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Sam Bankman-Fried could face 2 criminal trials after judge agrees to sever some fraud charges
NEW YORK (AP) — FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried may face two criminal trials after a federal judge on Thursday granted a request by prosecutors to sever the newest fraud charges against him from a trial set for October.
A second trial date for March 11 was set by Judge Lewis A. Kaplan in Manhattan after prosecutors said they will only go ahead with new charges they filed against Bankman-Fried three months ago if authorities in the Bahamas — where Bankman-Fried was first arrested — agree to it.
The order came hours after Bankman-Fried appeared before Kaplan as his lawyers argued for dismissal of charges alleging that he and other top executives cheated investors and looted FTX customer deposits, in part to fund lavish lifestyles. Kaplan seemed skeptical toward some of their arguments but didn’t immediately rule.
When one defense lawyer finished speaking, the judge told him: “I congratulate you on an extraordinarily imaginative argument.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thane Rehn told Kaplan charges brought in a rewritten indictment in March require approval from Bahamian authorities to comply with the terms of a U.S. Extradition Treaty that was activated when the man once viewed by some as a cryptocurrency visionary was extradited from the Bahamas in December.
Those new charges included a claim that Bankman-Fried directed the payment of $40 million in bribes to a Chinese official or Chinese officials to free $1 billion in cryptocurrency that was frozen in early 2021.
Rehn said prosecutors will not continue with the new charges unless it obtains the waiver, citing “an interest in observing diplomatic relationships.” He said discussions with Bahamian authorities prior to the unsealing of the superseding indictment led prosecutors to believe the waiver will be delivered.
He said a trial based on the original indictment will last four to five weeks, about a week shorter than it would be with the new charges included.
Bankman-Fried, 31 — referred to by crypto enthusiasts as “SBF” — has pleaded not guilty to all charges as he awaits trial at his parent’s home in Palo Alto, California, where the terms of his $250 million personal recognizance bond severely limit his online communications and ability to move money. If convicted, he could face years in prison. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams has called it “one of the biggest frauds in American history.”
In asking the judge to dismiss the indictment, his lawyers have argued that the charges are flawed, saying they are duplicative, vague and non-specific and the kinds of things that usually result in regulatory enforcement actions rather than criminal charges.
“They’re trying to criminalize a civil matter,” argued attorney Christian Everdell as he tried to poke holes in various charges facing his client, including a bank fraud conspiracy charge. It was Everdell who prompted the judge to praise his “extraordinarily imaginative argument.”
Prosecutors contend that Bankman-Fried and other executives in his cryptocurrency operation cheated investors and looted FTX customer deposits to make lavish real estate purchases, donate money to politicians and make risky trades at Alameda Research, his cryptocurrency hedge fund trading firm.
FTX entered bankruptcy in November when the global exchange ran out of money after the equivalent of a bank run.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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2023-06-16T00:02:32+00:00
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uppermichiganssource.com
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https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/2023/06/15/sam-bankman-fried-could-face-2-criminal-trials-after-judge-agrees-sever-some-fraud-charges/
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Weekend Planner
Published: Jun. 3, 2022 at 6:59 PM EDT|Updated: 1 hour ago
To keep up with the latest local news subscribe to our TV20 newsletter HERE and receive news straight to your email every morning.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - If you’re willing to put up with the heat and humidity. there’s plenty to do this weekend.
Local agriculture, college baseball, and craft brew are all on tap.
Mike Potter has more in your Weekend Planner.
TRENDING STORY: Applications for Ocala banner displays are open
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
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2022-06-04T00:09:34+00:00
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wcjb.com
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https://www.wcjb.com/2022/06/03/weekend-planner/
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Mayorkas tours border to prepare for asylum limits to end
McALLEN, Texas (AP) — Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Tuesday that authorities were prepared for an anticipated increase in migrants crossing the border from Mexico, days before a public health order is set to end after being used to turn people away nearly 2 million times without a chance to seek asylum.
A federal judge may order that pandemic-related asylum limits continue, but Mayorkas offered public reassurances of readiness after a whirlwind tour of Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, the busiest corridor for illegal crossings. Homeland Security has said it will prepare for as many as 18,000 daily crossings, compared with a daily average of about 7,800 in April, though Mayorkas emphasized that those are not projections.
Mayorkas visited a remodeled processing center in McAllen, the region’s largest city, where migrants sat on metal benches and on sleeping mats spread on the floor, as aluminum thermal blankets made rustling noises. Televisions pointed into cells.
The center reopened about six weeks ago for about 1,200 migrants. Chain-link fences have been replaced with cinder block walls. Cells have an open roof that Border Patrol officials said provides better ventilation.
The center is divided into two sections: one for women in 17 cells of varying sizes and another for men in four wings, with about 24 rooms. There are 44 shower stalls.
Processing for immigration court appearances can take about two hours a person with an average stay of 43 hours at the facility. Authorities distribute monitoring devices for 250 to 350 migrants released daily.
Up to 600 have been released in a day to Catholic Charities of Rio Grande Valley, officials said.
The Biden administration has sent more personnel and equipment and erected temporary holding facilities to process migrants to prepare for the end of the pandemic-era rule on Monday. Title 42 authority, named for a 1944 public health law, forbids migrants from seeking asylum under U.S. law and international treaty on grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19.
The agency also plans to increase prosecutions for illegal border crossings, crack down on smugglers and speed up evaluation of asylum claims, Mayorkas said at a news conference in McAllen.
“We’re a nation of immigrants and we are also a nation of laws,” he said. “We enforce the law and will continue to do so.”
Customs and Border Protection officials stopped migrants 234,088 times on the Mexican border in April, one of the highest in decades and a 5.8% increase from 221,303 in March, according to figures released this week.
But the April tally included 20,118 Ukrainians, nearly all of them entering the country at San Diego’s San Ysidro border crossing from Tijuana, Mexico, on humanitarian parole. That number has plummeted since April 25, when the Biden administration stopped accepting Ukrainians at land crossings with Mexico and instead directed them to fly directly to the United States.
Many migrants are repeat crossers because there are no legal consequences of being expelled under Title 42 authority. In April, about 28% were encountered at least once in the previous year.
U.S. authorities applied Title 42 in about four out of every 10 encounters. The rest were subject to immigration laws, which include a right to seek asylum.
The administration said in a court filing Monday that about 91,000 migrants were paroled into the U.S., including people permitted to make asylum claims.
Cubans continued crossing in large numbers, aided by eased travel restrictions to Nicaragua that allow them to fly from the Caribbean island nation to Central America and travel by land to the U.S. border. They were stopped 35,079 times in April, up 8.3% from 32,402 times in March and more than 10 times April 2020.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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2022-05-18T11:28:07+00:00
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mysuncoast.com
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/05/18/mayorkas-tours-border-prepare-asylum-limits-end/
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The Giants aren’t American Airlines: they still want Odell Beckham Jr. on board.
The team still plans to host OBJ on Thursday and Friday for a free agent visit, even though Beckham was escorted off a Sunday flight from Miami to Los Angeles, the Daily News has learned.
Maybe the incident adds a question to the Giants’ interview process, but nothing that happened Sunday changed the reasons for their mutual interest and this week’s visit.
Beckham is interested in returning to the Giants. Big Blue could use a receiver to help in their playoff push, if not to galvanize them after three losses in their last four games.
And above all, the team needs to physically examine Beckham’s twice-torn left ACL and work him out to ensure he’d be able to help them if he did sign.
All of Beckham’s suitors need that assurance, and OBJ is looking to find the best contract and situation for him.
He has plans to visit the Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills after. The Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs have also shown interest. And it wouldn’t be surprising if the San Francisco 49ers re-entered the fray.
But his tour still will start at home in New Jersey with the Giants. Once he lands, of course.
()
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2022-12-02T11:55:26+00:00
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denverpost.com
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https://www.denverpost.com/2022/12/02/odell-beckham-jr-giants-visit-still-on-after-sunday-flight-incident-3/
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SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Roberta Drury, a 32-year-old woman who was the youngest of the 10 Black people killed at a Buffalo supermarket, was remembered at her funeral Saturday for her love for family and friends, tenacity “and most of all, that smile that could light up a room.”
“Robbie,” as she was called, grew up in the Syracuse area and moved to Buffalo a decade ago to help tend to her brother in his fight against leukemia. She was shot to death May 14 on a trip to buy groceries at the Tops Friendly Market targeted by the white gunman.
“There are no words to fully express the depth and breadth of this tragedy,” Friar Nicholas Spano, parochial vicar of Assumption Church in Syracuse, said during the service. The stately brick church is not far from where Drury grew up in Cicero.
“Last Saturday, May 14, our corner of the world was changed forever,” he said. “Lives ended. Dreams shattered and our state was plunged into mourning.”
Drury’s family wrote in her obituary that she “couldn’t walk a few steps without meeting a new friend.”
“Robbie always made a big deal about someone when she saw them, always making sure they felt noticed and loved,” her sister, Amanda, told The Associated Press by text before the service.
The family asked that donations be made to the Buffalo Zoo, a place the sisters enjoyed walking through, Amanda Drury said.
“She was that light that shone through whatever darkness might have been present,” Spano said. He said mourners would remember Drury’s “kindness … love for family and friends, her perseverance, her tenacity, and most of all, that smile that could light up a room.”
Drury is the second shooting victim to be eulogized.
A private service was held Friday for Heyward Patterson, the beloved deacon at a church near the supermarket. More funerals were scheduled throughout the coming week.
Tops was encouraging people to join its stores in a moment of silence to honor the shooting victims Saturday at 2:30 p.m., the approximate time of the attack a week earlier. Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown also called for 123 seconds of silence from 2:28 p.m. to 2:31 p.m., followed by the ringing of church bells 13 times throughout the city to honor the 10 people killed and three wounded.
A candlelight vigil was planned at the Buffalo supermarket in the evening.
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2022-05-21T18:21:42+00:00
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wnct.com
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https://www.wnct.com/news/national/youngest-of-10-buffalo-shooting-victims-laid-to-rest/
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Alleged church shooter sent diary to newspaper before attack
SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — The man accused of opening fire on a Southern California church congregation because of his political hatred for Taiwan dubbed himself a “destroying angel” in a seven-volume diary sent to a newspaper before the attack, the paper said Wednesday.
David Chou, 68, spent $16.10 to mail seven thick photocopied volumes of handwritten Chinese text and a flash drive to the World Journal office in the Los Angeles suburb of Monterey Park, according to photos published in the Chinese-language paper.
The pages bore the title: “Diary of an Angel Destroying Independence” in an apparent reference to Taiwan’s self-government. The Chinese Communist Party continues to demand Taiwan reunify with China.
The diary pages were received Monday, one day after Chou allegedly opened fire at a lunch gathering of elderly parishioners at Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church in the community of Laguna Woods.
The newspaper didn’t report the contents of the diaries and nobody there apparently read through them before sending them to the police through the paper’s attorney, said an employee who declined to be named because they weren’t authorized to speak openly.
Investigators were aware of the reports that the journals were sent to the newspaper, according to Orange County sheriff’s spokesperson Carrie Braun. She did not know if the sheriff’s department or FBI had taken possession of them as of Wednesday afternoon.
Chou could face life in prison or the death penalty if convicted of murder and attempted murder. He has not yet entered a plea and remained jailed without bail in Orange County pending a June 10 arraignment.
