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After Yellowstone, floodwaters move through Montana’s largest city
RED LODGE, Mont. (AP) — Floodwaters that rushed through Yellowstone National Park and surrounding communities earlier this week moved through Montana’s largest city on Wednesday, flooding farms and ranches and forcing the shutdown of its water treatment plant.
The water in the Yellowstone River hit its highest level in nearly a century as it traveled east to Billings, Montana, home to nearly 110,000 people. It hit 16 feet, a foot higher than the water plant needs to work effectively.
The historic floodwaters raged through the nation’s oldest national park earlier this week and may have forever altered the human footprint on Yellowstone’s terrain and the communities that have grown around it.
The floodwaters tore out bridges and poured into nearby homes. They pushed a popular fishing river off course — possibly permanently — and may force roadways nearly torn away by torrents of water to be rebuilt in new places.
“The landscape literally and figuratively has changed dramatically in the last 36 hours,” said Bill Berg, a commissioner in nearby Park County. “A little bit ironic that this spectacular landscape was created by violent geologic and hydrologic events, and it’s just not very handy when it happens while we’re all here settled on it.”
The unprecedented flooding drove more than 10,000 visitors out of the park and damaged hundreds of homes in nearby communities, though remarkably no was reported hurt or killed. The only visitors left in the massive park straddling three states were a dozen campers still making their way out of the backcountry.
The park could remain closed as long as a week, and northern entrances may not reopen this summer, Superintendent Cam Sholly said.
“I’ve heard this is a 1,000-year event, whatever that means these days. They seem to be happening more and more frequently,” he said.
Sholly noted some weather forecasts include the possibility of additional flooding this weekend.
Days of rain and rapid snowmelt wrought havoc across parts of southern Montana and northern Wyoming, where it washed away cabins, swamped small towns and knocked out power. It hit the park as a summer tourist season that draws millions of visitors was ramping up during its 150th anniversary year.
Businesses in hard-hit Gardiner had just started really recovering from the tourism contraction brought by the coronavirus pandemic, and were hoping for a good year, Berg said.
“It’s a Yellowstone town, and it lives and dies by tourism, and this is going to be a pretty big hit,” he said. “They’re looking to try to figure out how to hold things together.”
Some of the worst damage happened in the northern part of the park and Yellowstone’s gateway communities in southern Montana. National Park Service photos of northern Yellowstone showed a mudslide, washed out bridges and roads undercut by churning floodwaters of the Gardner and Lamar rivers.
In Red Lodge, a town of 2,100 that’s a popular jumping-off point for a scenic route into the Yellowstone high country, a creek running through town jumped its banks and swamped the main thoroughfare, leaving trout swimming in the street a day later under sunny skies.
Residents described a harrowing scene where the water went from a trickle to a torrent over just a few hours.
The water toppled telephone poles, knocked over fences and carved deep fissures in the ground through a neighborhood of hundreds of houses. Electricity was restored by Tuesday, but there was still no running water in the affected neighborhood.
Heidi Hoffman left early Monday to buy a sump pump in Billings, but by the time she returned her basement was full of water.
“We lost all our belongings in the basement,” Hoffman said as the pump removed a steady stream of water into her muddy backyard. “Yearbooks, pictures, clothes, furniture. Were going to be cleaning up for a long time.”
At least 200 homes were flooded in Red Lodge and the town of Fromberg.
The flooding came as the Midwest and East Coast sizzle from a heat wave and other parts of the West burn from an early wildfire season amid a persistent drought that has increased the frequency and intensity of fires. Smoke from a fire in the mountains of Flagstaff, Arizona, could be seen in Colorado.
While the flooding hasn’t been directly attributed to climate change, Rick Thoman, a climate specialist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, said a warming environment makes extreme weather events more likely than they would have been “without the warming that human activity has caused.”
“Will Yellowstone have a repeat of this in five or even 50 years? Maybe not, but somewhere will have something equivalent or even more extreme,” he said.
Heavy rain on top of melting mountain snow pushed the Yellowstone, Stillwater and Clarks Fork rivers to record levels Monday and triggered rock and mudslides, according to the National Weather Service. The Yellowstone River at Corwin Springs topped a record set in 1918.
Yellowstone’s northern roads may remain impassable for a substantial length of time. The flooding affected the rest of the park, too, with park officials warning of yet higher flooding and potential problems with water supplies and wastewater systems at developed areas.
The rains hit just as area hotels filled up in recent weeks with summer tourists. More than 4 million visitors were tallied by the park last year. The wave of tourists doesn’t abate until fall, and June is typically one of Yellowstone’s busiest months.
At a cabin in Gardiner, Parker Manning of Terre Haute, Indiana, got an up-close view of the roiling Yellowstone River floodwaters just outside his door.
In early evening, he shot video as the waters ate away at the opposite bank where a large brown house that had been home to park employees before they were evacuated was precariously perched.
In a large cracking sound heard over the river’s roar, the house tipped into the waters and was pulled into the current.
The towns of Cooke City and Silvergate, just east of the park, were also isolated by floodwaters, which also made drinking water unsafe. People left a hospital and low-lying areas in Livingston.
___
Whitehurst reported from Salt Lake City. Associated Press writers Amy Beth Hanson in Helena, Becky Bohrer in Juneau, Alaska, R.J. Rico in Atlanta, and Brian Melley in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/06/15/after-yellowstone-floodwaters-move-through-montanas-largest-city/ | 2022-06-15T21:23:21Z |
Small plane crashes in Croatia, killing all 4 on board
ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Authorities in Croatia say that a small plane that went off the radar has crashed, killing four people on board. A civil protection official said that search teams on Monday found the Cessna 182 plane near Brocanac, in central Croatia. The official said police have launched a probe into the accident. The plane went missing on Sunday after taking off from the Adriatic Sea port of Split toward Germany. Local media reported that the weather in the area was bad and that the pilot sent an appeal for help before crashing. | https://localnews8.com/news/ap-national/2022/05/30/small-plane-crashes-in-croatia-killing-all-4-on-board/ | 2022-05-30T11:33:44Z |
Company Receives "Prime" ISS ESG Corporate Rating And Inclusion In The "2022 Verité 40" Carbon Score Index By Axylia
CLICHY, France, June 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BIC announces it has been recognized with two new distinctions for its corporate ESG initiatives and sustainable business development.
Specifically, BIC achieved the "Prime" ISS ESG Corporate rating, fulfilling the holistic sustainability performance requirements based on an analysis of more than 100 sector-specific ESG factors, judged against industry peers. In addition, BIC has been included on Axylia's 2022 Verité 40*1 (Truth Index 40), affirming the Company's ability to cover its "CO2 bill" and continue to create sustainable value.
"We are honored to have such respected institutions acknowledge our advancements as we continue to innovate long-lasting products for our consumers with the planet, society and future generations in mind." said Gonzalve Bich, BIC Chief Executive Officer. "These distinctions give us further confidence we are on the right path and empower us to go even further in fulfilling our mission to bring simplicity and joy to everyday life, responsibly and sustainably."
BIC's approach to sustainability is deeply rooted in the Company's values and has been a cornerstone of day-to-day operations for over 70 years. In 2018, the Company reinforced its commitment to sustainable development by establishing Writing The Future, Together, a forward looking, global program underpinned by five major commitments. These commitments that guide corporate decision making were recently strengthened by the Company's GHG emission reduction targets, membership in the United Nations Global Compact, and ESG share buyback program.
A world leader in stationery, lighters and shavers, BIC brings simplicity and joy to everyday Life. For more than 75 years, the Company has honored the tradition of providing high-quality, affordable, essential products to consumers everywhere. Through this unwavering dedication, BIC has become one of the most recognized brands and is a trademark registered worldwide. Today, BIC products are sold in more than 160 countries around the world and feature iconic brands such as BIC Kids™, BIC Flex™, BodyMark by BIC™, Cello®, Djeep, Lucky Stationery, Rocketbook, Soleil®, Tipp-Ex®, Us. ™, Wite-Out®, Inkbox and more. In 2021, BIC Net Sales were 1,831.9 million euros. The Company is listed on "Euronext Paris"," is part of the SBF120 and CAC Mid 60 indexes and is recognized for its commitment to sustainable development and education. It received an A- Leadership score from CDP. For more, visit www.bic.com.
1*The Axylia Carbon® Score assesses a company's ability to pay its theoretical Carbon bill. The Carbon bill (CO2 emissions x Carbon cost) is deducted from the company's EBITDA, leading to a "Carbon-adjusted" EBITDA, which measures the ability of the company to remain profitable (A, B, C) or not (D, E, F) once its theoretical Carbon bill is deducted. BIC was awarded a B score in 2022 and included into to the "2022 Verité 40" Carbon Score Index.
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SOURCE BIC Corporation | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/23/bic-recognized-its-path-towards-more-sustainable-future/ | 2022-06-23T18:58:06Z |
North Korea test-fires missile amid signs of nuclear test
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea test-fired at least one unidentified ballistic missile toward the sea on Sunday, South Korea’s military said, extending a provocative streak in weapons demonstrations this year that U.S. and South Korean officials say may culminate with a nuclear test explosion.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff didn’t immediately say where the weapon was fired from or how far it flew.
The launch came a day after the U.S. aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan concluded a three-day naval drill with South Korea in the Philippine Sea, apparently their first drill involving a carrier since November 2017, as the countries move to upgrade their defense exercises in the face of growing North Korean threats.
The launch was North Korea’s 18th round of missile tests in 2022 alone — a streak that has included the country’s first demonstrations of intercontinental ballistic missiles in nearly five years — as it continues to exploit a favorable environment to push forward weapons development with the U.N. Security Council divided over Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Experts say North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s brinkmanship is aimed at forcing the United States to accept the idea of the North as a nuclear power and negotiating economic and security concessions from a position of strength.
South Korean and U.S. officials say there are signs that North Korea is also pressing ahead with preparations at its nuclear testing ground in the northeastern town of Punggye-ri. The North’s next nuclear test would be its seventh since 2006 and the first since September 2017, when it claimed to have detonated a thermonuclear bomb to fit on its ICBMs.
On Friday, U.S. President Joe Biden’s special envoy for North Korea, Sung Kim, said Washington is “preparing for all contingencies” in close coordination with its Asian allies as he participated in a trilateral meeting in Seoul with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts over the nuclear standoff with North Korea.
Nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled since 2019 over disagreements in exchanging the release of crippling U.S.-led sanctions against North Korea and the North’s disarmament steps.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/06/05/north-korea-test-fires-missile-amid-signs-nuclear-test/ | 2022-06-05T01:48:36Z |
The Family Western TV series, starring Jane Seymour as Dr. Michaela Quinn, Will Launch with a Weekend Marathon
SOUTH BEND, Ind., Aug. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- FETV (Family Entertainment Television), home to beloved and timeless television series and movies carried across cable, satellite, and virtual platforms, announced today that Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman will be joining the network's lineup of programming beginning September 24TH. The "Welcome to the Family: WeeQuinned Marathon" featuring hand-picked episodes is scheduled for Saturday, September 24TH and Sunday, September 25TH from 12-8p ET each day with an encore presentation from 8p-4a ET. On Monday, September 26TH, the show will debut in its regular time slot, every day from 1-3p ET and 6-8p ET.
"Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman is one of those unique television series that resonates with the whole family," said Jaclyn Rann Cohen, Executive Vice President, Content Acquisitions & Strategy. "We are so pleased to bring a strong, female-driven Western to our lineup, where it will complement many other audience favorites."
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman was created and executive produced by Beth Sullivan. The series stars Jane Seymour as Dr. Michaela "Mike" Quinn, a physician who moves from 1860s civilized Boston to a rough-hewn frontier town of Colorado Springs to start her own medical practice. The television series ran on CBS for six seasons and released 150 episodes.
FETV's current lineup features popular television series such as Emergency!, Leave It to Beaver, Perry Mason, and Rawhide.
Check https://fetv.tv/ for full listings and times.
Launched in 2013, FETV is home to a 24-hour schedule of beloved and timeless television series and movies carried across cable, satellite and virtual platforms reaching more than 50 million homes. Launched in 2021, FMC features a 24-hour schedule celebrating the depth and variety of movies from the 1930's through the 1970's, and is currently available on Dish Network, Frndly, altafiber and Evoca. FETV and FMC are independently owned and operated by Family Broadcasting Company based in South Bend, Indiana with an office in New York City.
Contact:
Angela Grabowski
574-231-5428
agrabowski@familybroadcastingcorporation.com
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SOURCE FETV | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/01/dr-quinn-medicine-woman-series-coming-fetv-september-24th/ | 2022-08-01T20:35:09Z |
Eat-a-Dish for Make-A-Wish program partners Maggiano's and Make-A-Wish for 19th straight year
DALLAS, June 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 1,300 life-changing wishes have been granted by Make-A-Wish® thanks to the generous donations of Maggiano's Little Italy® Guests and starting today, the two are proud to launch a 19th year of partnership through Eat-a-Dish for Make-A-Wish.
To-date, the campaign has raised $9.6 million with a goal to surpass $10 million this year, and Guests can help us reach that goal in one of the following ways:
- Enjoy a made-from-scratch, chef-featured item by August 24: Guests can choose from dishes such as Smoked Salmon Dip, Tuscan Shrimp & Chicken and Berry Tiramisu. For each select featured menu item ordered, $1 is donated to Make-A-Wish. For every glass of Wish Lemonade or Vera's Lemon Drop Martini ordered, 50 cents is donated.
- Purchase a Wish Star In-Restaurant: Buy a paper Wish Star while dining in, and the donation goes straight to Make-A-Wish.
- Secure a Wish Art Cup: The co-branded cup adorned with a wish recipient design can be purchased with a $5 donation.
- Buy a Kids Meal: 5% of every kids meal sold during the campaign goes to Make-A-Wish
- Round Up an Online Order: All year long Guests have the opportunity to round up their online order to the nearest dollar with the difference going directly to Make-A-Wish.
- Donate Online: Go to our online donation page at https://maggianos.com/make-a-wish/
"Eat-a-Dish for Make-A-Wish is something our Teammates look forward to each year, and we are so pleased to see packed dining rooms again full of Guests willing to help grant these life-changing wishes," said Steve Provost, president of Maggiano's. "Our made-from-scratch Italian-American dishes have a fame all their own, and to be able to use them for this sort of good for 19 years now is something that makes me extremely proud."
With Make-A-Wish bouncing back after the challenges brought on by the pandemic, this year is more important than ever for making sure every deserving recipient gets his or her Wish.
"Over the past 19 years, Eat-a-Dish has become a fan favorite amongst Maggiano's customers, delivering fun and engaging ways to help make wishes come true," said Richard K. Davis, president and CEO, Make-A-Wish America. "When a wish is granted, a child replaces fear with confidence, sadness with joy and anxiety with hope. We are grateful to our long-time partner Maggiano's and its guests for helping make that powerful impact possible."
Join us in making even more Wishes come true by visiting Maggiano's. For more information and to find the nearest restaurant, visit maggianos.com.
About Maggiano's Little Italy®
Maggiano's Little Italy specializes in Italian-American cuisine served in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Maggiano's menu features both classic and contemporary recipes – authentic pastas, signature salads, steaks, fresh seafood, regular chef specials and specialty desserts. Maggiano's 52 restaurants nationwide offer lunch and dinner as well as delivery, carryout services and banquet spaces for special occasions. Maggiano's is owned and operated by Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT), one of the world's leading casual dining restaurant companies, serving more than one million Guests daily. Brinker owns or franchises more than 1,600 restaurants in 29 countries and two territories. In addition to Maggiano's, Brinker owns and operates Chili's® Grill & Bar.
Follow news about Maggiano's on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest. For additional information, including the restaurant nearest you, please visit maggianos.com.
About Make-A-Wish®
Make-A-Wish creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish is the world's leading children's wish-granting organization, operating in every community in the United States and in nearly 50 countries worldwide. Together with generous donors, supporters, staff and more than 24,000 volunteers across the U.S., Make-A-Wish delivers hope and joy to children and their families when they need it most. Make-A-Wish aims to bring the power of wishing to every child with a critical illness because wish experiences can help improve emotional and physical health. Since 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 520,000 wishes worldwide; more than 350,000 wishes in the U.S. and its territories alone. For more information about Make-A-Wish America, visit wish.org.
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SOURCE Maggiano's Little Italy | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/30/maggianos-little-italy-invites-guests-help-make-life-changing-wishes-come-true/ | 2022-06-30T16:06:41Z |
Nimishillen Township trustees accept two resignations
The Repository
Nimishillen Township trustees
Thursday meeting
KEY ACTION: Accepted resignations from two workers.
DISCUSSION: Firefighter Tyler Palm resigned from the Nimishillen Township Fire Department effective Aug. 25, and Road Department employee Darrin Metzger resigned, effective Aug. 12.
OTHER ACTION:
- Approved a $9,800 cost of demolition of structures at 9055 Columbus Road NE to be assessed to the owner's property tax.
- Accepted reports from the fire, road, and zoning departments.
- Set 6 p.m. Sept. 8 for a work session to discuss office procedures.
UP NEXT: Meets at 7 p.m. Sept 8 at Township Hall.
David Scheurer | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/louisville/2022/08/29/nimishillen-township-trustees-accept-two-resignations/65461918007/ | 2022-08-29T17:10:48Z |
The Texas-based jeweler is known for its memorable silver charms, rings and more
KERRVILLE, Texas, Aug. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- James Avery Artisan Jewelry announced today that it is partnering with Von Maur, a family-owned, Midwestern department store, to offer a selection of its jewelry. The partnership will launch both online and, in phases from August to October, to 37 Von Maur locations across 15 states.
"We are thrilled to partner with Von Maur. Since both James Avery Artisan Jewelry and Von Maur are family-owned companies, we both share the similar values and strive for integrity in how we treat our Associates and Customers," says John McCullough, CEO of James Avery. "Dedication, hard work and the hands of many are involved in the creation of every design, from the concept and production to finishing."
Von Maur, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, will introduce James Avery to its loyal customer base, offering meaningful jewelry designed to connect people, their life events and celebrations.
"Von Maur looks forward to being able to service our customers with the best of James Avery," says Joy Place, Vice President of Merchandising at Von Maur. "Both of our companies put the customer first and share many similarities in our family-owned businesses. We know this brand is a perfect fit for our stores and can't wait to see where this partnership takes us."
Born in Milwaukee and raised in the Chicago area, James Avery (the company's founder) was first introduced to the scenic Texas Hill Country by way of the U.S. Army Air Corps. From the beginning, James Avery's goal was to create jewelry with special meaning for his customers. It was also important that his designs had lasting appeal, a timelessness that would endure from one generation to the next. Artisanship has always been paramount to James Avery Artisan Jewelry because it expresses the true meaning behind each design.
"We want every customer at Von Maur to experience the handcrafted artistry and integrity that Mr. Avery brought to his original designs and his legacy that continues to live on in our collections today," says Rob Mitchell, Director of Wholesale Business development at James Avery.
About James Avery Artisan Jewelry®– James Avery is a vertically integrated, family-owned company located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, offering finely crafted jewelry designs for men and women in sterling silver, 14K and 18K gold, bronze and gemstones. James Avery jewelry is designed in the Texas Hill Country, with more than 98 percent of our pieces crafted in Kerrville, Comfort, Hondo, and Corpus Christi, Texas, using the finest materials sourced worldwide. We are a multi-channel retailer with over 110 James Avery stores in four states and our jewelry is also available at JamesAvery.com, more over 220 Dillard's locations and more.
About Von Maur – Von Maur is a Midwestern department store chain with 37 locations in 15 states, specializing in clothing, accessories, shoes, beauty products, home decor and more.
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SOURCE James Avery Artisan Jewelry | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/22/james-avery-partners-with-von-maur-bring-handcrafted-jewelry-midwest/ | 2022-08-22T18:49:11Z |
Kisses from your pet may contain deadly bacteria, study finds
(Gray News) - If you are a pet owner you undoubtedly have been greeted with a “kiss” from your favorite companion, but they might be giving something else than just some affection.
According to a study from a veterinary college and the University of Lisbon, dogs, cats, and their owners can share bacteria through those displays of affection.
The study said the sharing of bacteria is likely from owners letting their pets kiss them on the mouth or not washing their hands thoroughly enough after picking up their pet’s waste or cleaning the litter box.
Researchers note these findings are not new but the concerning part is that some of the bacteria being shared is resistant to antibiotics.
According to the study, several of the infected pets they tested had antibiotic-resistant strains of bacterial infections, such as E. coli.
Researchers noted that owners who are not washing their hands well enough after touching their pet’s waste can cause bacteria transmission when they later touch their own mouth.
The human participants in the study were above the age of 18 and researchers said this was an observational study but it was also one of the first to focus on humans and companion animals who are living in close contact.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/04/15/kisses-your-pet-may-contain-deadly-bacteria-study-finds/ | 2022-04-16T23:09:34Z |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Rail companies and their workers reached a tentative agreement Thursday to avert a nationwide strike that could have shut down the nation’s freight trains and devastated the economy less than two months before the midterm elections.
President Joe Biden announced the deal, which emerged from a marathon 20-hour negotiating session at the Labor Department and came just one day before the threatened walkout.
“This agreement is validation of what I’ve always believed — unions and management can work together … for the benefit of everyone,” Biden said at the White House.
The deal, which includes a 24% pay raise, will go to union members for a vote after a cooling-off period of several weeks.
The threat of a shutdown carried political risks for Biden, a Democrat who believes unions built the middle class. But he also knew a rail strike could pose grave economic risks ahead of the midterms, when majorities in both chambers of Congress, key governorships and scores of important state offices will be up for grabs.
Biden made a key phone call Wednesday evening to Labor Secretary Marty Walsh as negotiators were talking and being offered Italian food for dinner, according to White House officials who insisted on anonymity to discuss the conversations.
On speakerphone, the president urged both sides to get a deal done and to consider the harm that a shutdown would inflict on families, farmers and businesses , the officials said.
One union had to wake up its board to move forward on the agreement, which involved 50 calls from White House officials to organized labor officials.
Joined in the Oval Office by business and union leaders, a beaming Biden joked that he was surprised everyone was “still standing” after the late night and that they should be “home in bed.”
A strike would also have disrupted passenger traffic as well as freight, because Amtrak and many commuter railroads operate on tracks owned by the freight railroads. Amtrak canceled all of its long-distance trains ahead of the strike deadline and was working to restore full service.
The five-year deal, retroactive to 2020, also includes $5,000 in bonuses. The railroads agreed to ease their strict attendance policies to address union concerns about working conditions.
Railroad workers will now be able to take unpaid days off for doctor’s appointments without being penalized, and they won’t be penalized if they are hospitalized. Previously, workers would lose points under the attendance systems at BNSF and Union Pacific railways, and they could be disciplined if they lost all their points.
The talks also included Norfolk Southern, CSX, Kansas City Southern and the U.S. operations of Canadian National.
The unions that represent conductors and engineers who drive the trains pressed hard for changes in the attendance rules, and they said the deal sets a precedent that ensures they will be able to negotiate such rules in the future.
Kelly Pettus, who is married to an engineer in Atlanta, said she wanted more details about the attendance policy.
Earlier this year, her husband had to leave work when their 2-year-old daughter ended up in the emergency room with the flu. He spent the entire time worrying about the penalty involved in taking a single day off.
“You can’t just call and say your baby is in hospital,” Pettus said.
Hugh Sawyer, an engineer in the Atlanta area, said the pay raise was long overdue and did not completely make up for the regular cost-of-living increases that he lost several years ago.
“It’s something to build on,” Sawyer said of the deal.
The president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, Dennis Pierce, predicted that workers will ultimately support the deal if they look logically at all the gains, including the fact that the unions again fought off proposals to cut locomotive crews down from two people to one.
But if workers vote angry, the outcome is harder to predict.
“I think it is going to dramatically change the way these jobs look,” he said.
Victor Chen, a sociologist at Virginia Commonwealth University who studies labor, said concerns about working conditions have increasingly become a priority for unions and their workers.
“At a certain point, good wages just aren’t enough to make up for the toll these sorts of working conditions impose on workers,” Chen said. “The companies need to treat workers like human beings, rather than just inputs in a business process.”
The railroad unions pointed to workload and attendance rules after the major railroads cut nearly one-third of their workforce — some 45,000 jobs — over the past six years.
The rail industry has aggressively cut costs everywhere and shifted its operations to rely more on fewer, longer trains that use fewer locomotives and fewer employees. The unions said the remaining workers, particularly engineers and conductors, were on call 24-7 because of jobs cuts and could hardly take any time off under strict attendance rules.
Unions had an advantage at the bargaining table because of the tight labor market and ongoing service problems on the railroads, Chen said.
Shippers have complained loudly this year about delays and poor service as railroads struggled to hire quickly enough to handle a surge in demand as the economy emerged from the pandemic. The shipping problems gave rail workers extra leverage.
Newly hired CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs said he hopes the new deal helps the railroad hire and retain more employees to address the service problems.
“Now we can move our conversation into how do we work together to grow the business and better serve our customers,” he said.
Union activism has surged under Biden, as seen in a 56% increase in petitions for union representation with the National Labor Relations Board so far this fiscal year, including prominent organizing efforts at Starbucks, Amazon and other companies.
Before the deal was reached, business groups including the Business Roundtable and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce predicted that a rail strike would be an “economic disaster.”
The Association of American Railroads trade group estimated that a strike would cost the economy more than $2 billion a day and force many businesses to scale back or cease production and consider layoffs.
With the economy still recovering from the pandemic’s supply chain disruptions, the president’s goal was to keep all parties talking so a deal could be reached.
Biden also knew a stoppage could worsen the dynamics that fueled soaring inflation and created a political headache for the party in power.
He confronted the same kind of predicament faced by Theodore Roosevelt in 1902 with coal and Harry Truman in 1952 with steel — how does a president balance the needs of labor and business in doing what’s best for the nation?
Railways were so important during World War I that Woodrow Wilson temporarily nationalized the industry to keep goods flowing and prevent strikes.
So the administration jumped into the middle of the talks. Biden and cabinet officials called both sides, and the labor secretary participated directly in negotiations.
It was clear the effort had paid off when Biden announced the deal, calling it “an important win for our economy and the American people.”
___
Funk reported from Omaha, Nebraska. Associated Press Writer Alexandra Olson in New York City contributed to this report. | https://cw33.com/business/ap-business/ap-bidens-tight-spot-a-union-backer-out-to-avert-rail-strike/ | 2022-09-15T23:28:26Z |
The best iPad accessories
iPads are arguably the most well-known tablet on the market and are one of Apple’s long-standing, well-loved customer favorites. If you’re one of the millions who love their iPad, there are a ton of great accessories to take your tablet use to the next level. From styluses for precise writing and drawing, to detachable keyboards to turn your tablet into a laptop, keep reading for our top iPad accessories.
Stylus pen
If you use your iPad to write or draw, a stylus can really optimize your tablet experience. Tablet pens vary greatly in price, so you can choose to spend as little or as much as you want. Some of the cheaper versions are likely to be a little less accurate and will perhaps lag, while the top-end models offer complete precision and immediacy.
Top Stylus Pen
This iPad stylus is made from aluminium, so it’s lightweight. It makes using your iPad a lot easier by giving you complete, accurate control over your screen. The tip of the pen is clear, which allows you to write and draw on your screen with amazing precision.
Sold by Amazon
Top Stylus Pen for the money
Although pricey, the Apple Pencil is a great piece of equipment. It offers the accuracy and the natural fluidity of a typical pen or pencil, so it’s easy to use and feels natural. The pencil promises zero lag time and is the closest you can get to the feeling of writing on paper with a tablet. It’s a great choice for those who enjoy drawing or designing on their tablets, as it is loved by amateur and professional artists alike.
Sold by Amazon
iPad case
Having a reliable iPad case will help you keep your device in good condition for as long as possible. Without a case, your device is much more prone to becoming damaged through wear and tear. These devices are easy to damage if bumped around or dropped. They’re also notoriously expensive to repair, so it’s best to avoid breakages where you can. Particularly if you plan to travel or commute to and from a workplace with your tablet, it’s a good idea to protect it properly.
Top iPad case
This smart cover comes in an array of colors. Its magnetic smart cover allows the device to sleep and wake automatically. The cover also folds and can be used as a stand to support the tablet in a variety of positions. Bear in mind that while this case will protect your device’s screen from scratches or cracks, it does not cover the back of an iPad. If you’re looking for a case that will provide complete protection, this may not be the case for you.
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Top iPad case for the money
This case from Etsy is available in a wide range of colors and can be personalized, too. It covers the back of your device with a transparent plastic and features a softer flip side to protect your screen.
Sold by Etsy
Earphones
If you use your iPad to listen to music, investing in a pair of earbuds will take your listening experience to the next level. As iPads are larger than mobile phones, they’re not as easy to carry around with you. iPad users can benefit from wireless earbuds that will allow them to leave their tablet in one place at home while moving around with their earbuds in.
Top iPad earphones
Apple’s AirPods connect effortlessly with any Apple device and allow you to listen to your favorite tunes, audiobooks, or podcasts in ultra-high-quality immersive sound. They come with a wireless charging case, which allows you to recharge on the go and provides an impressive battery life of up to 24 hours.
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Top iPad earphones for the money
Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Air Wireless Earbuds
These little earbuds pack a whole lot of high-quality sound. They’re completely wireless and super easy to transport and take on the go. Their transparency mode option allows you to hear sounds around you in situations where you wish to be more aware of your surroundings. A single charge provides seven hours of listening time.
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Detachable keyboard
While iPads are not always the best suited for working on, using a detachable keyboard means that you can type with ease. If you find that it takes a long time to compose emails or type documents on the tablet’s touchscreen, it’s well worth the investment in a keyboard. Particularly for those who work from their tablet, you’re bound to notice a difference in your productivity with a detachable keyboard.
Top detachable keyboard
Using Bluetooth connectivity, this Logitech model is both a keyboard and a case at once. Its design envelopes both the front and back of your tablet for protection from scratches, bumps and spills. The case also folds to support and hold up your screen, for the ultimate laptop experience. It features a convenient holder for an iPad stylus (either a Logitech Crayon or Apple Pencil will fit). The keys are expertly spaced to give your hands the perfect amount of typing space. This keyboard is compatible with seventh- and eighth-generation iPads.
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Top detachable keyboard for the money
This detachable keyboard turns your iPad into a laptop with a few easy clicks. It’s super-slim and will slide into your bag, so it’s easy to pack up and transport with you. Even with the attached keyboard, your device is still lighter than a traditional laptop, while offering many of the same benefits.
Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/tablets-accessories-br/love-your-ipad-get-these-8-essential-accessories/ | 2022-07-24T12:29:55Z |
NEW YORK, June 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Klein Law Firm announces that a class action complaint has been filed on behalf of shareholders of First High-School Education Group Co., Ltd. (NYSE: FHS) alleging that the Company violated federal securities laws.
This lawsuit is on behalf of all persons or entities who purchased FHS American Depositary Shares in or traceable to the Company's March 2021 initial public offering.
Lead Plaintiff Deadline: July 11, 2022
No obligation or cost to you.
Learn more about your recoverable losses in FHS:
https://www.kleinstocklaw.com/pslra-1/first-high-school-education-group-co-ltd-loss-submission-form?id=28129&from=4
First High-School Education Group Co., Ltd. NEWS - FHS NEWS
CLASS ACTION CASE DETAILS: The filed complaint alleges that First High-School Education Group Co., Ltd. made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (a) the new rules, regulations and policies to be implemented by the Chinese government following the Two Sessions parliamentary meetings were far more severe than represented to investors and posed a material adverse threat to the Company and its business; (b) contemplated Chinese regulations and rules regarding private education were leading to a slowdown of government approval to open new educational facilities which would have a negative effect on FHS's enrollment and growth; and (c) as a result, representations made in connection with the Company's initial public offering regarding FHS's historical financial and operational metrics and purported market opportunities did not accurately reflect the actual business, operations, and financial results and trajectory of the Company at the time of the initial public offering, and were materially false and misleading and lacked a factual basis.
WHAT THIS MEANS TO YOU AS A SHAREHOLDER: If you have suffered a loss in FHS you have until July 11, 2022 to petition the court for lead plaintiff status. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.
NO COST TO YOU: If you purchased FHS securities during the relevant period, you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out-of-pocket fees.
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR FINANCIAL INTERESTS: For additional information about the FHS lawsuit, please contact J. Klein, Esq. by telephone at 212-616-4899 or click this link: https://www.kleinstocklaw.com/pslra-1/first-high-school-education-group-co-ltd-loss-submission-form?id=28129&from=4.
ABOUT KLEIN LAW FIRM
J. Klein, Esq. represents investors and participates in securities litigations involving financial fraud throughout the nation. The Klein Law Firm is a boutique litigation firm with experience in a wide range of areas including securities law, corporate finance and commercial litigation. Since 2011, our experienced attorneys have achieved superior results for our clients with a personalized focus. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
CONTACT:
J. Klein, Esq.
Empire State Building
350 Fifth Avenue
59th Floor
New York, NY 10118
jk@kleinstocklaw.com
Telephone: (212) 616-4899
www.kleinstocklaw.com
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SOURCE The Klein Law Firm | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/07/fhs-alert-klein-law-firm-announces-lead-plaintiff-deadline-july-11-2022-class-action-filed-behalf-first-high-school-education-group-co-ltd-shareholders/ | 2022-06-07T10:03:30Z |
Stopping the next major coronavirus variant involves knowing where it might come from.
With Omicron, those answers are still a mystery: How did a variant that looked so different from all its older cousins appear so suddenly? How to explain its jumble of mutations, many of which had rarely been seen in variants of interest?
"When that virus sequence first started to emerge, it was really hard for me to fathom that that would take off," Emory University virologist Mehul Suthar said.
The alphanumeric soup has also revealed BA.2, a faster-spreading subtype of Omicron that has become dominant in the United States.
Viruses change all the time, often in ways that actually hurt their chances at survival. But once in a while, those mutations can work out in the virus' favor.
Catch my drift?
The virus you sneeze or cough out may be ever so slightly different from the one you were infected with.
That's because viruses mutate -- especially when their genetic code is made of RNA, a close cousin of our DNA.
"As the virus reproduces itself, there are errors in reproducing its code," explained Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of World Health Organization's health emergencies program, in a March briefing. "Most of those errors result in a virus that's either not competent or just dies away."
But rarely, these accidents can give the virus an advantage. Perhaps it becomes more contagious. Or perhaps it becomes better at escaping our immunity.
Sarah Cobey, associate professor of ecology and evolution at the University of Chicago, explained in an op-ed in the New York Times this week that the coronavirus' transmissibility will hit a ceiling -- eventually. However, it probably won't stop evolving in ways that skirt our immune response.
But not all mutations happen the same way.
"Before Omicron, I think most people in the field would say that we would see immune escape through the accumulation of these mutations one by one," Cobey told CNN.
Over time and over the course of hundreds of infections, circulating viruses move further and further away from their ancestors on the evolutionary tree. It's a process known as antigenic drift.
However, while this may explain variants that appear closer on the evolutionary tree -- like Omicron and its BA.2 offshoot -- it doesn't explain how Omicron appeared in the first place.
"Omicron took everyone by surprise," Cobey said.
Marietjie Venter, a professor in the Department of Medical Virology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, said it's unlikely that a "slow change" led to Omicron.
This would mean the virus evolved gradually in a population that wasn't being monitored. And South Africa, where many of Omicron's early samples were identified, has a good surveillance program, she said.
Thus, it would have been hard for a variant like Omicron to sneak up slowly. Instead, its appearance seemed curiously abrupt.
"Delta almost disappeared, and then suddenly we saw Omicron that was completely different," Venter said.
Shifting gears
In some cases, viruses don't drift; they shift.
"Antigenic shift" is a more dramatic change that can happen, for example, when viruses in animals find their way to humans or when two strains infect the same person and exchange genes.
Examples of the latter include rare instances of a hybrid virus containing stretches of Delta and Omicron genes.
Researchers at Helix, a company whose Covid-19 tests have helped track a number of variants, identified a handful of combined Delta-Omicron infections in the US among nearly 30,000 coronavirus samples from late November to mid-February, when both variants were circulating.
Of those samples, researchers identified 20 cases in which people had gotten infected by both variants at the same time. One of these samples did show some evidence that the variants had exchanged genes, though at low levels. In addition, the researchers found two unrelated cases whose infections originated from hybrid viruses.
"There is currently no evidence that the two Delta-Omicron recombinant viruses identified are more transmissible between hosts compared to the circulating Omicron lineages," the researchers wrote.
"We're not calling this Deltacron," Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's technical lead on Covid-19, said at the March briefing. "That's not terminology that we are using."
At the time, Van Kerkhove said this combination appeared to be circulating "at very low levels" but she offered the caveat that we should be testing more to get a clearer picture of its prevalence and spread -- or lack thereof.
Still, the ability to swap genes has driven the re-emergence of multiple viruses, most prominently influenza.
Influenza's genetic material is made up of multiple segments of RNA that can shuffle back and forth when two viruses co-infect the same cell. This is known as reassortment.
But the coronavirus "can actually do something that is even harder for us to wrap our heads around," Cobey explained, referring to a gene-swapping process called recombination.
Unlike influenza, the coronavirus has one long strand of RNA as its genetic code. When two strains infect the same cell, their replication machinery may occasionally hop from one strain to the other. This creates random "breakpoints" in its genetic code that are stitched together.
Whereas influenza shuffles whole cards, in a sense, each coronavirus has just one card -- but it's an extra-long one, and it can be cut up and taped back together in a variety of ways.
This means the virus has "a lot more evolutionary space that can be explored pretty quickly," Cobey said.
In the op-ed, she and her co-authors describe how we may have seen only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the number of possible mutations the virus can sustain and still be able to infect human cells.
Though it's unclear whether recombination is more likely than other pathways to generate the next variant of concern, Cobey said that Omicron in particular has lit a fire under scientists to understand its origins and the true breadth of viable mutations.
"That's the sort of divergence that is really difficult to study and anticipate in the lab," she said.
The mystery of Omicron
No single explanation seems to neatly fit Omicron's backstory. But experts are circling several theories that may explain its sudden appearance last year.
The most popular view appears to involve an infection that sticks around for a long time in an immunocompromised person.
"They actually develop antibodies, but they don't clear the virus," said Venter, who also chairs WHO's Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens.
That gives the virus plenty of time to accumulate changes, potentially ones that enable it to dodge that person's antibodies and acquire immune resistance.
Another theory is known as reverse zoonosis, Venter added. This refers to humans infecting an animal population, where the virus accumulates new mutations before jumping back to humans. (Indeed, this coronavirus has spread widely among the animal kingdom.)
Staying ahead of the virus isn't just a question of anticipating its next move, experts say. It's about finding ways to avoid threats and ultimately ensure the durability of our vaccines.
And it's not just this virus.
"Most of the pathogens that are infecting us repeatedly are able to do that because they're escaping some of our immunity to previous infecting strains," Cobey said.
"Viral evolution is actually a real problem in our lives that we maybe don't recognize formally as such."
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.albanyherald.com/features/health/how-the-next-coronavirus-variant-could-emerge/article_83679fdd-90d7-56fb-afa7-fb505cfe137c.html | 2022-04-01T14:32:02Z |
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are engaged again
By Lisa Respers France, CNN
Bennifer 2.0 is planning to take it to the altar.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have gotten engaged for a second time after calling off their prior pledge in 2004, a representative for Lopez confirmed to CNN Saturday.
Lopez shared a video of her appearing emotional and sporting her green engagement ring in her newsletter “On the JLo.”
Her sister Lynda Lopez shared photos from the video on her Instagram Stories writing, “So this happened. Love you @jlo @ben affleck.”
The couple met in 2001 on the set of the rom-com “Gigli,” where they played criminals stuck on a job together, and they struck up a real-life friendship.
While the film flopped, Affleck told Entertainment Weekly in January that he didn’t regret it because he “did get to meet Jennifer, the relationship with whom has been really meaningful to me in my life.”
Affleck popped the question to Lopez in 2002 with a stunning pink diamond engagement ring.
But the pair postponed their nuptials days before the wedding in 2003, saying in a statement, “Due to the excessive media attention surrounding our wedding, we have decided to postpone the date.”
“When we found ourselves seriously contemplating hiring three separate ‘decoy brides’ at three different locations, we realized that something was awry,” the statement went on to say. “We began to feel that the spirit of what should have been the happiest day of our lives could be compromised. We felt what should have been a joyful and sacred day could be spoiled for us, our families and our friends.”
In January 2004 they officially called things off.
