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JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Emerald Creek Capital (ECC) announces the recent sale of a single-tenant, climate-controlled industrial facility for $21.85 million outside of Jacksonville, Florida. ECC's Opportunity Fund (ECCOF) acquired the 246,818 square foot warehouse at an attractive basis in partnership with a vertically integrated operator that owns and manages over 10 million square feet of industrial real estate. The off-market acquisition closed in October 2021.
"We are excited to announce the sale of the property, which highlights the market's strong demand for well-located industrial assets," said Tom Hollins, ECCOF Managing Director and Co-Head of Acquisitions. "Given the supply / demand dynamics within the Jacksonville industrial market, and the below market in-place rent, we were able to opportunistically sell the asset to generate an excellent return for investors."
The Class A warehouse is comprised of 10% cold storage space and is 100% leased through June 2025 to KeHe Distributors. KeHe is a strong credit tenant and one of the country's largest specialty food distributors with 16 distribution centers across the United States. This location employs 200 of KeHe's 5,500 employees, and the asset also features land to expand the building by 100,000 square feet.
The facility is ideally located for distribution with immediate access to Interstate 95 and proximity to Interstate 295. The property is located 25 miles south of Jacksonville, the largest city in the state and the fifth fastest-growing city in the country, according to Forbes.
"Secular tailwinds in consumer buying patterns and the growth of e-commerce continue to drive tenant demand for warehouse and distribution space, both nationwide and in the greater Jacksonville market," said Christian Galanti, ECCOF Managing Director and Co-Head of Acquisitions. "The ECCOF platform will continue to focus on investment opportunities that can benefit from these trends."
About:
Founded in 2009, Emerald Creek Capital (ECC) is a real estate investment firm that has sponsored 11 asset-based debt funds and originated over $2.6 billion in commercial loan transactions. At the end of 2021, Emerald Creek launched the ECC Opportunity Fund to target asset acquisitions with value-add, lease up, and repositioning strategies alongside experienced regional operating partners. The strategy has a nationwide reach with a core focus on primary markets in the southeastern and southwestern United States. To date, ECCOF has acquired four multifamily properties and three industrial properties in Florida, Texas, New York, and Virginia totaling over $200 million in real estate acquisitions.
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SOURCE Emerald Creek Capital
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https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/ecc-opportunity-fund-sells-247000-sf-jacksonville-climate-controlled-warehouse/
| 2022-09-12T20:17:21Z
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Hunter MacLeod recognized in Future Leaders Award program class of 2022 by Aging Media Network
DENVER, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Experience Senior Living (ESL), a full-service, vertically integrated developer-owner-operator of active adult, independent living, assisted living and memory care communities, is excited to announce Senior Vice President of Real Estate Development Hunter MacLeod has been recognized as a senior housing future leader by Aging Media Network as part of their annual Future Leaders Award program class of 2022.
MacLeod is a real estate professional with extensive experience in structuring and managing high-profile transactions. He has a proven record of initiating, managing and completing successful projects in a variety of property types, including senior housing, land, mixed-use and multifamily (garden, mid-rise and high-rise). In his current role at ESL, MacLeod is responsible for sourcing and coordinating new senior housing development opportunities for the company. He is also responsible for project delivery in support of the company's design and construction team.
MacLeod has joined an elite echelon of leaders in senior housing that is guiding organizations through the reinvention of their industry. The aging industry's demographic boom has created new opportunities for future leaders to drive the industry forward. Program nominees must be high-performing, passionate visionaries who advocate for seniors and initiate action for the good of seniors and aging industry professionals. They must also be 40 years old or younger and dedicated to shaping the next decade of care delivery.
"This is a very high honor in our industry," Phill Barklow said, president of ESL. "Hunter was selected among a large group of talented nominees. He stood out as a clear leader due to his excellent work and distinguished reputation in the senior housing industry. Our team at Experience Senior Living is honored to work alongside him every day, we know he will continue to drive change and advance what is imaginable in the care continuum."
The ESL team is comprised of dynamic professionals like MacLeod that are all fueled by a passion to empower people as they grow older to live life to the fullest. They are creators, architects, nurses, researchers, programmers, marketers, facilitators, developers, investors and caregivers, all focused on making a positive impact on the lives of residents, their families and team members.
For more information about MacLeod and the ESL team, visit ExperienceSRLiving.com.
About Experience Senior Living LLC
Experience Senior Living is a full-service, vertically integrated owner-operator of active adult, independent living, assisted living, and memory care communities. We are reimaging seniors housing based on our extensive experience serving in a variety of areas, implementing strategic, operational, and human objectives. We translate those experiences to create new and inspiring models of care, focused on hospitality, which are responsive to residents' needs, centered around holistic wellness and engagement with a broader community. Experience drives everything we do, and our team of dynamic professionals are fueled by their passion to empower individuals to live a full and well life now and as they grow older. Experience Senior Living is based in Denver, CO with communities either active or under development in six states: California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, and Washington.
News Media Contact:
Kirstin Barbour
303.293.0693
pr@esl5280.com
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SOURCE Experience Senior Living
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https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/experience-senior-living-executive-receives-industry-award-joins-elite-echelon-senior-housing-leaders/
| 2022-09-12T20:17:28Z
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Largest surface transportation public-private partnership to date in the United States
AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Just outside of the nation's capital, the initial phase of a private sector funded $3.7 billion transportation project has opened to the public as commemorated by federal, state and local officials on September 12th near Manassas, Virginia.
Thanks to the ongoing collaboration of the public and private sectors, construction on an initial 9-mile segment of express lanes has been completed, and the express lanes have opened ahead of schedule; a significant partnership and accomplishment amidst the background of ongoing national challenges posed by a global pandemic, materials shortages, and logistical issues.
Cintra, a subsidiary of Ferrovial, led the development effort along with partners Meridiam and APG, together with construction partners Ferrovial Construction and Allan Myers.
"We would not be here today without the visionary leadership found in the Commonwealth of Virginia," said Alberto Gonzalez, United States President of Cintra. "We see this as the finest example of how a public and private partnership can successfully take a massive infrastructure idea and make it reality in a short period of time."
Not only is private sector funding enhancing traditional heavy civil roadway construction, the project also includes an additional direct investment of $579 million dollars for other priority multi-modal projects across the region. These multimodal initiatives include projects like the City of Fairfax and the Town of Vienna mixed-use trails, Virginia Rail Express (VRE) Manassas line improvements and the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission bus and maintenance facility. Furthermore, an additional $800 million commitment is also being made over the life of the project for transit and transit operational improvements along the I-66 corridor by 2066.
In addition to the express lanes and transportation upgrades, Transform 66 Outside the Beltway will feature Cintra's AIVIA Smart Roads Initiative. This infrastructure-to-vehicle system is a collaboration of leading transportation and technology companies. The initiative facilitates communication between antennas and sensors installed on the physical roadway with autonomous and connected vehicles. The result: seamless interaction between autonomous, connected, and conventional vehicles improving safety and efficiency of travel.
Transform 66 Outside the Beltway project has already strengthened the local economy, putting more than 400 local and regional companies and disadvantaged business enterprises to work. More than 11 million man hours have been expended to date on the project.
The final phases of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway project are anticipated for opening in the coming months.
About Ferrovial
Ferrovial, a leading global infrastructure operator, is committed to developing sustainable solutions. It is a member of Spain's blue-chip IBEX 35 index and included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and FTSE4Good; all its operations are conducted in compliance with the principles of the U.N. Global Compact, which the company adopted in 2002.
About Cintra
Cintra is the world's leading private-sector transportation infrastructure company that has helped communities solve transportation issues by efficiently delivering innovative and effective infrastructure solutions that help drivers and commerce move around safely for more than 50 years. Globally, Cintra currently manages more than 916 miles of highways, spread over 24 concessions in Canada, the United States, Europe, Australia, and Colombia.
About Ferrovial Construction
Ferrovial Construction is the Ferrovial subsidiary that carries out civil engineering, construction and industrial projects, boasting more than 80 years of international activity in more than 50 countries on five continents. Ferrovial Construction US is headquartered in Austin, Texas and has managed more than $12 billion in design-build construction, representing some of the country's largest, most complex transportation infrastructure projects. Currently, Ferrovial Construction US is managing major highway reconstruction and high-speed rail development projects in California, Texas, Georgia and Virginia.
Other Related Information
AIVIA: Smart Roads Technology Solution - Cintra's AIVIA (aiviasmartroads.com)
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SOURCE Ferrovial
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https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/first-phase-cintra-led-37-billion-multi-modal-transform-66-outside-beltway-project-opens-public/
| 2022-09-12T20:17:35Z
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- Completed 50 resource expansion and infill diamond drill holes at Lemhi totaling 12,168 metres;
- Lehmi drill program designed to extend the known mineralization, typically consisting of high-grade lenses within a broad lower grade zone;
- Five additional diamond drill holes completed at the Beauty zone totaling 721 metres;
- Engaged Ausenco Engineering Canada Inc., a tier 1 engineering firm to complete a Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") specific to the Lemhi Gold Deposit;
- Secured a reverse circulation ("RC") drill from Specialized Drilling Corp. to complete a Phase III - 6000 metre resource expansion and classification drill program at the Lemhi Gold Deposit with some additional drilling at the Beauty zone; and
- Completed quarterly surface and groundwater water sampling and flow measurements.
Toronto Venture Stock Exchange: FMAN
VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Freeman Gold Corp. (TSXV: FMAN) (OTCQX: FMANF) (FSE: 3WU) ("Freeman" or the "Company") is pleased to report it has successfully completed the Phase II diamond drill program consisting of 12,168 metres in 50 holes as part of a resource expansion program at its 100% owned Lemhi Gold Deposit, Idaho, USA. A total of 46 of these drill holes were designed to test mineralization on strike to the east and west of the known deposit (expansion holes) and four were infill holes in known areas to improve the resource confidence in zones where only historical drill holes exist. An additional five holes totaling 721 metres were drilled at the newly discovered Beauty zone (see Figure 1).
The expansion holes ranged from 40 to 90 metres to the east or west of existing drilling where gold mineralization was intersected. These particular areas were previously modelled as unmineralized due to lack of drill density in the initial maiden mineral resource estimate ("MRE"). The current MRE comprises an Indicated Mineral Resource of 22.94 million tonnes at 1.02 g/t Au for 749,800 oz of gold, and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 7.68 million tonnes at 1.01 g/t Au for 250,300 oz of gold (refer to press release dated July 8, 2021). The MRE covers a surface area of 400 by 500 metres and extends down to a depth of 180 metres below surface. The resource expansion holes that form the bulk of the current Phase II drill program are designed to extend this current resource both along strike and at depth.
Paul Matysek, Executive Chairman, commented, "The diamond drilling program was designed to confirm the continuity and increase the size of the Lemhi Gold Deposit. The planned drill holes stepped out up to 90 metres along strike, adding approximately 20% to the known mineralized strike length. Intersecting gold mineralization in these areas will have a direct impact on increasing the in-pit gold resource. Furthermore, many of these zones that have been drilled lie within the ultimate pit shell, meaning any ounces that are added in these zones will be accretive to the overall resource."
As of August 31, 2022, a total of 50 new drill holes have been completed at Lemhi for a total of 12,168 metres. These holes have been primarily designed to test on strike extensions of the known resource as well as infill in certain parts of the gold deposit. In particular, the drill program has focused on areas currently modelled as pit waste due to a lack of drill data. All ounces added in these areas, even if close to the cut-off grade, will add value to the project as they come from zones in the resource shell that would result in an upgrade to resources. An additional 25 holes or approximately 5,000 metres have been planned as part of the Phase 3 RC drill program.
Currently 45 drill holes from the project have been logged, sampled and sent to the laboratory. It is estimated that samples for all 50 holes will be at the laboratory by the end of month and analytical results are presently pending for many of the holes. It is anticipated that the complete set of analytical results will be received by the end of Q4.
All drill core samples are sent to ALS Global Laboratories (Geochemistry Division), an independent and fully accredited laboratory (ISO 9001:2008) for analysis for gold by Fire Assay and multi-element Induction Coupled Plasma Spectroscopy (select drill holes), in Vancouer, Canada. Freeman has a regimented Quality Assurance, Quality Control (QA/QC) program where at least 10% duplicates, blanks and standards are inserted into each sample shipment. The Company also collects RQ and SG and full geological logging.
Freeman Gold Corp. is a mineral exploration company focused on the development of its 100% owned Lemhi Gold property (the "Project"). The Project comprises 30 square kilometres of highly prospective land, hosting a near-surface oxide gold resource. The pit constrained National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43- 101") compliant mineral resource estimate is comprised of 749,800 oz gold ("Au") at 1.02 grams per tonne ("g/t") in 22.94 million tonnes (Indicated) and 250,300 oz Au at 1.01 g/t Au in 7.83 million tonnes (Inferred). See the NI 43-101 technical report titled "Maiden Resource Technical Report for the Lemhi Gold Project, Lemhi County, Idaho, USA" with an effective date of June 1, 2021, and signing date of July 30, 2021, as prepared by APEX Geoscience Ltd. and F. Wright Consulting Inc. available under the Company's profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). The Company is focused on growing and advancing the Project towards a production decision. The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dean Besserer, P.Geo., VP Exploration of the Company and a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43- 101.
On Behalf of the Company
William Randall
President and Chief Executive Officer
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains "forward‐looking information or statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws, which may include, but are not limited to statements relating to further exploration and the Company's future business plans. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ from those in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking information reflects the Company's views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. The reader is urged to refer to the Company's reports, publicly available through the Canadian Securities Administrators' System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects. The Company does not undertake to update forward‐looking statements or forward‐looking information, except as required by law.
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https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/freeman-provides-lemhi-gold-project-update/
| 2022-09-12T20:17:41Z
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LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill., Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Frigo Cheese Heads is hosting an online gaming livestream with YouTube gaming influencer Jerome Aceti, also known as JeromeASF, beginning at 7 p.m. EDT Tuesday, Sept. 20, to celebrate National String Cheese Day and support Make-A-Wish® during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
The brand has donated $3.4 million to Make-A-Wish since 2005, and this year is committing an additional $5 per livestream participant, up to $25,000, to fund life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.
"We know wishes inspire hope, renew joy and give a child with a critical illness a piece of their childhood back, which is why we're proud to support Make-A-Wish with this charity livestream and help more wish kids realize their dreams," said David Cherrie, Saputo Dairy USA vice president, marketing and innovation.
"We appreciate the opportunity to partner with Frigo Cheese Heads for this charity livestream during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month," said Richard K. Davis, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish America. "There's a gap between the number of wishes we're granting and the wishes waiting. When you donate to Make-A-Wish, you have a direct, immediate and positive impact on a child's medical journey, because a wish can be an important part of the healing process, helping kids deal with and even overcome their illness."
JeromeASF, who has 5.5 million YouTube subscribers, will play his favorite game during the livestream and share more about Make-A-Wish and where he gets his inspiration. The event will include Frigo Cheese Heads snacks and swag giveaways as well as other fun surprises for live-streamers. Participants can also make their own contribution to Make-A-Wish during the livestream to add to the donation total or at any time at Wish.org.
"Combining gaming and charity is something I passionately support, so I am excited to partner with Frigo Cheese Heads to support Make-A-Wish in honor of National String Cheese Day," said Jerome Aceti, online entertainer and digital media entrepreneur. "I can't wait for everyone to join me on Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. EDT for some fun, cheesy surprises and an awesome livestream."
To join the livestream, which begins at 7 p.m. EDT, Tuesday, Sept. 20, go to JeromeASF's YouTube channel. Plus, follow along for updates on Facebook and Instagram @FrigoCheeseHeads.
The Frigo Cheese Heads brand features a variety of delicious, fun on-the-go snacks that encourage creative snacking and self-expression. Chomp, peel, twist, rip, nibble or tie into a braid; the only wrong way to eat Frigo Cheese Heads is to not eat them at all. With everyday snacking options like regular or light string cheese, as well as cheese and meat combo packs, Frigo Cheese Heads are a good source of calcium and protein in a convenient individually wrapped, tasty snack. Learn more at FrigoCheeseHeads.com.
Saputo Dairy USA is part of Saputo Inc., one of the top ten dairy processors in the world. Through the Dairy Division (USA), Saputo produces, markets and distributes a vast assortment of cheeses. Furthermore, the Company converts, markets and sells a broad range of specialty cheeses and holds an important portfolio of import licenses for specialty cheeses manufactured abroad. Saputo Dairy USA also produces a variety of dairy and non-dairy extended shelf-life products. Additionally, Saputo produces, markets and distributes dairy ingredients in the USA, and on the international market. Products are sold under a variety of the Company's brand names, as well as under customer brand names.
Saputo Dairy USA is among the top mozzarella, string cheese, and domestic blue and goat cheese producers and is one of the largest producers of extended shelf-life and cultured dairy products in this region.
Make-A-Wish creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish is the #1 most trusted nonprofit operating locally in all 50 states throughout the U.S. Together with generous donors, supporters, staff, and more than 24,000 volunteers across the country, Make-A-Wish delivers hope and joy to children and their families when they need it most. Make-A-Wish aims to bring the power of wishing to every child with a critical illness because wish experiences can help improve emotional and physical health. Since 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 520,000 wishes in nearly 50 countries worldwide; more than 350,000 wishes in the U.S. and its territories alone. For more information about Make-A-Wish America, visit Wish.org.
Media contact:
Jenna Greene
612-375-8597
jenna.greene@clynch.com
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SOURCE Frigo Cheese Heads
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https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/frigo-cheese-heads-partners-with-jeromeasf-charity-livestream-benefit-make-a-wish/
| 2022-09-12T20:17:48Z
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PITTSBURGH, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "We thought there should be a safe and secure accessory to stabilize a garbage truck worker while riding at the back corner of the truck," said one of two inventors, from Indian Head, Md., "so we invented the SAFETY JACKET. Our design prevents the worker from unexpectedly slipping off a trash truck and getting hurt."
The patent-pending invention provides a safer way to ride on a rear-load garbage truck while working. In doing so, it prevents the worker from slipping or falling off the large vehicle. As a result, it increases stability and safety and it helps to prevent serious injuries. The invention features a durable and user-friendly design that is easy to apply and use so it is ideal for garbage collection companies. Additionally, it is producible in design variations.
The original design was submitted to the Washington D.C. sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 21-DCD-240, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.
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SOURCE InventHelp
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https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/inventhelp-inventors-develop-safety-jacket-garbage-truck-workers-dcd-240/
| 2022-09-12T20:17:54Z
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LONDON, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Metropolitan Gaming Limited (Metropolitan Gaming) today announced the sale of its interest in Emerald Resort and Casino to a consortium controlled by Tsogo Sun.
The sale will allow Metropolitan Gaming to focus on its core markets of the UK and Egypt, where it is committed to building the Metropolitan brand through acquisition and investment. Work is already underway on the refurbishment and rebranding of its Mayfair property which will reopen later this year.
Michael Silberling, CEO of Metropolitan Gaming, said, "Following the addition of the iconic Park Lane Club to our portfolio of casinos in the UK earlier this year, the sale of our interest in Emerald Resort and Casino reflects our focused strategy to invest in and develop the business within our primary markets.
"We want to thank all our employees at Emerald Resort and Casino past and present for their hard work, professionalism and loyalty, particularly during the global COVID-19 pandemic. We very much look forward to following their progress and successes over the years to come."
For additional press information, interviews or photography please contact:
Jackie Abraham M: 07719 940958 E: jabraham@metropolitangaming.com
The Metropolitan Gaming Group is one of London's largest casino-entertainment companies and one of the UK's most diversified casino-entertainment providers. The Group currently operates 6 casino licences in London and 8 branded casinos throughout the UK, including
Park Lane Club London, Empire Casino, The Sportsman, Rendezvous Brighton, Manchester235, Alea Nottingham and Alea Glasgow. All tied to its industry-leading Met Card loyalty programme, Metropolitan Gaming Group focuses on offering a great experience to its guests through a unique combination of impeccable service, exceptional value and operational excellence. The Group also operates three casinos in the Middle East.
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SOURCE Metropolitan Gaming Limited
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https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/metropolitan-gaming-sells-interest-south-african-business-focus-core-markets/
| 2022-09-12T20:18:00Z
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SAVANNAH, Ga., Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mortgage industry veteran Bob Simpson, Esq. has launched LoanLooks, a mortgage fraud investigation firm. Due to the increase in mortgage fraud, Simpson has seen an increase in requests for special investigations. His new firm provides lenders and independent brokers with the information they need to address defaults, repurchases and fraud.
LoanLooks offers access to an experienced QC and legal staff that has experience in both the mortgage fraud investigation and the resulting consequences. LoanLooks delivers a comprehensive narrative that clients use to make decisions around fraud prevention, detection and litigation as well as special investigations, fraud reports, witness interviews and in-house training in anti-money laundering activity and fraudulent mortgage origination.
"There has been a resurgence in mortgage fraud caused by rising rates and diminished originations," said Simpson, president and founder of LoanLooks. "Now, the industry is challenged by rising rates and a notable increase in occupancy misrepresentation. In addition to working with law firms, LoanLooks has specialized services to lenders, brokers, and insurers facing the costly pitfalls of loan fraud."
Using proprietary investigative methods accrued during more than 25 years of experience, LoanLooks conducts a comprehensive special investigation of cash, credit, debts, employment, income and occupancy related to a single mortgage file or a batch. Additional information is gathered through interviews with people including borrowers, gift donors, Realtors and other related parties if requested. The firm also provides site visits as needed. Detailed findings are documented in an easy-to-read, courtroom-ready report.
"Having specialized in investigating mortgage fraud for 25 years, I have seen many changes in the industry, but one thing remains constant, the appreciation companies and individuals have when we are able to identify and mitigate fraud on their behalf," Simpson said. "Our talented team of professionals focuses on eradicating fraud and doing so as efficiently as possible."
LoanLooks is a mortgage fraud investigation firm that provides consultative services to banks, credit unions and other financial institutions. The firm helps financial entities avoid costly repurchase demands, litigation and reputation damage. With two decades of proven investigation tactics, analysis and documentation methodology, LoanLooks is able to identify income misrepresentation, dishonest appraisers and large-scale fraud organizations. For more information, visit www.loanlooks.com.
Contact: Bob Simpson, 949-378-0325, bsimpson@loanlooks.com
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SOURCE LoanLooks
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https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/mortgage-fraud-is-up-help-is-here/
| 2022-09-12T20:18:07Z
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HOUSTON, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Motiva Enterprises LLC ("Motiva") announced today that it has priced the previously announced cash tender offer (the "Offer") for any and all of its outstanding 6.85% senior notes due January 15, 2040 (the "Notes"). The Offer is being made on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase, dated September 6, 2022 (the "Offer to Purchase"), and the related Notice of Guaranteed Delivery attached to the Offer to Purchase (the "Notice of Guaranteed Delivery"). The Offer to Purchase and the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery are referred to herein collectively as the "Offer Documents."
Certain information regarding the Notes and the pricing for the Offer is set forth in the table below.
The Offer will expire today at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, unless extended (such time and date, as may be extended, the "Expiration Date") or earlier terminated, as described in the Offer Documents.
The "Tender Offer Consideration" listed in the table above for each $1,000 principal amount of Notes validly tendered, not validly withdrawn and accepted for purchase pursuant to the Offer to Purchase, was determined in the manner described in the Offer Documents by reference to the fixed spread for the Notes specified in the table above plus the yield based on the bid-side price of the U.S. Treasury Reference Security specified in the table above at 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 12, 2022.
Holders must validly tender (and not validly withdraw) or deliver a properly completed and duly executed Notice of Guaranteed Delivery for their Notes at or before the Expiration Date in order to be eligible to receive the Tender Offer Consideration. In addition, holders whose Notes are purchased in the Offer will receive accrued and unpaid interest on the purchased Notes from the last interest payment date to, but not including, the Settlement Date (as defined in the Offer to Purchase). Motiva expects the Settlement Date to occur on September 14, 2022. Notes tendered by Notice of Guaranteed Delivery and accepted for purchase will be purchased on September 16, 2022, but payment of accrued interest on such Notes will only be made to, but not including, the Settlement Date.
The consummation of the Offer is neither conditioned upon any minimum amount of Notes being tendered nor is it subject to a financing condition. However, it is subject to, and conditioned upon, the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions described in the Offer to Purchase.
Motiva has retained D.F. King & Co., Inc. ("D.F. King") as the tender agent and information agent for the Offer. Motiva has retained J.P. Morgan Securities LLC as the dealer manager for the Offer.
Holders who would like additional copies of the Offer Documents may call or email the information agent, D.F. King, toll-free at (800) 488-8075, collect at (212) 269-5550 or motiva@dfking.com. Copies of the Offer to Purchase and the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery are also available at the following website: http:www/dfking.com/motiva. Questions regarding the terms of the Offer should be directed to J.P. Morgan Securities LLC at (866) 834-4666 (toll-free) or (212) 834-3554 (collect).
None of Motiva, its board of directors, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, D.F. King or the trustee for the Notes, or any of their respective affiliates, is making any recommendation as to whether holders of the Notes should tender their Notes pursuant to the Offer. Holders must make their own decision as to whether to tender any of their Notes and, if so, the principal amount of Notes to tender.
This press release does not constitute an offer to buy or a solicitation of an offer to sell any Notes. The Offer is being made solely pursuant to the Offer Documents. The Offer is not being made to holders of Notes in any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the securities, blue sky or other laws of such jurisdiction. In any jurisdiction in which the securities laws or blue sky laws require the Offer to be made by a licensed broker or dealer, the Offer will be deemed to be made on behalf of Motiva by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC or one or more registered brokers or dealers that are licensed under the laws of such jurisdiction.
About Motiva
Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Motiva refines, distributes, and markets petroleum products throughout the Americas. The company's Port Arthur Manufacturing Complex is comprised of North America's largest refinery (with a crude capacity of 630,000 barrels a day), the country's largest base oil plant, and an adjacent chemical plant. Under exclusive, long-term brand licenses with Shell and Phillips 66 (for the 76® brand), Motiva's marketing operations support more than 5,000 retail gasoline stations. Motiva, a Delaware limited liability company, is wholly owned by Aramco.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements herein or in the Offer Documents are "forward-looking statements," which are generally identifiable by words such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "intend," "likely," "may," "plan," "position," "possible," "potential," "probable," "project," "should," "strategy," "will," or similar language. Forward-looking statements reflect Motiva's views based on historical results, current information and assumptions related to future developments. Except as may be required by law, Motiva undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made herein or in the Offer Documents. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or implied by the forward-looking statements. Please refer to the "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" sections in the Offer to Purchase for a description of these and other risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or implied by the forward-looking statements.
Investor Relations Contact:
Joan Wu, Treasurer
e-mail: motiva-debt@motiva.com, or
Reginald Hart, Treasury Manager (713) 427-3202
e-mail: motiva-debt@motiva.com
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https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/motiva-announces-pricing-cash-tender-offer-any-all-its-685-senior-notes-due-january-15-2040/
| 2022-09-12T20:18:14Z
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Boosts investment in nonprofit capacity building by nearly $2 million
WASHINGTON, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Park Foundation (NPF) announced more than $1.7 million in new funding to support 41 park partner organizations across the country. The grants will enable partner organizations to invest in strategic planning, community engagement, improving visitor experience in parks, increasing organizational relevancy and resiliency, and launching new fundraising campaigns.
The funding initiative is part of the National Park Foundation's Strong Parks, Strong Communities program to cultivate and expand national park philanthropy working in partnership with the National Park Service, and Friends Alliance.
"Philanthropy and partnership are essential to the success of America's national parks," said Will Shafroth, president and CEO of the National Park Foundation. "New funding will help park partners across the country to build capacity, improve strategic planning and fundraising initiatives, and to more deeply engage the communities and national parks they serve. Ultimately, investing in the growing community of park partners is a commitment to expanding and transforming the role philanthropy plays to ensure national parks reach their full potential."
"These strategic investments in local groups elevate the creative opportunities, organizational efficacy, and bandwidth of the professional network that Friends Alliance serves," said Vickie Mates, Executive Director of the National Park Friends Alliance. "We look forward to our continued collaboration and celebrating the outcomes created by these incredible grantee projects."
The new grants will go directly to National Park Service nonprofit partners across the country, enabling organizations to invest in tailored solutions to increase the impact they can deliver in national parks they support.
"We are developing a long-term strategy for reimagining Floyd Bennett Field, an underused NPS site in South Brooklyn that once served as New York's first municipal airport," said Scott Middleton, Partnership Planner with Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy. "With the support of NPF, and in cooperation with our many projects partners, we are planning for a more resilient, equitable, and accessible park that will accommodate the education, recreation, and workforce development needs of New Yorkers for decades to come."
"The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway has over a million visitors a year, but with the lack of official gates and entrances, compounded by declining visitor center attendance, the challenge of creating meaningful visitor experiences grows," said Deb Ryun, Executive Director of the Wild Rivers Conservancy. "This grant supports the visioning needed to create a mobile visitor center in the park to engage visitors from all walks of life and cultural backgrounds."
The Strong Parks, Strong Communities program also helps connect park partners with similar needs, building a network to share lessons learned, support one another, and problem solve together.
"The Friends of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park is honored to participate in the National Park Foundation's Strong Parks, Strong Communities program. Under our Wing is a project that will enable us to support Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park," said Elizabeth Fien, president & CEO of The Friends of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. "This park has significant historical importance to indigenous people of Hawai'i. We are creating a new friends group with a focus on preserving the culture, sharing it with residents and visitors alike, and protecting the natural resources."
"This grant will help the Blue Ridge Music Center increase visitors, income, and tourism spending in a rural, economically distressed region," said Carolyn Ward, CEO of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. "We believe this work will create a valuable model for expanding visitor experiences and revenue in other rural communities throughout the national park system."
Approximately 450 local and regional park partner organizations across the country provide critical support to national parks and programs.
View the full list of 2022 Strong Parks, Strong Communities Capacity Building grantees here.
The National Park Foundation works to protect wildlife and park lands, preserve history and culture, educate, and engage youth, and connect people everywhere to the wonder of parks. We do it in collaboration with the National Park Service, the park partner community, and with the generous support of donors, without whom our work would not be possible. Learn more at nationalparks.org.
