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‘Precious individuals’ taken in Texas school shooting
By ELLIOT SPAGAT and ACACIA CORONADO
Associated Press
UVALDE, Texas (AP) — One student was an avid runner, so fast she swept the races at field day. Another was learning football plays from his grandfather. One girl sensed something was wrong and wanted to skip school.
On Wednesday, stories began to emerge about the lives of the 19 children — “precious individuals” according to the school district superintendent — and their two teachers who were gunned down behind a barricaded door at Robb Elementary School in the southwestern Texas town of Uvalde.
Vincent Salazar said his 10-year-old daughter, Layla, loved to swim and dance to Tik Tok videos. She was fast — she won six races at the school’s field day, and Salazar proudly posted a photo of Layla showing off two of her ribbons on Facebook.
Each morning as he drove her to school in his pickup, Salazar would play “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” by Guns N’ Roses and they’d sing along, he said.
“She was just a whole lot of fun,” he said.
Manny Renfro lost his 8-year-old grandson, Uziyah Garcia, in the shooting.
“The sweetest little boy that I’ve ever known,” Renfro said. “I’m not just saying that because he was my grandkid.”
Renfro said Uziyah last visited him in San Angelo during spring break. “We started throwing the football together and I was teaching him pass patterns. Such a fast little boy and he could catch a ball so good,” Renfro said. “There were certain plays that I would call that he would remember and he would do it exactly like we practiced.”
Javier Cazares said he found out Tuesday afternoon that his 9-year-old daughter Jacklyn Cazares was killed in her classroom. She was with a group of five girls, including her second cousin, Annabelle Rodriguez, who formed a tight group of friends.
“They are all gone now,” Cazares said.
The extended families of the slain cousins gathered Wednesday to mourn and comfort each other over barbecue.
Cazares described his daughter as a “firecracker” who “had a voice, she didn’t like bullies, she didn’t like kids being picked on.”
“All in all, full of love. She had a big heart,” he said.
Veronica Luevanos, whose 10-year-old daughter, Jailah Nicole Silguero, was among the victims, tearfully told Univision that her daughter did not want to go to school Tuesday and seemed to sense something bad was going to happen. Jailah’s cousin also died in the shooting.
All of the dead were in the same fourth-grade classroom, where the shooter barricaded himself Tuesday and opened fire on the children and their teachers, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott told a news conference Wednesday. He said the gunman used an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle in the attack and posted on Facebook shortly before the shooting: “I’m going to shoot an elementary school.”
Schools Superintendent Hal Harrell fought back tears as he spoke of the children and their teachers.
“You can just tell by their angelic smiles that they were loved,” Harrell said of the children. “That they loved coming to school, that they were just precious individuals.”
The two teachers “poured their heart and soul” into their work, Harrell said.
Teacher Eva Mireles, 44, was remembered as a loving mother and wife. “She was adventurous. … She is definitely going to be very missed,” said 34-year-old relative Amber Ybarra, of San Antonio.
In a post on the school’s website at the start of the school year, Mireles introduced herself to her new students.
“Welcome to the 4th grade! We have a wonderful year ahead of us!” she wrote, noting she had been teaching 17 years, loved running and hiking, and had a “supportive, fun, and loving family.” She mentioned that her husband was a school district police officer, and they had a grown daughter and three “furry friends.”
The other slain teacher, Irma Garcia, wrote about her four children, including one who was in the Marines, in a letter introducing herself to the class. Garcia’s 21-year-old nephew, John Martinez, told the Detroit Free Press the family was struggling to grasp that while Garcia’s son trained for combat, it was his mother who was shot to death.
Relatives of 10-year-old Eliahna Garcia recalled her love of family.
“She was very happy and very outgoing,” said Eliahna’s aunt, Siria Arizmendi, a fifth-grade teacher at Flores Elementary School in the same district. “She loved to dance and play sports. She was big into family, enjoyed being with the family.”
Lisa Garza, 54, of Arlington, Texas, mourned the death of her 10-year-old cousin, Xavier Javier Lopez, who had been eagerly awaiting a summer of swimming.
“He was just a loving … little boy, just enjoying life, not knowing that this tragedy was going to happen,” she said. “He was very bubbly, loved to dance with his brothers, his mom. This has just taken a toll on all of us.”
She lamented what she described as lax gun laws.
“We should have more restrictions, especially if these kids are not in their right state of mind and all they want to do is just hurt people, especially innocent children going to the schools,” Garza said.
Arizmendi also spoke angrily, through tears, about how the shooter managed to get a gun.
“It’s just difficult to understand or to put into words,” she said. “I just don’t know how people can sell that type of a gun to a kid 18 years old. What is he going to use it for but for that purpose?”
As Ybarra prepared to give blood for the wounded, she wondered how no one noticed trouble with the shooter in time to stop him.
“To me, it’s more about raising mental health awareness,” said Ybarra, a wellness coach who attended Robb Elementary herself. “Someone could possibly have seen a dramatic change before something like this happened.”
Even for the survivors, there was grief.
Lorena Auguste was substitute teaching at Uvalde High School when she heard about the shooting. She began frantically texting her niece, a fourth-grader at Robb Elementary, until Auguste heard from her sister that the child was OK.
Auguste said her niece asked her that night, “Tia, why did they do this to us? We’re good kids, we didn’t do anything wrong.”
Hillcrest Memorial Funeral Home, which is located across the street from Robb Elementary School, said in a Facebook post that it would be assisting families of the shooting victims with no cost for funerals. GoFundMe pages were set up for many of the victims, including one on behalf of all victims that has raised more than $1.5 million.
___
Associated Press writers Jim Vertuno in Uvalde, Texas; Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas; Jamie Stengle in Dallas; Don Babwin in Chicago; Stephen Groves in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Roxana Hegeman in Wichita, Kansas; John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas; Jill Zeman Bleed in Little Rock, Arkansas; and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed.
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https://localnews8.com/news/ap-national/2022/05/25/precious-individuals-taken-in-texas-school-shooting/
| 2022-05-26T03:11:43Z
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Now Accepting Reservations for Australia and Alaska Sailings from Nov. 6, 2022 through April 2024
MIAMI, Aug. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Carnival Cruise Line announced today that reservations are open for the inaugural season of its newest ship Carnival Luminosa which will debut from Brisbane, Australia Nov. 6, 2022 before repositioning for seasonal service from Seattle to Alaska next May.
When Carnival Luminosa arrives to Australia in just three short months, it will be the latest Carnival ship to be adorned with the stunning new livery that was introduced on Mardi Gras in 2021 and has been added to half the Carnival fleet, with the red, white and blue hues long associated with Carnival Cruise Line. The ship will also boast a vintage funnel design reminiscent of the funnels on Carnival's original ships like Mardi Gras, Carnivale and Festivale.
"We couldn't be prouder to welcome Carnival Luminosa to our fleet and to start our highly anticipated sailings from Brisbane followed by unique bucket-list itineraries in Alaska," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. "To truly make Luminosa feel part of the Carnival Cruise Line family, we are adding our beautiful new livery to her hull, of course, and are keeping her throwback funnel design that once adorned some of our most iconic earlier vessels. We'll be adding some Carnival features in the upcoming dry dock and adapting some existing features to align with Carnival's casual style, but ultimately, our crew will make everyone feel right at home as soon as they join the ship."
Carnival Luminosa will be home to many of the activities and experiences from other Carnival ships that guests have come to know and love as well as some new spaces.
Featuring guest favorites from entertainment, youth, and spa, to casino, bars and dining, offerings will include Playlist Productions, The Punchliner Comedy Club, Limelight Lounge, Piano Bar 88, Alchemy Bar, RedFrog Rum Bar, Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, Chef's Table, Bonsai Sushi Express, Seaday Brunch, Serenity Adult-Only Retreat, and Cloud 9 Spa, among others.
For more information on Carnival Luminosa's onboard offerings, visit here.
As she opens for booking, Carnival Luminosa will sail a variety of seasonal itineraries from Brisbane from Nov. 6, 2022 to April 13, 2023, offering something for everyone; including, three- and four-day cruises to popular Australian ports for a brief holiday; six- and seven-day Great Barrier Reef and South Pacific sailings; longer eight- to 11-day voyages to top destinations like Noumea and Lifou Isle in New Caledonia, Port Vila and Mystery Island in Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and New Zealand; as well as a Carnival Journeys transpacific voyage as Luminosa repositions to Seattle, stopping in Tahiti, Polynesia, among other stunning sites.
From Seattle, Carnival Luminosa will sail a four-month Alaska schedule with 17 seven-day sailings as well as six- and eight-day sailings to port favorites such as Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, Skagway, Icy Strait Point, and the scenic cruising of Tracy Arm Fjord. Completing its season in Alaska, Carnival Luminosa will operate another transpacific voyage back to Brisbane, stopping in exotic, first-time-for-Carnival destinations, including Kushiro, Aomori, Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, as well as Puerto Princesa, Philippines and Bitung, Indonesia.
Full details on Carnival Luminosa's itineraries can be found here. Among the many exciting and fun-filled itineraries to choose from:
- 7-day Alaska sailing from Seattle (7/20/2023) – Juneau, Alaska; Haines, Alaska; Tracy Arm Fjord, Alaska; and Victoria, BC, Canada.
- 11-day Carnival Journeys Papua New Guinea sailing from Brisbane (11/19/2023) – Conflict Islands; Alotau, Papua New Guinea; Rabaul, Papua New Guinea; and Kiriwina Island.
- 22-day Carnival Journeys Transpacific sailing to Seattle from Brisbane (4/13/2023) – Noumea, New Caledonia; Suva, Fiji Islands; Papeete (Tahiti), Polynesia; Moorea (Tahiti), Polynesia; and Honolulu, Hawaii.
- 30-day Carnival Journeys Transpacific sailing to Brisbane from Seattle (9/14/2023) – Ketchikan, Alaska; Icy Strait Point, Alaska; Hubbard Glacier, Alaska; Kushiro, Japan; Aomori, Japan; Tokyo, Japan; Hiroshima, Japan; Nagasaki, Japan; Puerto Princesa, Philippines; and Bitung, Indonesia.
Carnival Luminosa is a sister ship to the four other Spirit-class ships that are already popular among Carnival guests. More details are to be revealed about Carnival Luminosa's dry dock and the reimagination of the ship as it continues to change over from Costa to Carnival ahead of its November service start up.
For additional information on Carnival Cruise Line and to book a cruise vacation on Carnival Luminosa now, call 1-800-CARNIVAL, visit www.carnival.com, or contact your favorite travel advisor or online travel site.
ABOUT CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE
Carnival Cruise Line, part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), is proud to be known as America's Cruise Line. Since its founding in 1972, Carnival has continually revolutionized the cruise sector, making a cruise vacation an affordable and popular option for millions of guests. Carnival operates from 14 U.S. homeports and employs more than 40,000 team members representing 120 nationalities. Carnival's newest ship, Mardi Gras, featuring the first roller coaster at sea, is the first cruise ship in the Americas powered by eco-friendly Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). Carnival returns to Australia in October 2022 and will welcome four additional ships over the next two years, including Carnival Celebration, which arrives to Miami in November to close out Carnival's 50th birthday festivities.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Carnival Cruise Line
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https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/24/carnival-luminosa-opens-sale-newest-fun-ship-prepares-join-carnival-cruise-line-fleet/
| 2022-08-24T18:47:42Z
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The company announces initial investment of $2.4 million with an additional estimated $3.2 million expected over 5 years
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Conterra Ultra Broadband Holdings, Inc. ("Conterra Networks") today announced its continued investment in fiber network growth across Rusk County with its initial investment of $2.4 million and an additional estimated $3.2 million expected over 5 years.
Conterra Networks designs and builds its 100% fiber network with symmetrical service and speeds of up to 10 Gbps and 99.99% network reliability. The company's local team manages the all-fiber network, which is now available to approximately 692 Rusk County businesses and growing.
"We continue to prioritize the communities we serve by investing in local network infrastructure," said Craig Gunderson, President and CEO of Conterra Networks. "This investment is critical to the growth in Rusk County. With the ever-increasing business connectivity requirements, we are always committed to enabling limitless communications opportunities for our customers by providing access to custom-designed, ultra-high-capacity broadband networks."
Conterra Networks is expanding and investing in communities in Texas, including Henderson, Tyler, San Angelo, Brownwood, Lufkin, and Nacogdoches.
The expansion is part of the company's growing network infrastructure across the United States. To date, Conterra Networks has 13,250 fiber miles, 2,700 schools served, and over 7,500 on-net locations.
To learn more about Conterra Networks and the expansion efforts in Texas, visit www.conterra.com.
Founded in 2001, and now operating 13,250 fiber miles, Conterra Networks is one of the largest remaining independent broadband infrastructure companies in the United States based on its optical fiber and fixed wireless network assets and annual recurring revenues. The company is owned by affiliates of APG and Fiera, along with significant participation by the company's senior management team. For more information about Conterra Networks, please visit www.conterra.com.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE CONTERRA ULTRA BROADBAND, LLC
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/11/conterra-networks-continues-invest-fiber-network-growth-across-rusk-county/
| 2022-08-11T20:17:49Z
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ATLANTA – Following a successful annual convention in Savannah, the Georgia Municipal Association announced this year’s officers and board of directors.
The board consists of active city officials, including mayors and councilmembers; representatives for city attorneys, city managers, and clerks and finance officers; the chairman of the Georgia Municipal Employee Benefit System; and GMA Executive Director and CEO Larry Hanson. All board members, including President Julie Smith, the mayor of Tifton, were sworn in at the annual convention. These leaders are active city officials from across the state of Georgia who lead the organization’s committees, advocate for cities’ legislative interests on the state and federal levels and represent GMA in various capacities.
The 2022-2023 Board of Directors Consists of:
Officers
President: Julie B. Smith: Mayor, Tifton
1st Vice President: Randall Walker: Mayor, Perry
2nd Vice President: Fred P. Perriman, Mayor, Madison
3rd Vice President: Bianca Motley Broom, Mayor, College Park
Active Past Presidents
Immediate Past President: Jim Thornton, Mayor, LaGrange
Past President: William McIntosh, Mayor, Moultrie
Past President: Keith Brady: Mayor, Newnan
Past President: John Reid: Mayor, Eatonton
Past President: Linda Blechinger, Mayor, Auburn
Past President: Vince Williams, Mayor, Union City
Executive Director and CEO
Larry Hanson
Directors At Large
Shelly Jackson Berryhill, Commissioner, Hawkinsville
Lisa Clarke Hill, Council Member, Moultrie
Ollie Clemons, Mayor, Austell
Andre Dickens, Mayor, Atlanta
Andrea Gibby, Mayor, Young Harris
Skip Henderson, Mayor, Columbus
Deana Holiday Ingraham, Mayor, East Point
Jason Holt, Mayor, Fitzgerald
Isaiah Hugley, City Manager, Columbus
Michael-Angelo James, Mayor, Waycross
Jonathan McCollar, Mayor, Statesboro
Lester Miller, Mayor, Macon-Bibb County
Liz Ordiales, Mayor, Hiawassee
Rusty Paul, Mayor, Sandy Springs
District Officers
District One
President: Tyree Goodlett, Councilmember, Dalton
1st Vice President: Kelly Bomar, Councilmember, Ringgold
District Two
President: Tray Larry Hicks, Councilmember, Hartwell
1st Vice President: Robert Moore, Councilmember, Blairsville
District Three
President Central: Keisha Sean Waites, Councilmember, Atlanta
President East: Stephe Koontz, Councilmember, Doraville
President North: Steven W. Miller, Mayor, Holly Springs
President Northeast: Marc David Cohen, Councilmember, Sugar Hill
President South: Anthony Ford, Mayor, Stockbridge
President Southwest: Brett Reichert, Councilmember, Hapeville
President West: Sam Davis, Councilmember, Douglasville
District Four
President: Betty Cason, Mayor, Carrollton
1st Vice President: William Pearman, Mayor, Senoia
District Five
President: John Howard, Mayor, Monroe
1st Vice President: David Keener, Mayor, Social Circle
District Six
President: Eric Wilson, Mayor, Forsyth
1st Vice President: Clifford Holmes, Councilmember, Warner Robins
District Seven
President: Alana Burke, Councilmember, Lincolnton
1st Vice President: Jordan Johnson, Commissioner, Augusta
District Eight
President: William B. Whitley, Mayor, Butler
1st Vice President: Jesse Simmons, Councilmember, Fort Gaines
District Nine
President: Shirlene Armstrong, Commissioner, Jesup
1st Vice President: Timothy Varnadore, Mayor, Baxley
District Ten
President: Travis Wimbush, Mayor, Blakely
1st Vice President: Jay Flowers, Mayor, Thomasville
District Eleven
President: Mona Paulk, Councilmember, Ocilla
1st Vice President: Tommy Roberts, Councilmember, Fitzgerald
District Twelve
President: Allen Brown, Mayor, Hinesville
1st Vice President: Russell Deen, Mayor, Guyton
Section Presidents
City Managers Section President: Marcia Hampton, City Manager, Douglasville
City Attorneys Section President: Brooke Newby, City Attorney, Perry
City Clerks Section President: Vicki P. Wainwright, City Clerk/City Administrator, Butler
Policy Committee Chairs
Revenue & Finance Chair: Betty Cason, Mayor, Carrollton
Transportation Chair: Michael Chidester: Mayor, Byron
Municipal Government Chair: Anthony Ford, Mayor, Stockbridge
Public Safety Chair: Kelly Girtz, Mayor, Athens-Clarke County
Environment & Natural Resources Chair: Van R. Johnson II, Mayor, Savannah
Community Development Chair: Regina M. McDuffie, City Manager, Brunswick
GMEBS Board Chair
Rebecca Tydings, City Attorney, Centerville
Municipal Training Board Chair
Tiffany Walraven, Mayor Pro Tem, Pembroke
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https://www.albanyherald.com/news/tifton-mayor-named-president-of-georgia-municipal-association/article_292916ac-006f-11ed-b188-e317d351379d.html
| 2022-07-10T18:03:27Z
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Winter Weather Advisory issued April 22 at 2:28PM MDT until April 23 at 12:00AM MDT by NWS Pocatello ID
* WHAT…Snow expected above 6500 feet. Total snow accumulations
of 3 to 8 inches, with the highest elevations seeing 8 to 12
inches. Wind gusts of 25 to 40 mph are possible.
* WHERE…Monida Pass…Pine Creek Pass…Targhee Pass…
Raynolds Pass and other locations above 6000 feet in the Big
Holes… Island Park area…Clark County and the Lost River
Range.
* WHEN…Until midnight MDT tonight.
* IMPACTS…Travel could be difficult, especially at pass level.
The hazardous conditions could impact the evening commute.
Slow down and use caution while traveling.
The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1.
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https://localnews8.com/weather/alerts-weather/2022/04/22/winter-weather-advisory-issued-april-22-at-228pm-mdt-until-april-23-at-1200am-mdt-by-nws-pocatello-id/
| 2022-04-22T21:18:35Z
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Which Sur La Table measuring spoons are best?
A good set of measuring spoons can go a long way. It’s just the kind of thing you don’t realize you need until you’re staring at a half-made recipe trying to figure out if you have a 1/4 teaspoon. The Sur La Table retail website has several kinds of measuring spoon sets in assorted materials, colors and shapes. Take a look at the Sur La Table Spice Measuring Spoons for a thorough set of high-quality spoons that are made to last.
What to know before you buy measuring spoons at Sur La Table
Sizes
There are four to seven measuring spoons in a full set. If you don’t do a lot of cooking or baking, then a four-piece set should suffice. This standard set includes a 1/4 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon, 1 teaspoon and a 1 tablespoon. If you spend a lot of time in the kitchen and want more extensive options, there are six- or seven-piece sets that include a 1/8 teaspoon, 3/4 teaspoon and a 1/2 tablespoon.
Materials
Measuring spoons are typically made from plastic or metal. Plastic spoons are lightweight and less expensive, while metal spoons are more durable and have a longer life span. Metal spoons are made from stainless steel but can be plated in a material such as copper for a different color design. Plastic and metal measuring spoons are usually dishwasher-safe.
Shape
You might notice that some measuring spoon sets feature rounded or oval spoon heads, while others have square or rectangular heads. All of these shapes adhere to the same measurements. The shape does, however, impact how you use the spoons. Oval and rectangular spoons are more convenient for spice jars and other containers with narrow openings.
What to look for in quality measuring spoons at Sur La Table
Double-sided
A double-sided measuring spoon has a spoon on each end. One is rounded for liquid ingredients and the other is curved as a scooper for dry ingredients. This way you don’t have to worry about drying a wet spoon before dipping it into something that will stick to the moisture. It’s an efficient, practical option that can reduce mess and fumbling as you measure out each ingredient.
Clip vs. magnet closure
While there are sets that feature loose spoons, most measuring spoon sets are attached so that you don’t have to worry about misplacing one. The most user-friendly methods for attachment are a clip or magnets.
- Clip: It is typically round and pops open so you can slide the spoons out. After you’ve used the spoons and washed them, simply put them back on the ring and close the clip.
- Magnet: The rounded magnet is attached to the center of the spoon handles. It lets the spoons pull apart easily and realign easily without worrying about a closed ring that might get stuck.
Bonus scraper
A great set of measuring spoons comes with a scraper for leveling. This lets you scrape the excess off the top of a spoon to get the most accurate measurement without having to use your fingers or a knife. Some scrapers feature a curved tip for working with sticky ingredients.
How much you can expect to spend on measuring spoons at Sur La Table
A set of plastic measuring spoons at Sur La Table costs $8-$10, and a set of metal measuring spoons costs $15-$30. A combo set that features measuring spoons and measuring cups costs up to $45.
Measuring spoons on Sur La Table FAQ
How many teaspoons are in a tablespoon?
A. There are 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon. This means that 1 1/2 teaspoons measures out to a 1/2-tablespoon.
How many tablespoons are in a cup?
A. There are 16 tablespoons in a cup.
Does stainless steel rust?
A. Stainless steel is not designed to rust. It is made with chromium, which forms a protective layer when it reacts with oxygen. Stainless steel can corrode, however, when exposed to extreme conditions, such as heat or moisture,, for long stretches of time.
What are the best measuring spoons to buy at Sur La Table?
Top measuring spoons at Sur La Table
Sur La Table Spice Measuring Spoons
What you need to know: This set includes six stainless steel measuring spoons with rectangular heads, measurements stamped into the handles and a metal clip for organizing.
What you’ll love: The set comes with two more spoons than the average set with a 1/8 teaspoon and a 3/4 teaspoon. The spoons are well-made and shaped perfectly for spice jars. They are dishwasher-safe.
What you should consider: The metal clip isn’t easy to open and close.
Where to buy: Sold by Sur La Table
Top measuring spoons at Sur La Table for the money
Oxo Good Grips Measuring Spoons
What you need to know: This set includes six plastic measuring spoons with round heads, a scraper and a hook for hanging.
What you’ll love: It includes a 1/8 teaspoon and a 1/2 tablespoon. The measurements are color-coded for easy identification. The spoons have nonslip handles, and each one rests flat on a countertop without spilling. They are dishwasher-safe.
What you should consider: The measurement numbers can start to wear off after multiple rounds in the dishwasher.
Where to buy: Sold by Sur La Table
Worth checking out
Progressive Stainless Steel Magnetic Measuring Spoons
What you need to know: This set includes four double-sided stainless steel measuring spoons with magnetic handles.
What you’ll love: The double-sided scoopers are perfect for wet or dry ingredients. The spoon handles snap together magnetically for easy storage. They are dishwasher-safe.
What you should consider: The spoons are great, but the magnets are not as durable. If they fall off, you have to glue them back on.
Where to buy: Sold by Sur La Table
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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https://cw33.com/reviews/best-measuring-spoons-on-sur-la-table/
| 2022-06-24T00:04:30Z
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Innovative System Further Eliminates Natural Gas Drilling Operations-Related Emissions
PITTSBURGH and THE WOODLANDS, Texas, July 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE: CNX) and Dynamis Power Solutions (Dynamis) today announced an innovative ESG agreement to introduce the Appalachian Basin's first electric powered drilling system fueled entirely by on-site natural gas.
The Dynamis Gas Hybrid Drilling Package combines high efficiency continuous duty natural gas reciprocating power generation with battery energy storage technology to decrease engine emissions, reduce fuel consumption, and optimize the complete power system operation.
"We're pleased to once again be the first mover on new technology that advance sustainable and state-of-the-art natural gas development in the Appalachian Basin," commented CNX Chief Operating Officer Chad Griffith. "Our partnership with Dynamis advances our position as the region's lowest cost producer, while continuing to drive meaningful environmental and community solutions in what is already the world's most prolific and environmentally friendly natural gas basin."
In 2018, CNX entered into the first long-term agreement for a 100 percent electric hydraulic fracturing fleet in the Appalachian Basin. Building on its record of technology innovation and ESG leadership, earlier this year, CNX announced a four-year extension of the initial e-frac agreement.
Dynamis CEO Matt Crawford said, "Dynamis is excited to deliver our engineered hybrid solution as a cleaner path to power in the drilling space. CNX is a trusted partner that aligns with our relentless pursuit of sustainable energy through disruptive technologies. Together, we are setting the sustainable and innovative standard for drilling power."
The hybrid natural gas system eliminates diesel fuel consumption on pad for drilling rig operations and, as a result, CNX expects significant annual fuel savings in addition to C02 and NOX emission reductions.
CNX recently announced that it has developed proprietary technology to produce compressed natural gas and hydrogen on-site, among other fuel alternatives. The partnership with Dynamis provides the ability to further transition the fuel mix to hydrogen-enriched natural gas to power the drilling rig and further reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
CNX intends to begin utilizing this technology in the field during the second quarter of 2023.
About CNX Resources:
CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE: CNX) is unique. We are a premier, low carbon intensive natural gas development, production, midstream, and technology company centered in Appalachia, one of the most energy abundant regions in the world. With the benefit of a 158-year regional legacy, substantial asset base, leading core operational competencies, technology development and innovation, and astute capital allocation methodologies, we responsibly develop our resources and deploy free cash flow to create long-term per share value for our shareholders, employees, and the communities where we operate. As of December 31, 2021, CNX had 9.63 trillion cubic feet equivalent of proved natural gas reserves. The company is a member of the Standard & Poor's Midcap 400 Index. Additional information is available at www.cnx.com.
About Dynamis Power Solutions:
Dynamis Power Solutions is the benchmark for mobilizing quiet and clean power generation for Oil & Gas applications. The company was founded in response to direct customer demand, coming on the heels of the great success of its sister company, Evolution Well Services. The quick mobilization/demobilization solutions Dynamis offers, coupled with best-in-class technology for power generation and energy storage, provides a turnkey power plant solution for a variety of industries.
Cautionary Statements
We are including the following cautionary statement in this press release to make applicable and take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 for any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of us.
With the exception of historical matters, the matters discussed in this press release are forward-looking statements (as defined in 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act")) that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from projected results. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. These forward-looking statements may include projections and estimates concerning the timing and success of specific projects and our future production, revenues, income, and capital spending. When we use the words "believe," "intend," "expect," "may," "should," "anticipate," "could," "estimate," "plan," "predict," "project," "will," or their negatives, or other similar expressions, the statements which include those words are usually forward-looking statements. When we describe a strategy that involves risks or uncertainties, we are making forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release; we disclaim any obligation to update these statements. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and assumptions about future events. While our management considers these expectations and assumptions to be reasonable, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, regulatory and other risks, contingencies, and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. Specific factors that could cause future actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements are described in detail under the captions "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and any subsequent reports filed with the SEC. Those risk factors discuss, among other matters, pricing volatility or pricing decline for natural gas and NGLs; local, regional and national economic conditions and the impact they may have on our customers; the impact of events beyond our control, including a global or domestic health crisis; dependence on gathering, processing and transportation facilities and other midstream facilities owned by others; conditions in the oil and gas industry; our current long-term debt obligations, and the terms of the agreements that govern that debt; strategic determinations, including the allocation of capital and other resources to strategic opportunities; cyber-incidents targeting our systems, oil and natural gas industry systems and infrastructure, or the systems of our third-party service providers; and changes in safety, health, environmental and other regulations.
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SOURCE CNX Resources Corporation; Dynamis Power Solutions
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/26/cnx-dynamis-introduce-next-generation-electric-powered-drilling-system/
| 2022-07-26T11:50:32Z
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NEW YORK, Aug. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AustralianSuper, Australia's largest pension fund, has boosted its New York office with several major new hires as it targets increasing its exposure to US markets.
The new staff will help the US$180 billion fund manage exceptional growth after experiencing record net cash inflows for the 2022 financial year. AustralianSuper's assets have grown an average of 19% per year over the past 10 years on the back of member contributions and strong investment performance.
Joining the AustralianSuper team are:
- Jennie Rose – Senior Investment Director, Private Debt, who joins most recently from Barings' infrastructure debt team with over 20 years' experience in private debt markets. Ms. Rose has responsibility for originating, building and managing AustralianSuper's burgeoning global infrastructure debt portfolio.
- Aaron Witte – Senior Portfolio Manager, Private Equity, and Dominic Borrasch – Portfolio Manager, Private Equity, who both join the Fund from leading boutique private equity manager SwanCap Partners. Both Dominic and Aaron have deep expertise in the North American market, having successfully built a PE investment platform that spans PE fund, co-investment and co-underwrite activities. The duo will be focused on expanding AustralianSuper's growing North American Private Equity portfolio.
- Emilce Song – Investment Director, Infrastructure, who joins AustralianSuper from Macquarie Capital. Ms. Song has over 15 years' experience in executing and managing North American renewable, conventional power and infrastructure sector investments. At AustralianSuper, Ms. Song will focus on building and managing the infrastructure equity portfolio with a focus on power and renewables and energy transition opportunities.
- Kang Peng – Associate Director, Infrastructure, joins AustralianSuper with expertise in infrastructure investments within the North American and APAC regions, most recently with Transurban Group where he was involved in over US$15 billion in transactions. At AustralianSuper, Mr Peng will concentrate on the build-up of the North American infrastructure equity portfolio and provide coverage of various sub-sectors (including digital infrastructure, transport and energy transition).
AustralianSuper's Head of Private Equity, Terry Charalambous, is also now based in New York where he joins Head of American Infrastructure, Derek Chu.
'AustralianSuper is strategically building a team to help manage our existing US portfolio and also find new opportunities to invest to deliver long-term returns for members,' Mr Charalambous said. 'We are a growing fund looking for private market opportunities and now have a team of 15 senior investment professionals in the New York office, which was opened last year.'
The New York office is primarily focussed on investing in private markets and aims to have almost 100 colleagues within three years.
As a global active investor with a long-term outlook, AustralianSuper is seeking opportunities across the investment landscape as it grows its US portfolio. The Fund currently has US$51 billion invested in the US. This is split between US$30 billion in listed equities, US$16 billion in private markets and almost US$5.5 billion invested in fixed interest.
The opening of the US office follows the ongoing build out of the London team – which has specialist skills across private markets and is the home of the Fund's northern hemisphere trading desk. The UK team is on track to have a staff of over 150 investment professionals by 2026.
Mr Chu said AustralianSuper's growth trajectory and purpose driven approach was proving to be an attractive proposition for prospective team members.
'We've seen a lot of interest in what we are doing as an Australian fund here in New York and also globally,' Mr Chu said.
'AustralianSuper is looking for the best talent internationally to join our investment team across some of the world's most important capital markets.'
About AustralianSuper
AustralianSuper manages more than US$180 Billion (A$261 billion) in members' retirement savings on behalf of more than 2.7 million members from more than 398,000 businesses (as at 31 March 2022). One in 10 working Australians is a member of AustralianSuper, the nation's largest superannuation fund.
All figures in USD unless otherwise stated. USD/AUD – 1.45 as of 30 June 2022.
References to "AustralianSuper" or "the Fund" in this document are taken to mean AustralianSuper Pty Ltd, the AustralianSuper superannuation fund, AustralianSuper (UK) Ltd (UK company number 09949713, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority –Reference No 741471), AustralianSuper (US) LLC (a Delaware Limited Liability Company, file number 7398158), and any/or other related bodies corporate of AustralianSuper Pty Ltd.
Information included in this document is of a general nature only.
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SOURCE AustralianSuper
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https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/18/australiansuper-boosts-new-york-office-with-senior-private-markets-appointments/
| 2022-08-18T13:19:44Z
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Founded in 1963, SEO provides exceptional educational and career opportunities to talented and motivated young people from underserved and historically excluded communities.
NEW YORK, Aug. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SEO Scholars, a free, eight-year program designed to close the academic and opportunity gap for motivated high school students, announces the launch of a national expansion to bring its acclaimed programming to students beyond its traditional markets of New York City and San Francisco.
"Since 1963, SEO has been preparing and propelling hard-working students to get to and through college. SEO is thrilled to be expanding the impact of our Scholars program because while talent is everywhere, unfortunately opportunity is not," said William Goodloe, President & CEO of SEO.
In 2022, SEO Scholars hired a new Head of Expansion, Jordan McFarlane-Beau, who earned his Doctor of Education in Leadership degree last year from the American College of Education and has built a career working with first-generation, low-income, and non-traditional students in high school and college. He shared that program expansion has been a long-term goal of SEO and is working with the first expansion partner, shift_ed, a non-profit organization that creates successful outcomes for students enrolled in North Carolina's Guilford County School district, which includes Greensboro.
Watch the SEO Scholar recruitment video for Guilford County students here: https://youtu.be/koUcqsvAFqI
To ensure SEO Scholars are admitted to competitive colleges and experience a rich and rewarding college education, the program begins in ninth grade and includes
- Rigorous academic instruction
- Quality mentorship
- Individualized advising
- Development of a powerful, lifelong network
"Given our strong outcomes in New York City and San Francisco, expansion into North Carolina provides us with the opportunity to broaden our reach so that talented students get the education and opportunities they deserve," said McFarlane-Beau.
SEO has a track record of successful outcomes in New York and San Francisco. Nationally, only 60% of college students graduate, while 90% of SEO Scholars graduate college. In 2022, 100% of SEO Scholars were accepted to four-year colleges and universities, 80% attended a school ranked as top-100 in U.S. News & World Report, and 85% are first generation college students. There are more than 21,000 SEO alumni throughout the world and each year, the SEO Scholars program serves more than 2,100 students.
"SEO adapted to the pandemic by shifting our curriculum online," Goodloe said. "It created the opportunity to look at new ways to engage students, partners, and school systems beyond New York City and San Francisco. We are excited to partner with shift_ed as a first step to national expansion."
An SEO and Guilford County partnership is a bold way to tip the scales in the direction of equity, says shift_ed CEO, Wendy Poteat. "By creating opportunities for education and career exploration, students see what they can do and who they can be. Their potential grows with every new experience, and their success accelerates success for our whole community."
shift_ed plans to open SEO Scholars registration on September 1. Candidate interviews will occur in January 2023, and the ninth-grade cohort will officially begin programming in late February.
"We want our students to know that anything is possible," says Poteat. "With bold collaboration like this – it truly is."
SEO was founded in 1963 with a mission to create a more equitable society by providing exceptional educational and career opportunities to talented and motivated young people from underserved and historically excluded communities. For 60 years, SEO has been an innovator in education, mentorship, peer-to-peer support, the delivery of excellence, and the leveraging of diverse networks and communities to turn untapped potential into newfound greatness. Learn more at www.seo-usa.org.
shift_ed partners with Guilford County Schools (GCS) to provide thousands of hours of tutoring, college prep and financial aid workshops, and career counseling to students. Thanks to generous community support, shift_ed has awarded more than $12.6 million to GCS graduates since 2016. Learn more at www.shift_ed.org.
View original content:
SOURCE Sponsors for Educational Opportunity
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https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/30/seo-scholars-announces-national-expansion-with-partnership-north-carolina/
| 2022-08-30T14:57:34Z
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4RF Aprisa LTE Router Certified and Approved for use on FirstNet, Built with AT&T
DENVER, June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 4RF, a developer of high-performance radio communications equipment for critical infrastructure, is pleased to announce that its Aprisa LTE router is now certified and approved for use on FirstNet® – the only network built with and for America's first responders. The Aprisa LTE router is now FirstNet Ready®, which means first responders can use it to tap into specialized capabilities designed to meet their mission-centric needs on the FirstNet network.
FirstNet, Built with AT&T is solving long-standing communications challenges faced by public safety entities and those supporting emergency response nationwide. This allows first responders to communicate with one another easily and quickly during everyday situations, big events or emergencies. And FirstNet is evolving based on the needs of and feedback from the public safety community, driving purposeful innovation to help them stay mission ready. Now, by adding the Aprisa LTE router to the FirstNet ecosystem, public safety agencies and approved utility first responders have more access to the critical information they need – every day and in every emergency.
"With FirstNet Ready® designation, 4RF is honored and ready to service the needs of emergency responders and we're currently working with various customers to assist with deployments. We have the 4RF Aprisa LTE router, implementation advice and support, along with ancillaries such as antennas to help make successful use of FirstNet® for emergency response. 4RF Aprisa products are successfully deployed in hundreds of mission-critical environments around the world. We were the first to make radio ready for utility networking and now we are delighted to serve public safety and utility first responders in the U.S. using FirstNet," said 4RF CEO Ian Troughton.
The 4RF Aprisa LTE is a secure, hardened LTE router and gateway for mission-critical field area networks. With this approval the Aprisa LTE continues to bring innovation to the LTE market. Examples include the first field router to offer SFP transceiver support for optical fiber and the first Anterix Band 8 certified device to offer built-in Wi-Fi operation. The Aprisa LTE meets key utility demands with dual SIM support for private LTE as well as public networks, a very wide range of operating bands, enterprise-ready routing (including DMVPN, BGP, and EIGRP) and security features (including anti-tamper), along with the heavy-duty transient protection mandatory for protection in the electric grid deployment including substations. The device is also at home in mobile applications meeting tough vehicle electrical and vibration standards. 4RF offers a range of wraparound engineering services, including CCNA® qualified network solutions advice. More information about the 4RF Aprisa LTE router is available in its datasheet, here.
Public safety agencies and approved utility first responders also have access to a one-of-a-kind 5G experience on FirstNet. First responders maintain communications with priority and preemption on LTE, while the FirstNet network determines the best route for data traffic – whether that's 5G or LTE spectrum. Today, first responders in 20 cities have access to 5G connectivity. Plus, they also have access to AT&T 5G+ (mmWave) spectrum in parts of over 45 cities and more than 41 stadiums and venues across the country.
"FirstNet devices and modules go through extensive review, so first responders can be confident that the 4RF Aprisa LTE router meets our highest standards for reliability, security and performance," said Scott Agnew, assistant vice president, product marketing, FirstNet Program at AT&T. "The more tools public safety has access to on their network, the more we can help them achieve their mission."
Before being certified and approved for use on FirstNet, devices are subject to hundreds of tests that cover a number of aspects, from security and durability to network impacts. This helps to ensure they meet the needs of first responders and the public safety community. FirstNet Ready devices are listed on the FirstNet device page.
To learn more about 4RF and the Aprisa LTE router, go to 4RF.com. For more on FirstNet, check out FirstNet.com.
4RF is a world-class designer and manufacturer providing radio communications equipment for critical infrastructure applications to over 150 countries, for utilities, oil and gas companies, smart grid, water, and other applications including at many of the largest utilities in the United States. 4RF products deliver highly secure communications, support serial and IP traffic, and are optimized for robust performance in temperature extremes and other harsh environments.
