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New Division Will Expand on Ember's Temperature Control Technology for Use Within the Healthcare Space
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ember Technologies, Inc. (Ember®), the global design-led temperature control brand and maker of the award-winning temperature control mug, today announced the spinout of its new healthcare vertical, Ember LifeSciences. The new company aims to serve the healthcare industry using Ember's proprietary temperature control technologies to provide secure and sustainable cold chain solutions.
Earlier this year, Ember announced its offering of the Ember Cube, the world's first self-refrigerated, cloud-based shipping box, in partnership with Cardinal Health, a leader in healthcare distribution. The invention marked Ember's first foray into the healthcare space and the launch of Ember LifeSciences serves to further expand the brand's mission specifically within the pharmaceutical industry and harness the power of temperature control to change lives.
"The idea to form Ember LifeSciences started several years ago after meeting with leading companies within the healthcare industry, with a goal to unearth ways in which our temperature control technology could be used to help save lives," said Clay Alexander, Founder and CEO of Ember. "The Ember Cube is the first of many healthcare technologies developed by our team, and Ember LifeSciences is the entity where all our inventions in the healthcare space will live. With Ember LifeSciences, the goal is to deploy our technology to disrupt the healthcare distribution industry and improve the way we transport temperature-sensitive medicines and vaccines around the world."
Ember LifeSciences secured an initial investment from Cardinal Health to use towards the development of additional cold chain solutions beyond the Ember Cube. The company currently has two new shipping prototypes under way: an ultra-low temperature shipper and a cryogenic shipper. Both are intended to be used to transport cell and gene therapy products and will also include the same cloud-based temperature reporting, GPS location tracking and return-to-sender technology featured in the Ember Cube.
Ember LifeSciences has also hired healthcare industry veteran Brian Bejarano as President and General Manager to oversee all aspects of the new business, leading its growth and development. Bejarano joins the team after a 27-year tenure at Cardinal Health where he held key roles ranging from strategy to finance, manufacturing, supply chain and operations, including serving as head of operations for Cardinal Health's Specialty Pharmaceuticals division which focuses on cold chain pharmaceuticals such as vaccines, biologics, and cell and gene therapies.
"I'm excited to join Ember LifeSciences and help continue the development and commercialization of the company's technology and IP portfolio within the healthcare industry," said Bejarano. "We plan to use Ember's temperature control and data science technology to reinvent pharmaceutical cold chain shipping."
Ember is a global temperature control brand and technology platform whose mission is to revolutionize the way people eat, drink and live. Founded by inventor and serial entrepreneur Clay Alexander, Ember creates, designs, and develops temperature control products that offer people complete customization. The award-winning Ember Travel Mug and Ember Mug are the most advanced coffee mugs on the market, allowing individuals to set and maintain their preferred drinking temperature for hot beverages. For more information, visit ember.com and connect with us on Facebook.com/ember, Instagram.com/ember and Twitter.com/ember_tech.
Ember LifeSciences initially launched as an offshoot of Ember Technologies, one of the fastest growing companies in America known for its ground-breaking temperature control technology, global IP portfolio and design-led brand. With the mission of improving the way people eat, drink and live, Ember CEO and serial inventor Clay Alexander set his sights on healthcare to revolutionize the cold chain to improve the way in which we transport life-saving medicines and vaccines around the world. Ember's historic partnership with Cardinal Health segued the development of the Ember Cube, the world's first self-refrigerated cloud-based shipping box. Ember LifeSciences currently operates as an independent subsidiary exclusively devoted to the healthcare industry. For more information, visit emberlifesciences.com.
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SOURCE Ember | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/10/ember-announces-spinout-healthcare-vertical-ember-lifesciences/ | 2022-08-10T15:31:48Z |
Sammons Senior Center, June 14
North/South
1st Linda Smith and Maxine Johnson
2nd Mark and Connie Bruscato
East/West
1st B. Kermode and Owen Messenger
2nd Mary Wilson and Lois Miller
Sammons Senior Center, June 16
North/South
1st Barbara and Tom Hamff
2nd Linda Smith and Maxine Johnson
3rd Irv Cummings and JoAnn Nalle
East/West
1st Mary Wilson and Lois Miller
2nd Owen Messenger and Terry Bedsole
3rd Evanelle Hart and Mike Evans
Belton Senior Center, June 17
1st Thresa Dollar and Ruth Weasmer
2nd Donald and Barbara Johnson
3rd Tom and Barbara Hamff | https://www.tdtnews.com/life/article_3420c988-f3c2-11ec-8011-0b206753dd9a.html | 2022-06-26T09:38:13Z |
BrokerTech Ventures to fuel BrokerTech Connect during ITC 2022 Conference
DES MOINES, Iowa, June 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BrokerTech Ventures (BTV), the industry's first broker-led group and accelerator program chartered by 15 super-regional independent brokerage firms, announced the 2nd year of a strategic collaboration with InsureTech Connect (ITC), the largest insurance technology (insurtech) conference and convening platform in the world. BTV will once again fuel ITC's BrokerTech Connect series, an insurtech series during the conference for the broker-centric community, on Tuesday, September 20, 2022, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
"We are extremely excited about this second year of collaboration between BTV and InsureTech Connect," said Dan Keough, Holmes Murphy Chairman and CEO and BTV Co-CEO. "The ITC platform brings together the greatest minds around insurtech trends, technologies, and applications. Our desire to engage in and fuel BrokerTech Connect comes from BTV's industry position as the convener of broker-centric innovation, ideation, and communication for the global insurance ecosystem. We represent the brokerage community and the voice of the client, and we believe there is significant value in the community the ITC team has been building since 2016."
BTV and ITC partnered not only in 2020, as they collaborated around the Agency Connect Virtual Conference, which attracted 2,000+ brokers, agents, and broker tech attendees from across the globe, but also in 2021, as BTV led out ITC's BrokerTech Connect.
"We are thrilled to once again partner with BTV for ITC Vegas 2022. BrokerTech Connect is one of the most engaging content features of ITC each year, showcasing solutions and strategies to improve broker workflows, and ultimately enhance the customer experience in insurance. We appreciate the vision that BTV's leadership shared with us when first developing BrokerTech Connect and look forward to another insightful gathering of their thought leaders and partners in September," said Bill Harris, Chief Revenue Officer of InsureTech Connect.
The BTV 2022 Accelerator program and third cohort class recently rounded out its session during which time BTV provided funding, a curriculum, and an intentional network exposure to the 12 startups from around the world who were selected.
BTV's partners represent a combined 29 premiere insurance brands, as well as multi-billions of dollars in premiums and overall distribution. BrokerTech Connect will include broker-centric thought leaders, industry expertise, entertainment, and a BTV demo day featuring the insurtech companies that are a part of the 2020, 2021, and 2022 cohort classes.
"As BTV continues to grow the depth and breadth of our agency, carrier, capital, and startup relationships within the insurtech space, building an alliance with InsureTech Connect made sense," said Susan Hatten, BTV COO. "We bring the broker-centric insights to collaborate around BrokerTech Connect, and we are thrilled to work with the InsureTech Connect team to create an even greater experience by leveraging our BrokerTech Ventures brand and community."
Based in the insurance nucleus of Des Moines, Iowa, BrokerTech Ventures (BTV) is the first broker-led convening platform and accelerator program focused on delivering innovation to the insurance broker industry. Founded in 2019, BTV provides a venue for the best minds in insurance and technology to collaborate and bring to market leading-edge ideas and solutions. BTV invests in the research and testing for each of the chosen startups, provides access to veteran industry mentors, and helps scale the technology to market through broker distribution channels. Learn more at www.brokertechventures.com, or follow us on Twitter (@BrokerTechVen), LinkedIn, or Facebook.
InsureTech Connect (ITC) is the world's largest insurtech event, offering unparalleled access to the largest and most comprehensive gathering of tech entrepreneurs, investors, and insurance industry executives from across the globe. Founded by Jay Weintraub and Caribou Honig, ITC has been attended by over 25,000 people from 65+ countries. InsureTech Connect 2022 will be held September 20-22, 2022, at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. For more information, please visit http://www.insuretechconnect.com.
Contact: Adam Scheurenbrand
515-205-4080
ascheurenbrand@ls2group.com
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SOURCE BrokerTech Ventures | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/29/brokertech-ventures-insuretech-connect-announce-2nd-year-collaboration/ | 2022-06-29T12:34:54Z |
Sarasota doctor convicted of taking kickbacks from drug firm
TAMPA, Fla. (WWSB) - A Sarasota doctor has been found guilty of receiving kickbacks from a drug company for prescribing its brand of fentanyl.
A federal jury in Tampa on Tuesday convicted Dr. Steven Chun, 59, of Sarasota and drug salesman Daniel Tondre, 52, or Tampa, of conspiring to pay and receive kickbacks and bribes, in the form of speaker fees, in return for prescribing the fentanyl spray Subsys.
They were convicted on five separate counts of paying and receiving kickbacks on specific dates. Tondre was also convicted of two counts of identification fraud in connection with the sham speaker events.
Each faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison on the conspiracy count, and up to 10 years in prison for each substantive kickback violation. the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Tondre also faces up to 5 years’ imprisonment on each identification fraud count. Prosecutors are also seeking to force the pair to forfeit the proceeds of the kickbacks.
A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, Chun operated a pain management medical practice in Sarasota where he prescribed a large volume of Subsys, an expensive form of liquid fentanyl designed to be applied under the tongue, allowing it to rapidly enter the bloodstream. Tondre was employed as a sales representative by Insys Therapeutics, Inc., the company that made Subsys.
Insys and Tondre held bogus speaker events, and paid Chun $2,400 to $3,000 per event in return for writing more and higher dosages of Subsys prescriptions.
The sham speaker programs were often only attended by Chun’s family and friends. Insys also bribed Chun by hiring his then-girlfriend to work as an Insys liaison.
Prosecutors say Chun was paid more than $278,000 over a period of less than three years. Tondre earned more than $737,000 in in salary and sales commissions over a period of two and half years. Medicare Part D paid more than $4.5 million for Subsys prescriptions written by Chun.
Insys and its executives were convicted for their roles earlier in Massachusetts.
Copyright 2022 WWSB. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/05/24/sarasota-doctor-convicted-taking-kickbacks-drug-firm/ | 2022-05-24T23:18:49Z |
SUMMERVILLE, S.C., Aug. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- American Rheumatology Network, LLC ("ARN"), has announced the appointment of Sarah McClain as its Chief Operating Officer (COO) effective immediately.
Michael Cooper, chief executive officer, said Sarah's focus and drive to move forward with ARN's industry partnerships is tenacious, and her commitment to be an 'extension of the practice' is the underlying tenant to maximize understanding on how we better serve ARN members.
"Sarah is the triple threat," said Cooper. "She can account for the numbers, amalgamate the key drivers, and tell you the 'why;' she thinks strategically and is typically several steps ahead - compiling disparate independent variables and aligning potential outcomes. Most importantly, Sarah is relentlessly committed to our customers and members."
McClain joined American Rheumatology Network in 2021 and steps into the COO role from her position as Strategic Account Manager for ARN and Director, Strategy and Innovation for Articularis Healthcare Group, Inc. She brings nearly 10 years of experience in the healthcare industry. Prior to joining ARN, McClain worked at TSI Healthcare, CoverMyMeds and Cardinal Health with roles in specialty development, solutions engineering, project management, sourcing, and finance. Her functional experience includes account management, business development, technology implementations, and product launches. She holds an MBA in healthcare management from Middle Tennessee State University and a BA in accounting from Otterbein University.
"I am deeply honored to fulfill this role, and I am so excited by the potential ahead," McClain said. "I look forward to building upon the great foundation and growth established by the talented and dedicated ARN team. I am wholly committed to bringing value to our members and industry partners."
American Rheumatology Network (ARN) is a trusted industry partner and a national group purchasing organization dedicated to supporting independent, community-based rheumatology practices. Through its network, members have access to best business practices, innovative practice performance technology, and value-based treatment pathways.
Contact: Morgan Grubbs, marketing and business development manager, (843) 973-8780, or mgrubbs@arngpo.com.
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SOURCE American Rheumatology Network | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/18/american-rheumatology-network-announces-sarah-mcclain-chief-operating-officer/ | 2022-08-18T18:39:00Z |
Rheem is Named 2022 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year
ATLANTA, May 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Rheem® a global manufacturer of water heating and HVACR products has received the 2022 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Each year the ENERGY STAR program honors a group of businesses and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through superior energy achievements.
"Rheem is innovating with intent and engineering solutions with lifetime-sustainability in mind," said Chee Wee Gan, Rheem's Senior Vice President, Strategy and Sustainability. "We are committed to preserving our planet's resources through energy efficiency."
Rheem made a significant commitment to Sustainability with its Greater Degree of Good initiative which highlights "Intelligent Products," "Responsible Processes" and "Inspired People" to advance select Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
"We focus on material selection, smart features and responsible recycling while introducing intelligent air and water products to homes and businesses around the globe," said Chris Day, Rheem's Vice President of Product Strategy and Engineering, Global Air.
"We know that heating, cooling and water heating account for the majority of a home's energy usage and we see the opportunity for Rheem to make a real impact on creating a sustainable future," said Stacey Gearhart, Vice President of Product Management and Channel Marketing, Global Water. "Our teams across the air and water businesses are working together every day to meet customer needs while lowering environmental impact."
"We know it's going to take all of us working together to tackle the climate crisis, and the 2022 ENERGY STAR award-winning partners are demonstrating what it takes to build a more sustainable future," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "These companies are showing once again that taking action in support of a clean energy economy can be good not only for the environment, but also for business and customers."
ENERGY STAR award winners lead their industries in the production, sale, and adoption of energy-efficient products, homes, buildings, services, and strategies. These efforts are essential to fighting the climate crisis and protecting public health.
Winners are selected from a network of thousands of ENERGY STAR partners. For a complete list of 2022 winners and more information about ENERGY STAR's awards program, visit energystar.gov/awardwinners.
About Rheem
Founded in 1925, Rheem® innovates new ways to deliver precise temperatures while saving energy, water and supporting a more sustainable future. Rheem is the only manufacturer in the world that produces heating, cooling, water heating, pool & spa heating and commercial refrigeration products, and is America's #1 water-heating brand with products available in more than 80 countries. Paloma Co., Ltd. ® of Nagoya, Japan, acquired the iconic Rheem brand in 1988, and today the company's portfolio of premium brands includes Rheem®, Raypak®, Ruud®, Friedrich®, Sure Comfort™, WeatherKing®, Eemax®, Richmond®, Splendid®, Solahart® and EverHot™ as well as commercial refrigeration brands Russell®, Witt®, ColdZone® and Kramer®, which are part of the Heat Transfer Products Group (HTPG®) division.
About ENERGY STAR
ENERGY STAR® is the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency, providing simple, credible, and unbiased information that consumers and businesses rely on to make well-informed decisions. Thousands of industrial, commercial, utility, state, and local organizations—including more than 40 percent of the Fortune 500®—rely on their partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to deliver cost-saving energy efficiency solutions. Since 1992, ENERGY STAR and its partners helped American families and businesses avoid more than $500 billion in energy costs and achieve more than 4 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas reductions. More background information about ENERGY STAR's impacts can be found at www.energystar.gov/impacts and state-level information can be found at www.energystar.gov/statefacts.
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SOURCE Rheem | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/05/05/rheem-earns-second-consecutive-energy-star-award/ | 2022-05-05T15:41:23Z |
NEW YORK (AP) — Already the face of the upstart Toronto Blue Jays, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. looked the part of a true Maple Leaf on Wednesday night, too.
Guerrero shook off a bloody gash on his right ring finger to hit three home runs against the rival Yankees, including two off ace Gerrit Cole.
The AL MVP runner-up homered off Cole in the first inning, had his hand accidentally spiked on a play at first base in the second, then hammered a line-drive homer off Cole in the third to put Toronto up 3-0. He doubled off Cole in the sixth — prompting the pitcher to make a show of tipping his cap to the 23-year-old — then launched a 443-foot leadoff homer against Jonathan Loaisiga in the eighth for a 5-3 lead.
It was the second three-homer game of Guerrero’s career, matching a career high set last April 27 against Washington.
Guerrero seemed like he’d have to leave in the second inning when his bare throwing hand was accidentally spiked by baserunner Aaron Hicks. Guerrero had to reach across his body for infielder Bo Bichette’s throw and placed his right hand down behind the first base bag to balance. Hicks stomped on it running out an infield single.
The 23-year-old Guerrero immediately began waving the hand around, then walked toward Toronto’s dugout as blood dripped onto his uniform and the turf.
In a show of toughness sure to satisfy hockey-mad fans back in Toronto, Guerrero had a trainer tape up his wound and jogged back to first base a couple minutes later.
With a bloody stain on the right thigh of his pants, he batted again in the top of the third and turned Cole’s 98 mph fastball into a 427-foot, two-run homer and a 3-0 Blue Jays lead.
He used his right hand for high-fives with base coaches Mark Budzinski and Luis Rivera as he rounded the bases, then clapped his hands together emphatically before touching home plate.
Guerrero’s first homer was nearly robbed in center by Hicks, who leaped above the wall and briefly had the ball in his glove. It fell out when Hicks hit the wall, bounced off something beyond the home-run barrier and fell back into play. A replay review confirmed the ball went out.
Guerrero has four homers in six games this season after leading the majors with 48 last season.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/jays-guerrero-hits-2nd-hr-of-game-after-hand-bloodied-at-1b/ | 2022-04-14T19:49:37Z |
After 30 years, woman finds biological dad through DNA test
PHOENIX (KNXV) - An Arizona woman found her biological father with the help of a DNA test and Ancestry.com more than three decades after her birth.
Whitney Thompson found and introduced herself to her birth father after 33 years. For decades, even her mother hadn’t known who the man was.
“I’m not gonna lie, I’m excited to send a Father’s Day card,” Thompson said. “It’s really cool to actually talk to him and kind of share who we are and things that we like, stuff like that.”
Thompson’s story began in 1988. Her mother wrote in a journal about a night she met a man named Chuck from Michigan, calling him cute and really nice during their one and only meeting.
Like so many these days, Thompson turned to Ancestry.com and a DNA test to learn more, immediately finding first cousins.
“All these years I didn’t know who it was and she didn’t know who it was, and this DNA test really opened up a lot of doors,” she said.
Needing further help, she turned to a Facebook group for advice. A woman in New York with an expertise on the site messaged her back.
“Within two weeks, she narrowed it down and was like, ‘I’m 100% that it’s this person,’” Thompson said.
Chuck turned out to be Charles Shirey, who never knew Thompson existed. The two connected by phone shortly after. Thompson learned she had two sisters, and she and her father shared the same birthday.
“He sent me a birthday card in the mail that said ‘Love, Dad’ in it. I ended up breaking down in tears,” she said.
She says the entire family has embraced her, as they plan to finally meet in person in the next few months, not wanting to waste a second making up for lost time.
“I feel complete. I know who I am. I know where I come from now,” Thompson said.
Copyright 2022 KNXV via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/06/13/after-30-years-woman-finds-biological-dad-through-dna-test/ | 2022-06-13T08:18:17Z |
25% discount on select Arctic and Antarctic Voyages
SEATTLE, July 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Quark Expeditions, the global Leader in Polar Adventures, announces its Summer 2022 Promotion—a 25% discount on select Arctic and Antarctic voyages, valid until September 30, 2022. This special promotion represents significant savings for travelers who have always dreamed of exploring the Polar Regions.
"The time to visit the planet's most pristine environments is now. Witness penguins and polar bears in their natural habitats, kayak among icebergs of all shapes and colours, learn about polar explorers and Inuit cultures, and take a polar plunge in the Arctic or Antarctic ocean," says Thomas Lennartz, Vice-President of Sales for Quark Expeditions.
Quark Expeditions' Arctic and Antarctic 2022 season offers unique voyages designed to immerse travelers in the serene beauty of Greenland, the Canadian and the Norwegian Arctic and Antarctica.
The Arctic 2022 voyages feature Quark Expeditions' new polar ship, Ultramarine, innovative helicopter-supported adventure options, a unique Greenland Adventure Program, plus special itineraries that include the much anticipated return of the famous Northern Lights experience, and a voyage dedicated to photography in Spitsbergen. Two exceptional Arctic voyages to consider include Introduction to Spitsbergen: Fjords, Glaciers and Wildlife of Svalbard and Greenland Adventure: Explore by Sea, Land and Air.
"We're thrilled to have resumed polar travel," added Lennartz, "We've already completed numerous Arctic trips this season and have earned rave reviews—and high satisfaction scores from our guests. With the ever-diminishing impact of Covid-19, and the lessening—or outright termination—of travel restrictions around the globe, there has never been a better time to travel to the Arctic and Antarctic."
Quark Expeditions' Antarctic 2022 voyages are equally immersive. Travelers have been waiting as long as two years to visit these bucket list destinations. The 25% savings on Antarctic voyages sets the stage for an adventure of a lifetime. Antarctic voyages to consider include Antarctic Explorer: Discovering the 7th Continent and Antarctic Express: Fly the Drake —which is ideal for time-strapped travelers. Quark Expeditions also operates voyages to the Falkland Islands and South Georgia.
Quark Expeditions' summer offers end September 30, 2022.
View Quark Expeditions Offers.
For specific information, please contact Quark Expeditions' Polar Travel Advisers
About Quark Expeditions: Specializing exclusively in expeditions to Antarctica and the Arctic, Quark Expeditions® has been the leading innovator of polar adventure since the company took the first group of consumer travelers to the North Pole in 1991. Quark Expeditions has been innovating ever since. With a diverse fleet of specially-equipped small expedition vessels and icebreakers—some of them equipped with helicopters—Quark Expeditions delivers deeply immersive polar experiences—and is able to take guests deeper into the Polar Regions than anyone else. Led by passionate and seasoned expedition teams, including scientists, wildlife experts and researchers, Quark Expeditions offers an onboard program that enriches the passenger experience.
About Ultramarine:
The technologically-advanced Ultramarine the newest addition to the Quark Expeditions fleet, is a game-changer in polar exploration. Equipped with two twin-engine Airbus 145 helicopters, 20 quick-launching Zodiacs and the largest portfolio of off-ship adventure options in the industry, Ultramarine changes the way guests explore the Polar Regions. Other features include a spa, sauna with floor-to-ceiling windows, fitness centre, yoga space, spacious rooms and two restaurants plus a lounge and presentation theatre. Ultramarine has been designed with advanced sustainability systems that help us preserve the pristine Polar Regions for the next generation of explorers.
About Travelopia: Travelopia is one of the world's leading specialist travel groups. A pioneer in the experiential travel sector with a portfolio consisting of more than 50 independently operated brands, most of which are leaders in their sector. From sailing adventures, safaris and sports tours, to Arctic expeditions, each brand is diverse and focused on creating unforgettable experiences for customers across the world.
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SOURCE Quark Expeditions | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/26/dream-big-save-big-with-quark-expeditions-2022-summer-promo/ | 2022-07-26T21:21:50Z |
NEW YORK, May 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- American Skin Association has announced the names of the two awardees receiving the coveted research grant under the ASA Milstein Research Scholar Awards program. This year Angel Byrd, MD, PhD of the Howard University College of Medicine, and Jennifer Gill, MD, PhD of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center were selected to receive the ASA Milstein Research Scholar Award for Melanoma/Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Grants.
Another sought-after grant includes the ASA Daneen & Charles Stiefel Investigative Scientist Award in Melanoma Research. Nicholas Gulati, MD, PhD of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai was selected to receive the award. Over the years, the Stiefel Family—longtime supporters of ASA—has generously contributed $600,000 to support grants for melanoma research. This funding aims to support emerging leaders in dermatology, who are focused on understanding melanoma better, in hopes of finding a cure.
In addition, 5 other research grants—made possible through the generosity of individuals, foundations, and corporations—were also announced.
For thirty-five years, in advancement of its vital mission to serve the more than 100 million Americans afflicted with skin disorders, ASA and its affiliates have funded over $50 million in grants. ASA's primary goal is to enhance treatments and continue working towards cures for melanoma, vitiligo, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and other skin diseases.
"These grants in support of cutting-edge dermatological research are crucial in furthering ASA's goal of defeating skin cancers like melanoma. Although the skin is our largest and perhaps most exposed organ, dermatological research remains one of the most underfunded areas of medicine. ASA's support will improve the chances of finding the long sought-after cure and bringing hope to the millions suffering from devastating skin cancer and other skin diseases," said ASA Chairman, Howard P. Milstein.
ASA's grant program is run by its Medical Advisory Committee (MAC), comprised of leading scientists and physicians who volunteer their time to oversee the annual grant process. Through their leadership, ASA's grant program has supported the work of over 300 investigators, ranging from talented researchers in the early phases of their careers to recognized leaders in the field of dermatology.
"ASA's Medical Advisory Committee is excited to announce the 2022 awards. This year's awardees indicate the growing power of research in basic, translational, and clinical Dermatology. Never before have advances in basic research so quickly led to new treatment approaches. New treatments for vitiligo, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, melanoma, and other types of skin cancer are just around the corner, fueled by important funding contributions by the ASA," said ASA President and MAC Co-Chair, Dr. David A. Norris.
ASA provides significant research awards to established investigators and medical students studying melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancer, and other skin diseases. Through these grants, ASA has promoted the early careers of many gifted young investigators and has had a profound influence both on dermatology research and clinical care of dermatologic disease. Over the years, ASA-funded researchers have had an extensive impact on the understanding of melanoma by improving our insight into the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. With an exclusive focus on skin disease research, ASA has helped open new frontiers in skin science by producing results that will change how we understand and treat these diseases.
The following are the recipients of the 2022 Investigative Scientist Award, Research Scholar Awards, Research Grants, and Medical Student Grants:
2022 ASA Daneen & Charles Stiefel Investigative Scientist Award for Melanoma Research
Nicholas Gulati, MD, PhD
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Project Title: Use of Topical Diphencyprone to Improve Efficacy of Checkpoint Inhibition in Melanoma Patients.
2022 ASA Milstein Research Scholar Award for Melanoma/Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer
Angel Byrd, MD, PhD
Howard University College of Medicine
Project Title: Examining Gene Expression in Mycosis Fungoides in Skin of Color.
2022 ASA Milstein Research Scholar Award for Melanoma/Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer
Jennifer Gill, MD, PhD
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Project Title: Characterizing the Role of GAPDHS As a Metastatic Suppressor in Human Melanoma.
2022 ASA Calder Research Scholar Award in Vitiligo/Pigment Cell Disorders
Jessica Shiu, MD, PhD
University of California Irvine
Project Title: Investigating the Role of Keratinocyte-derived Signaling Networks in Vitiligo Initiation.
2022 ASA Mulvaney Family Foundation Research Grant in Vitiligo/Pigment Cell Disorders
Ahmad Aleisa, MD, FAAD
Medical University of South Carolina
Project Title: Daily Topical Rapamycin (Sirolimus)Therapy for the Treatment of Vitiligo.
2022 ASA Castle Biosciences Research Grant for Melanoma
Goran Micevic, MD, PhD
Yale School of Medicine
Project Title: Epigenetic Regulation of Slamf6 as a Therapeutic Strategy in Melanoma Immunotherapy.
2022 ASA Medical Student Grant Targeting Melanoma and Skin Cancer
Ms. Anngela Adams
University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix
Project Title: Novel Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Model to Investigate Tumor-specific T Cell Responses.
2022 ASA Medical Student Grant Targeting Melanoma and Skin Cancer
Ms. Victoria Mroz
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Project Title: Role of ETS Transcription Factors in Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Subpopulation Heterogeneity.
A unique collaboration of patients, families, advocates, physicians, and scientists, ASA has evolved over thirty-five years as a leading force in efforts to defeat melanoma, vitiligo, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and other skin diseases. Established to serve the now more than 100 million Americans – one-third of the U.S. population – afflicted with skin disorders, the organization's mission remains to: advance research, champion skin health, particularly among children, and drive public awareness about skin disease. ASA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. For more information, visit americanskin.org.
American Skin Association has earned Candid's Seal of Platinum Transparency.
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SOURCE American Skin Association | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/05/02/american-skin-association-announces-2022-research-grants-skin-cancer-diseases/ | 2022-05-03T01:19:01Z |
BERLIN, Aug. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Global appliance company Electrolux - under its premium brand AEG - reveals a new range of washing machines and tumble dryers that automatically adjust time, water, and energy usage. A new add-on filter catches up to 90% of microplastic fibers released by synthetic clothing. The world premiere takes place at global tech event IFA in Berlin on September 2-6, 2022. At IFA, AEG will also showcase its new range of food waste-saving fridges and freezers with unique models made with up to 70% recycled plastic in the inner liner walls.
"We innovate to make life easier and more enjoyable while enabling people to make more sustainable choices. By working with recycled materials, energy efficient solutions and applying sustainable practices we show that it is possible for consumers to make great tasting, healthy food and keep clothes looking like new for longer whilst taking care of the environment at the same time," says Chris Braam, CEO of Electrolux Europe.
"IFA plays an important role in putting a spotlight on innovation and it's great to be back here. When Covid put the physical event on hold, our strive to innovate has not taken a break. We are looking forward to showcasing our latest sustainable innovations and meet with our trade partners and consumers in person in Berlin," adds Braam.
Spotlight on new laundry range
AEG highlights at IFA include the new laundry range with award-winning appliances. The unique range of washing machines offers new features such as SoftWater, a ground-breaking technology to filter and purify the water it utilizes, and a PowerClean program that cleans your clothes efficiently and removes stains at only 30°C. Washing clothes too often and at hot temperatures can ruin the color and fabric. Instead of washing, users can opt for a steaming function that gets rid of odors in 25 minutes using 96% less water than a regular washing cycle. In addition, an add-on filter for washing machines catches up to 90% of microplastic fibers released by synthetic clothing.
The new range of tumble dryers has been developed to minimize energy use and use 3D Scan Technology to identify humidity levels inside the items ensuring that even layered garments are evenly dried.
New kitchen innovations
Within kitchen appliances, AEG will be showing its new range of food waste-saving fridges and freezers, among them the 7000 GreenZone/GreenZone+ – a unique fridge with up to 70% recycled plastic in its inner liner walls. Cooling 360° technology in the new 8000 series helps reduce waste by keeping food fresh longer providing an important contribution to preventing food waste as current research shows that up to 60% of people throw away food at least once a week. The main reason is food passing the before due date, but food waste also occurs due to fresh food going off too quickly.
At IFA, AEG will also display two new extractor hobs: the 6000 Bridge with eXTractor and the 8000 Bridge/FlexiBridge with eXTractor, designed to bring freedom to kitchen planning, as people upgrade and make the cooking space more sociable. Located in the middle of the hob, the extractor fan is activated once a cooking zone is used, powerfully removing vapor quietly and quickly at the source. It filters and recycles the air back into the room and the breeze function ensures a fume-free kitchen after the cooking has been completed, by continuing to refresh the air.
Join the media event
Electrolux will hold a media conference at IFA in Berlin to present its newest innovations including the new AEG laundry range. The event takes place on September 1, 2022, at 13.00 CET, at the AEG booth in hall 4.1, booth 101.
Journalists interested in attending the media conference can register here.
The media conference will also be streamed live between 13.00-14.00 CET via this link.
About IFA Berlin
IFA, the world's most significant trade show for consumer and home electronics is the main marketplace for key retailers, buyers, and experts from the industry and the media. IFA 2022 takes place at Messe Berlin from September 2-6.
For further information, please contact Electrolux Press Hotline, +46 8 657 65 07.
This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com
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SOURCE Electrolux | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/30/electrolux-reveals-cutting-edge-water-energy-saving-laundry-range-ifa-2022/ | 2022-08-30T11:00:48Z |
Elon Musk says Twitter deal ‘temporarily on hold’
LONDON (AP) — Elon Musk said Friday that his plan to buy Twitter for $44 billion is “temporarily on hold” as he tries to pinpoint the exact number of spam and fake accounts on the social media platform, another twist amid signs of internal turmoil over the proposed acquisition.
Musk, who has been vocal about his desire to clean up Twitter’s problem with “spam bots” that mimic real people, appeared to question whether the company was underreporting them.
In a tweet, the Tesla billionaire linked to a Reuters story from May 2 about a quarterly report from Twitter that estimated false or spam accounts made up fewer than 5% of the company’s “monetizable daily active users” in the first quarter.
“Twitter deal temporarily on hold pending details supporting calculation that spam/fake accounts do indeed represent less than 5% of users,” Musk said, indicating he’s skeptical that the number of inauthentic accounts is that low.
It wasn’t clear whether the issue could scuttle the deal. Stock in both Twitter and Tesla swung sharply in opposite directions, with Twitter’s stock tumbling 14%, and shares of Tesla, which Musk had proposed using to help fund the Twitter deal, jumping 7%.
Musk has already sold off more than $8 billion worth of his Tesla shares to finance the purchase.
Originally Musk had committed to borrowing $12.5 billion with Tesla stock as collateral to buy Twitter. He also would borrow $13 billion from banks and put up $21 billion in Tesla equity.
Last week, Musk strengthened the equity stake in his offer for Twitter with commitments of more than $7 billion from a diverse group of investors including Silicon Valley heavy hitters like Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison.
Money from the new investors cuts the amount borrowed on the value of Tesla stock to $6.25 billion, according to the filing. The Tesla equity share could go from $21 billion to $27.25 billion.
But the proposed deal had continued to pressure shares of Tesla, which had already fallen 16% this week. The sharp jump in the price of Tesla shares before the opening bell Friday singled rising doubts that Musk will acquire Twitter.
Wedbush analyst Dan Ives, who follows both Tesla and Twitter, said Musk’s “bizarre” tweet will lead Wall Street to either think the deal is likely falling apart, Musk is attempting to negotiate a lower deal price, or he is simply walking away from the deal with a $1 billion penalty.
“Many will view this as Musk using this Twitter filing/spam accounts as a way to get out of this deal in a vastly changing market,” Ives wrote.
He added that the Musk’s use of Twitter rather than a financial filing to make the announcement was troubling and “sends this whole deal into a circus show with many questions and no concrete answers as to the path of this deal going forward.”
Investors have had to weigh legal troubles for Musk, as well as the possibility that acquiring Twitter could be a distraction from running the world’s most valuable automaker.
Musk’s tweet comes a day after the social media company fired two of its top managers. Twitter said the company is pausing most hiring, except for critical roles, and is “pulling back on non-labor costs to ensure we are being responsible and efficient.”
In a memo sent to employees and confirmed by Twitter, CEO Parag Agrawal said the company has not hit growth and revenue milestones after the company began to invest “aggressively” to expand its user base and revenue.
____
AP Business Writer Michelle Chapman in New York contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/05/13/elon-musk-tweets-that-his-44b-deal-buy-twitter-temporarily-hold-pending-new-details-spam-accounts/ | 2022-05-13T11:42:11Z |
Together addressing the most pressing problems plaguing the food industry
BEDFORD, Mass., April 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Soft Robotics Inc. announced it has teamed with Quest and Ossid to offer a robotic handling and packaging solution to the food industry powered by Soft Robotics' mGripAI™ technology.
The total solution includes Quest's primary product handling system utilizing a FANUC robot designed to load, orientate, stack and group products into a wide variety of primary packaging machines, Ossid's flexible and tray packaging solutions, ideal for fresh proteins, produce, baked goods, and more and Soft Robotics' mGripAI platform that uses ultra-fast 3D vision, artificial intelligence, and soft robotic grasping to enable picking of irregular and delicate food items directly from bulk.
Key Benefits of the integrated packaging solution:
- Combats workforce shortages by reducing dependency on labor
- Increases available floor space by eliminating the need for upstream singulation and sortation equipment
- Improves food safety with a complete sanitary and IP69K, wash-down-ready design
- Increases throughput by reducing product damage
"This new partnership with ProMach aligns well with our mission to enable automation system manufacturers to tackle some of the most difficult food processing challenges with robotic solutions," said Mark Chiappetta, Chief Operating Officer at Soft Robotics. "Our easy-to-integrate, mGripAI platform makes possible high-speed, sanitary packaging of proteins, produce, baked goods, and prepared foods, directly from bulk, without requiring upstream singulation."
"The shared focus in high-demand sanitary protein and produce applications makes the partnership between Quest, Ossid, and Soft Robotics a great fit, said Tucker Behrns, Vice President and General Manager at Quest. "We have an excellent opportunity to solve some of the industry's largest challenges through a complete integrated offering capable of random incoming product handling with Ossid's full range of product packaging equipment for a wide range of applications."
"As a leading provider of packaging and labeling equipment in the food sector, we understand the daily challenges of our customers to provide the global food chain with consumer products as quickly and safely as possible," said Jason Angel, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Ossid. "Teaming with Quest and Soft Robotics to maximize productivity at a time when labor shortages are so impactful is one of the most important initiatives for our company."
About Soft Robotics: Soft Robotics is an industry-leading and award-winning technology company that designs and builds automated picking solutions using proprietary soft robotic grippers, 3D machine perception, and artificial intelligence. The company's transformational robotic automation solutions enable machine builders to solve the hardest picking problems in food automation.
Soft Robotics is backed by leading venture capital firms and strategic investors that include ABB Technology Ventures, Calibrate Ventures, FANUC, Hyperplane Venture Capital, Material Impact, Scale Venture Partners, Honeywell Ventures, Tekfen Ventures, Tyson Ventures and Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. Learn more at SoftRoboticsInc.com.
About Ossid
Ossid is the industry leader for leak-resistant tray sealing for case-ready products, flexible packaging for healthcare, horizontal thermoform, fill and seal equipment, weigh/price labeling equipment, flow wrappers and case scales. Catering to customers of all sizes around the world, Ossid's packaging solutions are ideal for fresh and processed meats, produce, convenience foods, consumer goods, and medical devices. Ossid is a product brand of ProMach, a global leader in packaging line solutions. As part of the ProMach Flexibles & Trays business line, Ossid helps our packaging customers protect their reputation and grow the trust of their consumers. ProMach is performance, and the proof is in every package. Learn more about Ossid at Ossid.com and more about ProMach at ProMachBuilt.com.
About Quest
Quest is a leading manufacturer of industrial automation equipment focusing on robotics and vision-guidance. With expertise in the food, beverage, and dairy markets, Quest optimizes floor space for customers experiencing growing demand and helps improve their overall production line flexibility and efficiency. Quest offers application-specific software on their robotic products, including pick and place, case packing, and palletizing systems to simplify system setup and streamline configurability. Quest is a product brand of ProMach, a global leader in packaging line solutions. As part of the ProMach Robotics & End of Line business line, Quest helps our packaging customers protect their reputation and grow the trust of their consumers. ProMach is performance, and the proof is in every package. Learn more about Quest at QuestIndustrial.com and more about ProMach at ProMachBuilt.com
Media contact:
Julie Collura
Director, Marketing Communications
Soft Robotics, Inc.
jcollura@softroboticsinc.com
Sales contact:
Harley Green
Director, Business Development
Soft Robotics, Inc.
hgreen@softroboticsinc.com
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SOURCE Soft Robotics Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/04/20/soft-robotics-teams-with-quest-ossid-offer-one-of-a-kind-robotic-solution-primary-food-packaging/ | 2022-04-20T15:51:17Z |
Second Quarter 2022 Highlights
- Reported Net Income of $344 million for the second quarter 2022, compared to reported Net Income of $506 million for the second quarter 2021
- Diluted EPS of $0.34 for the second quarter 2022, compared to $0.46 per share for the second quarter 2021. Excluding Special Items, Diluted EPS of $0.35 per share for the second quarter 2022, compared to $0.48 per share for the second quarter 2021
- Generated Adjusted EBITDA of $1.811 billion for the second quarter 2022, compared to $2.109 billion1 for the second quarter 2021, excluding Special Items of $47 million and $20 million, respectively
- Reported Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities of $1.396 billion for the second quarter 2022
- Generated Free Cash Flow of $668 million for the second quarter 2022, compared to $1.044 billion for the second quarter 2021, excluding cash paid for Special Items of $33 million and $51 million, respectively
- Reiterated full-year 2022 financial outlook measures
- Completed the $2.7 billion divestiture of its Latin American business to Stonepeak on August 1
DENVER, Aug. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lumen Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: LUMN) reported results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022.
"We improved our revenue trajectory and accelerated the number of Quantum Fiber locations enabled in the second quarter. In addition, we closed the divestiture of our Latin America business on August 1 and expect to close the divestiture of our 20-state ILEC business early in the fourth quarter of this year," said Jeff Storey, president and CEO of Lumen. "We announced our new Business segment product categories, which further sharpens our focus as we position Lumen to generate profitable revenue growth."
Total Revenue was $4.612 billion for the second quarter 2022, compared to $4.924 billion1 for the second quarter 2021.
Financial Results
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow, excluding Special Items, was $668 million in the second quarter 2022, compared to $1.044 billion in the second quarter 2021.
As of June 30, 2022, Lumen had cash and cash equivalents of $360 million. On August 1, 2022, we received approximately $2.7 billion of cash upon selling our Latin American business and on August 3, 2022 repaid approximately $700 million on our consolidated term loan indebtedness.
2022 Financial Outlook
The company reiterated its full-year 2022 financial outlook measures detailed below:
Investor Call
Lumen's management team will host a conference call at 5:00 p.m. ET today, August 3, 2022. The conference call will be streamed live over the Lumen website at ir.lumen.com. Additional information regarding second quarter 2022 results, including the presentation materials management will review during the conference call, will be available on the Investor Relations website prior to the call. If you are unable to join the call via the web, the call can be accessed live at +1 877-283-5145 (U.S. Domestic) or +1 312-281-1201 (International).
A telephone replay of the call will be available beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET on August 3, 2022, and ending November 1, 2022, at 8:00 p.m. ET. The replay can be accessed by dialing +1 800-633-8284 (U.S. Domestic) or +1 402-977-9140 (International), reservation code 22019603. A webcast replay of the call will also be available on our website beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET on August 3, 2022, and ending November 1, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. ET.
About Lumen Technologies and the People of Lumen:
Lumen Technologies Inc. (NYSE: LUMN) is guided by our belief that humanity is at its best when technology advances the way we live and work. With approximately 450,000 route fiber miles and serving customers in more than 60 countries, we deliver the fastest, most secure platform for applications and data to help businesses, government and communities deliver amazing experiences.
Learn more about the Lumen network, edge cloud, security, communication and collaboration solutions and our purpose to further human progress through technology at news.lumen.com, LinkedIn: /lumentechnologies, Twitter: @lumentechco, Facebook: /lumentechnologies, Instagram: @lumentechnologies and YouTube: /lumentechnologies. Lumen and Lumen Technologies are registered trademarks of Lumen Technologies LLC in the United States. Lumen Technologies LLC is a wholly-owned affiliate of Lumen Technologies, Inc.
Forward-Looking Statements
Except for historical and factual information, the matters set forth in this release and other of our oral or written statements identified by words such as "estimates," "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "plans," "intends," "will," and similar expressions are forward-looking statements as defined by the federal securities laws, and are subject to the "safe harbor" protections thereunder. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are based on current expectations only, are inherently speculative, and are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. Actual events and results may differ materially from those anticipated, estimated, projected or implied by us in those statements if one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if underlying assumptions prove incorrect. Factors that could affect actual results include but are not limited to: the effects of competition from a wide variety of competitive providers, including decreased demand for our more mature service offerings and increased pricing pressures; the effects of new, emerging or competing technologies, including those that could make our products less desirable or obsolete; our ability to successfully and timely attain our key operating imperatives, including simplifying and consolidating our network, simplifying and automating our service support systems, attaining our Quantum Fiber buildout plans, strengthening our relationships with customers and attaining projected cost savings; our ability to safeguard our network, and to avoid the adverse impact of possible cyber-attacks, security breaches, service outages, system failures, or similar events impacting our network or the availability and quality of our services; the effects of ongoing changes in the regulation of the communications industry, including the outcome of legislative, regulatory or judicial proceedings relating to content liability standards, intercarrier compensation, universal service, service standards, broadband deployment, data protection, privacy and net neutrality; our ability to effectively retain and hire key personnel and to successfully negotiate collective bargaining agreements on reasonable terms without work stoppages; changes in customer demand for our products and services, including increased demand for high-speed data transmission services; our ability to successfully maintain the quality and profitability of our existing product and service offerings and to introduce profitable new offerings on a timely and cost-effective basis; our ability to generate cash flows sufficient to fund our financial commitments and objectives, including our capital expenditures, operating costs, debt repayments, dividends, pension contributions and other benefits payments; our ability to successfully and timely implement our corporate strategies, including our deleveraging strategy; our ability to successfully and timely consummate the pending divestiture of a portion of our incumbent local exchange business on the terms proposed, to realize the anticipated benefits therefrom, and to operate our retained business successfully thereafter; changes in our operating plans, corporate strategies, dividend payment plans or other capital allocation plans, whether based upon changes in our cash flows, cash requirements, financial performance, financial position, market or regulatory conditions, or otherwise; the impact of any future material acquisitions or divestitures that we may transact; the negative impact of increases in the costs of our pension, health, post-employment or other benefits, including those caused by changes in markets, interest rates, mortality rates, demographics or regulations; the potential negative impact of customer complaints, government investigations, security breaches or service outages impacting us or our industry; adverse changes in our access to credit markets on favorable terms, whether caused by changes in our financial position, lower credit ratings, unstable markets or otherwise; our ability to meet the terms and conditions of our debt obligations and covenants, including our ability to make transfers of cash in compliance therewith; our ability to maintain favorable relations with our securityholders, key business partners, suppliers, vendors, landlords and financial institutions; our ability to meet evolving environmental, social and governance ("ESG") expectations and benchmarks, and effectively communicate and implement our ESG strategies; our ability to collect our receivables from, or continue to do business with, financially-troubled customers; our ability to use our net operating loss carryforwards in the amounts projected; our ability to continue to use or renew intellectual property used to conduct our operations; any adverse developments in legal or regulatory proceedings involving us; changes in tax, pension, healthcare or other laws or regulations, in governmental support programs, or in general government funding levels, including those arising from recently-enacted federal legislation promoting broadband spending; the effects of changes in accounting policies, practices or assumptions, including changes that could potentially require additional future impairment charges; continuing uncertainties regarding the impact that COVID-19 disruptions could have on our business, operations, cash flows and corporate initiatives; the effects of adverse weather, terrorism, epidemics, pandemics, rioting, societal unrest, or other natural or man-made disasters or disturbances; the potential adverse effects if our internal controls over financial reporting have weaknesses or deficiencies, or otherwise fail to operate as intended; the effects of changes in interest rates and inflation; the effects of more general factors such as changes in exchange rates, in operating costs, in public policy, in the views of financial analysts, or in general market, labor, economic or geo-political conditions; and other risks referenced from time to time in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to unduly rely upon our forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason, whether as a result of new information, future events or developments, changed circumstances, or otherwise. Furthermore, any information about our intentions contained in any of our forward-looking statements reflects our intentions as of the date of such forward-looking statement, and is based upon, among other things, regulatory, technological, industry, competitive, economic and market conditions, and our related assumptions, as of such date. We may change our intentions, strategies or plans without notice at any time and for any reason.
