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BETHESDA, Md., Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Leeny Oberg, chief financial officer and executive vice president, business operations at Marriott International, Inc. (Nasdaq: MAR), will speak at the 2022 Bank of America Securities Gaming and Lodging Conference, to be held on Thursday, September 8 in New York, NY. Ms. Oberg's remarks will be at approximately 8:40 a.m., Eastern Time, and will be webcast live.
To access the webcast, please go to http://www.marriott.com/investor, and then click on the link to the "BofA Gaming and Lodging Conference" under "Events and Presentations."
The webcast will be available until October 8, 2022, at the same site.
Marriott International, Inc. (Nasdaq: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of more than 8,100 properties under 30 leading brands spanning 139 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts all around the world. The company offers Marriott Bonvoy®, its highly-awarded travel program. For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com. In addition, connect with us on Facebook and @MarriottIntl on Twitter and Instagram.
IRPR#1
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HONOLULU, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of Matson, Inc. (NYSE: MATX), a leading U.S. carrier in the Pacific, approved adding three million shares, or approximately eight percent of outstanding common shares, to the existing six million share repurchase program. As of August 22, 2022, the existing share repurchase program had approximately 0.5 million shares remaining.
"We are pleased to announce an additional three million shares to our existing share repurchase program," said Matt Cox, Matson's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Since we commenced our share repurchase program last August, we have repurchased approximately 5.5 million shares for a total cost of nearly $465 million. Going forward, we will be both disciplined and opportunistic in our capital allocation, and we remain committed to returning excess cash to shareholders to create additional shareholder value over the long-term."
Shares will be repurchased in the open market from time to time at the Company's discretion, based on ongoing assessments of the capital needs of the business, the market price of its common shares and general market conditions. The Company may enter into Rule 10b5-1 plans to facilitate purchases under the program. The repurchase program may be suspended or discontinued at any time.
Founded in 1882, Matson (NYSE: MATX) is a leading provider of ocean transportation and logistics services. Matson provides a vital lifeline to the domestic non-contiguous economies of Hawaii, Alaska, and Guam, and to other island economies in Micronesia. Matson also operates premium, expedited services from China to Long Beach, California, provides service to Okinawa, Japan and various islands in the South Pacific, and operates an international export service from Dutch Harbor to Asia. The Company's fleet of owned and chartered vessels includes containerships, combination container and roll-on/roll-off ships and custom-designed barges. Matson Logistics, established in 1987, extends the geographic reach of Matson's transportation network throughout North America. Its integrated, asset-light logistics services include rail intermodal, highway brokerage, warehousing, freight consolidation, Asia supply chain services, and forwarding to Alaska. Additional information about the Company is available at www.matson.com.
Forward Looking Statements
Statements in this news release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements," within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the relevant forward-looking statement, including but not limited to, statements about capital allocation plans and the timing, manner and volume of repurchases of common shares pursuant to the repurchase program. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. This release should be read in conjunction with our Annual Report on Form 10-K and our other filings with the SEC through the date of this release, which identify important factors that could affect the forward-looking statements in this release. We do not undertake any obligation to update our forward-looking statements.
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SOURCE Matson, Inc. | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/matson-announces-addition-3-million-shares-existing-share-repurchase-program/ | 2022-08-23T21:02:20Z |
- Total Company sales increase 12 percent
- Reports EPS of $0.77 and adjusted EPS of $0.811
- Updating fiscal year outlook to reflect revised plans for second half
SEATTLE, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN) today reported second quarter net earnings of $126 million and earnings per diluted share ("EPS") of $0.77 for the quarter ended July 30, 2022. Excluding costs associated with the wind-down of Trunk Club, the Company reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.81.1
For the second quarter, net sales increased 12.0 percent versus the same period in fiscal 2021, exceeding pre-pandemic sales levels, and gross merchandise value ("GMV") increased 12.2 percent. Anniversary Sale timing, with one week shifting from the third quarter to the second quarter, had a positive impact of approximately 200 basis points on net sales compared with 2021. During the quarter, Nordstrom banner net sales increased 14.7 percent and GMV increased 14.9 percent. Net sales for Nordstrom Rack increased 6.3 percent.
"We delivered solid results in the second quarter, with topline growth, increased profitability and continued progress in our strategic initiatives," said Erik Nordstrom, chief executive officer of Nordstrom, Inc. "While our quarterly results were consistent with our previous outlook, customer traffic and demand decelerated significantly beginning in late June, predominantly at Nordstrom Rack. We are adjusting our plans and taking action to navigate this dynamic in the short term, including aligning inventory and expenses to recent trends, and we remain confident in our ability to deliver on our long-term strategic and financial goals."
In the second quarter, men's apparel had the strongest growth versus 2021, and shoes, women's apparel and beauty also had double-digit growth, as customers updated their wardrobes and returned to occasions. Total Anniversary event sales increased 5 percent, including one day of the event that fell in the third quarter.
"We elevated the customer experience and increased engagement during this year's Anniversary Sale, and we're proud of our team's execution and dedication to customers," said Pete Nordstrom, president and chief brand officer of Nordstrom, Inc. "As we look to the second half of the year, we are aggressively right-sizing our inventory while investing in supply chain and merchandising capabilities that will benefit us in 2023 and beyond."
As previously announced on August 17, 2022, the board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.19 per share to be paid to shareholders of record at the close of business on August 30, 2022, payable on September 14, 2022. During the second quarter, the Company repurchased 1.5 million shares of its common stock for $35 million under its $500 million share repurchase program, which was previously announced as authorized by the board of directors on May 18, 2022. A total capacity of $465 million remains available under this share repurchase authorization.
SECOND QUARTER 2022 SUMMARY
- Total Company net sales increased 12.0 percent and GMV increased 12.2 percent compared with the same period in fiscal 2021. The timing shift of the Anniversary Sale, with one day falling into the third quarter of 2022 versus roughly one week in 2021, had a positive impact on net sales of approximately 200 basis points compared with the second quarter of 2021.
- For the Nordstrom banner, net sales increased 14.7 percent, improving sequentially from the first quarter versus pre-pandemic sales levels, and GMV increased 14.9 percent compared with the same period in fiscal 2021. The timing shift of the Anniversary Sale had a positive impact on Nordstrom banner net sales of approximately 400 basis points compared with the second quarter of 2021.
- For the Nordstrom Rack banner, net sales increased 6.3 percent compared with the same period in fiscal 2021, improving sequentially from the first quarter versus pre-pandemic sales levels.
- Digital sales increased 6.3 percent compared with the same period in fiscal 2021. The timing shift of the Anniversary Sale had a positive impact on Company digital sales of approximately 400 basis points compared with the second quarter of 2021. Digital sales represented 38 percent of total sales during the quarter.
- Gross profit, as a percentage of net sales, of 35.2 percent increased 65 basis points compared with the same period in fiscal 2021 primarily due to leverage on buying and occupancy costs, partially offset by higher markdown rates.
- Ending inventory increased 9.9 percent compared with the same period in fiscal 2021, versus a 12.0 percent increase in sales.
- Selling, general and administrative expenses, as a percentage of net sales, of 32.8 percent decreased 15 basis points compared with the same period in fiscal 2021 primarily due to leverage on higher sales, partially offset by higher labor expense.
- Earnings before interest and tax ("EBIT") was $202 million in the second quarter of 2022, compared with $151 million during the same period in fiscal 2021, primarily due to higher sales, partially offset by higher markdowns and higher labor expense. Adjusted EBIT of $210 million for the second quarter of 2022 excluded costs associated with the wind-down of Trunk Club.2
- Interest expense, net, of $34 million decreased from $40 million during the same period in fiscal 2021 as a result of the redemption of $500 million of unsecured notes in the second quarter of 2021.
- Income tax expense was $42 million, or 25.2 percent of pretax earnings, compared with $31 million, or 27.9 percent of pretax earnings, in the same period in fiscal 2021.
- The Company ended the second quarter with $1.3 billion in available liquidity, including $494 million in cash and the full $800 million available on its revolving line of credit. In May 2022, the Company entered into a new $800 million revolving credit agreement expiring in May 2027, replacing its previous revolving credit agreement that was scheduled to expire in September 2023.
STORES UPDATE
To date in fiscal 2022, the Company has opened one store:
The Company has also announced plans to open or relocate the following stores:
The Company had the following store counts as of quarter-end:
FISCAL YEAR 2022 OUTLOOK3
The Company is updating its financial expectations for fiscal 2022 as follows:
CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION
The Company's senior management will host a conference call to provide a business update and to discuss second quarter 2022 financial results and fiscal 2022 outlook at 4:45 p.m. EDT today. To listen to the live call online and view the speakers' prepared remarks and the conference call slides, visit the Investor Relations section of the Company's corporate website at investor.nordstrom.com. An archived webcast with the speakers' prepared remarks and the conference call slides will be available in the Quarterly Results section for one year. Interested parties may also dial 201-689-8354. A telephone replay will be available beginning approximately three hours after the conclusion of the call by dialing 877-660-6853 or 201-612-7415 and entering Conference ID 13731473, until the close of business on August 30, 2022.
ABOUT NORDSTROM
At Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN), we exist to help our customers feel good and look their best. Since starting as a shoe store in 1901, how to best serve customers has been at the center of every decision we make. This heritage of service is the foundation we're building on as we provide convenience and true connection for our customers. Our digital-first platform enables us to serve customers when, where and how they want to shop – whether that's in-store at more than 350 Nordstrom, Nordstrom Local and Nordstrom Rack locations or digitally through our Nordstrom and Rack apps and websites. Through it all, we remain committed to leaving the world better than we found it.
Certain statements in this press release contain or may suggest "forward-looking" information (as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) that involves risks and uncertainties that could cause results to be materially different from expectations. The words "will," "may," "designed to," "outlook," "believes," "should," "targets," "anticipates," "assumptions," "plans," "expects" or "expectations," "intends," "estimates," "forecasts," "guidance" and similar expressions identify certain of these forward-looking statements. The Company also may provide forward-looking statements in oral statements or other written materials released to the public. All statements contained or incorporated in this press release or in any other public statements that address such future events or expectations are forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements are detailed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 29, 2022 and its Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2022. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and speak only as of the date made, and, except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events, new information or future circumstances. In addition, the actual timing, price, manner and amounts of future share repurchases, if any, will be subject to market and economic conditions and applicable Securities and Exchange Commission rules.
NORDSTROM, INC.
SUMMARY OF NET SALES
(unaudited; dollars in millions)
Our Nordstrom brand includes Nordstrom.com, TrunkClub.com, Nordstrom-branded U.S. stores, Canada, which includes Nordstrom.ca, Nordstrom Canadian stores and Nordstrom Rack Canadian stores, Nordstrom Local, and ASOS | Nordstrom. Our Nordstrom Rack brand includes NordstromRack.com, Nordstrom Rack-branded U.S. stores and Last Chance clearance stores. The following table summarizes net sales for the quarter and six months ended July 30, 2022, compared with the quarter and six months ended July 31, 2021:
NORDSTROM, INC.
ADJUSTED EBIT, ADJUSTED EBITDA AND ADJUSTED EPS
(NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES)
(unaudited; amounts in millions, except per share amounts)
Adjusted earnings before interest and income taxes ("EBIT"), adjusted earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") and adjusted earnings (loss) per diluted share ("EPS") are key financial metrics and, when used in conjunction with GAAP measures, we believe they provide useful information for evaluating our core business performance, enable comparison of financial results across periods and allow for greater transparency with respect to key metrics used by management for financial and operational decision-making. Adjusted EBIT, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EPS exclude certain items that we do not consider representative of our core operating performance. The financial measure calculated under GAAP which is most directly comparable to adjusted EBIT and adjusted EBITDA is net earnings. The financial measure calculated under GAAP which is most directly comparable to adjusted EPS is earnings (loss) per diluted share.
Adjusted EBIT, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EPS are not measures of financial performance under GAAP and should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, net earnings, operating cash flows, earnings (loss) per share, earnings (loss) per diluted share or other financial measures performed in accordance with GAAP. Our method of determining non-GAAP financial measures may differ from other companies' financial measures and therefore may not be comparable to methods used by other companies.
The following is a reconciliation of net earnings (loss) to adjusted EBIT and adjusted EBITDA:
The following is a reconciliation of earnings (loss) per diluted share to adjusted EPS:
NORDSTROM, INC.
FISCAL YEAR 2022 FORWARD-LOOKING NON-GAAP MEASURES
(NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES)
(unaudited)
Our adjusted EBIT as a percent of net sales ("adjusted EBIT margin") and adjusted EPS outlook for fiscal year 2022 excludes the impacts from certain items that we do not consider representative of our core operating performance. These items include the expected full fiscal year 2022 impact associated with the Trunk Club wind-down costs recognized in the first half of 2022 and the gain on the sale of our interest in a corporate office building recognized in the first quarter of 2022.
The following is a reconciliation of net earnings as a percent of net sales to adjusted EBIT margin included within our Fiscal Year 2022 Outlook:
The following is a reconciliation of earnings per diluted share to adjusted EPS included within our Fiscal Year 2022 Outlook:
NORDSTROM, INC.
ADJUSTED RETURN ON INVESTED CAPITAL ("ADJUSTED ROIC")
(NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURE)
(unaudited; dollars in millions)
We believe that Adjusted ROIC is a useful financial measure for investors in evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of the capital we have invested in our business to generate returns over time. In addition, we have incorporated it in our executive incentive measures and we believe it is an important indicator of shareholders' return over the long term.
Adjusted ROIC is not a measure of financial performance under GAAP and should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, return on assets, net earnings, total assets or other GAAP financial measures. Our method of calculating non-GAAP financial measures may differ from other companies' methods and therefore may not be comparable to those used by other companies. The financial measure calculated under GAAP which is most directly comparable to Adjusted ROIC is return on assets. The following shows the components to reconcile the return on assets calculation to Adjusted ROIC:
NORDSTROM, INC.
ADJUSTED DEBT TO EBITDAR (NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURE)
(unaudited; dollars in millions)
Adjusted debt to earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation, amortization and rent ("EBITDAR") is one of our key financial metrics and we believe that our debt levels are best analyzed using this measure, as it provides a reflection of our creditworthiness which could impact our credit rating and borrowing costs. This metric is calculated in accordance with the updates in our new Revolver covenant and is a key component in assessing whether our revolving credit facility is secured or unsecured, as well as our ability to make dividend payments and share repurchases. Our goal is to manage debt levels to achieve and maintain investment-grade credit ratings while operating with an efficient capital structure.
Adjusted debt to EBITDAR is not a measure of financial performance under GAAP and should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, debt to net earnings, net earnings, debt or other GAAP financial measures. Our method of calculating a non-GAAP financial measure may differ from other companies' methods and therefore may not be comparable to those used by other companies. The financial measure calculated under GAAP which is most directly comparable to Adjusted debt to EBITDAR is debt to net earnings. The following shows the components to reconcile the debt to net earnings calculation to Adjusted debt to EBITDAR:
NORDSTROM, INC.
FREE CASH FLOW (NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURE)
(unaudited; amounts in millions)
Free Cash Flow is one of our key liquidity measures and, when used in conjunction with GAAP measures, we believe it provides investors with a meaningful analysis of our ability to generate cash from our business.
Free Cash Flow is not a measure of financial performance under GAAP and should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, operating cash flows or other financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. Our method of calculating a non-GAAP financial measure may differ from other companies' methods and therefore may not be comparable to those used by other companies. The financial measure calculated under GAAP which is most directly comparable to Free Cash Flow is net cash provided by operating activities. The following is a reconciliation of net cash provided by operating activities to Free Cash Flow:
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Addition of Ultramax Brings Owned Fleet to 25 Ships
NEWPORT, R.I., Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pangaea Logistics Solutions Ltd. ("Pangaea" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: PANL), a global provider of comprehensive maritime logistics solutions, announced it has purchased a vessel to add to its operating fleet. The ship was purchased in the second-hand market for USD 17.1 million. The Company will own 25 ships when the new ship is delivered to Pangaea in September or October 2022. Pangaea consistently operates a total fleet of 50-60 vessels in worldwide trades.
"This 2010 Hyundai Vinashin shipyard-built 56,000 dwt dry bulk vessel fits well with our core fleet, with CO2 fitted holds able to transport premium cargo under our customer contracts of affreightment and spot trades. We have operated the ship for the past year on a charter-in basis, and it has performed well for us," said Pangaea's Chief Operating Officer Mads Boye Petersen. "We are committed to providing our clients with excellent service through our flexible owned and operated fleet. This ship, to be named Bulk Sachuest, will bring our owned fleet to 25 and is another step in our efforts to maintain our owned fleet with high quality and efficient tonnage," Petersen added.
About Pangaea Logistics Solutions Ltd.
Pangaea Logistics Solutions Ltd. (NASDAQ: PANL) provides logistics services to a broad base of industrial customers who require the transportation of a wide variety of dry bulk cargoes, including grains, pig iron, hot briquetted iron, bauxite, alumina, cement clinker, dolomite, and limestone. The Company addresses the transportation needs of its customers with a comprehensive set of services and activities, including cargo loading, cargo discharge, vessel chartering, and voyage planning. Learn more at www.pangaeals.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risk factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise these statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes in demand for dry bulk shipping capacity, changes in our operating expenses, including bunker prices, dry-docking and insurance costs, the market for our vessels, availability of financing and refinancing, charter counterparty performance, ability to obtain financing and comply with covenants in such financing arrangements, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, vessels breakdowns and instances of off-hires and other factors, as well as other risks that have been included in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, all of which are available at www.sec.gov.
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SOURCE Pangaea Logistics Solutions Ltd. | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/pangaea-logistics-solutions-ltd-announces-purchase-vessel/ | 2022-08-23T21:02:33Z |
TORONTO, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - QYOU Media Inc. (TSXV: QYOU) (OTCQB: QYOUF) ("QYOU" or the "Company"), a company operating in India and the United States producing and distributing content created by social media stars and digital content creators, will host a conference call and audio-only webcast on Monday, August 29, at 4:30 p.m. ET to discuss the Company's operational and financial highlights for its second quarter ended June 30, 2022. A question-and-answer session will follow management's prepared remarks.
Event: QYOU Media Q2 2022 Financial Results Conference Call
Date: Monday, August 29, 2022
Time: 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Live Call: +1-877-407-0789 (U.S. Toll-Free) or +1-201-689-8562 (International)
Webcast:
https://viavid.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1566704&tp_key=506350f9fc
For interested individuals unable to join the conference call, a dial-in replay of the call will be available until September 12, 2022 and can be accessed by dialing +1-844-512-2921 (U.S. Toll Free) or +1-412-317-6671 (International) and entering replay pin number: 13732535.
One of the fastest growing creator-media companies, QYOU Media operates in India and the United States producing, distributing and monetizing content created by social media influencers and digital content stars. In India, under our flagship brand, The Q, we curate, produce and distribute premium content across television networks, VOD and OTT platforms, mobile phones, smart TV's and app based platforms. We now have 5 emerging content destinations engaging over 125 million Indian households weekly – The Q (mass entertainment), Q Marathi (regional content), Q Kahaniyan (animated content), Q Comedistaan (comedy focused) and our latest Q-GameX (live gaming). Our influencer marketing company, Chtrbox, has been a pioneer in India's creator economy, leveraging data to connect brands to the right social media influencers. In the United States, we power major film studios, game publishers and brands to create content and market via creators and influencers. Founded and created by industry veterans from Lionsgate, MTV, Disney and Sony, QYOU Media's millennial and Gen Z-focused content reaches more than one billion consumers around the world every month. Experience our work at www.qyoumedia.com, www.theq.tv and www.chtrbox.com.
Join our shareholder chat group on Telegram: http://t.me/QYOUMedia
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Words such as "expects'', "anticipates" and "intends" or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained herein may include, but are not limited to, information concerning the completion of future investments, the approval of the Exchange of the investments, the approval of the Reserve Bank of India of future investments, the expected use of proceeds from the investment, and statements relating to the business and future activities of QYOU. These forward-looking statements are based on QYOU's current projections and expectations about future events and other factors management believes are appropriate. Although QYOU believes that the assumptions underlying these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they may prove to be incorrect, and readers cannot be assured that the offering and the closing thereof will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of numerous factors, including certain risk factors, many of which are beyond QYOU's control. Additional risks and uncertainties regarding QYOU are described in its publicly-available disclosure documents, filed by QYOU on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) except as updated herein. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release represent QYOU's expectations as of the date of this news release, or as of the date they are otherwise stated to be made, and subsequent events may cause these expectations to change. QYOU undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law.
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SOURCE QYOU Media Inc. | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/qyou-media-host-second-quarter-2022-financial-results-call-august-29/ | 2022-08-23T21:02:40Z |
PRINCETON, N.J., Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Radiate Holdco, LLC ("Radiate") announced today that it will hold a conference call to discuss its second quarter 2022 results at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time on Friday, August 26, 2022. The dial-in information for the call will be posted to Radiate's secure investor website. During the conference call, representatives of Radiate will discuss and answer questions concerning the company's business and financial matters.
Access to the financial results and conference call will be limited to holders and beneficial owners of the Notes, qualified prospective investors in the Notes, holders of Radiate's term loan, and certain security analysts and market makers. Radiate will post all of its reports required to be furnished pursuant to the Indenture governing the Notes on its secure investor website maintained by Intralinks. Reports will also be posted to Syndtrak for term loan holders. If you meet one or more of the criteria set forth above and would like to access, but have not yet been granted access to, the secure investor website, please contact Radiate's contact below.
Contact details:
Radiate Contact: Jamie Hill, SVP Finance & Treasury
Telephone: 301-531-2720
Email: James.Hill@rcn.net
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SOURCE Radiate Holdco, LLC | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/radiate-holdco-llc-hold-conference-call-discuss-second-quarter-2022-financial-results/ | 2022-08-23T21:02:47Z |
NEW YORK, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On behalf of the Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding (Tanenbaum), a pro bono team from Schulte Roth & Zabel (SRZ) filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court of the United States in defense of the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA) on August 19, 2022.
Filed in support of the State of Colorado and other respondents, the brief is in response to a lawsuit brought by a graphic designer refusing website design services to LGBTQ+ engaged couples on the basis of the graphic designer's religious beliefs. This petitioner argues that CADA infringes on her First Amendment right to Freedom of Speech, claiming that her websites are artistic expression and that by prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, CADA burdens that expression.
As an organization dedicated to religious liberty, Tanenbaum argues that a successful petition finding CADA unconstitutional would allow for discrimination against individuals based on either their religious beliefs or lack thereof.
"The best way to ensure robust and lasting protection for religious freedom is to preserve the government's ability to implement anti-discrimination laws," said Tanenbaum CEO Mark Fowler. "In a flawed interpretation of free speech precedent, the petitioner violates CADA and seeks to open the door to unchecked discrimination and harm for years to come."
"Schulte Roth & Zabel has a long and proud history defending LGBTQ+ rights and is proud to partner with Tanenbaum in this critical defense of Colorado's anti-discrimination laws," said Robert Ward, Litigation Partner at Schulte Roth & Zabel. "Beyond the petitioner's myopic interpretation of the First Amendment, she fails to recognize CADA's compelling interest in promoting equality and equal access to public accommodations. We look forward to a vigorous defense and sustained protection for the many benefits that CADA provides."
As part of the firm's extensive pro bono initiatives, SRZ has served as long-time counsel to Tanenbaum, which promotes mutual respect with practical programs that bridge religious differences and combat prejudice in schools, workplaces, public accommodations, health care settings and areas of armed conflict. SRZ previously filed an amicus brief on behalf of Tanenbaum in connection with the Masterpiece Cake Shop case, which also argued in favour of CADA when a bakery refused service to same-sex couples.
The SRZ team behind the amicus brief was led by Partner Robert Ward, and includes Special Counsel for Pro Bono Initiatives Sara Solfanelli, Special Counsel Randall Adams, and Associates John Schneider and Erika Simonson.
A copy of the Amicus Brief is available here.
About the Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding
Tanenbaum promotes justice and builds respect for religious difference by transforming individuals and institutions to reduce prejudice, hatred, and violence. As a secular and non-sectarian non-profit, Tanenbaum works to promote religious peacebuilders who help counter extremism and violence in armed conflicts, and tackles religious bullying of students, harassment in workplaces, and disparate health treatment for people based on their beliefs.
About Schulte Roth & Zabel
Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP (srz.com) is a full-service law firm with offices in New York, Washington, D.C., and London. As one of the leading law firms serving the financial services industry, the firm regularly advises clients on investment management, corporate and transactional matters and provides counsel on securities regulatory compliance, enforcement and investigative issues. The firm's practices include antitrust; bank regulatory; bankruptcy & creditors' rights litigation; blockchain technology & digital assets; broker-dealer regulatory & enforcement; business reorganization; complex commercial litigation; cybersecurity & data privacy; distressed debt & claims trading; distressed investing; education law; employment & employee benefits; energy; environmental; environmental, social and governance (ESG); finance & derivatives; financial institutions; hedge funds; individual client services; insurance; intellectual property, sourcing & technology; investment management; litigation; litigation finance; mergers & acquisitions; nonprofit; PIPEs; private credit, distressed investing & direct lending; private equity; real estate; real estate capital markets & REITs; real estate litigation; regulated funds; regulatory & compliance; securities & capital markets; securities enforcement; securities litigation; securitization; shareholder activism; structured finance & derivatives; tax; trading agreements and white collar defense & government investigations.
Learn more about Schulte Roth & Zabel's Pro Bono heritage here.
Contacts:
Stanton
Mike Goodwin
mgoodwin@stantonprm.com
646-502-3595
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SOURCE Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/schulte-roth-amp-zabel-files-supreme-court-amicus-brief-discrimination-case/ | 2022-08-23T21:02:54Z |
NEW YORK, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Weiss Law is investigating possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law by the board of directors of Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Aerie" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: AERI), in connection with the proposed acquisition of the Company by Alcon Inc. (NYSE: ALC). Under the terms of the merger agreement, the Company's shareholders will receive $15.25 in cash for each share of Aerie common stock owned. The transaction is valued at approximately $770 million.