FirstNet® is the only nationwide, high-speed broadband communications platform dedicated to and purpose-built for America's first responders and the extended public safety community. Shaped by the vision of Congress and the first responder community following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, FirstNet stands above commercial offerings. It is built with AT&T in public-private partnership with the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) – an independent agency within the federal government. The FirstNet network is providing first responders with truly dedicated coverage and capacity when they need it, unique benefits like always-on priority and preemption, and high-quality Band 14 spectrum. These advanced capabilities help fire, EMS, law enforcement save lives and protect their communities. Learn more at FirstNet.com.
©2022 AT&T Intellectual Property. FirstNet and the FirstNet logo are registered trademarks and service marks of the First Responder Network Authority. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.
4RF, the 4RF quadratic device, and Aprisa are trademarks of 4RF Limited.
CCNA® is a registered trademark of Cisco Systems, Inc.
LTE is a trademark of ETSI, used with permission for Aprisa products containing LTE functionality.
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SOURCE 4RF
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https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/14/4rf-delivers-firstnet-ready-aprisa-lte-router-public-safety/
| 2022-06-14T13:15:17Z
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FRANKLIN, Tenn., July 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Community Healthcare Trust Incorporated (NYSE: CHCT) today announced that on Tuesday evening, August 2, 2022, after the market closes, it will report results for the second quarter of 2022.
On August 3, 2022, at 9:00 a.m. Central Time, Community Healthcare Trust will hold a conference call to discuss earnings results, quarterly activities, general operations of the Company and industry trends. Simultaneously, a webcast of the conference call will be available to interested parties via an Internet link at www.chct.reit under the Investor Relations section. A webcast replay will be available following the call at the same Internet site address.
Conference Call Details
Domestic Dial-In Number: 1-888-347-1332
International Dial-In Number: 1-412-902-4278
Canada Toll Free: 1-855-669-9657
Replay Conference Call Details
Domestic Dial-In Number: 1-877-344-7529
International Dial-In Number: 1-412-317-0088
Canada Toll Free: 1-855-669-9658
Conference ID: 1203917
Community Healthcare Trust Incorporated is a real estate investment trust that focuses on owning income-producing real estate properties associated primarily with the delivery of outpatient healthcare services in our target sub-markets throughout the United States. The Company had investments of approximately $843.8 million in 158 real estate properties (including a portion of one property accounted for as a financing lease) as of March 31, 2022, located in 34 states, totaling approximately 3.4 million square feet.
This press release contains statements that are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes", "expects", "may", "should", "seeks", "approximately", "intends", "plans", "estimates", "anticipates" or other similar words or expressions, including the negative thereof. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and can include future expectations, future plans and strategies, financial and operating projections or other forward-looking information. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management. Because forward-looking statements relate to future events, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of the Company's control. Thus, the Company's actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in such forward-looking statements. Some factors that might cause such a difference include the following: general volatility of the capital markets and the market price of the Company's common stock, changes in the Company's business strategy, availability, terms and deployment of capital, the Company's ability to refinance existing indebtedness at or prior to maturity on favorable terms, or at all, changes in the real estate industry in general, interest rates or the general economy, adverse developments related to the healthcare industry, the degree and nature of the Company's competition, the ability to consummate acquisitions under contract, effects on global and national markets as well as businesses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, and the other factors described in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 and the Company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Readers are therefore cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained herein which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company intends these forward-looking statements to speak only as of the time of this release and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise, except as may be required by law.
CONTACT: David H. Dupuy, 615-771-3052
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SOURCE Community Healthcare Trust, Inc.
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https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/12/community-healthcare-trust-announces-second-quarter-earnings-release-date-conference-call/
| 2022-07-12T01:59:39Z
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Motorcyclist dies after crash on U.S. 41
Published: Jul. 29, 2022 at 2:12 PM EDT|Updated: 23 minutes ago
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - A 23-year-old Sarasota man has died after an early Thursday morning crash on U.S. 41, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
Investigators say the man was traveling north on a motorcycle on U.S. 41, near the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport just after 3 a.m. While changing lanes, he lost control and collided with the curb. The motorcycle left the road and hit a concrete power pole.
The man was critically injured and taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital where he died Friday, troopers say.
The crash remains under investigation.
Copyright 2022 WWSB. All rights reserved.
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/07/29/motorcyclist-dies-after-crash-us-41/
| 2022-07-29T18:37:00Z
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Company Continues to Build as It Prepares for FDA Submission and Clearance of Its Breakthrough Therapy
MINNEAPOLIS, May 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- HistoSonics, (www.histosonics.com), the developer and manufacturer of a non-invasive platform and novel sonic beam therapy called histotripsy, announced today the fulfillment of patient enrollment required for regulatory submission of their Edison™ system to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company plans to use safety and efficacy data from combined parallel company-sponsored trials in an upcoming FDA submission. The ongoing studies providing these data, #HOPE4LIVER US and #HOPE4LIVER Europe, are designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of using image guided histotripsy to destroy primary and secondary tumors of the liver.
"We are incredibly excited to have achieved this pivotal enrollment milestone in the #HOPE4LIVER clinical trials," stated Mike Blue, President and CEO of HistoSonics. "It's a significant achievement for our entire organization and team, including many who have spent the last 20 years advancing the science of histotripsy, and most recently, the development of our novel new platform. Additionally, I want to thank all the trials' clinical investigators, their teams, and the patients who have entrusted us in these trials as we aim to demonstrate that histotripsy can be safely and effectively used in the liver", continued Mr. Blue. HistoSonics plans on filing a De Novo submission with the FDA for the destruction of liver tissue using histotripsy later this year in anticipation of achieving US marketing authorization in 2023.
HistoSonics' image guided sonic beam therapy system uses advanced imaging and proprietary sensing technology to deliver non-invasive, personalized treatments with precision and control. The science of histotripsy uses focused sound energy to produce controlled acoustic cavitation that mechanically destroys and liquifies targeted liver tissue at sub-cellular levels. The company believes that the novel mechanism of action of their proprietary technology provides significant advantages to patients, including the ability of the treatment site to recover and resorb quickly. Uniquely, the HistoSonics' platform also provides physicians the ability to monitor the destruction of tissue under continuous real-time visualization and control, unlike any modality that exists today.
This significant company milestone builds upon strategic accomplishments achieved over the past year including receipt of Breakthrough Device Designation by the FDA, awarding of a unique Category III CPT® Code for histotripsy of the liver by the AMA, and a published payment rate by CMS for the inpatient and outpatient use of histotripsy in the liver.
In addition to the clinical trial milestone, and in preparation for long term growth, HistoSonics has recently expanded its advanced research and development facility in Ann Arbor and is completing final renovations of its 30,000 sq. ft. Minneapolis headquarters. The company is also in the process of adding key personnel across most of the organization and has initiated discussions with the FDA on the next applications of its histotripsy platform.
HistoSonics is a privately held medical device company developing a non-invasive platform and proprietary sonic beam therapy utilizing the science of histotripsy, a novel mechanism of action that uses focused ultrasound to mechanically destroy and liquify unwanted tissue and tumors. The company is currently focused on the continued development of its Edison™ Platform, global clinical studies, and new strategic projects including future clinical applications and platforms. HistoSonics has offices in Ann Arbor, Michigan and Minneapolis, MN.
For more information please visit: www.histosonics.com/
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SOURCE HistoSonics, Inc.
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https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/05/31/histosonics-hits-pivotal-clinical-trial-milestone-hope4liver-studies/
| 2022-05-31T14:11:37Z
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Former Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles gets released by Bears
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — The Chicago Bears have released veteran quarterback Nick Foles two years after acquiring the former Super Bowl MVP to compete with Mitchell Trubisky. New general manager Ryan Poles had told reporters he hoped to trade Foles after signing Trevor Siemian to back up Justin Fields. He had one year left on his contract. Foles took Super Bowl 52 honors for Philadelphia. The Bears acquired him from Jacksonville in March 2020. Foles was third string last year behind Fields and Andy Dalton. He started one game with the other two quarterbacks injured, and threw for 250 yards in a win at Seattle in late December.
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https://localnews8.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/05/01/former-super-bowl-mvp-nick-foles-gets-released-by-bears/
| 2022-05-01T20:49:05Z
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Biden avoids politics in honoring hockey champion Lightning
WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden joked that Steven Stamkos was getting old after playing in the National Hockey League for 14 seasons, praised the Tampa Bay Lightning’s vaccine efforts and otherwise avoided politics while honoring the team for winning the Stanley Cup in each of the past two seasons.
In a rare sports break amid his administration’s response to Russia’s war in Ukraine, the president on Monday referenced first lady Jill Biden’s attendance at a vaccination event at the Lightning’s home arena last year and congratulated the Lightning for winning two pandemic championships: one in an empty building in a quarantined bubble and another in a packed house at home in Tampa.
“I’m not saying that the first lady being there at your arena during the playoffs is why you won,” Biden said with a smile. “But just saying that she was there during the election season, as well. She seems to show up when people win. Just something to think about.”
Biden made little mention of players other than Stamkos while talking about the Lighting’s back-to-back title runs, which relied heavily on Russian goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, forward Nikita Kucherov and defenseman Mikhail Sergachev. Vasilevskiy was the playoff MVP last year, and Kucherov was the top scorer in each postseason.
All three players attended the event, and Sergachev shared photos of them around the White House on social media. There were no noticeable absences, and a handful of players from the Lightning’s 2020 championship team who had departed or retired even made appearances.
Just for this occasion, the team made a third trip to the nation’s capital in eight months after already visiting the Washington Capitals twice this season. The Lightning flew Sunday night after playing at the Florida Panthers and were set to return home before facing the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday in one of their final games of the regular season before the playoffs begin next week.
“Pretty much everybody was on board, and everybody that could make it — former players and stuff — they all tried to make it here,” alternate captain Ryan McDonagh said. “It’s just a great tradition that we have: You become part of a championship team, you get to go to the White House and meet the president.”
Despite the Lightning winning the Stanley Cup three times — in 2004, 2020 and 2021 — it was the organization’s first time visiting a sitting president at the White House. The 2004-05 NHL lockout prevented that year’s team from going, and the pandemic delayed this opportunity until nine months after the second of these back-to-back championships.
“It was a long time in the making,” Stamkos said. “We weren’t sure if we were going to get this opportunity, but it was certainly worth the wait.”
Stamkos, who is Canadian, deferred to McDonagh, a Minnesota native, to speak on behalf of the team at the ceremony. Players and coach Jon Cooper, who were wearing both Cup rings, were most impressed by Biden inviting them into the Oval Office to chat afterward.
“In the position he’s in (being) the leader of the free world and all that stuff, he has an amazing ability to wipe that persona aside and just be a human being like he was one of our teammates,” said Cooper, who is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada. “I kind of wanted to get greedy and sit down with a beer on a barstool with this guy and listen to the story of his life. You can see why he was elected president.”
Biden won some more points when he praised the Tampa area for Major League Baseball’s Rays reaching the World Series in 2020 and the NFL’s Buccaneers winning the Super Bowl months later. He said the Lightning “may be here next year — who knows?”
The Lightning are again among the NHL’s top teams and are looking to become the first to win the Cup three years in a row since the New York Islanders dynasty in the early 1980s.
“The good thing with our group is the hunger’s still there,” McDonagh said. “We don’t need any kind of extra motivation, but certainly this does heighten the excitement, for sure, going into the last week of the regular season and before the start of the playoffs.”
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Follow AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno
___
More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kxii.com/2022/04/25/biden-honor-stanley-cup-winners-tampa-bay-lightning-white-house/
| 2022-04-26T00:18:28Z
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Company's Latest DevSecOps Solution Focuses on Securing Salesforce Environments from Cybersecurity Threats and Data Breaches
SAN RAMON, Calif., May 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Flosum, a leading provider of end-to-end secure DevSecOps, data management, data protection and security automation platforms built on Salesforce, today announced the launch of Flosum Trust Center, an integrated security solution to monitor, alert and scan for any potential threats within a Salesforce environment.
According to Gartner, Inc.[1] "By 2022, 90% of software development projects will claim to be following DevSecOps practices, up from 40% in 2019."
Flosum Trust Center enables companies to deliver on their promise of following SecOps and DevSecOps best practices by focusing on securing Salesforce environments from cybersecurity threats and data breaches.
"Taking ownership of security within a third-party platform helps to manage risk, which is why we like to say that customers have a shared sense of responsibility for ensuring the security and trust of their Salesforce environment," said Girish Jashnani, CEO of Flosum. "Flosum's new security automation solution assists customers in staying secure without requiring advanced security teams for implementation."
Flosum Trust Center brings an adaptive security framework that is native to Salesforce. While current Flosum customers can easily add Trust Center to their solution, new customers can choose to implement Trust Center with or without Flosum's Release Management platform. Trust Center enables strong collaboration between corporate security teams and Salesforce teams.
Many customers have experienced the enhanced security features from Flosum Winter Release '21 and look forward to the company's comprehensive security platform with Trust Center.
Flosum Trust Center will complement existing Salesforce Privacy Center, Trust and Shield solutions with a full Security Information and Event Management (SEIM) solution providing enhanced data masking, code security and detailed audit trails designed to reduce audit costs.
More specifically, Flosum Trust Center will deliver the following major features and benefits to Salesforce customers:
Org Monitoring - Provides a consolidated view of all org settings so that admins and leaders can enforce best practices.
Security Templates - Allow users to design a template and apply it to multiple orgs. This will save Salesforce teams time while collaborating with InfoSec to ensure that hardening rules are executed. Within these templates, users can create security policies, and those policies will always be enforced.
Remediation - Allows clients to proactively fix changes or concerns covered by their templates. These can be completed by moving the item to a branch for solutioning.
Security Violations in DevOps - Allows the use of templates to indicate violations to the developer as they are working, thus saving any potential conflicts or issues for the company.
Audit Trails – Enables detailed tracking of all changes, allowing users to prioritize their designated risk levels and preserve the audit record for any period of time.
Data Masking - Provides sandbox environments sample data to ensure realistic tests without compromising confidential data. Masking can be applied to data at rest and to data in transit between orgs.
Flosum Trust Center is available now. For more information on Flosum Trust Center, visit: https://flosum.com/products/security-solution.
About Flosum
Flosum is a leading provider of end-to-end secure DevSecOps, data management, data protection and security automation platforms, built 100% natively to Salesforce. Our mission is to enable IT leaders to manage the cloud with confidence and empower developers to innovate using Flosum's release management, Salesforce data backup and recovery and Salesforce security solutions. Enterprises around the world leverage Flosum to accelerate digital transformation by making the software release process fast and easy and increasing developer productivity while remaining secure and compliant. For more information, visit www.flosum.com.
Salesforce and others are trademarks of Salesforce.com, Inc.
[1] Gartner®, "Integrating Security Into the DevSecOps Toolchain," Mark Horvath, Neil MacDonald, Published 15 November 2019. GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/25/flosum-launches-new-trust-center-security-solution-monitor-alert-scan-any-potential-threats-within-salesforce/
| 2022-05-25T14:41:11Z
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TAMPA, Fla., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County will be hosting its second annual early childhood education conference, ReCharge at Teacher's Night Out on Friday, May 6, 2022 starting at 6:00 PM at Tabella's at Delaney Creek 5818 Causeway Blvd, Tampa, FL 33619.
This special invite-only event is to provide our early education teachers a well-deserved evening of appreciation for their dedicated work caring and educating our Hillsborough County children through play. Early education teachers have one of the most important jobs and we want to recharge, inspire, and motivate our educators through our conference. This is our thank you hug to our teachers for all that they do for the community. Guests will be gifted educational resources and supplies to use in their classroom and opportunity to hear from influential speakers, Dr. Lise Fox, Jermia M. Smith, and Lisa Bresson who all have a passion working with young children. Special guests include Congresswoman Kathy Castor U.S Representative, 14th District and Commissioner Gwendolyn Myers. The evening will conclude under a canopy of market lights with great music and dancing. The Early Learning Coalition's Chief Executive Officer Gordon L. Gillette, along with staff, and Board Members, will be in attendance to show our teachers much love and appreciation.
We are thrilled to announce that this is a sold-out event. For any questions regarding the event or donation inquiries, please contact Stacey Francois – Director, Program Initiatives and Analysis at sfrancois@elchc.org
Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County (ELCHC)
Established by the State Legislature, the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County (ELCHC) is a 501(c)(3) organization focused on promoting school and life success for young children and their families through quality school readiness services and supports. The ELCHC administers School Readiness and VPK (Voluntary Prekindergarten) programs in Hillsborough County, offers teacher trainings and coaching, and provides Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) along with other services that daily serve more than 20,000 children and their families.
Contact: Alison Fraga
Phone: 813-205-6205
Email: afraga@elchc.org
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/04/hillsborough-early-childhood-education-teachers-providers-will-have-opportunity-gain-professional-development-hours-while-recharging-their-batteries-second-annual-teachers-night-out-early-childhood-education-conference/
| 2022-05-04T12:53:36Z
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SANTA CRUZ, Calif., July 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Fullpower®-AI, the leading IoT biosensing and sleep technology company, today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) had issued three new U.S. Patents directed to methods related to the Fullpower®-AI platform.
"We are extremely pleased, as inventors and pioneers, with the continued development of the Fullpower®-AI patent portfolio. These new issuances, some with early priorities, continue to expand the breadth and depth of our Sleep and Biosensing intellectual property portfolio, covering methods important to Smart beds, Sleep, Snoring, Apnea, Wearable, IoT, Machine Learning, and other industries. The issuance of these patents is another step in the development of our robust patent portfolio," said Philippe Kahn, Chief Executive Officer of Fullpower®-AI.
About Fullpower Technologies, Inc.
Fullpower® Technologies delivers a complete B2B IoT platform for AI-powered algorithms, remote contactless biosensing, end-to-end engineering services, and software customization in life sciences, health, and biotechnology. Fullpower's platform is vetted and deployed as an IoT PaaS, backed by a patent portfolio of 135+ patents.
Fullpower's key areas of expertise include:
- Clinically validated sleep technology: Sleeptracker-AI®
- Worldwide vetted IoT edge-cloud platform deployments
- AI-powered IoT biosensing
- Remote non-invasive vital signs monitoring
- The development of new AI-powered technologies in life sciences and biotechnology fields
Fullpower's B2B PaaS customers are in medical solutions, remote biosensing, sleep, bedding solutions, wearable, and wellness services.
For more information, visit www.fullpower.com or contact BusDev@fullpower.com.
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https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/14/fullpower-ai-announces-issuance-three-new-us-patents-further-covering-smart-beds-sleeptracker-ai-fullpower-ai-paas-platform/
| 2022-07-14T14:34:24Z
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Trailer transporting part of windmill overturns
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - A trailer hauling a large part of a wind turbine overturned just east of Leonardville on Highway 24 Monday afternoon.
According to Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Ben Gardner, the truck and trailer was hauling a windmill necelle, which is part of the housing at the top of the turbine.
As of 4:30 p.m. Monday, that stretch of US-24 remained closed in both directions.
The cause of the crash is under investigation. It is unclear how long the road will be shut down or the condition of the driver.
⚠️ Caution ⚠️
— Trooper Ben (@TrooperBenKHP) September 12, 2022
Windmill nacelle overturn on U24 east of Leonardvillle
➡️ Non-injury crash
➡️ KHP is investigating pic.twitter.com/BBhlqeYZKq
This is a developing story.
We will provide more details as they become available.
Copyright 2022 WIBW. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wibw.com/2022/09/12/trailer-transporting-part-windmill-overturns/
| 2022-09-12T21:43:24Z
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LAS VEGAS (AP) — Facing a Friday deadline to certify results from the recent primary election, officials in Nevada’s least populated county were planning another hand count as a way to prove to residents that their votes count and that the voting process works.
Several other county commissions also were scheduled to certify their results so they could be forwarded to the secretary of state’s office, as required under state law.
Distrust by some voters in Nevada has been fueled by unfounded voting machine conspiracies that have spread across the country over the past two years.
The decision in Esmeralda County, the least populous county in the state, comes a week after lawmakers in a Republican-leaning rural New Mexico county initially refused to certify their primary election results.
Esmeralda County Commission Chairman De Winsor and Vice-Chairman Timothy Hipp responded to constituents’ complaints with a promise to recount the votes themselves before Friday’s deadline.
“The grassroots effort starts right here,” Winsor said midway through a contentious 90-minute meeting at which the three-member commission in the Republican-leaning county met to sign off on the results of the vote. “This is where we proved we do it right.”
Fellow Commissioner Ralph Keyes said he was already willing to accept the count of the vote conducted by county officials — including a hand-count on Wednesday by county employees of the 177 paper ballots and paper records of 140 ballots that county Clerk-Treasurer LaCinda Elgan said were cast by machine.
In a telephone interview, Elgan called the primary “absolutely safe and fair.” One vote cast on one ballot was unintelligible, she said, but all ballots were tallied and reported. None was rejected.
It did not appear the number of votes in question could affect results of primary contests that chose candidates for federal and state offices including Congress, governor, state attorney general and the top elections official in Nevada, the secretary of state.
State attorney general’s office spokesman John Sadler confirmed that Nevada law sets 11:59 p.m. Friday as the deadline to certify results of the June 14 primary. He said any hand-count of ballots before then would be considered part of the county “canvass” process.
To his knowledge, Sadler said no Nevada county had ever refused to certify results.
The role of county lawmakers in the certification process is ministerial. Attorney General Aaron Ford told The Associated Press earlier this week that the state would respond with “legal options” if county commissioners or elections officials refused to certify the results “based on posturing designed to undermine faith in our democratic process.”
Eight rural Nevada counties already have certified their results. Canvassing is scheduled Friday in Esmeralda and eight others including Clark, covering the Las Vegas area; Washoe covering the Reno area; and Nye, a Republican-leaning county including Pahrump and Tonopah.
The standoff in Nevada bore echoes of concerns raised in New Mexico’s Otero County, where commissioners stalled before splitting their vote and approving election results. Officials there cited unspecified concerns with Dominion voting systems, which have become a target since the 2020 presidential election.
New Mexico’s Democratic secretary of state appealed to that state’s Democratic Supreme Court to intervene before two commissioners relented — complaining that they felt they were little more than rubber-stamps.
The three commissioners in Esmeralda voted in April to join commissioners in neighboring Nye County calling for elections to be conducted using paper ballots — and without Dominion machines. Elgan and the elected county clerk in Nye County, Sam Merlino, both said they did not believe it was feasible to stop using electronic voting machines this year.
In comments protesting the Esmeralda County primary vote, resident Mary Jane Zakas made no reference to New Mexico.
But she alleged that “hot dog tongs could have breached” ballot boxes that she said didn’t meet security standards; that partisan workers drove ballots from a remote polling place to Goldfield; and that a Dominion representative provided assistance to an election worker. Zakas said that showed the poll worker wasn’t properly trained.
The clerk’s office said the worker was trained, and the Dominion representative was there to help. The county clerk also said no computer malfunctioned.
Zakas also alleged in an email that “the vote could have been flipped or tampered with” during the five minutes she said a poll worker carried a thumb drive from a vote tally computer out of a room.
Elgan and Deputy Clerk Michelle Garcia said during Thursday’s meeting that a printer was in the other room. Elgan said a printer will be installed in the counting room for the general election.
“We’ve got a problem. People don’t trust the system,” Zakas told the commissioners. “We’ve got a situation where a lot of people are really concerned about the safety of their votes.”
Esmeralda County, a former mining boom area, is about halfway between Las Vegas and Reno. It is home to fewer than 1,000 residents. Nearly 54% of the county’s 621 active registered voters are Republicans, according to the Nevada Secretary of State, and more than 25% are non-partisan.
President Donald Trump won 82% of the vote in Esmeralda County in 2020.
____
Associated Press writer Scott Sonner in Reno, Nevada, and Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, New Mexico, contributed to this report.
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https://cw33.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-headlines/nevada-counties-face-deadline-to-certify-election-results/
| 2022-06-24T15:07:34Z
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Pratt Regional Medical Center announces CEO termination
PRATT, Kan. (KWCH) - The day after a group of Pratt residents gathered to raise concerns about the town hospital and its CEO, including fear of losing well-respected doctors and nurses, the Pratt Regional Medical Center (PRMC) Board of Directors on Friday announced the termination of CEO Darrell Lavender and plans to move on in the search for his replacement.
The medical center board of directors composed a letter to hospital employees announcing its wish “to address the recent controversy concerning PRMC.”
“After 25 years plus of administration under one CEO and that retirement, we hired a new CEO with a different perspective and style than his predecessor. Our current CEO was chosen after months of interviews with involvement of hospital and medical staff. Change is very difficult and this one was for so many,” the board explained in its letter.
The board said over the last six months, it met with PRMC doctors, administrators, staff and community members “to understand and work through tensions that arose during this transition.”
“There has been much controversy, many rumors, and misunderstanding while the Board has worked through this process. We thank the community for your patience and understanding during this period,” the board said. “A decision has been made to move forward with the search for a new CEO. Mr. Lavender will be leaving PRMC, and an interim CEO will be named until a new CEO has been chosen.”
The board went on to address challenges in describing healthcare as “a rapidly changing landscape.”
In its letter, the board also thanked Lavender for his efforts and expressed appreciation and admiration for hospital employees and doctors “for standing behind this marvelous institution.”
“The Board and staff intend to begin the search for a new CEO immediately and again request the community’s patience in the process,” the board concluded in its letter.
Copyright 2022 KWCH. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wibw.com/2022/07/15/pratt-regional-medical-center-announces-ceo-termination/
| 2022-07-15T23:24:18Z
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What is medication abortion, and who has access to it?
By Jen Christensen, CNN
A leaked draft of a majority opinion says the US Supreme Court is set to overturn Roe v. Wade, the case that established the federal right to an abortion, meaning access to medication abortion may be more important than ever.
Some states have restricted the practice, but in December, the US Food and Drug Administration relaxed certain federal regulations on what is now the most commonly used abortion method in the United States.
What is medication abortion?
Medication abortion, also known as abortion with pills or medical abortion, is a method by which someone ends their pregnancy by taking two pills, rather than having a surgical procedure.
The first pill is mifepristone, sold under the brand names Mifeprex or Korlym. It’s also known as RU 486. The second pill is called misoprostol.
How does it work?
Mifepristone blocks a hormone called progesterone, which the body needs for the pregnancy to continue. The hormone helps maintain the inside of the uterus. When the hormone is absent, the uterus will expel its contents.
After taking mifepristone, the patient waits 24 to 48 hours to take misoprostol. That helps empty the uterus through bleeding and muscle contractions.
The drugs typically cause intense cramps and heavy bleeding for about 3 to 5 hours. A regular menstrual period will usually resume in a couple of weeks.
Within 14 days of taking the medicine, the patient will typically go back to a health clinic or doctor’s office for a follow-up appointment. A health care professional will do a lab test or an ultrasound to confirm that the abortion is complete. They will also check the patient for infection.
When can you have a medication abortion?
The drugs can be taken immediately after someone learns that they’re pregnant, up to 11 weeks after the first day of the last menstrual period, depending on where the person lives. State laws vary.
Can you get pregnant again after having it?
Yes, but a person who takes these drugs should use a birth control for at least a month afterward.
When was the process approved?
The FDA approved mifepristone, coupled with misoprostol, for abortion use in 2000. This combination is also available in more than 60 other countries.
In 2016, the FDA approved a supplemental application from the maker of Mifeprex to change the regimen and the drug label.
Who shouldn’t take the drugs?
Medication abortion medicines shouldn’t be taken 70 or more days after the start of the last menstrual period.
People who have certain health conditions or who have had an ectopic pregnancy, a rare event in which the fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, shouldn’t have a medication abortion.
It’s not recommended for people who have an intrauterine device (IUD) for birth control, although the device can be removed before the medication abortion. People on long-term systemic corticosteroid therapy and those who are allergic to the drugs or similar medications also shouldn’t use them.
People with anemia can take the drugs, but they may need more monitoring because of the bleeding that happens.
How many people use this method?
The number of people seeking abortions overall has fallen, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But the percentage of people using an abortion pill has increased among those who chose to have an abortion. A February study from the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive rights think tank, found that an estimated 54% of people chose this method in 2020. In 2017, 39% did.
How do you get the pills?
Unlike with most medications that you can pick up at a nearby pharmacy, only a health care provider who is certified can order, prescribe and dispense the pills for a medication abortion.
Since 2011, the medicine has come from a restricted program called the Mifepristone Shared REMS Program. REMS stands for Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy, a program the FDA uses for specific drugs to make sure the benefit outweighs any risk. Typically, drugs are in this program have some complications or contraindications.
There are 62 drugs in REMS programs, including some cancer drugs, drugs used to treat MS, antipsychotics, opioids and testosterone. Drugs in this program usually require a provider to be certified to administer them, and some require the provider follow a specific plan to educate the patient about how the drug works.
Are the rules the same about access to abortion pills across the US?
Access to pills is not equal in all states.
In April 2021, the FDA allowed medication abortion pills to be sent by mail during the Covid-19 pandemic and said it would no longer enforce a rule that required women to get the first of the two pills in person at a clinic or hospital.
In December, it removed the requirement that mifepristone be dispensed only in certain health care settings. It added a requirement that pharmacies be certified to dispense it.
As of April, 33 states permit only licensed physicians to prescribe mifepristone pills. Seven states put laws on the books that require providers to tell patients that the process could be reversed if they are given a high amount of progesterone, but scientific evidence does not support this claim. Similar laws in Arizona and North Dakota have been held up or delayed in court.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and several other medical associations have long advocated for the removal of restrictions on how the drugs are administered.
The restrictions, the group argues, “do not make the care safer, are not based on medical evidence or need, and create barriers to clinician and patient access to medication abortion.”
Are there side effects?
Studies show that this abortion method is considered safe and highly effective.
Common side effects include vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, weakness and dizziness. These usually happen in the first 24 hours after taking the second drug.
Rare side effects include a fast heartbeat, fainting and fatal infections.
There is a 0.4% risk of major complications. The associated mortality rate is less than 0.0001%, studies show.
What if it doesn’t work?
The method works 99.6% of the time, studies show, if the pills are taken at nine weeks of pregnancy or sooner. In weeks nine through 10, it works 91% to 93% of the time; it works about 87% of the time in weeks 10 through 11.
If the abortion is not complete, the woman may need to take the medicine again. In rare cases, they may have to have a surgical abortion.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
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https://localnews8.com/news/2022/05/03/what-is-medication-abortion-and-who-has-access-to-it/
| 2022-05-04T00:30:52Z
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PITTSBURGH, April 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "I thought there should be a way to filter dust and particles before they can enter an opened window," said an inventor, from Long Beach, Calif., "so I invented the WINDOW FILTER SCREEN. My design would be easy to install and it would protect against airborne irritants."
The invention provides an effective way to prevent dust and pollen from entering an open window. In doing so, it prevents individuals from breathing in irritants. It also could improve air quality and it could increase comfort. The invention features a durable design that is easy to attach so it is ideal for households and businesses. Additionally, it is producible in design variations.
The original design was submitted to the Orange County sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 20-OCM-1364, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.
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https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/04/13/inventhelp-inventor-develops-improved-filter-windows-ocm-1364/
| 2022-04-13T18:34:51Z
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THE HAGUE, Netherlands, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The CNX-Network, a blockchain-based application platform, has announced that the presale is live. The presale, which is now taking place via the official website, will come with several added benefits for those who participate.
The network is one that takes the typical interfaces of popular online platforms and recreates them on their blockchain. Applications that we all use on a daily basis are mostly owned by major companies and platforms. Since they have created a monopoly position in these markets for themselves, customers have no choice then to accept the terms set by these companies. This causes them to pay high fees and make multiple accounts for every individual needed application.
CNX-Network recreates these daily used platforms, and combines them into a user-friendly network. Having a similar interface for every application makes it very easy to use and accessible for everyone.
As Dominic Letsch, the CEO of CNX-Network, explains, "Why can't we create an ecosystem of all of the existing platforms, with almost no fees, running on our own blockchain and cryptocurrency. In this way, we can help people with lower incomes use these platforms without the high costs."
Following the presale, there are plans to create hundreds of platforms through the CNX-Network and allow one login and user account to have access to all of them. The very low fee that will be paid for this access and use of the applications will be in the form of the platform's native CNX token.
CNX-Network is currently planning to get listed on multiple exchanges and has surpassed 250,000 unique users on their network already. Interested parties are encouraged to sign up via the official CNX-Network website for more information.
About CNX-Network
CNX-Network is a blockchain-based utility network that offers access to the many interfaces that drive the modern world, all built on decentralized technology. Backed by a team of experts in finance and tech, the CNX-Network is a fast-expanding project with plans to take on the digital world at large.
Media Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coinxminer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coinx_miner/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cnx-network-lte
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnNkwmBgSenPXwQhaA9h2EQ
Website: www.cnxnetwork.org
Twitter: https://twitter.com/coinxofficial_
Telegram: https://t.me/chatcoinx
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https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/04/cnx-network-breaking-online-monopolies-through-blockchain/
| 2022-07-04T10:57:39Z
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BANGALORE, India, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AI database firm BangDB has launched the REST APIs for its converged data platform. BangDB is the world's highest performance database which makes it highly suitable for modern applications that require predictive real-time analysis for fast moving data from devices, sensors and machines. By bringing AI, Stream Processing, Graph and the database together in a single product, BangDB has created a modern stack to disrupt the data analysis market.
Graph processing with integrated AI and Stream is the way forward to tackle emerging requirements and use cases. Majority of the data will originate from devices in various shapes and sizes, coming from all directions in high speed. The context of the data will be extremely crucial for extracting the intelligence as quickly as possible. Correlation across various data points, events spanned over massive space would be key to data processing. Natural groups, networks and connections in time and space would be invaluable. To mine these in a productive manner, users need a simple abstraction and interface which hides all complexities and provides an efficient way to deal with the challenge.
BangDB is designed for emerging use cases which deals with Edge and Cloud computing in real-time in various different domains like IOT, FinTech, Log analysis, Supply Chain, etc. BangDB is available on Cloud, or on-prem, or even can be embedded in devices for true Edge computing. It has a user base of over 100K and is increasing rapidly. BangDB community edition is totally free, with a cloud subscription model and one month trial period. BangDB works with several enterprises with its custom license model. BangDB is all set to release its own AppStore with ready-made custom solutions in a few months.
BangDB was founded as part of IQLECT in 2015 by Sachin Sinha and is based in Bangalore. It is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) based converged database platform which aligns with the current & future data trends in the market. BangDB has been developed from the ground up and owns over a dozen patents in data processing. It has over 100K users across the world with several leading enterprises as clients. BangDB is backed by several VCs like Exfinity and VentureEast along with prominent angels Lip-Bu Tan, Michael Marks, Nicholas B, Pradeep Khosla.
Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1853611/BangDB_API.jpg
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https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/07/bangdb-launches-apis-ai-graph-stream-processing-emerging-use-cases-data-analytics/
| 2022-07-07T14:05:25Z
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NEW YORK, April 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Attention Taskus, Inc. ("Taskus") (NASDAQ: TASK) shareholders:
The Law Offices of Vincent Wong announce that a class action lawsuit has commenced on behalf of investors who purchased between June 11, 2021 and January 19, 2022.
If you suffered a loss on your investment in Taskus, contact us about potential recovery by using the link below. There is no cost or obligation to you.
ABOUT THE ACTION: The class action against Taskus includes allegations that the Company made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) TaskUs was experiencing severe financial strain and business challenges, particularly with its most important customer, Facebook; (2) the Content Security market was smaller than defendants represented and defendants' representations were based on outdated market data; (3) TaskUs improperly recognized revenue from certain key contracts; (4) defendants overstated the size of TaskUs' workforce as well as employee retention rates, and understated attrition rates; and (5) as a result of the foregoing, defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.
DEADLINE: April 25, 2022
Aggrieved Taskus investors only have until April 25, 2022 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. You are not required to act as a lead plaintiff in order to share in any recovery.
Vincent Wong, Esq. is an experienced attorney who has represented investors in securities litigations involving financial fraud and violations of shareholder rights. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
CONTACT:
Vincent Wong, Esq.
39 East Broadway
Suite 304
New York, NY 10002
Tel. 212.425.1140
E-Mail: vw@wongesq.com
View original content:
SOURCE The Law Offices of Vincent Wong
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/04/25/class-action-alert-law-offices-vincent-wong-remind-taskus-investors-lead-plaintiff-deadline-april-25-2022/
| 2022-04-25T10:26:12Z
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SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- LifeTech Scientific Corporation (Stock Code: 1302.HK) is pleased to announce that on 30 August 2022, an FDA-approved investigator-initiated pre-market clinical trial of its proprietary LAmbre™ Plus Left Atrial Appendage (LAA) Closure System has obtained medical insurance coverage in the United States, meaning that all patient enrollment of the clinical trial will be fully covered by the USA medical insurance. This is expected to facilitate the marketing and registration process of the innovative device in the United States and provide strong clinical data to support the development of the device in the global market.
The investigator-initiated pre-market clinical trial received FDA approval in March 2022. This prospective, randomized, controlled, multicenter clinical trial aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the implantation of LAmbre™ Plus LAA occluder in non-valvular atrial fibrillation patients with large and/or irregularly shaped appendages, as compared to oral anticoagulants. The trial is planning to enroll more than 3,000 subjects from up to 75 investigational sites in the United States and undertake more than 1,500 implantations of the LAmbre™ Plus LAA occluders at a fee. After reaching the established clinical objectives and conditions, the company will submit the marketing application of the device to the FDA.
"This is a great milestone in LifeTech's international roadmap. Our LAA occluders had been successfully implanted in the United States on a basis of 'compassionate use', providing a new treatment for non-valvular atrial fibrillation patients with irregularly shaped appendages. Today, the approval for the first ever USA based investigator-initiated pre-market clinical trial and the medical insurance coverage gives us a greater confidence to further accelerate our process for providing this innovative, safe and effective stroke prevention solution to patients in the United States," said Mr. Xie Yuehui, Chairman and CEO, LifeTech Scientific Corporation.
About the LAmbre™ Plus LAA Closure System
LAmbre™ Plus LAA Closure System is independently developed by LifeTech Scientific Corporation. The device closes patient's left atrial appendage through percutaneous occlusion procedure to prevent stroke caused by detachment of thrombus from the left atrial appendage. LAmbre™ Plus LAA Closure System is a structural optimized version of the LAmbre™ LAA Closure System, which is an advanced medical device in the industry in terms of design and technology, and currently it has been widely used in over 40 countries with nearly 20,000 cases in clinical application around the world.
About LifeTech Scientific Corporation:
Established in 1999, LifeTech Scientific Corporation (1302.HK) is committed to the R&D, manufacture, and sales of minimally invasive interventional medical devices for cardio-cerebrovascular and peripheral vascular diseases. The company has a comprehensive product portfolio in the treatment of structural heart diseases, peripheral vascular diseases, bradycardia, neurological, neoplastic and respiratory diseases, alongside a unique iron-based bioresorbable technology. To date, 14 of the company's products have been approved as innovative medical devices by the National Medical Products Administration, and with a global reach of over 100 countries and regions, the company is currently one of the few domestic companies in China with a highly internationalized business structure.
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/09/05/fda-approved-investigator-initiated-pre-market-clinical-trial-lambre-plus-laa-closure-system-obtained-medical-insurance-coverage-us/
| 2022-09-05T06:31:08Z
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Community rallying behind family of 2 boys allegedly shot by mother
By Alyana Gomez and Bob Brooks
Click here for updates on this story
UPPER MAKEFIELD TWP., Pennsylvania (WPVI) — A Bucks County, Pennsylvania community is rallying behind the family of two boys who were allegedly shot by their mother on Monday.