Reconciliation to GAAP
This release includes certain historical and forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures, including but not limited to Adjusted EBITDA, Free Cash Flow, Unlevered Cash Flow, and adjustments to GAAP and non-GAAP measures to exclude the effect of Special Items. In addition to providing key metrics for management to evaluate the company's performance, we believe these measurements assist investors in their understanding of period-to-period operating performance and in identifying historical and prospective trends.
Reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to the most comparable GAAP measures are included in the attached financial schedules. Reconciliation of additional non-GAAP historical financial measures that may be discussed during the call described above, along with further descriptions of non-GAAP financial measures, will be available in the Investor Relations portion of the company's website at http://ir.lumen.com. Non-GAAP measures are not presented to be replacements or alternatives to the GAAP measures, and investors are urged to consider these non-GAAP measures in addition to, and not in substitution for, measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. Lumen may present or calculate its non-GAAP measures differently from other companies.
Description of Non-GAAP Metrics
Pursuant to Regulation G, the company is hereby providing definitions of non-GAAP financial metrics and reconciliations to the most directly comparable GAAP measures.
The following describes and reconciles those financial measures as reported under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (GAAP) with those financial measures as adjusted by the items detailed below and presented in the accompanying news release. These calculations are not prepared in accordance with GAAP and should not be viewed as alternatives to GAAP. In keeping with its historical financial reporting practices, the company believes that the supplemental presentation of these calculations provides meaningful non-GAAP financial measures to help investors understand and compare business trends among different reporting periods on a consistent basis.
We use the term Special Items as a non-GAAP measure to describe items that impacted a period's statement of operations for which investors may want to give special consideration due to their magnitude, nature or both. We do not call these items non-recurring because, while some are infrequent, others may recur in future periods.
Adjusted EBITDA ($) is defined as net income (loss) from the Statements of Operations before income tax (expense) benefit, total other income (expense), depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation expense and impairments.
Adjusted EBITDA Margin (%) is defined as Adjusted EBITDA divided by total revenue.
Management believes that Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin are relevant and useful metrics to provide to investors, as they are an important part of our internal reporting and are key measures used by management to evaluate profitability and operating performance of Lumen and to make resource allocation decisions. Management believes such measures are especially important in a capital-intensive industry such as telecommunications. Management also uses Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin (and similarly uses these terms excluding Special Items) to compare our performance to that of our competitors and to eliminate certain non-cash and non-operating items in order to consistently measure from period to period our ability to fund capital expenditures, fund growth, service debt and determine bonuses. Adjusted EBITDA excludes non-cash stock compensation expense and impairments because of the non-cash nature of these items. Adjusted EBITDA also excludes interest income, interest expense and income taxes, and in our view constitutes an accrual-based measure that has the effect of excluding period-to-period changes in working capital and shows profitability without regard to the effects of capital or tax structure. Adjusted EBITDA also excludes depreciation and amortization expense because these non-cash expenses primarily reflect the impact of historical capital investments, as opposed to the cash impacts of capital expenditures made in recent periods, which may be evaluated through cash flow measures. Adjusted EBITDA further excludes the gain (or loss) on extinguishment and modification of debt and other income (expense), net, because these items are not related to the primary business operations of Lumen.
There are material limitations to using Adjusted EBITDA as a financial measure, including the difficulty associated with comparing companies that use similar performance measures whose calculations may differ from our calculations. Additionally, by excluding the above-listed items, Adjusted EBITDA may exclude items that investors believe are important components of our performance. Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin (either with or without Special Items) should not be considered a substitute for other measures of financial performance reported in accordance with GAAP.
Unlevered Cash Flow is defined as net cash provided by (used in) operating activities less capital expenditures, plus cash interest paid and less interest income, all as disclosed in the Statements of Cash Flows or the Statements of Operations. Management believes that Unlevered Cash Flow is a relevant metric to provide to investors, because it reflects the operational performance of Lumen and, measured over time, enables management and investors to monitor the underlying business' growth pattern and ability to generate cash. Unlevered Cash Flow excludes cash used for acquisitions and debt service and the impact of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents balances.
There are material limitations to using Unlevered Cash Flow to measure our cash performance as it excludes certain material items that investors may believe are important components of our cash flows. Comparisons of our Unlevered Cash Flow to that of some of our competitors may be of limited usefulness since Lumen does not currently pay a significant amount of income taxes due to net operating loss carryforwards, and therefore, currently generates higher cash flow than a comparable business that does pay income taxes. Additionally, this financial measure is subject to variability quarter over quarter as a result of the timing of payments related to accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll and capital expenditures. Unlevered Cash Flow should not be used as a substitute for net change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
Free Cash Flow is defined as net cash provided by (used in) operating activities less capital expenditures as disclosed in the Statements of Cash Flows. Management believes that Free Cash Flow is a relevant metric to provide to investors, as it is an indicator of our ability to generate cash to service our debt. Free Cash Flow excludes cash used for acquisitions, principal repayments and the impact of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents balances.
There are material limitations to using Free Cash Flow to measure our performance as it excludes certain material items that investors may believe are important components of our cash flows. Comparisons of our Free Cash Flow to that of some of its competitors may be of limited usefulness since Lumen does not currently pay a significant amount of income taxes due to net operating loss carryforwards, and therefore, generates higher cash flow than a comparable business that does pay income taxes. Additionally, this financial measure is subject to variability quarter over quarter as a result of the timing of payments related to interest expense, accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll and capital expenditures. Free Cash Flow should not be used as a substitute for net change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash on the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
Outlook
To enhance the information in our outlook with respect to non-GAAP metrics, we are providing a range for certain GAAP measures that are components of the reconciliation of the non-GAAP metrics. The provision of these ranges is in no way meant to indicate that Lumen is explicitly or implicitly providing an outlook on those GAAP components of the reconciliation. In order to reconcile the non-GAAP financial metric to GAAP, Lumen has to use ranges for the GAAP components that arithmetically add up to the non-GAAP financial metric. While Lumen believes that it has used reasonable assumptions in connection with developing the outlook for its non-GAAP financial metrics, it fully expects that the ranges used for the GAAP components will vary from actual results. We will consider our outlook of non-GAAP financial metrics to be accurate if the specific non-GAAP metric is met or exceeded, even if the GAAP components of the reconciliation are different from those provided in an earlier reconciliation.
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SOURCE Lumen Technologies | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/03/lumen-technologies-reports-second-quarter-2022-results/ | 2022-08-03T21:25:59Z |
New Plant Based Heavy Whipping Cream Is A Versatile Alternative That Adds Depth and Richness
NEW YORK, July 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Country Crock® today announced the launch of their Plant Cream, a new plant-based alternative to dairy heavy whipping cream that can be used in endless cooking and baking recipes. The newest innovation offers a no-sacrifice substitute with an easy 1:1 swap with dairy, elevating meals to be more rich and flavorful.
Their new Plant Cream is the latest extension of the Country Crock Plant Based line of dairy-free and vegan products. In addition to being dairy-free, Country Crock Plant Cream is soy-free and certified plant-based by the Plant Based Foods Association (PFBA). With 29% less saturated fat than dairy heavy whipping cream, it's the perfect plant-based heavy cream replacement.
"Country Crock Plant Cream is a must-have, secret weapon ingredient to have in the kitchen. Its versatility and delicious taste make it perfect for vegetarians, dairy intolerant or plant curious consumers," said Natalie Cooper, Brand Lead, Country Crock. "We believe that once consumers make the switch, they will find surprising ways to enjoy it, including reheating leftovers, making ultra-creamy pastas, or baking a delicious dessert."
To celebrate the new Plant Cream, Country Crock recently launched the "We Defied Dairy" campaign. This campaign demonstrates how Country Crock Plant Cream along with Country Crock Plant Butter is made with delicious plant-powered ingredients, giving customers all the taste of heavy whipping cream and butter but without the heaviness of dairy. The campaign includes spots on Connected TV, Linear TV, and digital platforms.
Country Crock Plant Cream is available nationally at Kroger and soon to be Publix as well as regionally in retailers including Price Chopper, Piggly Wiggly Alabama, Albertsons, Safeway and United Supermarkets. To find a retailer near you, please visit: https://www.countrycrock.com/store-locator. To learn more about Plant Cream, visit https://www.countrycrock.com/our-products/plant-cream.
Country Crock has created rich and creamy spreads from the middle of the country to the middle of your table. For over 30 years our products have started with farm-grown ingredients that we slow-churn to perfection with ingredients like plant-based oils, water, and a touch of salt. Our portfolio includes our Original Spreads, Plant Butter, and Plant Cream. To learn more, please visit https://www.countrycrock.com/ and check out @countrycrock on Instagram for recipe inspiration.
Media contact:
Jolene Levesque
jlevesque@legendpr.com
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SOURCE Country Crock | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/19/country-crock-debuts-new-plant-cream-elevate-everyday-favorites-into-plant-based-must-haves/ | 2022-07-19T15:12:10Z |
BESSEMER, Ala., June 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- American Pharmacy Cooperative, Inc. (APCI) applauds the decision by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to launch a study into the anticompetitive practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and they harm they cause to patients, taxpayers, and pharmacies.
The commission voted 5-0 on Tuesday in favor of launching the inquiry and will send a compulsory Order to File a Special Report to the six largest PBMs to provide information and records related to their business practices.
According to a release from the FTC announcing the study, "[T]he inquiry is aimed at shedding light on several practices that have drawn scrutiny in recent years" and will address practices such as fees and clawbacks charged to pharmacies; "steering" of patients to PBM-owned pharmacies; how pharmacy reimbursements are determined; how manufacturer rebates affect which drugs are covered, and related issues.
APCI has long advocated for federal oversight of PBMs and raised many of the issues the study proposes to investigate.
"APCI and our member community pharmacists are beyond pleased with the decision by the FTC to launch this study into how PBM practices increase drug prices and restrict access to lifesaving drugs," said APCI CEO Tim Hamrick. "We want to thank FTC chair Lina Khan and the rest of the commissioners for their unanimous vote to investigate an industry that has been in dire need of significant oversight for years.
"As an organization, APCI and its members have advocated aggressively for the federal government to investigate anticompetitive PBM practices," Hamrick added. "APCI offered testimony to the FTC in February of this year and submitted written comments in May regarding anti-competitive PBM practices. We very much look forward to working with the FTC, Congress, and other stakeholders to rein in these problematic issues that are detrimental to patients, taxpayers, and small businesses."
The FTC's order requests a wide range of information from the PBMs and should provide the commission with a wealth of data, said Greg Reybold, APCI's Director of Healthcare Policy and General Counsel.
"We are extremely pleased with the depth and scope of the information the FTC is requesting from these middlemen," Reybold said. "For years, PBMs have operated in a black box and FTC scrutiny of PBM practices that restrict patient access to care and raise prescription drug costs falls squarely within the commission's twin missions of protecting consumers and competition."
The decision to launch the study comes after the commission deadlocked on an earlier vote in February to investigate PBMs. Following that vote, the FTC issued a Request for Information about PBM practices and received a staggering number of public comments on the issue – more than 24,000 to date.
Commissioners Noah Joshua Phillips and Christine S. Wilson, who voted against the earlier study, issued a concurring statement in support of the new study.
"This 6(b) study was prepared with input and leadership from our PBM team. It is scoped to study the competitive impact of PBM practices, including – critically – how those practices might impact out-of-pocket costs for consumers," the statement reads. "The study will examine relationships between PBMs and pharmacies and also PBMs and pharmaceutical manufacturers, a matter of much public interest. This is a study we can support."
Bill Eley, APCI's Director of Legislative Affairs, added that he was pleased with unanimous vote by the commission.
"It is encouraging to see that the concerns about the previous proposal raised by commissioners Wilson and Phillips have been addressed in the design of the new study," he said. "It is crucial that the FTC ask the right questions when dealing with these middlemen."
APCI is a member-owned cooperative of more than 1,600 member pharmacies in 30 states. Established in 1984 and headquartered in Bessemer, Ala., APCI is proud to lead the fight for prescription drug pricing transparency and reform.
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SOURCE American Pharmacy Cooperative, Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/07/pbm-practices-under-ftc-scrutiny-apci-applauds-decision/ | 2022-06-07T23:16:37Z |
DENVER (AP) — San Diego star third baseman Manny Machado sprained his left ankle while taking a tumble running out a grounder and the Colorado Rockies completed a three-game sweep, beating the Padres 8-3 Sunday.
Machado, in the midst of a stellar season, was injured in the first inning and exited the game. The Padres said X-rays were negative.
Randal Grichuk homered to cap a five-run fifth inning and the Rockies beat San Diego for the 10th straight time at Coors Field, their longest home winning streak against the Padres in team history.
Machado was injured after hitting a grounder that slowly rolled toward pitcher Antonio Senzatela. Machado sprinted down the line and stretched his left leg toward first base as the throw arrived, but his cleat appeared to slip across the top of the bag and he fell to the ground, his leg buckling beneath him.
Clearly in pain, Machado, who was out on the play a half-step, grimaced and clasped his hands around his lower left leg as team trainers came on to the field to tend to him.
Machado later sat up but was unable to put weight on the injured ankle and was helped off the field and into the clubhouse for further examination.
Machado entered Sunday’s game batting .329 with 12 home runs and 46 RBIs.
Senzatela (3-3) pitched six strong innings, Elias Diaz also homered and C.J. Cron had three hits for Colorado.
Luke Voit and Austin Nola homered for the Padres.
Voit led off the the second with a home run and the Rockies evened the score in their half of the second on Diaz’s RBI single.
Colorado broke it open with a big fifth.
Garrett Hampson tripled with one out and Yonathan Daza walked, setting up RBI singles by Brendan Rodgers and Cron, finishing Blake Snell (0-4). Steven Wilson relieved and Grichuk hit a three-run drive that put the Rockies up 6-1.
Diaz, who finished with three RBIs, homered leading off the sixth and drew a bases-loaded walk in the seventh.
Nola had a two-run homer in the eighth off Robert Stephenson. TRAINER’S ROOM
Rockies: INF-OF Garrett Hampson has been reinstated from the COVID-19 injured list, returning from a four-day absence. … INF Alan Trejo was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque and RHP Tyley Kinley, who has been sidelined indefinitely by flexor tear in his right elbow, has been transferred to the 60-day injured list.
UP NEXT
Padres: Return home to host Arizona on Monday night with San Diego RHP Yu Darvish (6-3, 3.35 ERA) scheduled to pitch the opener in a three-game series.
Rockies: After an off-day Monday, the Rockies open a three-game series at Miami with Ryan Feltner (1-2, 4.85 ERA) set to pitch Tuesday night’s opener.
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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/padres-star-machado-sprains-ankle-rockies-complete-sweep/ | 2022-06-20T08:49:27Z |
NEW YORK (AP) — A California movie producer pleaded guilty in a prostitution case Thursday, admitting that he conspired to run a business that prosecutors say delivered women to clients across the United States and in England.
Dillon Jordan was permitted to enter the plea remotely and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to operate a prostitution business.
U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan scheduled sentencing for Dec. 12.
A plea deal Jordan signed with prosecutors recommends that he serve between 21 months and 27 months in prison, and pay a fine between $10,000 and $95,000. It also calls for him to forfeit $1.4 million.
Jordan, 50, of Arrowhead Lake, California, was arrested last summer on charges that he used a movie production company as a cover for running a prostitution ring.
Jordan is listed among dozens of producers on films including the 2018 film “The Kindergarten Teacher,” which featured Maggie Gyllenhaal, and the 2019 movie “The Kid,” which starred Ethan Hawke.
An indictment said Jordan, from 2010 through May 2017, kept a roster of women who lived across the U.S. and performed sexual acts for his clients in exchange for money.
It also said he coordinated with a United Kingdom-based madam, sharing and referring customers and prostitutes. The madam was not identified by name in court papers. | https://cw33.com/entertainment-news/ap-entertainment/ap-movie-producer-pleads-guilty-in-prostitution-prosecution/ | 2022-09-02T19:13:54Z |
First Quarter NACCO Consolidated Highlights:
- Operating profit increased to $14.9 million, up from $8.3 million in Q1 2021 primarily due to significantly improved earnings in the Minerals Management segment
- Net income increased to $12.6 million, up 40.4% from $9.0 million in Q1 2021
- EBITDA increased to $21.4 million, up 48.0% from Q1 2021
- Diluted earnings per share increased to $1.72/share from $1.25/share in Q1 2021
CLEVELAND, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NACCO Industries® (NYSE: NC) today announced consolidated operating profit of $14.9 million and net income of $12.6 million, or $1.72 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2022 compared with consolidated operating profit of $8.3 million and net income of $9.0 million, or $1.25 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2021.
Improvements in the Company's consolidated operating profit, Consolidated EBITDA and net income were due to significantly higher earnings in the Minerals Management segment. Improvements in the North American Mining segment were offset by lower earnings in the Coal Mining segment and an increase in unallocated business development and employee-related expenses. Non-GAAP financial measures are defined and reconciled on pages 9 and 10.
Effective January 1, 2022, the Company changed the composition of its reportable segments. As a result, the Company retrospectively changed its computation of segment operating profit to reclassify the results of Caddo Creek Resources Company and Demery Resources Company from the Coal Mining segment into the North American Mining segment as these operations provide mining solutions for producers of industrial minerals, rather than for power generation. The Coal Mining segment now includes only mines that deliver coal for power generation. This segment reporting change has no impact on consolidated operating results. All prior period segment information in this release has been reclassified to conform to the new presentation. The reclassified segment financial information for the 2021 four quarters and full year has also been provided on pages 10 to 12 of this release.
At March 31, 2022, the Company had consolidated cash of $81.6 million and debt of $25.5 million with availability of $113.9 million under its $150.0 million revolving credit facility. The Company believes that maintaining a conservative capital structure and adequate liquidity are important given evolving trends in energy markets and the Company's strategic initiatives to grow and diversify, which are discussed further in the Growth and Diversification section of this release.
Detailed Discussion of Results
Coal Mining Results
Coal Mining revenues decreased in the first quarter of 2022 from the first quarter of 2021 primarily due to fewer tons delivered as a result of lower customer demand at Mississippi Lignite Mining Company.
First-quarter 2022 Coal Mining operating profit and Segment EBITDA decreased from the prior year quarter mainly due to a decrease in earnings of unconsolidated operations and higher operating expenses.
The decrease in earnings of unconsolidated operations was primarily attributable to the termination of the Bisti Fuels contract on September 30, 2021, a reduction in fees earned at Liberty as the scope of final mine reclamation activities continues to decline and lower customer requirements at Sabine. The decrease was partly offset by an increase in earnings at Coteau resulting from contractual price escalation. The increase in operating expenses was mainly due to an increase in professional fees partially offset by lower employee-related costs.
Coal Mining Outlook - 2022
On May 2, 2022, Great River Energy ("GRE") completed the sale of the Coal Creek Station power plant and the adjacent high-voltage direct current transmission line to Rainbow Energy Center, LLC and its affiliates. As a result of the sale, the existing agreements between GRE and Falkirk Mining Company terminated and GRE paid the Company $14.0 million, transferred ownership of an office building and conveyed membership units in Midwest AgEnergy to NACCO. The new Coal Sales Agreement ("CSA") between Falkirk and Rainbow Energy became effective on May 1, 2022. Falkirk will continue supplying all coal requirements of Coal Creek Station and will be paid a management fee per ton of coal delivered for operating the mine. Rainbow Energy is responsible for funding all mine operating costs and directly or indirectly providing all of the capital required to operate the mine. The CSA specifies that Falkirk will perform final mine reclamation, which will be funded in its entirety by Rainbow Energy. The initial production period is expected to run ten years from the effective date of the CSA, but the CSA may be extended or terminated early under certain circumstances.
Coal Mining operating profit in 2022 is expected to decrease significantly compared with 2021, both including and excluding the contract termination fees. The expected reduction in operating profit is primarily the result of reduced earnings at both consolidated and unconsolidated Coal Mining operations as well as an anticipated increase in operating expenses. The increase in operating expenses is primarily due to expected higher outside services and professional fees.
Results at the consolidated mining operations are expected to decrease significantly in 2022 from 2021 primarily due to expected substantially lower earnings at Mississippi Lignite Mining Company driven by an anticipated reduction in customer demand, predominantly in the second half of 2022, from higher than average levels in 2021. Lower customer demand, expected cost inflation in 2022 on diesel fuel, repairs and supplies, and higher depreciation expense related to recent capital expenditures to develop a new mine area are expected to contribute to an increase in the cost per ton in 2022. In general, cost per ton delivered is lowest when the power plant requires a consistently high level of coal deliveries, primarily because costs are spread over more tons.
The reduction in earnings at the unconsolidated Coal Mining operations is expected to be driven by the termination of the Bisti Fuels contract as of September 30, 2021 and lower earnings at Falkirk, primarily in the second half of 2022 compared with the second half of 2021. Falkirk has agreed to a reduction in the current per ton management fee from May 1, 2022 through May 31, 2024. After May 31, 2024, Falkirk's per ton management fee increases to a higher base in line with current fee levels, and thereafter adjusts annually according to an index which tracks a broad measure of U.S. inflation.
Segment EBITDA, which excludes the termination payments of $10.3 million from Bisti Fuels' customer in 2021 and the $14 million contract termination fee from GRE in 2022, is expected to decrease significantly in 2022 from 2021 primarily as a result of the forecasted reduction in operating profit partially offset by an increase in depreciation, depletion and amortization expense. The increase in depreciation, depletion and amortization expense is primarily due to higher capital expenditures at Mississippi Lignite Mining Company as a result of the development of a new mine area.
Capital expenditures are expected to be approximately $21 million in 2022. The elevated levels of capital expenditures from 2019 through 2022 relate to the necessary development of a new mine area at Mississippi Lignite Mining Company, which will allow continued coal deliveries through the end of the contract. The increase in capital expenditures associated with mine development will result in higher depreciation expense in future periods that will unfavorably affect future operating profit. Capital expenditures for Mississippi Lignite Mining Company are expected to decline significantly beginning in 2023.
The Company's contract structure at each of its coal mining operations eliminates exposure to spot coal market price fluctuations. However, fluctuations in natural gas prices and the availability of renewable power generation, particularly wind, can contribute to changes in power plant dispatch and customer demand for coal. Sustained higher natural gas prices could continue to result in increased demand for coal. Changes to expectations for customer power plant dispatch could affect the Company's outlook for 2022 and over the longer term.
The owner of the power plant served by the Company's Sabine Mine in Texas intends to retire the power plant in the first quarter of 2023, at which time Sabine expects to begin final reclamation. Funding for mine reclamation is the responsibility of the customer. Coteau operates the Freedom Mine in North Dakota. All coal production from the Freedom Mine is delivered to Basin Electric Power Cooperative. Basin Electric utilizes the coal at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant, Antelope Valley Station and Leland Olds Station. The Synfuels Plant is a coal gasification plant owned by Dakota Gas that manufactures synthetic natural gas and produces fertilizers, solvents, phenol, carbon dioxide and other chemical products for sale. In August 2021, Basin Electric announced that it signed a non-binding term sheet which contemplates the sale of the assets of Dakota Gas. The closing is subject to the satisfaction of specified conditions. As part of the announcement, Basin Electric indicated that the Synfuels Plant will continue existing operations through 2026. Basin Electric is also considering other options for the Synfuels Plant if the transaction with the potential buyer does not close.
North American Mining Results
Revenues at North American Mining increased in the first quarter of 2022 over the prior year primarily as a result of an increase in tons delivered driven by increased customer requirements. Higher revenue related to reclamation at Caddo Creek also contributed to the increase in revenues.
The improvement in operating profit was due to higher reclamation income at Caddo Creek partly offset by a reduction in earnings at the active operations primarily as a result of higher employee-related costs.
North American Mining Segment EBITDA increased significantly as a result of the increase in operating profit and substantially higher depreciation expense resulting from equipment acquired to support newer contracts that are expected to contribute to increased income in future periods.
North American Mining Outlook
In 2022, North American Mining expects full-year operating profit to increase over 2021, primarily in the fourth quarter of 2022, due to an expected increase in customer requirements and contributions from contracts executed during 2021. Segment EBITDA for 2022 is expected to increase significantly compared with the prior year as a result of the improvement in operating profit and an increase in depreciation expense.
During 2021, North American Mining expanded its footprint, including into new geographies, by entering into new contract mining services agreements at quarries in Florida, Indiana, Texas and Arkansas. During the first quarter of 2022, North American Mining agreed to commission a new dragline at an existing quarry in Florida to secure a contract extension through 2027. This dragline will supplement an existing dragline at this operation, resulting in an expected increase in deliveries and income over the next five years at the quarry. North American Mining continues to have a substantial pipeline of potential new projects and is pursuing a number of growth initiatives that, if successful, would be accretive to future earnings.
In 2019, North American Mining's subsidiary, Sawtooth Mining, LLC, entered into a mining services agreement to serve as the exclusive contract miner for the Thacker Pass lithium project in northern Nevada, owned by Lithium Nevada Corp., a subsidiary of Lithium Americas Corp. (TSX: LAC) (NYSE: LAC). Lithium Americas owns the lithium reserves at Thacker Pass and will be responsible for the processing and sale of the lithium produced. In April 2022, Lithium Americas provided an update on the Thacker Pass project, which noted that all key state-level permits had been issued for Thacker Pass and early-works construction, which includes site access and preparation, is expected to commence in 2022. At maturity, this management fee contract is expected to deliver fee income similar to a mid-sized management fee coal mine.
In 2022, capital expenditures are expected to be approximately $28 million primarily for the acquisition, relocation and refurbishment of draglines, as well as the acquisition of other mining equipment to support the continued expansion of contract-mining services, including the acquisition of equipment to support the Thacker Pass lithium project. The cost of mining equipment related to Thacker Pass will be reimbursed by the customer over a seven-year period from the equipment acquisition date.
Minerals Management Results
For the first quarter of 2022, Minerals Management revenue, operating profit and Segment EBITDA increased significantly over the first quarter of 2021 primarily due to higher royalty income driven by significantly higher natural gas and oil prices, as well as $2.1 million of settlement income recognized during the first quarter of 2022. The settlement income relates to the Company's ownership interest in certain mineral rights.
Minerals Management Outlook
The Minerals Management segment derives income from royalty-based leases under which lessees make payments to the Company based on their sale of natural gas, oil, natural gas liquids and coal, extracted primarily by third parties.
Operating profit and Segment EBITDA in 2022 are expected to increase significantly over 2021 primarily driven by current expectations for natural gas and oil prices for the remainder of 2022, partly offset by an anticipated reduction in production. As a result of substantially higher oil and natural gas prices in the first half of 2022 compared with the respective prior year period, the Company expects a significant increase in operating profit in the first half of 2022. This increase is anticipated to be partly offset by a modest decrease in the second half of 2022 as increases in oil and gas prices are expected to moderate and as a result of the absence of $3.3 million of settlement income recognized in the third quarter of 2021.
Commodity prices are inherently volatile and as an owner of royalty and mineral interests, the Company's access to information concerning activity and operations with respect to its interests is limited. The Company's expectations are based on the best information currently available and could vary positively or negatively as a result of adjustments made by operators and/or changes to commodity prices.
In the first quarter of 2022, Minerals Management completed a small acquisition of mineral interests in the New Mexico portion of the Permian basin for $0.7 million. Minerals Management is targeting additional investments in mineral and royalty interests of approximately $9 million in the remainder of 2022. These investments are expected to be accretive, but each investment's contribution to earnings is dependent on the details of that investment, including the size and type of interests acquired and the stage and timing of mineral development. The contribution of each investment could also vary due to commodity price changes. These acquired interests are expected to align with the Company's strategy of selectively acquiring mineral and royalty interests with a balance of near-term cash-flow yields and long-term growth potential, in high-quality reservoirs offering diversification from the Company's legacy mineral interests.
Consolidated 2022 Outlook
Overall for the 2022 full year, excluding the settlements associated with the GRE/Rainbow Energy transaction and the Bisti termination fee recognized in 2021, NACCO expects consolidated operating profit, net income and Consolidated EBITDA to decrease from 2021. Lower operating profit in the Coal Mining segment is expected to be partially offset by an anticipated significant increase in earnings at the Minerals Management segment and higher operating profit at North American Mining. In addition, the Company recognized $3.4 million of gains associated with equity securities in 2021 that are not expected to recur. The effective income tax rate, including the settlements associated with the GRE/Rainbow Energy transaction is expected to be between 14% and 16%.
The Company will recognize the value of the North Dakota office building and the membership units in Midwest AgEnergy received as part of the settlement with GRE as a component of other income.
Consolidated capital expenditures are expected to be approximately $67 million in 2022 and include approximately $8 million for expenditures at Mitigation Resources of North America®. In 2022, cash flow before financing activities is expected to be significantly lower than in 2021 as a result of the anticipated capital expenditures.
Growth and Diversification
The Company is pursuing growth and diversification by strategically leveraging its core mining and natural resources management skills to build a strong portfolio of affiliated businesses. Management continues to be optimistic about the long-term outlook for growth in the North American Mining and Minerals Management segments and in the Company's Mitigation Resources of North America business. Each of these businesses continues to expand its pipeline of potential new projects with opportunities for growth and diversification.
North American Mining is pursuing growth and diversification by expanding the scope of its business development activities to include potential customers who require a broad range of minerals and materials and by leveraging the Company's core mining skills to expand the range of contract mining services it provides. North American Mining continues to pursue additional opportunities to provide comprehensive mining services to operate entire mines, as it expects to do at the new lithium project in Nevada. The goal is to build North American Mining into a leading provider of contract mining services for customers that produce a wide variety of minerals and materials. The Company believes North American Mining can grow to be a substantial contributor to operating profit, delivering unlevered after-tax returns on invested capital in the mid-teens as this business model matures and achieves significant scale, but the pace of growth will be dependent on the mix and scale of new projects.
The Minerals Management segment continues to grow and diversify by pursuing acquisitions of mineral and royalty interests in the United States. The Minerals Management segment will benefit from the continued development of its mineral properties without additional capital investment, as all further development costs are borne entirely by third-party producers who lease the minerals. This business model can deliver higher average operating margins over the life of a reserve than traditional oil and gas companies that bear the cost of exploration, production and/or development. Catapult Mineral Partners, the Company's business unit focused on managing and expanding the Company's portfolio of oil and gas mineral and royalty interests, has developed a strong network to source and secure new acquisitions, and has several potential acquisitions under review. The goal is to construct a diversified portfolio of high-quality oil and gas mineral and royalty interests in the United States that deliver near-term cash flow yields and long-term projected growth. The Company believes this business will provide unlevered after-tax returns on invested capital in the low-to-mid-teens as the portfolio of reserves and mineral interests grows and this business model matures.
Mitigation Resources of North America continues to expand its business, which creates and sells stream and wetland mitigation credits and provides services to those engaged in permittee-responsible mitigation. This business offers an opportunity for growth and diversification in an industry where the Company has substantial knowledge and expertise and a strong reputation. The Mitigation Resources business has achieved several early successes and is positioned for additional growth. The Company's goal is to grow Mitigation Resources into one of the ten largest U.S. providers of mitigation solutions, largely focused on streams and wetlands, initially in the southeast United States. While this business is in the early stages of development, it is currently focused on expanding and has established mitigation projects in Alabama, Mississippi, Texas and Tennessee. The Company believes that Mitigation Resources can provide solid rates of return as this business matures.
The Company also continues to pursue activities which can strengthen the resiliency of its existing coal mining operations. The Company remains focused on managing coal production costs and maximizing efficiencies and operating capacity at mine locations to help customers with management fee contracts be more competitive. These activities benefit both customers and the Company's Coal Mining segment, as fuel cost is a significant driver for power plant dispatch. Increased power plant dispatch results in increased demand for coal by the Coal Mining segment's customers. Fluctuating natural gas prices and availability of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, could affect the amount of electricity dispatched from coal-fired power plants.
The Company continues to look for opportunities to expand its coal mining business where it can apply its management fee business model to assume operation of existing surface coal mining operations in the United States. However, opportunities are very limited in the current environment. In addition, the political and regulatory environment is not receptive to development of new coal-fired power generation projects which would create opportunities to build and operate new coal mines.
The Company is committed to maintaining a conservative capital structure as it continues to grow and diversify, while avoiding unnecessary risk. Strategic diversification will generate cash that can be re-invested to strengthen and expand the businesses. The Company also continues to maintain the highest levels of customer service and operational excellence with an unwavering focus on safety and environmental stewardship.
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Conference Call
In conjunction with this news release, the management of NACCO Industries will host a conference call on Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. To participate in the live call, please register more than 15 minutes in advance at http://www.directeventreg.com/registration/event/7747766 to obtain the dial-in information and conference call access codes. For those not planning to ask a question of management, the Company recommends listening to the call via the online webcast, which can be accessed through the NACCO Industries' website at ir.nacco.com/home. Please allow 15 minutes to register, download and install any necessary audio software required to listen to the webcast. A replay of the call will be available shortly after the call ends through May 13, 2022. An archive of the webcast will also be available on the Company's website two hours after the live call ends.
Non-GAAP and Other Measures
This release contains non-GAAP financial measures within the meaning of Regulation G promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Included in this release are reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable financial measures calculated in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"). Consolidated EBITDA and Segment EBITDA are provided solely as supplemental non-GAAP disclosures of operating results. Management believes that Consolidated EBITDA and Segment EBITDA assist investors in understanding the results of operations of NACCO Industries. In addition, management evaluates results using these non-GAAP measures.
Forward-looking Statements Disclaimer
The statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are made subject to certain risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those presented. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof. Among the factors that could cause plans, actions and results to differ materially from current expectations are, without limitation: (1) changes to or termination of customer or other third-party contracts, or a customer or other third party default under a contract, (2) any customer's premature facility closure, (3) a significant reduction in purchases by the Company's customers, including as a result of changes in coal consumption patterns of U.S. electric power generators, or changes in the power industry that would affect demand for the Company's coal and other mineral reserves, (4) changes in the prices of hydrocarbons, particularly diesel fuel, natural gas and oil, (5) failure or delays by the Company's lessees in achieving expected production of natural gas and other hydrocarbons; the availability and cost of transportation and processing services in the areas where the Company's oil and gas reserves are located; federal and state legislative and regulatory initiatives relating to hydraulic fracturing; and the ability of lessees to obtain capital or financing needed for well-development operations and leasing and development of oil and gas reserves on federal lands, (6) failure to obtain adequate insurance coverages at reasonable rates, (7) supply chain disruptions, including price increases and shortages of parts and materials, (8) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including any impact on suppliers, customers and employees, (9) changes in tax laws or regulatory requirements, including the elimination of, or reduction in, the percentage depletion tax deduction, changes in mining or power plant emission regulations and health, safety or environmental legislation, (10) the ability of the Company to access credit in the current economic environment, or obtain financing at reasonable rates, or at all, and to maintain surety bonds for mine reclamation as a result of current market sentiment for fossil fuels, (11) the effects of investors' and other stakeholders' increasing attention to environmental, social and governance ("ESG") matters, (12) changes in costs related to geological and geotechnical conditions, repairs and maintenance, new equipment and replacement parts, fuel or other similar items, (13) regulatory actions, changes in mining permit requirements or delays in obtaining mining permits that could affect deliveries to customers, (14) weather conditions, extended power plant outages, liquidity events or other events that would change the level of customers' coal or aggregates requirements, (15) weather or equipment problems that could affect deliveries to customers, (16) changes in the costs to reclaim mining areas, (17) costs to pursue and develop new mining, mitigation and oil and gas opportunities and other value-added service opportunities, (18) delays or reductions in coal or aggregates deliveries, (19) the ability to successfully evaluate investments and achieve intended financial results in new business and growth initiatives, (20) disruptions from natural or human causes, including severe weather, accidents, fires, earthquakes and terrorist acts, any of which could result in suspension of operations or harm to people or the environment, and (21) the ability to attract, retain, and replace workforce and administrative employees.
About NACCO Industries
NACCO Industries® brings natural resources to life by delivering aggregates, minerals, reliable fuels and environmental solutions through its robust portfolio of NACCO Natural Resources businesses. Learn more about our companies at nacco.com, or get investor information at ir.nacco.com.
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SOURCE NACCO Industries | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/05/04/nacco-industries-announces-first-quarter-2022-results/ | 2022-05-05T02:00:03Z |
Robert Williams to return for Celtics in Game 3 vs Nets
NEW YORK (AP) — Center Robert Williams is set to play for the Boston Celtics in Game 3 of their first-round series against Brooklyn after missing nearly a month with torn cartilage in his left knee. Celtics coach Ime Udoka said Williams was available to play about 20-24 minutes off the bench Saturday night. Williams started all 61 games in which he played during the regular season. Williams, one of the league’s best defensive centers, averaged 10 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks during the regular season. He missed the final seven games with his knee injury. | https://localnews8.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/04/23/robert-williams-to-return-for-celtics-in-game-3-vs-nets/ | 2022-04-24T00:10:22Z |
Marte homers to lead Mets over Rockies, 5-1
By MICHAEL KELLY
Associated Press
DENVER (AP) — Starling Marte homered in his return to the lineup, and the New York Mets beat the Colorado Rockies 5-1 in the first game of a split doubleheader. Friday’s game was postponed when wintry weather blew into Colorado after temperatures were in the high 80s on Thursday. Snow continued to fall Saturday morning but by first pitch the skies were clearing and the temperature was 45 degrees. Carlos Carrasco (4-1) allowed a run on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings and Luis Guillorme had three hits for New York. | https://localnews8.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/05/21/marte-homers-to-lead-mets-over-rockies-5-1/ | 2022-05-22T03:02:48Z |
Separately managed account pioneer PSN provides exclusive access to nearly 40 years of data including net and gross-of-fee returns
NEW YORK, June 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Zephyr, a subsidiary of Informa plc (LSE: INF) and worldwide industry leader in providing data, research and insights to financial institutions, announced investment analytics provider FinMason will begin distributing Separately Managed Account (SMA) data from top provider PSN via its FinRiver API.
Zephyr PSN is the longest running independent SMA database in the world. Over the nearly four decades since it launched, PSN has continually pioneered the delivery of valuable SMA data to its customers, always accurate, consistently verified. Where there was no access, PSN built inroads and set the standard in 1984. Today, it leads the way in providing unbiased, high quality, detailed information across 2000 data points.
"We have seen a tremendous increase in interest in our PSN SMA data due to the surging popularity of SMAs," says Chris Volpe, Head of Informa Financial Intelligence's Zephyr business. "Last year we collaborated with FinMason to offer OWL Analytics' ESG data to our customers, and we view this expansion of our relationship as an opportunity to offer our PSN data to an ever-growing universe of firms looking to access quantitative and qualitative data on SMAs."
Zephyr PSN provides asset breakdowns, compliance, key personnel, ownership diversity, business objectives and strategy of more than 1,100 firms. Over 9,000 products are available to review including style, fees, GIC sectors, fixed income ranges and full holdings. In addition, subscribers can compare products across 285 peer group universes.
"We have several partnerships with Informa in place that allows us to service a diverse set of clients and institutions. Through the FinMason API we deliver ESG scores on 30,000+ securities, as well as the ability to distribute SMA data with derived analytics across our clients' portfolios," says David Remstein, CEO of FinMason.
In March Zephyr was awarded the 2022 Fintech Breakthrough Award for Best Financial Research and Data Company. For additional information about Zephyr and its solutions, visit: https://pages.financialintelligence.informa.com/Zephyr-Financial-Solutions.
Zephyr's financial services solution enables wealth managers and advisors to fully manage client investment goals with communication tools to create custom, professional proposals and presentations that convey advisor strategies and success. The platform consistently scores high among users for its ease of use with valuable tools including presentation center, portfolio proposal generation, performance measurement, asset allocation modeling, research, analytics and ESG ratings and reviews. Visit financialintelligence.informa.com to learn more about Zephyr and to request a demo.
FinMason, one of the world's largest investment analytics engines for financial services platforms, enables WealthTech platforms to accelerate development and time-to-market while retaining control of their user experience. Built with speed, flexibility, and scalability in mind, the financial technology firm calculates and delivers more than 1,000 analytics on every publicly traded asset in the world via one simple API. For more information, visit www.finmason.com.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Zach Allegretti, JConnelly
973-850-7341
zallegrettiii@jconnelly.com
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SOURCE Zephyr | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/01/zephyr-psn-sma-data-be-distributed-via-finmasons-finriver-api/ | 2022-06-01T18:56:28Z |
NEWCASTLE, England (AP) — With his team’s Champions League qualification ambitions in ruins, Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka felt it was time to deliver some home truths.
“Disastrous” was how Xhaka summed up Arsenal’s 2-0 loss to Newcastle on Monday that left Tottenham in charge of the race between the north London rivals for a top-four finish in the English Premier League.
Then he went further.
“If someone is not ready for this game or too nervous, stay on the bench, stay at home, don’t come here,” Xhaka said, appearing to turn on some of his own teammates. “We need people to have the (character) to come here and play.”
If only Arsenal had shown some of that fight on the field at a rocking St. James’ Park.
Mikel Arteta’s young team buckled under the pressure of playing its biggest match of the season, with an own-goal by Ben White and a late strike by Bruno Guimarães capping a dominant display by a Newcastle team that might soon be a Premier League force to be reckoned with.
This night was all about Arsenal, though, and whether its players could keep Champions League qualification in their own hands. They couldn’t.
“We could not cope with the game we had to play here,” said Arteta, who described Newcastle as “10 times better” than his team.
“The performance was nowhere near the level needed to play in the Champions League.”
Heading into the final round on Sunday, Tottenham occupies fourth place — two points above Arsenal in fifth — and just needs to beat already-relegated Norwich to guarantee a top-four spot. Given Tottenham’s far superior goal difference, a draw will surely be enough against the league’s last-placed team.
Arsenal will host Everton at the same time and knows a win still might not be enough to get back in the Champions League after a five-year absence.
Newcastle’s intensity proved too much for Arsenal, with the hosts well on top by the time White turned the ball into his own net in the 55th minute as he stretched to clear a left-wing cross from Joelinton.
Guimarães, the Brazil midfielder, ensured there would be no way back for Arsenal by adding the second in the 85th, side-footing home a loose ball after it rebounded to him off goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
If it wasn’t for Ramsdale, the margin of defeat would have been much bigger.
“Newcastle deserved to win the match,” said Arteta, who appeared visibly stunned by his team’s under-performance. “They were comfortably better than us. We had nothing.”
Arteta needs a favor from Norwich. Otherwise, Arsenal will be playing in the Europa League next season.
“There is always a chance in football,” he said. “You have to be there if the chance appears.”
It was a second damaging defeat in a five-day span for Arsenal, which also lost at Tottenham 3-0 on Thursday.
Arsenal’s implosion was Chelsea’s gain. The result meant Chelsea, in third place, was sure of finishing in the top four and qualifying for the Champions League.
That’s the level Newcastle might soon by playing now the northeast club is powered by funding from its Saudi Arabia owners. Finishing the season by winning seven of its last eight home games is a good sign for the future.
“I thought it was a brilliant all-round performance from us,” Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said.
“One thing missing was that we hadn’t beaten a top-six team. And not only did we beat Arsenal, we were dominant throughout. But we’ll remain calm in this moment. We have to work incredibly hard to improve everything about the team in the summer and make sure we come back a stronger unit.”
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/arsenal-loses-as-spurs-becomes-favorite-for-epl-top-4-spot/ | 2022-05-17T14:34:14Z |
NEW YORK, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
If you own shares in any of the companies listed above and
would like to discuss our investigations or have any questions concerning
this notice or your rights or interests, please contact:
Joshua Rubin, Esq.