Speculation mounted that the pair had rekindled their romance after she and baseball legend Alex Rodriguez ended their engagement in April 2021.
“I feel so lucky and happy and proud to be with him,” Lopez told People magazine about reuniting with Affleck. “It’s a beautiful love story that we got a second chance.”
It will be the fourth marriage for Lopez, 52, and the second for Affleck, 49.
She was previously married to actor Ojani Noa, dancer Cris Judd and singer Marc Anthony, with whom she shares 14-year-old twins Max and Emme.
Affleck was married to actress Jennifer Garner and they are the parents of Violet, 16, Seraphina, 13, and Samuel, 10.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
CNN’s Chloe Melas contributed to this report. | https://localnews8.com/entertainment/cnn-entertainment/2022/04/09/jennifer-lopez-and-ben-affleck-are-engaged-again/ | 2022-04-09T14:38:41Z |
Super Connector Media Sells its World-Class Boutique PR Agency to Chicago-based DMPR as It Plans to Significantly Scale its Events and Online Coaching Businesses
NEW YORK, July 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Super Connector Media announced today that it has sold the PR agency arm of their business to leading public relations & communications agency DMPR.
The acquisition follows the successful partnering of the two agencies over the past 12 months in which they have worked together across public relations clients in multiple categories and referred business in both directions.
The sale is part of a strategic plan that allows Super Connector Media to focus on expanding the size and quantity of its live events as well as significantly scaling its online education and coaching businesses.
DMPR will only acquire Super Connector Media's PR agency business. No executives from the company will be joining the DMPR team.
Chris Winfield, co-founder and CEO of Super Connector Media, said: "I'm very proud of the explosive growth and success of our PR agency in the past four plus years. Its impeccable reputation has directly supported the credibility and prestige we have gained in the industry."
"While this was initially a difficult decision for me and my co-founder, Jen Gottlieb, it was also a necessary move so we can focus on the fastest growing areas of our company, including our events and online training and coaching platforms."
"We have been impressed with the entire team at DMPR, which has helped make this decision and deal possible. We are confident that they share the same values and results-oriented approach in serving our incredible clients. We are thrilled that we can help them continue to do what they do best, but in an even bigger way."
Super Connector Media will maintain an internal communications & PR team that will be working with its online education, coaching and book launch clients.
Dalyn A. Miller, founder and CEO of DMPR, said: "We have known and admired Super Connector Media for many years and have been impressed by both the caliber of clients and the results they've generated for them."
"Given the categories that the Super Connector Media PR division works in and the value-driven mission of its clients, this acquisition is a no-brainer to us. We're excited to continue to serve the incredible thought leaders, experts, and brands that make up the Super Connector Media PR portfolio," said Miller. "This acquisition is fully aligned with our expertise and strategic interests."
DMPR is celebrating 18 years in business and has recently seen rapid growth and expansion thanks, in part, to their newest business vertical, The Podcast Team. Launched in 2016, it was the first independently branded podcast booking arm created by an established PR agency.
"We are excited to extend our working relationship with Super Connector Media," said Miller. "It's further proof of our mutual admiration for one another and our joint desire to help each other succeed in serving clients who are changing the world."
Super Connector Media is an award-winning online education & training company and one of the fastest growing private companies in America. Specializing in producing life-changing live events and creating business and personal transformation through their online training and coaching programs. In the last two years alone, over 20,000 business owners, experts, doctors, and coaches have learned how to grow their business and become "The Recognized Expert" in their industry by leveraging Super Connector Media's systems and platforms.
DMPR is a full-service communications agency providing brands, authors, and industry leaders with public relations, strategic planning, brand consulting & management, media training, and corporate communications. Founded in 2004, they have continually provided top-tier representation to brands, experts, and thought-leaders across multiple platforms. Their clients regularly appear in The New York Times, WSJ, USA Today, Financial Times, O: The Oprah Magazine, Parents, The Saturday Evening Journal, mindbodygreen, Well & Good, Woman's World; and they've been on Today, GMA, The View, The Dr. Oz Show, Good Day New York, The School of Greatness with Lewis Howes, The Dr. Gundry Podcast, Rich Roll, Bulletproof with Dave Asprey, Happier with Gretchen Rubin, to name just a few.
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SOURCE Super Connector Media | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/06/dmpr-acquires-pr-agency-arm-super-connector-media/ | 2022-07-06T15:00:40Z |
Police: Student stabbed at middle school dies from injuries
By KCTV Staff
Click here for updates on this story
KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KCTV) — Tonight, the KCPD provided an update and confirmed one student has died from his injuries after he was stabbed by another at Northeast Middle School.
The student’s name has not yet been made public.
The police department said detectives are continuing to work on the investigation tonight and will present the case to prosecutors.
According to the police, the two students involved were boys in either seventh or eighth grade. The stabbing resulted from some confrontation and occurred in a bathroom, department spokesperson Donna Drake said.
The victim sustained life-threatening injuries and was in critical condition, but ultimately died due to those injuries.
The student of interest in the stabbing has been detained.
There is no ongoing threat, police had said.
Kansas City Public Schools released the following statement:
Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) is currently working with the Kansas City Police Department (KCPD) to investigate an emergency situation at Northeast Middle School.
This morning, KCPS and KCPD responded to an incident at Northeast Middle School, where a student was suffering from a stab wound. The school was placed on lockdown while the student was transported by ambulance to Children’s Mercy Hospital. The student is in critical condition.
At this time, our students are safe, and we are working directly with Northeast Middle School families on reunification plans and an early dismissal. We are in the process of dismissing students now.
We will be coordinating with KCPD to share information as it’s available throughout the day.
The following communication was shared with our staff and KCPS families this morning:
Dear KCPS families and staff,
We need to share information about an emergency situation at Northeast Middle School. At this time, our students are safe, and we are working directly with NEMS families on reunification plans for an early dismissal.
Around 9:00 a.m. this morning, the Kansas City Police Department responded to an incident at Northeast Middle School, where a student was suffering from a stab wound. The school was placed on lockdown while the student was transported by ambulance to Children’s Mercy Hospital. The student is in critical condition.
KCPS is working with law enforcement to investigate what happened. This is an evolving, emergency situation, and we expect new information will become available throughout the day. We know there will be considerable media attention, but right now, our goal is to communicate first with our families and staff.
Your student’s safety at school is our number one priority. Today and tomorrow, we will be providing additional information and counseling support to students and staff who need help processing today’s events.
Please keep our NEMS students, families and staff in your thoughts today. We are committed to keeping you informed as we can throughout the day and following few days.
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/2022/04/13/police-student-stabbed-at-middle-school-dies-from-injuries/ | 2022-04-13T19:10:36Z |
DALLAS (KDAF) — The Oak Cliff Film Festival is here! With 66 films listed to screen at the festival, you have a ton of great movies to watch, including many local films, a new A24 Film and an immersive audio experience.
The official schedule for the festival is from Thursday, June 23, to Sunday, June 26. The festival will be located at the Texas Theatre, Wild Detectives and Kessler Theatre.
Tickets are $12 each. Click here to buy a ticket!
Here are a list of all the films being shown at the festival:
- #BlackatSMU
- 2nd Chance
- 32 Sounds
- After Blue
- Anaconda
- Birds
- The Blood of the Dinosaurs
- Broken Hearts
- Butterfly in the Sky
- Child Runaways
- Chop & Steele
- Death Valley
- Deerwoods Deathtrap
- Dress A Cow
- Elvis of Laos
- Everybody Goes to the Hospital
- Executrix
- The Expanding Horizon
- Game Point
- Girl Picture
- Gods of Mexico
- Guts
- I Love My Dad
- Ikebana
- Jethica
- Jim’s Tips
- Linoleum
- Lost Highway
- Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
- Meat Friend
- Meet Me in the Bathroom
- Mija
- More Than I Remember
- Moshari
- Motorcyclist’s Happiness Won’t Fit Into His Suit
- Otra Vida: A Celebration of the Immigrant
- Peacocking
- The Pez Outlaw
- Phase II
- Polycephaly in D
- Property is Theft lol
- Resurrection
- Sacred Landscapes: The Arroyo Seco
- Sallad
- The Secret of NIMH
- Sirens
- Spaz
- Spin Me Round
- Stranger than Rotterdam with Sara Driver
- Telos or Bust
- Three Headed Beast
- Three Minutes – A Lengthening
- Three Tidy Tigers Tied a Tie Tighter
- Tuesday Afternoon
- Valentine
- Vanishing Fog
- Warm Blood
- Where Are We Headed?
If you read through all of that, we commend you. | https://cw33.com/news/local/the-oak-cliff-film-festival-begins-this-weekend-here-are-all-the-films-being-shown-this-year/ | 2022-06-23T22:45:20Z |
Jim Ellard stepping down after nearly two decades of growth and scientific advancement
IPSWICH, Mass., July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- New England Biolabs (NEB®), a pioneer in the field of molecular biology and global supplier of reagents to the life science industry, today announced that its long-time Chief Executive Officer, Jim Ellard, will retire, effective August 15th, 2022. Ellard, who's been with the company for 39 years, 17 years as CEO, will remain Chairman of the Board. Dr. Salvatore (Sal) Russello, currently NEB's Director of OEM & Customized Solutions, has been appointed as his successor. Russello will become only the third person to lead NEB since it was founded in 1974.
Ellard joined NEB in 1984 and has served as CEO since 2005, when founder, Dr. Donald G. Comb, transitioned into retirement. Under Ellard's leadership, NEB has expanded its product portfolio and technical capabilities to support a wide variety of applications that impact human health, including clinical sequencing, molecular diagnostics and, more recently, the production of DNA and RNA for nucleic acid-based vaccines and molecular therapies. Additionally, the company expanded its worldwide distribution network, which now includes eight subsidiary offices and more than 60 distribution partners around the globe. Ellard's tenure also saw the expansion of production capabilities, ISO 13485 quality certification, and continued emphasis on both basic and applied research.
"When I joined NEB as a summer intern 39 years ago, I never could have imagined the profound impact and emotional connection that I'd develop for this company," stated Ellard. "Simply put, NEB is family to me, and the genuine joy and gratitude I have for Don Comb and every single person who has ever worked here is overwhelming. I'm proud of how we have grown, persevered and evolved. It has been an incredible journey—at times challenging and emotionally draining, but always satisfying, exhilarating and hopeful. As Chairman of the Board, I will remain an active member of the NEB family and help ensure that we remain true to our core values of passion, humility and being genuine."
Ellard continued, "Over the past 15 years, Sal Russello has done a tremendous job establishing long-term relationships with our customers and has helped position NEB as a strategic partner to scientists and entrepreneurs developing groundbreaking new technologies. His business acumen, devotion to NEB, passion for science and leadership experience make him a natural fit to assume the CEO role and position us for continued growth."
Rusello brings more than 20 years of experience in the life sciences to his new role at NEB. He joined the company in 2007, as the Associate Director of Business Development and transitioned to the Director of OEM & Customized Solutions in 2017. Prior to joining NEB, he served as the Director of Reagent Marketing at Caliper Life Sciences, now a part of PerkinElmer, and as Business Development Manager at Cell Signaling Technology.
"I'm humbled by the trust that Jim and the Board have placed in me to uphold the reputation that NEB has earned over the last half century. As CEO, I will ensure that we continue to be guided by a strong sense of purpose to enable research, advance science, value every employee, and grow sustainably. I'm looking forward to the next chapter in NEB's legacy of advancing scientific discovery and thrilled that I can play a part in it."
Established in the mid 1970s, New England Biolabs, Inc. is the industry leader in the discovery, development and production of enzymes and technologies for molecular biology applications. NEB continues to expand its product offerings into areas related to PCR, gene expression, library preparation for next generation sequencing, synthetic biology, glycobiology, epigenetics and RNA analysis. Additionally, NEB is focused on enabling new technologies in key market sectors, including molecular diagnostics, clinical sequencing, and nucleic acid-based therapeutics and vaccines. New England Biolabs is a privately held company, headquartered in Ipswich, MA, USA and has extensive worldwide distribution through a network of exclusive distributors, agents and eight subsidiaries located in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, and the UK. For more information about New England Biolabs, Inc., visit www.neb.com.
NEW ENGLAND BIOLABS® and NEB® are registered trademarks of New England Biolabs, Inc.
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SOURCE New England Biolabs | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/07/new-england-biolabs-chief-executive-officer-announces-retirement/ | 2022-07-07T15:26:37Z |
2 Nats runners thrown out at plate in 5-2 loss to Marlins
By HOWARD FENDRICH
AP National Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — Miami outfielders Jesús Sánchez and Avisaíl García each threw out a runner at the plate in the fourth inning, and Joey Wendle hit a three-run shot that helped the Marlins beat the reeling Washington Nationals 5-2. Sandy Alcantara extended his shutout streak to 17 innings over his past three starts for the Marlins and ended up giving up one run and six hits over six innings. He was aided by some bungling on the base paths by the hosts. The Nationals managed to take three singles and two walks and turn them into one run in the fourth. Last-place Washington has lost six straight games. | https://localnews8.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/04/26/marlins-throw-out-2-runners-at-plate-in-4th-beat-nats-5-2/ | 2022-04-27T05:41:09Z |
Study shows using MURAL increased team productivity through improved employee efficiency, enhanced project quality, and reduced travel costs, saving SAP over $47 million
SAN FRANCISCO, June 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today MURAL revealed that SAP achieved a 404 percent return on investment and a cost savings of $47.3 million by deploying the company's collaborative intelligence software. These findings were part of The Total Economic Impact™ of MURAL at SAP, a May 2022 commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of MURAL. This TEI study examines the return on investment enterprises may realize by utilizing the MURAL platform. Based on interviews with SAP employees, all of whom are experienced with MURAL, Forrester Consulting projected a three-year financial outlook and found that through the use of MURAL, SAP improved team productivity, improved employee efficiency, enhanced project quality, and reduced travel costs in a hybrid work environment.
"Teams at global enterprises like SAP rely on MURAL because they know collaboration can't be left to chance. They use MURAL to design how their teams work together, making collaboration intentional, visual, and inclusive," said Mariano Suarez-Battan, co-founder and CEO of MURAL. "SAP has crafted this collaboration culture over the years, using MURAL to deploy collaborative intelligence one space at a time. We believe this study reaffirms the impact MURAL has on team productivity at its core and the business value collaborative intelligence provides at scale."
SAP is the market leader in enterprise application software, helping companies of all sizes and in all industries run at their best. It is the largest Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) vendor in the world, with customers who generate 87 percent of total global commerce ($46 trillion). SAP has deployed MURAL across multiple geographies and a wide variety of teams including presales, service sales, UX design, and new employee onboarding. Teams at SAP use MURAL for design thinking projects, which helps them share ideas, understand problems, and solve them. SAP specifically used MURAL to facilitate workshops in its design thinking process with both internal and external participants.
The TEI study found both tangible and intangible benefits from implementing MURAL. Over a three year period, SAP will realize:
- Increased design efficiency in presale, client solutions, and internal solutions applications, providing a combined $36.1 million in value.
- Improved efficiency of employee onboarding, providing more than $1.4 million in value and enabling new employees to be onboarded an average of 2.6 hours faster.
- Increased business value of about $2.0 million from custom design projects that would not have been possible to complete in a hybrid world.
- Avoided travel costs due to effective hybrid remote collaboration, providing more than $19.5 million in value and eliminating 1.9 million kg in carbon emissions.
- Other benefits included more inclusive engagement in meeting settings and less attrition among UX designers who, before MURAL, were often frustrated by inefficient feedback mechanisms.
Collaborative intelligence with MURAL is a new systematic approach designed to increase the innovation capacity of the enterprise. With MURAL, teams can collaborate visually from anywhere and at any time, whether the team is "back" in the office or somewhere in between. Leaders use MURAL to design collaborative experiences that unlock the entire potential of the team so that ideas are never lost.
Key takeaways SAP interviewees shared when asked how MURAL had made an impact:
- "I cannot imagine doing a brainstorming workshop without MURAL … It's really the onsite whiteboard translated into the virtual world. Taking MURAL away would be like taking away my computer. This is something that I really need for work." — Innovation manager
- "Dropping MURAL to go back to [other tools] would basically be like going back in time…. Now that we are more inclusive with MURAL, there are more iterations at the beginning of projects. But then once everybody is on the same page, projects tend to move faster, we discover all the communication issues a lot earlier, and failure rates are ultimately coming down." — Director of design strategy and systems
- "The whole idea [with MURAL] is solid. The customer enjoyed it. They feel like we are teaching them something beyond selling them software. Simply the opportunity to have a conversation through [the MURAL platform] changed the whole buying experience for the customer." — Global learning business partner
- "MURAL can save presales 6 to 10 hours of a workshop with an entire team, and you can do that from your home. It saved my team easily 60 percent to 75 percent of their workshop time. It's crazy." — Global learning business partner
- "The main reason we chose MURAL was the way they supported us. They were strong in enablement. We had a colleague from MURAL in the company who ran a lot of sessions for employees. This was one of the drivers of collaboration with MURAL." — UX designer
- "[Before MURAL], we would have virtual meetings. We would talk a lot, but there was no record of what we discussed. This was dangerous because then four people go off with four different ideas of what we agreed on. MURAL makes us more effective in workshops and, as we do this now more remotely, it saves travel costs. You get productivity gains, shorter and more intense workshops, more engagement from people, and more creativity." — Head of user experience IT
The full TEI study findings will be shared on Wednesday, June 15th at 8:00 am Pacific, where guest speaker Christopher Layton from Forrester will participate in a live Q&A hosted by MURAL. The Total Economic Impact™ of MURAL at SAP is available for download at https://www.mural.co/get/sap-impact.
MURAL is a collaborative intelligence company. We connect teams to unlock their potential, increasing the innovation capacity of the enterprise. MURAL creates a culture of effective collaboration — where everyone is connected, contributing, and empowered to deliver business-driving outcomes. Try MURAL for free www.mural.co.
MURAL is a registered trademark of Tactivos, Inc.
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SOURCE MURAL | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/07/sap-achieves-over-400-percent-return-investment-mural-collaborative-intelligence/ | 2022-06-07T11:39:32Z |
Brigham Young University Athletics says it did not find any evidence of racial heckling after investigating a Duke volleyball player's claim. A sign at the entrance to Brigham Young University is seen here in September of 2021.
On Friday, however, BYU Athletics said its investigation did not find any evidence of racial heckling.
"As a result of our investigation, we have lifted the ban on the fan who was identified as having uttered racial slurs during the match," the university said in a statement. "We have not found any evidence that that individual engaged in such an activity. BYU sincerely apologizes to that fan for any hardship the ban has caused."
Rachel Richardson, a sophomore on Duke's volleyball team, tweeted a statement on August 28 alleging she and other Black players were subjected to racist harassment during a match days earlier. Richardson claimed BYU officials failed to act even after being made aware of the incident.
Duke University Vice President and Director of Athletics Nina King released a statement Friday following BYU's statement.
"The 18 members of the Duke University volleyball team are exceptionally strong women who represent themselves, their families, and Duke University with the utmost integrity," King said. "We unequivocally stand with and champion them, especially when their character is called into question."
Watching the game on television at the Richardson family home, Marvin Richardson said he had "no clue" what had taken place during the match, but his daughter explained her experience to him in detail afterwards.
"After the game, we [Rachel and I] always talk and she called, but this was a different call," Marvin told CNN's "New Day."
"She was crying, she was upset and Rachel's not the person who calls and cries over a loss, it's just not who she is. So we knew something was wrong and then as she started to tell us what was going on and what had happened during the game, first [we felt] anger, outrage and then just a real need to make sure something was done to correct the things that came across us."
BYU said it reviewed audio and video recordings, along with university broadcast footage, and interviewed more than 50 people at the match as well as Duke and BYU athletic personnel and student-athletes.
"As we stated earlier, we would not tolerate any conduct that would make a student-athlete feel unsafe. That is the reason for our immediate response and our thorough investigation," the statement said.
"Despite being unable to find supporting evidence of racial slurs in the many recordings and interviews, we hope that all those involved will understand our sincere efforts to ensure that all student-athletes competing at BYU feel safe," BYU said.
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Which T-fal frying pan is best?
You don’t actually need to know that the brand T-fal is the modern version of Tefal, the French company that pioneered the combination of Teflon over aluminum in cookware in the 1950s. All you need to know is whether or not the best T-fal frying pan will serve you well in the kitchen.
If you are just starting out on your culinary journey, begin your cookware collection with the T-fal Endura Granite Ceramic Fry Pan Set. These two pans cover a lot of ground in the kitchen and come at a reasonable price.
What to know before you buy a T-fal frying pan
Size matters
A set of T-fal cookware can be great if you need every type of pot or pan, but when you’re looking to purchase open stock, consider carefully what you’ll be cooking. This will determine the pan size that suits you best. Sizes include:
- 10-inch
- 10.5-inch
- 12-inch
- 12.5-inch
- 16-inch
Choice of materials
T-fal’s line is flexible and accommodating for all cooks and their preferences of materials. Choose from:
- Stainless steel: This is what professionals cook with. There is a steep learning curve for getting food to release evenly, but stainless steel is a durable and high-performance option.
- Hard anodized titanium nonstick: Another durable choice, these are scratch-resistant and nonstick. They are not safe above 400 degrees, so keep these pans for medium-heat or low-heat cooking.
- Ceramic: The heavy-gauge aluminum core in these ceramic-coated pans provides even heating and temperature control. Although they cannot be used on induction burners, they are oven-safe to 570 degrees and have nonstick properties when used correctly.
- Signature nonstick: This is the pan people think of when they think of T-fal — Teflon-coated aluminum that is lightweight and nonstick. They are not as durable as some other choices, but they are still a reliable way to experience the brand.
What to look for in a quality T-fal frying pan
Lids
If shallow frying is part of your cooking repertoire, or you just like to keep a tidy stovetop, look for a pan that comes with a lid. Many of these are tempered glass, so you can keep an eye on what’s cooking too.
Thermo-Spot for preheating
T-fal’s nonstick, titanium nonstick and ceramic cookware have Thermo-Spot technology. The circle in the center of the pan glows red when it is properly preheated.
Comfortable, riveted handles
Riveted handles provide security and peace of mind, especially when transferring a hot pan filled with food. They are also ergonomically designed to fit comfortably in the hand.
Techno Release
Some stainless steel T-fal frying pans have a Techno-Release option. These shallow indentations are built into the bottom of the pan and help food release more easily.
Food-safe interiors
Some people have concerns about chemicals from the interior of nonstick pans leaching into their food. With T-fal, you can be sure that all pans are free from chemicals, including:
- Polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE)
- Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
- Cadmium
- Lead
Satisfaction guarantee
Cookware can be a big investment, especially for beginner cooks. Many frying pans in T-fal’s line are covered by limited warranties. This warranty covers the craftsmanship and construction of the pan and offers a replacement or refund if it does not perform as expected.
How much you can expect to spend on a T-fal frying pan
As cookware goes, T-fal is a more affordable choice. Depending on the size of the pan and the material you select, expect to spend $35-$60.
T-fal frying pan FAQ
Do all T-fal frying pans require seasoning?
A. No, although every pan should be washed in hot water with mild detergent before its first use. Only the nonstick pans require seasoning, which can be done in a few easy steps:
- After washing the pan, heat it on low for 30 seconds.
- Add one teaspoon of oil to the pan, and use a paper towel to coat the pan’s interior.
- Wipe excess oil off with a clean paper towel.
- Use as normal.
Are T-fal frying pans dishwasher-safe?
A. Yes, every pan in every material can be safely washed in the dishwasher. However, if you prefer to hand-wash, use hot, soapy water and a plastic scrubber, even on nonstick pans. Dry the pan completely before storing.
What’s the best T-fal frying pan to buy?
Top T-fal frying pan
T-fal Endura Granite Ceramic Fry Pan Set
What you need to know: These two pans are a versatile addition to your cooking tools.
What you’ll love: They are oven-safe to 500 degrees and can be used on the stove to 570 degrees. The ceramic coating is free from both PTFE and PFOA and, when used properly, can provide a virtually nonstick cooking experience.
What you should consider: They cannot be used on induction cooktops.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top T-fal frying pan for the money
What you need to know: The included tempered glass lid makes this an excellent option for beginning cooks.
What you’ll love: This is the original signature nonstick pan with a Thermo Spot temperature indicator and a grippy silicone handle. It works on every cooktop, including induction, and is available in both 10-inch and 12-inch versions. It’s also available in hard-anodized aluminum.
What you should consider: Professional cooks may find the Thermo Spot inaccurate.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
T-fal Performa Stainless Steel Fry Pan
What you need to know: It is a beautiful, professional-grade pan with helpful features for beginning cooks.
What you’ll love: The 18/10 stainless steel is durable and heats evenly. Techno-Release indentations on the bottom of the pan improve its ability to release food. The handle is riveted for security, and the whole pan comes with a limited lifetime warranty.
What you should consider: The indentations on the bottom of the pan make cleanup tedious for some users. Soaking in warm, soapy water helps.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/kitchen-br/cookware-br/best-t-fal-frying-pan/ | 2022-05-26T02:00:46Z |
Guardians complete first Oakland sweep in 22 years
By JOE STIGLICH
Associated Press
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Triston McKenzie threw 6 1/3 scoreless innings and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Athletics 7-3 on Sunday to complete their first sweep in Oakland in 22 years. Franmil Reyes, mired in a 1-for-27 slump entering the day, had a two-run single in the third when Cleveland scored four times to take control at 5-0. Andres Gimenez had two hits and an RBI, finishing 6 for 12 with six RBIs in the three-game series. McKenzie (1-2) held the A’s to three hits, struck out seven and walked one as Cleveland swept a series at the Oakland Coliseum for the first time since April 10-12, 2000. | https://localnews8.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/05/01/guardians-complete-first-oakland-sweep-in-22-years/ | 2022-05-02T07:06:46Z |
Cowen becomes first traditional investment bank to offer institutional digital asset solution on Eze's institutional OEMS platform
WINDSOR, Conn., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SS&C Technologies Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: SSNC) today announced that Cowen Digital, Cowen Inc.'s (NASDAQ:COWN) digital asset division will leverage SS&C Eze's institutional OEMS platform to support its clients' digital asset trading requirements.
"Building on our first mover advantage in the market, we are delighted to add SS&C Eze's advanced trading and order management technology to our platform, as we respond to our institutional clients' growing demand to access the benefits of digital assets," said Drew Forman, Head of Cowen Digital.
"Our clients are already accessing 16 of the leading tokens through our high-touch trading desk. Adding the Eze OEMS to our robust institutional-grade platform further extends our access to liquidity alongside the most relevant market data and enhances our clients' ability to connect seamlessly with the digital asset market," added Eric Rose, Head of Execution at Cowen Digital.
SS&C Eze's institutional digital asset trading platform provides seamless broker-agnostic access to institutional liquidity across the market. It also provides market data covering 100+ tokens and 500+ pairs from more than 35 sources, enabling users to configure order details and request buy/sell quotes for selected token pairs. In addition, clients with access to Eze's integrated OEMS capabilities can create crypto orders in their order management blotter and send them directly to Cowen for execution.
"We are pleased to support Cowen in providing institutional-quality crypto execution for asset managers," said Frank Matarese, Senior Director of Product Management at SS&C Eze. "Our digital asset trading network allows our clients and partners to fully integrate their crypto and other digital assets into their investment operations. This integration enables the same controls and workflows for the other instruments they trade today and provides access to liquidity on a global scale".
About Cowen Inc.
Cowen Inc. ("Cowen" or the "Company") is a diversified financial services firm that provides investment banking, research, sales and trading, prime brokerage, outsourced trading and commission management services. Cowen also has an investment management division which offers actively managed alternative investment products. Founded in 1918 the Company is headquartered in New York and has offices worldwide. Learn more at Cowen.com
About Cowen Digital
Cowen Digital, the digital asset division of Cowen Inc., offers full-service trade execution and custody solutions, with the flexibility and resources to provide institutional clients with secure and compliant access to the digital asset ecosystem - supported by Cowen's proven expertise in traditional finance. Learn more here.
About SS&C Technologies
SS&C is a global provider of services and software for the financial services and healthcare industries. Founded in 1986, SS&C is headquartered in Windsor, Connecticut, and has offices around the world. Some 20,000 financial services and healthcare organizations, from the world's largest companies to small and mid-market firms, rely on SS&C for expertise, scale and technology.
SOURCE: SS&C
Additional information about SS&C (Nasdaq: SSNC) is available at www.ssctech.com.
Follow SS&C on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.
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SOURCE SS&C | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/24/ssampc-provides-seamless-oems-access-cowen-digitals-institutional-digital-assets-platform/ | 2022-05-24T14:24:52Z |
OHP says drownings on the rise after 2 drown at Lake Murray
ARDMORE, Okla. (KXII) - Two men drowned this weekend at Lake Murray.
An Oklahoma city man drowned after jumping in to save his son at the Marina beach at Lake Murray on Saturday.
A few miles away near Lake Murray Lodge, an Ardmore man drowned on Sunday.
“It looks a lot like what we’re seeing across the state,” OHP Trooper Eric Foster said. “When more people are out, those dangerous numbers go up. So we are seeing that higher than normal and really, it just comes down to, when you sit back and look at it, they’re very common sense things.”
Foster said most drownings are preventable. For one thing, don’t overestimate your swimming skills.
“Even if you’re a very confident swimmer- As a trooper we go through water survival training,” Foster said. “And when I went through our academy, I was very confident until I started to go through the training. And you’ll see you can get into trouble very quickly, even with stuff you don’t know is coming, maybe a muscle cramp.”
OHP reports state neither victim from the Lake Murray drownings this weekend had on a life jacket. Coast Guard data shows more than 80 percent of victims of fatal drownings weren’t wearing a life jacket.
“A lot of times we see people that drown are someone who has just saved another person,” Foster said. “So they expend energy going to save someone, they get there and that person is in such a panicked state that that person will actually cause damage to the person coming to get them.”
Foster said if someone near you is drowning, throw a life preserver to them-don’t jump in to save them.
On the shore and on the water, most of the lake safety issues he sees involve people who drank too much alcohol, Foster said.
“The sun and the activities that you partake in at the lake will speed up the intoxication time in your blood,” Foster said.
And don’t forget to swim with a buddy.
“Pay attention to other people around you,” Foster said. “So very often people who get in trouble on the lakes, there was someone close who could help them.”
Copyright 2022 KXII. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/07/19/ohp-says-drownings-rise-after-2-drown-lake-murray/ | 2022-07-19T23:29:25Z |
Services for Harlon Lee Reed, 79, of Las Vegas, Nev., will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Young’s Daughters Funeral Home and Bereavement Center in Temple.
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Services for Harlon Lee Reed, 79, of Las Vegas, Nev., will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Young’s Daughters Funeral Home and Bereavement Center in Temple.
Burial will be in Moffat Cemetery.
Mr. Reed died Thursday, Aug. 18, at a Las Vegas hospital.
He was born July 20, 1943, in Waynesboro, Pa., to Herrell Edward and Hallie Marzee Rose Reed. He served in the U.S. Army. He was a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. He married Marjorie Mae Henry in 1992.
He was preceded in death by a son, Cary Reed; and a great-grandchild.
Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Gina Reed and Kelly Reed; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Arthritis Foundation, P.O. Box 96280, Washington, D.C. 20077.
Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. | https://www.tdtnews.com/obituaries/article_72ff8466-35b0-11ed-a474-ff3a75ae681e.html | 2022-09-16T13:41:20Z |
Leading miniature toy company Super Impulse launches a brand new concept in miniature collectibles
BRISTOL, Pa., Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Super Impulse,the leader in miniature toys and collectibles, today announces the launch of Minis-in-Minis™, an exciting and never-before-seen collectible concept. The new line features mini toys with tiny minis inside, and is the model blueprint for how Super Impulse continues to pave the way in all things miniature, combining iconic brands and popular trends.
The launch of Minis-in-minis marks the first time the industry has seen this evolution of miniatures; which many influencers, collectors and press say they have been anticipating. This exciting new line has captured the hearts of kids and kidults of all ages.
Minis-in-Minis, Sugar Buzz is launching now at Walmart. Series one is confectionery themed and includes the most beloved brands such as Toxic Waste, Chupa Chups, Pez, Peeps, Mike and Ike, Warheads, and more. Complete the collection with 66 minis, including three levels of rare colors. Discover 8 inside each cup, including 2 Minis and 6 Minis-In-Minis. The clear top reveals one mini toy and the other is hidden below. It's sure to give mini collectors a kick, bring back sweet memories, and make anyone feel like a kid in a candy store!
"Super Impulse specializes in miniatures. It is our job to set the standard in the category and to create new experiences for fans of all ages," said Super Impulse Founder and CEO Alan Dorfman. "Minis-in-Minis offer not only miniatures to collect, but also the TINIEST miniatures – a whole new scale of collectibles! And Minis-in-Minis, Sugar Buzz features the hottest trend in food/grocery collectibles – candy!"
Super Impulse has been leading the way in miniatures since the company began in 2014 with the launch of the World's Smallest Collection; building roots in fully functioning miniatures of retro classics and expanded with a multitude of licensing partnerships. Super Impulse houses a variety of new product lines including: World's Coolest, World's Smallest, Micro Toy Box, Micro Figures, Tiny Arcades and now, the introduction of Minis-in-Minis.
Minis-in-minis Sugar Buzz will be available in all major retailers for $5.99 and is recommended for kids ages 8 and up. For even more collectibles, micro figures, and functional mini toys, follow Super Impulse at Facebook: Super Impulse Instagram: @SuperImpulse TikTok: @superimpulse, or visit www.superimpulse.com
Founded in 2014, Super Impulse is committed to toy innovation, novelty items and accessories for kids and the young at heart. Super Impulse's globally recognized, World's Smallest collection has expanded with a multitude of licensing partnerships. Selling hundreds of millions of units across the product line and continues to add to its offering and licenses with the world's most iconic toys. Super Impulse has the latest in classic retro and trend-forward toys with "a little something" for everyone!
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SOURCE Super Impulse | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/super-impulse-sets-new-trend-with-launch-minis-in-minis/ | 2022-09-13T14:15:12Z |
Legislation in New Jersey proposes later start times for high schoolers
By Nick Caloway
Click here for updates on this story
CHATHAM, New Jersey (WCBS) — Some students in New Jersey could be getting extra sleep in the morning thanks to a push to start high school classes later.
Experts and lawmakers say the move will help with grades and could even boost mental health for teenagers.
Sleeping in sounds pretty good to students at Chatham High School.
“It’s a good idea,” a sophomore named Riley said.
Chatham is the latest district in New Jersey to push back start times for high schoolers. Class will begin 40 minutes later next year at 8:20 a.m.
“No, yeah, like, I literally get no sleep at all. So an extra hour in the morning will help because I go to bed later,” a junior named Kennedy said.
Students told CBS2’s Nick Caloway with sports and studying, they get to bed late and they’re exhausted in the morning.
“Pushing back start times is going to help us, and going to help all our grades in the end,” a junior named Shayna said.
Some state lawmakers agree.
“Your first two classes, you kind of bomb because you’re really not awake,” said former governor and current New Jersey state Sen. Richard Codey.
Codey is supporting new legislation in Trenton that would push high school start times to no earlier than 8:30 a.m. beginning in the 2024-25 school year.
Lawmakers behind the bill say ensuring students are well-rested can help address the alarming rise in student mental health issues.
“It’s the thing to do, and let’s get it on,” Codey said.
There’s also plenty of support in the medical community.
Dr. April Wazeka is a pediatric pulmonologist certified in sleep medicine at Goryeb Children’s Hospital at Morristown Medical Center. She said the American Academy of Sleep Medicine has been recommending later start times for years.
“So sleep in teenagers is very important. It’s an important stage of brain development. But we know that in the teenage years, your circadian rhythm, your day/night cycle, shifts. And teenagers tend to stay up later and want to sleep in later,” Wazeka said.
Some student-athletes at Chatham High did say that with a later start time, they’ll have to practice and do homework later, meaning they push the whole cycle back and still end up exhausted in the morning.
The bill to start high school later would need support from the state Senate and Assembly, and it would need approval from Gov. Phil Murphy.
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/2022/04/07/legislation-in-new-jersey-proposes-later-start-times-for-high-schoolers/ | 2022-04-07T19:53:27Z |
NEW YORK, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Moore Kuehn, PLLC, a securities law firm located on Wall Street, is investigating whether certain officers and directors of Lottery.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: LTRY) breached their fiduciary duties to shareholders.
According to a federal securities lawsuit, Lottery.com insiders caused the company to make false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) the Company lacked adequate internal accounting controls; (ii) the Company lacked adequate internal controls over financial reporting, including but not limited to those pertaining to revenue recognition and the reporting of cash; (iii) the Company was not in compliance with state and federal laws governing the sale of lottery tickets; and (iv) as a result, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.
On July 6, 2022, Lottery.com disclosed that an internal investigation, conducted by independent counsel, had uncovered "instances of non-compliance with state and federal laws concerning the state in which tickets are procured as well as order fulfillment" and "issues pertaining to the Company's internal accounting controls." Accordingly, on June 30, 2022, the Board terminated the Company's President, Treasurer, and Chief Financial Officer Ryan Dickinson.
If you own LTRY please contact Justin Kuehn, Esq. by email at jkuehn@moorekuehn.com or telephone at (212) 709-8245. There is no cost to you. Moore Kuehn is a New York-based law firm with attorneys representing investors and consumers. Please visit http://www.moorekuehn.com/practice/new-york-shareholder-derivative-litigation/
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Moore Kuehn, PLLC
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SOURCE Moore Kuehn, PLLC | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/moore-kuehn-pllc-encourages-investors-lotterycom-inc-contact-law-firm/ | 2022-08-24T00:21:06Z |
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Black culture, in all its glory, will be on display over the 4th of July holiday weekend in New Orleans as thousands converge on the city for the in-person return of the Essence Festival of Culture.
The multiday event begins with a Thursday performance by comedian Kevin Hart in the Smoothie King Center, followed by ticketed concerts at the Louisiana Superdome Friday through Sunday. First-time headliner, rapper Nicki Minaj, performs Friday along with another first-timer, country singer Mickey Guyton. Music icon Janet Jackson, who took the stage in 2010 and 2018, is the featured artist on Saturday and fan favorite, 80s R&B group New Edition, will close the event on Sunday. Other artists scheduled to perform include Jazmine Sullivan, City Girls, Summer Walker, The Roots, The Isley Brothers, Method Man, Tems, Patti LaBelle and Stephanie Mills.
In addition, free experiences are being offered inside the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center including a tech summit, an opportunity for men called “In His Zone,” a marketplace highlighting local vendors, a food and wine experience, a beauty carnival, and the ever-popular gospel celebration.
Organizers encourage all participants — whether in-person or virtual — to download the festival’s app and register through EssenceFestival.com. In addition, in-person participants are required to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination even though that requirement was dropped in March by the city since the pandemic had eased.
Festival organizers have said “vaccination is for everyone’s protection” and proof of such is needed for admission.
The festival, much like others the city is known for, has been on an in-person hiatus since 2020 because of the virus outbreak but was held virtually in 2020 and 2021. Before that, it had been held in New Orleans every year except in 2006 when it moved to Houston while the Superdome was being repaired following Hurricane Katrina.
This year’s theme is “It’s The Black Joy For Me” and the 2022 festival will be the brand’s first to offer a live component and the option to connect virtually.
“As the nation’s largest festival by per day attendance, the Essence Festival of Culture is a staple that celebrates community and empowers equity,” Essence CEO Caroline Wanga said in a statement. “We are excited to welcome the family back to New Orleans and thrilled to connect with more of our diasporic family through new digital experiences.”
Erika J. Bennett, chief marketing officer for Essence Ventures, said she’s looking forward to what she describes as a “reunion” that has attracted more than 500,000 visitors to its events in past years.
“We know the festival is an opportunity for people, all over the world, to come together, to unite a culture, whether that’s through fashion or music or food or all the wonderful other ways we express ourselves. Particularly after some really hard years of not being together, our theme of Black joy, really resonates,” Bennett said.
Bennett said their digital experience opens access globally and has attracted more than 100 million online views.
Essence, in its 27th year, started in 1995 as a one-time salute to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Essence magazine and was known as “a party with a purpose” with an original mission to give back to the community through free seminars designed to enrich women’s lives. It has since evolved into the world’s largest celebration of Black women, culture and community, organizers have said.
Bennett said Essence Ventures, the parent company of Essence, supports economic equity for people of color and works to ensure that through all of its brands as part of its purpose.