Trinh Nguyen, 38, sits behind bars on attempted murder charges while her two young sons, Jeffrey “JT” Tini, 13, and Nelson Tini, 9, remain on life support.
The boys were found shot in the head inside their Upper Makefield Township home. Investigators say their mother pulled the trigger.
“It’s just a tragedy, a human tragedy from every aspect,” said neighbor Henry Lieberman.
Nguyen is also charged with trying to shoot and kill her 22-year-old neighbor after she reportedly handed him a box of photos to give to her ex-husband.
Police say when he turned around to face Nguyen, he saw her pointing a black revolver to his face.
He wrestled the gun away from her after it didn’t fire.
Nguyen then fled to Washington Crossing United Methodist Church where she was arrested.
Maryanne Heaks works at the church. She spotted Nguyen’s van and called police.
“I knew it had to be her. There is just no way someone is going to be sitting in our parking lot for over an hour with the car running,” said Heaks. “I feel sorry for her because she’s going to have to live with that for the rest of her life. I have to imagine it’s going to torment her.”
Investigators say Nguyen had ingested narcotics in a failed attempt to take her own life.
Court records show Nguyen was in an ongoing dispute with her landlord about more than $11,000 in unpaid rent.
On April 18, the judge issued an order informing Nguyen to move out of the home she shared with her children.
“When you walk through a tragedy like this, how do you do it? We thought we want to give some guidance on how do you walk through a time that’s just inexplicable,” said Scott McDermott, the senior pastor at Washington Crossing United Methodist Church.
A vigil was held at the church on Tuesday night.
“They’re struggling. They’re having a tough time just comprehending what actually occurred,” said one parent of their grieving child.
“Just nice kids. We’ve known Jeffrey since he was in first grade,” said another parent.
Officials say the boys are not expected to survive and will give the gift of life as organ donors.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
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https://localnews8.com/news/2022/05/04/community-rallying-behind-family-of-2-boys-allegedly-shot-by-mother/
| 2022-05-04T15:19:47Z
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DALLAS (KDAF) — It was a valiant effort and season for the Dallas Mavericks led by young superstar Luka Doncic who has continued to perform out of his mind no matter the circumstances.
It was Thursday night when the Mavs season ended at the hands of one of the greatest shooters of all time Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. Doncic though remains the talk of the town even though the Warriors are back in the NBA Finals.
According to multiple stats pages, mainly StatMuse, Luka Doncic now has the most points per game in playoff elimination games ahead of two players constantly in the GOAT conversation, Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
Doncic has 35 ppg with James having 33.5 and MJ with 31.3.
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https://cw33.com/sports/luka-doncic-now-ahead-2-of-nbas-greatest-players-in-points-per-game-during-playoff-elimination-games/
| 2022-05-27T20:26:50Z
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LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE, Calif., Sept. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mother Earth Vinegar, best known for introducing organic apple cider vinegar with "the mother" in Costco, is launching the first and only organic apple cider vinegar superfood tea pods to retailers across the United States. These k-pods come in six delicious flavors: Snappy Ginger Lemon Savory, Apple Blueberry Of My Eye, It Takes Two To Apple Mango, My Main Squeeze Orange Peel Basil, Passion-ate About Green Tea and Sweet Dreams Are Chamomile Tea. The pods are a perfect organic blend of apple cider vinegar, dried fruit and herbs. These organic apple cider vinegar pods are kosher, caffeine-free, plant-based and recyclable. They also provide antioxidants and a natural boost of energy. All of the k-pods are Keurig 2.0 compatible.
"We listened to our health conscious customers. They want the health benefits they get when drinking organic apple cider vinegar – however, they did not enjoy the taste. We invented the organic apple cider vinegar superfood brews and teas with delicious taste, ease, and convenience in mind. The result is they taste like tea and not like vinegar," said Mother Earth Vinegar President Sandi Enriquez who has launched three national organic vinegar brands during her career.
By inventing unique products with delicious flavors, Mother Earth has re-envisioned what it means to be an organic vinegar company. Mother Earth Essentials Superfood Tea Pods have been featured in: POPSUGAR, Men's Health, and Insider. The success of Mother Earth organic vinegar has attracted retailers such as Costco US, Costco Canada, Costco Mexico, Publix, Kroger and Wegmans. A 12 pack of pods have a suggested retail price of $12.99. The complete line of Mother Earth products is available on Amazon and at motherearthvinegar.com.
Mother Earth Vinegar is an innovative organic vinegar brand on a mission to completely redefine how customers use and consume organic apple cider vinegar. Mother Earth offers: organic apple cider vinegar, organic red wine vinegar, organic white distilled vinegar, and organic superfood tea pods. For more information, visit motherearthvinegar.com and follow us on instagram @motherearthorganicvinegar.
Media Contact: Sandi Enriquez, sandie@getsaucedfoods.com
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SOURCE Mother Earth Vinegar; Middle Marketing Operating Partners, Inc.
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/09/17/presenting-mother-earth-vinegar-first-only-organic-apple-cider-vinegar-superfood-tea-pods/
| 2022-09-18T05:34:13Z
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DALLAS, Sept. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Braemar Hotels & Resorts Inc. (NYSE: BHR) ("Braemar" or the "Company") today announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.01 per diluted share for the Company's common stock for the third quarter ending September 30, 2022. The dividend, which equates to an annual rate of $0.04 per share, is payable on October 17, 2022, to stockholders of record as of September 30, 2022.
Braemar Hotels & Resorts is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on investing in luxury hotels and resorts.
Certain statements and assumptions in this press release contain or are based upon "forward-looking" information and are being made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, among others, statements about the Company's strategy and future plans. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. When we use the words "will likely result," "may," "anticipate," "estimate," "should," "expect," "believe," "intend," or similar expressions, we intend to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to numerous assumptions and uncertainties, many of which are outside Braemar's control.
These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including, without limitation: the impact of COVID-19, and the rate of adoption and efficacy of vaccines to prevent COVID-19, on our business and investment strategy; our ability to repay, refinance or restructure our debt and the debt of certain of our subsidiaries; anticipated or expected purchases or sales of assets; our projected operating results; completion of any pending transactions; risks associated with our ability to effectuate our dividend policy, including factors such as operating results and the economic outlook influencing our board's decision whether to pay further dividends at levels previously disclosed or to use available cash to pay dividends; our understanding of our competition; market trends; projected capital expenditures; the impact of technology on our operations and business; general volatility of the capital markets and the market price of our common stock and preferred stock; availability, terms and deployment of capital; availability of qualified personnel; changes in our industry and the markets in which we operate, interest rates or the general economy; and the degree and nature of our competition. These and other risk factors are more fully discussed in Braemar's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The forward-looking statements included in this press release are only made as of the date of this press release. Such forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions, and expectations of our future performance taking into account all information currently known to us. These beliefs, assumptions, and expectations can change as a result of many potential events or factors, not all of which are known to us. If a change occurs, our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, plans, and other objectives may vary materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements. You should carefully consider this risk when you make an investment decision concerning our securities. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company can give no assurance that these forward-looking statements will be attained or that any deviation will not occur. We are not obligated to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances, changes in expectations, or otherwise, except to the extent required by law.
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SOURCE Braemar Hotels & Resorts Inc.
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https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/09/08/braemar-hotels-amp-resorts-declares-dividend-third-quarter-2022/
| 2022-09-08T12:34:18Z
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Annual live conference will return to the Renaissance at SeaWorld Orlando April 30 to May 3.
INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AOTMP® Engage 2023, the in-person annual conference for Telecom, Mobility, and IT Management professionals, will return to the Renaissance at SeaWorld Orlando. The main conference will feature thought-provoking IT procurement, IT expense management, and mobility management topics. The Industry Awards & Recognition and Association Member Meeting will take place on May 3. The first AOTMP® Women in Technology conference will follow with a celebration and reception on May 3 and mainstage presentations and panels on May 4. Early bird registration for Engage 2023 will begin October 3, 2022. Bookmark AOTMP® Engage 2023 for quick access to important conference information and updates.
Programming at the event will include
- Industry Awards Ceremony highlighting outstanding individuals and teams
- Mainstage Panels with Enterprise professionals including topics such as
- Mainstage sessions focused on thought leadership and strategies, covering topics such as
- Breakout sessions focused on best practices and success stories, covering topics such as
- Themed evening receptions
- Sponsors and exhibitors with the newest industry solutions
AOTMP® is proud to announce its top three sponsors for this event have been secured, with ProcureLogix taking the exclusive top spot as Premier Sponsor. Connectbase and Sakon hold the next two spots as the platinum sponsors. Their support helps make this exciting event possible.
Timothy C. Colwell, AOTMP® Executive Vice President, said, "We are excited to gather industry professionals at a face-to-face event where we will have the opportunity to collaborate and learn from one another. As an industry support organization, AOTMP® remains ever committed to helping telecom, mobility & technology professionals drive the entire industry forward, together."
AOTMP® is a global organization, empowering professionals in the dynamic $4+ trillion telecom, mobility and IT management industry. AOTMP® delivers value through training, certifications, association memberships, events & programs, best practices, publications, resources, and professional development.
Learn more at www.aotmp.com
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SOURCE AOTMP
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https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/aotmp-hold-annual-engage-2023-conference-telecom-mobility-it-management-professionals/
| 2022-09-13T15:39:25Z
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Company launches suite of pre-care digital front door solutions powered by CipherConnect to drive appointment volume and reduce no-shows
NEW YORK, April 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CipherHealth, a recognized leader and innovator in patient-centered communications, engagement, and insights for the nation's leading healthcare systems, today announced CipherConnect, a new conversational engagement solution that automates the many manual scheduling, intake, and virtual waiting room tasks that consume precious frontline resources. CipherConnect manages patient-provider communication via a frictionless, conversational, web-based chat interface that captures relevant conversational patient data and seamlessly integrates with EMRs, delivering a more comprehensive and up-to-date view of patients' health and wellness.
Healthcare is facing an existential threat: Overextended nurses and physicians are abandoning their jobs at unprecedented levels, while consumers have growing expectations for more seamless, convenient, and personalized experiences from their healthcare providers. According to Adam Cherrington, Senior Research Director at KLAS Research, "Recent research of ours has shown that digital front door solutions —particularly those focused on pre-care activation and preparation—not only improve patient convenience and satisfaction, but also reduce the administrative burden on a nursing community that is increasingly burned out and leaving the profession at unprecedented levels."1
"Removing friction in pre-care workflows has never been more important for both providers and patients," said Jake Pyles, CipherHealth CEO. "CipherConnect does just that by automating many of the critical interactions that patients have with their providers as they prepare for their appointments. But CipherConnect goes far beyond the capabilities of a mere chatbot, allowing providers to capture and leverage conversational context and data for richer and more informed interactions later in the patient journey, from point-of-care to post-care through preventative care. As data gathered at one point along the care continuum can be applied to any other part, providers can truly deliver personalized care at scale."
CipherConnect is interoperable with over 85 Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems, including Epic and Cerner. By interconnecting dynamic, conversational data from CipherConnect with clinical information held in the EHRs, providers have a more complete and up-to-date picture of their patients, enabling them to be better prepared and agile to resolve issues that impact the patient journey and result in better outcomes downstream. Later this year, CipherHealth will augment CipherConnect with additional "virtual waiting room" capabilities and more advanced scheduling and referral management solutions that keep patients interacting with providers between visits.
In addition to its current pre-care solutions, including Appointment Reminders, Procedure Preparation, and Patient Screening solutions, CipherHealth is using the conversational engagement capabilities of CipherConnect to roll out a new set of digital front door solutions:
- Booking Confirmation: Share booking details for newly scheduled appointments including time, provider name, and location.
- Appointment Prep: Inform patients on next steps for arrival, such as safety instructions, remote registration, and check-in.
- Data Intake: Collect data for consent, forms, screeners, and other paperwork before arrival; upload images of insurance cards and identification as well as documents for billing or from a previous provider.
"We're operating in a different world than we were two years ago on so many different levels. Notably, we have a patient base that places an ever-growing value on convenience, personalization, and compassionate care," said Shawn R. Smith, MBA, CPXP, Assistant Vice President: Clinical Enterprise, Patient Experience at Inova. "CipherHealth's vision for the future of patient engagement tightly aligns with ours: Patients should feel known and welcomed from the very first interaction they have with us, and that experience should be carried through every time, every touch—to each person in every community we have the privilege to serve. CipherHealth's tools and solutions for engagement, and particularly their new set of pre-care engagement tools, allow us to execute on that vision in new and comprehensive ways."
CipherConnect is available immediately. To learn more, visit cipherhealth.com/cipherconnect.
About CipherHealth
CipherHealth is an award-winning digital patient engagement company committed to enhancing communication and coordination throughout the care continuum. Since 2009, CipherHealth has helped define the patient engagement category, delivering groundbreaking tools and superior services to help health systems deliver patient-centric, quality care that improves clinical outcomes, drives operational efficiency, and creates sustainable financial value through a full suite of communications solutions. CipherHealth's automated, scalable platform empowers healthcare organizations to drive meaningful conversations among patients, provider staff and caregivers, regardless of care setting, thereby achieving new standards for patient care and accelerating the digital transformation of the industry.
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SOURCE CipherHealth
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https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/04/11/cipherhealth-announces-cipherconnect-conversational-engagement-solution-that-leverages-patient-data-personalize-engagement-keep-patients-network/
| 2022-04-11T14:02:05Z
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Mets ace Max Scherzer exits start with injury to left side
By MIKE FITZPATRICK
AP Baseball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Mets ace Max Scherzer removed himself from a start against the St. Louis Cardinals with discomfort in left side. He will have an MRI on Thursday. The three-time Cy Young Award winner left with two outs in the sixth inning and a 1-1 count on Albert Pujols. With two runners on, Scherzer threw a slider in the dirt and immediately signaled to the New York bench that he was done. Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, manager Buck Showalter and a trainer came out of the dugout to visit Scherzer on the mound. After a quick discussion, the 37-year-old right-hander walked off the field. Scherzer threw 87 pitches and left with a 6-2 lead against his hometown team.
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https://localnews8.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/05/18/mets-ace-max-scherzer-exits-start-with-apparent-injury/
| 2022-05-19T03:00:14Z
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30-foot prehistoric marine lizard uncovered in Fannin County
LEONARD, Texas (KXII) - Stephen Kruse said he stumbled upon the find of a lifetime in May when he decided to take a shortcut back to his vehicle after a long day hunting along the North Sulfur River.
“That was the best decision I ever made because about one hundred and fifty yards past the mouth of this tributary, I found a very large vertebra,” said Kruse.
One vertebra led to another and eventually to the head of a prehistoric marine lizard.
“A kid at Christmas time,” said Kruse. “I was about as excited, I did my screaming, dancing,” said Kruse.
His find was a 30-foot and 80 million years old mosasaur.
“They call in the Tyrannosaurus Rex of the sea,” said Kruse. “I was like, where am I going to go hang a forty-foot mosasaur in the house? That’s not gonna happen.”
He handed it over to the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, eager to uncover the past of Texoma.
“North Texas was underwater all the way from the modern-day Gulf of Mexico through the center of the state and the great plains of North America,” said Ron Tykoski, the director of paleontology and curator of vertebrae paleontology at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science.
Not only was the landscape dramatically different, but so was the climate.
“Around 80 million to 90 million years ago, actually had some of the highest temperatures on this planet over the last 200 million years ago,” said Tykoski. “Incredibly high sea levels, no seasons, no ice caps at the polls. It is the exact perfect greenhouse condition on our planet.”
The Perot said it expects to clean the head of the mosasaur in a lab at its museum for the public to watch in the next few weeks.
Copyright 2022 KXII. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kxii.com/2022/08/15/30-foot-prehistoric-marine-lizard-uncovered-fannin-county/
| 2022-08-16T00:21:26Z
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Athlete of the Week: Merit Jones, Idaho Falls Baseball
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - Our Sermon Service and Electric Athlete of the Week is off to a hot start this baseball season with a bright future ahead. Our Athlete of the Week is Idaho Falls' Merit Jones.
If there's an athlete you think we should feature in this segment, we want to hear from you! Send us your recommendations to sports@localnews8.com.
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https://localnews8.com/sports/local-sports/2022/04/06/athlete-of-the-week-merit-jones-idaho-falls-baseball/
| 2022-04-07T01:45:27Z
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ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- iSpring Solutions, a leading vendor of eLearning software tools, announces iSpring Days 2022, its first online conference, which will be held on June 16-17. iSpring Days 2022 will showcase 10 hours of free lectures, practical workshops, and case studies from award-winning instructional designers and eLearning experts.
This conference will be of interest to eLearning specialists of any level of experience. Those who are just starting out in the eLearning field will learn the essentials they need to create eLearning content and launch online training in their company. More experienced participants will be able to enhance their skills in working with SMEs and learn to create more complex courses using the scenario-based learning approach and interactive role-plays.
"Our ultimate goal is to help people make eLearning as easy and effective as possible," said Ivan Uskov, iSpring CEO. "We've selected the most vital aspects of impactful online corporate training and brought together the best industry experts to share their insights. All participants will surely discover something valuable during these two days and will be able to implement this in their eLearning."
iSpring is a global leader in creating award-winning eLearning software. Since 2001, iSpring Solutions, Inc. has helped tens of thousands of businesses worldwide advance their corporate training and spread best business practices. iSpring conducts eLearning webinars regularly and shares its expertise via blogs, guides, and its YouTube channel.
More than 59,000 customers from over 170 countries choose iSpring tools for their reliability and high performance. The customer list includes almost 200 of the Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and educational institutions worldwide, such as Microsoft, SAP, Boeing, Dell, Adidas, Procter & Gamble, the University of California at Berkeley, Harvard University, and Stanford University. For more information, visit the official website at www.iSpringSolutions.com.
Media contact: Kseniya Ibraeva, Marketing Manager, kseniya.ibraeva@ispring.com
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SOURCE iSpring Solutions, Inc.
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https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/07/ispring-conducts-its-first-ever-free-online-conference-impactful-elearning/
| 2022-06-07T14:08:54Z
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Community coming together to help kids get to college
By Marlee Ginter
Click here for updates on this story
SACRAMENTO (KOVR) — More than just paying for food, they’re paying it forward at a Voice of the Youth fundraiser Saturday. The mentor and leadership program in Sacramento is selling soul food with all the money helping kids get a closer look at college life.
“We can always provide more funds for our young people. It’s not just asking for money it’s asking to pour into our future,” said VOY mentor and advocate, Tyler McClure.
Since 2013, they’ve exposed kids to a college experience with culture in mind by touring historical black colleges around the country.
“We don’t live in a world where their heritage and their culture is put on a pedestal for them to enjoy and embrace their culture. Usually, it’s being talked down upon,” said McClure.
“I think that a lot of our young people — they don’t see enough of themselves when they’re here in California. And going outside of the state, especially down south, you’re going to see so much culture. And I think you’ll be able to connect with your heritage a lot more,” said VOY advocate Berry Accius.
This year, 10 high schoolers from around Sacramento will visit schools in Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia as well as SoCal colleges.
“Just being around people that I can relate to going to an HBCU. I’ve always wanted to go to an HBCU. It’s going to be an experience,” said student Tyncere Jenkins.
It’s an experience with an opportunity of a lifetime. 85% of those who’ve attended the VOY college tour have gone on to attend college and graduate.
“People are stuck so much in the state that they’re from that they don’t get to go out and experience the world for what it is and other states. So I’m basically just looking for an opportunity,” said student Brian Buchanan Jr.
The VOY major fundraiser will be on April 9 for the Crab Festival. After COVID canceled the big fundraiser for two years, they’re excited to hold it this year. You can purchase tickets online.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
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https://localnews8.com/cnn-regional/2022/04/04/community-coming-together-to-help-kids-get-to-college/
| 2022-04-04T17:32:59Z
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WASHINGTON, July 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA's Shane Kimbrough is retiring after 22 years, including 18 years as an astronaut. His last day with the agency is Sunday, July 31.
The retired U.S. Army colonel spent 388 days in space, landing him fifth on the list of record holders for cumulative time in space for all NASA astronauts. He was the fourth person to fly on three different spacecraft – the space shuttle, Soyuz, and SpaceX Crew Dragon – and he performed nine spacewalks during his three spaceflights.
Kimbrough was recently the commander of NASA's SpaceX Crew-2 mission to the International Space Station, the second long-duration mission for the Crew Dragon spacecraft, and the longest spaceflight for a U.S. human spacecraft. Throughout the mission, Kimbrough and the Expedition 65 crew performed more than 250 scientific investigations designed to benefit all of humanity and help future exploration.
The crew studied how gaseous flames behave in microgravity, grew hatch green chiles in the station's Plant Habitat Facility, tested free-flying robotic assistants, and even donned virtual-reality goggles to test new methods for performing maintenance activities in space. Kimbrough also performed spacewalks to install and deploy the new International Space Station Roll-out Solar Arrays.
"Shane's expertise and leadership has been a huge asset to me personally and the astronaut office for many years. He has been a mentor to many astronauts, and it has been an absolute pleasure and honor to serve with him," said Chief Astronaut Reid Wiseman at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Kimbrough was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in May 2004. He completed his first spaceflight in 2008 aboard the space shuttle Endeavour to the space station on the STS-126 mission. Highlights of the almost 16-day mission included expanding the living quarters of the space station to eventually house six-member crews by delivering a new bathroom, kitchen, two bedrooms, an exercise machine, and a water recycling system. His second spaceflight launched Oct. 19, 2016, aboard a Soyuz spacecraft to become part of Expedition 49/50 on the station. A week after he arrived, he became station commander until he departed almost six months later. In addition to his spaceflight experience, Kimbrough supported his colleagues by serving as chief of the Astronaut Office's Vehicle Integration Test Office and its Robotics Branch at various times throughout his career.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as a NASA astronaut for the past 18 years," Kimbrough said. "I am honored to have been able to fly on three different spacecraft and to spend time at the International Space Station. I've worked with the best of the best in orbit and on the ground and am grateful for those that have supported me and my family. I've wanted to be an astronaut since I was a little kid watching NASA astronauts go to the Moon. To accomplish three spaceflights and nearly 400 days in space in my career is truly a dream come true."
Kimbrough was born in Killeen, Texas, and graduated from The Lovett School in Atlanta in 1985. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering from the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York, in 1989, and a Master of Science degree in operations research from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta in 1998.
Learn more about how NASA explores the unknown and innovates for the benefit of humanity at:
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SOURCE NASA
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https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/27/nasa-announces-astronaut-shane-kimbrough-retire/
| 2022-07-27T20:13:42Z
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New service enhancement provides customers with the ability to choose captioning preferences on Hamilton CapTel phones and mobile apps.
AURORA, Neb., June 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hamilton® CapTel®, industry-leading captioned telephone service for people with hearing loss, introduces captioning preferences providing customers with the choice of Auto Captions or Assisted Captions for phone calls.
Hamilton CapTel announced the new offering today at the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) 2022 Convention in Tampa, Florida, a premier annual convention for consumers with hearing loss.
Similar to captions on television, Hamilton CapTel delivers captions for phone conversations so people with hearing loss can confidently use the phone again – available at no cost1. The new Auto Captions offering is based on advanced Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) technology, developed by CapTel, Inc. Hamilton CapTel customers can now choose between operator-generated Assisted Captions and the new computer-generated Auto Captions.
"We're delighted to provide our customers with this additional choice, giving them a major increase in the speed and accuracy of the phone captions our service provides," says Dixie Ziegler, vice president of Hamilton Relay®, Hamilton CapTel's parent company. "With Auto Captions, there are no delays at the beginning of a call, and captions appear in real-time. Our commitment has always been to offer choice to our customers whether in equipment or now, in captioning methods. The ability to choose between Auto Captions and Assisted Captions is an incredible advancement and we're pleased to bring this benefit to our customers."
With Auto Captions:
- Captions are entirely computer-generated
- No operator is involved in the call
- There are no delays at the beginning of a call
- Captions are delivered in real-time
With Assisted Captions:
- An operator (i.e., Captioning Assistant, or CA) assists with the call
- The CA may include information that supports the call, such as adding corrections to the captions, indicating background sounds and music on hold, and identifying male and female voices
- In situations with poor line quality (i.e., background noise or static on the line), switching to Assisted Captions may improve accuracy
In addition to this new innovative offering, Hamilton CapTel was recently rated the best captioning service in the industry for accuracy and speed by The National Test Lab, operated by MITRE Corporation.2 This test is the industry standard for rating captioned telephone providers.
Hamilton CapTel is a service of Hamilton Relay, a division of Hamilton Telecommunications, a diversified communications and technology services provider based in Aurora, Neb. Founded in 1901, Hamilton Telecommunications has grown to encompass eight primary company divisions allowing Hamilton to operate on a local, regional and national basis. For more information, please visit HamiltonCapTel.com.
CapTel, Inc., is the inventor of Captioned Telephone technology, for both IP-based and traditional analog line telephone communications and provides a variety of CapTel telephone models.
Founded in 1979, the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) is the nation's leading organization representing consumers with hearing loss. The mission of HLAA is to open the world of communication to people with hearing loss by providing information, education, support and advocacy.
1Independent third-party professional certification required.
2The National Test Lab, operated by MITRE Corporation, FCC Telecommunications Relay Services Project: Captioning Quality Testing: Hamilton's ASR Scenario (dated Mar. 7, 2022)
FEDERAL LAW PROHIBITS ANYONE BUT REGISTERED USERS WITH HEARING LOSS FROM USING INTERNET PROTOCOL (IP) CAPTIONED TELEPHONES WITH THE CAPTIONS TURNED ON. IP Captioned Telephone Service may use a live operator. The operator generates captions of what the other party to the call says. These captions are then sent to your phone. There is a cost for each minute of captions generated, paid from a federally administered fund. To learn more, visit fcc.gov. Hamilton CapTel may be used to make 911 calls but may not function the same as traditional 911 services. For more information about the benefits and limitations of Hamilton CapTel and Emergency 911 calling, visit HamiltonCapTel.com/911. Voice and data plans may be required when using Hamilton CapTel on a smartphone or tablet. Third-party charges may apply: the Hamilton CapTel phone requires telephone service and high-speed Internet access. Wi-Fi capable. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. CapTel is a registered trademark of Ultratec, Inc. Copyright ©2022 Hamilton Relay. Hamilton is a registered trademark of Nedelco, Inc., d/b/a/ Hamilton Telecommunications.
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SOURCE Hamilton CapTel
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https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/23/hamilton-captel-introduces-auto-captions-fully-automated-computer-generated-captions-internet-protocol-captioned-telephone-service-ip-cts/
| 2022-06-23T17:41:47Z
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Johnson acknowledges his company, others benefited from law
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson told backers at a recent event in Wisconsin that his plastics company benefitted from a key provision he pushed for in former President Donald Trump’s tax bill in 2017, affirming a line of attack being made against him during his reelection bid. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported on Monday that Johnson made the comments in reaction to a question from an audience member at an event Friday in Medford. Johnson said that his company, Pacur LLC, some of his prominent donors and many other businesses benefitted from the small-business tax provision.
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https://localnews8.com/news/ap-national-business/2022/04/11/johnson-acknowledges-his-company-others-benefited-from-law/
| 2022-04-11T20:40:01Z
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Deposition of Trump, 2 children delayed after Ivana Trump’s death
NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump and two of his children got their questioning postponed Friday in a New York civil investigation into their business dealings, a delay that follows the death of Trump’s ex-wife Ivana.
The ex-president, son Don Jr. and daughter Ivanka had been scheduled for depositions — a term for out-of-court questioning under oath — starting as soon as Friday. But New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office said it had agreed to postpone them because of Ivana Trump’s death Thursday.
“We offer our condolences to the Trump family,” attorney general’s office spokesperson Delaney Kempner said in a statement.
There are no new dates yet for the depositions.
A message was left with the former president’s lawyer. The younger Trumps’ attorney, Alan Futerfas, declined to comment.
James alleges that the ex-president’s company, the Trump Organization, inflated the values of skyscrapers, golf courses and other holdings in order to get loans, insurance and other benefits.
Trump has denied the allegations, saying that it’s common in the real estate industry to seek the best valuations. The Republican has dismissed the investigation as part of a politically motivated “witch hunt” by Democrats such as James.
Trump’s deposition was looming as he lays the groundwork for a likely 2024 White House run but also faces growing scrutiny of his conduct in the 2020 election. There are investigations in Congress into his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection and in Georgia into his efforts to overturn his loss.
Meanwhile, the Manhattan district attorney has been overseeing a criminal inquiry that parallels James’ probe.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/07/15/deposition-trump-2-children-delayed-after-ivanas-death/
| 2022-07-15T14:53:20Z
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The music festival will take place at the Great Lawn of Central Park in New York City and will feature performances by Metallica, Charlie Puth, Mariah Carey, Rosalia and Maneskin.
The actress and activist hosted Global Citizen Live in Paris last year.
"I feel very proud to be able to celebrate each and every person who has come together to make Global Citizen what it is," Chopra told CNN in an interview ahead of the announcement. "It's my seventh year with Global Citizen, so I just feel like I'm part of the family and I just want to make sure that this revolution and this movement keeps moving. If you look back at what all Global Citizen has been able to achieve and their achievements in the last 10 years, it's remarkable."
The Jonas Brothers will also take the stage in Central Park. Chopra is married to Nick Jonas.
"I'm very excited about welcoming the Jonas brothers into the fold," Chopra said with a laugh. "Nick and I have always been very philanthropically inclined individually, and I think it's really amazing to be able to cross our paths together, and [for] something that we feel very strongly about as a family."
The couple welcomed their first child earlier this year.
The festival will also take place in Black Star Square in Accra, Ghana and feature artists including Usher, SZA, H.E.R. and Gyakie.
"This is the first time we've done a full Global Citizen Festival in West Africa and the reason is because we wanted to mark the 20th anniversary of the African Union and the 65th anniversary of Ghana's independence from Britain," Global Citizen's CEO Hugh Evans told CNN. "It's a massive moment. And you can imagine the journey across the seas from Ghana to New York city ... I think it's just a moment of unity for the whole world."
According to Global Citizen's press release, "The mission of this year's Global Citizen Festival will call on world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly and ahead of the G20 and COP27 in November to step up and invest $600 million into the future of women and girls, close the annual $10 billion climate financing shortfall, deliver $500 million to help African farmers respond to the global food crisis, and provide urgent relief from crushing debts to End Extreme Poverty NOW."
Tickets to the festivals are free and can be earned by downloading the Global Citizen app or visiting the organization's website.
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https://www.albanyherald.com/entertainment/priyanka-chopra-jonas-to-host-the-global-citizen-festival-this-fall/article_9e649700-5b5b-58e8-89e3-a6c0cf486762.html
| 2022-08-12T18:35:14Z
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NEW YORK , May 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Attention Grab Holdings Limited ("Grab Holdings") (NASDAQ: GRAB) shareholders:
The Law Offices of Vincent Wong announce that a class action lawsuit has commenced on behalf of investors who purchased between August 2, 2021 and March 3, 2022.
If you suffered a loss on your investment in Grab Holdings, contact us about potential recovery by using the link below. There is no cost or obligation to you.
ABOUT THE ACTION: The class action against Grab Holdings includes allegations that the Company made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Grab's driver supply declined during the third quarter; (2) as a result, Grab continued to invest heavily in driver and consumer incentives to "preemptively recalibrate driver supply"; (3) as a result, the Company's financial results would be adversely impacted, including, among other things, a significant decline in revenue; and (4) as a result of the foregoing, defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.
DEADLINE: May 16, 2022
Aggrieved Grab Holdings investors only have until May 16, 2022 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. You are not required to act as a lead plaintiff in order to share in any recovery.
Vincent Wong, Esq. is an experienced attorney who has represented investors in securities litigations involving financial fraud and violations of shareholder rights. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
CONTACT:
Vincent Wong, Esq.
39 East Broadway
Suite 304
New York, NY 10002
Tel. 212.425.1140
E-Mail: vw@wongesq.com
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https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/05/09/class-action-alert-law-offices-vincent-wong-remind-grab-holdings-investors-lead-plaintiff-deadline-may-16-2022/
| 2022-05-09T10:00:09Z
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Study says risk of long COVID remains high 2 years after initial infection
(CNN) - A study found the risk of a medley of symptoms called long COVID-19 remains elevated two years after recovering from the initial infection.
Researchers analyzed two years of hospital data for adults and kids from an electronic health records network.
The study was published Wednesday in the journal Lancet Psychiatry.
They looked at 1.25 million patients two years after their COVID diagnosis and compared them with a closely matched group of people who had a different respiratory infection.
They found the risk of adults developing seizure disorders, brain fog, dementia and other mental health conditions remain high two years after recovering from COVID.
They also discovered kids had an increased risk of being diagnosed with epilepsy or seizures, encephalitis and nerve root disorders.
There was also a small but worrisome risk of kids being diagnosed with a psychotic disorder such as schizophrenia or delusional thinking.
The study could not tell if people had experienced ongoing symptoms for the full two years since their COVID diagnosis.
It is important to note, the actual risk of any of these conditions following COVID-19 remains low.
Copyright 2022 CNN. All rights reserved.
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/08/19/study-says-risk-long-covid-remains-high-2-years-after-initial-infection/
| 2022-08-19T15:51:10Z
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TAMPA, Fla., June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Quala expands its network on the east and west coast with two acquisitions servicing two growing markets. Last week Quala acquired Southern Tank in Jacksonville, FL and Totally Tanker Interiors in Tulare, CA.
With the addition of Southern Tank in North Jacksonville, FL, Quala more than doubles its capacity in this market with a conveniently located, large facility. The five bay kosher certified wash rack services a full range of chemical products including polymers. Trailer washout and box wash service is also available. The Maintenance Facility offers a full range of testing, inspections and repairs for tankers, ISOs, trailers and chassis.
With the acquisition of Totally Tanker Interiors in Tulare, CA, Quala enters the food grade cleaning market in California. This facility was started in the San Joaquin valley in 2003, in response to the need for a safer and higher quality of tanker washouts in this region. This facility services the food transportation industry and prides itself on delivering the highest quality food grade wash services.
Erik Leto, Quala Chief Operating Officer, states, "By adding locations on both the east and west coast, we are better able to service these growing markets. In terms of capacity in Jacksonville, the addition of five cleaning bays will significantly improve quality and turnaround times for our customers in this market. Quala is excited to enter the food grade cleaning market in California. With the addition of a dedicated food grade facility in central California, Quala will be better able to service customers transporting food related products across California and throughout the west coast. Additionally, we plan to expand food grade capabilities in this market"
Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, Quala is the largest independent provider of comprehensive cleaning, test, and repair services for Tank Trailers, ISO Containers, IBCs, and Railcars. Founded in 1986, the company began independent operations in 2009 and today has 140+ locations servicing the most active bulk transportation routes and eight of North America's busiest ports. For more information about Quala, visit our website at www.quala.us.com/dynamic-growth.
Quala
Paul Hofley, VP, Sales & Marketing
500 N. Westshore Blvd. Suite 435, Tampa, FL 33609
(248) 219-0012 / phofley@quala.us.com
Maria Black, Marketing (813) 245-2799
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/14/quala-adds-new-locations-east-west-coast/
| 2022-06-14T19:36:00Z
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Cinemaude at Ace DTLA, curated by TeaTime Pictures, will offer four individual screenings that highlight the nuance and nostalgia of love
LOS ANGELES, July 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
WHO: Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles, maude and TeaTime Pictures
WHAT: Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles alongside modern intimacy brand maude, today announce the launch of a limited series of film screenings curated by TeaTime Pictures Co-Founders Dakota Johnson and Ro Donnelly, commencing Thursday, August 4th. The screenings will take place every Thursday evening throughout August 2022 at The Theatre at Ace Hotel, with programming from notable writers, directors, critics, and cast members. The series hinges on firsts: first loves, new beginnings, flings that carry from day to night, and will include movies ranging from coming-of-age classics about young romance to films that depict how relationships change and grow through life. Net profits from ticket sales will go to SIECUS, an organization that advances sex education.
"TeaTime is excited to curate a month of movies for Cinemaude. These are some of our favorites, and seeing them in a theater is a true treat." – Dakota Johnson, TeaTime Pictures Co-Founder
Screenings are set to include:
- Mustang, 2015, directed by Deniz Gamze Ergüven (8/4) - Tickets
- Waves, 2019, directed by Trey Edward Shults (8/11) - Tickets
- Tangerine, 2015, directed by Sean Baker (8/18) - Tickets
- Babyteeth, 2019, directed by Shannon Murphy (8/25) - Tickets
All attendees will receive a complimentary beverage from exclusive beverage sponsor Ghia, along with a custom film poster. As an extension of the partnership, maude will hold a pop-up in the Ace Hotel retail space in the hotel lobby, selling sex essentials like their best-selling vibrators, massage candles, and lubricants. The pop-up also runs for the month of August.
WHERE: The Theatre at Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles; 929 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90015
WHEN: Every Thursday in August: August 4; August 11; August 18; and August 25, 2022
Doors at 6:00pm, Show at 7:00pm
Tickets available via Ace Hotel website
A modern sexual wellness brand of thoughtfully-made intimacy essentials for self and partner-care, built on quality, simplicity and inclusivity, on a mission to make intimacy better for all people. Launched in April of 2018, maude was founded by Eva Goicochea after successful careers in healthcare legislation and brand strategy. She is one of only 10 Latinx women to raise over $10M in funding—making maude one of the most VC-backed sexual wellness personal care companies. In the four years since launch, maude has been internationally recognized—having been featured in 1100+ pieces of press in over 25 countries. In 2020, actress Dakota Johnson joined maude as a Co-Creative Director and investor. Maude is available in 35 countries across North America, Europe, and Australia and in retailers such as Sephora, Nordstrom, Saks, and Urban Outfitters.
Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles debuted in 2014 in the ornate, 14-story Spanish Gothic office tower and flagship Theatre of United Artists, the maverick film studio founded by Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and D. W. Griffith. Built in 1927, the structure was lovingly restored by Ace and Commune to enliven its historical soul — where it now stands as a spiritual anchor at the heart of the Broadway Theater District's vibrant modern renaissance.
Founded by Dakota Johnson and Ro Donnelly, TeaTime is an independent production company and curatorial platform that embraces the eternal romance of art as escapism.
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https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/27/partnership-with-dakota-johnsons-teatime-pictures-ace-hotel-downtown-los-angeles-maude-announce-monthlong-series-film-screenings-historic-theatre-ace-dtla/
| 2022-07-27T17:11:05Z
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Mimi Reinhard, who typed up Schindler’s list, dies at 107
JERUSALEM (AP) — Mimi Reinhard, a secretary in Oskar Schindler’s office who typed up the list of Jews he saved from extermination by Nazi Germany, has died in Israel at the age of 107.
Reinhard died early Friday and was laid to rest Sunday in Herzliya, near Tel Aviv, her son Sasha Weitman confirmed.
She was one of 1,200 Jews saved by German businessman Schindler after he bribed Nazi authorities to let him keep them as workers in his factories. The account was made into the acclaimed 1993 film “Schindler’s List” by director Steven Spielberg.
Reinhard was born Carmen Koppel in Vienna, Austria, in 1915, and moved to Krakow, Poland, before the outbreak of World War II. After Nazi Germany invaded Poland in 1939, she was confined to the Krakow ghetto before being sent to the nearby Plaszow concentration camp in 1942.
Reinhard’s knowledge of shorthand got her work in the camp’s administrative office, where, two years later, she was ordered to type up the handwritten list of Jews that were to be transferred to Schindler’s ammunition factory.
