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WASHINGTON (AP) — With just days left in his tenure, the embattled director of the federal prison system faced a bipartisan onslaught Tuesday as he refused to accept responsibility for a culture of corruption and misconduct that has plagued his agency for years.
Bureau of Prisons Director Michael Carvajal, testifying before the Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, insisted he had been shielded from problems by his underlings — even though he’d been copied on emails, and some of the troubles were detailed in reports generated by the agency’s headquarters.
Carvajal, who resigned in January and is set to be replaced next week by Oregon’s state prison director Colette Peters, blamed the size and structure of the Bureau of Prisons for his ignorance on issues such as inmate suicides, sexual abuse, and the free flow of drugs, weapons and other contraband that has roiled some of the agency’s 122 facilities.
Carvajal said several times that the Bureau of Prisons, the Justice Department’s largest component with a budget of more than $8 billion — was a “very large and complex organization” and that there was “no possible way” for him to know everything that was going on.
Carvajal’s attempts to deflect responsibility for his leadership failings didn’t sit well with the subcommittee’s chairman, Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., nor its ranking member, Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., whose scrutiny of the Bureau of Prisons was spurred in part by Associated Press reporting that has exposed myriad crises at the agency.
Further aggravating the senators, Carvajal initially refused to testify, only doing so after the subcommittee subpoenaed him on July 14 — and then, upon arriving in the hearing room, claiming he was there voluntarily. Ossoff withdrew the subpoena immediately before Carvajal’s testimony, only after the director appeared at the hearing.
“It’s almost willful ignorance, and that’s what I find disturbing,” Johnson said of Carvajal’s reluctance to own his mistakes. “Don’t want to know what’s happening below me. Don’t want to hear about rapes. Don’t want to hear about suicides.”
Added Ossoff: “It’s a disgrace. And for the answer to be other people deal with that. I got the report. I don’t remember. It’s completely unacceptable.”
Afterward, Carvajal ran from reporters seeking to speak with him about his testimony. The director, who’s declined nearly all interview requests since taking office in 2020, ducked into a freight elevator with aides before bolting down a stairwell once they realized reporters had followed them in.
Tuesday’s hearing, one of several promised by the subcommittee, focused on years of misconduct and abuse at a federal penitentiary in Atlanta, but the problems unearthed there speak to larger systemic issues in the Bureau of Prisons, such as severe staffing shortages, deficient health care and barely edible food.
The Atlanta prison, a 120-year-old relic in Ossoff’s home state, once housed some of the country’s most notorious criminals, including gangster Al Capone, James “Whitey” Bulger and Carlo Ponzi, the namesake of the “Ponzi Scheme.” Today, it’s a crumbling, medium-security facility — no longer a penitentiary in the true sense of the term — with about 900 male inmates, including people awaiting trial.
Tuesday’s hearing, which featured testimony from Atlanta whistleblowers prior to Carvajal’s questioning, came amid an AP investigation that has exposed widespread problems within the agency, including criminal employees, escaping inmates, a women’s prison known to staff and inmates as the “rape club” because of rampant staff sexual abuse, and critically low staffing that has hampered responses to emergencies.
Witnesses described what they said was known as the “Atlanta Way” — a culture that allowed misconduct at the prison to persist for years.
Carvajal told the committee he only learned of the prison’s problems last year and immediately took action, reducing the inmate population and removing dozens of managers. Despite that, the witnesses said, the facility is still in dire straits.
Ossoff said evidence obtained by the subcommittee’s investigators showed agency leadership was made aware of problems at Atlanta as far back as 2014. Carvajal has been part a member of the agency’s senior leadership since 2013.
Erika Ramirez, the Atlanta prison’s former chief psychologist, said she was transferred to a different federal prison out of retaliation after raising concerns about poor conditions and a rash of inmate suicides. Ramirez said she alerted the prison’s warden, other higher ups and the agency’s headquarters, to no avail.
Ramirez said contraband issues were so prevalent that she confiscated a smuggled microwave from one inmate, only to find it in another prisoner’s cell just a few days later. She said she confirmed it was the same device when she saw the serial number, she said.
Ramirez said the mold-riddled prison had such shoddy infrastructure, elevators were constantly broken and the sewers would overflow into the recreation yard during rain storms, sometimes leaving a foot of human waste behind.
Terri Whitehead, a administrator who left the prison last year, testified there were so many rats in the food service area, employees would leave the prison’s doors to the outside wide open so stray cats could take care of them — an approach she said compromised the prison’s security.
Ossoff told the AP after the hearing that Carvajal’s testimony “lacked credibility at times” and that the director’s claims that he wasn’t aware of the issues at the Atlanta prison until about a year ago “strains credulity.”
In one of the hearing’s tensest moments, Ossoff pressed Carvajal on rampant sexual abuse at FCI Dublin, a federal women’s prison in California’s Bay Area known to staff and inmates as the “rape club.” Among the Dublin employees charged so far, the prison’s former warden.
“Is the Bureau of Prisons able to keep female detainees safe from sexual abuse by staff?” Ossoff asked. “Yes or no?”
“Yes, we are,” Carvajal shot back. “In those cases when things happen, we hold people appropriately accountable.”
“You are the director at a time when one of your prisons is known to staff and inmates as a ’rape club,” Ossoff said, to silence and stares from Carvajal.
Pressed for an answer, Carvajal said the matter is under investigation.
Afterward, Ossoff took issue with Carvajal’s claims that the Bureau of Prisons can keep female inmates — or any inmates — safe.
“It is demonstrably false that female detainees in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons are safe,” Ossoff told the AP. “It is demonstrably false. And it is demonstrably false that any inmates can rely upon the quality of care and medical care at multiple BOP facilities.”
___
On Twitter, follow Michael Balsamo at twitter.com/mikebalsamo1 and Michael Sisak at twitter.com/mikesisak. Send confidential tips by visiting https://www.ap.org/tips/. | https://cw33.com/news/politics/ap-politics/prisons-chief-deflects-blame-for-failures-angering-senators/ | 2022-07-27T18:01:31Z |
Park rangers responded to a report of human remains found in the park's Swim Beach area in Boulder City, Nevada, at about 4:30 p.m. PT, the release said. "Park rangers are on scene and have set a perimeter to recover the remains," the release said.
The Clark County Medical Examiner is assisting with determining the cause of death, the park service said.
The first body, discovered on May 1, was found in a barrel and was likely a murder victim who died from a gunshot wound "some time in the mid '70s to early '80s, based on clothing and footwear the victim was found with," according to a news release from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police.
Around 40 million people in the West rely on water from the Colorado River and its two largest reservoirs — Lake Mead and Lake Powell — where levels have fallen at an alarming rate over the past few years amid a climate change-fueled megadrought.
As of Tuesday, Lake Mead's water level was at 1,040 feet, about 174 feet below its level in 2000, when it was last considered full. It's the lowest level on record for the reservoir since it was filled in the 1930s.
The lake's low water level exposed one of the reservoir's original water intake valves in April for the first time. The valve had been in service since 1971, but it can no longer draw water, according to the Southern Nevada Water Authority. That agency is responsible for managing water resources for 2.2 million people in southern Nevada, including Las Vegas.
"The lake has drained dramatically over the last 15 years," Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Homicide Lt. Ray Spencer said in May. "It's likely that we will find additional bodies that have been dumped in Lake Mead" as the water level drops more.
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Leading Stretching Concept Enters Wisconsin, Celebrates 194th and 195th Studio Openings on the Road to 200 Locations
APPLETON, Wis., June 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Stretch Zone, the world's first and largest practitioner-assisted stretching franchise, announced today its first studios to open in Wisconsin on June 20: College Ave, located at 3440 W College Ave, and Delafield, situated in the Shoppes at Nagawaukee, located at 3272 Gold Road.
Along with an additional seven studios in development throughout Wisconsin, these openings come at a key point for the brand. Just days away from its 200th studio opening, Stretch Zone's momentum is continuing to skyrocket as it provides local residents with proprietary, practitioner-assisted stretching sessions to help enhance their quality of life.
"Over the years, we have built an unbeatable concept with our studios nationwide, and we know that the Wisconsin locations will make a significant impact on the lives and well-being of people in the community," said Tony Zaccario, CEO at Stretch Zone. "Once residents have a chance to try out their first 30-minute stretch for free, we know they will continue coming back. We are leaving our mark on the state, and are looking forward to several more studio openings in the coming months. Until then, we can't wait for our franchise partners to open the doors to their new studios."
The College Ave studio will be owned and operated by local practicing chiropractor, Andrew Jones. With over a decade of experience, Jones knows how chiropractic and stretching complement each other, which is why he is eager to open his Stretch Zone studio. Local couple Beckie and Tony Kaczkowski, and long-time friend JoAnn Ley will own and operate the Delafield studio. The Kaczkowski's bring with them years of experience of operating successful businesses in the athletic and wellness industry, and Ley is equipped with vast expertise as an occupational therapist for more than three decades.
Using principles of neuromuscular behavior, each 30-minute practitioner-assisted stretching session at Stretch Zone is designed to improve circulation and create a more ideal resting muscle tone. Whether someone is an athlete or looking to improve their mobility so they can spend quality time with their grandchildren, Stretch Zone is customized to meet everyone's personal needs and goals. Practitioners are nationally accredited through an internally developed training and qualification program to ensure a valuable experience to its clients. The patented stretching system has also earned the trust of chiropractors and complimentary health care professionals. This collective trust in the methodology from clients and professionals alike is why Stretch Zone offers each client their first 30-minute stretch for free.
Stretch Zone offers franchisees a full range of programs and accreditations. The Stretch Zone franchise opportunity differentiates itself with a simplistic, franchisee-first business model backed by a science-based, patented stretching system. In 2021, the brand partnered with Drew Brees, who sits on the Board of Directors, which strategically positions Stretch Zone to continue its stature as a leader in the industry.
For more information about the Stretch Zone studios in College Ave. and Delafield, visit www.stretchzone.com/locations/college-ave/ and www.stretchzone.com/locations/delafield/.
Stretch Zone is the leading franchised stretching concept that offers proprietary, practitioner-assisted stretching sessions to help clients achieve enhanced quality of life. It was founded by Jorden Gold in 2004 after seeing the first-hand benefits assisted stretching brought to his grandfather. With a steady cadence of location openings, Stretch Zone is on the Road to 200, a milestone they will hit in late June. The brand has set a goal to reach 300 locations within one year of hitting the 200-location mark. As a pioneer within the health and wellness space, Stretch Zone uses its patented Stretch Zone Stabilization System to aid in increased mobility and muscle function. The system enables clients to accomplish Flex-ability for Life® with processes to train muscles to move with a greater range of motion, allowing for an easier golf swing or comfortable night's rest. Clients are welcomed into Stretch Zone by nationally accredited practitioners, a relaxing atmosphere and secure equipment. For more information about Stretch Zone, visit www.stretchzone.com.
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SOURCE Stretch Zone | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/16/wisconsinites-rejoice-stretch-zone-reaches-appleton-delafield/ | 2022-06-16T18:46:52Z |
Biden expected to release rule on ghost guns in days
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration will come out with its long-awaited ghost gun rule — aimed at reining in privately made firearms without serial numbers that are increasingly cropping up at crime scenes — as soon as Monday, three people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.
Completion of the rule comes as the White House and the Justice Department have been under growing pressure to crack down on gun deaths and violent crime in the U.S.
The White House has also been weighing naming Steve Dettelbach, a former U.S. attorney from Ohio, to run the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, or ATF, the people said. Biden had to withdraw the nomination of his first nominee, gun-control advocate David Chipman, after the nomination stalled for months because of opposition from Republicans and some Democrats in the Senate.
For nearly a year, the rule has been making its way through the federal regulation process. Gun safety groups and Democrats in Congress have been pushing for the Justice Department to finish the rule for months. It will probably be met with heavy resistance from gun groups and draw litigation in the coming weeks.
The exact timing of the announcement hasn’t been set, the people said. They could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity. The White House declined to comment.
On Sunday, the Senate’s top Democrat, Sen. Chuck Schumer, of New York, implored the administration to move faster.
“It’s high time for a ghost gun exorcism before the proliferation peaks, and before more people get hurt — or worse,” Schumer said in a statement. “My message is a simple one: No more waiting on these proposed federal rules.” Ghost guns are “too easy to build, too hard to trace and too dangerous to ignore.”
Justice Department statistics show that nearly 24,000 ghost guns were recovered by law enforcement at crime scenes and reported to the government from 2016 to 2020. It is hard to say how many are circulating on the streets, in part because in many cases police departments don’t contact the government about the guns because they can’t be traced.
The rule is expected to change the current definition of a firearm under federal law to include unfinished parts, like the frame of a handgun or the receiver of a long gun.
In its proposed rule released last May, the ATF said it was also seeking to require manufacturers and dealers who sell ghost gun parts to be licensed by the federal government and require federally licensed firearms dealers to add a serial number to any unserialized guns they plan to sell.
The rule would also require firearms dealers to run background checks before they sell ghost gun kits that contain parts needed to assemble a firearm.
For years, federal officials have been sounding the alarm about an increasing black market for homemade, military-style semi-automatic rifles and handguns. As well as turning up more frequently at crime scenes, ghost guns have been increasingly encountered when federal agents buy guns in undercover operations from gang members and other criminals.
Some states, like California, have enacted laws in recent years to require serial numbers to be stamped on ghost guns.
The critical component in building an untraceable gun is what is known as the lower receiver, a part typically made of metal or polymer. An unfinished receiver — sometimes referred to as an “80-percent receiver” — can be legally bought online with no serial numbers or other markings on it, no license required.
Police across the country have been reporting spikes in ghost guns being recovered by officers. The New York Police Department, for example, said officers found 131 unserialized firearms since January.
A gunman who killed his wife and four others in Northern California in 2017 had been prohibited from owning firearms, but he built his own to skirt the court order before his rampage. And in 2019, a teenager used a homemade handgun to fatally shoot two classmates and wound three others at a school in suburban Los Angeles.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/04/10/biden-expected-release-rule-ghost-guns-days/ | 2022-04-10T17:23:04Z |
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Worthy Books is to publish, A GIFT OF JOY AND HOPE by Pope Francis, in September 2022.
In response to "the devastating loss the world faced during the pandemic", Pope Francis wants to the world to know that, even though the past few years have been extremely challenging, God is still joyful, and He wants us to be full of joy, and even in the dark times, the light of joy can shine bright.
Beth Adams, editorial director at Worthy Books and Daisy Hutton, publisher at Worthy Books a division of Hachette Book Group in the US, in a joint deal with Katherine Venn, editorial director at Hodder Faith, pre-empted world English language rights from Luigi Bonomi at LBA Books, working on behalf of the Julianne Roderer Literary agency, Piengiorno Italy and the Libreria Editrice Vaticana.
Already published in Italy at the end of 2020, it is Pope Francis' bestselling book to date there, Hodder says.
Adams said: "We are so proud to be publishing this new book by Pope Francis, abounding with hope and inspiration."
The Pope was inspired to write a book to help people find hope and meaning during the pandemic. A Gift of Joy and Hope—retitled from The Gift of a Smile in Italian—is filled with thoughts and reflections on how to cope with the world we're currently in. From the anxieties of the age to the importance of nature, the publisher says it is an invitation to embrace authentic beauty and a reminder to be open to encountering God, even in the midst of challenges. Pope Francis encourages readers to change attitudes that exclude others; to reveal the deep dissatisfaction we all hide; and to overcome life's challenges with courage and faith. He also challenges us to hope without pessimism or doubt, to hope even in the midst of anxiety, to recognize the beauty all around them, and to let God show you how to deal with your doubts and fears.
A Gift of Joy and Hope publishes in hardback on September 27th, 2022 in the US and Canada and two later in the UK.
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SOURCE Worthy Books | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/11/pope-francis-pens-book-joy-hope/ | 2022-08-11T13:49:29Z |
Mom charged after intentionally running over 6-year-old with car, police say
HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM/Gray News) – A mother in Mississippi is behind bars after she intentionally ran over her 6-year-old with her car, according to police.
The Hattiesburg Police Department said officers responded to a call from a local hospital Tuesday afternoon regarding an injured 6-year-old who was run over by a car.
Police identified the driver as the child’s mother, 25-year-old Keanaw Bradley. Police said Bradley fled the scene but was later captured in a nearby area.
The child’s condition is unknown. Police said the child’s father also received minor injuries during the altercation.
Bradley was booked into the Forrest County Jail and charged with domestic violence – aggravated assault, felony child abuse, and felony child neglect.
Copyright 2022 WDAM via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/07/28/mom-charged-after-intentionally-running-over-6-year-old-with-car-police-say/ | 2022-07-28T17:10:30Z |
Marks Pluribus' Second Acquisition in the Property Asset Management Space
TORONTO, May 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Pluribus Technologies Corp. (TSXV: PLRB) ("Pluribus" or the "Company"), a growing acquiror of small, profitable software companies, today announced that pursuant to a share purchase agreement dated May 30, 2022, the "Share Purchase Agreement") it has acquired (the "Acquisition") all of the issued and outstanding shares of Rowanwood Professional Service Limited ("Rowanwood" or "RPSL").
Based in the United Kingdom, Rowanwood is a provider of housing asset management solutions. The Apex software supports the management and evaluation of maintenance programs by cataloguing an inventory of assets and their condition, tracking investment planning and supplier allocation, and providing financial management and project audit, along with key performance indicator review. RPSL's customers include local authorities and housing associations, predominantly in the UK.
"With our growing portfolio beginning to gain momentum and generate improving performance, and having secured our new credit facilities, we are executing on the same transaction cadence that we delivered in 2021," said Richard Adair, CEO of Pluribus Technologies. "Rowanwood's solution set is highly complementary to that of previously acquired Pluribus portfolio company Assured Software, which specializes in jobsite management tools for construction and restoration. Given the highly adjacent nature of the two solutions, we see opportunities to provide real-time communications between asset managers and their tenants as well as enhanced monitoring and analysis of planned maintenance. This improved functionality is expected to support cross-selling of an expanded suite of advanced solutions on the part of both companies."
"Over the past five years, Rowanwood has redeveloped its asset management technology and, more recently, developed a new product offering to help property organisations meet their carbon net zero challenges by 2030 and beyond," said Andy Rendell, Managing Director of Rowanwood Professional Services Limited. "We are delighted to be joining Pluribus Technologies and believe we can enhance their property asset management vertical and expand the business into new geographies and regions. We firmly believe this is a great opportunity for Rowanwood, our employees and our customers, and will help accelerate our brand recognition in the markets we serve both here in the UK and overseas."
- Rowanwood has a long history as a profitable technology business with an established operational track record, including a diverse group of property managing customers across the UK;
- Further strengthens Pluribus' presence in the digital enablement vertical with a particular focus on the property asset management and contracting space;
- Highly complementary solution offering to that of existing portfolio company, Assured Software, with numerous potential product synergies and cross-selling opportunities, including overseas;
- Pluribus' second acquisition in the UK, growing the portfolio's footprint in the country; and
- Potential to attract additional complementary software solution acquisitions by leveraging growing critical mass in the property asset management space.
Pursuant to the terms of the Share Purchase Agreement, the Company will pay RPSL an aggregate of approximately £3.6 million ($5.8 million) in cash, as well as an earn-out based on the achievement of future performance targets by Rowanwood. The price paid for the acquisition falls within Pluribus' historical target range for Adjusted EBITDA1 and the acquisition is expected to be immediately accretive.
Andy Rendell, the Managing Director of Rowanwood, will remain involved in Rowanwood post-acquisition to ensure a smooth integration into the Pluribus portfolio of companies.
RPSL is the software vendor and owner of the IP to the Apex Asset Management Solution. The Apex software is an all-encompassing and functionally rich housing Asset Management solution designed and developed by Rowanwood to help organizations manage their property portfolio. For more information, please visit: https://www.rowanwood.ltd/.
Pluribus is a technology company that is a value-based acquirer of small, profitable business-to-business technology companies in a range of verticals and industries. Pluribus provides its acquisitions access to experienced sales and marketing resources, strategic partnership opportunities, a diverse portfolio of customers in different geographical markets and enabling technologies to create new revenue streams and provide the opportunity for these companies to grow in their respective markets. For more information, please visit: https://www.pluribustechnologies.com/.
The Company uses non-IFRS measures to assess its operating performance. Securities regulations require that companies caution readers that earnings and other measures adjusted to a basis other than IFRS do not have standardized meanings and are unlikely to be comparable to similar measures used by other companies. Accordingly, they should not be considered in isolation. The Company uses Adjusted EBITDA as a measure of operating performance. Management uses Adjusted EBITDA to evaluate operating performance as it excludes amortization of software and intangibles (which is an accounting allocation of the cost of software and intangible assets arising on acquisition), any impact of finance and tax related activities, asset depreciation, foreign exchange gains and losses, other income, restructuring and transition costs primarily related to acquisitions and other one-time non-recurring transactions.
Certain information in this press release constitutes forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information in this press release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the business plans of the Company, including the successful completion and pace of future acquisitions, the Company management's expectation on the growth, profitability and performance of its current and future acquisitions, TSXV approval of the Acquisition, RPSL's continued growth and profitability, Andy Rendell engagement by RPSL following the closing of the Acquisition, the anticipated synergies between RPSL and the Company, the Company's ability to continue acquiring business-to-business software companies at reasonable prices and the Company's ability to grow its portfolio companies into significant organizations. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "may", "should", "anticipate", "expect", "potential", "believe", "intend" or negatives of these terms and similar expressions.
Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions, including the Company's ability to complete acquisitions on favourable terms; the Company's ability to manage a complex portfolio of companies effectively; the Company's ability to scale its management team to support a rapid pace of growth; the Company's ability to raise sufficient financing to continue the pace of its acquisition strategy; the Company's ability to maintain its rapid pace of growth. Other assumptions include industry trends, the availability of growth opportunities, and general business, economic, competitive, political, regulatory and social uncertainties will not prevent the Company from conducting its business. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies and they may prove to be incorrect. Forward-looking information speaks only to such assumptions as of the date of this release.
Forward-looking statements also necessarily involve known and unknown risks, including without limitation, risks associated with general economic conditions, including the COVID-19 pandemic, adverse industry events, marketing costs, loss of markets, future legislative and regulatory developments, the inability to access sufficient capital on favourable terms, the Company's limited operating history; ability to complete favourable acquisitions; the software industry in Canada and internationally, income tax and regulatory matters, the ability of the Company to execute its business strategies, including the ability manage a complex portfolio of companies effectively, competition, currency and interest rate fluctuations, and other risks.
Readers are cautioned that the foregoing is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. The purpose of forward-looking information is to provide the reader with a description of management's expectations, and such forward-looking information may not be appropriate for any other purpose. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.
Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.
Contact:
Craig Armitage
LodeRock Advisors
investors@pluribustechnologies.com
+1 (416) 347-8954
Richard Adair
Chief Executive Officer
Pluribus Technologies Corp.
1 (800) 851-9383
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SOURCE Pluribus Technologies Corp. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/05/30/pluribus-technologies-corp-expands-digital-enablement-vertical-through-acquisition-rowanwood/ | 2022-05-30T21:01:20Z |
(The Hill) – Scientists at Northwestern University say they have devised a method for breaking apart some of the infamously unbreakable toxins known as “forever chemicals.”
These chemicals, called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), earned the “forever” qualifier due to their propensity to linger in the human body and the environment. There are thousands of types of PFAS, none of which are naturally occurring and many of which can take decades to degrade.
But a group of chemists at Northwestern say they have developed a simple method that employs low temperatures and inexpensive reagents to break down two major classes of PFAS, while leaving behind only harmless byproducts.
They published their findings — which they acknowledged as a “seemingly impossible” but potentially “powerful solution” — in Science on Thursday afternoon.
“PFAS has become a major societal problem,” lead author William Dichtel, a professor of chemistry at Northwestern, said in a statement. “Even just a tiny, tiny amount of PFAS causes negative health effects, and it does not break down.”
Scientists have already found connections between PFAS exposure and a long list of illnesses, including testicular cancer, thyroid disease and kidney cancer.
Notorious for their presence in jet fuel firefighting foam and industrial discharge, PFAS are also found in many household products, including nonstick pans, waterproof apparel and cosmetics.
“We can’t just wait out this problem,” Dichtel said. “We wanted to use chemistry to address this problem and create a solution that the world can use. It’s exciting because of how simple — yet unrecognized — our solution is.”
The reason that PFAS are usually so indestructible is that they are made up of many carbon-fluorine bonds, which are the strongest such bonds in organic chemistry, the authors explained.
But the researchers said they identified a weakness that enabled them to disrupt this formidable attachment.
While PFAS contain long “tails” of powerful carbon-fluorine bonds, at one end of these molecules is often a “head group” of charged oxygen atoms, the authors explained.
By heating the compounds in a solvent called dimethyl sulfide with a common reagent called sodium hydroxide, the scientists said they “decapitated the head group” — exposing a vulnerable, reactive PFAS tail.
“Although carbon-fluorine bonds are super strong, that charged head group is the Achilles heel,” Dichtel said.
This head group “falls off and sets off a cascade of reactions that ultimately breaks these PFAS compounds down to relatively benign products,” the professor explained at a live-streamed press conference this week.
The byproducts include fluoride ions and “small carbon-containing products that are in many cases found in nature already and do not pose serious health concerns,” he added.
Dichtel’s team successfully degraded 10 types of PFAS from two classes: perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids — PFCAs — and perfluoroalkyl ether carboxylic acids, or PFECAs.
Among the compounds they were able to break down were perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, and GenX — two of the most infamous types of PFAS.
“The importance of this understanding is that it really provides for the first time a way to map these reactions out,” Dichtel said at the press conference.
Dichtel and first co-author Brittany Trang, who recently completed her PhD in his laboratory, worked alongside Ken Houk, an organic chemistry professor at the University of California, Los Angeles and Yuli Li, a student at China’s Tianjin University, who employed powerful computational methods to simulate PFAS degradation.
Understanding the path to degradation, according to Dichtel, is important to the future development of “actual practical methods to remove these pollutants” from contaminated water.
Dichtel said he could envision this type of technique being integrated in the future with technologies that extract PFAS from water, such as reverse osmosis. Reverse osmosis pulls contaminants out of water by forcing the offending molecules through a semi-permeable membrane — and while this process purifies the water, the PFAS is left behind as waste.
But an approach like the one devised in Dichtel’s laboratory could be applied to this waste stream and break down concentrated quantities of PFAS, he explained.
Acknowledging that other PFAS degradation methods have been emerging, Dichtel said that the uniqueness of their method lies in its inexpensive nature and low temperature requirements.
Now that they’ve successfully broken down these 10 types of PFAS, the scientists said they plan to test out the strategy on others.
They next plan to focus on another large class of PFAS called perfluoroalkyl sulfonates, which include common compounds like perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, according to Dichtel.
With each class, however, comes a different head group that the scientists need to figure out how to decapitate. But if they “can knock that sulfonated head group off the molecule,” the compounds should degrade through similar pathways, the professor explained.
Although it’s difficult to anticipate exactly what will be required to eliminate that head group, Dichtel said that they are exploring several different possibilities. And identifying that mechanism would be one step closer to figuring out how to break down the thousands of types of PFAS that are lurking in the environment.
“PFAS pollution is so pervasive, and it is in it is in more than just drinking water,” Dichtel added. “It’s in soils, it’s in dust, it’s airborne — we really polluted the whole world with this stuff.” | https://cw33.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/scientists-unveil-method-to-destroy-certain-forever-chemicals/ | 2022-08-18T20:42:38Z |
KU to welcome new leader of civil rights, Title IX efforts
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - The University of Kansas has chosen a new leader to oversee the institution’s civil rights and Title IX efforts.
KU said Lauren Jones McKown is an accomplished attorney, higher education administrator and KU alumna. It said she has been named the university’s new associate vice chancellor for civil rights and Title IX.
The University noted that McKown comes from Northern Virginia Community College as its previous Title IX coordinator. In this role, it said she administered the college’s Title IX grievance procedure, provided support measures for reports of sexual misconduct, built Title IX awareness and compliance programs for the institution’s six campuses, as well as provided training for students, staff, investigators, hearing officers, appellate officers, advisers and informal resolution facilitators.
McKown will begin her new role with KU on Sunday, June 26.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to return to my alma mater and lead KU’s work related to civil rights and Title IX,” McKown said. “KU can be proud of the work it’s done in this space in recent years, and I look forward to ensuring KU continues to be a national leader in preventing and responding to discrimination in all its forms and creating an overall campus culture of respect.”
Before her role with Northern Virginia Community College, KU said McKown served as director of the Center for Accommodation and Access and Title IX coordinator at Columbus State University; as director of compliance, director of equal opportunity and diversity, and Title IX coordinator at Texas A&M International University; as a law clerk and attorney with Foley & MacAdie, P.C.; and as a paralegal and law clerk with the Law Offices of Helman and Neustadt.
KU noted that McKown earned her law degree from New England Law in Boston and her master’s and bachelor’s degrees from KU.
The University said McKown will also replace Demetrius Peterson, an attorney with Husch Blackwell, who had led the office on an interim basis since the summer of 2021. In addition to leading the office’s day-to-day operations, Peterson and his colleagues were asked to take a fresh look at the office and recommend ways it could be enhanced.
Partly due to Husch Blackwell’s recommendation, along with the latest best practices in higher education, KU said McKown will take over the office with a different title - Associate Vice Chancellor - than previous leaders. It said the title change reflects the office’s new reporting line directly to the Office of the Chancellor.
Previously, KU said the office reported to Human Resource Management.
For more information about the Office of Civil rights and Title IX, click HERE.
Copyright 2022 WIBW. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/06/21/ku-welcome-new-leader-civil-rights-title-ix-efforts/ | 2022-06-21T22:27:49Z |
NEW YORK, Aug. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces the filing of a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of the securities of Coinbase Global, Inc. (NASDAQ: COIN) between April 14, 2021 and July 26, 2022, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"). If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than October 3, 2022.
SO WHAT: If you purchased Coinbase 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 Coinbase class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=8095 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 3, 2022. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.
WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.
DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Coinbase custodially held crypto assets on behalf of its customers, which assets Coinbase knew or recklessly disregarded could qualify as the property of a bankruptcy estate, making those assets potentially subject to bankruptcy proceedings in which Coinbase's customers would be treated as the Company's general unsecured creditors; (2) Coinbase allowed Americans to trade digital assets that Coinbase knew or recklessly disregarded should have been registered as securities with the SEC; (3) the foregoing conduct subjected the Company to a heightened risk of regulatory and governmental scrutiny and enforcement action; and (4) as a result, the Company's public statements 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 Coinbase class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=8095 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.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/24/rosen-longstanding-trusted-firm-encourages-coinbase-global-inc-investors-secure-counsel-before-important-deadline-securities-class-action-coin/ | 2022-08-24T21:51:49Z |
LOD, Israel, Aug. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
Second Quarter Highlights
- Quarterly revenues increased by 12.9% year-over-year to $68.4 million.
- Quarterly service revenues increased by 21.9% year-over-year to $27.8 million.
- GAAP results:
- Quarterly GAAP gross margin was 65.1%;
- Quarterly GAAP operating margin was 11.6%; and
- Quarterly GAAP net income was $6.9 million, or $0.21 per diluted share. - Non-GAAP results:
- Quarterly Non-GAAP gross margin was 65.6%;
- Quarterly Non-GAAP operating margin was 17.4%; and
- Quarterly Non-GAAP net income was $11.3 million, or $0.34 per diluted share. - Net cash provided by operating activities was $4.8 million for the quarter.
- AudioCodes repurchased 374,479 of its ordinary shares during the quarter at an aggregate cost of $8.3 million.
Details
AudioCodes (NASDAQ: AUDC), a leading vendor of advanced communications software, products and productivity solutions for the digital workplace, today announced its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022.
Revenues for the second quarter of 2022 were $68.4 million compared to $60.6 million for the second quarter of 2021.
Net income was $6.9 million, or $0.21 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2022 compared to $8.2 million, or $0.24 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2021.
On a Non-GAAP basis, net income was $11.3 million, or $0.34 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2022 compared to $12.7 million, or $0.37 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2021.
Non-GAAP net income excludes: (i) share-based compensation expenses; (ii) amortization expenses related to intangible assets; (iii) expenses related to deferred payments in connection with the acquisition of Callverso Ltd; (iv) other income related to a payment made by the landlord to AudioCodes Inc., a subsidiary of the Company, in connection with the termination of a lease agreement for its offices in New Jersey; (v) financial income related to exchange rate differences in connection with revaluation of assets and liabilities in non-dollar denominated currencies; and (vi) non-cash deferred tax expenses (income). A reconciliation of net income on a GAAP basis to a non-GAAP basis is provided in the tables that accompany the condensed consolidated financial statements contained in this press release.
Net cash provided by operating activities was $4.8 million for the second quarter of 2022. Cash and cash equivalents, long and short-term bank deposits, long and short-term marketable securities and long and short-term financial investments were $138.5 million as of June 30, 2022 compared to $174.8 million as of December 31, 2021. The decrease in cash and cash equivalents, long and short-term bank deposits, long and short-term marketable securities and long and short-term financial investments was the result of the use of cash for the continued repurchasing of the Company's ordinary shares pursuant to its share repurchase program and the payment of a cash dividend during the first quarter of 2022.
"I am pleased to report solid financial results for the second quarter of 2022, growing top line revenue 12.9% year-over-year," said Shabtai Adlersberg, President and Chief Executive Officer of AudioCodes.
Overall, we experienced strong market demand for our products and services as we continued to successfully execute on key strategic priorities in the UCC and Customer Experience (CX) markets and accelerated the transition to software products and recurring subscription services.
Microsoft business as a whole grew above 20% year over year and Zoom phone business grew more than 50%. AudioCodes Live for Microsoft Teams managed services continued to grow and reached a level of $24 million ARR, a 100% growth over the year ago quarter. We on-boarded a number of seven-figure Live projects in the second quarter, with the Total Contract Value (TCV) for our Live projects exceeding $60 million in total.
In CX, we saw a nice rebound this quarter with the business up more than 20%, propelled by the ongoing contact center digital transformation to the cloud and healthy spending environment. Services business continued to grow at a nice pace, up over 20% year-over-year, driven primarily by professional services and AudioCodes Live managed services, reaching a level of above 40% of total company revenue.
Despite an uncertain macro environment, we are executing according to plan and controlling our cost structure. As we see new growth opportunities emerging in our core markets and capitalize on our strong portfolio of technologies and solutions and our growing F500 enterprise customer base, we are determined to increase our investments in both R&D and our customer-facing talent. While we continue to be impacted by supply chain disruptions, we believe this is a short-term phenomenon that should alleviate in coming quarters. Lastly, upsell of new voice.ai-related applications continues to take shape, with attach rates improving, and we have a number of exciting products and partnerships launching in the second half of the year," concluded Mr. Adlersberg.
Share Buy Back Program
During the quarter ended June 30, 2022, the Company acquired 374,479 of its ordinary shares under its share repurchase program for a total consideration of $8.3 million.
In June 2022, the Company received court approval in Israel to purchase up to an aggregate amount of $35 million of additional ordinary shares. The court approval also permits AudioCodes to declare a dividend of any part of this amount. The approval is valid through December 12, 2022.
As of June 30, 2022, the Company had $35 million available under this approval for the repurchase of shares and/or declaration of cash dividends.
Cash Dividend
AudioCodes also announced today that the Company's Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend in the amount of 18 cents per share. The aggregate amount of the dividend is approximately $5.7 million. The dividend is payable on August 31, 2022, to all of the Company's shareholders of record at the close of trading on the NASDAQ Global Select Market on August 17, 2022.
In accordance with Israeli tax law, the dividend is subject to withholding tax at the source at the rate of 25% of the dividend amount payable to each shareholder of record, subject to applicable exemptions. If the recipient of the dividend is at the time of distribution or was at any time during the preceding 12-month period the holder of 10% or more of the Company's share capital, the withholding rate is 30%.
The dividend will be paid in U.S. dollars on the ordinary shares of AudioCodes Ltd. that are traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market or the Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange. The amount and timing of any other dividends will be determined by the Board.
Conference Call & Web Cast Information
AudioCodes will conduct a conference call at 8:30 A.M., Eastern Time today to discuss the Company's second quarter of 2022 operating performance, financial results and outlook. Interested parties may participate in the conference call by dialing one the following numbers:
United States Participants: 888-506-0062
International Participants: +1 (973) 528-0011
The conference call will also be simultaneously webcast. Investors are invited to listen to the call live via webcast at the AudioCodes investor website at http://www.audiocodes.com/investors-lobby
Second quarter of 2022 earnings call supplementary slides are available at AudioCodes investor website at http://www.audiocodes.com/investors-lobby
Follow AudioCodes' social media channels:
AudioCodes invites you to join our online community and follow us on: AudioCodes Voice Blog, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
About AudioCodes
AudioCodes Ltd. (NASDAQ, TASE: AUDC) is a leading vendor of advanced communications software, products and productivity solutions for the digital workplace. AudioCodes enables enterprises and service providers to build and operate all-IP voice networks for unified communications, contact centers, and hosted business services. AudioCodes offers a broad range of innovative products, solutions and services that are used by large multi-national enterprises and leading tier-1 operators around the world.
For more information on AudioCodes, visit http://www.audiocodes.com.
Statements concerning AudioCodes' business outlook or future economic performance; product introductions and plans and objectives related thereto; and statements concerning assumptions made or expectations as to any future events, conditions, performance or other matters, are "forward-looking statements'' as that term is defined under U.S. Federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated in such statements. These risks, uncertainties and factors include, but are not limited to: the effect of global economic conditions in general and conditions in AudioCodes' industry and target markets in particular; shifts in supply and demand; market acceptance of new products and the demand for existing products; the impact of competitive products and pricing on AudioCodes' and its customers' products and markets; timely product and technology development, upgrades and the ability to manage changes in market conditions as needed; possible need for additional financing; the ability to satisfy covenants in the Company's loan agreements; possible disruptions from acquisitions; the ability of AudioCodes to successfully integrate the products and operations of acquired companies into AudioCodes' business; possible adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business and results of operations; and other factors detailed in AudioCodes' filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. AudioCodes assumes no obligation to update the information in this release.
©2022 AudioCodes Ltd. All rights reserved. AudioCodes, AC, HD VoIP, HD VoIP Sounds Better, IPmedia, Mediant, MediaPack, What's Inside Matters, OSN, SmartTAP, User Management Pack, VMAS, VoIPerfect, VoIPerfectHD, Your Gateway To VoIP, 3GX, VocaNom, AudioCodes One Voice, AudioCodes Meeting Insights, AudioCodes Room Experience and CloudBond are trademarks or registered trademarks of AudioCodes Limited. All other products or trademarks are property of their respective owners. Product specifications are subject to change without notice.
Summary financial data follows
(1) Share-based compensation expenses related to options and restricted share units granted to employees and others.
(2) Amortization expenses related to intangible assets.
(3) Expenses related to deferred payments in connection with the acquisition of Callverso Ltd.
(4) Other income related to a payment made to AudioCodes Inc. in connection with the termination of a lease agreement for its offices in New Jersey.
(5) Financial income or expenses related to exchange rate differences in connection with revaluation of assets and liabilities in non-dollar denominated currencies.
(6) Non-cash deferred tax expense.
Note: Non-GAAP measures should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, the results prepared in accordance with GAAP. The Company believes that non-GAAP information is useful because it can enhance the understanding of its ongoing economic performance and therefore uses internally this non-GAAP information to evaluate and manage its operations. The Company has chosen to provide this information to investors to enable them to perform comparisons of operating results in a manner similar to how the Company analyzes its operating results and because many comparable companies report this type of information.
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SOURCE AudioCodes | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/02/audiocodes-reports-second-quarter-2022-results-declares-semi-annual-dividend-18-cents-per-share/ | 2022-08-02T06:37:35Z |
Report: Fire training, equipment lacking at US nuclear dump
By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN
Associated Press
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Independent federal investigators say there are significant issues related to fire training at the U.S. government’s nuclear waste repository in New Mexico. The U.S. Energy Department’s Office of Inspector General also found that firefighting vehicles at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant were in disrepair from years of neglected maintenance. Federal officials say they’re making changes to address the issues. The repository is the backbone of a multibillion-dollar program for cleaning up tons of Cold War-era waste from past nuclear research and bomb making. The safety concerns come as New Mexico’s governor and others voice opposition to expanding the types of radioactive waste that can be shipped to the repository. | https://localnews8.com/news/ap-idaho/2022/04/21/report-fire-training-equipment-lacking-at-us-nuclear-dump/ | 2022-04-21T18:26:18Z |
SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) —
U.S. consumer confidence edged lower in May as Americans’ view of their present and future prospects dimmed in the midst of persistent inflation.
The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index dipped to 106.4 in May — still a strong reading — from 108.6 in April.
The business research group’s present situation index, which measures consumers’ assessment of current business and labor conditions, also fell in May to 149.6 from 152.9 in April.
The expectations index, based on consumers’ six-month outlook for income, business and labor market conditions, also declined in May, to 77.5 from 79 in April. It was above 80 in February and remains a weak spot in the survey.
President Joe Biden will meet with Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on Tuesday as soaring inflation continues to carve up Americans’ earnings.
The meeting Tuesday will be the first since Biden renominated Powell to lead the central bank and weeks after the Senate confirmed a second term. The White House said the pair would discuss the state of the U.S. and global economy and especially four-decade high inflation, described as Biden’s “top economic priority.”
The Federal Reserve raised its main borrowing rate by a half point in early May, the main mechanism for combatting inflation. Multiple rate hikes, with the possibility of more half-point increases, are expected this year.
Inflation soared over the past year at its fastest pace in more than 40 years, with rising costs for just about everything negating Americans’ pay raises.
The Labor Department reported earlier in May that consumer prices jumped 8.3% last month from a year ago. That was below the 8.5% year-over-year surge in March, which was the highest since 1981. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.3% from March to April, the smallest rise in eight months.
U.S. producer prices soared 11% in April from a year earlier, a hefty gain that indicates high inflation will remain a burden for consumers and businesses in the months ahead.
Consumers were again slightly less optimistic about the labor market, even as U.S. employers have added at least 400,000 jobs for 12 straight months, pushing the unemployment rate down to 3.6%. That’s the lowest rate since the pandemic erupted two years ago and just above the half-century low of 3.5% that was reached two years ago.
Purchasing intentions for big-ticket items — cars, homes and major appliances — all cooled slightly, the Conference Board said. Rising costs remain the top concern for consumers, as their inflation expectations were mostly unchanged from April’s elevated levels.