If you own Aerie shares and wish to discuss this investigation or have any questions concerning this notice or your rights or interests, visit our website:
https://www.weisslaw.co/news-and-cases/aeri
Or please contact:
Joshua Rubin, Esq.
Weiss Law
305 Broadway, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10007
(212) 682-3025
(888) 593-4771
stockinfo@weisslawllp.com
Weiss Law is investigating whether (i) Aerie's board of directors acted in the best interests of Company shareholders in agreeing to the proposed transaction, (ii) the $15.25 per-share merger consideration adequately compensates Aerie's shareholders, and (iii) all information regarding the sales process and valuation of the transaction will be fully and fairly disclosed. Notably, at least one analyst set a price target for the Company of $25 per share, $9.75 above the per-share merger consideration.
Weiss Law has litigated hundreds of stockholder class and derivative actions for violations of corporate and fiduciary duties. We have recovered over a billion dollars for defrauded clients and obtained important corporate governance relief in many of these cases. If you have information or would like legal advice concerning possible corporate wrongdoing (including insider trading, waste of corporate assets, accounting fraud, or materially misleading information), consumer fraud (including false advertising, defective products, or other deceptive business practices), or anti-trust violations, please email us at stockinfo@weisslawllp.com
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SOURCE Weiss Law | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/shareholder-alert-weiss-law-investigates-aerie-pharmaceuticals-inc/ | 2022-08-23T21:03:00Z |
The former CEO of Peet's Coffee brings industry and leadership experience to Board
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif., Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SAMBAZON, an acronym for Sustainable Management of the Brazilian Amazon and the leading supplier of certified fair trade and organic Açaí, announced today that Shawn Conway has joined its Board of Directors. Conway will bring extensive experience in the beverage space and over 30 years of management experience with high-growth, branded consumer products and businesses.
"We are elated to bring Shawn's tremendous passion and experience to our Board of Directors as we continue to build our branded concepts and retail licensing programs," said Ryan Black, SAMBAZON's co-founder. "Shawn's background as CEO and COO of Peet's Coffee and other premier brands will help elevate our team's ability to deliver world-class customer and client experience through certified organic, fair trade Açaí bowls."
Conway previously worked at Peet's Coffee, where he rose through the ranks, moving quickly from Chief Supply Chain Officer to Chief Operating Officer before leading the brand as Chief Executive Officer. During his 12-year tenure at Peet's Coffee, Conway oversaw and guided the brand's Retail, CPG, Food Service, Office Coffee, and E-commerce channels, as well as worked closely with many essential departments including Coffee and Tea, Research & Development, Product Development, Logistics, Strategic Sourcing, Procurement, Quality Assurance, and Roasting Plant Operation.
In addition to the aforementioned roles, Conway has been actively involved in the Board of Directors for Stumptown Coffee and served as the Chairman for the Boards of Intelligentsia Coffee, Mighty Leaf Tea, and Peet's China, for several years.
"I am honored to join the Board of Directors at SAMBAZON and look forward to helping SAMBAZON continue to grow as leaders in the Açaí space," said Shawn Conway, former CEO of Peet's Coffee. "I have always had a passion for supporting great brands and businesses, and I am excited to join in their mission of providing innovative, sustainable, and responsibly sourced products."
To learn more about SAMBAZON, please visit www.sambazon.com or follow along on Instagram @sambazon.
ABOUT SAMBAZON
Founded in 2000, SAMBAZON, an acronym for Sustainable Management of the Brazilian Amazon, was the first company to introduce "certified Açaí" to the world, supplying organic and Fair Trade certified Açaí products from a proprietary supply chain to ensure transparency from the "palm of the tree to the palm of your hand." SAMBAZON recently launched Seeding Change, a documentary highlighting mission-driven brands operating on triple-bottom-line business models and using commerce as a vehicle to create a more prosperous future for the people and the planet, similarly to how SAMBAZON uses the Delicious Powers of Açaí. All SAMBAZON products, including Smoothie Packs, Ready to Eat Açaí Bowls, Juices, Energy Drinks and Açaí Bites are made from USDA Organic, Non-GMO, vegan, and Fair For Life Fair Trade Certified Açaí. SAMBAZON's Fair Trade certification has helped to protect the Amazon Rainforest and its rich biodiversity and has helped to positively impact thousands of local growers. With the commitment to invest a percentage of local Açaí purchases back into the community, SAMBAZON has contributed over $1 million to build healthcare centers, community centers and schools. For more information about Seeding Change and SAMBAZON's mission and products, visit www.sambazon.com.
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SOURCE SAMBAZON | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/shawn-conway-joins-board-directors-sambazon/ | 2022-08-23T21:03:06Z |
TV and Radio Host, Author and Actress Bevy Smith will also serve as a Keynote Speaker at the largest conference for women of color in professional sales.
NEW YORK, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sistas In Sales (SIS), the leading global organization serving women of color across the sales sector will host its 5th Annual Summit on Thursday, September 21st – 23rd 2022. This three-day event will bring together hundreds of attendees from SIS's global membership base for keynotes, workshops, breakout sessions, and panels led by women of color. In keeping with the SIS tradition, this year's speaker slate includes a dynamic group of thought leaders in business, media, tech, social impact, and wellness.
The 5th Annual Sistas In Sales Summit will welcome ACADEMY AWARD®-nominated and GOLDEN GLOBE®-winning actor, writer, and producer Taraji P. Henson live in NYC - with her keynote address sponsored by Microsoft. With much critical acclaim for her roles in films such as HIDDEN FIGURES, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, THINK LIKE A MAN, and her iconic, starring television run as Cookie Lyon on Fox's EMPIRE, Taraji has recently launched the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation in honor of her late father - prioritizing mental health through scholarships and services for African-Americans. Receiving her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2019, Taraji has embarked on multiple endeavors since - including the launch of her production company, TPH Entertainment, and her haircare line, TPH by Taraji.
"Microsoft is excited to sponsor and partner with SIS to bring Ms. Henson's keynote to the Summit. We also want to congratulate SIS on celebrating its 5-year anniversary!" Rashida Hodge, VP, Customer Success, Data & AI.
In addition to Taraji P. Henson, Sistas In Sales will also welcome Gracie Award winner, author, host of Sirius XM's "Bevelations," and recent TED speaker Bevy Smith as a Summit Keynote Speaker. Smith will take the stage on day two of the three-day summit, and Henson will culminate the event on day three.
Each year, Sistas in Sales welcomes the best sales leaders in the business to its annual Summit - this year's slate includes Chief Revenue Officer of ESSENCE, Pauline Malcolm- Thornton; SVP, Ad Sales & Inclusive Content Monetization for OWN/Warner Brothers Discovery, Sheereen Miller-Russell; CVP, Azure Infrastructure and Data Apps Innovation at Microsoft, Merrie Williamson; VP of Customer Success, Azure Data & AI at Microsoft, Rashida Hodge; VP of Sales at Procore Technologies and Forbes Contributor Rahki Voria; CEO of Black Love Inc and Producer of Black Love on OWN, Codie Elaine Oliver; Senior Manager for the Center for Racial Equity at Walmart, Kimberly McGee; Communications executive and author, Jacqueline Adams; Chief Evangelist at Challenger, Jen Allen; VP of Customer Care & Vendor Management Office for Google Devices & Services, Cassandra Johnson; Head of Industry, Education at Google, Claudia Howard; Head of Industry, Large Customers Sales, Business & Industrial Markets at Google, Brittan King; Senior Sales Manager; Mid-Market Commerce at Google, Candace Jordan; Executive Recruiter at Google, Pamela Selby; Mid Market Account Manager at Chili Piper, Allanah Roopchand; VP of Marketing at Samsara, Dana Chery; Northeast Leader, Enterprise for Apple, Tesha Williams-Flynn; Global Head of Customer Success of Pinterest, Regina Amundson; Co-Founder & CEO of Luna Magic, Mabel Frias; CEO and Founder of the Phoenix Affect, Phoenix Jackson; Head of SMB Sales Development Motive, Kristin Moore; Sales Transformation Manager at Motive, Rebecca Heyse; Account Manager at SoftwareONE, Aries Webb-Williams; Global HR Director - Go To Market (GTM) at Twilio, Symphone'e Lindsey; Senior Project Manager at Ralph Lauren, Susan Mejeh; Head of Fashion Partnerships at Amazon, Amy Newton; Founder of Debt Down Assets Up, Tai Wiggins; Founder, CEO & Chief Accelerator Kadima Careers, Alan Stein; Franchise Broker/Consultant of Precision Franchise, Tamika Franklyn; Founder & CEO of Believe You Me, Taj Avaje; Manager, Account Development of Samsara, Aliyah Morphis; Co-Founder at Techanda, Jheryn Kenney; Sales Leadership Coach of Transformed Sales, Wesleyne Whittaker-Greer; Associate Director - DEI, Associate Professor of Sylvester Comprehensive, Sophia George; and AE-Mid Market at Slack, Shayla Martin.
The Sistas In Sales Summit will be hosted by Founder of The Plug and host of TED Tech, Sherrell Dorsey, and ABC News Technology and Lifestyle Contributor, Stephanie Humphrey.
SIS is thrilled to partner with Google, Walmart Connect, Amazon, Microsoft, Workday and Salesforce as Champion sponsors. Other corporate partners include TikTok, Dataminr, Unilever, Videoamp, Paloalto, Spotify, Oracle, Chili Piper, Twilio, Skaled, Braze, Salesloft, Motive, DocuSign, Pandora, Samsara, Postal.io, and Liveperson.
Tickets are available at: https://www.sistasinsales.com/
Google is returning as the SIS Summit Champion Sponsor for the fifth year in a row – solidifying its impactful investment in the SIS Community, and demonstrating the company's commitment to recruit talent from the SIS member base of more than 5,500 women of color. This year, Google will present the Google Lounge: A Place for Sellers – a private space where attendees can have their resumes reviewed in real-time from Google recruiters, discuss open roles, and make meaningful connections with decision-makers. Walmart Connect's beauty bar will feature LUNA MAGIC, a women-led and Afro-Latina-owned beauty brand. Summit attendees will receive professional make-up tips and complimentary products. Select attendees will experience luxury at its finest with Shea Moisture products during the Unilever VIP Lounge Activation. On day 1, the Microsoft Happy Hour is sure to be a hit as well as the SIS Bistro Recruiting Lounge. There will be something for everyone to learn from or to indulge in at the 5th Annual SIS Summit.
Since 2017, Sistas In Sales (SIS) has worked to empower women of color through distinct networking, training, and career opportunities across the sales sector. SIS is the first national organization to serve women of color in professional sales careers with more than 5,500+ members across the US. SIS's membership represents a broad range of diverse women in media, software, finance, IT, education, and tech sales - with a focus on sharing knowledge and resources to build community, sisterhood, and empowerment through mastering the sales craft. To learn more, please visit www.sistasinsales.com. Follow SIS on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Slack.
Media Contact: Phoenix Jackson
Email: phx@phoenixaffect.com
Phone: 720.275.8238
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SOURCE Sistas In Sales | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/sistas-sales-announces-academy-award-nominated-golden-globe-winning-actor-writer-producer-entrepreneur-taraji-p-henson-5th-annual-summit-keynote-speaker/ | 2022-08-23T21:03:13Z |
Sweet July's Sustainable Steeped Coffee Packs Debut in Brand's Subscription Box
SANTA CRUZ, Calif., Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Steeped Coffee, a certified B Corp and Benefit Corporation, announced today it has been selected by Ayesha Curry's Sweet July Subscription Box for inclusion in the company's Fall Subscription Box, available for pre-order now. The box features an exclusive preview of the new Sweet July House-Blend Single-Serve Steeped Coffee Packs, which will be available soon on SweetJuly.com. Brewed similarly to tea, single-serve Steeped Packs are fully compostable and require no specialty brewing equipment.
The Sweet July Subscription Box is a quarterly subscription box that features a seasonally curated selection of full-size lifestyle products hand-selected by Curry and the Sweet July Team. Box members receive four boxes a year and are introduced to best-in-class beauty, skincare, health and wellness, cooking, and home decor products.
"Steeped Coffee is on a mission to make quality coffee more accessible and sustainable by requiring no specialty brewing equipment and delivering incredible taste in fully compostable single-serve packs," said Josh Wilbur, founder, and CEO, Steeped Coffee. "We are proud to be included as one of Ayesha Curry's favorite products as part of the Sweet July Subscription Box, and excited about our collaboration to create their bold House Blend available in Sweet July's branded Steeped Packs."
Steeped Coffee was awarded 'Best New Product' by the Specialty Coffee Expo in 2019. Steeped Packs contain craft-roasted, freshly ground pre-portioned coffee that is triple nitro-sealed to guarantee the perfect cup every time. The company's Guilt-Free Packaging™ is certified commercially compostable, helping ensure that daily coffee rituals go unnoticed by the next generation.
The box is available for purchase at SweetJulyBox.com.
Steeped, Inc. based in Santa Cruz, California, is a Certified B Corp and Benefit Corporation focused on every detail from farm-to-cup and beyond. Steeped is the new standard in coffee, helping to make great-tasting craft coffee more accessible through its proprietary technology and single-serve Steeped Brewing Method, which is licensed to over 400 of the top specialty roasters around the globe. Steeped delivers 100% freshly roasted, precision ground, and nitro-sealed specialty coffee pre-portioned within Steeped Full Immersion Filters. Steeped Coffee is the simplest way to make a perfect cup of coffee by just adding water, with no machine needed. Welcome to Coffee Simplified.
- 100% Specialty Coffee: craft roasted in small batches with ethically sourced beans
- No Machine Required: unplugged single-serve convenience, no pods, no mess
- Guilt-Free Packaging: commercially compostable using renewable plant-based materials
- Full Immersion Filter: certified compostable non-GMO renewable filters
- Ultrasonically Welded: no glues or staples, no wasted materials, maximum coffee
- Pre-Portioned Single-Serving: only brew what you use, reducing wasteful consumption
- Precision Ground Coffee: consistent water-cooled grinding to the micron
- Triple Nitro Sealed: removes oxygen, stopping the clock on freshly ground beans
- Just Add Water: single-serve convenience brewed hot or as Steeped Cold Brew
- Barista Approved: independently tested by specialty Q-graders for freshness, quality, and taste
Steeped Coffee is available at steepedcoffee.com, on Amazon with Prime Free Delivery, at thousands of US supermarkets, premium hotels, offices, and for distribution through KeHE, UNFI, and other national distribution outlets. For business inquiries, contact sales@steepedcoffee.com, (831) 316-4898, or visit steepedcoffee.com/business.
IMAGES: SWEET JULY STEEPED COFFEE PACKS
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SOURCE Steeped Coffee | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/steeped-coffee-partners-with-ayesha-currys-sweet-july-fall-subscription-box/ | 2022-08-23T21:03:19Z |
VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Rock Tech Lithium Inc (TSXV: RCK) (OTCQX: RCKTF) (FWB: RJIB) (WKN: A1XF0V) ("Rock Tech") and Mercedes-Benz AG ("Mercedes-Benz") are pleased to announce that they are about to enter into an agreement which provides for a strategic partnership to produce high-quality lithium hydroxide for the automaker and its battery suppliers. Under the intended binding agreement, Rock Tech has agreed to deliver up to 10,000 tonnes per year of its planned production to the premium manufacturer and its partners starting in 2026. The two companies made the announcement on Tuesday during a visit to Canada by a business delegation from Germany led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Mercedes-Benz wants to become fully electric by the end of the decade. From 2025 onwards the luxury carmaker plans that all newly launched vehicle architectures will be all electric. To help make this a reality, Mercedes-Benz intends to enter a strategic partnership with Rock Tech, lasting for at least five years and an option to prolong.
From 2026 onwards, it is envisaged that Rock Tech contributes up to 10,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide annually to Mercedes-Benz and its battery partners, starting with a qualification period and after quality and sustainability benchmarks have been met. This battery-grade lithium product is an essential component of high-performance vehicle batteries. The Canadian-German Rock Tech expects to become a central implementation partner for the automaker and its all electric and carbon neutral strategies.
With the envisaged strategic partnership, both companies aim to ensure that the amount of battery-grade lithium meets Mercedes-Benz's growing demand in order to scale up electric vehicle production. Rock Tech is currently developing its first converter project in Guben, eastern Germany. So far, no other refinery of its kind exists in Europe. Rock Tech aims to close this gap in supply of lithium and to make regional supply chains more resilient by refining spodumene into high quality lithium hydroxide at this converter by the end of 2024. This would create a short supply chain in Mercedes-Benz's origin and is expected to further strengthen the partnership.
"With the envisaged agreement, we intend to provide Mercedes-Benz not only with high-quality lithium hydroxide, but also to establish a strategic partnership that is expected to set new standards in sustainable supply chains. We are very pleased to have found a partner that intends to take important steps with us towards a more resilient and sustainable lithium supply chain to deliver an important part of their strategy and of the e-mobility transformation", says Markus Bruegmann, Chief Executive Officer of Rock Tech Lithium.
"Mercedes-Benz plans to go all electric by the end of this decade, wherever market conditions allow. To scale up our electric vehicle production, access to raw materials is needed to improve the resilience and sustainability of the electric vehicle supply chain. With the Rock Tech partnership we intend to take a direct sourcing approach to secure the lithium supply for Mercedes-Benz battery production", says Markus Schaefer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Chief Technology Officer, responsible for Research & Development and Procurement.
Additionally, Rock Tech also intends to operate its own mine in Georgia Lake, Canada, to contribute to wider and growing lithium demand in the northern hemisphere. With the emergence of new sources of raw materials within the G7 community, Canada in particular is becoming increasingly important for resilient supply chains. Rock Tech exemplifies how cooperation between Canada and Germany can be realized. This is one of the reasons why Mercedes-Benz and Rock Tech announced the envisaged partnership during a business delegation's trip to Canada on Tuesday in Toronto, with reference to Memorandum of Understanding entered into by Mercedes-Benz and the Government of Canada to strengthen cooperation across the electric vehicle value chain.
A shared understanding and focus on reliability, resilience, and sustainability in the supply chains in Europe and North America creates a strong basis for the planned strategic partnership between Rock Tech and Mercedes-Benz. Rock Tech's sourcing options and its own mining project in Canada are expected to meet or exceed the standards of the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurances (IRMA), whose criteria includes both human rights aspects and the environmentally sustainable mining of raw materials, among others. In addition, Rock Tech is investigating new methods and technologies aimed at the carbon neutral industrial production of lithium hydroxide and new zero waste production methods.
On behalf of the Board of Directors,
Dirk Harbecke
Chairman
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
The following cautionary statements are in addition to all other cautionary statements and disclaimers contained elsewhere in, or referenced by, this press release.
Certain information set forth in this press release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws, which are based on Rock Tech's current expectations, estimates, and assumptions in light of its experience and is perception of historical trends. All statements other than statements of historical facts may constitute forward-looking information. Often, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words or phrases such as "estimate", "project", "anticipate", "expect", "intend", "believe", "hope", "may" and similar expressions, as well as "will", "shall" and all other indications of future tense. All forward-looking information set forth in this press release is expressly qualified in its entirety by the cautionary statements referred to in this section.
In particular, forward-looking information in this new release includes, but is not limited to: statements regarding Rock Tech's and Mercedes-Benz's respective vision, strategy and objectives; statements regarding the strategic partnership between Rock Tech and Mercedes-Benz, including the provision of lithium hydroxide to Mercedes-Benz by the Company and the volume and timing thereof, future actions taken by the parties and the expected benefits of the strategic partnership; the expected contribution of the strategic partnership to the parties strategy and objectives and the lithium hydroxide supply chain; the expected importance of lithium hydroxide generally, and production delivered pursuant to the strategic partnership in particular, in relation to Mercedes-Benz's strategy; expectations concerning the Company's planned and prospective projects, including the Georgia Lake mine and proposed converter project in Guben and the Company's intentions with respect to the development and timing thereof; the expectation that the Company will receive the first part of the construction permit in respect of the proposed converter project and the timing thereof; statements regarding Rock Tech's future plans and expectations, including the anticipated production of lithium hydroxide and that the Georgia Lake mine will meet IRMA standards; statements and expectations regarding the electric vehicle industry; Rock Tech's opinions, beliefs and expectations regarding the Company's business strategy, development and exploration opportunities and projects; and plans and objectives of management for the Company's operations and properties.
Forward-looking information contained in this press release is based on certain assumptions, estimates, expectations, analysis and opinions of the Company and in certain cases, third party experts, that are believed by management of Rock Tech to be reasonable at the time they were made. Such assumptions, estimates and other factors include, among other things: that the strategic partnership will result in outcomes consistent with management's expectations in relation thereto; that the Georgia Lake mine and proposed converter project in Guben will be developed on-time and on budget in accordance with current expectations; the supply and demand for, deliveries of, and the level and volatility of prices of, feedstock and intermediate and final lithium products; that all required regulatory approvals and permits can be obtained on the necessary terms in a timely manner; expected growth, performance and business operations; future commodity prices and exchange rates; prospects, growth opportunities and financing available to the Company; general business and economic conditions; results of development and exploration; and Rock Tech's ability to procure supplies and other equipment necessary for its business. The foregoing list is not exhaustive of all assumptions which may have been used in developing the forward-looking information. While Rock Tech considers these assumptions, estimates and factors to be reasonable based on information currently available, they may prove to be incorrect. Forward-looking information should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results.
In addition, forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond Rock Tech's control, that may cause Rock Tech's actual events, results, performance and/or achievements to be materially different from that which is expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual events, results, performance and/or achievements to vary materially include: the failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the strategic partnership; the Company's ability to access funding required to invest in available opportunities and projects (including the Company's proposed lithium hydroxide converter and the Georgia Lake mine) and on satisfactory terms; the current and potential adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and recent geopolitical hostilities; the risk that Rock Tech will not be able to meet its financial obligations as they fall due; changes in commodity and other prices; Rock Tech's ability to attract and retain skilled staff and to secure feedstock from third party suppliers; unanticipated events and other difficulties related to construction, development and operation of the Company's proposed lithium hydroxide converter and/or the Georgia Lake mine; the cost of compliance with current and future environmental and other laws and regulations; title defects; competition from existing and new competitors; changes in currency, exchange rates and market prices of Rock Tech's securities; Rock Tech's history of losses; adverse impacts of climate change; and other risks and uncertainties described from time to time in Rock Tech's public disclosure documents available on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, including those discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Rock Tech's most recently filed Management Discussion and Analysis and Annual Information Form, respectively. Such risks and uncertainties do not represent an exhaustive list of all risk factors that could cause actual events, results, performance and/or achievements to vary materially from the forward-looking information.
We cannot assure you that actual events, results, performance and/or achievements will be consistent with the forward-looking information and management's assumptions may prove to be incorrect. Forward-looking information reflects Rock Tech management's views as at the date the information is created. Except as may be required by law, Rock Tech undertakes no obligation and expressly disclaims any responsibility, obligation or undertaking to update or to revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, to reflect any change in Rock Tech's expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such information is based.
Given these uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to rely on the forward-looking information set forth in this press release.
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SOURCE Rock Tech Lithium Inc. | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/strategic-partnership-mercedes-benz-intends-source-battery-material-lithium-hydroxide-rock-tech-lithium/ | 2022-08-23T21:03:26Z |
Outlet leader's leasing strategy attracts notable lineup of differentiated and digitally native labels
GREENSBORO, N.C., Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. (NYSE: SKT), a leading operator of upscale, open-air outlet centers, today shared leasing momentum for the portfolio, reflecting a diversified lineup of new innovative brands set to capitalize on the omnichannel ecosystem. New brands arriving at Tanger centers include the recent openings of Serena & Lily (Hilton Head, SC) and Regatta Great Outdoors (Deer Park, NY) this month; as well as the openings of St. John, Crate & Barrel, and Wolford (Riverhead, NY); Salt Life (Foley, AL; Hilton Head, SC; and Rehoboth Beach, DE); and a Summersalt pop-up shop (Myrtle Beach, SC).
Building on a strong foundation of driving comparable growth that surpasses pre-pandemic sales levels for its roster of iconic brands, Tanger is now attracting a new set of differentiated brands to its portfolio – further underscoring the company's commitment to its retailers through collaboration, innovation and growth.
"Leveraging our short- and long-term leasing strategy to preserve premier locations for brands that are accretive to the portfolio, we continue to pursue novel brands that bring unmatched access to our shoppers," said Executive Vice President of Leasing Justin Stein. "These new additions cement Tanger's approach to diversifying our offerings with a focus on elevated and digitally native brands, while enhancing our footprint in categories like home décor, furniture, outdoor recreation, swimwear and shapewear."
Serena & Lily, a California-style designer furniture brand, and Regatta Great Outdoors, one of the world's most popular outdoor brands, both debuted at Tanger Outlets in August. With these key openings, Tanger continues its mission to expand and diversify its offerings to meet the current and unique demands of its most loyal customers.
Additionally, the company's strategy to support its retail partners in innovative ways led Summersalt to select Tanger as the launch partner for the swimwear company's inaugural pop-up brick-and-mortar location. Tanger enhanced Summersalt's retail launch with a special offer for TangerClub and Tanger Insider members to shop directly at summersalt.com – reflecting Tanger's increasing focus on commercializing marketing through digital transformation.
About Tanger Factory Outlet Centers:
Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. (NYSE: SKT) is a leading operator of upscale open-air outlet centers that owns (or has an ownership interest in) and/or manages a portfolio of 37 centers with an additional center currently under development. Tanger's operating properties are located in 20 states and in Canada, totaling approximately 14.0 million square feet, leased to over 2,700 stores operated by more than 600 different brand name companies. The Company has more than 41 years of experience in the outlet industry and is a publicly-traded REIT. For more information on Tanger Outlet Centers, call 1-800-4TANGER or visit the Company's website at www.tangeroutlets.com.
