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Man admits to voter fraud to prove point about state’s elections being unsecure
MILWAUKEE (WISN) - A Wisconsin man admits to committing voter fraud to try and prove the state’s absentee ballots are not secure.
It’s a risky move that Harry Wait said is worth it, as he is president of the self-described watchdog group H.O.T. Government.
“If this is what it takes to stop the fraud in our election, we can have safe, real and secure elections. Yes, I’ll go behind bars,” Wait said.
The president of the watchdog group said he was told there might be vulnerabilities in the online voting system. So, to test them, he went online and ordered ballots for Cory Mason, the mayor of the city of Racine, and Robin Vos, the state’s assembly leader.
Wait said others were involved in the process, but he was the one who hit the request button for the absentee ballots.
“I notified Robin Vos and Cory Mason that I had successfully logged into the system and ordered their ballots to be sent to me,” Wait said.
He said he doubts he’ll receive their ballots now since he told them but said he also did the same for other Wisconsin residents with their permission.
Wait said no one from the election commission notified those other voters of an address change, but he still hasn’t received those ballots as of Thursday.
Mayor Mason said he was in disbelief that someone would do something so reckless.
“For a long time, there have been people so desperate to find election fraud that I think Mr. Wait has become the very thing that he claims to despise, which is apparently a felon who will steal somebody’s vote,” Mason said.
Wait said it was a chance he was willing to take for the greater good of the community.
“We recorded everything and will give it to the government if they want to prosecute me. Technically, I did commit a crime; there were no nefarious intentions with it. We just wanted to show how easily it could be done,” Wait said.
The Wisconsin Elections Commission called a special meeting on Thursday to discuss the allegations. Some members pushed to make a criminal referral against Wait, but the group did not send any official referrals that day.
The commission said it did take action to send postcards to people who requested absentee ballots to somewhere other than their home addresses.
Copyright 2022 WISN via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/07/30/man-admits-voter-fraud-prove-point-about-states-elections-being-unsecure/ | 2022-07-30T02:34:59Z |
NEW YORK, May 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Levi & Korsinsky, LLP notifies investors in Bakkt Holdings, Inc. f/k/a VPC Impact Acquisition Holdings ("Bakkt Holdings, Inc. f/k/a VPC Impact Acquisition Holdings" or the "Company") (NYSE: BKKT) of a class action securities lawsuit.
CLASS DEFINITION: The lawsuit seeks to recover losses on behalf of Bakkt Holdings, Inc. f/k/a VPC Impact Acquisition Holdings investors who were adversely affected by alleged securities fraud. This lawsuit is on behalf of persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired: (a) Bakkt securities between March 31, 2021 and November 19, 2021, both dates inclusive; and/or (b) Bakkt Class A common stock pursuant and/or traceable to documents issued in connection with the business combination between the Company and Bakkt Holdings, LLC completed on or about October 15, 2021. Follow the link below to get more information and be contacted by a member of our team:
https://www.zlk.com/pslra-1/bakkt-holdings-inc-f-k-a-vpc-impact-acquisition-holdings-
loss-submission-form?prid=27088&wire=4
BKKT investors may also contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. via email
at jlevi@levikorsinsky.com or by telephone at (212) 363-7500.
CASE DETAILS: The filed complaint alleges that defendants made false statements and/or concealed that: (i) the Company had defective financial controls; (ii) as a result, there were errors in the Company's financial statements related to the misclassification of certain shares issued prior to the business combination between the Company and Bakkt Holdings, LLC; (iii) accordingly, the Company would need to restate certain of its financial statements; (iv) the Company downplayed the true scope and severity of these issues; (v) the Company overstated its remediation of its defective financial controls; and (vi) as a result, the documents issued in connection with the business combination and defendants' public statements throughout the class period were materially false and/or misleading and failed to state information required to be stated therein.
WHAT'S NEXT? If you suffered a loss in Bakkt Holdings, Inc. f/k/a VPC Impact Acquisition Holdings during the relevant time frame, you have until June 20, 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.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/05/12/bkkt-lawsuit-alert-levi-amp-korsinsky-notifies-bakkt-holdings-inc-fka-vpc-impact-acquisition-holdings-investors-class-action-lawsuit-upcoming-deadline/ | 2022-05-12T10:30:55Z |
HOUSTON, June 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nutex Health Inc. ("Nutex Health" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: NUTX), a physician-led, technology-enabled healthcare services company comprised of a hospital division with 21 facilities in 8 states and a primary care-centric, risk-bearing population health management division, today announced that it has been selected to join the Russell 2000® and Russell 3000® indexes after the 2022 Russell indexes annual reconstitution, effective after the US market opens on June 27.
Membership in the US all-cap Russell 3000® index, which remains in place for one year, means automatic inclusion in the large-cap Russell 1000® Index or small-cap Russell 2000® Index and the appropriate growth and value style indexes. FTSE Russell determines membership for its Russell indexes primarily by objective, market-capitalization rankings, and style attributes.
Russell indexes are widely used by investment managers and institutional investors for index funds and as benchmarks for active investment strategies. Approximately $12 trillion in assets are benchmarked against Russell's indexes. Russell indexes are part of FTSE Russell, a leading global index provider.
"We are excited and honored to have been selected to join both the Russell 2000® and Russell 3000® indexes," stated Tom Vo, M.D., MBA, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nutex Health. "This achievement is the result of the hard work our team puts in every day as we strive to provide our patients with the highest quality care."
"We welcome the enhanced exposure and visibility provided by our inclusion in the Russell 2000® and Russell 3000® indexes," stated Warren Hosseinion, M.D., President of Nutex Health. "We believe that this recognition will allow us to further broaden our reach within the investment community as we continue to focus on building long-term shareholder value."
For more information on the Russell 3000® Index and the Russell indexes reconstitution, go to the "Russell Reconstitution" section on the FTSE Russell website.
Headquartered in Houston, Texas and founded in 2011, Nutex Health Inc. is a physician-led, technology-enabled healthcare services company with approximately 1500 employees nationwide and is partnered with over 800 physicians. The Company has two divisions: a Hospital division and a Population Health Management division. The Hospital division owns and operates 21 facilities in eight different states. The division implements and operates different innovative health care models, including micro hospitals, specialty hospitals and hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs). The Population Health Management division owns and operates provider networks such as Independent Physician Associations (IPAs). Through our Management Services Organizations (MSOs), we provide management, administrative and other support services to our affiliated hospitals and physician groups. Our cloud-based proprietary technology platform aggregates clinical and claims data across multiple settings, information systems and sources to create a holistic view of patients and providers, allowing us to deliver greater quality care more efficiently.
FTSE Russell is a global index leader that provides innovative benchmarking, analytics and data solutions for investors worldwide. FTSE Russell calculates thousands of indexes that measure and benchmark markets and asset classes in more than 70 countries, covering 98% of the investable market globally.
FTSE Russell index expertise and products are used extensively by institutional and retail investors globally. Approximately $20 trillion is currently benchmarked to FTSE Russell indexes. For over 30 years, leading asset owners, asset managers, ETF providers and investment banks have chosen FTSE Russell indexes to benchmark their investment performance and create ETFs, structured products and index-based derivatives.
A core set of universal principles guides FTSE Russell index design and management: a transparent rules-based methodology is informed by independent committees of leading market participants. FTSE Russell is focused on applying the highest industry standards in index design and governance and embraces the IOSCO Principles. FTSE Russell is also focused on index innovation and customer partnerships as it seeks to enhance the breadth, depth and reach of its offering.
FTSE Russell is wholly owned by London Stock Exchange Group.
For more information, visit www.ftserussell.com.
Certain statements and information included in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Federal Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words or phrases "will", "will likely result," "expected to," "will continue," "anticipated," "estimate," "projected," "intend," "goal," or similar expressions are intended to identify "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to certain risks, known and unknown, and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Such uncertainties and risks include the ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the transaction, significant transaction costs and unknown liabilities and litigation and regulatory risks related to the transaction. In addition, forward-looking statements are subject to additional uncertainties and risks facing the Company, including but not limited to, economic conditions, dependence on management, dilution to stockholders, lack of capital, changes in laws or regulations, the effects of rapid growth upon the Company and the ability of management to effectively respond to the growth and demand for products and services of the Company, newly developing technologies, the Company's ability to compete, conflicts of interest in related party transactions, regulatory matters, protection of technology, lack of industry standards, the effects of competition and the ability of the Company to obtain future financing. Such factors could materially adversely affect the Company's financial performance and could cause the Company's actual results for future periods to differ materially from any opinions or statements expressed within this press release.
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SOURCE Nutex Health, Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/27/nutex-health-announces-that-it-has-been-selected-join-both-russell-2000-russell-3000-indexes/ | 2022-06-27T11:34:17Z |
More than 2,000 tourists have become stranded in a resort town in southern China after authorities imposed a snap lockdown to curb a Covid flare-up, as the country's stringent zero-Covid policy continues to upend businesses and daily life.
The city of Beihai, a popular summer holiday destination known for its white-sand beach and volcanic island in the Guangxi region, has reported more than 500 infections over the past week -- a major outbreak by China's standards.
On Saturday, the Beihai government locked down urban parts of the city -- where its resorts and tourist attractions are located, ordered mass testing and banned residents from leaving their homes.
The sweeping Covid restrictions also reached Weizhou island, an outlying islet over an hour's boat ride away popular for its scenic coastline and beaches. Starting from Friday, tourists were told to leave the island, while hotels and guesthouses were ordered to refund guests unconditionally.
On Sunday, Weizhou island shut down all entertainment venues, from bars, cinemas, massage parlors to swimming pools. Scenic spots across the island were also closed.
At a news conference Sunday, local officials said the more than 2,000 tourists who were stranded in Beihai would be treated based on their levels of Covid risk: those who had not been to medium- or high-risk areas, and who were not identified as a direct or secondary contact of an infected person would be allowed to leave providing they could show a negative Covid test; the others, meanwhile, would have to stay in the city and undergo quarantine.
Two officials in the city were removed from their posts for not taking adequate measures to prevent the virus from spreading, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
The sudden shutdown of the tourist hotspot is the latest example of the economic pain inflicted by China's costly zero-Covid strategy. Last week, the Chinese economy recorded its worst quarterly performance in over two years, after months of harsh lockdowns wreaked havoc across the country.
The country's tourism industry has been hammered by the unending travel restrictions and snap lockdowns, especially since this year. During the Labor Day holiday in May, only 160 million domestic trips were made -- down by a third from the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Many tourist destinations had hoped to see more visitors in the summer holiday, but highly transmissible new subvariants of Omicron have placed local governments under more pressure to control Covid flare-ups.
On Sunday, China reported nearly 600 locally transmitted infections -- its highest uptick since May. At least 16 provinces across the country have identified locally transmitted Covid cases in July, according to the National Health Commission.
In Macau, the government said Saturday it would extend a citywide lockdown until July 22, as it grappled to contain the gambling hub's biggest ever Covid outbreak.
Macau imposed the shutdown on July 11, closing its casinos and banning residents from leaving their apartments, except for essential activities such as grocery shopping. It has recorded about 1,700 infections since mid-June.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.albanyherald.com/news/thousands-of-chinese-tourists-trapped-in-resort-town-after-covid-shutdown/article_d23fdcde-a9f9-55d9-8d0a-c3be4fda1bc4.html | 2022-07-18T06:34:53Z |
Services for Johnny Sides, 65, of Temple are pending with Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home in Temple.
Mr. Sides died Thursday, May 5, in Temple.
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At the vanguard and heart of the life science ecosystem™
With its nearly three-decades-long stellar track record as the visionary pioneer and creator of the life science real estate niche, Alexandria has strategically amassed industry-leading scale with an asset base of over 74 million square feet in its key cluster markets in North America and cultivated a high-quality and diverse roster of over 1,000 tenants
NEW YORK, May 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE: ARE), an urban office REIT and the first, longest-tenured and pioneering owner, operator and developer uniquely focused on collaborative life science, agtech and technology campuses in AAA innovation cluster locations, today announced that it will ring The Opening Bell® at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) this morning in celebration of the company's 25th anniversary on the NYSE. Alexandria executive chairman and founder, Joel S. Marcus, will ring the bell, alongside members of the company's board of directors and long-tenured executive management team. From its initial public offering (IPO) in May 1997 through December 31, 2021, Alexandria has generated a total stockholder return (TSR) of 2,532%, substantially outperforming the MSCI U.S. REIT Index TSR of 939% and the FTSE Nareit Equity Office Index TSR of 552% (assuming reinvestment of dividends).
"We are truly honored and immensely proud to ring the NYSE Opening Bell to mark this momentous milestone. Our life science industry is a true national treasure that leads the world in discovering, translating and advancing groundbreaking therapies and cures to meet humanity's massive unmet medical need," said Mr. Marcus. "It is remarkable to reflect on our company's extraordinary strategic growth from the visionary pioneer of the life science real estate niche in 1994 to our successful IPO in 1997 to our position today, having led and transformed the life science real estate asset class from niche to mainstream. Our people, our passion and our purpose are the cornerstone of our strong and sustained operationally excellent performance, which positions us well for continued growth. We are profoundly grateful to the Alexandria family team for their passion for our mission to advance human health, commitment to exceptionalism and operations at an extremely high tempo, and trusted relationships with over 1,000 tenants — and we are as steadfast as ever to supporting the vitally important life science industry and its lifesaving work, and to making a meaningful positive impact on our society."
As Alexandria reaches this major milestone in its over 28-year history, having first identified the need for and then created the life science real estate niche, the company remains highly focused on fulfilling its important mission to create and grow life science ecosystems and clusters to advance human health while executing its multifaceted business model to provide long-term value for its stockholders. Renowned author and business strategist Jim Collins has said of the company's track record, "Alexandria has achieved the three outputs that define a great company: Superior Results, Distinctive Impact, and Lasting Endurance. Alexandria's success flows from disciplined focus on what it can be the best in the world at, disciplined insight into what drives its economic engine, and people passionate about the company's purpose."
Achieving Superior Results as the Leader in Creating, Nurturing, Managing, and Growing Life Science Ecosystems
Founded in 1994 as a garage startup with $19 million in Series A capital and a bold vision to support and drive forward the critically important life science industry within its key clusters, Alexandria delivers the highly complex infrastructure and builds the holistic ecosystems needed to catalyze innovation to advance human health. Today, Alexandria is a highly respected investment-grade S&P 500® REIT with a total market capitalization of $42.8 billion as of March 31, 2022. This extraordinary growth was accelerated through Alexandria's successful implementation and expansion of its ecosystem-building and cluster development strategy as applied to the life science industry. Utilizing Harvard Business Professor Michael E. Porter's broad cluster theory as the foundation for its own cluster model, Alexandria was the first company to identify the four critical components to create a successful life science cluster: location, innovation, talent and capital. For nearly three decades, Alexandria has been effectively creating, nurturing, managing and growing life science campuses and ecosystems in the nation's top cluster locations by bringing its mission-critical real estate together with scientific innovation across a deep concentration of groundbreaking companies, world-renowned academic and medical research institutions, unmatched intellectual talent and ample risk capital.
During 2020 and 2021, in the height of COVID-19 when the company saw accelerated demand for its world-class mega campuses and ecosystem-building expertise, the company delivered an incredible TSR of 45.1%, surpassing by a wide margin the FTSE Nareit Office Index two-year TSR of -0.5% (assuming reinvestment of dividends). Coinciding with the record year of Alexandria's financial and operating performance in 2021 was the company's achievement of multiple historic milestones. Notably, Alexandria completed the highest annual leasing volume in company history at 9.5 million RSF. The company's strong leasing momentum continued in the first quarter of 2022 with total leasing activity aggregating 2.5 million RSF, the second-highest quarterly leasing volume in company history.
In 2021, Alexandria earned its fourth consecutive and sixth overall Nareit Investor CARE Gold Award in the Large Cap Equity REIT category for superior shareholder communications and reporting. This distinction, which represents the most Nareit Investor CARE Gold Awards earned by any equity REIT, demonstrates the company's superior operational transparency and reporting practices.
"Alexandria continues to uphold the highest levels of transparency, integrity and accountability to the investment community," said Dean A. Shigenaga, president and chief financial officer of Alexandria. "Our achievement as a six-time Gold Award winner is a true testament to our exceptional team's commitment to excellence in corporate reporting. We take great pride in our track record in earning this prestigious recognition."
Mission-Driven Business Model Delivering Distinctive Impact
Alexandria's noble mission has shaped its differentiated business model, which is built around the company's four verticals of real estate, corporate responsibility, venture investments and thought leadership, to extend the impact of its essential Labspace® real estate platform. The company uniquely leverages each of these strategic and integrated core platforms to catalyze vibrant ecosystems from which solutions to the most critical challenges facing human health can be advanced.
As part of its mission-driven ethos, Alexandria has a longstanding record of environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership that continues to benefit its tenants, employees and communities and increase value for its stockholders over the long term. Key highlights of the company's latest accomplishments and broad recognition in ESG include being ranked the #5 most sustainable REIT in Barron's; earning the first-ever Fitwel Life Science certification for its continued leadership in prioritizing tenant health and wellness; and being named a 2021 Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) Global Sector Leader and earning GRESB's highest 5 Star rating for buildings in development. With its comprehensive environmental program, Alexandria aims to develop and operate more efficient, healthier and safer campus environments and buildings, reduce carbon emissions and manage climate risk. Alexandria's leadership in pioneering high-performance buildings is exemplified in the development of 325 Binney Street — designed to be the most sustainable laboratory building in Cambridge — which was selected by Moderna for its future headquarters and R&D center.
Deeply committed to developing scalable solutions to address some of society's most persistent challenges, Alexandria's long-tenured bedrock social responsibility pillars aim to address disease and other threats to human health, hunger and food insecurity, the opioid epidemic, deficiencies in military support services, disparities in educational opportunities, homelessness and the mental health crisis, among other areas. One of the most prominent of Alexandria's social responsibility initiatives making a tangible impact is the company's partnership with Verily, an Alphabet company, to create OneFifteen, a non-profit learning health system dedicated to the full and sustained recovery of people living with addiction. Alexandria led the design and development of the state-of-the-art campus in Dayton, Ohio, which houses a full continuum of care. Since it opened to patients in the fall of 2019, OneFifteen has seen over 4,500 patients and conducted over 12,950 telehealth visits to make a positive impact broadly on the way addiction is treated and specifically on the local Dayton community.
As a key component of the company's unwavering efforts to galvanize the ecosystems it builds, Alexandria actively invests in leading-edge companies that are accelerating novel approaches with the potential to vastly improve human health. Established in 1996, Alexandria Venture Investments, the company's strategic venture capital platform, supports the next generation of disruptive life science companies and promising agrifoodtech, climate innovation and technology companies that are advancing transformative new modalities and platforms to meaningfully impact human health and nutrition and address climate change.
Finally, through Alexandria's highly regarded thought leadership platform, the company coalesces its world-class global life science, agrifoodtech, climate innovation and healthcare networks for ecosystem-building events and strategic programming to foster impactful collaborations and drive innovation across its thriving ecosystems. Since 2011, Alexandria has led transformative discussions to stimulate new approaches and innovative changes aimed at advancing human health, improving nutrition, ending global hunger and combating climate change.
Visionary Strategy and Disciplined Execution Driving Lasting Endurance
Through the highly disciplined execution of its visionary ecosystem-building and cluster development strategy, Alexandria has transformed the novel niche it pioneered into the mainstream asset class it is today. This tremendous growth was driven by the company's purposeful evolution from its original focus on single assets to urban cluster campuses to mega campuses that consist of approximately 1 million RSF or more and provide highly curated amenities.
Since Alexandria's IPO 25 years ago, the company has maintained the highest standards of excellence to drive long-term value for its stockholders while also making a lasting positive impact on society. Alexandria's exceptional TSR of 2,532% from IPO through December 31, 2021, significantly outperformed various indices over the same period, including both the MSCI U.S. REIT and the S&P 500 at 939% and 790%, respectively (assuming reinvestment of dividends).
A live feed of Alexandria ringing the NYSE Opening Bell, which begins at 9:29 a.m. ET, will be available at https://www.nyse.com/bell.
About Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.
Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE: ARE), an S&P 500® urban office REIT, is the first, longest-tenured and pioneering owner, operator and developer uniquely focused on collaborative life science, agtech and technology campuses in AAA innovation cluster locations, with a total market capitalization of $42.8 billion and an asset base in North America of 74.2 million SF as of March 31, 2022. The asset base in North America includes 41.9 million RSF of operating properties and 5.4 million RSF of Class A properties undergoing construction, 10.4 million RSF of near-term and intermediate-term development and redevelopment projects and 16.5 million SF of future development projects. Founded in 1994, Alexandria pioneered this niche and has since established a significant market presence in key locations, including Greater Boston, the San Francisco Bay Area, New York City, San Diego, Seattle, Maryland and Research Triangle. Alexandria has a longstanding and proven track record of developing Class A properties clustered in urban life science, agtech and technology campuses that provide our innovative tenants with highly dynamic and collaborative environments that enhance their ability to successfully recruit and retain world-class talent and inspire productivity, efficiency, creativity and success. Alexandria also provides strategic capital to transformative life science, agtech and technology companies through our venture capital platform. We believe our unique business model and diligent underwriting ensure a high-quality and diverse tenant base that results in higher occupancy levels, longer lease terms, higher rental income, higher returns and greater long-term asset value. For additional information on Alexandria, please visit www.are.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes "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. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the potential impacts of Alexandria's business model and operational practices on its performance, its tenants and venture investments, and the broader life science, agtech and technology industries. These forward-looking statements are based on the company's present intent, beliefs or expectations, but forward-looking statements are not guaranteed to occur and may not occur. Actual results may differ materially from those contained in or implied by the company's forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including, without limitation, the risks and uncertainties detailed in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and the company assumes no obligation to update this information. For more discussion relating to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the company's forward-looking statements, and risks and uncertainties to the company's business in general, please refer to the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequently filed quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.
CONTACT: Sara Kabakoff, Vice President – Communications, (626) 788‑5578, skabakoff@are.com
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SOURCE Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/05/16/alexandria-real-estate-equities-inc-ring-nyse-opening-bell-celebrate-its-25th-anniversary-new-york-stock-exchange-listed-reit/ | 2022-05-16T13:07:26Z |
Editor’s Note: Sheriff Kevin Sproul’s popular “The Sheriff Speaks” column usually runs in Wednesday’s Southview section, but because of deadline changes due to the July 4th holiday, it is running today. Enjoy.
Our world is changing. Between the changes brought by politics, by the pandemic, and by social activism, it’s sometimes difficult to keep up. In the law enforcement profession, things are changing at a pace I have not seen before in my career. There are many new trends in law enforcement, including the incorporation of new technologies, new levels of transparency, expanding opportunities for women and minorities, and prioritizing officer health and wellness. Yet, according to a study conducted by the University of San Diego, the leading trend in law enforcement is the focus on community-oriented policing.
Fortunately for the Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office, this is an area in which we have vast experience. We began our mission to engage with our community under the leadership of former Sheriff Lamar Stewart.
Sheriff Stewart believed that the way to begin engaging the community was to reach out to the youth. He assigned Deputy Frank Sumner to begin working with the youth, and the character “Deputy Dawg” was born. Many readers of this article will remember Deputy Dawg visiting their school during the 1980s and early 1990s. Deputy Sumner continued during former Sheriff Jamil Saba’s administration. In fact, it was Sheriff Saba who selected me to be trained to teach the G.R.E.A.T. Program. When Deputy Sumner retired, I assumed the role of providing character education to youths in our school system and trying to build relationships that would last into their adulthood.
When I became sheriff in 2009, we began expanding our outreach into the community. We began new initiatives such as our Building Unity in the annual Community BBQ, our Building Unity in the Community Annual Golf Tournament, and a holiday turkey or ham giveaway for seniors. We also expanded other initiatives such as our Christmas Shop with a Sheriff program, National Night Out, and our annual CHAMPS Youth Summer Camp. Through these initiatives, and others, I believe we have created an outstanding relationship with this community.
I feel we are truly blessed to be in this community. There is a sense of “togetherness” here that simply does not exist in many other communities. Perhaps it is due to the shared adversity we worked through during the Great Recession and the storms of 2017-2018. I simply know that this community has always pulled together. Each time we faced adversity, we have shown our strength and supported each other. The Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office has proudly served through it all, and we are truly humbled and appreciative of the support this community has given us.
As our world continues to change, the Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office will continue to evolve to meet the needs of this community. We will always strive to serve our citizens to the best of our ability, with accountability and transparency, and always honoring the dignity of every citizen. We will always be grateful for the support you give us, and for being allowed to serve and fulfill our calling. As always, whenever we can be of service, please don’t hesitate to call us at (229) 302-3600. | https://www.albanyherald.com/features/kevin-sproul-the-leading-trend-in-law-enforcement/article_6f455dea-f989-11ec-ad3d-7b8f84c52144.html | 2022-07-02T23:35:45Z |
Survey also reveals the degree to which financial concerns increased, values changed, and the top reasons people moved during the pandemic
ERIE, Pa., June 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In a national survey of U.S. consumers commissioned by Erie Insurance, two-thirds of respondents said they are more concerned about their financial security than they were before—and many are taking steps to address it. The wide-ranging survey also revealed what people miss most about working from home and like most about returning to the office and, if they moved during the pandemic, why.
As a company that increases people's financial security by providing life insurance, homeowners insurance and auto insurance, Erie Insurance periodically commissions surveys to stay on top of changes in consumer attitudes and behaviors.
The survey found that nearly two-thirds of respondents (64%) value spending quality time with family more today than they did before; more than half (55%) value financial security more, and about the same percentage (54%) value spending quality time with friends more.
In addition:
- Two-thirds of respondents (66%) said the pandemic made them more concerned about their financial security than they were before.
- 61% said the pandemic made them more concerned about how their family would be taken care of financially if they became seriously ill, or worse, could no longer provide for them.
- Half (49%) said the pandemic made them question whether they had the right type and amount of life insurance as part of their overall plan for financial security, and a quarter (25%) contacted their insurance agent about it.
"It's been said that life insurance is a product you buy with the hope you don't need it right away, but our survey found that having a policy provides value," said Louis Colaizzo, senior vice president of Erie Family Life, Erie Insurance. "In fact, 44% of respondents said the pandemic made them appreciate the peace of mind they get from having life insurance even more than they did before."
One in five respondents (21%) said they moved during the pandemic while 79% stayed put.
Topping the list of reasons for moving (36%) was to live in a place with a better quality of life. Living closer to family and having a lower cost of living tied for the second most mentioned reason for moving (26%, respectively), followed by having a larger home so everyone could spread out more (18%) and to live somewhere with a nicer climate (16%). Nine percent of people moved because they got sick of their house after spending so much time in it.
For many people who worked from home during the pandemic, returning to the office is bittersweet. The survey revealed what they miss or will miss most about working from home and what they like or will like most about going back.
Among a list of 11 things people like or will like most about going back to the workplace, having facetime with the boss came in last, with only 14% saying this. However, men were four times more likely than women to say facetime with the boss is one of the things they'll like most. Almost a quarter of men (24%) said this compared with only 6% of women.
As national traffic safety organizations sounded the alarm about the speeding crisis intensifying during the pandemic, Erie Insurance wanted to know if people think drivers are still speeding more than usual.
38% of respondents agree that it seems like the number of speeding drivers increased a lot earlier in the pandemic and that hasn't changed – drivers are still speeding to about the same degree. But when asked about their own speeding habits, only 15% said they found themselves speeding earlier in the pandemic and still do. 69% said they didn't speed before the pandemic and don't now.
Additional survey results are available to media upon request.
This survey was conducted online by Falls & Co. on behalf of Erie Insurance from April 1 through April 8, 2022, among 500 U.S. residents ages 18 and older. Falls established the sampling quotas, designed the questionnaire, tabulated the survey responses, and managed the overall project. Falls used Dynata (Plano, TX) to administer the survey via the internet, including mobile devices, to Dynata's captive U.S. panels who met the age, gender, and regional demographic criteria.
According to A.M. Best Company, Erie Insurance Group, based in Erie, Pennsylvania, is the 11th largest homeowners insurer, 13th largest automobile insurer and 13th largest commercial lines insurer in the United States based on direct premiums written. Founded in 1925, Erie Insurance is a Fortune 500 company and the 19th largest property/casualty insurer in the United States based on total lines net premium written. Rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best, ERIE has more than 6 million policies in force and operates in 12 states and the District of Columbia. News releases and more information are available on ERIE's website at www.erieinsurance.com.
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SOURCE Erie Insurance Group | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/21/national-survey-by-erie-insurance-shows-what-people-miss-most-about-working-home-like-most-about-returning-workplaces/ | 2022-06-21T13:25:17Z |
Fastest-growing GovCon IT company recognized for commitment to culture and employee satisfaction
RESTON, Va., June 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TekSynap, a leading provider of innovative technology solutions for U.S. federal government agencies, announced today it was named one of The Washington Post's 2022 Top Workplaces in the Washington, D.C. area.
"TekSynap is a high-energy company, and that begins with bringing all of our energy to every meeting, every task, every deliverable. Leadership is intrinsic in the way we want our company to look, feel and be," says Kamran Jinnah, CEO, TekSynap. "I believe that culture with a positive vibe attracts more of the same. This has been the key to our success."
While many companies are losing employees to burnout and fatigue in the wake of COVID-19, TekSynap continues to cement its reputation as an employer of choice through a total commitment to creating a positive working atmosphere. TekSynap drives employee satisfaction by empowering its workforce with the right tools, training and authority. This culture of enthusiasm cultivates a can-do attitude where any goal can be achieved to bring success to each customer.
This honor is the latest in a string of 2022 recognitions for both growth and culture, including recently being named to the Inc. 5000: Fastest-Growing Private Companies in the Mid-Atlantic Region and to the Glassdoor Best Places to Work.
The Washington Post's 2022 Top Workplaces selection process was based solely on employee feedback gathered through an anonymous third-party survey that measured several aspects of workplace culture, including alignment, execution and connection. It is now in its ninth year. View the full list of 2022 honorees.
About TekSynap
TekSynap is a full spectrum systems integrator. We deploy industry-leading solutions that provide effective computing and communication environments. We supply IT professionals with management experience and technical expertise, to ensure that projects and programs are completed on time and within your budget. At TekSynap, an ethic of hard work, dedication, and enthusiasm cultivates a can-do atmosphere where any goal can be achieved.
Media Contact
Toni Fisher, SVP
toni.fisher@teksynap.com
571-271-6707
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SOURCE TekSynap | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/21/teksynap-named-2022-washington-post-top-workplace/ | 2022-06-21T13:27:31Z |
Artifacts from Shackleton’s Antarctica expedition sold at auction
(CNN) – A collection of treasures from one of the greatest polar explorers has sold at auction in London.
The items are from Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctica voyages more than a century ago.
Shackleton was born in Ireland but lived most of his life in England. He had a longtime fascination with Antarctica and visited the continent four times.
The items sold at a Sotheby’s auction this week included a bronze medallion awarded to Shackleton by the “Chilean Historical and Geographical Society.”
It also included one of the first books ever printed and bound on Antarctica, which was edited by Shackleton.
The highest priced item: a map of Antarctica Shackleton drew, detailing what he learned from his 1914 to 1916 expedition, was also sold.
That went for $220,000.
The wreck of Shackleton’s ship “HMS Endurance” was located in the Weddell Sea earlier this year, 107 years after it sank.
Shackleton and his crew escaped on foot and in small boats.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/05/26/artifacts-shackletons-antarctica-expedition-sold-auction/ | 2022-05-26T17:18:26Z |
A driver who apparently suffered a medical emergency crashed into beachgoers at Daytona Beach on Sunday afternoon, a beach safety official told CNN.
"A little before 5 p.m., we had a driver go down the beach ramp at the International Speedway Boulevard and crash into the water," said Tamra Malphurs, deputy chief of Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue. "He hit a toll booth and he entered the water," she added.
The driver appeared to have suffered from a medical condition, Malphurs said without elaborating.
At least five people were taken to local hospitals for precautionary reasons, including the four occupants of the vehicle and a young boy who was in the water at the time, Malphurs added. The boy was in stable condition late Sunday afternoon, Malphurs told CNN.
Video obtained by CNN affiliate WKMG shows a sedan partially in the water off Daytona Beach with visible damage to the front bumper and back doors.
People who saw the car drive through the toll booth and onto the sand said a group of at least 15 people jumped out of the way before the car hit the water.
One witness whose son was in the water said she took off trying to find him when she saw where the vehicle was headed. Another witness said people on the beach rushed to help and that adults with children were in the car.
Officials have not released information about the driver and say the investigation into the incident is ongoing.
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MADISON, Wis., May 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- DeSo Blockchain announces the launch of OpenProsper, The First Social Block Explorer for their decentralized social blockchain. The OpenProsper dashboard provides a look into the important activity on the DeSo Blockchain, allowing users to analyze relevant blockchain information such as total creator earnings, total wallets on DeSo, and transaction fees per post.
OpenProsper is filling the role as the go-to analytics platform in the decentralized social media ecosystem. Created by Fintech and McKinsey alum Salil Sethi, OpenProsper is a block explorer app built on top of DeSo Blockchain, similar to what Etherscan is to Ethereum.
Founder Salil Sethi explains, "OpenProsper is primarily for creators on DeSo. It helps creators understand relationships, money-native blockchain experiences, and content strategy to be successful on DeSo. How we work has changed forever and the creator economy is only going to get bigger over time."
As content creators post on social media platforms, storage needs to increase over time. Thus, OpenProsper provides creators with a data dashboard they can use to optimize their content and messaging.
DeSo is the only blockchain designed to scale decentralized social media apps to 1B+ users with low transaction costs and a growing ecosystem of infinite-state applications (which are apps that need storage to scale with content growth). For example, the transaction fee per post on $DESO is $0.00003 and the cost of storing one Gigabyte of on-chain state is only $80. Compare this to storing one Gigabyte on Ethereum which costs $393,750,000 making the Ethereum chain costly to build and scale decentralized social media apps.
Additionally, DeSo recently pushed their revolutionary upgrade Hypersync live which lowers blockchain syncing time to just 20 minutes.
"I do think there's an opportunity for Twitter to essentially embrace using a decentralized protocol. And just in the way you've probably heard of DeFi which is decentralized finance, there's another one called DeSo, Decentralized Social Media which is another emerging area." Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase explained at the Milken Institute crypto pioneers event.
With Elon Musk finalizing his Twitter acquisition many are expecting a stark rise of decentralized social media apps.
The next big app set to launch on DeSo is DAODAO, which makes launching a DAO and fundraising as easy as creating a social media account.
Arash Ghaemi
(562) 384-2691
ash@deso.org
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SOURCE DeSo Blockchain | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/05/16/openprosper-first-social-block-explorer-launches-deso-blockchain/ | 2022-05-16T19:19:50Z |
(The Hill) – The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade catapulted the issue of abortion rights directly into the midterms campaign on Friday, with Democrats seeking to put the issue front and center.
Democratic candidates up and down the ballot issued their reactions in a slew of statements following the decision, while the party’s national campaign apparatus rolled out a website designed to “help voters channel anger into action and organize with local coordinated field campaigns.”
While issues like rising inflation, crime and the flow of migrants over the U.S. southern border have dominated campaign rhetoric on the GOP side, Democrats are hoping to use the high court’s decision to galvanize their own bases.
“This fall, Roe is on the ballot. The right to privacy is on the ballot,” President Biden said at a press conference following the decision’s release on Friday.
Democrats and abortion rights advocates point to what they say is conservatives’ goal to ban abortion nationwide.
“They won’t give up unless voters stop them. The stakes in November’s midterm elections are higher than ever for reproductive health and rights, including abortion,” Planned Parenthood said in a statement on Friday.
In swing states and districts across the country, Democratic candidates rolled out their own statements hitting their Republican opponents over the issue.
In Wisconsin, Senate candidate and Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes (D) called for the filibuster to be abolished so Roe could be “the law of the land.” Fellow Wisconsin Democratic Senate candidate Alex Lasry also called for the filibuster to be abolished, accusing Republicans of “embracing extremism.”
In Pennsylvania, Democratic Senate nominee and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D) drew a clear contrast with his Republican opponent Mehmet Oz on the issue.
“I will protect abortion rights. Dr. Oz will take them away. It’s that simple,” Fetterman said.
In Texas, which has an abortion trigger law that will go into effect within the next month, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke released a video calling for voters to support his campaign amid news of the ruling.
“We have to focus on the way in which we are going to overcome this,” O’Rourke said. “The only way to do this is to win political power.
At the House level, Democratic candidates and incumbents also issued reactions leaning into the issue.
Incumbent Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.), who is facing a contentious election bid in the commonwealth’s 2nd congressional district, condemned the decision along with Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s (R) announcement that he will seek a 15-week abortion ban following the decision.
“And there it is,” Luria tweeted. “Republicans in Virginia have a plan to remove existing protections for women to make decisions about their body.”
Over in Texas’ 15th congressional district, Democratic nominee Michelle Vallejo released a statement calling for Roe v. Wade to be codified into law.
“We need representatives that will codify Roe v. Wade and advocate every single day for our right to choose,” said Vallejo. “I will do everything in my power as the next congresswoman from TX15 to be a champion for Texas women and families.”
The issue is also poised to play a role in competitive state legislature races, like in Michigan, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Texas, Georgia and North Carolina.
“Republican majorities in these state legislatures are in for a rude awakening when they start taking away people’s rights,” said Vicky Hausman, co-founder of Forward Majority, a Democratic group that works elect Democrats to state legislatures.
“We see a great deal of outrage driven by this decision and that outrage is happening exactly where Democrats need to be winning in these key districts that present a path to a majority in state legislatures,” she continued.
Former Vice President Mike Pence seemed to confirm those concerns when he called for a nationwide abortion ban on Friday.
“Having been given this second chance for Life, we must not rest and must not relent until the sanctity of life is restored to the center of American law in every state in the land,” Pence said in a tweet.
Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel also rolled out a statement exclaiming “Life wins!”
“As this debate now returns to the states and the American people, we know there is still much work ahead. Republicans will continue to advocate for life, uphold the law, and stand against an extreme Democrat Party’s pro-abortion agenda,” McDaniel said.
However, other Republicans are signaling they intend to stay laser-focused on their messaging regarding inflation, crime and the border.
“Today’s Supreme Court ruling returns the issue of abortion to the states and allows voters to decide whether they agree with Democrats’ extreme support for taxpayer-funded late term abortion,” said Samantha Bullock, spokeswoman for the National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee.
“This ruling does nothing to change the fact that voters’ top concerns are rising prices, soaring crime, and the disaster at the southern border,” she continued.
Pennsylvania Republican gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano downplayed the ruling, saying in a statement that Democrats want to use the Supreme Court’s decision on Roe to distract voters from issues that matter more to them.
“People in this area and in my part of the state across the border here are struggling to make ends meet and they don’t care about those issues over there,” Mastriano, who’s up against Democrat Josh Shapiro, said. “They want to have security. They want crime to be down. They want to be able to put food on the table and gas in their cars.”
Democrats say they are keenly aware of the role other issues, like inflation, are playing in campaign discourse, but argue that abortion access is an economic and health care issue.
“We can walk and chew gum at the same time,” said Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford (D), who also serves as co-chair of the Democratic Attorneys General Association. “This is an important issue. It is not something that takes second seed to any of the other issues and nor do other issues take second seed to this.”
Anti-abortion organizations are signaling they want to play a leading role in the midterms.
