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Mr. Frank Richardson, 90, of Albany died Tuesday March 29, 2022 at his residence.
His funeral service will be held Monday April 11, 2022 10:00AM at Kimbrell-Stern with interment to follow at Andersonville National Cemetery. Mrs. Beverly Jackson will be officiating. The family will receive friends one hour prior to service at Kimbrell-Stern.
Born in Romney, Indiana; grew up in Indiana and Illinois. Mr. Richardson graduated in 1950 from Longview Township High School in Illinois. He was active duty in the Air Force (1951-1955; Korean Era) and Navy 1959-1975; Vietnam Era) and retired from the Navy. During his military career he was stationed in New Mexico, Illinois, Tennessee, Virginia, California, Florida and Georgia. Served on the USS Randolph, USS Hancock and USS John F. Kennedy.
He met and married his wife Patricia (Nee Tomer) Richardson of 55 years in 1954 while both were in the Air Force. Mr. Richardson was a life member of Fleet Reserve Association, Past President and long-time Secretary/Treasurer of Branch 339, Albany, GA. He was also a life member of the American Legion Post 30, Albany, GA and a member of the Air Force Sergeants Association.
Mr. Richardson enjoyed gardening, hunting, fishing, training and handling dogs for the show ring, and basic dog obedience training. He loved Crossword puzzles.
He was preceded in death by his wife Patricia (Tomer) Richardson; Parents Paul and Florence (Nee Wooster) Richardson, sister Wanda Richardson, brother James Richardson and grandsons Michael and Brian Grady.
Survivors include his five children Debra Richardson, Sandra Richardson, Robert (Annette) Richardson, Paul (Karen) Richardson and David (Jean) Richardson; seven grandchildren Anna (Antonio) Knighton, Daryl (Natalie) Richardson, Patricia (Rikki) Grady-Smith, Elana Richardson, Chris (Amy) Bond, Amanda (Chris) Paul and Leslie (Jordon) Seda; eleven great-grandchildren Jalisa, Antonio, Ce-Ce, Aliyah, Tommy and Daryl Knighton, Cayden and Cameron Paul, Logan and Hadley Seda, and Elliot Bond; one great-great-grandson Ky'Lon Knighton; a sister Betty (Richardson) Winspear; four brothers Clarence "Ed" Richardson, Paul "Wayne" Richardson, David "Dave" Richardson, Robert "Mike" Richardson.
In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Albany Rescue Mission, 604 N. Monroe St., Albany, GA 31701.
You may sign our online guestbook and share your own special thoughts with the family of Mr. Richardson by visiting Kimbrell-Stern's website at www.kimbrellstern.com.
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accounts, the history behind an article. | https://www.albanyherald.com/obituaries/frank-richardson/article_a8e6b97c-4f66-5a23-97d4-a7fcbf556ab9.html | 2022-04-02T06:03:03Z |
Tampa Bay Area Entrepreneur to Grow Leading Stretching Franchise's Footprint with 197th Studio
ST. PETE, Fla., June 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Stretch Zone, the world's first and largest stretching franchise, is reaching a momentous milestone of 200 studio locations on June 27. The brand is celebrating the day with coast-to-coast location openings, kicking off the festivities with its newest Tampa area studio in St. Pete.
Spearheaded by franchisees Joe Morrissey and Steven Cox, the St. Pete studio is joining a roster of 48 existing locations in Florida, and will be among three current Tampa-area studios. The studio is situated at 327 11th Ave N. and will provide local community members with proprietary, practitioner-assisted stretching sessions to help enhance quality of life.
"From the way we stretch to the way we franchise, no one can do it like Stretch Zone. We are often imitated, but never duplicated by our competitors, which is why franchising into new markets has been crucial for our team," said Tony Zaccario, CEO of Stretch Zone. "Not only have we opened 100 locations in under a year, driving us to 200 studios, we are also proud that not one studio has closed. We are confident that Joe and the St. Pete Stretch Zone team will have massive success for years to come, and we can't wait to reach our next destination, 200 studios."
Coined Road to 200, The St. Pete studio is opening in conjunction with three other locations on June 27 — Chicago, Dallas and Anchorage. To wrap up the day, the corporate team and the entire franchise system will come together to commemorate the achievement virtually.
"Being a part of such a large moment for Stretch Zone is truly an honor. Opening 200 locations is a major feat for the brand and we're happy our St. Pete location is helping reach this goal!" said Morrissey. "Our team is ready to hit the ground running to serve St. Pete residents and make their lives better. This will be a momentous day, not only for our community, but also Stretch Zone as a whole — we can't wait to make a big splash!"
Using principles of neuromuscular behavior, each 30-minute practitioner-assisted stretching session at Stretch Zone is designed to improve circulation and create a more ideal resting muscle tone. Whether someone is an athlete or looking to improve their mobility so they can spend quality time with their grandchildren, Stretch Zone is customized to meet everyone's personal needs and goals. Practitioners are nationally accredited through an internally developed training and qualification program to ensure a valuable experience for clients. The patented stretching system has also earned the trust of chiropractors and complimentary health care professionals. This collective trust in the methodology from clients and professionals alike is why Stretch Zone offers each client their first 30-minute stretch for free.
Stretch Zone is the world's first and largest franchise in the stretching space. It offers franchisees a full range of programs and accreditations. The Stretch Zone franchise opportunity differentiates itself with a simplistic, franchisee-first business model backed by a science-based, patented stretching system. In 2021, the brand also struck up a partnership with Drew Brees, who sits on the Board of Directors, which strategically positions Stretch Zone to continue its stature as a leader in the industry.
For more information about Stretch Zone in St. Pete visit www.stretchzone.com/locations/st-petersburg/.
Stretch Zone is the leading franchised stretching concept that offers proprietary, practitioner-assisted stretching sessions to help clients achieve enhanced quality of life. It was founded by Jorden Gold in 2004 after seeing the first-hand benefits assisted stretching brought to his grandfather. With a steady cadence of location openings, Stretch Zone is on the Road to 200, a milestone they will hit in late June. The brand has set a goal to reach 300 locations within one year of hitting the 200-location mark. As a pioneer within the health and wellness space, Stretch Zone uses its patented Stretch Zone Stabilization System to aid in increased mobility and muscle function. The system enables clients to accomplish Flex-ability for Life® with processes to train muscles to move with a greater range of motion, allowing for an easier golf swing or comfortable night's rest. Clients are welcomed into Stretch Zone by nationally accredited practitioners, a relaxing atmosphere and secure equipment. For more information about Stretch Zone, visit www.stretchzone.com.
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SOURCE Stretch Zone | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/21/buckle-up-stretch-zone-road-its-200th-location-with-pit-stop-st-pete/ | 2022-06-21T18:11:15Z |
Lawsuit: Navy leadership 'denied and dismissed their concerns,' violated federal law
HONOLULU, Aug. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Injured U.S. military families and civilians today filed the first federal lawsuit against the Navy over the catastrophic contamination of the water supply near the Red Hill fuel storage facility in Hawai'i in 2021, according to their attorneys at Just Well Law, PLLC and the Hosoda Law Group.
Filed in Honolulu federal court, the lawsuit accuses the Navy of releasing thousands of gallons of jet fuel and other contaminants directly into the families' drinking water at least twice in 2021. As the four families named in the lawsuit continue to suffer from multiple medical conditions, the Navy still has not fully disclosed the scope of the contamination, recognized that affected families are still sick, or provided appropriate medical care, the lawsuit asserts.
Plaintiffs in the case are Patrick Feindt, Jr., and his minor children, Nastasia Freeman and her minor children, Jamie Simic, and her minor children, and Ariana Wyatt, and her minor child. The once-healthy plaintiffs reported seizures, gastrointestinal disorders, neurological issues, burns, rashes, lesions, thyroid abnormalities, migraines, neurobehavioral challenges, and other maladies, the lawsuit asserts. All of the families were evacuated from their contaminated homes in Hawaii. They were forced to move back into those homes, only to get sick again, and now reside elsewhere, according to the complaint.
The families are represented by Kristina S. Baehr and James Baehr, of Just Well Law, PLLC, of Austin, Texas, and Lyle S. Hosoda, Kourtney H. Wong, Spencer J. Lau, and Thurston A. Kino, of the Hosoda Law Group, of Honolulu. The law firms also represent hundreds more plaintiffs who have filed pre-litigation SF-95 administrative claim forms with the government under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) and who will be added to the suit.
According to the complaint, "Throughout 2021, as more than 93,000 military service members, their family members, and civilians relied on the government for safe water on the island of O`ahu, the Navy harbored toxic secrets. As the Feindt, Freeman, Simic, and Wyatt families and too many others like them would discover, the water they drank and bathed in was dangerously contaminated. And government officials knew all along… While the government failed to disclose the contamination as required by federal law, these families continued to ingest and immerse themselves in the toxic water."
The lawsuit, which alleges negligence, nuisance, medical negligence, failure to treat, delayed care, and infliction of emotional distress by the government, was filed after the plaintiffs exhausted administrative remedies under the FTCA.
The lawsuit alleges, "As these families became sicker from water, the government compounded the families' suffering. First, Navy leadership denied and dismissed their concerns. The families' questions and concerns were ignored or minimized. Then the Navy denied the families even the most basic standard of care when they turned to military medical providers for help. Military facilities recorded symptoms but failed to run standard labs to check liver function, kidney function, and complete blood count."
The case is Patrick Feindt, Jr., et al., v. The United States of America, Case No. 1:22-cv-0039, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawai'i.
Contact: Erin Powers, Powers MediaWorks LLC, for Just Well Law and the Hosoda Law Group, info@powersmediaworks.com, 281.703.6000.
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SOURCE Just Well Law, PLLC | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/just-well-law-navy-hit-with-first-lawsuit-by-families-sickened-by-toxic-red-hill-water/ | 2022-08-31T14:06:01Z |
HealthLynked to Premier 'Forever: The End of Aging' Medical Documentary at CMX CinéBistro Theater in Naples, Florida on August 28th
NAPLES, Fla., Aug. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- HealthLynked Corp. (OTCQB: HLYK), ("HealthLynked" or the "Company") a global healthcare network focused on care management of its members and a provider of healthcare technologies that connect doctors, patients, and medical data, today announced it will be hosting a onetime screening of the documentary 'Forever: The End of Aging' at CMX CinéBistro theater on August 28th at 7 pm.
CMX CinéBistro is located at the Coastland Mall at 2000 9th St N, Naples, FL 34103. Tickets can be requested online at: https://foreverendofagingmovie.com/ or by calling 1-239-799-7116. Seating is limited for this premier screening.
'Forever' was written and directed by award-winning film and television writer Paul Castro, writer of the original screenplay 'August Rush.'
The film interviews experts from medical specialties including genomics, cancer diagnostics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, functional and regenerative medicine, and stem cell therapies, while exploring how these technologies are advancing medical treatments that could significantly impact our health and how long we will live.
The film features medical experts from around the country including:
- Bob Gasparini – Cancer Genetics; Former President, NeoGenomics Laboratories
- Michael Dent, M.D. – CEO of HealthLynked Patient Information Network
- Chadwick Prodromos, M.D. – Stem Cell Therapy
- Robert Mino, J.D. – Healthcare Patent Attorney
- David Perlmutter, M.D. – Neurologist and Bestselling Author of 'Grain Brain' and 'Drop Acid'
- Pam Hughes, D.O. – Functional Medicine and Nutritional Expert
- Edwardo Maristany, M.D. – Functional Medicine, Genetic Testing, and Hyperbaric Medicine
- Arnold Pallay, M.D. – Clinical Application of Genetic Testing
- Randy Miller, M.D. – Cosmetic Surgeon
- Ryan Smith – Founder of Tru Diagnostics
- Robert Marx, DDS FACS- Facial Reconstruction
- Jonathan Jay, M.D. - Urologist
- Sharon Hausman-Cohen, M.D. – Harvard Trained Expert in Medical Genetics
- Dr. Larry Antonucci – CEO of Lee Healthcare System
Learn more about 'Forever: The End of Aging' at: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19296904/
HealthLynked, along with its innovative technologies that improve communication between patients and doctors, is featured in the movie to demonstrate how individuals can participate in medical discoveries through information sharing. Hereditary medical conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease are caused by lifestyle and genetic factors. In "Forever," HealthLynked will discuss the power of data in determining the roles each of these play in diseases and how this information can lead to improved healthcare for everyone.
Dr. Michael Dent, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated "HealthLynked is excited to host the premier viewing of 'Forever: The End of Aging.' We are hopeful that the documentary will be picked up by an online streaming service so that a larger audience can learn more about how HealthLynked is working to advance healthcare through the efficient change of healthcare information. We are hopeful that one day medical conditions such as cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, and even aging will be a thing of the past."
The HealthLynked app is available for download on both iOS and Android devices.
About CMX CinéBistro
CMX Cinemas opened its first flagship dine-in theatre in April 2017 at Brickell City Centre, Miami, FL, ushering in a new era of luxury movie-going experiences. CMX provides state-of-the-art technology and luxurious reclining leather seats, that can be enjoyed through different types of experiences including: CMX CinéBistro, the luxury dine-in theatre concept with in-seat service featuring modern, rustic New-American cuisine from classically trained chefs, CMX Market Cinemas, a gourmet grab-and-go culinary and movie experience, and CMX Cinemas, the upgraded traditional theater with classic concessions.
About HealthLynked Corp.
HealthLynked Corp. provides a solution for both patient members and providers to improve healthcare through the efficient exchange of medical information. The HealthLynked Network is a cloud-based platform that allows members to connect with their healthcare providers and take more control of their healthcare. Members enter their medical information, including medications, allergies, past surgeries, and personal health records, in one convenient online and secure location, free of charge. Participating healthcare providers can connect with their current and future patients through the system. Benefits to in-network providers include the ability to utilize the HealthLynked patent-pending patient access hub "PAH" for patient analytics. Other benefits for preferred providers include HLYK marketing tools to connect with their active and inactive patients to improve patient retention, access more accurate and current patient information, provide more efficient online scheduling, and to fill last-minute cancelations using the Company's "real-time appointment scheduling" all within its mobile application. Preferred providers pay a monthly fee to access these HealthLynked services. For additional information about HealthLynked Corp., please visit www.healthlynked.com and connect with HealthLynked on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements
Forward-Looking Statements in this press release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Our actual results, including as a result of any acquisitions, performance, or achievements may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "may," "could," "expect," "intend," "plan," "seek," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "likely," "will," "would" and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by our management, and us are inherently uncertain. We caution you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which are made as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any of these forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information or future events, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable laws. If we update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. Certain risks and uncertainties applicable to our operations and us are described in the "Risk Factors" section of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in other filings we have made with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These reports are publicly available at www.sec.gov.
HLYK Contact:
George O'Leary
Chief Financial Officer
goleary@healthlynked.com
(800)-928-7144, ext. 103
William Hayde
Capital Markets Strategist
bhayde@healthlynked.com
(631)-403-4337
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SOURCE HealthLynked Corp. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/05/healthlynked-premier-forever-end-aging-medical-documentary-cmx-cinbistro-theater-naples-florida-august-28th/ | 2022-08-05T13:50:29Z |
Two trailblazing physical therapy practices were recognized at the ninth annual rehab therapy business summit hosted by WebPT
PHOENIX, June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WebPT, the leading rehab therapy platform for enhancing patient care and fueling business growth, recently announced Dynamix Physical Therapy as the winner of the Practice of the Year award and Rehab 2 Perform as the winner of the Innovator of the Year award. Both practices were recognized at WebPT's Ascend business summit which hosted more than 300 rehab therapists in Charlotte, N.C.
"Dynamix and Rehab 2 Perform represent the best of the industry and we were thrilled to recognize them in front of their peers at Ascend," said Heidi Jannenga, PT, DPT, ATC, Co-Founder and Chief Clinical Officer, WebPT. "Rehab therapy has been both challenged and energized by the changing healthcare environment over the past few years. Dynamix Physical Therapy and Rehab 2 Perform stand out as leaders for their ability to succeed and innovate. We hope that by recognizing their efforts and sharing their stories, they will inspire others to achieve greatness in practice alongside them."
Dynamix Physical Therapy, which was named Practice of The Year, has 12 physical therapy and sports medicine clinics serving communities in West Tennessee. The practice has grown by cultivating relationships with local athletic programs—including rural and underserved schools—and building a robust referral network all driven by a commitment to patient satisfaction and supported by a strong company culture.
"This recognition provides confirmation to our exceptionally talented team that we are accomplishing something very special which transcends any one person," said Russ Huffstetler, DPT, co-owner of Dynamix Physical Therapy. "We are beyond excited to represent the physical therapy industry as the Ascend Practice of the Year. Dynamix intends to leave a lasting legacy on the rehab profession through pursuing our mission: to be the bright spot in our customers' day while pursuing excellence in healthcare and service."
The Innovator of the Year award winner, Rehab 2 Perform, is based in the greater Washington D.C, Maryland and Virginia region. The practice blends traditional physical therapy and personal training models to provide clients with solutions that improve movement, increase physicality, and help enhance performance in all areas of life. What makes Rehab 2 Perform a true innovator in the industry is its marketing strategy, which focuses on impactful educational content they regularly provide to clients and clinicians alike, including e-books, engaging video content for Instagram and TikTok, the High Performers podcast, regular blog posts, and a newsletter with more than 15,000 subscribers.
"Innovation is part of our culture and as such, Rehab 2 Perform is honored to be named Innovator of the Year," said Josh Funk, DPT, founder and CEO of Rehab 2 Perform. "One of the most important drivers of our success has been the investment in our team and in our community. Whether we are connecting with people in the clinic, on social media, or in our new mobile R2P recovery trailer, we are aiming to help everyone in our ecosystem maximize their potential."
Ascend is the ultimate rehab therapy business summit that includes inspiring content, curated networking opportunities, educational sessions, and dynamic events for rehab therapy professionals from practices of all sizes and styles. Those who are interested in future Practice of the Year or Innovator of the Year awards subscribe to the WebPT Blog at webpt.com/blog for future updates. For more information about Ascend, visit webpt.com/ascend.
About WebPT, Inc.
WebPT is the leading rehab therapy platform for enhancing patient care and fueling business growth. WebPT's product suite provides a robust end-to-end solution covering the entire rehab therapy business cycle, from billing and managing a practice to delivering quality, evidence-based care. With a 99% retention rate and an uptime rate in excess of 99.9% across its entire platform, WebPT is the most-trusted and most-reliable solution in the industry, regardless of practice setting, specialty or size. WebPT's growth has earned it a spot on the Inc. 5000 list of the nation's fastest-growing companies nine years in a row as well as inclusion on the 2018 Healthcare Informatics list of the top 100 U.S. healthcare IT vendors. Learn more at webpt.com.
About Dynamix Physical Therapy:
Dynamix Physical Therapy is West Tennessee's leader in elite physical therapy and sports medicine and the recipient of the 2022 Ascend Practice of the Year Award. With the mission of being the bright spot in customers' day while pursuing excellence in healthcare and service, Dynamix offers multiple services, including physical therapy treatment programs, sports medicine, fitness, free injury assessments and work conditioning. Follow Dynamix on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news.
About Rehab 2 Perform:
Rehab 2 Perform™ (R2P) is an industry leader in providing fitness-focused rehabilitation solutions for the active adult and competitive athlete. With an emphasis on education and empowerment, R2P provides physical therapy, sports rehabilitation, concussion care and wellness services across Maryland, Virginia and the Greater D.C Region. A recent recipient of the WebPT Innovator of the Year, Rehab 2 Perform has earned a spot on the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing companies for the past three years. For more information: Rehab2Perform.com.
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SOURCE WebPT | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/14/dynamix-physical-therapy-rehab-2-perform-earn-top-awards-ascend-2022/ | 2022-06-14T11:56:58Z |
TAIPEI, Aug. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Acer Inc. (TWSE: 2353) announced its consolidated revenues for July at NT$17.46 billion, and for year-to-July at NT$168.18 billion which was down 5.2%. Revenues for the commercial business[1] grew 10.9% year-on-year (YoY) for year-to-July.
Acer's strategy to strengthen its multiple business engines continues to gain momentum, businesses other than PCs and displays reached 26.6% of total revenues in July. Eight public subsidiaries' revenues grew 28.8% YoY overall for year-to-July, while some initiatives under incubation have shown significant growth:
- Acer Gadget Inc. revenues grew 21% year-to-July YoY
- MPS Energy Inc. revenues grew 46.5% year-to-July YoY
- Altos Computing Inc. revenues grew 119.4% year-to-July YoY
- AcerPure Inc. revenues grew 75.5% year-to-July YoY
About Acer
Founded in 1976, Acer is one of the world's top ICT companies with a presence in more than 160 countries. As Acer evolves with the industry and changing lifestyles, it is focused on enabling a world where hardware, software and services will fuse with one another, creating ecosystems and opening up new possibilities for consumers and businesses alike. Acer's 7,500 employees are dedicated to the research, design, marketing, sale, and support of products and solutions that break barriers between people and technology. Please visit www.acer.com for more information.
© 2022 Acer Inc. All rights reserved. Acer and the Acer logo are registered trademarks of Acer Inc. Other trademarks, registered trademarks, and/or service marks, indicated or otherwise, are the property of their respective owners. All offers subject to change without notice or obligation and may not be available through all sales channels. Prices listed are manufacturer suggested retail prices and may vary by location. Applicable sales tax extra.
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SOURCE Acer | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/09/acer-reports-consolidated-revenues-july-nt1746-billion-year-to-july-nt16818-billion-down-52-yoy/ | 2022-08-09T10:32:22Z |
NEW YORK, June 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Halper Sadeh LLP, an investor rights law firm, is investigating the following companies for potential violations of the federal securities laws and/or breaches of fiduciary duties to shareholders relating to:
U.S. Well Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: USWS)'s sale to ProFrac Holding Corp. Under the terms of the merger agreement, USWS shareholders will receive 0.0561 shares of ProFrac Class A common stock for each share of USWS Class A common stock they own. If you are a USWS shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options.
Goldenstone Acquisition Limited (NASDAQ: GDST)'s merger with Roxe Holding Inc. If you are a Goldenstone shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options.
Natus Medical Incorporated (NASDAQ: NTUS)'s sale to an affiliate of ArchiMed for $33.50 in cash per share. If you are a Natus Medical shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options.
CareMax, Inc. (NASDAQ: CMAX)'s merger with Steward Health Care System. If you are a CareMax shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options.
Halper Sadeh LLP may seek increased consideration for shareholders, additional disclosures and information concerning the proposed transaction, or other relief and benefits on behalf of shareholders.
Shareholders are encouraged to contact the firm free of charge to discuss their legal rights and options. Please call Daniel Sadeh or Zachary Halper at (212) 763-0060 or email sadeh@halpersadeh.com or zhalper@halpersadeh.com.
Halper Sadeh LLP represents investors all over the world who have fallen victim to securities fraud and corporate misconduct. Our attorneys have been instrumental in implementing corporate reforms and recovering millions of dollars on behalf of defrauded investors.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Contact Information:
Halper Sadeh LLP
Daniel Sadeh, Esq.
Zachary Halper, Esq.
(212) 763-0060
sadeh@halpersadeh.com
zhalper@halpersadeh.com
https://www.halpersadeh.com
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SOURCE Halper Sadeh LLP | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/23/investigation-notice-halper-sadeh-llp-investigates-usws-gdst-ntus-cmax/ | 2022-06-23T06:59:49Z |
WASHINGTON, May 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Concord Coalition said today that the new Budget and Economic Outlook for Fiscal Years 2022-2032 released by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is evidence that the days of easy deficit reduction from fading COVID relief funding are over. As anticipated, CBO's baseline shows a brief decline in deficits from the COVID-related spikes of 2020 and 2021 – followed by a familiar pattern of escalating deficits that reflect a long-standing structural gap between spending promises and projected revenues under current law. Now, hard choices must be made in order to put the budget on a path of fiscal sustainability.
"As the heat of the COVID economic meltdown fades, it is clear that the budget remains on an unsustainable path. This should come as no surprise. The budget was on an unsustainable path before the pandemic hit. What's more alarming is that neither Democrats nor Republicans are seeking a mandate from the voters in 2022 to do anything about it," said Concord Coalition Executive Director Robert L. Bixby. "Worse yet, due to baseline scoring conventions, today's CBO projections represent an optimistic scenario."
Bixby pointed out that the CBO baseline projections:
- Assume that several temporary tax cuts enacted in 2017 will expire on schedule after 2025, an unlikely event that artificially boosts revenue projections and reduces future deficits by nearly $3 trillion;
- Assume no further COVID aid for testing, vaccines, and therapeutics despite a recent rise in hospitalizations and the threat of new variants;
- Assume no further aid to Ukraine's fight against Russian aggression, despite the government having already committed nearly $60 billion this year to a cause that national security officials warn will be a prolonged conflict; and
- Assume the Federal Reserve Board will be able to engineer a difficult and historically rare "soft landing," by tamping down spiraling inflation without causing a recession.
The sleeping giant buried in the baseline is the rapid growth in net interest costs. The federal government has benefited from two decades of low interest rates but we've amassed such a large amount of debt that future costs are projected to soar. By 2025, debt service will exceed the federal share of Medicaid and by 2029 will exceed the size of the entire defense budget.
"President Biden has touted the projected sharp decline in the FY 2022 deficit compared to the deficits of 2020 and 2021, but this result is largely due to expiring COVID relief and an expected economic recovery. The time when we can count on such effortless deficit reduction is ending. In CBO's new baseline projections, deficits begin rising again in 2024 under current law. It will take hard legislative policy choices, considerable bipartisan negotiation and probably some good luck to ensure further improvement in the budget outlook," Bixby said.
"Ignoring our long-term structural fiscal and economic problems will not make them go away. The longer we wait to act, the more difficult the solutions will be -- and the greater the risks will be to the nation's future. As the fiscal debate turns to the post-pandemic economy, policymakers should craft an agenda that is both pro-growth and fiscally responsible. An agenda premised on ever-low interest rates and ever-rising debt is not a solid foundation for a sustainable budget or a growing economy. It is a fantasy," Bixby said.
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SOURCE The Concord Coalition | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/25/fading-covid-effects-do-not-put-budget-sustainable-path/ | 2022-05-25T22:05:27Z |
The frozen Mandu products will be sampled for the first time to the public at the upcoming Specialty Food Association's Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City, N.Y.
NEW YORK, June 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Daesang America, Incorporation's global brand, O'Food, is a provider of traditional condiments to ready-to-serve meals, will be exhibiting at the Speciality Food Association's annual Summer Fancy Food Show. The company will be launching their first frozen food offering, Mandu, at the event which takes place June 12 through June 14 at Javits Center in New York City.
Mandu are classic Korean dumplings that are steamed, boiled or pan-fried. The Mandu products are made with thin wrappers and filled with traditional Korean ingredients. O'Food is releasing two different types, Kimchi and Plant-Based Mandu. The Kimchi Mandu starts with the global leading kimchi from sister brand Jongga. Combined with a perfect blend of spicy heat, sweet and savory meat, and assorted vegetables, the Kimchi Mandu will satisfy any meat-lovers appetite. Try the meatless Plant-Based Mandu available in Gochujang, sweet and spicy fermented condiment popular in Korean cooking or opt for the savory flavors of K-BBQ.
"In recent years, consumers are increasingly seeking food adventures, particularly ethnic foods that have for years received less recognition in the US, such as Korean foods; Gochujang, Kimchi, and others. Mandu are these fantastic Korean style dumplings and now is a great time to bring them to market with these same authentic flavors" said Brian Tompkins, Vice President of Sales.
Packed with Korean-inspired flavors, these dumpling provide an answer to a void in the freezer aisle - hearty, satisfying meals that consumers can feel good about enjoying. O'Food dumplings offer 10 or more grams of protein, delivering meals bursting with flavor.
Korean-inspired ready meals continue to make a culinary impact on consumers. People are making an active choice to discover new flavors and incorporate more plant-based meals into their diets, while occasionally eating meat. Mandu products are available across the country in select stores including Associated Supermarkets, Jungle Jims and many more. They are the perfect option for consumers looking for convenient and meat-free options from a brand they know and trust.
Visit O'Food's booth on the third floor at #1958 to sample the Kimchi Mandu and Plant-Based Mandu. In addition, O'Food will have two promininate O'Food chefs on hand to create Kimchi-style grilled cheese and Vegan Kimchi Canape. For more information, visit the O'Food website at www.ofoodusa.com.
About O'Food
O'Food is the global brand of Korea's leading food brand, Chung Jung One. Since 1956, Chung Jung One | O'Food's Korean pantry staples including Korean chili pepper paste, Gochujang, and Doenjang, fermented soybean paste, are still produced in the province of Sunchang, widely renowned for its quality peppers, ideal climate, and reputation as the historical "Village of Gochujang. Located globally throughout China, Japan, Russia, Europe, Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand, and the Philippines, O'Food is now spreading the love of Korean food across the United States from its headquarters in California and New Jersey.
About Daesang America, Inc.
Founded in 1956, Daesang Group has grown to one of the world's largest producers of fermented food products for everyday consumers. Headquartered in South Korea, the company boasts sales and manufacturing subsidiaries—from the East in Europe, Japan, Hong Kong, China, Indonesia, and Vietnam, to the West in the United States—exceeding $2.6 billion in sales revenue. Daesang's American branch now includes three leading brands of specialized products—O'Food, Jongga and Chung Jung One—available on shelves nationally, as well as online at Amazon. Look for Daesang to continue to expand on these efforts as well as to bring new products from Korea and beyond. For more information, visit the website and check out recipes, photos, and more on their Instagram, LinkedIn.
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SOURCE O'Food | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/10/ofood-launches-companys-first-frozen-food-item/ | 2022-06-10T14:14:26Z |
(NEXSTAR) – Elizabeth Karmel is always ready to debunk “the biggest myth” in grilling.
Karmel, the award-winning chef and cookbook author known as “Grill Girl,” has been grilling and barbecuing for more than 25 years, having shared her tips, tricks and expertise during television appearances on Food Network and in cooking columns for Bon Appetit, Better Homes & Gardens and the Associated Press.
In other words, she’s a veritable grilling guru. But there’s one common grilling practice that she can’t get behind, and unfortunately “a lot of chefs and writers tell people to do it,” Karmel says.
That practice? “Oiling the cooking grates instead of oiling the food,” Karmel laments. “This is a rampant grilling mistake that lots of people make. But I’ll tell you why it doesn’t make sense and why it doesn’t work.”
Karmel isn’t exaggerating when she says there are “a lot” of chefs recommending this practice. The internet is brimming with tutorials — from both amateur cooks and professionals — that insist on lightly oiling the grill before placing veggies or meats over the grates. Karmel, however, couldn’t disagree more.
“I can’t tell you how many home cooks have come up to me and explained all their grilling traumas to me, and all I have to say is, ‘Are you oiling the grates?’ I’ll see them again and they’ll say, ‘Oh my god, you’ve changed my whole life.’
Karmel says that oiling the food before grilling will eliminate “60% of your problems.”
“That is the biggest myth I want to debunk, always.”
Karmel insists there are a number of reasons to oil the food instead of the grates, not the least of which is a juicier, better-cooked product.
“If you don’t oil your food, all the juices and moisture in the foods you’ve cooked slowly evaporates out,” Karmel says.
For those who might be skeptical, Karmel offers up the following experiment: Take two slices of eggplant, one oiled and one not, and season both. (“The salt won’t even stick” to the non-oiled one, she notes.) Place the oiled slice directly on the grill, and place the non-oiled pieces over an oiled section of the grates.
“The slice you didn’t oil is going to slowly dehydrate. … It’ll be like a piece of cardboard,” she says. “The other one, you’re going to see all the juices in that cross-section of the eggplant, you’re going to see them steaming and bubbling underneath the surface, and the outside is caramelizing.”
In addition to juicier, more caramelized food, Karmel says that leaving the grates un-oiled will result in fewer headaches later on.
“Oil burns very quickly, and it’s sticky when it burns,” she says. “So if you oil the grates and not the food, you’re effectively gluing your food to the grill,” making for a messy — and possibly burnt — meal.
“If you oil the food, it keeps all of the juices inside the food, it promotes caramelization, and it also helps to prevent sticking. So it’s win-win,” she says. | https://cw33.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/grilling-expert-you-can-avoid-most-of-your-problems-by-following-1-simple-rule/ | 2022-06-05T13:57:41Z |
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The Mega Millions jackpot keeps growing.
The prize is now $480 million with a cash value of $276 million for Friday night’s drawing after no one matched all six numbers to win Tuesday’s jackpot.
It’s now the 10th largest prize in the game’s history. The all-time record jackpot was more than $1.5 billion in October 2018.
Tuesday’s winning numbers were 4, 7, 10, 45, 64 and Mega Ball 12, with a Megaplier of 2x. Drawings are held at 11 p.m. ET on Tuesdays and Fridays.
The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302.5 million, according to the lottery game, while Powerball’s odds are one in 292.2 million for the top prize.
Mega Millions is offered in 45 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. | https://cw33.com/news/mega-millions-jackpot-grows-to-480-million/ | 2022-07-13T14:16:19Z |
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., Aug. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Insurance Agency Owners Alliance (IAOA), based in Hendersonville, TN, announced today that it selected Input 1 Payments as a new MVP partner for their 8,500+ member agencies throughout the United States and Canada.
As the fastest growing group of independent insurance agency owners in the country, IAOA strives to create value for its member agencies in many ways. This determination includes making innovative technology solutions available to IAOA members that foster agency growth and increased profitability. By adding Input 1 Payments to their exclusive list of partners, IAOA continues to deliver value to its members. "We are excited to add Input 1 Payments to our MVP Partner list so that our member agencies have an additional option for their payment technology solutions," said Dave Jackson, CEO and IAOA's founder. "Input 1 Payments is a valued option for our members because it is a payment platform that doesn't cost agencies anything to use. Agencies work hard for their revenue, and it doesn't make sense for them to pay money to collect premium payments."
Input 1 Payments is a client-branded cloud-based platform that can be used as a stand-alone solution or be integrated seamlessly with existing systems and websites. The platform allows agencies to collect premiums from customers up to 11 days faster than waiting for a check to be sent. "IAOA is very selective with who they add to their MVP partner list. It is our privilege to have the opportunity to work with the organization and deliver to their members the best payment experience," said Jim Nowak, Regional Vice President of Sales with Input 1. "Input 1 takes pride in delivering a safe, simple, and convenient customer experience that doesn't take away from an agency's bottom line."
Founded in 2014, Insurance Agency Owners Alliance is the fastest growing association of independent insurance agency owners in the country, with over 8500 members. We are an invitation-only group created solely for owners of independent insurance agencies. The organization's purpose is to share ideas, successes, challenges, and more that are unique to the insurance agency business. IAOA believes that we are all better together through selflessness, innovation, and collaboration.
Input 1 is a leading provider of digital billing and payment solutions to insurance carriers, MGAs, banks, agencies, and premium finance companies located throughout North America. Our software and cloud billing and payment solutions provide online access to more than one million agents, brokers, and policyholders annually.
Media Contacts:
Input 1 Marketing
888-882-2554 x2135
information@input1.com
IAOA
Dave Jackson
CEO and Founder est. 2014
Dave@IAOA.com
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SOURCE Input 1 | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/30/iaoa-selects-input-1-payments-new-mvp-partner/ | 2022-08-30T15:57:15Z |
NEW YORK, July 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Owl Rock Capital Corporation (NYSE: ORCC) ("ORCC") today announced it will release its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022 on Wednesday, August 3, 2022 after market close. ORCC invites all interested persons to its webcast / conference call on Thursday, August 4, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss its second quarter ended June 30, 2022 financial results.
Conference Call Information:
The conference call will be broadcast live at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time on the Events section of ORCC's website at www.owlrockcapitalcorporation.com. Please visit the website to test your connection before the webcast.
Participants are also invited to access the conference call by dialing one of the following numbers:
Domestic: (877) 737-7048
International: +1 (201) 689-8523
All callers will need to reference "Owl Rock Capital Corporation" once connected with the operator. All callers are asked to dial in 10-15 minutes prior to the call so that name and company information can be collected.
Replay Information:
An archived replay will be available via a webcast link located on the Events section of ORCC's website for one year, and via the dial-in numbers listed below for 14 days:
Domestic: (877) 660-6853
International: +1 (201) 612-7415
Access Code: 13731354
About Owl Rock Capital Corporation
Owl Rock Capital Corporation (NYSE: ORCC) is a specialty finance company focused on lending to U.S. middle-market companies. As of March 31, 2022, ORCC had investments in 157 portfolio companies with an aggregate fair value of $12.8 billion. ORCC has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. ORCC is externally managed by Owl Rock Capital Advisors LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser that is an indirect affiliate of Blue Owl Capital Inc. ("Blue Owl") (NYSE: OWL) and part of Owl Rock, a division of Blue Owl. Owl Rock, together with its subsidiaries, is a New York based direct lending platform with approximately $44.8 billion of assets under management as of March 31, 2022.
Certain information contained herein may constitute "forward-looking statements" that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors and undue reliance should not be placed thereon. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts, but rather are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about ORCC, its current and prospective portfolio investments, its industry, its beliefs and opinions, and its assumptions. Words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "will," "may," "continue," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "would," "could," "should," "targets," "projects," "outlook," "potential," "predicts" and variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond ORCC's control and difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements including, without limitation, the risks, uncertainties and other factors identified in ORCC's filings with the SEC. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date on which ORCC makes them. ORCC does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or any other information contained herein, except as required by applicable law.
Investor Contact:
Dana Sclafani
212-419-3000
owlrockir@blueowl.com
Media Contact:
Prosek Partners
David Wells / Josh Clarkson
pro-blueowl@prosek.com
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SOURCE Owl Rock Capital Corporation | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/06/owl-rock-capital-corporation-schedules-earnings-release-quarterly-earnings-call-discuss-its-second-quarter-ended-june-30-2022-financial-results/ | 2022-07-06T21:09:07Z |
Which guitar book for dummies is best?
Learning to play the guitar is a fulfilling experience, but the guitar is one of those instruments that people feel a bit intimidated to learn. Though the guitar looks complex, it is quite simple once you begin to grasp the basics of playing and theory. Whether your goal is to learn simple tunes or become a master player, the journey is well worth the reward.
Books allow for those interested in playing the guitar to start learning before even owning one. Their accessibility and wealth of knowledge make them a default choice for serious learners. The Guitar For Dummies book is an updated version of a classic for beginner and intermediate players with additional online instruction.
What to know before you buy a guitar book for dummies
Skill level
Knowing what level you’re starting at is essential when considering what book you should purchase. There are guitar books made for every level. Also, consider what your end goal is before making your decision. Do you want to be an expert in guitar theory, or would you rather focus on learning basic chords and techniques? Ask yourself these questions early on.
Type of guitar you want to play
The type of guitar you’re playing matters when considering which book you decide to buy. Shredding on an electric guitar is different from strumming on an acoustic. The two are very similar in the beginning stages of learning the guitar, but you’ll see a difference in technique and playing style as you progress. Additionally, if you’re interested in learning how to play the bass, look for books specializing in bass playing.
Type of music you want to play
Think about the genre of music you enjoy and want to play. Are you interested in blues, rock, pop, classical, country or something else? Many guitar books cover specific genres for readers to learn and master. Some books cover the basics of several genres that serve as an introduction to learners. These are great ways to experiment and find what you like.
What to look for in a quality guitar for dummies book
Author credibility
The author of any how-to book should have credentials to support their work. Fortunately, the “For Dummies” book series is written by experts on the chosen topic. Each of the recommended books is written by those with extensive experience and knowledge of the guitar and how to play it.
Tablature vs. music notation
Most how-to guitar books will have examples of both tablature and music notation. If possible, attempt to learn both as each will be very helpful in your music journey. Tablature is a visual representation of fretboard fingering. It is often easier to learn than music notation because notation requires some knowledge of music theory. There are many books to learn the tablature of your favorite songs once you gain momentum on your guitar. If you have ambitions to work as a professional musician and with, or for, other artists, knowing how to read music notation will be extremely useful, if not essential.
Format
Books come in all sizes. Think about the size of the book you’re buying and where you plan to use it most. Some how-to books can be quite large and heavy and may not be ideal for carrying. Smaller books, however, might be more difficult to read depending on the print. Also, note whether the book is paperback or hardcover. The latter is more durable, while paperbacks are easier to travel with but are more challenging to keep open when playing.
How much you can expect to spend on a guitar book for dummies
The guitar books in the “For Dummies” series range from $15-$25.
Guitar book for dummies FAQ
Should I start on an electric or an acoustic guitar?
Choosing which type of guitar to learn on is a personal choice. There are pros and cons to each. The acoustic has a fuller body and requires finger strength to hold the strings to produce a clean sound. Your fingers will develop calluses to make this process easier, but it will take time. Also, consider the type of music you’d like to play. Acoustic is ideal for fingerpicking tunes commonly found in folk and bluegrass, while the electric is popular in rock, blues and metal.
Can’t I just learn how to play online?
There are many resources to learn how to play the guitar. The internet offers countless videos and websites on how to play the guitar. These will also be helpful in your journey. Books, however, offer a wealth of knowledge in one place. Consider that anybody can upload a video or write a blog without any credentials. Books are usually written by experts in their field and have several credentials to support their work.
What’s the best guitar book for dummies to buy?
Top guitar book for dummies
What you need to know: This book has been updated and revised for beginner and intermediate acoustic and electric guitar players.
What you’ll love: It comes with more than 80 online videos and 95 audio tracks to continue learning off of the page. The book covers everything from how to tune, care and play your guitar. You’ll learn how to shop for a guitar and additional accessories as well as how to make basic repairs to your guitar.
