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Leading Smart Technology Companies Show Improved Customer Engagement Driven by Adtarg's Data Insights
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- WeBranding Global announced today the company's newest version of Adtarg, an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered marketing platform, will debut at the Consumer Technology Association's CES 2023. With millions generated in seed funding this year, the company's industry-leading Customer Insight System (CIS) now includes Market Listening System (MLS) and Voice of the Customer (VoC), designed to improve customer experiences and enhance e-commerce marketing strategies for global brands.
Adtarg is a revolutionary SaaS platform powered by AI that is helping companies accelerate growth and compete in the global tech ecosystem. It captures and analyzes big data, provides curated customer insights, and accelerates innovation in customer engagement products and services designed to strengthen brand loyalty and improve customer satisfaction.
WeBranding Global's innovative digital marketing tool is designed for global brands and supports digital transformation, while improving data-driven decision making to enhance brand strategy and customer lifecycle management. Companies use Adtarg to uncover powerful data insights, strengthen brand loyalty, enhance product marketing results, and engage customers across global markets and digital platforms.
The platform's 3-in-1 system not only improve social media monitoring in real time, tracking brand mentions and delivering competitor analysis for a more comprehensive view of the digital marketplace, but increases customer engagement with data-driven user profiles that improve marketing strategy. With Adtarg (AI)-powered marketing platform, brands can also improve data collection and analysis across e-commerce platforms, from Amazon to Walmart, to better manage customer feedback.
"Adtarg uses the latest AI-powered digital marketing and data analytics technologies to help brands stand out in the marketplace and solve the problems that come from serving customers around the world, across different cultures, time zones, and borders," said Rebecca Ding, founder and CEO, WeBranding Global. "WeBranding Global is helping companies build stronger, more personal relationships with customers across e-commerce platforms and improving product satisfaction and customer retention success. Adtarg helps businesses grow with the power of data, creating more unified experiences people love."
Adtarg allows companies to better track and respond to customer patterns and insights across digital channels. Backed by machine learning and big data analytics, the SaaS digital marketing platform delivers customized, real-time customer expectation, experience, preference, and aversion data. With more customer-driven marketing plans, companies are improving brand development and shopping experiences online. Trusted by the world's valuable brands, Adtarg delivers real-time data insights, driven innovation, identifies gaps in the market and helps companies influence customer behaviors and strengthen brand loyalty across channels.
CES 2023 visitors can experience the hands-on Adtarg exhibit and receive a free brand consultation at WeBranding Global's booth #9272 at the LVCC North Hall, from January 5-8, 2023. WeBranding Global will showcase leading technology companies from around the world who use Adtarg to build responsive, personal brand experiences online.
About WeBranding Global
WeBranding Global is an industry leading international MarTech agency powered by data science that blends creativity and technology to elevate brands and overcome cultural barriers to break into the global marketplace.
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SOURCE WeBranding Global
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2023-01-04T02:40:35+00:00
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kswo.com
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https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/01/04/webranding-debuts-ai-powered-digital-marketing-platform-global-brands-ces-2023-las-vegas/
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FLORENCE, Italy, May 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Successful artist, sensitive interpreter of the culture of his time and author of extraordinarily relevant works, Sandro Botticelli was a master of beauty. With his "Venuses," he unknowingly established a canon of perfection that closely reflects that of modern day. Yet, he was a mysterious and disquieted figure: despite his timeless reputation, his paintings still hide mysteries that are difficult to unveil. After sixty years, Sandro Botticelli returns to the Menarini Group art series with an unpublished monograph presented in Florence at the Apollo Room in Palazzo Pucci in the presence of author Cristina Acidini, former superintendent of the art museums of Florence and today, president of the Opera di Santa Croce and other prestigious Florentine institutions.
The monograph takes us back to Florence in the second half of the fifteenth century, to the dyeing plant of Mariano Filipepi, Botticelli's father. It was there that the young Sandro, fascinated by the colours used in the family's workshop, first came into contact with the study of the arts. The few available sources who knew him presented the artist as a man inclined to irony, sarcasm and mockery, in the full Florentine spirit of the time. His soul was tormented by a restless temperament; he categorically refused to marry but declared an eternal love for Florence, a city he never abandoned, with the exception of a few short trips. With the acute sensitivity of human being and artist, he recorded the changes happening in his city, from the carnivalesque triumphs of Lorenzo de' Medici to the penitential processions of Savonarola. As an artist, he had the unique ability to adapt to the changes of his era, painting tormented figures with darker colours, such as the Lamentation over the Dead Christ and the Holy Trinity (Pala delle Convertite), a far cry from the harmony and grace of the Birth of Venus and Primavera (Spring). These two latter works, with their innumerable variations and reinventions, helped render Botticelli an extremely popular artist whose relevance resonates as a subject of modern study even today.
Thus, there are many controversies regarding the chronology and interpretation of many of Botticelli's paintings, including the most famous ones. In fact, restorations and sophisticated diagnostic investigations constantly bring new elements to the surface which generate ideas for debate among specialists in the sector.
"This extraordinary artist returns to the Menarini series with a second monograph which takes into account the innovations that have emerged over the past sixty years, thanks to the discovery of new documents and their interpretations, especially regarding his most evocative and mysterious paintings. Furthermore, the scientific investigations coinciding with the restoration of many of Botticelli's works have enriched our knowledge of his refined and versatile painting style," declared Cristina Acidini. "Botticelli was, in fact, among the most authentic interpreters of the culture of his era, reflecting the profound changes in the Florentine society where he lived, dominated first by Lorenzo the Magnificent in a period of happy cultural flourishing, then by Girolamo Savonarola during years of disturbed religious reformism. For this reason, he has become the "symbol" of the Renaissance, with all its splendour and its inquietude."
The art volume on Botticelli enriches Menarini Group's prestigious art series, created in 1956 to celebrate the beauty of Italy through the great masters of Italian painting.
"The Menarini art collection aims to promote great Italian artists and share them with even the youngest generation," say Lucia and Alberto Giovanni Aleotti, shareholders and members of the Board of Menarini. "Discovering the inquietude and the wonder behind Botticelli's most notable paintings demonstrates how very close the artist was to today's contemporary sentiment."
Over the years, the artistic vocation of the Menarini Group has grown and evolved with the multimedia project 'Menarini Pills of Art'. These are short video clips in which experts reveal anecdotes and curiosities about many of the works featured in the Menarini volumes. Around 700 videos have been published so far, for a total of tens of millions of views. These are available on the Menarini YouTube channel in 8 languages which is updated monthly with new content. Videos on some of Botticelli's most famous works have recently been published together with videos on Leonardo's Adoration of the Magi, Mantegna's Madonna delle Cave and Caravaggio's Bacchus.
The Menarini Pills of Art are available at the link: https://www.menarini.com/it-it/news/menarini-pills-of-art
The Menarini Pharmaceutical Group, with headquarters in Florence, is present in 140 countries worldwide to date, with €4,155 million in turnover and more than 17,000 employees. With 9 centres for Research & Development, Menarini's products are present in the most important treatment areas, including those of cardiology, oncology, gastroenterology, pneumology, infectious diseases, diabetes, and anti-inflammatory/analgesic products. Pharmaceutical production is carried out in the Group's 18 manufacturing plants, located in Italy and abroad, which produce over 577 million packets of product a year and distribute them to five continents. Menarini's pharmaceutical production, in line with the highest quality standards, provides an ongoing contribution to the health of patients throughout the world. For further information please visit www.menarini.com
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2076875/Menarini_group.jpg
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2076874/Menarini_presentation.jpg
Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1958938/4035543/MENARINI_GROUP_Logo.jpg
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SOURCE Menarini Industrie Farmaceutiche Riunite
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2023-05-15T08:38:17+00:00
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kswo.com
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https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/05/15/botticelli-inquietude-beauty-menarini-presents-florence-its-latest-art-monograph-dedicated-symbol-italian-renaissance/
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BEIJING, Jan. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ZVISION, a leading provider of solid-state MEMS LiDAR solutions, announced at CES2023 that it will work with the NVIDIA Isaac Sim advanced simulator to create powerful tools enabling the validation of industrial sensing solutions, satisfying the demands of high-performance LiDAR simulation for more application scenarios and fully adaptive testing.
NVIDIA Isaac Sim, a tool for robotics simulation applications and synthetic data generation, is used by robotics experts to train and test robots more efficiently, recreate realistic robot interactions within specified settings, and validate the performance in different scenarios that go beyond the real world. With Isaac Sim, companies have dramatically reduced the costs of development, testing, and data acquisition, and accelerated time-to-market for commercial deployments.
NVIDIA Isaac Sim features many scenarios and application environments, using its accurate physics-based rendering to reproduce multiple shapes and sizes of obstacles to form a complete functional scene. The platform also allows users to validate the performance state and technical capabilities of LiDAR against the complexity and uncertainty of a given scene. With the digital twin, in combination with a variety of surroundings and different use scenarios available in Isaac Sim, developers in the robotics field can determine which performance modes are most suitable for the selected application based on solutions for complex edge cases.
As NVIDIA's robotics simulation platform, Isaac Sim offers the benefit to develop, test and evaluate robotic systems and algorithms in a simulation environment. Developers and researchers can also use Isaac Sim's many tools, including simulation of robot dynamics to test control algorithms, simulation of robot sensors to generate realistic cameras, depth and segmentation images, LiDAR perception, IMU, simulation of testing algorithms in different environments and condition scenarios, and providing training sets of random objects and attributes.
The MEMS LiDAR portfolio created by ZVISION includes the ML-30s+ short-range LiDAR and the ML-Xs forward long-range MEMS LiDAR. The ML-30s+ short-range LiDAR is the best for perception with detection range of 25m@R=10% and an ultra-wide field of view (FoV) of 140°X70°. Robots can view surrounding objects more clearly, and the higher quality image like point cloud captured with an angular resolution of 0.44°x0.44°. The FoV of 140°, which is larger than the typical 120°, not only covers more wider area, but it can also detect objects in the corresponding edge area faster and sooner without adjusting the heading angle. In order to detect and identify objects more accurately in blind areas, the vertical FoV of 70° is set at 20° above and 50° below the horizontal. The ML-Xs, a MEMS long-range LiDAR with outstanding exceptional capability, also equips a 1550nm laser with effective range of 250 meters and an FoV of 120°x25°. The ultra-long range-sensing capability can accurately cover further locations and identify obstructions in the forward path. As a result, the features and performance of the ML series LiDAR model as defined by Isaac Sim simulation software will further advance the development of industrial sensing solutions.
As a member of NVIDIA's Jetson partner ecosystem, ZVISION will continue to strengthen its collaboration and support for NVIDIA Isaac Sim to develop comprehensive robot sensing capabilities and deliver high-performance LiDAR solutions.
View original content:
SOURCE ZVISION
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2023-01-07T14:56:31+00:00
|
wbrc.com
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https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/01/07/zvision-announces-nvidia-isaac-sim-robotics-platform-support-empower-powerful-tools-industrial-sensing/
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The Washington Commanders are interviewing Anthony Lynn for their offensive coordinator vacancy
AP Photo transref:NYAB307, transref:CAJC419
By STEPHEN WHYNO=
AP Sports Writer=
The Washington Commanders are interviewing Anthony Lynn for their offensive coordinator vacancy.
The team confirmed the interview Wednesday. Lynn, the San Francisco 49ers assistant head coach/running backs coach, is the sixth candidate the Commanders have spoken to about the job.
Coach Ron Rivera interviewed Lynn in person in California days after the 49ers flew home following their loss at Philadelphia in the NFC championship game. Rivera was criticized on social media Tuesday by Washington radio broadcasters for golfing at Pebble Beach before hiring an offensive coordinator.
That process has been ongoing since Rivera fired Scott Turner on Jan. 10, less than 48 hours after the Commanders missed the playoffs with the NFL’s 20th ranked offense. Turner’s at times curious play-calling and underwhelming results with multiple quarterbacks contributed to derailing their postseason hopes.
Lynn, 54, offers a deep resume after coaching the Los Angeles Chargers from 2017-20 and serving as offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions in 2021 before joining San Francisco. The 49ers have already lost defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, who was hired by the Houston Texans as their next coach.
Before Lynn, the Commanders interviewed former Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, current Washington quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese, Atlanta Falcons QB coach Charles London, Miami Dolphins associate head coach/RBs coach Eric Studesville and Los Angeles Rams assistant head coach/tight ends coach Thomas Brown.
Rivera and general manager Martin Mayhew in their season-ending news conference said they preferred a run-first style of offense.
”I think it’s a philosophical belief,” Rivera said hours before firing Turner. ”If you look at a lot of the teams that do end up at the end where they are, most of them rush for well over 1,000 (yards). They control the tempo of the game, and I think that’s what we need to do to win football games.”
Whoever gets the job could also inherit QB Sam Howell going into his second pro season. Howell made his NFL debut in the season finale, throwing and rushing for a touchdown in beating the playoff-bound Dallas Cowboys.
”He was impressive,” Mayhew said. ”He got off to a really good start, and it’s going to be a lot of evaluation process for him, as well. We’ll see where it all shakes out.”
—
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP-NFL
|
2023-02-02T18:15:41+00:00
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kxnet.com
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https://www.kxnet.com/nfl-draft/commanders-talk-to-49ers-lynn-for-offensive-coordinator-job/
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Honda is recalling nearly 450,000 of its most popular models in the U.S. for an issue that can prevent the front seat belts from latching, the NHTSA disclosed last week.
The recall encompasses the following vehicles:
2017-2020 Honda CR-V compact crossover
2019-2020 Acura RDX compact crossover
2018-2019 Honda Accord and Accord Hybrid sedans
2018-2022 Honda Odyssey minivan
2019 Honda Insight hybrid sedan
The driver and front passenger seat belts have a buckle channel that can interfere with the release button. The seat belt buckle channel can contract or shrink over time, and prevent the buckle from latching the belt in place. Honda is not aware of any injuries or crashes related to the issue, though it has received 301 warranty claims.
Owners can expect notification by mail as early as April 17. An authorized Honda dealer will inspect and replace the driver and front passenger seat belt buckle release buttons or the buckle assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Reimbursement will be provided to owners who have had the work done.
For more info, contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138 or visit Honda’s recall site here.
Related Articles
- IIHS: Most family SUVs fail to protect rear passengers in a crash
- 2021-2023 Kia K5 mid-size sedans recalled for faulty airbags
- Dodge Durango recalled for rear spoiler that can detach
- New Toyota Tundra pickups recalled for loose tonneau covers
- Nissan Rogue, Rogue Sport recalled for collapsing key fob issue
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2023-03-16T15:49:20+00:00
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cenlanow.com
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https://www.cenlanow.com/automotive/internet-brands/honda-recalls-cr-v-odyssey-acura-rdx-for-seat-belt-issue/
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DAVIS, Calif., May 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ELEVAI LABS, INC., ("ELEVAI" or the "Company") a science-based, data-driven regenerative aesthetic skincare company is pleased to announce it has retained Univest Securities, LLC for investment banking and advisory services.
About Univest Securities, LLC
Registered with FINRA since 1994, Univest Securities, LLC provides a wide variety of financial services to its institutional and retail clients globally including brokerage and execution services, sales and trading, market making, investment banking and advisory, wealth management. It strives to provide clients with value-add service and focuses on building long-term relationship with its clients. For more information, please visit: www.univest.us.
Graydon Bensler stated "We are very enthusiastic to be able to work with Univest Securities. Not only does the team have an impressive track record with go-public transactions in the healthcare and technology space, but are sophisticated and clearly taking a long-term fundamental based partnership approach to each client".
About ELEVAI LABS, INC.
ELEVAI LABS, INC. is a medical aesthetic biotechnology company developing cutting-edge regenerative skincare applications. The company solves the unmet needs in the regenerative aesthetics space through a combination of cutting-edge science and next-generation consumer applications. Elevai Labs develops state-of-the-art topic aesthetic and pharmaceutical-grade skin care for the physician-dispensed market, with a focus on leveraging stem cell exosome technology. Learn more about Elevai Labs at www.elevaiskincare.com.
For further information: Kendra Ciardiello, Associate Director, Contact@ELEVAILabs.com, 1-866-794-4940 CO: ELEVAI Labs Inc.
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SOURCE Elevai Labs Inc.
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2022-05-24T02:35:30+00:00
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kcbd.com
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https://www.kcbd.com/prnewswire/2022/05/24/elevai-labs-inc-is-pleased-announce-it-has-retained-leading-wall-street-investment-bank-univest-securities-llc/
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Death row minister sues Oklahoma Corrections agency for $10M
By SEAN MURPHY
Associated Press Writer
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A spiritual adviser to several Oklahoma death row inmates is suing the state’s Department of Corrections for defamation. In the federal lawsuit filed Friday in Oklahoma City, the Rev. Jeff Hood of Arkansas is seeking $10 million in damages. The lawsuit alleges the agency and its spokesman defamed him in a statement that said he was being denied access to the death chamber because of his history as an anti-death penalty activist. The statement indicated Hood had been arrested multiple times and “demonstrated a blatant disregard for the experience of victims’ families.” The Department of Corrections ultimately reversed its decision and allowed Hood to be inside the execution chamber for the January execution of Scott Eizember.
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2023-03-24T23:42:48+00:00
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keyt.com
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https://keyt.com/news/2023/03/24/death-row-minister-sues-oklahoma-corrections-agency-for-10m/
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Cubs first. Mike Tauchman homers to left field. Nico Hoerner flies out to left field to Austin Hays. Seiya Suzuki grounds out to third base, Ramon Urias to Josh Lester. Ian Happ walks. Dansby Swanson singles to right field. Ian Happ to third. Cody Bellinger strikes out swinging.
1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Cubs 1, Orioles 0.
Orioles fourth. Anthony Santander homers to center field. Ryan O'Hearn singles to shallow center field. Aaron Hicks walks. Ryan O'Hearn to second. Ramon Urias singles to left field. Aaron Hicks to second. Ryan O'Hearn scores. Adam Frazier lines out to left field to Ian Happ. Josh Lester grounds out to second base. Ramon Urias out at second.
2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Orioles 2, Cubs 1.
Cubs fourth. Ian Happ strikes out swinging. Dansby Swanson strikes out on a foul tip. Cody Bellinger reaches on error to deep right center field, advances to 3rd. Fielding error by Ryan O'Hearn. Christopher Morel homers to center field. Cody Bellinger scores. Miguel Amaya called out on strikes.
2 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 0 left on. Cubs 3, Orioles 2.
Orioles sixth. Ryan O'Hearn singles to right field. Aaron Hicks doubles to deep right field. Ryan O'Hearn to third. Ramon Urias out on a sacrifice fly to deep right center field to Mike Tauchman. Ryan O'Hearn scores. Adam Frazier singles to shallow center field. Aaron Hicks scores. Ryan McKenna pinch-hitting for Josh Lester. Ryan McKenna singles to shallow left field. Adam Frazier to second. Jorge Mateo singles to left center field, tagged out at second, Ian Happ to Dansby Swanson to Nico Hoerner. Ryan McKenna to third. Adam Frazier scores. Austin Hays flies out to right center field to Seiya Suzuki.
3 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Orioles 5, Cubs 3.
Orioles ninth. Ryan McKenna grounds out to first base to Cody Bellinger. Jorge Mateo strikes out swinging. Austin Hays singles to shortstop. Adley Rutschman doubles to deep right center field. Austin Hays scores. Anthony Santander grounds out to second base, Hayden Wesneski to Dansby Swanson to Cody Bellinger.
1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Orioles 6, Cubs 3.
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2023-06-18T21:00:00+00:00
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lmtonline.com
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https://www.lmtonline.com/sports/article/baltimore-chicago-cubs-runs-18158741.php
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LANSDOWNE, Va., Jan. 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation announced the selection of 626 high school seniors as semifinalists for the distinguished Cooke College Scholarship Program. The highly selective scholarship provides high-achieving students with financial need up to $55,000 each year to cover the costs of college.
Cooke College Scholarship semifinalists were selected from a pool of over 5,600 applicants. Semifinalist applications will be reviewed once more to choose finalists to receive the scholarship. The 2023 Cooke College Scholarship recipients will be announced in March.
Since the onset of the global pandemic, researchers have observed a steady decline in FAFSA completion rates and college enrollment among students from low-income communities, until this year. With inflation, the increased cost of living, and the historical decline in state support for higher education funding, many students and their families struggle to cover the cost of postsecondary education. One immediate solution that alleviates the growing challenge of college affordability and access for low-income students are scholarship funds that offset the full price of higher education.
"Early data from the National College Attainment Network suggests that we're finally seeing a post-pandemic uptick in the number of students with financial need who are considering higher education again," said Executive Director Seppy Basili. "Each year, we meet some of the most inspiring students across the country. We're excited to play a role in helping more students achieve their long-term academic goals."
Students applied from all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands, and Virgin Islands — representing nearly 3,500 different high schools. A list of the semifinalists can be found here.
Cooke College Scholars are selected based on exceptional academic ability and achievement, financial need, persistence, service to others, and leadership. Students must be current high school seniors residing in the United States. Scholarships are awarded without respect to religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship status, geographic region, race or ethnicity. Learn more about the College Scholarship Program here and sign up to be notified when the next application opens in fall 2023.
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation is dedicated to advancing the education of exceptionally promising students who have financial need. Since 2000, the Foundation has awarded almost $250 million in scholarships to nearly 3,200 students from 8th grade through graduate school, along with comprehensive educational advising and other support services. The Foundation has also provided $125 million in grants to organizations that serve such students.
www.jkcf.org
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SOURCE Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
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2023-01-25T22:33:31+00:00
|
wcjb.com
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https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/01/25/jack-kent-cooke-foundation-names-626-high-schoolers-semifinalists-prestigious-college-scholarship/
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WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — President Joe Biden says Social Security and Medicare are being threatened by Republicans, but they say that’s not true.
So are the critical programs really at risk?
On Thursday, Biden attacked Sen. Rick Scott for his proposal, which suggests sunsetting federal legislation every five years and having Congress reauthorize the programs they want to keep.
“The very idea the senator from Florida wants to put Social Security and Medicare on the chopping block every five years I find to be somewhat outrageous,” Biden said.
“He’s a complete liar,” Scott said.
Senator Scott argues the president is mischaracterizing his plan.
“In my plan I also said Congress ought to tell the American public how they’re going to preserve them. Because what we know right now, is both Medicare and Social Security are going bankrupt,” Scott said.
Scott says the goal of his plan is to protect essential programs like Social Security and Medicare by forcing Congress to reduce federal spending in other places.
“If you want to save Social Security and Medicare, which I want to do, get rid of the waste,” Scott said.
Right now Republicans, including Scott, are saying they won’t raise the debt ceiling until Congress agrees to spending cuts.
“In a responsible manner to balance our budget,” Scott said.
Democrat Sen. Tim Kaine says lawmakers should raise the debt limit, then discuss cuts separately.
“The right way to negotiate about spending is in the budget, not threatening to default on our credit card bill,” Kaine said.
But Scott insists they need to do both at the same time.
“To make sure we preserve Medicare and Social Security and we figure out how to get our fiscal house in order,” he said.
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2023-02-10T17:41:15+00:00
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mytwintiers.com
|
https://www.mytwintiers.com/news-cat/national-news/are-social-security-and-medicare-at-risk-of-being-cut-details-on-the-political-battle-in-d-c/
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Biden feels well, isolating after ‘rebound’ COVID-positive test
WASHINGTON (Gray News) - President Joe Biden is feeling well and continues to isolate Monday after testing positive again for COVID-19, his physician said.
Dr. Kevin O’Connor said Biden’s test came back positive Monday as expected following an initial “rebound positivity” on Saturday, according to a letter released by the White House.
The president continues to work from the executive residence, O’Connor stated.
Biden’s positive test Saturday caused him to cancel travel and in-person events. He is isolating for at least five days, in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
After initially testing positive on July 21, Biden, 79, was treated with the anti-viral drug Paxlovid. He tested negative for the virus Tuesday and Wednesday, clearing him to leave isolation while wearing a mask indoors.
Research suggests that a minority of those prescribed Paxlovid experience a rebound case of the virus.
A likelihood of a rebound case, rather than a reinfection, is a positive sign for Biden’s health once he’s clear of the disease, said Dr. Albert Ho, an infectious disease specialist at Yale University’s school of public health.
“The fact that the president has cleared his illness and doesn’t have symptoms is a good sign and makes it less likely he will develop long COVID,” Ho said.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. The Associated Press contributed to the report. All rights reserved.
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2022-08-01T16:57:31+00:00
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mysuncoast.com
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/08/01/biden-feels-well-isolating-after-rebound-covid-positive-test/
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MIAMI (AP) — Trea Turner hit a go-ahead grand slam in the eighth inning that lifted the United States over Venezuela 9-7 Saturday night and into the World Baseball Classic semifinals.
The defending champion Team USA will face Cuba on Sunday night for a spot in the WBC championship.
Venezuela second baseman and Houston Astros star Jose Altuve left the game in the fifth with a right hand injury after he was hit by a pitch from Daniel Bard. The Astros said there would be an update on his status Sunday.
Trailing 7-5, the United States loaded the bases in the eighth on a walk, single and hit by pitch against losing pitcher Jose Quijada. Silvino Bracho relieved and then Turner, the ninth batter in the U.S. lineup, sent his 0-2 changeup 407 feet to deep left field for the third grand slam in Team USA history.
David Bednar, the fifth U.S. pitcher, got the win. Ryan Pressly got three outs for the save.
Luis Arraez, playing the ballpark that he’ll soon call home with the Miami Marlins, hit two home runs for Venezuela.
The U.S. team boasts a roster of big names that many picked to repeat as WBC champions.
All nine batters in Team USA’s lineup are all-stars, including Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout, St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado.
The United States is in the top six in the tournament in batting average (.296), RBIs (34) and hits (48), and every U.S. starter had a hit Saturday night.
Venezuela took a 6-5 lead in a four-run fifth after Ronald Acuña Jr.’s sacrifice fly to deep center field.
Salvador Perez drove in the tying run with a line-drive double that sneaked just inside the left-field foul line.
Arraez hit a two-run drive to right field in the first, his first home run in his new home park, and added another in the seventh to give Venezuela a two-run lead. Arraez, the reigning AL batting champion, was traded to the WBC host Miami Marlins this offseason after four seasons in Minnesota.
Bard replaced starter U.S. starter Lance Lynn with a three-run lead in the fifth and loaded the bases with two walks, an infield hit and a hit by pitch that injured Altuve.
Bard was pulled after Gleyber Torres scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-3. Venezuela added its last three runs against Jason Adam, who managed to get out of the inning in 10 pitches.
Team USA hit five straight singles to start the game. Betts led off the first with an infield single, then the speedster raced from first to third on Trout’s single, forcing a throwing error by Acuña to score.
Kyle Tucker also hit a homer for the U.S.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
|
2023-03-19T03:27:06+00:00
|
seattletimes.com
|
https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/turners-grand-slam-lifts-us-over-venezuela-into-wbc-semis/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all
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Villanova vs. Cleveland State Women's Basketball Predictions & Picks - NCAA Tournament First Round
Published: Mar. 13, 2023 at 6:39 PM CDT|Updated: 53 minutes ago
Saturday's contest at The William B. Finneran Pavilion has the Villanova Wildcats (28-6) squaring off against the Cleveland State Vikings (30-4) at 1:00 PM ET (on March 18). Our computer prediction projects a one-sided 71-59 win as our model heavily favors Villanova.
The Wildcats are coming off of a 67-56 loss to UConn in their most recent game on Monday.
Villanova vs. Cleveland State Game Info
- When: Saturday, March 18, 2023 at 1:00 PM ET
- Where: The William B. Finneran Pavilion in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
- How to Watch on TV: ESPNU
Use this link to get a free trial of fuboTV, where you can watch college hoops and other live sports without cable!
Villanova vs. Cleveland State Score Prediction
- Prediction: Villanova 71, Cleveland State 59
Villanova Schedule Analysis
- The Wildcats took down the Creighton Bluejays (No. 14 in our computer rankings) in a 63-61 win on March 5 -- their signature victory of the season.
- The Wildcats have eight wins over Quadrant 1 opponents, tied for the 15th-most in the nation.
- Villanova has nine wins over Quadrant 2 teams, tied for the second-most in Division 1.
- When facing Quadrant 3 opponents, the Wildcats are 7-0 (1.000%) -- tied for the 43rd-most victories.
Villanova 2022-23 Best Wins
- 63-61 over Creighton (No. 14) on March 5
- 73-57 on the road over Creighton (No. 14) on January 20
- 69-59 on the road over Princeton (No. 33) on November 11
- 54-52 on the road over Marquette (No. 37) on December 28
- 73-54 at home over Marquette (No. 37) on February 1
Cleveland State Schedule Analysis
- On March 7, the Vikings picked up their signature win of the season, a 73-61 victory over the Green Bay Phoenix, a top 100 team (No. 61), according to our computer rankings.
- Against Quadrant 3 teams (according to the RPI), the Wildcats are 7-0 (1.000%) -- tied for the 43rd-most victories.
- Cleveland State has tied for the third-most Quadrant 4 victories in the country (22).
Cleveland State 2022-23 Best Wins
- 73-61 over Green Bay (No. 61) on March 7
- 90-83 on the road over DePaul (No. 63) on November 15
- 63-60 over Northern Kentucky (No. 154) on March 6
- 57-56 at home over Northern Kentucky (No. 154) on February 16
- 77-68 on the road over Youngstown State (No. 173) on December 29
Watch college hoops all season on all your devices without cable with a seven-day free trial on fuboTV!
Villanova Performance Insights
- The Wildcats are outscoring opponents by 12.3 points per game with a +417 scoring differential overall. They put up 70.7 points per game (74th in college basketball) and give up 58.4 per contest (41st in college basketball).
- On offense, Villanova is posting 70.5 points per game this season in conference tilts. To compare, its overall average (70.7 points per game) is 0.2 PPG higher.
- The Wildcats are scoring 71.4 points per game this year in home games, which is 0.1 more points than they're averaging in road games (71.3).
- Villanova surrenders 56.7 points per game at home, compared to 55.1 in away games.
- The Wildcats have been putting up 71.2 points per game in their last 10 appearances, an average that's a little higher than the 70.7 they've scored over the course of the 2022-23 campaign.
Cleveland State Performance Insights
- The Vikings outscore opponents by 17.1 points per game (posting 74.5 points per game, 38th in college basketball, and conceding 57.4 per contest, 30th in college basketball) and have a +580 scoring differential.
- In Horizon action, Cleveland State has averaged 1.9 more points (76.4) than overall (74.5) in 2022-23.
- In 2022-23 the Vikings are scoring 3.3 fewer points per game at home (73.3) than on the road (76.6).
- In 2022-23 Cleveland State is conceding 13.1 fewer points per game at home (51.6) than on the road (64.7).
- Over their past 10 games, the Vikings are scoring 70.1 points per contest, compared to their season average of 74.5.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved.
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2023-03-14T00:33:33+00:00
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newschannel10.com
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https://www.newschannel10.com/sports/betting/2023/03/18/villanova-cleveland-state-womens-college-basketball-picks-predictions-ncaa-tournament-first-round/
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Hurricane Ian’s projected path shifted overnight and is now estimated to be a Category 4 when it hits Florida.
Here & Now‘s Scott Tong checks in with WUSF reporter Cathy Carter in Tampa.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
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2022-09-26T16:58:21+00:00
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klcc.org
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https://www.klcc.org/2022-09-26/tropical-storm-ian-strengthens-into-hurricane
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CARTHAGE, Mo., Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
- 3Q sales were $1.29 billion, a 2% decrease vs 3Q21
- 3Q EBIT of $113 million, down $31 million vs 3Q21
- 3Q EPS of $.52, a decrease of $.19 vs 3Q21
- 2022 guidance unchanged from October 10 announcement: sales of $5.1–$5.2 billion; EPS of $2.30–$2.45
Diversified manufacturer Leggett & Platt reported third quarter sales of $1.29 billion, a 2% decrease versus third quarter last year.
- Organic sales1 were down 3%
- Previously announced Hydraulic Cylinders and Textile acquisitions completed in August, net of small divestitures, added 1% to sales
Third quarter EBIT was $113 million, down $31 million from third quarter 2021.
- EBIT decreased primarily from lower volume, lower overhead absorption from reduced production, and operational inefficiencies in Specialty Foam, partially offset by metal margin expansion
- EBIT margin was 8.7%, down from 10.9% in the third quarter of 2021
Third quarter EPS was $.52. EPS decreased $.19 versus third quarter 2021 primarily reflecting lower EBIT.
CEO COMMENTS
President and CEO Mitch Dolloff commented, "The current global economic environment and its effect on the consumer negatively impacted our third quarter results. As anticipated, we continue to experience demand and margin recovery in our Specialized Products segment. The U.S. bedding market remains fairly stable but at relatively weak levels, and we began to see slowing in other markets such as European bedding, home furniture, work furniture, and steel. As a result of these lower demand levels and the increasingly challenging macroeconomic environment, we lowered our full year guidance on October 10th.
"Third quarter earnings per share were slightly better than expected primarily due to incentive compensation adjustments. At the midpoint of guidance, fourth quarter is now expected to be slightly lower than third quarter primarily due to further reductions in steel rod production in response to the slowing steel market.
"We continue to focus on things we can control and are taking action to mitigate the impact of these challenges by aligning costs, production levels, and inventory with demand; evaluating near-term opportunities with our customers and working with them on new product developments; and continuing to build out our existing businesses through acquisitions. Our strong balance sheet and cash flow give us confidence in our ability to navigate challenging markets while investing in long-term opportunities."
DEBT, CASH FLOW, AND LIQUIDITY
- Net Debt2 was 2.63x trailing 12-month adjusted EBITDA2
- Operating cash flow was $65 million in the third quarter, an increase of $15 million versus third quarter 2021, reflecting a smaller use of working capital partially offset by lower earnings
- Capital expenditures were $25 million
- Total liquidity was $1.0 billion
DIVIDEND
- In August, Leggett & Platt's Board of Directors declared a $.44 per share third quarter dividend, two cents higher than last year's third quarter dividend
- At an annual indicated dividend of $1.76 per share, the yield is 5.3% based upon Friday's closing stock price of $33.42 per share
STOCK REPURCHASES
- Repurchased .1 million shares at an average price of $38.42
- Issued .05 million shares through employee benefit plans
- Shares outstanding at the end of the third quarter were 132.6 million
2022 GUIDANCE
- Full year 2022 sales and EPS guidance unchanged from October 10 announcement
- Sales are expected to be $5.1–$5.2 billion, roughly flat to +2% versus 2021
- Down mid-teens in Bedding Products Segment
- Up low double digits in Specialized Products Segment
- Down low single digits in Furniture, Flooring & Textile Products Segment
- EPS is expected to be $2.30–$2.45
- Based on this framework, EBIT margin should be 9.5% to 10.0%
- Additional expectations:
- Implied 4Q Guidance:
SEGMENT RESULTS – Third Quarter 2022 (versus 3Q 2021)
Bedding Products –
- Trade sales decreased 12%
- EBIT decreased $37 million, primarily from lower volume, lower overhead absorption as production and inventory levels were adjusted to meet reduced demand, and operational inefficiencies in Specialty Foam. These decreases were partially offset by higher metal margin.
Specialized Products –
- Trade sales increased 24%
- EBIT increased $9 million, primarily from higher volume partially offset by currency impact, higher raw material costs, and labor inefficiencies
Furniture, Flooring & Textile Products –
- Trade sales were flat
- EBIT decreased $3 million, primarily from lower volume partially offset by pricing discipline
SLIDES AND CONFERENCE CALL
A set of slides containing summary financial information is available from the Investor Relations section of Leggett's website at www.leggett.com. Management will host a conference call at 7:30 a.m. Central (8:30 a.m. Eastern) on Tuesday, November 1. The webcast can be accessed from Leggett's website. The dial-in number is (201) 689-8341; there is no passcode.
Fourth quarter results will be released after the market closes on Monday, February 6, 2023, with a conference call the next morning.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit Leggett's website at www.leggett.com.
COMPANY DESCRIPTION: Leggett & Platt (NYSE: LEG) is a diversified manufacturer that designs and produces a broad variety of engineered components and products that can be found in most homes and automobiles. The 139-year-old Company is comprised of 15 business units, approximately 20,000 employees, and over 130 manufacturing facilities located in 17 countries.
Leggett & Platt is the leading U.S.-based manufacturer of: a) bedding components; b) automotive seat support and lumbar systems; c) specialty bedding foams and private label finished mattresses; d) components for home furniture and work furniture; e) flooring underlayment; f) adjustable beds; and g) bedding industry machinery.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This press release contains "forward-looking statements," including, but not limited to the amount of the Company's forecasted 2022 full-year volume growth; acquisition sales growth; sales, EPS, capital expenditures; depreciation and amortization; net interest expense; fully diluted shares; operating cash flow; EBIT margin; effective tax rate; amount of dividends; raw material related price increases (net of currency impact); volume in each of the Company's segments; and implied fourth quarter 2022 sales and EPS. Such forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by the cautionary statements described in this provision and reflect only the beliefs of Leggett at the time the statement is made. Because all forward-looking statements deal with the future, they are subject to risks, uncertainties and developments which might cause actual events or results to differ materially from those envisioned or reflected in any forward-looking statement. Moreover, we do not have, and do not undertake, any duty to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statement was made. Some of these risks and uncertainties include: the adverse impact on our sales, earnings, liquidity, margins, cash flow, costs, and financial condition caused by: the Russian invasion of Ukraine; global inflationary impacts; macro-economic impacts; the COVID-19 pandemic; the demand for our products and our customers' products; growth rates in the industries in which we participate and opportunities in those industries; our manufacturing facilities' ability to remain fully operational and obtain necessary raw materials and parts, maintain appropriate labor levels and ship finished products to customers; the impairment of goodwill and long-lived assets; restructuring-related costs; our ability to access the commercial paper market or borrow under our revolving credit facility, including compliance with restrictive covenants that may limit our operational flexibility and our ability to timely pay our debt; adverse impact from supply chain disruptions; our ability to manage working capital; increases or decreases in our capital needs, which may vary depending on acquisition or divestiture activity; our capital expenditures; our ability to collect trade receivables; market conditions; price and product competition from foreign and domestic competitors; cost and availability of raw materials (including semiconductors and chemicals) due to supply chain disruptions or otherwise; labor and energy costs; cash generation sufficient to pay the dividend; cash repatriation from foreign accounts; our ability to pass along raw material cost increases through increased selling prices; conflict between China and Taiwan; our ability to maintain profit margins if customers change the quantity or mix of our components in their finished products; our ability to maintain and grow the profitability of acquired companies; political risks; changing tax rates; increased trade costs; risks related to operating in foreign countries; cybersecurity breaches; customer losses and insolvencies; disruption to our steel rod mill and other operations and supply chain because of severe weather-related events, natural disaster, fire, explosion, terrorism, pandemic, governmental action or labor strikes; foreign currency fluctuation; the amount of share repurchases; the imposition or continuation of anti-dumping duties on innersprings, steel wire rod and mattresses; data privacy; climate change compliance costs and market, technological and reputational impacts; our ESG obligations; litigation risks; and risk factors in the "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" sections in Leggett's most recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Q reports filed with the SEC.