County District Attorney Todd Spitzer has said Chou was motivated by hatred for Taiwan, where he was born after his family was forced from mainland China when Communists prevailed in a civil war that ended in 1949. He apparently chose the church at random and didn’t know anyone there before he drove to California from Las Vegas on Saturday, authorities said.
Authorities have said Chou sat through a church service before attending the luncheon in honor of a former pastor, where he mingled with the parishioners for about 40 minutes before chaining and nailing shut exit doors and opening fire.
When the gunfire erupted, Dr. John Cheng, 52, charged Chou and was shot but authorities said he disrupted the attack and may have saved dozens of lives.
The former pastor, Billy Chang, then picked up a chair and threw it at Chou, who fell on the floor. Chang said he rushed at Chou and several congregation members held Chou down and tied him up.
Chou was armed with two legally purchased 9 mm handguns and concealed bags holding ammunition and four Molotov cocktail-style devices in the church hall where the luncheon was being held, authorities said.
The wounded ranged in age from 66 to 92 and were expected to survive.
The shooting shook Southern California’s Taiwanese community.
“I am starting to worry about our people,” Dr. Simon Lin, a leader at the Taiwan Center Foundation of Los Angeles, said at a news conference. “The Taiwan Center is very friendly. It’s open to the public. We never check your background.”
The small community center lacks the budget to hire full-time security, he added.
Louis M. Huang, director general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles, said he has confidence in U.S. law enforcement to carry out the investigation and that justice would be served.
He called on Taiwanese Americans to respect differences in opinion but said no one has a right to infringe on other people’s rights or to take someone’s life.
He urged community members to report to the police if they see something that concerns them.
“Don’t keep silent,” he said.
___
Associated Press journalists John Antczak in Los Angeles and Ken Ritter in Las Vegas contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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2022-05-19T03:24:05+00:00
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kxii.com
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https://www.kxii.com/2022/05/19/alleged-church-shooter-sent-diary-newspaper-before-attack/
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How to Watch the Heat vs. Bulls: Streaming & TV Channel Info for the NBA Play-In Tournament
Published: Apr. 14, 2023 at 12:43 PM CDT|Updated: 59 minutes ago
The Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls are playing in the NBA Play-In Tournament.
Watch live sports and TV without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
Heat vs. Bulls Game Info
- When: Friday, April 14, 2023 at 7:00 PM ET
- Where: FTX Arena in Miami, Florida
- TV: TNT
- Catch NBA games all season long with Fubo
Watch the NBA and tons of other live sports without cable! Use our link to get a free trial with Fubo.
Heat Stats Insights
- The Heat are shooting 46% from the field this season, 0.7 percentage points lower than the 46.7% the Bulls allow to opponents.
- In games Miami shoots higher than 46.7% from the field, it is 25-11 overall.
- The Heat are the 27th best rebounding team in the league, the Bulls rank 20th.
- The Heat put up 109.5 points per game, only 2.3 fewer points than the 111.8 the Bulls give up.
- When Miami puts up more than 111.8 points, it is 26-8.
Bulls Stats Insights
- The Bulls have shot at a 49% clip from the field this season, 0.8 percentage points above the 48.2% shooting opponents of the Heat have averaged.
- This season, Chicago has a 31-17 record in games the team collectively shoots higher than 48.2% from the field.
- The Heat are the 20th best rebounding team in the league, the Bulls rank 28th.
- The Bulls put up only 3.3 more points per game (113.1) than the Heat give up to opponents (109.8).
- Chicago is 35-19 when it scores more than 109.8 points.
Heat Home & Away Comparison
- The Heat are putting up 111.4 points per game when playing at home. In away games, they are averaging 107.5 points per contest.
- Defensively Miami has been worse at home this season, surrendering 110.2 points per game, compared to 109.3 in away games.
- At home, the Heat are draining the same number of threes per game as they are on the road (12). Meanwhile, they have a higher three-point percentage at home (36%) compared to in away games (32.9%).
Bulls Home & Away Comparison
- The Bulls put up 114 points per game at home, 1.8 more than away (112.2). Defensively they allow 111.2 per game, 1.3 fewer points than on the road (112.5).
- At home, Chicago concedes 111.2 points per game. Away, it concedes 112.5.
- The Bulls average 0.9 more assists per game at home (24.9) than away (24).
Heat Injuries
Bulls Injuries
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved.
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2023-04-14T18:42:45+00:00
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kcrg.com
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https://www.kcrg.com/sports/betting/2023/04/14/heat-vs-bulls-nba-play-in-live-stream-tv/
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Fans of the hit Western series “Yellowstone” probably aren’t happy with news that the show might end only halfway through Season 5, reportedly because the show’s star Kevin Costner only wants to commit to one more week of shooting, while many of the cast, crew and studio executives have become “frustrated by his ego and his unavailability,” a report said.
“I know, get in line,” said Puck writer Matthew Belloni. He jokes that “‘Aging Movie Star Doing Television Has Inflated Sense of Self’ sounds like an Onion headline” but said that the 68-year-old Costner has long been known for having an outsized ego in a business filled with people with big egos.
“There’s a reason Costner is known in town as either exacting to a fault or an unjustified pain in the ass, going all the way back to his heyday in the ’90s,” Belloni said.
The reported standoff over Costner’s shooting schedule has fed reports that “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan and Paramount are moving to end their signature show after the fifth season but to extend the franchise surrounding the Dutton Family with other projects, including a new show starring Matthew McConaughey, Deadline said.
Meanwhile, the standoff over Costner’s shooting schedule has revived talk in Hollywood that the actor has always been difficult to work with. Costner rose to stardom in the 1980s and early 1990, starting with Brian DePalma’s “The Untouchables.” He became a heartthrob with “No Way Out,” “Bull Durham” and “The Bodyguard” and a symbol of American male integrity in the baseball classic, “Field of Dreams” and in Oliver Stone’s conspiracy drama, “JFK.” During that run, Costner also turned to directing. “Dances With Wolves” won him two Oscars, one for best picture and the other for director.
“Leveraging his star power and the cachet of the Oscars he won for ‘Dances With Wolves,’ Costner famously tortured filmmakers like Sam Raimi on 1999’s ‘For Love of the Game,’” Belloni said. In what was seen as a breach of professional protocol, Costner publicly complained about the final edits to the film, even though he wasn’t the director. At the time Universal Pictures co-chair Stacey Snider responded by saying, “Kevin’s not the director and it’s not fair for him to hijack a $50 million asset.”
Director Kevin Reynolds also was a Costner casualty, according to Belloni. Reynolds either bailed, or got fired from, two Costner vehicles, “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” and “Waterworld.” The latter was one of Costner’s mid-1990s post-apocalyptic epics. But it and “The Postman” were commercial and critical disappointments. As the director for “The Postman,” Costner refused to trim its three-hour running time despite “a pair of awful test screenings, and it lost tens of millions of dollars for Warner Bros.,” Belloni said. In another “big-time diva” move, Costner refused to do publicity for “Message in a Bottle,” a 1999 adaption of a Nicholas Sparks romance novel co-starring Robin Wright, unless he got his way on the final edit, Belloni added.
Since the 2000s, Costner has continued to work, win critical approval and earn money for studios, notably when he starred in the three-part miniseries “Hatfields & McCoys,” a show that broke viewership records for the History Channel and won Costner Emmy, SAG and Golden Globe awards for his performance.
Still, as Belloni said, Costner’s “heyday” ended a long time ago, prompting people to wonder why he’s not being more flexible with his schedule for “Yellowstone.” Dustin Rowles, a writer for the entertainment site Pajiba, said that Sheridan “basically resurrected Costner’s career” by giving him the part of John Dutton III, the patriarch of a powerful Montana ranching family.
“Yellowstone” also has given Costner the clout to direct his dream project, “Horizon,” the first of a planned series of independently financed Civil War-era Western films that Costner is co-writing, producing, directing, and starring in, Belloni and Rowles said. Costner’s deal with “Yellowstone” was supposed to give him time to work on “Horizon.”
The actor has responded to his renewed clout from “Yellowstone” with moves that have made him “difficult” to work with, according to Belloni. Friction between Costner and Sheridan grew when the star began giving the showrunner notes in the early seasons, which “didn’t go over well,” Belloni said. Once “Yellowstone” became the biggest show on TV, Costner is said to have made a number of demands, such as expected to be paid for promoting the show, despite earning $1.2 million per episode. Costner’s assistant also insulted Sheridan’s crime drama “Tulsa King,” starring Sylvester Stallone, tweeting and then deleting the comment: “Stick to westerns, bro. … I’m actually embarrassed for you as a writer and creator.”
The scheduling impasse has meant that Sheridan can’t finish writing episodes for the rest of Season 5, which was supposed to supposed to finish production in 2022 and air this summer. Busy with “Horizon,” Costner’s people reportedly have said he can only spare one week this summer, followed by two days in October, which means the second half of Season 5 won’t be able to air until the end of the year, at the earliest, Belloni said.
For his part, Costner reportedly is frustrated that Sheridan has been busy with so many other projects that he failed to deliver scripts on time and constantly moved the schedule around, a source told Belloni. His attorney, Marty Singer, also told Belloni that the claim that Costner was only willing to work one week this summer “is a lie.”
“As everyone who knows anything about Kevin is well aware, he is incredibly passionate about the show and has always gone way above and beyond to ensure its success,” Singer said.
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2023-02-22T23:37:03+00:00
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bostonherald.com
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https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/02/22/when-hasnt-kevin-costner-been-a-pain-in-the-you-know-what/
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The Indianapolis Art Center is bringing art classes and exhibitions to a 1,500-square-foot space called the Hillside Art Center in the Hillside neighborhood, just north of downtown.
The center is located at 1145 E. 22nd St. in a massive building that housed the National Motor Vehicle Company manufacturing plant in the early 1900s. Most recently, the building served as a charter school, and it now houses several nonprofits.
Artist Gary Gee is the star of the Inaugural exhibition which opens on Friday, October 21 at the Hillside Art Center. The public is invited to a free open house with art activities and demos and an opening reception is taking place from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
The show, “Ground Breaking / Breaking Ground,” will feature mixed media works in sculpture, painting, and drawing.
In addition to offering art classes, exhibitions, corporate teambuilding programs, STEAM programs, camps and workshops in the new space and at the Art Center’s main campus in Broad Ripple, the nonprofit is partnering with the City of Fishers on a Fishers Art Center, opening in 2024. The initial class schedule is being finalized with input from the community.
“We’re eager to make our classes more accessible by offering opportunities both on and off our main campus” said Mark Williams, president and CEO of the Indianapolis Art Center. “We’re excited about the potential for community collaboration and creative connection in Hillside.”
Indianapolis Art Center
The Indianapolis Art Center builds community through art. Every year, the nonprofit offers hundreds of classes and camps, more than 50 art exhibitions in six galleries, an outreach program that takes art into underserved communities, and the Broad Ripple Art Fair. Its main campus is in Broad Ripple, along the banks of the White River and steps from the Monon Trail, and features a building designed by world-renowned architect and Indianapolis native Michael Graves and Indianapolis’ original ArtsPark, an outdoor creativity and sculpture garden and green space with trails.
For more information, click here.
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2022-10-17T21:14:57+00:00
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wishtv.com
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https://www.wishtv.com/lifestylelive/indianapolis-art-center-opens-gallery-community-art-studio-in-near-northside/
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NEW YORK — Julius Randle had 24 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, Jalen Brunson scored 21 points and the New York Knicks overcame an early 21-point deficit to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 108-97 on Sunday night.