On Thursday, the conservative anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America launched a $2 million digital ad buy in Arizona, Georgia, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin for two weeks.
“This is going to be hugely mobilizing for pro-life Americans, who have now seen the fruition of their past political engagement, especially the last 10 years when we’ve focused heavily on Senate races and the White House to give us this court,” said Mallory Carroll, vice president of communications at Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America.
“We’re talking to pro-life Americans, who don’t always vote in non-presidential election years, and people we’ve identified as being persuadable, so the infamous women in the suburbs, Hispanic voters, Black voters, [and] traditional Democratic voting groups,” she continued.
But Democrats and abortion rights groups are pouring in money as well. In April, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund announced a $16 million paid media campaign “to educate and increase urgency around the abortion access crisis facing the country.”
“This is more than a Democratic issue,” Ford said. “You have several folks who are Republicans and Independents who support a right to an abortion and who I think will be concerned about the fact that the Supreme Court has now for the first time in our country removed a constitutional right.” | https://cw33.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/roe-v-wade-ruling-injects-new-urgency-into-midterms-for-democrats/ | 2022-06-25T17:27:04Z |
DENVER, Aug. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Community College of Denver (CCD) and Green Flower, the leader in cannabis education, have partnered to provide students with career opportunities in cannabis, one of the fastest growing industries in America.
Through this new partnership, CCD will add three cannabis certificates to provide job skills training for those pursuing a cannabis career. The curriculum includes advanced dispensary associate, manufacturing agent, and cultivation technician skill training. CCD launched its Cannabis Science and Operations BAS degree in November 2021.
"We pride ourselves on refuting the traditional stereotype that colleges are slow to adapt," said CCD President Marielena P. DeSanctis, Ph.D. "Our partnership with Green Flower demonstrates how CCD leads in creating innovative, high demand programs. We look forward to providing students and adult learners in the Denver community with the opportunity to enter this growing industry."
Each certificate program takes eight weeks to complete and is offered fully online. Students can start registering on August 30, 2022 and begin courses at any time. Upon completion, graduates will also have access to Green Flower's employer network.
"Green Flower is honored to be partnering with the Community College of Denver. With the cannabis industry in Colorado continuing to grow at a record pace, the ability to help people train to work in cannabis retail, manufacturing and agriculture environments continues to be vital," said Green Flower's Vice President of University Partnerships, Daniel Kalef. "Like other highly regulated industries, the need to have expertise in material handling, quality control, patient care, security, transportation, horticulture and more, is vital to the success of the industry and all things people will learn in these programs."
In addition to Green Flower, CCD has previously partnered with such entities as "Jobs for the Future" and Verizon to introduce an IT support and Junior Full-Stack developer certificate program, as well as the Hispanic Restaurant Association to provide contextualized ESL courses for the restaurant industry. As the country continues to call with immediate job market needs, CCD consistently answers this call with their programs to not only meet, but exceed the demands of these industries.
To learn more about Community College of Denver's certificate programs, visit https://cannabiseducation.ccd.edu.
Community College of Denver (CCD) is a leading point of entry to higher education for the city and county of Denver. CCD provides cost-effective, high-quality college education, along with access and opportunity for non-traditional students, workforce development, training resources for local organizations, and community partnerships. CCD is a federally funded Hispanic Serving and designated Military Friendly Institution. Learn more at ccd.edu.
Founded in 2014, Green Flower is the industry leader in cannabis education, empowering thousands of consumers, regulators, and professionals with the knowledge they need to succeed in the emerging cannabis industry today. Green Flower's content and technology platform powers the cannabis programs of top universities and colleges across the country, provides customized learning and compliance solutions for cannabis businesses of all sizes, and equips individuals with the skills and credentials necessary to make an impact in the modern cannabis industry.
CONTACT:
Lesli Franco/Arielle Roth
O'Connell & Goldberg, Inc.
(954) 964-9098
lfranco@oandgpr.com / aroth@oandgpr.com
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SOURCE Green Flower | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/community-college-denver-announces-partnership-with-green-flower-provide-opportunities-rapidly-growing-cannabis-industry/ | 2022-08-31T17:57:40Z |
Rain and Lightning winding down for the evening.
Strong thunderstorm passed over Sherman with winds gusting up to 48mph!
Published: Jan. 24, 2021 at 10:06 AM CST|Updated: 45 minutes ago
Juneteenth and Father’s Day got loud and wet this afternoon for parts of Texoma. We had rain and lightning at the news station while on air for the 5:30pm newscast! The rest of Texoma saw low to mid-90s with a heat index close to 100. The storms are winding down for the evening, but the heat that most of Texoma felt today is not going away any time soon.
The first day of summer is this Tuesday and temperatures are looking to rise accordingly. The large upper high that has been causing our high temperatures last week will return near Texoma, causing our temperatures to rise to 100-or-more most days from Tuesday into next weekend.
Brady Blackstock
Weekend Meteorologist
News 12 / KXII-TV
Copyright 2021 KXII. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/06/20/rain-lightning-winding-down-evening/ | 2022-06-20T02:05:22Z |
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered off Shohei Ohtani for the first time, and George Springer hit a leadoff home run in the Toronto Blue Jays’ 6-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night.
Ohtani (3-3) struck out 10 while yielding five runs over six innings in his eighth mound start of the season. He fell behind 5-2 in the sixth on a drive off the left field pole by Guerrero, who finished right behind the Angels’ two-way star in last year’s AL MVP voting.
Bo Bichette hit a two-run double and Santiago Espinal had an RBI single in the third inning for Toronto in the opener of a four-game series at the Big A. Danny Jansen added his third homer in two games in the ninth.
Luis Rengifo had an RBI single for the Angels, who have lost six of nine in their worst stretch of the season to date. Ohtani went 0 for 2 with a walk and an RBI groundout at the plate.
Hyun Jin Ryu (2-0) gave up six hits and two runs over five innings for Toronto while retiring Mike Trout three times. The three-time AL MVP is 0 for 13 against the South Korean left-hander — his worst mark against any pitcher he has faced at least 10 times.
After striking out four times Wednesday, Trout went hitless in back-to-back starts for the first time this season.
Toronto hit the ball hard early and often against Ohtani, who beat the Blue Jays last summer in his only previous mound meeting. Ohtani’s fastball spin rate was down to 2,129 RPM after he averaged 2,429 coming in, and Toronto put nine balls in play with exit velocities over 93 mph. The Blue Jays got six hits against him.
Springer opened with an eight-pitch at-bat against Ohtani culminating in his 48th leadoff homer, tying Ian Kinsler for the fourth-most in baseball history. The homer also was the former Astros slugger’s 17th in his last 33 games against the Halos.
The Blue Jays’ three-run third was only the third multi-run inning allowed this season by Ohtani. After Lourdes Gurriel walked, advanced on Springer’s single and scored on Espinal’s single. Bichette drove them both home.
Ohtani retired seven straight Blue Jays before Guerrero’s homer — his second in two games after a 15-game homerless drought comprising most of May.
BIG SNAG
Ohtani got help in the fourth from left fielder Brandon Marsh, who sprinted to make a nifty leaping catch of Jansen’s line drive to the wall.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: Cavan Biggio struck out three times, walked and played first base after returning from Triple-A Buffalo before the game. He had been away from the Jays since late April after testing positive for COVID-19.
Angels: Slugging OF Taylor Ward flied out as a pinch-hitter for Ohtani in the eighth for his first appearance since running into the wall last Friday. Ward won’t play in the outfield until at least the weekend. … Juan Lagares came up to provide Los Angeles with a fourth outfielder in Ward’s absence, and reliever Mike Mayers was designated for assignment to make room. Mayers was a bullpen stalwart for the Halos in 2020 and 2021, but he capped his rough start to this season Wednesday by giving up five hits — his most in any appearance since his rookie season in 2016.
UP NEXT
Rising star Alek Manoah (5-1, 1.62 ERA) pitches on the one-year anniversary of his major league debut for the Blue Jays. He faces Halos rookie Chase Silseth (1-1, 2.61), whose first two big league starts were both solid.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/vlad-jr-homers-off-shohei-ohtani-blue-jays-top-angels-6-3/ | 2022-05-27T16:40:07Z |
Himalayan salt wall: Restaurant guests are encouraged to lick the walls while dining
Published: Jun. 3, 2022 at 5:26 PM CDT|Updated: 32 minutes ago
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (CNN) - Patrons at a restaurant in Arizona are welcome to lick the walls while they dine.
The Mission restaurant is gaining attention in Old Town Scottsdale after its owners said guests could lick the walls while enjoying their food or a drink, as the walls are made of Himalayan rock salt.
Representatives with the trendy dining spot said the head chef brought the rocks in to add to the overall ambiance and help customers with their tequila shots.
Himalayan rock salt has natural sanitary properties, but restaurant staff said they regularly wipe them down.
According to the restaurant, the walls have already seen a lot of action.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/06/03/himalayan-salt-wall-restaurant-guests-are-encouraged-lick-walls-while-dining/ | 2022-06-03T22:58:28Z |
North America's Original Blow Dry Bar Franchise Enters New State, Propels National Expansion Forward
MERIDIAN, Idaho, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Blo Blow Dry Bar, North America's original blow dry bar and blow dry bar franchise, announced today its expansion into Idaho with the signing of a franchise agreement in Meridian. Idaho is the 31st state Blo Blow Dry Bar has entered since being founded in 2007, and the company has aggressive expansion plans to continue to grow across North America.
The franchisee behind Blo Blow Dry Bar's entry into Idaho is Angela Yates, a School Counselor and Children's Life Coach at Innovate Academy and Preparatory School, a finance and business private school located in Eagle, Idaho. With Yates past experience in starting small businesses combined with the school's philosophy to embrace the "entrepreneurial spirit," Yates was inspired to look for her next entrepreneurial opportunity. When she was first introduced to Blo Blow Dry Bar while visiting family in California, she knew it was the perfect business to bring to Idaho where there are minimal options for blow outs and beauty services. Yates is currently in the process of securing a location for her first bar in the Meridian area and hopes to be open by the end of 2022.
"When I first learned about Blo Blow Dry Bar I felt that the people of Idaho would love it," said Yates. "Everyone deserves an affordable way to treat themselves and feel beautiful, and I knew there was a need for this type of service in our community. I am really excited for this new opportunity and honored to bring the first Blo Blow Dry Bar to Idaho."
This agreement will continue the significant franchise development momentum Blo Blow Dry Bar saw in 2021, as the brand now boasts more than 140 locations opening and operating across the United States. With a favorable real estate landscape and vast opportunity for market growth, company executives are actively seeking franchisees to continue to expand in key markets across the country.
"We walked into 2022 with a goal of continuing to build the Blo empire on a national scale and this entrance into Idaho is a step in the right direction are thrilled to enter Idaho because of the huge amount of development possibilities in this new state," said, Patrick Pantano, Vice President, Franchise Development, Blo Blow Dry Bar. "Our team is always looking for new markets with untapped potential and Idaho is ripe for growth with strong development prospective."
Blo Blow Dry Bar creates a space where people of all ages, ethnicities and orientations are welcomed, represented and made to feel gorgeous while emphasizing the need for self-care and wellness. Combining a sophisticated design with a fun and energetic environment, the blow dry bar cultivates a seamless and enjoyable experience for guests upon their arrival, during and after their services. Expertly trained stylists are available for consultation seven days a week to meet the needs of all guests. The brand's hair menu includes their signature styles, ranging from sleek and straight to lively and bouncy curls, with customizable options such as braids, ponytails and updos for any occasion. Blo also offers makeup services from expert artists on-hand to help guests look and feel amazing for any occasion.
The growing franchise is just at the start of the runway, staking its claim as a leader in the $47 billion a year industry and continues to expand at a rapid rate. Every year, more cities across the globe are painted pink. Every day, a new guest discovers how wonderful the Blo Blow Dry Bar experience is. Superior service and consistent results are a top priority for all guests as well as franchisees. The brand goes beyond beauty – it is strategically positioned to meet growing customer demands within the wellness and self-care industries with an established foundation for business success.
"As Blo Blow Dry Bar continues to expand, we are excited to work with smart entrepreneurs like Angela who recognize the need and demand for blow out concepts," said Vanessa Yakobson, CEO of Blo Blow Dry Bar. "Our mission has always been to provide women nationwide with runway-ready hair at an affordable price and look forward to more states having the Blo Blow Dry Bar experience."
Blo Blow Dry Bar is currently seeking single- and multi- unit operators to join the brand's rapid expansion. For more information about franchise opportunities visit https://franchise.blomedry.com/.
Blo Blow Dry Bar is North America's original blow dry bar and blow dry bar franchise. The company transformed beauty norms and reinvented the salon industry when it launched the "no cuts, no color" concept: only blow outs. Since opening its first location in Canada in 2007, Blo has grown to over 140 locations across the U.S. and Canada and continues to expand rapidly. With a mission to enhance the lives of those in the community through the power of flawless blow outs and beauty services, Blo Blow Dry Bar offers perfectly styled hair and exceptional customer experiences seven days a week. For more information visit www.blomedry.com.
Media Contact: Morgan Ganz, Fishman Public Relations, mganz@fishmanpr.com
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SOURCE Blo Blow Dry Bar | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/07/blo-blow-dry-bar-continues-national-development-secures-deal-bring-first-location-idaho/ | 2022-07-07T15:21:49Z |
- Purchase of Trudell adds significant scale to Cox Automotive Mobility Fleet Services' existing trailer operations, including 13 trailer service locations and heavy-duty truck and trailer parts sales.
- Acquisition of Trudell includes Trudell Trailer and Northeast Great Dane, the exclusive dealer of Great Dane trailers in numerous upper Midwest and Northeast locations.
- Cox Automotive Mobility Fleet Services will collaborate with Great Dane to deliver additional solutions to the transportation industry.
ATLANTA, July 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cox Automotive today announced the acquisition of Trudell, expanding its offering within the medium and heavy-duty fleet parts and service, as well as adding direct parts sales and semi-trailer sales to the Cox Automotive Mobility Fleet Services portfolio. The acquisition represents an entry into a new adjacency for Cox Automotive Mobility Fleet Services that complements its existing best-in-class mobile semi-trailer service operations, and brings new products, services, and expertise to the company's existing and future customers.
"Cox Automotive is driven to keep the world's fleets moving efficiently, safely and sustainably, and this acquisition delivers on that promise with adjacency product expansion that will continue to fuel our growth and leadership," said Steve Rowley, President of Cox Automotive. "Our customers are at the center of everything we do, and we will look to leverage our collective strengths with Trudell to provide state-of-the-art fleet service and maintenance excellence."
Trudell provides trailer service and repairs, heavy-duty truck and trailer parts sales, mobile on-site maintenance, shop semi-trailer repairs, and industrial finishing with more than 115 technicians across 13 locations located in the upper Midwest and Northeast. Trudell also distributes and sells parts directly to customers across the country. Cox Automotive's acquisition of Trudell also includes the purchase of Trudell Trailer Sales and Northeast Great Dane, the exclusive dealers of Great Dane trailers in numerous upper Midwest and Northeast locations. Great Dane is the leading manufacturer of high-performance commercial transportation equipment, which includes dry freight, refrigerated and flatbed trailers.
Approximately 280,000 semi-trailers are sold in the U.S. per year, and the number of trailers for every truck on the road will likely continue to increase with the significant expansion of e-commerce. Cox Automotive Mobility Fleet Services will look to capitalize on the rapid demand for trailers, delivering both maintenance and parts support for trailers across the U.S., as well as the heavy-duty trucks transporting them.
"We're evolving our business with an eye on future-facing advancements to support our best-in-class, technology-enabled technicians," said Ted Coltrain, VP of Cox Automotive Mobility Fleet Services. "The acquisition of Trudell represents our continued commitment to leading the fleet services future and safely servicing trucks and trailers nationwide."
"We're excited to join the Cox family and further expand the company's nationwide footprint of elite fleet service technicians," said Greg Giergielewicz, President of Trudell. "Joining forces with Cox Automotive Mobility Fleet Services will strengthen our ability to deliver on the comprehensive fleet maintenance needs of our customers coast-to-coast."
Cox Automotive Mobility's mission is advancing the world's fleets to serve the next generation. Focused on four primary business areas (Fleet Services, Fleet Operations, EV Battery Solutions and Emerging Ventures), the group is a fundamental enabler of the emerging global transportation ecosystem – one that is autonomous/aerial, connected, electric and shared (A.C.E.S.). With more than 1,200 world-class technicians, more than 750 mobile-service trucks, nearly 40 shop facilities and the nation's largest self-performing 24/7 emergency repair and towing service, Cox Automotive Mobility's best-in-class technicians defy downtime every day to keep the world's fleets moving efficiently, safely and sustainably.
Cox Automotive, Inc. makes buying, selling, owning, and using vehicles easier for everyone. The global company's more than 27,000 team members and family of brands, including Autotrader®, Dealer.com®, Dealertrack®, Kelley Blue Book®, Manheim®, NextGear Capital®, VinSolutions®, vAuto® and Xtime®, are passionate about helping millions of car shoppers, 40,000 auto dealer clients across five continents and many others throughout the automotive industry thrive for generations to come. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, Inc., a privately-owned, Atlanta-based company with annual revenues of nearly $20 billion. www.coxautoinc.com
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SOURCE Cox Automotive Mobility | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/21/cox-automotive-acquires-trudell-parent-company-trudell-trailers-northeast-great-dane/ | 2022-07-21T12:41:41Z |
Investment advisory and wealth management firm recognized on distinguished annual list for second year in a row
CHICAGO, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kovitz Investment Group ("Kovitz"), an independently-managed investment advisory and wealth management firm based in Chicago, is thrilled to announce it has been named to the Crain's 2022 Best Places to Work in Chicago, for a second year.
The Best Places to Work list is a survey conducted by Best Companies Group for Crain's Chicago Business. The nomination process is designed to measure employee engagement and evaluate current policies and benefit offerings. Thousands of employees from the Chicago area were surveyed on working environment, benefits and culture that make a company a great place to work. Of the 100 companies selected to this year's list, Kovitz ranked 100 overall.
"It's an honor once again to be placed among the Best Places to Work in Chicago by Crain's. This recognition affirms the daily investment we make in our people which ensures two things – real work and life balance does exist, and employee feedback will drive business decisions," said Jessica Cunnick, Chief People Officer of Kovitz. "Our people also appreciate that hard work and realizing our core values means opportunity at Kovitz has no limit."
Kovitz' dedication to firm culture, specifically the adoption of a permanent hybrid work model, has played a key role in supporting business growth initiatives. Recently, Kovitz was recognized as one of the top 100 RIA firms in the country by Financial Advisor magazine. The firm also is one of the top RIA firms as ranked by Barron's.
The firm also launched an employee-led foundation, Kovitz Cares, in late 2020. The foundation allows employee volunteers to make a difference by giving back to the communities in which they live, a core value of the firm.
Since making the 2021 Crain's list, Kovitz has made several strategic new hires and continues to add to its growing team.
Kovitz is an independently-managed registered investment adviser providing advisory services since 2003. Based in Chicago, IL, with offices in Madison, WI, and Orange County, CA, Kovitz connects high-net-worth individuals, institutions, and financial professionals to sound asset management and financial advisory strategies. The firm manages and advises on approximately $7.0 billion in client assets as of August 31, 2022. https://www.kovitz.com/
The annual Crain's Best Places to Work in Chicago list is determined by a two-step process. The first step consisted of evaluating each participating company's workplace policies, practices and demographics. This part of the process was worth approximately 25% of the total evaluation. The second part consisted of employee surveys aimed at assessing the experiences and attitudes of individual employees with respect to their workplace. This part was worth approximately 75% of the total evaluation. The combined scores determined the best companies and the final ranking. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process and analyzed the data and used its expertise to determine the final ranking.
Media Contact
Jay Scott
jscott@gavniadv.com
484-695-3774
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SOURCE Kovitz Investment Group Partners | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/14/kovitz-named-crains-chicago-business-2022-best-places-work-list/ | 2022-09-14T22:09:05Z |
Havas New York and NYC Pride harnessed the power of the masses at the NYC Pride March and sent thousands of queer love stories to state legislatures
NEW YORK, June 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Havas New York, the North American flagship agency of Havas Creative Network, partnered with NYC Pride, the organization that plans and produces New York City's official LGBTQIA+ Pride events, on a campaign designed to shine a light on the more than 300 bills lawmakers in the United States introduced this year that impose limitations on the freedoms of the LGBTQIA+ community. At this year's New York City Pride March, one of the largest annual Pride celebrations in the world, Havas New York's "Bill Boards" lined the streets of the march route, gaining the attention of tens of thousands of participants and spectators. Each "Bill Board" featured a different bill, along with a Flowcode QR code and call-to-action to all those opposing the laws to #BuryTheBills. In addition, understanding that state lawmakers legally cannot turn off their fax machines, each action triggered faxes of unapologetic stories of queer love from popular novels to the lawmakers responsible for the bills in an effort to spread love and ultimately change their minds.
"Sadly, years of progress to advance LGBTQIA+ rights can be reversed seemingly overnight as homophobia and transphobia prevails in many state legislatures, particularly in southern parts of the country," said Dan Lucey, Chief Creative Officer of Havas New York. "The goal of this campaign is to call out the bills currently in front of Congress and give marchers a platform to immediately take action and make their voices heard in a way politicians literally can't tune out."
The faxes to lawmakers included excerpts from well-known queer literature, Rainbow Milk by Paul Mendez, I Know You Know Who I Am by Peter Kispert, When Katie Met Cassidy by Camille Perri, Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan, Ten Steps to Nanette by Hannah Gadsby, and All the Flowers Kneeling by Paul Tran, all published by Penguin Random House.
In 1970, a year after the Stonewall uprising that sparked the gay liberation movement, the first March was held in New York City and has since become an annual civil rights demonstration. According to NYC Pride, there has not been an activation with the same aim and magnitude as #BuryTheBills in New York over the last 53 years.
"NYC Pride is excited to work alongside Havas New York to bring this activation to life," said Bansri Manek, March Director at NYC Pride. "Our mission as an organization is to work toward a future without discrimination where all people have equal rights under the law. This activation does just that and fits perfectly into our 2022 theme, 'Unapologetically Us,' which focuses on the importance of LGBTQIA+ individuals standing together and proudly living their truth in the face of social justice issues and legislation that directly attacks their community."
The #BurytheBills campaign would not have been possible without the use of Flowcode, the offline to online company building direct connections through next generation technology. Flowcode designed the unique QR code experience and fax trigger that instantly empowered protestors to anonymously take action, and Penguin Random House, the multinational book publisher who provided the queer literature faxed to state legislatures. In addition, Penguin Random House will plant a tree for each batch of excerpts faxed to help offset the paper used in the campaign (up to 10,000 trees through a $10,000 contribution) through a partnership with One Tree Planted.
"We are thrilled to have joined this movement. At Penguin Random House, our authors and books have always existed at the forefront of the cultural conversation, and we're excited to have the opportunity to amplify the work of these brilliant creators in an impactful new way," said Carly Gorga, Brand Marketing Director at Penguin Random House. "By teaming up with Havas New York and NYC Pride this year, we hope more people will see – and truly understand – the power of books to spark meaningful discussion and action that will move us toward a better future."
In just one day, #BuryTheBills has generated over 570,000 pages of faxes to lawmakers and has captured the attention of several celebrities and changemakers passionate about advancing and protecting LGBTQIA+ rights.
"Bury the Bills isn't just a project to me—it's an everyday reminder of the attempt to roll back history and take away our rights," said Mario Licato, Associate Creative Director at Havas New York and mastermind behind the campaign. "It's 2022, but sometimes it feels like it's 1962, so collectively we need to do everything we can to protect the human rights of the millions of people at stake."
For more information and to get involved, visit www.BuryTheBills.com.
ABOUT HAVAS NEW YORK
Havas New York is one of 60+ full-service Villages and the North American flagship agency of Havas Creative, a powerful network of creative agencies with the most modern capabilities and talented people in the business. At Havas New York, we are a creative company with soul, breaking tradition in our category to help progressive marketers speak the modern language of advertising through culture, design, and technology—creating better, more meaningful brand experiences. Creatives are creators who deliver work designed to raise consciousness and inspire conversation in the real world, not the advertising space. Learn more at our website, ny.havas.com.
ABOUT NYC PRIDE
Heritage of Pride, Inc. is the volunteer-directed organization behind the official NYC Pride roster of events. Heritage of Pride's mission is to work toward a future without discrimination where all people have equal rights under the law. We do this by producing LGBTQIA+ Pride events that inspire, educate, commemorate, and celebrate our diverse community.
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SOURCE Havas New York | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/27/lawmakers-behind-anti-lgbtqia-bills-got-dose-queer-love-with-burythebills-campaign/ | 2022-06-27T17:39:46Z |
On and on it goes. Another lone wacko, a white, 18-year-old, went on a well-planned killing spree in a supermarket in a black neighborhood of Buffalo. It was a terrible, tragic, evil, obviously racist act.
Ten innocent people died and three were injured last weekend — 11 victims were black.
We know the “alleged” killer was a white supremacist, an anti-Semite and a nut-job who clearly set out to kill black people because of what he posted online. Predictably, President Biden seized on the slaughter in Buffalo as further “proof” of his bogus claim that “the poison” of white supremacy poses the greatest threat to America today.
Also predictably, Biden and the usual liberal chorus of media outlets tried to link the country’s latest mass killing to Republicans, guns and Fox News stars like Tucker Carlson.
Biden went to Buffalo to show his sympathy for the victims, which is fine. But, as usual, he was very selective when pointing out recent examples of racially motivated mass murders. No mention of the angry “black supremacist” who plowed through a Christmas parade of white men, women and children in Waukesha, Wisc., last year, killing six and injuring 60.
No mention of the mentally troubled black man — another racist “black supremacist” who openly hated whites, Asians and even some blacks — who shot up a New York City subway train last month and injured 10 people. No mention of another apparently mentally troubled black man who’s accused of shooting but not killing three Korean women in a Dallas hair salon last week.
And you know the Bidens won’t be visiting the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods in Southern California to show their sympathy for the deadly shooting that happened there earlier this week. The Asian shooter — an American citizen born in Taiwan — planned to kill many members of the congregation, who are Taiwanese, because he doesn’t think Taiwan should be independent of China.
Like the other shootings, that potential mass shooting, which was stopped when members of the church overpowered the shooter, did not fit the Biden-media narrative that the only kind of racism in America is white and that mass murderers come in only one color and one kind of politics.
The reaction to the Buffalo tragedy by Biden, the Democrats and the media was the usual “We need more, more, still more gun laws.” But how about enforcing the damned gun laws we’ve already got? How about putting some teeth into so-called “Red Flag” laws?
Though ripe for abuse by gun-control zealots, they allow law enforcement in states like New York to take weapons away from people who’ve been deemed threats to themselves or others.
The punk in Buffalo still legally had his guns even though he had made threatening remarks in high school last year about shooting up a graduation ceremony and had undergone a mental health evaluation and counseling.
And how about holding parents accountable for not taking their wacko sons’ guns away?
We count on the government to take guns away from dangerous or crazy people. But if you’re a parent and you have a whacked out son you’re worried about, lock up your damned guns. Get them out of the house. Don’t wait for government to take them away because the government is sure not going to take them.
Meanwhile, while Biden was in Buffalo exploiting that tragedy for his own political purposes, he also predictably forgot to mention the massacre of blacks that occurs every weekend in Chicago. Last weekend 33 people there were shot and five died. As usual, most were young black males shot by other young black males.
Of course we all know why the president will never have time to go to Chicago to grieve over its murder victims. He wouldn’t be able to blame its recurring weekly slaughter on white supremacy. | https://www.albanyherald.com/opinion/michael-reagan-for-biden-gun-violence-has-only-one-color/article_ac3dcf40-d9e8-11ec-987d-17e868584289.html | 2022-05-22T22:23:37Z |
LONDON and BOSTON, July 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- One year since joining forces to create the industry's leading growth consultancy, Momentum and ITSMA celebrate record success, the launch of a new community platform for B2B marketers and client wins.
July 1st marks one year since account-based marketing pioneers Momentum acquired Boston-based research, advisory, and training firm ITSMA, to deepen the group's specialism.
Over the last 12 months, the consulting powerhouse has strengthened its service portfolio, expanded the team and invested in its learning and membership services for clients.
"Since our acquisition of ITSMA, we've doubled down on our capabilities and developed a proposition that is unmatched in our industry," said Alisha Lyndon, founder and CEO of Momentum. "Our global team is now organised around three main drivers of revenue growth: shaping strategies, enabling sales & marketing teams and driving effective customer collaboration. This means we're able to help our customers accelerate their own revenue growth."
The group continues to deepen its specialisms to help clients across their revenue growth journey with the addition of a number of marketing advisory services and integrated its research divisions to enable client sales and marketing teams, and enhance go-to-market strategies with deep competitor, market, and customer research. "We've listened to our community and invested considerable resources to analyze the global 2,000, Our services allow us to build best practices to share this knowledge with our customers, and drive incredible impact." Lyndon added.
Momentum also recently announced the launch of the Growth Hub, a dynamic community of marketing professionals that builds on ITSMA's 25-year heritage and loyal membership community.
The Growth Hub is designed to provide marketing professionals the tools and knowledge to make marketing the driving force behind their business's growth. The offering is also designed to enhance the personal and leadership skills of its members through events, peer-to-peer learning, certifications, and thought leadership.
As a result of these developments, membership is at an all-time high, approaching 100 global organization members including Ricoh, Google, and Salesforce joining the ranks. "The success we've seen over the last year is a testament to the strength and expertise of our collective team," said Dave Munn, Chief Community Officer and President of ITSMA.
Over 20 members of Momentum's consulting team recently completed the ITSMA ABM Certification – the same qualification it delivers to the market. In the coming months, Momentum is also investing in its learning and development offering to digitize learning pathways and expand its certification content.
"We believe that there's a better way to do consultancy, and we are building it," Dave Munn, Chief Community Officer and President of ITSMA. "Our customized consulting and research services are focused on helping develop growth strategies, our learning programs are transforming organizations through best practices and experiential learning. And our Growth Hub membership together with our global events are enabling peer-driven communities of growth-focused executives to continually push each other to innovate and execute."
Momentum has recently been awarded Flexa Top 100 status for the extraordinary level of flexibility adding to its Best Companies to Work for 2021 status.
For more information and interview requests, contact alexandra.koenig@wearemomentum.com, +44 203 858 0808
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1856729/ITSMA_Momentum.jpg
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SOURCE Momentum, the global growth consultancy | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/12/momentum-itsma-celebrate-milestone-wins-record-success-one-year-since-acquisition/ | 2022-07-12T11:10:38Z |
Here's a look at monkeypox. In 2022, an outbreak was declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization (WHO). The virus originated in Africa and is the cousin of the smallpox virus.
Facts
Monkeypox is a poxvirus. It generally causes pimple- or blister-like lesions and flu-like symptoms such as fever. The disease is rarely fatal.
Monkeypox spreads through close contact. This includes direct physical contact with lesions as well as "respiratory secretions" shared through face-to-face interaction and touching objects that have been contaminated by monkeypox lesions or fluids. The virus may also pass to a fetus through the placenta.
Anyone can become ill from monkeypox, but the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that more than 99% of monkeypox cases in the United States in the 2022 outbreak have been among men who have sex with men. However, monkeypox is not generally considered a sexually transmitted disease.
Monkeypox is usually found in West and Central Africa, but additional cases have been seen in Europe, including the United Kingdom, and other parts of the world in recent years. Those cases are typically linked to international travel or imported animals infected with the poxvirus.
WHO has named two additional virus variants and is working with International Committee on the Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) to rename the monkeypox virus using non-stigmatizing, non-offensive social and cultural nomenclature.
Case Tracking
Timeline and 2022 Outbreak
1958 - Monkeypox is discovered when monkeys kept for research cause two outbreaks in Copenhagen, Denmark.
1970 - The first human case of monkeypox is recorded in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo).
2003 - A monkeypox outbreak in the United States is linked to infected pet prairie dogs imported from Ghana and results in more than 80 cases.
July 16, 2021 - The CDC and local health officials in Dallas announce they are investigating a case of monkeypox in a traveler from Nigeria. "The individual is a City of Dallas resident who traveled from Nigeria to Dallas, arriving at Love Field airport on July 9, 2021. The person is hospitalized in Dallas and is in stable condition," the Dallas County Department of Health and Human Services says in a statement.
May 17, 2022 - The first confirmed US case of monkeypox in the 2022 outbreak is reported to the CDC in a traveler who returned to Massachusetts from Canada.
May 19, 2022 - WHO reports that death rates in the monkeypox outbreak have been between 3% and 6%.
May 23, 2022 - The CDC announces the release of monkeypox vaccine doses from the nation's Strategic National Stockpile for "high-risk people." In the United States, the two-dose Jynneos vaccine is licensed to prevent smallpox and specifically to prevent monkeypox.
May 26, 2022 - CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky announces that the United States is distributing the vaccine for monkeypox to states with reported cases and recommends vaccination for people at highest risk of infection due to direct contact with someone who has monkeypox.
June 2022 - The first possible case of human-to-dog transmission of monkeypox is reported in two men and their pet in Paris, says Dr. Rosamund Lewis, technical lead on the monkeypox response for WHO. The men were diagnosed with monkeypox at a hospital in Paris. Twelve days after their symptoms started, their 4-year-old Italian greyhound also started showing symptoms, according to a report published in the journal, The Lancet.
June 22, 2022 - The CDC announces a partnership with five commercial laboratories to ramp up testing capacity in the United States.
June 23, 2022 - New York City launches the first monkeypox vaccination clinic in the United States.
June 28, 2022 - The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Biden administration announce an enhanced vaccination strategy and report that more than 9,000 doses of vaccine have been distributed to date.
July 22, 2022 - Two American children contract monkeypox -- a first in the United States. According to the CDC, the two cases are unrelated.
July 23, 2022 - WHO declares monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern, "an extraordinary event that may constitute a public health risk to other countries through international spread of disease and may require an international coordinated response."
July 27, 2022 - After weeks of monkeypox vaccines being in limited supply, more than 786,000 additional doses are made available in the United States, according to HHS.
July 29, 2022 - New York declares a state disaster emergency in response to the monkeypox outbreak.
August 1, 2022 - California and Illinois declare states of emergency. California has reported more than 800 cases, while Illinois has had more than 500, according to data from the CDC.
August 2, 2022 - A monkeypox response team is created by the Biden administration. President Joe Biden names Robert Fenton from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as the White House national monkeypox response coordinator.
August 2, 2022 - A report from Spain's National Institute for Microbiology indicates two men, ages 31 and 44, who died from monkeypox in unrelated cases had both developed encephalitis, or swelling of the brain, which can be triggered by viral infections. Encephalitis is a very rare condition known to be associated with monkeypox. It has been reported in people with monkeypox in West Africa and in a patient in the United States in 2003 during the small outbreak linked to imported prairie dogs.
August 4, 2022 - The Biden administration declares the monkeypox outbreak a national public health emergency.
August 5, 2022 - A report published by the CDC finds that 94% of cases were among men who had recent sexual or close intimate contact with another man. Further, 54% of cases were among Black Americans and Latinos.
August 9, 2022 - In an effort to stretch the limited supply of the Jynneos monkeypox vaccine, federal health officials authorize administering smaller doses using a different method of injection. The new injection strategy allows health-care providers to give shallow injections intradermally, in between layers of the skin, with one-fifth the standard dose size instead of subcutaneously, into the fatty layer below the skin, with the larger dose.
August 18, 2022 - The White House announces the acceleration of the HHS vaccine distribution timeline, with an additional 1.8 million doses of the Jynneos vaccine being made available. Additional vaccines will be distributed to communities hosting large LGBTQI+ events.
August 19, 2022 - Washington's King County, which includes Seattle, declares monkeypox a public health emergency, with more than 270 recorded cases.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.albanyherald.com/features/health/monkeypox-fast-facts/article_37d67f07-8250-570f-a3b2-16c9a21dc90c.html | 2022-09-05T19:51:43Z |
NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum will highlight the musical contributions of Chris Stapleton in its newest exhibition, Chris Stapleton: Since 1978, presented by Ram Trucks. The exhibit, which opens July 1 and runs through May 14, 2023, will chronicle the course of Stapleton's multi-faceted musical career, from his Kentucky roots and success as a Nashville songwriter to his rise to stardom as one of country music's most powerful and unique voices.
A dynamic singer, songwriter and musician, Stapleton has collaborated with artists ranging from Country Music Hall of Fame member Bobby Bare and Carlos Santana to pop stars Justin Timberlake and P!nk. Before his breakout success in 2015 with his quadruple-platinum album Traveller, he proved his musical mettle for more than a decade as an in-demand songwriter in Nashville. In addition to Stapleton's own hit recordings, more than 170 of his songs have been recorded by a diverse roster of artists, including Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Alison Krauss and Union Station, George Strait, Sheryl Crow, Thomas Rhett, Lee Ann Womack and many more.
"Chris Stapleton is a powerful and emotive singer, a prolific and poetic songwriter and a skilled and expressive guitar player," said Kyle Young, chief executive officer for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. "His rise as a successful artist may have seemed instantaneous to many, but he has been a force in country music for more than 20 years – whether writing hit songs for other country artists or contributing to studio recordings. Throughout it all, he has maintained his own unique perspective by staying true to his authentic self and artistic vision, and he continues to open the door to country music for new fans across generations and genres."
Stapleton was born April 15, 1978, and raised in rural, mountainous Johnson County, in eastern Kentucky. He began writing songs and playing guitar in his teens, teaching himself to play the instrument after taking one formal lesson. Stapleton found inspiration in a diverse range of artists and musical styles, from fellow Kentuckians Ricky Skaggs, the Judds and Dwight Yoakam to soul singer Otis Redding, blues artist Freddie King and rock artists Aerosmith and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers.
The summer after his high school graduation, in 1996, Stapleton moved to Nashville to attend Vanderbilt University and study biomedical engineering. Lacking passion for his studies, he returned to Kentucky after his first year and eventually dropped out of college completely. He sold cars, drove an ice truck, and worked at a pizzeria while writing songs and playing in bars.
It wasn't until Stapleton met and collaborated with Nashville songwriter Steve Leslie that he realized it was possible to pursue a career in songwriting. With encouragement from Leslie and Sea Gayle Music publishing executive Liz O'Sullivan, he moved back to Music City in 2001 and signed with the publishing company, becoming a full-time songwriter without aspirations of a career as a performing artist.
Gary Allan ("Drinkin' Dark Whiskey") and Patty Loveless ("Higher Than the Wall") were among the first to release songs written by Stapleton, in 2003, and he scored his first Billboard #1 hit as a songwriter with Josh Turner's "Your Man" in 2006. As a songwriter, Stapleton has also earned Billboard #1 songs with Kenny Chesney ("Never Wanted Nothing More," 2007), Darius Rucker ("Come Back Song," 2010), Luke Bryan ("Drink a Beer," 2014) and Thomas Rhett ("Crash and Burn," 2015), as well as three of his own recordings.
Also in 2006, Stapleton joined the bluegrass band the SteelDrivers as lead singer, guitarist and songwriter, contributing to a live album and two studio albums before leaving the group in early 2010. Later that year, his blues-influenced rock band, the Jompson Brothers, released their first and only album. Stapleton's voice was also sought-after in the recording studio, and he sang background vocals on songs he co-wrote for several well-known country artists, including Luke Bryan, Jake Owen and Thomas Rhett.