CONTACT: Investor Relations, (417) 358-8131 or invest@leggett.com
Susan R. McCoy, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations
Cassie J. Branscum, Senior Director, Investor Relations
1 Trade sales excluding acquisitions/divestitures in the last 12 months
2 Please refer to attached tables for Non-GAAP Reconciliations
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Leggett & Platt
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2022-10-31T22:02:08+00:00
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witn.com
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https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/10/31/leggett-amp-platt-reports-3q-results/
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WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted unanimously Friday to declassify U.S. intelligence information about the origins of COVID-19, a sweeping show of bipartisan support near the third anniversary of the start of the deadly pandemic.
The 419-0 vote was final approval of the bill, sending it to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law.
Debate was brief and to the point: Americans have questions about how the deadly virus started and what can be done to prevent future outbreaks.
“The American public deserves answers to every aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rep. Michael Turner, R-Ohio, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.
That includes, he said, “how this virus was created and, specifically, whether it was a natural occurrence or was the result of a lab-related event.”
The order to declassify focused on intelligence related to China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology, citing “potential links” between the research that was done there and the outbreak of COVID-19, which the World Health Organization declared a pandemic in March 2020.
U.S. intelligence agencies are divided over whether a lab leak or a spillover from animals is the likely source of the deadly virus.
Experts say the true origin of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 1 million Americans, may not be known for many years — if ever.
“Transparency is a cornerstone of our democracy,” said Rep. Jim Himes, of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, during the debate. “Because without transparency the American people can’t make the sounds that they need to make responsibly as citizens of a democracy.”
Led by Republicans, the focus on the virus origins comes as the House launched a select committee with a hearing earlier in the week delving into theories about how the pandemic started.
It offers a rare moment of bipartisanship despite the often heated rhetoric about the origins of the coronavirus and the questions about the response to the virus by U.S. health officials, including former top health adviser Anthony Fauci.
The legislation from Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., was already approved by the Senate.
If signed into law, the measure would require within 90 days the declassification of “any and all information relating to potential links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the origin of the Coronavirus Disease.”
That includes information about research and other activities at the lab and whether any researchers grew ill.
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2023-03-10T16:13:24+00:00
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wivb.com
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https://www.wivb.com/news/u-s-headlines/house-votes-to-declassify-info-about-origins-of-covid-19/
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The 1963 Chevrolet Corvette split-window coupe is a rare model built for one year only, but this example is even rarer.
Heading to auction at Mecum’s sale in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, later this month, the car is one of just 199 Corvettes Z06 models produced for 1963. This was the first year for the Z06, which became a staple of later generations of Corvette.
Designed for racing, the original Z06 was powered by Chevy’s L84 engine, a fuel-injected 327-cubic-inch V-8 rated at 360 hp. It sported a relatively high 11:1 compression ratio, a solid-lifter camshaft, and a high-flow exhaust system. It was also connected to a 4-speed manual transmission. The engine in this Corvette is numbers-matching, the auction listing notes.
Other upgrades included beefier suspension and brakes. This car is finished in Saddle Tan with a matching Saddle interior, and wears the turbine-style knockoff wheels that were a popular choice on the C2-generation Corvette.
Even if it wasn’t a Z06, this Corvette coupe would be notable because of its split rear window. This styling feature was only used for the 1963 model year, the first year for the C2 Corvette. Chevy later removed the divider to improve rear visibility; all C2 Corvette coupes from the remainder of production (model years 1964-1967) have an undivided rear window.
The original Z06 was intended to be a race car, with many being allocated to race teams (racing legend Mickey Thompson ended up with five of them). Modern Z06s have been strictly road cars, but ones that won’t embarrass themselves on the track. The current C8 Z06 carries on the legacy with a flat-plane crank V-8 making 670 hp without forced induction. The engine is also very close to the unit that Chevy actually uses in its Corvette race cars.
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- 2024 Chevy Traverse’s new Z71 grade aims for the trailhead
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2023-07-19T10:42:21+00:00
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keloland.com
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https://www.keloland.com/automotive/internet-brands/1963-chevrolet-corvette-z06-split-window-heads-to-auction/
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JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
The Department of Justice sued Texas today over Governor Greg Abbott's controversial floating barrier in the Rio Grande. Abbott ordered the floating wall placed in the middle of the river separating the United States and Mexico to prevent migrants from illegally crossing into Texas. The DOJ says the barrier violates federal law and presents, quote, "serious risks to public safety and the environment." It is the latest development in a growing battle between Republican states and the federal government over border security and immigration.
Joining us now from San Antonio is reporter David Martin Davies of Texas Public Radio. Hi there.
DAVID MARTIN DAVIES, BYLINE: Howdy from Texas, Juana.
SUMMERS: So Dave, you have been down to Eagle Pass, where Texas has deployed these buoys. Tell us, what do they look like and what are the concerns about them?
DAVIES: Well, this is a thousand-foot string of large orange balls, each one of the size of a wrecking ball. And there are large weights anchoring them down right in the middle of the Rio Grande. And these balls are almost impossible to climb over. And we've been told that there's webbing under them so that you can't swim under them.
The concern is that people will get caught in that webbing, along with river debris, and that creates a hazard for the migrants. Governor Abbott said the purpose of the barrier is to keep people from crossing the river or to slow them down or also divert them to crossing where they can be more easily apprehended. And that's why Abbott says he wants to put miles and miles of these into the river.
SUMMERS: OK. San Antonio Congressman Joaquin Castro is a Democrat, and he called these buoys barbaric. And Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, says that's just not true. But is making the Rio Grande crossing more dangerous for migrants - is that a part of Abbott's strategy?
DAVIES: Well, Abbott says he's trying to prevent drownings. And members of the Border Patrol, the Texas troopers and the Texas National Guard have been saving migrants from drowning when they can. But it is also important to note that a recent email from a whistleblower emergency medical trooper in Eagle Pass, they allege - he alleges that Texas border agents were ordered to push migrants back into the river, including small children, and denying migrants water during the heat wave.
I've been covering the border since the late 1980s, and unfortunately, migrant drownings - it's always been part of the border. And then after crossing the river, there's the threat of migrants dying in the South Texas desert from thirst and incredible heat. So the possibility of death has always been used as a way to deter people from illegally coming into the country. And still they come. So it does look like the buoys are making the river more dangerous, and that's part of the federal government's argument against them.
SUMMERS: The Justice Department is taking legal action against this floating barrier and what it sees as Abbott's increasingly aggressive border actions. That's something the governor calls Operation Lone Star. But, I mean, just looking at this, it seems like Abbott perhaps wants this fight with the Biden administration.
DAVIES: Yeah. The deadline that Washington had to remove the buoys, that came and went today. They're still in the water. A judge is going to have to decide if those buoys need to come out of the Rio Grande. So the issue is this is the river that separates the United States and Texas from Mexico. But Abbott is declaring an emergency, and he wants to assert that it's the border of Texas first and the U.S. second. So he says Texas should have operational control of the border in confronting illegal immigration. But the courts have ruled in the past that this is the federal government's responsibility, that Abbott counters, saying, you know, the federal government isn't doing its job.
However, there's no evidence that Abbott's Operation Lone Star is providing any additional border protection that we don't already have with the U.S. Border Patrol. Abbott is clearly focusing attention on elevating a wedge issue that the Republican Party thinks gets them votes. And the GOP talking point that the border is wide open just is totally false.
SUMMERS: Texas Public Radio's David Martin Davies in San Antonio. Thanks.
DAVIES: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
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2023-07-25T15:17:11+00:00
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kvpr.org
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https://www.kvpr.org/2023-07-24/the-doj-is-taking-legal-action-over-razor-wire-topped-floating-border-wall-in-texas
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By Daniel Baccari Esq.
Choice Transitions
1-774-DSO-INFO
WARWICK, R.I., June 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Dental Service Organizations (DSOs) as buyers have exploded within the dental market over the past several years. Throughout this boom, Choice Transitions has been involved in the sale of numerous, larger dental offices to many different DSOs. Our business model is a seller- driven one, whereby we work solely on behalf of the selling dentists. Therefore, we are often entrenched in negotiating the many provisions that go into making a good transaction into a great one. We accomplish this by marketing to multiple DSOs in order to create a competitive model, resulting in the best overall price and terms for our sellers.
Most DSOs have very large marketing teams and advertise directly to dentists who may be interested in selling because they are attempting to circumvent the competitive model Choice has built. Most often this results in sellers not realizing the full value for their practices, or thinking they are getting the best terms when they have not.
Our DSO experts are often asked, what makes a good offer a great offer? Obviously, the total purchase price offered is just the starting point. However, when you dig into the terms of the deal being offered, there are many other equally important ancillary provisions that need to be negotiated. Typically, these are:
- Length of term the DSO is requiring the seller to remain. The seller's obligations can vary significantly from one DSO to the next, extending for years longer.
- Post-Closing Compensation. Depending on the competition for your practice, some DSOs may be willing to pay significantly higher compensation levels than other DSOs.
- Rent/lease terms the DSO will pay (even more important when Seller owns the real estate). Again, this is often driven by competition for your practice.
- Tax structure of the purchase price offered. This directly affects how much a seller will net on a given sale price. We have found that a seller's tax advantages can vary greatly from one DSO verses that of another DSO.
- Percentage of purchase price paid at closing. Not to sound repetitious, but this is also driven by the competitive nature of Choice's business model. We have found most recently that certain DSOs are trying to have practice owners "roll more equity", meaning less cash at closing to mitigate the DSO's risk.
In sum, with the right experienced agent or broker, there is a tremendous advantage to a seller that goes far beyond hunting for the highest offer. Choice Transitions DSO team is ready to put their experience to work for our clients, and at no fee or risk to our clients.
Scott Cabral
Choice Transitions, LLC
(877) 365-6786 Ext.222
s.cabral@choicetransitions.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Choice Transitions
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2023-06-23T14:50:47+00:00
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live5news.com
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https://www.live5news.com/prnewswire/2023/06/23/theres-more-an-offer-dso-than-just-purchase-price/
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CHICAGO, July 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pioneering orthopedic surgeon Dr. Richard Berger, M.D., of Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush (MOR), is taking telehealth to a new level with an unparalleled concierge telehealth program for hip and knee replacement patients. With Berger's Elective Surgical + Telemedicine (BEST) Experience, patients have the option of choosing virtual pre- and post-surgical visits along with educational classes eliminating the time, inconvenience, and expense of traveling to Chicago.
This new virtual approach to orthopedic surgery offers a great option at a time when new and more contagious variants of COVID and rising inflationary concerns suggest patients will look for safer and more economical approaches to medical care. More than half of Dr. Berger's patients are from outside the Chicago area, so the BEST Experience offers out-of-town patients a significant savings in transportation, lodging and incidental costs. Patients only need to travel to Chicago for a meeting with Dr. Berger followed by surgery the next day. Additionally, the program allows patients' family members to conference in from all over the world prior to and following the surgery.
"Going out of town for a major surgery can be a challenge but using Dr. Berger's virtual approach before and after surgery was convenient and simply a pleasure. His staff is 'on point' about staying in touch and they respond immediately when you call with questions," says Bob Bateson, a total knee replacement patient from Buffalo, NY. "I was super impressed by them; it felt like I'd known them forever."
"We pride ourselves on personalized customer service for our patients," says Dr. Berger, who is also an assistant professor at Rush University Medical Center. "With the rapid growth of telehealth, we want to foster an environment where patients feel like they are cared for more than ever. Now they can do telehealth conferences from the comfort of their own homes without taking time off work, sacrificing vacation days, or finding a caretaker for loved ones."
With a Mechanical Engineering Degree from MIT, Dr. Berger has extensive knowledge of the human body and the movement behind it. Using his background in mechanical engineering, Dr. Berger has pioneered a minimally invasive hip and knee joint replacement that allows him to perform the surgery without cutting any muscle, ligaments, or tendons. His approach is considered truly unique and highly effective with patients reporting a faster recovery and less pain than patients undergoing traditional hip and knee replacements.
Dr. Berger is recognized for performing more than 23,000 minimally invasive hip and knee replacement procedures – more than any other physician in the country. Over half of these procedures were done on an outpatient basis, and most of Dr. Berger's patients walk up and down stairs and out of the hospital the same day after surgery.
That's why his patients fly in from all over the world to have hip and knee replacement. In an article in the Chicago Tribune, he was named "the doctor who treats the stars and celebrities" since many famous actors, politicians and professional athletes choose Dr. Berger to perform their hip and knee replacements.
Chris Mondello, D.O., a physician in Dundee, Florida, who was a participant of virtual consultations via Dr. Berger's BEST experience, selected him for surgery based on a recommendation from a friend.
"I was so impressed with Dr. Berger and his incredible medical team," he says. "The customer service and attention to detail by his staff via telehealth was so extraordinary that we are trying to adopt similar protocols in our physician practice."
To learn more about Dr. Berger's BEST Experience and make an appointment: www.outpatienthipandknee.com or call the office directly at 312-432-2557.
Dr. Richard Berger social media:
Facebook
Instagram
Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush (MOR) offers comprehensive, unparalleled, orthopedic services. MOR doctors are team physicians for the Chicago Bulls, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Fire Soccer Club and Joffrey Ballet, among others. They are known for treating patients with orthopedic conditions, ranging from the most common to the most complex. The group's reputation as a leader in specialized orthopedic patient care, education and research has been recognized by many national publications. U.S. News & World Report ranks the orthopedic program at Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, as one of the top in the nation. It is also the highest ranked program in Illinois and Indiana.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush
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2022-07-21T21:18:11+00:00
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wafb.com
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https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/07/21/renowned-orthopedic-surgeon-takes-telehealth-concierge-level-saving-time-money-patients/
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NEW YORK, March 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ulike, the global leader and pioneer of Sapphire IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) hair removal, has announced the U.S. launch of its most advanced at-home innovation to date, AIR3.
The beauty-tech brand launched to market in 2013 as the first and only to introduce Sapphire Contact Cooling Technology to at-home devices for painless, quick, safe, and effective permanent hair removal at home. Ulike's patented Sapphire Technology is a triple temperature control cooling system designed to maintain normal epidermal temperature during treatment, significantly reducing or eliminating any burning sensation caused by IPL flashes. When the sapphire light window is in full contact with the treatment area, it provides real-time cooling throughout the treatment process. This cooling makes the treatment more comfortable, protects the skin and allows more flashes to be delivered to the skin, increasing the effectiveness of the IPL hair removal treatment.
The Ulike AIR3 IPL hair removal device is the brand's most effective, comfortable and safe device yet thanks to this proprietary Sapphire Contact Cooling Technology and an enhanced IPL lamp that can produce flashes with up to 21J energy emitted at a rate of 0.7s/flash, delivering visible hair reduction in just three weeks of treatment. Thanks to the device's narrower surface, ergonomic shape, and the options to either stamp or auto-glide the device, the user is able to target hard-to-reach areas and conduct a full body treatment from head-to-toe in under 30 minutes. The Ulike AIR3 brings a new level of comfort and efficiency to consumers, and is FDA-cleared, clinically tested, and dermatologist recommended for worry-free use.
"The AIR3 is one of the most advanced IPL hair removal devices on the market, providing users with noticeable hair reduction in three weeks," says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Davin Lim. "With the AIR3, users don't have to sacrifice comfort for pain thanks to Ulike's patented design. The brand's ice-cooling technology, which lowers the skin contact temperature, works harmoniously with the AIR3's powerful IPL output to deliver efficacious but comfortable hair removal."
The Ulike AIR3 will be available, beginning today on Ulike.com and Amazon.
About Ulike:
Since 2013, Ulike has harnessed the power of clinical technology to produce luxurious, painless, and cost-effective IPL at-home hair removal devices. With powerful IPL and Sapphire Cooling Technology, the devices deliver visible results and are suitable to use on the full body. The devices are FDA-cleared, clinically tested and dermatologist recommended. Since inception, the brand has grown to be a global leader of IPL at-home beauty devices with over 4 million units sold in 17 countries worldwide. As a beauty-tech brand focused on innovation, Ulike allots thirty percent of its annual profits to research and development. This continuous drive for advancement is what has helped the brand secure over 100 global patents and become an international success.
For more information on AIR3 and Ulike, please visit Ulike.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Ulike
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2023-03-29T16:59:27+00:00
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wbrc.com
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https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/03/29/global-ipl-hair-removal-leader-ulike-launches-air3-at-home-device-delivering-cool-comfort-visible-results-three-weeks/
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Hitting coach instability has been a staple of the Chicago Cubs big-league staff over the last decade.
The Cubs believe they have created a more extensive coaching staff structure that will yield better cohesion and collaboration.
Greg Brown lasted only one season in the lead hitting coach role, replaced by Dustin Kelly late last month shortly after Kelly became the organization’s minor-league field coordinator. Kelly was the minor-league hitting coordinator the last two seasons.
Included in Tuesday’s official announcement of the 2023 coaching staff were four notable changes to the hitting coach structure. In addition to Kelly’s promotion, Juan Cabreja (assistant hitting coach), Jim Adduci (assistant hitting coach, game planning) and Alex Smith (data development and process) will join the major-league coaching staff. Johnny Washington also returns as an assistant hitting coach.
“We think the world of Greg Brown. He’s a tremendous hitting coach,” president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said Tuesday at the general managers meetings. “With the current major-league guys and the young guys coming up, it wasn’t the right fit in the majors. We certainly hope he stays in the organization and can have a big impact on the franchise.
“Going with a guy in Dustin Kelly that we think the world of and has relationships with all those young hitters, that was really important. We felt like Dustin was the right fit.”
Brown could remain with the organization in a minor-league coordinator position. Hoyer acknowledged the challenging situation of the lockout going into effect only four weeks after Brown was hired, cutting off any communication with players on the 40-man roster.
“It definitely didn’t help him,” Hoyer said. “It was not an ideal way to transition to a new coach for sure.”
The Cubs now feature five hitting-focused coaches on the big-league staff, a distinct effort to replicate the collaborative success of how the organization has built the pitching coach side at the major-league level. Hoyer’s vision centers on utilizing each hitting coach’s skill sets to create a total team effort, just as they do with pitching coaches Tommy Hottovy, Daniel Moskos and Chris Young.
“What we want is a hitting department with different areas of strengths, and ultimately everyone has a plan to make players better together,” Hoyer said. “We want to have different people working on different things, whether it’s one guy might be more of a mechanics person, one guy might be more game planning, the mental side, things like that.
“But ultimately it’s important that you have a pitching coach, a hitting coach that have (emotional intelligence), that have the ability to allow them to work with someone else, have experts in different areas and not feel like they have to be the final arbiter or the best coach, the best game planner or the best mental guy.
“That’s really important in becoming more collaborative. We definitely have it on the pitching side right now, and getting the hitting side to that place was really important to us.”
Acquiring better hitters also is an important part of the equation for the Cubs the next few years. That’s unlikely to include catcher Willson Contreras. The Cubs have not yet extended a qualifying offer to Contreras, but as Hoyer has stated multiple times, the team will do so by the Thursday deadline. Once Contreras receives the offer, he’s expected to decline it before the Nov. 15 deadline.
The Cubs had a deal in place shortly before the trade deadline to trade Contreras to the Houston Astros for right-hander José Urquidy; however, a source confirmed ESPN’s report that Astros manager Dusty Baker nixed the deal.
Outside of free-agent signings or trades, finding middle ground to offer contract extensions to key players such as outfielder Ian Happ and shortstop Nico Hoerner could be in play too. But if that happens, it likely would be before the Cubs report to Mesa, Ariz., for spring training.
While not speaking about specific players Tuesday and noting, “Don’t hold me to this,” Hoyer said he doesn’t love negotiating during spring training. He alluded to seeing many deals fall apart during that six-week stretch. In 2021 Anthony Rizzo’s contract extension details played out publicly during camp.
“The more I do it, the more I think it causes tension,” Hoyer said. “Guys want to start the season. … I just don’t think it’s a great way to start the season. I’d like to push that up a little bit. And if we get it done, great. But (not) doing it in spring training, at least (not) starting the process and trying to end it.”
In other Cubs news, left-hander Drew Smyly declined his mutual option for 2023, worth $10 million, and will receive a $1 million buyout. Smyly, 33, still could return to the Cubs, who have connected with Smyly’s side about negotiating a new deal, though the veteran might be looking for a multiyear contract.
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2022-11-09T13:33:00+00:00
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bostonherald.com
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https://www.bostonherald.com/2022/11/09/why-the-chicago-cubs-restructured-their-hitting-coach-setup-on-the-big-league-staff-plus-updates-on-willson-contreras-and-drew-smylys-futures/
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Davionne Kalel Wright Jan 6, 2023 7 hrs ago 0 Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Davionne Kalel Wright, 22, of North Chicago, Illinois, faces charges of vehicle operator flee/elude officer. 0 Comments Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Tags Officer North Chicago Operator Elude Charge Illinois Vehicle Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Mugshots: Kenosha County criminal complaints from Jan. 4-6 Who was arrested over the past few days? Here are the Kenosha County Jail booking photos for people facing possible felony charges who were bo…
Mugshots: Kenosha County criminal complaints from Jan. 4-6 Who was arrested over the past few days? Here are the Kenosha County Jail booking photos for people facing possible felony charges who were bo…
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2023-01-07T06:00:57+00:00
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kenoshanews.com
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https://www.kenoshanews.com/davionne-kalel-wright/article_95238c78-8dfc-11ed-bb4e-437ac4a0a9e5.html
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Former President Trump is moving to quash a Georgia investigation into his efforts to influence the outcome of the 2020 election, seeking to bar the use of any evidence presented to a grand jury reviewing the matter.
In a 50-page filing in a Fulton County court, Trump’s attorneys blasted the investigation as “confusing, flawed, and, at times, blatantly unconstitutional.”
The Monday filing seeks to block the use of a report from a grand jury on the matter and bar Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’s (D) involvement in the case, and it attacks a series of interviews given by jury forewoman Emily Kohrs.
“Given the scrutiny and the gravity of the investigation and those individuals involved — namely the movant Donald J. Trump, this process should have been handled correctly, fairly, and with deference to the law and the highest ethical standards,” attorneys Jennifer Little, Drew Findling and Marissa Goldberg wrote in the filing.
The effort from Trump follows the close of a monthslong Georgia investigation with more than a dozen notified targets, including former Trump attorney Rudy Guiliani and others who met to discuss a plot to craft a false slate of electors to certify his victory in a state he lost to President Biden.
In a hearing where Willis sought to block the release of the grand jury report and its synopsis of charging recommendations, the district attorney noted charging decisions in the case are imminent.
The argument from Trump seems to challenge the grand jury process in its entirety, saying the statues creating them are too vague to be constitutional. His attorneys also argue that such processes should only be used for civil rather than criminal matters.
In doing so the attorneys partially quote from an order from Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney calling the grand jury process “imbalanced, incomplete and one-sided.”
But in the order, McBurney noted that grand juries are “entirely appropriately — a one-sided exploration” and said that “does not mean the district attorney’s investigative process was flawed or improper or in any way unconstitutional.”
Willis’s office did not immediately respond to request for comment.
The filing goes on to request that Willis be disqualified from leading the investigation, noting that McBurney previously barred her from investigating Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (R) as part of the broader probe into the fake electors because Willis had hosted a fundraiser for his challenger in the lieutenant governor’s race.
Trump’s attorneys argue Willis’s conflict with Jones “extends to the entire investigation — not just one witness” and complain that he “will have effectively been preemptively severed out of prosecution.”
Jones was one of the few politicians who was able to successfully dodge any involvement in the probe when turning to the courts for assistance. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) was ordered to testify in the probe, as was Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.).
The filing also addresses Kohr’s media appearances, as well as other comments from five jurors on the panel.
The filing picks apart numerous statements from Kohr, including her comments about how many times witnesses pleaded the fifth, the jurors’ ability to consume news coverage surrounding the grand jury process and how she described instructions from the district attorney.
“It is difficult to take a scalpel to the work of grand jury’s and parse out what does or does not constitute deliberations but the forepersons seemingly breached that obligation in her public appearances,” Trump’s attorneys wrote.
“The foreperson disclosed grand jurors’ opinions as to the credibility of witnesses, their strategic decisions in drafting the report, and general discussions between the jurors.”
Updated at 1:34 p.m.
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2023-03-20T19:09:38+00:00
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fox44news.com
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https://www.fox44news.com/hill-politics/trump-moves-to-quash-georgia-election-probe/
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WFO BURLINGTON Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Saturday, August 6, 2022
_____
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Burlington VT
338 PM EDT Sat Aug 6 2022
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of east central Essex,
northwestern Addison and southwestern Chittenden Counties through 400
PM EDT...
At 336 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Westport, moving northeast at 15 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 30 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Westport, Kingsland Bay State Park, Ferrisburgh, Fort Cassin Point,
Snake Den Harbor, Young Bay, Ship Point, Summer Point, Hunter Bay,
North West Bay, Diamond Island, Cannon Point, Porter Bay, Partridge
Harbor, Louis Clearing Bay, Fields Bay, South Bay In Essex County,
Split Rock Point, Cold Spring Bay and Grog Harbor.
This includes Interstate 87 between mile markers 115 and 120.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
If on or near Lake Champlain near Button Bay State Park, get out of
the water and move indoors or inside a vehicle. Remember, lightning
can strike out to 10 miles from the parent thunderstorm. If you can
hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning. Move
to safe shelter now! Do not be caught on the water in a thunderstorm.
LAT...LON 4410 7348 4415 7357 4438 7344 4424 7327
TIME...MOT...LOC 1936Z 222DEG 11KT 4423 7344
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...30 MPH
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Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
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2022-08-06T20:15:13+00:00
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lmtonline.com
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https://www.lmtonline.com/weather/article/NY-WFO-BURLINGTON-Warnings-Watches-and-17356622.php
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Second-Annual Game Changers List Is Featured in the Special July Innovation Issue of FOOD & WINE
NEW YORK, June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dotdash Meredith's FOOD & WINE announces the 2022 Game Changers, recognizing 16 people and organizations who are driving the culinary world forward and transforming the way we eat and drink for the better. From chefs, restaurateurs, entrepreneurs, and winemakers to activists, relief organizations, and companies creating innovative products, the leaders and visionaries named to the second-annual FOOD & WINE Game Changers list are featured in the July issue of FOOD & WINE and at foodandwine.com/gamechangers.
FOOD & WINE Editor in Chief Hunter Lewis wrote in the July issue: "Once a year, we devote an entire issue to innovation on a grand scale, spotlighting the leaders who are doing the most good to change the way we eat and drink. You'll find them in our second-annual F&W Game Changers list, featuring 16 people and companies who are making hospitality and packaged goods smarter, more sustainable, more inclusive, and more delicious for all. People like Dwyane Wade, the NBA star who's helping make sure the future of wine is a diverse one, and Birgit Cameron, who launched Patagonia Provisions to help fight climate change through food."
2022 FOOD & WINE GAME CHANGERS
Alexis Nikole Nelson (Columbus, Ohio)
BentoBox (New York City)
Chintan Pandya and Roni Mazumdar (New York City)
Dwyane Wade (Napa)
Ghetto Gastro (New York City)
Jenny Dorsey (Los Angeles)
Momofuku (New York City)
No & Low (Detroit)
OXO (New York City)
Patagonia Provisions (Sausalito, California)
Prime Roots (Berkeley, California)
Sanzo (New York City)
Stephen Satterfield (San Francisco)
World Central Kitchen (Washington, DC)
Yannick Benjamin (New York City)
To read the profiles of each of the winners named to the 2022 FOOD & WINE Game Changers, visit here. To reference last year's FOOD & WINE Game Changers, visit here for the 2021 list.
Bringing the special July Innovation issue of FOOD & WINE to life, the theme of this year's FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen, taking place June 17–19, is the Summit of Innovation. The event will feature several 2022 FOOD & WINE Game Changers, including Dwyane Wade and Yannick Benjamin, as well as Chintan Pandya and Roni Mazumdar, who will pop up their Rowdy Rooster restaurant and serve their fried chicken sandwich spiced with chaat masala in the Grand Tasting Pavilion.
About FOOD & WINE
FOOD & WINE is the ultimate authority on the best of what's new in food, drink, travel, design, and entertaining. FOOD & WINE has an extensive social media following on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube. FOOD & WINE includes a magazine in print and digital; a website, foodandwine.com; a books division; plus newsletters, events, and more. At FOOD & WINE, we inspire and empower our wine- and food-obsessed community to eat, drink, entertain, and travel better—every day and everywhere. FOOD & WINE is part of the Dotdash Meredith publishing family.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Dotdash Meredith
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2022-06-14T14:20:55+00:00
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wafb.com
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https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/06/14/food-amp-wine-honors-people-companies-changing-way-we-eat-drink-better/
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Mercedes recalls nearly 324K vehicles due to engine stalling
Mercedes is recalling nearly 324,000 vehicles in the U.S. because the engines can stall while they're being driven.
The recall covers a range of models from the 2012 to 2020 model years, including the ML550, ML350, AMG ML63, ML250, ML400, GLE450, GLE300, GLE350, GLE550, GLE400, AMG GLE43, and AMG GLE63.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in documents posted Thursday that water can accumulate in the spare tire wheel well and damage the fuel pump control unit. That can make the engines stall.
Dealers will check for water intrusion, install a drain plug and replace the fuel pump if needed. Owners will be notified by letter starting Feb. 21.
Mercedes says in documents that it's aware of 773 U.S. warranty claims, field reports and service reports due to the problem. The company says it's not aware of any crashes or injuries caused by the defect.
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2023-01-05T21:32:14+00:00
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4029tv.com
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https://www.4029tv.com/article/mercedes-recall-due-to-engine-stalling/42409098
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The attached video is from previous coverage
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A third set of human remains found at Lake Mead within the last year has been identified.
On Wednesday, the Clark County Coroner’s Office confirmed the remains belong to Claude Russell Pensinger, who was 52 years old when he was last seen in July 1998.
In late July 2022, swimmers found Pensigner’s remains floating near Boulder Beach. Portions of remains found on August 6 and 16 were also determined to belong to Pensigner.
Pensinger’s cause of death wasn’t immediately available.
Three other sets of human remains have been found at Lake Mead since May 2022 as the reservoir reached record-low levels.
On May 1, 2022, boaters at Lake Mead discovered a man’s body concealed in a barrel near Hemenway Harbor. County officials said the man died from a gunshot wound, with the manner of his death being homicide.
Homicide detectives have requested DNA from multiple families to help solve the case of the body in the barrel, Metro police previously told Nexstar’s KLAS. The families were chosen from several unsolved missing person cases from that time.
There is no timeline as to when the remains found inside the barrel could be identified. Who the homicide victim in the barrel is may be even more difficult to solve. As KLAS reported last year, Metro police suspect the man was killed in the 1980s based on personal items in the barrel.
Homicide detectives would not elaborate on the person’s cause of death, or the items found, citing the ongoing investigation. Police believe the barrel was fully intact when it was dropped into the lake.
Kayakers discovered a second set of skeletal remains in May in Callville Bay. The coroner’s office identified the remains as Thomas Erndt, of Las Vegas. Erndt was 42 years old when he drowned on August 2, 2002.
His sister Julie told KLAS Erndt, his two children, and two other adults went boating and swimming at Lake Mead. Erdnt never resurfaced after jumping into the water.
Authorities determined another set of skeletal remains found near Callville Bay in October belong to Donald Smith, of North Las Vegas. Officials said Smith drowned in April 1974. He was 39 at the time.
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2023-04-27T01:04:33+00:00
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cbs4indy.com
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https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/another-set-of-human-remains-found-at-lake-mead-identified/
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___
- Home in local architect's family since the 60s is on sale for $3M
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- Former guard to Seahawks owner Paul Allen: ‘I’d rather get shot at’ than...
- A guide to Tuesday's primary election in Kentucky
- Kotek wins Democratic nod in Oregon governor's race
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2022-05-18T08:21:40+00:00
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seattlepi.com
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https://www.seattlepi.com/sports/article/Seattle-Team-Stax-17180718.php
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Amid discoveries of 13-year-olds cleaning saws in meatpacking plants and 10-year-olds working in the kitchen at a McDonald's, the Biden administration has vowed to crack down on child labor violations in the U.S.
But largely absent from those discussions are the estimated hundreds of thousands of children who are legally working in equally hazardous conditions on farms.
House Democrats are seeking to bring those children into the conversation, with a bill being introduced Monday that would raise the minimum age for children working in farms from 12 to 14, a change sponsors say would rectify a decades-old double standard.
A different standard for children working in agriculture
Under federal labor law, children must be 14 to take on all but a tiny handful of jobs, and there are limits to the hours they can work.
But due to a carveout with origins in the Jim Crow South, children can be hired to work on farms starting at age 12, for any number of hours as long as they don't miss school.
And while children are generally prohibited from doing hazardous work in other sectors, there's an exception for agriculture. At 16, children can operate heavy machinery and perform tasks at any height while working on a farm without any protections against falling, unlike in other industries.
The Children's Act for Responsible Employment and Farm Safety would do away with the double standard, by raising the minimum ages for agricultural work to match all other occupations.
"We're not asking for anything more or above. We're asking for parity," says Democratic Congressman Raul Ruiz of California, one of the bill's sponsors.
Different standards in agriculture lead to "absurd parallels"
Margaret Wurth, senior children's rights researcher at Human Rights Watch, says current labor law creates absurd parallels, where children of the same ages doing the same work aren't receiving the same protections, simply because they're working in different sectors.
"So for example, to operate a circular meat slicer at a deli, you'd have to be 18. But to use that same kind of circular saw on a farm, you could be 16," she says.
Employers in construction must provide protections from falling for workers who are performing tasks at heights over six feet. On farms, however, children 16 and over can work at any height with nothing to protect them from falling, Wurth says.
Not this bill's first rodeo
Many versions of this bill have been introduced over the years. Ruiz is taking up the mantle from another California Democrat, Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, who first introduced the measure in 2005 and repeatedly reintroduced it without success.
"This is an injustice for farmworker communities," says Ruiz.
Wurth is hopeful that with the national reckoning happening around child labor in recent months, this time will be different.
"I think it's just an issue of people not realizing that we still have these harmful carveouts in law that allow this to legally be happening in our country," she says.
Opposition from farmers who see a threat to family traditions
Prior iterations of the CARE Act were met with fierce opposition from farms. At a hearing last fall, agricultural policy attorney Kristi Boswell, who grew up on farm and later served in President Trump's agriculture department, warned that traditions held families like her own would be threatened.
"My niece and nephews would not have been able to detassel corn at ages 12 and 13, despite their parents knowing they were mature enough to handle the job," Boswell said in her testimony.
"It is critical now more than ever that our policies develop our next generation of farmers and ranchers, rather than discouraging them."
Ruiz counters that his bill includes exemptions for family farms, to allow traditions — such as passing farming know-how to children on the job — to continue.
"Exceptions were made to accommodate them," he says.
Wurth says the idea behind this bill is not to keep the children and other relatives of farm owners from working and learning the family business. It's about protecting those who are the most vulnerable.
"These are Latinx children and their families who are working in the fields because they're living in extreme poverty," she says.
Not a comprehensive solution
Even if it passes, Wurth says the CARE Act might not end child labor in agriculture. Many families depend on the income of their children. Absent a living wage and accessible child care, cutting off that source of income could hurt their family's livelihood.
Still, Wurth says the bill would set a foundation for tackling the issue.
Today, if a labor inspector goes to a farm and finds a 12-year-old working a 14-hour shift in a tobacco field, there would be no violation to report, she notes.
"That's why this labor law desperately needs to be updated," she say. "So at least kids have that basic foundation and protection of a sensible legal framework."
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
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2023-06-12T10:13:33+00:00
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nprillinois.org
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https://www.nprillinois.org/2023-06-12/children-as-young-as-12-work-legally-on-farms-despite-years-of-efforts-to-change-law
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP NEWS) — Jayla Everett made a go-ahead shot with 0.3 seconds left and St. John’s edged Purdue 66-64 on Thursday night in a First Four game.
St. John’s (23-8), a No. 11 seed making its 11th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, advances to play sixth-seeded North Carolina in the first round on Saturday.
Everett curled off a screen and sank a jumper from the free-throw line with 1:30 left for a 64-62 lead. But the Red Storm turned it over on their next possession and Lasha Petree made a shot in the lane to tie it at 64-all with 30.3 left.
After a timeout, Mimi Reid dribbled down the clock before starting the offense with about 10 seconds left. Everett drove the right side of the lane and had the ball knocked loose before corralling it and sinking a shot from a difficult angle.
Everett finished with 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting and Unique Drake added 16 points with four 3-pointers for St. John’s. Drake was 4 of 6 from distance, Everett made 3 of 6 and St. John’s finished 11 of 23 after entering averaging just 6.2 makes per game.
Everett was called for a technical foul with 3:48 remaining in the fourth quarter for arguing with an official after she appeared to cleanly block a shot. Petree celebrated the call and made contact with an opponent, leading to an intentional foul. The two fouls offset, but Everett went to the bench with four fouls before returning with 2:07 left.
Petree had 20 points and eight rebounds for Purdue (19-11), which was making its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2017. Caitlyn Harper scored 14 points.
St. John’s scored 22 points off 16 Purdue turnovers.