Joel Embiid had 31 points for the 76ers, going 18 of 19 from the free throw line, and grabbed 14 rebounds.
Philadelphia went ahead by 21 points in the first quarter, but the Knicks cut it to 53-51 at halftime.
Tyrese Maxey opened the final quarter with a three-point play, but the Knicks scored the next 10 points and capped a 15-2 run on Fournier’s 3-pointer, giving them a 91-84 lead. They never trailed again.
RAPTORS 106, GRIZZLIES 103
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Pascal Siakam scored 19 points, including a pair of free throws with 9 seconds left, and Toronto rallied from a 15-point deficit to beat Memphis.
Jaren Jackson Jr. missed a 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds left that would have tied the game for the Grizzlies, who played without star Ja Morant because of right wrist soreness.
Toronto won its second straight game and went 4-3 on its season-long seven-game road swing. Memphis has lost three straight and eight of nine.
Chris Boucher scored 17 points and Scottie Barnes had 16 for the Raptors. Desmond Bane led Memphis with 26 points, while Jackson had 18 points and four blocks.
TIMBERWOLVES 128, NUGGETS 98
MINNEAPOLIS — D’Angelo Russell had 18 points and 10 assists, Anthony Edwards scored 20 and Minnesota cruised past Denver, which was missing two-time MVP Nikola Jokic and three other starters on the second night of a back-to-back.
Rudy Gobert had 16 points for the Timberwolves, who never trailed and opened a 20-point advantage in the second quarter on the way to a seventh win in 10 games.
Along with Jokic, the Nuggets played without Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope because of injuries. Michael Porter Jr., the lone regular starter in the lineup, led Denver with 22 points.
PELICANS 136, KINGS 104
NEW ORLEANS — Trey Murphy III made six 3-pointers and scored 30 points as New Orleans overcame the absence of several starters to beat Sacramento.
CJ McCollum scored 24 points for the Pelicans, who shot 57.1% overall and combined to hit 14 of 26 from 3-point range after struggling from deep throughout their recent 10-game losing streak.
Willy Hernangomez had 22 points and 16 rebounds, and Naji Marshall scored 17 points for New Orleans, which was missing Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Jonas Valanciunas.
Malik Monk scored 16 for the Kings, who lost their second straight game without De’Aaron Fox. He is away from the team for unspecified personal reasons.
MAGIC 119, HORNETS 113
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Paolo Banchero had 22 points and 10 rebounds, Wendell Carter Jr. added 20 points and 12 rebounds and Orlando took advantage of Charlotte’s poor foul shooting.
The Hornets made just one of nine free throws in the fourth quarter while Orlando was going 13 of 15. Charlotte finished 11 of 23 from the line in its fourth straight loss — Orlando wound up 27 of 30 on foul shots.
LaMelo Ball had 26 of his 33 points after halftime for the Hornets.
Markelle Fultz had 16 points and Frank Wagner chipped in with 14 for the Magic, who have won three of four.
CAVALIERS 122, PACERS 103
INDIANAPOLIS — Darius Garland scored 24 points, Isaac Okoro added 20 and Cleveland made 15 3-pointers to rout Indiana.
The Cavaliers shot 52.3% percent from the field, including 15 of 37 (40.5%) from long range, to complement a top-ranked defense that held Indiana to 43.5% shooting.
Jarrett Allen contributed 18 points and 13 rebounds, Evan Mobley had 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Donovan Mitchell added 19 points and six assists for the Cavs.
Myles Turner had 27 points and 10 rebounds for Indiana, which has lost 12 of 14. All-Star Tyrese Haliburton finished with 15 points and 11 assists.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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2023-02-06T04:04:01+00:00
|
washingtonpost.com
|
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nba/randle-brunson-rally-knicks-past-embiid-sixers-108-97/2023/02/05/e21ab0a4-a5c8-11ed-b2a3-edb05ee0e313_story.html
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WASHINGTON – The white-hot demand for U.S. workers cooled a bit in April, though the number of unfilled jobs remains high and companies are still desperate to hire more people.
Employers advertised 11.4 million jobs at the end of April, the Labor Department said Wednesday, down from nearly 11.9 million in March, the highest level on records that date back more than 20 years. At that level, there are nearly two job openings for every unemployed person. That's a sharp reversal from the historic pattern: Before the pandemic, there were always more unemployed people than available jobs.
The number of people quitting their jobs remained near record highs at 4.4 million in April, mostly unchanged from the previous month. Nearly all of those who quit do so to take another job, typically for higher pay.
The historically high number of unfilled jobs and the number of people quitting has forced employers to pay more to attract and keep staff. Those trends are driving solid wage gains for America's workers, particularly those that switch jobs.
The figures also suggest that hiring remains strong. On Friday, the government will release the monthly jobs report. Economists believe employers added 323,000 jobs in May, and that the unemployment rate ticked down to 3.5%, matching its pre-pandemic low, from 3.6%.
The healthy level of open jobs shows that companies are still trying to add staff and grow, even as inflation hovers near a 40-year high and the Federal Reserve has embarked on what could be its fastest pace of interest rate hikes since the 1980s.
“Employers' focus is on expansion despite high inflation and pending higher interest rates,” said Robert Frick, an economist at the Navy Federal Credit Union.
Yet higher pay also means many companies must raise prices to cover at least part of their higher labor costs, adding to inflation pressures, which Americans increasingly cite as a top concern.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has targeted the high level of available jobs and hopes that by raising interest rates, the Fed can slow demand for workers and bring down the number of openings. Powell and other Fed officials have said their goal is to reduce openings and therefore slow wage increases to cool inflation, potentially without forcing many layoffs.
Job openings fell in restaurants and hotels, though remain quite high, and also dropped in health care and retail. They rose in manufacturing, warehousing, and construction. Construction firms have cited worker shortages for months as a key reason new home building has been delayed.
There are other signs that suggest job openings have leveled off or even declined a bit in recent months. The job listings website Indeed, which tracks all online job postings, says that recent job postings — those seven days old or less — peaked in February but remain high. In February, they were 90% above pre-pandemic levels, but by the third week of May, that figure had fallen to 74% — still a strong increase.
Some of the largest companies that have done the most hiring since the pandemic began have started to pull back. Amazon said last month that its warehouses were “overstaffed” and suggested the company would stop hiring.
Walmart executives made similar comments last month, citing “overstaffing” as part of the reason it fell short of profit projections in the most recent quarter. The company said it resolved the problem largely by not replacing workers who left.
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2022-06-01T15:49:16+00:00
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ksat.com
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https://www.ksat.com/business/2022/06/01/us-job-openings-decline-from-record-level-but-remain-high/
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NEW YORK (AP) — Bethenny Frankel has never been shy about offering her opinion, but lately, giving advice has become her business. The reality TV star and producer, entrepreneur, and bestselling author has a new CNBC show, “Money Court,” where she and co-host Kevin O’Leary hear business dilemmas and come up with solutions.
On the show, Frankel and O’Leary hear disputes or problems in small businesses, including pricing strategies, work culture issues and ways to expand. The hosts make a ruling on the best way to proceed. Frankel has also recently built a large following on her Instagram feed for her brutally honest posts about food and beauty products. On the same day, she could be testing who makes the best pasta sauce, and whether a high-end end night cream is better than a drugstore brand.
Frankel, who may be best known for her role in the Bravo reality series “Real Housewives of New York City,” recently talked to The Associated Press about her new hosting duties, social feeds and advising her daughter. Answers have been abbreviated for clarity and brevity.
AP: You and Kevin have strong personalities. How do you get along?
Frankel: I thought we would be sparring a little bit and be in some sort of a power struggle and that there would be like a gender situation and … there was none of that. We both elevated each other’s game. It was definitely the sum is greater than its parts, playing with a better tennis player, and the entrepreneurs benefited from that relationship. I gained a respect for him as an entrepreneur, as a business advisor, as a man with experience. It’s not that easy to keep up with me, and I don’t care how rich or successful someone is. It was really inspiring.
AP: You’ve made millions as an entrepreneur, and he’s mainly a venture capitalist and investor. How do those different skills help the show?
Frankel: Kevin has invested and made more money than I have. But he hasn’t himself started a business from the ground up, like what goes on day to day. So my expertise is in the culture, the dynamic, the relationships, the marketing, all that other stuff, in addition to the numbers. Numbers are easier to play around with than personalities and workplace culture, and dynamics and actually knowing what it’s like. I’m better in understanding the actual people.
AP: Were you surprised by the positive response to your product tests on social media?
Frankel: I am the Justin Bieber of CVS! (laughs) I walk in (and people say) ‘I bought this because of you.’ I go into a Target and someone says, ‘You’re doing the Lord’s work.’ And I’m like, B strong? (her philanthropic foundation) ‘No, the lip gloss!’ I’m like, ‘Whaat?’ So it’s really fun. It’s a different audience. Old and young. Its young girls, that found me on TikTok. Its moms that are obsessed with it because they just don’t know what the hell is going on. It’s really been interesting. It was totally accidental. There’s no one that could ever intend or predict that absurdity.
AP: Have any companies taken issue with your posts if you don’t like a product?
Frankel: No. The beauty business is very strong and resilient and even the negativity helps them because I’m giving them sort of some advice because they are not seeing everything. They’re in their own business and … while they might just dabble around, I’m seeing everything. So cutting through is great. What happens is brands have offered to pay me to review a product which I have declined. Brands have asked me if I would partner with them after I have already liked something … then I’ve said great because I already said, ‘I like this,’ wonderful. So really it has a lot of integrity. And it’s hard to turn down just people throwing money at you. But I do every day for things that I don’t like. That brand will send me something, send me a fruit basket and say, we heard you didn’t like this. Maybe you’ll like this. It’s been nice. I have a lot of respect for the beauty space that I didn’t before.
AP: Do you give your 12-year-old daughter Bryn advice?
Frankel: I’m very in tune, and I’m very strict and also indulgent. She is absolutely not spoiled because she gets checked. And she doesn’t care about all the stuff and the fame and all the beauty products. … I mean, she’s very into hair. But if she gets something, she gets rid of two things. So she’s very balanced and … there’s still a discipline there. And yes, I give her great advice, but I have a way of approaching it that I feel works.
AP: With multiple jobs and businesses, what are you most proud of?
Frankel: I’m proud of the mother that I am and … there’s no situation where I put work first before her. I’m proud of curating the career that I want, that I get excited to sit down and talk about (her podcast) “Rewives’ in the way that I want to, in the context that I want to with the people that I want to talk to about it, that I get to do it my way. That I get to do this “Money Court” show about the things that are important to me, that I get to say no repeatedly and turn down millions of dollars, for “Housewives,” because it’s not where I want to be.
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2022-12-17T05:24:33+00:00
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fox44news.com
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https://www.fox44news.com/entertainment-news/ap-qa-bethenny-frankel-on-giving-advice-on-all-platforms/
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How to Watch the Nuggets vs. Lakers: Streaming & TV Channel Info for Western Conference Finals Game 2
Published: May. 18, 2023 at 2:31 PM EDT|Updated: 48 minutes ago
The NBA Playoffs will see the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers face off in the Western Conference Finals, with Game 2 coming up.
Keep reading for everything you need to know about this matchup between the Nuggets and Lakers, including how to catch the action live with a free trial to Fubo.
Watch live sports and TV without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
Nuggets vs. Lakers Game Info
- When: Thursday, May 18, 2023 at 8:30 PM ET
- Where: Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado
- TV: ESPN
- Watch Nuggets vs. Lakers with Fubo
Watch the NBA and tons of other live sports without cable! Use our link to get a free trial with Fubo.