Stapleton's first solo success came in 2015 with his debut album, Traveller, which was inspired by an 11-day road trip he took after the death of his father. He wrote the album's title track during the cross-country journey after picking up a 1979 Jeep Cherokee that his wife, Morgane, had purchased for him in Arizona. The trip—and the subsequent recording of the album at historic RCA Studio A with co-producer Dave Cobb—marked a turning point in which Stapleton embraced his own distinct, blues-influenced style and pursued artistic freedom.
Stapleton catapulted to stardom after a rousing performance with pop star Justin Timberlake at the 2015 Country Music Association Awards. He also took home all three CMA awards for which he was nominated that year: Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year and New Artist of the Year. Following the show, Traveller rose to #1 on both the country album chart and the all-genre Billboard 200 album chart, and his recording of "Tennessee Whiskey" shot to #1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart.
Stapleton soon began headlining arenas and followed Traveller with two more successful albums, From A Room: Volume 1 and Volume 2, in 2017. In February 2018, Traveller and both volumes of From A Room occupied the first three slots on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart, a feat previously only accomplished by Country Music Hall of Fame member Garth Brooks and Charlie Rich. Stapleton continued this momentum with his 2020 album Starting Over, which debuted at #1 on Billboard's country album chart and earned two more Billboard #1 singles, "Starting Over" (2021) and "You Should Probably Leave" (2022).
Stapleton remains a top-selling recording artist and touring act with his band, the Honchos, and has accumulated armloads of awards, including 9 Academy of Country Music awards, 14 Country Music Association awards and 8 Grammys. His wife, Morgane, an accomplished singer and songwriter herself, is a key member of his band and plays a large role in Stapleton's career, including helping select songs for his albums.
Items featured in Chris Stapleton: Since 1978 include clothing, guitars, awards and other personal artifacts from Stapleton. Some artifact highlights include:
- Stapleton's 1966 Gibson Trini Lopez Standard electric guitar, used during the recording of his song "Traveller."
- Stapleton's first guitar amplifier, a 1960s Gibson GA-8 Discoverer, which he used extensively, including at performances in the early 2000s.
- The Pendleton flannel jacket, Dee Cee denim western shirt and Manuel leather vest worn by Stapleton on the album cover of Traveller.
- Waffle House Golden Waffle award, or "Tunie," which recognizes Stapleton as the most-played artist on the restaurant chain's jukeboxes in 2019.
- A LEGO model of Stapleton and his band onstage, elements of which were animated for the LEGO-themed music video for "Second One to Know" (2019).
More information about this exhibition can be found at www.CountryMusicHallofFame.org
The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum collects, preserves and interprets country music and its history for the education and entertainment of diverse audiences. In exhibitions, publications, digital media and educational programs, the museum explores the cultural importance and enduring beauty of the art form. The museum is operated by the Country Music Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization chartered by the state of Tennessee in 1964. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, and is among the most-visited history museums in the U.S. The Country Music Foundation operates Historic RCA Studio B®, Hatch Show Print® poster shop, CMF Records, the Frist Library and Archive and CMF Press. Museum programs are supported in part by Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission and Tennessee Arts Commission.
More information about the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum is available at www.countrymusichalloffame.org or by calling (615) 416-2001.
The Ram Truck brand has been proud to collaborate with Chris Stapleton since the debut of the Traveller album in 2015, working on various campaigns including a special Ram Nation concert for students at his old high school in his hometown of Paintsville, Ky., all the way through to the current multi-year campaign anchored by Stapleton's custom rendition of "I'm a Ram." The Ram Truck brand is dedicated to celebrating and supporting hard-working musicians who represent the values of courage, integrity and hard work, with a full lineup of trucks from the Ram 1500 to the 2500/3500 Heavy Duty and Ram ProMaster that get the hard work done and music fans where they need to go.
More information about the Ram Truck brand is available at www.ramtrucks.com.
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SOURCE Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/15/country-music-hall-fame-museum-open-new-exhibition-chris-stapleton-since-1978-presented-by-ram-trucks/ | 2022-06-15T16:54:36Z |
SEATTLE , June 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Altoura today announced it has won the Mixed Reality 2022 Microsoft Partner of the Year Award. The company was honored among a large global field of top Microsoft partners for demonstrating excellence in innovation and implementation of customer solutions based on Microsoft technology.
The Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards were classified in various categories, with honorees chosen from a set of more than 3,900 submitted nominations from more than 100 countries worldwide. Awards are announced annually prior to the company's global partner conference, Microsoft Inspire, which will take place on July 19-20 this year.
Altoura is being recognized for providing outstanding solutions in the Mixed Reality category. Enterprise customers like Thermo Fisher Scientific, Ecolab, and Wabtec are using Altoura's immersive training solution Train-to-Work®—which includes Altoura, Dynamics 365 Guides, and HoloLens 2—to onboard and upskill workers in a virtual setting from any location. Once trained in Altoura, frontline workers use Dynamics 365 Guides to receive real-time AR-assistance with tasks in their physical workspace. Training virtually before training in a physical environment accelerates time to productivity, improves readiness, and drives down costs.
"This award reflects the outstanding collaborations we've had with Microsoft to deliver business value to our joint enterprise customers," said Jamie Fleming, CEO of Altoura. "It's also a harbinger of future successes as we partner to help companies to deploy mixed reality solutions that improve efficiencies so they can thrive in a challenging economic environment."
Gerald Logan, Digital Implementations Manager at Thermo Fisher Scientific, said, "The combination of Altoura, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Guides and HoloLens 2 enables our frontline workers to get a connected train-to-work experience by training virtually first before training on-site in the same user interface. The result is a great experience and valuable business impact by lowering training cycle times and improving the economics of our work processes."
Mark Reagan, Plant Director at Ecolab, added, "Altoura and Microsoft are world-class partners that have helped us envision and begin to roll out an immersive training solution so our employees can onboard and train in mixed reality faster in a highly engaging platform—impacting both our bottom line and employee satisfaction."
"I am honored to announce the winners and finalists of the 2022 Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards," said Nick Parker, corporate vice president of Global Partner Solutions at Microsoft. "These partners were outstanding among the exceptional pool of nominees and I'm continuously impressed by their innovative use of Microsoft Cloud technologies and the impact for their customers."
Additional details on the 2022 awards are available on the Microsoft Partner Network blog: https://blogs.partner.microsoft.com/mpn/congratulations-to-the-2022-microsoft-partner-of-the-year-awards-winners-and-finalists/. The complete list of categories, winners and finalists can be found at https://partner.microsoft.com/en-us/inspire/awards.
Altoura is the pioneer of interactive digital twin technology and maker of the productivity platform for spatial work. Altoura provides a no-code platform to import and transform 3D assets into immersive, interactive, and collaborative spatial workflows such as immersive training and design visualization. Altoura is a Gold partner in Microsoft's elite Mixed Reality Partner Program (MRPP) and a strategic partner with Meta, Unity, Insight, and leading systems integrators. With a large and growing base of Fortune 500 customers, Altoura is the #1 platform for manufacturing, retail, healthcare, transportation, and corporate real estate teams that want to empower their workforce with the spatial tools to be more efficient and productive. To learn more, please visit altoura.com.
To learn more about Train-to-Work®, please visit https://www.altoura.com/train-to-work.html.
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SOURCE Altoura | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/28/altoura-recognized-2022-microsoft-mixed-reality-partner-year/ | 2022-06-28T19:32:01Z |
XenoTech specializes in providing ADME-Tox products and research services, in particular drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK) and drug-drug interaction (DDI) studies
WESTBURY, N.Y., Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BioIVT, a leading provider of biospecimens, research models and services for drug and diagnostic development, today announced that it has acquired XenoTech, a provider of products for ADME-Tox in vitro models and contract research services, from Sekisui Chemical, based in Japan. XenoTech specializes in ADME, DMPK and DDI testing of potential drug candidates.
This transaction demonstrates BioIVT's continuing commitment to provide its biopharmaceutical customers with a comprehensive portfolio of research models and services to help them reach their R&D goals faster.
"XenoTech has a well-established and excellent reputation for producing microsomes, subcellular fractions, and for designing and implementing ADME-Tox studies on a contract research basis," said BioIVT Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Richard Haigh. "The XenoTech and BioIVT product portfolios are complementary, and when combined, will enable smarter science and accelerate medical breakthroughs that enhance and extend lives by delivering personalized biospecimen solutions to life science and diagnostic industries. We are also delighted to have this opportunity to expand our highly respected scientific team with the addition of experienced researchers from XenoTech."
"My colleagues and I are looking forward to joining BioIVT and starting the next exciting phase of our corporate growth," said Dr. Darren Warren, CEO of XenoTech. "We built our business by taking a consultative approach to everything we do, whether it is helping researchers identify products with the right characteristics or recommending specific study programs. BioIVT shares our commitment to science and producing high quality products, and our desire to partner with drug researchers in their quest to develop new therapies to meet unmet medical needs."
XenoTech's product lines, which include best-in-class microsomes, complement BioIVT's portfolio of hepatocytes and other hepatic products. XenoTech's expertise also combines well with BioIVT's strengths in drug transporter research, B-CLEAR® disposition studies, long-term HEPATOPAC® models, and other proprietary methodologies and will increase BioIVT's capabilities to support and accelerate customer research.
XenoTech will continue to operate out of its headquarters in Kansas City, KS. Financial details about this transaction were not disclosed.
XenoTech has almost 30 years' experience as a specialty global Contract Research Organization (CRO) specializing in ADME/DMPK/DDI testing of potential drug candidates. Utilized by top pharma companies, biotechs, and numerous other organizations, we provide the finest tools and resources to advance the development of effective, safe drugs. By helping our clients understand as much as possible about their drugs, they have the best chance of getting to clinical trials, and ultimately to the market where patients may benefit. As a premier provider of in vitro drug metabolism and DDI studies to pharmaceutical companies worldwide, we have unparalleled experience in evaluating drug candidates as substrates, inhibitors, and inducers of drug-metabolizing enzymes and drug transporters.
BioIVT is a leading global provider of research models and value-added research services for drug discovery and development. We specialize in control and disease-state biospecimens including human and animal tissues, cell products, blood and other biofluids. Our unmatched portfolio of clinical specimens directly supports precision medicine research and the effort to improve patient outcomes by coupling comprehensive clinical data with donor samples. And as the premier supplier of hepatic products, including hepatocytes and subcellular fractions, BioIVT enables scientists to better understand the pharmacokinetics and drug metabolism of newly discovered compounds and their effects on disease processes. By combining our technical expertise, exceptional customer service, and unparalleled access to biological specimens, BioIVT serves the research community as a trusted partner in elevating science. For more information, please visit www.bioivt.com or follow the company on Twitter @BioIVT.
BioIVT Contact: Courtney Noah, SVP, Marketing & Client Services, 516-483-1196
Media Contact: Lisa Osborne, Rana Healthcare Solutions, 206-992-5245, lisa@ranahealth.com
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SOURCE BioIVT | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/bioivt-acquires-xenotech-leading-provider-products-services-preclinical-testing-new-drug-candidates/ | 2022-09-12T17:14:28Z |
SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hundreds of young women and STEM professionals gathered today for the Young Women at The Tech Luncheon, with the theme Purpose: Aligning Careers & Values, presented by Intuitive Foundation at the Santa Clara Marriott. The event was held in person for the first time since 2019, providing mentorship opportunities and an important discussion featuring President and CEO of The Tech Katrina Stevens and Erica Lockheimer, Vice President of Engineering at LinkedIn, about building a pipeline of opportunities for young women in Silicon Valley.
"It was really lonely for a long time," Lockheimer said of the early part of her career, sharing details of her impressive rise from community college to engineering leader at the world's largest professional network. "Finding a community of women helped me build my confidence. Sometimes you have a war zone in your head with imposter syndrome, and they will help pull you through it."
Students were also encouraged to embrace change and not be afraid of failure.
"If you're doing everything so safely that you don't fail, you're not taking on big enough risks," said Stevens, who encourages students to build a "personal board" of supporters. "Challenge yourself to more."
More than 100 high school students had the opportunity to talk with STEM professionals and learn about opportunities, building career connections and confidence.
"Our generation has the privilege of having women who have paved the way for us," said Tia Quon, a member of The Tech's Student Board, who said professional role models are crucial as a queer Asian American woman. "The best advice I heard today is there's no one set avenue. Steer your own path and never be afraid to advocate for yourself."
The event also featured remarks from Athena Totsidis of Intuitive, PwC Partner Courtney Blum, and Quon and her fellow Student Board member Olivia Herning.
About The Tech Interactive
The Tech Interactive is a family-friendly science and technology center in the heart of downtown San Jose. Our hands-on activities, experimental labs and design challenge experiences empower people to innovate with creativity, curiosity and compassion. The Tech is a world leader in the creation of immersive STEAM education resources to develop the next generation of problem-solvers locally, nationally and globally. We believe that everyone is born an innovator who can change the world for the better.
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SOURCE The Tech Interactive | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/05/14/tech-brings-leaders-together-build-opportunities-womens-stem-success/ | 2022-05-14T05:33:20Z |
The quest continues: McIlroy still chasing career Grand Slam
By PAUL NEWBERRY
AP Sports Writer
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — There are times when Rory McIlroy sounds like an old man. He reminisces about his first Masters — just 13 years ago — like it was ancient history. He concedes that golf is no longer the be-all and end-all in his life. His voice rises with excitement as he talks of playing in the par-3 contest with his young daughter in tow. One thing that no longer seems at the forefront of his mind? A career Grand Slam. A Masters title is the only thing missing from McIlroy’s resume, but it’s been nearly eight long years since he won a major title. | https://localnews8.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/04/05/the-quest-continues-mcilroy-still-chasing-career-grand-slam/ | 2022-04-05T19:02:15Z |
Super-Premium Fast Food Concept Expands Southern California Presence With New Hermosa Beach Location
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Starbird, one of the nation's first super-premium fast food concepts, today announced that its newest restaurant in Hermosa Beach will open on Monday, October 3. This grand opening marks the brand's thirteenth location in California and third in the greater Los Angeles area. The Bay Area-born concept expanded into Los Angeles earlier this year with two pop-up kitchens, making the Hermosa Beach restaurant its first Southern California streetside location. Located at 429 Pacific Coast Highway, guests will be able to dine in at the restaurant or order digitally via the Starbird mobile app, Starbird website, and third-party delivery partners. To commemorate the new restaurant, Starbird will be offering free tenders to the first 1,000 guests on a specified day that will be announced soon. Guests also have the chance to receive a complimentary meal at the new location by signing up at starbirdchicken.com/hermosa. All users on this list will receive a VIP code for $15 off and be the first to hear about the 1,000 tenders giveaway.
Known for its hand-crafted, feel-good crispy chicken, bold flavors, and chef-driven innovation, Starbird offers an unrivaled customer experience coupled with an optimized menu and tech-enabled solutions to meet consumers' increasing needs for convenience and accessibility. The brand's chicken is always raised with no antibiotics, individually hand-breaded in a secret blend of gluten-free flours and spices, and served with any one of Starbird's nine tasty, homemade sauces. Starbird's new Hermosa Beach restaurant will serve fan favorites including crispy tenders, hand-chopped salads, sandwiches served on house-baked rolls, and more. Guests will also be able to try Starbird's crispy made-to-order wings that will be available starting in September for a limited time only. Starbird also offers a suite of virtual brands under the Starbird name, including Starbird Wings, Starbird Salads, Starbird Bowls, and Gardenbird, the brand's vegetarian plant-based concept.
"We're thrilled to be expanding Starbird's presence in Los Angeles with our latest Hermosa Beach opening," said Aaron Noveshen, founder and CEO of Starbird. "It's an honor for us to serve the Hermosa Beach community with our first ever Southern California streetside location. We're confident Starbird's tech-enabled convenience and unique menu options will be a huge hit in Hermosa Beach, and we look forward to entering multiple markets throughout the region to give locals Starbird's one-of-a-kind premium fast food and unmatched customer service experience."
The brand is slated to open multiple streetside restaurants in 2023 including
,
, and additional South Bay locations. As part of its growth strategy, the brand recently announced its plans to launch a national franchise program in states across the U.S. including
,
,
,
,
,
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and Florida.
Starbird Hermosa Beach will offer dine-in, carry-out via pick-up, and contactless delivery through its website, mobile app, and various third-party delivery partners. The new location will be open Monday – Saturday from 10:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. and Sunday 10:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. For more information, visit www.starbirdchicken.com. Follow Starbird on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram for the latest news and trends.
About Starbird:
Starbird is fundamentally changing the future of fast food by delivering feel-good crispy chicken and a positive, tech-driven customer experience. Founded in 2016 by restaurant innovators at The Culinary Edge (TCE), the restaurant consultancy recognized that chicken consumption was on the rise and set out to reimagine fast food to meet the needs of a new America and their tastebuds. Built upon pillars of culinary innovation, a frictionless service model, and operational excellence, Starbird has successfully established a forward-thinking concept, leading the super-premium fast food marketplace and national brand recognition within the $34 Billion US chicken marketplace. See www.starbirdchicken.com for more information.
Contact:
Andrea Mazzola
Fish Consulting
954-893-9150
amazzola@fish-consulting.com
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SOURCE Starbird Chicken | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/14/starbird-debuts-first-streetside-restaurant-southern-california/ | 2022-09-14T16:08:51Z |
Trump-backed Boebert tries to fend off moderate challenge
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Voters are heading to the polls for the Colorado primary Tuesday. With races all around the state, one with potentially widespread implications is taking place in Colorado’s Third Congressional District.
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), endorsed by former President Donald Trump, is trying to hold onto her seat. But keeping her office in Congress is not happening without a challenge.
Her primary opponent, Republican State Senator Don Coram, touts himself as a legislator, not an instigator.
“He’s respected pretty broadly within the Republican Party and even by many Democrats who’ve worked with him over the years. And he’s generally considered a pretty serious legislator and a serious politician,” said Seth Masket, a professor at the University of Denver.
Masket thinks it will be challenge to defeat Boebert. According to the Federal Election Commission, Boebert raised over $5 million, while Coram raised just over $200,000. Political organizations are asking Democrats to switch their party affiliation for this primary to help Coram defeat Boebert.
“It’s probably not enough to actually make a difference,” said Masket.
But Masket says Donald Trump is dividing Republicans in Colorado, specifically when it comes to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and rejection of the 2020 election results.
“It’s definitely a livewire. We’ll see how much that ends up mattering in the primary,” said Masket.
So far, Trump-endorsed candidates are seeing mixed results, but a majority have won their primaries.
“(Boebert’s district) is its own district, and the voters really do like President Trump quite a bit,” said Kristi Burton Brown, chairwoman of the Colorado Republican Party.
Brown says it is normal for sitting members to face primary challengers, but does think former President Trump’s endorsement will help Boebert. She says the party stays neutral in primaries but argues Boebert is a force.
“It’s clear she has a record of speaking and delivering for her district,” said Boebert.
Following this primary, candidates from both parties turn their attention to November 8, the date of the midterm elections.
Copyright 2022 Gray DC. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/06/28/trump-backed-boebert-tries-fend-off-moderate-challenge/ | 2022-06-28T01:11:52Z |
The top 5 novelty brand is the first to launch Mochi with Greek Yogurt
BOULDER, Colo., April 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Yasso, the beloved frozen greek yogurt brand and #5 novelty brand is launching the first-ever frozen Greek yogurt Mochi, furthering its position as a leader in frozen snacking and continuing to deliver new innovation that meets consumers' demands on both taste and nutrition.
Yasso's latest innovation is made with deliciously creamy frozen Greek yogurt wrapped in fluffy, sweet rice dough. Available in four flavors, chocolate, mango, vanilla, and strawberry, each individual Mochi is just 80 calories. Staying true to Yasso's standards, the product has no artificial ingredients, is gluten free, and packs big flavor.
"The launch of Yasso Mochi furthers our position as a leader in frozen snacking as we continue to innovate outstanding new products that marry superior taste and quality nutrition," said Craig Shiesley, Chief Executive Officer of Yasso. "This new platform allows consumers to reach for Yasso during new occasions and delivers on our brand promise of permissible indulgence, now in a new snackable format."
Throughout the brand's 10-year tenure, Yasso's prioritization of consumer satisfaction and innovation has proven successful as it continues to climb in brand rank and outpace other novelty brands' growth.
Yasso Mochi (SRP $5.49 per 6-pack) is available at select retailers nationwide and for online delivery on yasso.com. To find a store near you, or learn more information please visit Yasso.com and follow the brand @yasso.
About Yasso
Kindergarten friends turned entrepreneurs, founders Drew Harrington and Amanda Klane set out on a mission to create desserts that deliver on everyday indulgence with great taste, quality ingredients and superb nutritionals. Since hitting store shelves in 2011 as the first to market frozen Greek yogurt, Yasso quickly became one of the fastest-growing dessert brands in the world, disrupting the brand ranks of deeply entrenched competitors and attracting a loyal following of brand enthusiasts. Yasso currently offers 11 flavors of novelty stick bars, four flavors of dipped chocolate bars, three frozen Greek yogurt sandwiches, three flavors of bite-size Yasso Poppables and four Yasso Mochi, all of which can be found at grocery and club stores nationwide. In 2021, Yasso Inc was named one of the Best Places to Work by Inc. and Denver Business Journal in addition to garnering a spot on Inc.'s 2021 list of the 5000 Fastest Growing Companies in America. Yasso is also an active, positive contributor to the community via its Game On! Foundation which inspires health and wellness for people of all ages. To find your local retailers and to learn more about Yasso, please visit www.yasso.com and follow @yasso.
Contact:
Nicole Albert
yasso@azionepr.com
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SOURCE Yasso Frozen Greek Yogurt | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/04/11/yasso-continues-pioneer-snacking-category-with-launch-frozen-greek-yogurt-mochi/ | 2022-04-11T12:32:35Z |
PITTSBURGH, July 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Schneider Downs, one of the 60 largest certified public accounting and business advisory firms in the United States, is proud to announce the addition of five new shareholders, as well as one new partner, to its affiliate, Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP.
"We are thrilled to add these new members to our leadership team. At Schneider Downs, we are committed to the professional development of our people, so it is especially rewarding when we can draw from existing talent to expand our ownership group," says Christopher S. McElroy, Co-CEO of Schneider Downs. "We have watched these talented individuals grow throughout their years with us, and we are confident that each of them will advance the future of our firm and community in their new roles. What is particularly exciting is that these leaders join 7 new shareholders and partners from last year–as well as the recent additions of 3 lateral shareholder hires–to bring our new leader total to 15 in just the past two years. Growth creates opportunities."
The new promotions reach across several areas of the firm's service offerings, including the firm's tax, audit and consulting practices, as well as the growing wealth management practice.
Included among those promoted to Shareholder at Schneider Downs are:
David J. Mitros joined the firm in 2019. He has 14 years of experience working with national and regional firms, providing tax services to a variety of manufacturing, construction and real estate clients. David has a focus on privately held organizations, working with management, owners and other stakeholders to identify and achieve tax related objectives. With Schneider Downs, he has frequently been a valuable resource, assisting the firm's clients in significant M&A activity by leading transaction structuring negotiations. He is a graduate of Miami University and a member of both the American Institutes of Certified Public Accountants and the Ohio Society of Public Accountants.
Patricia R. Giudici joined the firm in 2016, following 12 years working for a regional and national firm. She has experience serving a diverse group of privately owned companies within the technology, distribution and logistics, manufacturing, real-estate and employee benefit plan industries, including significant experience working with start-up, private equity and venture capital backed companies. She is a graduate of Clarion University and is a member of the American and Pennsylvania Institutes of Certified Public Accountants. Patricia leads the firm's Employee Benefit Plan Group. She is also a board member of Bethlehem Haven, an advisory council member for Standing Firm, a member of the planning committee for the St. Jude Gala, and a member of the Women's Executive Board for the Pittsburgh Chapter of ACG.
Carley R. Taslov began her career at Schneider Downs in 2009 after graduation from Washington & Jefferson College. She specializes in helping clients identify, assess and manage risks through internal audit and risk management services. She delivers additional value to organizations in a variety of ways, including business process optimization and digital transformation. Carley's expertise spans multiple industries and her contributions to the firm have come from within the Risk Advisory Services and External Audit departments.
She is a member of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accounts (PICPA) and the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), as well as a board member for Lending Hearts, a Pittsburgh-based not-for-profit.
Eric M. Fair joined Schneider Downs in 2011 and has 11 years of experience leading teams and clients collaboratively through IT governance, risk & compliance initiatives, including but not limited to IT internal audit co-sourcing and outsourcing, SSAE 18, business continuity, disaster recovery, data privacy and cybersecurity consulting. Eric holds an M.S. in Internet Information Systems from Robert Morris University, a B.S. in Information Systems Management from Robert Morris University and an M.S. in Accounting from Liberty University. He currently serves on a local advisory board and as a co-chair to a local chapter dedicated to the industry. He has previously served on a local non-profit board and continues to participate in the mentorship program for his alma mater. Eric is one of only 95 active Certified Business Continuity Lead Auditors (CBCLA) globally and is also a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA).
Derek J. Eichelberger has been with Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) since 2015 and serves as the practice's Managing Partner. He advises high net-worth individuals, foundations, endowments and retirement plans. He is a graduate of Penn State University and received a Master of Business Administration from the University of Pittsburgh.
Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP (SDWMA) also announced the promotion of a team member to the role of partner:
Michael J. Bucci has been with Schneider Downs for 12 years and currently leads the Investment Advisory practice for the SD Retirement Solutions division of Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors. He is a graduate of East Carolina University and a Certified Investment Management Analyst®
Schneider Downs is a top 60 independent Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing accounting, tax, audit and business consulting services to public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations and global companies. The firm offers Risk Advisory; Technology Consulting; Software Solutions; Personal Financial Services; Retirement Plan Solutions and Corporate Finance Services. Schneider Downs serves individuals and companies in Pennsylvania (PA), Ohio (OH), West Virginia (WV), New York (NY), Maryland (MD), and additional states in the United States with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH and Washington D.C.
Schneider Downs Wealth Management, LP ("SD Wealth Management" or "SDWMA") is an SEC Registered Investment Advisor specializing in the Investment Management and Financial Planning Services for Individual Investors; Investment Management and Investment Committee Services for Institutions and Non-Profits; and Corporate Solutions and ERISA Fiduciary Services. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training.
Contact: Alicia Furlan
afurlan@schneiderdowns.com
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SOURCE Schneider Downs | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/06/schneider-downs-announces-six-new-members-ownership-group/ | 2022-07-06T18:13:40Z |
Deputy rescues fox caught in high school’s soccer net
PARKER, Colo. (Gray News) – A school resource officer in Colorado is being credited with rescuing a fox that was tangled in a soccer net.
According to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Koski was called to the soccer field at Ponderosa High School early Thursday morning regarding the fox.
While the sheriff’s office said it’s best to leave wildlife alone in most cases, this was an extreme circumstance. Deputies said it was clear the fox was in distress and could not free itself.
With a bit of work, Koski was able to safely free the fox, which took off running.
“It ended in a win-win for all!” the sheriff’s office wrote in a Facebook post.
Ponderosa High School is located in the city of Parker, about 30 miles south of Denver.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/09/08/deputy-rescues-fox-caught-high-schools-soccer-net/ | 2022-09-08T21:41:30Z |
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) — Former President Donald Trump’s late endorsements in hypercompetitive Republican Senate primaries in Ohio and Pennsylvania have unlocked a flood of support for his chosen candidates, including millions in cash.
But the endorsements have also provoked backlash from some Republicans who believe Trump has betrayed his core supporters by backing “Hillbilly Elegy” author JD Vance in Ohio and TV’s Dr. Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania. Both candidates have been criticized for time spent outside their states and being insufficiently committed to the former president and his “America First” agenda.
The blowback has included calls by a major conservative group aligned with a Vance rival to boycott the rally Trump is holding Saturday night to try to boost his candidate. The state’s tea party movement, which overwhelmingly supports Trump, is also planning a protest outside.
“For him to endorse JD Vance really seemed like President Trump was out of touch with what’s going on in Ohio and what his supporters here want,” said Tom Zawistowski, a leader of the group.
It’s unclear whether Trump’s support will pull Vance and Oz across the finish line in races that will serve as key early tests of the former president’s clout in this year’s midterm elections. But the endorsements pose a risk to Trump, who has staked his status as a GOP kingmaker on his ability to mobilize his supporters as he eyes another White House run in 2024.
In Ohio, Trump’s endorsement has been a major boon to Vance, who had been trailing in the polls before Trump’s intervention. While allies concede Trump’s announcement at 5 p.m. on Good Friday, less than three weeks before the May 3 primary election, may not have been the most desirable timing, the campaign nonetheless reports a 300% increase in online donations — a majority from new donors — including $20,000 raised online and $30,000 by bundlers that Friday alone.
Protect Ohio Values, the super PAC supporting Vance, says it has brought in $5 million since Trump’s endorsement. That includes a $3.5 million check from venture capitalist Peter Thiel, who had previously given $10 million, Politico first reported.
Both groups are using that money to air new ads trumpeting Trump’s endorsement that they expect to run exclusively through the rest of the campaign.
“We want to make sure 100% of people know about it. And we’re going to go all out on that,” said Luke Thompson, who runs the super PAC, which has found that Vance’s support rises when voters are made aware that he is Trump’s pick.
Ohio strategists and rival campaigns had long conceded an endorsement from Trump, who remains deeply popular with Republican voters despite his 2020 election defeat and his role in inciting the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, was likely to push any candidate to the front of the pack. Vance aides see the endorsement as particularly useful for their candidate given that the chief line of attack lodged against him has been his past criticism of Trump.
But the endorsement has also sparked deep resentment from those backing Vance’s rivals, who launched a furious, last-ditch effort last week to try to change Trump’s mind. Trump has called on his supporters to rally around Vance, but Vance’s chief rivals, including the Trump-aligned Club for Growth, which supports former state treasurer Josh Mandel, have so far refused to stand down. They have instead continued to run anti-Vance ads, drawing anger, in particular, from Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., who has been campaigning for Vance and is set to return to the state Monday for a full day of events.
Joe Kildea, a Club for Growth spokesperson, said the group will increase its spending in the coming days to air even more anti-Vance ads.
Ohio Value Voters, a conservative group that has also endorsed Mandel, has called for a boycott of Trump’s Saturday rally. The group, in statement, said that Trump had made a “terrible decision” and that those who decide to attend should let Trump know Vance is “wrong for Ohio” by booing when he takes the stage.
Zawistowski, the tea party leader, warned the endorsement could wind up splitting Trump’s base of support in the state primary three ways among Vance, Mandel and Cleveland banker Mike Gibbons. He said that could open up a path to victory for former state GOP chair Jane Timken or even moderate state Sen. Matt Dolan, the one candidate in the race who has not promised to support Trump and his positions if elected.
So far, some voters are siding with Trump.
Linda Davidson, a retired financial consultant from Kirtland, said Trump’s endorsement “very much” crystallized her vote for Vance.
“I was actually waiting. I couldn’t decide,” she said after an event in the Cleveland suburb of Independence on Wednesday. “I was kind of confused on who to vote for.”
But at a Mandel event near Cleveland on Thursday, Jeanine Hammack, the campaign chair for the Strongsville Republican Party, said Trump’s endorsement will “not at all” influence her vote.
“We love Trump. Always will,” she said, adding that she’s sure the former president “has his reasons” for picking Vance, but that she knows Mandel better.
In Pennsylvania, Oz is seeing a similar bump since Trump’s surprise April 9 endorsementin his close race against former hedge fund CEO David McCormick. The week following Trump’s endorsement was the best digital fundraising week for Oz since his campaign launched late last year, with the campaign bringing in nearly three times as much money as it had the week before, said campaign manager Casey Contres.
Some supporters concede that Oz could still lose the May 17 primary with Trump’s backing, but argue he likely wouldn’t have been able to win without it. His team has shifted its ad strategy for television and digital pitches to focus on the former president’s announcement.
“It is a game changer,” said John Fredericks, a talk radio host who had urged Trump to back the celebrity doctor.
“Trump’s endorsement has given people a chance to stop and think and go, ‘Wait a minute. I’ve seen this guy on TV helping people for 30 years. Trump sees it, too. And now I’m going to take a second look,'” Fredericks said.
Oz acknowledged the impact during a virtual town hall Trump held Friday night to rally support for his candidate.
“Mr. President, there are a lot of voters who are passionate about you who have said that they’re coming out to see me because of your endorsement,” Oz said, before asking Trump if he would “mind easing people’s fears” by vouching for Oz’s conservative credentials.
Trump assured listeners that the doctor was the only candidate who has his support and the only one he believes can win the general election.
It was an acknowledgement of the fact that Trump’s endorsement of a man who has little history with the Republican Party — not to mention Pennsylvania, after living in New Jersey for the past two decades — has roiled party activists who aren’t sold on Oz and believe that he is insufficiently conservative on issues like guns and abortion.
While some county party officials said the endorsement had no further divided Republicans than they had been already, given the seven-candidate primary field, some county party officials reported a tide of angry calls.
“The conservative Trumpers are very upset over his endorsement, and they cannot understand it,” said Arnold McClure, the Republican Party chair in rural Huntingdon County, where Trump won 75% of the vote in 2020. “The Trump era is over in Pennsylvania because of his endorsement of Dr. Oz.”
___
Colvin reported from New York and Levy from Harrisburg, Pa. AP video journalist Patrick Orsagos in Ohio contributed to this report. | https://cw33.com/news/politics/ap-politics/trumps-oz-vance-endorsements-bring-cash-windfall-backlash/ | 2022-04-23T12:13:16Z |
RICHMOND, Va., Aug. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Markel Corporation (NYSE: MKL) announced today that Chris Belvedere has joined as Senior Director, Retail Business Development. He will oversee national business development focusing on retail, particularly with Markel's strategic and national partners.
"Chris's experience and long-standing relationships in the retail space make him the ideal person for this important role," said Glenn Harris, Managing Executive, Distribution Strategies and Business Development. "Chris will work closely with our regional underwriting and business development teams and our product line leaders to continue to provide solutions to insureds through our key retail partners. We couldn't be more excited to have Chris on our team."
Chris has over 15 years of industry experience, including leadership underwriting experience, overseeing regional branches in various cities, managing retail relationships, product management, and developing and executing strategies to achieve financial plans for product lines.
Belvedere will report to Harris and is based out of New York.
About Markel
Markel Corporation is a diverse financial holding company serving a variety of niche markets. The Company's principal business markets and underwrites specialty insurance products. In each of the Company's businesses, it seeks to provide quality products and excellent customer service so that it can be a market leader. The financial goals of the Company are to earn consistent underwriting and operating profits and superior investment returns to build shareholder value. Markel® is a registered trademark of the Markel Corporation. Visit Markel on the web at markel.com.
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SOURCE Markel Corporation | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/22/markel-hires-chris-belvedere-senior-director-retail-business-development/ | 2022-08-22T20:57:45Z |
Archdiocese of Seattle settles 2 sex abuse claims for $375K
SEATTLE (AP) — The Archdiocese of Seattle said Thursday it will pay $375,000 to settle two separate claims of sexual abuse in the 1970s and 1980s.
The Roman Catholic archdiocese said in a news release that it settled a case involving allegations of childhood sexual abuse in the early to mid-1970s by David Pearson, a volunteer at St. Joseph Parish in Issaquah. Pearson has died.
The archdiocese also said it settled a case involving an allegation of sexual abuse by Father Paul Conn in about 1987 when he served at Queen of Angels Parish in Port Angeles.
Conn served as a parochial vicar at Queen of Angels from 1985 until 1988, the news release said. In 1988, the archdiocese said it learned of sexual abuse allegations and passed the report to police.
Conn later pleaded guilty to six counts of indecent liberties, and served time in prison. From the time of his arrest, he was not allowed to serve as a priest, the archdiocese said.
Conn was identified on the archdiocese’s list of about 80 clergy who have been credibly accused of sexually abusing minors when the list was first published in 2016. | https://localnews8.com/news/ap-idaho/2022/04/28/archdiocese-of-seattle-settles-2-sex-abuse-claims-for-375k/ | 2022-04-28T22:14:52Z |
SKOKIE, Ill., May 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- International adventure driver Rainer Zietlow and a Volkswagen ID.4 GTX crossover equipped with Tenneco's Monroe Intelligent Suspension® CVSAe technology recently completed a world record-setting climb of the South American stratovolcano Cerro Uturuncu. Zietlow on May 18 piloted the all-wheel-drive ID.4 up an unpaved mine road to reach an elevation of 5,816 meters (19,081 feet), establishing the Guinness World Records title for the highest altitude achieved in an all-electric passenger vehicle. Uturuncu is a dormant volcano located in the Sur Lípez province of Bolivia.
Zietlow's ID.4 GTX is virtually identical to ID.4 models available through Volkswagen dealers. The car's CVSAe semi-active suspension, commercially available both on ID.4 crossovers and ID.3 sedans, continuously adapts to changing road conditions based on data provided by multiple onboard ride control sensors. Drivers can choose their preferred driving mode, from comfort-intensive to sporty, through an in-cabin controller.
"Our aim was to demonstrate that electromobility can perform well even at extreme altitudes," said Zietlow, who now holds five Guinness World Records titles.
The driver and his three-person support team used the Enel X Way wall box network to recharge the vehicle during its route from Argentina to the base camp in Bolivia. The team scouted multiple South American mountains to locate a trail that would enable them to break the previous record of 5,771 meters (18,933 feet) without relying on a winch and other auxiliary equipment.
Monroe Intelligent Suspension-equipped ID.4 models have earned multiple honors, including being named the 2021 World Car of the Year. Zietlow recently completed a 97-day, 35,770-mile (57,554-kilometer) trek across the U.S., setting the Guinness World Records title for longest journey by an electric vehicle in a single country.
"CVSAe technology elevates the driving experience, whether in a city environment or on more adventurous terrain – and it doesn't get more adventurous than climbing a volcano," said Henrik Johansson, vice president and general manager, Advanced Suspension Technologies. "We congratulate Rainer and our friends at Volkswagen AG, and share in their great pride in the many impressive achievements of the ID.4."
Visit: www.vwid4-highaltitude.com and www.monroeintelligentsuspension.com to learn more.
About Tenneco
Tenneco is one of the world's leading designers, manufacturers and marketers of automotive products for original equipment and aftermarket customers, with full year 2021 revenues of $18 billion and approximately 71,000 team members working at more than 260 sites worldwide. Through our four business groups, Motorparts, Performance Solutions, Clean Air and Powertrain, Tenneco is driving advancements in global mobility by delivering technology solutions for diversified global markets, including light vehicle, commercial truck, off-highway, industrial, motorsport and the aftermarket.
Visit www.tenneco.com to learn more.
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SOURCE Tenneco Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/26/volkswagen-id4-equipped-with-intelligent-suspension-tenneco-completes-record-setting-climb-south-american-volcano/ | 2022-05-26T10:25:34Z |
SOLNA, Sweden, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The bonds entail an extension of the existing sustainability-linked bond program, which matures on November 30, 2026. The interest rate on the bonds now issued is variable and is based on 3-month Stibor plus 1.48 percentage points. The proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes and to refinance loans.
Similar to the previously issued sustainability-linked bonds, the new bonds will be listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm Sustainable Bond List.
The sustainability-linked bonds are issued under Loomis' MTN program and under Loomis' Sustainability-Linked Financial Framework, which was published on Loomis' website in November 2021.