Everett scored nine points in the third quarter and Drake made St. John’s 11th 3-pointer late in the frame for a 60-45 lead — its largest of the game.
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2023-03-17T03:32:30+00:00
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wlfi.com
|
https://www.wlfi.com/news/purdue-womens-basketball-ends-season-with-a-heartbreaker-in-columbus/article_def6ae40-c46e-11ed-b47c-8b8c4dfc211d.html
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Today, Indianapolis is the center of attention in the state when it comes to education policy and the future of Indiana. Indianapolis Public Schools is proposing a bond of $440 million in May, and over at the Statehouse, legislators are talking education savings accounts, vouchers and support for charter schools.
These efforts are related but are being treated separately. They shouldn’t be.
The last time IPS asked the public to approve bonds was in 2018. Since that $220 million bond’s approval, IPS has lost 23.5% of its enrollment, and its graduation rate declined by 2.6 percentage points.
According to the Indiana Department of Education, 47,944 students live within IPS borders. IPS serves only 44% of these students, with 56% (or 26,684 students) choosing to attend public schools outside the district, private schools or charter schools within the district.
Will more money help IPS gain back market share? How? That is the really hard conversation we need to have.
Before starting that hard conversation, ask yourself what impact new state policies will have on IPS enrollment. Last year, about 5,000 students used their public-school-choice powers to leave IPS and attend another local district. And another 5,000 students used vouchers to attend private schools in the area. The lion’s share of those who left IPS chose charter schools.
Now, state legislators are considering education savings accounts. That’s more competition for everyone.
How can districts, not just IPS, continue to compete in a world where choices for parents are growing by leaps and bounds, and there is no end in sight? Gone are the old days in which parents were confined to a district unless they could afford to move or pay private-school tuition. Today, Indiana offers public-school choice across district lines, private-school vouchers, tax credits and charters, and education savings accounts are coming soon.
All these choices rightly take control away from a central district and place control in the hands of parents. Whether you agree with them or not, these policies are here, and they are growing in popularity.
As these policies and parental choices take root, we all need to have a long, hard conversation about the future role of a “district” school system. For example, there are 120 charter schools in the state serving nearly 50,000 students. Not one of these schools was created by a “district.” But they exist, and collectively, they are bigger than the largest district in the state.
IPS took a giant step forward when it decided to start supporting “innovation” charter schools. It is time for the district to take another giant step and not only support these schools equally but to support the other non-innovative charter schools within the district equally as well. Families within the district have proven they trust these schools and want these schools.
With legislators pushing for more educational choices and funding students, not systems, districts would be well-advised to embrace these new options and figure out ways to support them, not oppose them.•
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Teasley is president of Indianapolis-based GEO Foundation.
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2023-03-03T19:37:39+00:00
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ibj.com
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https://www.ibj.com/articles/kevin-teasley-its-time-to-talk-about-the-role-of-school-districts
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Sen. John Neely Kennedy (R-La.) wants you to know that his campaign war chest is “as dry as the heart of a haystack.” Worried about “getting beat like a garage sale couch,” the senator — currently up for reelection — has been “running back and forth like a dog at a meat factory” to find money, and is as “nervous as a cat at a waterpark.” His ally Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) notes that the state of Kennedy’s fundraising is less than stellar: The Louisiana Republican “has missed almost every single deadline so far, and leading into October, this is beyond bad news.”
To most Americans, political fundraising emails are an inbox-clogging nuisance. But recently I set out to view them from a different angle — examining the artistry that goes into writing them and the strategies they deploy to try to separate donors from their money.
Such spam is an exceedingly rare domain where politicians regularly go negative on themselves — emphasizing missed fundraising goals and playing up the odds that they might lose. The message is often stark: Immediately give whatever you can — $5? $50? $500? — or calamity will ensue.
Like Kennedy, John Fetterman — Democratic Senate hopeful from Pennsylvania, whose emails often use “yinz + youse,” terms that voters in western Pennsylvania would understand — is not shy about admitting failure. “The honest-to-goodness truth is we’re still behind on our goal for the quarter,” read one email. He also seeks to motivate donors through sheer exasperation: “My team might not approve, but I’ll just say it: I’m getting a liiiiittle tired of asking for donations all the time.” (Fetterman’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment. When I contacted Kennedy’s campaign, a staffer emailed: “We don’t have anything to share on this front.”)
Who actually writes these emails? David Keene, chief executive officer at the right-of-center Elliance Digital Media, used to work for Republican consultant Richard Viguerie, who earned a reputation decades ago as the “direct-mail wizard of the New Right,” to quote The Washington Post. Keene now manages a staff that writes fundraising copy, including for several House races this cycle, though he declined to identify the particular ones.
Announcing missed fundraising goals is a pervasive technique to convey immediate need, says Keene, but these days it’s also a reality for Republicans, whose low-dollar donors are struggling with inflation. “Instead of giving $100 donations, they’re giving $10 donations,” Keene told me.
Taryn Rosenkranz, founder and chief executive officer of New Blue Interactive, has been responsible for numerous Democratic campaign fundraising emails since 2005. She employs about 40 people, who do most of the writing — although she enjoys the craft, so she pitches in occasionally.
Rosenkranz acknowledges that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, her employer years ago, developed a reputation for going overboard, “upping and amping the urgency.” Fundraiser writers on the left “got a little overexcited or overzealous,” but there has been a “return to digital with dignity,” Rosenkranz says. “You can still raise money without saying ‘The sky is falling,’ ” she argues. “When you say ‘The sky is falling’ for too many cycles in a row, the sky falls.” Meaning, people stop giving.
Besides, even in these times of high-stakes politics, fear of losing isn’t the only way to motivate people. Among her favorite recent emails was one her firm wrote for Kendra Horn, a client vying for the U.S. Senate in Oklahoma, which drew on a different, lighter kind of terror: “We have to talk to your dentist,” the email announced in its subject line, leaving the jocular impression that the campaign was going to tell readers’ dentists they had not been flossing.
Molly Shapiro wrote campaign fundraising emails for 12 years — for Rosenkranz and Anne Lewis Strategies. Shapiro — who thinks her fiction and screenplay writing served her well in political fundraising — still remembers her first email for her first client, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), then a member of the House. “I was like, ‘Oh my God: This is a job?’ ” she recalls. In one missive for Gillibrand, Shapiro began: “Most children go through a phase when they say ‘No’ to everything: No to broccoli, no to baths, no to bedtime. Thankfully, though, they grow out of it. I wonder when the Republicans are going to finally grow out of their ‘No’ phase.”
If there’s a modern expert on political spam, it’s Chris Herbert, senior web developer at Longwell Partners in Washington and creator of the Archive of Political Emails. Since July 2019, the site has preserved more than 840,000 emails. As art, Herbert appreciates some emails from Donald Trump Jr., which he thinks are intentionally over-the-top, like those bestowing “Great MAGA King” status on readers who donated any amount by 11:59 p.m. that night. He also lauds the “classy approach” of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt): long but not dramatic emails. (A recent one had a 39-word subject line: “I’m writing to ask if you can take a few minutes to read my most recent op-ed in the Guardian, and then contribute $2.70 to show you’re ready to fight for a government that works for ALL of us.”)
Having worked at nonprofits (though not on political campaigns), Herbert empathizes with the email senders. But he also has sympathy for the receivers who, as he does, get irritated to find their inboxes bombarded with newsletters to which they never subscribed.
Shapiro is clear-eyed about what her audience likely thought of her emails. “I’m sure people get annoyed getting them,” she says. “It’s a fact of life.” But she felt like she was “injecting a little something into the process.”
For his part, Keene makes no apology for his profession. It may be less than dignified to be a spammer, he says, “but the more that you can support the candidates that support the programs, objectives and issues that you care about, the more you can be part of the political process.”
I take his point, but I finished reporting this story with an incredibly overstuffed inbox. Fetterman emails me on average thrice daily. Kennedy might send five a day; on one day in September, he sent seven. The clincher? Two of his emails arrived concomitantly at 7:18 p.m. That’s a heavy diet of spam, by any measure.
Menachem Wecker is a writer in Silver Spring.
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2022-11-01T10:51:33+00:00
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washingtonpost.com
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2022/11/01/candidates-fundraising-emails/
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LAS VEGAS (AP) — Sony unveiled a new high-tech prototype car it will produce in partnership with Honda at the CES tech show Wednesday.
The vehicle, first announced in October, glided out on stage at the CES in Las Vegas, Nevada. It will be called the Afeela.
Yasuhide Mizuno, CEO of Sony Honda Mobility, said the company expects to take pre-orders in the first half of 2025 and deliver the first cars to customers in North America in spring 2026.
“As safety and security are essential to mobility, we will integrate Sony’s sensors and the Honda safety along with other intelligent technologies,” Mizuno said.
Sony and Honda announced their 50-50 joint venture in March. It unites Honda’s know-how in autos, mobility technology and sales with Sony’s imaging, network, sensor and entertainment expertise.
Production of the vehicle will take place at one of Honda’s 12 plants in the U.S. The U.S. was chosen for the launch because electric vehicles are already popular there. Japan came second as Honda’s home market, and other markets, including Europe, will follow, but no dates have been set.
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2023-01-05T17:59:20+00:00
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wearegreenbay.com
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https://www.wearegreenbay.com/business/ap-business/ap-sony-unveils-prototype-ev-afeela-to-be-made-with-honda/
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CINCINNATI (AP) — Kolten Wong hit a career-high three homers and drove in five runs, helping Brandon Woodruff and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-1 on Thursday night.
Wong hit a two-run drive in the second inning against Hunter Greene. He hit another two-run shot in the sixth off Dauri Moreta and a solo drive in the eighth against Joel Kuhnel.
Wong has a career-high 15 homers on the season.
“I'm definitely not a guy who hits three home runs very often,” Wong said. “I've had a chance to do it a couple of times, but I tried to do too much. I just tried not to do too much and keep my swing tight."
Milwaukee finished with just four hits, but each of Wong's first two homers occurred after leadoff walks.
“We had four hits,” manager Craig Counsell said. “Kolton had three, and all three were home runs. That was pretty incredible. He was definitely a one-man show on offense.”
The second-place Brewers (80-70) opened a four-game set against lowly Cincinnati with their second straight win. They remained 2 1/2 games back of Milwaukee for the third NL wild card.
Woodruff (12-4) struck out 11 in six innings. He allowed three hits and walked two.
The 6-foot-4 right-hander has 32 strikeouts in his last three starts — all wins. He has struck out 11 or more batters in three of his four starts against the Reds this season.
“I think it starts with rhythm and timing — simple stuff," Woodruff said. “I'm consistently getting ahead more. I'm trying to get them to swing early.”
Counsell sees the right-hander rounding into form after missing most of June with injuries to his right ankle and fingers.
“He's been getting better," Counsell said. “When he came back from the injury, he was good, but now he's even better at a good time for us.”
Kyle Farmer hit his 13th homer in the sixth to account for Cincinnati's only run. Greene (4-13) struck out eight in five innings.
The NL Central matchup drew a crowd of 9,889, the sixth under 10,000 this season at Great American Ball Park.
After throwing 47 pitches at least 100 miles per hour in a 1-0 loss at St. Louis on Saturday, Greene reached triple figures 15 times against Milwaukee, according to Statcast.
“I felt solid," Greene said. "I felt really good. Those walks hurt me. It’s a good hitting team. It is always a battle when I face these guys. They are pretty good at hitting mistakes. There were times when I pulled off. I tried to elevate a fastball to Wong. It kind of leaked over the plate a little bit.”
FOLLOWING FOOTSTEPS
Wong is the third Milwaukee second baseman to hit three homers in one game. Dale Sveum did it on July 17, 1987, against the Angels, and Aaron Hill accomplished the feat on May 7, 2016, in Cincinnati.
AND COUNTING
Outfielder Michael Siani made his major league debut, boosting to a major league-high 66 the number of players used by the Reds this season.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: RHP Freddie Peralta (right shoulder) might be activated this weekend, Counsell said. Peralta has been out since May 23.
Reds: RHP Graham Ashcraft (right biceps soreness) is scheduled to come off the injured list on Saturday and make his first start since Aug. 19.
UP NEXT
The Brewers are expected to activate left-hander Eric Lauer (left elbow) from the injured list to start on Friday. Lauer has been out since Sept. 8. Lefty Mike Minor (4-12) pitches for Cincinnati.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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2022-09-23T03:55:47+00:00
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lmtonline.com
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https://www.lmtonline.com/sports/article/Kolten-Wong-homers-3-times-as-Brewers-beat-Reds-17461104.php
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DALLAS (AP) — Two men were arrested in connection with a shooting that killed one person and injured 16 others at an outdoor concert in Dallas last month, police said Thursday.
Dallas police said 25-year-old Astonial Calhoun and 26-year-old Devojiea Givens, whose first name was listed as Devojie in jail records, were arrested Wednesday. Jail records show Calhoun faces a charge of deadly conduct while Givens faces a charge of deadly conduct by discharging a firearm.
Both remained in jail Thursday. Bond was set at $1,500 for Calhoun and $15,000 for Givens. Jail records don't list attorneys for either.
Police said both men had handguns and shot into the crowd after a fight broke out at the April 2 concert. Police said the investigation into the shooting is ongoing, and they're working to identify other suspects who fired weapons in addition to other suspects who were involved in a fight that lead up to the shooting.
Kealon Dejuane Gilmore, 26, was killed in the gunfire.
In addition to 15 people wounded by gunfire, a woman suffered a non-gun-related injury, police said. Police said after the shooting that they'd found that a permit from the city for the concert to be held wasn't obtained.
Police said that at the time of the shooting, Givens was out on bond from a deadly conduct charge in late January.
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2022-05-13T01:58:30+00:00
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ourmidland.com
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https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/2-arrested-after-1-killed-16-hurt-at-outdoor-17169676.php
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KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ilona Khomenko was widowed nearly two months ago when her husband died in fighting in Sievierodonetsk in eastern Ukraine. Now, she’s looking to make a difference on the battlefield.
Khomenko, 29, is helping to train soldiers and civilians in combat first aid to help save lives as Russia’s war in Ukraine is well into its fifth month.
The training is mostly based in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv. Up to 100 people attend each day. So far, Khomenko and others have taught more than 5,000 people simple rules that can save their lives.
One of those attending the course is soldier Liudmyla Rohacheva.
“I am currently working in the rear, but there is a possibility that I will get to the front line. And I think that all soldiers should undergo such training,” Rohacheva said during a break between sessions.
The attendees learn to provide sequential care under the MARCH acronym for easy recall: M for massive hemorrhage, A for airway, R for respiratory, C for circulation and H for hypothermia.
“The units we trained have wounded, but they survive. And those units that didn’t undergo training have a much worse ratio of wounded and survivors,” said Oleksandr Khyzhniak, the head of the training center.
The center teaches, for example, how to apply a tourniquet in 25 seconds. Such an action can save a life.
“The machines will not fight alone. We need people to manage it. And these people must be saved,” Khizhnyak said.
The training mimics front-line conditions. At one location, an instructor frantically shouts into a trench: “A sniper is working in the sector. Drag them to safety! Do you want to live?”
It’s a way to immerse trainees in stressful situations that shouldn’t stop them from acting when needed.
Natalia Demchevska, a doctor in the emergency service in the Kyiv region, said she came to the training to learn how to provide first aid in combat conditions. She said she learned many things she didn’t know before, even though she works in medicine.
The center also encourages civilians to get training.
“We live in a war. And we do not know how the circumstances will develop. When a missile comes, it doesn’t choose who to hit,” instructor Maksym Maksymenko said.
On May 23, Khomenko’s husband, Svyatoslav Khomenko, died in fighting. Like many in Ukraine, he left his job and went to war.
Her husband used to send her photos of nature from the front line.
“He went to war because he wanted to save what he loved so much,” Ilona Khomenko said.
Now, in her own way, she hopes to save what she loves too.
She said she had always wanted to go to the front to be closer to her husband. But he was against it, so she enrolled in combat medic courses. Now she’s a volunteer and plans to become an instructor.
If Khomenko could go back in time, she said she would have studied medicine. She realized this while preparing the first-aid kit for her husband at the front.
Despite her grief, she is grateful to fate that she can now help save the lives of other soldiers.
“The best people of Ukraine are in the war. And I want to learn everything that will help me save them,” she said.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
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2022-07-13T14:45:50+00:00
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kxnet.com
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https://www.kxnet.com/news/health/ap-health/these-people-must-be-saved-ukrainians-train-in-combat-aid/
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THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) — Amid Sean McVay's countless messages of condolences from friends, co-workers and family after the death of his grandfather, the Los Angeles Rams coach said one text from a friend crystallized the way he intends to remember John McVay.
"Be the things that you loved about the people that are gone," Sean McVay said Wednesday while fighting back tears. “And man, did he do so many things that were in alignment with what you want to be. You talk about living a full life where you truly leave a legacy, and not because of the (NFL) success that he had ... but the way that he treated people. The integrity. The relationships he built, the character he had.
"I love my Grandpa so much. He's a great man.”
John McVay's death at 91 was announced Tuesday by the San Francisco 49ers. He helped launch that franchise's run to five Super Bowl championships in the 1980s during 22 seasons in the 49ers' front office, most notably as their general manager. He also coached the New York Giants earlier in his NFL career.
Sean McVay won the family's sixth Super Bowl title last February, but the Rams' wildly successful young coach knows he got to that pinnacle on the shoulders of colleagues and mentors — and nobody gave him a bigger boost than John McVay.
“I'm just grateful for everything he's done for me,” Sean McVay said. “It's almost embarrassing, the opportunities that I've gotten as a result of the things that he's done. When I finished up playing in college, to get right into the NFL (on Jon Gruden's staff in Tampa Bay), nobody does that. But because of John McVay, I got a chance to do that."
After parlaying that precocious start in Tampa Bay into bigger roles in Washington and in Los Angeles, the 36-year-old McVay has been the youngest head coach in the NFL throughout his six seasons with the Rams. McVay is a stellar 58-30 with five winning seasons, four playoff berths, three NFC West titles, two Super Bowl berths and one championship.
“You want to continue to honor the legacy he left, work as hard as you possibly can, treat people the right way, lead in the tough moments and stay humble in the good moments, just like he did always,” McVay added. "It's an easy thing to think about, ‘How would Grandpa handle this?’ to kind of keep me in line and be really grateful."
McVay said he's finding time to reflect and mourn amid the day-to-day pressure of running the Rams, who are off to their worst start of his tenure at 3-4. Los Angeles visits Tampa Bay on Sunday in a rematch of last year's divisional round playoff game.
The Rams didn't make a splash at the trade deadline after years of aggressive player acquisition, which means McVay must solve his team's problems largely with the players already on a top-heavy roster lacking depth at several offensive positions.
Only four teams are scoring fewer than the 16.9 points per game by the Rams, who have been soundly beaten in all four of their losses this season.
It's still unclear whether that depth will include Cam Akers, who left the Rams three weeks ago amid an unspecified dispute with the coaching staff. Los Angeles tried and failed to trade Akers at the deadline, deciding the team couldn't get proper value for GM Les Snead's highest draft pick in the past five years.
Akers came to the Rams' training complex Wednesday morning and spoke with McVay about his future. While nothing has been decided, McVay said Akers was still interested in being part of the Rams, and the sides would make a decision this week.
McVay says "there's a possibility” Akers could play for the Rams on Sunday. It's also possible the Rams could cut Akers.
“We'll have clarity on getting him back and working with this group, or if that means exploring other avenues,” McVay said. “I want to ... let him digest some of the things that we discussed, let him work through that with his family, and then we'll see what the next step is.”
Akers and McVay haven't said exactly why the running back left the team after mostly playing ineffectively behind a makeshift offensive line, but McVay has even bigger problems than calming relations with a struggling running back. The Rams' entire offense is in one of its worst droughts of McVay's career, ranking 30th in the NFL in total offense and 31st in rushing offense.
“The first option is let’s try to exhaust all measures as it relates to the Rams,” McVay said. “And if we’re all in kind of alignment with what we think is the best way to be able to move forward, you’d like to be able to do that. And if not, then we’ll make that decision.”
NOTES: C Brian Allen missed practice Wednesday after developing “a little bit of swelling” in his recently recovered knee, McVay said. Allen returned to the lineup last Sunday after getting hurt in Week 1. ... WR Cooper Kupp is resting his ankle this week after injuring it last Sunday against San Francisco, but the All-Pro expects to play at Tampa Bay. ... LB Terrell Lewis got a rest day from practice, and recently returned WR Van Jefferson was limited in practice.
___
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
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2022-11-02T23:10:31+00:00
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expressnews.com
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https://www.expressnews.com/sports/article/Rams-Sean-McVay-expresses-gratitude-love-for-17553735.php
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After a fabulous renovation by Lonnie Hanzon, the intimate cabaret venue beneath the Daniels & Fisher clocktower on the 16th Street Mall celebrated its sweet sixteen last year with a bang. The space is perfect for a date night or a hang-out with friends, with lush velvet curtains in reds, purples, blues and gold covering the walls and minimalist dainty wooden tables. An escapist retreat, Clocktower Cabaret hosts music, burlesque, comedy, drag and dance shows, plus much more. Consider it Denver's very own Moulin Rouge.
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2023-04-06T08:38:32+00:00
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westword.com
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https://www.westword.com/best-of/2023/arts-and-entertainment/best-cabaret-shows-16548171
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Journalism internships in Washington, D.C., are a chance to expand a student's skills and to experience life in a professional newsroom. But internship experiences are unique. Considering a D.C.-based internship means thinking about relocating, whether the internship is paid, and other issues that can feel like barriers to applying — and even make a talented student feel like they don't belong in D.C.
The National Press Club Journalism Institute is inviting student journalists of all experience levels to join a virtual question-and-answer session featuring internship coordinators based in Washington. Working in the nation's capital can be a life-changing experience, and we'll provide guidance to help student journalists plan their internship applications. Please help us spread the word by sharing information about this program.
Registration is open for this program, which will take place on Sept. 23 at 2 p.m. ET. Participants will learn about the reporting, visual journalism, production, and other opportunities that exist, as well as:
- What makes an internship applicant stand out
- What recruiters wish applicants would do differently
- How to frame your journalistic achievements and best stories
- What types of work samples catch an editor's eye
- How to decide whether a paid or unpaid internship opportunity is right for you
Panelists include:
- Sequoia Carrillo, reporter and intern manager, NPR's Education Team
- Shirley Carswell, executive director, Dow Jones News Fund
- Christine Cox, intern program manager, NPR
- Angie Seldon, human resources senior specialist, C-SPAN
Beth Francesco, the Journalism Institute's deputy executive director and a former student media adviser, will moderate the discussion, which will be held on Zoom.
We'll also share information about the new Lewis Scholarship, which will provide free housing and a monthly stipend to a student journalist of color interning in Washington, D.C. Valued at $10,000, the first award will be given to someone interning in Spring 2023.
About the Institute
The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes an engaged global citizenry through an independent and free press, and equips journalists with skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire a more representative democracy. As the non-profit affiliate of the National Press Club, the Institute powers journalism in the public interest.
The National Press Club Journalism Institute serves thousands of people daily with our newsletter, online programming, writing group, and other support. The Institute depends on grants, foundation funds, and contributions from individuals like you. Your donation today allows the Institute to offer the majority of its programming at no cost. If you value the Institute's services, please donate today. Any amount helps.
Contact: Beth Francesco, deputy executive director, bfrancesco@press.org
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SOURCE National Press Club Journalism Institute
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2022-09-01T21:39:04+00:00
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wafb.com
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https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/09/01/students-dc-internship-coordinators-discuss-what-makes-an-applicant-stand-out-sept-23/
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Pistons vs. Heat: Betting Trends, Odds, Records Against the Spread, Home/Road Splits
Published: Mar. 19, 2023 at 8:24 AM EDT|Updated: 1 hour ago
The Miami Heat (38-34) take on the Detroit Pistons (16-55) as 7.5-point favorites on Sunday, March 19, 2023 at 6:00 PM ET on BSDET and BSSUN. The matchup's point total is 216.5.
Pistons vs. Heat Odds & Info
- When: Sunday, March 19, 2023 at 6:00 PM ET
- Where: Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan
- TV: BSDET and BSSUN
Check out the latest NBA odds and place your bets on this matchup with BetMGM Sportsbook.
Pistons Betting Records & Stats
- Detroit's games this season have had a combined scoring total higher than 216.5 points in 51 of 71 outings.
- Detroit's matchups this season have a 229.6-point average over/under, 13.1 more points than this game's total.
- So far this season, Detroit has put together a 32-39-0 record against the spread.
- The Pistons have won in 14, or 20.9%, of the 67 contests they have been named as odds-on underdogs in this year.
- This season, Detroit has won two of its 25 games, or 8%, when it is the underdog by at least +280 on the moneyline.
- The moneyline set for this matchup implies Detroit has a 26.3% chance of walking away with the win.
Pistons vs. Heat Over/Under Stats
Additional Pistons Insights & Trends
- Detroit has a 3-7 record against the spread while finishing 1-9 overall in its past 10 games.
- Three of the Pistons' past 10 outings have gone over the total.
- This year, Detroit is 15-22-0 at home against the spread (.405 winning percentage). On the road, it is 17-17-0 ATS (.500).
- The Pistons' 111.1 points per game are only 1.4 more points than the 109.7 the Heat allow.
- Detroit has put together a 25-16 ATS record and a 16-25 overall record in games it scores more than 109.7 points.
New to BetMGM Sportsbook? We've got a great offer for new users! Be sure to use our link to get this fantastic first-time player promotion.
Pistons vs. Heat Betting Splits
Pistons vs. Heat Point Insights
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved.
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2023-03-19T13:36:55+00:00
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wnem.com
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https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/03/19/pistons-vs-heat-nba-betting-trends-stats/
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TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa city pools are slated to open this Saturday June 4th, but that could be pushed back if they aren’t able to hire enough lifeguards.
Currently there are 14 lifeguards hired to work this summer but that’s not nearly enough to staff four pools six days a week. So the city is working to address this shortage with free certifications.
The weather is warming up and the pools are filled with water ready for summer fun but there’s one thing not ready.
“I just desperately need workers,” said Nick Pond the City of Tulsa Aquatics Manager.
Pond is trying to understand why getting qualified lifeguard is so difficult.
“I just don’t think it’s quite as popular as it used to be. Of my 25 applicants that I’ve had in the past couple months maybe 10 are already certified,” he said.
But getting that lifeguard certification can cost hundreds.
“When I look at a $300 price tag for a traditional lifeguard certification, I would think I wonder how long it’s going to take for me to work to pay that back as a 16-year-old,” Pond said.
That steep price tag is exactly what has held Philip Rogers back.
“I’ve been wanting to be a lifeguard for a couple years now. I’ve always wanted to do it and finally got an opportunity to,” Rogers said.
Through a partnership with the Tulsa County Bar Association, Tulsa parks held three free classes for lifeguard certification over the weekend. The only requirement is to work for Tulsa Parks this summer.
“The pools are extremely important to the communities and I think that last season made that so clear," Pond said. "McClure pool's capacity is 250 and I mean we would fill up in like 30 minutes. It’s crazy how much people love the pools and when I can’t hire lifeguards we can’t open.”
Last summer they only had 16 employees. So the city had to stagger when pools were open.
He says they can open pools fully with at least 25 staff but their goal is to have 35.
If you still aren’t convinced to become a lifeguard, “being a guard is more than just a job. It’s like a profession in a way. It teaches you life skills. It looks great on a resume. It introduces you to a lot of responsibility that you’re not going to get in other positions,” Pond said.
Plus Pond says it’s a laid back job with some responsibility, but for the most part you get to hang out with friends and get a tan.
If you are interested in becoming a lifeguard you must be at least 16-years-old, be a strong swimmer and have a certification. Orientation for Tulsa's lifeguards is scheduled to happen Tuesday.
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2022-05-31T01:45:56+00:00
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kjrh.com
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https://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/lifeguards-needed-to-open-tulsa-pools
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DENVER (KDVR) — The multi-billion dollar merger planned between Kroger and Albertsons-Safeway could be affecting more than just those companies and consumers.
Local farmers like those at Rossi Dairy and Produce say they’re uneasy because they work directly with distributors. So if the merger is approved, they don’t know what will happen.
Producers went through a recent Safeway merger
It’s one of the busiest times of year for Rossi because they mostly grow squash and pumpkins for Safeway. Anita Rossi broke down their pumpkin numbers.
“I think were at over a thousand, 1,200 bins, maybe 1,600 bins. I didn’t do the numbers this year. It’s crazy,” Rossi said.
They’ve been through this before, during Safeway’s original $9 billion merger in 2015 with their now-parent company, Albertsons.
“We went through the Albertsons-Safeway merger a few years ago, and you always worry about your produce buyers. We’ve never shipped to King Soopers, so we hope they like us and keep us,” Rossi said.
Rossi said certain relationships are mended with distributors, which takes time. Those are relationships they don’t have with Kroger.
“You develop relationships between your produce buyer and you work for the produce buyer — a specific guy, really, and he knows your product and knows how reliable you are or unreliable you are,” Rossi said.
Kroger-Albertsons merger pending approval
For them, it’s now the waiting game once the merger is complete: What will happen to the stores they fill and what will they keep on stocking for the remaining ones?
“I don’t know whether they can just go with one farmer, I don’t imagine that will happen. Hopefully, they will keep the farmers they have now and be one big happy family. It’s concerning, we won’t know though, we’ll find out,” Rossi said.
Kroger doesn’t anticipate the merger to close until 2024, so it will be some time before suppliers can work out a deal with the new combined company.
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2022-10-15T04:29:54+00:00
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kdvr.com
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https://kdvr.com/news/local/how-kroger-albertsons-merger-could-impact-farmers/
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NEW YORK – Javier Bardem is confident that audiences in America will enjoy “The Good Boss” as much as moviegoers in Spain when the film arrives in the U.S. later this month.
“When we were doing screenings in Los Angeles and New York and some other places in the states, when we were presenting the movie for the Oscars, the theaters were packed and people were laughing and having a great time and also, (gasp), holding their breath at the end when they understand what they were laughing about,” Bardem said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.
Fernando León de Aranoa’s satire about corporate corruption opens August 26 in New York and Los Angeles before a nationwide rollout that comes months after the film won six Goya Awards (Spain’s equivalent to the Oscars) and was shortlisted to the Academy Award for best international feature film.
“I think the reaction is pretty much the same everywhere we went, in Spain and out of Spain, and that speaks volumes of the quality of the story and the movie and the character and the dialogues. So I expect them to have a great time, to laugh and see some of their own work experiences on screen.”
In “The Good Boss” (“El Buen Patrón”), Bardem portrays Julio Blanco, the owner of an industrial scales manufacturing business that goes to great lengths to solve any problems from his workers in time while anxiously awaiting a visit by a committee that could give his company an award for excellence.
It's a very different character from Bardem's portrayal of Desi Arnaz in “Being the Ricardos,” which earned him his fourth Oscar nomination earlier this year. The Spanish star won the Academy Award for best supporting actor in 2008 for “No Country for Old Men” and competed for best actor in 2001 and 2011 for “Before Night Falls” and “Biutiful”, respectively.
In a recent interview from Budapest, where he is filming the second installment of “Dune,” Bardem spoke about “The Good Boss”, his acting process, and the impact that fatherhood has had on his life. The actor and his wife, Academy Award-winner Penélope Cruz, have two children together: Leo, 11, and Luna, 9.
Remarks have been edited for brevity and clarity.
___
AP: “The Good Boss” arrives in the US after the success of “Being the Ricardos.” How did you go from one role to the other? What is your process?
BARDEM: I guess the process is to really trust the good writing of the scriptwriters and follow their leads, follow what they’ve done so beautifully. In this case, we’re talking about Aaron Sorkin and Fernando León, both extraordinarily talented directors and writers. So, there’s a proposal there on the page, and you just go with the proposal because there are steps beautifully put together by the writer that tells you where to go. On the other hand, I try to prepare the roles with my acting coach, Juan Carlos Corazza, who I work with since I was 20 years old and he’s my friend and my mentor, he helps me a big deal to get to the place where I understand organically what a character is like.
AP: The character of Julio Blanco, as you said in your acceptance speech at the Goya Awards earlier this year, has so many hues. How did you find his voice? Did you get inspired by someone in particular?
BARDEM: You know, I was talking to the director and the speeches that (the character) does, because he does quite a few speeches, we thought if we do it with the normal kind of very in its place kind of voice, like the guy knows how to speak, he likes to give speeches, it will transcend to a place that we don’t want to be. There must be something that really doesn’t work and tells us that there is something that doesn’t fit quite well with what he’s saying. And at the same time, in my country, in Spain, we’re used to that kind of energy, to that kind of profile of person that is very warm and fun and close, and at the same time is stealing your wallet. So that’s what we tried to find in the voice.
AP: In the movie, you also play a family man who discovers that the girl he just slept with is the daughter of a very good friend whom he hadn’t seen since she was little. As a father, how did you take that scene, and how has being a father affected your approach to acting?
BARDEM: Well, I cannot even think what would that be like if that was my daughter (laughs). But how does being a father affects me? In every way. It affects me in every way as a human being, and there’s no way you can separate one from the other. It makes you more empathetic and more aware of your own faults and limitations, and also aware of somebody else’s needs — not wishes or desires, but needs. And you have to postpone your own needs for their needs, and that’s a beautiful thing to do.
It's there, in that interaction, that you find the best of yourself. And I guess acting is the same thing. When you are on your own, you’re too concentrated in your own belly button, thinking about what you want to do and what you want to become and what you want to make people understand. You lose track of what’s the purpose of this job, which is to be in service of something bigger than yourself.
AP: Have your children seen any of your movies?
BARDEM: Now I’m making movies for them! I’ve done one with a crocodile in which I sing and dance, “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile”, and I’ve done “The Little Mermaid” (both currently in post-production.) They've seen “Being the Ricardos!” They liked it a lot, although at times — they're young and there was a lot of bla-bla-bla, a wonderful blablabla by Aaron Sorkin — but well, when they saw me dance and sing they laughed because they saw me rehearse at home. And they have seen “Pirates” (“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales”). Leo, my boy, has seen “Dune”, and here I am, making movies that they can also see.
AP: Over decades now, you’ve been widely recognized and awarded for your work. Is this something that still excites you, or are you used to it?
BARDEM: More than excite, what surprises me is the fact that I’m still 53 years old and I’m still working, that I’m still making a living doing this, that they keep calling me and that, from time to time, they like what I do. That’s a lot! It still surprises me in a real way, and I don’t want it to stop surprising me, I don’t want to stop caring about it. I want to keep trying to do my best and sometimes you have to remind yourself because you take things for granted that you shouldn’t.
___
Sigal Ratner-Arias está en Twitter como https://twitter.com/sigalratner
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2022-08-19T20:35:36+00:00
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local10.com
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https://www.local10.com/entertainment/2022/08/19/qa-bardem-is-excited-for-us-arrival-of-the-good-boss/
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Alicia Sacramone Quinn and Chellsie Memmel walked through the fire together for much of their decorated gymnastics careers, becoming more than just teammates as they traveled the globe for one of the U.S. Olympic movement’s marquee programs.
USA Gymnastics is leaning on that chemistry to help lead the organization into a new era, one the national governing body insists remains focused on being steadfastly transparent and athlete-centric as it plots a way forward in the wake of the Larry Nassar scandal.
Quinn and Memmel — who helped the Americans claim silver at the 2006 world championships and 2008 Olympics during their lengthy run with Team USA — have pledged to be part of the solution.
The longtime friends have joined Dan Baker as part of USA Gymnastics’ new leadership model that divided the high-performance director position vacated late last year by Tom Forster into three equitable positions.
Memmel will serve as the technical lead, with Baker in charge of development and Quinn heading strategy as part of a new paradigm designed to make sure no one person within the women’s program exerts too much influence.
How exactly it’s going to work remains to be seen. Quinn, 34, called her job title “fluid” but envisions her role as being the point person for athletes and coaches on the national team, with Memmel — an accomplished judge — helping put together routines designed to maximize the sport’s Code of Points.
Their goals are twofold. One is to help the U.S. return to the top of the podium following a surprising second-place finish to Russia at the postponed 2020 Olympics — the first time the Americans did not win the team gold in a major meet in more than a decade — and do it while creating a positive environment for the athletes.
Memmel and Quinn both competed for the Americans under the guidance of Martha Karolyi, who turned the U.S. into a juggernaut while using methods some former gymnasts and coaches have described as verbally and emotionally abusive.
Quinn allowed that during her career, the elite program was very “fear-driven.” That’s not the vision she has for USA Gymnastics going forward.
“I don’t want to be leading from a position of fear,” she said. “I want these athletes to be inspired. … I think if I can find a way to inspire them and not make them fear me, I think I could get (a) better result from the athletes.”
The difficulty will be how to walk what is becoming an increasingly fine line between creating an environment that empowers athletes while simultaneously challenging them to become the best in the world.
“Yes, it should be fun, but it’s also going to be a lot of work,” she said. “Just because something is fun doesn’t mean it’s easy.”
Memmel, who competed at the national championships last summer just before her 33rd birthday, finds herself in the unique position of now leading a group she was a part of not long ago. That leadership will include making sure the Americans adjust to a code of points that has shifted in recent years to put more of an emphasis on artistry than boundary-pushing tumbling.
The Russians used that shift to help surge past the U.S. in Tokyo after reigning world and Olympic champion Simone Biles removed herself from competition during the team final to focus on her mental health. While Memmel said leadership during the quadrennium between the 2016 and 2020 Olympics made athletes aware of how the code was changing, those changes weren’t necessarily implemented into the routines.
“I don’t know if we still thought that by doing just all of the big skills, it was just going to take care of (everything),” said Memmel, who stressed she wasn’t placing blame on anyone but added, “we were missing some of that artistic quality to our routines.”
Her mission is to make sure that is resolved before the flame is lit at the 2024 Games in Paris. It’s one of just several areas the new leadership will attempt to address as openly as possible, which includes being as transparent as possible when it comes to international assignments.
Quinn’s philosophy signals a stark contrast to the “medals over all else” approach she experienced during her career.