Nuggets vs Lakers Additional Info
Nuggets Stats Insights
- This season, the Nuggets have a 50.4% shooting percentage from the field, which is 3.5% higher than the 46.9% of shots the Lakers' opponents have made.
- In games Denver shoots better than 46.9% from the field, it is 45-16 overall.
- The Nuggets are the 18th best rebounding team in the league, the Lakers rank sixth.
- The 115.8 points per game the Nuggets record are just 0.8 fewer points than the Lakers give up (116.6).
- When Denver totals more than 116.6 points, it is 37-4.
Lakers Stats Insights
- The Lakers have shot at a 48.2% rate from the field this season, 0.4 percentage points greater than the 47.8% shooting opponents of the Nuggets have averaged.
- Los Angeles is 32-15 when it shoots better than 47.8% from the field.
- The Lakers are the sixth-ranked rebounding team in the league, the Nuggets sit at 16th.
- The Lakers put up only 4.7 more points per game (117.2) than the Nuggets allow their opponents to score (112.5).
- Los Angeles has put together a 36-17 record in games it scores more than 112.5 points.
Nuggets Home & Away Comparison
- The Nuggets score 119.4 points per game in home games, compared to 112.2 points per game on the road, a difference of 7.2 points per contest.
- Defensively Denver has played better at home this year, surrendering 109.6 points per game, compared to 115.3 in road games.
- When playing at home, the Nuggets are draining 1.1 more threes per game (12.4) than away from home (11.3). They also own a higher three-point percentage at home (39%) compared to in road games (36.7%).
Lakers Home & Away Comparison
- The Lakers score 117 points per game at home, 0.3 fewer points than on the road (117.3). On defense they concede 113.8 per game, 5.6 fewer points than away (119.4).
- At home Los Angeles is conceding 113.8 points per game, 5.6 fewer points than it is on the road (119.4).
- The Lakers pick up 0.8 more assists per game at home (25.7) than on the road (24.9).
Nuggets Injuries
Lakers Injuries
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved.
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2023-05-18T20:20:17+00:00
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wymt.com
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https://www.wymt.com/sports/betting/2023/05/18/nuggets-vs-lakers-western-conference-finals-game-2-live-stream-tv/
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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) _ The winning numbers in Sunday evening's drawing of the Iowa Lottery's "Pick 3 Evening" game were:
4-7-7
(four, seven, seven)
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) _ The winning numbers in Sunday evening's drawing of the Iowa Lottery's "Pick 3 Evening" game were:
4-7-7
(four, seven, seven)
|
2022-09-05T04:08:06+00:00
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seattlepi.com
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https://www.seattlepi.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-3-Evening-game-17419629.php
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President Joe Biden issued a major disaster declaration after Hurricane Ian slammed into Florida, ordering federal aid to supplement recovery efforts in the state.
Following the president’s actions, some people on social media and news headlines have claimed that Vice President Kamala Harris said the Biden administration will prioritize “communities of color” when distributing hurricane relief. The posts shared on Twitter include a 40-second clip of Harris speaking at a Democratic National Committee (DNC) forum.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fl.) made a similar claim during an Oct. 2 appearance on CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” which was refuted by host Margaret Brennan.
“Harris said…if you have a different skin color, you’re going to get relief,” Scott said on the show.
THE QUESTION
Did Vice President Kamala Harris say Hurricane Ian relief will be directed toward “communities of color”?
THE SOURCES
- Conversation between Vice President Kamala Harris and actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas at the DNC Women’s Leadership Forum
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Press Secretary Jeremy Edwards
- FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell on “Face the Nation”
- White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre
THE ANSWER
No, Vice President Kamala Harris did not say Hurricane Ian relief will be directed toward “communities of color.”
WHAT WE FOUND
The clip shared on social media leaves out important context about the full exchange between Harris and actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) Women’s Leadership Forum on Sept. 30.
Harris spoke broadly during her conversation with Chopra Jonas about the impacts of climate change and equitable distribution of resources. In the video clip that went viral, she was responding to a question from Chopra Jonas about how the Biden administration is addressing the climate crisis and disparities within “the poorest communities” in general, not about specific plans for Hurricane Ian relief.
In response to Chopras Jonas’ question, Harris said, “And in particular on the disparities, as you have described rightly, which is that it is our lowest income communities and our communities of color that are most impacted by these extreme conditions and impacted by issues that are not of their own making.”
“We have to address this in a way that is about giving resources based on equity, understanding that we fight for equality but we also need to fight for equity,” Harris continued. “Understanding that not everyone starts out at the same place and if we want people to be in an equal place, sometimes we have to take into account those disparities and do that work.”
During the conversation, Harris briefly addressed Hurricane Ian, saying, “I know we are all thinking about the families in Florida, in Puerto Rico with [Hurricane] Fiona — and what we need to do to help them in terms of an immediate response and aid, but also what we need to do to help restore communities and build communities back up in a way that they can be resilient — not to mention, adapt — to these extreme weather conditions, which are part of the future.”
More from VERIFY: Fakes exist, but the original photo showing windows holding back a wall of water during Hurricane Ian is real
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Press Secretary Jeremy Edwards refuted the claims shared on social media, writing in a statement to VERIFY that “the Vice President was referring to a different issue at the time and her comments were focused on long-term climate investments.”
“As the administration has said across the board, we support all communities, and at FEMA we have undertaken a number of initiatives to make our recovery and resilience programs more accessible,” Edwards said. “As Administrator Criswell told the Governor, FEMA will support all Floridians and help them navigate our various programs.”
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell appeared on “Face the Nation” on Oct. 2, where she responded to questions from the show’s host Margaret Brennan about Sen. Scott’s comments that people “with a different skin color” will receive Hurricane Ian relief.
“Our programs support everybody,” Criswell said. “I would say I believe some of the things the vice president was talking about are the long-term recovery and rebuilding these communities to be able to withstand disasters so they can have less impact. We’re going to support all communities.”
More from VERIFY: You may be eligible for reimbursement if you bought or rented a generator because of Hurricane Ian
In response to a reporter’s question on Oct. 3 about whether Harris suggested that “people of color will get an advantage of some kind with the rebuilding efforts” after Hurricane Ian, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also clarified that the vice president’s comments were taken out of context.
“So that is not what the vice president said,” Jean-Pierre said. “The vice president was clearly talking about long-term investment, not FEMA aid, for hurricane response efforts.”
People affected by Hurricane Ian can apply for FEMA assistance online or by calling 1-800-621-3362.
Victims of the storm from designated Florida counties can also visit their nearest Disaster Recovery Center for help in applying for assistance. Representatives from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration are available at the centers to explain disaster assistance programs and to answer any questions.
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2022-10-06T00:09:06+00:00
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wtsp.com
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https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/verify/social-media/vice-president-kamala-harris-hurricane-relief-efforts-comments-fact-check/536-127ec103-7b94-412f-a141-b76123ee408e
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(WXYZ) — An overflow of support is coming from students and families at Annapolis High School in Dearborn Heights as their revered principal Aaron Mollett is suspended.
"The kids love him. His presence being absent right now is devastating to the students," Natina Brown said.
Adding salt to the wound, there are no answers as to why. Parents tell 7 Action News that they only realized Mr. Mollett was suspended because his email was deactivated. When they questioned the district about it they were told a reasoning requires patience and privacy.
"I reached out to Mr. Mollett and I said, 'I don't know what's going on.' I said, 'And you don't have to say anything, but I support you 100%."
This morning, students are planning to protest by walking out of their classrooms at 11 a.m. and down to the Board of Education.
"The students came up with this idea," Natina Brown said. "My son asked me for permission. I told him I support them 100% because Mr. Mallette is one of those principles that he's not just a part of the students, but he is a part of their family, too."
The district released a statement to 7 Action News saying on Thursday, they placed principal Mollett on paid administrative leave. They add that they are conducting an investigation on the matter but since it's a personal issue, they are not at liberty to discuss details.
"It's wrong and it needs to be addressed, and it needs to be addressed now," parent Lelynn Wolak said. "These are pandemic children. They have gone through so much. They have relied on that man."
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2023-05-09T13:28:57+00:00
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fox17online.com
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https://www.fox17online.com/news/high-schoolers-plan-a-walkout-in-support-of-their-suspended-principal
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CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — A gunshot was fired at a hotel in Midlothian prompting the Chesterfield County Police Department to respond with a heavy presence in the area on Thursday.
Around midday, officers were called to the Extended Stay America hotel in the 200 block of Arboretum Place for a reported disturbance with a weapon.
Police said the incident started as a domestic dispute involving several people who knew each other. At one point, a woman attempted to pull out a gun and another man began wrestling him for control.
During the struggle, the gun went off. However, no one was shot, according to police.
A large police presence remains at the scene and the Chesterfield County Police Department is continuing to investigate. One person was arrested by police on scene for shooting into an occupied dwelling.
This is a developing story, stay with 8News for updates.
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2023-05-18T18:46:45+00:00
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wric.com
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https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/chesterfield-county/shots-fired-at-hotel-in-chesterfield-heavy-police-presence-remains-for-investigation/
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Updated February 23, 2023 at 3:30 PM ET
Almost exactly one month after senators held a hearing on issues in the ticketing industry, they are calling on the U.S. Department of Justice to continue examining what they call the "anticompetitive conduct" of Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation.
The ticketing giant came under renewed scrutiny after the Taylor Swift presale debacle in November, which prompted widespread accusations of monopolistic behavior (as well as several state consumer protection investigations and a fan-led antitrust lawsuit).
The Justice Department had reportedly opened an antitrust investigation into the company even before that ill-fated sale. NPR has reached out to Justice Department for comment.
Live Nation has acknowledged areas of improvement, especially when it comes to bots and scalpers, but has repeatedly — both in written statements and congressional testimony — denied engaging in behavior that would justify antitrust litigation or changes to its business practices.
On Thursday, the company issued a new statement urging people to "focus on the facts." Live Nation has submitted "more than 35 pages of information" in recent weeks in an effort to provide context and transparency to policymakers "on the realities of the industry," it said.
"We believe that policymakers would benefit from asking more questions about the chaos caused by scalpers and the resale-first side of the industry," the statement added.
The company says it supports reforms to ticketing practices, including those it has outlined in a proposal it called the "FAIR Ticketing Act."
Live Nation's efforts have evidently done little to assuage the concerns of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who have demanded answers and now say they aren't satisfied with what they've gotten so far.
Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Mike Lee, R-Utah — who lead the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights — sent a letter on Wednesday to the Justice Department presenting evidence from the January hearing and urging it to follow up on unanswered questions.
Writing to Jonathan Kanter, the assistant attorney general for the Antitrust Division, the senators stressed that all of the witnesses except for Live Nation's president had testified that the company's practices harm the music industry. And they said Live Nation hasn't sufficiently responded to all of their questions, both at the hearing and after.
"Live Nation's responses amount to 'trust us.' We believe that is wholly insufficient," they wrote. "We thank you for your prompt attention to these matters and encourage the Antitrust Division to take action if it finds that Ticketmaster has walled itself off from competitive pressure at the expense of the industry and fans."
These are the questions that lawmakers want answered
The senators' letter is divided into two main lists: allegations against Ticketmaster and follow-up questions to which they found the company's response lacking.