Nordea and Danske Bank jointly acted as issuing institutions for the completed issue.
This press release is also available on the company's website, www.loomis.com.
CONTACT:
Anders Haker
Chief Investor Relations Officer
Mobile: +1 281 795 8580
E-mail: anders.haker@loomis.com
This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com
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SOURCE Loomis AB | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/loomis-ab-issues-sek-300-million-sustainability-linked-bonds/ | 2022-04-12T08:14:28Z |
Which espresso powder is best?
Whether you want a quick and easy way to brew espresso or add a coffee kick to baked goods, espresso powder is what you need. Thanks to its bold, punchy flavor and quick dissolving, it beats instant coffee for baking with or adding to smoothies or shakes.
You won’t need much to add to recipes, but you can get through a lot when drinking it by the cup. Civilized Coffee Espresso Coffee Powder is a great choice, made from quality Colombian coffee beans.
What to know before you buy espresso powder
Espresso powder vs. ground coffee
It’s easy to assume that espresso powder is the same as the finely ground coffee you use to brew espresso, but there’s a significant difference.
- Ground coffee is just what it sounds like: ground-up coffee beans. Whether you grind it yourself or buy it pre-ground from the store, it’s all the same. You brew it using any method before it becomes the type of coffee you’d drink or add to a recipe.
- Espresso powder is coffee that’s already been brewed into espresso before being dried and ground into a powder. When you mix it with hot water, it rehydrates to make espresso. Alternatively, you can add it straight to any recipe that uses some wet ingredients, where it will dissolve without adding extra moisture.
Package size
You can buy espresso powder in small 1- to 2-ounce canisters that are about the right size to fit in a spice rack. This package size is great for people who only use a teaspoon of espresso powder occasionally in baking recipes, smoothies or shakes. At the other end of the spectrum, you’ll find larger 5 to 8-ounce packages. These are good for people who use espresso powder to make their daily coffee or two do a lot of baking.
Single-origin
Single-origin espresso powder uses beans that all come from the same region. While it doesn’t necessarily equal a better-tasting coffee, it’s a sign that the producer thought carefully about which beans to use rather than simply buying whichever beans they could get their hands on. As such, a single-origin designation can signal a quality product.
What to look for in a quality espresso powder
Organic
It might not matter to all buyers, but some people only buy organic products or prefer to buy them when available. Look for the USDA organic certification.
Resealable
A resealable container helps keep instant espresso fresh for longer. However, if you use it infrequently, it’s best to transfer it to a completely airtight container. Otherwise, it can absorb moisture and harden.
Finely ground
You should grind the espresso powder finely to help it dissolve more easily. This means you can add it to a cake batter or other thick mixture, and it will dissolve without being mixed with water first.
How much you can expect to spend on espresso powder
Most espresso powder costs $5-$10, but some offer better value than others, so compare the price per ounce as well as the overall cost.
Espresso powder FAQ
Is instant coffee the same as espresso powder?
A. Instant coffee is similar to espresso powder but not the same. While standard instant coffee is brewed coffee that’s been dried to remove all the liquid, espresso powder is brewed espresso that’s been dried. The difference is the intensity and flavor of the coffee once rehydrated or added to a recipe. When you’re looking for an intense coffee flavor, espresso powder packs more of a punch, making it a great choice for espresso martinis, coffee frosting and anything else where a coffee flavor is the star of the show.
What’s a good substitute for espresso powder in baking?
A. If you can’t get espresso powder easily or you need it now and don’t have any to hand, instant coffee is the most similar substitution. However, you should use slightly more and will need to dissolve it in a tablespoon or two of hot water, which isn’t the case with espresso powder as it’s fine enough to dissolve in cold liquids or cake batters.
Alternatively, you can use brewed espresso or strong brewed coffee in some recipes, though you’ll need to make adjustments for the additional liquid you’re adding.
What’s the best espresso powder to buy?
Top espresso powder
Civilized Coffee Espresso Coffee Powder
What you need to know: Made from 100% Colombian beans, this great-tasting espresso powder is perfect for all kinds of uses.
What you’ll love: It comes in an easily resealable container with a sifting lid for easy dusting. America’s Test Kitchen voted it the number one espresso powder. It dissolves easily in all kinds of recipes.
What you should consider: It doesn’t contain anti-caking ingredients so it can absorb moisture and turn hard if you take too long to use it.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top espresso powder for the money
Anthony’s Organic Espresso Baking Powder
What you need to know: This 5-ounce bag brings down the cost for those who regularly use powdered espresso.
What you’ll love: Not only is it non-GMO, it’s also USDA-certified organic. The bag is resealable, or you can transfer it to an airtight container. It’s finely ground, so it dissolves easily.
What you should consider: Some buyers received short-dated powder, but this doesn’t seem to be a common issue.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: Whether you use it in baking or to make strong coffee, it has a rich, complex flavor.
What you’ll love: It comes in a 3-ounce jar, which isn’t so small you’ll use it quickly or so large you won’t get through it before it expires. The lid screws on tightly, keeping it fresh. It’s kosher certified and non-GMO verified.
What you should consider: It can clump, so it’s a good idea to sift it into recipes.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/kitchen-br/coffee-accessories-br/best-espresso-powder/ | 2022-04-05T18:54:51Z |
Parents reflect on their son who died in a car wreck last Sunday
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) -A family is mourning a loss of their 23-year-old son, Sir Alvis Jai O’Neal IV.
He was driving home from visiting a friend last Sunday around 3:00 a.m.
On his way home, his parents say his GPS took him on a route that he was not familiar with.
“The road that it took him on is not the normal Shawnee Heights Road that we are used to his maps took him on a different location because he dropped off a friend at the house,” his mother, Eutocia Lyons-Patterson said.
His parents believe the road he took may have cost him his life, O’Neal was driving northbound on south Shawnee Heights Road when he took a curve and ran off the road, stopping in a field.
“This is one of the roads where there’s nothing out there no lights, there’s a sign but thats right as you get into the curve,” his father, Sir Alvis O’Neal III said.
They said their son wasn’t the first to drive off the curve, but is hopefully the last.
“When we were out there cleaning up, I cleaned up all of my son’s car like every piece of my son’s car as it was out there. I picked up all the parts and there were other parts of other cars out there, there was a red car, a blue car and other parts of other peoples cars out in that field so there has been multiple accidents,” she said.
His mom sat in the field where her son’s car was left, for hours just picturing the last spot her son was alive.
Now his parents reflect on what the world has lost--
“It goes down to his last action his friend said that while they were traveling in that car that day he had fell asleep and when he woke up Sir Alvis was holding him. He was trying to hold him back, you know, how you are holding a kid in the car and he was trying to hold him and protect them as they were in the car and it just goes to show that he was a selfless young man,” his dad said.
His parents do not want to see anyone else lose their lives on this road, they hope to speak to the county about adding lighting to the area to prevent further accidents.
Sir Alvis Jai O’Neal was expecting a daughter in June. The family has set up a Cash App ($sweettoica) fund to help provide her with a trust fund.
Copyright 2022 WIBW. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/04/29/parents-reflect-their-son-who-died-car-wreck-last-sunday/ | 2022-04-30T00:52:08Z |
(NerdWallet) – A vasectomy is a safe, minor surgical procedure and form of birth control that has a nearly 100% success rate. It’s estimated that 500,000 people get vasectomies in the U.S. each year, according to a 2018 article in the journal Urology.
On average, a vasectomy costs around $1,000, according to Planned Parenthood and Medicare. Of course, costs can vary based on several factors, like your insurance coverage and where the procedure is performed.
What is a vasectomy?
A vasectomy is a form of birth control for people who produce sperm. It’s a half-hour outpatient medical procedure in which a physician either ties or seals the tubes called the vas deferens that carry sperm from the testes. Local anesthesia is typically used, and most patients experience some minor pain or discomfort for a few days after the procedure. It’s an extremely effective form of birth control, with a success rate of nearly 100%.
Don’t rely on a vasectomy as a form of birth control for at least three months after the procedure, though. At that point, you can get a semen analysis at your doctor’s office or a local clinic to see if it still contains sperm.
And in case you’re wondering: Vasectomies don’t impact a person’s sex drive or their enjoyment of sex. It also doesn’t impact a person’s ability to ejaculate. The semen simply won’t contain any sperm.
How much does a vasectomy cost?
Most vasectomies cost around $1,000. However, that doesn’t include out-of-pocket insurance costs, like your copay and deductible. According to Policygenius, an insurance quote comparison site, some vasectomy procedures can cost more than $3,000.
Costs depend on a few factors, such as:
- Your insurance coverage.
- Your insurance provider.
- Where you get the vasectomy (hospital, clinic, doctor’s office, etc.).
- The type of vasectomy you get (there are several ways a physician can perform a vasectomy).
Does insurance cover vasectomies?
Most private insurers cover vasectomies. Some companies cover partial costs. While vasectomies are a form of birth control, they aren’t one of the 10 health benefits all insurers are required to cover, like birth control methods for people who can get pregnant.
Check with your health insurance provider to see whether the procedure is covered. And be aware that even if your provider covers vasectomies, you may still be responsible for out-of-pocket costs. If you have a health savings account or a flexible spending account, you should be able to use those funds to cover a vasectomy.
Also, before scheduling a vasectomy, check to see how much it costs to get the procedure done at a hospital versus a clinic or your doctor’s office.
Vasectomies aren’t covered under Medicare Part A or Medicare Part B, because Medicare classifies them as an elective procedure.
Are vasectomies reversible?
Vasectomies are reversible. Success rates are about 75% if done within three years of the original procedure and decline over time. Between 6% and 10% of people who get vasectomies wind up getting them reversed, according to Cleveland Clinic.
The procedure is more complex than the original vasectomy. Using surgical microscopes and stitches thinner than a strand of hair, a physician will essentially reconnect the tube that carries sperm out of the testes. The surgery usually takes a couple of hours, and most people can return to work in a day or two. Those who work strenuous jobs might need three to four days before they can return to work.
However, most insurance providers don’t cover vasectomy reversals. They can be expensive, ranging between $5,000 and $15,000, according to the American Urological Association. | https://cw33.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/how-much-does-a-vasectomy-cost/ | 2022-08-27T17:54:39Z |
SAN DIEGO, June 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Aethlon Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq: AEMD), a medical technology company focused on developing products to diagnose and treat life and organ threatening infectious diseases, today reported financial results for its fiscal year ended March 31, 2022 and provided an update on recent developments.
Company Updates
Aethlon Medical is continuing the research and clinical development of the Hemopurifier®, a therapeutic blood filtration system that can bind and remove life-threatening viruses and harmful exosomes from blood. This action has potential applications in cancer, where cancer associated exosomes may promote immune suppression and metastasis, and in life-threatening infectious diseases, including removal of COVID-19 virus, associated variants, and related exosomes.
As disclosed previously, the Aethlon Hemopurifier has demonstrated binding of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and, as reported in a peer reviewed publication, the binding and removal from circulation of SARS-CoV-2 virus from a human patient. That publication also noted that the Hemopurifier has demonstrated the removal of exosomes and exosomal microRNAs associated with coagulopathy and acute lung injury.
We also recently published a pre-print manuscript demonstrating that Aethlon's proprietary GNA affinity resin was able to bind seven clinically relevant SARS-CoV-2 variants in vitro, including the Delta and Omicron variants. Viral capture efficiency with the GNA affinity resin ranged from 53% to 89% for all variants tested. The GNA affinity resin is a key component of our Hemopurifier. The manuscript is titled "Removal of Clinically Relevant SARS-CoV-2 Variants by An Affinity Resin Containing Galanthus nivalis Agglutinin" and was published in bioRxiv.
We continued to advance our severe COVID-19 clinical trial for the Hemopurifier under our open Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) for life-threatening viral infections. In June 2022, the first patient in this study was enrolled and has completed the Hemopurifier treatment phase of the protocol. We now have nine fully activated hospitals that are actively screening patients for the trial, including Louisiana State University (LSU) Shreveport, Valley Baptist Medical Center in Texas, Loma Linda Medical Center, Hoag Irvine and Newport Beach in Southern California, University of California Davis, University of Miami Medical Center, Cooper Medical and Thomas Jefferson Medical Center. We are in the site activation process with additional U.S. medical centers. Our contract research organization (CRO) for this trial is Pharmaceutical Product Development, also known as PPD.
We also obtained ethics review board approval and entered into an agreement with Medanta Medicity Hospital, a multi-specialty hospital in Delhi NCR, India, to initiate a COVID-19 clinical trial. We have completed all site initiation activities and this site is now open for enrollment and is actively screening patients. One patient recently completed participation in the study.
In addition to our work with COVID-19, we continue to screen patients for our IDE clinical trial in head and neck cancer. We are working to increase the number of trial sites to accelerate patient recruitment and we are also considering initiating additional trials, both domestically and abroad, to investigate the Hemopurifier as a treatment for other forms of cancer.
Aethlon also recently announced the appointment of Angela Rossetti to the Aethlon Board of Directors, effective April 1, 2022. Ms. Rossetti is a senior biopharmaceutical executive who brings more than 20 years of industry experience.
Financial Results for the Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2022
At March 31, 2022, Aethlon Medical had a cash balance of approximately $17.1 million.
Aethlon recorded approximately $294,000 of revenue related to our government contracts with the NIH in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, compared to approximately $659,000 in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021. At March 31, 2022, the Company had approximately $345,000 of deferred revenue related to those contracts as a result of not achieving certain milestones in those contracts.
Consolidated operating expenses for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022 were approximately $10.72 million, compared to approximately $8.55 million for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021, an increase of approximately $2.17 million in fiscal year ended March 31, 2022. The $2.17 million increase in the 2022 period was due to increases in payroll and related expenses of approximately $1.17 million and in general and administrative expense of $1.0 million, which were partially offset by a decrease of approximately $4,000 in professional fees.
The $1.17 million increase in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022 in payroll and related expenses was due to an increase in cash-based compensation of approximately $1.2 million, which was partially offset by a decrease in stock-based compensation of approximately $29,000. The $1.2 million increase in cash-based compensation was primarily due to increases of approximately $826,000 and $721,000 in general and administrative payroll and in research and development payroll, respectively, due to headcount increases, and approximately $203,000 in relocation-related compensation to two senior executives that relocated to San Diego, California as a condition of their employment. Those increases were partially offset by the combination of a $452,000 accrual in the 2021 period related to the separation agreement with the former CEO, with no comparable expense in the 2022 period, and a net decrease of approximately $135,000 in cash bonuses.
The $1.0 million increase in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022 in general and administrative expenses primarily arose from increases of $453,000 in clinical trial expenses, $209,000 in rent expense and $195,000 in insurance expense
As a result of the changes in revenues and expenses noted above, Aethlon's net loss before noncontrolling interests increased to approximately $10.4 million for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, from approximately $7.9 million for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021.
The unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet for March 31, 2022 and the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2022 and 2021 follow at the end of this release.
Conference Call
The Company will hold a conference call today, Tuesday, June 28, 2022 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time to review financial results and recent corporate developments. Following management's formal remarks, there will be a question and answer session.
Interested parties can register for the conference by navigating to https://dpregister.com/sreg/10168104/f354b2edb0.
Please note that registered participants will receive their dial in number upon registration.
Interested parties without internet access or unable to pre-register may dial in by calling:
PARTICIPANT DIAL IN (TOLL FREE): 1-844-836-8741
PARTICIPANT INTERNATIONAL DIAL IN: 1-412-317-5442
All callers should ask for the Aethlon Medical, Inc. conference call.
A replay of the call will be available approximately one hour after the end of the call through July 28, 2022. The replay can be accessed via Aethlon Medical's website or by dialing 1-877-344-7529 (domestic) or 1-412-317-0088 (international) or Canada Toll Free at 1-855-669-9658. The replay conference ID number is 4234353.
About Aethlon and the Hemopurifier®
Aethlon Medical is a biotechnology company developing the Hemopurifier, a therapeutic blood filtration system indicated for infectious diseases and cancer. In human studies, the Hemopurifier has demonstrated the removal of life-threatening viruses and harmful exosomes from blood utilizing a proprietary lectin-based technology. This action has potential applications in cancer, where exosomes may promote immune suppression and metastasis, and in life-threatening infectious diseases.
The Hemopurifier is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designated Breakthrough Device indicated for the treatment of individuals with advanced or metastatic cancer who are either unresponsive to or intolerant of standard of care therapy, and with cancer types in which exosomes have been shown to participate in the development or severity of the disease. Under an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) application, the FDA approved a single site, open-label Early Feasibility Study (EFS) to evaluate the Hemopurifier for reducing cancer-associated exosomes prior to the administration of standard-of-care pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA®) in patients with recurrent and/or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. The EFS is being conducted at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Hillman Cancer Center.
The Hemopurifier also holds an FDA Breakthrough Device designation and an open IDE application related to the treatment of life-threatening viruses that are not addressed with approved therapies. A recent amendment to the IDE enabled Aethlon to implement a new EFS protocol to treat up to 40 COVID-19 patients at up to 20 clinical sites in the U.S. In two case studies of patients treated under Emergency Use (EU), the Hemopurifier demonstrated binding of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and removal of SARS-CoV-2 virus from the circulation of a human patient.
Additional information can be found at www.AethlonMedical.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that involve risks and uncertainties. Statements containing words such as "may," "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "project," "will," "projections," "estimate," "potentially" or similar expressions constitute forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties and actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon Aethlon's current expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Factors that may contribute to such differences include, without limitation, the Company's ability to enroll additional sites for its clinical trials, the Company's ability to enroll patients in and successfully complete its trials in COVID-19 patients and in its head and neck cancer trials, the Company's ability to successfully treat patients under any Emergency Use pathway, the Company's ability to successfully complete development of its Hemopurifier, the Company's ability to raise additional funds, the Company's ability to expand its clinical trials into other areas of cancer, and other potential risks. The foregoing list of risks and uncertainties is illustrative but is not exhaustive. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements can be found under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2021, and in the Company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Except as may be required by law, the Company does not intend, nor does it undertake any duty, to update this information to reflect future events or circumstances.
Company Contact:
Jim Frakes
Chief Financial Officer
Aethlon Medical, Inc.
Jfrakes@aethlonmedical.com
Media Contact:
Tony Russo, Ph.D.
Russo Partners, LLC
tony.russo@russopartnersllc.com
212-845-4251
Investor Contact:
Susan Noonan
S.A. Noonan Communications, LLC
susan@sanoonan.com
212-966-3650
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SOURCE Aethlon Medical, Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/28/aethlon-medical-announces-fiscal-year-end-financial-results-provides-corporate-update/ | 2022-06-28T20:35:02Z |
DALLAS (AP) — Spirit Airlines said late Thursday that it will talk to JetBlue Airways about its $3.6 billion bid to combine the two airlines, which appeared to leapfrog an earlier offer by Frontier Airlines.
Spirit said that after speaking with financial and legal advisers, its directors believe JetBlue’s offer could “reasonably” turn out to be the better of the two deals.
JetBlue said it looked forward to completing a deal, calling itself “the best partner for Spirit.”
Frontier did not comment immediately.
In a statement, Spirit said it is still bound by terms of a $2.9 billion deal that Spirit and Frontier announced in February, and its board has not changed a recommendation that shareholders approve the offer.
JetBlue’s bid for Spirit has received lukewarm reviews from Wall Street, with investors sending JetBlue shares down 18% since news of the offer broke on Tuesday. Some analysts have questioned whether JetBlue is underestimating the difficulty and cost of combining two very different airlines.
JetBlue operates with higher fares but offers travelers more amenities than Spirit. They have overlapping networks on the East Coast, which analysts believe could cause antitrust regulators to object to a tie-up.
Frontier and Spirit, on the other hand, are both budget airlines that charge rock-bottom fares but add fees for some things that are included in the ticket price at bigger airlines. Frontier, based in Denver, operates primarily in the West, while Spirit, based in Miramar, Florida, is stronger on the East Coast and the Caribbean.
Both JetBlue and Frontier say that acquiring Spirit would help them compete against the nation’s four biggest airlines — American, Delta, United and Southwest.
JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes said in a call with analysts on Wednesday that Spirit’s fleet of Airbus jets and its orders for 120 more planes in the next few years could help JetBlue grow faster than it could alone.
This is second time in less than six years that JetBlue has jumped into bidding to buy another airline. In 2016, Alaska Airlines emerged the winner in a battle for Virgin America. JetBlue is the nation’s sixth-biggest airline by revenue, just behind Alaska. | https://cw33.com/business/ap-business/spirit-airlines-will-talk-to-jetblue-about-takeover-bid/ | 2022-04-08T23:50:51Z |
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Colton Herta rolled his Indianapolis 500 car end-over-end during Friday’s final practice. The star driver for Andretti Autosport was uninjured in the most significant crash in the build up to the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
“I think I was going a little too fast for that corner,” Herta said.
The crash with 25 minutes remaining on “Carb Day” destroyed the Andretti Honda and he will need a backup for Sunday’s race. Herta had also blown an engine in qualifying and will start 25th in whatever car Andretti can get ready for race day.
“A little sad for that race car,” Herta said when asked how he felt after exiting the infield care center.
The 22-year-old Californian was speaking on his team radio as his car was still rolling. When it came to a stop, his father, Bryan, radioed for Herta to stay put and strapped in until emergency crews could free him from the car.
His father is his race strategist and immediately went to the Andretti garage to oversee preparations on the backup car. Herta does not have to drop to the back of the field.
“Thankful for a lot of things,” Herta said. “I guess the aeroscreen is part of that. More so the safety crew and I guess just the durability of the side pods on the side structure of the cars. That was a big hit from the side. Yeah, the safety crews were there very fast flipping me back over.”
Earlier in practice, David Malukas crashed following contact with Santino Ferrucci. Malukus, at 20 years old, is the youngest driver in the field; Ferrucci was penalized for avoidable contact.
“Probably one of the biggest hits I felt,” Malukas said. “I came out with just a small bruise.”
Herta scored his first win of the IndyCar season earlier this month with an entertaining drive through the rain on the road course inside Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Last year, Herta qualified second, started on the front row and led 13 laps before strategy backfired and he faded to a disappointing 16th-place finish.
Herta said Friday’s practice was about “getting the last little bits balanced right.”
That was, until the crash.
“I’m not too worried for the race,” Herta said. “I think the car will be fine.”
Tony Kanaan and Marcus Ericsson led practice for Chip Ganassi Racing. Scott Dixon, the pole sitter, was third-fastest and seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson was seventh as Ganassi had four of his cars in the top seven. Alex Palou, the reigning IndyCar champion, was 14th and slowest of the Ganassi group.
“We had a good car all month. We didn’t go out and, let’s be fastest on Carb Day,” said Kanaan, the 2013 Indy 500 champion. “It doesn’t count, doesn’t mean anything. It’s a consequence of a good car that we had all month. You look at teammates, they’re all there.”
Johnson has been everywhere this month, from the track to the late-night talk-show circuit as he preps for his first Indy 500. Johnson was at Indy last season as part of NBC Sports’ coverage.
“I want to experience it all,” Johnson said. “It’s been great.”
Josef Newgarden and Team Penske won the pit stop challenge. Penske won the event for the 18th time.
____
More AP Indy 500 coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/indianapolis-500 and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/herta-walks-away-from-crash-during-indianapolis-500-practice/ | 2022-05-27T22:32:22Z |
NEW YORK (AP) — A visitor center dedicated to telling the story of LGBTQ rights movement will open next door to the Stonewall Inn, according to an announcement Tuesday by the nonprofit that will manage the center in partnership with the National Park Service.
The groundbreaking for the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center in New York City’s Greenwich Village neighborhood will take place Friday, with the center expected to open in summer 2024, said Ann Marie Gothard, board president of Pride Live, an LGBTQ advocacy organization.
“The opening of the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center is a remarkable moment in the history of Stonewall,” Gothard said. “We honor all those who came before us, most especially the queer people fighting for equality at the Stonewall riots.”
The Stonewall National Monument became the first U.S. national monument dedicated to LGBTQ history when it was dedicated in 2016 across the street from the Stonewall Inn, where patrons fought back against a police raid on June 28, 1969, and helped spark the contemporary LGBTQ rights movement.
The Stonewall rebellion is commemorated every year with Pride marches in cities across the U.S. and the world.
This year’s Pride Month in New York kicked off June 1 with the dedication of a rainbow flag at the Stonewall monument, the first rainbow flag to fly daily on federal land. The ceremony followed a yearslong battle by activists to ensure that a rainbow flag would fly on federal land at the Stonewall monument.
The 7.7-acre monument includes the park known Christopher Park, across from the Stonewall, but does not include the Stonewall itself, which is still a bar. The visitor center will be housed in the storefront adjoining the Stonewall, which was part of the bar in 1969.
Gothard said that when the national monument was created in 2016 “it became clear that a visitor center was needed.”
The Stonewall visitor center will offer in-person and virtual tours, lectures and visual arts displays dedicated to the history of the LGBTQ rights movement, Gothard said.
Although it will be managed by Pride Live, the center will also serve as home base for National Park Service staff members.
“As President Biden declared in Title VII, ‘every person should be treated with respect and dignity and should be able to live without fear,’ and the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center will serve as a place where the LGBTQ community can safely gather to celebrate and commemorate its hard-fought history,” U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, whose department includes the park service, said in a statement.
Corporations including Google and JPMorgan Chase are providing funding for the center.
“It’s vital to create safe and inclusive spaces for the LGBTQ community, and we are proud to support the opening of the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center, a space that will memorialize the legacy of Stonewall,” said William Floyd, Google’s senior director of public policy. | https://cw33.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-headlines/stonewall-visitor-center-will-be-dedicated-to-lgbtq-history/ | 2022-06-21T17:47:55Z |
Era Hornets
Era Hornets Preview
ERA, Texas (KXII) - The Era Hornets are using last season as a building block heading into 2022.
The Hornets went 2-8 last season, leading them to an early first round playoff exit at the hands of the dominant Albany Lions. Which for some would seem like a disappointment, but for head coach Terry Felderhoff, last season will serve as a solid foundation for the Hornet program moving forward.
“You know we fought hard and everything but we got in the playoffs, we earned a playoff spot. So that’s a building block for this year and future years. You know we’re just trying to build off of that. We’re just building off of last year and things are heading in the right direction here and we’re really pleased right now, " said head coach Terry Felderhoff
Even the Hornet players have bought into the process and are ready for what is to come in 2022.
Fullback Seth Velasquez said, “Last year we had a lot more mistakes. This year we look a lot cleaner and a lot more focused.”
“For us, I feel like matching isn’t even a question. I think we need to go above and beyond from last year, I feel like we have the capability to so I don’t see why we shouldn’t,” said quarterback Jarren Twiner.
Copyright 2022 KXII. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/08/14/era-hornets/ | 2022-08-14T05:07:04Z |
Bringing a new perspective and energy to the brands
CULVER CITY, Calif. and MUSCATINE, Iowa, Sept. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Design Public Group, a division of HNI Corporation, is excited to announce the addition of Lauren Hession as its new President leading the strategic growth for Design Public Group contract division - DesignPublicGroup.com, DanishDesignStore.com and DesignPublic.com. Hession thrives on creating, developing, and leading diverse dynamic teams in a high-performance culture while inspiring an environment of innovation, collaboration, and trust. Utilizing her diverse and cross-functional experience in sales leadership, operations, finance, six-sigma process improvement and engineering, she will lead the charge in developing the infrastructure to increase brand awareness and overall productivity for each of the DPG brands.
"I'm thrilled and honored to be leading an innovative company bringing design to a wealth of environments including workplace, hospitality, home and more through a leading-edge technology platform that simplifies complex business processes", explains Lauren Hession, President of Design Public Group. "Matthew Lieb and Todd Thedinga have created an incredible business model and I'm eager to continue to build on the strength of the brand along with the support of the HNI Corp team."
In her previous role, Lauren Hession was the Divisional VP of Sales and Distribution for Knoll Inc. for the majority of North America including the East Coast, Mid-West and Texas. Through her leadership she was instrumental in year-over-year revenue growth to surpass annual sales objectives by establishing a results-driven sales organization while providing strategic oversight to sales coverage, distribution strategy and client relationship management.
"As a member of the HNI Corporation, we are looking forward to having Lauren Hession join the team", explains Jason Hagedorn, President of Allsteel. "Her extensive experience and knowledge of both the contract and consumer markets is impressive and we look forward to learning and growing with her as she embarks on this new role at Design Public Group."
"We're excited to pass the baton to Lauren Hession", explains Matthew Lieb, outgoing President of Design Public Group. "Her experience, market knowledge and leadership qualities make her the perfect person to lead Design Public Group in its next phase of growth as the company continues to expand into new markets and widen its offering to customers in both the contract and residential segments of the market. She will make an immediate positive impact and we look forward to assisting in her transition."
Lauren holds an MBA in finance and marketing from the Simon School of Business, University of Rochester, and a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering from Miami University. She is also a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Consultant.
Under the leadership of co-founders, Matthew Lieb and Todd Thedinga, DPG has experienced consistent market growth and brand expansion. For a seamless transition, Matthew and Todd will remain with the company through the end of 2022.
The Design Public Group platform connects designers, architects, and contract dealers to the highest quality ancillary products from the most coveted designers and brands, offering access to 400 vendors, more than 500,000 products, 2- & 3D images, dimensions, materials, finishes, and more – all in one place. The easy-to-use platform empowers you to search, sort, spec, share, and quote all while fitting seamlessly into existing workflows. Transparent availability, pricing and lead times give you confidence from the start and super-fast search, quotes and orders will save you valuable hours that can go back into design creativity or dealer business expansion. For more information about Danish Design Store, DesignPublic.com and Design Public Group Contract Division, please click on the links or contact Anne Kiss at kissa@hnicorp.com.
HNI Corporation (NYSE: HNI) is a manufacturer of workplace furnishings and residential building products, operating under two segments. The Workplace Furnishings segment is a leading global designer and provider of commercial furnishings, going to market under multiple unique brands. The Residential Building Products segment is the nation's leading manufacturer and marketer of hearth products, which include a full array of gas, electric, wood, and pellet-burning fireplaces, inserts, stoves, facings, and accessories. More information can be found on the Corporation's website at www.hnicorp.com.
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SOURCE Design Public Group, a division of HNI Corporation | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/07/design-public-group-announces-new-president-all-divisions/ | 2022-09-07T23:59:23Z |
One is a chest-beating, arm-waving, emotionally fuelled leader whose team’s high-energy style is in his own image.
The other is unruffled, unflappable, so nonchalant he almost appears uncaring, transmitting calm all around him with his seen-it-all-done-it-all approach.
In some ways, Jurgen Klopp and Carlo Ancelotti are polar opposites as soccer coaches. What unites them is an ability to use their own inimitable style to win the game’s biggest trophies.
It’s yet another reason why Saturday’s Champions League final between Klopp’s Liverpool and Ancelotti’s Real Madrid is so intriguing. Put simply, neither club would want to be led into club soccer’s biggest match by anyone else.
Klopp seemingly was made to be Liverpool’s manager. He’s the modern-day Bill Shankly, the club’s legendary coach and man of the people from the 1960s and early ’70s who set the Reds on the road to becoming a giant of Europe.
Liverpool loves Klopp and Klopp loves Liverpool, so much so he recently signed a new contract keeping him at Anfield until 2026, which would take him beyond a decade at the club. No manager has been at Liverpool that long since … Shankly.
Klopp is no “Normal One” — the tag he gave himself at his presentation as Liverpool manager in October 2015 in reference to Jose Mourinho’s self-styled “Special One” description. He won the Champions League in 2019, the English Premier League in 2020 to end Liverpool’s 30-year wait for the trophy that used to belong at Anfield, and has just spearheaded what might go down as the greatest season in its history.
League Cup winner, FA Cup winner, Premier League runner-up — by a point — after losing just two games, and potentially Champions League winner. No previous English team has ever got so close to the quadruple.
Klopp’s look has changed — he no longer wears glasses after eye surgery in the summer of 2021 and he had his teeth whitened in late 2017 — but his heart-on-the-sleeve passion and fierce determination remains from his early days in management. Fans of Mainz and Borussia Dortmund, the teams he coached in Germany, can vouch for that.
After every win, Klopp strolls on to the field, heads toward Liverpool’s supporters, and delivers a now-trademark barrage of fist pumps that’s met with guttural roars from the stands in response.
It’s something Ancelotti would never do.
Nothing quite sums up the 62-year-old Italian more than his reaction to a match-clinching goal scored in extra time when Everton, the team from the blue half of Merseyside which Ancelotti was managing last season, beat Tottenham 5-4 in the FA Cup in February 2021.
While Everton’s fans, players and coaching staff lost their minds inside a rocking Goodison Park, Ancelotti simply blew on his cup of tea and turned round to return to his seat in the dugout.
“Football is the most important of the less important things in the world,” Ancelotti once said, and he sure gives off the carefree aura of someone determined not to be weighed down by the pressure of high-end soccer management.
He is that elite — his previous clubs include Juventus, AC Milan, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, as well as a first stint at Madrid — that he could become the first manager to win the European Cup four times, after 2003, ’07 (both Milan) and ’14 (Madrid). He is on three with Bob Paisley (all with Liverpool) and Zinedine Zidane (all with Madrid).
Ancelotti has re-established his reputation as one of the world’s top coaches this season, becoming the first to win titles in Europe’s five major leagues while also guiding Madrid past a trio of heavyweights in PSG, Chelsea and then Manchester City in the Champions League knockout stages to reach the final.
All done, it seems, with a shrug and a whole lot of vibes. He has mastered the art of creating the perfect environment for superstars to shine, without ever being dogmatic about any soccer principles or a certain style of play.
Ancelotti just goes with the flow, adapts to the circumstances. Cristiano Ronaldo said of the Italian when both were at Madrid: “From the first time I met him, he made me feel very comfortable.”
Klopp, in his own way, is the same. He has become more of a strategist over the last few years, curbing his notorious “heavy metal football” by adding an element of control to Liverpool’s play.
Deep down, both Klopp and Ancelotti are compassionate, “people” people, and just absolute winners.
And that’s why they are in the Champions League final once again, Ancelotti for a record fifth time and Klopp for the fourth time in nine years.
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
___
Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/style-clash-klopp-ancelotti-take-different-path-to-the-top/ | 2022-05-26T16:37:04Z |
Free virtual event for rental owners takes place Sept. 8
SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Aug. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Independent rental owners have an opportunity to expand their industry knowledge, network with peers and dive into the latest tech offerings at IRO Summit 2022, presented by Yardi Breeze and the National Apartment Association (NAA). The third annual free virtual event is set for Sept. 8.
The virtual summit is open to all independent rental owners. There is no requirement to be a Yardi® client or NAA member to attend.
Sessions can be streamed anytime from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EDT, letting attendees join as their schedules permit. Speakers will also be available from 12-4 p.m. EDT for their scheduled live Q&A. Attendees are encouraged to take advantage of these live chat opportunities and to bring questions for the expert speakers. Register for the event now to secure your space.
"The IRO community faces unique challenges in the labor market and is heavily impacted by inflation and other economic headwinds," said Chris Ulep, vice president at Yardi. "This summit is designed to help them navigate and overcome these challenges, among others."
Matthew Haines, chair of the NAA IRO committee, agreed with Ulep's outlook on the summit. "IROs in particular have felt lingering pandemic challenges," said Haines. "NAA is honored to join forces with Yardi Breeze to ensure this important segment of the industry has access to education and networking opportunities that will help chart their course forward."
Learn more about the speaker and session lineup and how to access all sessions for on-demand viewing.
About Yardi
Yardi® develops and supports industry-leading investment and property management software for all types and sizes of real estate companies. With 8,000 employees, Yardi is working with our clients globally to drive significant innovation in the real estate industry. For more information on how Yardi is Energized for Tomorrow, visit yardi.com.
About NAA
The National Apartment Association (NAA) serves as the leading voice and preeminent resource through advocacy, education, and collaboration on behalf of the rental housing industry. As a federation of 141 state, local and global affiliates, NAA encompasses over 92,000 members representing more than 11 million apartment homes globally. NAA believes that rental housing is a valuable partner in every community that emphasizes integrity, accountability, collaboration, community responsibility, inclusivity and innovation. To learn more, visit www.naahq.org. NAA thanks its strategic partners Lowe's Pro Supply, Yardi and The Home Depot.
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SOURCE Yardi | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/29/iro-summit-presented-by-yardi-breeze-will-tackle-industry-challenges/ | 2022-08-29T16:50:21Z |
Comparable sales growth and gross margins in line with guidance
Q2 GAAP EPS loss of $2.91; adjusted EPS loss of $2.28
Inventory reduction efforts on track; reiterating Q4 gross margin normalization
Accelerating initiatives to drive shareholder value
For the Q2 Results Presentation, Please Visit: https://www.biglots.com/corporate/investors
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE: BIG) today reported a net loss of $84.2 million, or $2.91 per share, for the second quarter of fiscal 2022 ended July 30, 2022. This result includes an after-tax charge of $18.1 million, or $0.63 per share associated with store asset impairment charges. Excluding this charge, the adjusted net loss was $66.0 million, or $2.28 per share (see non-GAAP table included later in this release). Net income for the second quarter of fiscal 2021 was $37.7 million, or $1.09 per diluted share.
Net sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2022 totaled $1.35 billion, a 7.6% decrease compared to $1.46 billion for the same period last year, and an increase of 7.5% compared to the second quarter of 2019. The decline to last year was driven by a comparable sales decrease of 9.2%. The 3-year comparable sales growth rate was 3.6% in the second quarter of fiscal 2022, an acceleration from 1.9% in the first quarter. Net new stores and relocations contributed approximately 160 basis points of sales growth compared to the second quarter of 2021.
Commenting on today's results announcement, Bruce Thorn, President and CEO of Big Lots stated, "We remain laser focused on helping our customers navigate these challenging times by delivering outstanding value across our assortment. We are managing the business prudently, while working hard to build a stronger company and deliver on our commitments to our customers, associates, and shareholders."
Mr. Thorn continued, "I'd like to thank our associates for rising to the challenge in Q2, by continuing to provide an elevated customer shopping experience and again achieving a top-tier Net Promoter Score above 80%. Our outstanding team helped us to deliver results in line with the financial guidance we provided coming into the quarter. We managed costs tightly, made great progress on repositioning our assortment towards better bargains/closeouts and lower price points, and took important steps to enhance our balance sheet and secure our liquidity. We also brought inventories down materially versus Q1, putting us on track to right-size our inventory position by Q4."
"This, in turn, better positions us to bring even more deals to our customers. Consumers are stretched by inflation and starting to trade down more. We are here to help them, with strategically adjusted opening price points and great value throughout our stores. Further, we are making our bargains/closeouts and treasures even easier to find with end-caps and signage that are simpler and more compelling."
"We are moving faster to provide even better deals and assortments for our customers by leveraging our vendor relationships and excellent private label brands. We are also building additional capabilities to grow our ecommerce business. We remain highly confident in the enormous value creation opportunity from Operation North Star, and I've never been more excited about the future."
A summary of adjustments to loss per diluted share is included in the table below.
Inventory and Cash Management
Inventory ended the second quarter of fiscal 2022 at $1,159.0 million compared to $943.8 million for the same period last year, with the 22.8% increase encompassing significantly higher unit costs and a significant increase in in-transit inventory.
