given and at least 20 thousand lives have been touched by SMA blood donations.
Copyright 2022 WWSB. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/08/24/sarasota-military-academy-partners-with-suncoast-blood-centers-blood-drive/ | 2022-08-24T22:00:28Z |
Launched during Psoriasis Action Month, campaign provides tips and tools for speaking about psoriasis with healthcare providers, family, and friends
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Aug. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARQT) today announced the launch of an educational campaign designed to raise awareness about the physical and emotional impact of plaque psoriasis and empower those living with the disease to have open, honest conversations with their healthcare providers, family, and friends. The campaign, called Expose Psoriasis, features expert advice from a leading dermatologist and the personal story and tips from an award-winning writer and psoriasis patient advocate.
Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9045652-arcutis-expose-psoriasis-campaign/
"Psoriasis can have a significant impact on all aspects of life, and can affect people in ways that may be unexpected, physically, mentally, and emotionally1," said Frank Watanabe, President and CEO of Arcutis. "Unfortunately, those with psoriasis may have difficulty discussing the full impact of their disease with their loved ones, or even their dermatology specialists, due to stigma, embarrassment, or possibly not realizing how psoriasis may be affecting them. Through Expose Psoriasis, Arcutis hopes to encourage these conversations so people with psoriasis are able to receive the appropriate treatment, care, and support that they need."
Expose Psoriasis illuminates how plaque psoriasis may significantly impact many aspects of daily life, including day-to-day decisions such as what to wear, participation in social activities, and interpersonal relationships. The campaign also aims to raise awareness that symptoms may occur anywhere on the body, including knees, elbows, torso, and sensitive places like the face, genitals, and areas of skin-to-skin contact (intertriginous areas), such as armpits, under the breasts, stomach folds, between the buttocks, and in the groin area.
Psoriasis occurring on the genitals and in intertriginous areas may look different compared to plaques on other areas of the body, and therefore may be challenging to recognize or diagnose.2 A recent survey conducted by The Harris Poll found that 2 in 5 survey respondents with psoriasis in intertriginous areas did not recognize they had intertriginous psoriasis until they saw pictures of intertriginous plaques.3
"People who experience psoriasis in more private parts of the body, such as on the genitals or intertriginous areas, may feel reluctant or embarrassed to show their dermatology specialist these areas. Additionally, since most people typically think a dermatology visit is only for discussing the physical aspects of their skin, those with psoriasis may not realize that they should be sharing how the disease is impacting their emotional and mental wellbeing," explained Tina Bhutani, M.D., leading dermatologist and co-director of the UCSF Psoriasis and Skin Treatment Center. "It's so important for people to tell their healthcare providers about all the ways psoriasis impacts them because there are many treatment options and resources available that can help. Understanding the full impact of the disease allows dermatology specialists to determine the best course of action to care for our patients."
Expose Psoriasis also addresses the value of having a support network and provides talking points that people can use to discuss their disease with their loved ones.
"Psoriasis can have an impact on your relationships with others, and talking about your symptoms with loved ones can be difficult, but it's so important to do so," explained Sabrina Skiles, award-winning writer and psoriasis patient advocate. "Remember, your family and friends are there to support you, not judge you. By sharing your story with them and educating them about the disease, you are normalizing the topic and strengthening your support network."
People interested in testing their knowledge about psoriasis can take this interactive quiz here. For more information about this initiative, visit www.ExposePsoriasis.com.
Psoriasis is a common, non-contagious, immune-mediated skin disease that affects approximately nine million people in the United States.4 Individuals with psoriasis typically develop "plaques," or raised, red areas of skin covered with a silver or white layer of dead skin cells. The clinical presentation of plaques in people with diverse skin tones may have more grayish, purplish, or brownish tones. Psoriatic plaques are often itchy and sometimes painful and can appear on any area of the body. Plaques in certain anatomical areas present unique treatment challenges, including the face, elbows and knees, scalp, and intertriginous areas (where two skin areas may touch or rub together).
Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQT) is a medical dermatology company that champions meaningful innovation to address the urgent needs of individuals living with immune-mediated dermatological diseases and conditions. With a commitment to solving the most persistent patient challenges in dermatology, Arcutis harnesses our unique dermatology development platform coupled with our dermatology expertise to build differentiated therapies against biologically validated targets. Arcutis' dermatology development platform includes a robust pipeline with multiple clinical programs for a range of inflammatory dermatological conditions including scalp psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and seborrheic dermatitis. For more information, visit www.arcutis.com or follow Arcutis on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.
This press release contains "forward-looking" statements, including, among others, statements regarding the potential for roflumilast to revolutionize the standard of care in plaque psoriasis and other inflammatory dermatological conditions. These statements involve substantial known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual results to differ include risks inherent in the clinical development process and regulatory approval process, the timing of regulatory filings, and our ability to defend our intellectual property. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties applicable to our business, see the "Risk Factors" section of our Form 10-K filed with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 22, 2022, as amended, as well as any subsequent filings with the SEC. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements in this press release. We undertake no obligation to revise or update information herein to reflect events or circumstances in the future, even if new information becomes available. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, which is made under the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Contacts:
Media
Amanda Sheldon, Head of Corporate Communications
asheldon@arcutis.com
Investors
Eric McIntyre, Head of Investor Relations
emcintyre@arcutis.com
1 Bhosle, M.J., Kulkarni, A., Feldman, S.R. et al. Quality of life in patients with psoriasis. Health Qual Life Outcomes 4, 35 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7525-4-35.
2 Merola JF, Qureshi A, Husni ME. Underdiagnosed and undertreated psoriasis: nuances of treating psoriasis affecting the scalp, face, intertriginous areas, genitals, hands, feet, and nails. Dermatol Ther. 2018;31(3):e12589. doi:10.1111/dth.12589.
3 Data on file: REF-00574. Arcutis Biotherapeutics, 2021.
4 Data on file: REF- 00955. Arcutis Biotherapeutics, 2022.
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SOURCE Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/30/new-campaign-arcutis-aims-expose-impact-psoriasis-physical-mental-emotional-wellbeing/ | 2022-08-30T14:55:49Z |
Unique Development and Library Platform Available Free to Researchers for Developing and Publishing Open Science Code That Is Ready to Run on AWS
NEW YORK, July 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Code Ocean, the developer of a novel computational research laboratory in the cloud, today announced the Open Science Library (OSL), a free research site for publishing and replicating computational research from some of the world's leading journals and by independent researchers. The OSL contains more than 3,000 published computational experiments that can be launched on Amazon Web Services (AWS), duplicated for further research, or fully exported to run on a local computing environment. In addition, the OSL has a collaborative space for teams to work together with more than 40,000 projects to date.
The Open Science Library is available to any scientific developer and authors publishing through journals such as Nature, IEEE, Elsevier, and others. Computational code is available from a wide spectrum of research areas including bioinformatics; biology; chemistry; computer science; earth science; economics; engineering; finance; mathematics; medical sciences; physics; and social sciences.
"The code for computational science is not easily accessible," said Simon Adar, Co-founder and CEO, Code Ocean. "With the Open Science Library, scientists publish both the traditional journal publication augmented with all the code and data required to duplicate the computational experiment and results. OSL is a form of Open Science that doesn't exist anywhere else. The computational code is ready run now or years from now, and can be exported to other environments using FAIR principles. We are proud to make this platform readily available in a way that is already bolstering research and discovery."
Far from a fledgling concept, the OSL is a growing platform with hundreds of users-per-day, recently surpassing a total of 3,000 published Compute Capsules®. Code Ocean's Compute Capsule is a remarkable, new container technology for science that encapsulates a reproducible, archival, and executable version of a computational experiment. The Capsule combines the essential triplet of any computational research work: code, data, and computing environment. The Compute Capsule is built on FAIR principles, allowing easy migration of code and data across platforms.
Most science is not easily accessible because it typically requires obtaining the necessary source code, matching required packages, and building the application. For most scientists, the OSL makes building new science more practical since the Code Ocean platform provides the computational code in a ready-to-run, off-the-shelf format. Code Ocean grants up to 10 hours of free AWS time to researchers for development, testing, and reproducible runs of released Capsules. Scientists who are publishing in Nature, IEEE and AACR journals will have no computing hour limit.
OSL is comprised of two components – the ability to publish executable versions of experiments, allowing others to come back near-term or even years later to seamlessly run the same experiments in the cloud. Open Science Workbench enables researchers to design experiments, post the code, and publish to the world, all maintained by Code Ocean. Most importantly, this is not an archive, rather one can 'check out' content as with a traditional library.
Today's news represents continued momentum for the company, which recently announced Release 2.0 of the Code Ocean Computational Lab, the New Digital Lab for computational scientists. It's the first platform to incorporate both workflow pipelines as well as data science exploratory work targeted for the coding scientist. With Release 2.0, computational scientists can create, organize and share computational research in a streamlined and automated lab. By removing overhead tasks and simplifying collaboration, computational scientists can focus on science. With strong adoption in bio-pharma, the Code Ocean digital lab has proven its value in accelerating science and reducing the cost of research.
Code Ocean is currently hiring for all positions in engineering, science, marketing and sales. For more information, please visit https://codeocean.com.
Code Ocean is where great computational science is created, organized and shared in one place. The Code Ocean platform provides the best way for multidisciplinary scientists to standardize workflows, and to track and reproduce all computations and discoveries. By making it easier and more efficient for scientists to collaborate, Code Ocean improves reproducibility, optimizes return on IT investment, and saves time by automating repetitive functions. For more information please visit: www.codeocean.com and Twitter @CodeOceanHQ.
Code Ocean Media Contact:
Phillip Bergman
philbergman@hotmail.com
Cell: 845-728-3984
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SOURCE Code Ocean | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/19/code-ocean-announces-open-science-library-allowing-no-cost-turn-key-replication-computational-science-experiments/ | 2022-07-19T13:40:43Z |
The project will be fully supported by renewable natural gas and will reduce local emissions by up to 96% compared to alternatives.
HOUSTON, June 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Enchanted Rock, a leading provider of electrical resiliency-as-a-service, today announced that it has been contracted by Microsoft to develop California's largest microgrid fully supported by renewable natural gas (RNG). The microgrid will provide Microsoft's San Jose, CA, data center with back-up power to ensure continuous operations.
"Today's digital world relies on the uptime and continuity of data center operations," said Thomas McAndrew, CEO of Enchanted Rock. "This continuity does not need to come at the expense of companies' carbon emission reduction goals or local air quality. Microsoft's decision to pursue a renewable microgrid marks another milestone in the industry as businesses continue to move away from conventional, less carbon-friendly methods, and we expect this project will demonstrate that large-scale, reliable, and cost-effective back-up generation with net-zero carbon can become the new standard."
With ambitious goals of becoming carbon negative by 2030, Microsoft chose Enchanted Rock for its ability to develop a reliable microgrid with net-zero emissions. The project will out-perform current California Air Resources Board emissions requirements for distributed generation, the most stringent in the world, with hourly local emissions 80%-96% lower than Tier 4 diesel standards while delivering higher reliability.
Brian Janous, General Manager – DC Energy & Sustainability at Microsoft said, "This project helps Microsoft take a step towards our goal of eliminating dependence on petroleum-based diesel, while increasing the resilience of our data center and providing a much-needed capacity resource to the local grid."
"The climate crisis and environmental degradation hit underserved communities first and hardest," said Senator Ben Hueso (D-40). "These communities suffer through poor air quality, intolerable heat waves, and punishing droughts. We must take immediate action to reverse the climate crisis and address local environmental impacts. I am hopeful that one day all data centers will replace their backup power systems with carbon-negative, clean renewable natural gas. Today's announcement will set a precedent I believe all of California's roughly 240 data centers should follow."
Power for the microgrid will be supplied by net-zero carbon RNG, injected upstream into the gas pipeline to offset the use of fossil gas. Enchanted Rock sources RNG captured from facilities that emit methane such as food waste and agricultural operations, making it part of the circular economy with neutral or negative carbon intensity.
"California needs practical alternatives to diesel backup generation in order to protect public health and prevent catastrophic climate change," said Bill Magavern, policy director for the Coalition for Clean Air, a statewide organization that advocates for clean air policies. "This means deploying flexible, dispatchable solutions that can tackle the intermittent nature of renewables, while reducing the environmental and public health impacts of diesel-fueled generators"
"Enchanted Rock and Microsoft are members of the newly announced Infrastructure Masons Climate Accord which is focused on reducing carbon in materials, products and power in the digital infrastructure industry," said Dean Nelson, Chairman and Founder of Infrastructure Masons. "We applaud the work they are doing together to drive microgrid innovation at scale, reducing carbon intensity in electrical service without harming public health."
Founded in 2006, Enchanted Rock is a leader in electrical resiliency-as-a-service, powering companies, critical infrastructure and communities to ensure operational continuity during unexpected power outages from extreme weather, infrastructure failures, cyberattacks and other grid disruptions. Enchanted Rock's dual-purpose microgrids use natural gas and renewable natural gas (RNG) offsets to produce significantly lower carbon emissions and air pollutants than diesel generators, capable of achieving resiliency with net-zero emissions. Additionally, the company's end-to-end microgrid software platform, GraniteEcosystem™, provides real-time 24/7/365 system monitoring and optimization, including forecasting of electricity market conditions to ensure worry-free reliable power to customers. For more information, please visit www.enchantedrock.com or visit Twitter or LinkedIn.
Media Contact
Carlos Villacis
enchantedrock@antennagroup.com
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SOURCE Enchanted Rock, LLC | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/15/enchanted-rock-develop-californias-largest-renewable-microgrid-ensure-resiliency-microsoft-data-center/ | 2022-06-15T12:09:40Z |
CAMDEN, N.J., Sept. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) today reported 50,126 vehicle sales for August 2022, a 1.5 percent increase compared with August 2021 (49,373). The automaker also reported year-to-date sales of 355,457, a 15.5 percent decrease compared with the same period in 2021. Subaru continues to face inventory challenges as the result of microchip and supply chain issues affecting automakers across the globe.
"We need to thank our retailers for their exceptional efforts this August, which allowed Subaru surpass last year's sales," said Thomas J. Doll, President and CEO, Subaru of America, Inc. "Working with AdoptAClassroom.org, our retailers have also been super supportive in our efforts to support quality education for all students. Together, we have helped classrooms nationwide purchase the school supplies and resources they need to help more than 300,000 students succeed. It's just one of the ways Subaru is More Than A Car Company®."
In August, Crosstrek was the top performer by volume, with 15,126 sales and a 30.5 percent increase compared with the same period in 2021. The Ascent saw a 4.1 percent increase compared to August 2021, while the Impreza increased by 168 percent. Year to date, the Crosstrek posted a 11.3 percent increase, while the Ascent carline posted an increase of 5.7 percent compared to the same period in 2021.
"Subaru is pleased to have exceeded our August 2021 sales results and recorded our best monthly result thus far in 2022, despite ongoing supply chain challenges," said Jeff Walters, Senior Vice President of Sales. "We will continue to focus on meeting the high demand for our safe, reliable and adventure-ready vehicles."
Also in August, Subaru was ranked number one in Safety, Drive Performance and Service Quality, and was also top-rated amongst other automakers for Dependability, Product Quality and Overall ACSI® Score in the 2022 American Customer Satisfaction Index Survey (ACSI) Automobile Study. The ACSI study and rankings are based on customers' opinions of their own vehicles, and results are reported on a 100-point scale. In the ACSI 2021-2022 Automotive Study of mass market vehicles, Subaru was rated as:
- #1 Brand for Safety, two years in a row
- #1 Brand for Drive Performance
- #1 Brand for Service Quality
- Top-rated for Dependability, two years in a row
- Top-rated for Product Quality, two years in a row
- Top-rated for Customer Satisfaction
About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Subaru Corporation of Japan. Headquartered at a zero-landfill office in Camden, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 630 retailers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. is the only U.S. automobile manufacturing plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. SOA is guided by the Subaru Love Promise, which is the company's vision to show love and respect to everyone, and to support its communities and customers nationwide. Over the past 20 years, SOA and the SOA Foundation have donated more than $270 million to causes the Subaru family cares about, and its employees have logged nearly 78,000 volunteer hours. As a company, Subaru believes it is important to do its part in making a positive impact in the world because it is the right thing to do. For additional information visit media.subaru.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Dominick Infante
Director, Corporate Communications
(856) 488-8615
dinfante@subaru.com
Diane Anton
Corporate Communications Manager
(856) 488-5093
danton@subaru.com
Jessica Caufield
Corporate Communications Specialist
(856) 488-3173
jcaufi@subaru.com
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SOURCE Subaru of America, Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/09/01/subaru-america-inc-august-sales-up-15-percent/ | 2022-09-01T16:28:11Z |
Orioles rally in 6th, Chirinos has 3 RBIs in win over Angels
By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Robinson Chirinos drove in three runs and Bruce Zimmermann pitched five-hit ball into the seventh inning of the Baltimore Orioles’ 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. Anthony Santander and Ramón Urías drove in runs in a small-ball rally in the sixth for the Orioles. Anthony Rendon hit a two-run homer in the seventh for the Angels. Mike Trout went 1 for 3 with a walk and a leadoff single in the ninth in his return from a three-game injury absence. | https://localnews8.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/04/22/orioles-rally-in-6th-chirinos-has-3-rbis-in-win-over-angels/ | 2022-04-23T06:48:15Z |
A federal court Tuesday allowed Tennessee to ban abortions as early as six weeks into pregnancy, while in Texas — which is already enforcing a similar ban based on an embryo’s cardiac activity — a judge temporarily blocked an even stricter decades-old law from taking effect.
The moves were among a flurry of action at courthouses across the country after the U.S. Supreme Court last week overturned Roe v. Wade and ruled that terminating a pregnancy is not a constitutional right.
Statewide bans or other restrictions that were either left on the books for generations, tied up by legal challenges or specifically designed to take effect if Roe were to fall are now in play as a result of the high court’s ruling. Roughly half the states are expected to prohibit or severely limit the procedure now that the high court has left it up to them.
Since Friday, judges have agreed to allow bans or other restrictions to take effect in Alabama, Ohio, South Carolina and Tennessee. But abortion bans remained temporarily blocked in some states, including Louisiana. Decisions are pending in Florida and Indiana, while abortion rights advocates dropped some of their legal efforts in Minnesota and Missouri.
Some clinics initially turned patients away after the high court ruling, then reopened as judges ruled in their favor. That happened in Louisiana on Tuesday. In Texas, at least one abortion provider said it would reopen after Tuesday’s ruling.
Texas already bans most abortions after about six weeks — before many women know they are pregnant — under a law that took effect in September and makes no exception in cases of rape or incest. But a judge in Houston, a Democratic city in a conservative state, blocked enforcement for now of an even stricter law that calls for a statewide ban on virtually all abortions.
That law has been on the books for decades but was nullified while Roe was in place. A separate, so-called trigger law that would prohibit virtually all abortions in Texas is set to take effect in coming months.
In Tennessee, the action by the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on a six-week ban came ahead of a trigger law that’s expected to further restrict abortion by mid-August, according to a legal interpretation by the state’s attorney general. Both measures would make performing an abortion a felony and subject doctors to up to 15 years in prison.
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision opened the gates on a wave of litigation. One side is seeking to put statewide bans into effect swiftly, while the other is trying to stop or at least delay such measures.
Much of the court activity focused on trigger laws adopted in 13 states that were designed to take effect quickly upon last week’s ruling. Additional lawsuits also target old anti-abortion laws that were left on the books and went unenforced under Roe. Newer abortion restrictions that were put on hold pending the Supreme Court ruling are also coming back into play.
Wisconsin’s Democratic attorney general filed a lawsuit Tuesday challenging a ban that has been on the books for 173 years. Abortion opponents argued it’s now in effect, and abortion providers in the state have stopped offering the procedure. But Attorney General Josh Kaul said an abortion-friendly law passed in 1985 supersedes the older law.
In Mississippi, Jackson Women’s Health Organization filed a lawsuit Monday seeking to stay open, after the Republican attorney general published notice that the state’s trigger law would take effect in 10 days. Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds said Tuesday she would turn to the courts to try to end most abortions in the state.
Federal cases were dismissed in some states and may be refiled in state courts, where state constitutional issues will be raised. The dismissal of a case in Utah led lawmakers to say that a 2019 law banning abortion after 18 weeks of gestation would now go into effect. But Planned Parenthood called the dismissal a “procedural move” and said it could still challenge the ban. A day earlier, a judge blocked enforcement of a near-total ban on abortion for at least two weeks.
In some states, laws that would prosecute abortion doctors or facilitators are a target. An Arkansas prosecutor sent a letter to a Planned Parenthood facility on Tuesday warning about the penalties of the state’s abortion ban, even though the clinic hadn’t been providing them before the law took effect. In Massachusetts, Democrats unveiled a bill echoing an executive order signed by the Republican governor that aims to protect abortion providers and individuals seeking abortions from actions taken by other states.
About 200 abortion-rights supporters gathered inside the South Carolina Statehouse on Tuesday, a day after a federal court ruled that abortion restrictions could take effect immediately there. One woman, who was seen on videos yelling at police and putting her hands on an officer, was arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault.
Merritt Watts, another protester, told the AP she moved to South Carolina from California last year and if she still lived in California, she would have “completely different rights.”
“I used to think of red states as someone else’s problem, but it’s not,” the Charleston resident said. “They deserve what Californians have.”
___
Forliti reported from Minneapolis and Mulvihill from Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Jamie Stengle contributed from Dallas. Other Associated Press writers across the U.S. also contributed.
___
For AP’s full coverage of the Supreme Court ruling on abortion, go to https://apnews.com/hub/abortion. | https://cw33.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-headlines/abortion-battles-in-state-courts-after-supreme-court-ruling/ | 2022-06-29T02:44:38Z |
PARIS (AP) — The family of a French backpacker who went missing in Egypt nearly a year ago used the Egyptian president’s visit to Paris on Friday to press for an investigation into the 27-year-old traveler’s disappearance.
Family members and friends raised placards asking, “Where is Yann Bourdon, President Sissi?” — hoping to catch the eye of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi before his meeting with French President Emmaunel Macron. But French police scooped them up from a sidewalk and led them away for identity checks before el-Sissi’s motorcade zoomed past.
Macron’s office wouldn’t say if the French leader spoke specifically about Bourdon to el-Sissi. But it said Macron raises individual cases in his dealings with the Egyptian president.
Bourdon’s family and friends haven’t heard from him since August 2021. His last email to his sister was casual, positive, like others the French graduate student sent on his yearlong backpacking journey. He wrote from Cairo: “I’ll get back to you soon. Give everyone a hug from me. Let me know how Grandpa’s doing.”
Nearly a year later, they’re desperate for news and any sign his disappearance is being investigated. Bourdon’s sister and mother said they decided to go public about the case after meeting months of silence or stonewalling from Egyptian authorities.
France’s Foreign Ministry says it’s well-versed in the dossier, and in touch with Egyptian authorities. The Egyptian Embassy in Paris didn’t respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press. Egypt’s Foreign Ministry and a government media officer also did not respond to requests for comment.
Bourdon’s mother, Isabel Leclercq, described her “great anguish and great fear that something is happening to him and we can’t help him.”
“It’s a total vacuum for us,” Wendy Bourdon, the missing man’s sister, said.
The only clue so far came from a French police investigation into Yann’s bank account, according to his sister: It was emptied soon after his last email to his family, from a Cairo cash machine.
His mother describes Yann as “a very social boy” who studied history at the Sorbonne and spoke four languages. She said he left on his journey in July 2020 “because he wanted to meet other peoples, other civilizations.”
Passionate about museums, reading and learning, he told his family about sharing a meal with Bedouins who let him pitch his tent next to theirs. “That really brought him pleasure,” his sister said.
He didn’t always have internet connections, but when he did he made contact via email. And he always sent messages for loved ones’ birthdays.
After arriving in Egypt, he messaged that “he stopped in a hostel in Cairo, and was picked up by a police officer while hitchhiking,” his sister said. “He said in his mail that he would go that day to visit the Cairo Museum, the Coptic quarter and the bazaar, and in the evening he would meet with the police officer and friends who picked him up.”