“Nothing we’re trying to implement is going to be at a detriment to our efforts,” she said. “Our goal is to put out the healthiest, most ready, physically, mentally, emotionally capable athlete in that moment (on the floor). And you know what? Once they’re on the competition floor we’re sitting there like, ‘alright, let’s see what’s going to happen’ because anything can happen.”
___
More AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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2022-06-14T12:09:40+00:00
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nwahomepage.com
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https://www.nwahomepage.com/news/national-sports/sacramone-quinn-memmel-embrace-new-roles-at-usa-gymnastics/
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WFO SEATTLE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, April 18, 2023
_____
WIND ADVISORY
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Seattle WA
651 PM PDT Mon Apr 17 2023
...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM PDT
TUESDAY...
* WHAT...Southwest winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph
expected.
* WHERE...Central Coast.
* WHEN...From 10 PM this evening to 6 AM PDT Tuesday.
* IMPACTS...Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree
limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high
profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects.
_____
Copyright 2023 AccuWeather
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2023-04-18T02:44:51+00:00
|
sfgate.com
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https://www.sfgate.com/weather/article/wa-wfo-seattle-warnings-watches-and-advisories-17902907.php
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GCP US's self-storage platform closes largest-ever self-storage real estate fund
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Nov. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- GLP Capital Partners Inc ("GCP US") today announced the final closing of its North American self-storage real estate fund, GCP SecureSpace Property Partners (the "Fund"). The Fund was oversubscribed at its $1.5B hard cap, making it the largest self-storage fund ever raised. The Fund secured commitments from a diverse group of limited partners including domestic and international institutional investors, including public and corporate pensions, insurance companies, asset management firms, and family offices.
GCP US is a registered investment adviser focused on uncovering advantaged opportunities in logistics real estate, self-storage and related technologies. GCP US's self-storage platform, GCP Storage Advisors ("GSA"), is strategically positioned at the intersection of technology, operations, and capital to create scalable advantages across the investment life cycle. The GSA team has deep self-storage sector investment and operating experience and utilizes technology to enhance its investment and operating processes.
"The closing of our inaugural value-add fund marks a major milestone for GCP US's self-storage platform," said Daniel Ward, Head of Asset Management at GCP US. "We are excited about the SecureSpace brand and operating platform we have built and the premium, scaled portfolio we have assembled in densely populated, high barrier-to-entry markets. The current macroeconomic environment is particularly conducive for well-capitalized platforms with sophisticated operating capabilities like ours, and we believe GSA's coastal-focused strategy positions us to outperform."
GSA operates its assets under the SecureSpace brand, focusing on exceptional customer service and modern assets and amenities, including upgraded security features. The GSA team has developed and refined an integrated, technology-enhanced operating and marketing platform, which uses proprietary systems to optimize lease-up and revenue management.
"Characterized by generally non-cyclical, diversified customer demand, the self-storage sector has delivered strong historical performance through cycles, particularly in our undersupplied markets," said Keith Wetzel, Co-Founder and Senior Managing Director at GSA. "The sector's monthly lease terms provide a strong inflation hedge in today's environment and the Covid-era surge in demand for home office space and decluttering options, coupled with a longer-term trend of declining home sizes has generated remarkably sticky, sustained demand."
"We greatly appreciate all the investors that took the time and effort to learn more about the evolving self-storage sector, as well as the GSA platform and portfolio," added GSA Co-Founders and Senior Managing Directors, Paul Brown and Zack Linford. "Investor support to hit our hard cap in about eight months from the initial closing is really a testament to the quality of our team and affirmation of our strategy to focus on Class A assets in supply constrained markets."
The Fund aims to aggregate a scaled portfolio of high-quality, modern assets in dense, undersupplied population centers and provide an exceptional customer experience with GSA's vertically integrated SecureSpace operating platform. At its final closing, the Fund was significantly pre-specified, with over 7M square feet of assets closed or controlled, primarily consisting of high-quality, newer vintage assets with strong local demographics.
GLP Capital Partners Inc ("GCP US") is a registered investment adviser focused on uncovering advantaged opportunities in logistics real estate, self-storage and related technologies. We bring together synergies across adjacent asset classes to provide risk-adjusted returns and long-term value to institutional investors. GCP US is part of GLP Capital Partners Limited ("GCP"), a global alternative asset manager with $115B in AUM. For more information, visit www.glpcp.com.
GCP Storage Advisors ("GSA") is the US-based self-storage operating platform of GLP Capital Partners Inc ("GCP US") and is one of the fastest growing self-storage platforms in the US. GSA is strategically positioned at the intersection of technology, operations and capital to create scalable advantages across the investment lifecycle. GSA operates its assets under the SecureSpace brand, focusing on exceptional customer service and modern assets and amenities, including upgraded security features.
View original content:
SOURCE GLP Capital Partners Inc
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2022-11-15T19:27:04+00:00
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mysuncoast.com
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/11/15/glp-capital-partners-inc-announces-15b-final-closing-self-storage-property-fund/
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Vanessa Martinez was finishing preparations for her daughter’s second birthday in September 2021 when her ex-boyfriend broke into her Mesa, Arizona, condo and shot her in the head as she frantically tried to shield their three young children.
Doctors had to remove a third of her skull, but Martinez survived.
She left the hospital facing a fight for custody of her kids, who’d been placed in state care after the attack. She needed a new place to live after much of the house was damaged in a standoff between police and her shooter. Her 4-year-old son needed trauma counseling.
Arizona has a state safety net — local victim compensation programs — for victims of violent attacks like Martinez. But she was denied help because she was behind on about $900 in court fines from unrelated incidents, including one dating back nearly a decade. Program officials told Martinez she could reapply if she got current with a payment plan, but every dollar she made was needed for things like finding a place to live, work scrubs for her home-care job, after-school day care — and the list grows.
Across the country, victims like Martinez are using their stories to advocate for changes to state victim compensation programs, where thousands of crime survivors turn for help with medical bills, relocation, funerals or other expenses. The programs disburse millions of dollars each year, but The Associated Press found racial inequities and other barriers in how claims are denied in many states.
Crime survivors have organized rallies, testified at legislatures and met with dozens of lawmakers — with much success.
Legislatures in more than half of U.S. states have passed measures to improve their programs in recent years. The changes vary widely: A victim’s criminal history is no longer an automatic disqualifier in Illinois. The time limit to apply for help was increased from three to seven years in California. In Michigan, the cap on aid will nearly double to $45,000 this year and more people like caretakers of victims will be eligible for survivor benefits.
States have cut back on their denials to families based on the behavior of homicide victims and loosened requirements that crime victims must have cooperated with or reported the crime to police.
In Ohio, denials are no longer automatic for crime victims who have felony convictions or for surviving family if a murder victim had drugs in their system. Those reasons were used to deny help for a handful of victims in the 2019 mass shooting at a Dayton bar where nine people were killed and 17 others were wounded.
Dion Green was at the bar that night with his father, Derrick Fudge, who was killed. Green helped fight for the changes to Ohio’s program after being denied help because his father had an almost 10-year-old felony conviction.
“I told them that I miss my father everyday, but the survivors, the people left here, are the ones still moving through their pain,” Green said.
Changes have incrementally rolled through states over decades as more is learned about victimization. Mental health treatment wasn’t a commonly covered expense when the programs started in the 1960s and 1970s, but now is widely covered. Pennsylvania passed a law to allow eligible victims access to counseling whether or not the program determined the victim contributed to their own victimization.
Sometimes, however, change runs up against institutional inertia.
Nevada doesn’t require sexual assault victims to go to police as long as they report the crime to nurses or other health professionals. But a 2021 federal audit found 175 claims from those victims had been denied over a five-year period because of missing or incomplete police reports.
Nevada retrained staff after the audit, and revised the denials notifications sent to victims. Program officials confirmed that as of early 2023, none of those denied claims had been reopened. They declined an interview request from the AP.
“The consensus has been that the potential re-traumatization to victims of sexual assault is too great of a risk in contacting victims regarding their claims,” program spokeswoman, Karla Delgado wrote in an emailed response.
In Ohio, Green recently helped a woman who had lost her children’s father to gun violence start the compensation process by contacting a county representative. The woman was initially turned away because the victim had a previous felony record. Green helped her inform the official of the 2021 law change.
“It’s the awareness part. People inside and outside the program need to know,” Green said.
Christelle Perez sought an immediate attitude shift among staff when she took over as chief of the Illinois Crime Victims Compensation Bureau in May 2021. She wanted to stop decades of autopilot denials from holding up recently passed reforms.
“There was this culture of, ‘How can we deny a claim?’ because that’s what the staff were instructed to do,” Perez said. “I met with the staff and I told them that we are a service organization and it is our job to serve.”
A similar mission realignment happened when New York’s program changed from a five-member board that made inconsistent and sometimes subjective decisions to a division where staff received uniform training on how to decide claims. Elizabeth Cronin took over as executive director of the division in 2013 — a few years after the shift — and has pushed to make sure the program operates equitably.
“My top priority was to identify marginalized communities, underserved communities and spend more time out in the community to find out what we aren’t seeing and why we aren’t seeing it,” Cronin said.
Lenore Anderson, president and co-founder of the Alliance for Safety and Justice, which organizes victims to advocate for criminal justice reforms, has pushed program administrators for years to shift their focus from eligibility requirements to victim needs.
“It feels so obvious that the very least we can do when someone is hurt by crime and violence is ask, ‘What do you need?’ And the fact that that is completely counter to how these bureaucratic systems operate is shocking,” she said.
Anderson said she’s seen signs of change at the federal level, where the Justice Department’s U.S. Office for Victims of Crime provides state programs with matching dollars that are tied to some regulations and a set of suggested guidelines. In a 2021 memo to state programs, the office encouraged states to add exceptions to police cooperation requirements.
Some victims advocates want the federal office to mandate changes to all programs as a condition for receiving federal funds to address the piecemeal map of state programs that dole out inconsistent decisions.
The office is in the process of overhauling compensation guidelines for the first time since 2001, with an “emphasis on equity and addressing programmatic barriers,” according to an emailed statement from the department. But it’s unclear how much of that new guidance will be mandatory. Green, part of an advocates committee giving input on those changes, said he’s pushed the agency not only to take down existing barriers but mandate that states increase public awareness of their compensation programs.
At the state level, hundreds of advocacy organizations are working for reforms, and with more than 100,000 members, Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice is one of the largest. Bernice “Tammi” Ringo is one of those members.
After a lifetime living around Detroit, Ringo had plans to move to Alabama with her 23-year-old son Natalian to get him away from the crime she had feared most of his life. Those plans were shattered in 2019, when Natalian was fatally shot while sitting in his parked car in an enclave of Detroit.
Ringo applied for funeral and counseling aid. She was denied because the program said she could rely on life insurance instead. She appealed, and while the program overturned its initial decision, it denied her again, saying her son had committed misconduct related to his own murder. The state commission provided no details, Ringo said, and Highland Park police were little help.
Overwhelmed with grief, Ringo, 64, later spoke before the Michigan Legislature about the trauma of being told her son had somehow caused his murder.
“They put me through more hell,” she said of the program denial. “I’m heavily involved because I couldn’t leave and go to Alabama and take my son with me and… just start a new life.”
After she and other victims testified, Michigan lawmakers passed legislation, set to go into effect in August, that makes numerous changes, including increasing money available to victims, eliminating police reporting deadlines and increasing eligibility.
Data are not available for the handful of states that passed recent sweeping reforms. But New Jersey, which overhauled its program rules in 2020, saw an immediate change.
In 2018 and 2019, Black victims accounted for about 44% of applications but received nearly 60% of the denials, according to data obtained by the AP. After the overhaul, that disparity dwindled, and by 2021 it had disappeared.
Martinez hopes that speaking at rallies supporting a bill that would fund a pilot trauma-recovery center in Arizona will lead to more people getting help. The model moves money to victims faster and has fewer restrictions, like those that disqualified Martinez.
“I didn’t really get any time to heal even emotionally from what happened,” Martinez said. “But I really feel like this is my life’s mission to get this changed.”
___
Catalini reported from Trenton, New Jersey and Lauer reported from Philadelphia.
___
This is the second in an occasional Associated Press series examining crime victim compensation programs. Send confidential tips to ap.org/tips. The Associated Press receives support from the Public Welfare Foundation for reporting focused on criminal justice. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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2023-05-31T05:23:05+00:00
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seattletimes.com
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https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/victims-of-violent-crime-drive-legislative-change-to-state-programs-pushing-against-barriers-to-aid/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world
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Pilot shortage puts pressure on airline operations
GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Until last summer, Ashley Montano had never flown. Now she was preparing to land a small plane with three passengers after a previous touch-and-go that had been rough.
“The plane is a bit heavy, so give it just a little more power to make a smooth landing,” flight instructor Jason Fink told her.
There was the tiniest of bounces as the plane’s nose came down, then a smooth touchdown and taxi in to end Montano’s training flight late last year at a United Airlines school in the Arizona desert.
On the ground, Montano was happy with her progress. “You guys were my first real passengers!” she gushed to a reporter and video journalist who had been in the rear seats.
Montano hopes that in a few years she will be flying airline jets and carrying many more passengers. If she does, she’ll be helping solve a critical problem facing the industry: not enough pilots.
Airlines have complained about a shortage for several years, but they made it worse during the pandemic by encouraging pilots to take early retirement when air travel collapsed in 2020. Helane Becker, an analyst for Cowen who has tracked the issue closely, estimates that 10,000 pilots have left the field since then.
Meanwhile, airlines have been in a hiring frenzy that is likely to continue for several years as the carriers replace pilots who reach the federal mandatory retirement age of 65.
The government estimates that there will be about 18,000 openings per year for airline and commercial pilots this decade, with many of those replacing retirees. However, the Federal Aviation Administration issued on average only half that number of pilot licenses from 2017 through 2021.
Private forecasts are dire, too. Consulting firm Oliver Wyman estimates that despite efforts to close the gap, airlines in North America will face a shortage of nearly 30,000 pilots by 2032. The supply of new pilots will grow, but not enough to offset a continuing wave of retirements, the consultant says.
There is cause for hope, however. Last year, the FAA issued 9,588 airline-transport licenses — the type needed to fly for an airline. That topped even the recent peak of 9,520 in 2016.
The key question is whether that pace can be maintained. Some of last year’s spurt might have been catch-up from low numbers in 2020 and 2021, which were held down by the pandemic.
“The airlines are doing their best to move things along, but it’s an uphill slog,” Becker said.
Southwest Airlines has more than 700 planes but parks 40 to 45 of them each day because it lacks pilots to fly them, said CEO Bob Jordan at a recent media event. That amounts to more than 200 flights a day or up to 8% of the Dallas-based airline’s flying. Southwest expects to hire 2,250 pilots this year after adding about 1,200 last year, mostly by drawing from smaller airlines.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby says the lack of pilots will continue to prevent airlines from expanding as much as they would like to take advantage of strong travel demand.
“Pilots are and will remain a significant constraint on capacity,” he said during an earnings call last month.
Kirby figures that his airline, American, Delta and Southwest combined will hire about 8,000 pilots this year, up from the normal 6,000 to 7,000.
The pilot shortage is most severe at smaller carriers that don’t pay as well and serve as stepping stones to the big airlines. Many of them operate regional flights under the names of American Eagle, United Express and Delta Connection.
Faye Malarkey Black, president of the Regional Airline Association, says those carriers have parked more than 400 planes for lack of pilots, “and air service is collapsing as a result.” Black estimates that regional airlines are short by 8,000 pilots and the trade group says a dozen smaller cities have lost all air service — about 50 more have lost half or more of their flights — despite the broad rise in travel demand.
If a pilot calls in sick, often there is no one immediately available to replace them, and that is leaving tens of thousands of travelers stranded. The lack of pilots contributed to a 52% increase in flight cancellations last year compared with 2021, although it is unclear how much of that was also related to weather and air traffic congestion.
The shortage is giving pilot unions leverage in contract negotiations that were paused by the onset of the pandemic. New contracts are certain to include hefty pay raises that will drive up costs for airlines.
Delta pilots are voting on a contract that their union says would raise pay by more than 30% over four years. If ratified, it likely would become the model for deals with pilots at American, United and Southwest.
The median annual pay for U.S. airline pilots last year topped $200,000, according to the Labor Department, and was likely much higher at the biggest airlines.
The pilot shortage started even before the pandemic. Over the past decade or two, industry officials warned it was coming as travel boomed and thousands of U.S. pilots approached mandatory retirement age. The Federal Aviation Administration raised that age from 60 to 65 in 2007, which pushed the problem off for a few years.
For decades, airlines enjoyed an ample supply of pilots, most of whom came out of the military fully trained and with extensive experience, but the military has its own shortage.
The Air Force said it had a shortfall of about 1,900 pilots at the end of September. It is trying to increase retention and the training of new pilots after producing nearly 1,300 in the previous 12 months.
Not everyone agrees, however, that there is a shortage. The Air Line Pilots Association, the largest union of pilots in North America, says that over the past decade, airlines hired only about half of the people who received FAA licenses that let them fly airliners.
The union argues that airlines are hyping a shortage narrative to water down qualification standards and hire inexperienced flyers at lower pay. It says that airlines should increase pay to attract more applicants.
That is beginning to happen at regional airlines — the smaller carriers that handle flights for American Eagle, United Express, Delta Connection and Alaska Airlines’ Horizon Air subsidiary. Three of American’s regional affiliates recently announced that it would offer $100,000 bonuses to some new pilots.
Several U.S. airlines have started their own training programs or partnered with flight schools to ensure a pipeline of future pilots that would be more diverse – fewer than 4% of current airline pilots are Black, fewer than 5% are women.
“Even though I saw my dad fly planes, saw my brother fly planes, I never saw a woman fly planes,” says Sara McCauley, a student at United’s Aviate Academy who hopes to follow her father and fly for United. “The world is going to change, and aviation will be more inclusive.”
Tuition for flying schools and the cost of flight time are not cheap. Reaching 1,500 hours of required flight time is often estimated to cost between $70,000 and $100,000.
Aviate charges $71,250, and when students are done they need to find work as a flight instructor to build enough hours to get hired by a regional airline.
Montano, who has two degrees in criminology, left her job analyzing prison-sentencing data and took out a loan to attend Aviate.
“I saw that as a great investment in my future,” she says. “I absolutely think it will pay off.”
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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2023-02-09T16:09:35+00:00
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atlantanewsfirst.com
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https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2023/02/09/pilot-shortage-puts-pressure-airline-operations/
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DENVER (AP) — The Southern Nevada Water Authority on Thursday voted to accept a $2.4 million grant from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to fund cloud seeding in other Western states whose rivers feed the parched desert region.
The weather modification method uses planes and ground-based cannons to shoot silver iodide crystals into clouds, attracting moisture to the particles that falls as additional snow and rain.
The funding comes as key reservoirs on the Colorado River hit record lows and booming Western cities and industries fail to adjust their water use to increasingly shrinking supplies.
“This money from Reclamation is wonderful, we just have to decide how exactly it’s going to benefit us,” said Andrew Rickert, who coordinates Colorado’s cloud seeding for the Colorado Water Conservation Board.
The federal funding will go toward upgrading manual generators to ones that can be remotely operated, and using planes to seed clouds in key parts of the Upper Colorado River Basin, according to Southern Nevada Water Authority documents for its board meeting.
Securing enough generators could be a challenge, Rickert said. “There’s not a lot of makers of cloud seeding generators,” he said. “Not only do we have to make sure we can find that, but that they could make as many as we need.”
The Bureau of Reclamation declined to comment about the funding decision.
The Southern Nevada Water Authority said the grant, while administered by Nevada, is not exclusively for the state’s benefit. “It will all be used to do cloud seeding in the Upper Basin for the benefit of all the river’s users,” wrote public outreach officer Corey Enus over email.
In the Upper Colorado River Basin, Utah and Colorado have been seeding clouds for decades. Wyoming has nearly a decade of experience, and New Mexico recently began approving permits for warm weather seeding in the eastern part of the state.
Colorado, Utah and Wyoming each spend between about $1 million and $1.5 million a year for cloud seeding. Utah’s legislature recently expanded their investment in cloud seeding programs in next year’s state budget, allocating more than $14 million.
Numerous studies indicate cloud seeding can add 5% to 15% more precipitation from storm clouds. Contractors work with states to estimate how much ends up in water supplies.
Since 2007, various groups have contributed to the overall cloud seeding budgets in those states. In 2018, several entities, including the Southern Nevada Water Authority, committed to long-term funding for those efforts, collectively contributing about $1.5 million annually.
The reclamation bureau regularly funded cloud seeding operations toward the end of the 20th century, but has largely backed off in recent years, according to Frank McDonough a scientist at the nonprofit Desert Research Institute.
“The research that’s come out over the last 10 years or so really seems to have convinced them that cloud seeding is a legitimate way to increase snowpack and subsequent water resources,” McDonough said.
The grant from the bureau will be spread out over two years, temporarily doubling financial support for the Upper Basin cloud seeding from outside parties.
The seven Colorado River basin states are still negotiating with the Bureau of Reclamation on how they will conserve 2 million to 4 million acre-feet of water — or up to roughly one-third. The Bureau is expected to release a draft proposal this month and expects to finalize plans by mid-August, when it typically announces the amount of water available from the Colorado River for the following year.
With such an over-allocated river, everyone will have to use less, particularly the agricultural sector, said Kathryn Sorenson of the Kyl Center for Water Policy think tank.
“I think a lot the allure of this type of program is it’s easier to talk about how do we get more than to talk about who has to use less,” she said.
___
The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP’s environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment
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2023-03-17T01:44:32+00:00
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keloland.com
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https://www.keloland.com/news/national-world-news/feds-spend-2-4-million-on-cloud-seeding-for-colorado-river/
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Program provides free access to qualifying families in need
TRUMBULL, Conn., Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- CooperSurgical, a global leader in fertility and women's health, today shared that more than 11,000 families have enrolled in the Newborn Possibilities Program® through their Cord Blood Registry® (CBR®) brand. Through the Newborn Possibilities Program, CBR offers free cord blood and tissue processing and five years of storage for families with a qualifying medical need.
"CBR is the largest family newborn stem cell preservation company in the world, helping parents store newborn stem cells from cord blood and cord tissue for their children," said Holly Sheffield, President, CooperSurgical. "Part of the reason CBR is the number one choice of expecting parents and most recommended by OB/GYNs is because we offer access to families that may benefit from newborn stem cells the most."
There are two ways to qualify for the Newborn Possibilities Program: a family can either have a newborn with a full sibling or biological parent who has been diagnosed with a disease or disorder currently treatable with stem cells or a baby that is identified during pregnancy or at birth as having a health condition that may benefit from experimental stem cell use. In either of these cases, CBR offers free cord blood and tissue processing and five years of storage to those families.
"Cord blood and cord tissue contain a multitude of stem cells. These cells are so powerful, they have the natural ability to turn into other types of cells and can also be used to regenerate and repair damaged cells with healthy ones," stated Dr. Jaime M. Shamonki, VP of Clinical Strategy and Market Development. "In fact, 85% of the cord blood used by CBR families was for regenerative medicine purposes. For these families, having access to stem cells can be life changing."
To learn more about CBR and the Newborn Possibilities Program, please visit www.cordblood.com.
About CBR by CooperSurgical
Cord Blood Registry® (CBR®) the largest family newborn stem cell preservation company in the world, helping parents store stem cells from cord blood and cord tissue for their children. Founded in 1994, CBR is the #1 choice of expecting parents and OB/GYNs. The company has released over 700 samples intended for use in transplant medicine and regulated investigational regenerative medicine applications. CBR is here to help expand the possibilities of what newborn stem cell therapies can do for families, and give parents the confidence to Bank on CBR™. More information can be found at cordblood.com.
About CooperSurgical
CooperSurgical is a leading fertility and women's healthcare company dedicated to putting time on the side of women, babies, and families at the healthcare moments that matter most in life. CooperSurgical is at the forefront of delivering innovative assisted reproductive technology and genomic solutions that enhance the work of ART professionals to the benefit of families. We currently offer over 600 clinically relevant medical devices to women's healthcare providers, including testing and treatment options.
CooperSurgical is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CooperCompanies (NYSE: COO). CooperSurgical, headquartered in Trumbull, CT, produces and markets a wide array of products and services for use by women's health care clinicians. More information can be found at www.coopersurgical.com.
About CooperCompanies
CooperCompanies ("Cooper") is a global medical device company publicly traded on the NYSE (NYSE:COO). Cooper operates through two business units, CooperVision and CooperSurgical. CooperVision brings a refreshing perspective on vision care with a commitment to developing a wide range of high-quality products for contact lens wearers and providing focused practitioner support. CooperSurgical is committed to advancing the health of women, babies, and families with its diversified portfolio of products and services focusing on medical devices and fertility & genomics. Headquartered in San Ramon, CA, Cooper has a workforce of roughly 14,000 with products sold in over 100 countries. For more information, please visit www.coopercos.com.
Contact:
CooperSurgical
EvolveMKD
csi@evolvemkd.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE CooperSurgical®
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2023-01-05T22:13:59+00:00
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ksla.com
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https://www.ksla.com/prnewswire/2023/01/05/coopersurgical-announces-more-than-11000-families-have-enrolled-newborn-possibilities-program/
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This week, a college student home for break took portraits of shelter animals, Harry Styles told NPR's Leila Fadel she gave "the best commencement address in Northeastern history," and Tom Cruise reminded us that "no one asked Gene Kelly why he danced."
Here's what NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour crew was paying attention to — and what you should check out this weekend.
I Was Better Last Night: A Memoir by Harvey Fierstein
Actor, writer and activist Harvey Fierstein has just released his memoir I Was Better Last Night. It's a good read, but it's a great listen because he narrates the audiobook and his voice is so iconic.
And Fierstein's got stories to tell. He talks about coming of age in New York City, Andy Warhol's Factory, off-off-Broadway theater, drag shows, his struggles with alcoholism and, of course, the AIDS epidemic. Fierstein remains righteously angry about straight culture's lack of urgency towards the AIDS crisis, and does a great job documenting the fear that straight people had of him, even as they were throwing him awards. I Was Better Last Night is a chronicle of a history that I don't think we can afford to forget, by someone who lived through it. It's dishy, candid and undoubtedly worth the read. –Glen Weldon
The second season of Bling Empire on Netflix
Bling Empire is sort of like a Crazy Rich Asians reality TV show, but I remember feeling that the first season was trying to do way too much. They were trying to culturally educate audiences while also emphasizing that they were just like any other reality show. It just didn't work.
But in the second season, it seems like they've settled into what the show actually is, which is a trashy reality show. Just very straightforward: someone says something bad about someone else, the person they're talking to takes that piece of information and goes directly to the person being trash talked and everything gets messy. I was pleasantly surprised by the show just serving as enjoyable reality TV and not trying to be more than it is. —Tobin Low
"A Warning From The Future About The Time Traveler's Wife" by Kathryn VanArendonk
Sometimes you have to acknowledge that you have written about something, but someone else has written about it better. I really have to recommend that you read Kathryn VanArendonk's "A Warning From The Future About The Time Traveler's Wife." It is a review of the very strange TV adaptation of the novel The Time Traveler's Wife, which follows the not very well-regarded film adaptation.
It is incredibly difficult to find a way into a disappointing show, but Kathryn found a way by incorporating time travel into her review of The Time Traveler's Wife. She speaks to herself as a critic starting the show, she receives dispatches from herself having watched the entire show, and she speaks to her 2010 self (for a few reasons). It is a wonderful conceit, and I am always here for an inventive, vivacious way of reviewing not-good television. So, while I cannot recommend The Time Traveler's Wife, I can recommend this review. —Linda Holmes
More recommendations from the Pop Culture Happy Hour newsletter
NPR's Fi O'Reilly adapted the Pop Culture Happy Hour segment "What's Making Us Happy" into a digital page. If you like these suggestions, consider signing up for our newsletter to get recommendations every week. And listen to Pop Culture Happy Hour on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
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2022-06-13T04:17:22+00:00
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wyomingpublicmedia.org
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https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-05-20/whats-making-us-happy-a-guide-to-your-weekend-listening-and-viewing
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CHESTER, Mass (WWLP) – The Chester-Blandford Police Department needs the public’s assistance to find a sign that was stolen near the crosswalk in front of Chester Town Hall.
The sign was placed to slow down traffic and keep pedestrians safe as they crossed the street. Police are asking for the sign to be returned.
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2022-06-24T20:47:52+00:00
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wwlp.com
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https://www.wwlp.com/news/local-news/chester-police-sign-stolen-near-the-town-hall/
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The board of directors for Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. has agreed to allocate up to $20,000 in agency funds to cover legal services being provided to “certain” employees who are being interviewed as part of an unspecified “investigation.”
An attorney working for the firm representing those employees would not identify them or discuss the nature of the investigation. He did say, however, that his firm’s work with OTB is based on his client’s interest to “cooperate.”
“Our law firm is representing certain employees of Wester Regional Off-Track Betting who are being interviewed regarding different matters related to the operations of regional off track betting,” said Rodney Personius, a partner with the firm, Personius Melber in Buffalo. “It’s part of an effort on the part of OTB to cooperate with that investigation.”
During a meeting at the end of December, a majority of board members voted in a favor of a resolution authorizing OTB to cover up to $20,000 for legal services being provided to employees by Personius Melber, LLP.
OTB representatives did not respond to requests for comment.
The resolution indicates only that the unspecified “investigation” involves “past operations and activities” at OTB. The expenditures authorized by the board, according to the resolution, will cover costs of legal services for employees “directly connected” to their employment with the public benefit corporation.
The Niagara Gazette and Lockport Union-Sun & Journal newspapers, together with the Buffalo-based news outlet Investigative Post, have previously reported in 2019 that OTB was subject a federal grand jury investigation, with areas of interest including contract awards, full and free health insurance for board members and the distribution of tickets to Bills and Sabres games that were purchased for promotional purposes by the public benefit corporation.
All three news outlets have also previously reported investigations into OTB’s operations by New York State Comptroller’s Office and state Gaming Commission.
OTB’s Chief Operating Officer Mike Nolan has acknowledged that he has cooperated with state and federal investigators as they took a closer look at OTB operations. Nolan was terminated by OTB in 2020 and he later filed a wrongful termination lawsuit seeking $14.5 million in damages for what he described as mistreatment by members of OTB management over roughly a two-year period after he agreed to cooperate with authorities.
A judge dismissed Nolan’s lawsuit as untimely last year. Nolan’s attorney, Steve Cohen, said he planned to appeal.
Last June, Investigative Post reported, based on documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Law request, that OTB paid $333,684 to four Buffalo-based law firms between May 18, 2021, and April 1, 2022.
The bills submitted by two of OTB’s law firms – Connors, LLP and Hodgson Russ – did not include any specifics about the work performed. Copies of the documents related to the work of the Connors’ firm were marked “attorney-client privilege,” which can be asserted as an exception to the state’s rules covering the release of public documents by public agencies.
OTB hired noted Buffalo defense attorney Terry Connors in 2019 after a series of critical stories by Investigative Post, including those involve state audits that confirmed OTB officials improperly helped themselves to sporting event and concert tickets paid for by the agency. In the wake of the audits’ release, state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli called on the state-created public authority to “clean up its operation.”
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2023-01-13T13:38:11+00:00
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niagara-gazette.com
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https://www.niagara-gazette.com/news/local_news/otb-paying-law-firm-representing-employees-interviewed-as-part-of-unspecified-probe/article_1884fbda-9062-11ed-b075-677e53128c0d.html
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NEW YORK (AP) — Former Vice President Mike Pence is becoming increasingly brazen in his willingness to counter former President Donald Trump.
The two will hold dueling events in Arizona on Friday as they stump for rival candidates who offer dramatically different visions of the Republican Party in a critical battleground state. Days later, they will once again cross paths as they deliver major speeches on the same day in Washington, D.C.
The encounters mark a more confrontational phase in the fraught relationship between the former running mates and once close confidantes who could soon find themselves competing against one another in the 2024 GOP presidential primary if they both ultimately choose to run.
“I think this is a continuation of the larger message that Pence is trying to embody here, which is the Republican Party should look to the future,” said Scott Jennings, a longtime party strategist. “This is going to be the existential question for the Republican Party: Are we going to listen to a slightly different view than Donald Trump’s? Right now, the standard-bearer for this is Mike Pence.”
That description marks a striking turnaround for Pence, who spent his four years in the White House as Trump’s most loyal defender. But Trump turned on his vice president when Pence refused to go along with his unconstitutional efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, putting Pence in the crosshairs of a violent mob on Jan. 6.
Now Pence, who has repeatedly defended his actions that day, is taking a more active effort to shape the future of the party. This week, Pence endorsed Karrin Taylor Robson in Arizona’s Republican gubernatorial primary, pitting himself against Trump, who has endorsed Kari Lake, a former newscaster who has embraced Trump’s election lies.
“As Arizona Democrats pursue the reckless Biden-Harris agenda, Karrin Taylor Robson is the only candidate for Governor that will keep Arizona’s border secure and streets safe, empower parents and create great schools, and promote conservative values,” Pence said in a statement announcing his decision.
Pence backed Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a top Trump target who easily defeated the former president’s hand-picked challenger this spring. But Pence’s Arizona move showed a willingness to weigh in on a closer and open race in alliance with the state’s outgoing GOP governor, Doug Ducey, who also rebuffed Trump’s efforts to overturn the election.
Pence is planning to campaign with Robson in Phoenix and southern Arizona Friday — the same day that Trump is set to headline a rally for Lake in Prescott Valley that was rescheduled after the death of his first wife, Ivana Trump. Matt Benson, a Robson campaign spokesman, said Pence would be attending an event at a local employer as well as a briefing on border security while in the state.
A Trump spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment on the events.
Trump and Pence will again cross paths next week as the former president returns to the nation’s capital for the first time since leaving the White House. Pence will address the conservative Heritage Foundation on Monday evening and will speak at the Young America’s Foundation’s annual National Conservative Student Conference on Tuesday morning. That afternoon, Trump will headline a two-day summit organized by the America First Policy Institute and deliver what organizers said would be a policy-focused speech.
Pence, too, will use his speech before the Heritage Foundation to highlight the policy agenda he released earlier this year and to talk about the future of the party, according to aides. The remarks are expected to offer an implicit contrast with Trump, who has spent much of his energy since leaving office on relitigating the 2020 election.
Pence has urged Republicans to move on, even as he continues to tout the accomplishments of what he often describes as the Trump-Pence administration during his frequent appearances.
Pence also huddled privately Wednesday with the House’s Republican Study Committee, the traditionally conservative caucus he once led as a member of Congress, to discuss his policy agenda. During the meeting, Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, thanked Pence for his actions on Jan. 6, according to a person familiar with the exchange who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the closed-door meeting. Pence also committed to helping the GOP in the midterms and in 2024, though he did not explicitly say what role he intends to play.
He then headed to South Carolina for a speech at a Baptist church in South Carolina to discuss “the post-Roe world” after the Supreme Court overturned constitutional protections for abortions — a position he has long advocated.
Pence’s efforts come as Trump is preparing to launch a third campaign for the White House as soon as this summer while he faces a flurry of investigations into his efforts to cling to power. That includes the House Jan. 6 committee, which on Thursday will hold another prime-time hearing, this time spotlighting Trump’s refusal to call off the angry mob that stormed the Capitol and sent Pence and other lawmakers into hiding.
While polls show Trump remains the overwhelming favorite in a hypothetical GOP primary, Marc Short, Pence’s former chief of staff and a top adviser, argued that even if Trump does announce a run, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be on the ballot two years from now.
“As the committee winds down, I’m sure he’s looking for a reset that brings attention back on him. And an announcement does not necessarily mean a commitment at the end of that process to continue forward,” said Short. “I don’t think there’s any doubt that the president enjoys being the center of attention. And the announcement puts even additional media focus on him.”
Trump, meanwhile, has continued to slam Pence for refusing to go along with his scheme to remain in power. At a gathering of Evangelical Christians in Nashville, Tennessee, last month, Trump again said Pence “did not have the courage to act,” drawing applause.
When it comes to a potential race, Trump does not see Pence as a threat, according to allies, who are much more consumed with Ron DeSantis. The Florida governor is increasingly seen by conservatives as a natural and younger successor to Trump’s MAGA movement who can channel the same anger, but with less baggage.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday predicted Trump will face competition in 2024 if he enters the race.
“I think we’re going to have a crowded field for president,” he told reporters.
Asked if Pence should run, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, a frequent Trump critic, said it’s up to Pence, who has said he’ll make a decision after the midterms. “The more the merrier,” Romney said.
Jennings, meanwhile, praised Pence for being willing to stand up to Trump when so many others in the party still refuse to cross him.
“What Mike Pence is doing is extremely valuable. And whether he is a viable candidate for president, I don’t know. But he’s certainly earned the right to make the case for a post-Trump future,” said Jennings.
“He may end up being John the Baptist to someone else,” he added. “Headless but remembered well.”
____
Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri and Alan Fram in Washington and Jonathan J. Cooper in Phoenix contributed to this report.
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2022-07-21T02:47:32+00:00
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kfor.com
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https://kfor.com/news/oklahoma-legislature/ap-politics/trump-pence-rivalry-intensifies-as-they-consider-2024-runs/
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RICHMOND, Va., May 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Babylon Micro-Farms, Inc., the leading manufacturer of automated indoor vertical farms, today announced the launch of its all-new Micro-Farm, the Galleri.
The Galleri Micro-Farm features an innovative easy-to-clean tray, a water temperature control system, a full-glass enclosure, and an improved sensor array. Together with the BabylonIQ automated growing system and companion mobile app, it is now easier than ever for customers to experience the art of growing food on-site sustainably.
"I'm excited to see our vision of making farming so simple, that it's within anyone's reach, come true," says Alexander Olesen, CEO & Co-Founder. "Whether you are a chef looking for year-round greens, a college student looking for healthy options, or a senior-living operator desiring engaging clean produce options, our users love the elegance and ease-of-use only a Babylon Micro-Farm can provide."
The Galleri is a sophisticated solution to on-site farming.
The Galleri farm delivers powerful tools at the customer's fingertips via the BabylonIQ system. The system automates the entire process of growing produce through a series of sensors, lights, air channels, nutrients, cameras, and irrigation to provide year-round harvesting opportunities to clients anywhere. The Galleri Micro-farm adds new algae mitigation and temperature controls to the existing array of technologies designed to monitor the health and vitality of the plants.