The company ended the second quarter of fiscal 2022 with $49.1 million of Cash and Cash Equivalents and $252.6 million of Long-term Debt, compared to $293.3 million of Cash and Cash Equivalents and no Long-term Debt as of the end of the second quarter of fiscal 2021. On July 29th, the company entered into an engagement letter with PNC Capital Markets LLC and PNC Bank, National Association, pursuant to which PNC Capital Markets has agreed to arrange, on a best efforts basis, a 5-year syndicated asset-based revolving credit facility up to $900 million, with an additional uncommitted increase option of up to $300 million. The company expects to enter into the new credit facility during the third fiscal quarter ending October 28, 2022, replacing and refinancing its existing $600 million 5-year unsecured credit facility.
Dividend and Share Repurchases
As announced in a prior release, on August 23, 2022 the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.30 per common share. This dividend payment of approximately $8.7 million will be payable on September 23, 2022, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on September 9, 2022. The company did not execute any share repurchases during the quarter. The company has $159 million remaining under its December 2021 $250 million authorization.
Company Outlook
For the third quarter, the company expects one-year comps to be down in the low double-digit range. Net new stores will add about 140 bps of growth versus 2021. The company expects continued significant promotional activity in Q3, resulting in a quarter gross margin rate into the mid-30s, and that SG&A dollars will grow low single-digits to 2021. Given an atypically wide range of outcomes, the company is not providing EPS guidance at this point. The company expects a share count of approximately 28.9 million for Q3. The company is taking aggressive actions to significantly improve the gross margin rate in Q4, to a rate that is approximately in-line with the prior year quarter. In addition, the company will continue to take actions to reduce expenses.
Conference Call/Webcast
The company will host a conference call today at 8:00 a.m. ET to discuss the financial results for the second quarter of fiscal 2022. A webcast of the conference call is available through the Investor Relations section of the company's website http://www.biglots.com. An archive of the call will be available through the Investor Relations section of the company's website http://www.biglots.com/ after 12:00 p.m. ET today and will remain available through midnight ET on Tuesday, September 13, 2022. A replay of this call will also be available beginning today at 12:00 p.m. ET through September 13 by dialing 877.660.6853 (Toll Free) or 201.612.7415 (Toll) and entering Replay Conference ID 13732156.
About Big Lots
Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE: BIG) is one of America's largest home discount retailers, operating more than 1,440 stores in 48 states, as well as a best-in-class ecommerce platform with expanded fulfillment and delivery capabilities. The Company's mission is to help customers "Live Big and Save Lots" by offering unique treasures and exceptional bargains on everything for their home, including furniture, seasonal decor, kitchenware, pet supplies, food items, laundry and cleaning essentials and more. Big Lots is the recipient of Home Textiles Today's 2021 Retail Titan Award. For more information about the company or to find the store nearest you, visit biglots.com.
Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and such statements are intended to qualify for the protection of the safe harbor provided by the Act. The words "anticipate," "estimate," "approximate," "expect," "objective," "goal," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe," "will," "should," "may," "target," "forecast," "guidance," "outlook" and similar expressions generally identify forward-looking statements. Similarly, descriptions of objectives, strategies, plans, goals or targets are also forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements relate to the expectations of management as to future occurrences and trends, including statements expressing optimism or pessimism about future operating results or events and projected sales, earnings, capital expenditures and business strategy. Forward-looking statements are based upon a number of assumptions concerning future conditions that may ultimately prove to be inaccurate. Forward-looking statements are and will be based upon management's then-current views and assumptions regarding future events and operating performance and are applicable only as of the dates of such statements. Although the company believes the expectations expressed in forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions within the bounds of knowledge, forward-looking statements, by their nature, involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, any one or a combination of which could materially affect business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.
Forward-looking statements that the company makes herein and in other reports and releases are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those discussed in such forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, developments related to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, current economic and credit conditions, the cost of goods, the inability to successfully execute strategic initiatives, competitive pressures, economic pressures on customers and the company, the availability of brand name closeout merchandise, trade restrictions, freight costs, the risk that the company is unable to refinance or replace its $600 million five-year unsecured credit facility or amend the synthetic lease for its distribution center in Apple Valley, California as contemplated by the consent letters entered into by the company with respect to the credit facility and synthetic lease, the risks discussed in the Risk Factors section of the company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and other factors discussed from time to time in other filings with the SEC, including Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. This release should be read in conjunction with such filings, and you should consider all of these risks, uncertainties and other factors carefully in evaluating forward-looking statements.
You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date thereof. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You are advised, however, to consult any further disclosures the company makes on related subjects in public announcements and SEC filings.
BIG LOTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
(In thousands, except per share data)
(Unaudited)
The following tables reconcile: selling and administrative expenses, selling and administrative expense rate, operating loss, operating loss rate, income tax benefit, effective income tax rate, net loss, and diluted earnings (loss) per share for the second quarter of 2022 and the year-to-date 2022 (GAAP financial measures) to adjusted selling and administrative expenses, adjusted selling and administrative expense rate, adjusted operating loss, adjusted operating loss rate, adjusted income tax benefit, adjusted effective income tax rate, adjusted net loss, and adjusted diluted earnings (loss) per share (non-GAAP financial measures).
The above adjusted selling and administrative expenses, adjusted selling and administrative expense rate, adjusted operating loss, adjusted operating loss rate, adjusted income tax benefit, adjusted effective income tax rate, adjusted net loss, and adjusted diluted earnings (loss) per share are "non-GAAP financial measures" as that term is defined by Rule 101 of Regulation G (17 CFR Part 244) and Item 10 of Regulation S-K (17 CFR Part 229). These non-GAAP financial measures exclude from the most directly comparable financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") store asset impairment charges of $24,105 ($18,149, net of tax).
The above adjusted selling and administrative expenses, adjusted selling and administrative expense rate, adjusted operating loss, adjusted operating loss rate, adjusted income tax benefit, adjusted effective income tax rate, adjusted net loss, and adjusted diluted earnings (loss) per share are "non-GAAP financial measures" as that term is defined by Rule 101 of Regulation G (17 CFR Part 244) and Item 10 of Regulation S-K (17 CFR Part 229). These non-GAAP financial measures exclude from the most directly comparable financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP store asset impairment charges of $24,105 ($18,149, net of tax).
Our management believes that the disclosure of these non-GAAP financial measures provides useful information to investors because the non-GAAP financial measures present an alternative and more relevant method for measuring our operating performance, excluding special items included in the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, that management believes is more indicative of our on-going operating results and financial condition. Our management uses these non-GAAP financial measures, along with the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, in evaluating our operating performance.
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SOURCE Big Lots, Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/30/big-lots-reports-q2-results/ | 2022-08-30T10:59:41Z |
AP19 convenes leading national public health experts toward advancing policies for reducing alcohol-related deaths and consequences
AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas's leading advocacy coalition working at the intersection of public health and underage alcohol and substance use prevention, Texans for Safe and Drug-Free Youth (TxSDY), presented as one of the leading organizations at this year's Alcohol Policy 19 (AP19) Conference. The event, held in Washington, D.C., is the nation's leading forum for public health experts to develop approaches for minimizing the risks associated with alcohol use. Marking its 40th year, the conference is hosted by the U.S Alcohol Policy Alliance (USAPA) and convened throughout the week.
TxSDY delivered presentations on the power of youth in shaping alcohol policy; utilizing the CART model of analysis to advance public health and safety; and leveraging online platforms for screening and brief intervention training programs. Nicole Holt, CEO of TxSDY who also serves as Immediate Past Chair of USAPA, also delivered introductory welcoming remarks. Throughout the conference, the organization spoke to the risks and consequences of alcohol use that are most specifically associated with youth and underage drinking, including alcohol-related vehicle crashes and deaths. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, 24% of all traffic deaths in Texas last year were caused by drunk driving.
"The importance – and impact – of collaborating with public health experts across such a diverse scope of expertise cannot be underestimated," said Nicole Holt, CEO of TxSDY. "More often than not, it is public health voices who are on the frontline of change and improving lives around the globe. And working together, I know we will drive meaningful results toward combatting one of our nation's top killers and greatest risks to youth."
Since 1981, the Alcohol Policy Conference has been a forum for researchers, community practitioners, and public officials to meet and exchange findings, explore evidence-based solutions, and consider adoption of policies aimed at minimizing risks associated with alcohol use. More information can be found at http:// https://www.alcoholpolicyconference.org/
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SOURCE Texans for Safe and Drug-Free Youth | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/09/16/texas-advocates-take-leading-role-national-conference-alcohol-policy-research/ | 2022-09-17T13:45:21Z |
- Firestone, a premier provider of industry-leading roofing, wall and lining systems, is becoming Elevate™
- Elevate™ symbolizes Holcim's continued commitment to superior quality and innovation for advanced building solutions
- Firestone Building Products becomes Holcim's Building Envelope division, a key growth engine of its Solutions & Products business unit
- New group identity brings together some of the country's most trusted brands in the building sector.
NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Firestone Building Products is proud to announce that it is adopting the Holcim name and brand identity, becoming the Holcim Building Envelope division of its Solutions & Products Business Unit. Firestone's iconic brand, a recognized industry leader in roofing, wall and lining systems, becomes Elevate™, symbolizing Holcim's continued commitment to deliver superior quality and innovation with advanced building solutions. Holcim's range of building envelope solutions includes wall, lining and waterproofing systems for commercial and residential applications. It unites some of the most trusted and high-quality brands in its sector including Gaco, GenFlex and Malarkey Roofing Products, as well as Elevate, the new brand name for Firestone roofing systems.
"Over the past 40 years, Firestone has built a reputation as a leader and innovator in the commercial roofing sector. And now we are making it official; we are uniting Firestone Building Products' iconic legacy with Holcim's future focus on accelerating green growth," said Jamie Gentoso, global head, Solutions & Products for Holcim. As we open this new chapter of growth with star brands from Elevate to Malarkey, I am committed to contributing to our customers' success with a rigorous focus on advanced solutions, superior quality and innovation."
Firestone, a premier provider of industry-leading roofing, wall and lining systems, is becoming Elevate. Building on Firestone's iconic brand and legacy, Elevate represents Holcim's commitment to deliver superior quality and innovation with advanced building solutions. The Elevate brand will provide the highest quality products and solutions to solve the industry's shared challenges.
Under the new Elevate brand, the people, products and standards trusted in the industry will remain the same. Sales Representatives and distribution networks will continue to provide the same superior customer service and product support. Customers will see Elevate evolve as the brand name on trusted products like RubberGard™ EPDM and UltraPly™ TPO, all of which will remain in the market. Plus, the high-quality solutions, network of licensed applicators and industry-leading warranties will remain unchanged.
Firestone Building Products is becoming the Holcim Building Envelope division within its Solutions & Products Business Unit. It unites a powerful portfolio of respected brands that provide breakthrough solutions for commercial and residential customers around the world. While the core of the company remains the same, Holcim's building envelope division will be committed to developing the highest quality products and processes globally—raising the standards of building solutions by ensuring they are both innovative and sustainable, while also addressing local needs.
"Together, Holcim and Elevate are committed to growing to new heights with our customers and partners," continued Gentoso. "We look forward to building our new future together!"
Firestone Building Products is becoming Holcim. Holcim builds progress for people and the planet. As a global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions, Holcim is enabling greener cities, smarter infrastructure and improving living standards around the world. With sustainability at the core of its strategy Holcim is becoming a net zero company, with its people and communities at the heart of its success. The company is driving circular construction as a world leader in recycling to build more with less. Holcim is the company behind some of the world's most trusted brands in the building sector including ACC, Aggregate Industries, Ambuja Cement, Disensa, Geocycle, Holcim, Lafarge and Malarkey Roofing Products. Holcim is 70,000 people around the world who are passionate about building progress for people and the planet through four business segments: Cement, Ready-Mix Concrete, Aggregates and Solutions & Products.
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SOURCE Firestone Building Products | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/21/firestone-building-products-unveils-new-brand-identity-part-holcim/ | 2022-06-21T16:42:57Z |
Chinese stocks on Wall Street aren’t in the clear yet
By Julia Horowitz, CNN Business
Investors are breathing a sigh of relief after regulators in Beijing extended an olive branch to the United States, indicating they could change their policies so that Chinese companies could avoid getting kicked off Wall Street.
What’s happening: Shares of tech giant Alibaba in New York rallied almost 7% on Monday. E-commerce platforms Pinduoduo and JD.com leaped 16% and 7%, respectively.
But the celebration may have been a bit premature, as negotiators from the United States and China continue to hammer out the details and tensions between the world’s two largest economies simmer beneath the surface.
“The policy is still evolving, and there’s still a lot of uncertainty,” Xiaomeng Lu of the consultancy Eurasia Group told me.
Over the weekend, the China Securities Regulatory Commission, the country’s top securities watchdog, proposed changing a decade-old rule that forbids Chinese firms from sharing sensitive data and financial information with overseas regulators.
Remember: US regulators have long complained that they can’t access the books of Chinese companies. In 2020, the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act was signed into law, giving the Securities and Exchange Commission power to kick foreign companies off Wall Street if they fail to allow US regulators to review their audits for three straight years.
But Beijing, citing national security concerns, has been resistant to overhauling its policies. It requires companies that are traded overseas to hold their audits in mainland China, where they cannot be examined by foreign agencies.
The new amendment might finally allow US regulators to dig into these contested materials. If that helps resolve the dispute, it could ease a huge source of concern for the more than 200 Chinese firms listed in the United States, which have been battered over the last year.
But it’s too soon to say for sure. It’s not clear if US regulators will see the potential changes as sufficient. Last week, SEC Chair Gary Gensler poured cold water on the idea that a deal was imminent.
“There have been thoughtful, respectful, productive conversations, but I don’t know where this is going to end up,” Gensler said. “It’s up to the Chinese authorities, and it could be frankly a hard set of choices for them.”
Another sticking point, according to Lu, is whether there is a carve-out for companies that have access to sensitive data about the Chinese government or infrastructure.
The “only clear data point we have so far,” she emphasized, is Didi. The ride-hailing service had to begin delisting from New York shortly after its initial public offering last year. Beijing launched a crackdown on the company, saying its app broke privacy laws and posed cybersecurity risks.
What comes next: Lu said she sees a roughly 70% chance that some kind of deal between Washington and Beijing is reached this year. But she still thinks it’s likely that some Chinese firms will need to delist from Wall Street at that point.
She noted that Alibaba isn’t just an online marketplace, but also a cloud business. If it provides services to state-owned enterprises, Chinese regulators may still want it to keep its books private.
What Elon Musk wants with Twitter
It’s not every day that the uber-rich CEO of one of America’s top companies takes a huge stake in a totally different business. But that’s exactly what the ever-unpredictable Elon Musk has done.
The latest: The Tesla chief revealed a 9% stake in Twitter on Monday, sending shares of the social media platform surging 27%.
The investment — which was valued at almost $3.7 billion when the market closed — makes him Twitter’s biggest shareholder.
Musk didn’t disclose the purpose of the purchase or any plans for the company. But that hasn’t stopped speculation about what drove the surprise move.
Analysts expect Musk, who has been a vocal critic of Twitter policies, to actively push for changes to how the company operates. Last month, he said he was giving “serious thought” to creating a new social media platform.
“Given that Twitter serves as the de facto public town square, failing to adhere to free speech principles fundamentally undermines democracy,” Musk recently tweeted. “What should be done?”
He’s also suggested (by tweeting a meme, of course) that he does not support CEO Parag Agrawal, who recently took over from Jack Dorsey.
“Musk has already indicated that he did not agree with the appointment of Agrawal and that he desires some changes,” Morningstar analyst Ali Mogharabi said in a note to clients.
First order of business: After his stake was disclosed, Musk tweeted a poll asking whether Twitter users wanted an edit button.
But some suspect he could agitate for even bigger shifts at the company. There’s speculation Musk could partner with other activist investors, or even create a consortium to take Twitter private. The company is worth $40 billion. That’s a fraction of rival Meta, which has a market value of $637 billion.
Starbucks paused buybacks. Is Big Oil next?
Starbucks made waves with its decision this week to pause share buybacks, the first big move Howard Schultz made following his return as CEO.
Could the world’s biggest oil companies be next? That’s what top Democrats in the House of Representatives are hoping.
House Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney and Rep. Ro Khanna, chair of the environment subcommittee, want ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP and Shell to scrap stock buyback programs and dividends during the war in Ukraine and put that money toward lowering prices at the gas pump.
“Fossil fuel companies are taking advantage of the crisis by raking in record profits and spending billions of dollars to enrich their executives and investors,” they wrote in a letter dated Monday.
The lawmakers also urged the oil companies to make “meaningful investments” in solar, wind and other forms of clean energy to address the climate crisis.
Oil companies — which are cashing in on soaring energy prices — have faced sustained calls to use spare cash to offset the pain for everyday consumers. In the United States and United Kingdom, there have been calls for a temporary “windfall tax” on their earnings to help households cover energy bills.
Coming up: The issue is likely to feature in a House hearing on Wednesday, where executives from BP, Exxon, Chevron and Shell are scheduled to testify.
Up next
The ISM Non-Manufacturing Index, which tracks the US services sector, arrives at 10 a.m. ET.
Coming tomorrow: Investors will scrutinize minutes from the Federal Reserve’s latest meeting for signs of how aggressive the central bank could be later this year.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/money/cnn-business-consumer/2022/04/05/chinese-stocks-on-wall-street-arent-in-the-clear-yet/ | 2022-04-05T14:08:47Z |
Did you lose money on investments in Natera? If so, please visit Natera, Inc. Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit or contact Peter Allocco at (212) 951-2030 or pallocco@bernlieb.com to discuss your rights.
NEW YORK, June 1, 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 common stock of Natera, Inc. ("Natera" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: NTRA) between February 26, 2020 and April 19, 2022, inclusive (the "Class Period"). The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas and alleges violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Natera offers genetic testing in the areas of women's health, oncology, and organ health. Among other things, the Company produces and markets a non-invasive prenatal test ("NIPT") called "Panorama," and a screening test for kidney transplant failure called "Prospera." Throughout the Class Period, Defendants repeatedly assured investors that Panorama was reliable, that Prospera was more accurate than competing tests, and that Natera's growth was driven by its superior technology and customer experience.
Plaintiff alleges that Defendants' statements were materially false and misleading when made because: (1) Panorama was not reliable and resulted in high rates of false positives; (2) Prospera did not have superior precision compared to competing tests; (3) as a result of Defendants' false and misleading claims about Natera's technology, the Company was exposed to substantial legal and regulatory risks; and (4) Natera relied upon deceptive sales and billing practices to drive its revenue growth.
On January 1, 2022, The New York Times published a detailed report calling into question the accuracy of certain prenatal tests manufactured by Natera and other diagnostic testing companies. The New York Times reported that Natera's positive results for several genetic disorders were incorrect more than 80 percent of the time. On this news, the price of Natera common stock fell $5.35 per share, or approximately 6% over two trading days, from a close of $93.39 per share on December 31, 2021, to close at $88.04 per share on January 4, 2022.
Less than two weeks later, on January 14, 2022, the Campaign for Accountability – a nonprofit watchdog group – filed a complaint with the SEC requesting an investigation as to whether "Natera repeatedly claimed – in marketing materials and earnings calls – that [its] tests are much more reliable than it appears they really are." On this news, the price of Natera common stock fell $6.29 per share, or more than 9%, from a close of $67.37 per share on January 14, 2022, to close at $61.08 per share on January 18, 2022.
Then, on March 9, 2022, Hindenburg Research issued an investigative report alleging that "Natera's revenue growth has been fueled by deceptive sales and billing practices aimed at doctors, insurance companies and expectant mothers." On this news, the price of Natera common stock fell as much as $28.65 per share, or more than 52%, from a close of $54.75 per share on March 8, 2022, to an intra-day low of $26.10 per share on March 9, 2022.
Further, on March 14, 2022, a jury found that Natera had intentionally and willfully misled the public by utilizing false advertisements to market Prospera in violation of the federal Lanham Act, the Delaware Deceptive Trade Practices Act, and Delaware common law. The jury found that Natera's marketing falsely claimed that Prospera was more accurate than the competing kidney transplant testing offered by CareDx, Inc. ("CareDx"), and ultimately awarded CareDx $44.9 million in monetary damages. On this news, Natera common stock fell as much as $8.81 per share, or approximately 22.5%, from an intra-day high of $39.13 per share on March 14, 2022, to close at $30.32 per share on March 15, 2022.
Finally, on April 19, 2022, the United States Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") issued a safety communication "to educate patients and health care providers and to help reduce the inappropriate use of [NIPTs]." The FDA cautioned that statements about NIPTs' reliability and accuracy "may not be supported with sound scientific evidence" and revealed the existence of "cases where a screening test reported a genetic abnormality and a confirmatory diagnostic test later found that the fetus was healthy." On this news, the price of Natera common stock fell as much as $1.53 per share, or approximately 3.9%, from an intra-day high of $39.63 per share on April 19, 2022, to close at $38.10 per share on April 20, 2022.
If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than June 27, 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 NTRA common stock, and/or would like to discuss your legal rights and options please visit Natera, 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.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/01/natera-inc-nasdaq-ntra-shareholder-class-action-alert-bernstein-liebhard-llp-reminds-investors-deadline-file-lead-plaintiff-motion-securities-class-action-lawsuit-against-natera-inc-nasdaq-ntra/ | 2022-06-01T21:46:08Z |
A look at what’s happening around the majors today:
___
DISCIPLINE ON DECK
Major League Baseball will certainly soon be handing out penalties after the Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Angels got into a huge brawl this weekend at Anaheim.
There were eight ejections Sunday — both managers, plus three players on each team. The skirmish stopped and started twice before Angels closer Raisel Iglesias threw a tub of sunflower seeds and another bucket of gum onto the infield.
Seattle’s Jesse Winker was hit by the first pitch of the second inning by Andrew Wantz. In the first, Wantz threw behind the head of Julio Rodriguez.
The pitch to Rodriguez certainly appeared to be a response to Erik Swanson’s 95 mph fastball near Mike Trout’s head in the ninth inning Saturday night.
Los Angeles interim manager Phil Nevin and Seattle’s Scott Servais were tossed. The Angels lost Wantz, Iglesias and reliever Ryan Tepera, while Winker, Rodriguez and J.P. Crawford were ejected.
The game was delayed about 18 minutes.
RED SOX ROLL
Trevor Story, Rafael Devers and J.D. Martinez try to help Boston extend its seven-game winning streak in the series opener at Toronto.
The Red Sox are fresh off a three-game sweep in Cleveland. They’ve won 11 of 13 and are 19-4 in June, improving to a season-high 11 games over .500 at 42-31.
Rookie right-hander Connor Seabold, whose only previous major league appearance came in a game last year, starts for Boston. Kevin Gausman (5-6, 3.19 ERA) pitches for the Blue Jays.
Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran and closer Tanner Houck won’t be with team in Toronto because they aren’t vaccinated for COVID-19. Houck will throw batting practice to Duran at Fenway Park this week.
AILING IN ATLANTA
Ronald Acuña Jr. likely will benefit as the Braves have a day off while dealing with his injured left foot.
The Atlanta star fouled a ball off himself Saturday night. He wasn’t in the lineup Sunday night against the Dodgers —tests showed no fracture, but he said he couldn’t put pressure on his foot.
Acuña is hitting .281 with seven homers and 18 RBIs in his return this year from a torn ACL in his right knee. He tore the ligament last July when he landed awkwardly while attempting to make a catch in right field in Miami and missed the rest of the season as Atlanta went on to win the World Series.
Acuña leads the Braves with 13 stolen bases and has returned to an everyday role in right field after spending time as the designated hitter early in his comeback.
CHECK HIM
The Cardinals will see how Jack Flaherty is feeling, a day after he exited a start after two innings because of right shoulder tightness.
Flaherty was making his third start this season after missing the first 64 games while recovering from surgery on his right shoulder. He gave up one hit, struck out two and walked two, throwing 49 pitches against the Cubs.
The 26-year-old righty had allowed five earned runs in six innings during his first two starts this season for St. Louis.
Cardinals star Adam Wainwright (5-5, 3.32) faces Pablo Lopez (5-3, 2.61) in the series opener at Busch Stadium.
SHAKY GIOLITO
White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito (4-4, 5.40 ERA) looks to get back on track after a recent rut.
An All-Star in 2019 who pitched a no-hitter last year, Giolito has struggled in his last five starts. In that span, he’s allowed 27 earned runs on 40 hits and 11 walks over 25 2/3 innings.
Giolito will face Angels righty Noah Syndergaard (4-6, 3.86) in Anaheim.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/leading-off-mariners-angels-penalties-soon-red-sox-rolling/ | 2022-06-27T19:02:26Z |
ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., June 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. today announced the acquisition of Wexford, Ireland-based INNOVU Group Holding Company Limited ("INNOVU Insurance"). Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Founded by Ronan Foley in 2018, INNOVU Insurance is a retail insurance broker offering a broad variety of commercial and personal insurance products and services, as well as financial services, to clients across a diverse range of industry sectors from seven offices throughout Ireland. Ronan Foley and his associates will continue to operate from their current locations, reporting to Michael Rea, who runs Gallagher's retail property/casualty brokerage operations in the UK and Ireland.
"INNOVU gives us our first on-the-ground presence in Ireland and a fantastic opportunity to expand in this growing economic region," said J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr., Chairman, President and CEO. "We are delighted to welcome Ronan and his colleagues, and look forward to working with them to further expand their client base and service offerings."
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE: AJG), a global insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting services firm, is headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. Gallagher provides these services in 130 countries around the world through its owned operations and a network of correspondent brokers and consultants.
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SOURCE Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/24/arthur-j-gallagher-amp-co-acquires-innovu-group-holding-company-limited/ | 2022-06-24T10:25:20Z |
SEONGNAM, South Korea, July 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Aniai, Inc. (Gunpil Hwang, CEO), a robotic kitchen startup aimed at trailblazing the global hamburger industry, was selected as a GBEC (Global Business Expansion Contest) Finalist at NextRise 2022, as announced by Born2Global Centre (Kim Jong-kap, CEO). NextRise is Asia's largest international event for startups and is hosted by KDB NextRound & AWS (Amazon Web Services).
GBEC is a flagship pitching contest at NextRise for startups hoping to break into foreign markets. Shortlisted among 15 companies in the NextOne program hosted by KDB last February, Aniai came out on top with six other finalists at NextRise 2022 GBEC.
Each GBEC finalist will benefit from (1) meetings and networking with investors based in Silicon Valley, (2) visits to the Amazon/AWS headquarters for private meetups with experts and business leaders, and (3) professional training for legal/tax/human resources as part of an extensive support package for branching out into the U.S.
Participating in the contest for the first time this year, Aniai introduced its products and core competencies through booth exhibitions and stage presentations, in addition to sharing market insights. Gunpil Hwang, CEO of Aniai, stated, "I was delighted to have the opportunity to introduce our company's robotic kitchen solution to many people at the largest startup fair in Asia." He added, "People will soon witness and experience our fully automated cooking robot when it launches on the market."
With end-to-end expertise for robots with robust control systems, practical design, and AI recognition technology, Aniai offers an innovative digital transformation solution (DX) for existing restaurants. The company develops and produces hardware and software on its own and aims to provide robotic kitchens tailored and optimized for each customer recipe with a modularized product line.
Aniai
Aniai is developing a robotic kitchen that automates cooking. Headquartered in San Jose, CA, Aniai was co-founded in July 2020 by 5 people, including Gunpil Hwang (CEO) from KAIST. Aniai is a company aiming to realize kitchen DX to give customers the consistent, quality service they deserve.
For more details, please visit www.aniai.ai/
About Born2Global Centre
The Born2Global Centre, operated by Born2Global, is a full-cycle service platform that supports the global expansion of promising companies. Established in 2013 under the Ministry of Science and ICT, Born2Global has been setting the standards for a successful startup ecosystem in Korea and continues to expand and transform startups so that they are engaged, well equipped, and connected with the global market.
For more information, please visit born2global.com
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SOURCE Born2Global Centre | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/25/aniai-selected-gbec-finalist-nextrise-2022-hosted-by-kdb-amp-aws/ | 2022-07-26T01:16:48Z |
NEW YORK, June 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Levi & Korsinsky, LLP notifies investors in Spero Therapeutics, Inc. ("Spero" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: SPRO) of a class action securities lawsuit.
CLASS DEFINITION: The lawsuit seeks to recover losses on behalf of Spero investors who were adversely affected by alleged securities fraud between October 28, 2021 and May 2, 2022. Follow the link below to get more information and be contacted by a member of our team:
SPRO investors may also contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. via email at jlevi@levikorsinsky.com or by telephone at (212) 363-7500.
CASE DETAILS: The filed complaint alleges that defendants made false statements and/or concealed that: (i) the data submitted in support of the New Drug Application ("NDA") for the Company's product candidate, Tebipenem HBr, were insufficient to obtain approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA"); (ii) accordingly, it was unlikely that the FDA would approve the Tebipenem HBr NDA in its current form; (iii) the foregoing would necessitate a significant workforce reduction and restructuring of Spero's operations; and (iv) as a result, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.
WHAT'S NEXT? If you suffered a loss in Spero during the relevant time frame, you have until July 25, 2022 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.
NO COST TO YOU: If you are a class member, you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out-of-pocket costs or fees. There is no cost or obligation to participate.
WHY LEVI & KORSINSKY: Over the past 20 years, the team at Levi & Korsinsky has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders and built a track record of winning high-stakes cases. Our firm has extensive expertise representing investors in complex securities litigation and a team of over 70 employees to serve our clients. For seven years in a row, Levi & Korsinsky has ranked in ISS Securities Class Action Services' Top 50 Report as one of the top securities litigation firms in the United States.
CONTACT:
Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
Joseph E. Levi, Esq.
Ed Korsinsky, Esq.
55 Broadway, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10006
jlevi@levikorsinsky.com
Tel: (212) 363-7500
Fax: (212) 363-7171
www.zlk.com
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SOURCE Levi & Korsinsky, LLP | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/30/spro-lawsuit-alert-levi-amp-korsinsky-notifies-spero-therapeutics-inc-investors-class-action-lawsuit-upcoming-deadline/ | 2022-06-30T11:13:19Z |
TOLEDO, Ohio, May 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Welltower® Inc. (NYSE: WELL) has issued the following business update which can be found at:
About Welltower
Welltower® Inc. (NYSE: WELL), an S&P 500 company headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, is driving the transformation of health care infrastructure. The Company invests with leading seniors housing operators, post-acute providers, and health systems to fund the real estate infrastructure needed to scale innovative care delivery models and improve people's wellness and overall health care experience. Welltower, a real estate investment trust ("REIT"), owns interests in properties concentrated in major, high-growth markets in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, consisting of seniors housing, post-acute communities and outpatient medical properties. More information is available at www.welltower.com.
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SOURCE Welltower Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/10/welltower-issues-business-update/ | 2022-05-11T03:37:24Z |
Additional energy service opportunities to help more customers switch to solar power
SAINT PAUL, Minn., July 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- All Energy Solar, a solar installation leader, has signed on to become a new dealer for Sunnova Energy International Inc. ("Sunnova"), a leading U.S. residential energy service provider. The energy services offered by Sunnova will provide new options for All Energy Solar customers who want to make the switch to solar energy.
"Beyond purchasing outright, there are a variety of ways to pay for solar energy, including credits, rebates, and loans. Traditional financing through a loan that results in the customer owning the system once it's paid off is typical, but that model doesn't fit the needs of every situation," said Michael Allen, co-founder and chief executive officer for All Energy Solar. "There are times when a solar lease is the better choice, and that's where Sunnova's flexible energy plans differ."
Solar leases are fairly similar to car leases in that they are a form of third-party ownership. Under a solar lease, a third party owns the solar panels on a property and the customer gets the benefit of all of the electricity produced by the system at a predetermined monthly rate. Under the right circumstances, solar leases can be an attractive option, often offering little to no money down, lower electricity costs, pre-determined monthly bills that don't fluctuate, and maintenance and repairs are Sunnova's responsibility, not the customer's.
"In partnership with Sunnova, we work with the customer to design the system and perform the installation. After the installation, the customer has a monthly Sunnova energy bill and Sunnova safeguards the customer's home solar investment with worry-free, hassle-free maintenance, monitoring, and repairs for 25 years to help ensure the system performs to its maximum potential," said Ryan Buege, Vice President of Marketing and Sales at All Energy Solar. "We still encourage customers to consider cash or loans if that makes the most sense for them, but third-party ownership is a great option for a unique segment of buyers. This has been available to businesses in the past, and now is the first time we'll be offering it to our residential customers."
With utility rates rising significantly across the country, switching to solar energy can help consumers protect themselves from unpredictable utility prices and take control of energy costs. For more information about All Energy Solar service areas, please visit: https://www.allenergysolar.com/where-we-are/
All Energy Solar provides a full-service solar energy integration experience for residential, commercial, agricultural, and government customers looking to make the transition to solar energy. With industry-leading certifications and full electrical and building licenses, All Energy Solar installs quality solar power systems at competitive prices and monitors and maintains the systems after installation. To learn more, visit www.allenergysolar.com.
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SOURCE All Energy Solar, Inc | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/26/all-energy-solar-joins-sunnovas-dealer-network-bring-new-energy-services-customers/ | 2022-07-26T22:29:40Z |
- Quarterly cash dividend increased four percent to $0.50 per share
- 12th consecutive year Cboe has increased its dividend
CHICAGO, Aug. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (Cboe: CBOE), a leading provider of global market infrastructure and tradable products, today announced its Board of Directors has declared an increased quarterly cash dividend of $0.50 per share of common stock for the third quarter of 2022, representing a four percent increase from the prior quarter's dividend of $0.48 per share.
The third-quarter 2022 dividend is payable on September 15, 2022, to stockholders of record as of August 31, 2022.
About Cboe Global Markets, Inc.
Cboe Global Markets (Cboe: CBOE), a leading provider of market infrastructure and tradable products, delivers cutting-edge trading, clearing and investment solutions to market participants around the world. The company is committed to operating a trusted, inclusive global marketplace, providing leading products, technology and data solutions that enable participants to define a sustainable financial future. Cboe provides trading solutions and products in multiple asset classes, including equities, derivatives, FX, and digital assets, across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more, visit www.cboe.com.
CBOE-D
CBOE-OE
Cboe®, Cboe Global Markets®, Cboe Volatility Index®, and VIX® are registered trademarks of Cboe Exchange, Inc
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SOURCE Cboe Global Markets, Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/18/cboe-global-markets-declares-increased-third-quarter-2022-dividend/ | 2022-08-18T23:19:06Z |
TROY — On a night of momentum shifts and adjustments, the end result was a classic old-school Bell County football game that saw the outcome hang in the balance until the final minute.
It was the dominant second half provided by the Rogers Eagles that allowed them to overcome a halftime deficit and top Troy 28-21 on Friday night at Trojan Field.
Rogers remained unbeaten through three games while Troy dipped to 1-2.
“It’s exciting to be 3-0,” Rogers coach Charlie Roten said. “We played some bigger than us — Academy and Troy. It’s a tough schedule and the kids have responded.”
The Trojans made their own strides but didn’t get into the end zone in the second half and saw late opportunities come up short.
“I’m just happy with how hard the kids played,” Troy coach Stephen Hermesmeyer said. “We just couldn’t get a stop in the second half, and (Rogers) does a great job of playing keep away. It’s hard to get the ball back from them.”
Down 21-15 at halftime, the Eagles drew even with the Trojans on their first possession of the second half.
The 78-yard scoring drive was sparked by a 26-yard keeper by quarterback Cooper Sisneroz and a 13-yarder for Garrett Wolfe. That set up Sisneroz’s only completion of the game for the run-oriented Eagles when he hit Zach Davis behind the Troy secondary for an 18-yard touchdown. The PAT failed and left the teams tied 21-21 at the 6:34 mark of the third quarter.
Rogers took the lead late in the third on another sustained drive going 85 yards in nine plays. Karsen Gomez got loose for a 26-yard jaunt and Wolfe added a 15-yarder on the march which ultimately ended Wolfe going in from the 2 and the 28-21 margin.
Neither team would score after that, but the Trojans certainly threatened.
A turnover inside the Rogers 20 on an extra-effort play thwarted one opportunity. The Trojans got inside the Eagles 40 late in the game before turning over the ball on downs to seal it for Rogers.
“The defensive guys made some great adjustments at halftime,” Roten said. “They did a great job.”
Rogers wasted no time getting on the board first. Actually, it used the nine seconds it took for quarterback Sisneroz keep on an option and sprint 76 yards for a touchdown on the first offensive play of the game and a 7-0 lead. Sisneroz led all rushers with 153 yards on 16 carries.
Troy took a little more time to travel 54 yards in 10 plays to match the Eagles. The Trojans culminated the march with Ethan Sorenson hitting Cooper Valle on a 4-yard touchdown to make it 7-7 at the 7:10 mark of the first quarter.
The Eagles came right back with a big aid from Troy as the Eagles got new life on a personal foul call on a field-goal attempt. Two plays later, Sisneroz took a snap and went straight ahead for a 2-yard sneak into the end zone. He followed that by keeping on the point-after to add two points and the Eagles led 15-7 with 2:47 to in the first.
That would be about it for the Eagles in the first half.
Troy got back on the board three seconds before the quarter ended as Korey Gibson hauled in a Sorenson toss for an 8-yard touchdown to make it a 15-14 game.
Troy took the lead five minutes before the half by going 73 yards in 10 plays. Sorenson found Hunter Fowler all alone in the back of the end zone on a 2-yarder to go up 21-15 at the break.
“(Troy) had a good plan on defense that we hadn’t seen,” Roten said. “They mixed it up and confused some of our guys. It was good to see them adjust later as well as they did.”
ROGERS 28, TROY 21
Rogers 15 0 13 0 — 28
Troy 14 7 0 0 — 21
Rog — Cooper Sisneroz 76 run (Baldemar Arzola kick)
Troy — Cooper Valle 4 pass from Ethan Sorenson (Tyler McKissick kick)
Rog — Sisneroz 2 run (Sisneroz run)
Troy — Korey Gibson 8 pass from Sorenson (McKissick kick)
Troy — Hunter Fowler 2 pass from Sorenson (McKissick kick)
Rog — Zach Davis 18 pass from Sisneroz (kick failed)
Rog — Garrett Wolfe 2 run (Arzola kick)
TEAM STATISTICS
Rog Troy
First downs 17 15
Rushes-yards 47-348 29-106
Passing yards 18 159
Comp.-Att.-Int. 1-5-1 16-22-1
Punts-average 2-39.1 2-42.5
Fumbles-lost 1-0 1-1
Penalties-yards 11-91 6-58
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Rogers: Sisneroz 16-153, Bryce Watson 2-5, Wolfe 14-71, Abraham Hernandez 6-68, Davis 5-51, Jackson Landeros 1-2; Troy: Cannon Negron 2-4, Gibson 8-(-2), Valle 12-31, Reed Ketcham 2-17, Tristan Almanza 3-37, Andrew Mitchell 2-19.
PASSING — Rogers: Sisneroz 1-5-1-18; Troy: Sorenson 16-22-1-159.
RECEIVING — Rogers: Davis 1-18; Troy: Valle 3-24, Ketcham 6-63, Gibson 3-39, Fowler 1-2, Andrew Sibley 1-17, Trooper Tomlin 1-6. | https://www.tdtnews.com/sports/article_de469482-30c7-11ed-a948-d368b81710ef.html | 2022-09-10T06:29:43Z |
Within the framework of the free trade agreement between Canada, Mexico, and the United States (CUSMA, T-MEC, USMCA) and the Environmental Cooperation Agreement, the environment ministers of Canada, Mexico and the United States convened for the 29th Council Session of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation.