In his final message Aug. 4, “he said ‘I’ll get back to you soon.’ He did not have the intention to cut contact with us,’” his mother said.
When he missed his mom’s birthday in September, they worried but figured he was just without internet access. The family also didn’t want to raise a false alert about his absence.
But when his sister’s birthday in November came and went without a word, they contacted the French Foreign Ministry, which contacted the French Embassy in Egypt, which in turn contacted Egyptian authorities. Back in Paris, the family filed an official missing person report.
At first, Egyptian officials claimed Yann Bourdon had never been in Egypt, frustrating and baffling the family.
But the French national police confirmed he had arrived in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt on July 25. They also discovered that his bank card was used at a cash machine near the Sadat subway station in Cairo to empty his account in four installments after his last email to his sister. The last withdrawal was made Aug. 7.
His family welcomed the information. “We thought, it’s good news. They have surveillance videos of the location. They know the specific time period to consult. We thought it would unblock the situation,” the sister said.
But they heard nothing.
The family traveled to Egypt in May and went with French consular officials to see the Giza prosecutor who was meant to be overseeing the investigation. He had no information about the case, the sister said.
“We suffered their questions for three hours. They asked us all the things that should have been in the dossier,” Leclercq said.
International rights groups have in recent years documented a growing number of forced disappearances by Egyptian authorities. Egypt’s 2011 popular uprising against Hosni Mubarak, Egypt’s former longtime president, grew out of demands for an end to police brutality and extrajudicial practices.
Since el-Sissi ascended to power in 2014, most of the freedoms gained after the 2011 uprising have been revoked. The government has carried out a wide-reaching crackdown on dissent, jailing thousands of people and holding many of them without a trial.
The vast majority of those detained have been Egyptian citizens, with the exception of a handful of foreign journalists who have been either held or expelled from the country. Rights groups say the total number of people gone through forced disappearances by police remains unknown.
Bourdon’s sister says the French authorities were helpful and “very invested. But they aren’t getting information either.”
The family hopes that by calling attention to the case, other clues might emerge. Faced with deafening silence from the Egyptian authorities, Leclercq is certain her son did not cease communication with family and friends of his own will.
“If Yann can hear us, wherever he is, we want to tell him that we are looking for him, that we will never stop looking for him,” she said in an interview with the AP.
Choked with emotion, she added: “That we will find him. And that we will bring him back.”
___
AP journalists Masha Macpherson and Jade Le Deley contributed.
___
This version has been corrected to reflect that Bourdon was in touch with family via email only, not Whatsapp, and that the number of installments with which Bourdon’s account was emptied at a Cairo ATM machine was four, not three. | https://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/france-egypt-pressed-on-missing-backpacker-as-leader-visits/ | 2022-07-22T21:20:11Z |
A letter to folks having fun fishing.
It’s the time of the year to take kids out to enjoy the summer months. Fishing is, and has been, the most fun of my hobbies since I could hold a cane pole.
A piece of worthy advice: If you catch a fish, a perch, bass, or a catfish and the fish has swallowed the hook, simply cut the line opposed to trying to dig the hook out of the gills or intestines, provided you do not want to keep the fish.
Appropriately, make sure you are in compliance with Texas Game Laws “Fishing License.” Fish remarkably can live with a hook in their stomach, gills or mouth. I have caught bass in the Leon River and cut the line above the swallowed hook and caught them again — perfectly healthy and a rusted hook in their stomach. Fish can bounce back from these situations. Let’s keep our wildlife producing positively.
Just a tip from an avid outdoorsman in Bell County who had a father who spent all his spare time coaching baseball and teaching sons and grandsons valuable qualities.
Steve Jones
Temple | https://www.tdtnews.com/news/letters_to_the_editor/article_fedfc4a2-e77f-11ec-8b19-9b04f72be9f5.html | 2022-06-09T11:21:32Z |
Danuo Science Group have licensed the rights to two Enosi therapeutic programs for Greater China
DOVER, Del., July 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Enosi Therapeutics, a Delaware Corporation, focused on providing industry-leading therapeutics for cancer and autoimmune diseases, has announced a partnership with Danuo Science Group, based in Hong Kong, to further develop two products currently in Enosi's pipeline for Greater China.
Enosi's Growth Factor Trap (EN-2000 Program) and TNFR1 Blocker (EN-1000 Program) were licensed as part of the partnership. Both programs have the potential to be used as cross-over drugs to treat cancer and autoimmune diseases. EN-2000 blocks inflammatory growth factors that drive cancer and rheumatoid arthritis while EN-1000 is a specific blocker of TNFR1, which Enosi believes may be useful in treating autoimmune disease, cognitive disorders and other disorders. Enosi's programs are intended to help the 50% of cancer and autoimmune disease patients that do not benefit from current therapies.
Danuo will provide $5M in upfront licensing fees and certain conditional funding. With technical support from Enosi, Danuo will fund development in China and provide Enosi with data to use in its own filings in ROW. Including up-front payments, Enosi estimates the value of this collaboration to be more than $100M as the Company moves through the discovery and development phases of its treatments. Both Enosi and Danuo expect the first patient to be treated in China within the next 2-3 years.
Enosi Therapeutics is a drug research and development company focused on providing industry-leading therapeutics for autoimmune diseases and cancer. The company was founded by Professor Sir Marc Feldmann, who discovered anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy as an effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases (Lasker Award, 2003); and Dr. H. Michael Shepard, whose research in humanized antibodies created the first monoclonal antibody therapy targeting oncogene encoded-proteins (Lasker award, 2019). Enosi Therapeutics combines expertise in cancer and autoimmune diseases with Executive Chairman Dr. James N. Woody's unique combination of medical, scientific and management expertise to expand therapeutic options. To learn more about Enosi Therapeutics visit www.enosi-life.com.
This release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements speak only as of the date of this release, and we will not necessarily provide updates of our projections or other forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements are subject to many risks and uncertainties
CONTACT:
Tom Becker
Corporate Development Manager
Investment@enosi-life.com
Enosi Therapeutics Corp.
590 Pearl Street
Suite 311
Eugene, OR 97401
702-445-7038
www.enosi-life.com
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SOURCE Enosi Therapeutics | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/05/enosi-therapeutics-partners-with-danuo-science-group-accelerate-multiple-therapeutic-programs/ | 2022-07-05T22:31:45Z |
LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., June 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Air Products (NYSE: APD) will showcase industrial gas solutions and technologies for metals and materials processing applications at the PowderMet2022 International Conference on Powder Metallurgy and Particulate Materials from June 12-15 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon.
Those attending are invited to stop by Air Products' booth #216 to speak with an industry specialist and learn how Air Products' industrial gases, technologies, and supply solutions can help metal processors improve product quality, reduce operating costs, increase production and optimize gas usage.
In addition to showcasing solutions at its booth, Air Products' Liang He, Senior Project Engineer - Research, will present a technical paper titled "Sintering Process Optimization with Industry 4.0 Technologies" at 8:25 a.m. PT on Tuesday, June 14.
PowderMet2022 is the leading North American technical conference on powder metallurgy and particulate materials and a hub for technology transfer for professionals throughout the industry, including buyers and specifiers of metal powders, tooling and compacting presses, sintering furnaces, furnace belts, powder handling and blending equipment, quality-control and automation equipment, particle-size and powder-characterization equipment, consulting and research services.
For more than 50 years, metals processors around the world have relied on Air Products' industrial gases, gas atmospheres, equipment and technical support. Air Products provides industrials gases including nitrogen, oxygen, argon, helium and hydrogen, gas handling equipment and technology, additives, global supply capability and unmatched industry experience and technical know-how to help organizations succeed.
For more information on how Air Products' industrial gases and expertise can assist metals and materials processors visit Air Products' Metals Processing Knowledge Center.
About Air Products
Air Products (NYSE:APD) is a world-leading industrial gases company in operation for over 80 years. Focused on serving energy, environment and emerging markets, the Company provides essential industrial gases, related equipment and applications expertise to customers in dozens of industries, including refining, chemical, metals, electronics, manufacturing, and food and beverage. Air Products is also the global leader in the supply of liquefied natural gas process technology and equipment. The Company develops, engineers, builds, owns and operates some of the world's largest industrial gas projects, including: gasification projects that sustainably convert abundant natural resources into syngas for the production of high-value power, fuels and chemicals; carbon capture projects; and world-scale low- and zero-carbon hydrogen projects supporting global transportation and the energy transition.
The Company had fiscal 2021 sales of $10.3 billion from operations in over 50 countries and has a current market capitalization of about $55 billion. More than 20,000 passionate, talented and committed employees from diverse backgrounds are driven by Air Products' higher purpose to create innovative solutions that benefit the environment, enhance sustainability and address the challenges facing customers, communities, and the world. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations and assumptions as of the date of this release and are not guarantees of future performance. While forward-looking statements are made in good faith and based on assumptions, expectations and projections that management believes are reasonable based on currently available information, actual performance and financial results may differ materially from projections and estimates expressed in the forward-looking statements because of many factors, including risk factors described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021. Except as required by law, we disclaim any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the assumptions, beliefs or expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances upon which any such forward-looking statements are based.
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SOURCE Air Products | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/10/air-products-showcase-industrial-gas-solutions-powdermet2022-international-conference-powder-metallurgy-particulate-materials/ | 2022-06-10T16:01:57Z |
LOS ANGELES, July 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, reminds investors of a class action lawsuit against HUMBL, Inc. ("HUMBL" or "the Company") (OTC: HMBL) for violations of the federal securities laws.
Investors who purchased the Company's securities and/or the Company's unregistered digital asset (sold as BLOCKS Exchange Traded Index ("ETXs") on various cryptocurrency exchanges) between November 1, 2020 and May 19, 2022, inclusive (the ''Class Period''), are encouraged to contact the firm before July 19, 2022.
If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.
We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall of the Schall Law Firm, 2049 Century Park East, Suite 2460, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com, or by email at bschall@schallfirm.com.
The class, in this case, has not yet been certified, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member.
According to the Complaint, the Company made false and misleading statements to the market. HUMBL misled investors about its growth prospects, technology, partnerships, and other critical aspects of its business. The Company used selectively timed news releases to keep its stock price high enough for insiders to sell their holdings into artificially inflated volume. Based on this news, the Company's public statements were false and materially misleading throughout the class period. When the market learned the truth about HUMBL, investors suffered damages.
Join the case to recover your losses.
The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation.
This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics.
The Schall Law Firm
Brian Schall, Esq.,
www.schallfirm.com
Office: 310-301-3335
info@schallfirm.com
The Schall Law Firm
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SOURCE The Schall Law Firm | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/19/final-deadline-alert-schall-law-firm-encourages-investors-humbl-inc-with-losses-100000-contact-firm/ | 2022-07-19T16:35:07Z |
BEIJING, Sept. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- iQIYI, Inc. (NASDAQ:IQ) ("iQIYI" or 'the Company'), an innovative market-leading online entertainment service in China, announced the upcoming release of 235 new films, drama series, and variety shows at its iJOY Conference held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province on September 15. With a range of diversified and extensive genres, the new titles show iQIYI's commitment to producing premium and innovative original content for viewers and ensuring a rich supply of material for brands.
Rich slate of new shows and dramas with diverse genres
This year has witnessed the great popularity of iQIYI's original content across many themes, from A Lifelong Journey, a drama that details the lives of ordinary people to the recent favored drama Love Between Fairy and Devil. The unveiling of the new titles also came just four months after the announcement of 213 new titles in May.
GONG Yu, Founder and CEO of iQIYI, said: "We turned profitable for the first time this year and now maintain the 'calm growth' strategy. iQIYI will keep investing in premium content and create values for our users while achieving good revenue and profit."
iQIYI has expanded its library with more than 20 variety shows that captures different genres and cultural trends to cater the ever-evolving appetite of the Gen Z viewers. The music shows of The Rap of China 2023 and The Big Band Season 3 are both in the pipelines after gaining great popularity in the past few years, while established comedy-themed programs, such as Super Sketch Show Season 2 and The Detectives' Adventures Season 3, will also continue to provide laughter for the audience.
Further to that, iQIYI is dedicated to presenting its content in diverse methods to increase wider audience via multi-channels. The newly launched reality show, The Farming Youth, featuring celebrities doing farm work, will be accessible in both long and short video forms on different channels as the company collaborates with other platforms.
As for the dramas, the platform will release a series of titles focused on telling the stories of women in modern society on top of the highly-anticipated content under the well-known LIGHT ON, SWEET ON and LAUGH ON Theatres.
The latest releases have both titles that draw on contemporary life and fantasy stories in ancient China. The former includes crime drama The Big Examination and Ball Lightning, featuring the work of life of flight crew, while the latter consists of Story of Kunning Palace and Fox Spirit Matchmaker (Yuehong Chapter).
"Producing premium content is always our core value at iQIYI and we are committed to providing continuous supply of great content to our loyal user base," said WANG Xiaohui, Chief Content Officer and President of Professional Content Business Group (PCG) of iQIYI. Wang added the company will keep focused on producing popular dramas and variety shows.
Leveraging integrated platform with brands
Apart from the new titles, the company also showcases its integrated platform and rich marketing choices for clients at the event, including the popular drama Love Between Fairy and Devil and reality show Camping LIFE.
"Nowadays brands are increasingly looking for integrated marketing opportunities campaigns. iQIYI's IP-centered model provides an effective and efficient one-stop solution," said WU Gang, Senior Vice President of iQIYI.
For example, on top of embedded commercial content in the drama of Love Between Fairy and Devil, dairy brand Mengniu also interacts with the audience via the bullet chatting function and offline events attended by the casting. The rich variety of offerings has landed in partnerships from leading brands of different industries from restaurants to toys.
"The IP-centered model organically connects content, marketing and consumption, and has rich offerings for the brands to reach their target audience," added Wu.
CONTACT: iQIYI Press, press@qiyi.com
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SOURCE iQIYI | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/16/iqiyi-releases-235-new-titles-2022-ijoy-conference-further-enriching-its-content-slate-audience-brands/ | 2022-09-16T09:11:27Z |
Finding niches, uncovering new revenue streams, and driving the art of the possible across the entire digital banking value chain
MIAMI, Aug. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Technisys, the company behind Cyberbank, the cloud-native, next-gen digital banking platform, continues to redefine the digital transformation journey and customer experience for financial institutions (FIs) with its latest release of Cyberbank Core. The solution signifies the next evolution of the core banking platform that enables retail and commercial banks to accelerate their digital banking efforts and future-proof their businesses. With Cyberbank Core, banks and financial institutions can create innovative products and services based on powerful parameterization tools and a library of ready-to-use capabilities.
Today, it's more strategically important than ever to empower FIs with a next-gen digital core that supports agility, innovation, and new modes of working that fuel endless digital potential. Innovations in digital core banking are supporting more cost-neutral and agile ways of optimizing in the cloud. The array of leading-edge technologies—including low-code/no-code, more intelligent business rule discovery, and core mapping—offer new ways to bolster valuable core assets.
Cyberbank Core makes it easy to add capabilities, define behaviors and change product functionality quickly and easily by using business-oriented tools to notably accelerate launching new products to market at massive scale.
"Today, FIs will focus less on enhancing existing financial products and services and more on delivering novel, tailored experiences in real time that meet the ever-evolving needs of consumers," says Mike Santos, Founder and CEO of Technisys. "Enabling FIs with smarter ways to deliver value - through tailored financial products - and forming a clear view where operations and offerings will matter most."
Cyberbank Core 4.0 offers key benefits that justify the power of modernizing to a next-gen core banking platform:
- Economic benefit. Reduce the production costs of your core processing system by taking advantage of the neo-core's small footprint, unique customer-centric pricing model, and the "on-demand" processing power and utility pricing of the cloud.
- Business benefit. Create services that truly solve customer needs, when the customer needs them. Create and deliver financial offerings in unique ways that solve specific customer pain points (e.g., Early Pay/Early Wage Access, PoS Financing/BNPL). Bring new products to market in weeks vs months and enable "fail fast" program execution.
- Operational benefit. Adopt a real-time operating model with embedded risk controls at the level of granularity that banks need, even at the microservices level, reducing the need for error-prone human-centric controls that erode efficiency. Orchestrate across APIs to further automate controls involving other systems, such as a fraud detection engine.
- Strategic benefit. Embrace customer-centricity, down to the core. Build products and pricing for the specific desired customer segments, geographies, and subsidiaries in a vastly simpler way, eliminating the need for the legacy ancillary systems driving today's "lasagna" and "spaghetti" architecture.
Cyberbank Core 4.0 offers a unique customer-centric model (not based on accounts or transactions like legacy cores), while enabling faster time to market and personalization with a pre-integrated digital self-service customer engagement platform for internet and mobile banking. The architecture allows for integration with third-party ecosystems to use best-of-breed solutions with ease of switching in the future, resulting in lower run cost, automation and resilience - the only next-gen core to support true cloud choice on five clouds (i.e., Microsoft Azure, Amazon AWS, Google Cloud Platform, IBM RedHat OpenShift, IBM LinuxOne).
"The work of enhancing legacy core assets is not a one-time task—it's an ongoing opportunity," says Ricardo Zuasti, Chief Product Officer of Technisys. "Core application scope is decomposing across platform ecosystems. It is becoming a decentralized, cloud-enabled, API-orchestrated collection of capabilities made cohesive by a simplified and tailored user experience. By driving innovative change that will continue to disrupt the status quo, forward-leaning FIs that are modernizing their core system will have a road map not only for adapting valuable core assets to new technological realities, but also for opening up ways for endless digital possibilities."
Technisys' platform is a leading next-gen digital and core banking platform that redefines the customer experience. As a best-in-class technology platform, Technisys uniquely delivers differentiation in two key ways. By empowering financial institutions to dynamically create tailored financial products at the speed of commerce. And, by allowing them to offer meaningful recommendations to customers at point of need. How are we different? Technisys' platform uses data-driven insights and integrates them with its unique technology that enables structural flexibility. A flexibility that allows financial institutions to create and tailor any financial product - in real time - to deliver a seamless digital experience at every customer touchpoint whether online, on the phone, or at a branch. Giving banks and fintechs the agility to tailor offerings that become integral to a customer's lifestyle in new and profound ways, down to the segment of one.
Ryan Lannon, on behalf of Technisys
Phone: 1.905.449.3123
Email: technisys@fullyvested.com
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SOURCE Technisys | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/10/technisys-redefines-banking-core-modernization-enabling-financial-institutions-embrace-digital-innovation-remarkable-speed-scale/ | 2022-08-10T15:37:22Z |
NEW YORK, June 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- InvestorsObserver issues critical PriceWatch Alerts for XELA, MMAT, TME, REV, and BNTC.
To see how InvestorsObserver's proprietary scoring system rates these stocks, view the InvestorsObserver's PriceWatch Alert by selecting the corresponding link.
- XELA: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=XELA&prnumber=062720226
- MMAT: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=MMAT&prnumber=062720226
- TME: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=TME&prnumber=062720226
- REV: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=REV&prnumber=062720226
- BNTC: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=BNTC&prnumber=062720226
(Note: You may have to copy this link into your browser then press the [ENTER] key.)
InvestorsObserver's PriceWatch Alerts are based on our proprietary scoring methodology. Each stock is evaluated based on short-term technical, long-term technical and fundamental factors. Each of those scores is then combined into an overall score that determines a stock's overall suitability for investment.
InvestorsObserver provides patented technology to some of the biggest names on Wall Street and creates world-class investing tools for the self-directed investor on Main Street. We have a wide range of tools to help investors make smarter decisions when investing in stocks or options.
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SOURCE InvestorsObserver | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/27/thinking-about-buying-stock-exela-technologies-meta-materials-tencent-music-entertainment-revlon-or-benitec-biopharma/ | 2022-06-27T15:33:05Z |
Fremont County voters to decide on district split study
FREMONT COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) - Fremont County voters will be faced with a different question on their ballot as they enter the polls Tuesday. That question is regarding whether or not the Fremont Joint School District should consider conducting a study as to whether or not they should split the district between the north and the south. David Marotz the Co-Interim superintendent for the school district says this vote won't bring any immediate change.
"This is actually voting on whether we should invest in a survey or the research," Marotz said. "So it's not a vote as to whether we actually split the vote. At this point, is should we consider it? Should we do the research?"
Marotz says the main reason this is on the ballot this election process is that people are wanting a little more say as what happens in the district.
"In January, the school board had listening meetings in both North Fremont High School and South Fremont High School, where patrons were able to come in and provide input or feedback, ideas, suggestions, concerns. There was a group of patrons at North Fremont who expressed concern over the way the district was was operating, had concerns about, you know, local control, wanting to have more control over their own area and recommended considering splitting the district." He says after the meetings the district started the conversation as to how to understand this issue. "Superintendent and a number of the board members met with representatives from each end of the community and talked more about this. What did it mean? What were the underlying concerns? From there it was decided, you know what? There are a lot of questions, a lot of concerns. We don't really know all the facts. Let's find out how interested the patrons really are."
Tuesday at the polls won't bring any immediate change to the school district though.
"Then it comes back to the voters at that point. If so, if the vote is yes, we want to consider this, they'll start down that process. If the overall consensus is no, then we won't start that process, but we'll just take the time to go ahead and look at some of those other concerns and try to address those as best we can anyway."
Marotz says, if the study is passed they will then have many hurdles to go through.
"The board will take the results of this study that they'll receive. It'll just it's just a survey. How many people would like to proceed with it? How many would not? They'll take that information and they'll try to decide where to go from there." He says if many during the study say the district should be split then it goes to the state "There's a very lengthy process that's laid out in Idaho code to proceed with with coming up with the proposal, finding out how much it would cost, having hearings, presenting it to the State Department of Education, the state board."
Marotz says after the study then comes back to the them it goes once again to the polls. | https://localnews8.com/politics/idaho-politics/2022/05/16/fremont-county-voters-to-decide-on-district-split-study/ | 2022-05-17T01:51:14Z |
ASTON, Pa., July 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sun East Federal Credit Union annually recognizes several local students in the community who embody the organization's philosophy of "People Helping People." The recipients are selected from schools which hold a charter membership with Sun East, and who've made a positive impact through their volunteerism within the last year. Sun East is proud to announce the 2022 recipients – each received a certificate of service and a monetary award.
- High school recipients:
Jacob Maiale, Chichester High School
Katelyn Gehrman, Springfield High School
Emily Washkalavitch, Oxford Area High School
Mattie Kyler, The Christian Academy
Nicole Buscaglia, Sun Valley High School
- College students:
Courtney Wolf, Holy Family University
Dariana Troilo, Neumann University
- Sun East Federal Credit Union Member Award:
Emma Stewart, West Chester University
Victoria Clayton, West Chester University
- K-8 grade recipient:
Kayla Stewart, Holy Family Regional Catholic School
- Educational award - recognizing adult literacy programs:
Melis May Sagay, Delaware County Literacy Council
- Sun East Federal Credit Union Employee Award:
Allison Walters, Sun Valley High School
Madison Corbett, MOT Charter School
"It is so gratifying to see our philosophy of 'people helping people' carried out by students in our community; and it's our honor to recognize their efforts and encourage them to continue to be role models for others," said Terri Lannon, Senior Director, Community Outreach for Sun East.
"Best Teacher Under the Sun" Award
Each year Sun East also awards local educators who consistently fosters an empowering learning environment for their students. The Best Teacher Under the Sun award recognizes outstanding achievements of teachers who – through their innovative and nurturing programs - inspire students to challenge themselves beyond the norm.
The award application is open to all educators who teach in schools that are part of the credit union's charter membership program. School administrators, faculty, parents, and students can nominate teachers. The awards committee at Sun East selects one winning teacher from each category of elementary, middle, and high school levels. Recipients receive $500, and their respective school also receives a $500 contribution.
Congratulations to the 2022 award winners:
Gabby Trofa, Pennell Elementary School
Suzanne Swoyer, Sharon Hill School
Jill Bednar, Sun Valley High School
To date, Sun East has distributed approximately $295,000 in student and teacher awards since 2003. For more information or to apply for the 2023 awards, go to: www.suneast.org/site/about_scholarship.php.