“Looking ahead, expect surging prices and additional interest rate hikes to pose continued downside risks to consumer spending this year,” said Lynn Franco, the Conference Board’s senior director of economic indicators. | https://cw33.com/business/ap-business/us-consumer-confidence-slips-in-may/ | 2022-06-01T01:58:53Z |
At least 20 horses killed in Kentucky barn fire
Published: May. 2, 2022 at 12:55 PM CDT|Updated: 9 minutes ago
SCOTT COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT/Gray News) – At least 20 horses were killed in a Kentucky barn fire over the weekend.
Firefighters confirmed that a barn at Brannon Stables in Scott County – just north of Lexington – caught fire early Sunday morning.
Crews said the barn was completely burned to the ground by the time they arrived. All the horses inside the barn died.
Officials said they are still investigating what caused the fire.
As friends and riders from the farm pour in their support, a GoFundMe has already raised more than $61,000 as of Monday afternoon, with all donations set to help Brannon Stables in their rebuilding efforts.
Copyright 2022 WKYT via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/05/02/least-20-horses-killed-kentucky-barn-fire/ | 2022-05-02T18:04:34Z |
NEW YORK, Aug. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sotheby's International Realty today announced the opening of Great Lakes Sotheby's International Realty, signifying the brand's continued growth in the state of Michigan. The addition marks the brand's seventh office in the state.
Great Lakes Sotheby's International Realty is owned and operated by Dean Groulx and Wendy Groulx, who bring more than 60 years of collective experience to the company. Headquartered in the city of Elk Rapids, the office will serve the greater Traverse City area in Michigan including Alden, Bellaire, Elk Rapids, Elk Lake, Lake Leelanau, North Port, Suttons Bay, Torch Lake, and Traverse City.
"Greater Traverse City has a robust luxury home market," said Philip White, president and CEO of Sotheby's International Realty. "It's become attractive for high-net-worth individuals and entrepreneurs and we're seeing both U.S. and international buyers purchasing primary and secondary homes in the area. Our continued growth in the state enables our brand to service this growing market and I look forward to supporting Dean, Wendy, and the entire Great Lakes Sotheby's International Realty team."
"The Traverse City area boasts a lifestyle and culture that few other places can match," said Groulx. "Our area has access to some of the largest and most pristine freshwater lakes and access to world-class entertainment and fine dining. Few real estate companies can match the background and experience of our brokers and sales associates, and our affiliation with Sotheby's International Realty will offer sellers and buyers in the greater Traverse City area an experience like no other thanks to its prestige, global presence, and marketing capabilities."
The company has plans for future growth in Alden, Bellaire, Traverse City, Northport, and Leelanau. Great Lakes Sotheby's International Realty was launched in partnership with Russ Post, owner/broker of Ocean Sotheby's International Realty.
The Sotheby's International Realty® network currently has nearly 26,000 affiliated independent sales associates located in over 1,000 offices in 81 countries and territories worldwide. Great Lakes Sotheby's International Realty listings are marketed on the sothebysrealty.com global website. In addition to the referral opportunities and widened exposure generated from this source, the firm's brokers and clients will benefit from an association with Sotheby's auction house and worldwide Sotheby's International Realty marketing programs. Each office is independently owned and operated.
Sotheby's International Realty
Sotheby's International Realty was founded in 1976 as a real estate service for discerning clients of Sotheby's auction house. Today, the company's global footprint spans more than 1,000 offices located in 81 countries and territories worldwide, including 51 company-owned brokerage offices in key metropolitan and resort markets. In February 2004, Anywhere Real Estate Inc. entered a long-term strategic alliance with Sotheby's, the operator of the auction house. The agreement provided for the licensing of the Sotheby's International Realty name and the development of a franchise system. The franchise system is comprised of an affiliate network, where each office is independently owned and operated. Sotheby's International Realty supports its affiliates and agents with a host of operational, marketing, recruiting, educational and business development resources. Affiliates and agents also benefit from an association with the venerable Sotheby's auction house, established in 1744. For more information, visit www.sothebysrealty.com.
The affiliate network is operated by Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates LLC, and the company owned brokerages are operated by Sotheby's International Realty, Inc. Both entities are subsidiaries of Anywhere Real Estate Inc. (NYSE: HOUS) a global leader in real estate franchising and provider of real estate brokerage, relocation and settlement services. Both Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates LLC and Sotheby's International Realty, Inc. fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act.
Media Contact:
Melissa Couch
973-407-6142
melissa.couch@sothebys.realty
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SOURCE Sotheby's International Realty | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/15/sothebys-international-realty-expands-michigan/ | 2022-08-15T13:51:12Z |
A star studded cast is starring in new Series “Roar.”
The cast states that this series is meant to be a strong woman empowering and self empowering show.
“Roar” is streaming now on Apple tv+.
This segment aired on the KTLA 5 Morning News on April 25, 2022. | https://cw33.com/news/the-women-of-roar-get-candid-about-the-series/ | 2022-04-26T23:58:30Z |
REHOVOT, Israel, July 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Biomica Ltd., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative microbiome-based therapeutics and a subsidiary of Evogene Ltd. (Nasdaq: EVGN) (TASE: EVGN), today announced that the first patient was dosed in its Phase I clinical trial that is designed primarily to evaluate the safety and tolerability of Biomica's microbiome-based immuno-oncology drug candidate, BMC128, in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) immunotherapy, in patients with either non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), melanoma or renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Bristol Myers Squibb's Opdivo® is the immune checkpoint inhibitor in the trial.
Dr. Elran Haber, CEO of Biomica, stated: "We are very pleased that our trial is now underway with our first patient dosing. As the trial is open-label, we expect preliminary results and first data point readout in early 2023, as our first patients conclude their treatment programs. We are targeting to complete the study in H2-2023."
About BMC128:
BMC128 is a rationally designed microbial consortium identified and selected through a detailed functional microbiome analysis using PRISM, a proprietary high-resolution microbiome analysis platform powered by Evogene's MicroBoost AI platform.
Developed as a Live Bacterial Product (LBP), BMC128 is an LBP consortium comprised of four unique bacterial strains, natural inhabitants of the human intestinal tract, that harbor specific functional capabilities with the potential to enhance immunological therapeutic responses and facilitate anti-tumor immune activity through multiple biological processes.
Rationally-designed consortia are multi-strain products designed to restore diversity and specific functionality to a host's microbial community with individually selected, cultured bacteria.
Biomica is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative microbiome-based therapeutics utilizing a dedicated Computational Predictive Biology platform (CPB), licensed from Evogene. Biomica aims to identify and characterize disease-related microbiome entities and to develop novel therapeutics based on these understandings. The company is focused on the development of therapies for antibiotic resistant bacteria, immuno-oncology, and microbiome-related gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. Biomica is a subsidiary of Evogene Ltd. (Nasdaq: EVGN, TASE: EVGN). For more information, please visit www.biomicamed.com.
Evogene (Nasdaq: EVGN, TASE: EVGN) is a computational biology company aiming to revolutionize the development of life-science based products by utilizing cutting edge technologies to increase probability of success while reducing development time and cost. Evogene established three unique technological engines - MicroBoost AI, ChemPass AI and GeneRator AI – leveraging Big Data and Artificial Intelligence and incorporating deep multidisciplinary understanding in life sciences. Each technological engine is focused on the discovery and development of products based on one of the following core components: microbes (MicroBoost AI), small molecules (ChemPass AI), and genetic elements (GeneRator AI). Evogene uses its technological engines to develop products through subsidiaries and with strategic partners. Currently, Evogene's main subsidiaries utilize the technological engines to develop human microbiome-based therapeutics by Biomica Ltd., medical cannabis products by Canonic Ltd., ag-chemicals by AgPlenus Ltd. and ag-biologicals by Lavie Bio Ltd. For more information, please visit: www.evogene.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" relating to future events. These statements may be identified by words such as "may", "could", "expects", "intends", "anticipates", "plans", "believes", "scheduled", "estimates", "targeting" or words of similar meaning. For example, Biomica and Evogene are using forward-looking statements in this press release when they discuss the potential safety, tolerability and capabilities of, Biomica's BMC-128 drug candidate, the timing of the clinical trial and the potential success of treatment with Biomica's BMC128 in combination with ICI immunotherapy. Such statements are based on current expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions, describe opinions about future events, involve certain risks and uncertainties which are difficult to predict and are not guarantees of future performance. Therefore, actual future results, performance or achievements of Evogene and its subsidiaries may differ materially from what is expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, many of which are beyond the control of Evogene and its subsidiaries, including, without limitation, those risk factors contained in Evogene's reports filed with the applicable securities authorities. Evogene and its subsidiaries disclaim any obligation or commitment to update these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or developments or changes in expectations, estimates, projections.
Contact:
Kenny Green
E: evogene@egkir.com
T: +1 212 378 8040
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SOURCE Biomica Ltd. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/26/biomica-announces-first-patient-dosed-its-phase-i-study-its-microbiome-based-immuno-oncology-drug/ | 2022-07-26T11:49:25Z |
SWFL Crime Stoppers searching for man caught on camera beating dog
FORT MEYERS, Fla. (WWSB) - Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is hoping that someone recognizes this individual. We want to warn you that the contents of this video are disturbing.
On Tuesday, March 29, 2022, the unknown male individual was seen punching a dog in the backseat of what appears to be a gold or tan Chrysler 200.
The incident is believed to have taken place at a Racetrac somewhere in Fort Myers. Any assistance with this investigation would be greatly appreciated.
If you saw this act of animal cruelty take place, if you can identify the male subject, the vehicle or the Racetrac at which this took place, please call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS or you can submit a tip online at www.southwestfloridacrimestoppers.com.
Copyright 2022 WWSB. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/04/04/swfl-crime-stoppers-searching-man-caught-camera-beating-dog/ | 2022-04-06T17:49:00Z |
Offering the largest reach in the DMV, this exclusive deal will include gameday coverage on Big 100.3 FM and more ways for fans to listen daily on the iHeartRadio App, a free all-in-one digital music, podcasting and live streaming radio service
LANDOVER, Md., April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the Washington Commanders announced a new three-year partnership deal with iHeartMedia D.C. to be the team's exclusive radio broadcast partner. Beginning in the 2022 season, live gameday broadcasts will run on iHeartMedia's BIG 100.3 FM and be featured on the station's website and on the iHeartRadio app, iHeartMedia's free all-in-one digital music, podcasting and live streaming radio service. This new partnership will expand the team's reach across the DMV, giving more fans the ability to listen and engage with the Washington Commanders on a daily basis and helping to grow the team's fanbase in the region.
In addition to the team's radio gameday broadcast, this partnership will offer a robust lineup of exclusive programming across iHeartMedia D.C.'s radio stations and on the iHeartRadio App. New this season, fans will also be able to access archived radio broadcasts of the team's games anytime via the Commanders channel on the iHeartRadio App.
"We are excited to team up with iHeartMedia as we enter our inaugural season as the Washington Commanders," said Jason Wright, President of the Washington Commanders. "After careful consideration and a thorough evaluation process, we chose iHeartMedia to join our growing list of strategic partners because of their shared commitment, creative approach and aggressive plan for elevating the fan experience through their prioritization of our football games, content and events across their many radio and online platforms. With the largest reach in the DMV, and as the most downloaded and streamed podcasting publisher in the United States, iHeartMedia outperforms competitors in every demographic and daypart. We feel confident this partnership will be a win for all parties involved, but especially for our fans who will benefit from expanded access and content within the DMV and beyond."
With a shared emphasis on creating engaging fan experiences, this partnership will also connect Commanders fans to iHeartMedia D.C.'s large portfolio of talent, including DJs and artists, through in-market team and iHeartMedia events such as Commanders' Draft and Training Camp activities and iHeartMedia's HOT 99.5's Jingle Ball, WMZQ-Fest, DC101-derland and WASH Holiday.
"The Washington Commanders are an iconic brand that we are excited to join forces with," said Kevin LeGrett, President of iHeartMedia Sports. "President Jason Wright and his team are doing great work on the branding of the Commanders and the passion fans have for this team is infectious. This is going to a powerful partnership."
"iHeartMedia DC is thrilled to announce the inaugural broadcast partnership with the Washington Commanders," said Aaron Hyland Region President iHeartMedia. "We are incredibly excited to deliver all of the live Washington Commanders action to the DMV and beyond by utilizing BIG100 and iHeartMedia's unmatched reach in broadcast, podcast, streaming audio and live events."
The partnership with the Commanders represents iHeartMedia's 18th National Football League partnership.
iHeartMedia D.C. includes stations:
- BIG 100.3 Washington's Classic Rock
- 97.1 WASH-FM Best Variety of 80s, 90s and Today
- HOT 99.5 DC's #1 Hit Music Station
- DC101 DC's Alternative Rock
- 98.7 WMZQ Today's Best Country
- DMV's Black Information Network 1120 News & Talk
- 104.7 WONK-FM. Washington, DC. News & Talk
About the Washington Commanders
Owned by Dan and Tanya Snyder since 1999, the Washington Commanders were founded in Boston in 1932 and are one of the original members of the NFL's Eastern Division. The Washington Commanders relocated to Washington, D.C. in 1937 and have since become one of the most recognizable professional sports franchises in history, featuring multiple Hall of Fame coaches, 19 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and one recipient of the Walter Payton Man of The Year Award, Darrell Green. A proud and storied franchise, the team has won five World Championship titles including the 1937 and 1942 National Football League Championship games, as well as Super Bowls XVII, XXII and XXVI. Since 1997, the Team has played their home games at FedExField, a multi-purpose stadium located in Landover, MD. Washington Commanders Football Operations are headquartered in Ashburn, Virginia, and its Business Operations are headquartered at FedExField.
About iHeartMedia D.C.
iHeartMedia DC owns and operates WASH-FM, WBIG-FM, WIHT-FM, WMZQ-FM, WONK-FM, WUST-AM, WWDC-FM, and is part of iHeartMedia. iHeartMedia, Inc. [Nasdaq: IHRT] is the leading audio media company in America, reaching over 90% of Americans every month, and has a portfolio of unmatched consumer brands and industry-leading events. iHeart's broadcast radio assets alone have more consumer reach in the U.S. than any other media outlet; twice the reach of the next largest broadcast radio company; and over four times the ad-enabled reach of the largest digital only audio service. iHeart is the largest podcast publisher according to Podtrac, with more downloads than the next four podcast publishers combined; has the number one social footprint among audio players, with seven times more followers than the next audio media brand; and is the only fully integrated audio ad tech solution across broadcast, streaming and podcasts. The company continues to leverage its strong audience connection and unparalleled consumer reach to build new platforms, products and services. Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.
- Washington Commanders est. 1932 -
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SOURCE Washington Commanders | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/washington-commanders-announce-three-year-audio-partnership-with-iheartmedia-dc/ | 2022-04-12T11:42:58Z |
World's leading event for electronic display innovation showcases advances in AR/VR, OLED, microLED, TVs and wearables, keynotes by top executives and more, May 8-13
CAMPBELL, Calif., May 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Thousands of display enthusiasts worldwide will gather in person in San Jose for the first time since 2019, to get a first-hand look at advances in display technology. The Society for Information Display (SID) is hosting Display Week 2022 from May 8-13 at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, CA. Display Week 2022 brings together the brightest minds in the display industry to provide insight into the latest advancements, and showcases new technologies and products that will be hitting the shelves both in the US and internationally within the next few years. SID is also celebrating its 60th anniversary.
"This Display Week is very special as we celebrate 60 years of achievements in the display industry, and we are pleased to be back in Silicon Valley hosting some of the most influential display companies that will unveil cutting-edge developments," said Dr. Takatoshi (Taka) Tsujimura, president of SID. "Visual display technology has become even more important in the pandemic era, and we look forward to a week gathering the brightest minds in the business and showcasing the newest technology in the world."
Throughout Display Week, exhibitors from around the world will unveil cutting-edge developments in display technologies and applications, including advances in AR/VR, OLED, microLED, LCD, quantum dots, automobile technology, wearables, digital signage and ePaper. The highly anticipated four-day International Technical Symposium will feature top scientists, researchers and members of the academic community and include live presentations as well as hundreds of leading display industry papers from around the world in multiple technical sessions.
Highlights also include the SID/DSCC Business Conference featuring global business leaders and industry analysts who will share market insights and forecasts about a variety of topics, including smartphones, TVs and emerging technologies.
Additionally, Display Week will again host its popular Women in Tech and CEO Forum panel discussions.
Keynote Presentations: There will be three keynote addresses - LG Display Co, Meta Reality Labs and BOE. The keynote speakers are senior executives from successful and influential companies and represent different perspectives of big system companies that use displays as a platform for delivering services to customers.
International Technical Symposium: Through more than 425 technical presentations, including posters and papers, presenters will share the newest thinking about these special topics: augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality; high-dynamic-range LCDs; machine learning for displays; and printed displays. New for 2022 are Hyper-Realistic Displays, Machine Learning for Displays, Outdoor Displays and Conformable Wearable Displays. New for 2022 are Hyper-Realistic Displays, Machine Learning for Displays, Outdoor Displays and Conformable Wearable Displays.
World-class Exhibitors: Premier global information display companies and researchers will unveil cutting-edge developments in display technologies, including advancements in AR/VR, micro-LED, OLED, micro-displays, e-paper, digital signage, new materials and software-enabled displays.
Innovation Zone (I-Zone): A premier showcase for small companies, startups, universities, government labs and independent research labs, the I-Zone exhibition includes not-yet-commercialized prototypes, proofs of concept, and new products that haven't even hit the market yet.
Educational Opportunities: Short courses and specialized seminars, presented by recognized experts in the field, provide deep learning opportunities on a wide range of topics, including AR/VR, OLED, micro-LEDs, quantum dots, mini-LEDs, flexible AMOLED and stretchable displays. A new session in Display Metrology has been added for 2022.
While the show has commenced, attendees can still register. For more information and to register for Display Week 2022, please click here. To view the DW2022 registration video, please click here. SID is following all Covid-19 safety protocols as indicated by Santa Clara County, California. Those protocols can be found here.
Media Information
Press Registration Request
press@SID.org
About Display Week 2022
The 59th International Display Week Symposium and Seminar, presented by the Society for Information Display (SID), will be held in San Jose, California, May 8-13, 2022. Display Week is the world's leading event focused on emerging electronic display and visual information technologies from concept to market. Display Week attracts attendees from the entire ecosystem of R&D, engineering, design, manufacturing, supply chain, marketing, sales and financial, as well as commercial and consumer end-user markets. It delivers unparalleled learning opportunities, market-moving trends, sourcing, roadmaps-to-market, and connections for career and business growth. For more information on Display Week 2022, visit www.displayweek.org or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter @DisplayWeek (hashtag #DisplayWeek2022), or the Display Week YouTube Channel.
About SID
The Society for Information Display (SID) will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2022. SID is the only professional organization focused on the electronic display and visual information technology industries. In fact, by exclusively focusing on the advancement of electronic display and visual information technologies, SID provides a unique platform for industry collaboration, communication and training in all related technologies while showcasing the industry's best new products. The organization's members are professionals in the technical and business disciplines that relate to display research, design, manufacturing, applications, marketing and sales. To promote industry and academic technology development, while also educating consumers on the importance of displays, SID hosts more than 10 conferences a year, including Display Week, which brings industry and academia all under one roof to showcase technology that will shape the future. SID's global headquarters are located at 1475 S. Bascom Ave., Ste. 114, Campbell, CA 95008. For more information, visit www.sid.org.
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SOURCE SID | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/05/08/display-week-2022-kicks-off-today-society-information-display-also-celebrates-60th-anniversary/ | 2022-05-09T09:58:08Z |
VATICAN CITY (AP) — The wives of two Ukrainian soldiers defending the Mariupol steel mill met with Pope Francis on Wednesday and begged him to intervene to arrange for a third-party evacuation of the troops before Russian soldiers capture or kill them.
“You are our last hope. We hope you can save their lives. Please don’t let them die,” said a weeping Kateryna Prokopenko as she greeted Francis at the end of his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square.
Standing by her side, Yuliia Fedusiuk, told Francis that food and water were running out in the mill, that some soldiers were injured or dead and that those who are alive were ready to lay down their arms if they could be evacuated to a third country.
“They will not go to Russian captivity because they will be tortured and killed,” Fedusiuk told Francis, according to a video of the encounter shot by another member of their entourage, Pyotr Verzilov, a prominent member of the Russian protest group Pussy Riot who is working on a documentary about Ukraine.
Prokopenko’s husband, Denys Prokopenko, is the commander of the Azov Regiment in the Azovstal mill, while Fedusiuk’s husband, Arseniy Fedusiuk, is one of the Azov fighters who have been defending the mill from encroaching Russian forces for more than two months.
The young women have been in Italy for over two weeks seeking to rally international support for a diplomatic resolution to the standoff at the plant, the last holdout of Ukrainian resistance in the strategic port city.
Francis, who has been hobbled by knee trouble that makes walking and standing painful, stood up to greet the women, a gesture he didn’t extend to others who lined up to see him Wednesday at the end of the audience. He held their hands as they wept, blessed them and said he had spoken about the plight of the soldiers with Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, whom he has dispatched to Ukraine.
Verzilov told Francis that time was running out for the troops in the Azovstal mill.
“We feel that if some emergency intervention does not happen in the next few days it will end in a big tragedy,” Verzilov told The Associated Press afterward. He said Francis said he was aware of the standoff. “He understands how tragic it is and will do what he can.”
The United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross have organized a series of evacuations of civilians from the mill, which had sheltered hundreds of people in its warren of underground tunnels and bunkers. But soldiers, and apparently some of their family members, have stayed behind.
Verzilov, the Russian activist and a publisher of independent news site Mediazona, said Turkey has been trying to seek a resolution to the standoff, but that none had been found.
“Our soldiers are ready to be evacuated to a third country. They are ready to lay down their arms in case of evacuation to a third country,” Propkopenko told journalists after the brief meeting. “We all are ready to help them I hope.”
Fedusiuk said her husband had recently asked her to research how to survive without water.
“Water is running out. They have no food, no water, no medicine,” she said. “They are dying every day. Every day one or two injured soldiers are dying.”
She said she understood some civilians, who were relatives of the soldiers, remained in the mill because they feared they would be identified at Russian-run “filtration camps” along the evacuation route and wouldn’t be allowed to enter Ukrainian territory.
___
Trisha Thomas contributed to this report.
___
Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine | https://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/wives-of-mariupol-defenders-to-pope-you-are-our-last-hope/ | 2022-05-11T21:22:36Z |
New research reveals the major US cities that will experience unusually high event volume and scale in July, so businesses and community leaders can prepare for upcoming demand surges
SAN FRANCISCO, July 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The July 2022 Event Index reveals 10 cities spanning the USA that are set to experience very high volumes of large events in July. With more than 9,700 events with 3,000+ attendees taking place in July, businesses can tap into the people movement and billions of dollars in demand these drive. This is especially true for the ten cities detailed extensively in the report due to the outsize event impact they will experience.
PredictHQ, the demand intelligence company, today released its July 2022 PredictHQ Event Index report. Companies such as Uber, Accor Hotels and Domino's Pizza use PredictHQ's intelligent event data to forecast demand more accurately. The Event Index is a simple entry point for companies to begin to proactively prepare for the fluctuations in demand that events cause.
The PredictHQ Event Index is a unique model for each of 40+ major US cities that identifies how substantial an impact events will have as a simple-to-understand score out of 20. This score is calculated for each city's baseline event activity based on five years of historical, verified event data and millions of events per location. This gives companies operating in those areas a simple summary to help them plan for any anticipated demand surges or drops.
An index score of 10 represents an average score for that city, a score above 14 and 15 means the city is likely to be significantly busier than usual, and a score below an 8 means that city will likely be noticeably quieter than usual. Every city has its own baseline and scale to accommodate for the variation in their populations. For example, a score of an 18 in New York City will entail millions of people moving about the city, whereas a score of 18 in Wichita, Kansas will involve just over 100,000 people.
In July, the cities with the highest activity are:
- San Jose at 16.8 (week of July 3)
- Philadelphia at 15.8 (week of July 3)
- San Francisco at 15.4 (week of July 3)
- Sacramento at 14.9 (week of July 17)
- Plus Chicago, Seattle, Phoenix, Portland and more
All of the above plus more are detailed in the report as set to experience unusually high or low event activity in July.
"One really interesting trend we're seeing in July is the fluctuation in event impact: there are big peaks but also notable troughs that businesses can prepare for. In July in the US, there will be almost 10,000 major events driving billions in revenue for prepared businesses, but there are some really quiet periods in key cities too. Knowing about these lulls in events - and therefore people movement and demand for many businesses - enables demand planners and forecasters to save millions in otherwise wasted staffing and inventory spend," PredictHQ CEO Campbell Brown said.
"For example, the three busiest cities this month: San Jose, Philadelphia and San Francisco will all enjoy huge weeks of event activity early in the month, and then a week of very low event activity later in July. This demand intelligence means businesses can prepare for what their demand will actually be, rather than guessing."
PredictHQ tracks global events across 19 categories, accounting for attendance-based events like concerts and sports, non-attendance-based events like school holidays and unscheduled events such as severe weather incidents. This breadth of event coverage is critical for the Event Index, as the peak weeks are caused by many overlapping large events.
While the Event Index provides an accurate look ahead at people movement, it is designed to be a simple and accessible summary of the demand intelligence PredictHQ offers – particularly for large companies operating worldwide. Industry leaders in on-demand, accommodation, QSR and transport use PredictHQ's verified and enriched event data to inform staffing decisions, pricing and inventory strategies, and many other core business functions.
For more information on PredictHQ please visit www.predicthq.com.
About PredictHQ
PredictHQ, the demand intelligence company, empowers global organizations to anticipate changes in demand for their products and services through intelligent event data. PredictHQ aggregates events from 350+ sources and verifies, enriches, and ranks them by predicted impact so companies can proactively discover catalysts that will impact demand.
Media Contact:
media@predicthq.com
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SOURCE PredictHQ | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/01/businesses-can-tap-into-demand-driving-potential-9716-major-events-july-with-san-jose-seattle-phoenix-7-more-cities-most-impacted/ | 2022-07-01T22:30:02Z |
NEW YORK, June 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Levi & Korsinsky, LLP notifies investors in Netflix, Inc. ("Netflix, Inc." or the "Company") (NASDAQ: NFLX) of a class action securities lawsuit.
CLASS DEFINITION: The lawsuit seeks to recover losses on behalf of Netflix, Inc. investors who were adversely affected by alleged securities fraud. This lawsuit is on behalf of persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Netflix common stock or call options, or sold put options, between January 19, 2021 and April 19, 2022, inclusive. Follow the link below to get more information and be contacted by a member of our team:
NFLX investors may also contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. via email at jlevi@levikorsinsky.com or by telephone at (212) 363-7500.
CASE DETAILS: The filed complaint alleges that defendants made false statements and/or concealed that: (1) Netflix was exhibiting slower acquisition growth due to, among other things, account sharing by customers and increased competition from other streaming services; (2) the Company was experiencing difficulties retaining customers; (3) as a result of the foregoing, the Company was losing subscribers on a net basis (4) as a result, the Company's financial results were being adversely affected; and (5) as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially false and/or misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.
WHAT'S NEXT? If you suffered a loss in Netflix, Inc. during the relevant time frame, you have until July 5, 2022 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.
NO COST TO YOU: If you are a class member, you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out-of-pocket costs or fees. There is no cost or obligation to participate.
WHY LEVI & KORSINSKY: Over the past 20 years, the team at Levi & Korsinsky has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders and built a track record of winning high-stakes cases. Our firm has extensive expertise representing investors in complex securities litigation and a team of over 70 employees to serve our clients. For seven years in a row, Levi & Korsinsky has ranked in ISS Securities Class Action Services' Top 50 Report as one of the top securities litigation firms in the United States.
CONTACT:
Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
Joseph E. Levi, Esq.
Ed Korsinsky, Esq.
55 Broadway, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10006
jlevi@levikorsinsky.com
Tel: (212) 363-7500
Fax: (212) 363-7171
www.zlk.com
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SOURCE Levi & Korsinsky, LLP | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/09/nflx-lawsuit-alert-levi-amp-korsinsky-notifies-netflix-inc-investors-class-action-lawsuit-upcoming-deadline/ | 2022-06-09T11:08:28Z |
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AESOP Technology announced that they have been accepted into Mayo Clinic Platform_Accelerate, a 20-week program that helps early-stage health tech AI startups get market-ready.
Participants are selected through a competitive screening process where a panel of Mayo Clinic leaders reviews them from the clinical and operational perspective, led by John Halamka, MD., President of Mayo Clinic Platform.
"It's an excellent opportunity for a medical AI startup like us. Data is the fuel from which everything grows into power, and this program provides de-identified patient datasets and tools to help us validate our solutions," says Jeremiah Scholl, the CPO of AESOP Technology. "This practical experience will help us go even further in developing better products. The fact that we get to be mentored by Mayo Clinic's reputable experts is inspiring."
'AESOP', which stands for 'AI-Enhanced Safety of Prescription', is working to make physician data entry easier, faster, and less error-prone using machine learning on 3.2 billion data sets. The company has developed products capable of this. One is RxPrime which detects wrong drug errors by checking if medications match patients' diagnoses, age, and gender.
Errors can happen at any stage of the medication-use process, but more than 50% of them occur during the prescribing phase. RxPrime is able to detect potential and unexplained errors in prescriptions and provide optimal recommendations, even for the look-alike-sound-alike medication errors. It offers just-in-time decision support without interfering unnecessarily with the clinical consultation process.
The other is AESOP Technology's latest clinical documentation improvement tool, DxPrime, making it easier for doctors to input correct diagnoses into electronic health record systems. This task can be challenging as there are 68,000 different diagnosis codes under the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). The ICD codes were designed to support insurance and billing rather than clinical medicine.
"Medical professionals are more overwhelmed with their workload after the pandemic. How AI can support them gains more importance," says Jim Long, the CEO of AESOP Technology. "AI is transforming the healthcare industry in a variety of ways, like any other industry. Healthcare has unique challenges, and this program will help us be more grounded."
As a participant of the Mayo Clinic Platform_Accelerate, AESOP Technology is glad to expose themselves to real-world applications, which helps cultivate future growth in this rapidly progressing field. As part of the program, Mayo Clinic will take an equity position in the startup.
About AESOP Technology
AESOP aims to optimize the clinical decision support process with more flexible AI-powered technology to improve patient safety and medical coding quality.
Contact
Jeremiah Scholl, CPO & Co-founder
hi@aesoptek.com
T: +1 415-818-0633
www.aesoptek.com
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SOURCE AESOP TECHNOLOGY | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/22/aesop-technology-wins-coveted-place-mayo-clinic-platformaccelerate-program-build-better-ai-model-healthcare/ | 2022-08-22T16:12:30Z |
VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Rock Tech Lithium Inc (TSXV: RCK) (OTCQX: RCKTF) (FWB: RJIB) (WKN: A1XF0V) ("Rock Tech") and Mercedes-Benz AG ("Mercedes-Benz") are pleased to announce that they are about to enter into an agreement which provides for a strategic partnership to produce high-quality lithium hydroxide for the automaker and its battery suppliers. Under the intended binding agreement, Rock Tech has agreed to deliver up to 10,000 tonnes per year of its planned production to the premium manufacturer and its partners starting in 2026. The two companies made the announcement on Tuesday during a visit to Canada by a business delegation from Germany led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Mercedes-Benz wants to become fully electric by the end of the decade. From 2025 onwards the luxury carmaker plans that all newly launched vehicle architectures will be all electric. To help make this a reality, Mercedes-Benz intends to enter a strategic partnership with Rock Tech, lasting for at least five years and an option to prolong.
From 2026 onwards, it is envisaged that Rock Tech contributes up to 10,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide annually to Mercedes-Benz and its battery partners, starting with a qualification period and after quality and sustainability benchmarks have been met. This battery-grade lithium product is an essential component of high-performance vehicle batteries. The Canadian-German Rock Tech expects to become a central implementation partner for the automaker and its all electric and carbon neutral strategies.
With the envisaged strategic partnership, both companies aim to ensure that the amount of battery-grade lithium meets Mercedes-Benz's growing demand in order to scale up electric vehicle production. Rock Tech is currently developing its first converter project in Guben, eastern Germany. So far, no other refinery of its kind exists in Europe. Rock Tech aims to close this gap in supply of lithium and to make regional supply chains more resilient by refining spodumene into high quality lithium hydroxide at this converter by the end of 2024. This would create a short supply chain in Mercedes-Benz's origin and is expected to further strengthen the partnership.
"With the envisaged agreement, we intend to provide Mercedes-Benz not only with high-quality lithium hydroxide, but also to establish a strategic partnership that is expected to set new standards in sustainable supply chains. We are very pleased to have found a partner that intends to take important steps with us towards a more resilient and sustainable lithium supply chain to deliver an important part of their strategy and of the e-mobility transformation", says Markus Bruegmann, Chief Executive Officer of Rock Tech Lithium.
"Mercedes-Benz plans to go all electric by the end of this decade, wherever market conditions allow. To scale up our electric vehicle production, access to raw materials is needed to improve the resilience and sustainability of the electric vehicle supply chain. With the Rock Tech partnership we intend to take a direct sourcing approach to secure the lithium supply for Mercedes-Benz battery production", says Markus Schaefer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Chief Technology Officer, responsible for Research & Development and Procurement.
Additionally, Rock Tech also intends to operate its own mine in Georgia Lake, Canada, to contribute to wider and growing lithium demand in the northern hemisphere. With the emergence of new sources of raw materials within the G7 community, Canada in particular is becoming increasingly important for resilient supply chains. Rock Tech exemplifies how cooperation between Canada and Germany can be realized. This is one of the reasons why Mercedes-Benz and Rock Tech announced the envisaged partnership during a business delegation's trip to Canada on Tuesday in Toronto, with reference to Memorandum of Understanding entered into by Mercedes-Benz and the Government of Canada to strengthen cooperation across the electric vehicle value chain.
A shared understanding and focus on reliability, resilience, and sustainability in the supply chains in Europe and North America creates a strong basis for the planned strategic partnership between Rock Tech and Mercedes-Benz. Rock Tech's sourcing options and its own mining project in Canada are expected to meet or exceed the standards of the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurances (IRMA), whose criteria includes both human rights aspects and the environmentally sustainable mining of raw materials, among others. In addition, Rock Tech is investigating new methods and technologies aimed at the carbon neutral industrial production of lithium hydroxide and new zero waste production methods.
On behalf of the Board of Directors,
Dirk Harbecke
Chairman
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
The following cautionary statements are in addition to all other cautionary statements and disclaimers contained elsewhere in, or referenced by, this press release.
Certain information set forth in this press release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws, which are based on Rock Tech's current expectations, estimates, and assumptions in light of its experience and is perception of historical trends. All statements other than statements of historical facts may constitute forward-looking information. Often, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words or phrases such as "estimate", "project", "anticipate", "expect", "intend", "believe", "hope", "may" and similar expressions, as well as "will", "shall" and all other indications of future tense. All forward-looking information set forth in this press release is expressly qualified in its entirety by the cautionary statements referred to in this section.
In particular, forward-looking information in this new release includes, but is not limited to: statements regarding Rock Tech's and Mercedes-Benz's respective vision, strategy and objectives; statements regarding the strategic partnership between Rock Tech and Mercedes-Benz, including the provision of lithium hydroxide to Mercedes-Benz by the Company and the volume and timing thereof, future actions taken by the parties and the expected benefits of the strategic partnership; the expected contribution of the strategic partnership to the parties strategy and objectives and the lithium hydroxide supply chain; the expected importance of lithium hydroxide generally, and production delivered pursuant to the strategic partnership in particular, in relation to Mercedes-Benz's strategy; expectations concerning the Company's planned and prospective projects, including the Georgia Lake mine and proposed converter project in Guben and the Company's intentions with respect to the development and timing thereof; the expectation that the Company will receive the first part of the construction permit in respect of the proposed converter project and the timing thereof; statements regarding Rock Tech's future plans and expectations, including the anticipated production of lithium hydroxide and that the Georgia Lake mine will meet IRMA standards; statements and expectations regarding the electric vehicle industry; Rock Tech's opinions, beliefs and expectations regarding the Company's business strategy, development and exploration opportunities and projects; and plans and objectives of management for the Company's operations and properties.
Forward-looking information contained in this press release is based on certain assumptions, estimates, expectations, analysis and opinions of the Company and in certain cases, third party experts, that are believed by management of Rock Tech to be reasonable at the time they were made. Such assumptions, estimates and other factors include, among other things: that the strategic partnership will result in outcomes consistent with management's expectations in relation thereto; that the Georgia Lake mine and proposed converter project in Guben will be developed on-time and on budget in accordance with current expectations; the supply and demand for, deliveries of, and the level and volatility of prices of, feedstock and intermediate and final lithium products; that all required regulatory approvals and permits can be obtained on the necessary terms in a timely manner; expected growth, performance and business operations; future commodity prices and exchange rates; prospects, growth opportunities and financing available to the Company; general business and economic conditions; results of development and exploration; and Rock Tech's ability to procure supplies and other equipment necessary for its business. The foregoing list is not exhaustive of all assumptions which may have been used in developing the forward-looking information. While Rock Tech considers these assumptions, estimates and factors to be reasonable based on information currently available, they may prove to be incorrect. Forward-looking information should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results.
In addition, forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond Rock Tech's control, that may cause Rock Tech's actual events, results, performance and/or achievements to be materially different from that which is expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual events, results, performance and/or achievements to vary materially include: the failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the strategic partnership; the Company's ability to access funding required to invest in available opportunities and projects (including the Company's proposed lithium hydroxide converter and the Georgia Lake mine) and on satisfactory terms; the current and potential adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and recent geopolitical hostilities; the risk that Rock Tech will not be able to meet its financial obligations as they fall due; changes in commodity and other prices; Rock Tech's ability to attract and retain skilled staff and to secure feedstock from third party suppliers; unanticipated events and other difficulties related to construction, development and operation of the Company's proposed lithium hydroxide converter and/or the Georgia Lake mine; the cost of compliance with current and future environmental and other laws and regulations; title defects; competition from existing and new competitors; changes in currency, exchange rates and market prices of Rock Tech's securities; Rock Tech's history of losses; adverse impacts of climate change; and other risks and uncertainties described from time to time in Rock Tech's public disclosure documents available on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, including those discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Rock Tech's most recently filed Management Discussion and Analysis and Annual Information Form, respectively. Such risks and uncertainties do not represent an exhaustive list of all risk factors that could cause actual events, results, performance and/or achievements to vary materially from the forward-looking information.
We cannot assure you that actual events, results, performance and/or achievements will be consistent with the forward-looking information and management's assumptions may prove to be incorrect. Forward-looking information reflects Rock Tech management's views as at the date the information is created. Except as may be required by law, Rock Tech undertakes no obligation and expressly disclaims any responsibility, obligation or undertaking to update or to revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, to reflect any change in Rock Tech's expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such information is based.
Given these uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to rely on the forward-looking information set forth in this press release.
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SOURCE Rock Tech Lithium Inc. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/strategic-partnership-mercedes-benz-intends-source-battery-material-lithium-hydroxide-rock-tech-lithium/ | 2022-08-23T21:21:55Z |
AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The trial law firms Carpenter & Zuckerman (CZ Law) and Ellzey & Associates have won a $212K jury verdict against Austin's Yellow Rose Adult Entertainment Club for multiple Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) violations against two dancers from 2017 through 2020. The case was tried in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas.
U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman, like 50 other federal judges, ruled that the two dancers were employees of the defendant, the Yellow Rose - a point which the Yellow Rose unsuccessfully tried to dispute. Trial lawyers John Kristensen of CZ Law and Jarrett Ellzey of Ellzey & Associates successfully proved to jurors that the Yellow Rose failed to pay the dancers minimum wage as required by law, knew or showed reckless disregard for its conduct which was prohibited by the FLSA, required and/or coerced the dancers to pay Yellow Rose portions of their own tip monies and required and/or coerced the dancers to pay fees or fines to the Yellow Rose for the business' own benefit.
"The Yellow Rose took up to $250 a shift from the dancers in direct violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act," said Ellzey. "The jury rightfully held the Yellow Rose accountable for its illegal practices."
Through the trial, it was revealed that the Yellow Rose forced the two dancers to pay other Yellow Rose employees, such as DJs and managers, as well as the Yellow Rose itself, a "daily license fee" or "house fee" upon arrival to work. Once they finished their shifts, the dancers would again be required to pay DJs and managers of the Yellow Rose, who controlled their ability to leave through "bye-bye" slips which required a DJ and manager's signature before the dancers' shifts could formally end.
"Too often, adult entertainment clubs will utilize unscrupulous tactics to carry out wage theft against the very dancers who bring people to their businesses in the first place," said Kristensen. "The jury's ruling against the Yellow Rose sends the message that this illegal behavior will not be tolerated."
The Yellow Rose must pay the dancers a total of $212K in wage theft damages. CZ Law and Ellzey & Associates will be filing to double the damages as liquidated.
The California law firm of Carpenter & Zuckerman is dedicated to fighting for the rights of the injured. CZ Law is dedicated to helping clients recover the compensation they deserve for their injuries. For more information or to schedule a free consultation, visit www.cz.law today.
Ellzey & Associates, PLLC is a Texas law firm that aggressively advocates their clients' interests in a wide range of legal disputes, including labor, consumer, and catastrophic personal injury cases. Ellzey & Associates is based in Houston, Texas, and represents clients nationwide.
Media Contact: John Kristensen
marketing@cz.law
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SOURCE Carpenter & Zuckerman | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/24/carpenter-amp-zuckerman-ellzey-amp-associates-law-firms-win-212k-jury-verdict-against-austins-yellow-rose-adult-entertainment-club-multiple-fair-labor-standards-act-violations/ | 2022-08-24T02:44:28Z |
WASHINGTON, Aug. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The below remarks are as prepared for delivery by Postmaster General and CEO Louis DeJoy during the open session meeting of the Postal Service Board of Governors on Aug. 9, 2022.
"Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I would also like to publicly welcome Governor Tangherlini and Governor Kahn to the Board and thank all the governors for their guidance and public service.
The management team and I look forward to your continued consultation and support as we move forward with the many initiatives underway at the Postal Service.
Financial
In a few minutes Joe Corbett will give you an overview of our current financial results which are showing improvement despite some stiff inflationary pressure.
When I first joined the Postal Service, we were projected to lose 160 billion dollars over the next 10 years and run out of cash in the near term.
Today that deficit is substantially less, but we are still looking at $60 to $70 billion of losses over that period — which we will quickly wipe out our 20 billion dollar cash balance — unless we take immediate and substantial action.