The hearing featured testimony from antitrust experts, entertainment company executives and a musician, who collectively painted a picture of an industry that is dominated by one oversized company at the expense of fans, venues and artists.
Some of the issues they raised involved Live Nation's pricing models and fees, increasingly long contracts with competitors and alleged retaliatory behavior against artists and venues that don't want to work with it.
Lawmakers in the room seemed to agree that the company's dominance poses a problem in the industry, even if they had different ideas for how to address it. After the hearing, the subcommittee leaders sent Live Nation a letter with seven additional questions, requesting a response by Feb. 15.
"As the hearing demonstrated, there is a strong bipartisan consensus about taking steps to improve the way America's ticketing industry functions," they wrote. "We must ensure that we have competition in the market to drive down prices, encourage companies to innovate, and give consumers choice."
In a 38-page response dated Feb. 14, Live Nation claimed that both primary and secondary ticketing markets are "highly competitive."
"Ticketmaster remains the largest primary ticketing company, but it has steadily lost market share and has lowered pricing despite having by far the best product in the industry — sure signs that it is not the monopolist that some claim," it said.
The letter, signed by executive vice president for corporate and regulatory affairs Daniel Wall, also urged Congress to take action against bots, to ban fraudulent resale practices and to mandate the ability for artists and other event providers to set their own resale terms on all ticketing websites.
But Klobuchar and Lee say Live Nation "largely failed" to answer lawmakers' questions.
Senators asked how many concerts each year were promoted by Live Nation and ticketed by Ticketmaster. It says the company said it was "unable to determine" the answer "in the time available" but did not ask for an extension.
They also asked Live Nation if it would commit to having third-party audits to confirm that it isn't retaliating, in threat or actuality, against venues that pursue other ticketing providers.
Lawmakers say Live Nation refused, responding: "Live Nation does not need to be subject to a consent decree or any similar legal obligation to refrain from retaliating against a venue for using another company's ticketing services, and from threatening to retaliate for such choosing of another ticketing company."
There are also several questions that senators say Live Nation didn't answer at all, including about how many of the top 100 arenas it provides ticketing services for and whether it's entered into any agreements with venues where the contract term for ticketing services is longer than five years.
The Justice Department has not confirmed or commented publicly on a potential antitrust investigation into Live Nation, though Klobuchar and other senators have said that the evidence gathered at their recent hearing could be useful for such a probe — as well as for passing legislation in this area.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
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2023-02-23T21:22:23+00:00
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kvpr.org
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https://www.kvpr.org/npr-news/2023-02-23/senators-are-calling-on-the-justice-department-to-look-into-ticketmasters-practices
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Discord's head of trust and safety said Tuesday that the popular chat platform was changing and clarifying its child safety policies including those around around teen dating and AI-generated child sexual abuse material, an announcement that comes after an NBC News investigation last month into child safety on the platform.
John Redgrave, Discord's vice president of trust and safety, said that Discord was expanding its policies to address generative artificial intelligence that can create fake content and the sexualization of children, specifically banning AI depictions of child sexual abuse and even the sexualization of children in text chats. The Washington Post reported in June that AI-generated child sex images have proliferated across the internet in recent months.
Discord has been a hub for communities devoted to the creation of generative AI images and has hosted several integrations that allow users to generate them. Sexually themed images are frequently created on those servers.
The company said in a blog post announcing the changes that the updated child sexual abuse material policy would include “any text or media content that sexualizes children, including drawn, photorealistic, and AI-generated photorealistic child sexual abuse material. The goal of this update is to ensure that the sexualization of children in any context is not normalized by bad actors.”
Get South Florida local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters.
Redgrave also said that the company was instituting policy changes and clarifications to explicitly ban teen dating, which experts previously told NBC News posed a significant opportunity for adults looking to exploit or groom children.
As part of its policy updates, Discord announced the launch of more tools for parental control. In a new Family Center tool, parents and kids can opt in to have parents receive updates about their kids' activities on the platform.
Read the full story on NBCNews.com here.
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2023-07-11T23:12:42+00:00
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nbcmiami.com
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https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/national-international/discord-bans-ai-generated-child-sex-abuse-material-and-teen-dating-on-platform/3069698/
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Gas station clerk asks friend to rob the store so he can go home early, police say
TULSA, Okla. (Gray News) – A gas station employee in Tulsa is accused of asking a friend to find someone to rob the store so he could go home early, police said.
According to the Tulsa Police Department, the investigation began when the employee, Isaias Jones, reported that a man walked into the store June 5 and handed him a note that read, “Give me all your money or I will shoot you.”
Jones complied, and the suspect left with cash.
Investigators later identified Steven Jones (no relation) as the suspect and arrested him on June 8.
However, police said there was more to the story than what appeared. Steven Jones confessed to the robbery, but he said his friend Alyia Locke set up the crime because Isaias Jones had asked her if someone could rob the store so he could leave early.
Police said Locke was arrested for an outstanding warrant and provided text messages that corroborated Steven Jones’ story.
Police then arrested Isaias Jones on Wednesday, who admitted to asking Locke to find someone to rob the store because he was tired and wanted to go home.
Isaias Jones is charged with embezzlement and conspiracy to commit a felony.
Steven Jones is charged with conspiracy to commit embezzlement and possession of a firearm after the former conviction of a felony.
Locke was arrested for an outstanding warrant and could also face charges of embezzlement, police said.
Both men were released on bond, according to jail records. As of Friday afternoon, Locke remains in the Tulsa County Jail.
Copyright 2023 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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2023-06-16T22:10:15+00:00
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kcbd.com
|
https://www.kcbd.com/2023/06/16/gas-station-clerk-asks-friend-rob-store-so-he-can-go-home-early-police-say/
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By AMANDA SEITZ
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — A record 16.3 million people sought health insurance through the Affordable Care Act this year, double the number covered when the marketplaces first launched nearly a decade ago, the Biden administration announced Wednesday.
More than 3 million new members joined the marketplace, also known as “Obamacare,” according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
The government worked with nonprofit groups and invested in program specialists who helped to sign people up in low-income, immigrant, Black and Latino communities to enroll more people, said Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
“We made unprecedented investments to expand our enrollment organization footprint into nearly every county in the country and targeted the hardest to reach communities,” she said.
The boost in enrollment comes as the number of uninsured people is at an all-time low — just 8% of those in the United States remain without coverage.
President Joe Biden and a Democratic-led Congress have comitted millions of dollars over the past two years into unlocking low-cost insurance plans for more people and prohibiting states from kicking people off Medicaid during the COVID-19 pandemic. The marketplace itself has also evolved in recent years, with more insurers joining, giving an overwhelming majority of Americans at least three plans to consider during enrollment.
Those breaks on coverages were extended through 2025 under a major climate and health care bill championed by Democrats last year.
Some of that progress is threatened this year, with million of people expected to lose their Medicaid coverage starting this spring when states will begin the process of removing people who are no longer eligible, in many cases because their income is now too high to qualify.
Some of those who will lose Medicaid are expected to transition to the marketplace, and the administration said it is spending $12 million to keep information specialists on the job in the coming months to help people enroll in the health law’s marketplace if they lose Medicaid coverage.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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2023-01-25T20:07:49+00:00
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wtmj.com
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https://wtmj.com/national/2023/01/25/record-16-3-million-seek-health-coverage-through-obamacare/
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This season will be unlike any other for Artpark.
On top of its slate of musical performances, art programs, and other performing arts, 2023 marks the Lewiston attraction’s 50th season of providing art for the community.
“Artpark has gone through three distinct phases of its 50-year existence,” said current president Sonia Clark, finding it interesting how the state park has been able to reinvent itself drastically over the years. For its first 20 years, programming was mainly opera, ballet, musical theater, symphonies and its visual arts program.
Due to funding cuts in the early 1990s, Artpark was restructured into a partnership with New York State Parks and the non-profit Artpark & Company, who had to figure out how to make the programs sustainable. President George Osborne set up Tuesday in the Park, which led to the venue now being known for hosting concerts.
This latest phase of its existence, since Clark took over in 2015, featured expanded artistic programming to have new kinds of music performances in different spaces around the park.
“It’s an interesting phase, and a big date for us,” Clark said. “50 years is a lot and not quite a lot for an institution.”
For its concerts, 30 shows will take place across the park’s different stages, including returning acts Styx, Ben Folds, Barenaked Ladies, Buddy Guy and the Avett Brothers.
This season will feature two North American premieres, one of which will return Artpark to his operatic roots. The Spanish company La Fura Dels Baus will stage a production of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, on July 29, with help from the Buffalo Philharmonic and several local dance groups. Over 200 people will be on stage as the performance takes place.
The other is from French collective Cirque Inextremiste, whose Aug. 27 show “Exit” features performers doing stunts while tethered to a hot air balloon. Clark said this performance is a way of celebrating the park because of its outdoor nature and doing something on a grand scale.
Outside of the concerts it puts on, Artpark spends more than $1.2 million on subsidized family programs. Less than 4% of its funding comes from New York state, the rest of it coming from fundraising, grants, and event attendance.
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2023-05-30T16:39:36+00:00
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niagara-gazette.com
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https://www.niagara-gazette.com/news/local_news/artpark-ringing-in-50th-season/article_fd5bfa06-f4df-11ed-812f-e724eaad93c5.html
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RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The Richmond Police Department is investigating a deadly crash involving a street sweeper and a pedestrian that occurred on Chamberlayne Avenue Wednesday evening.
Officers were called to the 2900 block of Chamberlayne Ave. for a vehicle crash with a personal injury around 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 26.
Upon arrival, Police said officers found an adult male victim injured in the right southbound lanes. After investigating, police said the man had been hit by a street sweeper while he was crossing the road. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died. The driver of the street sweeper stayed on the scene.
Anyone with information on the crash is asked to contact Crash Team Investigator J. Ozolins at 804-646-8671.
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2022-10-27T13:29:15+00:00
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wric.com
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https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/richmond/man-hit-and-killed-by-street-sweeper-on-chamberlayne-avenue-in-richmond/
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — A judge ordered an Ann Arbor school to allow opponents of an abortion-rights ballot question to deliver their message over the public-address system Monday, saying a denial violated the students' free-speech rights.
The Republican club at Skyline High School got the message out a day before voters decide Tuesday whether to place abortion rights, known as Proposal 3, in the state Constitution.
The message urged students to email the club if they want to “protect the health of women and children.” It also made other claims about the impact of Proposal 3.
Meanwhile, students who support the proposal briefly left school Monday, walked around the building and returned to class, an act that was planned last week.
In his order, U.S. District Judge Paul Borman said the school had sought to “silence plaintiffs’ appropriate speech” by refusing to broadcast the message while allowing students to walk out in favor of Proposal 3.
The school district had argued that allowing an anti-Proposal 3 message through the public-address system would violate a state prohibition against using school resources for political advocacy.
"We will continue to vigorously defend this case in court," Superintendent Jeanice Kerr Swift said.
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2022-11-07T15:38:34+00:00
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expressnews.com
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https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/School-ordered-to-allow-anti-abortion-pitch-on-17564280.php
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VENICE – The Venice Film Festival is buzzing with anticipation for Olivia Wilde’s “Don’t Worry Darling,” which is having its world premiere Monday night on the Lido.
There’s the eagerness for the film itself, a mid-century styled psychological thriller with a starry cast, including Florence Pugh, Harry Styles and Chris Pine. There’s also the arrival of Styles, whose otherworldly fame and following may make the Timothée Chalamet mania seen on Friday seem downright quaint.