Weiss Law
305 Broadway, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10007
(212) 682-3025
(888) 593-4771
stockinfo@weisslawllp.com
Huttig Building Products, Inc. (NASDAQ: HBP)
Weiss Law is investigating possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law by the board of directors of Huttig Building Products, Inc. (NASDAQ: HBP), in connection with the proposed tender offer for HBP by Woodgrain Inc. Under the terms of the tender offer, HBP shareholders will receive $10.70 in cash for each share of HBP common stock owned. If you own HBP shares and wish to discuss this investigation or your rights, please call us at one of the numbers listed above or visit our website: https://www.weisslaw.co/news-and-cases/hbp
Emclaire Financial Corp (NASDAQ: EMCF)
Weiss Law is investigating possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law by the board of directors of Emclaire Financial Corp (NASDAQ: EMCF) in connection with its proposed merger with Farmers National Banc Corp. ("Farmers"). Under the terms of the merger agreement, each shareholder of EMCF may elect to receive either $40.00 per share in cash or 2.15 shares of Farmers' common stock, subject to an overall limitation of 70% shares and 30% cash. If you own EMCF shares and wish to discuss this investigation or your rights, please call us at one of the numbers listed above or visit our website: https://www.weisslaw.co/news-and-cases/emcf
Columbia Care Inc. (OTCQX: CCHWF)
Weiss Law is investigating possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law by the board of directors of Columbia Care Inc. (OTCQX: CCHWF) in connection with its proposed merger with Cresco Labs ("Cresco"). Under the terms of the merger agreement, CCHWF shareholders will receive 0.5579 shares of Cresco for each share of CCHWF common stock owned, representing an implied per-share merger consideration of approximately $3.17 based upon Cresco's April 11, 2022 closing price of $5.68. If you own CCHWF shares and wish to discuss this investigation or your rights, please call us at one of the numbers listed above or visit our website: https://www.weisslaw.co/news-and-cases/cchwf
MoneyGram International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MGI)
Weiss Law is investigating possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law by the board of directors of MoneyGram International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MGI), in connection with the proposed acquisition of MGI by funds affiliated with Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC Under the terms of the acquisition agreement, MGI's shareholders will receive $11.00 in cash for each share of MGI common stock that they hold. If you own MGI shares and wish to discuss this investigation or your rights, please call us at one of the numbers listed above or visit our website: https://www.weisslaw.co/news-and-cases/mgi
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SOURCE Weiss Law | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/shareholder-alert-weiss-law-reminds-hbp-emcf-cchwf-mgi-shareholders-about-its-ongoing-investigations/ | 2022-04-12T21:17:47Z |
WASHINGTON, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pearl TV, the coalition of U.S. broadcasters transitioning to NEXTGEN TV, today announced new NEXTGEN TV models from Hisense. Its U7H and U8H, are now available at retail, starting at $799 MSRP. Hisense joins manufacturers—Sony, Samsung and LG Electronics—which already have more than 70 models at retail. As the marketplace for NEXTGEN TVs expands across devices and cities on air, consumers can research and explore the value they can gain with purchase through a variety of educational sources at www.watchnextgentv.com.
"Hisense has long been recognized as a high-tech, high-quality brand at an affordable price point. Its NEXTGEN TV models underscore once again how it pushes the boundaries of innovation to deliver value to consumers," stated Anne Schelle, managing director of Pearl TV. "When the consumer looks for the logo, whether the consumer buys online or in-store, they can feel confident that the Hisense NEXTGEN TV purchased today will keep up with future technology enhancements."
NEXTGEN TV is a broadcast technology standard, otherwise known as ATSC 3.0, and is the first major overhaul to the Advanced Television Systems Committee's (ATSC's) standard for receiving over-the-air (OTA) signals since ATSC 1.0 was introduced in 1996. NEXTGEN TV is a free, OTA service based on internet protocol technology for interactivity, presenting the best combination of online and broadcast television, and continued innovation as new services are developed.
With NEXTGEN TV technology integrated into two of its model series, and a third series to follow later in the year, Hisense brings more broadcast options and upgrades to viewers who are ready for 4K OTA content and the latest upgrades:
- U7H Series—The TV for everything. IMAX enhanced, Filmmaker Mode, Dolby Vision IQ, SL-HDR-1/HDR 10/10+/adaptive, Quantum Dot, FreeSync Premium and the newly integrated NEXTGEN TV ATSC 3.0 tuner bring a 4K HDR beautiful picture to the screen no matter the content. Premium audio enhancements such as Dolby Atmos, eARC and WiSA deliver immersive audio, and the 120Hz refresh rate not only brings smooth clarity but also fluid motion for fast-action gaming, sports and movies. The U7H series offers screen sizes spanning 55-85 inches and starts at $799.99 MSRP. Available now at retailers including Best Buy and Amazon.
- U8H Series—Big on technology, not on price. Featuring a Mini LED upgrade paired with Hisense's ULED technology and Quantum Dot, the U8H delivers vibrant colors, impressive contrast, and its trademark bright picture for a fantastic HDR experience. With a 120Hz refresh rate, a peak brightness up to 1500 nits, and picture upgrades like IMAX enhanced, Filmmaker Mode, Dolby Vision, state-of-the-art picture quality with Dolby IQ™, SL-HDR-1, and HDR10+, the U8H delivers superior features. The U8H series offers 55 to 75-inch screen sizes and starts at $1099 MSRP. U8H is now available at retailers including Best Buy and Amazon.
"Great performance and picture quality are at the foundation of all Hisense product offerings, and our U7H and U8H NEXTGEN TV models are a testament to this commitment by putting even more premium options within people's reach," commented David Gold, President of Hisense USA. "As consumers continue to seek a top-notch viewing experience and excellent value package, we are proud to deliver this with NEXTGEN TV."
A study earlier this year by Magid Research in conjunction with Dolby and the Pearl TV business group revealed that consumer awareness continues to grow, citing that 40% were aware of NEXTGEN TV, up 25% from last year among those in markets where it is available. Contributing to that awareness are new additional resources that consumers can use to see if NEXTGEN TV is on air in their city, an e-commerce page where consumers can research models and purchase, and an informative video of the "Johnson Family." As the Johnsons gather around their NEXTGEN TV, much like other families across the U.S., they're blown away by the interactive and personal features, in addition to dialogue enhancement, consistent volume and cinema-quality sound enabled by the Dolby Audio experience integrated within.
Now broadcasting in more than 50 markets, NEXTGEN TV now reaches half of the U.S. population. According to the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), 4.5 million units are projected to be sold in 2022, up from 3 million units that were shipped in 2021.
About Pearl TV
Pearl TV is a business organization of U.S. broadcast companies with a shared interest in exploring forward-looking broadcasting opportunities, including innovative ways of promoting local broadcast TV content and developing digital media and wireless platforms for the broadcast industry. Pearl's membership, comprising more than 820 TV stations, includes eight of the largest broadcast companies in America: Cox Media Group, Graham Media Group, Gray Television, Hearst Television Inc., Nexstar Media Group, Sinclair Broadcast Group, the E.W. Scripps Company, and TEGNA Inc.
About Hisense USA Corporation
Established in 2001, Hisense USA Corporation offers a range of technology products including televisions, laser TVs, refrigerators, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, beverage coolers, and freezers – with a mission of delivering feature-packed products at a fraction of the cost. In 2021, the company was the fastest-growing among the top five TV brands in North America and continues to grow year after year domestically and globally. Hisense USA Corporation is a subsidiary of Hisense Company, Ltd., a multi-national consumer technology manufacturer and one of the largest television brands in the world.
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SOURCE Pearl TV | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/nextgen-tv-advances-hisenses-lineup-nextgen-tvs-come-retail-with-sharp-focus-consumer-education/ | 2022-08-23T13:15:11Z |
WASHINGTON, June 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced Wednesday the NASA Advisory Council (NAC) will convene its next meeting on August 9-10. Nelson also appointed new members to the NAC, who will provide leadership counsel and advice on agency programs and priorities.
"NASA remains a global leader in exploration as a result of having a world-class workforce and the NASA Advisory Council is no different," said Nelson. "I am incredibly proud of the accomplishments and progress we've made to date, and these new additions to the NAC will bring new ideas and solutions to complex problems we face. We are in the midst of another banner year at the agency, and I look forward to hearing from and working with an exceptional NAC."
The new council members are:
- Dr. John-Paul Clarke (Chair, NAC Aeronautics Committee) – Clarke is a professor of aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics at The University of Texas at Austin, where he holds the Ernest Cockrell Jr. memorial chair in engineering. He is also a former researcher at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.
- Hon. Kay Bailey Hutchison (Member at Large) – Hutchison most recently served as the U.S. permanent representative to NATO and served in the U.S. Senate prior to that. While in the Senate, she served as chair of Commerce Science and Space Subcommittee, supporting funding for the NASA investment in research and education in STEM. In 2005 she sponsored and passed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act.
- Dr. Ellen Williams (Chair, NAC Science Committee) – Williams is the director of the Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center and a distinguished university professor at the University of Maryland, where she works at the interface of energy technology and policy in the context of mitigating climate change. She is also the former director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E).
- Ms. Jacklyn Wynn (Member at Large) – Wynn is vice president of strategic programs for the federal health sector at General Dynamics Information Technology, where she oversees multi-year, technology-enabled strategic engagements that provide high-quality health care enterprise solutions and resources across the federal health agencies.
Retired Gen. Lester Lyles will continue to chair the NAC and its 60 members appointed across the council and five committees supporting aeronautics, human spaceflight, science, and STEM, as well as technology, innovation, and engineering.
The NAC typically meets three times per year and the second virtual meeting of 2022 is slated for August 9-10, 2022. This year, in addition to its reviews of NASA's mission areas, the NAC will also align its work to focus on the following agency priorities:
- Climate Change
- Commercial and Industry Partnerships
- Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Accessibility
- International Collaboration
- Program Management and Acquisition
For the latest on the NASA Advisory Council events, activities, and news, visit:
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SOURCE NASA | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/22/nasa-administrator-announces-next-nac-meeting-new-members/ | 2022-06-22T23:04:53Z |
TEL AVIV, Israel and WARSAW, June 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BICI Solutions, an Israeli strategic consulting with wide international connections, entered as a new investor in Airway Medix S.A. (WSE: AWM) and gradually will take over the day-to-day management of Airway Medix and its Subsidiary Biovo Technologies.
The BICI Solutions team will implement a new strategy which includes completion of Hyperform™ platform technology and expansion of Biovo's existing sales channel network, building Biovo's position as global leader in the Intensive Care and Anesthesia market sector.
Airway Medix's Cuffix™ and Oral Care™ are already distributed in four continents and a clinical trial is set to begin in the US as the cornerstone for the future introduction of Cuffix to the American market.
The COVID 19 pandemic has vastly increased worldwide demand for paradigm changing ICUs products and the entrance of BICI will enable Biovo Technologies and Airway Medix to meet the growing demand.
BICI Solutions aims to maximize Airway Medix's shareholders value through product sales expansion, completion of pipeline development and opportunistically collaborate with complementary products/companies.
"I am convinced of the potential of its unique and proprietary portfolio. I believe the current price of AWM shares on the Warsaw Stock Exchange may be significantly undervalued. The intense relations of our team with investors so far show that their comprehensive education, engagement of smart capital and increase of the company's exposure to the Israeli and the US financial markets can lead to improved target valuation - with a premium for shareholders," says Shai Braitner, Founder and CEO of BICI.
About BICI:
BICI Solutions is an Israeli consulting company specializing in supporting international clients, investing, among others, in Israel. The company's team consists of business, financial and industry advisors, negotiation experts, BI experts and with over 15 years of experience in business and the public sector. BICI Solutions is also supported by external consultants with experience in the healthcare industry, the medical devices sector, and financial markets. www.bici-solutions.com.
BICI clients represent the private as well as public sector. The consultancy has been involved in recent years in several large-scale projects focused on the restructuring, recovery, funding, and management of Israeli and international enterprises.
Airway Medix S.A. (WSE: AWM) focuses on research and development work and commercialization of innovative, disposable devices for the mechanically ventilated patients in the Intensive Care Units (ICU), and for the patients in life-threatening conditions in the anesthesiology departments.
Products presented by Airway Medix address the immediate clinical needs and make up for the shortcomings in the area of currently applied medical devices. They provide the patients, their careers and healthcare financing institutions with considerable clinical and economic benefits. The Company conducts research and development work in a R&D laboratory certified according to (ISO 13485:2003 & EN ISO 13485:2012) located in Israel, www.biovo-tech.com.
For further details, please contact:
Mr. Ronen Grossman
Biovo Investor Relations
+972 72 2151 115
ir@biovo.com
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SOURCE Airway Medix S.A.; BICI Solutions | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/22/israeli-bici-solutions-take-over-management-role-polish-airway-medix-group/ | 2022-06-22T18:51:40Z |
SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Whatfix today announced that it has been named a Leader for the third consecutive year in the Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2022 released by Everest Group, a global research and analyst firm.
Despite an influx of new players entering the space, Whatfix was one of only two designated as a Leader, and saw a sharp improvement in its overall analytics offerings from the 2021 assessment. Whatfix also noted a strengthened position in the PEAK Matrix® from 2021, and a more distinct differentiation from competitors, especially on industry verticalization.
"We're excited to be recognized again as a Leader among digital adoption platforms," said Khadim Batti, CEO and co-founder, Whatfix. "Consistency and sustained excellence are baseline targets for Whatfix. We look forward to maintaining our leadership position by continuing to pursue technical excellence combined with relentless customer focus."
Everest Group highlighted Whatfix's ability to deliver scalable success for its clients by removing barriers between users and productivity. They lauded Whatfix's extensive partner ecosystem that spans across independent software vendors, system integrators and technology, analytics & AI vendors. Further, the report mentions personalized recommendations, automated testing, easy content creation & maintenance and flexible content delivery as some of Whatfix's key strengths. Everest Group also recognized the company's investment in its product analytics capabilities during the last year, which allows enterprises to track application utilization and recognize drop-offs, before or without creating any DAP content. This helps further drive adoption and efficiency by measuring gaps at an enterprise level.
"Whatfix is positioned as a Leader in the DAP Products PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2022, as a result of its investments in product capabilities and sustained market growth. It has deepened its capabilities in industry-specific solutions, element detection, product analytics, and support for mobile and desktop applications. Whatfix's strong roadmap and focus on innovation and customer experience places it well to serve the DAP buyers," said Sharath Hari N, Practice Director at Everest Group.
Everest Group's PEAK Matrix® is a proprietary framework used to assess the market impact and overall vision & capability of technology vendors. For the 2022 report, Everest Group evaluated 20 digital adoption platform (DAP) software providers.
"Whatfix does what all the competitors can but with better training, customer service, and price," said Brandon Copeland, Senior Director of Product Design at GlobalTranz, a leading provider of technology-driven transportation and supply chain management solutions. "Whatfix can do what the others cannot. The ability to utilize intelligent segmentation and the ability to have the walkthrough in multiple formats was a game changer for us. The training team is always available to help and very friendly."
Everest Group is a research firm focused on strategic IT, business services, and engineering services. Everest Group's PEAK Matrix® is compiled annually to provide the analysis and insights enterprises need to make critical selection decisions about global services providers, locations, and products and solutions within various market segments.
A complimentary custom copy of the report can be downloaded here.
Whatfix empowers anyone, anywhere to have scalable success with technology they use everyday, achieving greater knowledge, expanding capability, and unlocking productivity for themselves and their organizations. Whatfix's Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) integrates seamlessly with applications to enable users, providing in-context information and guidance to immediately increase individual capability and collectively amplify productivity. The organization has six offices globally in the US, India, UK, Germany, and Australia, and works with Fortune 500 companies around the world. Whatfix has raised $140 million to date, and is backed by marquee investors including Softbank Vision Fund 2, Sequoia Capital India, and Cisco Investments. For more information, visit Whatfix's website.
Media contact:
Dex Polizzi
Lumina Communications for Whatfix
Whatfix@luminapr.com
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SOURCE Whatfix | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/06/whatfix-named-category-leader-third-consecutive-year-digital-adoption-platform-dap-peak-matrix-assessment-2022-by-everest-group/ | 2022-09-06T13:03:35Z |
Repository wins six first-place awards in APME contest
The Canton Repository won six first-place awards in the annual Ohio Associated Press Media Editors contest.
The newspaper won 12 awards overall for work produced last year.
Staff writer Tim Botos won first-place honors in four categories. He took home the top award in best enterprise reporting for his "Enduring Legacies" series; best explanatory reporting for a story analyzing a fatal crash in Ashland County; best investigative reporting for a series of stories about a young girl whose mother claimed she had a fatal disease; and best public service for an in-depth look at how votes get delivered from a polling place to the Stark County Board of Elections.
Photographer Scott Heckel received first-place awards for best sports photo and best feature photo. He also received a third-place honor for best news photo, and finished second in the best photographer category.
Other staff members honored were:
- Paige Bennett, second place in best business writer category.
- Edd Pritchard, third place in best business writer category.
- Charita Goshay, third place in the best columnist category.
The Repository also received second place for best digital presence.
The newspaper competes in Division IV for Ohio newspapers among papers such as the Warren Tribune Chronicle, Findlay Courier and Lima News.
Meanwhile, Massillon Independent sports writer Chris Easterling received a first-place award for best sports enterprise in Division I. His stories focused on the issue of competitive balance in high school sports.
Overall, 48 Ohio newspapers submitted 1,302 entries in the contest, which featured news and sports stories, features, editorials, columns, graphics and photos from 2021. Entries were judged by editors at newspapers in Michigan.
The Ohio APME awards luncheon was held Sunday at the Villa Milano Banquet & Conference Center in Columbus. | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/2022/04/04/canton-repository-wins-six-first-place-awards-apme-contest/7268121001/ | 2022-04-04T16:23:35Z |
PITTSBURGH, June 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "I wanted to create improved hearing protection that would comfortably accommodate the straps of any face mask," said an inventor, from Brooklyn, N.Y., "so I invented the EAR RELIEVERS. My design would provide added relief for the wearer's ears."
The patent-pending invention provides an improved set of ear defenders or hearing protection muffs for use with face masks. In doing so, it eliminates the pain associated with wearing masks loops around the ears. As a result, it enhances comfort and safety and it provides added protection and peace of mind while working during the pandemic. The invention features a practical design that is easy to wear and use so it is ideal for workers in industries that have noise levels above 85 decibels. Additionally, it is producible in design variations.
The original design was submitted to the National sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 20-JMT-129, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.
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SOURCE InventHelp | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/27/inventhelp-inventor-develops-ear-defenders-use-with-face-masks-jmt-129/ | 2022-06-27T16:11:45Z |
Cloud-based SaaS solution, Paychex Flex, recognized as Best Core HR/Workforce Solution for Small and Medium Businesses
ROCHESTER, N.Y., May 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Paychex, Inc., a leading provider of integrated human capital management (HCM) software solutions for human resources, payroll, benefits, and insurance services, has again earned industry recognition for the company's cloud-based SaaS solution, Paychex Flex®. For the third consecutive year, Paychex was presented with an HR Tech Award for Best Small and Medium Business (SMB)-focused Solution in the Core HR/Workforce category.
The HR Tech Awards program, powered by Lighthouse Research & Advisory, is designed to give buyers a shortlist of vetted, capable providers specific to their needs. According to Lighthouse Research & Advisory data, more than 5,000 providers exist across the HR technology landscape, with more entering the space every day. The HR Tech Awards recognize an elite group of companies, representing approximately 1% of the overall firms in the HR technology marketplace, for their focus on creating solutions that solve problems their customers care about. Entries are judged by a panel of industry analysts and experts in five key areas: problems the technology solves in the market, case study, differentiation analysis, software evaluation, and company evaluation.
Paychex Flex serves HR administrators and millions of employees. Supported by a team of dedicated service professionals, the software provides simple, easy-to-use solutions for businesses of all sizes to recruit, onboard, pay, and manage their employees and workforce. Backed by expert compliance support with a team of 200+ compliance professionals, Paychex works with clients to understand the complexities and impact of new legislation and regulations on businesses.
"What most impressed us about Paychex is their ability to rapidly respond to changing conditions, delivering a product that is consistently up-to-date on the latest requirements," said Ben Eubanks, Chief Research Officer, Lighthouse Research & Advisory. "This seems simple, but it really enables the company's clients to be compliant and employee-focused, providing a solid foundation for business and HR leaders to deliver on business priorities."
New features and enhanced capabilities are constantly incorporated into Paychex Flex to meet customer needs. Over the past 12 months, Paychex implemented an agile release plan to deliver highly impactful integrated technology solutions. Product enhancements were strategically designed to help customers navigate the ever-changing landscape of a pandemic economy with challenges including:
- Recruiting and retaining talent during The Great Resignation
- Gaining access to government stimulus programs
- Enhancing benefits offerings
- Transitioning to a digitally enabled distributed work environment
"Paychex Flex has played an essential role for our customers as they continue to address business challenges still present from the COVID-19 pandemic," said Tom Hammond, vice president of corporate strategy and product management at Paychex. "We're honored to be recognized again by Lighthouse Research & Advisory for the company's efforts to provide innovative and impactful HR technology that adds value to the industry and our customers."
For a complete list of winners for the 2022 HR Tech Awards program, visit hrtechaward.org.
About Paychex
Paychex, Inc. (Nasdaq: PAYX) is a leading provider of integrated human capital management software solutions for human resources, payroll, benefits, and insurance services. By combining its innovative software-as-a-service technology and mobility platform with dedicated, personal service, Paychex empowers small- and medium-sized business owners to focus on the growth and management of their business. Backed by 50 years of industry expertise, Paychex served more than 710,000 payroll clients as of May 31, 2021 in the U.S. and Europe, and pays one out of every 12 American private sector employees. Learn more about Paychex by visiting paychex.com and stay connected on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Media Contacts
Chelsea Wernick
Paychex, Inc.
+1 (585) 216-2974
cwernick@paychex.com
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SOURCE Paychex, Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/26/paychex-flex-earns-hr-tech-award-lighthouse-research-amp-advisory/ | 2022-05-26T18:02:09Z |
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Aug. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Iscoe Law Firm, one of Florida's leading personal injury attorney teams, knows consumers use their purchasing power to buy goods that are designed to enrich their lives in one way or another. When one of these products, instead, proves dangerous, it can not only feel like a betrayal but can also cause considerable damage (or can even prove deadly).
"Sometimes, these products are recalled by the manufacturer, but such recalls are often predicated on the injured consumers who came before," said Gary T. Iscoe, Esq., Founding Partner of Iscoe Law. "If a faulty consumer product left you or someone you love injured, turn to a product recall attorney in Florida for the legal help you need."
Product recalls are generally based on a governmental agency – or the manufacturer itself – determining that a product is inherently and unreasonably dangerous to consumers.
If you have been injured by a defective product, you will need to demonstrate that four specific elements are present in order to move forward with a viable claim.
Product defects are generally categorized into one or more of the following classifications:
- Products that are dangerous by design
- Products that are rendered defective during the manufacturing process
- Products that involve inherent dangers when not used appropriately but that lack the requisite warning labels and/or instructions
The kind of consumer goods that are commonly associated with defective product claims include:
- Cars and car parts
- Children's clothing and toys
- Medical devices and medications
- Household appliances
Since 1991, Gary T. Iscoe, a Trial Lawyer, has been dedicated to holding the powerful accountable for taking advantage of the powerless. From representing clients in severe injury cases, wrongful death cases, class actions, and other lawsuits including medical malpractice, and product liability. Gary and his team understand Florida's complex personal injury laws.
Iscoe Law fights hard for the injured and holds auto insurers like State Farm, Allstate, Progressive, GEICO, Liberty Mutual accountable for the pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages suffered by its clients.
Iscoe Law offers a free initial consultation at one's home, office, hotel, or hospital. For more information or schedule a free consultation, call 800-800-6500 or visit www.iscoelaw.com
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SOURCE Iscoe Law | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/25/iscoe-law-tells-consumers-stay-aware-product-recalls/ | 2022-08-25T11:43:34Z |
NEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
WHY: New York, N.Y., September 17, 2022. Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of the securities of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT) between February 19, 2021 and June 8, 2022, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important October 31, 2022 lead plaintiff deadline.
SO WHAT: If you purchased Abbott securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.
WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Abbott class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=8453 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than October 31, 2022. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.
WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.
DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, throughout the Class Period, defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA"), Abbott had "egregiously unsanitary" conditions at its Sturgis, Michigan facility which produced nearing half of Abbott's various forms of infant formula under the brands Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare; (2) as a result, Abbott's infant formula business was in dire jeopardy given the flagrant violations of federal and state health and safety regulations; (3) based on inspections by the FDA between 2019 and 2022, Abbott failed to establish process controls "designed to ensure that infant formula does not become adulterated due to the presence of microorganisms in the formula or in the processing environment" and Abbott also failed to "ensure that all surfaces that contacted infant formula were maintained to protect infant formula from being contaminated by any source"; (4) the unhygienic conditions of the Sturgis facility resulted in the recall of Abbott's infant formula and closure of the Sturgis facility; and (5) as a result, defendants' public statements about Abbott's business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.
To join the Abbott class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=8453 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.
No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Contact Information:
Laurence Rosen, Esq.
Phillip Kim, Esq.
The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
Fax: (212) 202-3827
lrosen@rosenlegal.com
pkim@rosenlegal.com
cases@rosenlegal.com
www.rosenlegal.com
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SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/09/17/rosen-leading-longstanding-firm-encourages-abbott-laboratories-investors-secure-counsel-before-important-deadline-securities-class-action-abt/ | 2022-09-18T05:34:19Z |
CEDARHURST, N.Y. , June 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The securities litigation law firm of Kuznicki Law PLLC issues this alert to shareholders of Pegasystems Inc. (NasdaqGS: PEGA), if they purchased the Company's shares between May 29, 2020 and May 9, 2022, inclusive (the "Class Period"). Shareholders have until July 18, 2022 to file lead plaintiff applications in the securities class action lawsuit.
Shareholders are encouraged to contact us at https://kclasslaw.com/cases/securities/nasdaqgs-pega/, by calling toll-free at 1-833-835-1495 or by email (dk@kclasslaw.com).
Kuznicki Law PLLC is committed to ensuring that companies adhere to responsible business practices and engage in good corporate citizenship. The firm seeks recovery on behalf of investors who incurred losses when false and/or misleading statements or the omission of material information by a Company lead to artificial inflation of the Company's stock. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
CONTACT:
Kuznicki Law PLLC
Daniel Kuznicki, Esq.
445 Central Avenue, Suite 344
Cedarhurst, NY 11516
Email: dk@kclasslaw.com
Phone: (347) 696-1134
Cell: (347) 690-0692
Fax: (347) 348-0967
https://kclasslaw.com
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SOURCE Kuznicki Law PLLC | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/30/filing-deadline-kuznicki-law-pllc-announces-class-action-behalf-shareholders-pegasystems-inc-pega/ | 2022-06-30T05:18:08Z |
A Texas-based organization that saw 31 members arrested and accused of trying to start a riot at a LGBTQ event in Idaho last weekend has distributed leaflets in Temple.
Leaflets for Patriot Front, headquartered in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, were found on vehicles at downtown Temple businesses, including the Telegram parking lot, in February 2021.
The red, white and blue leaflets, titled “Strong Families make Strong Nations,” focused on addressing the “patriotic duty to boldly defy the betrayal of the people’s right to strong families, healthy communities, and national sovereignty.”
The Temple Police Department said it did not receive any calls regarding the Patriot Front leaflets since 2021.
“However, the department is aware of the situation and is monitoring it closely,” a city spokeswoman told the Telegram.
The Anti-Defamation League said at least 38 white supremacist groups distributed propaganda across the nation in 2021, with Patriot Front responsible for the vast majority.
“Patriot Front was behind 3,992 of the incidents in 2021 — more than 82 percent of incidents nationally — distributing propaganda in every state except Hawaii and Alaska,” the Anti-Defamation League said. “The group was most active in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Massachusetts, Texas and Maryland, and members were responsible for 190 of the 232 (or 82 percent) of distributions on college campuses, as well as the majority (or 94 percent) of white supremacist stenciled graffiti.”
The group’s high numbers “are driven by a weekly propaganda quota which members are required to meet,” the Anti-Defamation League said.
Police in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, said on Saturday they responded to a call about “a little army” of people with masks and shields getting into a U-Haul vehicle near a Pride event. One smoke grenade was found in the vehicle, police said. The men reportedly were charged with misdemeanor conspiracy to riot.
“I think some of us were a bit surprised by not only the level of preparation that we saw but the equipment that was carried and worn by those individuals along with the large amount of equipment that was left in the van when the stop happened,” Lee White, chief of the Coeur d’Alene City Police Department, told reporters at a Monday news conference. “That level of preparation is not something you see every day.”
The 31 suspects included eight Texans: Thomas Rousseau, 23, of Grapevine; Robert Whitted, 22, of Conroe; Tommy Walker Jr., 24, of Godley; Josiah Buster, 24, and Connor Moran, 23, both of Watauga; and Kieran Morris, 27, Steven Tucker, 30, and Graham Whitsom, 31, all of Haslet.
Patriot Front members “espouse racism, anti-Semitism and intolerance under the guise of patriotism and preserving the ethnic and cultural origins of European ancestors,” Stacy Cushing, the deputy regional director of Anti-Defamation League’s Texas/Oklahoma branch, told the Texas Tribune. “Their goal is to reclaim America as a white nation. They are white supremacists with neo-Nazi roots.”
Michael Kielty, the attorney for one of the men arrested in Idaho, told The Associated Press that the group is nonviolent and that members have First Amendment rights to free speech.
“Even if you don’t like the speech, they have the right to make it,” he said.
The group’s Texas activities included hanging a banner from a Dallas freeway overpass that read, “Take a knee, back in Africa,” and heckling attendees at a book fair in Houston with smoke bombs and phrases such as “Blood and Soil,” the Houston Chronicle reported.
“Patriot Front has avoided using traditional or explicit white supremacist language and symbols in their propaganda, opting for the more palatable red, white and blue aesthetics of “Patriot Nationalism” to promote its white supremacist ideology,” the Anti-Defamation League said. “Despite the effort to control their outward facing brand, the private use of anti-Semitic, racist and bigoted slurs — evident in their recently leaked chatrooms — show the continued presence of the group’s neo-Nazi roots.” | https://www.tdtnews.com/news/central_texas_news/article_8efe730c-edc1-11ec-b02b-072552ec9007.html | 2022-06-17T00:14:20Z |
At Forrester's B2B Summit North America, the Return on Integration Honorees will present their success stories and share how they used Forrester's research and models to drive cross-functional alignment
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Forrester (Nasdaq: FORR) today announced that ArcBest, FARO Technologies, and Siemens Digital Industries Software are this year's Return on Integration (ROI) Honors winners. These organizations are being recognized for integrating marketing, sales, and product functions to align business goals and achieve measurable results.
The ROI Honorees will be recognized at B2B Summit North America, being held from May 2–4 in Austin, Texas, and digitally. B2B Summit North America is the premier event for B2B leaders to align their growth strategies with the latest research, models, and case studies — designed with B2B organizations' priorities in mind. At the event, the honorees will present their business transformation journeys and discuss how they used Forrester's research, models, and methodologies to drive alignment and growth.
"We are excited to celebrate Return on Integration Honors winners in person this year," said Monica Behncke, Forrester's vice president and group research director. "These organizations made bold decisions to transform their businesses. Each company worked with Forrester to overcome hurdles and make stepwise decisions resulting in accelerated growth, increased productivity, and improved business visibility. They are a true inspiration to other B2B organizations looking to transform their businesses. We look forward to hearing their success stories at the event."
Key highlights include:
- ArcBest, a leader in supply chain logistics, refocused its marketing and sales efforts to better align resources to customers and drive growth. By using Forrester's buyer-aligned sales methodology, the company implemented new workflows, processes, and technology to integrate its marketing and sales engines. As a result, ArcBest achieved a revenue increase of more than 50% year over year on its strategic growth products. Join this keynote session to learn how ArcBest used a data-driven approach to optimize resources and better serve the needs of its customers.
"Aligning to our goal of being customer-obsessed, we recognized the need for our marketing and sales efforts to support buyer expectations. We needed an intentional focus to develop the right strategies and processes that would position us to scale our business," said Steven Leonard, chief sales and customer engagement officer at ArcBest. "To drive ArcBest's growth as an integrated logistics company with solutions for all supply chains, strategic alignment across our business was imperative. We worked with Forrester to align efforts around our best opportunities using their buyer-aligned sales process."
- FARO Technologies, a global leader in 4D digital reality solutions, repositioned from an engineering-led, product-centric organization to a market-led solutions provider. To accomplish this, FARO utilized Forrester's analysts, research, and frameworks, including the eight Cs of effective organizational design, B2B Revenue Waterfall, B2B Marketing Ecosystem Model, and Customer Experience Design Framework to foster tight cross-functional alignment and accelerate its business transformation. In this keynote session, FARO Technologies will share the strategic steps and lessons learned from its transformation journey.
"We completely transformed our marketing function from an activity-based cost center to a profitable revenue driver," said Lisa Cole, vice president of corporate marketing at FARO Technologies. "Just a few months prior to the start of the pandemic, and over the course of the next two years, we committed to an end-to-end transformation, completely changing the perception of marketing and its role in the business. The change effort started with assessing sales and marketing capabilities and building a business case for change. We made decisions on what to improve, established an order of operations, gave everyone a clear roadmap and operating philosophies to act as a guiding compass, then rebuilt our revenue engine to deliver improved customer experience and accelerate revenue. We challenged everything, even while wrestling with the massive disruption caused by the pandemic, not stopping until we had achieved our goals."
- Siemens Digital Industries Software, the leader in driving digital enterprise transformation, worked closely with Forrester to shift the marketing organization from focusing on leads to the development of opportunities and identifying buying groups. The Forrester B2B Revenue Waterfall and buying groups frameworks were the foundation for the change from leads to opportunities in all of its revenue engine processes. During its keynote session, Siemens Digital Industries Software will discuss how it used Forrester's tools and frameworks to better align its sales and marketing functions.
"Siemens embarked on a project to streamline data and improve the efficiency of the inquiry-to-close process," said Liz Arndt, senior director of global inside sales at Siemens Digital Industries Software. "Siemens worked with Forrester to establish a single view of the engagement per contact so that our sales teams could have more intelligent and informed conversations with the appropriate buying group members. During the entire project, we've had continuous support from Forrester. From the initial discovery onsite workshop to countless phone and written inquiries, worksheets, templates, research reports, and monthly status updates, they were with us all the way."
Resources:
- Register to attend Forrester's B2B Summit.
- View the full conference agenda.
- Follow @Forrester and #ForrB2BSummit for updates.
- Learn how Forrester Decisions for B2B Marketing Executives, Forrester Decisions for B2B Sales Executives, and Forrester Decisions for Product Management can help drive functional alignment.
About Forrester
Forrester (Nasdaq: FORR) is one of the most influential research and advisory firms in the world. We help leaders across technology, marketing, customer experience, product, and sales functions use customer obsession to accelerate growth. Through Forrester's proprietary research, consulting, and events, leaders from around the globe are empowered to be bold at work — to navigate change and put their customers at the center of their leadership, strategy, and operations. Our unique insights are grounded in annual surveys of more than 700,000 consumers, business leaders, and technology leaders worldwide; rigorous and objective research methodologies, including Forrester Wave™ evaluations; 70 million real-time feedback votes; and the shared wisdom of our clients. To learn more, visit Forrester.com.
Contact:
Amanda Chordas
achordas@forrester.com
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SOURCE Forrester | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/04/20/forrester-honors-three-organizations-accelerating-revenue-growth-through-marketing-sales-product-alignment/ | 2022-04-20T15:46:38Z |
Newer, fitter descendants of Omicron variant begin to drive their own coronavirus waves
There's no denying the numbers: Even with spotty reporting, COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are rising again in the United States.
Cases are trending up in most states, and have increased by more than 50% compared with the previous week in Washington, Mississippi, Georgia, Maine, Hawaii, South Dakota, Nevada and Montana. In New York, more than a quarter of the state's population is in a county with a "high" COVID-19 community level, where the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends indoor masking.
Average daily hospitalizations are up about 10% since last week, according to data collected by the US Department of Health and Human Services.
The culprit this time appears to be a spinoff of Omicron's BA.2 subvariant called BA.2.12.1, which was first flagged by New York state health officials in April.
BA.2.12.1, which is growing about 25% faster than its parent virus, BA.2, accounts for nearly 37% all COVID-19 cases around the US, according to new estimates from the CDC.
BA.2 caused an estimated 62% of all COVID-19 cases last week, down from 70% the week before.
US, South Africa contend with faster new variants
BA.2.12.1 isn't the only Omicron offshoot that scientists are watching.
After weeks of declines, South Africa recently saw its COVID-19 cases rise steeply in the last two weeks. Test positivity and hospitalizations have also popped up, as scientists have watched two relatively new subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5 now dominate transmission in that country. Taken together they accounted for almost 60% of all new COVID-19 cases by the end of April, according to South Africa's National Institute of Communicable Diseases.
These new Omicron subvariants are spreading around the globe. BA.4 sequences have been reported in 15 countries and 10 US states, while BA.5 has been picked up in 13 countries and five US states, according to the website Outbreak.info, which maintained by a coalition of academic research centers and is supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health.
Like BA.2.12.1, BA.4 and BA.5 have a growth advantage over BA.2.
Omicron subvariants escape immunity
A new preprint study, published ahead of peer review, is pointing to why BA.4 and BA.5 are gaining ground: They can escape antibodies generated by previous infections caused by the first Omicron, BA.1, the variant responsible for the huge wave of infections that hit many countries in December and January. They can also escape antibodies in people who've been vaccinated and had breakthrough BA.1 infections, though this happened to a lesser degree than seen in people who've only been infected.
Researchers in South Africa tested the ability of antibodies in blood to disable BA.4 and BA.5 viruses in a lab. In people who were unvaccinated, but recently recovered from a BA.1 infection, they saw a more than 7-fold drop in the ability of their antibodies to neutralize BA.4 and BA.5 viruses. In people who'd been vaccinated, but recently had a breakthrough infection caused by BA.1, the drops were smaller, about 3-fold lower.
By way of comparison, the World Health Organization uses an 8-fold drop in neutralization as the threshold for the loss of protection that requires an update to seasonal influenza vaccines.
The study results led the researchers to write that "BA.4 and BA.5 have potential to result in a new infection wave," making COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots crucial to stopping the next wave.
"Our conclusions from this are first, that Omicron, by itself is not a great vaccine, right?" said Alex Sigal, a virologist at the Africa Health Research Institute who led the study. "Just because you were infected does not mean you have a lot of protection from what's coming next."
Dr. Eric Topol, a cardiologist who is the founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute praised the research, pointing out that this lab was also the first to characterize the first Omicron variant: "They've been first rate all the way through the pandemic."
He said overall the finding was not good news. Even people who recovered from a COVID-19 infection as recently as December or January can be reinfected by these new subvariants.
"That drop off of immune escape or immune evasion was pronounced in people who were unvaccinated," Topol said, pointing out that only about 1 in 3 people in South Africa have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
For those who are vaccinated "Those people are also not as bad, but they also have to face BA.4 and BA.5 with less solid neutralizing antibody response," he said. "The mutations in BA.4 and BA.5 are playing out to be a challenge to our immune response," he said.
Researchers say it's just too early to know if BA.4 or BA.5 will take off in the United States. So far, only a few dozen sequences of these viruses have been reported in the US and Canada.
It wouldn't be surprising if they do, said Andy Pekosz, a virologist and professor of molecular microbiology and immunology at Johns Hopkins University.
"We've seen this over and over again. As a variant becomes dominant in another country eventually ends up here in the US and spreading globally," Pekosz said.
In the meantime, Topol said, we have our own sublineage to deal with, BA.2.12.1.
"It may simulate the problems of BA.4 and BA.5," Topol said. "We don't know yet because there's no study like this one from the Sigal lab."
Shared mutation
BA.4 and BA.5 viruses and BA.2.12.1 have mutations at location 452 of their genomes. This region codes for a part of the viruses receptor binding domain -- the part of the virus that docks onto a door on the outside of our cells. The Delta variant and some others have picked up mutations in this location. Researchers believe changes there help the virus bind more tightly to our cells and hide from frontline immune defenders called antibodies that try to block the virus from invading our cells.
"That may make it transmit better perhaps between our cells as well," Sigal said in an interview with CNN.
BA.4 and BA.5 also have changes at location 486, which is a bit of a head-scratcher since previous viruses that changed in this location didn't do well. They fizzled out.
"Suddenly, this guy manages it. So we don't know what that does," Sigal said. "My suspicion is that's a heavy escape mutation," he said, meaning that it helps the virus hide from our immune system.
Scientists have begun work to try to better understand BA.2.12.1, which has been detected in 22 countries, though most of the sequences have come from the United States.
Pekosz said he has been growing copies of BA.2.12.1 in his lab and has recently shipped samples of the virus to other research groups for study. He said scientists have just started talking about experiments they want to do to try to answer two key questions: How quickly is it copying itself, and how well does it escape our immunity?
Before the SARS-CoV2 virus, scientists thought coronaviruses didn't change much. Pekosz said looking back, we didn't know what we didn't know.
As long as the virus continues to find hosts to infect, it will continue to evolve.
"This virus has shown that it mutated slowly, but when it started to pick up good mutations, they just kept coming and coming and coming," he said.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/health/coronavirus/2022/05/03/newer-fitter-descendants-of-omicron-variant-begin-to-drive-their-own-coronavirus-waves-3/ | 2022-05-03T19:45:24Z |
HOLYOKE, Mass., July 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NextMart, Inc. (the "Company" or "NXMR" - Pink Sheets Alternative Reporting Pink: NXMR) – NXMR would like to announce it completed the acquisition of Two Brothers Services, LLC, a New Mexico limited liability company, that provides oil field services in the Permian Basin ("Two Brother Services").
The Company acquired all of the control equity of Two Brothers Services pursuant to a share exchange agreement dated June 16, 2022, for 30,000,000 shares of Common Stock of the Company. Two Brothers Services is located in Carlsbad, New Mexico, which is located in the prime oil and gas fields of the Permian Basin, and provides specialized oil field services, which include Hot Oilers and Super Vac Trucks. Two Brothers Services has approximately $3M USD in hard assets and equipment and produced top line revenue of $1,600,000 USD in fiscal year 2021. It is expected that Two Brothers Services is on pace to beat fiscal year 2021 top line revenue by closing out the 2022 fiscal year at $3,000,000 USD.
William Bouyea (CEO of the Company), states…" We are happy to acquire Two Brothers Services in Carlsbad, New Mexico. They are a fast-growing oil field service business in one of the hottest oil and gas production areas domestically, the Permian Basin. They fit perfectly in the portfolio of business operations we now own in the hot oil and gas market of the Permian Basin. Having Two Brothers Services as one of our operational subsidiaries and bringing Oscar Maldonado (Owner) as part of our team is without a question a very large event for the Company."
Forward Looking Statement
Certain statements that we make may constitute forward-looking statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The statements contained herein may contain certain forward-looking statements relating to NXMR that are based on the beliefs of NXMR's management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to NXMR's management. These forward-looking statements are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements relating to the NXMR's business prospects, future developments, trends and conditions in the industry and geographical markets in which NXMR operates, its strategies, plans, objectives and goals, its ability to control costs, statements relating to prices, volumes, operations, margins, overall market trends, risk management and exchange rates.
ABOUT US
NextMart, Inc., a Delaware Corporation, is a public quoted Pink Sheet issuer under the ticker symbol "NXMR". Currently, NXMR currently is a shell company with a new management team with plans to become a current alternative reporting issuer with OTC Markets. The Company is currently looking for an appropriate business acquisition.
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SOURCE NextMart, Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/01/nextmart-inc-new-oil-field-service-company-acquisition/ | 2022-07-01T14:54:55Z |
Scared investors haven’t hoarded this much cash since 9/11
By Julia Horowitz, CNN Business
The mood hanging over financial markets is anxious and gloomy, whether you’re a professional investor or a casual trader.
The CNN Business Fear & Greed Index is in “extreme fear” territory. According to the most recent survey from the American Association of Individual Investors, 49% of members think the stock market will drop in the next six months, versus a historical average of 31%.
And the latest survey of fund managers from Bank of America revealed an “extremely bearish May.”
Here’s one sign of how deep the dread is running, as inflation soars, the Federal Reserve raises interest rates and the war in Ukraine drags on: Fund managers are holding their highest levels of cash since the aftermath of September 11, 2001.
According to Bank of America, roughly 6.1% of assets under management are being held as cash.
That’s compared to 5.9% in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, and 5.4% in the depths of the 2008 financial crisis, though it’s still below the 8% cash level seen in 2001.
“This daily grinding down of prices, it’s not surprising you’re seeing cash building up,” David Coombs, head of multi-asset investments at Rathbones, told me.
Bigger cash piles signal two main assumptions from asset managers, Coombs explained.
First, they think clients could keep heading for the exits, and want to make sure they have enough money on hand to pay out to investors. Second, they think the market still has further to fall, and want to be in a position to buy in when they think it’s finally reaching its lows.
Coombs has been drawing down his cash levels to buy select short-dated corporate bonds that he now believes are good value. Unlike many, he sees higher cash levels “as a positive sign.”
His logic: It’s always darkest before the dawn (though that’s my cliché, not his).
“Before markets can recover, you have to get expectations really low, because the recovery will come from a positive surprise,” Coombs said. “Obviously, you can’t have positive surprises unless everyone’s really negative.”
He’s worked in too many bear markets to play the game of trying to call when stocks have bottomed out, he added.