What you should consider: This book is for beginner and intermediate guitar players. Advanced players likely won’t benefit from this book.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top guitar book for dummies for the money
Guitar All-in-One for Dummies: Book and Online Video and Audio Instruction
What you need to know: This book is an excellent resource for beginning players who want all of their lessons in one convenient place.
What you’ll love: The book was put together by expert guitarists and music teachers. It covers how to pick notes, theory and composition, different genres and maintain your guitar. All skill levels are encouraged to purchase this book.
What you should consider: This is a big book with 640 pages of information.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Guitar Theory for Dummies: Book and Online Video and Audio Instruction
What you need to know: This option is perfect for those wanting to learn guitar theory with hopes of understanding the hows and whys.
What you’ll love: With this book, you’ll learn how to improve your improvisational and compositional skills. The book goes beyond the basics and covers different scales and the CAGED chord system. It will be of great help if you want to create your own original music and master soloing.
What you should consider: It isn’t for beginners. The concepts in this book are geared towards those who have a basic understanding of theory.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/education-br/best-guitar-book-for-dummies/ | 2022-06-08T23:42:52Z |
Financial Results
- Net Sales were $2,358 million versus $1,737 million in the prior year quarter.
- Net Organic Sales increased 3% in the quarter driven by global demand for sustainability-supported, innovative consumer packaging solutions.
- Net Income was $66 million versus $38 million in the prior year quarter.
- Adjusted EBITDA was $396 million versus $248 million in the prior year quarter, driven by $93 million of positive price-cost relationship, $81 million of volume/mix and $16 million of net performance.
- Earnings per Diluted Share were $0.21 versus $0.13 in the prior year quarter.
- Adjusted Earnings per Diluted Share (excluding amortization of purchased intangibles) were $0.60 versus $0.29 in the prior year quarter.
- Global liquidity was $1.2 billion at quarter end.
- Repurchased $7 million of common stock during the quarter; returned $30 million in total to stockholders in share repurchases and dividends.
ATLANTA, July 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE: GPK), (the "Company"), a leading provider of sustainable, fiber-based consumer packaging solutions to food, beverage, foodservice, and other consumer products companies, today reported Net Income for second quarter 2022 of $66 million, or $0.21 per share, based upon 309.9 million weighted average diluted shares. This compares to second quarter 2021 Net Income of $38 million, or $0.13 per share, based upon 295.8 million weighted average diluted shares.
The second quarters of 2022 and 2021 were negatively impacted by a net $102 million and a net $38 million of special charges, respectively. Special charges in the second quarter of 2022 included a $92 million expense associated with the write down of two folding carton plants in Russia now classified as held for sale. Adjusted Net Income also includes adjustments for amortization related to purchased intangible assets, net of tax. The second quarters of 2022 and 2021 were impacted by $17 million and $11 million of amortization related to purchased intangibles, respectively. The charges are detailed in the Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures table attached. When adjusting for both types of charges, Adjusted Net Income for the second quarter of 2022 was $185 million, or $0.60 per diluted share. This compares to second quarter 2021 Adjusted Net Income of $87 million, or $0.29 per diluted share.
Michael Doss, the Company's President and CEO said, "Our growing pipeline of innovative, fiber-based consumer packaging solutions is meeting demand for more sustainable packaging and driving organic growth globally in our business. This continued in the second quarter, with Net Organic Sales up 3%, matching our first quarter growth rate and exceeding our targeted range. This growth is indicative of the ongoing transition of our customers to more recyclable and circular fiber-based packaging solutions. Our integrated business model and global scale have been essential to procuring raw materials in today's challenging supply chain environment and ensuring supply to our customers. Furthermore, the strategic investments we have completed uniquely position us to expand in new market segments and deliver industry-leading quality at the lowest cost to produce, all while advancing our leadership in the industry."
Doss added, "The operating leverage we have driven in our financial model remains on full display this year. We are on track to deliver our recently enhanced and stronger Vision 2025 goals by meeting or exceeding 2022 milestones. We continue to execute multiple pricing and productivity initiatives focused on improving profit margins and capturing returns on strategic investments. Our upwardly revised Adjusted EBITDA range, with $1.55 billion at the midpoint, reflects a substantial step up of approximately $500 million of incremental EBITDA when compared to 2021. As committed, we are utilizing cash flow to reduce debt and continue to expect year-end leverage to be in the 3.0 to 3.5x range."
Operating Results
Net Sales
Net Sales increased 36% to $2,358 million in the second quarter of 2022, compared to $1,737 million in the prior year period. The $621 million increase was driven by $278 million of pricing and $379 million of improved volume/mix related to organic growth from conversions to fiber-based packaging solutions and acquisitions. Net sales were unfavorably impacted by $36 million of foreign exchange.
EBITDA
EBITDA for the second quarter of 2022 was $294 million, compared to $214 million in the prior year period. After adjusting both periods for business combinations and other special charges, Adjusted EBITDA was $396 million in the second quarter of 2022 versus $248 million in the second quarter of 2021. When comparing against the prior year quarter, Adjusted EBITDA in the second quarter of 2022 was positively impacted by $278 million of price, $81 million of volume/mix and $16 million in net productivity. Adjusted EBITDA was unfavorably impacted by $185 million of commodity input cost inflation, $25 million of other inflation and $17 million of unfavorable foreign exchange.
Other Results
Total Debt (Long-Term, Short-Term and Current Portion) decreased $136 million during the second quarter of 2022 to $5,831 million compared to the first quarter of 2022. Total Net Debt (Total Debt, net of Cash and Cash Equivalents) decreased $133 million during the second quarter of 2022 to $5,723 million compared to the first quarter of 2022. The Company returned $30 million in capital to stockholders in the second quarter of 2022 through dividends and share repurchases. The Company's second quarter 2022 Net Leverage Ratio was 4.36 times Adjusted EBITDA compared to 5.36 times at the end of 2021.
At June 30, 2022, the Company had available liquidity of $1,194 million, including the undrawn availability under its global revolving credit facilities.
Net Interest Expense was $48 million in the second quarter of 2022 as compared to $29 million reported in the second quarter of 2021. Capital expenditures for the second quarter of 2022 were $138 million compared to $200 million in the second quarter of 2021. Second quarter 2022 Income Tax Expense was $39 million, compared to $26 million in the second quarter of 2021.
Please note that a tabular reconciliation of Net Organic Sales, Net Organic Sales Growth, EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted EPS, Adjusted Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities, Adjusted Cash Flow and Total Net Debt is attached to this release.
Earnings Call
The Company will host a conference call at 10:00 a.m. EST today (July 26, 2022) to discuss the results of second quarter 2022. The conference call will be webcast and can be accessed from the Investors section of the Graphic Packaging website at www.graphicpkg.com. Participants may also listen via telephone by referencing conference ID 798328 and dialing:
844-200-6205 from the United States,
833-950-0062 from Canada, and
929-526-1599 from outside the United States and Canada.
Forward Looking Statements
Any statements of the Company's expectations in this press release, including but not limited to Adjusted EBITDA growth and year-end leverage constitute "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are based on currently available information and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's present expectations. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company's operations and business, inflation of and volatility in raw material and energy costs, continuing pressure for lower cost products, the Company's ability to implement its business strategies, including productivity initiatives, cost reduction plans, and integration activities, as well as the Company's debt level, currency movements and other risks of conducting business internationally, the impact of regulatory and litigation matters, including the continued availability of the Company's U.S. federal income tax attributes to offset U.S. federal income taxes and the timing related to the Company's future U.S. federal income tax payments. Undue reliance should not be placed on such forward-looking statements, as such statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements, except as required by law. Additional information regarding these and other risks is contained in the Company's periodic filings with the SEC.
About Graphic Packaging Holding Company
Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE: GPK), headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is committed to providing consumer packaging that makes a world of difference. The Company is a leading provider of sustainable fiber-based packaging solutions to the world's most widely-recognized food, beverage, foodservice and other consumer products companies and brands. The Company operates on a global basis, is one of the largest producers of folding cartons and fiber-based foodservice products in the United States and Europe, and holds leading market positions in coated recycled paperboard, coated unbleached kraft paperboard and solid bleached sulfate paperboard. Additional information about Graphic Packaging, its business and its products is available at www.graphicpkg.com.
GRAPHIC PACKAGING HOLDING COMPANY
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
The tables below set forth the calculation of the Company's earnings before interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization, including pension amortization ("EBITDA"), Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Earnings Per Share, Adjusted Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities, Adjusted Cash Flow, Net Leverage Ratio, Total Net Debt and Net Organic Sales Growth. Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income exclude charges (income) associated with: the Company's business combinations, facility shutdowns, and other special charges. The Company's management believes that the presentation of EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Earnings Per Share, Adjusted Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities, Adjusted Cash Flow, Net Leverage Ratio and Net Organic Sales Growth provides useful information to investors because these measures are regularly used by management in assessing the Company's performance. EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Earnings Per Share, Adjusted Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities, Adjusted Cash Flow, Net Leverage Ratio, and Net Organic Sales Growth are financial measures not calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("GAAP"), and are not measures of net income, operating income, operating performance, liquidity or net sales presented in accordance with GAAP.
EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Earnings Per Share, Adjusted Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities, Adjusted Cash Flow, Net Leverage Ratio and Net Organic Sales Growth should be considered in addition to results prepared in accordance with GAAP, but should not be considered substitutes for or superior to GAAP results. In addition, our EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Earnings Per Share, Adjusted Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities, Adjusted Cash Flow, Net Leverage Ratio and Net Organic Sales Growth may not be comparable to Adjusted EBITDA or similarly titled measures utilized by other companies since such other companies may not calculate such measures in the same manner as we do.
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SOURCE Graphic Packaging Holding Company | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/26/graphic-packaging-holding-company-reports-second-quarter-2022-results-progress-toward-enhanced-stronger-vision-2025-goals-continues/ | 2022-07-26T12:24:38Z |
Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium to host Freedom Bowl — a five-game high school football event
CANTON – The Hall of Fame Village is hosting the NFL Alumni Academy Freedom Bowl, a two-day high school football event featuring five games in Canton on Aug. 26-27.
Perry is among the 10 teams scheduled to play at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium — one of three teams from Ohio in the games. The other two, St. Edward and Chardon, each won OHSAA state championships on the same field in Canton last December.
Other programs scheduled to play in Canton are Christian Brothers Catholic (Mo.), Milton (Ga.), Pittsburgh Central Catholic (Pa.), Camden (N.J.), East St. Louis (Ill.), St. Frances Academy (Md.) and Clarkson North (Canada).
“We are excited to host some of the top high school football teams in America at the Hall of Fame Village for the Freedom Bowl,” Mike Levy, president of operations for the Village, said in a statement released by the Village. “A big part of the Freedom Bowl is to not only enjoy a high level of competition on the field, but to showcase to the student-athletes, coaches, and fans about those who protect and serve our nation — an initiative to which we’re passionate about bringing awareness.”
For the last five years, the Freedom Bowl took place only in Atlanta. The event also raises awareness for veterans, wounded warriors and their families, and youth football service.
“It’s always rewarding to add like-minded partners who share our core values and are committed to supporting student-athletes,” Freedom Bowl Founder David Menard, Freedom Bowl Founder, said in a statement released by the Village. "... Collectively, our organizations are dedicated to prioritizing education, life skills, family values and supporting all branches of the United States Armed Forces. It’s hard to imagine a more perfect fit.”
The first game will kick off at 5:30 p.m., Aug. 26, as Christian Brothers Catholic plays Milton. St. Edward plays Pittsburgh Central Catholic in the second game that night at 8:30. Central Catholic is where Hall of Famer Dan Marino was a high school All-American and graduated in 1979.
Saturday,
The next day, Aug. 27, is a tripleheader: Camden vs. Chardon at 2 p.m., St. Frances Academy vs. East St. Louis at 5:30, and Perry vs. Clarkson North at 8.
“This event embodies everything that the NFL Alumni is about,” Beasley Reece, CEO of the NFL Alumni Association stated. “We couldn’t be happier to play a part in the event and the numerous Alumni that are involved are excited to give back to the sport that gave so much to them.”
Tickets go on sale at 2 p.m., Tuesday, June 21, and can be purchased at www.hofvillage.com. | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/sports/high-school/fridaynightohio/2022/06/21/hall-fame-village-canton-host-freedom-bowl-tom-benson-hall-fame-stadium-st-edward-chardon-perry/7686877001/ | 2022-06-21T18:58:53Z |
Much of Europe is facing stagflation. France is already there
By Mark Thompson, CNN Business
The European economy slowed in the first three months of the year due to a combination of soaring inflation and early fallout from the war in Ukraine.
Preliminary first quarter data published Friday showed GDP grew by 0.2% across the 19 countries that use the euro, over the previous quarter. That was weaker than the 0.3% growth recorded in the final three months of 2021.
Consumer price inflation, meanwhile, rose to 7.5% in April — the highest since the European Union began keeping records 25 years ago. Rising costs for energy and food — driven higher by the turmoil in Ukraine and Western sanctions on Russia — were largely to blame.
“Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine has driven up prices for energy and foodstuffs, disrupted supply chains and dealt a serious blow to consumer confidence,” economists at Berenber wrote in a note Friday. “As the most exposed major region globally, the eurozone has fallen into stagflation as a result.”
Germany, the region’s biggest economy, reported GDP growth of 0.2%. That was an improvement on the contraction seen in the fourth quarter of 2021. But the pace of activity likely slowed towards the end of the January-March period following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
“The economic consequences of the war in Ukraine have had a growing impact on the short-term economic development since late February,” the German statistics office said a statement.
The German government on Wednesday downgraded its growth forecast for this year to 2.2% and it has warned of a recession if Russian gas supply is cut off.
Its huge industrial base is already under enormous pressure from sky-high energy prices and global supply disruptions made worse by the war and sanctions. Manufacturing output contracted this month, falling to its lowest level since June 2020, according to survey data from S&P Global, and slumping confidence could spell a protracted downturn.
Germany, and indeed much of Europe, is now facing stagflation — the nightmare combination of high inflation and weak economic growth.
France is already there.
Europe’s second biggest economy stalled in the first quarter, with GDP flatlining and inflation hitting a new record high. Consumers responded by closing their wallets: household spending fell 1.3% in the three-month period.
Italy fared even worse. Its economy shrank by 0.2% in the first quarter.
It may take a while before the outlook improves, particularly given Europe’s exposure to trade with China.
“Worsening Chinese lockdowns and cautious consumer spending in reaction to high energy and food prices could easily cause a temporary contraction in eurozone GDP in Q2,” the Berenberg economists added.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/money/cnn-business-consumer/2022/04/29/european-economy-sputters-as-war-drives-inflation-higher/ | 2022-04-29T11:56:52Z |
ALBANY -- Summer is here, and while that means plenty of good times out in the south Georgia heat, it also means plenty of fun times at Chehaw Park & Zoo and its partners in the Artesian Alliance.
Programs include:
CUBS PROGRAM, June 3
Who is watching whom at the Zoo? Find out at a Cubs Program Friday. Cubs programs are specifically targeted for children ages 3-4 and are held in the Zoo from 10-11 a.m. free to members and with Zoo admission.
Book: "The View at the Zoo" by Kathleen Long Bostrom
Craft: Create safari hats & binoculars
Zoo Trip: Colobus Monkeys
Animal Ambassador: Rat Snake
FREE ADMISSION FOR ACTIVE MILITARY
Active Military and their families can visit for free between May 21 and Labor Day at Chehaw, Flint RiverQuarium, and Thronateeska!
CHEHAW SUMMER CAMPS, May 31-August 4
When school is out, Chehaw is the place to be. Each day of camp includes a trip to the zoo, animal encounters, crafts, games, activities, snack, Chehaw water bottle, and a cool camp T-shirt. Children will have fun while learning through hands-on activities.
Full day sessions are open to campers ages 5-12. Half-day sessions are open for campers age 4. Need a late pick-up? After-camp care is available until 6 p.m. for $10 per day or $40 for the entire week. Members receive a 10% discount on all camp sessions plus half price on after camp care. Save big on any camp session; register one camper for four camper sessions and receive $50 in savings.
Full-day sessions: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Half-day sessions: 9 a.m.-noon
Free early drop-off at 8:30 a.m.
Late pick-up available: 3-6 p.m.
FEEDINGS & PROGRAMS EVERY WEEKEND, Saturday & Sunday
10:30 a.m. -- Petting zoo feeding ($3/person)
11:30 a.m. -- Rhino feeding
1:30 p.m. -- Sulcata Tortoise feeding ($3/person)
2:30 p.m. -- Alligator feeding ($5/person)
3:30 p.m. Wildlife theater presentation
OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS
First Friday of every month -- Cubs Program
Third Monday of each month -- Park Authority Monthly Meeting (Creekside)
First Tuesday of each month -- Friends of Chehaw Monthly Meeting (Creekside)
May 31-Sept. 5 -- Blue Star Free Admission for Military Families
May 31-June 3 -- Dash, Stash and Cache Summer Camp
May 31-June 3 -- Super Senses Summer Camp
May 31-June 3 -- Alien Invaders Summer Camp
June 3 -- Cubs Program
June 6-10 -- Monsters Among Us Summer Camp
June 6-10 -- Alien Invaders Summer Camp
June 6-10 -- Who Dung It? Summer Camp
June 13-17 -- Monsters Among Us Summer Camp
June 13-17 -- Mighty Morphs Summer Camp
June 13-17 -- Back to Nature Summer Camp
June 18 -- Chehaw RC Race
June 20-24 -- Monsters Among Us Summer Camp
June 20-24 -- Mighty Morphs Summer Camp
June 20-24 -- Nightcrawlers Summer Camp
June 27-July 1 -- Dash, Stash and Cache Summer Camp
June 27-July 1 -- Who Dung It? Summer Camp
June 27-July 1 -- Dinosaur Discovery Summer Camp
July 1 -- Cubs Program
July 5-8 -- Dash, Stash and Cache Summer Camp
July 5-8 -- Monsters Among Us Summer Camp
July 5-8 -- Expedition Earth Summer Camp
July 11-15 -- Monsters Among Us Summer Camp
July 11-15 -- Alien Invaders Summer Camp
July 11-15 -- Mighty Morphs Summer Camp
July 16 -- Chehaw RC Race
July 18-22 -- Super Senses Summer Camp
July 18-22 -- Alien Invaders Summer Camp
July 18-22 -- Monsters Among Us Summer Camp
July 25-29 -- Dinosaur Discovery Summer Camp
July 25-29 -- Nightcrawlers Summer Camp
July 25-29 -- Expedition Earth Summer Camp
Aug. 1-4 -- Monsters Among Us Summer Camp
Aug. 1-4 -- Alien Invaders Summer Camp
Aug. 1-4 -- Back to Nature Summer Camp
Aug. 5 -- Cubs Program
Aug. 20 -- Chehaw RC Race
Sept. 2 -- Cubs Program
Sept. 17 -- Chehaw RC Race
Sept. 22 -- Black Jack and Black Rhinos
September -- SWAPtember
Oct. 7 -- Cubs Program
Oct. 15 -- Chehaw RC Race
Oct. 22 -- Southern Discomfort
Oct. 29 -- Boo at the Zoo
Nov. 4 -- Cubs Program
Nov. 10 -- Brew at the Zoo
Nov. 26 -- Animal Thanksgiving
Nov. 19 -- Chehaw RC Race
Dec. 2 -- Cubs Program
Dec. 2-3, 9-10, 16-24 -- Festival of Lights
Dec. 17 -- Reindeer Games
ARTESIAN ALLIANCE PARTNERS
Flint RiverQuarium
June 6 -- Teen STEAM: Biotechnology
June 10 -- Tadpole Time
June 11 -- World Oceans Day
Thronateeska
June 6 -- Teen STEAM: Biotechnology
June 17 -- Tricera-Tots
June 17 -- A Night OUT
June 18 -- Under the Stars
Flint River Entertainment Complex
June 3 -- Friday on the Flint | https://www.albanyherald.com/entertainment/chehaw-artesian-alliance-plan-summer-fun/article_f59b735c-e1dd-11ec-a1c1-efb05e2bceb5.html | 2022-06-01T20:11:35Z |
Expands breadth of child care subsidy management software offerings in California
ESCONDIDO, Calif., June 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- KinderSystems, Inc. (www.kindersystems.com) a leading provider of subsidy management software-as-a-service solutions to child care providers, Head Start programs and state agencies, is pleased to announce that it has completed its merger with NoHo Software.
Last month Controltec, Inc. announced that it had changed its company name to KinderSystems, Inc. to better reflect its focus on partnering with the publicly funded child care sector to deliver state-of-the-art solutions.
NoHo Software was founded in 1995 and has developed industry-leading products in collaboration with California's most experienced child care program administrators. By combining these two companies under the KinderSystems name, the company will be the largest provider of subsidized child care software in California, serving over 245 child care agencies.
The merger with NoHo Software aligns with KinderSystems' mission to ensure all players in the publicly funded child care ecosystem have the software systems they need to deliver high quality child care to the families and children they serve. By merging with NoHo Software, the company now offers a more comprehensive set of solutions to its California clients – including NoHo's CARE and other products as well as the KinderSystems' CenterTrack and KinderTrack products.
As part of this merger, Christi Davis from NoHo Software will join the KinderSystems Leadership Team, reporting directly to Lara Oerter, KinderSystems' President & CEO. "I am thrilled to be joining the KinderSystems team as Vice President of California Customer Success to lead our combined California child care subsidy management business," said Christi Davis.
The integration of the two companies will take place over the rest of 2022. Stewart Wilson, the former President of NoHo Software, will play a key role in the integration of the two companies. "NoHo Software has over 35 years' experience building feature rich offerings for the California child care market and has an accomplished reputation for providing excellent customer support to their clients. I am excited to work with Christi Davis and Stewart Wilson to ensure that our clients will continue to receive the same high-quality service which they have come to expect," said Lara Oerter.
KinderSystems (www.KinderSystems.com) is the leading provider of subsidy management software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions to state agencies, Head Start programs and child care providers. Built and supported by industry experts, KinderSystems envisions a world where all families, no matter their income level, have access to high quality child care. Hundreds of agencies in the publicly funded child care sector use KinderSystems applications via the cloud or mobile devices to streamline their operations, ensure compliance with government regulations, and meet the needs of the families they serve.
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SOURCE KinderSystems, Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/22/kindersystems-merges-with-noho-software/ | 2022-06-22T14:19:49Z |
NEW YORK, June 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Levi & Korsinsky, LLP notifies investors in Spero Therapeutics, Inc. ("Spero" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: SPRO) of a class action securities lawsuit.
CLASS DEFINITION: The lawsuit seeks to recover losses on behalf of Spero investors who were adversely affected by alleged securities fraud between October 28, 2021 and May 2, 2022. Follow the link below to get more information and be contacted by a member of our team:
SPRO investors may also contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. via email at jlevi@levikorsinsky.com or by telephone at (212) 363-7500.
CASE DETAILS: The filed complaint alleges that defendants made false statements and/or concealed that: (i) the data submitted in support of the New Drug Application ("NDA") for the Company's product candidate, Tebipenem HBr, were insufficient to obtain approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA"); (ii) accordingly, it was unlikely that the FDA would approve the Tebipenem HBr NDA in its current form; (iii) the foregoing would necessitate a significant workforce reduction and restructuring of Spero's operations; and (iv) as a result, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.
WHAT'S NEXT? If you suffered a loss in Spero during the relevant time frame, you have until July 25, 2022 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.
NO COST TO YOU: If you are a class member, you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out-of-pocket costs or fees. There is no cost or obligation to participate.
WHY LEVI & KORSINSKY: Over the past 20 years, the team at Levi & Korsinsky has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders and built a track record of winning high-stakes cases. Our firm has extensive expertise representing investors in complex securities litigation and a team of over 70 employees to serve our clients. For seven years in a row, Levi & Korsinsky has ranked in ISS Securities Class Action Services' Top 50 Report as one of the top securities litigation firms in the United States.
CONTACT:
Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
Joseph E. Levi, Esq.
Ed Korsinsky, Esq.
55 Broadway, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10006
jlevi@levikorsinsky.com
Tel: (212) 363-7500
Fax: (212) 363-7171
www.zlk.com
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SOURCE Levi & Korsinsky, LLP | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/09/spro-lawsuit-alert-levi-amp-korsinsky-notifies-spero-therapeutics-inc-investors-class-action-lawsuit-upcoming-deadline/ | 2022-06-09T11:09:28Z |
Senators erase early deficit, beat Bruins 3-2
By KEN POWTAK
Associated Press
BOSTON (AP) — Brady Tkachuk, Josh Norris and Tim Stützle each scored a goal in the second period and the Ottawa Senators beat Boston 3-2 and sent the Bruins to their first three-game losing streak this season. Jesper Froden scored his first NHL goal for Boston and Marc McLaughlin added his third, just six games into his NHL career. The Bruins had won eight of 10 before the skid. The Senators wiped out a 2-0 deficit with the second-period goals for their second consecutive win. Anton Forsberg stopped 40 shots for the Senators. | https://localnews8.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/04/14/senators-erase-early-deficit-beat-bruins-3-2/ | 2022-04-15T03:40:25Z |
NEW YORK, July 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On July 12, 2022, Tuya Smart (NYSE: TUYA, HKEX: 2391), a leading IoT development platform service provider, joined hands with its 3 U.S. partners—LaView, G-Home by Gabba Goods, and Lumary—for a social media campaign to promote smart home products.
Under the theme BornSmart, the marketing campaign initiated by Tuya aims to promote smart devices to local markets worldwide in eye-catching and interactive ways. The theme was drawn from the idea that smart devices are "born smart" because of built-in AI. Going live on Amazon's Prime Day 2022, the campaign will last until mid-August and will be held in several countries including the U.K., Germany, Spain, Italy, Singapore, India, Thailand, Mexico, and Brazil.
LaView, a well-known U.S.-based company specializing in smart home consumer electronics. highlights their best-selling white noise machine, the White Noise Light Y2, during the campaign.
The White Noise Light Y2 is easy-to-use and it comes with 25 built-in soothing sounds and music combined with 8 built-in unique light shows and sound themes. It can be controlled via the LaView App to adjust brightness, volume, timer, and scene modes. The Smart Alarm Clock function includes a Sunrise Alarm with a gradual sunrise lighting effect and peaceful sounds to help users wake up refreshed; a customizable sleep routine mode simulating sunset can help users fall asleep naturally.
G-Home by GabbaGoods is a global consumer electronics company servicing major retailers for over 10 years, providing trendy everyday consumer electronics. For the BornSmart campaign, the company presents its smart light bulb and smart plug.
The Smart Light Bulbs support 2.4Ghz Wi-Fi and are compatible with Bluetooth. The product can be controlled via an App voice command via Alexa or Google Assistant; users can dim, turn on or off or change the colors of the light bulb remotely, enjoying the freedom of intelligent home lighting from anywhere.
The Smart Plug connects to the internet through 2.4Ghz Wi-Fi without hub or subscription required. Simply plug it into an outlet, connect a device to the smart plug, and users can wirelessly control home appliances whenever and wherever. with the timer function, the smart plug can reduce energy consumption by preventing appliances from overcharging and overheating.
Lumary is a top seller in smart recessed lighting and a provider of high-end smart lifestyles with more than 400 patents in the smart home field. The company brings three of its highly-rated lighting products to the BornSmart campaign: the Smart Recessed Slim LED Panel Light, the Smart Outdoor String Light, and the Smart Gimbal Recessed Light.
All 3 products provide users with 16 million colors, 1%-100% brightness, and 8 scene modes. All are not only controllable via an App but also compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant so a simple voice command can turn the lighting on or off and adjust different colors. The Outdoor String Light is IP66 Waterproof and it comes with a durable cable for safe outdoor use. The Smart Gimbal Recessed Light is 90° tilt and full 360° swivel adjustable.
Recognizing the growing demand for smart devices in the U.S., LaView, G-Home by GabbaGoods, and Lumary have partnered with Tuya on their way to product smartization. With more than 582,000 developers from over 200 countries and regions and more than 2,200 product categories on the Tuya platform, joining hands with Tuya means joining an ecosystem of abundant resources.
Tuya has established a thriving IoT ecosystem by forging alliances with market leaders worldwide and has put continuous efforts into growing its global businesses. These diverse partnerships have not only made the Tuya platform a one-stop destination for all smart home needs but also helped Tuya bring value to users, business partners, and the IoT industry.
For more information about BornSmart:
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SOURCE Tuya Smart | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/19/tuya-launches-bornsmart-campaign-with-us-partners-laview-g-home-by-gabba-goods-lumary/ | 2022-07-19T13:40:16Z |
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., June 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 3Spine, Inc., a medical device company developing total joint replacement for the lumbar spine, today announced completion of the first series of US surgeries in the BalancedBack Total Joint Replacement Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) pivotal clinical trial. All patients enrolled in the IDE will receive the MOTUS device and will be propensity matched against patients prospectively enrolled in 3Spine's real-world evidence (RWE) fusion study, using an adaptive statistical design. 3Spine's RWE study has been enrolling in the US since May 2021.
Benjamin Geddes, MD performed the surgeries at the Center for Sports Medicine and Orthopaedics Surgery Center in Chattanooga, TN, assisted by Alex Sielatycki, MD of Steamboat Orthopaedic and Spine Institute and UC Health Yampa Valley Medical Center in Steamboat Springs, CO. "Alex and I are humbled to have the honor of performing the first lumbar total joint replacements in the US," said Dr. Geddes. "The procedures went very well. Each patient was up and walking within 2 hours after surgery, using the early mobilization protocols for hip and knee arthroplasty patients. This is an encouraging start and we look forward to continuing enrollment."
Jeff Goldstein, MD, national principal investigator (PI) for the IDE said, "On behalf of our study PIs around the country, I'd like to congratulate Dr. Geddes on being the first site to complete enrollment of the RWE study, making him eligible to begin enrollment of the IDE. This is historic work." Dom Coric, MD, national PI for the RWE study continued, "Our strategy to first collect real-world evidence on a variety of posterior lumbar fusions is working well, providing an important baseline at each site and allowing for a staged start to the IDE across centers. I echo Jeff in congratulating Alex and Ben on their achievement."
3Spine's MOTUS device, the implant used in the BalancedBack Total Joint Replacement procedure, is a 'first of kind' technology replacing the function of the disc and facet joints through a posterior approach. The procedure is intended to broadly address leg pain, back pain, and spinal instability, while correcting posture and restoring freedom of movement through reconstruction of the functional spinal unit. 3Spine is seeking single-level indications from L1-S1 in patients suffering from lumbar degeneration with or without foraminal or recess spinal stenosis with no more than a grade 1 spondylolisthesis at the involved level. Additional details are available at ClinicalTrials.gov.
3Spine is a new kind of healthcare company founded to integrate the development, clinical research, and delivery of low back total joint replacement. 3Spine is headquartered in Chattanooga, TN, with research and development facilities in the Greater Boston area and clinical operations in the Cayman Islands. www.3spine.com
Media Contact
Christopher Chafin, SweeneyVesty New York
chris.chafin@sweeneyvesty.com
Tel 718 530 4135
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SOURCE 3Spine | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/29/3spine-inc-completes-first-us-surgeries/ | 2022-06-29T21:13:24Z |
OSLO, Norway (AP) — A gunman opened fire in Oslo’s nightlife district early Saturday, killing two people and leaving more than 20 wounded in what the Norwegian security service called an “Islamist terror act” during the capital’s annual LGBTQ Pride festival.
Investigators said the suspect, identified as a 42-year-old Norwegian citizen originally from Iran, was arrested after opening fire at three locations in downtown Oslo.
Police said two men, one in his 50s and and the other his 60s, died in the shootings. Ten people were treated for serious injuries, but none of them was believed to be in life-threatening condition. Eleven others had minor injuries.
The Norwegian Police Security Service raised its terror alert level from “moderate” to “extraordinary” — the highest level — after the attack, which sent panicked revelers fleeing into the streets or trying to hide from the gunman.
The service’s acting chief, Roger Berg, called the attack an “extreme Islamist terror act” and said the suspect had a “long history of violence and threats,” as well as mental health issues.
He said the agency, known by its Norwegian acronym PST, first became aware of the suspect in 2015 and later grew concerned he had become radicalized and was part of an unspecified Islamist network.
Norwegian media named the suspect as Zaniar Matapour, an Oslo resident who arrived in Norway with his family from a Kurdish part of Iran in the 1990s.
The suspect’s defense lawyer, John Christian Elden, said his client “hasn’t denied” carrying out the attack, but he cautioned against speculation on the motive.
“He has not given any reason. It is too early to conclude whether this is hate crime or terrorism,” Elden said in an email to The Associated Press.
Upon the advice of police, organizers canceled a Pride parade that was set for Saturday as the highlight of a weeklong festival. Scores of people marched through the capital anyway, waving rainbow flags.
Police attorney Christian Hatlo said it was too early to say whether the gunman specifically targeted members of the LGBTQ community.
“We have to look closer at that, we don’t know yet,” he said.
Police said civilians assisted them in detaining the man in custody, who was being held on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and terrorism, based on the number of people targeted at multiple locations.
Investigators seized two weapons after the attack: a handgun and an automatic weapon. Hatlo described both as “not modern” but did not give details.
Not far from Oslo’s cathedral, crime scene tape cordoned off the bars where the shootings took place, including the London Pub, which is popular with the city’s LGBTQ community.
Crowds gathered outside and dropped off cards and flowers at impromptu memorials.
Martin Ebbestad, 29, had walked by earlier, seen the memorials and returned with flowers.
London Pub “is our go-to place. My boyfriend left 20 minutes before (it happened). He was sitting outside in the smoking area,” Ebbestad said. “We know this place so well. It doesn’t feel unsafe, but it does feel very close.”
Norwegian television channel TV2 showed footage of people running down Oslo streets in panic as shots rang out in the background. Olav Roenneberg, a journalist from Norwegian public broadcaster NRK, said he witnessed the shooting.
“I saw a man arrive at the site with a bag. He picked up a weapon and started shooting,” Roenneberg told NRK. “First I thought it was an air gun. Then the glass of the bar next door was shattered and I understood I had to run for cover.”
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere called the shooting a “cruel and deeply shocking attack on innocent people.”
He said that while the motive was unclear, the shooting had caused fear and grief in the LGBTQ community.
“We all stand by you,” Gahr Stoere wrote on Facebook.
Christian Bredeli, who was at the London Pub, told Norwegian newspaper VG that he hid on the fourth floor with a group of about 10 people until he was told it was safe to come out.
“Many were fearing for their lives,” he said. “On our way out we saw several injured people, so we understood that something serious had happened.”
Desta G. Selassie, a co-owner of the London Pub, told AP that employees who witnessed the shooting were in shock and receiving psychological counseling.
Police said the suspect had a criminal record that included a narcotics offense and a weapons offense for carrying a knife.
PST said it spoke to him in May this year “because he had shown a certain interest in statements that were interpreted as insults to Islam.”
“In these conversations, it was assessed that he had no intention of violence, but PST is aware that he has had challenges related to mental health,” the agency said in a statement.
Organizers of Oslo Pride canceled the parade and other scheduled events, and encouraged “people all over Norway to show solidarity” in their homes, neighborhoods and on social media instead.
“We’ll be back later, proud, visible, but right now it’s not the time for that,” Inge Alexander Gjestvang, leader of FRI, a Norwegian organization for sexual and gender diversity, told TV2.
Like its Scandinavian neighbors, Norway is considered progressive on LGBTQ rights. There is widespread support for same-sex marriage, which was legalized in 2009. In 2016, Norway became one of the world’s first countries to allow transgender people to legally change their gender without a doctor’s agreement or intervention.
Norway’s King Harald V offered condolences to the relatives of victims and said the royal family was “horrified” by the attack.
“We must stand together to defend our values: freedom, diversity and respect for each other. We must continue to stand up for all people to feel safe,” the monarch said.
World leaders condemned the attack on their way to a Group of Seven summit in Germany. The summit’s host, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, tweeted, “The Norwegian people can be sure of our sympathy. The fight against terror unites us.” French President Emmanuel Macron offered his condolences in a tweet in Norwegian.
John Kirby, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, told reporters while flying with U.S. President Joe Biden to the G-7 summit, “Our hearts obviously go out to all the families there of the victims, the people of Norway, which is a tremendous ally, and of course the LGBTQI+ community, there and around the world, quite frankly.”
Norway has a relatively low crime rate but has experienced a series of so-called lone wolf attacks in recent decades, including one of the worst mass shootings in Europe. In 2011, a right-wing extremist killed 69 people on the island of Utoya after setting off a bomb in Oslo that left eight dead.
In 2019, another right-wing extremist killed his stepsister and then opened fire in a mosque but was overpowered before anyone there was injured.
Last year, a Norwegian man armed with knives and a bow and arrow killed five people in a town in southern Norway. The attacker, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia, was sentenced Friday to compulsory psychiatric care.
___
Ritter reported from Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Jari Tanner in Helsinki and Sarah Hambro in Oslo contributed to this report. | https://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/norwegian-police-say-2-killed-in-mass-shooting-in-oslo/ | 2022-06-25T21:22:21Z |
NEW YORK, June 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Russell Reynolds Associates (RRA), a global leadership advisory firm, announced today that Gretchen Anderson has been appointed as the new global leader of its culture business.
"We are thrilled to welcome Gretchen to our team," said Justin Cerilli, co-lead of RRA's global capabilities. "According to our research, 90% of CEOs believe improving culture is critical to increasing company value. Throughout her impressive career, Gretchen has demonstrated a profound understanding of how culture translates into company value. Dana Krueger, my global capability co-leader, and I know that Gretchen will be a vital asset to our firm and to advising clients about how to improve their own culture."
In her new role, Anderson will lead a team of global consultants who will diagnose and address challenges related to organizational culture, integrating these insights with Russell Reynolds Associates' proven approaches to talent and leadership. She will serve as a senior strategic advisor to CEOs, CHROs and boards of directors for RRA's industry-leading roster of public, private and nonprofit clients. RRA's culture offering includes the proprietary Culture Imaging approach – an innovative analytics tool designed to elucidate frank, unfiltered responses.
"I believe cultures evolve when people are willing to have the difficult conversations at the right times, and that our role as leadership advisors is to help leaders have the courage and conviction to make those conversations possible," said Anderson. "It's that certitude that I am looking forward to bringing to organizations through our culture offering and teams all over the world."
A Baltimore resident and part of RRA's New York team, Anderson has held multiple leadership roles at renown advisory firms, working most recently at Spencer Stuart. Prior to that, she worked at PwC where she led the Katzenbach Center, a global institute on leadership and organizational culture. She is also an accomplished author, having co-written "The Critical Few: Energize Your Company's Culture by Choosing What Really Matters" with Jon Katzenbach and James Thomas.
Anderson holds a BA in English from Middlebury College in Vermont and spent a year of undergraduate as a matriculated student at St. Hugh's College at Oxford University. She has a Ph.D. in literature from Stanford University and completed an executive education program at Columbia University.
About Russell Reynolds Associates
Russell Reynolds Associates is a global leadership advisory firm. Our 520+ consultants in 47 offices work with public, private and nonprofit organizations across all industries and regions. We help our clients build teams of transformational leaders who can meet today's challenges and anticipate the digital, economic and political trends that are reshaping the global business environment. From helping boards with their structure, culture and effectiveness to identifying, assessing and defining the best leadership for organizations, our teams bring their decades of expertise to help clients address their most complex leadership issues. We exist to improve the way the world is led. www.russellreynolds.com
Contact:
Diana Pastrana
Russell Reynolds Associates
Diana.Pastrana@russellreynolds.com
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SOURCE Russell Reynolds Associates | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/13/russell-reynolds-associates-appoints-gretchen-anderson-lead-its-global-culture-offering-clients-worldwide/ | 2022-06-13T13:02:10Z |
STAMFORD, Conn., LONDON and SYDNEY, June 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tourmaline Partners, LLC, the world's leading outsourced trading solutions firm, today announced key new hires in London and Sydney to further strengthen its team of global trading experts. Gareth Pickard has joined as a senior European Equities and Derivatives Trader, based in London, and James Gleeson has joined as a Managing Director focused on business development as well as trading the APAC region, based in Sydney.
As part of Tourmaline's London team of veteran buy-side traders, Pickard is tasked with delivering best execution of European equities and derivatives to Tourmaline's global roster of institutional investors and managers of all sizes.
He comes to Tourmaline with more than twenty-five years of experience in financial markets, most recently as European Head of Equity Derivatives at BTIG for ten years. In that role, he serviced a broad client base with innovative idea generation and strategy creation.
Gleeson comes to Tourmaline with more than twenty-five years of direct pan-Asian trading experience, spanning electronic, high-touch and block trading. As a senior trader, he will trade both equities and listed derivatives while working closely with the management team charged with business development in both developed and emerging Asia. He will also contribute to Tourmaline's growing business in Europe and the Americas.
In his career, Gleeson's management responsibilities have included running large trading teams focused on trading on China Connect, Delta One, derivatives and electronic execution. Most recently he was Co-Head of Asian Equities at Vantage Capital Markets, and earlier was Head of Asian Sales Trading for Citigroup based in Hong Kong. A recognized leader in the industry, Gleeson has consistently been ranked in the top 3 for sales trading and execution in Asia by major clients in Asia-Pacific and the US over the past seventeen years.
Commenting on the new hires, Tourmaline CEO Aaron Hantman said: "We're excited to welcome Gareth and James to Tourmaline as we continue to respond to the demand for independent, unconflicted outsourced trading from the buy side. As our London office celebrates its tenth anniversary and our Sydney office enters its fifth year of operations, their deep expertise in electronic trading is a pivotal addition to our industry-leading offering. With demand increasingly coming from large asset managers, it's vital that we continue to build our team to bring our clients the best execution and unparalleled service they need to compete and deliver for their own clients."
The new hires are emblematic of continued growth for Tourmaline globally. The firm has made significant recent hires in trading and operations and established a new Dallas office in December 2020, further expanding its global footprint.