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| 2022-09-12T20:18:20Z
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Oracle Announces Fiscal 2023 First Quarter Financial Results
Published: Sep. 12, 2022 at 4:05 PM EDT|Updated: 13 minutes ago
- Q1 GAAP Earnings per Share $0.56, Non-GAAP Earnings per Share $1.03
- Q1 Total Revenue $11.4 billion, up 18% in USD, up 23% in constant currency
- Q1 Cloud Revenue (IaaS plus SaaS) $3.6 billion, up 45% in USD, up 50% in constant currency
- Q1 Cloud Infrastructure (IaaS) Revenue $0.9 billion, up 52% in USD, up 58% in constant currency
- Q1 Cloud Application (SaaS) Revenue $2.7 billion, up 43% in USD, up 48% in constant currency
- Fusion ERP Cloud (SaaS) Revenue, up 33% in USD, up 38% in constant currency
- NetSuite ERP Cloud (SaaS) Revenue, up 27% in USD, up 30% in constant currency
AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Oracle Corporation (NYSE: ORCL) today announced fiscal 2023 Q1 results. Total quarterly revenues were up 18% year-over-year in USD and up 23% in constant currency to $11.4 billion. Cloud services and license support revenues were up 14% in USD and up 20% in constant currency to $8.4 billion. Cloud license and on-premise license revenues were up 11% in USD and up 19% in constant currency to $0.9 billion. For the first quarter of fiscal 2023, Cerner contributed $1.4 billion to total revenues.
Q1 GAAP operating income was $2.6 billion, down 23% in USD and down 17% in constant currency. Non-GAAP operating income was $4.5 billion, up 3% in USD and up 10% in constant currency. GAAP operating margin was 23%, and non-GAAP operating margin was 39%. GAAP net income was $1.5 billion, and non-GAAP net income was $2.8 billion. Q1 GAAP earnings per share was $0.56 while non-GAAP earnings per share was $1.03.
Short-term deferred revenues were $10.5 billion. Operating cash flow was $10.5 billion during the trailing twelve months.
The strengthening of the U.S. dollar compared to foreign currencies had a significant impact on results in the quarter. Without the impact of the U.S. dollar strengthening compared to foreign currencies, Oracle's reported Q1 GAAP and non-GAAP earnings per share would have been 8 cents higher.
"In Q1, total revenue grew 23% in constant currency beating guidance by $200 million," said Oracle CEO, Safra Catz. "Even without Cerner, our total revenue grew 8% in constant currency driven by Oracle's rapidly growing applications and infrastructure cloud businesses. These two cloud businesses now account for more than 30% of our total revenue. As our cloud businesses become a larger-and-larger percentage of our overall business, we expect our constant currency organic revenue growth rate to hit double-digits with a corresponding increase in earnings per share. Cerner will also positively impact revenue and earnings per share growth in the coming quarters as we fully integrate Cerner into Oracle and benefit from the resulting cost efficiencies. This is the first quarter we owned Cerner and they just delivered the best revenue quarter in their history. We expect Cerner to do even better in the coming quarters as we develop an all-new suite of healthcare cloud services."
"Multi-Cloud access to the Oracle Database and Oracle's MySQL HeatWave database will make the world's two most popular databases even more popular," said Oracle Chairman and CTO, Larry Ellison. "In Q1 we expanded our relationship with Microsoft by providing all versions of the Oracle database directly to Microsoft Azure customers. Now all Microsoft customers can directly access the Oracle Exadata Cloud Service, the Oracle Autonomous Database and every other Oracle Database version directly from the Azure Cloud. Today we are also announcing that Amazon Web Services customers can directly access Oracle's MySQL HeatWave database running in the Amazon Cloud. This enables AWS users to run transaction processing, real-time analytics, and machine learning on the single unified MySQL service. MySQL HeatWave delivers 7X better price performance compared to Amazon Redshift and 10X better than Snowflake, 25X faster than Redshift ML, and up to 10X higher throughput than Aurora. See today's MySQL HeatWave press release for customer performance benchmark verification."
The board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.32 per share of outstanding common stock. This dividend will be paid to stockholders of record as of the close of business on October 12, 2022, with a payment date of October 25, 2022.
- A sample list of customers which purchased Oracle Cloud services during the quarter will be available at www.oracle.com/customers/earnings/.
- A list of recent technical innovations and announcements is available at www.oracle.com/news/.
- To learn what industry analysts have been saying about Oracle's products and services see www.oracle.com/corporate/analyst-reports.html.
Earnings Conference Call and Webcast
Oracle will hold a conference call and webcast today to discuss these results at 4:00 p.m. Central. A live and replay webcast will be available on the Oracle Investor Relations website at www.oracle.com/investor/.
About Oracle
Oracle offers integrated suites of applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in the Oracle Cloud. For more information about Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), please visit us at www.oracle.com.
Trademarks
Oracle, Java, and MySQL are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation.
"Safe Harbor" Statement: Statements in this press release relating to Oracle's future plans, expectations, beliefs, intentions and prospects, including statements regarding the size of our cloud businesses, our organic revenue and earnings per share growth rates, Cerner's impact on our financial results, Cerner's future performance and the development of new healthcare cloud services, the popularity of the Oracle Database and Oracle MySQL HeatWave, and the impact of access to the Oracle Database and Oracle's MySQL HeatWave database by Microsoft Azure customers and Amazon Web Services customers, are "forward-looking statements" and are subject to material risks and uncertainties. Risks and uncertainties that could affect our current expectations and our actual results, include, among others: our ability to develop new products and services, integrate acquired products and services and enhance our existing products and services; supply chain constraints and third-party manufacturing and logistics delays; significant coding, manufacturing or configuration errors in our offerings; risks associated with acquisitions; the COVID-19 pandemic; economic, political and market conditions; information technology system failures, privacy concerns and cybersecurity breaches; unfavorable legal proceedings, government investigations, and complex and changing laws and regulations. A detailed discussion of these factors and other risks that affect our business is contained in our SEC filings, including our most recent reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q, particularly under the heading "Risk Factors." Copies of these filings are available online from the SEC or by contacting Oracle's Investor Relations Department at (650) 506-4073 or by clicking on SEC Filings on the Oracle Investor Relations website at www.oracle.com/investor/. All information set forth in this press release is current as of September 12, 2022. Oracle undertakes no duty to update any statement in light of new information or future events.
APPENDIX A
ORACLE CORPORATION
Q1 FISCAL 2023 FINANCIAL RESULTS
EXPLANATION OF NON-GAAP MEASURES
To supplement our financial results presented on a GAAP basis, we use the non-GAAP measures indicated in the tables, which exclude certain business combination accounting entries and expenses related to acquisitions, as well as other significant expenses including stock-based compensation, that we believe are helpful in understanding our past financial performance and our future results. Our non-GAAP financial measures are not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for comparable GAAP measures and should be read only in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. Our management regularly uses our supplemental non-GAAP financial measures internally to understand, manage and evaluate our business and make operating decisions. These non-GAAP measures are among the primary factors management uses in planning for and forecasting future periods. Compensation of our executives is based in part on the performance of our business based on these non-GAAP measures. Our non-GAAP financial measures reflect adjustments based on the following items, as well as the related income tax effects:
• Stock-based compensation expenses: We have excluded the effect of stock-based compensation expenses from our non-GAAP operating expenses, income tax effects and net income measures. Although stock-based compensation is a key incentive offered to our employees, and we believe such compensation contributed to the revenues earned during the periods presented and also believe it will contribute to the generation of future period revenues, we continue to evaluate our business performance excluding stock-based compensation expenses. Stock-based compensation expenses will recur in future periods.
• Amortization of intangible assets: We have excluded the effect of amortization of intangible assets from our non-GAAP operating expenses, income tax effects and net income measures. Amortization of intangible assets is inconsistent in amount and frequency and is significantly affected by the timing and size of our acquisitions. Investors should note that the use of intangible assets contributed to our revenues earned during the periods presented and will contribute to our future period revenues as well. Amortization of intangible assets will recur in future periods.
• Acquisition related and other expenses; and restructuring expenses: We have excluded the effect of acquisition related and other expenses and the effect of restructuring expenses from our non-GAAP operating expenses, income tax effects and net income measures. We incurred expenses in connection with our acquisitions and also incurred certain other operating expenses or income, which we generally would not have otherwise incurred in the periods presented as a part of our continuing operations. Acquisition related and other expenses consisted of personnel related costs for transitional and certain other employees, certain business combination adjustments including certain adjustments after the measurement period has ended, and certain other operating items, net. Restructuring expenses consisted of employee severance and other exit costs. We believe it is useful for investors to understand the effects of these items on our total operating expenses. Although acquisition related and other expenses and restructuring expenses may diminish over time with respect to past acquisitions and/or strategic initiatives, we generally will incur certain of these expenses in connection with any future acquisitions and/or strategic initiatives.
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The above press release was provided courtesy of PRNewswire. The views, opinions and statements in the press release are not endorsed by Gray Media Group nor do they necessarily state or reflect those of Gray Media Group, Inc.
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| 2022-09-12T20:18:27Z
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NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- OUTFRONT Media Inc. (NYSE: OUT) announced today that Matthew Siegel, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, is scheduled to present at the Deutsche Bank 30th Annual Leveraged Finance Conference on Tuesday, September 20, 2022 at 5:35 p.m. Eastern Time. A live and replay audio webcast will be available on the investor relations section of the Company's website at www.OUTFRONTmedia.com.
About OUTFRONT Media Inc.
OUTFRONT leverages the power of technology, location, and creativity to connect brands with consumers outside of their homes through one of the largest and most diverse sets of billboard, transit, and mobile assets in North America. Through its technology platform, OUTFRONT will fundamentally change the ways advertisers engage audiences on-the-go.
Contacts:
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| 2022-09-12T20:18:34Z
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Why Traditional Mediation Methods Do Not Work
IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Are you attending the 2022 AAML/BVR Divorce Conference in Las Vegas? TALG is! And they are bringing Tenny Amin, LL.M. Tenny is the Co-Owner and Partner at TALG's Irvine, California office. TALG is a multi-jurisdictional law firm with offices in five states: Nevada, California, Arizona, Texas, and North Carolina. TALG's practice areas include business litigation and transactions, intellectual property & life sciences, biotechnology, real estate, and family law litigation and mediation services. Check out TALG at https://talglaw.com/.
After practicing exclusively as a family law litigator for over fifteen years, in 2020 Tenny earned her Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Dispute Resolution from Pepperdine University School of Law. Pepperdine's dispute resolution program is currently ranked as #1 in the nation.
"Splitting the pie" is a traditional mediation approach that should be rethought! Tenny published an article about why she has focused her practice on utilizing skilled negotiation techniques, assessing and considering plausible alternative options, and carefully navigating the zone of possible agreement. You can read her article here: https://talglaw.com/traditional-mediation-methods-fail/.
Stop by the TALG booth at The Venetian Resort Hotel & Casino, September 18-20, 2022, and meet Tenny. The National Divorce Conference brings together the leading matrimonial attorneys and financial experts to gain critical insights from nationally recognized presenters and a unique opportunity to network with other professionals that will help you expand your own skill set to offer clients a broader solution to complex issues. Here is the link to the Divorce Conference: https://www.bvresources.com/events/2022-aaml-bvr-divorce-conference/home. Get registered and let's meet!
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| 2022-09-12T20:18:41Z
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drinkpennsylvaniadutch.com @PennsylvaniaDutchCreams
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Philadelphia-based Charles Jacquin et Cie., Inc.'s cream liqueur line, Pennsylvania Dutch, offers the perfect flavor duo to welcome fall: Salted Caramel and Pumpkin Spice.
SALTED CARAMEL JOINS THE FAMILY
Joining the fan-favorite, seasonal Pumpkin Spice Cream Liqueur is the newest flavor from the Pennsylvania Dutch brand: Salted Caramel Cream Liqueur. Made with locally sourced, fresh dairy cream and real salted caramel, Salted Caramel is a deliciously satisfying treat. Salted Caramel also has the highest awards of the Pennsylvania Dutch lineup, including Gold at the Beverage Testing Institute and Platinum at the SIP Awards. America's most popular fall flavor, pumpkin spice, returns to shelves in Pennsylvania Dutch's Pumpkin Spice Cream Liqueur and features a seasonal blend of nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, ginger and real dairy cream. The beverages are perfect for cold-weather cocktails and decadent fall desserts, or to enjoy year-round served over ice, blended into a sweet milkshake, or layered into your favorite cream cocktail.
"The cream liqueur category is growing, and we believe there's opportunity in the market for an American-made cream that's locally sourced and made to challenge the category leaders," says Lauren Ryan Kiyak, Head of Marketing at Charles Jacquin's. "We look forward to continuing our innovation with the Pennsylvania Dutch portfolio and creating flavors that consumers can enjoy for years to come."
OTHER AWARD-WINNING FLAVORS
These sweater-weather favorites are among Pennsylvania Dutch's lineup of category leaders, including the award-winning Egg Nog (Gold Medal at 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition), Peppermint Bark (Double Gold Medal at 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition), and Strawberries & Cream (Gold Medal at the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and Gold Medal at the 2022 Beverage Testing Institute).
With 89 percent flavor awareness among consumers and 105 percent growth in global popularity from 2015 to 2020, salted caramel is a tried-and-true flavor and a welcome addition to the cream-based liqueur lineup.
Pennsylvania Dutch's Salted Caramel and Pumpkin Spice are now available for $14.99 in 750ml at Pennsylvania spirits retailers.
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| 2022-09-12T20:18:48Z
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Application deadline is Nov. 18
HARRISBURG, Penn., Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency today is issuing a Request for Proposals soliciting applications from organizations for projects to improve the availability and affordability of housing across the commonwealth. Funding for this RFP is being provided through the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) Fund. The total PHARE funding available this year exceeds $45 million.
PHARE receives its funding from the impact fee levied on natural gas drilling companies and a portion of the Realty Transfer Tax. Funding is available for housing initiatives in all of Pennsylvania's 67 counties. PHFA is charged with administering the allocation of PHARE dollars.
"This year we mark a full decade of the PHARE program, and its impact on housing across Pennsylvania has been tremendous," said PHFA Executive Director and CEO Robin Wiessmann. "New affordable housing has been created, existing affordable housing has been preserved, and families that could have become homeless have places to live. We're proud of the many ongoing successes of the program."
PHARE applications are completed and submitted entirely online, eliminating the need for paper submissions and simplifying the process for applicants. The RFP is located on PHFA's website at https://www.phfa.org/legislation/act105.aspx, and the application is accessible on the PHARE webpage at https://phare.phfa.org/. Applications are due to PHFA no later than 2 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 18.
PHFA is planning two, 90-minute informational webinars for organizations interested in applying for PHARE funds. Both webinars will cover the same information. Webinar dates and times are:
- Sept. 21 at 10 a.m.
- Sept. 28 at 2 p.m.
A link has been posted at https://www.phfa.org/legislation/act105.aspx for webinar registration. Questions may be directed to Clay Lambert at PHFA via email at clambert@phfa.org.
The PHARE fund has been allocating money for local housing initiatives since 2012. These funds are producing significant housing benefits that include:
- More than 7,200 individuals and families have received rental or utility assistance
- More than 2,000 homes have been rehabilitated and preserved for continued use
- More than 2,600 new rental units have been created
- 180 new single-family homes have been constructed
- 420 future home sites have been prepared through site acquisition and demolition
- More than 250 new residents have received assistance to purchase their first home
- PHARE funds have been used to leverage an additional $800 million of investments in housing across Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency works to provide affordable homeownership and rental housing options for older adults, low- and moderate-income families, and people with special housing needs. Through its carefully managed mortgage programs and investments in multifamily housing developments, PHFA also promotes economic development across the state. Since its creation by the legislature in 1972, it has generated more than $16.5 billion of funding for more than 189,374 single-family home mortgage loans, helped fund the construction of 139,974 rental units, distributed approximately $239 million to support local housing initiatives, and saved the homes of more than 50,660 families from foreclosure. PHFA programs and operations are funded primarily by the sale of securities and from fees paid by program users, not by public tax dollars. The agency is governed by a 14-member board.
Media contact:
Scott Elliott
selliott@phfa.org
717-649-6522 (cell)
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| 2022-09-12T20:18:54Z
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Riverside Research, a national security company, announces win of the National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) A&AS Contract. The $200M, five-year, single-award contract provides Center-wide advisory services enabling research and development, acquisition, sustainment, and intelligence production.
Riverside Research has been an active mission partner to NASIC for over twenty years, providing independent and unbiased advisory support, R&D reachback to mission-relevant laboratories, and insight into cutting-edge academic research. This contract enables Riverside Research to continue supporting NASIC in its advancement of technologies and the production of intelligence to enhance national security.
"We are honored to continue our tremendous partnership with NASIC in advancing its mission by providing expertise to solve national security challenges," said Riverside Research President and CEO, Dr. Steven Omick.
To support the NASIC contract, Riverside Research employs a range of subject matter experts in multiple competencies, including remote sensing, artificial intelligence, engineering and scientific disciplines, program management and acquisition support, strategic planning, and intelligence production.
Riverside Research is a nonprofit organization advancing scientific research in the interest of national security. Through the company's Open Innovation Center (OIC), it invests in multidisciplinary research, development, and encourages collaboration to accelerate innovation and advance science. Riverside Research's areas of expertise include AI/ML, Secure and Resilient Systems, Optics, Electromagnetics, Commercial ISR, and Collection Planning. Learn more at www.riversideresearch.org.
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| 2022-09-12T20:19:01Z
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McKone Recently Launched McK Strategies, a Political Consulting and Lobbying Firm that will Draw Upon His More than Three Decades of Legislative Affairs Experience
McKone Most Recently Served as Executive Vice President for Federal Relations at AT&T
WASHINGTON, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Roberti Global, a leading bipartisan federal government affairs and public affairs firm, announced today the appointment of Tim McKone as a Senior Advisor. In this role, Mr. McKone will leverage more than three decades of experience as a political strategist in the telecommunications space to provide advice and counsel to Roberti Global's clients on a range of critical issues before Congress and the administration. McKone recently launched McK Strategies, a political consulting and lobbying firm, following his retirement from AT&T where he served as Executive Vice President for Federal Relations.
"We're thrilled to have Tim join us as a Strategic Advisor during this critical time as, more than ever, our clients are seeking expert counsel to effectively navigate challenging dynamics and sensitive issues at the intersection of business and politics," said, Vin Roberti, Chairman of Roberti Global. "Tim's expertise and deep relationships on the hill are unmatched, and he has a proven track record of building strong cross-party coalitions and effecting legislative change. I'm confident Tim will be an invaluable asset to our firm's clients, and we warmly welcome him to our team."
"Vin and the Roberti Global team have established an impressive reputation as a preeminent bipartisan government affairs firm for domestic and foreign companies," said Mr. McKone. "I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside Vin and his colleagues and look forward to helping counsel clients on pivotal lobbying and advocacy issues in this increasingly volatile partisan environment. In particular, the regulatory and competitive landscape for telecommunications is rapidly evolving, and I'm eager to help clients manage the policy implications of these changes. "
Mr. McKone is an experienced government affairs professional. This month, he launched McK Strategies, a global and domestic political and government consulting firm that will build upon Mr. McKone's 30+ years of experience representing some of the world's largest private companies and most prominent trade associations. He recently retired from AT&T where he served as Executive Vice Present for Federal Relations in Washington, D.C. In that role he oversaw legislative efforts within Congress and multiple presidential administrations on behalf of the company. During his tenure, he facilitated significant legislative successes for AT&T and managed legislative strategy for several industry-defining transactions, including Southwestern Bell's (SBC) acquisition of AT&T, as well as AT&T's purchase of BellSouth, DirecTV, and TimeWarner. Previously, Mr. McKone was a partner at Davis Manafort, where he represented high-profile clients including SBC and Fannie Mae. Mr. McKone also has advised on congressional and presidential campaigns, including those for Dole, Bush-Cheney, and McCain.
For more information, visit https://www.mckstrategies.com/.
Roberti Global is a leading bipartisan federal government affairs and public affairs firm with offices in Washington, D.C., New York City, and London. The firm's team has more than 75 years of experience in political advocacy and strategic issues management, including at the highest levels of government, on the campaign trail, and as top advisors to Fortune 500 companies, philanthropic institutions, trade associations, and foreign governments.
With its team of seasoned Republican and Democratic strategists, Roberti Global effectively navigates political and partisan influences to represent its clients' interests. The firm's deep bench and decades of experience are fundamental to its success in helping clients of all sizes and stripes realize their legislative and public affairs objectives.
For more information, visit https://robertiglobal.com/.
August Strategic Communications
Steven Goldberg
RobertiGlobal@AugustCo.com
323.892.5562
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| 2022-09-12T20:19:08Z
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NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of the securities of Coupang, Inc. (NYSE: CPNG) pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and related prospectus (collectively, the "Registration Statement") issued in connection with Coupang's March 2021 initial public offering (the "IPO") of the important October 25, 2022 lead plaintiff deadline.
SO WHAT: If you purchased Coupang securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.
WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Coupang class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=8383 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than October 25, 2022. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.
WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.
DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, the IPO Registration Statement featured false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Coupang was engaged in improper anti-competitive practices with its suppliers and other third parties in violation of applicable regulations, including: (a) pressuring suppliers to raise prices of products on competing e-commerce platforms to ensure Coupang's prices would be more competitive; (b) coercing suppliers into purchasing advertisements that would benefit Coupang financially; (c) forcing suppliers to shoulder all expenses from sales promotions; and (d) requesting wholesale rebates from suppliers without specifying any terms relating to rebate programs, all of which served to artificially maintain Coupang's lower prices and artificially inflate Coupang's historical revenues and market share; (2) Coupang had improperly adjusted search algorithms and manipulated product reviews on its marketplace platform to prioritize its own private-label branded products over those of other sellers and merchants, to the detriment of consumers, merchants, and suppliers; (3) unbeknownst to its Rocket WOW members (a customer loyalty program for the Company's most engaged and frequent customers), Coupang was selling products to non-member customers at lower prices than those offered to its Rocket WOW members; (4) Coupang subjected its workforce to extreme, unsafe, and unhealthy working conditions; (5) all of the above illicit practices exposed Coupang to a heightened, but undisclosed, risk of reputational and regulatory scrutiny that would harm Coupang's critical relationships with consumers, merchants, suppliers, and the workforce; and (6) Coupang's lower prices, historical revenues, competitive advantages, and growing market share were the result of systemic, improper, unethical, and/or illegal practices, and, thus, unsustainable.
To join the Coupang class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=8383 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.
No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Contact Information:
Laurence Rosen, Esq.
Phillip Kim, Esq.
The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
Fax: (212) 202-3827
lrosen@rosenlegal.com
pkim@rosenlegal.com
cases@rosenlegal.com
www.rosenlegal.com
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| 2022-09-12T20:19:14Z
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Rothy's continues to successfully enforce its intellectual property
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Rothy's, Inc., the innovative sustainable lifestyle brand, today announced that a federal court in the Northern District of California has entered a Consent Judgment in Rothy's patent infringement lawsuit against Birdies, Inc., permanently enjoining and restraining Birdies from selling its infringing knit Blackbird shoes as shown in Exhibit A of the Consent Judgment ("Knit Blackbird") and any other products that infringe Rothy's design patents asserted in the litigation.
Under the Consent Judgment, Birdies acknowledges the validity of the design patents Rothy's asserted and that Birdies' Knit Blackbird infringes one or more of Rothy's patents. Rothy's filed its Complaint against Birdies on April 5, 2021, asserting Birdies' Knit Blackbird infringes Rothy's U.S. Design Patents Nos. D885,016, D885,017, D909,718, D870,425, and D925,874. The Consent Judgment comes after Rothy's successfully opposed Birdies' Motion for Summary Judgment in May 2022 (Civil Action No. 3:21-cv-02438-VC, Dkt. 191). The Court entered the Consent Judgment on August 25, 2022 (Civil Action No. 3:21-cv-02438-VC, Dkt. 204).
"With over 200 design patents granted or pending, we care deeply about protecting the intellectual property Rothy's works so hard to create," said Marie Satterfield, Chief Legal Officer at Rothy's. "This court order underscores the strength and staying power of Rothy's robust IP portfolio. We will continue to vigorously enforce Rothy's rights and hold accountable those who infringe our designs."
The Consent Judgment comes on the heels of other recent successful enforcements of Rothy's intellectual property portfolio. In January 2021, the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC) in the United Kingdom ruled that Austrian shoe manufacturer Giesswein's "Pointy Flat" shoe infringed Rothy's registered "The Pointed Loafer" Community Design (Claim No. IP-2019-000084) and ordered Giesswein to cease all sales of the infringing shoes. In September 2019, Rothy's resolved a patent and trade dress infringement lawsuit against OESH Shoes. The Court in the Western District of Virginia entered a Consent Decree (Civil Action No. 3:18-cv-00067, Dkt. 79) enjoining OESH from manufacturing, marketing, and selling the accused shoes and whereby OESH acknowledged the validity of Rothy's "The Flat" trade dress and asserted design patents.
Rothy's takes a whole brand approach to sustainability in manufacturing, transforming recycled materials into beautiful shoes, handbags and accessories. With a vertically integrated supply chain, Rothy's minimizes waste by knitting each product to shape in its wholly owned factory in Dongguan, China. Since launching in 2016, Rothy's has transformed over 125 million single-use plastic bottles and kept 400,000 pounds of marine plastic out of waterways.
With over two million customers, Rothy's products are sold directly online and through Rothy's thirteen retail stores. Rothy's has been recognized for awards including TIME Most Influential Companies, Fast Company Most Innovative Companies, Forbes Next Billion-Dollar Startups, and Inc. Best Places to work. Headquartered in San Francisco, California with offices in New York, New York and Shanghai, China.
Further information is available at rothys.com. Follow Rothy's on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @rothys.
Contacts
Anna Doré
Rothy's Senior Director of Communications
adore@rothys.com // (515) 669-9354
Rothy's is represented in the Birdies' case by the law firm of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP:
Steve Moore
Partner
smoore@kilpatricktownsend.com // 415.273.4741
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https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/rothys-obtains-federal-court-consent-judgment-permanent-injunction-lawsuit-against-birdies-validating-rothys-design-patents/
| 2022-09-12T20:19:21Z
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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On Target Laboratories, Inc., a privately-held biotechnology company developing intraoperative molecular imaging agents to target and illuminate cancer during surgery, today announced publication of results from the Phase 3 006 Study of CYTALUX (pafolacianine) injection for intraoperative imaging of folate receptor positive ovarian cancer in the peer-reviewed Journal of Clinical Oncology.
The research article reports that use of CYTALUX during ovarian cancer surgery demonstrated identification of additional ovarian cancer that was not identified with conventional means and not otherwise planned for resection. 150 patients in the safety analysis set received a single infusion of CYTALUX, resulting in 109 patients with folate receptor positive ovarian cancer comprising the full analysis set for efficacy. In 33% of patients*, near-infrared imaging with CYTALUX identified additional lesions which would have been left behind (P < 0.001, 95% CI [0.243, 0.427]). The rate was higher, at 39.7%, among patients who underwent interval debulking surgery (95% CI [0.270, 0.534]).
"This pivotal study indicates that CYTALUX may offer an important real-time adjunct to current surgical approaches for ovarian cancer," said Chris Barys, President and Chief Executive Officer of On Target. "We are grateful to the study participants and investigators for their important role in this research and are committed to continuing to pioneer the use and study of intraoperative molecular imaging to increase detection of malignant lesions during surgery."
"There are many limitations to current operative approaches of visual inspection and palpation, and I am encouraged that, in this clinical trial, near-infrared imaging with CYTALUX identified additional lesions in 33% of participants which would have been left behind," said Janos L. Tanyi, MD, PhD, an associate professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and principal investigator of the Phase 3 trial. "These results further the evidence that intraoperative molecular imaging may help surgeons achieve complete surgical resection of cancer."
* N=36 out of 109 folate receptor positive ovarian cancer patients. CYTALUX USPI describes the proportion of patients in which CYTALUX identified additional lesions in the "intent-to-image set" regardless of ovarian cancer status (N=36 out of 134, 27%)
About On Target Laboratories, Inc.
On Target Laboratories discovers and develops targeted intraoperative molecular imaging agents to illuminate cancer during surgery. Their molecular imaging technology, based on the pioneering work of Philip S. Low, PhD, Purdue University's Presidential Scholar for Drug Discovery and the Ralph C. Corley Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, are comprised of a near-infrared dye and a targeting molecule, or ligand, that binds to receptors overexpressed on cancer cells. The imaging agents illuminate the cancerous tissue, which may enable surgeons to detect more cancer that otherwise may have been left behind.
CYTALUX, the Company's first product, received FDA approval for ovarian cancer in November 2021. CYTALUX targets folate receptors commonly found on many cancers, such as ovarian cancer. A single dose of the agent is administered via intravenous infusion prior to surgery to help the surgeon identify additional malignant tissue during the operation using a near-infrared imaging system. For more information visit www.ontargetlabs.com and www.cytalux.com.
CYTALUX Indication
CYTALUX is an FDA-approved optical imaging agent indicated in adult patients with ovarian cancer as an adjunct for intraoperative identification of malignant lesions.
Important Safety Information
Infusion-Related Reactions
Adverse reactions consisting of nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, flushing, indigestion, chest discomfort, and itching were reported during the administration of CYTALUX. Your doctor may treat you with antihistamines and/or anti-nausea medication.
Pregnancy
CYTALUX may cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. There are no available human data to evaluate for a drug-associated risk of major birth defects, miscarriage, or other adverse maternal or fetal outcomes. Contact your healthcare provider with a known or suspected pregnancy.
Folate Supplement Usage
Folic acid may reduce the detection of cancerous tissue with CYTALUX. Patients should stop taking folate, folic acid, or folate-containing supplements 48 hours before administration of CYTALUX.
Risk of Misinterpretation
Errors may occur with the use of CYTALUX. Sometimes cells may light up even if they are not cancerous or those that are cancerous may not light up. Also, cancerous or non-cancerous cells from other areas may light up, such as areas of the bowel, kidneys, lymph nodes, and inflamed tissue.
Adverse Reactions
The most common side effects of CYTALUX reported in clinical trials were nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, flushing, indigestion, chest discomfort, itching, and allergic reaction during administration or infusion.
Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. These are not all the possible side effects of CYTALUX. For more information, ask your healthcare provider.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to On Target Laboratories at 1-844-434-9333 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Click here to see full Prescribing Information
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| 2022-09-12T20:19:28Z
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LEXINGTON, Ky., Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tempur Sealy International, Inc. (NYSE: TPX, "Company" or "Tempur Sealy") announced today that it will participate in a fireside chat at the Piper Sandler Growth Frontiers Conference on September 14, 2022.
Date: September 14, 2022
Time: 10:00 a.m. ET / 9:00 a.m. CT
Presenter: Scott Thompson, Chairman, President and CEO
The fireside chat is being webcast and will be accessible on the Company's investor relations website at investor.tempursealy.com. Time listed is subject to change.
About Tempur Sealy International, Inc.
Tempur Sealy is committed to improving the sleep of more people, every night, all around the world. As a leading designer, manufacturer, distributor and retailer of bedding products worldwide, we know how crucial a good night of sleep is to overall health and wellness. Utilizing over a century of knowledge and industry-leading innovation, we deliver award-winning products that provide breakthrough sleep solutions to consumers in over 100 countries.