“It’s important for us to support and uplift a city that’s embraced us for so many years,” she said. “Through our marketplace and through Essence Eats, we have been able to generate a $2 billion economic impact, over nearly 30 years, to the City of New Orleans. And that is a bigger part, a deeper part of our overall mission.”
The city did not immediately respond to an email seeking details about the city’s current contract with the festival. The current contract runs through 2024. Discussions are currently being held regarding a contract extension, said John F. Lawson, deputy press secretary for Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s administration. | https://cw33.com/entertainment-news/ap-entertainment/essence-fest-is-back-in-new-orleans-after-two-year-hiatus/ | 2022-06-29T17:37:14Z |
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Sanford D. Bishop Jr., D-Ga., supported the approval of H.R. 3807, the Relief for Restaurants and other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act. This bill would provide an additional $42 billion for the Restaurant Revitalization Grant Program as well as $13 billion for a new Small Business Administration grant program to help hard-hit small businesses that have lost significant revenue as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The bill received bipartisan support and was approved by a vote of 223-203.
“We are seeing remarkable recovery from this pandemic thanks to the programs supported by the American Rescue Plan Act — which also created the Restaurant Revitalization Grant Program,” Bishop said. “Through this program, over 130 businesses throughout Georgia’s Second Congressional District received nearly $34.9 million in emergency assistance. Small businesses are vital job creators and the beating heart of our local economies across middle and southwest Georgia, and this bill helps keep them on their feet as we come out of this pandemic.”
The bill would create a new program, the Hard Hit Industries Award Program, that would provide emergency funding assistance to small businesses that have experienced at least a 40% decrease in revenue as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The award amount would be equal to the calculated pandemic-related loss in revenue, with a maximum award of $1 million.
The American Rescue Plan Act established the Restaurant Revitalization Fund to provide funding to help restaurants and other eligible businesses keep their doors open. ARPA was passed by the Democratically-led U.S. House and U.S. Senate without Republican support. The funds from this bill would go to restaurants and bars that qualified during the initial application window. And for those who had earlier qualified but did not receive aid before the program’s funding was exhausted, they could receive funding only if the restaurant is still operating or intends to re-open within six months.
While home prices began to accelerate rapidly in the second half of 2020 and have barely slowed, rents were stable throughout 2020 as federal COVID relief dollars and policies like eviction moratoriums helped keep renters in place. But in 2021, rents began to see sharp increases as well. Res… Click for more.
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6.2 Billion Parcels Elevated Market Share by 2 pts to 23.0%
$1.8 Billion Adjusted Net Income Grew 38.2% on Price Steadiness and Cost Leverage
SHANGHAI, Aug. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. (NYSE: ZTO and SEHK: 2057), a leading and fast-growing express delivery company in China ("ZTO" or the "Company"), today announced its unaudited financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022[1]. The Company delivered a parcel volume growth of 7.5% and expanded market share by 2 percentage points to 23% despite adverse impact from COVID while maintaining high quality of service and customer satisfaction. Adjusted net income increased 38.2%[3] to reach RMB 1,758.7 million. Cash generated from operating activities was RMB 3,780.8 million.
Second Quarter 2022 Financial Highlights
- Revenues were RMB 8,656.7 million (US$ 1,292.4 million), an increase of 18.2% from RMB 7,325.1million in the same period of 2021.
- Gross profit was RMB 2,202.8 million (US$ 328.9 million), an increase of 31.6% from RMB 1,673.6 million in the same period of 2021.
- Net income was RMB 1,758.7 million (US$ 262.6 million), an increase of 38.2% from RMB 1,272.2 million in the same period of 2021.
- Adjusted EBITDA[2] was RMB 2,892.0 million (US$ 431.8 million), an increase of 36.0% from RMB 2,125.7 million in the same period of 2021.
- Adjusted net income was RMB 1,758.7 million (US$ 262.6 million), an increase of 38.2% from RMB 1,272.2 million in the same period of 2021.
- Basic and diluted net earnings per American depositary share ("ADS" [4]) were RMB 2.23 (US$ 0.33), an increase of 42.9% from RMB1.56 in the same period of 2021.
- Adjusted basic and diluted earnings per American depositary share attributable to ordinary shareholders[5] were RMB 2.23 (US$ 0.33), an increase of 42.9% from RMB 1.56 in the same period of 2021.
- Net cash provided by operating activities was RMB 3,780.8 million (US$ 564.5 million), compared with RMB 1,932.4 million in the same period of 2021.
Operational Highlights for Second Quarter 2022
- Parcel volume was 6,203 million, an increase of 7.5% from 5,772 million in the same period of 2021.
- Number of pickup/delivery outlets was over 30,900 as of June 30, 2022.
- Number of direct network partners was over 5,800 as of June 30, 2022.
- Number of self-owned line-haul vehicles was approximately 11,000 as of June 30, 2022.
- Out of the approximately 11,000 self-owned trucks, over 9,250 were high capacity 15 to 17-meter-long models as of June 30, 2022, compared to approximately 9,200 as of March 31, 2022.
- Number of line-haul routes between sorting hubs was approximately 3,700 as of June 30, 2022, compared to over 3,650 as of March 31, 2022.
- Number of sorting hubs was 98 as of June 30, 2022, among which 87 are operated by the Company and 11 by the Company's network partners.
Mr. Meisong Lai, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ZTO, commented, "Despite the COVID resurgence and macro uncertainties in the first half, we delivered a robust set of results gaining in both volume and profit. Our parcel volume reached 6.2 billion, expanding our market share by 2.0 points to 23.0%, and adjusted net income increased by 38.2% to 1.8 billion while we maintained high quality of services and customer satisfaction. Being among the first to resume operations, ZTO capitalized on the growth momentum and accelerated volume growth by leveraging our strong infrastructure and capacity advantages. Our cost initiatives continued to yield results where standardization and digitization is allowing us to optimize economics across the entire network including our network partners' operations."
Mr. Lai added, "While short-term challenges exist in the marketplace, the express delivery industry is resilient with huge potential to expand. As the pandemic prevention becomes routine, we are focused on quality of operations and earnings as we further leverage our core competencies. In the past, we benefited from a better integrated network of sortation centers across the country. Our success for the future depends largely on our ability to reduce the number of sortation and further reach to customers through better linkage with last mile operations to reduce costs and improve timeliness. Our strategies to widen our market share lead and enhance operational excellence are crucial for consistent and profitable growth."
Ms. Huiping Yan, Chief Financial Officer of ZTO, commented, "As price competition deescalated, our core express delivery ASP grew 10.5% or 13 cents year-on-year. We continued to gain operating efficiencies and soften the negative impact from rising labor cost and fuel price hike. Our corporate cost structure is lean and healthy where SG&A as percentage of revenue declined 0.1 pts to 5.3%. Cash flow from operating activities increased 95.7% to 3.8 billion. Capital spending outlay was 1.5 billion as we manage the pace of investment according to demand changes."
Ms. Yan added, "For many years, the industry grew tremendously in volume yet suffered from prolonged price decline. This trend was reversed for ZTO for this quarters as we grew volume 9 percentage above industry overage and increase net income 38.2% which is 4 times faster than volume expansion. We intend to stay focused on what we can do to expand volume and earnings while empowering our network partners to improve profitability as well. This will fundamentally ensure sustainability of our entire network for years to come."
Second Quarter 2022 Unaudited Financial Results
Total Revenues were RMB 8,656.7 million (US$ 1,292.4 million), an increase of 18.2% from RMB7,325.1 million in the same period of 2021. Revenue from the core express delivery business increased by 18.8% compared to the same period of 2021, as a combined result of a 7.5% increase in parcel volume and a 10.5% increase in parcel unit price. Revenue from freight forwarding services increased by 5.2% compared to the same period of 2021 as cross border e-commerce demand and pricing gradually normalized with pandemic recovery. Revenue from sales of accessories, largely consisted of sales of thermal paper used for digital waybills' printing, increased by 11.3%. Other revenues were mainly derived from financing services.
Total cost of revenues was RMB 6,453.9 million (US$ 963.5 million), an increase of 14.2% from RMB5,651.4 million in the same period last year.
Line haul transportation cost was RMB 3,029.9 million (US$ 452.4 million), an increase of 9.6% from RMB 2,763.3 million in the same period last year. The unit transportation cost increased 2.0% given the sharp increase in fuel costs and decrease of parcel volume during Covid resurgence yet offset by continued transportation cost efficiency gain derived mainly from higher mix of high-capacity trailer trucks of our fleet and improved load rate from better route planning. There were approximately 1,100 more self-owned high-capacity vehicles in operation compared to the same period last year.
Sorting hub operating cost was RMB 1,891.4 million (US$ 282.4 million), an increase of 17.3% from RMB 1,612.7 million in the same period last year. The increase was primarily consisted of (i) RMB 140.2 million (US$ 20.9 million) increase in labor-associated costs, a net result of wage increases partially offset by automation-driven efficiency improvement, and (ii) RMB 105.5 million (US$ 15.8 million) increase in depreciation and amortization costs for automation equipment and facility construction. As of June 30, 2022, 431 sets of automated sorting equipment were in service, compared to 361 sets as of June 30, 2021.
Cost of accessories sold was RMB 119.9 million (US$ 17.9 million), increased 22.2% compared with RMB98.1 million in the same period last year. The increase included uniform costs for dress code standardization which helps enhance brand image.
Other costs were RMB 1,105.6 million (US$ 165.1 million), an increase of 21.4% from RMB 911.1 million in the same period last year. The increase was mainly consisted of (i) RMB 62.8 million (US$ 9.4 million) in costs expanding last mile business, (ii) RMB 51.8 million (US$ 7.7 million) in information technology and related costs, and (iii) RMB 44.5 million (US$ 6.6 million) in costs serving enterprise customers.
Gross Profit was RMB 2,202.8 million (US$ 328.9 million), increased 31.6% from RMB1,673.6 million in the same period last year as a result of driven by both volume and ASP increase plus a stable cost structure. Gross margin rate improved to 25.4% from 22.8% for the same period last year.
Total Operating Expenses were RMB 217.3 million (US$ 32.4 million), compared to RMB 218.0 million in the same period last year.
Selling, general and administrative expenses were RMB 456.9 million (US$ 68.2 million), increased by 16.0% from RMB 394.0 million in the same period last year, mainly from increases of compensation and benefits.
Other operating income, net was RMB 239.6 million (US$ 35.8 million), compared to RMB 176.0 million in the same period last year. Other operating income mainly consisted of (i) government subsidies and tax rebates of RMB 145.8 million (US$ 21.8 million), and (ii) RMB 56.6 million (US$ 8.4 million) of VAT super deduction.
Income from operations was RMB 1,985.5 million (US$ 296.4 million), an increase of 36.4% from RMB 1,455.7 million for the same period last year. Operating margin rate increased to 22.9% from 19.9% in the same period last year.
Interest income was RMB 118.5 million (US$ 17.7 million), compared with RMB 102.4 million in the same period last year.
Interest expenses was RMB 23.1 million (US$ 3.4 million), compared with RMB 33.8 million in the same period last year.
Net income was RMB 1,758.7 million (US$ 262.6 million), which increased by 38.2% from RMB 1,272.2 million in the same period.
Basic and diluted earnings per ADS attributable to ordinary shareholders were RMB 2.23 (US$ 0.33), compared to basic and diluted earnings per ADS of RMB1.56 in the same period last year.
Adjusted basic and diluted earnings per ADS attributable to ordinary shareholders were RMB 2.23 (US$ 0.33), compared with RMB1.56 in the same period last year.
Adjusted net income was RMB 1,758.7 million (US$ 262.6 million), compared with RMB 1,272.2 million during the same period last year.
EBITDA[1] was RMB 2,892.0 million (US$ 431.8 million), compared with RMB 2,125.7 million in the same period last year.
Adjusted EBITDA was RMB 2,892.0 million (US$ 431.8 million), compared to RMB 2,125.7 million in the same period last year.
Net cash provided by operating activities was RMB 3,780.8 million (US$ 564.5 million), compared with RMB 1,932.4 million in the same period last year.
Business Outlook
Based on current market and operating conditions, the Company maintains its previously stated annual guidance. Parcel volume for 2022 is expected to be in the range of 24.96 billion to 25.86 billion, representing a 12% to 16% increase year over year. Such estimates represent management's current and preliminary view, which are subject to change.
Company Share Purchase
On November 14, 2018, the Company announced a share repurchase program whereby ZTO was authorized to repurchase its own Class A ordinary shares in the form of ADSs with an aggregate value of up to US$500 million during an 18-month period thereafter. On March 13, 2021, the board of directors of the Company approved the extension of the active share repurchase program to June 30, 2021. On March 31, 2021, the board of directors has approved changes to the share repurchase program, increasing the aggregate value of shares that may be repurchased from US$500 million to US$1 billion and extending the effective time by two years through June 30, 2023. The Company expects to fund the repurchases out of its existing cash balance. As of June 30, 2022, the Company has purchased an aggregate of 36,074,242 ADSs at an average purchase price of US$25.21, including repurchase commissions.
Exchange Rate
This announcement contains translation of certain Renminbi amounts into U.S. dollars at specified rates solely for the convenience of readers. Unless otherwise noted, all translations from Renminbi to U.S. dollars were made at the exchange rate of RMB 6.6981 to US$ 1.00, the noon buying rate on June 30, 2022 as set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve Systems.
Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
The Company uses EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income, adjusted net income attributable to ordinary shareholders and adjusted basic and diluted earnings per American depositary share, and adjusted basic and diluted earnings per American depositary share attributable to ordinary shareholders, each a non-GAAP financial measure, in evaluating ZTO's operating results and for financial and operational decision-making purposes.
Reconciliations of the Company's non-GAAP financial measures to its U.S. GAAP financial measures are shown in tables at the end of this earnings release, which provide more details about the non-GAAP financial measures.
The Company believes that EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income, adjusted net income attributable to ordinary shareholders and adjusted basic and diluted earnings per American depositary share help identify underlying trends in ZTO's business that could otherwise be distorted by the effect of the expenses and gains that the Company includes in income from operations and net income. The Company believes that EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income, adjusted net income attributable to ordinary shareholders and adjusted basic and diluted earnings per American depositary share provide useful information about its operating results, enhance the overall understanding of its past performance and future prospects and allow for greater visibility with respect to key metrics used by ZTO's management in its financial and operational decision-making.
EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income, adjusted net income attributable to ordinary shareholders and adjusted basic and diluted earnings per American depositary share should not be considered in isolation or construed as an alternative to net income or any other measure of performance or as an indicator of the Company's operating performance. Investors are encouraged to compare the historical non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures. EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income, adjusted net income attributable to ordinary shareholders and adjusted basic and diluted earnings per American depositary share presented here may not be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies. Other companies may calculate similarly titled measures differently, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures to ZTO's data. ZTO encourages investors and others to review the Company's financial information in its entirety and not rely on a single financial measure.
Conference Call Information
ZTO's management team will host an earnings conference call at 8:30 PM U.S. Eastern Time on Wednesday, August 17, 2022 (8:30 AM Beijing Time on August 18, 2022).
Dial-in details for the earnings conference call are as follows:
Please dial in 15 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin and provide the passcode to join the call.
A replay of the conference call may be accessed by phone at the following numbers until August 24, 2022:
Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available at http://zto.investorroom.com.
About ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc.
ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. (NYSE: ZTO and SEHK:2057) ("ZTO" or the "Company") is a leading and fast-growing express delivery company in China. ZTO provides express delivery service as well as other value-added logistics services through its extensive and reliable nationwide network coverage in China.
ZTO operates a highly scalable network partner model, which the Company believes is best suited to support the significant growth of e-commerce in China. The Company leverages its network partners to provide pickup and last-mile delivery services, while controlling the mission-critical line-haul transportation and sorting network within the express delivery service value chain.
For more information, please visit http://zto.investorroom.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This news release contains "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the Company's unaudited results for the second quarter of 2022, ZTO management quotes and the Company's financial outlook.
These forward-looking statements are not historical facts but instead represent only the Company's belief regarding expected results and events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of its control. The Company's actual results and other circumstances may differ, possibly materially, from the anticipated results and events indicated in these forward-looking statements. Announced results for the second quarter 2022 are preliminary, unaudited and subject to audit adjustment. In addition, the Company may not meet its financial outlook included in this news release and may be unable to grow its business in the manner planned. The Company may also modify its strategy for growth. In addition, there are other risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company's actual results to differ from what it currently anticipates, including those relating to the development of the e-commerce industry in China, its significant reliance on the Alibaba ecosystem, risks associated with its network partners and their employees and personnel, intense competition which could adversely affect the Company's results of operations and market share, any service disruption of the Company's sorting hubs or the outlets operated by its network partners or its technology system. For additional information on these and other important factors that could adversely affect the Company's business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects, please see its filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of the press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this release, except as required by law. Such information speaks only as of the date of this release.
The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash reported within the condensed consolidated balance sheets that sum to the total of the same such amounts shown in the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows:
For investor and media inquiries, please contact:
ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc.
Investor Relations
E-mail: ir@zto.com
Phone: +86 21 5980 4508
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SOURCE ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/17/zto-reports-second-quarter-2022-unaudited-financial-results/ | 2022-08-17T22:50:51Z |
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- This morning, California Governor Gavin Newsom named former City of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to the role of Infrastructure Advisor to the State of California. The California Transit Association issued the following statement:
"Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is an inspired choice for the role of Infrastructure Advisor to the State of California," said California Transit Association Executive Director Michael Pimentel. "By selecting Villaraigosa, Governor Newsom has once again broadcast to the nation his intent to transform California's infrastructure, with a heightened focus on sustainability, equity, and economic progress for all Californians. When Mayor of Los Angeles (2005 – 2013), Villaraigosa took on the herculean task of transforming California's largest and famously car-centric city's transportation network by championing investment in public transportation and bicycle and pedestrian projects. His leadership in support of Measure R, Los Angeles' landmark transportation funding measure, delivered billions of dollars for transit and rail capital projects and operational upgrades that increased the frequency and reliability of public transportation, forever improving Los Angeles County. Now, thanks to his appointment by Governor Newsom, Villaraigosa is poised to share his knowledge, expertise, and political acumen with the State of California to ensure that the availability of new federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is effectively leveraged to deliver on California's goals."
The California Transit Association is comprised of more than 220 member organizations, including all the state's largest urban transit operators, as well as dozens of transit agencies in suburban and rural areas. Its membership also extends to include commuter rail agencies, transit support groups, national and international transit suppliers, and government agencies. The Association is the leading advocate on behalf of public transit in California, representing transit's interests before the California State Legislature, the Governor and regulatory agencies on the local, state and federal levels.
CONTACT
Virginia Drake
Public Affairs and Communications Director
California Transit Association
M: 916-446-4656 x1135
Email: virginia@caltransit.org
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SOURCE California Transit Association | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/11/california-transit-association-applauds-appointment-former-la-mayor-antonio-villaraigosa-infrastructure-advisor-state-california/ | 2022-08-11T22:51:35Z |
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Sept. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Aleut Information Technology, LLC (Aleut) was awarded a contract by the U.S. Air Force to provide maintenance, development, and support service for its existing Open Architecture Distributed Common Ground System (OA/DCGS) and Forward Processing Exploitation and Dissemination (FPED) platform – the United States' primary visual data aggregator for military intelligence.
"We want to help analysts provide better output to their agencies," said Aleut Federal's Vice President of Technology Services, Geoff Vaughan. "We know how critical it is that information be processed and distributed efficiently and accurately. Aleut will continue to generate software updates at a quick cadence, adding capabilities that improve the functionality of the platform, and empower operators."
FPED is a platform which takes a broad range of data including video, geospatial intelligence, photographs, and more, collected by aircraft in the field and exploits the data using subject matter experts located across the globe. Those experts then take the imagery and identify items of interest (e.g., weapons, vehicles, and troops). The annotated files are then disseminated to subsystems operated by external government agencies such as the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, who use it to generate intelligence reports on the status of the regions.
Under the newly awarded contract, Aleut will continue to support various sites within the FPED network to perform software and hardware updates and training, working with operators to learn what features and functionality options they'd like to see in future updates. Aleut uses human centered design principles to research requirements and make User Experience (UX) improvement recommendations for government approval.
This contract has a potential duration of three years – including one, one-year base period and two, one-year options. Aleut will partner with the incumbent, MetroStar. Aleut is proud to retain the original subcontractors and key members of the original project team, ensuring a seamless transition.
Formed in 2016, Aleut is a Small Business Administration certified 8(a) program participant, and Small Disadvantaged Business providing proven capabilities in the IT sector including, infrastructure and communications.
Aleut Information Technology, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Aleut Federal, LLC, a holding company for federal subsidiaries of The Aleut Corporation (TAC). TAC was one of 13 original Alaska Native Corporations established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, passed by the U.S. Congress in 1971.
Berlyn Martin
Aleut Federal, LLC
Phone: 276-244-3319
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SOURCE Aleut Federal, LLC | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/09/06/aleut-help-aggregate-actionable-intelligence-government-agencies/ | 2022-09-06T19:06:59Z |
This approval expands MRIdian's global reach and offers cancer patients a new radiation therapy option—MRIdian SMART
DENVER, Sept. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ViewRay, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRAY) today announced that the company's MRIdian MRI-Guided Radiation Therapy System has received approval from the Chinese regulatory authority National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), allowing for its sale and utilization throughout China. This approval expands MRIdian's global reach and offers cancer patients a new radiation therapy option, MRIdian Stereotactic MRI-Guided Adaptive Radiotherapy (SMART), allowing treatment that integrates diagnostic-quality MR imaging, on-table adaptive replanning, and continuous, real-time, soft tissue tracking and automated beam gating.
Recognizing the need to improve both social and economic development, China has put health at the core of policy making. Healthy China 2030 lays out China's long-term approach to healthcare and shows its commitment to improving healthcare services across the country.1 There are about 4.6 million new cases of cancer diagnosed annually in China.2 The Healthy China 2030 initiative aims to increase the five-year survival rate of cancer patients by 15%.1
"With the increasing burden of cancer prevalence in China, we are excited to bring the benefits of MRIdian SMART to these patients," said Paul Ziegler, ViewRay Chief Commercial Officer. "The availability of more treatment options, excellent treatment outcomes, reduced toxicity, and improved quality of life is an important advance for this market. The China NMPA approval not only supports our global expansion but also our goal of changing the paradigm of care in radiation oncology."
The MRIdian system provides oncologists outstanding anatomical visualization through diagnostic-quality MR images and the ability to adapt a radiation therapy plan to the targeted cancer with the patient on the table. This combination allows physicians to define tight treatment margins to avoid unnecessary radiation exposure of vulnerable organs-at-risk and healthy tissue and allows the delivery of ablative radiation doses in five or fewer treatment sessions, without relying on implanted markers. By providing real-time continuous tracking of the target and organs-at-risk, MRIdian enables automatic gating of the radiation beam if the target moves outside the user-defined margins. This allows for delivery of the prescribed dose to the target, while sparing surrounding healthy tissue and critical structures, which results in minimizing toxicities typically associated with conventional radiation therapy.
To date, nearly 25,000 patients have been treated with MRIdian. Currently, 53 MRIdian systems are installed at hospitals around the world where they are used to treat a wide variety of solid tumors and are the focus of numerous ongoing research efforts. MRIdian has been the subject of hundreds of peer-reviewed publications, scientific meeting abstracts, and presentations. For a list of treatment centers, please visit: https://viewray.com/find-mridian-mri-guided-radiation-therapy/
- Xiaodong, tan. (2017). Healthy china 2030: A Vision for Health Care - ISPOR. Retrieved August 11, 2022, from https://www.ispor.org/docs/default-source/publications/newsletter/commentary_health-care_china_2030.pdf
- Incidence rates: 2020 GLOBOCAN database
Disclaimer:
Nothing in this material is intended to provide specific medical advice or to take the place of written law or regulations.
Safety Statement
The MRIdian Linac System is not appropriate for all patients, including those who are not candidates for magnetic resonance imaging. Radiation treatments may cause side effects that can vary depending on the part of the body being treated. The most frequent ones are typically temporary and may include, but are not limited to, irritation to the respiratory, digestive, urinary, or reproductive systems; fatigue; nausea; skin irritation; and hair loss. In some patients, side effects can be severe. Treatment sessions may vary in complexity and duration. Radiation treatment is not appropriate for all cancers. You should discuss the potential for side effects and their severity as well as the benefits of radiation and magnetic resonance imaging with your doctor to make sure radiation treatment is right for you.
About ViewRay
ViewRay, Inc. (Nasdaq: VRAY), designs, manufactures, and markets the MRIdian® MRI-Guided Radiation Therapy System. MRIdian is built upon a proprietary high-definition MR imaging system designed from the ground up to address the unique challenges and clinical workflow for advanced radiation oncology. Unlike MR systems used in diagnostic radiology, MRIdian's high-definition MR was purpose-built to address specific challenges, including beam distortion, skin toxicity, and other concerns that potentially may arise when high magnetic fields interact with radiation beams. ViewRay and MRIdian are registered trademarks of ViewRay, Inc.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. Statements in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, ViewRay's financial guidance for the full year 2022, anticipated future orders, anticipated future operating and financial performance, treatment results, therapy adoption, innovation, and the performance of the MRIdian systems. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the ability to commercialize the MRIdian Linac System, demand for ViewRay's products, the ability to convert backlog into revenue, the timing of delivery of ViewRay's products, the timing, length, and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, including its impacts across our businesses on demand, our operations and global supply chains, the results and other uncertainties associated with clinical trials, the ability to raise the additional funding needed to continue to pursue ViewRay's business and product development plans, the inherent uncertainties associated with developing new products or technologies, competition in the industry in which ViewRay operates, and overall market conditions. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to ViewRay's business in general, see ViewRay's current and future reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as updated periodically with the Company's other filings with the SEC. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and ViewRay assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements, except as required by law.
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SOURCE ViewRay, Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/09/07/viewray-announces-china-nmpa-approval-its-mridian-mri-guided-radiation-therapy-cancer-patients/ | 2022-09-07T12:08:52Z |
NEW YORK, June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Levi & Korsinsky, LLP notifies investors in Playstudios, Inc. ("Playstudios, Inc." or the "Company") (NASDAQ: MYPS) of a class action securities lawsuit.
CLASS DEFINITION: The lawsuit seeks to recover losses on behalf of Playstudios, Inc. investors who were adversely affected by alleged securities fraud. This lawsuit is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities other than defendants who: (a) purchased, or otherwise acquired securities of Playstudios between June 22, 2021 and March 1, 2022, both dates inclusive, including, but not limited to, those who purchased or acquired Playstudios securities pursuant to the offering of the private investment in public equity; (b) held common stock of Acies as of May 25, 2021, and were eligible to vote at Acies' June 16, 2021 special meeting who exchanged their shares of Acies stock for shares of Playstudios stock pursuant to the merger of Acies and Old Playstudios; and/or (c) purchased or otherwise acquired Playstudios common stock pursuant to or traceable to Acies' documents issued in connection with the June 2021 merger. Follow the link below to get more information and be contacted by a member of our team:
MYPS investors may also contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. via email at jlevi@levikorsinsky.com or by telephone at (212) 363-7500.
CASE DETAILS: The filed complaint alleges that defendants made false statements and/or concealed that: (i) Playstudios was having significant problems with its flagship game, Kingdom Boss; (ii) Playstudios would not be releasing Kingdom Boss as expected; and (iii) Playstudios had not revised its financial projections to account for the problems it had encountered with Kingdom Boss. As a result of defendants' wrongful conduct, Class members paid artificially inflated prices for their Playstudios securities and suffered substantial losses and damages.
WHAT'S NEXT? If you suffered a loss in Playstudios, Inc. during the relevant time frame, you have until June 6, 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.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/02/myps-lawsuit-alert-levi-amp-korsinsky-notifies-playstudios-inc-investors-class-action-lawsuit-upcoming-deadline/ | 2022-06-02T19:03:01Z |
Safe Kids Kansas teaming up with Envista for May ‘Cares Challenge’
Published: May. 2, 2022 at 4:58 PM CDT|Updated: 30 minutes ago
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Envista Credit Union announced its newest partner for the Envista Cares Challenge.
Safe Kids Kansas works to keep kids safe through education, advocacy, and community programs. Envista will help them raise money through the end of the month with promotions and matching up to $2,500 in donations.
“The funds will be used to support our injury prevention programs across the state of Kansas,” Safe Kids Kansas Director Cherie Sage said. “We focus in many different areas, so from car seat checks to life jackets, smoke alarms, and bike helmets. Those are just a few of the programs that we have that these funds can go to benefit.”
You can help by donating at EnvistaCares.com
Copyright 2022 WIBW. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/05/02/safe-kids-kansas-teaming-up-with-envista-may-cares-challenge/ | 2022-05-02T22:30:08Z |
Through the national leader in preventive care, Danone North America employees will have access to key health services through EHE Health's suite of Pulse offerings
NEW YORK and BROOMFIELD, Colo., Aug. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, EHE Health, a national healthcare provider, and Danone North America, the purpose-driven food and beverage leader with a diverse portfolio of dairy and plant-based brands, announced a new three-year relationship to facilitate prevention at scale and drive better health outcomes for Danone's U.S.-based workforce. As one of the world's largest Certified B Corporations®, Danone is guided by its responsibility to use its business as a force for good, which includes its efforts to prioritize employee wellbeing.
"We're proud to make this investment in one of Danone's most important resources, our people," said Silvio Amorosino, Chief Human Resources Officer at Danone North America. "Partnering with EHE Health will help increase engagement of these critical health services, especially amid the ongoing pandemic. We are committed to taking care of our employees and their families by creating pathways toward good health, and we look forward to rolling out these services this year."
The new offering complements Danone's existing efforts to advance employee wellbeing, which helps contribute to its best-in-class culture and engaged workforce. Through the partnership, Danone North America's more than 6,000 employees and their spouses/domestic partners who have chosen Cigna as their health insurance carrier will have access to EHE's newly announced Pulse by EHE Health mobile application. This holistic preventive suite of Pulse products includes Pulse Physical™, Pulse Virtual™ and Pulse Digital™. Offerings include comprehensive and personalized in-person exams through Pulse Physical, on-the-go customizable health resources through Pulse Digital and remote experiences through Pulse Virtual. Members will also have access to resources such as one-on-one health mentorship with prevention health experts.
With EHE Health's evidence-based platform solution, Pulse Digital™, employees will be able to integrate multiple dimensions of health, including medications, labs, diet, activity, symptoms and psychosocial factors, with the insights and data visualizations necessary to empower individuals and strengthen care team connections. Powered by advanced AI, the platform seamlessly integrates with popular wellness trackers and provides real-time coaching.
"We're excited to partner with Danone to provide our premium preventive health services," said Dr. David Levy, MD and Chief Executive Officer of EHE Health. "Danone and EHE have a shared philosophy centered around health, transparency and accountability, which aligns with our mission to keep employees happy and healthy. We look forward to working together to help improve overall engagement and utilization to drive better health outcomes among their people."
"Empowering people to take charge of their health with a consistent focus on prevention is core to what we do every day at EHE Health," said Joy Altimare, Chief Revenue Officer. "We're proud to begin this new journey with Danone to help their employees and business continue to thrive."
For more information, visit www.ehe.health or www.danonenorthamerica.com.
EHE Health is a national healthcare provider network and center of excellence in preventive health and primary care, that partners with mid- and large-sized employers to give their employees and beneficiaries an entry point to organized healthcare, beginning with prevention. Named by Fortune Magazine and Great Place to Work® as one of the Best Workplaces in 2021, EHE Health is headquartered in New York City and operates and/or contracts with 200 health clinics across the U.S., staffed by a network of curated primary care physicians and clinicians. For 109 years, EHE Health has been an innovator and leader in helping people live longer, healthier lives with personalized preventive care. For more information, visit us at www.ehe.health.
Danone North America is a purpose-driven company and an industry leader in the food and beverage category. As a Certified B Corporation®, Danone North America is committed to the creation of both economic and social value, while nurturing natural ecosystems through sustainable agriculture. Our portfolio of brands includes: Activia®, DanActive®, Danimals®, Dannon®, evian®, Happy Family® Organics, Honest to Goodness®, Horizon® Organic, International Delight®, Light + Fit®, Oikos®, Silk®, So Delicious® Dairy Free, STōK™, Two Good®, Wallaby® Organic and YoCrunch®. With more than 6,000 employees and 16 production locations across the U.S. and Canada, Danone North America's mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible. For more information, visit www.danonenorthamerica.com/. For more information on Danone North America's B Corp™ status, visit: https://bcorporation.net/directory/danone-north-america.
Media Contact: Erin Pallotta, Current Global | epallotta@currentglobal.com | 608-279-2947
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SOURCE EHE Health | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/30/ehe-health-partners-with-danone-north-america-underscoring-danones-ongoing-commitment-employee-health-wellbeing/ | 2022-08-30T11:48:22Z |
RoboKiller Releases Its 2021 Political Insights Report
NEW YORK, June 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- RoboKiller, the app that eliminates 99% of spam calls and text messages, today released its 2021 Political Insights report. The report reveals political messages remained prominent in an off-election year. In fact, Americans received an estimated 6.7 billion political messages in total, 5.8 billion by text and nearly 900 million by phone call.
These findings suggest political parties will continue to rely on political messages to reach voters, whether or not it is an election year. And although political robocalls were far fewer than political messages, political robocalls increased 5% compared to 2020 totals. As the 2022 midterm election nears, RoboKiller predicts Americans will see a spike in political robocalls and text messages, with political SMS shortcodes playing a pivotal role.
- Political text messages reached an estimated 5.8 billion, marking the second consecutive year politics-related text messages outpaced political robocalls (which reached an estimated 895 million).
- Both political parties relied on these mediums to reach supporters and potential voters. However, RoboKiller estimates 87% and 31% of messages contained Republican and Democratic keywords, respectively.
- Peer-to-peer messaging declined following the 2020 election cycle. Still, political shortcodes (five-or-six digit numbers parties lease to communicate with supporters and prospective voters) remained a prominent focus even during an off-election year. Shortcode messaging from core PAC and political figures continue to be one of the mediums used to reach Americans.
Meanwhile, political SMS shortcodes accounted for 5.7 billion of the 5.8 billion political messages in 2021. The National Republican Senatorial Committee sent over 150 million political messages, while the Trump Alerts Program followed with over 135 million messages.
Read the full 2021 Political Insights Report here.
RoboKiller's robocall and spam text insights are powered by a global database of millions of known phone scams and audio fingerprints. Data is estimated by monitoring observed robocall and spam text trends for Americans who have trusted RoboKiller to stop their spam calls. For a comprehensive analysis of robocall trends in specific locations, details about particular phone scams, or any other related custom inquiries, please contact RoboKiller's robocall insights team here or at pr@robokiller.com.
With more than 12 million downloads and $400 million in losses prevented, RoboKiller is the leading independent spam call and text blocker. RoboKiller has been named a leader in technical and mobile achievement by the Webby Awards, Media Excellence, Best in Biz, and more. RoboKiller was named the most effective solution to robocalls by the FTC.
RoboKiller's robocall and spam text insights are powered by a global database of millions of phone scams and audio fingerprints. RoboKiller's proprietary data insights have been featured by The New York Times, ABC World News, NBC Nightly News, and many others.
For custom data inquiries, contact RoboKiller's insights team here or at pr@robokiller.com.
RoboKiller is available for download in the Apple App Store and Google Play. To learn more, visit www.robokiller.com.
RoboKiller, a Teltech brand, is a division of Mosaic Group, an IAC Company (NASDAQ: IAC).
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SOURCE RoboKiller | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/09/americans-received-67-billion-political-messages-2021-according-new-robokiller-report/ | 2022-06-09T19:48:35Z |
Senior dogs at HHHS given something to wag about with new grant
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Senior dogs in Shawnee Co. have something to wag about with a new grant awarded to the Helping Hands Humane Society.
Helping Hands Humane Society said it is one of 78 animal welfare groups chosen out of 344 applicants to be awarded a grant from The Grey Muzzle Organization to help local senior dogs. In total, more than $705,000 was given to help save or improve the lives of at-risk old dogs in the community.
“This grant will help us give senior dogs like 8-year-old Baxter the veterinary care he needs so he’ll be ready to go to his forever home,” said Grace Clinton, Director of Development and Special Events at Helping Hands Humane Society. “No one is more grateful or loving than an old dog, and we’re looking forward to helping more senior dogs get the second chance they all deserve.”
Over the past 14 years, HHHS said The Grey Muzzle Organization has provided more than $3.8 million in grants to support its mission of “a world where no old dog dies alone and afraid.”
“Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we’re delighted to help deserving organizations like Helping Hands Humane Society make a difference in the lives of dogs and people in their communities,” Grey Muzzle’s Executive Director Lisa Lunghofer said. “Many senior dogs in Northeast Kansas are enjoying their golden years in loving homes thanks to the wonderful work of Helping Hands Humane Society.”
For more information about Helping Hands Humane Society or the more than 6,000 animals it takes in each year, click HERE.
Copyright 2022 WIBW. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/07/30/senior-dogs-hhhs-given-something-wag-about-with-new-grant/ | 2022-07-30T16:57:11Z |
BELTON — Pack the bags and load the buses because Belton is about to make its first lengthy road trip of the regular season.
The Tigers (1-0) will navigate about 100 miles on Friday en route to Brenham, where Belton will attempt to begin its season 2-0 for the first time since 2012. Then, it will spend several hours retracing the roads back home.
While there is a specific intention for the trip, there also are beneficial byproducts, according to Tigers head coach Brett Sniffin.
“Most importantly it is an experience for the kids, and it is a memory they get to build that will last a lifetime. Hopefully, it is a fun one,” Sniffin said. “But it prepares us as well, because a potential second-round playoff game would be against someone from the Houston area or the district Brenham is in. So, we have to get used to traveling.”
And they will.
The Tigers are set to cover about 400 miles roundtrip in Week 4, when they play at San Angelo Central, and they will go about 60 miles each way in Week 6, when they face Elgin in District 11-5A Division II action.
While positives will emerge from the next task on the agenda, Belton’s objective is to win, but it will not be easy against a team with a strong history of defending its home field.
Outside of 2020, when it fell twice at home, including once to eventual regional finalist Leander Rouse, which finished the season 10-2 overall, Brenham has lost only four times inside Cub Stadium since 2015.
Regardless of location or records, the Tigers will be tested.
“They are a tough matchup for us,” Sniffin said. “They have some great athletes in the backfield with their quarterback and running back making up a two-headed combo. So, we are going to have to make sure we execute our assignments very well.
“It’s a tall task, because this is a completely different matchup when you compare what they do and what Pflugerville Hendrickson does, but that is good for us.”
Brenham struggled in its opener, falling 23-13 at Conroe Oak Ridge after allowing the War Eagles to rally from a 13-0 halftime deficit. The Cubs finished with just 194 total yards.
While Belton was far from perfect in a 34-27 victory against Hendrickson, the Tigers did not experience any such issues offensively.
Belton crossed the goal line in every quarter while accumulating 488 total yards, highlighted by junior quarterback Ty Brown’s 23-of-33 passing performance, completing passes to 11 receivers. He finished with 417 yards and three touchdowns.
Along with momentum, the Tigers also have some history on their side as the Cubs have started the season 0-2 three times in the last four years.
Sniffin scheduled the trip for other reasons, though.
“We’ve got district games that are 45-minute rides,” he said. “So the kids need to learn to pack their travel bags, think ahead and make sure they don’t forget anything. That is all good practice to have.
“But I just think it is fun for the kids to get in a bus and go that long distance to play somebody they’ve never seen before and test themselves.”
Defensive debuts
The Tigers returned just one defensive starter — senior outside linebacker Donovan Thompson — from last year’s team, leaving doubts surrounding the unit’s potential.
While there is still much to prove, glimpses of offseason growth were displayed last week against Hendrickson.
As expected, Thompson led the team with a dozen tackles, including two for a loss, but he received plenty of help as sophomore Sebastian Magana contributed nine tackles, junior Wyatt Butler had seven tackles and senior D’Anthony Jackson tallied six tackles.
Last season, Butler, who also recovered a fumble against the Hawks, was the only member of the trio to record a tackle for Belton, ending with two in three games.
Receiving praise
Of the 11 players to catch a pass against Hendrickson, six — Slade LeBlanc, Rayshaun Peoples, LJ Underwood, Isaac Abel, Garrett Oliveira and Shaun Snapp — had at least two receptions.
In all of 2021, only nine players finished with more than two catches as Seth Morgan led the team with 50 receptions for 694 yards and seven touchdowns — all team highs.