All stakeholders need to realize that each day lost in executing on our strategy will consume cash and eventually accumulate to a cash deficit that will necessitate more aggressive actions by us or the federal government.
While we celebrate the passing of the Postal Reform Act and the reduction of our costs that it enabled, it should not be lost on any of us that one of the key benefits of the new law is that it is also is simply a deferral of our "pay as you go" portion of our retiree health benefit obligation, thus enabling us to prepare to cover this massive expense that we will be responsible for in a few short years.
Our required payments to our employee's retirement health care plan again begin in 2026 and grow to approximately $6.7 billion a year.
We will not be able to make these payments unless we timely engage in and accomplish all our initiatives – and we are trying to do just that!
This loss reduction effort will include the transactional improvements we need from our day-to-day operations — and the structural changes we need to make to overcome the years of neglect — neglect in strategy, neglect in discipline and neglect in resolve.
Operational
From an operational viewpoint, our teams led by Dr. Josh Colin, Isaac Cronkite and our new addition Kelly Abney are working hard …and together ….to improve our service, and we have already made significant progress in that regard.
Scott Bombaugh will later speak to you about the improvement to our service scores across the board.
Postal management has been dialing down on almost every detail of our operations and correcting for negative processes or actions that hurt service or add cost — plant by plant, delivery unit by delivery unit and transportation lane by transportation lane.
This transactional effort will produce improving results but fall far short of what we need to do to thrive in the near and distant future.
The improvements required for future survival can only be attained by executing on the necessary structural changes in our processing, transportation, and delivery network.
Our concepts are not revolutionary — they are basic and achievable and will shed thousands of truckloads a day, rid ourselves of wasteful operating practices, increase density in our delivery routes and will align our service and price to win new revenue in the marketplace.
These initiatives also result in significant reduction in our carbon footprint.
Our difficulties in the timely achievement of this new network lie in uncovering and rectifying the costly complexity of our existing operations, streamlining them, and doing so in a manner that mitigates our risk of performance.
Our difficulties also lie in resistance and interference to the necessary changes that will ensure that we will not only survive, but thrive.
Initiatives by stakeholders to delay the simplest of our operational changes to integrate our network, improve our service and reduce our cost are relics of our failed strategies of the past.
These actions have led to the near financial ruin of the Postal Service and I ask all stakeholders — mailers, shippers, legislators, and regulators — to support this management team and board of governors in what I believe should be our collective efforts to move swiftly with our plans to Save the Post Office and ensure a vibrant organization that provides the excellent service which our customers and country deserve.
Some other operational items I would like to highlight are as follows.
We are very proud of our continued partnership with the White House, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Defense Logistics Agency to deliver COVID Test Kits throughout the nation.
To date, we have delivered 550 million test kits to 180 million households. Our average delivery time throughout the country is slightly greater than 1 day.
Election season is upon us and so far this year we have successfully participated in 54 primaries, runoffs and special elections, delivering approximately 40 million ballots to and from voters.
Americans should be confident that the United States Postal Service is well prepared and will provide extraordinary service in these coming November elections.
We are now preparing for our peak season, and I am confident that we will be in good shape for this year's challenges.
We will be adding approximately 120 package sorters throughout the network this year bringing the total since the release of the Delivering for America plan to 250 units across the nation, while adding over 13 million square feet to accommodate them.
This, combined with improved operating practices, will make the United States Postal Service your best option to ship your packages….and your only option to cost effectively mail your Christmas Cards. So ship them together, in an integrated manner!
We continue to recruit new employees to the organizations with job fairs and other initiatives around the nation with better than average success.
Many of our functional areas are near fully staffed and we have meaningful increases in our full-time career employment. This will enable us to rely less on seasonal employees which we believe will prove difficult to hire this season.
Having said that we are still having trouble in hiring new letter carriers, especially in the in rural communities. We are deploying new recruiting tactics and working with our union leadership to develop ways to improve on this situation.
Electric Vehicles
As everyone knows, the progress we have been making in improving our financial condition as well as our developing future operating strategy has enabled us to increase our commitment to electric vehicles consistent with our delivery vehicle strategy.
We have also committed to file Supplemental Environmental Impact Statements on our acquisition intentions on more frequent intervals.
This will enable us to capitalize on any EV opportunities — as the market catches up to the Postal Services needs and leadership in this initiative — and as our operating strategy continues to evolve.
While the NEPA filing strategy is new, the underlying fundamental Postal Service strategy of taking a step-by-step analysis of total operating cost, our financial condition and network changes when making acquisition decisions, has been in existence since we announced the program over 18 months ago.
This flexible strategy has and will continue to enable us to accommodate a thoughtful and cost-effective approach as our conditions improve and new opportunities are presented.
I also want to take a moment and recognize the Postal Service vehicle team that has spent many years studying the issues and making incremental recommendations as our operating and financial conditions have changed.
I am confident that we have the best, and only, team in the nation solely focused on understanding the needs of the Postal Service.
This team has and will continue to guide my decisions to reduce our impact on the environment while safeguarding our employees and fulfilling our mission to the American people, as defined and required by law.
Management Team
I now would like to recognize our management team. First to the 15 people in my executive leadership team and the 30 or so Vice Presidents who over the last year have become champions of this transformation. You have evolved as thoughtful leaders strategizing and implementing the changes we need to make in a powerfully collaborative manner. We are a unified and purposeful team.
We are now harnessing the power of our District Managers, Postmasters, Plant Managers, Supervisors and other field personnel to assist in the major operational and service initiatives we are pursuing.
To accomplish these goals, we will need all our hands participating in our initiatives including Union and Management Association leadership and every employee, as the transformation required will take all our efforts and require us to take steps that require trust in the face of tough reality.
I pledge to continue to work to earn that trust as we as we pursue our transformation and our mission.
As everyone knows, inflation has hit the nation hard, and the Postal Service has not avoided its impact.
We expect inflation to exceed our expectations by well over a billion dollars against our planned 2022 budget.
Because of this, my recommendation to the governors will be to remain on course to raise prices again in January.
I will soon begin to evaluate what we will be doing in 2023 as I pledge to keep the mailing community informed.
We must deal with the reality of our financial status and the impact inflation will have on our improvement strategies.
And finally, I would like to thank all our Postal employees for their hard work and express my appreciation for their service to the American people.
I ask that you have confidence in your leadership team and understand we are committed to improving your working environment and ensuring that you have a positive relationship and long-term career with the Postal Service, as we together serve our nation."
Please Note: For U.S. Postal Service media resources, including broadcast-quality video and audio and photo stills, visit the USPS Newsroom. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the USPS YouTube channel, like us on Facebook and enjoy our Postal Posts blog. For more information about the Postal Service, visit usps.com and facts.usps.com.
Contact:
David Partenheimer
david.a.partenheimer@usps.gov
usps.com/news
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SOURCE U.S. Postal Service | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/10/postmaster-general-ceo-louis-dejoys-remarks-during-aug-9-2022-postal-service-board-governors-meeting/ | 2022-08-10T01:02:04Z |
NEW YORK, June 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- InvestorsObserver issues critical PriceWatch Alerts for NIO, RDBX, API, CDXC, and BYSI.
To see how InvestorsObserver's proprietary scoring system rates these stocks, view the InvestorsObserver's PriceWatch Alert by selecting the corresponding link.
- NIO: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=NIO&prnumber=061020222
- RDBX: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=RDBX&prnumber=061020222
- API: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=API&prnumber=061020222
- CDXC: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=CDXC&prnumber=061020222
- BYSI: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=BYSI&prnumber=061020222
(Note: You may have to copy this link into your browser then press the [ENTER] key.)
InvestorsObserver's PriceWatch Alerts are based on our proprietary scoring methodology. Each stock is evaluated based on short-term technical, long-term technical and fundamental factors. Each of those scores is then combined into an overall score that determines a stock's overall suitability for investment.
InvestorsObserver provides patented technology to some of the biggest names on Wall Street and creates world-class investing tools for the self-directed investor on Main Street. We have a wide range of tools to help investors make smarter decisions when investing in stocks or options.
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SOURCE InvestorsObserver | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/10/thinking-about-buying-stock-nio-redbox-entertainment-agora-chromadex-or-beyondspring/ | 2022-06-10T14:15:53Z |
The collection will drop at a private event during NFT.NYC on June 21
BROOKLYN, N.Y., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Voice, an NFT platform for digital artists, is hosting an art show during NFT.NYC to highlight the Voice x Street Theory NFT Residency collection that is launching on June 21st. The event, held at the EDITION Times Square, will exclusively showcase the first-ever NFTs by 14 of the world's most prolific street and contemporary artists. Attendees will be able to purchase pieces from the collection easily without cryptocurrency, and a portion of the proceeds will go to the Coalition for the Homeless.
The NFT Residency is in partnership with Street Theory, an award-winning creative agency, with over 20 years of experience in large scale public art production, artist management, and more. The Residency is co-curated by Liza Quiñonez, co-founder and CEO of Street Theory, and Kesia Ramos, curator and founder of The Art at the Table.
"Most street art, murals, graffiti and public art are ever changing and temporary in nature," says Quiñonez. "This Residency is important because it introduces street artists to a space where their work can live on and be collected by their supporters and enthusiasts forever… from the block to the blockchain."
The event will display work by Residency artists 123Klan, Alice Mizrachi, Decertor, Don Rimx, El Cekis, Indie184, Jc Rivera, kaNO, Marka27, Nicole Salgar, SEX el niño de las pinturas, Sheefy McFly, UPENDO, and Sydney James.
The Residency has given street artists the opportunity to expand their medium and adapt their traditional practice for an increasingly digital world. For her collection, Nicole Salgar explored ideas that she had for murals and paintings, but through the lens of the digital world. "I've only just begun exploring this facet of my visual art, and I learned how vast this medium is. The possibilities are seemingly endless," she said. "My work always explores the concepts of dimension, reality, nature and perception, and these pieces are no exception."
Voice has established itself as a platform focused on bringing underrepresented creators into the Web3 world through conscientious programming and a platform that lowers the barrier to entry into the space.
"The Voice x Street Theory partnership marks the next phase of bringing physical community artwork to digital experiences," said Eliza Fish, Voice's Director of Partnerships & Creator Relations. "This is the first time street and fine art artists can both offer ephemeral artworks (such as street murals) to be owned by collectors."
The event will open with limited availability to the public. All collections will be publicly displayed and for sale on Voice on June 22, 2022.
About Voice
Voice is an NFT platform that is carbon neutral, easy to use and multi-chain compatible. At Voice, we believe that NFT technology will change the internet by introducing verified ownership to our digital world. We're building a way for digital art to be collectible.
About Street Theory
Street Theory is an award-winning creative agency that activates communities, spaces, and global brands through street-art, experiential marketing, cultural placemaking, branding and design. We are an artist-owned agency, founded by Liza Quiñonez and renowned graffiti/ street-artist Marka27.
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SOURCE Voice | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/08/voice-x-street-theory-nft-residency-brings-power-street-art-web3/ | 2022-06-08T15:15:03Z |
TCL reveals new award-winning product line for intelligent lifestyles and reiterates its commitment to sustainability.
HONG KONG, Sept. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TCL Electronics (1070.HK), one of the dominant players in the global TV industry and a leading consumer electronics brand, held a global press conference at IFA 2022 in Berlin, presenting its latest innovations including a new flagship RAY·DANZ soundbar, an XL Collection of Mini LED and QLED TVs in Europe, and newest A energy class washing machines. TCL also showcased its latest sports sponsorships and sustainability commitments. Through continuous innovation and investment in developing new technologies, TCL keeps growing and expanding the potential to transform more aspects of everyday life and bring never before imagined value to a huge and diverse customer base all over the world. For more TCL latest news at IFA, please click here.
To Offer a Premium Immersive Home Theater Experience
TCL is now the No.2[1] LCD TV brand globally, and holds the top position in many key markets. Meanwhile, TCL's smart TVs are in the Top 5 by market share sales volume in more than 20 countries and regions. As a leading consumer electronics company and one of the world's best-selling brands, TCL is committed to deliver even more innovative premium TVs to consumers.
Today TCL is going beyond customer expectations' by raising the benchmark for the premium home theater experience. At IFA 2022, TCL showcased the EISA Premium Mini LED TV C835, an all-round 4K Mini LED TV, with amazing picture quality paired with Dolby Atmos for immersive sound. To bring the cinema into homes and offer a wider immersive experience, TCL went a step further with Europe's first TCL 98-inch QLED TV and the introduction of its latest XL Collection TV to Europe.
In audio, TCL introduced the newest flagship X937U soundbar with exclusive RAY·DANZ technology, alongside the EISA Best Buy Soundbar C935U with RAY·DANZ Dolby Atmos.
For an expansive viewing environment, TCL also presented its TCL NXTWEAR Wearable Display Glasses with upgrades that enrich user experience. Easy to use and light, weighing just 75g, the smart glasses give an incredible feeling of viewing a 140-inch screen 4 meters away.
Given its global success, TCL is confident that business momentum will continue to deliver ever more innovative premium TVs to its customers worldwide, as putting user experience at the heart of every innovation is fundamental to the company's values and vision.
To Enable an Intelligent Lifestyle
TCL's design and development vision for its multi-category products is to bring the 'Intelligent Lifestyle' customer experience to more and more homes. With TVs at the heart of the TCL home ecosystem, TCL makes home life more intelligent, environment friendly, connected and enjoyable for its customers.
Spanning from the proprietary FreshIN air conditioner, "A energy-class" washing machines, to an assortment of refrigerators and air purifier and robot vacuums, TCL provides products that connect seamlessly and are easy to use. With home appliances that win awards for their design, TCL offers not only technology but also stylish pieces of furniture to blend into any home décor.
To Be Sustainable and Responsible
As a responsible company with a global footprint, TCL acknowledges its commitments extend well beyond developing and selling products to its customers.
Responsible environmental stewardship is of critical importance and TCL is taking comprehensive steps in every area of its operations, to ensure a sustainable future and allocate dedicated resources to research and development in this area.
Further, investment in the photovoltaics sector to produce cleaner and greener energy to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions has been a priority. TCL has a strong track record in sustainability. Its products have met and exceeded environmental standards and it oversees the manufacturing process to reduce energy usage, remove hazardous substances and keep conflict minerals out of the supply chain. It also advocates for green packaging and plans to increase the volume and quality of its electronics recycling programs.
This year, TCL will launch more energy A-class products to help its consumers develop a more sustainable lifestyle. In addition, TCL France is supporting the Polar Pod scientific expedition led by the famous French doctor and explorer, Jean-Louis Etienne, to explore the Southern Ocean and transmit new data or long-term observations to researchers, oceanographers, climatologists and biologists. As a sponsor of the expedition, TCL France is providing financial support to the Polar Pod teams and will promote this great expedition to the public.
To Inspire Greatness in Life: Proactive, Fashionable, Innovative and Intelligent
Having introduced a new brand signature, Inspire Greatness, earlier this year, TCL is now dedicated to inspiring people to unleash their greatest moments in lives – moments that are proactive, fashionable, innovative and intelligent.
TCL also brings excitement to customers through its relationships with trusted names in entertainment, sports, gaming, and technology. TCL is a global partner of FIBA since 2018 and is proud to support the FIBA EuroBasket Championship this September, where European basketball fans will get to watch in their homes the FIBA EuroBasket Championship, starting today and taking place in Germany, Italy, Georgia, and Czech Republic.
Ahead of the much-anticipated world football event later this year, TCL had some thrilling news to share with a surprise video reveal of the 2022 TCL Team.
The new football sponsorships are with Brazilian player Rodrygo, English player Phil Foden, Raphael Varane from France and the rising Spanish star Pedri.
The 2022 TCL Team will bring excitement and happiness around the world, especially through the world's most popular sports and entertainment TV experiences.
Visit here to learn more about TCL at IFA 2022 and view a recap of the livestreamed announcement.
Livestream: TCL Electronics on YouTube
Twitter: @TCL_Global
Facebook: @TCLElectronicsGlobal
Instagram: tclelectronics
YouTube: TCL Electronics
TCL will be exhibiting at IFA 2022 as follows:
Date: September 2-6th, 2022
Venue: HALL 21A, MESSEDAMM BERLIN, GERMANY
About TCL Electronics
TCL Electronics (1070.HK) is a fast-growing consumer electronics company and a leading player in the global TV industry. Founded in 1981, it now operates in over 160 markets globally. TCL specializes in the research, development and manufacturing of consumer electronics products ranging from TVs, audio and smart home appliances. Visit TCL home page at https://www.tcl.com.
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SOURCE TCL Electronics | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/01/tcl-strengthens-its-innovations-premium-home-theater-smart-appliances-with-announcements-ifa-2022-press-conference/ | 2022-09-01T12:42:01Z |
Outsourcing agreement will enhance security, reliability and user experience for 5 million annual visitors
HUDSON, Ohio, May 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- FOREX, the market leader in currency exchange services in the Nordic countries, is outsourcing its entire ATM channel management to Diebold Nixdorf (NYSE: DBD) and is expanding its fleet with DN SeriesTM devices.
FOREX has nearly 80 branches in Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway located in busy locations like airport terminals and train stations visited by more than 5 million unique visitors every year. Since most of their customers are international travelers, foreign exchange is the most-widely used service at FOREX, either in its branches or at its ATMs. Currently, 12 different currencies are available at FOREX ATMs, making the self-service channel a critical factor in its digital transformation to a 24/7, automated service model to offer increased convenience to customers, drive more transactions and reduce costs.
The solution scope provided by Diebold Nixdorf to FOREX includes:
- hardware and software lifecycle management;
- security and compliance;
- monitoring and integrated service desk;
- installation, maintenance, and repair;
- transaction processing, and more.
With this agreement, the entire fleet is now comprised of Diebold Nixdorf devices. The yellow-branded ATMs promote the FOREX brand, increase touchpoint opportunities and ultimately generate additional revenue. The DN Series technology enables FOREX to offer a wide range of currencies. Additionally, the large, interactive screens show customized marketing messages and campaigns, which is critical for continuing to build and deepen customer relationships in a self-service environment. Security and compliance are a top priority, and the DN Series solution delivers on FOREX's expectations by providing a layered security approach to protect against traditional and emerging physical, data and cyber threats.
Carolina Bopp, senior dealer, at FOREX said: "We love the new DN Series. As our ATMs are our brand ambassadors, modern and innovative design is very important for us. We are glad to have a fleet that looks great and is both secure and available in such a compact size. It's a real competitive advantage for us."
To further optimize each branch, the ATMs are connected to DN AllConnectSM Data Engine. Technical data is continuously aggregated and analyzed using the latest developments in cloud computing and machine learning, enabling Diebold Nixdorf to generate personalized, actionable insights for each device. This helps decrease the number of incidents and resolution time and guarantee market-leading availability.
Ann-Charlotte Bergstroem, manager Strategic Relationships & ATM, at FOREX said: "Since many of our customers are travelers, it's very important that our ATMs are available around the clock, and it's more efficient for us to partner with an expert in the ATM technology space. By using Diebold Nixdorf's Managed Services solutions, we can keep downtime to a minimum, which gives us peace of mind to focus on serving our customers."
Helena Muller, area sales lead, Northern Europe, at Diebold Nixdorf said: "We're excited to build on our partnership with FOREX to help them meet consumers' needs and offer new, consumer journeys. DN AllConnect ServicesSM provides a flexible service solution that's designed to accelerate their performance and enable growth and continued innovation."
About FOREX
FOREX is since opening its first branch in Stockholm 1965 the market leader in the Nordics when it comes to travel money and foreign exchange. In addition to travel money, we also offer travel insurance, payment services and a credit card. FOREX has presently more than 80 centrally located branches in the Nordic region. Contact us at www.forex.se or +46 771 22 22 21.
About Diebold Nixdorf
Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated (NYSE: DBD) is a world leader in enabling connected commerce. We automate, digitize and transform the way people bank and shop. As a partner to the majority of the world's top 100 financial institutions and top 25 global retailers, our integrated solutions connect digital and physical channels conveniently, securely and efficiently for millions of consumers each day. The company has a presence in more than 100 countries with approximately 22,000 employees worldwide. Visit www.DieboldNixdorf.com for more information.
Twitter: @DieboldNixdorf
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/diebold
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DieboldNixdorf
YouTube: www.youtube.com/dieboldnixdorf
DN-B
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SOURCE Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/05/31/forex-chooses-diebold-nixdorf-comprehensive-atm-managed-services-deal/ | 2022-05-31T09:17:32Z |
ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Falcon Capital Advisors, a leading business advisory firm that provides strategic advice, technical expertise and engagement execution to financial institutions and government agencies, today announced that it has hired industry veteran Walter Allen as its Managing Director; Natisha Dawson as its new Director of Finance and promoted Ken Yoo to Chief Operating Officer.
"We are pleased to welcome Natisha and Walter to the team and to elevate Ken in an expanded role," said Armando Falcon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Falcon Capital Advisors. "This latest infusion of talent, as well as our recent announcement that Phil Bracken has joined us as Vice Chairman, reinforces our position as the premier, full-service consulting firm dedicated to serving the needs of the mortgage and capital markets. The timing couldn't be more advantageous, given turmoil in the mortgage market and the digital transformation that is taking place. Clients are looking for strategic counsel as they readjust their business models and for direction and implementation assistance as they digitize their lending and secondary marketing operations."
Allen will be responsible for business development across Falcon's major practice areas: financial institutions and government advisory services and its eMortgage consulting practice. Allen is a recognized industry veteran and digital business strategy leader with more than 20 years of experience utilizing technology solutions to drive transformational business initiatives in both the government and private sector. Prior to joining Falcon, Allen was the President of HouseAmp, a fintech company where he managed and oversaw all aspects of the operation. Prior to HouseAmp, Allen spent nearly 13 years with data and technology leader CoreLogic, most recently as Vice President of Government Solutions working directly with federal government clients and agencies. Earlier, he was the Vice President of Global Capital Markets where he oversaw a team of product specialists and subject matter experts focused on key financial services customers and the Rating Agencies.
Dawson brings more than 20 years of finance and leadership expertise to Falcon. As Director of Finance, Dawson will be responsible for leading all finance and accounting matters in the firm. Prior to joining Falcon, she was the Founder & Chief Financial Officer of The Griffin Way, a firm designed to provide outsourced finance and accounting services to small- and mid-sized businesses. Previously, she held executive financial roles at large, global marketing, public relations and communications firms.
As Chief Operating Officer, Yoo oversees Falcon's daily operational and administrative functions. Yoo's areas of oversight at Falcon include daily operational supervision, strategic planning, M&A planning and integration, IT and physical infrastructure management, and governance/risk/compliance activities. Yoo has more than 25 years of senior leadership experience in banking, housing finance, consulting risk management and regulatory oversight. During his tenure at Falcon Yoo has been responsible for managing teams, relationships and projects for both commercial and government agency clients. Yoo's involvement in those engagements have included initiatives related to program management, asset management, risk management and quality control, data analytics, grant and loan administration and financial analysis for the housing, financial services and healthcare industries.
Falcon Capital Advisors (FCA) is a Washington, D.C.-based business and technology advisory firm that provides strategic advice, technical expertise and engagement execution to financial institutions and government agencies. The FCA team is comprised of industry experts who have developed deep financial services expertise by serving as regulators at federal financial regulatory agencies and as top business and technology executives at leading financial institutions. FCA's capabilities span the entire mortgage landscape, from origination and servicing to government agency consulting. The firm's technology consulting practice is known for its expertise in digital transformation, its ability to implement as well as design solutions, and its vendor agnostic approach. For more information, go to falconcapitaladvisors.com.
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SOURCE Falcon Capital Advisors | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/04/falcon-capital-advisors-expands-leadership-team-accelerate-growth/ | 2022-08-04T23:59:10Z |
RICHARDSON, Texas, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Fossil Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: FOSL) (the "Company" or "Fossil"), a global design, marketing, distribution, and innovation company, today announced that Lisa Marie Pillette has joined the Company as Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer.
Lisa brings extensive marketing and brand expertise to Fossil from Lacoste, Ralph Lauren, and Levi Strauss. She most recently served as Chief Marketing Officer for direct-to-consumer brand Casper. Her successful relaunch of the Casper brand earned her acclaim as a 2021 Brand Innovators "Top 100 Women in Brand Marketing" and 2021 CMO Award for "Creativity & Storytelling."
"Lisa has tremendous depth and breadth of marketing experience with iconic brands, an innovative lens on what marketing of the future looks like, and a compelling track record of delivering insight-led solutions," said Holly Briedis, Executive Vice President and Chief Digital Officer. "Pairing her distinctive expertise with our global digital capabilities allows us to think holistically about the consumer experience."
In her role, Lisa will lead the Company's global marketing and center of excellence capabilities, including marketing strategy and innovation, CRM, creative and content operations, and go-to-market readiness.
"I am excited to join a company with such great brand heritage. Since its inception, Fossil has had a strong focus on innovation and craftsmanship and to be given the opportunity to tell these stories and steward such meaningful brands is a marketer's dream," said Ms. Pillette.
In addition to her professional work, Lisa is an active mentor and advisor. She serves on the boards of TRIPTK, a brand transformation group owned by Havas, and Best Pets, and she is also a member and mentor for Chief, a membership network focused on female executives, and for the New York Chapter of Women 50/50 on Boards.
About Fossil Group, Inc.
Fossil Group, Inc. is a global design, marketing, distribution and innovation company specializing in lifestyle accessories. Under a diverse portfolio of owned and licensed brands, our offerings include traditional watches, smartwatches, jewelry, handbags, small leather goods, belts and sunglasses. We are committed to delivering the best in design and innovation across our owned brands, Fossil, Michele, Relic, Skagen and Zodiac, and licensed brands, Armani Exchange, Diesel, DKNY, Emporio Armani, Kate Spade New York, Michael Kors, PUMA and Tory Burch. We bring each brand story to life through an extensive distribution network across numerous geographies, categories and channels. Certain press releases and SEC filing information concerning the Company is also available at www.fossilgroup.com.
©2022 Fossil Group | All rights reserved
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SOURCE Fossil Group, Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/fossil-group-inc-announces-appointment-lisa-marie-pillette-chief-marketing-officer/ | 2022-09-12T13:38:22Z |
Saladworks, Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh and The Simple Greek Offer Delicious, Seasonal LTO Menu Options Through Summer
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., May 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WOWorks, the holding company of better-for-you restaurant brands, Saladworks, Frutta Bowls, Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh , The Simple Greek, Barberitos Southwestern Grille and Cantina, and Zoup! Eatery, are introducing new limited-time-only menu items for Saladworks, Garbanzo and The Simple Greek. From salads to gyros, these three restaurant brands are introducing new summer-focused menu items from May to September.
All new WOWorks' limited time offers are designed to showcase unique flavors for "Functional Eaters" who are curious, adventurous, and interested in unique and worldly flavors around them. The new LTO menu items are packed with superfoods, such as blueberries and strawberries and a rich and creamy Feisty Fetta, as well as nutritious proteins, whole grains, and super greens.
Saladworks' new menu item will be available from May 9 through September 5, and is intended to provide a light, fresh, and delicious meal option:
- Summer Berry Salad – This salad is made with super greens, grilled chicken, fresh strawberries and blueberries, honey pecans, feta, with a light balsamic dressing. This can also be customized to a bowl using super grains or a wrap with your choice of a whole wheat or white tortilla.
Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh and The Simple Greek's new menu items will be available from May 16 through September 5, and are meant to provide a spicy, invigorating experience. They include:
- Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh will feature Feisty Fetta Chicken Gyro – This gyro includes chicken, feisty fetta, lettuce, sliced tomato, red sauce, and pickled onion.
- The Simple Greek will feature Feisty Fetta Chicken Pita – This pita includes chicken, feisty fetta, lettuce, sliced tomato, red sauce, and pickled onion.
- Both brands will offer Feisty Fetta Fries – These loaded fries are topped with feisty fetta and red sauce.
"We wanted to bring fresh and vibrant recipes to our guests made with seasonal fruits and zesty flavors to welcome summer and lighten the mood," said Kelly Roddy, CEO of WOWorks. "The Saladworks item is intended to give you a taste of summer in every bite while the Garbanzo and The Simple Greek menu items aim to bring awareness to the variety of ingredients of the Mediterranean region."
Fully owned by Centre Lane Partners, LLC, WOWorks' brands all share a core DNA based upon fresh, flavorful and healthy food along with a heart for hospitality served through convenient business channels, which appeals to Millennial families and Gen Z guests.
Between all of its brands, WOWorks has 370 locations across the United States and Canada. Non-traditional presence within locations, such as ghost kitchens, food trucks, grocery retail, hospitals, and universities, have proven a huge avenue of growth for the brand, with even more planned in 2022, including a massive deal with Ghost Kitchen Brands. The Simple Greek currently has 15 locations, Saladworks has 162 locations, Frutta Bowls has 42 locations, and Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh has 29, with aggressive growth expected for both Frutta Bowls and Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh in the coming year, including co-branded restaurants. Newly acquired Barberitos Southwestern Grille and Cantina has 54 locations and Zoup! Eatery has 68 locations.
For more information about WOWorks restaurants' limited-time-only summer menu offers, visit www.saladworks.com, www.eatgarbanzo.com, and www.thesimplegreek.com.
ABOUT WOWORKS:
WOWorks was formed in 2020 with a mission to help guests pursue their passions and live their best lives by serving healthy, nutritious and flavorful meals along with its Vow to "WOW!" guest hospitality. Fully owned by Centre Lane Partners, LLC, WOWorks' portfolio, in addition to its newest brands, Barberitos Southwestern Grille and Cantina and Zoup! Eatery, consists of: Saladworks, the nation's leading fast-casual salad brand; Frutta Bowls, a unique restaurant franchise serving a variety of superfood bowls, fresh fruit smoothies, protein bites and more; Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, a popular Mediterranean restaurant concept; The Simple Greek, which offers a fresh and healthy take on traditional Greek recipes in a fast-casual setting. WOWorks seeks to drive explosive growth across all of its brands through a variety of channels, both traditional and non-traditional, including ghost kitchens, food trucks, grocery retail and more.
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SOURCE WOWorks | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/05/17/woworks-restaurants-welcome-summer-with-fresh-new-limited-time-only-menu-items/ | 2022-05-17T16:30:25Z |
Fourth-grade student shared cannabis candies resembling Skittles
By Greta Serrin
Click here for updates on this story
SACRAMENTO, California (KCRA) — A fourth-grade student handed out cannabis candy that resembled Skittles to other students at a school in Sacramento this week, the Twin Rivers Unified School District told KCRA 3 in a statement. Several students reportedly ate the edible candies.
The sharing of the cannabis “Zkittlez” happened Wednesday morning during first recess at Michael J. Castori Elementary School, the school principal said in a letter to families that KCRA 3 obtained.
Families of the students who ate the edibles were called. The school nurse and paramedics evaluated the students.
The school said there were no reports of any student being hospitalized, but one mother told KCRA 3 she did bring her child to the hospital.
“It’s really worrisome for me because how many other children are out there making this mistake?” said Veronica Hernandez, the mother of a student who took the edible. “For me, I know fentanyl is an epidemic right now. Our neighbor passed away from an overdose. This could have been anything and if there’s those types of drugs in the home, this child could have brought anything to school. This could have been a completely different phone call for me.”
The school said it has spoken to the family of the student who handed out the cannabis candies and is investigating what happened.
“It is my goal to ensure that our students are safe, and we are truly sorry this incident happened,” Principal Leslie Sargent said in a letter.
Sargent said, “Action will be taken to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”
It’s unclear how many milligrams of THC are in one Zkittlez. It’s also unclear how many students ate the edibles.
Parents were advised to call their doctors if their child experienced any worsening symptoms.
“To ensure this does not happen again, school administration at Castori Elementary is reminding students not to bring candy to school and not to share food with others,” the district said in a statement.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform. | https://localnews8.com/news/2022/05/13/fourth-grade-student-shared-cannabis-candies-resembling-skittles/ | 2022-05-13T20:12:13Z |
Experienced EdTech and Business Leader to Drive Growth Strategy and Corporate Development
RESTON, Va., Aug. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ellucian, the leading higher education technology solutions provider, today announced Jeff Dinski as Chief Strategy and Corporate Development Officer. Reporting to the CEO, Mr. Dinski will be responsible for driving our growth strategy with a focus on market expansion leading our strategy and insights, analyst relations and Ellucian's broader corporate development efforts.
"With a strong track record in EdTech and market analysis and strategy, Jeff brings deep experience in helping organizations unlock value and prioritize investments in support of their strategic vision and mission," said Laura Ipsen, President and CEO, Ellucian. "I am pleased to welcome Jeff to Ellucian and look forward to working with him to achieve even stronger growth and market engagement as we accelerate our move to SaaS helping the institutions we serve better achieve their goals."
"Having spent the last decade advising many of the most significant companies in the broader EdTech landscape and also as a product and market development executive, I have seen first-hand the impact of Ellucian's leadership in the market in support of the global higher education community," said Jeff Dinski. "I am excited to join a great team of leaders and be part of their mission to deliver digital transformation solutions that create better outcomes for every institution and the students they serve."
Mr. Dinski joins Ellucian from Tyton Partners, where he was a Partner in the strategy consulting practice. He has had an extensive career as an entrepreneur and in executive roles in the education and media sectors. Prior to Tyton, Mr. Dinski spent nearly four years serving as Vice President of Business Development and then as General Manager of Consumer Services at Parchment, a digital credential company for transcripts and diplomas. He was also the co-founder of the ecommerce business GaggleofChicks.com and held a variety of leadership roles at Comcast Interactive Media, and CBS Interactive.
Mr. Dinski began his career in media and television as a researcher and writer for NBC Sports and he later was part of the team that launched ESPN's first live morning show, Cold Pizza, where he served as head writer and producer.
Mr. Dinski holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, with a major in Mechanical & Aeropace Engineering from Princeton University and a Masters in Business Administration from Harvard Business School.
Ellucian is charting the digital future of higher education with a portfolio of cloud-ready technology solutions and services. From student recruitment to workforce analytics; from fundraising opportunities to alumni engagement; Ellucian's comprehensive suite of data-rich tools gives colleges and universities the information they need to lead with confidence.
Working with a community of more than 2,700 customers in over 50 countries, Ellucian keeps innovating as higher education keeps evolving. Drawing on its comprehensive higher education business acumen and suite of services, Ellucian guides its customers through manageable, sustainable digital transformation—so that every type of institution and student can thrive in today's fast-changing landscape. To find out what's next in higher education solutions and services, visit Ellucian at www.ellucian.com.
Media Contact
Lindsay Stanley
Lindsay.Stanley@Ellucian.com
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SOURCE Ellucian | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/15/ellucian-welcomes-jeff-dinski-chief-strategy-corporate-development-officer/ | 2022-08-15T12:48:05Z |
The world's largest blockchain and crypto provider announces its second conference this year, in Paris from September 14-16, 2022
PARIS, Aug. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- After its incredible success in Dubai, Binance is now bringing Binance Blockchain Week to Paris between September 14 and 16, 2022. A celebration of Web3 through a uniquely Parisian lens, Binance Blockchain Week Paris will bring together thought leaders, captains of industry, cultural icons, and more to lay out a grand vision for a more prosperous, equitable future for all.
Binance Blockchain Week Paris will welcome more than 5,000 physical attendees, and millions more live-streamed via Binance Live, to dive into tomorrow's technology. Topics range from art, film and fashion to the future of finance, regulations and more in a Web3 world.
Alongside Changpeng Zhao 'CZ', CEO and Founder of Binance, there will be over 60 speakers including: Peter Kerstens, Advisor at the European Commission; Yves Guillemot, President and CEO of Ubisoft; Thomas Uhm, Crypto Institutional Sales and Trading at Jane Street; Sebastien Borget, COO and Co-Founder of The Sandbox; Benjamin Eymère, CEO of L'OFFICIEL Inc.; Guy Gino, Special Agent at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations; Jarno Laatikainen, Head of Crypto Incident Response at Chainalysis; Eowyn Chen, CEO of Trust Wallet; Pascal Gauthier, CEO of Ledger; Anand Iyer, Venture Partner from Lightspeed Venture Partners; Fereshteh Forough, Founder and Executive Director of Code to Inspire; Frédéric Bardeau, President & Co-Founder of Simplon.Co; and Céline Wong, Head of Digital Assets Business Consulting at VP Bank AG.
CZ, CEO and Founder of Binance commented: "The past few months have demonstrated the importance of utility value as we define the next phase of technological innovation. Both Web3 and blockchain are still new, fresh and full of opportunities. This is the perfect time to discuss where the industry is right now and what the future holds."
"Taking cues from the City of Lights, Binance Blockchain Week Paris will envision a world where Web3 is able to infuse its distinctiveness to culture, the arts, sports, and more," added CZ.
Binance Blockchain Week Paris will cover the following topics:
DAY 1 - Sept 14: 'Frameworks and Foundations' & 'Build Bold'
DAY 2 - Sept 15: 'Web3 Culture Convergence' & 'A Web3-Powered World'
Binance Blockchain Week Paris is an opportunity to engage in one of the world's most important conversations and be part of the next phase of technological innovation. Tickets are on sale now.
The event will be live streamed online through Binance Live and in the Binance App for those who are unable to join on-site. Binance will also be hosting a series of online campaigns that users can participate in and get rewarded. Stay tuned to Binance's social media channels as more information will be shared soon.
About Binance
Binance is the world's leading blockchain ecosystem and cryptocurrency infrastructure provider with a financial product suite that includes the largest digital asset exchange by volume. Trusted by millions worldwide, the Binance platform is dedicated to increasing the freedom of money for users, and features an unmatched portfolio of crypto products and offerings, including: trading and finance, education, data and research, social good, investment and incubation, decentralization and infrastructure solutions, and more. For more information, visit: https://www.binance.com
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SOURCE Binance | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/25/binance-blockchain-week-brings-web3s-most-exciting-speakers-paris/ | 2022-08-25T09:52:06Z |
HONG KONG (AP) — Heavy police force patrolled Hong Kong’s Victoria Park on Saturday after authorities for a third consecutive year banned public commemoration of the anniversary of the deadly Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989, with vigils overseas the only place marking the event.
For decades, Hong Kong and nearby Macao were the only places in China allowed to commemorate the violent suppression by army troops of student protesters demanding greater democracy in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989. Hundreds, if not thousands, were killed.
The ban is seen as part of a move to snuff out political dissent and a sign that Hong Kong is losing its freedoms as Beijing tightens its grip over the semi-autonomous Chinese city.
The vigil organizers, the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, disbanded last year after many of its leaders were arrested on suspicion of violating the national security law, which was imposed following massive pro-democracy protests in 2019.
Authorities have cited risks from the coronavirus for banning the public commemoration over the past three years. Critics say the pandemic is used as an excuse to infringe on the right to assemble.
A government statement Friday said that parts of Victoria Park, which traditionally served as the venue for the candlelight vigil, will be closed as it may be used for “illegal activities.” The move was to “prevent any unauthorized assemblies” in the park and to reduce the possibility of COVID-19 spread.
Earlier in the week, a police superintendent warned that anyone who gathered in a group “at the same place, with the same time and with a common purpose to express certain views” could be considered part of an unauthorized assembly.
Despite the ban, some residents wore black in a silent show of support, and some even carried bouquets of flowers, held candles or turned on the flashlight on their cellphones.
“Today, this is to commemorate June 4th. Every year I have to do it,” said Man Yuen, who appeared in a black T-shirt with the words “the people will not forget” while walking down the streets carrying an unlit candle.
Police stopped and searched several people, some of whom were dressed in black. It is unclear if any arrests were made.
“I am disappointed because although no one organized any commemoration event, the authorities are already on high alert,” said Donald Tam, who was shopping in the Causeway Bay district, where the park is located.
Since the British handed over Hong Kong to China in 1997, the city has been governed under a “one country, two systems” framework that promised it liberties not found on the mainland, including freedom of speech and assembly. It meant Hong Kong and nearby Macao, the other semi-autonomous territory, were allowed to commemorate the 1989 crackdown. Elsewhere in China, keywords such as “Tiananmen massacre” and “June 4” are strictly censored online, and people are not allowed to publicly mark the event.
Outside China, vigils were held to remember the Tiananmen victims.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said even though Chinese and Hong Kong were attempting to suppress the memories of the crackdown, his government would continue to speak out and promote accountability on human rights abuses by China, including those in Hong Kong, against Muslim minorities in the western Xinjiang region as well as Tibet.
“To the people of China and to those who continue to stand against injustice and seek freedom, we will not forget June 4,” he said.
The U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong lit candles in the windows of the building.
In Taiwan, a self-ruled island claimed by Beijing as part of its territory, hundreds took part in the vigil. The Foreign Ministry wrote on Facebook that “when this time of year comes around, there is a lot one can’t say, a lot one can’t write, and a lot one can’t even look up on the internet.”
The post encouraged Chinese citizens who use a VPN to access Facebook, which is blocked in China, and search for information on the Tiananmen Square massacre “to see what their country is hiding from them.”
“Taiwan has been commemorating the June 4 massacre before Hong Kong did, and each place (in the rest of the world) that holds this event interprets it in its own ways,” said Taiwan democracy activist Lee Ming-che. “We must be aware of China’s threats and protect Taiwan’s values of democracy, human rights, and freedom.”
Graduate student Joanna Chen said that commemorating the June 4 massacre is important because Taiwan is one of the few places in Greater China to commemorate such an event publicly.
“We must remind the Taiwanese people that democracy should not be taken for granted,” she said.
In Sydney, about 50 pro-democracy supporters lit candles outside the Chinese Consulate to mark the massacre, as several police officers kept watch.
In the Indian city of Dharmsala, home to Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, activists organized a street theater to mark the Tiananmen anniversary. They used a cutout of a Chinese tank to recreate the “tank man,” an iconic image taken by The Associated Press of a student standing in front of a tank, which came to symbolize courage in the face of Chinese government’s crackdown of the protest.
For the first time in 30 years, Hong Kong’s Catholic churches also skipped Mass for the Tiananmen victims, after the diocese expressed concerns that such events could violate the national security law.
Authorities have been using the law to crack down on the opposition, with over 150 people arrested on suspicion of offences that include subversion, secession, terrorism and foreign collusion to intervene in the city’s affairs.
The clampdown has included universities as well. In December 2021, a sculpture called “Pillar of Shame,” which depicts torn and twisted bodies symbolizing the lives lost during the massacre, was taken down at the University of Hong Kong. Officials said that no approval had been obtained to display the sculpture.
A day later, two other universities in the city removed monuments related to the commemoration.