Sun East Federal Credit Union, founded in 1949, is a full-service, not-for-profit financial institution offering savings, borrowing, investing, and virtual banking needs to 50,000 + members, over 1,250 employers, and multiple other organizations in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey. Sun East has over $820 million in assets with branches throughout the Tri-State area, nationwide ATM access, online and mobile banking. For more information, call 877-5-SUNEAST or visit www.suneast.org.
MEDIA CONTACT: Sharee L. Coleman 610.485.2960, ext. 268
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SOURCE Sun East Federal Credit Union | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/14/sun-east-recognizes-local-students-teachers-with-service-awards/ | 2022-07-14T22:11:45Z |
BETHESDA, Md., June 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT) board of directors has authorized a third quarter 2022 dividend of $2.80 per share. The dividend is payable on Sept. 23, 2022, to holders of record as of the close of business on Sept. 1, 2022.
About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin Corporation is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 114,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.
Please follow @LMNews on Twitter for the latest announcements and news across the corporation.
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SOURCE Lockheed Martin | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/23/lockheed-martin-declares-third-quarter-2022-dividend/ | 2022-06-23T14:33:47Z |
- The study concluded that elevated levels of two proteins help predict how a person will recover from a traumatic brain injury (TBI), providing important information to determine appropriate care
- Researchers used Abbott's i-STAT™ TBI Plasma test – the only FDA-cleared rapid test on a portable analyzer for concussion – and Abbott's core laboratory ARCHITECT instrument to measure two biomarkers in blood plasma associated with brain injury
ABBOTT PARK, Ill., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study published in The Lancet Neurology demonstrates the ability of two blood-based biomarkers to predict how someone will recover from traumatic brain injury (TBI). Testing for these two biomarkers in the immediate aftermath of an injury can help health care providers determine the best way to treat and care for patients.
This research shows that when a clinician conducts a blood test for these brain proteins soon after a possible injury, they quickly get a more accurate picture of how severe the injury is, the expected course of recovery and the longer-term implications of the TBI. The markers were measured using Abbott's i-STAT™ TBI Plasma test, as well as on the company's ARCHITECT core laboratory instrument using research prototype assays, both of which helped predict recovery.
Researchers measured levels of Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) and Ubiquitin carboxy-terminal Hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1) present in blood plasma within 24 hours of injury. After testing biomarker levels on the day of injury, researchers evaluated patients six months later, tracking how individuals fared and how biomarker levels corresponded to their recovery.
"Brain injury biomarkers will one day be the standard of care to evaluate and treat patients," said Dr. Fred Korley, an associate professor of emergency medicine at the University of Michigan and the first author of the study. "Objective biomarker data can be profoundly helpful in determining prognosis for a patient, helping to gauge how severe a brain injury is, and can ultimately inform how best to counsel family members about care for their loved ones with brain injury."
In the study, researchers examined the day-of-injury blood tests of 1,696 patients with TBI and compared those to patients' six-month assessment, using the Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended, which grades outcomes and quantifies levels of disability following TBI. The researchers found that high values of the biomarkers, GFAP and UCH-L1, correlate with death and severe injury. The day-of-injury blood tests had a high probability of predicting death at six months, 87% for GFAP and 89% for UCH-L1; and a high probability of predicting severe disability at the same timepoint, 86% for both GFAP and UCH-L1.
GFAP and UCH-L1 are proteins found in glial cells and neurons and are released into the blood stream after the brain is injured. They can be measured with diagnostic testing. Abbott's i-STAT TBI Plasma test is the first rapid test on a portable analyzer to receive FDA 510(k) clearance and can help determine the need for a computed tomography (CT) scan. Test results are available approximately 15 minutes after a plasma sample is inserted in the test i-STAT cartridge.
Abbott is pursuing FDA clearance under Breakthrough Designation for the TBI test on its Alinity i and ARCHITECT core laboratory instruments, which will broaden access and ensure that tests are available both in the lab and in other settings where people need immediate answers and care. Abbott's TBI test on Alinity i is CE Marked and available outside the U.S.
The subjects for the study came from the Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in TBI (TRACK-TBI) study. TRACK-TBI collected and analyzed detailed clinical data from enrolled people across the injury spectrum at 18 U.S. level I trauma centers from February 2014 through August 2018. The TRACK-TBI research team were among the first to demonstrate how this rapid TBI blood test can be used for the benefit of TBI patients in clinical care.
Abbott's TBI blood test was developed in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) – which has been dedicated to developing a solution for the objective detection and evaluation of TBI for more than a decade. The DoD, through U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command's (USAMRDC) U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity (USAMMDA), played a critical role in developing the test run on Abbott's i-STAT TBI platform.
About i-STAT™ TBI Plasma
The i-STAT™ TBI Plasma test measures the level of biomarkers associated with brain injury in the blood stream to assist in determining the need for a CT scan of the head. The i-STAT TBI Plasma test is used to help evaluate mild TBI and is only available for use on the i-STAT™ Alinity™ instrument. The test is to be used with plasma prepared from EDTA anticoagulated specimens in clinical laboratory settings by a healthcare professional. The i-STAT™ TBI Plasma test is not intended to be used in point-of-care settings. More information is available at www.globalpointofcare.abbott/en/product-details/apoc/istat-tbi-plasma.html
About i-STAT™ Alinity™
The i-STAT™ Alinity is an easy-to-use, portable blood analyzer that delivers real-time, lab-quality diagnostic test results. Health care professionals simply apply a few drops of blood into a cartridge, insert the cartridge into the analyzer and can view results within minutes. Results can then be transmitted wirelessly. More information is available at www.globalpointofcare.abbott/en/product-details/apoc/istat-alinity.html
About Abbott
Abbott (NYSE: ABT) is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 113,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.
Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/abbott-/, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Abbott and on Twitter @AbbottNews.
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SOURCE Abbott | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/11/new-study-shows-abbotts-blood-test-concussion-could-predict-outcomes-brain-injury-inform-treatment-interventions/ | 2022-08-11T13:48:36Z |
MORRISTOWN, N.J., May 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Crum & Forster (C&F), a leading provider of property & casualty, accident & health and specialty insurance solutions announced today the company has received the 2021 Marsh Broker Experience Award for Cyber and Professional Liability (QSG). C&F received the award based on their outstanding service and market presence in the Cyber and Professional Liability space.
The results are derived from a Net Promotor Score (NPS). which measures the number of colleagues rating carriers based on three categories, Promotors, Passive, and Detractor. The resultant NPS score is then measured against other insurers in their peer group. Crum & Forster consistently edged out its peers with the best mix of Promotors over Detractors and was bestowed this prestigious award as the highest ranked insurer for 2021.
Robert Howe, global director of Marsh's Insurer Consulting Group, presented the award, together with colleagues, Sarah Walsh, Managing Director - Insurer Consulting Group; Thomas Reagan, Managing Director - Cyber Risk Practice Leader; and Meredith Schnur, Managing Director - US and Canada Cyber Brokerage leader.
The Marsh team presenting the award commented as follows, "The demand for Cyber insurance has grown exponentially, and as brokers we work diligently to partner with the best insurers to align our clients' needs. As the recipient of the 2021 Marsh Broker Experience Award for Cyber & Professional Liability, Crum & Forster had the best results. The team is highly skilled, exceptionally responsive (even if it means a quick no), and a pleasure to work with. We look forward to continued success in Cyber and carrying that momentum to other areas as well. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition."
Nick Economidis, Vice President at C&F, accepted the award for Crum & Forster, "On behalf of C&F I wish to thank the Marsh team for this recognition and look forward to replicating the success in 2022. I would like to recognize the many individuals across our organization who have contributed to our success and without whom we could not have earned this award. My sincerest thanks to you and to the Marsh team for this honor."
The award was presented on May 3, 2022 at Crum & Forster's corporate headquarters in Morristown, NJ. Executives from the Commercial Lines and Executive Risk teams were present as well as contributing members from across the organization.
About Crum & Forster
Crum & Forster (www.cfins.com ) is a leading national property, casualty and accident & health insurer, wholly owned by Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited (www.fairfax.ca), providing specialty insurance products through its admitted and surplus lines insurance companies. C&F is rated "A" (Excellent) by A.M. Best (2021). The C&F logo, C&F and Crum & Forster are registered trademarks of United States Fire Insurance Company. To learn more, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
About Marsh
Our purpose is Possibility. At Marsh, the idea of possibility isn't just something we talk about — it's something we've lived for over 150 years. We help our clients and colleagues grow — and our communities thrive — by protecting and promoting Possibility. We seek better ways to manage risk and define more effective paths to the right outcome. We go beyond risk to rewards for our clients, our company, our colleagues, and the communities in which we serve.
Media Contact:
Hallie Harenski
Crum & Forster
973-738-9526
hallie.harenski@cfins.com
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SOURCE Crum & Forster | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/25/marsh-honors-crum-amp-forster-with-broker-experience-award-cyber-professional-liability-qsg/ | 2022-05-25T16:07:28Z |
NEW YORK, May 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces the filing of a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of the securities of Natera, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTRA) between February 26, 2020 and April 19, 2022, inclusive (the "Class Period"). A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than June 27, 2022.
SO WHAT: If you purchased Natera securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.
WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Natera class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=3115 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than June 27, 2022. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.
WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.
DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Panorama was not reliable and resulted in high rates of false positives; (2) Prospera did not have superior precision compared to competing tests; (3) as a result of Defendants' false and misleading claims about Natera's technology, the Company was exposed to substantial legal and regulatory risks; (4) Natera relied upon deceptive sales and billing practices to drive its revenue growth; and (5) as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.
To join the Natera class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=3115 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.
No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Contact Information:
Laurence Rosen, Esq.
Phillip Kim, Esq.
The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
Fax: (212) 202-3827
lrosen@rosenlegal.com
pkim@rosenlegal.com
cases@rosenlegal.com
www.rosenlegal.com
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SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/05/07/rosen-top-ranked-law-firm-encourages-natera-inc-investors-with-losses-secure-counsel-before-important-deadline-securities-class-action-ntra/ | 2022-05-07T14:39:37Z |
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., July 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Equinix, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQIX), the world's digital infrastructure company™, today announced that it will hold its quarterly conference call on Wednesday, July 27 at 5:30 p.m. EST (2:30 p.m. PST). The company will discuss second quarter results for the period ended June 30, 2022.
To hear the conference call live, please dial 1-517-308-9482 (domestic and international) and reference the passcode (EQIX). A simultaneous live webcast of the call will be available on Equinix.com under the Investor Relations heading. A replay of the call will be available one hour after the call through Wednesday, October 26, 2022, by dialing 866-363-4001 and entering passcode (2022). In addition, the webcast will be available on the company's website at www.equinix.com/investors (no password required).
About Equinix
Equinix (Nasdaq: EQIX) is the world's digital infrastructure company, enabling digital leaders to harness a trusted platform to bring together and interconnect the foundational infrastructure that powers their success. Equinix enables today's businesses to access all the right places, partners and possibilities they need to accelerate advantage. With Equinix, they can scale with agility, speed the launch of digital services, deliver world-class experiences and multiply their value.
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SOURCE Equinix, Inc. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/01/media-alert-equinix-sets-conference-call-second-quarter-results/ | 2022-07-01T13:05:45Z |
The new offering provides companies security benefits and autonomy over data residency
SAN FRANCISCO , May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Intercom, the Engagement OS, has launched local data hosting in Australia to give businesses the ability to process customer data locally when using Intercom's platform. The launch meets industry needs for secure data residency and adheres to Australian Privacy Principles (APP).
Headquartered in San Francisco, Intercom enables businesses to communicate with customers more effectively through its customer communications platform. Businesses can use Intercom to deliver in-context and personalised experiences at any scale by powering customer engagement with live, first-party data throughout the entire customer journey.
Intercom has expanded its presence in Australia since 2019. The Sydney office now consists of more than 30 customer-facing sales, success, support and marketing team members, as well as partner and operations functions. Locally, the company counts Atlassian, Appliances Online and Sidekicker as customers, among others. As Intercom looks to further expand its APAC footprint to meet growing customer demand, local data hosting will also provide a faster experience for customers.
"We have many customers in Australia and know that regional data hosting is something that companies are now seeking," said Karen Peacock, CEO of Intercom. "We are dedicated to helping customers across the region and this launch is part of our commitment and ongoing investment to ensure our customers can engage with and connect to their customers safely and securely."
The launch follows the announcement of Intercom's European Data Hosting last year. The company now provides customers a global data residency offering that meets growing requirements for data processing across geographies. Intercom is also continuing to invest in its platform to meet the needs of growing businesses and enterprises, with world-class privacy and security compliance and industry certifications including HIPAA and SOC 2.
"We have very intentionally invested in a strong security and compliance posture, so companies all over the world and of all sizes can use the Intercom platform with confidence," said Darragh Curran, Chief Technology Officer at Intercom. "We're committed to making sure our customers can concentrate on what's most important to them—leveraging Intercom to grow their business and build relationships with their customers—while we ensure their most important data is hosted within a desired jurisdiction."
Intercom has more than 900 employees across its Sydney, San Francisco, Chicago, Dublin and London offices. Over 25,000 global customers use Intercom's Engagement OS to drive ongoing customer engagement and business growth at scale.
For more information, visit www.intercom.com.
About Intercom
Intercom, the Engagement OS, enables businesses to build stronger customer relationships that drive growth and scale. With its all-in-one customer communications platform, Intercom offers next-generation solutions for sales, marketing and support teams to work together to convert prospects into paying customers, engage customers throughout their journey and provide world-class support.
Intercom is redefining the customer journey and unifying business silos to deliver ongoing, personalised engagement through in-context communications. More than 25,000 global organisations, including Atlassian, Amazon and Lyft Business, rely on Intercom to deliver unparalleled user experiences at any scale. Intercom's platform is used to send over 500 million messages per month and enables interactions with over 600 million monthly active end users.
Founded in 2011 and backed by leading venture capitalists, including Kleiner Perkins, Bessemer Venture Partners and Social Capital, Intercom is on a mission to make internet business personal.
Contacts
Cameron Donovan, The Ink Bureau
cameron@theinkbureau.com.au
Christine Curtin, Intercom
christine.curtin@intercom.io
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SOURCE Intercom, Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/04/intercom-launches-local-data-hosting-australia/ | 2022-05-04T23:37:39Z |
WARREN, N.J. and BENGALURU, India, Sept. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mindtree, a global technology services and digital transformation company, today announced that it has designed and implemented a digital command and control solution for Larsen & Toubro (L&T), an Indian multinational engaged in EPC projects, hi-tech manufacturing and services, for the company's recently commissioned Green Hydrogen Plant in Hazira, Gujarat.
Built using Insights NxT, the IoT and data analytics platform of Mindtree NxT, the state-of-the-art solution enables remote monitoring and control of all services at the plant to help optimize operational and energy costs, and drive effective utilization of resources such as solar energy and battery energy storage systems. The solution is equipped with preventive and predictive data analytics capabilities to provide real-time insights into plant performance and support data-driven decision-making. This will help reduce the plant's carbon footprint and improve operational agility by increasing electrolyzer efficiency and reducing downtime.
The solution utilizes Insights NxT platform to interface with complex operational technology systems to capture mission-critical data, and enable different degrees of analysis and levers to streamline energy consumption. This aids quicker adoption of new clean energy, improved environmental monitoring and reporting, and competitive pricing of products and services.
"We are committed to providing innovative and sustainable solutions to meet the energy needs of tomorrow while reducing our environmental impact," said Derek M. Shah, Senior Vice President and Head of Green Manufacturing and Development at L&T. "At our heavy engineering unit in Hazira, we use natural gas for welding and heat treatment operations. The solution developed by Mindtree will help us effectively reduce the plant's carbon footprint by mixing green hydrogen with natural gas, facilitating swifter adoption of cleaner fuel and alternative energy sources. This will boost our ability to better fulfill our sustainability goals while significantly enhancing our operational efficiency."
"The solution brings together Mindtree's extensive digital engineering and transformation expertise with L&T's deep domain knowledge to advance the vision for a healthier environment," said Venu Lambu, Executive Director and President of Global Markets at Mindtree. "Armed with sophisticated edge-to-experience and IoT capabilities, the solution will provide further impetus to clean energy through enhanced, real-time data from electrolyzer instrumentation, control system, and related ecosystem with advanced AI/ML algorithms. It sets a new benchmark in intelligent systems that can turn data into sound sustainability decisions, responsible actions, and profitable outcomes."
About Larsen & Toubro
Larsen & Toubro is an Indian multinational engaged in EPC Projects, Hi-Tech Manufacturing and Services. It operates in over 50 countries worldwide. A strong, customer–focused approach and the constant quest for top-class quality have enabled L&T to attain and sustain leadership in its major lines of business for eight decades. For more information, please visit https://www.larsentoubro.com/.
About Mindtree
Mindtree [NSE: MINDTREE] is a global technology consulting and services company that enables enterprises across industries to drive superior competitive advantage, customer experiences and business outcomes by harnessing digital and cloud technologies. A digital transformation partner to approximately 275 of the world's most pioneering enterprises, Mindtree brings extensive domain, technology and consulting expertise to help reimagine business models, accelerate innovation and maximize growth. As a socially and environmentally responsible business, Mindtree is focused on growth as well as sustainability in building long-term stakeholder value. Powered by more than 37,400 talented and entrepreneurial professionals across 24 countries, Mindtree — a Larsen & Toubro Group company — is consistently recognized among the best places to work. For more, please visit www.mindtree.com or @Mindtree_Ltd.
Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1004066/Mindtree_Logo.jpg
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SOURCE Mindtree | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/15/mindtree-builds-digital-command-control-solution-larsen-amp-toubros-green-hydrogen-plant-gujarat-india/ | 2022-09-15T10:22:25Z |
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Results from eight of nine Kansas counties that recounted ballots found fewer than 35 changed votes from the Aug. 2 election, when voters soundly rejected a proposed amendment that would have removed abortion rights from the state’s constitution.
The counties faced a 5 p.m. Saturday deadline to complete the hand recounts of ballots cast on Aug. 2. Eight counties finished on time but Sedgwick County officials said they would not meet the deadline.
Posted results for the eight counties found a total of 13 fewer votes for those favoring tighter abortion restrictions and 19 fewer votes for those wanting to keep existing abortion rights. Election officials attributed the changes to human error, such as voters making unclear marks on ballots.
A Sedgwick County spokeswoman said Saturday that after the counting was complete, the election commissioner found things she wanted to check again. It was unclear what the problems were or when the county would finish its recount.
The nine counties were required to hand recount the votes at the request of two anti-abortion activists who questioned election procedures but did not provide proof of any specific problems.
Initial statewide tallies showed the proposed amendment, which would have removed protections for abortion rights from the Kansas Constitution and allowed the Legislature to further restrict abortion or ban it, failed by 18 percentage points, or 165,000 votes.
Votes were recounted in Douglas County, home to the University of Kansas’ main campus; Johnson County, in suburban Kansas City; Sedgwick County, home to Wichita; Shawnee County, home to Topeka; and Crawford, Harvey, Jefferson, Lyon and Thomas counties. Abortion opponents lost all of those counties except Thomas. | https://cw33.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-headlines/little-change-in-kansas-abortion-recall-1-county-not-done/ | 2022-08-21T13:49:38Z |
Four Winds Intertribal Society will hold a rock painting event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Yettie Polk Park, 101 S. Davis St. in Belton.
Adults and children will paint rocks. The event will not include any drums or dancing, but it will include Native American flute music and food.
The event is free and open to the public. | https://www.tdtnews.com/news/central_texas_news/article_62dca962-c0f6-11ec-abb1-db18373d5204.html | 2022-04-21T01:41:21Z |
Woman who finally retired at 100 celebrates 107th birthday
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS/Gray News) – Velma Finger, known to her friends as Sally, worked as a manager at her housing complex until she was 100 years old.
She hasn’t slowed down since and recently celebrated her 107th birthday with family and friends.
“Some people dread old age, but I think it’s what you make of it yourself,” Finger told KFVS.
On the day she was born in 1915, Finger said her dad hopped on a horse to get the doctor to deliver her, Woodrow Wilson was president and women couldn’t yet vote.
She’s seen a lot of changes in the century-plus she’s been alive, including the widespread use of automobiles, electricity and computers.
Finger said she doesn’t have any real secret to longevity, but she did say she ate a lot of vegetables with olive oil and peanuts, and she gave up meat for several years.
She said she keeps her mind sharp by doing crossword puzzles and reading. She also credits exercise and her love of the game of golf, walking the course in the fresh open air, for her incredibly long life.
Looking back, Finger said she’s most proud of her family.
“I am proud of my granddaughter and my great-grandchildren,” she said. “They’re good kids. I feel, that when I leave this world, I will leave it a better place for my children and grandchildren.”
Copyright 2022 KFVS via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/08/05/woman-who-finally-retired-100-celebrates-107th-birthday/ | 2022-08-05T17:49:12Z |
3.5 Million More Recruits Are Needed to Fill Cyber Vacancies
BOSTON, Sept. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Women still only make up a quarter of the workforce in cybersecurity, a striking gap compared to 39% participation in the general workforce. At the same time, the global cybersecurity workforce would need to grow by 80% to meet current demand, according to a joint study by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and The Global Cybersecurity Forum (GCF). The report, titled "Empowering Women to Work in Cybersecurity Is a Win-Win," is being released today. It is based on a global survey of 2,000 female science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate students in 26 countries across six regions, as well as interviews with 20 international experts in the field.
The report highlights key actions that need to be taken to meet this growing gender divide in cybersecurity. Engaging women with STEM subjects at an early stage is key to their participation in cybersecurity: 78% of the survey respondents developed an interest in STEM in middle school or high school. However, access to STEM education, although an issue, is not the main stumbling block: 58% of respondents had access to cybersecurity education, and 68% had already taken a cybersecurity-related course. Around 82% of survey respondents said they had some or a lot of knowledge about cybersecurity. Challenges include social or cultural norms constraining what women study, home and care responsibilities that affect their ability to enter or succeed in a cybersecurity career, and negative perceptions of cybersecurity as a career choice. About 37% of respondents think cybersecurity does not offer work-life balance, which is one of the top three factors for women choosing a job, along with good compensation and meaningful work.
"The results of this report have shown that women are ready and prepared to fill the talent gap in the cybersecurity workforce," said Alaa M. Alfaadhel, Initiatives & Partnerships Lead at GCF. "With the right encouragement from a young age, women can not only begin to enter the industry, but can also become leaders in their field. By bringing together the leading voices and minds of the cyberworld at the GCF, we are confident that we can bridge this gap and action impactful change for women in cybersecurity."
"Closing the gender gap in cybersecurity would fulfill an urgent demand in the field that is only going to get bigger," said Leila Hoteit, a BCG managing director and senior partner; global lead of the firm's education, employment, and welfare sector; and coauthor of the study. "It would also strengthen cyber resilience by bringing in diverse perspectives and would improve business performance. But at the current pace, it will take 130 years to achieve gender parity in the industry. The escalation in cybersecurity threats and their economic impact make it imperative that urgent action is taken to address this mismatch."
The magnitude of the challenge differs from region to region: 94% of respondents in the Middle East and North Africa, 89% in Europe, 84% in Africa, and 82% in Asia-Pacific were interested in pursuing a cybersecurity degree, compared to 77% in Latin America and only 61% in North America. Similarly, 45% of North American respondents were likely to participate in targeted STEM programming in their school education, compared to 72% in Europe and 79% in the Middle East and North Africa.
The report recommends a holistic approach, addressing the pipeline, recruitment, retention, and advancement for women in the field. Key initiatives would include targeted STEM engagement of school-age girls; openness to training or reskilling candidates with aptitude; gender- and family-friendly policies; ensuring a good work-life balance; and providing access to mentors, sponsors, and women's networks dedicated to advancing women into senior leadership roles.