Media Contact
Nathaly Martinez
KWT Global
Tanger@kwtglobal.com
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SOURCE Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/tanger-outlets-adds-new-collection-diverse-brands-retail-portfolio/ | 2022-08-23T21:03:32Z |
DENTON, Texas, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Tetra Pak published its annual Sustainability Report, highlighting the company's achievements and progress in the last year and detailing actions taken to help realize resilient and sustainable food systems.
The sustainability challenges underscore the need for a radical new approach to the way we feed the world while minimizing the impact on the planet. From how we source, produce and process our food, to its transportation, the materials we use to package it, and the critical role of collaborations in making it happen.
Tetra Pak's 23rd Sustainability Report highlights the company's achievements and ongoing initiatives – to protect food, people and the planet. These include:
- Reduced operational GHG emissions by 36%, with 80% of energy coming from renewable sources, doubling the solar energy capacity to 5.55MW.
- Launched a pioneering land restoration initiative in Brazil, in collaboration with local NGO Apremavi in early 2022. The aim is to restore up to 7,000 hectares of land by 2030 for biodiversity recovery, carbon capture and climate change mitigation.
- Sold 17.6 billion plant-based packages and 10.8 billion plant-based caps in the past year, enabling the saving of 96 kilo tonnes of CO2, compared to fossil-based plastic.
- Committed to halve food waste, water consumption and carbon footprint of its best practice processing lines by 2030.
"At Tetra Pak, we're committed to minimizing our impact and our U.S. and Canadian market continues to decrease the impact of our own operations while supporting our customers' sustainability ambitions," said Seth Teply, President and CEO, Tetra Pak U.S. and Canada. "It is our unified focus on protecting food, people and the planet that drives each of us, and makes Tetra Pak an industry leader for high-quality, innovative and sustainable packaging, processing and services solutions for the food and beverage industry."
This year's U.S. and Canada supplement to the global report highlights several of the market's accomplishments. These include:
- Participated in a pilot study that demonstrated how shelf-stable milk in schools could reduce miles driven for distribution and minimize food waste.
- Educated consumers and the industry on aseptic technology.
- Expanded our sustainable packaging portfolio to include cartons made with plant-based coatings produced in the United States.
- Advanced carton recycling via the Carton Council of North America, including the launch of the first Community Education Awards to improve resident communications on recycling.
- Grew programs that further support our people, including total wellbeing and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
In addition to the written supplement, a video speaking to Tetra Pak U.S. and Canada's commitment to sustainability in the words of their employees can be viewed here.
Looking forward, Tetra Pak has bold aspirations to lead the sustainability transformation. In November of 2020, the company announced its ambition to create the world's most sustainable food package, a goal the company contends cannot be reached without innovative collaboration, considerations towards a low-carbon circular economy, and a broad view of the entire supply chain.
Media contacts for more information:
Angela Peterson
TEL: 940-395-7583
angela.peterson@tetrapak.com
ABOUT TETRA PAK
Tetra Pak is a world leading food processing and packaging solutions company. Working closely with our customers and suppliers, we provide safe, innovative and environmentally sound products that each day meet the needs of hundreds of millions of people in more than 160 countries. With more than 25,000 employees around the world, we believe in responsible industry leadership and a sustainable approach to business.
Our promise, "PROTECTS WHAT'S GOOD™," reflects our vision to commit to making food safe and available, everywhere.
More information about Tetra Pak is available at www.tetrapak.com.
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SOURCE Tetra Pak | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/tetra-pak-highlights-new-milestones-2022-sustainability-report/ | 2022-08-23T21:03:39Z |
Leaders in Patient Engagement and Pharmacy Operations Software Announce New Corporate Identity to Accelerate Innovation and Growth
AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Vow Inc., Digital Pharmacist, CAREANIMATIONS and VUCA Health formally announced today that they are uniting under one parent company, Lumistry. This combination under the new Lumistry brand creates a one-of-a-kind organization in the pharmacy industry, offering its customers an innovative software platform that enhances patient engagement, increases medication adherence, and streamlines pharmacies' workflows and operations.
The four brands will continue to operate as individual solution providers, with the suite of products available to all Lumistry customers. The new alignment will lay the groundwork to better serve the market with holistic and innovative offerings while remaining focused on the needs of pharmacists and their patients.
"Today marks an important milestone for our collective companies, forming one entity and aligning our strategy to offer the best products and services to our customers," said Corey Hansen, CEO of Lumistry. "I'm excited to bring our talented teams, strong brands, and complementary solutions together under Lumistry so that we can accelerate innovation to develop new products that improve pharmacy performance and create a seamless patient experience that manifests our purpose of helping pharmacies help people."
Offering a comprehensive collection of technologies purpose-built for pharmacies, Lumistry now serves over 9,000 pharmacies globally with cloud-based software that integrates with more than 70 pharmacy management systems. The company is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with offices in New Jersey, South Carolina, Florida, and Europe.
"Patients are adopting digital solutions at a record pace and pharmacies are now making the transition to technology solutions to keep up with this demand," said CEO Corey Hansen. "Simultaneously, pharmacies are seeing increased pressure with the pandemic and other operational challenges and must therefore adapt how they operate their businesses. At Lumistry we have listened to our customers and have built best-in-class technology that solves these pain points and allows pharmacists to grow their businesses while providing better patient care."
Lumistry helps pharmacies transform their business to improve adherence, reduce operating costs and increase revenue. Offering a combination of purpose-built, intelligent products and services, Lumistry provides pharmacists with solutions to engage with their patients, consolidate vendors, improve patient health literacy, automate tasks, and initiate online scheduling for programs and services.
Lumistry serves more than 9,000 pharmacies globally. The company is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with offices in New Jersey, South Carolina, Florida, and Europe.
Contact: Maria Kassam, maria.kassam@lumistry.com
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SOURCE Lumistry | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/vow-inc-digital-pharmacist-careanimations-vuca-health-unite-under-newly-formed-parent-company-lumistry/ | 2022-08-23T21:03:45Z |
HOUSTON, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Zeus Companies, a real estate lending and investment firm is excited to accept the REDNews 2022 Real Estate award for Mixed-Use Property of The Year for the Heights Forum.
Zeus Companies and founder, Dr. Steven Kaufman, were nominated for six awards in multiple categories by real estate industry peers on behalf of REDNews, a widely respected publication with over 35 years of experience in real estate news.
The Heights Forum, a 24,000 square-foot medical/retail development set on 1.25 acres of land on North Shepherd Drive, won the Mixed-Use Property of The Year award. The Heights Forum is home to the first independent free-standing emergency room in the Heights neighborhood.
"Being recognized for projects that we worked so hard on is incredibly encouraging. The Heights Forum is a ground-up development that has been in progress for over 4 years. It is an honor to complete this development in such an iconic area of Houston and to be celebrated for it," said Dr. Steven Kaufman, founder of Zeus Companies.
The REDNews 2022 Real Estate Awards ceremony took place Thursday night at the Omni Houston Hotel. Zeus Companies was nominated alongside other national companies for numerous awards including, Medical Property of the Year and Redevelopment of the Year. Dr. Kaufman was nominated for Emerging Leader of the Year and Social Media Influencer of the Year.
"I am overjoyed to be acknowledged and nominated for something I am so passionate about. Being a leader defines me and I am ridiculously proud of the team at Zeus and what we are building together," said Dr. Kaufman.
Zeus Companies is both Zeus Lending: a mortgage lender with over 20 years of experience in home and investment property loans, as well as Zeus Investing: an investment company that offers a diverse portfolio of both debt and equity investments. Zeus has successfully made uninterrupted monthly payments through three economic cycles. 94% of investors reinvest with Zeus, namely due to the unique debt and equity investment blend that positions the company well in all market conditions. Learn more at zeuscompanies.com
Contact: Tyler Watson, tyler@zeuscompanies.com
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SOURCE Zeus Companies | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/zeus-companies-wins-2022-real-estate-award-mixed-use-property-year-award/ | 2022-08-23T21:03:52Z |
Autopsy confirms body found in reservoir is missing teen Kiely Rodni
PLACER CO., Calif. (Gray News) - An autopsy confirmed that a body found in a reservoir in Northern California was 16-year-old Kiely Rodni, who went missing weeks ago after attending a large party at a Sierra Nevada campground, officials said Tuesday.
The Placer County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post that they and the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office have spoken with Kiely’s family “and offer our deepest condolences to them during this extremely difficult time.”
Rodni was last seen alive Aug. 6 near the Prosser Family Campground in Truckee, attending a party with hundreds of young people. Her body was discovered Sunday in the Prosser Reservoir.
The body was found when the teen’s submerged car was located, but officials offered no theory of how it ended up in the water.
Rodni’s family thanked the searchers for their help in a statement Monday and said they would be grieving privately.
“While we accept this sadness cast under death’s shadow, the rising sun shines light upon us, reminding us not to mourn our loss, but to celebrate Kiely’s spirit and the gift that we all received in knowing her,” the Rodni-Nieman family wrote in the statement. “Kiely will surely remain with us even though we will not get her back.”
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. The Associated Press contributed to the report. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/23/autopsy-confirms-body-found-reservoir-is-missing-teen-kiely-rodni/ | 2022-08-23T21:15:11Z |
‘House of the Dragon’ is HBO’s top series premiere ever
NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly 10 million people saw the premiere of “House of the Dragon” on Sunday night, making the “Game of Thrones” spinoff HBO’s most-watched series premiere in the network’s history.
HBO aired the episode four times on premiere night and it was also streamed on HBO Max. The viewership number is only going to increase in the coming weeks.
For instance, the “Game of Throne” series finale in May 2019 was seen on its first night by 19.8 million, more than any other series episode on HBO, the Nielsen company said. HBO estimates that some 46 million people in total have seen it, when delayed viewing is taken into account.
Anticipation for “House of the Dragon” was evident in how many people were streaming old “Game of Thrones” episodes on HBO Max, which the network fed by offering crisper picture quality. The weekly average of streams in August is nearly 90% above June, the network said.
“The ‘Game of Thrones’ prequel recaptured the fire of HBO’s original masterpiece in a big way,” said Ashwin Navin, co-founder and CEO of the research firm Samba TV. That company estimated that the HBO series more than doubled the first-day viewership for Netflix’s new season of “Stranger Things” this summer.
The challenge — and opportunity — for HBO lies in trying to expand “House of the Dragon” beyond the built-in fan base, Navin said.
CBS was the most popular broadcast network in prime time last week, averaging 2.8 million viewers. NBC had 2.7 million, ABC had 2.4 million, Fox had 1.9 million, Ion Television had 1.04 million, Univision had 1.01 million and Telemundo had 810,000.
Fox News Channel led the cable networks with a prime-time average of 2.31 million. MSNBC had 1.32 million, ESPN had 896,000, Hallmark had 870,000 and HGTV had 866,000.
ABC’s “World News Tonight” won the evening news ratings race, averaging 7.2 million viewers last week. NBC’s “Nightly News” had 6.1 million and the “CBS Evening News” had 4.2 million.
For the week of Aug. 15-22, the 20 most popular prime-time programs, their networks and viewerships:
1. “America’s Got Talent” (Tuesday), NBC, 6.44 million.
2. “America’s Got Talent” (Wednesday), NBC, 5.64 million.
3. “60 Minutes,” CBS, 5.44 million.
4. “Celebrity Family Feud,” ABC, 4.54 million.
5. “Password” (Wednesday), NBC, 4.36 million.
6. “The $100,000 Pyramid,” ABC, 4.1 million.
7. “Big Brother” (Wednesday), CBS, 4.06 million.
8. “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” ABC, 3.98 million.
9. “Password” (Tuesday), NBC, 3.97 million.
10. “Big Brother” (Sunday), CBS, 3.95 million.
11. “FBI,” CBS, 3.57 million.
12. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” (Monday), Fox News, 3.432 million.
13. “Press Your Luck,” ABC, 3.425 million.
14. “Big Brother” (Thursday), CBS, 3.42 million.
15. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” (Wednesday), Fox News, 3.38 million.
16. “The Bachelorette,” ABC, 3.294 million.
17. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” (Tuesday), Fox News, 3.294 million.
18. “Young Sheldon,” CBS, 3.258 million.
19. “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune,” ABC, 3.258 million.
20. “FBI International,” CBS, 3.245 million.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/23/house-dragon-is-hbos-top-series-premiere-ever/ | 2022-08-23T21:15:18Z |
Massachusetts 8th grader written up for wearing hijab to school
MALDEN, Mass. (WCVB) – An eighth grader in Massachusetts was told she was violating uniform when she wore her hijab to school.
When the girl showed up for the first day of classes at Mystic Valley Regional Charter School last week, she was written up for violating the dress code.
A photo of the school uniform compliance form shows the teacher also misspelled hijab – the headscarf worn by Muslim women – as “jihab.”
The school admitted the “handling of the situation came across as insensitive” and explained that students can wear religious attire as long as they have a letter from a member of their clergy about it.
The school in Malden, Massachusetts is located about 10 miles north of Boston.
Copyright 2022 WCVB via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/23/massachusetts-8th-grader-written-up-wearing-hijab-school/ | 2022-08-23T21:15:24Z |
Autopsy confirms body found in reservoir is missing teen Kiely Rodni
TRUCKEE, Calif. (AP) — An autopsy Tuesday confirmed that a body found inside a car submerged in a Northern California reservoir is that of 16-year-old Kiely Rodni, who disappeared after going to a large youth party earlier this month, authorities said.
No other results of the autopsy were released in a Facebook post by the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office.
“This is an ongoing investigation, and no other information is available at this time,” it said.
The discovery was made during the weekend by a volunteer dive team and Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon told a press conference Monday that it was believed to be the body of the Truckee, California, girl, although the autopsy was pending.
Rodni was last seen alive Aug. 6 at a party of hundreds of youth at a campground at Prosser Reservoir in Tahoe National Forest, about 165 miles (266 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco.
Her disappearance triggered a huge search by multiple law enforcement agencies over two weeks, including underwater searches of the reservoir by dive teams.
On Sunday, volunteer searchers with a sonar-equipped group called Adventures with Purpose found Rodni’s car upside down with a body inside in about 14 feet (4.2 meters) of water in the reservoir, about 55 feet (16.7 meters) offshore.
How she ended up in the water is under investigation by the California Highway Patrol’s major accident investigation team.
The area has curvy roads, and photos of the area where the car was pulled out of the reservoir show a wide expanse of bare shoreline that appears to gradually slope toward the water.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/23/autopsy-confirms-body-found-reservoir-is-missing-teen-kiely-rodni/ | 2022-08-23T21:51:35Z |
Biden leaning toward canceling $10,000 in student loan debt for borrowers
(Gray News) - President Joe Biden is expected to announce a decision Wednesday on canceling student loan debts, according to multiple reports.
The White House is leaning toward forgiving up to $10,000 in federal student loans per borrower if they earn less than $125,000 per year, CNN said based on multiple sources.
The Washington Post reported Tuesday there also could be another pause on those payments, which are set to start back after Aug. 31. People familiar with the discussions told The Post that no final decision had been communicated by the president.
Biden has previously advocated for the $10,000 amount, including during his 2020 campaign. The decision could affect up to 45 million borrowers.
The Biden administration had promised a decision would be announced by the end of the month, and Biden is set to return from Delaware to the White House on Wednesday.
President Donald Trump first paused loan payments in March 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and Biden has extended it four times so far.
Through targeted cancellation for specific groups of borrowers, the White House says it has now approved nearly $32 billion in student debt for 1.6 million borrowers. They included public service workers, students who were defrauded and people who are permanently disabled.
“We know August 31 is a date that many people are waiting to hear something from,” said Education Secretary Miguel Cardona on “Meet the Press” on Sunday. “We’ve been talking daily about this, and I can tell you that the American people will will hear within the next week or so.”
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. The Associated Press contributed to the report. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/23/biden-leaning-toward-canceling-10000-student-loan-debt-borrowers/ | 2022-08-23T21:51:42Z |
Experts: Police appear excessive in Arkansas beating video
(AP) - An Arkansas sheriff’s deputy was caught on video repeatedly punching and kneeing a man in the head before grabbing his hair and slamming him against the pavement. As that was happening, another officer was holding the man down as a third also kneed him over and over.
A bystander’s video of 27-year-old Randal Worcester’s arrest on Sunday in the small town of Mulberry sparked outrage after it was posted online. All three officers were later suspended, and state and federal authorities have opened criminal investigations into their actions. It’s the latest case in which increasingly omnipresent cameras have led to consequences for officers and raised questions about what level of force police are justified in using and when.
Russell Wood, a lawyer for the two Crawford County sheriff’s deputies and Mulberry police officer, stressed that the 34-second clip doesn’t show everything that happened and said Worcester had earlier attacked one of the deputies, leaving him with a concussion. Wood said in a statement that the deputy’s “pain compliance strikes” didn’t do any “damage” and that Worcester’s own violence authorized the officers to use “all necessary force.”
GRAPHIC WARNING: Videos included in this story may contain disturbing content.
Policing experts, however, say that blows to the head amount to the potentially deadly use of force and are only justified in an arrest when a suspect poses a current and serious threat. They say a full investigation is needed, but that the video raises obvious “red flags” about the actions of the officers, who had Worcester pinned to the ground by the time the bystander began recording from a nearby car.
“Depending on your level of resistance, (officers) could use defensive strikes or what they call pain strikes to get compliance, but that’s not a blow to the head,” said Geoffrey Alpert, a University of South Carolina criminology professor who studies the use of force by police. “He would have to be doing something pretty serious to get hit in the head like that.”
Carrie Jernigan, an attorney for Worcester, said the deputy who punched him, Levi White, used excessive force in the last month with two other people she’s representing. “There’s something going on and we just need to get it addressed,” she said during a Tuesday news conference.
Worcester’s arrest came after police received reports about a man making threats outside of a convenience store in Mulberry, a community of about 1,600 people roughly 140 miles (220 kilometers) northwest of Little Rock, near the Oklahoma state line. He was treated at a hospital on Sunday before being jailed on charges including second-degree battery and resisting arrest. He was released Monday on a $15,000 bond.
Crawford County Sheriff Jimmy Damante said that when officers arrived at the convenience store, Worcester turned over an unspecified “weapon” but then became violent. The sheriff’s office identified the three officers involved as deputies Zack King and White and local police officer Thell Riddle.
Wood said Worcester had been threating a woman with a knife and, upon being confronted, grabbed White by the legs and slammed him to the ground, stunning the the deputy. Worcester then climbed onto White and “began striking him on the back of the head and face,” the attorney said.
Wood called on the Mulberry police to release dashboard-camera video, which he said shows more of what happened, and contended that in such a situation the suspect “must be taken off the streets at all costs.”
Officers’ use of force is regulated by both the law and department policy. Bowling Green State University criminologist Philip Stinson called what is shown on the footage of Worcester’s arrest “completely unwarranted.” He said Worcester’s earlier attack on one of the officers might explain their actions — suggesting their later beating of the man was punitive — but that it wouldn’t provide them a legal justification.
“The force was excessive and, in my view, criminal,” said Stinson, a former officer.
The prosecution of police for using force on the job is relatively rare, and body-worn and dashboard camera videos often show officers’ actions were justified. But the increasing presence of police cameras and bystanders with cellphones has also provided evidence that sometimes undercuts officers’ explanations of their use of force.
In neighboring Louisiana, a state trooper also explained his use of force during a 2019 arrest as “pain compliance.” The trooper later resigned and was arrested and charged with state and federal crimes after his bodycam footage showed him striking a Black motorist 18 times with a flashlight as the man wailed, “I’m not resisting!”
Stinson said that, thus far, ubiquitous cameras have not changed policing as much as they’ve revealed it.
“This type of thing happens with great regulation,” he said.
___
Andrew DeMillo in Little Rock, Arkansas, contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/23/experts-police-appear-excessive-arkansas-beating-video/ | 2022-08-23T21:51:49Z |
‘House of the Dragon’ is HBO’s top series premiere ever
NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly 10 million people saw the premiere of “House of the Dragon” on Sunday night, making the “Game of Thrones” spinoff HBO’s most-watched series premiere in the network’s history.
HBO aired the episode four times on premiere night and it was also streamed on HBO Max. The viewership number is only going to increase in the coming weeks.
For instance, the “Game of Throne” series finale in May 2019 was seen on its first night by 19.8 million, more than any other series episode on HBO, the Nielsen company said. HBO estimates that some 46 million people in total have seen it, when delayed viewing is taken into account.
Anticipation for “House of the Dragon” was evident in how many people were streaming old “Game of Thrones” episodes on HBO Max, which the network fed by offering crisper picture quality. The weekly average of streams in August is nearly 90% above June, the network said.
“The ‘Game of Thrones’ prequel recaptured the fire of HBO’s original masterpiece in a big way,” said Ashwin Navin, co-founder and CEO of the research firm Samba TV. That company estimated that the HBO series more than doubled the first-day viewership for Netflix’s new season of “Stranger Things” this summer.
The challenge — and opportunity — for HBO lies in trying to expand “House of the Dragon” beyond the built-in fan base, Navin said.
CBS was the most popular broadcast network in prime time last week, averaging 2.8 million viewers. NBC had 2.7 million, ABC had 2.4 million, Fox had 1.9 million, Ion Television had 1.04 million, Univision had 1.01 million and Telemundo had 810,000.
Fox News Channel led the cable networks with a prime-time average of 2.31 million. MSNBC had 1.32 million, ESPN had 896,000, Hallmark had 870,000 and HGTV had 866,000.
ABC’s “World News Tonight” won the evening news ratings race, averaging 7.2 million viewers last week. NBC’s “Nightly News” had 6.1 million and the “CBS Evening News” had 4.2 million.
For the week of Aug. 15-22, the 20 most popular prime-time programs, their networks and viewerships:
1. “America’s Got Talent” (Tuesday), NBC, 6.44 million.
2. “America’s Got Talent” (Wednesday), NBC, 5.64 million.
3. “60 Minutes,” CBS, 5.44 million.
4. “Celebrity Family Feud,” ABC, 4.54 million.
5. “Password” (Wednesday), NBC, 4.36 million.
6. “The $100,000 Pyramid,” ABC, 4.1 million.
7. “Big Brother” (Wednesday), CBS, 4.06 million.
8. “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” ABC, 3.98 million.
9. “Password” (Tuesday), NBC, 3.97 million.
10. “Big Brother” (Sunday), CBS, 3.95 million.
11. “FBI,” CBS, 3.57 million.
12. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” (Monday), Fox News, 3.432 million.
13. “Press Your Luck,” ABC, 3.425 million.
14. “Big Brother” (Thursday), CBS, 3.42 million.
15. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” (Wednesday), Fox News, 3.38 million.
16. “The Bachelorette,” ABC, 3.294 million.
17. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” (Tuesday), Fox News, 3.294 million.
18. “Young Sheldon,” CBS, 3.258 million.
19. “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune,” ABC, 3.258 million.
20. “FBI International,” CBS, 3.245 million.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/23/house-dragon-is-hbos-top-series-premiere-ever/ | 2022-08-23T21:51:55Z |
Massachusetts 8th grader written up for wearing hijab to school
MALDEN, Mass. (WCVB) – An eighth grader in Massachusetts was told she was violating uniform when she wore her hijab to school.
When the girl showed up for the first day of classes at Mystic Valley Regional Charter School last week, she was written up for violating the dress code.
A photo of the school uniform compliance form shows the teacher also misspelled hijab – the headscarf worn by Muslim women – as “jihab.”
The school admitted the “handling of the situation came across as insensitive” and explained that students can wear religious attire as long as they have a letter from a member of their clergy about it.
The school in Malden, Massachusetts is located about 10 miles north of Boston.
Copyright 2022 WCVB via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/23/massachusetts-8th-grader-written-up-wearing-hijab-school/ | 2022-08-23T21:52:02Z |
Police: Teen charged after shooting, killing twin brother while playing with gun
STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. (WGCL/Gray News) - A teenager in Georgia is dead after police say his twin brother shot him.
According to the DeKalb County Police Department, officers were called to a home at about 3 a.m. on Monday regarding a shooting.
WGCL reports two 17-year-old brothers were playing with a gun in a bedroom inside the home when it went off and hit one of the teens in the face.
Police identified the 17-year-old who was shot as Dimitri Hayes. He was taken to the hospital where he later died.
Authorities said the surviving twin, Xavier Hayes, is currently at the DeKalb County Jail facing felony murder and aggravated assault charges.
DeKalb County police did not immediately say if the boys’ parents would face any charges in the incident.
Copyright 2022 WGCL via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/23/police-teen-charged-after-shooting-killing-twin-brother-while-playing-with-gun/ | 2022-08-23T21:52:09Z |
We stay relatively rain-free through midweek
Showers and storms will be on hiatus with high pressure in control
High pressure will be in control of our weather pattern through tomorrow, bringing quiet weather to our area. Tonight will be mainly clear, cool, and calm with low temps in the 50s and 60s. The humidity has been dropping since the beginning of the work week as well, so we shouldn’t be too muggy into Wednesday.
Tomorrow will bring a mix of sun and clouds. Most will stay rain free- but a pop-up shower over the mountains is not completely out of the question. We’ll otherwise be pleasant and seasonable with high temps in the upper 70s and low 80s. Wednesday night will be mainly clear and still seasonal with lows in the upper 50s and low 60s.
Rain chances stay pretty low into Thursday with only a few spotty pop-up showers/storms expected at best. Temps still be just on either side of the 80-degree mark Thursday afternoon.
Slightly better coverage of rain will develop by the end of the work week and into the weekend as a frontal system approaches the area, but it looks far from a wash-out! We’ll likely see some hit or miss showers/storms on Friday-Saturday.
Stay tuned!