Customer satisfaction is key to the success of Babylon. According to Babylon, clients want an elegant public-facing farm that requires minimal cleaning time. Customers also want the most sustainable options available. The new Farm's anti-spill removable GrowServetm trays make it simple to harvest comfortably at a table and clean in a dishwasher. Their ingenious trays combine compostable grow mediums and clever material use resulting in a 55% reduction in plastics, 33% reduction in harvest and clean times, and 100% compostable harvest scraps.
Customer support is the secret to Babylon's success. Every customer has access to automated remote management, a digital support library, and real people for a full-service solution that is proactive instead of reactive. The app alerts them, along with step-by-step instructions and videos, when to plant, transplant, clean, and harvest. As part of the subscription service, each customer gets the BabylonBoxtm which includes seeds, nutrients, app access, and other supplies sent right before their next planting cycle.
Early reception has been phenomenal. Over 80 farms have been installed to date with hundreds more slated to be installed in the coming months across the US. Aramark, LinkedIn, Compass and Sodexo are some of Babylon's food-service industry partners.
"We love our Babylon Micro-Farm, our students love the knowledge that their food was grown just a few feet away," said Julia Danisewicz, RD Aramark/VCU. "As a dietician, it is exciting to see a university like VCU value sustainable, pesticide-free food choices for its students. I didn't have a green thumb before working with the farm, but it is so easy to use that now I feel like a pro."
Babylon Micro-Farms builds its farms in-house at its facility in the Scott's Addition neighborhood of Richmond, VA. Babylon has developed patented technology to power our indoor farms and farming service. Our service enables businesses and communities to have a year-round supply of ultra-fresh produce at the touch of a button. We have a significant impact on our customer base, which includes global leaders like Aramark, Compass, Sodexo, along with many schools, hospitals, and senior care facilities.
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2022-05-31T13:54:05+00:00
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kswo.com
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https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2022/05/31/newest-indoor-vertical-farm-babylon-features-breakthrough-technologies-cloud-based-services-provide-unparalleled-produce/
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OMAHA, Neb. – The major freight railroads appear unwilling to give track maintenance workers much more than they received in the initial contract they rejected last week, increasing the chances of a strike.
The railroads took the unusual step of issuing a statement late Wednesday rejecting the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division union’s latest request to add seven days of paid sick time on top of the 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses they received in the first five-year deal.
Union Pacific CEO Lance Fritz said Thursday that he thinks the main reason the BMWED rejected its initial contract last week was that the details of improved expense reimbursement in the deal were still being negotiated at UP while workers were voting. So it wasn't clear exactly what those workers would receive for their travel expenses when they go on the road to repair tracks.
Six of the 12 railroad unions that represent 115,000 workers nationwide have approved their tentative agreements with the railroads so far, but all of them have to ratify their contracts to avoid a strike. The unions have agreed to put any strike on hold until at least mid-November while the BMWED negotiates a new deal and the other unions vote on their proposed contracts. That means there's no immediate threat the trains most businesses rely on to deliver their raw materials and finished products will stop moving. A railroad strike could devastate the economy.
“Ultimately, I remain confident that we’re going to get our temporary agreements ratified and be able to avoid a strike. That’s still a possibility but I don’t think it’s a probability,” Fritz told investors after his railroad released its quarterly earnings report.
The group that negotiations on behalf of the major railroads, including UP, BNSF, Norfolk Southern, CSX and Kansas City Southern, said the new contracts should closely follow the recommendations of the special board of arbitrators that President Joe Biden appointed this summer. The railroads said that board rejected union demands for paid sick time.
“Now is not the time to introduce new demands that rekindle the prospect of a railroad strike,” the railroads said.
Concerns about quality of life and the ability for workers — particularly the engineers and conductors who drive the trains — to take time off without being penalized have weighed heavily on the negotiations. The maintenance workers in the BMWED union generally have more predictable schedules than the train crews, but they and the rest of the rail workers lack traditional sick leave.
BMWED spokesman Clark Ballew said providing paid sick leave “has become a norm in this society” and railroads should step up and provide that to its employees.
“It is not unreasonable and the railroads can very easily afford it, and they’d still be making record profits if they agreed to provide railroad workers paid sick leave,” Ballew said.
The railroads say workers do have significant short-term disability benefits that kick in after four or seven days and last up to 52 weeks that the unions have negotiated for over the years. They said the unions have repeatedly agreed that short-term absences would be unpaid in favor of higher wages and more generous benefits for long-term illnesses.
Railroad workers did temporarily receive paid sick leave during the pandemic for COVID-related absences, but railroads rescinded those policies once vaccines became widely available.
If both sides can't agree on contracts, Congress could step in to block a strike and impose terms on the workers.
Ballew said the railroads seem to be banking on the assumption that Congress would likely impose terms similar to what the Presidential Emergency Board recommended to refuse offering more than that report called for. But he said the railroads are free to negotiate more than the board recommended if they want to.
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2022-10-21T00:46:54+00:00
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clickorlando.com
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https://www.clickorlando.com/news/politics/2022/10/20/railroads-reject-sick-time-demands-raising-chance-of-strike/
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NEW YORK, June 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Attention Waste Management, Inc. ("Waste Management") (NYSE: WM) shareholders:
The Law Offices of Vincent Wong announce that a class action lawsuit has commenced on behalf of investors. This lawsuit is on behalf of all purchasers of certain Waste Management redeemable senior notes between February 13, 2020 and June 23, 2020.
If you suffered a loss on your investment in Waste Management, contact us about potential recovery by using the link below. There is no cost or obligation to you.
ABOUT THE ACTION: The class action against Waste Management includes allegations that the Company made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) the U.S. Department of Justice had indicated to Waste Management that it would require Waste Management to divest significantly more assets than the $200 million indicated in the merger agreement between the Company and Advanced Disposal Services; (ii) as a result, the merger would not be completed by July 14, 2020, the end date under the merger agreement; and (iii) the Waste Management redeemable senior notes would be subject to mandatory redemption at 101% of par.
DEADLINE: August 8, 2022
Aggrieved Waste Management investors only have until August 8, 2022 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. You are not required to act as a lead plaintiff in order to share in any recovery.
Vincent Wong, Esq. is an experienced attorney who has represented investors in securities litigations involving financial fraud and violations of shareholder rights. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
CONTACT:
Vincent Wong, Esq.
39 East Broadway
Suite 304
New York, NY 10002
Tel. 212.425.1140
E-Mail: vw@wongesq.com
View original content:
SOURCE The Law Offices of Vincent Wong
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2022-06-27T22:28:24+00:00
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wsfa.com
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https://www.wsfa.com/prnewswire/2022/06/27/class-action-alert-law-offices-vincent-wong-remind-waste-management-investors-lead-plaintiff-deadline-august-8-2022/
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WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — A man with a lengthy criminal background faces six new felony charges after police said a search warrant led them to discover seven firearms and over 175 grams of various drugs
Police said Gary Wayne Maples, 44, of Wichita Falls, faces three counts of manufacturing or delivering a controlled substance, two counts of theft of a firearm, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
Maples is currently booked into the Wichita County Jail on recommended bonds totaling $410,000.
According to the arrest affidavit, officers with the Special Operations Unit of the Wichita Falls Police Department were conducting surveillance in the 1400 block of Gunnison Drive in reference to an ongoing investigation into Maples.
Police said on Tuesday, September 27, 2022, just before 2:30 p.m., they observed Maples exiting a residence in the 1400 block of Gunnison Drive and entering the passenger side of a grey SUV. That vehicle was stopped by a WFPD unit moments later.
During the traffic stop, officers said they located a small bag containing a handgun, cocaine, methamphetamine, and a mixture of THC and marijuana on the floorboard of the passenger’s side of the car, where Maples was seated.
Officers notified Maples he was being taken into custody for a search and arrest warrant for which he was named the suspect.
According to the affidavit, police then executed a search warrant at the residence on Gunnison Drive. They said they located several weapons, including handguns and rifles, cocaine, methamphetamine, THC, and marijuana in Maples’ bedroom.
According to WFPD Public Information Officer Sgt. Charlie Eipper, police located seven firearms, 31.5 grams of THC wax, 82.8 grams of methamphetamine, and 61.7 grams of cocaine.
A records check on Maples reveals 26 total arrests since 1995 on various charges, including 15 drug charges, 7 weapons charges, and 8 fraud or theft charges, as well as multiple federal holds and parole violations.
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2022-09-28T17:00:56+00:00
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texomashomepage.com
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https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/local-news/six-felony-charges-drugs-guns/
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ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — For decades, it was accepted wisdom in the casino industry that eliminating smoking would automatically lead to revenue declines and customer losses.
But a new report examining how the coronavirus pandemic has changed gamblers’ habits says that may no longer be the case.
The report issued Friday by Las Vegas-based C3 Gaming come as several states, including New Jersey, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania, are considering banning smoking in casinos. The research firm says its report was done independently and was not financed by any outside party.
It notes that the pandemic changed several key aspects of the casino experience, including the elimination of daily housekeeping in many places, closing of buffets and an end to room service — all of which customers have gotten used to. It suggests smoking will be the next such change to be accepted.
“The pandemic altered consumer expectations and consumer behavior in virtually every industry, including retail, entertainment, lodging, dining and casino gaming. One of those changes (is) in attitudes towards smoking in casinos,” the report’s three authors wrote.
“Data from multiple jurisdictions clearly indicates that banning smoking no longer causes a dramatic drop in gaming revenue,” it read. “In fact, non-smoking properties appear to be performing better than their counterparts that continue to allow smoking.”
The report looks at casinos’ performance in numerous states since the coronavirus pandemic hit in early 2020, and finds that “those casinos that implemented smoking prohibitions did not experience any drop in revenues or lost market share to nearby casinos that continued to offer smoking environments.”
The authors also interviewed tribal casino executives, who said profitability was starting to increase due to lower maintenance costs, adding that 157 tribes were able to end smoking in their casinos “without economic cost.”
The authors also predicted that smokers will not abandon Atlantic City casinos in droves if New Jersey bans smoking there, noting that due to smoking bans in Connecticut and New York, and a smoke-free policy at Rivers casino Philadelphia, gamblers from New York, New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania would have only four options that offered smoking.
The report is the latest in a back-and-forth over whether there is evidence that smoking can be eliminated without harming casinos’ bottom line. It also takes aim at a report commissioned in February by New Jersey’s casinos predicting massive revenue and job losses if a smoking ban were implemented.
The stakes are high, particularly in New Jersey, where the main casino workers’ union is threatening a strike in July if new contracts providing big raises are not reached before then.
Gamblers in the northeastern U.S. interviewed by The Associated Press expressed strong support for smoke-free casinos.
“Smokers will say that they aren’t going to go gamble any more if they ban smoking,” said Linda Quinn of Montvale, New Jersey. “They said this when they made restaurants and bars non-smoking and it didn’t affect them at all. I honestly believe it will not have an affect, and smokers say that because they don’t want the law changed.”
Erik Lovequist of Billerica, Massachussetts quit smoking 14 years ago and has not visited Rhode Island’s Twin River casino “in a very long time due to the entire casino, including much of the non-smoking area, smelling like an ashtray. I’m enjoying having the entirely smoke-free Encore casino a half-hour away.”
John Bucek of Chester, New York, visits Atlantic City six times a year and quickly grew to like the absence of smoking in casinos there during the first year and a half of the pandemic.
“Now that it is back, it is terrible,” he said. “I never realized how bad it was. A lot of times it drives us out of there.”
Some gamblers who smoke, however, said they would seek out casinos that continued to allow them to do so.
The report notes revenue declines that followed the end of smoking in Delaware, Colorado, Illinois, Deadwood, South Dakota, and New Orleans. But it also noted there were other economic factors that may have influenced revenue, including the opening of new competition nearby. And it said those revenue declines “tended to recover in subsequent years.”
The report found that gamblers in several markets did not flock to smoking casinos when others in the region prohibited smoking, citing examples from Pennsylvania, Indiana and elsewhere.
The authors conceded that, “It is an irrefutable fact that a slot machine located in a smoking area of a casino makes more money than a slot machine in a non-smoking area.”
But they also found that casinos that offer smoking do not perform better than those that allow it. It showed that the Parx Casino in Philadelphia; Empire City in Yonkers, New York; Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, and Resorts World in the Queens section of New York have slot machine win-per-day performance that is greater than those in Atlantic City over the past 12 months.
Las Vegas, the nation’s largest gambling market, remains a bastion of casino smoking; only one resort, Park MGM, bans smoking completely. New Jersey allows smoking on up to 25% of the casino floor.
The Rivers Casino in Philadelphia has been smoke-free since August 2021, when general manager Justin Moore decided it was easier operationally to remain that way rather than changing policy to comply with frequently changing pandemic mandates from the city.
In April, the casino adopted a policy allowing its smoking customers to use a restaurant patio to smoke, avoiding the need to go through metal detectors two additional times in leaving and re-entering the casino.
The financial results have been mixed, with some good months and some where revenue fell short of projections, Moore said, adding that inflation, labor shortages and new competition nearby make it difficult to attribute revenue performance to any one factor.
The casino decided to remain smoke free even after it could have resumed smoking, in part, out of the experience of operating during the pandemic.
“It was hard to tell people, ‘We’re keeping you safe,’ and then allow people to blow particles into the air,” he said.
___
Follow Wayne Parry on Twitter at https://twitter.com/WayneParryAC.
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2022-06-18T14:49:21+00:00
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wcia.com
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https://www.wcia.com/news/national/ap-us-news/report-smoking-bans-no-longer-a-threat-to-casino-revenue/
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NPR's Michel Martin talks to former Federal Reserve governor Claudia Sahm about who's feeling the biggest pinch of high inflation and rising interest rates, and what the Fed might do next.
Copyright 2023 NPR
NPR's Michel Martin talks to former Federal Reserve governor Claudia Sahm about who's feeling the biggest pinch of high inflation and rising interest rates, and what the Fed might do next.
Copyright 2023 NPR
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2023-04-28T12:07:08+00:00
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klcc.org
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https://www.klcc.org/2023-04-28/economic-growth-in-the-u-s-is-slowing-down-are-we-headed-for-a-recession
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New Docuseries to Premiere in October at VRMA International Conference In Las Vegas; 750+ Property Managers & Industry Professionals Expected to Attend
PONTE VEDRA, Fla., Sept. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The world premiere of the docuseries "Homerunners" will be held on Oct. 23, at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas as part of the Vacation Rental Management Association (VRMA) International Conference. More than 750 property managers and industry professionals are expected to attend the event that will be sponsored in-part by VTrips and TravelNet Solutions and include red carpet interviews by Alex Husner and Annie Holcombe of "Alex & Annie" vacation rentals podcast fame.
Hosted by Vacation Rental Marketing Blog Founder Matt Landau, the "Homerunners" docuseries takes a behind-the-scenes look at the $78.6 billion vacation rental industry and the leaders paving the way for future growth. The industry is expected to expand at a compound annual rate of 5.3% until 2030, according to Grandview Research.
The premiere episode will highlight the work of VTrips Founder and CEO Steve Milo, who discusses how he has scaled his growing company from a handful of properties to thousands—all to help vacationers create memories that last a lifetime.
One of the industry's most dynamic leaders, Milo, with his team at VTrips, manages more than 5,000 vacation homes in resort destinations throughout the United States, making it the second largest vacation rental company in North America.
"With travelers choosing vacation rentals over hotels more than ever before and with the rise of platforms like Airbnb and vrbo, one might assume hosting these travelers is easy as well as profitable," Landau says in the film's opening sequence. "But nobody knows if they can do it on a grand scale without losing the personal touches that make vacation rentals unique."
Production agency Mangofish Studios, which also produces Landau's "Vacation Rental Show" YouTube channel with 1 million+ views, chose Milo and VTrips for the premiere episode to explore industry issues such as short-term rental regulation and advocacy.
"Judging by the popularity of docuseries like 'Chef's Table' and 'Drive to Survive,' it's clear there is a growing demand for these kinds of stories," said Mangofish Studios Principal Stuart Hooper. "We believe that looking behind the scenes at a story like Steve's and VTrips' is riveting for a broader audience and further that the success of educational-oriented media like 'Homerunners' suggests audiences are ready for and interested in deeper looks at complex issues."
Madeline List, senior research analyst at Phocuswright and the event's inaugural laureate, will open the Las Vegas premiere with observations from Phocuswright's Consumer Travel Report and 2022 Short Term Rental Market Sizing Study.
The first "Homerunners" episode features vacation rental industry celebrities including Amy Hinote of VRMIntel, VRMA Executive Director Kimberly Miles, Vacasa Co-founder Cliff Johnson, Miriam Ramsey of Jackson Mountain Homes, David Angotti of SmokyMountains.com, and Ryan Bailey of TravelNet Solutions.
Following the premiere, Phocuswright will interview some of the cast of the first episode along with Ryan Dame, co-owner of Casago, who will be featured in the second episode of "Homerunners." Attendees of the event will also be the first to publicly see a sneak preview of the second episode.
The event will include a fundraiser for the VRMA advocacy fund and drinks sponsored in-part by BeHome 24/7, Redsky Travel Insurance, and Vacay Home Connect. Space is limited, so guests are encouraged to RSVP for the VRMA International Conference and the "Homerunners" World Premiere at https://pp.events/av9mkGOx.
View a preview of the episode here: Matt Landau's HOMERUNNERS Episode 1 Sizzle ft. VTrips
ABOUT VTRIPS: Founded in 2006 by visionary Steve Milo as a management solution for his own Florida rental properties, VTrips is one of the fastest-growing vacation rental management companies in the United States. Now with more than 15 brands and 5,000 private vacation villas, condominiums, and homes in resort destinations throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas, VTrips believes in staffing its nationwide offices with local experts dedicated to exceeding the expectations of property owners and vacationers. More information at VTrips.com.
Media Contact:
Kristen Mcintosh
kristen.mcintosh@vtrips.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE VTrips
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2022-09-22T17:43:46+00:00
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kxii.com
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https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/22/homerunners-goes-behind-scenes-786-billion-industry-fire/
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Mariners first. Adam Frazier singles to shallow left field. Ty France doubles to left field. Adam Frazier to third. J.P. Crawford called out on strikes. Eugenio Suarez singles to deep right field. Ty France to third. Adam Frazier scores. Jesse Winker flies out to shallow center field to Kyle Schwarber. Julio Rodriguez singles to shallow infield. Eugenio Suarez to second. Ty France scores. Abraham Toro flies out to Nick Castellanos.
2 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Mariners 2, Phillies 0.
Mariners second. Jarred Kelenic flies out to shallow left field to Johan Camargo. Luis Torrens singles to shallow infield, advances to 2nd. Throwing error by Aaron Nola. Adam Frazier singles to second base. Luis Torrens scores. Fielding error by Rhys Hoskins. Ty France singles to shortstop. Adam Frazier to second. J.P. Crawford called out on strikes. Eugenio Suarez called out on strikes.
1 run, 3 hits, 2 errors, 2 left on. Mariners 3, Phillies 0.
Phillies fifth. Nick Castellanos homers to left field. J.T. Realmuto grounds out to shortstop, J.P. Crawford to Ty France. Jean Segura walks. Rhys Hoskins flies out to deep left field to Jesse Winker. Jean Segura to second. Jean Segura scores. Johan Camargo walks. Matt Vierling strikes out swinging.
2 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 left on. Mariners 3, Phillies 2.
Mariners sixth. Abraham Toro lines out to shallow right field to Alec Bohm. Jarred Kelenic walks. Luis Torrens singles to right field. Jarred Kelenic to third. Adam Frazier walks. Luis Torrens to second. Ty France hit by pitch. Adam Frazier to second. Luis Torrens to third. Jarred Kelenic scores. J.P. Crawford out on a sacrifice fly to center field to Matt Vierling. Luis Torrens scores. Eugenio Suarez singles to shortstop. Ty France to second. Adam Frazier to third. Jesse Winker strikes out swinging.
2 runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 3 left on. Mariners 5, Phillies 2.
Phillies seventh. Jean Segura grounds out to second base, Adam Frazier to Ty France. Rhys Hoskins homers to left field. Johan Camargo strikes out swinging. Odubel Herrera pinch-hitting for Matt Vierling. Odubel Herrera strikes out swinging.
1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Mariners 5, Phillies 3.
Phillies ninth. J.T. Realmuto grounds out to shortstop, J.P. Crawford to Ty France. Jean Segura homers to center field. Rhys Hoskins grounds out to shortstop, J.P. Crawford to Ty France. Johan Camargo strikes out swinging.
1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Mariners 5, Phillies 4.
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2022-05-11T06:39:44+00:00
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sfgate.com
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https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Philadelphia-Seattle-Runs-17164232.php
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The first cannabis dispensary is coming to Guadalupe, which is allowing two dispensaries to open in the city.
SLOCAL Management, LLC has been chosen as the first business to open up shop in the city of about 8,000 people.
The Root One dispensary will be located in what is currently an art gallery at 928 Guadalupe St. The building will see significant changes in the coming months.
"We're kind of going to go for a surf shop record store kind of vibe," said Austen Connella, Owner of SLOCAL Roots. "We'll have a secured entry, there will be a central island and point of sale systems."
The building is located in the heart of town on Highway 1--next to restaurants, a bank, and other businesses.
"It will cause a little more economic diversity in the community," said Guadalupe City Administrator Todd Bodem. "As some of the councilmembers said, it's not the golden goose economically, but it's a piece of how we will establish a more sustainable community."
It all started with a chance encounter with the owner of the building who was looking to sell his struggling gallery.
"I've known these guys a couple of years now," said Mike Ritter who is selling the property. "It's kind of funny, they just came over here and asked me that if they got a building nearby, could they use my parking lot and I said yeah, you can use my parking lot but why don't you consider buying my building?"
A historic building is now set to take on a very modern function.
"This is a beautiful building, we don't really want to mess with that," said Adam Laurent, Chief Operating Officer for SLOCAL Management LLC. "We want to retain everything that's already special about this building."
The new owners will need to work with the city to address security, and other concerns.
"We already have a fully executed security plan," said Laurent. "It includes closed-circuit television both inside and outside the building that has a live feed to the police department."
The seller added that he has mixed feelings about selling the building which currently houses artwork from his late father.
"I'm somewhat reluctant to leave, it's a funny little town and you get attached to it," said Ritter. "It's like a time warp in this town, you feel like you're maybe 50 years ago. At the same time, my business is tottering on bankruptcy and COVID didn't help at all."
The dispensary owner added that 6% of profits will go directly to the City of Guadalupe.
The new dispensary will be called Root One. The goal is to have it open in the next six to nine months.
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2022-04-15T06:53:19+00:00
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ksby.com
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https://www.ksby.com/news/local-news/historic-guadalupe-building-converted-into-cannabis-dispensary
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NEW YORK (AP) — Target is removing certain items from its stores and making other changes to its LGBTQ+ merchandise nationwide ahead of Pride month, after an intense backlash from some customers including violent confrontations with its workers.
“Since introducing this year’s collection, we’ve experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and well-being while at work," Target said in a statement Tuesday. ”Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans, including removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior."
Target declined to say which items it was removing but among the ones that garnered the most attention were “tuck friendly” women’s swimsuits that allow trans women who have not had gender-affirming operations to conceal their private parts. Designs by Abprallen, a London-based company that designs and sells occult- and satanic-themed LGBTQ+ clothing and accessories, have also created backlash.
The Pride merchandise has been on sale since early May. Pride month is held in June.
Target confirmed that it has moved its Pride merchandise from the front of the stores to the back in some Southern stores after confrontations and backlash from shoppers in those areas.
Target's response to confrontations in its stores is taking place as state legislatures introduce a record number of bills targeting LGBTQ+ individuals.
There are close to 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills that have gone before state legislatures since the start of this year, an unprecedented number, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.
Those efforts focus on health, particularly gender-affirming health care for transgender youth, and education. State legislatures are pushing to prevent discussions in school regarding sexuality and gender identity.
At least 17 states have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors, though judges have temporarily blocked their enforcement in some, including Arkansas. An Associated Press analysis found that often those bills sprang not from grassroots or constituent demand, but from the pens of a handful of conservative interest groups.
Target’s Pride month collection has also been the subject of several misleading videos in recent weeks, with social media users falsely claiming the retailer is selling “tuck-friendly” bathing suits designed for kids or in kids’ sizes.
The moves come as beer brand Bud Light is still grappling with a backlash from customers angered by its attempt to broaden its customer base by partnering with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Bud Light's parent company said it will triple its marketing spending in the U.S. this summer as it tries to restore sales it lost after the brand partnered with the transgender influencer.
Target and other retailers including Walmart and H&M have been expanding their LGBTQ+ displays to celebrate Pride month for roughly a decade. This year transgender issues — including gender-affirming health care and participation in sports — have been a divisive topic in state legislatures and the backlash has turned hostile.
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2023-05-24T15:51:03+00:00
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fox17online.com
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https://www.fox17online.com/news/national-news/target-pulls-some-lgbtq-merchandise-ahead-of-june-pride-month-after-threats-to-workers
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It was 9:47 A.M. on Feb. 22 when the dispatch center of the Twin Falls Police Department in Idaho got the call. There were shots fired at Canyon Ridge High School, just a few miles north of the station. At least one person was injured in a classroom, and the shooter was still on the loose, according to the man on the other end of the line.
"Officers were there onsite immediately," Lt. Craig Stotts told NPR. "And our goal is to, first of all, stop the killing and then stop the dying. And we go in and take care of the threat."
Officers quickly set up a base of operations at the Church of the Nazarene about 500 yards from the school and got to work coordinating with the Sherriff's Office, the Fire Department, Magic Valley Paramedics and their ambulances and helicopters, the SWAT teams, and, eventually, a horde of panicked parents.
For the next hour, citizens of Twin Falls endured the sheer trauma of waiting. The school's 1,200 or so students cowered in classrooms and bathrooms, texting parents and friends and posting on social media. Law enforcement teams swept the school's two floors three times.
But to everyone's shock, police found nothing.
By nearly 11 a.m., Lt. Stotts was confident: there was no shooter. Twin Falls was the latest victim of what's called swatting — a hoax emergency call designed to trigger a massive law enforcement response to an imaginary threat.
A 'swatting' epidemic
While there was no shooter in Twin Falls, the day itself was resource intensive and psychologically traumatizing, according to interviews with community members.
For one, Travis Rothweiler, the city manager of Twin Falls, got choked up recalling the moment he was notified of the threat to his teenager's school.
"It was an amazing dichotomy of trying to be a father and be a city manager and work through that process," he told NPR.
And while no one was physically hurt, these types of swatting calls can be deadly. In some instances where SWAT teams are called in under false pretenses, innocent people have been shot or killed by accident.
Swatting isn't necessarily a new phenomenon. But the call to Twin Falls doesn't appear to be an isolated incident, and it doesn't appear to have originated locally.
According to a series of previous reports from NPR, these kinds of fake bomb threats and hoax school shooting calls have been happening for nearly a year at hundreds of schools across the country — and they share a pattern similar to what happened at Canyon Ridge.
In March and April last year, authorities tracked a wave of false bomb threats in places like Minnesota, making calls that were eerily similar to hoax school shooting calls made in October 2022 in Virginia, Minnesota, Ohio, and Florida, according to records of the calls obtained by NPR.
Those calls have continued almost weekly. Within the last couple months, hundreds more schools have received mysterious "swatting" calls. The scope and scale is so large that the FBI has stepped in to investigate.
Authorities from local police departments have declined to share recordings of the recent calls to the dispatch centers, citing an ongoing FBI investigation. However, many have shared descriptions in public statements emailed to residents, shared with local journalists, or posted on social media.
And in most instances, there are clear similarities.
In a single day, a mysterious caller described as having an accent will call the non-emergency line of a local police department, reporting an ongoing threat by citing specific information about a classroom or a teacher that doesn't actually exist.
The calls will happen within minutes of each other to schools across an entire state, almost like the caller has an alphabetical list to work from. The caller is often using a free or low-cost third-party calling app, or Voice over IP text and voice service like TextNow.
Voice over IP apps allow users to send messages or make calls over the internet without using phone lines, and they don't often require much information to sign up, disguising the caller even further. Meanwhile, the hoax caller doesn't make any demands.
The Kearney Police Department in Nebraska shared a statement on March 2 that aligned with a lot of those qualities.
"A trend of hoax active shooter calls have been hitting 9-1-1 call centers this week. The voice is typically a male of Middle Eastern descent and claims to be in a school building witnessing a shooting. These calls have been unsubstantiated," the statement read.
Chris Mackensen, the Chief of Police in Jefferson Ohio, said on March 1 in a statement that the local dispatch center received a call "from a male identifying himself as Michael Clark stating that there is a student in the high school with a gun. The call further stated that the student had shot two students in Math Room 35." Mackensen also wrote that "the caller's information did not match the school layout."
And Jeff Schneider, the superintendent of Hastings Public Schools in Nebraska, also wrote on March 2 in a statement that a caller "identified themselves as a teacher in a specific room" and that "the 9-1-1 center was immediately suspicious as the name of the teacher and the room number do not exist."
NPR's previous reporting traced a series of the calls back to Ethiopia. The most popular calling service used by the hoax callers was the third-party calling app TextNow, which provides free or low-cost calling services to low-income communities who can't afford monthly phone bills. Ultimately, TextNow banned the entire country of Ethiopia from use of its services after consultation with law enforcement.
But still, the calls have continued, and no one person or group has been specifically identified as the perpetrator.
One barrier is the difficulty of working with law enforcement in Ethiopia, while another is determining if the true criminals are somehow masking their identity or location.
The mystery behind the hoax calls
Experts have posed a number of theories as to why the person or group of people behind these calls is making them, but no single theory has been proven. Unlike in many previous instances of school swatting calls where a local teenager was responsible, no arrests have been made.
But that doesn't necessarily mean the perpetrator didn't pay someone else to do the deed. In recent weeks, Caleb Barlow, a cybersecurity consultant, has drawn attention to the so-called "dark web" where customers can purchase school shooting and bomb threat "services" for a few dollars.
It's entirely possible that different people have contracted out the same "firm" to call schools, though the sheer number of schools across several different states that have been targeted casts some doubt on the local motivation.
It's also possible the calls have a broader connection to other scams, such as ransomware attacks in which hackers targeting one victim might apply pressure to secure a payment by causing trouble elsewhere.
However, when asked whether or not any financial or extortion demands were made, law enforcement in Canyon Ridge said they knew of no demands, to their department or anywhere else across Idaho.
It's also possible that the ultimate goal is to inspire fear and sow chaos, a prospect that experts have urged U.S. officials and law enforcement officers to pursue, according to previous reporting by NPR.
If the individual or group responsible for these services is truly based in Ethiopia, it will require a lot of coordination between different elements of government and law enforcement between both countries to try to investigate.
The fear of a school shooting is real and pervasive in American communities, given the frequency of these kinds of tragedies, explained Brittany Cooper, another local TV reporter with KMVT. It's always on students' minds. But Twin Falls has relatively little violent crime, and little experience with this kind of threat, she continued.
Cooper recalled covering two previous incidents of fake shooting threats at local high schools, but those were quickly linked back to students, she recalled. The still unsolved mystery of who's making these calls and why has amplified the confusion and fear.
"It was February of last year when we had two back-to-back school shooting threats," said Cooper. "But they were using social media like Snapchat to make these threats. And I don't think they understood the severity of the consequences because they thought it was a joke."
"This community is very much leaning on the conservative side, very family-oriented," she continued. "This is something that's very new for us in terms of actually making the national stage and with the threat that was at Canyon Ridge High School."
The role of social media
There's another element involved in most incidents of hoax swatting calls: the complicating factor of social media.
Within minutes of the Twin Falls Police Department receiving the report of a shooting at Canyon Ridge High School, Josh Palmer, the city's public information coordinator, took to Facebook and other official social media accounts to share updates with citizens.
However, almost immediately, nondescript Facebook accounts began replying to official updates by posting strange videos in the comments section. The people posting the videos alleged to have footage from the scene, but it was clear from the background of the videos they were not taken in Twin Falls, said Palmer. Later on, other anonymous Facebook users shared links to news stories purporting to cover the shooting, leading people to click on what appeared to be fake news sites plastered with advertisements.
"What we were seeing was a very targeted misinformation campaign to the city of Twin Falls," he told NPR.
Panicked parents and other citizens of Twin Falls immediately seized on the videos and comments and took them as fact. Outside the school, even after law enforcement officers told parents the school was clear and there was no shooter, they claimed they had seen footage of the carnage or they pointed to texts from their kids who, in the chaos and confusion, reported hearing gunshots.
Steve Kirch, a local reporter for TV station KMVT, said that parents were demanding to check inside ambulances to make sure the officers weren't hiding evidence of dead or injured students inside.
"There's just this distrust of government right now," Kirch said in an interview with NPR. "I was surprised, many people still believe that three dead kids left that school that day, even though there's no proof of that."
The reason for that strong belief was social media.
"A parent came up to me and said there's three dead kids in there, we know there's three dead kids, we saw it on social media," Kirch said. "They just kept insisting that the police chief was lying to them.
According to Palmer and Lt. Stotts, the Twin Falls Police Department has rehearsed its emergency plan were there to be a school shooting or similar emergency multiple times over, a plan that first responders and law enforcement carried out nearly perfectly in late February.
Palmer had also just completed a training at the nearby community college specifically for public information officers in the region for communications during an emergency.
However, what they didn't practice for was fighting off social media trolls and disinformation, Palmer said.
"Obviously we plan to put out messaging to help direct traffic and clear up any confusion. But what we didn't plan for was the social media side of it," he said.
"It just perpetuated a lot of that confusion and misinformation right at the worst possible time as parents were coming to the school," Palmer concluded.
A recurring theme
Facebook and social media played a huge role in the aftermath of the hoax call in Canyon Ridge, but it wasn't an isolated incident. Doing analysis and research on official law enforcement and local news Facebook posts made during the time of other hoax shooting calls across the country, some of the exact same commenters surfaced in those incidents as well, posting sketchy looking links and videos.
It also happened during an incident at Free State High School in Lawrence, Kan., where people also speculated whether or not the hoax calls were part of a so-called TikTok challenge, where users of the music and video-based app try and copy a popular trend.
It happened in Brighton, Colo., where a commenter shared a fake video purporting to be coverage on Fox News to a post by local news station KUSA. A Facebook user whose name is labeled "My Page" and whose profile picture is a beach scene, frequently posts fake news links to a site called "SNBC13.com," about hoax shooting calls and other tragic events on their main profile and in the comment sections of local official Facebook posts. (The page appeared to "like" and "follow" local police station accounts across the country.)
When NPR shared the links, videos, and social media posts with cybersecurity researchers, it became clear that the sites were fake, at the very minimum.
Selena Larson, an intelligence analyst with the cybersecurity firm ProofPoint, analyzed several links to SNBC13 and other sites. She described a very common phenomenon where the fake news sites mimic real sites in order to lure people into clicking on them in order to get ad revenue.
"We were able to find out some of these websites spoofed or purported to be or looked like legitimate local news websites," she said. Larson also said what those sites had in common was often either stolen or closely copied language from local news, very little information about the publication or its employees, and a focus on tragic, attention-grabbing news across the country.
"A lot of these websites were hosting information on violent crimes, murder, suicide. A lot of things that would potentially drive conversation, get people talking, and would get people sharing opinions or sharing the links," she continued. The goal appears to be "to get eyes on the page to drive traffic to these websites in a likely attempt to get ad revenue."
However, when Larson and her teamed analyzed links to some of the sketchy videos, including one link shared with NPR by the Canyon Ridge Police Department, those links appeared to be laced with malware.
"This appears to be likely bot accounts on Facebook that follow stories posted by police, sheriff's departments, news organizations, etc. and reply via Facebook comments with shortened URLs that purport to link to a YouTube video," Larson said. "These URLs use custom shortening services and, when clicked, the URL will try and capture user data and or redirect them to spam or malicious downloads."
A local news station in Great Falls, Mont., recently covered the same exact phenomenon, where spammers will post "bogus comments on Facebook pages" with "terrible" or "graphic" videos that are actually spam or a portal to infect a device with malware when clicked.
Noticing a pattern
The malicious Facebook links got the attention of Mike Shirley, who lives in the Twin Falls region near Canyon Ridge High School. "I think I stumbled across something very eyebrow raising on the social media comments," he wrote in an email to NPR a few days after the swatting incident in his area.
While Shirely was confident the links were malicious and were allowing spammers to take advantage of the fear generated by the hoax call, he also wondered whether there was any connection between the hoax callers themselves and the social media predators. It would "provide a motive as to why they keep happening all over," said Shirley.
Shirely is right in assuming that digital criminals frequently take advantage of real-world events to prey on people's vulnerability, fear, or interest in order to scam them, whether that's purporting to be the government offering a COVID-19 relief check, or faking a popular online betting service during the NCAA basketball tournament. The ultimate goal is to steal or profit. It would be highly disturbing if online criminals adapted their approach a step further by generating the real-world events that provide the opportunity to profit.
It's hard to definitively disprove Shirely's theory without more information about who is making the hoax calls and why.
The FBI declined to comment on the role of social media in the swatting incidents, but reaffirmed its commitment to taking the ongoing swatting calls seriously.
"While we cannot comment on any specific investigations, the FBI is aware of the numerous nationwide swatting incidents. The FBI takes swatting very seriously because it puts innocent people at risk. We urge the public to remain vigilant and report any and all suspicious activities and/or individuals to law enforcement immediately," an FBI spokesperson wrote in an emailed statement.
However, according to Larson and other cybersecurity researchers consulted by NPR, it's more likely that the scammers on Facebook are pure opportunists, frequently trolling for crises to try and find more gullible victims.
"Social media is a thriving marketplace for scams and spam and potential threat actors," said Larson. "We were not able to identify or correlate any of the actual calls to the websites," she concluded.
Jeremy Kennelly, who researches cybercrime at Google's Mandiant, was surprised by how prevalent the community of fake news commenters responding to the shootings was, but he also felt there probably wasn't "coordination between all of the people doing this."