Download a copy of the report here:
https://www.bcg.com/publications/2022/empowering-women-to-work-in-cybersecurity-is-a-win-win
To arrange an interview with one of the authors, please contact Eric Gregoire at +1 617 850 3783 or gregoire.eric@bcg.com.
About Boston Consulting Group
Boston Consulting Group partners with leaders in business and society to tackle their most important challenges and capture their greatest opportunities. BCG was the pioneer in business strategy when it was founded in 1963. Today, we work closely with clients to embrace a transformational approach aimed at benefiting all stakeholders—empowering organizations to grow, build sustainable competitive advantage, and drive positive societal impact.
Our diverse, global teams bring deep industry and functional expertise and a range of perspectives that question the status quo and spark change. BCG delivers solutions through leading-edge management consulting, technology and design, and corporate and digital ventures. We work in a uniquely collaborative model across the firm and throughout all levels of the client organization, fueled by the goal of helping our clients thrive and enabling them to make the world a better place.
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SOURCE Boston Consulting Group (BCG) | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/07/close-cybersecurity-gender-gap-improve-cyber-resilience/ | 2022-09-07T05:41:54Z |
San Diego-Based Fresh Clean Tees Rebrands to Fresh Clean Threads as Product Offerings Continue to Expand; Brand Strengthens its Commitment to Quality and Customers
SAN DIEGO, Aug. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading direct-to-consumer men's apparel brand, Fresh Clean Tees, today announced their official name change to Fresh Clean Threads, along with debuting their new logo and rebranded website. Since its launch as a tee subscription program in 2015, the rapidly growing brand has applied its quality, size inclusivity and fit-first approach to henleys, polos, pullovers, socks and more. With the debut of the Fresh Clean Threads name, the brand's refreshed identity will now more closely align with its robust and continually evolving product line.
"We've worked hard to expand our product line and want our branding to reflect that," said Matthew Parvis, co-founder and CEO of Fresh Clean Threads. "We're proud of our growth and that we can continue to bring top-of-the-line apparel to our customers at affordable prices. We're looking forward to what's to come, and this name change is just the beginning."
The outstanding quality Fresh Clean Threads consumers have grown accustomed to comes from the belief that every thread counts. Sustained commitment to using the highest quality threads, fabrics and construction ensures the durability that Fresh Clean Threads is known for. The excellence Fresh Clean Tees has offered for nearly eight years will continue as Fresh Clean Threads and will be held as the standard for future apparel pieces.
"As we continue to expand our offerings and work to bring more quality and affordable products to our loyal customers, an all-encompassing name made sense for the current state and future growth of the brand" said Melissa Parvis, co-founder and president of Fresh Clean Threads. "We're grateful we've been able to offer more than just tees and are excited to continue to roll out new items. This new name underscores our growth and where we are headed."
While recognizing the importance of every single thread, Fresh Clean Threads also recognizes the impact of every step in the production process. The company is committed to reducing its carbon impact and has implemented company-wide sustainability initiatives, including transitioning to 100% recyclable packaging and removing single-use plastic elements. Every factory in the Fresh Clean Threads supply chain is certified by Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP), guaranteeing the work environment is socially and ethically responsible. As part of the brand's continued goal to replace their clothing's synthetics with organic and sustainable fabrics by 2025, Fresh Clean Threads launched its Eco Fresh Tee earlier this year.
The rebrand will not impact the retailer's commitment to helping men look good and feel good without spending a fortune. The complete range of Fresh Clean Threads apparel is available with tees starting at prices as low as $19. The entire collection is available for purchase exclusively on FreshCleanThreads.com. For more information on Fresh Clean Threads and its latest products, please visit FreshCleanThreads.com.
Fresh Clean Threads is a direct-to-consumer men's clothing company launched in 2015 by husband-and-wife duo Matthew and Melissa Parvis that focuses on creating quality, comfortable, convenient, and affordable men's basics. With a mission to help men look good and feel great without spending a fortune, Fresh Clean Threads empowers men to feel confident in how they dress, so they can explore, conquer and live life to the fullest. The brand offers various styles of tees, tanks, long sleeves, outerwear, and socks with individual purchases as well as subscription-based options. With a company pillar rooted in sustainability, Fresh Clean Threads is consistently assessing its business practices, manufacturing processes and community relations to ensure they are delivering on the promise to be a solution to the current sustainability problem within the fashion industry. More information is available at FreshCleanThreads.com.
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SOURCE Fresh Clean Threads | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/09/fresh-clean-threads-unveils-new-brand-identity-align-with-growing-direct-to-consumer-apparel-business/ | 2022-08-09T13:43:11Z |
(NEXSTAR) — As Americans deal with rising costs on ordinary food items, one alcoholic treat may also come at a higher price soon.
Global efforts to move away from Russian oil and energy amid the country’s invasion of Ukraine have led to surging fuel prices — and wine bottles are now more expensive to make.
“The cost of glass bottles in the U.S. has risen by as much as 20%, according to some brand owners, although most operators have seen much more modest price increases,” said Stephen Rannekleiv, global strategist in the beverages division of financial services company Rabobank, according to MarketWatch.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration explains the glass manufacturing industry is among the most energy-intensive, with the majority of fuel coming from natural gas. New York Mercantile Exchange data found the war in Ukraine has affected European wineries more than American companies, likely due to proximity and reliance on Russian supplies, Marketwatch reports.
Wineries in Europe saw a more than 500% increase in natural gas costs since last year. Meanwhile, American natural gas prices rose from around $2.56 in March 2021 to $4.69 in March 2022.
Rannekleiv wrote in Rabobank’s Q2 wine outlook that that some glass suppliers could implement additional price increases as the year goes on, too.
If all else fails, there’s always boxed wine, which in addition to its affordability is also more eco-friendly. It’s estimated the average box of wine contains about the same amount as one bottle of vino.
Wine Spectator sommelier Dr. Vinny explains: “The wines can be as good as their bottled contemporaries… As an added bonus, boxed wines are usually made from recycled materials, and weighing less than glass, they can have a lighter impact on the environment.” | https://cw33.com/news/wine-may-get-more-expensive-heres-why/ | 2022-04-11T13:43:29Z |
POTOMAC, Md., July 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Curbio, the leading fix now, pay when you sell home improvement solution for real estate agents and their clients, today announced the addition of Radius to both its brokerage and corporate partnerships programs. Radius is a rapidly growing full service, modern brokerage that is transforming the home buying and selling process for both real estate professionals and their clients by focusing on marketing, technology, financing, and customer experience.
Through this partnership, Curbio has become the exclusive, custom concierge solution for Radius. Radius clients will now have access to a completely turnkey home improvement service with fix now, pay later terms. In an industry where demand for concierge services is rising, access to Curbio's solution will empower Radius' real estate professionals with the edge they need to win more listings and sell their existing listings for top dollar.
"We're incredibly excited to formally welcome Radius to our partnerships program, a powerful tool that can be used to provide a better transaction experience for all their agents, clients, and community members. We can't wait to start providing their agents with our solution, to help them get all their listings on the market quickly and sold for top dollar," said Olivia Mariani, VP of Marketing at Curbio.
The partnership between Curbio and Radius also extends to the Radius Community, a real estate network comprised of over 85,000 local and national agents. Members of the community will gain access to dedicated education and training sessions with the Curbio team, enabling them to strengthen and refine their skills with Curbio's support.
"At Radius, our goal has always been to empower real estate professionals and help them grow their business while saving them time. Curbio embodies that goal with their white-glove, modern concierge solution. Pre-listing home improvements are key for every homeowner looking to sell for top dollar, which is why we're so excited to be partnering with Curbio as they reinvent the traditional home improvement process," says Sam Kasle, Chief Revenue Officer, Radius.
Curbio was founded in 2017 to transform the multi-billion-dollar home improvement industry and has quickly become the nation's leading pay-at-closing home improvement solution. The company partners exclusively with real estate agents and their clients to get any home ready for the market, allowing it to sell faster and for top dollar. Using technology to power their service, Curbio completes pre-listing home improvement projects of any size quickly and without hassle, from start to finish, with zero payment due until the home sells. Curbio is trusted by thousands of realtors and brokerages nationwide, and has been continuously recognized for its exemplary solution, receiving nods in HousingWire, Qualified Remodeler and Comparably, to name a few.
Radius is the premier tech-driven brokerage firm for real estate professionals eager to grow their brands and profits. From networking opportunities, branding/marketing resources, to white-glove services for buyers and sellers, Radius is poised to help real estate professionals grow their businesses while saving them time and money. Founded in 2015, Radius is backed by the founders of Trulia, Zillow and Roofstock. Visit https://www.radiusagent.com/ to learn more.
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SOURCE Curbio | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/14/curbio-announces-partnership-with-radius/ | 2022-07-14T14:54:09Z |
~ New diacylglycerol kinase assay panel provides researchers for the first time with ten new lipid kinase targets ~
~ New systems biology approach enhances preclinical characterization of the WEE-1 inhibitor adavosertib ~
MALVERN, Pa., April 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Reaction Biology ("Reaction" or the "Company"), an industry- leading provider of drug discovery services, today announced that twelve abstracts highlighting data from the Company's oncology drug discovery services platform will be presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2022, held April 8-13, 2022, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
"At AACR 2022, we look forward to showcasing data from our comprehensive suite of innovative drug discovery services that continue to support our clients in their oncology research goals," said Haiching Ma, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Reaction Biology. "With these data, we continue to build upon our capabilities as a world leader and partner in drug discovery."
New data will be presented on the Company's diacylglycerol kinase assay panel, which will aid researchers in better informing isoform specific inhibitor discovery and provides researchers for the first time with ten new lipid kinase targets. Additionally, Reaction will share data on a new biology approach, leading to an enhanced preclinical characterization of the WEE-1 inhibitor adavosertib.
Reaction will present data from a number of new and enhanced assays and other drug discovery services in oncology. The full range of data presented at AACR include:
- Development of diacylglycerol kinase assays to facilitate isoform specific inhibitor discovery (Sunday, April 10, 2022, 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM; Poster Section 8, Poster Board Number: 24, Permanent Abstract Number: 170)
- Characterization of KRas pathway inhibitors in 2D and 3D screening formats (Sunday, April 10, 2022, 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM; Poster Section 23, Poster Board Number: 7, Permanent Abstract Number: 357)
- Application of NanoBRET target engagement cellular assay for measurement of inhibitor binding to wild type and mutant RAS in live cells (Sunday, April 10, 2022, 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM; Poster Section 24, Poster Board Number: 15, Permanent Abstract Number: 379)
- Benefit of using a spectral flow analyzer for the analysis of immune cell populations in tumors (Sunday, April 10, 2022, 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM; Poster Section 39, Poster Board Number: 14, Permanent Abstract Number: 629)
- A systems biology approach combining ProLiFiler and Cancer Data Miner for an enhanced preclinical characterization of the WEE-1 inhibitor adavosertib (Monday, April 11, 2022, 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM; Poster Section 24, Poster Board Number: 22, Permanent Abstract Number: 1132)
- Comparison and consequences of different implantation techniques on the orthotopic growth of syngeneic Hepa1-6 liver cancer cells (Monday, April 11, 2022, 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM; Poster Section 11, Poster Board Number: 13, Permanent Abstract Number: 1621)
- Probing PRMT5 Inhibitors with Distinct Binding Modes Using Surface Plasmon Resonance (Tuesday, April 12, 2022, 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM; Poster Section 40, Poster Board Number: 6, Permanent Abstract Number: 2921)
- Exploring the combinatorial potential of bispecific T-cell engagers in high throughput format (Tuesday, April 12, 2022, 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM; Poster Section 38, Poster Board Number: 8, Permanent Abstract Number: 2893)
- Comprehensive characterization of CDK inhibitors using a complete panel of all 20 human cyclin-dependent kinases (Tuesday, April 12, 2022, 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM; Poster Section 5, Poster Board Number: 8, Permanent Abstract Number: 2304)
- Real-time quantitative PCR based analysis of transcriptional effects of CDK8/Cyclin C inhibitors (Tuesday, April 12, 2022, 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM; Poster Section 5, Poster Board Number: 22, Permanent Abstract Number: 2318)
- A versatile assay suite for the discovery of new KRAS pathway inhibitors (Tuesday, April 12, 2022, 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM; Poster Section 4, Poster Board Number: 16, Permanent Abstract Number: 2987)
- Cytotoxic effects of LRRK2 inhibitors in combined treatment with chemotherapeutic agents on a large panel of cancer cell lines (Wednesday, April 13, 2022, 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM; Poster Section 27, Poster Board Number: 26, Permanent Abstract Number: 4072)
"This year, we celebrate the Company's 20-year history of delivering superior science and driving customer-centric innovation, while we build upon our expanding suite of comprehensive services and support," said John H. Johnson, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Reaction Biology. "These data at AACR represent the breadth and depth of Reaction Biology's pre-clinical research services in oncology and underscore why we are a preferred global partner in the area of drug discovery."
Copies of the poster presentations will be available at Reaction Biology's booth (#1247) during exhibit hall hours April 10 – April 13 and on the Company's website.
Founded in 2001, Reaction is a contract research organization (CRO) that provides a full suite of drug discovery services to over 1,800 biopharmaceutical customers worldwide. Reaction's capabilities include functional biochemical assays, compound screening, a wide range of mechanistic and biophysical studies, and an extensive array of cell-based assays. Reaction maintains one of the largest panels of kinase assays in the world with over 750 unique assays. The Company performs over 5,000 client projects annually with its over 2,000 validated assays. The Company has lab facilities in Malvern, PA, and Freiburg, Germany, with approximately 130 employees.
Contact:
Elixir Health Public Relations
Lindsay Rocco
+1 862-596-1304
lrocco@elixirhealthpr.com
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SOURCE Reaction Biology | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/04/08/new-data-aacr-showcase-reaction-biologys-innovative-approach-oncology-drug-discovery-services/ | 2022-04-08T18:00:19Z |
NEW YORK, April 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Jakubowitz Law announces that a securities fraud class action lawsuit has commenced on behalf of shareholders of Tal Education Group (NYSE: TAL).
To receive updates on the lawsuit, fill out the form:
The lawsuit seeks to recover losses for shareholders who purchased TAL between April 26, 2018 and July 22, 2021.
Shareholders interested in acting as a lead plaintiff representing the class of wronged shareholders have until April 5, 2022 to petition the court. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.
According to a filed complaint, Tal Education Group issued materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (a) TAL's revenue and operational growth was the result of deceptive marketing tactics and illicit business practices that flouted Chinese laws, regulations and policies, and exposed the Company to an extreme risk that more draconian measures would be imposed on the Company; (b) TAL had engaged in misleading and fraudulent advertising practices, including the provision of false and misleading discount information designed to obfuscate the true cost of the Company's programs to its customers, the creation of fake customer reviews designed to fraudulently lure new customers to TAL programs, the misrepresentation of teacher qualifications and course qualities, and the marketing of rigged promotional events; (c) TAL had defied Chinese policies designed to alleviate the burden imposed by tutoring services on students and their families, including by imposing hefty advances and recurring debt payments on course enrollees, by offering courses designed to give affluent students unfair advantages, by holding courses outside of allowable tutoring hours, and by linking for-profit courses to government-mandated schooling; (d) as a result of the foregoing, TAL was subject to an extreme undisclosed risk of adverse enforcement actions, regulatory fines and penalties, and the imposition of new rules and regulations adverse to the Company's business and financial interests; and (e) as a result of the foregoing, TAL's historical growth was not sustainable or the result of legitimate business tactics as represented, and defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and lacked a reasonable factual basis.
Jakubowitz Law is vigorous in pursuit of justice for shareholders who have been the victim of securities fraud. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
CONTACT:
JAKUBOWITZ LAW
1140 Avenue of the Americas
9th Floor
New York, New York 10036
T: (212) 867-4490
F: (212) 537-5887
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SOURCE Jakubowitz Law | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/04/01/tal-shareholder-alert-jakubowitz-law-reminds-tal-shareholders-lead-plaintiff-deadline-april-5-2022/ | 2022-04-01T11:29:59Z |
LARCHMONT, N.Y. and CLEVELAND, Aug. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- New State Capital Partners ("New State") announced today that it has acquired AFIMAC Global Inc. ("AFIMAC" or the "Company"), a leading provider of specialty business continuity solutions, including staffing, security, and logistics, as a carve-out from its parent company Dalton First Financial Inc. Joe Schollaert will continue to serve as AFIMAC's President and Chief Executive Officer. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Headquartered outside Cleveland, OH, with operations around the globe, AFIMAC has provided these solutions for over 35 years. Clients include a diverse range of Fortune 500 companies across end markets such as food and beverage, consumer, business services, and specialty manufacturing.
"Our growth has been a result of our ability to rapidly recruit, onboard, and deploy skilled labor to our blue-chip customers," said Mr. Schollaert. "In addition, the types of business disruptions we can handle for our clients—disaster and emergency response, labor shortages—are becoming more frequent today, and, as a result, the demand for our services continues to be robust. We have always been proud of our exemplary customer service, which has led to repeat business and long-tenured relationships. New State's investment in AFIMAC as a standalone business gives us the opportunity to build on our successes while developing new services and expanding into new markets."
"We are excited to add AFIMAC to our portfolio and to partner with Joe and his outstanding team," said Daniel Han, Senior Principal at New State. "As a sector, business continuity services are well-positioned for growth, and AFIMAC stands out among its peers for its long-standing reputation for quality and responsiveness."
Shaun Vasavada, Vice President of New State added, "We were impressed by AFIMAC's ability to consistently provide targeted solutions in challenging environments, and we intend to build on this strength. We look forward to growing the Company through a combination of continued share gain in existing markets and expansion into adjacent service lines both organically and through acquisitions."
The acquisition of AFIMAC marks New State's fifth deal in nine months and the fourth platform investment in New State Capital Partners Fund III, LP, which was raised and activated last year.
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius acted as legal advisors and Piper Sandler and Moelis provided financial advisory services to New State. The Gelfand Group and Carleton McKenna & Co acted as financial advisors for the Company.
For more than 35 years, AFIMAC has offered staffing, emergency response, security, risk management, and other business continuity services to image conscious companies across North America. AFIMAC prides itself on partnering with its clients to protect people and property both during times of crisis and regular business operations. With the industry's leading senior management team having unparalleled expertise in its market, these professionals offer an assortment of human capital solutions, pre-crisis contingency planning, and premium security and emergency response services to businesses representing nearly every industry. For more information visit www.afimacglobal.com.
New State Capital Partners is an entrepreneurial-minded private equity firm that strives to be nimble, decisive, and cooperative. New State prides itself on a long-term outlook, approaching each potential investment as an opportunity to create lasting and valuable relationships with company founders and especially independent sponsors. The firm has the ability to invest up to $100 million in equity per transaction and seeks to invest in market-leading companies with $8 million to $40 million of EBITDA in the areas of business services, industrials, and consumer. New State and its affiliates have invested in more than 30 companies to date. For more information visit www.newstatecp.com.
Media contact:
Lambert
Joanne Lessner, jlessner@lambert.com, 212-222-7436
or
Beth Wiegard, bwiegard@lambert.com, 954-494-8261
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SOURCE New State Capital Partners | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/24/new-state-capital-acquires-afimac-global-inc-provider-specialty-business-continuity-solutions/ | 2022-08-24T12:38:37Z |
Highlights Progress Towards its 2030 Corporate Sustainability Goals Showcases Notable Leadership in DEI
AKRON, Ohio, June 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Signet Jewelers Limited, the world's largest retailer of diamond jewelry, released its Fiscal 2022 Corporate Citizenship and Sustainability Report highlighting progress the company is making towards its 10-year Corporate Sustainability Goals. Signet's holistic focus on its Three Loves—Team Members, People, Planet and Products—includes comprehensive environmental, social and governance (ESG) data leveraging the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) standards.
"I am proud of the strong progress we are consistently making toward our 2030 goals," said Signet Jewelers CEO Virginia C. Drosos. "As we continue to elevate our sustainability efforts, our Purpose of Inspiring Love and our Three Loves continue to be not only sources of pride, but also drivers of action and impact." She added, "Our progress on DEI over the past four years is particularly notable with 76% of Signet's store assistant managers and above being women as well as 42% of Signet's VPs and above, the cornerstone for our recognition in Bloomberg's Gender-Equality Index four years running."
In addition to its own framework, Signet is a member of the UN Global Compact, which affirms the company's long-standing dedication to responsible, ethical business practices and upholding the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact on human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption.
"Our Purpose – our whole reason for being – is Inspiring Love. That focus ignites our entire team and guides our Corporate Sustainability Goals. By working together with our Signet colleagues and our global partners we're taking action ourselves while also driving positive change in the jewelry industry and as advocates for a better world," added Colleen Rooney, Chief Communications & ESG Officer, Signet Jewelers.
Background and Progress
In 2021, Signet announced its 2030 Corporate Sustainability Goals, which deepened the company's commitment to leading as a purpose-driven and sustainability-focused organization. Signet established a total of 44 Corporate Sustainability Goals with the goal of accomplishing three in the past year as follows:
- Establishing the Signet Love Inspires Foundation, focused on underserved women and children, and social change advocacy;
- Aligning the Signet Love Inspires Foundation grant-making policy with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to meaningful measure Signet's impact toward solving the world's most pressing problems; and
- Increasing Signet's base wage to $15/hour by Spring 2022 in the US. (Completed ahead of schedule in Q3 FY22)
Signet organizes its sustainability efforts through a framework it refers to as its "Three Loves": Love for All People, Love for Our Team and Love for Our Planet and Products. Over the past year, Signet has made meaningful progress and strengthened the company's impact in all three of these pillars:
- Love for All People: Inspiring Love into the world through marketing, charitable donations, and participation in social advocacy as Signet and through its ten consumer-facing banners. Since the start of their 23-year partnership with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital®, Signet has raised nearly $89 million for the organization. Signet also recently announced that it was suspending business interaction with Russian-owned entities in response to the crisis in Ukraine.
- Love for Our Team: Amplifying its focus on being an employer of choice for all, including underrepresented populations and highlighting the significant presence women have within Signet's leadership team. Signet is a twice awarded Great Place to Work-Certified™ Company and has also been listed on the Bloomberg Gender-Equity Index for four consecutive years – the only specialty jewelry retailer on the Index. In addition, Signet reports using the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Corporate Equity Index, the national benchmarking tool on corporate policies, practices and benefits pertinent to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer employees.
- Love for Our Planet and Products: Defining Signet's commitment to business practices and policies to address human rights, climate change and committing to further developing the circular economy. In 2021, Signet recovered and resold over 120,000 carats of diamonds, and 89% of all Signet Jewelry was sourced from Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) members.
To see Signet's entire 2022 Fiscal Corporate Citizenship and Sustainability Report, click here.
ABOUT SIGNET JEWELERS
Signet Jewelers Limited is the world's largest retailer of diamond jewelry. As a purpose-driven and sustainability-focused company, Signet is a participant in the United Nations Global Compact and adheres to its principles-based approach to responsible business. Signet is a Great Place to Work–Certified™ company and has been named to the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index for four consecutive years. Signet operates approximately 2,800 stores primarily under the name brands of Kay Jewelers, Zales, Jared, Banter by Piercing Pagoda, Diamonds Direct, JamesAllen.com, Peoples, H. Samuel, Ernest Jones and the jewelry subscription service, Rocksbox. Further information on Signet is available at www.signetjewelers.com.
See also www.kay.com, www.zales.com, www.jared.com, www.banter.com, www.diamondsdirect.com. www.jamesallen.com, www.peoplesjewellers.com, www.hsamuel.co.uk, www.ernestjones.co.uk and www.rocksbox.com.
Press Contacts:
Susan Klau
APCO Worldwide
sklau@apcoworldwide.com
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SOURCE Signet Jewelers Ltd. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/07/signet-jewelers-releases-its-fiscal-2022-corporate-citizenship-sustainability-report/ | 2022-06-07T13:21:24Z |
Bergen Community College, NJ; Front Range Community College, CO; and Columbus State Community College, OH took home winning titles following presentations of their STEM innovations to address real-world challenges
WASHINGTON, June 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), in partnership with the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), announced the three winning teams of this year's Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC).