“I didn’t know it was such an important thing, that list,” she told an interviewer with Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, in 2008. “First of all, I got the list of those who were with Schindler already in Krakow, in his factory. I had to put them on the list.” Later she put her own name, and the names of two friends.
At the Brünnlitz labor camp, where Schindler’s ammunition factory was housed, she was put to work in Schindler’s office.
She said that although she worked in Schindler’s office toward the end of the war, she had little personal contact with him.
“He was a very charming man, very outgoing,” she recalled, decades after the war. “He didn’t treat us like scum.”
After the war, she made her way to the United States, where she lived until immigrating to Israel in 2007 at the age of 92.
Weitman, Reinhard’s son, said that after coming to Israel she “became a kind of a celebrity” because of the Schindler’s List film’s popularity, something he said “pumped another 15 years into her life.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kxii.com/2022/04/11/mimi-reinhard-who-typed-up-schindlers-list-dies-107/
| 2022-04-11T13:11:17Z
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NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces the filing of a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of the securities of TuSimple Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: TSP): (i) pursuant and/or traceable to the offering documents issued in connection with the Company's initial public offering conducted on or about April 15, 2021 (the "IPO"); and/or (ii) between April 15, 2021 and August 1, 2022, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"). If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than October 31, 2022.
SO WHAT: If you purchased TuSimple securities 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 TuSimple class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=8026 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than October 31, 2022. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.
WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. 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, the IPO documents were negligently prepared and, as a result, contained untrue statements of material fact or omitted to state other facts necessary to make the statements made not misleading and were not prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations governing their preparation. Additionally, the complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding TuSimple's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, the IPO documents and defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) TuSimple's commitment to safety was significantly overstated and defendants concealed fundamental problems with the Company's technology; (2) TuSimple was rushing the testing of its autonomous driving technology in order to deliver driverless trucks to the market ahead of its more safety-conscious competitors; (3) there was a corporate culture within TuSimple that suppressed or ignored safety concerns in favor of unrealistically ambitious testing and delivery schedules; (4) the aforementioned conduct made accidents involving TuSimple's autonomous driving technology more likely; (5) the aforementioned conduct invited enhanced regulatory scrutiny and investigatory action toward TuSimple; and (6) 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 TuSimple class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=8026 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.
No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Contact Information:
Laurence Rosen, Esq.
Phillip Kim, Esq.
The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
Fax: (212) 202-3827
lrosen@rosenlegal.com
pkim@rosenlegal.com
cases@rosenlegal.com
www.rosenlegal.com
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| 2022-09-10T11:17:43Z
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From taboo to tampon freedom, Citron Hygiene takes action on Menstrual Hygiene Day to stop the double standards in restroom hygiene
TORONTO, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Citron Hygiene, a global washroom hygiene services company, and Aunt Flow, provider of free-vend period product dispensers, are expanding their partnership and commitment to end period poverty in North America. Together, both organizations are working to create period positive spaces where menstruators are no longer forced to macgyver unhygienic ways to collect menstrual blood and miss work, school, and other critical activities due to menstrual hygiene inequity.
Nearly one in four students struggle to afford period products, and 23% of lower income students have reported that they have had to choose between buying period products and food/clothing. Despite 86% of menstruators reporting that they have started their period unexpectedly in public without the menstrual hygiene supplies they needed, shame, secrecy and unaffordable costs prevent fair, hygienic and equitable access to period products. This is period poverty.
The cost of period poverty is immense, the lack of dignity is unforgettable. Studies have shown that up to 70% of menstruators have missed school or work because of their period, and that their period prevents them from participating fully in social activities.
Robert Guice, CEO of Citron Hygiene, said, "We are committed to combating period poverty and supporting menstrual equity. We help businesses and institutions in Canada, USA and UK satisfy the basic needs of females and other menstruators who use their washrooms by providing vending machines that dispense free period products for emergency use and proper, safe disposal units. By continuing our partnership with Aunt Flow to the USA and Canada, we reinforce our commitment to the menstrual movement in North America."
"EVERYONE should have access to quality period products, yet food stamps and WIC do NOT cover these basic necessities. No one should EVER have to choose between food and tampons. By partnering with Citron Hygiene, we are excited to expand our impact of creating more period positive spaces and fighting to end period poverty internationally!", said Claire Coder, CEO of Aunt Flow.
And the good news keeps flowing…
Ahead of World Menstrual Hygiene Day on May 28, Citron Hygiene is sponsoring an Instagram Live event on May 26 at 1 p.m. EST and 10 a.m. PST, hosted by Aunt Flow and PERIOD, a global non-profit organisation supporting period equity.
The Instagram Live event is focused on the Menstrual Equity for All Act as well as breaking taboos, stigma and access to period products in schools. No student should have to choose between their education and staying at home to manage their period, yet 1 in 3 people under the age of 25 struggle to afford menstrual products.
Join Citron Hygiene and Aunt Flow in supporting a growing menstruation movement on May 26th LIVE @periodmovement.
About Citron Hygiene LP
Citron Hygiene LP is a leading global company that provides washroom hygiene products and services to businesses and institutions that seek to enhance their brand by providing their customers and employees with an elevated washroom experience. With industry experience spanning 45 years, Citron Hygiene is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, and has service locations throughout Canada, US, and the United Kingdom. Citron Hygiene is a private portfolio company of Birch Hill Equity Partners, a Canadian mid-market private equity firm. To learn more, visit www.citronhygiene.com
About Aunt Flow
Aunt Flow is committed to ensuring that everyone has access to period products. Claire Coder founded Aunt Flow after getting her period in public without the supplies needed. At 18-years-old, she dedicated her life to developing a solution to ensure businesses and schools could sustainably provide high-quality period products for free in bathrooms. Now, 900+ companies have joined the menstrual movement with Aunt Flow, providing free-vend dispensers stocked with 100% organic tampons and pads. For every 10 tampons and pads sold, Aunt Flow donates 1 to a menstruator in need. We call this people helping people. PERIOD.® For more information and to join the menstrual movement, visit www.goauntflow.com
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/24/citron-hygiene-aunt-flow-combat-period-poverty-through-advocacy-washrooms-across-north-america/
| 2022-05-24T17:18:19Z
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'Excellent track record': Canton South hires Adam Hall as head girls basketball coach
CANTON TWP. — Adam Hall has been hired as head girls basketball coach at Canton South High School.
Hall spent the past eight years as the head boys coach at Strasburg, He compiled a 110-63 record and led the Tigers to four Inter-Valley Conference championships and two Division IV district finals appearances. He is a two-time IVC and district coach of the year selection and the 2017 Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association Division 5 Coach of the Year,
“We are excited to add Adam to our athletic and school community,” Canton South Athletic Director Matt Dennison said in a statement. “He has an excellent track record of success with his athletic teams and will be a great addition to our coaching staff. I have been watching Adam coach for some time and love the passion he brings to the game and his ability to get the most out of his players.”
Hall played high school basketball at Dover and helped lead the Tornadoes to the Division II state semifinals his senior year. Prior to Strasburg, he was a middle school girls basketball coach at Lake, the junior varsity girls coach at Garaway and the varsity assistant boys coach at Tuscarawas Central Catholic. He also compiled a 19-4 record in one season as Garaway's varsity girls head coach.
“I am passionate about education-based athletics and look forward to the opportunity to work with our student-athletes at Canton South," Hall said in a statement, The Canton Local School District is positioned to do great things academically and with its athletic programs. My family and I are excited to be a part of the Wildcat family.”
Hall received his bachelor’s degree in special education from Malone and his master’s degree in educational leadership from Muskingum. He also received his superintendent's license from Concordia and is currently the Strasburg-Franklin Local School District's superintendent.
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https://www.cantonrep.com/story/sports/high-school/basketball/2022/05/03/adam-hall-new-canton-south-varsity-girls-basketball-head-coach-athletic-director-matt-dennison/9635578002/
| 2022-05-03T22:26:38Z
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PHILADELPHIA, April 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Syzygy Integration, a company focused on providing next-generation situational awareness to those that protect the homeland, announced today that it was the sole developer of iTAK (iOS Team Awareness Kit / Tactical Assault Kit) that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released to the Apple App Store for public use. iTAK helps to enable situational awareness across law enforcement, humanitarian and disaster response, counterterrorism, search and rescue and many other operational needs. This initial public release includes chat, routes, drawing, digital pointers, spotted map, offline maps, data sync, video, QR code onboarding, and more.
Syzygy Integration approached the design and development of the iTAK application to make situational awareness intuitive and robust, allowing users of the systems to be fully functional without training. Syzygy built iTAK from the ground up, under contract from DHS' Science and Technology Directorate (S&T). Syzygy's collaboration with S&T enabled close coordination with federal, state, and local law enforcement and first responders to truly refine the user experience to provide maximum capability across a suite of use cases.
"We are extremely proud of the innovative technology we are putting forward. We hope that this release will help first responders, law enforcement, and military operators with enhanced situational awareness when they need it most. Syzygy is rapidly expanding, and we expect to release additional groundbreaking apps soon," said Syzygy's President and Founder, Wesley Mitchell.
Syzygy has multiple roles open for career opportunities. Check out our website https://tinyurl.com/yt7yhfxm.
iTAK is available for download here on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/itak/id1561656396
About Syzygy Integration, LLC
Headquartered in Conshohocken, PA, Syzygy Integration LLC is a company focused on providing next-generation situational awareness to those that protect the homeland. Our suite of products includes SNAP (Sensor Network Access Point), TAK.Team (commercially available TAK infrastructure), Argos (dismounted sensor suite), and full software and cloud development services for next-generation situational awareness. For more information and to learn about career opportunities, please contact us at info@syzygy.co and visit us at www.SyzygyIntegration.com
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https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/04/07/syzygy-integration-releases-itak-app-store-cutting-edge-situational-awareness-app/
| 2022-04-07T22:43:35Z
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Job seekers who work with winning agencies are twice as likely to be completely satisfied with the services provided.
DALLAS, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Consilium Staffing, a premier locum tenens staffing firm, connecting doctors and advanced practitioners with healthcare facilities nationwide, announced today that for the second consecutive year, they have won the Best of Staffing Talent Award for providing superior service to the physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants they serve.
In partnership with presenting sponsor Indeed and gold sponsor Talent.com, ClearlyRated's Best of Staffing® Award winners have proven to be industry leaders in service quality based entirely on ratings provided by their candidates. On average, job seekers who work with winning agencies are twice as likely to be completely satisfied with the services provided compared to those placed by non-winning agencies.
Consilium Staffing received satisfaction scores of 9 or 10 out of 10 from 75.3% of their placed job candidates, significantly higher than the industry's average of 40%.
"Consilium is focused on people and places, more than just placements. This shows up in our commitment to serve the physicians and advanced practitioners who trust us as their partner in locum tenens, "said Matt Baade, Executive Vice President for Consilium. "It is an honor to receive this award from Clearly Rated, but the greatest reward is the direct feedback from those we serve at these healthcare providers, telling us we are delivering a great locum tenens experience."
"Winners of the 2022 Best of Staffing award have demonstrated their commitment to delivering exceptional service, even as Covid-19 has forced them to reimagine and rebuild their approach to business," said ClearlyRated's CEO and Founder, Eric Gregg. "These service leaders have kept the client, talent, and employee experience at the heart of their business strategy, and it's my honor to celebrate and showcase the 2022 Best of Staffing winners alongside feedback from their actual clients on ClearlyRated.com!"
Consilium Staffing is a premier locum tenens staffing firm, connecting doctors and advanced practitioners with healthcare facilities nationwide. For more information, please visit Consilium Staffing and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Rooted in satisfaction research for professional service firms, ClearlyRated utilizes a Net Promoter® Score survey program to help professional service firms measure their service experience, build online reputation, and differentiate on service quality. Learn more at https://www.clearlyrated.com/solutions/.
ClearlyRated's Best of Staffing® Award is the only award in the U.S. and Canada that recognizes staffing agencies that have proven superior service quality based entirely on ratings provided by their clients, placed talent, and internal employees. Award winners are showcased by city and area of expertise on ClearlyRated.com—an online business directory that helps buyers of professional services find service leaders and vet prospective firms with the help of validated client ratings and testimonials.
Contact
K. Morehouse, Sr. Director Marketing & Communications
p. (214) 272-6935
kmorehouse@consiliumstaffing.com
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https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/11/consilium-staffing-wins-clearlyrateds-2022-best-staffing-talent-award-service-excellence/
| 2022-08-11T12:19:11Z
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KANSAS CITY, Mo., July 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kansas City Life Insurance Company recorded net income of $4.5 million or $0.46 per share in the second quarter of 2022, an increase of $0.2 million or $0.02 per share relative to the second quarter of 2021. In the first six months of 2022 we recorded a net loss of $3.2 million or $0.33 per share, compared to net income of $3.6 million or $0.37 per share in the first six months of 2021.
Total investment revenues declined in both the second quarter and first six months of 2022 compared to the same periods in the prior year. Partially offsetting this, policyholder benefits, interest credited to policyholder account balances, and operating expenses declined in both periods compared to the prior year.
Kansas City Life Insurance Company (OTCQX: KCLI) was established in 1895 and is based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Company's primary business is providing financial protection through the sale of life insurance and annuities. The Company operates in 49 states and the District of Columbia.
Please refer to our Quarterly Report for the period ended June 30, 2022, for additional information, which is available at www.kclife.com.
View original content:
SOURCE Kansas City Life Insurance Company
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https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/29/kansas-city-life-announces-second-quarter-2022-results/
| 2022-07-29T15:00:03Z
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SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — With the Easter holiday upon us, U.S. Customs and Border Protection is reminding border commuters that cascarones, confetti-filled eggshells, are restricted to no more than a dozen per passenger at ports of entry.
The shells, which may be decorated, etched or painted must be clean, dry, and free of any egg residue, according to CBP.
The fear is that while the eggs may be stuffed with confetti they might also be carrying diseases such as avian influenza that could wipe out the American poultry industry.
“If they are not cleaned properly they pose a risk to transmit the avian influenza,” said Rosalinda Maizuss, the chief agricultural officer at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, there is currently an outbreak affecting chicken and egg farms in several states across the country, especially in Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota.
Other diseases such as Newcastle disease can also be spread by contaminated eggshells brought in from Mexico or Canada.
The USDA says these viruses infect chickens, turkeys, ducks, partridges, pheasants, quail, pigeons and ostriches.
“Our job is to make sure anything like that is not introduced into the United States that’s going to affect our poultry,” Maizuss said, adding that that fresh eggs, raw chicken, and live birds or poultry are prohibited from coming across the border.
“Travelers need to declare what they’re bringing,” she said. “We can give them the option, if they want to keep them they have to take them back to Mexico, if not, we can keep them here and we do destroy them.”
According to CBP, attempting to bring in prohibited agricultural items could lead to traveler delays and may result in a fine of up to $1000.
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https://cw33.com/news/border-report-news/travelers-warned-about-easter-eggs-at-border-crossings/
| 2022-04-15T21:51:03Z
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NEW YORK, Aug. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Klein Law Firm announces that a class action complaint has been filed on behalf of shareholders of Missfresh Limited (NASDAQ: MF) alleging that the Company violated federal securities laws.
This lawsuit is on behalf of persons who purchased or otherwise acquired Missfresh securities pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and related prospectus issued in connection with Missfresh's June 2021 initial public offering.
Lead Plaintiff Deadline: September 12, 2022
No obligation or cost to you.
Learn more about your recoverable losses in MF:
https://www.kleinstocklaw.com/pslra-1/missfresh-loss-submission-form?id=30439&from=4
CLASS ACTION CASE DETAILS: The filed complaint alleges that Missfresh Limited made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Missfresh provided false financial figures in its registration statement and related prospectus issued in connection with the Company's June 2021 initial public offering; (2) Missfresh would need to amend its financial figures; (3) Missfresh, among other things, had lesser net revenues for the quarter ended March 31, 2021; and (4) as a result, defendants' public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times and negligently prepared.
WHAT THIS MEANS TO YOU AS A SHAREHOLDER: If you have suffered a loss in Missfresh you have until September 12, 2022 to petition the court for lead plaintiff status. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.
NO COST TO YOU: If you purchased Missfresh securities during the relevant period, you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out-of-pocket fees.
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR FINANCIAL INTERESTS: For additional information about the MF lawsuit, please contact J. Klein, Esq. by telephone at 212-616-4899 or click this link: https://www.kleinstocklaw.com/pslra-1/missfresh-loss-submission-form?id=30439&from=4.
J. Klein, Esq. represents investors and participates in securities litigations involving financial fraud throughout the nation. The Klein Law Firm is a boutique litigation firm with experience in a wide range of areas including securities law, corporate finance and commercial litigation. Since 2011, our experienced attorneys have achieved superior results for our clients with a personalized focus. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
CONTACT:
J. Klein, Esq.
Empire State Building
350 Fifth Avenue
59th Floor
New York, NY 10118
jk@kleinstocklaw.com
Telephone: (212) 616-4899
www.kleinstocklaw.com
View original content:
SOURCE The Klein Law Firm
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/02/mf-alert-klein-law-firm-announces-lead-plaintiff-deadline-september-12-2022-class-action-filed-behalf-missfresh-limited-shareholders/
| 2022-08-02T11:16:10Z
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Vaccine advisers to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted on Thursday to support recommending the two-dose Moderna Covid-19 vaccine for use in people ages 6 through 17 years old.
The vaccine received emergency use authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration last week.
All 15 voting members of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted yes on the statements:
"A two-dose Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (50mcg) is recommended for children ages 6 -- 11 years, under the EUA issued by the FDA."
"A two-dose Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (100mcg) is recommended for adolescents ages 12 -- 17 years, under the EUA issued by the FDA."
The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices endorsed the vaccine after hearing details about Moderna's application to the FDA and the latest safety data.
"There is a risk of myocarditis/pericarditis after both messenger RNA Covid-19 vaccines, most cases have prompt improvement in symptoms. A follow up survey suggests most fully recovered from myocarditis," said Dr. Helen Keipp Talbot, an associate professor of medicine from Vanderbilt University during ACIP's discussion of the vaccine Thursday. She added that myocarditis after vaccination has been generally mild compared to those who developed myocarditis after getting sick from Covid-19.
The CDC said that the risk of myocarditis "may be higher" with the Moderna vaccine than from vaccination from Pfizer, but there are limitations to what scientists know about the condition in this age group since the data is observational and limited.
Overall, the data presented from the company showed that most children got the vaccine without incident.
"In general, most adverse events reported after Covid vaccines are mild and transient events like injection site and systemic reactions," said Dr. Tom Shimabukuro, the Deputy Director of the H1N1 Vaccine Task Force at the CDC. "We will continue to monitor the safety of these vaccines and we will continue to work with partners, both within the federal government and with health care providers and provider organizations to better understand these types of adverse events."
During the pandemic over 5.1 million Covid-19 cases have occurred among children ages 5 through 11 according to a presentation at the meeting from the CDC's Dr. Sara Oliver.
In April unvaccinated children between the ages of 5 to 17 overall had a two times greater risk of testing positive for Covid-19 than unvaccinated children with the primary series of the vaccine.
There's also been an increase in hospitalizations among this age group, particularly during the Omicron surge. Among adolescents ages 12 to 17, the cumulative rates of Covid-19 hospitalizations are "considerably higher" than for flu during all prior flu seasons, Oliver, a member of the CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service told the committee. The possibility that children could develop long Covid, even if they had a mild or asymptomatic Covid case, is also a significant concern.
Children are the least vaccinated group among all the age groups in the US. About 65% of children in the 5 through 11 age group and 30% of adolescents have not been vaccinated, the CDC said. The CDC hopes more parents will protect their children with a vaccination.
"We can predict with future Covid-19 surges, the unvaccinated will continue to bear the burden of disease," said Oliver.
Following the ACIP vote, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky will decide whether to sign off on the ACIP recommendation. Shots can be administered after the CDC adopts the recommendation.
For children ages 6 through 11, the Moderna vaccine is administered as a two-dose series at 50 micrograms per dose.
Adolescents ages 12 through 17 receive the same amount that is administered in adults -- a two-dose series at 100 micrograms per dose.
Moderna's vaccine is already available for people ages 6 months through 5 years and 18 and older.
People ages 6 to 17 were already eligible to be vaccinated with the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.
"There are 25 million unvaccinated children and adolescents right now. We know that the benefits outweigh the risks for mRNA Covid-19 vaccine in all ages," Oliver said. "Receipt of this primary series continues to be the safest way to prevent serious Covid-19."
Moderna boosters
The CDC did not take up a booster dose issue for the Moderna vaccine, since it is not authorized by the FDA yet, but Dr. Doran Fink, the deputy director of the clinical division of vaccines and related products applications of the FDA said they would address this gap during the summer.
"We would expect to be addressing this gap in booster doses over the summer," Fink told the committee.
The agency is collecting more data to determine if a booster dose is necessary.
Some children and adolescents, depending on their age, who have received the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine are eligible for a booster dose.
Addressing confusing labels
The CDC promised its independent vaccine adviser committee that it would create multiple fact sheets and more education opportunities for vaccine administrators due to what it called a "confusing label situation" with Moderna's vaccine vials.
To distinguish between vials, Moderna has used different color caps and has used a different color border around the label. For the six months through 5 years age group that gets a smaller 25 microgram dose, for example, the cap is dark blue and the border is magenta. For children ages 6 through 11, who will get a bigger dosage size at 50 micrograms, the vial has a dark blue cap as well, but the border is purple. The same vial is used for booster doses for adults 18 years of age and older. The label on that product also says it can be used for booster doses.
"We recognize that that label for ages 6 through 11 stating 'BOOSTER DOSES' in all caps is very confusing," the CDC's Dr. Elisha Hall, the clinical guidelines lead for the Covid-19 emergency response told the committee Thursday. "There will be multiple education and communication materials and efforts to communicate the authorized use of this vial for ages 6 through 11."
She said the CDC will also offer educational webinars to help providers.
"With all of these new products out, there may be more opportunities for vaccine administration errors. Besides just the number of products, of course, the products that are not labeled for the indicated age group. Additionally, new pediatric providers may be unfamiliar with Covid-19 vaccines and there are some stark differences between routine vaccines," Hall said.
Several vaccine advisory committee members urged Moderna and Pfizer to simplify the Covid-19 vaccine vial design. They also expressed concern that vaccine administrators who are color blind will not be able to distinguish between the vials.
"I really appreciate the CDC putting together the types of training and support when we need to implement it, but just recognize that this does impact acceptability from a provider standpoint, because it's a lot of complexity to incorporate into the busy practice," said ACIP Chair Dr. Grace Lee, the associate chief medical officer for practice innovation at the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. "To me, this is quite overwhelming and I feel like I know Covid pretty well."
Moderna told the committee that they are "actively working" on the design issue.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
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https://www.albanyherald.com/features/health/cdc-vaccine-advisers-unanimously-vote-to-recommend-moderna-covid-19-vaccine-for-people-ages-6/article_22c009fe-9e9b-5296-aa5d-517263158175.html
| 2022-06-23T23:53:28Z
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Adjustments earn Bill Self second national title at Kansas
By JOHN MARSHALL
AP Basketball Writer
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Bill Self won his elusive second national title with a masterful second-half coaching job and a spicy dash of Remy Martin. Befuddled by North Carolina in an ugly first half, Kansas tightened up defensively and Martin provided the spark in a dazzling second half in the Jayhawks’ 72-69 win over North Carolina. The Jayhawks started fast and faded even faster to fall into a 15-point hole by halftime. They roared back behind Self’s adjustments, setting a record for biggest halftime comeback in championship game history.
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https://localnews8.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/04/04/adjustments-earn-bill-self-second-national-title-at-kansas/
| 2022-04-05T05:15:51Z
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LISHUI, China, June 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Farmmi, Inc. ("Farmmi" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: FAMI), an agricultural products supplier in China, today announced that on June 22, 2022, it received notification from The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC ("NASDAQ") confirming the Company has cured the bid price deficiency, and that the Company is in compliance with all applicable listing standards. As a result, the scheduled hearing before the Nasdaq Hearings Panel has been cancelled. The Company's stock will continue to be listed and traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market.
About Farmmi, Inc.
Established in 1998, Farmmi Inc. (NASDAQ: FAMI) is an agricultural products supplier, processor and retailer of edible mushrooms like Shiitake and Mu Er, as well as other agricultural products. In addition to its offline sales, Farmmi sells its products direct-to-consumer at http://www.farmmi88.com. For further information about the Company, please visit: http://ir.farmmi.com.cn/.
Forward-Looking Statements
No statement made in this press release should be interpreted as an offer to purchase or sell any security. Such an offer can only be made in accordance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and applicable state securities laws. Certain statements in this press release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements regarding our future business expectations and intended to qualify for the "safe harbor" under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on our customer's businesses and our end purchaser's disposable income, our ability to raise capital on any particular terms, fulfillment of customer orders, fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, our ability to realize revenue from expanded operation and acquired assets in China, our ability to attract and retain skilled professionals, client concentration, industry segment concentration, and general economic conditions affecting our industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Farmmi may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. In addition, please note that any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable as of the date of this press release. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law.
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| 2022-06-23T13:04:36Z
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VIENNA, Va., July 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Solutions By Design II, LLC (SBD), the Founding and Managing Member of Vencedor Technologies, LLC an Unpopulated Joint Venture that holds a spot on the Army ITES-3S IDIQ Contract, announced that it has been awarded the Information Technology Administrative Support Services Task Order at the United States Army Cadet Command (USACC), Fort Knox, KY for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Information Management (C4IM) services. SBD, via Vencedor, will provide support services to the Cadet Command Knowledge Management support capabilities; Current and Future Operations; Forms, Publications and Records Management; Plans and Policy assistance; and Project Management and Integration tasks.
SBD, via Vencedor, will support the Cadet Command HQ, BDEs and Battalions with the necessary C4I administrative support required to meet its mission of selecting, educating, training, and commissioning college students to be officers and leaders of character in the Total Army; and instilling the values of citizenship, national and community service, personal responsibility, and a sense of accomplishment in high school students. "We are extremely excited to win our first Task Order under the Army ITES-3S Vehicle" said Greg Goldbach, Director, Acquisition Programs & Strategy. "To have an impact on the future military leaders that will help protect the freedoms we cherish is a true honor."
With this Task Order, Vencedor Technologies has catapulted to be the #25th Small Business and #39th overall (Small & Large) vendor on the Army ITES-3S IDIQ in terms of total obligated dollars.
ABOUT SBD: SBD specializes in IT system modernization and support as an application transformation and agile process leader. SBD leverages open-source technologies and cloud-based solutions to reduce operating costs and advance the value proposition of automated solutions. SBD also has a robust cybersecurity capability optimizing security operation centers through the use of workflow automation, technical expertise, and the use of leading-edge security tools. Bottom line, SBD delivers technically innovative, reliable, and cost-effective solutions, services, and products to our federal customers.
ABOUT VENCEDOR: Vencedor is an Unpopulated JV, comprised of seven (7) industry-leading small business members established specifically for the provision of services under the U.S. Army ITES-3S ID/IQ. Headquartered in Vienna, Virginia, Vencedor has an extensive history of delivering critical IT and mission support services to help the Department of Defense enhance the safety and security of our nation.
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https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/29/solutions-by-design-ii-llc-joint-venture-vencedor-technologies-is-awarded-united-states-army-cadet-commands-command-control-communications-computers-information-management-information-technology-administrative-support-services-contract/
| 2022-07-29T22:35:34Z
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Jury to hear opening statements in Johnny Depp libel case
FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — A jury in Virginia is scheduled to hear opening statements Tuesday in a defamation lawsuit filed by Johnny Depp against his ex-wife, Amber Heard.
Depp says Heard libeled him when she wrote an op-ed piece in The Washington Post in 2018 referring to herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse.”
Depp is never mentioned by name, but he says the article implicates him nonetheless because it refers to past accusations Heard made when she sought a restraining order against him. Depp denies the abuse allegations.
A civil jury of seven members, plus four alternates, was selected Monday to hear the case in Fairfax County Circuit Court. Heard’s lawyers had sought to have the case tried in California, where the actors reside. But a judge ruled that Depp was within his rights to bring the case in Virginia because The Washington Post’s computer servers for its online edition are located in the county.
The trial is expected to last for more than a month. A lengthy witness list includes actors Paul Bettany and James Franco, and tech entrepreneur Elon Musk. Some witnesses are slated to appear in person, while others are scheduled to appear via video link.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/04/12/jury-hear-opening-statements-johnny-depp-libel-case/
| 2022-04-12T08:13:34Z
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Utah copper mining company to produce rare mineral
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A Utah copper mining company will begin manufacturing a rare mineral used in solar panels that used to be discarded along with the other mine tailings.
Rio Tinto officials and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox unveiled the plan Wednesday at the Kennecott refinery west of Salt Lake City where the tellurium will be produced, FOX-13 news reported.
The company says it is one of two in the U.S. to produce the tellurium, which is listed as a “critical mineral” by the U.S. government. Most of the tellurium produced comes from China and other countries. Rio Tinto is working with the U.S. Department of Energy on ideas to produce more tellurium.
The company said it hopes to produce 20 tons of the tellurium each year.
“If we can produce it here, we are all going to be better off,” said Cox, a Republican. “We desperately need more of it.”
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https://localnews8.com/news/ap-utah/2022/05/11/utah-copper-mining-company-to-produce-rare-mineral/
| 2022-05-11T23:00:00Z
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April 14 spring job fair in Caldwell features outdoor jobs
CALDWELL, Idaho (KIFI) - Treasure Valley employers with a variety of jobs — several outdoor-related — will be looking for workers at Idaho Labor's job fair Thursday, April 14, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Idaho Department of Labor office in Caldwell, 4514 Thomas Jefferson St.
Participating employers such as Franz Witte, D & B Supply, Idaho Department of Agriculture, Nampa Parks & Rec, Big Tex Trailer and the YMCA are looking for multiple workers.
Jobs include fruit and vegetable inspectors, irrigation tech, managers, material handlers, retail auditors, financial specialists, IT programmers, office staff, bus drivers, mowing crews, golf course maintenance and more.
Job seekers should bring resumes, have all the information needed to fill out job applications and be prepared to discuss related skills and abilities with employers.
Tips for writing resumes, completing applications and other job search assistance can be found on Labor's website at labor.idaho.gov/jobseeker.
For a full list of employers, visit Labor's calendar of events at labor.idaho.gov/dnn/calendar.
Customers with disabilities who need reasonable accommodation to participate should call Labor’s Caldwell local office at (208) 364-7781. To access the Idaho Relay Service for the deaf and hard of hearing, dial 711.
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https://localnews8.com/news/idaho/2022/04/08/april-14-spring-job-fair-in-caldwell-features-outdoor-jobs/
| 2022-04-08T18:29:06Z
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-- Alumna Mashama Bailey named Outstanding Chef --
NEW YORK, June 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On June 13, in Chicago, the James Beard Foundation celebrated another installment of its famed awards. The awards aim to recognize the best and brightest talent in the food and beverage industry, and this year, an Institute of Culinary Education graduate, Mashama Bailey, was awarded the highest honor — Outstanding Chef in America. ICE's mission is to help the next generation of chefs achieve their culinary goals and find their culinary voice. Chef Mashama has found her unique voice at The Grey in Savannah, Georgia. ICE is proud to share the recognition its alumni have earned throughout the organization's history.
Chef Mashama is a 2001 graduate of ICE's Culinary Arts program. Other honors she has received include the Foundation's Best Chef: Southeast in 2019, as well as Restaurant of the Year by Eater in 2017 and Food & Wine's Restaurant of the Year in 2015.
In 2022, seven ICE alumni were named as semifinalists and finalists for awards, including: Rachel Yang (Culinary, '01) for Outstanding Chef, Mary Attea (Culinary, '11) for Best Chef: NY State, Helen Nguyen (Culinary, '17) for Best Chef: NY State, Ayesha Nurdjaja (Culinary, '07) for Best Chef: NY State, Shennari Freeman (Health-Supportive Culinary Arts, '21) for Emerging Chef and Sohui Kim (Culinary Arts & Management, '02) for Best New Restaurant.
"The James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Chef award is the highest singular honor in America for a chef, and we are thrilled that this year an ICE alumnus was the recipient. We congratulate Chef Mashama on this award," says ICE CEO Rick Smilow. "It's amazing to see how our students navigate the industry and find their culinary voices, and the ICE community is extremely proud of having been a step on the path to Chef Mashama's and all of our students' achievements."
Chef Mashama enrolled at ICE in 2000 and, upon completion, worked under Jeremy Marshall at Aqua Grill for her externship. Next, she spent a number of years at Chef Gabrielle Hamilton's Prune, ultimately rising to sous chef. In 2014, she and partner John O. "Johno" Morisano opened The Grey in a restored 1938 Greyhound bus terminal, serving her take on Southern coastal and farm-to-table cuisine. She is also the author of "Black, White, and The Grey: The Story of an Unexpected Friendship and a Beloved Restaurant." In 2019, she was the subject of an episode of Netflix's Chef's Table. This summer, Chef Mashama and Mr. Morisano will open The Grey Diner Bar and The Grey Market in Austin.
Over the years, ICE alumni have been nominated for and won many James Beard Foundation Awards. This year, Chef Mashama becomes the first to win the Outstanding Chef category. She joins the ranks of fellow alumni winners, including:
CHEFS & RESTAURANTS
- 2018 Best Chef: New York City: Missy Robbins (Culinary Arts, '95): Lilia, Brooklyn, New York
- 2009 Outstanding Pastry Chef: Gina DePalma (Pastry & Baking Arts, '94): Babbo, New York
- 2004 Rising Star Chef of the Year: Allison Vines-Rushing (Culinary Arts, '00): Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar, New York
- 2000 Outstanding Pastry Chef: Claudia Fleming (Culinary Arts, '88) Gramercy Tavern, New York
- 1998 Outstanding Pastry Chef: Stephen Durfee (Pastry & Baking Arts, ' 91): The French Laundry, Yountville, California
FOOD MEDIA
- 2018 Video Webcast, Fixed Location and/or Instructional: Vivian Howard (Culinary Arts, '03): Panna Cooking: Black Bean-Glazed Salmon with Ginger Cabbage
- 2018 International Cookbook: Stacy Adimando (Culinary, '10): Nopalito: A Mexican Kitchen
- 2016 Outstanding Personality/Host: Vivian Howard (Culinary Arts, '03): A Chef's Life, PBS
- 2012 Video Webcast: Jamie Tiampo (Restaurant & Culinary Management, '06): EatTV with Jamie Tiampo, Eattv.com
This year has continued to be a year of growth for the Institute of Culinary Education. The school's 2022 commencement had a record number of graduates and the school continues to develop across both New York City and Los Angeles campuses. Commencement speakers were Jacques Pépin (New York) and Antonia Lofaso (Los Angeles). In 2021, the school launched an online diploma program in Culinary Arts & Food Operations, which provides aspiring culinary professionals access to comprehensive training from the comfort of their own kitchens. That same year, ICE launched its first Associate of Occupational Studies degree program in Los Angeles, which offers a college-level curriculum with a restaurant and hospitality focus.
About the Institute of Culinary Education
The Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) is one of the largest and most diverse culinary schools in the world with campuses in New York and Los Angeles. Established in 1975, ICE offers award-winning six- to 14-month career training programs in Culinary Arts, Pastry & Baking Arts, Health-Supportive Culinary Arts, Restaurant & Culinary Management and Hospitality & Hotel Management, in addition to professional development in Artisan Bread Baking, The Art of Cake Decorating and Intensive Sommelier Training — with more than 15,000 alumni, many of whom are leaders in the industry.
ICE also offers continuing education for culinary professionals, hosts 400 special events each year and is home to one of the world's largest recreational cooking, baking and beverage programs. ICE's 74,000-square-foot, cutting-edge campus in New York City and its 38,000-square-foot Los Angeles campus were designed for inspiration, creativity and community.
ICE continues to grow and evolve with the launch of its LA campus in 2018, the addition of the Health-Supportive Culinary Arts program in 2019, an agreement with the International Culinary Center in 2020, the introduction of sommelier training and associate degrees in 2021 and the introduction of an Online Culinary Arts & Food Operations program in 2021. Visit us at ice.edu or join us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube at @iceculinary to find your culinary voice™.
CONTACT:
Stephanie Fraiman
Public Relations Director
Institute of Culinary Education
(212) 847-0703
sfraiman@ice.edu
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SOURCE The Institute of Culinary Education
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https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/22/institute-culinary-education-celebrates-alumni-success-james-beard-foundation-awards/
| 2022-06-22T14:19:09Z
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NEW YORK, June 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Amazon.com, Inc. ("Amazon" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: AMZN) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, Seattle Division, and docketed under 22-cv-00617, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants that purchased or otherwise acquired Amazon stock between February 1, 2019 and April 5, 2022, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"). Plaintiff pursues claims against the Defendants under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act").
If you are a shareholder who purchased or otherwise acquired Amazon securities during the Class Period, you have until July 5, 2022 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.
Amazon is a multinational technology company that engages primarily in the businesses of e-commerce, cloud computing, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence.
On the Company's Amazon.com e-commerce platform, Amazon sells both third-party merchandise and Amazon's own private-label products. As the owner and operator of the Amazon.com e-commerce platform, Amazon has access to certain non-public data of the third-party sellers that use the Amazon.com platform.
On or around June 3, 2019, the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary initiated a bipartisan investigation into the state of competition online. The investigation, led by the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law (the "Subcommittee"), examined the business practices and market dominance of Facebook, Google, Apple, and, of particular relevance, Amazon (the "Subcommittee Investigation").
In the course of the Subcommittee Investigation, the Subcommittee held several oversight hearings in which various officers of the above referenced companies, including their respective Chief Executive Officers, offered witness testimony on topics such as the effect of market power on the press, innovation, and privacy, and the market dominance of the firms under investigation. After each of the hearings, members of the Subcommittee submitted questions for the record to the witnesses.
The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operations, and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Amazon engaged in anticompetitive conduct in its private-label business practices, including giving Amazon products preference over those of its competitors and using third-party sellers' non-public data to compete with them; (ii) the foregoing exposed Amazon to a heightened risk of regulatory scrutiny and/or enforcement actions; (iii) Amazon's revenues derived from its private-label business were in part the product of impermissible conduct and thus unsustainable; and (iv) as a result, the Defendants' public statements throughout the Class Period were materially false and/or misleading.
On March 9, 2022, media outlets reported that the House Judiciary Committee had requested that the U.S. Department of Justice open a criminal investigation into Amazon and certain of its executives for allegedly lying to Congress about its business practices during the course of the Subcommittee Investigation.
In response, Amazon asserted that there was "no factual basis" for the House Judiciary Committee's allegations.
Then, on April 6, 2022, The Wall Street Journal published an article entitled "SEC Is Investigating How Amazon Disclosed Business Practices." The article reported, inter alia, that the SEC's probe has been underway for more than a year and focuses on Amazon's disclosures regarding its use of third-party seller data for its own private-label business.
On this news, Amazon's stock price fell $105.98 per share, or 3.2%, to close at $3,175.12 per share on April 6, 2022.
Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com
CONTACT:
Robert S. Willoughby
Pomerantz LLP
rswilloughby@pomlaw.com
888-476-6529 ext. 7980
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| 2022-06-20T15:02:55Z
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SGS awarded Data Readiness Artificial Intelligence Development Program, a potential five-year $241.6M agreement for advancing use of AI in defense
AUSTIN, Texas, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SparkCognition Government Systems (SGS), developing trusted artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for defense and national security, announced it has been awarded to the Data Readiness Artificial Intelligence Development (DRAID) Program through the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC). The DRAID Program is a potential five-year, $241.6 million basic ordering agreement (BOA) focused on enabling the Department of Defense (DoD) to optimize its vast data resources to leverage AI to enhance its mission effectiveness.