Our highly recognized brands include Tempur-Pedic®, Sealy® and Stearns & Foster® and our popular non-branded offerings consist of value-focused private label and OEM products. At Tempur Sealy we understand the importance of meeting our customers wherever and however they want to shop and have developed a powerful omni-channel retail strategy. Our products allow for complementary merchandising strategies and are sold through third-party retailers, our 650+ Company-owned stores worldwide and our e-commerce channels. With the range of our offerings and variety of purchasing options, we are dedicated to continuing to turn our mission to improve the sleep of more people, every night, all around the world into a reality.
Importantly, we are committed to carrying out our global responsibility to protect the environment and the communities in which we operate. As part of that commitment, we have established the goal of achieving carbon neutrality for our global wholly owned operations by 2040.
Investor Relations Contact
Aubrey Moore
Investor Relations
Tempur Sealy International, Inc.
800-805-3635
Investor.relations@tempursealy.com
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https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/tempur-sealy-present-financial-conference/
| 2022-09-12T20:19:34Z
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ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TRM Equity ("TRM" or "the Firm"), a Michigan-based middle market private equity firm, announced today a key new hire within its investment team, as Brad Young joins the firm as Vice President.
"Brad has critical skills that expand our capabilities with operationally intensive special situations. There was an immediate fit with our team which is absolutely crucial for our strategy and the size of our firm. We are very excited to have Brad join us," said Jeff Stone Managing Director TRM Equity.
Brad brings multiple years of experience to the role as an advisor to distressed and underperforming companies across a variety of industries, most recently with AlixPartners. In this capacity, he has advised and collaborated with management teams, Board of Directors, investors, lenders, and other advisors to develop and implement actionable restructuring and transformation plans.
Additionally, Brad served four years in the United States Navy. He received an honorable discharge, and during his service he received several awards recognizing his outstanding performance and leadership.
Brad graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder and earned a B.B.A with an emphasis in Finance. Brad also is a Certified Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor (CIRA).
Formed in 2019, TRM Equity is a private equity firm that seeks to invest in special situations where the experience of our team can assist companies in executing their strategies. The firm's team has been together in a predecessor fund for over 15 years investing with a consistent approach in targeted manufacturing industries and has a demonstrated track record of outsized returns.
Media Contact
Christy Nehro
Operations Manager
christynehro@trmequity.com
734.619.8865
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| 2022-09-12T20:19:42Z
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CHICAGO, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Veltex Corporation (OTCQB: VLXC) ("Veltex"), a Health and Wellness Acquisition Holding Firm, announces recovery of Nine Hundred Thousand (900,000) free trading common shares of Veltex Corporation in the Federal litigation in California. The recovery, currently valued at Four Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($450,000), and One Thousand Six Hundred Eighty-One Dollars and Sixty-Two Cents ($1,681.62) in cash, has been recovered from a single defendant in that matter. Those common shares will be deposited in the Company's treasury account at American Stock Transfer and Trust ("AST") in New York. Veltex intends to enforce all matters in the Federal litigation to the full extent of the law.
Veltex legal settlement receivables relate to various lawsuits. Most specifically, on March 26, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, a final judgment was entered in Veltex favor in the amount of $100,078,621 Case No. CV 10 1746 ABC (PJWs). This federal litigation was initiated against the former management of Veltex, other individuals and corporate defendants. This litigation arose from a scheme to fraudulently convey the shares of Veltex to another entity for little or no consideration to Veltex. The proceeds from the sale of the shares were converted by the defendants for their own personal use. The United States District Court classified the judgment as fraudulent conveyance and transfer of assets, or corporate theft.
The above referenced litigation, detailed in the final judgment order against the defendants, specifically outlined California State Sections 4(a) and 5(b) of the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act, California Civil Code § 3439.04(a) and (b).
Micah T. Reeves, General Counsel for Veltex, noted the above referenced litigation has been recently renewed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, which can be continually renewed until all collection efforts have been exhausted. Moreover, Mr. Reeves indicated his legal department continues to aggressively enforce all judgments in favor of Veltex in all jurisdictions.
Veltex will update shareholders with tax, legal, and accounting developments as progress warrants. Veltex also intends to update shareholders on the immediate future of the company as developments warrant. We look forward to creating partnerships and alliances highlighting our comparative and competitive advantages in the holding industry and in general.
Veltex Corporation ("Veltex"), incorporated in Utah September 17, 1987, is a public holding corporation, which maintains its corporate headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. The company's common shares trade OTCQB Markets under the symbol VLXC. Veltex operates two major wholly owned subsidiaries, Veltex Properties, Inc. and Veltex Medical, Inc., both Delaware corporations.
Safe Harbor Statement Forward Looking Statement
Safe Harbor Statement Certain of the above statements contained in this press release are forward-looking statements that involve several risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements are within the meaning of that term in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. This press release includes forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by phrases such as Veltex or its management "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "foresees," "seeks," "forecasts," "estimates" or other words or phrases of similar import. Similarly, statements herein that describe Veltex's business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions, or goals also are forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Any statements made in this press release which are not historical facts contain certain forward-looking statements; as such term is defined in the Private Security Litigation Reform Act of 1995, concerning potential developments affecting the business, prospects, financial condition, and other aspects of the company to which this release pertains. The actual results of the specific items described in this release, and the company's operations generally, may differ materially from what is projected in such forward-looking statements. Although such statements are based upon the best judgments of management of the company, Veltex, as of the date of this release, significant deviations in magnitude, timing and other factors may result from business risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, the company's dependence on third parties, general market and economic conditions, technical factors, the availability of outside capital, receipt of revenues and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the company. The company disclaims any obligation to update information contained in any forward-looking statement. This press release shall not be deemed a general solicitation.
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| 2022-09-12T20:19:48Z
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HARTFORD, Conn., Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRTS) today reported preliminary assets under management of $157.8 billion as of August 31, 2022. In addition, the company provided services to $2.9 billion of other fee-earning assets, which are not included in assets under management.
About Virtus Investment Partners, Inc.
Virtus Investment Partners (NASDAQ: VRTS) is a distinctive partnership of boutique investment managers singularly committed to the long-term success of individual and institutional investors. We provide investment management products and services from our affiliated managers, each with a distinct investment style and autonomous investment process, as well as select subadvisers. Investment solutions are available across multiple disciplines and product types to meet a wide array of investor needs. Additional information about our firm, investment partners, and strategies is available at virtus.com.
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| 2022-09-12T20:19:55Z
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EVP of Finance & Operations, Hagit Ynon, to serve as interim CFO upon Casey's departure
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WalkMe Ltd. (NASDAQ: WKME), a leading provider of digital adoption platforms, today announced the departure of Chief Financial Officer, Andrew Casey. After nearly three years of financial leadership, Casey is leaving to pursue another opportunity. He will remain with WalkMe on an advisory basis through WalkMe's third quarter earnings announcement to support an orderly transition.
WalkMe has launched a formal search to hire Casey's permanent replacement who, along with the company's recent executive leadership team additions, will lead WalkMe's expansion efforts to capitalize on digital adoption's $34B total addressable market. In the meantime, Hagit Ynon, WalkMe's EVP of Finance & Operations, will serve as interim CFO following Casey's departure. Ynon has been with WalkMe for more than three years leading the global finance, IT, operations and facilities organizations.
"Andrew took us through a very exciting time at WalkMe, and while we will miss his leadership, business acumen, and financial stewardship, we wish him all the best in his new endeavor to lead another pre-IPO company as CFO," said Dan Adika, CEO and Co-founder, WalkMe. "On behalf of everyone at WalkMe, I'd like to thank him for his contributions toward building a solid foundation that supports our innovation, international presence, and financial strength. And I'm thrilled to have Hagit step in as interim CFO, leading the team she helped build and manage over the past three-plus years."
"WalkMe was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of the team that pioneered the digital adoption platform (DAP) category," said Casey. "And I'm extremely proud of what we've accomplished in just under three years. I've had the rare good fortune of being presented a second life-changing opportunity with a unique professional and personal appeal, strongly aligned with the capabilities I've honed through my incredible experience at WalkMe. While it was a tough decision to leave WalkMe at an inflection point for the DAP category, it was an honor to work among so many talented leaders, and I can leave knowing the company is well positioned for the future."
WalkMe's cloud-based Digital Adoption Platform enables organizations to measure, drive and act to ultimately accelerate their digital transformations and better realize the value of their software investments. Our code-free platform leverages our proprietary technology to provide visibility to an organization's Chief Information Officer and business leaders, while improving user experience, productivity and efficiency for employees and customers. Alongside walkthroughs and third-party integration capabilities, our platform can be customized to fit an organization's needs.
Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:
Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking" statements and information, within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that relate to our current expectations and views of future events, including but not limited to statements regarding our expectations relating to management transition changes and related timelines. In some cases, these forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "may," "might," "will," "could," "would," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "intend," "seek," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "contemplate," "possible" or similar words. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, some of which are beyond our control. In addition, these forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are not a guarantee of future performance. Actual outcomes may differ materially from the information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including, without limitation, the following: our ability to manage our growth effectively, sustain our historical growth rate in the future or achieve or maintain profitability; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic or adverse macro-economic changes on our business, financial condition and results of operations; the growth and expansion of the markets for our offerings and our ability to adapt and respond effectively to evolving market conditions; our estimates of, and future expectations regarding, our market opportunity; our ability to keep pace with technological and competitive developments and develop or otherwise introduce new products and solutions and enhancements to our existing offerings; our ability to maintain the interoperability of our offerings across devices, operating systems and third-party applications and to maintain and expand our relationships with third-party technology partners; the effects of increased competition in our target markets and our ability to compete effectively; our ability to attract and retain new customers and to expand within our existing customer base; the success of our sales and marketing operations, including our ability to realize efficiencies and reduce customer acquisition costs; the percentage of our remaining performance obligations that we expect to recognize as revenue; our ability to meet the service-level commitments under our customer agreements and the effects on our business if we are unable to do so; our relationships with, and dependence on, various third-party service providers; our dependence on our management team and other key employees; our ability to maintain and enhance awareness of our brand; our ability to offer high quality customer support; our ability to effectively develop and expand our marketing and sales capabilities; our ability to maintain the sales prices of our offerings and the effects of pricing fluctuations; the sustainability of, and fluctuations in, our gross margin; risks related to our international operations and our ability to expand our international business operations; the effects of currency exchange rate fluctuations on our results of operations; challenges and risks related to our sales to government entities; our ability to consummate acquisitions at our historical rate and at acceptable prices, to enter into other strategic transactions and relationships, and to manage the risks related to these transactions and arrangements; our ability to protect our proprietary technology, or to obtain, maintain, protect and enforce sufficiently broad intellectual property rights therein; our ability to maintain the security and availability of our platform, products and solutions; our ability to comply with current and future legislation and governmental regulations to which we are subject or may become subject in the future; changes in applicable tax law, the stability of effective tax rates and adverse outcomes resulting from examination of our income or other tax returns; risks related to political, economic and security conditions in Israel; the effects of unfavorable conditions in our industry or the global economy or reductions in information technology spending; factors that may affect the future trading prices of our ordinary shares; and other risk factors set forth in the section titled "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 24, 2022, and other documents filed with or furnished to the SEC. These statements reflect management's current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date of this press release. You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee that future results, levels of activity, performance and events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or will occur. Except as required by applicable law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
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| 2022-09-12T20:20:02Z
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LOS ANGELES, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Westwood Financial, a leading retail real estate investment firm, announced today the appointment of Ella Neyland to its Board of Directors. "We are very excited to welcome Ella to the Board of Directors. Her broad experience in the real estate sector will prove invaluable," said Mark Bratt, CEO. "She provides a different and needed perspective to our organization."
Ella Neyland is Chief Operating Officer at Independence Realty Trust (IRT), a publicly traded apartment REIT. A Senior executive and Board Member, Neyland has over twenty-five years of experience at large companies. She was Executive Vice President at UDR, a NYSE REIT, President and CFO of Steadfast Apartment REIT, and a founder of a medical device startup company. She is active in apartment and industry associations and was the first female chair of the IPA, which is the trade association for Non-Traded REITs. She is a proven leader with financial, real estate, legal and operational expertise and has public and private company background with strong communication and strategic planning skills.
Westwood Financial owns / manages and operates over 124 high-quality shopping centers located in top U.S. metropolitan markets including Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Denver, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, Orlando, Phoenix, and Raleigh. The centers are primarily anchored by top-tier grocers as well as leading service and experiential-based operators. Established in 1970, Westwood Financial is headquartered in Los Angeles, with regional offices in Atlanta, Dallas, and Phoenix. More information is available at www.westfin.com.
Contact:
Volker Schramm
Director of Marketing
vschramm@westfin.com
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| 2022-09-12T20:20:09Z
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It's not just about the money.
There has been a surge in union activism — including strikes and organizing efforts — in the last year that is being driven by factors far beyond pay rates and benefits packages.
If pay was the only issue, the nation probably wouldn't be facing the risk of its first national rail strike in 30 years this coming week, a walkout that could knock the legs out from under the still struggling supply chain and be another body blow to the US economy.
A presidential panel looking at that labor dispute recommended the two sides agree to a five-year contract that includes an immediate 14% raise, backpay from 2020, and a 24% pay increase over the course of the contract. That's less than the 31% in raises over five years the union is seeking, but more than the 17% previously offered by railroad management.
That was enough to get some of the unions to agree to tentative deals, but not the unions that represent more than 90,000 workers, including those who make up the two-person crews on freight trains. They appear poised to strike unless Congress acts to keep them on the job.
Those unions say they're not rejecting the wage offer. Rather, it's the work rules, staffing and scheduling proposals they object to, which require them to be on call, and ready to report to work, seven days a week for much of the year. If it were just a question of wages, a deal between the two sides would likely already be in place.
"We're not going to sit here and argue about [wages] or health care. We're beyond that," said Jeremy Ferguson, president of the union that represents conductors, one of the two workers on freight trains along with the engineer.
The unions say conditions on the job are driving thousands of workers to quit jobs that they previously would have kept for their entire careers, creating untenable conditions for the remaining workers. Changing those work rules, including the on-call requirement, is the main demand.
"The word has gotten out these are not attractive jobs the way they treat workers," said Dennis Pierce, president of the union representing engineers. "Employees have said 'I've had enough.'"
Noneconomic issues driving other strikes
And it's not just the railroad workers who have reached this breaking point.
Monday about 15,000 nurses started a 3-day strike against 13 hospitals in Minnesota, saying that they needed improved staffing levels and more control over scheduling in order to provide the patients with the care they deserved, and keep the nurses they need on the job.
"We are not on strike for our wages. We're fighting for the ability to have some say over our profession and the work life balance," said Mary Turner, a Covid ICU nurse and president of the Minnesota Nurses Association, the union waging the strike.
More than 2,000 mental health professionals are on strike against Kaiser Permanente in California and Hawaii. The union members there say inadequate staffing is depriving patients of care and preventing them from doing their jobs effectively.
Alexis Petrakis, a member of the union's bargaining committee and a child therapist at Kaiser for the last three years, said she had never been in a union before and didn't expect to be going on strike this time. But she said the poor quality of care and the company's inability to schedule visits for new patients for up to six weeks because of staffing issues, have pushed her and her co-workers to walk out.
"Being away from my patients is heartbreaking. But what I go back to is they were getting inadequate care," Petrakis said. "The curtain is being lifted on this broken system. It needs to change now. I'm doing everything I can so their care moving forward is better."
Teachers in Columbus, Ohio, went on strike at the start of the school year complaining about large class sizes and dilapidated schools where a lack of heating and air conditioning has created miserable classroom environments. The school district, the largest in Ohio, quickly settled.
Organizing also surges on workplace worries
The complaints about working conditions, safety, and quality of life issues aren't just prompting strikes. They're also driving a surge in organizing efforts.
The successful unionization effort at an Amazon distribution center in Staten Island, New York, started with concerns over worker safety in the early days of the pandemic. It was the first successful union vote at an Amazon facility.
Worker safety protocols and the desire to have a voice in the way stores are run are major reasons why baristas at more than 200 Starbucks nationwide have voted to join a union in the last nine months.
These noneconomic issues might seem unique to today, but they were behind the very foundation of the US labor movement a century ago.
Employees fighting for safer working conditions and quality-of-life issues such as weekends off, holidays, paid vacation and a 40-hour week helped unions establish a toehold in the US and led to their growth in the first half of the 20th century.
Union members aren't the only ones voicing concerns about these issues. Some economists attribute the so-called "Great Resignation" that saw a record number of workers quit their jobs starting in 2021, to employees' greater focus on quality-of-life issues. And they say the pandemic brought these issues to light for many workers.
Beyond the impact that had on the broader labor force, concerns about work conditions has resulted in a surge of union activism.
There have been 263 strikes so far this year, according to a database kept by Cornell University, up 84% from the same period last year.
And there have been 826 union elections at workplaces from January through July of this year, up 45% from the number held in the same period of 2021, according to data from the National Labor Relations Board, which oversees the votes. The 70% success rate by unions in those votes is far better than the 42% in the first seven months of 2021.
Those surges in activity would never have happened without the non-economic issues coming front and center, according to union officials.
"That's definitely what's driving the voice of the workers around the country. It's not just pocketbook issues," said Fred Redmond, secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO. "They want their voices heard. They're working horrendous schedules. Workers are finding out their bosses don't respect their voice, they don't respect them."
Experts agree that the unions are finding newfound success because of worker anger about noneconomic issues.
"Unions are successful when they are building on things that workers are concerned about," said Alexander Colvin, dean of the school of industrial and labor relations at Cornell University.
"The scheduling, the health and safety concerns, those are very important," he added. "There's certainly an opportunity for the unions there."
And experts say these issues are a good sign for continued union strength going forward.
"The rising of importance of the noneconomic issues ... suggests a rebirth of the labor movement," said Todd Vachon, a professor of labor studies at Rutgers University. "Economic demand for labor will ebb and flow. The more encompassing the demands that labor brings to the table, the better they'll be able to weather the changes in the economic business cycle."
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kitv.com/news/business/its-not-just-money-unions-are-fighting-for-better-schedules-safety-and-work-conditions/article_8149c649-cab3-5d70-b309-6c5ddddafd81.html
| 2022-09-12T20:22:52Z
|
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT TODAY FOR SOUTH FACING SHORES...
.A south swell may briefly push surf heights to advisory levels
along south facing shores later today.
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 AM
HST TUESDAY...
* WHAT...Surf 7 to 10 feet.
* WHERE...South facing shores of all Hawaiian Islands.
* WHEN...6 AM HST today through 6 AM HST Tuesday.
* IMPACTS...Moderate. Expect strong breaking waves, shore break,
and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming
difficult and dangerous.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers should heed all advice given by
ocean safety officials and exercise caution.
&&
KANEOHE, Hawaii (KITV4) - Dozens of people lined up at Windward Community College to get their annual flu shot. Many recipients said it is necessary this season on top of being vaccinated and boosted from COVID-19.
"It’s not the same as the COVID vaccine. They are two different viruses that emerged at completely different times. I want the flu shot to feel safe enough to travel," said Leslie T.
"I do not want the flu and that is why I am here. I was in the military and whenever we were deployed, we got lots and lots of vaccines like Polio and Anthrax. I know this is completely safe," said Josh Strickler.
Pneumonia, the flu, and COVID-19 were the causes of 14% of all deaths statewide so far in 2022, according to the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) Disease Outbreak Control Division.
Health experts said each vaccine is made specifically to fight a certain virus despite the flu and COVID-19 having similar symptoms.
"The COVID vaccine is specifically for the COVID virus and the flu vaccine is created every year based on the flu strains going around in the communities. So far this year, the flu vaccine is made for what they anticipate to be the flu virus that will go around this fall and winter," said House Rep. Lisa Kitagawa, District 48.
Some local doctors said flu season lasts longer in Hawaii, up two months longer. Last year's flu virus was stronger because people were focused on the COVID vaccine and skipped their flu shot.
"Thirty percent of those that got sick, a majority of them weren’t vaccinated with the flu shot. They end up getting sick longer and sometimes get hospitalized. If you do get your flu shot, it cuts your sick time in half and you don't have to go to the hospital," said Pualani Moefu, business clinic coordinator, Times Pharmacy.
The recommendation is to be up to date on all vaccines and boosters as more become available.
Do you have a story idea? Email news tips to news@kitv.com
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https://www.kitv.com/news/coronavirus/health-experts-urge-flu-shots-on-top-of-being-vaccinated-and-boosted-against-covid-19/article_5edccd00-3186-11ed-ab80-3fff85c0d7b9.html
| 2022-09-12T20:22:59Z
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Fall and winter are around the corner, which means not only is it time to get your flu shot, but US health officials are urging everyone who is eligible to get their updated Covid-19 booster, too.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the updated Covid-19 vaccine boosters this month, after the US Food and Drug Administration's authorization. The updated Pfizer/BioNTech booster is authorized for people 12 and older, and Moderna's is authorized for 18 and older.
At the same time, health officials stress the recommendation to get your seasonal flu vaccine. Some disease forecasters worry that the upcoming flu season could be a tough one for North America, as nations in the Southern Hemisphere that already had their flu seasons -- like Australia and New Zealand -- saw higher-than-average peaks in cases. So, the United States could see flu make a comeback while Covid-19 is still circulating at higher levels.
Barring any new and concerning coronavirus variants, some officials predict that the updated Covid-19 shots could be the start of recommended boosters for Americans each year, similar to how updated annual flu vaccines are given.
"For a majority of Americans, one shot a year will provide a very high degree of protection against serious illness, and that's what we've got to be focused on," Dr. Ashish Jha, White House coronavirus response coordinator, told CNN last week. "Maybe for some high-risk people -- the elderly, the immunocompromised -- they may need protection more than once a year, but for a majority of Americans, that's where it is, and I think that's a really good place to be."
Where and when to get Covid-19 booster and flu shot
The updated Covid-19 vaccine booster and seasonal flu vaccines are available at most pharmacies, doctor's offices and health care clinics.
Not only are US health officials encouraging people to get both shots this year, some local public health departments are planning to schedule joint vaccine clinics, said Lori Tremmel Freeman, chief executive officer of the National Association of County and City Health Officials.
"Jurisdictions are going to be standing up joint flu and Covid vaccine clinics and other opportunities for people to get both their flu vaccine and their Covid updated booster together," Freeman said, adding that there is "no problem at all" with getting both shots at or around the same time.
The hope is for joint clinics to make it more convenient and accessible for people to get their vaccinations -- but not everyone might be interested or even eligible to get both vaccines at the same time. Plus, some say it's still early to get a flu shot.
A single dose of the updated Covid-19 booster is recommended at least two months after the initial vaccine series or your most recent booster.
"Now, suppose you've recovered from Covid -- and many people of course have had Covid this summer -- wait three months, at least," said Dr. William Schaffner, a professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
He added that it's important to get your booster as soon as you are eligible.
"It's clear that whether you're vaccinated or you've had Covid, if you get this booster, you will get much higher levels of antibody and they are thought to help us get more prolonged protection," he said. "The other thing that happens is that the immune system responds more broadly, and it looks as though we will get more broad coverage against other variants."
As for the flu shot, the recommended timing of vaccination for this flu season is similar to last season, according to the CDC's website.
"For most people who need only one dose for the season, September and October are generally good times to get vaccinated," according to the CDC, adding that while "ideally" it's recommended to get vaccinated by the end of October, vaccination after October can still provide protection during the peak of flu season.
"The ideal time is during the month of October and maybe the first couple of weeks of November -- and the reason I say that is, particularly for older people and people who are frail, that will help their protection extend well through February into March, and that's when flu often peaks in the United States in February," Schaffner said. "Everyone ages 6 months and older should get influenza vaccine."
As for children younger than 12, who are not eligible for the updated Covid-19 booster, Schaffner said parents should focus on getting their youngsters vaccinated with the primary series or booster they can get now.
"I would say, maintain the current schedule," he said. "Because it's quite clear the original still does a good job in protecting us against hospitalizations and more severe disease."
Schaffner added that some people have asked him whether the Covid-19 vaccine protects against flu or vice versa. They do not.
"You do have to get both vaccines," he said. "The Covid vaccine will not protect against flu. The flu vaccine will not protect against Covid."
Bracing for possible Covid-19 surge
Last week, the Biden administration announced its plan to manage Covid-19 this fall as there is the potential for an increase in infections, in part due to waning immunity from vaccines and infection.
"Additionally, as the weather gets colder and people spend more time indoors, contagious viruses like COVID-19 can spread more easily," the announcement says. "And, as we saw last fall with the emergence of Omicron, we must continue to stay prepared for the possibility of a potential new variant of concern."
The White House continues to call on Congress to pass additional funding for Covid-19 response, having asked for an updated $22.4 billion last week. GOP Sen. Mitt Romney said that passing that funding would be "a very hard lift."
The administration's plan to manage Covid-19 this fall includes focusing on encouraging updated booster vaccinations and making them easy to access, as well as ensuring that people have easy access to at-home rapid tests and treatments. That includes the purchase of 100 million additional at-home rapid tests from domestic manufacturers, the White House said.
The US Department of Health and Human Services "will launch a paid media campaign aimed at increasing COVID-19 vaccination, with a focus on those over age 50, as well as Black, Hispanic, rural, Asian American/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native audiences through TV, radio, digital and print outlets."
The administration is also boosting "easy access to Covid-19 testing and treatments" but warned, "While the lack of additional COVID-19 funding from Congress puts constraints on what we are able to do, the Administration will do everything in its power to ensure that tests and treatments remain widely available and easy to access, and will encourage Americans to use them."
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
|
https://www.kitv.com/news/coronavirus/what-to-know-about-getting-updated-covid-19-booster-flu-shot-at-the-same-time/article_904b4350-4085-55b4-9618-bf33682f4bba.html
| 2022-09-12T20:23:05Z
|
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT TODAY FOR SOUTH FACING SHORES...
.A south swell may briefly push surf heights to advisory levels
along south facing shores later today.
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 AM
HST TUESDAY...
* WHAT...Surf 7 to 10 feet.
* WHERE...South facing shores of all Hawaiian Islands.
* WHEN...6 AM HST today through 6 AM HST Tuesday.
* IMPACTS...Moderate. Expect strong breaking waves, shore break,
and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming
difficult and dangerous.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers should heed all advice given by
ocean safety officials and exercise caution.
&&
HONOLULU (KITV4) -- A sexual assault in Kalihi has residents on edge. No arrests have been made in the case and residents are now calling for better safety measures along the walkway where it happened.
"It's pitch black over there. I can't see nothing," said a neighbor who asked to be called "JoJo." She said she lives near the Wilson Street Walkway.
The walkway that leads from Likelike Highway to Wilson Street is giving residents fear and dread following the recent sexual assault of an 19-year-old woman by two men along its route.
"I get calls from my family saying they don't want to step out of their cars until I get home. So I have to leave my work early and rush home so everyone feels safe," JoJo told KITV4.
Residents say they've been trying for years to get a light put in. Officials tell KITV4, after a letter was sent out, Honolulu's Department of Design and Construction responded saying a work order for a light at the location was issued in December.
Nearly 10 months later, there's still no light at on the utility pole.
"You've got youth gang members. You've got people possibly picking up drugs. The crimes range from A through Z, you've got all of them. But the criminals seem to congregate in areas where there's no light -- this being one of them," said Hawaii State Rep. John M. Mizuno.
While light is the biggest concern for neighbors near the walkway, there are other factors that go into safety issues there as well. There is a wall of leaves that make it hard for people see inside. And there's not a lot of room for people to move around inside the walkway area.
"Any innocent who could traverse this area could be trapped. All it takes is a couple people to block them," said Mizuno.
The Wilson Street walkway is well-traveled. There are two bus stops nearby and people often use the path to go from one to the other. From the street, the stairway is not visible, making it more difficult for patrolling officers.
"The detectives asked if we heard anyone screaming for help. No one heard the victim. It's pretty isolated up there," said JoJo.
"Violent crime keeps going up in our communities. And we need to do everything we can to prevent that," said Honolulu City Council candidate Tyler Dos Santos Tam.
Neighbors want patrols stepped up at the walkway's entry points and they still have a spark of hope they'll soon see the light there as well.
Jefferson Tyler joined KITV after a lengthy stint in Reno, Nev. where he covered a variety of subjects. From wildfires to presidential elections, Jefferson takes pride in creating balanced stories that keep viewers’ attentions.
|
https://www.kitv.com/news/crime/kalihi-neighbors-concerned-about-wilson-street-walkway-after-recent-sex-assault/article_b3cdc3bc-31ab-11ed-895c-37e7d492e747.html
| 2022-09-12T20:23:11Z
|
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT TODAY FOR SOUTH FACING SHORES...
.A south swell may briefly push surf heights to advisory levels
along south facing shores later today.
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 AM
HST TUESDAY...
* WHAT...Surf 7 to 10 feet.
* WHERE...South facing shores of all Hawaiian Islands.
* WHEN...6 AM HST today through 6 AM HST Tuesday.
* IMPACTS...Moderate. Expect strong breaking waves, shore break,
and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming
difficult and dangerous.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers should heed all advice given by
ocean safety officials and exercise caution.
&&
HONOLULU (KITV4) -- Sunday marked 21 years since the 9-11 terrorist attacks on the US, killing nearly 3,000 people. In Honolulu, local leaders, firefighters, and residents commemorated those who were killed during the annual Remembrance Walk.
One step after the other, one person after another taking part in Honolulu's Remembrance Walk in Honolulu.
“Quite honestly, I feel emotional about this,” said Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi.
Blangiardi isn't the only one thinking about the nearly 3,000 people who died in the terrorist attacks over two decades ago.
The streets were packed with people for the walk, the first since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is wonderful. Because of the tragedy that our nation went through, it should be remembered. We're not the type to be a violent nation. But I think the remembrance is good,” said Lester Chao, who was out honoring those who died in the 9-11 attacks.
Nearly 350 firefighters and 60 law enforcement officers lost their lives rushing to the aid of those inside buildings hit by the attacks. Honolulu firefighters remember, and honor those killed.
“It's just about serving the community. They lost their lives. And it’s something we would not want to see again on our soil. But again, this is a great opportunity to remember their sacrifices and the heroes they are,” said Honolulu Fire Department Fire Chief Sheldon Hao.
This day there are moments of silence at the police station and fire station. To get to each location, the public and first responders travel together. The journey ends with a memorial at Honolulu Hale with an everlasting flame, a cultural tribute, and a laying of flower lei all in the honor of those who died.
“We just have to remind our young generation what happened over 20 years ago. So any time we can remember those sacrifices, it’s a good opportunity,” said Hao.
Many first responders also died from health complications related to saving people from the buildings damaged by the attacks.
Jefferson Tyler joined KITV after a lengthy stint in Reno, Nev. where he covered a variety of subjects. From wildfires to presidential elections, Jefferson takes pride in creating balanced stories that keep viewers’ attentions.
|
https://www.kitv.com/news/local/annual-9-11-remembrance-walk-held-in-honolulu-for-first-time-since-covid-19/article_5ae77152-3274-11ed-abb7-7312e514856c.html
| 2022-09-12T20:23:17Z
|
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT TODAY FOR SOUTH FACING SHORES...