The annual competition seeks to strengthen entrepreneurial thinking among community college students by challenging them to develop STEM-based solutions to real-world problems. It also enables students to discover and demonstrate their capacity to use STEM to make a difference in the world and to translate that knowledge into action.
The first, second and third-place winning teams and their innovations are listed below.
First Place Winner
Bergen Community College (New Jersey)
Project: The ScanCan: The Intelligent Recycling Bin is a recycling bin capable of identifying and accepting or rejecting recyclable objects ensuring recycling companies are collecting items free of non-recyclable waste.
Second Place Winner
Front Range Community College (Colorado)
Project: The Orca Oil-Separating & Bio-Filtration Vessel offers a solution to an issue affecting earth every day—oil spills. The Orca, inspired by the unique feeding style of whales, deploys a new method of cleaning oil spills that is both inexpensive and quick.
Third Place Winner
Columbus State Community College (Ohio)
Project: Columbus Kinesthetics' mission is to innovate STEM education by providing an immersive way for students to learn technical skills through using augmented and virtual reality applications, providing students a realistic job preview and technical workforce understanding.
Last week, 12 community colleges selected as finalists in a national competition attended an Innovation Boot Camp where they learned from entrepreneurs and experts in business planning, stakeholder engagement, strategic communication, and marketplace dynamics. The Boot Camp culminated in a Student Innovation Poster Session with STEM leaders and congressional stakeholders, and a 5-minute pitch presentation to a panel of industry and entrepreneurial professionals determining the winning teams.
"The innovative ideas that were presented in the Community College Innovation Challenge were incredibly impressive," said Walter G. Bumphus, president and CEO of AACC. "The student teams showcased the leadership and ingenuity that is needed to address issues that impact all of us. We are proud to partner with the National Science Foundation to continue to spotlight the innovative STEM programs offered at the nation's community colleges. On behalf of AACC, I congratulate the winners of this year's competition as well as all of the students that participated."
Among the ideas the 12 finalist teams presented this year are solutions for addressing oil spills; HIV-1 treatments; a solar powered refrigeration system to preserve life-saving medicines; water filtrations systems; and applications to connect STEM students with career opportunities.
"Last week's events were just one example of the critical role our community colleges play in supporting and educating the next generation of STEM talent. It has been inspiring to see how the participants' hard work and dedication have resulted in some truly impressive projects addressing a wide range of real-world challenges," said Sylvia Butterfield, acting assistant director for NSF's Education and Human Resources Directorate. "Each team represents the future of science and technology in the United States. Congratulations to all the winners for their hard work and I look forward to your continued success."
To receive updates about the CCIC's 2022 winners, follow @Comm_College or visit www.aaccinnovationchallenge.com.
About AACC
As the voice of the nation's community colleges, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), delivers educational and economic opportunity for nearly 12 million diverse students in search of the American Dream. Uniquely dedicated to access and success for all students, AACC's member colleges provide an on-ramp to degree attainment, skilled careers, and family-supporting wages. Located in Washington, D.C., AACC advocates for these not-for-profit, public-serving institutions to ensure they have the resources and support they need to deliver on the mission of increasing economic mobility for all. https://www.aacc.nche.edu/
About NSF
The U.S. National Science Foundation propels the nation forward by advancing fundamental research in all fields of science and engineering. NSF supports research and people by providing facilities, instruments and funding to support their ingenuity and sustain the U.S. as a global leader in research and innovation. With a fiscal year 2022 budget of $8.8 billion, NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and institutions. Each year, NSF receives more than 40,000 competitive proposals and makes about 11,000 new awards. Those awards include support for cooperative research with industry, Arctic and Antarctic research and operations, and U.S. participation in international scientific efforts.
https://www.nsf.gov/
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SOURCE American Association of Community Colleges | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/21/aacc-nsf-announce-winning-teams-2022-community-college-innovation-challenge/ | 2022-06-21T19:21:05Z |
NANJING, China, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SunHo BioPharmaceutical Co., Ltd. ("SunHo"), a clinical-stage leading biopharma in immunocytokines with full-set of capabilities from discovery to commercialization, announced that IAP0971 (PD1-IL15 immunocytokine) and IAE0972 (EGFR-IL10 immunocytokine), two first-in-class immunocytokines developed in-house for the treatment of locally-advanced or metastatic malignant tumors have entered Phase 1/2 clinical trials. The first patient has been dosed respectively in June.
"We are excited for achieving this important milestone, which also marked the first step to what we hope will ultimately allow us to bring an innovative cancer immunotherapy to patients who otherwise do not respond to or become relapsed/refractory of current therapies", said Dr. Liusong Yin, the Executive President and Chief Science Officer of SunHo, "We focus on innovative immunocytokines to build the next leading global biopharma of immunotherapy, and to bring perceivable benefits and affordable medicine to patients worldwide, by innovation and collaboration."
About IAP0971
IAP0971 is the world's first PD1-IL15 immunocytokine receiving IND approval from both FDA and NMPA. It was developed by SunHo based on their own proprietary and patented AICTM (Armed ImmunoCytokine) platform.
SunHo designed IAP0971 based on the deep understanding of the tumor microenvironment and limitations of current immunotherapy. On the one hand, IL15/IL15Rα complex in IAP0971 specifically binds to the IL2/15Rβ and IL2/15Rγ expressed on T cells and NK cells and promotes the proliferation and activation of T cells and NK cells, without activation of Treg cells or inducing apoptosis of activated T cells which are common side effects of IL2-based therapies. On the other hand, the expression of PD1 on CD8+ T cells in tumor microenvironment is much higher than that in peripheral blood and peripheral lymphoid organs, so that anti-PD1 antibody in IAP0971 can specifically target IL15 into the tumor immune microenvironment, to recruit, activate and reinvigorate immune cells, and achieve a much-enhanced anti-tumor immunity. IAP0971 fuses the anti-PD1 antibody and IL15 cytokine, acts in the same location and on the same cells at the same time showing great cis-synergy, which will further improve the effectiveness and therapeutic window of IAP0971.
The indications of IAP0971 include lung cancer, cervical cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, liver cancer, lymphoma, and other locally-advanced or metastatic malignant tumors.
About IAE0972
IAE0972 is the world's first EGFR-IL10 immunocytokine receiving IND approval from both FDA and NMPA. It was also developed by SunHo based on their own proprietary and patented AICTM (Armed ImmunoCytokine) platform.
IAE0972 was designed to solve the problems of immune cell exhaustion in current immunotherapy, and to lift the limitations of current EGFR-based monoclonal antibodies. IL10 in IAE0972 is a potent activator of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells in the tumor microenvironment and can restore the tumor-killing activity of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes by restoring the oxidative phosphorylation metabolism of Terminally Exhausted T cells. Anti-EGFR antibody can specifically enrich IAE0972 in tumor microenvironment, so that IL10 can reinvigorate antigen specific CD8+ T cells and facilitate its proliferation, while preserving the tumor cell proliferation inhibition activities of EGFR antibody. Relying on the synergy of EGFR antibody and IL10 cytokine, IAE0972 can effectively and specifically activate the immune system to kill EGFR-positive tumor cells, solving the drug resistance, high skin toxicities, and other clinical problems of existing drugs.
The indications of IAE0972 include colorectal cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, squamous non-small cell lung cancer, and other locally advanced or metastatic malignant tumors.
About SunHo
SunHo is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of innovative immunocytokines and bifunctional antibody fusion proteins in the fields of cancer immunotherapy and autoimmune diseases.
Sunho has developed proprietary and patented Armed ImmunoCytokine Platform (AIC™), Armed Innate Effector Multispecific Platform (AIM™), and ADCC Enhanced Antibody Platform (AEA™). With profound understanding of immunology and tumor microenvironment, SunHo strives to identify and meet the most critical clinical needs, as evidenced by their pipeline of over 20 truly innovative and differentiated products, of which 4 are undergoing clinical trials, 4 in IND application and 6 are at the pre-clinical stage.
SunHo's GMP facilities offer manufacture solutions from drug substance (DS) to drug product (DP) production. 1× 1000 L and 3× 200 L GMP bioreactor lines are available for DS production, and another 2x5000 L lines are coming soon. 1× liquid filling line and 1× lyophilization line also cater to the need of aseptic processing of biologics (liquid and lyophilized preparations) for clinical trials and commercialization. The quality management system of SunHo lives up to the expectations of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Medicines Agency (EMA), and China's National Medicinal Products Administration (NMPA).
For more information, please visit: www.sunho-bio.com and follow SunHo on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/sunho-china-biopharmaceutical-co-ltd/.
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SOURCE SUNHO (China) BioPharmaceutical Co., Ltd. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/07/sunho-announces-first-patient-dosed-phase-12-clinical-trial-two-first-in-class-immunocytokines-iap0971-iae0972/ | 2022-07-07T12:27:26Z |
NEW YORK, May 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Greenpro Capital Corp. ("Greenpro" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: GRNQ). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980.
The investigation concerns whether Greenpro and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.
On May 6, 2022, Greenpro disclosed in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") that "[o]n March 25, 2022, the Company's management, together with the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors, made a determination that disclosure should be made and action should be taken to prevent further reliance on the Company's previously issued unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2021, June 30, 2021 and September 30, 2021 included in its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q (the "Form 10-Qs") filed with the [SEC] on May 17, 2021, August 10, 2021 and November 10, 2021, respectively." Specifically, Greenpro stated that "[i]n the Form 10-Qs, the Company erroneously recorded the sale of one unit of real estate property in Hong Kong."
On this news, Greenpro's stock price fell $0.12 per share, or 24.29%, over the following two trading sessions, closing at $0.37 per share on May 9, 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. 9980
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SOURCE Pomerantz LLP | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/05/30/shareholder-alert-pomerantz-law-firm-investigates-claims-behalf-investors-greenpro-capital-corp-grnq/ | 2022-05-31T02:18:30Z |
WASHINGTON, April 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As they prepare to return to Earth later this month, NASA's SpaceX Crew-3 astronauts will answer media questions about their time aboard the International Space Station during an in-orbit news conference at 1:20 p.m. EDT Friday, April 15.
NASA astronauts Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, and Kayla Barron, as well as ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer, will participate in the news conference. The event will air live on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency's website.
Interested media must contact the newsroom at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston by calling 281-483-5111 or emailing jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov no later than 10 a.m. Friday, April 15. To ask questions, reporters must dial into the news conference no later than 1 p.m. Those wishing to submit a question on social media may do so using #AskNASA.
The Crew-3 astronauts have been living and working on the station since their launch Nov. 10, 2021. During their mission, the crew members contributed to hundreds of experiments and technology demonstrations. They worked on a variety of plant growth experiments, testing new systems for growing crops and studying potentially drought-resistant cotton plants. In addition, they tested a handheld bioprinter designed to print bandages made from skin cells directly onto a wound, and a miniature scanning electron microscope. Crew members also installed a new device to support studies on fire safety in microgravity, and conducted one of the first archaeological experiments in space. Working in pairs, the astronauts also completed four spacewalks to prepare the station for upcoming solar array upgrades by assembling and installing modification kits and successfully replacing a faulty antenna on the Port-1 truss structure.
The Crew-3's SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, which they named Endurance, will undock from the space station later this month, splashing down off the coast of Florida to conclude the mission.
NASA's SpaceX Crew-3 mission is the third crew rotation mission of the agency's Commercial Crew Program. Regular, long-duration commercial crew rotation missions enable NASA to continue the important research and technology investigations taking place aboard the station. Such research benefits people on Earth and lays the groundwork for future exploration of the Moon and Mars starting with the agency's Artemis missions, which includes landing the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface.
Follow Chari, Barron, Marshburn, and Maurer on social media, and learn more about their scientific journey and download images and video on NASA's website.
Follow updates on Crew-3 mission at:
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SOURCE NASA | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/04/11/nasas-spacex-crew-3-astronauts-discuss-mission-splashdown/ | 2022-04-11T19:20:28Z |
ATLANTA, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Confess Project and Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust have partnered to battle mental health disparities in California's communities of color. The Confess Project of Atlanta, Georgia is widely known as "America's First Mental Health Barbershop Movement". Its mission is to build a culture of mental health for Black boys, men, and their families by training barbers to be mental health advocates; thereby decreasing the stigma associated with mental health in Black communities. This mission will now be supported and amplified thanks to the generosity of the Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust whose mission is to address systemic injustice and the root causes behind racial gaps in health and well-being.
The timing of this partnership couldn't be better for communities of color in California. Over seven percent (7.2%) of Black Californians are diagnosed with a serious mental illness, while the average is 4.2% for White Californians. The Confess Project and the Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust will combat this disparity by training five hundred (500) new barbers to become mental health advocates.
"You didn't have to be clairvoyant to see this crisis coming because all the indicators that behavioral health experts rely on pointed to the coming deluge of mental health issues in the black community", said Lorenzo Lewis, Confess Project Founder. "Those of us who have dedicated our lives to the calling of improving access to mental health predicted this crisis; but I am glad that Confess Project now has a new partner to help improve access to mental health for Black boys, men, and their families in California," Lewis continued.
The Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust's investment of $100,000.00 will have an immediate effect of decreasing the stigma associated with mental health issues in Black communities because the mental health advocacy training occurs in the very community where health disparities exist.
"We are thrilled to partner with The Confess Project," said Beth Ganz, executive director of Katz Amsterdam. "We strive to support such innovative solutions to address mental health challenges. The Confess Project has had great impact within communities and we are honored to help expand their reach."
"We are grateful to Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust, and we look forward to battling mental health disparities in black community together with our new strategic partner", said Lorenzo Lewis, The Confess Project Founder.
For more information about the Confess Project click here https://www.theconfessproject.com/
CONTACT: info@theconfessproject.com
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SOURCE The Confess Project | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/confess-project-partners-with-katz-amsterdam-charitable-trust-battle-mental-health-issues-californias-black-communities/ | 2022-04-12T18:09:51Z |
(KTLA) – A California man was arrested last week for allegedly making threats towards Merriam-Webster for including references to gender identity in its online dictionary.
Jeremy David Hanson, 34, of Rossmoor was arrested on Tuesday and charged in a federal court in Springfield, Massachusetts, where the dictionary company is headquartered.
Hanson is accused of sending numerous online threats to the company through the website’s comments section and contact page, according to the United States Department of Justice.
In October 2021, Hanson allegedly used the handle “@anonYmous” to make threatening comments on Merriam-Webster’s website for entries that included references to gender identity, including “woman” and “girl.” Among those threatening comments, the username posted under the definition of “female”: “It is absolutely sickening that Merriam-Webster now tells blatant lies and promotes anti-science propaganda. There is no such thing as ‘gender identity.’”
The California man is also accused of using the “Contact Us” page to send a threatening message that said the company’s headquarters should be “shot up and bombed.” In that message, Hanson again referenced the definition for ‘female’ as he wished violence upon members of the company’s staff. “You evil Marxists should all be killed,” Hanson allegedly wrote under the pseudonym. “It would be poetic justice to have someone storm your offices and shoot up the place, leaving none of you commies alive.”
Another message days later by a user believed to be Hanson referenced threats to “bomb your offices for lying.”
The particular messages targeting Merriam-Webster’s headquarters prompted the company to close its offices in Springfield and New York City for five business days, the DOJ said.
Authorities were notified of the threatening messages, which led to Hanson being identified as the person suspected of sending the online threats and using the handle to leave the comments.
Through the investigation, authorities were also able to identify numerous other threatening comments and messages believed to have been made by Hanson, which targeted the American Civil Liberties Union, Amnesty International, Land O’ Lakes, Hasbro, IGN Entertainment, the University of North Texas, professors at Loyola Marymount University and a rabbi in New York City.
“Hate-filled threats and intimidations have no place in our society,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins in a news release. “We believe Hanson sent a multitude of anonymous threatening and despicable messages related to the LGBTQ community that were intended to evoke fear and division. My office and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate threats against members of our communities, no matter what corner of the internet they’re sent from.”
Hanson has been charged with one count of interstate communication of threats to commit violence. According to the Department of Justice, a conviction could result in a sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.
Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division, said that while everyone has a right to express their opinions, Hanson’s comments crossed a line and went beyond the bounds of protected speech when he threatened the lives of others.
“We are always going to pursue individuals who try to intimidate and isolate members of our community by inciting violent, hateful acts. Threats to life are most certainly not protected speech and they cause real fear in victims,” Bonavolonta said.
Hanson was released after his initial appearance in federal court in the Central Division of California. He is due to appear in court in Massachusetts on Friday.
In the meantime, any person or organization that believes they may have been threatened by Hanson is urged to contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 888-221-6023. | https://cw33.com/state-of-the-state/man-arrested-for-threatening-merriam-webster-over-gender-definitions/ | 2022-04-25T16:14:16Z |
AUSTIN, Texas, July 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Between November 2021 and July 21, 2022, the cryptocurrency market lost almost $2 trillion in market capitalization, according to data from CoinMarketCap. This sharp downward trend continues to fuel concerns about crypto's high volatility and its viability as a financial safe haven. U.S. Money Reserve, America's Gold Authority, offers insight.
Bitcoin, the most popular cryptocurrency, reached an all-time high of nearly $69,000 in November 2021. Between reaching that all-time high and June 15, 2022, CNBC reported that Bitcoin's price had fallen nearly 70%. As of July 21, 2022, Bitcoin was priced at approximately $23,000.
Other cryptocurrencies, such as Ethereum and Dogecoin, have also seen their prices drop in the first half of 2022. One cryptocurrency, Luna, fell all the way to $0 on May 13, 2022, after being worth $100 the previous month.
Several analysts are warning that cryptocurrencies are entering "crypto winter"—a prolonged bear market that could last for years.
On July 21, 2022, CNBC reported that "several cryptocurrency industry players" who spoke with the news organization predicted that thousands of digital tokens are "likely to collapse while the number of blockchains in existence will also fall over the coming years."
A Barron's article from June 17, 2022, sums up the cryptocurrency market's recent troubles as being "at odds with the prevailing narrative of the past few years, which preached that these digital assets would take the place of [gold] as a haven in turbulent times. It should be clear now that the opposite is true…."
While cryptocurrencies have been touted by some as safe-haven assets like gold, their limited history and recent performance may prove otherwise. Those who have allocated significant portions of their portfolios to cryptocurrencies may wish to explore additional alternative assets for their diversification strategies.
Read the full article at https://usmr.com/PR-CryptoCollapse
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SOURCE US MONEY RESERVE | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/27/us-money-reserve-cryptos-2-trillion-dollar-collapse/ | 2022-07-27T15:26:38Z |
Child dies from suspected brain-eating amoeba infection, health officials say
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT/Gray News) – Health officials in Nebraska said a child died after what they suspect was a brain-eating amoeba infection.
Dr. Lindsay Huse said the CDC is working to confirm that the death was caused by primary amebic meningoencephalitis – the disease caused by infection with the amoeba called Naegleria fowleri – after the child went swimming in the Elkhorn River on Aug. 8.
Dr. Kari Neeman, an infectious disease expert at Children’s Hospital in Omaha, said the child had symptoms about five days after exposure and went to the hospital within 48 hours of the onset of those symptoms.
If confirmed, the death would mark the first Naegleria fowleri case in Nebraska history.
The Douglas County Health Department (DCHD) is now urging extra caution when coming into contact with freshwater sources like rivers, lakes and streams.
Huse said the DCHD will not be releasing further details about the child because of privacy concerns. She said it was possible that others swimming in the same area at the time came in contact with the amoeba but were not infected.
Naegleria fowleri is often present in freshwater, and if it gets up your nose, it can gain access to the central nervous system and into the brain, according to Dr. Mark Rupp, an infectious disease expert at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Officials suggest keeping your head above water when swimming in rivers, lakes and streams. If you do go underwater, officials say to plug your nose when swimming or diving.
Health officials said you cannot be infected by drinking contaminated water.
Symptoms, which typically occur within 12 days of an infection, can include headache, fever, nausea or vomiting, but can progress to stiffness in the neck, confusion and seizures.
While the disease is extremely rare, its mortality rate is more than 97%. Patients are very unlikely to survive.
“The real tragedy behind this is that the treatments are not great, and the mortality is very, very high, almost universal,” Rupp said.
According to the CDC, 154 known cases have been reported since 1962, and only four of those people survived.
Of the 31 cases reported in the last 10 years, 28 people were infected by recreational water, two people were infected after performing nasal irrigation using contaminated tap water, and one person was infected by contaminated tap water used on a backyard slip-n-slide, the CDC said.
The DCHD does not have any plans to shut down access points along the Elkhorn River where the child was infected but is advising swimmers to use awareness and caution.
A similar case led to the death of a Missouri resident who was likely infected while swimming in an Iowa lake last month. The lake was closed to swimmers for several days while the CDC tested the waters to confirm the presence of Naegleria fowleri.
Huse said the recent cases aren’t necessarily related, noting that the case in Iowa was in water not connected to the Elkhorn River. But regions are becoming warmer, and the organism loves heat and thrives in drought conditions — particularly warmer, stagnant, shallow waters, she said.
Health officials said the best way to reduce your chance of infection is to simply not allow water to get up your nose.
Copyright 2022 WOWT via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/08/18/child-dies-suspected-brain-eating-amoeba-infection-health-officials-say/ | 2022-08-18T22:27:35Z |
NEW YORK, June 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Jakubowitz Law announces that a securities fraud class action lawsuit has commenced on behalf of shareholders of Energy Transfer LP (NYSE: ET).
To receive updates on the lawsuit, fill out the form:
https://claimyourloss.com/securities/energy-transfer-lp-loss-submission-form/?id=29055&from=4
This lawsuit is on behalf of persons who purchased or otherwise acquired common shares of Energy Transfer stock between April 13, 2017 and December 20, 2021, both dates inclusive.
Shareholders interested in acting as a lead plaintiff representing the class of wronged shareholders have until August 2, 2022 to petition the court. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.
According to a filed complaint, Energy Transfer LP issued materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (a) Energy Transfer had inadequate internal controls and procedures to prevent contractors from engaging in illegal conduct with regards to drilling activities, and/or failed to properly mitigate known issues related to such controls and procedures; (b) Energy Transfer, through its subsidiary Rover Pipeline, LLC, hired a third-party contractor to conduct Horizontal Directional Drilling Activities for the Rover Pipeline Project, whose conduct of adding illegal additives in the drilling mud caused severe pollution near the Tuscarawas River when a large inadvertent release took place on April 13, 2017; (c) Energy Transfer continually downplayed its potential civil liabilities when the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC") was actively investigating the Energy Transfer's wrongdoing related to the April 13 release and consistently provided it with updated information about FERC's findings on this matter.
Jakubowitz Law is vigorous in pursuit of justice for shareholders who have been the victim of securities fraud. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
CONTACT:
JAKUBOWITZ LAW
1140 Avenue of the Americas
9th Floor
New York, New York 10036
T: (212) 867-4490
F: (212) 537-5887
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SOURCE Jakubowitz Law | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/24/et-shareholder-alert-jakubowitz-law-reminds-energy-transfer-shareholders-lead-plaintiff-deadline-august-2-2022/ | 2022-06-24T10:44:25Z |
Friends, family sport best superhero, Chiefs attire to remember Tony DiGennaro
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Friends and family celebrated the life of Tony DiGennaro Jr., a Jardine Middle School student who recently passed away, with services on Thursday.
Friends and family of Vincent “Tony” DiGennaro Jr. dressed in their best superhero and Kansas City Chiefs attire to remember him at a celebration of life service on Thursday morning, June 2, at the Fellowship Bible Church, 6800 SW 10th St.
In a letter to families, Topeka Public Schools USD 501 said the DiGennaro family has continued to share their gratitude for any support the community can offer as they unexpectedly say goodbye to their only son.
Tony passed away unexpectedly in May after he took new medication, went to sleep, then never woke up.
TPS said the Peaceful Rest Funeral Chapel may be contacted at 785-234-1707 for those who wish to offer support to the family.