He concluded that amongst the accounts posting comments on the swatting news, "it didn't seem like swatting was a disproportionate topic of interest." Even so, he concluded he'd need more information about the timeline of the swatting calls and the callers to make any clear assessments.
However, that doesn't mean that the posts aren't further traumatizing people. "Social media makes it very easy for people to pretend to be something or to share potentially incorrect information," Larson continued.
Her advice for people relying on social media for information, particularly in a crisis, is to try and see what information is available about a particular source of news you're seeing.
For example, Facebook now uses a transparency feature for pages that show where the information is being hosted. "If you are unsure about a particular page or information that's being shared, you can oftentimes look on the Facebook page and ask, 'Does this geolocation information match up to where I expect to see it?'" Larson said.
"If it's pretending to be a news outlet located in New York but the person or page is posting from Pakistan, that might not necessarily align with what you expect," she added.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
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2023-04-14T15:25:20+00:00
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kunm.org
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https://www.kunm.org/npr-news/2023-04-14/what-could-make-a-hoax-call-reporting-a-school-shooting-worse-social-media
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MORRISTOWN, Tenn. (WATE) – If you find yourself having difficulties getting around comfortably, the folks at Mobility Plus Morristown are here to help you get back to normal.
When you have mobility problems life can become difficult but luckily Mobility Plus Morristown can help you to get back in motion. From scooters, to walkers, to breakdown carts Mobility Plus Morristown makes mobility comfortable and accessible to everyone that visits their well stocked store. If you find yourself experiencing an emergency and will not need your mobility device long term, Mobility Plus Morristown even offers rentals so that you can utilize their specialty equipment when you need it.
A veteran-owned business, Mobility Plus Morristown understands that not every case is the same and go out of their way to show their clients the support that they need to get their life back to normal.
For more information visit the Mobility Plus Morristown website.
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2022-06-06T19:18:57+00:00
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wate.com
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https://www.wate.com/living-east-tennessee/mobility-plus-morristown-provides-comfort-and-mobility/
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Amref Health Africa selected as implementing partner to provide technical assistance for the new peer-to-peer learning network
NAIROBI, Kenya, August 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Rockefeller Foundation announces the launch of the Vaccination Action Network (VAN), a USD$7.4 million locally-led, peer-to-peer learning initiative designed to engage public health decision-makers across sub-Saharan Africa and bolster their efforts to strengthen health systems while scaling up Covid-19 vaccine demand strategies. Sabin Vaccine Institute and Dalberg are the secretariat for the network, while Amref Health Africa (Amref) is playing a key role to guide and administer subgrants to local organizations in participating countries so that they can implement vaccine demand generation strategies discussed during the learning sessions.
The network is already connecting ministry of health officials, implementing partners, and other key actors across Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda through activities designed to take place within and between countries (intra- and cross-country), so participants can share lessons learned and best practices for boosting local demand for Covid-19 vaccines. Plans to expand to other countries in the region are underway as well.
"The Vaccination Action Network's community-based approach brings together our counterparts from across the region and country. This collaboration is the key to finding and implementing the right vaccination approach," said Dr. Diana Atwine, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Uganda. In a recent VAN learning session focused on Wakiso district, Dr. Mathias Lugoloobi, District Health Officer in Uganda's central Wakiso District echoed this sentiment, saying that "for strategies to be successful, the community alone must have the final say."
While more than 60 percent of people have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 globally, just 20 percent of people in Africa have received full doses. Inconsistent and inequitable access to supplies initially hindered the continent's vaccination campaigns. However, uptake is now primarily impacted by complex delivery scenarios, limited access to vaccination centers, and other ongoing demand barriers, such as vaccine hesitancy and waning concerns about Covid-19 infection.
VAN's objective is to help decision-makers understand the drivers behind vaccination and support initiatives that will increase Covid-19 vaccine uptake, while strengthening routine immunization so that health systems are better equipped to respond when the next pandemic strikes. This reflects The Rockefeller Foundation's regional commitment to support localized solutions, empower community representatives, and create more resilient health systems.
"The Vaccination Action Network is helping to establish new channels of communication that will consistently elevate regional learnings, solutions, and leadership," said William Asiko, Vice President of The Rockefeller Foundation Africa Regional Office. "By making these discussions country-led, we want to create a space where those directly involved in vaccination campaigns are able to voice what is working, what isn't, and what needs to change to improve vaccination rates."
Peer-to-peer learning is an important tool for officials who are working to address these challenges. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, this type of intra- and inter-country coordination has helped the continent scale up genomic sequencing and secure essential tools, including personal protective equipment and diagnostic tests.
"By encouraging officials to come together, the Vaccination Action Network is opening new dialogues that emphasize regional solutions to local challenges," said Githinji Gitahi, Group CEO at Amref. "This is essential to tackle vaccine equity issues, which are tied to national and regional contexts, but also offers countries an opportunity for longer-term coordination on other priorities."
VAN will host monthly intra-country sessions and multiple cross-country discussions before the end of the calendar year, with the goal of turning learnings from these sessions into actionable solutions. To facilitate this, VAN is supporting Amref through a USD$5 million grant to design and implement tailored strategies that better reflect local needs and address demand barriers for increased vaccine uptake.
Prior to the launch, VAN hosted two cross-country and five intra-country discussions, which have already yielded results. Following a May VAN session focused on improving vaccine understanding and uptake, the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda is now working to train "vaccination champions" in the Wakiso district. The goal is for champions to connect with communities about the benefits of vaccines, address their questions and concerns, and ultimately encourage vaccination through community-based strategies that have proved successful in past epidemic control settings in Uganda.
"One of our biggest takeaways from the VAN conversation was that we needed to do more to engage communities with accurate and approachable information on Covid-19 vaccines, leaning on lessons learned from other health challenges such as HIV and Ebola," said Mohammed Lamorde, Head of Global Health Security at IDI. "That's why our program focuses on working with trusted community members and leaders to equip them with the tools they need to encourage greater uptake of vaccines within their communities."
VAN represents the Global Vaccination Initiative (GVI)'s first major investment in overcoming low vaccine demand in Africa. Launched in April 2022, GVI is The Rockefeller Foundation's USD$55 million effort to support country-led efforts to fully vaccinate 90% of the most at-risk populations in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean over the next two years.
The Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on collaborative partnerships at the frontiers of science, technology, and innovation to enable individuals, families, and communities to flourish. We work to promote the well-being of humanity and make opportunity universal. Our focus is on scaling renewable energy for all, stimulating economic mobility, and ensuring equitable access to healthy and nutritious food. For more information, sign up for our newsletter at rockefellerfoundation.org and follow us on Twitter @RockefellerFdn.
Amref Health Africa, headquartered in Kenya, is the largest Africa-based International Non-Governmental Organisation (INGO). With a focus on increasing sustainable health access, Amref runs programmes in over 35 countries in Africa, with lessons learnt over 60 years of engagement with governments, communities, and partners. Amref Health Africa also engages in programme development, fundraising, partnership, advocacy, monitoring and evaluation, and has offices in Europe and North America as well as subsidiaries: Amref Flying Doctors, Amref Enterprises and the Amref International University.
Dalberg is a leading social impact advisory group that brings together strategy consulting, design thinking, big data analytics, and research to address complex social and environmental challenges. It works collaboratively with communities, institutions, governments, and corporations to develop solutions that create impact at scale. The Dalberg Group is comprised of six businesses: Dalberg Advisors, Dalberg Data Insights, Dalberg Design, Dalberg Implement, Dalberg Media, and Dalberg Research, and a not-for-profit, Dalberg Catalyst. For more information, visit www.dalberg.com.
The Sabin Vaccine Institute is a leading advocate for expanding vaccine access and uptake globally, advancing vaccine research and development, and amplifying vaccine knowledge and innovation. Unlocking the potential of vaccines through partnership, Sabin has built a robust ecosystem of funders, innovators, implementers, practitioners, policy makers and public stakeholders to advance its vision of a future free from preventable diseases. As a non-profit with more than two decades of experience, Sabin is committed to finding solutions that last and extending the full benefits of vaccines to all people, regardless of who they are or where they live. At Sabin, we believe in the power of vaccines to change the world. For more information, visit www.sabin.org and follow us on Twitter, @SabinVaccine.
View original content:
SOURCE The Rockefeller Foundation
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2022-08-02T04:20:39+00:00
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kmvt.com
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https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2022/08/02/rockefeller-foundation-launches-vaccination-action-network-strengthen-health-systems-scale-up-covid-19-vaccinations-sub-saharan-africa/
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THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The top editors at the Dutch national broadcaster’s sports department have stepped down amid reports that there was a culture of inappropriate behavior and bullying among staff spanning more than two decades, the broadcaster said Monday.
The move followed a report last week compiled by external experts who were asked to look into behavior at NOS Sport amid a wider investigation into the public broadcasting network following another high-profile case last year alleging workplace bullying at a flagship early evening talk show.
“The inventory report contains reports of bullying, (sexual) intimidation, discrimination, verbal aggression and integrity issues over a period of more than 20 years,” NOS said in an initial reaction last week.
At the time, the broadcaster said that the editorial leadership of the sports department would step down at an unspecified date in the future. But following reports in Dutch media over the weekend about the working conditions at NOS Sport, the four top editors said they would step down immediately.
“Due to the discussions we have had over the past few days about the results of the inventory, the previously announced phased withdrawal has sped up,” General director of NOS Gerard Timmer said in a statement Monday. “We are now entering a phase in which we will look at what the sports department needs in the short term and in the future.”
Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant reported in its weekend edition that it had spoken to 32 people, including current and former staffers at NOS Sport, and found a culture “in which women felt unsafe and where reports of (sexually) transgressive behavior were not taken seriously.”
NOS Sport is the country’s major sports broadcaster, covering major international events including the Olympics and the soccer World Cup.
NPO, the umbrella organization for Dutch public broadcasters, said it supported the decision for NOS Sport leaders to step down.
“There should be no room for transgressive behavior in public broadcasting,” NPO said in a statement. “It is vital that everyone feels supported not to accept and to correct inappropriate behavior in the workplace, but also that everyone feels safe enough to speak up about it.”
The independent commission of inquiry was established last year following the reported bullying at De Wereld Draait Door — The World Keeps Turning — a popular talk show that ran for years on the public broadcast network. The commission is aiming to publish its final report by the summer.
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2023-03-13T21:42:04+00:00
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wcia.com
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https://www.wcia.com/news/international/dutch-sports-broadcaster-editors-quit-over-bullying-report/
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NEW YORK (AP) — At age 88, Ralph Nader believes his neighbors in northwest Connecticut are tired of electronics and miss the feel of holding a newspaper to read about their town.
So at a time that local newspapers are dying at an alarming rate, the longtime activist is helping give birth to one.
Copies of the first edition of the Winsted Citizen are circulating around this old New England mill town, with stories about a newly-opened food co-op, a Methodist church closing after attendance lagged at services and the repair of a century-old bridge.
“If it works, it will be a good model for the rest of the country,” said Nader, who as a youngster delivered a long-gone Winsted daily paper in his hometown. He splits time now between Winsted and Washington, D.C.
The last locally-based weekly paper, the Winsted Journal, began in 1996 before being shut down in 2017, unable to make enough money to support itself.
A town of about 8,000, Winsted has seen better days. Locals still talk about the 1955 hurricane that wiped out much of Main Street and killed a big employer, the Gilbert Clock Co. Winsted is surrounded by several better-off smaller communities, with Litchfield County a popular second-home destination for city dwellers, and the Winsted Citizen will cover those, too.
Since the Journal shut down, people are losing touch with what’s going on in local government and the news that knits a community — who’s getting engaged, who’s given birth — Nader said.
“After awhile it all congeals and you start losing history,” he said. “Every year you don’t have a newspaper, you lose that connection.”
Nader invested $15,000 and hired a veteran Connecticut journalist, Andy Thibault, to get the Citizen started. The masthead lists 17 reporters. They get paid, Thibault said, “when they write a story.”
The motto: “It’s your paper. We work for you.”
The Citizen plans to publish monthly until next January, when it will become a weekly, Thibault said. He plans to sustain the newspaper through advertising, donations and subscriptions — $25 for the rest of 2023, and $95 a year after that.
Nader is full of suggestions but not intrusive, Thibault said. The consumer activist and four-time presidential candidate doesn’t dictate a political stance, he said.
Thibault has used his connections to build a solid bench of contributors, including longtime Hartford Courant editorial cartoonist Bob Englehart. The first issue includes a lengthy profile of a successful local basketball coach and a story about a project to paint a five-story mural in two abandoned mill buildings.
The depiction of Winsted as a news desert has grated on some. Bruno Matarazzo Jr., a reporter for the nearby Republican-American in Waterbury, taunts Nader with tweeted reminders that the daily newspaper covers Winsted regularly. Waterbury is about 28 miles (45 km) from Winsted.
“It’s different coverage when a town has its own newspaper than when you have a daily coming in to cover it,” said Janet Manko, publisher and editor in chief of another Connecticut weekly, the Lakeville Journal, which also published the Winsted Journal before it closed. The failure wasn’t because Winsted didn’t deserve a paper, she said.
The Journal is among an estimated 2,500 newspapers that have closed in the United States since 2005, all but about 100 non-dailies, according to a report issued last year by the Northwestern/Medill Local News Initiative.
So Nader is clearly bucking a trend and is to be commended, said Penelope Muse Abernathy, who wrote “The State of Local News” report.
“It will turn heads because it’s Ralph Nader,” she said.
But maybe he won’t be as lonely as it seems. Abernathy said she’s been getting more frequent calls lately for advice from people who want to open newspapers. The cautious approach used by the Citizen — monthly issues before turning weekly — has been used by others, she said. There’s a greater recognition of the need for a smart business plan, instead of just a passion project.
Given Nader’s romance with print, it’s somewhat odd that the lead story in the Citizen’s inaugural edition talks to young Winsted residents about how they get much of their news from social media. Thibault said he plans to build an online presence.
“I like print,” said Terry Cowgill, a columnist for the CTNewsJunkie.com website. “I still like holding a print newspaper in my hand. I’m 65 years old. Most people under 50, certainly under 40, have scarcely ever held a newspaper in their hands.”
He’s rooting for the Citizen, though. Cowgill said he suspects the Citizen’s best chance for long-term success is whether Nader can trade on his celebrity for foundation grants.
Volunteers fanned out on a frigid day last week to deliver copies of the first 12-page issue. One woman, Ruthie Ursone Napoleone, stopped a delivery car to ask for more copies. Her father’s obituary was in the first issue, her nephew was quoted in another story and a third featured her workplace.
She hugged the person who gave her the extra papers.
“I wish my dad could read this,” Napoleone said.
___
Photojournalist Jessica Hill contributed to this report from Winsted, Connecticut.
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2023-02-07T18:26:41+00:00
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seattletimes.com
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https://www.seattletimes.com/business/newspapers-dying-ralph-naders-giving-birth-to-one/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all
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Little Bit of Everything
Published: Feb. 15, 2023 at 4:47 AM CST|Updated: 32 minutes ago
Winds are expected to be breezy yet again today, not the extent of Tuesday, but still windier than what we’d like to see. Also joining the conversation today is snow for our northern/northwestern counties. Snow is likely to start this afternoon and drop several inches in the north, with expected totals getting lighter the further south you get, with precip becoming rain around the Amarillo region, and being non-existent further south. Temperatures today will be cooler as a cold front stalls over us, dropping highs into the mid-50s before plunging into the teens overnight.
Copyright 2023 KFDA. All rights reserved.
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2023-02-15T11:19:55+00:00
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newschannel10.com
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https://www.newschannel10.com/2023/02/15/little-bit-everything/
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Summer blockbusters drawing moviegoers back into theatres after COVID lull
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Summer blockbusters seem to be the hook to bring moviegoers back to the theatre, many for the first time in two years.
The idea of walking into a movie theatre was completely taken out of the equation at the start of the pandemic when a shelter-in-place order closed them on April 1 and kept them closed longer than other spots. Three months later, they could reopen, but many didn’t. Still, some have opened up despite COVID.
“We’re really happy to have people back at the movies with us,” explained Jaclyn Bush, B&B Theatres Events and Marketing Manager.
B&B Theatres in Ridgeland opened in September of 2020 when the pandemic was still in full force. However, more recently, they find showings selling out.
“I think once we started getting those crowds that come in, everybody was just like really excited and anxious to come back,” noted Bush. “Planning these events and having these outside things because it really just draws them in. Not only do we bring you in just for a movie experience, just something that you might have been waiting for, but it is that anticipation like it used to be.”
Reclining seats, a bar, a children’s area, and extra features are elements they know separate it from an at-home experience. A similar approach of wanting to offer more than just a movie is what you’ll find at Capri Theatre in Jackson, which opened in January of this year.
“This spring and summer has exceeded expectations 100 fold, I mean, kind of starting with as far back as Batman,” noted Jarred Patterson, Managing Partner of Pix and Pins Development that includes the Capri. “But then it all kind of ramped up with Top Gun. Jurassic World, Elvis, Dr. Strange, Thor, I mean, so back to back to back. A lot of times, what we’ve seen is people are coming to the movies two or three times. So, that’s exceeded any expectation that we had.”
A full restaurant-style menu and cocktails combine dinner and movie when they know people are otherwise busy.
“We’re kind of giving them some time back where they can kind of combine those two experiences in one and make it a seamless experience,” added Patterson.
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Copyright 2022 WLBT. All rights reserved.
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2022-07-16T01:47:07+00:00
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wlbt.com
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https://www.wlbt.com/2022/07/16/summer-blockbusters-drawing-moviegoers-back-into-theatres-after-covid-lull/
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FIFA made false claims about ‘carbon-neutral’ World Cup in Qatar, Swiss regulator says
ZURICH (AP) — An advertising regulator says FIFA made false claims about last year’s World Cup in Qatar being carbon neutral. The Swiss Commission for Fairness says FIFA was “not able to provide proof that the claims were accurate.” The commission judged complaints filed by environmental groups in five European countries. The commission says it “advised FIFA to refrain from making unsubstantiated claims in the future.” Qatar spent more than $200 billion on a decade-long construction program of mostly air-conditioned projects like stadiums to prepare for hosting the World Cup.
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2023-06-07T18:42:37+00:00
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krdo.com
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https://krdo.com/news/ap-national-news/2023/06/07/fifa-made-false-claims-about-carbon-neutral-world-cup-in-qatar-swiss-regulator-says/
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Tile ensures all that is missing isn't lost with easy-to-use QR adhesive Labels to complement Bluetooth capabilities
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tile, a Life360 company and the pioneer in finding technology, today announces the launch of Lost and Found Labels. Available now online on Tile.com, Lost and Found Labels combine an adhesive QR code Label with the free Tile app to connect owners and finders. Lost and Found Labels are Tile's latest solution to aid in its mission of keeping everyone connected to the things they love by simplifying the return of lost items to their owners.
Lost and Found Labels allow owners to attach the QR code Label to important items, and add contact information with a personalized message through the free Tile app. If the item is lost, the finder can simply scan the QR code Label, clearly marked with the Tile logo, view the provided contact information and return the item. Lost and Found Labels offer a discreet solution for adding identifiable information to items where Bluetooth trackers are not the right option. This reduces the time it takes to be reunited with lost items, and provides owners with peace of mind that if important items go missing, they will make it home. Items that would be a fit for Lost and Found Labels include school books, travel mugs, musical instruments, sports equipment, and earbud cases.
"The addition of Lost and Found Labels to Tile's product suite enhances our global network by making all important items findable," said Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Life360 Chris Hulls. "This is the first of many steps Life360 and Tile combined are taking to make every day easier with ways to stay organized, connected with family members, and safe."
Tile began incorporating QR codes on the back of Bluetooth devices in 2021 to support the return of lost items. Lost and Found Labels are Tile's first stand-alone QR code-style adhesive, making Tile's family of products that much more versatile to help users keep track of their favorite items. Tile's entire product line comes in various shapes, sizes, and styles, including the Tile Pro, Tile Mate, Tile Slim, and Tile Sticker.
Lost and Found Labels are available in forest, plum and teal colors and can be purchased at Tile.com.
Life360 operates a platform for today's busy families, bringing them closer together by helping them better know, communicate with and protect the people they care about most. The Company's core offering, the Life360 mobile app, is a market leading app for families, with features that range from communications to driving safety and location sharing. Life360 is based in San Francisco and had 42 million monthly active users (MAU) as at June 2022, located in more than 150 countries.
Tile, a Life360 company, locates millions of unique items every day by giving everything the power of smart location. Leveraging its superior nearby finding features and vast community that spans over 150 countries, Tile's cloud-based finding platform helps people find the things that matter to them most. In addition to devices in multiple form factors for a variety of use cases, Tile's finding technology is embedded in over 55 partner products across audio, travel, wearables, smart home, and PC categories. For more information, please visit Tile.com.
Media Contact:
Stephanie Reynolds
(415) 320-6143
press@life360.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Life360
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2022-09-19T17:41:58+00:00
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kwtx.com
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https://www.kwtx.com/prnewswire/2022/09/19/tile-launches-lost-found-labels-alongside-signature-bluetooth-trackers-creating-comprehensive-lost-found-network/
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The Ravens’ 2022 season doesn’t kick off until Sunday, and already one of the NFL’s biggest storylines belongs to them.
With quarterback Lamar Jackson and Ravens officials failing to agree to an extension before Friday’s deadline, the league’s most scrutinized contract talks will be suspended until next offseason. Jackson, the 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player, was already coming off the most disappointing and painful season of his career. Now, as he plays out the final year of his rookie contract, every game will become a referendum on his value to the franchise.
Jackson’s first start since Dec. 12 will come against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Here’s what to watch in their Week 1 matchup.
1. The Ravens team that awaits new starting quarterback Joe Flacco on Sunday doesn’t look much like the one he left after the 2018 season. Just 12 Ravens on that year’s roster are still on the team, two of whom — defensive linemen Michael Pierce and Brent Urban — returned within the past year. Two former teammates, defensive back-linebacker Anthony Levine Sr. and punter Sam Koch, are now on the Ravens’ coaching staff.
“There are some players that are still there,” Flacco said on “The Official Jets Podcast” this week. “But if you’re talking about the bulk of my career, and the guys that I actually played with, in terms of that, it’s a completely new football team. It’s just the same organization. So you know, sometimes we make too big of a deal out of these things and stuff like that. Guys switch teams all the time. You know, I think I’m a quarterback, so obviously, it’s a little bit different, for whatever reason. And Coach [John] Harbaugh is still there, but a lot of the coaching staff is probably pretty similar.”
2. A decade ago, after declining a contract extension, Flacco entered his fifth season in Baltimore without any long-term security. Then he led the Ravens to their second Super Bowl title with a historic run of playoff production. Less than a month later, he signed a six-year extension that briefly made him the highest-paid player in NFL history. With Jackson now set to play this season on the final year of his own rookie contract, Flacco was asked Wednesday whether he could relate to Jackson “betting on yourself.”
“I think it makes for a decent story, one way or the other,” he told local reporters. “At the end of the day, I didn’t really view it as betting on myself, and therefore, I didn’t really have to put any extra pressure on myself. I was confident in the player that I was and what was going on at that time and what it all is.
“I’m sure he feels the same way. He’s confident in the player that he is, and he’s going to be that player and all that. So I think at the end of the day, he probably feels like it’s all going to settle where it should as long as he continues to play football. So I know people like to talk about that and bet on yourself, but I don’t think that we really look at it that way. I just think that we kind of look at ourselves as the football players that we are and see what’s out there and know the nature of the business. It just kind of is what it is when it comes to contract talks.”
3. The Ravens’ thin outside linebacker room should get some help Saturday, when practice squad players Steven Means and Kyler Fackrell are eligible for promotion to the active roster. But Odafe Oweh and Justin Houston could also get some relief Sunday from defensive lineman Calais Campbell, who can function as a hand-in-the-dirt edge rusher. The 36-year-old was disruptive there early in his career and played 67 snaps in outside alignments last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
“You’re going against tight ends, and tight ends can’t block me in this league,” Campbell said Wednesday with a laugh. “But at the end of the day, though, I’ll play wherever they put me. I just want to get out on the field and try to help the team win football games. … We did a little bit of it in camp, and I think it looked really good. I felt just at home doing it, like I used to, so it’s no big deal.”
4. In the Ravens’ final road game of 2021, their struggling defense, depleted by injuries and the coronavirus, allowed a franchise-worst 498 passing yards in a Week 16 blowout loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. They should be better prepared Sunday against a talented receiving corps led by a recent big-money signing (wide receiver Corey Davis), two recent top-35 draft picks (wide receivers Elijah Moore and Garrett Wilson) and two tight ends coming off career years (Tyler Conklin and C.J. Uzomah).
Marcus Williams, Chuck Clark and rookie Kyle Hamilton form one of the NFL’s most versatile safety trios. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey is back to full strength and had an impressive training camp. Even if fellow starter Marcus Peters (knee) is limited or unavailable, the Ravens can turn to Kyle Fuller and Brandon Stephens out wide. And defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald said Thursday that he’s comfortable playing rookies Damarion “Pepe” Williams and Jalyn Armour-Davis, fourth-round picks who missed time in the preseason with injuries but were full participants this week.
5. Rashod Bateman’s first big showdown of his second season might end up as more of a sideshow. The Ravens’ top wide receiver could spend much of Sunday’s game in a different neighborhood than rookie cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, the Jets’ No. 4 overall pick and a projected starter.
Bateman lined up on the left side of the Ravens’ offense on over 72% of his snaps last season, according to Rotowire. Gardner, meanwhile, played all 31 of his defensive snaps this preseason at left outside cornerback, according to PFF, meaning he faced right-sided receivers. In the Jets’ “Cover 3″-heavy scheme, which drops three deep defensive backs into deep zones, outside cornerbacks typically stick to one side before the snap.
6. In August, the Jets lost starting left tackle Mekhi Becton to a second straight season-ending knee injury. On Friday, his replacement, free-agent signing Duane Brown, was ruled out of Week 1 with a shoulder injury. Now starting right tackle George Fant, who impressed at left tackle after replacing the injured Becton last season, will return there Sunday. Rookie Max Mitchell, a fourth-round pick who graded out poorly in the preseason, according to PFF, will start at right tackle.
The Jets’ musical chairs up front could make Flacco a sitting duck for edge rushers like Odafe and Houston. “You’re not playing a rushing quarterback, let’s just put it that way,” ESPN analyst Matt Bowen said in a recent interview. “You start moving late rotations [in coverage], you’re going to see it fast and get the ball out, try to be efficient with the ball. But Joe Flacco is not a high-end mover, and I would heat him up. That’s what I would do as a defensive coordinator. I’d go after him.”
7. Week 1 could deliver the season’s best special teams matchup. The Ravens finished last year ranked No. 1 in overall efficiency, according to Football Outsiders, bolstered by All-Pro kicker Justin Tucker and All-Pro punt returner Devin Duvernay. The Jets, led by All-Pro kick returner Braxton Berrios, were No. 2.
“If we play well, it will show, and I do believe our guys will go out and they will play well,” Ravens special teams coordinator Chris Horton said Thursday. “It’s just one of those things. They are a good football team; they have good players. It’s going to be for our guys to create the matchups and the things we want to see. Sunday is Sunday, and we’ll find out once we actually get out there and see the guys out on the field.”
8. The Ravens and Jets share another distinction, this one unwanted: They were the NFL’s two most injured teams last season. While the Ravens finished 2021 with the most “adjusted games lost” in Football Outsiders’ two decades of charting — a metric that accounts for the relative value of starters — the Jets actually had more games lost on defense. Defensive ends Carl Lawson and Vinny Curry missed the entire season. Safeties Lamarcus Joyner and Marcus Maye played in just seven games total.
The Ravens are still getting back to full strength, with left tackle Ronnie Stanley, running back J.K. Dobbins and Peters all either questionable or doubtful for Sunday’s game. Running back Gus Edwards, tight end Charlie Kolar and outside linebackers Tyus Bowser and David Ojabo will miss at least the first four games.
9. Devin Duvernay could be one of the busiest players inside MetLife Stadium on Sunday, and in every week the Ravens play after that. Already the team’s top kickoff and punt returner, Duvernay is now expected to start at wide receiver alongside Bateman. He played at least 60 combined snaps in just two games last season. With a more regular workload on offense, that could be the norm.
“He can handle everything that we ask of him,” Harbaugh said Friday. “There’s no doubt about that. And then we’ll try to ask of him the right amount. So however that shakes out, we’ll see.”
10. Sunday will mark Jets inside linebacker C.J. Mosley’s first game against the Ravens since leaving Baltimore after the 2018 season to sign a five-year, $85 million deal. Mosley, a four-time Pro Bowl selection with the Ravens, took a while to get going in his new home. A groin injury limited Mosley to two games in 2019, and he opted out of the 2020 season amid the coronavirus pandemic. Last season, he finished fourth in the NFL in tackles with a career-high 168.
But Mosley’s pass defense was a glaring issue. According to Pro Football Reference, he was targeted 68 times in coverage in 2021 and allowed 58 completions (85.3% accuracy) for 525 yards and three touchdowns. Tight ends last season regularly hurt the Jets, who had the second-worst efficiency in the NFL when defending the group, according to Football Outsiders. That bodes well for the Ravens’ Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely.
11. Two former Bengals standouts could loom large Sunday. Uzomah had 49 catches for 493 yards last season for Cincinnati, with over a quarter of his yardage coming against the Ravens. He had three catches for 91 yards in Week 7, shedding Humphrey for a 55-yard catch-and-run score, and five catches for 36 yards in Week 16. Uzomah signed a three-year, $24 million contract with the Jets in March.
Lawson, who agreed to a three-year, $45 million deal in 2021, had less success in his AFC North days. In seven games against the Ravens from 2017 to 2020, he had just one sack and six quarterback hits. He missed all of last season with a torn Achilles tendon but is expected to play Sunday, likely lining up across from Ravens left tackle Ja’Wuan James. Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said Lawson’s physical ability makes him a “unicorn.” “We missed him last year, we’re excited to have him back, we really are,” Ulbrich said Thursday, “and I know he’s excited, too.”
12. Jackson needs 33 passing yards Sunday to reach 10,000 for his career. He would become the fastest quarterback in NFL history to record 10,000 passing yards and 3,500 rushing yards (59 games), marks only seven others have reached. With another 100-yard rushing performance, he’d also set an NFL regular-season record for the most by a quarterback, breaking his tie with Michael Vick (10).
Bateman needs four catches Sunday to become the fastest player in Ravens history to reach 50 in his career (13 games). In 2011, wide receiver Torrey Smith (Maryland) had 50 receptions over his 16-game rookie season.
13. Under Harbaugh, the Ravens are 10-4 in season openers and have won five of their past six. Harbaugh’s .714 winning percentage in Week 1 is tied for the NFL’s third-best mark since he took over in 2008.
Winning on Sunday, Harbaugh said, is “important. It’s 1-0. There’s a big difference if you go 0-1. Then you have to win two in a row to get back to where you would have been if you had won in the first place. That’s kind of the math of it. So it’s a big deal.”
()
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2022-09-10T11:41:06+00:00
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twincities.com
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https://www.twincities.com/2022/09/10/previewing-ravens-vs-jets-13-things-to-watch-including-joe-flacco-rashod-bateman-and-defensive-help/
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KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Emergency workers recovered three bodies from a school hit by a Russian strike in eastern Ukraine, officials said Friday, one of a string of attacks on the nation.
The casualties in the city of Kramatorsk followed a barrage Thursday on a densely populated area of Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, that killed at least three people and wounded 23.
In the most significant agreement involving the warring parties so far, Russian and Ukrainian officials signed deals with the U.N. and Turkey to avert a global food crisis by clearing the way for the shipment of millions of tons of Ukrainian grain and some Russian exports of grain and fertilizer. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address the deals offer “a chance to prevent a global catastrophe – a famine that could lead to political chaos in many countries of the world, in particular in the countries that help us.”
Yet the war that has blocked those grain shipments for almost five months did not abate. Russia this week reiterated its plans to seize territories beyond eastern Ukraine, where the Russian military has been trying to conquer the Donbas region, comprising the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces.
The Ukrainian president’s office said that in one Donbas city, Kramatorsk, Russian shelling destroyed a school and damaged 85 residential buildings. Ukraine’s state emergencies agency said rescuers found three bodies in the ruins of the school, which was hit Thursday.
“Russian strikes on schools and hospitals are very painful and reflect its true goal of reducing peaceful cities to ruins,” Donetsk Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said in televised remarks, repeating his call for residents to evacuate.
Russia gave a different account of the attack. Defense Ministry spokesman Lt. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Thursday’s strike killed more than 300 Ukrainian troops using Kramatorsk’s School No. 23 as their base. He said another strike destroyed a munitions depot in the southern city of Mykolaiv.
Konashenkov also said Russian forces destroyed four U.S.-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems between July 5-20. The U.S. said it has supplied 12 of the multiple-rocket launchers to Ukraine. The claims could not be independently verified.
A senior U.S. defense official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity in line with department rules, said Thursday that Russia had not yet taken out a single HIMARS but was likely to “get lucky” and do so at some point.
The U.S. announced Friday that as part of a new $270 million security assistance package, it will deliver four more HIMARS to Ukraine. The package will allow Kyiv to acquire up to 580 Phoenix Ghost drones, about 36,000 rounds of artillery ammunition and more guided rockets known as GMLRS.
Ukrainian forces have used U.S.-made rocket launchers and tactical drones to hold at bay Russia’s larger and more heavily equipped forces. The Ukrainian military has used HIMARS, which have a higher range and better precision compared with similar Soviet-era systems in the Russian and Ukrainian inventory, to strike Russian munitions depots and other key targets.
In the Dnipro region of central Ukraine, three schools were destroyed in the latest Russian strikes, Ukrainian authorities said. Seven Russian missiles hit the small town of Apostolove, wounding 18 residents.
The regional governor, Valentyn Reznichenko, decried the “senseless” attack.
“There are no military goals behind it, and this shelling could only be explained by their desire to keep people on edge and sow panic and fear,” Reznichenko said.
In other developments Friday:
— The British Defense Ministry said it believes that Russia is experiencing “critical shortages” of dedicated ground-attack missiles and therefore has increased its use of air-defense missiles “in secondary ground attack mode.” The ministry said Russia has “almost certainly” deployed S-300 and S-400 strategic air defense systems designed to shoot down aircraft and missiles at long range, and that there is a “high chance” of them missing their intended targets and causing civilian casualties.
— The senior U.S. defense official said the fight for Donetsk is “likely to last through the summer,” with Russia achieving slow gains at high cost. The official said Russia is launching tens of thousands artillery rounds per day but has used a lot of “smarter munitions” and “can’t keep it up forever.”
— A city council member in Russia’s third-largest city was charged with disseminating false information about Russia’s armed forces and could face up to three years in prison if convicted. The criminal case against Novosibirsk council member Helga Pirogova was opened Friday, according to Russian state news agency RIA-Novosti. Investigators found that she “published deliberately false information under the guise of a reliable message containing data on the use of the Russian Armed Forces,” the report said, without giving further details. The independent Latvia-based news outlet Meduza said the investigation began after a tweet by Pirogova criticizing “luxurious” funerals for Russians killed in Ukraine.
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Nomaan Merchant in Washington contributed to this report.
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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
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2022-07-23T03:11:50+00:00
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localsyr.com
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https://www.localsyr.com/news/international/school-in-east-ukraine-hit-by-russian-strike-bodies-found/
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CALGARY, Alberta, July 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Enverus Intelligence Research (EIR), a subsidiary of Enverus, the leading energy data analytics and SaaS technology company, is releasing its summary of 2Q22 upstream M&A. Overall, Q2 was a challenging quarter for negotiating deals as volatility roiled both commodity and equity markets. Despite that, about $12 billion was transacted in upstream M&A as numerous private equity (PE) firms brought their investments to market looking to cash in on high oil and gas prices.
"As anticipated, the spike in commodity prices that followed Russia's invasion of Ukraine temporarily stalled M&A as buyers and sellers disagreed on the value of assets," said Andrew Dittmar, director at Enverus Intelligence Research. "High prices, though, also encouraged a rush by PE firms to test the waters for M&A. While not everyone that is going into the market is getting what they deem to be a suitable offer, enough are to drive modestly active upstream M&A."
About one-third of the quarter's total deal value came from a merger of equals between private Colgate Energy Partners III, which is focused on the Delaware Basin part of the Permian, and public Centennial Resource Development.
"Public equity markets are retaining a multi-year trend of being essentially closed for private E&Ps to launch a traditional IPO," added Dittmar. "That leaves M&A as the main exit route. There is appetite on the public company side to buy out private E&Ps, but public companies need to keep the valuation paid on these deals in line or less than where the market is pricing their own stock."
One way for public companies to get more deals done is to increase the use of relatively cheap debt financing in M&A. In recent weeks, there has been an uptick in the use of debt to pay for deals. Provided banks continue to be willing to lend and E&Ps willing to borrow, this has the potential to fuel further deals.
"Looking forward I don't think we will see any shortage of assets available for sale by private equity firms across every major shale play," concluded Dittmar.
About Enverus
Enverus is the leading energy SaaS company delivering highly-technical insights and predictive/prescriptive analytics that empower customers to make decisions that increase profit. Enverus' innovative technologies drive production and investment strategies, enable best practices for energy and commodity trading and risk management, and reduce costs through automated processes across critical business functions. Enverus is a strategic partner to more than 6,000 customers in 50 countries. Learn more at Enverus.com.
About Enverus Intelligence Research
Enverus Intelligence Research, Inc. is a subsidiary of Enverus and publishes energy-sector research that focuses on the oil and natural gas industries and broader energy topics including publicly traded and privately held oil, gas, midstream and other energy industry companies, basin studies (including characteristics, activity, infrastructure, etc.), commodity pricing forecasts, global macroeconomics and geopolitical matters. Enverus Intelligence Research, Inc. is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an investment adviser.
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SOURCE Enverus
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2022-07-14T14:15:02+00:00
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wbrc.com
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https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2022/07/14/upstream-mampa-falls-12-billion-volatile-market/
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TEMPE, Ariz. and PRAGUE, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NortonLifeLock (NASDAQ: NLOK), a global leader in Cyber Safety, today announced it has completed its previously announced acquisition of Avast.