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. (WVVA) -
Copyright 2022 WVVA. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/23/we-stay-relatively-rain-free-through-midweek/ | 2022-08-23T21:52:16Z |
Because of redistricting, U.S. Reps. Carolyn Maloney and Jerrold Nadler, Democrats who have each served 30 years, will face one another in New York's new 12th district, based entirely in Manhattan.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Because of redistricting, U.S. Reps. Carolyn Maloney and Jerrold Nadler, Democrats who have each served 30 years, will face one another in New York's new 12th district, based entirely in Manhattan.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-23/2-top-democrats-face-off-in-house-primary-thanks-to-redistricting-in-new-york | 2022-08-23T22:16:56Z |
Updated August 23, 2022 at 5:19 PM ET
Peiter Zatko, who until January served as Twitter's security head, has filed an explosive whistleblower complaint, alleging the company ignored major security vulnerabilities and misrepresented the number of "bots," or fake accounts, on the platform.
Zatko, who's also a well-known former hacker known as "Mudge," filed the complaint last month with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Trade Commission. The complaint was first reported by The Washington Post and CNN.
Zatko claims Twitter executives ignored multiple security vulnerabilities, including failing to follow basic conventions like properly safeguarding staff access to core software, promptly deleting closed accounts, and updating security software on company laptops and servers.
The whistleblower also accuses Twitter of misleading federal regulators about its progress toward tightening up the privacy and security of its users' accounts after a major hack.
The complaint adds that Twitter's policy toward fake accounts incentivized "deliberate ignorance" by undercounting spam accounts and providing bonuses to executives for growing the number of users on the platform, but not sniffing out bots.
Twitter's security vulnerabilities makes the platform vulnerable to foreign spies, hacking and disinformation campaigns, Zatko further alleges.
The claims come as Twitter battles Elon Musk
The complaint comes at a sensitive time for Twitter, which is preparing for a high-profile legal battle to compel billionaire Elon Musk to buy the company after he agreed to a $44 billion purchase deal.
But Musk is now looking to back out of the deal, arguing primarily that Twitter wasn't forthcoming about the number of bots and spam among daily active users on its platform – which the social media company has strongly denied.
The dispute between Twitter and Musk is scheduled to go to trial on Oct. 17.
Zatko was hired as Twitter's security head in 2020 by former CEO Jack Dorsey after teenage hackers took over high-profile verified accounts, including those belonging to former President Obama, then-presidential candidate Joe Biden, and Musk.
Twitter, in a statement, said Zatko's complaints are "riddled with inconsistencies and inaccuracies" and said he was fired for poor performance in January. It added the complaint was "opportunistic" and "designed to capture attention and inflict harm on Twitter, its customers and its shareholders."
Zatko said he tried to warn Twitter's risk committee in January that executives were ignoring security flaws, but was fired by CEO Parag Agrawal two weeks later.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-23/a-former-employee-accuses-twitter-of-big-security-lapses-in-a-whistleblower-complaint | 2022-08-23T22:17:02Z |
Santa Fe Indian Market marked its 100th anniversary. It began as a way of preserving what white curators thought of as traditional, but artists say the market today is a place of innovation.
Copyright 2022 KUNM
Santa Fe Indian Market marked its 100th anniversary. It began as a way of preserving what white curators thought of as traditional, but artists say the market today is a place of innovation.
Copyright 2022 KUNM | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-23/artists-at-100-year-old-santa-fe-indian-market-say-its-now-a-place-of-innovation | 2022-08-23T22:17:09Z |
Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a measure late Monday that would have allowed creation of safe drug-consumption sites in three major California cities as part of an effort to cut the surging number of fatal overdoses.
In a public message explaining his veto, Newsom, a Democrat, suggested the clinics might actually encourage illegal drug use.
"Worsening drug consumption challenges ... is not a risk we can take," Newsom wrote.
He called for state and local officials to convene a new discussion of safe drug-use sites aimed at creating a "truly limited" pilot program.
The veto enraged drug policy reform advocates, who noted that Newsom has voiced support for safe drug-consumption sites in the past.
Critics also note the measure passed California's Democrat-controlled state legislature in early August after nearly two years of debate.
During that time, Newsom raised no public objections to the bill.
"We don't need a working group or additional dialogue or study when it comes to safe consumption sites," said Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener, the bill's primary sponsor, who represents San Francisco, where one of the clinics would have been located.
"We have decades of data and experience. We know how to stop people from dying, and yet we just haven't had the political will," Wiener said.
The bill would have allowed Oakland, Los Angeles, and San Francisco to develop safe-use clinics in a pilot program that would have operated during the next five years. It would have been by far the largest overdose reduction effort of its kind in the United States.
"It's a daily tragedy," Wiener said. "Each and every person who dies of a drug overdose is a human being ... who had a life at one point and we are abandoning them."
Jeannette Zanipatin with the Drug Policy Alliance said there's no evidence overdose-reduction programs like the ones proposed in California increase drug use.
"For folks to continue talking about this as a way to enable substance users, to open a drug den, just really fails to recognize the dignity that substance users and this community really need," Zanipatin said.
Nationwide, roughly 109,000 people are dying every year from drug overdoses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Advocates hoped the California program would help shift the national conversation away from drug criminalization toward improved medical care with access to doctors, nurses and treatment.
Similar programs have operated for decades in a handful of other countries, including Canada. Two safe drug-consumption sites are operating in New York City, without state or federal authorization.
Some local officials have suggested cities in California move forward to establish drug-injection clinics without state approval, but such a move would come with real legal risks.
One question nationally is how the federal government will respond to programs of this kind.
Street drugs remain illegal under federal law, but the Justice Department is negotiating with a group that hopes to open a safe-use clinic in Philadelphia.
If some kind of deal is reached there, that could be a game-changer.
Meanwhile, Wiener said California's statewide initiative is dead after Newsom's veto.
"I won't put my colleagues through that again," he said.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-23/california-gov-newsom-vetoes-public-safe-drug-use-clinics-as-overdoses-surge | 2022-08-23T22:17:15Z |
NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Dr. Anthony Fauci about his decision to retire after nearly 40 years as the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.
Copyright 2022 NPR
NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Dr. Anthony Fauci about his decision to retire after nearly 40 years as the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-23/dr-anthony-fauci-looks-back-on-his-long-lasting-career-in-healthcare | 2022-08-23T22:17:22Z |
A former police detective in Louisville, Ky., pleaded guilty to federal charges Tuesday in connection with the fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor in March 2020.
Copyright 2022 NPR
A former police detective in Louisville, Ky., pleaded guilty to federal charges Tuesday in connection with the fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor in March 2020.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-23/ex-cop-pleads-guilty-to-falsifying-warrant-in-deadly-raid-on-breonna-taylors-home | 2022-08-23T22:17:28Z |
Rising temperatures can be deadly for people without air conditioning. There are a few programs to provide units for those who can't afford them, but the demand is growing.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Rising temperatures can be deadly for people without air conditioning. There are a few programs to provide units for those who can't afford them, but the demand is growing.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-23/for-those-who-cant-afford-air-conditioning-the-summer-heat-can-be-deadly | 2022-08-23T22:17:35Z |
For months, French shoppers have been complaining about a lack of mustard on the shelves. The shortages have largely been caused by a drought in Canada, the world's largest exporter of mustard seeds.
Copyright 2022 NPR
For months, French shoppers have been complaining about a lack of mustard on the shelves. The shortages have largely been caused by a drought in Canada, the world's largest exporter of mustard seeds.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-23/french-supermarkets-have-been-low-on-mustard-the-main-cause-stems-from-canada | 2022-08-23T22:17:41Z |
NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Marlene Laruelle of the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies at George Washington University about Alexander Dugin's influence in Russia and beyond.
Copyright 2022 NPR
NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Marlene Laruelle of the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies at George Washington University about Alexander Dugin's influence in Russia and beyond.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-23/how-daria-duginas-death-impacts-security-for-putin-allies-in-russia | 2022-08-23T22:17:48Z |
For the full story, click here.
We revisit host Scott Tong’s conversation with journalist Karen Cheung about her book “The Impossible City: A Hong Kong Memoir” in February. She reflects on growing up in Hong Kong following the handover from Britain in 1997 and covering the turmoil following protests against the Chinese government in 2014 and 2019.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-23/karen-cheung-reflects-on-turmoil-and-pop-culture-in-her-hong-kong-memoir-the-impossible-city | 2022-08-23T22:17:54Z |
Eastern Maine could be the home of the world’s largest flagpole, as one family hopes. It’ll be accompanied by a massive park to honor our country’s veterans. But it first has to gain approval, which could come down to the small community’s residents, not all of whom are on board with the idea.
Nicole Ogrysko of Maine Public Radio reports.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-23/maine-family-wants-to-honor-veterans-with-the-worlds-largest-flagpole-but-some-residents-are-conce | 2022-08-23T22:18:01Z |
South Korea's capital, Seoul, had pledged to shut down unregulated basement apartments, where a number of people died in floods following the worst rains in 80 years.
Copyright 2022 NPR
South Korea's capital, Seoul, had pledged to shut down unregulated basement apartments, where a number of people died in floods following the worst rains in 80 years.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-23/many-question-whether-seouls-promised-reforms-will-stop-basement-apartment-drownings | 2022-08-23T22:18:07Z |
From the first line of the introduction to his memoir, Scenes From My Life, actor and activist Michael K. Williams addresses the reader with stark honesty and resolve.
"Way before I was anything or anyone, I was an addict," he wrote. "That was my identity, what people thought of me, if they thought of me at all. Into my mid-20s, I was on the verge of being discarded, like so many of my brothers and sisters who never got a chance to be something else. But through God's grace, I am still here."
Unfortunately, Michael Kenneth Williams isn't here anymore. He was found dead in his home of a drug overdose on Sept. 6 last year.
But the actor leaves behind a legacy of amazing characters: Omar Little from The Wire, the streetwise, uncompromising robber of drug dealers; 1920s-era gangster Albert "Chalky" White on Boardwalk Empire; top dog Riker's Island inmate Freddie Knight in The Night Of and abusive, closeted gay father Montrose Freeman on Lovecraft Country.
He also produced a gripping, revelatory memoir, completed weeks after his death, detailing a long struggle with addiction and self-doubt.
Dominic Dupont, Williams' nephew, said he copes with his uncle's unexpected death by honoring this legacy as an actor and activist.
"It's just understanding that...Michael would have wanted this," Dupont said. "He would have wanted us to elevate this conversation about what it is to turn pain into art."
Williams' co-author, Jon Sternfeld, said the two worked on the book for more than two years, talking extensively about the actor's life in recorded interviews. His death came about a month before the manuscript was due.
"I started out helping him with something, and I ended up being in charge of his legacy," said Sternfeld, who has co-written books with Senators Tom Daschle and Trent Lott and author/advocate Jim St. Germain.
"To his credit, he was very open from the beginning," he said. "One of the things he talked about a lot was how young men, especially young Black men, were not taught to get out there with their feelings and be vulnerable. And he, like, wanted to be a demonstrator of that."
Turning pain into art
"I was 22 years old when a music video changed my life...I cannot overstate how important [Janet Jackson's] Rhythm Nation was to my lost and aching 22-year-old self. It spoke to the man I was and the boy I had been...I too wore my pain and loneliness like skin. I too was desperate for someone to reach out...I was seeing myself on the television for the first time. This was not a music video. It was a g-----n earthquake."
--- Michael K. Williams, Scenes From My Life
Scenes From My Life tells a story which could have been a movie on its own. Raised in a Brooklyn housing project, Williams started as a dancer and model — inspired by dancing along to the Rhythm Nation video until he knew all the moves, and eventually landing jobs with artists like Crystal Waters and Madonna.
He thought his performing life was over when his face was slashed during a bar fight. But instead, it led to an acting career playing legendarily tough-yet-sensitive Black men – bringing dignity and a compelling presence to the kind of characters who are often overlooked and underestimated in the real world.
Ironically, Williams grew up as a very different person than the tough characters he played; Sternfeld said the actor remembered that when he first landed the role as Omar, he was worried that people wouldn't accept him as a gay stickup man who was feared by everyone.
"He's like, everybody who grew up with me knew that I was this scaredy cat who liked to dance or who wore bow ties to church," the co-author said. "He was definitely a bullied kid. And they mocked him for his interest in the arts. So he would hang out with girls or younger boys, because he felt like he couldn't hang [with his peers]. And that's a big part of the book."
The hazard of normalizing abnormality
The memoir has showbusiness stories: What it was like working with Tupac Shakur on the 1996 film Bullet; impressing Nicolas Cage with a death scene in Martin Scorsese's film Bringing Out the Dead; getting cast as Omar on The Wire.
But the book spends much more time on how Williams was shaped by his early years. He notes how growing up in a neighborhood filled with poverty and violence leads to people treating such circumstances as ordinary and expected; they don't realize how traumatizing such events are, because they are so common.
Williams tells a story in the book about going back into a movie theater moments after a shooting to retrieve a marijuana-filled joint he had dropped while fleeing the scene. Standing outside and lighting up, he was surprised to realize his hands were shaking.
"That kind of situation was so normal to me, but my body was telling me, No Michael, this is not normal," he wrote. "There's the trauma of life in the projects, and there's the survivors' means of processing it. This kind of violence is so rampant, so habitual, that we put on blinders just to get through the day. We normalize the abnormal."
His nephew, Dupont, noted another poignant contrast, detailed in the book: although accessing memories of past trauma helped make his characters more realistic – Williams reveals he was molested twice before he reached high school – it also made maintaining his sobriety more difficult.
"That was a sacrifice for Mike, and he knew that," Dupont said. "That is how he poured life into these characters. Pouring life into these characters meant that he would pour pain and trauma into them."
An actor and activist
Dupont was convicted of murder after defending his twin brother in a fight at age 19. He served 20 years, developing a reputation as a model prisoner, and Williams stayed connected to him. After Dupont's sentence was commuted in 2017, they worked together to raise awareness about at-risk kids.
Dupont's experiences became the core of a documentary Williams produced with Vice on HBO about a generation of Black youth locked behind bars called Raised in the System. When Dupont was released from jail – a moment captured in the film — he and Williams screened it around the country to jump-start discussions about criminal justice and policing.
Dupont said such activism came naturally to his uncle. "For as long as I can remember, my entire life...no matter what he was going through, he was always concerned that someone else was going through something worse than him," he said. "And [he wondered], how could he help?"
Things seemed to be going well last year, Dupont said, when Williams suddenly stopped answering texts, which was a troubling sign.
"What also alarmed me, was that I talked to Michael every single day since I was released from prison," Dupont added. "Every. Single. Day."
Dupont and his wife got into Williams' apartment, discovered his body and called 911. "We touched him. He was cold. At that point we said, 'He's deceased.'"
Both Dupont and Sternfeld said they had no idea Williams had relapsed. Sternfeld said Williams talked often about being one slip away from losing everything.
"He was very grounded in the fact that even making it to 54 — which is how old he was when he passed — was a miracle, considering what he had fought through," Sternfeld said. "So even though he didn't know he was going to die in September, he did have a sense that maybe he wasn't long for this world. I mean, he never said it directly. But there was something about his urgency; how he had finally discovered who he was."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-23/michael-k-williams-memoir-scenes-from-my-life-shows-how-he-turned-trauma-into-art | 2022-08-23T22:18:13Z |
NPR's Juana Summers speaks with Ali Vitali, an NBC News Capitol Hill correspondent, about her new book Electable: Why America Hasn't Put a Woman in the White House... Yet.
Copyright 2022 NPR
NPR's Juana Summers speaks with Ali Vitali, an NBC News Capitol Hill correspondent, about her new book Electable: Why America Hasn't Put a Woman in the White House... Yet.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-23/new-book-electable-explores-why-a-woman-still-hasnt-won-the-presidency-yet | 2022-08-23T22:18:20Z |
What do Miles Davis, Marvin Gaye and Aretha Franklin have in common?
Well besides being some of the biggest musical artists of the 20th century, they all recorded at United Sound Systems in Detroit.
The 1916 brick building that houses the studio was designated a historic landmark in 2015, but local preservationists are worried that may not be enough to protect it forever.
Here & Now‘s Celeste Headlee speaks with Michelle Jahra McKinney of the Detroit Sound Conservancy.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-23/preserving-detroits-united-sound-systems-where-icons-like-miles-davis-and-aretha-franklin-recorded | 2022-08-23T22:18:27Z |
The skyline of the Chinese city Shanghai will not be lit up for two nights. It's part of a string of measures nationwide as China deals with power shortages caused by its worst heat wave on record.
Copyright 2022 NPR
The skyline of the Chinese city Shanghai will not be lit up for two nights. It's part of a string of measures nationwide as China deals with power shortages caused by its worst heat wave on record.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-23/shanghais-skyline-will-be-dark-for-2-days-due-to-power-shortages-caused-by-heat-wave | 2022-08-23T22:18:33Z |
After being on pause throughout the pandemic, student loan payments are expected to restart on Aug. 31, devastating household budgets across the country.
Copyright 2022 NPR
After being on pause throughout the pandemic, student loan payments are expected to restart on Aug. 31, devastating household budgets across the country.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-23/student-loan-payments-are-about-to-restart-can-american-families-afford-them | 2022-08-23T22:18:40Z |
LAIE, Hawaii (KITV4) -- Honolulu police say they are investigating Monday’s deadly crash on Kamehameha Highway as a manslaughter and negligent homicide case.
Two people were killed and two others were injured in the crash that happened just after 1 p.m. in the area of Gunstock Ranch and the Malaekahana State Recreation Area.
According to police, the driver of a Ford pickup was heading northbound on Kamehameha when they tried to pass the car in front of it and ended up hitting a Hyundai sedan head-on.
Witnesses told HPD the Ford truck was weaving through traffic at a high speed and had passed multiple vehicles leading up to the crash. The 27-year-old driver of the Ford truck was listed in critical condition at the hospital Tuesday morning. He has not yet been arrested, or charged.
"So, if you can imagine driving along....into a brick wall, decelerating your body down to zero in a short amount of time is what causes these drastic collisions and death," said Maj. Ben Moszkowicz with HPD.
The two people who died in the crash – a man in his 30s and woman in her 60s -- were in the driver’s seat and driver’s side back seat of the Hyundai. A woman in her 30s who was also in the Hyundai survived the crash, but was taken to the hospital in serious condition.
Investigators say they are waiting to speak with that woman to learn more about the crash. Police have not confirmed if those in either car were locals or tourists.
Matthew has been the digital content manager for KITV4 since September 2021. Matthew is a prolific writer, editor, and self-described "newsie" who's worked in television markets in Oklahoma, California, and Hawaii. | https://www.kitv.com/news/crime/honolulu-police-say-reckless-driving-may-have-led-to-deadly-kamehameha-highway-crash/article_d6a3fb66-232a-11ed-9fcb-b340d9f5ea64.html | 2022-08-23T22:18:44Z |
Have you noticed that the tip options on your restaurant and café bills are rising? The preset options now often include 25% and, in some cases, 30%. And even as inflation soars, the average tip amount is not dropping.
The tip options we are being shown when paying by card are going up and up according to new research. In Canada, some restaurants are now including a 30% tip option on their card machines.
Roben Farzad host of Public Radio’s “Full Disclosure” joins Here & Now‘s Celeste Headlee to talk all things tip-onomics.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-23/tip-flation-sees-some-restaurants-asking-for-30-tips | 2022-08-23T22:18:46Z |
KAHUKU, Hawaii (KITV4) -- The grisly scene of a Ford pick up truck, crashed head on with a sedan, killing two victims, was avoidable according to police had it not been for the trucks speed and attempts to pass multiple vehicles Monday afternoon.
"The driver was reckless and knew or should have known that his actions could cause a collision of this severity, which again, resulted in the death of 2 occupants in the second vehicle and the third occupant clinging to her life," Major Ben Moszkowicz said.
Honolulu police have now opened a manslaughter and negligent homicide investigation following the deadly crash near Gunstock Ranch in Kahuku
The two victims were in the drivers seat and back seat of the Hyundai.
According to HPD, it was a man in his 50s or 60s in the back seat who was pronounced dead at the scene on Kamehameha Highway.
The woman driving in her 50s or 60s also succumbed to her injuries by the end of the day. Witnesses told HPD the truck was weaving through traffic at a high speed, and had passed multiple vehicles leading up to the crash.
"So if you can imagine driving along at 45 miles per hour minding your own business and someone coming the other direction overtaking the 45 mile an hour traffic. So they're probably traveling 55, 60 or more miles per hour overtaking the other 45 mile per hour traffic, colliding head on. Essentially that's the same as driving 45 miles an hour directly into a brick wall," Moszkowicz said.
HPD says the accident took place in the vicinity of a broken yellow line dividing two lanes of one way traffic.
"You can pass if several conditions exist, number 1 it's safe to pass which in this case, clearly it was not. Number 2 you're obeying the speed limit. It's not ok to accelerate above the speed limit to pass which clearly in this case it was not, Moszkowicz added, "And then you have to use your turn signal and make sure traffic is clear in both directions. Which it's really it's really doubtful doubtful the driver could have done, or else he would have seen this oncoming car."
Do you have a story idea? Email news tips to news@kitv.com
Jeremy Lee joined KITV after over a decade & a half in broadcast news from coast to coast on the mainland. Jeremy most recently traveled the country documenting protests & civil unrest. | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/crash-on-oahus-north-shore-leaves-two-family-members-dead/article_203d851a-22c9-11ed-917a-c333fbb3cfd5.html | 2022-08-23T22:18:50Z |
Ukrainians who have sought refuge in Russia often face a fundamental choice: accept Russian hospitality and the Kremlin's vision for Ukraine under Russian rule or risk an uncertain road out.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Ukrainians who have sought refuge in Russia often face a fundamental choice: accept Russian hospitality and the Kremlin's vision for Ukraine under Russian rule or risk an uncertain road out.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-23/ukrainian-refugees-who-ended-up-in-russia-must-now-decide-what-comes-next | 2022-08-23T22:18:53Z |
HONOLULU (KITV4) -- One of America's most widely-loved and iconic rock bands is coming back to Hawai'i for the first time in five years.
Journey will take the stage on Wednesday, Oct. 5 at the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena.
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017, the powerhouse band is known for both their anthemic rock songs and their soaring ballads. Generations of fans have danced and sang along to Journey’s enduring catalog of hits, which includes 19 incredible Top 40 singles and everyone’s favorite to belt out along with the band – “Don’t Stop Believin’” – which has been streamed over one billion times.
Journey’s newest album, Freedom, their first studio album since 2011’s Eclipse, continues to spotlight the band’s impressive mastery of the rock genre, debuting at No. 1 on the Current Rock Chart when it was released on July 8, 2022. Other chart positions include: No. 2 Current Digital Album, No. 2 Digital Albums, No. 3 Current Album sales, No. 3 Album Sales, No. 3 Internet Albums, and No. 88 Billboard 200. Rave reviews call the 15 tracks “scintillating” and “blood pumping,” and go on to say that the songs collectively “send an uplifting vibe of hope, evoke a sense of inner calm, and a firm conviction that love conquers all.”
Known not just for their rock and roll prowess but also for their enthusiastic engagement with fans, Journey is elated to be back, live and in person, entertaining their multigenerational legions of admirers.
Concert promoter Rick Bartalini Presents is thrilled to welcome Journey back to Hawai’i.
“The entire team at RBP are excited to bring Journey to Hawai’i once again. They’ve been cranking out massive hits for almost 50 years. Just about everyone alive knows at least one or two Journey songs. The team and I cannot wait to welcome the people of Hawai’i to the show in October," said Rick Bartalini.
WATCH: Rick Bartalini and RBP team member, Jake Henkle joined GMH to talk about the upcoming concert
Exclusive presale for Hawai’i residents
RBP has been committed to getting the best seats at the best prices to the best events into the hands of Hawai'i’s concertgoers for several years. To do that, the promoter offers geo-limited presales to residents who have a Hawai’i zip code on their credit card billing address. As with past concerts, RBP is offering an exclusive presale for Hawai’i residents to purchase Journey tickets. The presale will be geo-limited by the ticket-selling platform, which will automatically cross-check zip codes on the credit cards used to purchase tickets.
Additionally, during the presale, ticket sale activity will be actively monitored to ensure that the presale is handled fairly for Hawai’i residents. If any out-of-state purchases slip through the platform, those tickets will be canceled and returned to the inventory for Hawai’i residents to purchase first.
The online only presale for Hawai’i residents goes on sale Saturday, August 27th at 10:00 a.m. HST. No password is required. Up to eight tickets may be purchased by one patron.
Tickets go on sale to the mainland starting Saturday, September 3 at 10:00 a.m. HST.
Fans can get further information by signing up for Event Alerts at RBPconcerts.com.
Set to celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2023, Journey has set the standard for arena rock bands to follow for generations, and the band has set the bar high. They’ve amassed 19 Top 40 singles and 25 gold and platinum albums. With almost 100 million albums sold worldwide, they’re one of the few bands to be diamond-certified.
Their Greatest Hits album is one of the most popular “greatest hits” collections in the world, with 15 million copies sold. While "Don't Stop Believin'" is undeniably their biggest smash hit, with over one billion streams, the band is also known for “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’”, “Open Arms”, “Faithfully”, “Any Way You Want It”, and “Only the Young.”
General Ticket Information
- Tickets start at $55.50 plus service fees and general excise tax.
- Tickets will be available at http://www.ticketmaster.com and in-person at the venue box office (Monday – Saturday, 9:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.)
- Neal S. Blaisdell Center address: 777 Ward Ave, Honolulu, HI 96814
Partial proceeds to be donated
Bartalini’s Aren’t You Glad You Stayed Foundation will donate $1 from the sale of each ticket to the Olivia Newton John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre.
Bartalini is dedicating these shows in memory of his friend Olivia Newton-John.
In a statement, Bartalini said:
Olivia was indeed as kind, sweet, lovely and grateful as she appeared to the world. She always sent handwritten thank you cards and would worry if she had forgotten anyone. That's the kind of person she was. She was an
advocate for animals, the planet, breast cancer awareness and cannabis treatments for cancer. She was the most positive and grateful person I’ve ever known.
