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DALLAS (KDAF) — North Texas there is a winner amongst you, now they probably don’t play for the Dallas Cowboys, because unfortunately, they lost to the Tom Brady-led Tampa Bay Bucs on Sunday night.
While the Cowboys lick their wounds, the Texas Lottery reports a $25,000 winning ticket from the Cash Five game was sold over the weekend outside of Dallas-Fort Worth. The lottery tweeted, “A $25,000 winning ticket for last night’s #CashFive drawing was sold in #SevenPoints! #TexasLottery#Texas.”
That winning ticket matched all five of the winning numbers from Saturday’s drawing: 1, 4, 23, 27, and 34. It was sold at a Grab N Go on Seven Points Drive in Seven Points; the ticket was a Quick Pick.
The lottery says, “Tickets must be claimed no later than 180 days after the draw date.” | https://cw33.com/news/local/25000-winning-texas-lottery-ticket-sold-near-dallas-fort-worth/ | 2022-09-12T19:19:57Z |
All figures in USD unless stated otherwise
TORONTO, Aug. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Halo Collective Inc. ("Halo" or the "Company") (NEO: HALO) (OTCQB: HCANF) (Germany: A9KN) today announces its financial and operational results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022 ("Q2 2022").
- Revenue of $6.9 million, net of inter-company eliminations, down 24.8% compared to $9.1 million in Q2 2021. Revenue was impacted by a significant downturn in both the California and Oregon markets.
- Total sales were 2.0 million grams, a 59.4% decrease compared to 5.0 million grams in Q2 2021. Flower sales decreased by 6.2% to 1.1 million grams compared to 1.2 million grams in Q2 2021, sales of pre-rolls increased by 11.5% to 257,245 grams compared to 230,655 grams in Q2 2021, no trim and fresh frozen sales, oils and extract sales decreased by 68.3% to 597,088 grams compared to 1.9 million grams in Q2 2021, and edibles sales decreased by 88.8% to 24,820 grams compared to 221,134 grams in Q2 2021.
- The Company reported a gross profit of $2.1 million, or 31.9% gross margin, compared to gross profit of $2.2 million, or 24.1% gross margin, in Q2 2021.
- Adjusted EBITDA[1] loss of $4.1 million compared to an Adjusted EBITDA loss of $4.4 million in Q2 2021.
- The Company repaid $7.7 million in debt financing and raised $8.0 million from convertible debentures.
- As of June 30, 2022, the Company had unrestricted cash available in the amount of $1.6 million.
- In California, Halo has decided not to build out Ukiah Ventures and has sold the land associated with it. The sale of the land closed on June 30, 2022, resulting in a reduction of debt of $1.53 million, yielding net proceeds of approximately $588,000 including a seller note secured against the property for $400,000.
- Halo received regulatory approval to open three Budega™ brand retail dispensaries in Los Angeles, California. The first location opened in North Hollywood on March 14, 2022, followed by a store in Westwood, which opened on May 27, 2022. Halo plans to open its flagship store in Hollywood in the latter half of 2022. These stores will increase distribution and market awareness of Halo's proprietary brands and products in California.
On April 28, 2022, Halo Tek Inc. ("Halo Tek"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, filed a preliminary long form prospectus with the securities regulatory authorities in each of the provinces and territories of Canada, other than Québec, for the purpose of qualifying the distribution of all of the issued and outstanding common shares in the capital of Halo Tek held by Halo as a return of capital. As previously announced, on April 1, 2021, the Company intends to pursue a spin-off of certain of its software, device and intellectual property assets into Halo Tek. The spin-off of Halo Tek is expected to be completed by year end.
"The important work of defining the next phase of Halo's evolution is well underway, as we leverage our strong positioning on the West Coast to effectively execute our vertically integrated, seed-to-sale strategy," commented Katie Field, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We are sharpening Halo's strategic focus, operating smarter, and have transitioned leadership to a new team who will carry out the refreshed plan. The goal is to leverage our existing assets with a focus on near-term payback, which has led us to take numerous actions across the Company to improve operations and shed non-productive assets."
"During the quarter, we ramped up efforts in our brand sales business, specifically Hush and Budega which are resonating with West Coast consumers and continued the retail rollout in Los Angeles where we opened the second of three planned dispensaries. Meanwhile, we de-emphasized other areas such as bulk wholesale flower and trim sales which generated good revenue but yielded lower profitability. And, we have made the decision to walk away from other parts of the plan altogether such as the Ukiah Ventures buildout and Canadian retail."
"Our efforts to do more with less are already paying off. In the second quarter, we maintained steady gross margins despite the downward pressure on wholesale pricing and volumes across our markets. We have also made progress reducing Halo's indebtedness through debt paydowns."
Concluded Ms. Field, "Importantly, we are transforming the Company into a focused West Coast operator amidst market conditions in California and Oregon that continue to be very challenging, but longer-term, are expected to be fertile grounds for significant growth and profitability for well-positioned companies such as Halo. I am highly confident that Halo is on the right path as a leader in these attractive markets. The initiatives we are undertaking, including those in the second quarter, will strengthen the Company and ultimately enhance shareholder value."
Revenue
Q2 2022 revenues were $6.9 million, net of inter-company eliminations, compared to $9.1 million Q2 2021, a 24.8% decrease. In Q2 2022, Oregon generated $3.8 million in revenue compared to Q2 2021 revenue of $7.5 million. In Q2 2022, the California wholesale business generated revenues of $2.1 million compared to $1.6 million in Q2 2021, an 32.1% increase. The first Budega retail location in North Hollywood, which opened in March 2022, added revenues of $289,307 in Q2 2022. Kushbar was consolidated in July of 2021 and added revenues of $687,986 in Q2 2022.
Total Q2 2022 sales were 2.0 million grams compared to sales of 5.0 million grams in Q2 2021, a 59.4% decrease. Between Q2 2022 and Q2 2021 Flower sales decreased by 6.2%, sales of pre-rolls increased by 11.5%, oils and extract sales decreased by 68.3% and edibles sales decreased by 88.8%.
Gross Profit
The Company reported a gross profit of $2.1 million, or 31.9% gross margin, compared to gross profit of $2.2 million, or 24.1% gross margin, in Q2 2021. For Q2 2022, Oregon generated $1.4 million in gross profit with a 37.4% gross margin, compared to Q2 2021 gross profit of $2.1 million with a 27.6% gross margin.
Liquidity and Cash Balance
As of June 30, 2022, the Company had available cash in the amount of $1.6 million. On March 16, 2022, the Company entered into an additional financing agreement of C$65.0 million with Global Tech Opportunities 6 in the form of convertible debentures.
Complete results are reported in the Company's consolidated financial statements for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022, and associated management's discussion and analysis (the "Q2 2022 MD&A").
Halo is focused on the United States West Coast, where it has vertically integrated operations covering the entire value chain from seed to sale. Halo cultivates, extracts, manufactures, and distributes quality cannabis flower, pre-rolls, vape carts, edibles, and concentrates. Halo sells these products under a portfolio of brands, including Hush™, Winberry Farms™, its retail brand Budega™, and license agreements with Papa's Herb®, DNA Genetics, and FlowerShop*. In addition, Halo has opened two dispensaries in Los Angeles under the Budega™ brand in North Hollywood and Hollywood, with plans to open one more in Hollywood in the third quarter of 2022.
In the non-THC sector, Halo is expanding into health and wellness categories, including CBD and functional supplements such as nootropic nutraceuticals and non-psychotropic mushrooms. Halo, through a series of acquisitions, has product offerings in the form of beverages (H2C Beverages), dissolvable strips (Dissolve Medical), capsules (Hushrooms™), and topical supplements (Hatshe) with proposed national distribution via a strategic agreement with SWAY Energy Corporation.
Halo has successfully acquired and integrated a variety of companies which were subsequently reorganized to create Akanda Corp. (NASDAQ: AKAN), an international medical cannabis and wellness company, of which Halo currently owns 12,674,957 common shares worth approximately $12 million as of August 15, 2022. Halo has also acquired a range of software development assets, including CannPOS, Cannalift, CannaFeels, and a discrete sublingual dosing technology, Accudab. Halo intends to reorganize these entities (including their intellectual property and patent applications) into a subsidiary called Halo Tek Inc. and to complete the distribution of the shares of Halo Tek Inc. to shareholders on record at a date to be determined.
For further information regarding Halo, see Halo's disclosure documents on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
Connect with Halo Collective: Email | Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Adjusted EBITDA is a non-IFRS financial measure that the Company uses to assess its operating performance and does not have any standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. Management defines Adjusted EBITDA as earnings (loss) before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization, as adjusted for non-cash items. Adjusted EBITDA is provided to assist management and investors in determining the Company's operating performance. The Company also believes that securities analysts, investors, and other interested parties frequently use Adjusted EBITDA in the evaluation of companies, many of which present similar metrics when reporting their results. As other companies may calculate Adjusted EBITDA differently than the Company, Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies. We caution readers that Adjusted EBITDA should not be substituted for determining net loss as an indicator of operating results, or as a substitute for cash flows from operating and investing activities. For a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA, please refer to "Non-IFRS Measures" in the Q2 2022 MD&A, which is available on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.
This press release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only Halo's beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of Halo's control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved". Forward-looking information may relate to anticipated events or results including, but not limited to the Company's plans regarding its flagship dispensary in Hollywood, including the expected opening date thereof; the ability of the Hollywood stores to increase the distribution and awareness of the Company's products; the proposed spin-off with Halo Tek and the expected timing thereof; the Company's plans regarding its strategic priorities for 2022; and management's expectations regarding the ability of the Company's strategic refocusing to enhance shareholder value.
By identifying such information and statements in this manner, Halo is alerting the reader that such information and statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information and statements. In addition, in connection with the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release, Halo has made certain assumptions. Although Halo believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. Among others, the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information and statements are the following: inability of management to successfully integrate the operations of acquired businesses, changes in the consumer market for cannabis products, changes in the expected outcomes of the proposed changes to Halo's operations, the proposed spin-out with Halo Tek Inc., delays or unforeseen costs incurred in connection with construction, the ability of competitors to scale operations in Northern California, delays or unforeseen difficulties in connection with the cultivation and harvest of Halo's raw material, changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; and the other risks disclosed in the Company's annual information form dated March 31, 2022 and other disclosure documents available on the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information or statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.
The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and Halo does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking information and statements attributable to Halo or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
This press release includes trademarks, such as "Budega", "Hush", "Winberry Farms" and "Hushrooms" which are protected under applicable intellectual property laws and are the property of Halo. Solely for convenience, our trademarks referred to in this news release may appear without the ® or TM symbol, but such references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we will not assert our rights to these trademarks, trade names and services marks to the fullest extent under applicable law. Trademarks which may be used in this press release, other than those that belong to Halo, are the property of their respective owners.
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SOURCE Halo Collective Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/16/r-e-p-e-t-halo-collective-reports-second-quarter-2022-financial-results/ | 2022-08-16T13:13:34Z |
GENEVA (AP) — The head of the World Health Organization said China’s extreme approach to containing the coronavirus is unsustainable because of the highly infectious nature of the omicron variant, but that it’s up to every country to decide what policy to pursue.
At a press briefing on Tuesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described China’s “zero-COVID” strategy as “not sustainable” after similar remarks last weekdrew sharp criticism from China.
“We know the virus better and we have better tools, including vaccines, so that’s why the handling of the virus should actually be different from what we used to do at the start of the pandemic,” Tedros said. He added that the virus had changed significantly since it was first identified in Wuhan in late 2019, when China largely stopped its spread with lockdowns.
Tedros said the WHO had repeatedly advised Chinese officials about their recommended COVID containment strategies, but that “regarding their choice of policies, it is up to every country to make that choice.”
The ruthless and often chaotic implementation of zero-COVID in China has stirred considerable resentment and food shortages in Shanghai, where some residents have been under lockdown for more than a month.
WHO emergencies chief Dr. Michael Ryan said the agency recognized that China had faced a difficult situation with COVID-19 recently and commended authorities for keeping the number of deaths to a very low level.
“We understand why the initial response of China was to try and suppress infections to the maximum level (but) that strategy is not sustainable and other elements of the strategic response needs to be amplified,” he said. Ryan added that vaccination efforts should continue and emphasized that “a suppression-only strategy is not a sustainable way to exit the pandemic for any country.”
WHO chief Tedros also said the agency was trying to convince North Korea and Eritrea to begin COVID-19 vaccination.
“WHO is deeply concerned at the risk of further spread in (North Korea),” Tedros said, noting that the population is unvaccinated and there are worrying numbers of people with underlying conditions that put them at risk of severe disease.
Tedros said the WHO has asked North Korea to share more data about the outbreak there — which state media have reported is affecting more than 1 million people — but has so far had no response. He said the WHO had offered to send both North Korea and Eritrea vaccines, medicines, tests and technical support, but that neither country’s leader has yet responded.
Ryan said any unchecked transmission in countries like North Korea and Eritrea could spur the emergence of new variants, but that the WHO was powerless to act unless countries accepted its help.
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Follow AP’s coverage of the pandemic athttps://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic | https://cw33.com/health/ap-health/who-chinas-covid-plan-is-unsustainable-due-to-omicron/ | 2022-05-17T20:15:39Z |
Ukraine aid bill hitching ride to Seoul for Biden signature
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The $40 billion U.S. package of assistance for Ukraine as it tries to fend off Russia’s aggression is hitching a ride on a commercial flight to South Korea so it can be signed by President Joe Biden.
The Senate voted Thursday to finalize the new military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine as Biden was making his way to the South Korean capital, Seoul. Biden is in Asia for meetings with the leaders of South Korea, Japan and members of the Indo-Pacific group known as the Quad.
A White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly, said the bill was being flown to South Korea by a U.S. government official who was already planning to travel to the region on a commercial flight as part of the individual’s official duties. It was not clear when the bill would arrive, but the president was expected to sign it before he heads to Tokyo on Sunday.
For decades, bills that needed an urgent signature were routinely flown by White House aides to the president if he was abroad.
In 2005, President George W. Bush flew back to Washington from his Texas ranch to sign legislation requiring doctors to continue feeding a comatose Florida woman, Terri Schiavo, whose husband wanted to let her die.
An autopen was used for the first time for a bill signing in 2011, when President Barack Obama signed an extension of the Patriot Act into law while he was traveling in Europe.
He used the machine –- which was widely used at the time for mundane commercial and government purposes — because Congress took unexpectedly long to approve the renewal of that law. Its anti-terrorism powers were minutes from expiring at midnight East Coast time when Obama, in France, was awakened to sign the measure.
The Ukraine bill includes $20 billion in military aid that is expected to finance the transfer of advanced weapons systems, $8 billion in general economic support for Ukraine, nearly $5 billion in global food aid to address potential food shortages sparked by the collapse of the Ukrainian agricultural economy, and more than $1 billion in combined support for refugees.
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Fram reported from Washington
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/05/20/ukraine-aid-bill-hitching-ride-seoul-biden-signature/ | 2022-05-20T23:38:27Z |
QINGDAO, China, June 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TDH Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: PETZ) ("TDH" or the "Company"), a PRC-based company that specializes in the development, manufacturing and sales of pet food products in China and beyond, announced today that that on June 29, 2022, it received notification from The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC ("NASDAQ") confirming the Company has regained compliance with NASDAQ's minimum bid price requirement under Listing Rule 5550(a)(2). NASDAQ noted this matter is now closed.
About TDH Holdings, Inc.
Founded in April 2002, TDH Holdings, Inc. (the "Company") (NASDAQ: PETZ), is a developer, manufacturer, and distributer of a variety of pet food products under multiple brands that are sold in China, Asia, and Europe. More information about the Company can be found at www.tiandihui.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. When the Company uses words such as "may," "will," "intend," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project," "estimate" or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking statements.. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the following: the Company's goals and strategies; the Company's future business development; product and service demand and acceptance; changes in technology; economic conditions; the growth of the petfood industry in China and internationally; reputation and brand; the impact of competition and pricing; government regulations; fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in China and internationally and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing and other risks contained in reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available for review at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.
For more information, please contact:
Feng Zhang, CFO
Email: zhangfeng@tdhpet.com
Phone: +86 183-1102-1983
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SOURCE TDH Holdings, Inc. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/30/tdh-holdings-inc-regains-compliance-with-nasdaq-minimum-bid-price-requirement/ | 2022-06-30T12:47:30Z |
A trilogy of Kravis nuptials has been completed with a (probably) final ceremony in Portofino, Italy.
Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker each posted to Instagram on Sunday a photo of themselves kissing at the altar, with the caption, “happily ever after.”
The photo showed a backdrop that included scores of candles and a Madonna-and-child painting. A smiling officiant looks on.
Kardashian later added another photo of the two smiling and facing the guests moments later, with the text, “ Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Barker.”
She wore a white corseted mini-dress and a floor-length veil with a giant Virgin Mary design on the side. He wore a black suit. Both were designed by Dolce & Gabbana, according to People Magazine.
The wedding was held at Castello Brown, a castle built in the Middle Ages overlooking the Gulf of Portofino, TMZ reported.
The ceremony came after an Elvis-impersonator-officiated “practice” wedding — with no marriage license — followed by a small ceremony — with marriage license — in Santa Barbara, California.
The wedding party arrived Friday in the jet set playground of Portofino, a seaside village known for its multicolored houses and crystalline green water on the Italian Riviera coast.
Photographers snapped the couple, along with the rest of the Kardashian-Jenner clan and Barker’s daughter Alabama, as they arrived for dinner Friday and when they took to the streets again Saturday on their way to lunch. In a prelude to her wedding outfit, Kourtney wore a veil and short black dress emblazoned with a likeness of the Virgin Mary.
The reality star, 43, and the Blink-182 drummer, 46, are known for their PDA and didn’t disappoint. They were seen Friday on a boat sharing a kiss in the abundant sun — she in a T-shirt of her beau’s band and he in his favorite style condition: shirtless with his multiple tattoos on display.
A larger reception is planned later in Los Angeles, according to reports.
Barker and the oldest Kardashian sister went Instagram official with their relationship early last year. He popped the question in October, beachside with a ring of red roses and white candles at a Montecito, California, hotel.
Kourtney had a long previous relationship with Scott Disick, with whom she had three kids. Barker has been married twice. His first marriage, to Melissa Kennedy, lasted nine months. His last divorce, from Shanna Moakler, came in 2008. They wed in 2004 and share two teen kids.
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AP Entertainment Writer Leanne Italie contributed to this report.
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Follow AP Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton on Twitter: https://twitter.com/andyjamesdalton | https://cw33.com/entertainment-news/ap-entertainment/one-more-i-do-this-time-in-italy-for-kourtney-and-travis/ | 2022-05-23T13:26:30Z |
Judge throws out $4 million award for transgender student
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A judge has thrown out a $4.2 million jury award in a lawsuit filed by a transgender student in the Blue Springs School District who was denied access to male locker rooms and bathrooms.
The student, identified in court documents as R.M.A., sued in 2015. A Jackson County jury found in December that the Blue Springs School District had discriminated against the student while he attended middle and high school.
He participated in male sports but was required to use separate unisex bathrooms.
Jackson County Circuit Judge Cory Atkins ruled last month that R.M.A. had not proven that his male sex was “a contributing factor” in the district’s refusal to let him use male facilities, KCUR reported.
Atkins ruled the sole, uncontradicted evidence at the trial was that the student was excluded from male facilities because of his female genitalia.
The Missouri Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that the state’s human rights laws against sex discrimination could be extended to those who don’t conform to gender stereotypes, which was considered a significant decision for transgender rights at the time.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/06/08/judge-throws-out-4-million-award-transgender-student/ | 2022-06-08T20:34:53Z |
OMAHA, Neb., Aug. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bot Image, an Omaha-based MRI medical device company has developed an AI-driven medical device CAD software to significantly improve the accuracy and speed of prostate cancer detection (CADe) and diagnosis (CADx). The tool, called ProstatID™, combines artificial intelligence with traditional MRI scanning.
"Prostate cancer screening and detection methods adoption has changed little over the past 30 years, despite the mountain of evidence pointing to the efficacy of superior technologies and the futility of the old methods," says the company founder and CEO Dr. Randall W. Jones. "Sadly, this has resulted in the unnecessary and premature deaths of countless numbers of men in the US alone. ProstatID represents an exciting step in the fight to save lives."
Trained by analyzing thousands of MRI image sets, radiological interpretations, guided biopsies, and pathology lab results, the software's algorithm recognizes and measures the volume of the prostate gland, and detects suspicious cancerous lesions - assigning a cancer probability to each one, and suggests a diagnostic case score known as PI-RADS (Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data Sytem) score. This was proven in two clinical studies (involving 25 radiologists from around the US) to significantly improve radiologic interpretation accuracy as measured by improved detection and fewer false positives when radiologists used the aid of the CAD. This demonstrates a tremendous savings of time and cost for the patient and provider, potentially saving lives in the process via early and accurate detection.
ProstatID's ability to detect lesions and assign a cancer probability to prostate MRI cases goes far beyond existing technologies which have improved on-screen formatting of prostate MRI cases and segmentations of a patient's prostate but stopped short of aiding in detection and diagnosis.
The computer-aided design tool is currently available for use as a Software-as-a-service (SaaS) device which requires only a secure VPN tunnel connection between the radiology department server or MRI system and the cloud-based ProstatID server. The software and connectivity are both HIPAA compliant and cyber-secure.
"With FDA clearance, the path for implementation is open", says Jones, "and hospitals and radiological clinics can connect in as little as one hour of IT effort, and begin bringing this exciting technology to their patients".
Please contact Melanie Jones mjones@botimageai.com for further information.
ABOUT BOT IMAGE
Bot Image, Inc.'s mission is to blend artificial intelligence (AI) with other diagnostic mediums and bring about substantial improvements in clinical outcomes where it matters most: Improved cancer screening, detection, classification, and grading using non-invasive imaging technologies such as MRI and CT. The Omaha-based medical imaging software company's first product, ProstatID, blends AI with MRI to detect potentially cancerous lesions, assigning a cancer probability score to each, and aid physician's in the patient diagnosis.
Dr. Randall W. Jones (www.drrandallwjones.com), founder and CEO of Bot Image, is a leader in the field of MRI device development as well as prostate cancer with decades of experience in the respective specialties. Jones notes that one in eight men develop prostate cancer in their lifetime and about 30,000 die annually — figures that can be reduced by more accurate early detection and diagnosis. He further notes that by using AI to improve detection and diagnostic accuracies, billions of healthcare dollars can be saved annually by avoiding unwarranted biopsies and treatments; and in the case of prostate cancer, improved treatment planning could save countless unnecessary radical prostatectomies that have a high degree of undesirable side effects such as incontinence and/or impotence.
Jones stated that the company is expanding its clinical research relationships with key academic hospitals including co-authoring peer-reviewed journal articles, sponsored research studies, and continued SaaS services. Bot Image is also working to create several additional software products to improve the early detection and accuracy of other diseases (such as stroke assessment and liver disease) using MRI and artificial intelligence technology. The company is currently negotiating several Use and Development contracts with large service provider networks and expects exponential growth over the next few years.
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SOURCE Bot Image Inc. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/08/omaha-based-mri-medical-device-company-bot-image-receives-fda-clearance-artificial-intelligence-software-used-detection-diagnosis-prostate-cancer/ | 2022-08-08T15:42:02Z |
TORONTO, July 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Purity- IQ is pleased to announce that esteemed scientist Dr. Henry J. Stronks, FCIC has joined the organization's executive team as Chief Science Officer.
Dr. Stronks comes to Purity-IQ with more than 35 years of experience in the field of scientific analytical instrumentation, specializing in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).
"Dr. Stronks is a well known authority on NMR. His deep knowledge and experience is a huge asset to our organization and will help advance our brand integrity and protection efforts," says Deleo de Leonardis, Co-Founder and CEO at Purity-IQ. "To have him join our team is truly a coup and demonstrates our commitment to providing our clients and their consumers with trusted, authentic products."
Dr. Stronks completed a Ph.D. at the Guelph Waterloo Centre for Graduate Work in Chemistry. He went on to work for Bruker Canada Ltd., a global leader in high-value life science research and diagnostic solutions, where he served in several senior roles before being appointed President in 2008. In 2016 he took on an additional role of Global Head of Sales for Bruker's Applied, Industrial and Clinical division. Dr. Stronks is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions including being named as a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Chemistry in 2020, and being honoured by the Society of Chemical Industry, by the Royal Society of Chemistry based in London, UK for his work in liaising business and science.
"I am excited to be joining the Purity-IQ team. The mission to ensure sound science in product labelling and marketing is one that is so important and of particular interest to me as a professional that has strived to introduce science to business across Canada and globally," says Stronks. "I look forward to working with Purity-IQ and know that consumers and brands alike will benefit from better industry practices that are proven and can be verified and substantiated."
Purity-IQ is a Canada-based company that works with brands to correctly identify and verify product ingredients so that consumers can have confidence and trust in their use. The company's Mission is to enhance brand integrity and develop intellectual property through science-based solutions focused on product identity, consistency, and authenticity. It aims to one day give all consumers full transparency, trust, and confidence in all the products they use.
For more information visit: www.purity-iq.com
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SOURCE Purity-IQ Incorporated | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/13/dr-henry-j-stronks-joins-purity-iq-chief-science-officer/ | 2022-07-13T11:30:32Z |
Expansion of team will increase reach of products for health systems that alleviate stressors facing healthcare today.
PALO ALTO, Calif., June 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CloudMedx, a leader in the healthcare AI space, uses data, machine learning, and predictive analysis to help unite healthcare across the continuum and benefit patients, payers, and doctors is pleased to announce the addition of Mr. Vishnu Saxena as the Head of Provider Practice. Saxena will lead the Provider Solutions team which is essential to the continued growth and expansion efforts of the company.
Mr. Saxena is the latest in series of executive leadership hires to support the company's continued growth and market segment expansion. "We are excited to welcome Vishnu, a recognized leader in the digital healthcare space to the CloudMedx team" says Tashfeen Suleman, Co-founder and CEO. "His track record of building and growing healthcare business practices with industry leaders will assist in advancing our mission to partner with leading Provider organizations to help them succeed in the new healthcare economy" he continued.
CloudMedx is attracting top talent from some of the largest and most successful healthcare organizations, which is pinnacle to the continued strategic success and growth of the company. "Vishnu's experience in scaling business growth and helping healthcare organizations achieve their realistic digital transformation goals will be critical as we continue to expand deeper into the Provider market" said Sahar Arshad, Co-founder and COO of CloudMedx.
"I am honored to join and lead the Provider practice at CloudMedx at a time when Health Systems and IDN's need our solutions more than ever," says Vishnu. "Health systems are facing financial impact like never before including escalating operating costs driven by staffing shortages, rising labor expenses, and supply challenges," he continues. "I joined CloudMedx in part because I believe they have the industry's best platform to help address these issues. The "Healthcare in a Box" platform addresses the cost equation, automates operations, eases regulatory pressure, reduces the need for fragmented point solutions, and unlocks the value of healthcare data across operational, clinical, financial and patient workflows which is imperative for change in the industry.
CloudMedx Inc. is transforming healthcare delivery using Artificial Intelligence, giving patients, providers and payers information they need to ensure the best care, optimize outcomes, and save money. The company's data platform collects and organizes vast amounts of information from public and proprietary sources, including clinical, social, and economic insights. With powerful data visualizations, predictive analytics, interoperable tools and a suite of application services, CloudMedx provides unified patient records, unprecedented understandings of health data in various populations, and automated workflows, yielding superior outcomes. For more information, please visit www.cloudmedxhealth.com
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SOURCE CloudMedx | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/29/cloudmedx-expands-provider-solutions-team-with-executives-industry/ | 2022-06-29T19:39:26Z |
First-of-its-Kind Thermally Efficient Fabric with UPF 50+ Offers Maximum Sun Protection while Reducing Body Temperature
SUNNYVALE, Calif., June 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- LifeLabs, the first textile innovator making meaningful progress in combating the effects of climate change through thermally-efficient textiles, announces the launch of CoolLife Sun Shield Windbreakers. The lab-engineered jacket is designed to effectively protect the skin from sun exposure and aging, while simultaneously cooling the skin to prevent overheating. CoolLife is the first thermally transparent, Polyethylene based fabric that cools your body temperature by nearly 3°F and allows almost all of an individual's infrared radiation to escape, creating a continuous cooling effect unlike any other apparel on the market.
"With our CoolLife Sun Shield Windbreakers, we're disrupting the way people think about how to stay cool in the summer," said Dr. Yi Cui, Founder of LifeLabs. "Through our material innovation and science-fueled design, we've created a first-of-its-kind jacket that actually cools you while keeping you safe from the harmful effects of the sun. With our cold-to-the touch CoolLife fabric, we're showing people that you can stay cool even while you're completely covered."
LifeLabs has infused CoolLife with titanium dioxide (Ti02), a reef-safe material that occurs naturally within earth's crust. This game changing sustainable material provides long-lasting UV protection while keeping fabric featherweight for effortless movement. The CoolLife Sun Shield Windbreakers give individuals the freedom to enjoy outdoor activities to the fullest and stay safe and comfortable in simultaneous heat, high UV and strong winds.
The CoolLife Sun Shield Windbreakers are wind-resistant in a durable jersey knit made with recycled materials. The jackets feature a "sun tent" hood that hooks to a hat's brim for extra sun coverage. Men's and women's styles are available in colors inspired by the hottest and coldest places on earth including heat (coral red), shadow (charcoal gray), altitude (celestial blue) and ice (blue glass).
Priced at $129, LifeLabs CoolLife Sun Shield Windbreakers are available for purchase now on LifeLabs.Design.
LifeLabs™ is a material sciences company based on textile patents from Stanford's advanced materials laboratory. LifeLabs™ bridges the gap between academia and scientific research and commercially-viable textiles that create a more sustainable world. LifeLabs™ and the Life System™ of textiles introduce a unique suite of intellectual property and patents addressing peoples' environments, from mobility to home to work to sport. To regulate body temperature and reduce energy consumption, a key driver of climate change, LifeLabs™ created CoolLife and WarmLife technologies. CoolLife continuously cools the body temperature by nearly 3°F compared to conventional fabrics while WarmLife keeps individuals 27°F warmer with 30% less material. LifeLabs'™ patented textiles maximize comfort and performance while reducing energy on a personal and global scale.
Media Contact:
Amy Pandya
R&CPMK
(310) 967-3418
amy.pandya@rogersandcowanpmk.com
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SOURCE LifeLabs Design | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/21/cover-up-stay-cool-with-lifelabs-coollife-sun-shield-windbreakers/ | 2022-06-21T13:53:38Z |
NEW YORK, May 19, 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.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/19/myps-lawsuit-alert-levi-amp-korsinsky-notifies-playstudios-inc-investors-class-action-lawsuit-upcoming-deadline/ | 2022-05-19T18:38:53Z |
Company continues ongoing operations while strengthening its balance to achieve long-term strategic goals
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. and LOS ANGELES and SAN FRANCISCO , June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TRX®, the global leader in functional training products and world-class training content, today announced that it has initiated a process to identify a new strategic partner to support the Company in executing its future growth strategy.
To facilitate the sale, TRX has voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California, Santa Ana Division. The Company will continue to operate in the ordinary course of business, fulfilling its commitments to employees, customers, and vendors and other partners.
Since its founding in 2004, TRX has become a globally respected brand and has evolved into a digitally enabled, vertically, omni-channel fitness lifestyle brand powered by a vast community of consumers and fitness trainers. The Company's patented, flagship product, the Suspension Trainer ™, offers a unique functional training solution to the fitness world with millions of users and growing.
TRX has led the functional training market and defined its own category – Suspension Training® - through a combination of a high-quality hero product and education and training solutions that enable people to move better. To meet demand for virtual and hybrid training solutions, the Company in 2021 launched a purpose-built digital subscription-based platform—the TRX Training Club®--combining programming and training through live and -on-demand video classes to deliver a holistic and unique fitness experience. Moreover, over the past year, the Company has invested in, streamlined, and enhanced its eCommerce platform and added experienced management with the depth and skills to lead the Company in its efforts to execute across consumer, commercial and digital channels.
While the Company achieved a record-breaking year in 2020 because of the rapid growth experienced with the COVID-19 home fitness boom, today's action addresses the headwinds facing the business such as increased competition and macroeconomic challenges being faced by many other companies. This process will allow TRX to substantially reduce its debt and more rapidly adjust to post-pandemic consumer demands.
The Company intends to move through this process as quickly and efficiently as possible, emerging with a new partner, a healthy balance sheet, and strong operations for the benefit of all TRX employees, customers, vendors, and other partners.
The sale transaction will be executed through an open, court-supervised process designed to maximize value for all stakeholders. TRX expects that the deadline to submit qualified binding bids will be established at a later date pursuant to bidding and sale procedures to be approved by the Court. Interested parties should contact Jim Feltman of Kroll at James.Feltman@kroll.com.
Court filings as well as other information related to the restructuring are available at https://www.cacb.uscourts.gov or can be obtained by Company counsel by contacting Ron Bender of Levene, Neale, Bender, Yoo & Golubchik L.L.P. at RB@LNBYG.COM.
The Company is being advised by the law firm of Levene, Neale, Bender, Yoo & Golubchik L.L.P. and Kroll Securities as Chief Restructuring Officer and Financial Advisor.
Founded in 2004, TRX® was built on the revolutionary idea that fitness can be achieved with one radically simple design—Suspension Training®, the iconic black and yellow straps found in gyms across the globe that power your training with bodyweight-based movements and exercises. Today, TRX is the leader in functional training solutions for both consumers and professionals, offering a complete line of highly effective, versatile and portable fitness equipment for unparalleled full body workouts that can be performed at home, at the gym, or on the road. With the recent launch of TRX Training Club®, the company is now omnichannel and offers digital content, ranging from daily live classes to on-demand workouts, all led by world-class trainers. A top-tier professional education destination, TRX has certified over 250,000 trainers and is trusted by pro athletes, pro trainers, and physical therapists, with a loyal community of millions of fitness enthusiasts across the world. With offices in California, the U.K. and Japan, as well as sales in more than 30 countries, TRX has truly become a worldwide fitness phenomenon. For more details, go to www.trxtraining.com
Media Contacts:
Paladin for TRX
Jennifer E. Mercer
jmercer@paladinmgmt.com
or
Liz Gonzalez
lgonzalez@paladinmgmt.com
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SOURCE TRX® | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/08/trx-implements-value-maximizing-sales-process-with-comprehensive-financial-restructuring/ | 2022-06-08T16:45:07Z |
NEW YORK, July 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Gross Law Firm issues the following notice to shareholders of Apyx Medical Corporation.
Shareholders who purchased shares of APYX during the class period listed are encouraged to contact the firm regarding possible lead plaintiff appointment. Appointment as lead plaintiff is not required to partake in any recovery.
CONTACT US HERE:
https://securitiesclasslaw.com/securities/apyx-medical-corporation-loss-submission-form/?id=30240&from=4
CLASS PERIOD: May 12, 2021 to March 11, 2022
ALLEGATIONS: The complaint alleges that during the class period, Defendants issued materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) a significant number of Apyx's Advanced Energy products were used for off-label indications; (2) such off-label uses led to an increase in the number of medical device reports filed by Apyx reporting serious adverse events; (3) as a result, the Company was reasonably likely to incur regulatory scrutiny; (4) as a result of the foregoing, the Company's financial results would be adversely impacted; and (5) as a result of the foregoing, defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.
DEADLINE: August 5, 2022 Shareholders should not delay in registering for this class action. Register your information here: https://securitiesclasslaw.com/securities/apyx-medical-corporation-loss-submission-form/?id=30240&from=4
NEXT STEPS FOR SHAREHOLDERS: Once you register as a shareholder who purchased shares of APYX during the timeframe listed above, you will be enrolled in a portfolio monitoring software to provide you with status updates throughout the lifecycle of the case. The deadline to seek to be a lead plaintiff is August 5, 2022. There is no cost or obligation to you to participate in this case.
WHY GROSS LAW FIRM? The Gross Law Firm is nationally recognized class action law firm, and our mission is to protect the rights of all investors who have suffered as a result of deceit, fraud, and illegal business practices. The Gross Law Firm is committed to ensuring that companies adhere to responsible business practices and engage in good corporate citizenship. The firm seeks recovery on behalf of investors who incurred losses when false and/or misleading statements or the omission of material information by a company lead to artificial inflation of the company's stock. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
CONTACT:
The Gross Law Firm
15 West 38th Street, 12th floor
New York, NY, 10018
Email: dg@securitiesclasslaw.com
Phone: (646) 453-8903
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SOURCE The Gross Law Firm | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/27/shareholder-alert-gross-law-firm-notifies-shareholders-apyx-medical-corporation-class-action-lawsuit-lead-plaintiff-deadline-august-5-2022-nasdaq-apyx/ | 2022-07-27T11:01:36Z |
NEWARK, Calif., June 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Trive Capital announced that it has acquired Custom Microwave, Inc. (CMi), which will join the Vitesse Systems platform. Vitesse Systems was launched in 2018 following the acquisition of California Brazing. The platform is focused on mission critical assemblies that enable the advancement of communication, radar and electronic warfare systems.
CMi is a leading provider of high-performance passive antennas that are engineered for critical space and ground applications. CMi's engineering and testing expertise combined with advanced manufacturing processes such as electroforming and additive manufacturing will enable Vitesse to support a complete range of complex high-performance RF applications.
David Stinnett (Partner – Trive Capital) stated: "The proliferation of military and commercial satellites has resulted in increased demand for high performance antennas. The addition of CMi will enable Vitesse to support a broad range of LEO and GEO satellite programs and related ground-based systems. CMi will also complement Vitesse's existing thermal management and precision waveguide manufacturing capability."
Clency Lee-Yow (Owner and CEO – CMi) commented: "Partnering with Vitesse will allow us to gain broader exposure to a more diverse customer set and accelerate growth for CMi. We are excited to be able to support our customers as the demand for next generation communication systems continue to rise."
Matthew Alty (CEO – Vitesse Systems) explained: "We are excited to have Clency and the CMi team join Vitesse. CMi is not only a fantastic addition to our existing capabilities, but also a great cultural fit; an innovative people-led business with a long-standing track record of delivering antenna solutions that are critical to the security of the USA, enhance space exploration, facilitate earth observation and enable global communication."
Vitesse Systems is a leading supplier of complex cooling systems and communication hardware used in radar, electronic warfare, and data transmission applications. Headquartered in Newark, California, Vitesse operates five manufacturing facilities located in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Maryland, and Nevada. All Vitesse facilities are ITAR Registered and DFARS compliant, serving a broad range of Aerospace and Defense customers.
Trive Capital is a Dallas, Texas based private equity firm with more than $4 billion of regulatory assets under management. Trive focuses on investing equity and debt in what it sees as strategically viable middle-market companies with the potential for transformational upside through operational improvement. We seek to maximize returns through a hands-on partnership that calls for identifying and implementing value creation ideas.
The Trive team is comprised of seasoned investment professionals who have been involved in over 100 middle-market transactions representing in excess of $6 billion in revenue across Trive's targeted industry sectors and situations.
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SOURCE Trive Capital | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/21/trive-backed-vitesse-systems-acquires-custom-microwave-inc/ | 2022-06-21T20:01:10Z |
Leading global pizza chain announces strategy to open 16 locations in Hawaii, targeting military presence with veteran incentives and discounts as pathway to business ownership
DETROIT and HONOLULU, June 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Little Caesars is looking to grow its presence in paradise with a goal of opening more than 16 new franchise stores across the Hawaiian Islands by 2027. The bulk of franchise ownership opportunities are available on the island of Oahu, but the brand has also identified Kauai, Maui, the Big Island and Molokai as territories ripe for growth.
A major focus of this expansion is on providing interested military veterans located on the islands with financial incentives to open a franchise through the company's Veterans Program. Established in 2006 by Little Caesars founder Mike Ilitch, a Korean War military veteran, the program is designed to expand business opportunities for servicepeople.
"With more than 10 percent of the population made up of veterans and over 13 military bases in the state, Hawaii is home to some of our country's greatest heroes," said Craig Sherwood, Little Caesars vice president of U.S. development and a military veteran himself. "Our brand knows from experience—with hundreds of veteran-owned Little Caesars stores across the country—that military veterans make some of the best business owners out there. And in a market with such a large military presence, there are endless opportunities for veterans and other entrepreneurs to pursue business ownership by franchising with Little Caesars."
With six franchise locations currently open and operating across the Hawaiian islands and two new stores coming soon to Keaau, Hawaii, and Kahului, Maui, Little Caesars is building momentum to continue expanding, currently seeking both multi-unit and single-unit investors looking to grow their business endeavors.
Potential prospects interested in learning more about Little Caesars and its growth opportunities on the Hawaiian islands are invited to attend a live webinar on Thursday, July 7 at 6 p.m. HST. To register for this free event hosted by Little Caesars U.S. Development Manager Danny Knipper, please visit bit.ly/LCEHawaii.
Little Caesars franchising investments start at around $379,000, with incentive programs available for veterans and first responders. Interested prospects should visit Franchise.LittleCaesars.com.
Headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, Little Caesars was founded by Mike and Marian Ilitch in 1959 as a single, family-owned restaurant. Today, Little Caesars is the third largest pizza chain in the world, with stores in each of the 50 U.S. states and 27 countries and territories.
Known for its HOT-N-READY® pizza and famed Crazy Bread®, Little Caesars products are made with quality ingredients, like fresh, never frozen, mozzarella and Muenster cheese and sauce made from fresh-packed, vine-ripened California crushed tomatoes. Little Caesars is known for unique product offerings and promotions like the Pretzel Pizza, Detroit-Style Deep Dish Pizza, the Batman Calzony, and now offers 33% more pepperoni on its Classic pizza.
An exceptionally high growth company with over 60 years of experience in the $145 billion worldwide pizza industry, Little Caesars is continually looking for franchisee candidates to join our team in markets around the world. In addition to providing the opportunity for entrepreneurial independence in a franchise system, Little Caesars offers strong brand awareness with one of the most recognized and appealing characters in the country, Little Caesars.
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SOURCE Little Caesars | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/28/little-caesars-combines-paradise-pizza-patriotism-expanding-business-opportunities-hawaii/ | 2022-06-28T19:04:21Z |
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AACC has issued a new guidance document with expert recommendations for performing point-of-care tests for fertility and reproductive health. As the use of point-of-care testing rises in these fields, this guidance is intended to ensure that patients and their babies fully benefit from it.
Read the guidance document here: https://www.aacc.org/science-and-research/aacc-academy-guidance/use-of-point-of-care-testing-in-fertility-and-reproduction
Point-of-care tests are clinical tests that are performed near the patient instead of in a central lab. Due to their convenience and rapid turnaround times, these tests can help patients to get treatment much faster than traditional tests. As a result, the use of point-of-care testing has risen steadily in all areas of healthcare. In the fertility and reproductive health fields in particular, it is now used for everything from predicting ovulation and diagnosing pregnancy to managing premature rupture of membranes (PROM)—also known as a patient's water breaking—and high-risk deliveries. However, when point-of-care tests are used inappropriately or performed incorrectly, this can lead to unnecessary follow-up tests and procedures and can even put the patient's health at risk or lead to death. As just one example of this, FDA has reported infant deaths as a result of PROM test misuse.
AACC has updated guidance that it originally published in 2007 to inform healthcare professionals of the most current best practices for point-of-care testing in reproductive medicine. Highlights of the key recommendations from this document are as follows:
- Testing for PROM using commercial kits alone is not recommended without clinical signs that a patient's water has broken. Additionally, results from these tests must be interpreted in the context of a patient's clinical presentation to prevent patient harm.
- Urine luteinizing hormone tests are accurate and reliable predictors of ovulation. These tests can improve the likelihood of conception among healthy fertile women and can also be used to time certain assisted reproduction procedures. However, further study is still needed to determine the efficacy of at-home ovulation prediction kits that use saliva or measure basal body temperature.
- While blood laboratory pregnancy tests are the gold standard, healthcare providers should consider using pregnancy point-of-care tests in situations where rapid diagnosis of pregnancy is needed for treatment decisions. One such scenario is if a patient presents to the emergency department with unstable vital signs and symptoms indicative of a ruptured ectopic pregnancy that might require surgery.
"Point-of-care testing is growing in popularity as a means of delivering faster turnaround time of test results closer to the patient," said the guidance document authors Drs. James H. Nichols, Mahesheema Ali, John I. Anetor, Li-Sheng Chen, Yu Chen, Sean Collins, Saswati Das, Sridevi Devaraj, Lei Fu, Brad S. Karon, Heba Kary, Robert D. Nerenz, Alex J. Rai, Zahra Shajani-Yi, Vinita Thakur, Sihe Wang, Hoi-Ying Elsie Yu, and Lindsey E. Zamora. "Guidance is needed for optimizing the implementation of [point-of-care testing] in patient care. This guidance document revises previous recommendations and offers best practices for the use of [point-of-care testing] in fertility and reproductive health."
About AACC
Dedicated to achieving better health through laboratory medicine, AACC brings together more than 70,000 clinical laboratory professionals, physicians, research scientists, and business leaders from around the world focused on clinical chemistry, molecular diagnostics, mass spectrometry, translational medicine, lab management, and other areas of progressing laboratory science. Since 1948, AACC has worked to advance the common interests of the field, providing programs that advance scientific collaboration, knowledge, expertise, and innovation. For more information, visit www.aacc.org.
Christine DeLong
AACC
Senior Manager, Communications & PR
(p) 202.835.8722
cdelong@aacc.org
Molly Polen
AACC
Senior Director, Communications & PR
(p) 202.420.7612
(c) 703.598.0472
mpolen@aacc.org
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SOURCE AACC | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/01/aacc-releases-updated-guidance-improve-use-point-of-care-tests-fertility-reproductive-health/ | 2022-09-01T18:39:03Z |
Detroit police search for gunman in fatal ‘random’ shootings
DETROIT (AP) — Four people were shot, three fatally, by a person who appeared to be firing at people randomly over a roughly 2 1/2-hour period Sunday morning in Detroit, police said.
Police were searching for a suspect Sunday afternoon with help from the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Detroit Police Chief James White warned residents to be alert and to call 911 if they know the identity or whereabouts of the suspect.
“What we want to do today is get him off the street,” White said.
White said police traced all four shootings to one firearm and believe there is one shooter. He said investigators don’t believe there was any connection between the victims, noting one person was walking a dog and another waiting for a bus when they were shot.
He said police discovered a woman in her 40s who had been shot multiple times around 4:45 a.m. on Sunday. While officers were investigating that fatal shooting, a witness reported a 28-year-old man had been shot multiple times nearby, White said.
A third victim, a woman in her 40s, was found in the area around 6:50 a.m. She died after being shot multiple times, police said.
Around 7:10 a.m., an elderly man reported he saw a man peering into vehicles. When the elderly man told the person to get away from the cars, the gunman fired at the elderly man, who was shot once and survived, police said.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/08/28/detroit-police-search-gunman-fatal-random-shootings/ | 2022-08-29T00:34:49Z |
The No. 1 most installed fire safety brand in North America just got 'smarter' with Kidde's new suite of Wi-Fi enabled home safety detection devices
MEBANE, N.C., June 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kidde, the No. 1 most installed fire safety brand in North America*, is expanding its Healthy Homes offerings with the launch of Kidde HomeSafe™ enabled devices. This comprehensive suite of home health and safety devices comprises fully integrated solutions that enable whole-home detection of smoke, carbon monoxide, indoor air quality issues, water leaks and frozen pipes. Kidde's HomeSafe technology connects these Wi-Fi enabled advanced smart home devices and their expanded sensing capabilities to the Kidde app, providing instant notifications of home safety threats. Additionally, HomeSafe enabled products can make existing Kidde hardwired interconnected alarms, smart with a simple setup**. Kidde is a part of Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE: CARR), the leading global provider of healthy, safe, sustainable and intelligent building and cold chain solutions.
Consumers today are more connected than ever with 83% of Americans having at least one smart device in their home.1 According to a 2022 nationwide survey commissioned by Kidde and conducted online by The Harris Poll, three in five smart device owners (60%) rely on those devices to keep their families and them safe, and 69% have peace of mind knowing that those devices will alert them in real-time when an issue arises.2 Kidde HomeSafe enabled devices provide consumers with reassurance to stay on the #SmartSideofSafe with proprietary technology that merges the convenience of smartphones and connected devices with the reliability consumers have come to expect from Kidde alarms and detectors.
The new Kidde HomeSafe enabled devices offer technologies and features to help protect the people, places and things that matter:
- Smoke + Carbon Monoxide Alarm - detects both smoke and carbon monoxide with just one device.
- Smoke + Carbon Monoxide Alarm with Indoor Air Quality Monitor - offers triple detection of smoke, carbon monoxide and indoor air quality issues, including adverse temperature, humidity levels and total volatile organic compounds.
- Water Leak + Freeze Detector - helps prevent potentially costly repairs from water damage and frozen pipes by quickly alerting homeowners of water leaks or temperature drops.
"At Carrier, we know that a safe home is the foundation for a healthy home. That's why we're focused on creating smart, safe and healthy indoor environments," said Isis Wu, Vice President & General Manager, Residential Fire and Healthy Homes, Carrier Fire & Security. "Kidde's launch of HomeSafe enabled devices, including the industry's first integrated smart detection system for smoke, carbon monoxide and indoor air quality, gives homeowners greater control, more confidence and extra peace of mind when it comes to home safety – right at their fingertips."
Kidde HomeSafe enabled devices are available at The Home Depot stores nationwide and homedepot.com. For more product information, visit Kidde.com/saferhometoday.
About Kidde
Kidde, a leading manufacturer of residential smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers, and safety accessories, has been keeping the world a safer place for over 100 years. Kidde produced the first integrated smoke detection system a century ago and continues its legacy today by delivering advanced fire-safety technology. Kidde is a part of Carrier Global Corporation, the leading global provider of healthy, safe, sustainable and intelligent building and cold chain solutions. For more information, visit kidde.com or follow @KiddeSafety on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and LinkedIn.
Contact: Ivanette Bonilla
(561) 329-8392
Ivanette.Bonilla@carrier.com
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SOURCE Kidde | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/13/kidde-introduces-industrys-first-integrated-smart-detection-system-smoke-carbon-monoxide-indoor-air-quality/ | 2022-06-13T16:01:41Z |
Leading pharmaceutical companies join Vivli's new global register to accelerate research into antibiotic resistant bacteria
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Antimicrobial Resistance Register, unveiled today by the nonprofit organization Vivli, makes it possible for biopharmaceutical companies to share susceptibility data on infection causing pathogens for the first time ever in one online platform, marking a critical step in combating the growing global health threat of antimicrobial resistance. With the active participation from leading pharmaceutical and biotech enterprises, researchers will be able to use the AMR Register to translate masses of antimicrobial resistance surveillance data into meaningful action that saves lives and preserves antibiotics for future generations.
Infections caused by antimicrobial-resistant bacteria are on the rise after years of overprescribing antibiotics. Now, illnesses that were once easily treatable with antibiotics are becoming more difficult to cure, and infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria cost billions in avoidable healthcare dollars. According to latest figures from the GRAM report, almost 5 million people died worldwide with an antimicrobial resistant infection. If left unchecked, the scale of antimicrobial resistance will quickly outpace what we have experienced with COVID-19, with deaths rising to 10 million per year by 2050, according to the United Nations.
Biopharmaceutical companies routinely conduct surveillance on all new antimicrobials to monitor susceptibility to pathogens of interest, generating large volumes of high-quality data. Currently, there is no easy way for researchers to access this raw data or combine and analyze multiple datasets from industry. The AMR register will make it easy for pharmaceutical organizations to securely share their data with researchers, national governments, and multi-lateral organizations such as the United Nations, CDC and the World Health Organization. With robust, reliable industry data, all accessible in one place, scientists will be able to better map key patterns of resistance and identify the emergence of new antibiotic resistant pathogens. Research insights will also inform decision-making around use of antimicrobials, shape policies aimed at halting the spread of resistant pathogens, and spur innovation around new antimicrobial drugs.
"Our understanding of how to control antimicrobial resistant infections and how best to protect human health hinges on better access to surveillance data. Now, with the AMR Register we have an early warning system for one of the greatest public health threats we face," said Chair of the AMR Register Scientific Advisory Board Marc Mendelson, PhD, Professor of Infectious Diseases and Head of the Division of Infectious Diseases & HIV Medicine at Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town. "Biopharmaceutical company data is a vital missing link in AMR surveillance, making the research enabled by the AMR register critical to mitigating the AMR pandemic and protecting the effectiveness of antibiotics, now and in the future."
Companies that have committed to contributing their data to the AMR Register include Pfizer, GSK, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Paratek, Shionogi & Co., Ltd., and Venatorx Pharmaceuticals. Viatris have joined as a supporter of the AMR register."
In 2016, over 100 biopharmaceutical companies and trade associations signed The Davos Declaration on Antibiotic Resistance and later released the Industry Roadmap for Progress on Combating Antimicrobial Resistance ahead of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance, committing to sharing surveillance data to make it accessible to public health bodies and healthcare professionals. With the AMR Register, industry can now fulfill those commitments, helping contain the risk of AMR and advance scientific knowledge.
"We need urgent action to avert a wave of antibiotic-resistant bacteria," said Vivli's Executive Director Rebecca Li, PhD. "By making data openly available, industry is making a crucial contribution to furthering science and helping us get ahead of the next pandemic."
The AMR Register is guided by a Scientific Advisory Board of influential leaders in antimicrobial resistance and global health, including Henry Kajumbula, MD of Makerere University College of Health Sciences; Trudie Lang of the Nuffield Department of Medicine; Marc Mendelson, PhD, of Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town; Arjun Srinivasan, MD, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Janet Midega, PhD, from Wellcome; and Andy Stergachis, PhD, of the University of Washington. The AMR Register was made possible with an initial seed grant from the Wellcome Trust.
Learn more at www.amr.vivli.org
Vivli is a non-profit organization working to advance human health through the insights and discoveries gained by sharing and analyzing data. Data sharing initiatives include the Antimicrobial Resistance Register for AMR surveillance data and the Vivli Platform for clinical trial data. Vivli acts as a neutral broker between data contributor and data user and the wider data sharing community. For more information, visit www.vivli.org and follow us on Twitter @VivliCenter.
Wellcome supports science to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone. We support discovery research into life, health and wellbeing, and we're taking on three worldwide health challenges: mental health, infectious disease and climate and health.
Contact:
Rebecca Li
978.804.4980
RLI@vivli.org
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SOURCE Vivli | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/21/groundbreaking-data-sharing-initiative-launches-increase-understanding-antimicrobial-resistance/ | 2022-06-21T15:11:05Z |
How $22.8 million will change the narrative for thousands in our region
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On August 3, when the US Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced that Philadelphia Works (PhilaWorks) was one of 32 winners in the Good Jobs Challenge (GJC), the award amount became the headline. While $22.8M is certainly headline-worthy, it is not the only thing that makes this grant opportunity valuable.
The GJC grant, funded by President Biden's American Rescue Plan, invests in communities, helping them to rebuild strong, vibrant, and inclusive economies. The GJC is a challenge because, as the name suggests, it pushes workforce and economic development organizations to be innovative, resourceful, and bold in their approaches to quality job creation.
"We fully understand the significance of the opportunity in front of us," said H. Patrick Clancy, president and CEO at PhilaWorks. "Over the next three years, we have a chance to connect 3,000 people in the region to quality, family-sustaining jobs in high demand occupations and industries."
For Pennsylvania's southeast region, those quality jobs will be connected to careers in the life sciences/healthcare, energy, and the building trades/construction sectors. The employment opportunities and training programs that will develop talent pipelines into these industries will be both of quality and equitably accessible.
"Life sciences and health care are pillars of the region's economy, and represent industries where Philadelphia has exerted global leadership," said Matt Bergheiser, president of University City District, which operates the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative. "The Skills Initiative is honored to help lead this regional effort to continue to lift up and advance local talent into life-changing and region-shaping jobs."
Integral to the success of this investment will be the six workforce and economic development organizations of all six counties in Southeastern PA (Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Chester Delaware, and Berks). PhilaWorks will lead the grant work along with three "backbone" organizations, West Philadelphia Skills Initiative, Philadelphia Energy Authority, and the Philadelphia Area Labor Management Committee. The collective offers three unique value propositions for the work ahead –
equitable opportunity, wraparound services, and strong employer commitment.
Along with dedicated time for system development and program design phases, this opportunity also comes with a community of practice, led by JFF and data collection supported by the US Census Bureau.
"The excitement around this grant award is warranted," said Patricia Blumenauer, PhilaWorks' vice president of operations and data. "The ability to leverage multiple funding streams and plan for both sustainability and scalability proactively gets us in front of historic workforce challenges and funding gaps. With this structure, we'll be able to implement the full vision, and build something sustainable, a program model that will remain long after the grant period has ended."
To stay informed on grant activity, subscribe to the GJC list serve. Email specific grant questions directly to Good Jobs Challenge.
Philadelphia Works is the city's Workforce Development Board, investing in solutions and services to grow Philadelphia's economy by connecting employers to workforce talent and career seekers to jobs. We influence the public policies that support economic growth and optimize funding and resources to invest in regional solutions to build a skilled and thriving workforce. For more information about our dedicated board members and staff, workforce research, labor market data, services, and initiatives, and to view success stories, please visit philaworks.org.
Contact: Dawn Thomas
Director, Communications and Outreach
newsroom@philaworks.org
Voicemail: 215-557-2587
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SOURCE Philadelphia Works | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/22/good-jobs-challenge-grant-presents-southeastern-pennsylvania-with-unique-opportunity-equitable-growth/ | 2022-08-22T13:22:04Z |
BARCELONA, Spain, April 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The IOT Solutions World Congress (IOTSWC), the largest international event devoted to industry transformation through disruptive technologies, will hold its sixth edition from May 10 to 12 at Fira de Barcelona's Gran Via venue to give new impetus to the digital transformation of businesses and companies. Under the theme Game-changing technologies for industry transformation, IOTSWC will gather over 310 exhibitors with technological solutions that provide an edge to companies across many industries, and 200 speakers to discuss the latest trends in digital transformation through disruptive technologies.
Organised by Fira de Barcelona in partnership with the Industry IOT Consortium® (IIC™), the 2022 edition will showcase the solutions of 310 exhibiting companies including ABB, Altair, Amazon Web Services, BrainCube, Crowdstrike, Deloitte, Device Authority, EMnify, Faircom Corporation, Fiware, Hornet Security, Huawei, Kaspersky, KNX, Libellium, Palo Alto, Richardson RFPD, Relayr, Siemens, Sternum and Trellix, TXOne Networks.
Industry transformation reimagined
IOTSWC will structure its congress program in five themes that express a new cross-industry approach: Business optimization, Artificial Intelligence, Connectivity, Security and Customer Experience.
The list of speakers includes Ann Dunkin, Chief Information Officer at the US Department of Energy and author of Industrial Digital Transformation: Accelerate digital transformation with business optimization, AI, and Industry 4.0; Lucien Engelen, world-renowned innovator and founder and CEO Transform.Health; Shafi Ahmed, a colorectal surgeon, futurist and innovator; Hiroshi Yamamoto, Corporate VP of Digital Innovation Technology Center and Corporate Digitization at Toshiba; Mark Geckeler, DPP Alliance Head at the Volkswagen Group; Gunter Beitinger, Senior VP of Manufacturing & Head of Factory Digitalization at Siemens; Stuart Bashford, CTO at Buhler Group; Matthias Kuss, CEO, FMC Data Solutions at Fresenius Medical Care; Juha Pankakoski, Chief Digital Officer at Konecranes; and Jesper Toubol, VP of Operations – Moulding Production at Lego Group.
Testbed Area
IOTSWC will also feature a testbed with 10 examples of new services and solutions that are being developed and tested in real life conditions with the aim of being deployed in a scalable manner. The selected projects include solutions for the Automotive, Construction, Food, and Urban management sectors such as a smart refrigerator using AI cameras to reduce food waste and apply dynamic pricing, a digital twin service designed to implement a pay-per-use service for the Construction industry, and an intelligent heritage conservation system capable of anticipating asset maintenance needs through virtual reality and remote monitoring.
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SOURCE Fira de Barcelona | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/04/25/iot-solutions-world-congress-2022-gives-new-impetus-digital-transformation-industries/ | 2022-04-25T15:05:18Z |
SEATTLE, April 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sea Mar Community Health Centers ("Sea Mar"), a non-profit organization that provides healthcare services to underserved communities in the state of Washington, has learned of additional information involved in a previously-reported data security incident that may have impacted data belonging to current and former Sea Mar patients and other individuals associated with Sea Mar.
On June 24, 2021, Sea Mar was informed that certain Sea Mar data may have been copied from its digital environment by an unauthorized actor. Upon receipt of this information, Sea Mar immediately took steps to secure its environment and commenced an investigation with the assistance of leading, independent cybersecurity experts. Through the investigation, Sea Mar learned that certain data may have been copied from its digital environment between December 2020 and March 2021 and provided notification to individuals known to have been potentially impacted.
In January and March 2022, Sea Mar learned of additional data that may have been copied from its digital environment, and, upon review, identified that such data contained personal and protected health information. The additional data contained the following personal and protected health information: Name, date of birth, and, in some cases, Social Security number and/or driver's license information.
Sea Mar has provided notice of the incident on its website to alert all potentially impacted individuals of this incident and the update related thereto. The notice includes information about the incident and steps that potentially impacted individuals can take to protect their information.
The privacy and protection of personal and protected health information is a top priority for Sea Mar, which deeply regrets any inconvenience or concern this incident may cause. Sea Mar is continuing to work with cybersecurity experts to take steps to prevent a similar incident from occurring in the future. Sea Mar has also established a toll-free call center to answer questions about the incident. Call center representatives are available Monday through Friday from 6:00 am – 3:30 pm Pacific Time and can be reached at 1-855-651-2684.
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SOURCE Sea Mar Community Health Centers | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/04/06/sea-mar-community-health-centers-provides-notice-data-security-incident/ | 2022-04-06T06:05:55Z |
Eligible cardholders can enjoy no delivery fee from hundreds of thousands of restaurants across the country
CHICAGO and CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Grubhub and Bank of America today announced that eligible Bank of America cardholders can receive Grubhub+ free for one year, providing unlimited $0 delivery fees on orders of $12 or more and exclusive Perks from restaurants on Grubhub.
Starting today, eligible cardholders can activate a one-year, complimentary Grubhub+ membership trial, valued at nearly $120. Grubhub+ members also enjoy a donation match on Grubhub+ orders when they are opted into Grubhub's Donate the Change program, which raised more than $25 million in 2021 alone, benefiting more than 20 charitable organizations.
"We're excited to team up with Bank of America to provide even greater value to their cardholders and introduce them to the Grubhub Marketplace," said Launika Raykar, vice president of loyalty at Grubhub. "This is truly a win-win, with Bank of America now rewarding cardholders with deals and perks from restaurants they will love, and Grubhub tapping into Bank of America's loyal and vast customer base to drive even more orders to restaurant owners and drivers."
Grubhub+ members have placed hundreds of millions of orders on the Grubhub Marketplace to date, driving additional sales to restaurants and bringing more earnings opportunities to our delivery partners.
"Giving our clients Grubhub+ free for a year is just one of the ways we're helping them navigate their finances and make every dollar go farther," said Chris Curtin, social media and rewards executive at Bank of America. "We are always looking for ways to do more for our clients and say 'thank you,' and this partnership will bring that message right to their door."
Bank of America debit, credit and small business cardholders who are not already Grubhub+ members can activate their complimentary Grubhub+ trial by visiting grubhub.com/partner/bofa. Cardholders who are not eligible for the offer can receive $5 off their next three orders of $15 or more. More information about Grubhub+ is available at https://www.grubhub.com/plus.
About Grubhub
Grubhub is part of Just Eat Takeaway.com (LSE: JET, AMS: TKWY), and is a leading U.S. food ordering and delivery marketplace. Dedicated to connecting more than 32 million diners with the food they love from their favorite local restaurants, Grubhub elevates food ordering through innovative restaurant technology, easy-to-use platforms and an improved delivery experience. Grubhub features more than 320,000 restaurant partners in over 4,000 U.S. cities.
About Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 67 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 4,000 retail financial centers, approximately 16,000 ATMs and award-winning digital banking with approximately 55 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and approximately 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, register for email news alerts.
Bank of America clients with a qualifying debit or credit card can take advantage of a year's worth of $0 delivery fees on eligible orders with Grubhub+ by enrolling before 4/20/2023. Benefits last 365 days from enrollment date and subscription will automatically renew at $9.99/mo (or the then-current rate) at the end of the trial period. Offer valid one time only. Offer valid only for eligible Bank of America credit or debit cardholders in the U.S. who do not have an active Grubhub+ membership at the time of sign up. Commercial prepaid cardholders are excluded from the offers. Subject to restaurant and delivery availability in the U.S. only. Offer only valid on purchases made through the Grubhub app or Grubhub.com.
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SOURCE Grubhub Inc. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/18/grubhub-bank-america-team-up-offer-grubhub-free-cardholders/ | 2022-08-18T13:22:39Z |
Algerian dissidents: Victims of crackdown, or outlaws?
By ELAINE GANLEY
Associated Press
PARIS (AP) — Mohamed Benhalima looks as wary and frightened as he is led off a plane at Algiers airport, handcuffed with a security officer’s arm wrapped around him. A team from Algeria’s Rapid Intervention Force then puts him in their vehicle and whisks him to an unknown destination.
The video was posted online on March 24. Three days later, Algerians watched on television as the 32-year-old confessed to involvement with an organization that authorities have listed as an Islamist terrorist group plotting against the Algerian government.
Once a faithful servant of his homeland as a non-commissioned army officer, Benhalima became a supporter of Algeria’s pro-democracy movement, then a deserter who fled to Europe. Spain expelled him after Algeria issued a warrant for his arrest.
The confession scene was made public by Algeria’s General Directorate of National Security, in what could be seen as a warning to other soldiers or citizens.
Hundreds of Algerian citizens have been jailed for trying to keep alive the Hirak movement that held weekly pro-democracy protests starting in 2019, leading to the downfall of longtime Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. The marches were banned last year by the nation’s army-backed government.
Authorities then expanded their sweep, linking some Hirak supporters to two groups added to Algeria’s terror list last year: Rachad, regarded as Islamist infiltrators whose leaders are in Europe, and MAK, a separatist movement in Kabylie, home of the Berbers.
“For the last two or three years, there have been thousands of legal cases against activists,” said well-known lawyer Mustapha Bouchachi. “Their only error is that they expressed their political opinions on social media … and are fighting for a state of law.”
For authorities of the gas-rich North African nation, guaranteeing the stability of the state is at the heart of their actions. For human rights groups, Benhalima and others are victims of an unjust, antiquated system of governance that views dissidents, or any critical voices, as criminals. They say that Algerian authorities use threats to national security to stifle free speech, including among journalists, and justify arrests.
A campaign on social media, with the hashtag #PasUnCrime (not a crime) was launched May 19 by dozens of non-governmental organizations against repression of human rights.
The U.S. State Department’s 2021 report on human rights in Algeria cited a long list of problems, including arbitrary arrests and detentions and restrictions on freedom of expression, assembly and association. In March, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, asked Algeria to “change direction” to “guarantee the right of its people to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.”
“To be a human rights activist in Algeria has become very difficult,” said Zaki Hannache, a Hirak militant recently temporarily released from prison. “To be an activist who refuses the system is complicated. It even means sacrifices.”
Hannache, best known for keeping track of Hirak-related arrests, was arrested and jailed in February on a string of charges, including defending terrorist acts.
The alleged confession of Benhalima captures the combination of evils that Algeria claims it is up against. He said that he was under the spell of Rachad and in contact with its London-based leader and his two brothers. The official APS news agency said Benhalima confirmed “the implication of the terrorist organization Rachad in abject plans targeting the stability of Algeria and its institutions by exploiting misguided youth.”
Rachad’s website claimed the police video showed the forced confession of a “hostage” in a security services propaganda exercise.
Rachad’s true goals are unclear, but it is a key target of Algeria’s crackdown. In December, Rachad said it had submitted a complaint to a U.N. special rapporteur over Algeria’s “arbitrary” classification of the group as a terrorist organization and asked U.N. authorities to urge Algeria to cease its “illegal practices.”
Spain expelled Benhalima based on national security interests and activities “that may harm Spain’s relations with other countries,” according to Amnesty International. Spain expelled another deserter, Mohamed Abdellah, a dissident gendarme, to Algeria last August. Amnesty International described him as a whistleblower.
Spain has a special interest in remaining on good terms with Algeria, which provides much of its gas needs.
According to the National Committee for Freedom for the Detained, some 300 people are behind bars in Algeria for their political opinions. Up to 70 were given provisional freedom at the the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, but others have since been arrested.
In a case emblematic for Algerian journalists, the man who heads the outspoken Radio M and the online news site Algerie Emergent, Ihsane El-Kadi, risks three years in prison with a five-year ban on working for allegedly attacking national unity, among other things. He had raised the ire of a former communications minister with a column pleading for the protest movement Hirak not to divide itself over Rachad. The verdict is set for next week.
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune recently launched an ill-defined initiative dubbed “outstretched hands,” described as an “internal front” to promote dialogue across all sectors of society. Army chief Said Chengriha suggested in several speeches that it is also to counter Algeria’s perceived enemies. The initiative precedes the July 5 celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Algerian independence from France, which was won after a brutal seven-year war.
“No one can refuse” to take part in this initiative, said Abou El Fadl Baadji, secretary-general of the National Liberation Front, once Algeria’s sole political party. He was among the officials that Tebboune has recently met with on the subject. People “await with suspense the contents of this initiative … but we’re for this idea, even before knowing the details.”
Benhalima awaits a verdict of his appeal of a 10-year prison sentence after being convicted in absentia for invasion of privacy and attacks on state interests, linked to his online posts on the Algerian military, including confidential information on senior officers.
___
Lotfi Bouchouchi in Algiers, Algeria, contributed. | https://localnews8.com/news/2022/05/28/algerian-dissidents-victims-of-crackdown-or-outlaws/ | 2022-05-28T10:32:14Z |
DENVER , Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- RE/MAX, LLC today announced it has closed the sale of Master Franchise Rights in the Republic of Benin, a French-speaking West African nation, to Marc Houessou. Houessou is a Benin native and current RE/MAX Sales Associate living in Quebec, Canada.
"This is an exciting time for RE/MAX. Any time we enter a new country, we're also entering a new era of helping more homebuyers and sellers," says Shawna Gilbert, Senior Vice President of Global Development. "Real estate is a relationship business and we're honored to be one of the few global real estate companies that help empower local communities and businesses to flourish. Each expansion helps provide greater levels of professionalism to the industry, advancement to individuals' careers, and a reliable process for homebuyers and sellers. It's truly a win-win-win."
"The reputation of RE/MAX throughout the world is unmatched," says Houessou. "There are millions of Beninese living in Western countries who know RE/MAX and the strength and quality of its network. By choosing RE/MAX, we are telling Beninese people that our brokers are from the best network and well equipped to provide them with superior quality transactions."
Houessou is also the owner of College de l'immobilier Benin, a real estate college with the goal to give future Benin real estate brokers knowledge and competencies to perform in their business. According to Houessou, Beninese real estate regulation and laws exist but are not well known and followed. Houessou says the profession needs to be more organized to avoid lack of professionalism and accountability. He plans to bring his standards and introduce a comprehensive real estate curriculum to the industry in Benin by operating the College de l'immobilier Training Structure in addition to selling RE/MAX franchises. College de l'immobilier du Benin will educate scholars on subject matters pertinent to the profession, like entrepreneurship, finance management and administrative procedures as well as marketing and sales.
"RE/MAX Benin is a source of pride and a dream that we have had for a very long time," adds Marc. "We think it will revolutionize the real estate industry in Benin. This is a big challenge we have accepted but we believe that under the RE/MAX brand, we will achieve our goals."
Marc has been listing and selling real estate with RE/MAX since he earned his license in 2017 and is the recipient of many RE/MAX production awards.
As one of the leading global real estate franchisors, RE/MAX, LLC is a subsidiary of RE/MAX Holdings (NYSE: RMAX) with more than 140,000 agents in almost 9,000 offices and a presence in more than 110 countries and territories. Nobody in the world sells more real estate than RE/MAX, as measured by residential transaction sides. RE/MAX was founded in 1973 by Dave and Gail Liniger, with an innovative, entrepreneurial culture affording its agents and franchisees the flexibility to operate their businesses with great independence. RE/MAX agents have lived, worked and served in their local communities for decades, raising millions of dollars every year for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals® and other charities. To learn more about RE/MAX, to search home listings or find an agent in your community, please visit www.remax.com. For the latest news about RE/MAX, please visit news.remax.com.
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SOURCE RE/MAX International, Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/remax-grows-presence-western-africa-sells-master-franchise-rights-republic-benin/ | 2022-09-02T14:08:45Z |
Biden meets with Arab Gulf countries to counter Iran threat
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — President Joe Biden on Saturday will lay out his strategy for the Middle East as he closes out of the final leg of a four-day trip meant to bolster U.S. positioning and knit the region together against Iran.
In the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, Biden will meet with heads of state from six Arab Gulf countries, plus Egypt, Jordan and Iraq for a regional summit. It comes a day after he championed steps toward normalizing ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia, and sought to rebuild cooperation with the Saudi king and crown prince after once promising to make the kingdom a “pariah” for its human rights abuses.
When he speaks to the Gulf Cooperation Council and its Arab allies, the White House said, Biden will offer his most fulsome vision yet for the region and how the U.S. can cooperate with it.
His first Middle East trip comes 11 months after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, and as Biden aims to reprioritize the U.S. away from the Middle East’s ruinous wars and ongoing conflicts stretching from Libya to Syria.
“It’s a strategy fit for purpose for 2022 as opposed to the two decades of major land wars that the U.S. fought in this region over the course of the 2000s,” Biden national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters in a preview of the speech.
Energy prices — elevated since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — were expected to be high on the agenda. But Biden aides tempered expectations that he would leave with a deal for regional producers to immediately boost supply.
“I suspect you won’t see that for another couple of weeks,” Biden told reporters late Friday.
At the summit, Biden was set to hear a chorus of concern about the region’s stability and security, as well as concerns about food security, climate change and the continued threat of terrorism.
Overall, there’s little that the nine Mideast heads of state agree on when it comes to foreign policy. For example, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates are trying to isolate and squeeze Iran over its regional reach and proxies. Oman and Qatar, on the other hand, have solid diplomatic ties with Iran and have acted as intermediaries for talks between Washington and Tehran.
Qatar recently hosted talks between U.S. and Iranian officials as they try to revive Iran’s nuclear accord. Iran not only shares a huge underwater gas field with Qatar in the Persian Gulf, it rushed to Qatar’s aid when Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut off ties and imposed a years-long embargo on Qatar that ended only shortly before Biden took office.
Biden’s actions have frustrated some of the leaders. While the U.S. has played an important role in encouraging a months-long ceasefire in Yemen, Biden’s decision to reverse a Trump-era move that had listed Yemen’s rebel Houthis as a terrorist group has outraged the Emirati and Saudi leadership.
On Friday, Biden fist-bumped Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto leader, as he arrived at the royal palace in Jeddah. But he rejected the notion that he was ignoring the kingdom’s human rights abuses as he tries to reset a fraught diplomatic relationship.
“I said, very straightforwardly, for an American president to be silent on an issue of human rights is inconsistent with who we are and who I am,” Biden said. “I’ll always stand up for our values.”
U.S. intelligence believes that the crown prince likely approved the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S.-based writer, four years ago. Biden said Prince Mohammed claimed that he was “not personally responsible” for the death. “I indicated I thought he was,” the president said he replied.
None of the countries represented at the summit have moved in lockstep with the U.S. to sanction Russia, a key foreign policy priority for the Biden administration. If anything, the UAE has emerged as a sort of financial haven for Russian billionaires and their multimillion-dollar yachts. Egypt remains open to Russian tourists.
As for U.S. concerns over China’s expanding reach, China appears willing to provide Saudi Arabia with missile and nuclear technologies that the U.S. is much more hesitant to do. China is also the kingdom’s biggest buyer of Saudi oil.
For Iraq, which has the deepest and strongest links to Iran of all the Arab countries, its presence at the meeting reflects Saudi efforts — supported by the U.S. — to bring Iraq closer to Arab positions and the so-called Arab fold. Iraq has hosted around five rounds of direct talks between Saudi and Iranian officials since Biden took office, though the talks have produced little results.
Ahead of the summit, Iraq’s Prime Minister Mustafa al-Khadhimi, who survived an assassination attempt with armed drones in November, wrote in Foreign Policy that Iraq faces many problems, but is working “to solve Iraqi problems with Iraqi solutions”.
“When U.S. President Joe Biden comes to the Middle East this week, he will be arriving in a region facing numerous challenges, from terrorism to food insecurity and climate change,” he wrote. “But the Middle East is also a region that is increasingly facing those challenges together under a group of leaders pursuing positive change.”
Mara Rudman, executive vice president for policy at the Center for American Progress, said Biden’s trip is important to defend American interests in the region.
“When we are not there, others are going to claim that ground, claim those lines of communication,” specifically China and Russia.
“You have to keep your eyes on multiple fronts at the same time,” she said. “That can almost feel like resisting a force of gravity.”
Martin Indyk, distinguished fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said the increased cooperation between Israel and Arab countries, driven in large part by threats from Iran, is the most important storyline in the Middle East right now.
“Now there’s a much more clear-eyed perception in Washington of the way in which Iran’s ambitions to dominate the region threaten our interests and our allies and partners,” he said.
Under Biden, Indyk said, the U.S. role in the region has been shifting “from being the dominant power in the region that supposedly took care of all the threats. . . to the role of supporting partners and allies in the region.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/07/16/biden-meets-with-arab-gulf-countries-counter-iran-threat/ | 2022-07-16T05:30:46Z |
GRAPHIC: Amber Heard cross-examined about fights with Johnny Depp
GRAPHIC WARNING: Story includes details that some may find disturbing.
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — Lawyers for Johnny Depp on Tuesday questioned the truthfulness of Amber Heard’s accusation that Depp sexually assaulted her with a liquor bottle.
Heard was cross-examined after her testimony in Depp’s libel suit against her.
Depp is suing Heard in Virginia’s Fairfax County Circuit Court over a December 2018 op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post describing herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.” His lawyers say he was defamed by the article even though it never mentioned his name. The trial is now in its fifth week.
Depp’s lawyer, Camille Vasquez, questioned Heard about a variety of incidents in which she says she was assaulted by Depp.
Questioning was particularly intense over a March 2015 fight the couple had in Australia, shortly after they were married, while Depp was shooting a fifth film in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise.
It was during that fight that Heard says she was sexually assaulted. Depp, on the other hand, says he was the victim, and that he lost the tip of his middle finger when Heard threw a vodka bottle at him.
Vasquez questioned why Heard never sought medical attention, even though she said her feet were cut by broken glass and she was bleeding after the attack.
“You’re the one who assaulted someone with a bottle in Australia, isn’t that right, Ms. Heard?” Vasquez asked.
“I didn’t assault Johnny in Australia. I didn’t assault Johnny ever,” Heard responded.
Vasquez then questioned why Heard wrote a series of love notes to Depp in the months after she said she was assaulted.
Heard has said she believed Depp had hit rock bottom after the Australia fight and was committed to sobriety. She has said most of the assaults occurred while Depp was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
“When things were good, they were really good,” she said.
There was also testimony about Heard’s $100 million counterclaim against Depp. She says she was defamed by Depp’s lawyer, Adam Waldman, when he called Heard’s accusations a hoax.
Heard has said the accusations hurt her career, but Vasquez pointed to a series of negative articles about Heard that preceded Waldman’s comments.
The jury also heard an audio recording of a verbal fight between the two in which each belittled the other’s acting career. Heard laughed mockingly at Depp’s career-making role in the ‘80s television show “21 Jump Street.”
“Hey, at least I didn’t do, like, a teeny show where I’m a heartthrob. God that would be, like, embarrassing,” Heard said.
Depp responded with dismissive commentary about Heard’s biggest film role to date, shouting “Aquaman!” in a mocking way to denigrate the superhero film.
And Heard took offense when Vasquez suggested that Heard only got the role in “Aquaman” with Depp’s help.
“Excuse me?” Heard said. “No, Ms. Vasquez, I got myself that role by auditioning.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/05/17/graphic-amber-heard-cross-examined-about-fights-with-johnny-depp/ | 2022-05-17T18:43:45Z |
Denver, Kansas City and Sound Transit among the many to unlock the power of Passport's mobility platform
CHARLOTTE, N.C., June 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Passport, a transportation software and payments company, continues to expand its product offering to new and existing clients during the first half of 2022. Denver, Colo., Sound Transit, Wash. and Thunder Bay, Ontario are newly added to the Company's client roster.
The Charlotte-based Company provides all customers with a powerful platform that not only assimilates and aggregates all of a city's parking, enforcement and digital permitting data into one central location, but also integrates additional data insights with embedded payments capabilities. Customers are able to manage a broad array of mobility management complexities in one place to make smart, data driven decisions that improve their overall operations at the curb.
CEO David Evans explains that everything Passport does is in support of creating more livable and equitable communities. "We are dedicated to providing our clients with the data and insights they need to make their streets safer and their curbs easier to manage," says Evans.
First half wins include the Nebraska Innovation Campus (NIC), located in Lincoln, Neb. The NIC selected Passport to manage their complete parking operations and has launched mobile pay parking, enforcement, digital permitting and payments. The parking manager for NIC can now access insights and data via Passport's platform and provide a better user experience for its parkers as well as drive higher parking compliance rates.
Another client, Kansas City, Mo., is partnering with Passport on a brand refresh to their mobile pay application, PARK KC, as a means to continue to drive adoption and provide a frictionless parking experience throughout the City.
"Because of our partnership with Passport, we continue to bring innovative technology to our streets," says Kansas City Parking Division Manager, Matthew Muckenthaler. "The data and insights we are able to get from Passport's platform allows us to make more informed decisions at the curb so we can operate more efficiently and optimize the user experience."