"We are honored to have been selected for this critical initiative, building on our commitment to helping the DoD solve their most pressing challenges," said Logan Jones, President and General Manager of SparkCognition. "Our leadership in AI, machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision will be instrumental to our work with JAIC, advancing the DoDs use of diverse data sets and driving innovative AI applications across the department."
The goal of the DRAID program is to ensure DoD AI readiness, with a special focus on preparing data for building AI systems. As an awardee of the DRAID contract, SGS will apply its patented AI, machine learning, and natural language processing technologies to the challenges JAIC will focus on solving through the DRAID vehicle, including data cleanliness and readiness, and delivering data science techniques that lead to actionable insights. This ultimately enables the DoD to deploy solutions like SGS' offerings, which empower mission readiness, enhance decision making, and deliver efficient operations.
To learn more about SparkCognition Government Systems, visit www.sparkgov.ai.
About SparkCognition Government Systems
SparkCognition Government Systems (SGS), a wholly-owned subsidiary of SparkCognition, is the first artificial intelligence (AI) company devoted entirely to government and national defense. By developing and operationalizing next-generation AI-powered systems, SGS enables government organizations to meet the needs of their most pressing national security missions. SGS advances government operations by analyzing complex data to inform and accelerate intelligent decisions, applying predictive and prescriptive analytics to improve logistics, deploying autonomy technology for power projection systems, using AI and machine learning for large-scale processing of unstructured data, and more. For in-depth information about SGS and its offerings, visit www.sparkgov.ai.
Contact Info
Cara Schwartzkopf
Communications Manager
cschwartzkopf@sparkcognition.com
251-501-6121
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/sparkcognition-government-systems-sgs-brings-ai-readiness-department-defense-through-joint-artificial-intelligence-center-award/
| 2022-04-12T13:16:16Z
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School lunches will see new increase in Manatee and Sarasota counties
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Parents of students attending schools in Sarasota and Manatee counties will soon be paying slightly more money for lunches when classes are back in session this fall.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s free meal waiver, which began during the pandemic, has expired resulting in a twenty five cent increase across the board for both Manatee and Sarasota county schools for the 2022-2023 academic year.
Lunch at Manatee and Sarasota County Elementary schools will now be $2.75. Manatee middle and high school students will pay $3 for lunch while Sarasota middle school will be expecting to pay $3 and high school students will pay $3.25.
“It’s been such a blessing for all students to be able to eat a no cost meal at school you know they receive a lot of other benefits going to school like transportation and all different things, so to have that meal had taken a burden off of a lot of families, you know even if they don’t qualify usually, its just been a little extra thing they didn’t have to worry about” says Sky Grundy a nutrition specialist and registered dietician at Manatee County schools.
Both counties are trying to keep the price increase as minimal as possible. Manatee County School and Nutrition Services even hosting a Kids Wellness and Resource Day in Lincoln Park to provide free meals to students as well as nutritional, fitness and social services.
A representative from Sarasota County school board said they unsure how this will effect the current income threshold for free or reduced lunches, but will eventually be listed on their website before the start of school.
Copyright 2022 WWSB. All rights reserved.
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/07/22/school-lunches-will-see-new-increase-manatee-sarasota-counties/
| 2022-07-22T03:22:13Z
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Biden to award Medal of Freedom to Biles, McCain, Giffords
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will present the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to 17 people, including actor Denzel Washington, gymnast Simone Biles and the late John McCain, the Arizona Republican with whom Biden served in the U.S. Senate.
Biden will also recognize Sandra Lindsay, the New York City nurse who rolled up her sleeve on live television in December 2020 to receive the first COVID-19 vaccine dose that was pumped into an arm in the United States, the White House announced Friday.
Biden’s honors list, which the White House shared first with The Associated Press, includes both living and deceased honorees from the worlds of Hollywood, sports, politics, the military, academia, and civil rights and social justice advocacy.
The Democratic president will present the medals at the White House next week.
Biden himself is a medal recipient. President Barack Obama honored Biden’s public service as a longtime U.S. senator and vice president by awarding him a Presidential Medal of Freedom in January 2017, a week before they left office.
The honorees who’ll receive medals from Biden “have overcome significant obstacles to achieve impressive accomplishments in the arts and sciences, dedicated their lives to advocating for the most vulnerable among us, and acted with bravery to drive change in their communities, and across the world, while blazing trails for generations to come,” the White House said.
The honor is reserved for people who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values or security of the United States, world peace or other significant societal public or private endeavors, the White House said.
Biles is the most decorated U.S. gymnast in history, winning 32 Olympic and World Championship medals. She is an outspoken advocate on issues that are very personal to her, including athletes’ mental health, children in foster care and sexual assault victims.
Lindsay became an advocate for COVID-19 vaccinations after receiving the first dose in the U.S.
McCain, who died of brain cancer in 2018, spent more than five years in captivity in Vietnam while serving in the U.S. Navy. He later represented Arizona in both houses of Congress and was the Republican presidential nominee in 2008. Biden said McCain was a “dear friend” and “a hero.”
Washington is a double Oscar-winning actor, director and producer. He also has a Tony award, two Golden Globes and the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award. He is a longtime spokesperson for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
The other 13 medal recipients are:
- Sister Simone Campbell. Campbell is a member of the Sister of Social Service and a former executive director of NETWORK, a Catholic social justice organization. She is an advocate for economic justice, overhauling the U.S. immigration system and health care policy.
- Julieta Garcia. A former president of the University of Texas at Brownsville, Garcia was the first Latina to become a college president, the White House said. She was named one of the nation’s best college presidents by Time magazine.
- Gabrielle Giffords. A former U.S. House member from Arizona, the Democrat founded Giffords, an organization dedicated to ending gun violence. She was shot in the head in January 2011 during a constituent event in Tucson and was gravely wounded.
- Fred Gray. Gray was one of the first Black members of the Alabama Legislature after Reconstruction. He was a prominent civil rights attorney who represented Rosa Parks, the NAACP and Martin Luther King Jr.
- Steve Jobs. Jobs was the co-founder, chief executive and chair of Apple Inc. He died in 2011.
- Father Alexander Karloutsos. Karloutsos is the assistant to Archbishop Demetrios of America. The White House said Karloutsos has counseled several U.S. presidents.
- Khizr Khan. An immigrant from Pakistan, Khan’s Army officer son was killed in Iraq. Khan gained national prominence, and became a target of Donald Trump’s wrath, after speaking at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.
- Diane Nash. A founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, Nash organized some of the most important 20th century civil rights campaigns and worked with King.
- Megan Rapinoe. The Olympic gold medalist and two-time Women’s World Cup soccer champion captains the OL Reign in the National Women’s Soccer League. She is a prominent advocate for gender pay equality, racial justice and LGBTQI+ rights who has appeared at Biden’s White House.
- Alan Simpson. The retired U.S. senator from Wyoming served with Biden and has been a prominent advocate for campaign finance reform, responsible governance and marriage equality.
- Richard Trumka. Trumka had been president of the 12.5 million-member AFL-CIO for more than a decade at the time of his August 2021 death. He was a past president of the United Mine Workers.
- Wilma Vaught. A brigadier general, Vaught is one of the most decorated women in U.S. military history, breaking gender barriers as she has risen through the ranks. When Vaught retired in 1985, she was one of only seven female generals in the Armed Forces.
- Raúl Yzaguirre. A civil rights advocate, Yzaguirre was president and CEO of the National Council of La Raza for 30 years. He served as U.S. ambassador to the Dominican Republic under Obama.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/07/01/biden-award-medal-freedom-biles-mccain-giffords/
| 2022-07-01T16:23:08Z
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COLUMBUS, Ga., April 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac Incorporated today announced that Teresa L. White, president, Aflac U.S., will retire effective March 31, 2023. A veteran in the financial services industry with more than two decades of experience leading operations and driving revenue growth, Teresa has created a vision for Aflac U.S. and has been a steady force in the execution of the company's long-term strategy.
Under Teresa's leadership, Aflac reshaped its internal processes to adapt to the changing dynamics of the marketplace, and expanded technology innovation with tools and solutions designed to both support sales growth and to reimagine the customer experience. She is responsible for driving a carefully designed strategy aimed to expand both distribution and product offering, including standing up the broker distribution channel and launching the consumer markets platforms, as well as actively onboarding strategic acquisitions like Empowered Benefit, Aflac Northern Ireland, Argus and Zurich. During her tenure, Aflac has realized record all-time annual new sales and record premium persistency.
"Teresa embodies Aflac's culture at its best and is a shining example of compassionate and caring leadership combined with a deep understanding of our business and what it takes to deliver operational excellence and revenue growth," said Dan Amos, Aflac CEO and Chairman of the Board. "Teresa helped shape and nurture Aflac's unique culture – the impact and depth of her contributions to our organization will remain with us for many years to come. We are immensely grateful to Teresa for her dedication, passion and resolve over the years and wish her nothing but the best in this next chapter."
A charismatic and dynamic leader, Teresa has been an inspiration for both leadership and employees, and tireless in her pursuit of fostering an inclusive and diverse workforce. A recipient of numerous awards, including Forbes' 50 Over 50: Investment for 2021, Savoy's 2020 Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America and Black Enterprise's Most Powerful Women in Corporate America, Teresa is passionate about employee development and empowerment as the cornerstone to Aflac's strategy for future growth.
"Serving as Aflac U.S. president has been the honor of a lifetime. I have been extremely fortunate to work alongside most respected and innovative team in the industry, and I am grateful for all the ways they have enriched my life both personally and professionally," said Teresa White, president, Aflac U.S. "During my long tenure with the company, I have had the honor to develop strong relationships with our independent sales agents and brokers. They have been valuable partners in this journey, and I am proud of what we have accomplished together. Ultimately, I know our teams will continue driving our strategy with the same level of energy and commitment. I look forward to working with the leadership team to ensure a smooth transition."
As Aflac executive leadership solidifies its plans to name Teresa's successor, the company will continue to focus on driving sales growth, increasing premium persistency and leveraging investments in technology to enable better connections that will ultimately result in more purposeful and caring customer service.
ABOUT AFLAC INCORPORATED
Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL) is a Fortune 500 company helping provide protection to more than 50 million people through its subsidiaries in Japan and the U.S., where it is a leading supplemental insurer by paying cash fast when policyholders get sick or injured. For more than six decades, insurance policies of Aflac Incorporated's subsidiaries have given policyholders the opportunity to focus on recovery, not financial stress. In the U.S., Aflac is the number one provider of voluntary/worksite insurance products. Aflac Life Insurance Japan is the leading provider of medical and cancer insurance in Japan, where it insures 1 in 4 households. In 2021, Aflac Incorporated was proud to be included as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for the 16th consecutive year. Also in 2021, the company was included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index and became a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). In 2022, Aflac Incorporated was included on Fortune's list of World's Most Admired Companies for the 21st time and Bloomberg's Gender-Equality Index for the third consecutive year. To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover, get to know us at aflac.com or aflac.com/español. Investors may learn more about Aflac Incorporated and its commitment to ESG and social responsibility at investors.aflac.com under "Sustainability."
Aflac herein means American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus and American Family Life Assurance Company of New York.
Media contact – Jon Sullivan, 706-763-4813 or jsullivan@aflac.com
Analyst and investor contact – David A. Young, 706-596-3264, 800-235-2667 or dyoung@aflac.com
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| 2022-04-11T20:48:26Z
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XO Cross Catheter Platform successfully used in peripheral vascular procedures utilizing pedal artery retrograde access to treat complex Critical Limb Ischemia (CLI) patients.
PARK CITY, Utah, Aug. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Transit Scientific reports multiple successful peripheral vascular procedures with the XO Cross Catheter Platform utilizing pedal retrograde access. The non-tapered 2Fr XO Cross 14 Microcatheter in 90cm, 135cm, and 175cm lengths is designed to facilitate guidewire support, guidewire exchange, and contrast media injection during complex peripheral vascular interventions.
"2Fr 014 catheter-guidewire systems are an important tool for pedal and below-the-knee interventions," said Dr. George Adams, Interventional Cardiology Director Cardiovascular and Peripheral Vascular Research at UNC REX Healthcare. "The XO Cross incorporates a non-tapered torquable shaft design which supports a smaller and less invasive access site from below. Tools like these can help broaden options for approaches and access techniques in CLI patients."
Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is a severe degree of peripheral artery disease (PAD) that requires intervention to avoid limb loss and its associated complications. The standard treatment strategy for tibial lesions involves either a retrograde or antegrade femoral artery approach, but in many patients, this strategy poses challenges due to the presence of widespread multilevel disease, long and complex lesions, and the common involvement of tibial vessels. The retrograde pedal/tibial approach is an alternative way to treat this challenging patient population.
The XO Cross Catheter Platform introduces new levels of pushability, trackability, flexibility, and torque response to access challenging lesions and complex anatomy. XO Cross's non-tapered, metal-alloy and polymer construction delivers high fatigue resistance against tough lesions found in late-stage peripheral artery disease (PAD) and critical limb ischemia (CLI).
Dr. Richard Saxon of Tri-City Medical Center, Oceanside, CA shared, "A patient presented with trifurcation disease and severe calcifications in the superficial femoral artery (SFA), popliteal, and the posterior tibial (PT) artery. The low-profile and pushability of the XO Cross 14 enabled pedal retrograde access following failed crossing and wire from above. A second XO Cross 14 (135cm) was used from above to support a flossing technique and subsequent angioplasty treatment. The unique non-tapered design of the XO Cross lends itself well to challenging limb salvage procedures that often require multiple access sites and different approaches to achieve a good outcome."
Transit Scientific's XO Cross Platform features (24) FDA-cleared devices including 2Fr XO Cross 14 Microcaths, 2.6Fr XO Cross 18 Microcaths, and the 3.8Fr XO Cross 35 Support Catheters for use with standard 0.014", 0.018", and 0.035" guidewires in 90cm, 135cm, 150cm, and 175cm lengths.
Transit Scientific is a private company that designs, develops, and commercializes medical devices including the FDA-cleared and CE Mark-cleared XO Score® and XO Cross® platforms plus the XO Cath Interventional Oncology and XO CS Coronary System under development. Transit Scientific has 20+ combined issued and pending U.S. and global patents. www.XOScore.com
Transit Scientific Media contact: Kelly Himle (414) 736-1654, info@XOScore.com.
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https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/01/non-tapered-catheter-success-critical-limb-ischemia-pedal-artery-access/
| 2022-08-01T11:44:18Z
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LOS ANGELES, Calif., June 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading global travel service provider Trip.com Group has been named one of the Top Travel Buyers in the U.S. at the recent U.S. Travel Association and Brand USA's IPW Travel Writer Awards.
The awards honor the world's highest volume tour operators and travel buyers of US travel and hospitality services with honorees nominated by members of the U.S. Travel Association's Chairman's Circle which includes some of the largest U.S. Travel companies and top U.S. destinations.
As one of his first official pieces of business, Rich Sun, Trip.com Group's newly appointed General Manager for the Americas, picked up the award on behalf of the group.
Rich Sun was recently announced as the new GM for the Americas and will lead the Group's ambitious 'Local Focus, Global Vision' business approach in the region.
With a long career in the U.S. travel and tourism sector, he has taken on a broad scope of work spanning across key Trip.com Group business units in the region.
He will also lead the management and development of the Vacations, Hotel and International business lines, including the Trip.com platform, in key target markets in the region.
Rich Sun, Trip.com Group General Manager for the Americas, said: "It is an honor for Trip.com Group to earn this award and gain recognition for the scope of our business here in the U.S.
"I am excited to be joining Trip.com Group to continue to drive the growth of the business in the Americas as we pursue our ambitious program of global expansion in key markets around the world.
"I have always been impressed by the company's customer-centric approach and values and will always hold them dear to my heart.
"As the GM for the Americas, I, together with my team, will devote ourselves to creating the perfect customer travel experience for each and every journey to ensure Trip.com is the first choice for travelers."
Prior to joining Trip.com Group, Mr. Sun was the founder and CEO of Universal Vision Corporation, one of the largest tour operators and wholesale travel agencies in North America.
He established Universal Vision Holdings Corporation in 2013 and grew the company to become one of a few tour operation organizations in the U.S. providing a comprehensive product offering and full range of services.
In 2016, Universal Vision was acquired by Trip.com Group as a part of the travel group's global expansion plan, securing a key player in the attractions supplier space with a vast network and strong resourcing in key target markets.
For more information visit www.PC.Agency or group.trip.com
About Trip.com Group
Trip.com Group is a leading global travel service provider comprising of Trip.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner, and Qunar. Across its platforms, Trip.com Group helps travellers around the world make informed and cost-effective bookings for travel products and services and enables partners to connect their offerings with users through the aggregation of comprehensive travel-related content and resources, and an advanced transaction platform consisting of apps, websites and 24/7 customer service centres. Founded in 1999 and listed on NASDAQ in 2003 and HKEX in 2021, Trip.com Group has become one of the best-known travel groups in the world, with the mission "to pursue the perfect trip for a better world". Find out more about Trip.com Group here: group.trip.com
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| 2022-06-07T11:40:46Z
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HOUSTON, July 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Direct Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: DRCT) ("Direct Digital"), a leading advertising and marketing technology platform, will report financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022, on Thursday, August 11, 2022 after the U.S. stock market closes. Management will host a conference call and webcast on the same day at 5:00 P.M. ET to discuss the results.
The live webcast and replay can be accessed at https://ir.directdigitalholdings.com/.
About Direct Digital Holdings
Direct Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: DRCT) brings state-of-the-art supply- and demand-side advertising platforms together under one umbrella company. The holding group's supply-side platform Colossus SSP offers advertisers of all sizes extensive reach within general market and multicultural media properties. Its operating companies Huddled Masses LLC and Orange142, LLC deliver significant ROI for middle market advertisers by providing data-optimized programmatic solutions at scale for businesses in sectors that range from energy to healthcare and travel to financial services. Direct Digital Holdings' buy-side solution manages over 200 clients daily, and the sell-side solution serves over 80,000 advertisers generating over 70+ billion impressions per month across display, CTV, in-app, and other media channels.
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https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/11/direct-digital-holdings-report-second-quarter-2022-financial-results/
| 2022-07-11T13:52:06Z
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ROCKDALE — Private services will be held at a later date for Charles C. Holder, 92, of Rockdale.
Mr. Holder died Friday, May 6, at a Temple hospital.
He was born March 24, 1930, in Palmer to David and Massey Moon Holder. He graduated high school in Itasca. He served in the U.S. Army. He married Emelia Whitley in 1954. He attended First Baptist Church in Rockdale. He was a welder for Alcoa.
Survivors include his wife of Rockdale; two daughters, Kim Holder James of Fort Worth and Cecilia Holder Pryor of Belton; and two grandchildren.
Visitation will be 1-2:30 p.m. Monday at Phillips & Luckey Funeral Home in Rockdale.
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https://www.tdtnews.com/obituaries/article_8a7e1730-ce48-11ec-a74c-3b9e94c61435.html
| 2022-05-08T07:44:52Z
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MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease in children, causing them to miss more than 51 million school hours each year. Untreated cavities may lead to infections and problems with focusing in school. The Minnesota Dental Association recommends scheduling your child for a dental checkup during the beginning of the school year.
The following are tips to help prepare for your child's appointment.
Overall Dental Health
The dentist will check your child's teeth and gums, as well as the overall health of the mouth. They will check to see if teeth are lining up correctly and if their bite is good.
Cleanings
No matter how much your child brushes their teeth, your child should get a cleaning. A professional cleaning will get to bacteria that may cause cavities. Normal brushing cannot reach these areas.
X-rays
X-rays are done only when necessary, not at every dental visit. X-rays help the dentist see how teeth are developing and to make sure roots are healthy. They also make tooth decay between teeth visible.
Mouthguards
If your child plays sports, be sure to bring his or her mouthguard in so the dentist can check its condition and fit. If your child is in a growth spurt or losing teeth and getting new ones, you may need a new mouthguard.
Sealants
A sealant is a thin protective coating your dentist can place on the chewing surfaces of your child's permanent back teeth. Sealants work to keep cavity-causing bacteria and food from settling into your child's teeth where a toothbrush can't reach. Sealants help keep cavities from forming and existing spots of decay from getting worse. Note that sealants are not a substitute for brushing and flossing.
Prevention and early detection are key to avoiding dental pain. Find an MDA member dentist at www.mndental.org and schedule your back-to-school appointment.
About the Minnesota Dental Association
The Minnesota Dental Association is the voice of dentistry in Minnesota, representing practicing dentists. It is committed to the highest standards of oral health and access to care for all Minnesotans. Learn more at: www.mndental.org.
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https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/minnesota-dental-association-recommends-back-school-dental-check-ups/
| 2022-08-23T22:50:24Z
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Usher capped off Black Music Month with a soulful and smooth "Tiny Desk Concert" at NPR's offices in Washington, DC on Thursday.
Backed by his band, the R&B singer performed a stripped-down set of his hits, including "You Make Me Wanna...," "U Don't Have to Call" and "Confessions Part II."
"Being able to sing and just be joyous, there's something about that that just ties us and brings us together," Usher said to the audience, who appeared to join in the chill, happy vibes.
The performance marked the first filmed in-person in more than two years for the ongoing NPR series due to the pandemic.
Acknowledging his band, Usher said he was happy to have the opportunity to celebrate his fellow musicians.
"If life has taught us anything, it's that we should share with each other. Not just the music but understanding that life is a collaborative process," Usher said. "Being able to lift each other up, stand with each other, you know. It's what life is really about."
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https://www.albanyherald.com/entertainment/ushers-smooth-tiny-desk-set-might-ease-your-return-to-office-angst/article_584c27a9-69fa-5e9f-8f25-5ba4f63575e8.html
| 2022-06-30T23:48:46Z
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The strategic partnership opens new markets for both Quick Heal and RevBits to deliver superior protection to an expanded customer base
MINEOLA, N.Y., Aug. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Quick Heal Technologies, a leader in the cybersecurity space, has collaborated with RevBits to address the advanced protection need for an on-premise infrastructure of government organisations. The partnership will help Quick Heal enhance its Seqrite product portfolio while enabling RevBits to expand its market presence in India. The association also aims to help government organizations that prefer to run their critical systems on-premise rather than in the cloud, thereby ensuring that they operate safely and seamlessly without the fear of cyberattacks.
Dr. Sanjay Katkar, Joint MD & CTO, Quick Heal Technologies Ltd, said, "We are delighted to partner with a leading cybersecurity solution provider like RevBits, well-known for its unique three-phase detection method that can protect businesses even from the most sophisticated attacks. It also complements our existing suite of Seqrite security solutions and will help us further strengthen our Seqrite product portfolio to offer the best cybersecurity solutions to our customers. At Quick Heal, we strive to innovate ourselves in sync with the ever-evolving threat landscape and devise solutions that exactly fit this purpose. We will continue collaborating with more such players to augment our products and services, cementing a leadership presence in the market today, tomorrow and beyond."
David Schiffer, CEO, RevBits, said, "We are extremely proud to be selected by a company with the size and reputation of Quick Heal. They are the leading EPS provider in India with 80% of the market share, and their solutions are available in more than 40 countries through international offices and thousands of channel partners. The combination of RevBits technology and the reputation and market coverage of Quick Heal Technologies will definitely prove to be a winning combination. Conservative projections point to additional revenue for RevBits of over $10 million ARR over the next three years, with large upside potential".
Established in 2018, RevBits is a comprehensive cybersecurity company dedicated to providing customers with superior protection and service. RevBits delivers protection against the most sophisticated cyber threats companies face by offering multiple advanced security capabilities that can be administered through a unified security platform. RevBits is headquartered in Mineola, NY, with offices in Princeton, NJ, Boston, MA, London (England), and Antwerp (Belgium). For more information on RevBits please visit www.revbits.com/aboutrevbits.
About Quick Heal Technologies Ltd.
Quick Heal Technologies Ltd. (Formerly Known as Quick Heal Technologies Pvt. Ltd.) is a leading IT security solutions company. Each Quick Heal product is designed to simplify IT security management across the length and depth of devices and on multiple platforms. They are customized to suit consumers, small businesses, government establishments and corporate houses. Over a span of 26 years, the company's R&D has focused on computer and network security solutions. The current portfolio of cloud-based security and advanced machine learning-enabled solutions stops threats, attacks and malicious traffic before it strikes. This considerably reduces the system resource usage. The security solutions are indigenously developed in India. Quick Heal Antivirus Solutions, Quick Heal Scan Engine, and the entire range of Quick Heal products are proprietary items of Quick Heal Technologies Ltd.
Contact:
Neal Hesterberg
neal.hesterberg@revbits.com
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https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/15/quick-heal-joins-forces-with-revbits-strengthen-its-cybersecurity-portfolio/
| 2022-08-15T13:50:01Z
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NANJING, China, Aug. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tuniu Corporation (NASDAQ:TOUR) ("Tuniu" or the "Company"), a leading online leisure travel company in China, today announced that it plans to release its unaudited financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022, before the market opens on September 1, 2022.
Tuniu's management will hold an earnings conference call at 8:00 am U.S. Eastern Time on September 1, 2022 (8:00 pm Beijing/Hong Kong Time on September 1, 2022).
Listeners may access the call by dialing the following numbers:
A telephone replay will be available one hour after the end of the conference call through September 8, 2022. The dial-in details are as follows: The dial-in details are as follows:
Additionally, a live and archived webcast of this conference call will be available at http://ir.tuniu.com/.
About Tuniu Corporation
Tuniu (Nasdaq:TOUR) is a leading online leisure travel company in China that offers a large selection of packaged tours, including organized and self-guided tours, as well as travel-related services for leisure travelers through its website tuniu.com and mobile platform. Tuniu covers over 420 departing cities throughout China and all popular destinations worldwide. Tuniu provides one-stop leisure travel solutions and a compelling customer experience through its online platform and offline service network, including a dedicated team of professional customer service representatives, 24/7 call centers, extensive networks of offline retail stores and self-operated local tour operators. For more information, please visit http://ir.tuniu.com.
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https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/16/tuniu-report-second-quarter-2022-financial-results-september-1-2022/
| 2022-08-16T06:28:02Z
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Democrats are leading Republicans by 4 percentage points on a generic congressional ballot, according to a new poll.
A Politico-Morning Consult poll released Wednesday found 46 percent of registered voters would choose the Democratic candidate compared to 42 percent who would choose the Republican if the election for Congress was held in their district today.
Twelve percent either said they did not know or had no opinion.
The poll is the latest showing Democrats just outpacing their Republican counterparts on a generic congressional ballot. Another recent survey showed more respondents supporting the Democratic Party controlling Congress than the Republican Party.
The Politico-Morning Consult poll also shows that 42 percent of respondents approve of President Biden’s job as president, up 3 percentage points from a poll that Politico and Morning Consult released last week.
Democrats are expected to encounter several headwinds in November, including the president’s still-underwater approval ratings, inflation and the precedent that a first-term president’s party usually suffers some losses in the midterms.
But Democrats have some reasons to feel optimistic, too. Biden signed a sweeping climate, tax reform and health bill on Tuesday after Democrats passed the reconciliation package in Congress. It was considered a major feat for the party given previous failed attempts to pass a social spending bill.
Recent data has also shown inflation has started to cool off, though it’s unclear if the trend will continue. A July jobs report that outpaced economists’ expectations is also considered a boost for Democrats.
The Politico-Morning Consult poll was conducted between Aug. 12 and Aug. 14 with 2,005 registered voters. The margin of error is plus or minus 2 percentage points.
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https://cw33.com/hill-politics/democrats-hold-4-point-lead-over-republicans-on-generic-congressional-ballot-poll/
| 2022-08-17T23:38:27Z
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Lightning strike first against Panthers, win 4-1 in Game 1
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Pierre-Edouard Bellemare scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period, Andrei Vasilevskiy remained red-hot with 34 saves and the Tampa Bay Lightning topped the Florida Panthers 4-1 in Game 1 of an Eastern Conference semifinal series Tuesday night.
Nikita Kucherov and Corey Perry each had a goal and an assist, and Ross Colton also scored for the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, who went ahead 1-0 against their in-state rivals for the second consecutive season.
Time and again, Vasilevskiy slammed the door on Florida. Over his last three games — all of them wins, including Game 7 at Toronto on Sunday — he’s stopped 94 of 99 shots.
Anthony Duclair had the goal for Presidents’ Trophy-winning Florida, which got 32 saves from Sergei Bobrovsky. Including the qualifying round that was held when the NHL restarted during the pandemic in 2020, Florida has lost seven consecutive Game 1s — a streak that goes back to 1997.
Game 2 is Thursday night.
Duclair, a 31-goal scorer, was scratched by Florida for its series-clinching win at Washington, but he was back Tuesday and gave his team the lead by scoring on a pass from Jonathan Huberdeau at 14:01 of the first.
Duclair’s goal came after the Panthers killed off a pair of early penalties — one from MacKenzie Weegar and the other from Duclair — as special teams became a factor in the game.
Florida went 0 for 18 on the power play in the series win against the Capitals and was scoreless on three more tries Tuesday. But Tampa Bay cashed in three of its six chances.
After Kucherov was hooked by Weegar, he went right around Aaron Ekblad and fed Perry for a tap-in goal at 16:22 of the second period.
Bellemare’s goal came 3:35 into the third period, giving Tampa Bay its first lead of the game — and the Lightning kept it the rest of the way. The Lightning won a faceoff in the Florida zone and Perry took a quick shot from the slot that Bobrovsky stopped, but the rebound squirted right to Bellemare.
He beat Bobrovsky to the glove side for a 2-1 lead.
It appeared, for a moment, Florida ended its long power play drought and tied the score when Duclair scored on a loose puck. Tampa Bay challenged, saying the puck went off the netting and was therefore out of play. Video review confirmed that and the Lightning continued to lead 2-1.
That was the last hurrah for Florida. Tampa Bay left no doubt late, with Kucherov and Colton each getting power-play tallies in the final 4:06 to put the game away.
NOTES: It was coach Jon Cooper’s 124th playoff game with the Lightning. That broke a tie with Mike Babcock (Detroit) for fifth-most with one team, behind only Al Arbour (198, New York Islanders), Scotty Bowman (134, Detroit), Joel Quenneville (128, Chicago) and Glen Sather (127, Edmonton). ... Florida fell to 4-8 in Game 1s, including the qualifying round two years ago. ... Tampa Bay improved to 15-19 in Game 1s.
Copyright 2022 WWSB. All rights reserved.
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/05/18/lightning-strike-first-against-panthers-win-4-1-game-1/
| 2022-05-18T03:55:08Z
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Committed to excellence in care coordination for the workers' compensation industry,
One Call makes strategic leadership shifts that will best serve clients and injured workers
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., May 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- One Call, a leading provider of ancillary services for the workers' compensation industry, today announced that Jay Krueger has been appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and former CEO Thomas Warsop has transitioned to the company's Executive Chairman.
In September 2021, Krueger, a One Call Board Director for two-and-a-half years, joined the company as President and assumed functional responsibility of operations, product development, and provider relations. In his new role as CEO, Krueger will focus on opportunities to drive efficiency, technological advancements, and innovation in the industry – all of which hold special importance in a post-pandemic environment. He will also continue to serve as a member of the company's Board of Directors.
"Jay's qualifications speak for themselves," said Warsop. "With 23 years of experience in healthcare – and 14 of those years dedicated to workers' compensation – Jay possesses extensive knowledge and understanding of the industry and One Call's role within it."
Krueger's previous workers' compensation executive experience includes serving as Chief Strategy & Client Services Officer for PMSI, a best-in-class pharmacy benefit managers company; Executive Vice President for Helios, formerly the industry's largest provider of pharmacy benefit managers, durable medical equipment, home health, and claim settlement services; and Head of Strategy & Product Development for Optum's workers' compensation business unit.
Prior to workers' compensation, Krueger's background includes leadership positions at Aetna and APS Healthcare. His educational background includes a Master of Business Administration from Cornell University and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Management from the United States Military Academy at West Point.
"One Call's mission of getting injured workers the care they need when they need it motivates me every single day," said Krueger. "It is an honor to be appointed to this role – to lead and live out this mission together with more than 2,000 outstanding colleagues."
With Krueger's appointment, Warsop becomes Executive Chairman, actively leveraging Board resources in direct support of One Call's vision. In addition to his continued service to One Call, this shift will enable him to spend more time with his family.
"For the past year, I've been working with our Board on a succession plan," said Warsop. "As we discussed the ideal leader, Jay immediately stood out. In a relatively short period of time, he has had a tremendous impact on the organization, both from a business and cultural perspective. Our shift in roles will only enhance our strong partnership, trust, and commitment to One Call's success."
In addition to these leadership changes, Will Smith, the company's Chief Growth Officer and seasoned executive with more than 20 years of service, is stepping into a new role as Chief Strategy & Growth Officer. Smith will strategically align the sales, product development, data/analytics, and marketing functions, to drive further growth, build momentum as an industry leader, and best serve clients.
"Will knows every facet of One Call and this industry," said Warsop. "His deep knowledge – amassed through years of experience building the company to what it is today – is simply irreplaceable. With an incredibly talented team behind him, he will oversee the overarching growth strategy for our company – a strategy that places clients' and injured workers' needs front and center. I know we will continue to see great achievements from this area of our business."
One Call's commitment to excellence in care coordination for the workers' compensation industry ultimately led to the company's decision to enhance its leadership team. As a leader within a complex industry, One Call strives to alleviate costs and burdensome administrative work for clients and position more than one million injured workers each year for a high quality of life and long-term success, both in and out of the workplace.
"We welcome Jay and Will to their new roles and expanded responsibilities," said One Call's Board of Directors. "Likewise, we thank Tom for his leadership as CEO over the past few years and look forward to his continued contributions as Executive Chairman."
About One Call
As a leader in the care coordination of ancillary services for the workers' compensation industry, One Call has an unwavering commitment to get injured workers the care they need when they need it. Leveraging more than 30 years of industry experience and innovative solutions, we work with many of the country's largest payors, employers and administrators to coordinate compassionate, thoughtful care that facilitates faster recovery and return to work. For more information and the latest news, visit onecallcm.com, LinkedIn (One Call), Facebook (@onecallcm), and Twitter (@onecallcm).
Media Contact:
Lisa Noakes
One Call, Sr. Director, Communications lisa_noakes@onecallcm.com
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/10/one-call-enhances-its-leadership-team/
| 2022-05-10T14:35:38Z
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STOCKHOLM, July 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Elkem has entered into an agreement with NCL (North Sea Container Line AS) who will charter in two new container ships enabling carbon neutral operations from MPC Container Ships to further improve Elkem's North Sea logistics. Enabling the use of green methanol as fuel, featuring high safety standards and backed by a strong business case, the new ships will enable higher operational efficiency and more climate-friendly transport in line with Elkem's strategy. The agreement will also enable NCL to become the first container vessel operator in Norway to put methanol-powered ships into operations.
The two new-build ships will replace three of NCL's current diesel-powered vessels, which will be phased out from operations. The ships, each at a capacity of 1300 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units), will be owned by the Oslo Børs listed MPC Container Ships ASA (MPCC) in partnership with Topeka MPC Maritime AS. Both vessels are expected to be in operation from the second half of 2024. The new ships are also highly automated, enabling higher efficiency, and feature several new safety measures to eliminate the risks of injury during operations.
"Elkem's mission is to provide advanced material solutions shaping a better and more sustainable future. Our operations require a significant amount of transport across the value chain, including sea transport as the most climate-friendly mode of transport for bulk goods. These state-of-the-art vessels will further increase our efficiency through increased capacity and can potentially cut net CO2-emissions from 45 % up to 100% through the use of green methanol. This contract with NCL and the innovative newbuilding project with MPC Container Ships ASA is a great example of how operational excellence and sustainability can go hand in hand," says Elkem's CEO, Helge Aasen.
Green methanol is a fuel derived from renewable electricity and captured CO2. Compared to conventional fuels, it enables reductions of carbon dioxide emissions to around zero, reduces nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 80%, and eliminates sulphur oxide and particulate matter emissions.
Elkem is one of NCL's owners, with a 40% share. As part of its climate project portfolio, Elkem is also exploring the potential for capturing CO2 from Elkem's Norwegian plants and turning the CO2 into methanol for downstream use.
"We in NCL are continuously working to make sea freight safer, more efficient and more environmentally friendly. This is in line with our initiative Sea Change, where we aim to take the lead in making the whole industry greener, quicker. The ships, and the partnership with MPCC, will boost a significant amount of innovation and energy saving measures and are fully prepared for the green transition. A key point for us is making it cost-effective for customers, so that we make green freight the preferred choice. This agreement with Elkem is a great example," says NCL's managing director, Bente Hetland.
CEO of MPC Container Ships ASA, Constantin Baack comments: "We are excited to extend our selective fleet renewal with the two newbuildings in partnership with Elkem and NCL. This newbuilding project is a proof of how innovative projects that address the important green transition of the maritime industry can be executed in a way that they are also economically attractive, if the right partners join forces. Combining NCL's regional expertise and competencies and the strive and commitment of Elkem and others on the cargo side with MPCC's unique execution capabilities and in-depth understanding of intra-regional trade and vessel designs has been the basis for this project."
The project has been awarded NOK 13.7 million by Enova, owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, and NOK 60 million from the NOx fund, the Norwegian business sector's fund to reduce emissions.
Elkem is among the world's most environmentally friendly manufacturers of silicon-based materials, and high performance on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors are central to the company's corporate strategy.
The company recently announced a climate roadmap detailing how Elkem plans to develop its business in line with the aim of the Paris agreement of limiting global warming to well below two degrees. The company aims to reduce its total fossil CO2 emissions by 28% from 2020-31 while growing its supplies to the green transition – thereby delivering a 39% improvement of its product carbon footprint in the same period. Elkem's long-term goal is net zero emissions by 2050.
For further information, please contact:
Odd-Geir Lyngstad
VP Finance and Investor Relations
Tel: +4797672806
E-mail: odd-geir.lyngstad@elkem.com
Hans Iver Odenrud
Corporate Communication Manager
Tel: +4795816230
E-mail: hans.iver.odenrud@elkem.com
About Elkem
Elkem is one of the world's leading providers of advanced material solutions shaping a better and more sustainable future. The company develops silicones, silicon products and carbon solutions by combining natural raw materials, renewable energy and human ingenuity. Elkem helps its customers create and improve essential innovations like electric mobility, digital communications, health and personal care as well as smarter and more sustainable cities. With a strong track record since 1904, its global team of more than 7,000 people has a joint commitment to stakeholders: Delivering your potential. In 2021, Elkem obtained a Platinum score from EcoVadis, which rated the company among the world's top 1% on sustainability transparency, and the company achieved an operating income of NOK 33.7 billion. Elkem is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (ticker: ELK). www.elkem.com
This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com
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| 2022-07-04T08:06:05Z
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DALLAS (KDAF) — Well, it’s official, there’s another millionaire in Texas, this time down in the southeast from the great city of Houston.
A resident of Houston has claimed a second-tier prize from Mega Millions worth $1 million from the May 13 drawing. That ticket was purchased from Circle M #2 on Aldine Westfield Road. The winner has chosen to remain anonymous.
Not only did the winning ticket match all five white ball numbers drawn to win $1M, they even won an additional $510 on the same ticket. Mega Millions holds drawings every Tuesday and Friday after 10 p.m. CT.