But it seems the most breathlessly awaited event is the film’s press conference Monday afternoon. Behind-the-scenes drama rarely extends beyond internal industry gossip, but the question of exactly what happened in the making of “Don’t Worry Darling” has become a source of global intrigue. Rumors about everything from Shia LaBeouf’s departure from the film early on, to Pugh’s perceived lack of public support for the project on her social media accounts have been simmering on TikTok and twitter for some time.
Wilde herself also became a tabloid fixture after paparazzi caught on to her off screen relationship with Styles. And then there was the CinemaCon moment, in which Wilde was served custody papers by her ex, Jason Sudeikis, during a presentation about her movie on stage in front of thousands of industry professionals and theater owners.
Then in the past few weeks, all the little threads seemed to catch fire at once. Much of that was stoked by LaBeouf, who came out of the woodwork to contest a two-year-old narrative that he’d been fired from the project. Ultimately, his role went to Styles.
Wilde, in a Variety cover story, is not directly quoted saying she fired him. She did offer: “His process was not conducive to the ethos that I demand in my productions. He has a process that, in some ways, seems to require a combative energy, and I don’t personally believe that is conducive to the best performances.”
In response, LaBeouf sent private emails, texts and video messages to Variety to prove his case that he actually quit due to lack of rehearsal time. The video message, in which she tries to convince LaBeouf to stay on as Jack, was subsequently leaked online.
LaBeouf, who is heading to court next year on abuse allegations from his ex, FKA twigs, happens to also be in Venice this year with the film “Padre Pio."
The leaked video also showed Wilde calling Pugh “Miss Flo,” which some perceived as confirmation that the two did not get along. Wilde, for her part, has been nothing but effusive about her lead actor. In an interview with The Associated Press she spoke at length an about Pugh’s extraordinary talent saying that what she did with the role was “singularly brilliant” and that the character of Alice is a “heroine for the ages.”
Still, questions have arisen about why Pugh has not been posting much about the film on her Instagram. She didn’t hype the trailer, or say anything about getting into Venice. Only adding fuel to the fire, The Wrap then reported that Pugh would be limiting her press appearances around the film to Venice only. And on Sunday night, Variety broke the news that Pugh would not be participating in the press conference either because of her tight travel schedule and turnaround.
Pugh is in the middle of production on “Dune 2,” a massive blockbuster (also a Warner Bros. joint) and is expected to go straight back after her Venice obligations. Chalamet, her “Dune 2” co-star, had a similarly brief stay in Venice for his film “Bones and All.” It’s likely to be the only appearance he’ll make on behalf of that film, but no one wrote any headlines about Chalamet “limiting” his press engagements.
The hope is that the press conference will answer or clarify lingering questions, turn attention back to the film itself and maybe even drum up more excitement for its theatrical release on Sept. 23.
“This film is my love letter to the movies that push the boundaries of our imagination. It’s ambitious, but I think we made something really special,” Wilde wrote in her director's statement. “Imagine a life where you had everything you ever wanted, What would it take for you to give that up...Are you willing to dismantle the system that is designed to serve you?
Regardless, one thing is certain: Everyone is talking about “Don't Worry Darling.”
___
Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr
___
For more on the Venice Film Festival, visit: www.apnews.com/VeniceFilmFestival
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2022-09-05T08:20:40+00:00
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wsls.com
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https://www.wsls.com/entertainment/2022/09/05/excitement-rises-as-dont-worry-darling-arrives-in-venice/
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U.S. regulators say Facebook misled parents and failed to protect the privacy of children using its Messenger Kids app, including misrepresenting the access it provided to app developers to private user data.
As a result, The Federal Trade Commision on Wednesday proposed sweeping changes to a 2020 privacy order with Facebook — now called Meta — that would prohibit it from profiting from data it collects on users under 18. This would include data collected through its virtual-reality products. The FTC said the company has failed to fully comply with the 2020 order.
Meta would also be subject to other limitations, including with its use of face-recognition technology and be required to provide additional privacy protections for its users.
“Facebook has repeatedly violated its privacy promises,” said Samuel Levine, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “The company’s recklessness has put young users at risk, and Facebook needs to answer for its failures.”
Meta called the announcement a “political stunt.”
“Despite three years of continual engagement with the FTC around our agreement, they provided no opportunity to discuss this new, totally unprecedented theory. Let’s be clear about what the FTC is trying to do: usurp the authority of Congress to set industry-wide standards and instead single out one American company while allowing Chinese companies, like TikTok, to operate without constraint on American soil,” Meta said in a prepared statement.
The Menlo Park, California company added that it will “vigorously fight” the FTC’s action and expects to prevail.
Facebook launched Messenger Kids in 2017, pitching it as a way for children to chat with family members and friends approved by their parents. The app doesn’t give kids separate Facebook or Messenger accounts. Rather, it works as an extension of a parent’s account, and parents get controls, such as the ability to decide with whom their kids can chat.
At the time, Facebook said Messenger Kids wouldn’t show ads or collect data for marketing, though it would collect some data it said was necessary to run the service.
But child-development experts raised immediate concerns.
In early 2018, a group of 100 experts, advocates and parenting organizations contested Facebook’s claims that the app was filling a need kids had for a messaging service. The group included nonprofits, psychiatrists, pediatricians, educators and the children’s music singer Raffi Cavoukian.
“Messenger Kids is not responding to a need — it is creating one,” the letter said. “It appeals primarily to children who otherwise would not have their own social media accounts.” Another passage criticized Facebook for “targeting younger children with a new product.”
Facebook, in response to the letter, said at the time that the app “helps parents and children to chat in a safer way,” and emphasized that parents are “always in control” of their kids’ activity.
The FTC now says this has not been the case. The 2020 privacy order, which required Facebook to pay a $5 billion fine, required an independent assessor to evaluate the company’s privacy practices. The FTC said the assessor “identified several gaps and weaknesses in Facebook’s privacy program.”
The FTC also said Facebook, from late 2017 until 2019, “misrepresented that parents could control whom their children communicated with through its Messenger Kids product.”
“Despite the company’s promises that children using Messenger Kids would only be able to communicate with contacts approved by their parents, children in certain circumstances were able to communicate with unapproved contacts in group text chats and group video calls,” the FTC said.
Meta critics applauded the FTC’s action. Jeffrey Chester, the executive director of the nonprofit Center for Digital Democracy, called it a “a long-overdue intervention into what has become a huge national crisis for young people.”
Meta, and with its platforms like Instagram and Facebook, Chester added, “are at the center of a powerful commercialized social media system that has spiraled out of control, threatening the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents.”
The company, he added, has not done enough to address existing problems — and is now unleashing “even more powerful data gathering and targeting tactics fueled by immersive content, virtual reality and artificial intelligence, while pushing youth further into the metaverse with no meaningful safeguards.”
As part of the proposed changes to the FTC’s 2020 order (which was announced in 2019 and finalized later), Meta would also be required to pause launching new products and services without “written confirmation from the assessor that its privacy program is in full compliance” with the order.
Meta has 30 days to respond to the FTC’s latest action.
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2023-05-03T20:39:24+00:00
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nwahomepage.com
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https://www.nwahomepage.com/news/business-news/ftc-facebook-misled-parents-failed-to-guard-kids-privacy/
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Mauricio Dubon Player Prop Bets: Astros vs. Mets - June 20
Published: Jun. 20, 2023 at 6:37 AM CDT|Updated: 1 hour ago
After going 1-for-1 in his most recent game, Mauricio Dubon and the Houston Astros face the New York Mets (who will start Justin Verlander) at 8:10 PM ET on Tuesday.
He reached base in his only plate appearance in his most recent appearance against the Mets.
Mauricio Dubon Game Info & Props vs. the Mets
- Game Day: Tuesday, June 20, 2023
- Game Time: 8:10 PM ET
- Stadium: Minute Maid Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Mets Starter: Justin Verlander
- TV Channel: SportsNet SW
- Hits Prop: Over/under 1.5 hits (Over odds: +180)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +700)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +230)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: +125)
Looking to place a prop bet on Mauricio Dubon? Check out what's available at BetMGM and use bonus code "GNPLAY" when you sign up with this link!
Read More About This Game
Mauricio Dubon At The Plate
- Dubon is hitting .289 with 14 doubles, a triple, three home runs and eight walks.
- He ranks 21st in batting average, 109th in on base percentage, and 108th in slugging among qualifying hitters in MLB action.
- Dubon has picked up a hit in 75.4% of his 57 games this year, with more than one hit in 31.6% of those games.
- In three games this year, he has gone deep (5.3%, and 1.3% of his trips to the plate).
- Dubon has driven in a run in 13 games this season (22.8%), including two games with multiple runs batted in.
- He has scored in 29 of 57 games this season, and more than once 7 times.
Ready to play FanDuel Daily Fantasy? Get in the game using our link.
Mauricio Dubon Home/Away Batting Splits
Mets Pitching Rankings
- The pitching staff for the Mets has a collective 8.7 K/9, which ranks 14th in MLB.
- The Mets have a 4.63 team ERA that ranks 24th among all league pitching staffs.
- Mets pitchers combine to allow the fourth-most home runs in baseball (101 total, 1.4 per game).
- Verlander (2-3 with a 4.40 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 45 2/3 innings pitched) makes the start for the Mets, his ninth of the season.
- In his most recent time out on Wednesday, the righty went six innings against the New York Yankees, giving up one earned run while surrendering three hits.
- In eight games this season, the 40-year-old has a 4.40 ERA and 7.8 strikeouts per nine innings, while allowing a batting average of .244 to opposing hitters.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved.
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2023-06-20T12:48:37+00:00
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kalb.com
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https://www.kalb.com/sports/betting/2023/06/20/mauricio-dubon-mlb-player-prop-bets/
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Boston Beer Company to cover the cost of a beer for drinkers named Sam Adams – or anything close – in honor of the patriot's 300th birthday this month
BOSTON, Sept. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 27, Boston Beer Company invites you to sip a Sam for Sam – on Sam. To celebrate the 300th birthday of colonial firebrand Samuel Adams, Boston Beer Company will cover the cost of a Samuel Adams for people named Sam, Samuel or Samantha Adams – or anything close. If you're a Samir or a Samara or an Adam, that counts too!
Boston Beer's founder and brewer Jim Koch, an unofficial founding father of craft beer, always wished he could share a beer with Samuel Adams. Now, Koch is footing the bill for 300 fortuitously named winners to toast one of the founding fathers of America on his 300th birthday.
"I've always admired Samuel Adams as a revolutionary, with his underdog spirit and passion for boundary-pushing ideas," said Koch. "His fight for independence served as the inspiration when I first discovered my great-great grandfather's recipe and named it Samuel Adams Boston Lager. Sam's uncompromising nature continues to drive our endless pursuit of better beer – and beyond beer – today."
Centuries later, Koch followed in Adams' rebellious footsteps to lead the American craft beer revolution, making the name Samuel Adams synonymous with American craft beer.
Momentous occasions call for celebration, and celebration calls for great beer. To get on the "guest list" to enjoy a cold one and wish Samuel Adams a "Hoppy Birthday," drinkers (21+) with the name Samuel Adams – or anything close – can enter to win at www.CelebrateSams300th.com beginning September 27. (Last-minute name changes at the courthouse are not encouraged, but hey, we understand.)