Tourmaline Partners provides tailor-made outsourced and supplemental trading solutions and best-execution expertise to more than 350 institutional investment clients ranging from emerging hedge funds to trillion-dollar asset managers.
Tourmaline Partners is the world's leading outsourced trading solutions firm, providing tailor-made services to hedge funds and asset managers of all sizes, pairing clients' trading needs with our expertise. Through continuous investment in technology and human capital, a singular focus on trading, and non-competitive relationships with 400+ global brokers, Tourmaline provides clients with access to unparalleled liquidity, market intelligence and customized workflows for defining, measuring and achieving best execution.
Tourmaline Partners, LLC is registered with the SEC and FINRA. Tourmaline Europe LLP is a wholly owned subsidiary authorized and regulated by the FCA.
Media Contact
Michael Kingsley
Forefront Communications
+1-914-522-9471
mkingsley@forefrontcomms.com
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SOURCE Tourmaline Partners | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/09/tourmaline-partners-adds-senior-traders-london-sydney-support-continued-global-growth/ | 2022-06-09T14:06:46Z |
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: AKBA), a biopharmaceutical company with the purpose to better the lives of people impacted by kidney disease, granted three newly-hired employees options to purchase an aggregate of 14,000 shares of Akebia's common stock on May 31, 2022, as inducements material to each such employee entering into employment with Akebia. The options were granted in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).
The options have an exercise price of $0.37 per share, which is equal to the closing price of Akebia's common stock on the grant date. Each stock option vests over four years, with 25% of the shares vesting on the first anniversary of the grant date and the remaining 75% of shares vesting quarterly thereafter, in each case, subject to the new employee's continued service with Akebia. Each stock option has a 10-year term and is subject to the terms and conditions of Akebia's inducement award program and a stock option agreement covering the grant.
About Akebia Therapeutics
Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. is a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company with the purpose to better the lives of people impacted by kidney disease. Akebia was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. For more information, please visit our website at www.akebia.com, which does not form a part of this release.
Akebia Therapeutics Contact
Mercedes Carrasco
mcarrasco@akebia.com
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SOURCE Akebia Therapeutics | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/02/akebia-therapeutics-reports-inducement-grants-under-nasdaq-listing-rule-5635c4/ | 2022-06-02T22:02:01Z |
How to prepare for a storm
The first storm watch of the season has already been posted for Florida and Cuba. As the climate continues to change, these storms become more and more volatile. Areas of the country that used to only experience mild weather are now subject to destructive storms and other natural disasters. No matter where you live, you need to know how to prepare.
As we’ve seen with the recent shortages, essentials might not always be in stock for a quick purchase. The best thing you can do is get the items you need now. Here are three steps of storm preparation and 10 items you’ll want to have on hand when a storm is approaching.
The three steps of storm preparation
No matter what type of storm is coming — a thunderstorm, a hurricane, a tornado or a winter storm — there are three things you need to do to prepare: educate, create and gather.
Educate
Not all storms are the same. The first step to being prepared is to educate yourself so you understand the timeline and risk factors.
Timeline: A hurricane, for example, begins as a tropical cyclone in the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean. After one forms, there is a cone of uncertainty predicting where it will make landfall and how it will travel across the country. With a hurricane, you will know three to five days in advance if you are in the path of the storm.
A tornado, on the other hand, can happen whenever warm, moist air collides with cold, dry air. It can take you by surprise. This is why there are tornado watches and tornado warnings. A tornado watch lets you know when the weather conditions are such that a tornado could form. A tornado warning, however, alerts you that a tornado has already been identified in your area.
Understanding the timeline of different types of storms lets you know when you need to act.
Risk factors: During a thunderstorm, there is a risk of flooding, power outages, lightning, fire and more. With a winter storm, you add hypothermia, frostbite, carbon monoxide poisoning and other hazards. Tornadoes and hurricanes can produce damaging and deadly winds. Understanding all the risk factors lets you prepare accordingly.
Create
Long before the storms arrive, you need to create a plan of action. This plan should include everything you need to do as a storm approaches, such as securing your home, gathering clean water, bringing patio furniture indoors, filling your car with gas and more. It should involve monitoring a weather radio so you aren’t caught unprepared by ever-changing weather conditions. It is also important to have a plan in place to care for pets and people who need help or supervision. Make sure all important phone numbers are in everyone’s phone, and have several escape routes mapped out in case you need to evacuate.
Gather
The third step is all about stocking up on the things you will need once the storm hits. Make a checklist of essentials, and keep it in a file on your computer or mobile device so you can adjust it as your experience with storms grows and your living situation evolves. It is also important to print out a backup hard copy of the list, and keep it somewhere that is easily accessible.
In times of crises, you might not be thinking as clearly as you would like. That is why your checklist should also include where you store essentials so you can quickly find them. For example, you need to know where to find batteries, lanterns, flashlights and your first-aid kit. The best option is to assemble an emergency kit that has everything you need in one place.
10 things you need to prepare for approaching storms
Sawyer Products Mini Water Filtration System
While your first action should be to fill up sinks, tubs and jugs with fresh drinking water, you need a backup plan in case that water gets contaminated. Sawyer’s water filtration system comes with everything you need to purify your water in emergencies. This model can remove up to 99.99% of bacteria and protozoa. It also removes 100% of microplastics and can filter up to 100,000 gallons of water.
Sold by Amazon
If you lose power, you won’t be able to cook, and you can’t keep refrigerated foods safe to eat. Whenever a storm is approaching, make sure you have a backup supply of nonperishable food. Kind bars are a great option because they are a nutritionally dense offering that provides protein and fiber. On top of that, they are delicious.
Swiss Safe 200-piece Professional First-Aid Kit
If anyone in your family gets injured during a storm, you might not be able to travel to an urgent care facility. This means you must have medical supplies on hand to treat minor injuries. A comprehensive first-aid kit is essential in any emergency. This offering from Swiss Safe gives you 200 items that go a little beyond the typical bandages, tape and alcohol prep pads. You also get a fire starter rod, a wire saw and a Mylar blanket.
Sold by Amazon
SupplyAid KN95 Protective Face Mask
If the air isn’t safe to breathe, you won’t stay healthy for very long. Storms can kick a variety of undesirable particles into the air. To help keep you safe, this five-pack of foldable KN95 masks can filter out at least 95% of particles greater than 0.3 microns in size. It is an excellent addition to your home emergency preparedness pack.
Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
Kidde Basic Use Fire Extinguisher
Every home needs to have smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. After a storm, when the threat of a fire can be even greater, these basic items become even more important. This two-pack of Kidde fire extinguishers is rated to handle combustible, liquid, gas or electrical fires. It has an impact-resistant metal valve and an easy-to-read gauge. If you ever need to use a fire extinguisher, remember to P.A.S.S.: Pull the pin, aim, squeeze and sweep.
Sold by Home Depot
To keep abreast of changing weather, you need an emergency radio. This model has a battery that can be charged by a USB cable, a hand crank or via the built-in solar panel. If you need a backup battery, this unit can also power your phone. It features a rugged, waterproof design and has a built-in AM/FM/NOAA radio so you can stay current with all weather and news updates.
Sold by Amazon
If the power goes out, you’ll want a hands-free light source that lets you see what you need to do at any time of day. This Coleman lantern delivers 100 lumens for up to 20 hours. If you need brighter light, the high mode gives you 400 lumens. For convenience, you can also use this lantern to charge your mobile devices.
Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
Energizer T1000 LED Tactical Flashlight
When you require a portable light source, you do not want to depend on your phone — you need that to make calls. This tactical flashlight from Energizer provides 1,000 lumens and has a range of over 600 feet. It is made with aircraft-grade alloy for durability and is waterproof, so it will hold up under a wide range of adverse conditions.
Sold by Amazon
Moko Fireproof Money and Document Bag
Even when there are no looming storms, you want to keep all important, hard-to-replace documents in a safe location. Moko’s silicone-coated document bag has an aluminum foil interior that allows it to withstand temperatures of up to 1,832 degrees. It is water-resistant and features a dual closure (zipper and hook-and-loop) for maximum protection.
Sold by Amazon
NOCO Boost X GBX155 UltraSafe Portable Lithium Jump Starter
If you need to evacuate, a dead vehicle battery means you can’t drive to safety. A lithium jump starter can save your life in this situation. The NOCO Boost X GBX155 can fully recharge in under three hours. If you just need it to provide a single jump, that only takes five minutes. The mistake-proof technology means even a novice will be safe when they jump-start a vehicle. If needed, this unit can be used as a power bank to recharge your mobile devices.
Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/home-br/safety-security-br/as-storms-head-your-way-10-things-you-need-to-prepare/ | 2022-06-08T23:43:26Z |
HALIFAX, NS, Aug. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - The Board of Directors of WildBrain Ltd. ("WildBrain" or the "Company") (TSX: WILD), a global leader in kids' and family entertainment, has extended Eric Ellenbogen's contract as Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chair of the Company for three years. Ellenbogen joined WildBrain in August 2019 and, since then, has bolstered the Company's core businesses, while opening new growth areas and expanding into new regions.
Ellenbogen said: "These past three years saw us deliberately build the resources and teams to create an end-to-end 360-degree platform to monetize kids' brands globally in the digital world. While this required significant and consistent investment to reposition and turn our assets to account, we are now set to generate meaningful financial returns in the years ahead. We believe we are the only independent global kids' company with this full, 360-degree suite of capabilities across production, marketing, distribution and licensing—a truly unique and valuable position in today's media landscape.
"Looking forward to our next three years, we've already built an incredibly strong content pipeline of our owned IP that we'll be bringing back to market and monetizing across our 360-degree platform. We'll continue to build on this strong pipeline and, further, we'll now look to bring on and develop more, and deeper, partnerships with third-party kids' brands. We'll also continue to look to partner with the large distribution platforms that need our capabilities to truly compete, allowing them to engage viewers wherever, however and whenever audiences want."
Under Ellenbogen's tenure to date, the company has:
- Implemented its 360° IP strategy to activate multiple evergreen brands from WildBrain's vault, leveraging the Company's capabilities across content production, marketing, distribution and consumer products licensing
- Bolstered the management team with experienced executives from DreamWorks, NBCUniversal, Disney, Nickelodeon, 20th Century Fox and Hasbro, among others
- Continued to grow the WildBrain Spark digital media division to over 1 trillion minutes of watch time on YouTube
- Expanded the global footprint of the Company's wholly owned consumer products agency, WildBrain CPLG, into Asia Pacific, North America, India, Germany and Italy; and launched a dedicated China office, forging content partnerships with iQiyi, Youku, Tencent, ByteDance and others
- Increased the Company's IP holdings with consolidation of rights in existing titles, and acquisitions or partnerships such as the Jay Ward Productions library (Rocky & Bullwinkle, George of the Jungle, etc.)
- Produced over 550 half hours of original content across animation and live action
- Executed multiple significant original content and library deals for evergreen brands with major distribution partners, including:
- Re-launched the Strawberry Shortcake brand with a new digital-first series on WildBrain Spark, driving new consumer products and gaming deals, plus new content production and distribution deals with Netflix, Peacock, Roku, Amazon and others
- Grew Peanuts licensing business to over US $2.5 billion at retail, globally
- Secured $25 million in financing to drive growth initiatives; raised $60 million in over-subscribed Rights Offering; refinanced credit facilities on favourable terms
As part of the Company's overall succession planning, the contract includes an option to transition Ellenbogen to Executive Chair in the second half of the term.
Don Wright, Chair of WildBrain's Board of Directors, said: "When Eric was appointed CEO and Vice Chair almost three years ago, WildBrain needed a new vision and a turnaround. In that time, he has successfully set the Company on a profitable and sustainable growth trajectory. He has built a deep and experienced management team and infused our global organization with a culture of creative excellence, innovation, accountability and inclusivity. On behalf of the Board, we're confident that Eric is the right leader to drive shareholder value, with a compelling vision for WildBrain's future."
Ellenbogen added: "I believe our management team is one of the strongest in entertainment, and I'm delighted to continue working with this talented group to cement WildBrain's leadership position in the kids' and family business. I'm grateful to my colleagues across the entire WildBrain organization for their passion, dedication and hard work, and also to my fellow Board members for their continued support and their diligence on behalf of our shareholders. It's a great time to be at WildBrain, and I couldn't be more excited for what comes next."
Prior to joining WildBrain, Ellenbogen spent over 30 years managing some of the most enduring IP in media and entertainment. He has held senior executive roles as President of Broadway Video Entertainment, President of Golden Books Family Entertainment, and President and CEO of Marvel Enterprises before its acquisition by Disney. With the backing of private equity, he co-founded Classic Media in 2000, which became one of the largest private owners of branded kids' and family entertainment and was acquired by DreamWorks Animation (DWA) in 2012. At DWA, Ellenbogen became Co-Head of DreamWorks Classics and DreamWorks International Television and was key to the company's entry into the television business. Following DWA's sale to NBCUniversal, Ellenbogen became Co-President of Classic Media, which was restarted as a business unit of NBCUniversal. Ellenbogen was a board director of Golden Books and Marvel, then both public companies.
About WildBrain
At WildBrain we inspire imaginations to run wild, engaging kids and families everywhere with great content across all media. With approximately 13,000 half-hours of filmed entertainment in our library – one of the world's most extensive – we are home to such brands as Peanuts, Teletubbies, Strawberry Shortcake, Yo Gabba Gabba!, Caillou, Inspector Gadget, Johnny Test and Degrassi. At our 75,000-square-foot state-of-the-art animation studio in Vancouver, BC, we produce such fan-favourite series as The Snoopy Show, Snoopy in Space, Chip & Potato, Carmen Sandiego, Go, Dog. Go! and more. Our shows are enjoyed worldwide in more than 150 countries on over 500 streaming platforms and telecasters, and our AVOD business – WildBrain Spark – offers one of the largest networks of kids' channels on YouTube, garnering billions of views per month from over 245 million subscribers. Through our leading agency, WildBrain CPLG, we also license consumer products and location-based entertainment in every major territory for our own properties as well as for our clients and content partners. Our television group owns and operates four family entertainment channels that are among the most viewed in Canada. WildBrain is headquartered in Canada with offices worldwide and trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: WILD). Visit us at WildBrain.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward looking statements" under applicable securities laws with respect to WildBrain including, without limitation, statements regarding the growth strategy of WildBrain, WildBrain's production pipeline, investments made by WildBrain and expected benefits and associated financial returns, the value of WildBrain's assets and market position, WildBrain's succession planning, the business strategies and operational activities of WildBrain, the markets and industries in which WildBrain operates, and the growth and future financial and operating performance of WildBrain. Although WildBrain believes that the expectations reflected in such forward looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties and are based on information currently available to WildBrain. Actual results or events may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof, and WildBrain assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.
Forward-looking statements are based on factors and assumptions that management believes are reasonable at the time they are made, but a number of assumptions may prove to be incorrect, including, but not limited to, assumptions about (i) WildBrain's future operating results, (ii) the expected pace of expansion of WildBrain's operations, (iii) future general economic and market conditions, including debt and equity capital markets and the availability of financing on acceptable terms, (iv) the impact of increasing competition on WildBrain, (v) changes in the industries, and changes in laws and regulations related to the industries, in which WildBrain operates, (vi) consumer preferences, (vii) the ability of WildBrain to execute on acquisition and other growth strategies and opportunities and realize the expected benefits therefrom, (viii) the ability of WildBrain to execute on production, distribution and licensing arrangements, (ix) the availability of investment opportunities at acceptable valuations and the ability of WildBrain to execute on such investment opportunities, * the timing for commencement and completion of productions, (xi) the ability of WildBrain and its partners to execute on its brand plans and consumer products programs, (xii) changes in the markets and industries in which the WildBrain operates and the ability of WildBrain to adapt to such changes, (xiii) changes to YouTube and in advertising markets, (xiv) the ability of WildBrain to commercialize consumer products related to its brands, and (xv) changes in foreign exchange and interest rates.
Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific and which give rise to the possibility that expectations, forecasts, predictions, projections or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that assumptions may not be correct, and that objectives, strategic goals and priorities will not be achieved. Known and unknown risk factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, the current outbreak of COVID-19 and the magnitude and length of economic disruption as a result of such outbreak, market factors, WildBrain's ability to close and execute on anticipated production, distribution, licensing and other contracts, the ability of WildBrain to realize the expected value of its assets, and other factors discussed in materials filed with applicable securities regulatory authorities from time to time including matters discussed under "Risk Factors" in WildBrain's most recent Annual Information Form and Management Discussion and Analysis filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada and available under the Company's profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com).
For more information, please contact:
Investor Relations: Nancy Chan-Palmateer - Director, Investor Relations, WildBrain
nancy.chanpalmateer@wildbrain.com
+1 416-977-7358
Media: Shaun Smith - Director, Corporate & Trade Communications, WildBrain
shaun.smith@wildbrain.com
+1 416-977-7230
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SOURCE WildBrain Ltd. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/24/wildbrain-renews-ceo-eric-ellenbogens-contract/ | 2022-08-24T21:46:05Z |
- Dragon Artifacts consisting of 5 types of equipment released on September 6
- Converting HYDRA into Dragonsteel to craft Dragon Artifact
- Announced the upcoming 'Domination Server' designed for level 90 or higher fighters
SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Wemade's masterpiece MMORPG MIR4 updated Dragon Artifact on September 6, a new equipment for increasing power score.
Dragon Artifact, a new equipment infused with strong power of the dragon, consists of five items including Majestic Scepter (staff), Majestic Cape (cape), Majestic Crown (crown), Majestic Seal (royal seal), and Majestic Tome (book). All players can put on the equipment regardless of their class.
To craft a Dragon Artifact, Dragon Sphere, Dragonsteel, Darksteel, Dragon Material, and Eternal Material are required as common materials. The new material, Dragonsteel, can be utilized in various ways in the game, such as crafting and strengthening Dragon Artifact or using Special Enchant.
Special Enchant is a function that can further strengthen the existing equipment by using Dragonsteel. An enchant slot is added to Epic grade or higher equipment and improved abilities are gained with a certain probability.
A newly introduced system will allow HYDRA, the game token, to be converted into Dragonsteel. In addition, if Septaria is given to Arcadia Spirit Village NPC, users can obtain a Dragonsteel box.
Meanwhile, MIR4 announced its plan to update 'Domination Server' for powerful fighters over level 90 in each server.
Please visit the official website and community for more details of MIR4 Global.
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SOURCE Wemade | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/06/wemade-updates-dragon-artifact-mir4/ | 2022-09-06T00:45:06Z |
PLYMOUTH, Mass. (AP) — A crewless robotic boat retracing the 1620 sea voyage of the Mayflower has landed near Plymouth Rock.
The sleek Mayflower Autonomous Ship met with an escort boat as it approached the Massachusetts shoreline Thursday, more than 400 years after its namesake’s historic journey from England.
It was towed into Plymouth Harbor — per U.S. Coast Guard rules for crewless vessels — and docked near a replica of the original Mayflower that brought the Pilgrims to America.
Piloted by artificial intelligence technology, the 50-foot (15-meter) trimaran didn’t have a captain, navigator or any humans on board.
The solar-powered ship’s first attempt to cross the Atlantic in 2021 was beset with technical problems, forcing it back to its home port of Plymouth, England — the same place the Pilgrim settlers sailed from in 1620.
It set off from the southwest English coast again in April but mechanical difficulties diverted it to Portugal’s Azores islands and then to Canada.
“When you don’t have anybody onboard, you obviously can’t do the mechanical, physical fixes that are needed,” said Rob High, a software executive at IBM helping to work on the project. “That’s also part of the learning process.”
On Monday, it departed Halifax, Nova Scotia for a successful 4-day journey to Plymouth Harbor.
Nonprofit marine research organization ProMare worked with IBM to build the ship and has been using it to collect data about whales, microplastics pollution and for other scientific research. Small autonomous experimental vessels have crossed the Atlantic before but researchers describe it as the first ship of its size to do so.
The voyage’s completion “means we can start analyzing data from the ship’s journey” and dig into the AI system’s performance, High said. He said the prospect of such crewless vessels navigating the seas on a continuous basis will make it easier to collect “all the kinds of things that marine scientists care about.” | https://cw33.com/technology/ap-technology/crewless-robotic-mayflower-ship-reaches-plymouth-rock/ | 2022-07-01T00:26:24Z |
WASHINGTON, Aug. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As the nation continues to navigate an ongoing mental health crisis, a new report from the American Psychiatric Association (APA), Psychiatric Bed Crisis in the U.S.: Understanding the Problem and Moving Toward Solutions, provides an assessment of the current problem of the lack of access to psychiatric beds and proposes a new model for estimating the needs within a community.
Access to inpatient psychiatric beds undergirds local mental health systems, providing essential services to help treat adults or young people who are experiencing mental illness, just like inpatient medical hospitalization serves the most acutely ill. Today communities have no effective means to assess how many beds they need to meet the demand in their population. Too often, psychiatric inpatient beds are not available when needed and people with mental illnesses end up boarding in emergency departments or being discharged prematurely.
The report is the work of the APA Presidential Task Force on Assessment of Psychiatric Bed Needs in the United States, created in 2020 by APA's then-President Jeffrey Geller, M.D., M.P.H., and led by APA Past President Anita Everett, M.D. It is separated into seven sections, including historical context, definitions, financing, population factors and special populations, community factors, children and adolescents, and the development of the model concept.
"The work has to begin locally to take on a problem as complex as access to mental health, but without a true understanding of existing community services, progress is difficult," said Everett. "Determining the number of beds needed in a locality must include consideration of community services that could prevent the need for inpatient care, and this report took the expertise of many leaders in the field to comprehensively document all the factors that impact that number. The report offers a model policymakers can follow in making the choices to meet the needs of adults and children with mental illness."
"APA Presidential Task Force on Assessment of Psychiatric Bed Needs in the United States took on a complex, challenging problem in our field," said APA CEO and Medical Director Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A. "The Task Force will help ensure we are better serving patients in the future with access to needed mental health care."
The American Psychiatric Association, founded in 1844, is the oldest medical association in the country. The APA is also the largest psychiatric association in the world with more than 37,000 physician members specializing in the diagnosis, treatment, prevention and research of mental illnesses. APA's vision is to ensure access to quality psychiatric diagnosis and treatment. For more information, please visit www.psychiatry.org.
Media Contact
Erin Connors
econnors@psych.org
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SOURCE American Psychiatric Association | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/16/report-american-psychiatric-association-addresses-psychiatric-bed-crisis-us-explores-new-model-determine-community-needs/ | 2022-08-16T19:38:25Z |
The recognition validates the company's commitment to investing in value-added services to spur growth
CHICAGO, Aug. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hightower, one of the largest registered investment advisors (RIAs) in the nation, today announced it has once again been named to Inc. 5000's 2022 List of Fastest-Growing Companies in the U.S.
"We are honored to be named to the Inc. 5000 alongside some of the world's most respected and distinguished companies," said Hightower Chairman and CEO Bob Oros. "At Hightower, we are committed to offering a range of sophisticated services to catalyze and accelerate organic growth for financial advisors. We want to thank all Hightower employees and advisory businesses for their dedication, focus and hard work in contributing to our collective success."
In the past year, Hightower has grown significantly, a result of both organic growth and robust M&A activity. In 2021, Hightower completed 13 transactions and achieved annualized 9% organic growth (net new assets, not market appreciation), far surpassing the industry average of less than 5% growth.
Last year, Hightower was named to Inc. magazine's inaugural list of America's 250 Best-Led Companies. The firm also received several industry accolades last year, including WealthManagement.com's Wealthies Awards and ThinkAdvisor's Luminary Awards. The firm's advisors regularly appear on best-of lists, including Barron's, Forbes and InvestmentNews' top advisor rankings.
Companies appearing on the Inc. 5000 list must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2021. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2018.
See the list here: www.inc.com/inc5000/2022.
Hightower is a wealth management firm that provides investment, financial and retirement planning services to individuals, foundations and family offices, as well as 401(k) consulting and cash management services to corporations. Hightower's capital solutions, operational support services, size and scale empower its vibrant community of independent-minded wealth advisors to grow their businesses and help their clients achieve their vision of "well-th. rebalanced." Based in Chicago with advisors across the U.S., the firm operates as a registered investment advisor (RIA). Learn more about Hightower's collaborative business model at www.hightoweradvisors.com.
Securities offered through Hightower Securities, LLC member FINRA/SIPC. Hightower Advisors, LLC is a SEC registered investment advisor.
Media Contact:
Patty Buchanan
JConnelly
(973) 567-9415
pbuchanan@jconnelly.com
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SOURCE Hightower | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/16/hightower-named-inc-5000s-2022-list-fastest-growing-companies-us/ | 2022-08-16T16:35:38Z |
MIAMI, July 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) today announced it has received court approval to acquire the ultra-luxury cruise ship Endeavor. Originally delivered to Crystal Cruises in 2021, the ship will be renamed Silver Endeavour when it officially joins the Group's wholly owned subsidiary, Silversea Cruises' fleet, this month.
The purchase price for the vessel was $275 million, significantly below the cost of construction. The vessel was fully financed through a 15-year unsecured term loan, guaranteed by the German export credit agency, Euler Hermes, with no amortization payments in the first two years. The acquisition is expected to be immediately accretive to earnings, cash flow and ROIC.
"With Endeavour, we are seeking to grow our world class fleet to meet the exceptional demand for ultra-luxury expedition cruising, while also enhancing our profitability profile and affirming Silversea's position as the industry's leading ultra-luxury and expedition cruise line," said Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group.
Built to PC6 polar class specifications, the ship can operate all of Silversea's current expedition itineraries and is designed specifically to take travelers to the world's most remote destinations, including both polar regions.
"The expedition cruising industry is poised to resume accelerated growth driven by demand among high-end, affluent customers for travel to remote and hard-to-access destinations," said Roberto Martinoli, president and CEO, Silversea Cruises. "This ship will be the fourth vessel to join Silversea's fleet since 2020, which demonstrates our commitment to growth."
Silver Endeavour offers the highest standards in the industry in terms of space-per-guest ratio, and crew-to-guest ratio, as well as top-notch accommodations and public areas. The ship's state-of-the-art expedition amenities offer guests some of the most immersive and luxury experiences available, including traveling with a fleet of zodiac boats for remote exploration.
"Delivering the best vacations in the world, responsibly, is Royal Caribbean Group's purpose," Liberty said. "While our acquisition only covers the physical vessel, we want all of our guests to know we go above and beyond to take care of them."
As part of the ongoing RCL Cares program, Royal Caribbean Group will protect the deposits of guests who were originally booked on Crystal Endeavor and make a new booking on one of the Group's global brands – Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises.
"We believe those Crystal guests will receive back their deposits, but we want to give them added assurance," Liberty added.
To the extent the Crystal Endeavor guests do not receive their deposits back from Crystal or other sources, the Royal Caribbean Group will refund any amount paid on their new booking up to the amount of their lost deposits from Crystal. Complete terms of the offer will be provided on each brand's website soon.
Silver Endeavour is scheduled to begin service winter 2022/2023, spending its inaugural season in Antarctica starting November 2022.
About Royal Caribbean Group
Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) is one of the leading cruise companies in the world with a global fleet of 63 ships traveling to approximately 1,000 destinations around the world. Royal Caribbean Group is the owner and operator of three award-winning cruise brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises, and it is also a 50% owner of a joint venture that operates TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. Together, the brands have an additional 10 ships on order as of June 30, 2022. Learn more at www.royalcaribbeangroup.com or www.rclinvestor.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements relate to, among other things, the company's expectations and projections regarding growth in the expedition cruising industry, customer demand, and profitability. Forward-looking statements reflect management's current expectations and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied in those forward-looking statements. Factors that could affect our results include, among others, those discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in our most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q, as well as our other filings with the SEC, copies of which may be obtained by visiting our Investor Relations website at www.rclinvestor.com or the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements in this release, which are based on information available to us on the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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SOURCE Royal Caribbean Group | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/18/royal-caribbean-group-acquires-cruise-ship-endeavor-growing-silversea-cruises-expedition-offerings/ | 2022-07-18T13:24:38Z |
-- Report highlights efforts to deliver sustainable value to patients and communities, foster a diverse and empowered workforce, and operate with exceptional integrity --
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., July 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Blueprint Medicines Corporation (NASDAQ: BPMC) today published its first Corporate Responsibility Report, highlighting its long-standing commitment to deliver sustainable value to patients with cancer and blood disorders, as well as the communities in which it operates. The report, which formalizes the company's efforts to track and report environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards and initiatives, includes summaries and performance metrics that demonstrate its purpose-driven culture and socially conscious business practices.
"Since we began operations just over a decade ago, Blueprint Medicines has become a leading precision therapy company, fueled by our profound sense of mission to drive scientific innovation and deliver life-changing treatments to patients, as well as make positive impacts on the multitude of people and communities we touch along the way," said Kate Haviland, Chief Executive Officer of Blueprint Medicines. "As we continue to grow our business, we are committed to being a force for good, and our first Corporate Responsibility Report is an important step toward this goal by providing transparency into our ongoing efforts as well as a foundation for future progress."
The report summarizes the company's activities across five interconnected domains including patient access and community engagement, research and development, employees and culture, environmental sustainability, and governance and integrity, and adopts accounting standards for the biotechnology and pharmaceuticals industry from the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB). The report was developed by a cross-functional corporate responsibility working group with direction from the Executive Team and oversight from the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of Blueprint Medicines' Board of Directors. It is available for download at www.BlueprintMedicines.com/Our-Responsibility.
About Blueprint Medicines
Blueprint Medicines is a global precision therapy company that invents life-changing therapies for people with cancer and blood disorders. Applying an approach that is both precise and agile, we create medicines that selectively target genetic drivers, with the goal of staying one step ahead across stages of disease. Since 2011, we have leveraged our research platform, including expertise in molecular targeting and world-class drug design capabilities, to rapidly and reproducibly translate science into a broad pipeline of precision therapies. Today, we are delivering approved medicines directly to patients in the United States and Europe, and we are globally advancing multiple programs for systemic mastocytosis, lung cancer and other genomically defined cancers, and cancer immunotherapy. For more information, visit www.BlueprintMedicines.com and follow us on Twitter (@BlueprintMeds) and LinkedIn.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including, without limitation, statements regarding Blueprint Medicines' strategy, goals and anticipated milestones, business plans and focus. The words "aim," "may," "will," "could," "would," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "intend," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "project," "potential," "continue," "target" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Any forward-looking statements in this report are based on management's current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and important factors that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements contained in this report, including, without limitation, risks and uncertainties related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to Blueprint Medicines' business, operations, strategy, goals and anticipated milestones, including Blueprint Medicines' ongoing and planned research and discovery activities, ability to conduct ongoing and planned clinical trials, clinical supply of current or future drug candidates, commercial supply of current or future approved products, and launching, marketing and selling current or future approved products; Blueprint Medicines' ability and plans in continuing to establish and expand a commercial infrastructure, and successfully launching, marketing and selling current or future approved products; Blueprint Medicines' ability to successfully expand the approved indications for AYVAKIT/AYVAKYT and GAVRETO or obtain marketing approval for AYVAKIT/AYVAKYT in additional geographies in the future; the delay of any current or planned clinical trials or the development of Blueprint Medicines' current or future drug candidates; Blueprint Medicines' advancement of multiple early-stage efforts; Blueprint Medicines' ability to successfully demonstrate the safety and efficacy of its drug candidates and gain approval of its drug candidates on a timely basis, if at all; the preclinical and clinical results for Blueprint Medicines' drug candidates, which may not support further development of such drug candidates either as monotherapies or in combination with other agents or may impact the anticipated timing of data or regulatory submissions; the timing of the initiation of clinical trials and trial cohorts at clinical trial sites and patient enrollment rates; actions of regulatory agencies, which may affect the initiation, timing and progress of clinical trials; Blueprint Medicines' ability to obtain, maintain and enforce patent and other intellectual property protection for AYVAKIT/AYVAKYT, GAVRETO or any drug candidates it is developing; Blueprint Medicines' ability to develop and commercialize companion diagnostic tests for AYVAKIT/AYVAKYT, GAVRETO or any of its current and future drug candidates; Blueprint Medicines' ability to successfully expand its operations, research platform and portfolio of therapeutic candidates, and the timing and costs thereof; Blueprint Medicines' ability to realize the anticipated benefits of its executive leadership transition plan; and the success of Blueprint Medicines' current and future collaborations, acquisitions, partnerships or licensing arrangements. These and other risks and uncertainties are described in greater detail in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Blueprint Medicines' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including Blueprint Medicines' most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as supplemented by its most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and any other filings that Blueprint Medicines has made or may make with the SEC in the future. Any forward-looking statements contained in this report represent Blueprint Medicines' views only as of the date hereof and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. Except as required by law, Blueprint Medicines explicitly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
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SOURCE Blueprint Medicines Corporation | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/14/blueprint-medicines-publishes-inaugural-corporate-responsibility-report/ | 2022-07-14T21:58:48Z |
Man charged with arson in connection with massive fire at a California Home Depot that could be seen from space, police say
By Amir Vera and Cheri Mossburg, CNN
The man accused of setting a massive fire that destroyed a Home Depot in San Jose, California, earlier this month is facing multiple charges, including arson, according to prosecutors.
Dyllin Jaycruz Gogue, 27, is accused of lighting a fire as he was allegedly trying to steal tools on April 9, according to a news release from the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.
The flames “sent employees and customers running for their lives,” Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said during a news conference Tuesday.
Gogue allegedly lit the fire and tried to leave the store with a cart full of tools, but was stopped by an employee and fled, the release said.
“The flames quickly enveloped and destroyed the entire 98,827 square foot store causing an estimated $17 million in inventory loss,” the release said.
The loss of the entire building is “tens of millions of dollars more,” Rosen noted during the news conference.
“I am thankful this was not a multiple murder case. This fire — set during business hours — could so easily have left bodies in the rubble,” Rosen said in the news release.
Gogue was arrested Friday, the release from prosecutors said.
In addition to arson, Gogue is charged with a string of thefts in the area dating back to October, according to court documents.
Gogue faces 10 felony counts, including aggravated arson, arson of an inhabited structure or property, and grand theft, plus three petty theft misdemeanors, charging documents show.
In a court appearance Tuesday, Gogue did not enter a plea and was ordered held without bond.
“We are glad there were no physical injuries,” Gogue’s attorney, Christopher Yuen, told CNN. “We respect the strong feelings in the community and are waiting for the investigative materials to come in.”
If convicted as charged, Gogue could face 14 years to life in prison, according to Rosen. He is set to enter a plea at a court hearing on June 1.
Fire’s heat signature seen from space
The five-alarm fire was reported around 5 p.m. on April 9, CNN affiliate KGO reported.
“The Home Depot is pretty much a total loss, the roof is pretty much collapsed from the entire structure,” San Jose Fire Department battalion chief Brad Cloutier told KGO at the time.
Two nearby homes were also damaged by the massive fire, according to the complaint against Gogue.
During the early hours of the blaze, the heat signature was so large it could be observed from space, according to the National Weather Service’s San Francisco office.
“We’re thankful no one was harmed, and that all of our associates and customers are safe and accounted for,” Home Depot spokesperson Margaret Smith told CNN. “Thank you to our associates for the fast action and courage they showed to quickly evacuate the building, which ensured no one was harmed.”
Home Depot has not announced whether it will rebuild the store, but the 180 displaced employees have all been relocated to other stores in the area according to their preference, Smith said.
“We owe a great deal of thanks to the first responders, San Jose fire, police and partner organizations for their fast response and investigation that led to this arrest,” she added.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
CNN’s Caroline Kucera contributed to this report. | https://localnews8.com/news/national-world/cnn-national/2022/04/20/man-charged-with-arson-in-connection-with-massive-fire-at-a-california-home-depot-that-could-be-seen-from-space-police-say/ | 2022-04-20T12:18:34Z |
DALLAS (KDAF) — “Because every child deserves a full head of hair.”
HairClub For Kids is the nonprofit sector of Dallas’ HairClub. They operate on the belief that every child should have the opportunity to do all the things children love to do without the restrictions that hair loss can give.
They provide non-surgical hair replacement services completely free for eligible children. Eligibility includes children between the ages 6-to-17 years of age experiencing hair loss.
“Children come in with the consent of their parents and physicians, and if they are referred to us by a physician; and we have hair made for them. To fit their texture, [hair] color, density and size of their head, so that it looks as though they are growing hair from their head, just like the rest of us do,” Sherry Hight, HairClub stylist, said.
Officials say they have been helping children with hair loss since 1992. For more information visit hairclub.com/hair-club-kids. | https://cw33.com/news/local/because-every-child-deserves-a-full-head-of-hair-dallas-nonprofit-helps-children-with-hair-loss/ | 2022-06-17T18:03:44Z |
TURKU, Finland , May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Teleste is thrilled to announce that it has participated in the first successful DOCSIS® 4.0 Extended Spectrum DOCSIS (ESD) amplifier cascade demonstration that was recently completed at CableLabs' '10G Showcase' in Colorado, US. Bringing leading cable operators and technology vendors under one roof to collaborate on the industry's multi-gigabit future, the event demonstrated the cable infrastructure's potential as a front line for operators to continue increasing data transmission speed and capacity in their hybrid fiber-coax (HFC) networks.
In the demonstration, an end-to-end system was created with equipment from Teleste and other prominent cable equipment vendors to showcase the superior performance of DOCSIS 4.0 technology. The system included four 1.8 GHz ICON amplifiers in cascade from Teleste, and the resulting network supported speed tests of 8.9 Gbps downstream and 6.2 Gbps upstream. While the demo setup included four cascaded amplifiers, it is important to note that the 1.8 GHz technology allows longer cascades as well, supporting infrastructures that are typical in the market today and enabling drop-in 1.8 GHz upgrades to existing amplifier locations.
The cable industry is now looking firmly to realising 10G broadband speeds to consumers, and we are delighted to have been able to take this important milestone together with CableLabs and our industry colleagues. It will enforce trust within the cable MSO community that DOCSIS 4.0 ESD technology is a viable investment track and this, in turn, will drive strategies leading to the 1.8 GHz network upgrades," said Hanno Narjus, Head of Teleste's Networks business. – "We are pleased with the performance of our equipment and the hard work and determination of our engineering team, and feel that we have created a family of amplifiers that will meet the industry's requirements for future-proof transition to higher frequency networks.
Teleste continues to be leader in the HFC technologies and leverages its RF engineering capability and the automation that comes with intelligent amplifiers. The first 1.8 GHz amplifiers in our Intelligent Networks portfolio were introduced in 2021, providing North American cable operators a solution to ensure high network performance under all circumstances and facilitating a true plug-and-play functionality and easy alignments in the field with a press of a single button. To learn more about our 1.8 GHz expertise and the intelligent technology, please visit our website.
Inquiries for more information:
Mirkka Lamppu
Director of Communications, Teleste Corporation
Tel. +358 2 2605 611
mirkka.lamppu@teleste.com
About Teleste
Teleste offers an integrated product and service portfolio that makes it possible to build and run a better networked society. Our solutions bring television and broadband services to you, secure your safety in public places and guide your use of public transport. With solid industry experience and drive for innovations, we are a leading international company in broadband, security and information technologies and related services. We connect with our customers through a global network of offices and partners. In 2021, Teleste's net sales reached EUR 144 million and it had approximately 860 employees. Teleste is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. For more information, see www.teleste.com and and follow @telestecorp on Twitter.
Teleste's broadband network technologies are represented by Teleste Intercept in North America. For more information, please visit www.telesteintercept.com.
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SOURCE Teleste Corporation | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/05/04/end-to-end-18-ghz-network-demonstrated-cablelabs-10g-showcase-event-teleste-corporation/ | 2022-05-04T10:43:20Z |
America Haunts named the Scariest Haunted Attractions in the US for 2022
DALLAS, Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The best haunted attractions in the US have evolved to take on the task their fans are seeking – to be scared to death. While not literally, adrenaline junkies are looking for that heightened fright experience that makes the heart beat faster and often generates a "fight-of-flight mode" to finish with a rush of good emotions. Given the stress, haunts of this caliber warn those with a heart condition should not enter.
Professional scaring is no small task in this era of advanced technology, where realism in movies and video games raises the bar. Haunted attractions take year-round investment and skills beyond what the film industry can do because there are no camera tricks – the fans are experiencing this up close and personal.
Gaining a pulse on the situation, Erebus Haunted Attraction, outside of Detroit, studies heart rates, brain waves, and consumer feedback to hone their scary craft. The more immersed haunt goers get, the greater their fear. The groundwork for scaring starts outside in the festival-like atmosphere before guests enter. People waiting in line start to get on the 'fear-ledge' as they witness cast members rove around and frighten people – adding to the entertainment with screams and laughter. Once inside, high-tech cameras, laser triggers, lighting, sounds, added odors, engineered hydraulic lifts, and bionic mechanisms heighten the impact of the sets, animatronics, and costumed cast.
America Haunts, the association of the most experienced and largest commercial haunted attractions, reports that the best in the haunt industry measure what effectively terrifies guests to achieve adrenaline joy and fun memories. The association named the 2022 Scariest Haunted Attractions, highlighting the best updates to enhance fright and attract fans from coast to coast seeking scary-good thrills.
1. Erebus Haunted Attraction Detroit. A mad scientist is behind this disorienting scientific lab disguised as a haunted house to attract subjects used in his experiments. Four stories of time travel through mind-bending terror make visitors question reality.
2. Bennett's Curse Baltimore. People fall into different groups of what triggers their fear. This haunt covers its bases with four haunted houses in one gigantic building. Even Halloween classics transform into a nightmare on steroids, creating an evening of horrifying fun.