Abel posted a game-high 113 receiving yards, while LeBlanc had five catches and Oliveira hauled in two touchdowns versus the Hawks. | https://www.tdtnews.com/sports/article_cfe62260-2990-11ed-8771-7bdb1d790946.html | 2022-09-01T06:13:57Z |
Grant Supports Evaluation of the BARE Patch™ for FDA 510(k) Clearance Application in Vascular Patch and IDE Application in Heart Valve Indications
DAVIS, Calif., Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ViVita Technologies, Inc. (www.vivitatechnologies.com), a life science startup developing bioactive biomaterials for tissue and organ regeneration, has been awarded a $1.5 million SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) Phase II grant by the NHLBI (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) of NIH (National Institutes of Health). This funding enables the final characterization and evaluation of the BARE (Biocompatible and Regenerative Extracellular Matrix) Patch™ product towards FDA 510(k) clearance for clinical cardiovascular indications and the foundational dataset of an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) application for heart valve indications. It follows a successful $225K Phase I NIH SBIR grant for which flexural properties, hydrodynamic properties, and in vivo immune and regenerative properties of BARE Patch™ were evaluated for heart valve tissue engineering applications.
Current animal-derived, biological heart valve replacements are far from ideal due to their limited longevity. These devices average 10-15 years in adults before requiring repeat replacement procedures. In children, re-operation is necessary 35-85% of the time and at only 6-7 years post-implantation. Structural deterioration and failure of replacement valves is due to the chemical fixation process used to delay immune rejection of the bioprosthetic and the eventual immune rejection of the chemically fixed biological implant. Further, current biological valve replacements are unable to grow with juvenile patients, resulting in multiple valve replacement procedures throughout the child's lifetime. Valve re-operations increase the total cost of treatment and are associated with reduced quality of life and additional surgical complications.
ViVita's patented SPEAR (Solubilization-Promoted Elimination of Antigenic Residues) Platform™ is a revolutionary tissue preparation approach that will bolster use of animal tissues and organs in medical applications. Leveraging the principles of protein chemistry, the SPEAR Platform™ eliminates the molecular triggers of immune rejection from animal-derived tissues and organs. Applied to bovine pericardium tissue, the SPEAR Platform™ yields a novel unfixed biomaterial—BARE Patch™—with enhanced immune-compatibility and maintained mechanical and regenerative properties. "A replacement valve engineered from BARE Patch™ will be able to function like a normal heart valve immediately upon implantation due to the robust animal tissue scaffold. Over time, it will be replaced with the patient's cells and patient's scaffold, integrating with the surrounding tissues and turning over into the patient's own tissue," explains ViVita CEO Dr. Maelene Wong. Manufacture of replacement valves from BARE Patch™ will address the limited longevity and growth issues preventing current bioprostheses from being lifetime solutions for both children and adults. "BARE Patch™ has the potential to be a life-long cure," summarizes Wong.
Successful completion of the SBIR Phase II project will enable product manufacturing, FDA 510(k) clearance for use of BARE Patch™ in clinical vascular indications, first-in-man studies, and FDA IDE for use of BARE Patch™ in heart valve indications.
Disclosure: Research reported in this publication was supported by the NIH (R43HL136003, R44HL164140). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent official NIH views.
About ViVita
ViVita Technologies, Inc. is a medical device company committed to restoring human health by leveraging the inherent regenerative processes of the body. By providing the necessary framework for healthy tissues and organs through their bioactive biomaterials, ViVita's products are designed to promote tissue regeneration and recapitulation of function lost to injury or disease to improve patient morbidity and mortality.
Contact: Maelene Wong, PhD
Chief Executive Officer
Contact@vivitatechnologies.com
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SOURCE ViVita Technologies, Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/vivita-technologies-awarded-15m-nih-grant-translate-biomaterials-with-blueprints-regeneration/ | 2022-09-13T14:42:53Z |
Two Boston police unions have sued city officials, accusing them of interfering with police procedures by barring the use of "non-lethal tools," including pepper spray.
The complaint filed Monday in Suffolk Superior Court seeks an injunction on a city law passed last year restricting the use of gas and other non-lethal policing tools.
The lawsuit names the city of Boston along with Mayor Michelle Wu, City Council President Ed Flynn, and Police Superintendent-in-chief and acting Police Commissioner Gregory Long.
The Boston Police Superior Officers Federation and the Boston Police Detectives Benevolent Society unions allege that the entities engaged in the "dangerous practice" of "unlawful interference with police procedures and tactics," according to a joint statement issued by the unions.
The complaint notes that police oversight by those named in the lawsuit "directly affects and constrains any sworn officer responding to a radio call or on an assignment."
Oleo-Resin Capsicum Spray, known also as O.C. or pepper spray, is standard provision for Boston police officers, the unions say in the statement. By prohibiting officers' use of pepper spray, the unions allege the city council is "forcing escalation of incidents."
Wu and the Boston Police Department declined to comment. Flynn did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The lawsuit also challenges the city's waiver of immunity defenses for officers who get sued for using excessive force, making them civilly liable for damages.
Citing 1974 precedent, the unions argue the council's actions violate the police commissioner's statute, which notes the commissioner "shall have cognizance and control of the government, administration, disposition and discipline of the department, and of the police force of the department and shall make all needful rules and regulations for the efficiency of said police."
In May 2021, then-Mayor Kim Janey signed the ordinance into law, placing "reasonable restrictions on the use of tear gas and rubber bullets by police," she said on Twitter. "I promised more accountability in policing. That includes making proactive strides toward police reform," she wrote.
The ordinance was proposed the summer of 2020 amid nationwide protests over police use of force.
"There is no excuse for politicians to interfere with the operations of our members, especially when their policies put lives in danger," Boston Police Superior Officers Federation President Sergeant Jeanne Carroll said in the statement.
"Every one of our members chooses this career to help people and serve this city. The continued anti-police narrative is reckless and dangerous," Carroll said.
Stacker compiled a list of the 50 biggest retailers in the country, using retail sales data from Kantar, provided by the National Retail Federation. Click for more.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
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accounts, the history behind an article. | https://www.albanyherald.com/news/boston-police-unions-sue-city-officials-for-restricting-use-of-tear-gas-and-other-non/article_0392a8e0-e9e4-570e-bceb-e6bd8c5a8bc4.html | 2022-07-20T10:32:43Z |
TODAY’S HISTORY: In 1868, President Andrew Johnson was acquitted in his impeachment trial by one vote in the Senate.
In 1929, the first Academy Awards were presented.
In 1943, the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising officially ended as German forces destroyed the Great Synagogue of Warsaw.
In 1966, the Beach Boys and Bob Dylan released their respective seminal records, “Pet Sounds” and “Blonde on Blonde.”
In 1997, President Mobutu Sese Seko relinquished power after 32 years of dictatorial rule in Zaire.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS: Henry Fonda (1905-1982), actor; Studs Terkel (1912-2008), author/journalist; Liberace (1919-1987), singer/pianist; Billy Martin (1928-1989), baseball player/manager; Danny Trejo (1944- ), actor; Pierce Brosnan (1953- ), actor; Olga Korbut (1955- ), gymnast; Mare Winningham (1959- ), actress; Janet Jackson (1966- ), singer-songwriter; David Boreanaz (1969- ), actor; Megan Fox (1986- ), actress.
TODAY’S FACT: The Beach Boys’ “Pet Sounds” ranked No. 2 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, released in 2012. The album peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 chart the year of its release.
TODAY’S SPORTS: In 1980, rookie point guard Earvin “Magic” Johnson, filling in for injured center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, scored 42 points in Game 6 to clinch a Los Angeles Lakers’ NBA World Championship Series title.
TODAY’S QUOTE: “Most of us have jobs that are too small for our spirits.” -- Studs Terkel
TODAY’S NUMBER: 16.6 million -- viewers who watched the Academy Awards in March 2022, according to Nielsen ratings.
TODAY’S MOON: Between full moon (May 15) and last quarter moon (May 22).
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
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accounts, the history behind an article. | https://www.albanyherald.com/history/article_1984eab8-d474-11ec-85d3-5b7ab67fb4b0.html | 2022-05-15T19:02:50Z |
Deadline looms for federal program that could forgive certain student loans
Forgiveness applies to those who have worked 10 years or more in the public or non-profit sector
InvestigateTV - The Biden Administration temporarily expanded the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program during the pandemic but the deadline to apply is fast approaching.
The PSLF, which was enacted by Congress in 2007, provides student loan forgiveness to borrowers who commit to working in public service careers in nonprofit or government jobs for 10 years or longer.
The program had several requirements and did not approve many borrowers. It was plagued with problems over the years, because of complex rules and poor oversight.
Now for a limited time, borrowers may receive credit for past periods of repayment that otherwise would not qualify for PSLF. The deadline to fill out the waiver is set to expire on Oct. 31,2022.
Cherry Dale, a financial coach with the Virginia Credit Union, said it’s worth it to fill out the waiver if you were denied in the past or think you may qualify now.
“In the past the PSLF loans would not qualify for student loan forgiveness. Any payments toward those loans would not qualify,” Dale said. “Through the new program now, if you had old loans and you were paying those, those qualify.”
According to the Department of Education this temporary expansion of the student loan forgiveness program for people working in public service jobs has already resulted in more than $8 billion in student loan cancellations for thousands of borrowers.
StudentAid.gov has all the information you need to see if you qualify for PSLF and instructions on how to apply.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/09/06/deadline-looms-federal-program-that-could-forgive-certain-student-loans/ | 2022-09-06T20:34:15Z |
CINCINNATI, May 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Capital Tactics Inc. today announced the acquisition of Super Optical Company by local investor Andy Hawes, who assumes the title of Chief Executive Officer. Capital Tactics guided negotiation of the transaction elements, including financing and deal structures, and performed due diligence to consummate the transaction.
Incoming CEO Hawes stated, "Super Optical has a long history of profitability, and this acquisition positions us to expand our customer base, and provide enhanced support to our domestic and international customers. We appreciate the expert advice provided by the team at Capital Tactics throughout all phases of this transaction."
Dino Lucarelli, Managing Director of Capital Tactics, said "Mission accomplished. Opening doors for new business owners is rewarding. With Andy at the helm, Super Optical's future is secure, with a broader vision for expansion."
About Super Optical
Founded in 1923, Super Optical is an industry leader for in-office modified eyeglass lens surfacing. Super Optical provides premium quality, value-priced products for independent optical companies, to domestic and international customers.
About Andy Hawes
Andy Hawes comes to Lyric with a broad industrial background including engineering and management of complex electromechanical and software systems. Andy anticipates a new growth phase for the company, encompassing continued development of a network of third-party sales representatives to serve their respective regions faster, with a more personal experience than previously possible.
About Capital Tactics Inc.
Capital Tactics provides buy-side and sell-side transaction advisory services to middle market businesses, private equity firms, and entrepreneurs in the midwest US. The company possesses decades of experience in Mergers and Acquisitions, Capital Raising, and Financial Management. Capital Tactics was founded by Dino Lucarelli, CPA.
For more information contact Dino Lucarelli, at (859) 250-4140, or Dino@Captacs.com or Lisa Benzinger, Senior Advisor at (859) 866-5453 or Lisa@Captacs.com.
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SOURCE Capital Tactics Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/26/cincinnati-area-investor-acquires-medical-equipment-company/ | 2022-05-26T13:26:48Z |
New study by Protiviti and ISACA underscores security risks looming large in today's dynamic threat landscape
MENLO PARK, Calif., June 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A new survey conducted by Protiviti and ISACA found that cybersecurity is the chief risk for IT audit departments, with several related risks such as privacy and data as well as regulatory compliance also ranking as top concerns.
Responses to this year's edition of the annual technology and audit benchmarking survey, titled "IT Audit Perspectives on Today's Top Technology Risks," indicate that IT audit teams are perceiving the current technology risk landscape as much more threatening than in the past. War-related cyberattacks are on the rise, the surge of sophisticated ransomware attacks is ongoing and remote work continues to subject many organizations to new cybersecurity risks. Yet despite heightened concerns, the survey revealed that one in five organizations do not expect their 2022 audit plans to address the risk of cybersecurity breaches.
"Given the increasingly complex and rapidly changing technology risk landscape we're in, it's imperative for IT audit leaders to understand they are responsible for maintaining a holistic view of IT risks impacting the entire organization," said Angelo Poulikakos, a managing director at Protiviti and global leader of the firm's Technology Audit practice. "This requires tech-enablement from an audit standpoint and regular calibration of risk assessments to suit the current environment, rather than 'rinsing and repeating' the work from previous years."
"The elevated cybersecurity concerns evidenced in this year's survey underscore that cyber threats are no longer concentrated within specific industries. This is an industry agnostic concern, and every organization should be mobilizing to protect itself. While IT audit teams may not be on the front lines managing these risks, it's essential that they take a proactive approach to regularly assess the efficacy of these efforts while confirming the proper controls and protections are in place," added Poulikakos.
The Top 10 IT Audit Risks for 2022
The survey asked respondents to rate the significance of 39 technology risk issues. Of those, the top 10 IT audit risks identified were as follows:
- Cyber breach
- Manage security incidents
- Privacy
- Monitor regulatory compliance
- Access risk
- Data integrity
- Disaster recovery
- Data governance
- Third-party risk
- Monitor/audit IT, legal and regulatory compliance
The top risks cited in this year's survey highlight the vital yet sensitive role that data plays in organizations today, with respondents expressing significant concerns regarding the way in which data is gathered, governed and secured. Respondents also demonstrated that IT audit professionals are acutely aware of the evolving compliance requirements facing their organizations, related to data stewardship, industry standards, and national and regional requirements.
"With a global focus on data regulation, it may be easy to view data solely through a lens of compliance," said Paul Phillips, ISACA director of Event Content Development and Risk Professional Practice lead. "However, consumer concern with how their data are used and stored and other operational matters that can quickly become reputational matters must not be discounted. As IT auditors assess risk and evaluate controls associated with data, the tremendous organizational value (and responsibility) of data and the importance of trust should always be top of mind."
The benchmarking report is based on a survey, fielded in the fourth quarter of 2021, of over 7,500 IT audit leaders and professionals, including chief audit executives (CAEs) and IT audit vice presidents and directors, representing a wide range of industries globally. The survey was conducted in collaboration with ISACA, a global professional association of more than 165,000 digital trust professionals.
Survey Resources Available
"IT Audit Perspectives on Today's Top Technology Risks" is available for complimentary download, along with an infographic and podcast about the survey results, here. On July 28, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. PDT, Protiviti will host a free one-hour webinar to further explore the implications of the survey. Featured speakers will be Poulikakos, Phillips and Maeve Raak, a director in Protiviti's Technology Audit practice. Please register here to attend the webinar.
About Protiviti
Protiviti (www.protiviti.com) is a global consulting firm that delivers deep expertise, objective insights, a tailored approach, and unparalleled collaboration to help leaders confidently face the future. Protiviti and its independent and locally owned Member Firms provide clients with consulting and managed solutions in finance, technology, operations, data, digital, legal, governance, risk and internal audit through its network of more than 85 offices in over 25 countries.
Named to the 2022 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® list, Protiviti has served more than 80 percent of Fortune 100 and nearly 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies. The firm also works with smaller, growing companies, including those looking to go public, as well as with government agencies. Protiviti is a wholly owned subsidiary of Robert Half (NYSE: RHI). Founded in 1948, Robert Half is a member of the S&P 500 index.
About ISACA
ISACA® (www.isaca.org) is a global community advancing individuals and organizations in their pursuit of digital trust. For more than 50 years, ISACA has equipped individuals and enterprises with the knowledge, credentials, education, training and community to progress their careers, transform their organizations, and build a more trusted and ethical digital world. ISACA is a global professional association and learning organization that leverages the expertise of its more than 165,000 members who work in digital trust fields such as information security, governance, assurance, risk, privacy and quality. It has a presence in 188 countries, including 225 chapters worldwide. Through its foundation One In Tech, ISACA supports IT education and career pathways for under resourced and underrepresented populations.
Protiviti is not licensed or registered as a public accounting firm and does not issue opinions on financial statements or offer attestation services.
Editor's note: photos available upon request.
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SOURCE Protiviti | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/27/cybersecurity-privacy-data-regulatory-compliance-rank-top-it-audit-risks/ | 2022-06-27T21:35:37Z |
Independent truckers block Oakland port in days-long protest of labor law
OAKLAND, Calif. (KPIX) – Independent truckers say they will continue their strike at the Port of Oakland indefinitely over the state’s new gig-worker law.
AB5 requires trucking companies to reclassify independent drivers as employees. Many now worry they’ll be forced to join a union or give up their current lifestyle.
An extended strike could mean more stress on the already-strained supply chain, especially if it spreads to California’s other ports.
Richmond City council member Harpreet S. Sandhu spoke during the fourth day of the protest.
“If implemented, your jobs will be gone as independent workers, you will not have a job unless you work under some company,” Sandhu said to the drivers on site.
The 2019 statute is poised to affect some 70,000 California truck drivers after the recent lifting of a 2-year legal stay.
Those drivers are asking for a carveout in the law, which is meant to prevent abuse of independent contractors.
“I know that none of you are asking that AB5 be taken away, but you are asking that certain amendments should allow you an exemption, exemptions that were given to many other organizations,” Sandhu said.
The days-long protest effectively grounded work to a halt at the Port of Oakland, the ninth busiest port in the world.
Larry Gross, the president and founder of Gross Transportation Consulting, says if the strike goes on much longer, there could be a fresh set of supply chain nightmares to deal with.
“So, you can imagine if there’s a stoppage, it’s kinda like a crimp in a hose and the water is going to back up very quickly,” he said. “It’s not going to take a long time of this type of disruption before it’s going to break at least the Port of Oakland.”
The Port of Oakland handles about 98,000 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs), or containers, a month, which can be pushed to other ports like Los Angeles or Long Beach at the moment.
Gross is concerned that other independent truckers will join the movement and shut down those ports as well.
“If this kind of activity spreads to southern California, it is extremely significant from a supply chain standpoint,” he said.
Nearly one-third of all containers coming into the U.S. enter through L.A. and Long Beach.
Independent trucker Mohander Singh said he and the other truckers have been working with the Port of Oakland for a long time.
“We don’t have an issue with the port, our fight is with our government,” he said.
The truckers have been told that they have until Monday to move along. They are in regular talks with the Port of Oakland and are hoping to get the attention of lawmakers in Sacramento and California Governor Gavin Newsom to protect them.
Copyright 2022 KPIX via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/07/24/independent-truckers-block-oakland-port-days-long-protest-labor-law/ | 2022-07-24T18:10:40Z |
When you think of money, do you feel like living in the moment and being responsible are mutually exclusive? Does guilt eat at you when you go out for lunch or a $7 oat milk latte?
You don't have to think or feel this way, thanks to a flexible personal finance approach called conscious spending.
"Unlike a budget, which looks backward, a conscious spending plan allows you to look forward," said Ramit Sethi, author of best-selling "I Will Teach You To Be Rich" and CEO of the eponymous blog. "Conscious spending is all about spending extravagantly on the things you love, as long as you cut costs mercilessly on the things you don't. It's not about restriction. It's about being intentional with your money, and then spending on the things you love guilt-free."
That doesn't mean that some age-old, general guidelines for saving aren't valid -- such as saving 5% to 10% of your income and having a three- to six-month emergency fund, Sethi said.
But a conscious spending plan allows you to say, "Yes, I want to go on vacation. Yes, I like nice clothes. Yes, I'm going to spend on these things guilt-free. I'm also going to invest, save, and make sure I can cover my rent," Sethi said.
Whether wanting to save money, squash debts or have a little more fun is making you want to try conscious spending, you can apply this approach as soon as today. Here's how.
Rewiring your spending habits
The term "conscious spending" implies that people experience unconscious spending, said Bradley Klontz, a financial psychologist and associate professor of practice at Creighton University's Heider College of Business in Omaha, Nebraska.
"It's almost like unconscious eating," he said. "We're just without a plan, we're not really paying much attention, especially using credit cards."
What's most important in undoing unconscious spending is asking yourself specific questions about your financial goals and life desires: Where has my money been going? What do I love spending money on and why? How much do I need for fixed expenses, such as bills and rent? How much do I want to invest and save, and why? How much do I want to set aside for impulse buys or charges, such as drinks with a friend or a parking ticket?
Your answers need to be very clear, Klontz and Sethi said. Saying you want to be able to do what you want when you want is abstract. But stating that you and your partner want to fly to Italy with extended legroom, visit for three weeks and watch the sun set over Rome while drinking wine? Now that's a vision that's vivid, specific, emotional and meaningful, Sethi said. "What's not meaningful is just some spreadsheet with numbers in it. Truthfully, nobody cares."
Answering these questions can help you feel excitement and clarity about your finances, identify what you care less about and live in alignment with what's important to you. "Then, it's a lot easier to cut in areas that don't matter as much," Klontz said.
Your answers to these questions make up what Sethi calls your "rich life" -- your life and financial goals that are unique to you, not influenced by what anyone else thinks you should do.
A personal example: I recently decided that on workdays, I'd drink the office complimentary instant coffee instead of spending several dollars on lattes a few times per week. Weekends would be when I allow myself to indulge at coffee shops with friends. I decided this because on weekdays, needing more energy was my only reason for wanting coffee -- whereas having money to enjoy better coffee and quality time at my favorite coffee shops on the weekends was more important to me. In this way, I get what I want out of my coffee-drinking by consciously focusing on what's most valuable to me, rather than restricting all coffee purchases.
When you've already intentionally thought about what you value, you don't have to feel anxious, obsessed, doubtful or guilty. When Sethi was a child, his family couldn't afford to buy appetizers while eating out, he said. These days, one of his "money rules" is to never question spending money on appetizers because "it gives me great joy to be able to buy any appetizer that I see looks good," he added. "I don't have to decide, 'Should I pay this much? Or should I not?'"
If you want to give conscious spending a shot, try it for a month. Then, using your bank statements or a budgeting app, review what happened, what worked and what didn't.
"It's not going to work perfectly the first time. It's a system that you're going to continually tweak," Sethi said. "But overall, you're going to start to get a sense for how it works and what you need to change. And then you just make the change each month after that."
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.albanyherald.com/features/health/conscious-spending-the-finance-approach-thats-both-smart-and-fun/article_e40cfe27-85c1-593b-941c-8ff758685688.html | 2022-05-03T19:22:09Z |
DALLAS, May 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- EnLink Midstream, LLC (NYSE: ENLC) (EnLink) reported financial results for the first quarter of 2022 and raised full-year 2022 guidance.
Highlights
- Reported net income of $66.0 million, net cash provided by operating activities of $307.7 million, and adjusted EBITDA, net to EnLink, of $304.3 million for the first quarter of 2022, driven by robust producer activity and strong commodity prices.
- Grew adjusted EBITDA 22% compared to the first quarter of 2021 and achieved the highest quarterly adjusted EBITDA result in EnLink's history.
- Delivered $104.9 million of free cash flow after distributions (FCFAD) for the first quarter of 2022, driven by strong operational results and timing of capital expenditures. On a trailing 12-month basis as of March 31, 2022, EnLink has generated nearly $325 million of FCFAD.
- Repurchased $23 million of common units during the first quarter of 2022[1].
- Exited the first quarter of 2022 with leverage at 3.8x.
- Subsequent to the quarter, received a Corporate Family Rating upgrade from Moody's Investor Service to Ba1. EnLink is now rated one notch below investment grade by Moody's, S&P Global Ratings, and Fitch Ratings Inc.
- Taking into account the record first quarter results, the improving volume outlook, and the supportive commodity price environment, EnLink is raising its full-year 2022 guidance. EnLink now expects to report full-year 2022 net income of $315 million to $375 million and adjusted EBITDA of $1.19 billion to $1.25 billion. The midpoint of the adjusted EBITDA guidance range represents an increase of 6% over the initial 2022 guidance midpoint and implies 16% growth over full-year 2021.
- Based on current producer activity and plans, EnLink expects a significant increase in volumes in 2023. As a result, EnLink expects to spend $325 million to $365 million on capital projects in 2022. These projects leverage existing infrastructure and have high expected returns and quick paybacks.
- Even with increased investment levels, EnLink is raising full-year 2022 FCFAD guidance to $320 million to $370 million. This result would represent the third consecutive year of FCFAD of over $300 million.
- As a result of the improved financial outlook, EnLink plans to continue to increase the return of capital to common unitholders from FCFAD in 2022.
- Subsequent to the quarter, EnLink announced that it had signed its first customer with the execution of a letter of intent to enter into a Transportation Services Agreement (TSA) with Oxy Low Carbon Ventures, LLC (OLCV, a subsidiary of Occidental (NYSE: OXY)). Under the TSA, EnLink would provide carbon dioxide (CO2) transportation services for OLCV along the Mississippi River corridor from Waggaman to Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
"EnLink achieved excellent financial results in the first quarter of 2022, driven by solid execution, increased producer activity, and strong commodity prices," said Barry E. Davis, EnLink Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "The outlook for activity across our footprint continues to improve, and, as a result, we are increasing guidance for 2022 to a level that implies 16% growth over 2021, at the midpoint of the range. Looking beyond this year, we expect to see continued robust growth in the Permian and a return to significant volume growth in Oklahoma. The performance of our business and our team's relentless focus on execution have strengthened our financial position, allowing us to return significant capital to unitholders, while investing in our asset base to support our customers.
"We also continue to take steps to accomplish our vision of becoming the future of midstream by leading in innovation and creating sustainable value, which is most evident in our growing carbon capture, transportation, and sequestration (CCS) business. I'm excited to share a recent achievement by our Carbon Solutions Group: EnLink has entered into a letter of intent with Occidental to provide CO2 transportation for industrial-scale emitters in Louisiana. Along with our previous announcement with Talos Energy, these relationships support the growth of a substantial CCS business and further enable us to build upon EnLink's large-scale, cash-flow-generating platform. We are committed to driving value in 2022 and beyond, and our increased financial guidance and development of our CCS business are the latest wins on this effort."
Adjusted EBITDA, free cash flow after distributions, and segment cash flow used in this press release are non-GAAP measures and are explained in greater detail under "Non-GAAP Financial Information" below.
First Quarter 2022 Segment Updates
Permian Basin:
- Segment profit of $73.0 million for the first quarter of 2022 was 1% lower than the fourth quarter of 2021 and 71% higher than the first quarter of 2021. Segment profit included $8.9 million of operating expenses related to Project Phantom in the first quarter of 2022. Segment profit also included unrealized derivative gains/(losses) of $(5.9) million, $(4.7) million, and $(5.3) million for the first quarter of 2022, fourth quarter of 2021, and first quarter 2021, respectively. Excluding Phantom operating expenses and unrealized derivative activity, segment profit in the first quarter of 2022 grew approximately 12% sequentially and 62% over the prior year quarter.
- Segment cash flow totaled $38.8 million for the first quarter of 2022, marking the seventh consecutive quarter of positive segment cash flow.
- Average natural gas gathering volumes for the first quarter of 2022 were approximately 12% higher compared to the fourth quarter of 2021 and approximately 46% higher compared to the first quarter of 2021. Average natural gas processing volumes for the first quarter of 2022 increased approximately 10% compared to the prior quarter and 43% compared to the first quarter of 2021. EnLink continues to benefit from strong producer drilling activity and the start of operations of the War Horse and Tiger plants in the fourth quarter of 2021.
- Average crude gathering volumes were relatively flat for the first quarter of 2022 compared to the fourth quarter of 2021 and were 39% higher compared to the first quarter of 2021. Timing of producer completion activity drove the flat sequential volume result, while the year-over-year increase was driven by increased drilling activity.
- EnLink continues to meet growing customer needs through a capital-light approach. Project Phantom remains on schedule to come on line in the fourth quarter of 2022. Unlike a new-build project, the project carries no material sourcing or inflation risk.
- Segment profit for 2022 is expected to range from $320 million to $360 million, which implies nearly 48% growth over full-year 2021,excluding plant relocation operating expenses. Growth is expected to be driven primarily by strong producer activity in the Midland Basin. Excluding approximately $40 million of Project Phantom expenses, the Permian is expected to exit 2022 as the largest segment.
Louisiana:
- Segment profit of $90.5 million for the first quarter of 2022 was 19% lower than the fourth quarter of 2021 and approximately 10% higher than the first quarter of 2021. Segment profit included unrealized derivative gains/(losses) of $(5.6) million, $19.3 million, and $(0.4) million for the first quarter of 2022, fourth quarter of 2021, and first quarter 2021, respectively. Excluding unrealized derivative activity, segment profit in the first quarter of 2022 grew approximately 4% sequentially and 16% over the prior year period.
- Segment cash flow for the first quarter of 2022 was $84.8 million, and Louisiana is expected to continue generating strong segment cash flow for the remainder of 2022.
- Average natural gas transportation volumes for the first quarter of 2022 were approximately 7% higher compared to the fourth quarter of 2021 and approximately 16% higher compared to the first quarter of 2021.
- NGL fractionation volumes for the first quarter of 2022 were approximately 1% higher compared to the fourth quarter of 2021 and approximately 13% higher compared to the first quarter of 2021.
- Average crude volumes handled in EnLink's Ohio River Valley operations for the first quarter of 2022 were higher by approximately 6% compared to the first quarter of 2021 due to higher levels of activity in the region.
- Segment profit for 2022 is expected to range from $370 million to $380 million, which implies approximately 15% growth over full-year 2021, with the second and third quarter being seasonally weaker.
Oklahoma:
- Segment profit of $85.8 million for the first quarter of 2022 was 14% lower than the fourth quarter of 2021 and approximately 55% higher than the first quarter of 2021. Segment profit included $2.4 million of operating expenses related to plant relocation expenses in the first quarter of 2022. Segment profit also included unrealized derivative gains/(losses) of $(7.1) million, $9.4 million, and $(1.8) million for the first quarter of 2022, fourth quarter of 2021, and first quarter 2021, respectively. The first quarter of 2021 was adversely impacted by approximately $15 million due to Winter Storm Uri. Excluding plant relocation expenses, unrealized derivative activity and Winter Storm Uri impact, segment profit in the first quarter grew approximately 4% sequentially and 29% over the prior year period.
- Segment cash flow for the first quarter of 2022 was $70.4 million.
- Average natural gas gathering volumes for the first quarter of 2022 were approximately 2% lower compared to the fourth quarter of 2021, but 7% higher when compared to first quarter of 2021.
- Average natural gas processing volumes for the first quarter of 2022 decreased by approximately 1% when compared to the fourth quarter of 2021, but were 8% higher when compared to first quarter of 2021.
- Average crude gathering volumes during the first quarter of 2022 were approximately 23% higher compared to the fourth quarter of 2021.
- The Devon Energy Corp. and Dow Inc. joint venture's development plan continues to progress as expected, operating three rigs during the first quarter of 2022.
- Producer activity continues to support robust cash flow generation in full-year 2022. Based on producer plans, EnLink anticipates Oklahoma has reached a point of inflection with volume growth resuming in 2023.
- Segment profit for 2022 is expected to range from $350 million to $370 million, which implies modest growth over full-year 2021 after adjusting for Winter Storm Uri impact.
North Texas:
- Segment profit of $63.0 million for the first quarter of 2022 was 12% higher than the fourth quarter of 2021 and approximately 18% lower than the first quarter of 2021. Segment profit included unrealized derivative gains/(losses) of $3.5 million, $(3.5) million, and $(0.4) million for the first quarter of 2022, fourth quarter of 2021, and first quarter 2021, respectively. First quarter of 2021 was positively impacted by $15.0 million due to Winter Storm Uri. Excluding unrealized derivative activity and Winter Storm Uri impact, segment profit in the first quarter decreased approximately 4% over the prior year period.
- Segment cash flow for the first quarter of 2022 was $59.9 million.
- Average natural gas gathering and transportation volumes for the first quarter of 2022 were approximately 2% lower compared to the fourth quarter of 2021 and 1% higher than the first quarter of 2021.
- Average natural gas processing volumes for the first quarter of 2022 were 5% lower when compared to the fourth quarter of 2021 and 2% lower compared to the first quarter of 2021.
- Segment profit for 2022 is expected to range from $240 million to $250 million, which implies modest growth over full-year 2021 after adjusting for Winter Storm Uri impact. EnLink expects to benefit from new drilling activity in the basin by BKV Corp. and other customers.
Executed LOI with Oxy to Provide CO2 Transportation
EnLink and Oxy Low Carbon Ventures, a subsidiary of Occidental, executed a letter of intent to enter into a Transportation Service Agreement under which EnLink would provide CO2 transportation services for OLCV along the Mississippi River corridor from Waggaman to Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
EnLink would utilize existing and newbuild pipelines and related infrastructure to transport CO2 from industrial emitters to OLCV's planned sequestration facility in Livingston Parish, Louisiana where OLCV has secured a pore space lease of over 30,000 acres.
First Quarter 2022 Earnings Call Details
EnLink will hold a conference call to discuss first quarter 2022 results on May 4, 2022, at 8 a.m. Central time (9 a.m. Eastern time). The dial-in number for the call is 1-855-656-0924. Callers outside the United States should dial 1-412-542-4172. Participants can also preregister for the conference call by navigating to https://dpregister.com/sreg/10164645/f20209967a where they will receive dial-in information upon completion of preregistration. Interested parties can access an archived replay of the call on the Investors' page of EnLink's website at www.EnLink.com.
About the EnLink Midstream Companies
EnLink Midstream reliably operates a differentiated midstream platform that is built for long-term, sustainable value creation. EnLink's best-in-class services span the midstream value chain, providing natural gas, crude oil, condensate, NGL capabilities, and carbon capture, transportation, and sequestration. Our purposely built, integrated asset platforms are in premier production basins and core demand centers, including the Permian Basin, Oklahoma, North Texas, and the Gulf Coast. EnLink's strong financial foundation and commitment to execution excellence drive competitive returns and value for our employees, customers, and investors. Headquartered in Dallas, EnLink is publicly traded through EnLink Midstream, LLC (NYSE: ENLC). Visit www.EnLink.com to learn how EnLink connects energy to life.
Non-GAAP Financial InformationThis press release contains non-generally accepted accounting principles financial measures that we refer to as adjusted EBITDA, free cash flow after distributions (FCFAD), and segment cash flow.
We define adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) plus (less) interest expense, net of interest income; depreciation and amortization; impairments; (income) loss from unconsolidated affiliate investments; distributions from unconsolidated affiliate investments; (gain) loss on disposition of assets; (gain) loss on extinguishment of debt; unit-based compensation; income tax expense (benefit); unrealized (gain) loss on commodity swaps; costs associated with the relocation of processing facilities; accretion expense associated with asset retirement obligations; transaction costs; (non-cash rent); and (non-controlling interest share of adjusted EBITDA from joint ventures).
We define free cash flow after distributions as adjusted EBITDA, net to ENLC, plus (less) (growth and maintenance capital expenditures, excluding capital expenditures that were contributed by other entities and relate to the non-controlling interest share of our consolidated entities); (interest expense, net of interest income); (distributions declared on common units); (accrued cash distributions on Series B Preferred Units and Series C Preferred Units paid or expected to be paid); (costs associated with the relocation of processing facilities); non-cash interest (income)/expense; (payments to terminate interest rate swaps); (current income taxes); and proceeds from the sale of equipment and land.
We define segment cash flow as segment profit less growth and maintenance capital expenditures, which are gross to EnLink prior to giving effect to the contributions by other entities related to the non-controlling interest share of our consolidated entities.
EnLink believes these measures are useful to investors because they may provide users of this financial information with meaningful comparisons between current results and previously-reported results and a meaningful measure of the company's cash flow after it has satisfied the capital and related requirements of its operations. In addition, adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow after distributions are both used as metrics in our short-term incentive program for compensating employees.
Adjusted EBITDA, free cash flow after distributions, and segment cash flow, as defined above, are not measures of financial performance or liquidity under GAAP. They should not be considered in isolation or as an indicator of EnLink's performance. Furthermore, they should not be seen as a substitute for metrics prepared in accordance with GAAP. Reconciliations of these measures to their most directly comparable GAAP measures are included in the following tables. See ENLC's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for more information.
Other definitions and explanations of terms used in this press release:
Segment profit (loss) is defined as revenues, less cost of sales (exclusive of operating expenses and depreciation and amortization), less operating expenses. Segment profit (loss) includes non-cash compensation expenses reflected in operating expenses. See "Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data - Note 15 - Segment Information" in ENLC's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, and, when available, "Item 1. Financial Statements - Note 12—Segment Information" in ENLC's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2022, for further information about segment profit (loss).
The Ascension JV is a joint venture between a subsidiary of EnLink and a subsidiary of Marathon Petroleum Corporation in which EnLink owns a 50% interest and Marathon Petroleum Corporation owns a 50% interest. The Ascension JV, which began operations in April 2017, owns an NGL pipeline that connects EnLink's Riverside fractionator to Marathon Petroleum Corporation's Garyville refinery.
The Delaware Basin JV is a joint venture between EnLink and an affiliate of NGP Natural Resources XI, L.P. ("NGP") in which EnLink owns a 50.1% interest and NGP owns a 49.9% interest. The Delaware Basin JV, which was formed in August 2016, owns the Lobo processing facilities and the Tiger processing plant located in the Delaware Basin in Texas.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Although these statements reflect the current views, assumptions and expectations of our management, the matters addressed herein involve certain assumptions, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual activities, performance, outcomes and results to differ materially from those indicated herein. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included in this press release constitute forward-looking statements, including but not limited to statements identified by the words "forecast," "may," "believe," "will," "should," "plan," "predict," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "expect," "continue," and similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about guidance, projected or forecasted financial and operating results, expected financial and operations results associated with certain projects, acquisitions, or growth capital expenditures, future operational results of our customers, results in certain basins, future results or growth of our CCS business; future cost savings or operational, environmental and climate change initiatives, profitability, financial or leverage metrics, the impact of weather-related events such as Winter Storm Uri on us and our financial results and operations, the impact of any customer billing disputes and litigation arising out of Winter Storm Uri, future expectations regarding sustainability initiatives, our future capital structure and credit ratings, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic or variants thereof on us and our financial results and operations, objectives, strategies, expectations, and intentions, and other statements that are not historical facts. Factors that could result in such differences or otherwise materially affect our financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows include, without limitation (a) the impact of the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including the impact of the emergence of any new variants of the virus on our business, financial condition, and results of operations, (b) potential conflicts of interest of Global Infrastructure Partners ("GIP") with us and the potential for GIP to compete with us or favor GIP's own interests to the detriment of our other unitholders, (c) adverse developments in the midstream business that may reduce our ability to make distributions, (d) competition for crude oil, condensate, natural gas, and NGL supplies and any decrease in the availability of such commodities, (e) decreases in the volumes that we gather, process, fractionate, or transport, (i) our ability or our customers' ability to receive or renew required government or third party permits and other approvals, (j) increased federal, state, and local legislation, and regulatory initiatives, as well as government reviews relating to hydraulic fracturing resulting in increased costs and reductions or delays in natural gas production by our customers, (k) climate change legislation and regulatory initiatives resulting in increased operating costs and reduced demand for the natural gas and NGL services we provide, (l) changes in the availability and cost of capital, including as a result of a change in our credit rating, (m) volatile prices and market demand for crude oil, condensate, natural gas, and NGLs that are beyond our control, (n) our debt levels could limit our flexibility and adversely affect our financial health or limit our flexibility to obtain financing and to pursue other business opportunities, (o) operating hazards, natural disasters, weather-related issues or delays, casualty losses, and other matters beyond our control, (p) reductions in demand for NGL products by the petrochemical, refining, or other industries or by the fuel markets, (q) our dependence on significant customers for a substantial portion of the natural gas and crude that we gather, process, and transport, (r) construction risks in our major development projects, (s) challenges we may face in connection with our strategy to enter into new lines of business related to the energy transition, (t) impairments to goodwill, long-lived assets and equity method investments, and (u) the effects of existing and future laws and governmental regulations, and other uncertainties. These and other applicable uncertainties, factors, and risks are described more fully in EnLink Midstream, LLC's and EnLink Midstream Partners, LP's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including EnLink Midstream, LLC's and EnLink Midstream Partners, LP's Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Neither EnLink Midstream, LLC nor EnLink Midstream Partners, LP assumes any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
The EnLink management team based the forecasted financial information included herein on certain information and assumptions, including, among others, the producer budgets / forecasts to which EnLink has access as of the date of this press release and the projects / opportunities expected to require capital expenditures as of the date of this press release. The assumptions, information, and estimates underlying the forecasted financial information included in the guidance information in this press release are inherently uncertain and, though considered reasonable by the EnLink management team as of the date of its preparation, are subject to a wide variety of significant business, economic, and competitive risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forecasted financial information. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the forecasted results are indicative of EnLink's future performance or that actual results will not differ materially from those presented in the forecasted financial information. Inclusion of the forecasted financial information in this press release should not be regarded as a representation by any person that the results contained in the forecasted financial information will be achieved.