But he thinks the “positive surprise” could ultimately materialize when the Fed backs off interest rate hikes sooner than expected, as price increases do the job of cooling consumer demand and weaker markets raise financing costs for companies.
“I think the Fed is quietly satisfied with what’s going on,” Coombs said.
California’s $6 gas could spread nationwide
The average price for gasoline in California hit $6 a gallon Tuesday for the first time — and analysts at JPMorgan are warning that price could be the national average before the end of the summer.
The startling forecast comes as US gas prices have surged to record highs in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, casting a shadow over the economy.
“There is a real risk the price could reach $6+ a gallon by August,” Natasha Kaneva, JPMorgan’s head of global oil and commodities research, told CNN Business in an email.
With US gasoline inventories sitting at their lowest seasonal levels since 2019, the bank is concerned it will be difficult to satisfy intense demand during this summer’s driving season.
Prices could surge another 37% by August, JPMorgan wrote in its report, titled “Cruel Summer.”
The national average for regular gas rose another five pennies on Wednesday to a record high of $4.57 a gallon, according to AAA. That leaves pump prices up by 17 cents in the past week and 48 cents in a month.
Really cheap gas is becoming much tougher to find. Georgia, Kansas and Oklahoma, the last three states with an average price below $4 a gallon on Monday, all crossed that threshold on Tuesday.
Walmart’s stock posts its worst day since 1987
Inflation is weighing on everyone — even the world’s biggest stores.
Walmart said Tuesday that higher costs and supply chain constraints squeezed its profit during its latest quarter, my CNN Business colleague Nathaniel Meyersohn reports. Walmart also slashed its profit outlook for the year, signaling that it expects inflation to continue to hurt its business.
“While we’ve experienced high levels of inflation in our international markets over the years, US inflation being this high and moving so quickly, both in food and general merchandise, is unusual,” Walmart CEO Doug McMillon told analysts. “We’ll control what we can control, reduce our inventory level and keep prices as low as we can.”
The results drove Walmart’s stock down 11.4% Tuesday, its worst day since 1987.
Why it matters: Walmart, America’s largest retailer and employer, is an economic bellwether. If its expectations for the future are changing, it’s worth paying attention.
In February, Walmart said it expected its profit to increase by about 3% this year. Now, it thinks its profit will decrease by about 1%.
Up next
Lowe’s, Target and TJX report results before US markets open. Bath & Body Works follows after the close.
Also today: US housing starts and building permits for April arrive at 8:30 a.m. ET.
Coming tomorrow: Earnings from Kohl’s and Ross Stores.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/money/cnn-business-consumer/2022/05/18/scared-investors-havent-hoarded-this-much-cash-since-9-11/ | 2022-05-18T14:31:55Z |
MACON – Researchers at the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center at Mercer University, with assistance from the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture, have released their study, “Farmer’s Mental Well-Being Project: Statewide Survey Report.”
The study showed that 29% of farmer workers, owners and managers had thought of suicide in the past year. Among first-generation farmers, 60% said they had suicidal thoughts in the past year.
The survey, conducted from Jan. 1 to April 30, drew 1,651 responses. All but two of Georgia’s 159 counties had at least one person respond.
The principal investigators were Mercer University PhD candidate Stephanie Basey and Anne Montgomery, a biostatistician with the GHRIC. The GFA, affiliated with Georgia Farm Bureau, aided in promoting the study and collecting data. Each of Georgia Farm Bureau’s 10 districts, 14- to 17-county regions across the state, had at least 100 survey respondents.
“Challenges creating significant stress for farmers have drawn increasing attention in recent years, and the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture was happy to partner with Mercer and the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center to find out just how widespread the issues are,” GFA Executive Director Lily Baucom said. “While we all agree more examination is needed, we hope this study will help us find ways to improve the landscape for farmers’ mental well-being.”
The study quantifies what many in agriculture have long known: farming, with so many factors outside the farmer’s control, comes with extraordinary stress. The survey showed 96% of farmers are either moderately or highly stressed. In addition, 40% of farmers felt lonely at least once in the last month, 49% felt sad or depressed and 39% felt hopeless.
“In the months leading up to this research, we heard about things like farmer-specific trainings and mental health trainings for farmers, but there’s no real data to show what that training needs to look like, and so we thought to inventory our farmers to find out what is going on,” Basey, a PhD candidate in the Mercer University School of Medicine’s Rural Health Sciences program, said. “What are the stressors that impact them directly or maybe even in their community?
"That was the base of this, with the hope to, working with the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture, develop that farmer-specific training with the input of our farmers.”
In addition to suicidal thoughts, the survey measured sources of stress, activities farmers use to cope with stress, and access to professional help for mental well-being.
“There was a scarcity of literature, and what literature there was focused mainly on suicide,” Basey said.
Montgomery said the group wanted to generate data to help explain the alarming rate of farmer suicides noted in 2018 documentation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which counted 50.7 suicides per 100,000 farmers, more than triple the rate (14.9 per 100,000) measured in all industries.
“Long-term exposure to stress negatively impacts physical and mental health, and in turn this leads to development of stress-related disease and disorders,” Montgomery said. “So the bulk of our study was to develop an inventory of stressors and coping mechanisms among farmers. We were hoping to develop some tailored interventions to improve mental well-being of farmers, and we will be working on that.”
Survey participants were presented a wide array of stressors and asked to identify which ones affected them. The two most common were home/work life balance and weather. For each of those, 61% said they were moderately worried, worried a lot or extremely worried. Following those stressors were COVID-19 impact on income (59%), saving for retirement (59%) and unexpected financial burdens (59%).
The respondents were asked to identify the ways they manage their stress. The most common, noted by 39% of respondents, was exercise or walking, followed by talking to family or friends (31%), engaging in a hobby (28%), drinking alcohol (27%), watching TV or reading (27%) and sleep (22%). In addition to drinking alcohol, survey participants said they use cannabis (5%), other illicit drugs (4%) and over-the-counter drugs (2%). Visit www.georgiaruralhealth.org/farmworkersurvey/ to access the final report and to access the results of a pilot study done in 2021.
The Georgia Foundation for Agriculture is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded by the Georgia Farm Bureau in 2014. The GFA works with Georgia Farm Bureau and other Georgia agricultural and educational organizations to achieve its mission. The foundation offers scholarships to students pursuing agricultural careers and funds leadership development programs and projects that increase the public’s understanding of agriculture. Visit www.GaFoundationAg.org for more information. | https://www.albanyherald.com/news/survey-shows-increased-stress-levels-that-come-with-farming/article_2ba7740c-f7df-11ec-9715-e3a2a66eed3a.html | 2022-06-29T19:46:19Z |
STAMFORD, Conn., May 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dorian LPG Ltd. (NYSE: LPG) (the "Company," "Dorian LPG," "we," and "our"), a leading owner and operator of modern very large gas carriers ("VLGCs"), today reported its financial results for the three months and fiscal year ended March 31, 2022.
- Revenues of $79.6 million.
- Time charter equivalent ("TCE")(1) per operating day rate for our fleet of $43,372.
- Net income of $35.4 million, or $0.88 earnings per diluted share ("EPS"), and adjusted net income(1) of $24.7 million, or $0.62 adjusted diluted earnings per share ("adjusted EPS")(1).
- Adjusted EBITDA(1) of $54.1 million.
- Declared and paid an irregular dividend totaling $40.1 million.
- Completed refinancing of Cratis, Copernicus, Chaparral, and Caravelle under separate Japanese financings, resulting in net cash proceeds of over $115 million.
- Revenues of $274.2 million.
- TCE(1) per operating day rate for our fleet of $34,669.
- Net income of $71.9 million, or $1.78 EPS, and adjusted net income(1) of $53.6 million, or $1.33 adjusted EPS(1).
- Adjusted EBITDA(1) of $161.1 million.
- Declared and paid two irregular dividends totaling $80.5 million.
- Completed refinancing of Constellation and Commander under BALCAP Facility, resulting in net cash proceeds of $34.9 million.
- Completed the sale of the VLGs Captain Markos NL and Captain Nicholas ML. resulting in cash proceeds, net of fees and commission, of $90.5 million.
- ESG commitment – average efficiency ratio ahead of trajectory levels, crew rotations largely returned to pre-pandemic levels, and completed publication of first ESG report.
- Repurchased over $20.4 million of our common stock, or approximately 1.5 million shares pursuant to our common share repurchase authorities.
- Declared an irregular dividend of $2.50 per share, totaling $100.3 million and expected to be paid on or about June 2, 2022.
- Prepaid $25 million of the 2015 AR Facility in April 2022.
- Completed refinancing of Cougar under a Japanese financing, resulting in net cash proceeds of $29.9 million.
John Hadjipateras, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, commented, "Supported by good market conditions and access to attractive capital, we generated solid results for the quarter and are pleased to pay an additional $2.50 per share dividend, bringing our total returns of capital to shareholders to over $400 million since our IPO. It is right to acknowledge the good work of our people at sea and on shore. Their integrity and professionalism enable us to overcome challenges resulting from the current extraordinary geopolitical situation and ongoing COVID-19 related operational difficulties. As well as in fleet development we invest in the wellbeing of our people and in technologies that enhance performance efficiency and reduce our carbon footprint."
Our net income amounted to $35.4 million, or $0.88 per share, for the three months ended March 31, 2022, compared to net income of $44.0 million, or $0.93 per share, for the three months ended March 31, 2021.
Our adjusted net income amounted to $24.7 million, or $0.62 per share, for the three months ended March 31, 2022, compared to adjusted net income of $40.8 million, or $0.86 per share, for the three months ended March 31, 2021. We have adjusted our net income for the three months ended March 31, 2022 for an unrealized gain on derivative instruments of $6.9 million and a gain on disposal of vessels of $3.8 million. We adjusted our net income for the three months ended March 31, 2021 for an unrealized gain on derivative instruments of $3.3 million. Please refer to the reconciliation of net income to adjusted net income, which appears later in this press release.
The $16.1 million decrease in adjusted net income for the three months ended March 31, 2022 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2021 is primarily attributable to (i) a decrease of $20.0 million in revenues and (ii) increases of $2.6 million in interest and finance costs and $0.9 million in charter hire expenses from our chartered-in VLGCs, partially offset by decreases of $4.1 million in general and administrative expenses (prior period was inclusive of a contingent liability and corresponding expense of $4.0 million), $2.9 million in vessel operating expenses, and $1.4 million in depreciation and amortization.
The TCE rate for our fleet was $43,372 for the three months ended March 31, 2022, a 12.3% decrease from the $49,474 TCE rate for the same period in the prior year, as further described in "Revenues" below. Please see footnote 7 to the table in "Financial Information" below for other information related to how we calculate TCE. Total fleet utilization (including the utilization of our vessels deployed in the Helios Pool) decreased from 95.3% in the three months ended March 31, 2021 to 89.3% in the three months ended March 31, 2022.
Vessel operating expenses per day decreased to $9,370 during the three months ended March 31, 2022 from $10,198 in the same period in the prior year. Please see "Vessel Operating Expenses" below for more information.
Revenues, which represent net pool revenues—related party, time charters and other revenues earned by our vessels, were $79.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022, a decrease of $20.0 million, or 20.1%, from $99.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021. The decrease was primarily attributable to a reduction of average freight rates, reduced fleet utilization, and fewer available days. Average TCE rates of $43,372 for the three months ended March 31, 2022 decreased $6,102 from $49,474 for the three months ended March 31, 2021, primarily due to higher bunker prices, partially offset by slightly reduced spot rates. The average price of very low sulfur fuel oil (expressed as U.S. dollars per metric ton), from Singapore and Fujairah increased from $486 during the three months ended March 31, 2021 to $776 during the three months ended March 31, 2022. The Baltic Exchange Liquid Petroleum Gas Index, an index published daily by the Baltic Exchange for the spot market rate for the benchmark Ras Tanura-Chiba route (expressed as U.S. dollars per metric ton), averaged $57.104 during the three months ended March 31, 2022 compared to an average of $54.260 for the three months ended March 31, 2021. Fleet utilization decreased from 95.3% during the three months ended March 31, 2021 to 89.3% during the three months ended March 31, 2022. Vessel available days decreased from 2,091 during the three months ended March 31, 2021 to 2,025 during the three months ended March 31, 2022 due to fewer vessels in our fleet after the sales of Captain Markos NL and Captain Nicholas ML.
Charter hire expenses for vessels time chartered-in from third parties were $5.4 million for three months ended March 31, 2022 compared to $4.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021. The increase of $0.9 million, or 20.6%, was caused by a slightly higher charter rate on the vessel chartered in during October 2021.
Vessel operating expenses were $17.3 million during the three months ended March 31, 2022, or $9,370 per vessel per calendar day, which is calculated by dividing vessel operating expenses by calendar days for the relevant time period for the vessels that were in our fleet. This was a decrease of $2.9 million, or 14.4%, from $20.2 million, or $10,198 per vessel per calendar day, for the three months ended March 31, 2021. The decrease in vessel operating expenses was primarily the result of (i) reduced calendar days due to the sale of two VLGCs, (ii) reduced spares and stores of $1.1 million, or $427 per vessel per calendar day, and (iii) a reduction of $0.9 million, or $442 per vessel per calendar day in repairs and maintenance costs.
General and administrative expenses were $7.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022, a decrease of $4.1 million, or 37.4%, from $11.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021. The decrease resulted from the non-recurrence of the recording of a contingent liability of $4.0 million during the three months ended March 31, 2021 related to a disputed claim relating to one of our VLGCs.
Interest and finance costs amounted to $8.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022, an increase of $2.6 million, or 46.7%, from $5.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021. The increase of $2.6 million during the three months ended March 31, 2022 was mainly due to (i) an increase of $2.0 million in amortization of deferred financing fees driven by accelerated amortization related to our refinancings completed during the quarter and (ii) an increase of $0.8 million of interest incurred on our long-term debt, primarily resulting from the payment of certain fees and expenses related to prepayment of amounts incurred in conjunction with the refinancings of four of our VLGCs during the period, partially offset by a decrease in average indebtedness and capitalized interest totaling $0.3 million in the three months ended March 31, 2022. Average indebtedness, excluding deferred financing fees, decreased from $612.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 to $595.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022. As of March 31, 2022, the outstanding balance of our long-term debt, excluding deferred financing fees, was $670.0 million.
Unrealized gain on derivatives amounted to approximately $6.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022, compared to $3.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021. The favorable $3.6 million difference is primarily attributable to an increase in the fair value of our interest rate swaps caused by changes in forward LIBOR yield curves.
Gain on disposal of vessels amounted to $3.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and was attributable to the sale of Captain Nicholas ML. There was no gain on disposal of vessels for the three months ended March 31, 2021.
Our net income amounted to $71.9 million, or $1.78 per share, for the year ended March 31, 2022, compared to net income of $92.6 million, or $1.86 per share, for the year ended March 31, 2021.
Our adjusted net income amounted to $53.6 million, or $1.33 per share, for the year ended March 31, 2022, compared to adjusted net income of $85.4 million, or $1.71 per share, for the year ended March 31, 2021. We have adjusted our net income for the year ended March 31, 2022 for an unrealized gain on derivative instruments of $11.1 million and gain on disposal of vessels of $7.3 million. We have adjusted our net income for the year ended March 31, 2021 for an unrealized gain on derivatives of $7.2 million. Please refer to the reconciliation of net income to adjusted net income, which appears later in this press release.
The unfavorable change of $31.8 million in adjusted net income for the year ended March 31, 2022 compared to the year ended March 31, 2021 is primarily attributable to a decrease in revenues of $41.7 million, an increase of $0.9 million in voyage expenses, and $1.9 million of unfavorable changes in other miscellaneous items, partially offset by decreases of $4.0 million in vessel operating expenses, $3.7 million in general and administrative costs (prior year was inclusive of a contingent liability and corresponding expense of $4.0 million), $2.1 million in depreciation and amortization, $1.8 million in charter hire expenses from our chartered-in VLGCs, a favorable change of $1.1 million in realized loss on derivatives.
The TCE rate for our fleet was $34,669 for the year ended March 31, 2022, a 12.5% decrease from the $39,606 TCE rate from the prior year, as further described in "Revenues" below. Please see footnote 7 to the table in "Financial Information" below for other information related to how we calculate TCE. Total fleet utilization (including the utilization of our vessels deployed in the Helios Pool) increased from 92.8% in the year ended March 31, 2021 to 94.9% in the year ended March 31, 2022.
Vessel operating expenses per day decreased to $9,538 in the year ended March 31, 2022 from $9,741 in the prior year. Please see "Vessel Operating Expenses" below for more information.
Revenues, which represent net pool revenues—related party, time charters and other revenues, net, were $274.2 million for the year ended March 31, 2022, a decrease of $41.7 million, or 13.2%, from $315.9 million for the year ended March 31, 2021. The decrease is primarily attributable to a reduction of average TCE rates partially offset by an increase in fleet utilization. Average TCE rates of $34,669 for the year ended March 31, 2022 decreased $4,937 from $39,606 for the year ended March 31, 2021, primarily due to higher bunker prices along with slightly reduced spot rates. The average price of very low sulfur fuel oil (expressed as U.S. dollars per metric ton), from Singapore and Fujairah increased from $365 during the year ended March 31, 2021 to $609 during the year ended March 31, 2022. The Baltic Exchange Liquid Petroleum Gas Index, an index published daily by the Baltic Exchange for the spot market rate for the benchmark Ras Tanura-Chiba route (expressed as U.S. dollars per metric ton), averaged $52.689 during the year ended March 31, 2022 compared to an average of $55.703 for the year ended March 31, 2021. Our fleet utilization increased from 92.8% during the year ended March 31, 2021 to 94.9% during the year ended March 31, 2022.
Charter hire expenses for the vessels chartered in from third parties were $16.3 million for the year ended March 31, 2022 compared to $18.1 million for the year ended March 31, 2021. The decrease of $1.8 million, or 10.3%, was mainly caused by a decrease in time chartered-in days from 740 for the year ended March 31, 2021 to 579 for the year ended March 31, 2022, due to the redelivery of one time chartered in vessel during the period, partially offset by a slightly higher charter rate on the vessel chartered in during October 2021.
Vessel operating expenses were $74.2 million during the year ended March 31, 2022, or $9,538 per vessel per calendar day, which is calculated by dividing vessel operating expenses by calendar days for the relevant time period for the vessels that were in our fleet. This was a decrease of $4.0 million, or 5.1%, from $78.2 million, or $9,741 per vessel per calendar day, for the year ended March 31, 2021. The decrease in vessel operating expenses was primarily the result of a $2.9 million, or $359 per vessel per calendar day, decrease in non-capitalizable operating expenses related to the drydocking of vessels. Adjusting for the non-capitalizable drydocking costs, vessel operating expenses per vessel per calendar day increased $156 during the year ended March 31, 2022, mainly due to increased COVID-19 related expenses driving an increase in crew wages and related costs, particularly in crew travel and medical costs.
General and administrative expenses were $30.2 million for the year ended March 31, 2022, a decrease of $3.7 million, or 10.8%, from $33.9 million for the year ended March 31, 2021. The decrease resulted from the non-recurrence of the recording of a contingent liability of $4.0 million during the year ended March 31, 2021 related to a disputed claim relating to one of our VLGCs.
Interest and finance costs amounted to $27.1 million for the year ended March 31, 2022, a decrease of $0.5 million from $27.6 million for the year ended March 31, 2021. The decrease of $0.5 million during the year ended March 31, 2022 was due to (i) a decrease of $1.5 million in interest incurred on our long-term debt, primarily resulting from a decrease in average indebtedness and a reduced margin on the commercial tranche of the 2015 AR Facility due to our Security Leverage Ratio being less than 40%, partially offset by the payment of certain fees and expenses related to prepayment of amounts incurred in conjunction with the refinancings of six of our VLGCs during the period, and (ii) capitalized interest totaling $0.3 million in the year ended March 31, 2022. The decreases were partially offset by an increase of $1.2 million in amortization of deferred financing fees driven by accelerated amortization related to our refinancings completed during the year. Average indebtedness, excluding deferred financing fees, decreased from $633.7 million for the year ended March 31, 2021 to $609.0 million for the year ended March 31, 2022. As of March 31, 2022, the outstanding balance of our long-term debt, excluding deferred financing fees, was $670.0 million.
Unrealized gain on derivatives amounted to $11.1 million for the year ended March 31, 2022 compared to $7.2 million for the year ended March 31, 2021. The favorable $3.9 million difference is primarily attributable a $6.5 million increase in favorable fair value changes to our interest rate swaps resulting from changes in forward LIBOR yield curves and certain of our swaps maturing, partially offset by a decrease of $2.6 million in favorable changes to our FFA positions during the year ended March 31, 2021 that did not recur in the current period.
Realized loss on derivatives was $3.5 million for the year ended March 31, 2022, compared to $4.6 million for the year ended March 31, 2021. The favorable $1.1 million change is primarily attributable to (i) unfavorable settlements of $0.8 million on our FFA positions during the year ended March 31, 2021 that did not recur in the year ended March 31, 2022, and (ii) a $0.3 million reduction of realized losses on our interest rate swaps.
Gain on disposal of vessels amounted to $7.3 million for the year ended March 31, 2022 and was attributable to the sales of Captain Markos NL and Captain Nicholas ML. There was no gain on disposal of vessels for the year ended March 31, 2021.
The following table sets forth certain information regarding our fleet as of May 23, 2022. We classify vessel employment as either Time Charter, Pool or Pool-TCO.
A major influence on the LPG market during the first calendar quarter of 2022 was the ramifications from the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The Brent crude oil price rose throughout the quarter reaching, on average, $123 per metric ton in March 2022. Subsequently, all product prices (propane, butane and naphtha) also increased. However, propane and butane's price compared to crude oil fell both East and West within the first calendar quarter of 2022 from the fourth calendar quarter of 2021.
In NW Europe, propane fell from 70% of Brent in December 2021 to 58% in March 2022 with butane following a similar trend, falling from 86% of Brent in December 2021 to 71% in March 2022. Eastern LPG prices followed a similar trend with propane prices, compared to Brent, falling from an average of 80% in the fourth calendar quarter of 2021 to 67% in the first calendar quarter of 2022 and butane declining from 88% of Brent in fourth calendar quarter of 2021 to 77% vs Brent in the first calendar quarter of 2022.
Naphtha prices continued to rise during the quarter, resulting in the propane-naphtha spread in NW Europe widening from negative $64 per metric ton in January 2022 to negative $108 metric ton in February 2022 and widening further in March to negative $139 per metric ton. Overall, the propane-naphtha spread in NW Europe widened from an average of plus $26 per metric ton in the fourth calendar quarter of 2021 to negative $103 per metric ton in the first calendar quarter of 2022.
With widening propane-naphtha spreads, propane was advantageous compared to naphtha for the production of ethylene via steam crackers in the Far East and NW Europe. However, margins continued to remain under pressure. Naphtha was showing negative margins by the end of the quarter in NW Europe and consistently negative margins in the Far East. For propane as a feedstock, margins in NW Europe fell throughout the quarter from $652 per metric ton in January 2022 to $424 per metric ton in February 2022 and settling around $399 per metric ton in March 2022.
In the East, on average, margins were around negative $260 per metric ton for the production of ethylene utilising naphtha and negative $47 per metric ton for propane. Throughout the quarter, margins for propane as a feedstock in Far Eastern steam crackers improved and turned positive in February and March 2022. However, with margins under pressure, operating rates in some petrochemical plants were lowered or maintenance was brought forward. This highlights the sensitivity of the market to downstream olefin and polyolefin dynamics. This was also true for Far Eastern PDH plants, which despite improved margins in the first calendar quarter of 2022 compared to the first calendar quarter of 2021, remained under pressure rising from an average of negative $11 per metric ton in the fourth calendar quarter of 2021 to $46 per metric ton on average in the first calendar quarter of 2022. New capacity that was expected to come on-stream in the first calendar quarter of 2022 was delayed.
The Baltic VLGC index averaged around $57 per metric ton in the first calendar quarter of 2022, $2 per metric ton below the performance of the Baltic Index as of the fourth calendar quarter of 2021.
Currently the VLGC orderbook stands at approximately 20% of the current global fleet. An additional 67 VLGCs equivalent to roughly 6.0 million cbm of carrying capacity are expected to be added to the global fleet by the end of calendar year 2024. The average age of the global fleet is now approximately 10.6 years old.
The above market outlook update is based on information, data and estimates derived from industry sources, and there can be no assurances that such trends will continue or that anticipated developments in freight rates, export volumes, the VLGC orderbook or other market indicators will materialize. This information, data and estimates involve a number of assumptions and limitations, are subject to risks and uncertainties, and are subject to change based on various factors. You are cautioned not to give undue weight to such information, data and estimates. We have not independently verified any third-party information or verified that more recent information is not available.
Liquefied gases are primarily used for industrial and domestic heating, as a chemical and refinery feedstock, as a transportation fuel and in agriculture. The LPG shipping market historically has been stronger in the spring and summer months in anticipation of increased consumption of propane and butane for heating during the winter months. In addition, unpredictable weather patterns in these months tend to disrupt vessel scheduling and the supply of certain commodities. Demand for our vessels therefore may be stronger in the quarters ending June 30 and September 30 and relatively weaker during the quarters ending December 31 and March 31, although 12-month time charter rates tend to smooth these short-term fluctuations and recent LPG shipping market activity has not yielded the expected seasonal results. To the extent any of our time charters expire during the typically weaker fiscal quarters ending December 31 and March 31, it may not be possible to re-charter our vessels at similar rates. As a result, we may have to accept lower rates or experience off-hire time for our vessels, which may adversely impact our business, financial condition and operating results.
The following table presents our selected financial data (unaudited) and other information for the periods presented:
The following table sets forth a reconciliation (unaudited) of net income to Adjusted EBITDA for the periods presented:
The following table sets forth a reconciliation (unaudited) of revenues to TCE rate for the periods presented:
In addition to the results of operations presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, we provide adjusted net income and adjusted EPS. We believe that adjusted net income and adjusted EPS are useful to investors in understanding our underlying performance and business trends. Adjusted net income and adjusted EPS are not a measurement of financial performance or liquidity under U.S. GAAP; therefore, these non-U.S. GAAP financial measures should not be considered as an alternative or substitute for U.S. GAAP. The following table reconciles (unaudited) net income and EPS to adjusted net income and adjusted EPS, respectively, for the periods presented:
The following table presents our unaudited balance sheets as of the dates presented:
A conference call to discuss the results will be held today, May 26, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. ET. The conference call can be accessed live by dialing 1-877-407-9716, or for international callers, 1-201-493-6779, and requesting to be joined into the Dorian LPG call. A replay will be available at 1:00 p.m. ET the same day and can be accessed by dialing 1-844-512-2921, or for international callers, 1-412-317-6671. The pass code for the replay is 13730154. The replay will be available until June 2, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
A live webcast of the conference call will also be available under the investor section at www.dorianlpg.com. The information on our website does not form a part of and is not incorporated by reference into this press release.
Dorian is a leading owner and operator of 22 modern and ECO VLGCs and has offices in Stamford, Connecticut, USA; Copenhagen, Denmark; and Athens, Greece.
Visit our website at www.dorianlpg.com. Information on the Company's website does not constitute a part of and is not incorporated by reference into this press release.
This press release contains "forward-looking statements." Statements that are predictive in nature, that depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, or that include words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "projects," "forecasts," "may," "will," "should" and similar expressions are forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent only the Company's current expectations and observations regarding future results, many of which, by their nature are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company's control. Where the Company expresses an expectation or belief as to future events or results, such expectation or belief is expressed in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis. However, the Company's forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed, projected, or implied by those forward-looking statements. The Company's actual results may differ, possibly materially, from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including changes in the Company's financial resources and operational capabilities and as a result of certain other factors listed from time to time in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information about risks and uncertainties associated with Dorian LPG's business, please refer to the "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Risk Factors" sections of Dorian LPG's SEC filings, including, but not limited to, its annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The Company does not assume any obligation to update the information contained in this press release.
Dorian LPG Ltd.
Ted Young
Chief Financial Officer
(203) 674-9900
IR@dorianlpg.com
Source: Dorian LPG Ltd.
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SOURCE Dorian LPG Ltd. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/26/dorian-lpg-ltd-announces-fourth-quarter-full-fiscal-year-2022-financial-results/ | 2022-05-26T10:20:57Z |
The first fully plant-based fine-dining restaurant opens on the Las Vegas Strip
**For high-res images, click here**
LAS VEGAS , May 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The highly anticipated Crossroads Kitchen and CB | Crossroads Burgers, helmed by plant-based visionary and acclaimed chef Tal Ronnen, officially opened to the public at Resorts World Las Vegas on Saturday, May 28.
Two restaurants are now open at the Strip's newest resort — Crossroads Kitchen, Ronnen's beloved plant-based institution which mirrors the original location in Los Angeles as well as CB|Crossroads Burgers, a new fast-casual, plant-based restaurant. Each bring their distinct dining experiences to the already impressive food and beverage portfolio at Resorts World Las Vegas.
"Our expansion within Resorts World Las Vegas points to the evolving mainstream appeal of plant-based cuisine," said Chef Tal Ronnen, founder of Crossroads Kitchen and author of New York Times Best Seller, The Conscious Cook. "When Crossroads Kitchen first opened in 2013, it was a rarity, the first upscale, entirely plant-based restaurant with a full bar. Now, with our new locations, I'm excited to continue shaping the perception of plant-based dining with Resorts World and serve delicious, refined food that appeals to vegans and flexitarians alike."
Crossroads Kitchen offers guests its signature Mediterranean-inspired dishes in a convivial atmosphere as well as additional specialty menu items exclusive to the Las Vegas location including the Chestnut Foie Gras made with roasted chestnuts and served with a cabernet demi-glace, grilled sourdough, celery leaf, and grapes and Chips and Caviar, waffle chips served with a dollop of Kite Hill sour cream topped opulently with seaweed-based caviar. Off-menu items from the Los Angeles location such as Spaghetti and Meatballs made with Impossible Meatballs and Fettuccine Alfredo provide diners with nostalgic plant-based comfort food.
The 162-seat restaurant features the dark woods, deep red banquettes, dramatic lighting and music the Melrose institution is known for. Iconic photography from artist Neil Zlozower is displayed throughout. The restaurant will also feature bar seating and a private dining room for up to 20 people.
Crossroads Kitchen's casual outpost, CB|Crossroads Burgers, serves the restaurant's custom plant-based sausage with specially crafted in-house casings, burgers, fries and ice cream sundaes from a quick-service counter. Diners have the option to enjoy their meals in the 24-seat venue, or order takeaway for on-the-go convenience and even opt for delivery with menu items arriving directly to their rooms or poolside cabanas through Resorts World's On The Fly service.
With the opening of Crossroads Las Vegas, Chef Ronnen continues to redefine the plant-based culinary landscape he pioneered, creating destination-worthy experiences for locals and travelers alike. The restaurants offer an upscale venue to indulge in a delicious plant-based meal and enamor a diverse range of appetites.
Crossroads Kitchen is now open daily for dinner from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. CB|Crossroads Burgers is open daily for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Guests can now book dinner reservations for Crossroads Kitchen via SevenRooms by visiting rwlasvegas.com/dining/crossroads, or calling 702-676-7000.
About Resorts World Las Vegas
Resorts World Las Vegas was developed by Genting Berhad, a publicly traded Malaysian corporation registered with the Nevada Gaming Commission. The company has affiliated operations in the Americas, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the Bahamas. In partnership with Hilton, Resorts World Las Vegas integrates three of Hilton's premium brands into its resort campus, including Las Vegas Hilton, the resort's full-service brand; Conrad Las Vegas, Hilton's lifestyle luxury brand; and LXR, Hilton's network of independent luxury properties, which operates as Crockfords Las Vegas, Genting's internationally renowned ultra-luxury brand. Resorts World Las Vegas features 3,506 guest rooms and suites, an innovative, next-generation gaming floor, world-class food and beverage options, a 5,000-capacity theatre, distinct nightlife venues, a curated retail collection of designer and boutique shops and more. The integrated resort weaves time-honored traditions of the international Resorts World brand into the fabric of Las Vegas, introducing a bold, fresh take on hospitality to the city with stunning design, progressive technology and world-class guest service. Resorts World Las Vegas is Sharecare Health Security VERIFIED™ with Forbes Travel Guide, a verification that ensures the resort has appropriate health safety procedures in place. For more information, visit rwlasvegas.com or find us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.
About Genting Group
Genting Group comprises Genting Berhad (KLSE: GENTING), the holding company, and its listed companies Genting Malaysia Berhad (KLSE: GENM), Genting Plantations Berhad (KLSE: GENP) and Genting Singapore Limited (SGX: G13). Genting Group is involved in leisure and hospitality, power generation, oil and gas, property development, life sciences and biotechnology activities, with operations spanning across the globe, including in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, India, China, the United States of America, Bahamas and the United Kingdom. Genting Group is a leader in the global gaming and hospitality industry. Founded in 1965, Genting Group has more than 50 years of experience in developing and operating destination resorts in the Americas, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the Bahamas, offering an unparalleled resort experience and iconic entertainment attractions to over 50 million visitors a year. For more information, visit www.genting.com.
About Crossroads Kitchen
Located in the heart of Los Angeles since 2013 at the corner of Melrose & Sweetzer Avenues, Crossroads Kitchen is chef Tal Ronnen's refined plant-based restaurant offering a Mediterranean-inspired menu in an elegant setting. Signature dishes include artichoke oysters topped with kelp caviar, Caesar salad with a house dressing, oven-roasted truffle potatoes and spaghetti carbonara. With design elements such as deep red banquettes and dramatic light fixtures, the restaurant's convivial atmosphere welcomes all guests, including vegans, meat enthusiasts, flexitarians and omnivores alike. Crossroads Los Angeles is open daily for dinner, weekday lunch and brunch on the weekends.
crossroadskitchen.com | @crossroadskitchen
Media Contacts:
Alison Brod Marketing + Communications (for Resorts World Las Vegas)
resortsworld@abmc-us.com
Becca PR (for Crossroads Kitchen)
Alyce Bonnar / Eugenia Kim
crossroads@beccapr.com
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SOURCE Resorts World Las Vegas | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/05/31/crossroads-kitchen-cb-crossroads-burgers-now-open-resorts-world-las-vegas/ | 2022-05-31T17:11:19Z |
BEIJING, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Origin Agritech Ltd. (NASDAQ: SEED) (the "Company" or "Origin"), an agriculture technology company, announced today that effective September 16, 2022, Origin Agritech will be added two new equity indices, the FTSE Micro Cap Index and the FTSE Total Cap Index.
These indices are a part of the FTSE Global Equity Index Series (GEIS) which includes over 16,000 large, mid, small, and micro cap securities across 48 developed and emerging markets globally, with a wide range of modular indexes available to target specific markets and market segments.
The FTSE Global Micro Cap Index provides deep representation of the smallest segment of the global investable equity market, rounding out global small cap and total cap allocations as international markets continue to grow and evolve. The index comprises micro cap stocks globally.
The FTSE Global Total Cap Index is the broadest index in the FTSE Global Equity Index Series (GEIS), and includes large, mid, small and micro cap companies from both developed and emerging markets globally.
Investors can access more information about the FTSE Russell indices at FTSE Global Equity Index Series (GEIS) | FTSE Russell.
About Origin Agritech Limited
Origin Agritech Limited, founded in 1997 and headquartered in Zhong-Guan-Cun (ZGC) Life Science Park in Beijing, is a leading Chinese agricultural technology company. In crop seed biotechnologies, Origin Agritech's phytase corn was the first transgenic corn to receive the Bio-Safety Certificate from China's Ministry of Agriculture. Over the years, Origin has established a robust biotechnology seed pipeline including products with glyphosate tolerance and pest resistance (Bt) traits. For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.originagritech.com. The company also maintains a twitter account for updating investors on company and industry developments, which is @origin_agritech.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the federal securities laws, including Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements address expected future business and financial performance and financial condition, and contain words like "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "seek," "will," "would," "target," and similar expressions and variations. Forward-looking statements address matters that are uncertain. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are based on assumptions and expectations which may not be realized. They are based on management's current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections about the Company and the industry in which the Company operates but involve a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's control. Some of the important factors that could cause the company's actual results to differ materially from those discussed in forward-looking statements are: failure to develop and market new products and optimally manage product life cycles; ability to respond to market acceptance, rules, regulations and policies affecting our products; failure to appropriately manage process safety and product stewardship issues; changes in laws and regulations or political conditions; global economic and capital markets conditions, such as inflation, interest and currency exchange rates; business or supply disruptions; natural disasters and weather events and patterns; ability to protect and enforce the company's intellectual property rights; and separation of underperforming or non-strategic assets or businesses. The company undertakes no duty or obligation to publicly revise or update any forward-looking statements as a result of future developments, or new information or otherwise, should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by securities and other applicable laws. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results. You are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements contained herein and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements.
Director of Investor Relation
Phone: 310-845-6238
Email: joe@originagritech.com
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SOURCE Origin Agritech Limited | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/origin-agritech-announces-addition-two-ftse-russell-equity-indices/ | 2022-09-12T13:52:12Z |
NEW YORK, Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Silver Golub & Teitell LLP (SGT)—a plaintiffs' law firm headquartered in Connecticut—is investigating claims against Nelnet Servicing, LLC (Nelnet) in connection with the theft of the social security numbers other sensitive personal information of over 2.5 million individuals whose loans Nelnet services.
Nelnet is a Nebraska-based student loan servicing company that serves as a student loan servicer and web portal provider for EdFinancial and the Oklahoma Student Loan Authority (OSLA). On August 26, 2022, EdFinancial and OSLA began notifying over 2.5 million of their customers that that their sensitive personal information—including social security numbers, full names, physical addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers—had been exposed as a result of unauthorized access to Nelnet's computer systems. According to a letter filed with the Maine Attorney General, Nelnet "discovered a vulnerability [Nelnet] believes led to . . .certain student loan account registration information [being] accessible by an unknown party beginning in June 2022 and ending on July 22, 2022."
SGT believes victims of the Nelnet data breach may have claims against Nelnet as they likely face increased odds of identity theft or other identity fraud-type crimes. If you received notice from Nelnet that your information has been exposed and wish to learn more about your rights, visit SGT's contact SGT Partner Ian W. Sloss at isloss@sgtlaw.com at (203) 325-4491.
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SOURCE Silver Golub & Teitell LLP | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/09/03/silver-golub-amp-teitell-llp-investigates-class-action-lawsuit-against-nelnet-student-loan-servicing-data-breach/ | 2022-09-03T00:46:17Z |
Drought conditions uncover 113-million-year-old dinosaur tracks
Published: Aug. 23, 2022 at 2:55 PM CDT|Updated: 1 hour ago
(CNN) - The severe drought in Texas has uncovered a little piece of history.
Dinosaur tracks from about 113 million years ago can be seen in a dried-out river in Dinosaur Valley State Park.
A park official said these tracks likely came from an Acrocanthosaurus, weighed seven tons and reached 15 feet tall.
The tracks in Dinosaur Valley State Park are expected to be covered up again with river water as local forecasters are calling for rain.
Park officials say that is a good thing because the water helps protect the prints from natural weathering and erosion.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/08/23/drought-conditions-uncover-113-million-year-old-dinosaur-tracks/ | 2022-08-23T21:15:31Z |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Sephora Inc., one of the world’s largest cosmetics retailers, has settled a lawsuit claiming that the company sold customer information without proper notice in violation of the California’s landmark consumer privacy law, state Attorney General Rob Bonta said Wednesday.
Sephora failed to tell customers that it was selling their personal information, failed to allow customers to opt out of that sale, and didn’t fix the problem within 30 days as required by the law, even after it was notified of the violation, state officials said.
The company agreed to pay $1.2 million and immediately correct the problem under the settlement, the state’s first such enforcement action under the California Consumer Privacy Act, according to Bonta.
Sephora said it is already complying with the state law after cooperating with Bonta’s office.
“Data is power, and these days everyone wants it,” Bonta said.
“Some of the most intimate details about your life are being harvested,” he said. “The more data a company has on you, the more power they have over you, the more they can target you to buy their goods and services.”
But the state law gives consumers a way to block that collection and sale.
The act was passed by state lawmakers in 2018 and expanded by voters in 2020. It gives California, home to Silicon Valley, what is viewed as the strongest U.S. data privacy law, providing consumers with the right to know what information companies collect about them online, to get that data deleted and to opt out of the sale of their personal information.
Bonta’s office has warned more than 100 companies that they were out of compliance and sent more than a dozen new notices on Wednesday. The “vast majority” complied, he said, but not Sephora, which sells cosmetics, perfumes, beauty and skincare products in 2,700 stores in 35 countries.
“Their actions compared to others was egregious,” he said, saying the settlement should be a warning to other companies that don’t comply.
The company did not admit any liability or wrongdoing under terms of the settlement. The company was founded in France and has its U.S. headquarters in San Francisco.
In its settlement, Sephora agreed to clarify its website disclosures and privacy policy to tell customers it sells their data, and allow them to opt out of that sale —steps it said it has already taken. It will file reports with Bonta’s office on its sale of personal information and compliance with the law.
Sephora said in a statement that the company “respects consumers’ privacy and strives to be transparent about how their personal information is used to improve their Sephora experience.” It said it allowed customers to opt out of the sale of personal information starting in November 2021.
The company said its tracking allows it “to provide consumers with more relevant Sephora product recommendations, personalized shopping experiences and ads” but that customers can now “opt-out of this personalized shopping experience” easily.
Sephora allowed third-party companies to install tracking software that allowed them to build detailed consumer profiles that allowed them to better target customers, Bonta said. But on its website it promised “we do not sell personal information,” according to the lawsuit.
The 30-day grace period for companies violating the law will end next year, when companies will be required to be in compliance without warning.
Also next year, Bonta’s office will begin sharing enforcement responsibility with a new California Privacy Protection Agency. The agency is taking public comment this week on proposed privacy regulations under the 2020 expansion.
“Certainly there is overlap,” Bonta said, but “multiple watchdogs on the block standing up for consumers, standing up for their privacy, making sure that data decisions are in their hands and that their data isn’t being sold or misused against their wishes is a good thing and we’re excited about that.”
Bonta and other California officials also want to make sure the state’s strict law isn’t undermined as the federal government considers what are likely to be less stringent nationwide standards.
The executive director of the state’s new privacy agency sent a letter this month to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, both from California, warning that a version being considered in the House would replace California’s protections with weaker protections. Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state Assembly speaker are among others who have objected.
Bonta said California’s law wouldn’t be affected so long as Congress makes its standards “a floor, not a ceiling. That they do not preempt the incredible privacy protections, nation-leading privacy protections that we have here in California.”
The Federal Trade Commission said this month that it will also consider new rules. | https://cw33.com/business/ap-business/ap-cosmetics-giant-sephora-settles-customer-data-privacy-suit/ | 2022-08-25T11:59:17Z |
SHANGHAI, July 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The inauguration ceremony of Shanghai Electric New Energy Development Co., Ltd. was held on July 15, marking the accelerated expansion and growth of Shanghai Electric's green, low-carbon business.
During the ceremony, Shanghai Electric Group announced its renewable energy roadmap alongside agreements with five partners to jointly develop renewable energy projects, in addition to establishing strategic partnerships with over ten financial institutions and industry partners to build a financial ecosystem for the renewable energy sector.
Shanghai Electric, a leading global integrated manufacturer of high-end equipment, has been building new comprehensive power systems and a complete solution for futuristic zero-carbon industrial parks in a move to take the lead in helping the Chinese government achieve its de-carbonization goals.
The Chinese government's carbon peak and carbon neutral policies, also known as the dual carbon goals, is a systemic change that is expected to have a broad and profound impact on both the economy and the whole of society while building a zero carbon society.
As a response to China's 14th Five-Year Plan, the company has developed a roadmap that focuses on the development of wind, solar, hydrogen and storage energy projects, alongside industrial intelligence, high-end medical equipment, and other new businesses.
The establishment of the renewable energy entity is a vital step in the right direction. The new company has received a total investment of RMB 3 billion, including RMB 2 billion from Shanghai Electric Group and RMB 1 billion from Shanghai Electric Wind Power Group each, and is aimed to become the most integrated and innovative provider of renewable energy projects and full lifecycle services.
With the domestic market as the initial area of expansion and an eye on expanding into international markets, Shanghai Electric New Energy Development will be committed to building a full lifecycle service platform for a renewable energy future by developing wind, solar, storage, thermal and hydrogen energy projects, as well as expanding the source-grid-load-storage integrated business. Based on the platform, the firm plans to create integrated solutions centered around system optimization, streamlined equipment, and intelligent control systems, providing strong support to the quality-driven development of Shanghai Electric Group's renewable energy business.
In the future, Shanghai Electric intends to focus on promoting industrial intelligence and the application of technologies while facilitating interactions between the energy and the industrial internet. Furthermore, the company plans to advance sustainable industrial development globally through the use of technologies by collaborating with government-owned parks, business customers, venture capital firms, technology partners and financial institutions, with the ultimate goal of creating a better world for all.
Fengxian District Party Committee secretary, Li Zheng, and Shanghai Electric Group's Party Committee secretary and chairman, Leng Weiqing, both delivered speeches at the inauguration ceremony and welcomed the start of the new business.
In attendance were several government officials and top management executives, including Fengxian District Party Committee deputy secretary and mayor, Yuan Quan; Shanghai Electric's Party Committee deputy secretary and president, Liu Ping; Bank of China Shanghai Branch general manger, Zhang Shouchuan; Shanghai Guosheng Group's Party Committee secretary and chairman and Shanghai Guosheng Capital Management chairman, Shou Weiguang; Shanghai Electric Power Construction's Party Committee secretary and chairman, Jiang Lindi; and China Merchants Bank executive VP and Shanghai Branch general manager, Shi Shunhua.