Passport's platform is helping more than 800 municipalities, universities and private operators streamline their parking operations and use mobility data to increase revenue, decrease costs and provide better user experiences. The company has processed more than $2B in mobility payments and counting. To learn more about how Passport is transforming parking and mobility management, visit the company website.
Passport is a transportation software and payments company that builds technology to more efficiently manage streets and sidewalks. Based in Charlotte, N.C., Passport is trusted by more than 800 cities, universities and agencies, including Chicago, Toronto, Los Angeles and Miami. Passport's digital platform helps cities manage parking and mobility infrastructure, creating more livable, equitable communities. One of the fastest-growing companies on the Inc. 5000 and Deloitte Technology Fast 500 lists, Passport was also named to Fast Company's World's Most Innovative Companies for 2020.
Media Contact:
Allison Guthrie
passport@greenbrier.partners
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SOURCE Passport | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/23/passport-expands-client-base-north-america/ | 2022-06-23T14:43:43Z |
Topeka Jayhawk Club holds annual summer football picnic
Published: Aug. 10, 2022 at 10:46 PM CDT|Updated: 19 minutes ago
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - The Topeka Jayhawk Club held its annual football summer picnic at Gage Park Zoo.
Head Coach Lance Leipold talked about the expectations for the upcoming season.
“It’s great because it is such a routine of day in and day out, sometimes we forget what day of the week it is to be quite honest,” said Leipold. “We have a chance to catch up and break that and have a little bit of normalcy. It’s great and something we enjoy to do.”
The Topeka Jayhawk Club Alumni and Friends Ped Band was there, which was led by Herschel Stroud in the KU fight songs.
With a lot of fun to go around and over 150 fans in attendance, Coach Leipold and company were excited to be there.
Copyright 2022 WIBW. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/08/11/topeka-jayhawk-club-holds-annual-summer-football-picnic/ | 2022-08-11T04:06:27Z |
Mom saves toddler but loses 2 other kids to house fire
IRVINGTON, Ala. (WALA) - Investigators in Alabama are still working to find out how a mobile home fire that killed two young children started.
The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office said the fire broke out around 8:30 p.m. Thursday in Irvington. The mobile home was fully engulfed in flames.
Two young boys, identified by officials as 4-year-old Liam Barnes and 2-year-old Noah Gordon, were killed in the blaze, WALA reports.
MCSO Sgt. Mark Bailey said the children’s mother, 24-year-old Kali Sherman, was next door when she was alerted to the fire. She ran home to attempt to rescue the three boys inside. She rescued 10-month-old Sebastian Gordon from his crib and got the 4-year-old out.
According to authorities, the 4-year-old and 2-year-old were taken to the hopsital, where they were pronounced dead. Sherman also received burn injuries and was treated. The 10-month-old was unharmed.
Investigators were on the scene Friday morning, speaking with witnesses.
The cause of the fire is still unknown, but investigators believe it started in the front bedroom.
Neighbor Shaun Kendall learned about the fire when somebody pressed his doorbell.
“We started seeing smoke in the actual Ring itself, and we heard the fire alarm going off. So, we called Courtney, which is the person that’s in front of the trailer that caught on fire,” Kendall said. “So, they ran outside and found out that it was her house that was actually on fire. Then, we rushed home, and that’s when we found everything on fire and seen everything going crazy.”
Kendall is a professional tattoo artist at Medusa’s Art & Soul in Mobile. He is using his artwork as an opportunity to help the family.
“I wanted to at least help the family give back. So, everybody that comes in for a tattoo, I want to give them a chance to help me help them,” Kendall said. “So, anything that I get, I’m going to give them 25% of the proceeds off of my cut. That’s not including the shop cut. That’s gonna be out of my pocket.”
Donations are also being accepted.
Copyright 2022 WALA via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/08/28/mom-saves-toddler-loses-2-other-kids-house-fire/ | 2022-08-28T06:40:21Z |
PAJU, South Korea (AP) — As a medical student in North Korea, Lee Gwang-jin said he treated his fevers and other minor ailments with traditional herbal medicine. But bad illness could mean trouble because hospitals in his rural hometown lacked the ambulances, beds, even the electricity at times needed to treat critical or emergency patients.
So Lee was skeptical when he heard recent North Korean state media reports that claimed such so-called Koryo traditional medicine is playing a key role in the nation’s fight against COVID-19, which has killed millions around the world.
“North Korea is using Koryo medicine a lot (for COVID-19) … but it’s not a sure remedy,” said Lee, who studied Koryo medicine before he fled North Korea in 2018 for a new life in South Korea. “Someone who is destined to survive will survive (with such medicine), but North Korea can’t help others who are dying.”
Like many other parts of life in North Korea, the medicine that the state says is curing its sick people is being used as a political symbol. That, experts say, will eventually allow the country to say its leaders have beaten the outbreak, where other nations have repeatedly failed, by providing homegrown remedies, independent of outside help.
As state media churn out stories about the effectiveness of the medicine and the huge production efforts to make more of it, there are questions about whether people suffering from severe disease are getting the treatment they need.
Defectors and experts believe North Korea is mobilizing Koryo medicine simply because it doesn’t have enough modern medicine to fight COVID-19.
“Treating mild symptoms with Koryo medicine isn’t a bad option. … But the coronavirus doesn’t cause only mild symptoms,” said Yi Junhyeok, a traditional doctor and researcher at South Korea’s Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine. “When we think about critical and high-risk patients, North Korea needs vaccines, emergency care systems and other medical resources that it can use to” lower fatalities.
More than two months have passed since North Korea admitted its first coronavirus outbreak, and the country has reported an average of 157 fever cases each day in the past seven days, a significant drop from the peak of about 400,000 a day in May. It also maintains a widely disputed claim that only 74 out of about 4.8 million fever patients have died, a fatality rate of 0.002% that would be the world’s lowest if true.
Despite widespread outside doubt about the truth of North Korea’s reported statistics, there are no signs that the outbreak has caused catastrophe in North Korea. Some outside experts say the North may soon formally declare victory over COVID-19 in an effort to boost internal unity. North Korea may then emphasize the role of Koryo medicine as the reason.
“North Korea calls Koryo medicine ‘juche (self-reliant) medicine,’ treats it importantly and views it as one of its political symbols,” said Kim Dongsu, a professor at the College of Korean Medicine at South Korea’s Dongshin University. “North Korea doesn’t have many academic and cultural achievements to advertise so it’ll likely actively propagate Koryo medicine.”
North Korea officially incorporated Koryo medicine — named after an ancient Korean kingdom — in its public healthcare system in the 1950s. Its importance has sharply grown since the mid-1990s, when North Korea began suffering a big shortage of modern medicine during a crippling famine and economic turmoil that killed hundreds of thousands of people.
Koryo medicine refers to herbal concoctions that sometimes include animal parts, acupuncture, cupping, moxibustion and meridian massages. Such ancient remedies are used in many Asian and Western nations, too. But while in those countries traditional and modern medicines operate independently, North Korea has combined them.
Medical students are required to study both modern and traditional medicine at school, regardless of what they major in. So once they become professional doctors, they can practice both. Each hospital in North Korea has a department of Koryo medicine. There are also Koryo medicine-only hospitals.
Kim Jieun, a defector who is a traditional doctor in South Korea, said she majored in Koryo medicine at school in the North but eventually worked as a pediatrician and internal medicine doctor. She said that South Koreans generally use traditional medicine to maintain or improve their health, but North Koreans use it to treat diverse diseases.
“In South Korea, patients with cerebral hemorrhage, hepatocirrhosis, liver cancer, ascites, diabetes and kidney infections don’t come to traditional clinics. But in North Korea, traditional doctors treat them,” said Kim, who resettled in South Korea in 2002 and now works for Seoul’s Well Saem Hospital of Korean Medicine.
North Korea’s main Rodong Sinmun newspaper has recently published a slew of articles praising herbal medicine and acupuncture for curing fever patients and reducing the aftereffects of COVID-19 illnesses, including abnormal pains, heart and kidney problems, nausea and coughing.
The newspaper also published calls by leader Kim Jong Un to embrace Koryo medicine. Other state media reports said the production of Koryo medicine has quadrupled since last year, while a vast amount of modern medicine has also been speedily delivered to local medical institutions, a claim that cannot be independently verified.
North Korea’s nominally free socialist medical system remains in shambles, with defectors testifying that they had to buy their own medicine and pay doctors for surgeries and other treatments. They say North Korea’s advanced hospitals are largely concentrated in Pyongyang, the capital, where the ruling elite and upper-class citizens loyal to the Kim family live.
Lee, 29, who attended a medical school in the northern North Korean city of Hyesan, said Koryo doctors reused their acupuncture needles after sterilizing them with alcohol, and hospitals typically charged patients for the use of electricity for a medical examination.
H.K. Yoon, a former North Korean doctor who fled the country in the mid-2010s, said her mid-level hospital in the northeast had no ambulance, no oxygen concentrator and only three to four beds in the emergency room. She said she shared surgical equipment with other doctors, and her monthly salary was the equivalent of 800 grams (1.76 pounds) of rice.
“My heart aches when I recall the lack of surgical equipment,” said Yoon, who asked that her first name be identified only by initials because of safety worries about relatives in North Korea. “When my patients were critical, I wanted to perform surgeries quickly. But I couldn’t do it because surgical equipment was being used by someone else, and I worried about how soon I could sterilize and use it.”
Some experts earlier predicted that the COVID-19 outbreak could cause dire consequences in North Korea because most of its 26 million people are unvaccinated and about 40% of its people are reportedly undernourished. Now, they speculate that North Korea is likely underreporting its death count to prevent political damage to Kim Jong Un.
Lee, the former North Korean medical student, said people in Hyesan didn’t go to hospitals unless they were extremely sick.
“When they are moderately ill, they just receive acupuncture or Koryo herbal medicine. They trust Koryo medicine but they also don’t make much money and Koryo medicine is cheaper than Western medicine,” Lee said. | https://cw33.com/health/ap-health/north-korea-pushes-traditional-medicine-to-fight-covid-19/ | 2022-07-25T19:33:53Z |
Manatee County deputy honored for heroic actions while saving drowning toddler
MANATEE COUNTY Fla. (WWSB) - A Manatee County deputy has been recognized for his heroic actions with compassion while responding to a call.
In February 2022, Deputy Daniel Parham was dispatched to a possible drowning involving a two-year old child. Parham arrived and immediately started life saving efforts until EMS arrived and took over. The child was then flown to All Children’s Hospital in critical condition.
The parents left immediately to get to the hospital to be with the child and left their other five children at the vacation rental with a nanny. They left in such a hurry that they forgot to give the nanny money to provide dinner for the children. The deputy then took it upon himself to purchase pizza and drinks for the children.
He not only provided them with dinner; he took the time to speak with the children who were understandably distraught and worried about their sibling. The child was given a positive prognosis and parents were very grateful for Deputy Parham’s kindness. For his life saving efforts and kindness, Deputy Daniel Parham has been named MCSO’s Deputy of the Month for March 2022.
Copyright 2022 WWSB. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/04/05/manatee-county-deputy-honored-heroic-actions-while-saving-drowning-toddler/ | 2022-04-07T10:58:57Z |
Fieldtrip Focuses on a "Your Earth, Your Skincare" Philosophy to Produce Sustainably Sourced, Clean Skincare Products that Do Good for Your Skin
DALLAS, June 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Edgewell Personal Care, a leading consumer products company, debuts today its newest skincare brand, Fieldtrip, a unisex, clean skincare brand that will engage a new generation of skincare enthusiasts who are seeking sensorial experiences through on-trend products with luxury formulations at affordable price points. Fieldtrip's inaugural lineup will include seven products ranging from cleansers and moisturizers to serums and facials mists.
Fieldtrip products harness nature-found ingredients from around the world and highlights their unique stories by showcasing each key ingredients' sustainable sourcing and historical significance. In addition to sustainably sourced ingredients, Fieldtrip has also partnered with Keep America Beautiful®'s RETREET® program, which redefines disaster relief by engaging communities to replant lost trees after natural disasters. As part of this partnership, Fieldtrip will be donating 5% of net proceeds to this program each year.
"We're so excited to bring Fieldtrip to the market to offer younger generations a brand that not only delivers on their skincare expectations but also aligns with their core personal values," says Gabrielle DeLatin, Head of Marketing for Grooming at Edgewell. "Gen-Z consumers expect more than just functional benefits. They seek out brands who are socially responsible and sustainable, offer clean formulations that perform as advertised, and are transparent throughout. This way of thinking really aligned with our core values and inspired Fieldtrip's launch. Equally important was being able to offer clean, effective products at an affordable price to ensure the line is accessible to all."
The brand embraces a "Your Earth, Your Skincare" philosophy and formulated all products to be clean, cruelty-free, vegan and formulated with a minimalist ingredient list that excludes ingredients such as silicones, parabens, sulfates, phthalates, chemical sunscreens, retinyl palmitate, synthetic fragrances, artificial dyes, formaldehyde, triclosan, triclocarban, petrolatum, mineral oil, talc, hydroquinone, BHA and BHT. Additionally, in keeping with Fieldtrip's do no harm approach, packaging contains bio-based polyethylene, which is a bioplastic made from renewable items and has fewer greenhouse gas emissions, along with post-consumer recycled materials, light weighted caps, and recyclable glass wherever possible. The brand is also certified by PETA's "Beauty Without Bunnies" program.
To aid transparency, Fieldtrip packaging also highlights a key sustainably sourced hero ingredient per product that is featured via colorful maps along with latitude and longitude coordinates to help consumers understand where the ingredient was sourced from. The first phase of products include:
- Fresh Start Purifying Face Cleanser with Glacial Clay harvested off the coast of Kisameet Bay, British Columbia, Canada
- Into The Blue Stress Less Moisturizer with Indian Wild Indigo sustainably sourced from India
- Trail Blazer Anywhere Shave Lotion with Birch Sap extracted with the utmost care from organically grown white birch trees from Northern Europe
- Overnight Trip Hydrating Lip Mask with Moringa Butter from the Himalayan Foothills of Southeast Asia
- C The World Brightening Serum with Camu Camu sustainably sourced from the Amazon Rainforest
- Eyeland Retreat Cooling Eye Gel with Red Maple Bark sustainably sourced and upcycled from Canada
- Wandermist Hydrating Facial Spray with Rambutan Peel Extract sustainably harvested and upcycled from Southeast Asia
All Fieldtrip products are under $25 and available now on FieldtripSkin.com and Amazon with more retailer availability at Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, and Macys.com in August. Additional Fieldtrip products will launch in Fall 2022.
ABOUT FIELDTRIP™
Fieldtrip™, launched in 2022, is a skin and body care brand designed specifically for the Gen Z consumer. Positioned as "Your Earth. Your Skincare.", the brand features highly expressive, nature-found ingredients from around the world and is clean, cruelty-free, and vegan. Fieldtrip has also partnered with Keep America Beautiful® to donate 5% of net proceeds to its RETREET® Program, which aims to redefine disaster relief by helping make the earth a greener, cleaner, more beautiful place to live. To learn more, visit FieldtripSkin.com.
ABOUT EDGEWELL™ PERSONAL CARE
Edgewell is a leading pure-play consumer products company with an attractive, diversified portfolio of established brand names such as Schick® and Wilkinson Sword® men's shaving products; Schick® and Billie® women's shaving products; Edge® and Skintimate® shave preparations; Banana Boat®, Hawaiian Tropic®, Bulldog®, Jack Black® and Cremo® sun and skin care products. The company has a broad global footprint and operates in more than 50 markets, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, Japan, the U.K. and Australia, with approximately 6,500 employees worldwide.
ABOUT KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL® & RETREET®
Keep America Beautiful's mission is to inspire and educate people to take action every day to improve and beautify their community environment. Their RETREET program redefines disaster relief by engaging communities to replant lost trees. RETREET offers a distinctive, hands-on experience for those who wish to volunteer in the wake of disaster, makes a generational impact in the communities in which it is held, and educates the public about the environmental, economic, and emotional impact of Keep America Beautiful's work. No other agency is focused on this important and underrepresented part of the recovery process. Yet, of everything that is lost to a natural disaster, it is the trees that take the longest to replace. Learn more at kab.org/programs/retreet/.
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SOURCE Fieldtrip | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/06/edgewell-introduces-fieldtrip-gen-z-focused-gender-inclusive-sustainable-skincare-brand-formulated-with-unique-nature-found-ingredients/ | 2022-06-06T10:37:03Z |
Evergy customers to see new rate increase on May bill
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - The average Evergy customer will see about $1.50 more on their electric bill starting next month, which will amount to about $20 extra by the end of the year.
Starting May 1, The Kansas Corporation Commission says Evergy Kansas Metro residential customers will pay about $1.46 more per month for electricity. This will amount to an extra $17.52 per year based on an average monthly usage of 1,059 kWh.
The utility’s ‘Kansas Metro’ coverage area includes portions of Osage, Douglas, Franklin, Anderson, Miami, Johnson, and Linn counties.
A $0.36 per month increase already went into effect for Evergy’s ‘Kansas Central’ customers on April 1, 2022. The ‘Kansas Central’ area includes most of the WIBW-TV 17-county viewing area.
In response to the latest release from the KCC, Evergy Spokesperson Gina Penzig told 13 NEWS “Evergy’s investment in transmission infrastructure is focused on reliability, better access to lower cost generation resources and to enable Kansas’ growing renewable energy sector. All of the costs associated with transmission investment are rigorously evaluated and reviewed at the federal level and then submitted to the KCC for audit.”
Kansas law allows electric utilities regulated by the KCC to recover costs incurred from the transmission of electric power through a separate transmission delivery charge on customer bills, without approval from the Commission.
The Commission acknowledged the effective date of the increase at its meeting on Thursday morning. Generally, it said it has jurisdiction over Evergy’s retail rates and terms of service, however, a regulated electric utility is statutorily authorized to adjust its Transmission Delivery Charge due to changes in cost under Kansas law.
As such, the KCC noted that it has no discretion and is required to accept the proposed change on a subject to refund basis within 30 business days of the application. In accordance with the statutory requirement, it said these transmission delivery charges are “conclusively presumed prudent” as filed.
If irregularities are found later, the Commission said it can then order changes, including refunds.
The KCC said Evergy’s application requested $43.3 million in TDC revenues, an increase of $7.8 million from the previous TDC. It said that increased the transmission-related portion of a residential customer’s bill from $0.00626 per kWh to $0.00764 per kWh.
In March, Evergy increased Kansas Central residential customers’ bills by 36 cents.
To view the full order, click HERE.
Copyright 2022 WIBW. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/04/28/evergy-customers-see-new-rate-increase-may-bill/ | 2022-04-28T19:41:23Z |
PHOENIX, Aug. 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Facing a foreclosure can be one of the most stressful things in our lives. You've worked hard and purchased the house you love, only to have it all threatened due to an unplanned event. The pandemic showed us how life could change overnight, and the unthinkable can come to pass. Millions faced the inability to pay their mortgages while banks offered no support. Current real estate conditions have ballooned the cost of housing across Arizona, making it difficult for many Arizonans to afford the cost of living amid economic uncertainty and high inflation.
With the combination of COVID-19's economic impacts, raised interest rates and real estate prices increasing, millions of Americans are property rich and cash poor. As a result of the recent credit crisis, lenders have strict requirements that disqualify many homeowners from applying for re-financing and equity lines of credit. Without viable alternative options, many Arizona homeowners are forced to sell their homes and move. As a response to this new and unique challenge many Arizonans are facing, and as a trusted lender in the Valley for 30+ years customers, Hard Money Lenders Arizona has decided to roll out several Sell and Stay Options that will help people stay in their homes while getting the money they need now.
The company has been built on the foundation and mindset that just because an individual may not have traditional documentation, such as proof of employment and high credit scores, does not mean that they should be incapable of receiving lending or financing for any and all real estate purposes. Founder, Michael Iuculano, has facilitated over $1B in loans over the last 20+ years and is in the Top 1% of mortgage originators in the United States. He has the experience and skills to close creative deals that no one else can get done. All specialists employed with Hard Money Lenders Arizona are proficient in carrying this mentality out, in fast and efficient ways and provide customers with a plethora of knowledge on loan and home purchase programs.
You can learn more about Hard Money Lenders loan programs by visiting https://hardmoneylendersarizona.com/
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SOURCE Hard Money Lenders Arizona | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/26/hard-money-lenders-arizona-now-offering-foreclosure-prevention-options/ | 2022-08-26T13:52:38Z |
Reformative Legislation to End the Life-Long Sentence in the Form of Restitution
WASHINGTON, Aug. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
What: The Ladies of Hope Ministries (The LOHM) is seeking reformative justice regarding restitution and kicking off the #RemissionNow Campaign in partnership with REFORM Alliance. Restitution has created a life sentence for many returning citizens. Remission is a remedy to relieve the burden of restitution. This is the type of clemency that the President of the United States has the power to grant and is rarely used. Since 1945, only 33 remission petitions have been granted according to the Department of Justice (DOJ) website.
Why: Restitution has created a life sentence for many returning citizens. These legal financial obligations can result in a "debtors prison" that continues to shackle women to the system long after they are finished serving a sentence. They are unable to purchase homes, cars, and insurance. This also affects their ability to obtain bank accounts and credit cards—these barriers to reentry cause detrimental financial and psychological effects on them and their families. Many of the women's convictions were based on the mortgage meltdown of 2008. While the banks and executives received bailouts, civil fines, and minor penalties, the government determined that there were billions of dollars of restitution to be paid by these women.
When: The #RemissionNow campaign will kick off with a press conference on August 17, 2022, at 10 AM EST with The LOHM Founder and CEO, Dr. Topeka K. Sam, and Jessica Jackson, a human rights attorney and the Chief Advocacy Officer with Reform Alliance. Syrita Steib, Elise Roper, Ivy Woolf-Turk, Chalana McFarland, Lorie Westerfield, Dr. Jamila T. Davis, and Cassandra Owens, all women affected by millions owed in restitution, years of incarceration, and federal supervision, will be sharing their stories.
The following day, we will host a Lunch and Learn Thursday, August 18, 2022, 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM at the Eaton Hotel, located at 1201 K St NW, Washington, DC 20005 where there will be panels discussing restitution and the effects on formerly incarcerated women. Register to attend the panel discussion: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/remissionnow-tickets-399334629627
Wednesday, August 17, 2022
Press Conference starts at 10 AM EST
Our mission is to empower women and girls to create sustainable lives post-incarceration. We drive change in the social justice movement by connecting them to housing, food, healthcare, living wage employment, entrepreneurship opportunities, education, and advocacy that amplifies the voices of those who have been impacted by the criminal legal system. Learn more at thelohm.org.
The REFORM Alliance is committed to advancing criminal justice reform and eradicating laws and policies that perpetuate injustice in the United States. To achieve that objective, REFORM will pass probation bills at the state level, use media to amplify the need for comprehensive reform and build an inclusive, bi-partisan alliance of leaders who share a vision for ambitiously and efficiently transforming the criminal justice system. Learn more at https://reformalliance.com/
Starling Thomas
starling@thelohm.org
214.978.7088
Tribe Builder Media
Danielle Sabrina
press@tribebuildermedia.com
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SOURCE LOHM | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/10/lohm-partnership-with-reform-alliance-launches-remissionnow-campaign/ | 2022-08-10T01:01:57Z |
Engaged couple identified as victims in fatal Overland Park house fire
Published: Jun. 22, 2022 at 12:54 PM CDT|Updated: 6 hours ago
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - The two people who died in a house fire overnight Monday on Westgate Street in Overland Park have been identified.
Tammy Matsuo, 34, and Adam Fetters, 37, were found dead inside the home. A third person who has not been identified was taken to the hospital.
The couple was engaged, the Overland Park Fire Department stated.
Johnson County fire investigators continue to work on determining the cause of the fire.
A GoFundMe to help with funeral costs can be found here.
Copyright 2022 KCTV. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/06/22/engaged-couple-identified-victims-fatal-overland-park-house-fire/ | 2022-06-22T23:28:17Z |
Temple ISD is slated to implement the SMART tag student ridership solution system, a patented tracking system that increases the safety and communication for bus riders across the district.
The technology was piloted at Raye-Allen Elementary last spring after trustees unanimously approved the purchase of the tracking system for $77,877 during a school board meeting.
“The cost … covers the hardware, software, supplies and training for the implementation and operation of the program for the first year,” a Temple ISD staff report at the time said. “After that, there will be an annual cost of about $25,000 to maintain the program. However, because this can take place of our current GPS system, the overall increase to the annual budget for maintaining the program will be minimal.”
SMART tag’s interface requires students to scan themselves on and off their bus via a near field communication reader.
“Drivers will be presented with an alert if a student tries to scan off at a stop that is not his or hers,” Temple ISD spokesman Jon Wallin said. “In addition, SMART tag will allow the transportation department to monitor all route activity, including stops locations, time stamps, what students were picked up and dropped off, GPS points and bus speed.”
School officials said SMART tag also features a secure parent web app, which they hope to use later in the school year, where families could access that activity. It is a feature that Amy Scopac, Temple ISD’s transportation director, previously called her favorite.
“The parent portal is a web-based application that will offer our parents the ability to know when the bus will arrive at their child’s stop in the morning and afternoon,” she said in December 2021. “They will be able to view the date, time, and location for each time their child got on or off the bus. SMART tag also offers a ‘SMART locate’ feature which will allow parents to see a live map of their student’s bus when it’s on the way to pick them up and while they’re on the bus.”
Temple ISD bus riders can pick up their SMART tags from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays until Aug. 19 at the Temple ISD Transportation Department Office, 919 N. 31st St.
“The tags will also be available for pickup at the sixth-grade orientation at each of the three middle schools on Aug. 17,” Wallin said. “Tags will be available at the ninth-grade parent meeting at Temple High School on Aug. 18. Elementary school students may pick up their tags at Meet the Teacher Night at Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy on Aug. 22.”
Kent Boyd, Temple ISD’s assistant superintendent of facilities and operations, is among the many Temple ISD administrators elated to see the program roll out.
“This new program will enhance safety and security for all of our bus riders and drivers,” he said. “The sooner we can get the tags in the hands of our students, the better. Therefore, we would like to encourage all parents of riders to pick up tags before school starts at one of the designated times and locations.” | https://www.tdtnews.com/news/central_texas_news/article_ddf9ad24-175a-11ed-8efe-5394675dc278.html | 2022-08-08T21:46:50Z |
In NRA speech, Trump does not back any gun reforms but calls for security overhaul at schools
By Eric Bradner, CNN
Former President Donald Trump did not back any gun reforms in a speech Friday at the National Rifle Association’s convention in Houston, instead calling for funding for schools to seal all but one entrance, station armed guards at that entrance and allow teachers to carry firearms.
The NRA convention is going on as scheduled this weekend despite the shooting at an elementary school in the South Texas town of Uvalde days earlier that left 19 children and two adults dead.
Trump and other Republicans who spoke at the convention — including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem — acknowledged the Uvalde shooting but also signaled in their speeches that GOP officials are not willing to consider new gun restrictions.
The nation’s schism over guns was on display in Houston. Inside the George R. Brown Convention Center, thousands of attendees browsed through an expansive hall in which vendors offered what an NRA sign referred to as “14 acres of guns and gear.”
Outside, thousands of protesters — including groups that have formed in the wake of other mass shootings — chanted, “NRA, go away,” and “shame, shame,” as they vowed to push for new restrictions on assault rifles and other gun control measures.
Trump began his speech Friday by reading the names of those killed at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde on Tuesday.
He made no acknowledgment of the missteps officers made in Uvalde, hours after law enforcement officials there acknowledged that they had waited too long to breach the classroom where a gunman was shooting children and teachers.
Instead, the former President slammed Democrats and others who have called for new gun laws, saying, “There’s always a grotesque effort by some in our society to use the suffering of others to advance their own extreme political agenda.”
Trump also called for a “top-to-bottom security overhaul at schools across our country
That, he said, should include “strong exterior fencing,” metal detectors at school entrances, and classroom doors that should be “hardened” and could be locked from the inside “and closed to intruders from the outside.”
He also called for every school to have “an armed police officer or a resource officer on duty at all times” and for allowing “highly trained teachers to safely and discreetly” carry concealed weapons.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who addressed the convention in pre-recorded remarks, said at a news conference Friday in Uvalde that he is demanding a full accounting of what happened during the school shooting, saying he had been initially “misled” about certain information he was given by law enforcement officials leading the investigation.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/news/2022/05/27/in-nra-speech-trump-does-not-back-any-gun-reforms-but-calls-for-security-overhaul-at-schools/ | 2022-05-28T01:19:38Z |
CARLSBAD, Calif., Aug. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global communications company, today announced it was awarded a $99 million order for Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) terminals from U.S. Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR) on behalf of the MIDS Program Office. This order falls under a U.S. Navy Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract awarded to Viasat in 2020 with a maximum value of $998 million for the production, retrofits, development and sustainment of MIDS JTRS terminals. This order was received during Viasat's Q2 FY23.
MIDS are among the most widely used Link 16 terminals by the US military and global allies, acting as the foundational communications datalink on the modern battlefield and providing a secure communications capability for operations in any environment. Viasat's MIDS JTRS terminals provide access to the secure Link 16 line-of-sight network enabling tactical communications and data transport to ground, maritime and airborne platforms to provide greater situational awareness on the battlefield.
"This award further indicates Viasat's commitment and expertise providing Link 16 tactical communications solutions supporting US and Allied armed services," said Craig Miller, president of Viasat Government Systems. "MIDS JTRS radios are a critically important tool that enables warfighters to maintain communications superiority and secure data transport on the battlefield, as well as securely communicate with allied forces. Viasat is proud to be a trusted supplier of this capability for today's allied warfighting force."
The order demonstrates the strength of Viasat's Tactical Data Link (TDL) business and recognition of its production capability to deliver large quantities of MIDS terminals in a variety of configurations to meet mission and customer requirements.
Visit Viasat's website for more information about its TDL and Line-of-Sight networking and communications capabilities.
About Viasat
Viasat is a global communications company that believes everyone and everything in the world can be connected. For over 35 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the world communicate. Today, the Company is developing the ultimate global communications network to power high-quality, secure, affordable, fast connections to impact people's lives anywhere they are—on the ground, in the air or at sea. To learn more about Viasat, visit: www.viasat.com, go to Viasat's Corporate Blog, or follow the Company on social media at: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter or YouTube.
Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to the safe harbors created under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements include statements about the expansion and evolution of Viasat's receipt of orders under the IDIQ contract; expected benefits and performance of Viasat tactical data links business and Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) terminals; and production capability to deliver large quantities of MIDS terminals. Readers are cautioned that actual results could differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include: contractual problems, product defects, manufacturing issues or delays, regulatory issues, technologies that do not perform according to expectations; and increased competition and other factors affecting the government and defense sectors generally. In addition, please refer to the risk factors contained in Viasat's SEC filings available at www.sec.gov, including Viasat's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. Viasat undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason.
Copyright © 2022 Viasat, Inc. All rights reserved. Viasat, the Viasat logo and the Viasat signal are registered trademarks of Viasat, Inc. All other product or company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.
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SOURCE Viasat, Inc. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/22/viasat-awarded-99-million-lot-buy-order-military-tactical-radios/ | 2022-08-22T13:28:04Z |
Lightspeed Payments for Golf features new hardware and seamless, integrated payments technology from booking to the pro shop and hospitality services
MONTREAL, July 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Lightspeed Commerce Inc. (NYSE: LSPD) (TSX: LSPD), the one-stop commerce platform for merchants around the world to simplify, scale, and create exceptional customer experiences, today announced the launch of Lightspeed Payments for Golf. This expansion advances Lightspeed's commitment to bring seamless, integrated payments to its customers globally across products and industries.
"Payment processing has historically been fragmented and costly for golf operators. Managing a business comes with a myriad of responsibilities, and operators see value in being able to consolidate where their services come from. Lightspeed provides a complementary set of tools and services that alleviate these pain points for modern golf courses and resorts," said David Hope, General Manager, Golf. "Lightspeed Payments will help our customers streamline their online and physical revenue centers under one integrated payments technology while offering built-in reporting and administrative tools right in their POS."
Lightspeed Payments is an easy-to-use integrated payment processing solution that empowers merchants with more insights about their business and customers while providing the ease and time savings of working with a single vendor across software with embedded payments. The continued expansion of Lightspeed's integrated payments solution is core to their strategy of simplifying the customer experience.
"This expansion equips our Golf merchants with the same caliber of payment technology available to major global enterprises from directly within their Lightspeed commerce platform. This gives them more data, resources, and most importantly, time back in their day to focus on their business and their passion," said General Manager, Payments Jona Georgiou.
- Frictionless, faster processing at competitive rates: Save on payment processing fees across an entire golf operation (online or in-store, tee time bookings, pro shop, or hospitality).
- Comprehensive reporting and robust analytics that interact directly with Lightspeed Golf: access accurate, easy-to-read reports faster with native reporting.
- Manage your business in one place: simplify your operations with a one-stop solution for payment processing and POS software to improve booking and check-in for staff and golfers.
- Receive free, personalized support from one provider.
- Reduce no-shows with the option to require pre-payment online.
- Enhanced payment security backed by a global network: EMV, tokenization, and end-to-end encryption. A single source for operational support with chargebacks, fraud, and customer queries. Flexibility with a range of localized payment options, as well as access to Lightspeed Capital for those who qualify.
For over 10 years, Fairways Golf Membership has prided itself in being Ohio's best value option for golfing. Offering accessibility for golfers at Mallard Creek, Pine Brook, Briarwood, and Hinckley Hills Golf Clubs, Fairways Golf Membership has a goal to grow the game of golf.
By signing up with Lightspeed, Fairways received a complete commerce solution that helps them operate their restaurant and pro shops all from a single provider. Additionally, with Lightspeed's transparent payments pricing, Fairways was able to significantly reduce processing costs. Neil McGrew, Director of Sales and Marketing, knew he needed a POS that could manage four busy golf courses from the restaurant to the pro shop. Not only did Lightspeed cost significantly less than their previous system, but it allowed Fairways to offer fast and contactless transactions at every facility. "Lightspeed Payments' new card readers are fast and easy to use—whether the card's inserted or using the tap to pay feature," said McGrew. "This is a benefit to help us run daily operations more efficiently to keep the experience enjoyable for all."
As commerce becomes increasingly digital and consumer-driven, integrated payments are a cornerstone that connects systems and software to keep a business running smoothly. This integration allows omnichannel merchants to process payments quickly online and off, and streamline their business operations all from a single commerce platform, with premium analytics, reporting, reconciliation, and resources to win chargeback disputes and recover lost sales at no added cost.
Visit Lightspeed's website to learn more about Lightspeed Payments.
Powering the businesses that are the backbone of the global economy, Lightspeed's one-stop commerce platform helps merchants innovate to simplify, scale, and provide exceptional customer experiences. Our cloud commerce solution transforms and unifies online and physical operations, multichannel sales, expansion to new locations, global payments, financial solutions, and connection to supplier networks.
Founded in Montréal, Canada in 2005, Lightspeed is dual-listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: LSPD) and Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: LSPD). With teams across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific, the company serves retail, hospitality, and golf businesses in over 100 countries.
For more information, see www.lightspeedhq.com
Follow us on social media: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may include forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements"), including information regarding Lightspeed's product offerings and planned product roadmap. Forward-looking statements are statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future events or conditions and are identified by words such as "will", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "believes", "estimates" or similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Such statements are based on current expectations of Lightspeed's management and inherently involve numerous risks and uncertainties, known and unknown, including economic factors. A number of risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this news release, including, among other factors, those risk factors identified in our most recent Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, under "Risk Factors" in our most recent Annual Information Form, and in our other filings with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, all of which are available under our profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. Readers are cautioned to consider these and other factors carefully when making decisions with respect to Lightspeed's subordinate voting shares and not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are not guarantees of future performance and, while forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions that Lightspeed considers reasonable, actual events and results could differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements made by Lightspeed. Except as may be expressly required by applicable law, Lightspeed does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or revise any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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SOURCE Lightspeed Commerce Inc. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/13/lightspeed-brings-innovative-payments-technology-golf-industry/ | 2022-07-13T14:37:14Z |
CHICAGO, May 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ryerson Holding Corporation (NYSE: RYI) ("Ryerson" or the "Company") announced today the early results of the previously announced cash tender offer (the "Tender Offer") by Joseph T. Ryerson & Son, Inc., the Company's wholly owned subsidiary ("JT Ryerson") and that it is amending the Tender Offer by increasing the aggregate principal amount to $132,155,000 (as increased and amended, the "Maximum Tender Amount") from $75,000,000, of its aggregate principal amount of JT Ryerson's outstanding 8.50% Senior Secured Notes due 2028 (the "Notes").
The Maximum Tender Amount represents the maximum aggregate principal amount of Notes to be accepted for purchase by JT Ryerson and excludes any Accrued Interest (as defined below) or Early Tender Premium (as defined below). The Tender Offer is being made upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase, dated May 13, 2022 (as amended or supplemented from time to time, the "Offer to Purchase"), which sets forth a detailed description of the Tender Offer. The Tender Offer is open to all registered holders (individually, a "Holder" and collectively, the "Holders") of the Notes.
As of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on May 26, 2022 (the "Early Tender Time"), as reported by D.F. King & Co., Inc., the Tender and Information Agent for the Tender Offer, the principal amount of the Notes listed in the table above have been validly tendered and not validly withdrawn. The withdrawal deadline of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on May 26, 2022 has passed and, accordingly, Notes validly tendered in the Tender Offer may no longer be withdrawn.
JT Ryerson expects to accept for purchase and make payment for Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn at or prior to the Early Tender Time on May 31, 2022 (the "Early Settlement Date"), subject to proration. Because the aggregate principal amount of Notes validly tendered exceeds the Maximum Tender Amount, JT Ryerson expects that it will accept validly tendered Notes on a prorated basis in accordance with the Offer to Purchase.
Because JT Ryerson expects to accept for purchase the Maximum Tender Amount of Notes, no additional Notes will be purchased pursuant to the Tender Offer after the Early Tender Time. As described in the Offer to Purchase, all Notes tendered and not accepted for purchase will be promptly returned to the tendering Holder's account.
Holders of all Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn at or prior to the Early Tender Time and accepted for purchase are eligible to receive the Total Consideration (as set forth in the Offer to Purchase), which includes the early tender premium of $25 per $1,000 principal amount of Notes tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Time (the "Early Tender Premium"). In addition to the Total Consideration, Holders of Notes accepted for purchase will receive accrued and unpaid interest on their Notes from the last interest payment date for the Notes to, but not including, the Early Settlement Date ("Accrued Interest").
JT Ryerson expressly reserves the right, in its sole discretion, subject to applicable law, to terminate the Tender Offer at any time prior to the Expiration Time (as set forth in the Offer to Purchase). The Tender Offer is not conditioned on any minimum principal amount of Notes being tendered but the Tender Offer is subject to certain conditions as described in the Offer to Purchase.
The complete terms and conditions of the Tender Offer is described in the Offer to Purchase, copies of which may be obtained by contacting D.F. King & Co., Inc., the information agent for the Tender Offer, at 48 Wall Street, 22nd Floor, New York, NY 10005, by telephone: banks and brokers call: (212) 269-5550, all others call toll free: (800) 488-8075, or by emailing: ryi@dfking.com. BofA Securities, Inc. is acting as the dealer manager for the Tender Offer. Additional information concerning the Tender Offer may be obtained by contacting BofA Securities, Inc., by telephone: at (980) 388-0539 (collect), or by emailing: debt_advisory@bofa.com.
This press release is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation, an offer to purchase, a solicitation of an offer to purchase, an offer to sell or a solicitation of consents with respect to any securities. The Tender Offer is being made solely pursuant to the Offer to Purchase that is being distributed to the holders of Notes. The Tender Offer is not being made to, nor will tenders be accepted from, or on behalf of, holders of Notes in any jurisdiction in which the making of the Tender Offer or the acceptance thereof would not comply with the laws of that jurisdiction.
Ryerson is a leading value-added processor and distributor of industrial metals, with operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and China. Founded in 1842, Ryerson has around 4,000 employees in approximately 100 locations.
Safe Harbor Provision
Certain statements made in this presentation and other written or oral statements made by or on behalf of the Company constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding the Company's future performance, as well as management's expectations, beliefs, intentions, plans, estimates, objectives, or projections relating to the future. Such statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "objectives," "goals," "preliminary," "range," "believes," "expects," "may," "estimates," "will," "should," "plans," or "anticipates" or the negative thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy. The Company cautions that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and may involve significant risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may vary materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Among the factors that significantly impact the Company's business are: the cyclicality of the Company's business; the highly competitive, volatile, and fragmented metals industry in which the Company operates; fluctuating metal prices; the Company's substantial indebtedness and the covenants in instruments governing such indebtedness; the integration of acquired operations; regulatory and other operational risks associated with the Company's operations located inside and outside of the United States; impacts and implications of adverse health events, including the COVID-19 pandemic; work stoppages; obligations under certain employee retirement benefit plans; the ownership of a majority of the Company's equity securities by a single investor group; currency fluctuations; and consolidation in the metals industry. Forward-looking statements should, therefore, be considered in light of various factors, including those set forth above and those set forth under "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2022, and in the Company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Moreover, the Company cautions against placing undue reliance on these statements, which speak only as of the date they were made. The Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances, new information or otherwise.