Investor Relations: Brian Brungardt, Director of Investor Relations, 214-721-9353, brian.brungardt@enlink.com
Media Relations: Jill McMillan, Vice President of Strategic Relations & Public Affairs, 214-721-9271, jill.mcmillan@enlink.com
EnLink does not provide a reconciliation of forward-looking net cash provided by operating activities to adjusted EBITDA because the Company is unable to predict with reasonable certainty changes in working capital, which may impact cash provided or used during the year. Working capital includes accounts receivable, accounts payable, and other current assets and liabilities. These items are uncertain and depend on various factors outside the Company's control.
EnLink does not provide a reconciliation of forward-looking net cash provided by operating activities to adjusted EBITDA because the Company is unable to predict with reasonable certainty changes in working capital, which may impact cash provided or used during the year. Working capital includes accounts receivable, accounts payable, and other current assets and liabilities. These items are uncertain and depend on various factors outside the Company's control.
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SOURCE EnLink Midstream, LLC | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/05/03/enlink-midstream-reports-first-quarter-2022-results-increases-2022-guidance/ | 2022-05-04T06:19:18Z |
DALLAS, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Susan G. Komen®, the world's leading breast cancer organization, shares a few simple tips to become a healthier you. Statistics show that one in eight women in the U.S. will develop breast cancer in her lifetime, making breast cancer one of the leading diseases affecting women in the country. Bone health also becomes increasingly important for women as they age, as many women suffer from bone loss after menopause. Small lifestyle changes and incorporating healthy habits into your routine could improve both your bone and breast health and may help lower your risk of health issues in the future.
"There are some common risk factors for breast cancer and poor bone health: The exercise that we do and the foods we eat impact both of those things," says Susan G. Komen Scholar Dr. Jennifer Ligibel. Get moving! Living an active lifestyle may reduce your risk of illness and keep you feeling great. Here are a few ways you can make a difference in your life, starting today:
- Women who incorporate regular physical activity into their routine have a 10 – 20 percent lower risk of breast cancer than women who don't. Evidence also shows that exercise, especially weight bearing exercise is also incredibly important for maintaining bone health. So, whether you enjoy an intense aerobics class, or a swift power walk, you may lower your risk by staying active.
- Maintain a healthy weight: Women who gain weight in adulthood have an increased risk of breast cancer. Studies show that women who gain 20 pounds after the age of 18 have a 15 percent higher risk of breast cancer than women who gained little to no weight, and the chances increase with additional weight gain. Maintaining a healthy weight and increasing muscle on the body with exercises such as dancing, walking, or stair climbing may also increase bone health.
- Limit your alcohol intake: Limiting alcohol consumption can also decrease your risk of breast cancer and other health issues. One study found that women who consumed 2 – 3 alcoholic beverages per day had a 20 percent higher risk of breast cancer than women who do not consume alcohol. Consider limiting your alcohol intake to less than 1 drink per day for women and 2 drinks per day for men.
- Increase your fruit and vegetable consumption: Studies show women who eat the most vegetables have a lower risk of estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer compared to women wo eat the least vegetables. Consuming foods that have high levels of Vitamin D and calcium may also lower your risk of osteoporosis. Incorporating foods such as spinach, kale, and white beans can help you maintain healthy bones.
- Build your bone density early: Between the ages of 25 and 30, most people reach their peak bone mass. To avoid a severe decline of bone mass over time, it is recommended that you practice proper nutrition and get regular exercise during these crucial years. Taking preventative measures early in life can help cultivate healthy bones and prevent health issues down the line.
- Don't smoke: Women who smoke for many years may have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer. Tobacco smoke has nearly 250 harmful chemicals, at least 69 of which have been shown to cause cancer. Whether you have smoked for 10 months or 10 years, there are health benefits to quitting at any time.
- Be aware of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT): Experts recommend limiting hormone use to lower the risk of breast cancer. Women who take estrogen plus progestin to relieve symptoms related to menopause increase their risk of breast cancer. Consult your doctor before starting MHT and discuss the benefits and risks prior to the treatment.
- And finally, when you see your provider for annual exams, ask about your bone health. There are things you can do to promote both breast and bone health and being mindful of both can help detect changes in your body, early.
For more information on how you can increase your breast and bone health, visit https://www.komen.org/breast-and-bone-health/. Sponsored by Amgen.
Susan G. Komen® is the world's leading nonprofit breast cancer organization, working to save lives and end breast cancer forever. Komen has an unmatched, comprehensive 360-degree approach to fighting this disease across all fronts and supporting millions of people in the U.S. and in countries worldwide. We advocate for patients, drive research breakthroughs, improve access to high-quality care, offer direct patient support and empower people with trustworthy information. Founded by Nancy G. Brinker, who promised her sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would end the disease that claimed Suzy's life, Komen remains committed to supporting those affected by breast cancer today, while tirelessly searching for tomorrow's cures. Visit komen.org or call 1-877 GO KOMEN. Connect with us on social at www.komen.org/contact-us/follow-us/.
CONTACT: Camille Smith
Susan G. Komen
972-855-1688
csmith@komen.org
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SOURCE Susan G. Komen for the Cure | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/11/susan-g-komen-shares-tips-live-healthier-lifestyle/ | 2022-08-11T22:02:06Z |
BERKELEY HEIGHTS, N.J. , July 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bierman Autism Centers, an ABA provider in New Jersey, recently expanded its commitment to families in New Jersey by adding autism diagnostic services to their offerings. According to the CDC, Autism Spectrum Disorder can be diagnosed as early as 18 months and states that "diagnosing children with ASD as early as possible is important to make sure children receive the services and supports they need to reach their full potential."
To provide these diagnostic services, Bierman will be working with licensed New Jersey Psychologist (#6692) and Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D) Dr. Catherine Lark. Being dually certified, Dr. Lark conducts diagnostic evaluations for children as well as specializes in providing parent training support and ABA services. She is dedicated to bridging the gap between assessment and treatment services for children with developmental disabilities.
If you are a parent interested in autism diagnostic services at Bierman, you can reach the Bierman Intake Team at 877-943-8222 or start@biermanautism.com to determine eligibility and schedule time for testing. After the evaluation, if a child meets criteria for autism, treatment recommendations will be discussed with the family.
In addition to diagnostic testing, Bierman provides center-based 1:1 ABA therapy intervention starting as early as 18 months. Bierman currently has an existing center in Berkeley Heights and is opening two additional centers this year in West Windsor and Eatontown. Reach out today as there is limited availability for the diagnostic services.
ABOUT BIERMAN www.biermanautism.com
Bierman Autism Centers is a place where kids as young as 18 months to 9 years of age engage in play to learn foundational skills they can build on such as self-advocacy and communication. They recognize that every kid's success is unique, and their one-on-one approach allows them to drive progress, measurable outcomes, while each child is advancing on their own terms.
With over 150 graduations, BIERMAN currently has centers, and is expanding in: Arizona, Indiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Ohio. For more about Bierman Autism Centers visit www.biermanautism.com or contact marketing@biermanautism.com.
Media Contact:
Alexis Ducharme
a.ducharme@biermanaba.com
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SOURCE Bierman Autism Centers | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/19/addition-autism-diagnostic-services-families-new-jersey/ | 2022-07-19T10:36:35Z |
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida HOA president turned himself in after authorities said he installed a hidden camera inside a woman’s bedroom while she was out of state.
Authorities said 59-year-old Robert Orr, who served as the President of the Las Brisas Condominium Association in Flagler County, installed a hidden video camera inside a condo without the owner’s permission.
Deputies said the camera was focused on the master bedroom.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office first found out about the hidden camera on Aug. 30, after a woman staying at the condo discovered a USB camera hidden inside a flower pot in the master bedroom.
The sheriff’s office said the USB device had a video of two people in various stages of undress inside the condo, including the woman who filed the report and a man who was also staying in the condo.
Deputies said the device also had videos of Orr testing the camera inside his own condo before it was placed in the flower pot.
“This pervert installed video cameras in a condo that he was a caretaker for so that he could view people inside without their knowledge or consent,” Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said. “It’s a disgusting invasion of privacy.”
The condo owner told detectives her condo is usually unoccupied but she allows people to stay there at times as guests. The owner said Orr was allowed to enter the condo to check on its condition while she was out state.
A search warrant for Orr’s residence later uncovered several other spy cameras along with “other kinds of electronic devices,” deputies said.
“I’m urging anyone who has allowed Orr unsupervised access into their home to check for secret recording devices and to contact us right away if they find anything suspicious,” Sheriff Staly added. “At this time, the evidence suggests that Robert Orr acted alone.”
Orr ultimately turned himself in at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility on Tuesday. He was booked on four counts of video voyeurism and later released after posting $20,000 bond.
Orr has no prior criminal record in Flagler County. | https://cw33.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/disgusting-invasion-of-privacy-florida-hoa-president-hid-camera-in-womans-bedroom-deputies-say/ | 2022-09-08T16:44:22Z |
NEW YORK, June 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Immunic, Inc. (Nasdaq: IMUX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a pipeline of selective oral immunology therapies focused on treating chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, today announced that data from its phase 2 EMPhASIS trial of lead asset, vidofludimus calcium (IMU-838), in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), has been published in the peer reviewed journal, Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology.
The paper, authored by coordinating investigator, Robert J. Fox, M.D., Staff Neurologist, Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis, Vice-Chair for Research, Neurologic Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, is entitled, "Safety and efficacy of vidofludimus calcium, a selective dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibitor, in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (EMPhASIS): a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial." It can be accessed through the following link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/acn3.51574.
Vidofludimus calcium is a novel and second generation selective dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) inhibitor without off-target effects on kinases seen with drugs of the same class, which may lead to a better safety and tolerability profile. The inhibition of DHODH has been shown to suppress magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain lesions and disease activity in multiple sclerosis. The paper assessed the safety and activity on MRI-based endpoints as well as clinical and biomarker assessments of vidofludimus calcium in patients with RRMS.
"The results from this phase 2 trial of vidofludimus calcium in patients with RRMS are encouraging, as the trial met its primary and key secondary endpoints for suppressing the number of combined unique active magnetic resonance imaging lesions," stated Dr. Fox. "Importantly, vidofludimus calcium was found to be safe and well-tolerated as compared to placebo, with no increase in the rate of infections, effects on liver or blood cell laboratory parameters and with a very low treatment discontinuation rate." Dr. Fox receives consulting fees for serving as an advisor to Immunic.
"The publication of the EMPhASIS trial results in a peer-reviewed journal is a testament to the importance of our phase 2 findings for vidofludimus calcium in patients with RRMS," stated Daniel Vitt, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer and President of Immunic. "Based on these strong data, we have enrolled patients in our phase 2 CALLIPER trial in progressive multiple sclerosis patients to further explore vidofludimus calcium's neuroprotective potential, as exemplified by a slowing of brain atrophy and delay in disability worsening, which are often caused by axonal and neural damage. Equally exciting, we have also been enrolling patients in our phase 3 ENSURE program of vidofludimus calcium as a treatment for relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS). We remain highly enthusiastic about the potential for this novel therapeutic to become a best-in-class DHODH inhibitor in RMS."
The full unblinded data from the double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 EMPhASIS trial (Cohort 1 with 30 and 45 mg of vidofludimus calcium or placebo once-daily) were reported by Immunic in September of 2020 and are summarized in more detail in this peer-reviewed journal. The trial achieved all primary and key secondary endpoints. In particular, the study met its primary endpoint, demonstrating a statistically significant reduction in the cumulative number of combined unique active (CUA) MRI lesions up to week 24 in patients receiving 45 mg of vidofludimus calcium once-daily, by 62% (p=0.0002), as compared to placebo. The study also met its key secondary endpoint, showing a statistically significant reduction in the cumulative number of CUA MRI lesions for the 30 mg once-daily dose, by 70% (p<0.0001), as compared to placebo. The data set also confirms that vidofludimus calcium was very well tolerated, in general, and that its safety profile was similar to the placebo group.
Earlier in 2022, Immunic released data from a second, lower dose cohort of the EMPhASIS trial in RRMS (Cohort 2: 10 mg of vidofludimus calcium or placebo once-daily) which Immunic intends to summarize in a future publication. In the final Cohort 2 data set, the anti-inflammatory effects of vidofludimus calcium at the 10 mg dose were observed to be lower (13% reduction of gadolinium-enhancing magnetic resonance imaging lesions up to 24 weeks, as compared to placebo) than those found with the 30 mg vidofludimus calcium dose in the pooled Cohort 1 and 2 data (78% reduction), providing further support for the selection of 30 mg dosing in the ongoing ENSURE trials in RMS.
Vidofludimus calcium is an investigational drug in development as an orally available, next-generation selective immune modulator that is designed to inhibit the intracellular metabolism of activated immune cells by blocking the enzyme dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH). Vidofludimus calcium has been observed to act on activated T and B cells while leaving other immune cells largely unaffected and allows the immune system to stay functioning, e.g., in fighting infections. In previous trials, vidofludimus calcium did not show an increased rate of infections compared to placebo. In addition, DHODH inhibitors, such as vidofludimus calcium, are known to possess a host-based antiviral effect, which is independent with respect to specific virus proteins and their structure. Therefore, DHODH inhibition may be broadly applicable against multiple viruses. To date, vidofludimus calcium has been tested in more than 1,100 individuals and has shown an attractive pharmacokinetic, safety and tolerability profile. Vidofludimus calcium is not yet licensed or approved in any country.
Immunic, Inc. (Nasdaq: IMUX) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with a pipeline of selective oral immunology therapies focused on treating chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The company is developing three small molecule products: its lead development program, vidofludimus calcium (IMU-838), a selective immune modulator that inhibits the intracellular metabolism of activated immune cells by blocking the enzyme DHODH and exhibits a host-based antiviral effect, is currently being developed as a treatment option for multiple sclerosis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis. IMU-935, a selective inverse agonist of the transcription factor RORγ/RORγt, is targeted for development in psoriasis, castration-resistant prostate cancer and Guillain-Barré syndrome. IMU-856, which targets the restoration of the intestinal barrier function, is targeted for development in diseases involving bowel barrier dysfunction. For further information, please visit: www.imux.com.
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that involve substantial risks and uncertainties for purposes of the safe harbor provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release regarding strategy, future operations, future financial position, future revenue, projected expenses, expected timing and results of clinical trials, prospects, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. Examples of such statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to Immunic's three development programs and the targeted diseases; the potential for vidofludimus calcium to safely and effectively target diseases; preclinical and clinical data for vidofludimus calcium; the timing of current and future clinical trials and anticipated clinical milestones; the nature, strategy and focus of the company and further updates with respect thereto; and the development and commercial potential of any product candidates of the company. Immunic may not actually achieve the plans, carry out the intentions or meet the expectations or projections disclosed in the forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on management's current expectations and involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Actual results and performance could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of many factors, including, without limitation, the COVID-19 pandemic, risks and uncertainties associated with the ability to project future cash utilization and reserves needed for contingent future liabilities and business operations, the availability of sufficient financial and other resources to meet business objectives and operational requirements, the fact that the results of earlier preclinical studies and clinical trials may not be predictive of future clinical trial results, the protection and market exclusivity provided by Immunic's intellectual property, risks related to the drug development and the regulatory approval process and the impact of competitive products and technological changes. A further list and descriptions of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in the section captioned "Risk Factors," in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on February 24, 2022, and in the company's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these filings are available online at www.sec.gov or ir.imux.com/sec-filings. Any forward-looking statement made in this release speaks only as of the date of this release. Immunic disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made. Immunic expressly disclaims all liability in respect to actions taken or not taken based on any or all the contents of this press release.
Contact Information
Immunic, Inc.
Jessica Breu
Head of Investor Relations and Communications
+49 89 2080 477 09
jessica.breu@imux.com
US IR Contact
Rx Communications Group
Paula Schwartz
+1 917 322 2216
immunic@rxir.com
US Media Contact
KOGS Communication
Edna Kaplan
+1 781 639 1910
kaplan@kogspr.com
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SOURCE Immunic, Inc. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/15/immunic-announces-publication-data-its-phase-2-emphasis-trial-vidofludimus-calcium-relapsing-remitting-multiple-sclerosis-peer-reviewed-journal-annals-clinical-translational-neurology/ | 2022-06-15T11:39:18Z |
A look at what’s happening around the majors today:
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FALLEN ANGELS
Mike Trout is mired in the worst slump of his brilliant career and the Angels are one loss from matching their longest skid in 34 years.
Noah Syndergaard (4-3, 4.02 ERA) starts as Los Angeles (27-28) returns home looking to stop an 11-game slide in the opener of a four-game series against Michael Wacha (3-1, 2.43) and the Boston Red Sox, who have won four straight.
Trout is hitless in his last 26 at-bats, his longest drought in the majors.
“Things will start falling,” the three-time MVP said Sunday after an agonizing loss to his hometown Philadelphia Phillies. “Had some good at-bats today, just try to take it into tomorrow.”
Syndergaard was knocked out in the second inning at Yankee Stadium last week,
Winless since May 24, the Angels are on their longest losing streak since an 11-game slide in August 2016. They haven’t dropped 12 in a row since the last 12 games of the 1988 season under managers Cookie Rojas and Moose Stubbing, who took over for the final eight.
“It’s baseball,” Trout said. “There’s going to be some good times and there’s going to be some bad times. Right now it’s just a bad time.”
ANOTHER TEST OUT WEST
After splitting a four-game series at Dodger Stadium, the Mets head down the California coast to open a three-game set in San Diego.
New York, with the best record in the National League at 37-19, faces another stiff challenge in a Padres team that just won the final three in a four-game series at NL Central-leading Milwaukee. Carlos Carrasco (6-1, 3.63 ERA) pitches for the Mets against Blake Snell (0-2, 4.80) as San Diego (33-21) begins a seven-game homestand.
Injured Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. is scheduled to undergo a CT scan Monday, which is expected to help determine when he’ll be able to start swinging a bat again.
New York has lost only two of its first 17 series this season.
RAY ZAPPED
AL Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray has lost three straight starts for the first time since April 28 to May 9, 2017, going into his outing at the first-place Houston Astros. The 30-year-old Seattle Mariners lefty has a 5.82 ERA in defeats to Boston, Oakland and Baltimore, allowing four home runs that raised his season total to 11. Right-hander Cristian Javier (3-2, 2.41 ERA) starts for the Astros.
MAD BUM
Arizona left-hander Madison Bumgarner (2-4, 3.31) is 0-3 with a 5.25 ERA in his last four starts going into the opener of a four-game series at Cincinnati. Bumgarner allowed 14 earned runs in his past four starts after giving up six in his first seven. Reds rookie Hunter Greene (2-7, 6.19) is averaging 98.6 mph with his fastball.
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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/leading-off-angels-skid-at-11-mets-vs-padres-ray-slumps/ | 2022-06-07T02:54:38Z |
PITTSBURGH, May 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "I thought there could be a better way to wash your dog at home," said an inventor, from San Diego, Calif., "so I invented the EASY HOME DOGGIE WASH. My design would enable you to flush water, soap, shampoo and pet hair down the toilet."
The invention provides an improved bathing sink for a 4-legged pet. In doing so, it prevents wastewater and pet hair from clogging a tub or sink drain. It also saves time and effort and it helps to reduce messes associated with splashes. The invention features a portable design that is easy to use so it is ideal for pet owners, groomers, etc. Additionally, it is producible in design variations and a prototype is available.
The original design was submitted to the San Diego sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 20-SDB-1619, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.
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SOURCE InventHelp | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/05/30/inventhelp-inventor-develops-improved-bathing-sink-pets-sdb-1619/ | 2022-05-30T14:47:08Z |
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A Dutch coaster sank in the North Sea off western Denmark after colliding with another vessel early Friday. The Danish Navy said that seven crewmembers from the Helge who had jumped into the sea, were rescued by helicopter and there are no reports of injuries.
Details were sketchy about the collision between the 89-meter (292-foot) -long Helge and the larger, Bahamas-flagged Wild Cosmos, which occurred some 37 kilometers (23 miles) off Ringkjoebing on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula, were sketchy. The Danish Navy said it sent several ships and two helicopters to the site and the rescued crew members were flown to a hospital in Esbjerg, western Denmark, for medical examination.
There were no reports of major damage or casualties on the Wild Cosmos.
The Danish Navy received a distress call at 5:40 a.m. (0340 GMT), Danish broadcaster DR said.
The two ships were sailing in the same direction when the collision occurred. The Wild Cosmos was on its way from Durban in South Africa to Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, while Helge was on its way from Antwerp in Belgium to Porsgrunn in Norway.
It was not immediately clear what cargo was on the two ships. Danish police were investigating the sunken ship’s contents and will consider further measures if necessary. No fuel leak was immediately reported. | https://cw33.com/business/ap-business/ap-dutch-coaster-sinks-off-denmark-no-reports-of-injuries/ | 2022-09-09T16:20:59Z |
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO OR TO ANY PERSON LOCATED OR RESIDENT IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE SUCH RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- This announcement is a supplement to the announcement of the Government of Barbados (the "Offeror") dated 9 September 2022 to make the below clarification.
Capitalised terms used in this announcement but not defined have the meanings given to them in the Tender Offer Memorandum dated 9 September.
The Offeror wishes to clarify that, pursuant to the Conditions, Notes repurchased following completion of the Offer may only be cancelled by the Offeror on or after 1 October 2024. Prior to 1 October 2024, the Offeror may hold, reissue or resell the repurchased Notes. A proposal to cancel the Notes prior to 1 October 2024 would require an extraordinary resolution of the Noteholders to be passed.
All documentation relating to the Offer including the Tender Offer Memorandum and any amendments or supplements thereto will be available to Noteholders via the website for the Offer accessible at: www.dfking.com/barbados. The Offer is subject to offer and distribution restrictions in, among other countries, the United Kingdom, Italy and Belgium, as described below.
Disclaimer
This supplemental announcement does not contain the full terms and conditions of the Offer. The terms and conditions of the Offer are contained in the Tender Offer Memorandum, and are subject to the Offer and distribution restrictions set out below and more fully described therein.
Further information
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and CIBC World Markets Corp. have been appointed by the Offeror to serve as dealer managers (the "Dealer Managers") for the Offer. D.F. King (the "Information and Tender Agent") has been appointed by the Offeror to act as the information and tender agent in connection with the Offer.
For additional information regarding the terms of the Offer, please contact Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC by telephone at (800) 820-1653; Collect: (212) 538-2147 and by email at Americas.LM@credit-suisse.com and CIBC World Markets Corp. by telephone at (212) 455-6427 by email at Andrew.W.Lee@cibc.com.
Requests for documents and questions regarding the tender of Notes may be directed to the Information and Tender Agent D.F. King & Co., Inc. via:
Banks & Brokers Call: (212) 269-5550
Toll free: (866) 342-4881
Email: barbados@dfking.com
A copy of the Tender Offer Memorandum is available on the tender offer website accessible at www.dfking.com/barbados.
Neither this supplemental announcement nor the Tender Offer Memorandum constitutes an offer to participate in the Offer in any jurisdiction in which, or to any person to or from whom, it is unlawful to make such offer or for there to be such participation under applicable securities laws. The distribution of the Tender Offer Memorandum in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession the Tender Offer Memorandum comes are required by the Offeror, the Dealer Managers and the Information and Tender Agent to inform themselves about, and to observe, any such restrictions.
Nothing in this supplemental announcement or the Tender Offer Memorandum or the electronic transmission thereof constitutes an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the New Notes in the United States or any other jurisdiction.
The communication of the Tender Offer Memorandum and any other documents or materials relating to the Offer are not being made, and such documents and/or materials have not been approved, by an authorised person for the purposes of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the FSMA). Accordingly, such documents and/or materials are not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, the general public in the United Kingdom. The communication of such documents and/or materials is exempt from the restriction on financial promotions under section 21 of the FSMA on the basis that it is only directed at and may be communicated to (1) those persons who are existing creditors of the Offeror within Article 43(2) of the FSMA (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended, and (2) to any other persons to whom these documents and/or materials may lawfully be communicated.
Neither the Tender Offer Memorandum nor any other documents or materials relating to the Offer have been, or will be, submitted to or notified to, or approved by, the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority (Autorité des services et marchés financiers/Autoriteit voor Financiële Diensten en Markten) and, accordingly, the Offer may not be made in Belgium by way of a public offering, as defined in Article 3 of the Belgian Law of 1 April 2007 on takeover bids (loi relative aux offres publiques d'acquisition/wet op de openbare overnamebiedingen), as amended or replaced from time to time.
Accordingly, the Offer may not be, and are not being advertised, and the Tender Offer Memorandum, as well as any brochure, or any other material or document relating thereto (including any memorandum, information circular, brochure or any similar document) may not, have not and will not be distributed, directly or indirectly, to any person located and/or resident within Belgium, other than those who qualify as qualified investors (investisseurs qualifiés/qekwalificeerde beleggers), within the meaning of Article 2, e), of the Prospectus Regulation acting on their own account. Accordingly, the information contained in the Tender Offer Memorandum or in any brochure or any other document or material relating thereto may not be used for any other purpose, including for any offering in Belgium, except as may otherwise be permitted by law, and shall not be disclosed or distributed to any other person in Belgium.
The Tender Offer Memorandum and any other documents or materials relating to the Offer are only addressed to and are only directed at qualified investors within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation in France. Each person in France who receives any communication in respect of the Offer contemplated in the Tender Offer Memorandum and any other documents or materials relating to the Offer will be deemed to have represented, warranted and agreed to and with the Dealer Managers and the Offeror that it is a qualified investor within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation.
In any European Economic Area ("EEA") Member State, this announcement and the Tender Offer Memorandum are only addressed to, and are only directed at, "qualified investors" (as defined in Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2017, as amended (the "Prospectus Regulation")) in that Member State.
Each person in a Member State of the EEA who receives any communication in respect of the Offer contemplated in this supplemental announcement and the Tender Offer Memorandum will be deemed to have represented, warranted and agreed to and with each Dealer Manager and the Offeror that it is a qualified investor within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation.
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SOURCE Government of Barbados | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/government-barbados-announcement-supplemental-its-announcement-dated-9-september-2022/ | 2022-09-12T16:37:06Z |
Company's first acquisition follows a recent funding round valuing Productboard at $1.725 billion, underscoring commitment to deliver the most customer-centric product management platform
SAN FRANCISCO and PRAGUE, May 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Productboard, the customer-centric product management platform that helps teams get the right products to market faster, today announced that it has acquired SatisMeter, a powerful feedback platform for modern product teams that measures user engagement through in-product touchpoints at every stage of the customer journey. With this acquisition, product teams can more easily collect actionable, relevant, and timely customer feedback and improve digital experiences faster and with confidence.
This is Productboard's first acquisition and comes on the heels of its recent funding round that valued the company at $1.725 billion. Productboard has grown rapidly in the last year, and recently celebrated a milestone of more than 6,000 customers, including companies like Zoom, Volkswagen, UiPath, and Vanguard.
"Exceptional digital experiences are essential to delivering value for organizations today," said Hubert Palan, Founder & CEO of Productboard. "Consumer expectations are skyrocketing and competition is intense, and we believe it's more important than ever for product management teams to incorporate customer feedback at every stage of the product lifecycle. With this acquisition, we are building on our existing customer-centric capabilities with the ability to easily collect contextual feedback directly from users and close feedback loops. We're excited to welcome the SatisMeter team to Productboard."
According to a 2022 report from Product School, organizations are using more customer-centric metrics to measure product success in addition to traditional business and sales metrics. Currently, 34% of companies use CSAT or NPS scores to measure product success.
SatisMeter, a venture backed startup launched in 2014, is leading the charge by helping product teams measure product performance through customer feedback, while helping them answer questions standing between them and business growth. Satismeter helps companies understand how customers see their product by automatically collecting customer feedback using Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction (CSAT or CES), or Product-Market Fit (PMF) surveys. Today, SatisMeter serves over 350 companies across the globe, including Calendly, Hunter, and Meltwater.
"SatisMeter is obsessed with helping modern product management teams successfully understand what their customers are saying at every stage of the product development process," said Jakub Sedlacek, Co-Founder and CEO of SatisMeter. "We've always been impressed with how the Productboard team has helped their customers build better products and look forward to bringing our technologies together to supercharge the product management experience."
"We're excited to see Productboard and SatisMeter come together. Our team at Storychief currently relies on SatisMeter to get crucial feedback from our customers, and we're happy that those insights will be automatically added to the right category inside Productboard. The combination will help us have customer feedback and insights readily available to inform and validate product ideas, decisions, and features and focus on building what our customers need," said Carmen Villanueva, Customer Success Manager at Storychief.
The SatisMeter employees will become part of the Productboard team. SatisMeter will operate as a standalone product and continue to innovate on its survey tools until it is fully integrated into the Productboard product suite, which will happen over the course of the next year.
To learn more about the SatisMeter acquisition, visit the Productboard blog.
About Productboard - Productboard is the customer-centric product management platform that helps organizations get the right products to market, faster. Over 6,000 companies, including Toyota, Microsoft, Zoom, 1-800-Contacts, and UiPath, use Productboard to understand what users need, prioritize what to build next, and rally everyone around their roadmap. With offices in San Francisco, Prague, and Vancouver, Productboard is backed by leading investors like Dragoneer Investment Group, Tiger Global Management, Index Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, Sequoia Capital, Bessemer Venture Partners, and Credo Ventures. Learn more at www.productboard.com.
Media Contact:
Ann Conrad, ann.conrad@productboard.com
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SOURCE Productboard | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/26/productboard-acquires-satismeter-empowering-organizations-deliver-amazing-digital-experiences-that-capture-voice-customer/ | 2022-05-26T10:24:02Z |
Two Veteran Olive-Producing Families Join Together to Spur Growth in U.S. Market, Bolster Grower Contracts and Enact Investments in California Production Facilities
WALNUT CREEK, Calif., Sept. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Escalante family, owners of Aceitunas Guadalquivir (AG Olives), one of the world's premier olive companies and recognized industry leader in technology and sustainable practices, today announced the acquisition of Bell-Carter Foods, LLC, a leading manufacturer of table olives in the United States. Bell-Carter Foods' current senior leadership team, led by fourth-generation CEO, Tim T. Carter, will continue to lead the 110-year-old, family-founded business under the same moniker.
The acquisition provides for the continuity of Bell-Carter Foods' leadership and its nearly 300 employees, the adoption and continuation of all active California grower contracts, and the effective execution of the company's own envisaged growth plans within California which are steeped in its five core values: family, teamwork, trust/respect, continuous learning and a service mindset.
The financial terms of the transaction are not disclosed. As part of the deal, Dcoop, a former partner of Bell-Carter, will hold a minority interest in Bell-Carter Foods, continuing to deliver value to Dcoop's cooperative members.
The deal further fulfills Bell-Carter Foods' longstanding commitment to its U.S.-based employees, nationwide retail customers, loyal Lindsay brand consumers and its production facility, located in Corning, CA. Within the first few weeks of the acquisition, investments will be made in the facility which include advanced olive cookers, expanded warehouse space and new production lines – all of which will help the company meet the surging demand for all forms and varieties of Lindsay brand olives processed and packaged in California. Bell-Carter's growth strategy and Corning investment plans will be supported by AG Olives CEO, Francisco "Paco" Escalante, as Carter and his current leadership team continue to drive the operational and commercial missions of the company.
Furthering a longstanding commitment to its home state, the acquisition empowers Bell-Carter Foods to maintain all active grower contracts and strengthen its commitment to its California-based growers. Bell-Carter Foods' network now includes 80+ growers across 3,000 acres throughout Tehama and Tulare counties. In the last year alone, Bell-Carter Foods signed multi-year contracts with its California-based growers and extended contracts to 25 new growers.
"As the fourth-generation CEO, I feel a deep sense of pride and responsibility to uphold Bell-Carter Foods' rich legacy as well as ensure its bright future," said Tim T. Carter, CEO of Bell-Carter Foods. "Our alliance with the Escalantes, another leading family in the olive business who shares our same set of values, is representative of the trust our long-time partner has in our employees, customer and grower partners, and unwavering mission to be the best and most respected table olive producer in California."
More than just smart business, this acquisition represents a deeper relationship between two successful families – the Carters and the Escalantes – who, together, have brought growth and innovation to the U.S. domestic olive business for more than 30 years. Since 1991, Bell-Carter Foods has been sourcing jarred green table olives from AG Olives' factory in Seville, Spain, and sharing this high-quality specialty product with consumers across the U.S. The investments that are part of this acquisition will help Bell-Carter expand its ability to bring even more ripe olive innovation, reliable supply, and growth to the table olive business in the U.S.
"Together with our dedicated employees in our corporate office in Walnut Creek and our plant in Corning, our valued domestic growers in California, and with the Escalante family, I am excited for the new growth that our company and the U.S. table olive industry will enjoy in the decades to come," said Carter. "One thing will not change: our continued, family-focused commitment to our employees, sourcing and producing the highest-quality, best-tasting table olives, and driving innovation in the table olive category."
"Our partnership with Bell-Carter Foods may sound new to some; however, our strong relationship with the company spans three decades," said Escalante, the family's second-generation CEO. "Our investment in Bell-Carter Foods is a testament to our company's shared passion for creating and delivering the perfect olives that enhance meals and create new taste experiences. We look forward to working closely with Tim and his exceptional team of dedicated table olive craftspeople to use our investments in the U.S. production facilities to help grow the Lindsay brand and give consumers even more ways to enjoy the world's finest olives on their tables."
"Bell-Carter Foods' strong track record of providing our retail customers with the highest quality, most reliable supply and competitively priced table olive products has been achieved thanks in part to our long-standing relationship with AG Olives," revealed Carter. "With this new investment, Bell-Carter is now in an even stronger position to ensure that our U.S. production facilities stay ahead of the retailer and consumer demand that we are seeing for high-quality, innovative and best-value table olive products."
For more information about Bell-Carter Foods, LLC, please visit bellcarter.com and ilovelindsay.com. For more information about AG Olives, please visit agolives.com/en.
The Escalante family has been deeply committed to the olive industry and the table olive sector for more than 60 years. The family owns and operates AG Olives – one of the world's largest companies in the table olive business headquartered in Seville, Spain. Founded in 1962 by Francisco Escalante Rivera, AG olives is now run by his son Francisco (Paco) Escalante. Since its foundation, AG Olives has brought together the best of tradition with the most contemporary production, packaging and distribution processes, placing the company at the forefront of the Andalusian agri-food sector and in the lead in the areas of vertical integration, sustainability and global innovation.
Founded in 1912, Bell-Carter Foods is the largest table olive producer in the U.S. and the second largest in the world. Family-owned and operated for over 100 years, the California-based producer has focused on providing innovative, best-in-class olive products, along with the industry's absolute best service. The company's core values -- family first, teamwork, trust and respect, continuous learning and service – have fueled the company's reputation as the ideal partner for retailers and foodservice organizations alike. With close to 300 employees across its Walnut Creek headquarters and its expanding production facility in Corning, CA, Bell-Carter Foods has become a recognized industry leader, selling and marketing domestic olives, imported olives, and olive-related specialty products under the Bell-Carter Foods, private label, and Lindsay brand names.
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SOURCE Bell-Carter Foods | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/08/bell-carter-foods-announces-acquisition-by-escalante-family-ag-olives/ | 2022-09-08T22:50:41Z |
Collaboration combines leading expertise of Neuron23 in drug discovery, data science, and machine learning with QIAGEN's long-standing experience in companion diagnostic development
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. and GERMANTOWN, Md. and HILDEN, Germany, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Neuron23™ Inc., an early stage biotechnology company focused on developing precision medicines for genetically defined neurological and immunological diseases, and QIAGEN (NYSE: QGEN; Frankfurt Prime Standard: QIA) today announced a collaboration to develop a companion diagnostic for Neuron23's LRRK2 inhibitor for Parkinson's disease.
Under the Master Collaboration Agreement, QIAGEN will develop and validate a clinical trial assay that will detect a combination of biomarkers discovered by Neuron23 that together predict the responsiveness of Parkinson's disease patients to a LRRK2 inhibitor. The partnership will support the clinical development of Neuron23's drug candidate that is currently in the late stages of preclinical development. Subject to further clinical development, the agreement also covers options for the future development of additional companion diagnostics.
The assay for this collaboration will be integrated into a next-generation sequencing (NGS) workflow that leverages QIAGEN's Sample to Insight capabilities. Parallel development of the diagnostic assay and the therapeutic will allow the companies to submit the application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for premarket approval (PMA) of the NGS companion diagnostic test in tandem with the new drug application (NDA) for Neuron23's LRRK2 inhibitor.
"We are excited about this partnership as this is the first companion diagnostic to be developed for Parkinson's disease. This collaboration combines the leading expertise of Neuron23 in drug discovery, data science, and machine learning with QIAGEN's long-standing experience and global leadership in companion diagnostic development," said Nancy Stagliano, Ph.D., CEO of Neuron23. "QIAGEN's blood-based test will help to identify patients with Parkinson's disease who are likely to respond to Neuron23's LRRK2 inhibitor. The development of a companion diagnostic identifying this sub-population of Parkinson's disease patients will de-risk the clinical development of Neuron23's LRRK2 inhibitor and help identify individuals who may benefit from this disease-modifying therapy. We are excited to be working with an industry leader on the first companion diagnostic developed for Parkinson's disease."
"The collaboration with Neuron23 shows the rapid momentum precision medicine is gaining in disease areas outside oncology," said Jonathan Arnold, Vice President, Head of Oncology and Precision Diagnostics at QIAGEN. "Our expertise in blood- and NGS-based molecular testing from Sample to Insight will enable Neuron23 to run a clinical trial for a drug candidate that may have the potential to modify the course of an inexorable neurodegenerative disease in a genetically defined population."
LRRK2 is a complex, multidomain protein found in neurons and many other tissues and cell types throughout the body. Mutations in the LRRK2 gene are one of the most common causes of familial Parkinson's disease and individuals who inherit gain of function mutations in LRRK2 are clearly at higher risk to develop the disease in later life. Additionally, there is emerging evidence that LRRK2 activity may play a role in a subset of the larger population of patients with non-familial Parkinson's disease. Recent investigations have shown that small-molecule LRRK2 inhibitors can be neuroprotective, suggesting that therapies targeting LRRK2 could be beneficial in a larger population of patients.
No laboratory tests are currently available for the diagnosis of non-genetic cases for Parkinson's disease. Usually, the disease is diagnosed based on medical history and neurological examination. Although no cure currently exists for Parkinson's disease, therapies are used to alleviate some symptoms.
QIAGEN is a pioneer in Precision Medicine and the global leader in collaborations with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to co-develop companion diagnostics, which detect clinically relevant genetic abnormalities to provide insights that guide clinical decision-making in diseases such as cancer. QIAGEN has an unmatched depth and breadth of technologies from NGS to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and digital PCR (dPCR) for companion diagnostic development. QIAGEN has ten PCR based companion diagnostic indications that are FDA approved, including therascreen EGFR for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), therascreen KRAS for colorectal cancer and NSCLC, therascreen FGFR for urothelial cancer, therascreen PIK3CA for breast cancer based on tissue or plasma samples and the therascreen BRAF kit for colorectal cancer.
Currently, QIAGEN is working under master collaboration agreements with more than 25 leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to develop and commercialize companion diagnostic tests for their drug candidates – a deep pipeline of potential future products to advance Precision Medicine for the benefit of patients.
Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
About Neuron23™
Neuron23™ Inc. is an early stage biotechnology company focused on developing precision medicines for genetically defined neurological and immunological diseases. Neuron23 combines recent advances in human genetics with a state-of-the-art artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled drug discovery and biomarker platform to advance therapeutics for devastating diseases. The Company's focus areas are neurodegenerative diseases, neuroinflammatory diseases, and systemic autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Founded in 2018, Neuron23 has assembled a world-class team of experts and entrepreneurs located in South San Francisco, CA. For more information, please visit www.neuron23.com.