In response, Jens Galschioet, the artist who created “Pillar of Shame,” last week unveiled a full-scale replica of the 8-meter- (26 foot) tall sculpture at the University of Oslo in Norway.
___
Associated Press journalists Alice Fung in Hong Kong, Taijing Wu in Taipei, Taiwan, Mark Baker in Sydney, and Ashwini Bhatia in Dharmsala, India, contributed to this report. | https://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/police-patrol-hong-kong-park-amid-tiananmen-vigil-ban/ | 2022-06-04T19:48:35Z |
The former Paya and Capital One exec brings 25 years of payments and fintech experience to the cannabis payment platform
LAS VEGAS , April 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SuperNet, the only payment network that enables credit card payments for cannabis merchants and consumers, is bringing on John Pfisterer, former CFO at Paya and Divisional CFO at Capital One, as CFO.
"The SuperNet opportunity is interesting for several reasons. First, the business model which combines credit card issuing and acquiring and is one that few companies are pursuing. Second, the company is creating a brand-new card network to support an underserved industry. Lastly, the company's mission - reducing the friction related to payments in the cannabis space - is something that I'm passionate about," said John Pfisterer, CFO of SuperNet, "I'm excited about joining SuperNet on this journey."
Pfisterer was CFO for Paya (and its predecessor Sage Payment Solutions) from 2013 to 2018 and helped lead the sale of the company to a private equity firm in 2017. He started his career with Capital One in 1995 and served as Divisional CFO for several business units during his 11-year tenure. He has additional financial services experience with First National Bank of Omaha, as well as RBS/Citizens Bank. Most recently, Pfisterer was CFO for LA-based edtech company Edlio.
The SuperNet team, headed by Michael Tsang, includes industry experts dress wedding, co-founder of Harborside, one of the world's oldest and most respected cannabis retailers, and Debra Wohlrab, a former Mastercard executive with 35 years of experience in global financial services. SuperNet also recently brought in Robert Hoban, an attorney with international law firm Clark Hill PLC as outside counsel.
"The legal situation for payment processing in the cannabis space is complex, but the work SuperNet is doing will make doing business in this sector that much more convenient," said Robert Hoban, SuperNet's outside legal counsel. "In essence, SuperNet is revolutionizing the industry, and I'm looking forward to helping them break through the existing barriers."
For more information, visit https://supernet.ai/
About SuperNet
SuperNet is the first payment network to serve the cannabis industry. Similar to Discover and American Express, SuperNet acquires new credit card holders by partnering with financial institutions and cannabis merchants and is the only payment network that officially accepts and grants permission to process transactions from cannabis merchants. SuperNet clears all transactions on a proprietary high velocity payment processing platform. For more information, visit https://supernet.ai/
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SOURCE SuperNet | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/04/20/supernet-welcomes-john-pfisterer-cfo/ | 2022-04-20T13:06:58Z |
NEW YORK, Aug. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of RBC Bearings Incorporated ("RBC" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: ROLL). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 9980.
The investigation concerns whether RBC and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.
On August 4, 2022, in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, RBC disclosed "that the previously issued consolidated financial statements as of and for the years ended April 2, 2022, April 3, 2021, and March 28, 2020 and the consolidated financial statements for the quarters therein (the 'Affected Periods') included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 26, 2022 contained an error related to the accounting of non-cash stock-based compensation granted to the Company's CEO and COO. As a result of this error, the Audit Committee determined that the Company's consolidated financial statements for the Affected Periods included in the 2022 Annual Report on Form 10-K should not be relied upon and should be restated by adjusting selling, general and administrative expenses to reflect non-cash stock-based compensation that should have been recognized in each of the Affected Periods."
On this news, RBC's stock price fell $16.68 per share, or 6.71%, to close at $231.91 per share on August 4, 2022.
The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com
CONTACT:
Robert S. Willoughby
Pomerantz LLP
rswilloughby@pomlaw.com
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SOURCE Pomerantz LLP | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/09/shareholder-alert-pomerantz-law-firm-investigates-claims-behalf-investors-rbc-bearings-incorporated-roll/ | 2022-08-09T07:31:58Z |
Buying bulk inventories of select titles with flexible access delivers improved ROI for libraries
CLEVELAND, April 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its ongoing library advocacy, today OverDrive released a growing list of publishers that now offer "OverDrive Max," a digital book access model for schools and libraries developed to meet growing reader demand. Under the OverDrive Max model (also known as metered concurrent use), libraries can stock bundles of up to 100 loans for popular digital books with no expiration date. With each Max title the cost to serve each reader is typically the lowest available cost for libraries and schools for lending the ebook or audiobook.
"OverDrive Max enables librarians to reserve inventories of select digital books, often at the lowest cost per loan, and eliminate the concerns associated with time limits for access to the collection," stated Karen Estrovich, Senior Manager for Public Libraries at OverDrive. "This saves time and is a cost-effective option to serve the maximum numbers of readers with a library's budget. It is perfect for summer student programs, books club and community reading events."
Ebook and audiobook publishers offering catalogs in the OverDrive Max model include Blackstone Publishing, Lerner Publishing Group, RBMedia/Recorded Books, Christian Audio, Britannica Digital Learning, Allen & Unwin, Springer Nature, Open Road Media, Rosen Publishing, Bearport Publishing plus dozens of others. OverDrive Max complements the "cost-per-circ" model that leading publishers offer libraries and schools from OverDrive Marketplace including Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster and others.
"The ability to curate collections for our readers with this model has improved our engagement with readers," said Beth Godlewski, Senior Collections Specialist at Toronto Public Library. "This cost-effective purchasing option contributed to Toronto Public Library's 2021 record-breaking annual circulation of 9.8 million digital titles."
For more information about OverDrive, visit company.overdrive.com.
About OverDrive
OverDrive is a mission-based company that stands with libraries. Named a Certified B Corp in 2017, OverDrive serves 76,000 libraries and schools in 94 countries with the industry's largest digital catalog of ebooks, audiobooks, video and other content. OverDrive's commitment to empower every library and school includes expanding access for all, tireless industry advocacy and consistently innovating. Award-winning apps and services include the Libby library reading app, the Sora student reading app, Kanopy, the leading video streaming app for libraries and colleges, and TeachingBooks.net, which offers one of the largest catalogs of supplemental materials that enhance literacy outcomes. Founded in 1986, OverDrive is based in Cleveland, Ohio USA. www.overdrive.com
Contact:
David Burleigh
Director of Brand & Communications
dburleigh@overdrive.com
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SOURCE OverDrive | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/04/13/new-access-model-overdrive-max-lowers-library-costs-ebook-audiobook-collections/ | 2022-04-13T12:33:23Z |
Transaction Expected to Close on July 20, 2022
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., July 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. (NYSE: HTA) ("Healthcare Trust of America" or "HTA") today announced that, based on a preliminary vote count, its stockholders have approved the previously announced combination with Healthcare Realty Trust Incorporated ("HR") at today's Special Meeting of Stockholders ("Special Meeting").
In a separate special meeting of stockholders held today, based on a preliminary vote count, HR stockholders also voted to approve the merger.
"We are pleased that HTA's and HR's stockholders support our companies' transformative combination, which will create the preeminent, pure-play medical office building REIT, with the governance, management, assets and resources to more effectively compete and deliver sustainable value creation," stated Brad Blair, Chairman of the Board, Healthcare Trust of America.
The transaction is expected to close on July 20, 2022. HTA stockholders will receive a special cash dividend of $4.82 per share and a transaction exchange ratio of 1:1 based on HR's unaffected price of $30.26 on February 24, 2022.
Final voting results for the HTA and HR special meetings will be disclosed on Form 8-Ks filed by the companies with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC is acting as exclusive financial advisor and McDermott Will & Emery LLP is acting as legal advisor to Healthcare Trust of America.
About Healthcare Trust of America, Inc.
Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. (NYSE: HTA) is the largest dedicated owner and operator of medical office buildings in the United States, with assets comprising approximately 26.0 million square feet of gross leasable area, and with $7.8 billion invested primarily in medical office buildings, as of March 31, 2022. HTA provides real estate infrastructure for the integrated delivery of healthcare services in highly-desirable locations. Investments are targeted to build critical mass in 20 to 25 leading gateway markets that generally have leading university and medical institutions, which generally translates to superior demographics, highly-educated graduates, intellectual talent and job growth. The strategic markets HTA invests in support a strong, long-term demand for quality medical office space. HTA utilizes an integrated asset management platform consisting of on-site leasing, property management, engineering and building services, and development capabilities to create complete, state of the art facilities in each market. We believe this drives efficiencies, strong tenant and health system relationships, and strategic partnerships that result in high levels of tenant retention, rental growth and long-term value creation. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, HTA has developed a national brand with dedicated relationships at the local level. Founded in 2006 and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2012, HTA has produced attractive returns for its stockholders that have outperformed the US REIT index, since inception. More information about HTA can be found on the Company's website (www.htareit.com), Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Forward-Looking Language
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements with respect to HTA. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not descriptions of historical facts and include statements regarding management's intentions, beliefs, expectations, plans or predictions of the future, within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Because such statements include risks, uncertainties and contingencies, actual results may differ materially and in adverse ways from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and contingencies include, without limitation, the following: HTA's ability to consummate the merger (the "Merger") with HR on the proposed terms or on the anticipated timeline, or at all, including risks and uncertainties related to satisfaction of the closing conditions to consummate the Merger; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the definitive merger agreement relating to the Merger; risks related to diverting the attention of HTA and HR management from ongoing business operations; failure to realize the expected benefits of the Merger; significant transaction costs and/or unknown or inestimable liabilities; risks associated with stockholder litigation in connection with the Merger, including resulting expense or delay; the risk that HTA's business will not be integrated successfully or that such integration may be more difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected; the ability to obtain the expected financing to consummate the Merger; risks related to future opportunities and plans for HTA, including the uncertainty of expected future financial performance and results of the combined company following completion of the Merger; effects relating to the announcement of the proposed transaction or any further announcements or the consummation of the Merger on the market price of HTA's or HR's common stock; the possibility that, if the combined company does not achieve the perceived benefits of the Merger as rapidly or to the extent anticipated by financial analysts or investors, the market price of HTA's common stock could decline; general adverse economic and local real estate conditions; changes in economic conditions generally and the real estate market specifically; legislative and regulatory changes, including changes to laws governing the taxation of REITs and changes to laws governing the healthcare industry; the availability of capital; changes in interest rates; competition in the real estate industry; the supply and demand for operating properties in HTA's proposed market areas; changes in accounting principles generally accepted in the US; policies and guidelines applicable to REITs; the availability of properties to acquire; the availability of financing; pandemics and other health concerns, and the measures intended to prevent their spread, including the currently ongoing COVID-19 pandemic; and the potential material adverse effect these matters may have on HTA's business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. Additional information concerning HTA and its business, including additional factors that could materially and adversely affect HTA's financial results, include, without limitation, the risks described under Part I, Item 1A – Risk Factors, in HTA's 2021 Annual Report on Form 10-K and in HTA's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contacts
Financial Contact:
Robert A. Milligan
Chief Financial Officer
480.998.3478
Media Contact:
Andrew Siegel / Joseph Sala
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
212.355.4449
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SOURCE Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/15/healthcare-trust-america-stockholders-approve-merger-with-healthcare-realty/ | 2022-07-15T19:38:38Z |
Sources: Former Florida standout Keyontae Johnson commits to Kansas State
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang strikes again.
Tang has shown his elite recruiting skills over the last couple of months and he snags another star.
According to the Stadium’s Jeff Goodman, Johnson committed to K-State over Western Kentucky and Memphis. He also had Nebraska on his list of schools.
BREAKING: Keyontae Johnson expected to commit to Kansas State, source told @Stadium. Huge pickup for Jerome Tang and Co.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) August 20, 2022
Johnson has been cleared by medical personnel.
Averaged 14 ppg and 7.1 rpg as a sophomore, but hasn't played in 2 years after collapsing due to heart issue
Keyontae Johnson chose Kansas State over Western Kentucky and Memphis, per source. https://t.co/AS8ctfOPWO
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) August 20, 2022
Johnson averaged 14 points and 7.1 rebounds per game as a sophomore but Johnson hasn’t played for the last two years due to a heart issue. Johnson collapsed on the court back on Dec. 12, 2020 against Florida State. Johnson has been cleared my medical personnel to play this season.
Johnson was named the SEC Preseason Player of the Year heading into his junior year. He was also projected as a first round pick in the NBA Draft at the start of the 2020-2021 season.
In four games before his heart issue, Johnson averaged 16 points per game.
Copyright 2022 WIBW. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/08/20/sources-former-florida-standout-keyontae-johnson-commits-kansas-state/ | 2022-08-20T18:03:25Z |
SHIJIAZHUANG, China, Sept. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- China International Digital Economy Expo 2022 is scheduled to be held in Shijiazhuang, capital city of north China's Hebei Province in mid-November. This conference will provide exhibitors with a high-standard and high-level exhibition platform and full chain services such as achievements display, new launches, networking and matchmaking, forum speeches, media publicity and booth services, according to the Industry and Information Technology Department of Hebei Province.
In recent years, Hebei has taken China International Digital Economy Expo as an important platform to promote digital industrialization and industrial digitalization, facilitating the deep integration of digital economy and real economy, and promoting the steady and high-quality development of economy.
The expo was held in Shijiazhuang in October 2019 and September 2021 respectively, which brought new impetus to digital economy, exhibition economy and related industries in Hebei.
At last year's expo, more than 180 projects were signed with a total investment of more than 120 billion yuan. The investment enthusiasm of market players inspired people's imagination of the digital economy's growth potential. Many industry experts held dialogues over 30 events held in three days, generating new ideas that refreshed people's understanding of the digital economy's development.
The China International Digital Economy Expo has provided strong impetus for the rapid and high-quality development of Hebei's digital economy.
In 2020, Hebei's industrial digitalization index ranked 10th in the country, with enterprises in steel, automobile, petrochemical and other fields rushing onto the road of digital transformation.
The province's industrial Internet helped drive its economic growth index to reach 73.5 in 2020, much higher than the national average of 48.8. The application rate of industrial cloud-computing platforms increased by 10.5 percent, and the cloud-computing rate of enterprise industrial equipment was 15.94 percent, ranking second in the country.
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SOURCE Industry and Information Technology Department of Hebei Province | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/09/15/annual-global-expo-empowers-northern-chinese-province-hebeis-digital-economy/ | 2022-09-15T06:08:37Z |
CHARLOTTE, N.C., June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB), a leader in the global specialty chemicals industry, announced today the release of its annual global Sustainability Report.
2021 Sustainability Report Highlights
- On Track to Meet Existing Targets for GHG and Freshwater Intensity
- Initial Assessment of Scope 3 Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG)
- Completed Initial Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) of Lithium Products
- New Targets for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) Priorities
- Sustainability Webcast Scheduled for June 28, 2022, at 9 a.m. EDT
"Albemarle plays an important role in combating climate change, enabling the energy transition and supporting safe and sustainable advancement of electrification and digitalization," said Albemarle CEO Kent Masters. "Sustainability is core to our long-term strategy. Our Sustainability Report highlights progress, commitments, and successes we realized in 2021 on a global scale as we continue to add value for all our stakeholders through our sustainability efforts."
On Track to Meet Existing Targets for GHG Emissions and Freshwater Reductions
Last year, Albemarle began executing its climate strategy and the company is on track to meet or exceed initial sustainability targets for GHG emissions and freshwater intensity. This year's report includes 2021 actions such as the procurement of renewable energy in the U.S. and the Netherlands and construction completion of a $100 million thermal evaporator in Chile. Albemarle also engaged PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP to provide independent assurance of scope 1 and 2 GHG data.
Initial Assessment of Scope 3 GHG Emissions and Completed LCAs
In this year's report, Albemarle announced its initial assessment of scope 3 GHG emissions, including areas such as purchased goods and services, processing of sold products, use of sold products, and end-of-life treatment of sold products. The company will continue to refine its assessment in the coming years and will use the initial assessment to work with customers and suppliers to reduce emissions across the supply chain.
The report also provides detail on Albemarle's first LCAs, completed in 2021, related to rock-based lithium hydroxide and brine-based lithium carbonate. Both studies were performed in accordance with ISO 14040/14044 standards. In addition, Albemarle plans to incorporate LCA requests into its sustainable procurement process to better understand the environmental impact of its suppliers.
DE&I Targets
In 2021, the company released its DE&I strategic plan for measurable actions to integrate DE&I in decision making, enhance organizational effectiveness, and meet future challenges and needs. Albemarle has set a 2022 goal of increasing global gender diversity by a further 1% year over year with a particular focus on its manufacturing workforce, and a goal to increase U.S. racial diversity in senior-level management roles by 1% year over year. The company plans to increase diversity steadily and consistently with the long-term goal of meeting or exceeding global manufacturing benchmarks.
For more information, please see Albemarle's 2021 Sustainability Report.
Albemarle Sustainability Webcast
Albemarle will host a webcast on Tuesday, June 28, at 9 a.m. EDT with CEO Kent Masters, CFO Scott Tozier, VP of Government and Community Affairs Ellen Lenny-Pessagno, VP of Investor Relations and Sustainability Meredith Bandy and VP of Culture Timitra Hildebrand-Jones, who will present an update on Albemarle's sustainability initiatives.
Registration for the webcast can be accessed here. Once registered, users will receive a link via email to directly access the webcast. A webcast replay will be posted to the company's website following the conclusion of the event.
About Albemarle
Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB) is a global specialty chemicals company with leading positions in lithium, bromine, and refining catalysts. We think beyond business as usual to power the potential of companies in many of the world's largest and most critical industries, such as energy, electronics, and transportation. We actively pursue a sustainable approach to managing our diverse global footprint of world-class resources. In conjunction with our highly experienced and talented global teams, our deep-seated values, and our collaborative customer relationships, we create value-added and performance-based solutions that enable a safer and more sustainable future.
We regularly post information to www.albemarle.com, including notification of events, news, financial performance, investor presentations and webcasts, non-GAAP reconciliations, SEC filings and other information regarding our company, its businesses and the markets it serves.
Forward-Looking Statements
Some of the information presented in this press release, the conference call and discussions that follow, including, without limitation, information related to sustainability goals and commitments, targets and timelines for achievement, environmental impact reduction goals, sustainability priorities, and all other information relating to matters that are not historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results and future actions could differ materially from the views or plans expressed or implied due to a number of important factors, including those detailed from time to time in the reports we file with the SEC, including those described under "Risk Factors" in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K any subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. We assume no obligation to provide any revisions to any forward-looking statements should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by securities and other applicable laws.
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SOURCE Albemarle Corporation | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/02/albemarle-2021-sustainability-report-highlights-advancements-new-existing-targets/ | 2022-06-02T20:56:09Z |
Product maturity and increased options for leveraging serverless—through functions or serverless container products—is spurring adoption throughout all types of organizations and teams
NEW YORK, June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Datadog, Inc. (NASDAQ: DDOG), the monitoring and security platform for cloud applications, today released the third edition of its The State of Serverless report, which is based on usage data from thousands of companies of all sizes and across all industries in Datadog's global customer base.
Datadog's research found that serverless technologies from all major cloud providers—AWS, Azure and Google Cloud Platform (GCP)—have continued to grow. Serverless is now seeing mainstream adoption with over 50 percent of customers operating in each cloud using these technologies. This growth is being driven by numerous factors, most important of which is a rapidly increasing trend toward running existing applications in serverless containers.
The report also found that the serverless usage growth trends are similarly robust across all major clouds. Google Cloud Run, GCP's serverless container product, is now being used by nearly 40 percent of Datadog customers operating in Google Cloud. This is a fourfold increase from January of 2020. Similarly, the percentage of Azure customers who are using Azure Container Instances has seen a 67 percent increase from 2020 to this year. This indicates the growing maturity of the serverless market and the value of technologies that can be used to deploy existing applications as containers while also taking advantage of serverless.
AWS Lambda users, too, are seeing the value of serverless containers. In Q1 of 2020, less than 12 percent of AWS Lambda users were leveraging its serverless containers product, ECS Fargate. Today, more than 20 percent of AWS Lambda users have adopted ECS Fargate. The percentage of AWS Lambda customers running ECS on EC2 has declined at a similar rate, showcasing that organizations are doubling down on serverless across different types of workloads.
"Serverless has long been promised as a way to scale quickly and simplify operations without having to worry about infrastructure management. Since our last report in 2021, serverless technology has become mainstream across our customer base," said Ilan Rabinovitch, Senior Vice President of Product and Community at Datadog. "Importantly, we are seeing serverless technologies being used in critical external- and internal-facing applications. This is in contrast to a couple of years ago when we first launched serverless monitoring and the usage was tilted toward R&D scenarios."
The State of Serverless report is available now. For the full results, please visit: https://www.datadoghq.com/state-of-serverless/. To learn more about Datadog's end-to-end Serverless Monitoring offering, visit: https://www.datadoghq.com/product/serverless-monitoring/.
About Datadog
Datadog is the monitoring and security platform for cloud applications. Our SaaS platform integrates and automates infrastructure monitoring, application performance monitoring and log management to provide unified, real-time observability of our customers' entire technology stack. Datadog is used by organizations of all sizes and across a wide range of industries to enable digital transformation and cloud migration, drive collaboration among development, operations, security and business teams, accelerate time to market for applications, reduce time to problem resolution, secure applications and infrastructure, understand user behavior and track key business metrics.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may include certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended including statements on serverless usage growth trends and its impact on our business. These forward-looking statements reflect our current views about our plans, intentions, expectations, strategies and prospects, which are based on the information currently available to us and on assumptions we have made. Actual results may differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements and are subject to a variety of assumptions, uncertainties, risks and factors that are beyond our control, including those risks detailed under the caption "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports, including the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 6, 2022, as well as future filings and reports by us. Except as required by law, we undertake no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events, changes in expectations or otherwise.
Contact
Dan Haggerty
press@datadoghq.com
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SOURCE Datadog, Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/02/datadogs-2022-state-serverless-report-finds-serverless-reaching-mainstream-adoption/ | 2022-06-02T20:58:29Z |
NEW YORK, July 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Purcell & Lefkowitz LLP, a class action law firm dedicated to representing shareholders nationwide, is investigating a potential breach of fiduciary duty claim involving the board of directors of Ennis, Inc. (NYSE: EBF).
If you are a shareholder of Ennis, Inc. and are interested in obtaining additional information regarding this investigation, free of charge, please visit us at:
You may also contact Robert H. Lefkowitz, Esq. either via email at rl@pjlfirm.com or by telephone at 212-725-1000. One of our attorneys will personally speak with you about the case at no cost or obligation.
Purcell & Lefkowitz LLP is a law firm exclusively committed to representing shareholders nationwide who are victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty and other types of corporate misconduct. For more information about the firm and its attorneys, please visit http://pjlfirm.com. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
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SOURCE Purcell & Lefkowitz LLP | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/05/shareholder-alert-purcell-amp-lefkowitz-llp-is-investigating-ennis-inc-potential-breaches-fiduciary-duty-by-its-board-directors/ | 2022-07-05T14:45:39Z |
BREA, Calif., July 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Beckman Coulter, global leader in advanced diagnostics, today announced that it will partner with Massachusetts General Hospital to validate the use of the novel Monocyte Distribution Width (MDW) hematology biomarker in rapid identification of children presenting with early signs of severe illness from infection.
This pivotal, multi-center trial will receive funding from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. MDW is currently the only FDA-cleared blood biomarker to aid in detecting adult sepsis in the Emergency Department (ED). This current partnership aims to expand the utility of MDW as a screening tool to measure the severity of infection in children 15 years old and younger presenting with high fevers.
Approximately 25 million children under 15 visit the emergency room every year, and about one in five presents with a fever.1 The most common cause of fever in these children is infections that can be safely treated at home; however, one out of every four pediatric hospital admissions are due to complications from infection.2 No objective biomarker yet exists that accurately identifies children at risk of hospitalization from an excessive immune response early in the infectious course when intervention is critical, making clinical decisions in the ED on how to treat pediatric infections difficult.
"A sick, febrile child can be challenging to examine, and current blood tests have limited ability to predict who will progress to acute illness," states Lael Yonker, M.D., a pediatric pulmonologist at Mass General for Children, and co-investigator on this clinical trial. "Objective tests that are readily available are needed to make sure children get the medical attention they need in a timely manner."
The utility of MDW as a biomarker in pediatric infection was first recognized by Mass General during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when more than 400 children a month were developing a life-threatening complication from COVID-19, now termed Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C).
As published in June 2022 in BMC Infectious Diseases3, the team found that MDW can improve the identification of children at high risk of MIS-C complication, a task that has proven challenging to clinicians.4 Now, this team will join Beckman Coulter and BARDA to potentially expand the use of MDW in the early recognition of severe infections in children presenting to EDs.
Notably, this tool is based on routinely ordered blood tests and can be reported as an additional parameter on Complete Blood Count (CBC) results. This approach may allow ED physicians to make rapid, accurate and safe decisions about which children with infections can go home and which children with infections need to be admitted to the hospital for further treatment without subjecting patients to additional and costly testing.
"We are thrilled to be partnering with pediatricians at Mass General to investigate the utility of MDW in identifying children at risk of adverse outcomes due to infection," said Julie Sawyer Montgomery, president, Beckman Coulter. "Along with the award from BARDA, Beckman Coulter is committing additional funds to this partnership. We are invested in establishing the performance of MDW in the pediatric population and in continuing our commitment to clinical evidence for use of MDW, and other novel hematological biomarkers."
MDW is a regulatory-cleared parameter for adult patients presenting to the ED and is available as a standard component of a CBC performed on Beckman Coulter's DxH 900 and 690T hematology analyzers. The MDW parameter measures the dispersion of monocyte volume in the blood, which is altered during infection due to monocyte activation and subsequent changes in monocyte morphology. Increases in MDW indicate increases in the variability of monocyte morphology, which can indicate a progression from localized to systemic infection.
MDW provides physicians with an early indication of sepsis risk, which is especially important when a patient's symptoms are mild and alternative diagnoses are being considered. MDW is only available on Beckman Coulter platforms.
This project has been funded in whole or in part with federal funds from the Department of Health and Human Services; Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, under contract number 75A50122C00036.
Follow and connect with Beckman Coulter via LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook
About Beckman Coulter. Inc.
A global leader in advanced diagnostics, Beckman Coulter has challenged convention to elevate the diagnostic laboratory's role in improving patient health for more than 80 years. Our mission is to Relentlessly Reimagine Healthcare, One Diagnosis at a Time – and we do this by applying the power of science, technology and the passion and creativity of our teams. Our diagnostic solutions are used in complex clinical testing, and are found in hospitals, reference laboratories and physician office settings around the globe. We exist to deliver smarter, faster diagnostic solutions that move the needle forward from what's now to what's next. We do this by accelerating care with an extensive clinical menu, scalable lab automation technologies, insightful clinical informatics, and optimize lab performance services. Beckman Coulter is part of the Danaher Corporation (NYSE:DHR) family of global science and technology companies. Headquartered in Brea, Calif., it has more than 11,000 global team members.
- Cairns C, Kang K, Santo L. National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2018 emergency department summary tables. Available from: FastStats - Emergency Department Visits (cdc.gov)
- Goto T, Tsugawa Y, Mansbach JM, Camargo CA Jr, Hasegawa K. Trends in Infectious Disease Hospitalizations in US Children, 2000 to 2012. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2016;35(6):e158-e163. doi:10.1097/INF.0000000000001134
- Yonker LM, Badaki-Makun O, Arya P, Boribong BP, Moraru G, Fenner B, Rincon J, Hopke A, Rogers B, Hinson J, Fasano A, Lee L, Kehoe SM, Larson SD, Chavez H, Levin S, Moldawer LL, Irimia D. Monocyte anisocytosis increases during multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children with cardiovascular complications. BMC Infect Dis. 2022;22(1):563. doi: 10.1186/s12879-022-07526-9.
- Rosu CA, Martens AM, Sumner J, Farkas EJ, Arya P, Arauz AB, Madhavan VL, Chavez H, Larson SD, Badaki-Makun O, Irimia D, Yonker LM. Heterogeneity in the evaluation of suspected MIS-C: a cross-sectional vignette-based survey. BMC Pediatr. 2022;22(1):392. doi: 10.1186/s12887-022-03446-4.
© 2022 Beckman Coulter. All rights reserved. Beckman Coulter, the stylized logo, and the Beckman Coulter product and service marks mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Beckman Coulter, Inc. in the United States and other countries. 2022-10652
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SOURCE Beckman Coulter, Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/25/beckman-coulter-partners-with-mass-general-barda-identify-severe-pediatric-infections-emergency-departments/ | 2022-07-25T12:59:19Z |
GREAT NECK, N.Y. , July 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Smilist Management, Inc. ("The Smilist") has welcomed its first partner in the state of Pennsylvania - Dr. Robert Daschbach. The practice, Daschbach and Associates has been serving Bucks & Montgomery Counties for more than 35 years.
"This affiliation represents our initial entry point into the Pennsylvania market. We continue to search for high-quality multi-specialty dental practices that share our commitment to patient care and patient satisfaction, as we expand in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Dr. Daschbach and team are aligned with The Smilist's values and we are thrilled to be their partner of choice," says Patricia Mahony, Chief Executive Officer.
Dashbach and Associates has deep roots in the community and a stellar reputation. Led by Dr. Robert Daschbach, the practice offers patients a warm and welcoming environment where quality dentistry and patient care are paramount.
"After 37 years of providing superb dental care to the Souderton community, our team is proud and excited to move forward in partnership with The Smilist, says Dr. Daschbach. "We are confident that The Smilist will support us as we continue to provide the highest level of service to patients."
About The Smilist
The Smilist was founded in 2014 to create a dental organization with a strong consumer brand that offers exceptional patient experiences. Since its founding, The Smilist has rapidly grown to be one of the leading dental support organizations in the New York metro area supporting over 45 offices with nearly 900 employees in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. To learn more, visit www.thesmilist.com.
Contact: Melanie Basile, melanie@thesmilist.com
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SOURCE The Smilist | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/14/smilist-expands-pennsylvania/ | 2022-07-14T17:59:33Z |
INVERNESS, Fla., Aug. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Central Florida tattoo studio Twistid Ink knows that art is more than just a hobby – it's a way of life, and wanted to bring this concept to their local community in the most exciting way possible: with an inclusive art and music festival.
The Walk of Arts is a full-day event taking place on September 3rd, 2022, in Liberty Park, Inverness, Florida. Featuring a sidewalk chalk competition for children aged 5-18, over 30 retail and food vendors, a gaming center, a performing arts space, and a cosplay meet and greet area, this event has a little something for everyone of all ages.
And, of course, let's not forget the music line-up!
Adding to the event's flair, the Walk of Arts features a full-day music lineup with local, regional, and international artists! Gracing the WOA stage will be CHS Breez', Taking Anderson, Gypsy Sparrow, Shawn Scheller & the Contenders, Actual Bank Robbers, and Kind Villain. International superstar Tiffany will be closing out the show with her hit single "I Think We're Alone Now" and other songs from her latest albums.
This is an event you won't want to miss!
The event is free to attend. Registration for the youth sidewalk chalk competition is free but does have to be completed in advance. Chalk is provided upon check-in, and drawings have to meet the theme: Citrus County Wildlife. Over $4,200 in prizes are available for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in each age category. Prizes for Most Creative and Best Use of Color will also be given out.
"To expose the local youths to professional artists of varied forms, we decided to have the competition judged by both award-winning local judges and two celebrity artists," Elisha Belden, owner of Twistid Ink, states. "Aaron Is and Robbie Ripoll from Paramount Network's popular show, Ink Master, will join us as judges and be available to meet with the junior contestants throughout the day."
The Walk of Arts is a free event to attend and is suitable for all ages. Kicking off at 10 am for
general attendees, this event is open to the general public. So join us for this incredible, one-of-a-kind event celebrating arts of all forms right here in Citrus County!
To check out the lineup or register a child, click on over to www.twistidink.com/woa.
Media Contact: Elisha Belden at info@twistidink.com
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SOURCE Twistid Ink | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/22/celebrating-art-all-its-forms-walk-arts-festival/ | 2022-08-22T14:51:05Z |
Providing solutions to make buildings healthier and keep people safer, R-Zero's industry-leading tech honored for innovation in wellness
SAN FRANCISCO, May 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Helping to drive forward a safer, more sustainable and effective approach to healthier buildings, biosafety tech company, R-Zero, was named among the list of honorees in Fast Company's 2022 World Changing Ideas Awards. The awards honor clean technology, innovative corporate initiatives, brave new designs for cities and buildings, and other creative works that support the growth of positive social innovation and tackle social inequality, climate change, and public health crises.
R-Zero's intelligent biosafety platform continuously collects data about how a space is being used, and uses that data to quantify risk with advanced risk modeling. Then a network of connected devices automatically works to mitigate risk in the air or on surfaces. Real-time data streaming provides advanced analytics and actionable insights based on how spaces are actually being used. The platform is being used across many industries, including education, hospitality, healthcare, senior care and in offices and workspaces, helping to provide safer shared spaces for hundreds of thousands of people.
"R-Zero is proud to be at the forefront of this new era; we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to re-engineer the built environment to promote and prioritize human health and productivity. The buildings where we spend 90% of our lives should not only be smart and sustainable, but they should actively work to keep us healthy too – that's exactly what our technology exists to do," said Grant Morgan, co-founder and CEO of R-Zero. "R-Zero is honored to receive this distinction from Fast Company for our innovation as we focus on making a difference today with an eye toward a healthier world tomorrow."
Now in its sixth year, the World Changing Ideas Awards showcase 39 winners, 350 finalists, and more than 600 honorable mentions—with climate, social justice, and AI and data among the most popular categories. A panel of eminent Fast Company editors and reporters selected winners and finalists from a pool of nearly 3,000 entries across transportation, education, food, politics, technology, health, social justice, and more. In addition, several new categories have been added this year including climate, nature, water, and workplace. The 2022 awards feature entries from across the globe, from Switzerland to Hong Kong.
"We are consistently inspired by the novelty and creativity that people are applying to solve some of our society's most pressing problems, from shelter to the climate crisis. Fast Company relishes its role in amplifying important, innovative work to address big challenges," says David Lidsky, interim editor-in-chief of Fast Company. "Our journalists have identified some of the most ingenious initiatives to launch since the start of 2021, which we hope will both have a meaningful impact and lead others to join in being part of the solution."
About R-Zero:
R-Zero is the first biosafety technology company dedicated to making our shared indoor spaces safer, healthier, and more productive. Backed by Mayo Clinic and the earliest investors in Google, Amazon, Tesla, and SpaceX, R-Zero is dedicated to developing the most effective and innovative disinfection technologies to reduce the spread of microorganisms in the built environment. Combining space utilization sensor technology, AI, ML, and IoT-connected hardware, R-Zero's intelligent biosafety platform enables organizations to create and maintain healthier indoor environments. Today, the company's sustainable, IoT-enabled disinfection technologies enable safer, healthier indoor spaces for hundreds of thousands of people across both public and private sector organizations without using chemicals. R-Zero's system of connected biosafety technologies provides greater visibility, automation, and even smarter risk reduction within the indoor spaces where people spend their time. R-Zero is backed by leading venture capital firms DBL Partners, World Innovation Lab, and SOSV/HAX; Mayo Clinic; and thought leaders from hospitality, sports, commercial real estate, impact, and other industries. For more information, visit www.rzero.com.
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SOURCE R-Zero | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/03/r-zero-named-fast-company-2022-world-changing-idea/ | 2022-05-03T20:48:00Z |
MONTREAL, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Lightspeed Commerce Inc. ("Lightspeed" or the "Company") (TSX: LSPD) (NYSE: LSPD), the one-stop commerce platform for merchants around the world to simplify, scale and create exceptional customer experiences, today announced it will report first quarter 2023 financial results before the market open on Thursday, August 4, 2022. Management will host a conference call and webcast to discuss the Company's financial results at 8:00am ET on Thursday, August 4, 2022.
Lightspeed First Quarter 2023 Financial Results Conference Call
When: Thursday, August 4, 2022
Time: 8:00 am ET
Live Call Registration: https://conferencingportals.com/event/rPYvDbSx
Replay: (800) 770-2030 (US/Canada Toll-Free) or (647) 362-9199 (International). Conference ID 74316. (The replay will be available approximately two hours after the completion of the live call until 11:59 p.m. ET on August 11, 2022)
Webcast: https://investors.lightspeedhq.com
Investors and participants can register for the telephonic version of the call in advance by visiting https://conferencingportals.com/event/rPYvDbSx. After registering, instructions will be shared on how to join the call including dial-in information as well as a unique passcode and registrant ID. At the time of the call, registered participants will dial in using the numbers from the confirmation email, and upon entering their unique passcode and ID, will be entered directly into the conference.
Powering the businesses that are the backbone of the global economy, Lightspeed's one-stop commerce platform helps merchants innovate to simplify, scale and provide exceptional customer experiences. The cloud solution transforms and unifies online and physical operations, multichannel sales, expansion to new locations, global payments, financing and connection to supplier networks.
Founded in Montréal, Canada in 2005, Lightspeed is dual-listed on the New York Stock Exchange and Toronto Stock Exchange (NYSE: LSPD) (TSX: LSPD). With teams across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific, the company serves retail, hospitality and golf businesses in over 100 countries.
For more information, please visit: www.lightspeedhq.com
On social media: Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter
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SOURCE Lightspeed Commerce Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/07/lightspeed-announces-fiscal-first-quarter-2023-financial-results-conference-call/ | 2022-07-07T12:37:36Z |
LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., June 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Epson America, Inc., a worldwide leader in inkjet printing solutions, today announced Joseph Contreras has been named head of sales and channel marketing for the company's North America Business Inkjet organization. In this role, Contreras will be responsible for overseeing dealer and inside sales groups as well as channel and field marketing teams tasked with deepening dealer relationships, delivering tangible value to partners and propelling the organization to new heights.
"Over the past four years we have built a solid foundation for Epson's office print business in North America," said Contreras. "The core value of our technology resonates with dealers as they look to disrupt and differentiate with revolutionary printing solutions while delivering an exceptional service experience to their clients. I'm honored to lead the charge as we continue to accelerate the shift in the market to simple, smart printing solutions with PrecisionCore Heat-Free Technology™."
As a well-known and respected industry executive with over 20 years of stellar sales, marketing and leadership experience, Contreras will be driving revenue growth strategies for the company's portfolio of PrecisionCore® A3 and A4 printers and MFPs and print management solutions.
"Joe has played a pivotal role in the establishment and success of the Business Inkjet organization," said Mark Mathews, vice president, Commercial Sales and Marketing, Epson America. "He was a natural choice to lead the sales team given his track record in the industry, strong skills and proven success in the BTA channel. Through his leadership, I am confident that we will continue a rapid growth trajectory and in establishing Epson as a dominant force in the office print segment of the market."
Prior to assuming this new role, Contreras was Commercial Marketing Executive for Epson's North America Business Inkjet organization. Contreras also held a number of leadership roles at Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc. where he was responsible for U.S. and Latin America marketing strategies, channel programs, strategic partnerships, and business development for the company's product portfolio. He holds a bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University.
About Epson Business Inkjet
Epson's portfolio of high-performance business inkjet printing solutions forge the future of office printing and set the new standard for minimal intervention, affordability and low energy consumption. Engineered with Epson's innovative PrecisionCore Heat-Free Technology, Epson's groundbreaking business printing solutions – from Supertank, WorkForce®, WorkForce Pro and WorkForce Pro HC for hybrid work-from-home and in-office small businesses to WorkForce Enterprise – deliver high performance with few moving parts to exceed market needs.
To learn more about Epson's portfolio of business inkjet printing solutions, visit Epson.com/BusinessInkjet. To learn more about Epson PrecisionCore Heat-Free Technology, visit Epson.com/Heat-Free.
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's goal is to 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).
EPSON, PrecisionCore, and WorkForce, are registered trademarks, EPSON Exceed Your Vision is a registered logomark, and PrecisionCore Heat-Free Technology is a trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation. All other product and brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any and all rights in these marks. Copyright 2021 Epson America, Inc.
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SOURCE Epson America, Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/21/epson-america-appoints-joseph-contreras-head-sales-channel-marketing-business-inkjet-organization/ | 2022-06-21T09:01:23Z |
SALADO — The faithful at First Cedar Valley Baptist Church haven’t missed any Sunday worship services since an EF-3 tornado leveled the building on April 12.
“It was a Tuesday afternoon when the tornado wiped away that church, and we haven’t skipped a Sunday since,” said the Rev. Donnie Jackson, pastor of the church. “The very next Sunday was Easter Sunday, and we had the service right on the slab. I think we had about 280 people.”
Services continued as a tent was erected, allowing the faithful to continue worshiping.
“We had service in the tent for two to three weeks,” Jackson said. “Our builder was building a temporary space for us, and we moved right in.”
For Jackson, the site of worship was irrelevant since he said all he needed was his congregation to honor the Creator.
“The building is not the church,” he said. “The church is the people. When we had a group of people, it didn’t matter if we were outside, if we were under a tree, or whatever. We were going to worship because of the people of the church.”
For three months, the church could not do its monthly singings — a gathering of musicians that praised the Lord through song — until a temporary building was put in place.
“We’ve always had a monthly singing,” Jackson said. “We decided to start it up again.”
The singings usually included hundreds of people but the temporary building seats about 75. On Friday, the tradition was brought back as many faithful gathered to worship.
Killeen resident James Cabrera, a self-taught bass player who worships at the Triple 7 Baptist Fellowship in Ding Dong, made the drive Friday to Salado to praise the Lord with song.
“One day, I was cleaning the church, and they had a bass guitar sitting there,” he said. “I picked it up and taught myself how to play. Now I feel comfortable enough to be part of something. About three or four years ago, we started coming here. I wanted to come to support the church.”
Cabrera hoped the event would attract a good group to have a virtuous jam session.
“I hope we have enough folks out here to make a difference,” he said. “I hope we get a lot of musicians to make a lot of noise to praise the Lord.”
Virtuous jam session
There is no sign-up sheet or program for the event. Instead, musicians walk up to the front of the stage or get called on by Jackson if no one volunteers.
Etta Sharp, a worshipper at the church, did not wait to be called upon. She took out her guitar, and after a short on-the-spot sound check, began to play and sing.
“It feels great to be here,” she said in an interview before the show. “God sends people here. He just does. I’ve been doing the singings for about five years — way before that tornado ripped us off of our church building.”
The love for music and the ability to use it to worship was instilled in Sharp by her lineage growing up.
“I’ve been playing since I was 13,” she said. “I’ve been playing for many, many moons. My grandparents praised through music. Momma played the fiddle.”