I find it serendipitous that Olivia wrote “The Promise (The Dolphin Song),” which was featured on her record Physical, during a stay at the Kahala Hotel. The accompanying music video was recorded at Sea Life Park. She loved
Hawai’i and was excited for me when I told her I was moving here in 2016. I find it comforting that she has these connections here and so close to my home in Hawaii' Kai.
Olivia had a profound influence on my life and career. In 1982, I attended her Physical Tour in Oakland, California. It was the very first concert I ever saw. I was a violently abused 12-year-old boy that found happiness for the first time at her show. A seed was planted that night. My career and company is not a coincidence. In Olivia's own words to me about that night so long ago, "It inspired a dream."
Bartalini is auctioning off a collection of memorabilia signed by Newton-John to benefit his Aren’t You Glad You Stayed Foundation, the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund and the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre in Melbourne Australia.
Auction link: https://www.ebay.com/str/arentyougladyoustayedfdn | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/legendary-rock-band-journey-returns-to-honolulu/article_f96cb378-2324-11ed-84e2-1bf4cffa8482.html | 2022-08-23T22:18:56Z |
NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with Washington Post's Joseph Menn, one of the reporters to break the story about Twitter's former security chief accusing the company of security and privacy vulnerabilities.
Copyright 2022 NPR
NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with Washington Post's Joseph Menn, one of the reporters to break the story about Twitter's former security chief accusing the company of security and privacy vulnerabilities.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-23/whistleblower-says-twitters-security-flaws-are-a-risk-to-users-and-national-security | 2022-08-23T22:18:59Z |
Power has been restored to most customers on Maui, HECO officials said in an update.
Repair crews are still working to get power back to the remaining customers, estimated to be around 100 customers in the Kahului area.
Officials have not said what the cause of the outage was.
1015a #MauiOutage update: Power restored to a majority of customers on Maui. Crews continue to safely work to restore power to remaining ~100 customers in Kahului. Mahalo for your patience.
— Hawaiian Electric - Maui County (@MauiElectric) August 23, 2022
UPDATE 9:30 a.m.
As of 9:30 a.m., HECO says there are about 15,000 customers in Upcountry, East Maui, including Paia and Haiku, still without power.
This is down significantly from the 65,000 first reported to be without power when the outage first occurred around 2:45 a.m. HECO says its crews will continue to work to restore power to the remaining customers.
As estimated time for full restoration has not been given.
920a #MauiOutage update: Crews continue to restore power to remaining ~15,000 customers in Upcountry, East Maui, Paia, Haiku, and pockets in Central and West Maui. The cause of the outage is being assessed. Currently, there is no estimated restore time. Mahalo for your patience.
— Hawaiian Electric - Maui County (@MauiElectric) August 23, 2022
UPDATE, 8 A.M.
8a #MauiOutage update: Crews continue to respond to outages. Resources are being dedicated to restoring power and the cause is being assessed. This includes having to check equipment and lines before we can safely restore power. Mahalo for your patience.
— Hawaiian Electric - Maui County (@MauiElectric) August 23, 2022
UPDATE, 7:30 A.M.
Crews continue power restorations on Maui.
According to Hawaiian Electric, power has been restored to affected customers in parts of Lahaina and a majority of Central Maui and South Maui areas. Crews are working to restore power to remaining areas of West Maui, Upcountry, East Maui, including Paia and Haiku and remaining pockets.
UPDATE, 6 A.M.
Hawaiian Electric says crews have restored power to parts of Central Maui, including Wailuku and a majority of Kahului and South Maui areas.
Crews are still working to bring back online remaining affected customers in parts of Upcountry, West Maui and East Maui, including Paia and Haiku.
Total number of customers affected and the cause of the outage is still being assessed.
UPDATE, 4:27 A.M.
According to Hawaiian Electric, crews are currently working to restore power to parts of South Maui, West Maui, Kahului, Wailuku, Waihee and Waiehu, Upcountry and East Maui.
The cause is being assessed.
MAUI, Hawai'i (KITV4) -- Maui residents are waking up without power Tuesday, Aug. 23.
As of 3:30 a.m., nearly 10,000 residents spanning the entire island are with out electricity.
After nearly 10-years away, this local girl is home! In November 2021, Lia started at KITV as the weekend GMH anchor and a weekday reporter. The 2011 Kamehameha Kapālama graduate worked all across the country and even overseas before finding her way home. | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/power-restored-to-most-of-maui-heco-says-update/article_40515a0a-22e9-11ed-a98e-c3fe863ebdab.html | 2022-08-23T22:19:02Z |
“Celebrate the Arts” is an annual event when several arts organizations in Sheridan County host numerous events at different locations over a multi-day period. Initially conceived as a sculpture-based event, it’s since diversified the kinds of artistic organizations it includes to span the visual, literary, and performing arts.
“Over the years, we’ve really tried to expand it to this collaborative effort that now we have, this celebration that spans four days,” said Jill Benson, chair of “Celebrate the Arts.” “And we really work to tailor those four days to where it’s packed with artistic indulgences, but we don’t overlap too bad with each other.”
Initially launched about 20 years ago, this year’s events are slated to include free salsa dancing classes, artist demonstrations, author talks, and concerts. The festival attracts hundreds of people each year.
“We’ll be able to drive people out and direct them out to our museums or the residencies, the colleges that are participating so that we’re concentrated but how vast we cover the Sheridan County,” she added.
The Whitney Center for the Arts at Sheridan College, WYO Theater, Brinton Museum, SAGE Community Arts, Sheridan Public Arts Committee (SPAC), and the Ucross Foundation are the arts organizations that are involved in this year’s festivities. A list of all of this year’s events hosted by each organization can be found here. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/arts-culture/2022-08-23/an-annual-arts-festival-showcases-the-diverse-arts-scene-of-sheridan-county | 2022-08-23T22:19:05Z |
This booking photo provided by the Napa County Sheriff's Office shows Paul Pelosi on May 29 following his arrest on suspicion of DUI in Northern California.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, right, is pictured with her husband Paul Pelosi in St. Peter's Basilica on June 29. Paul Pelosi pleaded guilty on August 23 to driving under the influence of alcohol in May.
Stefano Costantino/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
This booking photo provided by the Napa County Sheriff's Office shows Paul Pelosi on May 29 following his arrest on suspicion of DUI in Northern California.
Napa County Sheriff's Office via AP
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, right, is pictured with her husband Paul Pelosi in St. Peter's Basilica on June 29. Paul Pelosi pleaded guilty on August 23 to driving under the influence of alcohol in May.
Stefano Costantino/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Judge Joseph Solga sentenced Pelosi to five days in jail but he will receive credit for two days already served and two days for conduct credit. His remaining one day will be served through a court work program. Pelosi will be on probation for three years and pay upwards of $1,700 in fines.
The court also ordered an interlock ignition device to be installed on his vehicle for one year, restitution to remain in the court's jurisdiction and his attendance in a three-month drinking-driver class.
Amanda Bevins, Pelosi's lawyer, appeared on his behalf. Under California law, a defendant does not have to be present in the courtroom unless ordered by a judicial officer and they can appear through their attorney on a misdemeanor case.
Pelosi was arrested on May 28 after a nighttime collision with another driver in Napa, California. Earlier this month, he pleaded not guilty.
The 82-year-old had been attempting to cross SR-29 in late May when his 2021 Porsche was hit by a 2014 Jeep traveling northbound on the road, according to a collision report from the California Highway Patrol. The vehicles "sustained major collision damage," according to a criminal complaint.
The complaint noted that Pelosi was operating his vehicle "while under the influence of an alcoholic beverage and a drug and under their combined influence." Authorities said in the complaint that when asked for ID at the scene, Pelosi handed the officers both his license and an "11-99 Foundation" card. The foundation is the California Highway Patrol charity, which "provides emergency assistance to California Highway Patrol employees and scholarships to their children," according to its website.
A native of San Francisco, he has been married to Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, since 1963. The couple has five children. | https://www.kitv.com/news/national/paul-pelosi-husband-of-house-speaker-nancy-pelosi-pleads-guilty-to-dui-charge/article_7cb54441-835d-5068-8c09-8467f3beb41a.html | 2022-08-23T22:19:08Z |
“Golden Eagles: Witnesses to a Changing West” focuses on research that Dr. Charles Preston started 14 years ago. Preston said the golden eagle is an icon of the American West and an indicator of environmental health.
“The West is changing very rapidly,” said Preston. “Whether it's energy development, agriculture, especially urban sprawl, residential sprawl, more and more of this big wide open landscape is being gobbled up.”
Preston said looking at eagle reproduction daily also showed fluctuations in the environment, like the populations of prey species and vegetation.
“It certainly has a great deal of ecological importance in terms of controlling prey populations,” said Preston. “Even as scavengers, they help control the spread of disease by scavenging rotting carcasses and such. So they have a huge role to play in the ecosystem.”
The documentary also explores the importance of the golden eagle to native people and other cultures around the world. It will air on Wyoming PBS on Wednesday, August 24 in the "Nature" time slot at 7 p.m. It will also repeat Sunday morning, August 28, at 9 a.m. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/natural-resources-energy/2022-08-23/golden-eagle-research-inspires-documentary-on-raptors-significance-to-a-changing-west | 2022-08-23T22:19:11Z |
The number of homeless people in Wyoming is far less than those in more populated states, such as Colorado, but there are often fewer providers that cater to this population throughout the state.
The Wyoming Rescue Mission (WRM) in Casper, is the state’s largest homeless shelter. There are about 120 residents from all of the state this month. Caring for homeless populations that come from outside of the area has drawn some negative feelings from some in the community, said Brad Hopkins, Executive Director of the WRM.
But there are few options throughout the state. Casper’s central location and the services it offers are draws for those who are seeking them out.
“Those small communities, they just historically have never had [the services for the homeless] but for maybe the goodwill of individuals taking people in or you know, church, paying for motel vouchers, that type of thing,” he said. “There just aren't options to run this type of homeless outreach that we run. It takes a tremendous amount of dedication.”
WRM recently opened their Discipleship Recovery Center to help those who may otherwise not get the treatment they need. They also partner with over 60 organizations and agencies in Natrona County and throughout the state to provide services in local communities. These include the Wyoming Hunger Initiative, started by First Lady Jennie Gordon and the Wyoming Homeless Collaborative.
“From what we've seen, in our experience, homelessness is really a function of losing healthy, supportive relationships,” said Brad Hopkins, Executive Director of the WRM. “While money helps, buildings help, at the end of the day, we are relational social creatures that need healthy supportive relationships. We're trying to help them to discover and see what their passions are, their gifts. There's not a one size fits all. There's not a silver bullet. It takes a lot of work, a lot of dedication.”
Mental health and addiction issues are also factors that contribute to a higher likeliness that someone will experience homelessness. Hopkins said the WRM is open 24/7/365 and is staffed at all hours of the day and night to care for those who need food, shelter, job training, or addiction treatment. And despite their willingness to help, finding and retaining staff also poses problems. According to Hopkins, there’s been a loss of 600,000 social service workers nationally.
He added that the effects of the pandemic have increased the number of homeless that they care for, though not to the extent previously thought with the impacts of the pandemic.
There are anywhere from 600 to 700 homeless statewide on any given day, he adds. But this doesn’t include those who may technically have shelter but who don’t have viable long-term housing options.
“Based on our experience we’ve seen a return to pre, early pandemic numbers,” Hopkins said. “We have a 17 percent increase right now, but this represents where we were 18 to 24 months ago. Part of this includes more people who are not homeless eating a prepared meal with us.” | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/news/2022-08-23/wyomings-largest-homeless-shelter-sees-a-growing-need | 2022-08-23T22:19:18Z |
“My Wild Land” is a three part documentary series highlighting ranchers from Laramie, Lovel, and Lander. Each story tells how ranchers help big game traverse across their property.
The Bishoff Ranch by Lovell helped reintroduce and maintain the bighorn sheep population. The Terry Creek Ranch near Laramie established a conservation easement on their property. And the Hellyer Ranch near Lander did a habitat treatment on their pasture.
Producer Pat Rogers is a researcher with the Wyoming Migration Initiative. He said these ranchers are the catalyst for good big game management.
“The biggest thing we want to share is just that this series is really about how collaboration is possible,” he said. “Between ranchers and different agencies and conservation groups and how these ranchers have kind of gone out on a limb for wildlife.”
The series also talks about the shrinking tradition of small family owned ranches in the state, a consistent theme from all the stories.
Producer and researcher Emily Reed is, also, with the Wyoming Migration Initiative. She said it's important for the science she works on to be shared with the community it came from.
“There is a light at the end of the tunnel, like we can coexist, we can have a ranching lifestyle, and we can also ensure that the ecological systems are going to be in place for the future,” she said.
“My Wild Land” will be showing in Jackson on September 1 at 6 p.m. at the Teton County Library. In Laramie there will be a showing September 22 at 6 p.m. at the Gryphon Theater. And Lander will have a showing September 29, 6 p.m. at the Lander Community and Convention Center. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/science/2022-08-23/ranchers-and-wildlife-scientists-tackle-migration-in-new-documentary-series | 2022-08-23T22:19:24Z |
Santa Fe Indian Market marked its 100th anniversary. It began as a way of preserving what white curators thought of as traditional, but artists say the market today is a place of innovation.
Copyright 2022 KUNM
Santa Fe Indian Market marked its 100th anniversary. It began as a way of preserving what white curators thought of as traditional, but artists say the market today is a place of innovation.
Copyright 2022 KUNM | https://www.keranews.org/2022-08-23/artists-at-100-year-old-santa-fe-indian-market-say-its-now-a-place-of-innovation | 2022-08-23T22:21:57Z |
Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a measure late Monday that would have allowed creation of safe drug-consumption sites in three major California cities as part of an effort to cut the surging number of fatal overdoses.
In a public message explaining his veto, Newsom, a Democrat, suggested the clinics might actually encourage illegal drug use.
"Worsening drug consumption challenges ... is not a risk we can take," Newsom wrote.
He called for state and local officials to convene a new discussion of safe drug-use sites aimed at creating a "truly limited" pilot program.
The veto enraged drug policy reform advocates, who noted that Newsom has voiced support for safe drug-consumption sites in the past.
Critics also note the measure passed California's Democrat-controlled state legislature in early August after nearly two years of debate.
During that time, Newsom raised no public objections to the bill.
"We don't need a working group or additional dialogue or study when it comes to safe consumption sites," said Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener, the bill's primary sponsor, who represents San Francisco, where one of the clinics would have been located.
"We have decades of data and experience. We know how to stop people from dying, and yet we just haven't had the political will," Wiener said.
The bill would have allowed Oakland, Los Angeles, and San Francisco to develop safe-use clinics in a pilot program that would have operated during the next five years. It would have been by far the largest overdose reduction effort of its kind in the United States.
"It's a daily tragedy," Wiener said. "Each and every person who dies of a drug overdose is a human being ... who had a life at one point and we are abandoning them."
Jeannette Zanipatin with the Drug Policy Alliance said there's no evidence overdose-reduction programs like the ones proposed in California increase drug use.
"For folks to continue talking about this as a way to enable substance users, to open a drug den, just really fails to recognize the dignity that substance users and this community really need," Zanipatin said.
Nationwide, roughly 109,000 people are dying every year from drug overdoses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Advocates hoped the California program would help shift the national conversation away from drug criminalization toward improved medical care with access to doctors, nurses and treatment.
Similar programs have operated for decades in a handful of other countries, including Canada. Two safe drug-consumption sites are operating in New York City, without state or federal authorization.
Some local officials have suggested cities in California move forward to establish drug-injection clinics without state approval, but such a move would come with real legal risks.
One question nationally is how the federal government will respond to programs of this kind.
Street drugs remain illegal under federal law, but the Justice Department is negotiating with a group that hopes to open a safe-use clinic in Philadelphia.
If some kind of deal is reached there, that could be a game-changer.
Meanwhile, Wiener said California's statewide initiative is dead after Newsom's veto.
"I won't put my colleagues through that again," he said.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.keranews.org/2022-08-23/california-gov-newsom-vetoes-public-safe-drug-use-clinics-as-overdoses-surge | 2022-08-23T22:22:03Z |
A former police detective in Louisville, Ky., pleaded guilty to federal charges Tuesday in connection with the fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor in March 2020.
Copyright 2022 NPR
A former police detective in Louisville, Ky., pleaded guilty to federal charges Tuesday in connection with the fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor in March 2020.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-08-23/ex-cop-pleads-guilty-to-falsifying-warrant-in-deadly-raid-on-breonna-taylors-home | 2022-08-23T22:22:09Z |
Rising temperatures can be deadly for people without air conditioning. There are a few programs to provide units for those who can't afford them, but the demand is growing.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Rising temperatures can be deadly for people without air conditioning. There are a few programs to provide units for those who can't afford them, but the demand is growing.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-08-23/for-those-who-cant-afford-air-conditioning-the-summer-heat-can-be-deadly | 2022-08-23T22:22:15Z |
NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Marlene Laruelle of the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies at George Washington University about Alexander Dugin's influence in Russia and beyond.
Copyright 2022 NPR
NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Marlene Laruelle of the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies at George Washington University about Alexander Dugin's influence in Russia and beyond.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-08-23/how-daria-duginas-death-impacts-security-for-putin-allies-in-russia | 2022-08-23T22:22:21Z |
South Korea's capital, Seoul, had pledged to shut down unregulated basement apartments, where a number of people died in floods following the worst rains in 80 years.
Copyright 2022 NPR
South Korea's capital, Seoul, had pledged to shut down unregulated basement apartments, where a number of people died in floods following the worst rains in 80 years.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-08-23/many-question-whether-seouls-promised-reforms-will-stop-basement-apartment-drownings | 2022-08-23T22:22:28Z |
From the first line of the introduction to his memoir, Scenes From My Life, actor and activist Michael K. Williams addresses the reader with stark honesty and resolve.
"Way before I was anything or anyone, I was an addict," he wrote. "That was my identity, what people thought of me, if they thought of me at all. Into my mid-20s, I was on the verge of being discarded, like so many of my brothers and sisters who never got a chance to be something else. But through God's grace, I am still here."
Unfortunately, Michael Kenneth Williams isn't here anymore. He was found dead in his home of a drug overdose on Sept. 6 last year.
But the actor leaves behind a legacy of amazing characters: Omar Little from The Wire, the streetwise, uncompromising robber of drug dealers; 1920s-era gangster Albert "Chalky" White on Boardwalk Empire; top dog Riker's Island inmate Freddie Knight in The Night Of and abusive, closeted gay father Montrose Freeman on Lovecraft Country.
He also produced a gripping, revelatory memoir, completed weeks after his death, detailing a long struggle with addiction and self-doubt.
Dominic Dupont, Williams' nephew, said he copes with his uncle's unexpected death by honoring this legacy as an actor and activist.
"It's just understanding that...Michael would have wanted this," Dupont said. "He would have wanted us to elevate this conversation about what it is to turn pain into art."
Williams' co-author, Jon Sternfeld, said the two worked on the book for more than two years, talking extensively about the actor's life in recorded interviews. His death came about a month before the manuscript was due.
"I started out helping him with something, and I ended up being in charge of his legacy," said Sternfeld, who has co-written books with Senators Tom Daschle and Trent Lott and author/advocate Jim St. Germain.
"To his credit, he was very open from the beginning," he said. "One of the things he talked about a lot was how young men, especially young Black men, were not taught to get out there with their feelings and be vulnerable. And he, like, wanted to be a demonstrator of that."
Turning pain into art
"I was 22 years old when a music video changed my life...I cannot overstate how important [Janet Jackson's] Rhythm Nation was to my lost and aching 22-year-old self. It spoke to the man I was and the boy I had been...I too wore my pain and loneliness like skin. I too was desperate for someone to reach out...I was seeing myself on the television for the first time. This was not a music video. It was a g-----n earthquake."
--- Michael K. Williams, Scenes From My Life
Scenes From My Life tells a story which could have been a movie on its own. Raised in a Brooklyn housing project, Williams started as a dancer and model — inspired by dancing along to the Rhythm Nation video until he knew all the moves, and eventually landing jobs with artists like Crystal Waters and Madonna.
He thought his performing life was over when his face was slashed during a bar fight. But instead, it led to an acting career playing legendarily tough-yet-sensitive Black men – bringing dignity and a compelling presence to the kind of characters who are often overlooked and underestimated in the real world.
Ironically, Williams grew up as a very different person than the tough characters he played; Sternfeld said the actor remembered that when he first landed the role as Omar, he was worried that people wouldn't accept him as a gay stickup man who was feared by everyone.
"He's like, everybody who grew up with me knew that I was this scaredy cat who liked to dance or who wore bow ties to church," the co-author said. "He was definitely a bullied kid. And they mocked him for his interest in the arts. So he would hang out with girls or younger boys, because he felt like he couldn't hang [with his peers]. And that's a big part of the book."
The hazard of normalizing abnormality
The memoir has showbusiness stories: What it was like working with Tupac Shakur on the 1996 film Bullet; impressing Nicolas Cage with a death scene in Martin Scorsese's film Bringing Out the Dead; getting cast as Omar on The Wire.
But the book spends much more time on how Williams was shaped by his early years. He notes how growing up in a neighborhood filled with poverty and violence leads to people treating such circumstances as ordinary and expected; they don't realize how traumatizing such events are, because they are so common.
Williams tells a story in the book about going back into a movie theater moments after a shooting to retrieve a marijuana-filled joint he had dropped while fleeing the scene. Standing outside and lighting up, he was surprised to realize his hands were shaking.
"That kind of situation was so normal to me, but my body was telling me, No Michael, this is not normal," he wrote. "There's the trauma of life in the projects, and there's the survivors' means of processing it. This kind of violence is so rampant, so habitual, that we put on blinders just to get through the day. We normalize the abnormal."
His nephew, Dupont, noted another poignant contrast, detailed in the book: although accessing memories of past trauma helped make his characters more realistic – Williams reveals he was molested twice before he reached high school – it also made maintaining his sobriety more difficult.
"That was a sacrifice for Mike, and he knew that," Dupont said. "That is how he poured life into these characters. Pouring life into these characters meant that he would pour pain and trauma into them."
An actor and activist
Dupont was convicted of murder after defending his twin brother in a fight at age 19. He served 20 years, developing a reputation as a model prisoner, and Williams stayed connected to him. After Dupont's sentence was commuted in 2017, they worked together to raise awareness about at-risk kids.
Dupont's experiences became the core of a documentary Williams produced with Vice on HBO about a generation of Black youth locked behind bars called Raised in the System. When Dupont was released from jail – a moment captured in the film — he and Williams screened it around the country to jump-start discussions about criminal justice and policing.
Dupont said such activism came naturally to his uncle. "For as long as I can remember, my entire life...no matter what he was going through, he was always concerned that someone else was going through something worse than him," he said. "And [he wondered], how could he help?"
Things seemed to be going well last year, Dupont said, when Williams suddenly stopped answering texts, which was a troubling sign.
"What also alarmed me, was that I talked to Michael every single day since I was released from prison," Dupont added. "Every. Single. Day."
Dupont and his wife got into Williams' apartment, discovered his body and called 911. "We touched him. He was cold. At that point we said, 'He's deceased.'"
Both Dupont and Sternfeld said they had no idea Williams had relapsed. Sternfeld said Williams talked often about being one slip away from losing everything.
"He was very grounded in the fact that even making it to 54 — which is how old he was when he passed — was a miracle, considering what he had fought through," Sternfeld said. "So even though he didn't know he was going to die in September, he did have a sense that maybe he wasn't long for this world. I mean, he never said it directly. But there was something about his urgency; how he had finally discovered who he was."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.keranews.org/2022-08-23/michael-k-williams-memoir-scenes-from-my-life-shows-how-he-turned-trauma-into-art | 2022-08-23T22:22:34Z |
In a 4-3 vote, Grapevine-Colleyville trustees voted that multi occupancy “school bathrooms or changing facilities” can only be used by people based on their biological sex. It recalled Lt. Governor Dan Patrick’s controversial 2017 ‘bathroom bill,’ that basically intended the same but failed in the Texas legislature.
Many public speakers at Monday night’s meeting praised all the policies that toughened book restrictions, the bathroom policy, and declared that so-called Critical Race Theory would not be taught in schools. The district also chose not to accommodate the use of preferred pronouns.
Resident Steven Chaka said of the trustees, “You didn’t allow woke-ism here. Count your blessings.” Colleyville city council member George Dodson praised the board for stopping those who “want to turn us into a communist state.”
But GCISD parent Jeff Netzer, with two daughters, one of whom he said is trans, told the board that the new policies “will have a detrimental and potential harmful impact on the lives of hundreds of marginalized kids who are already feeling scared, lost and misunderstood.”
Also expressing concern, the Texas ACLU said in a statement that the bathroom policy “will lead to teachers, staff, and students policing each other’s restroom access and invading the privacy of their peers. It will result in bullying, harassment, and cruelty towards transgender and intersex students.”
Keller ISD tightens restrictions on books
In Keller, the board approved tougher book policies, overturning one that had already examined more than 40 titles questioned last year by parents. Earlier this month, those books were removed again, on Keller’s first day of school. Titles included all versions of the bible and a graphic adaptation of Anne Frank’s Diary. That, along with versions of the Bible have since been restored to the library. Nearly every public speaker blasted the board for its policy on books, many of which touch on characters who are LGBTQ+.
Keller ISD’s new restrictive guidelines for books prohibit titles with a minor’s use of alcohol, drugs and tobacco. Restrictions on sexual content are toughest for the youngest students and become less for older grades. But content that includes sexual abuse and “explicit” sexual conduct is never allowed.
Keller ISD senior Cameron Munn told the board Monday night that he is gay, and explained how difficult it was to make this discovery in high school. But he said books helped. He discovered characters who felt “misunderstood and hated by the world around them, [but he] loved being able to finally relate to a character and feel truly seen for the first time.”
Munn said marginalized students in Keller ISD feel attacked by this the school board. He said this policy harms people like him.