About QIAGEN
QIAGEN N.V., a Netherlands-based holding company, is the leading global provider of Sample to Insight solutions that enable customers to gain valuable molecular insights from samples containing the building blocks of life. Our sample technologies isolate and process DNA, RNA and proteins from blood, tissue and other materials. Assay technologies make these biomolecules visible and ready for analysis. Bioinformatics software and knowledge bases interpret data to report relevant, actionable insights. Automation solutions tie these together in seamless and cost-effective workflows. QIAGEN provides solutions to more than 500,000 customers around the world in Molecular Diagnostics (human healthcare) and Life Sciences (academia, pharma R&D and industrial applications, primarily forensics). As of June 30, 2022, QIAGEN employed more than 6,100 people in over 35 locations worldwide. Further information can be found at http://www.qiagen.com.
QIAGEN Forward-Looking Statement
Certain statements contained in this press release may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. To the extent that any of the statements contained herein relating to QIAGEN's products, collaborations markets, strategy or operating results, including without limitation its expected adjusted net sales and adjusted diluted earnings results, are forward-looking, such statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that involve a number of uncertainties and risks. Such uncertainties and risks include, but are not limited to, risks associated with management of growth and international operations (including the effects of currency fluctuations, regulatory processes and dependence on logistics), variability of operating results and allocations between customer classes, the commercial development of markets for our products to customers in academia, pharma, applied testing and molecular diagnostics; changing relationships with customers, suppliers and strategic partners; competition; rapid or unexpected changes in technologies; fluctuations in demand for QIAGEN's products (including fluctuations due to general economic conditions, the level and timing of customers' funding, budgets and other factors); our ability to obtain regulatory approval of our products; difficulties in successfully adapting QIAGEN's products to integrated solutions and producing such products; the ability of QIAGEN to identify and develop new products and to differentiate and protect our products from competitors' products; market acceptance of QIAGEN's new products and the integration of acquired technologies and businesses. For further information, please refer to the discussions in reports that QIAGEN has filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
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SOURCE Neuron23 | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/09/14/neuron23-qiagen-announce-collaboration-develop-first-next-generation-sequencing-companion-diagnostic-novel-parkinsons-disease-drug/ | 2022-09-14T21:03:59Z |
4.5 mill gallons of rainwater moved from Piney Point into Tampa Bay
PALMETTO, Fla. (WWSB) - Starting this weekend, 4.5 million gallons of rainwater will be dumped from the Piney Point facility into Tampa Bay.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) sent an email update, explaining that moving the water accumulated during the rainy season is part of the larger process to close the former fertilizer plant for good.
Piney Point made headlines in April 2021 when 215 million gallons of wastewater were pumped from the facility into Port Manatee. The polluted water, according to members of Suncoast Water Keepers, played a major role in exacerbating the red tide bloom months later.
Our team checked out the Piney Point facility in July when plans to move the rainwater. At the time crews on site explained the stormwater filling one of the gypstacks is not contaminated and is tested routinely.
The DEP also noted the rainwater that will be moved into Port Manatee has not touched the ponded process water, which is held in a separate container, and the water had low nitrogen levels when it was tested.
However, environmentalists we talked with in the past are not convinced. Members of Suncoast Water Keepers said they’re concerned more discharges like these could do more damage over time.
Moving the rainwater into Port Manatee, according to the DEP, should take about six days starting this weekend. That rainwater will be monitored, ensuring the discharges meet water quality requirements.
Copyright 2022 WWSB. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/08/14/45-mill-gallons-rainwater-moved-piney-point-into-tampa-bay/ | 2022-08-14T17:55:10Z |
Former CMS Administrator Joins Carrum Health to Help National Employers Reign in Rising Healthcare Costs
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Carrum Health, the first digital health company connecting employers and employees to Centers of Excellence (COEs) through a technology-powered value-based care platform, today announced the appointment of Seema Verma to its Corporate Advisory Board. As a national health policy expert who served as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator from 2017 to 2021, Verma was instrumental in helping to lower costs, improve quality of care, and increase access to health insurance programs for more than 140 million Americans. Verma will offer her expertise to Carrum Health as the company expands its national network of COE providers and partners with self-insured employers to adopt value-based care programs to reduce healthcare spend.
"The fee-for-service payment model fails to incentivize quality and comprehensive care coordination and has led to inefficiencies in care delivery and unsustainable healthcare costs for employers and their employees," said Verma. "Carrum Health has developed a true value-based care model delivered through high-quality Centers of Excellence across the nation to offer self-insured organizations a surgical benefit that will not only drive down healthcare spend, but also deliver higher quality of care. I am looking forward to working with the team at Carrum as they crack the code on value-based care through an innovative model starting with surgical procedures that account for a majority of employer healthcare spend."
Carrum Health's value-based bundled payment model brings immediate cost-savings benefits to self-insured employers looking to reduce healthcare expenditures. A recent peer-reviewed study published in Health Affairs by the RAND Corporation examined the impact of bundled payments among commercially insured populations and highlighted a more than 45% per procedure savings when procedures were performed through Carrum Health. Patients also typically do not encounter out-of-pocket costs, deductibles, co-pays or unexpected bills related to their care. And each procedure, including any costs associated with the care, carries a 30 day warranty.
"During Seema's tenure with CMS she played a critical role in advocating for value based care and the role of technology in healthcare," said Sach Jain, Carrum Health CEO and founder. "Carrum's focused investment in technology, including the industry's only patient facing app for surgeries, delivers an improved patient experience that drives engagement and better health outcomes. Seema is another amazing asset on our advisory board and she will bring tremendous value to both our partners and customers. With her added expertise and experience, Carrum can expedite our growth potential and bring our solution to even more employees across the nation."
Carrum Health offers the first value-based complete surgical care platform that combines the benefits of a bundled payments Centers of Excellence (COE) with surgical guidance and coordination to deliver the highest quality, most appropriate care. By connecting self-insured employers with the top 10% of doctors and facilities across the nation, Carrum reduces unnecessary procedures by as much as 30% and aligns cost and care incentives to save employers up to 45% per episode of care, all validated by peer-reviewed publications. Carrum's award-winning technology gives members access to a mobile app and Care Specialist that guides them through the surgery process, and a seamless platform integration to make COE adoption plug-and-play for employers. Backed by Tiger Global, Carrum was named to the 2021 CB Insights Digital Health 150 and named one of the best places to work in 2022 by Built In. The company, founded in 2014, is headquartered in Silicon Valley. For more information, visit carrumhealth.com.
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SOURCE Carrum Health | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/08/seema-verma-joins-carrum-health-corporate-advisory-board/ | 2022-09-08T13:50:30Z |
MILFORD, Conn., Sept. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Splash Car Wash, headquartered in Milford, Connecticut, today announced the opening of its latest site, a new development express wash located in East Haven. The express site marks Splash's 55th location and replaces a self-service wash that had previously operated on the property under different ownership. The new tunnel is fully equipped with a 110-foot tunnel and 18 free self-service vacuum stations.
The project was led by Glen Sheeley, Director of Development and Construction at Splash along with Wayne Sheeley, his father. "This was a unique project to undertake given some of the challenges we faced in configuring the layout. I'm most excited about some of the new customer-focused features that we included, like the changing light show and digital tower," stated Sheeley. "The Watchfire digital screen tower is our latest idea. I think customers will love the changing displays and it should capture the attention of passing by traffic."
Splash also announced the commencement of construction on two new development sites in Vermont, one in Shelburne and the other in Rutland. These two sites will bolster Splash's presence in the state and complement the wash currently operating in Williston. Both express sites are being developed under the oversight of Aaron Vincelette, one of Splash's development partners and prior owner of the Williston wash. Splash anticipates both washes to open during the Spring of 2023.
Splash Car Wash was started in 1981 by Mark Curtis and Chris Fisher with a single location in Greenwich, Connecticut. Since that time, Curtis & Fisher, along with their experienced team and partners, have developed over 80 locations, and currently operate carwash tunnels in Connecticut, Vermont, and New York. Many sites include detailing operations, six locations provide oil change services, and one location has a laundromat.
Splash has been named "Best Carwash" by numerous publications over 40 times and has been recognized as a "Top Workplace in Connecticut" for the past several years by Hearst Publications. Four General Managers employed by Splash have been recognized as "Most Valuable Carwasher" by Professional Carwash & Detailing Magazine and Auto Laundry News. Splash has been awarded the US Chambers of Commerce prestigious "Blue Chip Enterprise Award" and has been inducted into the Connecticut Business Hall of Fame.
Palladin Consumer Retail Partners is a private equity firm with extensive experience investing in and building leading consumer brands. Founded in 1998, the firm prides itself on working closely with management teams to create value through strategic and operational initiatives. Its principals have previously held CEO and other senior executive roles at several wholesale, retail, and financial services companies, and have invested in, financed, or managed over 100 public and private companies. Palladin partnered with Splash in 2018. Other current and former investments include Southeast Mechanical, Tailwind Hospitality, Leapfrog Brands, Decowraps, PB Metro, KT Tape, Nic+Zoe, InMotion Entertainment, J. McLaughlin, Things Remembered, Restoration Hardware, Spencer Gifts, Jamba Juice, Worldlynx, Multi-Flow, and Kwik-Tek.
CONTACT:
Mark Curtis
mark@splash1.org
203-324-5400 ext. 7011
Patricia Donnelly
pdonnelly@pcrp.com
617-585-3800
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SOURCE Palladin Consumer Retail Partners, LLC | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/09/06/splash-car-wash-opens-new-express-wash/ | 2022-09-06T19:09:17Z |
Harry D. Madonna Named Interim Chief Executive Officer and Executive Board Chair
Harris Wildstein re-appointed Lead Independent Director
Andrew Cohen appointed to Audit Committee
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Republic First Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: FRBK) (the "Company"), the parent company of Republic First Bank d/b/a Republic Bank (the "Bank"), today announced that founder and former CEO and Board Chair, Harry D. Madonna, Esquire has been named Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective immediately. He will also hold the role of Executive Chair of the Company's Board of Directors (the "Board"). These changes come on the heels of the departure of Vernon W. Hill, Jr. as CEO, who, together with Barry Spevak, resigned from the boards of the Company and the Bank today. Mr. Madonna has pledged to maximize value for all constituents.
Mr. Madonna concluded: "I am honored to be entrusted to the task of moving forward in this new and changing environment. We are entering a critical phase in the evolution of the institution and I and the Board are eager to return to our primary tasks of optimizing the Company's and the Bank's performance and providing stability and value to all of our stakeholders."
Harris Wildstein has been re-appointed as Lead Independent Director of the Board. Mr. Wildstein said "We are thrilled to continue forging forward on the changes started last month, further aligning management, leadership and the Company with its shareholders, employees and other stakeholders. With recent addition of Benjamin C. Duster, IV to the Board and as Chair of the Audit Committee, and Harry Madonna's return, we believe we have put in place a team that well-recognizes its fiduciary duties to all of its constituents and will focus on both the short-term and long-term future of the Company and the Bank."
Given the resignation of Mr. Spevak from the Boards of the Bank and the Company, Andrew B. Cohen, an accomplished financial manager, has been named as the third member of the Audit Committee.
Mr. Madonna has more than 30 years of banking experience, founding Republic Bank in 1988. He has served as President and CEO of Republic First Bancorp, Inc., Republic Bank's holding company since 2001, Chair from 1988 to 2016, Interim Board Chair commencing in July of 2022, and President of the Bank from 2001 to 2010. From 2002 to 2005, he was of counsel to Spector Gadon & Rosen, PC, and a partner of Blank Rome LLP from 1980 to 2001.
Mr. Wildstein was a co-founder of the Company and the Bank and has served on the Company and Bank Boards since 1988. He is the President of HVW, Inc. and President at R&S Imports Ltd. Mr. Cohen is the Chief Investment Officer and Co-founder of Cohen Private Ventures which invests long-term capital, primarily in direct private investments and other opportunistic transactions, and manages family office activities, on behalf of Steven A. Cohen and his family. Mr. Cohen is the Vice Chairman, member of the board of directors, and a minority owner of the New York Mets Baseball Club, as well as a member of the board of directors of several other public and private companies including Laureate Education, Inc.
Republic Bank is the operating name for Republic First Bank. Republic First Bank is a full-service, state-chartered commercial bank, whose deposits are insured up to the applicable limits by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The Bank provides diversified financial products through its 34 offices located in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden and Gloucester Counties in New Jersey; Bucks, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties in Pennsylvania and New York County in New York. The bank also offers a wide range of residential mortgage products through its mortgage division, Oak Mortgage Company. For more information about Republic Bank, please visit www.myrepublicbank.com.
The Company may from time to time make written or oral "forward-looking statements", including statements contained in this release and in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). These forward-looking statements include statements with respect to the Company's beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, expectations, anticipations, estimates, and intentions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on various factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. These factors include competition, timing, credit risks of lending activities, changes in general economic conditions, price pressures on loan and deposit products, and other factors detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the SEC. The words "may", "could", "should", "would", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "plan", and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. All such statements are made in good faith by the Company pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company, except as may be required by applicable law or regulations.
The Company intends to file a proxy statement and may file a proxy card with the SEC in connection with the Company's 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the "2022 Annual Meeting") and, in connection therewith, the Company, certain of its directors and executive officers will be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the Company's shareholders in connection with such meeting. SHAREHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO READ SUCH PROXY STATEMENT, ACCOMPANYING PROXY CARD AND ALL OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE 2022 ANNUAL MEETING. The Company's definitive proxy statement for the 2021 annual meeting of shareholders contains information regarding the direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, of the Company's directors and executive officers in the Company's securities. Information regarding subsequent changes to their holdings of the Company's securities can be found in the SEC filings on Forms 3, 4, and 5, which are available on the Company's website at http://investors.myrepublicbank.com/ or through the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Information can also be found in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 on file with the SEC. Updated information regarding the identity of potential participants, and their direct or indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be set forth in the definitive proxy statement and other materials to be filed with the SEC in connection with the 2022 Annual Meeting. Shareholders will be able to obtain the definitive proxy statement, any amendments or supplements to the proxy statement and other documents filed by the Company with the SEC at no charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Copies will also be available at no charge at the Company's website at http://investors.myrepublicbank.com.
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SOURCE Republic Bank | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/09/madonna-resumes-leadership-republic-first-bancorp/ | 2022-08-09T13:45:43Z |
SAN MATEO, Calif., Aug. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- GoPro, Inc. (NASDAQ: GPRO) today announced that Chief Executive Officer Nicholas Woodman and Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer Brian McGee will present at the following investor conference:
- The Oppenheimer 25th Annual Technology, Internet & Communications Conference on Tuesday, August 9, 2022 at 2:05 pm Eastern Time
A webcast of the event will be available live and accessible for replay on the "Events & Presentations" section of the Company's website at http://investor.gopro.com.
Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2022, GoPro helps the world to capture and share itself in immersive and exciting ways.
For more information, visit GoPro.com. Open roles can be found on our careers page. Members of the press can access official logos and imagery on our press portal. GoPro customers can submit their photos and videos to GoPro Awards for an opportunity to be featured on GoPro's social channels and receive gear and cash awards. Connect with GoPro on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, and GoPro's blog The Current.
GoPro, HERO and their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of GoPro, Inc. in the United States and other countries.
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SOURCE GoPro, Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/05/gopro-present-upcoming-investor-conference/ | 2022-08-05T10:43:30Z |
ORLANDO, Fla., June 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Holiday Inn Club Vacations Incorporated, a national vacation ownership company, today announced that Tom Nelson, its Chief Executive Officer, will retire at the end of 2022, after a 35-year career, nearly 20 of which were in senior leadership positions at HICV. The company also announced that its current President and Chief Operating Officer, John Staten, will succeed Tom, assuming the role of President and Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1, 2022.
During Tom's tenure at HICV, the company has grown from its flagship Orange Lake Resort in Orlando, Florida to a network of 28 resorts from coast to coast. From his start in 2003 as Chief Financial Officer to his promotion to President and Chief Operating Officer in 2012 and then Chief Executive Officer in 2017, Tom has led with passion and vision to position HICV among the leaders in the timeshare industry.
"Tom's contributions to HICV's success have been both innumerable and profound," said Spence Wilson, HICV Chairman of the Board. "The growth in our business is a testament to his steady, focused and dedicated leadership, and we are most grateful to him."
John joined Holiday Inn Club Vacations as Chief Operating Officer in March 2019. He was promoted to President in September 2020. Prior to HICV, he held numerous senior leadership roles over 30 years, launching and growing businesses, developing strategies and teams, and mobilizing organizations into action, from startups to companies with more than 7,500 employees.
"HICV will be in great hands with John at the helm. I knew he would be an invaluable member of the HICV family when I first met him more than three years ago. And since then, he has been an impressive and proven leader, involved in every aspect of the business and playing a direct role in every material decision we have made to position the company for a bright future. Importantly, from day one, he has been a trusted advisor, partner, and friend," said Tom.
"I've known and worked with John for more than a decade. He has done a tremendous job spearheading and driving numerous key initiatives across HICV that have helped transform every corner of the organization, making the customer experience exceptional and positioning us for sustained growth well into the future," said Spence. "John's continued leadership in growing our members, our people, guest love, and number of resorts will be of critical importance as we author the next exciting chapter in the HICV story."
"Our future is very bright, and the path forward is clear, thanks in no small measure to Tom's leadership. He has been a great business partner and valued friend. Still, our team's work is far from finished. There is much to do as we continuously endeavor to be the most loved brand in family travel by making every experience easy, amazing, and unforgettable," said John.
Tom will continue to lead the company's strategic acquisition activities through the end of the year. He will serve in an advisory role supporting John and the company through the end of 2023.
Encompassing 28 resorts, 7,900 villas in 14 U.S. states and more than 365,000 timeshare owners, Holiday Inn Club Vacations Incorporated is a resort, real estate and travel company with a mission to be the most loved brand in family travel by delivering easy-to-plan, memorable vacation experiences that strengthen families.
Based in Orlando, Fla., the Company has been a leader in the vacation ownership industry since 1982, when it was established by Holiday Inn® founder Kemmons Wilson with the opening of the Company's flagship property, Holiday Inn Club Vacations® at Orange Lake Resort next to Orlando's Walt Disney World® Resort.
Today, the Holiday Inn Club Vacations resort portfolio spans across the United States. Throughout its history, the company has maintained the core family values true to its founding Wilson family, while aggressively pursuing growth, transforming its member engagement model and building an industry-leading team passionate about the guest experience.
Media Contact:
Ashley Fraboni, Holiday Inn Club Vacations
904.716.4350
afraboni@holidayinnclub.com
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SOURCE Holiday Inn Club Vacations | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/21/holiday-inn-club-vacations-incorporated-announces-retirement-tom-nelson-john-staten-promoted-chief-executive-officer/ | 2022-06-21T13:55:45Z |
(The Hill) — Cassidy Hutchinson on Tuesday is appearing before the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol in a last-minute session convened to hear new evidence.
Hutchinson served as a special assistant to former President Donald Trump’s chief of staff Mark Meadows, and her appearance is a big get for the committee — she will be the first White House employee to publicly testify.
She’s already sat with the committee’s investigators four times, providing some 20 hours of testimony.
As an aide to Meadows — who himself was at the center of efforts between the campaign, Congress and the Justice Department to undo the results of the 2020 presidential election — Hutchinson has provided insight on activities happening across the White House.
It was a taped deposition with Hutchinson that the committee used to detail which Republican lawmakers had sought pardons from Trump. It was her testimony that indicated that Meadows had been warned about the potential for violence on Jan. 6. And Hutchinson also told investigators that White House lawyers had advised against the Trump campaign’s alternate elector scheme.
Her testimony has even offered details on Trump’s reactions the day of the riot. It was Hutchinson who detailed Trump’s indifference to chants of “Hang Mike Pence” unfolding at the riot, suggesting the supporters “have the right idea.”
“Cassidy Hutchinson might turn out to be the next John Dean,” Norm Eisen, who served as special counsel to Democrats during Trump’s first impeachment, told The Washington Post earlier this year, referencing the White House counsel who testified against former President Nixon in congressional hearings.
A first-generation college graduate, Hutchinson attended Christopher Newport University, telling her alma mater, “I have set a personal goal to pursue a path of civic significance.”
Hutchinson first joined the White House as an intern in 2018, having previously completed internships with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.).
While Hutchinson has appeared in a few video clips played during the committee’s hearings, much of Hutchinson’s insights into Jan. 6 have become public through the committee’s court battle to try to get Meadows to turn over the remaining documents he’s sought to withhold through executive privilege.
The Jan. 6 panel has yet to formally announce Hutchinson as a witness, instead, calling a hearing with exactly 24 hours of notice and saying only that they would “present recently obtained evidence.” | https://cw33.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/who-is-cassidy-hutchinson-the-former-meadows-aide-testifying-on-jan-6/ | 2022-06-28T16:59:15Z |
Which folding bike is best?
There’s nothing like riding a bike on a sunny day, but if you want to switch up the scenery and head out to a faraway mountain trail or lakeside path, you might not be able to fit your bike inside your car.
A folding bike can be excellent for commuting to work or storing in your car trunk. If you want a high-quality folding bike, the Schwinn Loop Adult Folding Bike has a durable build, delivers a smooth ride and folds quickly without tools for easy storage.
What to know before you buy a folding bike
Advantages of owning a folding bike
Folding bikes don’t offer the same performance as road or mountain bikes, but owning one has many advantages. A folding bike is easy to take on the train or bus if you commute to work, and storage is easy once you get there. If you want to travel to a location outside your neighborhood to ride your bike, you can easily fold it and toss it in the trunk.
They’re also great if you live in a small space such as an apartment or don’t want your bike to take up too much room in your home or storage area.
Size, weight and wheel size
The size and weight of a folding bike should depend on the rider’s height. Bikes with 16- to 20-inch wheels are ideal for most, but anything over 22 inches is better suited for taller riders. It would help to consider the frame weight and compactness when folded up. If the frame is too heavy for you or the bike retains an awkward or large shape when folded, it wouldn’t be very convenient for traveling on a bus or train.
Frame material
Most folding bikes have frames made of sturdy aluminum. It’s an affordable metal that’s durable and lightweight, but some bikes have steel frames. Steel frames are more rigid than aluminum frames, but they’re also heavier, making them ideal for riding on rugged surfaces.
What to look for in a quality folding bike
Multiple speeds and gear-shifting
If you plan on riding your bike on uneven surfaces or roads with lots of hills, it’s a good idea to get a bike with multiple speeds. Shifting gears to different speeds will make it easier to pedal and control your velocity if you’re riding uphill or downhill. Most folding bikes don’t offer as many speed options as traditional bikes, but the best ones offer up to six.
Suspension
Having a suspension system isn’t crucial if you do most of your riding on smooth surfaces, but you’re going to want shock absorbers at both ends for riding on rockier trails. Bikes with large wheels provide a smoother ride than bikes with smaller ones, but going over bumps can be uncomfortable and painful without a suspension system.
Color
Folding bikes are usually available in several frame colors. The most common are black and silver, but you can get one in a color that suits your style and preference. Some bikes also have flashy designs or patterns on the frame.
How much you can expect to spend on a folding bike
You can find a high-quality folding bike for $200-$400, but if you want something more durable with more features, you can expect to pay up to $500.
Folding bike FAQ
Do folding bikes require assembly?
A. Most folding bikes come pre-assembled and ready to go out of the box, but some come 85%-90% assembled. It’s usually straightforward, but some sporting goods stores offer additional services to complete the assembly if you don’t want to do it.
Do folding bikes stay folded on their own?
A. Folding bikes do not stay in their folded position on their own, so they can quickly unfold if you’re not careful. Some bikes come with straps for holding them together, but you can also use a bungee cord if your bike doesn’t come with any.
What’s the best folding bike to buy?
Top folding bike
Schwinn Loop Adult Folding Bike
What you need to know: This folding bike has a sturdy frame and is perfect for those who want something durable for traveling.
What you’ll love: It has a lightweight folding frame optimized for easy storage and is ideal for riders measuring 54-76 inches tall. It has 20-inch alloy wheels that deliver a smooth riding experience, front and rear pull brakes and a seven-speed twist shifter. Plus, it comes with a nylon storage bag.
What you should consider: It doesn’t have any straps for holding the bike together while it’s folded, and the handlebars aren’t adjustable.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top folding bike for the money
IDS Home Transformer Folding Bike
What you need to know: This compact folding bike looks fantastic and offers excellent performance in urban environments.
What you’ll love: It has a durable steel welded frame and a reliable set of front and rear V-brakes. It has 20-inch wheels and adjustable handlebars. Plus, riders can switch between six Shimano speeds using the simple twist grip shifter. It requires minimal assembly and comes in three frame colors.
What you should consider: Although folding it for storage is easy, the frame is heavier than it looks.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This folding bike has a stylish look and delivers outstanding performance on rugged trails.
What you’ll love: It has a high tense folding frame, 26-inch double-wall rimmed wheels and uses a high-quality Shimano derailleur and gear shifters. The front and rear shock absorbers make traveling over uneven surfaces a breeze, and folding it for storage is quick and easy.
What you should consider: The pedals are low-quality, and many customers report that the instructions aren’t helpful, making assembly challenging and time-consuming.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/sports-fitness-br/cycling-br/best-folding-bike/ | 2022-05-27T22:30:59Z |
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — With monkeypox cases subsiding in Europe and parts of North America, many scientists say now is the time to prioritize stopping the virus in Africa.
In July, the U.N. health agency designated monkeypox as a global emergency and appealed to the world to support African countries so that the catastrophic vaccine inequity that plagued the outbreak of COVID-19 wouldn’t be repeated.
But the global spike of attention has had little impact on the continent. No rich countries have shared vaccines or treatments with Africa, and some experts fear interest may soon evaporate.
“Nothing has changed for us here, the focus is all on monkeypox in the West,” said Placide Mbala, a virologist who directs the global health research department at Congo’s Institute of Biomedical Research.
“The countries in Africa where monkeypox is endemic are still in the same situation we have always been, with weak resources for surveillance, diagnostics and even the care of patients,” he said.
Monkeypox has sickened people in parts of West and Central Africa since the 1970s, but it wasn’t until the disease triggered unusual outbreaks in Europe and North America that public health officials even thought to use vaccines. As rich countries rushed to buy nearly all the world’s supply of the most advanced shot against monkeypox, the World Health Organization said in June that it would create a vaccine-sharing mechanism to help needy countries get doses.
So far, that hasn’t happened.
“Africa is still not benefiting from either monkeypox vaccines or the antiviral treatments,” said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO’s Africa director, adding that only small amounts have been available for research purposes. Since 2000, Africa has reported about 1,000 to 2,000 suspected monkeypox cases every year. So far this year, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have identified about 3,000 suspected infections, including more than 100 deaths.
In recent weeks, monkeypox cases globally have fallen by more than a quarter, including by 55% in Europe, according to WHO.
Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, head of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, said the lack of help for Africa was reminiscent of the inequity seen during COVID-19.
“Everybody looked after their (own) problem and left everybody else,” he said. Adetifa lamented that monkeypox outbreaks in Africa never got the international attention that might have prevented the virus from spreading globally.
Rich countries have stretched their vaccine supplies by using a fifth of the regular dose, but none have expressed interest in helping Africa. WHO’s regional office for the Americas recently announced it had struck a deal to obtain 100,000 monkeypox doses that will start being delivered to countries in Latin America and the Caribbean within weeks. But no similar agreements have been reached for Africa.
“I would very much like to have vaccines to offer to my patients or anything that could just reduce their stay in the hospital,” said Dr. Dimie Ogoina, a professor of medicine at Nigeria’s Delta University and a member of WHO’s monkeypox emergency committee.
Since WHO declared monkeypox a global emergency, Nigeria has seen the disease continue to spread, with few significant interventions.
“We still do not have the funds to do all the studies that we need,” Ogoina said.
Research into the animals that carry monkeypox and spread it to humans in Africa is piecemeal and lacks coordination, said Mbala, of Congo’s Institute of Biomedical Research.
Last week, the White House said it was optimistic about a recent drop in monkeypox cases in the U.S., saying authorities had administered more than 460,000 doses of the vaccine made by Bavarian Nordic.
The U.S. has about 35% of the world’s more than 56,000 monkeypox cases, but nearly 80% of the world’s supply of the vaccine, according to a recent analysis by the advocacy group Public Citizen.
The U.S. hasn’t announced any monkeypox vaccine donations for Africa, but the White House did make a recent request to Congress for $600 million in global aid.
Even if rich countries start sharing monkeypox tools with Africa soon, they shouldn’t be applauded, other experts said.
“It should not be the case that countries only decide to share leftover vaccines when the epidemic is declining in their countries,” said Piero Olliaro, a professor of infectious diseases of poverty at Oxford University. “It is exactly the same scenario as COVID and it is still completely unethical.”
Olliaro, who recently returned to the U.K. from a trip to Central African Republic to work on monkeypox, said WHO’s emergency declaration appeared to offer “no tangible benefits in Africa.”
In Nigeria’s Lagos state, which includes the country’s largest city and is hard hit by monkeypox, some people are calling for the government to urgently do more.
“You can’t tell me that the situation wouldn’t have improved without a vaccine,” said Temitayo Lawal, 29, an economist.
“If there is no need for vaccines, why are we now seeing the U.S. and all these countries using them?” he asked. “Our government needs to acquire doses as well.”
___
Maria Cheng reported from London. | https://cw33.com/health/ap-health/ap-as-monkeypox-drops-in-the-west-still-no-vaccines-for-africa/ | 2022-09-14T23:29:00Z |
Finally enough cash to make smart financial moves.
LOS ANGELES, June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- People are leveraging their greater equity to release cash from their home in amounts sufficient to consolidate debt or renovate the kitchen and bathrooms. With the cost of living climbing every day, it's nice to know something beneficial to homeowners is also climbing: the amount of cash they can release from their home.
The average rate for a 15-year mortgage just climbed to 5.38% (fixed) according to Mortgage News Daily, shrinking the pool of potential refinancers whose current rate is significantly above market averages. The rule of thumb is that a rate 1% lower than your current rate opens the door for smart refinancing.
But equity is also climbing across America thanks to surging property values, making the cash-out option more attractive even while the usual selling feature of a refinance—a much lower payment—grows less likely. After an appraisal, many people learn they "suddenly" own more home than they expected.
Since the amount of cash people can get is directly related to their equity, people can now get enough cash to pay off exorbitant credit cards or make critical home repairs even after paying closing costs on the new mortgage.
Popular quote comparison site Lendgo has tracked an increase in people exploring the cash-out option over a regular refinance. Growing equity makes the cash-out option attractive for more homeowners while, simultaneously, climbing interest rates have dampened enthusiasm for an ordinary refi.
A rate just 1% lower than your current rate can save you hundreds of dollars a month and thousands of dollars over the life of the mortgage. Get fast personalized quotes before rates rise.
If you want to refinance before rates climb again, the clock is ticking. Luckily, one of the most valuable tools in mortgage shopping gets results in three minutes. More and more homeowners are using the free service Lendgo to see their best options and thinking of themselves as being in a race with inflation and the next 2022 rate hike. When a refinance around 5% can empower you to vanquish credit cards charging you around 20%, you owe it to yourself to explore the option.
Media Contact:
Lendgo
844-551-6667
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SOURCE Lendgo | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/14/surging-home-values-draw-more-cash-out-refi/ | 2022-06-14T13:23:32Z |
FLORHAM PARK, N.J., Aug. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Money Store is pleased to announce that Jeff Carter will join the company as the Chief Operating Officer. Carter has spent more than 22 years in the mortgage industry, with 17 years in leadership positions, running regional and national operations centers. Carter's impressive background working for Caliber, Bank of America, Security Mortgage, Washington Mutual, LoanDepot and NEO Home Loans is perfect for helping The Money Store with strategic growth and expansion.
As the new COO, Carter will be responsible for the Disclosure Desk, Opening, Processing, Underwriting and Closing. He will work with the existing management team and personnel in each of these areas to improve productivity, data integrity, customer experience and overall execution.
"I'm excited to join an organization celebrating its 50th year in business. I'm surrounded by seasoned mortgage professionals who have navigated the difficult times in this industry and have always found a way to survive and thrive during challenging times. The Money Store has made strategic moves over the years to be positioned well for the future, and I look forward to adding my contribution to the continued success of this company."
When Carter assumes his new role of Chief Operating Officer, current COO Peter Alvarez will become The Money Store's Chief Lending Officer. With the realignment in senior leadership, The Money Store is poised for tremendous growth.
The Money Store is a direct mortgage lender located in Florham Park, New Jersey, and is licensed in 47 states. The company offers a wide range of mortgage programs to meet the needs of homeowners while also providing low rates and superior customer service. The Money Store's online-based service model includes a secure application process that tracks every step from inquiry to closing. Visit them online at www.themoneystore.com. For inquiries, contact Peter Alvarez (palvarez@themoneystore.com) or call (973) 295-3511.
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SOURCE The Money Store | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/09/money-store-appoints-new-chief-operations-officer/ | 2022-08-09T20:29:33Z |
Temple ISD trustees approved Brandy Stanford, a Temple High School alumna, as the district’s next chief financial officer on Monday night.
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NEW YORK, May 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Global X ETFs, the New York-based provider of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), today announced a reverse split of the Global X Cannabis ETF (POTX) ("the Fund").
Effective after market close on June 10, 2022, the Fund will affect a reverse split at a ratio of 1:6. The reverse split will increase the price per share of the Fund with a proportionate decrease in the number of shares outstanding. For example, every six pre-split shares will result in receipt of one post-split share, which will be priced six times higher than the net asset value (NAV) of a pre-split share.
Illustration of Reverse Split
The following table shows the effect of a hypothetical 1:6 reverse split:
Fractional Shares
As a result of the reverse split, a shareholder of the Fund's shares could potentially hold fractional shares. In this case, a Fund will redeem the cash value (at NAV) of any fractional shares resulting from the reverse split. Receipt of cash in lieu of fractional shares may result in a taxable event to shareholders, and each shareholder should consult with the shareholder's own tax advisers with respect to the appropriate treatment of the receipt of such cash payment.
About Global X ETFs
Global X ETFs was founded in 2008. For more than a decade, our mission has been empowering investors with unexplored and intelligent solutions. Our product lineup features over 90 ETF strategies and over $40 billion in assets under management.i While we are distinguished for our Thematic Growth, Income and International Access ETFs, we also offer Core, Commodity, and Alpha funds to suit a wide range of investment objectives. Explore our ETFs, research and insights, and more at www.globalxetfs.com.
Global X is a member of Mirae Asset Financial Group, a global leader in financial services, with more than $640 billion in assets under management worldwide.ii Mirae Asset has an extensive global ETF platform ranging across the US, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Europe, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam with over $80 billion in assets under management.iii
Media Contact
Frank Taylor
Dukas Linden Public Relations
frank@dlpr.com
(646) 808-3647
Important Disclosures
This information is not intended to be individual or personalized investment or tax advice and should not be used for trading purposes. Please consult a financial advisor or tax professional for more information regarding your investment and/or tax situation.
Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Shares of ETFs are bought and sold at market price (not NAV) and are not individually redeemed from the Fund. Brokerage commissions will reduce returns.
Carefully consider the Funds' investment objectives, risks, and charges and expenses before investing. This and other information can be found in the Fund's summary or full prospectuses, which are available at globalxetfs.com. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing.
Global X Management Company LLC serves as an advisor to Global X Funds. The Funds are distributed by SEI Investments Distribution Co. (SIDCO), which is not affiliated with Global X Management Company LLC or Mirae Asset Global Investments.
Information provided by Global X Management Company LLC (Global X ETFs or Global X).
iSource: Global X, as of 4/04/22
iiMirae Asset, as of December 2021
iiiMirae Asset, as of 4/04/22
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SOURCE Global X Management Company LLC | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/20/global-x-etfs-announces-etf-reverse-stock-split-potx/ | 2022-05-20T20:22:31Z |
Pitch's new presentation collection for World Environment Day showcases over 40 pitch decks from startups tackling sustainability challenges
BERLIN, June 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pitch, the collaborative presentation platform for modern teams, today announced the launch of Fund Our Future, a new presentation collection compiled for World Environment Day 2022. With over 40 pitch decks from startups tackling a broad range of sustainability challenges, in sectors ranging from energy and agriculture to finance and fashion, the collection highlights the pressing need for more comprehensive investment in climate-oriented technologies.
"Reversing climate change is humanity's largest challenge, and humankind's biggest opportunity for innovation," said Christian Reber, founder and CEO of Pitch. "Founders in greentech are launching impactful products that solve global problems, and address a truly global market. It's critical that investors accelerate and diversify their approach to financing this space."
2021 was a record year for climate tech fundraising, with more than $40 billion raised. However, according to a recent report from PwC, the technologies that represent over 80% of future emissions reduction potential have received just 25% of climate tech investment since 2013.
"We have an enormous funding gap in Europe for climate tech" said Danijel Visevic, managing partner at World Fund. "Europe leads the world when it comes to climate R&D, yet only 10% of VC money invested in Europe goes to climate crisis fighting technology. This is the gulf between knowing what we need to do to solve the climate crisis, and having the ability to make meaningful, positive change. At World Fund, we take the view that financial returns - which drive decision making for the wider venture capital community - are now best sought out when you can guarantee a climate return. For the funding gap to narrow, we need others to join us in this fight, and to re-focus their efforts on climate returns."
The Fund Our Future collection is hosted on Pitch's presentation gallery, a dedicated public home for presentations.
About Pitch
Pitch is the collaborative presentation platform for modern teams. With a focus on real-time collaboration, smart workflows, and intuitive design features, Pitch makes it fast and delightful for teams to create and deliver beautiful presentations. To learn more and create a free account, visit www.pitch.com.
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SOURCE Pitch Software GmbH | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/01/climate-techs-major-funding-gap-spotlighted-new-pitch-deck-collection-curated-by-pitch/ | 2022-06-01T12:46:52Z |
Winter City Lights Opening November 19th in Olney, Maryland, Tickets Go on Sale Today
OLNEY, Md., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A new holiday lights festival in Olney, Maryland promises to deliver a show-stopping 18-acre lighting display that features more than 1 million twinkling lights, an incredible 52-foot programmable Christmas tree featuring a 32,000 square-foot overhead lighted canopy of orchestrated lights and music, plus guaranteed "Winter City" snow every night creating a magical winter wonderland for visitors.
Winter City Lights will be staged by the same top-tier production company that hosts the Field of Screams Maryland Haunted Attraction (www.screams.org; September 24-October 31, 2022), currently in contention for the #1 spot in the USA Today 10 Best Haunted Attractions in the country contest.
"This is the largest, most sophisticated holiday lights experience in the Washington DC and Baltimore area," said Mike Lado, Creative Director, Steelhead Events and Productions. "We've worked for four years to create a unique, high-quality event that offers visitors a truly unforgettable holiday lights experience—and one unlike anything that has ever been staged in the country."
Winter City Lights is an immersive holiday lights experience where guests can explore 200,000 square feet of displays covering 18 beautifully decorated acres. Highlights include: 1 million twinkling lights; a 52-foot programmable Christmas tree featuring a 32,000 square-foot diameter canopy of lights and light show; an enchanted 1.5-mile-long trail through the woods featuring holiday displays and awe-inspiring holiday lights; guaranteed snow and a musical light show every 30 minutes; an eight-lane,15-foot-high thrilling snow tubing slide; concessions; lumberjack axe throwing; and 14 bonfire areas for getting cozy and enjoying s'mores by the fire.
Tickets for Winter City Lights, 4501 Olney-Laytonsville Rd. in Olney, Maryland, go on sale today. Located just 15 minutes from the Capital Beltway and 25 minutes from Northern Virginia and Baltimore. Open select weekdays and every weekend beginning Nov. 19th through Dec. 31, 2022. Prices range between $39 and $48 for an Adult General Admission ticket depending on the night. Discounts for kids under 12 and seniors over 65. Kids under 4 are free. FREE PARKING for all. To purchase tickets or additional information, visit www.wintercitylights.com
Contact: Kim Durk Rion, kimrion03@gmail.com, 773-844-1458
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SOURCE Winter City Lights | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/09/14/new-spectacular-18-acre-holiday-lights-festival-promises-magical-winter-wonderland-baltimore-washington-dc-area/ | 2022-09-14T15:01:06Z |
"The Wonder Years" actress Danica McKellar left acting to pursue a mathematics career and now she's explaining why.
McKellar's young son Draco recently interviewed his mom for ET, asking her, "You were about my age when you acted in 'The Wonder Years.' What do you remember most about those years?"
McKellar said it was hard to balance work and school.
"What I remember the most is juggling being an actress and doing my schoolwork," she said. "It was a lot of going back and forth to the school trailer."
While taking a break from acting for some time, she became an acclaimed mathematician. McKellar has also authored 11 children's books about math.
Her son asked why.