Vice President - Finance:
Jorge Beristain
312.292.5040
investorinfo@ryerson.com
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SOURCE Ryerson Holding Corporation | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/27/joseph-t-ryerson-amp-son-inc-announces-early-tender-results-upsize-previously-announced-cash-tender-offer-an-aggregate-principal-amount-132155000-75000000/ | 2022-05-27T01:31:46Z |
LONDON, ON, June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - VersaBank ("VersaBank" or the "Bank") (TSX: VBNK) (NASDAQ: VBNK), a leader in digital banking and cyber security solutions, today announced that, through its wholly owned U.S. subsidiary, VersaHoldings US Corp., it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Minnesota-based Stearns Bank Holdingford, N.A. ("SBH"), a privately held, wholly owned subsidiary of Stearns Financial Services Inc. ("SFSI") based in St. Cloud, Minnesota, for an estimated US$13.5million (CA$17.4 million) (subject to adjustment at closing). SBH is a fully operational national bank, OCC (Office of the Comptroller of the Currency)-chartered Bank, focused on small business lending, which is expected to add approximately US$60 million in total assets to VersaBank, subject to any adjustments at closing. Upon closing, SBH will be renamed VersaBank USA National Association. SFSI and its other subsidiaries (Stearns Bank N.A. ($2.2 billion in assets) and Stearns Bank Upsala, N.A. ($75 million in assets)) will continue to operate as usual.
- Provides VersaBank with access to U.S. deposits to fuel the growth of its Receivable Purchase Program business, which VersaBank recently launched in the U.S. following a period of significant growth and success in Canada;
- Expected to be accretive to VersaBank's earnings per share within the first year after closing; and,
- VersaBank USA is expected to be well capitalized on closing with a Total Capital ratio in excess of 10%.
"This acquisition represents a transformational next step in VersaBank's long-term growth strategy," said David Taylor, President and Chief Executive Officer, VersaBank. "We have built a tremendously successful digital banking operation in Canada, providing innovative, technology-based solutions to serve unmet needs, which has driven outsized earnings growth. Now, with the acquisition of U.S.-based SBH, we will have a platform from which to replicate that success in the Western world's largest banking market, in particular, through acceleration of the roll out of our innovative and highly differentiated Receivable Purchase Program solution, which has been very successful in Canada, in the US$1.8 trillion and growing U.S. consumer and small business point-of-sale financing market."
Mr. Taylor added, "It has been a pleasure working with the team at SFSI and we look forward to exploring future opportunities for collaborations to our mutual benefit."
"For over forty-five years, Stearns Bank has proudly served the strong and vibrant Holdingford community, and we are excited to continue to do so in our partnership with VersaBank," said Heather Plumski, President of Stearns Bank Holdingford N.A. "It speaks volumes that our Canadian neighbor, VersaBank, has chosen Holdingford as the best location to launch its U.S.-based banking and financing. VersaBank shares our values and culture, and we're confident VersaBank will be welcomed with open arms in Holdingford when the community gets to know our Canadian partner."
Kelly Skalicky, President and CEO of Stearns Financial Services, Inc. expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership with VersaBank, "Congratulations to Holdingford on its continued growth and for attracting VersaBank for its U.S. expansion plan. David and the VersaBank team are terrific and proving to be a perfect partner – together, we will deliver even more to our local communities and beyond."
Closing of the acquisition, expected before the end of VersaBank's fiscal year (October 31, 2022), is subject to regulatory approval in both the U.S. and Canada.
Raymond James & Associates, Inc. served as financial advisor, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP served as legal counsel, and Chain Bridge Partners, LLC acted as regulatory advisor to VersaBank in the transaction.
Stearns Financial Services Inc. (SFSI) is a well-capitalized, $2.4 billion independent financial holding company based in St. Cloud, MN. It is the holding company for Stearns Bank N.A. and Stearns Bank Upsala, N.A. Recognized as one of the nation's top-performing banks by both American Banker and Independent Banker magazines, Stearns Bank specializes in nationwide construction finance, small business lending, and equipment financing. Driven by a passion to help others achieve their greatest ambitions, Stearns Bank gets the job done! For more information, visit StearnsBank.com.
VersaBank is a Canadian Schedule I chartered bank with a difference. VersaBank became the world's first fully digital financial institution when it adopted its highly efficient business-to-business model using its proprietary state-of-the-art financial technology to profitably address underserved segments of the Canadian banking market in the pursuit of superior net interest margins while mitigating risk. VersaBank obtains all of its deposits and provides the majority of its loans and leases electronically, with innovative deposit and lending solutions for financial intermediaries that allow them to excel in their core businesses. In addition, leveraging its internally developed IT security software and capabilities, VersaBank established wholly owned, Washington, DC-based subsidiary, DRT Cyber Inc. to pursue significant large-market opportunities in cyber security and develop innovative solutions to address the rapidly growing volume of cyber threats challenging financial institutions, multi-national corporations and government entities on a daily basis.
VersaBank's Common Shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") and on Nasdaq under the symbol VBNK. Its Series 1 Preferred Shares trade on the TSX under the symbol VBNK.PR.A.
Visit our website at: www.versabank.com
Follow VersaBank on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
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SOURCE VersaBank | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/14/versabank-acquire-occ-chartered-national-us-bank-providing-platform-growth-united-states/ | 2022-06-14T12:00:46Z |
- LEGOLAND® New York Resort celebrates the 90th anniversary of LEGO® with a 20-foot-tall LEGO® birthday cake, 90 surprise giveaways per week, and much more!
- This summer, LEGOLAND New York also celebrates its first birthday with a series of new experiences, including the first-ever July 4th Red, White & BOOM! celebration, new entertainment shows, and new LEGO models
- The LEGO Group is inviting guests at select LEGOLAND Parks across the globe to "Play YOUR Way" for the 90th anniversary with which encourages kids to get hands-on with new in-Park touchpoints that help them display their creativity and imagination
GOSHEN, N.Y., June 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SURPRISE! LEGOLAND® New York Resort kicks off a summer of epic celebrations today for the 90th anniversary of the LEGO® Group. Awesome surprises include the arrival of a massive 20-foot-tall LEGO® cake, and exciting prize giveaways four days per week over the next two months. Families will have the opportunity to get the gift of building memories, with 90 surprise gifts per week ranging from LEGO Minifigures, to food, beverage and retail discounts, to VIP experiences, to a free, all-inclusive stay at LEGOLAND® Hotel!
"For 90 years, the LEGO Group has inspired creativity and joy among children, and as a theme park, LEGO play is in our DNA," said LEGOLAND New York Resort Divisional Director Stephanie Johnson. "This summer, for our first full season, we decided to take the celebrations up a notch with even more surprises and giveaways to pull out all the stops for the first full season of LEGOLAND New York Resort!"
Beginning tomorrow, the gigantic LEGO cake constructed of more than 180,000 LEGO elements will be on display for photo ops throughout the summer. For ten weeks (June 10 – August 19), all children who visit LEGOLAND New York from Thursdays through Sundays will receive a limited-edition lanyard upon entry to the Park. Each week, 90 random kids will find a card inside the lanyard with a special surprise. Prizes include:
- Popcorn and candy buckets
- Minifigure prizes
- LEGO sets valued at more than $200
- Free Park tickets
- Annual Passes
- VIP experiences
- And, for a lucky few guests, all-inclusive VIP LEGOLAND Hotel stays!
Beyond the birthday festivities, families can also enjoy a series of new bricktastic adventures this summer, including LEGOLAND New York's first-ever July 4th Red, White & BOOM! celebration, new entertainment shows, new characters, and new LEGO models. The fun continues with select LEGOLAND Parks launching a new "Play YOUR Way" campaign across the globe in honor of the 90th anniversary. "Play YOUR Way" introduces children to five different play types (designer, maker, explorer, storyteller, or dreamer) and encourages them to get hands-on with various in-Park touchpoints such as playful quizzes so they can discover their play type. There will even be "Master Players" that have mastered all five play types journeying throughout the Parks in magical costumes to surprise guests.
LEGOLAND New York Resort takes kids on a journey through seven LEGO® themed lands, including Brick Street, Bricktopia, LEGO® NINJAGO® World, LEGO Castle, LEGO City, MINILAND and LEGO Pirates. Built for families with children ages two through 12, can't-miss highlights of a LEGOLAND New York vacation include transforming into a Minifigure on the world premiere LEGO Factory Adventure ride, chasing the red wizard out of the castle on the signature Dragon coaster, and mastering the power of the elements with Master Wu on LEGO® NINJAGO® The Ride.
For the ultimate multi-day LEGO vacation experience, guests can book a Vacation Package at LEGOLAND® Hotel, just steps from the Park entrance.
LEGOLAND New York's full 2022 operating calendar can be found here. For more information about LEGOLAND New York Resort, visit our website or follow us on Facebook. To book a Vacation Package at LEGOLAND Hotel, visit our Vacation Packages page. Guests can also purchase single-day tickets (starting at $67.99 for adults) or annual passes ($149 per person) with or without a hotel stay.
AWESOME AWAITS at LEGOLAND® New York Resort, the ultimate LEGO® theme park destination, just outside New York City in the beautiful Hudson Valley! At LEGOLAND New York, kids ages two through 12 and their families can ride, climb, splash, and build their way through seven themed lands. Transform into a Minifigure on the world-premiere LEGO® Factory Adventure Ride, master the art of Spinjitzu on LEGO® NINJAGO® the Ride, save the kingdom on the Dragon Coaster, and explore awesome LEGO built cities in MINILAND! Adding to the multi-day destination experience, the bricktastic fun continues at LEGOLAND® Hotel, open year-round! The only LEGO themed hotel in the Northeast, it features 250 rooms in four themes: LEGO® Pirates, Kingdom, LEGO® Friends and LEGO® NINJAGO® – all just steps away from the theme park! The park is easily accessible by car, Metro-North train and direct bus service on Coach USA from Port Authority. For more information visit https://www.legoland.com/new-york/.
Merlin Entertainments is a global leader in location-based, family entertainment. As Europe's number one and the world's second-largest visitor attraction operator, Merlin operates 138 attractions, 23 hotels and 6 holiday villages in 24 countries across 4 continents. Merlin's purpose is to deliver memorable experiences to its millions of guests around the world, through its iconic brands and multiple attraction formats, and the commitment and passion of its employees.
See www.merlinentertainments.biz for more information and follow on Twitter @MerlinEntsNews.
About the LEGO Group: The LEGO Group's mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through the power of play. The LEGO System in Play, with its foundation in LEGO bricks, allows children and fans to build and rebuild anything they can imagine. The LEGO Group was founded in Billund, Denmark in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, its name derived from the two Danish words Leg Godt, which mean "Play Well". Today, the LEGO Group remains a family-owned company headquartered in Billund. Its products are now sold in more than 130 countries worldwide. For more information: www.LEGO.com
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SOURCE LEGOLAND New York Resort | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/13/legoland-new-york-resort-gives-away-90-surprises-per-week-celebrate-90th-anniversary-lego-group/ | 2022-06-13T11:33:41Z |
A ferocious wildfire outside California's Yosemite Park is "moving extremely fast" and limiting the amount of time authorities have to warn area residents to evacuate, a state fire official said.
"The fire behavior that we're seeing on this incident is really unprecedented," Cal Fire Battalion Chief Jon Heggie said of the Oak Fire, which has exploded to more than 16,700 acres and destroyed at least seven structures. "It's moving extremely fast and the reaction time to get people out is limited because that fire is moving so fast."
At least 3,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes due to the fire, per a news release from Gov. Gavin Newsom's office Saturday, since it began Friday in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.
In all, more than 2,500 personnel are battling the fire, which is 10% contained, according to an update Monday from Cal Fire. The teams are utilizing more than a dozen helicopters, 281 fire engines and 46 water tenders, which are used to transport large amounts of water, the agency said.
Officials, Heggie added, are doing their best to work with law enforcement and notify residents when they need to leave.
"But the reality is, it's moving so quickly, it's not giving people a lot of time, and they are sometimes just going to have to evacuate with the shirts on their back," he said. "But their life, safety is obviously the most important thing."
The fire "remained active in some areas" through Sunday night "due to dry dead and downed fuels," Cal Fire's update Monday said.
The agency also revised down the number of structures destroyed from 10 to seven and the number of structures damaged from five to zero, calling earlier figures "a preliminary estimate."
Among those who lost their home were Jane and Wes Smith, their son Nick Smith said, telling CNN his parents were left with "just the clothes on their back and the shoes on their feet."
"It's pretty sad to see the house that I grew up in and was raised in gone," he said. "It hits hard."
His mother only had enough time to load up their horses before escaping the area, Smith said, while his father was busy working on the fire as a Mariposa County sheriff's deputy. Now, the couple is staying with friends and family as they recover from the loss.
Smith started a GoFundMe to support his parents' recovery, writing, "37 years of memories, generations of family treasures, and countless more sentimental things. Although these are materials, it is devastating to lose everything literally in the blink of an eye without notice."
Fire's severity is the 'direct result' of climate change, official says
Newsom declared a state of emergency for Mariposa County Saturday, citing the thousands of displaced residents, destroyed homes and threatened critical infrastructure.
An evacuation center has been established at Mariposa Elementary School, as well as a small animal shelter. The county fairgrounds and Coursegold Rodeo Grounds are serving as a shelter for large animals, according to the sheriff's office.
Parts of the Sierra National Forest, which flanks and partially overlaps with Mariposa County, are closed to the public due to the fire, the Forest Service announced Sunday.
"The Fire's behavior consists of flanking, backing, and creeping through National Forest Systems lands, roads, and recreational areas," the agency posted on its website. "This closure will support public safety by keeping public members out of hazardous burn areas and will allow firefighting resources to combat the Fire without public interference."
The Oak Fire is the largest of California's actively burning fires, which have been fueled by extended drought conditions in much of the state, leaving behind brittle vegetation and underbrush which is quick to burn.
The fire is also having an affect on the weather in other states. The National Weather Service in Portland, Oregon, noted in a tweet that high temperatures may be impacted or lowered if the smoke from the Oak Fire reaches their city.
Heggie also noted the fire was "indicative" of what's been seen more broadly in wildfires throughout the state and the American west in recent years: It was "burning with just such a velocity and intensity," Heggie said, due to prolonged drought and human-caused climate change.
"What I can tell you is this is a direct result of what is climate change," he said. "You can't have a 10-year drought in California and expect things to be the same. And we are now paying the price for that 10-year drought and that climate change."
As a result of climate change, wildfires are becoming more frequent and severe. Blazes are burning longer and hotter in places they've always occurred, according to a report released earlier this year from the UN Environment Programme, and also igniting in unexpected places.
"That dead fuel that's a result from that climate change and that drought is what's driving these, what we are now calling, 'mega fires,'" Heggie said.
In years past, he said, fires "had never grown in this rate or this size."
"Now," he observed, "it's commonplace."
Cal Fire acknowledges the state's longer wildfire seasons, which experts say are beginning to stretch throughout the year, are the direct result of climate change.
Fire officials in Southern California braced for a difficult summer this year, anticipating the hotter, drier summer and the increased frequency of wildfires, even as firefighting crews experience worker shortages.
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™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
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Stacker takes a look at 25 pictures of abandoned military installations and their stories. Click for more. | https://www.albanyherald.com/news/californias-oak-fire-has-expanded-rapidly-as-it-scorches-more-than-16-000-acres-near/article_ecce297c-90c4-52f9-9b1c-d0d01673b468.html | 2022-07-26T03:30:22Z |
Which Lego Nightwing is best?
While most casual DC fans are familiar with Robin, few know that he later develops his own status as a superhero under the moniker Nightwing. Although he doesn’t have the same resources or wealth as Batman, he becomes a dedicated warrior for Gotham City, making him one of the best DC heroes. With the power of Lego, you can reenact Nightwing’s adventures in miniature sets.
The best Lego Nightwing you can buy is the Lego DC Mobile Bat Base 76160 Batman Building Toy. Although marketed as a Batman set, it also includes Nightwing along with several other DC characters: Batman, Bat-Girl, Mr. Freeze and Man-Bat.
What to know before you buy a Lego Nightwing
The origin of Nightwing
The original Nightwing title and design was introduced in “Superman” #158. The story, “Superman in Kandor,” has Superman in a Kryptonian city as an outlaw, and Batman inspires him to don the Nightwing disguise. In a later story, Dick Grayson is dismissed from the role of Robin and is inspired to become Nightwing after hearing the story of a Kryptonian vigilante called Nightwing. Grayson’s Nightwing fights criminals and other villains using acrobatics, athletics and a modest arsenal of high-tech equipment.
Robin, Nightwing and Red Hood
If you’re a casual comic book fan, it’s common to be confused by the names Robin, Nightwing and Red Hood. While the three are connected, they are all different characters.
- Robin is Batman’s sidekick, and many characters have taken on the name through the years, including Dick Grayson (the first Robin), Jason Todd, Tim Drake, and Damien Wayne.
- Dick Grayson becomes Nightwing after retiring the Robin name.
- Jason Todd, the second Robin, is killed by the Joker in one story and is resurrected as Red Hood.
Recommended age groups
Although Nightwing stories tend to be darker than your average comic book story, there’s nothing inherently so explicit or violent in the series that a child cannot enjoy a Nightwing toy. Lego has done a great job of adapting the character to look fun and inviting for all ages.
That said, Lego recommends the sets be given to children aged 8 or up. While anyone younger may enjoy the sets, they may have difficulty putting them together, while much younger children may risk choking on small pieces.
What to look for in a quality Lego Nightwing
Set design
Sure, owning a minifigure on its own can be fun, but when the minifigure comes in a bigger set, it instantly becomes more fun and a better display piece. Look for sets that include exciting environments for the minifigures to play or pose in. This may take shape as a detailed building with several opening compartments, or as a vehicle with working weapons or pieces.
Additional characters and accessories
Similarly, you will want other characters to make your set more entertaining to play with or display. These days, most sets come with more than one figure, whether it’s a villain, a sidekick or a grunt to play-fight with. The sets also come with accessories such as weapons, tools or alternative costumes.
Official Lego and DC brand
With the success of Lego, replicas and counterfeits have followed, with companies attempting to cash in by creating their own plastic brick toy. You should know right off the bat that they are fakes by the difference in the brick design, but when in doubt, always look for the official Lego logo, and in this case, the DC logo as well.
How much you can expect to spend on Lego Nightwing
The cheapest Lego Nightwing set is around $32. They can go all the way up to $200 for complex building sets with multiple characters.
Lego Nightwing FAQ
Are Lego sets suitable for a 4-year-old?
A. Lego can be enjoyed by people of all ages. However, due to the complexity of putting the sets together, and the risk of choking from small pieces, Lego recommends that the sets be given to children aged 8 or older. If you want to give it to someone younger, be sure they have adult supervision and are mature enough to understand the risks.
What is frustration-free packaging?
A. Amazon offers frustration-free packaging for some Lego sets, which reduces the size and weight of the overall package. While this may make it easier to open, it may also leave your set prone to damage during shipping.
What’s the best Lego Nightwing to buy?
Top Lego Nightwing
Lego DC Mobile Bat Base 76160 Batman Building Toy
What you need to know: What’s better than the Batcave or the Batmobile? How about a Mobile Bat Base! This set features Nightwing, Batman and other DC characters.
What you’ll love: It includes several vehicles, including the Batjet, Batquad, motorcycle, water scooter and toy truck, as well as six minifigures.
What you should consider: It’s on the pricier end of Batman-Nightwing Lego sets.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top Lego Nightwing for the money
Lego Superheroes 76011 Batman: Man-Bat Attack
What you need to know: This is an exciting set with Batman with his Batcopter and Nightwing with his glider, as they take on Man-Bat.
What you’ll love: The Batcopter has a hook that can attach to Nightwing’s glider so you can pull him from the danger of Man-Bat’s dynamite.
What you should consider: The Batcopter falls apart relatively easily.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Lego DC Super Heroes Mighty Micros: Nightwing vs. The Joker 76093 Building Kit
What you need to know: Going for simplicity? This set features Nightwing and the Joker in a Mighty Micros car.
What you’ll love: With only 84 pieces, this set can be put together by a properly supervised 6-year-old.
What you should consider: The set is very small and only includes two minifigures and two small cars.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/toys-games-br/building-sets-blocks-br/best-lego-nightwing/ | 2022-05-21T17:07:47Z |
Change Orders, Adaptive and Complex Design Studies, Enhanced RFP Experience and More
SAN FRANCISCO, May 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Strategikon Pharma announced today the release of Clinical Maestro® SOURCE version 3.0. An innovative solution that addresses the clinical RFP outsourcing process, SOURCE replaces outdated Excel-based workbooks with a powerful SaaS solution, designed by the world's leading experts in clinical outsourcing, our biopharmaceutical customers.
SOURCE addresses many inefficient manual processes such as R&D RFP process, proposal due diligence, clinical contract negotiations, and vendor scoring, which have long been pain points for the industry. With significant additional functionality, SOURCE further simplifies and accelerates the RFP process for clinical procurement and other stakeholders.
Change orders, which consume a significant portion of time and budget, are supported over the entire outsourcing lifecycle. Flexibility for Interim Monitoring Visits (IMV) expands the range of studies, including a frequency-driven method and support for complex oncology studies. Other improvements include enhanced communication capabilities to support messaging between Sponsors and Providers during the RFP process; increased document management to ease the outsourcing staff efforts; and the ability to create and manage custom tasks in both Clinical Maestro PORTFOLIO, the industry leading planning and budgeting solution for clinical trials, and SOURCE, allowing Sponsors to model clinical study costs with their own historical data.
"Our customers have found that, with SOURCE, they can manage the end-to-end RFP process in a fraction of the time compared to traditional email and Excel-based processes, consistently gaining savings, more than 10% per RFP, through the advanced due diligence engine and availability of Fair Market Value. This release adds critical functionality for Change Order management and complex study design, alleviating some of the most frustrating processes in clinical outsourcing," said Anca Copaescu, Founder and CEO of Strategikon Pharma. "Creating activity-based custom tasks with the advanced formula configurator allows Sponsors to model internal activities and budget with historical costs and benchmark data, advancing the tool set of clinical budgeting teams."
For more information, join our webinar: "How to Transform Your R&D Procurement with Innovative Technology."
About Clinical Maestro by Strategikon
Clinical Maestro, a SaaS solution, equips all participants in developing clinical trials, both Biopharmaceutical companies and R&D Service Providers, with state-of-the-art tools to budget, source, and manage faster, more accurately, and with less effort. Please visit www.clinicalmaestro.com for more details.
Contact:
Karen Wills
Head of Marketing, Strategikon
kwills@strategikonpharma.com
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SOURCE Strategikon Pharma | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/11/strategikon-pharma-announces-release-clinical-maestro-source-30/ | 2022-05-11T14:22:26Z |
Some Republicans and far-right groups' attacks on voting rights and American democracy are making it harder for Black people to achieve racial equality, according to a new report from the National Urban League.
The civil rights organization on Tuesday released its annual State of Black America report, titled "Under Siege: The Plot to Destroy Democracy." Among other things, the findings showed the social and economic status of Black Americans; how African Americans felt about social justice issues; and revealed the various tactics that make it harder for Black people to vote.
Citing a record number of voters from communities of color using mail-in ballots and early voting, the authors say partisan politicians in state legislatures around the country have drafted bills and passed laws making it harder for Black Americans to vote and they see no signs of the effort slowing down.
"Historic voter turnout in the 2020 election sparked the beginning of one of the most insidious partisan attacks on voting rights in American history," the authors of the report write.
Marc Morial, the president and CEO of the National Urban League, told CNN that without the right to vote for Black people, racial equity cannot be achieved.
"If we don't have the right to vote for officials who share the concerns of our community, we have no voice," he said. "We have no say and American democracy is undermined. We will fight to protect American democracy and the right to vote until hell freezes over."
Before 2020, absentee voting was neither controversial nor subject to legislative attack, according to the report.
"Republicans passed no-excuse absentee voting in Georgia in 2005." And as recently as 2019, broad bipartisan majorities expanded access to absentee voting in Pennsylvania. But "after 2020, the first year that nonwhite voters began relying on mail voting in large numbers, mail voting became the subject of intense and politicized scrutiny across America," the authors wrote.
In Georgia, for example, nearly 30% of Black voters cast their ballots by mail, compared to 24% of White voters — a reversal from past behaviors. More than 1.3 million Georgians voted absentee.
In 2021, 19 states passed 34 laws making it harder for Black people to vote by making mail-in voting more difficult, imposing strict signature requirements and reducing polling place availability, according to the report. The report also reveals that this year, 18 states have already carried over at least 152 restrictive bills from the previous legislative session.
Combating the assault on voting rights should be the number one priority for Black Americans to ensure challenges and disparities that Black Americans face are dealt with from the ground up, Morial told CNN.
The National Urban League worked with Benenson Strategy Group and conducted about 1,674 interviews online earlier this March among people living in the United States from ages 18 and older to get insight on the issues that Black Americans face.
The Urban League marked the report's release with a special launch event Tuesday that brought together the group's leaders, members of Congress, civil rights activists, as well as the next generation of leaders.
The civil rights organization chose to host event at Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta because they say Georgia is ground zero for voter suppression.
"Even with our rich civil rights legacy and progress, Georgia right now is ground zero for the fight to protect our democracy," Nancy Flake Johnson, president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Atlanta said Tuesday. "We are embracing the task of re-educating voters on the power, the history, the privilege and the urgency of now for voting."
At the launch event, Mayor of Atlanta Andre Dickens stressed the importance of voting in the upcoming election.
"Our state was just one of 49 states where legislation was introduced over the last year that will restrict access to the ballot box," Dickens said. "Remember that it is imperative that we remain politically engaged and active. This is the way we will move our city forward."
Other findings
The report also found that the main tactics that restrict voting rights include gerrymandering, voter suppression, election sabotage and intimidation. The executive summary of the report says the redrawing of congressional maps, extremely strict voter ID laws and efforts to discredit votes are attempts to silence Black voices.
"I'm extremely concerned that these efforts will have an impact," Morial said. "That's why we have to do everything in the courts, in the political arena, in the court of public opinion, to organize efforts to counteract it. We have to counteract it because it is so corrosive and so damaging to American democracy."
Morial also said the National Urban League is also encouraging Black voters to support candidates — both locally and nationally — who not only publicly go on record in support of the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, but who are also in opposition to the use of the filibuster block.
The annual report also calculates an Equality Index every year that reveals the disparities for Black Americans relative to White Americans in economic opportunity, education, health, social justice and civic engagement.
Authors of the report also surveyed thousands of Black and White people to gauge their views on issues of race and justice in America.
One of the main goals of the report is to help Black Americans reclaim their right to vote in every election. The National Urban League plans to advise many Black communities through the upcoming midterm elections to ensure a record turnout later this year, Morial said.
They also plan to launch a civic engagement campaign called "Reclaim Your Vote" to ensure the integrity of future elections so that Black Americans can be put on a path to racial equality.
"Frustration is not a strategy, and it leads to dejection and defeat if we allow it to consume our thinking," Morial said. "We have to push back even in the most difficult times we have faced as people. The times demand that we be resolute."
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.albanyherald.com/news/attacks-on-voting-rights-arent-slowing-down-and-black-americans-are-in-the-crosshairs-new/article_c75d790b-1a4f-5c10-845d-ac38af85b74e.html | 2022-04-12T17:23:26Z |
Services for Paula Kay Gillmeister Krause, 65, of Temple will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at Covenant Lutheran Church in Temple.
Burial will be in Blevins Cemetery in Cego.
Mrs. Krause died Tuesday, May 10, at a Temple hospital.
She was born Aug. 18, 1956, in Temple.
Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. Monday at Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home in Temple. | https://www.tdtnews.com/obituaries/article_c21ba2d2-d2ff-11ec-af48-8b8e3308388d.html | 2022-05-14T07:59:12Z |
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Local communities across the country are trying to fight violent crime, and President Joe Biden wants them to dedicate more federal money to that effort.
The Biden administration says local governments have already put $10 billion from the American Rescue Plan towards public safety efforts. They hosted local leaders from across the country to discuss that on Friday, including Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and Police Chief Mary O’Connor.
“Across the board we’re making sure communities have the resources available to them that they’ve never had before,” President Biden said.
Mayor Castor says her city used the funding to prevent laying off first responders, launch a behavioral health unit and buy body cameras and new police cars.
“Keeping our city one of the safest in the United States,” Castor said.
Chief O’Connor agrees that the money made an important difference.
“Without the funding, there could have been a potential crime increase,” O’Connor said.
They want to continue working on strategies aimed at prevention.
“Rather than responding to some of these calls, let’s prevent them before they ever occur. And that has an impact on violent crime,” Castor said.
Mayor Castor says that really takes a wholistic approach.
“Good paying jobs, housing that is affordable and transportation solutions really goes to the safety and the quality of life of every community,” Castor said.
As the president calls on local leaders to allocate more funding to safety efforts, Chief O’Connor is echoing that call.
“It takes dollars to do those programs and people to support those programs,” O’Connor said.
It’s the right time for states to make these funding decisions because the White House says the Treasury Department is now releasing the second round of funding from the American Rescue Plan. | https://cw33.com/news/washington-dc-bureau/tampa-leaders-meet-with-president-biden-to-discuss-tackling-violent-crime/ | 2022-05-14T03:15:40Z |
PITTSBURGH, Aug. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The United Steelworkers (USW) today said that members have ratified a new master contract with Goodyear covering about 6,000 workers at facilities in Akron, Ohio; Topeka, Kan.; Danville, Va.; and Fayetteville, N.C.
They join roughly 4,000 unionized workers at Bridgestone locations in Akron; Des Moines, Iowa; Bloomington, Ill.; Russellville, Ark.; LaVergne and Morrison, Tenn., and 1,800 USW represented Michelin-BF Goodrich employees in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Fort Wayne, Ind., who ratified contracts on August 19, 2022.
USW International President Thomas M. Conway said that workers won meaningful economic and contract language improvements in the agreements, which were ratified by an overwhelming majority of members across the three employers.
"The hard work of our negotiating committees and the solidarity of the membership throughout the industry have been rewarded with fair contracts for everyone," Conway said. "We made it a priority to raise wages and retain cost-of-living adjustments without giving in to management's demands that we sacrifice quality, affordable health insurance options."
The newly ratified contracts feature wage increases, maintain cost-of-living adjustments, provide lump-sum payments, improve retirement options, eliminate two-tier wage systems, provide access to much improved health care for some members—that was previously unavailable to them—and preserve access to quality, affordable health insurance plans for all of the membership.
The agreements also allow recently hired and younger employees to accrue vacation and progress through the wage scales more quickly in an effort to help the employers retain more workers.
The contracts with Goodyear and Bridgestone set terms for four years, while the Michelin-BF Goodrich agreement is set to expire after three.
The USW represents 850,000 men and women employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in tech, higher education, public sector and service occupations.
More information, contact: Tony Montana – (412) 562-2592 or tmontana@usw.org
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SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW) | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/24/usw-members-ratify-agreements-with-goodyear-bridgestone-michelin-bf-goodrich/ | 2022-08-24T15:43:10Z |
DENVER (AP) — Darcy Kuemper smirked.
A day after saying he and Colorado Avalanche goalie partner Pavel Francouz usually get a text message the night before a game telling them who’s starting, he finally let on that it wasn’t such a secret going into the Stanley Cup Final.
“I might have known a little bit longer,” he said.
There was no goalie controversy then and there’s no goalie controversy now for the Avalanche, who beat the back-to-back defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning in overtime to take the opener of the best-of-seven series. Kuemper made 20 saves on 23 shots and has coach Jared Bednar’s trust going into Game 2 Saturday night.
“I was pretty happy with his performance,” Bednar said. “Darcy is a guy we leaned on heavily all year long. It’s why we relied on him to do this job.”
The Avalanche played it like it was some sort of debate between Kuemper, their starter all season who has missed time this playoffs with injury, and Francouz, who was 6-0 filling in. They know they have options as one of just five teams in NHL history to have two different goaltenders win at least five games each during a playoff run.
But most teams would love to lean on one guy, and Kuemper taking an inadvertent stick to the right eye through a hole in his mask in the first round is the only thing keeping him from playing every game.
Kuemper insists now he’s fully healthy. That was clear in a couple of important stops he made on three successful Colorado penalty kills in Game 1, which was another step for him putting the eye injury in the past.
“It was an unfortunate incident in the first round,” he said. “I’m glad I came out of it and everything is back to normal now, so nothing you can do about it. It’s not easy watching some of those games, but the team has been so great that I’ve just been worried about getting myself back sharp and getting healthy.”
POINT GIVEN
Lightning star Brayden Point got off to a bit of a slow start in Game 1, but that’s understandable given he hadn’t played in a month because of a right leg injury. Despite the long layoff, Point skated almost 18 minutes, assisted on Nick Paul’s goal and drew a penalty.
After starting the series on Tampa Bay’s third line, Point is now a candidate to move up closer to his usual first-line role.
“It’s not per se where I’m going to put Brayden Point,” coach Jon Cooper said Thursday. “It’s what’s best for our team, and usually when he’s up in the lineup, that’s good for us.”
Cooper liked what he saw in Point in the opener, although it’s clear the Lightning’s leading goal-scorer the past two playoffs isn’t back to that form yet.
“He handled it pretty well,” Cooper said. “He’s getting his game and his hands in order. I can expect him to get more ice time if he’s feeling better.”
EXTRA REST
Neither team practiced Thursday with an extra day between Games 1 and 2. Some Avalanche players worked out at the rink, but the priority is rest with just about everyone anticipating a lengthy series.
“In a seven-game series, you can’t get caught admiring a win, or whatever you want to call it,” Colorado defenseman Bowen Byram said. “We’ll get prepared in the next couple days and get ready to go again.”
___
Follow AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno
___
More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/avalanche-net-belongs-to-darcy-kuemper-in-stanley-cup-final/ | 2022-06-16T22:24:23Z |
Tl;dr
-Lithic has built a free, open library of the legal compliance policies and forms that companies need to have in place to launch card programs.
-The templates can be accessed through Lithic's documentation.
-Matt Janiga, Lithic's General Counsel and Compliance Officer, will host a webinar on June 9, 2022 to walk through the forms and answer questions.
NEW YORK, June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lithic, the platform for insanely fast card issuing, today announced the launch of the Lithic Legal Library, a repository of the standard legal templates required for setting up a card program. Matt Janiga, Lithic's General Counsel and Compliance Officer, will host a webinar on June 9, 2022, to walk through the forms and answer questions.
Lithic's legal and compliance teams developed the templates for compliance policies and terms that exemplify current best practices. They plan to expand the collection over the next few months to help cover key policies U.S. bank sponsors require fintech programs to have before launching new products.
Current documents will help fintechs building credit and debit programs and include:
- AML and Sanctions Policy
- Disputes Policy
- UDAAP Policy
- Marketing and Advertising Policy
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- Prepaid Consumer Cardholder Agreement
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"We've worked with a lot of fintech company founders to launch their card programs and it's clear that getting all the legal policies and terms in place is much harder than it needs to be," said Bo Jiang, Lithic's CEO and Co-Founder. "When Matt joined as our general counsel, I asked him how Lithic could help founders in this space and we landed on the idea of a publicly available library like this. I wish we had this when we started."
"The Lithic Legal Library ensures that any fintech company doing business in the US, whether they work with Lithic or not, has access to quality legal templates," said Lithic's General Counsel and Compliance Officer, Matt Janiga. "We think this strengthens the entire fintech community."
The Lithic team was inspired by Y Combinator's publication of the standard safe document. Published in 2013, it quickly became the industry standard for startups raising money. The Lithic Legal Library has similar goals:
- Commoditize paperwork that doesn't have any proprietary or strategic advantages
- Help companies launch more quickly
- Set the bar for what good legal forms look like
Each company and product has unique considerations and these forms are not designed to replace specific legal advice. Lithic reminds users of the forms to have their own lawyer or compliance consultants review to determine how, if at all, they may need to tailor them.
To learn more, register for the webinar on June 9, 2022 hosted by Matt Janiga, Lithic's General Counsel and Compliance Officer.
Founded by Bo Jiang, Jason Kruse, and David Nichols as Privacy.com in 2014, Lithic builds infrastructure that makes it simple to issue debit and credit cards. Designed for developers, Lithic's simple, powerful primitives deliver the speed, flexibility, compliance, and economics that companies need to build unique card products and create differentiated customer experiences.
Lithic is backed by Stripes, Bessemer Venture Partners, Index Ventures, Tusk Venture Partners, AHCV, and Teamworthy Ventures. For more information, visit www.lithic.com.
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SOURCE Lithic | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/02/announcing-lithic-legal-library-free-open-repository-legal-compliance-policies-terms-required-card-programs/ | 2022-06-02T14:25:07Z |
Latinos say they’re discriminated against by other Latinos just as much as others
By Nicole Chavez, CNN
Latinos in the United States with darker skin are experiencing discrimination from fellow Latinos and from non-Latinos at nearly the same rate, a new poll from the Pew Research Center says.
The report, published Monday, is based on a survey conducted in March 2021 among a randomly selected sample of 3,375 Hispanic adults drawn from panels originally recruited using probability-based methods.
Among Latinos with darker skin, about 41% said they were discriminated or treated unfairly by another Latino and 42% said they had been discriminated against by non-Latinos, the survey found.
Latinos with lighter skin said they experience discrimination but not as much as dark skin Latinos. Researchers found that about 25% of those who took part in the survey said the discrimination came from other Latinos while 29% said it was from non-Latinos, the report says.
While there was not an overall breakdown of how the respondents trace their heritage, the survey shows Latinos’ country of origin impacts their experience with discrimination.
About a third of Latinos born outside the US or in Puerto Rico said they faced discrimination or unfair treatment by another Latino, the survey shows. In a previous report, Pew researchers said 40% of respondents said discrimination based on race or skin color is about the same in both the place of their birth and in the US.
Ana Gonzalez-Barrera, a senior researcher at the Pew Research Center, said the report highlights an aspect of the discrimination that Latinos in America face that has not been widely studied in the past.
“The experiences of Latinos being discriminated against from within the group is not talked about as much,” Gonzalez-Barrera said. “There’s not a lot of research, at least not something that you can point to.”
Overall, Latinos said they were criticized for speaking Spanish in public (23%), called offensive names (20%) and nearly all of them said they sometimes or often hear their Latino friends and family members say racially insensitive comments or jokes.
Gonzalez-Barrera said researchers found that younger Latinos are more likely to report hearing those comments or experiencing discrimination than people ages 65 and up.
The survey shows half of Latinos ages 18 to 29 reported hearing those racially insensitive comments aimed at Latinos and non-Latinos. About 38% of Latinos ages 65 and up said they heard fellow Latinos making similar comments. Latinos with college experience were more likely than those with lower levels of educational attainment to say the same, researchers said.
Colorism runs deep in the Spanish language and social mobility in parts of Latin America has heavily depended on the complexion of a person’s skin for generations, experts say.
“In the popular culture there’s still that belief — whether it’s subconscious or not — that if you marry someone lighter than you, you have a better chance for upward mobility,” Maria Peña, Library of Congress Hispanic media spokeswoman previously told CNN.
In the aftermath of George Floyd’s killing, activists across the US and top Latino leaders said it was time for Latinos to examine and fight their own racism and colorism.
“We have remained silent when our tias have encouraged us to partner with people who have lighter skin than we do so we can mejorar la raza (improve the race). We have hated ourselves for our skin color, hair texture, our curves and our accents,” the leaders of prominent organizations wrote in a letter published in The Miami Herald.
Months later, an incident between a Latina and a Black teenager in New York City spotlighted how anti-Black sentiment is embedded within the Latino community.
Miya Ponsetto was seen on video attacking a 14-year old boy who was with his father in the Arlo Hotel and accused the boy of stealing her cell phone, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said. Investigators later determined the teenager did not take her phone.
Ponsetto has insisted race was not a factor in the incident. Earlier this year, she pleaded guilty to unlawful imprisonment in the second degree as a hate crime.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/news/national-world/cnn-national/2022/05/02/latinos-say-theyre-discriminated-against-by-other-latinos-just-as-much-as-others/ | 2022-05-02T23:20:07Z |
LONDON (AP) — The Bank of England raised its key interest rate to the highest level in 13 years on Thursday as policymakers around the world combat inflation fueled by high energy prices, Russia’s war in Ukraine and lingering concerns about COVID-19.
The central bank hiked rates for the fourth time since December as U.K. inflation runs at 30-year highs. Its Monetary Policy Committee voted 6-3 to lift the rate that the Bank of England pays other banks by a quarter-percentage point, to 1%. The three members in the minority wanted to raise it even higher — by half a point to 1.25%, the bank said, in a sign of growing momentum for strong action to counter rising consumer prices.
“Global inflationary pressures have intensified sharply following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This has led to a material deterioration in the outlook for world and U.K. growth,” the bank said.