Got a tip? Email Reporter Bill Zeeble at bzeeble@kera.org. You can follow him on Twitter @bzeeble. | https://www.keranews.org/education/2022-08-23/culture-war-controversies-divide-parents-school-board-members-in-keller-and-grapevine-colleyville | 2022-08-23T22:22:40Z |
Experts: Police appear excessive in Arkansas beating video
(AP) - An Arkansas sheriff’s deputy was caught on video repeatedly punching and kneeing a man in the head before grabbing his hair and slamming him against the pavement. As that was happening, another officer was holding the man down as a third also kneed him over and over.
A bystander’s video of 27-year-old Randal Worcester’s arrest on Sunday in the small town of Mulberry sparked outrage after it was posted online. All three officers were later suspended, and state and federal authorities have opened criminal investigations into their actions. It’s the latest case in which increasingly omnipresent cameras have led to consequences for officers and raised questions about what level of force police are justified in using and when.
Russell Wood, a lawyer for the two Crawford County sheriff’s deputies and Mulberry police officer, stressed that the 34-second clip doesn’t show everything that happened and said Worcester had earlier attacked one of the deputies, leaving him with a concussion. Wood said in a statement that the deputy’s “pain compliance strikes” didn’t do any “damage” and that Worcester’s own violence authorized the officers to use “all necessary force.”
GRAPHIC WARNING: Videos included in this story may contain disturbing content.
Policing experts, however, say that blows to the head amount to the potentially deadly use of force and are only justified in an arrest when a suspect poses a current and serious threat. They say a full investigation is needed, but that the video raises obvious “red flags” about the actions of the officers, who had Worcester pinned to the ground by the time the bystander began recording from a nearby car.
“Depending on your level of resistance, (officers) could use defensive strikes or what they call pain strikes to get compliance, but that’s not a blow to the head,” said Geoffrey Alpert, a University of South Carolina criminology professor who studies the use of force by police. “He would have to be doing something pretty serious to get hit in the head like that.”
Carrie Jernigan, an attorney for Worcester, said the deputy who punched him, Levi White, used excessive force in the last month with two other people she’s representing. “There’s something going on and we just need to get it addressed,” she said during a Tuesday news conference.
Worcester’s arrest came after police received reports about a man making threats outside of a convenience store in Mulberry, a community of about 1,600 people roughly 140 miles (220 kilometers) northwest of Little Rock, near the Oklahoma state line. He was treated at a hospital on Sunday before being jailed on charges including second-degree battery and resisting arrest. He was released Monday on a $15,000 bond.
Crawford County Sheriff Jimmy Damante said that when officers arrived at the convenience store, Worcester turned over an unspecified “weapon” but then became violent. The sheriff’s office identified the three officers involved as deputies Zack King and White and local police officer Thell Riddle.
Wood said Worcester had been threating a woman with a knife and, upon being confronted, grabbed White by the legs and slammed him to the ground, stunning the the deputy. Worcester then climbed onto White and “began striking him on the back of the head and face,” the attorney said.
Wood called on the Mulberry police to release dashboard-camera video, which he said shows more of what happened, and contended that in such a situation the suspect “must be taken off the streets at all costs.”
Officers’ use of force is regulated by both the law and department policy. Bowling Green State University criminologist Philip Stinson called what is shown on the footage of Worcester’s arrest “completely unwarranted.” He said Worcester’s earlier attack on one of the officers might explain their actions — suggesting their later beating of the man was punitive — but that it wouldn’t provide them a legal justification.
“The force was excessive and, in my view, criminal,” said Stinson, a former officer.
The prosecution of police for using force on the job is relatively rare, and body-worn and dashboard camera videos often show officers’ actions were justified. But the increasing presence of police cameras and bystanders with cellphones has also provided evidence that sometimes undercuts officers’ explanations of their use of force.
In neighboring Louisiana, a state trooper also explained his use of force during a 2019 arrest as “pain compliance.” The trooper later resigned and was arrested and charged with state and federal crimes after his bodycam footage showed him striking a Black motorist 18 times with a flashlight as the man wailed, “I’m not resisting!”
Stinson said that, thus far, ubiquitous cameras have not changed policing as much as they’ve revealed it.
“This type of thing happens with great regulation,” he said.
___
Andrew DeMillo in Little Rock, Arkansas, contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/23/experts-police-appear-excessive-arkansas-beating-video/ | 2022-08-23T22:32:51Z |
Family of 7 traveling across country suffer carbon monoxide poisoning, authorities say
NEW MADRID COUNTY, Mo. (KFVS/Gray News) – A Texas family of seven traveling across the country is recovering after they suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning.
On Aug. 21, the family’s vehicle, carrying five children, two adults and a large dog, was on the road for seven hours when the occupants noticed they were starting to feel sick in Missouri, KFVS reported.
The family stopped at a gas station when the five children became unresponsive, according to the New Madrid County Sheriff’s Department.
Deputies were called to the scene to detect carbon monoxide using devices. Officials said the devices showed levels of the odorless and colorless gas, and the family was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
A spokesperson for the Missouri Medical Center in Sikeston said the family was released from the hospital and expected to survive.
The New Madrid County Sheriff’s Department was holding the family’s dog until they were out of the hospital.
The sheriff’s department urged drivers and travelers to ensure their vehicles were regularly maintained and repaired to avoid situations involving carbon monoxide poisoning.
Copyright 2022 KFVS via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/23/family-7-traveling-across-country-suffer-carbon-monoxide-poisoning-authorities-say/ | 2022-08-23T22:32:58Z |
IRS initiates safety probe after threats to workers
WASHINGTON (AP) — Responding to an increasing number of threats borne of conspiracy theories that agents were going to aggressively target middle income taxpayers, the Internal Revenue Service announced Tuesday that it was conducting a comprehensive review of safety at its facilities.
The climate, healthcare and tax legislation signed into law by President Joe Biden last week included $80 billion in funding for tax collection efforts. Although Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen specifically directed the agency to not focus its attention on taxpayers with middle class incomes, misinformation spread rapidly on line that agents were going to crack down on taxpayers of all earnings levels.
The baseless assertions also said the IRS would distribute firearms to employees authorized to used deadly force, prompting threats to the IRS employees.
Now agency leadership has launched an examination of agency safety.
“We are conducting a comprehensive review of existing safety and security measures,” said Chuck Rettig, IRS commissioner about the agency’s 600 office locations nationwide. “This includes conducting risk assessments,” he said, by monitoring perimeter security, designations of restricted areas, exterior lighting, security around entrances of facilities and other measures.
“For me this is personal. I’ll continue to make every effort to dispel any lingering misperceptions about our work,” Rettig said in a Tuesday letter to employees. “And I will continue to advocate for your safety in every venue where I have an audience.”
Rettig, whose term at the IRS ends in November, is tasked with developing a plan on how to spend the new infusion of funds included in the Inflation Reduction Act.
Along with anonymous online forums, high-ranking Republican politicians have spread falsehoods about the IRS workforce and how the newly allocated funds would be spent.
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., sent an August 16 open letter to Americans, calling on them not to take any new IRS positions, reinforcing false information about open roles at the agency and their access to firearms.
“The IRS is making it very clear that you not only need to be ready to audit and investigate your fellow hardworking Americans, your neighbors and friends, you need to be ready and, to use the IRS’s words, willing, to kill them,” he said in the letter.
Tony Reardon, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, said members have been vocal about their fears and worries about their safety.
“IRS employees are certainly very hard working and honest, they do the business of funding the government. They’re saying they don’t deserve to be treated as the enemy of the government,” he said.
He added that members who are of retirement age have expressed a greater desire to retire due to the increased attention on their jobs. More than half of the IRS’ enforcement workforce of 80,000 is retirement eligible.
Reardon said several workers have talked about being reminded of the 2010 Austin, Texas suicide attack, where Andrew Joseph Stack III deliberately crashed his single engine plane into the Echelon office building, killing himself and Internal Revenue Service manager Vernon Hunter.
“The rhetoric we’re hearing now is dangerous” Reardon said. “It’s putting these patriotic Americans at risk.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/23/irs-initiates-safety-probe-after-threats-workers/ | 2022-08-23T22:33:04Z |
Keeping it quiet
Temperatures around average the next several days
TUESDAY: A warm evening with some clouds and temperatures falling into the 70s. Clouds will decrease throughout the night with clear skies by the late overnight. Areas of patchy fog after midnight. Mild and comfortable with overnight lows in the upper 50s to low 60s.
WEDNESDAY: Plenty of sunshine to start the day with areas of patchy fog early. Warm with temperatures rising into the 70s. Adding some clouds for the afternoon as it will be a beautiful day. Very warm but comfortable as humidity stays on the lower side. Highs in the low to mid 80s with Petersburg/Moorefield in the upper 80s. A nice and warm evening with some clouds and temperatures falling into the 70s. Some clouds through most of the evening, clearing some after midnight. Areas of patchy fog late. Warm and slightly humid overnight with lows in the low to mid 60s.
THURSDAY: Some clouds to start the day with patchy fog early. Warm with temperatures rising into the 70s. A mix of sun and clouds for the afternoon. With a little more moisture in the air, we’ll see an isolated shower or storm in the afternoon but most if not all stay dry. Very warm and slightly humid with highs in the low to mid 80s. A nice and warm evening with temperatures falling into the 70s. Some clouds for the evening and overnight with an isolated shower or storm before midnight. Warm and slightly humid with overnight lows in the low to mid 60s.
FRIDAY: A mix of sun and clouds to start the day and warm with temperatures rising into the 70s. Some clouds for the afternoon as a front approaches the area firing up an isolated shower or storm in the afternoon. Very warm and slightly humid with highs in the mid to upper 80s. A warm evening with temperatures falling into the 70s. Any isolated shower or storm will wrap up by sunset. Some clouds for the evening, turning mostly clear after midnight. Warm and slightly humid with overnight lows in the low to mid 60s.
SATURDAY: Plenty of sunshine to start the day and warm with temperatures rising into the 70s. Adding some clouds for the afternoon with an isolated shower or storm. A front will work through the area with the potential for low pressure developing along the front. If this front takes its time crossing the area or low pressure does develop along this front, we would see better coverage of showers and storms in the afternoon. Very warm and slightly humid with highs in the low to mid 80s. Partly cloudy for the evening and overnight with an isolated shower or storm. Warm and slightly humid overnight with lows in the low to mid 60s.
SUNDAY: A mix of sun and clouds to start the day and warm with temperatures rising into the 70s. Some clouds in the afternoon with an isolated shower or storm. Very warm with highs in the low to mid 80s. Warm overnight with lows in the low to mid 60s.
MONDAY: A mix of sun and clouds to start the day and warm with temperatures rising into the 70s. Partly cloudy for the afternoon and very warm. Highs in the low to mid 80s with overnight lows in the low to mid 60s.
As always, you can get the latest updates by downloading and checking the WHSV Weather App.
Copyright 2021 WHSV. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/23/keeping-it-quiet/ | 2022-08-23T22:33:10Z |
Police: Suspect in Oklahoma deputy shooting planned to kill
Published: Aug. 23, 2022 at 6:01 PM EDT|Updated: 30 minutes ago
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Police say the man suspected of fatally shooting an Oklahoma deputy sheriff and wounding another planned to kill law enforcement officers.
Oklahoma City police Chief Wade Gourley said Tuesday that evidence inside the home where Benjamin Plank was showed he was “100%” ready to kill any officer.
Plank was arrested on murder, shooting with intent to kill and other warrants after the Monday shooting death of Oklahoma County Deputy Bobby Swartz and wounding of Deputy Mark Johns.
Sheriff Tommie Johnson III said the deputies were serving eviction papers when they were shot. Jail records do not list an attorney who could speak on Plank’s behalf.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/23/police-suspect-oklahoma-deputy-shooting-planned-kill/ | 2022-08-23T22:33:17Z |
Police: Teen charged after shooting, killing twin brother while playing with gun
STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. (WGCL/Gray News) - A teenager in Georgia is dead after police say his twin brother shot him.
According to the DeKalb County Police Department, officers were called to a home at about 3 a.m. on Monday regarding a shooting.
WGCL reports two 17-year-old brothers were playing with a gun in a bedroom inside the home when it went off and hit one of the teens in the face.
Police identified the 17-year-old who was shot as Dimitri Hayes. He was taken to the hospital where he later died.
Authorities said the surviving twin, Xavier Hayes, is currently at the DeKalb County Jail facing felony murder and aggravated assault charges.
DeKalb County police did not immediately say if the boys’ parents would face any charges in the incident.
Copyright 2022 WGCL via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/23/police-teen-charged-after-shooting-killing-twin-brother-while-playing-with-gun/ | 2022-08-23T22:33:24Z |
(TSX-V: ASTR, OTCQB: ATEPF)
VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Astra Exploration Inc. (TSXV: ASTR) (OTCQB: ATEPF) ("Astra" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has completed 3,976 metres of RC drilling in 15 holes at its Pampa Paciencia Project located in Northern Chile.
Highlights
- 100% of holes intersected quartz veins, stockworks or veinlets close to target depths
- 11 holes were drilled to expand mineralization beneath the Phase I program
- 4 holes into blind geophysical targets including the newly discovered Tormenta Vein
- Tormenta Vein is a splay off the main Paciencia Vein with two holes returning 6 and 28 metre-wide downhole intervals (5 and 10 metres estimated true widths, respectively)
Brian Miller, CEO of Astra commented:
"The Phase II drilling program has delivered a significant increase in vein strike from 1.4 to 2.1 kilometres with the discovery of new veins including the Tormenta Vein. The continuity of veins in the Paciencia Vein System was confirmed at depths of 100 metres below previous drilling, where Company geologists believe some of the best drill targets exist, and further confirms our view that we are only just starting to define the mineralized footprint of the Paciencia Vein Field. Further, Astra's team has completed another campaign of drilling on time and budget with an estimated all-in drill cost of approximately CAD$200 per metre."
Drilling Details
The Phase II program consisted of 3,976 metres of RC drilling in 15 holes, all in the North Zone target area (Figure 1).
The primary focus was to test the Paciencia Vein System at depth in the two defined high-grade zones defined earlier this year in the Phase I drill program (Figure 2). Eleven holes were drilled into known veins, with 4 holes directed to Paciencia Oeste vein segment, 3 to Paciencia and 4 to Paciencia Este segment.
Drill results from the Phase II program confirm the continuity of the quartz veins at depth in the Paciencia Vein System, which is a low-sulphidation epithermal (LSE) vein structure averaging 10-15 metres thickness over a strike length of approximately 1.4 kilometres. Some deeper holes in the Paciencia and Paciencia Este vein segments are showing a change in the dip and thickness of the vein.
Secondary targets consisted of other vein structures discovered during the Phase I drill program. These include blind magnetic low anomalies and newly interpreted vein structures from other geophysical targets, in particular WNW, E-W to ENE-striking magnetic lineaments related with low magnetic regional anomalies (Figure 1). All holes intersected quartz veins, stockworks or veinlets at depth in agreement with the magnetic low anomalies. A new WNW-ESE vein (Tormenta vein) was intersected in hole PPRC22-46 with a 28 metre-thick downhole interval (10 metres estimated true width) and is interpreted to extend west to a six metre-thick downhole interval (5 metres estimated true width) at hole PPRC22-55. Hole PPRC22-54 intersected quartz veinlets and is interpreted to extend west to hole PPRC-22-38 (discovered in Phase I) in a new ENE-WSW vein structure.
About Pampa Paciencia
Pampa Paciencia is a 3,840 hectare road-access LSE gold-silver project located within an active mining district less than 15 kilometres from two major mines (Sierra Gorda and Spence) and five kilometres from the Faride LSE mine (Figure 3).
Astra has completed property wide mapping and sampling, geophysical surveys, and localized trenching, and in doing so has defined a vein boulder field over approximately 75% of the project area. The veins do not outcrop as the majority of the project area is covered by a thin layer of gravels and caliche but the vein float can be used to identify areas of high prospectivity.
About the Company
Astra Exploration Inc. is an exploration company based out of Vancouver, BC. Astra is engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of epithermal gold-silver properties in Chile and is building a portfolio of high-quality projects. Astra's current focus is the development of the Pampa Paciencia Project.
Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Mineralization hosted on adjacent and/or nearby and/or geologically similar properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization hosted on the Company's properties.
This news release may contain certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When or if used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target, "plan", "forecast", "may", "schedule" and similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to the Company's business activities; exploration on the Company's properties; and marketing initiatives. Such statements represent the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, without limitation: development of the industry in which the Company operates; risks associated with the conduct of the Company's business activities; risks relating to reliance on the Company's management team and outside contractors; currency fluctuations; risks regarding the failure to generate sufficient cash flow from operations; laws and regulations governing the industry in which the Company operates; the ability of the communities in which the Company operates to manage and cope with the implications of COVID-19; the economic and financial implications of COVID-19 to the Company; operating or technical difficulties; employee relations, labour unrest or unavailability; stock market volatility; conflicts of interest among certain directors and officers; lack of liquidity for shareholders of the Company; litigation risk; and other risk factors disclosed in the Company's public disclosure documents available on the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.
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SOURCE Astra Exploration Limited | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/astra-exploration-completes-phase-ii-drilling-extends-pacienca-vein-21km-with-assays-expected-september/ | 2022-08-23T22:33:31Z |
ASHEVILLE, N.C., Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Quility, an award-winning insurtech company, has partnered with Life Happens, a non-profit dedicated to educating consumers on the importance of life insurance. This collaboration marks Quility's inaugural college scholarship.
Since 2005, Life Happens has provided financial support to college-bound seniors and college students who have experienced the death of a parent or guardian with little to no life insurance. To date, they've awarded more than $2.5M among 750+ students. Quility is thrilled to collaborate with Life Happens and to announce MaKayla Cook as the recipient of the 2022 Quility Life Lessons Scholarship.
"These days, receiving a college education is a huge financial burden for many families," says Whit Zeh, Quility's Senior Director of Corporate Well Being and Community Outreach. "I cannot begin to imagine the added financial hardship of losing a parent, with little to no life insurance, while simultaneously navigating the cost of higher education. The Life Happens Scholarship Program offers both an incredible way to support students who have suffered loss, and an opportunity to remind everyone about the importance of life insurance. The student Quility selected has shown grace and perseverance that is, and will continue to be, a wonderful lesson in life for us all. We are truly grateful to Life Happens for creating such an impactful program and we look forward to supporting many more students in the years to come."
Makayla's mother passed away unexpectedly on August 5, 2021. Just two weeks before her passing, her mother lost her job and all employer-provided benefits, including life insurance. MaKayla paid for her mother's funeral with money she had saved throughout high school and friends and family pulled resources to help with other immediate expenses.
MaKayla's resilient spirit and determination have carried her through grief and the collective stress brought forth by the pandemic. Today, she is working 40 hours per week in addition to her coursework at Appalachian State University. When she graduates, MaKayla will be the first in her family to achieve a college degree.
As a corporate sponsor, Quility will financially support MaKayla for one full academic year. The company plans on sponsoring additional students in the coming years and is encouraging its large network of agents to do the same.
You can learn more about applying for a scholarship, making a donation, or becoming a corporate sponsor by visiting the Life Lessons Scholarship Program.
You can also explore the many ways Quility serves its communities through sustainable engagement by reviewing Quility's Impact.
Quility uses innovative and proprietary technology to modernize the process of qualifying for and purchasing life insurance. The Quility digital platform offers clients the option to apply for life insurance online through a ten-minute application or with the support of a licensed insurance agent. To learn more, visit quility.com.
Life Happens is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping consumers take personal financial responsibility through the ownership of life insurance and related products. The organization does not endorse any product, company or insurance advisor. Since its inception in 1994, Life Happens has provided the highest quality, independent and objective information for people seeking help with their insurance buying decisions. To learn more, visit Life Happens.
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SOURCE Quility | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/award-winning-insurtech-company-launches-quility-life-lessons-scholarship-program/ | 2022-08-23T22:33:38Z |
Leading fertility treatment network broadens its world-class fertility operations and services
with Tri-State Area expansion
LIVINGSTON, N.J., Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CCRM Fertility, a global pioneer in fertility treatment, research and science, today announced the acquisition of The Institute for Reproductive Medicine & Science (IRMS), a fertility center with 11 reproductive endocrinologists and eight offices throughout New Jersey and New York. The strategic addition of IRMS furthers CCRM Fertility's growth trajectory and brings its world-class proprietary reproductive medicine expertise to IRMS offices and patients. CCRM Fertility will now serve 11 major metropolitan areas with 34 locations across the U.S. and Canada.
Since its founding in 1987, CCRM Fertility has specialized in the most advanced fertility treatments and has achieved unparalleled accomplishments in the industry. CCRM Fertility built an innovative fertility platform, consistently invests in leading physicians and research, and achieves some of the highest in vitro fertilization (IVF) live birth rates in the U.S. CCRM Fertility continues to expand into new markets and services at an unprecedented pace.
Jon Pardew, president and CEO of CCRM Fertility, said the acquisition is just one piece to the company's overall growth strategy, further strengthening its commitment to its patients, physicians, technologies, fertility care and research.
"Bringing IRMS into the CCRM Fertility family made perfect sense. It has a longstanding reputation for world-class services, personalized fertility treatment and access to care through convenient locations," Pardew said. "We are confident IRMS's diverse and experienced team of physicians and embryologists will be an excellent addition to the CCRM Fertility team. Our combined commitment to quality care and innovative solutions now makes us one of the largest and most advanced network of fertility clinics servicing North America."
"The IRMS team is incredibly excited to join the CCRM Fertility network as we expand our philosophy of care throughout the State of New Jersey and beyond," said IRMS Clinical Director Dr. Debbra Keegan. "We chose CCRM Fertility because of our common commitment to patient-centric care, best practices in medicine and scientific expertise. We look forward to this partnership bringing yet another level of superior reproductive care to our valuable patients."
CCRM Fertility specializes in pioneering fertility treatments, with deep expertise in IVF, fertility testing, fertility preservation, genetic testing, third-party reproduction and egg donation. The addition of IRMS combines the companies' scientific advances, laboratory techniques and full suite of reproductive services reinforcing CCRM Fertility as a forerunner in the field of fertility.
About IRMS
Since its inception in 1995, IRMS has been recognized as one of the nation's leading fertility centers, providing patients with state-of-the-art treatment, supported by the latest scientific innovations in the field of reproductive medicine. These innovations have greatly expanded the scope of practice in terms of the patients that reproductive endocrinologists can now serve. IRMS has been at the forefront of both inclusion and education of these patient populations so they too can manage their reproductive lives and potential. IRMS has earned a stellar reputation for their success rates using SET (Single Embryo Transfer), increasing the efficiency of each IVF cycle. The physicians and staff of IRMS have taken on a significant role as advocates for coverage and access to care, for patients within their own practice as well as through advancing legislation in both New Jersey and New York. For more information on IRMS, please visit www.sbivf.com.
About CCRM Fertility
CCRM Fertility is a global pioneer in fertility treatment, research and science. Founded by Dr. William Schoolcraft 35 years ago, CCRM Fertility specializes in the most advanced fertility treatments, with deep expertise in IVF, fertility testing, egg freezing, preimplantation genetic testing, third party reproduction and egg donation. CCRM Fertility leverages its own data and a dedicated team of in-house reproductive endocrinologists, embryologists and geneticists to deliver industry-leading outcomes. CCRM Fertility has 34 locations in North America, serving patients in 11 major metropolitan areas, including Atlanta, Boston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Houston, New York, Northern Virginia, Minneapolis, Orange County, San Francisco Bay Area and Toronto. For more information, visit www.ccrmivf.com.
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SOURCE CCRM | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/ccrm-fertility-acquires-institute-reproductive-medicine-amp-science/ | 2022-08-23T22:33:44Z |
SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
News Summary
- Cisco Board of Directors declares quarterly cash dividend
- $0.38 per common share to be paid on October 26, 2022, to all stockholders of record as of October 5, 2022
- Previous dividend of $0.38 per common share paid on July 27, 2022
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) announced that earlier today its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.38 per common share to be paid on October 26, 2022, to all stockholders of record as of the close of business on October 5, 2022.
Cisco's previous quarterly dividend of $0.38 per common share was paid on July 27, 2022. Future dividends will be subject to Board approval.
About Cisco
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in technology that powers the Internet. Cisco inspires new possibilities by reimagining your applications, securing your data, transforming your infrastructure, and empowering your teams for a global and inclusive future. Discover more on The Newsroom and follow us on Twitter at @Cisco.
Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. To view a list of Cisco trademarks, go to: www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. This document is Cisco Public Information.
RSS Feed for Cisco: https://newsroom.cisco.com/c/r/newsroom/en/us/rss-feeds.html.
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SOURCE Cisco Systems, Inc. | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/cisco-declares-quarterly-cash-dividend/ | 2022-08-23T22:33:50Z |
BROOKFIELD, Conn., Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Go Green Global Technologies Corp. (OTC: GOGR), an innovator of water and fuel technology solutions, announced today the completion of its audit results for the years 2020 and 2021.
"With the completion of this audit, Go Green has been able to establish a firm foundation for its continued growth as a company. Over the last several months we have focused our efforts on further development of future sales and manufacturing, while ensuring that the company financials are in order. By bringing the Company current in its reporting obligations and having completed the audit, Go Green is ready to approach the capital markets for the necessary funding to accelerate the growth of our business." stated Danny Bishop, the Company's CEO. "With our financial information on solid footing, it is our intention to become a full SEC reporting company in the future," he concluded.
Go Green Global Technologies Corp. is an innovative publicly traded U.S. company that provides industry-disruptive technology for a variety of water and fuel use applications. Utilizing the proprietary Sonical™ device for both non-chemical water treatment and fuel combustion, Go Green provides global solutions for the automotive, transportation, maritime and railway industries. The company is a pioneer and leader in the emerging Pulsed-Power technology sector. Since inception, the company has focused on technologies that lead to a cleaner and more efficient planet.