___________________
MÉRIDA, Mexico, July 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - We, the Environment Ministers of Canada, Mexico and the United States, met today for the annual Council Session of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) in Mérida, Yucatán. The Council addressed many of the most pressing environmental challenges facing North America's communities, particularly vulnerable communities and Indigenous Peoples.
This year's CEC Council Session builds on the November 2021 North American Leaders Summit, in which President López Obrador, President Biden, and Prime Minister Trudeau highlighted the role of the CEC in developing a North American Climate Adaptation Workplan.
We committed to building on the progress of the CEC's successful grant programs. Through 25 grants valued at more than US$3 million, the CEC is supporting climate resilience and COVID-19 recovery at the community level. With the Environmental Justice and Climate Resilience (EJ4Climate) and the North American Partnership for Environmental Community Action (NAPECA) grant programs, we are taking action for a healthier environment and building back a prosperous and equitable economy for all.
We expressed a shared commitment to working to empower our citizens with effective solutions for a sustainable future, especially for an equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
In particular, we support action to preserve the knowledge and practices of Indigenous Peoples and local communities as part of our trilateral model and regional approach to environmental collaboration.
Our shared vision to lead the way in promoting complementary regional environmental and trade policies rests on our unwavering commitment to sustainable development and environmental justice and equity. Through the CEC, we will continue to drive an ambitious agenda that promotes awareness and participation in environmental governance and stewardship, mobilizes collective action, and facilitates the inclusion of a diverse network of stakeholders and partners.
This year's theme for the 2022 Council Session, "Community-led Environmental Education for Sustainable Development," focused on activities from across North America that support an understanding and awareness of key environmental concerns, from the perspective of communities directly impacted and working to develop and share best practices for adapting to a changing climate. The significance of this theme is timely, as it promotes the development of local and context-specific strategies as well as an international cooperative approach for managing and responding to environmental and socio-economic risks across the whole of society.
This year's Council Session addressed several topics supporting the development of community-led projects and initiatives. Our exchange with the Joint Public Advisory Committee, the Traditional Ecological Knowledge Expert Group (TEKEG) and the CEC Secretariat, led to a constructive discussion of immediate priorities and pressing needs, including opportunities ranging from specific, innovative and nature-based solutions, to the improved use of traditional and local knowledge, including the incorporation of Indigenous perspectives.
As part of the Council Session, we were pleased to benefit from the two open public forums, which provided an invaluable space for sharing information with the public, and an opportunity for questions, comments, and suggestions from the public on the CEC's trilateral work. This year's Session included both in-person and virtual attendance, with broad representation of diverse groups of interested individuals and stakeholders from across North America.
Specifically, as part of the Council Session we:
- Announced an additional US$2 million to launch a new cycle of the EJ4Climate grant program that will focus on projects supporting environmental education to build resilience to climate change. The EJ4Climate grant program supports underserved and vulnerable communities, and Indigenous communities, in Canada, Mexico, and the United States to prepare for climate-related impacts;
- Announced a C$750,000 initiative to undertake work to support enhanced uptake of circular economy approaches with sustainable production and consumption patterns in North America;
- Announced a large-scale and multi-year initiative totalling C$1 million to strengthen community resilience to climate change;
- Contributed C$300,000 to support a JPAC-led initiative that will raise awareness in the three countries to advance sustainable forestry and responsible consumption of wood products;
- Endorsed a C$300,000 TEKEG-led initiative to address threats to food security by increasing our understanding of traditional Indigenous practices and knowledge related to food systems;
- Engaged with the winners of the 2022 CEC Youth Innovation Challenge from Canada, Mexico and the United States on their innovative and tangible solutions to assist communities in their recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. We were impressed with their skill, dedication, and vision; and
- Reviewed the progress made under the ongoing CEC Operational Plan and the projects we endorsed last year.
"The Government of Mexico has put forth concrete measures to realize environmental and social justice for all Mexicans, and we are convinced that the trilateral work propelled by the CEC will add to efforts to ensure the welfare of the sectors that are the poorest and most vulnerable to climate change in North America."—María Luisa Albores González, Mexico's Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources
"Strong environmental cooperation among our three countries has never been more important. The impacts of climate change, from flooding to coastal erosion, dangerous heatwaves and wildfires pose a real threat to our health, safety and economic security. I am pleased to see that all parties are committed to ensuring that international environmental cooperation remains a top priority. I thank the other members in the CEC Council for supporting community-led solutions and working to advance sustainable development as we face these environmental challenges together."—The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
"Advancing environmental justice and equity is vital for addressing the climate crisis both at home and abroad, and I am proud that the CEC is centering community engagement as part of our environmental agenda. The way to create long-term, sustainable solutions for our shared environmental challenges is from the ground up. I am committed to working hand in hand with communities, young people who are demonstrating incredible innovation, and our North American partners, to build a healthier, more equitable future for all people."—Unted States EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan
Building on our strengths and longstanding tradition of facilitating cooperation and promoting public participation, we will strengthen our resolve to modernize and enhance the effectiveness of our regional efforts. We will strive to expand our collaboration by promoting awareness of issues of common concern as well as solutions for a more sustainable future, by sharing knowledge in support of evidence-based decision-making, and by contributing to building capacity in communities across North America.
We affirm the urgent need to tackle the devastating effects that climate change poses on the well-being of our communities. We emphasize the unequivocal threat of this crisis, ranging from extreme weather events, such as floods, wildfires, and drought, to the implications for our food systems, for our continent's biodiversity, and for vulnerable and underserved communities, which all have lasting environmental, economic, and societal impacts.
We underline the importance of promoting collective action, including in relation to innovation and green growth, to ensure clean air, land, and water for present and future generations, and to protect our ecosystems and the rich flora and fauna found in our shared environment.
The path to a healthier environment and meaningful progress toward sustainable development in our region depends on our collective determination to succeed, as well as on the persistence to find and promote solutions that protect the environment, support the sustainable use and conservation of our natural resources, and maximize the socio-economic benefits from empowering our communities.
As we prepare to welcome a new Executive Director for the CEC, we extend our thanks to Mr. Richard A. Morgan for his valuable service and contributions to the CEC mission during his three-year tenure as the CEC Executive Director. We take this opportunity to express our sincere appreciation for his leadership, vision, and tireless work on behalf the CEC.
We greatly look forward to our continuing work on regional environmental cooperation and meeting together next year at the CEC's Council Session in British Columbia, Canada.
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SOURCE Commission for Environmental Cooperation | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/16/2022-cec-ministerial-statement-north-american-environment-ministers-launch-ambitious-agenda-environmental-cooperation/ | 2022-07-16T03:25:28Z |
Oracle names Informatica a preferred partner for enterprise cloud data integration and data governance for data warehouse and lakehouse solutions on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. , May 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Informatica (NYSE:INFA), an enterprise cloud data management leader, today announced a strategic partnership with Oracle that brings Informatica's industry-leading data integration and governance products to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). In addition, Oracle has named Informatica as a preferred partner for enterprise cloud data integration and data governance for data warehouse and lakehouse solutions on OCI. Through this initiative, Oracle and Informatica have integrated Informatica's Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC) with Oracle Autonomous Database, Oracle Exadata Database Service, Oracle Exadata Cloud@Customer, and Oracle Object Storage. Informatica and Oracle plan to make these offerings available in the Oracle Cloud Marketplace.
The Oracle and Informatica strategic global partnership will deliver industry-leading cloud data management, integration, and governance solutions for databases, data warehouses, data lakes, data lakehouses, enterprise analytics, and data science. For thousands of joint Oracle and Informatica customers, this new partnership facilitates data platform modernization by moving on-premises workloads to OCI. This will enable them to gain insights from trusted data at scale and leverage their existing skills and investments.
"Oracle Autonomous Database is the leading database platform for all operational and analytical use cases. Informatica is a recognized leader in enterprise data integration and governance. With our complementary offerings, Oracle and Informatica will help organizations modernize and deploy new analytics capabilities on OCI regardless of where the data resides," said Andrew Mendelsohn, executive vice president, Database Server Technologies at Oracle. "This strategic partnership brings compelling value to our joint customers with the fastest, most cost-effective path to OCI. Once on OCI, they can rapidly innovate to bring better analytics and data science to their organizations."
"We are honored to be an Oracle preferred partner for enterprise cloud data integration and data governance for data warehouse and lakehouse solutions on OCI and are excited to bring the power of Informatica's AI-powered, cloud-native, Intelligent Data Management Cloud to OCI. This partnership will enable our joint customers to gain tangible business and technology benefits from our combined software and services," said Jitesh Ghai, chief product officer, Informatica.
Informatica's IDMC is a cloud-native data management platform that currently supports major clouds, providing customers with increased flexibility and control over their data in both hybrid and multi-cloud environments. The new partnership is designed to help customers:
- Simplify migrations to OCI: Building on Informatica's highly successful Cloud Data Warehouse Modernization program, this new partnership offers customers additional benefits targeting simplified migration of on-premises applications and data warehouses to the cloud, compared with unassisted migration. Informatica offers automated Migration Factory, and maintenance and professional services incentives. Oracle offers free database migration tools, BYOL (bring your on-prem licenses to cloud), Oracle Support Rewards, and migration experts from Oracle Cloud Lift Services. In addition, Informatica customers are eligible for professional service incentives from Accenture and other global system integrators.
- Enhance data governance capabilities on OCI with IDMC: IDMC provides OCI customers with access to hundreds of data sources, along with multi-cloud, and hybrid data management capabilities. This will enable customers to benefit from a common data management platform and governance layer across all of their cloud and on-premises data architectures. IDMC also provides comprehensive data management services, including application integration, mass ingestion, ETL and ELT, as well as data quality and cleansing with intelligent automation provided by CLAIRE, Informatica's AI engine.
Customer and Analyst Commentary
"SKY Brasil has selected Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) to modernize its business. Now, the unique partnership of data management leaders, Informatica and Oracle, allows us to accelerate and deepen the analysis of all of our data in OCI and exceed the data security standards set by Brazilian data protection laws," said Andre Nazare, IT Operations & Infrastructure director at SKY Brasil. "The combined capabilities of Informatica's IDMC and data governance with Oracle Data Management and Analytics services will help us drive operational efficiency at scale. We plan to adopt other Informatica and Oracle cloud services to continue to enhance our business applications and deliver personalized experiences to our customers."
"Oracle and Informatica are a natural pairing and this partnership offers customers significant value," said Stewart Bond, research director of IDC's Data Integration and Intelligence Software Service. "Customers are offered many incentives to migrate to the cloud and retain their existing on premises investments."
Learn more at: www.informatica.com/oracle.
About Informatica
Informatica (NYSE: INFA), an Enterprise Cloud Data Management leader, empowers businesses to realize the transformative power of data. We have pioneered a new category of software, the Informatica Intelligent Data Management Cloud™(IDMC), powered by AI and a cloud-first, cloud-native, end-to-end data management platform that connects, manages, and unifies data across any multi-cloud, hybrid system, empowering enterprises to modernize and advance their data strategies. Over 5,000 customers in more than 100 countries and 85 of the Fortune 100 rely on Informatica to drive data-led digital transformation.
Contact:
Informatica Public Relations
prteam@informatica.com
Investor Relations:
vhydedunn@informatica.com
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SOURCE Informatica | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/25/informatica-announces-strategic-global-cloud-partnership-with-oracle/ | 2022-05-25T13:11:01Z |
The Reputation Connector for Microsoft Dynamics 365 will help large enterprises enrich customer insights with sentiment data
SAN RAMON, Calif., Aug. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Reputation, a global leader in reputation experience management (RXM), today announced it will integrate customer sentiment and feedback data into Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Power BI via PowerApps, creating a more seamless experience for brands looking to centralize customer feedback and data. Microsoft is the first major technology partner under The RepNetwork, Reputation's new partner program.
This collaboration comes as the Reputation Connector for Healthcare is made available at Microsoft AppSource. Organizations that use both Reputation and Microsoft can now connect their marketing, sales, and business intelligence tools with Reputation data, allowing them to store business data and customer feedback in one central location.
"We are thrilled that the Reputation Connector for Dynamics 365 is now available in Microsoft AppSource," says Brent Nixon, Reputation's Chief Ecosystem Officer. "Microsoft is the cornerstone of the technology stack for many large organizations, so we are delighted to provide our clients with the ability to uncover deeper customer insights by integrating customer sentiment data from Reputation into Dynamics 365. This first iteration of the app is for the healthcare industry, but we're excited to roll out these capabilities for all industries as part of our ever-evolving collaboration with Microsoft."
Used by millions of companies around the world, Microsoft is a leading provider of computer software for enterprise organizations. Its reach across a variety of industries will only further Reputation's goal of changing the way companies act on customer feedback.
"Combined with Dynamics 365, Reputation allows our customers to get the full picture of customer sentiment data and operationalize patient feedback to improve overall experience and deliver business outcomes," said Toby Bowers, General Manager, Industry, Apps & Data Marketing at Microsoft.
The Reputation Connector for Dynamics 365 is now available. For more information on Reputation's partner program, The RepNetwork, please visit https://reputation.com/partners.
About Reputation
Reputation (formerly Reputation.com), creator of the Reputation Experience Management category, is changing the way companies gather and act on customer feedback to drive decision making and enhance Customer Experience (CX) programs. Reputation's interaction-to-action platform translates vast amounts of solicited and unsolicited feedback data into prescriptive insights that companies use to learn from and grow. Thousands of global organizations rely on the patented algorithms behind Reputation Score X™ to provide a reliable index of brand performance in order to make targeted business improvements. Backed by Marlin Equity Partners, Bessemer Venture Partners and Kleiner Perkins, and trusted by over 250 integration partners, including Google, Facebook, Salesforce, J.D. Power, Amazon and Web.com, Reputation turns feedback into the fuel to grow businesses around the world. Visit reputation.com to learn more.
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SOURCE Reputation | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/02/reputation-collaborates-with-microsoft-enhance-customer-data/ | 2022-08-02T15:32:08Z |
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A gunman who killed three people when he opened fire in a crowded shopping mall acted alone and apparently selected his victims at random, Danish police said Monday, all but ruling out that the attack was related to terrorism.
Authorities filed preliminary charges of murder and attempted murder against a 22-year-old Danish man, who will be held for 24 days in a secure mental health facility while authorities investigate the crime, prosecutor Søren Harbo told reporters.
After the custody hearing, defense lawyer Luise Høj said she agreed to have her client undergo a mental exam. She did not comment on the charges. Police have said the man was known to mental health service without elaborating.
Police have not identified a motive for Sunday’s attack inside one of Scandinavia’s biggest shopping centers. The suspect, carrying a rifle and knife, was quickly arrested, and Copenhagen chief police inspector Søren Thomassen said the man also had access to another gun. He said the firearms were obtained illegally but gave no further details.
“It was the worst possible nightmare,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Monday, calling the attack “unusually brutal.”
The three killed were a 17-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl, both Danes, and a 47-year-old Russian man, according to Thomassen. Four more people were hospitalized with gunshot wounds and were in critical but stable condition. In all, around two dozen people were hurt, most in the panicked stampede after the shots rang out at the Field’s shopping center, on the outskirts of the Danish capital.
Gun violence is relatively rare in Denmark. The last shooting on this scale was in February 2015, when a 22-year-old man was killed in a shootout with police after an attack in the capital that left two people dead and five police officers wounded.
The suspect, who cannot be named by court order, was brought before a judge Monday in a packed courtroom to face three preliminary charges of murder and four of attempted murder. That’s a step short of formal charges but allow authorities to keep a person in custody during an investigation.
When the court ruled that the hearing should be held behind close doors, the media were sent out. It wasn’t immediately clear how the suspect pleaded. He will remain in custody until July 28, police said.
While authorities have said there is no indication that anyone helped the man, Copenhagen police inspector Dannie Rise said the investigation would be complicated.
“We need to put together this jigsaw puzzle,” Rise said. ”And it is huge.”
Earlier, Thomassen said police had discovered nothing so far “that can substantiate that this is an act of terrorism.” He has identified the man as an “ethnic Dane,” a phrase typically used to mean someone is white.
Danish broadcaster TV2 published a grainy photo of the alleged gunman, a man wearing knee-length shorts, a vest or sleeveless shirt, and holding what appeared to be a rifle in his right hand.
“He seemed very violent and angry,” eyewitness Mahdi Al-Wazni told TV2. “He spoke to me and said it (the rifle) isn’t real as I was filming him. He seemed very proud of what he was doing.”
Images from the scene showed people running out of the mall, where people laid flowers on Monday.
Chassandra Stoltz, an 18-year-old student who was on her way to a Harry Styles concert that was scheduled for Sunday night nearby, described a stampede as the shots rang out. At first, she and her sister and father thought it was because someone had spotted Styles — but she soon realized the panic, including a man who grabbed his child from a stroller in the chaos.
“People were guiding us towards the exit sign, and we ran up the roof and we were stuck there for a while and then people were panicking all over the place and people were crying,” Stoltz said.
The Styles concert was canceled due to the shooting.
Sunday’s attack came about a week after a shooting in neighboring Norway, where police said a Norwegian man of Iranian origin opened fire during a LGBTQ festival, killing two and wounding more than 20.
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This story has been updated to correct that there are fewer than 30 injured.
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Ritter reported from Unterseen, Switzerland. | https://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/denmark-gunman-acted-alone-likely-not-terror-related/ | 2022-07-04T19:32:20Z |
Miranda Kerr, Snapchat co-founder pay off student loans for college’s graduating class
(Gray News) – The graduating class of a California college won’t have to worry about paying back their student loans, thanks to a generous donation from model and businesswoman Miranda Kerr and co-founder of SnapChat Evan Spiegel.
The Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles said the significant donation is the largest in the college’s history in a release.
Charles Hirschhorn, President of Otis College of Art and Design, said the school is grateful for the donation.
“Student debt weighs heavily on our diverse and talented graduates,” he said in a release. “We hope this donation will provide much-deserved relief and empower them to pursue their aspirations and careers, pay this generosity forward, and become the next leaders of our community.”
The donation was made through the Spiegel Family Fund, which was founded by Spiegel and Kerr in 2017. The fund is committed to supporting organizations that “contribute to human progress,” according to its website.
The donation was announced at Otis College’s 2022 commencement, which featured Spiegel, who took classes at the college while in high school. Kerr was also featured, along with Bobby Berk, the host of “Queer Eye.”
The college said the donation will also be used to create the Alternative Loan Debt Repayment Fund, which it said will be used to make charitable gifts to graduating students with similar educational loans outside of Otis College.
Otis College of Art and Design is a nonprofit institution that was established in 1918. The school said it prepares students who specialize in art and design in Los Angeles for “a dynamic future in the creative economy.”
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/05/16/miranda-kerr-snapchat-co-founder-pay-off-student-loans-colleges-graduating-class/ | 2022-05-16T20:46:24Z |
Demonstration derives from research funded by the OUSD R&E and conducted on testbed infrastructure within the NSF Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research (PAWR) program
WASHINGTON, June 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research (PAWR) Project Office announces the successful development and demonstration by Zylinium Research of a dynamic spectrum allocation system, Spectrum Exchange, tested and proven on PAWR infrastructure including the Colosseum network emulator and POWDER wireless testbed in Salt Lake City, Utah. The PAWR program is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). Zylinium's research was funded by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD R&E) in the interest of advancing spectrum sharing techniques and machine-driven spectrum intelligence capabilities.
Zylinium's Spectrum Exchange is a network service for scheduling spectrum use and allocating spectrum resources when multiple user types are vying for connectivity at the same time over the same bands. It works in conjunction with the Spectrum Exchange Protocol (SEP), and is built on open APIs to connect to radio gateways in need of spectrum access. The system is highly granular and able to assign spectrum in slices as small as several kilohertz, and for time periods as short as tens of milliseconds.
"New spectrum sharing techniques are critical for making the most of a finite resource," said Bob Baxley of Zylinium. "Spectrum demand continues to grow, and increasing interconnectedness of radio frequency devices means that there is a new opportunity to leverage this connectivity for real-time, super-granular RF spectrum sharing. Simultaneously, it is clear that coarse spectrum sharing is not workable for many applications. RF systems simply cannot give up their access for long periods of time and still meet their objectives. Spectrum Exchange meets this need by enabling use cases through real-time granular spectrum sharing."
A recent demonstration of Spectrum Exchange was presented to federal agency representatives using the POWDER wireless testbed, one of the first PAWR platforms, and the Colosseum network emulator. Both assets are part of the PAWR program, which was created by NSF and funded through NSF and an industry consortium of leading wireless companies and associations. The emulation demo on Colosseum showed the ability for Spectrum Exchange to carve out space for priority altimeter use in potentially contested C-band frequencies. The demo on POWDER used the live, over-the-air network of the testbed to show how 5G network users could be prioritized over less-critical Internet of Things (IoT) clients.
Zylinium leveraged not only the physical infrastructure of the PAWR platforms for its efforts, but also the digital infrastructure, which includes software development work the PAWR program has undertaken to enable an open source mobility environment. Spectrum Exchange was demonstrated using a custom version of the OpenAirInterface (OAI) 5G standalone stack.
"NSF and our industry partners have invested $100 million in the PAWR program to create shared national infrastructure assets that support wireless research through 5G, 6G, and beyond," said Murat Torlak, Program Director in NSF's Computer & Network Systems (CNS) division. "We are thrilled to see that investment produce such significant and concrete results, and we look forward to seeing what comes next from Zylinium and other innovators throughout the wireless ecosystem."
Sumit Roy, Program Director for Innovate B5G stated, "US DoD has a vital interest in promoting advanced Intelligent Spectrum Sharing Concept demonstrations, specifically between Federal and Commercial wireless systems. The 5G-to-XG initiative is particularly pleased to support efforts that leverage NSF's PAWR program investments toward the national goal of enhanced spectrum utilization in the mid-bands. We are excited by what Zylinium has achieved, and look forward to further development and potential commercialization of the technology."
For more information on the PAWR program and its opportunities for wireless research, visit www.advancedwireless.org.
The Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research Project Office (PPO) manages the $100 million public-private partnership and oversees the research platforms. The PPO is co-led by US Ignite and Northeastern University, and funded by the National Science Foundation and PAWR industry consortium. The PPO collaborates closely with the wireless research community, local communities, and industry, in part through the industry consortium, in the design, development, deployment, and initial operations of the research platforms.
Contact: Marissa Kunerth, marissa.kunerth@us-ignite.org
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SOURCE Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research (PAWR) | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/09/pawr-program-announces-successful-demonstration-intelligent-spectrum-sharing-technology-developed-by-zylinium-research-collaboration-with-us-department-defense/ | 2022-06-09T14:18:51Z |
SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Aug. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Rittal North America, a global manufacturer of industrial and IT enclosures, announces the expansion of its smart cooling unit solutions for enclosures with the new Blue e+ S that has lower output categories of .3 kW, .5 kW, and 1 kW. Additionally, the Blue e+ S offers smart capabilities and innovative energy-saving features for the production process. This latest generation of Blue e+ S cooling units have been designed for efficiency helping to ensure a smaller footprint, provide energy savings, minimize CO2 emissions, and lower costs.
Solutions that reduce the carbon footprint during production are in high demand. But at the same time, these solutions need to be intelligent and communication-enabled so that they can be easily integrated into digitalized manufacturing environments. Seven years ago, Rittal responded to this demand with its extremely efficient Blue e+ range of enclosure cooling units, which provided an average energy savings of 75%. The new Blue e+ S enclosure climate control units for lower cooling outputs of .3 kW, .5 kW, and 1 kW are based on the same design and energy saving principles as the Blue e+ series, but also offer added smart capabilities.
Energy-savings and therefore cost reduction is enabled due to the technology used, combining a heat pipe with inverter-controlled components. The heat pipe works without a compressor, expansion valve, or other regulating elements eliminating the need for electrical energy except to operate the fan. Depending on the thermal energy generated in the enclosure and the current ambient temperature, cooling can be performed with the heat pipe alone. The additional compressor cooling only operates if a large amount of heat has to be dissipated from the enclosure or if the ambient temperature is very high. When it does operate, the compressor cooling is far more energy-efficient than conventional units due to the compressor and fans that possess an inverter-controlled drive which automatically adjusts their speeds depending on the cooling requirements. As a result, the temperature within the enclosure remains constant, and the energy efficiency is significantly higher than with other more conventional cooling units.
Alongside energy efficiency, the new Blue e+ S also reduces the carbon footprint by using a refrigerant with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) that is 56% lower than those used in comparable cooling units. Furthermore, instead of the R-134a previously used, the cooling circuit in the new generation of units now runs with R-513A refrigerant.
With their additional smart functions, the new cooling units also help in the digitalization process. With a fully integrated IoT interface as standard, the cooling units can be intelligently monitored in digitalized environments and easily connected to Rittal's new Smart Service Portal, where available. This optimizes the service processes and increases efficiency through predictive maintenance. As a result, fewer unplanned downtime occurs which helps to manage the high cost of production, especially with Industry 4.0 processes.
These cooling units in the lower output classes also have a new design with an integrated colored LED light strip on the front. This means that warning messages can be immediately seen, even from far away. A display on the front of the enclosure provides additional up-to-date information. Moreover, the cooling units are equipped with the Near Field Communication (NFC) interface, which enables them to communicate with mobile devices that have the Rittal Scan & Service app installed.
For more information on Rittal's new Blue e+ S enclosure cooling units visit https://rittal.us/blue-e-s, for additional information on how Rittal's climate control solutions can help reduce the carbon footprint of machines and systems visit https://rittal.us/co2-footprint.
Rittal North America, LLC is a global manufacturer and system solutions provider of industrial and IT enclosures, racks, and accessories, including cooling solutions and power management systems for industrial, data center, outdoor, and hybrid applications. Rittal provides innovative, high-quality solutions for practically any industrial or IT infrastructure application, from single enclosures to comprehensive, mission critical systems. Products are tested and certified to the appropriate standards that apply, including UL, CSA, ATEX, NEMA, and more. For more information, visit www.rittal.com, or follow us on: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Media Contact
Jill Jozwik
Senior Marketing Manager
jozwik.j@rittal.us
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SOURCE Rittal North America, Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/29/rittal-introduces-new-blue-e-s-smart-cooling-units-enclosures-offering-enhanced-cooling-outputs-smart-capabilities-with-sustainability-mind/ | 2022-08-29T15:22:03Z |
NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Founders Cinnamon Entertainment Group LLC announces the launch of a new iOS mobile app CliquePrize. The launch comes after years of careful planning and development to bring small business owners a progressive new marketing opportunity. Print ads and business card fishbowl sweepstakes are a thing of the past. CliquePrize will help you grow your small business by helping you to offer giveaways of value that will generate an ROI! CliquePrize is a versatile app that would benefit many small Nashville businesses such as restaurants, beauty salons, kennels, lawn care, boutiques, retail service providers and more. To learn more about CliquePrize, visit their website, www.cliqueprize.com and download the CliquePrize app exclusively on the Apple App Store.
"CliquePrize solves business targeting issues by focusing on local small businesses and their customers. Before this mobile app, promotions were national which resulted in a lot of wasted reach. With a local marketing list, now small businesses can reach a more highly relevant and engaged customer." - Rob Salerno, CEO and founder of CliquePrize and Cinnamon Entertainment Group LLC
To get started:
- Create a Sponsor account and get verified as a small business which includes a FREE Bullseye! business listing
- Pick A Prize Giveaway
- As a Sponsor, you are responsible to giveaway and fulfill a prize to the winner when you host a Sweepstakes. For example, a FREE Offer for TWO! Think of something your customers would want to win from you. The better the prize, the more Entrants you'll receive
- Purchase a Base Package Upfront
- Upload your assets (logo & background) or use one of our 45+ templates as well as base Rules & Terms/Privacy policy or custom
- After your promotion is over, you can fulfill either the digital (barcode) or physical (sent via a major delivery carrier) prize to the winner
CliquePrize seeks to create a meaningful dialog and understanding of customer needs and behaviors with small businesses through the power of digital promotions.
We make Promotions fun and easy to use for Consumers while Small Businesses can learn critical data. Following the promotion, both parties end up more satisfied as the exchange becomes more relevant and offers are delivered in a local targeted, yet highly intentional way.
Media Contact:
Gabbi Calvert
Publicity Nation
gabbi@publicitynationpr.com
(419) 957-0721
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SOURCE Cinnamon Entertainment Group LLC | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/05/31/nashville-company-announces-official-launch-new-app-cliqueprize-founded-by-cinnamon-entertainment-group-llc/ | 2022-05-31T21:34:26Z |
NORTHBROOK, Ill., May 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is a notification from UL that the Hyprex Fire Extinguishers identified below bear unauthorized UL Certification Marks. These fire extinguishers have not been evaluated by UL to the appropriate Standards for Safety and it is unknown if they comply with any safety requirements.
Name of Product: Hyprex Rapid Cooling Nano Technology Fire Extinguisher
Remedy: This product should be removed from service. UL recommends that users keep a UL Certified fire extinguisher in a readily accessible location to use in the event of a fire.
Identification on the Products:
The unauthorized UL Certification Mark appears on the extinguisher above the barcode.
Hyprex
Rapid Cooling Nano Technology
Fire Extinguisher
Model Hyprex 460
Manufactured by Ominyo
Photos:
FOR PHOTOS PLEASE VISIT UL.COM
Known to be Distributed by: Omniyo PTE LTD, Omniyo SDN BHD, and other online sellers on eCommerce platforms.
About UL
UL is a global safety science leader. We deliver testing, inspection and certification (TIC), training and advisory services, risk management solutions, and essential business insights to help our customers, based in more than 100 countries, achieve their safety, security, and sustainability goals. We believe our deep knowledge of products and intelligence across supply chains make us the partner of choice for customers with complex challenges. Discover more at UL.com.
Peyton Zylke
Corporate Communications
UL
847.226.3483
Peyton.Zylke@ul.com
Release No. 22PN-05
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SOURCE UL | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/02/ul-warns-unauthorized-ul-marks-fire-extinguishers/ | 2022-05-02T17:28:34Z |
Normal Kentucky Derby: Capacity crowd, big hats, mint juleps
By GARY B. GRAVES
AP Sports Writer
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Derby is moving closer to normalcy after two years of upheaval amid COVID-19 restrictions. The 2020 running was delayed until Labor Day, then held without spectators. It returned to its familiar spring slot eight months later in 2021, but with limited capacity. Churchill Downs will welcome everybody without restrictions this Saturday, raising hopes of getting back to 150,000 or more beneath the Twin Spires. If attendance and participation for companion events leading up to the first jewel in horse racing’s Triple Crown is any indication, the stands could be as full and festive as they were pre-pandemic in 2019. | https://localnews8.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/05/02/normal-kentucky-derby-capacity-crowd-big-hats-mint-juleps/ | 2022-05-02T11:09:38Z |
(WGN) – The first trailer was released Tuesday for the third and final installment of the “Halloween” sequel trilogy.
Jamie Lee Curtis will return to the franchise as Laurie Strode for a final confrontation with Michael Myers in the new upcoming movie, “Halloween Ends.”
Curtis posted to Twitter Tuesday before the trailer dropped and said, “Laurie always says… DO AS I SAY! Check back here in 15 minutes for a TREAT! DO AS I SAY!”
The heart-pounding 1 minute and 15 second-long trailer gives little away as to the movie’s plot, but hints at lots of hand-to-hand combat between Laurie and Michael Myers (including a very tense few seconds involving a garbage disposal).
Curtis originally starred in the 1978 horror classic “Halloween,” and has continued to return for several installments of the movie. “Halloween Ends” is reportedly the last time Curtis will portray the character.
It will be the thirteenth movie in the the slasher franchise. All but one of them feature Michael Myers as the antagonist, armed with his signature knife. “Halloween III: Season of the Witch,” released in 1982, is the only movie that veers off from the main characters.
“Halloween Ends” is set to be released in theaters on Oct. 14. | https://cw33.com/entertainment-news/jamie-lee-curtis-faces-off-with-michael-myers-in-halloween-ends-trailer/ | 2022-07-20T19:26:53Z |
- Reported first quarter net income attributable to all partners of $39.5 million
- EBITDA of $66.0 million represented an increase of 12% y/y
- First quarter distributable cash flow coverage ratio of 1.21x and total leverage ratio of approximately 3.3x
- Declared first quarter distribution of $0.98 per limited partner unit; reflects 6.5% increase y/y
- Planned acquisition of 3Bear builds size and scale, offers geographic and product mix diversity and increases 3rd party revenue
- Permian Gathering business witnessing strong producer activity
- Delivered 37 consecutive quarters of distribution growth with recent quarterly increase to $0.98/unit
- DKL volumes expected to benefit from a lack of major planned turnaround activity in Delek US system in 2022
BRENTWOOD, Tenn., May 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Delek Logistics Partners, LP (NYSE: DKL) ("Delek Logistics") today announced its financial results for the first quarter 2022. For the three months ended March 31, 2022, Delek Logistics reported net income attributable to all partners of $39.5 million, or $0.91 per diluted common limited partner unit. This compares to net income attributable to all partners of $36.3 million, or $0.83 per diluted common limited partner unit, in the first quarter 2021. Net cash from operating activities was $47.9 million in the first quarter 2022 compared to $61.7 million in the first quarter 2021. Distributable cash flow was $51.7 million in the first quarter 2022, compared to $52.5 million in the first quarter 2021.
For the first quarter 2022, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") was $66.0 million compared to $58.7 million in the first quarter 2021.
Uzi Yemin, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Delek Logistics' general partner, remarked: "Strong producer demand is prompting significant volume growth in our Permian Gathering System and we expect momentum to continue throughout the year. Complementing our existing gathering business is the planned acquisition of 3Bear Delaware Holding – NM, LLC. This transaction improves size and scale, increases third party revenue, diversifies geographic footprint within the Permian Basin, expands the product mix and is expected to be immediately accretive to distributable cash flow ratios."
Mr. Yemin continued, "With ongoing consolidation in the MLP space, DKL should screen more attractively to investors as a larger, more diversified company with increasing third-party revenue and a long track record of increasing shareholder returns. The recent announcement to increase the quarterly distribution to $0.98/unit marks the 37th consecutive increase in the quarterly distribution. The outlook for the company is bright with both organic and inorganic growth opportunities underway and a lack of major turnaround activity planned at Delek US in 2022, should translate into strong volumes throughout our system this year."
Distribution and Liquidity
On April 25, 2022, Delek Logistics declared a quarterly cash distribution of $0.98 per common limited partner unit for the first quarter 2022, which equates to $3.92 per common limited partner unit on an annualized basis. This distribution will be paid on May 12, 2022 to unitholders of record on May 5, 2022. This represents a 0.5% increase from the fourth quarter 2021 distribution of $0.975 per common limited partner unit, or $3.90 per common limited partner unit on an annualized basis, and a 6.5% increase over Delek Logistics' first quarter 2021 distribution of $0.92 per common limited partner unit, or $3.68 per common limited partner unit annualized. For the first quarter 2022, the total cash distribution declared to all partners was approximately $42.6 million, resulting in a distributable cash flow coverage ratio of 1.21x.
As of March 31, 2022, Delek Logistics had total debt of approximately $905.5 million and cash of $2.7 million. Additional borrowing capacity, subject to certain covenants, under the $850.0 million credit facility was $585.9 million. The total leverage ratio was well within the requirements of the maximum allowable leverage ratio under the credit facility.
Financial Results
Contribution margin in the first quarter 2022 was $62.3 million compared to $56.9 million in the first quarter 2021. Overall performance benefited from an increase in utilization on assets supporting the Big Spring Refinery and increased throughput on joint venture pipelines.
Pipelines and Transportation Segment
Contribution margin in the first quarter 2022 was $43.2 million which is broadly in line compared to $41.7 million in the first quarter 2021.
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Wholesale Marketing and Terminalling Segment
During the first quarter 2022, contribution margin was $19.0 million compared to $15.2 million in the first quarter 2021. The increase was primarily driven by strong volumes at the Big Spring marketing and terminalling facilities.
Investments in Pipeline Joint Ventures Segment
During the first quarter 2022, income from equity method investments was $7.0 million compared to $4.0 million in the first quarter 2021, primarily driven by increased volumes at both Caddo and Red River.
First Quarter 2022 Results | Conference Call Information
Delek Logistics will hold a conference call to discuss its first quarter 2022 results on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at 9:30 a.m. Central Time. Investors will have the opportunity to listen to the conference call live by going to www.DelekLogistics.com. Participants are encouraged to register at least 15 minutes early to download and install any necessary software. An archived version of the replay will also be available at www.DelekLogistics.com for 90 days.
Investors may also wish to listen to Delek US Holdings, Inc.'s (NYSE: DK) ("Delek US") first quarter 2022 earnings conference call on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. Central Time and review Delek US' earnings press release. Market trends and information disclosed by Delek US may be relevant to Delek Logistics, as it is a consolidated subsidiary of Delek US. Investors can find information related to Delek US and the timing of its earnings release online by going to www.DelekUS.com.
About Delek Logistics Partners, LP
Delek Logistics Partners, LP, headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee, was formed by Delek US and owns, operates, acquires and constructs crude oil, natural gas and refined products logistics and marketing assets.
Safe Harbor Provisions Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are based upon current expectations and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Statements concerning current estimates, expectations and projections about future results, performance, prospects, opportunities, plans, actions and events and other statements, concerns, or matters that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements," as that term is defined under the federal securities laws. These statements contain words such as "possible," "believe," "should," "could," "would," "predict," "plan," "estimate," "intend," "may," "anticipate," "will," "if," "expect" or similar expressions, as well as statements in the future tense, and can be impacted by numerous factors, including the fact that a substantial majority of Delek Logistics' contribution margin is derived from Delek US, thereby subjecting us to Delek US' business risks; risks relating to the securities markets generally; risks and costs relating to the age and operational hazards of our assets including, without limitation, costs, penalties, regulatory or legal actions and other effects related to releases, spills and other hazards inherent in transporting and storing crude oil and intermediate and finished petroleum products; the impact of adverse market conditions affecting the utilization of Delek Logistics' assets and business performance, including margins generated by its wholesale fuel business; the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the demand for crude oil, refined products and transportation and storage services; uncertainties regarding future decisions by OPEC regarding production and pricing disputes between OPEC members and Russia; an inability of Delek US to grow as expected as it relates to our potential future growth opportunities, including dropdowns, and other potential benefits; scheduled turnaround activity; the results of our investments in joint ventures; adverse changes in laws including with respect to tax and regulatory matters; and other risks as disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other reports and filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding future growth at Delek Logistics; distributions and the amounts and timing thereof; potential dropdown inventory; expected earnings or returns from joint ventures or other acquisitions; expansion projects; ability to create long-term value for our unit holders; financial flexibility and borrowing capacity; and distribution growth of 5% or at all. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results and will not be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved. Forward-looking information is based on information available at the time and/or management's good faith belief with respect to future events, and is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in the statements. Delek Logistics undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur, or which Delek Logistics becomes aware of, after the date hereof, except as required by applicable law or regulation
Non-GAAP Disclosures:
Our management uses certain "non-GAAP" operational measures to evaluate our operating segment performance and non-GAAP financial measures to evaluate past performance and prospects for the future to supplement our GAAP financial information presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. These financial and operational non-GAAP measures are important factors in assessing our operating results and profitability and include:
- Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") - calculated as net income before net interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization expense, including amortization of customer contract intangible assets, which is included as a component of net revenues in our accompanying condensed consolidated statements of income.