3. Spooky World Boston/New England area. The recent addition of Asylum 47 to the haunt deployed all the latest fear-based technologies and cemented its place as a terrifying destination. Plus, monsters at every turn on a mile-long haunted hayride and a labyrinth do not disappoint thrill-seekers.
4. Dent Schoolhouse Cincinnati. Based in an old schoolhouse, the haunting is said to have begun after a murder spree took place in the 1950s. Visitors test their nerves where the ghostly inhabitants have no mercy and offer no hall pass to escape terror as visitors enter classrooms, the cafeteria, the basement, and beyond.
5. Thrillvania Dallas. This mega-sized attraction had a head start given its early use of pyrotechnics and larger-than-life animatronics that is a fan favorite to create shock and awe. Visitors tremble with heart-pounding fear in this world-renowned haunt where fear reigns.
America Haunts is the national association of premier haunted attractions dedicated to excellence in fear-based, sensory entertainment. Their collective annual visitors exceed more than a million people. America Haunts' members are recognized for their longevity in the industry, driven by professionalism, technical expertise, innovation, and a penchant to generate screams for fun and excitement.
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SOURCE America Haunts | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/haunt-enthusiasts-looking-be-scared-death/ | 2022-09-02T11:25:19Z |
INEO's Retail Media Network ad inventory to be marketed by Adapt Media for national advertising campaigns
SURREY, BC, Aug. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - INEO Tech Corp. (TSX-V: INEO) (OTCQB: INEOF) (the "Company" or "INEO"), the innovative developer and operator of the INEO Media Network, a digital advertising and analytics solution for retailers, is pleased to announce a partnership with Adapt Media ("Adapt") to market INEO's Digital-Out-Of-Home (DOOH) advertising inventory to Adapt's advertising clients. Based in Toronto, Adapt has been successfully operating Out-Of-Home (OOH) advertising networks on a national level for 24 years and is a leader in technology enabled advertising campaigns, providing street level and in-store advertising in over 1,000 cities and towns across Canada.
"Partnering with Adapt Media is a major advancement for INEO's advertising pipeline due to Adapt's presence in the Toronto area and their strong national footprint," commented Kyle Hall, CEO of INEO. "With their help in marketing our ad inventory, INEO will gain access to increased national advertising campaigns and a broader range of potential customers. Additionally, Adapt's expertise and reach will enhance our retailer acquisition efforts by bringing another credible partner to the table to drive the advertising revenue for INEO and our retail customers operating within our advertising supported model."
"Adapt Media is an agile place-based Out-of-Home provider specializing in the delivery of unique advertising locations and experiences," said Amanda Newell, Adapt's Chief Revenue Officer. "Given Canadian advertisers' increased reliance on retail media to target shoppers at the exact moment of purchase, we are delighted to ally ourselves with INEO's robust Retail Media Network, patented technology and incomparable data. INEO's AI-fueled DOOH will allow our national advertisers to truly monetize eyeballs by both capturing shopper attention with eye-grabbing offers and netting consumer demographic data to allow for current and future tracking on their path to purchase. Our INEO partnership is the ideal next step in Adapt's continuing goal to offer national advertisers optimum DOOH placement, measurement, and accountability, and we can't wait to showcase INEO's magnificent offering to brands and advertising agencies across Canada."
Frank Halbach, Managing Director of Media for INEO commented, "We were looking for a national partner, based in Toronto, the media center of Canada, and are thrilled to have formed this relationship with Adapt. We are excited to be working with Adapt as INEO grows its Retail Media Network of in-store digital signage."
The INEO Retail Media Network reaches over 2.4 million motivated shoppers each month with highly visible digital display screens at the entrance of retail stores. INEO's intelligent demographic and analytics data enables unprecedented visibility and targeting for location-based advertising by brands and advertisers.
INEO Tech Corp.
Per: "Kyle Hall"
Kyle Hall, Chief Executive Officer and Director
About INEO Tech Corp. (TSXV: INEO; OTCQB: INEOF)
INEO Tech Corp., through its wholly owned subsidiary, INEO Solutions Inc., operates the INEO Media Network, a digital advertising and analytics solution for retailers. INEO's patented technology integrates and monetizes digital screens with theft detection sensor gates at the entrance of retail stores. The Company's cloud-based platform uses IoT (Internet of Things) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology to deliver customized digital advertising to each retail location based on the demographic mix, such as age and gender, of customer traffic at each location. The Company also deploys the INEO Welcoming Network technology through a SaaS-based solution to larger retail chains. INEO is headquartered in Surrey, Canada and publicly traded on the TSX-Venture Exchange under the symbol "INEO" and on the OTCQB-Venture Market under the symbol "INEOF".
For more information please visit:
Adapt Media, a trusted Canadian OOH provider, is focused on providing advertising space at premium airport lounges, DriveTest Ontario centres, and thousands of Circle K and independent convenience stores/gas stations across Canada. Adapt Media's sister company Chameleon Digital Media is a full-service digital agency with expertise in mobile location data. Now in its 24th year in business, Adapt Media has grown to include street-level and in-store advertising in over 1,000 cities and towns across the nation and is well-known for building bespoke ad networks.
This news release contains statements and information that, to the extent that they are not historical fact, may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking information may include financial and other projections, as well as statements regarding future plans, objectives or economic performance, or the assumption underlying any of the foregoing. This news release uses words such as "may", "would", "could", "likely", "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "intend", "plan", "forecast", "project", "estimate", "outlook", and other similar expressions to identify forward-looking information. Forward-looking information involves significant risks, assumptions, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual future results or anticipated events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements and accordingly, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. There are a number of important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. Other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations are disclosed in the Company's documents filed on SEDAR, including the Company's most recent annual and interim Management Discussion and Analysis and Financial Statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by law.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
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SOURCE INEO Tech Corp. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/18/ineo-announces-strategic-advertising-partnership-with-adapt-media/ | 2022-08-18T11:49:55Z |
PALO ALTO, Calif., April 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Eiger BioPharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: EIGR), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of innovative therapies to treat and cure hepatitis delta virus (HDV) and other serious diseases, today reported that the Compensation Committee of Eiger's Board of Directors granted stock options to purchase an aggregate of 290,000 shares of Eiger's common stock to two newly hired employees. The stock options were granted under the Eiger BioPharmaceuticals, Inc. 2021 Inducement Plan with a grant date of April 29, 2022, as an inducement material to the new employee entering into employment with Eiger, in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).
The stock options vest over four years, with 25 percent vesting on the first anniversary of the vesting commencement date for each employee and the remainder vesting in 36 equal installments over the following three years, subject to each employee being continuously employed by Eiger as of such vesting dates. The stock options have a ten-year term and an exercise price of $6.87, the closing price of Eiger's common stock as reported by Nasdaq on April 29, 2022.
Eiger is providing this information in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).
About Eiger
Eiger is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of innovative therapies to treat and cure hepatitis delta virus (HDV) and other serious diseases. The Eiger HDV platform includes two first-in-class therapies in Phase 3 that target critical host processes involved in viral replication. Eiger is also developing peginterferon lambda as a therapeutic for COVID-19 and is planning to submit an emergency use authorization application to FDA based on positive results from the investigator sponsored Phase 3 TOGETHER study.
All five Eiger rare disease programs have been granted FDA breakthrough therapy designation: lonafarnib and peginterferon lambda for HDV, Zokinvy for progeria, and avexitide for both HI and PBH.
For additional information about Eiger and its clinical programs, please visit www.eigerbio.com.
CONTACTS:
Investors:
Sylvia Wheeler
Wheelhouse Life Science Advisors
swheeler@wheelhouselsa.com
Media:
Sarah Mathieson
SVP, Corporate Affairs
smathieson@eigerbio.com
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SOURCE Eiger BioPharmaceuticals, Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/04/29/eiger-biopharmaceuticals-reports-inducement-grant-under-nasdaq-listing-rule-5635c4/ | 2022-04-30T11:12:06Z |
NASHVILLE,Tenn., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AllianceBernstein L.P. ("AB") and AllianceBernstein Holding L.P. ("AB Holding") (NYSE: AB) today announced that Seth Bernstein, President and CEO, will participate in the Morgan Stanley US Financials, Payments and CRE Conference on Wednesday June 15, 2022, in New York, NY in a session which will begin at 10:00 a.m. (CT).
A live audio webcast will be available in the Investor & Media Relations section of AB's website at www.alliancebernstein.com/investorrelations. An audio replay of the webcast will also be available on the site.
AllianceBernstein is a leading global investment management firm that offers high-quality research and diversified investment services to institutional investors, individuals and private wealth clients in major world markets.
As of March 31, 2022, including both the general partnership and limited partnership interests in AllianceBernstein, AllianceBernstein Holding owned approximately 36.3% of AllianceBernstein and Equitable Holdings, Inc. ("EQH"), directly and through various subsidiaries, owned an approximate 64.5% economic interest in AllianceBernstein.
Additional information about AllianceBernstein may be found on our website, www.alliancebernstein.com.
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SOURCE AllianceBernstein | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/08/seth-bernstein-president-ceo-participate-morgan-stanley-us-financials-payments-cre-conference-june-15th-2022/ | 2022-06-08T19:16:21Z |
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va., Aug. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- GreenPower Motor Company Inc. (NASDAQ: GP) (TSXV: GPV) ("GreenPower"), a leading manufacturer and distributor of zero-emission, electric-powered, medium and heavy-duty vehicles, today cut the ribbon at its new South Charleston, W. Va. manufacturing facility which is home to the company's all-electric school bus manufacturing operations east of the Mississippi River. The facility expands on GreenPower's current manufacturing footprint with an additional 80,000 square feet, meeting the demand and servicing customers on the East Coast.
The new manufacturing facility in South Charleston, which will begin operations in September, provides GreenPower with manufacturing capability of up to 150 electric school buses per quarter by next year.
"Today marks a significant milestone for GreenPower as we continue to live the vision of advancing the adoption of purpose-bult, zero-emission school buses. Through this new facility we will be able to exponentially increase our production to meet the increased demand for all-electric school buses," said Brendan Riley, president and director at GreenPower, citing recent public funding from both the state and federal levels and state climate change regulations as sources of the increased demand. "The work we're doing in South Charleston is a testament to GreenPower's mission and allows us to be well-positioned as the leader nationwide in the transition to clean, electric and safer transportation."
"Today marks a milestone for Greenpower, but it also marks a major milestone for West Virginia as well," Gov. Jim Justice said. "Since I took office, we've focused on transforming West Virginia's image. Part of the way we're doing that is by embracing all the new technologies that are at our fingertips, and GreenPower opening their manufacturing facility in West Virginia is yet another exciting project that will help us move our state forward and change our image. As we continue to diversify our economy, manufacturing zero-emission school buses in West Virginia will open up a world of opportunities for our state. Not only will it bring hundreds of great paying jobs to the Kanawha Valley, but the ripple effects on our state's economy will be massive. I can't thank them enough for their commitment to our state and for believing that West Virginia is the best place to do business."
Skilled Jobs at GreenPower's Manufacturing Facility in West Virginia
As West Virginia's economy continues to transform, it is important to provide skilled and high-skilled jobs to help workers make the transition as seamless as possible. GreenPower's facility, located at 30 Industrial Way in South Charleston, W. Va., are expected to bring approximately 200 new clean-energy jobs to the state within the next year, and up to 900 when the company reaches full production. The company is focused on creating excellent employment and career opportunities for West Virginians and is partnering with BridgeValley Community and Technical College to provide hands-on training to workers joining GreenPower's manufacturing team.
"I applaud GreenPower for bringing hundreds of great paying jobs to the state while providing safe, clean transportation solutions to the children in the Kanawha Valley and beyond," said South Charleston Mayor Frank Mullens. "GreenPower is leading the charge on this important step to electrifying the nation's school bus fleet from right here in South Charleston, West Virginia. As our state's economy diversifies, GreenPower is an important part of this transformation. I look forward to cheering GreenPower on throughout their journey here in South Charleston."
Electric School Bus Funding Incentives
The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Clean School Bus Program as passed in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides five billion dollars over five years (FY 2022-2026) to replace existing school buses with clean and zero-emission models to help bring healthier transportation solutions to students around the country. As part of EPA's current program offering, GreenPower's all-electric school buses are eligible for rebates for the Type D BEAST of up $375,000 and up to $285,000 for the Type A Nano BEAST all-electric school bus. GreenPower's innovative technologies will help school districts drive down fuel costs and minimize maintenance costs while delivering outstanding reliability and efficiency.
"Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we have an opportunity to transform our nation's school bus fleet, reduce harmful pollution and deliver cleaner, healthier air for our children, all while boosting the economy in communities like South Charleston, West Virginia," said Dan Utech, EPA Chief of Staff. "Today's ribbon-cutting is a major step forward in this effort, as we work together with the private sector to accelerate the transition to clean, zero-emissions school buses, advance technology that will tackle climate change, and deliver environmental and economic benefits for all."
The Start of a Green, Healthy New School Day
Children are more susceptible to air pollution than healthy adults because their respiratory systems are still developing, and they have faster breathing rates. Exposure to NOx exhaust can trigger health problems like asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory issues. The primary source of NOx is motor vehicles — including school buses. Diesel exhaust is designated "carcinogenic to humans" by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The exhaust contains significant levels of particulate matter. These particles can lodge deep into the lungs and heart and are linked to premature death, aggravated asthma and decreased lung function. Compounding these concerns is the results of recent studies showing that air pollutant levels inside school buses can be greater than the ambient levels outside the bus.
"Moms across West Virginia are excited to support zero-tailpipe-pollution electric school buses right here in the Mountain State. The transportation sector is one of the leading sources of climate pollution and West Virginia is one of the most at-risk states for climate related flood disasters. Investing in clean energy growth and the electric vehicle market will improve public health, protect our environment, and create economic opportunity for all West Virginians," said Lucia Valentine, West Virginia field consultant, Moms Clean Air Force. "Children and environmental justice communities stand to benefit the most from electric school buses, which help clean up the air we all breathe by eliminating harmful tailpipe pollution. West Virginians deserve to breathe clean air."
Economic Growth in West Virginia
The GreenPower manufacturing facility will have a significant impact on the local and state economy. The positive economic contributions to the state are expected to extend well beyond the local jobs and sales generated at the facility.
"We are honored to welcome GreenPower Motor Company to the growing list of new corporate citizens in West Virginia," said Department of Economic Development Secretary Mitch Carmichael. "The capital investment and confidence in West Virginia displayed by this innovative company is evidence of the widespread appeal that our state projects to the nation and the world. We look forward to participating in the future success of GreenPower Motor Company and excited for the many great careers that will be spawned at this new manufacturing facility."
What Officials are saying about the opening of GreenPower's manufacturing facility
"West Virginia has worked diligently to position our state as the ideal location to site a new or expanding business. Our accomplishments are delivering great results as evidenced in the selection of West Virginia by GreenPower Motor Company, an innovative company, in the expanding technology of battery-powered vehicles. As an all of the above energy state, we are excited to welcome GreenPower as a new corporate citizen of our state." – Sen. Craig Blair, Lt. Governor for the state of West Virginia and President of the West Virginia Senate
"We have been incredibly excited to see GreenPower make its new home in West Virginia. Not only did they quickly contribute to the community and get to work right away on a training program to hire qualified local employees, but they also demonstrate to the rest of America and the rest of the world that West Virginia has a 21st-century economy and we are open to all business endeavors." – Del. Roger Hanshaw (R-Clay), West Virginia Speaker of the House of Delegates
"I was so pleased to be part of passing a new law that went into effect July 1 so our county boards of education will have even more incentive to use electric-powered transportation, and an additional incentive if those electric buses are manufactured within the great state of West Virginia. I drive for Raleigh County Schools and the county traveled more than a million miles last year, getting our local kids to and from school and sporting events, and as a bus operator myself, I think it's just incredible to see high-quality, efficient and safe buses being made right here in the Mountain State." – Del. Christopher Toney (R-Raleigh)
"Every day approximately 220,000 West Virginia public school students are transported on school buses. Implementing electric buses ensures these precious resources arrive at their destinations safely and efficiently. Furthermore, this exciting partnership between GreenPower Motor Company and the state of West Virginia keeps us focused on our future by providing numerous pathways for success. This innovation not only offers emission-free transport to schools but also viable and sustainable employment and economic growth for the state." – Dr. Sara Lewis-Stankus, Deputy State Superintendent of Schools
"I am thrilled to welcome GreenPower to Kanawha County. Not only will GreenPower's new facility provide incredible employment opportunities to our people, but the nation will look to West Virginia as a leader in electric school bus manufacturing. I applaud GreenPower's commitment to West Virginia." – Commission Ben Salango, Kanawha County Commission
Media and Investor Contacts:
Brendan Riley
GreenPower President
(510) 910-3377
Mike Cole
Investor Relations
(949) 444-1341
Allie Potter
Skyya PR for GreenPower
(218) 766-8856
greenpower@skyya.com
About GreenPower Motor Company
GreenPower designs, builds and distributes a full suite of high-floor and low-floor all-electric medium and heavy-duty vehicles, including transit buses, school buses, shuttles, cargo van, and a cab and chassis. GreenPower employs a clean-sheet design to manufacture all-electric vehicles that are purpose built to be battery powered with zero emissions while integrating global suppliers for key components. This OEM platform allows GreenPower to meet the specifications of various operators while providing standard parts for ease of maintenance and accessibility for warranty requirements. GreenPower was founded in Vancouver, Canada with primary operational facilities in southern California. Listed on the Toronto exchange since November 2015, GreenPower completed its U.S. IPO and NASDAQ listing in August 2020. For further information go to www.greenpowermotor.com
Forward-Looking Statements
This document contains forward-looking statements relating to, among other things, GreenPower's business and operations and the environment in which it operates, which are based on GreenPower's operations, estimates, forecasts, and projections. Forward projections. Forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts, but rather on current expectations and projections about future events and are therefore subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from the future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "upon", "may", "should", "will", "could", "intend", "estimate", "plan", "anticipate", "expect", "believe" or "continue", or the negative thereof or similar variations. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict or are beyond GreenPower's control. A number of important factors, including those set forth in other public filings (filed under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com), could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. Consequently, readers should not place any undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. In addition, these forward-looking statements relate to the date on which they are made. GreenPower disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. © 2022 GreenPower Motor Company Inc. All rights reserved.
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SOURCE GreenPower Motor Company | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/30/greenpower-celebrates-new-west-virginia-electric-school-bus-manufacturing-facility-with-ribbon-cutting-ceremony/ | 2022-08-30T14:24:34Z |
A cancer diagnosis is scary. Some doctors say it’s time to rename low-grade prostate cancer to eliminate the alarming C-word.
Cancer cells develop in nearly all prostates as men age, and most prostate cancers are harmless. About 34,000 Americans die from prostate cancer annually, but treating the disease can lead to sexual dysfunction and incontinence.
Changing the name could lead more low-risk patients to skip unnecessary surgery and radiation.
“This is the least aggressive, wimpiest form of prostate cancer that is literally incapable of causing symptoms or spreading to other parts of the body,” said University of Chicago Medicine’s Dr. Scott Eggener, who is reviving a debate about how to explain the threat to worried patients.
The words “You have cancer” have a profound effect on patients, Eggener wrote Monday in Journal of Clinical Oncology. He and his co-authors say fear of the disease can cause some patients to overreact and opt for unneeded surgery or radiation.
Others agree. “If you reduce anxiety, you’ll reduce overtreatment,” said Dr. David Penson of Vanderbilt University. “The word ‘cancer,’ it puts an idea in their head: ‘I have to have this treated.’”
Diagnosis sometimes starts with a PSA blood test, which looks for high levels of a protein that may mean cancer but can also be caused by less serious prostate problems or even vigorous exercise.
When a patient has a suspicious test result, a doctor might recommend a biopsy, which involves taking samples of tissue from the prostate gland. Next, a pathologist looks under a microscope and scores the samples for how abnormal the cells look.
Often, doctors offer patients with the lowest score — Gleason 6 — a way to avoid surgery and radiation: active surveillance, which involves close monitoring but no immediate treatment.
In the U.S., about 60% of low-risk patients choose active surveillance. But they might still worry.
“I would be over the moon if people came up with a new name for Gleason 6 disease,” Penson said. “It will allow a lot of men to sleep better at night.”
But Dr. Joel Nelson of University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, said dropping the word “cancer” would “misinform patients by telling them there’s nothing wrong. There’s nothing wrong today, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have to keep track of what we’ve discovered.”
Name changes have happened previously in low-risk cancers of the bladder, cervix and thyroid. In breast cancer, there’s an ongoing debate about dropping “carcinoma” from DCIS, or ductal carcinoma in situ.
In prostate cancer, the 1960s-era Gleason ranking system has evolved, which is how 6 became the lowest score. Patients may assume it’s a medium score on a scale of 1 to 10. In fact, it’s the lowest on a scale of 6 to 10.
What to call it instead of cancer? Proposals include IDLE for indolent lesion of epithelial origin, or INERRT for indolent neoplasm rarely requiring treatment.
“I don’t really give a hoot what it’s called as long as it’s not called cancer,” Eggener said.
Steve Rienks, a 72-year-old civil engineer in Naperville, Illinois, was diagnosed with Gleason 6 prostate cancer in 2014. He chose active surveillance, and follow-up biopsies in 2017 and 2021 found no evidence of cancer.
Calling it something else would help patients make informed choices, Rienks said, but that’s not enough: Patients need to ask questions until they feel confident.
“It’s about understanding risk,” Rienks said. “I would encourage my fellow males to educate themselves and get additional medical opinions.” | https://cw33.com/news/stop-using-the-c-word-doctors-suggest-new-names-for-low-grade-prostate-cancer/ | 2022-04-19T16:20:19Z |
NEW ORLEANS, July 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until July 19, 2022 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Okta, Inc. ("Okta" or the "Company") (NASDAQGS: OKTA), if they purchased the Company's securities between March 5, 2021 and March 22, 2022, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.
If you purchased securities of Okta as above and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nasdaqgs-okta/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by July 19, 2022.
Okta and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.
On March 22, 2022, the Company disclosed that it had detected an attempted hacking attack in late January 2022, and that, "[b]ased on our investigation to date, there is no evidence of ongoing malicious activity beyond the activity detected in January." Later that same day, the Company disclosed that "[a]fter a thorough analysis of [the hackers'] claims, we have concluded that a small percentage of customers – approximately 2.5% – have potentially been impacted and whose data may have been viewed or acted upon."
On this news, shares of Okta fell $17.88 per share, or 10.74%, to close at $148.55 per share on March 23, 2022.
The case is City of Miami Fire Fighters' and Police Officers' Retirement Trust v. Okta, Inc., No. 22-cv-02990.
KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients – including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors – in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California, Louisiana and New Jersey.
To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com.
Contact:
Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner
lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com 1-877-515-1850
1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200
New Orleans, LA 70163
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SOURCE Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/09/okta-shareholder-alert-by-former-louisiana-attorney-general-kahn-swick-amp-foti-llc-reminds-investors-with-losses-excess-100000-lead-plaintiff-deadline-class-action-lawsuit-against-okta-inc-okta/ | 2022-07-09T03:56:14Z |
It’s so predictable, maybe we should start calling it “Gun Control Day.” Like the movie “Groundhog Day,” it happens again and again after a mass shooting, like the one at a July 4th parade near Chicago that killed seven people and wounded two dozen.
The professional anti-gun mob — i.e., liberal Democrats and major media outlets — immediately spring into action and exploit the tragedy as much as they can. As they did this week, they automatically blame guns, renew their calls for stricter gun reforms or dream about completely outlawing the private ownership of guns.
It doesn’t matter if the mass shooter was crazy, a terrorist or just plain evil, the gun-control nuts are as unrealistic and dishonest as they are predictable. If we’d only outlaw handguns and “weapons of war” like the semi-automatic AR-15, they cry again and again, these bloody mass killings and street shootouts would virtually disappear.
Sounds easy, doesn’t it? But in the real world, the one we 330 million Americans live in, there are nearly 400 million guns in the hands of private citizens. Guns of all kinds are virtually in every corner of America, thank the Lord.
About 44 percent of U.S. households contain at least one, according to the 2021 National Firearms Survey.
About 32 percent of those over age 18 own a firearm — that’s 81 million people.
About 42 percent are female, 58 percent male. About 25 percent of blacks, 28 percent of Latinos and 34 percent of whites own guns.
The average gun owner owns five firearms. Handguns are the most common type, but 30 percent of gun owners — 24.6 million individuals — have owned an AR-15 or similarly styled rifle that looks like an assault weapon.
About 20.7 million gun owners have a permit to carry a concealed handgun in public and that number is growing, notably among black women. The gun-controllers like to mock conservatives who say guns don’t kill people, people do. But last time I checked, Glocks and AR-15s don’t pull their own triggers.
Fewer than .005 percent of America’s 400 million guns were used to commit a murder in 2021. Only about half of the year’s 20,000 homicides involved handguns — and far more people were killed by knives, fists and rocks than rifles of all kinds.
We know who — not what — is responsible for most of America’s gun violence. It’s not law-abiding gun owners. It’s criminals, gang members and other lawbreakers who laugh at the idea of abiding by any tougher gun law. The media are generally quiet about the gang-related gun violence that kills dozens of young black men each weekend in cities across the country.
They don’t give us Monday morning body counts from deadly places like Chicago — where 70-plus people were shot on the July 4th weekend and eight died. In case you haven’t heard, over the holiday weekend at least 220 Americans were shot to death and about 570 were wounded, according to the GunViolenceArchive.com, which documents each incident.
It’d be nice if the country’s top journalists would do their jobs and challenge the gun-control mob when they say they want to rid America of guns. “Whose guns will you take away exactly?” the media might ask. “Everyone’s?
“And how do you plan to do it? Are you going to go to the south side of Chicago or South-Central L.A., knock on doors and take people’s guns away? Who will actually take the guns? The National Guard? The Marines? Realistically, how many of America’s 400 million guns do you think you’ll collect?”
It’s a certainty that a whole bunch of good Americans will refuse to cooperate with the totalitarian dream of the gun-control mob, but my son Cameron has a deal he wants to make with them.
“As soon as they disarm the inner city neighborhoods of Chicago, St. Louis and East L.A., the rest of us will all turn in our guns. Let us all know when you’re done with that.” | https://www.albanyherald.com/opinion/michael-reagan-the-predictability-of-the-gun-control-crowd/article_9f0a9c7e-005b-11ed-b4b4-5f5c9b0116c1.html | 2022-07-11T00:06:06Z |
The Industry Leader in Professional Hair Color Celebrates the Power of Hair Gloss and its Best-Selling Shades EQ Gloss Collection with Hair Holiday
NEW YORK, Aug. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Redken, the No.1 professional hair brand in the US* and pioneer in professional haircare and color since 1960, is officially celebrating the self-identity, creativity, expression and confidence that comes from vibrant hair color. Having launched its ever-popular Shades EQ Gloss in 1980 – now the No.1 demi-permanent color in the US – Redken is establishing its annual National Hair Gloss Day on August 3rd to raise awareness around the benefits of Redken's Shades EQ Hair Gloss salon service and honor the power of healthy colored hair created by professionals and loved by consumers.
Kicking off the first National Hair Gloss Day, Redken is excited to spotlight its revolutionary Shades EQ Gloss service – an in-salon hair color service for shiny, healthy-looking hair. The gloss service is powered by the professional and Shades EQ Gloss – a professional-only product that features an innovative formulation backed by science and prescribed by pros. At the root of beautiful, healthy hair is a partnership with a hair professional that knows what's best for your mane—from color and cut to ongoing maintenance. In fact, in an industry inundated with new trends and products, Redken Shades EQ Gloss is the hair gloss of choice for over 400,000 professional stylists, allowing them to easily create personalized, professional results that leave clients with beautiful, healthy-looking hair.
"We are thrilled to highlight the power of Shades EQ gloss service by launching Redken Hair Gloss Day to celebrate our loyal pros, fabulous consumers and Redken team that have worked to create the most popular demi-permanent color in the country, Shades EQ Gloss!" said Candy Gebhart, Redken General Manager. "After years of incredible color creations and well-deserved hype, we are excited to use this new hair holiday as a chance to educate consumers on what exactly a hair gloss is and why it is such an important step in achieving healthy hair."
With a Redken Shades EQ Gloss Service, it just takes 20 minutes to refresh your color for healthy-looking hair! Quicker than most manicures, getting a Redken Shades EQ Gloss service leaves you with healthier looking and feeling hair, ultimate shine and refreshed color. This professional hair gloss service is offered in salons and provides a subtle touch of color while leaving hair super shiny and conditioned. A gloss can be used to tone brassy hair, color-correct and even add more dimension to your color.
Since professional stylists can easily create customized colors with a Redken Shades EQ Gloss, the service delivers beautiful shades that are nuanced to each client's preferences. Redken Shades EQ Gloss Service is the perfect avenue to flirt with a new color without the commitment. As a form of demi-permanent hair color, results will last four to six weeks, making a hair gloss service the perfect way to try a new shade. For those not looking to switch up their color and just for healthier looking and feeling hair, Shades EQ Gloss is available in a clear shade, which adds shine and conditions hair without changing its shade. The Shades EQ Gloss Family offers over 100 shades to the salon professional, so they can create the perfect results with a Shades EQ Gloss Service.
Redken Shades EQ Gloss is unlike other hair glosses on the market – it is the hair color that thinks it is a conditioner and delivers fast, professional color results. It is formulated without ammonia, so you can relax and enjoy your gloss service without being bothered by the overpowering smell of color. The formula is also infused with amino acids that help condition the hair and leave it looking super shiny.
"As a colorist, I'm constantly doing a Shades EQ gloss service on my clients because it's so versatile! It's great for toning, color correcting, creating new color or even just adding shine and moisturization," explained Tracey Cunningham, celebrity hairstylist and Redken Brand Ambassador. "Redken Shades EQ Gloss is my favorite hair gloss because it's easy to use and allows me to create personalized color for each client, so they always leave my chair happy with beautiful, healthy hair."
In honor on Redken Hair Gloss Day, Redken and Maybelline are teaming up to gift 3 consumers each a prize pack, including $200 Amex Cards for a Hair Gloss Service, ABC Intensive Treatment, Color Extend Magnetics and five shades of Maybelline Lifter Gloss Quartz valued at $50. Enter here for a chance to win. Sweepstakes valid 8/1-8/31.
Join the fun this National Hair Gloss Day! Head to Redken.com to learn more about Shades EQ and find a salon near you with Redken's salon finder feature.
*Based on 2021 edition of Kline's Salon Hair Care Global Series, among brands selling shampoos, conditioners, hair color, hair styling and hair texturizing products
For over 60 years, Redken has been a leader in the professional salon industry, empowering professionals and consumers to achieve healthy hair transformations with confidence. Founded by Paula Kent, a woman who believed in the power of science, Redken was the first company to take a scientific approach to hair, defined as the right balance of protein, moisture and supported by an acidic pH, which remains the alpha and omega of haircare to this very day. All Redken products are made with the highest quality ingredients, and tested by salon professionals to ensure maximum efficacy, for every hair type and texture and every hair need. Based in New York City, Redken supports the expertise of salon professionals with principle-based education, cutting edge technologies rooted in protein-science, and a portfolio of products including Shades EQ – the #1 demi-permanent hair color on the market – for maximum versatility and flexibility for clients of all hair types and hair textures.
To learn more, visit Redken.com or Instagram.com/Redken.
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SOURCE Redken | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/02/redken-announces-first-annual-national-hair-gloss-day/ | 2022-08-02T13:57:30Z |
BROOMFIELD, Colo., July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Gardening can be an incredibly rewarding hobby, and it's one that the whole family can enjoy. However, many people have trouble getting started or don't know how to maximize their garden's potential. To help you with this, here are five quick tips from Backyard Farming Supply (BFS) that will help you get the most out of your gardening time, no matter what type of gardener you are!
A good foundation is the key to any successful garden. Nothing will kill a garden faster than bad soil, so start with the best soil you can find. Through their network of partners, Backyard Farming Supply can help supply you with top-notch dirt. You can also add to your soil with compost, which you can either make yourself using food scraps and a little time, or purchase through the BFS network. This helps enrich your dirt as well as build great nutrient value in the soil. Lastly, feel free to add additional organic soil amendments to provide long-term nutrition.
Before you even start thinking about plants, it's critical that you use water filtration and ionization processes so your water quality is optimized for plant growth. Plants can only absorb as much nutrition from their water and soil as what exists in their environment. If your plants don't have a proper pH balance or sufficient amounts of calcium, phosphorus, and potassium, then they are unlikely to be as healthy or grow at their best. Bottom line: check your water before you get started with planting/growing! The BFS network can provide water filtration/ionization options for everyone from the small gardener to the commercial farmer and everyone in between.
There's a lot that goes into a garden; not just seeds and planting, but also maintenance. Before you get started on your garden, you'll want to have all of your supplies together: tools, fertilizer and other organic products from Backyard Farming Supply. Organic fertilizer products from BFS and the BFS network will ensure a happy and healthy garden throughout your garden's growth periods. Making organic gardening simple and easy is the name of the game!
Oftentimes, it's the simple things in gardening that make the biggest difference. Watering frequency, water consistency and nutrient concentration all play a role in how well your plants grow. Plant roots need oxygen and nutrients to thrive, so when watering your garden you should always keep this in mind. The best way to ensure proper moisture levels is by using irrigation emitters and a good consistent irrigation system. Timing is also an important factor for watering correctly- as plants can't survive without sufficient access to fresh air, soil-based microbes will be unable to thrive if overwatered!
The best way to describe it is like this; you want to do more frequent waterings with less water each time. You want your soil consistency like a moist brownie. It needs to be soft, slightly squishy, yet airy and light. Too much water and it becomes like heavy mud, too little water and it becomes dry and dusty. You want it "just right", somewhere in the middle.
A 5-minute routine can make a big difference in the health of your garden. Think about it - if you spend 5 minutes a day in your garden, that's 25 minutes each week, 150 minutes each month, and 2 hours every year. That's enough time to keep your plants thriving with the right nourishment. The first step is to identify what plants need for their specific growing needs. For example, some plants need lots of water but others might be more drought tolerant so choose accordingly. It's important to understand how much sun is required by different plants which vary depending on climate and geography so adjust accordingly by adding shade cloth or stakes where needed as well as providing a barrier from cold winds at night by layering plantings with taller ones below and shorter ones above.
If you want to learn more tips and tricks like these, come visit the Backyard Farming Supply family to find out how to grow your own organic food! We can help you reduce costs and ensure you have access to the healthiest food for you and your family. If you are curious about organic fertilizers and learning which would be best for your garden, check out backyardfarmingsupply.com. Please follow us on Instagram and Facebook @backyardfarmingtips for helpful fun facts and tips.
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SOURCE Backyard Farming Supply | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/05/5-tips-maximize-your-gardens-potential-backyard-farming-supply/ | 2022-07-05T04:14:56Z |
87-year-old has shot nearly 1.5 million free throws
Published: Sep. 2, 2022 at 11:38 AM EDT|Updated: 17 minutes ago
MCCOOK, Neb. (KHGI) – A man in Nebraska isn’t focused on layups or dunks. Instead, he’s dedicated to the basics.
Gene Malleck has been shooting free throws at the McCook YMCA every weekday since 1999.
The 87-year-old shoots at least 250 balls each time and keeps track of his makes and misses.
“If I don’t come here, there’s something missing in my day,” Malleck said. “It’s really an important part of my day.”
Malleck said he’s taken close to 1.5 million shots, making nearly 96% of them.
Copyright 2022 KHGI via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/09/02/87-year-old-has-shot-nearly-15-million-free-throws/ | 2022-09-02T15:55:38Z |
BETHESDA, Md., July 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AGNC Investment Corp. ("AGNC" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: AGNC) today announced financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2022.
SECOND QUARTER 2022 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
- $(1.34) comprehensive loss per common share, comprised of:
- $0.83 net spread and dollar roll income per common share, excluding estimated "catch-up" premium amortization benefit 1
- $11.43 tangible net book value per common share as of June 30, 2022
- $0.36 dividends declared per common share for the second quarter
- -10.1% economic return on tangible common equity for the quarter
OTHER SECOND QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS
- $61.3 billion investment portfolio as of June 30, 2022, comprised of:
- 7.4x tangible net book value "at risk" leverage as of June 30, 2022
- Cash and unencumbered Agency MBS totaled approximately $2.8 billion as of June 30, 2022
- 7.2% average projected portfolio life CPR as of June 30, 2022
- 2.70% annualized net interest spread and TBA dollar roll income for the quarter, excluding estimated "catch-up" premium amortization benefit
- Capital markets activity
MANAGEMENT REMARKS
"Financial markets remained under significant pressure in the second quarter as the Federal Reserve indicated a more aggressive path of monetary policy tightening," said Peter Federico, the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer. "The expectation of materially higher short-term rates drove significant interest rate volatility and increased the probability of a recession. This challenging monetary policy and macro-economic environment led to broad-based financial market weakness during the second quarter. Agency MBS were no exception, as the spread between Agency MBS and swap and Treasury rates widened meaningfully in April and again in June.
"Looking ahead, while the near-term outlook continues to be uncertain, the longer-term outlook for Agency MBS has improved substantially. At current valuation levels, Agency MBS are extremely attractive relative to historical levels. The Federal Reserve has begun to reduce its portfolio organically, but that runoff will occur at a slower pace than previously anticipated as a result of reduced prepayments. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the net supply of Agency MBS is now expected to be meaningfully lower than prior expectations.
"These positive developments provide reason for optimism that this period of weakness in the Agency MBS market is nearing its end. The favorable returns associated with Agency MBS in this wider spread regime and an improving technical outlook for mortgage supply and demand should provide a supportive backdrop for Agency MBS investors. Moreover, in this compelling investment environment, we believe AGNC is well-positioned to generate strong risk-adjusted returns for our stockholders."
"As a result of the challenging market conditions during the quarter, AGNC continued to maintain a defensive position, highlighted by lower leverage and our low interest rate exposure," said Bernice Bell, the Company's Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. "Importantly, however, despite this defensive positioning, our net spread and dollar roll income per common share, excluding 'catch-up' premium amortization, increased to $0.83 for the second quarter, from $0.72 for the first quarter, due to exceptionally strong TBA dollar roll performance, higher asset yields and stable funding costs, net of our interest rate hedges. While dollar roll performance has moderated, our net spread and dollar roll income should be well protected against higher short-term rates as a result of our significant hedge portfolio."
TANGIBLE NET BOOK VALUE PER COMMON SHARE
As of June 30, 2022, the Company's tangible net book value per common share was $11.43 per share, a decrease of -12.9% for the quarter compared to $13.12 per share as of March 31, 2022. The Company's tangible net book value per common share excludes $526 million, or approximately $1.01 per share, of goodwill as of June 30, 2022 and March 31, 2022.
INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO
As of June 30, 2022, the Company's investment portfolio totaled $61.3 billion, comprised of:
- $59.5 billion of Agency MBS and TBA securities, including:
- $39.9 billion 30-year MBS,
- $15.8 billion 30-year TBA securities,
- $1.8 billion 15-year MBS,
- $0.1 billion 15-year TBA securities, and
- $1.6 billion 20-year MBS; and
- $1.8 billion of CRT and non-Agency securities.
As of June 30, 2022, 30-year and 15-year fixed-rate Agency MBS and TBA securities represented 91% and 3%, respectively, of the Company's investment portfolio, unchanged from March 31, 2022. The Company's TBA position is net of short TBA securities held as of the reporting date.
As of June 30, 2022, the Company's fixed-rate Agency MBS and TBA securities' weighted average coupon was 3.58%, compared to 3.20% as of March 31, 2022, comprised of the following weighted average coupons:
- 3.62% for 30-year fixed-rate securities;
- 3.27% for 15-year fixed rate securities; and
- 2.50% for 20-year fixed-rate securities.
The Company accounts for TBA securities and other forward settling securities as derivative instruments and recognizes TBA dollar roll income in other gain (loss), net on the Company's financial statements. As of June 30, 2022, such positions had a fair value of $15.9 billion and a GAAP net carrying value of $(107) million reported in derivative assets/(liabilities) on the Company's balance sheet, compared to $19.5 billion and $(609) million, respectively, as of March 31, 2022.
CONSTANT PREPAYMENT RATES
The Company's weighted average projected CPR for the remaining life of its Agency securities held as of June 30, 2022 decreased to 7.2% from 7.9% as of March 31, 2022. The Company's weighted average CPR for the second quarter was of 12.4%, compared to 14.5% for the prior quarter.
The weighted average cost basis of the Company's investment portfolio was 103.2% of par value as of June 30, 2022. The Company's investment portfolio generated net premium amortization cost of $(127) thousand, or less than $(0.01) per common share, for the second quarter, which includes a "catch-up" premium amortization benefit of $66 million, or $0.13 per common share, due to a decrease in the Company's CPR projections for certain securities acquired prior to the second quarter. This compares to net premium amortization benefit for the prior quarter of $78 million, or $0.15 per common share, including "catch-up" premium amortization benefit of $159 million, or $0.30 per common share.
ASSET YIELDS, COST OF FUNDS AND NET INTEREST RATE SPREAD
The Company's average asset yield on its investment portfolio, excluding the TBA position, was 3.09% for the second quarter, compared to 3.55% for the prior quarter. Excluding "catch-up" premium amortization, the Company's average asset yield was 2.58% for the second quarter, compared to 2.36% for the prior quarter. Including the TBA position and excluding "catch-up" premium amortization, the Company's average asset yield for the second quarter was 2.88%, compared to 2.28% for the prior quarter.
For the second quarter, the weighted average interest rate on the Company's repurchase agreements was 0.74%, compared to 0.23% for the prior quarter. For the second quarter, the Company's TBA position had an implied financing benefit of -0.04%, compared to a benefit of -0.49% for the prior quarter. Inclusive of interest rate swaps, the Company's combined weighted average cost of funds for the second quarter was a net cost of 0.18%, compared to a net cost of 0.09% for the prior quarter.