Safe Harbor Statement: The information posted in this release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these statements by use of the words "may," "will," "should," "plans," "explores," "expects," "anticipates," "continue," "estimate," "project," "intend," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, general economic and business conditions, effects of continued geopolitical unrest and regional conflicts, competition, changes in technology and methods of marketing, and various other factors beyond the Company's control.
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SOURCE Go Green Global Technologies | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/go-green-global-technologies-corp-announces-completion-audit-next-steps/ | 2022-08-23T22:33:58Z |
TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Governor Ron DeSantis appointed two board members to the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County (ELCHC) on August 19th. Melissa Raburn of Lithia and Stacie Ward of Odessa.
Raburn was previously an Agriculture teacher for the Hillsborough County School District and Ward served as a substitute teacher for elementary through middle school grades. "I am extremely thankful to Governor DeSantis for appointing Melissa and Stacie to the ELCHC Board of Directors. They are both well respected leaders who will help take our organization to the next level. I look forward to serving with them to achieve our mission of ensuring our youngest children grow up to achieve anything they can imagine," said Aakash Patel, ELCHC Board Chair.
The ELCHC is governed by a 24-member Board of Directors as defined in legislation. Three seats are appointed directly by the Governor's Office, including the Chair, or seat 1. The recent appointments will fill seats 2 and 3.
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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SOURCE Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/governor-desantis-appoints-two-new-board-members-early-learning-coalition-hillsborough-county/ | 2022-08-23T22:34:05Z |
BOSTON, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Haemonetics Corporation (NYSE: HAE) announced that Chris Simon, President and CEO, will present at the Morgan Stanley 20th Annual Global Healthcare Conference on Monday, September 12, 2022, at 8:45 a.m. ET.
The public may access Mr. Simon's presentation live via webcast and subsequent replay at: https://event.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1566655&tp_key=6a9e8b9f64&tp_special=8
A replay of the webcast will be available for 180 days beginning on September 12, 2022 at 12:00 pm ET using the webcast link provided in this press release.
About Haemonetics
Haemonetics (NYSE: HAE) is a global healthcare company dedicated to providing a suite of innovative medical products and solutions for customers, to help them improve patient care and reduce the cost of healthcare. Our technology addresses important medical markets: blood and plasma component collection, the surgical suite and hospital transfusion services. To learn more about Haemonetics, visit www.haemonetics.com.
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SOURCE Haemonetics Corporation | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/haemonetics-present-morgan-stanley-20th-annual-global-healthcare-conference/ | 2022-08-23T22:34:11Z |
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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SOURCE Minnesota Dental Association | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/minnesota-dental-association-recommends-back-school-dental-check-ups/ | 2022-08-23T22:34:18Z |
WASHINGTON, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA and Rice University in Houston will host multiple events in September to celebrate the 60th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's historic speech at Rice Stadium, rallying the nation to land astronauts on the Moon before the end of the decade and bring the crew safely back to Earth.
The agency will provide live coverage of the final event at noon EDT (11 a.m. CDT) on Monday, Sept. 12, commemorating the speech on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency's website.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson will be the keynote speaker, and the program will include other agency officials, dignitaries, and local and national elected officials.
Gates to the stadium will open to the public at 9 a.m. CDT Monday. The event will feature exhibits from NASA, Space Center Houston, Rice University, and space industry partners, who will commemorate Kennedy's historic challenge and unprecedented commitment of resources that set a young space agency on the path to achieve the goal with the successful landing of Apollo 11 astronauts on the Moon on July 20, 1969.
Today, NASA is ready to launch the agency's Artemis I test flight to the Moon, a major step forward in a new era of human deep space exploration. NASA is targeting no earlier than Monday, Aug. 29, for the launch of the Space Launch System rocket to send the Orion spacecraft on the Artemis I flight test around the Moon and back to Earth.
"In 1962, President Kennedy delivered a historic speech at Rice University on his groundbreaking plans for the new frontier and sending the first humans to the Moon. Sixty years later, we choose to go to the Moon – and on to Mars," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. "We are gearing up for the first test flight of the most powerful rocket in the world for Artemis I. This time, we're going to the Moon with the goal of establishing a human presence to learn how to live and work in deep space to prepare for the first human missions to Mars. We continue to build on the legacy of the Apollo program as the Artemis Generation prepares to go farther into the cosmos than ever before."
Through Artemis missions, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon, using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before for the benefit of all. In collaboration with commercial and international partners, NASA will establish the first long-term presence on the Moon. Then, humanity will use what it learns on and around the Moon to begin the next giant leap: sending the first astronauts to Mars.
"We look forward to welcoming the community to Rice University to commemorate President Kennedy's historic speech and the important role Houston has played in shaping our nation's space program," said Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA's Johnson Space Center. "NASA's Apollo Program captured the world's attention and demonstrated the power of America's vision and technology to ignite generations of great achievements, exploration, and scientific discovery. Our leadership in space continues, as we move forward to the Moon once more and inspire the next generation of explorers, who will carry us to even greater heights."
Additional events and activities include:
Saturday, Sept. 10
- 10 a.m. CDT (11 a.m. EDT) – NASA pavilion and Industry and Research exhibits open to the public, free of charge.
- 6:30 p.m. CDT (7:30 p.m. EDT) -- Commemorative football game between the Rice University Owls and the McNeese State University Cowboys in Rice Stadium
Sunday, Sept. 11
- 10 a.m. CDT (11 a.m. EDT) – Community Day: NASA and industry exhibits open to the public
Monday, Sept. 12
- 11 a.m. CDT (Noon EDT) – As noted above, NASA will provide live coverage of the main event. Participants will include:
Rice University will provide details for media accreditation at its venue soon. Get additional information about the event, exhibits, and related activities online at:
https://external.jsc.nasa.gov/jfk-60th-anniversary/
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SOURCE NASA | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/nasa-rice-university-mark-60th-anniversary-john-f-kennedy-speech/ | 2022-08-23T22:34:24Z |
DENVER, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Offen Petroleum ("Offen"), announced today that it has completed the acquisition of the wholesale division of G&S Oil Products, headquartered in Centennial, CO ("G&S"). Offen is a leading independent distributor of motor fuels, propane, and lubricants, and offers petroleum logistics services in 40 U.S. states. The acquisition continues to strengthen Offen's ability to distribute major oil company branded motor fuel to independent retailers.
G&S has been owned and operated by the Sussman family for over 50 years. G&S is a full-service wholesale and retail marketer of branded motor fuels under the Conoco, Phillips 66, Sinclair, and Shell brands as well as a supplier of unbranded fuels, with a footprint covering the greater Front Range of Colorado. In addition to providing wholesale motor fuel services to third-party retailers, G&S has developed a reputation of operational excellence in their own network of gas stations and convenience stores. After the transaction, G&S will continue to operate their portfolio of convenience stores and automotive service centers.
"We've had a long relationship with Bill Gallagher, and we knew that if we were going to sell our wholesale business, Offen would be the best partner for not only our wholesale customers, but also for our company operated stores, who will be a fuel customer of Offen's," stated Meyer Sussman, Founder and President of G&S. "The Offen team has a reputation of providing the highest level of customer care and they have a full breadth of resources that will benefit our customers."
This acquisition will add 40 new customers that operate gas stations under the Conoco, Phillips, and Sinclair brands along with five un-branded motor fuel customers. The addition of G&S's customers deepens Offen's operations in Colorado, further enhances Offen's position as one of the leading fuel distributors in the United States and grows Offen's commitment to the branded dealer business.
"Meyer and Jeff Sussman and their team of dedicated, long-term employees, are long-standing, highly respected operators in the motor fuel/convenience retail industry, and I am very honored that the Sussman's are entrusting Offen to carry on their legacy of providing superior service to their customers," said Bill Gallagher, Offen's CEO. "This is a very special opportunity for us to be able to acquire such a high-quality portfolio of customers."
About Offen Petroleum
Headquartered in Commerce City, CO, Offen is a growing distributor of motor fuels, propane, and lubricants that dedicates itself to serving its customers with the highest level of service. In addition to organic growth, Offen is a leading acquiror of companies in this consolidating marketplace. Offen distributes over 2.2 billion gallons of motor fuel annually and will serve customers throughout 40 United States. In addition to branded and unbranded motor fuels, Offen sells propane, and lubricant products and solutions for the commercial, industrial, and passenger car segments, as well as diesel exhaust fluids used in emission controls. Offen is a portfolio company of Court Square Capital Partners, a New York based private equity firm with $7 billion of assets under management. More information on Offen can be found at www.offenpetro.com.
Contact: Chris Tofalli
Chris Tofalli Public Relations, LLC
914-834-4334
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SOURCE Offen Petroleum | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/offen-petroleum-acquires-wholesale-division-gamps-oil-products/ | 2022-08-23T22:34:31Z |
Ratings prove the brand sets the gold standard for R-PACE financing.
OAKLAND, Calif., Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Renew Financial (Renew), the nation's most experienced and one of the leading Residential Property Assessed Clean Energy (R-PACE) financing companies, is proud to report a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 77 compared to the financial services average of 34, outshining the competition.
An NPS of 77 positions Renew Financial as a best-in-class R-PACE company in the nation and ties it with one of the top five FinTech companies, Funding Circle, and only 13 points away from the highest rated FinTech company, SoFi.
The NPS is a measure of customer satisfaction calculated based on responses to a single question: How likely is it that you would recommend our company to a friend or colleague?
NPS can be as low as −100 (all detractors) or as high as +100 (all promoters). The calculation is simple: the percentage of promoters minus the percentage of the detractors as determined by the survey. Scores of +50 and higher are typically considered "best in class."
Renew Financial regularly measures its NPS by surveying its customers and contractors. This ranking marks the 7th consecutive year Renew Financial has maintained a score above 50, reflecting the company's sustained effort to provide a positive, respectful and beneficial experience to homeowners in California and Florida.
Pam Rodriguez, Head of Marketing at Renew Financial, said, "This year's survey response was overwhelmingly positive, and in fact, the score we received is the highest in the company's history. We've been calculating our NPS since July 2016, which is a valuable benchmark for assessing the overall quality of our customer service by constantly gathering data and insights and reacting promptly if we notice any changes in our score. This year's NPS score is a true testament to the people behind the scenes who work daily to make each PACE financing transaction happen."
Additionally, Renew Financial was recertified last month by the Great Place to Work® for the 2nd year in a row. The prestigious award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at Renew Financial. 87% of employees said it's a great place to work this year – 30 points higher than the average U.S. company.
Great Place to Work® is the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience, and the leadership behaviors proven to deliver market-leading revenue, employee retention, and increased innovation.
"Great Place to Work Certification™ isn't something that comes easily – it takes ongoing dedication to the employee experience," said Sarah Lewis-Kulin, vice president of global recognition at Great Place to Work. "It's the only official recognition determined by employees' real-time reports of their company culture. Earning this designation means that Renew Financial is one of the country's best companies to work for."
Commenting on the results, CEO of Renew Financial, Mark Floyd, said, "Customer and employee satisfaction are two of our most important objectives. The high satisfaction levels among our customers and employees, as confirmed by the NPS survey and the Great Place to Work recertification, are therefore very gratifying. With Renew's culture of constant improvement, we will continue sharpening our offering to increase customer and employee satisfaction and loyalty even further. We owe our continued success to our dedicated employees at Renew Financial. We celebrate and thank them for all they do to earn such incredible achievements."
Renew Financial Group LLC (Renew Financial) is one of the nation's leading financing providers for sustainable building improvement projects with a bold vision to create financial access to a safe, healthy, and sustainable world. Renew Financial administers the Residential Property Assessed Clean Energy (R-PACE) program in California and Florida to strengthen communities by making homes and businesses safer, more energy-efficient, and more valuable. Renew Financial has funded more than $1.1B in PACE projects that have led to greenhouse gas reductions (GHGs) of nearly 1.5 million metric tons, equivalent to removing over 300,000 cars from the road, contributed to the creation of over 15,000 local jobs, and savings of over 2 billion gallons of water. Renew Financial is a trademark of Renew Financial Holdings, Inc.
Learn more at renewfinancial.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
Great Place to Work® Certification™ is the most definitive "employer-of-choice" recognition that companies aspire to achieve. It is the only recognition based entirely on what employees report about their workplace experience – specifically, how consistently they experience a high-trust workplace. Great Place to Work Certification is recognized worldwide by employees and employers and is the global benchmark for identifying and recognizing outstanding employee experience. Every year, more than 10,000 companies across 60 countries apply to get Great Place to Work-Certified.
Great Place to Work® is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees worldwide and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Their employee survey platform empowers leaders with the feedback, real-time reporting and insights they need to make data-driven people decisions. Everything they do is driven by the mission to build a better world by helping every organization become a great place to work For All™.
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SOURCE Renew Financial Group LLC | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/renew-financial-announces-loyalty-satisfaction-significantly-higher-than-benchmark/ | 2022-08-23T22:34:38Z |
TORONTO, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - RIV Capital Inc. ("RIV Capital" or the "Company") (CSE: RIV) (OTC: CNPOF), a cannabis packaged goods company with a focus on establishing one of the strongest portfolios of brands in key strategic U.S. markets, will report its financial results for the first quarter ended June 30, 2022, after markets close on Monday, August 29, 2022. The Company's unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for the quarter will be available on the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company's website at www.rivcapital.com/investors.
Following the release of its first quarter 2023 financial results, an audio-only recording of RIV Capital's conference call will be available on the Company's website at www.rivcapital.com/investors.
RIV Capital is building a leading cannabis packaged goods company, with a focus on establishing one of the strongest portfolios of brands in key strategic U.S. markets. Backed by in-house expertise and cannabis domain knowledge, RIV Capital aims to grow its own brands and partner with established U.S. cannabis operators and brands to bring them to new markets and build market share. RIV Capital established the foundational building blocks of its active U.S. strategy with the announced Etain Acquisition. Through its strategic relationship with The Hawthorne Collective, Inc. ("The Hawthorne Collective"), a subsidiary of The ScottsMiracle-Gro Company, RIV Capital is The Hawthorne Collective's preferred vehicle for cannabis-related investments not under the purview of other ScottsMiracle-Gro subsidiaries.
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SOURCE RIV Capital Inc. | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/riv-capital-sets-date-first-quarter-2023-financial-results/ | 2022-08-23T22:34:44Z |
TORONTO, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - RIV Capital Inc. (the "Company") (CSE: RIV) (OTC: CNPOF), a cannabis packaged goods company with a focus on establishing one of the strongest portfolios of brands in key strategic U.S. markets, acting through its wholly owned indirect subsidiary, RIV Capital US Real Estate LLC ("RIV Real Estate", together with the Company, collectively, "RIV Capital"), and Etain, LLC ("Etain") announced that RIV Capital has entered into a lease agreement with Zephyr, a leading California-based developer, for the development and operation of a planned new flagship cannabis cultivation and manufacturing facility in Buffalo, New York (the "Flagship Facility"). RIV Capital will sublease the Flagship Facility to Etain upon receipt of necessary regulatory approvals.
Under the lease agreement, Zephyr will develop and lease to RIV Capital two buildings totaling approximately 75,000 square feet. Total development costs for the project are expected to be approximately $30 million, of which RIV Capital will be responsible for $4.5 million. RIV Capital will pay base rent to the Landlord over the term of the lease based on what the company believes is a favorable cap rate applied to the developer's portion of the project costs. The initial term of the lease is for 15 years. RIV Capital and Etain also have the option to expand the leased premises to include additional building(s) of added manufacturing and cultivation space.
The terms of the lease include conditions related to receipt of regulatory and other necessary approvals, including completion of any environmental remediation pursuant to the New York State Brownfield Program. Etain's operation of the Flagship Facility is also subject to receipt of regulatory approval from the New York Cannabis Control Board and the New York State Office of Cannabis Management (the "NY Regulators").
Following receipt of regulatory and other necessary approvals and completion of the Flagship Facility, Etain will have access to a state-of-the-art cannabis cultivation and manufacturing facility that RIV Capital and Etain believe will increase the diversity, breadth, and volume of Etain's product offerings, improve affordability and access for New York patients and consumers, and provide a platform to bring successful, authentic cannabis brands to New York. RIV Capital and Etain also intend to work with Zephyr to implement robust diversity, social equity, and inclusion goals consistent with the legislative intent and objectives of New York's Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act. This includes construction of a building that can be used for cultivation and/or manufacturing, which will be located within the premises of the leased site and made available to social equity applicants. Such social equity applicants will share in the secure infrastructure comprising the leased premises and will benefit from proximity to Etain, an established New York operator.
As previously announced, the Company entered into definitive agreements on March 30, 2022, to acquire ownership and control of Etain and Etain IP LLC (collectively, the "Etain Companies"), owners and operators of legally licensed cannabis cultivation and retail dispensaries in the State of New York (the "Acquisition"). The Company acquired the non-regulated portion of the Etain Companies in the Acquisition's first closing on April 22, 2022. The second and final closing of the Acquisition is planned to occur following receipt of all required regulatory approvals, including from the NY Regulators.
RIV Capital is building a leading cannabis packaged goods company, with a focus on establishing one of the strongest portfolios of brands in key strategic U.S. markets. Backed by in-house expertise and cannabis domain knowledge, RIV Capital aims to grow its own brands and partner with established U.S. cannabis operators and brands to bring them to new markets and build market share. RIV Capital established the foundational building blocks of its active U.S. strategy with the announced Acquisition. Through its strategic relationship with The Hawthorne Collective, Inc. ("The Hawthorne Collective"), a subsidiary of The ScottsMiracle-Gro Company ("ScottsMiracle-Gro"), RIV Capital is The Hawthorne Collective's preferred vehicle for cannabis-related investments not under the purview of other ScottsMiracle-Gro subsidiaries.
Etain is a vertically integrated legally licensed cannabis company operating in the State of New York. It was founded as a women-owned and women-led private company in 2015. Since its founding, Etain has strived to improve the quality of life for customers every day with an absolute commitment to integrity – both in Etain's products and operations.
This news release contains statements which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of RIV Capital, Etain and RIV Capital's portfolio companies with respect to future business activities and operating performance. Forward-looking information is often identified by the words "may", "would", "could", "should", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" or similar expressions and includes information regarding the Company's investment in Etain, including the timing for completion of the final closing of the Acquisition; RIV Capital's expectations regarding regulatory approval of the Acquisition and the Flagship Facility; the Company's expectations regarding the completion of the Flagship Facility; expected development costs of the Flagship Facility; expectations regarding base rent; RIV Capital's and Etain's expectations regarding the anticipated benefits of the Flagship Facility, including on Etain's product offerings and medical patients more generally; RIV Capital's and Etain's option to expand the leased premises; the Company's and Etain's intention to implement robust diversity, equity and inclusion goals consistent with the objectives of the Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act, and the expected benefits related thereto; the Company's expectations regarding its growth and the outcome of future partnerships; the Company's expectation that it will be ScottsMiracle-Gro's preferred vehicle for investments not under the purview of other ScottsMiracle-Gro subsidiaries; and expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors.
Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical fact but instead reflects management's expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Although RIV Capital believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, such information involves risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements of RIV Capital or its portfolio companies.
Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information are the following: the timing and likelihood for receipt of all required regulatory and other approvals, as applicable, for the Flagship Facility and Acquisition; the satisfaction of other conditions to closing in respect of the Acquisition; the Company's ability to execute its go-forward strategy, including in respect of the Flagship Facility; stock market volatility; changes in the business activities, focus and plans of the Company, Etain and the Company's investees and the timing associated therewith; the timing of any changes to federal laws in the U.S. to allow for the general cultivation, distribution, and possession of cannabis; regulatory and licensing risks; changes in cannabis industry growth and trends; changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; litigation risks; the global regulatory landscape and enforcement related to cannabis, including political risks and risks relating to regulatory change; risks relating to anti-money laundering laws; compliance with extensive government regulation, including RIV Capital's interpretation of such regulation; public opinion and perception of the cannabis industry; divestiture risks; and the risk factors set out in RIV Capital's most recent management's discussion and analysis and annual information form filed with the Canadian securities regulators and available on RIV Capital's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
The Company has invested in and acquired, and intends to in the future invest in and/or acquire, companies that are involved in the manufacture, possession, use, sale, and distribution of cannabis in the recreational and medicinal cannabis marketplace in the United States. Local state laws where such operations occur permit such activities, however, investors should note that there are significant legal restrictions and regulations that govern the cannabis industry in the United States. Cannabis remains a Schedule I drug under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act, making it illegal under federal law in the United States to, among other things, cultivate, distribute or possess cannabis in the United States. Financial transactions involving proceeds generated by, or intended to promote, cannabis-related business activities in the United States may form the basis for prosecution under applicable U.S. federal money laundering legislation.
While the approach to enforcement of such laws by the federal government in the United States has trended toward non-enforcement against individuals and businesses that comply with recreational and medicinal cannabis programs in states where such programs are legal, strict compliance with state laws with respect to cannabis will neither absolve the Company of liability under U.S. federal law, nor will it provide a defense to any federal proceeding which may be brought against the Company. The enforcement of federal laws in the United States is a significant risk to the business of the Company and any proceedings brought against the Company thereunder may adversely affect the Company's operations and financial performance.
Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although RIV Capital has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. RIV Capital does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information except as otherwise required by applicable law.
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SOURCE RIV Capital Inc. | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/riv-capital-signs-lease-flagship-cannabis-cultivation-manufacturing-facility-buffalo-new-york/ | 2022-08-23T22:34:51Z |
NEW YORK, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Weiss Law, a national shareholders' rights law firm, is investigating possible breaches of fiduciary duty and violations of the federal securities laws by the Board of Directors and certain Company officers of 3M Company (NYSE: MMM) ("3M" or the "Company") relating to 3M's Combat Arms earplugs, a product that is the subject of multidistrict litigation in which thousands of military service members and veterans allege the earplugs were defective, leading to hearing damage from loud sounds on the battlefield or during training exercises, and which resulted in 3M paying $9.1 million to the U.S. Department of Justice to resolve whistleblower litigation alleging that the Combat Ear earplugs were defective and never met product standards required by the government.
If you own 3M shares and wish to discuss this investigation, or share information which you have, or if you have any questions concerning this notice or your rights or interests, visit our website at
https://www.weisslaw.co/news-and-cases/mmm
Or contact:
Josh Rubin, Esq.
stocks@weisslaw.co
(212) 682-3025
THERE IS NO COST OR OBLIGATION TO YOU
3M manufactured and supplied the United States military with Combat Arms earplugs ostensibly to protect service members' ears from loud sounds associated with military training and combat until 2015, when production ceased without recall.
Weiss Law has litigated hundreds of stockholder class and derivative actions for violations of corporate and fiduciary duties. We have recovered over a billion dollars for defrauded clients. For more information about the firm, please go to: http://www.weisslaw.co
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SOURCE Weiss Law | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/shareholder-alert-weiss-law-investigates-3m-company/ | 2022-08-23T22:34:58Z |
WASHINGTON, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA has selected three companies to further advance work on deployable solar array systems that will help power the agency's human and robotic exploration of the Moon under Artemis.
Through Artemis missions, NASA will return humans to the Moon and establish a long-term presence near the lunar South Pole. A reliable, sustainable power source is required to support lunar habitats, rovers, and even construction systems for future robotic and crewed missions. To help provide this power, NASA is supporting development of vertical solar arrays that can autonomously deploy up to 32 feet high and retract for relocation if necessary.
"These prototypes will provide promising solutions for reliable power sources on the Moon, which are key to the success of almost anything we do on the surface," said Niki Werkheiser, director of technology maturation in NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "This exciting effort plays a critical role that will quite literally help power our Artemis exploration in the uniquely challenging environment of the Moon's South Pole."
The agency will award a total of $19.4 million to three companies to build prototypes and perform environmental testing, with the goal of deploying one of the systems near the Moon's South Pole near the end of this decade. The designs must remain stable on sloped terrain and be resistant to abrasive lunar dust, all while minimizing both mass and stowed volume to aid in the system's delivery to the lunar surface. The awards include:
- Astrobotic Technology of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: $6.2 million
- Honeybee Robotics of Brooklyn, New York: $7 million
- Lockheed Martin of Littleton, Colorado: $6.2 million
Existing space-rated solar array structures are designed for use in microgravity or for horizontal surface deployment. The vertical orientation and height of these new designs will help prevent loss of power at the lunar poles where the Sun does not rise very far above the horizon. When the Sun is low on the horizon, the Moon's terrain can block some of its light, keeping it from reaching solar arrays that are low to the ground. By placing the solar arrays on tall masts, these designs allow for uninterrupted light and therefore produce more power.
"We are very excited to be able to select these three teams as they all bring very different technological solutions as well as unique visions for how commercial space can support a sustained presence on the Moon," said Chuck Taylor, Vertical Solar Array Technology (VSAT) project manager at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.
The contracts are part of the agency's VSAT project, which aims to support NASA's long-term lunar surface operations. In 2021, NASA selected five companies to create initial designs for vertical solar array technologies. VSAT is led by STMD's Game Changing Development program and Langley in collaboration with NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland.
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SOURCE NASA | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/three-companies-help-nasa-advance-solar-array-technology-moon/ | 2022-08-23T22:35:04Z |
SPOKANE, Wash., Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- W.T.B. Financial Corporation announced today that a quarterly cash dividend of $1.85 per Class A and B common share will be paid on September 9, 2022, to shareholders of record at the close of business on September 2, 2022.
About W.T.B. Financial Corporation: Washington Trust Bank is the largest independently owned full-service commercial bank in the Northwest, serving the region since 1902. A wholly owned subsidiary of W.T.B. Financial Corporation, Washington Trust Bank has just under $11 billion in assets. Headquartered in Spokane, Washington Trust currently has 42 branches and offices in Washington, Idaho, and Oregon. The bank employs over 1,000 people. Details can be found at https://www.watrust.com. The bank is also active on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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SOURCE W.T.B. Financial Corporation | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/wtb-financial-corporation-declares-common-shareholder-dividend/ | 2022-08-23T22:35:11Z |
Krispy Kreme to offer new doggy doughnuts to celebrate National Dog Day
Published: Aug. 23, 2022 at 6:36 PM EDT|Updated: 10 minutes ago
(CNN) - Krispy Kreme is sharing its sweets with man’s best friend.