.A south swell may briefly push surf heights to advisory levels
along south facing shores later today.
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 AM
HST TUESDAY...
* WHAT...Surf 7 to 10 feet.
* WHERE...South facing shores of all Hawaiian Islands.
* WHEN...6 AM HST today through 6 AM HST Tuesday.
* IMPACTS...Moderate. Expect strong breaking waves, shore break,
and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming
difficult and dangerous.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers should heed all advice given by
ocean safety officials and exercise caution.
&&
1 of 4
** FILE ** This is an aerial view of a beachfront resort on Poipu Beach on the island of Kauai Saturday Sept. 13, 1992 after suffering damage brought on by Hurricane Iniki. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
** ADVANCE FOR MONDAY SEPT 9 ** A Hanapepe resident enjoys a leisurely morning stroll Thursday, Sept. 5, 2002, past a once-thriving business building that now stands derelict, virtually untouched after being ravaged by Hurricane Iniki that struck Kauai Sept. 11, 1992. Like the rest of the country, Kauai residents will pause Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2002, to remember the tragic events of a year ago. But they also will mark the day when a different kind of terror swept through their homeland a decade ago. (AP Photo/Dennis Fujimoto)
This aerial view shows how trees along the beach on the island of Kauai were denuded of their leaves by Hurricane Iniki, Sept. 14, 1992 in Hawaii. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
A Poipu Beach resort on the Hawaiian island of Kauai is heavily damaged following high winds and rain from Hurricane Iniki, Sept. 12, 1992. The island remains without electricity and the airports are closed. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
** FILE ** This is an aerial view of a beachfront resort on Poipu Beach on the island of Kauai Saturday Sept. 13, 1992 after suffering damage brought on by Hurricane Iniki. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
REED SAXON
** ADVANCE FOR MONDAY SEPT 9 ** A Hanapepe resident enjoys a leisurely morning stroll Thursday, Sept. 5, 2002, past a once-thriving business building that now stands derelict, virtually untouched after being ravaged by Hurricane Iniki that struck Kauai Sept. 11, 1992. Like the rest of the country, Kauai residents will pause Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2002, to remember the tragic events of a year ago. But they also will mark the day when a different kind of terror swept through their homeland a decade ago. (AP Photo/Dennis Fujimoto)
DENNIS FUJIMOTO
This aerial view shows how trees along the beach on the island of Kauai were denuded of their leaves by Hurricane Iniki, Sept. 14, 1992 in Hawaii. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
Reed Saxon
A Poipu Beach resort on the Hawaiian island of Kauai is heavily damaged following high winds and rain from Hurricane Iniki, Sept. 12, 1992. The island remains without electricity and the airports are closed. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
KAUAI COUNTY, HAWAII (KITV4) -- Thirty years ago, Hurricane Iniki ravaged the Island of Kauai, destroying more than 1,400 homes and leaving behind $3 billion in damage. There is still damage on the island decades later.
“I remember the big glass windows in our living room flexing and breaking. The sound of the hurricane cannot really able to be explained. There was crunching, whistling and hissing,” said Kauai County Mayor Derek Kawakami.
By Derek Van Dam, Judson Jones, Brandon Miller, Allison Chinchar and Monica Garrett, CNN
Ron Agor, who was as an architect at the time, said 20% of the homes and buildings he worked with were completely destroyed. All that was left were slabs and a bathtub.
“Along the coast we saw buildings that were obviously picked up and pushed back a couple of blocks. We saw roofs torn out and on the west side we had winds over 200 miles an hour,” said Agor, with Architects, LLC.
Agor is currently working on rebuilding the Coco Palms Hotel that was severely damaged by the hurricane. He said what people can learn 30 years later is knowing the basic designs of our homes and base flood elevation numbers.
Former Mayor Joann Yukimura said Kauai residents were serious about being prepared for Iniki. She said everyone was stocking up on water, food and gasoline.
“Despite being one of the strongest hurricanes in our nation’s history, I think we had a very low mortality rate because people took it seriously and they took shelter,” Yukimura said.
Kauai officials urge the community to start planning early. That can include getting meds for kupuna and food for your pets.
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https://www.kitv.com/news/local/damage-from-hurricane-iniki-remains-on-kauai-30-years-later/article_64c9e438-3257-11ed-80fb-2bb838a516b7.html
| 2022-09-12T20:23:23Z
|
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT TODAY FOR SOUTH FACING SHORES...
.A south swell may briefly push surf heights to advisory levels
along south facing shores later today.
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 AM
HST TUESDAY...
* WHAT...Surf 7 to 10 feet.
* WHERE...South facing shores of all Hawaiian Islands.
* WHEN...6 AM HST today through 6 AM HST Tuesday.
* IMPACTS...Moderate. Expect strong breaking waves, shore break,
and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming
difficult and dangerous.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers should heed all advice given by
ocean safety officials and exercise caution.
&&
A retired nurse came to the aid of a baby who had stopped breathing on a Spirit Airlines flight last week from Pittsburgh to Orlando. A Spirit Airlines plane is seen here taking off at the Orlando International Airport in November 2020.
A retired nurse came to the aid of a baby who had stopped breathing on a Spirit Airlines flight last week from Pittsburgh to Orlando.
Tamara Panzino told CNN affiliate WESH that she was reading a book with her earbuds in when she "heard a flight attendant say, 'we have an infant not breathing.'"
An announcement shortly after asked if there was a doctor on board. The retired nurse ran to the back of the plane to see if she could help.
"I didn't know what I was dealing with," Panzino told WESH. "I saw an infant. The head was just back. And blue lips ... And my heart just dropped."
Panzino asked some questions and got to work, handing the three-month-old baby to the father.
"He held it while I did a sternal rub, kind of an aggressive shake of the chest. Get the baby to react by pinching it. Trying to make it cry or take a deep breath," Panzino told WESH.
The baby's color came back, and Panzino did not have to perform CPR.
The incident occurred on Spirit flight 1691 from Pittsburgh to Orlando on Thursday, the airline confirmed.
"We extend our deepest gratitude to Tamara for coming to the aid [of] our guests, and we applaud our crew for their quick response," the airline said in a statement provided to CNN Travel.
"Our flight attendants are trained to respond to medical emergencies onboard and utilize several resources, including communicating with our designated on-call medical professionals on the ground, using onboard medical kits, and receiving assistance from credentialed medical professionals traveling on the flight," Spirit said in the statement.
Panzino said the airline had everything the team needed to respond on board.
She said they knew within a couple minutes that "we were home free."
"The baby was going to be good. The color came back. I heard breathing sounds. Heard a heartbeat. Oh, my gosh, total relief."
Top image: A Spirit Airlines flight takes off at the Orlando International Airport in November 2020. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service/Getty Images)
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https://www.kitv.com/news/national/retired-nurse-helps-save-infants-life-on-spirit-airlines-flight/article_f28acd7f-cb89-5fcf-ad10-5bbaa66c81ad.html
| 2022-09-12T20:23:29Z
|
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT TODAY FOR SOUTH FACING SHORES...
.A south swell may briefly push surf heights to advisory levels
along south facing shores later today.
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 AM
HST TUESDAY...
* WHAT...Surf 7 to 10 feet.
* WHERE...South facing shores of all Hawaiian Islands.
* WHEN...6 AM HST today through 6 AM HST Tuesday.
* IMPACTS...Moderate. Expect strong breaking waves, shore break,
and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming
difficult and dangerous.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers should heed all advice given by
ocean safety officials and exercise caution.
&&
Former President Donald Trump opposes the Justice Department's two proposed candidates to be the special master overseeing a review of evidence that the FBI seized from Mar-a-Lago last month, he told a federal judge on September 12.
Former President Donald Trump opposes the Justice Department's two proposed candidates to be the special master overseeing a review of evidence that the FBI seized from Mar-a-Lago last month, he told a federal judge on Monday.
But the Trump team declined to give its reasons for objecting to the pair -- retired federal judges Barbara Jones and Thomas Griffith -- at this time.
"Plaintiff objects to the proposed nominees of the Department of Justice. Plaintiff believes there are specific reasons why those nominees are not preferred for service as Special Master in this case," the Trump lawyers wrote.
The Justice Department nominated Griffith, who served as a judge on US Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, DC, from 2005 to 2020, and Jones, a former federal prosecutor who has been a special master in several recent high-profile investigations.
The Trump team suggested lawyer Paul Huck Jr., a former partner at the Jones Day law firm and a contributor to the conservative legal organization the Federalist Society, and retired Judge Raymond Dearie, who served as a federal judge in New York since 1986, when he was nominated by former President Ronald Reagan.
Trump and the Justice Department have also disagreed on other key aspects of the special masterls responsibilities, including how long the review should take, who is responsible for paying the special master, and what type of documents are subject to review.
The Justice Department has not yet weighed in on Trump's proposed candidates.
Trump argues the judge didn't ask for more details
The Trump lawyers argue the court didn't ask for detailed reasoning, and they are trying to be "more respectful to the candidates from either party."
"Plaintiff also submits it is more respectful to the candidates from either party to withhold the bases for opposition from a public, and likely to be widely circulated, pleading," Trump's lawyers wrote. "Therefore, Plaintiff asks this Court for permission to specifically express our objections to the Government's nominees only at such time that the Court specifies a desire to obtain and consider that information."
This story has been updated with additional details.
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https://www.kitv.com/news/national/trump-opposes-dojs-mar-a-lago-special-master-candidates-but-doesnt-say-why/article_d7142417-7450-5294-a5b7-e24f369cbcb6.html
| 2022-09-12T20:23:35Z
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NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Nick Aldworth, former U.K. national coordinator for counterterrorism, about how England is prepping security for Queen Elizabeth's funeral in London next week.
Copyright 2022 NPR
NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Nick Aldworth, former U.K. national coordinator for counterterrorism, about how England is prepping security for Queen Elizabeth's funeral in London next week.
Copyright 2022 NPR
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https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-09-12/big-crowds-and-world-leaders-will-attend-the-queens-funeral-security-is-top-of-mind
| 2022-09-12T20:45:42Z
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Ukrainians celebrate as troops make gains NPR | By Mallory Yu, Kathryn Fox Published September 12, 2022 at 2:37 PM MDT Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Flipboard Listen • 1:26 Ukrainians react to the gains made by Ukrainian forces in a military offensive carried out in recent days. Copyright 2022 NPR
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https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-09-12/ukrainians-celebrate-as-troops-make-gains
| 2022-09-12T20:45:48Z
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News brief
More than 200 positions at the Wyoming Department of Corrections are currently vacant – about 20 percent of the entire staff – as worker shortages pinch prisons around the Mountain West, including in New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, and in tribal jails.
Paul Martin, an administrator for the Wyoming Department of Corrections, said it’s challenging for prisons to compete with other jobs that pay more, including those at county jails. An online advertisement lists the starting salary for a Wyoming corrections officer at about $18 an hour, while a similar job in Nebraska pays at least $22 an hour, according to the Casper Star Tribune.
“We see fast food chains competitive with us on starting salaries,” Martin said. “Labor goes where the money flows. So in order to compete, you know, it just takes money.”
Martin said understaffing has been a consistent problem at the department for decades, but it’s worsened lately as the nationwide labor shortage persists. He anticipates potential entry-level salary increases to try and hire and retain people.
“There's just fewer people in the workforce today than in years past,” he said. “It is a problem for us, [but] it hasn't reached public safety concern yet.”
Current employees are taking additional overtime shifts to pick up the slack.
Beyond macroeconomic trends, Martin noted that jobs at correctional facilities are challenging, and as is the case in Wyoming, they’re often located in isolated, rural areas.
“Everything you can think of that's wrong in society exists in prisons in a greater density than it does outside,” Martin said.
Martin sees positions in prisons as true public service opportunities for which there will always be demand. However, he said there are so many other places where work is needed right now.
This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, the O'Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West in Montana, KUNC in Colorado, KUNM in New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
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https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/news/2022-09-12/prisons-in-the-mountain-west-struggle-to-hire-and-retain-staff
| 2022-09-12T20:45:55Z
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17-year-old girl missing from Oklahoma for 10 months found in Ohio
AKRON, Ohio (WOIO/Gray News) – A teen from Oklahoma who had been missing for the last 10 months was found in Ohio Monday, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.
Shawna Justice, 17, was reported missing to the Woodward County Sheriff’s Office in December of 2021.
The Akron Police Department and USMS joined the investigation last week and found the girl in Akron on Sept. 12, 2022.
“The speed at which the investigation developed over the last week, and a recovery was able to happen in this case was exceptional,” U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott said in a news release. “Our officers should be commended for recovering this child swiftly and safe.”
Officials said an “adult relative” of Shawna was also arrested on outstanding warrants during the teen’s recovery, adding that further charges are pending investigation.
The teen will be kept in Ohio until authorities from Oklahoma can pick her up.
Anyone with information on a missing or endangered juvenile is asked to call the U.S. Marshals at 1-866-492-6833. Callers can remain anonymous.
Copyright 2022 WOIO via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/17-year-old-girl-missing-oklahoma-10-months-found-ohio/
| 2022-09-12T20:50:34Z
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2-pound twin infants surrendered under Daniel’s Law
ANDERSON, S.C. (WHNS/Gray News) – A set of twins was safely surrendered to a hospital in South Carolina under Daniel’s Law, according to the Department of Social Services.
The twin boys were taken in by officials at AnMed Health Medical Center in Anderson Thursday.
They were born July 11. One of the infants only weighed 2 pounds, 10.6 ounces, while the other weighed 2 pounds 2.2 ounces.
Under the Safe Haven for Abandoned Babies Act, Anderson County DSS said it took custody of the children, and the infants have been placed in a licensed foster home.
A permanency planning hearing will be held Oct. 20 at 10:30 am at the Anderson County Family Court.
According to DSS, these are the sixth and seventh infants surrendered in South Carolina so far this year.
Daniel’s Law provides a safe and legal option for people to surrender babies up to 60 days old. Anyone interested in learning more about the Safe Haven Act, also known as Daniel’s Law, can visit DSS’ website.
Copyright 2022 WHNS via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/2-pound-twin-infants-surrendered-under-daniels-law/
| 2022-09-12T20:50:42Z
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Amazon delivery driver helps family escape burning home
SYOSSET, N.Y. (WCBS) – An Amazon delivery driver in New York rushed into a burning home to save a family Saturday afternoon.
Firefighters arrived at the home just four minutes after the 911 call and found a family outside, thanks to the help of Kevin Rivera.
“I just saw the fire getting bigger and bigger. That’s when I rushed in,” Rivera said. “Everyone is calling me a hero.”
The Amazon driver said he was finishing his route when he saw the flames near the front of the home.
He said he saw several people inside through an open front door, including a woman and a baby who were apparently unaware of the fire.
“I just rushed in. I didn’t want anyone to die in that house,” Rivera said.
Rivera said he told the six or seven people inside about the flames, but a language barrier made it difficult for them to understand at first.
He urged them to leave through the back door, away from the flames.
Eventually, they did and then saw the house in flames.
“They just started crying,” Rivera said. “They just got emotional.”
A neighbor captured video of the fire and said it could have been a lot worse. When she heard about Rivera’s actions, she posted his story on social media to praise the driver.
“I thought it was great,” Amanda Johnson said.
Now, the neighborhood that normally thanks him for his deliveries is thanking him for much more.
“To be honest, I just feel great that I did something,” Rivera said.
Investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire.
Copyright 2022 WCBS via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/amazon-delivery-driver-helps-family-escape-burning-home/
| 2022-09-12T20:50:48Z
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Bear crashes 2-year-old’s birthday party, eats cupcakes
Published: Sep. 12, 2022 at 11:35 AM EDT|Updated: 5 hours ago
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. (CNN) – An unexpected guest crashed a 2-year-old’s birthday party in Connecticut last weekend.
A large black bear showed up and helped itself to some cupcakes.
Laura Durst was having a party for her 2-year-old son when the bear popped up behind a guest and sniffed her.
Springing into action, some of the adults grabbed the children and took them into the garage. Some guests got into their cars and honked their horns, while others continued yelling at the bear to scare it away, but the bear was unfazed.
The bear made its way to the dessert table and began snacking.
Durst says the party guests ended up waiting inside the house until the bear left on its own.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/bear-crashes-2-year-olds-birthday-party-eats-cupcakes/
| 2022-09-12T20:50:55Z
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Bezos rocket fails during liftoff, only experiments aboard
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A rocket crashed back to Earth shortly after liftoff Monday in the first launch accident for Jeff Bezos’ space travel company, but the capsule carrying experiments managed to parachute to safety.
No one was aboard the Blue Origin flight, which used the same kind of rocket as the one that sends paying customers to the edge of space. The rockets are now grounded pending the outcome of an investigation, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
The New Shepard rocket was barely a minute into its flight from West Texas when bright yellow flames shot out from around the single engine at the bottom. The capsule’s emergency launch abort system immediately kicked in, lifting the craft off the top. Several minutes later, the capsule parachuted onto the remote desert floor.
The rocket came crashing down, with no injuries or damage reported, said the FAA, which is in charge of public safety during commercial space launches and landings.
Blue Origin’s launch commentary went silent when the capsule catapulted off the rocket Monday morning, eventually announcing: “It appears we’ve experienced an anomaly with today’s flight. This wasn’t planned.”
“Booster failure on today’s uncrewed flight. Escape system performed as designed,” the Kent, Washington-based company tweeted close to an hour later.
The company later said the rocket crashed.
The mishap occurred as the rocket was traveling nearly 700 mph (1,126 kph) at an altitude of about 28,000 feet (8,500 meters). There was no video shown of the rocket — only the capsule — after the failure. It happened around the point the rocket is under the maximum amount of pressure, called max-q.
The rocket usually lands upright on the desert floor and then is recycled for future flights.
The webcast showed the capsule reaching a maximum altitude of more than 37,000 feet (11,300 meters). Thirty-six experiments were on board to be exposed to a few minutes of weightlessness. Half were sponsored by NASA, mostly from students.
It was the 23rd flight for the New Shepard program, named after the first American in space, Mercury astronaut Alan Shepard. It was the ninth flight for this particular rocket-capsule pair, which was dedicated to flying experiments.
Blue Origin’s most recent flight with paying customers was just last month; the ticket price hasn’t been released. Bezos was on the first New Shepard crew last year. Altogether, Blue Origin has carried 31 people on 10-minute flights, including actor William Shatner.
The rocket should have launched nearly two weeks ago, but was grounded until Monday by bad weather.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/bezos-rocket-fails-during-liftoff-only-experiments-aboard/
| 2022-09-12T20:51:02Z
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Book: Trump planned to refuse to leave White House after election loss
(CNN) - After losing the 2020 election, former President Donald Trump reportedly told aides he wouldn’t physically leave the White House in efforts to keep incoming President Joe Biden from taking over.
A new book by New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman details new revelations on the final days of Trump’s presidency.
In reporting provided to CNN from the book by Haberman, Trump repeatedly told aides following his election loss that he would refuse to leave the White House.
In Haberman’s book, “Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America,” she reports that Trump told one aide, “I’m just not going to leave.”
“We’re never leaving. How can you leave when you won an election?” the book claims Trump told another aide.
Trump’s insistence that he would not leave the White House has never been previously reported and shines a new light on the final days of his administration.
Haberman writes of the shift in Trump’s private comments on his election loss.
In the immediate aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, Trump seemed to recognize his loss.
He comforted one advisor, saying, “We did our best,” and reportedly told junior press aides that he thought “we had it.”
At some point, Trump’s mood shifted, and he was heard saying he wouldn’t leave.
He was even overheard asking Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel, “Why would I leave if they stole it from me?”
Haberman, who is also a CNN contributor, reported Trump quizzed nearly everyone around him on how to stay in power. Among those he reportedly asked was the valet who brought him a Diet Coke when Trump pressed a red button on his Oval Office desk.
Haberman said Trump’s son-in-law and advisor, Jared Kushner, was reluctant to confront him over the election loss.
Kushner encouraged a group of aides to go to the White House and brief Trump. When asked why he was not attending the briefing, Kushner likened it to a deathbed scene, saying, “The priest comes later.”
Haberman’s book comes out Oct. 4.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/book-trump-planned-refuse-leave-white-house-after-election-loss/
| 2022-09-12T20:51:08Z
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California is phasing out gas-powered auto sales; other states may follow
(CNN) - California made history last month when regulators agreed to ban the sale of new gasoline-fueled cars by 2035, and because the state is the largest auto market in the country, the measure could lead to a major shift across the country.
More than a dozen states could be on the verge of adopting the same unprecedented car sales mandate.
“If that group of states that tends to follow California’s lead were do so with this as well, it would be roughly 30 percent of the US would be living somewhere where there would be this requirement,” said Asha Weinstein Agrawal of Mineta Transportation Institute.
Currently, there are 17 states that already follow California’s car emission standards, at least in part.
And experts said once the mandate is approved by the Environmental Protection Agency, it’s likely they’ll apply their rule, which requires that by 2035, all new vehicles sold in the state must be electric, hydrogen powered, or at least plug-in hybrid.
“We will move forward to green and decarbonize our vehicle fleet,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom said.
Experts said under the federal Clean Air Act, states must follow the federal government’s vehicle emission standards or choose to adopt California’s stricter requirements.
A growing number of states appear to be leaning toward the second option, including Washington, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon and Vermont.
Critics of the measure argue it raises big concerns around issues like charging infrastructure, mineral availability, supply chain issues and vehicle pricing.
The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act aims to help lower prices by giving buyers of passenger vehicles assembled in North America a $7,500 federal electric vehicle tax incentive.
“If you install an electric vehicle charging station in your home, you can also get a tax credit,” Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/california-is-phasing-out-gas-powered-auto-sales-other-states-may-follow/
| 2022-09-12T20:51:15Z
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CAUGHT ON CAM: Man climbs through luggage carousel at airport
CLEVELAND (WOIO/Gray News) - A man was arrested for climbing through a luggage carousel at an airport in Ohio in July.
WOIO obtained surveillance video capturing the incident at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
The video released by the Cleveland Police Department caught the man, identified as 29-year-old Nicholas Garrett, climbing through the carousel around 4:45 p.m. July 3.
A witness said they saw Garrett enter the restricted area. They immediately called police, according to an incident report.
When they questioned him, officers said Garrett told them he noticed the zipper of his luggage had been opened and a pair of shoes estimated to be $1,000 were missing.
Officers said he also told them he noticed an employee through the carousel door after the carousel stopped, which was when he jumped through the carousel.
“What you did was a big, big no-no,” one of the officers said.
“I wasn’t trying to break no laws,” Garrett replied.
The exchange was caught on officer-worn bodycam video, provided by the Cleveland Police Department.
Police then arrested Garrett, the report said. Officers also discovered Garrett was carrying a “small amount” of marijuana.
Garrett was charged with criminal trespassing, a fourth-degree misdemeanor, according to court documents. He pleaded no contest on July 12 and was given a $198 fine, the court documents say.
Copyright 2022 WOIO via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/caught-cam-man-climbs-through-luggage-carousel-airport/
| 2022-09-12T20:51:22Z
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Communication is key to staying on budget for a wedding
Define priorities first and budget around them
InvestigateTV - The average cost of a wedding in the United States is $22,500 and according to experts, the best way to save on this high price tag is to be flexible.
A venue is your biggest expense, depending on what state you live in. The average cost according to WeddingWire is $6,000
Nate Johnson, a wealth management advisor with Merrill Lynch, said while you are in the planning stages it’s important for the family members to be on the same page in terms of the budget.
Defining your priorities, be it the ceremony, the food, or the venue, will help you all know where to rein in other costs, Johnson said. He stressed how important it is for everyone involved in the planning and financing to be open and honest with each other.
Johnson said it is still traditional for the bride’s side of the family to cover the costs associated with the ceremony and the reception and the groom’s side of the family to cover the costs associated with the rehearsal dinner and maybe any excursions around the wedding weekend.
The Better Business Bureau has free resources for anyone planning a wedding along with tips on how to find reputable vendors in your areas.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/communication-is-key-staying-budget-wedding/
| 2022-09-12T20:51:28Z
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Disney releases first teaser trailer for ‘The Little Mermaid’
(CNN) - Disney fans are looking forward to heading under the sea next summer after the studio released the first teaser clip for the upcoming live-action version of “The Little Mermaid.”
The clip shows Halle Bailey as Ariel, the mermaid who gives up her voice to trade her fins for legs.
The film’s director says it was important to honor the original while also bringing some depth to the new film.
It will feature four brand new songs, as well as favorites like “Part of Your World,” which fans get a glimpse of in the teaser trailer.
Bailey, a 22-year-old R&B singer, told Variety she has seen some criticism on social media for casting Black woman as Ariel.
Disney’s 1989 animated film featuring a white, red-headed Ariel was a retelling of a 19th century fairy tale.
“The Little Mermaid” will hit theaters May 26.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/disney-releases-first-teaser-trailer-little-mermaid/
| 2022-09-12T20:51:35Z
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Exxon Valdez Capt. Joseph Hazelwood dies at 75
Published: Sep. 12, 2022 at 3:13 PM EDT|Updated: 2 hours ago
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Joseph Hazelwood, the captain of the Exxon Valdez that grounded on Alaska’s Bligh Reef in 1989, causing one of the nation’s worst oil spills, has died.
A nephew, Sam Hazelwood, confirmed to The New York Times that Joseph Hazelwood died at age 75 in July after struggling with COVID-19 and cancer.
Hazelwood was accused of drinking before the ship left Valdez, Alaska, but witnesses at his trial disputed that he was drunk.
He handed control of the ship off to a third mate and was below deck when the tanker grounded.
He was the lone person criminally charged but was only convicted of a misdemeanor.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/exxon-valdez-capt-joseph-hazelwood-dies-75/
| 2022-09-12T20:51:42Z
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The fight against an age-old effort to block Americans from voting
As a new wave of restrictions makes voting harder for people who struggle to read — now 1 in 5 Americans — people like Olivia Coley-Pearson have taken up the fight, even if it makes her a target.
Sign up for ProPublica’s User’s Guide to Democracy, a series of personalized emails that help you understand the upcoming election, from who’s on your ballot to how to cast your vote.
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InvestigateTV - For nearly 10 hours on Georgia’s primary day, Olivia Coley-Pearson tracked down every potential voter she could find, working two cellphones as she paced the parking lot outside the polls, repeating the same message: “You need to tell all your cousins, your brothers, your sisters, your aunts, your uncles — everybody you know — to come on down here to vote.”
A third of her neighbors in Coffee County struggle to read at a basic level, and she wanted to make sure they had help navigating their ballots. In the late afternoon, she slid behind the sparkly pink steering wheel of her SUV for her final push of the day, heading down a long stretch of road where buildings gave way to fields and thickets of pine. She turned in to the Kinwood Estates mobile home park and stopped at the edge of a familiar dirt driveway just as Shondriana Jones, 30, bounded down the steps of a trailer.
“I can’t find my ID and Mama, she’s still at work,” Jones said.
Coley-Pearson has helped the family vote for years — she’s known them since she and Jones’ mother, Sabrina Fillmore, were young. Now 60, Coley-Pearson serves as a city commissioner in Douglas, the majority-Black county seat. Fillmore, 54, works at the local poultry plant cutting chickens. Neither Fillmore nor her daughter can read beyond a first-grade level, but they rarely miss an election, believing their votes can influence everything from their electricity costs to the way police treat them.
Coley-Pearson urged Jones to track down a utility bill to prove her identity at the election office just as Fillmore returned from a 10-hour shift, exhausted. With the women aboard, Coley-Pearson started the car, anxiety brewing in her mind.
Even though federal law guaranteed the two women the right to have someone help them vote, Coley-Pearson knew too well that this right was under attack. For all of the recent uproar over voting rights, little attention has been paid to one of the most sustained and brazen suppression campaigns in America: the effort to block help at the voting booth for people who struggle to read — a group that amounts to about 48 million Americans, or more than a fifth of the adult population. “How the system is set up, it disenfranchises people,” said Coley-Pearson, who blames Southern political leaders for throwing up hurdles. “It’s by design, I believe, because they want to maintain that power and that control.”
ProPublica - How to Fix America’s Confusing Election System
Conservative politicians have long used harsh tactics against voters who can’t read — poor, often Black and Latino Americans who have been failed by the U.S. education system and who conservatives feared would vote for liberal candidates. Some states have required voters who needed help to sign an affidavit explaining why they need assistance; some have prevented voters who couldn’t read from bringing sample ballots to the polls and limited the number of voters that a volunteer could help read a ballot. Time and again, federal courts have struck down such restrictions as illegal and unconstitutional. Inevitably, states just create more.
Over the last two years, the myth of election fraud, supercharged by former President Donald Trump in the wake of his 2020 loss, has fueled a barrage of new restrictions. While they do not all target voters who struggle to read, they make it especially challenging for voters with low literacy skills to get help casting ballots.
Last year, Georgia passed a law limiting who can return or even touch a completed absentee ballot. Florida expanded the radius around election locations in which volunteers are prohibited from asking people if they need help. Texas passed a law prohibiting voters’ assistants from answering questions or paraphrasing complicated language on the ballot; a federal judge struck down several sections of the law in June. But the court left other provisions in place, including ones that increase penalties for helping voters who don’t qualify and require people who assist voters to fill out more paperwork. Texas did not appeal the decision.
To understand the impact of low-literacy voters going uncounted, ProPublica analyzed data on turnout from the three most recent national elections and compared it to average estimated literacy levels for over 3,000 counties. We found that as literacy rates decline, voter participation tends to decrease. (Read more about our analysis, and the data used, in our methodology.)
It is impossible to say precisely what role literacy plays in voter turnout. There are many other factors that contribute to lower participation, including some closely intertwined with literacy, such as income and education level. But to put the importance of reading ability in perspective, our analysis found that if low-literacy counties had turnout similar to high-literacy counties, they could have added up to about 7 million votes to the national total for each of those three elections.
This is meaningful, considering that some of the most consequential elections of our time have come down to the narrowest of margins:
Despite losing the popular vote, Trump secured the presidency in 2016 by winning Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan by a margin of just under 80,000 total votes.
President Joe Biden prevailed in 2020 by winning Arizona, Georgia and Wisconsin by just over 40,000 votes combined.
ProPublica - How We Analyzed Literacy and Voter Turnout
Coley-Pearson recognizes the importance of this moment for Georgia, which is no stranger to close elections. Republican Gov. Brian Kemp faces another challenge from Democrat Stacey Abrams, and Sen. Raphael Warnock is attempting to hold on to his seat in a race that could tip the Senate back to Republican control. But to Coley-Pearson, helping people vote isn’t only about politics or even just about their rights as individuals. It is about the future of democracy at a time when it seems like the views of the majority are being marginalized by the actions of the few.