"When and why did you decide to take a break from acting and become a mathematician?" Draco asked.
"I went to UCLA, but when I got to school, everywhere I went, people all over campus would shout across campus, you know, 'Hey Winnie!' or 'Hey, loved you on 'The Wonder Years!'" McKellar said of her character on the show, Winnie Cooper. "I couldn't get away from it. So I needed to find out how I was valuable outside of Winnie Cooper, and math was challenging and I did well at it. And I love this feeling that my value, the important stuff had nothing to do with how I looked or television."
She also told her son that while the acting life is hard, she would support him if he chose that path.
"Draco, I will support you whatever you wanna do. I would put you in acting classes and I would help guide you through it," she said.
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accounts, the history behind an article. | https://www.albanyherald.com/entertainment/wonder-years-star-danica-mckellar-explains-why-she-became-a-mathematician-and-stopped-acting/article_0a3baaef-8cfe-539c-9f4d-d5ae364d3790.html | 2022-08-18T17:33:10Z |
Gianni Versace’s lavish New York mansion is on sale for $70 million
Sana Noor Haq, CNN
Gianni Versace‘s former townhouse in Manhattan has gone on sale for $70 million.
The late fashion designer bought the seven-bedroom mansion in 1995 and fully refurbished the interior, according to the Sotheby’s International Realty listing.
The mansion, built in 1950, offers the buyer the chance to “live like royalty” and “own a piece of real estate and fashion history,” the listing says.
Boasting 17 lavishly decorated rooms spread across six floors, the property overlooks Fifth Avenue and borders Central Park.
The floors are Italian marble and Austrian parquet. There are five fireplaces, painted walls and ceilings and mosaic.
“Versace’s genius and vision is revealed over the first 4 floors, each presenting the designer’s legendary taste and permeates the home,” the listing adds.
Every floor of the mansion has a different theme.
The entrance opens to a marble staircase and gallery with a decorative Greek key pattern border, and the garden level has hand-painted canvas walls inspired by an English neoclassical manor.
On the third level there is a ceiling that resembles the vault of the Sistine Chapel, alongside restored 19th-century panels Versace sourced from a Florentine palazzo.
The level above offers a double bathroom spa that the listing describes as “one of the grandest in the city,” and the fifth and sixth floors house bedrooms and a Moroccan-style media room.
Versace was one of the most influential figures in fashion in the 20th century.
He emerged with his first independent collection in Milan in 1978, and established his brand with his brother, Santo, and his sister, Donatella, according to London’s Victoria and Albert Museum.
His designs are known for their seductive silhouettes and theatrical flair, and have been worn by pop culture royalty including Naomi Campbell, Jennifer Lopez and Elton John.
Versace was shot dead on the steps of his Miami Beach villa in 1997. Since his death, Donatella Versace has continued to lead the brand’s creative vision — now under US company Capri Holdings, which bought the label in 2018.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/entertainment/cnn-style/2022/05/04/gianni-versaces-lavish-new-york-mansion-is-on-sale-for-70-million/ | 2022-05-04T18:01:55Z |
DALLAS (KDAF) — The Texas sun is bringing the heat to North Texas during the second week of June for the North Texas region; you can expect it to be mostly sunny and hot with forecast high temperatures.
NWS Fort Worth says the name of the game for June 6-10 will be the heat. Temps are expected to climb into the upper 90s and low 100s across the region. “While southerly winds will provide a little relief, it will still be humid through Tuesday with heat indices between 100-105 degrees. Periodic storms across parts of Oklahoma should remain north of the region.”
The center adds that DFW as well as Waco could see their first 100-degree day of the year during this week. The 100-degree temperature day is set for Friday, according to NWS Fort Worth. Forecast highs for DFW are 101-degrees while Waco could see temps hit 103-degrees.
“A strengthening high-pressure ridge to our west will maintain the warming trend through the end of the week. Both DFW and Waco will have a shot to reach the triple digits this week. The average date of the first 100-degree day is July 1st at DFW and July 4th at Waco, with an average of 20-24 100 degrees observed annually. A weak cold front will arrive late Friday/early Saturday knocking temperatures down a few degrees on Saturday.”
So, that begs the question, how hot and humid will it feel on Friday, June 10? Easily put, North Texas should expect it to feel humid (sticky) with temps in the upper 90s to lower 100s.
“By Friday, daytime temperatures will be more than 10 degrees above normal in most locations across the region. As both temperatures and dewpoints climb, so will the heat index values with peak heat indices reaching up to 100-105 degrees or higher on Friday.” | https://cw33.com/news/local/things-to-know-about-hot-week-ahead-in-north-texas-first-100-degree-day-in-dfw/ | 2022-06-06T16:29:13Z |
Nancy Pelosi’s husband pleads not guilty to DUI misdemeanor charges
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The husband of U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi pleaded not guilty Wednesday to misdemeanor driving under the influence charges related to a May car crash in Northern California wine country.
Paul Pelosi, 82, did not appear in person at Napa County Superior Court Wednesday. His attorney Amanda Bevins entered not guilty pleas for him on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury and driving with a .08% blood alcohol level or higher causing injury.
State law allows for DUI misdemeanor defendants to appear through their attorney unless ordered otherwise by the court.
He was arrested following a May 28 crash in Napa County, north of San Francisco, after a DUI test showed he had a blood alcohol content level of .082%. The blood sample was taken about two hours after the collision occurred at 10:17 p.m., the Napa County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement.
Pelosi was driving a 2021 Porsche into an intersection near the wine country town of Yountville that was hit by a 2014 Jeep, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Prosecutors filed the case as a misdemeanor because of the injuries sustained by the 48-year-old driver of the Jeep. They have not described the injuries or provided more information about the other driver, saying the person has requested privacy.
Pelosi was released on $5,000 bail after his arrest.
If convicted, Pelosi faces up to a minimum of five days in jail and up to five years of probation. He would also be required to complete a drinking driver class and install an ignition interlock device in his vehicle — a breathalyzer that requires the driver to blow into it before operating the vehicle, prosecutors said.
Pelosi has been married to the powerful Democratic speaker since 1963. She is traveling in Asia this week.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/08/03/nancy-pelosis-husband-pleads-not-guilty-dui-misdemeanor-charges/ | 2022-08-03T17:39:24Z |
Abelacimab is a dual-acting fully human monoclonal antibody targeting both Factor XI and Factor XIa with high affinity and selectivity
Robust phase 3 clinical program includes two complementary trials (ASTER and MAGNOLIA) that will enroll ~2700 patients to study abelacimab in patients with Cancer Associated Thrombosis (CAT)
The ASTER study will compare abelacimab against the most widely prescribed Factor Xa agent
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Anthos Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharma company developing innovative therapies for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, today announced that the first patient had been enrolled in a phase 3 clinical trial investigating a Factor XI agent. The ASTER study is one of two complementary, international, multicenter trials where abelacimab is being studied in patients with Cancer Associated Thrombosis (CAT). In the ASTER trial, Anthos' novel dual-acting Factor XI monoclonal antibody, abelacimab, is being compared to apixaban, the leading Factor Xa inhibitor, to assess their effects on venous thromboembolism (VTE) recurrence and bleeding in patients with cancer associated VTE.
"Encouraged by evidence from a recently completed positive phase 2 study,1 we believe abelacimab could become an important new treatment option for the treatment and prevention of thrombosis in a variety of patients, including those with Cancer Associated Thrombosis. Abelacimab's novel dual inhibitory activity offers the potential to provide effective antithrombotic activity with a reduced risk of bleeding compared to existing therapies. Additionally, the monthly dosing of abelacimab could reduce the burden of a daily regimen, such as daily injections or pills, for patients already receiving multiple therapies including chemotherapy," said Gary E. Raskob, Ph.D., Interim Senior Vice President, and Provost at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and the Chair of the Abelacimab CAT Program Steering Committee.
Venous Thromboembolism (VTE), which includes both deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, is the second most prevalent cause of death in patients with cancer, second only to the disease itself.2 However, treatment of CAT can be challenging because the currently available anticoagulants used to treat VTE can have an increased risk of bleeding.3,4
"An acute episode of thrombosis in patients with cancer adds additional complexity to the treatment of cancer itself and is a grave concern for physicians, patients, and caregivers. Our extensive phase 3 program for abelacimab includes two trials specifically designed for patients with Cancer Associated Thrombosis, including those with a particularly high risk of bleeding. Enrolling the first patients in the ASTER phase 3 trial is an important first step toward making an effective and potentially safer anticoagulant available to patients with cancer. This phase 3 program is in addition to our ongoing phase 2 AZALEA-TIMI 71 trial comparing abelacimab to rivaroxaban in atrial fibrillation (AF), which completed enrollment with 1,287 patients in December 2021. This study, the largest trial to date with a Factor XI inhibitor, will compare bleeding rates in AF patients treated with abelacimab and rivaroxaban," said Dan Bloomfield, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Anthos Therapeutics.
About Abelacimab
Abelacimab is a novel, highly selective, fully human monoclonal antibody designed to induce effective hemostasis-sparing anticoagulation through Factor XI inhibition. Abelacimab targets the active domain of Factor XI, demonstrating dual inhibitory activity against both Factor XI and its activated form, Factor XIa. Abelacimab can be administered intravenously (IV) to achieve rapid inhibition of Factor XI activity and then used subcutaneously (SC) monthly to maintain nearly complete inhibition in a chronic setting. In a PK/PD study, abelacimab administered IV provided profound suppression of Factor XI within one hour after the start of therapy and maintained near maximal inhibition for up to 30 days. 1,5 In a Phase 2 study whose results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2021, a single intravenous dose of abelacimab after knee surgery reduced the rate of venous thromboembolism by 80%, measured 10 days after surgery, compared to enoxaparin.1 Factor XI inhibition offers the promise of hemostasis-sparing anticoagulation for the prevention and treatment of arterial and venous thromboembolic events.6 Abelacimab is an investigational agent and has not been approved for any indication.
About the Abelacimab Phase 3 Program in Cancer Associated Thrombosis (CAT)
The abelacimab phase 3 CAT program comprises two complementary studies targeting to enroll approximately 2700 patients across 220 sites in more than 20 countries -- the largest program of any anticoagulant performed in Cancer-Associated Thrombosis.
ASTER is an international multicenter, randomized, open-label, blinded endpoint evaluation, phase 3 study comparing the effect of abelacimab relative to apixaban on venous thromboembolism (VTE) recurrence and bleeding in patients with cancer associated VTE in whom DOAC treatment is recommended. Abelacimab 150 mg will be administered intravenously (IV) on Day 1 and subcutaneously (SC) monthly thereafter for up to 6 months; Apixaban 10 mg will be administered orally, twice daily (bid) for the first 7 days, followed by 5 mg bid up to 6 months.
MAGNOLIA is an international multicenter, randomized, open-label, blinded endpoint evaluation, phase 3 study in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) / genitourinary (GU) cancer in whom DOAC treatment is not recommended. The study will compare the effect of abelacimab relative to dalteparin on VTE recurrence and bleeding in patients with cancer associated VTE who are at a high bleeding risk with non-resectable, locally or regionally invasive GI / GU tumors. Abelacimab 150 mg will be administered intravenously (IV) on Day 1 and subcutaneously (SC) monthly thereafter for up to 6 months; dalteparin administered subcutaneously will be given daily, 200 IU/kg/day for the first month, and then 150 IU/kg/day up to 6 months.
About the AZALEA-TIMI 71 Phase 2 Trial
The AZALEA-TIMI 71 trial is an event-driven, randomized, active-controlled, blinded endpoint, parallel-group study to evaluate the effect of two blinded doses of abelacimab relative to open label rivaroxaban on the rate of major or clinically relevant non-major (CRNM) bleeding events in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who are at moderate-to-high risk of stroke. The trial completed enrollment in December 2021, with 1287 patients across 95 global study sites including the U.S., Canada, as well as from parts of Europe, and Asia.
- Verhamme P et al. New Engl J Med July 2021 (https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2105872)
- Fernandes CJ et al. Eur. Resp. Rev. 2019 (https://err.ersjournals.com/content/28/151/180119)
- Agnelli G et al. New Engl J Med April 2020 (https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1915103)
- Abdol Razak NB et al. Cancers (Basel) Oct. 2018 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6209883/)
- Yi BA et al. J Thromb Haemost. Oct. 2021 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34714969/)
- Hsu et al. J Am Coll Cardiol. Aug. 2021 (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0735109721053213?via%3Dihub)
About Anthos Therapeutics
Anthos Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of genetically and pharmacologically validated innovative therapies to advance care for people living with cardiovascular and metabolic (CVM) diseases. Anthos Therapeutics aims to combine the agility of a biotech with the rigor of a large pharmaceutical company.
Anthos Therapeutics was launched by Blackstone Life Sciences in 2019.
For more information visit the website at https://www.anthostherapeutics.com/, Twitter at https://twitter.com/Anthos_Tx, and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/anthos-therapeutics/.
Forward Looking Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve substantial risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding the initiation, and timing, of future clinical trials, research and development, and regulatory authority submissions. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, contained in this news release, including statements regarding Anthos Therapeutics' strategy, future operations, future financial position, prospects, plans, and objectives of management, are forward-looking statements. The words "anticipate," "become", "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "target," "will," "would" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Any forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this news release represent Anthos Therapeutics' views as of the date hereof and should not be relied upon as representing Anthos Therapeutics' views as of any date subsequent to the date hereof. Anthos Therapeutics anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause Anthos Therapeutics' views to change. However, while Anthos Therapeutics may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, Anthos specifically disclaims any obligation to do so.
Media Contacts: Russo Partners LLC
Tony Russo, PhD (212) 845-4251
tony.russo@russopartnersllc.com
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SOURCE Anthos Therapeutics | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/05/05/abelacimab-first-factor-xi-inhibitor-enroll-patients-phase-3-clinical-trial/ | 2022-05-05T20:07:59Z |
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — An attorney for the parents of a child killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre who are suing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones over his false claims about the attack said Thursday that the U.S. House Jan. 6 committee has requested two years’ worth of records from Jones’ phone.
Attorney Mark Bankston told the Texas court where Jones is on trial to determine how much he owes for defaming the parents that the committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol has requested the digital records. He later said outside of court that he plans to comply with the request.
A spokesperson for the committee declined to comment Thursday.
As Jones testified at the trial on Wednesday, Bankston revealed that the Infowars host’s lead attorney, Andino Reynal, had mistakenly sent him the last two years’ worth of texts from Jones’ cellphone.
Reynal asked Judge Maya Guerra Gamble to declare a mistrial over the mistaken transfer of records and said they should have been returned and any copies destroyed. Gamble rejected the request.
Reynal also accused Bankston of trying to perform “for a national audience.” He said the material included a review copy of text messages over six months from late 2019 into the first quarter of 2020.
Bankston said his team followed Texas’ civil rules of evidence and that Jones’ attorneys missed their chance to properly request the return of the records.
“Mr. Reynal is using a fig leaf (to cover) for his own malpractice,” Bankston said.
He said the records mistakenly sent to him included some medical records of plaintiffs in other lawsuits against Jones.
“Mr. Jones and his intimate messages with Roger Stone are not protected,” Bankston said, referring to former President Donald Trump’s longtime ally.
Rolling Stone, quoting unnamed sources, reported Wednesday evening that the Jan. 6 committee was preparing to subpoena the data from the parents’ attorneys to assist in the investigation of the deadly riot.
Bankston said outside of court Thursday that the committee had requested the phone records, but hadn’t subpoenaed them. He also said he wasn’t familiar with everything that was in the records yet, including whether they include any information that the committee is seeking, because there was so much information in them.
“We don’t know (yet) the full scope and breadth,” of the material, Bankston said. “We certainly saw text messages from as far back as 2019. … In terms of what all is on that phone, it’s going to take a little while to figure that out.”
“The Jan. 6 committee doesn’t have any more information about what’s on that phone than I do. I don’t know if it even covers the time period they are interested in,” he said
Jones didn’t attend Thursday’s court proceedings. But on his Infowars show Thursday, he said the records were from a year before Jan. 6 and had “nothing to do with it.”
“And if anything, I say more radical things on air than I do on text messages. And the idea that there’s some type of criminal activity on there is preposterous,” he said.
The jury in Austin is deciding how much Jones should pay to the parents of a child killed in the 2012 school massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, because of his and Infowars’ repeated false claims that the shooting was a hoax created by advocates for gun control. Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, the parents suing Jones, are seeking at least $150 million in damages.
Last month, the Jan. 6 committee showed graphic and violent text messages and played videos of right-wing figures, including Jones, and others vowing that Jan. 6 would be the day they would fight for Trump.
The committee first subpoenaed Jones in November, demanding a deposition and documents related to his efforts to spread misinformation about the 2020 election and a rally on the day of the attack.
In the subpoena letter, Rep. Bennie Thompson, the Democratic chairman, said Jones helped organize the Jan. 6 rally at the Ellipse that preceded the insurrection. He also wrote that Jones repeatedly promoted Trump’s false claims of election fraud, urged his listeners to go to Washington for the rally, and march from the Ellipse to the Capitol. Thompson also wrote that Jones “made statements implying that you had knowledge about the plans of President Trump with respect to the rally.”
The nine-member panel was especially interested in what Jones said shortly after Trump’s now-infamous Dec. 19, 2020, tweet in which he told his supporters to “be there, will be wild!” on Jan. 6.
“You went on InfoWars that same day and called the tweet ‘One of the most historic events in American history,’” the letter continued.
In January, Jones was deposed by the committee during an hourslong, virtual meeting in which he said he exercised his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination “almost 100 times.”
___
Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri in Washington, D.C., and Jill Bleed in Little Rock, Arkansas, contributed to this report.
___
Find more of the AP’s coverage of Alex Jones: https://apnews.com/hub/alex-jones | https://cw33.com/news/ap-top-headlines/sandy-hook-attorney-jan-6-panel-asks-for-alex-jones-texts/ | 2022-08-05T13:13:22Z |
A pharmacist in McGregor, Minnesota, refused to fill a woman's morning-after pill prescription because it violated his "beliefs," a lawsuit alleges.
When Andrea Anderson's first contraception method failed in January 2019, she turned to ella, otherwise known as the "morning after pill" or emergency contraception, to prevent a possible pregnancy, the suit filed in Atkin County, Minnesota, said. McGregor, Minnesota, is roughly 122 miles north of Minneapolis.
Anderson got a prescription and had her doctor send it to the only pharmacy in the area at that time, the McGregor Thrifty White pharmacy, according to the court document.
But when she got to the pharmacy, according to the suit, "the pharmacist on duty told her that he would be unable to fill her prescription because of his 'beliefs.'"
George Badeaux, the pharmacist, told Anderson that due to "personal reasons" he would not fill her prescription, the suit said.
Badeaux "did not clarify what his beliefs were or why they interfered with his ability to perform his job as a medical professional," according to the complaint.
The pharmacy's owner would later tell Anderson that he didn't "agree with" Badeaux's refusal to fill the prescription, but that Badeaux was a local pastor, according to the suit.
Attorneys for Badeaux and the pharmacy did not return CNN's requests for comment this week.
After trying multiple pharmacies, Anderson eventually found one that would fill her prescription more than 50 miles away from where she lived, as a snowstorm was headed toward central Minnesota, the suit said.
She "drove over 100 miles round trip in the snowstorm in order to fill her prescription. While the drive normally takes over two hours round trip, that day it took over three hours in light of the storm," the complaint said.
The complaint argues that Badeaux, along with Thrifty White, violated Minnesota's Human Rights Act. Anderson is asking for punitive and monetary damages to be determined by a jury.
Jury selection began August 1, according to a court docket.
After the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24 2022, reproductive rights activists across the country have questioned whether contraceptive measures may be threatened, especially after Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that a ruling on that right -- among others -- should be revisited.
The House voted 228-195 on July 21 to pass a bill that would guarantee access to contraception by protecting the right to buy and use contraceptives without government restriction. It is unclear whether the bill can pass the Senate where at least 10 Republicans are needed to side with Democrats to overcome the filibuster's 60-vote threshold.
Southwest Georgia farmers took a trip on Tuesday to the Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie for the annual field day. The tour of the 600-acre research farm area allows farmers to see the latest varieties of crops growing in the fields and to hear about ongoing research. Click for more.
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Trevor Bauer’s leave extended through April 29 by MLB, union
By RONALD BLUM
AP Baseball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer’s administrative leave has been extended through April 29 by Major League Baseball and the players’ association. A person familiar with the proceedings says the decision on the extension, the 13th since the original announcement of a one-week leave, was made Thursday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement was authorized. Bauer was first placed on seven days’ paid leave last July 2 under the joint domestic violence and sexual assault policy of MLB and the union. | https://localnews8.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/04/21/trevor-bauers-leave-extended-through-april-29-by-mlb-union/ | 2022-04-21T23:33:23Z |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The traditionally insular Supreme Courtis about to face the full force of public pressure and abortion politicsas justices make a final decision on whether to throw out the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling.
The justices are entering a politically explosive new era, drafting what may well be the most consequential opinion on women’s health and privacy in 50 years, while a watchful public primed by the nation’s culture wars looks over their shoulders and tries furiously to influence the outcome.
Justice Samuel Alito appeared to be bracing for the onslaught, stiffening the spines ofhis conservative court colleaguesin his leaked draft opinion for the court’s majority that would overturn the 1973 ruling and its constitutional right to abortion.
“We cannot allow our decisions to be affected by any extraneous influences such as concern about the public’s reaction to our work,” Alito wrote in the February draft documentthat was circulated to fellow justices as they prepare a final decision, expected by June.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi often says, quoting Abraham Lincoln, public sentiment is everything. But justices, unlike lawmakers, don’t have to run for reelection.
At one point this week, more than 1,000 people flooded to the steps of the Supreme Court. In Los Angeles, police put the city on tactical alert after a confrontation between abortion rights supporters and police downtown. Fresh polling showed most Americans support preserving some access to abortion services.
“Let us fight with everything we’ve got,” Vice President Kamala Harris said in a speech at the EMILY”s List political action committee’s national conference.
While President Joe Biden and fellow proponents of abortion access are fired up to defend Roe v. Wade, the pushing is far from one-sided. Republicans who have labored toward this moment for decades with efforts to fill the court with conservative justices — gaining three during the four years of the Trump administration — are determined to finally accomplish their goal.
Urging the justices to stick to their process, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell promised that senators would “have their backs, no matter what.”
In a televised speech from the Capitol just across the street from the court, McConnell, who is a chief architect of a campaign to confirm conservative judges, encouraged the justices to “tune out the bad faith noise and feel completely free to do their jobs.”
The leaked draft gave Americans a rare, up-close sneak preview of the typically private, hidden deliberations of the high court, and the disclosure is propelling a public outpouring of opinion and protest reflective of the nation’s long debate over abortion policy — all in the run-up to the fall’s contested congressional elections.
It’s unclear if the justices will be swayed by the intense public scrutiny. But the disclosure has launched the most dramatic pulling back of the curtain on the high court’s work in modern memory. Not since the 1970s have the Supreme Court’s private deliberations become so public— in fact, the final Roe v. Wade decision leaked hours before it was announced.
Political pressure campaigns are being launched and millions of dollars unleashed on all sides, to save or end abortion access in the U.S., all while the justices privately draft their final opinion.
While the justices themselves have lifetime appointments and are shielded from the need for campaign contributions that can influence views, elected officials and candidates running for the House, Senate and offices throughout the states will be confronted with untold efforts to force them to take sides.
“Every single American is going to see where every single senator stands on protecting a woman’s right to choose,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer promised. “Americans will be watching.”
To be sure, for Democrats and others trying to preserve abortion access, public opinion is about the only tool on their side, with Congress very unlikelyto salvage the Roe v. Wade ruling on its own.
The House, led by Democrats, has already approved legislation that would protect abortion access by putting the Roe ruling into law. But the narrowly split Democratic Senate will not have the votes to follow suit without support from Republicans.
Just two Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, publicly support abortion access. And while they have introduced their own bill to keep abortion legal, it is not at all clear they would buck their own party leadership to help pass a Democratic measure.
Other Republicans, following McConnell’s lead, have been quick to focus on the leaking of the high court’s private draft, rather than the prospect that millions of American women could lose access to abortion services if Roe v. Wade is struck down.
Speculation is swirling over the rare leak and whether it was meant to build pressure for the outcome that Alito was proposing or against it.
Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, a former law clerk to Alito, described the security around the court’s work, complete with “burn bags” to collect and double-shred the day’s discarded documents. He decried the breach even as he welcomed the direction the court was taking under the draft opinion.
“While I’m convinced this leak may have been an attempt to intimidate the justices in the majority, perhaps an effort to try to get them to change their positions, I’m also confident this attempt will not succeed and it must not succeed,” Lee said on the Senate floor.
Chief Justice John Roberts has ordered an investigation into the leak, but it is unclear how long that will take and whether it would be resolved before the court issues its rulings at the end of June or early July.
Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, who has supported bills to limit abortion and is up for reelection in Wisconsin, said in a statement that neither personal beliefs nor “pressure from the radical left to intimidate sitting Supreme Court justices, should be the basis on which this profound moral issue should be decided for all of society.” | https://cw33.com/news/politics/ap-politics/abortion-draft-puts-wave-of-public-pressure-on-supreme-court/ | 2022-05-05T05:01:47Z |
American Gyasi Zardes acquired by Colorado from Columbus
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (AP) — U.S. national team forward Gyasi Zardes was acquired by Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids from the Columbus Crew for $300,000 in 2022 general allocation money. Columbus also could receive up to $1.1 million more in general allocation money if Zardes reaches multiple performance metrics and re-signs with the Crew through 2025. Zardes, a 30-year-old from Hawthorne, California, scored 61 goals in 122 games for the Crew in all competitions and has 101 goals in 276 games for Columbus and the LA Galaxy. He will be a designated player. Zardes has 14 goals in 68 appearances for the U.S. | https://localnews8.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/04/22/american-gyasi-zardes-acquired-by-colorado-from-columbus/ | 2022-04-23T01:23:54Z |
Can Congress fix the ‘shipping crisis’?
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Federal officials are looking to ease some of the backlog and other problems at U.S. shipping terminals as supply chain issues continue to affect the global economy.
Experts say transportation hubs are struggling to keep up with the surge of imports from Asia. Ships are stacking up, waiting to be unloaded, and fewer vessels are circulating, leading to maritime madness: higher shipping costs, and inflation.
While trade experts say much of the so-called “shipping crisis” can be blamed on the pandemic, Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) claims carriers are adding to the chaos, unreasonably refusing to ship goods, and charging unnecessary fees.
“We think there have been some practices employed that are anti-competitive, that penalize shippers for things they have no control over,” said Thune.
Congress passed a bipartisan bill giving the government more power at the ports and green-lighting federal agencies to look deeper into alleged unfair practices.
The Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022, introduced by Sen. Thune and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) requires the Federal Maritime Commission to investigate complaints about late fees charged by common ocean carriers, to determine whether those charges are reasonable, and to order refunds for unreasonable charges. It also prohibits common ocean carriers from unreasonably refusing cargo space when available or resorting to other discriminatory methods.
The legislation has many supporters on both sides of the aisle, including the Biden administration. Trade policy expert Collin Grabow, with the libertarian Cato Institute, says he is skeptical of the antitrust claims.
“Agricultural exporters may be suffering because they didn’t have those agreements in place ahead of time and they just assumed the shipping will always be there,” he said.
Grabow says there are larger issues at play, such as weak infrastructure and vague contracts between carriers and shippers.
“I think if the U.S. government really wanted to make a contribution, they would try to look at why our ports are not up to snuff,” he said.
Similar legislation passed both chambers of Congress and is moving toward President Biden’s desk. President Biden has already indicated his support for the bill.
Copyright 2022 Gray DC. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/04/19/can-congress-fix-shipping-crisis/ | 2022-04-21T07:50:06Z |
CINCINNATI, April 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- One thousand thirty-six new Stars were born on February 7, 2022, the GSA has announced. One of these stars is Cincinnati's own Liona Enterprises. The Streamlined Technology Acquisition Resource for Services (STARS) III Government-Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) is the successor to STARS II and provides a low-risk process for purchasing IT services. It is a highly competitive, nationwide contracting vehicle that rewards high-performing small businesses with the opportunity to compete for tasks and jobs from a smaller candidate pool throughout the country. With a ceiling of $50 billion for service-based IT solutions, it's no wonder the Federal Government and Department of Defense are ecstatic to work with awarded companies like Liona Enterprises.
Liona Enterprises, Inc. is a minority woman owned IT firm based in Cincinnati, Ohio with satellite offices across the nation. They provide IT systems design, equipment purchase, maintenance, and support services to optimize hardware and software which includes contract maintenance and per incident repair.
They've received excellent ratings from their customers across multiple service offerings including AV / VTC support services, non-core IT services (asset management, database administration, information assurance, printer management, and equipment custodian services), and subject-matter expertise.
The Department of Defense rated Liona's quality of service, schedule, cost control, and business relations as exceptional and management of key personnel as very good in Ohio. Additionally, they have described a Liona Enterprises on-site staff member in California as "highly skilled."
The opportunities are limitless now that Liona Enterprises has been awarded. To learn more about how you can benefit from the 8(a) STARS III GWAC call or email Liona Enterprises at (888) 730-3986 or sales@lionaenterprises.com today.
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SOURCE Liona Enterprises, Inc. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/04/07/stars-shine-brightly-liona-enterprises/ | 2022-04-07T22:43:21Z |
Sony has unveiled three new lenses for APS-C format cameras: the 11mm f/1.8, 15mm f/1.4 G, and 10-20mm f/4 PZ G Lenses.
NEW YORK, June 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- B&H is excited to announce three wide-angle lenses created specifically for APS-C format E-mount mirrorless cameras: the 10-20mm f/4 PZ G, 15mm f/1.4 G, and 11mm f/1.8 lenses. While each of the new offerings brings a unique set of features to the table, they all share an emphasis on wide focal lengths, bright optics, and compact builds. Made with hybrid content creators in mind, the expansive reach of the trio should appeal to architecture and landscape photographers as well as travel and lifestyle vloggers.
Sony E 15mm f/1.4 G Lens
Key Features
- E-Mount Lens/APS-C Format
- 22.5mm (35mm Equivalent)
- Aperture Range: f/1.4 to f/16
- Super ED, ED, and Aspherical Elements
- Dual Linear AF Motors; Internal Focus
- Min. Focusing Distance: 6.7"
- Suppressed Focus Breathing
- Dust- and Moisture-Resistant Design
- Physical Aperture Ring; De-Click Switch
- Rounded 7-Blade Diaphragm
Although wide-angle capture has been possible using Sony's FE lenses for full frame sensors, the sizable footprint of these designs has made for an awkward pairing with the comparably small form factor of Sony's APS-C format cameras. The 11mm and 15mm lenses become Sony's widest primes created specifically for APS-C sensors while the 10-20mm serves as a welcome update on a longtime favorite zoom. Sized perfectly to match the compact and portable design of Sony's ZV-E10, a6600, a6400, a6100, and legacy a6000-series cameras, these lenses are perfect for everyday carry while delivering exceptional performance when working in ambient light or using selective focus.
Sony E 11mm f/1.8 Lens
Key Features
- E-Mount Lens/APS-C Format
- 16.5mm (35mm Equivalent)
- Aperture Range: f/1.8 to f/22
- Dual Linear AF Motors; Internal Focus
- Min. Focusing Distance: 4.7"
- Suppressed Focus Breathing
- Dust- and Moisture-Resistant Design
- Rounded 7-Blade Diaphragm
Let's begin with the 10-20mm f/4 PZ G, an evolved version of the 10-18mm f/4 OSS, a lens responsible for covering the wide end of Sony APS-C capture for nearly a decade. The new lens weighs 6.2 oz, 22% less than its predecessor, and shaves 0.25" from its length, making it even easier to travel with or use as a set-and-forget lens for landscape or cityscape photographers on the go. The outdoor appeal of this lens is further bolstered by a dust- and moisture-resistant design, protecting it from inclement environments.
Among the major upgrades of the 10-20mm is internal zoom and focusing, which allows the lens to maintain its dimensions regardless of focal length or subject distance. In practical terms, such a design maintains a relatively consistent center of gravity, a great benefit when using a gimbal. The new lens provides the equivalent of a 15-30mm focal range, great for handheld selfies, landscapes, interiors, or general shooting. It delivers G lens quality sharpness and rendering, incorporating several aspherical and low dispersion elements to manage distortions and color fringing. A constant f/4 aperture across the zoom range benefits videographers and photographers alike.
Sony E 10-20mm f/4 PZ G Lens
Key Features
- E-Mount Lens/APS-C Format
- 15-30mm (35mm Equivalent)
- Aperture Range: f/4 to f/22
- Power Zoom Mechanism; Internal Zoom
- Dual Linear AF Motors; Internal Focus
- Suppressed Focus Breathing
- ED and Aspherical Elements
- Dust- and Moisture-Resistant Design
The incorporation of Power Zoom capabilities to the lens adds a new level of control and consistency when changing focal length. Zooming can be controlled via the zoom ring or zoom lever on the lens or on-camera via a customized control wheel or zoom lever on select models like the ZV-E10. Remote zoom is also possible via Sony's Wireless Shooting Grip or a smartphone. Autofocus is powered by two fast and quiet linear motors, which provide accurate capture with nearly no focus breathing. When using AF, you can focus as close as 7.9 inches from your subject while manual focusing permits you to get even closer, focusing down to 5 inches.
That's the 10-20mm f/4 PZ, an impressive replacement to Sony's legacy 10-18mm f/4 OSS lens. The update maintains the speed and versatility of its predecessor while improving its optical quality, physical design, and handling, making it one of the best choices for APS-C vloggers looking for a wide-angle zoom.
On to Sony's latest primes for APS-C cameras: the E 15mm f/1.4 G and E 11mm f/1.8 lenses. Both lenses rely on linear AF motors for quick and quiet AF with minimal focus breathing and, like the 10-20mm f/4 PZ, feature internal focusing, making them great for use on gimbals. Finally, they share dust- and moisture-resistant designs for reliable use under less-than-ideal environmental conditions.
Now that we know what the two lenses have in common, what, distinguishes one from the other? As their names make clear, the primary differences between the two lenses are focal length and maximum aperture. The Sony E 15mm f/1.4 G lens provides the equivalent focal length of 22.5mm, a wide perspective without going so far off the deep end to prohibit use for day-to-day subjects. Its optics are exactly what you would expect from a G lens, incorporating aspherical, ED, and Super upper ED glass to ensure clarity with minimal distortion. This lens also boasts the fastest maximum aperture (f/1.4) of any Sony APS-C format lens to date, allowing you to work under low lighting conditions as well as isolate subjects from distracting environments with ease.
Featuring a minimal focusing distance of 6.7 inches (0.15x maximum magnification), this lens can be used for creative close-ups or even handheld for selfies or vlogging. It weighs 7.7 oz and has a length of only 2.7 inches, making it equally at home in your hands, on a drone, or mounted on a gimbal. Like other G lenses, a manual aperture ring provides on-lens control and the ability to be de-clicked for video usage.
Last but certainly not least, the 11mm f/1.8 claims the title of Sony's widest prime lens for APS-C format cameras. Its equivalent focal length of 16.5mm is ideal for capturing landscapes, skyscapes, buildings, and interiors. Such an ultra-wide view is also a perfect match for Active Mode image stabilization to create steady walking shots. Though not as fast as the 15mm, its f/1.8 maximum aperture is plenty equipped to handle low-light environments and provide selective focusing when needed.
Of the three new lenses, the 11mm allows you to get closest to your subject with a minimum distance of 4.7 inches (0.2x maximum magnification). It is also the smallest of the trio, weighing 6.3 oz and measuring 2.25 inches in length, making it even better suited for handheld, drone, or gimbal usage.
If you prefer the speed or minimalist aesthetic of a single focal length, Sony's new primes present appealing wide-angle options for use with any of Sony's APS-C cameras. Both are wide enough for vlogging, architecture, and travel, and fast enough for selective focus and low-light capture.
Whether recording day-to-day activities around your hometown or capturing majestic landscapes in remote locations, Sony's new lenses were designed with hybrid creators in mind. Compact, lightweight, and built to endure, they are ideal travel companions. Similarly, all three prioritize quiet and reliable autofocusing so you won't miss a moment. The 10-20mm f/4 PZ G serves as a major upgrade to one of Sony's most popular APS-C lenses while the 11mm f/1.8 becomes Sony's widest APS-C prime, and the 15mm f/1.4 Sony's fastest APS-C lens.
Sony Announces Three Wide-Angle Lenses for APS-C Mirrorless Cameras
Learn More about the Three New Wide Lenses with B&H Explora
About B&H Photo Video
As the world's largest source of photography, video, and audio equipment, as well as computers, drones, and home and portable entertainment, B&H is known worldwide for its attentive, knowledgeable sales force and excellent customer service, including fast, reliable shipping. B&H has been satisfying customers worldwide for over 45 years.
Visitors to the website can access a variety of educational videos and enlightening articles. The B&H YouTube Channel has an unmatched wealth of educational content. Our entertaining and informative videos feature product overviews from our in-house specialists. You can view the B&H Event Space presentations from many of the world's foremost experts and interviews with some of technology's most dynamic personalities. Tap into this exciting resource by subscribing to the B&H YouTube Channel here. In addition to videos, the B&H Explora blog presents new product announcements, gear reviews, helpful guides, and tech news written by product experts and industry professionals, as well as our award-winning podcasts.
When you're in Manhattan, take a tour of the B&H Photo SuperStore, located at 420 Ninth Avenue. The techno-carousel spins all year round at the counters and kiosks at B&H. With hundreds of products on display, the B&H Photo SuperStore is the place to test-drive and compare all the latest gear.
Contact Information
B&H Photo Video
Henry Posner
212-615-8820
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/
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SOURCE B&H Photo | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/01/sony-announces-trio-wide-angle-lenses-aps-c-mirrorless-cameras/ | 2022-06-01T14:24:43Z |
BERWYN, Pa., Sept. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- RM LAW, P.C. announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of all persons or entities that purchased Latch, Inc. ("Latch" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: LTCH) securities during the period from May 13, 2021 through August 25, 2022 inclusive (the "Class Period").
Latch shareholders may, no later than October 31, 2022, move the Court for appointment as a lead plaintiff of the Class. If you purchased shares of Latch and would like to learn more about these claims or if you wish to discuss these matters and have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights, contact Richard A. Maniskas, Esquire toll-free at (844) 291-9299 or to sign up online, click here.
According to the complaint, on or about June 3, 2021, Latch became a public entity via business combination with TSIA. On August 25, 2022, after the market closed, Latch revealed that it would restate financial statements for 2021 and the first quarter of 2022 due to revenue recognition errors related to the sale of hardware devices. Specifically, the Company stated that "certain revenue recognition errors occurred as a result of unreported sales arrangements due to sales activity that was inconsistent with the Company's internal controls and procedures." On this news, Latch's stock fell $0.13, or 12.2%, to close at $0.95 per share on August 26, 2022, on unusually heavy trading volume.
Throughout the Class Period, defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, defendants failed to disclose to investors that there were unreported sales arrangements related to hardware devices that would result in the Company improperly recognizing revenue throughout fiscal 2021 and first quarter 2022. This material weakness in Latch's internal control over financial reporting related to revenue recognition required Latch to restate financial statements for fiscal 2021 and first quarter 2022.
If you are a member of the class, you may, no later than October 31, 2022, request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff of the class. A lead plaintiff is a representative party that acts on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. In order to be appointed lead plaintiff, the Court must determine that the class member's claim is typical of the claims of other class members, and that the class member will adequately represent the class. Under certain circumstances, one or more class members may together serve as "lead plaintiff." Your ability to share in any recovery is not, however, affected by the decision whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff. You may retain RM LAW, P.C. or other counsel of your choice, to serve as your counsel in this action.
For more information regarding this, please contact RM LAW, P.C. (Richard A. Maniskas, Esquire) toll-free at (844) 291-9299 or by email at rm@maniskas.com or click here. For more information about class action cases in general or to learn more about RM LAW, P.C. please visit our website by clicking here.
RM LAW, P.C. is a national shareholder litigation firm. RM LAW, P.C. is devoted to protecting the interests of individual and institutional investors in shareholder actions in state and federal courts nationwide.
CONTACT: RM LAW, P.C.
Richard A. Maniskas, Esquire
1055 Westlakes Dr., Ste. 300
Berwyn, PA 19312
484-324-6800
844-291-9299
rm@maniskas.com
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SOURCE RM LAW, P.C. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/09/09/rm-law-announces-class-action-lawsuit-against-latch-inc/ | 2022-09-09T23:43:39Z |
CNN+ streaming service to shut down one month after launch
(AP) - CNN’s new streaming service, CNN+, is shutting down only a month after launch.