The Company's annualized net interest spread, including the TBA position and interest rate swaps and excluding "catch-up" premium amortization, for the second quarter was 2.70%, compared to 2.19% for the prior quarter.
NET SPREAD AND DOLLAR ROLL INCOME
The Company recognized net spread and dollar roll income (a non-GAAP financial measure) for the second quarter of $0.83 per common share, excluding $0.13 per common share of "catch-up" premium amortization benefit, compared to $0.72 per common share for the prior quarter, excluding 0.30 per common share of "catch-up" premium amortization benefit.
A reconciliation of the Company's net interest income to net spread and dollar roll income and additional information regarding the Company's use of non-GAAP measures are included later in this release.
LEVERAGE
As of June 30, 2022, $41.3 billion of repurchase agreements, $16.0 billion of net TBA dollar roll positions (at cost) and $0.1 billion of other debt were used to fund the Company's investment portfolio. The remainder, or approximately $1.9 billion, of the Company's repurchase agreements was used to fund purchases of U.S. Treasury securities ("U.S. Treasury repo") and is not included in the Company's leverage measurements. Inclusive of its TBA position and net payable/(receivable) for unsettled investment securities, the Company's tangible net book value "at risk" leverage ratio was 7.4x as of June 30, 2022, compared to 7.5x as of March 31, 2022. The Company's average "at risk" leverage for the second quarter was 7.8x tangible net book value, unchanged from the prior quarter.
As of June 30, 2022, the Company's repurchase agreements had a weighted average interest rate of 1.25%, compared to 0.37% as of March 31, 2022, and a weighted average remaining maturity of 46 days, compared to 64 days as of March 31, 2022. As of June 30, 2022, $17.8 billion, or 43%, of the Company's repurchase agreements were funded through the Company's captive broker-dealer subsidiary, Bethesda Securities, LLC.
As of June 30, 2022, the Company's repurchase agreements had remaining maturities of:
- $36.8 billion of three months or less;
- $3.0 billion from three to six months; and
- $1.4 billion from six to twelve months.
HEDGING ACTIVITIES
As of June 30, 2022, interest rate swaps, swaptions and U.S. Treasury positions equaled 126% of the Company's outstanding balance of repurchase agreements, TBA position and other debt, compared to 121% as of March 31, 2022.
As of June 30, 2022, the Company's interest rate swap position totaled $49.9 billion in notional amount, compared to $51.1 billion as of March 31, 2022. As of June 30, 2022, the Company's interest rate swap portfolio had an average fixed pay rate of 0.28%, an average receive rate of 1.51% and an average maturity of 3.9 years, compared to 0.26%, 0.30% and 4.0 years, respectively, as of March 31, 2022. As of June 30, 2022, 81% and 19% of the Company's interest rate swap portfolio were linked to the Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR") and Overnight Index Swap Rate ("OIS"), respectively.
As of June 30, 2022, the Company had payer swaptions outstanding totaling $6.8 billion, compared to $10.3 billion as of March 31, 2022, receiver swaptions outstanding totaling $0.2 billion, compared to none outstanding as of March 31, 2022, and net short U.S. Treasury positions outstanding totaling $15.9 billion, compared to $16.2 billion as of March 31, 2022.
OTHER GAIN (LOSS), NET
For the second quarter, the Company recorded a net loss of $(729) million in other gain (loss), net, or $(1.39) per common share, compared to a net loss of $(1,078) million, or $(2.06) per common share, for the prior quarter. Other gain (loss), net for the second quarter was comprised of:
- $(946) million of net realized losses on sales of investment securities;
- $(987) million of net unrealized losses on investment securities measured at fair value through net income;
- $49 million of interest rate swap periodic income;
- $786 million of net gains on interest rate swaps;
- $309 million of net gains on interest rate swaptions;
- $647 million of net gains on U.S. Treasury positions;
- $182 million of TBA dollar roll income;
- $(786) million of net mark-to-market losses on TBA securities; and
- $17 million of other miscellaneous gains.
OTHER COMPREHENSIVE LOSS
During the second quarter, the Company recorded other comprehensive loss of $(245) million, or $(0.47) per common share, consisting of net unrealized losses on the Company's Agency securities recognized through OCI, compared to $(491) million, or $(0.94) per common share, of other comprehensive loss for the prior quarter.
COMMON STOCK DIVIDENDS
During the second quarter, the Company declared dividends of $0.12 per share to common stockholders of record as of April 29, May 31, and June 30, 2022, totaling $0.36 per share for the quarter. Since its May 2008 initial public offering through the second quarter of 2022, the Company has declared a total of $11.6 billion in common stock dividends, or $45.04 per common share.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, OPERATING PERFORMANCE AND PORTFOLIO STATISTICS
The following measures of operating performance include net spread and dollar roll income; net spread and dollar roll income, excluding "catch-up" premium amortization; economic interest income; economic interest expense; estimated taxable income; and the related per common share measures and financial metrics derived from such information, which are non-GAAP financial measures. Please refer to "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information" later in this release for further discussion of non-GAAP measures.
*Except as noted below, average numbers for each period are weighted based on days on the Company's books and records. All percentages are annualized, unless otherwise noted.
Numbers in financial tables may not total due to rounding.
- Tangible net book value per common share excludes preferred stock liquidation preference and goodwill.
- Table includes non-GAAP financial measures and/or amounts derived from non-GAAP measures. Refer to "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information" for additional discussion of non-GAAP financial measures.
- Amount reported in gain (loss) on derivatives instruments and other securities, net in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.
- Dollar roll income represents the price differential, or "price drop," between the TBA price for current month settlement versus the TBA price for forward month settlement. Amount includes dollar roll income (loss) on long and short TBA securities. Amount excludes TBA mark-to-market adjustments.
- The implied funding cost/benefit of TBA dollar roll transactions is determined using the "price drop" (Note 4) and market based assumptions regarding the "cheapest-to-deliver" collateral that can be delivered to satisfy the TBA contract, such as the anticipated collateral's weighted average coupon, weighted average maturity and projected 1-month CPR. The average implied funding cost/benefit for all TBA transactions is weighted based on the Company's daily average TBA balance outstanding for the period.
- The average implied asset yield for TBA dollar roll transactions is extrapolated by adding the average TBA implied funding cost (Note 5) to the net dollar roll yield. The net dollar roll yield is calculated by dividing dollar roll income (Note 4) by the average net TBA balance (cost basis) outstanding for the period.
- Amount calculated on a weighted average basis based on average balances outstanding during the period and their respective asset yield/funding cost.
- Represents periodic interest rate swap settlements. Amount excludes interest rate swap termination fees and mark-to-market adjustments.
- Cost of funds excludes other supplemental hedges used to hedge a portion of the Company's interest rate risk (such as swaptions and U.S. Treasury positions) and U.S. Treasury repurchase agreements.
- Represents interest rate swap periodic cost measured as a percent of total mortgage funding (Agency repurchase agreements, other debt and net TBA securities).
- "Catch-up" premium amortization cost/benefit is reported in interest income on the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.
- Investment securities include Agency MBS, CRT and non-Agency securities. Amounts exclude TBA and forward settling securities.
- Average repurchase agreements and other debt excludes U.S. Treasury repurchase agreements.
- Average stockholders' equity calculated as the average month-ended stockholders' equity during the quarter.
- Average tangible net book value "at risk" leverage during the period was calculated by dividing the sum of the daily weighted average Agency repurchase agreements, other debt, and TBA and forward settling securities (at cost) outstanding for the period by the sum of average stockholders' equity adjusted to exclude goodwill. Leverage excludes U.S. Treasury repurchase agreements.
- Tangible net book value "at risk" leverage as of period end was calculated by dividing the sum of the amount outstanding under repurchase agreements, other debt, net TBA position and forward settling securities (at cost), and net receivable / payable for unsettled investment securities outstanding by the sum of total stockholders' equity adjusted to exclude goodwill. Leverage excludes U.S. Treasury repurchase agreements.
- Average TBA coupon is for the long TBA position only.
- Includes forward starting swaps not yet in effect as of reported period-end.
- Economic return (loss) on tangible common equity represents the sum of the change in tangible net book value per common share and dividends declared on common stock during the period over the beginning tangible net book value per common share.
- Includes net TBA dollar roll position and, if applicable, forward settling securities.
STOCKHOLDER CALL
AGNC invites stockholders, prospective stockholders and analysts to attend the AGNC stockholder call on July 26, 2022 at 8:30 am ET. Interested persons who do not plan on asking a question and have internet access are encouraged to utilize the free webcast at www.AGNC.com. Those who plan on participating in the Q&A or do not have internet available may access the call by dialing (877) 300-5922 (U.S. domestic) or (412) 902-6621 (international). Please advise the operator you are dialing in for the AGNC Investment Corp. stockholder call.
A slide presentation will accompany the call and will be available at www.AGNC.com. Select the Q2 2022 Earnings Presentation link to download and print the presentation in advance of the stockholder call.
An archived audio of the stockholder call combined with the slide presentation will be available on the AGNC website after the call on July 26, 2022. In addition, there will be a phone recording available one hour after the call on July 26, 2022 through August 2, 2022. Those who are interested in hearing the recording of the presentation, can access it by dialing (877) 344-7529 (U.S. domestic) or (412) 317-0088 (international), passcode 4136711.
For further information, please contact Investor Relations at (301) 968-9300 or IR@AGNC.com.
ABOUT AGNC INVESTMENT CORP.
AGNC Investment Corp. is an internally-managed real estate investment trust ("REIT") that invests primarily in residential mortgage-backed securities for which the principal and interest payments are guaranteed by a U.S. Government-sponsored enterprise or a U.S. Government agency. For further information, please refer to www.AGNC.com.
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates, projections, beliefs and assumptions of management of the Company at the time of such statements and are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements or from our historic performance due to a variety of important factors, including, without limitation, changes in interest rates, changes in MBS spreads to benchmark interest rates, changes in the yield curve, changes in prepayment rates, the availability and terms of financing, changes in the market value of the Company's assets, general economic or market conditions, and conditions in the market for Agency securities, any of which may be materially impacted by changes in the Federal Reserve's bond buying program, approaches to address the size of its bond portfolio or its monetary policy, and legislative and regulatory changes that could adversely affect the business of the Company. Certain factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, are included in the Company's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Copies are available on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov. The Company disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements based on the occurrence of future events, the receipt of new information, or otherwise.
USE OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL INFORMATION
In addition to the results presented in accordance with GAAP, the Company's results of operations discussed in this release include certain non-GAAP financial information, including "net spread and dollar roll income," "net spread and dollar roll income, excluding 'catch-up' premium amortization," "economic interest income" and "economic interest expense" (both components of "net spread and dollar roll income"), "estimated taxable income" and the related per common share measures and certain financial metrics derived from such non-GAAP information, such as "cost of funds" and "net interest spread."
"Net spread and dollar roll income" is measured as (i) net interest income (GAAP measure) adjusted to include TBA dollar roll income, interest rate swap periodic cost and other interest and dividend income (referred to as "adjusted net interest and dollar roll income") less (ii) total operating expense (GAAP measure). "Net spread and dollar roll income, excluding 'catch-up' premium amortization," further excludes retrospective "catch-up" adjustments to premium amortization cost due to changes in projected CPR estimates.
By providing users of the Company's financial information with such measures in addition to the related GAAP measures, the Company believes users will have greater transparency into the information used by the Company's management in its financial and operational decision-making. The Company also believes that it is important for users of its financial information to consider information related to the Company's current financial performance without the effects of certain transactions that are not necessarily indicative of its current investment portfolio performance and operations.
Specifically, in the case of "adjusted net interest and dollar roll income," the Company believes the inclusion of TBA dollar roll income is meaningful as TBAs, which are accounted for under GAAP as derivative instruments with gains and losses recognized in other gain (loss) in the Company's statement of operations, are economically equivalent to holding and financing generic Agency MBS using short-term repurchase agreements. Similarly, the Company believes that the inclusion of periodic interest rate swap settlements in such measure, which are recognized under GAAP in other gain (loss), is meaningful as interest rate swaps are the primary instrument the Company uses to economically hedge against fluctuations in the Company's borrowing costs and inclusion of periodic interest rate swap settlements is more indicative of the Company's total cost of funds than interest expense alone. In the case of "net spread and dollar roll income, excluding 'catch-up' premium amortization," the Company believes the exclusion of "catch-up" adjustments to premium amortization cost is meaningful as it excludes the cumulative effect from prior reporting periods due to current changes in future prepayment expectations and, therefore, exclusion of such "catch-up" cost or benefit is more indicative of the current earnings potential of the Company's investment portfolio. In the case of estimated taxable income (loss), the Company believes it is meaningful information as it is directly related to the amount of dividends the Company is required to distribute in order to maintain its REIT qualification status.
However, because such measures are incomplete measures of the Company's financial performance and involve differences from results computed in accordance with GAAP, they should be considered as supplementary to, and not as a substitute for, results computed in accordance with GAAP. In addition, because not all companies use identical calculations, the Company's presentation of such non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to other similarly-titled measures of other companies. Furthermore, estimated taxable income can include certain information that is subject to potential adjustments up to the time of filing the Company's income tax returns, which occurs after the end of its fiscal year.
A reconciliation of GAAP net interest income to non-GAAP "net spread and dollar roll income, excluding 'catch-up' premium amortization" and a reconciliation of GAAP net income to non-GAAP "estimated taxable income" is included in this release.
CONTACT:
Investors - (301) 968-9300
Media - (301) 968-9303
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SOURCE AGNC Investment Corp. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/25/agnc-investment-corp-announces-second-quarter-2022-financial-results/ | 2022-07-25T20:42:54Z |
Massillon man accused of attempted murder in shooting
MASSILLON – Police called Monday to investigate a shooting at Massillon home arrested a man they believe shot a woman there the day before, according to court and jail records.
Her injuries and condition were not listed in the records on Tuesday, and police could not be reached for comment.
Police allege Nathaniel B. Johnson, 39, of Erie Street S, used an AR-15-style rifle when he shot the woman at 1 a.m. Sunday, Stark County Jail records show.
Police had been called at 5:10 p.m. Monday to a home in the 1700 block of Main Avenue W in response to the shooting. Johnson was arrested at 5:43 p.m. and booked into the jail on felony charges of attempted murder, improper discharge of a firearm into a home and having weapons under disability.
The jail and court records did not list a motive for the shooting.
Johnson remained behind bars Tuesday afternoon, held in lieu of $150,000 bond. | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/2022/05/31/ar-15-shooting-leaves-massillon-man-behind-bars-police/7456559001/ | 2022-05-31T19:12:12Z |
Researchers in the remote Puna Desert of Argentina discover "extremophiles" that make plant growth possible on highly degraded soil, boost yields 9-13% on fertile soil and replace synthetic fertilizers
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, Sept. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Puna Bio announces $3.7 million in seed funding that will be used to commercially launch its first soybean seed treatment in Argentina that is cost competitive to existing biological solutions, expand field trials for wheat and corn, and pursue the regulatory pathway in the United States and Brazil.
The oversubscribed round is led by At One Ventures and Builders VC, with participation from Brazil-based SP Ventures and Air Capital, as well as follow-on from pre-seed funders IndieBio (SOSV), GLOCAL, and Grid Exponential.
Puna Bio's founding team has discovered and studied for over 20 years life in the Puna de Atacama of the Andes, a high-altitude desert (4500m above sea level) full of salt flats, active volcanoes, saline wetlands and desert soil. "La Puna" is the highest and driest desert on Earth, with one-fifth the rainfall of Death Valley. Yet even under those extreme conditions of degraded, acidic, UV-irradiated and salinated soil, there are organisms 3.5 billion years old that have not just survived, but thrived.
"By looking at the genomics of the bacteria from this harsh environment – which resembles primitive Earth, or even Mars – we were able to understand how specific genes generate processes that allow plants to overcome stress conditions," said co-founder and CRO María Eugenia Farías, who has studied La Puna for 20 years and published over 100 research papers on the topic. "Those properties can then be applied to food crops, to help them grow in similar environments with a lack of nutrients, drought conditions, drastic temperature changes and high UV radiation, which are all of the challenges we are seeing today."
One-third of the world's agricultural soil is now considered "degraded," due to continual plowing of fields, heavy use of fertilizers, pollution and erosion which is occurring at a pace of up to 100 times greater than the rate of soil formation, according to the United Nations.
In just the past few decades, agricultural production has increased 3X and irrigated land has doubled to meet the global demand for food, which is predicted to increase by 60-70% by 2050 as we hit a population of 9 billion, creating a potential food catastrophe.
"Without bold innovation, we will soon run out of healthy arable soil sufficient to feed the planet," said CEO and co-founder Franco Martínez Levis. "Puna Bio's seed treatment repairs and restores soil health with these proprietary extremophiles; we've seen yield increases of up to 25% in individual trials in high stress conditions."
"But the magic of these microbes extends beyond just land that is suffering," he added. "Like an athlete who trains at high altitudes, at sea level they will outperform. On regular land, with fertile soil, the seed treatment boost yields on average 9-13% – that's 3-4X more than the biologicals that the big players in this market are offering. Also, our 'win rate' is over 90%, compared to the 67% of our competitors, meaning the results are more consistent and the ROI to the farmer is clear."
Puna Bio has scaled to over 20,000 acres of product coverage for soybeans in Latin America, using both single strain and mixed strain products. They have obtained an exclusive license from the National Scientific and Technical Research Council of Argentina for exclusive use of strains for 20 years, globally, in compliance with the Nagoya Protocol.
"Scientists are working hard on GMOs like drought-tolerant soy and wheat, and we saw Puna Bio as a complement to those efforts," noted Laurie Menoud, founding partner of At One Ventures. "The problem of feeding our growing population is massive, so it's not an either-or. We need both genetics and biologicals (on cost parity to agrochemicals) to work together to elevate production levels without affecting natural resources while ensuring long-term sustainability of the agricultural business."
The company's seed treatment is shelf stable and is already being tested by farmers in the United States. They plan to expand their R&D team and conduct field trials for wheat and corn, both of which use very little biological treatments and are more reliant on agrochemicals, specifically nitrogen fertilizers.
Puna Bio's scientists have already identified and isolated specific strains of extremophiles that reduce the need for nitrogen fertilizer by approximately 20% and are carrying out field trials with new strains that aim to increase that number to 30%. Reduction of nitrogen fertilizers will in turn reduce carbon emissions, as they are currently the source of one-third of total agricultural emissions.
"Puna Bio, at scale, could be one of the most important mitigators of the effects of climate change on our food stock," said Mark Goldstein, Managing Partner of Builders VC. "It's an exciting journey to be part of and we're looking forward to seeing Puna Bio truly impact the marketplace."
About Puna Bio
Puna Bio focuses on repairing soil health using extremophiles – microorganisms 3.5 billion years old, sourced from La Puna, the highest and driest desert on Earth. Their biological inputs allow farmers to increase yields, reduce fertilizer use, and grow crops on degraded soil - affected by erosion or salinization. The company was founded in late 2020, and has quickly scaled their R&D operations and field trials in Argentina and the USA, having treated more than 600 tonnes of soybean seeds and performed trials in more than 20,000 acres in Latin America. For more information, please visit https://puna.bio/.
About At One Ventures
At One Ventures invests in deep-tech startups catalyzing a world where humanity is a net positive to nature. The firm is highly technical and was founded by Tom Chi, former Head of Experience and founding member at Google X. At One Ventures finds, funds, and grows companies that are using disruptive deep tech to upend the unit economics of established industries while dramatically reducing their planetary footprint.. To date, At One Ventures has invested in 25 startups, including Iron Ox, Ascend Elements, Dendra, Gradient, Apis Cor, Alchemie Technology, and Cruz Foam. For more information, please visit https://www.atoneventures.com/.
About Builders VC
Builders VC is a San Francisco-based seed and Series A venture firm with over ten investments in agriculture and foodtech alone. Builders invests in teams disrupting the status quo that are on the right side of ESG. See www.builders.vc for more.
Contact: info@punabio.com
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SOURCE Puna Bio | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/09/01/puna-bio-raises-37m-seed-funding-restore-soil-health-with-desert-microbes/ | 2022-09-01T16:45:45Z |
NEW YORK, July 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Attention Unity Software Inc. ("Unity") (NYSE: U) shareholders:
The Law Offices of Vincent Wong announce that a class action lawsuit has commenced on behalf of investors who purchased between March 5, 2021 and May 10, 2022.
If you suffered a loss on your investment in Unity, contact us about potential recovery by using the link below. There is no cost or obligation to you.
ABOUT THE ACTION: The class action against Unity includes allegations that the Company made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) deficiencies in Unity's product platform reduced the accuracy of the Company's machine learning technology; (ii) the foregoing was likely to have a material negative impact on the Company's revenues; (iii) accordingly, Unity had overstated the Company's commercial and/or financial prospects for 2022; (iv) as a result, the Company was likely to have to reduce its fiscal 2022 guidance; and (v) as a result, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.
DEADLINE: September 6, 2022
Aggrieved Unity investors only have until September 6, 2022 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. You are not required to act as a lead plaintiff in order to share in any recovery.
Vincent Wong, Esq. is an experienced attorney who has represented investors in securities litigations involving financial fraud and violations of shareholder rights. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
CONTACT:
Vincent Wong, Esq.
39 East Broadway
Suite 304
New York, NY 10002
Tel. 212.425.1140
E-Mail: vw@wongesq.com
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SOURCE The Law Offices of Vincent Wong | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/18/class-action-alert-law-offices-vincent-wong-remind-unity-investors-lead-plaintiff-deadline-september-6-2022/ | 2022-07-18T10:11:40Z |
Latest round of venture funding will drive product innovation and market expansion after 3x YoY revenue growth
CHICAGO, July 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Chicago-based restaurant tech company 86 Repairs today announced it raised $15.2 million in Series A funding led by Silicon Valley-based Storm Ventures with participation from Savory Fund, Lightbank, TDF Ventures, Gordon Food Service (GFS), Cleveland Avenue, MATH Venture Partners, and others. The investment will allow 86 Repairs to drive product innovation and support its nearly 3x year-over-year revenue growth.
86 Repairs offers restaurants and other commercial kitchen operators 24/7/365 support for on-demand repair management, preventative maintenance programs, and access to never-before-seen, data-driven insights on repair and maintenance (R&M) spend. The company provides indispensable R&M savings at a time when the restaurant industry is struggling more than ever, with customers seeing a 7.2x annual return on their investment.
"86 Repairs is changing how restaurant operators address this long-standing pain point," says Pascale Diaine, Partner at Storm Ventures. "When we saw how the market has responded to their solution, we understood that something very special is happening at 86 Repairs, with a seismic impact on the industry."
With 1.2 million unfilled hospitality jobs, a third of skilled trades workers retiring by 2030, and supply chain issues driving longer lead times, time is an invaluable asset for restaurant operators. Restaurant teams are able to stay laser-focused on their customers while 86 Repairs takes repairs off their plates.
"As restaurant operators ourselves, we know how difficult managing R&M can be," says Andrew Smith, Managing Director at Savory Fund. "We were never able to find a good solution to help us manage and support such a large part of our business until we became an 86 Repairs customer. I've seen firsthand how this solution streamlines day-to-day operations, and it's become a must-have technology for our operational service teams."
"86 Repairs is Savory Fund's first-ever tech investment, and it was worth waiting for. We're excited to see the company rapidly expand across the industry as more and more operators see the benefits we are experiencing ourselves."
Restaurants spend $28 billion on R&M and lose $46 billion of revenue due to equipment downtime every year. 86 Repairs saves customers time and money by improving equipment uptime and managing critical aspects of the operation, like equipment warranties and service dispatch, while offering data and insights not found anywhere else in this massive industry. In addition, the company's annual State of Repairs report is a compilation of high-level R&M data, which gives commercial kitchen operators important information they need to make more informed decisions—even if they don't work with the company.
"We're living through the most challenging period in the history of the restaurant industry, and our customers constantly inspire me with their creativity and grit as they navigate this new reality," says Daniel Estrada, Co-Founder and CEO of 86 Repairs. "I'm proud of the value we're providing through the 86 Repairs platform, and I'm excited to continue expanding our reach with the support of our world-class investors and team."
Last year, 86 Repairs closed $5.3 million in seed funding from investors including TDF Ventures, Gordon Food Service (GFS), MATH Venture Partners, Cleveland Avenue, and Revolution's Rise of the Rest Seed Fund. The company's Series A brings the total investment in 86 Repairs to $24 million.
About 86 Repairs: 86 Repairs is the repair and maintenance management platform built for the restaurant industry. Our tech-enabled solution includes on-demand repair management and preventative maintenance. With 86 Repairs, restaurants have access to data-driven insights and 24/7 support to control their facilities, reduce their R&M costs, and spend less of their team's time on equipment repairs.
86 Repairs manages the repair and maintenance process for more than 2,000 restaurant operators in the U.S. and Canada, from upscale full service restaurants to quick service franchised brands. Some notable customers include Boka Restaurant Group, Castellucci Hospitality Group, and 4 Rivers Smokehouse, and quick-service brands like McDonald's, Jimmy John's, Sonic Drive-Ins, Taco Bell, and many others. Learn more at https://www.86repairs.com.
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SOURCE 86 Repairs | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/26/86-repairs-raises-152m-series-continue-disrupting-restaurant-repairs-maintenance/ | 2022-07-26T11:48:02Z |
LINKÖPING, Sweden, July 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Medical imaging IT and cybersecurity company Sectra (STO: SECT B) is publishing its Annual Report and Sustainability Report for the 2021/2022 fiscal year today. This report also includes the Corporate Governance Report for the same period.
The document is attached to this press release and is available on Sectra's website, investor.sectra.com.
A summary of the financial year is also available on the website. The 2021/2022 financial year in brief summarizes the value we create for various stakeholders, highlights from our operations, and a selection of financial performance measures.
This information constitutes information that Sectra AB (publ) is obliged to make public pursuant to the Swedish Securities Markets Act. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 1:30 p.m. (CEST) on July 6, 2022.
About Sectra
Sectra contributes to a healthier and safer society by assisting health systems throughout the world to enhance the efficiency of care, and authorities and defense forces in Europe to protect society's most sensitive information. The company, founded in 1978, is headquartered in Linköping, Sweden, with direct sales in 19 countries, and distribution partners worldwide. Sales in the 2021/2022 fiscal year totaled SEK 1,949 million. The Sectra share is quoted on the Nasdaq Stockholm exchange. For more information, visit Sectra's website.
For further information, please contact:
Dr. Torbjörn Kronander, President and CEO, Sectra AB, +46 (0) 705 23 52 27
This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com
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SOURCE Sectra | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/06/sectra-publishes-annual-report-sustainability-report-20212022/ | 2022-07-06T12:08:08Z |
LINCOLN, Neb., Aug. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PaymentSpring, a division of Nelnet, Inc. (NYSE: NNI) and a leader in secure payment technology for education and non-profits across the United States, has announced it has changed its name to Nelnet Payment Services.
Nelnet Payment Services currently serves as the payment engine for products and services across multiple Nelnet business units. This name change will further unify the business with the Nelnet brand to create opportunities to expand into new markets and facilitate additional partnerships.
Throughout its history, Nelnet Payment Services has created product and service offerings designed to simplify and secure the payment experience. Over the years, the company has expanded into a variety of industries and has added proven processing partners, powerful integrations, and leading services.
"As Nelnet Payment Services, we will continue to provide innovative and affordable payment solutions to our existing partners," said Becky Pollock, president of Nelnet Payment Services. "We'll also focus on enhancing our product set to provide unique, competitive advantages in support of new opportunities available through existing Nelnet business lines and beyond."
Nelnet Payment Services is a premier payment gateway, enabling software partners to offer secure, reliable payment solutions to their customers and members. From small businesses needing an easy gateway to add to their new business site to independent sales organizations in search of a processor that offers a better payment experience for their portfolio, Nelnet Payment Services delivers. For more information, visit nelnetpaymentservices.com.
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SOURCE Nelnet Payment Services | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/10/paymentspring-announces-name-change-nelnet-payment-services/ | 2022-08-10T20:56:23Z |
Creta Class's math learning app for kids will continue to provide an equal and engaging remote learning experience to foster gradual learning patterns post-pandemic
NEW YORK, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading international math learning program, Creta Class, has recently been recognized by the 2022 Mom's Choice Award ("MCA") as being among the best in family-friendly media, products, and services. Creta Class was granted the prestigious Gold Award for its 5-stage learning program. Complementing their MCA success, on May 7, Creta Class was also awarded the Spring 2022 Academics' Choice Smart Media Award, while granted kidSAFE® accreditation and earned a 5-star evaluation from the Educational App Store earlier this year.
Aside from being an exceptional learning tool, Creta Class was granted the 2022 Mom's Choice Gold Award for innovation in remote and application-based mathematics teaching. This has been exceptionally important since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020 and has led to the program being a key component in countless virtual classrooms and homes around the world. With additional award-winning platforms available, the app can be found and explored by more families interested in mathematical thinking and learning.
Upon receiving the award, Christy, Curriculum Development Head of Creta Class said, "We are very grateful for the recognition that our program has received from the 2022 Mom's Choice Awards. At Creta Class, we see it as our mission to understand and guide the cognitive development of young children. Our methodology is to stimulate the interest of young learners, cultivate their enthusiasm for learning, guide them step by step as they explore, and ultimately make them feel happy and accomplished. Moving forward, we are excited to continue extending the reach and depth of our learning materials to help more young children unlock their learning potential."
Creta Class addresses this issue by introducing children to principles of math education from an early age through 240 lessons, 1,200 animations, and over 12,000 interactive exercises to work through each year. The syllabus covers a wide range of areas, including number concepts, operations, shapes, space, and much more. With daily lessons only 15 minutes in length, children are encouraged to focus on short bursts and commit their lessons to long-term memory, giving them a strong foundation to support their future math studies.
"We are happy to award deserving apps like Creta Class," said Dawn Matheson, CEO of Mom's Choice Awards. "Our panel of judges really felt this app merited a place on our list of the best in family-friendly products that parents and educators can feel confident in using."
Creta Class utilizes cutting-edge technology to provide a mathematics educational program that is fun, engaging, and safe for young learners. The team of early education and IT industry veterans designed the course to help 3–8-year-old kids establish systematic knowledge through progressive learning pathways. The program features engaging animations and hands-on interactive exercises supported by AI technology to ensure maximum immersion to realize a learning experience for children.
The MCA award affirms the learning experience of Creta Class provided as an educational product for children and parents, and the ACA award attests its professionalism as a mathematical and logical thinking training product. Creta Class has also been granted kidSAFE® accreditation for its strict security settings, and earned a 5-star evaluation from the Educational App Store which noted the program's scientific-based approach to learning, design, and presentation.
For more information, please visit Creta Class and on social media at Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter.
About Creta Class
Creta Class is a math program developed by education experts and designed for kids ages 3 to 8. The systematic program provides a 5-stage plan, with each stage consisting of 240 lessons, 1,200 animations, and 12,000+ interactive exercises with a progressive course setting. Creta Class's 15 minutes per day, 5 days per week approach makes learning math fun and easy with bite-sized daily sessions and AI-backed learning paths.
Media Contact:
Creta Class Communication Team
press@cretaclass.com
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SOURCE Creta Class | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/24/2022-moms-choice-gold-award-winner-creta-class-named-best-family-friendly-media-products-services/ | 2022-05-24T15:48:01Z |
GPARENCY plans new growth from 70 employees to over 100; Industry veteran will manage company finances as the Chief Financial Officer
HOWELL, N.J. , Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- GPARENCY, one of the nation's premier commercial mortgage brokerages, has been experiencing exceptional growth. They have seen a positive shift towards larger funding requests, recently closing hundreds of millions of dollars in deals – including a $39M deal. GPARENCY had their third best month for contracts signed in July and are preparing to launch new proprietary technology. In addition, they are adding to their team of 70+ employees and are about to launch a training and recruiting program.
GPARENCY's recent surge in revenue and new initiatives prompted the company to begin expanding its staff, with the goal to reach over 100 people, and to hire their first Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Avi Beneson. Avi has over 15 years of Finance and Accounting experience working in and managing operational accounting across the banking industry, with his most recent employer being BHI (Bank Hapoalim International). His vast skill set includes experience in budgeting and forecasting, management reporting, external audits, tax prep, expense management, SOX 404, and project management.
"We are confident that with Avi's previous financial and banking experience, he will be able to drive even more value to our team, and ultimately to borrowers," Ira Zlotowitz, the founder and CEO of GPARENCY, said.
"I am thrilled to be joining an amazing team led by Ira Zlotowitz as we push the commercial mortgage brokerage business into the future," Avi Beneson said.
GPARENCY is one of America's premier commercial mortgage brokerages. Based in Zoom, USA, the company operates under an innovative pricing model that enables borrowers to secure funding using a customizable fixed-fee membership model. Founded in November, 2021, the company has attracted national attention for its disruptive pricing structure and reputation for closing complex deals.
Media contact:
Shlomo Zaks
media@gparency.com
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SOURCE GPARENCY | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/11/gparency-hires-avi-beneson-first-cfo-handle-increasing-company-revenue/ | 2022-08-11T18:52:30Z |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A California man pleaded guilty Friday to plotting to blow up the state Democratic Party’s headquarters in what prosecutors said was the first in a planned series of politically-motivated attacks after the defeat of former President Donald Trump.
Ian Benjamin Rogers, 46, of Napa, pleaded guilty to conspiring to destroy a building by fire or explosives, possessing an explosive device and possessing a machine gun under a plea agreement that could bring him seven to nine years in federal prison.
U.S. prosecutors in San Francisco charged Rogers and Jarrod Copeland with conspiring to attack targets they associated with Democrats after Trump’s defeat in the November 2020 presidential election.
The pair “hoped their attacks would prompt a movement,” prosecutors said when they announced the charges in July.
Copeland, 38, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy and destruction of records.
“I want to blow up a democrat building bad,” Rogers wrote in one of the messaging apps he used to communicate with Copeland, according to the indictment. In a different message he said that after Democratic President Joe Biden was inaugurated, “we go to war.”
Their first planned target was the John L. Burton Democratic Headquarters in Sacramento, prosecutors said.
Law enforcement officers who searched Rogers’s home in January 2021 seized nearly 50 firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition and five pipe bombs, prosecutors said.
He was taken into custody then on state charges after the FBI said he sent text messages that agents perceived as threats against the unoccupied Governor’s Mansion and social media companies Facebook and Twitter.
Under a universal agreement, the federal sentence will be served concurrently with a 10- to 12-year state sentence on similar Napa County charges of possessing fully automatic weapons and explosive devices, said Rogers’ attorney, Colin Cooper.
Rogers “has never been in trouble before,” Cooper said.
“He’s accepted responsibility and he is desirous of paying his debt to society and resuming a life of productivity, of being a good father and good husband and a good family man” with an 11-year-old son, Cooper said. ”He feels awful about what happened and what he’s done to his family, and he’s a guy I think we’ll never see again in the (criminal justice) system.”
Rogers remains in custody awaiting his sentencing, set for Sept. 30. | https://cw33.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-headlines/guilty-plea-in-plot-to-firebomb-california-democratic-hq/ | 2022-05-28T13:08:32Z |
The Agreement Expands Options for Customers Seeking Cost-Effective, High-Throughput Whole Genome Sequencing
NEW YORK, June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Gencove, pioneer of low-pass whole genome sequencing and analysis software, and Element Biosciences Inc., developer of the Element AVITI™ System, a new and disruptive DNA sequencing platform, today announced a joint marketing agreement to further reduce the cost and complexity of obtaining genomic information.
Whole genome sequencing provides a new foundation to advance healthcare, understand pathogens and feed our growing population. Combining the unrivaled performance and flexibility of the AVITI System with Gencove's software platform democratizes access to genomic information.
Gencove's low-pass sequencing and analysis software reduce costs in two ways. First by miniaturizing the way the DNA samples are processed and second by allowing customers to sequence at lower coverages and then upload the data into the Gencove platform for imputation against species-specific haplotype reference genomes. In this way, higher throughput at a lower cost per sample can be achieved.
"Gencove and Element share a vision to make cost-effective, high-throughput genome-wide information universally available", said Joseph Pickrell, Ph.D., co-founder, and CEO of Gencove. "This agreement moves the industry closer to ubiquitous sequencing to help solve our civilization's most pressing biological challenges."
Element's proprietary Avidity Sequencing™ chemistries enable exceptional accuracy and cost efficiency, unmatched by other benchtop systems. AVITI offers both short and long-read capabilities on a single platform bringing ultimate freedom and flexibility to users. Gencove and Element validated that the AVITI System data could be processed by the Gencove software platform and generate high-quality germline and somatic variant calling for human health applications.
"With the launch of our AVITI™ System and the ability to choose low-pass sequencing and imputation, customers do not have to sacrifice accuracy, throughput and cost", said Shawn Levy, Ph.D., SVP of Applications and Scientific Affairs, Element Biosciences. "Together Element and Gencove can put more genomic data into the hands of scientists and companies worldwide to accelerate life-saving discovery."
Results of the validation study and a real-world case study will be presented at this year's Advances in Genome Biology and Technology (AGBT) General Meeting on June 6-9, 2022. Additionally, Dr. Pickrell will present in the AGBT Element Biosciences lounge at 8:25 am Thursday, June 9th.
About Gencove
With additional opportunities to improve human health and the challenge of feeding the world's growing population, demand for large-scale genomic information is significantly increasing. To meet the need, Gencove combines low-pass whole genome sequencing with a proprietary software-as-a-service computation layer. The result is a hardware-agnostic, high-volume, and cost-effective sequencing and analysis solution. As evidence of the platform's value, the company has hundreds of customers and the largest genomics service providers in the world partner with Gencove. For more information visit: www.gencove.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
About Element Biosciences, Inc.
Element Biosciences is a multi-disciplinary life science company currently focused on developing disruptive DNA sequencing technology for research and diagnostic markets. Through innovating every fundamental element of a sequencing system, Element will empower customers with affordable, high-quality data and an improved user experience, which in turn will accelerate scientific discoveries and broaden the use of genomic medicine. Learn more about Element Biosciences at www.elementbiosciences.com.
Press Contacts
For Gencove:
Kristi Ashton – kristi.ashton@gencove.com 1.650.224.8231
For Element Biosciences, Inc:
Valerie Enes | valerie@teamseismic.com | (408) 497-8568
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SOURCE Gencove | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/02/gencove-element-biosciences-inc-partner-offer-low-pass-whole-genome-sequencing-analysis-with-aviti-system/ | 2022-06-02T10:13:59Z |
The Bridges to Wellness and Health program — a partnership between United Way of Central Texas, Baylor Scott & White and local community clinics — is providing Central Texas residents who are underinsured or uninsured with prescriptions, medical equipment and transportation while they await approval for long-term coverage for health care.
More than 900 clients have been assisted through the program since 2015 with durable medical equipment being the most requested form of assistance, according to United Way of Central Texas.
“The Baylor Scott & White social workers will reach out to us and say they have eight patients that fit the criteria and need the help,” Veshell Greene, United Way of Central Texas’ vice president of resource development, said. “So they will send over the paperwork and we will meet with them at the pharmacy to pay the prescription. One time I met a lady who had two prescriptions for 30 days and it was $319. So we were able to cover that one month while we looked for other resources to help in the long term.”
However, she highlighted how the resource is not simply restricted to prescriptions, medical equipment and transportation, and can sometimes provide for a wider impact.
“The Temple Community Clinic, who is one of our partners, had a patient that is diabetic and the patient was coming back in for insulin when it was too soon,” Greene said. “They couldn’t figure out why.
“Come to find out he didn’t have a good working refrigerator to keep the insulin cold. So the Bridges program was able to purchase him a small refrigerator.”
Eligible patients can utilize the service once in a 12-month period.
“When a client has gaps in their insurance coverage, the Bridges program can step in,” Greene said. “But it’s not just, we cover it and walk away. We help them find another agency or program where they can get their prescriptions or medical equipment at a discounted rate.”
Dr. Robert Probe, an orthopedist at Baylor Scott & White, is among the many health care providers in the Temple community who is glad to see the program in action.
“It was really sort of just a ground swell of providers wanting to do something for their patients,” he said in a video posted to United Way of Central Texas’ website. “We have members in our community, many who are not as fortunate as we are, that we want to help desperately. There’s certainly federal programs and state programs that can help these patients but sometimes they just don’t help them soon enough.”
William Harlan — a West resident who developed a dropped leg after a spasm popped his Achilles tendon — is one of those patients.
He needed a brace, priced at approximately $1,000, intended to help relieve pain related to his injury.
“I’m really grateful because it is something that I wouldn’t have been able to afford since I’m unemployed and don’t have any income,” Harlan said. “This is the second time they’ve helped me and the newer (brace) feels a lot better for my ankle support. I’m much more mobile, I can do more things, and I’m not as cane dependent.”
Residents can make a donation toward the Bridges program online at uwct.org.
“The impact is huge but how do you put a value on independence, on peace of mind and being able to be mobile,” Greene said. “Obviously, there is a price tag. But what we’re able to do and provide is really priceless.” | https://www.tdtnews.com/news/central_texas_news/article_049c33f4-e9fa-11ec-aef3-1fd85e664876.html | 2022-06-12T06:21:48Z |
POTOMAC, Md., July 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Z Advanced Computing, Inc. (ZAC), the pioneer Cognitive Explainable-AI (Artificial Intelligence) (Cognitive XAI) (based on Concept-Learning) software startup, has been ranked among the top 5 companies in the world by GlobalData PLC, for a fundamental category of Web 3.0 (the 3rd iteration of the Internet). In a report titled "Internet's Next Revolution – Can Web 3.0 Unlock Decentralized and Intelligent Internet?", ZAC was chosen among the Key Players for Web 3.0. GlobalData PLC (https://www.globaldata.com/) is a major data analytics and consulting company (a public company).