Samuel Adams is a leading independent, American craft brewer that helped to launch the craft beer revolution. The brewery began in 1984 when Founder and Brewer Jim Koch used a generations-old family recipe to brew beer in his kitchen. Inspired and unafraid to challenge conventional thinking about beer, Jim brought the recipe to life with hopes drinkers would appreciate the complex, full-flavor and started sampling the beer in Boston. He named the flagship brew Samuel Adams Boston Lager in recognition of one of our nation's founding fathers, a revolutionary man of independent and pioneering spirit. Today, Samuel Adams is one of the world's most awarded breweries and remains focused on crafting the highest quality beers through innovation and experimentation in the relentless pursuit of better. Samuel Adams remains dedicated to elevating and growing the American craft beer industry overall, including providing education and support for entrepreneurs and fellow brewers through its philanthropic program, Brewing the American Dream, which helps others pursue their American Dream. For more information, visit www.SamuelAdams.com or follow @SamuelAdamsBeer.
The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (NYSE: SAM) began in 1984 brewing Samuel Adams beer and the Samuel Adams brand is currently recognized as one of the largest and most respected craft beer brands. Our portfolio of brands also includes Truly Hard Seltzer, Twisted Tea, Angry Orchard Hard Cider, Dogfish Head Brewery, Hard Mountain Dew and Sauza Agave Cocktails as well as other craft beer brands such as Angel City Brewery and Coney Island Brewing. For more information, please visit our investor relations website at www.bostonbeer.com, which includes links to all of our respective brand websites.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Samuel Adams
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2022-09-21T14:00:42+00:00
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ksla.com
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https://www.ksla.com/prnewswire/2022/09/21/named-sam-adams-have-cold-sam-adams-sam-adamsfor-300th-birthday-samuel-adams/
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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Michael Burham, the man who escaped from Warren County Jail on July 6, was captured Saturday evening in northwest Pennsylvania.
Police received a tip just before 4 p.m. about a suspicious person on Jackson Run Road in Conewango Township. Police said homeowners went to see what their dog was barking at when they discovered Burham, who told them he was camping. But they recognized him from photos and called 911. Police formed a perimeter around the area, and Burham was taken into custody at gunpoint by 5:50 p.m. following a brief pursuit.
Police said Burham did not have anything in his immediate possession, but a search will occur in the area where he was found. He was not armed at the time of capture, but ammunition had been found in some bags that were recovered by police in the past handful of days.
Burham is currently in custody of Pennsylvania State Police, where he is being processed. He will not be brought back to Warren County Jail. He will be arraigned on charges connected to the escape on Saturday night.
Sunday, authorities said that Burham is being held at the Erie County (PA) Prison. He was detained by the United States Marshalls Service on a federal warrant for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police described Burham’s condition as “worn out,” and said that he was dirty and wet upon his capture. He had changed his top, and was wearing his jail-issued pants inside-out.
Saturday was the ninth day in the search for Burham, who is suspected of murder and rape in addition to being charged with burglary and kidnapping. He was last seen in the Warren County Jail around 11:20 p.m. on the night he escaped.
His capture brings an end to a crime spree that lasted at least since May 11, when the body of 34-year-old Kala Hodgkin was found in Jamestown. Burham was later named as a “prime suspect” in Hodgkin’s death. He has not been charged related to her death.
While Burham ran from police the first time, he allegedly kidnapped an elderly couple in Pennsylvania and drove them down to South Carolina, where he was captured on May 24. He was brought back to the area in June and extradited to face kidnapping charges in Pennsylvania, where he escaped the jail on July 6. The escape happened during Burham’s recreation time, where he used bed sheets and exercise equipment to rappel down the side of the building. He was being held at Warren County Jail on kidnapping and burglary charges in connection to the alleged kidnapping.
The Warren County Board of Commissioners acknowledged on Wednesday that repairs need to be made to the jail.
There were no official sightings of Burham leading up to his capture. On Friday, Pennsylvania State Police released a video that they had believed to depict Burham, but it was taken back by police earlier in the day on Saturday. Police had said that they received several hundred tips leading up to the capture.
During the search, law enforcement used helicopters and drones to search the area, as well as officers and dogs. Police noted several times that the terrain was difficult to navigate on foot.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
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2023-07-16T20:53:50+00:00
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valleycentral.com
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https://www.valleycentral.com/news/escaped-fugitive-michael-burham-captured-in-northwest-pennsylvania/
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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Connor Bazelak threw a touchdown pass and completed a 2-point conversion pass with 47 seconds left Saturday to force overtime and Charles Campbell made a 51-yard field goal to give the Hoosiers a 33-30 victory over Western Kentucky on Saturday.
The unbeaten Hoosiers have rallied in the second half of all three victories this season and have now surpassed last season’s win total.
But it took everything Indiana could muster late — a 17-point fourth quarter, a late goal-line stand, Western Kentucky’s missed 44-yard field goal as time expired in regulation, and a blocked 39-yard field-goal attempt in overtime before Campbell won it.
Western Kentucky (2-1) has lost all five meetings with Indiana — the last three by a combined total of eight points — and is 0-9 against Big Ten foes since joining the FBS in 2007.
And for most of the game, it looked like those skids would end.
Austin Reed threw two touchdown passes and ran for another Saturday to give the Hilltoppers a 24-13 lead after three quarters. They just failed to close it out.
It was a wacky game even before the late flurry.
Indiana’s starting center, Zach Carpenter, didn’t play after getting hurt in pregame warmups and Western Kentucky nearly lost starting safety Kaleb Oliver on a targeting call on Indiana’s fifth play. The call was overturned on a replay review. Then at the end of the first half, three players ran into the goal post chasing an overthrown ball by Bazelak.
THE TAKEAWAY
Western Kentucky: The Hilltoppers have been a dangerous team for years and seemingly had their signature victory under coach Tyson Helton. Still, they controlled the tempo and while it wasn’t pretty, bigger things could lie ahead for this Conference USA contender.
Indiana: The Hoosiers are barely 3-0, but they’re not complaining. They again played their best football late. But Indiana needs to figure out how to start faster and close stronger.
UP NEXT
Western Kentucky: Hosts Florida International next Saturday.
Indiana: Makes its first road trip next Saturday at Cincinnati.
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2022-09-18T01:42:41+00:00
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fox59.com
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https://fox59.com/sports/big-10-sports/hoosiers-rally-late-to-fend-off-hilltoppers-33-30-in-ot/
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SAN DIEGO (AP) _ Mitek Systems Inc. (MITK) on Thursday reported fiscal second-quarter earnings of $1.9 million.
On a per-share basis, the San Diego-based company said it had profit of 4 cents. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, came to 24 cents per share.
The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 20 cents per share.
The mobile imaging software company posted revenue of $34.7 million in the period, also surpassing Street forecasts. Three analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $33.1 million.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on MITK at https://www.zacks.com/ap/MITK
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2022-04-28T21:41:28+00:00
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seattlepi.com
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https://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/Mitek-Systems-Fiscal-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17134652.php
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BUFFALO, N.Y. — With extreme heat expected for Wednesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul is urging New Yorkers to take it seriously.
"I am urging all New Yorkers to prepare for heat and humidity this week and to keep a close eye on the weather over the next couple of days," Gov. Hochul said. "As New Yorkers, we take care of one another, so please don't forget to check on neighbors, especially seniors, those with young children, and people with disabilities."
Heat-related deaths are the number one weather-related killer in the United States. Symptoms of heat stroke include hot, red skin, rapid pulse and breathing, a body temperature of more than 105 degrees, and loss of alertness or confusion.
The state has a map of cooling centers available here, with several in three Western New York counties.
National Grid is also expecting a high energy demand Wednesday. It's asking customers to limit energy use between peak hours of 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., by turning thermostats up a few degrees, using fans to spread cool air around, unplugging small appliances or electronic devices, and using window air conditioners to pre-cool your home.
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2022-07-20T12:08:52+00:00
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wgrz.com
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https://www.wgrz.com/article/entertainment/television/programs/daybreak/how-to-prepare-for-extreme-heat-in-wny-western-new-york/71-61481518-08ff-4119-9c68-41c821dee27e
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New package is now available to help make it easier to build engaging courses and support learner success
TORONTO, Nov. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - D2L, a global learning technology company, today announced the launch of its D2L Brightspace Creator+ package, which enables anyone to create engaging digital course content using workflows integrated into Brightspace – saving course creators time, effort and money.
"We've listened closely to our customers, and we understand that educators want to create content independently, with no software coding experience. Administrators and instructional designers want a solution that is more budget-friendly, scalable without seat limits and simpler for learners. With these needs in mind, we developed Creator+ to help empower our customer base to deliver exceptional learning experiences," said John Baker, President and CEO of D2L. "Each year, we demonstrate our commitment to supporting learning, and create tools that are highly accessible and easy-to-use for everyone, everywhere. Creator+ is purposefully built, in partnership with educators and learning design experts, to support the development of better learning experiences."
According to Forbes, the average teacher works more than 400 hours of overtime each year. And a survey from the Association of Talent Development shows that 67% of organizations believe that having limited resources – time, talent, and money – is the barrier they most frequently face to designing and developing learning content. With Creator+, the need to buy and train on expensive, interactive content authoring software is reduced – helping Brightspace customers cut back on administrative work through solutions that are embedded directly into Brightspace and simpler for end users, to help free up time for them to get back to what matters most – their learners.
Building on 20+ years of award-winning course design excellence, the Creator+ Early Access Program launched in May 2022, allowing for important collaboration with education leaders and learning design experts, who provided crucial feedback. Today, D2L is excited to make Creator+ available for purchase.
With Creator+, users can more easily:
- Use ready-made templates to quickly build content that is beautiful, highly accessible and mobile friendly.
- Enhance comprehension with the Practices tool, keeping learners engaged with a wide variety of practice exercises and question types
- Create a consistent visual experience with the Content Styling tool
- Insert flexible and highly accessible interactive elements in courses without any coding skills
- Help reduce complexity with seamless screen recordings through the video Capture App
An excerpt from Phil Hill, publisher of the PhilOnEdTech blog, in a market analysis newsletter review of D2L Fusion reads, "Creator+ streamlines and improves content creation with templates and themes as well as deeper integration with video tools. This is an impressive feature, but perhaps more importantly it is a proof point on D2L's long commitment to accessibility, and pushing the boundaries on accessible capabilities."
For more information, please visit: https://www.D2L.com/brightspace/creator/.
ABOUT D2L
D2L is transforming the way the world learns—helping learners of all ages achieve more than they dreamed possible. Working closely with clients all over the world, D2L is supporting millions of people learning online and in person. Our growing global workforce is dedicated to making the best learning products to leave the world better than they found it. Learn more about D2L for K-12, higher education and businesses at www.D2L.com.
Twitter: @D2L
© 2022 D2L Corporation.
The D2L family of companies includes D2L Inc., D2L Corporation, D2L Ltd, D2L Australia Pty Ltd, D2L Europe Ltd, D2L EU B.V., D2L Asia Pte Ltd and D2L Brasil Soluções de Tecnologia para Educação Ltda.
All D2L marks are trademarks of D2L Corporation. Please visit D2L.com/trademarks for a list of D2L marks.
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SOURCE D2L
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2022-11-08T13:45:27+00:00
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mysuncoast.com
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/11/08/d2l-launches-brightspace-creator-help-simplify-course-creation/
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The tables have really turned for this year’s first Jets-Patriots matchup.
The longtime underdog Jets will enter Sunday’s game 5-2 while the once-dominant Patriots head to MetLife Stadium with a 3-4 record.