- Distributable cash flow - calculated as net cash flow from operating activities plus or minus changes in assets and liabilities, less maintenance capital expenditures net of reimbursements and other adjustments not expected to settle in cash. Delek Logistics believes this is an appropriate reflection of a liquidity measure by which users of its financial statements can assess its ability to generate cash.
- EBITDA and distributable cash flow are non GAAP supplemental financial measures that management and external users of our condensed consolidated financial statements, such as industry analysts, investors, lenders and rating agencies, may use to assess:
- Delek Logistics' operating performance as compared to other publicly traded partnerships in the midstream energy industry, without regard to historical cost basis or, in the case of EBITDA, financing methods;
- the ability of our assets to generate sufficient cash flow to make distributions to our unitholders;
- Delek Logistics' ability to incur and service debt and fund capital expenditures; and
- the viability of acquisitions and other capital expenditure projects and the returns on investment of various investment opportunities.
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Delek Logistics believes that the presentation of EBITDA, distributable cash flow and distributable cash flow coverage ratio provide useful information to investors in assessing its financial condition, its results of operations and the cash flow its business is generating. EBITDA, distributable cash flow and distributable cash flow coverage ratio should not be considered in isolation or as alternatives to net income, operating income, cash flow from operating activities or any other measure of financial performance or liquidity presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
Non-GAAP measures have important limitations as analytical tools, because they exclude some, but not all, items that affect net income and net cash provided by operating activities. These measures should not be considered substitutes for their most directly comparable U.S. GAAP financial measures. Additionally, because EBITDA and distributable cash flow may be defined differently by other partnerships in its industry, Delek Logistics' definitions of EBITDA and distributable cash flow may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other partnerships, thereby diminishing their utility. See the accompanying tables in this earnings release for a reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures.
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Information about Delek Logistics Partners, LP can be found on its website (www.deleklogistics.com), investor relations webpage (ir.deleklogistics.com), news webpage (www.deleklogistics.com/news) and its Twitter account (@DelekLogistics).
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SOURCE Delek Logistics | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/03/delek-logistics-partners-lp-reports-first-quarter-2022-results/ | 2022-05-03T12:17:12Z |
OKLAHOMA CITY, Aug. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Courtney Elliott's heart stopped beating on a procedure room table three weeks after delivering her baby. Her condition was caused by a massive blood clot, a complication from a COVID-19 infection at 36 weeks pregnant.
It took more than 100 Mercy co-workers from 21 hospital departments working together over nine weeks to save Elliott's life not once, not twice, but three times.
An at-home COVID-19 test confirmed the exhaustion and shortness of breath she was experiencing weren't simply the result of late-stage pregnancy.
Elliott initially monitored minor symptoms at home until her breathing became so labored, her OB/GYN determined the safest option was to deliver as soon as possible. At 37 weeks, her baby was full term.
"If we could just deliver the baby, her uterus would decompress and allow her lungs to work more effectively," said Dr. Jennifer Strebel, Mercy obstetrician/gynecologist.
A heathy 7-pound, 7-ounce baby girl arrived January 12 during an emergency cesarean section at Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City. It was an otherwise joyous occasion, and Elliott's condition improved immediately.
"Her shortness of breath was gone, she could breathe and walk on her own," Dr. Strebel said.
Five days later Courtney was well enough to go home.
Within 48 hours, and during a highly infectious omicron wave of COVID-19 that saw hospitals stretched to their limits, Elliott was in an ambulance headed back to Mercy.
Her oxygen levels, which should be 92% or more, were at 45%.
Elliott was admitted to the intensive care stepdown unit. The care team tried everything possible to keep her off a ventilator. After a week, she continued to decline and was moved to the intensive care unit.
Eventually, she started to improve, and her caregivers considered a move back to the stepdown unit. Her nurse advocated to keep her in the ICU one more night, a decision that likely saved Elliott's life. That same day, her oxygen levels deteriorated rapidly, and she was intubated and hooked up to a ventilator that would breathe for her.
"Her blood pressure dropped so low, and the nurses immediately jumped in, but everything we tried to do to intervene medically wasn't working," said Dr. Maroun Tawk, a Mercy critical care physician and medical director of the intensive care unit.
Continue reading Courtney's story at mercy.net/CourtneysStory.
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SOURCE Mercy | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/24/new-mom-survives-harrowing-health-scare/ | 2022-08-24T12:38:31Z |
The Hamburg-based AI technology company enables measurable ROI-driven licensing that optimizes the creative performance of content
LOS ANGELES, June 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Songtradr, the world's leading B2B music company, announced today the acquisition of leading AI metadata and music search company, Musicube. The transaction expands the company's portfolio of tech-enabled music solutions designed to license the right music for any content, driving higher ROI and enabling brands to measurably engage their target audience. Using neural networks and proprietary artificial intelligence, Musicube's semantic search has reached product leadership in both quality and data depth. It helps match music to content and a brand's target audience. This technology further enhances Songtradr's B2B music solutions that harness the power of data and tech-enabled intelligence with creative excellence.
"Musicube has approached audio analysis from an entirely unique perspective and this acquisition accelerates our mission to increase the value and effectiveness of music in content," said Paul Wiltshire, CEO of Songtradr. "Their impressive team of passionate musicologists and data scientists understand the power of data and its relationship with music, which ultimately benefits our brand and agency customers as well as music rights holders. In order to have the world's best B2B music search and recommendation technology, we need premier metadata enrichment technology, which is a key component of the B2B music supply chain. Adding the Musicube technologies, data and extraordinary team to Songtradr will help accelerate our enterprise customer user experience."
Musicube's proprietary software is delivered via web widgets and an API that provides pristine metadata at scale for music labels, publishers, music supervisors, among many other audiences. The technology also enables customers to search for tracks, playlists and artists based on audiences, moods, genres, vocal features, instruments, tempo and more, unlocking the true value of catalogs and rights.
David Hoga, CEO and founder of Musicube, said: "Songtradr is the most exciting music company we have seen in a very long time. We are incredibly happy to join this exceptional team of music lovers and technologists as every single conversation we have had can be characterized by both cordiality and an ambitious agenda. We share a common vision of an artist-friendly music industry, using data to achieve it."
With a team of more than 350 people and offices in 12 countries worldwide, Songtradr has grown from being a music tech product for independent artists to a multi-disciplined, end-to-end solution for music buyers, brands and rights holders.
Songtradr's unique portfolio of the world's leading music services companies (Massive Music, Big Sync Music and Song Zu) alongside its industry-leading technology and data products (Songtradr, Tunefind, Pretzel, Jaxsta (investment only) and Musicube) provides its customers a distinct advantage to maximize the value of music in their projects.
For more information about Songtradr's products and services, visit songtradr.com.
ABOUT MUSICUBE:
Musicube's music AI solution provides rich metadata for music labels, publishers, rights holders and others seeking song discoverability tools. The database includes more than 50 million song titles with ISRC and all contributors, as well as more than 500 keywords (such as moods, musical characteristics, content from song lyrics and many more). The company is composed of experienced musicologists and data scientists based in Hamburg, Germany. For more information, visit http://www.musicu.be.
ABOUT SONGTRADR:
Songtradr is where music meets data, ideas meet innovation, and brand missions are transformed by sound.
We work with brands, agencies, businesses, labels, artists, and more, empowering them to excel on an international stage. Propelled by technology, real-time data intelligence, and musical expertise, our fully integrated products and services help amplify brands and enable artists and rights holders to realize the full potential of their catalog.
Whether with a classic song or a trending tune, a global music strategy or a sonic identity, we help translate ideas into powerful, ROI-driven solutions to ensure content always hits the right note.
We power the world with music.
Press Contact:
Kara Gaughan
Jive PR + Digital
778-872-7676
kara@jiveprdigital.com
www.jiveprdigital.com
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SOURCE Songtradr | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/07/songtradr-expands-its-b2b-music-technology-solutions-acquires-leading-advanced-ai-search-company-musicube/ | 2022-06-07T19:19:31Z |
Leaders demonstrate exceptional development, strong supplier relationships, and a sustainable business model
BOULDER, Colo., Aug. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A new report from Guidehouse Insights examines the competitive landscape for power purchase agreement (PPA) online platforms.
PPA originated in the US in the late 1980s as a means of electricity market deregulation, but the recent growth of renewable projects has seen its application skyrocket. The world has pledged to reach net-zero CO2 emissions by the mid-21st century, which has increased pressure on full decarbonization in the energy sector. According to a Leaderboard report from Guidehouse Insights, Schneider Electric, Enel X, Level Ten Energy, and Pexapark are the leading power purchase agreement online platforms.
"With a PPA, renewable energy generators can secure funding; investors have a new source of profit in the energy market; and consumers get a renewable energy supply that can help fulfill their decarbonization commitments," says Yuchen Hu, research analyst with Guidehouse Insights. "Digital platforms that incorporate knowledge and expertise from traditional PPA solutions, combined with advisory services, will facilitate and accelerate PPA transactions as well as renewable energy capacity growth."
High upfront costs, increasing costs of raw materials, and unsure returns hinder the switch to renewable energy generators, and thus the renewable energy transition. PPAs are a way to mitigate those risks. With much of the world pledging to 100% renewable electricity, the PPA market has huge growth potential, as does the market for PPA online platforms. Leaders clearly differentiate themselves from the competition through exceptional development, strong supplier relationships, and a sustainable business model, according to the report.
The report, Guidehouse Insights Leaderboard: Power Purchase Agreement Marketplace Solution Providers, identified 10 PPA online platforms that provide pre-PPA transaction services. They cover a wide range of specialties covering physical and financial corporate PPAs, utility PPAs, and retail PPAs, with long-term and short-term options. The Leaderboard assesses these online platforms using a range of criteria on Strategy and Execution. An executive summary of the report is available for free download on the Guidehouse Insights website.
Guidehouse Insights, the dedicated market intelligence arm of Guidehouse, provides research, data, and benchmarking services for today's rapidly changing and highly regulated industries. Our insights are built on in-depth analysis of global clean technology markets. The team's research methodology combines supply-side industry analysis, end-user primary research, and demand assessment, paired with a deep examination of technology trends, to provide a comprehensive view of emerging resilient infrastructure systems. Additional information about Guidehouse Insights can be found at www.guidehouseinsights.com.
Guidehouse is a leading global provider of consulting services to the public sector and commercial markets, with broad capabilities in management, technology, and risk consulting. By combining our public and private sector expertise, we help clients address their most complex challenges and navigate significant regulatory pressures focusing on transformational change, business resiliency, and technology-driven innovation. Across a range of advisory, consulting, outsourcing, and digital services, we create scalable, innovative solutions that help our clients outwit complexity and position them for future growth and success. The company has more than 13,000 professionals in over 50 locations globally. Guidehouse is a Veritas Capital portfolio company, led by seasoned professionals with proven and diverse expertise in traditional and emerging technologies, markets, and agenda-setting issues driving national and global economies. For more information, please visit www.guidehouse.com.
* The information contained in this press release concerning the report, Guidehouse Insights Leaderboard: Power Purchase Agreement Marketplace Solution Providers, is a summary and reflects the current expectations of Guidehouse Insights based on market data and trend analysis. Market predictions and expectations are inherently uncertain and actual results may differ materially from those contained in this press release or the report. Please refer to the full report for a complete understanding of the assumptions underlying the report's conclusions and the methodologies used to create the report. Neither Guidehouse Insights nor Guidehouse undertakes any obligation to update any of the information contained in this press release or the report.
For more information, contact:
Cecile Fradkin
+1.646.941.9139
cfradkin@scprgroup.com
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SOURCE Guidehouse Insights | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/25/guidehouse-insights-names-schneider-electric-enel-x-level-ten-energy-pexapark-leading-power-purchase-agreement-online-platforms/ | 2022-08-25T09:52:46Z |
Believes There Will Be Significant Interest in Southwest Gas
Urges Stockholders to Vote the WHITE Proxy Card to Support Southwest Gas Board to Oversee the Strategic Alternatives Process and Maximize Value for All Southwest Gas Stockholders
LAS VEGAS, April 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SWX) ("Southwest Gas" or the "Company") today announced it is mailing a letter to its stockholders in connection with its upcoming Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the "Annual Meeting"), scheduled for May 12, 2022.
The Board strongly recommends that stockholders vote "FOR ALL" its director nominees on the WHITE proxy card promptly upon receipt. The proxy materials and other information regarding the Board of Directors' recommendation for the 2022 Annual Meeting can be found at www.SWXBuildingValue.com.
Stockholders who have questions or who need help voting their shares may call the Company's proxy solicitor, Innisfree M&A Incorporated, at 1 (877) 825-8621 (toll-free from the U.S. and Canada) or +1 (412) 232-3651 (from other countries).
The full text of the letter being mailed to stockholders follows:
Vote the WHITE Proxy Card to Support Comprehensive Strategic Alternatives Process to
Unlock Maximum Value of Southwest Gas
Dear Fellow Southwest Gas Stockholder,
Your Board is focused on maximizing stockholder value. That is why we rejected an inadequate $82.50 per share tender offer (the "Offer") from Carl Icahn ("Mr. Icahn"). It is also the reason that, following the receipt of an indication of interest well in excess of Mr. Icahn's Offer, we unanimously determined that now is the time to commence a process to review all strategic alternatives available to maximize value for all Southwest Gas stockholders (the "process"). The alternatives include a sale of the Company, or a separate sale of its business units, or our previously announced plan to spin-off Centuri.
A VOTE FOR THE ICAHN CONTROL SLATE IS A VOTE FOR MR. ICAHN'S INADEQUATE TENDER OFFER
As we conduct this process, it would be contrary to the interests of Southwest Gas stockholders to have nominees that Mr. Icahn selected as part of the Board of Directors. Indeed, Mr. Icahn assembled his control slate of nominees specifically to take control of the Board and further his agenda. He said so himself.
In addition, you cannot reconcile Mr. Icahn extending his inadequate and illusory tender offer with the statements he made in his April 21, 2022 open letter to stockholders. Mr. Icahn stated: "To be clear, we [Icahn Enterprises] will not participate (that is, we will not be a bidder) in the purported "strategic review" process run by either the incumbent board or our new and improved board." We strongly believe it is in the best interests of stockholders to vote the WHITE proxy card to support the Southwest Gas value maximization process, and to reject Mr. Icahn's control slate, which he has made clear has been assembled solely to facilitate his efforts to take control of the Company at an inadequate price, which is well below our current stock price. In fact, Mr. Icahn publicly stated, "at the very least, a majority of the Board needs to change in order to allow for the tender offer to be completed".
Despite the confusion created by Mr. Icahn's contradictory actions, our invitation for Mr. Icahn to participate in the process remains open.
Our highly experienced Board is conducting this process thoroughly and expeditiously. Members of the Southwest Gas Board of Directors have participated in numerous highly successful public company sale processes in various professional capacities. In fact, two Southwest Gas directors, Jane Lewis-Raymond and Leslie T. Thornton, served in prominent executive leadership roles for two of the most successful sale transactions in the gas utility industry, the sale of Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc. to Duke Energy Corporation, and the sale of WGL Holdings, Inc. to AltaGas Ltd., respectively. Your Board's extensive transaction experience, together with its broad and deep regulatory expertise and experience in the utility, construction and other relevant industries, make it the right Board to get the best possible value for stockholders.
The Board has formed a dedicated Strategic Transactions Committee composed solely of independent directors, Anne Mariucci, Carlos Ruisanchez and Jane Lewis-Raymond, to drive the review process. These directors have strong capital markets, regulatory and M&A experience. Our financial advisor has already begun discussions with interested parties and we have directed our financial advisor to begin making outbound calls to other interested parties. Again, regardless of Mr. Icahn's misleading public commentary, we are also reaching out to him to encourage his participation in the process.
We have already received additional inbound interest and we believe there will be significant interest in Southwest Gas.
We urge you to vote the WHITE proxy card to ensure that stockholders receive the maximum value for their shares by allowing your Board to conduct this review process as expeditiously and effectively as possible.
STRATEGIC ALTERNATIVES PROCESS MAXIMIZES VALUE OF SOUTHWEST GAS' SUCCESSFUL
TRANSFORMATION TO UNLOCK STOCKHOLDER VALUE
Your Board and management team have taken a series of actions in the last several years to enhance the value of our regulated and unregulated businesses and to unlock that value for stockholders. The strategic alternatives process is the culmination of this strategic transformation.
ANALYSTS AGREE THAT OUR "STRATEGIC REVIEW IS A GAME CHANGER"
Industry experts recognize that there is significant value to be unlocked in both our regulated and unregulated businesses through this process.
One analyst noted:
Strategic Review is Game Changer
The announcement of the strategic review of the company, and a new higher bidder pushes the investment debate much more to the sum of the part valuation which precedent transactions for the three components suggest robust interest in LDCs and construction businesses. We are incremental much more positive on the stock.
– Citi Equity Research, 18 April 20221
SOUTHWEST GAS HAS THE RIGHT BOARD TO OVERSEE THE STRATEGIC ALTERNATIVES PROCESS
We strongly believe that Southwest Gas has the right Board to oversee the value maximization process. Your refreshed Board is made up of highly qualified, independent, engaged and diverse directors with strong industry experience, and expertise in strategy, finance, ESG, legal/regulatory and M&A. Your Board also includes leaders that work and live in Southwest Gas' service jurisdictions, which is important to Southwest Gas' regulators.
Southwest Gas has a robust and ongoing Board refreshment process to ensure the Board is composed of individuals with varied, complementary backgrounds, who possess core competencies that enhance our oversight and support our strategy.
Through this process, we have refreshed 40% of our Board in the last three years, adding four highly qualified Directors to our Board since 2019, three of whom are seasoned leaders in our industry and all of whom bring specific and extensive relevant M&A expertise.
We remain committed to evaluating all meaningful opportunities to maximize value for all of our stockholders – and continuing to lead with governance best practices.
PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR SOUTHWEST GAS INVESTMENT:
VOTE THE WHITE PROXY CARD TODAY
We welcome and encourage Mr. Icahn's participation in the process; however, we strongly believe that it would be against the best interests of Southwest Gas stockholders to permit Mr. Icahn's handpicked nominees to oversee the Company and the process.
Electing any of the nominees on Mr. Icahn's control slate could have a chilling effect on the process and potentially dissuade other parties from participating. Any of Mr. Icahn's nominees would be inherently conflicted. If elected to the Southwest Gas Board, Mr. Icahn's nominees would be in a position to advance his agenda and influence the outcome of the process.
Despite the fact we have received an indication of interest well in excess of Mr. Icahn's $82.50 per share offer, authorized a strategic alternatives process and invited him to participate, Mr. Icahn continues to run his proxy contest in an attempt to take control of the Board. Conversely, the Southwest Gas Board is committed to maximizing the value of the Company for all stockholders.
We believe the process is best overseen by the Southwest Gas Board of Directors and its independent Strategic Transactions Committee, not Mr. Icahn's nominees and deputies who have been put forward to allow him to take control of the Company.
This is a critical moment for Southwest Gas and your investment in the Company. We are confident that our ongoing strategic alternatives process will maximize value for all of our stockholders.
On behalf of your Board and the management team, thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Lazard is serving as financial advisor to Southwest Gas and Morrison & Foerster LLP and Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP are serving as legal advisors.
About Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc.
Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the business of purchasing, distributing and transporting natural gas, and providing comprehensive utility infrastructure services across North America. Southwest Gas Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary, safely and reliably delivers natural gas to over two million customers in Arizona, California and Nevada. The Company's MountainWest subsidiary provides natural gas storage and interstate pipeline services within the Rocky Mountain region. Centuri Group, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary, is a strategic infrastructure services company that partners with regulated utilities to build and maintain the energy network that powers millions of homes and businesses across the United States and Canada.
How to Find Further Information
This communication does not constitute a solicitation of any vote or approval in connection with the 2022 annual meeting of stockholders of Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc. (the "Company") (the "Annual Meeting"), scheduled to be held May 12, 2022. In connection with the Annual Meeting, the Company has filed a definitive proxy statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), which the Company has furnished to its stockholders in connection with the Annual Meeting. The Company may furnish additional materials in connection with the Annual Meeting. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION, WE URGE STOCKHOLDERS TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT (INCLUDING ALL AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND WHITE PROXY CARD AND OTHER DOCUMENTS WHEN SUCH INFORMATION IS FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY, BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY AND THE ANNUAL MEETING. The proposals for the Annual Meeting are being made solely through the definitive proxy statement. In addition, a copy of the definitive proxy statement may be obtained free of charge from www.swgasholdings.com/proxymaterials. Security holders also may obtain, free of charge, copies of the proxy statement and any other documents filed by Company with the SEC in connection with the Annual Meeting at the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov, and at the Company's website at www.swgasholdings.com.
Important Information for Investors and Stockholders: This communication does not constitute an offer to buy or solicitation of an offer to sell any securities. In response to the tender offer for the shares of the Company commenced by IEP Utility Holdings LLC and Icahn Enterprises Holdings L.P., the Company has filed a solicitation/recommendation statement on Schedule 14D-9 with the SEC. INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS OF SOUTHWEST GAS HOLDINGS ARE URGED TO READ THE SOLICITATION/RECOMMENDATION STATEMENT AND OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY IN THEIR ENTIRETY BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Investors and stockholders may obtain a free copy of these documents free of charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov, and at the Company's website at www.swgasholdings.com. In addition, copies of these materials may be requested from the Company's information agent, Innisfree M&A Incorporated, toll-free at (877) 825-8621.
Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such statements include, without limitation, statements regarding Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc. (the "Company") and the Company's expectations or intentions regarding the future. These forward-looking statements can often be identified by the use of words such as "will", "predict", "continue", "forecast", "expect", "believe", "anticipate", "outlook", "could", "target", "project", "intend", "plan", "seek", "estimate", "should", "may" and "assume", as well as variations of such words and similar expressions referring to the future, and include (without limitation) statements regarding expectations with respect to a separation of Centuri, the future performance of Centuri, Southwest Gas's dividend ratios and Southwest Gas's future performance. A number of important factors affecting the business and financial results of the Company could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated in the forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, the timing and amount of rate relief, changes in rate design, customer growth rates, the effects of regulation/deregulation, tax reform and related regulatory decisions, the impacts of construction activity at Centuri, whether we will separate Centuri within the anticipated timeframe and the impact to our results of operations and financial position from the separation, the potential for, and the impact of, a credit rating downgrade, the costs to integrate MountainWest, future earnings trends, inflation, sufficiency of labor markets and similar resources, seasonal patterns, the cost and management attention of ongoing litigation that the Company is currently engaged in, the effects of the pending tender offer and proxy contest brought by Carl Icahn and his affiliates, and the impacts of stock market volatility. In addition, the Company can provide no assurance that its discussions about future operating margin, operating income, COLI earnings, interest expense, and capital expenditures of the natural gas distribution segment will occur. Likewise, the Company can provide no assurance that discussions regarding utility infrastructure services segment revenues, EBITDA as a percentage of revenue, and interest expense will transpire, nor assurance regarding acquisitions or their impacts, including management's plans or expectations related thereto, including with regard to Riggs Distler or MountainWest. Factors that could cause actual results to differ also include (without limitation) those discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in the Company's and Southwest Gas Corporation's current and periodic reports, including our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, filed from time to time with the SEC. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, even if subsequently made available by the Company on its Web site or otherwise. The Company does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise.
Participants in the Solicitation: The directors and officers of the Company may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the Annual Meeting. Information regarding the Company's directors and officers and their respective interests in the Company by security holdings or otherwise is available in its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC and the definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC in connection with the Annual Meeting. Additional information regarding the interests of such potential participants is included in other relevant materials filed with the SEC.
Contacts
For investor information, contact: Boyd Nelson, (702) 876-7237, boyd.nelson@swgas.com; or Innisfree M&A Incorporated, Scott Winter/Jennifer Shotwell/Jon Salzberger, (212) 750-5833.
For media information, contact: Sean Corbett, (702) 876-7219, sean.corbett@swgas.com; or
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher, Dan Katcher / Tim Lynch, (212) 355-4449.
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SOURCE Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/04/25/southwest-gas-mails-letter-stockholders-comprehensive-strategic-alternatives-process-unlock-maximum-value/ | 2022-04-25T12:01:56Z |
NEW YORK , May 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Gross Law Firm issues the following notice to shareholders of Playstudios, Inc..
Shareholders who purchased shares of MYPS 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/playstudios-inc-loss-submission-form/?id=27635&from=4
CLASS PERIOD: 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.
ALLEGATIONS: The complaint alleges that during the class period, Defendants issued materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose 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.
DEADLINE: June 6, 2022 Shareholders should not delay in registering for this class action. Register your information here: https://securitiesclasslaw.com/securities/playstudios-inc-loss-submission-form/?id=27635&from=4
NEXT STEPS FOR SHAREHOLDERS: Once you register as a shareholder who purchased shares of MYPS 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 June 6, 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.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/25/shareholder-alert-gross-law-firm-notifies-shareholders-playstudios-inc-class-action-lawsuit-lead-plaintiff-deadline-june-6-2022-nasdaq-myps/ | 2022-05-25T11:38:35Z |
Michigan chief IDs officer who fatally shot Patrick Lyoya
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan police officer who killed Patrick Lyoya with a shot to the head has been with the Grand Rapids department for seven years, after starring as a pole vaulter at a small college and marrying his longtime girlfriend during a church mission trip to Africa.
Christopher Schurr’s name had been circulating since his face was seen in videos of the April 4 confrontation with Lyoya, a Black man. But his identity wasn’t publicly acknowledged until Monday when the police chief changed course and released it, three days after passionate demands at the funeral of the 26-year-old native of Congo.
GRAPHIC: WARNING: This video may contain disturbing content.
Chief Eric Winstrom said he was acting “in the interest of transparency, to reduce ongoing speculation, and to avoid any further confusion,” though no other information about Schurr’s service with the department was released.
Lyoya, who was unarmed, was face down on the ground when he was shot in the back of the head, moments after a traffic stop in Michigan’s second-largest city. Schurr was on top of him and can be heard on video demanding that he take his hand off the white officer’s Taser.
A forensic pathologist who conducted an autopsy at the family’s request said the gun was pressed to Lyoya’s head when he was shot.
The Associated Press left a phone message Monday seeking comment from Schurr, who remains off the job while state police investigate the shooting. The AP reached out to him several times over the past week, including knocking at the door of his suburban home. There was no answer.
Schurr, 31, grew up in Byron Center, just south of Grand Rapids, and joined the police in 2015 after attending Siena Heights University in Adrian, Michigan, where he studied accounting and was a star pole vaulter.
He won an NAIA national championship with a vault clearing 17 feet, ¾ inches and, as a junior, the university’s scholar-athlete award, according to Siena Heights’ alumni magazine.
Schurr was active in his church when he was younger, taking missionary trips for Corinth Reformed Church in Byron Center, according to a 2014 story in Vaulter Magazine, a publication dedicated to the sport.
Schurr said he was getting married that year, and couldn’t afford to have a wedding celebration and take a separate trip to Kisi, Kenya, to build homes, so he decided to get married there.
“We’re going to do a wedding their style,” Schurr told the magazine. “I have an African outfit already and my fiancee will pick out some fabric and she’ll make a Kenyan-style dress.”
A Twitter account with his name that appears to belong to the officer follows a few national track and field athletes, including a pole vaulter. There are no Tweets associated with the account. A Facebook page with Schurr’s name appears to have been taken down.
A college teammate, Ryan Hopson, said Schurr was mild-mannered and quiet in college, friendly and quick with a smile.
“He always had a good vibe,” Hopson said. “I can’t say nothing bad about him. I really can’t. ... I was shocked to see it was him, but I don’t know what it’s like to be a cop and have my life on the line.”
Lyoya’s family wants Schurr fired and charged. Prosecutor Chris Becker said he’s waiting for the state police report.
“I want to do the right thing. But I realize even if I do the right thing, there is a segment of the population that is not going to be happy,” Becker told MLive.com.
The police department’s decision to reveal Schurr’s name was a reversal. After the release of video of the shooting, Winstrom insisted he would withhold the officer’s name unless he was charged with a crime. It was described as a long-standing practice that applied to the public as well as city employees.
But Lyoya’s family and Black leaders, including the Rev. Al Sharpton, repeatedly pressed for it, including at Lyoya’s funeral, which drew 1,000 people Friday.
“We want his name!” Sharpton shouted, saying authorities cannot set a precedent of withholding the names of officers who kill people unless the officer is charged.
Ven Johnson, an attorney for the family, said it’s important that Lyoya’s parents now know Schurr’s name, though he scoffed at the police chief citing “transparency.”
“It’s not transparent when you hide something for three weeks. It’s quite the opposite,” Johnson said. “It’s cops taking care of the cops instead of treating it like a normal investigation.”
After Lyoya’s funeral, Grand Rapids City Manager Mark Washington acknowledged the demand for the officer’s name and said he would discuss the matter with Winstrom and city employment officials.
Grand Rapids, population about 200,000, is in western Michigan, 160 miles (257.5 kilometers) west of Detroit.
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Find the AP’s full coverage of the fatal police shooting of Patrick Lyoya: https://apnews.com/hub/patrick-lyoya
___
Condon reported from New York. White reported from Detroit. AP reporter Corey Williams in West Bloomfield, Michigan, and AP researchers Rhonda Shafner and Randy Herschaft in New York also contributed.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/04/25/police-chief-releases-name-officer-who-shot-patrick-lyoya/ | 2022-04-27T18:57:12Z |
New Lineup Offers the Ultimate Sound Experience with Combination of Superb Audio Quality, Adaptive ANC and Performance Fit
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., Sept. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- LG Electronics USA announced the U.S. pricing and availability of its 2022 lineup of TONE Free® true wireless earbuds. The new models provide the ultimate sound experience with advanced audio technologies, a better-fitting design, and a host of useful, new features. The T90 and TF8 models of the TONE Free® true wireless earbuds are now available at LG.com and LG-authorized retailers nationwide.
LG's TONE Free T90 Dolby Atmos®1 earbuds are the world's first wireless earbuds to support Dolby Head Tracking™ across all content and devices.2 Dolby Head Tracking recalibrates the sound as users move their heads for a more natural sound experience, so users will feel like they are in the center of the scene and experience a whole new level of audio immersion whether they are listening to music, watching movies, enjoying favorite streaming series or playing games. When available, Dolby Head Tracking together with Dolby Atmos® content further elevates the sound through incredible detail and clarity for the ultimate listening experience. In addition, the T90s are the first wireless earbuds to feature an audio virtualizer designed by Dolby specifically for earbuds – an advanced solution that expands spatial dimensionality for stereo entertainment.
The 2022 lineup also sees the introduction of LG's new TONE Free Fit (TF8). Designed for an active lifestyle, the new model provides a secure and comfortable fit for all of life's active moments such as running, jumping or just moving your body. The TF8 features SwivelGrip technology – which helps keep the earbuds firmly and comfortably in place, even during the most intense workouts – and offers a lightweight design that promotes better air circulation.
Plus, the new TONE Free Fit (TF8) model delivers solid ANC performance, clear spatial sound with Meridian HSP technology, the benefits of medical-grade, hypoallergenic ear gels3 and LG's UVnano+ charging case. Made for your toughest workouts, the IP67-rated TF8 is resistant to rain and splashes allowing you to stay active without any worries.4
LG's new TONE Free models also ship with a UVnano+ charging case, which uses UV-C light to help refresh the earbuds. It effectively kills 99.9% of bacteria on the eargels of the earbuds in just 10 minutes during the powered charging cycle.5 Additionally, the T90s adopt medical-grade, hypoallergenic ear gels to provide a comfortable fit and help prevent irritation.3 Outstanding user convenience is another key benefit of LG's TONE Free earbuds, which now boast enhanced connectivity and wider compatibility. With the T90's new Plug & Wireless feature, the charging case lets you Connect to devices that don't have Bluetooth® capabilities. Need to take or make a call? Simply turn off Plug & Wireless mode. Also included is a USB-C to AUX cable, which allows users to plug the case into a radio, treadmill, in-flight entertainment system, or a wide range of other products to enjoy wireless listening and first-class sound quality anywhere they go.6
For more information on LG's 2022 TONE Free true wireless earbuds, visit LG.com.
About LG Electronics USA
LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a $63 billion global innovator in technology and manufacturing. In the United States, LG sells a wide range of innovative home appliances, home entertainment products, commercial displays, air conditioning systems, energy solutions, and vehicle components. LG is 2022 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year-Sustained Excellence. The company's commitment to environmental sustainability and its "Life's Good" marketing theme encompass how LG is dedicated to people's happiness by exceeding expectations today and tomorrow. www.LG.com.
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SOURCE LG Electronics USA | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/09/01/lg-announces-us-pricing-amp-availability-tone-free-earbud-lineup/ | 2022-09-01T16:44:32Z |
Mirabel from 'Encanto' to Make June 26 Debut at Walt Disney World Resort
Published: Jun. 22, 2022 at 12:40 PM CDT|Updated: 1 hour ago
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., June 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mirabel from Walt Disney Animation Studios' hit film "Encanto" will make her debut June 26, 2022, at Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. She will be featured in the "Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade!" which winds its way through the park several times each day. This super-sized cavalcade features nearly 30 Disney and Pixar friends, including Miguel from "Coco," Nick and Judy from "Zootopia," Baloo and King Louie from "The Jungle Book," Princess Elena, Merida, Moana, The Incredibles and more. The "Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade!" is part of a growing line-up of new and returning magical entertainment at Magic Kingdom Park during the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary celebration. (David Roark, Photographer)
The above press release was provided courtesy of PRNewswire. The views, opinions and statements in the press release are not endorsed by Gray Media Group nor do they necessarily state or reflect those of Gray Media Group, Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/22/mirabel-encanto-make-june-26-debut-walt-disney-world-resort/ | 2022-06-22T18:57:18Z |
Mikiko Galpin still feels the impact of being sexually assaulted by someone he thought he could trust -- and the tough decisions he was forced to make after multiple pregnancy scares.
When Roe v. Wade was overturned in June, it was a sad and heavy moment for the 29-year-old transgender man. He was taken back to the first time he took a pregnancy test prior to transitioning. He recalls crying in the passenger seat of a friend's car at 2 a.m. trying to search for a pharmacy that was still open so he could buy a pregnancy test.
At the time, Galpin said he felt trapped and didn't know where to turn while navigating the complexities of a pregnancy scare resulting from a traumatic experience. An anxious Galpin feared the potential of upending his life to care for a baby at a young age.
"I just wanted to get a pregnancy test and know if I was pregnant at that point, and just feeling that complete sense of having no control over this really big part of your life," Galpin said. "I think when the decision came down, I had that same feeling of not having control over this very momentous and personal thing that myself and other people who have reproductive abilities are going to go through in the coming months and years."
Although Galpin turned out not to be pregnant, those fears about who gets to decide his reproductive rights still linger.
Amid discourse surrounding women's rights and bodily autonomy in the two months since the federal reversal of the right to an abortion, Galpin and other transgender and nonbinary advocates say their communities are often excluded from conversations about abortion care and other forms of reproductive healthcare.
With the reversal, many people across various states are navigating a series of new and intensified abortion restrictions. Yet transgender and nonbinary advocates say the difficulties their communities face in accessing abortion care are magnified.
Transgender and nonbinary people face unique barriers to abortion and reproductive care related to transphobia, including being refused medical care, being misgendered by medical providers and staff and an overall lack of knowledge among healthcare providers about transgender bodies and health, according to a 2021 study published in the journal BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health.
Transgender people experience higher levels of poverty and unemployment relative to cisgender people, according to a study of 2014 data published in the American Journal of Public Health, and these factors have been linked to lower rates of health insurance, according to a 2011 study by the Institute of Medicine.
These barriers are further exacerbated for transgender and nonbinary people of color and low-income transgender and nonbinary individuals, advocates say.
"Often, there's not the understanding that trans men are men and that nonbinary people are nonbinary people, and the needs of both of those categories and folks who are capable of pregnancy are often overlooked," said Mickaela Bradford, the interim co-director of programs and policy at the Transgender Law Center. "So even before Roe v. Wade was overturned, folks were struggling to find reproductive care that was affirming of their gender identities, struggling to find accessible, affordable, safe reproductive care -- particularly folks who are Black, disabled, working class and living in the South."
For many transgender and nonbinary people, the reversal in June was yet another attack on their bodily autonomy amid a record year of state bills seeking to curtail LGBTQ rights, most of which target transgender and nonbinary people.
Bradford said as more transgender and nonbinary people seeking to terminate their pregnancies may need to travel to access abortion services, cost barriers and other difficulties may make these services even more inaccessible.
"You talk to any transgender person that has to travel across states, we are doubly prepared for stares, for violence, for looking for all of our escape exits at all times," Bradford said. "There's a heightened level of violence in this country against transgender people in all settings and so [the overturning of Roe] just exacerbates that."
The 2021 study also found that nearly one in five transgender and nonbinary respondents who was ever pregnant reported an attempt to terminate a pregnancy without clinical care, with methods ranging from physical trauma and substance abuse to fasting and the use of birth control or Plan B.
Juno Obedin-Maliver, an obstetrician-gynecologist who was one of the authors of the study, said she expects the prevalence of self-managed abortions among transgender and nonbinary communities to increase following the overturning of Roe and greater abortion restrictions across the country.
"Where we have structural limitations for cisgender women to access [abortions], those same structural imitations will be felt by trans and nonbinary people and exacerbated by gender discrimination in that care," Obedin-Maliver said. "So trans and nonbinary folks may be that much more likely to turn to those means, which can be dangerous, either to one's reproductive life and health or even to their overall life and health."
CNN spoke with transmasculine individuals about their experiences seeking abortions and reproductive healthcare in the past. They say it is important to include the experiences of transgender and nonbinary communities when talking about the fall of Roe v. Wade and its long-term ramifications.
Law student says accessing Plan B gave him control over his life trajectory
Galpin is now a law student at the Temple University Beasley School of Law and a former legal fellow with the National LGBTQ Task Force, a social justice non-profit that advocates for LGBTQ rights.
Following his initial pregnancy scare, Galpin found himself needing to access Plan B. He was scared to go to a pharmacy to buy the contraceptive drug because he feared judgment. He called his mom crying about the situation, and she was able to buy Plan B for him.
Galpin said he sees parallels between his experience accessing Plan B at 19 and beginning his transition at 24.
"I think the positive sides of both experiences is having that control over your body after, for a period of time, feeling like you didn't have any control or any ability to change these things," Galpin said.
The Supreme Court's reversal could open the door for courts to overturn the right to purchase and use contraception, which includes Plan B.
Galpin also sees parallels when it comes to attacks on gender-affirming care and abortion care.
"If we're talking about it from an intersectional perspective of gender affirming care and reproductive justice, we've seen these attacks directed at gender-affirming care and more widely just the transgender community dating back to the bathroom bills," he said. "These bills are primarily focused on this rhetoric of transgender people either being deemed a danger to themselves or a danger to other people. And I think similarly, the language that's used to deny abortion services also sort of relies a little bit on a rhetoric of protecting people from themselves."
A transgender healthcare advocate says their abortion was gender-affirming
Almost a decade ago, Oliver Hall, a transmasculine nonbinary person, had a self-managed abortion at 19 years old in Kentucky. After obsessively researching online about methods to induce an abortion, they ingested a combination of herbs and vitamin C.