Copyright 2022 WIBW. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/06/02/friends-family-sport-best-superhero-chiefs-attire-remember-tony-digennaro/ | 2022-06-02T23:58:57Z |
AUSTIN (KXAN) — A forensic psychiatrist testified that two parents of a Sandy Hook victim live in “terror for their own physical safety” — not because of the trauma of the loss of their child, in his opinion, but because of threats from followers of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.
Dr. Roy Lubit testified before the jury about the mental, emotional and even physical effects suffered by Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, whose 6-year-old son, Jesse, was killed by a gunman in the 2012 shooting. The parents are now suing Austin-based talk show host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones over his claims that the shooting was fake and the parents could be paid “crisis actors.”
The trial continued into its second week, despite the media company behind his site, Infowars, filing for bankruptcy late last week.
On Friday evening, Jones’ attorney Andino Reynal alerted the court to the filing by Free Speech Systems, LLC, the parent company for Jones’ media operations, but said it would not halt the ongoing trial.
The trial was postponed earlier this year after Infowars and two of Jones’ other companies, Prison Planet TV and IW Health, also filed for bankruptcy. These cases were dismissed from bankruptcy court so this trial could proceed.
Heslin and Lewis are seeking $150 million in damages to compensate for defamation and mental anguish, attorneys explained. They have also asked the jury to consider additional punitive damages.
Mark Bankston, one of the family’s attorneys, said his clients had to deal with harassment, threats and confrontation from people who believed the shooting had been a hoax.
“Jesse’s legacy had now become tied with this,” he told the jury during his opening statements.
Lubit testified that Lewis used to host dinner parties for friends but no longer feels comfortable doing so. He said she fears for her safety, which is why she has a “sophisticated” security system and sleeps with a weapon within reach. He described how she refuses to turn on the air-conditioning unit because she worries the noise will prevent her from hearing “something she may need to hear.”
As for Heslin, Lubit testified that he believes his emotions have been “drained out.”
“Neil told me that he has nightmares about [Alex] Jones,” Lubit told the jury.
He described incidents in which Heslin said he was confronted, harassed, shoved and even had a bullet shot at his home. He believes these incidents “pushed them back, shoved them back into some of the earlier pain.”
He also told the jury the parents hired a “strong security detail” for the duration of the trial because they are afraid of Jones’ followers.
“It’s on their mind all the time. What’s on their mind is not the death of their child, but the threats, the attacks,” he said.
When Jones’ defense team began their cross-examination, Reynal asked Lubit about his 2018 campaign for Congress as a Democratic candidate in Connecticut and about his thoughts on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign.
“The fact is you don’t like Alex Jones, right?” Reynal said.
Lubit replied, “I don’t like what he does.”
Reynal also asked Lubit how much of the parents’ anguish he believes comes from the ongoing lawsuit. Lubit told the jury he knows litigation is stressful, but he believes the parents were dealing with serious issues prior to the lawsuit being filed.
Lubit told the jury he did not directly treat Heslin and Lewis, but he consulted a psychotherapist — Michael Crouch — who did.
Crouch also took the stand, testifying that to his knowledge, the parents were healing until 2017. According to previous testimony during the trial, that is when Heslin spoke out about losing his son Jesse in an interview with Megyn Kelly and when the family began facing more targeted attacks.
Jones has also already been found liable for defamation in this case as well as in another case scheduled for trial in the Connecticut courts. Jury selection is scheduled to begin this week, according to the attorney representing the plaintiffs in that case.
Attorney Christopher Mattei said in a statement, “Mr. Jones has once again fled like a coward to bankruptcy court in a transparent attempt to delay facing the families that he has spent years hurting. These families have an endless well of patience and remain determined to hold Mr. Jones accountable in a Connecticut court.”
Jones, who continued to broadcast live throughout last week on Infowars, and his attorneys have insisted this trial is an infringement on his right to free speech.
Jones is expected to take the stand as a witness Tuesday following testimony by Heslin and Lewis.
Attorneys told the court Jones will be the last witness to take the stand before the jury begins deliberating the first portion of their charge: how much Jones owes the parents in compensatory damages.
More witness testimony is expected later in the week before the jury considers the possible amount of punitive damages owed. | https://cw33.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/psychiatrist-testifies-sandy-hook-parents-live-in-terror-at-alex-jones-trial/ | 2022-08-02T14:36:39Z |
US announces $820M in Ukraine aid, including missile systems
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. announced on Friday that it will provide Ukraine with $820 million in new military aid, including new surface-to-air missile systems and counter-artillery radars to respond to Russia’s heavy reliance on long-range strikes in the war.
Russia in recent days has launched dozens of missiles across Ukraine and pinned down Ukrainian forces with continuous fire for sometimes hours at a time. Ukraine’s leaders have publicly called on Western allies to quickly send more ammunition and advanced systems that will help them narrow the gap in equipment and manpower.
All told, the U.S. has committed more than $8.8 billion in weapons and military training to Ukraine, whose leaders have sought more help from Western allies to repel larger and heavily equipped Russian forces. About $7 billion of that aid has been announced since Russia’s February invasion.
“We are going to support Ukraine as long as it takes,” President Joe Biden said this week at a press conference during the NATO summit in Madrid. He argued that Russia had already suffered a blow to its international standing and major damage to its economy from Western sanctions imposed over the invasion.
The U.S. is giving Ukrainians “the capacity” so that “they can continue to resist the Russian aggression,” Biden said. “And so I don’t know how it’s going to end, but it will not end with a Russian defeat of Ukraine in Ukraine.”
As part of the new package, the U.S. will purchase two systems known as NASAMS, a Norwegian-developed anti-aircraft system that is used to protect the airspace around the White House and Capitol in Washington. The Pentagon will also provide the Ukrainians with up to 150,000 rounds of 155-millimeter artillery ammunition.
The Pentagon will also provide additional ammunition for medium-range rocket systems it provided Ukraine in June, known as the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS. The ammunition will come from the Defense Department’s own inventory under what’s known as drawdown authority. This is the 14th package of military weapons and equipment transferred to Ukraine from Defense Department stocks since August 2021.
The war has evolved into a grinding stalemate in which both sides are heavily reliant on artillery, according to Western officials and analysts. While Russia has not achieved its initial goals of toppling Ukraine’s government, it is believed to be making slow progress in consolidating control over the eastern Ukrainian region known as the Donbas.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/07/01/us-announces-820m-ukraine-aid-including-missile-systems/ | 2022-07-01T20:09:57Z |
Leading eCommerce logistics Automation Company is recognized for providing innovative solutions to supply chain challenges
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., June 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- inVia Robotics –– a leader in eCommerce fulfillment automation systems –– has been awarded this year's Best Practices Technology Innovation Leadership Award in the North American goods-to-person robotics market by Frost & Sullivan, a leading third-party research and consulting firm.
inVia's true robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) model beat out category competitors as it provides retailers and 3PLs with a flexible, cost-effective solution that dramatically increases productivity in existing facilities. The RaaS system allows customers to pay for productivity of inVia robots and software versus competitors who lease or sell robots. The subscription service covers all system updates and includes 24/7 monitoring and support through inVia's Robotics Operation Center (ROC). A team of robotics experts is dedicated to each customer to oversee fulfillment operations and troubleshoot any problems, often fixing them before they are even visible. This model democratizes automation, making it available as an operating expense to businesses of all sizes, versus traditional equipment that was capital-intensive and expensive.
"We're honored to receive this recognition and award for our technology that is solving the pressing issues facing warehouse employees and businesses on a daily basis," says Lior Elazary, CEO and Co-Founder of inVia. "We recognize that eCommerce demand is continuing to rise and warehouse workers are still facing immense pressures to fulfill orders quickly. Our mission is deeply rooted in creating an environment where people can do fulfilling work and in order for us to ensure this happens, we are committed to improving the technological offerings that our customers require."
"Frost & Sullivan applauds inVia for maximizing worker productivity and providing eCommerce organizations with an attainable entry point to introduce autonomous mobile robots and the PickerWall into their businesses," says Sankara Narayanan, Industry Principal at Frost & Sullivan. "The company's RaaS model, ROC, and quick deployment further enhance its customer value proposition."
A key differentiator in receiving the award was the inVia PickerWall, as it demonstrates inVia's unique workflow that removes interdependencies between robots and people and subsequently unleashes productivity rates, at a time when warehouse labor is hard to hire. The inVia PickerWall helps companies manage higher order volumes without having to increase labor enabling eCommerce warehouses to be 10 times more productive. Most importantly, inVia PickerWall leverages the strengths of both people and robots. Robots work nonstop doing repetitive tasks like traveling and picking. People are allowed to do higher order tasks like sortation and work on a variety of tasks in bursts. Workers enjoy more stimulating working conditions and businesses enjoy consistently meeting service level agreements (SLAs) without dips in productivity.
inVia Picker robots were also recognized by Frost & Sullivan as solving one of the most challenging problems in the eCommerce space; quick and easy access to a wide variety of stock keeping units (SKUs). eCommerce warehouses are often 250,000 square feet, comparable to three football fields –and may have 100,000 SKUs distributed across the warehouse. The robots are completely autonomous and eliminate the need for people to travel across the facility to retrieve inventory and deliver it to the packing station. Additionally, inVia Pickers are mobile, unlike traditional shuttle systems, and can be moved to work in different zones or in other locations. This eliminates the need for reengineering facilities, allowing inVia to adapt to different environments.
The Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards recognize companies across the globe for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. inVia was awarded based on its commitment to innovation, creativity, and application diversity that meet ever-evolving customer needs.
About inVia Robotics
inVia Robotics is an award-winning automation company that provides the next generation of warehouse optimization solutions. Our system leverages autonomous mobile robots and AI-driven warehouse orchestration software to help e-commerce businesses and 3PLs automate and optimize material flow across fulfillment centers. We deliver our comprehensive automation services as a subscription, and our systems are built to deploy quickly and without disruption to existing operations. The results are a 4-5X increase in productivity and accuracy rates of 99.9% - at a fraction of the cost of traditional automation. Learn more about how we can optimize your operations at www.inViarobotics.com.
About Frost & Sullivan
For six decades, Frost & Sullivan has been world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders, and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models, and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion. Contact us: Start the discussion.
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SOURCE inVia Robotics | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/01/invia-robotics-wins-2022-technology-innovation-goods-to-person-robotics-award-frost-amp-sullivan/ | 2022-06-01T15:51:59Z |
PINEVILLE, N.C., June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Manufactured Housing Properties Inc. (OTC: MHPC), a leading owner and operator of manufactured housing communities, announced today that Bill Boscow has joined the firm as executive vice president, capital markets.
"Bill is a great addition to our team and we think his expertise and track record of success will bring tremendous value to the company as we continue to grow," said Jay Wardlaw, president of Manufactured Housing Properties.
Boscow is a 35-year veteran of the financial services industry. Most recently, Boscow was senior vice president at Wildermuth Wealth. Prior to this, he served in various sales and marketing leadership roles at Morningstar, Lincoln National Group and RiverSource/Ameriprise, among others.
"I am honored to join one of the leaders in manufactured housing ownership and management," said Boscow. "MHP is committed to furthering the company's growth via its current Regulation A offering and intends to create additional offerings in the future to enhance its appeal to advisors and their clients."
Boscow holds FINRA Series 7, 24 and 66 licenses, as well as Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®) and Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP®) designations. Boscow earned a bachelor's degree in American studies/economics from Middlebury College and an MBA from the University of Notre Dame.
About Manufactured Housing Properties Inc.
Manufactured Housing Properties Inc. ("MHP") together with its affiliates, acquires, owns, and operates manufactured housing communities in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. The company focuses on acquiring and operating manufactured housing communities in high growth markets. As of March 31, 2022, MHP owns 46 communities comprised of 2,195 home sites. To learn more, please visit www.mhproperties.com.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Any statements contained in this press release regarding us, our expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not historical facts and are forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that these forward-looking statements involve uncertainties and risks that could cause actual performance and results of operations to differ materially from those anticipated. The forward-looking statements contained herein represent our judgment as of the date of publication of this press release and we caution you not to place undue reliance on such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements include those factors described in the "Risk Factor" section in our annual and quarterly reports filed with the SEC. Our company, our management and our affiliates assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events after the initial publication of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of subsequent events.
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SOURCE Manufactured Housing Properties | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/14/manufactured-housing-properties-appoints-financial-services-industry-veteran-bill-boscow-executive-vice-president-capital-markets/ | 2022-06-14T17:25:05Z |
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) — Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency Monday due to Jackson’s water shortage.
Reeves said the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) is also working to prepare an emergency order due to little or no water pressure in the city.
This comes after Jackson Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba declared a water system emergency due to complications from the Pearl River flooding. The mayor said the flooding led to water pressure issues at the O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Facility, causing little to no water pressure for many Jackson customers.
Until the issue at the treatment facility has been fixed, there is no reliable, running water in the city, affecting more than 100,000 people.
“It means the city cannot produce enough water to fight fires, to reliably flush toilets, and to meet other critical needs,” Reeves said.
State Health Officer Dr. Daniel Edney said neighbors should boil their water for one minute before consuming it.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) will take the lead to distribute drinking water and non-potable water in the city.
The state has created a mobile incident command center, which will help with repairs and improvements at the water treatment plant. Reeves said the city of Jackson will be responsible for half of the cost of the emergency repairs that will be made at the facility.
The command center was expected to be in operation on Tuesday.
According to the city, the water shortage is likely to last for the next couple of days.
All Jackson Public Schools were to shift to virtual learning Tuesday due to the water issues.
Jackson has been under a boil water notice since July 29. | https://cw33.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/mississippi-governor-declares-state-of-emergency-due-to-water-scarcity/ | 2022-08-30T16:26:55Z |
HARTFORD, Conn., June 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRTS) today reported preliminary assets under management of $167.2 billion as of May 31, 2022. In addition, the company provided services to $3.2 billion of other fee-earning assets, which are not included in assets under management.
About Virtus Investment Partners, Inc.
Virtus Investment Partners (NASDAQ: VRTS) is a distinctive partnership of boutique investment managers singularly committed to the long-term success of individual and institutional investors. We provide investment management products and services from our affiliated managers, each with a distinct investment style and autonomous investment process, as well as select subadvisers. Investment solutions are available across multiple disciplines and product types to meet a wide array of investor needs. Additional information about our firm, investment partners, and strategies is available at virtus.com.
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SOURCE Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/10/virtus-investment-partners-reports-preliminary-may-31-2022-assets-under-management/ | 2022-06-10T20:27:20Z |
DALLAS (KDAF) — Comerica Incorporated is expanding into North Texas, opening an innovation hub at The Star in Frisco. The hub is expected to add 300 jobs to the North Texas economy.
“This represents a significant investment in Comerica’s strategic vision that will benefit all Comerica colleagues and customers,” Megan Crespi, Executive Vice President and Chief Enterprise Technology & Operations Services Officer, said in a news release. “Expanding our corporate headquarters footprint to one of the most desirable locations for business and innovation in the U.S. is positioning our bank for future success.”
Officials say the Frisco Business & Innovation Hub will have an innovation center for workers to test new concepts and a genius bar. The space will also allow Comerica to promote digital and business innovation to better meet customer demand.
The hub will be located at 17 Cowboys Way and is expected to open between late 2023 and early 2024.
For more information, click here. | https://cw33.com/news/local/new-comerica-bank-corporate-expansion-will-create-300-jobs-in-north-texas/ | 2022-09-14T20:53:05Z |
Calframax is Sybridge's First Acquisition Focused on the Consumer End-Market
Transaction Marks SyBridge's Twelfth Acquisition in Three Years
SyBridge Continues to Develop into an Industrial Technology Solutions Partner for Customers in High-Growth Industries
SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Aug. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SyBridge Technologies ("SyBridge"), a global industrial technology company, announced today that it has acquired Calframax Technologies, Inc. ("Calframax"), a leader in the precision tooling market and headquartered in Oldcastle, Ontario Canada. Calframax expands SyBridge's presence in the consumer end-market. This transaction marks SyBridge's twelfth acquisition since inception in 2019.
Calframax, founded in 1995, is a leader in the construction of precision molds, with market leadership in the manufacturing of rigid plastic molds serving both the consumer goods and industrial pails market. Calframax also supports its customers throughout the production process from design and engineering to aftermarket parts, spares and repairs. Calframax is Sybridge's first acquisition that is focused on the consumer end-market.
SyBridge Technologies was established in 2019 by Crestview Partners, a New York based private equity firm, who committed $200 million of equity to create a market leading value-added manufacturing solutions provider spanning end-markets, geographies, and advanced technological capabilities.
Tony Nardone, CEO of SyBridge, said of the transaction, "Calframax is an exciting expansion into rigid plastic mold making and continues our vision of building a leadership position in consumer goods markets. The combination of Calframax's and SyBridge's capabilities will enable us to better serve Calframax customers throughout North America. With this transaction, SyBridge will be able to leverage its full network of capabilities to seamlessly serve consumer goods customers in North America."
Bill McDonough, President of SyBridge's Consumer & Life Sciences Business Units, added, "Calframax owners Joe Gasparovic and Ray Little have done a great job in building a top tier consumer tooling company. The entire Calframax team will strengthen the Sybridge franchise. We are excited to welcome new team members and work together to support our customers' continued growth investments."
Calframax's owners, Joe Gasparovic & Ray Little, commented "We are very pleased to be part of SyBridge Technologies. Joining forces with their platform is a natural next step in the evolution of our company. We look forward to the opportunities this transaction creates for our customers and employees."
About SyBridge Technologies
SyBridge Technologies was established in 2019 by Crestview Partners to create a global technology leader that provides value-added design and production solutions across multiple industries. SyBridge is based in Southfield, Michigan. For more information, please visit www.sybridgetech.com.
About Calframax Technologies
Founded in 1995, Calframax provides design & engineering, precision manufacturing and aftermarket services for customers in consumer and industrial packaging. Calframax is located in Oldcastle, Ontario. For more information, please visit www.calframax.com.
About Crestview Partners
Founded in 2004, Crestview is a value-oriented private equity firm focused on the middle market. The firm is based in New York and manages funds with approximately $10 billion of aggregate capital commitments. The firm is led by a group of partners who have complementary experience and backgrounds in private equity, finance, operations and management. Crestview has senior investment professionals focused on sourcing and managing investments in each of the specialty areas of the firm: industrials, media, and financial services. For more information, please visit us at www.crestview.com.
For more information, please contact:
Jeffrey Taufield or Daniel Yunger
Kekst CNC
(212) 521-4800
jeffrey.taufield@kekstcnc.com / daniel.yunger@kekstcnc.com
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SOURCE SyBridge Technologies; Crestview Partners | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/03/sybridge-technologies-acquires-calframax-technologies/ | 2022-08-03T12:16:13Z |
IRVING, Texas, Aug. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- FleetPride, Inc., the nation's largest distributor of truck and trailer parts and service in the independent heavy duty aftermarket, announced today that it has acquired the assets of L&L Distributors, owned by Raymond Marchesiello. Founded in 1985, L&L Distributors has provided specialized parts in Pompano Beach, Riviera Beach, and Fort Pierce, Florida for over 37 years.
"Our partnership with FleetPride will provide many opportunities for the growth and advancement of our employees in the industry," said Marchesiello. "I am genuinely excited for this next chapter in our history as we continue our mission in serving the heavy duty aftermarket community."
L&L Distributors' continual efforts and commitment over the past 37 years has positioned it to be the desired heavy duty aftermarket parts and services provider in South Florida. Now, as a part of FleetPride, L&L Distributors' customers will benefit from the expansive purchasing power of FleetPride and gain access to the industry's most comprehensive selection of heavy duty aftermarket inventory. Customers will continue their ongoing relationship with the same parts experts they have entrusted their heavy duty needs with over the last 37 years. Thus, continuing L&L Distributors' legacy of being the number one preferred place for all their customer's heavy duty needs.
"We look forward to working with Raymond and the entire L&L Distributors team in their continued support of the local communities of South Florida. Combining FleetPride's rapid expansion and other digitally oriented solutions with our shared passion and commitment to being number one in customer service, we are sure this will be a great fit," said Mike Harris, FleetPride senior vice president of sales and operations. "We are excited to be adding three additional locations to our Florida footprint."
The 48 employees of L&L Distributors, with an average tenure of nine years, now have additional growth opportunities under the FleetPride name. With a focus on learning and development, FleetPride offers several programs such as FleetPride Tech University, expanded employee benefits, and more.
FleetPride continues to expand its national parts and service operations. This acquisition is the sixth for FleetPride this year. If you are interested in learning how to become part of the FleetPride network, please visit FleetPride.com/acquisitions for more details.
Headquartered in Irving, TX, FleetPride is the nation's largest distributor of truck and trailer parts and service in the independent heavy duty aftermarket. FleetPride's sophisticated network of 300+ locations, which includes 75+ service centers and 5 distribution centers means customers get the parts and services they need, when and where they need them. Customers can click, talk, chat or visit with FleetPride's team of 3,900 experts empowered and motivated to solve problems and create tailored solutions for each customer's unique needs.
To find your local FleetPride branch or service center, or to cross-reference, search, and shop for parts by VIN, visit the new www.fleetpride.com.
Media Contact:
Victoria Roberts
FleetPride
Sr. Director, Marketing & Communications
(469) 249-7767
victoria.roberts@fleetpride.com
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SOURCE FleetPride, Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/09/fleetpride-acquires-lampl-distributors-florida-broadening-service-footprint-76-locations/ | 2022-08-09T16:44:03Z |
The Family-Owned Brand Will Debut a Limited-Edition Anniversary Bottle as Demand for the Miracle Solution Soars
WALLA WALLA, Wash., May 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Recognized by customers and retailers as one of the most powerful red wine stain removers in the market, Wine Away celebrates its 25th Anniversary this June. In anticipation of the milestone, the brand has released an Anniversary Collection on WineAway.com that offers the signature stain fighter packaged in a limited-edition anniversary bottle, branded tote bag, and City Roast, a specialty coffee blend from a local roastery.
"Wine Away is truly one of those accidental discoveries – a product that was designed to be an all-purpose cleaner and degreaser, ended up being this amazing red wine stain remover," said Staci Wanichek, CEO of Wine Away. "25 years later, we still use the same formula and original label design."
Founded in 1997 by Staci Wanichek and her mother, Cheryl Corn, the USA-made solution was originally developed as a part-time side project. After discovering that it was safe and consistently powerful on removing the toughest of stains, the pair spent weekends traveling to wine regions from Washington to California, demonstrating the quality and effectiveness of Wine Away in-person so people could watch how incredibly the product performed on stains in a live setting.
Since its founding, Wine Away has garnered numerous awards and accolades. Rated as Good Housekeeping's Best Overall Stain Remover and with over 1,500 five-star reviews on Amazon, Wine Away has become a household name and essential cleaning product - with fans ranging from families to businesses and restaurants. The company is still family-owned and operated today, with all Wine Away products manufactured and distributed in Walla Walla, Washington.
"Building the brand to what it is today, we faced many challenges and obstacles, but I wouldn't want it any other way. We're excited about all the relationships we've created and love hearing from customers how Wine Away saved the day," Wanichek added.
Today, the legacy carries on. Staci's son, Jack Wanichek, now oversees marketing and social media for the brand, while Staci continues actively leading the company's team in developing domestic and global strategies. Wine Away is still thriving after a quarter century, and with Staci's guidance and unwavering support from the Wanichek family, the company is poised to take on a new generation of brand fans as it continues to evolve.
Wine Away is currently sold in major retailers throughout the United States and has expanded internationally to 17 countries. The product line is available online at WineAway.com, Amazon, World Market, Sur la Table, Total Wine and BevMo! along with many other specialty wine shops, wineries, and wine catalogs.
For more information about Wine Away and its 25 years of success, visit wineaway.com.
Founded in 1997, Wine Away is a remarkable red wine stain remover, offering the best solution to the world's biggest party-related problems. Wine Away is formulated to remove both fresh and dried wine stains on clothing, upholstery, and carpeting, and is also effective on pet accidents, coffee, blood, and ink.