It said those developments and COVID-19 restrictions in China have worsened the supply chain shocks that the United Kingdom and other countries face.
The decision comes a day after the U.S. Federal Reserve stepped up its attack on inflation, approving the biggest rate increase in more than two decades and signaling that more are on the way. The Fed increased its key short-term rate by a half-percentage point, to a range of 0.75% to 1%.
Other central banks around the world, from Sweden to Australia, also have started taking similar action.
Soaring consumer prices in the U.K. are fueling a cost-of-living crisis marked by rocketing energy bills and surging food and transport prices. The Bank of England is struggling to show it is serious about reining in inflation without moving so aggressively that it undermines consumer confidence.
“The Bank of England has a difficult job ahead of it — inflationary pressures from external factors are getting higher and higher,” Dmitri Theodosiu, head of foreign exchange and interest rates trading at Investec, said in a note to investors. “And with the cries of ‘higher, higher’ ringing in the ears comes the knowledge that too much intervention could see a damaging fall to the economy.”
Bank of England policymakers indicated that more rate increases could be in the pipeline based on the latest economic outlook.
“Most members of the committee judge that some degree of further tightening in monetary policy may still be appropriate in the coming months,” the bank’s report said.
Britain’s inflation rate rose to a 30-year high of 7% in March, more than triple the central bank’s target of 2%. Economists expect inflation to reach 9% or more later this year. | https://cw33.com/business/ap-business/bank-of-england-expected-to-raise-interest-rates-again/ | 2022-05-05T22:47:28Z |
NEXTMap® elevation data and analytics will drive efficiency and save costs for an industry leader in solar energy site planning
Developing scalable, custom analytics to meet the growing demand for solar energy around the world
DENVER, Sept. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Intermap Technologies (TSX: IMP) (OTCQX: ITMSF) ("Intermap" or the "Company"), a global leader in 3D geospatial data and intelligence solutions, today announced a new contract with a major solar energy company to provide NEXTMap® elevation data as a service and analytics to support solar farm planning and site assessment. Intermap's solution saves renewable energy companies significant time and resources.
Intermap's elevation data as a service business model is scalable to meet the specific needs of customers. The Company developed custom slope analytics to the solar energy company's specific requirements. It rapidly provides detailed information about the steepness of the terrain for site assessments, visualization and planning. This type of analysis typically happens in the preliminary stages of planning so organizations can focus on the most promising sites. Once solar sites are prioritized, survey teams deploy drones and other equipment to evaluate and model the locations further. A major benefit is the reduction of these more costly and time-consuming surveys. Clients can access the elevation data and analytics they need without purchasing the elevation models, resulting in a cost-effective solution that can be used by non-geospatial experts.
"We are excited to provide solar energy companies with cutting-edge elevation data and analytics to support solar projects around the world," said Patrick A. Blott, Intermap's Chairman and CEO. "Intermap's easily accessible geospatial data and analytics make it simple for solar energy companies to manage multiple projects and save time and money associated with sending ground crews in the early stages of planning."
Today's newest subscription reflects Intermap's continued expansion into the renewable energy market where its NEXTMap elevation data and analytics meet the growing demand for solar energy. The global solar power market is expected to grow from $184.03 billion in 2021 to $293.18 billion in 2028 at a CAGR of 6.9% (Source). The growth in demand for solar energy is driven by environmental urgency and incentives set forth by governments to help reduce carbon emissions. Intermap's global data coverage enables energy companies to expand operations to meet the growing renewable energy demand while maintaining confidence that the data will provide accurate and consistent results anywhere in the world.
Recent wins with other major renewable energy companies show the growing demand for Intermap's unique capabilities in providing the necessary tools for renewable energy planning and climate resilience projects. The Company is building recurring revenue at a high margin with a focus on elevation data as a service and analytics to meet the global demand for clean energy.
This new contract includes access to Intermap's NEXTMap elevation data and custom slope analytics, enabling the client to assess viability, evaluate canopy heights and perform cut-fill analysis in the preliminary planning stages of proposed solar projects.
To learn more about Intermap's elevation data and analytics for renewable energy, visit www.intermap.com/renewable-energy.
Certain information provided in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements. The words "anticipate", "expect", "project", "estimate", "forecast", "will be", "will consider", "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Although Intermap believes that these statements are based on information and assumptions which are current, reasonable and complete, these statements are necessarily subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Intermap's forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties pertaining to, among other things, cash available to fund operations, availability of capital, revenue fluctuations, nature of government contracts, economic conditions, loss of key customers, retention and availability of executive talent, competing technologies, common share price volatility, loss of proprietary information, software functionality, internet and system infrastructure functionality, information technology security, breakdown of strategic alliances, and international and political considerations, as well as those risks and uncertainties discussed Intermap's Annual Information Form and other securities filings. While the Company makes these forward-looking statements in good faith, should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary significantly from those expected. Accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits that the Company will derive therefrom. All subsequent forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, attributable to Intermap or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as at the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the forward-looking statements made herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities law.
Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Intermap (TSX: IMP) (OTCQX: ITMSF) is a global leader in geospatial intelligence solutions, focusing on the creation and analysis of 3D terrain data to produce high-resolution thematic models. Through scientific analysis of geospatial information and patented sensors and processing technology, the Company provisions diverse, complementary, multi-source datasets to enable customers to seamlessly integrate geospatial intelligence into their workflows. Intermap's 3D elevation data and software analytic capabilities enable global geospatial analysis through artificial intelligence and machine learning, providing customers with critical information to understand their terrain environment. By leveraging its proprietary archive of the world's largest collection of multi-sensor global elevation data, the Company's collection and processing capabilities provide multi-source 3D datasets and analytics at mission speed, enabling governments and companies to build and integrate geospatial foundation data with actionable insights. Applications for Intermap's products and solutions include defense, aviation and UAV flight planning, flood and wildfire insurance, disaster mitigation, base mapping, environmental and renewable energy planning, telecommunications, engineering, critical infrastructure monitoring, hydrology, land management, oil and gas and transportation.
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SOURCE Intermap Technologies Corporation | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/08/intermap-announces-new-subscription-solar-projects/ | 2022-09-08T21:21:57Z |
The Somali-French art dealer bringing Black perspectives to Paris’ gallery scene
Jacqui Palumbo, CNN
When Mariane Ibrahim opened her elegant, new three-story art gallery in Paris last September, she became the first Black gallerist to set up shop in the French capital, and, according to the Somali-French art dealer, the first dedicated to showing contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora.
Located in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, among other noted galleries and close to landmarks like the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre, the space has featured the otherworldly mixed-media figures of Haitian American artist M. Florine Démosthène and found-image collages by Afro Latino artist Clotilde Jiménez. In April, Ibrahim debuted the European show of Ghanaian painter Amoako Boafo, who captures the beauty of Black skin in swirling, lush brushstrokes.
The gallery’s setting, in a crisp, airy new space, housed inside a historical building designed in classic Haussmann style, was particularly meaningful to her to underscore the importance of the lesser-seen work. “It commands a certain contemplation, when you come in,” she said in a phone interview. “I really intended to have a space that is prestigious, that is able to host the art of the future.”
Before her homecoming to Paris, Ibrahim has spent the past decade building her US presence through eponymous galleries in Seattle and Chicago, with a focus on African diasporic art. Over the past few years, American museums and galleries have made significant strides in representing Black artists, she said, while art market interest has surged as well. But in Paris, despite France’s extensive colonial history with the continent, there are no other galleries dedicated to artists of African heritage.
“It’s troubling, because we are in 2022, (in) France, a country with such a strong connection to the world in general, but (especially) to Africa, and the Indies, the Caribbean,” she said. “There are more African artists who have received museum attention…in the US in the past five years than there has ever been in France in the past 50 years.”
In the forthcoming CNN Originals show “Nomad with Carlton McCoy,” in which sommelier Carlton McCoy explores the lesser-seen side of famous cities and countries, Ibrahim joined him and artist Raphaël Barontini for a home-cooked meal in Barontini’s studio in Saint-Denis, a suburb, or “banlieue” of Paris. McCoy said in the episode that he had noticed “a distinct lack of Black and Brown perspectives” in the capital’s famed museums.
“In France you’re exposed to art, but you’re exposed to the domination of a culture over others,” Ibrahim told him in the episode. “What you are seeing are works of them by them about people like us.”
Ibrahim began collecting Barontini’s work in 2019, drawn to the personal connection she felt to his work. Barontini is French, Italian and Caribbean, and Ibrahim felt a kinship to the “hybridity” of his practice, in which he silkscreens heroic African figures into regal compositions redolent of art historical European paintings.
“Constantly people are asking you to choose: What are you? Are you French, are you African?” Ibrahim said. “I refuse to do that. I don’t want to choose. I want to be everything.”
Though Ibrahim is a pioneer in bringing contemporary African diasporic art to Paris, she believes that others will soon follow.
Paris has “the right audience,” she noted. “That’s why I’m very, very optimistic about France. I do think Paris is going to be the capital of diversity.”
Here, we asked Ibrahim to share five works of art that stayed with her.
Mariane Ibrahim’s most impactful artworks
Seydou Keïta “Untitled” (1958-59)
When Ibrahim spotted a poster in a Parisian bar promoting an exhibition that featured the work of 20th-century photographer Seydou Keïta, who ran a portrait studio in Bamako, Mali, as the city transformed after colonial rule, it set her on her track to becoming a gallerist. The portrait featured, against a patterned backdrop, a man in a polished white suit and thick-rimmed glasses delicately presenting a single flower to the viewer.
“The poster, the flower, the look reminded me of my family photographs,” she said. “It just put me back into something that I was very familiar with. I was seeing my uncle, or my father’s friend holding this flower.”
Influenced by Keïta, Ibrahim’s first ever gallery show in Seattle featured the work of his peer Malick Sidibé. She reflected: “That image affected me to a point to want to start a gallery.”
Tamara de Lempicka “Young Lady with Gloves” (1930)
This sumptuous, highly stylized painting by Polish Art Deco painter Tamara de Lempicka is one of Ibrahim’s favorites because it relishes in the simple pleasure of beauty. The pictured woman peers out from beneath a white wide-brimmed hat with matching gloves, resplendent in a jewel-toned green dress and a bright red lip. “I know the art world gave up on beauty in the 60s…with minimalism,” she commented. “I love maximalism.”
De Lempicka was also a rare female perspective in figurative painting, and Ibrahim appreciates the clarity of her gaze. “I am haunted by this image of the drapery and this woman in the green dress,” she said. “Everything is charged…It’s overcharged.”
Arthur Jafa “Love is the message, the message is death.” (2016)
Set to Kanye West’s gospel-infused track “Ultralight Beam,” this seven-and-a-half-minute video by artist and director Arthur Jafa is a tribute to the creative power of Black Americans amid violence and bigotry. Weaving together found video footage, Jafa creates a narrative of both collective elation and despair.
“Every single time I look at that video, it just gives me an energy that I can’t explain — an energy to destroy, and an energy to restore, to fix, to change,” Ibrahim said. “It just gives you something that brings joy and brings pain with the same intensity.”
Maimouna Guerressi, “Surprise” (2010)
The photographs of Italian Senegalese multimedia artist Maimouna Guerressi, who will be exhibiting at Ibrahim’s Chicago location later this year, are tinged with mystery, influenced by Islamic mysticism.
As a woman born in Europe who converted to Islam, Guerressi assimilated to African traditions instead of the other way around. “She’s the opposite of me,” Ibrahim said. “She adopted another culture, changed her name, changed her religion…I found that really interesting and courageous.”
In “Surprise,” a levitating woman in dramatic but austere black and white garb gazes down at two young children in white robes, the image exudes a sense of holy reverence. Speaking to Guerressi’s larger practice, Ibrahim said, “This is someone who completely immersed herself in (African Muslim) culture and just created this extraordinary body of work.”
Gustave Courbet, “L’Origine du Monde” (1866)
Ibrahim was a teenager when she first encountered an image of French artist Gustave Courbet’s cropped, close-up oil painting of a reclining woman’s vulva, and she said she felt like she “couldn’t hide” from the artwork. “I’ve never seen any body displayed that way,” she said.
After the painting was commissioned by an Ottoman diplomat, it was passed around private collectors, rediscovered in an antique shop, and looted during World War II before eventually being sold at auction to psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan, who kept it hidden behind a wooden sliding door. It has been on public display since 1995 at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, where Ibrahim finally saw the work in person for the first time last year. She feels the work is indicative of the experience of viewing an artwork.
“Art is supposed to make you feel slightly uncomfortable,” she said. “But you keep looking for that again and again and again.”
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/news/2022/04/29/the-somali-french-art-dealer-bringing-black-perspectives-to-paris-gallery-scene/ | 2022-04-29T16:39:54Z |
Conference call to discuss financial and operational results scheduled for Thursday, August 11, at 8:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time
HENDERSON, Nevada, Aug. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- VolitionRx Limited (NYSE AMERICAN: VNRX) ("Volition") today announced financial results and a business update for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022. Volition management will host a conference call tomorrow, August 11 at 8:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time to discuss these results. Conference call details can be found below.
"I am delighted with the progress we are making, and in particular could not be prouder of the team's achievement in securing a CE Mark for Nu.Q® NETs in Europe and in announcing new clinical studies for NETosis, or NETs, in the U.S. with both MD Anderson and with Diagnostic Oncology CRO LLC, or DXOCRO. As the only analytically validated test for NETs currently available, we believe that there is enormous potential for Nu.Q® NETs to support clinical decision-making, enabling physicians to act quickly, and improve patient outcomes," commented Cameron Reynolds, President and Chief Executive Officer of Volition.
"Following the execution of our global licensing and supply agreement for the Nu.Q® Vet Cancer Screening Test with Heska Corporation, the team has been hard at work with the technology transfer program and launch preparation. We also continue to make good progress with other potential licensing and supply partners. Finally, we have recently executed a number of contracts for Nu.Q® Discover."
Company Highlights
Financial
- Cash and cash equivalents as of June 30, 2022, totaled approximately $16.7 million compared with $20.6 million as of December 31, 2021.
- Subsequent to quarter end, Volition received approximately $6.4 million net of underwriter's fees and expenses in cash through an underwritten public offering of its common stock that closed on August 2.
- Secured a further $1.5 million in non-dilutive funding from Namur Invest Capital Risk in Belgium to fund an early access program for Volition's Nu.Q® product portfolio at key sites across the EU, UK, and U.S.
- Continued to manage expenditures carefully with net cash used in operating activities averaging approximately $2.1 million per month in the quarter.
Personnel/ Operational
- Appointed Sharon Ballesteros as U.S. Head of Quality and Development Process to spearhead Volition's clinical product development program in the U.S. and expanded her team and operations in California.
Nu.Q® NETs
- Nu.Q® NETs test has been CE marked for the detection and evaluation of NETosis, enabling clinical use in Europe in both ELISA (enzyme-linked immunoassay) and automated ChLIA (ChemiLuminescence ImmunoAssay) formats.
- Announced a sponsored research agreement with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to evaluate the role of NETS in cancer patients with sepsis.
- Appointed DXOCRO to undertake development and clinical validation studies for Volition's Nu.Q® product portfolio in the United States.
- In collaboration with researchers at the University of Namur and QUALIblood in Belgium, published:
- Subsequent to quarter end, sponsored a GenomeWeb webinar titled 'The Promise of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs) as Biomarkers in Inflammatory Disease'. To watch on demand, visit the GenomeWeb website.
- Commenced a Market Access Program with European Key Opinion Leaders and early adopters.
Volition Veterinary
- Following the execution of a global licensing and supply agreement with one of the industry's leading companies, Heska Corporation, started the technology transfer and launch preparations with Heska.
- SAGE Healthcare launched the Nu.Q® Vet Cancer Test in Singapore.
- Advanced negotiations with other potential licensing and supply partners in efforts to make Nu.Q® Vet products as accessible as possible worldwide and anticipate further announcements in 2022.
- Expanded product claims with the presentation of new clinical data at:
- Expanded access to a larger clinical research laboratory at Texas A&M University and appointed a veterinary emergency criticalist to commence work in non-cancer indications in addition to developing our clinical research network in Europe.
Nu.Q® Capture
- Nu.Q® Capture, when used in combination with either sequencing, mass spectrometry and/or Volition's Nu.Q® assays could potentially aid diagnosis, treatment selection, and both treatment and disease monitoring in addition to aiding biomarker discovery.
- The Nu.Q® Capture program now has several strands of technology which:
- Sponsored a GenomeWeb webinar entitled "Novel Proteomics Approach to Epigenetic Profiling of Circulating Nucleosomes" featuring Professor Axel Imhof. To watch on demand, visit the GenomeWeb website.
Nu.Q® Discover
- Progressing projects with a range of customers.
- Recently signed contracts with three bio-pharmaceutical companies who are accessing our assay portfolio for rapid epigenetic profiling of their drugs in development.
Upcoming Priorities
- Drive near term revenue in the following key areas:
- Continue to progress the research program for the use of Nu.Q® NETs, in monitoring disease progression of COVID-19, sepsis, and potentially other diseases and as a possible companion diagnostic for the treatment of sepsis.
- Continue to advance its previously announced large-scale blood, lung, and colorectal cancer trials in Europe, Asia, and the U.S.
- Publish several abstracts and peer-reviewed scientific papers with clinical results showing the robustness and utility of its Nu.Q® platform.
- Advance the development of Nu.Q® Capture.
- Continue to file patents to expand and extend its intellectual property portfolio.
Event: VolitionRx Limited Second Quarter 2022 Earnings and Business Update Conference Call
Date: Thursday, August 11, 2022
Time: 08:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time
U.S. & Canada Dial-in: 1-877-407-9716 (toll free)
U.K. Dial-in: 0 800 756 3429 (toll free)
Toll/International: 1-201-493-6779
Conference ID: 13732149
Cameron Reynolds, President and Chief Executive Officer of Volition, will host the call along with Terig Hughes, Chief Financial Officer of Volition, Dr. Tom Butera, Chief Executive Officer of Volition Veterinary Diagnostics Development LLC, and Scott Powell, Executive Vice President, Investor Relations of Volition. The call will provide an update on important events which have taken place in the second quarter of 2022 and upcoming milestones.
A live audio webcast of the conference call will also be available on the investor relations page of Volition's corporate website at http://ir.volition.com. In addition, a telephone replay of the call will be available until August 25, 2022. The replay dial-in numbers are 1-844-512-2921 (toll-free) in the U.S. and Canada and 1-412-317-6671 (toll) internationally. Please use replay pin number 13732149.
About Volition
Volition is a multi-national epigenetics company that applies its Nucleosomics™ platform through its subsidiaries to develop simple, easy to use, cost effective blood tests to help diagnose and monitor a range of life-altering diseases including some cancers and diseases associated with NETosis such as sepsis and COVID-19. Early diagnosis and monitoring have the potential to not only prolong the life of patients, but also to improve their quality of life. The tests are based on the science of Nucleosomics™, which is the practice of identifying and measuring nucleosomes in the bloodstream or other bodily fluid – an indication that disease is present. Volition is primarily focused on human diagnostics and monitoring but also has a subsidiary focused on animal diagnostics and monitoring.
Volition's research and development activities are centered in Belgium, with an innovation laboratory and office in the U.S. and additional offices in London and Singapore.
For more information about Volition, visit Volition's website volition.com
The contents found at Volition's website address or any other website link or address are not incorporated by reference into this document and should not be considered part of this document. Website addresses and links are included in this document as inactive textual references only.
Media Enquiries:
Louise Batchelor/Debra Daglish, Volition, mediarelations@volition.com +44 (0)7557 774620
Safe Harbor Statement
Statements in this press release may be "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, that concern matters that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or projected in the forward-looking statements. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "aims," "targets," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "optimizing," "potential," "goal," "suggests," "could," "would," "should," "may," "will" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements relate to, among other topics, Volition's expectations related to the launch of product sales with Heska, the success of negotiations and the timing, completion and execution of term sheets and/or agreements with third parties regarding the licensing and distribution of Volition's products, the timing, completion and delivery of data from clinical studies, the potential uses, benefits and effectiveness of its Nucleosomics™ technology platform, including the Nu.Q® NETs test, and the timing and execution of Volition's strategy with the FDA. Volition's actual results may differ materially from those indicated in these forward-looking statements due to numerous risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, results of studies testing the efficacy of its tests, a failure by the marketplace to accept Volition's Nu.Q® NETs test or other products based on its Nucleosomics™ platform; Volition's failure to secure adequate intellectual property protection; Volition's failure to obtain necessary regulatory clearances or approvals to distribute and market future products; Volition will face fierce competition and its intended products may become obsolete due to the highly competitive nature of the diagnostics and disease monitoring markets and their rapid technological change; downturns in domestic and foreign economies; and other risks, including those identified in Volition's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as well as other documents that Volition files with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For instance, if Volition fails to develop and commercialize diagnostic, prognostic or disease monitoring products, it may be unable to execute its plan of operations. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about Volition's business based, in part, on assumptions made by management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release, and, except as required by law, Volition does not undertake an obligation to update its forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances.
Nucleosomics™ and Nu.Q® and their respective logos are trademarks and/or service marks of VolitionRx Limited and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, service marks and trade names referred to in this press release are the property of their respective owners. Additionally, unless otherwise specified, all references to "$" refer to the legal currency of the United States of America.
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SOURCE VolitionRx Limited | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/10/volitionrx-limited-announces-second-quarter-2022-financial-results-business-update/ | 2022-08-10T21:43:56Z |
HOUSTON (AP) — A day after Houston outfielder José Siri called his bat-flip home run celebration against the New York Mets “an error,” he seemingly backtracked Wednesday with a profane tweet that was later deleted.
While not addressing the incident directly, Siri’s tweet said: “(expletive) bad opinions. have fun.” It was quickly deleted before Wednesday’s game.
Houston was up 7-2 in the eighth inning against the Mets on Tuesday when Siri snapped an 0-for-10 slump with a solo homer to the train tracks above left field in Minute Maid Park. He flipped his bat and admired the shot for a several seconds before trotting to first base, a sequence manager Dusty Baker was not happy with.
“He should have ran,” Baker said after the game. “Back in our day, the next guy would have gotten drilled.”
Siri was asked about the incident after the game and seemed contrite.
“I know I made an error there,” Siri said Tuesday night through a translator. “I spoke to some of our guys and, yeah, I just made an error.”
Siri refused interview requests after Houston’s 5-3 win Wednesday, but Baker addressed it.
“That’s kind of in the past,” he said. “You can’t help when people tweet. He’s got to be careful when you press that button. That’s what we were warned about in spring training. Just make sure that’s what you want to say when you press a button.”
He was then asked if Siri would face any discipline for the tweet.
“I haven’t heard anything about it since then,” he said. “That’s part of America and part of youth right now. So I’m just glad that I don’t pay attention to it or adhere to it.”
New York third baseman Eduardo Escobar said something to Siri as he rounded third base after the homer, and catcher Martín Maldonado talked to Escobar for quite a while when Escobar came to bat in the ninth inning.
Siri said he didn’t know what Escobar said to him.
“I really couldn’t hear anything,” he said. “I was just running.”
Mets manager Buck Showalter said some of his players were upset by Siri’s actions, but that many of them were unfazed.
“There are certain things that you do talk about — right and wrong — but you don’t want to impose the way you were brought up in the game (on them),” Showalter said. “ (Like) ‘hey, guys, you’re supposed to be mad at that.'”
Showalter added that a player’s teammates will often police things like that, but that there’s one sure way to prevent it.
“The way you keep it from happening (is) don’t let him hit a ball over the fence, too,” Showalter said.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/astros-siri-posts-deletes-profane-tweet-after-admiring-hr/ | 2022-06-23T00:16:51Z |
Which Weruva cat food is best?
Weruva makes wet cat food formulated with premium ingredients meant to promote hydration and feline health. These foods come in different flavors and textures, so there’s something for even the pickiest of cats. Weruva also uses simple natural ingredients that are chock-full of meat and have only the essential vegetables and fruits to ensure your pet lives a long and healthy life.
What is Weruva?
Weruva is a family-owned company established in 2006 by Stacie and David Forman. Its name comes from the first two letters of the founders’ rescue cats, Webster, Rudi and Vanessa.
The company prioritizes nutrition over everything else to ensure pets grow healthy and strong. It has cat and dog food, both of which use premium ingredients that are certified by the British Retail Consortium and the United States Food and Drug Administration. This means the food meets the highest quality standards and is even fit for human consumption.
Cat food types
Weruva only makes wet cat food, which comes in either cans or pouches. There are five main options:
- Classic Cat: This is Weruva’s first cat food. There are seven fish recipes and five chicken recipes, each with low fat and high protein content. They’re finely chopped or flaky.
- Weruva Cat Stew: These have a thick consistency with large chunks of meat, such as chicken, beef, turkey or salmon. They come with more liquid, too.
- Weruva Classic Pate: Although these use the same recipes as the Classic version, they’re thicker and smoother.
- Cats in the Kitchen Originals and Cats in the Kitchen Pate: Inspired by family meals, these include a total of sixteen recipes, each with either shredded, chunks or flakes of meat.
- TruLuxe: This is Weruva’s premium line of cat food. It contains more specialized nutrition through high-quality meats and salmon.
Weruva has another line of cat food, too, called Best Feline Friend, which includes:
- Originals
- PLAY
- Oh, My Gravy!
Each of these has red meat tuna as the baseline ingredient, and other proteins, such as chicken or tilapia. They come in different textures, including:
- Tuna and pumpkin in gravy
- Tuna and tilapia in gelee
Ingredients
When it comes to ingredients, Weruva cat food is:
- Focused on hydration
- Formulated with real ingredients
- Free from grains and gluten
- Free from carrageenan (thickening agent that could cause digestive problems)
- Ethically and safely sourced
Many Weruva cat foods include the following:
- Protein (such as lamb, beef or chicken)
- Wild-caught fish (except for basa or tilapia)
- Potato starch
- Sunflower seed oil
- Calcium lactate
- Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, A and D3
- Taurine
- Thiamine
- Biotin
- Fiber
Considerations and tips
When it comes to feeding your cat wet food, there are a few things to consider.
- Wet food does not last as long as dry food once opened. It can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for around five days.
- Never leave out wet cat food. While you can leave out dry food so your pet can eat throughout the day, wet food can lose its moisture content after a couple of hours.
- Follow the recommended amount on the container. Weruva wet cat food lists the recommended amount to feed your cat based on factors such as current weight and age.
- Transition your cat from dry to wet food slowly. Not all cats adapt well to major changes in their food. If you want to feed your pet wet food, start by incorporating it into your pet’s regular diet, or by mixing dry and wet food.
- Consult a veterinarian if your cat is on a special diet. If your pet needs to lose weight, is elderly or has a health condition, speak with a veterinarian before changing its food.
- Consider the cost. Wet food is often more expensive than kibble. Weruva cat food uses premium ingredients, so it also comes at a higher price point than many store-bought brands.
Since Weruva wet cat food is high in protein, it can support strong muscle development, something that’s especially helpful for kittens or elderly cats. The high moisture content can also help prevent a urinary tract infection in your pet.
8 best Weruva cat foods
Weruva Classic Cat Food, Variety Pack
This 12-pack of canned cat food includes thinly shredded chicken in gravy and other natural recipes designed to promote a healthy pet. Each can is 10 ounces and is free of grains, gluten, wheat, soy, corn and harmful preservatives. Sold by Amazon and Chewy
Stew’s Clues With Turkey, Chicken and Salmon In Gravy
Available in either eight 5.5-ounce cans or 12 2.8-ounce cans, these chunky stews include a mix of turkey, salmon and chicken. Each can is rich in protein, low in carbohydrates and contains fatty acids that promote a healthy coat and skin. Sold by Amazon and Chewy
Weruva Cats In The Kitchen Chicken Frick ‘A Zee With Chicken Au Jus
This chicken-rich cat food includes a hearty sauce that’s sure to attract more cats. It doesn’t contain corn, soy, wheat, grains or gluten. It’s formulated for adult cats and can help ensure they have a balanced diet of healthy antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. It comes in 24 3.2-ounce cans. Sold by Amazon and Chewy
Weruva Kitten, Chicken Breast Formula in a Hydrating Puree
This grain-free canned kitten food contains real chicken and is low in carbohydrates, making it a great option for your growing pet’s healthy development. It’s also free of artificial flavors, preservatives, gluten and grains. Flavors include chicken and tuna. Sold by Amazon and Chewy
Weruva Best Feline Friend (BFF) Pouch Variety Pack Cat Food
This variety pack includes 12 pouches that are 3 ounces. Flavors include tuna and salmon and tuna and turkey. They’re easy to squeeze out onto a plate. They are a great supplement or main course to most cats’ diets. Sold by Amazon and Chewy
Weruva Slide N’ Serve Pate Wet Cat Food
This variety pack contains 16 2.8-ounce packs with different flavors such as tuna, salmon and chicken. With a pate consistency that’s easy for cats to consume, it’s easy to serve. It’s also moisture-rich and supports a healthy urinary tract. Sold by Amazon and Chewy
Weruva Classic Cat Food, Paw Lickin’ Chicken With Chicken Breast in Gravy
This classic option is perfect for cats that love chicken, but it also comes in other flavors, such as Polynesian BBQ and Meow Luau. It’s available in packs of 12 or 24. Sold by Amazon and Chewy
Weruva’s TruLuxe Cat Food, Steak Frites With Beef and Pumpkin in Gravy
For those who want to feed their pet the highest quality food with premium ingredients, this is a great option. It comes with 24 small cans, either 3 or 6 ounces each. It supports healthy digestive and urinary tract functions in active felines. Sold by Amazon and Chewy
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw33.com/reviews/the-8-best-weruva-cat-foods/ | 2022-07-30T17:50:12Z |
NEW YORK, April 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Paramount Global (the "Company") (NASDAQ: PARA, PARAA) today announced that it would redeem (i) all of its outstanding 3.50% senior notes due January 15, 2025 (the "3.50% notes") and (ii) a portion of its outstanding 4.750% senior notes due May 15, 2025 (the "4.750% notes"). The redemption date for the 3.50% notes is April 18, 2022. The redemption date for the 4.750% notes is April 11, 2022.
The redemption price for the 3.50% notes and the 4.750% notes is equal to the sum of 100% of the principal amount of such series of notes to be redeemed, the make-whole amount calculated in accordance with the respective terms of such series of notes and the related indenture under which such series of notes was issued, and the accrued and unpaid interest on such series of notes up to, but excluding, the respective redemption date on the principal amount of such series of notes to be redeemed. The aggregate principal amount of each such series of notes outstanding and the aggregate principal amount of each such series of notes to be redeemed is as set forth below:
Holders owning notes through a broker, bank, or other nominee should contact that party for information. For more information, holders of the 3.50% notes and the 4.750% notes may call the paying agent for the redemption of such series of notes, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas at (800) 735-7777.
About Paramount
Paramount Global (NASDAQ: PARA, PARAA) is a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by iconic studios, networks and streaming services, Paramount's portfolio of consumer brands includes CBS, Showtime Networks, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount+, Pluto TV and Simon & Schuster, among others. Paramount delivers the largest share of the U.S. television audience and boasts one of the industry's most important and extensive libraries of TV and film titles. In addition to offering innovative streaming services and digital video products, the company provides powerful capabilities in production, distribution and advertising solutions.
Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains both historical and forward-looking statements, including statements related to our future results and performance. All statements that are not statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Similarly, statements that describe our objectives, plans or goals are or may be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect our current expectations concerning future results and events; generally can be identified by the use of statements that include phrases such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "foresee," "likely," "will," "may," "could," "estimate" or other similar words or phrases; and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others: risks related to our streaming initiatives; changes in consumer behavior, as well as evolving technologies, distribution platforms and packaging; the impact on our advertising revenues as a result of changes in consumer viewership, advertising market conditions and deficiencies in audience measurement; our ability to maintain attractive brands and our reputation, and to offer popular programming and other content; increased costs for content and other rights; competition for talent, content, audiences, subscribers, advertising and distribution; the potential for loss of carriage or other reduction in or the impact of negotiations for the distribution of our content; losses due to asset impairment charges for goodwill, intangible assets, FCC licenses and programming; risks related to our ongoing investments in new businesses, products, services and technologies, through acquisitions and other strategic initiatives; evolving business continuity, cybersecurity, privacy and data protection and similar risks; content infringement; the impact of Covid-19 and other pandemics and measures taken in response thereto; domestic and global political, economic and regulatory factors affecting our businesses generally; liabilities related to discontinued operations and former businesses; the loss of existing or inability to hire new key employees or secure creative talent; strikes and other union activity; potential conflicts of interest arising from our ownership structure with a controlling stockholder; and other factors described in our news releases and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K. There may be additional risks, uncertainties and factors that we do not currently view as material or that are not necessarily known. The forward-looking statements included in this communication are made only as of the date of this communication, and we do not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
PARA-IR
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SOURCE Paramount Global | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/04/01/paramount-global-announces-redemption-approximately-10-billion-notes/ | 2022-04-02T13:56:15Z |
PITTSBURGH, June 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "I thought there should be a way for truck drivers to stay in shape while traveling," said an inventor, from Lizella, Ga., "so I invented the TRUCKER GYM. My design would enable the trucker to strengthen muscles, burn calories and reduce stress while parked at a rest stop."
The invention provides a convenient way for a truck driver to exercise while parked. In doing so, it allows the user to engage in various weightlifting/strength-training exercises. As a result, it could help to combat the sedentary effects of long-distance traveling and it could help to promote a healthier lifestyle. The invention features a versatile design that is easy to install and use so it is ideal for truck drivers and trucking companies. Additionally, a prototype is available.
The original design was submitted to the Atlanta sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 20-AAT-4703, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.
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SOURCE InventHelp | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/30/inventhelp-inventor-develops-exercise-assembly-truck-drivers-aat-4703/ | 2022-06-30T17:08:16Z |
GREELEY, Colo., Aug. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- JBS USA Lux S.A. ("JBS USA") announced today that it is soliciting consents (the "Consents") from the holders of each of its (i) 6.50% Senior Notes due 2029 (the "6.50% 2029 Notes"), (ii) 5.500% Senior Notes due 2030 (the "2030 Notes"), (iii) 3.750% Senior Notes due 2031 (the "2031 Notes"), (iv) 3.000% Senior Notes due 2029 (the "3.000% 2029 Notes"), (v) 3.000% Sustainability-Linked Senior Notes due 2032 (the "2032 Notes"), and (vi) 4.375% Senior Notes due 2052 (the "2052 Notes" and, collectively with the 6.50% 2029 Notes, the 2030 Notes, the 2031 Notes, the 3.000% 2029 Notes, and the 2032 Notes, the "Notes"), each issued by JBS USA, JBS USA Finance, Inc. ("JBS USA Finance"), and JBS USA Food Company ("JBS USA Food Company" and, collectively with JBS USA and JBS USA Finance, the "Issuers") to certain proposed amendments as set forth below (with respect to each series of Notes, the "Proposed Amendments") to the indentures governing each series of Notes (with respect to each series of Notes, an "Indenture" and, collectively, the "Indentures") (with respect to each series of Notes, a "Consent Solicitation" and, collectively, the "Consent Solicitations"). The Proposed Amendments are described in greater detail in the Consent Solicitation Statement (as defined below).
JBS USA is seeking the Proposed Amendments in order to conform certain provisions and restrictive covenants (and definitions related thereto) applicable to JBS USA and its restricted subsidiaries and JBS S.A. and its restricted subsidiaries, in each case, in each Indenture to the corresponding provisions and restrictive covenants (and definitions related thereto) (the "New JBS USA Covenants") set forth in each indenture, dated June 21, 2022 (collectively, the "New JBS USA Indenture"), governing the Issuers' U.S.$500.0 million aggregate principal amount of 5.125% Senior Notes due 2028, U.S.$1,250.0 million aggregate principal amount of 5.750% Senior Notes due 2033 and U.S.$750.0 million aggregate principal amount of 6.500% Senior Notes due 2052 (collectively, the "New JBS USA Notes").
In order to execute and deliver the applicable Supplemental Indentures (as defined below) as contemplated by the related Proposed Amendments, JBS USA must receive the applicable Consents from the applicable holders as of the Record Date (as defined below) representing a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the applicable series of Notes (not including any such Notes that are owned by the Issuers or any of their respective affiliates) (with respect to each series of Notes, the "Requisite Consents"). Each Consent Solicitation constitutes separate and distinct solicitations with respect to each series of Notes.
Only holders of the applicable Notes as of 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on August 1, 2022 (such date and time, including as such date and time may be changed by JBS USA from time to time, the "Record Date") are entitled to consent to the applicable Proposed Amendments. In order to implement the applicable Proposed Amendments, supplemental indentures to the applicable Indenture will be entered into by the applicable parties (with respect to each series of Notes, a "Supplemental Indenture" and, collectively, the "Supplemental Indentures"). For each series of Notes, if the applicable Supplemental Indenture is executed and the other terms and conditions set forth in the Consent Solicitation Statements are satisfied or waived, then (i) holders who validly deliver (and not revoke) their Consents to the applicable Proposed Amendments will receive a cash payment equal to: (1) U.S.$1.00 per U.S.$1,000 principal amount of the (x) 6.50% Senior Notes due 2029, (y) 2030 Notes and (z) 2031 Notes and (2) U.S.$0.50 per U.S.$1,000 principal amount of the (x) 3.000% Senior Notes due 2029 (y) 2032 Notes and (z) 2052 Notes, in respect of which such Consents have been validly delivered (and not revoked) prior to the applicable Expiration Time and (ii) holders of such series of Notes will benefit from the registration rights set forth in the applicable registration rights agreement with respect to such series of Notes. Holders will be permitted to revoke applicable Consents at any time prior to the execution and delivery of the applicable Expiration Time.
Subject to the terms and conditions described in the Consent Solicitation, JBS USA will enter into a registration rights agreement pursuant to which JBS USA will agree to use its commercially reasonable efforts to (i) file an exchange offer registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to allow holders to exchange Notes of each series for the same principal amount of exchange notes of the same series, which will have terms identical in all material respects to such series of Notes, except that the exchange notes will not contain transfer restrictions, and (ii) consummate such exchange offer within 365 days of entering into the applicable registration rights agreement.
Concurrently with the Consent Solicitations, JBS USA commenced offers to exchange (each, a "JBS S.A. Exchange Offer" and, together, the "JBS S.A. Exchange Offers") any and all of JBS USA Food Company's outstanding (together, the "JBS S.A. Notes") (1) U.S.$1,000.0 million aggregate principal amount of 2.500% Senior Notes due 2027 and (2) U.S.$1,000.0 million aggregate principal amount of 3.625% Sustainability-Linked Senior Notes due 2032 in exchange for new notes issued by the Issuers and guaranteed by each of the guarantors that guarantees the Notes. The JBS S.A. Notes are guaranteed by JBS S.A. The indentures governing the new notes issued in connection with the JBS S.A. Exchange Offers will conform to the New JBS USA Covenants set forth in the New JBS USA Indenture. In conjunction with the JBS S.A. Exchange Offers, JBS USA Food Company is soliciting consents to adopt certain proposed amendments to each of the indentures governing the JBS S.A. Notes to eliminate certain of the restrictive covenants, events of default and related provisions and definitions therein from such indentures.
The Consent Solicitations are not conditioned on the consummation of either of the JBS S.A. Exchange Offers. The JBS S.A. Exchange Offers are being made under a separate exchange offering memorandum addressed to holders of the JBS S.A. Notes and are not part of the Consent Solicitations
Holders of the Notes are referred to the consent solicitation statement of JBS USA, dated August 2, 2022 (the "Consent Solicitation Statement") for the detailed terms and conditions of each of the Consent Solicitations with respect to the Notes. The Consent Solicitation will expire at 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on August 15, 2022, unless extended by JBS USA (such date and time, as the same may be extended, is referred to as the "Expiration Time"). Each Consent Solicitation is made solely by means of the Consent Solicitation Statement. These materials contain important information that holders of Notes should carefully read before any decision is made with respect to the applicable Consent Solicitation.
Our obligation to accept, and pay for, Consents validly delivered and not revoked is conditioned upon satisfaction of certain conditions as described in the applicable Consent Solicitation Statement, including the receipt of the Requisite Consents from each series of Notes. JBS USA may, in its sole discretion, terminate any Consent Solicitation, allow any Consent Solicitation to lapse, extend any Consent Solicitation and continue soliciting Consents pursuant to any Consent Solicitation or otherwise amend the terms of any Consent Solicitation, including the waiver of any or all of the conditions set forth in the applicable Consent Solicitation Statement.
The Consent Solicitations are not conditioned on the consummation of either of the JBS S.A. Exchange Offers. The JBS S.A. Exchange Offers are being made under a separate exchange offering memorandum addressed to holders of the JBS S.A. Notes and are not part of the Consent Solicitations.
The Information Agent for each Consent Solicitation is:
D.F. King & Co., Inc.
Banks and Brokers call: +1 (212) 269-5550 (collect)
All others call toll-free: +1 (800) 967-7574
E-mail: JBS@dfking.com
Any questions or requests for assistance or for copies of the Consent Solicitation Statements may be directed to the Information Agent at its telephone numbers set forth above. The Consent Solicitation Statement and other related documents are available electronically at www.dfking.com/jbs-consent.