"We believe that everyone deserves the freedom to live their digital lives to the fullest," said Vincent Pilette, CEO of NortonLifeLock and the Combined Company. "Half a billion users trust us to protect and empower their digital lives, and now that NortonLifeLock and Avast have come together, we plan to redefine and reimagine Cyber Safety for consumers and small businesses around the world."
On a provisional basis, shareholders holding 36.505% of the Avast shares elected the Majority Stock Option comprising 0.1937 new NortonLifeLock shares and $2.37 in cash per Avast share, with the remaining 63.495% due to receive the Majority Cash Option comprising 0.0302 new NortonLifeLock shares and $7.61 in cash per Avast share. On a provisional basis and prior to the calculation of the amount of GBP consideration due pursuant to the currency conversion facility, the aggregate consideration due pursuant to the Merger comprises 94,201,223 new NortonLifeLock Shares and cash consideration of approximately $5,970,761,620.
With the completion of the transaction, trading in Avast shares was suspended at 7:30 a.m. BST on September 12, 2022, and the Avast shares will be delisted from the London Stock Exchange effective as of September 13, 2022, at 8:00 a.m. BST.
The Combined Company will operate as NortonLifeLock Inc. and discuss its shared financials and metrics during the fiscal year 2023 second quarter earnings release call. As it starts merging its operations, the Combined Company will soon announce a new name that reflects the forward-thinking vision and scale of its comprehensive Cyber Safety platform and trust-based solutions for consumers around the world. It will also begin trading under a new stock ticker under the new company name on NASDAQ. Until that time, the Combined Company will operate as NortonLifeLock Inc. and continue trading on NASDAQ under its current "NLOK" ticker symbol.
Advisors
Evercore is serving as financial advisor to NortonLifeLock and Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Macfarlanes LLP are serving as its legal advisors. UBS and J.P. Morgan Cazenove are serving as financial advisors to Avast and White & Case LLP is serving as its legal advisor.
For more information, please visit investor.nortonlifelock.com/offer-for-avast.
About NortonLifeLock Inc.
NortonLifeLock Inc. (NASDAQ: NLOK) is a global leader in consumer Cyber Safety, protecting and empowering people to live their digital lives safely. We are the consumer's trusted ally in an increasingly complex and connected world. Learn more about how we're transforming Cyber Safety at www.nortonlifelock.com.
About Avast
Avast is a global leader in digital security and privacy products. Avast offers products under the Avast and AVG brands that help protect people from threats on the internet and the evolving IoT threat landscape. Its threat detection network is among the most advanced in the world, using machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies to detect and stop threats in real time. Avast digital security products for Mobile, PC or Mac are top-ranked and certified by VB100, AV-Comparatives, AV-Test, SE Labs and others. Avast is a member of Coalition Against Stalkerware, No More Ransom and Internet Watch Foundation. Visit: www.avast.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate only to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements often use words such as "anticipate", "target", "expect", "estimate", "intend", "plan", "goal", "believe", "aim", "will", "may", "would", "could" or "should" or other words of similar meaning or the negative thereof. Forward-looking statements include statements relating to the following: (i) future capital expenditures, expenses, revenues, economic performance, financial conditions, dividend policy, losses and future prospects of the combined group of NortonLifeLock and Avast (the "Combined Company"); (ii) business and management strategies and the expansion and growth of the operations of the Combined Company; (iii) the effects of government regulation on the business of the Combined Company; and (iv) the time frame and the expected benefits of the Merger to the Combined Company and its respective customers, stockholders and investors, including expected growth, earnings accretion and cost savings. There are many factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, general business and economic conditions globally, industry trends, competition, changes in government and other regulation, changes in political and economic stability, disruptions in business operations due to reorganization activities, interest rate and currency fluctuations, the inability of the Combined Company to realize successfully any anticipated synergy benefits when the Merger is implemented, the inability of the Combined Company to integrate successfully NortonLifeLock's and Avast's operations when the Merger is implemented, fluctuations and volatility in NortonLifeLock's stock price, the ability of NortonLifeLock to successfully execute strategic plans, the ability of the Combined Company to maintain customer and partner relationships, the timing and market acceptance of new product releases and upgrades, matters arising out of the ongoing SEC investigation and the Combined Company incurring and/or experiencing unanticipated costs and/or delays or difficulties relating to the Merger when it is implemented. Additional information concerning these and other risk factors is contained in the Risk Factors sections of NortonLifeLock's most recent reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q, the contents of which are not incorporated by reference into, nor do they form part of, this press release.
These forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions regarding the present and future business strategies of such persons and the environment in which each will operate in the future. By their nature, these forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, as well as uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. The factors described in the context of such forward-looking statements in this press release may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of any such person, or industry results and developments, to be materially different from any results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct and persons reading this press release are therefore cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements which speak only as at the date of this press release. All subsequent oral or written forward-looking statements attributable to NortonLifeLock, Avast or any persons acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statement above. NortonLifeLock does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law, regulation or stock exchange rules.
Restricted Jurisdictions
Copies of this press release and any formal documentation relating to the Merger are not being, and must not be, directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise forwarded, distributed or sent in, into or from any jurisdiction where local laws or regulations may result in a significant risk of legal or regulatory exposure if information concerning the Merger were made available in that jurisdiction, or if details regarding any election that may be made in connection with the Merger is or were extended or made available in that jurisdiction, or where to do so would result in a requirement to comply with any governmental or other consent or any registration, filing or other formality which NortonLifeLock or Avast regards as unduly onerous. Any persons receiving this press release, or any such documents (including custodians, nominees and trustees), must not mail or otherwise forward, distribute or send them in or into or from any such restricted jurisdiction.
No Offer or Solicitation
The information contained in this press release is for information purposes only and is not intended to and does not constitute, or form any part of, an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to subscribe for an invitation to subscribe for any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction pursuant to the Merger or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance, subscription or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law or regulation. In particular, this press release is not an offer of securities for sale in the United States. No offer of securities shall be made in the United States absent registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, such registration requirements. Any securities issued as part of the Merger are anticipated to be issued in reliance upon available exemptions from such registration requirements pursuant to Section 3(a)(10) of the Securities Act. The Merger will be made solely by means of the scheme document published by Avast, or (if applicable) pursuant to an offer document to be published by NortonLifeLock, which (as applicable) would contain the full terms and conditions of the Merger. Any decision in respect of, or other response to, the Merger, should be made only on the basis of the information contained in such document(s). If NortonLifeLock ultimately seeks to implement the Merger by way of a takeover offer, that offer will be made in compliance with applicable US laws and regulations.
No profit forecasts or estimates
No statement in this press release is intended as, or is to be construed as, a profit forecast or estimate for any period and no statement in this press release should be interpreted to mean that earnings or earnings per ordinary share, for NortonLifeLock or Avast, respectively for the current or future financial years would necessarily match or exceed the historical published earnings or earnings per ordinary share for NortonLifeLock or Avast, respectively.
Publication on website
A copy of this press release will be made available (subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident in Restricted Jurisdictions) on NortonLifeLock's website (at https://investor.nortonlifelock.com/) by no later than 12 noon London time on the business day following the date of this press release. Neither the contents of this website nor the content of any other website accessible from hyperlinks on such website is incorporated into, or forms part of, this press release.
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2022-09-12T12:46:54+00:00
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wcjb.com
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https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/nortonlifelock-completes-merger-with-avast/
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SMITH WEST CHAPEL
No Services Planned
SMITH DOWNTOWN CHAPEL
925 S. 27th 245-6427
FICK - Richard E., 82, of Lockwood, passed Wednesday, November 9. At Richard's request no services are to be held. (13)
SMITH FUNERAL CHAPEL LAUREL
315 E. 3rd. 628-6858
No Services Planned
SMITH OLCOTT CHAPEL RED LODGE
201 N. Broadway 446-1121
No Services Planned
SMITH FUNERAL CHAPEL COLUMBUS
35 N. Diamond St. 628-6858
MULLIN - Roger C., 67, of Columbus formerly Colstrip, passed November 4. Memorial Service, Monday, November 14, at 10:30 a.m. at St James Lutheran Church, 205 E 1st Ave N, Columbus, MT. Interment with full honors to follow at 1 p.m. at Yellowstone National Cemetery, 55 Buffalo Trail Rd, Laurel, MT. (14)
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2022-11-13T06:40:46+00:00
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billingsgazette.com
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https://billingsgazette.com/announcements/other/obit-directory-111322-smith-funeral-chapel/article_13371e3c-f582-5e98-a993-efe89b2672a8.html
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Hoover Library providing free and reduced lunches for kids
HOOVER, Ala. (WBRC) - Hoover library leaders is stepping up to help their by offering free and reduced lunches for kids.
The library now partnering with East Café 59 to fill a gap after the Hoover City Schools free summer feeding program was suspended.
Jeremy Davis, a Hoover Librarian said that the lunches began June 1 and will run every weekday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. through the end of this month.
“Being a librarian is not just about books, it’s about helping people,” Davis said.
In the lunch is a sandwich, chips, fruit or dairy product and a drink.
“But we are giving out probably 30 to 50 free ones a day and maybe a little more depending on the day,” Davis said.
There are three lunch options for kids, the first option is a reduced-price meal that’s $2.50 cents.
“Then there is the buy one give one, so if you are able, you could buy one and then donate one to the free lunch program which is the third option, a completely free lunch,” Davis said.
This is all in addition to their community pantry inside the library and the little food pantry outside the library.
“We are really trying to break down the barriers that keep people from using our services and from being able to get what they need in the community as well,” Davis said.
The library will also share information about other locations in the Birmingham metro area that are offering free meals.
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Copyright 2023 WBRC. All rights reserved.
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2023-07-04T00:00:22+00:00
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wbrc.com
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https://www.wbrc.com/2023/07/03/hoover-library-providing-free-reduced-lunches-kids/
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At this moment in Texas, it is difficult to imagine living without air conditioning. Most parts of the state are stuck in a streak of triple-digit temperatures with no end in sight. AC is, literally, a lifesaver. And the number of people worldwide who use it is expected to grow, especially in places like China and India.
There’s a contradiction inherent in air conditioning, though: The more we use it, the more we help heat the planet. Climate watchers like Stan Cox have long called to wean ourselves off AC, or at least reduce our reliance on it. Cox is a fellow at The Land Institute and the author of “Losing Our Cool: Uncomfortable Truths About Our Air-Conditioned World (and Finding New Ways to Get Through the Summer).”
Cox spoke to the Texas Standard about whether a future with less air conditioning is still possible.
This transcript has been edited lightly for clarity:
Texas Standard: To what extent does air conditioning itself contribute to global warming?
Stan Cox: Air conditioning kicks off kind of a vicious cycle in which our greenhouse gas emissions make summers become warmer, so we use more air conditioning. And then by burning more energy for air conditioning and the refrigerants from air conditioning, which are greenhouse gases, we’re guaranteeing that future summers will be even hotter.
Is air conditioning here to stay, or do you see a time in which we we might actually be able to do without it?
Unfortunately, it probably is. Back 15 years ago when I wrote this book about air conditioning, I argued that certainly we need it for heat emergencies, but that the routine lavish use of air conditioning and commercial spaces and houses is excessive, and especially in this country. But it’s getting harder and harder each year to make that argument.
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What technologies or techniques do you have in mind to make better use so that there’s not this sort of profligate use of AC?
It’s really going to take an overhaul of our built environment: to tear up parking lots, tear up streets, make it hard to drive in urban areas, but to plant trees and grass there, to plant green roofs on buildings and to adjust our selves to the temperature. Because when we’re in continuous air conditioning, it lowers our heat tolerance. Being exposed to warmer temperatures actually makes us more tolerant of higher temperature.
We’ve become over the past 60 years people not worrying about not being in that optimum temperature range in the 70s to a place where now it’s considered a necessity. People for millennia have gotten by in hot climates without air conditioning, so it’s not like we can’t do it. Although if we keep emitting greenhouse gases the way we are and we keep seeing temperatures rise so fast, then, you know, there’s not much you can do about it.
» MORE: With sweltering heat ongoing, how is Texas’ grid and energy industry faring?
Let me ask you about something that I think a lot of folks who work days think about as they leave their house in the summer. Do you turn off all of your AC, come home to a house that’s rather hot, then crank up your AC to try to get it back to not as hot as it has been? Or is it a more efficient use of energy and perhaps more environmentally sound to bring the temperature up in your house and then bring it back down when you get home, or just leave it at one constant temperature all the time?
With central air conditioning in a large house, certainly the idea of leaving the air conditioning off all day on a really hot day and then coming home and turning it on is going to use a lot of electricity. And I’m not an expert in these things, but probably having the thermostat automatically switch between daytime and nighttime settings.
In most countries other than the U.S., central air conditioning is not really all that common. There will be what are called split ACs that are in certain rooms of the house, and they are turned on only when the space is occupied and only during times when it’s uncomfortable. In that case it will very quickly cool that one room down and then only have to keep a much smaller volume of air cool.
If you found the reporting above valuable, please consider making a donation to support it here. Your gift helps pay for everything you find on texasstandard.org and KUT.org. Thanks for donating today.
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2023-07-20T18:23:46+00:00
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kut.org
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https://www.kut.org/texasstandard/2023-07-20/future-without-air-conditioning-becoming-harder-imagine
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The story so far: AP’s investigation into federal prisons
By The Associated Press
An ongoing Associated Press investigation has uncovered deep, previously unreported flaws within the Justice Department’s largest law enforcement agency, the federal Bureau of Prisons. Its secrets have long been hidden within its walls and barbed-wire fences. The AP’s reporting has revealed layer after layer of abuse, neglect and leadership missteps. Serious problems include rampant sexual abuse by workers, severe staffing shortages, inmate escapes and the mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Such revelations led directly to the agency’s director announcing his resignation earlier this year.
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2022-12-09T16:57:12+00:00
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krdo.com
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https://krdo.com/news/ap-national-news/2022/12/09/the-story-so-far-aps-investigation-into-federal-prisons/
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4 teens arrested after police find guns, drugs in vehicle in Greenfield
GREENFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — Four teenage boys were arrested Monday during a traffic stop in Greenfield after officers found drugs and guns in the vehicle, police say.
On Monday, Greenfield detectives were working proactive drug and firearms crime enforcement and stopped a vehicle in the area of State Street and New Road. During the traffic stop, police say probable cause was established and began to search the vehicle, a release said Wednesday.
During the search, detectives found two guns, ammunition, multiple THC vape cartridges, and several hundred dollars in cash.
Two 16-year-olds and two 17-year-olds were arrested. One 16-year-old and one 17-year-old were released to their guardians and face charges of illegal possession of marijuana.
The other two teens were taken and transported to an out-of-county juvenile detention facility. They both face charges of illegal possession of a firearm by a minor and dealing marijuana.
In a news release, Greenfield Police Department Captian Schwamberger calls on parents in the community to know what their kids are doing and who they are with. If parents have guns in their household, please be responsible to keep them locked up and away from children at all times.
Police say since all four boys are juveniles, their names will not be released. Detectives were working Wednesday to determine where the drugs and guns came from.
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2023-06-28T22:37:53+00:00
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wishtv.com
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https://www.wishtv.com/news/crime-watch-8/4-teens-arrested-after-police-find-guns-drugs-in-vehicle-in-greenfield/
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WALPOLE — Walpole is making a statement. This team can compete with the best.
Looking to avenge an overtime loss to Natick last season, the Timberwolves took control early and held on to beat their Bay State Conference nemesis, 26-0, to improve to 2-0 on the season.
“It’s been seven or eight years since the last time we beat Natick,” said Walpole coach Chris Sullivan. “We feel as though right now we have a team that can compete at the top of the Bay State [Conference].”
After going 7-4 last season, the Timberwolves are unbeaten after impressive shutout victories over Framingham (56-0) in the season opener and at home Friday over Natick, outscoring both opponents by a combined 82-0 margin.
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“Natick is a hell of a team, they always are,” said Walpole senior running back Andrew Falzone. “We have a very good squad this year. We came out and proved it.”
Falzone did his part by rushing for 77 yards and three touchdowns on runs of 5, 4, and 6 yards, with the first two coming in the first half. He also recorded an interception to halt Natick’s momentum as the Redhawks (1-1) mounted a scoring threat at the end of the first half.
“We needed to step up and make a play,” Falzone said. “I was just in the right place at the right time. Everyone did their assignment, which led me into the spot to jump that ball.”
Walpole senior quarterback Corey Kilroy threw for 140 yards and a touchdown, and rushed for 47 yards.
“All game, we were running inside zone, outside zone, the linemen did a hell of a job,” Kilroy said. “Best I’ve ever seen them play. The holes were all there.”
Kilroy connected with Max Collins on an 69-yard second-quarter touchdown pass, which ranked as the longest play of the game. On Natick’s ensuing possession, Collins recorded the first of his two interceptions against Natick sophomore quarterback Damon Taylor.
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“We saw a little mismatch, called a timeout, got the play ready,” Kilroy said. “We executed, I threw a fade, trusted Max, he caught it, deep touchdown.”
The Redhawks, coming off a victory over Needham in their season opener, used both quarterbacks (Taylor and senior Drew George), but couldn’t get anything going on offense.
“We didn’t execute,” said Natick coach Mark Mortarelli. “We didn’t execute on either side of the ball. That’s a very good team, we played very poorly. It was a bad night for us. They were well-coached and disciplined.”
Natick’s biggest momentum swing came on an interception by junior Teddy Ferrucci in the third quarter. But Taylor threw an interception two plays later.
“That’s the type of night it was for us, it deflates the whole team,” Mortarelli said. “It wasn’t one guy who made mistakes, we all made mistakes.”
Though the Timberwolves didn’t put up many points in the second half, they looked firmly in control the whole way.
“The seniors are hungry, they work hard,” Sullivan said. “They’re ready to rewrite the things that we’ve lost in the last couple of years.”
Added Kilroy, “I don’t know if anyone expected this, but it’s a lot of fun.”
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2022-09-17T01:16:01+00:00
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bostonglobe.com
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https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/09/16/sports/andrew-falzone-3-tds-helps-walpole-football-roll-over-natick/
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New US tax credit rules narrow the list of eligible EVs
DETROIT (AP) — Ten electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles will be eligible for a $7,500 U.S. tax credit, while another seven could get $3,750 under new federal rules that go into effect on Tuesday.
But under the Treasury Department rules and other provisions of last year’s Inflation Reduction Act, most of the more than 60 electric or plug-in hybrids on sale in the U.S. won’t get any tax credits.
That could slow acceptance of electric vehicles and could delay reaching President Joe Biden’s ambitious goal that half of new passenger vehicles sold in the U.S. run on electricity by 2030.
The new rules, which govern how much battery minerals and parts can come from countries that don’t have free trade agreements with the U.S., bumped nine vehicles off the tax credit eligibility list that went into effect Jan. 1.
The 10 vehicles eligible for the full $7,500 credit are Tesla’s Model 3 Performance model, the Tesla Model Y, Ford’s F-150 Lightning pickup, the Chrysler Pacifica and the Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring plug-in hybrids. Also, General Motors will have five models eligible this year including its top-selling Chevrolet Bolt and Bolt EUV, as well as the Cadillac Lyriq, the Chevrolet Silverado electric pickup and the upcoming Chevy Equinox small SUV.
The seven models that could get a $3,750 credit include the Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee plug-ins, Ford’s Mustang Mach-E SUV, Escape plug-in and E-Transit electric van, the Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring plug-in and the standard range rear-wheel-drive version of Tesla’s Model 3.
Consumers can check to see if the EV they’re considering is eligible for a credit at www.fueleconomy.gov.
To be eligible, electric vehicles or plug-ins have to be manufactured in North America. SUVs, vans and trucks can’t have a sticker price greater than $80,000, while cars can’t have a sticker price more than $55,000. There also are income limits for buyers.
The Treasury Department says the new list shows that families who want to buy an electric or plug-in vehicle “will continue to have a number of options to receive a full or partial tax credit in the near term” under rules designed to build electric vehicle production and a supply chain in the U.S.
The reduction in eligible EVs also could conflict with the administration’s proposed strict new automobile pollution limits announced last week. The new standards would require up to two-thirds of new vehicles sold in the U.S. to be electric by 2032. That’s a nearly tenfold increase over current electric vehicle sales.
Many of the vehicles that aren’t eligible for the credit are made outside of North America, but their manufacturers are building assembly and battery plants in the U.S., and more vehicles will become eligible.
Some auto industry analysts say that while $7,500 would be enough to entice people away from internal combustion vehicles, a $3,750 tax credit might not be enough to offset the average U.S. new EV price.
Kelley Blue Book says the average U.S. new EV costs about $58,600, nearly $10,000 more than the average new vehicle price. To be sure, average EV prices are falling as more people buy less-expensive models. The average EV price was $63,500 a year ago.
Jeff Schuster, executive vice president of LMC Automotive and Global Data, said half of the full tax credit isn’t enough. “You’re shrinking the market essentially by the vehicles not being affordable,” he said, adding that the average combustion engine vehicle isn’t affordable either.
The big issue in the rules that are effective Tuesday are limits on the percentage of battery parts and minerals that come from countries that don’t have free trade or mineral agreements with the United States.
This year, at least 40% of the value of battery minerals must be mined, processed or recycled in the U.S. or countries with which it has trade deals. That rises 10% every year until it hits 80% after 2026.
Also, at least 50% of the value of battery parts must be manufactured or assembled in North America this year. That requirement rises to 60% next year and in 2025 and jumps 10% each year until it hits 100% after 2028.
In addition to the price limits, there also are income limits aimed to stop wealthier people from getting credits. Buyers cannot have an adjusted gross annual income above $150,000 if single, $300,000 if filing jointly and $225,000 if head of a household.
In addition, starting in 2025, battery minerals cannot come from a “foreign entity of concern,” mainly China and Russia. Battery parts cannot be sourced in those countries starting in 2024; minerals can’t come from those countries in 2025.
The Biden administration said rules governing that requirement are in the works.
Even though the rules are effective Tuesday, the Biden administration is taking public comments, and they can be modified later, including the addition of countries that negotiate trade agreements with the U.S.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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2023-04-17T17:57:51+00:00
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uppermichiganssource.com
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https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/2023/04/17/new-us-tax-credit-rules-narrow-list-eligible-evs/
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While summer technically just started, Lowe’s is already looking ahead to Halloween with a new 12-foot animatronic that will make your front yard stand out this season.
Available exclusively at Lowe’s, the new Gemmy’s Haunted Living 12-foot Animated Mummy is draped in fabric that is distressed and discolored (as you’d expect for a mummy!) and has poseable arms so you can decorate it however you wish. Priced at $348, it moves and makes moaning sounds to surprise and spook your Halloween party guests and trick-or-treaters.
With a motion-activated on/off timer and light and volume controls, it will stay on for six hours and turn off for 18. You can also choose between four LED color options: red, green, blue or classic warm white. The mummy is collapsible for easy storage in the off-season.
It already went out of stock, but appears to be back — for now. A Lowe’s representative had confirmed to Simplemost that it would be available again online this month, and will additionally be in stores by mid-August. If you find it’s not available, you can sign up with your email address and Lowe’s will notify you when it’s back so you can quickly place an order before they’re all snatched up again.
Lowe’s has a handful of other animatronics that are less likely to disappear, including other ones from Haunted Living. The 7-foot Animatronic Reaper is priced at $199 and this 8.5-feet Talking Lighted Animatronic Clown is sure to produce some nightmares.
Priced at $229, the talking clown stands on its own and has a turning head, moving mouth and light-up eyes. It also makes sound. Dressed in a typical clown outfit with large red shoes, the animatronic is incredibly detailed with yellow eyes, a red nose, clown makeup and some teeth that could, let’s just say, use a good brushing.
If you’re a Halloween fanatic, chances are you remember Home Depot’s 12-foot skeleton that sold out pretty much immediately in 2020, 2021 and again — already — this year.
Home Depot brought the skeleton back on June 16 and it once again sold out, but the home improvement store also confirms via Twitter that it will be back on July 15. How long it will stick around for this time is anyone’s guess, but if it’s been on your shopping list for a few years, you might want to grab it right away.
We formally invite you to save the date Mark your calendars because on July 15, Skelly is back in stock with some new and old giant friends! While supplies last. pic.twitter.com/RAdcqmc5C4
— The Home Depot (@HomeDepot) July 8, 2022
If you miss out on the giant skeleton once again, Home Depot will also have other “old giant friends,” as they call them, including what appears to be a skeleton with a pumpkin head, a werewolf and a witch.
For now, you can get your hands on everything from a 5-foot-1-inch pumpkin scarecrow for $70 to a 5-foot-8-inch Day Of The Dead Animatronic Skeleton Bride for $90 and a 7-foot, 4 inch animated witch.
Priced at $90, the Haunted Hill Farm witch is touch-activated and can either hang indoors or stand up on a covered porch. With a long, pointy nose, she has tangled black hair and is dressed in a dark cloak and classic witch hat. Holding a bright red (and presumably poisoned) apple, the witch lights up and says “You’re not going in there, are you?” and “I’d turn back if I were you!”
Still not finding what you’re looking for? While Spirit Halloween will be announcing opening dates and their store locations on July 25, you can order on their website year-round, including a handful of giant animatronics.
For example, get Pennywise from “It” or Ghost Face from “Scream.” Other available products include a 6-foot Lunging Reaper that is sure to cause some screams and a super-creepy Grave Grabber — or, put another way, a zombie crawling out from a grave.
The website HalloweenCostumes.com also has numerous decorations, including an almost-life-size Grim Reaper. New last Halloween, the 5-foot Grim Reaper is back this year and priced at $70.
The Grim Reaper has light-up eyes and moves its head, falls forward and talks. It can be activated by sound, motion, or a step-pressure pad and is battery-operated, so you don’t need to worry about cords or finding a place to plug it in.
There’s also Party City, which has tons of Halloween animatronics available online year-round and will get some in-store the closer it gets to Halloween.
If you want to get a head start, you’ll currently find a 6-foot tall witch that lights up and speaks on sale for $21, a 5-foot posable skeleton for $59, a 6.6-foot Animated Michael Myers for $220 and more.
Happy (early) Halloween!
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for additional stories.
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2022-07-14T11:59:48+00:00
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abc15.com
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https://www.abc15.com/lowes-12-foot-animated-mummy-halloween
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SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, Calif. (KTLA) — A 12-year-old girl was abandoned at a Shell gas station the Mojave National Preserve Friday night after her father fatally beat her mother, then hurt himself, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department announced.
The girl walked into the store on Cima Road at about 11:45 p.m. and told employees that she needed help.
When deputies arrived, she informed them that her father, Jesus Jaimes-Rosas, beat her mother, Sonia Flores, and left her on the side of the road, the Sheriff’s Department said in a news release.
The child told investigators that her father had dropped her off at the gas station, then fled.
Investigators found Jaimes-Rosas’ abandoned car on a dirt road at 1:23 a.m. Saturday, and he was located by a K-9 unit. Jaimes-Rosas, a 37-year-old Upland resident, was suffering from self-inflicted injuries, and he was taken to a hospital for treatment.
Flores, 31, was found dead at 11:43 a.m. Saturday.
Jaimes-Rosas was booked into the High Desert Detention Center, where he is being held without bail on a murder charge.
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2022-11-30T20:30:01+00:00
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texomashomepage.com
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https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/girl-abandoned-at-mojave-desert-gas-station-after-dad-allegedly-beat-mom-to-death-sheriff-says/
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The 95th Academy Awards returned to the Dolby Theatre on Sunday, with Jimmy Kimmel hosting Hollywood’s big night. The show started on a champagne-colored carpet (yes, you read that right), where the stars showed off glamorous looks.
Check out the best and worst fashion moments at this year’s event.
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Stephanie Hsu attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Dwayne Johnson attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Janelle Monáe attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Cara Delevingne attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Michelle Yeoh attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Halle Bailey attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: (L-R) Van Hunt and Halle Berry attend the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Andrea Riseborough attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: (L-R) Thomas Kail and Michelle Williams attend the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Michael B. Jordan attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Nicole Kidman attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Jessie Buckley attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Jenny Slate attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: (L-R) Anna Eberstein and Hugh Grant attend the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Salma Hayek attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: (L-R) Alyson Sandro and Barry Keoghan attend the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Elizabeth Banks attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Lady Gaga attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Cate Blanchett attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Lenny Kravitz attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Riz Ahmed attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Angela Bassett attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Ana de Armas attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Rainey Qualley attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Jonathan Majors attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Andie MacDowell attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Ava DuVernay attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Danai Gurira attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: (L-R) Sabrina Dhowre Elba and Idris Elba attend the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Jennifer Connelly attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Florence Pugh attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: (L-R) Felicitas Rombold and Daniel Brühl attend the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Paul Dano attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Jessica Chastain attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Emily Blunt attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Phoebe Waller-Bridge attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Paul Mescal attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Questlove attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Jessica Springsteen attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: (L-R) James Hong and April Hong attend the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Vanessa Hudgens attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Chloe East attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Sandra Drzymalska attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Alfonso Cuarón (C) and guests attend the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Fan Bingbing attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Harvey Guillen attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Ashley Graham attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Winnie Harlow attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Malala Yousafzai
attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Jay Ellis attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: (L-R) David Byrne and Mala Gaonkar attend the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Monica Barbaro attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Lilly Singh attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Sofia Carson attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Brendan Fraser attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Marlee Matlin attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Jamie Lee Curtis attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Harry Shum Jr. attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Ruth E. Carter attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Elizabeth Olsen attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Sigourney Weaver attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Sandra Oh attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: (L-R) Alexander Dreymon and Allison Williams attend the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Mindy Kaling attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Hong Chau attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Zoe Saldana attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Eva Longoria attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: (L-R) Lillian Amanda Luhrmann, Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin attend the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Ariana DeBose attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images )
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2023-03-21T04:11:11+00:00
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coloradodaily.com
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https://www.coloradodaily.com/2023/03/12/oscars-2023-best-and-worst-red-carpet-looks-from-the-academy-awards-2/
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Energy Efficient Heat Pump Systems, State-of-the-Art Inverter Compressor Technologies and Intuitive Controls Reign at the World's Largest HVAC Conference
ATLANTA, Feb. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Air conditioning technologies leader LG Electronics USA is showcasing its robust 2023 lineup of commercial, light commercial and residential HVAC solutions this week at the 2023 AHR Expo® in Atlanta. Throughout the show, the company's extensive booth (#C6509) will highlight industry-leading Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) technology, the latest energy-efficient heat pump options, indoor air quality solutions, and flexible building automation and connectivity products.
"Heading into 2023, heat pump technology will continue to gain momentum in the overall HVAC market, and VRF technology is well positioned to take advantage of this," said Steve Scarbrough, senior vice president and general manager, LG Air Conditioning Technologies USA. " The electrification trend is moving America away from fossil fuels to cleaner heating and cooling technologies like heat pumps, and LG is proud to lead the way with our extensive line of high performing, energy efficient product innovations on display at AHR 2023."
LG Inverter Scroll Heat Pump Chiller
LG's Inverter Scroll Heat Pump Chiller raises the standard in the air-cooled chiller equipment category. It is designed for cooling and or heating in both comfort and process applications. With the impressive, rated energy performance of an IPLV of 19.46, engineers, owners and contractors can apply the installation of the Chiller in many types of applications and market sectors, providing the mechanical solution for both large and small capacity application.
LG Multi V™ i
LG's Multi V i is a redesigned, innovative, intelligent, and interactive VRF all-electric cooling and heating system. The Multi V i includes many enhanced specifications and new features, including an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engine, Edge computing architecture, real-time weather-based control, and remote software and firmware upgradability. Multi V i marks LG's next-generation VRF system with a single refrigerant circuit that connects many indoor units to one outdoor unit.
LG Inverter Heat Pump Water Heater
LG's Inverter Heat Pump Water Heater provides an energy-efficient alternative to electric resistance or gas water heaters. LG inverter technology heats water with an efficiency of 3.75 uniform energy factory, allowing for energy savings of more than 70 percent compared to a conventional electric heater. The LG Inverter Heat Pump Water Heater packages innovative inverter compressor technology into a sleek, ENERGY STAR® certified water heating solution.
LG Split Rooftop DOAS with Energy Recovery Wheel
An advanced outdoor air treatment solution, LG Split Rooftop DOAS (Dedicated Outdoor Air System) is designed to handle 100 percent outdoor air and features a refrigerant heat recovery section and exhaust air secondary heat recovery coil and enables the vertical alignment of DOAS, VRF, and controls with ease. As a result, LG's Split Rooftop DOAS allows engineers, facility managers, and building owners to meet the demand for improved indoor air quality by conditioning outdoor air.
LG Monobloc Heat Pump
LG's Monobloc Heat Pump systems offer an all-in-one year-round solution for heating and hot water. LG's new Air-to-Water Heat Pump system is an eco-conscious heating system that uses natural and electric energy to minimize air pollution. Even at low ambient temperatures down to 5° Fahrenheit, the Monobloc delivers powerful heating at 100 percent capacity. Additionally, the Monobloc Heat Pump provides supply water up to 149° Fahrenheit as hot water and up to 41° Fahrenheit as chilled water.
LG Energy Storage Systems
LG Energy Storage Systems (ESS) equip home and business owners with more reliable, cleaner energy (when coupled with grid power and/or PV). LG's new residential, all-in-one energy storage system, "Home 8," provides the capability to store energy in advance to offset peak electricity costs and provide emergency backup power. Home 8 enables homeowners to offer time-of-use functionalities with 14.4 kWh of useable capacity and 15.8kWh name plate capacity to power homes day and night.
LG ThinQ® App
The LG ThinQ App allows remote control of LG HVAC equipment and other LG home appliances. ThinQ features include voice-activated commands when used with Google Assistant™ virtual personal assistant or Amazon Alexa, the ability to authorize remote access for technicians, and schedule comfort conditions on an individual room basis.
Other LG innovations featured at AHR Expo 2023 include the LG "Revit" VRF layout tool, LG MultiSITE VM3 building management solution with the 2.0 driver and CRC2 remote controller, the residential energy recovery ventilator, and the high-temperature hydro kit.
About LG Air Conditioning Technologies USA
LG Electronics USA's Air Conditioning Technologies business is based in Alpharetta, Ga. LG is a leading player in the global air conditioning market, manufacturing both commercial and residential air conditioners and building management solutions. From consumer and individual units to industrial and specialized air conditioning systems, LG provides a wide range of products for heating, ventilating and air conditioning. The company's industry-leading variable refrigerant flow (VRF) technology minimizes efficiency losses, provides sustainable energy savings and offers some of the lowest lifecycle costs compared to other systems on the market today. Nine-time ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year, LG Electronics USA (based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J.), is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics Inc., a $68 billion global technology and manufacturing. For more information, please visit lghvac.com.
Media Contacts:
LG Electronics USA
Kim Regillio
+1 815 355 0509
kim.regillio@lge.com
Brian Miseo
+1 862 485 1764
brian.miseo@lg-one.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE LG Electronics USA
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2023-02-06T18:19:48+00:00
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witn.com
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https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2023/02/06/lg-electronics-usa-debuts-expanded-hvac-portfolio-ahr-expo-2023/
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Event Taking Place in Boston on July 26-28, 2022
EDINBURGH, Scotland, July 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TC Biopharm (Holdings) PLC ("TC Biopharm" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: TCBP) (NASDAQ: TCBPW), a clinical stage biotechnology company developing platform allogeneic gamma-delta T cell therapies for cancer treatment, today announced that several key executives will speak at The 3rd Gamma Delta T Therapies Summit, which will take place on July 26-28, 2022 in Boston, MA.
- Emilio Cosimo, Product Development Manager, will participate in a workshop, "Characterizing Gamma Delta Subsets to Interrogate Function & Therapeutic Application," on July 26, 2022 at 11am EDT.
- Dr. Michael Leek, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman, will hold a session, "Gamma Delta T Therapies – From 'Last Chance' to Surrogate Front Line Treatment (Vd2)," on July 27, 2022 at 4:30pm EDT.
- Angela Scott, Co-Founder & COO, will participate in a panel discussion, "Defining a 'Super-Donor' & Discussing Cell Source Considerations to Maximize Off-the-Shelf Product Quality," on July 28, 2022 at 12pm EDT.
- Dr. Leek will participate in a panel discussion, "Sharing Perspectives on the Application & Attractiveness of Gamma Delta T Therapy in a Competitive Treatment Landscape," on July 28, 2022 at 12pm EDT.
- Scott will hold a session, "Developing Allogeneic Manufacturing Processes to Scale GMP-Compliant, Freeze-Thaw Products (Vd2)," on July 28, 2022 at 2:30pm EDT.
The 3rd Gamma Delta T Therapies Summit will take place in-person for the first time and bring together over 120 leaders in the field. For more information, visit the conference's website.
TC BioPharm is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of gamma-delta T cell therapies for the treatment of cancer with human efficacy data in acute myeloid leukemia. Gamma-delta T cells are naturally occurring immune cells that embody properties of both the innate and adaptive immune systems and can intrinsically differentiate between healthy and diseased tissue. TC BioPharm uses an allogeneic approach in both unmodified and CAR modified gamma delta t-cells to effectively identify, target and eradicate both liquid and solid tumors in cancer.
TC BioPharm is the leader in developing gamma-delta T cell therapies, and the first company to conduct phase II/pivotal clinical studies in oncology. The Company is conducting two investigator-initiated clinical trials for its unmodified gamma-delta T cell product line - Phase 2b/3 pivotal trial for OmnImmune® in treatment of acute myeloid leukemia and Phase I trial for ImmuniStim in treatment of Covid patients using the Company's proprietary allogenic CryoTC technology to provide frozen product to clinics worldwide. TC BioPharm also maintains a robust pipeline for future indications in solid tumors and a significant IP/patent portfolio in the use of CARs with gamma delta t-cells and owns our manufacturing facility to maintain cost and product quality controls.
This press release may contain statements of a forward-looking nature relating to future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to the inherent uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions. These statements reflect our current beliefs, and a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in this press release. We undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The reference to the website of TC BioPharm has been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such website is not incorporated by reference into this press release.