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SOURCE Wine Away | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/05/31/wine-away-celebrates-25-years-leading-stain-remover-market/ | 2022-05-31T21:36:56Z |
RADNOR, Pa., Aug. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP (www.ktmc.com) informs investors that a securities class action lawsuit has been filed against Kiromic BioPharma, Inc. ("Kiromic") (NASDAQ: KRBP). The action charges Kiromic with violations of the federal securities laws, including omissions and fraudulent misrepresentations relating to the company's business, operations, and prospects. As a result of Kiromic's materially misleading statements and omissions to the public, Kiromic investors have suffered significant losses.
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR KIROMIC LOSSES. YOU CAN ALSO CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK OR COPY AND PASTE IN YOUR BROWSER: https://www.ktmc.com/new-cases/kiromic-biopharma-inc?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=kiromic&mktm=r
TO VIEW OUR VIDEO, PLEASE CLICK HERE
LEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE: OCTOBER 4, 2022
CLASS PERIOD: PURCHASED COMMON STOCK BETWEEN JUNE 25, 2021 AND AUGUST 5, 2022
CONTACT AN ATTORNEY TO DISCUSS YOUR RIGHTS:
Jonathan Naji, Esq. at (484) 270-1453 or via email at info@ktmc.com
Kessler Topaz is one of the world's foremost advocates in protecting the public against corporate fraud and other wrongdoing. Our securities fraud litigators are regularly recognized as leaders in the field individually and our firm is both feared and respected among the defense bar and the insurance bar. We are proud to have recovered billions of dollars for our clients and the classes of shareholders we represent.
In late June 2021, Kiromic conducted an initial public offering (IPO) which closed on July 2, 2021. At the time of the IPO, Kiromic presented itself as a target discovery and gene-editing company which utilized artificial intelligence to create immunotherapy products. Although Kiromic had no immunotherapy products on the market at the time, it had applications to begin human clinical trials for two new drug candidates, known as Investigational New Drug (IND) applications, pending with the FDA. The company's public filings in connection with the IPO stated that Kiromic could commence clinical trials within thirty days of those IND applications unless the FDA imposed a clinical hold.
Kiromic, however, had received communications from the FDA on June 16 and 17, 2021, prior to the IPO, informing the company that the FDA was placing the IND applications for its two candidate products on clinical hold. The IPO documents failed to disclose this information, instead representing that clinical testing was expected to proceed in the third quarter of 2021. Clinical testing did not proceed in the third quarter of 2021, nor was it likely given the FDA's imposition of a clinical hold.
On July 16, 2021, two weeks after the closing of Kiromic's IPO, Kiromic issued a press release revealing that it had received "comments" from the FDA regarding its IND product, "ALEXIS." Additionally, on August 13, 2021, Kiromic issued another press release wherein Kiromic made passing reference to "clinical hold issues" by the FDA regarding Kiromic's IND products, but did not otherwise expand on what those issues were. Since the true details of Kiromic's misrepresentations and omissions entered the market, the price and value of Kiromic's stock has declined significantly.
Kiromic investors may, no later than October 4, 2022, seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class through Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP or other counsel, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP encourages Kiromic investors who have suffered significant losses to contact the firm directly to acquire more information.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE CASE
A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of all class members in directing the litigation. The lead plaintiff is usually the investor or small group of investors who have the largest financial interest and who are also adequate and typical of the proposed class of investors. The lead plaintiff selects counsel to represent the lead plaintiff and the class and these attorneys, if approved by the court, are lead or class counsel. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision of whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff.
Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP prosecutes class actions in state and federal courts throughout the country and around the world. The firm has developed a global reputation for excellence and has recovered billions of dollars for victims of fraud and other corporate misconduct. All of our work is driven by a common goal: to protect investors, consumers, employees and others from fraud, abuse, misconduct and negligence by businesses and fiduciaries. The complaint in this action was not filed by Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP. For more information about Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP please visit www.ktmc.com.
CONTACT:
Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP
Jonathan Naji, Esq.
(484) 270-1453
280 King of Prussia Road
Radnor, PA 19087
info@ktmc.com
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SOURCE Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/29/investor-notification-kessler-topaz-meltzer-amp-check-llp-announces-lead-plaintiff-deadline-october-4-2022-securities-fraud-class-action-lawsuit-filed-against-kiromic-biopharma-inc/ | 2022-08-29T22:02:03Z |
Hunger Action Month® Campaign Aims to Inspire the Public to Join the Fight to End Hunger and Raise Awareness of Hunger in America
CHICAGO, Aug. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hunger Action Month® this September marks the 15th year that the Feeding America nationwide network of food banks will come together to raise awareness and inspire the public to take action on behalf of people facing the impossible choice of hunger. Right now, millions of Americans are making tough budgeting decisions while facing grocery prices that have risen more than 13% in the last twelve months, the largest increase since 1979. That's why this year's campaign focuses on the impossible choice that many in the U.S. are often forced to make between costly food and other basic needs.
"Many people may not give a daily meal much thought. For people facing hunger, a daily meal is not as simple," said Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America. "Instead, it becomes a different type of choice - an impossible decision between food or other crucial needs, such as electricity, childcare or medicine. Nobody should be forced to make a choice to go hungry. With the public's support, we can come together to help increase food access for all people, so they no longer have to make such tough decisions."
Feeding America network food banks are also not immune to the inflationary pressures impacting the U.S., and they need support. A recent Feeding America survey found that 90% of network food banks reported either an increase or steady demand for emergency food services in June, about a 15% increase over the prior month. The vast majority are also reporting that food purchase costs are higher and that food donations are down over the last four months.
To support food banks serving neighbors in need, people across the country can get involved during Hunger Action Month by learning, committing and speaking up about ways to end hunger.
Learn:
- Read and watch stories of people facing hunger.
- Learn about the impact hunger has on communities.
Commit:
- Donate to a local food bank or Feeding America.
- Visit and volunteer at a local food bank.
- Wear orange throughout the month of September, or on Hunger Action Day on Friday, Sept. 23, to spread awareness and show commitment toward ending hunger.
Speak Up:
- Write to local elected officials and urge them to fight hunger in their community.
- Join the conversation by posting photos or stories to social media with #HungerActionMonth and @FeedingAmerica.
Hunger Action Month is a time for everyone across the country to collectively act against hunger. You can choose to donate or advocate. You can choose to volunteer or raise awareness. You can choose to help end hunger. Learn more about how you can take action by visiting HungerActionMonth.org.
Contact
Zuani Villarreal
Feeding America
312.641.6532
Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations, and over 60,000 partner agencies, food pantries and meal programs, we helped provide 6.6 billion meals to tens of millions of people in need last year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; brings attention to the social and systemic barriers that contribute to food insecurity in our nation; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
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SOURCE Feeding America | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/30/feeding-america-asks-public-join-movement-millions-us-face-impossible-choice-between-costly-food-other-basic-needs/ | 2022-08-30T16:23:46Z |
Attacker mows down family with vehicle, kills 2 with shotgun
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - A man drove his vehicle into a family as they walked near Glacier National Park then got out and began shooting at them with a shotgun, killing one man and mortally wounding a toddler before one of the victims managed to kill the assailant after he ran out of ammunition, authorities said Tuesday.
Killed in the attack on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in northwestern Montana were David Siau, 39, of Syracuse, New York, and Siau’s 18-month-old daughter, McKenzie.
The assailant, Derick Amos Madden, 37, had been in a prior relationship with the woman who killed him and had mental health issues, according to the Glacier County Sheriff’s Office.
Madden drove his vehicle into the Siau family just before 9 p.m. Sunday as they walked along a roadway in the small town of East Glacier Park, hitting some of them before crashing into a tree, the sheriff’s office said.
As members of the family tried to run, Madden shot and killed David Siau and mortally wounded McKenzie. The young girl was being held by her mother, Christy Siau, 40, who was shot and wounded.
After running out of ammunition, Madden used a knife to attack and critically wound Christina Siau, 30. But she fought back and fatally wounded Madden, who died at the scene, authorities said.
Two minor children who were present were able to run away and escaped injury.
McKenzie Siau was later pronounced dead at the Indian Health Service hospital in Browning. Christy and Christina Siau were flown to a hospital with critical injuries.
Authorities were still trying to determine if Madden, originally of Goldsby, Oklahoma, had the shotgun legally.
The sheriff’s office described it as an “isolated...incident with a clear nexus between the victims and Madden” and said the investigation was continuing. It was not clear what provoked Sunday’s attack beyond the prior relationship between Madden and Christina Siau.
Local authorities did not know of any previous interactions that Madden had with law enforcement. He had been working recently in East Glacier, a tourist town and gateway to the mountains in Glacier National Park, according to Jody Hickey, a spokesperson for Glacier County Sheriff Vernon “Napi” Billedeaux.
Christina Siau was originally from New York and had been living in East Glacier, where her family was visiting, Hickey said.
Christy Siau was a former book keeper for the American Baptist Churches of New York State, according to a social media postings by the organization. She was described as “a long time and beloved member” of the organization’s staff in a statement from Executive Minister Rev. James Kelsey.
Christy and David Siau were also active in the First Baptist Church of Hoosick Falls, New York, Kelsey said.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/07/20/attacker-mows-down-family-with-vehicle-kills-2-with-shotgun/ | 2022-07-20T04:38:22Z |
Barack Obama wins Emmy for narrating national parks series
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Barack Obama is halfway to an EGOT.
The former president won an Emmy Award on Saturday to go with his two Grammys.
Obama won the best narrator Emmy for his work on the Netflix documentary series, “Our Great National Parks.”
The five-part show, which features national parks from around the globe, is produced by Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company, “Higher Ground.”
He was the biggest name in a category full of famous nominees for the award handed out at Saturday night’s Creative Arts Emmys, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, David Attenborough and Lupita Nyong’o.
Barack Obama is the second president to have an Emmy. Dwight D. Eisenhower was given a special Emmy Award in 1956.
Barack Obama previously won Grammy Awards for his audiobook reading of two of his memoirs, “The Audacity of Hope” and “A Promised Land.” Michelle Obama won her own Grammy for reading her audiobook in 2020.
EGOT refers to a special category of entertainers who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony. To date, 17 people have done it.
The late Chadwick Boseman also won an Emmy for his voice work on Saturday. The “Black Panther” actor won for outstanding character voiceover for the Disney+ and Marvel Studios animated show “What If...?”
On the show, Boseman voiced his “Black Panther” character T’Challa in an alternate universe where he becomes Star-Lord from “Guardians of the Galaxy.”
It was one of the last projects for Boseman, who died in 2020 of colon cancer at age 43.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/09/04/barack-obama-wins-emmy-narrating-national-parks-series/ | 2022-09-04T03:03:42Z |
The best way to put a crying baby to sleep, according to scientists
Published: Sep. 14, 2022 at 6:22 AM CDT|Updated: 5 minutes ago
(CNN) - Here is the best way to get a baby to stop crying, according to science.
Hold the baby and walk around for five minutes. Then sit with the baby for five to eight minutes. Finally, put the baby in the crib.
According to a new study in the journal, Current Biology, that is the best way to get a baby to stop crying and sleep.
Researchers compared infant reactions to four scenarios to come up with the formula.
They say skipping the sitting part makes it harder for babies to sleep, and by extension, their parents.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/09/14/best-way-put-crying-baby-sleep-according-scientists/ | 2022-09-14T11:27:19Z |
Despite possible recession, respondents indicate confidence in job market
DETROIT, July 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite high gas prices, rising inflation and climbing lending rates — and as The Great Resignation persists — the public's perception around the U.S. job market remains positive and fewer employees are looking to make a career change compared to the last 12 months, according to a new survey by executive search firm JMJ Phillip.
Indeed, in the face of a looming recession, employees are relatively confident in the current job market: about 56% of survey respondents indicated they are not worried about losing their job in the next six months. In fact, the majority of respondents are looking to stay in their current positions, with an astounding 77% noting they are not looking to change jobs in the next six to 12 months.
Despite more than 11 million open jobs, per the May U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report, half of respondents also said they believe there will be plenty of jobs available over the next six months, compared to 30% believing a recession is coming and there will be no jobs available, and 20% believing there will simply be fewer jobs available.
"The U.S. is entering an unprecedented period," said Dennis Theodorou, managing director of JMJ Phillip. "Inflation is the highest it has been in recent history. The public markets are falling. The crypto markets are declining. The Federal Reserve has raised rates. And there is a lot of uncertainty in the business environment, with the outlook over the next 6 to 12 months relatively shaky. Yet, despite all of these signs, confidence from employees largely remains strong."
Though the majority of respondants noted optimism about the current job market, uncertainty is beginning to grow as layoffs are abound in the tech industry.Technology is typically the "canary in the coal mine" when it comes to the health of the job market, as tech companies often need access to relatively inexpensive cash in order to fund ambitious growth plans and large headcounts. In response to the recent rate increases, companies including Tesla, Coinbase, Redfin, Compass, BlockFi, Cazoo and Notarize have announced layoffs, and 52% of respondents noted worry about the economy after reading about tech layoffs.
Interestingly, the supply chain sector, which isn't experiencing layoffs and has many open positions available as a result of the global supply chain crisis, was not viewed as a favorable employment option from respondents. In the past 12 months, companies like Walmart have raised wages for roles like truck drivers and warehouse workers in an attempt to smooth over supply-chain issues, but even with the wage increase for supply-chain roles and the much-publicized worker shortage, nearly 70% of respondents indicated they are not interested in pursuing a role in the supply-chain field.
"With fewer employees looking to change careers, companies are going to have to become more creative to poach talent and fill much-needed positions," said Theodorou. "The simple fact that jobs are available and needed doesn't move the needle for someone looking for a new career."
JMJ Phillip Executive Search is a global full-service boutique Executive Search Firm that specializes in the Manufacturing, Supply Chain and Technology sectors. For more information, visit jmjphillip.com.
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SOURCE JMJ Phillip Executive Search | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/19/survey-trends-us-job-market-may-point-an-end-great-resignation/ | 2022-07-19T19:33:43Z |
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — In the lead-up to the 1996 Olympics, Birmingham had some phone calls to make.
The Olympics, which were being held in Atlanta, were raising questions 100 miles west in the Magic City. People facing homelessness were arriving in Birmingham, having been given one-way bus tickets out of Atlanta.
More than a quarter-century later, Birmingham City Councilor Crystal Smitherman said she wants to help the Magic City avoid the mistakes some local governments have made in addressing homelessness ahead of international sporting events. Smitherman, in collaboration with the World Games 2022, is promoting what she calls “Project Compassion,” a still-evolving plan to construct dozens of small wooden “micro-shelters” to temporarily house some facing homelessness that officials have said will be displaced by the security perimeter of the games.
Some nationally-renowned experts, local nonprofit leaders and those who have experienced street homelessness here in Birmingham are skeptical of the plan, criticizing its temporary impact and questioning its intent. The solution to homelessness, they say, isn’t providing “substandard” shelters for the length of the World Games; the solution is funding adequate, affordable and permanent housing for folks living on the city’s streets.
The road from Atlanta
The calls came from across the South – from Augusta, from Jacksonville, from Birmingham. People wanted to know why homeless individuals were showing up in their cities, saying they’d been told to leave Atlanta and not come back.
Anita Beaty answered those phone calls. Beaty was a co-director of the Atlanta Task Force on the Homeless and said she was only then beginning to understand the detrimental impacts the Olympics would have on the city she called home.
“As they started busing people out, they made them sign things that said they wouldn’t come back and still be homeless,” Beaty recalled. “And they would be arrested if they came back.”
Beaty, who will turn 80 this month, advocated for people facing homelessness in Atlanta for decades. For 20 years, she ran the Peachtree-Pine homeless shelter, which housed hundreds of individuals every night. Year in and year out, she battled Atlanta’s political, social and business elite to promote policies that would benefit the city’s most vulnerable.
After the Atlanta Olympics had concluded, Beaty prepared a comprehensive report on the Olympics’ impact related to housing and homelessness for the Centre on Housing Rights and Eviction, a Geneva-based non-governmental organization.
The report was damning, concluding that around 30,000 Atlantans were evicted or displaced in the six years leading up to the Olympics. Another 9,000 facing homelessness were arrested in 1995 and 1996 alone, according to the report.
“Police in Atlanta were found to be mass-producing arrest citations, with the following information pre-printed: African American, Male, Homeless,” the report said. “The citations were left blank for the charge and the date and the arresting officer’s name.”
In the end, COHRE’s report on Atlanta’s Olympic legacy made six recommendations, each outlining a way host cities could mitigate the harm done to those facing homelessness.
“We may have no reason to believe that the Olympic Movement will respond to our recommendations,” the report concluded. “But we must hope.”
The World Games and ‘Project Compassion’
Councilor Smitherman said she wants to learn from the lessons of Atlanta.
On a warm April day in Birmingham, Smitherman sat behind a desk at her law firm, a map of Birmingham behind her on the wall. When asked how “Project Compassion” began, she said it stemmed from a question she asked Mayor Randall Woodfin: “What are you doing for the homeless during the World Games?” She said Woodfin’s office told her to get in touch with Kathy Boswell, vice president of community engagement for the World Games. She did so, and the two contacted the Auburn School of Architecture. The collaboration became “Project Compassion.”
Smitherman has acknowledged that in the past, when cities have hosted events like the World Games or the Olympics, officials have used public policy to force homeless individuals out of the city. She brought up Atlanta in a city council meeting earlier this year, citing their Olympic example as one to avoid. She said that when cities displace homeless populations, they do so for a reason.
“I just think they just aren’t trying to tackle the root of homelessness. They think this is a temporary solution – to displace them,” Smitherman said.
She said she can’t foresee a situation where Birmingham would bus those facing homelessness out of the city. “We’re not going to do that,” she said.
What the city will do, however, through “Project Compassion,” is temporarily relocate people facing homelessness from areas within the World Games’ security perimeter. Officials have not provided an estimate of the number of people who will be displaced. Some of those individuals, around 40 to 48, will be offered placement in what Smitherman referred to as “tiny homes.”
Days before CBS 42 sat down with Crystal Smitherman, she’d been in Woodlawn, watching on as a prototype of the structure was completed.
The small, triangular wooden structure offers some ventilation, officials have said, and can be equipped with a battery-powered fan to help battle the heat. The structure can be locked and is large enough to fit a provided cot, but it does not include plumbing or electricity.
“I think this is a great thing,” Smitherman said in a video posted on the city council’s Instagram, the prototype shelter visible in the background.
As Smitherman sat behind her desk days later, she acknowledged there are no current plans to house those displaced by the games outside of the events’ duration.
“We’re going to just look at the success of it – see if it has an immediate short-term effect,” she said.
But Smitherman pushed back at the suggestion that temporarily moving those in the homeless community amounted to internal displacement – a more localized version of what Atlanta had done.
“Well, they need somewhere to go, regardless,” she said.
Kathy Boswell, who’s overseeing the project for the World Games, said that while she knows the project may not be perfect, she hopes that it can help make the city better in some small way.
“It’s good that the games may be able to leverage a possibility toward something that can reduce homelessness,” Boswell said. “But homelessness was here before the games, and it will be here after the games.”
The money for the project, Boswell said, comes from $3 million provided by the city of Birmingham to the World Games. She said as much as $200,000 will be spent on constructing around 48 units, which Boswell called “micro-shelters.”
The plans for the project, its scope, and even the terms used for the shelters themselves are evolving.
Initially, Smitherman said the project aimed to temporarily house 100-150 individuals. As of this month, Boswell said the project is hoping to complete 40.
The current plan is for the structures to be placed near Faith Chapel’s Care Center, located in Birmingham’s Smithfield neighborhood. The care center will provide laundry, food, and other services for those temporarily housed in the structures for the duration of the World Games.
Smitherman has said that no individual will be forced to move into a “micro-shelter,” but the process for displacing individuals from the World Games’ security perimeter is unclear. Debra Blaylock, a representative of Faith Chapel, has said that the church will leave it to local nonprofit workers to decide who will be offered placement in the micro-shelters.
“They have a better understanding of who’s been displaced by the perimeter,” Blaylock said. “It’s not going to be a whosoever-will-let-him-come.”
The view from the street
Sara Copeland, a Navy veteran, knows what it’s like to live on the streets of Birmingham. For two years, she lived in a tent under the 24th Street bridge, next to the city’s famous Rotary Trail.
Copeland said that she feels like the project is an effort to make poverty less visible during the duration of the World Games.
“They don’t want people all over the world to know what’s going on in Birmingham,” Copeland said. “It’s an embarrassment.”
“If the mayor and the city council want to keep saying ‘People First,’” she said, referring to the city’s slogan, “They need to actually put people first. Homeless people in Birmingham are still people.”
She said that she believes the real solution to homelessness in Birmingham isn’t temporary housing during the World Games. It isn’t temporary housing at all.
“Take some of those abandoned buildings downtown and do something with them,” Copeland said. “Turn it into low-income, affordable housing.”
Marisa Zapata agrees with Sara Copeland. Zapata, an associate professor and the director of Portland State University’s Homelessness Research and Action Collaborative, said that in its current form, the city’s plan is inhumane. She said temporarily moving individuals facing homelessness amounts to “human storage.”
“That’s not actually trying to treat people humanely and respecting their dignity and autonomy,” Zapata, who holds a Ph.D. in regional planning, said of Birmingham’s plan.
She said temporarily “storing” homeless neighbors in sleeping shelters is not an effective policy in addressing homelessness.
“It violates our best practices in terms of moving towards solving homelessness and also violates well-established practices when thinking about how to provide emergency shelter for people experiencing homelessness,” she said.
Zapata said examples do exist of leveraging international events to benefit vulnerable populations but that effectively doing so must involve committing to building permanent, affordable housing, a goal outlined as critical in Beaty’s Atlanta report from 15 years ago.
COVID-19 has also provided examples of ways communities may be able to mitigate housing impacts in more humane ways, Zapata said.
“For example, communities have bought or leased hotels and used them as emergency shelters,” she said. “That’s another way to think about it.”
What doesn’t work, Zapata said, is displacement, although she said that term is too generous to describe what’s planned in Birmingham.
“It’s a step below displacement,” she said. “It is, in fact, a temporary storage place for human beings.”
For her part, Anita Beaty said that if Smitherman wants to learn the lessons of Atlanta, she should pay closer attention.
“The city just wants to hide folks facing homelessness,” Beaty said, her passion and Southern accent still thriving. “They’re like the city’s dirty tennis shoes. The city is scared that her hoop skirt’s going to pop up and show her tennis shoes one of these times. They don’t want to show the reality of poverty in their city. So what’s the solution? Simple. Actually do something about it.”
******************************
HUD, a federal agency, requires local organizations to count the number of homeless individuals each year. Below is data provided by One Roof on the number of homeless individuals in Jefferson, St. Clair, and Shelby Counties. Some experts, including Zapata and Beaty, believe the so-called point-in-time data represent an undercount, but the numbers provide some of the only data available on the topic. | https://cw33.com/news/during-the-world-games-birmingham-will-displace-some-residents-facing-homelessness-where-will-they-go/ | 2022-06-10T19:19:55Z |
PITTSBURGH, Aug. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "I wanted to create a safe and secure way to store a cell phone, wallet, keys and other personal items in the cooler while at the pool, beach or park," said an inventor, from Centerville, Mass., "so I invented the HOT BOX. My design ensures that personal items are protected from potential theft while enjoying outdoor activities."
The invention provides an improved way to secure personal items within a cooler. In doing so, it offers an effective alternative to traditional cooler designs. As a result, it helps to prevent theft and it ensures that food and drinks remain cool. The invention features a secure and portable design that is easy to use so it is ideal for outdoor enthusiasts, beach and pool goers, etc. Additionally, it is producible in design variations.
The original design was submitted to the Boston sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 20-BMA-5735, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.
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SOURCE InventHelp | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/02/inventhelp-inventor-develops-modified-cooler-securing-personal-items-bma-5735/ | 2022-08-02T16:25:32Z |
Bannon expected to surrender in NY court in wall donor case
NEW YORK (AP) - Former President Donald Trump’s longtime ally Steve Bannon is expected to turn himself in to authorities Thursday to face fresh charges that he duped donors who gave money to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.