As a child in the 1970s, she’d watched as her mother, Gladys Coley — who stood just above 5 feet and had only an eighth grade education — rose to the helm of the local NAACP and challenged the discriminatory school system and police department. Her mother begged her not to return from college in Atlanta, but Coley-Pearson wanted to fight for the people of Coffee County, too. As she headed to the polls on primary day this past May, though, she couldn’t subdue her fear that by helping Jones and Fillmore, she was putting a target on her own back.
Over the course of several years, she’d become tangled in an investigation of supposed voter fraud, which took aim at her attempts to assist voters who requested help. She had pleaded her case to television cameras and at a hearing before the state’s highest election official. She had even wound up in jail.
“Intimidation is real,” Coley-Pearson said. “If we don’t continue to vote, they’re going to have us right back where it used to be.”
Coley-Pearson was born in an era when Southern states forced convoluted literacy tests on voters to keep Black people out of the polls. In those days, local voting officials often made exceptions for white people who couldn’t read. In 1965, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act prohibiting racial discrimination at the polls. That didn’t stop white conservatives, especially in the South, from continuing to discriminate against voters with low literacy skills, who, due to centuries of oppression, were disproportionately Black.
Conservatives argued that removing barriers for voters who couldn’t read would allow the federal government to overrule states’ decisions on how to run local elections and would hand more votes to liberal candidates. Clearly, they said, voters with low reading skills would be easily swayed by anyone assisting them, leading to rampant fraud.
“Today the bureaucrats are issuing certificates to vote to people who cannot read the ballot nor even the instructions on a ballot or on a voting machine,” segregationist Alabama Gov. George Wallace declared in late 1965. “The left wing liberals need as many illiterates as they can get to vote in order to keep them in power.”
The Rev. Fred C. Bennette Jr., a civil rights movement organizer, right, instructs Black people in Atlanta how to fill out registration forms in 1963. (AP Photo/Horace Cort)
By 1981, voters of color, including those with low literacy levels, still faced “white resistance and hostility,” according to a U.S. Commission on Civil Rights report. “For many minority voters, the kind of assistance that they receive at the polls determines whether they will vote,” the report stated. “If minority voters who do not speak English or who are illiterate receive inadequate assistance, they may become too frustrated and discouraged to vote or they may mark their ballots in such a way that they will not be counted.”
Congress amended the Voting Rights Act in 1982 to affirm that voters who need help due to an “inability to read” could bring someone, other than their employer or union representative, to assist them in the voting booth. A string of subsequent lawsuits shows this federal action again failed to eradicate the discrimination.
In a 2001 case, the federal justice department claimed that white poll managers in Charleston County, South Carolina, were intimidating Black voters who requested assistance. According to testimony given in the case, the poll workers launched a barrage of questions at these voters, such as, “Can’t you read and write? And didn’t you just sign in? And you know how to spell your name, why can’t you just vote by yourself? And do you really need voter assistance?”
A federal judge found that there was “significant evidence of intimidation and harassment,” but said evidence of the mistreatment was too “anecdotal” to take direct action.
In 2012, the chairman of Coffee County’s board of elections filed a complaint against Coley-Pearson and three other residents, alleging that they’d assisted voters who didn’t legally qualify for help. Georgia law only allows voters to receive assistance if they are disabled or cannot read English. The secretary of state’s office, then under Kemp’s leadership, initiated an investigation.
The following summer, a 52-year-old line cook named Alvin Williams answered his phone to find a state investigator on the other end. The man had questions about the 2012 election. “It looks like you were assisted by Olivia Pearson,” said state investigator Glenn Archie, in a recording obtained by ProPublica. (Archie did not respond to a request for comment.) “It’s not marked why she assisted you and I was wondering why you needed assistance.”
The tone of the man’s voice made Williams nervous. “Because I can’t read. I’m illiterate,” Williams told Archie. He’d dropped out of school at 16 to work full time catching chickens and selling them to the local poultry plant, a job he’d skipped classes for since he was 11 to help support his family.
“I’m sure she read the candidates to you,” Archie said. “Did you get to pick the people you wanted to vote for?”
“Yes, sir,” Williams said. “I can’t read. That’s why she was helping me.”
“That’s no problem,” the investigator assured him. “She can assist you if you have problems reading.”
But the call left Williams humiliated and fearful of how his vote could be used against him or Coley-Pearson. “I don’t fool with the law,” he said in a recent interview. “And I don’t do nothing for them to fool with me.”
ProPublica - How to Vote: A Quick and Easy Guide
Some other voters told investigators that they had requested and received help even though they could read. The investigation found that Coley-Pearson and the other volunteers neglected to verify whether some voters qualified for help and incorrectly filled out forms indicating why voters needed assistance. It also found that election workers failed to include required information on many forms and turned them in without making sure they were accurate.
Testifying at a 2016 hearing chaired by Kemp, Coley-Pearson maintained that she hadn’t broken any laws. In response to a poll worker’s claim that she’d touched the voting machine, Coley-Pearson said she’d merely accompanied voters who had requested her assistance and stood by to answer questions about the process or read names on the ballot. She said she followed the instructions of the poll workers, signing forms when directed.
“If someone asks me for help, I felt an obligation to try to assist if I could,” she testified at the hearing, stressing that she never told anyone who to vote for. Coley-Pearson suspected there was a deeper significance to the investigation and told the board, “Sometimes things are done to try to maybe dis-encourage, or whatever, other people from voting, and I don’t feel like that is fair.”
The state election board chose not to recommend her case for criminal prosecution, but a local district attorney’s office prosecuted her anyway, which made national headlines in BuzzFeed. It charged her with two felonies for improperly assisting a voter and for signing a form that gave a false reason for why a voter needed assistance. The trial ended with a hung jury. One of two Black people on the jury told a local reporter that she was the only holdout; everyone else voted to find Coley-Pearson guilty. She was tried again in a nearby county and, after about 20 minutes of deliberations, the new jury acquitted her of all charges. The district attorney’s office did not respond to ProPublica’s emailed questions.
On the day of Georgia’s primary elections in May, ProPublica followed Olivia Coley-Pearson to capture what it takes to ensure that voters who need help can get it.
Three other volunteers took plea deals in which they admitted to making false statements on forms indicating the reason that a voter needed assistance; in exchange, they got probation, after which any fines would be waived. One of them, James Curtis Hicks, said that if he had fought his case and lost, he could have faced jail time or a mountain of fines. He didn’t want to take any risks. “Around here, to me, they target the leaders, the people that are standing up for the rights of the minority,” he said in a recent interview. “To shut me and Ms. Pearson down, it would stop a whole lot of people going to the polls.”
For years, the 59-year-old truck driver had kept tabs on Coffee County voters to see if they needed help reading the ballot. But after the settlement, he stopped. “I didn’t want a focus on me to suppress anyone else,” he said. “I really felt intimidated.”
But the charges didn’t deter Coley-Pearson.
****
Before Jones could vote that May afternoon, she needed to get temporary identification. Dodging the pouring rain, she and Coley-Pearson scuttled into the elections office shortly before it closed. At nearly 6 feet tall, Coley-Pearson towered over the woman sitting behind a plexiglass barrier.
“She needs a voter ID, sweetie,” Coley-Pearson said, leaning in. The woman handed Jones an application.
“You need me to do it, baby?” Coley-Pearson asked softly.
Jones nodded, “Yes, ma’am.”
The woman at the counter emphasized that Jones had to complete it on her own.
“She has trouble reading and writing,” Coley-Pearson said.
After a tense moment, the woman agreed that Coley-Pearson could fill out the form. She read the questions out loud and filled in Jones’ answers, pointing out which lines to sign and date.
Jones is in the third generation of her family that is not able to read. Her grandmother never learned how, and her mother, Fillmore, left high school in her sophomore year, after frequently being disciplined for fighting. As an adult, Fillmore briefly attended an education program to help her learn how to read, but she felt discouraged and left.
Jones graduated from high school in Coffee County but says she reads at the same first-grade level as her mother. She remembers attending special education classes with more field trips than written assignments and says teachers never diagnosed her with a learning disability or gave her one-on-one assistance. School administrators also frequently suspended her for fighting, she said. “They were trying to get rid of me.”
Coffee County has long failed to provide an equal education for students of color. In 1969, federal officials sued its school board for refusing to integrate white and Black schools. Even after the school system was integrated, Black students continued to receive fewer academic resources and harsher punishments than their white peers. A decade ago, the district acknowledged its shortcomings in reading instruction and the need to rectify its problems with literacy, which were more pronounced for Black students.
The county’s lower literacy rate is related to its high poverty rate, and since integration, the district has worked to increase opportunities for students of color, Coffee County School District Superintendent Morris Leis said in an email; he added that the district does not use discipline to “push out” children who have academic challenges, and it has reduced racial disparities in discipline after it initiated a new program in 2014. By that time, Jones had graduated.
She aspires to learn how to read through an adult education program and to eventually work at a child care center, but she cannot do so without steady transportation. She has not applied for a driver’s license; though she could take the written test orally like her mother did, she hasn’t been able to find someone who has time to help her study the examination booklet.
Ordinary tasks are often insurmountable for her. She owns a smartphone, but mining the web for information is daunting. After she fell several months behind on her electric payments, she could not read the notice that warned her lights would be cut off. She likely qualifies for low-cost internet, but she cannot navigate the instructions for accessing it. When she takes her son to the doctor’s office, she prints his first and last name on the forms but asks the staff for help with the rest. Unable to decipher her most valuable documents, like her birth certificate, she entrusts them to her aunt, who can read and helps determine what she needs for appointments and applications.
Jones worries most about keeping up with her 4-year-old son as he grows. She can read beginner books to him, but she knows his knowledge will soon surpass her own.
For Jones, the voting process itself is like a literacy test. If she changes her address, she cannot easily update her registration. If she enters the polling booth alone, she may recognize a few names on the ballot, but any unfamiliar words could confound her, particularly when it comes to the often-confusing constitutional amendments. She prefers voting by mail, which allows her more time to process her choices, but Georgia’s new election law is making that more difficult. The law has banned outside groups from mailing out absentee ballot applications that have the resident’s information already filled in, and it has limited who can submit the applications on voters’ behalf. The law does include exceptions for people helping “illiterate” voters, but experts say its limit on assistance could still discourage those voters from requesting help.
“Any law that limits assistance is going to have an impact on voters with limited literacy,” said Sean Morales-Doyle, acting director of voting rights at the Brennan Center for Justice. “Whether or not that’s the intention of the lawmakers, that’s always a difficult thing to say. But I do think sometimes it may very well be the intention.”
Across the country, people like Jones are stumbling through inscrutable election processes fraught with poor ballot design and rigid registration rules. Some are choosing not to vote at all. (Read more about how some states are trying to make voting more accessible.) “We know in general that the more barriers we put in front of people, the lower the participation rate,” said Donald Moynihan, a professor of public policy at Georgetown University. “Even if someone with lower literacy has the same desire to vote as someone reading this article, they have to overcome more barriers.”
In 2014, for example, Ohio legislators began requiring voters to fill out more complicated versions of absentee and provisional ballot forms while at the same time limiting the assistance they could get from poll workers. Minor errors in the paperwork could lead to people’s votes not being counted. In a lawsuit, the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless claimed that the laws disproportionately harmed poor, nonwhite and low-literacy voters who would be more likely to have their ballots rejected for minor errors.
Data submitted as evidence shows that thousands of forms were tossed in the 2014 and 2015 general elections for simple problems such as incomplete addresses and birthdays. Poll workers refused one form because the street name “Cuthbert” was misspelled as “Cuthberth.” Several others were rejected because birth dates were listed as the current date, an indicator that voters may not have understood the instructions.
In 2016, a federal judge struck down the measures, concluding they disproportionately harmed Black voters. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed that state rules requiring perfect completion of absentee ballot forms posed an undue burden to voters. But the panel said the other measures were minimally disruptive and left in place regulations that limited the assistance voters could get from poll workers and the amount of time voters were given to correct errors on absentee and provisional ballots.
“What the case demonstrates is the indifference of officials from one political party, and of unfortunately many federal judges, to voting rights and to the need to make voting not only secure, but relatively unburdensome,” said Subodh Chandra, an attorney for the plaintiffs.
A similar law in Georgia suspended voter registration applications when the information on the form didn’t exactly match a driver’s license or social security record. (If voters didn’t correct the information within 26 months, Georgia could cancel their registrations.) When then-Secretary of State Kemp ran for governor against Stacey Abrams in 2018, his office suspended the applications of an estimated 53,000 voters, most of them Black, due to these discrepancies. Kemp won the election by about 55,000 votes.
A federal judge ordered Georgia to ease the restrictive program, calling it a “severe burden” on some voters. Politicians, academics and advocates have accused Kemp of voter suppression not only for suspending registration applications over minor discrepancies, but also for purging tens of thousands of infrequent voters from the rolls — a more aggressive effort than is made in other states.
Kemp press secretary Katie Bryd disputed the allegations and noted that Kemp had implemented automatic voter registration through the state’s department of motor vehicles in 2016, which added hundreds of thousands of eligible voters to the rolls. “Politically driven, irresponsible accusations of voter suppression alleged at Governor Kemp have been repeatedly found void of basic facts and validity,” Byrd said in an email.
Today, voters flagged for minor discrepancies in their registration paperwork can no longer be removed from the rolls, but they do have to show a photo identification before they vote.
*****
As Coley-Pearson parked at the polling station, her thoughts flew back to a similar day not long ago when she wound up handcuffed in the back of a police cruiser.
In October 2020 — more than two years after she was cleared of the felony charges — she was standing in a voting booth helping a young woman with low literacy skills read a ballot, as is allowed by law, when the county’s election supervisor, Misty Martin, confronted her. Martin yelled at Coley-Pearson to not touch the machines and told her she was barred from returning to the polls. Coley-Pearson said she wasn’t touching any machines. “We’re done,” she told the young woman after she finished voting. “Let’s go.”
Martin, who also has used the last names Hampton and Hayes, called the police to report that Coley-Pearson was disruptive, and the department issued a trespass warning barring her from the polls indefinitely. Later that morning, when Coley-Pearson returned to drop off another voter, she was arrested in the parking lot and charged with criminal trespassing. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into election interference claims in Coffee County, including an incident in which Martin allowed several computer experts connected with Trump’s efforts to challenge the 2020 results into her offices, where they may have had access to election systems; Martin resigned from her county post under pressure last year. She did not respond to ProPublica’s questions related to either incident.
The charge hung over Coley-Pearson for nearly two years; this past June, a state judge agreed to drop the case if she signed a consent order agreeing to follow election law. “There was no evidence of any crime here,” Coley-Pearson said. “It feels like you’re fighting a losing battle.”
Her daughters see how the last several years have worn her down. AiyEsha Coley said she would sometimes wake up at 4 a.m. to feed her newborn and would find her mother on Facebook, reading through disparaging comments. Her daughters have long campaigned for her to retire from city commission, scared that the stress might eventually kill her. She’s starting to come around, and she plans to leave her post next year.
Now peering into her back seat, Coley-Pearson worried her presence could interfere with Jones and Fillmore’s ability to vote. “I did not want any type of confrontation, I did not want any kind of accusations, I just didn’t want any hassle,” she said.
She told them she would not be going in with them and instructed two close friends to help them instead. “When you get through, you all come down there to the tent,” she said, motioning to where her volunteers were sitting out of reach of the rain.
Coley-Pearson watched the women shuffle into the building and fretted as she waited, leaning on her mobile walker at the edge of the parking lot with a group of volunteer canvassers. She had reminded her friends of the rules, but she knew that sometimes, following them was not enough. “They might try to look for anything they could use against them,” she said.
After nearly an hour, Jones and her mother emerged, beaming.
Coley-Pearson’s nerves settled, at least for the moment.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/fight-against-an-age-old-effort-block-americans-voting/
| 2022-09-12T20:51:49Z
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Gas price decline hits 13 consecutive weeks
(Gray News) – Gas prices continue to fall for the 13th week in a row, declining 7.6 cents from a week ago, according to GasBuddy.
The national average of fuel is $3.67 per gallon, which is down 26.9 cents from a month ago.
Petroleum analyst Patrick De Haan said price reports are showing drastically different price behaviors from coast to coast.
Some areas are seeing noticeable increases, while others are seeing decreases, De Haan explained.
“Refinery issues in California are leading to increases in areas supplied by the state’s refineries, including areas of Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and of course, California,” De Haan said. “Gasoline supply remains tight for the East Coast with some modest moves up, while prices continue to edge lower in the Plains, South and areas of the Great Lakes.”
De Haan believes the drop in prices will overpower the increases and could lead to another potential week-to-week decline.
That being said, De Haan explained the country is in a fragile state and could “certainly see a broader move higher in the weeks ahead.”
According to GasBuddy, the lowest average gas prices were reported in Texas, Arkansas and Mississippi, while California, Hawaii and Nevada reported the highest prices.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/gas-price-decline-hits-13-consecutive-weeks/
| 2022-09-12T20:51:56Z
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HelloFresh meal kits may have contained ground beef contaminated with E. coli
(Gray News) - HelloFresh meal kits shipped in July may have contained ground beef contaminated with E. coli, according to an alert issued by the Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.
Officials say that consumers who still have the beef in their freezers should throw it away.
The USDA believes the beef is linked to illnesses, but did not specify how many potential cases there are.
The potentially contaminated ground beef was shipped to consumers in meal kits from July 2 to July 21. It came in a 10-ounce package with the label “EST.46841″ next to the USDA mark of inspection. The sides of the packages contained one of two codes: EST#46841 L1 22 155 or EST#46841 L5 22 155.
The full kits are not being recalled because they are no longer sold.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/hellofresh-meal-kits-may-have-contained-ground-beef-contaminated-with-e-coli/
| 2022-09-12T20:52:03Z
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Human trafficking sting results in 160 arrests, including high school teacher, Disney employee
POLK COUNTY, Fla. (Gray News) – Authorities in Florida arrested 160 people during a seven-day long undercover human trafficking sting.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said the operation, called “Fall Haul 2,” began Aug. 30.
Detectives said the total of charges stemming from the operation included 52 felonies and 216 misdemeanors.
The sheriff’s office said one of the most notable arrests was of 41-year-old Cameron Burke, a computer technician for Oak Ridge High School in Orange County. Detectives said Burke was out on bond for having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old student that began in 2020.
Other notable arrests included a deputy chief of a Georgia police department, a high school math teacher, a bellhop employed by Disney and a freelance photographer often contracted by Disney.
The oldest of the arrests is 64, while the youngest is 19 years old, according to officials.
Out of the 160 arrests, 15 people were from states other than Florida, and one was from Puerto Rico.
Of the people who were arrested, police say 26 of them said they were married.
Detectives also said they seized cocaine, heroin, meth, MDMA and marijuana from those they arrested as well.
Multiple agencies participated in the operation, including several police departments, social service organizations, and members of the state’s Department of Children and Families.
The sheriff’s office said they identified two trafficking victims and another five victims. All prostitutes taken into custody were offered services by the social services organizations at the operation.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/human-trafficking-sting-results-160-arrests-including-high-school-teacher-disney-employee/
| 2022-09-12T20:52:09Z
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Man accused of stealing TVs from Walmart and selling them in the parking lot, police say
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT/Gray News) – A man in Tennessee is accused of stealing TVs from Walmart and selling them in the parking lot of the store, according to an incident report obtained by WVLT.
Officers responded to a Walmart in Knoxville around 9 p.m. Saturday and found Donald Kirkland in possession of stolen items, the report stated.
Police said Kirkland ran from the officers but was eventually taken into custody.
Kirkland told the officers he had stolen three TVs, a karaoke machine and camping equipment from the retail store and was selling the items in the parking lot, according to the report.
A Walmart manager corroborated his story, telling officers he saw Kirkland loading one of the TVs into a cart in the store.
Kirkland was charged with theft of merchandise.
Copyright 2022 WVLT via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/man-accused-stealing-tvs-walmart-selling-them-parking-lot-police-say/
| 2022-09-12T20:52:16Z
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Man faces federal drug charges in fentanyl death of 3-year-old girl; murder charge dismissed
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE/Gray News) – An Indiana man is now facing federal drug charges in the death of a 3-year-old, though murder charges have been dismissed.
Arcinial Watt was facing a local murder charge in the death of 3-year-old Kamari Opperman. Officials said the girl got into some fentanyl pills at the apartment she lived in and died in October.
Watt’s local murder charge was dismissed, but he is now facing federal drug charges. Watt has been indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl resulting in death and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl.
Watt has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison. A trial date has been set for Nov. 7.
Four others have been charged in the case, including Kamari’s mother and grandparents.
Copyright 2022 WFIE via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/man-faces-federal-drug-charges-fentanyl-death-3-year-old-girl-murder-charge-dismissed/
| 2022-09-12T20:52:22Z
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Missing autistic child, 5, found dead in waterway near home
Published: Sep. 12, 2022 at 10:06 AM EDT|Updated: 7 hours ago
PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. (Gray News) – A missing 5-year-old child in Florida was found dead near his home, according to officials.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said Dahud Jolicoeur was autistic, nonverbal and couldn’t swim.
During a search, investigators found Dahud dead in a waterway about a block from his home.
The sheriff’s office is asking for thoughts and prayers for the family.
Further details were not given.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/missing-autistic-child-5-found-dead-waterway-near-home/
| 2022-09-12T20:52:29Z
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Missouri congresswoman wants Russian visas denied for UN General Assembly
Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.) says “Russia has forfeited their right to be treated as a responsible member of the international community” because of the Ukraine invasion.
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - “They took away our peace and our safe, but they will never took away our freedom.”
Speaking from Kyiv, Ukraine, Katerina Krivenko explains the chaos she’s experienced in the past seven months since Russia invaded her country. “We are ready to act,” says Krivenko. “We are ready to support each other. We don’t stop.”
As a speech therapist for Smile Train, an organization that works globally with children with cleft lips and palates, Katerina says her work is what brings her a sense of normalcy.
While Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues to threaten the livelihoods of Ukrainians, Missouri Congresswoman Ann Wagner is calling on the U.S. State Department to take further action.
“As far as I’m concerned, Russia has forfeited their right to be treated as a responsible member of the international community,” said Wagner.
As Vice Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs and House Financial Services Committees, Wagner sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on August 31.
In it, she asks Blinken to deny any top Russian officials a visa to the United States to attend the 77th session of the UN General Assembly in New York City.
“I believe that we need to punish Putin and Russia for the brutality of their unprovoked invasion and their war crimes against a sovereign country and people in the Ukraine,” said Wagner.
Wagner says her request “falls back on the Foreign Relations Act of 1990.” In her letter to Sec. Blinken, she says that act in fact requires denying the visas.
The event runs from September 13th to the 22nd with heads of states and government leaders from around the world meeting at the UN to talk about shared global priorities.
The Gray Washington News Bureau did reach out to the State Department for this report, a spokesperson said the department doesn’t comment on communications with Congress.
Copyright 2022 Gray DC. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/missouri-congresswoman-wants-russian-visas-denied-un-general-assembly/
| 2022-09-12T20:52:36Z
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LIVE: In a nod to JFK, Biden pushing ‘moonshot’ to fight cancer
BOSTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is set to channel John F. Kennedy on the 60th anniversary of JFK’s moonshot speech, highlighting Biden administration efforts aimed at “ending cancer as we know it.”
The president was traveling to Boston on Monday to draw attention to a new federally backed study that seeks evidence for using blood tests to screen against multiple cancers — a potential game-changer in diagnostic testing to dramatically improve early detection of cancers. He also planned other announcements meant to better the lives of those suffering from cancer.
His speech at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum comes as Biden seeks to rally the nation around developing treatments and therapeutics for the pervasive diseases that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rank as the second-highest killer of people in the U.S. after heart disease. Biden hopes to move the U.S. closer to the goal he set in February of cutting U.S. cancer fatalities by 50% over the next 25 years and to dramatically improve the lives of caregivers and those suffering from cancer.
Danielle Carnival, the White House cancer moonshot coordinator, told The Associated Press that the administration sees huge potential in the commencement of the blood diagnostic study on identifying and treating cancers.
“One of the most promising technologies has been the development of blood tests that offer the promise of detecting multiple cancers in a single blood test and really imagining the impact that could have on our ability to detect cancer early and in a more equitable way,” Carnival said. “We think the best way to get us to the place where those are realized is to really test out the technologies we have today and see what works and what really has an impact on extending lives.”
In 2022, the American Cancer Society estimates, 1.9 million new cancer cases will be diagnosed and 609,360 people will die of cancer diseases.
The issue is personal to Biden, who lost his adult son Beau in 2015 to brain cancer. After Beau’s death, Congress passed the 21st Century Cures Act, which dedicated $1.8 billion over seven years for cancer research and was signed into law in 2016 by President Barack Obama.
Obama designated Biden, then vice president, to run “mission control” on directing the cancer funds as a recognition of Biden’s grief as a parent and desire to do something about it. Biden wrote in his memoir “Promise Me, Dad” that he chose not to run for president in 2016 primarily because of Beau’s death.
Despite Biden’s attempts to hark back to Kennedy and his space program, the current initiative lacks that same level of budgetary support. The Apollo program garnered massive public investment — more than $20 billion, or more than $220 billion in 2022 dollars adjusted for inflation. Biden’s “moonshot” effort is far more modest and reliant on private sector investment.
Still, Biden has tried to maintain momentum for investments in public health research, including championing the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, modeled after similar research and development initiatives benefiting the Pentagon and intelligence community.
On Monday, Biden announced Dr. Renee Wegrzyn as the inaugural director of ARPA-H, which has been given the task of studying treatments and potential cures for cancers, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and other diseases. He also announced a new National Cancer Institute scholars’ program to provide resources to early-career scientists studying treatments and cures for cancer.
In Boston, Biden also spoke at Logan International Airport to highlight spending from last year’s bipartisan infrastructure law.
“We risk losing our edge as a nation to China, and the rest of the world is catching up,” he said. “That stops now, with investments like we’re celebrating here today.”
Biden is scheduled to speak later in the day at a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee.
Experts agree it’s far too early to say whether these new blood tests for finding cancer in healthy people will have any effect on cancer deaths. There have been no studies to show they reduce the risk of dying from cancer. Still, they say setting an ambitious goal is important.
Carnival said the National Cancer Institute Study was designed so that any promising diagnostic results could be swiftly put into widespread practice while the longer-term study — expected to last up to a decade — progresses. She said the goal was to move closer to a future where cancers could be detected through routine bloodwork, potentially reducing the need for more invasive and burdensome procedures like colonoscopies, and therefore saving lives.
Scientists now understand that cancer is not a single disease, but hundreds of diseases that respond differently to different treatments. Some cancers have biomarkers that can be targeted by existing drugs that will slow a tumor’s growth. Many more targets await discovery.
“How do we learn what therapies are effective in which subtypes of disease? That to me is oceanic,” said Donald A. Berry, a biostatistician at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. “The possibilities are enormous. The challenges are enormous.”
Despite the challenges, he’s optimistic about cutting the cancer death rate in half over the next 25 years.
“We can get to that 50% goal by slowing the disease sufficiently across the various cancers without curing anybody,” Berry said. “If I were to bet on whether we will achieve this 50% reduction, I would bet yes.”
Even without new breakthroughs, progress can be made by making care more equitable, said Dr. Crystal Denlinger, chief scientific officer for the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, a group of elite cancer centers.
And any effort to reduce the cancer death rate will need to focus on the biggest cancer killer, which is lung cancer. Mostly attributable to smoking, lung cancer now causes more cancer deaths than any other cancer. Of the 1,670 daily cancer deaths in the United States, more than 350 are from lung cancer.
Lung cancer screening is helping. The American Cancer Society says such screening helped drive down the cancer death rate 32% from its peak in 1991 to 2019, the most recent year for which numbers are available.
But only 5% of eligible patients are being screened for lung cancer.
“It’s tragic,” said Dr. Roy Herbst, a lung specialist at Yale Cancer Center.
“The moonshot is going to have to be a social fix as well as a scientific and medical fix,” Herbst said. “We’re going to have to find a way that screening becomes easier, that it’s fully covered, that we have more screening facilities.”
Biden planned to urge Americans who might have delayed cancer screenings during the pandemic to seek them out swiftly, reminding them that early detection can be key to avoiding adverse outcomes.
He was also set to highlight provisions in the Democrats’ healthcare and climate change bill that the administration believes will lower out of pocket drug prices for some widely used cancer treatments. He will also celebrate new guarantees for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits, that cover their potential cancer diagnoses.
Dr. Michael Hassett of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, said Biden’s goal to reduce cancer deaths could met by following two parallel paths: one of discovery and the other making sure as many people as possible are reaping the advantages of existing therapies and preventive approaches.
“If we can address both aspects, both challenges, major advances are possible,” Hassett said.
In breast cancer, for example, many women who could benefit from a hormone-blocking pill either never start the therapy or stop taking it before the recommended five years, Hassett’s research has found.
“Those are big gaps,” Hassett said. “That’s a treatment that’s effective. But if many people aren’t taking that medication or if they’re taking it but stopping it before concluding the course of therapy, then the benefits that the medicine could offer aren’t realized.”
___
Johnson reported from Seattle.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/nod-jfk-biden-pushing-moonshot-fight-cancer/
| 2022-09-12T20:52:42Z
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Police believe 3 children drowned by mother at NYC beach
NEW YORK (AP) — Three children were found dead on the beach near Brooklyn’s famed Coney Island boardwalk early Monday and police believe they may have been drowned by their mother.
The bodies of the 7-year-old boy, 4-year-old girl and 3-month-old boy were found after a nearly three-hour search that began at 1:40 a.m. when a relative called police, worried the woman intended to harm her children.
The mother, identified by family members as 30-year-old Erin Merdy, was found 90 minutes later, barefoot and soaking wet, 2 miles (3 kilometers) down the boardwalk from the section of Coney Island where she lived.
Detectives were trying to question Merdy at the local police precinct house.
“So far, she’s not said anything,” said New York Police Department Chief of Department Kenneth Corey.
The search for the children intensified after the mother was found alone. Police sent in a helicopter and marine units. The children were found at the water’s edge shortly after 4:30 a.m. on a quiet section of beach about 13 blocks from the stadium where the Brooklyn Cyclones minor league baseball team plays.
Efforts to revive the children at a nearby hospital failed, Corey said.
Relatives identified the children as Zachary, 7, Liliana, 4 and Oliver, 3 months.
Merdy’s mother, Jacqueline Scott, 56, told the Daily News that her daughter was a loving mother but had been having a rough time recently.
“She might have been going through postpartum depression,” Scott told the newspaper. “She was a good mother.”
Scott said she tried to talk to her daughter Sunday.
“I reached out to her yesterday and she said she was doing laundry and I said I wanted to speak to the kids,” Scott said. “I tried to call her twice on the phone after that and there was no answer.”
The children’s bodies were found three blocks from Merdy’s apartment building, where police had first gone when the search began. Corey said officers had canvassed the beach and the boardwalk, searched neighborhood streets and checked the local hospital in the hunt for the children before the mother was found on the boardwalk.
As they continued to search the area, police found a shoe in the water and bagged it as evidence.