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https://cw33.com/news/texas/houston-resident-claims-1-million-mega-millions-prize/
| 2022-05-18T20:59:49Z
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Seattle’s Space Needle painted original gold for anniversary
SEATTLE (AP) — The roof of Seattle’s iconic Space Needle has been painted “Galaxy Gold” – the original color of of the landmark when it opened during the city’s 1962 World’s Fair.
The 605-foot tower’s paint job is part of the 60th anniversary of Seattle Center, the 74-acre campus that was built for the World’s Fair and now features a sports and performing arts stadium, cultural centers, the city’s popular independent radio station and other amenities.
The anniversary celebration, which began in April, continues for six months.
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https://localnews8.com/news/ap-idaho/2022/05/11/seattles-space-needle-painted-original-gold-for-anniversary/
| 2022-05-11T19:31:24Z
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HubSpot's second-annual Sustainability Report discloses progress and trajectory across key pillars and aligns with industry standards, including Sustainability Accounting Standards Board
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- HubSpot, the customer relationship management (CRM) platform for scaling companies, today announced the release of its 2022 Sustainability Report, highlighting HubSpot's progress and trajectory across three key pillars: investing in climate action, creating equity for our people and communities, and practicing good governance.
With so much change in the world - from the evolving pandemic to growing structural inequality, and the continued impact of a warming climate - now more than ever, HubSpot believes it's important to deliver on its purpose to build a company future generations would be proud of.
In 2021, HubSpot released its inaugural Sustainability Report, sharing progress in ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) since the company's founding in 2006. Since then, HubSpot has focused on building the foundations of a strong program to create meaningful change, including hiring a Director of ESG to steer its ESG strategy and initiatives. Disclosures in HubSpot's 2022 report are aligned with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and reference the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), The Financial Stability Board's Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), allowing HubSpot to identify, measure, and manage where it can grow better.
"Transparency is a core value at HubSpot and publishing our 2022 Sustainability Report is just one way we anchor our commitment to building a more sustainable future," said Yogesh Chauhan, Director of ESG at HubSpot. "I'm really proud of our achievements as well as our momentum, but our work is far from done. As we continue to make strides in ESG, we must keep our purpose at the centre of everything we do in order to create long-term change. I'm excited to continue to partner with HubSpotters, our customers and shareholders as we move forward in our sustainability journey."
ESG highlights from HubSpot's 2021 fiscal year and key milestones in the first half of 2022 include:
- Achieved 100% renewable energy across all building sites
- Invested in diversity at the leadership level, with four women in its C level Executive ranks and more than 50% of people leaders identifying as women
- Increased BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) employee representation to 37%
- Contributed $8M+ to communities across the globe through financial donations, investments, and employee volunteering
- Launched self-service tools to learn more about HubSpot's data privacy, security, and controls
While HubSpot has made great progress, there is more work to do. Building upon its commitment to doing better each year, HubSpot's focuses for the future include:
- Developing a roadmap toward reaching net zero and committing to science based emissions reduction targets aligned with the criteria set forth by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)
- Increasing retention of BIPOC talent and making progress on age diversity by building inclusive environments across all aspects of the employee lifecycle
- Refreshing its HubSpot Helps community impact program to bring greater focus on skills-based volunteering, allowing HubSpotters one day a year to give back through volunteering as well as the opportunity to donate to a charity of their choice through payroll giving
- Engaging and collaborating with suppliers through its Supplier Code of Conduct
With more than 5,890 employees and over 135,000 customers around the world as of December 2021, HubSpot's opportunity for greater impact is tremendous. That's why the company is taking significant steps to ensure its ESG efforts connect with HubSpot's mission, purpose, and core values.
For more information about sustainability at HubSpot and to view the 2022 Sustainability Report, visit www.hubspot.com/sustainability and follow HubSpot Life on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to stay connected with our sustainability efforts in the future.
About HubSpot
HubSpot (NYSE: HUBS) is a leading customer relationship management (CRM) platform that provides software and support to help companies grow better. The platform includes marketing, sales, service, operations, and website management products that start free and scale to meet our customers' needs at any stage of growth. Today, more than 143,000 customers across more than 120 countries use HubSpot's powerful and easy-to-use tools and integrations to attract, engage, and delight customers.
Named Glassdoor's #2 Best Place to Work in 2022, HubSpot has been recognized for its award-winning culture by Great Place to Work, Comparably, Fortune, Entrepreneur, Inc., and more. HubSpot was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The company's thousands of employees work across the globe in HubSpot offices and remotely.
Learn more at www.hubspot.com
Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding our ESG goals, commitments, and strategies, as well as related business and stakeholder impacts. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements contained in this report that are not historical facts and statements identified by words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates" or words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements reflect our current views about our plans, intentions, expectations, strategies and prospects, which are based on the information currently available to us and on assumptions we have made. Although we believe that our plans, intentions, expectations, strategies and prospects as reflected in or suggested by those forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that the plans, intentions, expectations or strategies will be attained or achieved. Furthermore, actual results may differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements and will be affected by a variety of risks and factors that are beyond our control, including the risks set forth under the caption "Risk Factors" in our SEC filings. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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| 2022-06-15T13:12:58Z
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Fentanyl behind doubling of teen overdose deaths over past decade, study says
Published: Apr. 12, 2022 at 1:44 PM CDT|Updated: 42 minutes ago
(CNN) – More and more teens are overdosing on fentanyl, according to new research.
Adolescent drug overdose deaths doubled from 2010 to 2021, according to a study published Tuesday in the Medical Journal JAMA.
The research says there were about 500 adolescent overdose deaths in 2010 and more than 1,100 in 2021.
Fentanyl was involved in more than 75% of deaths in 2021.
Researchers say the increase isn’t because more teens are using drugs. It’s because drug use is becoming more dangerous.
Annual drug overdose deaths for all ages have reached record highs in the U.S. recently.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wibw.com/2022/04/12/fentanyl-behind-doubling-teen-overdose-deaths-over-past-decade-study-says/
| 2022-04-12T19:38:57Z
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Japan’s weakening yen raised further alarm in Tokyo on Wednesday as the government reported a bigger-than-expected trade deficit largely due to soaring costs for imports of oil, food and other necessities.
The deficit of 412 billion yen ($3.2 billion) for March was lower than the previous month’s 670 billion yen but was quadruple analysts’ estimates and a reversal of the 615 billion yen surplus recorded a year earlier for the world’s third-largest economy.
The weaker yen helps make Japanese exports more competitive overseas and fattens profits when they are converted from dollars to yen, but it also raises costs both for consumers and businesses.
Japan’s finance minister, Shunichi Suzuki, and other leaders have expressed concern over the dollar’s precipitous climb, saying abrupt changes in exchange rates add to business risks.
Earlier, the concern was that the dollar would rise to the 130 yen level by the year’s end, Richard Katz, editor-in-chief of The Oriental Economist, said in a commentary.
But “The specter of an out-of-control flight from the yen is setting off alarm bells in Tokyo,” Katz said.
Suzuki was due to meet this week with U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and discuss currency issues, though it’s unclear what if anything Washington would be able to do as the Fed struggles to bring inflation under control.
The Japanese yen has weakened against the dollar as the Federal Reserve has begun raising interest rates to tamp down inflation that is at 40-year highs. Higher rates attract investors who buy dollars and sell other currencies, like the yen.
Despite rising prices for imports, Japan’s central bank has kept its key interest rate at minus 0.1% for years, trying to pull the economy out of the doldrums as the country ages and its population shrinks.
Top financial leaders of the Group of 20 industrialized economies are due to meet in Washington on Wednesday on the sidelines of meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.
“The government will communicate closely with the U.S. and other monetary authorities and respond appropriately,” Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters.
“We would like to monitor the currency’s level with a sense of urgency,” Matsuno said. He noted that Japan, the U.S. and other Group of Seven major economies have agreed that exchange rates should be decided by the markets.
Japan’s exports climbed 15% in March to 8.46 trillion yen ($65 billion), helped by a recovery in demand as coronavirus outbreaks wane and governments lift pandemic restrictions on travel and other activity. Imports rose 31% to 8.9 trillion yen ($68 billion).
Imports account for under a fifth of Japan’s economic activity but for nearly all of the oil, gas and coal used to power its economy.
Costs for imports of fuels like oil, gas and coal soared just over 80% from a year earlier in March, while imports of food jumped 22% and those of chemicals rose 42%. Meanwhile, Japan’s vehicle exports slipped 1.2%, with the number of vehicles shipped overseas dropping more than 14%
Japanese automakers and other manufacturers are struggling with production cuts due to pandemic-related disruptions in supplies of all-important computer chips and other components.
Economists are forecasting a strong rebound once such problems subside. But data show new export orders have fallen recently, suggesting export growth has remained weak in April, Tom Learmouth of Capital Economics said in a report.
“And given that there is no immediate sign of chip shortages easing for carmakers, exports will probably remain weak until later in the year,” he said.
Preliminary data for the fiscal year that ended in March showed exports jumped almost 24% but were outpaced by imports, which climbed 33%. The fiscal year deficit of 5.4 trillion yen (nearly $42 billion) was the highest in seven years.
The Bank of Japan has sought to slow the yen’s weakening and could rely on the country’s massive foreign exchange reserves to sell dollars to buy up yen. But there are limits to that sort of intervention and it’s unclear how effective it may be, economists say.
That means Japan is paying more for imports as the war in Ukraine plus rising demand from economies recovering from the pandemic push prices of oil and other commodities higher.
Japan’s bill for imports of fuels such as oil, gas and coal surged 87% in the last fiscal year, the figures showed.
Crude oil prices are about 40% higher in this year alone, with U.S. benchmark crude oil trading around $100 to the barrel and Brent crude, the international basis for pricing, slightly higher.
“In a situation like the current one, with companies still not raising prices and wages enough, a weak yen is undesirable,” Suzuki, the finance minister, told parliament earlier this week.
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https://cw33.com/business/ap-business/japan-logs-trade-deficit-in-march-on-weak-yen-pricey-oil/
| 2022-04-21T04:12:33Z
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Petuum CEO Aurick Qiao, PhD and Director of Engineering Tong Wen, PhD demoed the new Petuum Platform for scaling enterprise MLOps and announced that they are now accepting applications for private beta customers.
SUNNYVALE, Calif. and PITTSBURGH, Pa., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In their talk Supercharging MLOps with Composability, Automation, and Scalability at Open Data Science Conference (ODSC) East, Aurick Qiao, PhD and Tong Wen, PhD of machine learning startup Petuum unveiled their new enterprise MLOps platform for AI/ML teams, now in private beta.
Watch the full talk and demo here: https://hubs.ly/Q019qtj80
Petuum helps enterprise AI/ML teams operationalize and scale their machine learning pipelines to production with the world's first composable platform for MLOps. After years of development at CMU, Berkeley, and Stanford, as well as dozens of customer engagements in finance, healthcare, energy, and heavy industry, Petuum announced a limited release of their platform through an exclusive private beta for select customers.
"We have spent the last five years working with customers on the hard problems in MLOps, and have learned how to multiply AI team productivity through extensive research. The Petuum Platform helps AI teams do more with less." – Aurick Qiao, CEO
Petuum's enterprise MLOps platform is built around principles of composability, openness, and infinite extensibility. With universal standards for data, pipelines, and infrastructure, AI applications can be built from reusable building blocks and managed as part of a repeatable assembly-line process. Petuum's users don't need to worry about infrastructure or DevOps expertise, glue code, or tuning, and can instead focus on rapidly deploying more projects in less time, with less resources, and with less help from others.
"In training alone, we have seen 3 to 8 times greater time to value. Infrastructure orchestration and Pythonic deployment system are easy enough for a data scientist to use." – Tong Wen, Director of Engineering
The end-to-end platform includes the AI OS with low/no-code Kubernetes optimized for AI. Universal Pipelines allow low-expertise users to compose and execute DAGs with modular DataPacks for any kind of data. The low/no-code Deployment Manager can upgrade, reuse, and reconfigure pipelines in production with observability and user management. The platform also hosts a revolutionary experiment manager for amortized autotuning and optimizing pipelines of models and systems.
Petuum's award-winning team has grown out of the CASL open source consortium and comprises thought leaders across all categories of machine learning operations. Petuum's customers have seen improvements of 50% or more in time to value and productivity of ML team and resources. These unparalleled efficiencies only increase with scale.
"This is the Petuum omniverse. With Petuum AI OS you can wrap up anything and everything, as long as it runs with Docker and normal compute systems. In that sense, you not only have this graph system, you also want to standardize all of your pipelines." – Guowei He, Inception Institute of Artificial Intelligence
To learn how your team can rapidly #ScaleMLOps apply for the free private beta at petuum.com or email marketing@petuum.com.
About the Speakers
Aurick Qiao is the Chief Executive Officer at Petuum. Aurick received his PhD from Carnegie Mellon University, where he researched distributed machine learning systems. His work on elastic scheduling for deep learning training recently won the Jay Lepreau Best Paper Award at OSDI 2021. Together with his experience at top technology companies such as Microsoft, Facebook, and Dropbox, Aurick is building products to support the next generation of AI/ML operations.
Tong Wen is an Architect and Director of Engineering at Petuum. Tong joined Petuum from Microsoft where he was a member of the founding team of Azure Machine Learning. Tong has 10+ years of experience in building innovative and high-impact AI/ML and HPC platforms with a proven track record. Before his first startup experience in 2008, Tong was a researcher in computational science and engineering at IBM Research and Lawrence Berkley National Lab. He holds a PhD degree in applied mathematics from MIT.
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/04/petuum-unveils-enterprise-mlops-platform/
| 2022-05-04T16:48:18Z
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Second Quarter 2022 Net Income of $249.3 million or $0.80 per Diluted Share
Second Quarter 2022 Adjusted Net Operating Income (Non-GAAP) of $254.4 million or $0.81 per Diluted Share
MILWAUKEE, Aug. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MGIC Investment Corporation (NYSE: MTG) today reported operating and financial results for the second quarter of 2022. Net income for the quarter was $249.3 million, or $0.80 per diluted share, compared with net income of $153.1 million, or $0.44 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2021.
Adjusted net operating income for the second quarter of 2022 was $254.4 million, or $0.81 per diluted share, compared with $151.5 million, or $0.44 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2021. We present the non-GAAP financial measure "Adjusted net operating income" to increase the comparability between periods of our financial results. See "Use of Non-GAAP financial measures" below.
Tim Mattke, CEO of MTG and Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation ("MGIC"), stated, "We delivered strong financial results in the second quarter and meaningful returns to our shareholders. Although the housing market and consumers continue to adjust to a changing economic environment, including higher interest rates and inflation, we believe our financial strength and capital flexibility position us to achieve success for all of our stakeholders. We demonstrated the benefits of our capital position in the quarter by growing insurance in force, repurchasing stock, paying a common stock dividend, decreasing our leverage ratio and producing an annualized 21.6% return on equity."
"We remain focused on executing our business strategies, providing critical uninterrupted support to the housing market, and helping individuals and families achieve affordable and sustainable homeownership," concluded Mattke.
Second Quarter Summary
- New insurance written was $24.3 billion, compared with $19.6 billion in the first quarter of 2022 and $33.6 billion in the second quarter of 2021, primarily reflecting a decrease in the refinance market in the current year compared with the same period in the prior year.
- Persistency, or the percentage of insurance remaining in force from one year prior, was 71.5% at June 30, 2022, compared with 66.9% at March 31, 2022, and 57.1% at June 30, 2021.
- Insurance in force of $286.8 billion at June 30, 2022 increased by 3.4% during the quarter and 9.5% compared with June 30, 2021.
- Primary delinquency inventory of 26,855 loans at June 30, 2022 decreased from 30,462 loans at March 31, 2022, and 42,999 loans at June 30, 2021.
- The loss ratio for the second quarter of 2022 was (38.7)%, compared with (7.6)% for the first quarter of 2022 and 11.6% for the second quarter of 2021.
- The underwriting expense ratio associated with our insurance operations for the second quarter of 2022 was 22.4%, compared with 23.0% for the first quarter of 2022 and 22.3% for the second quarter of 2021.
- Net premium yield was 36.2 basis points in the second quarter of 2022, compared with 36.9 basis points for the first quarter of 2022 and 39.1 basis points for the second quarter of 2021.
- Book value per common share outstanding as of June 30, 2022, decreased to $14.97, or 1%, from $15.18 as of December 31, 2021 and increased by 3% from $14.48 as of June 30, 2021. (June 30, 2022 book value per common share outstanding includes ($0.97) in net unrealized gains (losses) on securities, compared with $0.47 at December 31, 2021, and $0.66 at June 30, 2021).
- We paid a dividend of $0.08 per common share to shareholders during the second quarter of 2022.
- We repurchased 7.1 million shares of common stock at an average cost of $13.19 per share.
- We repurchased $17.9 million in aggregate principal amount of our 9% Convertible Junior Debentures due 2063, reducing potentially dilutive shares by 1.4 million.
- We executed a $473.6 million excess of loss reinsurance agreement (executed through an insurance linked notes transaction) that covers the vast majority of policies issued May 29, 2021 through December 31, 2021.
- We executed an excess of loss reinsurance agreement with a panel of reinsurers, which provides up to $174.9 million of reinsurance coverage on most of our new insurance written in 2022.
- MGIC paid a $400 million dividend to our holding company.
Third Quarter 2022 Activities
- In July, we redeemed the $242.3 million of aggregate principal outstanding on our 2023 Senior Notes for $248.4, plus accrued interest.
- In July, we repurchased an additional 2.1 million shares of our common stock at an average cost of $13.31 per share.
- We declared a dividend of $0.10 per common share to shareholders payable on August 25, 2022, to shareholders of record at the close of business on August 11, 2022.
Revenues
Total revenues for the second quarter of 2022 were $293.1 million, compared with $297.9 million in the second quarter last year. The decrease primarily reflects a change in net gains (losses) on investments and other financial instruments, partially offset by an increase in net premiums earned. Premiums earned in the second quarter of 2021 were $255.7 million compared with $251.5 million for the same period last year. Net premiums written for the quarter were $244.3 million, compared with $241.7 million for the same period last year. The increase in net premiums written and earned was due to an increase in insurance in force and a decrease in ceded premiums from our quota share reinsurance transactions, partially offset by a decrease in our premium yield compared to the same period last year.
Losses and expenses
Losses incurred
Net losses incurred in the second quarter of 2022 were $(99.1) million, compared with $29.2 million in the same period last year primarily due to favorable loss development and continuing decreases in delinquency inventory. While new delinquency notices added approximately $32 million to losses incurred in the second quarter of 2022, our re-estimation of loss reserves resulted in favorable development of approximately $131 million primarily related to a decrease in the estimated claim rate on delinquencies. In the second quarter of 2021, losses incurred were primarily related to reserves established on new notices with insignificant loss development.
Underwriting and other expenses
Net underwriting and other expenses were $56.4 million in the second quarter of 2022 compared with $56.8 million in the same period last year.
Interest expense
Interest expense decreased to $13.5 million in the second quarter of 2022 from $18.0 million in the same period last year. The decrease is due to the repurchase of a portion of our 9% Convertible Junior Debentures and repayment of our Federal Home Loan Bank Advance.
Loss on debt extinguishment
The second quarter 2022 loss on debt extinguishment of $6.4 million reflects the repurchase of $17.9 million in aggregate principal amount of our 9% Convertible Junior Debentures in excess of their carrying value.
Capital
- Total consolidated shareholders' equity was $4.6 billion as of June 30, 2022, and compared with $4.9 billion as of December 31, 2021 and June 30, 2021. The decrease from December 31, 2021, and June 30, 2021 primarily reflects a decrease in the fair value of our investment portfolio and additional stock repurchases, offset by net income.
- MGIC's PMIERs Available Assets totaled $5.8 billion, or $2.6 billion above its Minimum Required Assets as of June 30, 2022, compared with PMIERs Available Assets of $5.7 billion, or $2.2 billion above its Minimum Required Assets as of December 31, 2021, and PMIERS Available Assets of $5.7 billion, or $2.3 billion above its Minimum Required Assets as of June 30, 2021.
Other Balance Sheet and Liquidity Metrics
- Total consolidated assets were $6.6 billion as of June 30, 2022, compared with $7.3 billion as of December 31, 2021, and $7.6 billion as of June 30, 2021. The decrease from December 31, 2021, and June 30, 2021 primarily reflects a decrease in the fair value of our consolidated investment portfolio due to the increase in market interest rates.
- The fair value of our consolidated investment portfolio, cash and cash equivalents was $6.1 billion as of June 30, 2022, compared with $6.9 billion as of December 31, 2021, and $7.2 billion as of June 30, 2021.
- The fair value of investments, cash and cash equivalents at the holding company was $690 million as of June 30, 2022, compared with $663 million as of December 31, 2021, and $772 million as of June 30, 2021.
- Consolidated debt was $918 million as of June 30, 2022, compared with $1.1 billion as of December 31, 2021, and $1.2 billion as of June 30, 2021.
Conference Call and Webcast Details
MGIC Investment Corporation will hold a conference call August 4, 2022, at 10 a.m. ET to allow securities analysts and shareholders the opportunity to hear management discuss the company's quarterly results. Individuals interested in joining by telephone should register for the call at https://register.vevent.com/register/BI55fded8e56ea4408bcc2d91760362f99 to receive the dial-in number and unique PIN to access the call. It is recommended that you join the call at least 10 minutes before the conference call begins. The call is also being webcast and can be accessed at the company's website at http://mtg.mgic.com/. A replay of the webcast will be available on the company's website through September 4, 2022 under "Newsroom."
About MGIC
Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation (MGIC) (www.mgic.com), the principal subsidiary of MGIC Investment Corporation, serves lenders throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and other locations helping families achieve homeownership sooner by making affordable low-down-payment mortgages a reality through the use of private mortgage insurance. At June 30, 2022, MGIC had $286.8 billion of primary insurance in force covering more than 1.1 million mortgages.
This press release, which includes certain additional statistical and other information, including non-GAAP financial information and a supplement that contains various portfolio statistics, are all available on the Company's website at https://mtg.mgic.com/ under "Newsroom."
From time to time MGIC Investment Corporation releases important information via postings on its corporate website, and via postings on MGIC's website for information related to underwriting and pricing, and intends to continue to do so in the future. Such postings include corrections of previous disclosures, and may be made without any other disclosure. Investors and other interested parties are encouraged to enroll to receive automatic email alerts and Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds regarding new postings. Enrollment information for MGIC Investment Corporation alerts can be found at https://mtg.mgic.com/shareholder-services/email-alerts. For information about our underwriting and rates, see https://www.mgic.com/underwriting.
Safe Harbor Statement
Forward Looking Statements and Risk Factors:
Our actual results could be affected by the risk factors below. These risk factors should be reviewed in connection with this press release and our periodic reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). These risk factors may also cause actual results to differ materially from the results contemplated by forward looking statements that we may make. Forward looking statements consist of statements which relate to matters other than historical fact, including matters that inherently refer to future events. Among others, statements that include words such as "believe," "anticipate," "will" or "expect," or words of similar import, are forward looking statements. We are not undertaking any obligation to update any forward looking statements or other statements we may make even though these statements may be affected by events or circumstances occurring after the forward looking statements or other statements were made. No investor should rely on the fact that such statements are current at any time other than the time at which this press release was delivered for dissemination to the public.
While we communicate with security analysts from time to time, it is against our policy to disclose to them any material non-public information or other confidential information. Accordingly, investors should not assume that we agree with any statement or report issued by any analyst irrespective of the content of the statement or report, and such reports are not our responsibility.
Use of Non-GAAP financial measures
We believe that use of the Non-GAAP measures of adjusted pre-tax operating income (loss), adjusted net operating income (loss) and adjusted net operating income (loss) per diluted share facilitate the evaluation of the company's core financial performance thereby providing relevant information to investors. These measures are not recognized in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) and should not be viewed as alternatives to GAAP measures of performance.
Adjusted pre-tax operating income (loss) is defined as GAAP income (loss) before tax, excluding the effects of net realized investment gains (losses), gain and losses on debt extinguishment, net impairment losses recognized in earnings and infrequent or unusual non-operating items where applicable.
Adjusted net operating income (loss) is defined as GAAP net income (loss) excluding the after-tax effects of net realized investment gains (losses), gain and losses on debt extinguishment, net impairment losses recognized in earnings, and infrequent or unusual non-operating items where applicable. The amounts of adjustments to components of pre-tax operating income (loss) are tax effected using a federal statutory tax rate of 21%.
Adjusted net operating income (loss) per diluted share is calculated in a manner consistent with the accounting standard regarding earnings per share by dividing (i) adjusted net operating income (loss) after making adjustments for interest expense on convertible debt, whenever the impact is dilutive, by (ii) diluted weighted average common shares outstanding, which reflects share dilution from unvested restricted stock units and from convertible debt when dilutive under the "if-converted" method.
Although adjusted pre-tax operating income (loss) and adjusted net operating income (loss) exclude certain items that have occurred in the past and are expected to occur in the future, the excluded items represent items that are: (1) not viewed as part of the operating performance of our primary activities; or (2) impacted by both discretionary and other economic or regulatory factors and are not necessarily indicative of operating trends, or both. These adjustments, along with the reasons for their treatment, are described below. Trends in the profitability of our fundamental operating activities can be more clearly identified without the fluctuations of these adjustments. Other companies may calculate these measures differently. Therefore, their measures may not be comparable to those used by us.
Risk Factors
As used below, "we," "our" and "us" refer to MGIC Investment Corporation's consolidated operations or to MGIC Investment Corporation, as the context requires; and "MGIC" refers to Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation.
Risk Factors Relating to Global Events
The COVID-19 pandemic may materially impact our future financial results, business, liquidity and/or financial condition.
The COVID-19 pandemic materially impacted our 2020 financial results and, while uncertain, it may also materially impact our future financial results, business, liquidity and/or financial condition. The magnitude of the impact will be influenced by various factors, including the length and severity of the pandemic in the United States, efforts to reduce the transmission of COVID-19, the level of unemployment, government initiatives and actions taken by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the "GSEs") (including mortgage forbearance and modification programs) to mitigate the economic harm caused by COVID-19.
The COVID-19 pandemic may impact our business in various ways, including the following which are described in more detail in the remainder of these risk factors:
- Our incurred losses will increase if loan delinquencies increase. We establish reserves for insurance losses when delinquency notices are received on loans that are two or more payments past due and for loans we estimate are delinquent prior to the close of the accounting period but for which delinquency notices have not yet been received (which are included in "IBNR"). In addition, our estimates of the number of delinquencies for which we will ultimately receive claims, and the amount, or severity, of each claim, may increase.
- We may be required to maintain more capital under the private mortgage insurer eligibility requirements ("PMIERs") of the GSEs, which generally require more capital to be held for delinquent loans than for performing loans and require more capital to be held as the number of payments missed on delinquent loans increases.
- If the number of delinquencies increases, the number of claims we must pay over time will generally increase.
- Our access to the reinsurance and capital markets may be limited and the terms under which we are able to access such markets may be negatively impacted.
The Russia-Ukraine war and/or other global events may adversely affect the U.S. economy and our business.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has increased the already-elevated inflation rate, added more pressure to strained supply chains, and has increased volatility in the domestic and global financial markets. The war has impacted, and may impact, our business in various ways, including the following which are described in more detail in the remainder of these risk factors:
- The terms under which we are able to obtain excess-of-loss ("XOL") reinsurance through the insurance-linked notes ("ILN") market have been negatively impacted and terms under which we are able to access that market in the future may be less attractive.
- The risk of a cybersecurity incident that affects our company may have increased.
- An extended or broadened war may negatively impact the domestic economy, which may increase unemployment and inflation, or decrease home prices, in each case leading to an increase in loan delinquencies.
- The volatility in the financial markets may impact the performance of our investment portfolio and our investment portfolio may include investments in companies or securities that are negatively impacted by the war.
Risk Factors Relating to the Mortgage Insurance Industry and its Regulation
Downturns in the domestic economy or declines in home prices may result in more homeowners defaulting and our losses increasing, with a corresponding decrease in our returns.
Losses result from events that reduce a borrower's ability or willingness to make mortgage payments, such as unemployment, health issues, changes in family status, and decreases in home prices that result in the borrower's mortgage balance exceeding the net value of the home. A deterioration in economic conditions, including an increase in unemployment, generally increases the likelihood that borrowers will not have sufficient income to pay their mortgages and can also adversely affect home prices.
High levels of unemployment may result in an increasing number of loan delinquencies and an increasing number of insurance claims; however, unemployment is difficult to predict given the uncertainty in the current market environment, including as a result of global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the possibility of an economic recession. Since the beginning of 2021, inflation has increased dramatically. The impact that higher inflation rates will have on loan delinquencies is unknown.
The seasonally-adjusted Purchase-Only U.S. Home Price Index of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (the "FHFA"), which is based on single-family properties whose mortgages have been purchased or securitized by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, indicates that home prices increased by 8.2% in the first five months of 2022, after increasing by 17.9%, 11.7%, and 5.9% in 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The national average price-to-income ratio exceeds its historical average, in part as a result of recent home price appreciation outpacing increases in income. Home prices may decline even absent a deterioration in economic conditions due to declines in demand for homes, which in turn may result from changes in buyers' perceptions of the potential for future appreciation, restrictions on and the cost of mortgage credit due to more stringent underwriting standards, higher interest rates, changes to the tax deductibility of mortgage interest, decreases in the rate of household formations, or other factors. The significant increase in interest rates in recent months may put downward pressure on home prices.
The future impact of COVID-19-related forbearance and foreclosure mitigation activities is unknown.
Forbearance for federally-insured mortgages (including those delivered to or purchased by the GSEs) whose borrowers were affected by COVID-19 allows mortgage payments to be suspended for a period generally ranging from 6 to 18 months. Historically, forbearance plans have reduced the incidence of our losses on affected loans. However, given the uncertainty surrounding the long-term economic impact of COVID-19, it is difficult to predict the ultimate effect of COVID-19 related forbearances on our loss incidence. Whether a loan delinquency will cure, including through modification, when forbearance ends will depend on the economic circumstances of the borrower at that time. The severity of losses associated with delinquencies that do not cure will depend on economic conditions at that time, including home prices.
Foreclosures on mortgages purchased or securitized by the GSEs were suspended through July 31, 2021. Under a CFPB rule that was effective through December 31, 2021, with limited exceptions, servicers were required to ensure that at least one temporary procedural safeguard had been met before referring 120-day delinquent loans for foreclosure. Given the expiration of the CFPB rule, it is likely that foreclosures and claims will increase.
We may not continue to meet the GSEs' private mortgage insurer eligibility requirements and our returns may decrease if we are required to maintain more capital in order to maintain our eligibility.
We must comply with a GSE's PMIERs to be eligible to insure loans delivered to or purchased by that GSE. The PMIERs include financial requirements, as well as business, quality control and certain transaction approval requirements. The financial requirements of the PMIERs require a mortgage insurer's "Available Assets" (generally only the most liquid assets of an insurer) to equal or exceed its "Minimum Required Assets" (which are generally based on an insurer's book of risk in force and calculated from tables of factors with several risk dimensions, reduced for credit given for risk ceded under reinsurance agreements).
Based on our interpretation of the PMIERs, as of June 30, 2022, MGIC's Available Assets totaled $5.8 billion, or $2.6 billion in excess of its Minimum Required Assets. MGIC is in compliance with the PMIERs and eligible to insure loans purchased by the GSEs. Our "Minimum Required Assets" reflect a credit for risk ceded under our quota share reinsurance ("QSR") and XOL reinsurance transactions, which are discussed in our risk factor titled "The mix of business we write affects our Minimum Required Assets under the PMIERs, our premium yields and the likelihood of losses occurring." The calculated credit for XOL reinsurance transactions under PMIERs is generally based on the PMIERs requirement of the covered loans and the attachment and detachment points of the coverage, all of which fluctuate over time. PMIERs credit is generally not given for the reinsured risk above the PMIERs requirement. The GSEs have discretion to further limit reinsurance credit under the PMIERs. Refer to "Consolidated Results of Operations – Reinsurance Transactions" in Part I, Item 2 of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for information about the calculated PMIERs credit for our XOL transactions. There is a risk we will not receive our current level of credit in future periods for ceded risk. In addition, we may not receive the same level of credit under future reinsurance transactions that we receive under existing transactions. If MGIC is not allowed certain levels of credit under the PMIERs, under certain circumstances, MGIC may terminate the reinsurance transactions without penalty.
The PMIERs generally require us to hold significantly more Minimum Required Assets for delinquent loans than for performing loans and the Minimum Required Assets required to be held increases as the number of payments missed on a delinquent loan increases. If the number of loan delinquencies increases for reasons discussed in these risk factors, or otherwise, it may cause our Minimum Required Assets to exceed our Available Assets. We are unable to predict the ultimate number of loans that will become delinquent.
If our Available Assets fall below our Minimum Required Assets, we would not be in compliance with the PMIERs. The PMIERs provide a list of remediation actions for a mortgage insurer's non-compliance, with additional actions possible in the GSEs' discretion. At the extreme, the GSEs may suspend or terminate our eligibility to insure loans purchased by them. Such suspension or termination would significantly reduce the volume of our new insurance written ("NIW"), the substantial majority of which is for loans delivered to or purchased by the GSEs. In addition to the increase in Minimum Required Assets associated with delinquent loans, factors that may negatively impact MGIC's ability to continue to comply with the financial requirements of the PMIERs include the following:
- The GSEs may make the PMIERs more onerous in the future. The PMIERs provide that the factors that determine Minimum Required Assets will be updated periodically, or as needed if there is a significant change in macroeconomic conditions or loan performance. We do not anticipate that the regular periodic updates will occur more frequently than once every two years. The PMIERs state that the GSEs will provide notice 180 days prior to the effective date of updates to the factors; however, the GSEs may amend the PMIERs at any time, including by imposing restrictions specific to our company.
- The PMIERs may be changed in response to the final regulatory capital framework for the GSEs that was published in February 2022.
- Our future operating results may be negatively impacted by the matters discussed in the rest of these risk factors. Such matters could decrease our revenues, increase our losses or require the use of assets, thereby creating a shortfall in Available Assets.
Should capital be needed by MGIC in the future, capital contributions from our holding company may not be available due to competing demands on holding company resources, including for repayment of debt.
Because we establish loss reserves only upon a loan delinquency rather than based on estimates of our ultimate losses on risk in force, losses may have a disproportionate adverse effect on our earnings in certain periods.
In accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, we establish case reserves for insurance losses and loss adjustment expenses only when delinquency notices are received for insured loans that are two or more payments past due and for loans we estimate are delinquent but for which delinquency notices have not yet been received (which we include in "IBNR"). Losses that may occur from loans that are not delinquent are not reflected in our financial statements, except when a "premium deficiency" is recorded. A premium deficiency would be recorded if the present value of expected future losses and expenses exceeds the present value of expected future premiums and already established loss reserves on the applicable loans. As a result, future losses incurred on loans that are not currently delinquent may have a material impact on future results as delinquencies emerge. As of June 30, 2022, we had established case reserves and reported losses incurred for 26,855 loans in our delinquency inventory and our IBNR reserve totaled $21 million. The number of loans in our delinquency inventory may increase from that level as a result of economic conditions relating to current global events or other factors and our losses incurred may increase.
Because loss reserve estimates are subject to uncertainties, paid claims may be substantially different than our loss reserves.
When we establish case reserves, we estimate our ultimate loss on delinquent loans by estimating the number of such loans that will result in a claim payment (the "claim rate"), and further estimating the amount of the claim payment (the "claim severity"). Changes to our claim rate and claim severity estimates could have a material impact on our future results, even in a stable economic environment. Our estimates incorporate anticipated cures, loss mitigation activity, rescissions and curtailments. The establishment of loss reserves is subject to inherent uncertainty and requires significant judgment by management. Our actual claim payments may differ substantially from our loss reserve estimates. Our estimates could be affected by several factors, including a change in regional or national economic conditions as discussed in these risk factors, the impact of government and GSE actions taken to mitigate the economic harm caused by the COVID-19 pandemic (including foreclosure moratoriums and mortgage forbearance and modification programs); efforts to reduce the transmission of COVID-19; and a change in the length of time loans are delinquent before claims are received. All else being equal, the longer a loan is delinquent before a claim is received, the greater the severity. As a result of foreclosure moratoriums and forbearance programs, the average time it takes to receive claims has increased. Economic conditions may differ from region to region. Information about the geographic dispersion of our risk in force and delinquency inventory can be found in our Annual Reports on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Losses incurred generally have followed a seasonal trend in which the second half of the year has weaker credit performance than the first half, with higher new default notice activity and a lower cure rate; however, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic affected this pattern in 2020 and 2021.
The amount of insurance we write could be adversely affected if lenders and investors select alternatives to private mortgage insurance.
Alternatives to private mortgage insurance include:
- investors using risk mitigation and credit risk transfer techniques other than private mortgage insurance, or accepting credit risk without credit enhancement,
- lenders and other investors holding mortgages in portfolio and self-insuring,
- lenders using Federal Housing Administration ("FHA"), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ("VA") and other government mortgage insurance programs, and
- lenders originating mortgages using piggyback structures to avoid private mortgage insurance, such as a first mortgage with an 80% loan-to-value ("LTV") ratio and a second mortgage with a 10%, 15% or 20% LTV ratio rather than a first mortgage with a 90%, 95% or 100% LTV ratio that has private mortgage insurance.
The GSEs' charters generally require credit enhancement for a low down payment mortgage loan (a loan in an amount that exceeds 80% of a home's value) in order for such loan to be eligible for purchase by the GSEs. Private mortgage insurance generally has been purchased by lenders in primary mortgage market transactions to satisfy this credit enhancement requirement. In 2018, the GSEs initiated secondary mortgage market programs with loan level mortgage default coverage provided by various (re)insurers that are not mortgage insurers governed by PMIERs, and that are not selected by the lenders. These programs, which currently account for a small percentage of the low down payment market, compete with traditional private mortgage insurance and, due to differences in policy terms, they may offer premium rates that are below prevalent single premium lender-paid mortgage insurance ("LPMI") rates. We participate in these programs from time to time. See our risk factor titled "Changes in the business practices of the GSEs, federal legislation that changes their charters or a restructuring of the GSEs could reduce our revenues or increase our losses" for a discussion of various business practices of the GSEs that may be changed, including through expansion or modification of these programs.
The GSEs (and other investors) have also used other forms of credit enhancement that did not involve traditional private mortgage insurance, such as engaging in credit-linked note transactions executed in the capital markets, or using other forms of debt issuances or securitizations that transfer credit risk directly to other investors, including competitors and an affiliate of MGIC; using other risk mitigation techniques in conjunction with reduced levels of private mortgage insurance coverage; or accepting credit risk without credit enhancement.
The FHA's share of the low down payment residential mortgages that were subject to FHA, VA, USDA or primary private mortgage insurance was 26.0% in the first quarter of 2022, 24.7% in 2021, and 23.4% in 2020. Beginning in 2012, the FHA's share has been as low as 23.4% (in 2020) and as high as 42.1% (in 2012). Factors that influence the FHA's market share include relative rates and fees, underwriting guidelines and loan limits of the FHA, VA, private mortgage insurers and the GSEs; lenders' perceptions of legal risks under FHA versus GSE programs; flexibility for the FHA to establish new products as a result of federal legislation and programs; returns expected to be obtained by lenders for Ginnie Mae securitization of FHA-insured loans compared to those obtained from selling loans to the GSEs for securitization; and differences in policy terms, such as the ability of a borrower to cancel insurance coverage under certain circumstances. The focus of the Presidential Administration on equitable housing finance and sustainable housing opportunities increases the likelihood of a reduction in the FHA's mortgage insurance premium rates. Such a rate reduction would negatively impact our NIW; however, given the many factors that influence the FHA's market share, it is difficult to predict the impact. In addition, we cannot predict how the factors that affect the FHA's share of new insurance written will change in the future.