In addition, other executives from Shanghai Electric Group and major financial institutions, including banks, and securities firms and trust companies, as well as several journalists were also part of the ceremony.
About Shanghai Electric
Shanghai Electric Group Company Limited (SEHK: 2727, SSE: 601727) is a world-class high-end equipment manufacturer, focusing on smart energy, intelligent manufacturing and smart infrastructure to provide green and intelligent industrial-grade system solutions. It has a global presence in industries such as new energy, efficient clean energy, industrial automation, medical devices and environmental protection.
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SOURCE Shanghai Electric | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/22/shanghai-electric-new-energy-development-established-accelerate-expansion-green-amp-low-carbon-business/ | 2022-07-22T08:36:15Z |
Company will install 960 high-performing Cobalt machines with player-favorite content
LONDON, June 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- International Game Technology PLC ("IGT") (NYSE: IGT) announced today that it will deliver 960 Cobalt™ 27 video lottery terminals (VLTs) to Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation ("MBLL"). This marks the first installment of IGT's high-performing Cobalt VLT in Canada.
"IGT's Cobalt VLT has gained positive momentum across the U.S., Latin America and Europe, and we are very excited to build on that success in Manitoba," said David Flinn, IGT SVP, Canada, South and Central America. "The Cobalt VLTs will feature market-attuned content, including the highly successful commercial game Temple of Fire Cash Eruption that has been specially adapted for VLT operators. These solutions allow MBLL to modernize its VLT gaming with best-in-class hardware and entertain players with engaging themes."
Debuting in Canada, IGT's Cobalt 27 VLT is expertly designed to fit operators' distinct needs. IGT's Cobalt 27 features two high-definition 27-inch screens, an optional 24-inch topper, integrated cabinet lighting and a static five-button player panel. It also has advanced ergonomics and a built-in USB charging port for ultimate comfort and convenience.
The new VLTs in Manitoba will feature top-performing IGT content such as Temple of Fire™ Cash Eruption®, Big City 5's™, Five Times Pay™, Power Keno™ and Double Double Bonus Poker™. VLT players in Manitoba will also have the chance to experience a new IGT brand-extension theme, The Wild Life Extreme™, that expands on the wildly popular original IGT game, The Wild Life™.
For more information, visit IGT.com, follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, or watch IGT videos on YouTube.
About IGT
IGT (NYSE:IGT) is a global leader in gaming. We deliver entertaining and responsible gaming experiences for players across all channels and regulated segments, from Lotteries and Gaming Machines to Sports Betting and Digital. Leveraging a wealth of compelling content, substantial investment in innovation, player insights, operational expertise, and leading-edge technology, our solutions deliver unrivaled gaming experiences that engage players and drive growth. We have a well-established local presence and relationships with governments and regulators in more than 100 countries around the world, and create value by adhering to the highest standards of service, integrity, and responsibility. IGT has approximately 10,500 employees. For more information, please visit www.igt.com.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements (including within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning International Game Technology PLC and its consolidated subsidiaries (the "Company") and other matters. These statements may discuss goals, intentions, and expectations as to future plans, trends, events, dividends, results of operations, or financial condition, or otherwise, based on current beliefs of the management of the Company as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, such management. Forward-looking statements may be accompanied by words such as "aim," "anticipate," "believe," "plan," "could," "would," "should," "shall", "continue," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "future," "guidance," "intend," "may," "will," "possible," "potential," "predict," "project" or the negative or other variations of them. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which such statements are made and are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside the Company's control. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of the underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may differ materially from those predicted in the forward-looking statements and from past results, performance, or achievements. Therefore, you should not place undue reliance on such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include (but are not limited to) the factors and risks described in the Company's annual report on Form 20-F for the financial year ended December 31, 2021 and other documents filed from time to time with the SEC, which are available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov and on the investor relations section of the Company's website at www.IGT.com. Except as required under applicable law, the Company does not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements. You should carefully consider these factors and other risks and uncertainties that affect the Company's business. All forward-looking statements contained in this news release are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to International Game Technology PLC, or persons acting on its behalf, are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.
Contact:
Phil O'Shaughnessy, Global Communications, toll free in U.S./Canada +1 (844) IGT-7452; outside U.S./Canada +1 (401) 392-7452
Francesco Luti, Italian media inquiries, +39 06 5189 9184
James Hurley, Investor Relations, +1 (401) 392-7190
© 2022 IGT
The trademarks and/or service marks used herein are either trademarks or registered trademarks of IGT, its affiliates or its licensors.
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SOURCE International Game Technology PLC | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/07/igt-debuts-cobalt-27-vlts-canada-via-manitoba-liquor-lotteries-corporation-agreement/ | 2022-06-07T11:36:33Z |
Tsitsipas beats Zverev to return to Monte Carlo final
By BARBARA SURK
Associated Press
MONACO (AP) — Defending champion Stefanos Tsitispas has breezed into the Monte Carlo Masters final after dispatching second-seeded Alexander Zverev 6-4, 6-2. Tsitsipas lined up the first big final of the clay-court season against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. The Spaniard knocked out Novak Djokovic in the second round. Davidovich Fokina reached his first ATP final by beating Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria in three sets. The Spaniard will try to prevent Tsitsipas from becoming the first repeat Monte Carlo champion since Rafael Nadal in 2018. Tsitsipas has a 2-0 record against him. | https://localnews8.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/04/16/tsitsipas-beats-zverev-to-return-to-monte-carlo-final/ | 2022-04-16T21:14:20Z |
Jacque Robinson-Baisley, Tiffany Garcia, and Anthony Rodriguez to Join Pathways LA Board of Directors
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pathways LA is pleased to announce the appointment of three new directors to its board: Tiffany Garcia from Pacific Clinics, Jacque Robinson-Baisley with Blue Shield of California, and Anthony Rodriguez with Compass.
"We're excited to expand our board with three new members who are dedicated community leaders, committed to strengthening the advancement of early childhood education and learning for families across Los Angeles," said Tamika Farr, Chief Executive Officer of Pathways LA. "As we work towards expanding our organization, it is important that our board of directors represent the communities we serve."
Jacque Robinson-Baisley, an experienced non-profit board member, serves as LA County Stakeholder Engagement Manager for Promise Health Plan of Blue Shield of California. A graduate of both University of California, Berkeley and Cal State University Northridge, Jacque holds a Master of Public Administration degree and is regarded as a subject matter expert on internal auditing processes. She served as the Vice Mayor Councilmember for the City of Pasadena from 2007 to 2015. Jacque is eager to "share her personal experience as a toddler mother" in order to influence local and state "policy to ensure safe, accessible, and affordable child care for all families."
Tiffany Garcia is the Communications Director of Pacific Clinics, a community-based behavioral and mental health organization. Tiffany is responsible for internal communications, branding and marketing, and media relations. With more than 10 years as a communications professional she has worked in various sectors that include retail, food and beverage, and the non-profit sector. Tiffany is looking forward to deepening her investment in the communities we serve through her time on the board.
Anthony Rodriguez is a Commercial Real Estate Agent for Compass. Anthony holds his MBA with a concentration on Real Estate from the University of Irvine (UCI)- Paul Merage School of Business. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Finance from San Diego State University. Anthony is a 17-year-old veteran having served for the Air Force as an Air National Guard. Today, Anthony serves as a frequent guest lecturer for the School of Business at UCI. Anthony is involved in supporting organizations such as Padres Contra El Cancer, Mended Little Hearts, and is founder of Thanksgiving Goodness, an annual event that provides meals to over 20,000 homeless in Downtown Los Angeles.
About Pathways LA: Pathways LA supports the healthy development and early learning of young children. Through a continuum of care, starting with parents, moving along to child care providers and community stakeholders, Pathways LA advocates for the well-being and school readiness of children of all backgrounds. For more than 40 years Pathways LA strengthens families by providing access to high-quality child care.
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SOURCE Pathways LA | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/pathways-la-welcomes-three-new-board-members/ | 2022-09-13T20:42:31Z |
NEW YORK , July 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
Attention IonQ, Inc. ("IonQ") (NYSE: IONQ) shareholders:
The Law Offices of Vincent Wong announce that a class action lawsuit has commenced on behalf of investors who purchased between March 30, 2021 and May 2, 2022.
If you suffered a loss on your investment in IonQ, 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 IonQ includes allegations that the Company made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) IonQ had not yet developed a 32-qubit quantum computer; (2) the Company's 11-qubit quantum computer suffered from significant error rates, rendering it useless; (3) IonQ's quantum the computer is not sufficiently reliable, so it is not accessible despite being available through major cloud providers; (4) a significant portion of IonQ's revenue was derived from improper roundtripping transactions with related parties; and (5) as a result of the foregoing, defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were the materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.
DEADLINE: August 1, 2022
Aggrieved IonQ investors only have until August 1, 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.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/18/class-action-alert-law-offices-vincent-wong-remind-ionq-investors-lead-plaintiff-deadline-august-1-2022/ | 2022-07-18T10:02:20Z |
Despite pleas from members of Congress, advocacy groups, and some members of the public, former Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke will not face federal charges for the 2014 murder of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.
Van Dyke was sentenced in 2019 to nearly seven years in prison for killing McDonald and was convicted of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm. In early February, he was released after serving just a little more than three years of a nearly seven-year prison sentence, tied to good behavior in prison.
"The decision not to pursue a federal prosecution is consistent with Department of Justice policy and was made in consultation with Mr. McDonald's family," US Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois John Lausch said Monday in a statement.
Federal law sets a "very high bar" to prove cases like this where someone was denied of a constitutional right, he said.
"Prosecutors would have to prove not only that Mr. Van Dyke acted with the deliberate and specific intent to do something the law forbids, but also that his actions were not the result of mistake, fear, negligence, or bad judgment," he said.
The release said the family agreed with the decision not to pursue another prosecution.
CNN reached out to a representative for the McDonald family along with a representative for Van Dyke but has not heard back.
When Van Dyke was released, McDonald's great uncle Reverend Marvin Hunter told CNN he wasn't particularly pushing for a pursuit of federal charges.
"We never asked for revenge, we asked for justice," Hunter said at the time. "And in the case of Jason Van Dyke we feel we got justice, because he got prosecuted for the crime that he did. He did not do the amount of time that we felt like he should have done, but he did get prosecuted."
In further laying out his reasoning, Lausch wrote they would have had to consider factors tied to the sentence Van Dyke already served, including "his state prison sentence with conduct entitling him under state law to be released early; and the fact that Mr. Van Dyke no longer is and never again will be a police officer. Given these factors, there is a significant prospect that a second prosecution would diminish the important results already achieved."
Lausch also noted the 2014 shooting sparked an "extensive" Department of Justice investigation into the Chicago Police Department, the recommendations of which are being implemented through an ongoing consent decree.
Video showed the shooting
The shooting was captured on a grainy police dashcam video.
Several police officers were responding to a call about a man breaking into trucks in a parking lot on Chicago's South Side.
In the video, McDonald is initially seen running, then walking in the middle of the street toward several police cars with flashing lights. McDonald later veers away from two police officers, who have their guns drawn, and within seconds he appears to spin around and fall. He was holding a knife as he walked away from multiple police officers who were following him.
There were 16 shots fired over 15 seconds, all by Van Dyke. Van Dyke testified he fired in self-defense after McDonald lunged at him with a knife.
But the dashcam video -- which a judge ordered the city to release 13 months after the shooting -- showed McDonald walking away from police, rather than charging at them.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.albanyherald.com/news/former-chicago-police-officer-jason-van-dyke-wont-face-federal-charges-in-killing-of-laquan/article_a207274a-cb54-587e-bd20-f041086bbdc5.html | 2022-04-19T01:34:29Z |
A storm in Ellenton leaves extensive damage to Colony Cove
Colony Cove is a mobile and manufactured home community for seniors.
ELLENTON, Fla. (WWSB) - The storm came through around 5:30 p.m. on Sunday damaging 31 homes in the community. According to Manatee County Public Safety deputy director Steve Litschauer, the original estimate was 12 to 14 homes and after a new assessment on Monday morning, that number increased to 31.
“Luckily in this situation, no one was injured, so that’s the good news,” said James Satcher, a Manatee County Commissioner.
One Colony Cove resident, Mimi Petty, said she was watching baseball with her husband and thought it was a normal thunderstorm. Petty said moments later she saw items from her lawn flying by her window and the palm trees shifting heavily.
“It picked up our barbeque pit and threw it,” said Petty. “We heard the loud noise of that and then we saw our recycle bin go by and dump out everything.”
Petty said the community jumped at the opportunity to help one another. After the storm settled, residents were out helping put up tarps on a woman’s home whose roof was ripped off, according to Petty. She said she worries about the older residents that may not be able to fix their homes without help.
“My biggest concern now is that there are a lot of people in the park that are widowed and a lot older and been there for 20 years,” said Petty. “Now they have to deal with all of this.”
Colony Cove is private property but according to Manatee County Commissioner Satcher, he wants residents to know the county is here for them. Satcher was just a mile up the road on the day of the storm.
“When I left my house it was sunny and nice, I saw a dark cloud and by the time I was going to park there was hail coming down,” said Satcher. “Even though it was a thunderstorm for most of us in this area, obviously an extreme weather event happened.”
Litschauer said multiple different agencies responded to the scene and Manatee County Public Safety was working closely with the National Weather Service.
Copyright 2022 WWSB. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/08/23/storm-ellenton-leaves-extensive-damage-colony-cove/ | 2022-08-23T00:12:53Z |
NEW YORK, April 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- InvestorsObserver issues critical PriceWatch Alerts for TWTR, TSLA, KR, UPS, and SYY.
Click a link below then choose between in-depth options trade idea report or a stock score report.
Options Report – Ideal trade ideas on up to seven different options trading strategies. The report shows all vital aspects of each option trade idea for each stock.
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- TWTR: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-options-lp-2/?symbol=TWTR&prnumber=040820227
- TSLA: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-options-lp-2/?symbol=TSLA&prnumber=040820227
- KR: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-options-lp-2/?symbol=KR&prnumber=040820227
- UPS: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-options-lp-2/?symbol=UPS&prnumber=040820227
- SYY: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-options-lp-2/?symbol=SYY&prnumber=040820227
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SOURCE InvestorsObserver | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/04/08/thinking-about-trading-options-or-stock-twitter-tesla-kroger-united-parcel-service-or-sysco/ | 2022-04-08T17:36:30Z |
Canton takes step needed to annex property for new Aldi
CANTON – City Council on Monday approved the statement of services needed to annex property intended for a new Aldi grocery store.
Council members approved the standard procedure for about 12.5 acres at 3801 Harmont Ave. NE. Councilman Peter Ferguson, D-8, was the only member absent for the vote, which received no opposition.
Grant Giltz previously discussed plans to renovate the vacant property and former Kmart store with his company, GTW 62. The developer expects to relocate the existing Aldi, just west on U.S. Route 62, to a newly constructed store on the southeast corner of the property.
More:Aldi to open 7th location in Stark County
Glitz has leased the Plain Township site from a family trust.
Mayor Thomas Bernabei said the longtime property owners asked to join Canton to access city water.
"That is the purpose of the annexation," he said.
The annexation itself would need to be approved by Stark County commissioners and Canton City Council.
Meanwhile, Canton Fire Department officials presented information to council members about The Compliance Engine. The third-party service tracks annual fire inspections and would relieve the Fire Prevention Bureau of some administrative work, said Division Chief Steven Henderson.
He plans to convert the department's mostly paper-based process to the electronic one in the coming month. It's at no cost to the city and, therefore, required no formal approval from City Council.
Contractors who conduct routine fire prevention inspections will pay $17 to upload a report. Henderson said contractors charge business owners varying fees, depending on the inspections, and whether those will increase because of the extra fee would be up to contractors.
Fire officials estimated that 35% to 40% of annual inspections are completed now, and the change is expected to increase compliance and decrease false alarms from lack of maintenance.
In other business:
- The council reconsidered an ordinance that granted newly hired Economic Development Director Christopher Hardesty an exemption from the city's residency requirement and credit for his previous employment with the city toward vacation time. Members on Monday agreed to waive the city law that prevents new hires from bringing more than 80 hours of accrued sick time. Hardesty was credited with 427 hours of sick time, which he earned during his past employment with the city, according to the mayor.
- The council also approved a resolution to return to its weekly, "pre-COVID-19" meeting schedule after Labor Day. | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/canton/2022/06/07/canton-council-approves-statement-services-proposed-development/7502859001/ | 2022-06-07T14:38:14Z |
Decision coming soon on student loans, Education chief says
Published: Aug. 22, 2022 at 8:56 AM CDT|Updated: 40 minutes ago
(CNN) - The Biden administration is expected to decide on the repayment of school loans soon.
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona told NBC’s “Meet the Press” it could come within the next week or so.
The White House has already extended the pandemic-related pause four times, the last time in April.
But the frozen payments are set to end Aug. 31.
While some advocates say up to $50,000 should be forgiven, the administration is suggesting a smaller break.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/08/22/decision-coming-soon-student-loans-education-chief-says/ | 2022-08-22T14:36:44Z |
Micro Focus a key partner in new AWS Mainframe Modernization service to support complex mainframe modernization projects
SANTA CLARA, Calif., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Micro Focus (LSE: MCRO) (NYSE: MFGP) today announced the general availability of Amazon Web Services' (AWS) Mainframe Modernization service, in which Micro Focus is a key partner. The service is the result of a partnership in which Micro Focus and AWS worked together to guide and assist customers as they modernize their on-premises mainframe workloads to a managed execution environment on AWS.
"This AWS Mainframe Modernization service not only shows our position as a key partner in the ecosystem, but it also illustrates our experience in developing and deploying modernized core applications into AWS," said Neil Fowler, General Manager of Application Modernization and Connectivity at Micro Focus. "Consistent with our platform agnostic position, Micro Focus supports our customers' choice for modernizing their applications, process and infrastructure so they can get full use of the cloud for the development, building, testing and the deployment of mainframe applications. We are proud of our relationship with AWS and we are very pleased that our technology is a key part of the AWS Mainframe Modernization service as another example of our work and expertise in application modernization."
"We have chosen Micro Focus as a key partner enabling our new AWS Mainframe Modernization service because of their proven track record through a combination of successfully delivering thousands of modernization projects over four decades," said Bill Platt, General Manager for Migration Services at AWS.
Recent research shows that application modernization must be continuous and evolving in order to meet the changing needs of today's business climate. Digital transformation demands a flexible and adaptive strategy aimed at improving results and accelerating time to value. Through the Micro Focus Modernization Maturity Model, IT leaders can quickly map their current IT estate to their future business strategy—all while finding the right balance between costs, risk and speed.
More Information
- New Micro Focus blog: The AWS Mainframe Modernization service addresses the Top 5 challenges of moving mainframe applications to cloud
- New AWS blog: Migrate Your Mainframe Applications to the Cloud
- Micro Focus landing page: Modernization and AWS | Micro Focus.
- AWS Mainframe Modernization service landing page: aws.amazon.com/mainframe-modernization.
Micro Focus is one of the world's largest enterprise software providers, focused on solving the IT dilemma—how to balance today's needs with tomorrow's opportunities. We deliver mission-critical technology that helps tens of thousands of customers worldwide manage core IT elements of their business. Strengthened by our strategic services and support organizations, and an extensive partner network, our broad set of technologies for security, IT operations, application delivery, governance, modernization, and analytics provides the innovative solutions organizations need to run and transform— at the same time.
Join Micro Focus on LinkedIn and follow @MicroFocus Twitter.
Contact: microfocus@pancomm.com
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SOURCE Micro Focus | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/08/micro-focus-expertise-technology-enables-new-amazon-web-services-aws-mainframe-modernization-service/ | 2022-06-08T19:42:23Z |
Which paleo snack is best?
The paleo diet has become popular among people who want to simplify what they eat. This so-called “Caveman Diet” focuses on a historical understanding of how people during the Paleolithic era ate. It ultimately strives to recreate the way of eating from thousands of years ago. However, most lifestyles call for food that’s easy to make and travels well. So if you want to maintain your paleo diet, you’ll need the best paleo snacks to keep you full when life gets hectic.
PNB Performance Paleo Nut Butter provides a quick burst of paleo-friendly energy and is one of the best paleo snacks based on convenience and value.
What to know before you buy a paleo snack
If you have been thinking about changing up your diet, you’ve probably heard about the paleo diet. It focuses on foods that were available during the time of cave dwellers. This diet features plenty of meat, fish, eggs, seeds, nuts, fruits and veggies, accompanied by healthy fats and oils.
Those following the paleo diet also need to avoid processed foods, grains and sugars, which can make it difficult to find a paleo-friendly snack that travels well. Here’s how you can narrow down your options.
Chance of processing
Eating processed snacks on the paleo diet is sometimes unavoidable. But if you’re willing to be a bit flexible, you can find snacks with minimal processing. For example, you can try snacking on a handful of almonds or a whole piece of fruit which have little to no processing. But if you want to try some blended nut butter, it’s best to find an option made from just nuts and oil. Watch out for added sugars or sweeteners.
Vegan, vegetarian or omnivore
Our Paleolithic ancestors were omnivores, meaning they ate anything they could get their hands on, from seeds to wild vegetables to meat. However, in the 21st century, you may prefer to eliminate one or more Paleolithic food staples. While cutting out food categories is somewhat limiting, it’s possible to eat a vegan or vegetarian diet and still follow paleo guidelines. That said, you will need to be very intentional in your diet to make sure you’re getting enough nutrition.
Replacement options
The hardest part of starting a new diet is often finding replacements for the foods you love. When searching for paleo snacks, focus on replacing forbidden foods with healthy alternatives. While it’s difficult to replace things like candy bars, it’s relatively easy to find paleo-friendly substitutes for certain ingredients. For example, maple syrup and honey are both appropriate paleo sugar substitutes. These replacements will help satisfy your sweet tooth without sacrificing your dietary plans.
What to look for in a quality paleo snack
Clean ingredients
Find paleo snacks made of clean ingredients, which are minimally processed, organic and free of artificial colors, flavors and preservatives. Eating clean ingredients is always a good choice, no matter what diet you are on. Take time to check food labels to make sure they are paleo-friendly.
Ingredient sourcing
If you’re environmentally conscious, vegan or vegetarian, take time to research where your favorite paleo snacks source their ingredients. For example, earth-friendly companies will list that they use organic ingredients. And while honey is paleo-friendly, you may want to ensure the company uses ethically sound sources.
High-protein options
Many people have a hard time finding a clean source of protein, which is a crucial part of a healthy diet. If you are on a paleo diet and exercise vigorously, or if you are over the age of 65, make sure your paleo snacks have enough protein for your needs.
How much you can expect to spend on paleo snacks
Expect to spend more money on paleo snacks than more traditional snacks. You’ll likely spend around $4 for a single-serve snack and $25 for bulk snack options.
Paleo snacks FAQ
What snacks are part of the paleo diet?
A. Paleo snacks primarily consist of whole foods that follow paleo guidelines. But many of these whole foods don’t travel well, making it hard to snack on the go. The best paleo snacks contain high protein, healthy fats and don’t contain sugar or artificial ingredients.
Can you make your own paleo snacks?
A. Yes, you can make your own paleo snacks. It’s best to focus on things like fruit leathers, granola and homemade nut butters. If cooking is not your thing, there are some simple, premade paleo snacks available, which may even cost less than homemade snacks in the long run. Consider the cost of the raw ingredients and the time it takes to make a paleo snack before hitting the kitchen.
What’s the best paleo snack to buy?
Top paleo snack
PNB Performance Paleo Nut Butter
What you need to know: This nut butter offers a quick, protein-packed burst of energy.
What you’ll love: It has no added sugar or artificial ingredients, colors or flavors. It’s also available in cacao and coffee flavors and is a great vegan option. This fits into keto diets, vegan diets and vegetarian diets.
What you should consider: You need to mix this very well before eating, as the oil separates.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top paleo snack for the money
Barnana Organic Plantain Chips
What you need to know: When you start craving chips, this is a great alternative to traditional, less healthy snacks.
What you’ll love: It’s a simple, grain-free snack that’s simply fried in coconut oil and sprinkled with Himalayan sea salt. This gluten-free, vegan and organic snack comes in three flavors and sharing sizes.
What you should consider: Some people felt the chips were too salty for their taste.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This basket is great for people starting to explore the paleo diet and want several ideas for snacks.
What you’ll love: It features a wide variety of snacks to choose from, all paleo-diet approved. Every one of the 14 different snacks has a nutrition label for easy reference. And if you’re not completely satisfied, you can request a full refund.
What you should consider: There are only a few samples of each snack, which come in smaller, single-serve sizes.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/health-wellness-br/nutrition-br/best-paleo-snack/ | 2022-06-07T17:33:58Z |
New marketing campaign highlights travel trend of consumers wanting to see the world from their doorstep
SEATTLE, Aug. 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- With a rise in travelers wanting to explore global destinations without taking international flights, Holland America Line is launching its "See the World from Your Doorstep" campaign, highlighting the cruise line's leadership in roundtrip travel from U.S. homeports.
Those who want to avoid a long-haul flight can sail roundtrip from Boston; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; San Diego or Seattle with Holland America Line. The brand has more cruises over 15 nights roundtrip from the U.S. to destinations around the world than any other cruise line, visiting 225 ports in 91 countries.
"Over the past year we've seen a shift in the way people are vacationing due to the unpredictability of air travel and desire to explore more, and there's higher interest when it comes to longer voyages from our U.S. homeports," said Kacy Cole, vice president, marketing and e-commerce, Holland America Line. "Travelers love the idea of discovering the islands of the South Pacific or Africa's exotic shores with just a simple drive or short flight to one our homeports."
A recent survey by Cruise Critic found 82% of U.S.-based respondents would prefer to book an international cruise that sails from a domestic port than to fly to an international port. Holland America Line offers four Grand Voyages, all roundtrip from the U.S, for travelers who want to circle the world or explore Africa, South America or Australia. Monthlong cruises include a roundtrip itinerary from San Diego visiting Hawaii, Tahiti and Marquesas, or a roundtrip departure from Boston visiting Greenland, Iceland, Norway and the British Isles.
In addition to extended voyages, Holland America Line also offers vacations 15 nights or less to popular locales like the Caribbean, Panama Canal, Canada, Alaska and Mexico roundtrip from a U.S. departure port and from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
For more information about Holland America Line, consult a travel advisor, call 1-877-SAIL HAL (877-724-5425) or visit hollandamerica.com.
Editors Note: Photos and ads graphics are available at https://www.cruiseimagelibrary.com/c/wqmsoqbu.
Find Holland America Line on Twitter, Facebook and the Holland America Blog. Access all social media outlets via the home page at hollandamerica.com.
About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE: CCL and CUK)]
Holland America Line has been exploring the world for 150 years with expertly crafted itineraries, extraordinary service and genuine connections to the destinations. Offering an ideal mid-sized ship experience, its fleet visits nearly 400 ports in 114 countries around the world and has shared the thrill of Alaska for 75 years — longer than any other cruise line. Holland America Line's 11 vessels feature a diverse range of enriching activities and amenities focused on destination immersion and personalized travel. The best live music at sea fills each evening at Music Walk, and dining venues feature exclusive selections from a Culinary Council of world-famous chefs.
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SOURCE Holland America Line | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/26/holland-america-line-sees-higher-interest-longer-roundtrip-voyages-us-homeports/ | 2022-08-26T12:22:07Z |
T-Rex® Brute Force® tape takes it one step further by having four-time World's Strongest Man Brian Shaw put it to the test
AVON, Ohio, Aug. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- T-Rex® brand makes it official…again! After coming out on top against competitive tapes around the globe, the brand is proud to announce the ferociously strong T-Rex® Brute Force® tape has secured the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the strongest duct tape for the second consecutive year.
To reaffirm its strongest duct tape title, T-Rex® Brute Force® – designed for tough projects that require intense strength, durability and power – was put through a strength test* against the top 10 competitive duct tapes of similar material and quality claims from around the world. The remarkable results show that Brute Force® produced a tensile strength at break of 273.1 pounds per inch – outperforming the other tapes by more than 50 percent*.
After winning one strength test, T-Rex® Brute Force® tape didn't stop there. The brand teamed up, once again, with four-time World's Strongest Man** Brian Shaw to showcase the tape's ability to endure and persevere through any challenge – including pulling a 55,000 pound fire truck with just one loop of tape and carrying a chain yoke through mountainous terrain, proving the product's extreme strength is unmatched. Check out all the pulls and stunts at T-RexTape.com/Strongest.
"Setting the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for a second consecutive year is a monumental moment for T-Rex® Brute Force® tape. While we felt confident that we had the strongest duct tape, now we've put it through a series of tough challenges that demonstrate it," said Ashley Luke, senior product manager at Shurtape Technologies, LLC, the company that markets the T-Rex® brand. "Achieving this coveted title and partnering with Brian Shaw reinforces that this tape will hold up to any pressure you put it up against."
Brute Force® is built with Forge-Link™ extreme tensile technology and an aggressive, double-thick adhesive with a durable waterproof backing so it can quickly secure, fasten and hold all sorts of materials for any project, whether that's pulling trucks or simple repairs at home.
To learn more about T-Rex® brand's two-time GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title or for details on T-Rex® Brute Force®, visit T-RexTape.com/Strongest.
*Tests performed by an independent third party, Chemsultants International, in Mentor, Ohio, USA, between 6 July – 13 July 2022.
**World's Strongest Man is not a title provided by or affiliated with GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™
T-REX® TAPE
T-Rex® Tape uses modern, next-generation technology to produce premium tapes that perform well in all conditions – helping everyone from do-it-yourselfers and professionals to extreme sport athletes and outdoorsmen get the job done. T-Rex® brand products are marketed by Shurtape Technologies, LLC, an industry-leading manufacturer of adhesive tape and consumer home and office products, with facilities worldwide. For additional product information, visit trextape.com, find us on Facebook® (facebook.com/trextape), follow us on Twitter® (@trextape) or watch us on YouTube® (youtube.com/trextape).
SHURTAPE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Based in Hickory, N.C., Shurtape Technologies, LLC, is an industry-leading manufacturer and marketer of adhesive tape and consumer home and office products, with facilities in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Mexico, Peru, United Arab Emirates, China and Australia. Together, our subsidiaries serve numerous markets, including industrial/MRO, building and construction, packaging, electrical, stucco, HVAC, professional paint, automotive, marine, aerospace, arts and entertainment, graphic arts, sound control, medical, DIY, home and office, and retail. In addition to specialty adhesive solutions, Shurtape Technologies offers products under recognizable brand names such as Duck®, FrogTape®, T-Rex®, Painter's Mate®, Shurtape® and Kip®. Learn more at ShurtapeTech.com.
Facebook® is a registered trademark of Facebook, Inc.
Twitter® is a registered trademark of Twitter, Inc.
YouTube® is a registered trademark of Google, Inc.
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SOURCE Shurtape Technologies, LLC | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/08/t-rex-brand-sets-guinness-world-records-title-strongest-duct-tape-second-consecutive-year/ | 2022-08-08T16:24:11Z |
Preserve, Rediscover and Share Your Family History with the Epson FastFoto High-Speed Scanner and EcoTank Photo Supertank Printer
LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., May 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As families continue to juggle busy schedules, parents are at the heart of it all. During this year's Mother's Day and Father's Day, Epson is encouraging family members to gather old photos, stroll down memory lane, and share treasured stories and milestones in celebration of Family Photo Month. To help recognize families everywhere, Epson is offering a range of promotions up to $100 off of the FastFoto® Wireless High-Speed Photo Scanner at select participating retailers in May and June.*
Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8888253-epson-brings-families-together-inaugural-family-photo-month/
"Countless memories are stored away in boxes and never spoken about until there is a reason to dig them out. We don't want those irreplaceable memories to be forgotten. With Epson Family Photo Month starting this May, we want to celebrate moms and dads and bring families together to rediscover, print, and share cherished memories," said Mike Isgrig, vice president, consumer sales, Epson America.
In celebration of Family Photo Month, Shaquille O'Neal and his mother Lucille O'Neal are featured in Epson's Family Photo Month campaign, reliving, and sharing memories, while creating new ones by scanning cherished photos together. In addition, with the right technology, such as the FastFoto scanner and EcoTank® Photo Supertank printer, it's easy to create digital backups, slide shows, picture books, and photo copies to share with family, friends, and future generations to come:
Back Up Your Memories
In the U.S. today, there are billions of unscanned photos tucked away in attics, basements, garages, and closets. To avoid losing them to deterioration or natural disasters, families can turn to versatile scanning solutions like the FastFoto FF-680W Wireless High-Speed Photo Scanning System. Quickly scan thousands of photos – as fast as one photo per second1 and easily restore, save, and organize old photos, postcards, panoramas, and documents. Priceless memories can be digitized, salvaged, and brought back to life with auto enhancement, color restoration and enlargements.
Share Your Memories for Generations to Come
Instantly upload digitized photos to online storage solutions for archiving, email them to grandparents or siblings, or share them during family gatherings or through social media. Together with the Epson FastFoto app,2 capture the voice of loved ones and create custom videos with music, audio, text, and transitions from an iOS® or Android™ smartphone or device, and relive treasured moments for generations to come.
Craft and Decorate with Memories
Adored photographs can also be utilized to decorate the home or crafted into personalized gifts. While original copies are meant for safe-keeping, additional lab-quality color photo copies can be printed from the convenience of the home with the cartridge-free EcoTank Photo ET-8500 and EcoTank Photo ET-8550 all-in-one Supertank printers. These photo printers have extraordinary media handling capabilities; families can print on a variety of paper types including cardstock and other specialty media up to 1.3 mm thick. Making any image come to life, the EcoTank Photo ET-8500 can print borderless photos up to 8.5" x 11" and the EcoTank Photo ET-8550 wide-format can print borderless photos up to 13" x 19". Print for up to two years with each included and replacement set of bottles.3 With low-cost replacement ink bottles, families can print 4" x 6" photos for about 4 cents each compared to 40 cents with cartridges4 so there's no need to worry about running out of ink or high photo printing costs.
Pricing and Availability
- The Epson FastFoto FF-680W (MSRP $599.99) is available on the Epson store (www.epsonstore.com) and select participating retailers nationwide at up to $100 off through May and June including Best Buy, Office Depot, Staples and Amazon.*
- The FastFoto app is currently available for free download from Google Play and on the App Store. For additional information, visit www.epson.com/FastFoto.
- The EcoTank Photo ET-8550 (MSRP $799.99) and EcoTank Photo ET-8500 ($699.99) cartridge-free Supertank printers are available on the Epson store (www.epsonstore.com) and major retailers nationwide. For more information on EcoTank Photo printers, visit https://epson.com/ecotank-ink-tank-photo-printers.
About Epson
Epson is a global technology leader dedicated to co-creating sustainability and enriching communities by leveraging its efficient, compact, and precision technologies and digital technologies to connect people, things, and information. The company is focused on solving societal issues through innovations in home and office printing, commercial and industrial printing, manufacturing, visual and lifestyle. Epson will become carbon negative and eliminate use of exhaustible underground resources such as oil and metal by 2050.
Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the worldwide Epson Group generates annual sales of around JPY 1 trillion. global.epson.com/
Epson America, Inc., based in Los Alamitos, Calif., is Epson's regional headquarters for the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. To learn more about Epson, please visit: epson.com. You may also connect with Epson America on Facebook (facebook.com/Epson), Twitter (twitter.com/EpsonAmerica), YouTube (youtube.com/epsonamerica), and Instagram (instagram.com/EpsonAmerica).
*From May 1 to May 15, receive a $50 instant rebate. From May 29 to June 6, receive up to a $100 instant rebate. The Epson FastFoto FF-680W is available at Best Buy, Office Depot, Staples and Amazon. Prices are subject to change.
1 Based on average speed from start of scan to end of feeding, scanning thirty-six 4" x 6" photos at 300 dpi in landscape orientation. Results may vary based on processor speed, memory, and operating system of the connected computer.
2 Requires Epson FastFoto App download (data usage fees may apply) compatible mobile device and a FastFoto FF-680W (sold separately).
3 Based on average monthly document print volumes of about 200 pages.
4 Actual savings and costs will vary considerably based on print tasks, print volumes and usage conditions. Savings and cost per ISO 29103 page are based on the cost of replacement ink bottles and the cost of enough standard cartridges to achieve the total page yields of the bottles using the MSRP (USD) and yields for Epson standard-capacity ink cartridges for similarly featured Epson consumer inkjet printers as of June 2020.
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SOURCE Epson America, Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/17/epson-brings-families-together-celebrate-cherished-photographs-inaugural-family-photo-month/ | 2022-05-17T13:08:02Z |
Police chief releases name of officer who shot Patrick Lyoya
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan police chief reversed course Monday and publicly identified the officer who fatally shot Patrick Lyoya in the back of the head during an April 4 traffic stop.
The Grand Rapids officer is Christopher Schurr, Chief Eric Winstrom said.
Lyoya, 26, a Black man and native of Congo, was killed after a struggle with the white officer.
“In the interest of transparency, to reduce ongoing speculation, and to avoid any further confusion, I am confirming the name already publicly circulating — Christopher Schurr — as the officer involved in the April 4 officer-involved shooting,” Winstrom said in a statement.
The Associated Press left a phone message seeking comment from Schurr, who remains off the job while state police investigate the shooting.
Winstrom’s announcement was a reversal. In the aftermath of the shooting and the release of video, Winstrom said he would withhold the officer’s name unless he was charged with a crime. It was described as a long-standing practice that applied to the public as well as city employees.
Lyoya’s family and Black leaders, including the Rev. Al Sharpton, repeatedly called for transparency and release of the name.
“We want his name!” Sharpton shouted at Lyoya’s funeral on Friday, saying authorities cannot set a precedent of withholding the names of officers who kill people unless the officer is charged.
Lyoya, who was unarmed, was face down on the ground when he was shot. Schurr was on top of him and can be heard on video demanding that he take his hand off the officer’s Taser.
A forensic pathologist who conducted an autopsy at the family’s request said the gun was pressed to Lyoya’s head when he was shot.
“Every time a young Black man or woman is arrested in this town, you put their name all over the news. Every time we’re suspected of something, you put our name out there,” Sharpton said. “How dare you hold the name of a man that killed this man? We want his name!”
After the funeral, Grand Rapids City Manager Mark Washington acknowledged the demand for the officer’s name and said he would discuss the matter with Winstrom and city employment officials.
“Police reform requires evaluating many long-standing practices to ensure our actions are consistent with the best interests of the community and the individuals involved,” Washington said last week.
___
Find the AP’s full coverage of the fatal police shooting of Patrick Lyoya: https://apnews.com/hub/patrick-lyoya
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/04/25/police-chief-releases-name-officer-who-shot-patrick-lyoya/ | 2022-04-25T21:15:11Z |
ABAC’S Bryce Roland placed ninth in the black and white photography division with his photo “Remember and Honor,” which was taken at Arlington National Cemetery.
Emma Richwine, a junior from Bishop, received recognition in the critique and contest for her photograph “Spurring Stallions.”
Special Photo: ABAC
Emma Richwine
Special Photo: ABAC
ABAC’S Bryce Roland placed ninth in the black and white photography division with his photo “Remember and Honor,” which was taken at Arlington National Cemetery.
TIFTON — Two Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College students recently earned Top 10 finishes in a national Agricultural Communication competition.
Bryce Roland, a senior from Perry, and Emma Richwine, a junior from Bishop, received recognition in the critique and contest event held by the National Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow. The contest featured 528 entries representing 17 schools and included competitions in writing, photography, advertising, broadcasting, and publication skills areas.
Roland placed ninth in the black and white photography division with his photo, “Remember and Honor,” which was taken at Arlington National Cemetery.
“My photo depicted a woman mourning the loss of her husband, a veteran of the U.S. military,” Roland said. “This picture does not do justice to the story and emotions this woman had.”
Richwine placed 10th in the animal photography division with her “Spurring Stallions” entry, which features a pair of wild horses.
“It is a great honor to have placed in this contest,” Richwine said. “I am thrilled that my photo was chosen out of the many that were submitted.”
The National ACT is dedicated to “developing and strengthening agricultural communication students through professional growth opportunities and educational programs.”
The ABAC chapter of ACT included 33 active members in the 2021-22 academic year. For more information on the ABAC chapter, interested students can contact Club Advisor Austin Moore at austin.moore@abac.edu.
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accounts, the history behind an article. | https://www.albanyherald.com/entertainment/abraham-baldwin-agricultural-college-students-place-in-national-agricultural-competition/article_0e10b3e2-2a46-11ed-9933-673c7c97d071.html | 2022-09-06T11:06:15Z |
Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly
Will Assist Frail Elderly in Aging in Place, Safely at Home
WINCHESTER, Va., May 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Ridge Hospice has been awarded approval from the Commonwealth of Virginia to operate a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) to assist the frail elderly in the northern Shenandoah Valley to remain safely at home.
The award, from Virginia's Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS), was made to Blue Ridge Independence at Home. Blue Ridge Hospice formed the new organization and its Board of Directors to organize and operate the PACE program.
Blue Ridge Independence at Home expects to enroll its first PACE participants in late summer or early fall of 2023. The program will initially open a PACE site in Winchester City or Frederick County in Virginia to serve surrounding counties with the goal of expanding to an additional site into eastern Loudoun County the following year.
"PACE programs coordinate and provide all needed preventive, primary, acute, and long-term care services so older individuals can continue living in the community," explains Jason Parsons, Chief Business Development Officer of Blue Ridge Independence at Home and Blue Ridge Hospice. "PACE is an innovative model of care that enables individuals age 55 and over and who are certified by the state to need nursing home care to live as independently as possible," he explained. "Through PACE, today's fragmented health care financing and delivery system comes together to serve the unique needs of each individual in a way that makes sense to the frail elderly, their family members and informal caregivers, health care providers, and policy-makers."
PACE provides total senior care through a team of professionals that goes far beyond the primary care needs of a PACE participant. Team members, which include a doctor, nurse, home care coordinator, social worker, dietitian, physical therapist, occupational therapist, recreational therapist, pharmacist, dental assistant, and others, work together to coordinate and deliver all of a participant's health and care needs. In addition to medical care, PACE provides transportation to and from a local PACE site where participants enjoy the benefits of socialization and companionship while accessing medical care services. PACE home care coordinators visit the homes of participants to assess the need for home modifications to ensure the participants can thrive in a safe environment.
Using a capitated or per member/per month payment system, PACE programs are responsible for providing the entire continuum of care and services to older adults with chronic care needs while maintaining their independence at home for as long as possible. Participants must be age 55 or older and be at risk for nursing home placement. PACE participants have been shown to enjoy improved health status and quality of life, lower mortality rates, increased choice in how time is spent, and greater confidence in dealing with life's problems.
"It's a huge accomplishment for the northern Shenandoah Valley area," commented George Caley, MHA, FACHE, Chairman of the Board of Blue Ridge Hospice. "PACE will meet an essential need, especially as our population continues to grow, as we strive to ensure our older residents can remain safely at home," Caley observed. "PACE will be a significant contributor to the quality of life here as the area continues to grow and attract new residents and businesses," he added.
"Although the first program opened in California more than 40 years ago, PACE has been gaining in popularity and recognition in recent years as the healthcare system adopts what are known as value-based models of care," Parsons noted. As an example he cited an article that appeared in the March 12, 2022, New York Times under the headline: "Meet the Underdog of Senior Care: The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, funded by Medicare and Medicaid, Has Quietly Succeeded in Enabling Some Elderly Americans To Age in Place." (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/12/health/elderly-health-care-pace.html)
"The Blue Ridge Hospice Board of Directors in 2021 revised the organization's Mission—"Brightening life's journey with quality and compassionate care for all whom we are privileged to serve"—with a program like PACE specifically in mind," said Blue Ridge Hospice President and CEO Cheryl Hamilton Fried. "While we will always hold on to our legacy as the first hospice provider to serve the northern Shenandoah Valley, we're committed to evolving and adding new services, leveraging our culture of a quality, caring interdisciplinary team to ensure the frail elderly and disabled who are not ready for hospice have a place to receive essential care."
As the area's PACE provider, Blue Ridge Independence at Home will be responsible for delivering all needed medical and supportive services to its participants. Typical PACE services include the following:
- Adult day care that offers nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, recreational therapy, as well as meals, nutritional counseling, social work and personal care,
- Medical care provided by a PACE physician familiar with the history, needs, and preferences of each participant,
- Home health care and personal care,
- All necessary prescription drugs,
- Social services,
- Medical specialties, such as audiology, dentistry, optometry, podiatry, and speech therapy,
- Respite care, and,
- Hospital and nursing home care when necessary.
"The PACE program operated by Blue Ridge Independence at Home will forever change quality of life for our elderly friends and neighbors, their loved ones and caregivers, and the healthcare and social services providers who care for them," Fried concluded.
About PACE
You can learn more about the PACE model of care, by visiting the National PACE Association at npaonline.org.
About Blue Ridge Hospice
Blue Ridge Hospice is a community-based, not-for-profit serious illness and end-of-life care provider that has been serving friends and neighbors across the northern Shenandoah Valley since 1981. With a mission of "brightening life's journey with quality and compassionate care for all whom we are privileged to serve," Blue Ridge Hospice serves Winchester City and the northern Virginia counties of Clarke, Fauquier, Frederick, Loudoun, Page, Rappahannock, Shenandoah, and Warren. Accredited by The Joint Commission, Blue Ridge Hospice consistently exceeds the national averages for quality as reported on Medicare's Hospice Compare website. To learn more about Blue Ridge Hospice visit www.brhospice.org, or call 540-313-9200.