Bannon’s state-level charges in New York closely resemble an attempted federal prosecution that ended abruptly, before trial, when Trump pardoned Bannon on his last day in office. Presidential pardons apply only to federal crimes, not state offenses. In Bannon’s case, any double jeopardy argument would likely fall flat because his federal case didn’t involve an acquittal or conviction.
Bannon, 68, acknowledged in a statement Tuesday that he would be charged soon.
Bannon said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg “has now decided to pursue phony charges against me 60 days before the midterm election,” accusing the Democratic prosecutor of targeting him because Bannon and his radio show are popular among Trump’s Republican supporters.
Bannon said federal prosecutors “did the exact same thing in August 2020 to try to take me out of the election,” referring to his arrest months before Trump’s reelection loss. “This is nothing more than a partisan political weaponization of the criminal justice system.”
The Manhattan district attorney’s office declined comment.
Federal agents pulled Bannon from a luxury yacht off the Connecticut coast and arrested him on charges he pocketed more than $1 million in wall donations. Prosecutors alleged thousands of investors were tricked into thinking all of their donations would go toward the border wall project, although Bannon instead paid a salary to one campaign official and personal expenses for himself.
While the wall Bannon’s group proposed was to be built on the U.S. southern border, more than 1,000 miles from the Big Apple, Manhattan prosecutors have jurisdiction to pursue charges against Bannon because some donors to the effort lived in New York.
Federal prosecutors, in the trial of a former Bannon co-defendant, noted that some residents of the New York City area had donated to the wall-building project. One witness that testified was an official with the charities bureau of the New York attorney general’s office who said that a charity backing the wall project had filed paperwork to accept donations in the state. The attorney general’s office is also involved in Bannon’s state criminal case.
Bannon, who had pleaded not guilty to the federal charges, was dropped from the federal case when Trump pardoned him.
Two other men involved in the “We Build the Wall” project pleaded guilty in April. They had been scheduled to be sentenced this week, but that was recently postponed to December.
A third defendant’s trial ended in a mistrial in June after jurors said they could not reach a unanimous verdict.
In another case not covered by Trump’s pardon, Bannon was convicted in July on contempt charges for defying a congressional subpoena from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. He is scheduled to be sentenced in October and faces up to two years in federal prison.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/09/08/bannon-expected-surrender-ny-court-wall-donor-case/ | 2022-09-08T12:08:41Z |
SEATTLE, Sept. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN) announced today that Erik Nordstrom, chief executive officer, and Anne Bramman, chief financial officer, will participate in a fireside chat at the Goldman Sachs Annual Global Retailing Conference on Thursday, September 8, 2022 at 9:35 a.m. EDT.
The session will be webcast live through the Events & Presentations section at investor.nordstrom.com. The archived webcast will be available until February 5, 2023, at the same location within four hours after the conclusion of the live event.
At Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN), we exist to help our customers feel good and look their best. Since starting as a shoe store in 1901, how to best serve customers has been at the center of every decision we make. This heritage of service is the foundation we're building on as we provide convenience and true connection for our customers. Our digital-first platform enables us to serve customers when, where and how they want to shop – whether that's in-store at more than 350 Nordstrom, Nordstrom Local and Nordstrom Rack locations or digitally through our Nordstrom and Rack apps and websites. Through it all, we remain committed to leaving the world better than we found it.
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SOURCE Nordstrom, Inc. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/01/nordstrom-participate-goldman-sachs-annual-global-retailing-conference/ | 2022-09-01T21:45:51Z |
The Food Depository's programs will prepare un/underemployed individuals for quality jobs
CHICAGO, July 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ambetter of Illinois, a health insurance marketplace plan and subsidiary of Centene Corp., announced today a $10,000 contribution to the Greater Chicago Food Depository's workforce training programs to address the root causes of hunger, including unemployment and poverty.
The Food Depository's programs, supported in part by Ambetter, will provide employment opportunities for an estimated 140 students annually as they work toward industry credentials, required by many food and logistics industry employers and start meaningful careers.
"The Greater Chicago Food Depository's workforce development training programs strengthen the health and economic stability of the communities it serves. It provides strong workforce training and education that addresses much of the root causes of food insecurity," said Kevin Counihan, President of Ambetter Health on behalf of Ambetter of Illinois. "Ambetter Health is proud to support these initiatives through Ambetter of Illinois in tandem with the Greater Chicago Food Depository as it provides the skill enhancement needed to provide meaningful employment to community residents."
"Employment helps people overcome poverty and hunger. Support from Ambetter of Illinois helps ensure that our neighbors have the skills and supports to enter high-quality careers," said Malik Kemokai, Director of Workforce Development Strategy & Operations of the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
The organization offers hybrid workforce training programming and will focus on skills needed to gain immediate employment in industries and jobs in high demand. Recognizing that students may have other needs preventing them from attaining employment, the Food Depository also provides additional resources such as job readiness education and financial literacy to set them up for success.
Recently, Ambetter presented a "big check" to the Food Depository followed by a tour of the facility's program and training areas, and a group volunteer event in which Ambetter staff helped package nearly 4,000 pounds of fresh produce.
For more information about the Food Depository and their workforce development programs, please visit chicagosfoodbank.org/job-training.
About Ambetter of Illinois
Ambetter of Illinois serves under-insured and uninsured populations through the federal Health Insurance Marketplace. Ambetter of Illinois is underwritten by Celtic Insurance Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, a leading healthcare enterprise. For more information, please visit ambetterofillinois.com.
About Greater Chicago Food Depository
The Greater Chicago Food Depository, Chicago's food bank, believes a healthy community starts with food. The Food Depository is at the center of a network of more than 700 partner organizations and programs – food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, mobile distributions and other partners – working to bring food, dignity and hope to our neighbors across Chicago and Cook County. The Food Depository addresses the root causes of hunger with job training, advocacy and other innovative solutions. The Food Depository is a proud member of Feeding America – the national network of food banks. Learn more at chicagosfoodbank.org.
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SOURCE Ambetter of Illinois | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/13/ambetter-illinois-health-plan-announces-10000-contribution-support-greater-chicago-food-depositorys-workforce-development-initiatives/ | 2022-07-13T13:01:00Z |
Bitcoin plunges as major crypto lender halts operations
NEW YORK (AP) — Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies were collapsing in price Monday, after a major crypto lender halted all withdrawals citing “extreme market conditions.”
It is the second collapse of a part of the cryptocurrency world in the last two months. The stablecoin Terra imploded in early May, erasing tens of billions of dollars in a matter of hours.
Bitcoin was trading at roughly $22,600 as of midday Monday, down more than 17% in the past day. Ethereum, another widely-followed cryptocurrency, was down more than 20%.
On Sunday, the lending platform Celsius announced that it was pausing all withdrawals and transfers between accounts in order to “honor, over time, withdrawal obligations.” Celsius, with roughly 1.7 million customers, gave no indication in its announcement when it would allow users to access their funds.
“There is a lot of work ahead as we consider various options, this process will take time, and there may be delays,” it said.
Celsius is one of the bigger cryptocurrency lending platforms, with more than $11 billion in customer assets. In exchange for customers’ deposits, the company gives out extremely generous yields, upwards of 19% on some accounts. These lending platforms have come under scrutiny recently because they offer yields that normal markets could not support, and critics have called them effectively Ponzi schemes.
Terra, and its token Luna, offered similar yields on customer deposits. Those tokens collapsed after huge customer withdrawals forced Terra’s operators to liquidate all of the assets being used to support their currencies. The collapse of Terra has spurred calls for reform from the cryptocurrency industry, and calls for Congressional regulation.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/06/13/bitcoin-plunges-major-crypto-lender-halts-operations/ | 2022-06-13T16:24:28Z |
AP sources: NFL insists on indefinite suspension for Watson
(AP) - The NFL insisted on an indefinite suspension while Deshaun Watson’s legal team argued there’s no basis for that punishment as both sides presented their cases in front of a retired judge in Delaware on Tuesday, two people in attendance told The Associated Press.
The hearing will continue on Wednesday and Watson is scheduled to be there for the duration, according to one person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the hearing isn’t public.
Former U.S. District Judge Sue Robinson, who was jointly appointed by the league and the NFL Players’ Association, will determine whether Watson violated the NFL’s personal conduct policy and whether to impose discipline.
Watson agreed to settle 20 of 24 civil lawsuits for sexual misconduct, but the league is seeking at least a one-year suspension, one of the people told the AP. Watson’s side, led by renowned attorneys Jeffrey Kessler and Rusty Hardin, wants the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback to play this season for the Cleveland Browns.
Two separate Texas grand juries declined to indict Watson on criminal complaints stemming from the allegations.
Watson has denied any wrongdoing and vowed to clear his name.
This is the first hearing for Robinson, who was the first woman Chief Judge for the District of Delaware. Previously, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell had the authority to impose discipline for violations of the personal conduct policy.
Still, Goodell holds considerable power. If either the union or league appeals Robinson’s decision, Goodell or his designee “will issue a written decision that will constitute full, final and complete disposition of the dispute,” per terms of Article 46 in the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
That means Goodell could ultimately overrule Robinson’s decision and give Watson one year or even an indefinite suspension due to the potential for more cases.
The NFL has punished several players for violating the league’s personal conduct policy without criminal charges. In 2010, Ben Roethlisberger received a six-game suspension after being accused of sexual assault by two women. Goodell later reduced the suspension to four games. Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott got six games in 2017 for domestic violence incidents.
On Monday, a woman who previously sued Watson filed a lawsuit against the Houston Texans, alleging his former team provided him with resources to enable his actions and “turned a blind eye” to his behavior.
It’s unknown how long it will take Robinson to make a decision, but the Browns should know Watson’s availability before training camp. NFL discipline typically begins the week leading into the first regular-season game, so Watson would be eligible for camp unless a potential punishment stipulates otherwise.
The Browns traded a slew of draft picks to acquire Watson and gave him a five-year, $230 million guaranteed contract in March.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/06/29/ap-sources-nfl-insists-indefinite-suspension-watson/ | 2022-06-29T01:40:30Z |
The Blue Devil signee teams up with fast-rising hydrating lemon water brand to stay refreshed all season
ATLANTA, Aug. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lemon Perfect, the fastest-growing brand in the enhanced water category*, announced today a partnership with top-ranked basketball prospect and celebrated social media star Jared McCain.
One of the country's most sought-after high school basketball recruits, McCain–committed to Duke University–is widely considered an elite NBA prospect and reaches over two million fans daily across his social media platforms. McCain joins Lemon Perfect in the midst of the brand's rapid rise in the hyper-competitive enhanced water category. As a key Lemon Perfect ambassador, McCain will help build brand awareness among his super-engaged social media following and Gen Z peers.
"I'm thrilled to partner with Lemon Perfect," said McCain. "You rarely find a brand that shares your enthusiasm and positive energy. I pride myself on always showcasing my very best, and as a disruptive brand, Lemon Perfect shares my commitment to high quality, originality, and excitement. We are looking forward to creating many fun moments together."
"Our partnership with Jared is exciting for Lemon Perfect as we dive meaningfully into the NIL ecosystem," said Lemon Perfect CEO and Founder Yanni Hufnagel. "That Jared is both an NBA prospect and social media star is unique. He is a one-of-a-kind basketball prospect and content creator whose talent in front of the camera and on the court will help drive brand awareness as Lemon Perfect continues its quest to become the number one brand in the enhanced water category by dollar share."
In April, Lemon Perfect announced the closing of a $31 million Series A headlined by internationally celebrated award-winning artist and entrepreneur Beyoncé Knowles-Carter. The financing brought Lemon Perfect's total valuation to over $100 million in less than three years from the company's selling its first bottle.
About Lemon Perfect:
Lemon Perfect is a great-tasting and hydrating flavored lemon water with zero sugar and no artificial flavors or sweeteners. Powered by squeezed organic lemons, Lemon Perfect contains electrolytes from potassium and is packed with vitamin C, making healthy hydration more convenient, delicious, and refreshing than ever.
Lemon Perfect is widely considered by industry insiders to be one of the most scalable, exciting, and innovative emerging beverages in the marketplace. The company's mission is to promote healthy hydration and deliver the joy of flavor—anytime, anywhere, and for everyone.
Lemon Perfect is available at retailers nationwide, on Amazon, and on lemonperfect.com. The Lemon Perfect Company is headquartered in Atlanta, GA.
*Source: IRi Total MULO YTD Period Ending August 7, 2022
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SOURCE Lemon Perfect | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/18/lemon-perfect-scores-partnership-with-five-star-basketball-talent-jared-mccain/ | 2022-08-18T17:09:31Z |
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the National Women's Law Center, in collaboration with the Insight Center and Groundwork Collaborative, released The Roots of Discriminatory Housing Policy: Moving Toward Gender Justice in Our Economy, a report that underscores the inextricable links between housing justice and gender justice and outlines solutions to advance housing as a public good. The release comes on the heels of the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report: prices went up 8.5% year over year in July and rents rose 6.3% from July 2021 to July 2022, the highest rate in over 35 years.
"Women have always taken on the heaviest burden of a socioeconomic system that was designed to profit from their underpaid and undervalued labor," said Fatima Goss Graves, president and CEO of the National Women's Law Center. "In this powerful collaboration, my colleagues excavate the harmful housing policy decisions that litter our history and created the mess we face today. And, importantly, this paper reminds us of the better policy choices and sensible solutions that can put us on a path to a more equitable tomorrow."
Through critical analysis and historical examination, the paper unravels the housing crisis in this country, its disproportionate impact on women of color, and its roots in centuries of underinvestment and racist, sexist, and ableist policies that helped white men build wealth while stripping wealth from women, people of color, and people with disabilities.
Women – particularly women of color – were already more likely than white non-Hispanic men to spend the majority of their income on housing before the pandemic. Black and Latina women have consistently been more likely than white, non-Hispanic men to be behind on rent and mortgage payments throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Stable housing is an essential part of families' economic security – and a critical part of a healthy, sustainable economy," said Dr. Rakeen Mabud, chief economist and managing director of policy and research at Groundwork. "Policymakers must use every available tool to address the acute crisis that so many women and families are facing today."
Andrea Flynn, senior director at the Insight Center added, "Safe, accessible, and affordable housing must be invested in not as a commodity, but as a public good. Housing shapes opportunities and outcomes related to employment, education, health, transportation, caregiving, and overall well being across generations. A safe home, in a community full of opportunity, is a prerequisite to human flourishing and economic security."
For more information about housing and gender justice, and to read the report, visit https://nwlc.org/resource/the-roots-of-discriminatory-housing-policy-moving-towards-gender-justice-in-our-economy/.
The National Women's Law Center fights for gender justice–in the courts, in public policy, and in our society–working across the issues that are central to the lives of women and girls. For 50 years, we have used the law in all its forms to change culture and drive solutions to the gender inequity that shapes our society and to break down the barriers that harm all of us—especially women of color, LGBTQ people, and low-income women and families.
The Insight Center drives structural, transformative change across three pillars of work, all focused on building economic inclusion and racial equity for people of color, women, immigrants, and marginalized families in the US.
The Groundwork Collaborative works to advance an economic vision for strong, broadly shared prosperity and true opportunity for all.
Media Contact: Smitha Nagrath
smitha.nagrath@porternovelli.com
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SOURCE National Women's Law Center | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/15/new-report-national-womens-law-center-partners-examines-us-housing-crisis-policies-impact-women-color/ | 2022-08-15T21:23:28Z |
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People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe | https://www.albanyherald.com/entertainment/carrie-underwood-paid-tribute-to-naomi-judd-and-rocked-with-axl-rose-at-stagecoach/article_eb5f5f1d-9f7e-5b1a-90bd-98c97d0cbb0f.html | 2022-05-02T15:00:40Z |
Bringing together best-in-class product offerings, technology solutions and global footprint to offer unprecedented client experience
OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. and BURR RIDGE, Ill., May 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SIRVA, Inc. ("SIRVA") and BGRS, leading global relocation and moving providers, today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement to combine into a new organization initially named SIRVA BGRS, Inc. ("SIRVA BGRS"). The transaction is expected to close within the next 90 days and is subject to regulatory approvals.
By bringing together two of the world's leading relocation companies, the combined business will deliver unparalleled support to clients through:
- Diverse product offerings and robust technology solutions. Clients will benefit from having access to the richest breadth of relocation and household goods service options, leading program flexibility and best-in-class technology solutions.
- Expanded global presence and a talent pool steeped in mobility expertise. SIRVA BGRS's global footprint will include 4,000 employees across 66 offices in more than 170 countries – providing extensive local coverage and offering clients exposure to a larger, combined supply chain, whose increased scale will help create efficiency in the market.
Tom Oberdorf, Chairman and CEO of SIRVA, said, "This is a natural combination that allows us to meet the expanding and evolving mobility needs of our clients around the world. We look forward to combining our complementary industry expertise, footprint, and technological resources to create a single entity with greater efficiency, scale and local experience, well-positioned to shape the future of mobility and deliver greater value to customers."
Traci Morris, CEO of BGRS, added, "Both SIRVA and BGRS have a common customer-focused approach that drives everything we do, and we are thrilled at the prospect of joining forces. Together, we will create a differentiated leader with a truly unique set of value-added products, dedicated resources to invest in technological innovation and an unmatched global footprint."
The combined company will be headquartered in the Chicago Area, and Tom Oberdorf will serve as Chief Executive Officer. Traci Morris will be retiring after a successful transition period.
Following the closing of the transaction, existing SIRVA and BGRS owners, funds managed by Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC and Relo Group, Inc., respectively, will maintain interests in the new organization.
Kirkland and Ellis, LLP is serving as legal counsel to SIRVA. Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated is serving as financial advisor to BGRS, and Mori Hamada & Matsumoto, and Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP are serving as legal counsel.
About SIRVA, Inc.
SIRVA is a global leader in moving and relocation services, offering solutions for mobility programs to companies of every size. With 59 owned locations and more than 1,000 franchised and agent locations servicing 177 countries, we offer unmatched global breadth supported by localized attention and innovative technology that strikes the right balance of self service and human support. From relocation and household goods to commercial moving and storage, our portfolio of Brands (SIRVA, Allied, northAmerican, SIRVA Mortgage and SMARTBOX) provides the only integrated moving/relocation solution in the industry. By leveraging our global network, we deliver a superior experience that only a "one-stop shop" can provide.
About BGRS
BGRS develops and implements comprehensive mobility solutions for corporate and government clients worldwide. By combining deep industry experience and unparalleled insights on the future of mobility, we design products (BGRSflex™, TripWise™) and administer programs that align with our clients' organizational, and talent needs and reflect our focus on a customer experience that includes the choice and flexibility required for today's global talent. With more than 1,300 people across six continents, and service coverage in 185 countries, we blend global perspective with local market strength.
Media Contacts
SIRVA BGRS
Mike DeGraff / Ryan McDougald / Elizabeth Lake
Sard Verbinnen & Co
SIRVA-SVC@SARDVERB.COM
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SOURCE SIRVA, Inc. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/05/06/sirva-bgrs-agree-combine-create-global-leader-relocation-move-management/ | 2022-05-06T08:41:52Z |
LAS VEGAS, May 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Opti9 Technologies LLC (Opti9) of Garden City, NY and Omaha, NE, announces the launch of Observr, its ransomware detection service offering at VeeamON 2022, the Modern Data Protection Conference of the Year. Observr allows businesses to detect when anomalies are occurring within their infrastructure, such as ransomware and other malicious activities.
"We are thrilled for Opti9 to debut Observr at VeeamON," said Danny Allan, CTO of Veeam. "The collaboration between Veeam and Opti9 to deliver this new offering built on Veeam® technology is what our partnerships are all about. As cyberattacks become increasingly sophisticated and even more difficult to prevent, we are continuing to work alongside our partners to help businesses adapt and thrive in today's changing landscape, and Observr is exactly the type of service that users can rely on."
Observr helps businesses ensure applications and services remain operational and available and that the blast radius of an attack is limited through real-time anomaly observability and response. Observr works by processing data from an organization's Veeam Backup & Replication™ servers through artificial intelligence and machine learning to detect anomalies which may be indicative of ransomware or other malicious activities. This includes anomalies of incremental backup and replica sizes, retention settings, encryption settings, job modifications, deletions, and other activities. Observr assigns a threat score based on the anomalous activity and can notify customers, and automatically air gap their offsite backups and disaster recovery infrastructure to reduce the impact of such attacks.
"This means data theft can be prevented or reduced, impacted servers can be isolated and restored more quickly, and incident response is more streamlined," adds Sagi Brody, CTO of Opti9. "If organizations are aware of when the anomalies took place, they have a better understanding of when the last clean backup or replica point was prior to the malicious event. Having this insight reduces manual guesswork and allows services to be restored faster."
Additionally, Observr is enabled as part of the OptiXdashboard, Opti9's hybrid IT management tool, and gives users real-time and historical threat and anomaly graphs. Users can configure real-time alerts, periodic reporting, remediation actions, and drill-down into anomalous activity on a per-server and historical basis while also having the ability to export threat landscape reports and customize notifications per-alarm type. Also, Opti9 customers who use BaaS and DRaas services in conjunction with Observr can air gap their off-site backups and disaster recovery environments as needed via the dashboard.
To learn more about Opti9 and see Observr in action, visit the Opti9 booth during VeeamON 2022, May 16 – 19 at the Aria Las Vegas. Registration for VeeamON 2022 is still open for virtual attendees.
About Opti9
Opti9 is a hybrid cloud solutions provider with offices in Garden City, NY, Omaha, NE, Overland Park, KS, and St. Louis, MO, and data centers in North America, Europe and the APAC region. The company is an AWS Advanced Consulting Partner and Veeam Platinum VCSP, along with several other key partnerships and certifications. Opti9 specializes in managed cloud services, application development and modernization, backup and disaster recovery, security, and compliance. With its business-first focus, Opti9 blends experience with innovation and new solutions to deliver on its "Right Workload, Right Cloud, Right Time" approach.
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SOURCE Opti9 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/16/opti9-announces-launch-ransomware-detection-service-observr-veeamon-2022/ | 2022-05-16T15:50:59Z |
LOS ANGELES, May 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bella Thorne is set to star alongside Vito Schnabel in the upcoming dark comedy, The Trainer, directed by Tony Kaye (American History X).
The film has taken nearly a decade to develop and is currently in production. It is based on an original script by Schnabel and takes place in Los Angeles over the course of eight days. Not many details of the film have been released, however it is described as sleep deprived chaos as it follows fitness expert Jack (Schnabel) down a deranged road for the American dream.
Schnabel, Kaye and Jeremy Steckler are producing, with George Paaswell serving as executive producer.
Details of Throne's character have not yet been disclosed.
"I'm so excited Vito is bringing this story to life with Tony Kaye, Thorne said. I think the entire team is going to be an amazing collaboration. I'm thrilled to be working with everyone, especially Taylour Paige – I'm a big fan of Zola."
Thorne also added: "Working with Julia Fox has been a lot of fun. She's a kind of don't screw with me chick and I love those kind of women! We have some really outrageous stuff together."
Throne is an actor, singer, writer and entrepreneur. Her book, The Life of a Wannabe Mogul: Mental Disarray became an instant best seller in 2019. Some of Throne's filmography includes Netflix's The Babysitter and The Babysitter: Killer Queen, Midnight Sun, Assassination Nation, Infamous, Chick Fight and Girl. She is also known for Freeform's hit series Famous in Love. Last year, Throne starred in Amazon Prime's Paradise City, and also appeared in Lionsgate's Habit and romance Time Is Up. She recently wrapped production for thriller Rumble Through the Dark, co-starring Aaron Eckhart, and Time Is Up 2. Forbes listed Throne as a pioneer in Hollywood and Entertainment in their 30 Under 30 Class of 2022.
Thorne is represented by CAA and Thirty Three Management.
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SOURCE Bella Thorne | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/05/06/bella-thorne-set-star-dark-comedy-trainer-directed-by-tony-kaye/ | 2022-05-06T23:25:18Z |
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