The VA's share of the low down payment residential mortgages that were subject to FHA, VA, USDA or primary private mortgage insurance was 28.2% in the first quarter of 2022, 30.2% in 2021, and 30.9% in 2020. Beginning in 2012, the VA's share has been as low as 22.8% (in 2013) and as high as 30.9% (in 2020). We believe that the VA's market share has generally been elevated in recent years because of an increase in the number of borrowers that are eligible for the VA's program, which offers 100% LTV ratio loans and charges a one-time funding fee that can be included in the loan amount, and because eligible borrowers have opted to use the VA program when refinancing their mortgages.
Changes in the business practices of the GSEs, federal legislation that changes their charters or a restructuring of the GSEs could reduce our revenues or increase our losses.
The substantial majority of our NIW is for loans purchased by the GSEs; therefore, the business practices of the GSEs greatly impact our business. In June 2022 the GSEs each published their Equitable Housing Finance Plans. The Plans seek to advance equity in housing finance over a three year period and include potential changes to the GSEs' business practices and policies. Specifically relating to mortgage insurance, (1) Fannie Mae's Plan contemplates the creation of special purchase credit program(s) (SPCPs) targeted to historically underserved borrowers with a goal of lowering costs for such borrowers through lower than standard mortgage insurance requirements; and (2) Freddie Mac's Plan contemplates the creation of SPCPs targeted to historically underserved borrowers with a goal of (a) working with mortgage insurers to reduce costs for high LTV borrowers and (b) updating mortgage insurance cancellation requirements. To the extent the business practices and policies of the GSEs regarding mortgage insurance coverage, costs and cancellation change, including more broadly than through SPCPs, such changes may negatively impact the mortgage insurance industry.
Other GSEs' business practices that affect the mortgage insurance industry include:
- The GSEs' PMIERs, the financial requirements of which are discussed in our risk factor titled "We may not continue to meet the GSEs' private mortgage insurer eligibility requirements and our returns may decrease if we are required to maintain more capital in order to maintain our eligibility."
- The capital and collateral requirements for participants in the GSEs' alternative forms of credit enhancement discussed in our risk factor titled "The amount of insurance we write could be adversely affected if lenders and investors select alternatives to private mortgage insurance."
- The level of private mortgage insurance coverage, subject to the limitations of the GSEs' charters, when private mortgage insurance is used as the required credit enhancement on low down payment mortgages (the GSEs generally require a level of mortgage insurance coverage that is higher than the level of coverage required by their charters; any change in the required level of coverage will impact our new risk written).
- The amount of loan level price adjustments and guaranty fees (which result in higher costs to borrowers) that the GSEs assess on loans that require private mortgage insurance. The requirements of the new GSE capital framework may lead the GSEs to increase their guaranty fees. In addition, the FHFA has indicated that it is reviewing the GSEs' pricing in connection with preparing them to exit conservatorship and to ensure that pricing subsidies benefit only affordable housing activities.
- Whether the GSEs select or influence the mortgage lender's selection of the mortgage insurer providing coverage.
- The underwriting standards that determine which loans are eligible for purchase by the GSEs, which can affect the quality of the risk insured by the mortgage insurer and the availability of mortgage loans.
- The terms on which mortgage insurance coverage can be canceled before reaching the cancellation thresholds established by law and the business practices associated with such cancellations. For more information, see the above discussion of the GSEs' Equitable Housing Plans and our risk factor titled "Changes in interest rates, house prices or mortgage insurance cancellation requirements may change the length of time that our policies remain in force."
- The programs established by the GSEs intended to avoid or mitigate loss on insured mortgages and the circumstances in which mortgage servicers must implement such programs.
- The terms that the GSEs require to be included in mortgage insurance policies for loans that they purchase, including limitations on the rescission rights of mortgage insurers.
- The extent to which the GSEs intervene in mortgage insurers' claims paying practices, rescission practices or rescission settlement practices with lenders.
- The maximum loan limits of the GSEs compared to those of the FHA and other investors.
- The benchmarks established by the FHFA for loans to be purchased by the GSEs, which can affect the loans available to be insured. In December 2021, the FHFA established the benchmark levels for 2022-2024 purchases of low-income home mortgages, very low-income home mortgages and low-income refinance mortgages, each of which exceeded the 2021 benchmarks. The FHFA also established two new sub-goals: one targeting minority communities and the other targeting low-income neighborhoods.
The FHFA has been the conservator of the GSEs since 2008 and has the authority to control and direct their operations. The increased role that the federal government has assumed in the residential housing finance system through the GSE conservatorship may increase the likelihood that the business practices of the GSEs change, including through administrative action, in ways that have a material adverse effect on us and that the charters of the GSEs are changed by new federal legislation.
It is uncertain what role the GSEs, FHA and private capital, including private mortgage insurance, will play in the residential housing finance system in the future. The timing and impact on our business of any resulting changes are uncertain. Many of the proposed changes would require Congressional action to implement and it is difficult to estimate when Congressional action would be final and how long any associated phase-in period may last.
Reinsurance may not always be available or its cost may increase.
We have in place QSR and XOL reinsurance transactions providing various amounts of coverage on 94% of our risk in force as of June 30, 2022. Refer to Note 4 – "Reinsurance" and "Consolidated Results of Operations – Reinsurance Transactions" in Part I, Items 1 and 2, respectively, of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for more information about coverage under our reinsurance transactions. The reinsurance transactions reduce the tail-risk associated with stress scenarios. As a result, they reduce the capital that we are required to hold to support the risk and they allow us to earn higher returns on our business than we would without them. However, reinsurance may not always be available to us or available on similar terms, the reinsurance transactions subject us to counterparty credit risk, and the GSEs may change the credit they allow under the PMIERs for risk ceded under our reinsurance transactions. Most of our XOL transactions were entered into in capital market transactions with special purpose insurers that issued notes linked to the reinsurance coverage ("Insurance Linked Notes" or "ILNs"). Our access to XOL reinsurance through the ILN market may be disrupted and the terms under which we are able to access that market may be less attractive than in the past due to volatility stemming from circumstances such as higher interest rates, increased inflation and the Russia-Ukraine war. If we are unable to obtain reinsurance for our insurance written, the capital required to support our insurance written will not be reduced as discussed above and our returns may decrease absent an increase in our premium rates. An increase in our premium rates may lead to a decrease in our NIW.
We are subject to comprehensive regulation and other requirements, which we may fail to satisfy.
We are subject to comprehensive regulation, including by state insurance departments. Many regulations are designed for the protection of our insured policyholders and consumers, rather than for the benefit of investors. Mortgage insurers, including MGIC, have in the past been involved in litigation and regulatory actions related to alleged violations of the anti-referral fee provisions of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act ("RESPA"), and the notice provisions of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ("FCRA"). While these proceedings in the aggregate did not result in material liability for MGIC, there can be no assurance that the outcome of future proceedings, if any, under these laws would not have a material adverse effect on us. To the extent that we are construed to make independent credit decisions in connection with our contract underwriting activities, we also could be subject to increased regulatory requirements under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act ("ECOA"), FCRA, and other laws. Under relevant laws, examination may also be made of whether a mortgage insurer's underwriting decisions have a disparate impact on persons belonging to a protected class in violation of the law.
Although their scope varies, state insurance laws generally grant broad supervisory powers to agencies or officials to examine insurance companies and enforce rules or exercise discretion affecting almost every significant aspect of the insurance business, including payment for the referral of insurance business, premium rates and discrimination in pricing, and minimum capital requirements. The increased use, by the private mortgage insurance industry, of risk-based pricing systems that establish premium rates based on more attributes than previously considered, and of algorithms, artificial intelligence and data and analytics, has led to additional regulatory scrutiny of premium rates and of other matters such as discrimination in pricing and underwriting, data privacy and access to insurance. For more information about state capital requirements, see our risk factor titled "State capital requirements may prevent us from continuing to write new insurance on an uninterrupted basis." For information about regulation of data privacy, see our risk factor titled "We could be adversely affected if personal information on consumers that we maintain is improperly disclosed; our information technology systems are damaged or their operations are interrupted; or our automated processes do not operate as expected." For more details about the various ways in which our subsidiaries are regulated, see "Business - Regulation" in Item 1 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021.
While we have established policies and procedures to comply with applicable laws and regulations, many such laws and regulations are complex and it is not possible to predict the eventual scope, duration or outcome of any reviews or investigations nor is it possible to predict their effect on us or the mortgage insurance industry.
If the volume of low down payment home mortgage originations declines, the amount of insurance that we write could decline.
The factors that may affect the volume of low down payment mortgage originations include the health of the U.S. economy, conditions in regional and local economies and the level of consumer confidence; restrictions on mortgage credit due to more stringent underwriting standards, liquidity issues or risk-retention and/or capital requirements affecting lenders; the level of home mortgage interest rates; housing affordability; new and existing housing availability; the rate of household formation, which is influenced, in part, by population and immigration trends; homeownership rates; the rate of home price appreciation, which in times of heavy refinancing can affect whether refinanced loans have LTV ratios that require private mortgage insurance; and government housing policy encouraging loans to first-time homebuyers. A decline in the volume of low down payment home mortgage originations could decrease demand for mortgage insurance and limit our NIW. For other factors that could decrease the demand for mortgage insurance, see our risk factor titled "The amount of insurance we write could be adversely affected if lenders and investors select alternatives to private mortgage insurance."
State capital requirements may prevent us from continuing to write new insurance on an uninterrupted basis.
The insurance laws of 16 jurisdictions, including Wisconsin, MGIC's domiciliary state, require a mortgage insurer to maintain a minimum amount of statutory capital relative to its risk in force (or a similar measure) in order for the mortgage insurer to continue to write new business. We refer to these requirements as the "State Capital Requirements." While they vary among jurisdictions, the most common State Capital Requirements allow for a maximum risk-to-capital ratio of 25 to 1. A risk-to-capital ratio will increase if (i) the percentage decrease in capital exceeds the percentage decrease in insured risk, or (ii) the percentage increase in capital is less than the percentage increase in insured risk. Wisconsin does not regulate capital by using a risk-to-capital measure but instead requires a minimum policyholder position ("MPP"). MGIC's "policyholder position" includes its net worth or surplus, and its contingency reserve.
At June 30, 2022 MGIC's risk-to-capital ratio was 9.7 to 1, below the maximum allowed by the jurisdictions with State Capital Requirements, and its policyholder position was $3.5 billion above the required MPP of $1.9 billion. Our risk-to-capital ratio and MPP reflect full credit for the risk ceded under our quota share reinsurance and excess of loss transactions with unaffiliated reinsurers. It is possible that under the revised State Capital Requirements discussed below, MGIC will not be allowed full credit for the risk ceded under such transactions. If MGIC is not allowed an agreed level of credit under the State Capital Requirements, MGIC may terminate the reinsurance transactions, without penalty.
The NAIC previously announced plans to revise the State Capital Requirements that are provided for in its Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Model Act. In December 2019, a working group of state regulators released an exposure draft of a revised Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Model Act and a risk-based capital framework to establish capital requirements for mortgage insurers, although no date has been established by which the NAIC must propose revisions to the capital requirements and certain items have not yet been completely addressed by the framework, including the treatment of ceded risk and minimum capital floors.
While MGIC currently meets the State Capital Requirements of Wisconsin and all other jurisdictions, it could be prevented from writing new business in the future in all jurisdictions if it fails to meet the State Capital Requirements of Wisconsin, or it could be prevented from writing new business in a particular jurisdiction if it fails to meet the State Capital Requirements of that jurisdiction, and in each case if MGIC does not obtain a waiver of such requirements. It is possible that regulatory action by one or more jurisdictions, including those that do not have specific State Capital Requirements, may prevent MGIC from continuing to write new insurance in such jurisdictions. If we are unable to write business in a particular jurisdiction, lenders may be unwilling to procure insurance from us anywhere. In addition, a lender's assessment of the future ability of our insurance operations to meet the State Capital Requirements or the PMIERs may affect its willingness to procure insurance from us. In this regard, see our risk factor titled "Competition or changes in our relationships with our customers could reduce our revenues, reduce our premium yields and/or increase our losses." A possible future failure by MGIC to meet the State Capital Requirements or the PMIERs will not necessarily mean that MGIC lacks sufficient resources to pay claims on its insurance liabilities. You should read the rest of these risk factors for information about matters that could negatively affect MGIC's compliance with State Capital Requirements and its claims paying resources, including the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
We are susceptible to disruptions in the servicing of mortgage loans that we insure and we rely on third-party reporting for information regarding the mortgage loans we insure.
We depend on reliable, consistent third-party servicing of the loans that we insure. An increase in delinquent loans may result in liquidity issues for servicers. When a mortgage loan that is collateral for a mortgage backed security ("MBS") becomes delinquent, the servicer is usually required to continue to pay principal and interest to the MBS investors, generally for four months, even though the servicer is not receiving payments from borrowers. This may cause liquidity issues for especially non-bank servicers (who service approximately 47% of the loans underlying our insurance in force as of June 30, 2022) because they do not have the same sources of liquidity that bank servicers have.
While there has been no disruption in our premium receipts through the end of June 2022, servicers who experience future liquidity issues may be less likely to advance premiums to us on policies covering delinquent loans or to remit premiums on policies covering loans that are not delinquent. Our policies generally allow us to cancel coverage on loans that are not delinquent if the premiums are not paid within a grace period.
An increase in delinquent loans or a transfer of servicing resulting from liquidity issues, may increase the operational burden on servicers, cause a disruption in the servicing of delinquent loans and reduce servicers' abilities to undertake mitigation efforts that could help limit our losses.
The information presented in this report and on our website with respect to the mortgage loans we insure is based on information reported to us by third parties, including the servicers and originators of the mortgage loans, and information presented may be subject to lapses or inaccuracies in reporting from such third parties. In many cases, we may not be aware that information reported to us is incorrect until such time as a claim is made against us under the relevant insurance policy. We do not consistently receive monthly policy status information from servicers for single premium policies, and may not be aware that the mortgage loans insured by such policies have been repaid. We periodically attempt to determine if coverage is still in force on such policies by asking the last servicer of record or through the periodic reconciliation of loan information with certain servicers. It may be possible that our reports continue to reflect, as active, policies on mortgage loans that have been repaid.
Changes in interest rates, house prices or mortgage insurance cancellation requirements may change the length of time that our policies remain in force.
The premium from a single premium policy is collected upfront and generally earned over the estimated life of the policy. In contrast, premiums from monthly and annual premium policies are received each month or year, as applicable, and earned each month over the life of the policy. In each year, most of our premiums earned are from insurance that has been written in prior years. As a result, the length of time insurance remains in force, which is generally measured by persistency (the percentage of our insurance remaining in force from one year prior), is a significant determinant of our revenues. A higher than expected persistency rate may decrease the profitability from single premium policies because they will remain in force longer and may increase the incidence of claims than was estimated when the policies were written. A low persistency rate on monthly and annual premium policies will reduce future premiums but may also reduce the incidence of claims, while a high persistency on those policies will increase future premiums but may increase the incidence of claims.
Our persistency rate was 71.5% at June 30, 2022, 62.6% at December 31, 2021, and 60.5% at December 31, 2020. Since 2000, our year-end persistency ranged from a high of 84.7% at December 31, 2009 to a low of 47.1% at December 31, 2003. Our persistency rate is primarily affected by the level of current mortgage interest rates compared to the mortgage coupon rates on our insurance in force, which affects the vulnerability of the insurance in force to refinancing; and the current amount of equity that borrowers have in the homes underlying our insurance in force. The amount of equity affects persistency in the following ways:
- Borrowers with significant equity may be able to refinance their loans without requiring mortgage insurance.
- The Homeowners Protection Act ("HOPA") requires servicers to cancel mortgage insurance when a borrower's LTV ratio meets or is scheduled to meet certain levels, generally based on the original value of the home and subject to various conditions.
- The GSEs' mortgage insurance cancellation guidelines apply more broadly than HOPA and also consider a home's current value. For example, borrowers may request cancellation of mortgage insurance based on the home's current value if certain LTV and seasoning requirements are met and the borrowers have an acceptable payment history. For loans seasoned between two and five years, the LTV ratio must be 75% or less, and for loans seasoned more than five years the LTV ratio must be 80% or less. For more information about the GSEs guidelines and business practices, and how they may change, see our risk factor titled "Changes in the business practices of the GSEs, federal legislation that changes their charters or a restructuring of the GSEs could reduce our revenues or increase our losses."
Pandemics, hurricanes and other natural disasters may impact our incurred losses, the amount and timing of paid claims, our inventory of notices of default and our Minimum Required Assets under PMIERs.
Pandemics and other natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires and floods, or other events related to changing climatic conditions, could trigger an economic downturn in the affected areas, or in areas with similar risks, which could result in a decline in our business and an increased claim rate on policies in those areas. Natural disasters, rising sea levels and/or fresh water shortages could lead to a decrease in home prices in the affected areas, or in areas with similar risks, which could result in an increase in claim severity on policies in those areas. In addition, the inability of a borrower to obtain hazard and/or flood insurance, or the increased cost of such insurance, could lead to an increase in delinquencies or a decrease in home prices in the affected areas. If we were to attempt to limit our new insurance written in affected areas, lenders may be unwilling to procure insurance from us anywhere.
Pandemics and other natural disasters could also lead to increased reinsurance rates or reduced availability of reinsurance. This may cause us to retain more risk than we otherwise would retain and could negatively affect our compliance with the financial requirements of the PMIERs.
The PMIERs require us to maintain significantly more "Minimum Required Assets" for delinquent loans than for performing loans; however, the increase in Minimum Required Assets is not as great for certain delinquent loans in areas that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has declared major disaster areas and for certain loans whose borrowers have been affected by COVID-19. See our risk factor titled "We may not continue to meet the GSEs' private mortgage insurer eligibility requirements and our returns may decrease if we are required to maintain more capital in order to maintain our eligibility."
In January 2021, the FHFA issued a Request for Input ("RFI") regarding Climate and Natural Disaster Risk Management at the Regulated Entities (i.e., the GSEs and the Federal Home Loan Banks). The FHFA has instructed the GSEs to designate climate change as a priority concern and actively consider its effects in their decision making. It is possible that efforts to manage this risk by the FHFA, GSEs (including through GSE guideline or mortgage insurance policy changes) or others could materially impact the volume and characteristics of our NIW (including its policy terms), home prices in certain areas and defaults by borrowers in certain areas.
Risk Factors Relating to Our Business Generally
The premiums we charge may not be adequate to compensate us for our liabilities for losses and as a result any inadequacy could materially affect our financial condition and results of operations.
When we set our premiums at policy issuance, we have expectations regarding likely performance of the insured risks over the long term. Generally, we cannot cancel mortgage insurance coverage or adjust renewal premiums during the life of a policy. As a result, higher than anticipated claims generally cannot be offset by premium increases on policies in force or mitigated by our non-renewal or cancellation of insurance coverage. Our premiums are subject to approval by state regulatory agencies, which can delay or limit our ability to increase premiums on future policies. In addition, our customized rate plans may delay our ability to increase premiums on future policies covered by such plans. The premiums we charge, the investment income we earn and the amount of reinsurance we carry may not be adequate to compensate us for the risks and costs associated with the insurance coverage provided to customers. An increase in the number or size of claims, compared to what we anticipated when we set the premiums, could adversely affect our results of operations or financial condition. Our premium rates are also based in part on the amount of capital we are required to hold against the insured risk. If the amount of capital we are required to hold increases from the amount we were required to hold when we set the premiums, our returns may be lower than we assumed. For a discussion of the amount of capital we are required to hold, see our risk factor titled "We may not continue to meet the GSEs' private mortgage insurer eligibility requirements and our returns may decrease if we are required to maintain more capital in order to maintain our eligibility."
Competition or changes in our relationships with our customers could reduce our revenues, reduce our premium yields and / or increase our losses.
The private mortgage insurance industry is highly competitive and is expected to remain so. We believe we currently compete with other private mortgage insurers based on premium rates, underwriting requirements, financial strength (including based on credit or financial strength ratings), customer relationships, name recognition, reputation, strength of management teams and field organizations, the ancillary products and services provided to lenders and the effective use of technology and innovation in the delivery and servicing of our mortgage insurance products.
Our relationships with our customers, which may affect the amount of our NIW, could be adversely affected by a variety of factors, including if our premium rates are higher than those of our competitors, our underwriting requirements are more restrictive than those of our competitors, or our customers are dissatisfied with our claims-paying practices (including insurance policy rescissions and claim curtailments).
In recent years, the industry has materially reduced its use of standard rate cards, which were fairly consistent among competitors, and correspondingly increased its use of (i) pricing systems that use a spectrum of filed rates to allow for formulaic, risk-based pricing based on multiple attributes that may be quickly adjusted within certain parameters, and (ii) customized rate plans, both of which typically have rates lower than the standard rate card. Our increased use of reinsurance over the past several years, and the improved credit profile and reduced loss expectations associated with loans insured after 2008, have helped to mitigate the negative effect of declining premium rates on our expected returns. However, refer to our risk factor titled "Reinsurance may not always be available or its cost may increase" for a discussion of the risks associated with the availability of reinsurance, and our risk factors titled "Downturns in the domestic economy or declines in home prices may result in more homeowners defaulting and our losses increasing, with a corresponding decrease in our returns," and "Pandemics, hurricanes and other natural disasters may impact our incurred losses, the amount and timing of paid claims, our inventory of notices of default and our Minimum Required Assets under PMIERs" for a discussion about risks associated with our NIW.
The widespread use of risk-based pricing systems by the private mortgage insurance industry makes it more difficult to compare our rates to those offered by our competitors. We may not be aware of industry rate changes until we observe that our volume of NIW has changed. In addition, business under customized rate plans is awarded by certain customers for only limited periods of time. As a result, our NIW may fluctuate more than it had in the past. Regarding the concentration of our new business, our top ten customers accounted for approximately 33% and 40% in the twelve months ended June 30, 2022 and June 30, 2021, respectively.
We monitor various competitive and economic factors while seeking to balance both profitability and market share considerations in developing our pricing strategies. Premium rates on NIW will change our premium yield (net premiums earned divided by the average insurance in force) over time as older insurance policies run off and new insurance policies with premium rates that are generally lower are written.
Certain of our competitors have access to capital at a lower cost than we do (including, through off-shore intercompany reinsurance vehicles, which have tax advantages that may increase if U.S. corporate income taxes increase). As a result, they may be able to achieve higher after-tax rates of return on their NIW compared to us, which could allow them to leverage reduced premium rates to gain market share, and they may be better positioned to compete outside of traditional mortgage insurance, including by participating in alternative forms of credit enhancement pursued by the GSEs discussed in our risk factor titled "The amount of insurance we write could be adversely affected if lenders and investors select alternatives to private mortgage insurance."
Although the current PMIERs of the GSEs do not require an insurer to maintain minimum financial strength ratings, our financial strength ratings can affect us in the ways set forth below. If we are unable to compete effectively in the current or any future markets as a result of the financial strength ratings assigned to our insurance subsidiaries, our future NIW could be negatively affected.
- A downgrade in our financial strength ratings could result in increased scrutiny of our financial condition by the GSEs and/or our customers, potentially resulting in a decrease in the amount of our NIW.
- Our ability to participate in the non-GSE residential mortgage-backed securities market (the size of which has been limited since 2008, but may grow in the future), could depend on our ability to maintain and improve our investment grade ratings for our insurance subsidiaries. We could be competitively disadvantaged with some market participants because the financial strength ratings of our insurance subsidiaries are lower than those of some competitors. MGIC's financial strength rating from A.M. Best is A- (with a stable outlook), from Moody's is A3 (with a stable outlook) and from Standard & Poor's is BBB+ (with a stable outlook).
- Financial strength ratings may also play a greater role if the GSEs no longer operate in their current capacities, for example, due to legislative or regulatory action. In addition, although the PMIERs do not require minimum financial strength ratings, the GSEs consider financial strength ratings to be important when using forms of credit enhancement other than traditional mortgage insurance, as discussed in our risk factor titled "The amount of insurance we write could be adversely affected if lenders and investors select alternatives to private mortgage insurance." The final GSE capital framework provides more capital credit for transactions with higher rated counterparties, as well as those who are diversified. Although we are currently unaware of a direct impact on MGIC, this could potentially become a competitive disadvantage in the future.
Standard & Poor's is considering changes to its rating methodologies for insurers, including mortgage insurers. It is uncertain what impact the changes would have, whether they will prompt similar moves at other rating agencies, or the extent to which they will impact how external parties evaluate the different rating levels.
We are subject to the risk of legal proceedings.
Before paying an insurance claim, generally we review the loan and servicing files to determine the appropriateness of the claim amount. When reviewing the files, we may determine that we have the right to rescind coverage or deny a claim on the loan (both referred to herein as "rescissions"). In addition, our insurance policies generally provide that we can reduce a claim if the servicer did not comply with its obligations under our insurance policy (such reduction referred to as a "curtailment"). In recent years, an immaterial percentage of claims received have been resolved by rescissions. In the first half of 2022 and in 2021, curtailments reduced our average claim paid by approximately 5.3% and 4.4%, respectively. The COVID-19-related foreclosure moratoriums and forbearance plans decreased our claims paid activity beginning in the second quarter of 2020. It is difficult to predict the level of curtailments once foreclosure activity returns to a more typical level. Our loss reserving methodology incorporates our estimates of future rescissions, curtailments, and reversals of rescissions and curtailments. A variance between ultimate actual rescission, curtailment and reversal rates and our estimates, as a result of the outcome of litigation, settlements or other factors, could materially affect our losses.
When the insured disputes our right to rescind coverage or curtail claims, we generally engage in discussions in an attempt to settle the dispute. If we are unable to reach a settlement, the outcome of a dispute ultimately may be determined by legal proceedings. Under ASC 450-20, until a loss associated with settlement discussions or legal proceedings becomes probable and can be reasonably estimated, we consider our claim payment or rescission resolved for financial reporting purposes and do not accrue an estimated loss. When we determine that a loss is probable and can be reasonably estimated, we record our best estimate of our probable loss. In those cases, until settlement negotiations or legal proceedings are concluded (including the receipt of any necessary GSE approvals), it is possible that we will record an additional loss.
We are monitoring litigation that involves refunds of mortgage insurance premiums under the Homeowners Protection Act. In one case, we expect to be be named as a third-party defendant. We are unable to assess the potential impact of any such litigation at this time. In addition, from time to time, we are involved in other disputes and legal proceedings in the ordinary course of business. In our opinion, based on the facts known at this time, the ultimate resolution of these ordinary course disputes and legal proceedings will not have a material adverse effect on our financial position or results of operations.
If our risk management programs are not effective in identifying, or adequate in controlling or mitigating, the risks we face, or if the models used in our businesses are inaccurate, it could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Our enterprise risk management program, described in "Business - Our Products and Services - Risk Management" in Item 1 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, may not be effective in identifying, or adequate in controlling or mitigating, the risks we face in our business.
We employ proprietary and third party models to project returns, price products (including through our risk-based pricing system), determine the techniques used to underwrite insurance, estimate reserves, generate projections used to estimate future pre-tax income and to evaluate loss recognition testing, evaluate risk, determine internal capital requirements, perform stress testing, and for other uses. These models rely on estimates and projections that are inherently uncertain and may not operate as intended, especially under less-frequent circumstances such as those surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, and high levels of inflation, or with respect to emerging risks, such as changing climatic conditions. In addition, from time to time we seek to improve certain models, and the conversion process may result in material changes to certain assumptions, which could impact our expectations about future returns and financial results. The models we employ are complex, which increases our risk of error in their design, implementation or use. Also, the associated input data, assumptions and calculations may not be correct or accurate, and the controls we have in place to mitigate that risk may not be effective in all cases. The risks related to our models may increase when we change assumptions and/or methodologies, or when we add or change modeling platforms. We have enhanced, and we intend to continue to enhance, our modeling capabilities. Moreover, we may use information we receive through enhancements to refine or otherwise change existing assumptions and/or methodologies.
We rely on our management team and our business could be harmed if we are unable to retain qualified personnel or successfully develop and/or recruit their replacements.
Our success depends, in part, on the skills, working relationships and continued services of our management team and other key personnel. The unexpected departure of key personnel could adversely affect the conduct of our business. In such event, we would be required to obtain other personnel to manage and operate our business. In addition, we will be required to replace the knowledge and expertise of our aging workforce as our workers retire. In either case, there can be no assurance that we would be able to develop or recruit suitable replacements for the departing individuals; that replacements could be hired, if necessary, on terms that are favorable to us; or that we can successfully transition such replacements in a timely manner. We currently have not entered into any employment agreements with our officers or key personnel. Volatility or lack of performance in our stock price may affect our ability to retain our key personnel or attract replacements should key personnel depart. Without a properly skilled and experienced workforce, our costs, including productivity costs and costs to replace employees may increase, and this could negatively impact our earnings.
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company transitioned to a virtual workforce model with certain essential activities supported by limited staff in controlled office environments. We are currently operating under a hybrid model, with most employees working in the office for a portion of time. While the employees are in our office, they may be exposed to health risks, which may expose us to potential liability. We have established an interim succession plan for each of our key executives, should an executive be unable to perform his or her duties.
The mix of business we write affects our Minimum Required Assets under the PMIERs, our premium yields and the likelihood of losses occurring.
The Minimum Required Assets under the PMIERs are, in part, a function of the direct risk-in-force and the risk profile of the loans we insure, considering LTV ratio, credit score, vintage, Home Affordable Refinance Program ("HARP") status and delinquency status; and whether the loans were insured under lender-paid mortgage insurance policies or other policies that are not subject to automatic termination consistent with the Homeowners Protection Act requirements for borrower-paid mortgage insurance. Therefore, if our direct risk-in-force increases through increases in NIW, or if our mix of business changes to include loans with higher LTV ratios or lower FICO scores, for example, all other things equal, we will be required to hold more Available Assets in order to maintain GSE eligibility.
The minimum capital required by the risk-based capital framework contained in the exposure draft released by the NAIC in December 2019 would be, in part, a function of certain loan and economic factors, including property location, LTV ratio and credit score, general underwriting quality in the market at the time of loan origination, the age of the loan, and the premium rate we charge. Depending on the provisions of the capital requirements when they are released in final form and become effective, our mix of business may affect the minimum capital we are required to hold under the new framework.
The percentage of our NIW from all single-premium policies was 5.1% in the first half of 2022 and 7.4% in full year 2021, and has ranged from 5.1% in 2022 to 19.0% in 2017. Depending on the actual life of a single premium policy and its premium rate relative to that of a monthly premium policy, a single premium policy may generate more or less premium than a monthly premium policy over its life.
As discussed in our risk factor titled "Reinsurance may not always be available or its cost may increase," we have in place various QSR transactions. Although the transactions reduce our premiums, they have a lesser impact on our overall results, as losses ceded under the transactions reduce our losses incurred and the ceding commissions we receive reduce our underwriting expenses. The effect of the QSR transactions on the various components of pre-tax income will vary from period to period, depending on the level of ceded losses incurred. We also have in place various XOL reinsurance transactions, under which we cede premiums. Under the XOL reinsurance transactions, for the respective reinsurance coverage periods, we retain the first layer of aggregate losses, and the reinsurers provide second layer coverage up to the outstanding reinsurance coverage amount.
In addition to the effect of reinsurance on our premiums, we expect a decline in our premium yield because an increasing percentage of our insurance in force is from recent book years whose premium rates had been trending lower.
Our ability to rescind insurance coverage became more limited for new insurance written beginning in mid-2012, and it became further limited for new insurance written under our revised master policy that became effective March 1, 2020. These limitations may result in higher losses paid than would be the case under our previous master policies. In addition, our rescission rights temporarily have become more limited due to accommodations we made in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic. We waived our rescission rights in certain circumstances where the failure to make payments was associated with a COVID-19 pandemic-related forbearance.
From time to time, in response to market conditions, we change the types of loans that we insure. We also may change our underwriting guidelines, including by agreeing with certain approval recommendations from a GSE automated underwriting system. In the second quarter of 2022, Fannie Mae indicated that as a part of normal operations and prudent risk management, it would update its automated underwriting system's risk and eligibility assessment in response to changing market conditions. That update may yield a reduction in loan case files receiving an "Approve/Eligible" recommendation from such system. We also make exceptions to our underwriting requirements on a loan-by-loan basis and for certain customer programs. Our underwriting requirements are available on our website at http://www.mgic.com/underwriting/index.html.
Even when home prices are stable or rising, mortgages with certain characteristics have higher probabilities of claims. As of June 30, 2022, mortgages with these characteristics in our primary risk in force included mortgages with LTV ratios greater than 95% (15.1%), mortgages with borrowers having FICO scores below 680 (7.3%), including those with borrowers having FICO scores of 620-679 (6.4%), mortgages with limited underwriting, including limited borrower documentation (0.9%), and mortgages with borrowers having DTI ratios greater than 45% (or where no ratio is available) (14.5%), each attribute as determined at the time of loan origination. Loans with more than one of these attributes accounted for 4.4% of our primary risk in force as of June 30, 2022, and 3.3% of our NIW in the first half of 2022 and less than one percent of our NIW in the first half of 2021. When home prices increase, interest rates increase and/or the percentage of our NIW from purchase transactions increases, our NIW on mortgages with higher LTV ratios and higher DTI ratios may increase. Our NIW on mortgages with LTV ratios greater than 95% increased from 10% in the first half of 2021 to 13% in the first half of 2022 and our NIW on mortgages with DTI ratios greater than 45% increased from 13% in the first half of 2021 to 19% in the first half of 2022.
From time to time, we change the processes we use to underwrite loans. For example: we rely on information provided to us by lenders that was obtained from certain of the GSEs' automated appraisal and income verification tools, which may produce results that differ from the results that would have been determined using different methods; we accept GSE appraisal waivers for certain refinance loans, the numbers of which have increased significantly beginning in 2020 and remain elevated; and we accept GSE appraisal flexibilities that allow property valuations in certain transactions to be based on appraisals that do not involve an onsite or interior inspection of the property. Our acceptance of automated GSE appraisal and income verification tools, GSE appraisal waivers and GSE appraisal flexibilities may affect our pricing and risk assessment. We also continue to further automate our underwriting processes and it is possible that our automated processes result in our insuring loans that we would not otherwise have insured under our prior processes.
Approximately 73% of our first half 2022 and 72% of our 2021 NIW was originated under delegated underwriting programs pursuant to which the loan originators had authority on our behalf to underwrite the loans for our mortgage insurance. For loans originated through a delegated underwriting program, we depend on the originators' compliance with our guidelines and rely on the originators' representations that the loans being insured satisfy the underwriting guidelines, eligibility criteria and other requirements. While we have established systems and processes to monitor whether certain aspects of our underwriting guidelines were being followed by the originators, such systems may not ensure that the guidelines were being strictly followed at the time the loans were originated.
The widespread use of risk-based pricing systems by the private mortgage insurance industry (discussed in our risk factor titled "Competition or changes in our relationships with our customers could reduce our revenues, reduce our premium yields and / or increase our losses") makes it more difficult to compare our premium rates to those offered by our competitors. We may not be aware of industry rate changes until we observe that our mix of new insurance written has changed and our mix may fluctuate more as a result.
If state or federal regulations or statutes are changed in ways that ease mortgage lending standards and/or requirements, or if lenders seek ways to replace business in times of lower mortgage originations, it is possible that more mortgage loans could be originated with higher risk characteristics than are currently being originated, such as loans with lower FICO scores and higher DTI ratios. The focus of the new FHFA leadership on increasing homeownership opportunities for borrowers is likely to have this effect. Lenders could pressure mortgage insurers to insure such loans, which are expected to experience higher claim rates. Although we attempt to incorporate these higher expected claim rates into our underwriting and pricing models, there can be no assurance that the premiums earned and the associated investment income will be adequate to compensate for actual losses paid even under our current underwriting requirements.
Our holding company debt obligations materially exceed our holding company cash and investments.
At June 30, 2022, we had approximately $690 million in cash and investments at our holding company and our holding company's long-term debt obligations were $0.9 billion in aggregate principal amount. Annual debt service on the long-term debt obligations outstanding as of June 30, 2022, is approximately $37 million, after giving effect to the redemption of our 5.75% Senior Notes discussed below.
In the first half of 2022, we repurchased $74.9 million in aggregate principal amount of our 9% Convertible Junior Subordinated Debentures, using $102.0 million of holding company resources, eliminating 5.7 million potentially dilutive common shares, reducing annual interest expense by $6.7 million and resulting in a $27.2 million loss on debt extinguishment. In July 2022 we redeemed the remaining $242.3 million outstanding balance of our 5.75% Senior Notes due in 2023, resulting in a $6.8 million loss on debt extinguishment. We may continue to repurchase and/or redeem our debt obligations.
The long-term debt obligations are owed by our holding company, MGIC Investment Corporation, and not its subsidiaries. The payment of dividends from our insurance subsidiaries (primarily MGIC) which, other than investment income and raising capital in the public markets, is the principal source of our holding company cash inflow. Although MGIC holds assets in excess of its minimum statutory capital requirements and its PMIERs financial requirements, the ability of MGIC to pay dividends is restricted by insurance regulation. In general, dividends in excess of prescribed limits are deemed "extraordinary" and may not be paid if disapproved by the OCI. The level of ordinary dividends that may be paid without OCI approval is determined on an annual basis and it is $122 million in 2022, before considering dividends paid in the previous twelve months. A dividend is extraordinary when the proposed dividend amount plus dividends paid in the last twelve months from the dividend payment date exceed the ordinary dividend level. In the six months ended June 30, 2022, MGIC paid $400 million in dividends of cash and investments to the holding company. Future dividend payments from MGIC to the holding company will be determined in consultation with the board of directors, and after considering any updated estimates about our business.
Repurchases of our common stock may be made from time to time on the open market (including through 10b5-1 plans) or through privately negotiated transactions. In the first half of 2022, we repurchased approximately 15.7 million shares, using approximately $222 million of holding company resources. As of June 30, 2022, we had $278 million of authorization remaining to repurchase our common stock through the end of 2023 under a share repurchase program approved by our Board of Directors in October 2021. If any capital contributions to our subsidiaries are required, such contributions would decrease our holding company cash and investments.
Your ownership in our company may be diluted by additional capital that we raise.
As noted above under our risk factor titled "We may not continue to meet the GSEs' private mortgage insurer eligibility requirements and our returns may decrease if we are required to maintain more capital in order to maintain our eligibility," although we are currently in compliance with the requirements of the PMIERs, there can be no assurance that we would not seek to issue additional debt capital or to raise additional equity or equity-linked capital to manage our capital position under the PMIERs or for other purposes. Any future issuance of equity securities may dilute your ownership interest in our company. In addition, the market price of our common stock could decline as a result of sales of a large number of shares or similar securities in the market or the perception that such sales could occur.
The price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly, which may make it difficult for holders to resell common stock when they want or at a price they find attractive.