A security supervisor for Merdy’s building said the family had moved in less than a year ago. Corey said the mother had not been reported to authorities previously for abusing or neglecting her children.
A decision hadn’t been made about what criminal charges Merdy might face.
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Associated Press writer Michael R. Sisak contributed to this report.
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This version corrects the gender of the infant to male, not female, as police official had erroneously reported.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/police-believe-3-children-drowned-by-mother-nyc-beach/
| 2022-09-12T20:52:49Z
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Prenatal marijuana exposure may put kids at risk of mental health disorders, study says
(CNN) – A study found women who use marijuana while pregnant may put their kids at risk of mental health disorders in late adolescence.
Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis analyzed data from an ongoing study tracking nearly 12,000 youths as they grow into young adults.
They found marijuana use by mothers after about five or six weeks into pregnancy was associated with attention, social and behavioral problems that persisted into early adolescence – 11 and 12 years of age.
They said those conditions may put kids at a greater risk of developing mental health disorders and substance abuse in late adolescence, when youths are usually most vulnerable to such disorders and behaviors.
The authors said the results further support caution when it comes to using marijuana during pregnancy.
The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/prenatal-marijuana-exposure-may-put-kids-risk-mental-health-disorders-study-says/
| 2022-09-12T20:52:56Z
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Record-breaking airline delays have government officials facing pressure for solutions
The Department of Transportation unveiled a new tool to help travelers ahead of Labor Day weekend. But state attorneys general say the department isn’t doing enough.
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - More than 4,000 flights were delayed last week as travelers returned from Labor Day weekend, continuing the trend of record-breaking airline issues in 2022. Now, the Department of Transportation is under pressure to get airlines back on track.
The Department of Transportation unveiled a new online tool ahead of the weekend, working with 10 airlines on a dashboard to let you know what your airline can do for you if you’re hit with a cancellation or delay.
The airline delays and hundreds of cancellations over Labor Day weekend put the new government tool for travelers to the test. Americans facing airline problems could check the DOT website for what benefits they’re entitled to: from hotels, to meals, to rescheduled flights. At least eight of the 10 major airlines now guarantee most or all of this compensation.
“These are wins for the American public,” said Carlos Monje, the Undersecretary for Transportation Policy at the Department of Transportation. Monje said the airline industry is still in recovery from the pandemic, among other issues like staff shortages.
“Airlines are operating with a certain degree of slack in their system.” He said.
Attorney General Mark Brnovich (R-Ariz.) said DOT isn’t doing enough to help travelers.
“I just think that there is a complete lack of not only respect, but there’s there’s a mistreatment of consumers,” Brnovich said.
Brnovich is leading a bipartisan group of 38 state attorneys general, asking Congress to give them the power to respond to consumer airline complaints instead of DOT.
“The state AGs should have the ability to do what they do with any other industry,” Brnovich said. “And that is hold them accountable to consumers.”
The Washington News Bureau asked the Department of Transportation about the letter—they said it’s up to Congress to decide.
To find the new dashboard, visit the website here.
Copyright 2022 Gray DC. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/record-breaking-airline-delays-have-government-officials-facing-pressure-solutions/
| 2022-09-12T20:53:02Z
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Several vehicles burn outside Miami stadium
Published: Sep. 12, 2022 at 9:21 AM EDT|Updated: 8 hours ago
MIAMI (WPLG) - Sunday at around 1:28 p.m., more than 10 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded to a fire at a remote parking lot outside the Hard Rock Stadium, officials said.
Fire crews arrived to find multiple vehicles on fire that were parked at the remote parking lot during the Miami Dolphins season-opening game against the New England Patriots.
Firefighters immediately worked to contain and place the fire under control.
There were no reported injuries.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/several-vehicles-burn-outside-miami-stadium/
| 2022-09-12T20:53:09Z
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‘Squid Game,’ ‘Succession,’ ‘Ted Lasso’ vie for Emmy Awards
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Emmy Awards host Kenan Thompson and the ceremony’s producers are promising a feel-good event — a phrase not applicable to several of the top nominated shows.
The best drama contenders include the violently dystopian “Squid Game,” bleak workplace satire “Severance” and “Succession,” about a powerful and cutthroat family. Even comedy nominee “Ted Lasso,” the defending champ, took a storytelling dark turn.
But after several pandemic-constrained awards seasons, Monday’s 74th Primetime Emmy Awards (airing 8 p.m. EDT on NBC, streaming on Peacock) will be big and festive, executive producers Reginald Hudlin and Ian Stewart said.
They’re actually taking a page from last year’s scaled-down ceremony and its club-style table seating for nominees.
“They had a ball. They had a party. They celebrated themselves,” Stewart said, recalling a comment made by actor Sophia Bush at the evening’s end: “Oh, my God, I actually had fun at the Emmys.”
The tables will be back and again reserved for nominees — and their “significants,” Stewart said — but there will be some 3,000 other guests seated traditionally in the temporarily reconfigured 7,000-seat Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles.
“When the nominees are having a great time that translates on screen,” Hudlin said, citing the “passionate, touching” speeches delivered by winners.
Thompson, the veteran “Saturday Night Live” cast member taking his first turn as Emmys host, said he wants to enjoy the ceremony and make sure others do.
“This should be a night of appreciating artistry and creativity and removing the stress of it all out. I get it — it sucks to lose, and everybody’s picking outfits and trying to do the red carpet thing,” Thompson said. “But at the same time, it’s an awesome thing to be in the room on Emmys night, and I don’t want that to get lost in the stress.”
He doesn’t expect anything mirroring the Will Smith-Chris Rock confrontation that cast a shadow over the Oscars earlier this year, Thompson said.
Although HBO’s “Succession,” which won the best drama series award in 2020, and “Ted Lasso” from Apple TV+ are considered the frontrunners for top series honors, there’s potential for surprises. Netflix’s “Squid Game,” a global sensation, would be the first non-English language drama series to win an Emmy.
On the comedy side, ABC’s acclaimed newcomer “Abbott Elementary” could become the first broadcast show to win the best comedy award since the network’s “Modern Family” in 2014. It’s also among the few contenders this year, along with “Squid Game,” to field a substantial number of nominees of color.
At the Emmy creative arts ceremonies held earlier this month, the mockumentary-style show about educators in an underfunded Philadelphia school, won the trophy for outstanding comedy series casting. “Succession” won the drama series casting award.
“The Crown,” last year’s big winner, wasn’t in the running this time because it sat out the Emmys eligibility period. The dramatized account of Queen Elizabeth’s reign and family life will return for its fifth season in November, as Britain mourns the loss of its longest-serving monarch who died Thursday at age 96.
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For more on this year’s Emmy Awards, visit: www.apnews.com/EmmyAwards
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/squid-game-succession-ted-lasso-vie-emmy-awards/
| 2022-09-12T20:53:16Z
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Teacher shortages are real, but not for the reason you heard
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Everywhere, it seems, back-to-school has been shadowed by worries of a teacher shortage.
The U.S. education secretary has called for investment to keep teachers from quitting. A teachers union leader has described it as a five-alarm emergency. News coverage has warned of a crisis in teaching.
In reality, there is little evidence to suggest teacher turnover has increased nationwide or educators are leaving in droves.
Certainly, many schools have struggled to find enough educators. But the challenges are related more to hiring, especially for non-teaching staff positions. Schools flush with federal pandemic relief money are creating new positions and struggling to fill them at a time of low unemployment and stiff competition for workers of all kinds.
Since well before the COVID-19 pandemic, schools have had difficulty recruiting enough teachers in some regions, particularly in parts of the South. Fields like special education and bilingual education also have been critically short on teachers nationwide.
For some districts, shortages have meant children have fewer or less qualified instructors.
In rural Alabama’s Black Belt, there were no certified math teachers last year in Bullock County’s public middle school.
“It really impacts the children because they’re not learning what they need to learn,” said Christopher Blair, the county’s former superintendent. “When you have these uncertified, emergency or inexperienced teachers, students are in classrooms where they’re not going to get the level of rigor and classroom experiences.”
While the nation lacks vacancy data in several states, national pain points are obvious.
For starters, the pandemic kicked off the largest drop in education employment ever. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of people employed in public schools dropped from almost 8.1 million in March 2020 to 7.3 million in May. Employment has grown back to 7.7 million since then, but that still leaves schools short around 360,000 positions.
“We’re still trying to dig out of that hole,” said Chad Aldeman, policy director at the Edunomics Lab at Georgetown University.
It’s unknown how many of those positions lost were teaching jobs, or other staff members like bus drivers — support positions that schools are having an especially hard time filling. A RAND survey of school leaders this year found that around three-fourths of school leaders say they are trying to hire more substitutes, 58% are trying to hire more bus drivers and 43% are trying to hire more tutors.
Still, the problems are not as tied to teachers quitting as many have suggested.
Teacher surveys have indicated many considered leaving their jobs. They’re under pressure to keep kids safe from guns, catch them up academically and deal with pandemic challenges with mental health and behavior.
National Education Association union leader Becky Pringle tweeted in April: “The educator shortage is a five-alarm crisis.” But a Brown University study found turnover largely unchanged among states that had data.
Quit rates in education rose slightly this year, but that’s true for the nation as a whole, and teachers remain far more likely to stay in their job than a typical worker.
Hiring has been so difficult largely because of an increase in the number of open positions. Many schools indicated plans to use federal relief money to create new jobs, in some cases looking to hire even more people than they had pre-pandemic. Some neighboring schools are competing for fewer applicants, as enrollment in teacher prep programs colleges has declined.
The Upper Darby School District in Pennsylvania has around 70 positions it is trying to fill, especially bus drivers, lunch aides and substitute teachers. But it cannot find enough applicants. The district has warned families it may have to cancel school or switch to remote learning on days when it lacks subs.
“It’s become a financial competition from district to district to do that, and that’s unfortunate for children in communities who deserve the same opportunities everywhere in the state,” Superintendent Daniel McGarry said.
The number of unfilled vacancies has led some states and school systems to ease credential requirements, in order to expand the pool of applicants. U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona told reporters last week that creative approaches are needed to bring in more teachers, such as retired educators, but schools must not lower standards.
Schools in the South are more likely to struggle with teacher vacancies. A federal survey found an average of 3.4 teaching vacancies per school as of this summer; that number was lowest in the West, with 2.7 vacancies on average, and highest in the South, with 4.2 vacancies.
In Birmingham, the school district is struggling to fill around 50 teaching spots, including 15 in special education, despite $10,000 signing bonuses for special ed teachers. Jenikka Oglesby, a human resources officer for the district, says the problem owes in part to low salaries in the South that don’t always offset a lower cost of living.
The school system in Moss Point, a small town near the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, has increased wages to entice more applicants. But other districts nearby have done the same. Some teachers realized they could make $30,000 more by working 30 minutes away in Mobile, Alabama.
“I personally lost some really good teachers to Mobile County Schools,” said Tenesha Batiste, human resources director for the Moss Point district. And she also lost some not-so-great teachers, she added — people who broke their contracts and quit three days before the school year started.
“It’s the job that makes all others possible, yet they get paid once a month, and they can go to Chick-fil-A in some places and make more money,” Batiste said.
A bright spot for Moss Point this year is four student teachers from the University of Southern Mississippi. They will spend the school year working with children as part of a residency program for aspiring educators. The state has invested almost $10 million of federal relief money into residency programs, with the hope the residents will stay and become teachers in their assigned districts.
Michelle Dallas, a teacher resident in a Moss Point first-grade classroom, recently switched from a career in mental health and is confident she is meant to be a teacher.
“That’s why I’m here,” she said, “to fulfill my calling.”
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This story is part of an Associated Press collaboration with AL.com, The Christian Science Monitor, The Dallas Morning News, The Fresno Bee in California, The Hechinger Report, The Seattle Times and The Post and Courier in Charleston, South Carolina.
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Associated Press writers Brooke Schultz in Harrisburg, Pa., Collin Binkley in Washington, D.C., and Carolyn Thompson in Buffalo, N.Y. contributed to this report. Lurye reported from New Orleans. Schultz is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
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The Associated Press education team receives support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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For more back-to-school coverage, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/back-to-school
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/teacher-shortages-are-real-not-reason-you-heard/
| 2022-09-12T20:53:23Z
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Trial’s opening statements to begin for slaying of 8 family members
PIKE COUNTY, Ohio (WXIX/Gray News) - The first trial in the 2016 Pike County massacre resumed Monday morning with jury instructions and opening statements.
The murder trial of George Wagner IV is being held in Pike County Common Pleas Court in Waverly, Ohio, about 99 miles east of downtown Cincinnati.
Pike County Common Pleas Court Judge Randy Deering is presiding. He announced first thing Monday that all witnesses who will testify must stay outside the courthouse after opening statements until they are called to testify.
The slayings are considered the state’s biggest and most complex homicide investigation to date, resulting in more than 1,000 tips, hundreds of people interviewed and dozens of search warrants.
Pike County massacre: Complete trial coverage
Wagner IV, 30, is the first member of his family of four who was all charged in the case to go on trial.
He is accused of killing Christopher Rhoden, 40; his older brother, Kenneth Rhoden, 44; his cousin, Gary Rhoden; his former wife, Dana Lynn Rhoden, 37, and their children: Clarence “Frankie” Rhoden, 20, Hanna Mae Rhoden, 19, Christopher Rhoden Jr., 16, and Frankie’s fiancé, Hannah Gilley, 20.
The victims were found fatally shot in the head, some while sleeping, in mobile homes and a camper on April 22, 2016.
New details released during the special prosecutor’s opening statement Monday revealed one of the victims, Chris Rhoden Sr., was shot eight times: six times in the face and once each in his stomach and chest.
Canepa told jurors he was killed because he was the patriarch and would avenge his daughter’s death: “They considered if they got rid of him basically the structure of the family would fall.”
Gary Rhoden and Dana Rhoden were each shot four times in the face. Chris Rhoden Jr. was shot four times in the head.
The only non-Rhoden family member killed, Hannah Gilley, was shot five times in the head and face area.
Frankie Rhoden was shot twice in the head. So was Hanna Mae Rhoden, whose big crime was not returning the love of Jake Wagner, Canepa told jurors.
Wagner IV was indicted and arrested along with three other members of his family in November 2018 on a total of 22 charges, including eight counts of aggravated murder.
He’s also charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated murder, four counts of aggravated burglary, three counts of tampering with evidence, one count each of forgery, unauthorized use of property, interception of wire, oral or electronic communications, obstructing justice, and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.
The trial began late last month with the final selection of jurors, who then toured key locations in the case.
With more than 250 people on the potential witness list, attorneys have told the jury to expect the trial to last anywhere from six to eight weeks.
Depending on how long opening statements take, the prosecution could call their first witnesses on Monday.
Wagner IV has pleaded not guilty, and his lawyers have argued the confessions of his brother and mother last year prove he didn’t shoot and kill anyone.
Special Prosecutor Angela Canepa agreed in a December 2021 hearing that Wagner IV didn’t kill anyone.
In the state of Ohio, however, someone can be sentenced to death for an aggravated murder conviction if they help plan it or cover it up.
The judge denied a motion from Wagner IV’s lawyers during that hearing to dismiss the eight aggravated murder charges.
[Eldest Wagner son didn’t kill anyone in Pike County massacre: court docs]
[Pike County Massacre: Judge allows shoe expert to testify]
Two key witnesses for both the prosecution and defense will be George’s younger brother, Edward “Jake” Wagner, and his mother, Angela Wagner.
Both pleaded guilty last year for their roles.
Jake Wagner, 28, was charged with eight counts of murder and 15 other charges including gun specifications, conspiracy, burglary, possession of dangerous ordnance and tampering with evidence.
He admitted to killing five members of the Rhoden family, shooting a sixth, and spying on the family before the killings, tampering with evidence, and obstructing the yearslong search for the killers.
In exchange, prosecutors say they will drop the possibility of the death penalty for his entire family, and he agreed to serve eight life sentences without parole.
His lawyer said Jake Wagner “knows he’s going to die in prison without any judicial relief.”
He is held at the Franklin County Jail.
Jake was the ex-boyfriend of one of the victims, Hanna Mae Rhoden.
Authorities have said the motive of the slayings stemmed in part over a custody dispute between a young daughter Jake Wagner and Hanna Rhoden had together.
Jake was also charged with unlawful sexual conduct with a minor for having sexual contact with Hanna Mae Rhoden when she was 15 and he was 20 years old.
The couple split up, and a bitter custody dispute ensued over their daughter, with Hanna Mae Rhoden refusing to sign shared custody papers, according to prosecutors.
“They will have to kill me first,” she wrote in a 2015 Facebook message, prosecutors have said.
Jake Wagner also was upset she was seeing another man and became pregnant with that man’s child and was exposing their daughter to people he felt she should not be.
That compelled the Wagner family to plot the killings, buying supplies such as ammunition, magazines, clips and parts to build gun silencers, according to prosecutors.
His mother pleaded to conspiracy to commit aggravated murder, several counts of aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence, and other charges as part of a plea deal.
The remaining eight counts of aggravated murder were dismissed.
The prosecution is recommending the 51-year-old woman serve 30 years in prison with no possibility of the death penalty. She currently is held at the jail in Delaware County.
The other Wagner still facing trial and accused of actually shooting and killing anyone is the family patriarch, George “Billy” Wagner III, 50.
He has pleaded not guilty and remains locked up at the Butler County Jail.
He is charged with eight counts of aggravated murder, four counts of aggravated burglary, three counts of tampering with evidence, two counts of unlawful possession of dangerous ordnance and single counts of conspiracy, forgery, unauthorized use of computer or telecommunications, interception of wire, oral or electronic communication, obstructing justice and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.
Copyright 2022 WXIX via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/trials-opening-statements-begin-slaying-8-family-members/
| 2022-09-12T20:53:29Z
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Trump team dismisses records probe, opposes arbiter picks
WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump’s lawyers dismissed as a “storage dispute” the former president’s retention of top-secret documents at his Florida home, urging a judge Monday to keep in place a directive that temporarily halted key aspects of the Justice Department’s criminal probe.
The Trump team referred to the documents that were seized as “purported ‘classified records,’” saying the Justice Department had not proven that the materials taken by the FBI during its Aug. 8 search of Mar-a-Lago were classified or remain so now. The lawyers also asserted there is no evidence that any of the records were disclosed to anyone and argued that Trump, as a former president, had an “unfettered right of access” to presidential documents.
“This investigation of the 45th President of the United States is both unprecedented and misguided,” they wrote. “In what at its core is a document storage dispute that has spiraled out of control, the Government wrongfully seeks to criminalize the possession by the 45th President of his own Presidential and personal records.”
The 21-page filing underscores the significant factual and legal disagreements between lawyers for Trump and the U.S. government as the Justice Department looks to move forward with its criminal investigation into the retention of national defense information at Mar-a-Lago and into the potential obstruction of that probe. Department lawyers in their own filings have rejected the idea that the documents, many of them classified at the top-secret level, belonged to Trump or that Mar-a-Lago was a permissible place to store them.
Setting the stage for possible further delays to the investigation, the Trump team also said it opposed the candidates the Justice Department proposed for an independent arbiter who is to be tasked with reviewing the documents seized during the FBI’s search. The Justice Department has not yet weighed in on the two candidates submitted by Trump lawyers.
The investigation hit a roadblock last week when U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon granted the Trump team’s request for the appointment of the arbiter, also known as a special master, and prohibited for now the department from examining the documents for investigative purposes.
The Justice Department has asked the judge to lift that hold and said it would contest her ruling to a federal appeals court. The department said its investigation risked being harmed beyond repair if that order remained in place, noting that confusion about its scope had already led the intelligence community to pause a separate national security risk assessment.
But Trump’s lawyers said in their own motion Monday that Cannon should not permit the FBI to resume its review of classified records. It said the government had unilaterally determined the records to be classified but had not yet proven that they remain so.
“In opposing any neutral review of the seized materials, the Government seeks to block a reasonable first step towards restoring order from chaos and increasing public confidence in the integrity of the process,” the lawyers wrote.
In the meantime, both sides on Friday night each proposed different names of candidates who could serve in the role of a special master, though they disagreed on the exact scope of duties the person should have. Cannon has said the yet-to-be-named arbiter would be tasked with reviewing the documents and weeding out from the investigation any that could be covered by claims of either executive privilege or attorney-client privilege.
The Justice Department recommended either Barbara Jones, a retired judge in Manhattan who has served as special master in prior high-profile investigations, or Thomas Griffith, a retired federal appeals court jurist in the District of Columbia who was appointed to the bench by former President George W. Bush. The department said in its proposal that the special master should not have access to classified documents, or be empowered to consider claims of executive privilege.
On Monday, the Trump team told the judge that it was objecting to both of those candidates but said it was not prepared to say why publicly at the moment.
Trump’s lawyers have proposed either Raymond Dearie, a retired judge in the federal court based in Brooklyn, or prominent Florida lawyer Paul Huck Jr. The lawyers said the arbiter should have access to the entire tranche of documents and should be able to evaluate executive privilege claims.
In its filing Monday, the Trump team again voiced a broad view of presidential power, asserting that a president has an “unfettered right of access” to his presidential records and absolute authority to declassify any information without the “approval of bureaucratic components of the executive branch” — though it did not say, as Trump has maintained, that he had actually declassified them.
The Justice Department has said Trump had no right to hold onto the presidential documents. And the criminal statutes the department has used as the basis of its investigation, including one criminalizing the willful retention of national defense information, do not require that the records be classified.
In any event, the Justice Department says more than 100 documents with classification markings were found in last month’s search. It has made public a photograph that agents took inside Mar-a-Lago showing the cover pages of a smattering of paperclip-bound classified documents, some marked as top-secret.
The order from Cannon, who was appointed to the federal bench by Trump two years ago, was easily the most consequential of her brief judicial career and has elevated her public profile.
Earlier this month, a Houston woman was arrested on allegations she made threats against Cannon as the judge mulled the special master question. Tiffani Shea Gish left a series of threatening, profanity-laced voicemails for Cannon, according to an FBI affidavit filed in federal court in Texas.
Last week, a judge ordered Gish be held in jail pending trial. A federal public defender listed for her did not immediately return a message seeking comment on Monday.
Trump, who often spends time at his various properties, was at his Virginia golf club Monday.
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Associated Press writer Meg Kinnard in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report.
Follow Eric Tucker at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP
Follow AP’s coverage of Donald Trump-related investigations at https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/trump-team-takes-aim-records-probe-calls-it-misguided/
| 2022-09-12T20:53:36Z
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Twitter whistleblower bringing security warnings to Congress
WASHINGTON (AP) — Peiter “Mudge” Zatko, the Twitter whistleblower who is warning of security flaws, privacy threats and lax controls at the social platform, will take his case to Congress on Tuesday.
Senators who will hear Zatko’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee are alarmed by his Twitter allegations at a time of heightened concern over the safety of powerful tech platforms.
It’s Zatko’s second Capitol Hill appearance, and in some ways a 21st-century echo of his first. In 1998, he testified before a Senate panel along with fellow members of a hacker collective who warned about the security dangers of the then-emerging internet age.
Zatko, a respected cybersecurity expert, was Twitter’s head of security until he was fired early this year. He has brought the stunning allegations to Congress and federal regulators, asserting that the influential social platform misled regulators about its cyber defenses and efforts to control millions of “spam” or fake accounts.
Sen. Dick Durbin, the Illinois Democrat who chairs the panel, has said that if Zatko’s claims are accurate, “they may show dangerous data-privacy and security risks for Twitter users around the world.”
Zatko’s accusations are also playing into billionaire tycoon Elon Musk’s battle with Twitter. The Tesla CEO is trying to get out of his $44 billion bid to buy the company; Twitter has sued to force him to complete the deal. The Delaware judge overseeing that case ruled last week that Musk can include new evidence related to Zatko’s allegations in the high-stakes trial set to start Oct. 17.
The allegation that Twitter engaged in deception in its handling of automated “spam bot” accounts is at the core of Musk’s attempt to back out of the Twitter deal.
At the same time, many of Zatko’s claims are uncorroborated and appear to have little documentary support. In a statement, Twitter has called Zatko’s description of events “a false narrative.”
Also on Tuesday, Twitter’s shareholders are scheduled to vote on the company’s pending buyout by Musk. The vote is something of a formality given that the deal is on hold while the court case plays out. But if the measure passes as expected, it would also pave the way for a Musk takeover should Twitter prevail in court.
Zatko also filed complaints with the Justice Department, the Federal Trade Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Among his most serious accusations is that Twitter violated the terms of a 2011 FTC settlement by falsely claiming that it had put stronger measures in place to protect the security and privacy of its users.
The SEC is questioning Twitter about how it counts fake accounts on its platform. Twitter uses counts of its presumably real users to attract advertisers, whose payments make up about 90% of its revenue. The “spam bots” have no value to advertisers because there’s no person behind them.
San Francisco-based Twitter has an estimated 238 million daily active users worldwide. The company says it removes 1 million spam accounts daily.
Zatko’s 84-page complaint alleges that he found “extreme, egregious deficiencies” on the platform, including issues with “user privacy, digital and physical security, and platform integrity/content moderation.”
It accuses CEO Parag Agrawal and other senior executives and board members of making “false and misleading statements to users and the FTC” about these issues. Twitter denies those claims and said that Zatko was fired in January for “ineffective leadership and poor performance.” Zatko’s attorneys say the performance claim is false.
Twitter also hinted that Zatko’s complaint might be designed to bolster Musk’s legal fight with the company. Twitter called Zatko’s complaint “a false narrative” that is “riddled with inconsistencies and inaccuracies, and lacks important context.”
News of Zatko’s complaint surfaced on Aug. 23, almost two months before the Twitter-Musk trial is scheduled to begin. . One of Zatko’s attorneys has said “he’s never met Elon Musk. Doesn’t know Elon Musk. They know people in common.”
The company also says it has significantly tightened security since 2020.
Among Zatko’s specific allegations:
— The company had such poor cybersecurity that it easily could have been exposed to outside attacks or attempts to siphon off its internal data.
—The company lacked effective leadership, with its top executives practicing “deliberate ignorance” of pressing problems. Zatko described former CEO Jack Dorsey as “extremely disengaged” during the last months of his tenure, to the point where he wouldn’t even speak during meetings on complex issues. Dorsey stepped down in November 2021.
—That Twitter knowingly allowed the government of India to place its agents on the company payroll, where they had “direct unsupervised access” to highly sensitive data on users. It makes a parallel but less detailed accusation that Twitter took funding from unidentified Chinese entities who may have gained access enabling them to access the identities and sensitive data of Chinese users who secretly use Twitter, which is officially banned in China.
Better known by his hacker handle “Mudge,” Zatko, 51, first gained prominence in the 1990s. He was the best-known member of the Boston-based collective L0pht, which pioneered ethical hacking, embarrassing companies including Microsoft for poor security. His work raised awareness in the computing world that forced such major companies to take security seriously. He co-founded the consultancy @Stake, which was later acquired by Symantec.
Zatko later worked in senior positions at the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and Google. He joined Twitter at Dorsey’s urging in late 2020, the same year the company suffered an embarrassing security breach involving hackers who broke into the Twitter accounts of world leaders, celebrities and tech moguls, including Musk, in an attempt to scam their followers out of bitcoin.
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AP technology writers Frank Bajak in Boston and Matt O’Brien in Providence, Rhode Island, contributed to this report.
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Follow Marcy Gordon at https://twitter.com/mgordonap
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/twitter-whistleblower-bringing-security-warnings-congress/
| 2022-09-12T20:53:43Z
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US Marshals rescue 14 missing or endangered children
NEW ORLEANS (WAFB/Gray News) – Officials recovered 14 missing children in Louisiana and made eight arrests as part of Operation Summer Knights.
The U.S. Marshals Service Eastern District of Louisiana New Orleans said the investigation ran from April 30 to Aug. 31.
One of the children rescued was a 13-year-old girl who ran away in July and was believed to be with an 18-year-old whom she met on social media.
Another person rescued was a 17-year-old boy who told authorities he was kidnapped from his home and was being held for ransom.
Officials also said they recovered two 12-year-old girls who had run away together and were in the company of adult males, possibly planning on leaving the state.
U.S. Marshals also rescued a 15-year-old pregnant teen who said she was planning on relocating to Texas.
The New Orleans Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and several other agencies were also involved in Operation Summer Knights.
Copyright 2022 WAFB via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/us-marshals-rescue-14-missing-or-endangered-children/
| 2022-09-12T20:53:49Z
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We’ll dry out and cool down overnight; Tuesday looks sunny, mild & dry
A nice stretch of weather lies ahead!
As a cold front departs our area, NW winds will bring in cooler and drier air overnight. Rain should taper off through sundown, and eventually skies will begin to clear out more. Low temps tonight will be more Fall-like, falling into the upper 40s and low 50s! Fog will be possible, especially in the valleys as temps cool down.
Have the jacket ready for early Tuesday, we’ll start off a bit crisper than we’ve been the past few days and nights. Lower humidity, plenty of sunshine, and below-average temps are in store for Tuesday. Most highs will be in the upper 60s-mid 70s Tuesday afternoon. Tuesday night looks cool and dry again with lows in the 40s and 50s.
As high pressure stays in control, we’ll still be mainly dry and comfortable into midweek as well. Wednesday looks partly cloudy with highs in the upper 60s-mid 70s and lows again in the upper 40s-mid 50s.
We’ll start to warm up a bit more (to more seasonable temps for this time of year) into late week, but we still look to stay rain-free for quite some time...STAY TUNED!
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. (WVVA) -
Copyright 2022 WVVA. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/12/well-dry-out-cool-down-overnight-tuesday-looks-sunny-cool-dry/
| 2022-09-12T20:53:56Z
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Country music star injured after tour bus overturns in crash
CAMPBELL COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT/Gray News) – A country music star was injured after his bus overturned in Tennessee on Friday, according to authorities.
Musician John Michael Montgomery was traveling with his team on the way to a concert in North Carolina when the accident happened, he said in a statement.
The 2001 Prevost Featherlite was driving on I-75 near the Tennessee-Kentucky state line when it hit the embankment and overturned, according to the report. WVLT reports the right lane was closed for a few hours as crews worked to overturn the vehicle.
Montgomery said he suffered broken ribs and minor cuts due to the accident but is doing well. Others on the bus are also recovering from injuries, he said.
Montgomery released a statement addressing the accident:
Yesterday we had a serious accident on the way to a concert in North Carolina. Everyone that was on the bus is recovering from their injuries.
Despite some cuts and broken ribs, I am doing well. I will take some time over the next couple of weeks to heal and be back on the road soon. I am grateful to the medics and highway patrol for their quick response to this difficult situation. Thanks to everyone for their concerns.
Copyright 2022 WVLT via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.whsv.com/2022/09/12/country-music-star-injured-after-tour-bus-overturns-crash/
| 2022-09-12T21:04:14Z
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John Lennon’s killer denied parole for 12th time
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow/Gray News) - Mark David Chapman, the man who shot and killed John Lennon, has been denied release.