The tradition at Cedar Valley has been going on for about 35 years on the fourth Friday of the month.
“It’s mostly a get-together for people that love gospel music,” said Jackson. “Sometimes, it can turn into some of the best worship times that you’ve ever seen. When the Holy Spirit is moving, whether in singing or a church service, that’s all that really matters.”
Growing up in the church
Jackson began worshipping at the church in the early 1960s as a teen.
“This is my home church,” he said. “I started leading music here when I was 15 years old. I’m 77 now.”
Life took him away from Salado for some of the time of his life.
“I helped open the first three 7-Eleven stores in Killeen in 1965,” he said. “After we opened the third store, I stayed there as manager. Shortly after, I got my draft notice. I spent two years in the Army.”
Once his service was completed, job opportunities took him to Shreveport, La., Memphis, Tenn., and the Dallas area.
“After we got back to Dallas, my kids were starting school and I decided to come back to Salado so I could raise them the way I was raised,” Jackson said.
Back in Salado, Jackson moved into a family property and opened up a convenience store by Interstate 35 in 1976.
“We owned that for 21 years,” he said. “During that time, I helped build a church called Grace Baptist Church. Then I came back to Cedar Valley to lead music here.”
Rebuilding to reopen
Eventually Jackson took the reins and became pastor of the church that molded him into the man he is today.
“It feels great,” he said. “Wherever God called me to serve, that’s where I wanted to be. But I always had the desire to be where I grew up. I grew up in this church since I was an itty-bitty little boy. It’s very special to pastor your home church.”
On the rolling Central Texas prairie about eight miles from I-35, the country road leading up to the church still shows signs of devastation — toppled trees, flipped cars and empty lots where homes once stood.
The new church, a massive wooden structure, stands out amongst the remaining signs of the tornado as construction continues at its site at 12237 FM 2843.
“We’re hoping to be open around Thanksgiving or Christmas this year,” Jackson said. “It’s been amazing to see what we’ve done already.” | https://www.tdtnews.com/news/central_texas_news/article_f6613f14-0afb-11ed-8a60-a30625f1150f.html | 2022-07-24T04:45:17Z |
NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 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
Weiss Law is investigating possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law by the board of directors of Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: AERI), in connection with the proposed acquisition of AERI by Alcon Inc. Under the terms of the merger agreement, AERI shareholders will receive $15.25 in cash for each share of AERI common stock owned. If you own AERI 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/aeri
Weiss Law is investigating possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law by the board of directors of Computer Services, Inc. (OTCQX: CSVI), in connection with the proposed acquisition of CSVI by Centerbridge Partners, L.P. and Bridgeport Partners. Under the terms of the merger agreement, CSVI shareholders will receive $58.00 in cash for each share of CSVI common stock owned. If you own CSVI shares and wish to discuss this investigation or your rights, call us at one of the numbers listed above or visit our website: https://www.weisslaw.co/news-and-cases/csvi
Weiss Law is investigating possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law by the board of directors of EVO Payments, Inc. (NASDAQ: EVOP), in connection with the proposed acquisition of EVOP by Global Payments Inc. Under the terms of the merger agreement, EVOP shareholders will receive $34.00 in cash for each share of EVOP common stock owned. If you own EVOP shares and wish to discuss this investigation or your rights, call us at one of the numbers listed above or visit our website: https://www.weisslaw.co/news-and-cases/evop
Weiss Law is investigating possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law by the board of directors of Hill International, Inc. (NYSE: HIL), in connection with the proposed merger of HIL with Global Infrastructure Solutions Inc. via tender offer. Under the terms of the merger agreement, HIL shareholders will receive $2.85 in cash for each share of HIL common stock owned. If you own HIL 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/hil
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SOURCE Weiss Law | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/09/08/shareholder-alert-weiss-law-reminds-aeri-csvi-evop-hil-shareholders-about-its-ongoing-investigations/ | 2022-09-08T21:22:56Z |
DETROIT (AP) — Teslas with partially automated driving systems are a step closer to being recalled after the U.S. elevated its investigation into a series of collisions with parked emergency vehicles or trucks with warning signs.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Thursday that it is upgrading the Tesla probe to an engineering analysis, another sign of increased scrutiny of the electric vehicle maker and automated systems that perform at least some driving tasks.
Documents posted Thursday by the agency raise some serious issues about Tesla’s Autopilot system. The agency found that it’s being used in areas where its capabilities are limited, and that many drivers aren’t taking action to avoid crashes despite warnings from the vehicle.
The probe now covers 830,000 vehicles, almost everything that the Austin, Texas, carmaker has sold in the U.S. since the start of the 2014 model year.
NHTSA reported that it has found 16 crashes into emergency vehicles and trucks with warning signs, causing 15 injuries and one death.
Investigators will evaluate additional data, vehicle performance and “explore the degree to which Autopilot and associated Tesla systems may exacerbate human factors or behavioral safety risks, undermining the effectiveness of the driver’s supervision,” the agency said.
A message was left Thursday seeking comment from Tesla.
An engineering analysis is the final stage of an investigation, and in most cases NHTSA decides within a year if there should be a recall or the probe should be closed.
In the majority of the 16 crashes, the Teslas issued collision alerts to the drivers just before impact. Automatic emergency braking intervened to at least slow the cars in about half the cases. On average, Autopilot gave up control of the Teslas less than a second before the crash, NHTSA said in documents detailing the probe.
NHTSA also said it’s looking into crashes involving similar patterns that did not include emergency vehicles or trucks with warning signs.
The agency found that in many cases, drivers had their hands on the steering wheel as Tesla requires, yet failed to take action to avoid a crash. This suggests that drivers are complying with Tesla’s monitoring system, but it doesn’t make sure they’re paying attention.
In crashes were video is available, drivers should have seen first responder vehicles an average of eight seconds before impact, the agency wrote.
The agency will have to decide if there is a safety defect with Autopilot before pursuing a recall.
Investigators also wrote that a driver’s use or misuse of the driver monitoring system “or operation of a vehicle in an unintended manner does not necessarily preclude a system defect.”
The agency document all but says Tesla’s method of making sure drivers pay attention isn’t good enough, that it’s defective and should be recalled, said Bryant Walker Smith, a University of South Carolina law professor who studies automated vehicles.
“It is really easy to have a hand on the wheel and be completely disengaged from driving,” he said. Monitoring a driver’s hand position is not effective because it only measures a physical position. “It is not concerned with their mental capacity, their engagement or their ability to respond.”
Similar systems from other companies such as General Motors’ Super Cruise use infrared cameras to watch a driver’s eyes or face to ensure they’re looking forward. But even these systems may still allow a driver to zone out, Walker Smith said.
“This is confirmed in study after study,” he said. “This is established fact that people can look engaged and not be engaged. You can have your hand on the wheel and you can be looking forward and not have the situational awareness that’s required.”
In total, the agency looked at 191 crashes but removed 85 of them because other drivers were involved or there wasn’t enough information to do a definite assessment. Of the remaining 106, the main cause of about one-quarter of the crashes appeared to be running Autopilot in areas where it has limitations, or in conditions that can interfere with its operation.
“For example, operation on roadways other than limited access highways, or operation in low traction or visibility environments such as rain, snow or ice,” the agency wrote.
Other automakers limit use of their systems to limited-access divided highways.
The National Transportation Safety Board, which also has investigated some of the Tesla crashes dating to 2016, has recommended that NHTSA and Tesla limit Autopilot’s use to areas where it can safely operate. The NTSB also recommended that NHTSA require Tesla to have a better system to make sure drivers are paying attention. NHTSA has yet to act on the recommendations. The NTSB can only make recommendations to other federal agencies.
In a statement, NHTSA said there aren’t any vehicles available for purchase today that can drive themselves. “Every available vehicle requires the human driver to be in control at all times, and all state laws hold the human driver responsible for operation of their vehicles,” the agency said.
Driver-assist systems can help avoid crashes but must be used correctly and responsibly, the agency said.
Tesla did an online update of Autopilot software last fall to improve camera detection of emergency vehicle lights in low-light conditions. NHTSA has asked why the company didn’t do a recall.
NHTSA began its inquiry in August of last year after a string of crashes since 2018 in which Teslas using the company’s Autopilot or Traffic Aware Cruise Control systems hit vehicles at scenes where first responders used flashing lights, flares, an illuminated arrow board, or cones warning of hazards. | https://cw33.com/technology/ap-technology/us-advances-probe-of-teslas-running-into-emergency-vehicles/ | 2022-06-10T14:30:45Z |
Polls close in pivotal Philippines election that could put Marcoses back in power
By Helen Regan and Yasmin Coles, CNN
Polls closed on Monday in a pivotal election in the Philippines that could see the son of a late dictator elected to the country’s highest office.
About 65.7 million registered voters across the country cast their ballots to replace populist leader Rodrigo Duterte, who steps down after six years.
For the presidency, former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr is facing off against Leni Robredo — currently the vice president — and eight other candidates, including former boxing champion Manny Pacquiao and Manila mayor and former actor Isko Moreno.
Voters are also deciding the vice presidency — in a separate race from the presidency — and 18,000 other positions including senators and local representatives.
Before voting began on Monday, opinion polls had Marcos Jr, known in the Philippines as Bongbong, as a clear frontrunner ahead of closest rival Robredo.
Rising living costs and tackling corruption are among the issues the candidates have campaigned on.
Nicolas Saban, who cast his vote in Manila, said this election is a chance for “peace.”
“Our situation is not good now, the prices of goods are too high. Maybe the next leader will be able to control it,” he told CNN. He said he’s voting for “someone who can control the poverty in our country and for the corruption to finally go away.”
Julie, who gave only one name, said she is voting for a candidate who is “smart,” strong and “someone who is ready to help people.”
“For me, it’s about addressing criminality, people’s security, and the security of the country. Those are important to me. As well as the lives of the people, every place in the country should be peaceful. And people should be assured that they have something to eat,” Julie said.
A win for Marcos Jr would return the Marcos dynasty to the Malacañang Palace, more than three decades after the family fled a mass uprising in 1986.
Marcos Jr is the son and namesake of former authoritarian leader Ferdinand Marcos Sr, whose 21-year rule was marked by human rights abuses and plunder of the state coffers.
Tens of thousands of people were imprisoned, tortured or killed during a period of martial law enforced by Marcos Sr from 1972 to 1981, according to human rights groups. The Philippines’ Presidential Commission on Good Governance (PCGG) tasked with recovering the family and their associates’ ill-gotten wealth estimates about $10 billion was stolen from the Filipino people.
The Marcos family has repeatedly denied abuses under martial law and using state funds for their personal use.
Campaigners say the Marcoses were never held accountable. Victims of martial law are still fighting for justice.
Whoever wins will replace President Duterte, the tough-talking leader known internationally for cracking down on civil society and the media, and a bloody war on drugs that has claimed the lives of more than 6,000 people, according to police. Despite his record on human rights and the Covid-19 pandemic, which made the country’s hunger crisis worse, Duterte remains hugely popular domestically.
The election also has ramifications beyond the country’s borders. With China and the US increasingly treating the Indo-Pacific as a staging ground for their global showdown, the Philippines will likely come under growing economic and geopolitical pressure, particularly as its territorial claims in the South China Sea overlap with those of Beijing.
Analysts say there is an opportunity for a reset of the Philippines’ relationships with both major powers — and the outcome of the vote could shift the balance of power in Asia.
Marcos Jr
Marcos Jr has run on a platform of “unity” and has promised more jobs, lower prices, and more investment in agriculture and infrastructure.
His running mate for vice president is Sara Duterte Carpio, the daughter of Rodrigo Duterte, and their supporters see them as continuing his policies on infrastructure and his controversial war on drugs.
Marcos Jr, a former senator, has tied his campaign to his father’s legacy, with his slogan “rise again” tapping into the nostalgia of some who see Marcos Sr’s time as a golden era for the country.
Supporters of the Marcos family say the period was a time of progress and prosperity, characterized by the building of major infrastructure like hospitals, roads and bridges. Critics say that was an illusion and those projects were driven by widespread corruption, foreign loans and ballooning debt.
Marcos Jr was 29 when his family were chased into exile in Hawaii following the People Power revolution that toppled his father’s regime in 1986. Marcos Sr died in exile three years later, but his family returned in 1991 and became wealthy, influential politicians, with successive family members representing their dynastic stronghold of Ilocos Norte.
Marcos Jr’s rise to presidential favorite follows a decades-old rebranding campaign to revive the Marcos family’s name and image — a campaign that has more recently been super-charged by social media, analysts say.
Fatima Gaw, co-covenor of the Philippine Media Monitoring Laboratory, says YouTube is a “breeding ground” for videos that deny, distort or even justify the atrocities under Marcos Sr.
“They’ve been using a lot of influencers or content creators on YouTube, to peddle this fabricated narrative about the Marcos era being the golden age of the Philippines, that there was peace and order during the time,” said Gaw, who is also assistant professor of communication research at the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication.
Other analysts said Marcos Jr appeals to Filipinos tired of the political bickering and promises of progress and economic reform from successive administrations that many feel have failed to benefit ordinary people.
Robredo
Robredo, 57, a former human rights lawyer who is running as an independent, has promised transparency in government, to tackle corruption, improve the education system and ensure free access to doctors.
Her campaigning has been supported by an army of citizen volunteers going house to house canvassing votes, and her rallies have consistently drawn hundreds of thousands of people.
Robredo has been a frequent critic of the Duterte administration and has fought publicly with the President over his war on drugs, which she has called “senseless.”
Throughout campaigning, she positioned herself as an alternative to the Marcos-Duterte partnership, promoting good governance and speaking up for human rights.
Journalist Maria Ressa, the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize winner and president and chief executive of local media outlet Rappler, told CNN Robredo’s campaign has sparked a movement.
“Whatever happens next, this country has never been here before. The kind of volunteer spirit that Leni Robredo has sparked, that in order to get out of social media, there are volunteers going house to house — that has never happened in the Philippines,” she said.
The presidential race bears some similarities to the 2016 election, when Marcos Jr took on Robredo for the vice presidency. On that occasion Marcos Jr lost, despite leading in the polls for most of the race.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/news/national-world/cnn-asia-pacific/2022/05/09/polls-close-in-pivotal-philippines-election-that-could-put-marcoses-back-in-power/ | 2022-05-09T13:08:05Z |
Leading water heater manufacturer commemorates the success of its milestone 1992 commitment to manufacturing products for professional installation only.
AMBLER, Pa., July 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bradford White Corporation, an industry-leading manufacturer of water heaters, boilers and storage tanks, is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its commitment to manufacturing its Built to be the Best® products for professional installation only.
In 1992, Bradford White announced a new business model to journey beyond the industry trend of highly competitive retail sales and reaffirmed their commitment to American manufacturing. Throughout 2022, the company will commemorate 30 years of For the Pro® focused engineering, manufacturing, sales and support of their products.
"This year marks an important milestone for our company," said Bruce Carnevale, president and CEO of Bradford White Corp. "Over the last 30 years, Bradford White has stood out for our unique vision of directly supporting the people on the front lines of this essential industry. We've built meaningful relationships with our customers, industry partners and employees, and it's thanks to their loyalty and dedication that we've been able to remain For the Pro® for three decades."
Throughout the last 30 years, Bradford White has demonstrated its dedication to the hard-working professionals who are the foundation of the industry by continually delivering innovative resources to support the sales, distribution, installation, and maintenance of its products.
"Bradford White's 30-year commitment to our professional installation pledge has been a crucial part of our success," Carnevale said. "Our customers expect exceptional quality and service from Bradford White products and our employees. That continues to drive us to innovate and invest in the people and tools that will ensure we meet and exceed our customers' expectations and always offer them a world-class experience."
As part of this year's 30th anniversary, Bradford White will launch its enhanced For the Pro® contractor portal, an exclusive website providing resources supporting professional contractors. The relaunched For the Pro® portal will include added features and modernized functionality to elevate value and user experience. References to Bradford White's 30 years of commitment to professional contractors and the industry at large will be the focus of the company's marketing communications messaging for the balance of 2022.
For more information about Bradford White Corporation, visit https://www.bradfordwhitecorporation.com.
About Bradford White Corporation
Bradford White Corp. is a full-line manufacturer of residential, commercial and industrial water heating, space heating, combination heating and storage products. The company maintains headquarters in Ambler, Pennsylvania, and has manufacturing facilities in Middleville, Michigan; Niles, Michigan; and Rochester, New Hampshire; and distribution and training centers in Halton Hills, Ontario, Canada. For more information, visit www.bradfordwhitecorporation.com.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Heather Ripley
Ripley PR
(865) 977-1973
hripley@ripleypr.com
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SOURCE Bradford White Corporation | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/22/bradford-white-celebrates-30-years-commitment-professional/ | 2022-07-22T11:40:29Z |
Tesla recalls 130K vehicles; touch screens can go blank
DETROIT (AP) — Tesla is recalling about 130,000 vehicles across its U.S. model lineup because the touch screens can overheat and go blank.
The recall covers certain Model S sedan and Model X SUVs from 2021 and 2022, as well as Model 3 cars and Model Y SUVs from 2022.
Documents posted Tuesday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration say that during the fast-charging process, the central processing computers may not cool sufficiently. That can cause the computer to lag or restart, making the center screen run slowly or appear blank.
Without the center screen, the cars can lose rearview camera displays and settings that control windshield defrosters, increasing the risk of a crash.
Tesla is fixing the problem with online software updates that began on May 3.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/05/10/tesla-recalls-130k-vehicles-touch-screens-can-go-blank/ | 2022-05-10T13:34:50Z |
HOUSTON, June 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG) is scheduled to present at the J.P. Morgan Energy, Power and Renewables Conference at 6:40 a.m. Central time (7:40 a.m. Eastern time) on Wednesday, June 22. Lloyd W. "Billy" Helms, Jr., President and Chief Operating Officer, will present on behalf of EOG.
Please visit the Investors/Events & Presentations page on the EOG website to access live webcasts and any available replays for up to one year.
About EOG
EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE: EOG) is one of the largest crude oil and natural gas exploration and production companies in the United States with proved reserves in the United States and Trinidad. To learn more visit www.eogresources.com.
Investor Contacts
David Streit 713-571-4902
Neel Panchal 713-571-4884
Media and Investor Contact
Kimberly Ehmer 713-571-4676
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SOURCE EOG Resources, Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/09/eog-resources-present-upcoming-conference/ | 2022-06-09T21:23:08Z |
Elon Musk backtracks on Tesla layoffs
(CNN) - Tesla CEO Elon Musk is backtracking on comments he made last week about possible staffing reductions.
The Musk-centered site Tesmanian reported details from an email to staff regarding employee head count.
According to the site, Musk said the company would increase the hourly head count but reduce the salaried head-count by 10%.
After Tesla shares dropped 9% on Friday, Musk changed his tone a bit.
On Saturday, Musk tweeted the company’s “total head count will increase, but salaried should be fairly flat.”
That appeared somewhat at odds with a tweet just hours later where Musk said that the Tesmanian story was “accurate.”
Musk also threatened Monday to walk away from his proposed purchase of Twitter.
Tesla shares have been hurt by Musk’s interest in Twitter. Some investors worry it would distract him from running the company or force him to sell more Tesla shares to raise cash.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/06/07/elon-musk-backtracks-tesla-layoffs/ | 2022-06-07T12:24:37Z |
TIJUANA (Border Report) — The city of Tijuana often has the unfavorable distinction of being the “Most Violent City in the World” or “Most Dangerous City in the World,” but it’s also recognized as a top Mexican destination for travelers.
The coastal border city has been nominated Mexico and Central America’s Leading City Break Destinations by the World Travel Awards.
Tijuana is nominated along with Acapulco, Mexico; Belize City, Belize; Cancún, Mexico; Mazatlán, Mexico; Mexico City, Mexico; Oaxaca, Mexico; Panama City, Panama; Playa del Carmen, Mexico; and San José, Costa Rica.
Voting will be conducted online at the World Travel Awards website through July 29. Results will be made public in a few months and will be published on WTA’s website.
Tijuana has received this nomination for the past three years. It was also named Mexico’s Leading City Break Destination in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Tijuana was nominated Mexico’s Leading Destination those same years. | https://cw33.com/news/tijuana-up-for-word-travel-award/ | 2022-06-07T15:44:02Z |
Grants to 53 organizations across region focus on basic needs, workforce development, and education in disadvantaged and vulnerable communities
ATLANTA, Aug. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of America announced more than $1.2 million in grants to 53 Atlanta nonprofits to help drive economic opportunity for individuals and families. Grants focus on workforce development and education to help individuals chart a path to employment and better economic futures, as well as basic needs fundamental to building life-long stability.
While Atlanta's economy is recovering from the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Georgia's unemployment rate (2.9%) is better than the national average (3.6%), the state has also added more jobs. According to the Georgia Department of Labor, the state's jobs are at all-time high.
Employment is a key driver of economic mobility in Atlanta. That's why the bank is focused on building pathways to employment by supporting a range of workforce development and educational opportunities that will help vulnerable individuals and families stabilize and advance.
"Investing in partnerships with nonprofit organizations addressing issues like workforce development, food insecurity and affordable housing is part of our approach to driving economic opportunity and social progress in Atlanta," said Al McRae, president, Bank of America Atlanta. "This recent philanthropic investment in Atlanta nonprofits is just one way Bank of America deploys capital locally to help remove barriers to economic success and build a more sustainable community."
One Bank of America grant recipient is Georgia Justice Project (GJP). For 15 years, GJP has helped individuals clean up their criminal history to remove barriers to employment, housing and education. With this support from Bank of America, GJP will be able to help people leaving the criminal justice system become empowered members of our community.
"One mistake should not mean a lifetime without opportunity," said Georgia Justice Project's Executive Director, Doug Ammar. "This support from Bank of America will help Georgia Justice Project expand its commitment to Georgians who have been impacted by the criminal legal system and help marginalized people get a second chance. Our gratitude to Bank of America for furthering our mission to reduce crime and recidivism in our communities by empowering individuals to make positive changes in their lives."
The full list of organizations receiving grants are:
- Asian American Resource Foundation
- Atlanta Business League
- Atlanta Center for Self Sufficiency
- Atlanta Police Foundation
- Atlanta Victim Assistance
- Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation
- Back on My Feet
- Bigger Vision of Athens
- Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese Atlanta
- CHRIS 180
- City of Refuge
- Clark Atlanta University
- Communities in Schools of Atlanta
- Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School
- Dalton State College Foundation
- East Lake Foundation
- Families First
- Family Promise of Hall County
- Food Bank of Northeast Georgia
- Genesis Joy House Homeless Shelter
- Georgia Justice Project
- Georgia Mountain Food Bank
- Grady Health System
- Grove Park Foundation
- Jonathan's House Ministries
- Junior Achievement of Georgia
- La Amistad
- Latin American Association
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation
- Meals on Wheels Atlanta
- Must Ministries
- Nana Grants
- Open Hand Atlanta
- Partnership Against Domestic Violence
- Per Scholas
- Saint Joseph's Mercy Care Services
- Shelters to Shutters
- Strive International
- Teach for America
- The Posse Foundation
- The Summit Counseling Center
- The Urban League of Greater Atlanta
- Trees Atlanta
- United Negro College Fund
- United Way of Greater Atlanta
- University of Georgia Research Foundation
- Urban League of Greater Columbus
- Urban Health and Wellness
- Women in Technology
- Women Moving On
- Year Up
- Young Men's Christian Association of Athens, GA
- Young Women's Christian Organization of Athens, GA
Since 2017, Bank of America's nearly 5,000 Atlanta teammates have contributed over 255,000 volunteer hours and $30 million in grant support to organizations in metro Atlanta. These investments are part of the company's commitment to responsible growth to improve the financial lives of individuals, families, and communities across the state.
Learn more about Bank of America's Philanthropic Strategy
Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 67 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 4,000 retail financial centers, approximately 16,000 ATMs and award-winning digital banking with approximately 55 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and approximately 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Reporters may contact:
Matthew Daily, Bank of America
Phone: 1.404.607.2844
matthew.daily@bofa.com
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SOURCE Bank of America Corporation | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/18/bank-america-awards-more-than-12-million-atlanta-nonprofits/ | 2022-08-18T15:40:47Z |
- Firm quantifies the "Great Resignation" and the challenges employers face attracting and retaining top talent
- Average budgeted employee salary increases reach 5.2 percent, up from 4.5 percent last year
CHICAGO, June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Aon plc (NYSE: AON) reported a 41 percent spike in voluntary employee departures last year amid the "Great Resignation" in the United States, according to data from the firm's Salary Increase and Turnover Study. Aon, a leading global professional services firm, reported 21.8 percent of U.S. employees left their jobs in 2021, of which 17.2 percent departed voluntarily. In 2020, 19.7 percent left employers, of which 11.9 percent departed voluntarily.
"The spike we've seen in voluntary departures quantifies the challenges employers face during this period we call the 'Great Resignation,'" said Michael Burke, CEO for Human Capital Solutions at Aon. "Employers must look to the underlying root cause and not merely treat the symptoms. They will need to review total rewards strategies and look at resilience, agility, wellbeing and purpose in order to retain and attract top talent in their respective industries. A tight labor market will continue to challenge employers in the near term."
Figures come from Aon's Human Capital Solutions bi-annual Salary Increase and Turnover Study, which is a global survey of nearly 2,000 employers. The report provides insights on salary increases and employee retention powered by industry-leading data and analytics that reflects how broader economic circumstances impact the talent landscape.
The study also shows:
- Average budgeted salary increases in 2022 reached 5.2 percent, up from 4.5 percent last year in the U.S. This includes merit raises and promotions.
- Forty percent of U.S. employers say they will hire aggressively in 2022, while 46 percent plan to hire at a normal pace, 13 percent will be very selective and 1 percent will freeze hiring.
- Energy (10.6 percent), construction (15 percent) and financial services (15.6 percent) had the lowest voluntary departure rates among industries measured.
The report includes measurable data samples from 10 industries, which include business consulting, construction/real estate, energy, entertainment, financial services, life sciences, manufacturing, retail/hospitality, technology and transportation.
"We use these data insights to provide advice and solutions that give employers from an array of industries the clarity and confidence needed to make better decisions to protect and grow their business," said Michael Deeks, global head of the data business for Human Capital Solutions at Aon. "It's a hot job market out there and as a result, we are seeing turnover grow and many companies allocate more money in their salary budgets."
To learn more about the report, click here.
Aon plc (NYSE: AON) exists to shape decisions for the better — to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Our colleagues provide our clients in over 120 countries with advice and solutions that give them the clarity and confidence to make better decisions to protect and grow their business.
Follow Aon on Twitter and LinkedIn. Stay up-to-date by visiting the Aon Newsroom and sign up for News Alerts here.
Media Contact
Robert Elfinger
robert.elfinger@aon.com
+1 312 381 0071
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SOURCE Aon plc | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/02/voluntary-employee-departures-spike-41-percent-among-us-businesses-aon-reports/ | 2022-06-02T11:51:12Z |
The Company Reported A 10% Increase In Revenue And Net Income of more than $900,000 For The Six Months Ended June 30, 2022
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho, Aug. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- International Isotopes Inc. (OTCQB: INIS) (the "Company" or "INIS") announces its financial results for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2022.
Revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2022, was $5,242,249 compared to $4,752,408 for the same period in 2021. This was an overall increase of approximately 10% and was the result of a significant increase in sales of radiochemical products. Revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2022, was $2,434,808 compared to $2,759,896 for the same period in 2021, an overall decrease of approximately 12%. The decrease in revenue for the three-month period was largely the result of decreased sales of cobalt products which was largely attributable to the timing of sales in the period comparisons.
The Company's net income for the six-month period ended June 30, 2022, was $982,997 compared to a net loss of $782,539 for the same period in 2021. The increase in net income was attributable to a $1.8 million gain on the sale of assets during the first quarter and by continued increases in radiochemical sales. The Company did report a net loss for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022, of $272,048, compared to a net loss of $181,387 for the same period in 2021. The net loss was largely attributable to the lack of cobalt product sales during the second quarter.
The following provides a summary of our current business segment performance for the three-and six-month periods.
Revenue from the radiochemical products segment increased approximately 12% for the three-month period and 59% for the six-month period ended June 30, 2022, compared to the same periods in 2021. The increase in both periods was primarily the result of growth in our customer base and increased customer purchasing volumes. Our sodium iodide drug is used to treat thyroid cancer and diseases of the thyroid and we are currently the only domestic supplier of this important drug product.
Revenue from nuclear medicine products, operating as RadQual LLC, for the three months ended June 30, 2022, increased less than 1% compared to the same period in 2021. Revenue from nuclear medicine products for the six months ended June 30, 2022, decreased approximately 8% compared to the same period in 2021. The Company believes the decrease in revenue over the six-month period and smaller than hoped increase over the three-month period are both attributable to the lingering impact of COVID-19 on patient nuclear medicine treatment and imaging procedures.
Revenue from the sale of cobalt products for the three months ended June 30, 2022, decreased approximately 83% and revenue for the six months period decreased approximately 61% compared to the same period in 2021. The decrease for both periods was primarily due to the timing of sales. Large volume cobalt sales typically occur on a somewhat random basis and can have a significant impact on period-to-period comparisons. The Company continues to expect a significant increase in cobalt sales during the second half of the year.
Steve Laflin, President, and CEO of the Company, said, "We continue to expect very positive financial performance for the Company for the remainder of this year. Radiochemical product sales are expected to continue to be strong in the third and fourth quarter. There are several significant cobalt sales scheduled for the second half of the year which should boost revenue performance in that segment. And, steps we are taking to strengthen our sales force, marketing presence, and conduct special product promotions should help the nuclear medicine reference and calibration standards improve sales as well. We also believe the lingering negative impact COVID-19 will continue to dissipate. Overall, we believe the Company will continue to generate positive cash flow and we expect to report a strong finish to, and overall profit for, the calendar year."
About International Isotopes Inc.
International Isotopes Inc. manufactures a wide range of calibration and reference standards for nuclear medicine, generic sodium iodide I-131 drug product for hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer, Cobalt-60 sealed source products, and provides contract manufacturing of various drug products for clients.
International Isotopes Inc. Safe Harbor Statement
Certain statements in this press release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including, but not limited to, statements with respect to future performance of the Company's business segments and the impact that COVID-19 will, or will not have on our business performance and revenue growth. Information contained in such forward-looking statements is based on current expectations and is subject to change. These statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements of the Company expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Other factors, which could materially affect such forward-looking statements, can be found in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021. Investors, potential investors, and other readers are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements made herein are only made as of the date of this press release and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
David Drewitz
Creative Options Communications
Investor and Public Relations
david@creativeoptionscommunications.com
www.creativeoptionsmaketing.com
Phone: 972-814-5723
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SOURCE International Isotopes Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/16/international-isotopes-inc-announces-financial-results-second-quarter-six-months-2022/ | 2022-08-16T14:46:39Z |
LOS ANGELES, June 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Beachwear lifestyle brand Cupshe and Bachelorette season 12 star, JoJo Fletcher teamed up to create a summer swimwear collection available exclusively at Cupshe.com launching on June 1st.
Together, the TV host and accessible swimwear brand will launch a 19-piece collection designed by JoJo under $40. The Cupshe x JoJo Fletcher collection combines the joy and realness of JoJo Fletcher with the bright and luxurious spirit of Cupshe.
Cupshe x JoJo Fletcher features bikinis, one-piece suits and cover ups that merge JoJo's bold femininity with Cupshe's essential silhouettes to create one-of-a-kind pieces. The traditional black bikini is elevated with the addition of keyhole cutouts and sexy straps. Glittery brown, floral pastels and retro purple prints are seen throughout the collection in plunging deep v necklines, ultra-cheeky bottoms and statement sleeves.
"I live by the motto, 'Joie de Vivre', and I wanted that joy and optimism to be seen throughout this collection. Cupshe already has amazing suits that are so full of life, I simply added my JoJo touch with fun sleeves, sexy silhouettes and cheetah print! I believe there's truly a style for everyone, whether you are packing for your wellness retreat or chatting poolside with the girls," says Fletcher.
The capsule is available exclusively on Cupshe.com with prices ranging from now $17-$37.99 in sizes XS to XL. Images, additional styles and line sheets are available HERE.
About Cupshe:
Founded in 2015, Cupshe is a beachwear brand dedicated to offering swimwear and apparel inspired by and created for the most vibrant, fun, and fearless women all over the world. Cupshe is committed to staying true to its mission of empowering women everywhere to look and feel their best in quality, elevated and accessible swimwear. Celebrity fans of Cupshe include Olivia Culpo, Hilary Duff, Bella Thorne, Jamie Chung, Brandi Cyrus and more For more information visit cupshe.com
For more information, please contact:
Khortlyn Cole
Khortlyn@michelemariepr.com
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SOURCE Cupshe | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/01/summer-style-jojo-fletcher-partners-with-cupshe-swimwear-an-exclusive-collection/ | 2022-06-01T18:35:46Z |
STOCKHOLM, Sept. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Crypto Games AG is announcing the development of CryptoGammon, a blockchain-based backgammon, on the Concordium Blockchain.
With Concordium's commitment to confidentiality and accountability, the possibilities of how backgammon could evolve in the metaverse are endless. Players will participate in tournaments and test their skills against people from all over the world in a secure environment provided by Concordium and its ID-framework.
In accordance with Concordium and Crypto Games AG's sustainability efforts, players will also have the opportunity to trade unique NFTs in-game on the net-zero carbon emission NFT marketplace SpaceSeven, as well as compete for prizes in the native Concordium cryptocurrency CCD.
"By harnessing Concordium's pioneering ID layer technology, Crypto Games AG will be able to develop CryptoGammon, a p2p skill-based gambling game, in a responsible, secure, and compliant way, ensuring that players meet age requirements and can otherwise be banned" says Kapil Kumar Chairman of 9HZ.
Backgammon will be the first out of many games that Crypto Games AG will develop in a partnership with 9HZ, an ISO 9001:2010 certified leading software development company with more than 1800 launched projects, hundreds of developers with extensive Rust experience, and a state-of-the-art NFT game development division with 65 NFT games app developers and over 650 NFT games.
"CryptoGammon serves as a perfect example that classic games, deeply rooted in history, can join the blockchain space to innovate and develop new opportunities. In the case of CryptoGammon, blockchain makes it possible for you to compete with anyone from anywhere in the world for a prize you agree on. Concordiums ID-Layer provides a safe and transparent platform, ensuring that players meet age requirements and can transact in confidence and trust", says Lars Seier Christensen, Chairman of Concordium Foundation.
Crypto Games AG has been awarded the 'Free and Open Grant' by the Concordium Foundation for the development of CryptoGammon on Concordium Blockchain. An ambitious project that aims to fund projects that support the Concordium Ecosystem.
CONTACT:
Concordium
Maria Amalia Rojas
Marketing Director
mar@concordium.com
Crypto Games AG
Walter Anton Häcki
walter@cryptogames.ch
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SOURCE Concordium | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/09/06/crypto-games-ag-takes-backgammon-metaverse-concordium-blockchain/ | 2022-09-06T08:22:59Z |
ÖSTERSUND, Sweden, May 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Skanska has divested the office building Nowy Rynek D in Poznan, Poland, to Eastnine for EUR 121 M, about SEK 1.3 billion. The transaction will be recorded by Skanska Commercial Development Europe in the second quarter 2022. The transfer of the property will take place immediately.
The D building is part of Skanska's Nowy Rynek office complex and has a leasable area of around 39,000 square meters, of which 96 percent of the office and retail space is leased. The anchor tenant is Allegro, the largest e-commerce platform of European origin. Office space have also been leased, among others, by tenants with strong, global brands like Rockwool and Arvato.
The building has received the WELL Health & Safety and Building without Barriers certifications and is the first investment in Poznan applying for a WELL Core & Shell certificate. It is also expected to obtain a LEED Core & Shell certificate. The construction was completed in the second quarter of 2021.
Nowy Rynek is a mixed-use project located in the central business district in Poznan. Once fully completed, it will offer approximately 100,000 square meters of useable space in five buildings. Nowy Rynek is Skanska's third commercial development in Poznan. While the investment includes a number of innovative solutions, it also aligns with the tradition and character of its location.
CONTACT:
For further information please contact:
Magdalena Ujda-Tarczyńska, Corporate Communications Manager, Skanska Commercial Development Europe, tel +48 519 500 603
Andreas Joons, Press Officer, Skanska AB, tel +46 (0)10 449 04 94
Direct line for media, tel +46 (0)10 448 88 99
This and previous releases can also be found at www.skanska.com.
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SOURCE Skanska | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/05/06/skanska-divests-office-building-nowy-rynek-d-poznan-poland-eur-121m-about-sek-13-billion/ | 2022-05-06T11:49:31Z |
(The Hill) — Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) has Democrats and Republicans on the edge of their seats.
With the clock ticking down to the August recess, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) desperately wants to pass a bill that would tackle climate change and make significant changes to the tax code. But Schumer doesn’t have the votes — at least not yet.
Schumer says he’s working on Sinema and hopes she’ll be a “yes” on the motion to proceed to the measure, but the Arizona centrist hasn’t said whether she backs it.
“We’re in touch with Sen. Sinema, we’re in touch with all of the members, and we’re hopeful — I’m very hopeful — we’re all going to stay united and pass this bill,” he said Tuesday afternoon.
Schumer unveiled the tax and climate deal he struck with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) on July 27 after more than a week of secret negotiations. The bill would implement a 15 percent minimum tax on wealthy corporations and enact new energy and climate programs.
Seven days later, Senate Democrats still don’t know where Sinema stands. Her office says she is reviewing the legislation and waiting for the Senate parliamentarian’s review of the text.
That means senators may not know how Sinema will vote until they bring the more than 700-page bill to the floor on Thursday or Friday.
A Democratic senator who attended a virtual meeting of the caucus Tuesday said Sinema didn’t speak up about the bill at the meeting.
Republicans think there’s a good chance that Sinema may derail the legislation.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) slammed the deal as “terrible.”
“I would say to our friend Joe Manchin, he made a terrible deal, a terrible deal. How he can defend this from a West Virginia point of view or think of it as a centrist kind of agreement is astonishing,” he said.
Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) believes Sinema will stick to her moderate principles.
“I always have faith in her. I don’t know how it will come out,” he said. “I have great faith she’s going to do what she feels is right. She’s more convicted than she is transactional.”
He predicted the climate and tax provisions in the bill will become a major issue in the midterm elections if they are seen as fueling inflation or dampening corporate investment.
Sinema, who has repeatedly angered progressives in this Congress, will likely face a primary challenge no matter how she votes on the Schumer-Manchin bill.
As the uncertainty builds, Manchin is waging a charm offensive to win over Sinema after he left her out of the secret negotiations with Schumer.
Manchin and Sinema worked together on last year’s bipartisan infrastructure bill and have stood together to oppose efforts by liberal colleagues to change the Senate’s filibuster rule.
But now their relationship is being tested after Manchin cut a deal with Schumer to reform the tax code and spend $369 billion on new energy security and climate change programs. News of the agreement caught Sinema and just about everyone else in Washington by surprise.
Manchin left Sinema a message on Monday in hopes of talking to her and explaining why he struck the deal and why she should support it. He tried to catch her on the floor for a conversation during the Monday evening vote, but without success.
Manchin finally tracked down his colleague on Tuesday when she was scheduled to preside over the floor, a duty routinely assigned to more junior members of the upper chamber.
Television cameras caught Manchin kneeling on the chamber’s blue carpet next to the presiding officer’s desk, seemingly trying to cajole Sinema.
Democrats still don’t know whether Sinema will vote for the bill after Manchin insisted on adding a provision to close the carried interest tax loophole.
The carried interest tax loophole allows asset managers to use a favorable tax rate on income. A proposal to close it was left out of last year’s House tax reform package after Sinema opposed it.
Asked if she had spoken to Sinema or felt concerned that the Arizona senator might “tank” the deal, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said: “I’m not talking about private conversations. It will take 50 votes to get it through.”
All Republicans are expected to reject the bill, meaning Democrats cannot afford one defection.
Manchin provided little detail when asked how his talk with Sinema went.
“We had a nice time. We had a nice time. Next?” Manchin said tersely, looking to change the subject when pressed by reporters Tuesday afternoon.
Recognizing that Sinema could scuttle his deal with Schumer if she votes “no,” Manchin told reporters Tuesday that he’s doing his best to explain to her why he cut the deal and why it makes good sense for the country.
He also signaled that he’s open to considering any changes she might propose.
“We’re exchanging texts back and forth,” he said. She’s “extremely bright, she works hard, she makes good decisions based on facts. I’m reliant on that.”
Manchin said he and Schumer are “working with all the caucus” to get buy-in from all 50 members of the Democratic caucus.
“We’re just basically exchanging back and forth, whatever I have that she hasn’t seen. And our staffs are working together very closely,” he said, adding he’s also exchanging materials relevant to the bill with other Democratic and Republican senators.
Asked if he would be willing to change the bill’s carried interest provision, Manchin responded: “Everyone is still talking.”
Manchin on Tuesday defended his push to close the loophole that allows money managers to pay capital gains tax rates on income they collect from advising on profitable investments.
He told reporters last week that he was “adamant” about including it in the budget reconciliation package.
Asked whether Sinema is upset that she didn’t get looped in to last week’s secret talks, Manchin said he didn’t loop anyone else in to the private discussions with Schumer because he didn’t want to disappoint any of his colleagues by getting their hopes up just in case the talks fell apart again.
“She’s my dear friend,” he said. “But why bring anyone in and all their aspirations get high and the drama we go through and it doesn’t work out?
“I wasn’t really sure” a deal could be reached, he said. “I’m not in control of the timing” of the announcement of the deal, “Sen. Schumer is in control of the timing.”
But Manchin rejected the notion that Sinema or any other senator has reason to be upset because he negotiated the climate and tax deal with Schumer in secret.
“People getting mad because they think this is some kind of orchestrated coup against them is just so wrong,” he added. | https://cw33.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/sinema-leaves-democrats-in-suspense/ | 2022-08-03T18:44:58Z |
Lawrence Police search for man missing for three days
Published: Aug. 30, 2022 at 7:00 PM CDT|Updated: 1 hour ago
LAWRENCE, Kan. (WIBW) - The Lawrence Police Department attempts to find a 72-year-old man last seen in the woods on Saturday, August 27.
Lawrence Police posted on Facebook that John “Gib” Sosman, 72, has not been seen for three days. Sosman was last seen at Riverfront Park on Saturday at 8 p.m.
According to Lawrence Police, he is 5 feet 10 inches tall and about 165 lbs.
If you happen to see Sosman, please call (785) 832-7509 or call 911 for help.