In a Thursday memo, incoming CNN chief executive Chris Licht said the service would shut down at the end of April.
CNN+ launched when its parent was still part of AT&T. It combined with Discovery earlier this month in a new company, Warner Bros. Discovery, under Discovery CEO David Zaslav, who had his own vision for CNN and its Warner siblings.
In his memo, Licht said consumers wanted “simplicity and an all-in service” rather than “stand-alone offerings.” Discovery had previously suggested that it wanted to merge the new company’s separate streaming services, which include Discovery+ and HBO Max, into a single app.
Licht said some CNN+ content will wind up on other company networks, and the streaming service’s employees will get opportunities to apply for jobs elsewhere inside Warner Bros. Discovery. The head of CNN+, Andrew Morse, is leaving the company.
“While today’s decision is incredibly difficult, it is the right one for the long-term success of CNN. It allows us to refocus resources on the core products that drive our singular focus: further enhancing CNN’s journalism and its reputation as a global news leader,” Licht wrote.
Under AT&T, there were $100 million in development costs and some 500 employees assigned to building out CNN+. The service had attracted big names for its lineup, from former Fox anchor Chris Wallace to food-media star Alison Roman, as part of the company’s effort to appeal to younger people with a streaming news service as cable news audiences age.
There had been skepticism that a paid news streaming service would attract interest from consumers, who already have available a slew of online TV. While Fox has a paid streaming service, Fox Nation, other major TV news organizations make their apps available free.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/04/21/cnn-streaming-service-shut-down-one-month-after-launch/ | 2022-04-21T17:14:59Z |
Four Million Americans, Including 200K Illinoisans Signed AARP Petition Calling on Congress to Act
SPRINGFIELD, Ill., May 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today AARP Illinois State Director Philippe Largent and Volunteer State President Alan Hollenbeck joined U.S. Senator Dick Durbin in a call to highlight the need for Congress to lower prescription drug prices. AARP delivered a petition signed by more than 200,000 Illinoisans calling for Congress to act now and stop unfair drug prices. AARP has called for fair drug prices for years and supports legislation that passed the House in November, which would allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, put a cap on out-of-pocket costs that older adults pay for their prescription drugs and impose penalties on drug companies that raise prices faster than the rate of inflation.
"I strongly support giving Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices for seniors," U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL). "Too many Americans cannot afford their medications because of Big Pharma's greed. It is unacceptable that seniors are being forced to ration lifesaving drugs like insulin. It's time to reduce prescription drug prices for families, and I'm ready to partner with AARP to get it done."
"Americans are fed up with paying three times what people in other countries pay for the same drugs. More than four million people across the country, including 200,000 here in Illinois, are joining AARP to demand lower prices for prescription drugs," said Largent. "There will never be a better time to lower drug prices than the historic opportunity in front of Congress. Now it's time to get it done!
Lowering prescription drug prices has widespread support among voters, regardless of their party affiliation. An AARP survey of voters found that strong majorities of voters want Congress to act on the issue, with 70% saying it is very important. The survey also found that 87% of voters support allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices.
More information about AARP's Fair Drug Prices campaign can be found at aarp.org/rx.
About AARP
AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With 38 million members nationwide and 1.7 million in Illinois, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment.
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SOURCE AARP Illinois | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/31/aarp-illinois-us-senator-dick-durbin-speak-out-about-need-lower-prescription-drug-prices/ | 2022-05-31T21:10:37Z |
Declares Second Quarter Dividend
TULSA, Okla., May 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ONE Gas, Inc. (NYSE: OGS) today announced its first quarter 2022 financial results, affirmed its 2022 financial guidance and declared its quarterly dividend.
FIRST QUARTER 2022 FINANCIAL RESULTS & HIGHLIGHTS
- First quarter 2022 net income was $98.9 million, or $1.83 per diluted share, compared with $95.6 million, or $1.79 per diluted share, in the first quarter 2021;
- Actual heating degree days across the Company's service areas were 5,699 in the first quarter 2022, 9% colder than normal and 2% colder than the same period last year; and
- The board of directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.62 per share, or $2.48 per share on an annualized basis, payable on June 1, 2022, to shareholders of record at the close of business on May 16, 2022.
"In the first quarter, our maintenance and growth capital programs were both on track, underscoring the opportunities created by the location of our assets," said Robert S. McAnnally, president and chief executive officer. "In the current environment, we remain focused on our long-term strategy, which includes a commitment to safely operating our assets, expanding service to new customers, and managing costs."
FIRST QUARTER 2022 FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE
ONE Gas reported operating income of $140.8 million in the first quarter 2022, compared with $130.3 million in the first quarter 2021, which primarily reflects:
- an increase of $15.1 million from new rates;
- a decrease of $2.4 million in bad debt expense; and
- an increase of $2.6 million in residential sales due to net customer growth.
These increases were partially offset by:
- an increase of $3.7 million in outside service costs; and
- an increase of $2.2 million in employee-related costs.
For the first quarter 2022, other expense, net, increased $3.7 million compared with the same period last year. Other expense, net, includes $2.8 million of expense and $0.6 million of income for the quarters ended March 31, 2022, and 2021, respectively, related to the Company's non-qualified employee benefit plans. In addition, there is $0.8 million and $0.6 million of related expense in operations and maintenance expense for the quarters ended March 31, 2022, and 2021, respectively. In total, these non-cash expenses, which are not included in guidance, were $3.6 million higher for the quarter than the prior year.
Income tax expense includes a credit for amortization of the regulatory liability associated with excess accumulated deferred income taxes (EDIT) of $7.9 million and $8.1 million for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2022, and 2021, respectively.
Capital expenditures and asset removal costs were $122.9 million for the first quarter 2022 compared with $109.0 million in the same period last year. The increase was due primarily to expenditures for system integrity and extension of service to new areas.
REGULATORY ACTIVITIES UPDATE
Securitization
In Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Development Finance Authority (ODFA) received a hearing before the Oklahoma Supreme Court on April 13, 2022, seeking validation of the bond issuance. If the Oklahoma Supreme Court issues a ruling that validates the bond issuance by the ODFA complies with the Oklahoma securitization statute and the laws of Oklahoma, the ODFA will continue the process to issue the securitized bonds associated with the Oklahoma Natural Gas financing order. Pending a ruling from the Oklahoma Supreme Court, the financing order requests the ODFA to issue bonds and provide the net proceeds to Oklahoma Natural Gas as soon as feasible in 2022. At March 31, 2022, Oklahoma Natural Gas has deferred approximately $1.3 billion in extraordinary costs attributable to Winter Storm Uri.
In Kansas, on March 31, 2022, Kansas Gas Service submitted its application for a financing order to the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) as contemplated by the settlement reached on its financial plan. Kansas Gas Service has requested approval to issue securitized bonds to recover extraordinary costs resulting from Winter Storm Uri and flexibility to recover the costs over 5, 7, 10 or 12 years. The KCC has until Sept. 27, 2022, to review the application and issue a financing order if it deems the issuance of securitized bonds to be appropriate. If the KCC approves the financing order, the Company can begin the process to issue the securitized bonds. At March 31, 2022, Kansas Gas Service has deferred approximately $335.6 million in extraordinary costs, net of penalties billed, attributable to Winter Storm Uri.
In Texas, the Texas Public Finance Authority has begun the process to issue securitized bonds, which by statute, must be issued no later than Aug. 7, 2022. At March 31, 2022, Texas Gas Service has deferred approximately $248.3 million in extraordinary costs associated with Winter Storm Uri, which includes $50.7 million attributable to the West Texas service area. Pursuant to the approved settlement order, in January 2022, Texas Gas Service began collecting the extraordinary costs, including carrying costs, attributable to the West Texas service area from those customers over a three year period.
Other Regulatory Updates
In March 2022, Oklahoma Natural Gas filed its first annual Performance-Based Rate Change (PBRC) application following the general rate case that was approved in November 2021. The filing is for a calendar year 2021 test year and includes a requested base rate increase of $19.7 million, energy efficiency program incentive of $2.3 million and an estimated $9.1 million credit associated with EDIT. If approved, new rates are expected to become effective in the third quarter 2022, and EDIT is expected to be credited to customers in 2023.
In February 2022, Texas Gas Service made Gas Reliability Infrastructure Program (GRIP) filings for all customers in the Central-Gulf Service Area, requesting a $9.1 million increase to be effective in June 2022.
In March 2022, Texas Gas Service made GRIP filings for all customers in the West Texas service area, requesting a $5.0 million increase to be effective in July 2022.
In April 2022, Texas Gas Service filed its annual Cost-of-Service Adjustment filing for the incorporated area of the Rio Grande Valley service area, requesting an increase of $2.9 million. If approved, new rates will become effective in August 2022.
2022 FINANCIAL GUIDANCE
ONE Gas affirmed its financial guidance issued on Jan. 18, 2022, with 2022 net income and earnings per share expected to be in the range of $215 million to $227 million, and $3.96 to $4.20 per diluted share. Capital expenditures, including asset removal costs, are expected to be approximately $650 million for 2022.
EARNINGS CONFERENCE CALL AND WEBCAST
The ONE Gas executive management team will conduct a conference call on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, at 11 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (10 a.m. Central Daylight Time). The call also will be carried live on the ONE Gas website.
To participate in the telephone conference call, dial 888-254-3590, passcode 9128072, or log on to www.onegas.com/investors and select Events and Presentations.
If you are unable to participate in the conference call or the webcast, a replay will be available on the ONE Gas website, www.onegas.com, for 30 days. A recording will be available by phone for seven days. The playback call may be accessed at 888-203-1112, passcode 9128072.
ONE Gas, Inc. (NYSE: OGS) is a 100% regulated natural gas utility, and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "OGS." ONE Gas is included in the S&P MidCap 400 Index and is one of the largest natural gas utilities in the United States.
Headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, ONE Gas provides a reliable and affordable energy choice to more than 2.3 million customers in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Its divisions include Kansas Gas Service, the largest natural gas distributor in Kansas; Oklahoma Natural Gas, the largest in Oklahoma; and Texas Gas Service, the third largest in Texas, in terms of customers.
For more information and the latest news about ONE Gas, visit onegas.com and follow its social channels: @ONEGas, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Some of the statements contained and incorporated in this news release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. The forward-looking statements relate to our anticipated financial performance, liquidity, management's plans and objectives for our future operations, our business prospects, the outcome of regulatory and legal proceedings, market conditions and other matters. We make these forward-looking statements in reliance on the safe harbor protections provided under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The following discussion is intended to identify important factors that could cause future outcomes to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements include the items identified in the preceding paragraph, the information concerning possible or assumed future results of our operations and other statements contained or incorporated in this news release identified by words such as "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe," "should," "goal," "forecast," "guidance," "could," "may," "continue," "might," "potential," "scheduled," "likely," and other words and terms of similar meaning.
One should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which are applicable only as of the date of this news release. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Those factors may affect our operations, markets, products, services and prices. In addition to any assumptions and other factors referred to specifically in connection with the forward-looking statements, factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in any forward-looking statement include, among others, the following:
- our ability to recover costs (including operating costs and increased commodity costs related to Winter Storm Uri in February 2021), income taxes and amounts equivalent to the cost of property, plant and equipment, regulatory assets and our allowed rate of return in our regulated rates;
- cyber-attacks, which, according to experts, have increased in volume and sophistication since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, or breaches of technology systems that could disrupt our operations or result in the loss or exposure of confidential or sensitive customer, employee or Company information; further, increased remote working arrangements as a result of the pandemic have required enhancements and modifications to our IT infrastructure (e.g. Internet, Virtual Private Network, remote collaboration systems, etc.), and any failures of the technologies, including third-party service providers, that facilitate working remotely could limit our ability to conduct ordinary operations or expose us to increased risk or effect of an attack;
- our ability to manage our operations and maintenance costs;
- the concentration of our operations in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas;
- changes in regulation of natural gas distribution services, particularly those in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas;
- the economic climate and, particularly, its effect on the natural gas requirements of our residential and commercial customers;
- the length and severity of a pandemic or other health crisis, such as the outbreak of COVID-19, including the impact to our operations, customers, contractors, vendors and employees, the effectiveness of vaccine campaigns (including the COVID-19 vaccine campaign) on our workforce and customers and the effect of other measures or mandates that international, federal, state and local governments, agencies, law enforcement and/or health authorities implement to address the pandemic or other health crisis, which could (as with COVID-19) precipitate or exacerbate one or more of the above-mentioned and/or other risks, and significantly disrupt or prevent us from operating our business in the ordinary course for an extended period;
- competition from alternative forms of energy, including, but not limited to, electricity, solar power, wind power, geothermal energy and biofuels;
- conservation and energy efficiency efforts of our customers;
- adverse weather conditions and variations in weather, including seasonal effects on demand and/or supply, the occurrence of severe storms in the territories in which we operate, and climate change, and the related effects on supply, demand, and costs;
- indebtedness could make us more vulnerable to general adverse economic and industry conditions, limit our ability to borrow additional funds and/or place us at competitive disadvantage compared with competitors;
- our ability to secure reliable, competitively priced and flexible natural gas transportation and supply, including decisions by natural gas producers to reduce production or shut-in producing natural gas wells and expiration of existing supply and transportation and storage arrangements that are not replaced with contracts with similar terms and pricing;
- our ability to complete necessary or desirable expansion or infrastructure development projects, which may delay or prevent us from serving our customers or expanding our business;
- operational and mechanical hazards or interruptions;
- adverse labor relations;
- the effectiveness of our strategies to reduce earnings lag, revenue protection strategies and risk mitigation strategies, which may be affected by risks beyond our control such as commodity price volatility, counterparty performance or creditworthiness and interest rate risk;
- the capital-intensive nature of our business, and the availability of and access to, in general, funds to meet our debt obligations prior to or when they become due and to fund our operations and capital expenditures, either through (i) cash on hand, (ii) operating cash flow, or (iii) access to the capital markets and other sources of liquidity;
- our ability to obtain capital on commercially reasonable terms, or on terms acceptable to us, or at all;
- limitations on our operating flexibility, earnings and cash flows due to restrictions in our financing arrangements;
- cross-default provisions in our borrowing arrangements, which may lead to our inability to satisfy all of our outstanding obligations in the event of a default on our part;
- changes in the financial markets during the periods covered by the forward-looking statements, particularly those affecting the availability of capital and our ability to refinance existing debt and fund investments and acquisitions to execute our business strategy;
- actions of rating agencies, including the ratings of debt, general corporate ratings and changes in the rating agencies' ratings criteria;
- changes in inflation and interest rates;
- our ability to recover the costs of natural gas purchased for our customers, including those related to Winter Storm Uri and any related financing required to support our purchase of natural gas supply, including the securitized financings currently contemplated in each of our jurisdictions;
- impact of potential impairment charges;
- volatility and changes in markets for natural gas and our ability to secure additional and sufficient liquidity on reasonable commercial terms to cover costs associated with such volatility;
- possible loss of local distribution company franchises or other adverse effects caused by the actions of municipalities;
- payment and performance by counterparties and customers as contracted and when due, including our counterparties maintaining ordinary course terms of supply and payments;
- changes in existing or the addition of new environmental, safety, tax and other laws to which we and our subsidiaries are subject, including those that may require significant expenditures, significant increases in operating costs or, in the case of noncompliance, substantial fines or penalties;
- the effectiveness of our risk-management policies and procedures, and employees violating our risk-management policies;
- the uncertainty of estimates, including accruals and costs of environmental remediation;
- advances in technology, including technologies that increase efficiency or that improve electricity's competitive position relative to natural gas;
- population growth rates and changes in the demographic patterns of the markets we serve, and economic conditions in these areas' housing markets;
- acts of nature and the potential effects of threatened or actual terrorism and war, including recent events in Europe;
- the sufficiency of insurance coverage to cover losses;
- the effects of our strategies to reduce tax payments;
- the effects of litigation and regulatory investigations, proceedings, including our rate cases, or inquiries and the requirements of our regulators as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017;
- changes in accounting standards;
- changes in corporate governance standards;
- discovery of material weaknesses in our internal controls;
- our ability to comply with all covenants in our indentures and the ONE Gas Credit Agreement, a violation of which, if not cured in a timely manner, could trigger a default of our obligations;
- our ability to attract and retain talented employees, management and directors, and shortage of skilled-labor;
- unexpected increases in the costs of providing health care benefits, along with pension and postemployment health care benefits, as well as declines in the discount rates on, declines in the market value of the debt and equity securities of, and increases in funding requirements for, our defined benefit plans; and
- our ability to successfully complete merger, acquisition or divestiture plans, regulatory or other limitations imposed as a result of a merger, acquisition or divestiture, and the success of the business following a merger, acquisition or divestiture.
These factors are not necessarily all of the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any of our forward-looking statements. Other factors could also have material adverse effects on our future results. These and other risks are described in greater detail in Part 1, Item 1A, Risk Factors, in our Annual Report. All forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under securities laws, we undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statement whether as a result of new information, subsequent events or change in circumstances, expectations or otherwise.
APPENDIX
Analyst Contact:
Brandon Lohse
918-947-7472
Media Contact:
Leah Harper
918-947-7123
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SOURCE ONE Gas, Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/05/02/one-gas-announces-first-quarter-2022-financial-results-affirms-2022-financial-guidance/ | 2022-05-02T22:36:25Z |
St. Petersburg, Fla., April 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- JBM® Institutional Multifamily Advisors continues their domination of the Florida multifamily market. They currently have 19 listings either under contract, available, or coming soon – for a total volume of $1.57 billion and 4,143 total units.
Notable listings include:
Southwest Florida
- The Pearl Founders Square (coming soon) – 400 units – 2022 built Class A+ merchant development – Naples, FL
- BOLD Lofts (coming soon) – 98 units – 2019 built Class A structured parking community in downtown – Sarasota, FL
- Vive (available) – 288 units – 2021 built Class A – Fort Myers, FL
- Charlotte Commons (available) – 264 units – 2022 built Class A merchant development – Port Charlotte, FL
- ShoreView (available) – 216 units – 2021 built Class A waterfront community – Bradenton, FL
- The Palms at Cape Coral (available, pre-leasing) – 280 units – 2022/2023 built Class A merchant development community – Cape Coral, FL
- Alvista Golden Gate (available) – 200 units – 1988 built value-add opportunity – Naples, FL
- Bear Creek (available) – 120 units – 1995 built fully affordable community – Naples, FL
- The Point at Bella Grove (available) – 180 units – 2017 built Class A community – Sarasota, FL
- The Bergamot Apartments on 780 (available) – 98 units – 2020 built Class A community – Sarasota, FL
- Opus (under contract) – 63 units – 2000 built value-add opportunity – Naples, FL
- Ridgelake (under contract) – 329 units – 2020 built Class A community – Sarasota, FL
- The Reserve at Coconut Point (under contract) – 180 units – 2022 built Class A community – Estero, FL
Tampa/St. Petersburg
- The Marquis of Tampa (available) – 357 units – 1998 built value-add opportunity with SFR-like features – Tampa, FL
- The Park at Treviso (available) – 304 units – 1972 built value-add opportunity – St. Petersburg, FL
Central and North Florida
- San Marco Village (under contract) – 106 units – 1973 built value-add opportunity – Jacksonville, FL
- The Addison at Clermont (under contract) – 230 units – 2020 built Class A community – Clermont, FL
JBM® National Multifamily Brokerage Rankings
JBM® is ranked as the #1 Boutique Brokerage Firm in the U.S.A.
JBM® is ranked #2 Highest Average Sales Price Per Property in the U.S.A. (minimum 10 transactions)
JBM® is ranked #1 for market share in Southwest Florida (over 70% over the last 20+ years)
JBM® is ranked #14 Largest Broker by Sales Volume in the entire U.S.A.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE JBM Institutional Multifamily Advisors | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/04/22/jbm-current-listings-surpasses-15-billion-multifamily/ | 2022-04-22T17:13:15Z |
Should I get an Arlo or Miku baby monitor?
When it comes to our babies’ safety and well-being, we instinctively do everything within our power to control and maintain their environment.
With all the smart,efficient technology available, it’s no wonder that any caretaker or parent would want to invest in a baby monitor. They provide peace of mind and convenience, especially those with additional features and high-quality performance.
Arlo and Miku are two compelling baby monitors. Both offer endless features and capabilities, providing the uncompromising reliability you need when caring for a baby.
Arlo baby monitor
The Arlo Baby Monitor is a smart, all-inclusive baby monitoring camera that features a distinctive, fun, child-friendly design. It boasts an impressive range of features, allows live viewing and delivers smart alerts to paired devices through a convenient app. The brand says that this highly intelligent product will ensure you never have to leave your baby alone again. These monitors cost approximately $285.
Arlo baby monitor pros
You can set up and pair this monitor straight out of the box in an easy process that only takes minutes. Furthermore, it’s extremely simple to use and navigate once you’ve connected it to the app. Most users feel that the camera has spectacular high-definition picture quality and unparalleled night vision, features that are paramount for concerned parents and caretakers.
Perhaps the most recognizable characteristic of the Arlo monitor is its cute, playful design, which looks like either a rabbit, a cat or a dog. Unlike the competing Miku, you can effortlessly pair this monitor with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and more, adding layers of convenience and worry-free accessibility.
Arlo baby monitor cons
Despite its technological advantages, parents have reported an array of technical difficulties. The most common are delays in video, missed notifications, connectivity issues and inaccurate temperature readings. Another, relatively uncommon, issue is the camera becoming overheated. Considering that these monitors are supposed to enhance safety, these complaints are difficult to ignore completely.
When compared with other models, the Arlo baby monitor also yields a poorer-quality sound, which can be quite an inconvenience for worried parents and caretakers. Similarly, some users have reported delays in playback.
It’s imperative to have helpful, patient customer service, especially for such costly technology. However, many Arlo consumers have reported difficulties getting support with isolated or recurring issues.
Miku baby monitor
The maker of the Miku Pro Smart Baby Monitor highlights its technological prowess, particularly its ability to monitor your baby’s health and sleeping habits wirelessly. In addition, it stresses the accuracy of the monitor’s readings and the fact that it operates without wires or devices connected to your sleeping child.
Miku baby monitors are at the higher end of the price range for video baby monitors, averaging around $399.
Miku baby monitor pros
Most people who have used competitors’ products feel that the Miku is truly better. It sets itself apart with its phenomenal sound, far exceeding expectations in many cases.
Another invaluable feature is that this monitor can function even without an internet connection, especially important if you tend to lose your internet connection regularly. Miku’s monitor processes data locally and not over the internet, making it both more private, but also allowing it to operate significantly faster. Many considered this the most valuable quality that separates it from the others.
Miku baby monitor cons
Unlike its Arlo counterpart, you cannot pair the Miku with any Google applications or Amazon Alexa. It also has its occasional technical issues, though to a lesser degree than many other brands.
Should you get an Arlo or a Miku baby monitor?
In a lot of ways, particularly in terms of features and functions, these monitors are similar. Both embrace comfort and convenience with user-friendly technology and accessories. In addition, both feature crystal-clear high-definition video and various other functions to track a baby’s health and general comfort.
However, Miku’s product is far more reliable, ensuring it’s up to the task of monitoring that which is most precious to us. It works continuously, without the many interruptions and glitches of some comparable products.
It’s also significantly more expensive. But most users feel it’s worth the convenience of owning a fully functional, reliable baby monitor. Therefore, it’s best to make a greater financial investment in the Miku baby monitor.
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Michael Joffe writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/baby-kids-br/health-safety-br/arlo-baby-monitor-vs-miku-baby-monitor/ | 2022-07-11T14:22:44Z |
Funeral services for Jimmie Roland Franklin, 79 of Temple, will be held at 10:00 AM Wednesday, July 6, 2022 at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home. Burial will be follow at Bellwood Memorial Park.
Mr. Franklin died Thursday, June 30, 2022 in a Temple care center.
Jimmie was born on May 21, 1943 in Louisiana to the late Grady F. Franklin and Alvina M. Trappe Franklin. He worked at Wiesner Auto Clinic for over 40 years. He also owned and operated Franklin Supply in Temple. Jimmie attended Oak Park United Methodist Church in Temple. He could fix anything and enjoyed tinkering on most anything. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his wife, Shirley Ann Franklin in 2020.
Survivors include his son, Mark A. Franklin and wife Laurie of Houston; his brothers, Nathan Franklin and wife Doris of Bryan and Richard Franklin and wife Shirley of Rogers; and a granddaughter, Emily Franklin of Houston | https://www.tdtnews.com/obituaries/article_e4637de0-fc6e-11ec-9af8-f3503e87894a.html | 2022-07-06T12:19:36Z |
How a crowded GOP field could help Trump in 2024 campaign
NEW YORK (AP) — As he considers another White House run, polls show former President Donald Trump is the most popular figure in the Republican Party. But it wasn’t always that way.
Competing at one point against a dozen rivals for the GOP presidential nomination in 2016, Trump won only about a third of the vote in key early states. He even lost the Iowa caucuses, which kick off the nomination process.
But he was able to prevail nonetheless because those in the party who opposed his brand of divisive politics were never able to coalesce around a single rival to confront him. And with Trump mulling another White House bid as soon as this summer, the same dynamic could repeat.
With a growing list of candidates gearing up for their own presidential runs, even a Trump diminished by two impeachments and mounting legal vulnerabilities could hold a commanding position in a fractured, multi-candidate GOP primary.
“I fear it could end up the same way as 2016, which basically was everyone thought everyone else should get out,” said Republican strategist Mike DuHaime, who advised former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s campaign that year. “I think every major candidate realized that he or she would have a better shot against Trump one-on-one. But of course each person thought he or she should be the one to get that shot and nobody got out of the way. ... And then it was too late.”
The anxiety is mounting as a growing list of potential rivals take increasingly brazen steps, delivering high-profile speeches, running ads, courting donors and making repeat visits to early voting states.
That group now includes upward of a dozen could-be-candidates, including Trump’s former Vice President, Mike Pence, his former Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, and Sens. Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton, Rick Scot, and Tim Scott, all of whom could run on the former president’s policies. In the anti-Trump lane, figures like Rep. Liz Cheney and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan are raising their profiles.
Meanwhile, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is increasingly seen as Trump’s heir apparent, even by the former president’s most loyal supporters, and viewed by Trump allies as his most formidable potential challenger.
While some, like former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, have said they will not challenge Trump if he does go forward with a run, others, like Christie, seem to be gunning for the fight, even if they seem to be longshot contenders.
“I’m definitely giving it serious thought. I’m not gonna make any decision probably until the end of the year,” Christie said in a recent interview.
“For me, it’s about the party needing to go in in a new direction from a personality perspective, and to continue to have someone who can bring strong leadership, tough leadership, that the country needs, but doesn’t have all of the other drama that goes along with it,” he said. “I’m hearing the same things from donors that I’m hearing from voters — that they’re very concerned that we can’t put ourselves in a position to have 2024 be about anything but the good of the country.”
Pompeo, who has had a busy travel schedule and plans to return to Iowa this summer, said in a recent interview that he has been spending time reading and listening to former President Ronald Reagan’s speeches as he prepares for a possible run.
“We’re getting ready to stay in the fight,” he said in an interview last month as he courted evangelical Christians at a gathering in Nashville, Tennessee.
He said he and his wife would sit down after the midterm elections and “think our way through it, pray our way through it, and decide where’s best to serve. It could be presenting ourselves for elected office again. We may choose a different path. But we’re not gonna walk away from these things that I’ve been working on for 30 years now. They matter too much.”
In the meantime, he sketched out a possible lane in much the same mold as Trump.
“He was a disruptor that was most necessary in 2016, there’s no doubt about that,” Pompeo said. And now the task is to take those set of understandings, those set of principles, and defend them and build upon them. And it’s gonna take a lot of work to do that, leaders of real fortitude and character to do that.”
The increasingly open talk comes as Trump faces a cascade of escalating legal troubles.
The congressional committee investigating the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection has revealed increasingly damaging information about Trump’s final weeks in office, while the Department of Justice has launched its own sprawling probe. In Georgia, the prosecutor investigating Trump’s potentially illegal meddling in the state’s 2020 election last week ramped up her efforts by subpoenaing members of Trump’s inner circle. And in New York, Trump, his namesake son and his daughter Ivanka have agreed to answer questions under oath beginning next week in the New York attorney general’s civil investigation into his business practices.
Mick Mulvaney, a former South Carolina congressman who served as Trump’s acting White House chief of staff, said the moves suggested potential candidates “might see an opening where none existed two months ago.”
“Trump fatigue might be a real thing,” he said, with voters asking themselves whether, if they vote for another candidate, they “can get the same policies without all the baggage.”
At the same time, Trump has seen some of his endorsed primary candidates falter. Those who have won, including Ohio GOP Senate nominee JD Vance and Pennsylvania GOP Senate nominee Mehmet Oz, have done so with about 30% of the vote, meaning that two-thirds of party voters went against Trump’s picks.
“I don’t think anybody underestimates Trump. There’s a reason he’s the most sought-after endorsement in every single Republican primary,” said GOP strategist Alex Conant. “That said, I think there’s a recognition that a lot of Republican voters are looking to the future and ready for what’s next.”
To what extent remains an open question. During a trip to Iowa this week, Arkansas Sen. Cotton declined to weigh in on Trump’s standing. But he said he hoped to be “an effective national leader, not only for my party but for the American people in my role in the Senate and any other future role I might serve.”
Still, he argued, candidates should embrace Trump’s legacy.
“I know that Donald Trump is very popular among our voters who appreciate the successes he delivered for four years in a very hostile environment. They don’t want Republicans who are running against that legacy, because they view that legacy as a great success,” he said Thursday in Cambridge, Iowa.
Meanwhile, Trump continues to move forward with his own events.
On Friday night, he campaigned in Las Vegas alongside Adam Laxalt, his pick for Nevada Senate. And on Saturday night, he will hold a rally in Anchorage, Alaska, to campaign with Republican Kelly Tshibaka, whom he has endorsed in her race against U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, and others, including former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who is now running for Congress.
Conant said it made sense for candidates to continue testing the waters for now.
“A lot of potential candidates are realizing that 2024 may be their last best chance, regardless of what Trump does,” he said. “There’s a very vulnerable Democrat in the White House, Republicans seem likely to win, and if it’s not Trump, they’re basically sidelined for the next 10 years.”
Still, Conant, who served as communications director to Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s 2016 presidential bid, noted the similarities.
“It looks like it’s increasingly clear there’s going to be a lot of people running for president. And while I think there’s an appetite for something different, the alternative to Trump needs to coalesce around one candidate,” he said. “That never happened in 2016. And it might not happen in 2024.”
__ Associated Press writers Steve Peoples in New York and Tom Beaumont in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/07/09/how-crowded-gop-field-could-help-trump-2024-campaign/ | 2022-07-09T05:43:30Z |
Tree falls through Durant home, narrowly missing residents
DURANT, Okla. (KXII) - Violent winds, hail, and lightning shook Texoma as severe storms rolled through Sunday evening.
Andreia McGinnis said she was giving her mom medicine when she heard a loud crackling sound at their Chaparral Drive, Durant home.
She didn’t know what to think. McGinnis said she thought it might be hail, or a tornado, but it was a tree branch-over 18 inches in diameter-puncturing through her wall and crashing into her mother’s room.
“In that moment of panic, something started coming through the wall,” McGinnis said. “And I grabbed my mom under her arms and dragged her off her bed into the hallway, cause I had no idea what was going on. Till the smoke cleared and we realized what happened.”
The tree was just feet away from McGinnis and her mother.
But that wasn’t the end of the damage to her home. The rain kept coming, and water began flooding in.
“Water started coming in from the rain into our living room, our bedroom,” McGinnis said. “And the bottom of the bathroom, the floor is cracked, for some reason water started pouring out of that, and the bathroom is flooded as well.”
“What do you do in this situation,” McGinnis said. “You have twins in bed. Now you’re raining inside the house. I have a person who belongs in the hospital bed, and it’s so late. What do you do? It’s very overwhelming.”
She said the fire department came and told her the home wasn’t safe to stay in, so McGinnis and her husband are working to move out with their two twin toddlers and McGinnis’s mom, who has ALS.
She said it’s scary.
“I have no idea what’s going to happen to this structure,” McGinnis said.
But they’re happy to be safe and sound.
McGinnis is now working with her tree service and insurance company to take down the rest of the tree before the next storm.
Copyright 2022 KXII. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/05/16/tree-falls-through-durant-home-narrowly-missing-residents/ | 2022-05-16T23:50:56Z |
Long John Silver's partners with local brewery to quench customers' thirst
LOUISVILLE, Ky., April 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time, you can crack open a crisp, ice-cold beer to pair with any of Long John Silver's classic menu items. Swashbockler, the national seafood company's first beverage alcohol refreshment, is a malty bock beer brewed with their signature malt vinegar to celebrate the end of Lenten season.
The origins of bock beer, and its significance to the Lenten season, date back to the Middle Ages when 17th century German monks engaged in fasts for the whole 40 days of Lent. No boiled crawfish, eggs, fruits, vegetables - they ate nothing. But how did they survive? By imbibing large quantities of a filling, calorie-rich beer that became known as bock beer.
When you taste Swashbockler beer, you will experience a beautifully balanced German-style Helles bock beverage with a 6.5% ABV and filled with notes of fresh bread, mild honey, and a hint of lemon rounded out with a slight flavor of Long John Silver's malt vinegar. It serves as the perfect companion to wash down your crispy, crunchy, and fresh seafood dish without overpowering the meal. A sip of Swashbockler and a bite of sizzling shrimp will leave your tastebuds wanting more.
To celebrate this history, Long John Silver's has partnered with Louisville brewery Shippingport Brewing Company in the creation of this Lenten beer.
"The crew at Shippingport Brewing Company represented the perfect opportunity to work with a local independent company to create a unique product for our guests to enjoy this Lenten season," said Christopher Caudill, senior vice president, marketing and innovation of Long John Silver's.
"When this idea was brought to our team, we jumped at the opportunity to give back to our community," said Amelia Pillow, founder of Shippingport Brewing Company. "When opening this business in 2021, my goal was to grow interest in the area, creating a space where people could swing by for a beer and engage with their peers right in their backyard. Adding Swashbockler to our inventory further drives that goal of supporting and promoting Louisville-based businesses."
Long John Silver's Swashbockler is available on draft at Shippingport Brewery and Sallyforth Taproom in Louisville and may make appearances at beer festivals over the summer. Hoppy hour with Long John Silver's starts now!
About Long John Silver's
Long John Silver's was founded in 1969 and has grown into the nation's largest quick-service seafood chain. With 600 restaurants nationwide and delivery available from sea to mouth-watering sea, Long John Silver's continues building on a belief that the unique seafood experience from the coasts should be accessible to all. Learn more at www.ljsilvers.com or join the conversation via social media on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
About Shippingport Brewery
Shippingport Brewing Co. and Sallyforth Taproom opened in 2021, becoming the only taproom and brewpub currently operating in the West End of Louisville, KY. Founder and brew master Amelia Pillow was inspired to bring a taste of the Portland culture she fell in love with to the heart of Louisville. Today, Shippingport Brewing manufactures and sells a variety of house beers and collaborations with local makers and features deli-style sandwiches with warm sides and plant-based options. For more information, visit www.shippingportbrewing.com.
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SOURCE Long John Silver's | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/04/01/introducing-swashbockler-beer-brewed-pair-perfectly-with-your-lenten-fish/ | 2022-04-01T13:57:28Z |
How good are Wemo Smart Plugs?
Millions of people have integrated smart home devices and smart appliances into their households. One popular and affordable way to do this is to use smart plugs. Wemo Smart Plugs allow you to control electrical appliances via the Wemo app or a third-party smart home device, such as an Amazon Echo.
Wemo claims that its smart plug lets you control your home from anywhere. It’s also said to be 45% smaller than the Wemo Smart Plug Mini, so it doesn’t obstruct other sockets in an outlet.
We wanted to find out if these claims hold up, so we tested the Wemo Smart Plug out in the real world. Here’s what we discovered.
Testing the Wemo Smart Plug
At BestReviews, we have a group of testers who try out products in their real lives over a long period. This lets us see how products really perform outside of lab conditions, letting us pick up any quirks and learn what does or doesn’t work.
For this article, our tester tried out the Wemo Smart Plug with a lamp, a piece of light art and a television set. They had used Amazon smart plugs in the past, so they were able to compare the two.
What is the Wemo Smart Plug?
The Wemo Smart Plug is a device you can use to control non-smart electronics. The smart plug connects via Wi-Fi to the Wemo app or a smart home device, such as an Amazon Echo or a Google Home device.
There are some limitations in what you can control using this kind of smart plug; it generally only switches electronics on and off. However, this control gives you the freedom to do things such as switch lights on and off without getting up or lets you turn on heaters to warm your room before you get home. We tried the Wemo Smart Plug on a few lamps and a TV and were able to successfully turn them off and on with only voice commands.
Wemo Smart Plug price and where to buy
Single Wemo Smart Plugs typically cost $16.49, though prices can vary depending on availability. You can buy them from Amazon.
How to use the Wemo Smart Plug
Start by downloading the Wemo app for your smartphone or tablet. Next, plug your Wemo Smart Plug into the outlet. Then, follow the instructions on the app to connect the plug to your Wi-Fi system. This step took several tries, and it was difficult for us to connect the plug to our Wi-Fi. Not all users have this issue, but it is a fairly common complaint.
Once you’ve managed to connect your smart plug, it’s time to plug in an electronic item. You can either control it via the Wemo app or by using another smart home device. We connected ours to an Amazon Echo, which took just seconds. Once the plug is connected to a smart home system, you can control it using voice commands.
Wemo Smart Plug benefits
Straightforward setup
In theory, the setup is straightforward. Once you’ve downloaded the Wemo app and connected the plugs to your Wi-Fi, you can start using them right away. However, in practice, this did not go as smoothly for us and it took several attempts before it connected. However, if you don’t experience any Wi-Fi issues during setup, the process is quick and easy.
Compatible with other smart home systems
Although you can use the Wemo app to control your smart plug, you have the option to control it using an existing smart home device. The Wemo Smart Plug works with Alexa and Google Assistant devices. It’s also compatible with Apple HomeKit, which users control from an iPhone or iPad. This makes it more versatile and lets you control the plug with voice commands rather than from your phone.
We tried our smart plugs with an Alexa device and were pleased with how they worked together. It was easy to pair the plugs with Alexa, and the voice controls worked well.
Doesn’t block other outlets
Wemo Smart Plugs are smaller than some other popular smart plugs, including the Wemo Mini. This means they don’t block other sockets in outlets where sockets are stacked one on top of the other. However, they’re wider than most appliances plugs, so they may block some sockets in outlets where sockets are positioned side-by-side.
Wemo Smart Plug drawbacks
Trouble with Wi-Fi connection
It wasn’t easy to connect the Wemo Smart Plug to our home Wi-Fi system. We followed the instructions from the app, but it took several tries before it finally connected. While we got there in the end, it was somewhat frustrating and could be off-putting for users who aren’t tech-savvy.
Can be unreliable
These smart plugs can randomly drop their connection. When they do so, you have to go through the Wi-Fi setup process again. We haven’t experienced this issue with any other smart plug brands we’ve tried before.
Should you get the Wemo Smart Plug?
The Wemo Smart Plug isn’t the best smart plug on the market, but it works well most of the time and comes at a reasonable price. The brand claims that it’s small enough not to block other sockets, which is true of stacked outlets. You can also control it from anywhere using the Wemo app. However, the Wemo app is somewhat slow and buggy, so you may prefer to pair it with a smart home device. All in all, it isn’t a bad product, but there are better options out there.
Consider other products
This compact smart plug doesn’t obstruct other sockets in an outlet. It’s reliable and cuts out the extra step of connecting a smart plug to an Amazon Echo device. However, this doesn’t work with non-Amazon smart home systems.
Sold by Amazon
You can use this smart plug with Alexa and Google Home devices to control a wide range of home electronics. There’s also a Kasa app that you can use to control the smart plug from any location.
Sold by Amazon
Both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi compatible, you can use this plug with Alexa and Google Home devices. It connects directly to these smart home devices, so there’s no need for a separate hub.
Sold by Amazon
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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/tools-br-lawn-garden-br/batteries-power-br/wemo-smart-plug-review-is-this-compact-alexa-and-google-assistant-enabled-plug-a-good-option-for-your-home/ | 2022-07-06T10:39:44Z |
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