The New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision said an interview with the Board of Parole was held Aug. 31.
The board’s decision to deny parole with “a hold of 18 months” was announced Monday.
Chapman’s next appearance date is scheduled for February 2024.
Over 40 years ago, Chapman was convicted of killing the famed Beatles member as he walked inside of his luxury New York apartment on Dec. 8, 1980.
Chapman was an out-of-work security guard with a history of mental illness.
He was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison and has been denied parole 12 times.
Copyright 2022 Hawaii News Now via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.whsv.com/2022/09/12/john-lennons-killer-denied-parole-12th-time/
| 2022-09-12T21:04:21Z
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US Marshals rescue 14 missing or endangered children
NEW ORLEANS (WAFB/Gray News) – Officials recovered 14 missing children in Louisiana and made eight arrests as part of Operation Summer Knights.
The U.S. Marshals Service Eastern District of Louisiana New Orleans said the investigation ran from April 30 to Aug. 31.
One of the children rescued was a 13-year-old girl who ran away in July and was believed to be with an 18-year-old whom she met on social media.
Another person rescued was a 17-year-old boy who told authorities he was kidnapped from his home and was being held for ransom.
Officials also said they recovered two 12-year-old girls who had run away together and were in the company of adult males, possibly planning on leaving the state.
U.S. Marshals also rescued a 15-year-old pregnant teen who said she was planning on relocating to Texas.
The New Orleans Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and several other agencies were also involved in Operation Summer Knights.
Copyright 2022 WAFB via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.whsv.com/2022/09/12/us-marshals-rescue-14-missing-or-endangered-children/
| 2022-09-12T21:04:27Z
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More than 6,000 teachers and school staff in Seattle are on strike. Talks between the teachers' union and the school district continued over the weekend but didn't result in an agreement.
Copyright 2022 NPR
More than 6,000 teachers and school staff in Seattle are on strike. Talks between the teachers' union and the school district continued over the weekend but didn't result in an agreement.
Copyright 2022 NPR
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https://www.keranews.org/2022-09-12/6-000-seattle-teachers-and-school-staff-remain-on-strike-after-failed-weekend-talks
| 2022-09-12T21:20:27Z
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Rob Schmitz is NPR's international correspondent based in Berlin, where he covers the human stories of a vast region reckoning with its past while it tries to guide the world toward a brighter future. From his base in the heart of Europe, Schmitz has covered Germany's levelheaded management of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of right-wing nationalist politics in Poland and creeping Chinese government influence inside the Czech Republic.
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https://www.keranews.org/2022-09-12/a-1-000-year-old-german-boys-choir-is-now-accepting-girls
| 2022-09-12T21:20:33Z
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When you're living far from home, you sometimes crave a taste that you think you can only get at home. Here's one man's search for his summertime craving of American barbecue in southern China.
Copyright 2022 NPR
When you're living far from home, you sometimes crave a taste that you think you can only get at home. Here's one man's search for his summertime craving of American barbecue in southern China.
Copyright 2022 NPR
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https://www.keranews.org/2022-09-12/a-hunt-for-american-barbecue-in-southern-china
| 2022-09-12T21:20:39Z
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NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Nick Aldworth, former U.K. national coordinator for counterterrorism, about how England is prepping security for Queen Elizabeth's funeral in London next week.
Copyright 2022 NPR
NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Nick Aldworth, former U.K. national coordinator for counterterrorism, about how England is prepping security for Queen Elizabeth's funeral in London next week.
Copyright 2022 NPR
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https://www.keranews.org/2022-09-12/big-crowds-and-world-leaders-will-attend-the-queens-funeral-security-is-top-of-mind
| 2022-09-12T21:20:45Z
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In a counteroffensive, Ukrainian forces have claimed swaths in the east of the country, dealing a heavy blow to Russian forces as the war marks 200 days.
Greg Myre is a national security correspondent with a focus on the intelligence community, a position that follows his many years as a foreign correspondent covering conflicts around the globe.
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https://www.keranews.org/2022-09-12/how-ukraine-broke-the-stalemate-with-russia
| 2022-09-12T21:20:52Z
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Idaho's near-total abortion ban is one of the most austere in the country. It's already having a ripple effect in neighboring Washington state. Some Idaho lawmakers are trying to push it even further.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Idaho's near-total abortion ban is one of the most austere in the country. It's already having a ripple effect in neighboring Washington state. Some Idaho lawmakers are trying to push it even further.
Copyright 2022 NPR
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https://www.keranews.org/2022-09-12/idahos-extensive-abortion-ban-is-impacting-neighboring-washington
| 2022-09-12T21:20:58Z
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Quiet quitting isn't about people quitting their jobs, it's about people reevaluating their mindset toward work and how work fits into their lives. But quiet quitting might not be for everyone.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Quiet quitting isn't about people quitting their jobs, it's about people reevaluating their mindset toward work and how work fits into their lives. But quiet quitting might not be for everyone.
Copyright 2022 NPR
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https://www.keranews.org/2022-09-12/the-impact-quiet-quitting-could-have-on-employees
| 2022-09-12T21:21:04Z
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For nearly two years, bloody conflict has raged in northern Ethiopia. Is the Tigrayan rebels' offer to take part in ceasefire talks with the Ethiopian Government cause for hope?
Copyright 2022 NPR
For nearly two years, bloody conflict has raged in northern Ethiopia. Is the Tigrayan rebels' offer to take part in ceasefire talks with the Ethiopian Government cause for hope?
Copyright 2022 NPR
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https://www.keranews.org/2022-09-12/tigrayan-rebels-accept-ceasefire-and-say-theyre-ready-for-peace-talks
| 2022-09-12T21:21:10Z
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Ukrainians celebrate as troops make gains By Mallory Yu, Kathryn Fox Published September 12, 2022 at 3:37 PM CDT Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Listen • 1:26 Ukrainians react to the gains made by Ukrainian forces in a military offensive carried out in recent days. Copyright 2022 NPR
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https://www.keranews.org/2022-09-12/ukrainians-celebrate-as-troops-make-gains
| 2022-09-12T21:21:16Z
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BINGHAMTON, New York - By a tributary of the Susquehanna River, biologist Michelle Herman is carefully swabbing a kind of rare, giant salamander called an eastern hellbender for invasive fungus.
"The first one snapped at me when I did the chin rub. It was very feisty," she says. Herman is part of a small group trying to repopulate hellbenders in an area where their numbers have sharply declined.
"They don't have many advocates so I'm happy to be a hellbender advocate," says Herman, who works for The Wetland Trust, a non-profit conservation organization.
Bald eagles have soared back from the brink. Grizzly bear numbers are rebounding. But conservation is expensive, and thousands of less charismatic species are competing for scarce resources in the United States, with as many as a million facing extinction around the world, according to the United Nations.
Existing federal conservation funding only covers about 5% of what's needed to help the more than 12,000 "species of greatest conservation need" identified by state and tribal wildlife agencies, according to the Alliance for America's Fish and Wildlife.
In the hellbender's case, champions in this part of their range cobbled together resources from the Bronx Zoo and elsewhere to raise them in captivity, tag them with microchips, and release them back into the wild. But they have also tried a number of unorthodox tactics to raise the animal's profile and attract conservation funding.
Peter Petokas, research associate with the Clean Water Institute at Lycoming College, tried crowdfunding. His work helped inspire a group of high school students who lobbied the Pennsylvania legislature to declare it the official state amphibian.
"They borrowed my Hellbender costume, which is really cool," says Petokas. After two years of canvassing elected officials, the students succeeded. But none of this led to more funding, he says.
Federal funding tends to go towards game species
Since the 1930s, the U.S. has taxed hunting and licenses, as well as guns, ammo, and other equipment, to raise money for conservation. In the 1950, that model was expanded to include fishing licenses and equipment with the Dingell-Johnson Act.
Mike Leahy, Director of Wildlife, Hunting, and Fishing Policy with the National Wildlife Federation, says as a result that money often goes to species that hunters and anglers care about, such as deer and elk.
"There has been this gap in getting funding to species that aren't hunted and fished," he says.
But many species identified as in-need of conservation have a less direct relationship to humans. Invertebrates such as mollusks and insects, as well as fish and bird species are all threatened in large numbers, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Many conservationists talk about the loss of these species like flying a plane while slowly removing each bolt, or a game of Jenga. Each one gone weakens whole ecosystems. But others prefer to think about conservation in positive terms, as an investment.
"I think the real value of preserving a really rare and unique species is to have it there for the future, for everybody else to enjoy," says Petokas.
Wildlife advocates hope that this imbalance could soon change. A bill called the Recovering America's Wildlife Act, which passed the House of Representatives earlier this summer, would dramatically increase how much the federal government spends to protect U.S. wildlife by creating a $1.3 billion annual fund for conservation.
Led by Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Roy Blount (R-Missouri), the Senate bill has more than 40 co-sponsors, including 16 Republicans.
"By conserving wildlife habitat, we'll also preserve outdoor recreation activities like hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing that support millions of additional jobs," said Blount, earlier this year.
The money would go to states and tribal governments to decide how to spend. The Act would also require that 15% of the amount support federally-listed endangered species. But it is not clear if the bill, which must still come up with a funding source to offset the cost of increased conservation spending, will come up for a vote this year.
"If it passes, [it] will really shift the paradigm. It will be an absolute game-changer, " says Sarina Jepsen, Endangered Species Program Director at the Xerces Society, a non-profit specializing in the conservation of invertebrates.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
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https://www.keranews.org/2022-09-12/wildlife-conservation-tends-to-save-charismatic-species-that-may-be-about-to-change
| 2022-09-12T21:21:22Z
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Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley says county commissioners will vote Tuesday on a budget that would defund the jobs of two associate judges.
The move comes after the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported on a series of issues plaguing the juvenile justice system, including teens being held in adult jails and a judge facing criticism for posting videos of juvenile hearings on YouTube.
"Those are all things that, you know, raise questions," Whitley said. "I believe that all of those things contributed to the fact that we need the juvenile board to look deeper into the issue."
Whitley said he’s giving the juvenile board until the end of the year to come up with alternatives.
"What we're basically saying to them, 'We want your advice, we want your recommendations, we'll work with you on this deal, but we're not going to just let things continue to go on as is,'” Whitley said.
Whitley said the county's juvenile justice system should not be treated as a "mini-adult" program.
"It is a program where we're doing our utmost best to, one, keep the kids in a good family environment, and two, to rehabilitate them and not to potentially train them to be adult criminals," Whitley said.
Local criminal justice advocate Jonathan Guadian says the move could be a step in the right direction.
"The judge is realizing that the current system is not working," Guadian said. "That funding needs to be redirected from the original system into alternatives, which is exactly what organizers throughout the country and throughout decades have been calling for."
Guadian said he hopes the $500,000 that may be freed up in the county budget can be invested into programs that can help troubled youth build connections.
Got a tip? Email Pablo Arauz Peña at parauzpena@kera.org
KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.
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https://www.keranews.org/news/2022-09-12/tarrant-county-judge-considers-defunding-juvenile-judge-positions
| 2022-09-12T21:21:28Z
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NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AllianceBernstein L.P. ("AB") and AllianceBernstein Holding L.P. ("AB Holding") (NYSE: AB) today announced that preliminary assets under management decreased to $667 billion during August 2022 from $689 billion at the end of July. Firm-wide net inflows in August were outweighed by market depreciation, resulting in a 3% AUM decrease. By channel, net inflows to Private Wealth were partially offset by modest outflows from Institutions and Retail.
Certain statements provided by management in this news release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The most significant of these factors include, but are not limited to, the following: the performance of financial markets, the investment performance of sponsored investment products and separately-managed accounts, general economic conditions, industry trends, future acquisitions, integration of acquired companies, competitive conditions, and government regulations, including changes in tax regulations and rates and the manner in which the earnings of publicly-traded partnerships are taxed. AB cautions readers to carefully consider such factors. Further, such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which such statements are made; AB undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements. For further information regarding these forward-looking statements and the factors that could cause actual results to differ, see "Risk Factors" and "Cautions Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" in AB's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 or form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2022. Any or all of the forward-looking statements made in this news release, Form 10-K, Form 10-Q, other documents AB files with or furnishes to the SEC and any other public statements issued by AB, may turn out to be wrong. It is important to remember that other factors besides those listed in "Risk Factors" and "Cautions Regarding Forward-Looking Statements", and those listed above, could also adversely affect AB's financial condition, results of operations and business prospects.
AllianceBernstein is a leading global investment management firm that offers high-quality research and diversified investment services to institutional investors, individuals and private wealth clients in major world markets.
As of June 30, 2022, including both the general partnership and limited partnership interests in AllianceBernstein, AllianceBernstein Holding owned approximately 35.7% of AllianceBernstein and Equitable Holdings, Inc. ("EQH"), directly and through various subsidiaries, owned an approximate 65.0% economic interest in AllianceBernstein.
Additional information about AB may be found on our website, www.alliancebernstein.com.
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https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/ab-announces-august-31-2022-assets-under-management/
| 2022-09-12T21:47:45Z
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HOUSTON, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Weatherford International plc (NASDAQ: WFRD) ("Weatherford" or the "Company") received a five-year framework agreement from Abu Dhabi National Oil Company ("ADNOC") to provide directional drilling and logging-while-drilling services. The contract is currently valued at over $400 million and ADNOC has an option to extend the contract for an additional two years.
The Weatherford Drilling Services portfolio includes a suite of technology that combines world-class services, real-time information analysis, and innovative drilling tools to maximize efficiency in any environment. Deploying these service and technology offerings will add value to ADNOC's drilling operations by minimizing OPEX, reducing risks, and optimizing production. These benefits are mission-critical to ADNOC's near- and long-term goals.
Girish Saligram, Weatherford President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "We are thrilled about this award as it showcases our commitment to creating value for every customer through our differentiated technology and services. Our field-proven directional and logging-while-drilling services and technology will support ADNOC in expanding its operations and achieving its production goals. Our manufacturing facility in Abu Dhabi will further bolster its In-Country Value Program—an initiative Weatherford has supported since the beginning. We look forward to delivering successful outcomes to one of our long-time energy partners."
Weatherford delivers innovative energy services that integrate proven technologies with advanced digitalization to create sustainable offerings for maximized value and return on investment. Our world-class experts partner with customers to optimize their resources and realize the full potential of their assets. Operators choose us for strategic solutions that add efficiency, flexibility, and responsibility to any energy operation. The Company operates in approximately 75 countries with a global talent network of approximately 17,500 team members representing more than 110 nationalities and 350 operating locations.
For Media:
Kelley Hughes
Weatherford International plc
Director Global Communications
kelley.hughes@weatherford.com
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https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/adnoc-awards-weatherford-over-400-million-provide-drilling-services/
| 2022-09-12T21:47:52Z
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NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Amber Infrastructure Group ('Amber'), the international infrastructure specialist and Hunt Companies Inc. ('Hunt') are pleased to announce that the Annapolis Mobility and City Dock Resiliency project ('AMRP', the 'Project') has achieved Financial Close.
The Project involves improvement of critical infrastructure in Annapolis, including the construction of a new, 588-space parking garage, operations of on- and off-street parking in the Historic District of Annapolis and funding for the redevelopment of the City Dock area including much-needed resilience infrastructure and flood defenses.
"We are delighted to see this project progress. The City of Annapolis and the AMRP consortium have pioneered an approach to financing and constructing critical resiliency infrastructure," said Tom O'Shaughnessy, Head of North America, Amber Infrastructure Group. This is a truly exciting project that we hope will be replicated by other cities and municipalities seeking to provide critically needed resiliency infrastructure and protect their citizens and economies from the impacts of climate change."
Amber, who led the AMRP Consortium, was selected by the City of Annapolis as the preferred bidder in 2020. AMRP and the City entered into a Progressive Development Agreement, through which the City was able to optimize the design and delivery schedule while significantly reducing the procurement risk and expense. Progressive Development is a specialism of the combined Amber and Hunt teams, having recently been successfully used to deliver the Biddeford Parking & Riverwalk, Maine International Cold Storage Facility, San Marcos Public Services Complex and Travis County Courthouse projects.
"This is a great opportunity for our historic City," said City Manager Michael Mallinoff. "When the work on the garage and City Dock is completed in 2025, it will not only help downtown avoid the destruction caused by flooding events, it will also be a model for pairing infrastructure work with resiliency efforts. This is part of our ongoing infrastructure investments that have long-term benefits for our entire community. We are doing this for the longevity of our historic City and I could not be more pleased that so many people have come to the table to make this community-driven vision a reality."
The Project will be delivered through a public-private partnership concession agreement between the City and the Maryland Economic Development Corporation ('MEDCO') under which MEDCO has raised financing against future parking revenues through the issuance of both tax-exempt senior Economic Development Revenue Bonds and private placed taxable subordinated bonds. The proceeds of the financing will be used to pay for construction of the new parking garage and measures to protect the City Dock in Annapolis's downtown from flooding and other effects of climate change. The Project will provide improved and updated mobility solutions for citizens and tourists in the downtown area.
In addition to Amber's investment in the subordinated bonds issued by MEDCO, Amber will serve as the developer and manager for the Project on behalf of MEDCO as Concessionaire.
Amber Infrastructure ('Amber') is an international infrastructure specialist, focused on investment origination, development, asset management and in Europe, fund management. Amber's core business focuses on infrastructure assets across the public, transport, energy, digital and demographic infrastructure sectors that support the lives of people, homes and businesses internationally.
Amber is headquartered in London with offices in Europe, North America and Australia and employs approximately 160 infrastructure professionals. Amber has in had a strategic partnership with the Hunt Group of Companies ('Hunt') in the US since 2015. Learn more at www.amberinfrastructure.com.
Hunt, based in El Paso, Texas, is a diversified, family-owned company that invests in operating businesses, real estate assets and infrastructure assets. Since its founding in 1947, Hunt's size and scope have grown substantially while gaining considerable expertise across multiple real asset sectors. Hunt's reputation is built on integrity and performance. Hunt is committed to a culture of transparency for employees, clients, investors, and the communities it serves. Hunt and its affiliates employ over 4,000 employees across the United States and Europe. Learn more at www.huntcompanies.com.
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https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/annapolis-mobility-city-dock-resiliency-project-achieves-financial-close/
| 2022-09-12T21:47:58Z
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DENVER, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Antero Midstream Corporation (NYSE: AM) ("Antero Midstream" or the "Company") today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Marcellus Shale gas gathering and compression assets from Crestwood Equity Partners LP (NYSE: CEQP) for $205 million in cash, subject to customary adjustments. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2022 and is subject to customary regulatory approvals.
Paul Rady, Chairman and CEO said, "Today's bolt-on acquisition provides significant synergies that drive attractive economics and immediate Free Cash Flow accretion to Antero Midstream. The acquisition is consistent with Antero Midstream's strategy of investing in infrastructure in the Marcellus, the lowest cost shale play, for high visibility customers, particularly Antero Resources. Importantly, the assets include underutilized gathering and compression capacity for capital efficient development from both Antero Resources and other third parties."
Mr. Rady further added, "I would like to personally thank Bob Phillips and Crestwood for their investment in the midstream infrastructure in the Marcellus during Antero's infancy. Their high quality assets, safety and environmental record, and loyalty over the last 10 years demonstrate Crestwood's dedication to providing quality midstream services."
Transaction Highlights and Rationale:
- Estimated to be more than 10% accretive to Free Cash Flow after Dividends through 2026
- Adds approximately 425 undeveloped drilling locations and 120,000 gross dedicated acres from Antero Resources primarily in Harrison County, West Virginia
- Increases Antero Midstream's compression capacity by 20% and gathering pipeline mileage by 15%
- Transaction multiple of approximately 6x next twelve months estimated Adjusted EBITDA, excluding synergies
- Identified over $50 million of discounted future capital avoidance, integration and operational synergies, resulting in an adjusted transaction multiple of 4.5x next twelve months estimated Adjusted EBITDA
Under the terms of agreement, Antero Midstream will acquire the gas gathering and compression system and associated agreements for $205 million in cash. The transaction will be financed with borrowings under Antero Midstream's revolving credit facility. The assets to be acquired include 72 miles of dry gas gathering pipelines and nine compressor stations with approximately 700 MMcf/d of compression capacity. Current throughput on the system is approximately 200 MMcf/d, resulting in significant available capacity for growth without significant capital investment. Throughput will be gathered and compressed under the existing agreement, which is substantially similar to Antero Midstream's gathering and compression agreement with Antero Resources, but not considered in the low pressure gathering rebate volumes with Antero Resources.
Brendan Krueger, CFO of Antero Midstream, said, "We expect greater than 10% accretion to Free Cash Flow after dividends through 2026. This results in our ability to fund the transaction on a leverage neutral basis and continue to target 3.0x or lower leverage in 2024 and beyond."
Antero Midstream uses certain non-GAAP financial measures. Antero Midstream defines Adjusted EBITDA as Net Income plus interest expense, income tax expense, amortization of customer relationships, depreciation expense, impairment expense, loss (gain) on asset sale, loss on settlement of asset retirement obligation, accretion of asset retirement obligations, and equity-based compensation expense, and loss on early extinguishment of debt, excluding equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates, plus distributions from unconsolidated affiliates.
Antero Midstream uses Adjusted EBITDA to assess:
- the financial performance of Antero Midstream's assets, without regard to financing methods, capital structure or historical cost basis;
- its operating performance and return on capital as compared to other publicly traded companies in the midstream energy sector, without regard to financing or capital structure; and
- the viability of acquisitions and other capital expenditure projects.
Antero Midstream defines Free Cash Flow before dividends as Adjusted EBITDA less interest expense and accrual-based capital expenditures. Free Cash Flow after dividends is defined as Free Cash Flow before dividends less accrual-based dividends declared for the quarter. Antero Midstream uses Free Cash Flow before and after dividends as a performance metric to compare the cash generating performance of Antero Midstream from period to period.
Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow before and after dividends are non-GAAP financial measures. The GAAP measure most directly comparable to these measures is Net Income. Such non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered as alternatives to the GAAP measures of Net Income and cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities. The presentations of such measures are not made in accordance with GAAP and have important limitations as analytical tools because they include some, but not all, items that affect Net Income and cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities. You should not consider any or all such measures in isolation or as a substitute for analyses of results as reported under GAAP. Antero Midstream's definitions of such measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.
Antero Midstream defines leverage as Net Debt divided by Adjusted EBITDA for the last twelve months. The GAAP measure most directly comparable to Net Debt is total debt, excluding unamortized debt premiums and debt issuance costs. Antero Midstream defines Net Debt as consolidated total debt, excluding unamortized debt premiums and debt issuance costs, less cash and cash equivalents.
Antero Midstream Corporation is a Delaware corporation that owns, operates and develops midstream gathering, compression, processing and fractionation assets located in the Appalachian Basin, as well as integrated water assets that primarily service Antero Resources Corporation's properties.
This release includes "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are not under Antero Midstream's control. All statements, except for statements of historical fact, made in this release regarding activities, events or developments Antero Midstream expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future, such as statements regarding Antero Midstream's ability to consummate the Marcellus Shale asset acquisition on a timely basis or at all, achieve the anticipated financial and operating results or realize the anticipated capital savings, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. Although Antero Midstream believes that the plans, intentions and expectations reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there is no assurance that these plans, intentions or expectations will be achieved. Therefore, actual outcomes and results could materially differ from what is expressed, implied or forecast in such statements. Except as required by law, Antero Midstream expressly disclaims any obligation to and does not intend to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.
Antero Midstream cautions you that these forward-looking statements are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties incident to our business, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond Antero Midstream's control. These risks include, but are not limited to, the risk that the conditions to the acquisition, including obtaining certain regulatory approvals, are not satisfied on a timely basis or at all and the risk that Antero Midstream may not be able to successfully integrate the acquired assets, achieve the anticipated capital avoidance or realize the expected synergies relating to the acquisition, as well as risks relating to commodity price volatility, inflation, environmental risks, Antero Resources' drilling and completion and other operating risks, regulatory changes, the uncertainty inherent in projecting Antero Resources' future rates of production, cash flows and access to capital, the timing of development expenditures, impacts of geopolitical events and world health events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, cybersecurity risk, our ability to achieve our greenhouse gas reduction targets and the costs associated therewith, the state of markets for and availability of verified quality carbon offsets and the other risks described under the heading "Item 1A. Risk Factors" in Antero Midstream's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2022.
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| 2022-09-12T21:48:05Z
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DALLAS, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BAL Partner Frieda Garcia has been honored with a 2022 Women, Influence & Power in Law Award by Corporate Counsel. Frieda was honored in the Thought Leadership category, an area where she has excelled throughout her two decades at BAL. Frieda heads the firm's management committee and is key in influencing the direction of all legal and operational functions at BAL.
Frieda has been instrumental in shaping BAL's innovative culture through her leadership and ability to create inclusive environments. The empathy and compassion with which she approaches her work has its roots in her own immigration experience. Frieda's compelling story, from her childhood in war-torn El Salvador to her top leadership role at BAL, inspires the next generation of lawyers.
"I'm honored to accept this award and for the career guidance I received early on from BAL named partners, David Berry, Jeff Appleman and Warren Leiden.," Frieda said. "I'm grateful for the opportunity to pay it forward by providing mentorship to younger attorneys, discussing everything from law firm management to how working parents can succeed in the corporate world while feeling accomplished as parents."
Frieda's unique approach to leadership has nurtured an organizational model that incentivizes collaboration and teamwork instead of competition—a rare feat in the legal industry.
"Frieda has helped shape our 'oneBAL' culture that empowers us to collaborate across offices to grow and thrive," said BAL Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge. "I'm thrilled that she is being honored for the incalculable ways she has led and inspired the 1,500 team members at BAL."
Though Frieda has reached a career position with considerable influence, she encourages younger attorneys to dream bigger sooner. "I wish I had realized how much potential there is to grow and be a person of influence – no matter your title or role," Frieda said. "The secret, at least at BAL, is to encourage innovation and fresh ideas from every corner of the firm and empower every individual to raise their hand if they have an idea to make things better."
The awards dinner reception will take place Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022, 7 p.m. at the JW Marriott, 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, in Washington, D.C.
BAL, the world's leading corporate immigration law firm, is singularly focused on meeting the immigration challenges of corporate clients around the world in ways that make immigration more strategic and enable businesses to be more successful. Established in 1980, BAL has consistently provided immigration expertise, people-centered client services, and leading technology innovation. In 2018, BAL entered into a first-of-its-kind strategic alliance with Deloitte U.K. to create the world's first global immigration service delivery model. BAL's proprietary Cobalt® digital immigration services platform won the 2020 CODiE Award for Best Legal Tech Product, the prestigious CIO100 award for Innovative Use of Intelligent Automation in Immigration Services, and Legalweek's Most Innovative Law Firm Operations Team of 2021. BAL and its leaders are highly ranked in every major legal publication, including Best Lawyers, Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500, and Who's Who Legal. BAL has ranked #1 on multiple industry rankings for diversity, equity and inclusion, including the #1 Law Firm for Women on the National Law Journal's Women in Law Scorecard the past four years in a row (2019-2022), #1 on the Diversity Scorecard by The American Lawyer (2020 and 2021), and #1 on Law360's Diversity Snapshot for three years running (2020-2022). In 2022, BAL won the "Best Company for Diversity," the "Best HR Team" and the "Best Company for Career Growth" by Comparably, based solely on employee ratings. The Dallas Business Journal named BAL one of only a handful of the 2022 Best Places to Work based exclusively on a confidential employee survey. See website for details: https://www.bal.com
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| 2022-09-12T21:48:12Z
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Third quarter 2022 cash dividend of $0.165 per share
TEMPE, Ariz., Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Benchmark Electronics, Inc. (NYSE: BHE) today announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.165 per share, payable on October 14, 2022 to shareholders of record at the close of business on September 30, 2022.
About Benchmark Electronics, Inc.
Benchmark provides comprehensive solutions across the entire product life cycle by leading through its innovative technology and engineering design services, leveraging its optimized global supply chain and delivering world-class manufacturing services in the following industries: commercial aerospace, defense, advanced computing, next generation telecommunications, complex industrials, medical, and semiconductor capital equipment. Benchmark's global operations include facilities in seven countries and its common shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol BHE.
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| 2022-09-12T21:48:18Z
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NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Berkshire Bancorp Inc. (OTCQB: BERK) reported today that the New York State Department of Financial Services has approved the previously disclosed application submitted by TBB Investments LLC ("TBB Investments"), an entity formed by certain individuals and entities that collectively own more than 90% of the common stock of BERK, to acquire ownership of 100% of the outstanding common stock of BERK through a merger of a wholly-owned subsidiary of TBB Investments with and into BERK. The potential acquisition had previously been approved by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the approval by New York's Department of Financial Services was the last remaining regulatory approval needed to allow TBB Investments to proceed with the potential transaction.
Prompt public notice will be given if the potential transaction occurs. BERK has been informed that TBB Investments has not yet determined whether to proceed with the acquisition of the remaining BERK shares, but that the determination will be made shortly. Under Delaware law, no action would be required by the Board of Directors of BERK or the stockholders of BERK (other than TBB Investments) to authorize TBB Investments' acquisition of 100% of the outstanding common stock of BERK.
If the transaction occurs, it is anticipated that the holders of BERK common stock outstanding immediately prior to the transaction, other than TBB Investments and its subsidiary, would become entitled, subject to surrender of their BERK shares (together with certain other required documentation), to receive, as merger consideration, a cash payment for their shares in an amount to be determined by TBB Investments based on advice of its independent financial advisor. Alternatively, such holders would be entitled to exercise certain appraisal rights under Delaware law. It is expected that following any such transaction, the BERK common stock would no longer be publicly traded
Berkshire Bancorp Inc. is a bank holding company headquartered in New York City. Berkshire Bancorp has one banking subsidiary, The Berkshire Bank, a New York State chartered commercial bank. The Berkshire Bank has its main office and branch at 4 East 39th Street in New York City and additional branches located in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Orange County, New York and Teaneck, New Jersey.
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| 2022-09-12T21:48:25Z
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BOSTON, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: BHLB), the parent company of Berkshire Bank, a leading socially responsible community bank with financial centers located in New England and New York, is excited to announce that Ashlee Flores, an experienced industry and Berkshire veteran was promoted to EVP, Chief Compliance Officer. Ms. Flores will replace Deborah A. Stephenson, SEVP, Chief Compliance Officer, who is resigning her position effective September 30, 2022, to pursue another opportunity.
"I want to thank Ms. Stephenson for her years of hard work, dedication, professionalism, and commitment to leading a best in class compliance function at Berkshire Bank. On behalf of the entire Berkshire family, we wish Deb all the best in her next chapter," stated Nitin Mhatre, CEO of Berkshire.