The doughnut chain is putting doggie doughnuts on the menu for the first time in the U.S.
The limited-edition baked treats are doughnut-shaped dog biscuits for pups of all ages and sizes.
Krispy Kreme said the hard-baked cookies are made with canine-friendly ingredients. For instance, they substitute carob for chocolate.
The doggy doughnuts will be available Friday and sold in boxes of six in honor of National Dog Day.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/23/krispy-kreme-offer-new-doggy-doughnuts-celebrate-national-dog-day/ | 2022-08-23T22:47:35Z |
Family of 7 traveling across country suffer carbon monoxide poisoning, authorities say
NEW MADRID COUNTY, Mo. (KFVS/Gray News) – A Texas family of seven traveling across the country is recovering after they suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning.
On Aug. 21, the family’s vehicle, carrying five children, two adults and a large dog, was on the road for seven hours when the occupants noticed they were starting to feel sick in Missouri, KFVS reported.
The family stopped at a gas station when the five children became unresponsive, according to the New Madrid County Sheriff’s Department.
Deputies were called to the scene to detect carbon monoxide using devices. Officials said the devices showed levels of the odorless and colorless gas, and the family was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
A spokesperson for the Missouri Medical Center in Sikeston said the family was released from the hospital and expected to survive.
The New Madrid County Sheriff’s Department was holding the family’s dog until they were out of the hospital.
The sheriff’s department urged drivers and travelers to ensure their vehicles were regularly maintained and repaired to avoid situations involving carbon monoxide poisoning.
Copyright 2022 KFVS via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/23/family-7-traveling-across-country-suffer-carbon-monoxide-poisoning-authorities-say/ | 2022-08-23T23:22:51Z |
In Focus: putting the spotlight on Beaver-Graham week
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. (WVVA) - On the Sun. Aug. 21 edition of In Focus, WVVA discussed events happening during ‘Beaver-Graham week.’ The football game between the Graham G-Men and Bluefield Beavers is happening on Fri. Aug. 26 at 7:30 at Mitchell Stadium.
There are plenty of events leading up to the game including a carnival, an event at the historic Granada Theater in downtown Bluefield, WV, which will highlight local sports legends and more. That event starts at 7 pm on Wed. Aug. 24, and it will feature highlights from past games and those who attend will also hear from eight former athletes.
There will be also be an inaugural golf tournament on Wed. Aug. 24 as well. That event is happening at Fincastle Country Club at 10 a.m. The lemonade festival is also scheduled for Sat. Aug. 27 in Bluefield, WV
For more information and a full list of events, go here.
In Focus is a community affairs show that airs every Sunday at 9 am on WVVA. If you have an idea for an In Focus segment, you can email evening anchor/content manager Melinda Zosh at mzosh@wvva.com.
Copyright 2022 WVVA. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/23/focus-putting-spotlight-beaver-graham-week/ | 2022-08-23T23:22:57Z |
IRS initiates safety probe after threats to workers
WASHINGTON (AP) — Responding to an increasing number of threats borne of conspiracy theories that agents were going to aggressively target middle income taxpayers, the Internal Revenue Service announced Tuesday that it was conducting a comprehensive review of safety at its facilities.
The climate, healthcare and tax legislation signed into law by President Joe Biden last week included $80 billion in funding for tax collection efforts. Although Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen specifically directed the agency to not focus its attention on taxpayers with middle class incomes, misinformation spread rapidly on line that agents were going to crack down on taxpayers of all earnings levels.
The baseless assertions also said the IRS would distribute firearms to employees authorized to used deadly force, prompting threats to the IRS employees.
Now agency leadership has launched an examination of agency safety.
“We are conducting a comprehensive review of existing safety and security measures,” said Chuck Rettig, IRS commissioner about the agency’s 600 office locations nationwide. “This includes conducting risk assessments,” he said, by monitoring perimeter security, designations of restricted areas, exterior lighting, security around entrances of facilities and other measures.
“For me this is personal. I’ll continue to make every effort to dispel any lingering misperceptions about our work,” Rettig said in a Tuesday letter to employees. “And I will continue to advocate for your safety in every venue where I have an audience.”
Rettig, whose term at the IRS ends in November, is tasked with developing a plan on how to spend the new infusion of funds included in the Inflation Reduction Act.
Along with anonymous online forums, high-ranking Republican politicians have spread falsehoods about the IRS workforce and how the newly allocated funds would be spent.
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., sent an August 16 open letter to Americans, calling on them not to take any new IRS positions, reinforcing false information about open roles at the agency and their access to firearms.
“The IRS is making it very clear that you not only need to be ready to audit and investigate your fellow hardworking Americans, your neighbors and friends, you need to be ready and, to use the IRS’s words, willing, to kill them,” he said in the letter.
Tony Reardon, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, said members have been vocal about their fears and worries about their safety.
“IRS employees are certainly very hard working and honest, they do the business of funding the government. They’re saying they don’t deserve to be treated as the enemy of the government,” he said.
He added that members who are of retirement age have expressed a greater desire to retire due to the increased attention on their jobs. More than half of the IRS’ enforcement workforce of 80,000 is retirement eligible.
Reardon said several workers have talked about being reminded of the 2010 Austin, Texas suicide attack, where Andrew Joseph Stack III deliberately crashed his single engine plane into the Echelon office building, killing himself and Internal Revenue Service manager Vernon Hunter.
“The rhetoric we’re hearing now is dangerous” Reardon said. “It’s putting these patriotic Americans at risk.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/23/irs-initiates-safety-probe-after-threats-workers/ | 2022-08-23T23:23:03Z |
Krispy Kreme to offer new doggy doughnuts to celebrate National Dog Day
Published: Aug. 23, 2022 at 6:36 PM EDT|Updated: 46 minutes ago
(CNN) - Krispy Kreme is sharing its sweets with man’s best friend.
The doughnut chain is putting doggie doughnuts on the menu for the first time in the U.S.
The limited-edition baked treats are doughnut-shaped dog biscuits for pups of all ages and sizes.
Krispy Kreme said the hard-baked cookies are made with canine-friendly ingredients. For instance, they substitute carob for chocolate.
The doggy doughnuts will be available Friday and sold in boxes of six in honor of National Dog Day.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/23/krispy-kreme-offer-new-doggy-doughnuts-celebrate-national-dog-day/ | 2022-08-23T23:23:10Z |
Police: Suspect in Oklahoma deputy shooting planned to kill
Published: Aug. 23, 2022 at 6:01 PM EDT|Updated: 1 hour ago
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Police say the man suspected of fatally shooting an Oklahoma deputy sheriff and wounding another planned to kill law enforcement officers.
Oklahoma City police Chief Wade Gourley said Tuesday that evidence inside the home where Benjamin Plank was showed he was “100%” ready to kill any officer.
Plank was arrested on murder, shooting with intent to kill and other warrants after the Monday shooting death of Oklahoma County Deputy Bobby Swartz and wounding of Deputy Mark Johns.
Sheriff Tommie Johnson III said the deputies were serving eviction papers when they were shot. Jail records do not list an attorney who could speak on Plank’s behalf.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/23/police-suspect-oklahoma-deputy-shooting-planned-kill/ | 2022-08-23T23:23:17Z |
City asking EGLE to allow more dredging on 'almost impassable' Black River Canal
Port Huron is getting a late-season extension from the state to allow additional dredging on the Black River Canal and address an “almost impassable” build-up of material for boaters.
That’s according to City Manager James Freed, who told City Council members via email on Monday that officials were hoping to convince the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, to sign off on an emergency amendment to the city’s permit.
Normally capped at 9,000 cubic yards of material a year, the administrator wrote crews had already dredged 7,900, removing more than 3,000 cubic yards during the last round. The remaining 1,100, he said, “wouldn’t be enough to open the canal to get boats through.”
“I’ve been getting phone calls. People yelling at me, complaining that we’re not doing anything. But they don’t realize that I don’t have the legal authority to go do it, or I would,” Freed said in an interview Monday. “We’re trying to make the case to the state. They say it’s not an emergency. Well, you’re in a small vessel in a squall, it is an emergency. They need that evacuation route. And so, we need that canal dredged. We have contractors ready to do it, willing to do it. I just need the state to sign off.”
By early Tuesday, however, Freed said EGLE was allowing them to file for a “minor permit” for one dredging of up to 5,000 cubic yards.
Going through the normal process to amend the cap, he alleged, would’ve put dredging out past the bulk of the boating season. Now, he cautioned boaters it’d be a few more days until a contractor could mobilize to begin the next step.
On Tuesday, EGLE spokesman Hugh McDiarmid said the issue did not meet the definition of an emergency permit under state laws for regulating submerged lands.
But the minor permit category, he said, would cover the excavation and removal of sediment in previously dredged areas, and that it’d be the “quickest and best way for the city to get approval to dredge” additionally.
“My understanding is that our staff discussed this option with the city manager this morning,” McDiarmid said via email, “and he indicated he would have a request in for that Minor Permit option by the end of the day today.”
According to emails between city engineering staff also shared with council members, reissuing a dredging permit could take up to 120 days and require a 20-day public notice. McDiarmid said they should have a determination on the minor permit request prior to Labor Day weekend if the application was received Tuesday.
Freed had reportedly asked engineering staff to put the city’s dredging contractor on notice to dredge the canal prior to Labor Day weekend. In follow-up, the city manager said it wouldn’t come until at least the end of the week.
Contact Jackie Smith at (810) 989-6270 or jssmith@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @Jackie20Smith. | https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/news/2022/08/23/port-huron-asking-egle-to-permit-more-dredging-on-black-river-canal/65415576007/ | 2022-08-23T23:35:27Z |
Residents urged to be on the lookout for increase in catalytic converter thefts
Residents are urged to be on the lookout for suspicious activity after a rash of thefts involving catalytic converters being stolen from parked vehicles has plagued the Port Huron area.
In the past six months, there have been about 10 incidents in which a catalytic converter was stolen from parked vehicles in commercial and residential areas, Port Huron Police Capt. Brian Kerrigan said, prompting the Major Crimes Unit to investigate.
The vehicle part is incorporated in the exhaust system and converts toxic gases and pollutants in exhaust gases into less-toxic pollutants.
In the early morning hours of Friday, a resident in the 2600 block of Kraft Road noticed a suspicious vehicle and observed someone cutting the catalytic converter off a vehicle. Police conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle, and located a catalytic converter, a saw and a large quantity of methamphetamine inside, according to the Port Huron Police Department.
During the arrest, one person tried to flee. As a Port Huron patrol officer caught him, the officer struck his elbow, causing a laceration that required medical attention, the department said.
Two other suspects were also arrested without incident.
The arrests resulted in a 33-year-old Detroit man being charged Monday with possession of methamphetamine (second offense), weapons — ammunition — possession by a felon, larceny from a motor vehicle and habitual offender notice. A 30-year-old Detroit man was charged Sunday with larceny from a motor vehicle, conspiracy to commit larceny from a motor vehicle and a habitual offender fourth enhancement. A 22-year-old Eastpointe man was charged Sunday with larceny from a motor vehicle, assaulting/resisting/obstructing causing injury to a police officer and operating — license suspended, revoked, denied.
A fourth individual was also released to the hospital for an unrelated medical condition. All of them have Detroit addresses, however one of the suspects is known to reside in the Port Huron area, police said.
Kerrigan said that catalytic converters can be stolen easily and quickly from a parked vehicle. They can also be sold at scrap yards for anywhere from $25 to $300, making them an easy target for someone looking to make money.
The department and surrounding police departments have seen an uptick in these thefts in recent months, fueled by a rise in value in the precious metals contained in catalytic converters, Kerrigan said.
Drivers should park their vehicles in well-lit, well traveled areas when out in public. When at home, residents should park their vehicles in enclosed garages if possible, Kerrigan said.
Residents should also be on the lookout for suspicious activity surrounding vehicles, and should not hesitate to call law enforcement if they notice someone engaging in a crime, Kerrigan said.
The Major Crimes Unit continues to investigate these kinds of crimes. Those with knowledge of this crime should call the Port Huron Police Department at (810) 984-8415 or the Port Huron Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit at (810) 984-5383. Anonymous tips can be received through the CAPTURE Hotline at (810) 987-6688, emailed through porthuronpolice.org, or texted by downloading the Port Huron PD app on apple or android devices. Anonymous texts can also be received by texting the keyword CAPTURE and their message/tip to 847411.
Contact Laura Fitzgerald at (810) 941-7072 or lfitzgeral@gannett.com. | https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/news/2022/08/23/residents-are-urged-to-be-on-the-lookout-for-increase-in-catalytic-convertor-thefts/65416393007/ | 2022-08-23T23:35:33Z |
Sen. Stabenow talks expanded mental health services in St. Clair County
Senator Debbie Stabenow visited the St. Clair County Mental Health main campus to discuss program expansions and funding Monday.
St. Clair County Mental Health received federal funding from the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration and the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic grant in late 2018. Since then, it has used the funding to expand its programming. The grant is a part of Stabenow’s mental health initiative to bring more funding for mental health clinics across the United States.
“What is done here in comprehensive care and community is very impressive, and I’m proud to have brought additional funding to (CMH) and to be able to support its expansion of services,” Stabenow said.
CMH has received $2 million a year in funding.
The funding has allowed St. Clair Mental Health to expand its programs, including ones for substance use disorders and outpatient treatment. Deb Johnson, CMH's executive director, said the CCBHC funding has allowed the clinics more flexibility with providing care access.
“Prior to us being a CCBHC, the mental health code said we could only serve people with substance use disorders if they had a dual disorder, meaning substance use and metal illness,” Johnson said. “Now, we can serve people with just substance use disorder, they don’t need a mental health diagnosis.”
A new program for CMH is its school-based mental health services. The program allows students to come to the mental health clinic to talk to professionals when needed, without needing to do an intake process.
“The service allows for kids who feel upset and want to talk to stop down and get someone to talk with,” Johnson said.
Stabenow has worked on mental health coverage for the 20 years she’s been a part of the Senate. She said she thinks mental health should be viewed the same as physical health. She is glad to see the two be integrated in the past few years.
“We don’t compartmentalize as people and services shouldn’t be compartmentalizing people either,” Stabenow said. “We should have comprehensive care.”
The CCBHC grant has been extended to 2027. However, Sen. Stabenow said her vision is to have the grant be permanent.
Contact McKenna Golat at mgolat@gannett.com or (810) 292-0122. | https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/news/2022/08/23/senator-stabenow-visits-st-clair-county-mental-health/65414475007/ | 2022-08-23T23:35:39Z |
Court hearing for Croswell man accused in hit-and-run slaying adjourned to next week
The probable cause hearing for a man charged with murder following a hit-and-run crash in Lexington Township has been moved to next week.
Shawn Patrick Woodruff appeared in Sanilac County District Court Tuesday. Sanilac County Prosecutor Brenda Sanford asked that Woodruff's probable cause hearing be adjourned to allow for a victim to give testimony.
Sanilac County District Court Judge Gregory Ross adjourned the probable cause hearing to 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 30. He also adjourned Woodruff's examination hearing to 1:30 p.m. Sept. 13 to allow the prosecutors additional time to review the large amount of evidence in the case.
Woodruff is charged with open murder, reckless driving causing death, failure to stop at the scene of an accident when at fault causing death, witness bribing/intimidation/interfering, assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, moving violation causing death, aggravated assault and failure to report an accident.
If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole.
Sanilac County Sheriff deputies were dispatched to Harrington Road east of Eighth Road for a report of a motorcycle crash and a man lying in a ditch shortly before 3:30 a.m. on Aug. 8, the sheriff department has said.
The victim was transported to McLaren Port Huron and later transferred to McLaren Macomb, the sheriff department said. The victim later died, Sanilac County Sheriff Paul Rich has said.
Police have described the accident as intentional and said Woodruff was allegedly involved in the crash.
Woodruff was taken into custody shortly after 5:30 p.m. the next day following the execution of a search warrant in Fort Gratiot, the department said.
Sanford and the Sanilac County Sheriff Department declined to release the victim's name or provide additional information.
Contact Laura Fitzgerald at (810) 941-7072 or lfitzgeral@gannett.com. | https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/news/crime/2022/08/23/probable-cause-hearing-for-man-accused-of-murder-adjourned-to-next-week/65415912007/ | 2022-08-23T23:35:45Z |
Anne Heche laid to rest at historic Hollywood cemetery
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Actor Anne Heche has been laid to rest at a storied Los Angeles cemetery alongside many Hollywood luminaries, her family said Tuesday.
Heche was cremated and her ashes were placed in a mausoleum at Hollywood Forever Cemetery nearly two weeks after she was declared dead at a hospital from injuries suffered in a fiery car crash.
In a statement to The Associated Press, Heche’s son Homer Laffoon said he and her other son Atlas Tupper “are convinced our Mom would love the site we have chosen for her; it’s beautiful, serene and she will be among her Hollywood peers.”
The cemetery has in recent years become a cultural hub for film screenings, musical performances and festivals.
Laffoon went to see the band My Morning Jacket there after his mother’s death, with tickets bought before she died. He loved the vibrancy of the location, and took it as a sign that her grave should be there.
“Hollywood Forever is a living place,” Laffoon’s statement said.
A small private memorial will be held once Heche’s headstone is etched.
“She was our Mom, but the kindness and the outpouring of the past few days reminded us that she also belongs to her fans, to the entertainment community, and now, to the ages,” the statement said.
Founded in 1899 and located near the Paramount Pictures lot, the cemetery is home to the graves and tombs of actors including Judy Garland and Douglas Fairbanks, and of musicians including Chris Cornell and Johnny Ramone.
Heche’s spot in the mausoleum in the cemetery’s Garden of Legends is near that of Mickey Rooney, and faces a lake where Burt Reynolds’ remains were recently relocated.
Heche, 53, was among the biggest film stars of the late 1990s, starring opposite actors including Johnny Depp and Harrison Ford, and had worked consistently in movies and television for more than three decades. But personal turmoil, which she described in a memoir and interviews, often followed her.
On Aug. 5, her car jumped a curb and smashed into a West Los Angeles home. Both the car and the home burst into flames. She was declared brain dead on Aug. 11, and was kept alive on life support for three more days so her organs could be donated.
Her death was ruled an accident, and the cause were inhalation injuries and burns, according to the Los Angeles County coroner.
___
Follow AP Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton on Twitter @andyjamesdalton
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/23/anne-heche-laid-rest-historic-hollywood-cemetery/ | 2022-08-24T00:00:34Z |
Audre King stepping down as West Luray Rec Center director
LURAY, Va. (WHSV) - Five years ago, Audre King founded the nonprofit Living Legacy and the West Luray Rec Center. Now that the center and its programs are well-established, King is stepping away from the role to focus on his work as a pastor.
“It’s always been my desire that once the building was completely renovated, once programs were in place, once we had somebody that we hired to be able to handle facility management and the youth, that I would step down so that somebody else from the community and some of the youth that have come through it can pick it up and run with it,” said King.
King’s journey to creating the Rec Center began five years ago with a dream.
“I grew up in this neighborhood, I can see the house that I grew up in from where I’m standing. So when I moved away this was never something I anticipated coming back to. As crazy as it sounds, one night when my wife was eight months pregnant, I had a dream and it was this building,” said King.
Two months later, King and his wife moved back to Luray and purchased the building that had long been abandoned.
“When we opened the doors it was kind of like, if you’ve ever seen a Batman movie, the pigeons just flew out overhead. So we took the next six months to a year just getting bird feces out and all of the things that were in there: car parts, motors, boats, washing machines, you name it,” said King.
King said he is grateful for all those in the community who helped fix up the building and get the Rec Center off the ground. Even in its early days, King saw what it could do for the community.
“From times that we started where we literally had no heat, we would put propane tanks and kerosene heaters in. We had hundreds of kids that would come because they didn’t want to be on the streets and they didn’t want to be home and that feeling stayed with me,” he said.
Now that the Rec Center is in a position to continue growing without him, King will focus on his work with the ER Church in Luray which he started around the same time as the Rec Center.
“Because the Rec Center is running and the kids are coming and it’s doing everything it needs to do. We’re shifting gears to a focus where our church aspect can go out and do what it needs to do in the community with our feeding programs and going out into the highways and hedges doing what it needs to do,” he said.
King said the church is focusing on community outreach to restore homes, rebuild communities, and reconnect people with God.
“On every Monday, we’re going to be feeding 200 people. We’re going to be making hot meals and taking them out to the highways and hedges, giving to people that are in need. We’re going to be setting up tents where we can pray with people and help them with their needs. Also, we just developed a partnership with some other entities where we’re gonna be able to provide furniture, diapers, and other necessities,” he said.
King said he is proud of what the Rec Center has become.
“It’s awesome to know that the vision not only was fulfilled up to this point but that there’s so much vision to go that there is more to carry out. So not only am I excited about what we’ve done but I’m excited about the future,” he said.
While he is stepping down from running the Rec Center’s day-to-day operations, King will remain on the board of Living Legacy.
Copyright 2022 WHSV. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/23/audre-king-stepping-down-west-luray-rec-center-director/ | 2022-08-24T00:00:40Z |
Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission releases Pandemic Relief and Resiliency Plan
HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission released its pandemic recovery and resilience plan on Tuesday.
Rebecca Joyce, with the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission, said the ARPA and CARES Act funds have already been distributed.
“Those went directly to the localities and so they’re using that money locally for projects that are much needed in those individual communities,” Rebecca Joyce, community program manager at CSPDC said.
However, this plan is different.
“The Pandemic Recovery and Resiliency Plan is really aimed at helping with the economic recovery of our community,” Joyce said. “Then also how they can bounce forward and be more resilient for the next shock.”
Joyce said this plan is put in place in the event that another pandemic, or even severe weather or a natural disaster hits again.
“Resilience is really the key to becoming a strong community,” Joyce said. “It starts with individuals and it starts with the local economy and the local businesses.”
The Pandemic Relief and Resiliency Plan looked at how small businesses and local governments stayed afloat during the height of the pandemic.
“We have found based on surveys that we’ve done through the plan and talking with different people that the key is being nimble, and willing to be creative and flexible and that’s how you move forward and be more resilient,” Joyce said
The plan takes the best practices and implements them in a way that economically supports the Central Shenandoah district.
”We’ve also had research that’s been done to look at the economic picture of our communities during the pandemic then we have some great mitigation strategies,” Joyce said.
For the full Pandemic Relief and Resiliency Plan, visit the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission’s website.
Copyright 2022 WHSV. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/23/central-shenandoah-planning-district-commission-releases-pandemic-relief-resiliency-plan/ | 2022-08-24T00:00:47Z |
‘I have a lot of emotions’: Mother speaks out after son killed in hit-and-run crash
LAS VEGAS (KVVU/Gray News) - Nearly two weeks after losing her son in a deadly hit-and-run crash, a mother is speaking out.
Tyteauna Smith is remembering her son, Jamall Anderson, but also talking about the changes she wants to see in her neighborhood after the tragic crash.
Las Vegas police said the incident happened on Aug. 13 at about 5:20 p.m. when they were called about a collision involving a vehicle and a bicyclist.
KVVU reports a juvenile on his bike entered the path of a U-Haul box heading towards an exit at an apartment complex. The juvenile fell to the ground and was run over by the truck.
Authorities said the driver of the U-Haul truck, later identified as 21-year-old Michael Burdick, checked on the bicyclist but then left the scene.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department was able to locate Burdick and arrest him on hit-and-run charges.
Smith said the family had recently moved to Las Vegas from California. A memorial with “slow down” signs, candles, balloons and toys is now at the spot where her Jamall was killed.
“I have a lot of emotions because I just lost my mama five months ago and now I lost my baby. I lost my heart and now I lost my soul,” Smith said.
She shared a poster with Jamall’s photo and an outfit of his.
“This was the outfit he was supposed to wear that night, his pajamas. I never got to put it on my baby,” she said.
Smith said a neighbor who lives at the apartment complex called 911. She also shared that the U-Haul driver was spotted earlier, narrowly missing a different child hours before the crash.
“They need to put more slow down signs where children play. The office is just not doing enough,” Smith said.
Jamall’s mother said her son loved basketball and football and his favorite meal was McDonald’s.
Copyright 2022 KVVU via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/23/i-have-lot-emotions-mother-speaks-out-after-son-killed-hit-and-run-crash/ | 2022-08-24T00:00:53Z |
Low pay in Virginia leading cause of teacher shortage
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Much like the rest of the country, Virginia is facing a teacher shortage.
One of the biggest reasons that people are less likely to get into teaching and that current teachers are considering leaving the field is because of the low pay.
“Teachers are one of the most consequential professions that there are right? Because after all, they have the future of the workforce in front of them every day,” Economic Policy Institute Research Associate Sylvia Allegretto said.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced many to understand the importance of a teacher’s role.
“Because their kids were at home, parents were trying to teach their own children, and they understood immediately how difficult this job is. It is a career, it is a profession and it is not easy,” Allegretto said.
When compared to the education and training required, as well as the demanding nature and import of the job, the low pay makes for an unattractive offer.
“Teachers in Virginia are earning about a third less than their non-teaching peers, so that is a significant difference,” Allegretto said.
Due to many factors, new teacher pay is still the same or lower than it was 20 years ago.
“When you take into account inflation, cost of living and so forth, teachers are making the same pay that they were making in 1996,” ACPS Spokesperson Phil Giaramita said.
Giaramita says that the Commonwealth is taking steps to even the discrepancy.
The previous governor and the current governor, they built money into the state budget for teacher raises. I think that figure was 5% this year and it’s 5% again next year, and then local school divisions can increase pay beyond that,” Giaramita said. “Virginia I’m sure does not want to be number 47 out of 50 states when it comes to teacher pay.”
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Copyright 2022 WVIR. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/23/low-pay-virginia-leading-cause-teacher-shortage/ | 2022-08-24T00:00:59Z |
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