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SOURCE TC BioPharm
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2022-07-25T13:33:25+00:00
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kalb.com
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https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2022/07/25/tc-biopharm-executives-speak-3rd-gamma-delta-t-therapies-summit/
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By KRISTIE RIEKEN
AP Sports Writer
HOUSTON (AP) — For years, as Dusty Baker chased his first World Series title as a manager, the former big league outfielder would always say if he won one he’d like to win two.
Baker will get a chance to do just that after he agreed to a one-year contract with the Houston Astros.
“How many times in your life do you say something and then have the opportunity to fulfill it,” Baker said Wednesday. “I wasn’t just talking. I meant what I said. I love keeping my word. So, hey man we’ve got a chance to win back to back and this is what I’d like to do.”
The 73-year-old Baker earned his first World Series championship as a manager in his 25th season as a skipper when the Astros beat the Philadelphia Phillies in six games Saturday. The days since then have been a “whirlwind” for Baker, who has been packing to head home to California and said he has about 1,500 texts and countless emails he hasn’t had a chance to read.
With everything he has going on, it was good that it didn’t take long for Baker and team owner Jim Crane to agree to a new contract. Crane said the discussion was a quick one, lasting only about 15 minutes.
“He wanted another year so that’s what we gave him,” Crane said. “He’s a legend and he’s really done a lot for the team.”
Things aren’t so straightforward for general manager James Click, whose contract also expired at the end of the season. Click said Tuesday night at the general managers’ meetings in Las Vegas that he was having discussions about his future with Crane.
“We’re in discussions and when he gets back, we’ll complete those discussions,” Crane said.
Baker also won the World Series as a player on the 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers. Although he always said he wanted to win more than one title as a manager once he won one, he did take a little time to reflect after Saturday’s win and make sure he wanted to return for another season.
“I’d be going against what I was destined to do if I did anything else at this point in time,” he said. “I prayed on it and my answer was: ‘Hey man, get your butt back out there and manage again.’”
Click and Baker both joined the team in 2020 to replace general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch, who were fired in the aftermath of Houston’s sign-stealing scandal.
Crane raved about Baker’s strong presence in leading the team and trying to rebuild the image of the franchise after the cheating scandal.
“The day he walked in the door, he was very calm and certainly has a ton of experience,” Crane said. “And he did a great job in kind of settling things down, getting everybody focused on playing baseball and winning games.”
Baker took over for the COVID-19-shortened season. The Astros squeaked into the postseason as an AL wild card before heating up in the playoffs and coming one win shy of reaching the World Series.
The Astros won 95 games in 2021 and Baker made his first trip to the Series since 2002 with the Giants but came up short again as Houston fell to Atlanta in six games.
This season Houston won 106 games for the second-best record in franchise history. It captured its second World Series title and first since the scandal-tainted 2017 championship.
Along with the contracts of Click and Baker, the Astros also are dealing with several player contracts. They declined a $10 million option on first baseman Trey Mancini in favor of a $250,000 buyout and declined a $13 million option on reliever Will Smith in favor of a $1 million buyout.
Ace Justin Verlander is expected to decline his $25 million player option for next season and become a free agent Thursday.
“We’ve been talking to him and we’re working on it,” Crane said. “We’re going to do our best to try to keep him.”
Baker is 230-154 in his three regular seasons in Houston. He is 28-14 in the postseason with the Astros, tying Hinch (28-20) for most playoff wins in franchise history.
Baker, who turns 74 in June, is the oldest manager to win a World Series. Despite his age, he’s not ready to say next season will be his last.
“I’ve got work to do,” he said. “You can’t be satisfied with where you are or else you’ll never get past where you are right now. My thing is to win this pennant again next year and then I’ll tell you where I am next year at this point in time.”
Whenever he does hang it up, he has a strong case for the Hall of Fame. Baker is the 12th manager in major league history to reach 2,000 wins and the first Black man to do it. Ten of the 11 other managers who have accumulated at least 2,000 wins are in the Hall of Fame. Bruce Bochy (2,003), who isn’t yet eligible, is the only exception.
Baker said he isn’t thinking about that possibility yet with so much work to be done.
“I love winning,” he said. “I’m just telling you, I love winning probably more than anything else. I’m spoiled by winning. And so that’s what I plan on doing — doing some more winning.”
He was, however, tickled to learn that some of his toothpicks are already headed to the Hall of Fame along with his Game 2 jersey and Game 6 wristbands as artifacts from the World Series.
But he joked that the fact that his affinity for chewing toothpicks during games had become so well-known that the Hall of Fame wanted some didn’t take away the sting from another incident with his toothpicks.
“My agent, a few years ago contacted them to see if I get a toothpick endorsement,” he said. “And they told me they don’t need me to sell toothpicks because they’re going to sell them anyway. So that was very humbling.”
___
AP Baseball Writer Ron Blum contributed to this report.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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2022-11-09T21:27:01+00:00
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wtmj.com
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https://wtmj.com/sports/2022/11/09/baker-to-return-as-houston-astros-manager-for-2023-4/
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More than 11,000 athletes from across the U.S. have flocked to Pittsburgh this week to compete in the National Senior Games. The Olympics-style competition celebrates staying active and healthy aging.
Copyright 2023 NPR
More than 11,000 athletes from across the U.S. have flocked to Pittsburgh this week to compete in the National Senior Games. The Olympics-style competition celebrates staying active and healthy aging.
Copyright 2023 NPR
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2023-07-13T21:56:58+00:00
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wbfo.org
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https://www.wbfo.org/2023-07-13/older-athletes-find-competition-and-community-at-the-national-senior-games
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Virtual fitness challenge to inspire thousands to holoholo (go out) while benefiting the nonprofit Friends of Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge
HONOLULU, Sept. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Calling all runners, joggers and walkers to the starting line! Beginning today, athletes of all levels can sign up for the third annual Hawaiian Airlines Holoholo Challenge. The Hawaiʻi inspired fitness experience runs throughout October and invites participants worldwide to track their progress with virtual routes inspired by scenic roads that wind through Hawaiʻi Island – also known as the Big Island.
"Each year, the Holoholo Challenge has been a fun way for Hawaiʻi lovers to commit to their personal wellbeing while virtually exploring the Hawaiian Islands – no matter where they are in the world," said Rob Sorensen, vice president of marketing at Hawaiian Airlines. "The Big Island is considered a world-class destination for endurance fitness, making it the perfect place for Holoholo athletes to get inspired and go BIG with their challenges."
Participants can take on one of two virtual courses: a solo 50-mile run/walk on Saddle Road, the high-elevation highway that stretches from Hilo to Waimea, passing between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, or a 125-mile solo run/walk or team relay across the southern section of Hawai'i Belt Road, starting in the rainforests of Hilo, through Kaʻū, and ending in the lava fields of Kona. Holoholo Challengers will also be encouraged to donate to Friends of Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, a nonprofit working to protect a 32,830-acre parcel on the Island of Hawaiʻi that is home to 29 critically endangered species including seven birds, one insect, one mammal and 20 plants found nowhere else in the world.
"The Holoholo Challenge continues to expose Hawaiʻi nonprofits to new audiences and bring awareness to their important role in sustaining our islands' environment, culture and communities. We are inspired by the Friends of Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge and excited to support their work," added Debbie Nakanelua-Richards, director of community and cultural relations at Hawaiian Airlines.
Those embarking on this year's month-long challenge can stay motivated by creating a team, printing a bib to add to their race memorabilia, challenging friends or working out to Spotify playlists curated by Hawaiʻi's hometown airline. Registrants can also learn about Hawaiʻi Island's rich culture, history and unique geography on the Holoholo Challenge website, sign up for regular emails notifying them of their progress along the digital route, and join the popular Holoholo Challenge community on Facebook. Participants posting about their journey on social media can also use #HoloholoChallenge for a chance to be featured on Hawaiian Airlines' channels.
Finishers of the challenge will receive a collectible Hawaiʻi Island Holoholo Challenge medal, a choice of a limited-edition apparel item and an exclusive postcard map designed by POW! WOW! Hawaii Artist Aaron Kai. Those who refer friends to join the Holoholo Challenge can earn up to 40,000 bonus HawaiianMiles. HawaiianMiles members and Hawaiian Airlines® Bank of Hawaii World Elite Mastercard® cardholders will receive 20% off registration. Cardholders can also earn three HawaiianMiles for every dollar spent during sign-up.
Hawaiian introduced the Holoholo Challenge in October 2020 to foster wellness and connection amid times of heightened isolation due to COVID-19 restrictions. The virtual race debuted with two Oʻahu courses and attracted nearly 12,000 participants from Hawaiʻi and the U.S. mainland who completed approximately 852,700 miles. In 2021, the carrier introduced four new Maui routes and brought in 8,333 participants who completed nearly 595,000 miles. Since the Holoholo Challenge's inception, participants have raised nearly $120,000 for nonprofits in Hawaiʻi.
To learn more, visit HoloholoChallenge.com.
About Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian® has led all U.S. carriers in on-time performance for each of the past 18 years (2004-2021) as reported by the U.S. Department of Transportation and consumer surveys by Condé Nast Traveler and TripAdvisor have placed Hawaiian among the top of all domestic airlines serving Hawaiʻi. In 2022, the carrier topped Travel + Leisure's 2022 World's Best list as the No. 1 U.S. airline and was named Hawaiʻi's best employer by Forbes.
Now in its 93rd year of continuous service, Hawaiian is Hawaiʻi's biggest and longest-serving airline. Hawaiian offers approximately 130 daily flights within the Hawaiian Islands, daily nonstop flights between Hawaiʻi and 16 U.S. gateway cities – more than any other airline – as well as service connecting Honolulu and American Samoa, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Tahiti.
The airline is committed to connecting people with aloha by offering complimentary meals for all guests on transpacific routes and the convenience of no change fees on Main Cabin and Premium Cabin seats. HawaiianMiles members also enjoy flexibility with miles that never expire. As Hawai'i's hometown airline, Hawaiian encourages guests to Travel Pono and experience the islands safely and respectfully.
Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. is a subsidiary of Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HA). Additional information is available at HawaiianAirlines.com. Follow Hawaiian's Twitter updates (@HawaiianAir), become a fan on Facebook (Hawaiian Airlines), and follow us on Instagram (hawaiianairlines). For career postings and updates, follow Hawaiian's LinkedIn page.
For media inquiries, please visit Hawaiian Airlines' online newsroom.
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SOURCE Hawaiian Airlines
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2022-09-01T22:00:53+00:00
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witn.com
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https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/09/01/start-stretching-hawaiian-airlines-debuts-its-third-annual-holoholo-challenge-with-hawaii-island-inspired-routes/
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Millennial Money: How stay-at-home spouses can build credit
Spouses share a lot, but no matter your relationship status, your credit score belongs to you and you alone. Even if you’re 100% supported financially by your spouse or partner, establishing and building your own credit score is essential.
It can benefit you both as you navigate financial decisions together. But should you divorce or your spouse pass away, having good or excellent credit can help you as you begin to make financial decisions on your own.
Besides, maintaining some money independence can keep you both on equal footing in your relationship.
“A household’s financial dependence on one income earner can foster unhealthy relationship control dynamics,” said Katherine Fox, a certified financial planner, founder and advisor at Sunnybranch Wealth in Portland, Oregon, in an email. “Stay-at-home spouses who take steps to protect their credit score and financial literacy are doing their part to maintain a healthy money attitude and dynamic within their relationship.”
WHY YOUR CREDIT SCORE IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT
Any time you and your spouse apply for a joint loan, like a mortgage, both of your credit scores get evaluated by the lender. Lenders may use the person’s score that falls on the lower end to determine your eligibility. Ideally, even the lowest score between you both is still in good shape because this can affect what loan terms, like interest rates, you’d qualify for together. A lower credit score can make borrowing money more expensive.
Your credit score also comes into play when you apply for a credit card in your own name, which you can do even if you don’t earn an income. So long as you’re 21 or older, you can include your spouse’s income on the card application.
Moreover, unexpectedly becoming single again is the most difficult reason nonworking spouses need to build their credit.
“Having a solid foundation will help you if you end up alone and need capital to get started,” says Brittany Davis, a Memphis, Tennessee-based accredited financial counselor who is an associate financial planner for Brunch & Budget, a registered investment advisor. “I know some people are leery of credit and debt, but there are so many things credit can be used for.”
Davis likens credit access to insurance — it’s something that’s good to have, whether or not you need it at the moment.
WAYS TO BUILD CREDIT WITHOUT AN INCOME
Besides applying for your own credit card using your spouse’s income in your application, there are other ways to build your credit.
You can become an authorized user on your spouse’s credit card. They’d be responsible for making payments, but if they pay on time each month and you both avoid charging more than 30% of the credit limit, over time this can build your credit score. Applying for loans under both of your names, like an auto loan or mortgage, can also be helpful as on-time payments will be reflected on both of your credit reports.
“At the very least, stay-at-home spouses should be a joint account holder or added to their partner’s credit card to help them build and maintain their own credit score,” Fox says.
Be sure to also pay other household bills on time, including utility bills and rent payments. In some cases, those are also reported to credit bureaus.
HOW YOU CAN AFFECT EACH OTHER’S CREDIT SCORES
Though you each have your own credit scores, your money habits can help or hurt each other, particularly when you have joint loans or share credit cards.
As a credit card authorized user, you’re at the mercy of the primary cardholder’s behaviors. If your spouse makes late payments, that can negatively impact your credit. You’ll want to set a budget with each other, because when more than one person uses the same card, it’s that much easier to overspend. Becoming an authorized user is an exercise in trust and communication.
Where you live can also be a factor in how you can each affect each other. According to Fox, in community property states, you’re generally not responsible for any debts your spouse took on before you got married, but you’re responsible for each other’s debts after marriage. But in non-community property states, you only share responsibility for joint accounts and debts.
And if you’re the income earner, proceed with caution before co-signing a loan for your nonworking spouse or any other loved one. It’s not like a joint loan, where both parties share the burden of debt payments but can also share ownership of an asset.
“Co-signing is more of a risk in my eyes because you have no secured interest in that item you’re co-signing a loan for,” Davis says. “If that person fails to make payments, you become responsible for the loan, but you don’t have an interest as an owner.”
_________________________
This column was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet. Sara Rathner is a writer at NerdWallet. Email: srathner@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @SaraKRathner.
RELATED LINK:
NerdWallet: How one-income couples can remain equals https://bit.ly/nerdwallet-how-one-income-couples-can-remain-equals
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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2022-11-23T16:54:24+00:00
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kob.com
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https://www.kob.com/news/business-money/millennial-money-how-stay-at-home-spouses-can-build-credit/
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Michael Cohen says he fears for his safety if Donald Trump ever becomes president again.
“Yeah, I am,” Trump’s former personal lawyer says when asked if he’s worried about his wellbeing should the 45th commander-in-chief return to the Oval Office. “Actually I’m worried for your safety, too,” he said, “and everybody else in America.”
“My fear is that you’re going to see like what you see in Russia right now,” Cohen added in an interview with ITK this week. “All of these individuals flying out of windows or mysterious deaths of suicide. Donald has a very long list of — we’ll call it an enemies list — and I’m certain that I am definitively on it.”
The onetime Trump attorney has become one of his most vocal critics, calling the ex-president a “con man” and a “predator.” But Cohen says even that hasn’t stopped GOP groups from hitting him up for cash in fundraising emails.
“I’ve never been a Republican. In [1987 and 1988] I worked for Rep. Joe Moakley [D-Mass.], that’s how far back I go to the Democratic Party. But what’s interesting is every single day, I must get at least 15 to 20 [emails] — and that’s on a light day — from Donald.”
“’Hey, friend. I need you,’” Cohen said, imitating a fundraising pitch from his former boss. “’One thousand times we’re going to increase your donation,’” Cohen continued. “I’d be curious to know if anybody’s increasing people’s donations or matching 1000 percent.”
That’s part of the reason that Cohen, who served as Trump’s self-described “fixer” for more than a decade until 2018 before calling him a “racist” and a “cheat” in a statement before the House Oversight Committee a year later, says that despite his public flirtations with another White House bid, Trump won’t pull the trigger on a 2024 campaign.
“This is the greatest grift for Donald in the history of his entire work experience,” Cohen said.
Trump “barely works, doesn’t do anything. People are putting out these letters for him all day long. And he’s raking in $150 million to $200 million. That all comes to an end if he runs.”
‘Indictments coming down against Donald’
Cohen — who pleaded guilty in 2018 to nine federal crimes including tax fraud, lying to Congress and paying off two women who threatened to go public with their alleged past affairs with Trump just before the 2016 presidential election — details his fears of another Trump presidency in his new book, “Revenge: How Donald Trump Weaponized the U.S. Department of Justice Against His Critics,” released Tuesday.
While Trump has faced countless lawsuits over the years, Cohen maintains that New York Attorney General Letitia James’s (D) fraud investigation into the Trump Organization will lead to indictments.
Under the Biden administration and with Attorney General Merrick Garland, whom Cohen described as “so methodical that he’s almost like molasses through a strainer,” there “will be indictments coming down against Donald, his company, including possibly his children, as well as others that are in his orbit,” the ex-attorney predicted.
“Do I think the Mar-a-Lago raid will be the first of those indictments? I do not,” he added, referring to the FBI’s August search of Trump Florida residence, which recovered boxes of White House records, including many that were classified.
“I believe that the indictments should be — because it’s the low hanging fruit — for tax evasion. I call that my ‘Al Capone theory’: They couldn’t get him on murder, racketeering, extortion. So instead they got him on tax evasion. The same thing that they can get Donald on, not to mention Tish James’s case will financially destroy him.”
‘Mea Culpa’ with Kathy Griffin
Cohen’s also ready to engage in a bit of political theater himself, heading to Los Angeles to tape his podcast from Audio Up, “Mea Culpa,” with the help of an unlikely Hollywood ally: Kathy Griffin.
The comedian, who famously made headlines and stirred controversy in 2017 by posing with a prop meant to look like Trump’s decapitated head, will be on-hand for the Nov. 1 taping at Hollywood’s El Rey Theatre. The improbable duo will be joined by former deputy assistant attorney general Harry Litman and former Oath Keeper spokesperson Jason Van Tatenhove.
Cohen said he and Griffin met through fellow comedian and outspoken Trump critic Rosie O’Donnell. The former “View” co-host visited with him for almost six hours when he was incarcerated in Otisville, N.Y., Cohen said, and connected him with Griffin. Cohen was released early from prison in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Well, hell has frozen over. I LOVE Michael Cohen,” Griffin said in a statement about the three-hour event, with tickets going on sale this week.
Cohen said he still considers himself to be a Democrat, and “fundamentally disagrees” with GOP Trump allies including Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas) and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.). But he’s not ruling out throwing his support behind a candidate on the other side of the aisle.
“If there was a Republican that came out that I thought could unify this country, which is what we need, kill this divisiveness that is stymieing progress in America, 100 percent I would be in favor of that individual,” he said.
The father of two expressed regret for ever accepting a job offer from Trump to be his personal lawyer. “I am not the person that the media has made me out to be,” he said.
“I wish [“Family Guy’s”] Stewie Griffin would come make me a time machine and then I’d end up going back in time and when [Trump] asked me if I would come work for him, I would have just said, ‘I’ll tell you what, why don’t you just pay me the bill that you owe, and we can just call this friendship quits.’ It would’ve saved me a lot of hurt and it would’ve saved my family a lot of unhappiness.”
Drawing on a quote from former President Reagan’s Labor secretary, Raymond Donovan, who resigned after being charged with grand larceny and was later acquitted by a jury, Cohen asked, “What does a person need to do to get their reputation back?”
“I can tell you from firsthand experience, it’s not easy,” he said. “You just have to fight every day for the truth.”
|
2022-10-12T17:50:47+00:00
|
qcnews.com
|
https://www.qcnews.com/hill-politics/michael-cohen-says-he-fears-for-his-safety-if-trump-becomes-president-again/
|
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WBOY/WOWK) — West Virginia is one of the few states still under a COVID-19 State of Emergency, but that’s set to end once the new year begins.
According to a proclamation by Gov. Jim Justice (R) that was filed on Nov. 12, 2022, the State of Emergency will be lifted on Jan. 1, 2023, to give officials time to lift the rules and reinstate ones from before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The State of Emergency was first issued in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic started in the United States so that the state government could more easily pass rules and regulations related to COVID-19.
An end date of Jan. 1, 2023, makes West Virginia one of the later states to lift its State of Emergency. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) allowed the state’s COVID-19 Disaster Emergency to expire on Sept. 12, according to 12 News affiliate WTEN in Albany. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) suspended all remaining local government mandates and restrictions based on the COVID-19 State of Emergency in a proclamation filed on May 3, 2021.
California’s COVID-19 State of Emergency will not end until the end of February 2023, according to a press release from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) Office. Rhode Island Gov. Daniel McKee (D) recently extended its State of Emergency through December, as did Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R). Kansas’ legislature passed a law this year extending emergency powers through January 2023, according to The Hill. Illinois Gov. J. B. Pritzker (D) recently extended his emergency powers through mid-December, according to illinoispolicy.org.
Justice’s proclamation said West Virginia, “led the Nation in many ways, including the quick decision to vaccinate our elderly and those in nursing homes as soon as shots were available.
To read the full proclamation, click here.
|
2022-11-30T20:52:40+00:00
|
wboy.com
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https://www.wboy.com/news/health/coronavirus/west-virginia-covid-19-pandemic-state-of-emergency-to-end-january-2023/
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OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — The Lamar Jackson-to-Mark Andrews connection — the linchpin of Baltimore’s offense last season — is back on the field.
As expected, Jackson was at practice Tuesday when the Ravens began mandatory minicamp. He’d been absent during voluntary OTAs.
“He looked great,” said Andrews, the team’s star tight end. “You could just tell his energy, just how he feels, I think he’s extremely confident, and the more he’s out here just running the plays, being around the guys, we’re just going to get better and better. It was awesome to see my guy, for sure.”
Jackson is expected to talk to reporters Thursday, so that’s when he’ll surely be asked about his absence from previous practices and his still-uncertain contract situation. For now, the Ravens are simply happy to have him working with the rest of the team.
“Back to business,” coach John Harbaugh said. “We’re driving now. We’re merging, we’re rolling. Let’s go to work.”
Jackson hasn’t signed an extension with Baltimore as he enters his fifth-year option season. General manager Eric DeCosta has said the Ravens were working at Jackson’s pace, and there hasn’t been too much drama about it, but a star quarterback’s decision to skip OTAs is always noteworthy.
That comes with the territory when you’re the team’s most important player.
“It’s a different life when everything you do is looked at in a positive or negative light,” cornerback Marlon Humphrey said. “Whether it’s Shannon Sharpe or Skip (Bayless) or this guy talking, Stephen A. (Smith). I know that would get annoying if I was in those shoes, but I think he handled it really well, being how much media attention he gets.”
Although Jackson was back, the Ravens are still waiting for a few more players who finished last season with injuries. Running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, who missed all of last season with knee injuries, were not at practice, and neither were cornerback Marcus Peters, tackle Ronnie Stanley, linebackers Tyus Bowser and David Ojabo, safety Ar’Darius Washington and defensive tackle Michael Pierce.
Harbaugh said Pierce’s absence was because of a personal matter. He also said the team reached an injury settlement with defensive end Derek Wolfe.
The receivers and tight ends were all present, and the group of pass catchers for Jackson to throw to is a bit different this year. Baltimore traded wide receiver Marquise Brown on the first night of the draft, meaning Andrews and second-year receiver Rashod Bateman figure to be even more important now.
This week is a chance for Jackson to resume building chemistry with his key playmakers.
“He was physically in very good shape. I thought his arm looked really good. You can see he’s been throwing a lot,” Harbaugh said. “It’s great to have him out there. He kind of boosted everybody’s spirits a little bit too. He’s a competitor. He’s mad about some passes here and there. The DBs were happy about some passes here and there. But it was good to see him. He threw some great balls.”
TECHNOLOGY
Kicker Justin Tucker had a GoPro device on his helmet. Longtime punter and holder Sam Koch retired this offseason, and the Ravens drafted punter Jordan Stout to replace him, so Tucker and Stout have a lot to work on.
“It wasn’t my idea,” Harbaugh said. “It started on Stout’s helmet. Tucker liked it, so he wanted one on his helmet too. Next thing you know, we’re buying GoPros for everybody.”
___
Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister
___
More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
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2022-06-15T00:47:55+00:00
|
seattletimes.com
|
https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/lamar-jackson-back-at-practice-for-start-of-ravens-minicamp/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all
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Public Allies continues to live up to its commitment to re-imagine its board structure, purpose, and governance with the goal of fully aligning with and living into its values.
MILWAUKEE, Feb. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Public Allies, an organization that has been dedicated to social justice and racial equity for thirty years, is honored to announce the appointment of two new board members to the Public Allies National Board of Directors, Dr. Meredith Shockley-Smith and Shavonda Sisson. The election of these two accomplished Black women alumni leaders is part of a broader commitment by the board to lead the rebuilding and re-imagining of Public Allies by bringing new talent, voices, knowledge and lived experiences into the governing body.
"Across the country, our alumni have taken the training, relationships, and skills honed during their apprenticeships and used it to transform communities. " says Jenise Terrell, Interim CEO of Public Allies. "Dr. Shockley-Smith and Ms. Sisson represent the fulfillment of Public Allies' mission. Everyday they work to ensure a future where we all have the opportunity to live in thriving communities. I am proud to have these fellow alumni commit to bringing our shared values and dedication to cultivating the country's next leaders to the Public Allies Board of Directors."
"Partnership with our powerful network of over 9,000 alumni is critical to our future success," says Kanwar Singh, Chair of the Public Allies National Board of Directors. "Dr. Shockley-Smith and Ms. Sisson are not only influential alumni but they are each in their own rights well-regarded, values-aligned leaders in their communities and in the fields of social justice and racial equity. We are honored to have them on our team."
Dr. Meredith Shockley-Smith (Public Allies Cincinnati 2006-2007) currently serves as the Executive Director of Cradle Cincinnati, where she works with Black women to co-create sustainable communities to lower infant mortality in Cincinnati. She is also an educator and former professor. At Queens Village, she takes her passion for Black Studies and Women & Gender Studies beyond the classroom to build stronger, more equitable relationships that benefit the greater community.
Shavonda Sisson (Public Allies Milwaukee 2009-2010) currently serves as Chief of Staff at Ubuntu Research and Evaluation, a consulting firm run by Black women who use liberation and beloved community frameworks to affect education, policy, and advocacy. From 2017 to 2022 Ms. Sisson served as Program Manager and then Director of Ally and Alumni Programs at PA Milwaukee. In addition, since 2019 she has also been the director of Love on Black Women, a people-driven fund that disburses 100% of all funds raised directly to Black women and MaGes of Milwaukee who have identified a need for financial support.
About Public Allies
Public Allies is a 501c3 national nonprofit committed to advancing social justice and racial equity by engaging and activating the leadership of all people. Our mission is to create a just and equitable society and the diverse leadership to sustain it. Since 1992, we have been a pioneer in recruiting and developing equity-focused change-makers. We have built a powerful network of more than 9000 proximate leaders who bridge races, ethnicities, socioeconomic levels, and cultures. Holding roles ranging from elected officials to heads of foundations and organizations, they reflect system re-designers, policy shapers, builders of inclusive cultures, and transformers of cultures – ones that accept, value, and view differences that we all bring to the table as strengths.
CONTACT: Nina Koh, ninak@publicallies.org
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Public Allies, Inc.
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2023-02-03T17:41:21+00:00
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kalb.com
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https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2023/02/03/two-public-allies-alumni-join-national-board-directors/
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How to get the most out of VR exercise
Most people associate virtual reality with games and 3D chat rooms. Even virtual job training gets a decent amount of press when talking about VR headsets. But it makes a lot of sense to combine fast-paced VR games with intense cardio workouts. To do so safely and effectively, you’ll need the right VR headset, accessories, and software.
Best VR headsets for working out
There’s only one good answer here for most people. The Meta Quest 2 is the most convenient and accessible VR solution by a large margin. For starters, its fully standalone design means you don’t need a separate PC or console to run it, let alone something high-performance and costly. Furthermore, it’s lightweight, comfortable, and able to play a large variety of games. Most importantly, though, it’s surprisingly affordable and straightforward to use.
It’s tough to understate how great the Quest 2’s value is. There’s only one other headset currently available that comes close to competing. The HTC Vive Focus 3 is the sole modern headset aside from the Oculus with standalone operation. It’s an excellent headset in nearly every respect. The biggest drawback is it’s far too expensive for most people to consider. In fact, it’s not particularly user-friendly, as it’s designed primarily for business use. If you can afford it, though, you might like it a lot more than the Quest 2.
There are other VR headsets, but most aren’t worth pairing with a cardio routine. Nearly all the rest require a wired connection to a high-powered PC. Given the cost of powerful PC components these days, that requirement makes PC virtual reality inaccessible to most consumers.
Why are VR workouts so effective?
The best workout schedule is one you’ll actually follow. What better way to make exercise fun than to pair it with an actual video game? Virtual reality workouts break up the monotony of repetition and are ideal for refreshing the mind in between sets of heavy lifting. And if you can convince yourself it’s really a game, it’ll be that much easier to get in your reps and stay healthy.
Amazingly, exercise-cum-entertainment titles do more than simply increase the chances of sticking with your workout plan. Studies show that incorporating virtual reality challenges within the context of a workout actually enhanced the positive psychological effects of the exercise. These benefits were especially pronounced in users who didn’t have much experience with VR or first-person video games in general.
Virtual reality workouts done safely
Of course, it’s all fun and games until you slam your hand into a desk, wall, chair, door frame or other solid object. Arranging your space and configuring your headset properly are two important parts of setting up a safe and versatile VR environment.
To that end, some VR headsets incorporate systems that help keep you in one place while playing. The Quest 2, for example, uses a feature called the Guardian Boundary to display virtual barriers when you reach the edge of the predefined area.
One popular method for enjoying virtual reality with limited physical space is a VR mat such as the ProxiMat Metaverse Portal. This one’s an especially good choice because it provides an entire 42-inch circle of high-traction material. It’s larger than most other options but still relatively compact, and it won’t slide around hard floors.
One important note when looking for a VR mat is that almost none are suitable for plush carpets. Nearly all will slide around or simply not provide enough structure for safe and fun VR use. If your prospective VR space has a high-pile carpet, consider a polycarbonate chair mat specifically designed to stay in place on plush flooring.
Also, keep in mind one of the most satisfying yet annoying parts of a workout: sweat. If you remember way back when Nintendo’s Wii Sports ruled the digitally enhanced exercise scene, you might recall quite a few controllers crashing into TVs at high speeds. While there’s no TV to break in most VR setups, it’s just as easy to lose your grip on a sweaty VR controller. A quality high-grip controller cover can help avoid this problem.
Intense VR exercise, but clean
Traction isn’t the only thing sweat messes with. Moisture, especially perspiration, encourages bacterial growth and breaks down the soft materials used to cushion wearable electronics. Therefore, keeping all your VR equipment clean minimizes grime and odors while also helping prolong its lifespan.
It’s always a good idea to closely follow manufacturer recommendations when cleaning expensive electronics. Meta, for example, urges Quest 2 owners not to use any fluids or other cleaning chemicals when wiping down the lenses. The Quest 2 lenses are made of an even more specialized material than common optical glass. Meta recommends using dry optical cloths for cleaning.
Other parts of your VR setup are less sensitive. Most hard plastic or simulated leather surfaces can handle moderate cleaning chemicals without damage. Everyday Lysol disinfectant wipes are the easiest and safest way to clean most things besides the headset’s actual lenses.
Virtual reality, real comfort
If your headset flops and slides around your head, your workout won’t be comfortable or fun. A premium aftermarket head strap like the Kiwi Design Elite Strap is the first step in the solution. It’s commonly considered every bit as comfortable as the official Quest 2 Elite Strap and significantly more durable.
To quickly revisit the sweat issue, don’t forget that a good workout will cause it to collect around your face. After all, VR headsets aren’t weightless, and the eyepiece all but eliminates any ventilation your face might otherwise get. A VR sweat mask can partly mitigate this issue. Combine a good sweatband with a moisture-resistant, durable aftermarket facial interface, and you’re giving yourself the best chance of a comfortable hour-long VR experience or longer.
Don’t forget the headphones
Most people find over-ear and on-ear headphones too bulky and hot for exercising. That’s especially true when you’re working out indoors with a headset strapped to your face (although an air circulator fan can help). Your Bluetooth earbuds might not work very well, either, since it’s tough to pin down which specific pairs support the low-latency Bluetooth transmission needed for a fast-paced workout.
Instead, consider a quality pair of wired earbuds. Technically, most wired earbuds should work with headsets like the Quest 2 on a plug-and-play basis. Some, though, are designed with the perfect cable length to connect to the headset without any extra wire getting in the way. The Logitech G333 is one such pair. They sound great and are as reliable as they come. They’re also a touch costly. This pair from Kiwi is notably more affordable and works just fine, although they don’t sound as rich at high volumes.
Is it worth buying a VR headset just to work out?
To be clear, virtual reality can’t possibly be the guide for every aspect of a complete workout. You’ll still need to lift weights for strength training and stretch on your own to increase blood flow and prevent injury. There are plenty of calisthenics and other exercises that don’t require fancy equipment but also don’t dovetail very well with what VR provides.
If you’re on the fence about buying a VR headset, remember that exercise is just one of the things it can help with. There’s a wide variety of games and other experiences that can make VR worthwhile. Similarly, VR can only help push you through some parts of your workout. For the rest, you’ll have to take the initiative and power through all by yourself.
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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2022-06-07T13:30:44+00:00
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upmatters.com
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https://www.upmatters.com/reviews/br/sports-fitness-br/vr-workouts-are-fun-for-all-especially-gamers/
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Time magazine has revealed the shortlist for its 2022 Person of the Year, with plans to name the winner on Wednesday.
The next Person of the Year will be revealed exclusively to NBC’s “Today” show, which also obtained a copy of the shortlist.
The magazine has awarded the honorary title since 1927, last year giving the distinction to billionaire Elon Musk.
Here are the candidates for Time’s 2022 Person of the Year.
Elon Musk
Musk is nominated once again, with a chance to win the title for the second year in a row.
Last year, Time cited the Tesla and SpaceX CEO’s contributions toward “creating solutions to an existential crisis” and for “embodying the possibilities and perils of the age of tech titans.”
The magazine faced criticism for selecting Musk, the world’s richest man, as the 2021 Person of the Year, a move that came the same year ProPublica reported the billionaire paid nothing or very little in income taxes in the past.
This year, Musk dominated the spotlight with his purchase of Twitter for $44 billion. Musk has made a series of controversial changes at the social media company, leading to concerns about Twitter’s future.
Xi Jinping
Chinese President Xi Jinping, who cemented a historic third term for himself this year, was previously nominated in 2019 after China oversaw implementation of a national security law critics say repealed the self-autonomy of special district Hong Kong.
This year, China once again clashed with the U.S. over the self-governing democratic island of Taiwan, renewing fears of a potential Chinese invasion of its neighbor.
Recent protests have swept China as many call for an end to the government’s “zero COVID” policy, one of the strictest coronavirus enforcements in the world. Some demonstrators have even demanded Xi’s ouster in the biggest challenge to the Chinese Communist Party in decades.
The Supreme Court
The U.S. Supreme Court overturned the nearly 50-year-old case precedent Roe v. Wade in June, enacting one of the most controversial rulings in the high court’s modern history.
With abortion no longer protected under the Constitution, the ruling opened the door for about half of the states to severely restrict abortion access.
Justice Clarence Thomas was also among the most controversial figures in the news this year, after his wife was reportedly involved with the Trump administration’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
And Thomas called for a reexamination of the constitutionally protected right to a same-sex marriage, which set off congressional action.
Liz Cheney
Outgoing Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) captured the attention of many Americans this year as she became the face of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
Cheney helped lead the committee’s hearings over the summer highlighting former President Trump’s role in the attacks and his efforts to overturn the election. The committee is also preparing a final report on Jan. 6.
She lost her primary battle against a Trump-backed opponent and is a pariah to many in the GOP but hasn’t ruled out a potential presidential bid.
Volodymyr Zelensky
The Ukrainian president shot to international fame this year while ferociously defending his country against a Russian invasion.
Zelensky is known for his green shirt and tough, no-nonsense demeanor — but also his frequent, warm and reassuring addresses to the Ukrainian people.
The president has in recent months led Ukraine to victory after victory, pushing Russian forces back and reclaiming lost territory.
MacKenzie Scott
Scott is the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos but has made a huge name for herself as a philanthropist.
With a 4 percent stake in Amazon, Scott has given more than $13 billion to charity to date, working toward a pledge to give away most of her fortune.
Last month, Scott announced $2 billion in donations to 343 organizations.
Protesters in Iran
Protests have swept across Iran since mid-September after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody. Amini was arrested for improperly wearing a hijab.
The historic protests have created an unprecedented challenge for the Iranian government, which has cracked down hard with security forces and killed an estimated hundreds of protesters.
At the World Cup, the Iranian soccer team refused to sing the national anthem in a show of support for protesters.
Ron DeSantis
Florida’s governor has surged to the top of the Republican Party’s star list and evolved into something of a foil to Trump.
DeSantis cruised to reelection in November and is increasingly talked about as a potential 2024 presidential candidate.
The Florida governor also captured attention for sending a plane full of migrants to the wealthy community of Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., this fall.
And in the spring, DeSantis stripped Disney of its right to self-govern a district in Florida after the media giant spoke out against a state bill limiting the discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation from kindergarten through third grade.
Janet Yellen
Yellen made history when she became the first female Treasury secretary in 2021.
This year, she oversaw the rollout of the American Women Quarters Program, which is designed to honor historic and trailblazing women on the nation’s official quarters.
Yellen worked this year to reassure Americans about the economy amid high inflation and soaring gas prices.
Gun safety advocates
While the U.S. is rocked by gun violence every year, 2022 was particularly painful for many Americans.
The mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, shocked the nation and was one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. The tragedy led to the first bipartisan law on gun control in decades.
After Uvalde — and a deadly hate attack in Buffalo, N.Y. — thousands demonstrated across the U.S. to call for stricter gun control laws.
|
2022-12-05T21:15:30+00:00
|
nwahomepage.com
|
https://www.nwahomepage.com/hill-politics/heres-who-is-on-times-2022-person-of-the-year-shortlist/
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