Contact:
Jason Parsons
540.313.9394
jparsons@blueridgehospice.org
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SOURCE Blue Ridge Hospice | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/05/19/blue-ridge-hospice-awarded-pace-program/ | 2022-05-19T14:06:16Z |
Shooting in Ardmore leaves one man dead
Published: Aug. 29, 2022 at 6:22 PM CDT|Updated: 11 minutes ago
ARDMORE, Okla. (KXII) -A man is dead in Ardmore after a shooting over the weekend.
Around 1 a.m. on August 27, Ardmore police responded to the 1300 block of John Rd., regarding a stolen vehicle.
Officers say they found a man dead with a gunshot wound.
Ardmore Police Captain Claude Henry said due to the investigation, he is not releasing any information on the identity of the suspect or what may have led to the shooting.
Copyright 2022 KXII. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/08/29/shooting-ardmore-leaves-one-man-dead/ | 2022-08-29T23:35:10Z |
The flames of a northern New Mexico wildfire have become unstoppable as the largest blaze in the U.S. burns trees sucked dry of moisture over decades of drought amid a forecast Thursday of more winds expected to fan the blaze, according to wildfire fighting managers.
Meanwhile, winds in Southern California sent embers flying in the coastal community of Laguna Niguel on Wednesday. More than 20 homes were destroyed, many of them multimillion-dollar mansions. No injuries were reported.
The California fire was much smaller than the New Mexico blaze that has burned at least 170 homes, but Brian Fennessy, chief of the Orange County Fire Authority, said drought and climate change have combined to make fires that were once easy to contain extremely dangerous for people and property
From New Mexico to Colorado and parts of the Midwest, forecasters on Thursday issued red flag warnings of extreme wildfire danger because of low humidity levels, erratic winds and warm temperatures. The same combination of weather conditions have contributed over the last month to much worse than normal spring wildfires in the U.S.
In New Mexico, the fastest-moving flames in the southern foothills of the Rocky Mountains were headed northeast and away from the area’s biggest population center of Taos, a popular tourist destination 40 south of the state line with Colorado.
The winds have made it difficult for aircraft to fly to help firefighters on the ground, but some planes managed to drop retardant on the blaze Wednesday despite winds gusting in some areas above 45 mph.
Some evacuation orders were relaxed along the southern flank of the fire near the town of Las Vegas, New Mexico.
Additional crews were on order to join the more than 1,800 personnel fighting the New Mexico fire, and forecasters said weather conditions should improve on Friday.
The fire already has burned through a forested landscape held sacred by its rural residents, many losing homes that have been in their families for generations. Some evacuated residents who were allowed to return home Tuesday and Wednesday found only charred rubble. Others were more fortunate as the flames skirted their homes.
Officials have predicted that the number of homes burned by the fire will rise dramatically when it’s safe for officials to do assessments of areas that are still smoldering.
Crews also were battling a smaller New Mexico fire near Los Alamos National Laboratory, a key government facility for nuclear research that has been tapped to ramp up production of plutonium components for the U.S. nuclear arsenal.
Most employees started working remotely this week as the lab and people living in the town of Los Alamos prepared for possible evacuations. | https://www.tdtnews.com/news/article_42a4da26-d20c-11ec-b30e-db8de2247729.html | 2022-05-12T18:09:08Z |
Project to donate funds to assist in the protection and conservation of Critically Endangered orangutans
NEW YORK, July 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cheeky Rangas, a collection of 9,700 unique, utility-enabled non-fungible tokens (NFTs) themed around the plight of orangutans and the destruction of their rainforest habitat, announced that they will donate proceeds to The Orangutan Project with the aim of protecting over 100,000 acres of rainforest.
By linking Web3, art and crypto with real-world issues, this project turns NFTs into media and Cheeky Ranga avatars into powerful virtual activists. Through a pure donation policy, the Cheeky Rangas project will provide significant funding for wildlife and wilderness projects to combat the extinction of Critically Endangered species and rainforest deforestation before it's too late.
"We want to make a positive impact and create a better environment not just for orangutans but for all endangered species," said Mahesh Silva, co-founder and director of Studio Crypto, creators of the Cheeky Rangas NFT collection. "We chose orangutans as they are our closest relatives in the animal kingdom. They are the most vulnerable of all the Great Apes, and their plight is dominated by a single issue – the destruction of their rainforest habitat.
"We selected The Orangutan Project because of its philosophy of getting the job done for orangutan conservation and protecting the whole ecosystem."
The Cheeky Rangas project will donate 25% of the mint proceeds exclusively to The Orangutan Project and 75% of ongoing royalty to relevant wildlife projects, including The Orangutan Project. All donations will be directly transferred to charities to ensure full transparency and accountability.
Funds directed to The Orangutan Project will support the protection and conservation of Critically Endangered orangutans in Sumatra and Borneo.
"Realistically, we only have 10 years to save orangutans," said Leif Cocks, founder of The Orangutan Project. "The ongoing rapid loss of rainforest habitat and the devastating impact of the illegal wildlife trade has created an extinction crisis that is unlike anything we've seen before. Unless we take drastic action within the next 10 years to secure and protect intact lowland rainforest ecosystems which can support sustainable populations of orangutans, then all orangutan species will face inevitable extinction.
"NFT projects like Cheeky Rangas have the potential to provide us with significant additional funds that will enable us to fight for the protection of orangutans and other Critically Endangered species. We are grateful to Cheeky Rangas and Studio Crypto for their support."
The sale of each Cheeky Ranga NFT approximately equates to protecting five acres of rainforest habitat in Sumatra and Borneo for two years. With 9,700 uniquely minted Cheeky Rangas up for grabs, that equates to 100,000 acres.
"Currently with our partners, we help protect over 100,000 acres of rainforest," Cocks said. "Through our Wildlife Protection Units, we are actively protecting these concessions to deter illegal activities such as logging and poaching to provide a safe haven where orangutans can thrive and recover in number."
"The Cheeky Rangas NFT collection will be carbon neutral with all blockchain transactions offset through sustainability platform, Aerial. In fact, the project will be carbon negative and climate positive when we quantify the impact of rainforest protection. Being carbon neutral - or better - is important to us as it determines the ongoing viability of the species and the ecosystems," said Silva.
Learn more about the Cheeky Rangas NFT Collection at https://cheekyrangas.com.
Studio Crypto was established with a primary mission of linking Web3 with real-world issues. We believe blockchain technology represents a new form of economic value that will fundamentally alter market structures. We invest in projects and companies forging new ground and building transformative infrastructure and applications that will shape the future of Web3 technology. Find out more at www.studiocrypto.io.
The Orangutan Project was established in 1998 with a critical mission; to ensure that Critically Endangered orangutan species are protected against Extinction and will continue to live in viable wild populations for generations to come. Today, The Orangutan Project is a dynamic, fast-growing and successful non-profit organisation that has raised over $25 million to support a wide range of critical projects that address the holistic problem facing fragmented orangutan populations - including fighting deforestation and habitat loss at the highest level. Find out more at www.theorangutanproject.org.
Media Contact
Mahesh Silva
Director
Studio Crypto
nft@studiocrypto.io
Media Contact
Heather Ripley
Orange Orchard
(865) 977-1973
hripley@orangeorchardpr.com
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SOURCE The Orangutan Project | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/27/nft-good-cheeky-rangas-support-orangutan-project/ | 2022-07-27T12:20:24Z |
PITTSBURGH, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "While working as a construction laborer, I was tasked with carrying heavy lumber on my shoulder. I thought there could be a better way," said an inventor, from Hendersonville, N.C., "so I invented the BUILDER'S ARMOR. My design allows a worker to move heavy construction materials faster and easier without the pain and bruising."
The patent-pending invention provides an easier way to move heavy lumber on one's shoulder. In doing so, it enables materials to be carried in a balanced and controlled manner. As a result, it helps to reduce stress, fatigue and pain and it enhances safety and convenience. The invention features a practical design that is easy to use so it is ideal for construction workers and do-it-yourselfers. Features cooling foam for summer and heating for winter with underarm adjustable straps. Additionally, it is producible in design variations and a prototype model is available upon request.
The original design was submitted to the Charlotte sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 20-CNC-768, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.
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SOURCE InventHelp | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/24/inventhelp-inventor-develops-easier-way-move-lumber-shoulder-cnc-768/ | 2022-05-24T15:51:27Z |
DALLAS (STACKER) — When it comes to the daily reality of driving on the nation’s roadways, statistics are one thing, but actually putting up with the sheer amount of cracks, delaminations, and potholes is something you can only truly measure by feedback from your fellow drivers. A recent summary report from national transportation research nonprofit TRIP found that 40% of U.S. roadways—encompassing highways, arterials, and local roads—are in poor or mediocre condition, and the result of this is an average cost to the single driver of $621 per year for vehicle repair and maintenance. When you consider the total number of drivers in the United States, that few hundred dollars per driver tallies up to $141 billion overall.
While this is a staggering figure, it doesn’t really punch its weight in terms of how degraded roadways affect the average person. Funnily enough, you’d have better luck going to social media for such a glimpse at the raw frustration and inconvenience the common pothole can cause. As such, Stacker took a look at data from The Clunker Junker to rank every state according to how many pothole complaints are registered on Twitter per 1000 km, or 621 miles, of road.
Keep reading to see how your state stacks up according to the complaints of their own drivers or read the national story here.
Texas by the numbers
– Pothole complaints: 5.8 for every 1,000 km of road
Everything’s bigger in Texas, as the saying goes—and, of course, you know what that means. One pothole in the northern town of Decatur, Texas, was deep enough to hold its own Christmas tree. Another shut down the R.L. Thornton Expressway near Dallas. In general, with the Lone Star State now suffering unprecedented winter storms, it looks like the situation is going to persist. Fortunately, some of the state’s largest cities, such as Houston, are trying to get ahead of the problem.
Potholes are not just the curse of states that lay down a lot of salt in winter—which causes breaks or delaminations in the road surface—nor are they merely the bane of the drier regions, where the sun hits the asphalt with relentless, year-round force. They are a ubiquitous occurrence nationwide. Potholes are actually caused, for the most part, by the conflation of water absorption, freeze-thaw cycles, heat, and good old wear and tear, which makes every city, county, and state in America ripe for their development.
Check out which states had the most and least pothole complaints below.
States with the most pothole complaints
#1. Rhode Island: 23.4 complaints for every 1,000 km of road
#2. Hawaii: 20.6 complaints for every 1,000 km of road
#3. New York: 20.5 complaints for every 1,000 km of road
#4. Massachusetts: 18.7 complaints for every 1,000 km of road
#5. California: 18.4 complaints for every 1,000 km of road
States with the least pothole complaints
#1. Idaho: 0.4 complaints for every 1,000 km of road
#2. Wyoming: 0.6 complaints for every 1,000 km of road
#3. Montana (tie): 0.8 complaints for every 1,000 km of road
#3. New Mexico (tie): 0.8 complaints for every 1,000 km of road
#4. South Dakota: 1 complaint for every 1,000 km of road
#5. Iowa: 1.1 complaints for every 1,000 km of road | https://cw33.com/news/local/see-how-many-pothole-complaints-are-filed-in-texas/ | 2022-04-01T12:57:02Z |
WASHINGTON, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA will host a briefing at 11:30 a.m. EDT (8:30 a.m. PDT) on Thursday, Sept. 15, at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California to provide highlights from the first year and a half of the Perseverance rover's exploration of Mars.
The rover landed in Mars' Jezero Crater in February 2021 and is collecting samples of rock and other materials from the Martian surface. NASA's Perseverance is investigating the sediment-rich ancient river delta in the Red Planet's Jezero Crater.
The briefing will livestream on NASA Television, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, as well as the agency's app. Watch on the agency's website at:
Participants will include:
- Lori Glaze, director of NASA's Planetary Science Division, NASA Headquarters
- Laurie Leshin, JPL director
- Art Thompson, Perseverance project manager, JPL
- Ken Farley, Perseverance project scientist, Caltech
- Sunanda Sharma, Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals scientist, JPL
- David Shuster, Perseverance returned sample scientist, University of California, Berkeley
Members of the U.S. media interested in covering the event in person at JPL must arrange access in advance by emailing Rexana Vizza at: rexana.v.vizza@jpl.nasa.gov no later than 7 p.m. EDT (4 p.m. PDT) on Tuesday, Sept. 13. Foreign media outlets must RSVP by 7 p.m. EDT (4 p.m. PDT) on Monday, Sept. 12. Valid media credentials are required for on-site access. The agency's media accreditation policy is available online.
To ask questions by phone, members of the media need to RSVP no later than two hours before the start of the event on Thursday, Sept. 15. Questions can be asked on social media during the briefing using #AskNASA.
Perseverance marks the first step in the Mars Sample Return campaign, which would return scientifically-promising samples to Earth for further study using the most sophisticated instruments around the world. These samples collected by Perseverance during its exploration of an ancient river delta are thought to be the best opportunity to reveal the early evolution of Mars, including the potential for life.
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SOURCE NASA | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/nasa-host-briefing-perseverance-mars-rover-mission-operations/ | 2022-09-12T18:49:41Z |
- Inaugurated in 2020, TADS Awards is the world's first annual international awards for the Tokenized Assets and Digitized Securities ("TADS") sectors.
- As a non-profit event, all nominations for TADS Awards can be submitted at no cost. All nominations will be reviewed by a panel of independent industry experts.
- This year, a new "NFT Innovations" awards category has been added to cover five new awards including Digital Art, Content/IP, Impact/ESG, Phygital, and Metaverse.
HONG KONG, July 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TADS Awards is the world's first annual international awards for the Tokenized Assets and Digitized Securities ("TADS") sectors. Nominations for TADS Awards can be submitted by the nominees directly or by a third-party nominator at the designated website (www.tadsawards.org). To keep pace with the growth of the dynamic TADS industries, this year, the 3rd TADS Awards has added a new "NFT Innovations" awards category covering five awards including Digital Art, Content/IP, Impact/ESG, Phygital, and Metaverse.
The nomination deadline for the "NFT Innovations" awards category is August 30, 2022, and the award presentation ceremony for this category will be held during the "NFT-Metaverse Expo 2022" from September 23-25, 2022 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The nomination deadline for the "Best of Class TADS" and "Eco-System Excellence" award categories is September 30, 2022, and the related awards ceremony will be held during the "Hong Kong FinTech Week" from October 31 – November 4, 2022. As a non-profit event, there is no cost for both nominators and nominees at any stage of the TADS Awards, and they are free to withdraw at any time. Information submitted during the application process will be kept confidential.
TADS Awards is co-organized by Asia Pacific Digital Economy Institute, Coinstreet Partners, and DAS (Digital Asset Series) Seminars. It has received strong support from strategic partners, including (alphabetically):- Accenture, Association of Family Offices in Asia, Crypto Valley Association, Deloitte Hong Kong, DLA Piper, FinTech Association of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Cyberport, IBM, InvestHK, Microsoft Hong Kong, Morningstar, Somerley Capital, The Tokenizer, and West Park Capital, among many others, plus support from its Global Ambassadors from over sixteen countries.
Samson Lee, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of TADS Awards, and Founder and CEO of Coinstreet commented, "As we enter the third year of running TADS Awards with the addition of "NFT Innovations" award category, we are very delighted to present a total of fifteen main awards along with another twelve rising-star awards that celebrate and reward outstanding companies in the Tokenized Assets and Digitized Securities space."
One of the supporting organizations, King Leung, Head of Fintech at InvestHK, said "NFT plays an instrumental role, far beyond its current forms, in the broader context of the Web3 revolution that will have a profound impact on the world. At InvestHK, we are also a strong believer that our international environment, positioning as a global international financial centre, and being the 2nd largest art auction market in the world, gives us an enormous competitive advantage to become a leading global player in this NFT revolution. I salute the founders of TADS Awards for their mission and passion, and I look forward to more collaboration to foster the NFT ecosystem and propel Hong Kong to become a global NFT leader."
Peter Yan, CEO of Hong Kong Cyberport said, "As home to the largest FinTech community in Hong Kong, Cyberport shares the same vision of facilitating the development of digital assets and financial innovation with TADS Awards. We are delighted to support the Awards for the third consecutive year and to see the inclusion of the 'NFT Innovations' award category to recognize outstanding industry players in the emerging and vibrant market. We wish TADS Awards every success."
"I am delighted to be a part of TADS Awards 2022 Organizing Committee. This is an exciting time for the tokenized assets and digitized securities sector as it continues to grow and gain momentum. I am pleased to see the addition of the "NFT Innovations" awards category and look forward to evaluating the nominations. At DLA Piper, we have advised on some very innovative projects in this space, and I am thrilled that companies and individuals have this opportunity to receive the industry recognition they deserve," said Ms. Kristi Swartz, Partner, DLA Piper.
Barry Chan, Partner, Financial Services Sector, IBM Consulting said, "This is my third year supporting TADS Awards. We observed the industry growing in maturity and driving continuous innovation. I'm looking forward to seeing new breakthrough thinking and broader adoption in the financial services industry."
On Yarvin, Managing Partner of Cointelligence Fund said, "Cointelligence Fund is a strong supporter of Metaverse. I am honored to join the Organizing Committee of TADS Awards 2022. The new "NFT Innovations" awards category and its five awards are something we wholeheartedly support and celebrate. It will be a pleasure to award the hard work and innovations that have been taking place in the NFT community."
Kim Mak, Co-organizer of NFT-Metaverse Expo 2022 commented, "It's our honor to have TADS Awards participate in our Expo and we truly believe it can help promote Hong Kong as a well-developed Web 3.0 market."
Neil Tan, Chairman of FinTech Association of Hong Kong commented, "TADS Awards are based on best practices and represent a measurement standard for the global tokenized assets and digital securities sectors. The adoption of blockchain, digital assets, and tokenization is a competitive advantage for us. Hong Kong must maintain its leadership position as a global financial center – TADS Awards keep Hong Kong at the forefront of innovation as a Global Fintech Center."
Tony Chan, Co-Chairman of NFT Association of Hong Kong (NFTAHK) added, "NFTAHK is the first registered non-profit organization in Hong Kong specializing in the field of NFT, it is our honor to collaborate with TADS Awards to offer five new "NFT Innovations" awards in 2022 to recognize outstanding companies in the NFT space."
TADS Awards 2022 will select a total of fifteen winners from three award categories (five awards for each category), along with a special Rising Star Award for each category created to encourage start-up companies and recognize innovative proof-of-concept projects in TADS industries.
1) "BEST OF CLASS TADS" category is for issuers of different types of Tokenized Assets & Digitized Securities, including -
- Equity-Backed Token
- Asset-Backed Token
- Tokenized Debt Token
- Income-Backed Token
- Impact / ESG Token
- TADS Rising Star
2) "ECO-SYSTEM EXCELLENCE" category is for service providers and vertical solution providers along the TADS value chain, including -
- KYC / Compliance Solution
- Token Issuance Solution
- Digital Custodian Solution
- Brokerage & Liquidity Solution
- Asset Management & DeFi Solution
- Ecosystem Rising Star
3) "NFT INNOVATIONS" category is for issuers of different types of NFTs, including
- Digital Art NFT (new)
- Content/IP NFT (new)
- Impact/ESG NFT (new)
- Phygital NFT (new)
- Metaverse NFT (new)
- NFT Rising Star (new)
Some of the winners of past TADS Awards include (alphabetically): Archax, Bitt, Covario, CurrencyWorks, DigiShares, InvestaX, IX Fintech, Kansong Art Museum, Publish, Ledger, Securitize, Prime Trust, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, and Tokeny Solutions. A complete list of previous TADS Awards can be found at https://tadsawards.org/past-results/.
About TADS Awards
First launched in 2020, the Tokenized Assets & Digital Securities Awards ("TADS Awards") is the world's first annual international awards for the Tokenized Assets & Digital Securities sector. Hosted annually, TADS Awards aims to nurture the growth of Web3 industries by gathering leaders and experts from across the world's financial technology and financial service sectors to establish best practices and performance standards through recognizing and honoring individuals and businesses for their distinguished achievements and contributions in TADS sectors. For more information, please visit - www.tadsawards.org
About Asia Pacific Digital Economy Institute
Asia Pacific Digital Economy Institute (APDEI) aims to create a center of excellence, leadership, and partnership to incubate new thinking and innovation in practice; advance thought-leadership; generate new growth opportunities; enhance the competitiveness and productivity of business; and cultivate talents to accelerate the digital economy. For more information, please visit - https://apdei.org/
About Coinstreet
Founded in 2017, Coinstreet is an award-winning, decentralized investment banking group, a high-end financial services firm for private wealth, and a professional consultancy firm in the Digital Asset and FinTech sectors, providing a business ecosystem for the new era of digital economy. Coinstreet focuses on five key business segments: (1) Asset Tokenization & Digitized Securities Consultancy, (2) Digital Asset Management & Private Banking, (3) Digital Asset Global Distribution Coordination, (4) TADS Issuance, Trading & Management Platform, and (5) DeFi, NFT & DLT Solutions. For more information, please visit www.coinstreet.partners
About DAS Seminars
Digital Asset Series (DAS) is a series of educational seminars delivered by academic scholars, regulators, legal professionals, fintech industry leaders and practitioners. These seminars are aimed to facilitate mass adoption of digital assets, through a better understanding of the ever-growing sphere of digital assets and fintech area and its current landscape. DAS Seminars 2022 is organized by six non-profit organizations in the digital asset space, including (alphabetically) the Asia Pacific Digital Economy Institute ("APDEI"), the Asia Security Token Alliance ("ASTA"), the Hong Kong Blockchain Association ("HKBA"), the Hong Kong Digital Finance Association ("HKDFA"), Society of Registered Financial Planners ("HKRFP"), and the NFT Association of Hong Kong ("NFTAHK"). For more information, please visit www.digitalassetseries.com
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SOURCE Coinstreet Partners | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/22/3rd-annual-tads-awards-now-open-nominations-with-new-nft-award-category/ | 2022-07-22T13:14:32Z |
For decades the Amur River has separated modern China and Russia -- its waters cutting though more than 1,000 of their roughly 2,500 border miles. But it's always lacked one thing: a vehicle bridge.
Now -- as Russia's economic isolation in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine pushes it closer to Beijing -- that is changing, with fanfare.
Last Friday, Beijing and Moscow feted the launch of another new link -- what state media on both sides have called the first highway bridge over the Amur -- with rockets trailing colorful smoke bursting overhead, and local officials applauding from the riverbanks, while their superiors beamed in from Moscow and Beijing on giant television screens specially brought in for the day.
A second crossing, the only railway bridge to connect the countries across the river, is expected to open soon.
For that maiden highway journey last week, eight freight trucks from China and eight from Russia drove in procession over the kilometer-long bridge, each bearing two oversized national flags on either side of their cabs, as they glided by each other in choreography captured by aerial drones.
The Chinese freighters carried electronics and tires, the Russian ones soybean oil and sawn timber, according to Moscow. And if any viewers were in doubt about the symbolism -- coming as the war in Ukraine has left Moscow desperate to show it still has friends and trade partners -- a Russian deputy prime minister filled in the blanks.
"The Blagoveshchensk-Heihe bridge has special symbolic significance in today's disunited world. It will become yet another thread of friendship linking the people of Russia and China," said Yury Trutnev, the Kremlin's envoy to the Russian Far East.
The $369 million project connects the twin cities of Heihe city in China's Heilongjiang province with the Amur region's capital Blagoveshchensk in the Russian Far East. Moscow expects it to clear some 4 million tonnes of goods and two million passengers each year when fully operational.
That is likely to further boost bilateral trade between China and Russia, already forecast to climb as Moscow increasingly looks to Beijing for economic partnership, though questions remain over how far China will go to support its sanctions-hit neighbor.
The timing of the bridge's launch underlines Beijing's interests in that partnership. It comes even as China continues with an unrelenting "zero-Covid" regime, which has seen the country repeatedly tightening land border controls -- erecting fences facing Myanmar, backlogging border crossings with stringent checks and even urging its citizens on the North Korean border to shut their windows lest virus blow over.
China was "ready to meet Russia halfway," Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua said at the inauguration Friday.
The country was "ready to work with Russia to continuously advance connectivity cooperation," he said.
Meeting halfway
The two bridges are years in the making, with the railway project -- further east along the Amur in China's Tongjiang city and Russia's Nizhneleninskoye -- breaking ground in 2014. Friday's opening of the highway bridge followed a similar path: construction started in 2016 and was largely completed more than two years ago, but its opening stalled due to the pandemic.
The new crossings highlight burgeoning ties between the countries. These have grown under Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping and include an aim, expressed by Moscow this spring, to hit $200 billion in trade by 2024, up from a record-breaking $146 billion last year.
"Just recently Russia and China didn't have a single bridge across the Amur River, but now they have as many as two bridges ... so the trend is clear," said Artyom Lukin, an associate professor of international relations at the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok.
But the bridges -- each built in two halves, by the Chinese on one side and the Russians on the other -- and the river they traverse also underline the uneasy foundations of that relationship.
Known as the Amur in Russia and Heilongjiang in China, its riverbanks were once tense, heavily patrolled zones. An Amur tributary was the site of a 1969 border conflict, the result of ratcheting tensions between the Soviet Union and a young Communist China, and it wasn't until the 1990s that territorial disputes were largely settled.
Agreements at that time to develop the cooperation across the river stalled for years, as pontoons, hovercrafts and seasonal ice roads remained the means of ferrying people and goods across, while land and maritime connections elsewhere in the countries handled more trade.
Previous routes weren't sufficient, giving the rising volume of trade between Russia and China, according to Lukin.
"China has always been pushing for more port infrastructure, but Russia was a bit reluctant until recently to build this kind of infrastructure, for fear of becoming too dependent on China," Lukin said.
"But now Russia has no choice," he said, adding that since Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the ensuing Western backlash, Russia has been "much more open" to Chinese initiatives to develop cross-border infrastructure.
New era?
The highway bridge, in its original conception, was meant not just to enable the transit of goods, but to lead to new economic zones and passenger travel between the Chinese city of Heihe, home to around 1.3 million in its metropolitan area, and Blagoveshchensk, with a population of around a quarter-million.
China's Covid-19 policies may put that on hold for now, as the bridge will start only with freight, officials said. And even during Friday's opening ceremony, the country's now-infamous hazmat-clad workers were along the roadside welcoming the Russian freight trucks, a reminder of tight controls.
But the prospect of even closer cross-border ties for Heihe and Blagoveshchensk, which had already flourished with tourism and trade before the pandemic, could usher in a new phase for the region. According to local media, the government has ordered all students in Blagoveshchensk to study Chinese from September 1.
The opening may provide economic vitality for a "thinly populated" region of Russia, according to Yu Bin, a professor of political science at Ohio's Wittenberg University and a senior fellow at the Russian Studies Center of the East China Normal University in Shanghai.
It could also signal a shift away from the Russian "perception, or misperception" that such links could spark an influx of Chinese nationals into Russia's Far Eastern regions, Yu said.
There's been scant evidence of such a trend, but those concerns have been linked to disparities between the two sides of the river. Heihe, part of Heilongjiang province with some 31 million people, over recent decades has grown into a bustling city with a colorful skyline that is reflected in the Amur River at Blagoveshchensk.
Blagoveshchensk has seen slower growth and long experienced a population drain to western Russia, like the larger Far East region. The region makes up more than 40% of the country's land, but its 8 million residents are only 5% of its population.
However, "this time, Western sanctions against Russia seem to have helped alleviate these misperceptions and concerns about China's potential immigration," Yu said.
On a national level the bridge -- held up as a major diplomatic and economic win by Russian state media -- also underlines a hanging question about how far Beijing will go to support Russia amid the international crisis it has provoked following its invasion of Ukraine.
So far, China has walked a thin line. Beijing has said it upholds a rules-based world order, while refusing to join most of the world in condemning Moscow's move and using its state media apparatus to mimic Kremlin lines blaming the United States and NATO for the crisis.
It's also boosted some imports from its heavily sanctioned neighbor, while appearing careful to avoid incurring any itself, treading carefully around high-tech exports that Western countries have widely blocked for export to Russia.
"The first batch of cargo which crossed into China from Blagoveshchensk on the day of the official opening, soybean oil ... underscores this role which Russia plays for China economically as a provider of natural resources and commodities," said Far Eastern Federal University's Lukin.
"The more interesting question," he said, "is what will be coming from China via this bridge?"
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.albanyherald.com/news/china-and-russia-are-building-bridges-the-symbolism-is-intentional/article_99bd11ec-07f0-5d19-84c6-8e0071a156fc.html | 2022-06-15T04:47:10Z |
(iSeeCars) – Identifying the best-looking cars and best-looking SUVs of all time is no simple task, as opinions on what defines a good-looking car are highly personal. With no clearly defined rules regarding specific styling elements, including proper hood-to-body ratio, ideal roof slope angle, and overall proportions, we’re left to paraphrase a famous quote, “a beautiful car is in the eye of the beholder.”
That said, several classic models have stood the test of time, while some other new cars and crossovers have immediately caught the attention of automotive aficionados, who feel their sleek, timeless shapes that will age gracefully in the coming decades. Highly practical brands, like Honda, Lexus, Mazda, Nissan, Toyota, and Volvo, didn’t make the list, but those automakers still produce some of the best vehicles if you’re seeking passenger safety and fuel economy.
And while high horsepower sports cars and supercars commonly dominate these lists, we’re going to stay focused on the best cars and the best SUVs with compelling design, first and foremost. If they happen to have a high performance threshold and impressive top speed it certainly won’t count against them. But for this list, “best” means most attractive, not necessarily best driver’s car.
Let’s start with the Top 10 Best-Looking Cars of all time
1. 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB
This classic Ferrari is simply a combination of sleek bodywork and perfect proportions. It’s likely the 275 GTB was a response to Jaguar’s E-Type, which debuted a few years earlier and a model which Enzo Ferrari himself described as “the most beautiful car ever made.”
2. 1966/2006 Ford GT40/GT
The Ford GT, or GT40 depending on which era you’re talking about, was a mid-engine coupe designed to beat Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. While the design was meant to win races, it’s also one of the best-looking cars of all time, made even better in the second-generation 2005-2006 version.
3. 1965 Jaguar E-Type
The car that got Enzo’s seal of approval, and no doubt inspired the number one car on our list, Jaguar’s E-Type is another example of clean body lines and perfect proportions. Its modern counterpart, the Jaguar F-Type, isn’t quite as perfect in execution, but still quite a looker.
4. 1971 Lamborghini Miura SV
Officially the first “supercar” – earning that title with a mid-engine V12 powertrain – the Miura introduced the world to the concept of beauty and power coming together in a low-slung shape. It looks like it’s hitting triple-digit speeds even when parked, and has aged incredibly well.
5. 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California
Another Italian beauty from the 1960s, this car was stunning even before it starred in a John Hughes movie about a high school kid ditching class. That role simply widened the awareness of how well Ferrari had refined the shape of its 250 series cars, which started in the early 1950s and was perfected by 1961.
6. 1963 Chevrolet Corvette
The first year of the second-generation Corvette, 1963 was the only model year with the split window design, creating a visibility challenge for drivers and an overall shape that holds up 60 years later. The flip-around quad headlights only add to the Corvette’s cool car status when they’re deployed.
7. 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL
Offered in both coupe and roadster form, it’s the elaborate “gullwing” doors on the coupe that complete this German sports car’s otherwise iconic shape, including a large three-pointed star dominating the car’s prominent grille.
8. 2003 BMW Z8
One of the few modern cars to make the list, the Z8’s design follows the approach of the classic cars on this list – clean, simple lines and perfect proportions. The Z8 is beautiful from head to toe, but the way its rear end tapers to a crisp point, with sleek taillights contrasting the bodywork, is where it captures that 1960s design magic.
9. 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS
With nearly six decades of production it’s not easy picking a single 911 to honor for design, but the 1973 Carrera RS not only offers the classic 911 profile, it does so with cool “Carrera” door graphics and classic five-spoke wheels. This one also happens to offer an incredible driving experience.
10. 1970 Dodge Challenger
Only one muscle car makes the list, but it’s among the coolest cars ever made, inspiring a modern Dodge Challenger revival in 2008. The original Dodge Challenger has appeared in numerous movie roles, often featuring its ultimate 426 Hemi, 8-cylinder engine that easily spins the rear wheels and roasts the tires.
Now on to the Top 10 Best-Looking SUVs of all time
1. Ford Bronco
If you’re wondering whether we mean the new Ford Bronco or the original 1960s version, the answer is “yes”. Both Ford SUVs offer classic, boxy proportions, and the original even came in truck and convertible form. The modern Bronco looks best in two-door form, but even the four-door looks cool.
2. 2022 Genesis GV70
It may serve as the premium division of the Hyundai Motor Company, but Genesis’ styling team is consistently hitting home runs. All the brand’s newest models look good, but the GV70 looks great. Seductive body panels and sleek quad headlights make it a beautiful AWD utility vehicle.
3. Jeep Wrangler
There’s nothing inherently stunning about the Jeep Wrangler, but it defines the term “iconic” when it comes to small SUV design. The boxy shape of early Land Rovers, Ford Broncos and Toyota FJs? They all owe a hearty “thank you!” to the original four-wheel drive, off-road SUV, the WWII Jeep Willys that eventually became the Jeep Wrangler.
4. 2022 Alfa Romeo Stelvio
Given this brand’s history of producing attractive coupes and sedans, including the Alfa Romeo Giulia and 8C, it’s not surprising the automaker found a way to make beautiful all-wheel-drive conveyances. If you’re not worried about mpg, we’re particularly fond of the larger wheels and quad tailpipes (and turbo engine) on the Quadrifoglio version.
5. 2022 Maserati Levante
Maserati joined the midsize SUV trend in 2017 with the Levante. It features a curvaceous roof culminating in a spoiler over the hatchback rear end, along with a sloping grille. Yet its roomy interior retains sport utility practicality and cargo space. The most powerful Trofeo version rides on 21-inch wheels over gloss red brake calipers
6. 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E
The name is controversial, but the combination of SUV proportions and Mustang styling cues undeniably works. And it does stay true to the Mustang’s sporty, rear-wheel-drive layout (all-wheel drive is optional). The Mach-E also features hidden exterior door handles and a solid front grille to further its “future of personal transportation” style. Did we mention this SUV is an electric car?
7. 2021 Aston Martin DBX
The British sports car maker just released its first luxury SUV, and while it’s a bit late to the SUV party, this one makes up for it with exceptional styling that reflects the brand’s heritage. Under the DBX’s long hood sits either a twin-turbo inline 6 or twin-turbo V8 engine, both of which offer appropriate exhaust notes to compliment its styling.
8. 2022 Audi Q8
The Q8 offers a compelling exterior shape and cool front-end styling. It rides on the same platform as the Bentley Bentayga, Lamborghini Urus, and Volkswagen Touareg, but unlike the aggressive design of those models, the Q8 shows the same classic reserve we see in the brand’s Audi R8 supercar. We’re also fans of Audi’s intuitive touchscreen infotainment system and driver assist technology.
9. 2022 Land Rover Range Rover Velar
Every modern Land Rover SUV features a clean, upscale exterior design and near perfect proportions. And while we like the boxy Land Rover Defender’s design attitude, the Range Rover Velar takes it a step further, with a sloping roofline and sleek headlights and taillights. Its shorter wheelbase means it’s not the most practical or capable Land Rover, but it is the prettiest.
10. 2022 Kia Sorento
Yup, Kia made the list of most beautiful SUVs, and the truth is there were at least three worthy candidates. But while the full-size Kia Telluride is both an attractive and highly functional large SUV, and the brand’s compact SUV, the Seltos, has a cool “spunk” to its styling, the midsize Kia Sorento still offers a third row, and is simply a remarkably good looking SUV.
More from iSeeCars:
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This article, These are the Best Looking Cars and Best Looking SUVs of all Time, originally appeared on iSeeCars.com. | https://cw33.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/these-are-the-best-looking-cars-and-best-looking-suvs-of-all-time/ | 2022-06-12T21:39:57Z |
Grand Parade wows crowd with sights, smiles
CANTON – The tradition marched on.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival Canton Repository Grand Parade stepped off at 8 a.m., near Sixth Street SW. It travelled north on Cleveland Avenue, passing thousands of people who lined both sides of the street for more than two miles, to its conclusion at 25th Street NW.
"To me, every year it gets better," said Lawrence Harris, a city sanitation worker and lifelong Canton resident.
Harris has attended about every Grand Parade for the past 50 years and used to bring his children, who are now grown. It was his second year helping clean after the parade.
This year's lineup included 111 units − Hall of Famers, new and returning; plenty of high school bands; floats such as a giant Idaho potato and Oscar the Grouch; balloons; the high energy performance of the South Shore Drill Team; and gobs of classic cars, to name a few.
Here's some of what we saw along the route:
Parade prep
Parade floats lined Cleveland Avenue south of Sixth Street SW as spectators made their way north to the start of the route.
Ashley and Jason Holderbaum brought their 1-year-old daughter Olivia in a stroller to watch her second Grand Parade. The Holderbaums try to come every year, and were on their way to sit with relatives.
"We like the balloons," Ashley said. Jason added that his favorite group is the South Shore Drill Team from Chicago.
They walked past Marty Rischar, of Youngstown, who sat in the Mabel Schwebel toaster mobile — a 1966 vehicle that replaced a 1936 bread truck from Schwebel’s Baking Company. He's been with the company 31 years and said he enjoys the camaraderie of parade day in Canton.
"We always seem to get a warm reception here," Rischar said.
He operates bread slices atop the toaster-like truck with a two-button controller, the motor for which usually burns out by the end because "everyone wants to watch the bread go up and down."
Camping and cookouts
Finding a good spot to watch the parade is all about planning.
Arrive early and plan to stay late.
Early often means the evening before. A smattering of tents lined grass and asphalt lots along the northern half of the route, between 12th Street NW and Malone University.
Shortly after 7 a.m. Saturday, Tylor Shahan flipped sausage patties on a sizzling grill to feed a contingent of about 20 family members near 25th Street NW. He maneuvered his breakfast menu around a table filled with pizza boxes, left over from last night's dinner.
As is the case with so many locals, the the parade is a family tradition.
'Roll off now'
Marching bands began playing with high energy as they approached the "roll off now" signs on Cleveland Avenue SW.
Aside from a brief burst of sunlight, the morning was cloudy and humid with temperatures in the 70s. Police officers from several area departments were stationed at intersections along the route.
People watched the enshrinees, marching bands and balloons from bleacher seats, folding chairs and buildings facing the street. Coffee drinks and boxes of sugary, fried dough from Dunkin' Donuts, Mary Ann Donuts, Giant Eagle and other generic brands were plentiful.
Chants of "spin it" − with a variation of "unscrew it" for the AEP lightbulb balloon − were frequent requests from the crowd to balloon handlers, who often obliged.
The color of the day
About 200 people come to Pioneer Financial Services for a good parade seat every year. Owner Tom Crank, who’s also the baseball coach at Malone University, invites employees, clients, friends and friends of friends to the soiree.
His mom, Linda Crank, provides sausage gravy and biscuits and cinnamon rolls to help feed the hungry throng.
Pioneer’s location, at 2515 Cleveland Avenue NW, provides premier seating.
“We do a different color each year,” Crank explained, showing off a table full of hundreds of Pioneer T-shirts.
The shirts were green when Green Bay’s Brett Favre was enshrined.
Blue when Colts’ and Broncos’ star Peyton Manning got in.
This year was gray and black for the Raiders’ Cliff Branch.
Crank said typically they’ll run a few of the shirts out to the corresponding hall of famer, as he passes – and they usually graciously accept the gift.
Steelers in Browns territory
Theo Satterwhite is a regular at the parade.
“I’m a hardcore Steelers fan,” he said.
He and Tanya Whitehouse spent the night in his black Jeep Wrangler. A Steelers banner, noting the team’s six Super Bowl titles, dangled from the top. Next to a couple yellow Terrible Towels. Just behind a chair draped with a Steelers blanket.
He’s usually surrounded by Browns’ fans.
“Them ... and them … and them,” he shouted while pointing his finger left, then right, and finally across the street. “That’s why I got to be loud. I’ve got to be louder than anyone..”
Last night, he paid the price, though.
Someone dumped a beer on his blanket.
Satterwhite is pretty sure it was a Browns fan.
Tight white pants
Sue Sprandel proudly displayed a "We (love) Bob Golic" sign in front of her seat at her family’s business, Sprandel Chiropractic Clinic in the 1400 block of Cleveland Avenue NW. She said she was hoping to embarrass him a bit.
Golic − who played 14 seasons in the NFL, including seven with Cleveland − is now a talk show host for WNIR 100.1 FM.
Sprandel has met Golic, because she said she used to date Tom Cullison, the radio station's production director. However, she admitted to being a Golic fan long before that. In fact, it began during his time with the Browns.
“I always liked his white football pants,” she said with a smile. “And he knows it, because I’ve told him so.”
Showing some love
Many returning hall of famers are regulars on parade units.
And so many of them enjoy the 2.5-mile slow ride north from downtown to their exit point at Bill’s Cobbler Shop.
While it’s common for parade watchers to take photos of the stars, Raiders’ tight end Dave Casper returned the favor, taking photos of the crowd with his cell phone; Vikings’ lineman Ron Yary signed a football for a little boy; Mike Haynes profusely thanked the crowd and told them he’d see them again next year.
Skilled autograph-seekers know the best place to watch the parade is from a grassy hill, north of the post office – beyond the official end of the route. While most of the units head east into the Malone Parking lot, just south of the post office, all the Hall of Famers continue on for a few more blocks to the cobbler shop.
“Ten so far,’ said Chad Rucker, showing off a photo of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, signed by 10 members of the Hall.
Local pride
Darin and Jenifer Hill grew up coming to the parade as city residents and now were sharing the experience with their sons, 3-year-old Callen and 5-year-old Davis. They said it's changed over the years, with fewer tractors and horses this year. They still find it fun.
The Hills planned to attend the Concert for Legends and Dave Chappelle shows this weekend.
"We try to do all of the Hall of Fame things," Jenifer said.
Robyn Rohr and her daughter Madison, a Jackson High School band alumnus who previously marched in the parade, said they enjoy seeing all the marching bands. Madison noted that watching it is less tiring than participating.
"It's just nice to come out and see people from all over Stark County united for something fun," Robyn Rohr said.
After nearly two hours of entertainment, police and firefighter sirens signaled the parade's end.
Float winners for 2022
The Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce had previously announced the float winners of the 2022 Canton Repository Grand Parade. Eight floats were entered.
- Grand Prize Award – Best overall entry in the parade: Freedom Float, sponsored by Newcomer’s Chapel of Pigeon Run United Methodist Church
- Ohio State Award – Best nonprofessional builder entry: Anya Van Rose Music
- Enshrinees' Award – Most-effective use of color: Fairplay Family Center
- Mayor's Award – Best display of animation: 12th Man, sponsored by Akron Auto Auction
- HOF Board of Trustees’ Award – Most original concept: Black College Football Hall of Fame
- NFL Award – Best use of flowers: Louisville Constitution Court
- Exceptional Merit − Ohio Lottery, Summit Academy School
The panel of judges were: David Whitehill of ArtsinStark, Mark Vandegrift of Innis Maggiore, Chris Lesho of Shattered Window Productions and Janelle Lee of the Black College Hall of Fame.
Reach Kelly at 330-580-8323 or kelly.byer@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @kbyerREP.
Reach Tim at 330-580-8333 or tim.botos@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @tbotosREP. | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/canton/2022/08/06/saturdays-canton-repository-grand-parade-attracted-thousands-to-area/10187781002/ | 2022-08-06T20:51:45Z |
Revenue of $36.0 million; Gross Margin of 43%
Continued Shift of Revenue Mix to Higher Margin Integrated Care Management and Virtual Care Infrastructure Businesses
Substantial Progress Achieved Toward Company-wide Transformation
Reiterates 2022 Financial Outlook
Settled the Forward Share Purchase Agreement Obligations Subsequent to Quarter End
Public Company & Healthcare Industry Veteran Samuel J. Meckey to Become Chief Executive Officer in July
DELRAY BEACH, Fla., May 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- UpHealth, Inc. ("UpHealth" or the "Company") (NYSE: UPH), a global digital health company delivering technology platforms, infrastructure, and services to modernize care delivery and health management, today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022.
"Our first quarter results represent a solid foundation for the remainder of the year and position us to deliver upon our previously stated annual growth expectations supported by our first quarter 2022 top-line growth of 6% sequentially and 18% over the first quarter 2021 on a pro forma basis," said Dr. Ramesh Balakrishnan, Chief Executive Officer of UpHealth. "The demand for our services in our target markets remains unprecedented and further supports our 2022 outlook. Additionally, I am very proud of our leadership team, all of whom have been fully engaged in helping lead our transformation initiatives. I am pleased to report the full implementation is on time and on target."
Dr. Balakrishnan continued, "Today, we remain focused on our highest growth businesses: Syntranet™, Martti™ and HelloLyf, which we are enhancing to provide comprehensive care management solutions to payers and governments and are working to grow Martti™ to become the leading tele-consult provider. With revenue recognition matters addressed and vigorous processes now in place to ensure this does not interfere with our results going forward, we will grow revenue considerably and, importantly, expect to be cash flow positive prior to year-end, as we work toward building an industry-leading, global healthcare public enterprise, delivering upon our unique value proposition."