"We are delighted to welcome Ms. Flores to our executive team. She is a proven leader with deep knowledge of Berkshire Bank, our employees, customers, and communities. She has consistently demonstrated her performance in key roles within our compliance function and actively participates in strategic initiatives to advise on potential compliance impacts. Her positive energy and breadth of experience make her the ideal candidate to lead our compliance function into the future under our Berkshire's Exciting Strategic Transformation (BEST) program," added Mhatre.
Ms. Flores will oversee all aspects of the compliance risk management program, including compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act, Community Reinvestment Act, consumer protection laws and regulations, as well as the Security and Fraud Investigations functions. She will report directly to SEVP, Chief Risk Officer, Greg Lindenmuth.
"I'm honored to step into this leadership role at Berkshire as we look to deliver on our vision to be a high-performing, leading socially responsible community bank. Central to this vision is maintaining a strong culture of compliance, risk management and consumer financial protection so that we can best serve our customers and communities," stated Ashlee Flores.
Ms. Flores brings more than 15 years of financial industry, risk management and compliance experience, most recently serving as SVP, Compliance, where she oversaw Berkshire Bank's compliance program. Prior to joining Berkshire Bank, Ms. Flores was a compliance officer at Hampden Bank in Springfield, MA where she managed the compliance and audit program. She holds a Bachelor of Applied Sciences in Journalism from Boston University in Boston, MA. Outside of work, Ms. Flores volunteers with Leadership Pioneer Valley on their finance committee, Dress for Success, and is a former board member for the Western MA Compliance Association.
ABOUT BERKSHIRE HILLS BANCORP
Berkshire Hills Bancorp is the parent of Berkshire Bank. The Bank's goal is to be a high performing, leading socially responsible community bank in New England, Upstate New York, and beyond. Berkshire Bank provides business and consumer banking, mortgage, wealth management, and investment services. Headquartered in Boston, Berkshire has approximately $11.6 billion in assets and operates over 100 financial centers in New England and New York, and is a member of the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index. To learn more, call 800-773-5601 or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Investor Relations Contacts
Kevin Conn, SVP, Investor Relations & Corporate Development
Email: KAConn@berkshirebank.com
Tel: (617) 641-9206
David Gonci, Capital Markets Director
Email: dgonci@berkshirebank.com
Tel: (413) 281-1973
Media Contact:
Gary Levante, SVP, Corporate Responsibility & Communications
Email: glevante@berkshirebank.com
Tel: (413) 447-1737
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| 2022-09-12T21:48:31Z
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The national boutique coffee chain now has three stores in The Golden State
PORTLAND, Ore., Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Black Rock Coffee Bar, a national boutique coffee chain founded in Portland, Oregon, is opening a new Drive-Thru only store in Escondido, California. With more than 100 stores across seven states, this is Black Rock's third location in the San Diego area following the openings in Oceanside and Vista.
Known for its premium roasted coffees, teas, smoothies and flavorful Fuel®️ energy drinks, Black Rock Coffee Bar is set to open on Friday September 16th at 1906 East Valley Parkway in Escondido. To celebrate its grand opening, Black Rock Coffee Bar will offer all customers free 16 oz. drinks all day on September 16th at this location. The store opens just in time for customers to enjoy Black Rock's delicious lineup of Fall drinks including a fan favorite, the Pumpkin Blondie.
"We are excited to add another store in the San Diego area," said Josh Pike, CEO of Black Rock Coffee Bar. "Escondido is a diverse, vibrant community with just the right mix of small-town friendliness and big-city buzz, and we look forward to our baristas serving great coffee and providing a fun, high-energy experience for the community."
This Drive-Thru only location brings to the community Black Rock's updated branding, signage and building design. Drawing from it's past while incorporating a clean modern feel, customers can still count on exceptional customer service and industry-leading speed of service when ordering their favorite drinks.
Founded in 2008 in Portland, Oregon, an area of the Pacific Northwest known for its coffee excellence, Black Rock Coffee Bar continues its rapid expansion through the west and into the sunbelt, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Texas and Washington. The boutique coffee chain recently was named the Fastest Growing Private Company in Oregon and SW Washington in 2021 by the Portland Business Journal. Most recently, Black Rock Coffee Bar ranked 837th among America's Fastest-Growing Private Companies by Inc. Magazine's 5000 Annual List.
The Black Rock culture prides itself on providing opportunities for young people to learn how to lead, run a business, and develop people skills.
Black Rock Coffee Bar is a national boutique coffee shop that is known for its premium roasted coffees, teas, smoothies and flavorful Fuel® energy drinks. Founded as a family owned and operated business in Oregon in 2008, Black Rock Coffee Bar has grown to more than 100 retail locations in seven states. The Black Rock culture prides itself on not only being a positive force for the communities it serves, but also the team members that fuel their locations day in and day out. An important aspect of their team mission is to recognize those that go above and beyond by displaying the 4G's of Black Rock – grit, growth, gratitude and grace.
For more information, visit https://br.coffee/
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| 2022-09-12T21:48:38Z
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- This National Suicide Prevention Month, the gun violence prevention community is focusing attention on the epidemic of firearm suicide in Missouri, which is the leading cause of firearm deaths in the state.
The inaugural Firearm Suicide Prevention Day, established by Brady and End Family Fire, is being observed this year on Tuesday, September 13. The day was created to promote the importance of storing firearms safely — guns should be locked, unloaded, and separate from ammunition — which is an essential component of suicide prevention. Firearm suicide is a leading kind of "family fire," which is a shooting in the home involving an improperly stored or misused gun that results in death or injury.
In April, Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) launched End Family Fire Missouri, an innovative, two-year public health campaign in partnership with the Ad Council and Brady to address Missouri's firearm suicide crisis. The initiative includes Missouri-specific public service announcements, which have aired on TV and radio stations across the state, as well as social media campaigns and a dedicated website: www.endfamilyfire.org/mo.
"Suicides are the leading cause of gun deaths in Missouri, with firearms involved in more than six out of 10 suicides in the state," said MFH Senior Strategist - Initiatives Jessi LaRose. "These numbers underscore the urgent need for safer firearm storage in homes all across Missouri. It's a leading solution to preventing firearm suicide and saving lives."
Nationwide, approximately 65 people die from gun suicide every day. In Missouri, the 2020 firearm suicide rate was 1.5 times higher than the national rate. Missouri also has the 11th highest suicide by firearm rate and the 16th highest suicide rate in the nation.
Access to a firearm in the household increases the risk of death by suicide by 300%, and loaded and unlocked guns account for 75% of youth firearm suicides in which the gun storage method was identified. When we store our guns safely, we save lives.
"In the U.S., every year, more than 600 children under age 17 and an additional 1,100 young adults under 21 die from gun suicide, most of which could have been prevented if the gun in the home was stored more safely," said Brady Director of End Family Fire Colleen Creighton. "Putting time and space between someone in crisis and access to a firearm can help save their life."
If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, please call the free and confidential National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or text the Crisis Textline by texting HOME to 741741.
Resources
- EndFamilyFire Missouri
- Recommendations for Reporting on Suicide, Joint Project by Leading Experts
- The Truth About Suicide and Guns, Brady Report 2021
- Firearm Suicide Risk Among Veterans and Military Service Members, Brady Online Resources
- Preventing Gun Suicides Among Youth, Team ENOUGH
- Brady Podcasts:
The nonpartisan End Family Fire program encourages safe gun storage by putting a name to the preventable tragedies that occur when guns in the home are misused. The program aims to bring awareness to the issue of family fire, give gun owners a role in gun violence prevention, and encourage a national dialogue around safe storage practices—all of which can help prevent tragedies. End Family Fire's nationally syndicated PSAs remind gun owners to store their firearms locked, unloaded, and separate from ammunition. The program also drives audiences to EndFamilyFire.org for tips to make their homes safer.
Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) is building a more equitable future through collaboration, convening, knowledge sharing, and strategic investment. Working in partnership with communities and nonprofits, MFH is transforming systems to eliminate inequities within all aspects of health and addressing the social and economic factors that shape health outcomes.
Brady has one powerful mission — to unite all Americans against gun violence. We work across Congress, the courts, and our communities with over 90 grassroots chapters, bringing together young and old, red and blue, and every shade of color to find common ground in common sense. In the spirit of our namesakes Jim and Sarah Brady, we have fought for over 45 years to take action, not sides, and we will not stop until this epidemic ends. It's in our hands.
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| 2022-09-12T21:48:45Z
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Broadridge earns recognition as a "Fast Track FinTech," rises four places in ranking
NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its eighth consecutive year being recognized, Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: BR), a global Fintech leader, is pleased to announce it ranks #10 on the 2022 IDC FinTech Rankings, rising four places from its 2021 ranking. Broadridge was also named among a select group of companies as a "Fast Track FinTech," an accolade given only to those firms that continue to demonstrate consistent year-over-year financial growth.
The 19th annual vendor ranking represents leading hardware, software, and service providers to the financial services industry from around the world. Companies are ranked based on 2021 calendar year revenues attributed to the financial services and FinTech industries.
"Being recognized as a "Fast Track FinTech" by IDC and making this distinguished list eight years in a row is a true testament to Broadridge's thriving culture of innovation and the belief in the power of transformative, next-generation technology," said Tim Gokey, CEO of Broadridge. "We remain steadfast in our commitment to helping financial institutions across the globe embrace innovation and implement cutting-edge technologies that drive growth, enhance customer experience and realize exceptional operational performance."
The Fortune 500-style ranking categorizes and evaluates the top global providers of financial technology based on calendar year revenues from financial institutions for hardware, software and/or services. These providers supply the technological backbone of the financial services industry, an industry in which IDC forecasts worldwide spending on IT across the globe to reach $590 billion (USD) by 2025.
"Being named in the IDC FinTech Rankings is a significant accomplishment, demonstrating a provider's commitment to the success of its financial institution clients," states Marc DeCastro, Research Director at IDC Financial Insights. "The IDC Fintech Rankings, now in its 19th year, is the global standard list of fintech providers to the industry, and we congratulate the 2022 winners."
To thrive in a digital economy, the financial services organizations must embrace and integrate innovative technology effectively to enhance the customer experience and achieve operational excellence. Broadridge and the companies featured on the IDC FinTech Rankings represent those providers committed to helping financial institutions successfully execute their digital transformation initiatives for the betterment of their customers around the world.
Broadridge provides technology-driven solutions to banks, broker-dealers, portfolio managers, and public companies. The company's infrastructure serves as a global communications hub for thousands of mutual funds and millions of institutional investors.
For more information about the IDC rankings, visit http://www.idc-fi.com and follow them on Twitter @IDC and look for #IDCFinTechRankings.
Broadridge Financial Solutions (NYSE: BR), a global Fintech leader with $5 billion in revenues, provides the critical infrastructure that powers investing, corporate governance, and communications to enable better financial lives. We deliver technology-driven solutions that drive business transformation for banks, broker-dealers, asset and wealth managers and public companies. Broadridge's infrastructure serves as a global communications hub enabling corporate governance by linking thousands of public companies and mutual funds to tens of millions of individual and institutional investors around the world. Our technology and operations platforms underpin the daily trading of more than U.S. $9 trillion of equities, fixed income and other securities globally. A certified Great Place to Work®, Broadridge is part of the S&P 500® Index, employing over 14,000 associates in 21 countries.
For more information about us please visit broadridge.com.
Investors:
W. Edings Thibault
Investor Relations
+ 1 516-472-5129
Edings.thibault@broadridge.com
Media:
Gregg Rosenberg
Corporate Communications
+1 212-918-6966
Gregg.rosenberg@broadridge.com
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| 2022-09-12T21:48:52Z
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Speaker lineup features Cetera leaders, Mondavi sisters, pickleball champ, Washington insider and retired FBI agent
Connect22 to deliver inspiration, continuing education, networking and entertainment for Cetera financial professionals within six personalized tracks
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cetera Financial Group, one of America's largest networks of financial professionals, announced today that it has opened registration and revealed the speaker lineup for its exclusive Connect22 experience taking place October 24-27, 2022. Connect is Cetera's award-winning annual event series that is a unique and innovative program across digital, in-person and performance marketing engagement throughout the entire year. Connect22 will combine the best educational and experiential elements from the conference series over four days of inspiration, education and timely insights designed to help advisors grow their businesses. Content will be diverse and well developed by Cetera's strategic partners, who bring a wealth of subject matter expertise on today's most pressing topics for advisors, and by Cetera's home office experts and engaging entertainers. Connect22 attendees will enjoy live interaction within the virtual event, with multiple live Q&A sessions taking place between attendees, strategic partners and speakers.
"Connect22 will deliver new ideas and thoughtful strategies to help Cetera financial professionals grow their businesses at a critical time," said Peggy Jordan, SVP, head of experiences and events at Cetera. "The content experience will be unmatched thanks last year's Connect attendees who provided valuable feedback that helps ensure that Connect22 exceeds expectations, and to insights from our strategic partners. We look forward to Connect22 and encourage all Cetera-affiliated financial professionals to attend what we expect to be our best Connect experience yet."
To help maximize engagement with attendees, Cetera provides strategic partners with innovative data and performance marketing analytics that detail the event experience, including session feedback, benchmarking, and attendee satisfaction scores. The data-focused approach helps ensure that content partners and attendees maximize the experience together and focus on the most important and relevant opportunities to engage and serves as a framework for post-event collaboration. Connect22 topics and speakers are organized within six tracks, which empowers attendees to select the topics and speakers most relevant and impactful to their businesses. Speakers and topics include:
- Entertainment and lifestyle sessions and speakers, including professional pickleball player Jennifer Dawson, who will teach the basics of the nation's fastest growing sport and discuss how pickleball got its start, plus provide tips for how to pickle ball like a pro.
- Washington insider Jeff Bush who will deliver a timely mid-term elections preview that breaks down the potential scenarios and implications for advisors and investors.
- The Mondavi sisters, fourth-generation winemakers, who will discuss the importance of succession planning and share their perspective about what legacy means to them as they continue their great-grandparents' legacy in northern California.
- Jeff Lanza, a retired FBI agent and cybersecurity and identity theft expert who will share the latest client security tips to help financial professionals protect investors.
- Fresh market insights from Cetera CIO Gene Goldman, CFA®, that can help turn adversity into opportunity.
- Admin exchange sessions that provide strategies for attendees to strengthen their team members' skills by learning about the latest tools and best practices.
Cetera has a track record of delivering successful virtual education and experiences to its financial professionals: nearly 6,000 financial professionals registered for Connect21 last year, and attendees provided record-high feedback, with an average session rating of 4.63 out of 5.0. Cetera's Connect series has won three Stevie awards, which recognize the accomplishments and contributions of companies and businesspeople worldwide among 12,000 entries each year across more than 70 nations. The Connect@Home virtual conference in 2020 – a completely reimagined on-demand version of the Connect series – earned a Silver Stevie® Award.
Connect22 is free for all Cetera-affiliated financial professionals, advisors and administrative staff to attend. Cetera financial professionals should visit https://events.cetera.com/connect22 and speak with their Growth Officer for registration details.
About Cetera Financial Group®
Cetera Financial Group (Cetera) is a leading financial services firm whose purpose is to enable the delivery of best-in-class financial advice to as many Americans as possible. Cetera empowers its financial professional communities to help clients achieve their version of financial wellbeing through the Advice-Centric Experience®. Cetera proudly serves independent financial professionals, tax professionals, banks and credit unions in providing wide-ranging financial planning and wealth management services.
Cetera oversees approximately $353 billion in assets under administration and $122 billion in assets under management, as of December 31, 2021.
Visit www.cetera.com, and follow Cetera on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
"Cetera Financial Group" refers to the network of independent retail firms encompassing, among others, Cetera Advisors LLC, Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, Cetera Investment Services LLC (marketed as Cetera Financial Institutions or Cetera Investors), Cetera Financial Specialists LLC, and First Allied Securities, Inc. All firms are members FINRA/SIPC. Located at: 655 W. Broadway, 11th Floor, San Diego, CA 92101.
Individuals affiliated with Cetera firms are either Registered Representatives who offer only brokerage services and receive transaction-based compensation (commissions), Investment Adviser Representatives who offer only investment advisory services and receive fees based on assets, or both Registered Representatives and Investment Adviser Representatives, who can offer both types of services.
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| 2022-09-12T21:48:58Z
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Cohen & Steers Announces Preliminary Assets Under Management and Net Flows For August 2022
Published: Sep. 12, 2022 at 4:19 PM EDT|Updated: 2 hours ago
NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cohen & Steers, Inc. (NYSE: CNS) today reported preliminary assets under management of $89.8 billion as of August 31, 2022, a decrease of $4.2 billion from assets under management at July 31, 2022. The decrease was due to market depreciation of $4.2 billion and distributions of $180 million, partially offset by net inflows of $197 million.
About Cohen & Steers
Cohen & Steers is a leading global investment manager specializing in real assets and alternative income, including real estate, preferred securities, infrastructure, resource equities, commodities, as well as multi-strategy solutions. Founded in 1986, the firm is headquartered in New York City, with offices in London, Dublin, Hong Kong and Tokyo.
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The above press release was provided courtesy of PRNewswire. The views, opinions and statements in the press release are not endorsed by Gray Media Group nor do they necessarily state or reflect those of Gray Media Group, Inc.
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https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/cohen-amp-steers-announces-preliminary-assets-under-management-net-flows-august-2022/
| 2022-09-12T21:49:05Z
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NEW YORK , Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ESRT) announced that it welcomes several new retail tenants to expand the portfolio's food offerings, with leases signed with Panera Bread, Playa Bowls and Le Café Coffee at three of its New York City office and residential properties.
- 1359 Broadway:
Panera Bread will relocate from ESRT's 10 Union Square with a lease signed for a 2,100 square foot retail space at 1359 Broadway. Andrew Mandell of RIPCO represented Panera Bread in the lease negotiations. Fred C. Posniak of ESRT and Morgan Singer and Samuel Martorella of RIPCO represented the property owner. Rebecca Clareman and David Bleckner of Lester, Bleckner & Shaw LLP provided legal representation for ESRT. - 1350 Broadway:
Playa Bowls signed a new lease for a 1,385 square foot retail space. Abie Dwek of C&W represented Playa Bowls in the lease negotiations. Fred C. Posniak of ESRT and Andrew Mandell, Morgan Singer, and Samuel Martorella of RIPCO represented the property owner. Richard Reiser and David Bleckner of Lester, Bleckner & Shaw LLP provided legal representation for ESRT. - 561 10th Ave. – The Victory:
Le Café Coffee signed their third lease with ESRT for an 822 square foot space. Yoel Gorjian of Winick Realty Group represented Le Café in the lease negotiations. Fred C. Posniak of ESRT and Steven E. Baker, Charles Rapuano, and Thomas Galo of Winick Realty Group represented the property owner. David Bleckner of Lester, Bleckner & Shaw LLP provided legal representation for ESRT.
"Throughout our Manhattan portfolio, we have curated and leased to over a dozen food and beverage providers that serve as an important amenity for our office and residential tenants," said Fred C. Posniak, SVP, leasing at Empire State Realty Trust. "We are pleased to welcome Playa Bowls to our high-value tenant roster and to continue our established relationships with Panera Bread and Le Café Coffee."
More information about ESRT properties, and current availability, can be found online.
Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ESRT) is a REIT that owns and manages office, retail and multifamily assets in Manhattan and the greater New York metropolitan area. ESRT owns the Empire State Building, the World's Most Famous Building, and Tripadvisor's 2022 Travelers' Choice Best of the Best Awards #1 attraction in the U.S. and #3 attraction in the world, the newly reimagined and iconic Empire State Building Observatory. The company is a leader in healthy buildings, energy efficiency, and indoor environmental quality and has the lowest greenhouse gas emissions per square foot of any publicly traded REIT portfolio in New York City. As of June 30, 2022, ESRT's portfolio is comprised of approximately 9.2 million rentable square feet of office space, 700,000 rentable square feet of retail space and 625 residential units across two multifamily properties. More information about Empire State Realty Trust can be found at esrtreit.com and by following ESRT on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Federal securities laws. You can identify these statements by our use of words such as "assumes," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "projects" or the negative of these words or similar words or expressions that do not relate to historical matters. You should exercise caution in interpreting and relying on forward-looking statements, because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond ESRT's control and could materially affect actual results, performance or achievements. Such factors and risks include, without limitation, the current public health crisis and economic disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic, a failure of conditions or performance regarding any event or transaction described above, regulatory changes, and other risks and uncertainties described from time to time in ESRT's and ESROP's filings with the SEC, including those set forth in each of ESRT's and ESROP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 under the heading "Risk Factors." Except as may be required by law, ESRT and ESROP do not undertake a duty to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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SOURCE Empire State Realty Trust, Inc.
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https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/empire-state-realty-trust-welcomes-le-caf-panera-bread-playa-bowls-three-new-york-city-properties/
| 2022-09-12T21:49:12Z
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The Branch will be anchored by Commercial Real Estate icon, Cindy Hill
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Equity Union's CEO, Harma Hartouni, announced the addition of its seventh branch, to be located at 4404 Riverside Drive in Toluca Lake.
The Toluca Lake branch will cater to an upscale clientele, providing advanced technology and multiple private offices. The interior design of the office will serve all types of agents, those who want to come in, and those who prefer to work remotely, providing their clients with high-quality service.
Several industry veterans with over 30 years of real estate experience have already signed on to join the branch, and have patiently waited with the desire to work at this location. This includes one of Los Angeles' most successful commercial real estate agents, Cindy Hill. "Cindy is an icon in Los Angeles and the Commercial Real Estate industry specializing in multi-family sales. She has personally represented clients in over $1 Billion in sales volume and is a household name in Burbank and beyond" said Harma Hartouni, CEO, Equity Union. This branch will be a central location servicing not only Toluca Lake and Burbank, but the surrounding east valley area.
The branch will be led by Tom Barseghian, who has an exceptional reputation in real estate. Tom's knowledge, experience and passion to help others further elevates Equity Union as it continues its expansion with top tier new locations.
Equity Union currently has offices in Sherman Oaks, Encino, Woodland Hills, Brentwood, Palm Springs and Palm Desert, as well as plans to announce a Santa Clarita location in the coming days. With these additional locations, Equity Union will operate 8 branches by the end of 2022.
About Equity Union: Founded by Harma Hartouni, groundbreaking REALTOR® and inspiring author of the memoir Getting Back Up, Equity Union was created to be a completely unique real estate company. With an unparalleled commitment to service, integrity and excellence, we're ready to both inspire your vision and help you bring it to life.
About Harma Hartouni: Harma Hartouni is a self-made entrepreneur and developer, owns a real estate company employing hundreds of residential and commercial real estate agents in Southern California. Among awards and recognition received, The National Association of REALTORS® named Harma one of their top "30 Under 30" brokers in the country, and the Los Angeles Business Journal has recognized him as one of their "40 Under 40" Most Influential Business Owners.
Media Contact:
Dan Stueve, +13105955875, dan@equityunion.com
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SOURCE Equity Union
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https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/equity-union-expands-with-new-branch-open-toluca-lake/
| 2022-09-12T21:49:18Z
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ST. LOUIS, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ESCO Technologies Inc. (NYSE:ESE) announced today that Vic Richey, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President, will retire from his CEO and President roles effective December 31, 2022. Richey will continue as Executive Chairman of the ESCO Board of Directors. Bryan Sayler, currently President of ESCO's Utility Solutions Group, has been selected to serve as CEO and President beginning January 1, 2023, allowing for an orderly and smooth leadership transition.
Vic Richey is the third CEO since ESCO's spinoff from Emerson in 1990 and has served as CEO for 20 years. He has been instrumental in the portfolio transformation that created the ESCO of today — a global provider of highly engineered products and solutions focused on aerospace and defense, utility solutions and RF shielding and test. Under Richey's leadership, ESCO has built a strong foundation with a well-tested operating model and three profitable business segments serving diverse end-markets, which are all well positioned for continued growth.
Bryan Sayler has led ESCO's Utility Solutions Group since 2016. Prior to that he held senior positions in ETS-Lindgren, ESCO's RF Shield and Test business, which he joined in 1995. Sayler has played a key role in strategically building out the utility group, including leading ESCO's entry into the renewables business and overseeing six successful acquisitions that have more than doubled the size of the utility segment.
"It's been a privilege leading ESCO Technologies for the past 20 years, and I couldn't be prouder of what we've accomplished in building a customer-centric market leader with some of the deepest and broadest engineering expertise and technology-driven products and services across our industries," said Richey. "Bryan Sayler is an outstanding leader with a great track record of effectively integrating acquired companies, delivering growth, and building a strong, cohesive team. The rigorous CEO succession planning process undertaken by the Board, which engaged a leading executive search firm and considered both external and internal candidates, confirmed that Bryan is the best choice to drive the organization forward and lead ESCO into the future."
"I'm honored to succeed Vic and excited to lead this outstanding organization as we build on a strong foundation and address the opportunities and challenges ahead," said Sayler. "I look forward to working closely with our leadership team and all of our businesses to serve our customers, manage profitable growth, deliver higher returns to our shareholders, and attract and retain the best talent in the industry."
About ESCO Technologies
ESCO is a global provider of highly engineered products and solutions serving diverse end-markets. It manufactures filtration and fluid control products for the aviation, Navy, space and process markets worldwide and composite-based products and solutions for Navy, defense and industrial customers. ESCO is the industry leader in RF shielding and EMC test products; and provides diagnostic instruments, software and services to industrial power users and the electric utility and renewable energy industries. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, ESCO and its subsidiaries have offices and manufacturing facilities worldwide. For more information on ESCO and its subsidiaries, visit the Company's website at www.escotechnologies.com.
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SOURCE ESCO Technologies Inc.
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https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/esco-technologies-announces-retirement-chief-executive-vic-richey-appointment-bryan-sayler-new-ceo/
| 2022-09-12T21:49:25Z
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AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Manifest, the top sustainable ecommerce fulfillment provider in the US, announced the publication of an 11 page market analysis including carbon footprint measurement from core clients Definite Articles, PiperWai, SUAVS, Thousand Fell, and TopFoxx. This highlights the increasing consumer requirement for direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands to demonstrate a clear pathway towards achieving personal sustainability goals. The market analysis indicates that this now impacts the entire supply chain, and predominantly the click-to-deliver segment that Manifest is responsible for.
Customers are begging for brands to become more responsible with their sustainability practices.
Brands are begging for easy and impactful ways to meet their customers' new personal sustainability requirements.
Manifest, founded by one of the Cofounders of ShipBob along with many early employees from ShipBob, provides sustainable packaging and clear data to show DTC brands and their customers exactly how they offset their carbon in the process. Manifest focuses on DTC brands that procure between 1,000 and 100,000 domestic-US orders per month. Brands that have adopted Manifest early span from newly launched VC-funded brands to newer DTC brands launched by repeat-Founders. The door is also wide open to the more matriculated high-growth DTC brand.
The Manifest executive leadership team includes:
George Wojciechowski, CEO & Cofounder
George Wojciechowski is a Cofounder and CEO at Manifest. Prior to launching Manifest, George cofounded ShipBob, a predominant name in the global ecommerce fulfillment space. George has held several roles in various investment communities including Goldman Sachs, among others.
Bob Sixsmith, VP Operations & Cofounder
Bob Sixsmith is a Cofounder and VP of Operations at Manifest. Prior to launching Manifest, Bob was an Operations Leader at ShipBob, first as the General Manager of their Los Angeles fulfillment center and in additional Senior Management roles spanning Project Management and Operations Management. Prior to ShipBob, Bob was at Groupon. He has a BA from University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Max Stevens, VP Fulfillment & Cofounder
Max Stevens is a Cofounder and VP of Fulfillment at Manifest. Prior to launching Manifest, Max spent 6 years at ShipBob serving in both Director of Operations and Director of Fulfillment roles. Max has a BA from The University of Kansas and an MBA from the University of Illinois.
Peter Hillowe, VP Marketing
Peter Hillowe is the VP of Marketing at Manifest. Prior to joining Manifest, Peter served X Delivery as their Head of Marketing. Peter has been an Operating Advisor for PAKA Apparel. Pete has also served ONELIVE as their Director of Marketing, and 237 Global as their VP of Operations. Peter has a BA from the College at Oneonta and an MBA from Syracuse University.
Over twenty reports from predominant research firms indicate that customers are more inclined to shop from brands that clearly connect the dots between sustainability metrics. These metrics should be focused on product packaging and shipping; with a clear line to resolving their personal sustainability goals. "We've done this before, we're doing it again, and now we've made it more sustainable" said CEO & Cofounder at Manifest, George Wojciechowski. "Every part of our community is built on the belief that sustainable commerce needs to be more accessible to brands and ultimately their customers."
"Partnering with Manifest for PiperWai's fulfillment has been an eye-opening experience. Their team not only delivers an above-average merchant experience that matches our high-standard for logistics performance; they also provide easy-to-digest carbon footprint data that is important to both us and our customers" said Sarah Ribner, Cofounder of PiperWai.
"The future of fulfillment is here" said VP of Marketing at Manifest, Peter Hillowe. "The needs of our merchants and their customers force us to live in the present. What's always worked no longer works for the new breed of sustainability-driven Founder/CXOs. Manifest is focused on building a story that speaks directly to them in the ways they prefer to be spoken to by way of content consumption. It's a welcome challenge that a new cohort of talent is being drawn to - myself included. Big fundraising checks and relatively high revenue is magnetizing the younger-skewing generation away from blue-chip and SaaS technology. It's been uplifting to see the new breed of go-to-market professionals completely reinvent the buying experience".
Visit https://manifest.eco/sustainable-commerce-101/ to read the full market analysis.
Manifest provides sustainable ecommerce fulfillment. Oversized 3PL models produce too much waste and resort to cutbacks on the client experience. Manifest illustrates the future of fulfillment by providing biodegradable packaging and clear data to show brands exactly how we offset their carbon footprint. The future roadmap of Manifest is focused on validating a methodology for sustainable commerce with its partner network including higher education institutions, supply chain infrastructure, and commerce infrastructure.
Peter Hillowe, VP of Marketing
peter@manifest.eco
(516) 661-9715
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SOURCE Manifest
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https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/hypothesis-proven-sustainability-is-customer-experience-11-page-sustainable-commerce-market-analysis-former-shipbob-cofounder/
| 2022-09-12T21:49:31Z
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NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- IAC (NASDAQ: IAC) posted monthly metrics for August 2022 in the investor relations section of its website at https://ir.iac.com/.
About IAC
IAC (NASDAQ: IAC) builds companies. We are guided by curiosity, a questioning of the status quo, and a desire to invent or acquire new products and brands. From the single seed that started as IAC over two decades ago have emerged 11 public companies and generations of exceptional leaders. We will always evolve, but our basic principles of financially disciplined opportunism will never change. IAC is today comprised of category leading businesses including Angi Inc. (NASDAQ: ANGI), Dotdash Meredith and Care.com among many others ranging from early stage to established businesses. IAC is headquartered in New York City with business locations worldwide.
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SOURCE IAC
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https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/iac-monthly-metrics-available-company-website/
| 2022-09-12T21:49:38Z
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