Copyright 2022 WIBW. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/08/31/lawrence-police-search-man-missing-three-days/ | 2022-08-31T01:02:36Z |
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz announces that investors with substantial losses have opportunity to lead the securities fraud class action lawsuit against Wells Fargo & Company ("Wells Fargo" or the "Company") (NYSE: WFC).
Class Period: February 24, 2021 – June 9, 2022
Lead Plaintiff Deadline: August 29, 2022
If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.
The complaint filed alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (1) Wells Fargo had misrepresented its commitment to diversity in the Company's workplace; (2) Wells Fargo conducted fake job interviews in order to meet its Diverse Search Requirement; (3) the foregoing conduct subjected Wells Fargo to an increased risk of regulatory and/or governmental scrutiny and enforcement action, including criminal charges; (4) all of the foregoing, once revealed, was likely to negatively impact Wells Fargo's reputation; and (5) as a result, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.
Follow us for updates on Twitter: twitter.com/FRC_LAW.
To be a member of the class action you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the class action. If you wish to learn more about this class action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to the pending class action lawsuit, please contact Frank R. Cruz, of The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz, 1999 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 1100, Los Angeles, California 90067 at 310-914-5007, by email to info@frankcruzlaw.com, or visit our website at www.frankcruzlaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased.
This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.
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SOURCE The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz, Los Angeles | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/09/wfc-investors-have-opportunity-lead-wells-fargo-amp-company-securities-fraud-lawsuit/ | 2022-08-09T18:20:17Z |
PITTSBURGH, April 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "I thought there could be a series of protective accessories to reduce the incidence of injuries caused while playing contact and leisure sports like football, hockey, skateboarding and cycling," said an inventor, from Whites Creek, Tenn., "so I invented the PRO - CAP. My design could protect the head, spinal area and vertebra by absorbing impact."
The patent-pending invention provides a series of accessories to protect the head, frontal/temporal lobes, neck, spine and upper body. In doing so, it reduces the risk of injuries. It also enhances safety and it provides added protection and peace of mind. The invention features a lightweight and comfortable design that is easy to wear so it is ideal for athletes, leisure sport enthusiasts, children, etc. Additionally, it is producible in design variations and a prototype is available.
The original design was submitted to the Nashville sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 20-NAM-128, 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.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/04/19/inventhelp-inventor-develops-series-protective-accessories-nam-128/ | 2022-04-19T16:52:25Z |
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Queen’s home movies to be in new documentary for Jubilee
LONDON (AP) — Previously-unseen home movies from Queen Elizabeth II’s personal archive — including footage capturing the monarch as a young mother and her beaming at her engagement ring — will be shown in a new documentary, the BBC said Sunday.
The queen granted the broadcaster unprecedented access to hundreds of home movies shot by her, her parents and her late husband Prince Philip, as part of celebrations for her upcoming Platinum Jubilee, honoring her 70 years on the throne.
The videos record the queen’s life from when she was a baby in a pram to her coronation in 1953.
One clip captured the first extended visit of Philip to Balmoral Castle in Scotland in 1946, before his engagement to Elizabeth was made public. The footage depicts a beaming Princess Elizabeth showing off her engagement ring to the camera.
Philip and Elizabeth wed in November 1947 and were married for 73 years, until Philip’s death last April just a few months before his 100th birthday.
Simon Young, the BBC’s commissioning editor for history, said the broadcaster was honored to have access to the queen’s personal film collection.
“This documentary is an extraordinary glimpse into a deeply personal side of the royal family that is rarely seen, and it’s wonderful to be able to share it with the nation as we mark her Platinum Jubilee,” he said.
“Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen” will air in the U.K. on May 29, ahead of a week of national celebrations to mark the queen’s 70 years on the throne.
___
Follow all AP stories on the British royals at https://apnews.com/hub/queen-elizabeth-ii.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/05/08/queens-home-movies-be-new-documentary-jubilee/ | 2022-05-08T15:22:42Z |
LOS ANGELES, June 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The AutismOne 2022 Conference dates in Mesa, Arizona, will be Thursday afternoon, August 18th through Sunday morning, August 21st. To register, the amount for one attendee will be $99 (early-bird price until 06/11/22) to be at AutismOne 2022 Conference presentations at the convention center in Mesa. And the hotel will be $89 per night + taxes/fees (the cut-off date is July 28th) at Delta Hotels by Marriott Phoenix Mesa. In order to get the discounted room rate ($89 per night + taxes/fees), conference participants will need to book their rooms no later than July 28th. To register for the AutismOne 2022 Conference, CLICK HERE at www.autismone.org. And Click here for the flyer.
Brilliant presenters who are doctors and/or researchers from around the world, will be speaking at the AutismOne 2022 Conference in August. The following presenters are from Arizona: Prof. James B. Adams, PhD; Dr. Shawn K. Centers, DO; Dr. Richard E. Frye, MD, PhD; and Dr. Cindy Schneider, MD.
Many of the most popular international speakers include Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt ("The most successful and yet often overlooked ASD treatment strategies: 30 years of trial and error"); Del Bigtree ("No More Dark Winters"); and Dr. Stephanie Seneff ("Glyphosate, Sulfate and Autism").
Learn about major breakthroughs at the AutismOne 2022 Conference:
Back to Basics: The Foundation of Autism Recovery
Three Pillars of Autism Recovery -- Mesa, AZ, August:
1) The Foundation of Recovery: Basic & Advanced Topics
How do I recover or help my loved one?
Learn how children recovered or greatly improved. Hear about the basics used for twenty years, and learn about the updated areas of health, treatment, research, medicine, nutrition, food, and law.
What were the key principles discovered by AutismOne's founders that improved the lives of thousands of children?
Nearly twenty years ago, a father, whose son had autism, retired from his position at Boeing so that Ed would dedicate his life to finding a cure and treatment for autism. Ed Arranga, with the help of other pioneering visionaries, left us with a legacy of key strategies that have helped thousands of children with autism to lead better lives. Ed Arranga, Dr. James Jeffrey Bradstreet, Dr. John Hicks, Dr. Mayer Eisenstein…pediatricians and warriors who cared deeply about children, recovering them from around the world. Learn of their legacy, vision, and strategies that will help your child today.
What will happen to my child if I become sick or incapacitated? Discover leading edge solutions to protect our children.
AutismOne will work and/or learn about places where children can be safely cared for while parents are in the hospital or parents pass away. The best gift would be safety for your child and confidence in your heart.
AutismOne also thanks Visit Mesa Autism Certified! Visit Mesa is proud to be the "World's First Autism Certified City"! The people who work at Visit Mesa are wonderful, kind people. Please visit their website at www.VisitMesa.com/autism-travel.
You can't miss AutismOne in the desert…the trailblazing AutismOne 2022 Conference: cutting-edge speakers' strategies and trailblazing research to help children with autism! Be there to change lives!
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SOURCE AutismOne | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/06/autismone-leading-edge-conference-autism-is-back-with-full-convention-center-meeting-person-experts-focus-childrens-health-rights-housing/ | 2022-06-06T14:22:40Z |
TORONTO, April 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Electra Battery Materials Corporation (TSXV: ELBM) (OTCQX: ELBMF) ("Electra") today announced the appointment of Renata Cardoso as Vice-President, Sustainability and Low Carbon. In this capacity, Renata will have overall responsibility for the Company's mission to exceed global ESG norms in the industry, in line with Electra's business objective to be the partner of choice in the EV market. Ms. Cardoso is joining the Company after 15 years with global miner Vale. Ms. Cardoso has extensive experience leading corporate sustainability and climate change strategy in the international mining and metals industry.
- Electra is committed to being the most sustainable and lowest GHG producer of battery materials in the world
- As a key member of the senior leadership team, Ms. Cardoso will guide the development of ESG strategy
- In her previous roles, Ms. Cardoso led cross functional teams to develop and implement a low carbon roadmap for operations across Canada, Indonesia, UK and Brazil
"We are very pleased to have attracted a global leader in sustainability to our organization," said Trent Mell, CEO. "Renata's track record in climate change management, sustainability strategy and transparency will serve Electra well as we commission our cobalt sulfate refinery in December and advance our battery recycling plant in 2023. We intend to have the lowest carbon footprint of all cobalt sulfate producers in the world, and Renata will oversee our journey to carbon neutrality and ensure that the same standards are applied to all phases of future growth."
"It is an honour to join Electra as the company executes its strategic plan to become the most sustainable battery materials company in the world," said Renata Cardoso. "The North American battery materials supply chain is quickly evolving and our leading ESG credentials will be what establishes Electra as an industry leader."
Ms. Cardoso is a seasoned professional from one of the largest mining companies in the world. An economist by training who also holds an MBA, Renata began her career in Vale's corporate strategy group. In 2008, she transitioned to help create Vale's approach for Sustainability with responsibilities for climate change management, sustainability strategy and transparency, and social and environmental indicators performance management. In 2019, she joined Vale Canada, last serving in low carbon initiatives, leading cross functional teams to develop and implement a low carbon roadmap for operations in Canada, Indonesia, UK and Brazil.
In accordance with the Company's long term incentive plan, Electra has granted incentive stock options to purchase an aggregate of 350,000 pre-consolidation common shares of Electra exercisable at the previous day's closing price of C$0.32 for a period of five years. The stock options will vest in three equal tranches on the first, second and third anniversary of the grant date. Long-term incentive grants are a key retention and incentive tool for key employees and new hires and remain subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.
Electra is planning to build a fully integrated, localized and environmentally sustainable battery materials park. Leveraging the Company's own mining assets and business partners, the Electra Battery Materials Park is expected to host cobalt and nickel sulfate production plants, a large-scale lithium-ion battery recycling facility, and battery precursor materials production, which will serve both North American and global customers. Electra also owns the advanced exploration-stage Iron Creek cobalt-copper project in Idaho, USA. Electra Battery Materials is an integral part of the North American battery supply chain, providing low-carbon, sustainable and traceable raw materials for the region's fast growing electric vehicle industry.
On behalf of Electra Battery Materials.
Trent Mell
Chief Executive Officer
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
This news release may contain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as "plans", "expects', "estimates", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, and opportunities to differ materially from those implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements are set forth in the management discussion and analysis and other disclosures of risk factors for Electra Battery Materials Corporation, filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although Electra Battery Materials Corporation believes that the information and assumptions used in preparing the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed times frames or at all. Except where required by applicable law, Electra Battery Materials Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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SOURCE Electra Battery Materials Corporation | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/04/11/electra-strengthens-esg-leadership/ | 2022-04-11T12:25:59Z |
Biosafety tech company R-Zero lists top common shared spaces most likely to pose health risks
SALT LAKE CITY, June 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- An anonymous study of random air and surface samples taken across the U.S. reveals significant air quality issues. According to the newly released study conducted by biosafety tech company R-Zero, the air we breathe indoors is five times more contaminated than the surfaces we touch. The scientific random samples were taken anonymously by industrial hygienists over the last several months in locations throughout the U.S. and found an alarming number of harmful organisms that can lead to illness, compromised health and infection, and included everything from SARS-CoV-2 and Staphylococcus aureus to microbes that can cause skin disease and infections in the respiratory tract.
In cities like Austin, TX, three out of seven random air samples (or 43%) taken by the industrial hygienists tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. And, that location is not unique to the rest of the nation, according to R-Zero. The level of harmful organisms and skin cells found in indoor air may just be enough to make the average person want to avoid many shared spaces altogether. A hotel room, for example, contains an average of 2,500 skin cells (from other people) per cubic meter of air breathed by occupants. Additionally, the analysis found nearly all bathrooms sampled in San Francisco tested positive for potentially harmful surface microbes.
While not all the places where people are most likely to encounter a harmful microbe are surprising, for example, gas station bathrooms top the list, there are a few unexpected locations, such as high-end retail dressing rooms. Based on random air and surface samplings across the U.S., the highest risk areas to come into contact with a harmful microorganism are:
- Public bathrooms
- Gyms
- Hotel lobbies and restaurants (each carry roughly 5,700 skin cells - other people's skin cells - per cubic meter of air)
- Bars
- High-end fitting rooms and malls were hot spots for cross-contamination of potentially harmful microorganisms from places like hospitals to the community
Poor indoor air quality leads to a higher level of acute infection risk for diseases that airborne diseases and illnesses such as COVID, flu and colds. In addition, 63% of indoor areas sampled had a higher percentage of mold and fungi than outdoor areas, causing an increased risk indoors for allergies, asthma or other respiratory issues. The study highlights the alarming failures of existing building air management systems to manage harmful microbes in indoor shared spaces and the need to address this vital public health issue and improve indoor health quality more effectively and efficiently.
"10% of surfaces contained harmful microorganisms but were five times more prevalent in the air in indoor spaces. We spend 90% of our time indoors, taking on average between 18,000 to 20,000 breaths a day, so the poor air quality right now is a massive concern," said Dr. Richard Wade, Chief Scientist for R-Zero, and a leading expert in toxicology and microbiological contamination. "The pandemic made us more aware of the air we breathe as a transmitter of potentially harmful organisms. Indoor spaces and the quality of the air in them directly impact human health, and we need to improve the health and safety of our shared spaces. The standard way of doing this is failing."
For the study, 600 random air and surface samples were conducted in locations across the U.S. between January and March of this year.
R-Zero is the first biosafety technology company dedicated to making our shared indoor spaces safer, healthier, and more productive. Backed by Mayo Clinic and the earliest investors in Google, Amazon, Tesla, and SpaceX, R-Zero is dedicated to developing the most effective and innovative disinfection technologies to reduce the spread of microorganisms in the built environment. Combining space utilization sensor technology, AI, ML, and IoT-connected hardware, R-Zero's intelligent biosafety platform enables organizations to create and maintain healthier indoor environments. Today, the company's sustainable, IoT-enabled disinfection technologies enable safer, healthier indoor spaces for hundreds of thousands of people across both public and private sector organizations without using chemicals. R-Zero's system of connected biosafety technologies provides greater visibility, automation, and even smarter risk reduction within the indoor spaces where people spend their time. R-Zero is backed by leading venture capital firms DBL Partners, World Innovation Lab, and SOSV/HAX; Mayo Clinic; and thought leaders from hospitality, sports, commercial real estate, impact, and other industries. For more information, visit www.rzero.com.
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SOURCE R-Zero | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/09/anonymous-study-air-amp-surface-samples-finds-55-air-we-breathe-is-contaminated/ | 2022-06-09T09:22:57Z |
Judge revokes bond for man charged in kidnapping, killing of Eliza Fletcher
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC/Gray News) - The man accused of killing a Memphis wife, teacher and mother of two had his bond revoked Wednesday amid charges being upgraded to murder.
Police found 34-year-old Eliza Fletcher’s body Monday night. Cleotha Abston, aka Cleotha Henderson, faced the judge for the second day in a row.
Abston was originally charged with especially aggravated kidnapping and tampering with/fabricating evidence in this case. That was until investigators located and identified Fletcher’s body.
On Tuesday, additional charges of first-degree murder and first-degree murder in perpetration of kidnapping were brought against Abston.
This is Abston’s second kidnapping offense. He was sentenced to 24 years in prison at the age of 16 for a kidnapping in May 2000 but only spent 20 years behind bars.
Fletcher was reported missing Friday after not returning from her morning jog.
Copyright 2022 WMC via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/09/07/judge-revokes-bond-man-charged-kidnapping-killing-eliza-fletcher/ | 2022-09-07T15:55:58Z |
TOKYO, Aug. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nippon Express (Middle East) L.L.C. (hereinafter "NX Middle East"), a group company of NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, INC., has obtained ISO 45001:2018 certification for its occupational health and safety management systems, effective June 29.
Logo: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/img/202208225337-O1-Riz6Hi3E
The Nippon Express Group is endeavoring to obtain ISO certification out of commitment to maintaining and improving the quality of its operations as a useful means of ensuring the Group's sustainable development and improving its performance to enhance customer satisfaction.
NX Middle East strove to acquire ISO 45001:2018 certification to create a system under which all employees involved in its business activities could work with peace of mind by providing a safe and healthy working environment and reducing the risk of work-related industrial accidents.
The Nippon Express Group will continue pursuing business growth alongside its stakeholders based on its unchanging values of safety, compliance and quality and in accordance with its Corporate Philosophy of advancing society through logistics.
Details of ISO 45001:2018 certification
- Name of organization: Nippon Express (Middle East) L.L.C.
- Date of certification: June 29, 2022
- Certification standard: ISO 45001:2018
- Certified businesses: Logistics and forwarding businesses
- Certifying body: ARS Assessment Private Limited
Nippon Express website: https://www.nipponexpress.com/
Nippon Express Group's official LinkedIn account: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nippon-express-group/
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SOURCE NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, INC. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/24/nippon-express-middle-east-obtains-iso-450012018-certification-occupational-health-safety-management-systems/ | 2022-08-24T06:26:27Z |
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- After over a decade in the spiritual world. Liberate has expanded to wellness to accommodate Mind, body and Soul. Introducing their private Infrared saunas. Liberate's 1-hour infrared saunas have incredible benefits in your wellness and health routine that will leave you feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and relaxed. Unlike regular saunas, Infrared saunas heat at a lower temperature ranging between 120-150 allowing the body to sit in the heat longer to help the pores open up and release toxins which will allow you to sweat longer, the heat will penetrate deep within the tissue and muscles to release any heavy metals and toxins in the body. Don't be alarmed if you see little black dots on the towels that's just toxins releasing from your pores. In our completely private rooms, you will have the freedom to sit and meditate with our chakra healing lights. It is Incredibly beneficial for the immune system, anxiety, stress and a good night's sleep. Burn calories and heal your muscles while relaxing in our top-of-the-line saunas equipped with showers full of organic products. Stop on by our store at 13323 ventura blvd sherman oaks or visit our website to book your session now www.libertaeyourself.com
CONTACT:
hannah@liberateyourself.com
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SOURCE Liberate Yourself | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/09/liberate-yourself-presents-infrared-saunas/ | 2022-08-09T15:55:15Z |
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif., Aug. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Brown Neri Smith & Khan LLP ("BNSK") is pleased to announce that Tom Rickeman has joined the firm as Counsel in the Orange County office. Like many at BNSK, Tom is a seasoned litigator who began his career as a law clerk to a federal judge and then as an associate at Latham & Watkins LLP. He has more than a decade of experience as a business litigator, and has represented clients in numerous industries including entertainment, media, healthcare, transportation, and professional sports, among others.
Tom, a resident of Orange County, is the second attorney to join BNSK's Orange County operations. "I am beyond thrilled to join BNSK's stellar team of lawyers," Tom said. "The firm has been on my radar for years, and once they expanded into Orange County, the opportunity to join BNSK and help get the new office off the ground was too exciting to pass up." BNSK Managing Partner Ethan Brown noted, "We are thrilled to have Tom join us to bolster our Orange County presence, and to help lead the Orange County office we expect to announce shortly."
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SOURCE Brown, Neri, Smith & Khan LLP | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/25/brown-neri-smith-amp-khan-llp-announces-addition-new-attorney/ | 2022-08-25T20:55:53Z |
A look at what’s happening around baseball today:
___
FEELING 15?
Breakout rookie Julio Rodríguez and the Mariners can match a franchise record with their 15th consecutive win as they open a home series against AL West-leading Houston.
Seattle went into the All-Star break a victory shy of matching the 2001 club for the franchise’s best run. They haven’t lost since July 1, and Rodríguez leads the team with 13 RBIs during the streak.
Just about the only downside to Seattle’s surge is that Houston is 12-5 over that same period, keeping the Mariners 11 games back in the division race.
SOTO WATCH
All-Star Home Run Derby champion and trade deadline target Juan Soto rejoins his Nationals teammates to begin a series in Arizona.
Soto was peppered throughout All-Star week with questions about his future with Washington after he recently rejected a $440 million, 15-year deal. With their efforts to lock up the superstar rebuffed, the Nationals could trade Soto before the Aug. 2 trade deadline. This could be Soto’s final two weeks with his only franchise, where he won a World Series in 2019.
The 23-year-old Soto is having a down season by his lofty standards, hitting .250 with 20 home runs, 43 RBIs and a .901 OPS for the Nats, who own baseball’s worst record.
SHOWDOWN AT CITI FIELD
The NL East-leading Mets open the season’s second half with three games against San Diego, starting with a matchup between aces Max Scherzer and Yu Darvish.
Scherzer (6-1, 2.22 ERA) will be making his fourth start since missing time with an oblique injury, and he’s 1-0 with a 1.40 ERA and 31 strikeouts since returning. Darvish (8-4, 3.41) pitched two-hit ball over seven innings in a 7-0 victory against New York on June 7.
GOOD SEATS AVAILABLE
Major League Baseball is struggling to fill stadiums at pre-COVID levels as the sport heads into the last 2 1/2 months of its first season since 2019 without capacity restrictions.
MLB reached the All-Star break with an average attendance of 26,409. That represents a drop of 5.4% from the All-Star break of 2019 — which was 10 days earlier than this year. League officials remain encouraged and point to the recovery.
While MLB’s average attendance had fallen each year since 2015, most of the drops were by less than 2%. Average attendance was over 30,000 for 14 straight seasons from 2004-17 but hasn’t reached that mark since.
“We have come back to between 94-95% of where we were prior to the pandemic,” MLB chief revenue officer Noah Garden said. “So we feel really good about the progress we have made on the attendance side rebounding strongly from a situation that threatened the very core of how we operate as an industry.”
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/leading-off-ms-test-streak-vs-astros-soto-rejoins-nats/ | 2022-07-22T21:27:14Z |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — When local school officials voted down a Tennessee charter school linked to Hillsdale College this summer, staffers at the state commission that would soon have to decide whether to let the controversial school open anyway reacted with shock at how things unfolded.
The text messages they exchanged, obtained through a records request by The Associated Press, showed the close attention state staffers paid to the school board’s resounding rejection in the wake of Hillsdale President Larry Arnn’s disparaging comments about teachers. When no one showed up to make the case for the Hillsdale-affiliated charter school application, the alarm among those who would be left holding the bag was palpable.
“What!!!! They invited both schools to speak and (they) did not show!!!” texted Beth Figueroa, the commission’s director of authorizing.
“WHAT,” replied Chase Ingle, commission spokesperson.
“I’m speechless!!!” Figueroa wrote.
Critics ranging from some Democratic lawmakers to educators have argued the Tennessee Charter School Commission was designed to rubberstamp charters that local communities don’t want, with several members tied to pro-charter groups. The nine members are handpicked by Republican Gov. Bill Lee — a vocal charter schools supporter and proponent of Hillsdale College’s charter initiative — and confirmed by lawmakers. The staffers work for the commission.
Hillsdale, a small conservative college in Michigan, holds outsized influence with Republican politicians. Arnn had recently spearheaded the “1776 Curriculum,” inspired by former President Donald Trump’s short-lived “1776 Commission,” as a direct response to The New York Times’ “1619 Project” focusing on America’s history of slavery. Curriculum materials glorify the founders, downplay America’s role in slavery and condemn the rise of progressive politics.
Its prominence has strengthened among conservatives amid the national debate over the role schools should play in teaching race and sexuality. South Dakota, for one, turned to a former Hillsdale politics professor to write proposed social studies standards for its public schools. They align with the “1776 Curriculum.”
Tennessee’s state commission will be put to the test this week during public hearings— run by commission staffers — as board members consider whether to approve applications from three Hillsdale-affiliated charter schools appealing their rejections by local school boards.
The texts were among hundreds of documents the commission provided after the AP requested all conversations relating to Hillsdale College and their charter school affiliates. Most of the records showed commission staffers helping applicants navigate the appeals process, telling them what information was needed and offering appeals training.
But the documents also included texts as staffers watched the fallout of Arnn’s disparaging remarks on teachers as local school boards in Rutherford, Jackson-Madison and Clarksville-Montgomery school board denied the Hillsdale-affiliated applications.
“Are we having fun yet?” texted Tess Stovall, commission executive director, on Aug. 10 after sending a link to a news article on the panel’s independence being tested. “I like my quotes.”
During the Rutherford County school board meeting on July 18, Ingle and Figueroa texted while watching the livestream. When no one showed from the Hillsdale-affiliated school to defend their application, both expressed alarm. Board members voted 6-1 to reject the charter.
Ingle wrote, “Beth, that’s a tough look.”
“This does not help us,” Ingle continued. He said the Rutherford school board member who voted against rejecting Hillsdale calls him “once a quarter.”
The text messages drew further skepticism about the commission from Jim Wrye, a representative of Tennessee’s largest organization representing educators.
“The administration sold the state charter commission to the General Assembly as a neutral appellate body,” Wrye, Tennessee Education Association government relations director, told the AP. “We believed the goal was to undermine local control and drop charter schools on communities that do not want them. That belief is only growing.”
In 2010, Hillsdale began establishing charter schools nationwide. Hillsdale maintains it does not operate or manage them, but instead offers support by licensing their curriculum for free and providing training and other resources to so-called member schools.
Tennessee’s state commission could overrule local decision-makers on Hillsdale-affiliated schools. Or, the panel could spike them after Arnn’s comments, including a declaration that educators are “trained in the dumbest parts of the dumbest colleges in the country.” The governor, who was on stage with Arnn during some of his remarks, has refused to condemn his words.
Asked about the texts, the commission said staffers regularly monitor local school board meetings to stay “fully prepared” for potential appeals.
“(At) the time of these text messages, commission staff was anticipating 16 new start appeals. Of those 16 possible appeals, we are currently handling 13 public charter school appeals, an unprecedented number in Tennessee since the state started hearing appeals in 2002,” Ingle said via email, noting the commission only had three appeals last year, its first year operating.
Any charter school approved at the local level spares the commission from the time and effort required for additional appeals, Ingle said.
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Jeff Yarbro questioned the commission’s logic, saying, “Hillsdale’s poor showing only makes the commission’s job harder if their mandate is to greenlight new schools.”
“The commission shouldn’t have a rooting interest in the charter schools under review,” Yarbro told the AP. “Here, the danger is a commission and staff focused on opening more charters rather than ensuring a fair and independent process.”
Tennessee’s Charter School Commission was formed in 2019. Rep. Mark White, the Republican who sponsored the legislation backed by Gov. Lee, said at the time the proposal would move the charter school appeals process from the state education board — which has a wide variety of oversight responsibilities — to a new charter-focused panel.
White, who joined in widespread outcry against Arnn’s comments, told the AP he still believes the state commission is the best option for vetting and ensuring Tennessee has quality charter schools. He said the text messages show staffers carefully watch the proceedings because it would effect their workload.
“I know where they’re coming from, and I know they’re solid,” he said.
___
This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Tess Stovall’s last name. | https://cw33.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-headlines/ap-amid-hillsdale-fallout-tenn-staffers-fretted-about-optics/ | 2022-09-13T15:30:40Z |
HAMILTON, Bermuda, July 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Borr Drilling Limited (the "Company") (NYSE: BORR) (OSE: BORR) refers to its announcements of 14 July 2022 regarding the status of negotiations with its secured creditors and a possible equity offering.
The Company's board is pleased to announce that it has obtained a financing proposal for the remaining $100 million of the $250 million senior secured facilities that was still subject to final syndication as described in the announcement of 14 July 2022. As such, agreements in principle with all the secured creditors have now been reached to extend all secured debt to 2025, subject to the partial paydowns described in the 14 July announcement. These agreements in principle are subject to the respective boards' and credit committees' approvals and binding documentation. The necessary covenant waivers have been extended by the lenders in the existing bank syndicate to enable the company to complete the transactions referenced above.
The Company anticipates that the need for additional liquidity in connection with the closing of the agreements in principle referenced above can be reduced from the $250 million communicated previously to approximately $150 million.
The Company will continue to seek solutions which could optimize the current capital structure and reduce the need for liquidity further. Such solutions could include further asset sales, JV structures as well as additional asset financing.
The Company is encouraged by the strong positive momentum in day rates shown through recent fixtures and tender activity, and by the fact that the utilization of the modern jack up fleet now exceeds 92%.
This press release does not constitute an offer of any securities for sale.
Forward looking statements
This press release includes forward looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which do not reflect historical facts and may be identified by words such as "expect", "will" and similar expressions and include statements relating to negotiations with creditors, agreements in principle reached with creditors including the terms and conditions of such agreements in principle and financing proposal and statements about covenant waivers enabling the Company to complete the transactions, statements about the need for additional liquidity, and the Company's continuing to seek solutions to optimize its capital structure and about momentum in day rates other non-historical statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other factors could cause actual events to differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements included herein, including risks relating to negotiations with creditors including the risk that the conditions to the agreements in principle are not met or that the terms of the agreements in principle are not implemented with definitive binding agreements on expected terms or at all, the risk that vessel sales may not be completed on expected terms or at all, risks relating to covenants in debt facilities and covenant waivers including the risk that waivers are not provided as required, risks relating to liquidity and the risk that Borr may not be able to refinance its debt maturities beyond 2023 and other risks and uncertainties described in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in our most recent annual report on Form 20-F and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other factors could cause actual events to differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements included herein. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this release. We do not undertake to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Contact:
Magnus Vaaler, Chief Financial Officer,
mvaaler@borrdrilling.com
+44 1224 289208
This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com
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SOURCE Borr Drilling Limited | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/21/borr-drilling-limited-update-refinancing/ | 2022-07-21T17:24:13Z |
TODAY’S HISTORY: In 1952, Puerto Rico became a self-governing U.S. commonwealth.
In 1978, Louise Joy Brown, the first baby to be conceived via in vitro fertilization, was born in Greater Manchester, England.
TODAY’S HISTORY: In 1952, Puerto Rico became a self-governing U.S. commonwealth.
In 1978, Louise Joy Brown, the first baby to be conceived via in vitro fertilization, was born in Greater Manchester, England.
In 2005, two major unions, the Teamsters and the Service Employees International Union, withdrew from the AFL-CIO.
In 2010, the website WikiLeaks released the “Afghan War Diary,” containing more than 90,000 secret documents from the United States’ war in Afghanistan.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS: Henry Knox (1750-1806), first U.S. secretary of war; Maxfield Parrish (1870-1966), painter/illustrator; Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958), chemist; Estelle Getty (1923-2008), actress; Walter Payton (1954-1999), football player; Iman (1955- ), model/actress; Thurston Moore (1958- ), musician; Geoffrey Zakarian (1959- ), chef; Matt LeBlanc (1967- ), actor; Lauren Faust (1974- ), animator.
TODAY’S FACT: The Viking Orbiter 1 spacecraft, while searching for potential landing sites for the Viking 2 Lander, snapped the famous “Face on Mars” photo of the planet’s surface on this day in 1976.
TODAY’S SPORTS: In 1976, American Edwin Moses ran in his first international track and field event at the Montreal Olympics -- the 400-meter hurdles -- and won a gold medal, with a record-setting time of 47.64 seconds.
TODAY’S QUOTE: “Never die easy. Why run out of bounds and die easy? Make that linebacker pay. It carries into all facets of your life. It’s okay to lose, to die, but don’t die without trying, without giving it your best.” -- Walter Payton
TODAY’S NUMBER: 3.2 million -- approximate combined membership of the Teamsters and the Service Employees International unions in 2022.
TODAY’S MOON: Between last quarter moon (July 20) and new moon (July 28).
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A receipt was sent to your email. | https://www.albanyherald.com/history/article_ff96e9da-0b87-11ed-8f56-5b5aba3ef18d.html | 2022-07-24T21:34:31Z |
NEW YORK, June 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- InvestorsObserver issues critical PriceWatch Alerts for COIN, MSTR, BABA, FDX, and TSLA.
Click a link below then choose between in-depth options trade idea report or a stock score report.
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- COIN: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-options-lp-2/?symbol=COIN&prnumber=062420223
- MSTR: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-options-lp-2/?symbol=MSTR&prnumber=062420223
- BABA: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-options-lp-2/?symbol=BABA&prnumber=062420223
- FDX: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-options-lp-2/?symbol=FDX&prnumber=062420223
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SOURCE InvestorsObserver | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/24/thinking-about-trading-options-or-stock-coinbase-global-microstrategy-alibaba-fedex-or-tesla/ | 2022-06-24T15:03:08Z |
INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Emmis Corporation (OTC: EMMS) ("Emmis") announced today the final results of its cash tender offer to purchase up to 1 million shares of its Class A common stock at prices of not greater than $3.75 nor less than $2.75 per share. The tender offer expired at 5:00 P.M., New York City Time, on Friday, August 5, 2022.
Based on the final count by Broadridge, Inc., the Depositary for the tender offer, a total of 163,621 shares of Emmis' Class A common stock were properly tendered and not withdrawn. Emmis has elected to waive the condition that at least 250,000 shares be tendered. Therefore, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the tender offer, Emmis will purchase all of the shares tendered for an aggregate price of approximately $550,000, excluding fees and expenses relating to the tender offer. The shares to be purchased represent approximately 1.8% of the issued and outstanding shares of Emmis' Class A common stock and 1.5% of Emmis' total issued and outstanding equity, which includes the issued and outstanding shares of Emmis' Class B common stock. The shares purchased in the tender offer will be canceled by Emmis. After giving effect to the purchase and cancellation of the shares, Emmis will have 10,535,653 shares of common stock issued and outstanding consisting of 8,946,778 shares of its Class A common stock and 1,588,875 shares of its Class B common stock.
Subject to applicable law, Emmis reserves the right to purchase additional shares of its Class A common stock in open market or private purchases at prices at or above $3.75 share.
Shareholders who have questions or would like additional information about the tender offer may contact the Information Agent for the tender offer, Alliance Advisors, LLC, toll-free at (855) 325-6673.
This news release contains, in addition to historical information, forward-looking statements related to the tender offer, including the timing, total number of shares to be purchased under the tender offer and the process for the tender offer. Such statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to a number of uncertainties and risks, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Information about potential factors that could affect Emmis's business, results of operations and financial condition is included in the Risk Factors sections of the Offer to Purchase. All forward-looking statements included in this document are based on information available to Emmis as of the date of this document, and except to the extent Emmis may be required to update such information under any applicable securities laws, Emmis assumes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements.
Emmis Corporation (OTC Markets: EMMS) currently owns 4 FM and 2 AM radio stations in New York and Indianapolis, as well as Indianapolis Monthly magazine. Emmis also owns a controlling interest in Digonex, which provides dynamic pricing solutions across multiple industries, and Lencore, the world leader in high-quality sound masking solutions for offices and other commercial applications. With its sale of most of its radio stations, Emmis recently changed its name from Emmis Communications Corporation to Emmis Corporation.
Contact:
Ryan A. Hornaday,
Chief Financial Officer
Tel: 317-684-6549
rhornaday@emmis.com
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SOURCE Emmis Corporation | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/11/emmis-announces-final-results-tender-offer/ | 2022-08-11T13:45:31Z |
As water runs short in California, commission will vote on whether to allow another costly desalination plant
By Stephanie Elam, CNN
As California battles a historic drought and a water crisis looms, the state’s coastline protection agency is poised to vote Thursday on whether it will allow a $1.4 billion desalination plant in Huntington Beach that would convert ocean water into municipal water for Orange County residents.
Poseidon Water, which has been trying to build the plant for decades, says it would be capable of producing up to 50 million gallons of drinking water a day, helping to make the region more drought resilient.
But desalination opponents argue less expensive and less harmful conservation tactics should be the first resort.
Charged with “protecting and enhancing” the state’s extensive coastline, the California Coastal Commission is an agency of 12 members appointed or chosen by state lawmakers and the governor. Ahead of the vote, its staff recommended against the facility, pointing in part to desalination’s incredible energy consumption, its impacts on marine life, projected sea level rise and the cost of the resulting water itself — with that cost being passed on to customers.
Commission staff did acknowledge in the report that its findings do not mean that the project is “unapprovable,” nor that it is completely against desalination, writing: “Staff acknowledge the need to develop new, reliable sources of water in southern California, and believe that well-planned and sited desalination facilities will likely play a role in providing these supplies.”
Desalination works by separating water molecules from salty seawater through reverse osmosis. The left over high-salinity brine is sent back to the ocean.
One plant of this scale — the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant in San Diego County — is already in service. Poseidon began operating that facility in late 2015, selling its entire output to the San Diego County Water Authority in a 30-year contract.
If Poseidon doesn’t get permit approval this time, the Huntington Beach project will be dead in the water.
“We have complied with every requirement in the coastal development act, and we are bringing a new climate resilient, high-quality water supply to very thirsty California,” Jessica Jones, Poseidon’s director of communications, told CNN. “This decision on Thursday is going to send a strong, strong message to the administration and to anyone looking to develop a seawater desalination plant in California or bring in any new water supply.”
Scientists reported earlier this year that the West’s current megadrought is the worst in at least 1,200 years. Southern Californians are already seeing unprecedented water restrictions ahead of the summer.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has voiced support for building the plant, noting California’s extended droughts and challenged water supply. He recently told the Bay Area News Group editorial board, “What more evidence do you need that you need to have more tools in the tool kit than what we’ve experienced? Seven out of the last 10 years have been severe drought.”
But those against the desalination plant argue there are other ways to battle the drought.
On its website dedicated to fighting the Huntington Beach plant, the non-profit Surfrider Foundation indicates the water the project would provide is not needed, calling the potential plant “a waste of money.”
In fact, research by the Pacific Institute, a water-focused think tank, found California could substantially reduce its urban water use by 30 to 48% with existing and cutting-edge technologies. In its recent report, the institute argued “water efficiency opportunities can be found across the state but are highest in the South Coast hydrologic region.” It pointed to solutions that cost very little compared to desalination, including increased wastewater recycling and stormwater capture — with about two-thirds of the region’s potential water savings coming from the residential sector.
“Seawater desalination is among the most expensive water supply options,” Heather Cooley, Pacific Institute’s director of research, told CNN. “From a cost perspective, from an environmental one, from an energy perspective, doing these other alternatives first makes the most sense for California.”
Yet as most of the western United States is experiencing unprecedented drought conditions, Poseidon’s Jones argues the Huntington Beach Desalination Plant will create more supply across the region by taking stress off the already thin-stretched Colorado River Basin and the Sierra Nevada Mountains water sources.
“By creating a new local water supply on the coast, it’s not just going to benefit residents of Orange County, but it’s alleviating the pressure on the imported water supply,” Jones said. “We need to look at the larger picture here, not just for California, but for all the states in the West.”
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/news/national-world/cnn-national/2022/05/12/as-water-runs-short-in-california-commission-will-vote-on-whether-to-allow-another-costly-desalinization-plant/ | 2022-05-12T14:01:38Z |
SARTA to hold public meetings on streetcar proposal
CANTON – The Stark Area Regional Transit Authority will hold public meetings Wednesday and Thursday to discuss a proposed streetcar project connecting downtown Canton, Pro Football Hall of Fame and Hall of Fame Village, Belden Village area, and the Akron-Canton Airport.
The meetings are set for:
- Wednesday, 1 to 3 p.m. at Hall of Fame Village – Center for Excellence, 2014 Blake Ave. NW
- Wednesday, 5 to 7 p.m. at Stark Library’s Main Branch, 715 Market Ave. N
- Thursday, 1 to 3 p.m. at Stark Library’s Main Branch, 715 Market Ave. N
- Thursday, 5 to 7 p.m. at Belden Village Transit Center 4700 Whipple Ave. NW, Jackson Township
More:Canton, SARTA looking into light-rail train between HOF, downtown
Each meeting will include a presentation and displays about the proposed streetcar project and a question-and-answer session with project team members. Details will be provided next week for a second series of meetings in mid-July.
Most of the proposed streetcar’s 9.8-mile route from SARTA’s Cornerstone Transit Center in downtown Canton to Akron Canton Airport would use the former Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad track along West Branch Nimishillen Creek and Interstate 77. The rail line, owned by Akron Metro Regional Transit Authority, supports only two freight trains each week. SARTA’s consultants have determined that streetcars could use the line with minimal improvements.
The line would include several stations in downtown Canton, stations at 12th Street NW to provide access to McKinley National Memorial and a station at Everhard Road that would provide connections to Belden Village Mall and other nearby development.
One mile of new streetcar track would be built to cross downtown Canton, with a second mile of track added to connect from where the rail line crosses Mount Pleasant Road to Akron-Canton Airport.
SARTA’s consultants are analyzing the feasibility of the proposed project, estimating the project costs and the number of riders it would attract. SARTA will hold public meetings in September to announce the study’s results and next steps.
The public can fill out an online survey at surveymonkey.com/r/W8WC6RY. Paper copies of the survey are available at SARTA's Cornerstone Transit Center. | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/2022/06/14/sarta-holds-public-meetings-proposed-streetcar-project/7620922001/ | 2022-06-14T16:43:33Z |
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Salesforce (NYSE: CRM), the global leader in CRM, today announced it has granted equity awards under its 2014 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan (the "Plan") to new employees who joined Salesforce in connection with the acquisition of Troops.ai. The Plan was adopted by the Salesforce Board of Directors in July 2014, in accordance with New York Stock Exchange Rule 303A.08.
Through the Plan, Salesforce granted a total of 33,788 restricted stock units ("RSUs") to 13 Troops.ai employees. The RSUs vest over four years with 25 percent of the RSUs vesting on the first anniversary of the grant date and the balance vesting quarterly thereafter in 12 equal installments, subject to continued service through each applicable vesting date. Each of the employees who received an equity award is a non-executive officer.
About Salesforce
Salesforce, the global CRM leader, empowers companies of every size and industry to digitally transform and create a 360° view of their customers. For more information about Salesforce (NYSE: CRM), visit: www.salesforce.com.
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SOURCE Salesforce | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/26/salesforce-grants-equity-awards-troopsai-employees-under-its-inducement-equity-incentive-plan/ | 2022-08-27T10:33:21Z |
Services for Heather Sifuentez, 38, of Salado are pending with Broecker Funeral Home in Salado.
Ms. Sifuentez died Saturday, May 21, at a local hospital.
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K-State awarded $2 million federal grant for manufacturing development
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - The U.S. Department of Commerce has awarded K-State a $2 million grant to better assist the state’s budding manufacturing industry.
On Tuesday, Aug. 9, the U.S. Department of Commerce says Secretary Gina Raimondo announced a $2 million grant awarded to Kansas State University to boost the capacity of its Technology Development Institute to better help manufacturers in the Sunflower State.
“President Biden is committed to harnessing the full power of the federal government to ensure our nation not only recovers from this pandemic but builds a better America for the future,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This EDA investment in Kansas State University will play an important role in supporting small manufacturing scale-up infrastructure in Kansas.”
The Department noted that the grant is funded by the American Rescue Plan.
“The Economic Development Administration plays an important role in supporting community-led economic development strategies designed to boost coronavirus recovery and response efforts,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “This EDA investment will support the development and deployment of digital design and manufacturing programs and services for communities across the state, making the local economy more resilient and better equipped to overcome future economic disruptions.”