A holder as of the Record Date also may contact the Solicitation Agents: Barclays Capital Inc., BMO Capital Markets Corp., Mizuho Securities USA LLC, RBC Capital Markets, LLC and Truist Securities, Inc. at the numbers listed below, or such holder's broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee for assistance concerning the Consent Solicitations.
Barclays Capital Inc.
Banks and Brokers call: +1 (212) 528-7581 (collect)
All others call toll-free: +1 (800) 438-3242
BMO Capital Markets Corp.
Banks and Brokers call: +1 (212) 702-1840 (collect)
All others call toll-free: +1 (833) 418-0762
Mizuho Securities USA LLC
Banks and Brokers call: +1 (212) 205-7736 (collect)
All others call toll-free: +1 (866) 271-7403
RBC Capital Markets, LLC
Banks and Brokers call: +1 (212) 618-7843
All others call toll-free: +1 (877) 381-2099
Truist Securities, Inc.
Call: +1 (800) 685-4786
THIS PRESS RELEASE IS NEITHER AN OFFER TO SELL NOR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY ANY SECURITY. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS ALSO NOT A SOLICITATION OF CONSENTS TO ANY PROPOSED AMENDMENTS. NO RECOMMENDATION IS MADE AS TO WHETHER HOLDERS OF THE NOTES SHOULD CONSENT TO ANY PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
Important Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about our perspectives and expectations, are forward looking statements. The words "expect", "believe", "estimate", "intend", "plan" and similar expressions, when related to JBS USA and its subsidiaries, indicate forward-looking statements. These statements reflect the current view of management and are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on various assumptions and factors, including general economic, market, industry, and operational factors. Any changes to these assumptions or factors may lead to practical results different from current expectations. Excessive reliance should not be placed on those statements. Forward-looking statements relate only to the date they were made and JBS USA undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made.
About JBS USA Lux S.A.
JBS USA Lux S.A. is one of the world's largest producers of beef, pork, chicken and packaged food products. In terms of daily production capacity, JBS USA Lux S.A. is among the leading beef producers and the second-largest pork and chicken producer in the United States. In Australia, JBS USA Lux S.A. is the leading producer of beef, lamb and packaged foods and the second largest producer of salmon. JBS USA Lux S.A. prepares, packages and delivers fresh, value-added and branded beef, pork, chicken, and lamb products to customers in more than 150 countries on six continents. JBS USA Lux S.A. is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of JBS S.A., the largest protein company and the largest food company in the world in terms of net revenue.
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SOURCE JBS USA Lux S.A. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/02/jbs-usa-lux-sa-announces-consent-solicitations-each-its-650-senior-notes-due-2029-5500-senior-notes-due-2030-3750-senior-notes-due-2031-3000-senior-notes-due-2029-3000-sustainability-linked-senior-notes-due-2032-4375-senior-notes-due-2052/ | 2022-08-02T13:23:17Z |
WASHINGTON, Aug. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) announced that it has imposed an interim suspension of the CFP® certification against Jason Cooke, which is effective as of August 5, 2022.
On July 11, 2022, CFP Board filed a Motion for Interim Suspension Order pursuant to Article 2.1.a.1 of CFP Board's Procedural Rules requesting the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (DEC) issue an Interim Suspension Order against Mr. Cooke. On April 28, 2022, Mr. Cooke was arrested and charged with five counts of felony dealing in child pornography in the Kent County (Delaware) Court of Common Pleas (Case No. 2204014557). His firm terminated him as a consequence of those charges, and press reports described the charges. A Hearing Panel of the DEC reviewed the matter on August 4, 2022, and then granted the Motion and issued the Interim Suspension Order on August 5, 2022, after determining that CFP Board Counsel demonstrated by a preponderance of the evidence that Mr. Cooke's conduct poses a significant threat to the public or significantly impinges upon the reputation of the profession or the CFP® certification marks. Under the Interim Suspension Order, the right of Mr. Cooke to use the CFP® marks is suspended pending CFP Board's completed investigation and possible further disciplinary proceedings.
An interim suspension is a suspension of a CFP® professional's certification and trademark license during the pendency of proceedings. A Respondent subject to an Interim Suspension Order must not use the CFP® certification marks or state or suggest that Respondent is a CFP® professional while the Interim Suspension Order is in effect. An Interim Suspension Order is a temporary sanction and does not preclude CFP Board from imposing a final sanction. An Interim Suspension Order will remain in place until the DEC or, if an appeal is filed, CFP Board's Appeals Commission, issues a final order. CFP Board Counsel may vacate an Interim Suspension Order if a criminal conviction, civil liability or professional discipline is vacated or reversed or if Respondent provides sufficient evidence indicating that Respondent was not the subject of a criminal conviction, civil liability or professional discipline. A Hearing Panel of the DEC may issue an Order to vacate an Interim Suspension Order upon a successful Petition to Vacate an Interim Suspension Order by Respondent.
The basis for this decision also may be found on CFP Board's website at CFP.net/verify. At that website, CFP Board provides the public with:
- The ability to check on any individual's CFP Board disciplinary history and CFP® certification status.
- Links to other sources of information about CFP® professionals that may be more recent or that may contain information that has not led to CFP Board discipline and does not appear on CFP Board's website. This information may include customer disputes, disciplinary actions taken by a regulator or employer, certain criminal matters and certain financial matters (such as bankruptcy proceedings and unpaid judgments or liens).
- Links to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc.'s (FINRA's) BrokerCheck and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC's) Investment Adviser Public Disclosure databases for individuals who are subject to FINRA or SEC oversight.
As part of their certification, CFP® professionals make a commitment to CFP Board to abide by CFP Board's Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct (Code and Standards) or its predecessor, the Standards of Professional Conduct (Standards), which included the Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility, Rules of Conduct and Financial Planning Practice Standards. CFP Board's Procedural Rules set forth the process for investigating matters and imposing sanctions where violations have been found.
CFP Board enforces its ethical standards by investigating alleged violations and, where there is probable cause to believe there are grounds for sanction, presents a Complaint containing the alleged violations to CFP Board's DEC. The DEC meets at least six times a year to review any matter in which CFP Board has alleged that a CFP® professional has violated the Code and Standards or its predecessor Standards. The DEC functions in accordance with the Procedural Rules and reviews all matters on a case-by-case basis, considering the details specific to an individual case. If the DEC determines there are grounds for sanction, then it may impose a sanction. DEC orders may be appealed by a CFP® professional or CFP Board pursuant to the Procedural Rules.
In certain circumstances, such as when a CFP® professional is in default due to failure to acknowledge receipt of a Notice of Investigation or file an Answer, CFP Board staff must deliver an Administrative Order of Suspension, Temporary Bar, Revocation or Permanent Bar. Administrative Orders also are subject to appeal.
More information on CFP Board's enforcement process can be found at CFP.net/ethics/enforcement.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. is the professional body for personal financial planners in the U.S. CFP Board sets standards for financial planning and administers the prestigious CFP® certification – one of the most respected certifications in financial services – so that the public has access to and benefits from competent and ethical financial planning. CFP Board, along with its Center for Financial Planning, is committed to increasing the public's awareness of CFP® certification and access to a diverse, ethical and competent financial planning workforce. Widely recognized by the public, advisors and firms as the standard for financial planning, CFP® certification is held by nearly 93,000 people in the United States.
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SOURCE Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/12/cfp-board-imposes-interim-suspension-jason-cooke-clayton-delaware/ | 2022-08-12T15:37:36Z |
PHOENIX (AP) — An Arizona lawmaker endorsed by former President Donald Trump who attended the Jan. 6, 2021, rally that preceded the violent assault on the U.S. Capitol and another lawmaker who also believes the 2020 presidential election results should be overturned are among four Republicans vying for the top elections post in the presidential battleground.
It’s a trend seen in several Republican primaries this year that has led to mixed results for those who peddle conspiracy theories and promote the falsehood that widespread fraud led to Trump’s defeat. Tuesday’s primary elections feature similar candidates in Kansas and Washington state.
In Kansas, voters will choose between a challenger who questions the 2020 presidential results and the incumbent Republican who believes the election was secure in his state. Washington state’s open primary also has a candidate who backs Trump’s unsupported claims, although that’s not the toughest challenge the Democratic incumbent faces.
So far this year, Republican primary voters have split on whether to put election skeptics on the November ballot.
In June, Nevada voters selected former state lawmaker Jim Marchant, who has been repeating the false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump, to face the Democrat in an open race for secretary of state. But in Colorado, GOP voters rejected a local election clerk who has been appearing with Trump allies promoting conspiracies about voting machines and instead chose a Republican who vowed to keep politics out of elections.
And Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who rejected Trump’s plea to “find” enough votes for him to win the state, easily survived a primary challenge to advance in that state’s May primary.
Arizona’s secretary of state race is the most eye-catching and consequential of Tuesday’s primary battles, in part because of Republican state Rep. Mark Finchem.
The retired Michigan police officer and current Arizona House member was at the Capitol on Jan. 6 and contends Trump lost Arizona because of rampant fraud. He backed a controversial and much-criticized state Senate “audit” of the 2020 election results in the state’s most populous county and this year tried to get the Republican-controlled Legislature to notify Congress that Arizona wanted to decertify Joe Biden’s election win.
Finchem also is suing in federal court with a leading GOP contender for Arizona governor to block the use of vote-counting machines in Arizona. The lawsuit contends they are potentially prone to hacking that can change votes. A judge is considering whether to throw out the case.
Finchem’s claims come despite the lack of valid evidence of any widespread fraud that would have changed the result in Arizona, where Biden beat Trump by just over 10,000 votes. He maintains that “fictitious ballots” marred the results.
“So for you to say that there’s no evidence, I think the media is willfully disregarding the evidence that’s out there,” Finchem said.
His primary competitors include another state House member, Shawnna Bolick, a Trump supporter who contends the 2020 election was deeply flawed. She said in a televised debate that she would not have certified the election had she been secretary of state, despite it being a requirement to do so absent a court order.
“And I would have been breaking the law at that point and that would have been fine,” she said on the debate carried on Arizona PBS.
The other two Republican candidates are state Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, who acknowledges Biden’s victory and has made election reform a key focus during her 12 years in the Legislature, and Beau Lane, a businessman and political newcomer who has earned the endorsement of Republican Gov. Doug Ducey.
Ugenti-Rita said none of the other candidates has her understanding of election law and that she believes she has broad support across the state.
“They immediately recognize my record and experience, and they feel assured that I can get the job done and that’s the message,” Ugenti-Rita said about voters. “That’s what people want. They’re done with platitudes — it gets policy nowhere.”
Lane said his executive experience makes him the best choice for the job. He noted his long engagement in Republican politics, back to when as a young man he was a page at the 1980 Republican convention in which Ronald Reagan was nominated for president.
“Above all, we need somebody who can be a fair dealer and help restore faith in elections,” he said.
Lane said other than a few hiccups and isolated cases of voter fraud, the 2020 election was well run, although he joined the other Republicans in criticizing Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, who is seeking her party’s nomination for governor.
“Was there organized, rigged fraud that that changed the outcome of the election?” he asked. “I have seen no evidence of that.”
Two Democrats are seeking their party’s nomination — former Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes, who lost his seat in the 2020 election, and Arizona House Minority Leader Reginald Bolding. Both criticize Finchem and other Republicans who question the 2020 election results and say a Finchem victory would be dangerous for democracy.
In Kansas, Secretary of State Scott Schwab also is facing a challenge from his right in the state’s GOP primary.
Schwab is a former Kansas House member who has defended the use of ballot drop boxes, which Trump and other Republicans say are prone to misuse, even though there is no widespread evidence of that. He has dismissed baseless theories about fraud, at least as a possibility in Kansas elections.
“There were concerns that people had in other states, and some folks want to have that concern in Kansas, but they’re just rumors — ‘I heard this in Georgia. I heard this in Arizona, I heard this in Nevada, therefore Kansas,’” Schwab said during a recent interview. “And you can’t copy and paste situations from one state to the next simply because our statutes are so different.”
Schwab’s primary opponent is Mike Brown, a construction contractor and former county commissioner in Johnson County, the state’s most populous and home to Kansas City-area suburbs.
Brown has made doubts about the security of Kansas elections central to his campaign. He’s promised to ban ballot drop boxes and said he will use the secretary of state’s office to pursue election fraud cases, rather than taking Schwab’s approach of working through prosecutors.
Brown said that when Schwab says Kansas elections ran smoothly with no significant problems, the question is, “Because he said so, or because he can prove it?”
“His answer is, ‘There’s nothing to see here, keep moving,’” he added. “You should start looking and you should stop moving.”
Washington state’s “top two” primary features Democratic Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, who was appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee last November and hopes to retain his seat for the remaining two years of former Republican Secretary of State Kim Wyman’s four-year term. He’s the first Democrat to hold the office since 1965, taking Wyman’s seat after she left for an election security job in the Biden administration.
Hobbs faces several Republican and unaffiliated challengers, including Tamborine Borrelli, an “America First” candidate who was fined by the state Supreme Court last month for making legally meritless claims alleging widespread voter fraud.
Hobbs has raised the most among the candidates for the race so far, followed by Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson, who is running as a nonpartisan and said she is the most experienced in running elections.
Among the Republicans in the race, former Sen. Mark Miloscia — he is now head of the conservative Family Policy Institute — has raised the most money. Republican Sen. Keith Wagoner trails Miloscia in money but has been endorsed by former Republican Secretary of State Sam Reed.
Hobbs has pointed to his experience as a Washington National Guard lieutenant and his months running the office to say why he’s best positioned to address issues ranging from cybersecurity concerns to election misinformation.
Anderson said she’s running as a nonpartisan because of the hyperpolarization across the country, saying that “we don’t need political parties in the secretary of state’s office calling balls and strikes at home plate.”
Under Washington’s primary system, the top two vote-getters advance to the general election in November, regardless of party. Results will likely take days to tally because it’s an all-mail election. | https://cw33.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/top-election-official-races-feature-2020-election-deniers/ | 2022-08-01T12:46:47Z |
California Traffic Violator School (Traffic School) allows drivers to mask their traffic ticket and prevent points from being added to their public driving record.
TORRANCE, Calif., July 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
There are a few very specific guidelines in place for determining who is and who is not eligible to take California traffic school. In addition, the state allows this course to be taken either in a classroom or online, making it much more convenient to choose a program that fits a driver's schedule.
You should be eligible to take traffic violator school online if you:
- Received 1 point, or a minor moving violation
- Have not taken traffic violator school in the past 18 months to mask a ticket
Unfortunately, not all drivers are eligible. You will NOT be allowed to mask a traffic ticket for any of the following reasons:
- If you have a commercial driver's license and you received your ticket while driving a commercial vehicle
- If you were convicted of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- If your speeding ticket was for driving more than 25 MPH over the limit
- If your ticket carries a point value greater than 1 and/or your conviction requires a court appearance
Do you need to attend Traffic school for your traffic ticket? Are you looking for a licensed traffic school to dismiss your traffic violation? With Online Traffic Education you can take your Traffic School course completely online by visiting: www.OnlineTrafficEducation.com You will be able to register and take your Traffic school from the comfort of your home.
The course is a self-paced course, and most students were able to finish the course in just 2 hours. Once you successfully complete your course you will be able to print out or download your certificate of completion Instantly. Also, Online Traffic Education will electronically submit your certificate of completion the same DAY to DMV and courthouse for free.
Going to traffic school means that your auto insurance provider will not find out about your traffic violation ticket and your rates will be unaffected. Because of this you'll save yourself from paying hundreds or thousands of extra dollars in increased insurance rates.
From the standpoint of the DMV, the purpose of traffic school is to reconcile a mistake you've made while driving by getting further driver's education. The state believes that continued driver's education will help reduce the number of traffic violations.
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SOURCE Online Traffic Education | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/08/online-traffic-education-gives-california-drivers-guidance-california-traffic-violator-school-eligibility/ | 2022-07-08T17:54:00Z |
Abortion foes downplay complex post-Roe v. Wade realities
WASHINGTON (AP) — When a 10-year-old Ohio girl traveled to Indiana last month to end a pregnancy allegedly forced onto her by a rapist, several conservative politicians and TV pundits called the report a hoax.
After horrific details confirmed the case was real, some tried a new tact: claiming, without evidence, that the child could have still legally obtained an abortion in Ohio under a near-total abortion ban that exempts only mothers whose lives or major bodily functions are at risk once fetal cardiac activity is detected.
Catherine Glenn Foster, president of the anti-abortion Americans United for Life, added another defense for young rape victims: She told the House Judiciary Committee that a 10-year-old’s pregnancy “would probably impact her life and so, therefore, it would fall under any exception and would not be an abortion.”
In televised statements and interviews, anti-abortion advocates have used misleading rhetoric about abortion access to downplay fallout and complications from restrictive abortion laws as doctors, struggling to interpret laws that have largely been untested in courts, turn away pregnant patients for care.
Those efforts have had an immediate impact, casting a narrative about a post-Roe v. Wade world that overlooks how abortion laws enacted in recent weeks have complicated the way doctors treat rape victims, miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies.
More than half a dozen doctors interviewed by The Associated Press said they feel compromised and uncertain operating in an abortion landscape fundamentally changed by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that rejected nearly 50 years of precedent that abortion was a protected constitutional right.
“It’s a horrible position for health care providers to be in, to be unsure about what’s legal and what’s not legal, and to be questioning the care that they know that they should provide,” said Dr. Jennifer Kerns, an associate professor in the department of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the University of California, San Francisco.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, who initially questioned reporting of the 10-year-old girl’s rape case, said in a Fox News Channel interview that she did not have to leave Ohio for abortion treatment, citing the state’s exemptions. Last week, Ohio Right to Life President Mike Gonidakis repeated the claim during a public forum: “She could have had that abortion here.” The law’s Republican sponsor said the same in a newspaper column published Thursday.
But it’s not as clear cut as they’ve suggested.
The state’s nonpartisan Legislative Service Commission confirmed in an analysis that the age of a mother, alone, would not allow a girl to legally access the procedure in the state. Doctors in Ohio are required to document a medical condition and rationale if they administer an abortion to provide life-saving treatment.
Yost’s office did not return a request for additional comment. Gonidakis laid out “different scenarios” to the AP under which the girl might have been able to access the abortion in Ohio, such as if a doctor agreed her life was at risk because of her age, while noting that he had not reviewed her medical records.
Across social media, some conservatives have also minimized concerns about access to treatment for ectopic pregnancies, calling it “still legal in every state.” An ectopic pregnancy is defined as one in which a fertilized egg grows outside the uterus, where it has no chance of survival.
Earlier this month, abortion opponent Erin Morrow Hawley told the House Reform and Oversight Committee that ectopic pregnancies had become the subject of “misinformation.”
“There have been social media posts suggesting that women won’t get treated for an ectopic pregnancy because doctors might be afraid of performing the procedure, but that’s absolutely false,” said Hawley, an attorney at the religious nonprofit Alliance Defending Freedom. “Treatment for an ectopic pregnancy is not, in fact, an abortion.”
State abortion laws, however, have fueled confusion.
Doctors generally agree that the procedure to an end an ectopic pregnancy, which typically includes medication or surgery to remove the pregnancy, is not the same as an abortion.
But women reportedly have been declined care in states that have severely restricted abortion access, like Ohio, where an abortion is banned once fetal cardiac activity is detected. Fetal heartbeats can still be present in ectopic pregnancies. In one case, a central Texas hospital told a physician not to treat an ectopic pregnancy until it ruptured, per a letter from the Texas Medical Association.
In an email to the AP, Hawley said that doctors who have turned away ectopic pregnancy patients because of abortion bans are misinterpreting the laws.
Still, before Roe v. Wade was even overturned by the Supreme Court in June, some religious hospitals had policies against treating women for ectopic pregnancies.
And many states have not specified in their newly enacted abortion bans that an ectopic pregnancy can be treated as an exception. That’s left doctors in some states leery of ending the pregnancy, said Dr. Kate White, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Boston University School of Medicine. Lawmakers in West Virginia, for example, are considering an abortion ban that would carve out an exception for ectopic pregnancies.
“Clinicians may be afraid to treat it if the abortion law in their state does not explicitly carve out ectopic pregnancy. You can see their worry, ‘Hey, growing pregnancy, can’t interrupt it ever,’” White said. “They are afraid that the law is too broad.”
___
Kelety reported from Phoenix. Associated Press writer Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio contributed.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of abortion at https://apnews.com/hub/abortion.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/07/29/abortion-foes-downplay-complex-post-roe-v-wade-realities/ | 2022-07-29T11:40:06Z |
Launches new and exclusive consumer transaction dataset to enhance investment decisions
NEW YORK, July 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bloomberg Second Measure, a leading provider of transaction data analytics that reliably delivers valuable insights into company performance and consumer trends, announced today that it has launched a new and exclusive transaction dataset. The dataset derives aggregated analytics and insights from billions of purchases, which come from a U.S. consumer panel that includes 20+ million members. Additionally, Bloomberg Second Measure is introducing 3-day lag—offering unparalleled speed—to power faster decision making.
Products built from this panel include bulk data feeds as well as a web-based application. These are the first milestones in a series of upcoming product and feature releases based on the new dataset.
Clients rely upon Bloomberg Second Measure's proprietary analytics for daily tracking of thousands of public and private companies. Investors can validate investment theses, track company performance intra-quarter, gain industry insights, and identify fast-growing consumer companies. Consumer brands can gain competitive intelligence, determine growth strategies, and analyze consumer spending patterns. These insights complement Bloomberg's company fundamentals and market data.
Jacob Boerema, CEO of Bloomberg Second Measure, noted, "Our vision, as one of the pioneers in alternative data, has always centered around supercharging our users' existing research processes. The addition of this new and exclusive dataset allows us to provide clients with new analytics and a unique signal on consumer spending, at a faster speed."
The demand for alternative data is rapidly growing as investment firms evolve their investment processes to incorporate more quantitative strategies. Firms are expanding their capabilities and demanding high quality data and sophisticated products to meet their growing needs.
"Bloomberg is further investing in innovation to support investment firms' evolving needs for alternative data, and Bloomberg Second Measure is central to our strategy within consumer alternative data." said Shawn Edwards, Chief Technology Officer at Bloomberg. "Bloomberg is committed to bringing novel data and products to the market."
Bloomberg Second Measure is a leading provider of transaction data analytics that reliably deliver valuable insights into company performance and consumer trends. Some of the world's largest investment firms and consumer brands use Bloomberg Second Measure's proprietary analytics for daily tracking of thousands of public and private companies. Bloomberg—the global business and financial information and news leader—acquired the company in late 2020. For more information or to request a demo, visit www.secondmeasure.com.
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SOURCE Bloomberg | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/11/bloomberg-second-measure-expands-transaction-dataset-offering/ | 2022-07-11T20:40:17Z |
RENO, Nev., June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In collaboration with The Kresge Foundation, the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) today released a new report, "Promoting Equity through ARPA Implementation." The report, which can be found HERE, documents 20 city case studies and details how mayors are using State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to invest in underserved populations and address the disproportionate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on low and moderate-income people and communities of color. Mayors featured include Boston, MA's Michelle Wu, Madison, WI's Satya Rhodes-Conway, Fontana, CA's Acquanetta Warren, and Kansas City, MO's Quinton Lucas, among others.
In Boston, for example, the city targeted services and resources to disproportionately impacted communities, implementing a Health Equity Task Force to tackle public health disparities and Fare Free Bus Pilot to help all residents access public transit. Kansas City used a community engagement process to inform its allocation of ARPA funds, which included establishing a Housing Trust Fund to ensure affordable housing for all families and the Rebuild KC program to enable community members to direct the implementation of neighborhood-based projects. Read about more of these mayor-led efforts in the full report.
"Thanks to ARPA funds, America's mayors have been able to equitably invest in our communities and address systemic inequities that the pandemic only worsened. In Columbus, we collaborated with community leaders and businesses to help keep residents in their homes, train individuals to re-enter the workforce, and keep our youth safe," said Andrew J. Ginther, Mayor of Columbus (OH) and Chair of the Council on Metro Economies and the New American City. "We're grateful to the Kresge Foundation for their partnership and help highlighting the work mayors are doing to make their cities more equitable. Cities have been at the forefront of our nation's economic recovery, and as we continue to move ahead, we will take lessons learned and share best practices so that all cities can promote equity for years to come."
"Cities have an unprecedented opportunity to put solutions in place to problems that have compounded over decades and that COVID-19 laid bare," said report co-author Lourdes Germán, a senior advisor to the Social Investment Practice and American Cities Program at Kresge. "But without centering equity explicitly, cities can easily exacerbate disparities. Partnering with community, especially deeply rooted nonprofits, is a crucial way cities can position ARPA work for success, and these case studies from equity-minded cities provide blueprints for other municipalities to learn from and emulate."
"Real change is going to come city by city, community by community," said Mayor of Montgomery (AL) Steven Reed, who helped present the findings of the report at the USCM Annual Meeting. "The pandemic underscored deep inequity in the American economy, and mayors have not been content to simply return to normal. This report offers a powerful narrative of how mayors are using federal resources to generate opportunity locally. Despite these efforts, we have a long way to go to deliver real equity and inclusion in America, but mayors are committed to this mission now and for the long haul."
About the United States Conference of Mayors -- The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are more than 1,400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
About The Kresge Foundation -- The Kresge Foundation was founded in 1924 to promote human progress. Today, Kresge fulfills that mission by building and strengthening pathways to opportunity for low-income people in America's cities, seeking to dismantle structural and systemic barriers to equality and justice.
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SOURCE U.S. Conference of Mayors | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/03/us-conference-mayors-kresge-foundation-release-new-report-cities-using-arpa-funds-promote-equity/ | 2022-06-04T00:32:53Z |
ST. LOUIS, April 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- For the 23rd time, Edward Jones has earned a spot on the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® ranking by Great Place to Work® and Fortune® magazine. Edward Jones ranked No. 35 on the prestigious 2022 list.
"We're extremely proud of this recognition. As a purpose-driven, human-centered firm, our key focus is understanding what our colleagues truly value, so we sustain a place of belonging where we welcome, respect and value different ideas," said Kristin Johnson, the firm's chief transformation and human resources officer. "Now in our centennial year, we are even more intentional about communicating the core principles on which our firm was founded. True to our purpose of partnering for positive impact, we are focused on our associate and leader behaviors that support the five culture mindsets of Leadership, Place of Belonging, Continuous Learning, Effective Decision Making and Growing Our Impact that will carry us forward into our next 100 years."
The Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For award is based on responses from more than 4.5 million U.S. employees working at Great Place to Work-CertifiedTM organizations. Survey statements collectively describe a great associate experience, defined as high levels of trust, respect, credibility, fairness, pride and camaraderie. Additionally, Great Place to Work measured the differences in survey responses across demographic groups and roles within each organization to ensure each company is creating a great workplace for all.
Edward Jones recently released its fourth-annual Purpose, Inclusion and Citizenship Report, "Partnering for Positive Impact," which showcases the firm's year-end 2021 achievements and how it works to improve the lives of its clients and colleagues, and together, better its communities and society. In 2021, the firm furthered a place of belonging for its associates and advanced its diverse representation goals, educated more than 175,000 individuals through its Financial Fitness program and donated more than $26 million to 259 organizations through corporate, Edward Jones Foundation and philanthropic giving.
In 2022, Edward Jones also was named to Fortune magazine's 2022 list of the World's Most Admired Companies and, in 2021, was ranked as a Best Workplace in the Financial Services and Insurance Industry.
"Best Companies' leadership has never been more necessary," said Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work®. "As workers struggle with the Great Resignation, burnout and COVID disruptions, these exceptional companies offer workplace experiences as strong as prior to the pandemic. These companies get that 'place' is wherever their employees are sitting or standing, and they are committed to make that place equitable, safe and productive. Their commitment to genuinely care for their people through trust, inclusion, purpose and meaningful flexibility for life circumstances goes beyond surface-level perks and is a model for the market to follow."
Great Place to Work® selected the 100 Best Companies to Work For by gathering and analyzing over 870,000 confidential employee survey responses and data from companies representing more than 6.1 million U.S. employees at Great Place to Work-Certified™ organizations. Companies must have at least 1,000 U.S. employees to be eligible. Company rankings are derived from 60 employee experience questions within the Great Place to Work Trust Index™ survey. Read the full methodology. To get on this list next year, start here.
Great Place to Work® is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees worldwide and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Their employee survey platform empowers leaders with the feedback, real-time reporting and insights they need to make data-driven people decisions. Everything they do is driven by the mission to build a better world by helping every organization become a great place to work For All™. Learn more at greatplacetowork.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Edward Jones, a Fortune 500 firm headquartered in St. Louis, provides financial services in the U.S. and, through its affiliate, in Canada. Every aspect of the firm's business, from the investments its financial advisors offer to the location of its branch offices, caters to individual investors. The firm's nearly 19,000 financial advisors serve more than 7 million clients and care for $1.8 trillion in assets under management. The Edward Jones website is Edward Jones, and its recruiting Web site is https://careers.edwardjones.com/. Member SIPC.
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SOURCE Edward Jones | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/04/11/edward-jones-named-one-2022-fortune-100-best-companies-work-by-great-place-work-fortune-magazine/ | 2022-04-11T15:35:12Z |
ALBANY — Now that the severity of the pandemic has subsided significantly in southwest Georgia, a group of civic-minded entrepreneurs is joining with the Albany Area YMCA to help kids have a positive start to the new school year.
The Pivot Family Foundation, whose principles include businessmen Jay Sharpe and Darrell Finnicum and former NBA player Dontonio Wingfield, is teaming with the Y for a back-to-school extravaganza that includes free school supplies, bookbags, food, hair cuts, ice cream, games, local comedian Tay the Funniest and voter registration for adults.
The event will be held Saturday at Henderson Gym at 701 Willard St. from 9:30 a.m.-noon.
“We’ve been an active part of the community (through the giveaway) nine or 10 of the last 16 years,” Wingfield said of the Pivot Albany Hawks youth basketball program he heads. “We want to help the kids get off on the right foot as they start another school year.”
Wingfield said members of his Hawks programs recently completed a 30-day camp that was held at Henderson Gym.
“Tessa Newberry, who is the youth development director at the Y, reached out to us to get involved in the Saturday program,” Wingfield said. “I talked with Jay and Darrell about it; we were all happy to get involved.”
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FORT SMITH, Ark., July 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ArcBest® (Nasdaq: ARCB), a leader in supply chain logistics, today provided an update on the significant progress the company has made advancing its Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance ("ESG") priorities. This update follows the release of ArcBest's third annual ESG report in June.
"The actions we've taken already this year demonstrate ArcBest's commitment to investing in and advancing ESG initiatives that are critical to our business, our customers' businesses, and the world we live in — and we are not slowing down," said Judy R. McReynolds, ArcBest chairman, president and CEO. "As we press forward, we are investing in innovative technologies, developing our talented and hardworking employees, enhancing ArcBest's capabilities and service for customers, and focusing on the sustainability of our operations and supply chains across the world. We are confident that our proactive approach will differentiate ArcBest as a sustainable investment opportunity and an industry leader."
Fulfilling the company's commitment to conduct business in a way that helps build a safer, more sustainable and more inclusive company and world, and aligning with its materiality assessment completed at the end of 2021, ArcBest made notable progress in several areas throughout the first part of 2022:
- Purchased electric straight trucks to pilot at its ABF Freight service center in San Bernardino, California: The company purchased a pair of electric "Lion6" Class 6 straight trucks from Lion Electric, a leading manufacturer of zero-emissions vehicles in North America. Early testing will assess where electric vehicles fit best in less-than-truckload operations and options for charging infrastructure.
The company also recently purchased Orange EV electric yard tractors, soon to be in operation at ABF service centers in San Bernardino, California; Dallas, Texas; and Salt Lake City, Utah, as well as Mitsubishi lithium-ion battery electric forklifts in operation ABF's Kansas City, Missouri, service center. - Joined with partners across the transportation industry to end human trafficking: ArcBest has been a long-time supporter of the fight against human trafficking through its partnerships with Truckers Against Trafficking® and Polaris. In June 2022, ArcBest expanded its human rights efforts by signing the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking (TLAHT) pledge. The pledge calls transportation industry leaders to a joint effort to eliminate this crime by educating employees to recognize and report human trafficking and raising awareness in the public transportation sector.
- Earned second consecutive EcoVadis Bronze medal for sustainability: Following the completion of a sustainability assessment in the first quarter of 2022, and for the second consecutive year, ArcBest received the EcoVadis Bronze medal. EcoVadis, a provider of holistic business sustainability ratings, benchmarks the quality of companies' ESG performance across 21 indicators in four categories: environmental, labor and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement. This rating recognizes ArcBest's sustainability performance in the top half of all companies and industries rated across the world.
- Named a 2022 Inbound Logistics Green (G75) Supply Chain Partner for the 11th year: ArcBest was also once again selected as a 2022 Top Green Supply Chain Partner by leading industry publication Inbound Logistics. The annual G75 list recognizes the top 75 companies that are dedicated to developing and implementing best practices that leave a positive footprint on the world — going above and beyond to ensure their global supply chains are sustainable and their operations are socially and environmentally friendly.
ArcBest® (Nasdaq: ARCB) is a multibillion-dollar integrated logistics company that helps keep the global supply chain moving. Founded in 1923 and now with over 15,000 employees across more than 250 campuses and service centers, the company is a logistics powerhouse, fueled by the simple notion of finding a way to get the job done. Through innovative thinking, agility and trust, ArcBest leverages its full suite of shipping and logistics solutions to meet customers' critical needs, each and every day. For more information, visit arcb.com.
Media Contact: Autumnn Mahar
Email: amahar@arcb.com
Phone: 479-494-8221
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SOURCE ArcBest | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/20/arcbest-announces-further-progress-environmental-social-corporate-governance-initiatives/ | 2022-07-20T15:32:16Z |
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lankan protesters began to retreat from government buildings they seized and military troops reinforced security at the Parliament on Thursday, establishing a tenuous calm in a country in both economic meltdown and political limbo.
Embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled a day earlier under pressure from demonstrators furious over the island nation’s economic collapse. But he failed to resign as promised — and further angered the crowds by making his prime minister acting leader.
Protesters want both men out and a unity government in to address an economic calamity that has triggered widespread shortages of food, fuel and other necessities. But with a fractured opposition and confusion over who was in charge, a solution seemed no closer following Rajapaksa’s departure. Adding to the turmoil, the president left the Maldives for Singapore on Thursday, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
The protesters accuse Rajapaksa and his powerful political family of siphoning money from government coffers for years and his administration of hastening the country’s collapse by mismanaging the economy. The family has denied the corruption allegations, but Rajapaksa acknowledged some of his policies contributed to the meltdown.
Months of protests reached a frenzied peak over the weekend when demonstrators stormed the president’s home and office and the official residence of the prime minister. On Wednesday, they seized the office of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
They initially vowed to hold these places until a new government was in place, but the movement appeared to shift tactics Thursday.
Protest leader Devinda Kodagode told The Associated Press they planned to vacate official buildings after the Parliament speaker said he was exploring legal options for the country given that Rajapaksa left without submitting his resignation letter as promised.
Protesters withdrew from the presidential residence, with some moving a red carpet they had rolled up back into place as they left. Some still milled outside the president’s office.
“We are not willing to take power in the building,” said Sanka Jayasekar, a 20-year-old protester leaving the president’s residence. “We just want to kick out (the) Rajapaksa regime. Already Gota Rajapaksa (has) left the country, so he has no power in Sri Lanka so we have gained our power again so that is why we are leaving the building.”
Other protesters posted videos on social media pleading with their compatriots not to storm the Parliament, after clashes outside the building on Wednesday.
Troops in green military uniforms and camouflage vests arrived in armored personnel carriers Thursday to reinforce barricades around the Legislature.
The government, meanwhile, announced another curfew in the capital Colombo and its suburbs in the afternoon until 5 a.m. Friday. It’s unclear what effect a curfew would have: Some ignored a previous one, but many others rarely leave their homes anyway because of fuel shortages.
Rajapaksa and his wife fled Sri Lanka early Wednesday for the Maldives, slipping away in the night aboard an air force plane. On Thursday, he headed to Singapore, according to the Maldives official.
It was not immediately clear what Rajapaksa’s final destination would be. The official initially indicated he planned to travel onward to Saudi Arabia, but later could only confirm his first stop in Singapore, where the plane believed to be carrying him landed Thursday evening. Since Sri Lankan presidents are protected from arrest while in power it’s likely Rajapaksa wanted to plan his departure while he still had constitutional immunity and access to a military plane.
On Wednesday, protesters undeterred by multiple rounds of tear gas scaled the walls to enter the prime minister’s office as the crowd outside cheered in support and tossed water bottles to them. Protesters took turns posing at his desk or stood on a rooftop terrace waving the Sri Lankan flag.
Amid the mounting chaos, Wickremesinghe’s office imposed a state of emergency giving broader powers to the military and police. Defense leaders have called for calm and cooperation with security forces — comments that have rankled some lawmakers who insist civilian leaders would be the ones to find a solution.
Assuming that Rajapaksa resigns as promised, Sri Lankan lawmakers have agreed to elect a new president from their ranks on July 20 who will serve the remainder of Rajapaksa’s term, which ends in 2024. That person could potentially appoint a new prime minister, who would then have to be approved by Parliament.
The political impasse threatens to worsen the bankrupt nation’s economic collapse since the absence of an alternative government could delay a hoped-for bailout from the International Monetary Fund. In the meantime, the country is relying on aid from India and China.
The shortages of basic necessities have sown despair among Sri Lanka’s 22 million people. The country’s rapid decline was all the more shocking because, before the recent crisis, the economy had been expanding, with a growing, comfortable middle class.
___
Associated Press writer Bharatha Mallawarachi contributed to this report.
___
Find more of AP’s Sri Lanka coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/sri-lanka | https://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/sri-lanka-waits-in-confusion-anger-for-president-to-resign/ | 2022-07-14T12:12:43Z |
The South Carolina State Grand Jury issued new charges against disgraced former attorney Alex Murdaugh, roughly a month after he pleaded not guilty to murder charges in the killings of his wife and son.
Murdaugh was indicted on four counts of obtaining signature or property by false pretenses for a value of $10,000 or more; two counts of money laundering with a value of $20,000 - $100,000; one count of money laundering with a value of $100,000 or more; and two counts of computer crime with a value of more than $10,000, according to a Friday news release from South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson.
CNN reached out to Murdaugh's attorney, Richard Harpootlian, for comment. A press representative for Harpootlian told CNN in an email, "No comment right now."
The latest indictments allege Murdaugh stole from his former law firm and brother.
According to one indictment, it was common practice for certain partners in the PMPED (Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth, and Detrick) law firm to loan money to the firm at the start of each year to cover certain expenses until the firm had generated sufficient revenue and they could be paid back with interest, but Murdaugh did not usually make those loans.
The firm's accounting office "erroneously wrote out a repayment loan check to Murdaugh for $121,358.63" that should have gone to Murdaugh's brother, who had made a loan, according to the indictment. But Murdaugh went to the accounting office and "though false representations had the office cut another check for the same amount ... (and) then deposited that replacement loan repayment check into his account and converted the funds to his personal use."
Murdaugh conducted financial transactions "with property that he knew was the proceeds of, or was derived directly or indirectly from the proceeds of, unlawful activity," another charge reads.
Another indictment alleges Murdaugh created a bank account "for the purpose of misappropriating funds belonging to others with the illusion that the money was being paid to (a) legitimate settlement planning company."
He then made sure that a $91,867.50 check, which represented legal fees to the law firm in one case, was disbursed from the client trust account to the bank account he had created and controlled, according to the indictment. He then used that money "for his own personal use, for expenses including but not limited to credit card payments, transfers to family members, overdraft charges, and checks written to associates," that indictment alleged.
A total of 90 charges for schemes to defraud
Murdaugh resigned from the law firm in September 2021 after "the discovery by PMPED that Alex misappropriated funds in violation of PMPED standards and policies," the firm said in a statement. That same month, the state's Supreme Court issued an order suspending his license to practice law in South Carolina.
In October, the law firm sued Murdaugh to recover funds it alleged he stole from clients for his own personal use, saying Murdaugh "developed a systematic scheme in which he diverted funds owed to the firm and to clients to a fictitious entity" for many years.
"Altogether, through 18 indictments containing 90 charges against Murdaugh, the State Grand Jury has indicted Murdaugh for schemes to defraud victims of $8,789,447.77," the state attorney general said.
Murdaugh was also indicted in July on two counts of murder and two counts of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime in connection with the killings of his wife and son.
Margaret "Maggie" Murdaugh, 52, and their son, Paul Murdaugh, 22, were found shot to death on the family's property in Islandton, about an hour north of Hilton Head Island, on June 7, 2021. Alex Murdaugh placed the 911 call, saying he had just returned home and discovered their bodies.
He pleaded not guilty and his attorneys said he wanted "everyone to know that he did not have anything to do with the murders of Maggie and Paul."