In a news release this morning, the company announced that Samuel J. Meckey will be stepping into the role of CEO effective in July. Mr. Meckey has nearly 20 years of experience in publicly traded healthcare companies and has consistently driven growth, revenues, and margins across his areas of responsibilities.
Mr. Meckey was most recently Executive Vice President and Head of Healthcare at EXLService Holdings, Inc., a leading data analytics and digital operations and solutions company. Prior to EXLService, he spent 14 years at UnitedHealth Group's Optum in a variety of roles, including President, Optum Global Solutions. A former United States Naval officer, he holds an MBA from Harvard University and an undergraduate degree in economics from the United States Naval Academy.
First Quarter 2022 Financial Highlights:
- Revenue for the first quarter of 2022 was $36.0 million, compared to $33.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2021, a sequential increase of 6%. Gross margin expanded to 43%, up from 22% in the fourth quarter of 2021.
- Segment results:
- Operating loss for the first quarter of $(25.0) to $(33.0) million.
- Adjusted EBITDA for the first quarter of $(1.3) million.
Please refer to the discussion and tables under "Non-GAAP Financial Information."
First Quarter Business Highlights:
- SyntraNet™ went live to support the largest health plans and providers in the California CalAIM initiative, covering over 8 million lives.
- Continued domestic Martti™ expansion with four large and long-term Martti™ language interpretation contracts with Ascension Texas, Ascension Indiana, Ascension Michigan and Wellstar. Increased consultation volumes drove higher revenues and led to an 11% increase in gross margins, resulting in an estimated $15 million in new contract value.
- Announced comprehensive integration of technology platforms, Martti™ and SyntraNet™, expanding the ability of care teams managing value-based and other population health programs to include real-time resources.
- Martti™ currently supports 575,423 encounters per month and over 27,200 video endpoints at over 2,300 healthcare locations in the U.S.
- The Company recorded its largest volume of telehealth use ever in the U.S. with over 9.4 million minutes of consultations in Q1, compared to 7.4 million minutes in Q4 2021.
- HelloLyf CX digital dispensaries in India experienced growth of over 29%, with patient consultations increasing 1.3x, from 376,514 in Q1 2021 to 486,317 in Q1 2022.
- Behavioral Health division recognized as a TRICARE preferred provider, contracted with Cigna and Magellan, has relationships with Zelis and Multiplan and was credentialed by 12 additional players.
- The Company secured three new behavioral health network provider contracts with Florida Blue, New Directions and Bright Health, including detox services for the U.S. Veterans Administration.
Balance Sheet and Cash Flow
At March 31, 2022, UpHealth reported $70.7 million of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash. On April 9, 2022, the Company repaid its forward share purchase agreement according to the terms of the contract.
Fiscal 2022 Financial Outlook
For the full year 2022, the Company continues to expect total revenue between $205 and $233 million, a 38-56% growth rate, gross margins of 42% to 43% and adjusted EBITDA of $14 to $19 million. The Company expects to become operating cash flow positive during the third quarter, providing sufficient liquidity to execute on current growth plans.
"As we get close to celebrating our first full year as a publicly traded company, UpHealth's business is on a great trajectory. We remain on-track with our 2022 projections, and our ability to reiterate our full-year guidance reflects the strength and diversification of our business," said Dr. Balakrishnan.
Conference Call
UpHealth management will host a live question-and-answer session with investors and analysts beginning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time today, May 12, 2022. The call can be accessed live over the telephone by dialing (877) 344-8082, passcode 150118, from the U.S. or International callers can dial (213) 992-4618, passcode 150118. There will also be a simultaneous, live webcast available on the Investor Relations section of the Company's web site at https://investors.uphealthinc.com/events-and-presentations/default.aspx or directly here. The webcast will be archived for approximately 30 days.
About UpHealth Inc.
UpHealth is a global digital health company that delivers digital-first technology, infrastructure and services to dramatically improve how healthcare is delivered and managed. The UpHealth platform creates digitally enabled "care communities" that improve access and achieve better patient outcomes at lower cost, through digital health solutions and interoperability tools that serve patients wherever they are, in their native language. UpHealth's clients include global governments, health plans, healthcare providers and community-based organizations. For more information, please visit https://uphealthinc.com and follow us at @UpHealthInc on Twitter and UpHealth Inc on LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of U.S. federal securities laws. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the financial statements of UpHealth, its product offerings and developments and reception of its product by customers, the start date of its new CEO, and its expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions, plans, prospects or strategies regarding the future revenue and the business plans of UpHealth's management team. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts, or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intends," "may," "might," "plan," "possible," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "would" and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by the management of UpHealth in light of their respective experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, and expected future developments and their potential effects on UpHealth as well as other factors they believe are appropriate in the circumstances. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting UpHealth will be those anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond the control of the parties), or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, including the mix of services utilized by UpHealth's customers and such customers' needs for these services, market acceptance of new service offerings, the ability of UpHealth to expand what it does for existing customers as well as to add new customers, the ability of the new CEO to begin work when anticipated, that UpHealth will have sufficient capital to operate as anticipated, and the impact that the novel coronavirus and the illness, COVID-19, that it causes, as well as government responses to deal with the spread of this illness and the reopening of economies that have been closed as part of these responses, may have on UpHealth's operations, the demand for UpHealth's products, global supply chains and economic activity in general. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should any of the assumptions being made prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
UPHEALTH, INC.
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Non-GAAP Financial Information
This press release includes financial measures that are not calculated in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). To supplement UpHealth's condensed consolidated financial statements presented in accordance with GAAP, UpHealth presents investors with non-GAAP financial measures, including pro forma revenue, pro forma gross margin and adjusted EBITDA.
- Pro forma revenue consists of GAAP revenue and revenue from UpHealth's subsidiaries prior to their acquisition.
- Pro forma gross margin consists of GAAP gross margin and gross margin from UpHealth's subsidiaries prior to their acquisition.
- Adjusted EBITDA consists of net income (loss) attributable to UpHealth, Inc., excluding depreciation and amortization; stock-based compensation; lease abandonment expenses; goodwill/intangible asset impairment; contingent liabilities; acquisition, integration, and transformation costs; other income (expense); income tax benefit (expense); income (loss) from equity method investment; net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests; and other non-recurring charges to GAAP net income (loss) attributable to UpHealth, Inc. Other non-recurring charges to GAAP net income (loss) attributable to UpHealth, Inc. may include transaction expenses in connection with capital raising transactions (whether debt, equity or equity-linked) and acquisitions, whether or not consummated, purchase price adjustments, the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles, or other expenses determined to be non-recurring.
UpHealth believes that the presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures provides important supplemental information to management and investors regarding financial and business trends relating to UpHealth's financial condition and results of operations. Management believes that the items described above provide an additional measure of UpHealth's operating results and facilitates comparisons of UpHealth's core operating performance against prior periods and business model objectives. This information is provided to investors in order to facilitate additional analyses of past, present, and future operating performance and as a supplemental means to evaluate UpHealth's ongoing operations. UpHealth believes that these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors in their assessment of UpHealth's operating performance.
Pro forma revenue, pro forma gross margin and adjusted EBITDA are not calculated in accordance with GAAP, and should be considered supplemental to, and not as a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. You should not consider these measures in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of UpHealth's results as reported under GAAP. UpHealth compensates for these limitations by prominently disclosing GAAP financial measures and providing investors with reconciliations from UpHealth's GAAP operating results to the non-GAAP financial measures for the relevant periods.
The accompanying tables provide more details on the GAAP financial measures that are most directly comparable to the non-GAAP financial measures described above and the related reconciliations between these financial measures.
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From paint to portable grills, Lowe's now offering nearly 30,000 items for delivery straight to your door – in as fast as an hour via Instacart
MOORESVILLE, N.C. and SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As the seasons change and homeowners gear up to begin tackling fall projects to get their homes ready for guests, Lowe's is making it easier for everyone to enjoy the holidays. Lowe's and Instacart today announced that same-day delivery is now available from more than 1,700 Lowe's stores nationwide.
Nearly 30,000 items can be ordered for delivery in as fast as an hour, freeing up customers to spend more time sprucing up, decorating and making holiday memories this fall. Lowe's is one of the first retailers on the Instacart App to roll out same-day and scheduled delivery for large items, up to 3x3x5 feet and 60 pounds. Without ever having to leave the yard, customers can order small Halloween inflatables, fire pit essentials and even small portable grills to be delivered from the store to their door.
Customers can also purchase those just-right holiday gifts such as smart home products, hand tools and electronics, along with fall accessories like pillows, blankets and outdoor string lights, all available for delivery in as fast as an hour from their local store.
"Lowe's knows how much this time of year means to our customers. Whether they are rounding out their Halloween decorating or getting started on holiday prep and gifting, we're able to offer more products, more convenience and more value for customers as we continue to improve the shopping experience in-store and online," said Mike Shady, Lowe's senior vice president of online. "We're excited to open up this new fulfillment offering across the U.S. for customers to shop for all of their project needs."
Lowe's piloted same-day delivery via Instacart in select markets in February and is Instacart's leading national home improvement partner. Lowe's now offers same-day delivery from stores across all 50 states and Washington D.C. In addition to the expanded assortment of household and home and garden essentials, from grass seed to garden hoses, Lowe's is one of the only retailers today that sells non-mixed paint on the Instacart App, offering non-tinted paint and assorted paint supplies for customers.
"As the seasons change, we know customers are thinking about how to get their homes ready for fall," said Chris Rogers, chief business officer at Instacart. "We're excited to offer Lowe's wide variety of home improvement essentials for delivery across the country so customers can get exactly what they need, seamlessly. Connecting customers to their favorite retailers is at the core of what we do, and we're proud to help Lowe's expand their e-commerce offering to serve their customers in a new way."
To begin shopping from Lowe's for same-day delivery via Instacart, customers can visit www.instacart.com/lowes-home-improvement or select the Lowe's storefront on the Instacart App. For all orders, an Instacart shopper will pick and deliver items within the customer's chosen delivery timeframe. Customers can follow along and live chat with their shopper in real time as needed.
About Lowe's
Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company serving approximately 20 million customer transactions a week in the United States and Canada. With fiscal year 2021 sales of over $96 billion, Lowe's and its related businesses operate or service nearly 2,200 home improvement and hardware stores and employ over 300,000 associates. Based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe's supports the communities it serves through programs focused on creating safe, affordable housing and helping to develop the next generation of skilled trade experts. For more information, visit Lowes.com.
About Instacart
Instacart, the leading grocery technology company in North America, works with grocers and retailers to transform how people shop. The company partners with more than 900 national, regional, and local retail brands to facilitate online shopping, delivery and pickup services from more than 75,000 stores across more than 13,000 cities in North America on the Instacart Marketplace. Instacart makes it possible for millions of busy people and families to get the groceries they need from the retailers they love, and for more than 600,000 Instacart shoppers to earn by picking, packing and delivering orders for customers on their own flexible schedule. The Instacart Platform offers retailers a suite of enterprise-grade technology products and services to power their e-commerce experiences, fulfill orders, digitize brick-and-mortar stores, provide advertising services, and glean insights. With Instacart Ads, thousands of CPG brands – from category leaders to emerging brands – partner with the company to connect directly with consumers online, right at the point of purchase. For more information, visit www.instacart.com/company, and to start shopping, visit www.instacart.com. For anyone interested in becoming an Instacart shopper, visit https://shoppers.instacart.com/.
Contacts:
Lowe's Companies, Inc.
Steve Salazar
steve.j.salazar@lowes.com
Instacart
press@instacart.com
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SOURCE Lowe's Companies, Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/09/08/holidays-just-got-easier-lowes-rolls-out-same-day-delivery-nationwide-with-instacart/ | 2022-09-08T16:50:57Z |
Exclusive development and commercialization rights to VIR-3434 in China strengthen Company's leadership and robust clinical pipeline in HBV
Key partnership with Vir enables multitude of combination treatment options as part of Company's strategic approach to developing a functional cure for HBV
DURHAM, N.C. and BEIJING, July 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Brii Biosciences Limited ("Brii Bio" or the "Company", stock code: 2137.HK) a multi-national company developing innovative therapies for diseases with significant unmet medical needs and large public health burdens, today announced that it exercised its option to acquire exclusive development and commercialization rights for VIR-3434 in Greater China as part of its broader collaboration with Vir Biotechnology, Inc. ("Vir", Nasdaq: VIR). This move provides additional growth to the Company's leading clinical pipeline of therapeutic candidates for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and provides an expansive set of potential combination treatment options for Brii Bio to explore as part of its efforts to develop a functional cure for HBV.
VIR-3434, also known as BRII-877, is a broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibody targeting HBV that is currently in Phase 2 development. This is Brii Bio's second option exercise to a Vir infectious disease program with two remaining options still available to the Company.
"By exercising our option for VIR-3434 (BRII-877), Brii further solidifies our leading position in developing a functional cure for millions of HBV patients in China," said Li Yan, MD, Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer of Brii Bio. "Recently announced data by Vir showed that BRII-835 (VIR-2218) and BRII-877 (VIR-3434) are additive to each other resulting in a robust reduction of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), with no clinically significant safety signals for the combination. We are confident that this new asset further strengthens our HBV pipeline by providing more potent and assured reduction of HBsAg in all patients. BRII-877 (VIR-3434) will be integrated into our innovative drug combination strategies that may lead to a higher functional cure rate across all patient groups. Our continued strategic partnership with Vir and the ongoing expansion of our already robust HBV pipeline reinforces our commitment to patients living with HBV as we aim to explore a range of combination treatment options."
As part of Brii Bio's unique approach to developing a functional cure for HBV by leveraging potential combination treatments, the Company is currently progressing multiple studies with the BRII-179 (VBI-2601) and BRII-835 (VIR-2218) combination, as well as BRII-179 and/or BRII-835 in combination with other agents. Brii Bio's partner, Vir, is also evaluating VIR-2218 (BRII-835) in a Phase 2 study for HBV with selgantolimod (GS-9688), Gilead's investigational TLR-8 agonist, and nivolumab, an approved PD-1 inhibitor. Several combinations involving BRII-835 (VIR-2218), BRII-877 (VIR-3434) and BRII-179 (VBI-2601) are being investigated in Phase 2 studies.
In May 2018, the Company entered into a collaboration, option and license agreement with Vir, under which Brii Bio was granted the option to acquire exclusive rights to certain Vir programs in Greater China. In June 2020, Brii Bio exercised its option to acquire the exclusive rights to further develop and commercialize BRII-835 (VIR-2218) in Greater China.
Under the terms of the agreement, following the exercise of the option for VIR-3434 (BRII-877), Brii Bio will pay an option exercise fee, regulatory and commercial milestone payments, and tiered royalty payments based on net sales with royalty rates from mid-teens to mid-twenties, with such royalty rates or payments subject to certain specified reductions and offsets.
About BRII-877 (VIR-3434)
BRII-877 (VIR-3434) is an investigational subcutaneously administered HBV-neutralizing monoclonal antibody designed to block entry of all 10 genotypes of HBV into hepatocytes and also to reduce the level of virions and subviral particles in the blood. BRII-877 (VIR-3434), which incorporates Xencor's Xtend™ and other Fc technologies, has been engineered to potentially function as a T cell vaccine against HBV in infected patients, as well as to have an extended half-life.
About Brii Bio
Brii Biosciences Limited ("Brii Bio", stock code: 2137.HK) is a biotechnology company based in China and the United States committed to advancing therapies for significant infectious diseases, such as hepatitis B, COVID-19, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, multi-drug resistant (MDR) or extensive drug resistant (XDR) gram-negative infections, and other illnesses, such as the central nervous system (CNS) diseases, which have significant public health burdens in China and worldwide. For more information, visit www.briibio.com.
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- Increases 2022 service revenue growth outlook to between 7% and 9%
- Increases 2022 operational EBITDA outlook to between $410 million and $420 million
MCLEAN, Va., July 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: IRDM) ("Iridium") today reported financial results for the second quarter of 2022 and updated its full-year 2022 outlook. Net income was $4.6 million, or $0.04 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2022, as compared to net income of $3.8 million, or $0.03 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2021. This change in net income was primarily the result of growth in total revenue, which was broad based. Operational EBITDA ("OEBITDA")(1) for the second quarter was up 12% to a record $105.9 million, as compared to $94.8 million for the prior-year period, representing an OEBITDA margin(1) of 61%.
Iridium reported second-quarter total revenue of $174.9 million, which consisted of $132.9 million of service revenue and $42.0 million of revenue related to equipment sales and engineering and support projects. Total revenue increased 17% from the comparable period of 2021, while service revenue grew 10% from the year-ago period. Service revenue, which represents primarily recurring revenue from Iridium's growing subscriber base, was 76% of total revenue for the second quarter of 2022.
The Company ended the quarter with 1,875,000 total billable subscribers, which compares to 1,616,000 for the year-ago period and is up from 1,781,000 for the quarter ended March 31, 2022. Total billable subscribers grew 16% year-over-year driven primarily by growth in commercial IoT.
"2022 is shaping up to be a blockbuster year for Iridium, as demand for equipment and new subscriber activations drove record revenue growth in the second quarter," said Matt Desch, CEO, Iridium. Desch continued, "We're seeing momentum across all commercial product areas. In addition to ongoing strength in IoT and broadband, we are also seeing outstanding growth in service offerings like Iridium® Push-to-Talk and Iridium GO!®"
Commenting on Iridium's increased guidance, Desch added, "Based upon the momentum that we continue to see from our extensive global ecosystem of business partners, we are raising our full-year outlook for service revenue growth to between 7% and 9%, and for OEBITDA to between $410 million and $420 million in 2022."
Service – Commercial
Commercial service remained the largest part of Iridium's business, representing 61% of the Company's total revenue during the second quarter. The Company's commercial customer base is diverse and includes markets such as maritime, aviation, oil and gas, mining, recreation, forestry, construction, transportation and emergency services. These customers rely on Iridium's products and services as critical to their daily operations and integral to their communications and business infrastructure.
- Commercial service revenue was $106.4 million, up 11% from last year's comparable period due to an increase in revenue from voice and data services, IoT and broadband.
- Commercial voice and data revenue was $48.5 million, up 12% from the year-ago period. Commercial voice and data subscribers were up 8% from the year-ago period to 394,000. Commercial voice and data average revenue per user ("ARPU") increased to $42 during the second quarter, compared to $40 in the prior-year period.
- Commercial IoT data revenue was $30.6 million, up 13% from the year-ago period. Commercial IoT data subscribers grew 22% from the year-ago period to 1,323,000 customers, driven by continued strength in consumer personal communications devices. Commercial IoT data ARPU was $7.96 in the second quarter, compared to $8.69 in last year's comparable period. The decrease in ARPU resulted primarily from customer mix, including the effect of the growing proportion of personal communications subscribers within IoT, who typically utilize lower ARPU plans.
- Commercial broadband revenue was $12.1 million, up 14% from $10.6 million in the year-ago period on increasing activations of Iridium Certus® broadband service. Commercial broadband ARPU was $292 during the second quarter, compared to $289 in last year's comparable period.
- Iridium's commercial business ended the quarter with 1,731,000 billable subscribers, which compares to 1,463,000 for the year-ago period and is up from 1,635,000 for the quarter ended March 31, 2022. IoT data subscribers represented 76% of billable commercial subscribers at the end of the quarter, an increase from 74% at the end of the prior-year period.
- Hosted payload and other data service revenue was $15.2 million in the second quarter, compared to $14.4 million in the prior-year period, primarily related to increased usage for payload services and precision timing and location services.
Service – Government
Iridium's voice and data solutions improve situational awareness for military personnel and track critical assets in tough environments around the globe, providing a unique value proposition that is not easily duplicated.
Under Iridium's Enhanced Mobile Satellite Services contract (the "EMSS Contract"), a seven-year, $738.5 million fixed-price airtime contract with the U.S. Space Force signed in September 2019, Iridium provides specified satellite airtime services, including unlimited global standard and secure voice, paging, fax, Short Burst Data®, Iridium Burst®, RUDICS and Distributed Tactical Communications System services for an unlimited number of Department of Defense and other federal government subscribers. Iridium also provides maintenance and support work for the U.S. government's dedicated Iridium gateway under two other contracts with the U.S. Space Force. Iridium Certus airtime services are not included under these contracts and may be procured separately for an additional fee.
- Government service revenue was $26.5 million in the second quarter compared to $25.8 million in the prior-year period, reflecting increased revenue from a contractual step up in the EMSS Contract on September 15, 2021.
- Iridium's government business ended the quarter with 144,000 subscribers, which compares to 153,000 for the year-ago period and was down from 146,000 for the quarter ended March 31, 2022. Government voice and data subscribers decreased 3% from the year-ago period to 62,000 as of June 30, 2022. Government IoT data subscribers decreased 8% year-over-year to 82,000 and represented 57% of total government subscribers, compared to 58% at the end of the prior-year period.
Equipment
- Equipment revenue was $33.8 million during the second quarter, compared to $21.8 million in the prior-year's quarter.
- In 2022, the Company expects considerably higher equipment sales than in 2021.
Engineering & Support
- Engineering and support revenue was $8.3 million during the second quarter, compared to $6.8 million in the prior-year quarter, primarily due to the episodic nature of contract work for the U.S. government and a rise in commercial activity.
- The Company expects Engineering and Support revenue to be higher than in prior years for the remainder of 2022 and in coming years, resulting from a new contract awarded by the Space Development Agency to General Dynamics Mission Systems, with Iridium as a subcontractor.
Capital expenditures were $17.5 million for the second quarter, which includes $0.5 million of capitalized interest and an initial payment for the launch of up to five ground spare satellites. The Company ended the second quarter with gross debt of $1.61 billion and a cash and cash equivalents balance of $227.2 million, for a net debt balance of $1.39 billion.
During the quarter ended June 30, 2022, the Company repurchased approximately 1.0 million shares of its common stock under its previously announced share repurchase program at a total purchase price of $35.0 million. As of June 30, 2022, $267.5 million remained available and authorized for repurchase under this program.
2022 Outlook
The Company updated its full-year 2022 outlook for total service revenue and OEBITDA and currently anticipates:
- Total service revenue growth between 7% and 9% for full-year 2022 (previous outlook was for total service revenue growth between 5% and 7% for full-year 2022). Total service revenue for 2021 was $492.0 million.
- Full-year 2022 OEBITDA between $410 million and $420 million (previous outlook was for full-year 2022 OEBITDA between $400 million and $410 million). OEBITDA for 2021 was $378.2 million.
- Negligible cash taxes in 2022. Cash taxes are expected to be negligible through approximately 2024.
- Net leverage of between 2.5 and 3.5 times OEBITDA at the end of 2023, assuming the completion of the Company's total $600 million in authorized share repurchases. Net leverage was 3.4 times OEBITDA at December 31, 2021.
In addition to disclosing financial results that are determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP, the Company provides Operational EBITDA and Operational EBITDA margin, which are non-GAAP financial measures, as supplemental measures to help investors evaluate the Company's fundamental operational performance. Operational EBITDA represents earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, equity income (loss) from investments, net, and share-based compensation expenses. The Company also presents Operational EBITDA expressed as a percentage of GAAP revenue, or Operational EBITDA margin. Operational EBITDA, along with its related measure, Operational EBITDA margin does not represent, and should not be considered, an alternative to U.S. GAAP measurements such as net income or loss. In addition, there is no standardized measurement of Operational EBITDA, and the Company's calculations thereof may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies. The Company believes Operational EBITDA is a useful measure across time in evaluating the Company's fundamental core operating performance. Management also uses Operational EBITDA to manage the business, including in preparing its annual operating budget, debt covenant compliance, financial projections and compensation plans. The Company believes that Operational EBITDA is also useful to investors because similar measures are frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties in their evaluation of companies in similar industries. As indicated, Operational EBITDA does not include interest expense on borrowed money, the payment of income taxes, amortization of the Company's definite-lived intangible assets, or depreciation expense on the Company's capital assets, which are necessary elements of the Company's operations. Since Operational EBITDA does not account for these and other expenses, its utility as a measure of the Company's operating performance has material limitations. Due to these limitations, the Company's management does not view Operational EBITDA in isolation, but also uses other measurements, such as net income (loss), revenues, operating profit and cash flows from operating activities, to measure operating performance. Please refer to the schedule below for a reconciliation of consolidated GAAP net income (loss) to Operational EBITDA and Iridium's Investor Relations webpage at www.iridium.com for a discussion and reconciliation of these and other non-GAAP financial measures. We do not provide a forward-looking reconciliation of expected full-year 2022 Operational EBITDA guidance as the amount and significance of special items required to develop meaningful comparable GAAP financial measures cannot be estimated at this time without unreasonable efforts.
As previously announced, the Company will host a conference call to discuss its results at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. Callers should dial 1-412-902-6740 to access the call. The conference call will also be simultaneously webcast on Iridium's Investor Relations webpage at www.iridium.com. An archive of the webcast will be available following the live conference call.
Iridium® is the only mobile voice and data satellite communications network that spans the entire globe. Iridium enables connections between people, organizations and assets to and from anywhere, in real time. Together with its ecosystem of partner companies, Iridium delivers an innovative and rich portfolio of reliable solutions for markets that require truly global communications. In 2019, the company completed a generational upgrade of its satellite network and launched its new specialty broadband service, Iridium Certus. Iridium Communications Inc. is headquartered in McLean, Va., U.S.A., and its common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol IRDM. For more information about Iridium products, services and partner solutions, visit www.iridium.com.
Statements in this press release that are not purely historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding Iridium's expectations with respect to total service revenue growth, OEBITDA, and cash taxes for 2022; net leverage and cash taxes over the longer-term; anticipated equipment sales for 2022; anticipated engineering and support service growth from a new contract; amount and timing of share repurchases, and expected revenues from its EMSS contract with the U.S. government. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the words "anticipates," "may," "can," "believes," "expects," "projects," "intends," "likely," "will," "to be" and other expressions that are predictions or indicate future events, trends or prospects. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Iridium to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, uncertainties regarding customer demand for Iridium's products and services, including demand from the U.S. government; Iridium's ability to maintain the health, capacity and content of its satellite constellation, the development of and market for Iridium's products and services, and Iridium's ability to complete its share repurchase programs, as well as general industry and economic conditions, and competitive, legal, governmental and technological factors. Other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements include those factors listed under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on February 17, 2022, and the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2022, filed with the SEC on July 26, 2022, as well as other filings Iridium makes with the SEC from time to time. There is no assurance that Iridium's expectations will be realized. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if Iridium's underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expected, estimated or projected. Iridium's forward-looking statements are based on information available to it as of the date of this press release and speak only as of the date of this press release, and Iridium undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements.
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SOURCE Iridium Communications Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/26/iridium-announces-record-second-quarter-2022-results-updates-2022-outlook/ | 2022-07-26T11:53:34Z |
Paper provides an overview of on-demand retail's open platform model for the first time.
A comprehensive practice guide with development path and successful cases, for retailers and brands who desire to grow in the China market.
SHENZHEN, China, July 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dada Group (Nasdaq: DADA)'s JDDJ and JD.com's Shop Now showed up at the "2022 China International Retail Innovation Summit". On-demand retail, as the megatrend in the retail industry as well as a new growth driver for retailers and brands, was the major topic and arose heated discussions among business leaders today.
At the summit, Dada Group released the "White Paper On Open On-Demand Retail Platform Model" in collaboration with China Chain Store & Franchise Association (CCFA) and JD.com's Consumption and Industry Development Research Institute. The White Paper offers a panoramic display of the open platform model of on-demand retail for the first time in industry.
Seize the Digital Opportunity
Decision makers, digital business leaders and technology providers of the industry, joined the management teams of Dada Group and JD.com to give speeches at the summit to elaborate their insights and predictions of on-demand retail.
Dr. PEI Liang, President of China Chain Store & Franchise Association, demonstrated: "On-demand retail is an important part of omni-channel retail. Not only does it leverage online traffic, but also, through the integration of existing offline resources, it enables the cooperation between platforms and offline retailers to achieve a 1+1>2 effect. Offline stores serve as the terminal for order fulfillment and the terminal for product storage, and, when empowered by the of on-demand retail model, their value can be maximized."
Philip Jiaqi KUAI, Founder, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of Dada Group stated that from long-distance, and short distance to macro-distance, China's e-commerce has leapfrogged to set one new milestone after another. For offline stores, on-demand retail has greatly broadened the scope of their businesses; for brand owners, on-demand retail has built a digital marketing and operating ecosystem that connects online and offline channels; for consumers, on-demand retail services represent significant improvements in timing, efficiency and the shopping experience.
HE Huijian, Vice President of JD.com and Dada Group; Head of the Intra-City Business of JD.com believes that the core of retail is efficiency and experience. Emerged from both the supply side and the demand side, on-demand retail is expected to grow into a trillion-dollar market in 3 to 5 years. JDDJ and Shop Now will continue to open our capabilities to the industry to expand the model to various types of offline retailers and brands via digital upgrades, operation optimization and efficiency improvement, to bring consumers and partners a faster, better and more economical shopping experience.
Development path and successful cases
It can be seen from the discussions that the retailers and brand owners have similarities in terms of demands and challenges when adopting on-demand retail, which can be further categorized into two models – self-operated and open platform.
The White Paper finds out that players under the open platform model, are stronger in terms of breath of product categories offered, as well as technologies deployed to empower the offline retailer partners, and drive the digital transformation of the real economy.
The Report also discussed the development path under the open platform model and some successful cases. It was a valuable guide for merchants who strive to seize new growth opportunity in the Chinese market. For retailers, what is important to them is omni-channel connection and fulfillment; for brands, their focus is on interaction with the users and marketing.
Based on the number and growth rate of participating stores, the White Paper took Supermarkets, Fashion Styles and Home Appliances, and Consumer Electronics as three major examples to analyze their development paths from strive to thrive.
- The focuses for Supermarket are traffic, delivery capabilities and data integration from multiple channels. Traffic largely determines the potential size of the business, the delivery capabilities are correlated with order fulfillment, and integrate data and adopting automated management is the key to improve efficiency.
- As for Fashion Style and Home Appliance, besides traffic, the level of digitalization greatly determines how well the retailers and brands manage their stores and inventories.
- Turning to Consumer Electronics, the products are with high price tag, a long life cycle and low level of transparency, so that the consumers depend more on the shopping guide and after-sale service. Integrating marketing approaches and services on- and offline will be better satisfy customer's expectations and become the key brand differentiators in the industry.
As the pioneers and leaders in on-demand retail, JD.com and JDDJ cooperated with various well-known partners such as Walmart, vivio and Unilever, and accumulated experiences and insights from the past 8 years' practices. As the key driver for offline retailers and brands' omni-channel growth, the cooperation with JD.com and JDDJ in on-demand retail has been recognized by partners.
Xiaojing Christina ZHU, President and Chief Executive Officer of Walmart China, says: "China is one of the largest, fastest-growing and most competitive consumer markets in the world. We expect on-demand retail to remain hugely popular here in the foreseeable future because it enhances the shopping experience for customers and fits modern lifestyles. As a leading omni-channel retailer with a 'Customer First' mindset, Walmart China continues to innovate with our partners around digitalization and end-to-end efficiency. We look forward to offering more value and a seamless shopping experience so that our customers can save money and live better."
"Thanks to on-demand retail, the penetration rate and sales share in categories such as healthcare, maternal and infant, are continuing to grow," weighs in Katy CHEN, Managing Director of Kimberly-Clark China, "on-demand retail has become a channel that Kimberly-Clark attaches great importance to, we hope to further optimize and improve our performance through cooperation and innovation, to promote and lead the development of personal care and hygiene products in the on-demand retail market."
Based on the successful cases, the White Paper provides a methodological sum-up dubbed "On-demand ACE", suggesting a route to success in on-demand retail. ACE represents the ability, creativity and experiences required for merchant's development in early, evolving and breakthrough phases.
About Dada Group
Dada Group is a leading platform of local on-demand retail and delivery in China. It operates JDDJ, one of China's largest local on-demand retail platforms for retailers and brand owners, and Dada Now, a leading local on-demand delivery platform open to merchants and individual senders across various industries and product categories. The company's two platforms are inter-connected and mutually beneficial. The Dada Now platform enables improved delivery experience for participants on the JDDJ platform through its readily accessible fulfillment solutions and strong on-demand delivery infrastructure. Meanwhile, the vast volume of on-demand delivery orders from the JDDJ platform increases order volume and density for the Dada Now platform. In June 2020, Dada Group began trading on the Nasdaq Global Market, under the ticker symbol "DADA".
About China Chain Store & Franchise Association
China Chain Store & Franchise Association (CCFA) is the official representative of retailing & franchise industry in China. Currently, there are over 1200 enterprise members with over 460,000 outlets, including domestic & foreign-invested retailers, franchisers, suppliers, and relevant organizations. The total sale of CCFA retail members (franchise and food service not included) was 4.5 trillion CNY in 2020, accounting for 11.6% of the entire social consumables retail sales. CCFA functions include: participating in policy making and coordination, safeguarding the interests of industry and members, providing a series of professional trainings and industry information and data for members, and establishing platforms for exchange and cooperation.
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SOURCE DADA GROUP | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/27/white-paper-released-ccfa-summit-how-business-thrives-on-demand-retail/ | 2022-07-27T04:57:57Z |
MCLEAN, Va., July 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CNSI, a leading provider of innovative healthcare technology products and solutions, announced today it has been awarded a new five-year contract from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to continue operating, maintaining, and supporting CMS' Encounter Data Processing System (EDPS) for Medicare Advantage (Part C) claims. The contract extends CNSI's decade of work with CMS to modernize, scale, and support its EDPS as enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans continues to increase over traditional Medicare.
"The successes we have achieved with the EDPS program over the last 10 years demonstrate our commitment to anticipating and responding to our clients' program needs and providing solutions and value as a true trusted partner," said Todd Stottlemyer, CEO, CNSI. "We are honored to be recognized for the success of that work with a new contract opportunity that will allow us to further enhance and strengthen the CMS EDPS program."
Encounter data contain the records of health care services provided to Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in managed care plans, known as Medicare Advantage. CMS collects and analyzes the data contained in the billed claims providers submit to Medicare Advantage organizations (MAO) to determine appropriate payment for MAO reimbursements.The EDPS automates the collection and analysis process to ensure timely payment resolution for tens of millions of encounters submitted each week.
CNSI began work on the CMS EDPS in 2012 and was awarded a five-year prime contract in 2017 to further modernize the existing system. Since then, CNSI completed migration of the EDPS to the AWS cloud, enabling the system to efficiently process over 1 billion encounters per year while also eliminating the encounter backlog. Additional modifications to optimize the EDPS have enabled the system to maintain 100% availability with near zero production defects and resulted in a 40% reduction in the program's AWS infrastructure costs. Today, the EDPS is capable of processing up to 2 billion encounters per year.
According to the 2022 Medicare Advantage Competitive Enrollment Report, Medicare Advantage programs now account for 45% of all Medicare enrollment, with about 28 million program participants. The report projects those enrollments to increase to 50% of all Medicare enrollment by 2025.
CNSI delivers a broad range of health information technology enterprise solutions and customizable products to a diverse base of state and federal agencies in the United States. CNSI aligns, builds, and manages innovative, high-quality, cost-effective solutions that help clients achieve their mission, enhance business performance, reduce costs, and improve the health of individuals and communities. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, CNSI employs a world-class team of technologists, program managers, and subject matter experts with large-scale, mission-critical information technology implementation experience. Learn more at www.cns-inc.com.
Contact:
Janice Moore
Janice.Moore@cns-inc.com
703-214-3552
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SOURCE CNSI | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/25/cnsi-awarded-5-year-contract-by-cms-operate-advance-its-medicare-advantage-encounter-data-processing-system/ | 2022-07-25T13:00:06Z |
The premier event for open source developers, technologists and community leaders features 75+ sessions across 9 events, furthering open source innovation and collaboration across South America and Latin America.
SAN FRANCISCO, June 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Linux Foundation, the nonprofit organization enabling mass innovation through open source, today announced the full schedule for Open Source Summit Latin America, the gathering place for open source code and community contributors, taking place August 23-24 as a Virtual Experience. The schedule can be viewed here.
Open Source Summit Latin America 2022 is a conference umbrella comprised of 9 events including LinuxCon, CloudOpen, ContainerCon, Emerging OS Forum, Community Leadership Conference and more, covering the most important and cutting edge topics and technologies touching open source today. The schedule features 75+ talks (keynote presentations, conference sessions, tutorials and more).
2022 Conference Session Highlights Include:
- The Importance of Communities for the Inclusion of Women in Technology - Beatriz Oliveira, Telefónica Brasil & Elizabeth Souza, Senac Minas
- Writing Machine Learning Pipelines Against Object Storage - Daniel Valdivia, MinIO
- Exploring Runtime Security and Forensic Using eBPF - Carolina Valencia, Aqua Security
- Pinguino Project: Like Arduino, but for PICs - Ernesto Victor Villarreal, Consejo Federal de Energia Electrica
- Edit, Debug, and Secure the K8s Manifest Lifecycle: Why Is it Important and How Can You Get it Right? - Ole Lensmar, Kubeshop
- Introduction to MCUboot: Secure Bootloader and Easy Firmware Updates - Almir Kazunari Okato, Espressif Systems
- Create Chaos Experiments Using Litmus-SDK - Kale Oum Nivrathi, JFrog
Keynote speakers, and additional conference sessions, will be announced in the coming weeks.
Attendees will have opportunities to collaborate, share information, and solve problems with other community members from across the globe, furthering open source innovation and ensuring a sustainable open source ecosystem. It is THE gathering place for open source code and community contributors in Latin America.
Registration to attend is R$99 Brazilian Real and provides access to all 9 events. Members of The Linux Foundation receive a 20 percent discount off registration and can contact events@linuxfoundation.org to request a member discount code.
Applications for diversity and need-based registration scholarships are currently being accepted. For information on eligibility and how to apply, please click here.
Sponsor
Sponsoring Open Source Summit gives you the opportunity to reach a diverse and multi-faceted audience of open source practitioners, in one place. For information on becoming an event sponsor, click here or email us.
Press
Members of the press who would like to request a press pass to attend should contact Kristin O'Connell.
About the Linux Foundation
Founded in 2000, the Linux Foundation is supported by more than 2,000 members and is the world's leading home for collaboration on open source software, open standards, open data, and open hardware. The Linux Foundation's projects are critical to the world's infrastructure including Linux, Kubernetes, Node.js, and more. The Linux Foundation's methodology focuses on leveraging best practices and addressing the needs of contributors, users and solution providers to create sustainable models for open collaboration. For more information, please visit linuxfoundation.org.
The Linux Foundation Events are where the world's leading technologists meet, collaborate, learn and network in order to advance innovations that support the world's largest shared technologies.
Visit our website and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook for all the latest event updates and announcements.
The Linux Foundation has registered trademarks and uses trademarks. For a list of trademarks of The Linux Foundation, please see its trademark usage page: www.linuxfoundation.org/trademark-usage. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.
Media Contact
Kristin O'Connell
The Linux Foundation
koconnell@linuxfoundation.org
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SOURCE The Linux Foundation | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/30/linux-foundation-announces-conference-schedule-open-source-summit-latin-america-2022/ | 2022-06-30T23:10:17Z |
WASHINGTON, June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- KeifeRx, an emerging clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company specializing in the discovery and development of new treatment options for neurodegenerative and immune diseases announced today that its Chief Executive Officer, Chris Hoyt, will present at BIO International Convention 2022 being held June 13-16, 2022 in San Diego.
Details of the presentation are as follows:
During the conference, members of the KeifeRx management team will host one-on-one meetings with registered investors and pharmaceutical executives to explore opportunities involving its novel and optimized, low dose, orally delivered tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) for the treatment of multiple, high-need neurodegenerative and immune diseases.
Chris Hoyt, Chief Executive Office of KeifeRx, stated, "We are looking forward to presenting at the 2022 BIO International Convention and the opportunity to engage with potential investors and partners. KeifeRx is developing TKIs to significantly improve upon current neurodegenerative and immune disease treatments, which are primarily palliative and offer minimal and temporary benefits due to their inability to adequately eliminate toxic proteins and mitigate inflammation. We're excited to collaborate at BIO and build long term relationships with partners who share our vision."
About KeifeRx
KeifeRx, is an emerging clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel and optimized, low dose, orally delivered tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) for the treatment of multiple neurodegenerative and immune diseases. KeifeRx's clinical pipeline is led by KFRX01 (Nilotinib BE), an optimized re-formulation of nilotinib with improved bioavailability and solubility, being developed for the treatment of early Alzheimer's disease. Additionally, KeifeRx is advancing its TKI formulations in neurodegenerative diseases, including Mild Cognitive Impairment, and movement disorders, including Lewy Body Dementia and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. KeifeRx is also developing novel TKIs targeting inflammatory diseases, including mast cell activated syndromes, Lyme disease, and Urticaria, as well as neuro-inflammatory conditions that are features of neurodegeneration. Georgetown University owns several issued patents and pending patent applications on the underlying technology that relate to the use of TKIs for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases with Charbel Moussa, MBBS, Ph.D., as an inventor. KeifeRx has an exclusive license of the intellectual property from Georgetown University. For more information on KeifeRx, please visit https://www.keiferx.com.
Investor Contacts:
Tiberend Strategic Advisors, Inc.
Jason Rando / Daniel Kontoh-Boateng
jrando@tiberend.com / dboateng@tiberend.com
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SOURCE KeifeRx, LLC | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/02/keiferx-present-bio-international-convention-2022/ | 2022-06-02T12:58:03Z |
Pelosi thanks Poland for Ukraine support, meets president
By VANESSA GERA
Associated Press
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A top-level U.S. congressional delegation led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has visited Warsaw to express gratitude to Poles for their humanitarian and other support for Ukraine. Pelosi and a half dozen U.S. lawmakers met with Poland’s President Andrzej Duda and Polish lawmakers in Warsaw on Monday. The visit followed a weekend visit to Kyiv where they met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday pledging to support his country until it defeats Russia. Pelosi called Duda “a valued partner in supporting the people of Ukraine in the face of Putin’s brutal and unprovoked war.” | https://localnews8.com/news/2022/05/02/pelosi-thanks-poland-for-ukraine-support-meets-president/ | 2022-05-02T14:45:46Z |
NEW YORK, July 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- InvestorsObserver issues critical PriceWatch Alerts for GM, KSS, DVN, MU, and XOM.
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SOURCE InvestorsObserver | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/01/thinking-about-trading-options-or-stock-general-motors-kohls-devon-energy-micron-technology-or-exxon-mobil/ | 2022-07-01T16:27:07Z |
ESCONDIDO, Calif. (AP) — Over the past three decades Ara Mirzaian has fitted braces for everyone from Paralympians to children with scoliosis. But Msituni was a patient like none other — a newborn giraffe.
The calf was born Feb. 1 at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, north of San Diego, with her front limb bending the wrong way. Safari park staff feared she could die if they didn’t immediately correct the condition, which could prevent her from nursing and walking around the habitat.
But they had no experience with fitting a baby giraffe in a brace. That proved especially challenging given she was a 5-foot-10-inch-tall (178-centimeter) newborn and growing taller every day. So, they reached out to experts in orthotics at the Hanger Clinic, where Mirzaian landed his very first animal patient.
“It was pretty surreal when I first heard about it,” Mirzaian told The Associated Press this week during a tour to meet Msituni, who was strutting alongside the other giraffes with no troubles. “Of course, all I did was go online and study giraffes for like 24/7 until we got out here.”
Zoos increasingly are turning to medical professionals who treat people to find solutions for ailing animals. The collaboration has been especially helpful in the field of prosthetics and orthotics. Earlier this year, ZooTampa in Florida teamed up with similar experts to successfully replace the beak of a cancer-stricken great hornbill bird with a 3D-printed prosthetic.
The Hanger team in California had fit orthotics for a cyclist and kayaker who both went on to win medals at the 2016 Paralympics in Brazil and customized a brace for a marathoner with multiple sclerosis who raced in seven continents.
And in 2006, a Hanger team in Florida created a prosthetic for a bottlenose dolphin that had lost its tail after becoming tangled in ropes from a crab trap. Their story inspired the 2011 movie “Dolphin Tale.”
But this was a definite learning curve for all, including Matt Kinney, a senior veterinarian for the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance in charge of Msituni’s case.
“We commonly put on casts and bandages and stuff. But something that extensive, like this brace that she was provided, that’s something we really had to turn to our human (medicine) colleagues for,” Kinney said.
Msituni suffered from hyperextended carpi — wrist joint bones in giraffes’ front limbs, which are more like arms. As she overcompensated, the second front limb started to hyperextend as well. Her back leg joints also were weak but were able to be corrected with specialized hoof extenders.
And given that she weighed more than 100 pounds (55 kilos) at birth, the abnormality was already taking its toll on her joints and bones.
While the custom braces were being built, Kinney first bought post-surgery knee braces at Target that he cut up and re-sewed, but they kept slipping off. Then Msituni wore medical grade braces for humans that were modified for her long legs. But eventually Msituni broke one.
For the custom braces to work, they would need to have a range of motion but be durable, so Hanger worked with a company that makes horse braces.
Using cast moldings of the giraffe’s legs, it took eight days to make the carbon graphite braces that featured the animal’s distinct pattern of crooked spots to match her fur.