The DOC indicated the project will provide digital design and manufacturing technology services and product development to both students and private industry manufacturers across Kansas, supporting the state’s small manufacturing industry.
“The Technology Development Institute at Kansas State University is a vital partner to my administration in unlocking even more of the great potential of Kansas manufacturers,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “This funding will advance its important work and service to the state – all while fueling nearly 250 jobs for Kansans.”
According to the Dept., the EDA grant will be matched with $500,000 in local funds and is expected to create 85 jobs and retain 160 - according to grantee estimates.
Copyright 2022 WIBW. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/08/09/k-state-awarded-2-million-federal-grant-manufacturing-development/ | 2022-08-09T17:22:03Z |
Ukraine: Heavy Russian shelling kills 5 civilians, wounds 18
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Renewed Russian artillery barrages across Ukraine killed at least five civilians and wounded another 18 in the past day, the office of Ukraine’s president reported Wednesday as Moscow attempted to expand and consolidate its gains in the country’s east.
Most of the deaths occurred in Donetsk province, which is part of a region where pro-Russia separatists have fought for eight years and the Kremlin is intent on capturing. The city of Bakhmut faced particularly heavy shelling as the current focus of Russia’s offensive, Donetsk administrative chief Pavlo Kyrylenko said.
In adjacent Luhansk province, which Russian and separatist forces have all but conquered, Ukrainian soldiers battled to retain control of two outlying villages amid the shelling, Gov. Serhiy Haidai said.
Luhansk and Donetsk together make up Ukraine’s Donbas region, a mostly Russian-speaking region of steel factories, mines and other industries vital to the economy. The Russians are “deliberately turning Donbas into ashes, and there will be just no people left on the territories captured,” Haidai said.
Russian artillery also rained down in northeast Ukraine, where a regional governor, Oleg Syniehubov, accused Russian forces of trying to “terrorize civilians” in Kharkiv, the country’s second-largest city.
With Russia’s sights set on the east, the Ukrainian military has tried to reclaim captured city’s in the south. The Ukrainian military claimed Tuesday to have used missiles to destroy a Russian ammunition depot in occupied Nova Kakhovka, a city east of the Black Sea port of Kherson.
The precision of the depot strike suggested Ukrainian forces had employed U.S.-supplied multiple-launch High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, a type of weapon for which the government in Kyiv repeatedly appealed.
Russia’s Tass news agency said the reported blast occurred when a mineral fertilizer storage facility exploded. Some of the ingredients in fertilizer can be used for ammunition.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian and Russian officials are expected to meet face-to-face Wednesday for the first time in months. Military delegations from the two countries and Turkey plan to hold talks in Istanbul on a potential deal to get grain out of Ukraine’s blockaded and mined ports.
United Nations representatives also were involved in the talks. Ukraine is one of the world’s largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but Russia’s invasion halted shipments, endangering food supplies in many developing countries and contributing to higher global prices.
In other developments:
— The leader of a Moscow-backed separatist government in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk province said foreign fighters convicted of terrorism and trying to overturn constitutional order for working with Ukrainian troops have appealed their death sentences. If the appellate court in the separatists’ self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic rejects the appeals, two British men and a Moroccan could face a firing squad. Rebel leader Denis Pushilin said about 100 members of Ukrainian National Guard battalion captured after the fall of the city of Mariupol were scheduled to appear before a court soon.
— The United Nations refugee agency reported that most Ukrainian refugees want to return to their country but plan to wait until the war subsides. Nearly two-thirds plan to stay put in their host countries for now. The vast majority of refugees from Ukraine are women and children. The U.N. agency’s findings came in a survey based on 4,900 interviews with refugees in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. Just under one in 10 of the Ukrainian refugees surveyed said they planned to move to another host country within the next month.
___
Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed.
——
Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/07/13/ukraine-heavy-russian-shelling-kills-5-civilians-wounds-18/ | 2022-07-13T11:59:22Z |
NEW YORK, July 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Loews Corporation (NYSE: L) will report second quarter 2022 financial results on Monday, August 1, 2022. The conference call for investors will begin at 10:00 a.m. ET and will be hosted by the Company's chief executive officer, James S. Tisch, and chief financial officer, Jane J. Wang.
Loews invites shareholders to submit questions for management in advance of this conference call. Management may address some or all of these questions during the call. Questions may be submitted to (cnugent@loews.com). Contributors of questions will not be named on the call.
The news release and a live webcast of the conference call will be available online at the Loews Corporation website (www.loews.com). Those interested in attending may also dial (866) 342-8591, or for international callers, (203) 518-9797. The conference ID is L2Q22.
A replay of the call will be available at www.loews.com or by dialing (800) 839-5492, or for international callers, (402) 220-2551. The replay will be available through August 22, 2022.
About Loews Corporation
Loews Corporation is a diversified company with businesses in the insurance, energy, hospitality and packaging industries. For more information, please visit www.loews.com.
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SOURCE Loews Corporation | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/19/loews-corporation-release-second-quarter-2022-results-august-1-2022/ | 2022-07-19T15:15:18Z |
Hilco Streambank to Sell Frames Through Article 9 Foreclosure Sale
Offers Are Due June 27, 2022; Auction to Be Held June 29, 2022
NEW YORK, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hilco Streambank (www.HilcoStreambank.com) announced that it is seeking offers to acquire approximately 2,500 antique and replica period picture frames from the collection of leading frame restorer Eli Wilner.
Offers are due on Monday, June 27, 2022, and a public auction will be conducted pursuant to Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code on Wednesday, June 29, 2022 by Hilco Streambank as agent for Iron Horse Credit LLC, a secured lender.
The vast collection includes antique 19th and 20th Century European and American frames, along with highly precise and esteemed period frame replications. The collection previously included frames adorning 28 paintings on the walls of the White House, as well as the hand-carved and gilded eagle-crested frame for Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze, which is currently featured as the focal point of the American Wing at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Buyers may acquire the entire collection of frames or select a portion of the collection to purchase.
"The frames in this collection are pieces of history that allow the viewer to see period art in a period frame," commented Gabe Fried, Hilco Streambank CEO. "They enhance and complement any work of art they surround. The opportunity to acquire this esteemed collection and pieces from it is a unique opportunity not to be missed." Parties interested in learning more about these unique assets or who would like to arrange an appointment for inspection should visit https://www.hilcostreambank.com/acquisition-opportunities/periodframes or contact the below Hilco Streambank representatives directly.
About Hilco Streambank: Hilco Streambank is a market leading advisory firm specializing in intellectual property disposition and valuation. Having completed numerous transactions including sales in publicly reported Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases, private transactions, and online sales through IPv4.Global, Hilco Streambank has established itself as the premier intermediary in the consumer brand, internet and telecom communities. Hilco Streambank is part of Northbrook, Illinois based Hilco Global, the world's leading authority on maximizing the value of business assets by delivering valuation, monetization and advisory solutions to an international marketplace. Hilco Global operates more than twenty specialized business units offering services that include asset valuation and appraisal, retail and industrial inventory acquisition and disposition, real estate and strategic capital equity investments.
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SOURCE Hilco Streambank | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/05/24/antique-reproduction-period-frames-are-sale/ | 2022-05-24T16:06:11Z |
LOS ANGELES, May 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz announces that investors with substantial losses have opportunity to lead the securities fraud class action lawsuit against Li-Cycle Holdings Corp. f/k/a Peridot Acquisition Corp. ("Li-Cycle" or the "Company") (NYSE: LICY).
Class Period: February 16, 2021 – March 23, 2022
Lead Plaintiff Deadline: June 20, 2022
If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.
The complaint filed alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (1) Li-Cycles largest customer, Traxys North America LLC, is not actually a customer, but merely a broker providing working capital financial to the Company while Traxys tries to sell Li-Cycles product to end customers; (2) the Company engaged in highly questionable related party transactions; (3) the Company's mark-to-model accounting is vulnerable to abuse and gave a false impression of growth; (4) a significant portion of the Company's reported revenues were derived from simply marking up receivables on products that had not been sold; (5) the Company's gross margins have likely been negative since inception; (6) the Company will require an additional $1 billion of funding to support its planned growth (which is a figure greater than the Company raised via the merger); and (7) as a result, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.
Follow us for updates on Twitter: twitter.com/FRC_LAW.
To be a member of the class action you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the class action. If you wish to learn more about this class action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to the pending class action lawsuit, please contact Frank R. Cruz, of The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz, 1999 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 1100, Los Angeles, California 90067 at 310-914-5007, by email to info@frankcruzlaw.com, or visit our website at www.frankcruzlaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased.
This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.
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SOURCE The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz, Los Angeles | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/05/19/licy-investors-have-opportunity-lead-li-cycle-holdings-corp-fka-peridot-acquisition-corp-securities-fraud-lawsuit/ | 2022-05-19T17:12:33Z |
The Temple Police Department is asking for the public's help identifying suspects who allegedly stole packages from front porches in the 1800 block of South 57th Street.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact the Temple Police Department at 254-298-5500 or the Bell County Crime Stoppers at 254-526-8477 or https://bellcountycrimestoppers.com. | https://www.tdtnews.com/news/central_texas_news/article_17eb8a34-db83-11ec-ba00-d34c70e2b10e.html | 2022-05-24T21:10:46Z |
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Elections officials from across the country meeting under heightened security were urged Tuesday to prepare for supply chain issues that could lead to shortages in paper used for everything from ballots to “I voted” stickers for years to come.
The summer meeting of the National Association of State Election Directors brought together nearly 200 people, including elections directors from 33 states, experts in election security, interest groups that work with elections, vendors and others.
Election security experts told the directors to be prepared for possibly years of supply chain issues affecting paper, computer hardware and other things.
The supply chain as it affects elections may not return to normal until 2026, said Ed Smith, a longtime election technology and administration veteran who chairs a federal government-industry coordinating council that works on election security issues.
The lead time to obtain election hardware is two- to three-times longer than the norm, a delay not seen since 1999 or 2000, Smith said. Costs are also higher and elections officials should be prepared for spotty and unpredictable problems due to transportation and pandemic-related shutdowns, he said.
The supply chain issues are largely sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic and exacerbated by worldwide closures of factories and a drop in people in the workforce. They have been felt by a wide array of industries.
Elections officials preparing for the November midterm are also bracing for their own problems that could make it difficult to get paper needed to print ballots, informational inserts and other materials needed to run an election.
“Certainly, the paper supply has been the leanest it’s ever been,” said Jim Suver, co-chair of a federal election security working group that focuses on supply chain issues. The biggest crunch will start in September, when all states are working toward the same November election, he said.
Suver said that hoarding was not an issue.
“There’s not enough paper to hoard,” he said. “It is not happening.”
Elections officials were urged to order their supplies early and be prepared for shortages and delays.
The biggest risk is having an urgent request, like the need for a large number of reprints, 10 days or 15 days before an election, Suver said. It will be crucial for jurisdictions to be extremely careful in proofreading ballots so they don’t have to place reorders, Smith said.
Printing errors already have occurred during this year’s primaries. In Oregon, election workers in Clackamas County had to transfer the votes from tens of thousands of ballots that had blurry bar codes and had been rejected by ballot-counting machines. In Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a printing company mailed thousands of ballots with the wrong ID code, which meant they couldn’t be read by scanning machines.
The three-day meeting, which also covered issues such as insider threats to running elections and how to connect with hard-to-reach communities, comes as elections officials are facing increasing threats amid false claims by former President Donald Trump and his supporters that the 2020 election was stolen.
Amy Cohen, executive director of NASED, cautioned meeting attendees to wear their name tags when at the event so that security could see they belong there, but to take them off when out and about in the city.
“Don’t advertise who you are and exactly why you’re here,” she said.
Cohen said meeting organizers coordinated with federal, state and local law enforcement for the event. The group was not live tweeting or livestreaming the event, but there was no prohibition on attendees posting about it on social media.
“Please do be thoughtful about what you post and remember that some of the people in this room are dealing with serious security concerns and we need to be respectful to keep everyone safe,” Cohen said. | https://cw33.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/elections-officials-urged-to-prepare-for-shortages-delays/ | 2022-07-20T11:06:40Z |
White House COVID-19 response team to discuss vaccines for young children
(Gray News) - The White House COVID-19 response team and federal public health officials will hold a press briefing Tuesday to provide an update on the COVID-19 vaccines available for children younger than 5 years old.
Participants in the briefing include Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical advisor to the president, Dr. Ashish Jha, White House COVID-19 response coordinator, and Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Food and Drug Administration approved the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines for young children on Friday, with the CDC signing off on them on Saturday.
The administration is rolling out the shots to sites across the nation, with some sites receiving shots this weekend to inoculate the roughly 18 million youngsters eligible, the Associated Press reported.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/06/21/white-house-covid-19-response-team-discuss-vaccines-young-children/ | 2022-06-21T13:38:39Z |
Second Quarter 2022 Net Income of $249.3 million or $0.80 per Diluted Share
Second Quarter 2022 Adjusted Net Operating Income (Non-GAAP) of $254.4 million or $0.81 per Diluted Share
MILWAUKEE, Aug. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MGIC Investment Corporation (NYSE: MTG) today reported operating and financial results for the second quarter of 2022. Net income for the quarter was $249.3 million, or $0.80 per diluted share, compared with net income of $153.1 million, or $0.44 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2021.
Adjusted net operating income for the second quarter of 2022 was $254.4 million, or $0.81 per diluted share, compared with $151.5 million, or $0.44 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2021. We present the non-GAAP financial measure "Adjusted net operating income" to increase the comparability between periods of our financial results. See "Use of Non-GAAP financial measures" below.
Tim Mattke, CEO of MTG and Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation ("MGIC"), stated, "We delivered strong financial results in the second quarter and meaningful returns to our shareholders. Although the housing market and consumers continue to adjust to a changing economic environment, including higher interest rates and inflation, we believe our financial strength and capital flexibility position us to achieve success for all of our stakeholders. We demonstrated the benefits of our capital position in the quarter by growing insurance in force, repurchasing stock, paying a common stock dividend, decreasing our leverage ratio and producing an annualized 21.6% return on equity."
"We remain focused on executing our business strategies, providing critical uninterrupted support to the housing market, and helping individuals and families achieve affordable and sustainable homeownership," concluded Mattke.
Second Quarter Summary
- New insurance written was $24.3 billion, compared with $19.6 billion in the first quarter of 2022 and $33.6 billion in the second quarter of 2021, primarily reflecting a decrease in the refinance market in the current year compared with the same period in the prior year.
- Persistency, or the percentage of insurance remaining in force from one year prior, was 71.5% at June 30, 2022, compared with 66.9% at March 31, 2022, and 57.1% at June 30, 2021.
- Insurance in force of $286.8 billion at June 30, 2022 increased by 3.4% during the quarter and 9.5% compared with June 30, 2021.
- Primary delinquency inventory of 26,855 loans at June 30, 2022 decreased from 30,462 loans at March 31, 2022, and 42,999 loans at June 30, 2021.
- The loss ratio for the second quarter of 2022 was (38.7)%, compared with (7.6)% for the first quarter of 2022 and 11.6% for the second quarter of 2021.
- The underwriting expense ratio associated with our insurance operations for the second quarter of 2022 was 22.4%, compared with 23.0% for the first quarter of 2022 and 22.3% for the second quarter of 2021.
- Net premium yield was 36.2 basis points in the second quarter of 2022, compared with 36.9 basis points for the first quarter of 2022 and 39.1 basis points for the second quarter of 2021.
- Book value per common share outstanding as of June 30, 2022, decreased to $14.97, or 1%, from $15.18 as of December 31, 2021 and increased by 3% from $14.48 as of June 30, 2021. (June 30, 2022 book value per common share outstanding includes ($0.97) in net unrealized gains (losses) on securities, compared with $0.47 at December 31, 2021, and $0.66 at June 30, 2021).
- We paid a dividend of $0.08 per common share to shareholders during the second quarter of 2022.
- We repurchased 7.1 million shares of common stock at an average cost of $13.19 per share.
- We repurchased $17.9 million in aggregate principal amount of our 9% Convertible Junior Debentures due 2063, reducing potentially dilutive shares by 1.4 million.
- We executed a $473.6 million excess of loss reinsurance agreement (executed through an insurance linked notes transaction) that covers the vast majority of policies issued May 29, 2021 through December 31, 2021.
- We executed an excess of loss reinsurance agreement with a panel of reinsurers, which provides up to $174.9 million of reinsurance coverage on most of our new insurance written in 2022.
- MGIC paid a $400 million dividend to our holding company.
Third Quarter 2022 Activities
- In July, we redeemed the $242.3 million of aggregate principal outstanding on our 2023 Senior Notes for $248.4, plus accrued interest.
- In July, we repurchased an additional 2.1 million shares of our common stock at an average cost of $13.31 per share.
- We declared a dividend of $0.10 per common share to shareholders payable on August 25, 2022, to shareholders of record at the close of business on August 11, 2022.
Revenues
Total revenues for the second quarter of 2022 were $293.1 million, compared with $297.9 million in the second quarter last year. The decrease primarily reflects a change in net gains (losses) on investments and other financial instruments, partially offset by an increase in net premiums earned. Premiums earned in the second quarter of 2021 were $255.7 million compared with $251.5 million for the same period last year. Net premiums written for the quarter were $244.3 million, compared with $241.7 million for the same period last year. The increase in net premiums written and earned was due to an increase in insurance in force and a decrease in ceded premiums from our quota share reinsurance transactions, partially offset by a decrease in our premium yield compared to the same period last year.
Losses and expenses
Losses incurred
Net losses incurred in the second quarter of 2022 were $(99.1) million, compared with $29.2 million in the same period last year primarily due to favorable loss development and continuing decreases in delinquency inventory. While new delinquency notices added approximately $32 million to losses incurred in the second quarter of 2022, our re-estimation of loss reserves resulted in favorable development of approximately $131 million primarily related to a decrease in the estimated claim rate on delinquencies. In the second quarter of 2021, losses incurred were primarily related to reserves established on new notices with insignificant loss development.
Underwriting and other expenses
Net underwriting and other expenses were $56.4 million in the second quarter of 2022 compared with $56.8 million in the same period last year.
Interest expense
Interest expense decreased to $13.5 million in the second quarter of 2022 from $18.0 million in the same period last year. The decrease is due to the repurchase of a portion of our 9% Convertible Junior Debentures and repayment of our Federal Home Loan Bank Advance.
Loss on debt extinguishment
The second quarter 2022 loss on debt extinguishment of $6.4 million reflects the repurchase of $17.9 million in aggregate principal amount of our 9% Convertible Junior Debentures in excess of their carrying value.
Capital
- Total consolidated shareholders' equity was $4.6 billion as of June 30, 2022, and compared with $4.9 billion as of December 31, 2021 and June 30, 2021. The decrease from December 31, 2021, and June 30, 2021 primarily reflects a decrease in the fair value of our investment portfolio and additional stock repurchases, offset by net income.
- MGIC's PMIERs Available Assets totaled $5.8 billion, or $2.6 billion above its Minimum Required Assets as of June 30, 2022, compared with PMIERs Available Assets of $5.7 billion, or $2.2 billion above its Minimum Required Assets as of December 31, 2021, and PMIERS Available Assets of $5.7 billion, or $2.3 billion above its Minimum Required Assets as of June 30, 2021.
Other Balance Sheet and Liquidity Metrics
- Total consolidated assets were $6.6 billion as of June 30, 2022, compared with $7.3 billion as of December 31, 2021, and $7.6 billion as of June 30, 2021. The decrease from December 31, 2021, and June 30, 2021 primarily reflects a decrease in the fair value of our consolidated investment portfolio due to the increase in market interest rates.
- The fair value of our consolidated investment portfolio, cash and cash equivalents was $6.1 billion as of June 30, 2022, compared with $6.9 billion as of December 31, 2021, and $7.2 billion as of June 30, 2021.
- The fair value of investments, cash and cash equivalents at the holding company was $690 million as of June 30, 2022, compared with $663 million as of December 31, 2021, and $772 million as of June 30, 2021.
- Consolidated debt was $918 million as of June 30, 2022, compared with $1.1 billion as of December 31, 2021, and $1.2 billion as of June 30, 2021.
Conference Call and Webcast Details
MGIC Investment Corporation will hold a conference call August 4, 2022, at 10 a.m. ET to allow securities analysts and shareholders the opportunity to hear management discuss the company's quarterly results. Individuals interested in joining by telephone should register for the call at https://register.vevent.com/register/BI55fded8e56ea4408bcc2d91760362f99 to receive the dial-in number and unique PIN to access the call. It is recommended that you join the call at least 10 minutes before the conference call begins. The call is also being webcast and can be accessed at the company's website at http://mtg.mgic.com/. A replay of the webcast will be available on the company's website through September 4, 2022 under "Newsroom."
About MGIC
Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation (MGIC) (www.mgic.com), the principal subsidiary of MGIC Investment Corporation, serves lenders throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and other locations helping families achieve homeownership sooner by making affordable low-down-payment mortgages a reality through the use of private mortgage insurance. At June 30, 2022, MGIC had $286.8 billion of primary insurance in force covering more than 1.1 million mortgages.
This press release, which includes certain additional statistical and other information, including non-GAAP financial information and a supplement that contains various portfolio statistics, are all available on the Company's website at https://mtg.mgic.com/ under "Newsroom."
From time to time MGIC Investment Corporation releases important information via postings on its corporate website, and via postings on MGIC's website for information related to underwriting and pricing, and intends to continue to do so in the future. Such postings include corrections of previous disclosures, and may be made without any other disclosure. Investors and other interested parties are encouraged to enroll to receive automatic email alerts and Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds regarding new postings. Enrollment information for MGIC Investment Corporation alerts can be found at https://mtg.mgic.com/shareholder-services/email-alerts. For information about our underwriting and rates, see https://www.mgic.com/underwriting.
Safe Harbor Statement
Forward Looking Statements and Risk Factors:
Our actual results could be affected by the risk factors below. These risk factors should be reviewed in connection with this press release and our periodic reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). These risk factors may also cause actual results to differ materially from the results contemplated by forward looking statements that we may make. Forward looking statements consist of statements which relate to matters other than historical fact, including matters that inherently refer to future events. Among others, statements that include words such as "believe," "anticipate," "will" or "expect," or words of similar import, are forward looking statements. We are not undertaking any obligation to update any forward looking statements or other statements we may make even though these statements may be affected by events or circumstances occurring after the forward looking statements or other statements were made. No investor should rely on the fact that such statements are current at any time other than the time at which this press release was delivered for dissemination to the public.
While we communicate with security analysts from time to time, it is against our policy to disclose to them any material non-public information or other confidential information. Accordingly, investors should not assume that we agree with any statement or report issued by any analyst irrespective of the content of the statement or report, and such reports are not our responsibility.
Use of Non-GAAP financial measures
We believe that use of the Non-GAAP measures of adjusted pre-tax operating income (loss), adjusted net operating income (loss) and adjusted net operating income (loss) per diluted share facilitate the evaluation of the company's core financial performance thereby providing relevant information to investors. These measures are not recognized in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) and should not be viewed as alternatives to GAAP measures of performance.
Adjusted pre-tax operating income (loss) is defined as GAAP income (loss) before tax, excluding the effects of net realized investment gains (losses), gain and losses on debt extinguishment, net impairment losses recognized in earnings and infrequent or unusual non-operating items where applicable.
Adjusted net operating income (loss) is defined as GAAP net income (loss) excluding the after-tax effects of net realized investment gains (losses), gain and losses on debt extinguishment, net impairment losses recognized in earnings, and infrequent or unusual non-operating items where applicable. The amounts of adjustments to components of pre-tax operating income (loss) are tax effected using a federal statutory tax rate of 21%.
Adjusted net operating income (loss) per diluted share is calculated in a manner consistent with the accounting standard regarding earnings per share by dividing (i) adjusted net operating income (loss) after making adjustments for interest expense on convertible debt, whenever the impact is dilutive, by (ii) diluted weighted average common shares outstanding, which reflects share dilution from unvested restricted stock units and from convertible debt when dilutive under the "if-converted" method.
Although adjusted pre-tax operating income (loss) and adjusted net operating income (loss) exclude certain items that have occurred in the past and are expected to occur in the future, the excluded items represent items that are: (1) not viewed as part of the operating performance of our primary activities; or (2) impacted by both discretionary and other economic or regulatory factors and are not necessarily indicative of operating trends, or both. These adjustments, along with the reasons for their treatment, are described below. Trends in the profitability of our fundamental operating activities can be more clearly identified without the fluctuations of these adjustments. Other companies may calculate these measures differently. Therefore, their measures may not be comparable to those used by us.
Risk Factors
As used below, "we," "our" and "us" refer to MGIC Investment Corporation's consolidated operations or to MGIC Investment Corporation, as the context requires; and "MGIC" refers to Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation.
Risk Factors Relating to Global Events
The COVID-19 pandemic may materially impact our future financial results, business, liquidity and/or financial condition.
The COVID-19 pandemic materially impacted our 2020 financial results and, while uncertain, it may also materially impact our future financial results, business, liquidity and/or financial condition. The magnitude of the impact will be influenced by various factors, including the length and severity of the pandemic in the United States, efforts to reduce the transmission of COVID-19, the level of unemployment, government initiatives and actions taken by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the "GSEs") (including mortgage forbearance and modification programs) to mitigate the economic harm caused by COVID-19.
The COVID-19 pandemic may impact our business in various ways, including the following which are described in more detail in the remainder of these risk factors:
- Our incurred losses will increase if loan delinquencies increase. We establish reserves for insurance losses when delinquency notices are received on loans that are two or more payments past due and for loans we estimate are delinquent prior to the close of the accounting period but for which delinquency notices have not yet been received (which are included in "IBNR"). In addition, our estimates of the number of delinquencies for which we will ultimately receive claims, and the amount, or severity, of each claim, may increase.
- We may be required to maintain more capital under the private mortgage insurer eligibility requirements ("PMIERs") of the GSEs, which generally require more capital to be held for delinquent loans than for performing loans and require more capital to be held as the number of payments missed on delinquent loans increases.
- If the number of delinquencies increases, the number of claims we must pay over time will generally increase.
- Our access to the reinsurance and capital markets may be limited and the terms under which we are able to access such markets may be negatively impacted.
The Russia-Ukraine war and/or other global events may adversely affect the U.S. economy and our business.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has increased the already-elevated inflation rate, added more pressure to strained supply chains, and has increased volatility in the domestic and global financial markets. The war has impacted, and may impact, our business in various ways, including the following which are described in more detail in the remainder of these risk factors:
- The terms under which we are able to obtain excess-of-loss ("XOL") reinsurance through the insurance-linked notes ("ILN") market have been negatively impacted and terms under which we are able to access that market in the future may be less attractive.
- The risk of a cybersecurity incident that affects our company may have increased.
- An extended or broadened war may negatively impact the domestic economy, which may increase unemployment and inflation, or decrease home prices, in each case leading to an increase in loan delinquencies.
- The volatility in the financial markets may impact the performance of our investment portfolio and our investment portfolio may include investments in companies or securities that are negatively impacted by the war.
Risk Factors Relating to the Mortgage Insurance Industry and its Regulation
Downturns in the domestic economy or declines in home prices may result in more homeowners defaulting and our losses increasing, with a corresponding decrease in our returns.
Losses result from events that reduce a borrower's ability or willingness to make mortgage payments, such as unemployment, health issues, changes in family status, and decreases in home prices that result in the borrower's mortgage balance exceeding the net value of the home. A deterioration in economic conditions, including an increase in unemployment, generally increases the likelihood that borrowers will not have sufficient income to pay their mortgages and can also adversely affect home prices.
High levels of unemployment may result in an increasing number of loan delinquencies and an increasing number of insurance claims; however, unemployment is difficult to predict given the uncertainty in the current market environment, including as a result of global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the possibility of an economic recession. Since the beginning of 2021, inflation has increased dramatically. The impact that higher inflation rates will have on loan delinquencies is unknown.
The seasonally-adjusted Purchase-Only U.S. Home Price Index of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (the "FHFA"), which is based on single-family properties whose mortgages have been purchased or securitized by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, indicates that home prices increased by 8.2% in the first five months of 2022, after increasing by 17.9%, 11.7%, and 5.9% in 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The national average price-to-income ratio exceeds its historical average, in part as a result of recent home price appreciation outpacing increases in income. Home prices may decline even absent a deterioration in economic conditions due to declines in demand for homes, which in turn may result from changes in buyers' perceptions of the potential for future appreciation, restrictions on and the cost of mortgage credit due to more stringent underwriting standards, higher interest rates, changes to the tax deductibility of mortgage interest, decreases in the rate of household formations, or other factors. The significant increase in interest rates in recent months may put downward pressure on home prices.
The future impact of COVID-19-related forbearance and foreclosure mitigation activities is unknown.
Forbearance for federally-insured mortgages (including those delivered to or purchased by the GSEs) whose borrowers were affected by COVID-19 allows mortgage payments to be suspended for a period generally ranging from 6 to 18 months. Historically, forbearance plans have reduced the incidence of our losses on affected loans. However, given the uncertainty surrounding the long-term economic impact of COVID-19, it is difficult to predict the ultimate effect of COVID-19 related forbearances on our loss incidence. Whether a loan delinquency will cure, including through modification, when forbearance ends will depend on the economic circumstances of the borrower at that time. The severity of losses associated with delinquencies that do not cure will depend on economic conditions at that time, including home prices.
Foreclosures on mortgages purchased or securitized by the GSEs were suspended through July 31, 2021. Under a CFPB rule that was effective through December 31, 2021, with limited exceptions, servicers were required to ensure that at least one temporary procedural safeguard had been met before referring 120-day delinquent loans for foreclosure. Given the expiration of the CFPB rule, it is likely that foreclosures and claims will increase.
We may not continue to meet the GSEs' private mortgage insurer eligibility requirements and our returns may decrease if we are required to maintain more capital in order to maintain our eligibility.
We must comply with a GSE's PMIERs to be eligible to insure loans delivered to or purchased by that GSE. The PMIERs include financial requirements, as well as business, quality control and certain transaction approval requirements. The financial requirements of the PMIERs require a mortgage insurer's "Available Assets" (generally only the most liquid assets of an insurer) to equal or exceed its "Minimum Required Assets" (which are generally based on an insurer's book of risk in force and calculated from tables of factors with several risk dimensions, reduced for credit given for risk ceded under reinsurance agreements).
Based on our interpretation of the PMIERs, as of June 30, 2022, MGIC's Available Assets totaled $5.8 billion, or $2.6 billion in excess of its Minimum Required Assets. MGIC is in compliance with the PMIERs and eligible to insure loans purchased by the GSEs. Our "Minimum Required Assets" reflect a credit for risk ceded under our quota share reinsurance ("QSR") and XOL reinsurance transactions, which are discussed in our risk factor titled "The mix of business we write affects our Minimum Required Assets under the PMIERs, our premium yields and the likelihood of losses occurring." The calculated credit for XOL reinsurance transactions under PMIERs is generally based on the PMIERs requirement of the covered loans and the attachment and detachment points of the coverage, all of which fluctuate over time. PMIERs credit is generally not given for the reinsured risk above the PMIERs requirement. The GSEs have discretion to further limit reinsurance credit under the PMIERs. Refer to "Consolidated Results of Operations – Reinsurance Transactions" in Part I, Item 2 of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for information about the calculated PMIERs credit for our XOL transactions. There is a risk we will not receive our current level of credit in future periods for ceded risk. In addition, we may not receive the same level of credit under future reinsurance transactions that we receive under existing transactions. If MGIC is not allowed certain levels of credit under the PMIERs, under certain circumstances, MGIC may terminate the reinsurance transactions without penalty.
The PMIERs generally require us to hold significantly more Minimum Required Assets for delinquent loans than for performing loans and the Minimum Required Assets required to be held increases as the number of payments missed on a delinquent loan increases. If the number of loan delinquencies increases for reasons discussed in these risk factors, or otherwise, it may cause our Minimum Required Assets to exceed our Available Assets. We are unable to predict the ultimate number of loans that will become delinquent.
If our Available Assets fall below our Minimum Required Assets, we would not be in compliance with the PMIERs. The PMIERs provide a list of remediation actions for a mortgage insurer's non-compliance, with additional actions possible in the GSEs' discretion. At the extreme, the GSEs may suspend or terminate our eligibility to insure loans purchased by them. Such suspension or termination would significantly reduce the volume of our new insurance written ("NIW"), the substantial majority of which is for loans delivered to or purchased by the GSEs. In addition to the increase in Minimum Required Assets associated with delinquent loans, factors that may negatively impact MGIC's ability to continue to comply with the financial requirements of the PMIERs include the following:
- The GSEs may make the PMIERs more onerous in the future. The PMIERs provide that the factors that determine Minimum Required Assets will be updated periodically, or as needed if there is a significant change in macroeconomic conditions or loan performance. We do not anticipate that the regular periodic updates will occur more frequently than once every two years. The PMIERs state that the GSEs will provide notice 180 days prior to the effective date of updates to the factors; however, the GSEs may amend the PMIERs at any time, including by imposing restrictions specific to our company.
- The PMIERs may be changed in response to the final regulatory capital framework for the GSEs that was published in February 2022.
- Our future operating results may be negatively impacted by the matters discussed in the rest of these risk factors. Such matters could decrease our revenues, increase our losses or require the use of assets, thereby creating a shortfall in Available Assets.
Should capital be needed by MGIC in the future, capital contributions from our holding company may not be available due to competing demands on holding company resources, including for repayment of debt.
Because we establish loss reserves only upon a loan delinquency rather than based on estimates of our ultimate losses on risk in force, losses may have a disproportionate adverse effect on our earnings in certain periods.
In accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, we establish case reserves for insurance losses and loss adjustment expenses only when delinquency notices are received for insured loans that are two or more payments past due and for loans we estimate are delinquent but for which delinquency notices have not yet been received (which we include in "IBNR"). Losses that may occur from loans that are not delinquent are not reflected in our financial statements, except when a "premium deficiency" is recorded. A premium deficiency would be recorded if the present value of expected future losses and expenses exceeds the present value of expected future premiums and already established loss reserves on the applicable loans. As a result, future losses incurred on loans that are not currently delinquent may have a material impact on future results as delinquencies emerge. As of June 30, 2022, we had established case reserves and reported losses incurred for 26,855 loans in our delinquency inventory and our IBNR reserve totaled $21 million. The number of loans in our delinquency inventory may increase from that level as a result of economic conditions relating to current global events or other factors and our losses incurred may increase.
Because loss reserve estimates are subject to uncertainties, paid claims may be substantially different than our loss reserves.
When we establish case reserves, we estimate our ultimate loss on delinquent loans by estimating the number of such loans that will result in a claim payment (the "claim rate"), and further estimating the amount of the claim payment (the "claim severity"). Changes to our claim rate and claim severity estimates could have a material impact on our future results, even in a stable economic environment. Our estimates incorporate anticipated cures, loss mitigation activity, rescissions and curtailments. The establishment of loss reserves is subject to inherent uncertainty and requires significant judgment by management. Our actual claim payments may differ substantially from our loss reserve estimates. Our estimates could be affected by several factors, including a change in regional or national economic conditions as discussed in these risk factors, the impact of government and GSE actions taken to mitigate the economic harm caused by the COVID-19 pandemic (including foreclosure moratoriums and mortgage forbearance and modification programs); efforts to reduce the transmission of COVID-19; and a change in the length of time loans are delinquent before claims are received. All else being equal, the longer a loan is delinquent before a claim is received, the greater the severity. As a result of foreclosure moratoriums and forbearance programs, the average time it takes to receive claims has increased. Economic conditions may differ from region to region. Information about the geographic dispersion of our risk in force and delinquency inventory can be found in our Annual Reports on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Losses incurred generally have followed a seasonal trend in which the second half of the year has weaker credit performance than the first half, with higher new default notice activity and a lower cure rate; however, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic affected this pattern in 2020 and 2021.
The amount of insurance we write could be adversely affected if lenders and investors select alternatives to private mortgage insurance.
Alternatives to private mortgage insurance include:
- investors using risk mitigation and credit risk transfer techniques other than private mortgage insurance, or accepting credit risk without credit enhancement,
- lenders and other investors holding mortgages in portfolio and self-insuring,
- lenders using Federal Housing Administration ("FHA"), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ("VA") and other government mortgage insurance programs, and
- lenders originating mortgages using piggyback structures to avoid private mortgage insurance, such as a first mortgage with an 80% loan-to-value ("LTV") ratio and a second mortgage with a 10%, 15% or 20% LTV ratio rather than a first mortgage with a 90%, 95% or 100% LTV ratio that has private mortgage insurance.
The GSEs' charters generally require credit enhancement for a low down payment mortgage loan (a loan in an amount that exceeds 80% of a home's value) in order for such loan to be eligible for purchase by the GSEs. Private mortgage insurance generally has been purchased by lenders in primary mortgage market transactions to satisfy this credit enhancement requirement. In 2018, the GSEs initiated secondary mortgage market programs with loan level mortgage default coverage provided by various (re)insurers that are not mortgage insurers governed by PMIERs, and that are not selected by the lenders. These programs, which currently account for a small percentage of the low down payment market, compete with traditional private mortgage insurance and, due to differences in policy terms, they may offer premium rates that are below prevalent single premium lender-paid mortgage insurance ("LPMI") rates. We participate in these programs from time to time. See our risk factor titled "Changes in the business practices of the GSEs, federal legislation that changes their charters or a restructuring of the GSEs could reduce our revenues or increase our losses" for a discussion of various business practices of the GSEs that may be changed, including through expansion or modification of these programs.
The GSEs (and other investors) have also used other forms of credit enhancement that did not involve traditional private mortgage insurance, such as engaging in credit-linked note transactions executed in the capital markets, or using other forms of debt issuances or securitizations that transfer credit risk directly to other investors, including competitors and an affiliate of MGIC; using other risk mitigation techniques in conjunction with reduced levels of private mortgage insurance coverage; or accepting credit risk without credit enhancement.
The FHA's share of the low down payment residential mortgages that were subject to FHA, VA, USDA or primary private mortgage insurance was 26.0% in the first quarter of 2022, 24.7% in 2021, and 23.4% in 2020. Beginning in 2012, the FHA's share has been as low as 23.4% (in 2020) and as high as 42.1% (in 2012). Factors that influence the FHA's market share include relative rates and fees, underwriting guidelines and loan limits of the FHA, VA, private mortgage insurers and the GSEs; lenders' perceptions of legal risks under FHA versus GSE programs; flexibility for the FHA to establish new products as a result of federal legislation and programs; returns expected to be obtained by lenders for Ginnie Mae securitization of FHA-insured loans compared to those obtained from selling loans to the GSEs for securitization; and differences in policy terms, such as the ability of a borrower to cancel insurance coverage under certain circumstances. The focus of the Presidential Administration on equitable housing finance and sustainable housing opportunities increases the likelihood of a reduction in the FHA's mortgage insurance premium rates. Such a rate reduction would negatively impact our NIW; however, given the many factors that influence the FHA's market share, it is difficult to predict the impact. In addition, we cannot predict how the factors that affect the FHA's share of new insurance written will change in the future.
The VA's share of the low down payment residential mortgages that were subject to FHA, VA, USDA or primary private mortgage insurance was 28.2% in the first quarter of 2022, 30.2% in 2021, and 30.9% in 2020. Beginning in 2012, the VA's share has been as low as 22.8% (in 2013) and as high as 30.9% (in 2020). We believe that the VA's market share has generally been elevated in recent years because of an increase in the number of borrowers that are eligible for the VA's program, which offers 100% LTV ratio loans and charges a one-time funding fee that can be included in the loan amount, and because eligible borrowers have opted to use the VA program when refinancing their mortgages.
Changes in the business practices of the GSEs, federal legislation that changes their charters or a restructuring of the GSEs could reduce our revenues or increase our losses.
The substantial majority of our NIW is for loans purchased by the GSEs; therefore, the business practices of the GSEs greatly impact our business. In June 2022 the GSEs each published their Equitable Housing Finance Plans. The Plans seek to advance equity in housing finance over a three year period and include potential changes to the GSEs' business practices and policies. Specifically relating to mortgage insurance, (1) Fannie Mae's Plan contemplates the creation of special purchase credit program(s) (SPCPs) targeted to historically underserved borrowers with a goal of lowering costs for such borrowers through lower than standard mortgage insurance requirements; and (2) Freddie Mac's Plan contemplates the creation of SPCPs targeted to historically underserved borrowers with a goal of (a) working with mortgage insurers to reduce costs for high LTV borrowers and (b) updating mortgage insurance cancellation requirements. To the extent the business practices and policies of the GSEs regarding mortgage insurance coverage, costs and cancellation change, including more broadly than through SPCPs, such changes may negatively impact the mortgage insurance industry.
Other GSEs' business practices that affect the mortgage insurance industry include:
- The GSEs' PMIERs, the financial requirements of which are discussed in our risk factor titled "We may not continue to meet the GSEs' private mortgage insurer eligibility requirements and our returns may decrease if we are required to maintain more capital in order to maintain our eligibility."
- The capital and collateral requirements for participants in the GSEs' alternative forms of credit enhancement discussed in our risk factor titled "The amount of insurance we write could be adversely affected if lenders and investors select alternatives to private mortgage insurance."
- The level of private mortgage insurance coverage, subject to the limitations of the GSEs' charters, when private mortgage insurance is used as the required credit enhancement on low down payment mortgages (the GSEs generally require a level of mortgage insurance coverage that is higher than the level of coverage required by their charters; any change in the required level of coverage will impact our new risk written).
- The amount of loan level price adjustments and guaranty fees (which result in higher costs to borrowers) that the GSEs assess on loans that require private mortgage insurance. The requirements of the new GSE capital framework may lead the GSEs to increase their guaranty fees. In addition, the FHFA has indicated that it is reviewing the GSEs' pricing in connection with preparing them to exit conservatorship and to ensure that pricing subsidies benefit only affordable housing activities.
- Whether the GSEs select or influence the mortgage lender's selection of the mortgage insurer providing coverage.
- The underwriting standards that determine which loans are eligible for purchase by the GSEs, which can affect the quality of the risk insured by the mortgage insurer and the availability of mortgage loans.
- The terms on which mortgage insurance coverage can be canceled before reaching the cancellation thresholds established by law and the business practices associated with such cancellations. For more information, see the above discussion of the GSEs' Equitable Housing Plans and our risk factor titled "Changes in interest rates, house prices or mortgage insurance cancellation requirements may change the length of time that our policies remain in force."