For both the US Air Force (for 3D Aerial Vision) and Bosch (BSH, the biggest appliance maker in Europe, for Smart Appliance) projects, ZAC has demonstrated major AI and Machine Learning (ML) breakthroughs, including using only a few training samples, and using much lower computing power (e.g., using only an average laptop with only CPU), for both training and recognition. "This is in sharp contrast to the other algorithms in industry (such as Deep Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) or ResNets) that require thousands to billions of training samples, trained on large GPU servers or supercomputer," emphasized Dr. Bijan Tadayon, CEO of ZAC.
Some applications are: autonomous vehicles, e-commerce, ads, medical, satellite/aerial imaging, security, and smart homes/appliances.
ZAC owns a very strong IP portfolio with over 450 inventions, including 13 issued US patents.
ZAC has an impressive team of scientists and developers. The development is headed by Saied Tadayon, a scientist and veteran software developer, and a math prodigy who ranked 1st as an undergrad at Cornell, and got his PhD from Cornell at age 23.
ZAC world-renowned advisors include Prof. David Lee (Nobel Laureate, Physics), Prof. Mory Gharib (former Vice Provost of Research, Caltech), late Prof. Robert Buhrman (former Sr. Vice Provost of Research, Cornell), Prof. Mike Spencer (former Associate Dean of Engineering for Research, Cornell), Prof. Mo Jamshidi (UTSA, Founding Dir. of NASA Center for Autonomous Control, and US Army Science Board member), and Prof. Gholam Peyman, MD (Inventor of LASIK, and awarded National Medal of Technology and Innovation by the US President). The late Prof. Lotfi Zadeh of UC Berkeley (Father of Fuzzy Logic, co-inventor of Z-Transform, and AI Hall-of-Fame inductee) is also one of ZAC inventors.
Contact:
Z Advanced Computing, Inc. (ZAC)
Tel.: 301-294-0434
media@ZAdvancedComputing.com
www.ZAdvancedComputing.com
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SOURCE Z Advanced Computing, Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/19/globaldata-ranked-zac-cognitive-explainable-ai-artificial-intelligence-image-recognition-startup-top-5-companies-worldwide-web-30-fundamental-category/ | 2022-07-19T16:43:05Z |
Capitol riot prosecutors ask for 2 months for Idaho woman
By REBECCA BOONE
Associated Press
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Federal prosecutors say an Idaho woman who participated in the Jan. 6, 2021 siege of the U.S. Capitol should be sentenced to two months in jail and ordered to serve community service in part because it was her second time forcing entry into a capitol building.
Pam Hemphill of Boise pleaded guilty earlier this year to one misdemeanor count of parading, demonstrating or picketing in the Capitol Building. In exchange, prosecutors dropped three additional misdemeanor charges.
In a sentencing memo filed in Hemphill’s case on Wednesday, the federal prosecutors noted that just a few months earlier Hemphill was part of a group of protesters that forced their way into an Idaho Statehouse gallery with limited seating, shattering the window of a door in the process. Hemphill and other members of the far-right group People’s Rights were at the Boise Capitol because they were angry over coronavirus-related restrictions, and Hemphill bragged about her actions in Boise while talking to other rioters at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 as they sought to stop the certification of the 2020 Presidential Election.
“In fact, Hemphill may be the only defendant to be sentenced by the court so far who participated in not one, but two capitol building breaches within a year,” the federal prosecutors told the court.
Hemphill’s attorney, Nathan Silver II, declined to comment on the case. | https://localnews8.com/news/ap-idaho/2022/05/12/capitol-riot-prosecutors-ask-for-2-months-for-idaho-woman/ | 2022-05-12T19:40:55Z |
A third of people in US should consider masking based on their COVID-19 risk, CDC director says
By Jacqueline Howard, CNN
The head of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges counties with high COVID-19 community levels to encourage people to mask up in public indoor settings.
US counties with high COVID-19 community levels should encourage people to put their masks back on while indoors and people in areas with medium levels should consider masking based on their own COVID-19 risk, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a White House briefing Wednesday.
That impacts about a third of people in the United States.
More than 32% of people nationwide live in areas with medium or high COVID-19 community levels, Walensky said. That breaks down to 9% living in areas with high COVID-19 community levels and 23% living in medium areas.
For areas currently with high COVID-19 community levels, “we urge local leaders to encourage the use of prevention strategies like masking in public indoor settings and increasing access to testing and to treatment,” Walensky said.
“In areas where community levels are high, everyone should be using prevention measures and wearing a mask in public indoor settings,” she said.
In areas with medium levels, Walensky said “individuals should consider taking prevention measures based on their own risk, like avoiding crowds, wearing a mask, increasing their testing, especially before gathering with others indoors.”
In any COVID-19 community level, Walensky said that people “may always choose to wear a mask to protect themselves from infection.”
As of Wednesday, about 4.25% of US counties have high COVID-19 community levels, according to CDC data.
“As we’re currently seeing a steady rise of cases in parts of the country, we encourage everyone to use the menu of tools we have today to prevent further infection and severe disease, including wearing a mask, getting tested, accessing treatments early if infected and getting vaccinated or boosted, especially if you’re over 50 and if your last dose was more than five months ago,” Walensky said.
While cases are not peaking, Walensky warned of an upward trend in cases and hospitalizations.
“While cases remain much lower than during the Omicron surge this past winter, the current seven-day daily average of cases is now at about 94,000 cases per day, which is an increase nationally about 26% over the previous week, and a three-fold increase over the last month,” Walensky said.
“Similarly, hospital admissions are also increasing but remain much lower than they were during the Omicron surge. The seven-day average of hospital admissions now is about 3,000 per day and that’s an increase of about 19% over the previous week,” she added. “While deaths do remain low, we are still seeing a tragic seven-day average of daily deaths at about 275 per day.”
Northeast sees high COVID-19 community levels
Many counties in the northeast region of the country currently have high COVID-19 community levels, and about 40% of people in the northeast are in counties considered to have high community levels.
“The highest levels are currently throughout the state of New York and Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey,” Lori Tremmel Freeman, chief executive officer of the National Association of County and City Health Officials, told CNN on Wednesday.
Freeman pointed to the fast-spreading Omicron subvariants, BA.2 and BA.2.12.1, as possible drivers of COVID-19 transmission in those regions and the nation as a whole.
About half — 50.9% — of COVID-19 cases in the US are caused by BA.2 and about the other half — 47.5% — are caused by BA.2.12.1, according to CDC data.
“BA.2.12.1 is 25% more contagious than BA.2, which we know is very contagious,” Freeman said. “So, they expect that that variant will be dominant shortly.”
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
Deidre McPhillips contributed to this report. | https://localnews8.com/health/coronavirus/2022/05/18/a-third-of-people-in-us-should-consider-masking-based-on-their-covid-19-risk-cdc-director-says-2/ | 2022-05-18T23:18:53Z |
NEW YORK, July 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Levi & Korsinsky, LLP notifies investors in Dentsply Sirona Inc. ("Dentsply" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: XRAY) of a class action securities lawsuit.
CLASS DEFINITION: The lawsuit seeks to recover losses on behalf of Dentsply investors who were adversely affected by alleged securities fraud. This lawsuit is on behalf of all persons or entities that purchased Dentsply's common stock between June 9, 2021, and May 9, 2022. Follow the link below to get more information and be contacted by a member of our team:
XRAY investors may also contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. via email at jlevi@levikorsinsky.com or by telephone at (212) 363-7500.
CASE DETAILS: According to the filed complaint, defendants orchestrated a scheme to inflate Dentsply's revenue and earnings by manipulating the Company's accounting for a distributor rebate program so that senior executives would be eligible for significant cash and stock-based incentive compensation. In order to facilitate this scheme, Dentsply and its executives made numerous false and misleading statements to investors during the class period. As a result of defendants' misrepresentations, Dentsply's common stock traded at artificially inflated prices during the class period.
WHAT'S NEXT? If you suffered a loss in Dentsply during the relevant time frame, you have until August 1, 2022 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.
NO COST TO YOU: If you are a class member, you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out-of-pocket costs or fees. There is no cost or obligation to participate.
WHY LEVI & KORSINSKY: Over the past 20 years, the team at Levi & Korsinsky has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders and built a track record of winning high-stakes cases. Our firm has extensive expertise representing investors in complex securities litigation and a team of over 70 employees to serve our clients. For seven years in a row, Levi & Korsinsky has ranked in ISS Securities Class Action Services' Top 50 Report as one of the top securities litigation firms in the United States.
CONTACT:
Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
Joseph E. Levi, Esq.
Ed Korsinsky, Esq.
55 Broadway, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10006
jlevi@levikorsinsky.com
Tel: (212) 363-7500
Fax: (212) 363-7171
www.zlk.com
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SOURCE Levi & Korsinsky, LLP | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/21/xray-lawsuit-alert-levi-amp-korsinsky-notifies-dentsply-sirona-inc-investors-class-action-lawsuit-upcoming-deadline/ | 2022-07-21T11:13:14Z |
PARIS (AP) — The chief of airline alliance Air France-KLM said Thursday that it will take weeks or months to get new security staff in place to lighten pressure on the Amsterdam airport, which has seen flight cancellations, damaging delays and big travel headaches as global air travel rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Air France-KLM CEO Ben Smith told reporters that the company is seeking compensation for some of its losses, blaming the troubles at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport on shortages of security and other ground personnel outside KLM’s control.
While the Dutch government faces pressure to find solutions, once security personnel are recruited, “it could take weeks or months to have them in a position” because of government requirements for security clearances, Smith said.
Airlines and airports that slashed jobs during the pandemic are struggling to keep up with soaring travel demand, and passengers are encountering chaotic scenes at airports around Europe and the U.S.
Smith downplayed concerns about an Air France pilots’ strike scheduled for Saturday, saying only a small minority of pilots are expected to participate and he doesn’t expect it to affect operations.
The main Paris airport, Charles de Gaulle, has not seen many travel disruptions like those in Amsterdam, London and some other hubs. Smith attributed that to Air France’s decision last year to hire hundreds of pilots, mechanics and cabin staff in anticipation of a surge in demand in this summer.
The airlines are still down staff: 7,500 people left Air France because of the pandemic travel crash, and KLM lost 3,000. While many airlines laid off staff, Air France-KLM says it only saw voluntary departures.
But Smith said all of the airlines’ planes are operating, and the company foresees 85% to 90% of pre-pandemic flight activity this summer worldwide.
“We see a strong pent-up demand for leisure travel, people who haven’t been able to fly for two years,” he said.
Despite concerns about rising COVID-19 cases and risks of a recession, he predicted high demand into the fall.
Soaring global fuel prices are sending plane ticket prices through the roof, but Smith said that isn’t stopping people from flying.
“The ability to pass on higher costs to customers is unbelievable,” particularly in first class and business class, he said. “Trying to get a seat out of New York is impossible.”
Still, he warned that because of high fuel costs and broader inflation, “We’re not going to see a bonanza year of profits. It’s still a long path” back to pre-pandemic operations.
The French and Dutch governments saved Air France and KLM from near collapse when the pandemic hit, with billions of euros in loans. Smith said the company hopes to pay off the Dutch aid in the coming months and 75% of the French aid by the end of this year.
He welcomed the return to travel freedoms but warned travelers: “Allow extra time to get into and out of airports — and book early. Flights are filling up.”
___
This story has been corrected to reflect that Air France-KLM says staff shortage is due to voluntary departures, not layoffs. | https://cw33.com/business/ap-business/air-france-klm-boss-warns-travelers-go-to-the-airport-early/ | 2022-06-23T14:59:45Z |
PITTSBURGH, Aug. 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- For the fourth straight year, Allegheny Health Network (AHN) has been named one of "America's Best Employers by State" by Forbes Magazine.
This year, AHN is one of 14 Pennsylvania hospitals or health systems to be named among the nation's "Best Employers," and the only one from the western Pennsylvania region to make the list in 2022. AHN has appeared on the list every year since Forbes first published it in 2019.
To create the list, Forbes and its market research partner, Statista, surveyed 70,000 Americans working for businesses with at least 500 employees. The respondents were asked to rate their employers on a variety of criteria, including safety of work environment, competitiveness of compensation, wage gap disparities, opportunities for advancement, and openness to telecommuting.
This year's survey also asked employees about their employer's remote-work benefits, and initiatives around diversity, equity and inclusion.
After the survey is completed, the full list is divided into 51 rankings, one for each of the 50 states, plus Washington, D.C.
"We are incredibly honored to be consistently recognized among America's and Pennsylvania's best employers, by one of the country's most respected business journals," said Cynthia Hundorfean, AHN's president and CEO.
"At AHN, we have worked hard to build a culture of dignity, respect and opportunity for our caregivers, because we know they do their best work when they feel they are part of an organization that values their insights, talents and dedication. We are proud to sustain a diverse workplace where team members feel they can innovate and thrive, in ways that provide remarkable care experiences to our patients and communities."
Over the last few years, AHN has taken significant steps to promote clinician wellness and enhance the employee environment and experience overall, particularly for front-line and bedside nursing staff. In August 2022, for example, AHN announced the launch of a new mobile internal staffing model that will provide flexible work-life solutions for nurses, surgical technologists, and other team members. The mobile staffing team is part of AHN's larger "Work Your Way" program, which also encourages nurses to select from "weekend warrior" and "night owl" shifts, offering more flexible hours and premium pay differentials for nurses who participate in these programs.
AHN, part of Highmark Health, is one of Pennsylvania's largest employers, with 21,000 team members. Forbes magazine has been published since 1917 and is well known for its business and finance coverage as well as its popular lists and rankings.
Also making the "America's Best Employers by State" list in 2022 were United Concordia Dental (Camp Hill, Pa.), a dental insurer owned by Highmark Health, as well as Geisinger Health System (Danville, Pa.), Penn State Health (Hershey, Pa.), and Christiana Care (Delaware), which partner with Highmark Health.
About Allegheny Health Network
Allegheny Health Network (AHN.org) is an integrated healthcare delivery system serving the greater Western Pennsylvania region. The Network is composed of 14 hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, Health + Wellness Pavilions, an employed physician organization, home and community-based health services, a research institute, and a group purchasing organization. The Network provides patients with access to a complete spectrum of advanced medical services, including nationally recognized programs for primary and emergency care, trauma care, cardiovascular disease, organ transplantation, cancer care, orthopedic surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, women's health, diabetes, autoimmune disease and more. AHN employs approximately 21,000 people, has more than 2,500 physicians on its medical staff and serves as a clinical campus for Drexel University College of Medicine and the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.
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SOURCE Allegheny Health Network | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/26/ahn-named-among-americas-best-employers-by-forbes-magazine-4th-consecutive-year/ | 2022-08-26T20:55:13Z |
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA will hold a media teleconference at 6 p.m. EDT Tuesday, Aug. 30, to discuss the flight test of the agency's mega Moon rocket and uncrewed Orion spacecraft, currently at Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, ahead of the Artemis I lunar mission.
Audio of the teleconference will stream live online at:
Teleconference participants include:
- Mike Sarafin, Artemis mission manager, NASA Headquarters
- Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis launch director, NASA Exploration Ground Systems Program, NASA Kennedy
- John Honeycutt, manager, Space Launch System (SLS) Program, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center
To participate by telephone, media must RSVP no later than two hours prior to the start of the event to: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
The Artemis I launch was scrubbed Monday after encountering an issue getting one of the four RS-25 engines on the bottom of the rocket's core stage to the proper temperature range for liftoff.
Artemis I is a test flight to launch NASA's Space Launch System rocket and an uncrewed Orion spacecraft around the Moon before the Artemis II mission, which will have astronauts aboard. Through Artemis missions, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone on the way to Mars.
For the latest updates online, follow along on NASA's Artemis blog at:
https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/
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SOURCE NASA | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/29/nasa-provide-update-artemis-i-moon-mission-status/ | 2022-08-29T22:03:25Z |
Pit bull abandoned at park to become service dog
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) – An abandoned dog in Colorado now has a new purpose in life: helping those who served the country. It’s all because of a veteran who refused to ignore him.
Bruno the pit bull hasn’t had it easy.
Late at night, Air Force veteran Carl Anderson saw a car drop Bruno off in the park across from his house.
“I couldn’t believe someone would just come up to a park and push their dog out of a car and leave him,” he said.
Come morning, Bruno was still in the same spot, so Anderson went and checked on him.
“He was pretty confused and scared at the time,” he said.
After calling authorities and giving them a description of the car, officers were able to track down the owners and charge them with cruelty to animals, a criminal misdemeanor.
The criminal case meant Bruno was sent to the shelter at the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak region.
“They do great things,” Anderson said. “They do the best they can but there’s just so much out there, they can’t save every dog. And he wasn’t doing real well in the kennels there.
With a little help, Bruno was transferred to a local rescue. Now, he’s back by Anderson’s side.
“My family’s already falling in love with him, so it won’t be easy passing him on,” Anderson said.
Anderson and his family are fostering Bruno while he gets ready to join the non-profit Victory Service Dogs, which trains dogs to become service animals and pairing them with a veteran who needs one.
“From whatever life he left behind unwillingly to helping make someone else’s life better,” Anderson said.
It’ll be a new leash on life for Bruno, as he lays on the porch instead of being left in the park.
Copyright 2022 KOAA via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/06/21/pit-bull-abandoned-park-become-service-dog/ | 2022-06-21T21:33:16Z |
CivilGrid footprint increases with high-profile collaborations after pre-seed funding
SAN FRANCISCO, July 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- San Francisco-based startup CivilGrid is modernizing infrastructure planning with a data sharing platform unprecedented in scale and security. In the last 15 months, CivilGrid's $2.2M pre-seed fundraise propelled hiring, product development, and data acquisition initiatives, which have led to new collaborations with infrastructure owners across California.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), a combined gas and electric utility serving more than 16 million customers across Northern and Central California, is working with CivilGrid to share gas and electric asset locations with companies planning projects across PG&E's entire service area.
Underground data is critical, yet difficult to obtain in predictable formats or time frames. The US construction industry loses $30B each year due to utility line strikes, despite widespread use of locate and mark services. Project costs increase quickly when unexpected site conditions occur. Founder Josh Mackanic spent 14 years in the utility and construction industry navigating problems caused by gaps in built environment data. Recognizing an opportunity to improve safety and efficiency, he launched CivilGrid in 2020 as a reliable source of site intelligence for engineering and construction personnel.
CivilGrid offers a comprehensive map interface with utility locations, site hazards, geotechnical conditions, land rights, and permit constraints. The platform also identifies project conflicts or coordination opportunities by comparing work plans across infrastructure operators. Through CivilGrid, engineers, planners and project managers accelerate site evaluation, reduce dig-in risk, and optimize multiyear project portfolio plans.
CivilGrid users are planning and coordinating projects more efficiently, resulting in dramatic cost savings. One team at a telecommunications engineering services firm is reducing data acquisition and processing costs by 90% and reducing lead times from months to minutes.
San Jose Water, an investor-owned public water utility serving 1 million people in the greater San Jose area, now references CivilGrid during interagency coordination meetings to improve work sequencing in the public ROW. "It is immensely useful to have the GIS layers of multiple municipalities/utilities on a GIS map all at once," explains an engineer from San Jose Water. CEO and Founder Josh Mackanic adds, "CivilGrid is improving how infrastructure projects are developed, and these projects are the lifeblood of our local economies. These improvements benefit an entire ecosystem of stakeholders, from project engineers to local businesses."
During the next 12 months, CivilGrid is expanding coverage in California and is actively engaging in new development opportunities in more states.
For more information, visit civilgrid.com.
Contact: info@civilgrid.com
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SOURCE CivilGrid | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/20/digital-infrastructure-mapping-initiative-builds-momentum-california/ | 2022-07-20T20:06:16Z |
NEW YORK, Sept. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Parallaxes Capital Management ("Parallaxes") is an alternative asset manager and, since 2017, has raised four funds dedicated to Tax Receivable Agreements ("TRAs"). As the market leader in monetizing TRAs, Parallaxes is dedicated to increasing the visibility and transparency of TRAs which remain an often overlooked and misunderstood asset class. In the vein of creating greater visibility into the TRA ecosystem, Parallaxes is pleased to share a notable development in the market as Athlon Energy, Inc. ("Athlon") terminated its TRA.
Athlon disclosed that after having been acquired by Encana Corporation ("Encana"), Encana will be making an aggregate cash payment of approximately $25 million to TRA holders to satisfy obligations under the TRA. The Athlon TRA provided for the payment of 85% of the net cash tax savings realized from certain tax attributes, including savings from (i) increases in tax basis and certain other tax benefits related to exchanges of subsidiary units and (ii) payments under the TRA.
Parallaxes views TRAs, including the Athlon TRA, as a valuable tool to reduce certain moral hazard problems and informational asymmetry inherent in a company's public offering. TRAs help ensure that pre-IPO owners are economically aligned with new public shareholders and incentivize pre-IPO owners to pursue an IPO structure that provides the company with ongoing tax benefits. Parallaxes anticipates enhanced awareness and understanding of TRAs will drive increased market adoption.
Parallaxes Capital Management ("Parallaxes") is the premier investment firm focused exclusively on monetizing Tax Receivable Agreements ("TRAs"). Parallaxes offers private equity sponsors, co-investors and management team members solutions to achieve liquidity, diversification and optionality from their TRAs. Parallaxes was founded in 2017 and is comprised of experienced investment professionals from leading private equity and growth equity firms. To learn more, please visit www.plxcap.com
Disclosures
This press release should not be regarded as representative of an official position or statement of Parallaxes or any related entity.
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SOURCE Parallaxes Capital | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/09/16/parallaxes-capital-management-highlights-previously-terminated-tra-leading-natural-gas-exploration-production-company/ | 2022-09-16T00:26:24Z |
With a commitment to expanding its social impact in the region, Pro Mujer will contribute to a new Women's Economic Empowerment initiative, In Her Hands, which seeks to increase financial literacy, access to digital skills and tools, and elevate women within the entrepreneurial and business world in the Northern Triangle.
LOS ANGELES, June 7, 2022 Today, Pro Mujer joined Vice President Kamala Harris and the Partnership for Central America to launch In Her Hands, a private sector initiative to empower, train, and protect women in northern Central America and across the Western Hemisphere.
This initiative supports the access of more than 1.4 million women and their communities to financial and digital services, boosting female participation in the agroindustry and in the entrepreneurship ecosystem, training more than 500,000 women and girls, and promoting women's inclusion in companies across the region. Pro Mujer's commitment to this work stems from its three decades of experience in increasing financial inclusion and training women entrepreneurs. Founded in 1990 in Bolivia, Pro Mujer is a social enterprise that has expanded its mandate to deliver relevant and transformative tools and resources to women across Latin America.
"Women are authentic agents of change in their communities and have the potential to increase the economic development of the entire society. Pro Mujer is thrilled to participate in Vice President Harris' In Her Hands initiative through its expertise and knowledge, since providing women the tools and services they need to achieve their full potential has been our purpose for 32 years," said Carmen Correa, Chief Executive Officer of Pro Mujer. "We celebrate this kind of project that aims at closing gender gaps and setting the bases for social and gender equity."
In May 2021, following the Vice President's Call to Action to address the root causes of migration, Pro Mujer committed to promoting inclusive economic opportunity in the Northern Triangle and in Southeast Mexico. In the last year of Pro Mujer' s involvement in the Partnership for Central America, the social enterprise has:
- Invested $6 million, which has allowed the organization to reach nearly 25,000 individuals with financial inclusion resources, skills-based and entrepreneurship opportunities, and health and well-being services.
- · Expanded services to Southeast Mexico, where six out of ten women live in poverty or extreme poverty conditions, a challenge that is changing the lives of vulnerable women in the area.
- · Opened its first office in Guatemala to increase financial inclusion and professional development opportunities in a country that ranks fourth globally for the highest percentage of women pursuing entrepreneurship (Statista, 2020).
To further support its commitment to bring access to finance and support entrepreneurship, Pro Mujer is developing a Blended Finance Fund with a US $30 million first-round target, and an estimated five-year investment period. The investment focus will be the Missing Middle – micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), often led by women, that are too big for microfinance funding but not big enough for commercial bank funding – in Central America and elsewhere in the region.
Additionally, Pro Mujer created a multi-channel platform, called Emprende Pro Mujer, that will impact the lives of women in Southeast Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras by allowing them to access engaging, customizable educational content aligned with the stage of their business, increasing their networking and mentorship opportunities as part of a regional network of women entrepreneurs.
These initiatives encompass the broad range of work Pro Mujer is developing across the region. Over the last 32 years, the organization has impacted more than 2 million women, offered 10 million health services, and granted $4.4 billion in credits around Latin America. Pro Mujer leverages this experience to contribute to the Partnership goals of addressing the root causes of migration through a consolidated holistic strategy that promotes economic opportunity for women in Central America
Pro Mujer is a preeminent not-for-profit social enterprise that for 32 years has empowered women in Latin America through a wide variety of services, enabling them to reach their full potential, provide for their families and play a critical role in the economic development of their communities.
Pro Mujer's work is closely aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), delivering tangible results in eight SDGs: 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, and 16. To learn more about how Pro Mujer is changing the lives of women in Latin America visit www.promujer.org
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Natasha Ferrari – Pro Mujer
+54 9 11 3112-2802
natasha.ferrari@promujer.org
Cara Greene – Stanton Communications, Inc.
202-223-4933
ccgreene@stantoncomm.com
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SOURCE Pro Mujer | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/07/pro-mujer-joins-vice-president-kamala-harris-partnership-central-america-pushing-gender-equity/ | 2022-06-07T17:52:44Z |
Southern Baptists face push for public list of sex abusers
(AP) - A blistering report on the Southern Baptist Convention’s mishandling of sex abuse allegations is raising the prospect that the denomination, for the first time, will create a publicly accessible database of pastors and other church personnel known to be abusers.
The creation of an “Offender Information System” was one of the key recommendations in a report released Sunday by Guidepost Solutions, an independent firm contracted by the SBC’s Executive Committee after delegates to last year’s national meeting pressed for an investigation by outsiders.
The proposed database is expected to be one of several recommendations presented to thousands of delegates attending this year’s national meeting, scheduled for June 14-15 in Anaheim, California.
“Those recommendations will be open to questions, debate and comments on the meeting floor,” said SBC President Ed Litton.
He expressed hope that the shocking findings in the Guidepost report will bring “lasting change” to the SBC, America’s largest Protestant denomination. It has been losing membership steadily in recent years, while being wracked by internal divisions over race and gender roles.
The Guidepost report said survivors of abuse by SBC clergy repeatedly shared allegations with the Executive Committee, “only to be met, time and time again, with resistance, stonewalling, and even outright hostility from some within the EC.”
“Our investigation revealed that, for many years, a few senior EC leaders, along with outside counsel, largely controlled the EC’s response to these reports of abuse ... and were singularly focused on avoiding liability,” the report said.
The motion for an independent investigation was put forward at last year’s national meeting by the Rev. Grant Gaines, senior pastor of Belle Aire Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Reading the Guidepost report, Gaines said he was struck by repeated examples of a callous disregard for survivors, as well as leaders prioritizing protection of the SBC from liability over abuse prevention.
“We’re at a fork in the road,” Gaines said. “I think this report provided the information that we needed for there to be a groundswell of support to take the right actions.”
Specifically, Gaines said he supports the proposal to create a system that alerts communities to known offenders.
“I think that’s one of the first things we should do,” he said.
Lawyer and writer Christa Brown, who says she was sexually abused as a teen by the youth minister at her SBC church, has been pressing the SBC since 2006 to create a publicly accessible database of known abusers. She was heartened that Guidepost was recommending such a system, but said questions remain about its implementation.
“What is absolutely critical is that the local church cannot function as the default or presumed starting place for a survivor to try to obtain an investigation of clergy sex abuse,” she said via email. “If the local church is deemed to be a requisite first stop for survivors to pursue action, then many survivors’ voices will be choked in their throats before sound is ever uttered.”
Among the Guidepost report’s findings was that the Executive Committee kept a secret list of hundreds of SBC-affiliated clergy and other personnel identified as sex abusers. Brown said the committee, at a special meeting Tuesday, should agree to release this list.
“I urge you to make public the entirety of your list of pastors & ministers accused of sexual abuse, in whatever form it’s been kept for lo these many years,” Brown tweeted. “Post. It. Now.”
The final decisions about recommendations to submit to the Anaheim delegates will be made by the SBC’s Sexual Abuse Task Force, comprising seven members and two advisors. Its work over the past year has been an emotional journey, said Pastor Bruce Frank, who led the group.
“We saw patterns and things that were deeply concerning,” he said. “Our main job was to empower Guidepost to do their job, and they have done a truly remarkable job in the last nine months to look at events that occurred over 20 years.”
In the next week or so, the task force will bring forth formal motions in “precise language,” which will be made public and presented to the delegates in Anaheim for a vote, said Frank, lead pastor of Biltmore Baptist Church in Arden, North Carolina.
Frank said the crux of the task force’s recommendations based on Guidepost’s report can be summarized in two words – prevention and care.
“Our main goal should be preventing sexual abuse,” he said. “And if abuse does occur, how do we care for survivors in a much better pastoral way? How can we better communicate to make sure (abusers) don’t go from one church to another?”
His hope is that this report serves as “a catalyst for change.”
“Any person who is fair-minded will look at what’s in that report and demand that things be better,” Frank said. “SBC is a big family with 48,000 churches. There might be some disagreement on how to make things better. But I’m confident that we’ll work through the difficulties.”
In addition to sex abuse, the agenda for the meeting in Anaheim includes election of a new SBC president to succeed Litton.
One of the leading contenders is Bart Barber, a pastor from Farmersville, Texas, who expressed dismay at the mean-spirited behaviors attributed to some SBC officials in the Guidepost report.
If elected, Barber said in a broadcast interview Monday, “I’m praying that God will give me the wisdom to know what to do.... We’re sailing into uncharted waters.”
“The work’s not done,” he added. “We’ve gotten the report, but I think everybody in the survivor community that I’ve heard from has said reports are one thing, but we’ll see if this family of churches has the courage and resolve to take action.”
The sex abuse scandal was thrust into the spotlight in 2019 by a landmark report from the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News documenting hundreds of cases in Southern Baptist churches, including several in which alleged perpetrators remained in ministry.
___
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.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/05/24/southern-baptists-face-push-public-list-sex-abusers/ | 2022-05-24T00:57:21Z |
CEVA-RivieraWaves™ UWB platform IP for IEEE 802.15.4z enhanced with an optimized software MAC layer for the Car Connectivity Consortium® Digital Key 3.0, already in design with tier 1 automotive semiconductor
ROCKVILLE, Md. , June 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CEVA, Inc. (NASDAQ: CEVA), the leading licensor of wireless connectivity and smart sensing technologies and integrated IP solutions, today announced that its RivieraWaves™ ultra-wideband (UWB) IP has been extended with the RW-UWB-CCC MAC software package to support the Car Connectivity Consortium® (CCC) Digital Key 3.0 specification. Already licensed to one of the largest players in the automotive semiconductor industry for their digital key product line, CEVA's Digital Key 3.0 compliant UWB IP allows chip vendors and OEMs to quickly create and customize the next generation of highly-secure digital keys for automotive keyless entry systems.
The CCC Digital Key is a standardized technology that enables mobile devices to store, authenticate, and share digital keys for vehicles in a highly-secure, location-aware and always-private way that works everywhere. The most recent CCC Digital Key Release 3.0 is built around UWB in combination with Bluetooth Low Energy® connectivity, two technology standards in which CEVA leads the industry in IP licensing. ABI Research anticipates that around 25% of cars shipping in 2025 will come equipped with UWB access technology, with UWB expected to become the major mobile car access technology in the future.
"Our RivieraWaves UWB IP is finding strong traction with our licensees, especially in conjunction with our market-leading Bluetooth low energy IP," commented Tal Shalev, Vice President and General Manager of the Wireless IoT BU at CEVA. "With added support for Digital Key 3.0, automotive OEMs and chip vendors can leverage our UWB and BLE IPs to rapidly develop secure vehicle access solutions to address this fast-growing market."
CEVA's new RW-UWB-CCC MAC software extends CEVA's RivieraWaves UWB IP to comply with the CCC Digital Key 3.0 specification. The combined IP solution, with its coherent demodulation architecture and advanced ranging algorithms, delivers best in class ranging accuracy in complex, non-line-of-sight (NLOS) real life scenarios. In addition to the standard compliant packet formats, the CEVA solution also supports customizable packet formats to enable exceptionally low power proprietary modes to further extend the battery life of key fobs. Security remains at the forefront, with flexible protection against attacks that seek to corrupt the distance measurement verification (such as Cicada variants, early detect\late commit attacks and others) and future potential attacks. CEVA's RivieraWaves UWB, along with the CCC MAC software, have been designed to meet the stringent demands of the automotive market, including MISRA (the Motor Industry Software Reliability Association) and AUTOSAR guidelines.
CEVA's RivieraWaves UWB IP along with the RW-UWB-CCC MAC software is available for licensing now. For more information, visit https://www.ceva-dsp.com/product/rivierawaves-uwb-platform/
CEVA is the leading licensor of wireless connectivity and smart sensing technologies and integrated IP solutions for a smarter, safer, connected world. We provide Digital Signal Processors, AI engines, wireless platforms, cryptography cores and complementary software for sensor fusion, image enhancement, computer vision, voice input and artificial intelligence. These technologies are offered in combination with our Intrinsix IP integration services, helping our customers address their most complex and time-critical integrated circuit design projects. Leveraging our technologies and chip design skills, many of the world's leading semiconductors, system companies and OEMs create power-efficient, intelligent, secure and connected devices for a range of end markets, including mobile, consumer, automotive, robotics, industrial, aerospace & defense and IoT.
Our DSP-based solutions include platforms for 5G baseband processing in mobile, IoT and infrastructure, advanced imaging and computer vision for any camera-enabled device, audio/voice/speech and ultra-low-power always-on/sensing applications for multiple IoT markets. For sensor fusion, our Hillcrest Labs sensor processing technologies provide a broad range of sensor fusion software and inertial measurement unit ("IMU") solutions for markets including hearables, wearables, AR/VR, PC, robotics, remote controls and IoT. For wireless IoT, our platforms for Bluetooth (low energy and dual mode), Wi-Fi 4/5/6/6E (802.11n/ac/ax), Ultra-wideband (UWB), NB-IoT and GNSS are the most broadly licensed connectivity platforms in the industry.
Visit us at www.ceva-dsp.com and follow us on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.
Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/74483/ceva__inc__logo.jpg
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SOURCE CEVA, Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/22/ceva-extends-its-rivierawaves-uwb-ip-support-cccs-digital-key-30-standard-keyless-access-vehicles/ | 2022-06-22T12:22:46Z |
Elon Musk asked to testify on Twitter by UK Parliament
LONDON (AP) — A British parliamentary committee scrutinizing draft online safety legislation has invited Elon Musk to discuss his plans to buy Twitter and the changes he’s proposing for the social media platform. Parliament’s digital committee asked the Tesla CEO on Wednesday to give evidence about his proposals “in more depth.” Musk said it’s too early to give an answer because shareholders haven’t voted on the Twitter deal yet. The committee said it’s interested in Musk’s plans, especially his intention to roll out verification for all users, which echoes its own recommendations. The U.K. government’s online safety bill would give regulators wide-ranging powers to crack down on digital and social media companies. | https://localnews8.com/news/ap-national-business/2022/05/04/elon-musk-asked-to-testify-on-twitter-by-uk-parliament/ | 2022-05-04T15:21:17Z |
CHICAGO, July 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovative start-up, Planterra Foods, announced today an exclusive partnership between OZO and the Chicago Cubs, becoming the official plant-based protein of the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field.
Starting this week, Cubs fans can now purchase OZO products at select concession stands throughout the ballpark for plant-based meal options, including burgers and Mexican seasoned ground and shredded chicken. The endless options allow fans to choose their flexitarian or vegan-friendly ballpark meal without sacrificing the same delicious taste.
"We are ecstatic to partner with the Chicago Cubs at such an iconic ballpark," said Darcey Macken, Planterra Foods CEO. "At OZO Foods, we know consumers are looking for delicious and healthy protein alternatives, which is why we are bringing as many options as possible to Wrigley Field."
OZO products use high-quality ingredients to bring delicious plant-based options that deliver on the True Bite™ Experience, which is the promise to delight the senses with the look, smell, taste, and texture of the food you know and love. OZO products are non-GMO, certified vegan by BeVeg and are more nutritious in comparison to traditional meat. OZO combines cutting-edge capabilities with culinary expertise to develop creative innovations and fresh takes on classic favorites through signature recipes.
"We're thrilled to partner with OZO to provide the best fans in baseball with new protein alternative options here at Wrigley Field," said Chicago Cubs Vice President of Corporate Partnerships Alex Seyferth. "Being able to provide our fans with a variety of choice when it comes to food and beverage options at the ballpark is a priority to ensure a great guest experience at Wrigley Field and we hope fans enjoy this new plant-based option."
For additional information, visit PlanterraFoods.com and OZOFoods.com, and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and LinkedIn.
OZO is owned by Planterra Foods, an innovative, plant-based foods company based in Colorado dedicated to bringing exceptional variety and thoughtful plant-based protein choices - that are beneficial to both you and the planet - to the table. Innovation, convenience and taste are at the forefront of Planterra Foods and OZO, the first retail brand now available at local grocery stores and for purchase online at OZOFoods.com. With its True Bite brand promise, OZO delivers total eating enjoyment from first site to last bite. Planterra Foods is owned by JBS USA, one of the world's leading food companies. For additional information, visit www.PlanterraFoods.com.
The Chicago Cubs franchise, a charter member of Major League Baseball's National League since 1876, has won the National League pennant 17 times and was the first team to win back-to-back World Series titles in the 1907 and 1908 seasons. In 2016, the Chicago Cubs made history again when the team won its first World Series in 108 years, ending the longest championship drought in North American sports. Known for its ivy-covered outfield walls, hand-operated scoreboard and famous Marquee, iconic Wrigley Field has been the home of the Chicago Cubs since 1916 and is the second oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball. In 2009, the Ricketts family assumed ownership of the Chicago Cubs and established three main goals for the organization: Win the World Series, Preserve and Improve Wrigley Field, and Be a Good Neighbor. For more information, visit www.cubs.com.
Media Contact:
Megan Snodsmith
Cell: 815-954-6781
Email: megan.snodsmith@spoolmarketing.com
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SOURCE Planterra Foods | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/19/planterra-foods-brand-ozo-hits-home-run-by-becoming-official-plant-based-protein-chicago-cubs-wrigley-field/ | 2022-07-19T15:16:19Z |
Cash On-Hand Increased from $12.7 Million at December 31, 2021 to $13.6 Million at April 22, 2022
LiveOne Maintains Guidance to Achieve Positive Adjusted EBITDA* in Q1 FY 2023 Ending June 30, 2022; Maintains Revenue Guidance for FY 2023 of Between $125 - $140 Million and Adjusted EBITDA* Between $4 Million - $8 Million
A Record 2.26 Million Total Members with Over 1.5 Million** Total Paid Members & 758,000 Total Free Members as of April 25, 2022
LOS ANGELES, April 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- LiveOne (Nasdaq: LVO), a creator-first, music, entertainment and technology platform focused on delivering premium experiences and content worldwide through memberships and live and virtual events, announced today that it intends to commence its previously announced stock repurchase program beginning in the current first quarter of fiscal year 2023. As of April 22, 2022, LiveOne had cash on hand of $13.6 million and over 2.26 million paid and free members.
Repurchases of up to 2,000,000 of LiveOne's shares of common stock have been previously authorized by LiveOne's board of directors, and LiveOne may initially repurchase up to 500,000 shares of its common stock. The authorization to repurchase will expire on January 31, 2023.
The timing, price and actual number of shares repurchased under the program will be at the discretion of LiveOne's management and will depend on a variety of factors, including stock price, general business and market conditions, and alternative investment opportunities. The repurchase program will be executed consistent with LiveOne's capital allocation strategy, which will continue to prioritize growing LiveOne's business.
"This announcement demonstrates our confidence in our business and the growth opportunities we see over the long term," said Robert Ellin, LiveOne's CEO and Chairman. "We believe this is an attractive use of capital, and we do not believe that the current price of our stock reflects the underlying value of LiveOne. We remain enthusiastic about the prospects of LiveOne and are focused on our commitment to maximize shareholder value."
LiveOne has engaged ThinkEquity, LLC in connection with its initial repurchase plan to purchase the shares of common stock on behalf of LiveOne in conformity with the provisions of Rule 10b-18 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. ThinkEquity may commence purchasing the shares of common stock beginning on April 25, 2022 until the earlier of the close of trading on May 31, 2022, subject to earlier termination and up to the maximum amount as agreed to with ThinkEquity.
Under the stock repurchase program, repurchases can be made from time to time using a variety of methods, including open market purchases, all in compliance with the rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and other applicable legal requirements. The repurchase program does not obligate LiveOne to acquire any particular amount of shares, and the program may be suspended or discontinued at any time at LiveOne's discretion. LiveOne will review the stock repurchase program periodically and may authorize adjustment of its terms and size.
LiveOne is a talent-centric platform focused on superfans and building long-term franchises in on-demand audio and video, podcasting, vodcasting, OTT linear channels, PPV, and livestreaming. Its model includes multiple monetization paths including subscription, advertising, sponsorship, merchandise sales, licensing, and ticketing.
About LiveOne, Inc.
Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, LiveOne, Inc. (NASDAQ: LVO) (the "Company") is an award-winning, creator-first, music, entertainment and technology platform focused on delivering premium experiences and content worldwide through memberships and live and virtual events. As of April 25, 2022, the Company has accrued a paid and free membership base of over 2.26 million**, streamed over 2,900 artists, has a library of 30 million songs, 600 curated radio stations, nearly 270 podcasts/vodcasts, hundreds of pay-per-views, personalized merchandise, released music-related NFTs, and created a valuable connection between fans, brands, and bands. The Company's wholly-owned subsidiaries include Slacker Radio, React Presents, Gramophone Media, Palm Beach Records, Custom Personalization Solutions, LiveXLive, PPVOne and PodcastOne, which generates more than 2.48 billion downloads per year and 300+ episodes distributed per week across its stable of top-rated podcasts. LiveOne is available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and through OTT, STIRR, and XUMO. For more information, visit www.liveone.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter at @liveone.
* About Non-GAAP Financial Measures
To supplement our consolidated financial statements, which are prepared and presented in accordance with the accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP"), we present Contribution Margin (Loss) and Adjusted Earnings Before Interest Tax Depreciation and Amortization ("Adjusted EBITDA"), which are non-GAAP financial measures, as measures of our performance. The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation from, or as a substitute for, or superior to, operating loss and or net income (loss) or any other performance measures derived in accordance with GAAP or as an alternative to net cash provided by operating activities or any other measures of our cash flows or liquidity.
We use Contribution Margin (Loss) and Adjusted EBITDA to evaluate the performance of our operating segment. We believe that information about these non-GAAP financial measures assists investors by allowing them to evaluate changes in the operating results of our business separate from non-operational factors that affect operating income (loss) and net income (loss), thus providing insights into both operations and the other factors that affect reported results. Adjusted EBITDA is not calculated or presented in accordance with GAAP. A limitation of the use of Adjusted EBITDA as a performance measure is that it does not reflect the periodic costs of certain amortizing assets used in generating revenue in our business. Accordingly, Adjusted EBITDA should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for net income (loss), and other measures of financial performance reported in accordance with GAAP. Furthermore, this measure may vary among other companies; thus, Adjusted EBITDA as presented herein may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.
Contribution Margin (Loss) is defined as Revenue less Cost of Sales. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as earnings before interest, other (income) expense, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization and before (a) non-cash GAAP purchase accounting adjustments for certain deferred revenue and costs, (b) legal, accounting and other professional fees directly attributable to acquisition activity, (c) employee severance payments and third party professional fees directly attributable to acquisition or corporate realignment activities, (d) certain non-recurring expenses associated with legal settlements or reserves for legal settlements in the period that pertain to historical matters that existed at acquired companies prior to their purchase date and a one-time minimum guarantee to effectively terminate a live events distribution agreement post COVID-19, (e) depreciation and amortization (including goodwill impairment, if any), and (f) certain stock-based compensation expense. Management does not consider these costs to be indicative of our core operating results.
With respect to projected 2023 Adjusted EBITDA, a quantitative reconciliation is not available without unreasonable efforts due to the high variability, complexity and low visibility with respect to purchase accounting adjustments, acquisition-related charges and legal settlement reserves excluded from Adjusted EBITDA. We expect that the variability of these items to have a potentially unpredictable, and potentially significant, impact on our future GAAP financial results.
Forward-Looking Statements
All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release are "forward-looking statements," which may often, but not always, be identified by the use of such words as "may," "might," "will," "will likely result," "would," "should," "estimate," "plan," "project," "forecast," "intend," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "seek," "continue," "target" or the negative of such terms or other similar expressions. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including: the Company's reliance on one key customer for a substantial percentage of its revenue; the Company's ability to consummate any proposed financing, acquisition, spin-out, distribution or transaction, the timing of the closing of such proposed event, including the risks that a condition to closing would not be satisfied within the expected timeframe or at all, or that the closing of any proposed financing, acquisition, spin-out, distribution or transaction will not occur or whether any such event will enhance shareholder value; the Company's ability to continue as a going concern; the Company's ability to attract, maintain and increase the number of its users and paid subscribers; the Company identifying, acquiring, securing and developing content; the Company's intent to repurchase shares of its common stock from time to time under its announced stock repurchase program and the timing, price, and quantity of repurchases, if any, under the program; the Company's ability to maintain compliance with certain financial and other covenants; the Company successfully implementing its growth strategy, including relating to its technology platforms and applications; management's relationships with industry stakeholders; the effects of the global Covid-19 pandemic; changes in economic conditions; competition; risks and uncertainties applicable to the businesses of the Company's subsidiaries; and other risks, uncertainties and factors including, but not limited to, those described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on July 14, 2021, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2021, filed with the SEC on August 16, 2021, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2021, filed with the SEC on October 29, 2021, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on February 14, 2022, and in the Company's other filings and submissions with the SEC. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company disclaims any obligations to update these statements, except as may be required by law. The Company intends that all forward-looking statements be subject to the safe-harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
** Included in the total number of paid members for the reported periods are certain members which are the subject of a contractual dispute. LiveOne is currently not recognizing revenue related to these members.
Press Contact:
LiveOne
aileen@liveone.com
917.842.9653
aavidon@lvieone.com
516.522.1349
LiveOne IR Contact:
IR@liveone.com
310.601.2505
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SOURCE LiveOne, Inc. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/04/25/liveone-announces-commencement-its-2-million-shares-stock-repurchase-program-starting-with-up-500k-shares/ | 2022-04-25T11:22:49Z |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shortly after moving to South Florida for a new job with the U.S. military, Shannon Kaufman and his wife, Wendy, signed up for a whole other mission: buying a home.
For months, they scoured listings, strategizing late into the night on which homes to target and working out how much they could afford, even if it meant using some of their retirement savings.
After visiting 200 listings and making offers on 15 homes that ultimately didn’t pan out, the Kaufmans finally found a home that fits at least some of their needs. They’ll be renting it, however.
“We found a place that’s smaller than we want, but it’ll work until we have something built or until the market cools off,” said Shannon Kaufman, 47.
America’s housing market has grown increasingly frenzied, and prices are out of reach for many buyers, especially first-timers. This spring, traditionally the busiest season for home sales, is more likely to deliver frustration and disappointment for aspiring homebuyers than it is homeownership.
The number of homes for sale nationally remains near record lows, fueling fierce competition among buyers vying for fewer homes. From Los Angeles to Raleigh, North Carolina, when a house does hit the market, it typically sells within days.
Bidding wars are common, often driving the sale price well above what the owner was asking. And would-be buyers planning to finance their purchase with a home loan are often losing out to investors and others able to buy a home with cash. A quarter of all homes sold in February were purchased with cash, up from 22% a year ago, according to the National Association of Realtors. Real estate investors accounted for 19% of transactions in February, up from 17% a year ago.
Nichol Khan, a project manager, and her husband Ed moved to Mesa, Arizona, from Phoenix two years ago to shorten their commute to work. Home prices in the Phoenix area have jumped 20% from a year ago to $500,000, according to Realtor.com.
“The prices just keep going up and up,” Khan said.
The couple has lost out on more than a dozen homes they bid on. Some of the homes ended up selling for less in cash than the couple had offered.
“We don’t have $500,000 in cash,” said Khan, 42. “We just could not be competitive with that.”
Fewer homes on the market and high prices have been the hallmark of the housing market for the past 10 years or so. Now, rising mortgage rates further complicate the homebuying equation. Higher rates could limit the pool of buyers and cool the rate of home price growth — good news for buyers. But higher rates also weaken their buying power.
The average rate on a 30-year home loan has climbed to around 4.7%. A year ago, average rates hovered just above 3%, according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac. The increase follows a sharp move up in 10-year Treasury yields, reflecting expectations of higher interest rates overall as the Federal Reserve moves to hike short-term rates in order to combat surging inflation.
Would-be buyers who applied for a home loan in February faced a median monthly mortgage payment of $1,653, including principal and interest, an increase of 8.3% from a year ago, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
“It’s hard to believe, but I do think it’s going to be tougher this year, in some respects, than it was in previous years,” said Danielle Hale, Realtor.com’s chief economist. “So far, at least, we have seen the number of homes for sale continue to decline and prices continue to rise. Those two factors combined suggest that the competitive market is going to keep buyers on their toes.”
Buyers should set their sights on homes that are listed well within what they can afford, experts say.
“You should be looking 15%-20% below their limit; that gives them room for appraisal gaps, it gives them room for negotiating,” said Tracy Hutton, a broker with Century 21 in Indianapolis.
Being well prepared sometimes isn’t enough when a homeowner prefers to accept an all-cash offer, rather than sell to a buyer with financing.
Wendy Kaufman in South Florida couldn’t even get into an open house for a property on the market after she revealed the couple had a mortgage backed by the Veterans Administration.
“When they saw I had a VA preapproval they said, ‘Sorry we don’t want to work with you.’” she said.
Sometimes, buyers don’t have a chance to make an offer before a home is snapped up, sight unseen.
In the Miami area, so-called “blind offers” have become common as a way to get around other buyers, said Rafael Corrales, a Redfin agent.
One reason is the ultra-low level of homes for sale, which for the greater Miami metropolitan area, was down 55% in February from a year ago, according to Realtor.com.
While every market is unique, there is one common hurdle across the U.S.: affordability. The median U.S. home price jumped 15% in February from a year earlier to $357,300, according to the National Association of Realtors.
The San Jose, California, metro area had 40% fewer homes for sale in February than a year ago, according to Realtor.com. Buyers there have to navigate some of the most expensive home prices in the nation. The median home listing price climbed 13.3% to about $1.36 million in February from a year earlier.
The market trends are a bit more welcoming for buyers in the Midwest, including the Indianapolis metropolitan area, where the number of homes for sale was down about 23% from a year ago. The median home price there stood at $287,000 in February, up 8.5% from a year earlier.
In Raleigh, home listings were down a whopping 55% in February from a year earlier. Competition for fewer homes helped push the median home price to $430,000, a 9% increase from February 2021.
Those trends made for a more competitive market for first-time buyers like Lisa Piercey and her husband, Alex Berardo. First-time buyers made up 29% of all homes sold nationally last month. That share has averaged 31% annually over the past 10 years.
The couple began looking in December for homes at $350,000 or below. They offered $5,000 over the asking price on two properties but lost out to rival bidders.
“That was all we could afford,” said Lisa Piercey, a 32-year old project manager. “It’s really defeating, really disappointing.”
In the end, the couple bought a townhome in a new construction community, though they see it as a stepping stone to a more spacious house with a big yard.
“Its big enough that we can still start our family and then move when the market hopefully dies down in a couple of years,” she said. | https://cw33.com/business/ap-business/homebuyers-stymied-by-fewer-homes-high-prices-rising-rates/ | 2022-04-13T19:46:19Z |
BEIJING, Sept. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Quhuo Limited (NASDAQ: QH) ("Quhuo" or the "Company"), a leading tech-enabled workforce operational solution platform in China, has attracted many young workers who tend to look for gigs that come with a high level of flexibility.
Gao Shuaiqi, a 26-year-old food delivery rider and a graduate student, is one of the many who came to Quhuo for flexible staffing options. He joined the local delivery team in April 2022 after receiving his long-awaited admission letter from the prestigious Shanghai Jiao Tong University for his graduate study in law. Gao's hard work has been recognized by the Zhengzhou Federation of Trade Union where he was selected as a finalist for Henan Province's "Best Worker" award.
"Quhuo offers me a great opportunity to work flexible hours, so I can better support my family," said Gao, who usually works during the lunch and dinner peaks, and has to return home to cook for the family and take care of his sick father.
The young aspiring student has a lot on his shoulders. His father, who used to run a furniture business, fell ill last year, and Gao's mother has had to stay home to look after him. Gao's younger brother is still in middle school. After Gao took on the gig opportunity at Quhuo, he quickly became the main revenue generator for the household. He usually takes in 30 delivery orders per day, through which he earns about RMB5,000 (approximately US$744) a month.
The main reason for Gao to join Quhuo lies in the flexibility and the various training programs the Company offers. Such flexibility also helps Gao to strike a balance between his schoolwork and his family support responsibilities. "I get to earn money, take care of my family and study at the same time," he said, adding that he's currently studying for China's professional qualification tests for law practitioners.
Quhuo provides an ideal environment for workers like Gao who have a lot going on in their lives and are in financial need. The Company also organizes training workshops specifically for delivery riders to help them on board smoothly.
"We're glad to hear inspiring stories like Gao's, and we'll continue offering a slew of perks for our employees to ensure their safety and well-being," said Leslie Yu, the CEO of Quhuo. "It's our priority to make sure workers can quickly earn money through proper training and offer a safety net to protect them from potential financial shocks," Leslie added.
The Company has put in place a series of measures for employees in need and has always been striving to improve employees' working experience in Quhuo. It hosts monthly video events and encourages staff to submit videos and tell their stories. When heat wave starts to kick in during the summer, the Company also prepares summer kits for delivery riders, offering them water and other toolkits to prevent sun damage and heat stroke.
About Quhuo Limited
Quhuo Limited (NASDAQ: QH) is a leading workforce operational solutions platform in China. Quhuo provides tech-enabled, end-to-end operational solutions to blue-chip on-demand consumer service businesses in industries with significant e-commerce exposure, including food delivery, ride-hailing, housekeeping and bike-sharing. Quhuo's platform helps its industry customers mobilize a large team of workers and utilizes a combination of training, performance monitoring and refinement, and incentives to transform them into skilled workers who can follow industry-specific, standardized and highly efficient service procedures. Within the on-demand consumer service ecosystem, the Company plays a unique and indispensable role as the link between consumer service businesses and end consumers to enable the delivery of goods, services and experiences to consumers.
Safe Harbor Statements
This press release contains ''forward-looking statements'' within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical or current fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements, including but not limited to statements regarding Quhuo's business development, financial outlook, beliefs and expectations. Forward-looking statements include statements containing words such as "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "project," "will" and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on Quhuo's current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties. Quhuo's actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties related to Quhuo's abilities to (1) manage its growth and expand its operations, (2) address any or all of the risks and challenges in the future in light of its limited operating history and evolving business portfolios, (3) remain in its competitive position in the on-demand food delivery market or further diversify its solution offerings and customer portfolio, (4) maintain relationships with major customers and to find replacement customers on commercially desirable terms or in a timely manner or at all, (5) maintain relationships with existing industry customers or attract new customers, (6) attract, retain and manage workers on its platform, and (7) maintain its market shares in relation to competitors in existing markets and its success in expansion into new markets, as well as the length and severity of the recent COVID-19 outbreak and its impact on Quhuo's business and industry. Other risks and uncertainties are included under the caption "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, the final prospectus related to the IPO filed with the SEC on July 10, 2020 and the Company's latest annual report on Form 20-F. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, and Quhuo undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.
Media Contact
Quhuo Limited
E-mail: pr@meishisong.cn
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SOURCE Quhuo Limited | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/09/16/quhuo-attracts-more-well-educated-youth-flexible-gigs/ | 2022-09-16T11:07:47Z |
KEY POINTS
- TADIOS was determined to be safe and well tolerated
- Serum levels of IL-1RA changed significantly, a biomarker that has a correlation with severity and mortality during COVID-19 infections
- Improvement in fatigue observed
LA JOLLA, Calif., Aug. 3, 2022 Helixmith announced topline results today from the double-blind placebo controlled multicenter study for TADIOS involving one hundred subjects infected with COVID-19. This study was conducted in India in compliance with AYUSH guidelines.
TADIOS is Helixmith's proprietary botanical formulation composed of three plants, which has been developed for the treatment of respiratory disease caused by viruses, microdust, and such. The primary goal of this study was to evaluate safety and tolerability of TADIOS, as well as its effects on efficacy parameters, which included biomarkers and clinical symptoms.
Subjects diagnosed with COVID-19 infection, showing mild to moderate symptoms, were enrolled according to the clinical management guidelines of the Government of India. Subjects were randomized to TADIOS and placebo with a 1:1 ratio in which fifty patients were assigned in each group. TADIOS and placebo were administered in addition to the standard of care in a double-blinded manner. Efficacy parameters were measured after the 10-day treatment maximum per COVID-19 treatment guideline of India. Safety was assessed at 14-day follow up after treatment was completed.
TADIOS was determined to be safe and well tolerated. The TADIOS treated group did not show any difference in adverse events compared to the placebo group, confirming its potential to be developed as a safe botanical treatment for COVID-19 treatment.
In terms of efficacy, IL-1RA biomarker showed a statistically significant difference and improvement was demonstrated in one of the fatigue-related questionnaires. IL-1RA levels were higher by more than 3-fold in both groups, but the TADIOS treatment group showed a lower level at 2 weeks after the end of administration, compared to the placebo group (p<0.05). It has been reported that IL-1RA is maintained at elevated levels in blood during COVID-19 infection, and its level has a close correlation with the severity and mortality of infection. While known to regulate excessive inflammation, it is also present at elevated levels in a variety of pathologic conditions, such as obesity and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as at the severe stage of COVID-19 infection. Therefore, reduction of IR-1RA by taking TADIOS suggests its possibility of preventing or inhibiting the progression of symptoms caused by COVID-19 infection to severe illness. Among the six biomarkers measured, serum levels of CRP, ferritin, TNF-a and the level of hemoglobin in whole blood were all within the normal range in both groups. and no difference was shown between the two groups.
TADIOS showed some improvement in fatigue, a common symptom in individuals with COVID-19 infections. In one of the questionnaires testing "I am easily fatigued," TADIOS-administered subjects showed statistically significant improvement vs placebo group, two weeks after treatment (p<0.05).
Helixmith is planning to present full data at either an academic conference or in a journal publication upon the completion of the analysis.
A variety of vaccines and medicines have been developed for COVID-19. However, there are still high unmet medical needs in this area, due to continuing emergence of variants and breakthrough infections. Even in Korea where more than 60% of the population has been fully vaccinated, infections and disease progression to symptomatic stages are still occurring at a high frequency. We believe that TADIOS could be used as a 'niche" therapeutic for those who need a safe and well tolerated product with convenient access. Depending on the country, TADIOS may be regulated as a botanical drug or nutraceutical.
About Helixmith
Helixmith is a clinical-stage gene therapy company headquartered in Seoul, Korea, developing new and innovative biopharmaceuticals to address previously untreated diseases, and is listed on the KOSDAQ. The company has an extensive gene therapy pipeline, including a CAR-T program targeting several different types of solid tumors and an AAV vector program targeting neuromuscular diseases. Engensis (VM202), the most advanced pipeline candidate, is a plasmid DNA therapy being studied for painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy, diabetic foot ulcers, claudication, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, coronary artery disease, and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.
Media Contact:
Jennifer Guzman
jennifer.guzman@helixmith.com
7602917245
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SOURCE Helixmith USA Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/03/helixmith-announces-topline-results-double-blind-placebo-controlled-multicenter-study-tadios-involving-100-subjects-infected-with-covid-19/ | 2022-08-03T11:19:41Z |
The live commerce leader's Gen Z Labs initiative promises to help brands gain fluency in the language of next-generation consumers through advanced video commerce capabilities
SAN MATEO, Calif., July 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Firework, the leading livestreaming commerce and digital transformation platform, announced today the launch of its new Gen Z Labs initiative — a program dedicated to equipping brands with the knowledge and tools necessary to effectively engage next-generation consumers. To kick off the initiative, Firework has announced a marquee video commerce experience called Christmas in July, designed to help guide and inspire marketers in their efforts to connect with Gen Z shoppers this holiday season. The experience features leading Gen Z brands such as Olaplex, That's it, and Grande Cosmetics.
"Gen Z Labs is a new way to help brands understand how Gen Z thinks, what they respond to, and how they connect — all through video, their language of choice," said Vincent Yang, CEO and co-founder of Firework. "We are thrilled to highlight some of our customers who are forging new paths to engagement with Gen Z and fostering communities built around their brands on their own web properties."
The "Christmas in July'' experience, hosted at firework.com/gen-z-labs, is an interactive resource hub for marketers looking to more effectively engage Gen Z consumers. "Christmas in July" features experiential demos of Firework's short-form, shoppable video capabilities, and inspirations from some of Firework's most Gen Z savvy partner brands. Participating brands include Olaplex, Grande Cosmetics, That's It., Mindd Bra, and Fluff Mattresses — and several offer exclusive 20% discounts at checkout.
Early adopters of the Firework model of next-gen video experiences have enjoyed considerable positive business impact, including increased conversion rates, reduced bounce rates, improved engagement, and increased average time on-site.
"Since implementing Firework, our site engagement has increased, our bounce rate has decreased and people who engage in the tool are 2 times more likely to make a purchase," said Alicia Grande, CEO and founder of Grande Cosmetics. "We love the impact that Firework has made on our website."
"Shoppable video on the social side has been a priority for That's it. since 2021," said Elizabeth Pigg, Chief Marketing Officer for That's it. "While we've seen significant success since that launch, constant IOS and algorithm changes have made it so that attribution and data are no longer as reliable as they once were — so we jumped at the opportunity to leverage Firework to bring social shopping to our own channels. Introducing Firework has helped keep our customers engaged; in just two months, we've seen customers spend over 15 hours watching our videos and a noticeable increase in our direct-to-consumer sales."
The announcement comes at a time in which supply-chain issues, inflation, and the continuing global pandemic are disrupting traditional consumer spending cycles. According to research from the National Retail Federation, the percentage of American consumers that began their holiday shopping by early November rose by a stark 21% from 2010 to 2020. These trends appear to be persisting post-lockdown as well. According to recent research from Salesforce, 42% more shoppers worldwide and 37% more in the U.S. plan to start buying gifts earlier this year, with inflationary expectations being the primary motivator behind early purchases.
"The impact our brand partners are seeing with short-form, shoppable videos on their own websites is an inspiration to other marketers who are looking to forge those all-important connections with Gen Z when they are in the mindset to shop," said Meg Siegel, VP of Brand Marketing at Firework. "These brands are setting a new standard for the digital customer experience."
With its Gen Z Labs initiative, Firework looks to bolster its position as an authority on next-generation consumer trends and technologies by drawing from and building upon the playbooks of its in-house innovators — hailing from companies like Snapchat, TikTok, Alibaba, and Amazon.com. The company continues to build momentum after announcing in May the success of its $150 million Series B investment round, led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2.
Firework is the global leader in humanizing the open web through the language of video. Leveraging shoppable video, live streaming commerce and powerful monetization capabilities, Firework empowers the world's most dynamic and exciting retailers, consumer brands, and publishers to build engaging video experiences on their owned and operated digital properties and across channels at a global scale. Firework enables organizations to bring new levels of authenticity and connection to online video experiences, speaking to digital natives in the language they understand fully—and taking control of their own customer data. The company has raised over $235 million in capital to date. To learn more, please visit firework.com.
Media Contact
Parker Jensen
Scratch Marketing + Media for Firework
parker@scratchmm.com
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SOURCE Firework | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/21/firework-launches-next-gen-consumer-insight-initiative-with-first-ever-christmas-july-video-commerce-experience/ | 2022-07-21T14:15:12Z |
Half of Zones Analyzed See Median Home Prices Rise At Least 5 Percent from First Quarter to Second Quarter of 2022, And At Least 20 Percent Annually in Half of All Zones
IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ATTOM, a leading curator of real estate data nationwide for land and property data, today released its second-quarter 2022 report analyzing qualified low-income Opportunity Zones targeted by Congress for economic redevelopment in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (see full methodology below). In this report, ATTOM looked at 5,198 zones around the United States with sufficient data to analyze, meaning they had at least five home sales in the second quarter of 2022.
The report found that median single-family home and condo prices rose from the first quarter of 2022 to the second quarter of 2022 in 63 percent of Opportunity Zones around the country and went up at least 5 percent in roughly half of zones analyzed with sufficient data. Typical values also shot up at least 20 percent annually in about half of Opportunity Zones with enough data to analyze across all quarters.
Moreover, median values increased in about half the Opportunity Zones by more than the 8.8 percent quarterly and 15.3 percent year-over-year gain seen for all markets nationwide in the Spring of 2022.
Those gains extended similar patterns seen over the past year as home prices in distressed neighborhoods around the nation continued to keep up with gains in the broader national housing market.
Typical home values in Opportunity Zones remained lower than those in most other neighborhoods around the nation in the second quarter of 2022. Median second-quarter prices fell below the national median of $346,000 in 77 percent of Opportunity Zones, about the same portion as in earlier periods over the past year. Considerable price volatility also continued in those markets, as median values dropped quarterly in 37 percent of them, probably reflecting the small number of sales in many areas.
"Homes in most Opportunity Zones represent affordable options for real estate investors and consumer homebuyers in a market where both home prices and mortgage rates have been rising," said Rick Sharga, executive vice president of market intelligence at ATTOM. "With home prices up 15 percent compared to a year ago and mortgage rates nearly doubled, both investors and homebuyers may find the lower purchase prices for homes available in Opportunity Zones very attractive."
Median prices also were under $200,000 in 49 percent of the zones during the second quarter of 2022. But that percentage under $200,000 was down from 58 percent in the second quarter of 2021 and 52 percent in the first quarter of 2022.
In another ongoing sign of market strength, prices spiked at least 25 percent from the second quarter of last year to the same period this year in a larger portion of Opportunity Zones than in other neighborhoods around the country.
Opportunity Zones are defined in the Tax Act legislation as census tracts in or alongside low-income neighborhoods that meet various criteria for redevelopment in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories. Census tracts, as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, cover areas that have 1,200 to 8,000 residents, with an average of about 4,000 people.
The ongoing price spikes inside Opportunity Zones in the second quarter was one of the latest signs of how high buyer demand coupled with tight supplies of homes for sale throughout the U.S. may have priced many households out of more upscale neighborhoods into lower-priced markets. Demand continued into the Spring buying season even as home mortgage rates rose in the second quarter to nearly 6 percent, gasoline and other fuel costs soared, inflation shot up to 40-year highs and economic uncertainty across the country increased.
High-level findings from the report:
- Median prices of single-family houses and condominiums rose from the first quarter of 2022 to the second quarter of 2022 in 2,928 (63 percent) of the Opportunity Zones around the U.S. with sufficient data to analyze, while declining in 37 percent. They increased from the second quarter of 2021 to the same period this year in 3,692 (77 percent) of those zones. By comparison, median prices rose quarterly in 69 percent of census tracts outside of Opportunity Zones and annually in 82 percent. (Among the 5,198 Opportunity Zones included in the report, 4,654 had enough data to generate usable median-price comparisons from the first quarter to the second quarter of 2022; 4,793 had enough data to make comparisons between the second quarter of 2021 and the second quarter of 2022).
- Measured year over year, median home prices rose at least 25 percent in the second quarter of 2022 in 1,883 (39 percent) of Opportunity Zones with sufficient data. Prices rose that much during that time period in just 34 percent of all other census tracts outside of opportunity zones throughout the country.
- Among states that had at least 25 Opportunity Zones with enough data to analyze during the second quarter of 2022, those with the largest portion of zones where median prices rose year over year were in the West. They were led by Utah (median prices up, year over year, in 97 percent of zones), Arizona (93 percent), Nevada (93 percent), Oregon (89 percent) and Idaho (88 percent).
- Of the 5,198 zones in the report, 1,763 (34 percent) still had median prices in the second quarter of 2022 that were less than $150,000. That was down from 41 percent of those zones a year earlier. Another 778 zones (15 percent) had medians in the second quarter of this year ranging from $150,000 to $199,999.
- Median values in the second quarter of 2022 ranged from $200,000 to $299,999 in 1,118 Opportunity Zones (22 percent) while they topped the nationwide second-quarter median of $346,000 in 1,172 (23 percent).
- The Midwest continued in the second quarter of 2022 to have the highest portion of the least-expensive Opportunity Zone tracts, with median home prices of less than $175,000 (69 percent), followed by the Northeast (45 percent), the South (45 percent) and the West (6 percent).
- Median household incomes in 87 percent of the Opportunity Zones analyzed were less than the medians in the counties where they were located. Median incomes were less than three-quarters of county level figures in 56 percent of zones and less than half in 16 percent.
Report methodology
The ATTOM Opportunity Zones analysis is based on home sales price data derived from recorded sales deeds. Statistics for previous quarters are revised when each new report is issued as more deed data becomes available. ATTOM's analysis compared median home prices in census tracts designated as Opportunity Zones by the Internal Revenue Service. Except where noted, tracts were used for the analysis if they had at least five sales in the first quarter of 2022. Median household income data for tracts and counties comes from surveys taken by the U.S. Census Bureau (www.census.gov) from 2016 through 2020. The list of designated Qualified Opportunity Zones is located at U.S. Department of the Treasury. Regions are based on designations by the Census Bureau. Hawaii and Alaska, which the bureau designates as part of the Pacific region, were included in the West region for this report.
About ATTOM
ATTOM provides premium property data to power products that improve transparency, innovation, efficiency and disruption in a data-driven economy. ATTOM multi-sources property tax, deed, mortgage, foreclosure, environmental risk, natural hazard, and neighborhood data for more than 155 million U.S. residential and commercial properties covering 99 percent of the nation's population. A rigorous data management process involving more than 20 steps validates, standardizes, and enhances the real estate data collected by ATTOM, assigning each property record with a persistent, unique ID — the ATTOM ID. The 20TB ATTOM Data Warehouse fuels innovation in many industries including mortgage, real estate, insurance, marketing, government and more through flexible data delivery solutions that include bulk file licenses, property data APIs, real estate market trends, property reports and more. Also, introducing our newest innovative solution, that offers immediate access and streamlines data management – ATTOM Cloud.
Media Contact:
Christine Stricker
949.748.8428
christine.stricker@attomdata.com
Data and Report Licensing:
949.502.8313
datareports@attomdata.com
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SOURCE ATTOM | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/11/opportunity-zone-redevelopment-areas-continue-track-nationwide-home-price-increases-second-quarter/ | 2022-08-11T04:37:47Z |
Community pays tribute to veterans, fallen soldiers at Perry Heroes Remembrance Ceremony
PERRY TWP. — It's important to Perry Township Rotary President Steve Toohey that people remember that Memorial Day is not just a long weekend, and is certainly not a celebration.
"It's so hard to get people to understand that Veterans Day is for veterans. Memorial Day is for the deceased," Toohey said. "We always try to remind people, it's not 'have a happy Memorial Day.' There's nothing happy about Memorial Day. It's a time of remembrance, reflection and honor."
More:Veterans in Recovery group honors Stark County Veterans Commission with flag collage
That's why, since 2012, he's worked to host events and put up displays that remind the Perry Township community of those who served and were lost through an organization he created, called Operation Flags of Freedom.
On Saturday, Operation Flags of Freedom and Perry Township Rotary hosted the 9th Annual Heroes Remembrance Ceremony at Perry High School, honoring the hometown heroes who died in the line of duty, as well as the families left behind.
Ultimate guide:Memorial Day events in and around Stark County
The event included a performance by country artist Ricky Lee, a keynote address from Bill Shearer, owner of Whispering Grace Horses and Freedom Farm, a 21-gun salute and the usual reading of names and prayers.
Between 1966 and 2011, Toohey said, 11 Perry graduates have died while in service. His own activism around Memorial Day and honoring fallen soldiers began after the death of U.S. Marine Sgt. Daniel Patron, who was killed in Afghanistan on Aug. 6, 2011.
Toohey said it wasn't until the death of Patron, who Toohey's daughter had dated while the two were in high school in the early 2000s, that Memorial Day and the importance of honoring veterans hit home for him.
"Danny was pretty much loved by everybody in this community," Toohey said. "He always had a smile on his face and always had laughter in his heart. He was just that kind of kid."
Perry Rotary announces Streets of Honor project
During the ceremony, Perry Township Rotary member Ashley Escola announced the club's new Streets of Honor initiative, which looks to place banners honoring fallen soldiers along stretches of roadway in the township.
The initiative is separate from, though similar to, Massillon's recent banner installation along Lincoln Way, and organizers hope to hang their banners on Genoa Avenue and 13th Street.
Escola's brother, U.S. Marine Sgt. Tyson Snyder, was killed in a civilian helicopter crash in 2018. Since then, she's made it a mission to honor her brother and all servicemembers with neighborhood flag displays, and now with the Streets of Honor project.
On Saturday, she recounted the memory of her brother's funeral, following the hearse from the funeral home to the Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery.
"I'm suddenly distracted by bright, vibrant moving colors: our colors. Red, white, and blue. American flags were lined around the funeral home and down the street. They were surrounding us," she said through soft tears.
"I decided then that I was going to preserve and replicate these very acts for other veterans, because they deserve the same."
Veteran deaths by suicide also remembered
Memorial Day specifically honors those who died in active military service. This year, Toohey wanted to expand the remembrance somewhat, to include in some way those veterans who died by suicide.
"Suicide is always taboo," he said. "Nobody wants to talk about it.
Tucked away from the main ceremony area was a display of 154 boots, representing one week – or 22 per day – of veteran deaths by suicide. Toohey was intentional with the display, checking in with families first and recognizing that the losses faced by those who lose a loved one to combat and those who lose a loved one to suicide are different, and shouldn't be conflated.
"I think about the guys who came back from Vietnam with Agent Orange, think about men and women come back minus limbs, and you think about the men and women come back with a messed-up mind," Toohey said. "They're all casualties."
Saturday's event kicked off the weekend of remembrance activities for Operation Flags of Freedom, which will include flag placement on veteran graves on Sunday at 9 a.m. at Calvary Cemetery and the Heroes 5K, which takes place at Perry High School starting 8:30 a.m. Monday.
Sam Zern can be reached at szern@cantonrep.com or 330-580-8322. You can also find her on Twitter at @sam_zern. | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/military/veterans/2022/05/28/perry-memorial-day-ceremony-honors-those-killed-combat-suicide/9825446002/ | 2022-05-28T18:43:46Z |
SINGAPORE, Aug. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Klaytn, the leading Layer-1 blockchain in Asia, has announced its selection of Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) to host and operate its Blockchain Research Center (BRC) Program. The announcement was unveiled at Korea Blockchain Week by Dr Sangmin Seo, Representative Director, Klaytn Foundation during his 8 August keynote "The Technology Layer for Tomorrow's Metaverse".
BRC is a virtual research institute that aims to advance cutting-edge research for blockchain technology, deepen blockchain capabilities, and support industry growth. With a US$20m funding commitment from Klaytn over the next four years, BRC is to date the world's largest blockchain research center program in terms of known funding size.
With day-to-day operations run by a global research team, headed by KAIST and NUS researchers as Directors, BRC will operate in an open-source manner, where research conducted will be publicly disclosed as research papers or open-source software. External researchers will also be able to participate in ongoing research projects or submit their own proposals. The BRC will share knowledge and research results through community outreach efforts - from conferences to workshops - to carry forward Klaytn's vision to contribute to the blockchain community.
Dr Sangmin Seo, Representative Director, Klaytn Foundation, said, "In line with Klaytn's vision to be the bridge from Web2.0 to Web3.0, bridging the latest findings in blockchain between the research community and industry leaders is key for successful real-world applications in DeFi or the metaverse. Through our BRC program, in collaboration with leading minds from KAIST and NUS, we are delighted to take the next step in bringing our vision to life."
As part of the selection process, interested research institutes and consortiums were required to submit a proposal, outlining the intended operation model and organizational structure for BRC, detailed plans on research and outreach activities, as well as the suggestion evaluation model to measure BRC's progress.
7 proposals from 62 research institutes from 11 countries were received. Through a three-round selection process, proposals were evaluated and scored by the Klaytn Governance Council and third party experts based on their operational competence, as well as research execution and community engagement plans. With the highest score, the research consortium from KAIST and NUS was selected to lead BRC operations.
Dr Neo Yiu, Head of Technology Advocacy at Klaytn Foundation, said, "We look forward to seeing the Blockchain Research Center develop novel research capabilities for blockchains, foster global collaboration, and expand Klaytn's research contribution back to the web3 community and blockchain/distributed ledger technology (DLT) industry."
According to Coindesk's 2021 University Rankings for Blockchain, NUS and KAIST are among the top 30 out of 230 universities worldwide, ranking in 1st and 26th places respectively. Overall, NUS clinched the top ranking due to its multiple blockchain research centers, societies, partnerships, and conferences, as well as its masters program in digital financial technology.
The KAIST/NUS research consortium is led by Dr Min Suk Kang, Assistant Professor, School of Computing, KAIST and Dr Prateek Saxena, Associate Professor, School of Computing, NUS, both of whom hold extensive blockchain research experience. They will work closely with an international team of principal investigators from six other universities - UC Berkeley, Princeton University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Northern Arizona University, Yonsei University, and Carnegie Mellon University – to conduct BRC's research and outreach activities.
Dr Saxena said, "The BRC will deepen the research foundations of blockchain designs and applications. Together with Klaytn, we are delighted to be collectively creating an international platform for impactful research and to advance the global discourse on blockchains. We are excited that researchers from 8 leading international universities have come together towards this shared purpose, creating a unique initiative in the blockchain space."
Dr Kang said, "Our world-class blockchain researchers at the Blockchain Research Center will contribute to the seven pillars of blockchain research: consensus, privacy, network, smart contracts, DeFi, economics/ethics, and metaverse. To further the mass adoption of blockchain technology, the cross-pollination of ideas is key. Through the BRC, we look forward to fostering research and industry collaborations with like-minded participants around the world."
More information about the Blockchain Research Center can be found here.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Kimberley Kok
Corporate Communications Manager, Klaytn Foundation
+65 9189 4648
kimberley.kok@klaytn.foundation
About Klaytn Foundation
Klaytn Foundation is an entity established in Singapore for the decentralization and growth of the Klaytn network. It is responsible for the stable operation of the Klaytn network and various implementations for the development of the Klaytn ecosystem.
For more information, please click here.
About Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
KAIST is the first and top science and technology university in Korea. It was established in 1971 by the Korean government to educate scientists and engineers committed to industrialization and economic growth in Korea. Since then, KAIST and its graduates have been the gateway to advanced science and technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. On the heels of its phenomenal growth over the past 50 years, KAIST has been recognised as the most innovative University in Asia (2016-2018) and Top-4 Young Universities in the World (2019). At KAIST, five colleges, seven schools, 13 graduate schools, and 27 departments offer a breadth of highly-regarded degree programs as well as interdisciplinary majors.
KAIST is leading innovation by identifying pressing global problems and taking on challenges to address those issues. Currently, there are 152 research institutes and centers at KAIST. Cutting-edge research covering a broad base from AI to sustainability are translating their inventions to address pressing issues around the globe. KAIST has committed to a wide range of science and technology R&D projects since its foundation. KAIST has become an R&D powerhouse in Korea, operating 340 million USD research funds (both from government and industry) in 2020.
Accelerating the journey from idea to impact, KAIST has been the cradle of startups in Korea. KAIST has produced the first generation of venture startup pioneers, beginning in the 1980s. From the 1990s, KAIST alumni have taken the helm, leading the IT industry in Korea and beyond. As of 2019, 1,892 KAIST alumni companies have been founded with their net worth more than 20 billion USD.
For more information, please visit here.
About National University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore (NUS) is Singapore's flagship university, which offers a global approach to education, research and entrepreneurship, with a focus on Asian perspectives and expertise. We have 16 colleges, faculties and schools across three campuses in Singapore, with more than 40,000 students from 100 countries enriching our vibrant and diverse campus community. We have also established our NUS Overseas Colleges programme in more than 15 cities around the world.
Our multidisciplinary and real-world approach to education, research and entrepreneurship enables us to work closely with industry, governments and academia to address crucial and complex issues relevant to Asia and the world. Researchers in our faculties, 30 university- level research institutes, research centres of excellence and corporate labs focus on themes that include energy; environmental and urban sustainability; treatment and prevention of diseases; active ageing; advanced materials; risk management and resilience of financial systems; Asian studies; and Smart Nation capabilities such as artificial intelligence, data science, operations research and cybersecurity.
For more information on NUS, please visit here.
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SOURCE Klaytn Foundation | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/08/klaytn-spearheads-worlds-largest-blockchain-research-center-program-collaboration-with-top-ranking-universities-kaist-nus/ | 2022-08-08T10:40:47Z |
Tigers take advantage of miscues, edge Pirates, 3-2
By DANA GAURUDER
Associated Press
DETROIT (AP) — Willi Castro and Akil Baddoo scored on third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes’ two-out error during Detroit’s three-run fifth inning, and the Tigers edged the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 in the first game of a doubleheader. The Tigers finished with just three hits, but they scored three unearned runs on their way to their second victory in nine games. Alex Lange got two outs for the win, and Gregory Soto worked the ninth for his fourth save. The Pirates lost for the sixth time in seven games. | https://localnews8.com/news/2022/05/04/tigers-take-advantage-of-miscues-edge-pirates-3-2/ | 2022-05-04T22:43:47Z |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court said Thursday that gun cases involving restrictions in Hawaii, California, New Jersey and Maryland deserve a new look following its major decision in a gun case last week.
In light of last week’s ruling — which said that Americans have a right to carry a gun outside the home — lower courts should take another look at several cases that had been awaiting action by the high court, the court said. Those cases include ones about high-capacity magazines, an assault weapons ban and a state law that limits who can carry a gun outside the home.
The justices, in a 6-3 decision, last week struck down a New York law that required people to show “proper cause,” a specific need to carry a gun, if they wanted to carry a gun in public. Half a dozen states have similar laws that were called into question by the ruling.
In the New York case, the court’s conservative majority gave lower courts new guidance about how to evaluate gun restrictions. The justices rejected a two-step approach appeals courts had previously used as having one step too many. They said courts assessing modern firearms regulations should just ask whether they are “consistent with the Second Amendment’s text and historical understanding.”
Sending other gun cases back to lower courts gives them the opportunity to apply that new guidance.
One of the cases the justices sent back to a lower court Thursday involved a Hawaii statute similar to New York’s. In that case, a panel of 11 judges on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had ruled in 2021 that the right to “keep and bear arms” in the Constitution’s Second Amendment “does not guarantee an unfettered, general right to openly carry arms in public for individual self-defense.” But the high court said in its latest gun case that the Constitution protects “an individual’s right to carry a handgun for self-defense outside the home.” A lower court will now have to revisit the Hawaii ruling.