The market price for our common stock may fluctuate significantly. In addition to the risk factors described herein, the following factors may have an adverse impact on the market price for our common stock: changes in general conditions in the economy, the mortgage insurance industry or the financial markets; announcements by us or our competitors of acquisitions or strategic initiatives; our actual or anticipated quarterly and annual operating results; changes in expectations of future financial performance (including incurred losses on our insurance in force); changes in estimates of securities analysts or rating agencies; actual or anticipated changes in our share repurchase program or dividends; changes in operating performance or market valuation of companies in the mortgage insurance industry; the addition or departure of key personnel; changes in tax law; and adverse press or news announcements affecting us or the industry. In addition, ownership by certain types of investors may affect the market price and trading volume of our common stock. For example, ownership in our common stock by investors such as index funds and exchange-traded funds can affect the stock's price when those investors must purchase or sell our common stock because the investors have experienced significant cash inflows or outflows, the index to which our common stock belongs has been rebalanced, or our common stock is added to and/or removed from an index (due to changes in our market capitalization, for example).
We could be adversely affected if personal information on consumers that we maintain is improperly disclosed, our information technology systems are damaged or their operations are interrupted, or our automated processes do not operate as expected.
As part of our business, we maintain large amounts of personal information of consumers, including on our servers and those of cloud computing services. Federal and state laws designed to promote the protection of such information require businesses that collect or maintain consumer information to adopt information security programs, and to notify individuals, and in some jurisdictions, regulatory authorities, of security breaches involving personally identifiable information.
We are increasingly reliant on the efficient and uninterrupted operation of complex information technology systems. All information technology systems are potentially vulnerable to damage or interruption from a variety of sources, including by third-party cyber attacks, including those involving ransomware. The Company discovers vulnerabilities and experiences malicious attacks and other attempts to gain unauthorized access to its systems on a regular basis. Globally, attacks are expected to continue accelerating in both frequency and sophistication with increasing use by actors of tools and techniques that will hinder the Company's ability to identify, investigate and recover from incidents. Such attacks may also increase as a result of retaliation by Russia in response to actions taken by the U.S. and other countries in connection with Russia's military invasion of Ukraine. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company transitioned to a primarily virtual workforce model and will likely continue to operate under a hybrid model in the future. Virtual and hybrid workforce models may be more vulnerable to security breaches.
While we have information security policies and systems in place to secure our information technology systems and to prevent unauthorized access to or disclosure of sensitive information, there can be no assurance with respect to our systems and those of our third-party vendors that unauthorized access to the systems or disclosure of the sensitive information, either through the actions of third parties or employees, will not occur. Due to our reliance on information technology systems, including ours and those of our customers and third-party service providers, and to the sensitivity of the information that we maintain, unauthorized access to the systems or disclosure of the information could adversely affect our reputation, severely disrupt our operations, result in a loss of business and expose us to material claims for damages and may require that we provide free credit monitoring services to individuals affected by a security breach.
Should we experience an unauthorized disclosure of information or a cyber attack, including those involving ransomware, some of the costs we incur may not be recoverable through insurance, or legal or other processes, and this may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
We are in the process of upgrading certain information systems, and transforming and automating certain business processes, and we continue to enhance our risk-based pricing system and our system for evaluating risk. Certain information systems have been in place for a number of years and it has become increasingly difficult to support their operation. The implementation of technological and business process improvements, as well as their integration with customer and third-party systems when applicable, is complex, expensive and time consuming. If we fail to timely and successfully implement and integrate the new technology systems, if the third party providers to which we are becoming increasingly reliant do not perform as expected, if our legacy systems fail to operate as required, or if the upgraded systems and/or transformed and automated business processes do not operate as expected, it could have a material adverse impact on our business, business prospects and results of operations.
Our success depends, in part, on our ability to manage risks in our investment portfolio.
Our investment portfolio is an important source of revenue and is our primary source of claims paying resources. Although our investment portfolio consists mostly of highly-rated fixed income investments, our investment portfolio is affected by general economic conditions and tax policy, which may adversely affect the markets for credit and interest-rate-sensitive securities, including the extent and timing of investor participation in these markets, the level and volatility of interest rates and credit spreads and, consequently, the value of our fixed income securities. Prevailing market rates have increased for various reasons, including inflationary pressures, which has reduced the fair value of our investment portfolio. The value of our investment portfolio may also be adversely affected by ratings downgrades, increased bankruptcies and credit spreads widening in distressed industries. In addition, the collectability and valuation of our municipal bond portfolio may be adversely affected by budget deficits, and declining tax bases and revenues experienced by state and local municipalities. Our investment portfolio also includes commercial mortgage-backed securities, collateralized loan obligations, and asset-backed securities, which could be adversely affected by declines in real estate valuations, increases in unemployment geopolitical risks and/or financial market disruption, including a heightened collection risk on the underlying loans. As a result of these matters, we may not achieve our investment objectives and a reduction in the market value of our investments could have an adverse effect on our liquidity, financial condition and results of operations.
For the significant portion of our investment portfolio that is held by MGIC, to receive full capital credit under insurance regulatory requirements and under the PMIERs, we generally are limited to investing in investment grade fixed income securities whose yields reflect their lower credit risk profile. Our investment income depends upon the size of the portfolio and its reinvestment at prevailing interest rates. A prolonged period of low investment yields would have an adverse impact on our investment income as would a decrease in the size of the portfolio.
We structure our investment portfolio to satisfy our expected liabilities, including claim payments in our mortgage insurance business. If we underestimate our liabilities or improperly structure our investments to meet these liabilities, we could have unexpected losses resulting from the forced liquidation of fixed income investments before their maturity, which could adversely affect our results of operations.
The Company may be adversely impacted by the transition from LIBOR as a reference rate.
The United Kingdom's Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates LIBOR, announced that after 2021 it would no longer publish one-week and two-month tenor USD LIBOR and that after June 30, 2023, it would no longer publish all other USD LIBOR tenors. Efforts are underway to identify and transition to a set of alternative reference rates. The set of alternative rates includes the Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR"), which the Federal Reserve Bank of New York began publishing in 2018. Because SOFR is calculated based on different criteria than LIBOR, SOFR and LIBOR may diverge.
While it is not currently possible to determine precisely whether, or to what extent, the replacement of LIBOR would affect us, the implementation of alternative benchmark rates to LIBOR may have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition. We have three primary types of transactions that involve financial instruments referencing LIBOR. First, as of June 30, 2022, approximately 6% of the fair value of our investment portfolio consisted of securities referencing LIBOR. Second, as of June 30, 2022, approximately $0.5 billion of our risk in force was on adjustable rate mortgages whose interest is referenced to one-month USD LIBOR. A change in reference rate associated with these loans may affect their principal balance, which may affect our risk-in-force and the amount of Minimum Required Assets we are required to maintain under PMIERs. A change in reference rate may also affect the amount of principal and/or accrued interest we are required to pay in the event of a claim payment. Third, the premiums under most of our 2018-2021 excess-of-loss reinsurance agreements are determined, in part, by the difference between interest payable on the reinsurers' notes which reference one-month USD LIBOR and earnings from a pool of securities receiving interest that may reference LIBOR (in the first half of 2022, our total premiums on such transactions were approximately $18.7 million).
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SOURCE MGIC Investment Corporation
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/03/mgic-investment-corporation-reports-second-quarter-2022-results/
| 2022-08-03T20:52:51Z
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SANTA CLARA, Calif., June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Marvell Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRVL), today announced a quarterly dividend of $0.06 per share of common stock payable on July 27, 2022 to shareholders of record as of July 8, 2022.
To deliver the data infrastructure technology that connects the world, we're building solutions on the most powerful foundation: our partnerships with our customers. Trusted by the world's leading technology companies for over 25 years, we move, store, process and secure the world's data with semiconductor solutions designed for our customers' current needs and future ambitions. Through a process of deep collaboration and transparency, we're ultimately changing the way tomorrow's enterprise, cloud, automotive, and carrier architectures transform—for the better.
Marvell® and the Marvell logo are registered trademarks of Marvell and/or its affiliates.
For further information, contact:
Ashish Saran
Senior Vice President, Investor Relations
408-222-0777
ir@marvell.com
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SOURCE Marvell
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/02/marvell-technology-inc-declares-quarterly-dividend-payment/
| 2022-06-02T21:56:25Z
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DAPHNE, Ala., July 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A contemporary U-Haul® retail, moving and self-storage facility is coming to Daphne thanks to the Company's recent land acquisition of 4.12 acres east of U.S. Highway 98 and west of Old Spanish Trail.
U-Haul Moving & Storage of Daphne is scheduled for completion in 2024. The project will include a three-story building encompassing at least 700 indoor, ADA-accessible self-storage units with climate-control options and high-tech security features at affordable price points. Preliminary plans also call for a separate warehouse for U-Box® portable storage containers.
Reserve equipment at uhaul.com or contact Reservations at 1-800-GO-UHAUL.
"U-Haul is in growth mode, and so is Daphne," stated Chad Rome, U-Haul Company of S. Alabama president. "We plan to build a modern facility to address the community's storage needs. Providing convenient access to high-end self-storage is important. Plus, we can offer the expertise and reliability that comes with being the industry leader in do-it-yourself moving since 1945."
U-Haul Moving & Storage of Daphne will feature a sprawling retail showroom and essential mobility services like truck and trailer sharing, boxes and moving supplies, towing equipment and more. Professional hitch installation and propane will also be available in the future.
Rome intends to hire at least 12 Team Members to staff the new store. U-Haul will look to hire locally to promote job growth within the Daphne community. U-Haul, honored as a "Best for Vets 2020" leading veteran-friendly employer by The Military Times, actively recruits veterans and gives them preference in the hiring process. Find U-Haul careers at uhauljobs.com.
"We'll bring quality jobs to Daphne," Rome added. "U-Haul is thankful for this opportunity to be part of the city's development and long-term future."
U-Haul dealers in and around Daphne continue to be available to serve DIY movers. U-Haul has partnered with independent dealers to offer rental equipment since 1945. During these challenging times for small businesses, more than 21,000 dealers across the U.S. and Canada are generating supplemental income through their U-Haul partnership. When customers rent from U-Haul dealers, they are directly supporting small businesses in their community. Because no financial investment is required, dealers are not U-Haul franchises. They are simply small businesses committing their lot space for U-Haul equipment and their time to meet the mobility needs of customers. Learn more about how to partner with U-Haul by visiting uhaul.com/dealer.
Since 1945, U-Haul has been the No. 1 choice of do-it-yourself movers, with a network of more than 23,000 locations across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. U-Haul Truck Share 24/7 offers secure access to U-Haul trucks every hour of every day through the customer dispatch option on their smartphones and our proprietary Live Verify technology. Our customers' patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to approximately 186,000 trucks, 128,000 trailers and 46,000 towing devices. U-Haul is the third largest self-storage operator in North America and offers 876,000 rentable storage units and 75.1 million square feet of self-storage space at owned and managed facilities. U-Haul is the largest retailer of propane in the U.S., and continues to be the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry. U-Haul has been recognized repeatedly as a leading "Best for Vets" employer and was recently named one of the 15 Healthiest Workplaces in America.
Contact:
Andrea Batchelor
Jeff Lockridge
E-mail: publicrelations@uhaul.com
Phone: 602-263-6981
Website: uhaul.com
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SOURCE U-Haul
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https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/20/u-haul-produce-jobs-self-storage-with-land-acquisition-daphne/
| 2022-07-20T17:08:05Z
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New offering aimed at helping students discover their narrative early to stand out with future employers
NEW YORK, June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Strengths-based recruiting and development solutions provider Cappfinity today announced a new program with Harvard's Office of Career Services which includes strengths-based coaching and access to Strength Profiles for 1,000 Harvard students. This program aims to help students identify and communicate their strengths with future employers.
"It's critical for students and recent graduates to be aware of what energizes them at the onset of their careers," said Eugenia Liakaris, Head of Customer Success, Americas at Cappfinity. "The ability to present their strengths and skills is critical now and as they progress in their careers and encounter competitive hiring markets."
With more than 13 million jobs open in the U.S., this fresh approach to understanding one's strengths may enable Gen Z students to make an impression as they interview for positions and start their careers. According to Liakaris who spent over 15 years in campus recruiting at New York University, Baruch College, Hofstra University prior to joining Cappfinity, when students and early career professionals use their top strengths at work, they are more confident, more likely to achieve goals, more effective at growing and developing themselves, are less stressed, and are six times more engaged at work.
"Helping learners discover and realize their career goals and aspirations is at the forefront of what we do. With Strengths Profiles by Cappfinity, they'll have the language of strengths as well," said Manny Contomanolis, PhD, Director of the Office of Career Services at Harvard. "Cappfinity's strengths-based approach provides invaluable insight that helps students take charge of their career paths."
While identifying strengths is a powerful tool for students, it's also beneficial for employers seeking specific attributes in new hires. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), the top attributes that employers are seeking today include problem solving skills (85% of respondents), analytical/quantitative skills (78.6%), and the ability to work in a team (76.3%).
"Unfortunately, too many recruiters and candidates focus solely on academics and resumes which can ultimately lead to job dissatisfaction and turnover," added Liakaris. "But when strengths are assessed and understood early on, it's a win-win for both the employer and the employee because it helps place the worker in a job they excel at, love, and feel energized by every day."
Strengths Profile is currently available at Harvard. The students participating will receive a custom evaluation, which will help them better understand their strengths, navigate job searches, and connect the dots between their academic and future careers.
Cappfinity's end-to -end talent solution s will be on display and demonstrated June 7-9, 2022 at the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Conference and Expo in Booth 300, Portland, Oregon. This includes the newly curated Strengths Profiles bundles for colleges and universities in the U.S.
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SOURCE Cappfinity
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https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/02/cappfinity-teams-up-with-harvards-office-career-services-offer-strengths-profile-1000-students/
| 2022-06-02T13:19:42Z
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Hydrating lemon water brand and tennis star team up in New York City pop-up ahead of 2022 US Open
ATLANTA, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lemon Perfect, the fastest-growing brand in the enhanced water category*, announced today its partnership with 2017 US Open Champion and 7-time WTA singles champion Sloane Stephens. An avid fan of Lemon Perfect from her first sip, Stephens has teamed up with the brand as an investor and ambassador to accelerate Lemon Perfect's rise toward its goal of becoming the number one brand in the multibillion-dollar enhanced water category by market share.
As tennis fans across the globe turn their attention to the 2022 US Open Tennis Championships, Stephens' partnership with Lemon Perfect highlights a perfect match between the star athlete and the delicious and refreshing lemon water. Lemon Perfect will also join Stephens philanthropically by serving as the official hydration partner for her non-profit organization, the Sloane Stephens Foundation, and supporting her Doc & Glo Scholarship, which she established in honor of her grandparents. Founded by Stephens in 2013, the Sloane Stephens Foundation inspires children through tennis and education to change the narrative of poverty, health inequity, and educational underdevelopment.
"I've loved Lemon Perfect since my first sip a few years ago," said Stephens. "It's important to have healthy, delicious, on-the-go beverage choices, and Lemon Perfect checks all those boxes. As an investor, I'm happy to put my support behind a brand that shares my vision for a healthier, more equitable world, and as ambassador, I look forward to introducing more people to my favorite beverage."
New Yorkers and tennis fans arriving for the US Open are invited to join Lemon Perfect for a pop-up experience on Friday, August 26th to introduce Sloane's fans to the hydrating lemon water brand. The activation will be taking place from 4:00PM - 5:30PM ET, with more surprises from Sloane to be announced soon.
"We're honored to have Sloane join our Lemon Perfect team as an investor and spokeswoman for great-tasting healthy hydration," said Lemon Perfect CEO and Founder Yanni Hufnagel. "Sloane's championship-level grit, unbounded positivity, and commitment to providing more opportunities to underserved children through education and sports serve as a great North Star for all of our stakeholders, and we are excited for her lemon-powered run at this year's US Open."
In April, Lemon Perfect announced the closing of a $31 million Series A headlined by internationally celebrated award-winning artist and entrepreneur Beyoncé Knowles-Carter. The financing brought Lemon Perfect's total valuation to over $100 million in less than three years from the company's selling its first bottle.
About Lemon Perfect:
Lemon Perfect is a great-tasting and hydrating flavored lemon water with zero sugar and no artificial flavors or sweeteners. Powered by squeezed organic lemons, Lemon Perfect contains electrolytes from potassium and is packed with vitamin C, making healthy hydration more convenient, delicious, and refreshing than ever.
Lemon Perfect is widely considered by industry insiders to be one of the most scalable, exciting, and innovative emerging beverages in the marketplace. The company's mission is to promote healthy hydration and deliver the joy of flavor—anytime, anywhere, and for everyone. Lemon Perfect is available at retailers nationwide, on Amazon, and on lemonperfect.com. The Lemon Perfect company is headquartered in Atlanta, GA.
*Source: IRi Total MULO YTD Period Ending August 7, 2022
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https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/former-us-open-tennis-champion-sloane-stephens-joins-lemon-perfect-investor-amp-spokeswoman/
| 2022-08-23T16:46:37Z
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NEW YORK, July 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Halper Sadeh LLP, an investor rights law firm, is investigating the following companies for potential violations of the federal securities laws and/or breaches of fiduciary duties to shareholders relating to:
VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW)'s sale to Broadcom Inc. Under the terms of the merger, VMware shareholders may elect to receive either $142.50 in cash or 0.2520 shares of Broadcom common stock for each share of VMware they own. The shareholder election is subject to proration. If you are a VMware shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options.
CareMax, Inc. (NASDAQ: CMAX)'s merger with Steward Health Care System. If you are a CareMax shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options.
Radius Health, Inc. (NASDAQ: RDUS)'s sale to Gurnet Point Capital and Patient Square Capital. Under the terms of the merger agreement, Gurnet Point and Patient Square will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Radius for $10.00 per share in cash plus a Contingent Value Right of $1.00 per share payable upon TYMLOS® (abaloparatide) net sales reaching $300 million during any consecutive 12-month period prior to December 31, 2025. If you are a Radius shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options.
F-star Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: FSTX)'s sale to invoX Pharma for $7.12 per share. If you are a F-star shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options.
Halper Sadeh LLP may seek increased consideration for shareholders, additional disclosures and information concerning the proposed transaction, or other relief and benefits on behalf of shareholders.
Shareholders are encouraged to contact the firm free of charge to discuss their legal rights and options. Please call Daniel Sadeh or Zachary Halper at (212) 763-0060 or email sadeh@halpersadeh.com or zhalper@halpersadeh.com.
Halper Sadeh LLP represents investors all over the world who have fallen victim to securities fraud and corporate misconduct. Our attorneys have been instrumental in implementing corporate reforms and recovering millions of dollars on behalf of defrauded investors.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Contact Information:
Halper Sadeh LLP
Daniel Sadeh, Esq.
Zachary Halper, Esq.
(212) 763-0060
sadeh@halpersadeh.com
zhalper@halpersadeh.com
https://www.halpersadeh.com
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SOURCE Halper Sadeh LLP
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https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/06/investigation-notice-halper-sadeh-llp-investigates-vmw-cmax-rdus-fstx/
| 2022-07-06T02:46:48Z
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Two commercial films, developed by creative agency GUT Buenos Aires, give a satirical look at old business consulting, and highlight the difference that Globant brings as the future of digital transformation in a market in need of constant reinvention with creative proposals that focus on results.
NEW YORK, Aug. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Globant (NYSE: GLOB), a digitally native company focused on reinventing businesses through innovative technological solutions, today announced the launch of "Reinventing Consultancy," its second global campaign of 2022. Developed in partnership with the creative agency GUT Buenos Aires, the films "1000 Slides" and "Copy/Paste" use humor and wit to expose beliefs around old and static business consultancies.
With the tagline "Seek Reinvention" at its core, Globant's mission is to reinvent its clients' businesses with more agile, dynamic, and creative processes that deliver valuable and specific solutions for every client.
"The new campaign "Reinventing Consultancy" is a nod to the brands that reach out to Globant seeking something different. Those who know us know that the experience we offer is distinctly unique, from the proposal to the execution. Globant has a unique culture, with diverse, interdisciplinary teams who are experts in technology and in various industries," asserts Wanda Weigert, Globant's Chief Brand Officer.
"Globant is different: conceived as a digitally native organization focused on reinventing businesses, we strive at delivering end-to-end digital transformation leveraging innovation and the latest trends and technologies in the market. Our culture and agility set us apart as we work with some of the most respected brands in the world," says Martín Migoya, Globant's Co-Founder and CEO.
"The genesis of this campaign lies in the capacity to listen. Most big companies work with more than one consulting firm at a time, and NPS data showed that the major factors that make Globant stand out are their involvement, agility and flexibility when approaching challenges. Many of the insights provided by the clients themselves made us laugh at the sheer ridiculousness of how torturous and outdated some of these processes are, and that inspired these pieces," add both Matias Lafalla (GUT's ECD) and Joaquin Cubría (CCO).
"Globant is a company that is constantly reinventing itself. Not only the services it offers but also from within. They are "doers" by DNA; people who look for the new, the untapped. People who don't fall into the temptation of "Copy/Paste." That is their enormous difference - their greatness comes from the pillar we're constantly building upon, "Seek Reinvention," says Gastón Bigio, GUT's Founder.
Today, Globant works with Fortune 500 companies in key industries with the objective of reinventing and unleashing their full potential while putting humanity at the center of what they do. Using digital transformation as its main driver, Globant's mission is to continuously improve day-to-day experiences for people and organizations around the world.
To view the "1000 Slides" commercial film, click here; and "Copy/Paste" here.
Credits
Agency: GUT Buenos Aires
Client: Globant
Product: Globant
Campaign: Reinventing Consultancy
Film: 45"
Territory: Global
Launch date: August 2022
Client Representatives:
Chief Brand Officer: Wanda Weigert
Global Digital Marketing Director: Federico Paluszkiewicz
Global Marketing Strategy: Emiliano Horcada
Chief Marketing Officer, North America: Todd Krugman
Campaign Manager: Ivanna Giménez
Design Lead: Matías Echeverría
Digital Properties Lead: Julián Caso
Social Media Teach Lead: Matías Mosquera
Advertising Teach Lead: Guillermo López
WordPress Tech Lead: Mauro Carrera De Franceschi
Founder: Gastón Bigio
CCO & Partner: Joaquín Cubría
ECD: Ramiro Gamallo / Matias Lafalla / Juan Pablo Lufrano
Managing Director: Pilar Lopardo
CD: Gastón Gual
CD: Alex Romero
International Account Director: Meme Traverso Lizarraga
Head of Production: Florencia Albizzati
Agency Producer: Mariana Jauregui
Creative Manager: Paula Akel
Head of Design: Rosario Muñoz
CSO: Javier Quintero
Head of Digital & Data: Agostina Martino
Social Strategist: Ignacio Rocca
Production Company: Rebolución
Director: Luis Gerard
Executive Producer: Pilar Capurro, Ezequiel Ortiz
Producer: Germán Sánchez
DOP: Agustin Claramount
Postproduction coordinator: Mariano Olivari
Color grading: Alejandro Armaleo
Editor: Jerónimo Pérez
VFX: Da8
Mix and Sound Design: Porta Estudio
About Gut
Independent agency founded by Gastón Bigio and Anselmo Ramos that offers disruptive and visceral creativity for brands with courage. GUT Network is independent agency #1 Effie Latam for the second consecutive year 2020/2021, and It is Ad Age A-Lister 2021. It won 2 Cannes Grand Prix in 2021/2022 and was awarded at The Clios, D&AD, The International ANDY Awards and Círculo de Creatividad Argentina for its work for clients such as Popeyes, Mercado Libre, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Tim Hortons, Noblex, Skol, Heinz, Google and Headspace. GUT was also recognized this year as the D&AD #4 Independent Agency of the Year and #2 Cannes Lions Independent Network of the year 2022. GUT has offices in Buenos Aires, Miami, Toronto, São Paulo, L.A and CDMX. www.gut.agency
About Globant
We are a digitally native company that helps organizations reinvent themselves to create a way forward and unleash their potential. We are the place where innovation, design, and engineering meet scale.
- We have more than 24,500 employees, and we are present in 19 countries working for companies like Google, Electronic Arts, and Santander, among others.
- We were named a Worldwide Leader in CX Improvement Services by IDC MarketScape report.
- We were also featured as a business case study at Harvard, MIT, and Stanford.
- We are a member of the Green Software Foundation (GSF) and the Cybersecurity Tech Accord.
Contact: pr@globant.com
Sign up to get first dibs on press news and updates.
For more information, visit www.globant.com
SOURCE Globant
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https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/16/globant-defies-old-consulting-practices-with-its-new-campaign-reinventing-consultancy/
| 2022-08-16T17:09:26Z
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SCRANTON, Pa., May 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Peoples Financial Services Corp., a $3.4 billion community bank based in Scranton, Pennsylvania, today announced that Craig Best, Chief Executive Officer, will present at the D.A. Davidson 24th Annual Financial Institutions Conference on Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 11am (Mountain).
Presentation Materials: Peoples Financial Services Corp. will present its current Investor Presentation, which will be available on the Investor Relations section of Peoples' website (psbt.com) prior to the conference.
Safe Harbor Forward-Looking Statements:
We make statements in this press release, and we may from time to time make other statements regarding our outlook or expectations for future financial or operating results and/or other matters regarding or affecting Peoples Financial Services Corp., Peoples Security Bank and Trust Company, and its subsidiaries (collectively, "Peoples") that are considered "forward-looking statements" as defined in 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 may be identified by the use of such words as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "should," "planned," "estimated," "intend" and "potential." For these statements, Peoples claims the protection of the statutory safe harbors for forward-looking statements.
Peoples cautions you that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated in any forward-looking statement. Such factors include, but are not limited to: prevailing economic and political conditions, particularly in our market area; the unfolding COVID-19 crisis and the governmental responses to the crisis; the impact on financial markets from geopolitical conflicts such as the military conflicts between Russia and Ukraine; credit risk associated with our lending activities; credit risk associated with our lending activities; changes in interest rates, loan demand, real estate values and competition; changes in accounting principles, policies, and guidelines; changes in any applicable law, rule, regulation or practice with respect to tax or legal issues; our ability to identify and address cyber-security risks and other economic, competitive, governmental, regulatory and technological factors affecting Peoples' operations, pricing, products and services and other factors that may be described in Peoples' Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time.
In addition to these risks, acquisitions and business combinations, present risks other than those presented by the nature of the business acquired. Acquisitions and business combinations may be substantially more expensive to complete than originally anticipated, and the anticipated benefits may be significantly harder-or take longer-to achieve than expected. As regulated financial institutions, our pursuit of attractive acquisition and business combination opportunities could be negatively impacted by regulatory delays or other regulatory issues. Regulatory and/or legal issues related to the pre-acquisition operations of an acquired or combined business may cause reputational harm to Peoples following the acquisition or combination, and integration of the acquired or combined business with ours may result in additional future costs arising as a result of those issues.
The forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release, and, except as may be required by applicable law or regulation, Peoples assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements.
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/02/peoples-financial-services-corp-ceo-craig-best-present-da-davidson-24th-annual-financial-institutions-conference/
| 2022-05-03T00:49:22Z
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(NewsNation) — A manhunt is underway for a woman in Texas, accused of shooting and killing an up-and-coming professional cyclist from the Bay Area, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.
Members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force are actively conducting a fugitive investigation and pursuing leads on the whereabouts of Kaitlin Marie Armstrong, 35, who is suspected of killing Anna Wilson, 25, a Vermont native who was in Austin for a race.
Police discovered Wilson, who went by “Mo,” bleeding and unconscious from multiple gunshot wounds after responding to a 911 call on May 11 at an East Austin residence. They performed CPR on her, but she was pronounced dead at the scene, according to officials.
According to an arrest affidavit, Armstrong is accused of first-degree murder and the U.S. Marshals Service issued a wanted poster.
Armstrong is described as a 5 ft. 8 in., 125-pound White woman with hazel eyes and brown hair.
According to the search warrant, Wilson was in Austin ahead of a race near Dallas. Bike racing outlet VeloNews reported Wilson was expected to compete in the Gravel Locos race in Hico, which is about an hour and 20 minutes southwest of Fort Worth.
The arrest affidavit reveals a romantic entanglement, characterizing Wilson’s death as the result of a possible love triangle.
Court papers say the night of the murder, Wilson went for a swim at Deep Eddy Pool with Colin Strickland, another cyclist.
Armstrong and Strickland were dating at the time Wilson was found shot to death, according to the affidavit.
The affidavit further explained that Strickland told police during a break in his relationship with Armstrong, he met and began dating Wilson.
Investigators said, based on their search of Wilson’s phone, text messages indicated that Wilson thought she “was still in a romantic relationship with Strickland even though he was currently dating Armstrong.”
According to local news reports, Strickland released a statement, clarifying his relationship with Wilson and expressing “torture about my proximity to this horrible crime.”
Wilson’s family issued a statement to NewsNation affiliate KXAN, expressing the depths of their loss and clarifying details surrounding Wilson’s alleged romantic relationship with Strickland.
“We are absolutely devastated by the loss of our beautiful daughter and sister, Anna Moriah Wilson. There are no words that can express the pain and suffering we are experiencing due to this senseless, tragic loss. Moriah was a talented, kind, and caring young woman. Her life was taken from her before she had the opportunity to achieve everything she dreamed of. Our family, and all those who loved her, will forever miss her,” the family wrote in the statement.
“While we will not elaborate about the ongoing investigation, we do feel it’s important to clarify that at the time of her death, those closest to her clearly understood, directly from Moriah, that she was not in a romantic relationship with anyone,” the statement continued.
A GoFundMe called the “Moriah ‘Mo’ Wilson Fund” was created by her family saying “Moriah inspired many, lived fully and loved fiercely.”
#RideLikeMo was also trending on social media after news of her death spread.
Anyone with information on Armstrong’s location is asked to contact the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102 or submit a tip using the USMS Tips app. You can also submit a tip to Capital Area Crime Stoppers at 1-800-893-8477.
NewsNation affiliate KXAN contributed to this report.
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https://cw33.com/news/texas/federal-agents-seek-texas-woman-in-alleged-love-triangle-attack/
| 2022-05-23T13:52:43Z
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WATCH: Horse, rider rescued from bottom of cliff after long fall
FOREST HILL, Calif. (KOVR) – A horse and its rider were stuck hundreds of feet down a sheer cliff in the American River Canyon in California on Tuesday.
The incident happened during the annual Tevis Cup race, a Trans-Sierra trek that starts in Olympic Valley and ends in Auburn over a 24-hour period.
Veteran firefighters say it’s one of the more unusual calls of their career.
“These are athletic horses. They’re doing a hundred miles in a day up and down various steep hills,” said Chief Jed Matcham with the Forest Hill Fire Protection District.
The gray Arabian gelding lost his footing coming down some switchbacks and slid down a steep cliff. Matcham said the horse and rider landed about 150 feet off the trail on a 70-degree slope with very loose soil and couldn’t climb out.
A helicopter from the Butte County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched, along with emergency veterinarians from UC Davis equipped with a special equine sling capable of carrying an injured horse.
“It takes a lot of coordination with the helicopter, the air resources, with the veterinarians to prepare the horse,” Matcham said.
Rescue crews first focused on the horse’s owner, who sustained some injuries. They then sedated the horse, attached a 150-foot rope dangling from the helicopter, and prepped for liftoff.
Vets took a good look at the gelding once he was back on solid ground and say he’s expected to recover.
“The horse only had minor injuries, and from what I hear, the horse is doing well,” Matcham said.
A high-flying horse rescue was one for the history books in this foothill community.
“It’s something that I’ve never seen up close before, don’t know that I ever will again,” Matcham said.
Copyright 2022 KOVR via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/07/20/watch-horse-rider-rescued-bottom-cliff-after-long-fall/
| 2022-07-20T16:23:27Z
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SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Demandbase, the Smarter GTM™ company for B2B brands, announced today that it has been honored as one of the 2022 Best Medium Workplaces by Fortune Magazine and Great Place to Work®. Ranking 17 on the list confirms Demandbase's continued dedication to creating an environment that fosters growth, health, and success for every employee. This is the first time Demandbase has been named on this prestigious list and further solidifies that it is one of the best companies to work for in the country.
"What I admire most about Demandbase is its commitment towards helping each of its employees reach their full potential," remarked Sana Ghazi, principal data scientist at Demandbase. "We have a remarkable culture of recognizing people, making them feel valued, and always making sure to reward them for their contributions. During my tenure at Demandbase, I have always felt whole-hearted support from my manager, my peers, and other leaders as I work towards realizing my career aspirations,"
To compile the Best Medium Workplaces list, Great Place to Work analyzed survey responses from more than 200,000 employees who work for Great Place to Work-Certified™ companies with 100 to 999 U.S. employees. Demandbase scored 40% higher than the average U.S. company with 97% of employees saying that Demandbase is a great place to work.
"We're honored to be ranked on the 2022 Best Medium Workplaces list. Our employees inspire us day-in and day-out to continue providing an environment where they experience success and fulfillment," said Landon Pearson, chief people officer at Demandbase. "We've experienced a lot of growth over the last few years with multiple acquisitions, and with that comes the responsibility to ensure that all of our employees feel welcome and have the tools and resources they need to succeed readily available. This award proves to us that we're accomplishing the goals we've set to create an inclusive and welcoming company."
The Best Medium Workplaces list is highly competitive. Great Place to Work is the only company culture award in America that selects winners based on how fairly employees are treated. Companies are assessed on how well they are creating a great employee experience that cuts across race, gender, age, disability status, or any aspect of who employees are or what their role is.
"It's not the size of an organization that makes it great, but how the organization treats its people," said Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work. "And these medium workplaces have proven that the inspiring cultures they've created go head-to-head with those of any large corporation. Leaders at these companies put their people first, and in return, achieve stronger business results than the average workplace."
Great Place to Work, the global authority on workplace culture, determines its lists using its proprietary For All methodology to evaluate and certify thousands of organizations in America's largest ongoing annual workforce study. This year alone, the results are based on more than 1 million survey responses and data from companies representing more than 6.1 million employees.
Earlier this year, Demandbase was named Best Workplaces for Millennials and Best Place to Work in the Bay Area™ by Fortune magazine and Great Place to Work®, and also garnered the number one spot on the Best Places to Work in the Bay Area, Large Category, by the San Francisco Business Times.
About Demandbase
Demandbase is Smarter GTMTM for B2B brands. We help marketing and sales teams spot the juiciest opportunities earlier and progress them faster by injecting Account Intelligence into every step of the buyer journey and orchestrating every action. For more information about Demandbase, visit www.demandbase.com.
About the Best Medium Workplaces™
Great Place to Work selected the Best Medium Workplaces by analyzing the survey responses of over 200,000 employees from Great Place to Work-Certified™ companies with 100 to 999 U.S. employees. Company rankings are derived from 60 employee experience questions within the Great Place to Work Trust Index™ survey. Great Place to Work determines its lists using its proprietary For All methodology to evaluate and certify thousands of organizations in America's largest ongoing annual workforce study, based on over 1 million survey responses and data from companies representing more than 6.1 million employees, this year alone. To get on this list next year, start here.
About Great Place to Work®
Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, it has surveyed more than 100 million employees worldwide and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Its employee survey platform empowers leaders with the feedback, real-time reporting and insights they need to make data-driven people decisions. Everything it does is driven by the mission to build a better world by helping every organization become a great place to work For All™. Learn more at greatplacetowork.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/08/fortune-great-place-work-names-demandbase-2022-best-medium-workplaces-list/
| 2022-08-08T16:53:04Z
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GUANGZHOU, China, April 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mobvista (stock code: 01860.HK) announces record-high revenue reaching a total of US$755 million, a 46% year-on-year increase. In addition, the annual report reveals that programmatic advertising subsidiary, Mintegral, continues to be the company's core growth engine. Mintegral's revenue reached US$575 million, an 88% year-on-year increase.
The significant growth of Mintegral is apparent through AppsFlyer's latest Performance Index. Here, data collated from H2 2021 shows Mintegral ranking in the top four globally on both iOS and Android retention - signifying the quality and strength of Mintegral's traffic across every genre and category. Mintegral was listed in more than 690 rankings covering multiple categories and ranked first place in 12 of the rankings in Greater China. The performance report shows Mintegral's platform enterprise customers maintained high retention rates and maintained high traffic growth. At the end of the reporting period, the number of enterprise customers contributing more than $100,000 to Mintegral's revenue reached 267, contributing 97.7% of the platform's total revenue, with a retention rate of 91.5% and a USD-based net expansion rate of 184.9%. Partner developers also saw rapid traffic growth on the Mintegral platform, up 14.1% from 2020 to 5,854, and mobile traffic partnerships up 45.6% from 2020 to 57,745. The continuous growth from both advertisers and developers has driven strong business growth, with Mintegral's three-year compound growth rate reaching 96.55%.
Mintegral has also been resilient through the recent IDFA deprecation. Different from the IDFA reliant technology commonly used in the industry, Mintegral has focused on behavioral interest modeling technology, remaining compliant with user privacy and utilizing dynamic creative optimization technology (DCO) to better target user preferences.
Historically, Mintegral has been particularly strong in supporting casual game developers with revenue accounting for 65.6% of Mintegral's total revenue. Meanwhile, Mintegral has also been establishing its position in hardcore games and eCommerce verticals.
In April 2021, Mobvista also acquired Reyun, a Beijing-based third-party mobile measurement and marketing technology company, to further the expansion of Mobvista's SaaS tooling ecosystem. The transaction will give Mobvista the ability to fully cover developers' core demand scenarios of the MarTech industry chain and strengthen its position in the Chinese market.
In addition to its long-term strategy of building a SaaS tool ecosystem through independent R&D and strategic acquisitions, Mobvista will accelerate the transformation of its ad technology business into a programmatic advertising business with Mintegral as its core, and accelerate the expansion of the Mintegral platform and expansion of new markets/new verticals.
The current market and industry conditions have also seen Mobvista pay considerable attention to heightened data security and privacy practices. Of these, Mobvista has successfully conducted and passed GDPR audits and COPPA certifications across its business sectors since 2018. In August 2021, Mobvista also passed the SOC2 Type 1 and Type 2 audits performed by a Big 4 accounting firm.
About Mobvista
Mobvista is a leading technology platform dedicated to driving global business growth in the digital age. With strong industry experience and cutting-edge technology, Mobvista's goal is to build a SaaS tooling ecosystem that includes products and solutions for mobile marketing, data analytics, creative automation, monetization, and elastic cloud cost optimization. Mobvista aims to be the catalyst that connects China and the rest of the world by helping customers build ambitious business models and drive business growth.
Mobvista was founded in Guangzhou, China, in 2013 and has been listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (01860.HK) since December 2018. Currently, Mobvista has over 800 employees with offices in 18 cities across the world.
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SOURCE Mobvista
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/04/01/mobvista-announces-2021-annual-results-revenue-exceeds-755-million-mobvista-subsidiary-mintegral-revenue-increases-by-88-575-million/
| 2022-04-01T13:59:20Z
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Wildfires in West explode in size amid hot, windy conditions
Published: Jul. 30, 2022 at 3:28 PM EDT|Updated: 50 minutes ago
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Wildfires fed by windy and hot conditions have grown dramatically in California and Montana, forcing evacuation orders for over 100 homes.
In northern California, the fast-moving McKinney fire tore across an estimated 28 square miles by Saturday morning after starting Friday in Klamath National Forest.
Meanwhile in Montana, a wildfire doubled in size to more than 6 square miles near the town of Elmo and Flathead Lake.
Roughly 200 miles to the south, Idaho residents remained under evacuation orders as the Moose Fire in the Salmon-Challis National Forest burned more than 67 square miles of timbered land near the town of Salmon.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/07/30/wildfires-west-explode-size-amid-hot-windy-conditions/
| 2022-07-30T20:19:36Z
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