Murdaugh wants the trial to begin quickly, his attorney previously said, because he believes his wife and son's "killer or killers are still at large."
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accounts, the history behind an article. | https://www.albanyherald.com/news/disgraced-south-carolina-attorney-alex-murdaugh-faces-new-financial-charges/article_b0e8e002-631b-55ae-9402-c29986761952.html | 2022-08-20T02:02:47Z |
Did you lose money on investments in Yext? If so, please visit Yext, Inc. Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit or contact Peter Allocco at (212) 951-2030 or pallocco@bernlieb.com to discuss your rights.
NEW YORK, July 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a nationally acclaimed investor rights law firm, reminds investors of the deadline to file a lead plaintiff motion in a securities class action lawsuit that has been filed on behalf of investors who purchased or acquired the securities of Yext, Inc. ("Yext" or the "Company") (NYSE: YEXT) between March 4, 2021 and March 8, 2022, inclusive (the "Class Period"). The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and alleges violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Yext organizes a business's facts to provide answers to consumer questions online. The Company operates Yext platform, a cloud-based platform that allows its customers to, among other things, provide answers to consumer questions, control facts about their businesses and the content of their landing pages, and manage their consumer reviews. Yext's website describes its service as "a modern, AI-powered Answers Platform that understands natural language so that when people ask questions about a business online they get direct answers - not links."
As COVID-19 resurged throughout 2021, Yext consistently assured investors that pandemic-related impacts on the Company's business were limited as the Company adapted to lockdowns and improved efficiencies in its sales and other operations.
Plaintiff alleges that Defendants made materially false and misleading statements throughout the Class Period. Specifically, Plaintiff alleges that Defendants failed to disclose that: (i) Yext's revenue and earnings were significantly deteriorating because of, inter alia, poor sales execution and performance, as well as COVID-19 related disruptions; and (ii) accordingly, Yext was unlikely to meet consensus estimates for its full year ("FY") fiscal 2022 financial results and fiscal 2023 outlook.
On March 8, 2022, Yext issued a press release announcing its fourth quarter ("Q4") and FY fiscal 2022 results. Among other items, Yext reported Q4 fiscal 2022 revenue of $100.9 million, falling short of consensus estimates by $140,000; first quarter ("Q1") fiscal 2023 revenue outlook of $96.3 million to $97.3 million, versus consensus estimates of $103.79 million; Q1 fiscal 2023 non-GAAP net loss per share outlook of $0.08 to $0.07, versus consensus estimates of $0.05; FY fiscal 2023 revenue outlook of $403.3 million to $407.3 million, versus consensus estimates of $444.71 million; and FY fiscal 2023 non-GAAP net loss per share outlook of $0.19 to $0.17, versus consensus estimates of $0.09. The Company further disclosed the departure of its CEO and CFO.
That same day, on a conference call to discuss Yext's Q4 and FY fiscal 2022 results, the Company's incoming CEO, Michael Walrath ("Walrath"), addressed the Company's disappointing financial results, revealing, inter alia, that "we have seen fragmentation in our interactions with customers and our ability to deliver premium service and support" and that, "[i]n hindsight, it is clear we were too focused on building sales capacity and not focused enough on other functions that drive productivity, particularly sales enablement, training, client success and services." Walrath also disclosed that "we saw a really significant disruption in our business" such as "in Q4, 50% -- over 50% of our in-person events were canceled because of the Omicron surges".
On March 9, 2022, the Company's stock price fell $0.55, or over 9%, to close at $5.37 per share.
If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than August 16, 2022. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff. If you choose to take no action, you may remain an absent class member.
If you purchased YEXT securities, and/or would like to discuss your legal rights and options please visit Yext, Inc. Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit or contact Peter Allocco at (212) 951-2030 or pallocco@bernlieb.com.
Since 1993, Bernstein Liebhard LLP has recovered over $3.5 billion for its clients. In addition to representing individual investors, the Firm has been retained by some of the largest public and private pension funds in the country to monitor their assets and pursue litigation on their behalf. As a result of its success litigating hundreds of lawsuits and class actions, the Firm has been named to The National Law Journal's "Plaintiffs' Hot List" thirteen times and listed in The Legal 500 for ten consecutive years.
ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. © 2022 Bernstein Liebhard LLP. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Bernstein Liebhard LLP, 10 East 40th Street, New York, New York 10016, (212) 779-1414. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.
Contact Information:
Peter Allocco
Bernstein Liebhard LLP
https://www.bernlieb.com
(212) 951-2030
pallocco@bernlieb.com
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SOURCE Bernstein Liebhard LLP | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/09/yext-inc-nyse-yext-shareholder-class-action-alert-bernstein-liebhard-llp-reminds-investors-deadline-file-lead-plaintiff-motion-securities-class-action-lawsuit-against-yext-inc-nyse-yext/ | 2022-07-09T01:30:40Z |
PHILADELPHIA, July 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A new alignment between NOCAP Sports and INFLCR will allow NOCAP to access INFLCR's extensive network of student-athletes to bring more vetted NIL opportunities to the table from both emerging brands and some of the biggest brands and agencies in the world. Student-athletes will be able to apply to NOCAP's campaigns as well as receive direct deals from NOCAP's roster of brand clients in an easy and compliant way through a seamless integration.
"We couldn't be more excited to join forces with INFLCR to bring our brand and agency relationships to the tens of thousands of student-athletes on the INFLCR platform," said NOCAP Co-Founder and CEO Nicholas Lord. "This partnership will allow us to maximize the success of our brand partners' NIL initiatives and bring the most value to athletes across the country."
INFLCR recently released their "Global Exchange" allowing a few select companies like NOCAP to easily and compliantly access their student-athletes for brand deals. After year 1 of NIL, it was clear that athletes didn't know who to trust and struggled to find quality deals with fair compensation while remaining compliant with school policies and state laws. The Global Exchange solves these problems by consolidating deals from trusted providers into one place.
"The focus NOCAP has placed on helping student-athletes from Day 1 makes them an important partner for INFLCR," said INFLCR Founder and President, Jim Cavale, "NOCAP's relationships with brands and their agencies, along with athlete activation experience, is going to be of great value to INFLCR student-athletes and partner institutions."
The surface has barely been scratched in the NIL industry. Brand's are no longer in the "wait and see" phase. There is now proof and thousands of case studies showing the value of engaging with athletes for marketing initiatives. Now that more and more advertising spend is getting allocated to collegiate athletes, this partnership has come at the perfect time.
About NOCAP Sports: Founded in 2020 in anticipation of rule changes regarding name, image and likeness (NIL), NOCAP is a leading marketplace and athlete development platform helping athletes safely and compliantly monetize their personal brand. NOCAP's best-in-class marketplace and compliance monitoring platform streamlines the deal process from start to finish by handling communication to all stakeholders involved in any deal. This allows the athletes to get paid what they deserve quickly so they can focus on what really matters, their school work and their sport.
NOCAP has worked with and executed NIL campaigns activating thousands of athletes for some of the world's biggest brands and agencies, proving the power of athlete marketing and what it can do for a brand. NOCAP's team takes pride in helping brand and agency partners build quality, meaningful and creative campaigns that benefit athletes financially and generate the highest return on investment possible.
Visit https://nocapsports.io/ for more information.
About INFLCR: INFLCR, a Teamworks product, is the leading athlete brand-building and NIL business management app for elite athletic organizations. The INFLCR athlete app educates collegiate student-athletes, coaches and staff for the NIL era in a safe and compliant environment, all powered by best-in-class content delivery for student-athletes to access and share content to their social media channels. INFLCR works with more than 250 collegiate and professional sports organizations.
Impactful new features like the INFLCR Local & Global Exchange, provide local and national companies with the ability to find, communicate, pay, and report NIL transactions with collegiate student-athletes, maximizing their NIL earning potential with streamlined reporting for their institution and their personal tax returns.
Visit https://www.inflcr.com/ for more information.
Contact:
Nicholas Lord
nick@nocapsports.io
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SOURCE NOCAP Sports | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/28/nocap-sports-inflcr-partner-give-tens-thousands-collegiate-athletes-access-more-nil-opportunities/ | 2022-07-28T17:34:15Z |
TROY, Mich., June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BetterInvesting™, a nonprofit educational association founded in Detroit in 1951, will celebrate its 70th anniversary at its national convention in Dallas, June 23-26. And yes, we can do the math. Due to the pandemic, the 70th anniversary celebration was delayed by one year. But this year we're pulling out the stops with more than 60 classes for everyone from beginning to advanced investors, all at the Westin Dallas Park Central Hotel, 12720 Merit Drive, Dallas.
Attendees can pick and choose among a powerhouse sampler of classes on small-cap stocks, building a retirement portfolio, high-net-worth investing, investing in today's environment, dividend stocks, the technology sector, real estate investment trusts, estate planning, exchange-traded funds and much more. Notable keynote speakers are: Ralph Acampora, CMT, the "Godfather of Technical Analysis;" Spencer McGowan, president of McGowanGroup Asset Management; and Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA.
BetterInvesting is based on tried and true investing principles that have withstood both bull markets and bear markets. As BetterInvesting's premier event, the convention is organized by the dedicated members of the BetterInvesting Volunteer Advisory Board. Knowledgeable volunteers join with well-known professionals to provide education for dozens of sessions discussing stock analysis, paying for college and other personal finance topics, mutual funds, portfolio management and numerous critical issues for today's investor. Courses are available for both the novice investor to the sophisticated trader. And in a special series of hands-on sessions, beginners can learn how to apply the time-tested BetterInvesting principles and use the association's analysis tools in evaluating stocks.
To learn more about the BetterInvesting National Convention (BINC) and link to the registration site, visit the convention homepage at: https://www.betterinvesting.org/binc-home
The convention is organized by the BetterInvesting Volunteer Advisory Board (BIVAB) and as such, all proceeds benefit BIVAB. Attendance at BINC helps support the mission of BIVAB and BetterInvesting by providing resources to local chapters and volunteers.
Saturday, June 25, is the free Public Day where attendees have a choice of seven courses, but one highlight will be Sam Stovall's keynote presentation: "Outlook 2022: Is It Time to Buy or Bail?," a discussion of "how stock market history can serve as virtual valium, soothing nervous investor's nerves." He will also offer profitable sector rotation recommendations.
Another leading event during Public Day is "Hot Topics in Investing," by Lori Schock, director of the Securities and Exchange Commission's Office of Investor Education and Advocacy.
Saturday's Public Day includes presentations by major companies in the Corporate Expo, along with door prizes. Public Day kicks off bright and early at 8 a.m. and continues all day long, with the last course choices starting at 4:15 p.m.
Register here for Public Day.
https://bincpublicday2022.eventbrite.com
Available for interviews:
Deane Jaeger: Longtime BetterInvesting volunteer.
Chair, 70th Annual BetterInvesting National Convention
Director, BetterInvesting Volunteer Advisory Board
Ken Zendel: CEO, NAIC/BetterInvesting
Bobbie Kincaid: Longtime BetterInvesting volunteer
Chair, BetterInvesting Volunteer Advisory Board
Media contact: Jan Jeffres at janj@betterinvesting.org
ABOUT BETTERINVESTING™: BetterInvesting, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit, investment education organization, has been empowering everyday Americans since 1951. BetterInvesting, also known as the National Association of Investors Corporation® (NAIC®), has helped more than 5 million people from all walks of life learn how to improve their financial future. The association was borne of the conviction that anyone can become a successful lifelong stock investor by following sound, practical investing principles. BetterInvesting provides unbiased, in-depth investing education and powerful online stock analysis tools to create successful lifelong investors. BetterInvesting staff, along with a dedicated community of volunteers across America, teach the organization's principles and time-tested methodology to individuals and investment clubs.
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SOURCE BetterInvesting | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/02/betterinvesting-national-convention-brings-wealth-investing-knowledge-dallas-june-23-26-includes-free-public-day-june-25/ | 2022-06-02T17:19:44Z |
Nominations for patient leaders who exemplify social health leadership can be submitted at SocialHealthNetwork.com/Awards
PHILADELPHIA, June 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Health Union, the leader in social health, announces the launch and call for nominations for the inaugural Social Health Awards. The goal of the Social Health Awards is to empower and celebrate those who are essential to the ongoing conversations and connections made through social health - the dynamic, real-time action people take to find meaningful connections and share information that impact their health journey.
Nominations for the Social Health Awards – known previously as the WEGO Health Awards – are open to patient and caregiver leaders who are active members of an online community and making a difference in healthcare. Nominations can be submitted at SocialHealthNetwork.com/Awards and will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. ET on July 1.
Patient and caregiver leaders who are based in the U.S. and at least 18 years old can be nominated - either by themselves or by others - within one, or more, of 10 categories. These categories, which are designed to showcase the vast diversity of the patient community and the various forms of advocacy across all condition areas and platforms, are:
- Advocacy Trailblazer
- Best Team
- Caregiving Champion
- Community Cultivator
- Creative Contributor
- Healthcare Collaborator
- Lifetime Achievement Award
- Revolutionary Researcher
- Rookie of the Year
- Social Media Master
"The Social Health Awards represent the only awards program that truly recognizes health leaders for their hard work, advocacy and dedication to social health," said Amrita Bhowmick, Health Union's chief community officer. "It is imperative for us at Health Union to continue to find ways to bring together and honor the people who are pivotal in driving unique and impactful conversations about health."
Once nominations are closed, judges will select six finalists for each category based on their use of social health, their fit for the award/category and how effectively they engage their online community. The finalist list will be announced by early August.
Winners will be recognized on Aug. 25 during Connexion, a Health Union virtual event that connects and empowers patient leaders; all Social Health Awards finalists will be invited to attend Connexion. Additionally, winners will be invited to join Health Union on stage at the Social Health Awards celebration at the 2022 Fierce Pharma Marketing Awards Ceremony during the Digital Pharma East conference in October in Philadelphia.
Healthcare industry professionals are also encouraged to nominate deserving patient leaders for the Social Health Awards, as well as to volunteer to be industry judges for the awards program. More information about the Social Health Awards, including full descriptions of the nomination categories and frequently asked questions, can be found at SocialHealthNetwork.com/Awards.
Health Union is the proven industry leader driving and amplifying social health. As the premier social health company, only Health Union encourages the dynamic, real-time action people take to find meaningful connections and share information that impact their health journey. The company reaches millions of people through the largest portfolio of condition-specific online health communities (e.g., Migraine.com, MultipleSclerosis.net, LungCancer.net) and health leaders - addressing virtually every condition and providing the information, connection and support they need.
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SOURCE Health Union | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/13/health-union-launches-opens-nominations-inaugural-social-health-awards/ | 2022-06-13T19:08:52Z |
NEW YORK, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- InvestorsObserver issues critical PriceWatch Alerts for AMD, MRNA, LITE, CZR, and GE.
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- AMD: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-options-lp-2/?symbol=AMD&prnumber=050420223
- MRNA: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-options-lp-2/?symbol=MRNA&prnumber=050420223
- LITE: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-options-lp-2/?symbol=LITE&prnumber=050420223
- CZR: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-options-lp-2/?symbol=CZR&prnumber=050420223
- GE: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-options-lp-2/?symbol=GE&prnumber=050420223
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InvestorsObserver provides patented technology to some of the biggest names on Wall Street and creates world-class investing tools for the self-directed investor on Main Street. We have a wide range of tools to help investors make smarter decisions when investing in stocks or options.
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SOURCE InvestorsObserver | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/05/04/thinking-about-trading-options-or-stock-advanced-micro-devices-moderna-lumentum-caesars-entertainment-or-general-electric/ | 2022-05-04T14:17:24Z |
Report: Anne Heche in hospital, stable after fiery car crash
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anne Heche was in the hospital Saturday following an accident in which her car smashed into a house and flames erupted, a representative for the actor told People magazine.
The representative, who was not identified, told the magazine that Heche was in stable condition a day after Friday’s accident. Her family and friends were asking that her privacy be respected, People reported.
Her speeding car came to a T-shaped intersection and ran off the road and into the house in the Mar Vista section of Los Angeles’ westside shortly before 11 a.m. Friday, Los Angeles police Officer Tony Im said.
The car came to rest inside the two-story house and started a fire that took nearly 60 firefighters more than an hour to put out, the Los Angeles Fire Department said. Officials haven’t identified Heche as the driver who was pulled from the car as it was inside the house, but said it was registered to her.
Television news video showed a blue Mini Cooper Clubman, badly damaged and burned, being towed out of the home, with a blonde woman sitting up on a stretcher and struggling as firefighters put her in an ambulance.
No other injuries were reported, and no arrests have been made. Police detectives are investigating.
Her representatives did not immediately respond Saturday to requests for comment.
A native of Ohio, Heche first came to prominence on the NBC soap opera “Another World” from 1987 to 1991. She won a Daytime Emmy Award for the role.
In the late 1990s she became one of the hottest actors in Hollywood, a constant on magazine covers and in big-budget films. She co-starred with Johnny Depp in 1997′s “Donnie Brasco”; with Tommy Lee Jones in 1997′s “Volcano”; with Harrison Ford in 1998′s “Six Days, Seven Nights”; with Vince Vaughn and Joaquin Phoenix in 1998′s “Return to Paradise,” and with an ensemble cast in the original 1997 “I Know What You Did Last Summer.”
Her relationship with Ellen DeGeneres from 1997 to 2000 heightened her fame and brought immense public scrutiny.
In the fall of 2000 soon after the two broke up, Heche was hospitalized after knocking on the door of a stranger in a rural area near Fresno, California. Authorities said she had appeared shaken and disoriented, and spoke incoherently to the residents.
In a memoir released the following year, “Call Me Crazy,” Heche talked about her lifelong struggles with mental health and a childhood of abuse.
She was married to camera operator Coleman Laffoon from 2001 to 2009. The two had a son together. She had another son during a relationship with actor James Tupper, her co-star on the TV series “Men In Trees.”
Heche has worked consistently in smaller films, on Broadway, and on TV shows in the past two decades. She recently had recurring roles on the network series “Chicago P.D.” and “All Rise,” and in 2020 was a contestant on “Dancing With the Stars.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/08/06/report-anne-heche-hospital-stable-after-fiery-car-crash/ | 2022-08-06T21:52:30Z |
Hippo continues to lead the industry by being among the first to utilize hemp-based papers in the cannabis and CBD sector
SAN DIEGO, CA, June 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hippo Premium Packaging (www.hippopackaging.com), a leading, award-winning provider of custom packaging and branding solutions to the cannabis and CBD industries, announced it utilized a new hemp-based, sustainable packaging solution for its client, Hemp Valley Farms – a CBD manufacturer that uses all-natural, regenerative farming techniques.
"Hemp Valley Farms came to us to produce their packaging, and after learning about their company, we thought that using a sustainable hemp-based paper was the perfect solution," said Kary Radestock, Founder and CEO of Hippo Premium Packaging.
Radestock reached out to Mohawk Paper — North America's oldest family-owned and operated fine paper mill — to see how their new Renewal Hemp paper would hold up to the demands of CBD packaging. Every sheet of Mohawk Renewal Hemp is made with 30% hemp fiber – a rapidly renewable fiber source that contributes to a sustainable supply chain.
"Using hemp-based papers is still rather new," Radestock said. "We wanted to collaborate with the manufacturer to make sure everything was dialed-in and optimized so that the final product would be fantastic."
The results demonstrated that now you don't have to sacrifice quality for sustainability – making the paper a perfect choice for premium packaging solutions.
Hippo produced packaging for three different blends of Hemp Valley Farms' CBD tinctures, and is now working on the packaging for HVF's CBD-based cosmetics, balms, muscle rubs, and pet products.
Todd Salemi, founder and CEO of Hemp Valley Farms said it has been a great experience working with Hippo.
"Not only did they bring a hemp-based solution to the table, but equally important, the entire Hippo team was super nice and easy to work with."
Hippo has a limited number of sample sets of this unique packaging solution. If your company is interested in receiving a sample set of the paper, or discussing sustainable, hemp-based packaging solutions, please contact Hippo Premium Packaging at: 619-269-0939, or visit: www.hippopackaging.com/hemp-pkg-promo
Hippo Premium Packaging creates unique packaging and branding solutions for the cannabis and hemp industries. Winner of many international awards, Hippo develops innovative solutions that build strong brands.
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SOURCE Hippo Premium Packaging | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/07/hippo-premium-packaging-uses-sustainable-hemp-based-packaging/ | 2022-06-07T15:36:49Z |
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — As much as the Tampa Bay Rays wanted Corey Kluber to have a shot at getting the victory in the pitcher’s debut with his new team, keeping the two-time Cy Young Award winner fresh and healthy is a bigger priority.
The 36-year-old right-hander looked good in his first game since joining the defending AL East champions, pitching 4 2/3 scoreless innings in an 8-0 victory that completed an opening sweep of the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday.
“I didn’t really control counts the way I’d like to eventually,” Kluber said. “But at the end of the day, I made good pitches when I needed to to keep them off the scoreboard.”
Brandon Lowe hit a two-run homer off Tyler Wells (0-1), while Wander Franco had his second three-hit game in three days and drove in a pair of runs as the Rays beat the Orioles for the 15th straight time and matched the fastest start to a season in club history.
Tampa Bay, which is 21-1 against the Orioles since the beginning of last year, also started 3-0 in 2002 and 2012.
Coming off a 110-loss season, Baltimore is 0-3 for the first time since 2007. The Orioles never led in the series, struck out 37 times — most through three games of a season in franchise history — and went 2-for-24 with runners in scoring position.
“They have really good pitching, but we didn’t do a very good job swinging the bats. We didn’t make them work much,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “We can improve our two-strike hitting, put more pressure on their defense. We have some guys scuffling early. I’d like to see them break out. We’re putting too much pressure on ourselves.”
Kluber, pitching on his birthday for the first time in his career, allowed three hits, walked four and struck out five in an 87-pitch outing. Sailing along with a 4-0 lead, he retired the first two batters in the fifth inning before walking Cedric Mullins and giving up a single to Ryan Mountcastle.
Manager Kevin Cash, who said before the game that one of his priorities this season will be managing Kluber’s workload and keeping the oldest player on his roster healthy, didn’t hesitate to turn to the bullpen.
Kluber went 5-3 with a 3.83 ERA in 16 starts with the New York Yankees last season, when he also spent three months on the injured list with a right shoulder strain. The Rays signed him to an $8 million, one-year deal during the offseason.
“We’d like all of our guys to get out there and pencil in 30 starts. But saying that, you have to manage the workload,” Cash said.
“I don’t want to put words in his mouth, but the days of throwing 220 innings are probably not there any more,” the manager added. “He understands that.”
Kluber, who won Cy Young Awards with Cleveland in 2014 and 2017, wasn’t upset with the manager’s decision.
“I don’t really concern myself with the workload or pitch count. I view it as I’m going to keep going out there until he takes the ball from me,” Kluber said. “I try to take it hitter by hitter and not try to look at the big picture like that.”
Lefty Jeffrey Springs (1-0) came on to get the only batter he faced to end the fifth. Jason Adam, Jalen Beeks and Matt Wisler held the Orioles scoreless the rest of the way, finishing a combined six-hitter.
Wells made his first major league start for the Orioles and didn’t get through the second inning. The Rays loaded the bases with two walks and an infield single, then chased the 27-year-old right-hander with Mike Zunino’s sacrifice fly, Manuel Margot’s RBI grounder and Lowe’s 437-foot homer to right-center.
Franco’s two-run single highlighted a four-run seventh against relievers Bryan Baker and Paul Fry. Franco joined Quinton McCracken in 1998 and Steve Cox in 2001 as the only Rays with muiltiple three-hit games during the first three games of a season,
Wells, 2-3 with a 4.11 ERA in 44 relief appearances as a rookie last season, threw 54 pitches and allowed four runs and three hits. He walked two and struck out two.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: Hyde said right-handed reliever Dean Kremer strained his left oblique muscle warming up in the bullpen during the game.
Rays: CF Kevin Kiermaier was not in the lineup, however Cash said it was a day of rest and not related to injury. The team is beginning the season with a stretch of 13 games in 13 days.
UP NEXT
Orioles: Return to Baltimore for home opener vs. Milwaukee. LHP Bruce Zimmermann (4-5, 5.04 ERA in 2021) gets the start, with the Brewers countering with RHP Adrian Houser (10-6, 3.22).
Rays: A seven-game homestand continues with RHP Luis Patiño (5-3, 4.31 in 2021) starting the first of four games vs. Oakland. RHP Paul Blackburn (1-4, 5.87) takes the ball first for the Athletics.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/kluber-looks-good-rays-beat-orioles-8-0-to-complete-sweep/ | 2022-04-11T06:53:20Z |
Tiger Woods struggles at PGA Championship: ‘Walking hurts and twisting hurts … It’s just golf’
By Issy Ronald, CNN
On the ninth hole of the first round, Tiger Woods slammed his golf club into the ground in frustration.
Afterward, he walked up to the green with a more pronounced limp than had been seen earlier in the day and eventually finished the hole with a bogey, kicking off a run of three consecutive bogeys.
As he continues his comeback from serious leg injuries sustained in a car accident last year, Woods struggled in the opening round of the PGA Championship carding a 74, nine strokes behind overnight leader Rory McIlroy.
“My leg is not feeling as good as I would like it to be,” Woods told the media afterwards.
“We’ll start the recovery process and get after it tomorrow. I just can’t load it. Loading hurts, pressing off it hurts, walking hurts and twisting hurts. It’s just golf. If I don’t play that, then I’m all right.”
Woods’ round began brightly with two birdies and three pars in the opening five holes before his leg began to trouble him and he limped to 4-over par at the end of the day.
In his last 13 holes, he only hit three greens, made six bogeys and consistently misjudged his bunker shots.
“All the bunker shots sort of came out hot,” Woods said. “The sand is a lot faster than I thought it would be.”
“Kind of been that way all week, especially if you get up in the areas where it’s not raked… I feel like sometimes the sand — I’m guessing, and I guessed wrong.”
Woods seemed to arrive at the Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa with a relatively conservative strategy, choosing to iron off the tee while the other players in his star-studded group — McIlroy and Jordan Speith — hit with drivers.
While McIlroy averaged 331 yards off the tee, Woods averaged just 293.4 yards — the 136th shortest distance in a field of 156.
“The game is just different,” Woods said. “It’s much more aggressive now, and I know that. But I was playing to my spots. If I would have hit the ball solidly on those two holes and put the ball in the fairway, I would have been fine.”
Woods tees off for the second round at 2:36 p.m. ET on Friday.
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™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/news/2022/05/20/tiger-woods-struggles-at-pga-championship-walking-hurts-and-twisting-hurts-its-just-golf/ | 2022-05-20T10:16:44Z |
The U.S. death toll from COVID-19 hit 1 million on Monday, a once-unimaginable figure that only hints at the multitudes of loved ones and friends staggered by grief and frustration.
The confirmed number of dead is equivalent to a 9/11 attack every day for 336 days. It is roughly equal to how many Americans died in the Civil War and World War II combined. It's as if Boston and Pittsburgh were wiped out.
"It is hard to imagine a million people plucked from this earth," said Jennifer Nuzzo, who leads a new pandemic center at the Brown University School of Public Health in Providence, Rhode Island. "It's still happening and we are letting it happen."
Some of those left behind say they cannot return to normal. They replay their loved ones' voicemail messages. Or watch old videos to see them dance. When other people say they are done with the virus, they bristle with anger or ache in silence.
"'Normal.' I hate that word," said Julie Wallace, 55, of Elyria, Ohio, who lost her husband to COVID-19 in 2020. "All of us never get to go back to normal."
Three out of every four deaths were people 65 and older. More men died than women. White people made up most of the deaths overall. But Black, Hispanic and Native American people have been roughly twice as likely to die from COVID-19 as their white counterparts.
Most deaths happened in urban areas, but rural places — where opposition to masks and vaccinations tends to run high — paid a heavy price at times.
The death toll less than 2 1/2 years into the outbreak is based on death certificate data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. But the real number of lives lost to COVID-19, either directly or indirectly, as a result the disruption of the health care system in the world's richest country, is believed to be far higher.
The U.S. has the highest reported COVID-19 death toll of any country, though health experts have long suspected that the real number of deaths in places such as India, Brazil and Russia is higher than the official figures.
The milestone comes more than three months after the U.S. reached 900,000 dead. The pace has slowed since a harrowing winter surge fueled by the omicron variant.
The U.S. is averaging about 300 COVID-19 deaths per day, compared with a peak of about 3,400 a day in January 2021. New cases are on the rise again, climbing more than 60% in the past two weeks to an average of about 86,000 a day — still well below the all-time high of over 800,000, reached when the omicron variant was raging during the winter.
The largest bell at Washington National Cathedral in the nation's capital tolled 1,000 times a week ago, once for every 1,000 deaths. President Joe Biden on Thursday ordered flags lowered to half-staff and called each life "an irreplaceable loss."
"As a nation, we must not grow numb to such sorrow," he said in a statement. "To heal, we must remember."
More than half the deaths occurred since vaccines became available in December of 2020. Two-thirds of Americans are fully vaccinated, and nearly half of them have had at least one booster dose. But demand for the vaccine has plummeted, and the campaign to put shots in arms has been plagued by misinformation, distrust and political polarization.
Unvaccinated people have a 10 times greater risk of dying of COVID-19 than the fully vaccinated, according to the CDC.
"To me, that is what is just so particularly heartbreaking," Nuzzo said. Vaccines are safe and greatly reduce the likelihood of severe illness, she said. They "largely take the possibility of death off the table."
Angelina Proia, 36, of New York, lost her father to COVID-19 in April 2020. She runs a support group for grieving families on Facebook and has seen it divided over vaccinations. She has booted people from the group for spreading misinformation.
"I don't want to hear conspiracy theories. I don't want to hear anti-science," said Proia, who wishes her father could have been vaccinated.
Sara Atkins, 42, of Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, channels her grief into fighting for global vaccination and better access to health care to honor her father, Andy Rotman-Zaid, who died of COVID-19 in December 2020.
"My father gave me marching orders to end it and make sure it doesn't happen again," Atkins said of the pandemic. "He told me, 'Politicize the hell out of my death if I die of this.'"
Julie Wallace and her husband, Lewis Dunlap, had cellphone numbers one digit apart. She continues paying to keep his number. She calls it just to hear his voice.
"It's just so important to hear that sometimes," she said. "It gives you a little bit of reassurance while also tearing your heart out."
Some have offered solace in poetry. In Philadelphia, poet and social worker Trapeta Mayson, created a 24-hour poetry hotline called Healing Verse. Traffic to the Academy of American Poets' poets.org website rose during the pandemic.
Brian Sonia-Wallace, poet laureate of West Hollywood, California, has traveled the country writing poems for hire. He imagines a memorial of a million poems, written by people who don't normally write poetry. They would talk to those who are grieving and listen for points of connection.
"What we need as a nation is empathy," said Tanya Alves, 35, of Weston, Florida, who lost her 24-year-old sister to COVID-19 in October. "Over two years into the pandemic, with all the cases and lives lost, we should be more compassionate and respectful when talking about COVID. Thousands of families changed forever. This virus is not just a cold." | https://www.tdtnews.com/news/article_d0df8f4e-d549-11ec-a806-f3c63c35bd40.html | 2022-05-16T21:51:52Z |
Unlock the True Potential of NVIDIA Ampere GPUs with the Ultimate 360mm AIO Cooling Solution
AALBORG, Denmark, June 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Asetek, sim racing gear innovator, the creator of the all-in-one (AIO) liquid cooler, and the global leader in liquid cooling solutions for gaming PCs and DIY enthusiasts today announced its liquid cooling technology is powering EVGA's new GeForce RTX™ 3090 Ti FTW3 ULTRA HYBRID Gaming Graphics Card. Now gamers and enthusiasts seeking extreme performance and near-silent operation can get the most out of the RTX 3090 Ti from EVGA.
Liquid cooling is more critical than ever with the launch of NVIDIA's latest Ampere GPU architecture, which brings the total graphics power (TGP) up to 480 Watts on this card. EVGA and Asetek worked together to create the ultimate 360mm radiator cooling solution for extreme thermal performance and the quietest HYBRID cooling experience to date. Incorporating EVGA's newly-design HDB fan with ARBG and non-ARGB options, the 3090 Ti FTW3 Graphics Card includes a Hybrid GPU cooler which boasts a 360mm radiator to dissipate the heat associated with the 1072 CUDA cores and 2GB GDDR6X memory.
"The EVGA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti FTW3 ULTRA HYBRID Gaming card has got it all – incredible cooling performance and quiet operation, all in a 2 slot form factor," said Jacob Freeman, Global Product Management Director at EVGA. "EVGA has now developed multiple generations of HYBRID coolers with Asetek, who continues to be a leader in liquid cooling performance and quality."
"Liquid cooling is critical in unlocking this latest generation of NVIDIA Ampere's true potential," said John Hamill, Chief Operating Officer at Asetek. "Asetek liquid cooling technology keeps the GPU temperatures in check to maintain optimal processor operation to enable flawless and immersive gaming. It is exciting to continue to work with EVGA to bring extreme performance to gamers and enthusiasts."
To learn more about EVGA's new 3090 Ti FTW3 ULTRA HYBRID Gaming Graphics Card visit EVGA - Products - EVGA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti FTW3 ULTRA HYBRID GAMING, 24G-P5-4988-KR, 24GB GDDR6X, iCX3, HYBRID Cooler, ARGB LED, Backplate, Free eLeash - 24G-P5-4988-KR.
To learn more about Asetek liquid cooling, please visit www.asetek.com.
About EVGA
EVGA is the #1 NVIDIA authorized partner in channel sales throughout North America. Based on the philosophy of intelligent innovation, market knowledge, and the real time operation, EVGA continues to identify the need in the marketplace and providing the solution to that need. By offering product differentiation, 24/7 tech support, a 90-day Step-Up program, and other customer focused programs, EVGA is a clear leader in all categories: etail, retail, distribution, and system builders. With headquarters in Brea, CA, EVGA's global coverage includes EVGA GmbH in Munich, EVGA LATAM in Miami, and EVGA Hong Kong. For further information online about EVGA, visit www.evga.com.
About Asetek
Asetek (ASTK.OL), a global leader in mechatronic innovation, is a Danish garage-to-stock-exchange success story. Founded in 2000, Asetek established its innovative position as the leading OEM developer and producer of the all-in-one liquid cooler for all major PC & Enthusiast gaming brands. In 2013, Asetek went public while expanding into energy-efficient and environmentally friendly cooling solutions for data centers. In 2021, Asetek introduced its line of products for next-level immersive SimSports gaming experiences. Asetek is headquartered in Denmark and has operations in China, Taiwan and the United States.
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SOURCE Asetek | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/29/asetek-liquid-cooling-advances-performance-evgas-new-geforce-rtx-3090-ti-ftw3-ultra-hybrid-gaming-graphics-card/ | 2022-06-29T07:43:08Z |
- The Company reached record daily bookings during the third edition of its 'Prime Days' campaign, marking the biggest single-day sales ever recorded in the business' 22-year history.
- Participating airlines saw on average a two-fold increase in their booking volumes compared to the previous week.
BARCELONA, Spain, April 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- eDreams ODIGEO, Europe's largest online travel company and the largest in flights globally, excluding China, today announced that it has hit a new all-time single day sales record during its latest 'Prime Days' campaign.
After breaking a sales record in the second edition of the 'Prime Days', held in October 2021, the Company has achieved a new milestone by reaching its highest ever daily trading during the latest 3-day Prime campaign, between 5th and 8th April.
During this period, Prime members enjoyed special discounts of up to -60% on flights and participating partner airlines benefited from strong market share growth, achieving on average a two-fold increase in their booking volumes compared to the previous week. Members also enjoyed an additional -25% discount on accommodation on top of the usual reduction of up to -50% normally offered to Prime subscribers and up to -40% in car hire.
eDreams ODIGEO Prime, the first and leading subscription programme in the travel industry, surpassed 2.4 million members at the end of February after growing 182% in just one year. Based on the ongoing success of Prime, the Company is targetting 7.25 million subscribers by 2025.
Since it first launched in 2017, the eDreams Prime service has consistently grown exponentially as consumers increasingly value the convenience, personalisation, premium customer service and flexibility that the subscription model in travel brings to them.
Dana Dunne, Chief Executive Officer at eDreams ODIGEO, said: "We are thrilled with the continuing success of Prime as the world's leading travel subscription programme. The record-breaking sales achieved in our last Prime Days, combined with the continuous and exponential growth of our Prime subscriber base, demonstrates its compelling offer and appeal to consumers. We are transforming the travel booking experience with a unique customer proposition that offers the highest levels of convenience, personalisation, flexibility and choice to travellers worldwide. With Prime, we build long-lasting relationships with our customers and solve all of their travel needs throughout their journey, all while making them save time and money. Our continuing aim is to further revolutionise our industry with Prime and deliver an even better product for our 2.4 million subscribers and those who will subscribe in the future."
About eDreams ODIGEO
eDreams ODIGEO is one of the world's largest online travel companies and one of the largest e-commerce businesses in Europe. Under its four leading online travel agency brands – eDreams, GO Voyages, Opodo, Travellink, and the metasearch engine Liligo – it serves more than 17 million customers per year across 45 markets. Listed on the Spanish Stock Market, eDreams ODIGEO works with over 660 airlines. The business conceptualised Prime, the first subscription product in the travel sector which has topped 2.4 million members since launching in 2017. The brand offers the best quality products in regular flights, low-cost airlines, hotels, dynamic packages, cruises, car rental and travel insurance to make travel easier, more accessible, and better value for consumers across the globe.
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SOURCE eDreams ODIGEO | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/04/11/edreams-odigeo-achieves-new-all-time-single-day-sales-record/ | 2022-04-11T17:47:37Z |
LANSING, Mich., July 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Neogen Corporation (NASDAQ: NEOG) held a ceremonial groundbreaking in anticipation of approvals on a $70 million expansion of their Lansing, Michigan, food safety facility.
President and Chief Executive Officer John Adent was joined by City of Lansing Mayor Andy Schor, as well as Neogen executives and Board of Directors members for the ceremony, marking the beginning of the 12–14-month construction project.
"Neogen is proud to call Lansing our corporate headquarters, and we are so happy to continue growing with the city that helped build us into the global company that we are today," Adent said. "This year, as we celebrate our 40th year of operations, we also celebrate a number of big steps forward for our company. This expansion, along with the merging of 3M's Food Safety business with our existing operations, will lead Neogen into a new era of growth. I want to thank the City of Lansing and the Greater Lansing area for continuing to support Neogen, and we are excited to continue growing together."
"Neogen's $70 million investment in Lansing will further Michigan's leadership in the life sciences and agribusiness sectors," Governor Gretchen Whitmer said of the project. "This new manufacturing facility will expand Neogen's footprint in Lansing and create up to 100 new good-paying jobs for Michiganders. Michigan's future is bright because of our hardworking, talented people and our innovative businesses, and investments like today's by Neogen will help us continue moving our state forward. I will work with anyone to keep growing our economy, creating good-paying jobs, and investing in every region of our great state."
The expansion is centered around the construction of a three-story dedicated manufacturing building located on E. Shiawassee Street, adjacent to other Neogen facilities. The 175,000 sq.-ft. space represents the company's investment in new manufacturing equipment and laboratory equipment for the test and release of products.
The expansion will create between 60–100 new jobs, raising Neogen's Lansing footprint from 650 employees to a maximum of 750. These highly skilled positions, which will be hired throughout the project, will range from Automation technicians and Operators to Process Engineers, Chemists, Quality Engineers, and Quality Technicians, as well as managers and supervisors.
This project will be made possible through close collaboration with the City of Lansing, Lansing Economic Development Corporation (LEDC), Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP), the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), and the Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF), as the company has applied for incentives needed to create these jobs and complete the project.
The project is slated to begin in September 2022, with completion expected in December 2023, with validation and other progress taking place through 2024.
Neogen Corporation develops and markets comprehensive solutions dedicated to food and animal safety, operating with the intention to "Every day, protect the people and animals we care about." The company's Food Safety segment markets dehydrated culture media and diagnostic test kits to detect foodborne bacteria, natural toxins, food allergens, drug residues, plant diseases, and sanitation concerns. Neogen's Animal Safety segment is a leader in the development of genomic solutions along with the manufacturing and distribution of a variety of animal healthcare products, including diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, veterinary instruments, wound care, and disinfectants, as well as rodent and insect control solutions.
CONTACT: Jerome Hagedorn, Vice President of North American Operations, 517.372.9200, JHagedorn@Neogen.com
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SOURCE NEOGEN Corporation | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/20/neogen-ceremonially-breaks-ground-70-million-lansing-expansion/ | 2022-07-20T17:05:18Z |
Wayne State to lead multidisciplinary, multiorganization team
DETROIT, Sept. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Wayne State University has received a five-year, approximately $11.3 million award from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) of the National Institutes of Health to create a new Superfund Research Program, the "Center for Leadership in Environmental Awareness and Research (CLEAR)." The Center will be dedicated to understanding and mitigating adverse birth outcomes and serious developmental health problems that have been associated with urban environmental exposure to volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), a special class of pollutant found in the subsurface of post-industrial cities like Detroit.