The high court also told federal appeals courts to revisit cases involving laws in California and New Jersey that limit the number of bullets a gun magazine can hold. A 2018 New Jersey law limits most gun owners to magazines that hold up to 10 rounds of ammunition instead of the 15-round limit in place since 1990. A lower court upheld the law.
California law also bans magazines holding more than 10 bullets. A panel of 11 judges on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 7-4 last year to uphold California’s ban.
The justices also sent back for further review a case from Maryland that challenged the state’s 2013 ban on 45 kinds of assault weapons. The high court had in 2017 turned away a previous challenge to the law. | https://cw33.com/business/ap-business/supreme-court-says-several-gun-cases-deserve-a-new-look/ | 2022-07-01T00:13:42Z |
US experts wrestle with how to update COVID-19 vaccines
WASHINGTON (AP) - More than two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. health officials are beginning to grapple with how to keep the vaccines updated to best protect Americans from the ever-changing coronavirus.
On Wednesday, a panel of vaccine advisers to the Food and Drug Administration spent hours debating key questions for revamping the shots and conducting future booster campaigns. They didn’t reach any firm conclusions.
The questions facing the experts included: How often to update the vaccines against new strains, how effective they should be to warrant approval and whether updates should be coordinated with global health authorities.
Last week, the FDA authorized a fourth dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines for anyone 50 or older and for some younger people with severely weakened immune systems. It’s an effort to get ahead of another possible surge.
But the FDA’s vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks acknowledged at the meeting “we simply can’t be boosting people as frequently as we are.” He called the latest booster update a “stopgap” measure to protect vulnerable Americans while regulators decide whether and how to tweak the current vaccines.
Marks cautioned that waning vaccine protection, new variants and colder weather in the fall could raise the risk of more surges.
“Our goal here is to stay ahead of future variants and outbreaks and ensure we do our best to reduce the toll of disease and death due to COVID-19,” said Marks, adding that he expects more meetings of the vaccine panel in coming months.
Some of the key questions the panel discussed:
HOW SHOULD THE U.S. DECIDE WHEN TO LAUNCH FUTURE ROUNDS OF BOOSTER SHOTS?
One area where experts appeared to agree is that vaccines should be judged on their ability to prevent severe disease that leads to hospitalization and death.
“We need to focus on the worst case, which is severe disease, and we need to change strains when we’re losing that battle,” said Dr. Mark Sawyer of the University of California, San Diego.
By that measure, the current vaccines have held up remarkably well.
During the last omicron-driven surge, two vaccine doses were nearly 80% effective against needing a breathing machine or death — and a booster pushed that protection to 94%, federal scientists recently reported.
But only about half of Americans eligible for a third shot have gotten one. And many experts said it was unsustainable to continue asking Americans to get boosted every few months.
A panelist from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggested that the 80% protection from severe disease could become the standard for evaluating the vaccines.
“I think we may have to accept that level of protection and then use other alternative ways to protect individuals with therapeutics and other measures,” said Dr. Amanda Cohn, CDC’s chief medical officer.
Presentations at the meeting by government health officials and independent researchers underscored the challenges of predicting when the next major COVID-19 variant might appear.
Trevor Bedford, a disease modeler with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, said a major new strain like omicron could emerge anywhere from every 1.5 years to once a decade, based on currently available data. Given that unpredictability, researchers will need methods to quickly determine whether current vaccines work against emerging variants.
WHAT’S THE PROCESS FOR UPDATING VACCINES TO ADDRESS NEW VARIANTS?
All three COVID-19 vaccines now used in the U.S. are based on the original coronavirus version that emerged in late 2019. Updating the vaccines will be a complex task, likely requiring coordination between the FDA, manufacturers and global health authorities.
To speed the vaccines to market, the FDA relied on research shortcuts to judge effectiveness, mainly looking at their early impact on the immune system’s antibody levels. A number of panelists said Wednesday they wanted more rigorous data from studies that track patients over time to see who gets sick or dies.
But that approach would likely be too time consuming.
“We’re looking at a conundrum here in that it’s going to be hard to generate all the data we want in short order when a new variant emerges,” said Dr. Ofer Levy of Harvard Medical School.
A representative for the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority laid out the narrow window that manufacturers could face to reformulate, study and mass produce an updated vaccine by September.
“If you’re not on your way to a clinical trial by the beginning of May, I think it’s going to be very difficult to have enough product across manufacturers to meet demand,” said Robert Johnson, deputy assistant secretary of BARDA.
The process for updating annual flu vaccines offers one possible model, as laid out by a representative from the World Health Organization.
Twice a year, WHO experts recommend updates to flu vaccines to target emerging strains. The FDA then brings those recommendations to its own vaccine panel, which votes on whether they make sense for the U.S., setting the stage for manufacturers to tweak their shots and begin mass production.
But COVID-19 hasn’t yet fallen into a predictable pattern like the flu. And as the coronavirus evolves, different strains may become dominant in different regions of the world.
Several experts said they would need more meetings with more data and proposals from the FDA to decide on a strategy.
“We’ve never been here before. We’re all working together to do the best we can and it’s very complex,” said Oveta Fuller of the University of Michigan’s Medical School.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/04/07/us-experts-wrestle-with-how-update-covid-19-vaccines/ | 2022-04-07T04:53:29Z |
NEW YORK, April 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Extraordinary Re (!Re) today announces that it will be demonstrating its platform for trading interests in insurance contracts on April 29, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. EDT. The demonstration, by invitation only, is for asset managers and asset owners. For an invitation, please contact Joe Rosen at Joe.Rosen@XReHoldings.com or +1 347 647 0530.
Extraordinary Re's secondary trading platform will enable asset managers and asset owners to build customized portfolios of insurance contract positions just like they would with stocks and bonds. The platform opens the $20 trillion universe of insurance liabilities to direct contract-level participation by the capital markets.
The demonstration of the trading platform on April 29 is a significant next step in the evolution of insurance finance. "The new asset class of insurance contracts will be valuable to investors of all strategies," said Lee Van Slyke, CEO of !Re. "All portfolio management strategies may benefit, from value investing to technical analysis to buy-and-hold. Among the values to the investor is the non-correlation of insurance contracts with stocks and bonds," he said.
!Re's patented technology is embedded in a proprietary user interface and a matching engine licensed from NASDAQ. The system is integrated into a purpose-built Bermuda reinsurance company, Extraordinary Reinsurance Company Ltd. (ERCL), to allocate ERCL's underwriting profit and loss to the portfolios created by the trading participants. In addition, each portfolio is allocated a part of the investment income of ERCL.
"Rather than trapping capital in fully collateralized instruments, this patented plan allows long-term investors to earn investment income on premium dollars that have not been paid out in claims and expenses. Fans of Warren Buffet will appreciate this 'premium float'," said Van Slyke.
About Extraordinary Re
Extraordinary Re https://www.extraordinaryre.com is a platform for the daily trading of insurance assets and liabilities. The company offers solutions for traders and institutional investors, along with insurance companies and intermediaries.
Media Contact: Joe Rosen, Joe.Rosen@xreholdings.com
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SOURCE Extraordinary Re | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/04/18/trading-platform-interests-insurance-contracts-demo-april-29/ | 2022-04-18T18:26:46Z |
TEL AVIV, Israel, Aug. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Chemomab Therapeutics Ltd. (Nasdaq: CMMB), (Chemomab), a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of innovative therapeutics for fibrotic and inflammatory diseases with high unmet need, today announced the company will release its second quarter 2022 financial results and provide a business update on Friday, August 12, 2022 at 8:00 am Eastern Time.
During the event, Chemomab's management team will review second quarter 2022 performance, discuss recent and upcoming developments and conduct a live question-and-answer session.
A replay of the call will be available on Chemomab's website for 90 days at www.chemomab.com.
Live Webcast and Conference Call at 8:00 am Eastern Time, Friday, August 12, 2022
Click this Webcast link to access the live webcast or replay.
The live webcast and replay can also be accessed at the News & Events section of the Investors page on the Chemomab website at investors.chemomab.com/events.
Conference Call Access via Telephone
US Investors: +1 (877) 407-9208
International Investors: +1 (201) 493-6784
Conference Passcode: 13730646
Please call 5-10 minutes before the scheduled start time, enter the conference passcode and ask the operator for the Chemomab conference call.
Chemomab is a clinical stage biotechnology company focusing on the discovery and development of innovative therapeutics for fibrotic and inflammatory diseases with high unmet need. Based on the unique and pivotal role of the soluble protein CCL24 in promoting fibrosis and inflammation, Chemomab developed CM-101, a monoclonal antibody designed to bind and block CCL24 activity. CM-101 has demonstrated the potential to treat multiple severe and life-threatening fibrotic and inflammatory diseases. It is currently in Phase 2 trials for primary sclerosing cholangitis and liver fibrosis, with a Phase 2 trial in systemic sclerosis expected to begin in late 2022. For more information, visit chemomab.com.
Contacts:
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SOURCE Chemomab Therapeutics, Ltd. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/01/chemomab-therapeutics-report-second-quarter-2022-financial-results-provide-business-update/ | 2022-08-01T12:26:02Z |
Inspire Investing, the world's largest provider of biblically responsible ETFs, has just launched the Inspire Fidelis Multi-Factor ETF trading under the ticker FDLS.
BOISE, Idaho, Aug. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Inspire Investing, a leading biblically responsible investing firm, has just launched the Inspire Fidelis Multi-Factor ETF, trading under the ticker FDLS. This is Inspire's 9th fund launch, building on the success of their previous biblical ETFs and continuing their aggressive effort to advance the biblically responsible investing (BRI) movement.
With an expense ratio of 0.85%, FDLS is a faith-based ETF comprised of 100 high-quality, biblically aligned companies seeking growth and momentum purchased at a reasonable price. FDLS utilizes the Inspire Impact Score methodology to seek out some of the most inspiring, biblically aligned companies in the world, applying a faith-based perspective in seeking out businesses that are a blessing to their customers, communities, workforce, and the world.
FDLS seeks to replicate investment results that generally correspond, before fees and expenses, to the performance of the Fidelis Multi-Cap Multi-Factor Index. For more information on the Inspire Fidelis Multi-Factor ETF, visit https://www.inspireetf.com/fdls.
Here is what Inspire CEO, Robert Netzly, had to say about the launch, "By the grace of God, even in this tumultuous market, we have continued to see an increase in demand for faith-based investments. Today, we are excited to expand our product menu again and bring the Fidelis strategy from Wallick Investments to the masses through an ETF. This launch provides a new option for investors and advisors looking to incorporate factor investing into their biblically aligned portfolios."
The Fidelis Multi-Cap Multi-Factor Index methodology utilizes a factor-based scoring methodology that ranks companies based on quality, value, and momentum characteristics. The securities in the index range from large (minimum 40% allocation) to small-or mid-cap companies with at least $250 million market cap (maximum 60% allocation). Sector and industry rules are in place to ensure continued diversification.
The index scoring methodology includes 16 criteria for Quality (including biblical values, profitability, financial health, and growth), 7 criteria for Momentum (including relative price strength and EPS revisions), and 8 criteria for Value (including price-to-value ratios, dividends, and volatility). The total criterion for Quality, Value, and Momentum factors are essentially evenly weighted (34%, 33%, and 33%, respectively).
The index is managed by Wallick Investments, LLC, a firm founded in 2005 that focuses on strategic moral investing. Wallick Investments is a nationally ranked registered investment advisory firm specializing in separately managed accounts (SMA's). Wallick designs and manages separate account portfolios using thoroughly researched proprietary processes that are repeatable, systematic, unemotional, and have stood the test of time.
Inspire is a leading provider of biblically responsible investments managing over $2 billion in assets under management (as of 8/16/2022), and creator of the globally recognized Inspire Impact Score™ which is used by investors around the world to measure the biblical alignment of their investments according to Biblically Responsible Investing (BRI) principles.
Inspire ranked in the "Top 50 fastest growing RIA firms" by FA Magazine for the past three years in a row and was recognized in The Financial Times "Americas' Fastest Growing Companies" 2021 and 2022 report, as well as the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America three years running. Inspire also donates 50% or more of its net corporate profits to support impactful ministry projects around the globe through its Give50 Program. To learn more, visit www.inspireinvesting.com.
Important Risk Information:
There is no guarantee that the Funds will achieve their objective, generate positive returns, or avoid losses. Before investing, consider the funds' investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. To obtain a prospectus which contains this and other information, visit www.inspireetf.com. Read it carefully.
The Inspire ETFs are distributed by Foreside Financial Services LLC., Member FINRA. Inspire and Foreside Financial Services LLC are not affiliated. Investment advisory services offered through Inspire Investing, LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor with the SEC.
The Fund is not actively managed and the Adviser will not sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected underperformance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is removed from the Index or the selling of shares of that security is otherwise required upon a rebalancing of the Index as addressed in the Index methodology.
The Fund invests its assets in securities with an Inspire Impact Score® of zero or higher which are screened for security's alignment with biblical values and the positive impact the issuing company has on its customers, communities, workforce and the world. As a result of its strategy, the Fund's exclusion of securities of certain issuers for nonfinancial reasons may cause the Fund to forgo some market opportunities available to funds that do not use these criteria. The value of investments in larger companies may not rise as much as smaller companies, or larger companies may be unable to respond quickly to competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes.
The value of investments in larger companies may not rise as much as smaller companies, or larger companies may be unable to respond quickly to competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes. The Fund is a new ETF with a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.
Inspire Investing, LLC and Wallick Investments, LLC are not affiliated.
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SOURCE Inspire Investing | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/24/inspire-launches-new-multi-factor-biblical-etf/ | 2022-08-24T12:42:06Z |
BETHESDA, Md., July 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Flow Service Partners ("Flow" or the "Company"), a portfolio company of RLJ Equity Partners ("RLJ"), an affiliate of The RLJ Companies, and LP First Capital ("LPFC"), announced today the acquisition R Brooks Mechanical Heating and Air Conditioning ("R Brooks"). This acquisition strengthens Flow's technical capabilities and expands the Company's geographic footprint into Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Founded in 2001, R Brooks is a provider of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning ("HVAC") services to commercial, federal, and residential customers. R Brooks is headquartered in Rising Sun, Maryland and recently opened a second location in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. R Brooks has a strong reputation for quality work, responsiveness, and good customer service, which has resulted in significant repeat business with its customer base.
"Partnering with Flow represents a transformational growth opportunity for R Brooks," said Rich Brooks, President of R Brooks Mechanical Heating and Air Conditioning. "We are thrilled to partner with Flow, RLJ and LPFC and believe that this combination will be highly beneficial to our customers, employees, and communities that we serve."
"The combination of Flow and R Brooks extends our geographic reach into the Mid-Atlantic states and opens up additional organic growth opportunities for the Flow platform," said Michael Epperson, President & CEO of Flow Service Partners.
"R Brooks has a great reputation, particularly for quality work and customer service, which aligns perfectly with our vision for the Flow platform," said Nigel Howard, Managing Director at RLJ Equity Partners. "We are excited about partnering with R Brooks and growing together."
"This partnership will grow our service capabilities and allows us to provide outstanding quality and customer service to existing Flow and R Brooks customers," said Thomas Ince, Managing Director at LP First Capital.
R Brooks represents Flow's fourth acquisition, and the Company intends to continue pursuing additional add-on acquisition opportunities to build servicing scale in HVACR and plumbing as well as expand its geographic footprint, particularly in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast states.
RLJ provided the controlling equity for the transaction. Fifth Third Bank, NA and Brookside Capital Partners provided the transaction debt and equity co-investment to help facilitate the transaction. DLA Piper LLP served as legal advisor and LBMC served as financial advisor. eMerge M&A served as the sell-side advisor to R Brooks.
About RLJ Equity Partners ("RLJ"): Headquartered in Bethesda, MD, RLJ Equity Partners is a middle-market private equity firm with approximately $440 million in capital under management focused on generating long-term capital appreciation by investing in profitable and growing businesses led by strong management teams. Founded in 2006 by Robert L. Johnson, RLJ originates and invests in traditional buyouts and leveraged recapitalizations. RLJ Equity Partners is a portfolio company of The RLJ Companies. For more information, please visit www.rljequitypartners.com.
About The RLJ Companies: Founded by Robert L. Johnson and headquartered in Bethesda, MD, The RLJ Companies is an innovative business network that provides strategic investments to a diverse portfolio of companies in the media and entertainment, financial services, real estate, hospitality, and gaming industries. Prior to founding The RLJ Companies, Johnson founded Black Entertainment Television. For more information visit: www.rljcompanies.com.
About LP First Capital ("LPFC"): Headquartered in Austin, TX, LP First Capital is a lower middle-market private equity firm focused on the healthcare, business services and education industries. LPFC specializes in growth capital, platform roll-ups, buyouts, and recapitalizations. LPFC's sweet spot is to partner with founder-led or family businesses and help them scale to the next level by providing industry operational expertise and the right capital structure. For more information, please visit www.lpfirstcapital.com.
About Flow Service Partners ("Flow"): Headquartered in Nashville, TN, is a provider of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration ("HVACR") and plumbing services, including maintenance, repair, replacement/retrofit and installation services. Through its partners, Flow currently operates in Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, and Pennsylvania and has approximately 325 employees. For more information, please visit www.flowservice.com.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
RLJ EQUITY PARTNERS
Nigel Howard, Managing Director, (240) 744-7835, nhoward@rljequity.com
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SOURCE RLJ Equity Partners, LLC | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/27/flow-service-partners-portfolio-company-rlj-equity-partners-lp-first-capital-acquires-r-brooks-mechanical-heating-air-conditioning/ | 2022-07-27T15:34:44Z |
With Three-Year Revenue Growth of 441%, AmeriVet Receives Top Ranking Among America's Fastest-Growing Private Companies
NEW YORK, Aug. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Inc. revealed that AmeriVet is No. 1465 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in America. The list represents a one-of-a-kind look at the most successful companies within the economy's most dynamic segment—its independent businesses.
"We are honored to be recognized alongside such a strong group of businesses nationwide," stated Thomas Thill, Chief Executive Officer of AmeriVet Veterinary Partners. "We have worked diligently to ensure our Veterinary Partners are served with world-class service, which contributed to spurring immense growth, and we look forward to continuing to be a great solution for our Partners well into the future."
The prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. Companies on the 2022 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2018 to 2021. To view the complete results, visit www.inc.com/inc5000.
"The accomplishment of building one of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S., in light of recent economic roadblocks, cannot be overstated," says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. "Inc. is thrilled to honor the companies that have established themselves through innovation, hard work, and rising to the challenges of today."
Brian C. Hurley, DVM - AmeriVet's National Medical Director, and first veterinary partner stated, "AmeriVet empowers its Veterinary Partners to grow their practices while supporting and streamlining their business processes without veterinarians needing to give up their passion of caring for their patients. This unique partnership model is unparalleled in the veterinary space and really sets AmeriVet apart. I am so pleased to be a part of something making such a positive impact in the industry."
For veterinarians looking to adapt and grow their practices, AmeriVet provides best-in-class resources and operational support – reducing their day-to-day burden, so they can focus on what matters most. A one-size-fits-all approach is not in AmeriVet's DNA; they want their partners to keep what makes them unique and embrace what makes them better. Unlike other consolidators, AmeriVet is the option for vets who want to remain invested in their practices, both emotionally and financially. AmeriVet's goal is to preserve the legacy of hard-working veterinarians who have spent their lives building their practices and caring for their patients.
AmeriVet has built an award-winning culture and have been recognized as the 2021 Business of the Year, 2020 Fast Track Award Winner, 2021 Fast Track Award Finalist, one of the Best Places to Work in San Antonio in 2019, 2021 and 2022, one of the 2021 Top Workplaces in San Antonio, also as the 2021 ACG Outstanding Growth Award Winner for the Austin and San Antonio region, and was ranked No. 49 on its third annual Inc. 5000 Regionals Southwest list. AmeriVet now has close to 200 veterinary partners nationwide across 31 states. For more information, visit AmeriVet.com.
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SOURCE AmeriVet Veterinary Partners | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/16/amerivet-veterinary-partners-ranks-no-1465-2022-inc-5000-annual-list/ | 2022-08-16T19:19:14Z |
The nonprofit group aims to eliminate the prevalence of corruption, backroom deals, and waste of the public's funds by the City of Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES, June 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- StopTheWaste.us, a nonprofit group, holds its inaugural event on Thursday, June 16th, 2022, to protest the increasing challenge of corruption in local Los Angeles government institutions. The event is a demonstration involving several dozen protesters raising awareness to what they contend are unscrupulous backroom deals made by LA politicians, well-connected attorneys, and others. These decisions, they say, have cost, and will cost, if not stopped, ratepayers of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power ("DWP") millions of dollars in waste and increased rates.
Many details of the concerns expressed by StopTheWaste.us are raised in a recent federal lawsuit filed by attorney Michael J. Libman in federal court in the Central District of California. The lawsuit alleges troubling conspiracies, coverups, and coverups of coverups on the part of LA public officials, high-flying lawyers, white-shoe law firms, and even a judge.
Some of the more striking allegations raised in the complaint include:
-Allegations that well-connected LA lawyer Brian S. Kabateck, Judge Elihu M. Berle, and Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer concealed significant conflicts of interest that raise questions about their true motivation in handling ratepayer settlements that require all three to be unburdened by concealed conflicts of interest or the appearance thereof. Mr. Kabateck is a well-known big-ticket donor to City Attorney Feuer and a longtime friend of Judge Berle, and former co-counsel of his opposing counsel Mr. Eric George.
-Allegations that documents allegedly from Mr. Libman were in fact from unknown person(s) but attributed to Mr. Libman, among other "evidence" manufactured against Mr. Libman. Mr. Libman contends these were part of a clandestine conspiracy to force him to falsely implicate others, and himself. Mr. Libman refused to go along with their overtures and intimidation and maintains they sought, and seek, retribution and retaliation as a result of him not "playing ball" and exposing them instead.
-Allegations and photographic evidence of FBI agents executing a search warrant at Mr. Libman's residence under false pretenses and in fact violating the limitations of the warrant, and the US Constitution when the FBI smashed Mr. Libman's security cameras and pointed a weapon at his young sleeping child---all under trumped up insinuations and allegations to intimidate.
-The purpose of this conspiracy, of which Mr. Libman is a victim, was for high powered lawyers, including Brian Kabateck, to "justify" high attorney fees ultimately paid by the taxpayers/ratepayers under the pretense that their services were "adding value" when in fact these attorneys may have cost taxpayers nearly a billion dollars in unrealized settlements, in addition to millions of dollars in legal fees being requested already.
The complaint can be found at www.StopTheWaste.us.
The case number is CASE NO. 2:21-CV-09455-FMO(MAAx).
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SOURCE StopTheWaste.us | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/21/stopthewasteus-group-forms-raise-awareness-ongoing-corruption-waste-los-angeles-holds-demonstration-raising-awareness-backroom-deals-ladwp-city-los-angeles/ | 2022-06-21T16:28:44Z |
Straight Talk: Here's how to avoid Ticketmaster lookalike scams
Better Business Bureau serving Canton Region and Greater West Virginia offers tips and advice for consumers to avoid fraudulent practices.
Concerts are back! Bands are touring again, and ticket spending is back to pre-COVID-19 levels. This fact has not gone unnoticed by scammers, though. Recent reports to BBB.org/ScamTracker indicate that con artists are preying on concertgoers by pretending to represent popular ticket seller, Ticketmaster.
How the scam works
You are looking to buy tickets to an upcoming concert or need to transfer tickets for a show that was postponed due to COVID-19. You do an internet search for your question, which brings up results for Ticketmaster. You click through to the website, and everything looks normal.The website prompts you to enter your personal information and a credit card number. However, as soon as you complete a transaction, you notice some suspicious activity. You might receive tickets with someone else’s name on them, or you may never receive your tickets at all. In other cases, you get the tickets, but the site charges you a much higher rate than advertised.Upon closer inspection, you realize you were not on the Ticketmaster site at all! It was a lookalike site with a similar name, such as “TicketSmarter” or “TicketFaster.” When you call the customer service number, they are either unreachable, unhelpful, or downright aggressive.One ticket buyer reported this experience: “They sent me two tickets with someone else's name on them, and they also charged me three times the amount [of] the ticket price. I have no way to get a refund and no customer service to contact (except by email) because they do not answer their phone.”
How to avoid ticket scams
- Purchase from the venue. The safest way to purchase event tickets is to go directly through the venue, either in person or through their official website. The venue’s website may point you to Ticketmaster or another provider to complete your purchase, but you can be sure of having the correct website URL.
- Check out the seller. If you purchase from a third-party company, make sure they are a reputable ticket vendor or reseller (https://bit.ly/ticketreseller), not a ticket scalper. Check reviews on BBB.org.
- Watch out for fake websites (www.BBB.org/all/spot-a-scam/how-to-identify-a-fake-website). Take a close look at the website’s URL to ensure there are no slight misspellings. Impostors like to make lookalike websites with domain names that are similar to well-known business names. This makes them hard to spot.
For more information
Check out bbb.org to see more tips about avoiding scams when buying tickets. Also check out blog.ticketmaster.com for tips from Ticketmaster for spotting scams.
For BBB information
Visit BBB.org/canton or call 330-454-9401 to look up a business, file a complaint, write a customer review, read tips, find our events, follow us on social media, and more! | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/lifestyle/2022/08/21/straight-talk-heres-how-to-avoid-ticketmaster-lookalike-scams/65406758007/ | 2022-08-21T15:33:28Z |
NBA retires Russell’s No. 6 jersey permanently leaguewide
(AP) - Bill Russell’s No. 6 jersey is being retired across the NBA.
The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association made the announcement Thursday, permanently retiring the number worn by the 11-time champion, civil rights activist and someone good enough to have been enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach.
Russell becomes the first player to have his number retired leaguewide.
“Bill Russell’s unparalleled success on the court and pioneering civil rights activism deserve to be honored in a unique and historic way,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “Permanently retiring his No. 6 across every NBA team ensures that Bill’s transcendent career will always be recognized.”
Players who currently wear No. 6 — including the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James — may continue doing so. But the number cannot be issued again, the league said.
All NBA players will wear a patch on the right shoulder of their jerseys this season, the league said, and every NBA court will display a clover-shaped logo with the No. 6 on the sideline near the scorer’s table.
The Boston Celtics have “separate and unique recognition for him on their uniforms” planned, the NBA said.
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More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/08/11/nba-retires-russells-no-6-jersey-permanently-leaguewide/ | 2022-08-11T19:47:54Z |
NEW YORK, May 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC notifies investors that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Upstart Holdings, Inc. ("Upstart" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: UPST) and certain of its officers, on behalf of shareholders who purchased or otherwise acquired Upstart securities between November 9, 2021 and May 9, 2022, inclusive (the "Class Period"). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm's site: www.bgandg.com/upst.
This class action seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
The complaint filed in this class action alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors: (1) that Upstart's AI model could not adequately account for macroeconomic factors such as interest rates that impact the market-clearing price for loans; (2) that, as a result, Upstart was experiencing negative impact on its conversion rate; (3) that, as a result, the Company was reasonably likely to use its balance sheet to fund loans; and (4) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially false and/or misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.
A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint you can visit the firm's site: www.bgandg.com/upst or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Investor Relations Analyst, Yael Nathanson of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 212-697-6484. If you suffered a loss in Upstart you have until July 12, 2022, to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a corporate litigation boutique. Our primary expertise is the aggressive pursuit of litigation claims on behalf of our clients. In addition to representing institutions and other investor plaintiffs in class action security litigation, the firm's expertise includes general corporate and commercial litigation, as well as securities arbitration. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Contact:
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC
Peretz Bronstein or Yael Nathanson
212-697-6484 | info@bgandg.com
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SOURCE Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/05/17/investor-alert-bronstein-gewirtz-amp-grossman-llc-notifies-upstart-holdings-inc-upst-investors-class-action-encourages-shareholders-contact-firm/ | 2022-05-17T14:53:13Z |
For kids heading back to school, Tastykake promises to "make their day tasty" in its new campaign.
TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tastykake® brand, the iconic line of snack cakes, pies, and donuts, is making back-to-school days tastier this year with a new campaign titled "Make Their Day Tasty." The campaign spans across radio, digital and social media, and is the brand's first with its new agency of record (AOR), PPK.
"Back to school means hectic schedules for the entire family. With this campaign, we want to make sure parents remember to pack with purpose and add some sweetness to their kids' lunch to make their entire day TASTY," said Penny Patterson-Smith, Senior Vice President of Snacking at Flowers Foods. "PPK has done a great job with this inaugural campaign and we're looking forward to many more successful executions."
"Our evolving partnership with Tastykake is a shining example of how PPK has grown over the years – by providing incredibly thoughtful client service and results-driven strategic creative solutions to our clients leading to natural, organic growth," said Garrett Garcia, President of PPK.
"Those who cherish a uniquely sweet treat know there is nothing that satisfies a hectic micro-moment better than Tastykake, especially during back-to-school time," said Ashley Hornsby, Brand Manager of Tastykake. "This year's back-to-school campaign is meant to capture and convey the back-to-school rush that every parent goes through, whether it's school science fairs, practice at the field or ballet recitals."
To view the campaign video on Facebook, click here.
PPK is also AOR for Wonder® Bread and produces work for several other brands owned by Flowers Foods, including managing social for Mrs. Freshley's® and Evangeline Maid.
ABOUT PPK
Established in 2004 in Tampa, Florida, PPK is one of the Southeast's most decorated Independent Advertising & Production Agencies founded on the belief that sound, strategic creative strategy and communications plans coupled with true partnership and client collaboration will always deliver results. It's not about egos. It's about rolling up our collective sleeves and putting in the time, energy and effort to drive the bottom line, regardless of the business challenge we face. Because at the end of the day, regardless of what category you're in, or what brand you represent, there are a series of business challenges that stare you down every single day. PPK is here to help you overcome those obstacles and take your brand to the next level. For additional information visit www.uniteppk.com.
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SOURCE PPK | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/ppk-kicks-off-tastykake-relationship-with-back-to-school-campaign/ | 2022-08-31T15:18:16Z |
- Ascent receives a bolder look with a redesigned front and rear elements
- Latest version of EyeSight® Driver Assist Technology with Wide-Angle Mono Camera
- Wireless Apple CarPlay® and wireless Android Auto™ are standard
- New Surround View Camera featuring a 360-degree overhead view is available
- Standard SUBARU STARLINK® 11.6-inch Multimedia Plus system
- New Cabin Connect enhances communication capability to the third-row occupants
- Onyx Edition adds more standard features and new option package
CAMDEN, N.J., June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Subaru of America Inc. today announced the 2023 Ascent 3-row family SUV with updated styling as well as new safety and in-vehicle technologies. Also new for 2023, the Onyx Edition trim level receives new exterior and interior accents and a comprehensive option package.
The 2023 Ascent is available in Base, Premium, Onyx Edition, Limited, and Touring trim levels and arrives in Subaru retailers this Fall.
For 2023 model year, Ascent receives a bolder look thanks to a new front fascia incorporating a more prominent grille; redesigned LED headlights; and a more aggressive front bumper cover. The new front bumper cover features new lower-edge air ducts to improve aerodynamic flow under the vehicle. At the back of the vehicle, updated Konoji (C-shaped) taillights further exemplify the SUV's fresh new look for 2023.
The 2023 Ascent comes standard with the latest version of EyeSight Driver Assist Technology. The enhanced system operates more smoothly and under a greater range of conditions. These improvements are thanks to a wider field of view, updated control software, and the addition of an electric brake booster. Also standard across the model line is a Wide-Angle Mono Camera that works together with the dual-camera EyeSight system. The additional camera further expands the field of view to recognize pedestrians and bicycles sooner when the vehicle enters an intersection at low speed. EyeSight gives an alert to the driver, and, when necessary, applies brakes to avoid collisions with crossing bicycles and pedestrians.
On models equipped with Blind-Spot Detection with Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, EyeSight includes Automatic Emergency Steering. The new feature works in conjunction with the Pre-Collision Braking System to help steer the vehicle to avoid a collision when travelling at speeds less than 50 mph.
New Cabin Connect improves communication from the driver or front passenger to the third-row occupants. When activated, the feature picks up the driver or front passenger's voice by the overhead console microphone and then transmits through the rear speakers. Cabin Connect is available on trim levels equipped with Harman Kardon® QuantumLogic™ surround sound speaker system.
For better all-around situational awareness while parking, an available Surround View Monitor offers a 360-degree overhead view of the vehicle. The new system uses images from four vehicle cameras and combines them to create a single image that allows the area around the entire vehicle to be observed from a bird's-eye view.
On all 2023 Ascent models, a newly standard tablet-style 11.6-inch Full HD center information display offers direct touch controls for multimedia, climate control, X-MODE, and vehicle configuration settings. Wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto are standard. Every Ascent also features Steering Responsive LED headlights with High Beam Assist for improved nighttime visibility. Additionally, a Seat Belt Reminder for each seat helps ensure all passengers are buckled up.
The Ascent Onyx Edition is equipped with exclusive black-finish exterior elements, badging, and 20-inch black-finish aluminum alloy wheels. The seats are wrapped in Subaru StarTex® water-repellant material with new contrasting green stitching.
The Onyx Edition gains a standard panoramic power moonroof, which features a tilt/slide glass panel over the front seats, a fixed glass panel over the middle row, and a power sunshade. This impressive glass roof remains standard for the Touring and optional for the Limited trims.
Enhancing all-weather and trail capability, the 2023 Ascent Onyx Edition, Limited and Touring gain standard dual-function X-MODE® with Hill Descent Control. X-MODE functions include SNOW/DIRT and DEEP SNOW/MUD settings to optimize all-wheel drive performance for difficult weather or road conditions.
A newly available comprehensive option package for Onyx Edition includes the SUBARU STARLINK 11.6-inch Multimedia Navigation system with Harman Kardon® QuantumLogic™ surround sound speaker system featuring new Cabin Connect. Additional features added to the package are a 12-way power driver's seat with 4-way power lumbar and two-position memory; adjustable driver's seat cushion extension; 4-way power front passenger seat; second row sunshades and outboard heated seat positions. A high-grade instrument combination meter with color LCD and dual illuminated front center-console cupholders are also included with this option package.
Driver assist technologies included in the option package are new Surround View Monitor and DriverFocus® Distraction Mitigation System.
Built on the Subaru Global Platform, the Ascent delivers an unparalleled driving experience with a spacious interior offering comfortable and flexible seating options. The U.S.-built Ascent is the most versatile Subaru ever with 8-person seating or available captain's chairs in the second row for 7-person seating. Two rows of 60/40 split flat-folding seats offer up to 75.6 cubic feet of cargo space when folded.
All Ascent trim levels come standard with Subaru's legendary Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and X-MODE® with Hill Descent Control for exceptional all-weather and trail-driving capability. Active Torque Vectoring is also standard on all trim levels. The 3-row SUV's 8.7 inches of ground clearance, which is greater than many SUVs, delivers capability while maintaining a comfortably low step-in height for passenger entry.
Powered by a 260 horsepower 2.4-liter turbocharged SUBARU BOXER® engine, the Ascent comes standard with Subaru's high-torque Lineartronic® CVT (continuously variable transmission) featuring an 8-speed manual mode function and steering wheel paddle shifters to give the driver added control. This powertrain allows up to 5,000-lb.towing capacity with standard Trailer Stability Assist.
The 2023 Ascent provides an extensive roster of standard amenities including tri-zone front and rear automatic climate control; 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels; automatic power door locks; power windows and side mirrors; multi-function display; security system with engine immobilizer; rear vision camera; USB-A and USB-C input/charge ports in the front and rear sections of the center console; raised roof rails; and 19 cupholders. New for this year, the standard rear vison camera includes a washer to ensure a clear view while backing up.
The Premium trim adds Blind-Spot Detection with Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert; rear window privacy glass; 8-way power driver seat; leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift lever handle; second-row independent automatic climate control; body-color side mirrors with integrated turn signals, and the All-Weather Package with heated exterior mirrors, heated front seats, and windshield wiper de-icer.
The Premium trim's in-vehicle technology has available Wi-Fi and STARLINK Connected Services (subscriptions necessary). An option package for Premium includes Keyless Access with Push-Button Start; Power Rear Gate; Auto-Dimming Mirror with HomeLink®; and Reverse Automatic Braking. The Premium trim offers a choice between second-row bench seating or captain's chairs at no additional charge.
The Onyx Edition builds upon the 7-seat Premium trim and adds standard convenience features including Power Moonroof; Reverse Automatic Braking; Power Rear Gate, and Keyless Access with Push-Button Start. The Onyx Edition stands out among the other trim levels with exclusive exterior and interior accents and unique 20-inch black-finish aluminum alloy wheels.
The well-equipped Limited includes all Premium features and adds Reverse Automatic Braking; DriverFocus; Keyless Access with Push-Button Start; and Power Rear Gate with automatic lock button for gate and doors.
The Limited interior features leather-trimmed upholstery; 12-way power driver seat with lumbar support and seat bottom cushion extension; 4-way power front passenger seat; and second-row retractable sunshades. A new USB-A charge port has been added to the third row. Limited models also include heated second-row seating and a heated steering wheel (360 degree). Also, customers have the choice between second-row bench seating or captain chairs at no additional charge.
The exterior of the Limited is distinguished by LED fog lights; lower door cladding with chrome accents; and new 20-inch aluminum-alloy wheels in dark gray with machine finish.
The top-of-the-line Ascent Touring is equipped with all the features of the Limited and adds an exclusive high gloss black grille; chrome door handles; and satin chrome power-folding exterior mirrors with integrated turn signals. The unique interior includes woodgrain-pattern matte finish accent trim and either Slate Black or Java Brown perforated leather-trimmed upholstery. Three-mode ventilated driver and front passenger seats are also standard on Touring.
The Touring comes standard with the SUBARU STARLINK 11.6-inch Multimedia Navigation system; Harman Kardon QuantumLogic surround sound system with new Cabin Connect; Power Moonroof; and Rain-Sensing Wipers. Standard Surround View Monitor System, Smart Rear-View Mirror, and 180-degree front-view camera greatly enhance all-around visibility.
The 2023 Ascent comes standard with the latest version of the STARLINK 11.6-inch Multimedia Plus system with wireless Apple CarPlay® and wireless Android Auto™ with full screen display. The system features an 11.6-inch high-resolution touchscreen with combination meter integration and improved on-screen controls for audio, climate control, X-MODE and vehicle features. Additional standard features include new Valet Mode; Bluetooth® hands-free phone and audio streaming connectivity; AM/FM stereo; rear vision camera; SiriusXM® All-Access Radio and SiriusXM Travel Link® (4-month free subscriptions); HD Radio®; and over-the-air updates.
The available 11.6-inch STARLINK Multimedia Navigation system includes voice-activated navigation powered by the latest version of TomTom® and SiriusXM Travel Link (3-year free subscription). New for 2023, the navigation system has integrated what3words (W3W), an innovative location technology that provides a simple way to communicate precise locations using just three simple words.
The Ascent is built at Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA), a Zero-Landfill Facility in Lafayette, Indiana, along with the Impreza, Legacy, and Outback.
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.
Todd Hill
Manager, Product Public Relations
856.488.3234
thill@subaru.com
Jessica Tullman
Product Communications
310.352.4400
jtullman@subaru.com
Charles Ballard
Product and Technology Communications
856.488.8759
cballard@subaru.com
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SOURCE Subaru of America, Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/14/subaru-debuts-refreshed-2023-ascent-3-row-suv-featuring-new-styling-enhanced-safety-features-updated-multimedia/ | 2022-06-14T13:41:08Z |
Police-community relations commission puts finishing touches on recommendations
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - After beginning its work following the tumultuous summer of 2020, the city of Topeka’s police-community relations committee on Wednesday afternoon placed the finishing touches on its list of recommendations.
The City Council will discuss the recommendations at its July 5 meeting.
Action is scheduled to be taken at the City Council’s meeting on the following Tuesday, July 12.
Members of the public are invited to speak at both of the meetings.
Committee members Mayor Mike Padilla and city councilwomen Sylvia Ortiz and Karen Hiller discussed the document at a 23-minute meeting on Wednesday afternoon at City Hall.
The final document is to be reviewed by the city’s legal department in advance of being taken up by the City Council next week.
Mayor Mike Padilla praised the work of Ortiz, who was chairwoman of the committee, for her thoroughness in addressing concerns brought forth by the public.
The committee also heard from experts on police-community relations during its 18-month process.
Though other issues may need to be addressed in coming months, Ortiz said at Wednesday meeting that it was time to wrap up the committee’s work.
“At some point,” she said, “we’ve got to bring this to a close.”
Ortiz said she and other city councilwomen expected additional comments and suggestions from the public.
Among areas addressed by the committee: the Topeka Police Department’s school resource officers; no-knock warrants; use of force; content of officer training; civilian input in training; civilian oversight; and employment decisions.
Copyright 2022 WIBW. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/06/29/police-community-relations-commission-puts-finishing-touches-recommendations/ | 2022-06-29T21:12:58Z |
The play-in games are set, as NBA looks to the postseason
By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Basketball Writer
It lasted 174 days, required the usage of more players than any season in history primarily because of the ongoing challenge of playing through a pandemic, and saw playoff-positioning chases go all the way down to the final moments. Now, move over, regular season. The NBA’s postseason is finally here. The Eastern Conference play-in games were set on Sunday. Brooklyn will play host to Cleveland and Atlanta will entertain Charlotte. The Nets-Cavs winner goes to the playoffs; the loser plays the Hawks-Hornets winner for the No. 8 seed. | https://localnews8.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/04/10/the-play-in-games-are-set-as-nba-looks-to-the-postseason/ | 2022-04-10T23:07:20Z |
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