“We put on the giraffe pattern just to make it fun,” Mirzaian said. “We do this with kids all the time. They get to pick super-heroes, or their favorite team and we imprint it on their bracing. So why not do it with a giraffe?”
In the end, Msituni only needed one brace. The other leg corrected itself with the medical grade brace.
When they put her under to fit the custom brace, Mirzaian was so moved by the animal’s beauty, he gave her a hug.
“It was just amazing seeing such a big, beautiful creature just laying there in front of me,” he said.
After 10 days in the custom brace, the problem was corrected.
All told, she was in braces for 39 days from the day she was born. She stayed in the animal hospital the entire time. After that, she was slowly introduced to her mom and others in the herd. Her mom never took her back, but another female giraffe has adopted her, so to speak, and she now runs along like the other giraffes.
Mirzaian hopes to hang up a picture of the baby giraffe in her patterned brace so the kids he treats will be inspired to wear theirs.
“It was the coolest thing to see an animal like that walk in a brace,” he said. “It feels good to know we saved a giraffe’s life.” | https://cw33.com/news/photos-baby-giraffe-fitted-with-orthotic/ | 2022-05-13T15:48:57Z |
- In partnership with the Brazilian City of Indaiatuba, Oxitec has successfully validated the Friendly™ Aedes aegypti solution at scale using new, sustainable product design, digital tools, and implementation of manufacturing innovations and processes designed to make the technology easy to deploy at scale and highly cost-effective.
- To validate this next-generation Friendly™ Aedes aegypti in urban communities, season-long deployments against the disease-spreading Aedes aegypti mosquito were conducted across neighborhoods home to 45,000 residents in Indaiatuba.
- This first phase of the scale-up program, supported by US$6.8 million of funding from Wellcome, has run in parallel with the targeted beta commercial launch of Friendly™ Aedes aegypti in São Paulo, Brazil's most populous state.
OXFORD, England and CAMPINAS, Brazil, Aug. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Oxitec Ltd, the leading developer of insect-based biological solutions to control pests that transmit disease, destroy crops, and harm livestock, today announced the conclusion of the first phase of a project dedicated to large-scale validation of the company's next-generation Friendly™ Aedes aegypti technology. In parallel with the ground-breaking commercial beta launch of Friendly™ Aedes aegypti in Brazil, Oxitec partnered with the city of Indaiatuba in areawide pilots validating new modes of manufacturing and deployment to accelerate the use of the product in dengue-impacted settings globally.
Supported by US$6.8 million in funding from Wellcome, one of the world's largest charitable foundations, Oxitec is accelerating the roll-out of the Friendly™ Aedes aegypti product to combat the invasive mosquito Aedes aegypti, which spreads dengue, chikungunya, Zika and other viral diseases. Optimized deployment systems, new materials, automated manufacturing, and tailored digital systems were integrated and successfully tested in this season-long deployment of next-generation Friendly™ Aedes aegypti just-add-water devices in Indaiatuba communities of 45,000 residents. The successes of this scale-up project are speeding the Friendly™ Aedes aegypti to wider impact, delivering greater affordability and operational accessibility for dengue-prone communities in Brazil and worldwide.
The next phase of this scale-up project, planned to commence in November 2022, will roll out additional innovations and scale-up to continue to drive down costs and optimize performance of Friendly™ Aedes aegypti in dengue-prone settings.
The successful first season of piloting new scale-up ran in parallel with the first beta commercial launch of Friendly™ Aedes aegypti in Brazil, which initially targeted select market segments in São Paulo state. Households, small and large businesses, schools, hotels, non-profits, and a range of other customers ordered subscriptions to receive season-long supplies of just-add-water kits to their doorstep. Oxitec is now preparing to scale commercial operations in Brazil, rolling out Friendly™ Aedes aegypti to more communities, governments, and businesses over the coming mosquito season.
Grey Frandsen, Oxitec's CEO, added "This represents a major leap forward in our efforts to build, manufacture and deploy the world's most effective Aedes aegypti control solution with a focus on driving costs down, accessibility up, and empowering everyone to participate in the fight against dengue and other vector-borne diseases. Of course, we can only make such leaps with the support of outstanding partners like Wellcome and the City of Indaiatuba."
The Mayor of Indaiatuba, Nilson Gaspar, commented, "As a public leader, I am very happy to continue this partnership with Oxitec. Friendly™ Aedes aegypti has helped us to control the mosquito population that conveys dengue in Indaiatuba. Notably, in neighborhoods where Friendly™ Aedes aegypti were applied, the number of confirmed dengue cases were much lower. Last year, we were the city with the least number of confirmed cases of dengue, per hundred thousand people, among the cities in the Metropolitan Region of Campinas."
Natalia Ferreira, Oxitec's Country Director in Brazil, said, "This first scale-up pilot season was outstanding and has fulfilled all our objectives. As we make the Friendly™ Aedes aegypti available to more cities and businesses across Brazil, this successful public-private partnership with the city of Indaiatuba has accelerated our mission to reach as many dengue-threatened communities as possible."
About Oxitec
Oxitec is the leading developer of biological solutions to control pests that transmit disease, destroy crops and harm livestock. Founded in 2002 at the University of Oxford, Oxitec is led by a passionate team comprised of 15 nationalities and is supported by world-class public, private and non-profit partners.
Learn more at oxitec.com.
About Wellcome
Wellcome supports science to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone. We support discovery research into life, health and wellbeing, and we're taking on three worldwide health challenges: mental health, global heating and infectious diseases.
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SOURCE Oxitec Ltd. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/18/oxitec-completes-successful-scale-up-next-generation-friendly-mosquito-technology-brazil-designed-accelerate-global-impact-against-disease-spreading-invasive-pests/ | 2022-08-18T18:45:47Z |
DeSantis rival to emerge from high-stakes Florida primary
MIAMI (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is poised to learn the identity of his general election opponent on Tuesday as Democrats choose between a man who spent a lifetime in politics — much of it as a Republican — and a woman casting herself as “something new” as she seeks the energy of her party’s resurgent base.
The Democratic establishment has largely lined up behind Charlie Crist, a 66-year-old Democratic congressman who served as the state’s Republican governor more than a decade ago. Running now as a moderate Democrat, Crist is facing 44-year-old Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, who hopes to become the state’s first female governor while leaning into the fight for abortion rights.
The race is ultimately a debate over who is best-positioned to defeat DeSantis, who emerged from a narrow victory four years ago to become one of the most prominent Republicans in politics. His relatively light touch handling the pandemic and his eagerness to lean into divides over race, gender and LGBTQ rights have resonated with many Republican voters who see DeSantis as a natural heir to former President Donald Trump.
His reelection effort is widely assumed to be a precursor to a presidential run in 2024, adding to a sense of urgency among Democrats to blunt his rise now.
“I have been in the trenches. I have taken on DeSantis,” Fried told The Associated Press. DeSantis “won’t have a 2024 because he won’t have a 2022. We are going to beat him in November, and we are going to kill all of his aspirations to run for president of the United States.”
Crist, in an interview, described DeSantis as a threat to democracy.
“He is the opposite of freedom. He is an autocrat. He is a demagogue. And I think people are sick of him,” Crist said of the sitting Republican governor, noting that DeSantis earlier this year admonished a group of high school students for wearing face masks at an indoor news conference. “Who is this guy? Who does he think he is? He is not the boss.”
The Florida contest wraps up the busiest stretch of primaries this year. Republicans from Pennsylvania to Arizona have supported contenders who have embraced Trump’s lies that the 2020 election was stolen, an assertion roundly rejected by elections officials, the former president’s attorney general and judges he appointed.
And for the most part, Democrats have avoided brutal primary fights. That could be tested Tuesday, however, as voters in New York participate in congressional primaries that feature two powerful Democratic committee chairs, Carolyn Maloney and Jerry Nadler, competing for the same seat and other incumbents fending off challenges from the left.
Democrats are entering the final weeks ahead of the midterms with a sense of cautious optimism, hoping the Supreme Court’s decision overturning a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion will energize the party’s base. But Democrats still face tremendous headwinds, including economic uncertainty and the historic reality that most parties lose seats in the first midterm after they’ve won the White House.
The dynamics are especially challenging for Democrats in Florida, one of the most politically divided states in the U.S. Its last three races for governor were decided by 1 percentage point or less. But the state has steadily become more favorable to Republicans in recent years.
For the first time in modern history, Florida has more registered Republicans — nearly 5.2 million — than Democrats, who have nearly 5 million registered voters. Fried serves as the only Democrat in statewide office. And Republicans have no primary competition for four of those five positions – governor, U.S. Senate, attorney general and chief financial officer — which are all held by GOP incumbents.
Democrats hope that U.S. Rep. Val Demings, who faces a little-known candidate in her Senate primary Tuesday, can unseat the state’s senior U.S. senator, Republican Marco Rubio, this fall. But for now, the party’s national leadership is prioritizing competitive Senate contests in other states, including neighboring Georgia, Arizona and Pennsylvania.
In Florida’s governor’s race, the Supreme Court’s abortion decision has animated the final weeks of the Democratic primary.
Fried has promoted herself as the only true abortion-rights supporter in the race, seizing on Crist’s appointment of two conservative Supreme Court justices while he was governor.
The conservative-leaning court will soon decide whether the Republican-backed state legislature’s law to ban abortions after 15 weeks is constitutional. Florida’s new abortion law is in effect, with exceptions if the procedure is necessary to save the pregnant woman’s life, to prevent serious injury or if the fetus has a fatal abnormality. It does not allow exemptions in cases of rape, incest or human trafficking.
Crist insisted he is “pro-choice” and highlighted a bill he vetoed as governor in 2010 that would have required women seeking a first-trimester abortion to get and pay for an ultrasound exam.
“It is a woman’s right to choose,” Crist told the AP. “My record is crystal clear. And for my opponent to try to muddy that up is unconscionable, unfair and unwise.”
In experience and personality, voters have a clear contrast between Crist, an establishment-backed lifelong politician viewed as a relatively safe choice, and Fried, a newer face who may be in better position to catch fire with the party’s most passionate voters.
Crist has raised $14 million so far this election cycle, nearly twice as much money as Fried. Having served in elected office since 1992, his supporters describe him as reliable and personable with an excellent memory.
“He is the best retail politician in Florida in this century. He is just an outstanding politician. He asks about my grandchildren by name,” said Mac Stipanovich, a political strategist who served as chief of staff to former Republican Gov. Bob Martinez.
Meanwhile, Fried has gained twice as many followers on every social network and is quick to jump on online trends. She built her profile as one of DeSantis’ fiercest opponents, regularly challenging him on policy related to the COVID-19 pandemic. She also created a position within her department to ensure LGBTQ members are given opportunities as DeSantis wages what the Human Rights Campaign recently described as “an assault on transgender Floridians.”
DeSantis signed into law what opponents called the “Don’t Say Gay” bill that bans lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade and restricts it in upper grades. He also championed the “stop WOKE act” that restricts race-based conversation and analysis in business and education, although a Florida judge last week declared the law an unconstitutional violation of free speech.
Such issues have been good for DeSantis’ standing with GOP voters.
The Florida governor touted his record at a weekend rally with more than 1,000 Pennsylvania voters, having already recently campaigned for Republican allies across Arizona, New Mexico and Ohio.
DeSantis was officially in Pennsylvania to help the GOP gubernatorial candidate, Doug Mastriano. But DeSantis barely mentioned Mastriano’s name in remarks to his Pittsburgh audience and focused instead on the political battles he fought in Florida to confront liberal “woke ideology.”
He didn’t mention that he’s running for reelection for governor this year.
“If you lead and lead with strength and courage, and you deliver results, the people will be with you,” DeSantis said.
___
Peoples reported from Washington, Farrington from Tallahassee. Associated Press writer Marc Levy in Pittsburgh contributed to this report.
___
Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ap_politics.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/08/23/desantis-rival-emerge-high-stakes-florida-primary/ | 2022-08-23T12:02:18Z |
ATLANTA -- Going into last Tuesday's Republican gubernatorial primary, former U.S. Sen. David Perdue's challenge of incumbent Gov. Brian Kemp was threatening to tear the GOP apart, potentially easing Democrat Stacey Abrams' path to victory.
But the huge margin of Kemp's primary win -- amassing nearly 74% of the vote to just 22% for Perdue -- could help unite Republicans. Perdue took the first step Tuesday night when he urged supporters to get behind Kemp going forward.
"I don't see the party being divided at this point," Chuck Clay, a partner with Atlanta law firm Hall Booth Smith and a former chairman of the state GOP, said.
Perdue carried the endorsement of former President Trump into the race and made Trump's claims of widespread fraud in Georgia's 2020 elections -- dismissed in multiple court rulings as baseless -- the main theme of his campaign.
Perdue's focus on an election a year and a half in the rearview mirror played a key role in his defeat, said Kerwin Swint, a political science professor at Kennesaw State University.
"There was never really a rationale for Perdue's challenge, other than the Trump controversy," Swint said. "A lot of Georgia Republicans are ready to move on. ... They are feeling you can be a Republican and a conservative and don't have to do what Donald Trump tells you."
Kemp, on the other hand, ran on his record of accomplishments in 3 1/2 years as governor.
Just this year, he steered a conservative agenda through the General Assembly to let Georgians carry concealed firearms without a permit, give parents more say in their children's education and require transgender students to compete in school sports based on their gender at birth.
Sitting on a huge budget surplus, Kemp gave teachers and state workers pay raises, refunded taxpayers $1.1 billion and launched a phased-in rollback of state income tax rates.
"Kemp had a lot to work with," Charles Bullock, a political science professor at the University of Georgia, said. "He had a good legislative session."
Perdue's defeat was part of a trend that saw a roster of other Trump-endorsed Republican candidates in Georgia come up short in their primary races.
U.S. Rep. Jody Hice, R-Greensboro, lost to incumbent Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Like Kemp, Raffensperger was targeted by Trump for refusing to help the then-president overturn Georgia's 2020 presidential election results.
John Gordon, another Trump-endorsed challenger, lost to Attorney General Chris Carr. Patrick Witt was beaten by state Insurance Commissioner John King.
In statewide races, Herschel Walker and state Sen. Burt Jones, R-Jackson, were the only members of the Trump ticket to win their primaries. Walker won primarily because of his universal name recognition as a University of Georgia football great, while Jones was bidding for the vacant post of lieutenant governor.
Bullock said Trump's down-ballot picks weren't able to overcome their lack of name recognition because he didn't put any money into their campaigns.
"The candidates didn't have any way to get the word out," Bullock said. "Endorsements don't have any value if you don't get the word out. ... They don't turn a nobody into a winner."
Kemp's one-sided victory over Perdue has given him a shot of momentum heading into the general election campaign against Abrams. How far that momentum carries the governor will depend in large part on whether he can convince Perdue voters to support him in November.
"So many Republicans are just not going to vote for Kemp," Trump said during a "tele-rally" with Perdue the night before Tuesday's primary.
Georgia Democrats are encouraged over Abrams' chances to oust the governor, despite her narrow loss to Kemp in 2018 and two decades of Republican domination of statewide elections.
U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, D-Atlanta, who doubles as state Democratic chairwoman, said Democrats are feeling positive coming off the 2020 election cycle, which saw Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden carry Georgia and Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock flip the state's two U.S. Senate seats.
"In 2018, nobody believed what was possible," Williams said. "In 2020, we shocked the world. We showed them Georgia Democrats were competitive."
But Swint said the size of Kemp's primary win and the enthusiasm Republican voters are showing to bounce back from the 2020 losses bode well for the governor.
"Republicans are certainly pumped," Swint said. "Kemp has the greater momentum now heading into the general election."
This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation. | https://www.albanyherald.com/news/lopsided-kemp-victory-could-unify-republicans-after-divisive-primary/article_a3fe06cc-e039-11ec-be6b-dbd39444c030.html | 2022-05-30T17:37:18Z |
Services for Gary A. “Bud” Gamet, 74, of Troy are pending with Scanio-Harper Funeral Home in Temple.
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Katie Myers has a smile for everyone as she walks around Travis Park in downtown San Antonio, greeting migrants who have just been dropped off in the city by US immigration authorities.
Myers is a volunteer with the Interfaith Welcome Coalition, a non-profit that helps migrants traveling through San Antonio with the basics, like buying bus tickets and making phone calls.
But Myers says there's a new phenomenon that complicates this current surge.
Since mid-March, Myers says, on average, immigration officials are leaving 150 to 200 migrants at the bus station every day and 300 to 500 at the airport. The sudden spike took volunteers like Myers by surprise.
In prior surges, most migrants only spent a few hours in San Antonio before traveling north, Myers said. But during a period last month, 20 to 25 migrants each day needed to stay overnight.
"It's not just simply a matter of arranging for them to get a ticket," Myers said. "You have to figure out whether or not there's a place for them to live."
There are now two groups of migrants arriving in San Antonio: those with the plans and means to travel onwards, and those without, Myers said. And the numbers keep rising.
At the border, US officials are bracing for an increase in migrant arrivals when the public health border policy known as Title 42 is lifted next month. The policy has allowed officials to swiftly return migrants to Mexico or their native countries during the pandemic.
Some Texas leaders have said local services available to migrants will be overwhelmed when Title 42 ends -- but San Antonio officials say the situation is already causing alarm.
An 'unsustainable increase' in migrants
In San Antonio, some 150 miles from the Rio Grande, white buses and vans, with no signage or logos, are already dropping off hundreds of migrants at the downtown bus station and the airport every day.
In one hand, the migrants carry a manila envelope with the forms provided to them by US immigration officials. The other usually holds a small plastic bag with all their belongings and a US government issued cell phone -- a device migrants use to verify their whereabouts and the Biden administration's alternative to detention. On their feet are lace-less shoes, as migrants must give up their laces during immigration processing.
The city is seeing an "unsustainable increase," in migrants, according to San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg. The rising numbers prompted Nirenberg to write a letter to US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Nirenberg provided CNN a copy of the letter, dated March 31, that states from March 19 to the 29, an average of 628 people were staying in shelters, sleeping at the airport or at the city park.
"I respectfully request immediate action from the Department of Homeland Security to increase funding for humanitarian infrastructure and resources," Nirenberg wrote. Since then, city officials have been in continuous dialogue with US Customs and Border Protection and FEMA, according to his office.
In a statement to CNN, DHS said it has "been in regular contact with the mayor of San Antonio and other elected officials, local leaders, and non-governmental organizations as part of a whole-of-government effort to manage and plan for any increase of encounters along our Southwest border."
San Antonio city officials have warned if the unpredictable surges continue, and Title 42 lifts, the city's ability to meet the humanitarian need could be limited, according to an April 4 memo.
A coalition of non-profit organizations has been providing hotels to migrant women traveling with children, Myers said, but this still leaves many migrant men without places to stay. But Myers and other volunteers are taking the surge in stride -- they're used to making it work with funds from generous donors and the sweat equity of volunteers.
A church turned overnight shelter
Across the street from Travis Park, Rev. Gavin Rogers, a pastor from a church that bears the same name as the park, warms up a rice and seafood dish to welcome migrants to his newly opened migrant shelter.
"We opened up our shelter to relieve those who are trying to get through San Antonio to their host cities and are just waiting on proper transportation," says Rogers.
Located in the basement of his church, the shelter can host up to 150 people per night. A makeshift diner, made up of tables and chairs, fills the center of the small space. Green cots line the walls.
Meanwhile at the park, volunteers with the Interfaith Welcome Coalition, like Myers, set up an informal consultation desk under a tree.
One by one, people approach the table in an orderly fashion, asking for their names to be added to the list of guests Rogers will host. The line grows long; a sign word of the shelter has spread amongst the recently arrived migrants.
"A few nights ago, we were at 120, a few days ago we were at like 44. So, it really varies depending on if hotels open. A lot of those hotels will give preference to women and children and families," says Rogers.
As a result, when Rogers opens the doors to his church, mostly men walk in. The stress and weight of the day's wait can be seen clearly on their faces. Most have spent their day at the nearby park with no access to money, food or a public restroom. According to Rogers, the migrants spend on average one or two nights in San Antonio before moving on to other cities.
Jessie Amaya, a migrant from Venezuela was an exception. He told CNN he had slept at Roger's church for over 20 days. Unlike most of the migrants CNN spoke to, Amaya has no family or friends in the United States. He left his home country for fear of political prosecution and hopes to call San Antonio home.
San Antonio officials 'talking like border officials'
US Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Democrat representing San Antonio, says he worries about the surge of migrants expected next month when Title 42 lifts.
He's so worried, in fact, he's joining a growing number of Democrats up for re-election who are opposing the Biden administration's decision to end the policy next month.
"When you start hearing San Antonio officials talking like the border officials, saying 'We need help, we need help,'...then we know that the impact has rippled up 150 miles or further," Cuellar said.
Of the more than 220,000 migrant encounters reported by CBP in March, nearly 50%, were expelled under Title 42. But come next month, border officials will revert to pre-pandemic protocols and process all migrants they encounter. The Biden administration also says it will increase the number of federal agents on the southern border -- though Cuellar argues that still places the burden of the humanitarian crisis in the hands of municipalities and non-profits.
When he asked the White House for a plan to address the post-Title 42 surge, Cuellar says he wasn't satisfied with the answer.
"They said we're going to notify the not-for-profits that more people are coming," Cuellar said. "That's not a plan. That's just a notification."
Paying it forward
At Travis Park, Myers continues her work, floating from one migrant to the next, smiling as she answers questions and reassures people. One man approaches her, worried about not having a place to stay for the night.
"Just wait here," Myers tells him, and then explains his name will be added to the list of migrants staying at the reverend's shelter that night.
Myers, who started volunteering with migrants in 2018, helps at the park three days a week. She says she witnesses acts of kindness all the time -- recalling when a migrant recently handed her their last $3 to "pay it forward."
While the solution to immigration is complicated, Myers says, she has found something easy she can do to contribute: "Treat them with kindness and dignity and respect."
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.albanyherald.com/news/san-antonio-is-sounding-the-alarm-as-title-42-is-set-to-end/article_939d622b-8965-5e3b-b047-b8a69638ba52.html | 2022-04-20T08:57:31Z |
MADISON, Wis., June 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- DAODAO, a new social DAO platform launching today, makes it easy for founders, developers, and leaders to fundraise for their next big idea with their community using cryptocurrency.
Launching a DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization) on DAODAO is as easy as creating a social media account. There are virtually zero gas fees and a DAO can be set up in a few simple steps. DAODAO enables DAOs to raise funds across multiple cryptocurrencies including $ETH, $SOL, $BTC, $DESO, and more.
Thanks to the speed, scalability, and low-cost storage solutions of DeSo – the underlying Layer-1 blockchain that powers DAODAO – all social activity and management of a DAO can happen directly on-chain enabling trust, transparency, and reputation for the DAO and its community.
"Now millions of people worldwide can launch their own DAO and fund their next big idea in just a few clicks. That's why DAODAO will have the same impact on DAOs that Coinbase had on tokens and OpenSea had on NFTs," said Nader Al-Naji, Founder of DAODAO.
DAODAO was inspired by Nader's experience raising hundreds of millions of dollars worldwide from the likes of a16z, Sequoia, and Social Capital. He wanted to give everyone access to these same fundraising opportunities.
"DAODAO truly brings the social and community aspects to DAOs that are missing in Web3. It allows a group of people with a shared vision to pool funding together and launch their next big idea in a single platform," said Ed Moss, Head of Growth at DeSo.
Additionally, DAODAO comes with DAOSwap, the first true on-chain order-book exchange for DAO coins. You can fund your next big idea, provide liquidity to members through DAO Coins to your members, and let them trade them on DAOSwap.
DAODAO itself will be a DAO governed by its community. The team executed a fair launch that allowed anyone who purchased NFTs to reserve the right to purchase DAODAO coins, at a near-zero dollar valuation. Owning DAODAO coins allows community members to participate in governance by voting on proposals for key decisions. It also gives members access to all trading fees that are collected via its built-in exchange.
Tap into the collective power of social, fundraising, and cryptocurrency of DAOs at https://daodao.io/
Arash Ghaemi
(562) 384-2691
ash@deso.org
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SOURCE DAODAO | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/01/daodao-launches-with-800-daos-over-1m-raised-by-community/ | 2022-06-01T18:52:55Z |
The James Webb Space Telescope's first stunning images of the distant universe have been followed up by something a little closer to home.
Data collected during the telescope's commissioning period, before its science operations officially started on July 12, have been released on the Space Telescope Science Institute's website. The publicly available data is now ready for scientists around the world to study.
That data includes new images of Jupiter, which were taken while the space observatory's instruments were still being tested.
"Combined with the deep field images released the other day, these images of Jupiter demonstrate the full grasp of what Webb can observe, from the faintest, most distant observable galaxies to planets in our own cosmic backyard that you can see with the naked eye from your actual backyard," said Bryan Holler, a scientist at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, in a statement.
Holler helped with the planning for the observations.
Webb is an infrared telescope, so it captures light that is invisible to the human eye. One of Webb's images of Jupiter shows the giant planet's telltale atmospheric bands as well as the Great Red Spot.
This famous feature is a massive storm about twice the size of Earth that has churned for over a century. It looks white in the image due to the processing of the infrared image.
Europa, one of Jupiter's moons, is visible to the left of the planet. The shadow of the moon also makes a cameo left of the Great Red Spot.
"I couldn't believe that we saw everything so clearly, and how bright they were," said Stefanie Milam, Webb's deputy project scientist for planetary science based at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, in a statement.
"It's really exciting to think of the capability and opportunity that we have for observing these kinds of objects in our solar system."
Some of the telescope's other perspectives of Jupiter revealed some of the planet's faint rings. The images prove that Webb is able to observe faint details and objects close to bright planets like Jupiter and Saturn.
This is especially exciting because it means that Webb may also be able to observe plumes of material releasing into space from ocean worlds in our solar system, like Europa or Saturn's moon Enceladus.
"We'll look at our own solar system with new infrared eyes, looking for chemical traces of our history, and tracking down mysteries like Jupiter's Great Red Spot, composition of the ocean under the ice of Europa, and the atmosphere of Saturn's giant moon Titan," said John Mather, Webb senior project scientist at NASA Goddard, in a statement.
The first images were anticipated by Mather for 25 years. "What comes next? All the tools are working, better than we hoped and promised. Scientific observations, proposed years ago, are being made as we speak," Mather said.
"We want to know: Where did we come from? What happened after the big bang to make galaxies and stars and black holes? We have predictions and guesses, but astronomy is an observational science, full of surprises."
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.albanyherald.com/news/new-webb-telescope-images-show-jupiter-in-a-new-light/article_6cbaf617-5592-51c9-a0d0-7b07293078a3.html | 2022-07-18T17:11:53Z |
SHANGHAI, June 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- OriCell Therapeutics Co., Ltd (OriCell), a leading innovative biopharmaceutical company pioneering novel oncology cell therapies for the unmet medical needs in in hematology and oncology, today reported the positive results from Phase I POLARIS study, an investigator-sponsored study evaluating Ori-CAR017, an autologous GPRC5D-directed CAR-T cell, in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma at American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting.
- Single Infusion of OriCAR-017 Demonstrates an Early, Deep and Durable Responses at All Dose Levels in Heavily Pretreated RRMM Patients, including Patients Who Relapsed from BCMA CAR-T Therapy.
- Overall Response Rate(ORR) was 100% with Complete Response (CR)/ stringent Complete Response (sCR) rate of 60%,including Five patients with prior BCMA CART therapy achieved 2 sCR, 2 VGPR and 1PR. Patient medium follow up time 175 days (range 35-281). All patients were progression free without additional therapy at data cutoff. Results Highlights a Major Advance for OriCAR-017 Future Potential in RRMM Setting, regardless prior BCMA Targeted Therapy.
- No Dose Limiting Toxicities (DLTs) or Serious Adverse Events (SAE) was observed. No Immune effector Cell Associated Neurotoxicity Syndrome(ICANS). Only Grade 1/2 Cytokine Release Syndrome(CRS). Most common Grade 3/4 AE was cytopenia, mainly due to lymphodepleting chemotherapy.
"We are delighted to share the FIH data from our Phase I POLARIS study, we strongly believe these data has demonstrated our advantages from the proprietary platforms for CAR-T optimization structure. Next step, we will be focusing on filling an IND with the NMPA and FDA for Ori-CAR017." said Dr. Helen Yang, Chairman and CEO of OriCell. "We look forward to continue developing novel cell therapies, to provide patient with better treatment option in the future."
Prof. He Huang, M.D., Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University said: "Multiple Myeloma (MM) remains incurable with extremely low overall survival for relapsed/refractory patients. Therapies using newer targets are urgently needed. The data presented at ASCO 2022 demonstrated that OriCAR-017 is a safe and effective treatment for patients with RRMM who received multiple lines of therapy, especially those who relapsed after BCMA-targeted therapy. I look forward to advancing the research of Ori-CAR017, a first-in-class autologous GPRC5D-directed CAR-T cell, with OriCell, so that patients can benefit from clinical results as soon as possible."
Details for the Oral Presentation at ASCO 2022 are as follows:
Hematologic Malignancies—Plasma Cell Dyscrasia
Session Type: Oral Abstract Session
Date and Time: 06/05/2022, 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Presentation Time/Duration: 9:12 AM - 9:24 AM
Abstract Title: Phase I open-label single arm study of GPRC5D CAR T-cells (OriCAR-017) in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (POLARIS).
Abstract ID: 8004
About OriCell
Founded in 2015, OriCell Therapeutics aims to develop novel immuno-therapies to satisfy the globally unmet clinical needs. OriCell have constructed 4 major patented technology platforms: Ori®Ab antibody discovery technology platform, Ori®CAR CAR-T technology platform with high memory and high vitality, Ori®TIL stable and controllable cell culture platform for efficient expansion, and Ori®UCAR general-purpose, convenient and efficient CAR-T technology platform.
Forward-looking statements
The forward-looking statements made in this article relate only to the events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this article. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. You should read this article completely and with the understanding that our actual future results or performance may be materially different from what we expect. In this article, statements of, or references to, our intentions or those of any of our Directors or our Company are made as of the date of this article. Any of these intentions may alter in light of future development.
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SOURCE Oricell Therapeutics Co.,Ltd. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/06/oricell-reports-oricar-017-phase-i-polaris-study-data-oral-presentation-american-society-clinical-oncologyasco-annual-meeting-2022/ | 2022-06-06T12:09:51Z |
The Company Also Announces Winner of 4/20 Cabana Club Prize Package
CALGARY, AB, April 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - High Tide Inc. ("High Tide" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: HITI) (TSXV: HITI) (FSE: 2LYA), a leading retail-focused cannabis company with bricks-and-mortar as well as global e-commerce assets, today announced approximately CAD$1,372,600 in total retail gross revenues ("Total Sales") across all retail platforms on April 20, 2022 ("4/20"), representing a 76.21% increase from the previous Wednesday. The Company's Canadian bricks-and-mortar stores reported a 63.05% increase, while sales across its e-commerce platforms (Grasscity.com, Smokecartel.com, Dailyhighclub.com, Dankstop.com, Nuleafnaturals.com, FABCBD.com, BlessedCBD.co.uk, and BlessedCBD.de) reported an increase of 129.41% over the previous Wednesday.
As a celebration of the growth in the Company's Cabana Club loyalty program and in commemoration of 4/20, High Tide selected the winner of this exclusive prize package through a random draw on April 20, 2022 at 4:20 PM Mountain Time. The prize package consists of a hybrid car valued at approximately $42,000, or a cash equivalent, as well as an all-expenses paid roundtrip to Calgary and dinner with Raj Grover, the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer. The Company is excited to announce that the prize package has been awarded to Kyle Pinington.
"These robust 4/20 sales numbers exceeded our expectations and are a reflection of our successful, rapid organic and acquisition-based growth strategy. Our Cabana Club loyalty program has also been growing impressively, standing at approximately 478,000 members as of yesterday, which is an increase of 95.1% since the launch of our discount club model six months ago on October 20, 2021. I am thrilled by the success of our Cabana Club prize package giveaway, which was the first of its kind in the North American cannabis sector, and based on all of the positive feedback from our members, I am pleased to announce that we have decided to make the contest an annual 4/20 tradition at Canna Cabana," said Raj Grover, President and Chief Executive Officer of High Tide. "Our sales numbers and continued revenue growth, particularly from our e-commerce platforms, again validate our strategy with respect to growth in the United States which, unlike most of our competitors, is not reliant on federal cannabis legalization and is instead based on accretive acquisitions that drive revenue growth today. The future looks great for our continued momentum, and I look forward to all that is yet to come throughout the rest of 2022 and beyond," added Mr. Grover.
Separately, High Tide granted 40,000 stock options to certain employees, pricing determined by the TSX Venture Exchange close price the day before this press release, exercisable over a period of three (3) years, that fully vest over a two (2) year period.
High Tide is a leading retail-focused cannabis company with bricks-and-mortar as well as global e-commerce assets. The Company is the largest non-franchised Canadian retailer of recreational cannabis as measured by revenue, with 117 current locations spanning Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. High Tide was featured in the third annual Report on Business Magazine's ranking of Canada's Top Growing Companies in 2021 and was named as one of the top 10 performing diversified industries stocks in the 2022 TSX Venture 50™. The Company is also North America's first and only cannabis discount club retailer, featuring Canna Cabana, Meta Cannabis Co., and Meta Cannabis Supply Co. banners, with additional locations under development across the country. High Tide's portfolio also includes retail kiosk and smart locker technology – Fastendr™. High Tide has been serving consumers for over a decade through its established e-commerce platforms including Grasscity.com, Smokecartel.com, Dailyhighclub.com, and Dankstop.com and more recently in the hemp-derived CBD space through Nuleafnaturals.com, FABCBD.com, BlessedCBD.co.uk, and BlessedCBD.de, as well as its wholesale distribution division under Valiant Distribution, including the licensed entertainment product manufacturer Famous Brandz. High Tide's strategy as a parent company is to extend and strengthen its integrated value chain, while providing a complete customer experience and maximizing shareholder value.
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.
For more information about High Tide Inc., please visit www.hightideinc.com, its profile page on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, and its profile page on EDGAR at www.sec.gov.
Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking information or forward-looking statements. Such information and statements, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements" are made as of the date of this news release or as of the date of the effective date of information described in this news release, as applicable. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect current estimates, predictions, expectations or beliefs regarding future events. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by use of words such as "outlook", "expects", "intend", "forecasts", "anticipates", "plans", "projects", "estimates", "envisages, "assumes", "needs", "strategy", "goals", "objectives", or variations thereof, or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "can", "could", "would", "might", or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms or similar expressions, and other similar terminology) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements.
Such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that may prove to be incorrect, including but not limited to the ability of High Tide to execute on its business plan and that High Tide will receive one or multiple licenses from Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis, British Columbia's Liquor Distribution Branch, Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba, Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario or the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority permitting it to carry on its Canna Cabana Inc. business. High Tide considers these assumptions to be reasonable in the circumstances. However, there can be no assurance that any one or more of the government, industry, market, operational or financial targets as set out herein will be achieved. Inherent in the forward-looking statements are known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to differ materially from any results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
The forward‐looking statements contained herein are current as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, High Tide does not have any obligation to advise any person if it becomes aware of any inaccuracy in or omission from any forward-looking statement, nor does it intend, or assume any obligation, to update or revise these forward-looking statements to reflect new events or circumstances. Any and all forward-looking statements included in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement, and except as otherwise indicated, are made as of the date of this news release.
This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons (as defined in the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration is available.
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SOURCE High Tide Inc. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/04/25/high-tide-reports-approximately-137-million-retail-sales-420-releases-updated-cabana-club-membership-numbers/ | 2022-04-25T11:21:02Z |
20-year-old father charged in death of 2-month-old baby, police say
VINTON, Va. (Gray News) – A man in Virginia is facing charges in the death of his 2-month-old child, police said.
The Bedford County Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook that Jordan Cody Scheffler, 20, is charged with second-degree murder and felony child neglect.
On Tuesday, officers were called to a residence in reference to an infant that was not breathing. Deputies arrived on the scene and tried to resuscitate the child, but the baby was pronounced dead.
Upon investigation, deputies arrested Scheffler, the father of the baby. He was taken to the Blue Ridge Regional Amherst Jail and is being held without bond.
Police did not provide further details on the investigation but said it is ongoing.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/05/20/20-year-old-father-charged-death-2-month-old-baby-police-say/ | 2022-05-20T17:31:52Z |
Woman charged with bigamy after husband claims she married another man
Published: Apr. 20, 2022 at 10:48 AM EDT|Updated: 1 hours ago
ALAMANCE COUNTY, N.C. (Gray News) – A woman in North Carolina is facing charges after her husband claimed she married another man while still married to him.
Detectives with the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office investigated the claims and discovered Sue Ann Allison was legally married to two men at the same time.
According to the sheriff’s office, both men live in Alamance County.
Allison was charged with felony bigamy.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/04/20/woman-charged-with-bigamy-after-husband-claims-she-married-another-man/ | 2022-04-20T16:34:30Z |
UCLA Anderson's Center for Impact leads groundbreaking reporting initiative and finds the average ESG disclosure rate for 300 of the nation's largest companies is 49.6%, with a minimum of 14.8% and a maximum of 74.8%
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As corporations prepare to meet the myriad challenges of climate change, company disclosures regarding ESG (environment, social and governance) metrics "remain almost entirely voluntary, resulting in incomplete and unstandardized data that make it difficult for stakeholders to collectively compare firms and assess their impact," according to a timely new report, "The State of Corporate Sustainability in 300 of the Largest U.S. Companies," published by the Center for Impact at UCLA Anderson.
Authored by UCLA Anderson Professor Magali Delmas and co-authors Kelly Clark and Tyson Timmer (both doctoral students at UCLA's Institute of the Environment and Sustainability) and Moana McClellan (senior system scientist at the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability), this groundbreaking initiative gathered sustainability performance information from corporate sustainability reports, websites and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) public filings.
The team gathered information that aligned with the framework developed by the World Economic Forum (WEF) around four pillars — Governance, Planet, People and Prosperity — concerning such topics as greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, diversity and inclusion, pay equality and taxes. The researchers crunched the data and concluded that, on average, firms are reporting information responsive to just under half of the WEF metrics (49.6%). Overall reporting rates ranged from a minimum of 14.8% to a maximum of 74.8%.
Not one firm disclosed 100% of the WEF's metrics; Texas Instruments Inc. held the top ranking for overall disclosure rate at 74.8%. Of the 300 companies, "only 9.2% stated that their report has been fully audited," according to lead author Delmas, who holds a dual appointment at UCLA Anderson and UCLA's Institute of the Environment and Sustainability.
"We wanted to provide a window into the state of corporate sustainability disclosure so that investors, policymakers and the general public could see what data is out there," Delmas said, "but also so that they could compare sectors and companies and weigh the information."
The report presents a number of key findings:
- Based on publicly shared information from 300 top U.S. firms, the average disclosure rate for information requested by WEF metrics is 49.6%. However, corporate sustainability disclosures are voluntary in the U.S. and the data provided are often unstandardized. In some instances, companies have tracked data (such as employee demographics and water usage) but do not publicly disclose them.
- The report finds that companies are disclosing information at substantially lower rates within the WEF's People (28.8%) and Planet (43.8%) pillars compared to the Governance (72.2%) and Prosperity pillars (53.6%). This deficit in reporting hampers efforts to understand whether firms are making progress in these critical areas.
- Firms appear to favor disclosing qualitative over quantitative information, even when the quantitative data are easily accessible. Firms are likelier to summarize their efforts in nonmeasurable narratives. Quantitative data are critical to evaluating firms' progress toward improving their sustainability performance.
- Companies' first step in working toward sustainability goals is sharing their data. It is critical that disclosure metrics be clear and transparent to maximize their usefulness to organizations and stakeholders.
- At present, less than 10% of the firms studied enlist third-party evaluation of their sustainability disclosures in their entirety. Without an independent third-party assessment of disclosures, companies are missing an important avenue of data reliability and accountability.
The team took about 18 months to pull together the information. According to Delmas, their goal is to publish an annual update regarding the data. "I'm a very strong believer in the power of information and transparency," she said. "In order to promote change, you have to be able to identify the extent of the problem, investigate possible solutions to it, and be willing to address it. Problem recognition is the first step toward change."
Emerging regulations may force companies to move away from the "vague promises and dodgy metrics" proliferating in sustainability reporting, Delmas pointed out. The SEC is pushing for mandated disclosure requirements, "where everyone has to disclose the same things, and the chief financial officer will have to be responsible for accurate reporting. If it happens, it's going to be a real sea change."
No matter the SEC's time frame for reform, Anderson's Center for Impact will be at the center of the conversation. The Center was founded in 2016 "to build core competency in impact measurement and support student interest in recognizing the role that they, as future business leaders, will have in shifting the norm of business' role in society," said Bhavna Sivanand, executive director of the Center for Impact. "The more we can engage and expose our students to cutting-edge topics like ESG, the more they can integrate innovation into the overall MBA experience."
UCLA Anderson School of Management is among the leading business schools in the world, with faculty members globally renowned for their teaching excellence and research in advancing management thinking. Located in Los Angeles, gateway to the growing economies of Latin America and Asia and a city that personifies innovation in a diverse range of endeavors, UCLA Anderson's MBA, Fully Employed MBA, Executive MBA, UCLA-NUS Executive MBA, Master of Financial Engineering, Master of Science in Business Analytics, doctoral and executive education programs embody the school's Think in the Next ethos. Annually, some 1,800 students are trained to be global leaders seeking the business models and community solutions of tomorrow.
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Media Contacts:
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SOURCE UCLA Anderson School of Management | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/16/key-study-analyzes-socially-beneficial-reporting-rates-major-companies/ | 2022-08-16T20:55:10Z |
BELTON — A man on probation for the aggravated sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl asked a judge Monday to change the terms of his probation to allow him to spend time with his 7-year-old son.
Joel Andrew Willis, 28, of Belton, was convicted in April 2017 and sentenced to eight years deferred adjudication on a charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child, a first-degree felony.
As part of his probation, Willis is not allowed to be alone with minors — a condition he said prevents him from spending time with his young son.
During a hearing in the 426th District Court presided by Judge Steven Duskie, Willis asked the judge to amend his probation terms to allow him to spend time alone with his son but no other minors.
Bell County Assistant District Attorney John Erskine, prosecutor in the case, was asked to weigh in on the request.
“Well, I guess we’ll start by referencing the offense,” he said. “It involves the (sexual assault) of a 12-year-old child. I will live it up to the court’s discretion. But those conditions are there for a reason.”
Willis said the mother had full custody of the child, but he had chaperoned visits with his son and consistently paid child support.
Duskie agreed to change the terms of Willis’ probation to allow him to be alone with the child but only if the mother decided it was in the best interest of the 7-year-old.
“You’re going to have to do some homework,” Duskie told Willis.
Duskie told Willis that he will need to make sure the mother is OK with visitation after talking to his probation officers.
Willis’ sentence stems from a 2016 incident where a 12-year-old girl accused him of having sex in a parked vehicle outside a residence on the 6800 block of Rattlesnake Trail. The girl said another sexual assault occurred in 2015 inside Willis’s house.
Willis pleaded guilty to the charge in November 2016. | https://www.tdtnews.com/news/central_texas_news/article_1417dec6-b9f5-11ec-afec-c74f5eb4534a.html | 2022-04-12T01:02:45Z |
2 kids accused of stealing 22 guns from firearms store
CAPE CORAL, Fla. (WINK) - Police say two brothers, ages 14 and 11, have been arrested for stealing nearly two dozen guns and ammunition from a Florida firearms dealer.
The two brothers face many charges, including 22 counts of grand theft of a firearm after Cape Coral Police say they broke into the Guns 4 Less store. They say the two initially tried to cut power to the building.
“How did these young boys learn to even attempt to cut the power to a building? Most people aren’t going to know that,” said WINK News Safety and Security Specialist Rich Kolko.
Once inside, investigators say the suspects ransacked the store, smashing display cases and stealing 22 guns, ammo and other items.
The stolen items were later recovered, but police say the investigation is far from over.
“The repercussions of these young boys having that many weapons with ammunition, it’s hard to even measure at this point,” Kolko said. “What were they going to do with these weapons at the end of the day?”
Investigators say the 14-year-old was already on probation for another crime. It stems from an incident last year at a Lee County gas station, where the teen allegedly threatened a cashier with a hammer as he and another boy stole e-cigarettes.
According to police, the 14-year-old was also responsible for an incident last year, where he and another boy smashed the front door of a Lee County pawn shop. They are now looking into whether the boys are connected to other burglaries in the area.
“There’s going to have to be some intervention here, whether it’s from a family member, from law enforcement, from the state to get them off this track,” Kolko said.
The suspects appeared in court Thursday morning. A formal arraignment has been set for July 5.
Both are forbidden from having unsupervised contact with each other and will be held in secure detention for the next 21 days.
Copyright 2022 WINK via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/06/12/2-kids-accused-stealing-22-guns-firearms-store/ | 2022-06-12T06:43:26Z |
Topeka road closed for water main break
Published: May. 11, 2022 at 1:27 PM CDT|Updated: 6 minutes ago
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - A water main break on Wednesday, May 11, closed the road down for the day.
The main break occurred on SW McAlister between SW Huntoon and SW 13 St., so the City of Topeka water department has placed a road-closed sign at 13th St. The water department says it is hopeful to make the street accessible by the end of Wednesday.
However, the entire project is expected to be finished within the standard 2 to 3 weeks.
Copyright 2022 WIBW. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/05/11/topeka-road-closed-water-main-break/ | 2022-05-11T18:34:52Z |
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