The National Capital Poison Center recommends against "home remedies for abortion," adding that there's "no comprehensive list of herbal products that have been shown to induce an abortion or miscarriage."
Obedin-Maliver said with the Supreme Court's reversal, there may be an uptick in transgender and nonbinary people accessing non-standard or unsafe methods of abortion -- a reflection of transphobia within the healthcare system that hinders transgender and nonbinary people from receiving reproductive care under medical supervision.
Although Hall said their family would have supported their decision to get an abortion, their family wouldn't have been able to afford a surgical abortion. Furthermore, they said they didn't feel comfortable going to their local abortion clinic that included "women's surgical center" in its name. The name signaled to them that they may not get treated well in a space that seemingly only catered to women and wouldn't understand how to provide quality healthcare to transgender and nonbinary people.
"Doctors don't have a lot of knowledge about trans bodies, and that's where we might get people being misinformed about the risk of pregnancy on [hormone replacement therapy], or even people who are on estrogen or on hormone blockers are sometimes misinformed about their ability to impregnate," Hall said. "That's the result of institutional transphobia not prioritizing knowledge about trans bodies."
They recall the experience being scary because they were alone throughout the process and feared the potential of complications from the self-managed abortion that might have sent them to the hospital to navigate the very healthcare system they sought to avoid in the first place. They also said their abortion was personally a form of gender-affirming care in the sense that being pregnant would've caused intense gender dysphoria for them.
Today at 27 years old, Hall said their abortion experience influences and inspires the work they do as the trans health director of the Kentucky Health Justice Network, an organization that helps transgender and nonbinary people access various healthcare services.
Hall said the organization also has an abortion support fund that provides funding for procedures and practical support for Kentuckians seeking abortions. A Kentucky state court of appeals earlier this month reinstated the state's "trigger law" banning abortion as well as a separate law banning the procedure after roughly six weeks of pregnancy.
"On a personal level, had I not had an abortion, I definitely would not be in the position that I am in today," Hall said. "I would not be as far in life, I would not be able to be doing any of the kind of advocacy that I am doing, if I had been forced to birth a child."
A reproductive justice community organizer says his abortion allowed him to reclaim his power
In 2001, Cazembe Murphy Jackson, a transgender man, was a junior in college attending Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, when he was sexually assaulted and became pregnant. At 20 years old, he said he found out he was pregnant around the six-week mark and lacked financial and emotional support.
He said he traveled two and a half hours back home to get an abortion, which he accessed at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Austin, Texas. He said he was given abortion medication which he took at the clinic and then he went home.
Although he said he did not identify as a transgender man at the time of his abortion, he still presented in a transmasculine way and wore masculine clothing, which still led him to fear facing discrimination at the clinic.
"It wasn't the best time of my life, but I do often say that my abortion saved my life for a number of reasons," Jackson said. "It was a bad time and had I had to carry the pregnancy to term -- Black people don't survive childbirth sometimes, so I don't know if it would've taken my life in that way either."
While his abortion wasn't necessarily gender-affirming, Jackson said it allowed him to begin to get his power back after being assaulted during a time when he felt like he had no control. He said the ability to make a decision for himself was therapeutic.
Jackson said if he was seeking an abortion today, it would be challenging. In Texas, a trigger law banning abortions with few exceptions took effect Thursday.
Now at 42, Jackson lives in Atlanta working as a community organizer focused on reproductive justice, sharing his abortion story and encouraging other transgender and nonbinary people to do the same. In Georgia, there's currently a six-week abortion ban in effect.
"I think what trans people are asking for inside of the reproductive justice movement is the bare minimum," Jackson said. "Just recognize that we exist, we're here, we're a part of this movement, too. We need access to this healthcare just like everybody else. We're not actually trying to replace anyone or anything, just wanting to be included."
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Riley’s hot bat, Wright’s 13th win lead Braves past D-backs
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ATLANTA (AP) — Austin Riley had a homer and three RBIs, Kyle Wright earned his NL-leading 13th victory and the Atlanta Braves beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-2. Riley homered in the first and drove in runs with doubles in the third and fifth. He has 11 homers, 24 RBIs and a .427 average this month. The defending World Series champion Braves began the day in second place and three games behind the New York Mets in the NL East. Atlanta had lost four of seven but improved to 37-14 since June 1, the best record in the major leagues over that span. Wright has won five straight decisions and has a 2.93 ERA over his last six starts. | https://localnews8.com/news/2022/07/29/rileys-hot-bat-wrights-13th-win-lead-braves-past-d-backs/ | 2022-07-30T08:44:04Z |
(The Hill) – Beyoncé has joined TikTok.
The pop star posted her first video on the platform on Thursday, and Variety reported her entire music catalog is now available for users to utilize as audio, known as “sounds,” in their own posts.
Beyoncé’s first video on the app included a montage of her fans dancing to her new single, “Break My Soul.”
“Seeing y’all release the wiggle made me so happy!” she wrote in the post’s caption. “Thank you so much for all the love for BREAK MY SOUL! – Love B —#RE”
TikTok has quickly gained widespread popularity across the U.S. in recent years, but it has sparked concerns over data privacy.
The app’s parent company, ByteDance, is based in China, leaving some lawmakers and regulators worried about where TikTok stores data collected through the app and who has access to it.
TikTok has repeatedly claimed that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) does not have access to U.S. data, but a BuzzFeed report last month contradicted that claim, citing recordings of TikTok employees indicating that engineers in China had access to nonpublic app data.
A Federal Communications Commission (FCC) member asked Apple and Google to remove the app from their app stores over the concerns late last month.
President Biden revoked multiple executive orders in June 2021 signed by former President Trump, who sought to ban the app in the U.S.
Recently, a group of Senate Republicans have pressed the administration over the app, saying Biden is not enforcing a separate Trump-era executive order Biden didn’t repeal that directs ByteDance to divest its American assets and destroy U.S. data.
TikTok announced it was moving its U.S. data to Oracle’s cloud platform to dampen the concerns, but the senators argued the plan wasn’t sufficient. | https://cw33.com/entertainment-news/beyonce-adds-entire-music-catalog-to-tiktok/ | 2022-07-15T15:49:36Z |
A New Mexico facility where researchers work to restore forests devastated by fires faced an almost cruelly ironic threat: The largest wildfire burning in the U.S. was fast approaching.
Owen Burney and his team knew they had to save what they could. Atop their list was a priceless bank of millions of ponderosa pine, spruce and other conifer seeds meant to help restore fire-ravaged landscapes across the American West.
Next were tens of thousands of tree sprouts, many of which were sown to make them more drought tolerant, that were loaded onto trailers and trucked to a greenhouse about 100 miles away.
New Mexico State University’s Forestry Research Center in the mountain community of Mora is one of only a few such nurseries in the country and stands at the forefront of a major undertaking to rebuild more resilient forests as wildfires burn hotter, faster and more often.
Firefighters have managed to keep the flames from reaching the center’s greenhouses and there’s a chance some of the seedlings left behind could be salvaged. But Burney, superintendent of the center, said the massive fire still churning through New Mexico highlights how far behind land managers are when it comes to preventing such fires through thinning and planned burns.
“The sad truth is we’re not going to be able to do that overnight, so we’re going to see these catastrophic fires for a decade, two decades, three decades — it depends on how quickly we make this turn,” he said, while stuck at home watching live updates of the fire’s progression as road blocks remained in place.
This year is the worst start to the wildfire season in the past decade. More than 3,737 square miles have burned across the U.S., almost triple the 10-year average.
With no shortage of burn scars around the West, researchers and private groups such as The Nature Conservancy have been tapping New Mexico State University’s center for seedlings to learn how best to restore forests after the flames are extinguished.
The center has provided sprouts for projects in New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Texas and California, but experts said its capacity for turning out as many as 300,000 seedlings annually isn’t enough now and certainly won’t be in the future as climate change and drought persist.
The newly formed New Mexico Reforestation Center, made up of a number of universities and the state’s Forestry Division, submitted a nearly $80 million proposal to the federal government just last month to jump start a reforestation pipeline that encompasses everything from seed collection to how seedlings are sown in nurseries and where they’re ultimately planted.
Matt Hurteau, a biology professor at the University of New Mexico, and his team have been building models to better predict the sweet spot where seedlings will have the best chance of survival as researchers and land managers try to reestablish pockets of forest around the West.
About 10,000 seedlings rescued from the forestry center in Mora will be used for a project focused on growing ponderosa pine at higher elevations. The trouble, Hurteau said, is that past fire footprints chosen for the research are in the line of fire again this year.
He also noted that modeling done last year on the upper Rio Grande watershed that spans Colorado and New Mexico suggested higher elevation forests would see the biggest impacts from wildfire and climate change through the end of the century.
“Here we have the Calf Canyon (Hermits Peak Fire) and it’s ripping through those high elevation forests like it’s no problem at all,” he said of the fire currently burning. “I think we’re consistently seeing actual conditions happening sooner than our models would suggest.”
Many areas are going to need some attention, said Anne Bradley, the forest program director for The Nature Conservancy in New Mexico. The group has worked with Santa Clara Pueblo to collect seeds and plant thousands of tiny trees sown at the research center over the last few years in hopes of boosting the emerging science of reforestation.
But at this pace, she acknowledges the work will take centuries. Part of the goal, she said, is to find ways to do it cost-effectively.
Researchers also are looking at how the forest naturally regenerates after fire. Experts say mimicking nature by focusing on tree islands rather than dense swaths of timber could act as a hedge against the next wave of wildfires.
“The genetics really matter; it matters how you raise them in the nursery; it matters where you put that hole in the ground, how you harden those trees as seedlings,” Bradley said. “Everything we do is an attempt to learn more and to see what our options might be.”
Similar work is happening in Colorado, with thousands of seedlings from the center in Mora earmarked for reforestation projects there.
Larissa Yocom, an assistant professor at Utah State University’s Wildland Resources Department, has plans for thousands of aspen seedlings that were rescued from the center. She and her team have worked in the footprint of a 2020 wildfire in southwest Utah. She’s holding out hope that the large New Mexico fire won’t dash plans for the latest experiment in an older burn scar just north of the fire line.
If the West wants to keep its forests, policymakers need to think about it in economic terms that would have significant benefits for water supplies, recreation and the rural and tribal communities that hold these mountain landscapes sacred, said Collin Haffey, forest and watershed health coordinator with the New Mexico Forestry Division.
Haffey said he can see, feel and smell the dryness that’s overtaking the mountains.
He has been part of big project to replant areas of the Jemez Mountains in northern New Mexico, where several large blazes have burned over the last two decades, taking hundreds of homes with them. The latest fire still is creeping through some of the old burn scars.
“That’s part of why the reforestation component is important to me because it does allow us — us being our communities — to find ways to start the healing and the recovery process,” he said. “It will take generations after these fires. But planting trees is one small thing we can do to potentially have a large impact further down the road.” | https://www.tdtnews.com/article_9ef57712-da55-11ec-9842-6fb5846f861a.html | 2022-05-23T05:54:45Z |
CATOFIN® technology originally selected for operating stability, low operating costs and performance at or above design capacity
HOUSTON, July 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lummus Technology, a global provider of process technologies and value-driven energy solutions, and its catalyst partner Clariant, announced the successful startup and acceptance of Qingdao Jinneng New Material Co.'s 900,000 metric tons per annum CATOFIN propane dehydrogenation (PDH) plant in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China.
"The successful startup of the world's largest PDH unit demonstrates the continuous improvements of our CATOFIN technology and Clariant's catalyst performance," said Leon de Bruyn, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lummus Technology. "No other technology has such a strong track record of reliability, productivity and performance, especially for units at this scale, which is why it is the global leader in propylene production."
Qingdao Jinneng originally selected CATOFIN based on the technology's robust performance and continuous operation at or above design capacity as demonstrated by the many CATOFIN units operating worldwide.
The CATOFIN process combines Lummus' advanced technology with Clariant's tailor-made catalysts and heat generating material to convert propane to propylene. CATOFIN technology is an industry-leading method for light paraffin dehydrogenation that delivers excellent annual production output compared to alternative technologies. The process operates at thermodynamically advantaged reactor pressure and temperature to maximize conversion of propane to propylene, while reducing investment and operating costs.
Lummus Technology is the global leader in developing process technologies that make modern life possible and focus on a more sustainable, low carbon future. Lummus is a master licensor of clean energy, petrochemical, refining, gas processing and renewable technologies, and a supplier of catalysts, proprietary equipment, digitalization and related lifecycle services to customers worldwide. To learn more about Lummus, visit www.LummusTechnology.com.
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SOURCE Lummus Technology, LLC | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/01/lummus-clariant-announce-successful-start-up-worlds-largest-operating-catofin-pdh-unit/ | 2022-07-01T13:19:31Z |
SHIJIAZHUANG, China, April 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Yiling Pharmaceutical released its 2021 Annual Report Friday and disclosed the main development statistics. According to the report, its annual revenue reached USD 1.53 billion, an increase of 15.19% from last year, besides, net profit attributable to equity holders reached USD 203.75 million, achieving a 10.27% growth YoY.
The annual revenue of Tongxinluo Capsules, Shensong Yangxin Capsules, and Qili Qiangxin Capsules, Yiling's 3 main products for cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, reached USD 687.4 million, accounting for 44.82% of the overall revenue, achieving a 31.56% YoY growth despite the Covid-19 hit. Notably, in 2021, the annual revenue of Lianhua Qingwen Capsules reached USD 622.8 billion. It also ranked No.1 in the sales of patented traditional Chinese medicine for cold in China's public medical market in 2021H1, according to statistics.
Public information indicates that Lianhua Qingwen Capsules was developed in the SARS period, it is the only herbal medicine for cold and flu that has won the Second Prize of China's National Progress Award in Science and Technology.
In 2020, a clinical study Efficacy and safety of Lianhuaqingwen capsules, a repurposed Chinese herb, in patients with coronavirus disease 2019: A multicenter, prospective, randomized controlled trial published in Phytomedicine, shows that along with routine treatment, oral administration of Lianhua Qingwen Capsules for 14 days, COVID-19's clinical symptoms such as fever, fatigue, and cough can be alleviated significantly, and the pulmonary imaging lesions can be improved dramatically, the duration of symptoms was obviously shortened and the clinical cure rate was obviously elevated.
Lianhua Qingwen has been granted for sale in nearly 30 countries and regions. Furthermore, it has been approved for COVID-19 indications in Kuwait and Mongolia, and selected to be listed on the whitelist of anti-epidemic drugs issued by the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan. In July 2021, it has been adopted as a treatment in the COVID-19 patients' self-care protocol at home by the Cambodian Ministry of Health.
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SOURCE Yiling Pharmaceutical | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/05/01/yiling-pharmaceutical-reports-revenue-153b-2021/ | 2022-05-01T06:43:58Z |
NEW YORK, Aug. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of the securities of Yext, Inc. (NYSE: YEXT) between March 4, 2021 and March 8, 2022, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important August 16, 2022 lead plaintiff deadline.
SO WHAT: If you purchased Yext securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.
WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Yext class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=7115 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than August 16, 2022. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.
WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.
DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Yext's revenue and earnings were significantly deteriorating because of, among other things, poor sales execution and performance, as well as COVID-19 related disruptions; (2) accordingly, Yext was unlikely to meet consensus estimates for its full year ("FY") fiscal 2022 financial results and fiscal 2023 outlook; and (3) as a result, defendants' public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.
To join the Yext class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=7115 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.
No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.
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SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/10/rosen-top-ranked-investor-counsel-encourages-yext-inc-investors-with-losses-over-100k-secure-counsel-before-important-august-16-deadline-securities-class-action-yext/ | 2022-08-10T04:08:10Z |
DALLAS (KDAF) — A new study from late April revealed the top 10 cheapest states to buy a house in 2022 and the Lone Star State has cracked into the list.
Rocket Mortgage found that Tennessee is the cheapest state to buy a house while Oregon is the most expensive. The average house price in the U.S. was over $514,000 in Q4 of 2021.
Here’s a look at the top 10:
- Tennessee
- Illinois
- Oklahoma
- Ohio
- Texas
- Virginia
- Indiana
- Delaware
- Iowa
- Mississippi
The study says, “As one of the largest states in the U.S., there are endless options for both cities and small towns to buy a home in Texas. If you enjoy Southern comfort cuisine and vibrant culture, this state has no limit. Plus, with a low cost of living and no property taxes, it makes it a cheaper option compared to nearby states like New Mexico.”
For Texas, the cost of living index is 92.1 and the median household income is $75,100. If you would like to dive deeper into their findings and also check out some expert money-saving moves, click here. | https://cw33.com/news/texas/study-texas-listed-among-top-10-cheapest-states-to-buy-a-house-in-2022/ | 2022-05-09T17:49:29Z |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Transportation Department on Wednesday made it easier for Americans to travel to Cuba, lifting flight restrictions that were established during the Trump administration.
The restrictions had prevented U.S. airline flights and chartered flights from going to Cuban cities other than Havana. Secretary of State Antony Blinken sent a letter to the Transportation Department on Tuesday asking it to revoke the restrictions, and the agency followed through Wednesday.
Blinken said opening up flights to Cuba was “in support of the Cuban people and in the foreign policy interests of the United States.” He said that once the Transportation Department followed through on his request, “scheduled and charter air services between the United States and Cuban airports may resume effective immediately.”
The Biden administration announced last month that it would expand flights to Cuba, take steps to loosen restrictions on U.S. travelers to the island, and lift restrictions on money that immigrants can send to people on the island.
The administration said it would also move to reinstate the Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program, which has a backlog of more than 20,000 applications, and increase consular services and visa processing.
“With these actions, we aim to support Cubans’ aspirations for freedom and for greater economic opportunities so that they can lead successful lives at home,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said last month. | https://cw33.com/news/politics/ap-politics/us-transportation-dept-lifts-restrictions-on-cuba-flights/ | 2022-06-02T16:49:25Z |
LOS ANGELES, June 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM") announces that investors with substantial losses have opportunity to lead the securities fraud class action lawsuit against Arqit Quantum Inc. ("Arqit" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: ARQQ) (NASDAQ: ARQQW).
Class Period: September 7, 2021 – April 18, 2022
Lead Plaintiff Deadline: July 5, 2022
If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff of the Arqit lawsuit, you can submit your contact information at www.glancylaw.com/cases/arqit-quantum-inc/. You can also contact Charles H. Linehan, of GPM at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, or via email at shareholders@glancylaw.com to learn more about your rights.
The complaint filed alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (1) Arqit's proposed encryption technology would require widespread adoption of new protocols and standards of for telecommunications; (2) British cybersecurity officials questioned the viability of Arqit's proposed encryption technology in a meeting in 2020; (3) the British government was not an Arqit customer but, rather, providing grants to Arqit; (4) Arqit had little more than an early-stage prototype of its encryption system at the time of the Merger; and (5) as a result, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.
To be a member of the class action you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the class action. If you wish to learn more about this class action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to the pending class action lawsuit, please contact Charles Linehan, Esquire, of GPM, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, California 90067 at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, by email to shareholders@glancylaw.com, or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number and number of shares purchased.
This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.
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SOURCE Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/13/arqq-arqqw-investors-have-opportunity-lead-arqit-quantum-inc-fka-centricus-acquisition-corp-securities-fraud-lawsuit/ | 2022-06-13T15:46:23Z |
MANSFIELD, Texas, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As Rally House continues its mission to provide fans across the country with team gear and localized products, the family-owned company is proud to announce a new location in Mansfield, TX. Rally House Mansfield is the go-to destination for unique, locally inspired merchandise and sports apparel for renowned Texas teams like the Dallas Cowboys, Rangers, Texas Tech Raiders, and Longhorns.
Rally House is thrilled to continue building a strong connection with the great state of Texas with the addition of this new store. "Mansfield is my hometown, so I know how awesome the fans are in this area," says District Manager Stefanie Blowers. "Now, these incredible fans can turn to Rally House Mansfield for all the gear they need to showcase their unending Texas and team pride!"
When customers stop into Rally House Mansfield, they'll find an expansive assortment of products from top-tier brands, such as Mitchell & Ness, New Era, and '47. Visitors can explore accessories and apparel for various professional teams at this store, including the Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers, and Dallas Mavericks. Plus, this location carries Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech Raiders, TCU, and Oklahoma Sooners merchandise.
There are many iconic businesses and themes unique to Texas, and Rally House Mansfield stocks a wide variety of locally influenced products for shoppers to browse. Some stand-out brands available at this location include Lone Star Beer, Don't Mess with Texas, and Whataburger.
Rally House puts significant effort into creating a fun and hassle-free shopping experience, which is why patrons can expect superb customer service at Rally House Mansfield. Additionally, there's a comprehensive selection of merchandise available online at www.rallyhouse.com that can be shipped to all states.
Stay current on store updates by visiting www.rallyhouse.com/rally-house-mansfield or follow Rally House Mansfield on Facebook (@RallyMansfield) and Rally House Dallas-Fort Worth on Instagram (@rallydfw).
About Rally House
Rally House and Sampler Stores Inc. is a family-owned specialty boutique that offers a large selection of apparel, hats, gifts and home décor representing local NCAA, NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and MLS teams in addition to locally inspired apparel, gifts and food. Proudly based in Lenexa, Kansas, Rally House operates 100+ locations across 13 states.
CONTACT:
Stefanie Blowers, District Manager
sblowers@rallyhouse.com
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SOURCE Rally House | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/05/27/rally-house-adds-depth-texas-market-with-new-location/ | 2022-05-27T23:30:14Z |
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Sept. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Rally House is pleased to announce a new store in Liberty Township, just north of Cincinnati, OH. Rally House Liberty Center is ideal for fans, residents, and visitors just outside of the metropolitan area. Here, shoppers can browse an abundance of locally inspired apparel alongside team gear for various favorites like the Bengals, Reds, Buckeyes, and Bearcats.
Rally House was eager to sprout a new storefront north of Cincinnati, giving more fans access to all that the nationally recognized sports and merchandise retailer has to offer. "The great people of Liberty Township deserve to have somewhere they can count on for quality sports apparel and unique hometown gear," describes District Manager Teri Hauenschild. "And Rally House Liberty Center is excited to step into that role and provide a fun shopping experience for all the dedicated fans in the area!"
Rally House Liberty Center is stocked full of apparel and merchandise from the top brands. Visitors will get to shop stand-out products from their favorite vendors, like Nike, Adidas, New Era, and '47. There's also a wide variety of professional and collegiate teams available at this Rally House location, including the Cincinnati Bengals, Reds, Ohio State Buckeyes, Cincinnati Bearcats, Kentucky Wildcats, Dayton Flyers, and more.
Considering Cincinnati's vibrant culture and many attractions, Rally House Liberty Center offers a vast selection of local apparel featuring one-of-a-kind designs and area-specific themes. Customers can shop localized merchandise for Skyline Chili, the Cincinnati Zoo, Glier's Goetta, and other popular establishments.
The Rally House Liberty Center team aims for nothing less than outstanding customer service to ensure every visit is successful and enjoyable. There's also a broad assortment of products available online at www.rallyhouse.com, which can be shipped to all 50 states for maximum convenience.
The latest store news and updates can be found at www.rallyhouse.com/rally-house-liberty-center or by following Rally House Liberty Center on Facebook (@RallyLibertyCenter) and Instagram (@rallylibertycenter).
Rally House and Sampler Stores Inc. is a family-owned specialty boutique that offers a large selection of apparel, hats, gifts and home décor representing local NCAA, NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and MLS teams in addition to locally inspired apparel, gifts and food. Proudly based in Lenexa, Kansas, Rally House operates 125+ locations across 13 states.
Teri Hauenschild, District Manager
thauenschild@rallyhouse.com
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SOURCE Rally House | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/07/rally-house-launches-new-storefront-cincinnati-area/ | 2022-09-07T16:28:46Z |
NEW YORK, June 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Brown Rudnick announced today that Vincent Guglielmotti has been elected as the next chief executive officer of the Firm and chair of its management committee, effective today.
Guglielmotti will succeed William Baldiga, who will return full-time to his restructuring practice after leading the Firm since 2019. During his three-year tenure, Brown Rudnick recorded best-ever revenue and profits, grew strategically in key practice areas, and maintained its commitment to pro bono, diversity and inclusion.
Guglielmotti, a tax partner in the New York office, was previously managing director of the Firm's Corporate & Capital Markets Department. At age 41, he will be the youngest partner to serve as CEO of the Firm.
"I am honored and humbled to be chosen for this role," said Guglielmotti. "Bill is leaving big shoes to fill, but I look forward to working with all my colleagues to build upon Bill's achievements. Brown Rudnick is my home and I'm proud of all the lawyers and staff here, and I am honored to lead the Firm in supporting our most important stakeholders – our clients."
During his nearly 40-year career at Brown Rudnick, Baldiga has served in several leadership roles, including as head of the Firm's Litigation and Restructuring Department. After the transition is completed, he will focus on serving his clients. He is currently representing exiled Chinese dissident Guo Wengui in his $376 million Chapter 11 case. Baldiga has also received national attention for his work on other high-profile Chapter 11 cases, including in connection with the NHL Coyotes in 2009, for the creditors of Fisker Automotive in 2013, and for The Boston Herald in 2017.
"When I assumed leadership of the Firm three years ago, I chose Vince to be a managing director because of his energy, emotional intelligence and people skills," Baldiga said. "In the last several years, Vince has demonstrated a keen insight as to what it takes to lead the Firm and his practices to the highest levels, and to compete on a global basis. He instills confidence in others, inspires the best in those around him, and is completely dedicated to the success of the Firm. In short, he is a natural leader. I am thrilled that the future of the Firm is in such good hands."
The leadership change comes as Brown Rudnick continues to make national headlines for its high-profile matters. Two weeks ago, a litigation team won a jury verdict for actor Johnny Depp in his defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard. The Firm is also representing the Official Committee of Talc Claimants in the country's largest bankruptcy case: the Chapter 11 filing of LTL Management, the entity created by Johnson & Johnson to discharge the company's talc-related liabilities.
Other notable representations include the Coalition of Abused Scouts for Justice in the Boy Scouts of America bankruptcy proceedings; Victoria plc's acquisition of Gransier Ceramics; and market data solutions provider MayStreet's sale to the London Stock Exchange Group. Last month, Brown Rudnick was ranked among the top 20 law firms advising on venture capital deals in PitchBook's Q1 2022 Global League Tables, including early-stage deals, health care services and systems and pharma and biotech.
Guglielmotti will continue his tax practice, which includes advising clients on mergers and acquisitions, as well as assisting debtors, creditors and investors to restructure, acquire and sell financially troubled entities inside and outside of Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.
"My clients aren't getting rid of me that easily," Guglielmotti joked. "We still have too much work to do. But I look forward to hearing from them on how we can further improve our service in these rapidly changing times. Our Firm is celebrating its 75th anniversary next year and we've succeeded this long because of our culture, which is based on teamwork, collaboration and a shared passion for providing zealous advocacy, deft commercial representation, and superior service to our clients."
Guglielmotti joined Brown Rudnick as an associate in 2008 and was elevated to partner in February 2013. He received his Master of Laws in Taxation from New York University and his law degree from Wake Forest. He earned his bachelor's degree from Cornell University.
About Brown Rudnick LLP
Brown Rudnick is an international law firm that serves clients around the world from offices in key financial centers across the United States and Europe. We combine ingenuity with experience to achieve great outcomes for our clients. We deliver partner-driven service; we incentivize our lawyers to collaborate in the client's best interest; and we put excellence before scale, focusing on industry-driven, client-facing practices where we are recognized leaders. Our lawyers and government relations professionals work across the United States and Europe, with offices in key financial centers. Beyond the United States and Europe, we serve clients around the world.
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SOURCE Brown Rudnick | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/15/brown-rudnick-elects-vincent-guglielmotti-ceo-chair/ | 2022-06-15T11:37:40Z |
IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. (the "Company" or "Sunstone") (NYSE: SHO), the owner of Long-Term Relevant Real Estate® in the lodging industry, today provided an update on recent operating trends. The Company's operations for July and August 2022 reflect continued strong rate growth and recovering occupancy levels. While leisure travel continues to be robust, the Company is seeing the greatest demand growth at its urban and group-oriented hotels which are experiencing higher lead volumes, an increase in near-term booking activity, better than expected attendance at group events and increased business transient demand.
- Occupancy for the comparable 13 hotels which include all hotels currently owned by the Company except Montage Healdsburg and Four Seasons Resort Napa Valley (the "Comparable Portfolio") was down 1,450 basis points in Q3 2022 QTD as compared to the same period in 2019. Excluding the Renaissance Washington DC, which is undergoing significant renovation work in advance of its conversion to the Westin Washington DC in 2023, Comparable Portfolio occupancy was down only 1,270 basis points as compared to the same period in 2019.
- Average Daily Rate for the Comparable Portfolio in Q3 2022 QTD was 16.9% higher than the same period in 2019 with nearly every hotel in the portfolio achieving higher rates than 2019. Excluding the Renaissance Washington DC, Comparable Portfolio ADR was 16.5% higher as compared to the same period in 2019.
- RevPAR for the Comparable Portfolio was down 2.7% in Q3 2022 QTD as compared to the same period in 2019. Excluding the Renaissance Washington DC, Comparable Portfolio RevPAR was down only 0.4% as compared to the same period in 2019.
- Group booking activity has increased in recent weeks with Comparable Portfolio group revenue pace for the second half of 2022 now down only 13% as compared to the same time in 2019. This represents an increase of nearly 200 basis points from June 2022.
- As of September 2022, the Comparable Portfolio has 86% of total transient room nights on-the-books for September to December 2022 as compared to the same period in 2019, with average rates approximately 27% higher than the same period in 2019.
Operating statistics for the Comparable Portfolio presented here and elsewhere in this release include both prior ownership results and the Company's results for The Confidante Miami Beach, acquired by the Company in June 2022. The Company obtained prior ownership information from the hotel's previous owner during the due diligence period before acquiring the hotel. The Company performed a limited review of the information as part of its analysis of the acquisition. As of August 31, 2022, Comparable Portfolio operating statistics were as follows:
Operating statistics for all 15 hotels owned by the Company as of the date of this release were as follows ($ in millions, except RevPAR and ADR):
Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. is a lodging real estate investment trust ("REIT"). Sunstone's strategy is to create long-term stakeholder value through the acquisition, active ownership and disposition of hotels considered to be Long-Term Relevant Real Estate®. For further information, please visit Sunstone's website at www.sunstonehotels.com. The Company's website is provided as a reference only and any information on the website is not incorporated by reference in this release.
Aaron Reyes
Chief Financial Officer
Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc.
(949) 382-3018
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws and regulations. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "predict," "project," "should," "will" and other similar terms and phrases, including opinions, references to assumptions and forecasts of future results. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to differ materially from those anticipated at the time the forward-looking statements are made. These risks include, but are not limited to: the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has on the Company's business and the economy, as well as the response of governments and the Company to the pandemic, and how quickly and successfully effective vaccines and therapies are distributed and administered; increased risks related to employee matters, including increased employment litigation and claims for severance or other benefits tied to termination or furloughs as a result of temporary hotel suspensions or reduced hotel operations due to COVID-19; general economic and business conditions, including a U.S. recession or increased inflation, trade conflicts and tariffs, regional or global economic slowdowns and any type of flu or disease-related pandemic that impacts travel or the ability to travel, including COVID-19; the need for business-related travel, including the increased use of business-related technology; rising hotel operating costs due to labor costs, workers' compensation and health-care related costs, utility costs, property and liability insurance costs, unanticipated costs such as acts of nature and their consequences and other costs that may not be offset by increased room rates; the ground lease for one of the Company's hotels; the need for renovations, repositionings and other capital expenditures for the Company's hotels; the impact, including any delays, of renovations and repositionings on hotel operations; new hotel supply, or alternative lodging options such as timeshare, vacation rentals or sharing services such as Airbnb, in the Company's markets, which could harm its occupancy levels and revenue at its hotels; competition from hotels not owned by the Company; relationships with, and the requirements, performance and reputation of, the managers of the Company's hotels; relationships with, and the requirements and reputation of, the Company's franchisors and hotel brands; the Company's hotels may become impaired, which may adversely affect its financial condition and results of operations; competition for the acquisition of hotels, and the Company's ability to complete acquisitions and dispositions; performance of hotels after they are acquired; changes in the Company's business strategy or acquisition or disposition plans; the Company's level of debt, including secured, unsecured, fixed and variable rate debt; financial and other covenants in the Company's debt and preferred stock; the impact on the Company's business of potential defaults by the Company on its debt agreements or leases; volatility in the capital markets and the effect on lodging demand or the Company's ability to obtain capital on favorable terms or at all; the Company's need to operate as a REIT and comply with other applicable laws and regulations, including new laws, interpretations or court decisions that may change the federal or state tax laws or the federal or state income tax consequences of the Company's qualification as a REIT; potential adverse tax consequences in the event that the Company's operating leases with its taxable REIT subsidiaries are not held to have been made on an arm's-length basis; system security risks, data protection breaches, cyber-attacks and systems integration issues, including those impacting the Company's suppliers, hotel managers or franchisors; other events beyond the Company's control, including climate change, natural disasters, terrorist attacks or civil unrest; and other risks and uncertainties associated with the Company's business described in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although the Company believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that the expectations will be attained or that any deviation will not be material. All forward-looking information provided herein is as of the date of this release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in the Company's expectations.
This release should be read together with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our most recent reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. Copies of these reports are available on our website at www.sunstonehotels.com and through the SEC's Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval System ("EDGAR") at www.sec.gov.
We present the following non-GAAP financial measure that we believe is useful to investors as a key supplemental measure of our operating performance: hotel adjusted earnings before interest expense, taxes, depreciation and amortization for real estate, or Hotel Adjusted EBITDAre. This measure should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance in accordance with GAAP. In addition, our calculation of this measure may not be comparable to other companies that do not define the term exactly the same as the Company. This non-GAAP measure is used in addition to and in conjunction with results presented in accordance with GAAP. It should not be considered as an alternative to net income (loss), cash flow from operations, or any other operating performance measure prescribed by GAAP. This non-GAAP financial measure reflects additional ways of viewing our operations that we believe, when viewed with our GAAP results and the reconciliations to the corresponding GAAP financial measure, provides a more complete understanding of factors and trends affecting our business than could be obtained absent this disclosure. We strongly encourage investors to review our financial information in its entirety and not to rely on a single financial measure.
We present EBITDAre in accordance with guidelines established by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts ("NAREIT"), as defined in its September 2017 white paper "Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization for Real Estate." We believe EBITDAre is a useful performance measure to help investors evaluate and compare the results of our operations from period to period in comparison to our peers. NAREIT defines EBITDAre as net income (calculated in accordance with GAAP) plus interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization, gains or losses on the disposition of depreciated property (including gains or losses on change in control), impairment write-downs of depreciated property and of investments in unconsolidated affiliates caused by a decrease in the value of depreciated property in the affiliate, and adjustments to reflect the entity's share of EBITDAre of unconsolidated affiliates.
We make additional adjustments to Hotel EBITDAre to exclude the amortization of our right-of-use assets and related lease obligations as these expenses are based on historical cost accounting and do not reflect the actual rent amounts due to the respective lessors or the underlying performance of our hotels. To derive Hotel Adjusted EBITDAre, we also exclude Hurricane-related uninsured losses that we believe are outside the ordinary course of business and do not reflect the actual performance of our hotels.
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SOURCE Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/14/sunstone-hotel-investors-provides-operations-update/ | 2022-09-14T13:07:08Z |
BEIJING (AP) — China has granted Chinese internet services company Baidu and a rival autonomous car company, Pony.ai, permits to provide driverless ride-hailing services to the public in Beijing, a significant regulatory step in the country’s pursuit of driverless technology.
The permits given to Baidu and Pony.ai allow them to offer rides without a safety driver behind the wheel to take over in cases of an emergency. The new permits still require a safety supervisor to be seated in the front passenger seat.
Baidu said 10 such autonomous cars began offering rides to passengers within a 60-square-kilometer (23-square-mile) area in suburban Beijing from Thursday.
Baidu already operates an autonomous fleet of taxis in Beijing under its Apollo Go ride-hailing services, but they must have a safety driver behind the wheel.
China has ambitions to lead autonomous driving technology globally but lags the U.S. in introducing such services. Alphabet’s Waymo began offering driverless taxi services in Phoenix, Arizona in 2020.
In 2020, Beijing set a goal for 70% of cars sold in 2030 to have Level 2 and Level 3 self-driving technology. Level 2 is partial driving automation, which means the vehicle can control steering and speed. Level 3 automation means that the car can detect what’s going on around it and drive itself.
Baidu, best known for its search engine and online advertising services, has in recent years invested heavily in autonomous driving and artificial intelligence technology, including automated personal assistants and AI chips.
The company said in a statement that it has accumulated over 27 million kilometers (16 million miles) of road testing over the last nine years with no traffic accidents.
Baidu’s Apollo Go autonomous taxi services operate in nine cities across China, including Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. | https://cw33.com/technology/ap-technology/china-grants-first-driverless-taxi-permits-to-baidu-pony-ai/ | 2022-04-29T07:17:41Z |
AUSTIN (KXAN) – More than $31 million in grants will be distributed to veterans across Texas, according to Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Veterans Commission.
“This grant funding was approved by TVC Commissioners in May and will total 139 grants awarded to 121 organizations across Texas. These grants are estimated to serve more than 22,000 Texas veterans,” Abbott said.
According to a release, the grants support a wide range of services, including emergency financial assistance, transportation, legal services, family support services, home modification, and rental and mortgage assistance.
There are five categories where the TVC awards the grants: General Assistance, Housing for Texas Heroes, Veterans Mental Health Grants, Veterans Treatment Courts and Veteran County Service Officers.
Abbott said the first round of grants was given to 16 organizations this week for financial assistance, peer support, treatment court, home modification and other services to veterans and their families.
Stops listed for grant distribution were Edinburg, New Braunfels, San Marcos, Houston, Tyler, Dallas, Lubbock and El Paso. | https://cw33.com/news/texas/31-million-in-funding-announced-for-veterans-across-texas/ | 2022-09-06T14:36:52Z |
Jogger abducted during early morning run in Tennessee, police say
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC/Gray News) – Memphis police are searching for a woman who they believe was abducted early Friday morning.
Eliza Fletcher, 34, went missing around 4:30 a.m. Police found her personal items but have not located her.
Police said she was abducted on Central Avenue near the University of Memphis campus.
She is described as 5 foot, 6 inches tall, 137 pounds with blonde hair and green eyes. She was last seen wearing a pink jogging top, purple and blue running shorts, and she had her hair in a bun.
Police released this photo of her, seen running:
The University of Memphis sent an alert to students saying a woman had been kidnapped at about 4:30 a.m. on Central Avenue.
Officers were called to the scene around 7 a.m. when Fletcher was reported missing.
Police say Fletcher frequently jogs in the area and was approached by an unknown person and forced into an SUV.
The suspect was in a dark-colored SUV traveling westbound on Central Avenue.
Police say Fletcher’s phone and water bottle were found in front of a home on the street on which she was abducted. The phone was smashed.
Friends said the woman they know as “Liza” is an avid runner and a mother of two children. She is also a teacher at St. Mary’s Episcopal School, where she teaches junior kindergarten.
Anyone with information about Fletcher’s whereabouts should call 911 immediately. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has been called in to assist Memphis police.
Copyright 2022 WMC via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/09/02/jogger-abducted-during-early-morning-run-tennessee-police-say/ | 2022-09-02T19:04:21Z |
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