VOCs are a group of aromatic or chlorinated organic compounds that transition to a vapor or gas. They are a source of indoor air contamination in the urban built environment. Commonly encountered VOCs include benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene. Nationwide, VOCs pose a potential threat to human health through a process known as "vapor intrusion." Vapor intrusion occurs when man-made chemicals in the subsurface vaporize, rise through the subsurface, and ultimately migrate into overlying homes and buildings through structural cracks in walls, floors and building foundations. CLEAR will provide new methods for assessment, testing and mitigation to help reduce toxic exposures and improve health outcomes. It will also offer an important training component for Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows, providing them with an opportunity for hands-on field and laboratory research, microinternships, and a graduate certificate in urban environmental health.
Headquartered on the Wayne State University campus, CLEAR will focus on Detroit as the principal study site. The CLEAR team consists of engineering and biomedical scientists, educators, and community partners. Detroit has the highest preterm birth rate in the United States. The city also has a very large number of identified sites of environmental contamination (brownfields) with VOCs. The CLEAR team hypothesizes that VOC exposure through vapor intrusion early in life incites inflammatory responses in maternal tissues as well in the developing offspring that reprogram the developing immune system and other critical systems, setting the stage for preterm birth and/or associated adverse health outcomes.
The CLEAR research team is led by Melissa Runge-Morris, M.D., and Carol Miller, Ph.D., who also co-lead the One Health Initiative at Wayne State University. Physician-scientist Runge-Morris is the director of the Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/Center for Urban Responses to Environmental Stressors (IEHS/CURES) at Wayne State University. Engineer Miller is a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Wayne State University and director of Healthy Urban Waters, funded by the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation. The innovative CLEAR program integrates engineering and biomedical approaches to detect, quantify and eradicate the health risks that stem from environmental exposure to VOCs and their mixtures. The research team is made up of 31 faculty in six colleges and schools at Wayne State along with researchers from Henry Ford Health System, Michigan State University, Ann Arbor Technical Services, Inc., North Carolina State University and University of Florida.
"We will have five integrative environmental science and engineering and biomedical research projects that will investigate toxic mechanisms, exposure pathways, biomarkers and strategies to prevent exposures and improve public health outcomes," said Runge-Morris. "This will include new detection methodologies including phytoscreening – a screening method used to identify bioactive substances in plants. In addition, we will integrate Internet of Things and edge computing for real-time contaminant detection, rapid-response, mitigation and remediation of toxins. We will apply advanced analysis methods and tools to determine the impact of VOC exposures on preterm birth and other adverse health outcomes."
The CLEAR team recently published new evidence linking preterm birth outcomes in people to VOC pollution in Detroit. The study demonstrated positive associations between VOC exposures and adverse birth outcomes which have been noted in other studies in the United States, Canada, France, Brazil and Spain. The CLEAR team also have found a positive association between VOC exposure and maternal inflammation as well as changes in placental gene expression.
"Detroit has the highest minority population in the Great Lakes region with issues of numerous health and environmental injustices," said Miller. "These are related to aging infrastructure and prevalent legacy contaminants. With the highest reported rate of preterm births in the U.S., it is critical to examine the etiologic factors that are playing a key role in this public health emergency. This study is critical to researching and developing new methods of assessment, testing and mitigation to reduce toxic exposures and improve health outcomes of our vulnerable community in Detroit as well as many other cities around the U.S. and the world."
The project number for this National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences award is P42ES030991.
About Wayne State University
Wayne State University is one of the nation's pre-eminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit research.wayne.edu.
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SOURCE Wayne State University | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/09/113-million-nih-superfund-award-address-environmental-health-issues-caused-by-vocs/ | 2022-09-09T17:08:11Z |
HONG KONG, July 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TSC Renewables, a wholly owned subsidiary of CMIC, a world leading supplier of integrated solutions to onshore, offshore oil and gas, offshore wind and hydrogen sectors and KenzFigee, a well-established lifting, handling and service specialist of tailor-made equipment for the marine, offshore and wind energy industry, have reached a Technology License and Transfer Agreement with the purpose to enable CMIC to manufacture, market and sell gangway systems based on the KenzFigee developed 3D Active Motion Compensated (AMC) gangway system as well as further improvement and upgrade of such a system based on market demand.
This agreement is a result and part of the recently signed strategic cooperation agreement between KenzFigee and CMIC and includes an exclusive license and technology transfer agreement for development, manufacturing and upgrading of gangways based on the KenzFigee designed 3D AMC gangway for equipment owners in the Chinese market, as well as a non-exclusive license agreement for the international market.
Through this agreement, CMIC will be able to offer proven high-end 3D Active Motion Compensated (AMC) gangway technology and meet the demand in the rapidly emerging market for offshore renewable energy products for (offshore) wind farms, WTIVs (wind turbine installation vessels) and SOVs (service operation vessels) both in China and internationally. KenzFigee will support CMIC by providing know-how, technical services, and the supply of critical components. By joining forces, both companies will be able to leverage their extensive experience, which will benefit the clients and result in a stronger market position for both CMIC and KenzFigee.
"We are pleased with this mutually beneficial agreement with CMIC, an important step after the recently signed Strategic Cooperation Agreement", says Maikel Takken, CEO of KenzFigee. "It's a great opportunity for KenzFigee and CMIC to increase our contribution in the emerging offshore wind market".
Added by Mr. Jiang Binghua, CEO of CMIC, "This agreement marks the first step towards further cooperation and shows strong commitment of both companies under the recently signed Strategic Cooperation Agreement". He continues: "With technical and service support from KenzFigee, CMIC will be able to offer the proven and high-end 3D ACM gangway and further development to meet future requirement from the Chinese market. With this great milestone achieved, we will continue grow in our renewable energy business and contribute to the global energy transition".
About CMIC
CMIC Ocean En-tech is a leading technology company providing complete engineering, manufacturing and integrated solutions to clients in both onshore and offshore oil and gas, offshore wind and hydrogen sectors. CMIC is also in the business of investing in energy sectors including the renewable energy sector. Established in 1995, CMIC has a large global footprint and operations to serve clients in the energy sector worldwide. CMIC is registered in the Cayman Island and its stocks are traded in the Hong Kong Stock Exchanges (206.HK).
M: +852 39196309
About KenzFigee
Established in 1836, KenzFigee has designed and built more than 4,500 cranes, lifting and handling solutions that fit the specific needs of its clients in the most demanding conditions. Based on our decades of experience, focus on innovation and client requirements, KenzFigee has become a leading supplier and service provider of reliable and durable tailor-made cranes and equipment for the worldwide marine, offshore and wind energy industries.
At KenzFigee we take care of clients during the whole life cycle of the equipment. The experienced professionals provide design, engineering expertise and a variety of services, to support clients increasing operational efficiency and to minimize downtime of equipment.
KenzFigee is headquartered in Zaandam, the Netherlands and has branch offices in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and Aberdeen, United Kingdom.
For more information about Kenzfigee, visit www.kenzfigee.com or contact:
Jeanny C.M. de Leeuw-Hulsman
Marketing & Communication Manager
M: +31 (0)6 15623041
E: j.deleeuw@kenzfigee.com
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SOURCE CMIC Ocean En-Tech Holding Co.,Ltd. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/18/cmic-kenzfigee-sign-technology-licence-transfer-agreement/ | 2022-07-18T11:36:09Z |
Missing 7-year-old located
TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - UPDATE: The Twin Falls Police Department says 7-year-old Christina E. Juliette has been found safe and has been reunited with her family.
ORIGINAL: The Idaho State Police is issuing an endangered missing person alert on behalf of Twin Falls Police Department.
Police say 7-year-old Christina E. Juliette was last seen in the area of 400 block of Bluebell Ave. in Twin Falls around 8:00 p.m. Sunday.
She is described to be 3 feet 1 inches tall, weighing 41 pounds with short fluffy brown hair.
She was last seen wearing an unknown color shirt, pink, purple and white pants and see-through rainbow shoes size 5.
If you see her, contact Twin Falls Police Department at (208) 735-4357. | https://localnews8.com/news/idaho/2022/05/30/missing-7-year-old-located/ | 2022-05-30T17:41:00Z |
Company remains well positioned to drive continued top-line growth in 2022
NAPLES, Fla., April 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- HealthLynked Corp. (OTCQB: HLYK), a global healthcare network focused on care management of its members and a provider of healthcare technologies that connects doctors, patients, and medical data, reported its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2021.
2021 Financial Highlights
- Revenue of $9.2 million, up 50% compared to $6.1 million in 2020
- ACO/MSO revenue grew 125% to $2.7 million compared to $1.2 million for the prior year
- Health Services revenue grew 22% to $5.8 million compared to $4.7 million for the prior year
- Net equity of $7.2 million, up 434% from $1.2 million in 2020
Fourth Quarter 2021 Financial Highlights
- Revenue of $1.7 million increased by 4% compared to $1.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2020
- Net loss of ($1.7) million decreased by 11% compared to ($1.9) million in the fourth quarter of 2020
Business Highlights
- Released AI-enabled healthcare directory CareLynk to connect HealthLynked users to any doctor across the U.S.
- Launched telemedicine platform DocLynk for all HealthLynked patients and providers for primary care and women's healthcare virtual appointments in a simple and easy-to-use interface
- QwikCheck V2.0 launched to streamline the patient check-in process while maintaining social distancing
- Announced the addition of Dr. Paul Hobaica and Dr. Sam Diasti to its medical advisory board
- Appointed Jeffrey Cohen as Vice President of Sales to increase revenue by introducing HealthLynked products and services to health systems, third party payers, hospitals, universities, and group purchasing organizations
Dr. Michael Dent, HealthLynked's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "HealthLynked finished 2021 with a record 50% revenue growth, capping off another milestone year for the company. We are proud of our accomplishments throughout 2021 as we completed several key product announcements and continued to make investments in our existing digital product portfolio. These accomplishments, combined with our strong financial performance, provides us confidence in our ability to continue to reduce healthcare costs and improve patient outcomes."
George O'Leary, HealthLynked's Chief Financial Officer, added, "We are very proud of our proven historical revenue growth, including 60% CAGR from 2018-21. We closed the year with a strong net equity of $7.2 million, a significant improvement to our balance sheet from the previous year. We continue to remain excited about the growth we are experiencing, and we look forward to continuing to provide value to our patients and shareholders in 2022 as the company executes on its business strategy."
About HealthLynked Corp.
HealthLynked Corp. provides a solution for both patient members and providers to improve healthcare through the efficient exchange of medical information. The HealthLynked Network is a cloud-based platform that allows members to connect with their healthcare providers and take more control of their healthcare. Members enter their medical information, including medications, allergies, past surgeries, and personal health records, in one convenient online and secure location, free of charge. Participating healthcare providers can connect with their current and future patients through the system. Benefits to in-network providers include the ability to utilize the HealthLynked patent-pending patient access hub "PAH" for patient analytics. Other benefits for preferred providers include HLYK marketing tools to connect with their active and inactive patients to improve patient retention, access more accurate and current patient information, provide more efficient online scheduling, and to fill last-minute cancelations using the Company's "real-time appointment scheduling" all within its mobile application. Preferred providers pay a monthly fee to access these HealthLynked services. For additional information about HealthLynked Corp., please visit www.healthlynked.com and connect with HealthLynked on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements
Forward-Looking Statements in this press release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Our actual results, including as a result of any acquisitions, performance, or achievements may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "may," "could," "expect," "intend," "plan," "seek," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "likely," "will," "would" and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by our management, and us are inherently uncertain. We caution you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which are made as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any of these forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information or future events, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable laws. If we update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. Certain risks and uncertainties applicable to our operations and us are described in the "Risk Factors" section of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in other filings we have made with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These reports are publicly available at www.sec.gov.
Investor Relations Contacts:
Lisa Fortuna or Josh Carroll
HLYK@alpha-ir.com
HLYK Contact:
George O'Leary
Chief Financial Officer
goleary@healthlynked.com (800)-928-7144, ext. 103
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SOURCE HealthLynked Corp. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/04/01/healthlynked-reports-annual-revenue-growth-50-92-million/ | 2022-04-01T13:57:03Z |
New survey highlights growing consumer demand for holistic data privacy policies, increased transparency from brands, and simplified solutions to manage data
NEW YORK, June 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Qonsent, the Performance Privacy™ and consent experience platform, today released survey findings regarding consumer sentiment and data privacy when it comes to brand engagement, transparency, and data privacy legislation. With continued legislation being introduced, most recently the American Data Protection and Privacy Act, CMOs, advertisers, security and compliance teams, as well as C-level executives are being further pressed to justify the use of personal information in line with consumer expectations.
These changes will impact the way brands engage with consumers and the survey findings illustrate a growing number of individuals who want more control and transparency over their personal data. The online survey was conducted in May 2022 by Qonsent and CITE Research (www.citeresearch.com) and polled 1,000 US Census-based US adults and 125 marketers.
"Data is a valuable asset for both consumers and brands, but what's more important is the one-to-one connection and trust that is created between loyal communities and brands. As laws, consumer trust/tastes, and technology shift, we must as well," said Michael Kassan, Chairman and CEO, MediaLink. "I feel we're in a time of culture marketing, where we as marketers have an opportunity to continue to drive movements and make a powerful positive shift in how we engage loyal communities."
The survey findings also show that transparency practices have an impact on consumers' purchasing decisions with close to half of respondents (47 percent) saying they try to purchase more from brands that clearly outline how, where, and when their data is being used. Another 30 percent said they only purchase from brands that demonstrate transparency, underscoring the growing importance of data privacy amongst consumers. Not surprisingly, 83 percent of consumers ranked offers of discounts in the top three types of incentives that would encourage them to allow their data to be used.
"Data privacy has become a top priority for American consumers, and even most C-level executives in the absence of any coherent, effective data privacy legislation—at both the state and federal levels," said Jesse Redniss, CEO and Co-founder, Qonsent. "This survey validated what we have been seeing and hearing, which is that the vast majority of consumers are concerned with how brands collect and handle their personal information. In fact, we found that more than half of consumers feel more secure and/or more empowered when they have control over their personal data."
Instead of fearing the new laws or cobbling together disparate solutions, marketers and brands should take the straightforward approach and forge a new relationship with their consumers, as 84 percent of consumers said they are likely to share information with companies that clearly communicate how they use their data. The survey also found:
- 94 percent of consumers said having control over the information provided to companies—and how that information is used—is important, with two-thirds (66 percent) saying it is very important.
- 61 percent of consumers prefer when a brand communicates how long they will keep personal information on file and how long they will use it.
- 90 percent of consumers said that the ability to revoke a brand's access to their personal data in one click is especially appealing.
In addition to consumer data privacy, the survey delved into marketers' attitudes about impending data privacy laws. Out of the 125 marketers surveyed, the majority (78 percent) are concerned that new legislation will negatively impact consumer engagement. However, over half (63 percent) believe consumers would react positively by increasing loyalty and engagement if brands are transparent about personal data.
"The implications of this survey not only show that data privacy is a growing concern and there's increased awareness amongst consumers, it's especially important that we do everything to enable control for consumers," Redniss continued. "It has become a moral imperative to ensure that each brand builds better experiences through trust and transparency."
To learn more about the report findings, download the Qonsent white paper: Qonsent Consumer Insights 2022.
Qonsent was founded in 2021 by leading visionaries from media, marketing, technology, legal, and security industries to help companies build 'privacy by design' and 'privacy by default' into products and processes to create a better experience, relationship, and value exchange with consumers. The services offered by the company encompass both B2B services and consumer-facing solutions that integrate with company offerings to remain compliant with PII data laws, including real-time ID validation, SmartQontracts, and customized offers through a Qonsent wallet. Qonsent is setting a new industry standard around Performance Privacy and Performance Giving with its platform, which bridges the current market gaps for brands, advertisers, publishers, creators, enterprises, and consumers.
Contact:
Michelle Van Jura
michelle@intersectcom.com
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SOURCE Qonsent | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/22/qonsent-survey-reveals-consumers-want-more-control-over-personal-data-transparency-brands/ | 2022-06-22T14:22:07Z |
THE WOODLANDS, Texas, July 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Target Hospitality Corp. ("Target Hospitality", "Target" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: TH), one of North America's largest providers of vertically integrated modular accommodations and value-added hospitality services, today raised the range of its previously announced 2022 financial outlook 53% primarily related to the significantly expanded and enhanced lease and services agreement ("Expanded Humanitarian Contract") supporting domestic humanitarian aid efforts, previously announced on July 6, 2022.
The Expanded Humanitarian Contract consists of a meaningful increase in scope and service offerings from the initial contract executed in March of 2021 and illustrates the benefits of Target's strategic diversification efforts. With the inception of Target's Government segment in 2014, the Company has placed increasing focus on expanding its critical hospitality services supporting domestic humanitarian aid missions serving vulnerable populations. This intentional focus has resulted in Target expanding its end market portfolio while significantly increasing minimum revenue commitments that provide enhanced revenue visibility and cash flows.
The Expanded Humanitarian Contract operates with similar structure to Target's existing government services contracts, which are centered around minimum revenue commitments supported by the United States Government. Additionally, the Expanded Humanitarian Contract includes variable services revenue that will align with monthly community population. The minimum revenue commitments, which consist of annual recurring lease revenue and nonrecurring infrastructure enhancement revenue, provide for a minimum annual revenue contribution of approximately $390 million and is fully committed over its initial contract term. The services revenue component provides for a maximum initial annual total contract value of approximately $575 million.
Including the Expanded Humanitarian Contract, approximately 73% of Target's anticipated 2022 revenue will be derived from its Government segment with a substantial portion of consolidated revenue attributed to minimum revenue commitments.
Target's critical infrastructure enhancements and expansion of hospitality service offerings reflect the transition of this community to a comprehensive solution capable of providing ongoing critical humanitarian support to aid Target's leading national nonprofit partner. Target anticipates this critical service offering, and all-inclusive super-site community, will remain an ongoing fixture in supporting domestic humanitarian aid missions.
Target will make substantial infrastructure enhancements to the existing community that encompass over 1.7 million square feet of modular structures on over 280 acres. The significantly expanded and enhanced community site will result in a transitory increase to Target's anticipated 2022 capital spending. The increase in 2022 annual capital spending will initially be balance sheet neutral with the Company anticipating a total net leverage ratio below 3.0 times, with meaningful leverage improvement by year end 2022.
As a result of operating cash flow materially exceeding the Company's initial 2022 business plan, Target's enhanced balance sheet will allow the Company to continue evaluating a range of capital allocation initiatives focused on maximizing long-term shareholder value. Additionally, Target's strong financial profile creates the optimal platform to continue pursuing strategic growth aspirations that focus on expanding the Company's long-term growth opportunities and accelerating its value creation opportunity set.
The Company continues to benefit from its strategic positioning as North America's market leader in premier vertically integrated modular and hospitality solutions serving a suite of world-class customers. This strong momentum supports Target's 2022 financial outlook and marks a 74% increase in revenue and a 152% increase in Adjusted EBITDA from full year 2021.
Approximately 99% of the Company's anticipated 2022 revenue is under contract with approximately 73% of contracted revenue having minimum revenue commitments.
These positive business fundamentals support Target's 2022 financial outlook of:
Full Year 2022 Financial Outlook:
- Total revenue between $500 and $510 million
- Adjusted EBITDA(1) between $295 and $305 million
- Interest expense(2) between $33 and 35 million
- Effective corporate cash tax rate between 13% and 15%
- Discretionary Cash Flow(1) between $320 and $330 million
- Total capital spending between $190 and $200 million, excluding acquisitions
- Maintain total net leverage(3) ratio below 3.0x throughout 2022
Second Quarter 2022 Financial Outlook:
- Total revenue between $102 and $107 million
- Adjusted EBITDA(1) between $50 and $55 million
(2) Interest expense excludes amortization of deferred financing cost and original issue discount
(3) Total net leverage ratio is defined in the credit facility as consolidated total debt to consolidated EBITDA for the preceding four fiscal quarters
The Company has scheduled a conference call for July 12, 2022, at 8:00 a.m. Central Time (9:00 am Eastern Time) to provide additional details on the Expanded Humanitarian Contract and its 2022 financial outlook.
Conference Call Details
Date: Tuesday, July 12, 2022
Time: 9:00 AM ET / 8:00 AM CT
Domestic: 1-888-317-6003
International: 1-412-317-6061
Passcode: 2810328
Please register for the webcast or dial into the conference call approximately 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time.
A replay of the conference call will be available through the Investors section of Target Hospitality's website.
About Target Hospitality
Target Hospitality is one of North America's largest providers of vertically integrated modular accommodations and value-added hospitality services in the United States. Target builds, owns and operates a customized and growing network of communities for a range of end users through a full suite of value-added solutions including premium food service management, concierge, laundry, logistics, security and recreational facilities services.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements made in this press release (including the financial outlook contained herein) are "forward looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words "estimates," "projected," "expects," "anticipates," "forecasts," "plans," "intends," "believes," "seeks," "may," "will," "should," "future," "propose" and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside our control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Important factors, among others, that may affect actual results or outcomes include: the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic or any future public health crisis, related economic repercussions and the resulting negative impact to global economic demand; operational challenges relating to the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus, including logistical challenges, protecting the health and well-being of our employees and customers, government imposed mandates, contract and supply chain disruptions; operational, economic, including inflation, political and regulatory risks; our ability to effectively compete in the specialty rental accommodations and hospitality services industry; effective management of our communities; natural disasters and other business distributions including outbreaks of epidemic or pandemic disease; the effect of changes in state building codes on marketing our buildings; changes in demand within a number of key industry end-markets and geographic regions; our reliance on third party manufacturers and suppliers; failure to retain key personnel; increases in raw material and labor costs; the effect of impairment charges on our operating results; our inability to recognize deferred tax assets and tax loss carry forwards; our future operating results fluctuating, failing to match performance or to meet expectations; our exposure to various possible claims and the potential inadequacy of our insurance; unanticipated changes in our tax obligations; our obligations under various laws and regulations; the effect of litigation, judgments, orders, regulatory or customer bankruptcy proceedings on our business; our ability to successfully acquire and integrate new operations; global or local economic and political movements, including any changes in policy under the Biden administration; federal government budgeting and appropriations; our ability to effectively manage our credit risk and collect on our accounts receivable; our ability to fulfill Target Hospitality's public company obligations; any failure of our management information systems; our ability to meet our debt service requirements and obligations; and risks related to Arrow Bidco's obligations under the senior notes. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
(1) Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This press release also contains forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures Adjusted EBITDA and Discretionary Cash Flow. Reconciliations of these forward-looking measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures are unavailable to Target Hospitality without unreasonable effort. We cannot provide a reconciliation of forward-looking Adjusted EBITDA and Discretionary Cash Flow to GAAP financial measures because certain items required for such reconciliation are outside of our control and/or cannot be reasonably predicted, such as the provision for income taxes. Preparation of such reconciliations would require a forward-looking balance sheet, statement of income and statement of cash flow, prepared in accordance with GAAP, and such forward-looking financial statements are unavailable to us without unreasonable effort. Although we provide a range of Adjusted EBITDA and Discretionary Cash Flow that we believe will be achieved, we cannot accurately predict all the components of the Adjusted EBITDA and Discretionary Cash Flow calculations. Target Hospitality provides an Adjusted EBITDA and Discretionary Cash Flow outlook because we believe that these measures, when viewed with our results under GAAP, provide useful information for the reasons noted below.
Definitions:
Target Hospitality defines EBITDA as net income (loss) before interest expense and loss on extinguishment of debt, income tax expense (benefit), depreciation of specialty rental assets, and other depreciation and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA reflects the following further adjustments to EBITDA to exclude certain non-cash items and the effect of what management considers transactions or events not related to its core business operations:
- Other (income) expense, net: Other (income) expense, net includes miscellaneous cash receipts, gains and losses on disposals of property, plant, and equipment, involuntary asset conversion gains and losses, COVID-19 related expenses, and other immaterial non-cash charges.
- Transaction expenses: Target Hospitality incurred certain transaction costs during 2021, including legal and professional fees, associated with the previously announced non-binding proposal made by Arrow Holdings S.à r.l. ("Arrow"), an affiliate of TDR Capital LLP ("TDR"), to acquire all of the outstanding shares of common stock of Target Hospitality not owned by Arrow or its affiliates for cash consideration of $1.50 per share in the current period. The non-binding proposal was withdrawn by Arrow on March 29, 2021. No such amounts were incurred during 2022.
- Stock-based compensation: Charges associated with stock-based compensation expense, which has been, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future, a significant recurring expense in our business and an important part of our compensation strategy.
- Change in fair value of warrant liabilities: Non-cash change in estimated fair value of warrant liabilities.
- Other adjustments: System implementation costs, including primarily non-cash amortization of capitalized system implementation costs, claim settlement, business development, accounting standard implementation costs and certain severance costs.
Target Hospitality defines Discretionary Cash Flow as cash flow from operations less maintenance capital expenditures for specialty rental assets.
Utility and Purposes:
EBITDA reflects net income (loss) excluding the impact of interest expense and loss on extinguishment of debt, provision for income taxes, depreciation, and amortization. We believe that EBITDA is a meaningful indicator of operating performance because we use it to measure our ability to service debt, fund capital expenditures, and expand our business. We also use EBITDA, as do analysts, lenders, investors, and others, to evaluate companies because it excludes certain items that can vary widely across different industries or among companies within the same industry. For example, interest expense can be dependent on a company's capital structure, debt levels, and credit ratings. Accordingly, the impact of interest expense on earnings can vary significantly among companies. The tax positions of companies can also vary because of their differing abilities to take advantage of tax benefits and because of the tax policies of the jurisdictions in which they operate. As a result, effective tax rates and provision for income taxes can vary considerably among companies. EBITDA also excludes depreciation and amortization expense, because companies utilize productive assets of different ages and use different methods of both acquiring and depreciating productive assets. These differences can result in considerable variability in the relative costs of productive assets and the depreciation and amortization expense among companies.
Target Hospitality also believes that Adjusted EBITDA is a meaningful indicator of operating performance. Our Adjusted EBITDA reflects adjustments to exclude the effects of additional items, including certain items, that are not reflective of the ongoing operating results of Target Hospitality. In addition, to derive Adjusted EBITDA, we exclude gains or losses on the sale of depreciable assets and impairment losses because including them in EBITDA is inconsistent with reporting the ongoing performance of our remaining assets. Additionally, the gain or loss on sale of depreciable assets and impairment losses represents either accelerated depreciation or excess depreciation in previous periods, and depreciation is excluded from EBITDA.
Target Hospitality also presents Discretionary cash flows because we believe it provides useful information regarding our business as more fully described below. Discretionary cash flows indicate the amount of cash available after maintenance capital expenditures for specialty rental assets for, among other things, investments in our existing business.
Discretionary Cash Flow and Adjusted EBITDA are not measurements of Target Hospitality's financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered as alternatives to Net income (loss), Gross profit, Earnings per share, Net cash provided by operating activities, or other performance measures derived in accordance with GAAP. In addition, these non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. Target Hospitality's management believe that Discretionary Cash Flow and Adjusted EBITDA provide useful information to investors about Target Hospitality and its financial condition and results of operations for the following reasons: (i) they are among the measures used by Target Hospitality's management team to evaluate its operating performance; (ii) they are among the measures used by Target Hospitality's management team to make day-to-day operating decisions, (iii) they are frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties as a common performance measure to compare results across companies in Target Hospitality's industry.
Investor Contact:
Mark Schuck
(832) 702 – 8009
ir@targethospitality.com
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SOURCE Target Hospitality | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/08/target-hospitality-raises-2022-financial-outlook-by-53-with-projected-record-505-million-annual-revenue/ | 2022-07-08T11:43:37Z |
Cloud ERP Company Champions INDYCAR's Only Woman-owned, Woman-driven and Women-forward Team
KIRKLAND, Wash., Aug. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Acumatica, the world's fastest-growing cloud ERP company, today announced its primary sponsorship of Paretta Autosport, the only woman- owned, woman-driven and woman-forward team competing in the NTT INDYCAR Series, at the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in Nashville, Tenn.
With more than 62% of the team comprised of women across all roles, Paretta Autosport shines a bright light on diversity and inclusion for all while developing talent to feed the STEM workforce pipeline well beyond motorsports.
"We're thrilled to sponsor Paretta Autosport at the INDYCAR Series Race in Nashville," said John Case, chief executive officer of Acumatica. "We are laser-focused on our AcumatiCares program, which aims to make the world a better, more inclusive place. Paretta Autosport's commitment to training the next generation of women in STEM resonates deeply with us as we seek to create opportunities for women in our industry."
Acumatica continues to invest in diversity and prioritizes hiring talented women. In 2021, 40% of the employees Acumatica hired were female. Each year at the company's Summit, Acumatica hosts the Women in Tech Luncheon to empower women from Acumatica and across its customer and partner ecosystem.
"Acumatica is a perfect company to sponsor the Paretta Autosport car at the Music City Grand Prix," said Beth Paretta, CEO and team principal of Paretta Autosport. "Like us, Acumatica is passionate about deepening its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. We're proud to manifest those efforts on the racetrack to inspire others. We are looking forward to welcoming them to our Team and also to the sport of INDYCAR racing."
Paretta Autosport's car, the #16 Dallara Acumatica Chevrolet, will be piloted by Simona De Silvestro.
The race is scheduled to take place Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022, from 3-6 p.m. ET, and will air on NBC.
Acumatica Cloud ERP provides the best business management solution for transforming your company to thrive in the new digital economy. Built on a future-proof platform with open architecture for rapid integrations, scalability, and ease of use, Acumatica delivers unparalleled value to small and midmarket organizations. Connected Business. Delivered. For more information, visit www.acumatica.com.
Paretta Autosport is the only woman-owned, woman-driven, woman-forward team currently competing in the NTT INDYCAR Series. Launched in 2021, the Team made history when it qualified and ran its first race, the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500, with approximately 60% of the team roles being filled by women. Paretta Autosport operates under the mission of unifying the current generation and inspiring the next while shining a light on diversity and inclusion and developing talent to feed the STEM workforce pipeline well beyond motorsports.
At Paretta Autosport, the competitive spirit drives us. We work hard and always strive for better: for ourselves, for our team, and for others. For more information on our team and our initiatives visit www.parettaautosport.com.
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SOURCE Acumatica | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/02/acumatica-sponsors-paretta-autosport-indycar-big-machine-music-city-grand-prix-nashville/ | 2022-08-02T14:19:19Z |
CHICAGO, June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Metafora and Optimal Dynamics are partnering to empower transportation providers to optimize and automate decisions across their operation. Optimal Dynamics is the first intelligent freight management system that leverages proprietary, High-Dimensional Artificial Intelligence ("HD-AI") to drive automated, resilient decision-making for customers.
Optimal Dynamics's unique predictive technology balances load planning between asset and brokerage arms of the business, while Metafora's services align business processes across divisions with customized strategies to keep the whole company in sync.
"Our clients come to us looking to transform their business and break down silos." Metafora's Director of Partnerships, Shanna Greathouse says, "Partnering with Optimal Dynamics gives Metafora a powerful solution to improve clients' bottom lines with an unprecedented level of predictability and help keep their divisions' planning processes aligned."
Customers can benefit from Metafora's premium consulting services and Optimal Dynamics' innovative platform simultaneously. This partnership will provide opportunities for carriers to advance business and operational efficiencies with deliverables including:
- Optimal Dynamics Proof of Concept Study
- Workshop of Future State Enterprise Strategy and Technology
- Prioritization of Harmonized Processes and Rollout
- Roles and Responsibilities Workshop and Training
"Optimal Dynamics is excited to partner with Metafora and collaborate on our shared mission to help transportation companies optimize their operations with cutting-edge technology," says Andrew Brazell, Optimal Dynamics VP of Technology Partnerships.
Carriers seeking to advance and align their business goals with a unified tech strategy can explore opportunities at metafora.net and learn about Optimal Dynamics truckload planning solutions at optimaldynamics.com.
Metafora, previously "CarrierDirect", is a business consulting and software development firm that exclusively serves the transportation, logistics, and supply chain space. Metafora works with carriers, shippers, and freight tech vendors to help them optimize their business and develop tech strategy to fuel their growth. Metafora+ is their partnership network.
Optimal Dynamics was founded in 2017 by Daniel Powell and his father, Warren Powell, to create the decision layer of logistics. The company is the byproduct of 40 years of transportation research out of Princeton University led by Warren. By leveraging its proprietary advanced artificial intelligence, CORE.ai, the Optimal Dynamics solution is able to incorporate uncertainty into truckload planning to create real-time adaptive decision-making and resilient networks.
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SOURCE Metafora | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/14/optimal-dynamics-metafora-team-up-leverage-advanced-ai-decision-analytics-enhanced-carrier-operations/ | 2022-06-14T19:35:46Z |
Latest release establishes the High QA 360 platform to advance, accelerate and automate manufacturing quality processes
HAZLET, N.J., June 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- High QA, a provider of software solutions that enable manufacturing companies to efficiently create, manage and monitor all quality requirements across manufactured parts, today announced version 7.0 of its manufacturing quality management software. This latest release targets APQP/PPAP quality processes by incorporating new technology advancements from the High QA 360 platform including production quality planning workflows, improved reporting and documentation capabilities for FAI, APQP and PPAP, additional quality process features and overall improvements.
"By installing High QA software, we have been able to improve our manufacturing procedures. We have a 72% average savings on quality planning and reporting processes," said Amr Sufian, Project Engineer, Beverston Engineering. (http://www.beverston.co.uk/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ti1PqilFULI&t=3s)
With version 7.0, High QA enhances the quality manufacturing management process and establishes the innovative High QA 360 platform. Adding new features and expanding the software better facilitates APQP/PPAP quality documentation and reporting needs throughout the manufacturing supply chain. Users can now review any job or order to see what documents are required, what stage the documents are in and who is responsible for a particular document with full transparency and accountability.
High QA PQP (Production Quality Planning) is an innovative, non-Excel-based, project management solution for quality and manufacturing teams to plan, implement, and monitor all quality and documentation requirements such as PPAP across their manufactured parts.
- Standard out-of-the-box and configurable templates for FAI, SPC Capability Studies, Gage R&R, P-Flow, P-FMEA, Control Plan and more
- Dynamic generation of reports for in-process document management without Excel or Word
- Automatic notifications, signature assignments and document approval management
- Comprehensive revision control and traceability for all document activity history
Inspection plans for part instances of tabulated drawings are centrally set up and initiated through "Master Parts" in High QA. The comprehensive tool kit enables you to:
- Create a "Tabulated Master" part record and define tabulated dimensions
- Automatically extract tabulated parameters table from drawing with OCR technology
- Generate part records with one-click for any or all tabulated instances
Part Categories allow users to create templates for settings and preferences which can be applied when creating new parts. Part records inherit settings and preferences from the assigned Part Category. This allows for unmatched standardization across your organization and highly efficient creation of all part / job records.
High QA has implemented new functionality giving users the ability to define when a job or project is in "Planning" or "Active" status.
- Planning Stage - Creation of ballooned drawing, defining inspection requirements and operations, etc. Inspection results cannot be recorded in the planning stage.
- Active Stage - Released to the shop floor. Actively recording inspection results. Ballooned drawing, inspection requirements, operations, etc. cannot be altered.
All new features and enhancements work seamlessly with a centralized database and create an integrated quality management software for manufacturing.
"High QA is continuing to help companies convert from manual quality processes focused on pass/fail evaluations at the end of manufacturing to an automated proactive error-prevention quality solution during the manufacturing process. This type of quality management solution creates collaboration between engineering and manufacturing that provides a significant value to OEMs, manufacturers and supply chains by delivering quality parts on time and on budget every time," said Sam Golan, High QA Founder and CEO. "Version 7.0 of our software along with the High QA 360 platform is another breakthrough technology in manufacturing quality management that we are proud to share with our customers."
High QA is a leading provider of integrated manufacturing quality management software (MQMS) solutions for any size company in all major manufacturing industries. Its software optimizes and automates the entire quality process creating a seamless partnership and collaboration within an organization and throughout the supply chain. It provides quality insights above and beyond pass/fail, eliminates human interpretation errors and reduces quality control bottlenecks. This ensures products meet specifications, are delivered on time and comply with applicable standards. With extensive industry experience, High QA keeps its customers and partners at the forefront of Quality 4.0 and manufacturing technology. For more information, visit www.HighQA.com.
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SOURCE High QA | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/09/high-qa-version-70-software-delivers-unprecedented-manufacturing-production-quality-planning-capabilities-ppapapqpfaisupply-chain/ | 2022-06-09T12:09:24Z |
Woman sought in death of professional cyclist in Texas
Published: May. 23, 2022 at 6:44 PM CDT|Updated: 31 minutes ago
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Police were searching Monday for a woman suspected in the fatal shooting of a professional cyclist at an Austin home.
The body of 25-year-old Anna Moriah “Mo” Wilson, of San Francisco, was found May 11.
Austin police issued a murder warrant for 34-year-old Kaitlin Marie Armstrong last week.
The warrant affidavit says there was a possible romantic triangle involving Armstrong, Wilson and another professional cyclist who had been Armstrong’s longtime boyfriend. That man is not a suspect.
Wilson, whose family says she recently decided to move from San Francisco back to her Vermont roots, was in Austin for a race.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/05/23/woman-sought-death-professional-cyclist-texas/ | 2022-05-24T00:57:09Z |
PITTSBURGH, Sept. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Great Place to Work® and Fortune have honored Level Agency as one of the 2022 Best Workplaces in Advertising & Marketing™. This is Level Agency's third time joining this prestigious list, this year coming in at 33rd place. Earning a spot means that Level Agency is one of the best companies to work for in the country. Level is the only Pittsburgh-based company among those ranked.
The Best Workplaces in Advertising & Marketing award is based on analysis of survey responses from more than over 9,000 employees from Great Place to Work-Certified™ companies in the advertising and marketing industry. In that survey, 98% of Level Agency's employees said Level is a great place to work. This number is 41 points higher than the average U.S. company.
Patrick Van Gorder, President and COO at Level Agency said, "Our emphasis on workplace culture is at the core of our success. Our people are flexible, collaborative, and strategic, with ownership over their piece of the work. As a result, their success and growth ladders up directly to the business results for our clients. When people have a chance to contribute and do their best work every day, we win awards like these."
The Best Workplaces in Advertising and Marketing is highly competitive. Great Place to Work, the global authority on workplace culture, selected the list using rigorous analytics and confidential employee feedback. Companies were only considered if they had been a Great Place to Work-Certified™ organization.
Great Place to Work is the only company culture award in America that selects winners based on how fairly employees are treated. Companies are assessed on how well they are creating a great employee experience that cuts across race, gender, age, disability status, or any aspect of who employees are or their role.
"These companies have adapted to the challenges of an ever-changing workplace by their commitment to inclusive, high-trust cultures where employees are treated as human beings first and foremost," says Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work®. "Congratulations to the Best Workplaces in Advertising & Marketing."
Level Agency also ranked #113 on Inc. Magazine's 2022 list of the Northeast Region's Fastest Growing Private Companies and was named one of The Pittsburgh Business Times' Fast 50 fastest growing companies in the region. We are proud to be a diverse workplace and a Military Friendly ® Employer.
Change is the only constant in today's marketing ecosystem. Level Agency designs and executes performance marketing campaigns using its systematic Test. Learn. Grow. framework. This adaptive approach accelerates ROI, reduces waste, and helps our clients win the knowledge and performance race.
To learn more about how this Great Place to Work drives results for clients, read our case studies at level.agency. And be sure to follow along with Level's journey by subscribing to the Test. Learn. Grow. Podcast, wherever you get your podcasts.
Great Place to Work® selected the Best Workplaces in Advertising & Marketing ™ by gathering and analyzing confidential survey responses from over 9,000 employees from Great Place to Work-Certified™ companies in the advertising and marketing industry. Company rankings are derived from 60 employee experience questions within the Great Place to Work® Trust Index™ survey. Great Place to Work determines its lists using its proprietary For All™ methodology to evaluate and certify thousands of organizations in America's largest ongoing annual workforce study, based on over 1 million survey responses and data from companies representing more than 6.1 million employees, this year alone. Read the full methodology.
To get on this list next year, start here.
Great Place to Work® is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees worldwide and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Their employee survey platform empowers leaders with the feedback, real-time reporting and insights they need to make data-driven people decisions. Everything they do is driven by the mission to build a better world by helping every organization become a great place to work For All™.
Learn more at greatplacetowork.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Contact: Patrick Van Gorder
Phone: 412-606-0552
Email: pvangorder@level.agency
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SOURCE Level Agency | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/09/07/great-place-work-fortune-name-level-agency-one-2022-best-workplaces-advertising-amp-marketing-ranking-33/ | 2022-09-07T19:27:01Z |
Ruidiaz scores decisive goal, Sounders beat Charlotte FC 2-1
SEATTLE (AP) — Raul Ruidiaz’s goal helped lead the Seattle Sounders to a 2-1 victory over Charlotte FC on Sunday. Following the victory, the Sounders improved to 5-6-1, while Charlotte dropped to 5-8-1. | https://localnews8.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/05/29/ruidiaz-scores-decisive-goal-sounders-beat-charlotte-fc-2-1/ | 2022-05-30T05:29:11Z |
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