- The programs established by the GSEs intended to avoid or mitigate loss on insured mortgages and the circumstances in which mortgage servicers must implement such programs.
- The terms that the GSEs require to be included in mortgage insurance policies for loans that they purchase, including limitations on the rescission rights of mortgage insurers.
- The extent to which the GSEs intervene in mortgage insurers' claims paying practices, rescission practices or rescission settlement practices with lenders.
- The maximum loan limits of the GSEs compared to those of the FHA and other investors.
- The benchmarks established by the FHFA for loans to be purchased by the GSEs, which can affect the loans available to be insured. In December 2021, the FHFA established the benchmark levels for 2022-2024 purchases of low-income home mortgages, very low-income home mortgages and low-income refinance mortgages, each of which exceeded the 2021 benchmarks. The FHFA also established two new sub-goals: one targeting minority communities and the other targeting low-income neighborhoods.
The FHFA has been the conservator of the GSEs since 2008 and has the authority to control and direct their operations. The increased role that the federal government has assumed in the residential housing finance system through the GSE conservatorship may increase the likelihood that the business practices of the GSEs change, including through administrative action, in ways that have a material adverse effect on us and that the charters of the GSEs are changed by new federal legislation.
It is uncertain what role the GSEs, FHA and private capital, including private mortgage insurance, will play in the residential housing finance system in the future. The timing and impact on our business of any resulting changes are uncertain. Many of the proposed changes would require Congressional action to implement and it is difficult to estimate when Congressional action would be final and how long any associated phase-in period may last.
Reinsurance may not always be available or its cost may increase.
We have in place QSR and XOL reinsurance transactions providing various amounts of coverage on 94% of our risk in force as of June 30, 2022. Refer to Note 4 – "Reinsurance" and "Consolidated Results of Operations – Reinsurance Transactions" in Part I, Items 1 and 2, respectively, of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for more information about coverage under our reinsurance transactions. The reinsurance transactions reduce the tail-risk associated with stress scenarios. As a result, they reduce the capital that we are required to hold to support the risk and they allow us to earn higher returns on our business than we would without them. However, reinsurance may not always be available to us or available on similar terms, the reinsurance transactions subject us to counterparty credit risk, and the GSEs may change the credit they allow under the PMIERs for risk ceded under our reinsurance transactions. Most of our XOL transactions were entered into in capital market transactions with special purpose insurers that issued notes linked to the reinsurance coverage ("Insurance Linked Notes" or "ILNs"). Our access to XOL reinsurance through the ILN market may be disrupted and the terms under which we are able to access that market may be less attractive than in the past due to volatility stemming from circumstances such as higher interest rates, increased inflation and the Russia-Ukraine war. If we are unable to obtain reinsurance for our insurance written, the capital required to support our insurance written will not be reduced as discussed above and our returns may decrease absent an increase in our premium rates. An increase in our premium rates may lead to a decrease in our NIW.
We are subject to comprehensive regulation and other requirements, which we may fail to satisfy.
We are subject to comprehensive regulation, including by state insurance departments. Many regulations are designed for the protection of our insured policyholders and consumers, rather than for the benefit of investors. Mortgage insurers, including MGIC, have in the past been involved in litigation and regulatory actions related to alleged violations of the anti-referral fee provisions of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act ("RESPA"), and the notice provisions of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ("FCRA"). While these proceedings in the aggregate did not result in material liability for MGIC, there can be no assurance that the outcome of future proceedings, if any, under these laws would not have a material adverse effect on us. To the extent that we are construed to make independent credit decisions in connection with our contract underwriting activities, we also could be subject to increased regulatory requirements under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act ("ECOA"), FCRA, and other laws. Under relevant laws, examination may also be made of whether a mortgage insurer's underwriting decisions have a disparate impact on persons belonging to a protected class in violation of the law.
Although their scope varies, state insurance laws generally grant broad supervisory powers to agencies or officials to examine insurance companies and enforce rules or exercise discretion affecting almost every significant aspect of the insurance business, including payment for the referral of insurance business, premium rates and discrimination in pricing, and minimum capital requirements. The increased use, by the private mortgage insurance industry, of risk-based pricing systems that establish premium rates based on more attributes than previously considered, and of algorithms, artificial intelligence and data and analytics, has led to additional regulatory scrutiny of premium rates and of other matters such as discrimination in pricing and underwriting, data privacy and access to insurance. For more information about state capital requirements, see our risk factor titled "State capital requirements may prevent us from continuing to write new insurance on an uninterrupted basis." For information about regulation of data privacy, see our risk factor titled "We could be adversely affected if personal information on consumers that we maintain is improperly disclosed; our information technology systems are damaged or their operations are interrupted; or our automated processes do not operate as expected." For more details about the various ways in which our subsidiaries are regulated, see "Business - Regulation" in Item 1 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021.
While we have established policies and procedures to comply with applicable laws and regulations, many such laws and regulations are complex and it is not possible to predict the eventual scope, duration or outcome of any reviews or investigations nor is it possible to predict their effect on us or the mortgage insurance industry.
If the volume of low down payment home mortgage originations declines, the amount of insurance that we write could decline.
The factors that may affect the volume of low down payment mortgage originations include the health of the U.S. economy, conditions in regional and local economies and the level of consumer confidence; restrictions on mortgage credit due to more stringent underwriting standards, liquidity issues or risk-retention and/or capital requirements affecting lenders; the level of home mortgage interest rates; housing affordability; new and existing housing availability; the rate of household formation, which is influenced, in part, by population and immigration trends; homeownership rates; the rate of home price appreciation, which in times of heavy refinancing can affect whether refinanced loans have LTV ratios that require private mortgage insurance; and government housing policy encouraging loans to first-time homebuyers. A decline in the volume of low down payment home mortgage originations could decrease demand for mortgage insurance and limit our NIW. For other factors that could decrease the demand for mortgage insurance, see our risk factor titled "The amount of insurance we write could be adversely affected if lenders and investors select alternatives to private mortgage insurance."
State capital requirements may prevent us from continuing to write new insurance on an uninterrupted basis.
The insurance laws of 16 jurisdictions, including Wisconsin, MGIC's domiciliary state, require a mortgage insurer to maintain a minimum amount of statutory capital relative to its risk in force (or a similar measure) in order for the mortgage insurer to continue to write new business. We refer to these requirements as the "State Capital Requirements." While they vary among jurisdictions, the most common State Capital Requirements allow for a maximum risk-to-capital ratio of 25 to 1. A risk-to-capital ratio will increase if (i) the percentage decrease in capital exceeds the percentage decrease in insured risk, or (ii) the percentage increase in capital is less than the percentage increase in insured risk. Wisconsin does not regulate capital by using a risk-to-capital measure but instead requires a minimum policyholder position ("MPP"). MGIC's "policyholder position" includes its net worth or surplus, and its contingency reserve.
At June 30, 2022 MGIC's risk-to-capital ratio was 9.7 to 1, below the maximum allowed by the jurisdictions with State Capital Requirements, and its policyholder position was $3.5 billion above the required MPP of $1.9 billion. Our risk-to-capital ratio and MPP reflect full credit for the risk ceded under our quota share reinsurance and excess of loss transactions with unaffiliated reinsurers. It is possible that under the revised State Capital Requirements discussed below, MGIC will not be allowed full credit for the risk ceded under such transactions. If MGIC is not allowed an agreed level of credit under the State Capital Requirements, MGIC may terminate the reinsurance transactions, without penalty.
The NAIC previously announced plans to revise the State Capital Requirements that are provided for in its Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Model Act. In December 2019, a working group of state regulators released an exposure draft of a revised Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Model Act and a risk-based capital framework to establish capital requirements for mortgage insurers, although no date has been established by which the NAIC must propose revisions to the capital requirements and certain items have not yet been completely addressed by the framework, including the treatment of ceded risk and minimum capital floors.
While MGIC currently meets the State Capital Requirements of Wisconsin and all other jurisdictions, it could be prevented from writing new business in the future in all jurisdictions if it fails to meet the State Capital Requirements of Wisconsin, or it could be prevented from writing new business in a particular jurisdiction if it fails to meet the State Capital Requirements of that jurisdiction, and in each case if MGIC does not obtain a waiver of such requirements. It is possible that regulatory action by one or more jurisdictions, including those that do not have specific State Capital Requirements, may prevent MGIC from continuing to write new insurance in such jurisdictions. If we are unable to write business in a particular jurisdiction, lenders may be unwilling to procure insurance from us anywhere. In addition, a lender's assessment of the future ability of our insurance operations to meet the State Capital Requirements or the PMIERs may affect its willingness to procure insurance from us. In this regard, see our risk factor titled "Competition or changes in our relationships with our customers could reduce our revenues, reduce our premium yields and/or increase our losses." A possible future failure by MGIC to meet the State Capital Requirements or the PMIERs will not necessarily mean that MGIC lacks sufficient resources to pay claims on its insurance liabilities. You should read the rest of these risk factors for information about matters that could negatively affect MGIC's compliance with State Capital Requirements and its claims paying resources, including the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
We are susceptible to disruptions in the servicing of mortgage loans that we insure and we rely on third-party reporting for information regarding the mortgage loans we insure.
We depend on reliable, consistent third-party servicing of the loans that we insure. An increase in delinquent loans may result in liquidity issues for servicers. When a mortgage loan that is collateral for a mortgage backed security ("MBS") becomes delinquent, the servicer is usually required to continue to pay principal and interest to the MBS investors, generally for four months, even though the servicer is not receiving payments from borrowers. This may cause liquidity issues for especially non-bank servicers (who service approximately 47% of the loans underlying our insurance in force as of June 30, 2022) because they do not have the same sources of liquidity that bank servicers have.
While there has been no disruption in our premium receipts through the end of June 2022, servicers who experience future liquidity issues may be less likely to advance premiums to us on policies covering delinquent loans or to remit premiums on policies covering loans that are not delinquent. Our policies generally allow us to cancel coverage on loans that are not delinquent if the premiums are not paid within a grace period.
An increase in delinquent loans or a transfer of servicing resulting from liquidity issues, may increase the operational burden on servicers, cause a disruption in the servicing of delinquent loans and reduce servicers' abilities to undertake mitigation efforts that could help limit our losses.
The information presented in this report and on our website with respect to the mortgage loans we insure is based on information reported to us by third parties, including the servicers and originators of the mortgage loans, and information presented may be subject to lapses or inaccuracies in reporting from such third parties. In many cases, we may not be aware that information reported to us is incorrect until such time as a claim is made against us under the relevant insurance policy. We do not consistently receive monthly policy status information from servicers for single premium policies, and may not be aware that the mortgage loans insured by such policies have been repaid. We periodically attempt to determine if coverage is still in force on such policies by asking the last servicer of record or through the periodic reconciliation of loan information with certain servicers. It may be possible that our reports continue to reflect, as active, policies on mortgage loans that have been repaid.
Changes in interest rates, house prices or mortgage insurance cancellation requirements may change the length of time that our policies remain in force.
The premium from a single premium policy is collected upfront and generally earned over the estimated life of the policy. In contrast, premiums from monthly and annual premium policies are received each month or year, as applicable, and earned each month over the life of the policy. In each year, most of our premiums earned are from insurance that has been written in prior years. As a result, the length of time insurance remains in force, which is generally measured by persistency (the percentage of our insurance remaining in force from one year prior), is a significant determinant of our revenues. A higher than expected persistency rate may decrease the profitability from single premium policies because they will remain in force longer and may increase the incidence of claims than was estimated when the policies were written. A low persistency rate on monthly and annual premium policies will reduce future premiums but may also reduce the incidence of claims, while a high persistency on those policies will increase future premiums but may increase the incidence of claims.
Our persistency rate was 71.5% at June 30, 2022, 62.6% at December 31, 2021, and 60.5% at December 31, 2020. Since 2000, our year-end persistency ranged from a high of 84.7% at December 31, 2009 to a low of 47.1% at December 31, 2003. Our persistency rate is primarily affected by the level of current mortgage interest rates compared to the mortgage coupon rates on our insurance in force, which affects the vulnerability of the insurance in force to refinancing; and the current amount of equity that borrowers have in the homes underlying our insurance in force. The amount of equity affects persistency in the following ways:
- Borrowers with significant equity may be able to refinance their loans without requiring mortgage insurance.
- The Homeowners Protection Act ("HOPA") requires servicers to cancel mortgage insurance when a borrower's LTV ratio meets or is scheduled to meet certain levels, generally based on the original value of the home and subject to various conditions.
- The GSEs' mortgage insurance cancellation guidelines apply more broadly than HOPA and also consider a home's current value. For example, borrowers may request cancellation of mortgage insurance based on the home's current value if certain LTV and seasoning requirements are met and the borrowers have an acceptable payment history. For loans seasoned between two and five years, the LTV ratio must be 75% or less, and for loans seasoned more than five years the LTV ratio must be 80% or less. For more information about the GSEs guidelines and business practices, and how they may change, see our risk factor titled "Changes in the business practices of the GSEs, federal legislation that changes their charters or a restructuring of the GSEs could reduce our revenues or increase our losses."
Pandemics, hurricanes and other natural disasters may impact our incurred losses, the amount and timing of paid claims, our inventory of notices of default and our Minimum Required Assets under PMIERs.
Pandemics and other natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires and floods, or other events related to changing climatic conditions, could trigger an economic downturn in the affected areas, or in areas with similar risks, which could result in a decline in our business and an increased claim rate on policies in those areas. Natural disasters, rising sea levels and/or fresh water shortages could lead to a decrease in home prices in the affected areas, or in areas with similar risks, which could result in an increase in claim severity on policies in those areas. In addition, the inability of a borrower to obtain hazard and/or flood insurance, or the increased cost of such insurance, could lead to an increase in delinquencies or a decrease in home prices in the affected areas. If we were to attempt to limit our new insurance written in affected areas, lenders may be unwilling to procure insurance from us anywhere.
Pandemics and other natural disasters could also lead to increased reinsurance rates or reduced availability of reinsurance. This may cause us to retain more risk than we otherwise would retain and could negatively affect our compliance with the financial requirements of the PMIERs.
The PMIERs require us to maintain significantly more "Minimum Required Assets" for delinquent loans than for performing loans; however, the increase in Minimum Required Assets is not as great for certain delinquent loans in areas that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has declared major disaster areas and for certain loans whose borrowers have been affected by COVID-19. See our risk factor titled "We may not continue to meet the GSEs' private mortgage insurer eligibility requirements and our returns may decrease if we are required to maintain more capital in order to maintain our eligibility."
In January 2021, the FHFA issued a Request for Input ("RFI") regarding Climate and Natural Disaster Risk Management at the Regulated Entities (i.e., the GSEs and the Federal Home Loan Banks). The FHFA has instructed the GSEs to designate climate change as a priority concern and actively consider its effects in their decision making. It is possible that efforts to manage this risk by the FHFA, GSEs (including through GSE guideline or mortgage insurance policy changes) or others could materially impact the volume and characteristics of our NIW (including its policy terms), home prices in certain areas and defaults by borrowers in certain areas.
Risk Factors Relating to Our Business Generally
The premiums we charge may not be adequate to compensate us for our liabilities for losses and as a result any inadequacy could materially affect our financial condition and results of operations.
When we set our premiums at policy issuance, we have expectations regarding likely performance of the insured risks over the long term. Generally, we cannot cancel mortgage insurance coverage or adjust renewal premiums during the life of a policy. As a result, higher than anticipated claims generally cannot be offset by premium increases on policies in force or mitigated by our non-renewal or cancellation of insurance coverage. Our premiums are subject to approval by state regulatory agencies, which can delay or limit our ability to increase premiums on future policies. In addition, our customized rate plans may delay our ability to increase premiums on future policies covered by such plans. The premiums we charge, the investment income we earn and the amount of reinsurance we carry may not be adequate to compensate us for the risks and costs associated with the insurance coverage provided to customers. An increase in the number or size of claims, compared to what we anticipated when we set the premiums, could adversely affect our results of operations or financial condition. Our premium rates are also based in part on the amount of capital we are required to hold against the insured risk. If the amount of capital we are required to hold increases from the amount we were required to hold when we set the premiums, our returns may be lower than we assumed. For a discussion of the amount of capital we are required to hold, see our risk factor titled "We may not continue to meet the GSEs' private mortgage insurer eligibility requirements and our returns may decrease if we are required to maintain more capital in order to maintain our eligibility."
Competition or changes in our relationships with our customers could reduce our revenues, reduce our premium yields and / or increase our losses.
The private mortgage insurance industry is highly competitive and is expected to remain so. We believe we currently compete with other private mortgage insurers based on premium rates, underwriting requirements, financial strength (including based on credit or financial strength ratings), customer relationships, name recognition, reputation, strength of management teams and field organizations, the ancillary products and services provided to lenders and the effective use of technology and innovation in the delivery and servicing of our mortgage insurance products.
Our relationships with our customers, which may affect the amount of our NIW, could be adversely affected by a variety of factors, including if our premium rates are higher than those of our competitors, our underwriting requirements are more restrictive than those of our competitors, or our customers are dissatisfied with our claims-paying practices (including insurance policy rescissions and claim curtailments).
In recent years, the industry has materially reduced its use of standard rate cards, which were fairly consistent among competitors, and correspondingly increased its use of (i) pricing systems that use a spectrum of filed rates to allow for formulaic, risk-based pricing based on multiple attributes that may be quickly adjusted within certain parameters, and (ii) customized rate plans, both of which typically have rates lower than the standard rate card. Our increased use of reinsurance over the past several years, and the improved credit profile and reduced loss expectations associated with loans insured after 2008, have helped to mitigate the negative effect of declining premium rates on our expected returns. However, refer to our risk factor titled "Reinsurance may not always be available or its cost may increase" for a discussion of the risks associated with the availability of reinsurance, and our risk factors titled "Downturns in the domestic economy or declines in home prices may result in more homeowners defaulting and our losses increasing, with a corresponding decrease in our returns," and "Pandemics, hurricanes and other natural disasters may impact our incurred losses, the amount and timing of paid claims, our inventory of notices of default and our Minimum Required Assets under PMIERs" for a discussion about risks associated with our NIW.
The widespread use of risk-based pricing systems by the private mortgage insurance industry makes it more difficult to compare our rates to those offered by our competitors. We may not be aware of industry rate changes until we observe that our volume of NIW has changed. In addition, business under customized rate plans is awarded by certain customers for only limited periods of time. As a result, our NIW may fluctuate more than it had in the past. Regarding the concentration of our new business, our top ten customers accounted for approximately 33% and 40% in the twelve months ended June 30, 2022 and June 30, 2021, respectively.
We monitor various competitive and economic factors while seeking to balance both profitability and market share considerations in developing our pricing strategies. Premium rates on NIW will change our premium yield (net premiums earned divided by the average insurance in force) over time as older insurance policies run off and new insurance policies with premium rates that are generally lower are written.
Certain of our competitors have access to capital at a lower cost than we do (including, through off-shore intercompany reinsurance vehicles, which have tax advantages that may increase if U.S. corporate income taxes increase). As a result, they may be able to achieve higher after-tax rates of return on their NIW compared to us, which could allow them to leverage reduced premium rates to gain market share, and they may be better positioned to compete outside of traditional mortgage insurance, including by participating in alternative forms of credit enhancement pursued by the GSEs discussed in our risk factor titled "The amount of insurance we write could be adversely affected if lenders and investors select alternatives to private mortgage insurance."
Although the current PMIERs of the GSEs do not require an insurer to maintain minimum financial strength ratings, our financial strength ratings can affect us in the ways set forth below. If we are unable to compete effectively in the current or any future markets as a result of the financial strength ratings assigned to our insurance subsidiaries, our future NIW could be negatively affected.
- A downgrade in our financial strength ratings could result in increased scrutiny of our financial condition by the GSEs and/or our customers, potentially resulting in a decrease in the amount of our NIW.
- Our ability to participate in the non-GSE residential mortgage-backed securities market (the size of which has been limited since 2008, but may grow in the future), could depend on our ability to maintain and improve our investment grade ratings for our insurance subsidiaries. We could be competitively disadvantaged with some market participants because the financial strength ratings of our insurance subsidiaries are lower than those of some competitors. MGIC's financial strength rating from A.M. Best is A- (with a stable outlook), from Moody's is A3 (with a stable outlook) and from Standard & Poor's is BBB+ (with a stable outlook).
- Financial strength ratings may also play a greater role if the GSEs no longer operate in their current capacities, for example, due to legislative or regulatory action. In addition, although the PMIERs do not require minimum financial strength ratings, the GSEs consider financial strength ratings to be important when using forms of credit enhancement other than traditional mortgage insurance, as discussed in our risk factor titled "The amount of insurance we write could be adversely affected if lenders and investors select alternatives to private mortgage insurance." The final GSE capital framework provides more capital credit for transactions with higher rated counterparties, as well as those who are diversified. Although we are currently unaware of a direct impact on MGIC, this could potentially become a competitive disadvantage in the future.
Standard & Poor's is considering changes to its rating methodologies for insurers, including mortgage insurers. It is uncertain what impact the changes would have, whether they will prompt similar moves at other rating agencies, or the extent to which they will impact how external parties evaluate the different rating levels.
We are subject to the risk of legal proceedings.
Before paying an insurance claim, generally we review the loan and servicing files to determine the appropriateness of the claim amount. When reviewing the files, we may determine that we have the right to rescind coverage or deny a claim on the loan (both referred to herein as "rescissions"). In addition, our insurance policies generally provide that we can reduce a claim if the servicer did not comply with its obligations under our insurance policy (such reduction referred to as a "curtailment"). In recent years, an immaterial percentage of claims received have been resolved by rescissions. In the first half of 2022 and in 2021, curtailments reduced our average claim paid by approximately 5.3% and 4.4%, respectively. The COVID-19-related foreclosure moratoriums and forbearance plans decreased our claims paid activity beginning in the second quarter of 2020. It is difficult to predict the level of curtailments once foreclosure activity returns to a more typical level. Our loss reserving methodology incorporates our estimates of future rescissions, curtailments, and reversals of rescissions and curtailments. A variance between ultimate actual rescission, curtailment and reversal rates and our estimates, as a result of the outcome of litigation, settlements or other factors, could materially affect our losses.
When the insured disputes our right to rescind coverage or curtail claims, we generally engage in discussions in an attempt to settle the dispute. If we are unable to reach a settlement, the outcome of a dispute ultimately may be determined by legal proceedings. Under ASC 450-20, until a loss associated with settlement discussions or legal proceedings becomes probable and can be reasonably estimated, we consider our claim payment or rescission resolved for financial reporting purposes and do not accrue an estimated loss. When we determine that a loss is probable and can be reasonably estimated, we record our best estimate of our probable loss. In those cases, until settlement negotiations or legal proceedings are concluded (including the receipt of any necessary GSE approvals), it is possible that we will record an additional loss.
We are monitoring litigation that involves refunds of mortgage insurance premiums under the Homeowners Protection Act. In one case, we expect to be be named as a third-party defendant. We are unable to assess the potential impact of any such litigation at this time. In addition, from time to time, we are involved in other disputes and legal proceedings in the ordinary course of business. In our opinion, based on the facts known at this time, the ultimate resolution of these ordinary course disputes and legal proceedings will not have a material adverse effect on our financial position or results of operations.
If our risk management programs are not effective in identifying, or adequate in controlling or mitigating, the risks we face, or if the models used in our businesses are inaccurate, it could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Our enterprise risk management program, described in "Business - Our Products and Services - Risk Management" in Item 1 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, may not be effective in identifying, or adequate in controlling or mitigating, the risks we face in our business.
We employ proprietary and third party models to project returns, price products (including through our risk-based pricing system), determine the techniques used to underwrite insurance, estimate reserves, generate projections used to estimate future pre-tax income and to evaluate loss recognition testing, evaluate risk, determine internal capital requirements, perform stress testing, and for other uses. These models rely on estimates and projections that are inherently uncertain and may not operate as intended, especially under less-frequent circumstances such as those surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, and high levels of inflation, or with respect to emerging risks, such as changing climatic conditions. In addition, from time to time we seek to improve certain models, and the conversion process may result in material changes to certain assumptions, which could impact our expectations about future returns and financial results. The models we employ are complex, which increases our risk of error in their design, implementation or use. Also, the associated input data, assumptions and calculations may not be correct or accurate, and the controls we have in place to mitigate that risk may not be effective in all cases. The risks related to our models may increase when we change assumptions and/or methodologies, or when we add or change modeling platforms. We have enhanced, and we intend to continue to enhance, our modeling capabilities. Moreover, we may use information we receive through enhancements to refine or otherwise change existing assumptions and/or methodologies.
We rely on our management team and our business could be harmed if we are unable to retain qualified personnel or successfully develop and/or recruit their replacements.
Our success depends, in part, on the skills, working relationships and continued services of our management team and other key personnel. The unexpected departure of key personnel could adversely affect the conduct of our business. In such event, we would be required to obtain other personnel to manage and operate our business. In addition, we will be required to replace the knowledge and expertise of our aging workforce as our workers retire. In either case, there can be no assurance that we would be able to develop or recruit suitable replacements for the departing individuals; that replacements could be hired, if necessary, on terms that are favorable to us; or that we can successfully transition such replacements in a timely manner. We currently have not entered into any employment agreements with our officers or key personnel. Volatility or lack of performance in our stock price may affect our ability to retain our key personnel or attract replacements should key personnel depart. Without a properly skilled and experienced workforce, our costs, including productivity costs and costs to replace employees may increase, and this could negatively impact our earnings.
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company transitioned to a virtual workforce model with certain essential activities supported by limited staff in controlled office environments. We are currently operating under a hybrid model, with most employees working in the office for a portion of time. While the employees are in our office, they may be exposed to health risks, which may expose us to potential liability. We have established an interim succession plan for each of our key executives, should an executive be unable to perform his or her duties.
The mix of business we write affects our Minimum Required Assets under the PMIERs, our premium yields and the likelihood of losses occurring.
The Minimum Required Assets under the PMIERs are, in part, a function of the direct risk-in-force and the risk profile of the loans we insure, considering LTV ratio, credit score, vintage, Home Affordable Refinance Program ("HARP") status and delinquency status; and whether the loans were insured under lender-paid mortgage insurance policies or other policies that are not subject to automatic termination consistent with the Homeowners Protection Act requirements for borrower-paid mortgage insurance. Therefore, if our direct risk-in-force increases through increases in NIW, or if our mix of business changes to include loans with higher LTV ratios or lower FICO scores, for example, all other things equal, we will be required to hold more Available Assets in order to maintain GSE eligibility.
The minimum capital required by the risk-based capital framework contained in the exposure draft released by the NAIC in December 2019 would be, in part, a function of certain loan and economic factors, including property location, LTV ratio and credit score, general underwriting quality in the market at the time of loan origination, the age of the loan, and the premium rate we charge. Depending on the provisions of the capital requirements when they are released in final form and become effective, our mix of business may affect the minimum capital we are required to hold under the new framework.
The percentage of our NIW from all single-premium policies was 5.1% in the first half of 2022 and 7.4% in full year 2021, and has ranged from 5.1% in 2022 to 19.0% in 2017. Depending on the actual life of a single premium policy and its premium rate relative to that of a monthly premium policy, a single premium policy may generate more or less premium than a monthly premium policy over its life.
As discussed in our risk factor titled "Reinsurance may not always be available or its cost may increase," we have in place various QSR transactions. Although the transactions reduce our premiums, they have a lesser impact on our overall results, as losses ceded under the transactions reduce our losses incurred and the ceding commissions we receive reduce our underwriting expenses. The effect of the QSR transactions on the various components of pre-tax income will vary from period to period, depending on the level of ceded losses incurred. We also have in place various XOL reinsurance transactions, under which we cede premiums. Under the XOL reinsurance transactions, for the respective reinsurance coverage periods, we retain the first layer of aggregate losses, and the reinsurers provide second layer coverage up to the outstanding reinsurance coverage amount.
In addition to the effect of reinsurance on our premiums, we expect a decline in our premium yield because an increasing percentage of our insurance in force is from recent book years whose premium rates had been trending lower.
Our ability to rescind insurance coverage became more limited for new insurance written beginning in mid-2012, and it became further limited for new insurance written under our revised master policy that became effective March 1, 2020. These limitations may result in higher losses paid than would be the case under our previous master policies. In addition, our rescission rights temporarily have become more limited due to accommodations we made in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic. We waived our rescission rights in certain circumstances where the failure to make payments was associated with a COVID-19 pandemic-related forbearance.
From time to time, in response to market conditions, we change the types of loans that we insure. We also may change our underwriting guidelines, including by agreeing with certain approval recommendations from a GSE automated underwriting system. In the second quarter of 2022, Fannie Mae indicated that as a part of normal operations and prudent risk management, it would update its automated underwriting system's risk and eligibility assessment in response to changing market conditions. That update may yield a reduction in loan case files receiving an "Approve/Eligible" recommendation from such system. We also make exceptions to our underwriting requirements on a loan-by-loan basis and for certain customer programs. Our underwriting requirements are available on our website at http://www.mgic.com/underwriting/index.html.
Even when home prices are stable or rising, mortgages with certain characteristics have higher probabilities of claims. As of June 30, 2022, mortgages with these characteristics in our primary risk in force included mortgages with LTV ratios greater than 95% (15.1%), mortgages with borrowers having FICO scores below 680 (7.3%), including those with borrowers having FICO scores of 620-679 (6.4%), mortgages with limited underwriting, including limited borrower documentation (0.9%), and mortgages with borrowers having DTI ratios greater than 45% (or where no ratio is available) (14.5%), each attribute as determined at the time of loan origination. Loans with more than one of these attributes accounted for 4.4% of our primary risk in force as of June 30, 2022, and 3.3% of our NIW in the first half of 2022 and less than one percent of our NIW in the first half of 2021. When home prices increase, interest rates increase and/or the percentage of our NIW from purchase transactions increases, our NIW on mortgages with higher LTV ratios and higher DTI ratios may increase. Our NIW on mortgages with LTV ratios greater than 95% increased from 10% in the first half of 2021 to 13% in the first half of 2022 and our NIW on mortgages with DTI ratios greater than 45% increased from 13% in the first half of 2021 to 19% in the first half of 2022.
From time to time, we change the processes we use to underwrite loans. For example: we rely on information provided to us by lenders that was obtained from certain of the GSEs' automated appraisal and income verification tools, which may produce results that differ from the results that would have been determined using different methods; we accept GSE appraisal waivers for certain refinance loans, the numbers of which have increased significantly beginning in 2020 and remain elevated; and we accept GSE appraisal flexibilities that allow property valuations in certain transactions to be based on appraisals that do not involve an onsite or interior inspection of the property. Our acceptance of automated GSE appraisal and income verification tools, GSE appraisal waivers and GSE appraisal flexibilities may affect our pricing and risk assessment. We also continue to further automate our underwriting processes and it is possible that our automated processes result in our insuring loans that we would not otherwise have insured under our prior processes.
Approximately 73% of our first half 2022 and 72% of our 2021 NIW was originated under delegated underwriting programs pursuant to which the loan originators had authority on our behalf to underwrite the loans for our mortgage insurance. For loans originated through a delegated underwriting program, we depend on the originators' compliance with our guidelines and rely on the originators' representations that the loans being insured satisfy the underwriting guidelines, eligibility criteria and other requirements. While we have established systems and processes to monitor whether certain aspects of our underwriting guidelines were being followed by the originators, such systems may not ensure that the guidelines were being strictly followed at the time the loans were originated.
The widespread use of risk-based pricing systems by the private mortgage insurance industry (discussed in our risk factor titled "Competition or changes in our relationships with our customers could reduce our revenues, reduce our premium yields and / or increase our losses") makes it more difficult to compare our premium rates to those offered by our competitors. We may not be aware of industry rate changes until we observe that our mix of new insurance written has changed and our mix may fluctuate more as a result.
If state or federal regulations or statutes are changed in ways that ease mortgage lending standards and/or requirements, or if lenders seek ways to replace business in times of lower mortgage originations, it is possible that more mortgage loans could be originated with higher risk characteristics than are currently being originated, such as loans with lower FICO scores and higher DTI ratios. The focus of the new FHFA leadership on increasing homeownership opportunities for borrowers is likely to have this effect. Lenders could pressure mortgage insurers to insure such loans, which are expected to experience higher claim rates. Although we attempt to incorporate these higher expected claim rates into our underwriting and pricing models, there can be no assurance that the premiums earned and the associated investment income will be adequate to compensate for actual losses paid even under our current underwriting requirements.
Our holding company debt obligations materially exceed our holding company cash and investments.
At June 30, 2022, we had approximately $690 million in cash and investments at our holding company and our holding company's long-term debt obligations were $0.9 billion in aggregate principal amount. Annual debt service on the long-term debt obligations outstanding as of June 30, 2022, is approximately $37 million, after giving effect to the redemption of our 5.75% Senior Notes discussed below.
In the first half of 2022, we repurchased $74.9 million in aggregate principal amount of our 9% Convertible Junior Subordinated Debentures, using $102.0 million of holding company resources, eliminating 5.7 million potentially dilutive common shares, reducing annual interest expense by $6.7 million and resulting in a $27.2 million loss on debt extinguishment. In July 2022 we redeemed the remaining $242.3 million outstanding balance of our 5.75% Senior Notes due in 2023, resulting in a $6.8 million loss on debt extinguishment. We may continue to repurchase and/or redeem our debt obligations.
The long-term debt obligations are owed by our holding company, MGIC Investment Corporation, and not its subsidiaries. The payment of dividends from our insurance subsidiaries (primarily MGIC) which, other than investment income and raising capital in the public markets, is the principal source of our holding company cash inflow. Although MGIC holds assets in excess of its minimum statutory capital requirements and its PMIERs financial requirements, the ability of MGIC to pay dividends is restricted by insurance regulation. In general, dividends in excess of prescribed limits are deemed "extraordinary" and may not be paid if disapproved by the OCI. The level of ordinary dividends that may be paid without OCI approval is determined on an annual basis and it is $122 million in 2022, before considering dividends paid in the previous twelve months. A dividend is extraordinary when the proposed dividend amount plus dividends paid in the last twelve months from the dividend payment date exceed the ordinary dividend level. In the six months ended June 30, 2022, MGIC paid $400 million in dividends of cash and investments to the holding company. Future dividend payments from MGIC to the holding company will be determined in consultation with the board of directors, and after considering any updated estimates about our business.
Repurchases of our common stock may be made from time to time on the open market (including through 10b5-1 plans) or through privately negotiated transactions. In the first half of 2022, we repurchased approximately 15.7 million shares, using approximately $222 million of holding company resources. As of June 30, 2022, we had $278 million of authorization remaining to repurchase our common stock through the end of 2023 under a share repurchase program approved by our Board of Directors in October 2021. If any capital contributions to our subsidiaries are required, such contributions would decrease our holding company cash and investments.
Your ownership in our company may be diluted by additional capital that we raise.
As noted above under our risk factor titled "We may not continue to meet the GSEs' private mortgage insurer eligibility requirements and our returns may decrease if we are required to maintain more capital in order to maintain our eligibility," although we are currently in compliance with the requirements of the PMIERs, there can be no assurance that we would not seek to issue additional debt capital or to raise additional equity or equity-linked capital to manage our capital position under the PMIERs or for other purposes. Any future issuance of equity securities may dilute your ownership interest in our company. In addition, the market price of our common stock could decline as a result of sales of a large number of shares or similar securities in the market or the perception that such sales could occur.
The price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly, which may make it difficult for holders to resell common stock when they want or at a price they find attractive.
The market price for our common stock may fluctuate significantly. In addition to the risk factors described herein, the following factors may have an adverse impact on the market price for our common stock: changes in general conditions in the economy, the mortgage insurance industry or the financial markets; announcements by us or our competitors of acquisitions or strategic initiatives; our actual or anticipated quarterly and annual operating results; changes in expectations of future financial performance (including incurred losses on our insurance in force); changes in estimates of securities analysts or rating agencies; actual or anticipated changes in our share repurchase program or dividends; changes in operating performance or market valuation of companies in the mortgage insurance industry; the addition or departure of key personnel; changes in tax law; and adverse press or news announcements affecting us or the industry. In addition, ownership by certain types of investors may affect the market price and trading volume of our common stock. For example, ownership in our common stock by investors such as index funds and exchange-traded funds can affect the stock's price when those investors must purchase or sell our common stock because the investors have experienced significant cash inflows or outflows, the index to which our common stock belongs has been rebalanced, or our common stock is added to and/or removed from an index (due to changes in our market capitalization, for example).
We could be adversely affected if personal information on consumers that we maintain is improperly disclosed, our information technology systems are damaged or their operations are interrupted, or our automated processes do not operate as expected.
As part of our business, we maintain large amounts of personal information of consumers, including on our servers and those of cloud computing services. Federal and state laws designed to promote the protection of such information require businesses that collect or maintain consumer information to adopt information security programs, and to notify individuals, and in some jurisdictions, regulatory authorities, of security breaches involving personally identifiable information.
We are increasingly reliant on the efficient and uninterrupted operation of complex information technology systems. All information technology systems are potentially vulnerable to damage or interruption from a variety of sources, including by third-party cyber attacks, including those involving ransomware. The Company discovers vulnerabilities and experiences malicious attacks and other attempts to gain unauthorized access to its systems on a regular basis. Globally, attacks are expected to continue accelerating in both frequency and sophistication with increasing use by actors of tools and techniques that will hinder the Company's ability to identify, investigate and recover from incidents. Such attacks may also increase as a result of retaliation by Russia in response to actions taken by the U.S. and other countries in connection with Russia's military invasion of Ukraine. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company transitioned to a primarily virtual workforce model and will likely continue to operate under a hybrid model in the future. Virtual and hybrid workforce models may be more vulnerable to security breaches.
While we have information security policies and systems in place to secure our information technology systems and to prevent unauthorized access to or disclosure of sensitive information, there can be no assurance with respect to our systems and those of our third-party vendors that unauthorized access to the systems or disclosure of the sensitive information, either through the actions of third parties or employees, will not occur. Due to our reliance on information technology systems, including ours and those of our customers and third-party service providers, and to the sensitivity of the information that we maintain, unauthorized access to the systems or disclosure of the information could adversely affect our reputation, severely disrupt our operations, result in a loss of business and expose us to material claims for damages and may require that we provide free credit monitoring services to individuals affected by a security breach.
Should we experience an unauthorized disclosure of information or a cyber attack, including those involving ransomware, some of the costs we incur may not be recoverable through insurance, or legal or other processes, and this may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
We are in the process of upgrading certain information systems, and transforming and automating certain business processes, and we continue to enhance our risk-based pricing system and our system for evaluating risk. Certain information systems have been in place for a number of years and it has become increasingly difficult to support their operation. The implementation of technological and business process improvements, as well as their integration with customer and third-party systems when applicable, is complex, expensive and time consuming. If we fail to timely and successfully implement and integrate the new technology systems, if the third party providers to which we are becoming increasingly reliant do not perform as expected, if our legacy systems fail to operate as required, or if the upgraded systems and/or transformed and automated business processes do not operate as expected, it could have a material adverse impact on our business, business prospects and results of operations.
Our success depends, in part, on our ability to manage risks in our investment portfolio.
Our investment portfolio is an important source of revenue and is our primary source of claims paying resources. Although our investment portfolio consists mostly of highly-rated fixed income investments, our investment portfolio is affected by general economic conditions and tax policy, which may adversely affect the markets for credit and interest-rate-sensitive securities, including the extent and timing of investor participation in these markets, the level and volatility of interest rates and credit spreads and, consequently, the value of our fixed income securities. Prevailing market rates have increased for various reasons, including inflationary pressures, which has reduced the fair value of our investment portfolio. The value of our investment portfolio may also be adversely affected by ratings downgrades, increased bankruptcies and credit spreads widening in distressed industries. In addition, the collectability and valuation of our municipal bond portfolio may be adversely affected by budget deficits, and declining tax bases and revenues experienced by state and local municipalities. Our investment portfolio also includes commercial mortgage-backed securities, collateralized loan obligations, and asset-backed securities, which could be adversely affected by declines in real estate valuations, increases in unemployment geopolitical risks and/or financial market disruption, including a heightened collection risk on the underlying loans. As a result of these matters, we may not achieve our investment objectives and a reduction in the market value of our investments could have an adverse effect on our liquidity, financial condition and results of operations.
For the significant portion of our investment portfolio that is held by MGIC, to receive full capital credit under insurance regulatory requirements and under the PMIERs, we generally are limited to investing in investment grade fixed income securities whose yields reflect their lower credit risk profile. Our investment income depends upon the size of the portfolio and its reinvestment at prevailing interest rates. A prolonged period of low investment yields would have an adverse impact on our investment income as would a decrease in the size of the portfolio.
We structure our investment portfolio to satisfy our expected liabilities, including claim payments in our mortgage insurance business. If we underestimate our liabilities or improperly structure our investments to meet these liabilities, we could have unexpected losses resulting from the forced liquidation of fixed income investments before their maturity, which could adversely affect our results of operations.
The Company may be adversely impacted by the transition from LIBOR as a reference rate.
The United Kingdom's Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates LIBOR, announced that after 2021 it would no longer publish one-week and two-month tenor USD LIBOR and that after June 30, 2023, it would no longer publish all other USD LIBOR tenors. Efforts are underway to identify and transition to a set of alternative reference rates. The set of alternative rates includes the Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR"), which the Federal Reserve Bank of New York began publishing in 2018. Because SOFR is calculated based on different criteria than LIBOR, SOFR and LIBOR may diverge.
While it is not currently possible to determine precisely whether, or to what extent, the replacement of LIBOR would affect us, the implementation of alternative benchmark rates to LIBOR may have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition. We have three primary types of transactions that involve financial instruments referencing LIBOR. First, as of June 30, 2022, approximately 6% of the fair value of our investment portfolio consisted of securities referencing LIBOR. Second, as of June 30, 2022, approximately $0.5 billion of our risk in force was on adjustable rate mortgages whose interest is referenced to one-month USD LIBOR. A change in reference rate associated with these loans may affect their principal balance, which may affect our risk-in-force and the amount of Minimum Required Assets we are required to maintain under PMIERs. A change in reference rate may also affect the amount of principal and/or accrued interest we are required to pay in the event of a claim payment. Third, the premiums under most of our 2018-2021 excess-of-loss reinsurance agreements are determined, in part, by the difference between interest payable on the reinsurers' notes which reference one-month USD LIBOR and earnings from a pool of securities receiving interest that may reference LIBOR (in the first half of 2022, our total premiums on such transactions were approximately $18.7 million).
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SOURCE MGIC Investment Corporation | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/03/mgic-investment-corporation-reports-second-quarter-2022-results/ | 2022-08-03T21:26:26Z |
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