BUY JETS TICKETS: STUBHUB, VIVID SEATS, TICKETSMARTER, TICKETMASTER
On top of that, the Patriots have been having quarterback controversy after head coach Bill Belichick took out starter Mac Jones after just three series in Monday’s 33-14 loss to the Chicago Bears. Bailey Zappe took his place for the remainder of the game.
While Belichick has yet to announce who would be starting this Sunday, a source told ESPN’s Field Yates that Jones took about 90% of first-team reps at Wednesday’s practice and is slated to be this weekend’s starter.
Zappe came in after Jones, who was coming off an ankle injury, completed 3-of-6 passes for 13 yards. The Patriots went three-and-out on their first two series of the game with the third series that Jones saw the field ending with an interception.
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Belichick maintained that he always planned to play both quarterbacks. He said he would have put Jones back in the second half had it been a closer game.
MORE NFL:
- Lions head coach Dan Campbell, ex-Giants tight end, gets dreaded vote of confidence
- NFL insider hints Eagles could trade for ex-Pro Bowl running back
- Cowboys plan blockbuster halftime show for Thanksgiving game vs. Giants
Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.
Bridget Hyland may be reached at bhyland@njadvancemedia.com.
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2022-10-27T14:28:41+00:00
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nj.com
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https://www.nj.com/sports/2022/10/patriots-settle-on-starting-qb-for-sundays-game-vs-jets.html
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NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump said he has never read any part of a book in which the columnist E. Jean Carroll accused him of raping her in a department store dressing room in the mid-1990s, according to court records unsealed Wednesday.
Trump was questioned under oath in October by lawyers for Carroll, who is suing the Republican. During his 5 1/2-hour deposition, Trump said he hasn't read Carroll's book, “What Do We Need Men For?" and didn't see excerpts of it in a New York magazine article when the book was released in 2019.
Portions of the transcript of Trump's deposition were ordered unsealed in court records by a judge who would preside over a trial.
Carroll, a former longtime Elle magazine advice columnist, accused Trump in the book of attacking her in an upscale Manhattan department store in late 1995 or early 1996 after they ran into each other by chance and exchanged lighthearted banter about who should try on a piece of lingerie.
After the book was published, Trump said the encounter never happened and claimed Carroll was making it up to fuel book sales. He also said he had never met Carroll and dismissed her as “not my type.”
He said a photograph showing him with Carroll and both of their spouses at an event in 1987 was apparently an unmemorable encounter on a receiving line.
Carroll's attorney, Roberta Kaplan, asked Trump if he read the book or any portion of it.
“No, never have. I’ve never seen the book actually,” he responded.
Kaplan also asked Trump about the black and white photograph that shows him with Carroll, her husband, and Trump's then-wife, Ivana Trump, who died last July at age 73.
Trump pointed at Carroll in the picture and said: “It's Marla.”
“You're saying Marla is in this photo?” Kaplan asked.
“That's Marla, yeah. That's my wife,” Trump answered, according to the transcript, apparently referring to Marla Maples, who he married several years after the picture was taken.
Trump's attorney, Alina Habba, interjected to say: “No, that's Carroll.”
“Oh, I see,” Trump then said.
The transcript excerpts in four dozen pages released Wednesday came a week after several dozen other pages were unsealed by the court.
Habba did not immediately comment Wednesday. Kaplan declined comment.
The deposition was recorded on video, but the recording was not put in the public record for two lawsuits seeking unspecified damages that Carroll has brought against Trump.
Carroll first sued him for defamation, saying his statements damaged her reputation. In November, she brought a separate lawsuit specifying that she is owed damages for rape, a legal road made possible when New York state enacted a temporary law allowing adult rape victims to sue their abusers, even if the attacks occurred decades ago.
In the pages unsealed Wednesday, Kaplan asked Trump if he was talking about Carroll's physical appearance in pictures when he said she was not his type.
“Physically she’s not my type, and now that I’ve gotten indirectly to hear things about her, she wouldn’t be my type in any way, shape, or form,” he said, calling her accusation “ridiculous.”
Late in the deposition after Trump characterized Carroll as a “sick woman,” Kaplan confronted him with accusations that two dozen women have made against him, asking: “They're all sick, too, right?”
Trump answered: “I don’t know about any of these people or very many of them. I mean, every once in a while, you get — I think a lot of famous people have charges thrown at them, and many of them are false and some of them are true. But in my case —”
“None of it is true?” Kaplan interrupted.
“I would say. I mean, I don’t see any. I mean, you haven’t shown me anything,” Trump responded, according to the transcript.
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2023-01-19T03:01:04+00:00
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sfgate.com
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https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Donald-Trump-says-he-never-read-book-accusing-him-17726819.php
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OTTAWA, Ontario (AP)Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman had a goal and an assist each to lead the Edmonton Oilers past Ottawa 6-3 on Saturday and snap the Senators’ four-game win streak.
Brett Kulak had a pair of assists in the third period as the Oilers broke a 3-3 tie on their way to victory. He made a cross-ice pass to Jesse Puljujarvi, who beat Ottawa goalie Anton Forsberg at 3:05 of the third period.
Kulak then sent a pass in front that was chopped in by Derek Ryan 7:24 for the Oilers’ second short-handed goal of the game.
”I think we made two critical mistakes and both end up in our net,” Senators coach DJ Smith said. ”We’ve got to be harder. We haven’t made those mistakes in the past four games when we’ve been winning. We’ve taken care of the puck, we played hard in front of our net and we just didn’t do that enough to win.”
Forsberg was injured in the third period during a scramble that led to a power-play goal by Ryan Nugent Hopkins. Forsberg had to be taken off the ice on a stretcher with an apparent lower-body injury.
”It’s never a pleasant sight. He’s been gritty for us all year. No update but I hope it’s not as severe as it looked. I really hope and praying that it’s not too bad,” Senators captain Brady Tkachuk said of Forsberg, who had 31 saves. ”Just the way he takes care of himself on the ice, off the ice, how great of a pro he is and how good of a person he is too, you never want to see that.”
Hyman was lying on top of Forsberg at the time of the injury.
”It’s awful. I mean, you hear him going down and you hear him in pain. But you can’t do anything. I literally couldn’t do anything. I’m stuck on him because there’s a guy who’s on top of me pushing me in,” Hyman said. ”… I almost stopped playing there because I locked eyes with him and he was just in pain. Hope he gets better soon.”
Ryan McLeod also scored for the Oilers, while Jack Campbell had 26 saves.
Jake Sanderson, Claude Giroux and Erik Brannstrom scored for the Senators, who saw their four-game streak end.
McDavid scored the only goal of the first period when he banked a shot from behind the goal line off Forsberg and in at 2:18.
The teams combined for five goals in the second period including two at even strength, a power-play goal and a short-handed goal on the same penalty, as well as a penalty shot marker.
NOTES
Saturday’s game was the first of two regular-season meetings between the Senators and Oilers. The will meet again at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, on March 14. … With his first-period goal, McDavid extended his career-high road point streak to 17 games. . Hyman reached the 300-point mark for his career with an assist on McDavid’s goal.
UP NEXT
Ottawa: Hosts the Calgary Flames on Monday before traveling to play the New York Islanders on Tuesday.
Edmonton: Wraps a four-game trip in Montreal with a Super Bowl matinee against the Canadiens before heading home to face the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday.
—
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports
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2023-02-12T22:21:24+00:00
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krqe.com
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https://www.krqe.com/sports/nhl-hockey/mcdavid-hyman-help-oilers-snap-senators-four-game-streak/
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The shooter who killed three students and three staff members at a Christian school in Nashville legally bought seven weapons in recent years and hid the guns from their parents before carrying out the attack by firing indiscriminately at victims and spraying gunfire through doors and windows, police said Tuesday.
The violence Monday at The Covenant School was the latest school shooting to roil the nation and was planned carefully. The shooter had drawn a detailed map of the school, including potential entry points, and conducted surveillance of the building before carrying out the massacre, authorities said.
The suspect, Audrey Hale, 28, was a former student at the school. Hale did not target specific victims — among them three 9-year-olds and the head of the school — but did target “this school, this church building,” police spokesperson Don Aaron said at a news conference Tuesday.
Hale was under a doctor’s care for an undisclosed emotional disorder and was not known to police before the attack, Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake said at the news conference.
If police had been told that Hale was suicidal or homicidal, “then we would have tried to get those weapons,” Drake said. “But as it stands, we had absolutely no idea who this person was or if (Hale) even existed.”
Tennessee does not currently have a “red flag” law, which lets police step in and take firearms away from people who threaten to kill.
On Tuesday night, Tennessee’s governor said one of the victims, 61-year-old substitute teacher Cynthia Peak, was a close friend of his wife, Maria, and that the two had been scheduled to have dinner after Peak taught that day.
“Maria woke up this morning without one of her best friends,” Gov. Bill Lee said, adding that his wife once taught with Peak and another victim, Katherine Koonce, and the women and “have been family friends for decades.”
Hale legally bought seven firearms from five local gun stores, Drake said. Three of them were used in Monday’s shooting. Police spokesperson Brooke Reese said Hale bought the guns between October 2020 and June 2022.
Hale’s parents believed their child had sold one gun and did not own any others, Drake said, adding that Hale “had been hiding several weapons within the house.”
Hale’s motive is unknown, Drake said. In an interview with NBC News on Monday, Drake said investigators don’t know what drove Hale but believe the shooter had “some resentment for having to go to that school.”
Drake, at Tuesday’s news conference, described “several different writings by Hale” that mention other locations and The Covenant School.
Asked at a Senate hearing whether the Justice Department would open an investigation into whether the shooting was a hate crime targeting Christians, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said federal officials were working with local police to identify a motive.
Police have released videos of the shooting, including edited surveillance footage that shows the shooter’s car driving up to the school, glass doors being shot out and the shooter ducking through one of them.
Additional video, from Officer Rex Engelbert’s bodycam, shows a woman meeting police outside as they arrive and telling them that all the children were locked down, “but we have two kids that we don’t know where they are.”
The woman then directs officers to Fellowship Hall and says people inside had just heard gunshots. Three officers, including Engelbert, search rooms one by one, holding rifles and announcing themselves as police.
The video shows officers climbing stairs to the second floor and entering a lobby area, followed by a barrage of gunfire and an officer yelling twice: “Get your hands away from the gun.” Then the shooter is shown motionless on the floor.
Police identified Engelbert, a four-year member of the force, and Michael Collazo, a nine-year member, as the officers who fatally shot Hale. The White House said President Joe Biden spoke Tuesday with Drake, Engelbert and Callazo to thank them for their bravery.
Police response times to school shootings have come under greater scrutiny after the attack in Uvalde, Texas, in which 70 minutes passed before law enforcement stormed the classroom. In Nashville, police said about eight minutes passed from the initial call to when officers arrived at the scene.
Surveillance video shows a time stamp of just before 10:11 a.m., when the attacker shot out the doors. Police said they got the call about a shooter at 10:13. Aaron said in an email Tuesday that dispatch records show officers arrived on campus shortly before 10:22.
At about 10:24, officers engaged the suspect, the chief said during the news conference. Within two minutes of that, the suspect was down, according to the dispatch records.
“There were police cars that had been hit by gunfire. As officers were approaching the building, there was gunfire going off,” Drake said.
“We feel, our response right now, from what I’ve seen, I don’t have a particular problem with it. But we always want to get better. We always want to get there in two or three minutes,” he said, adding that traffic was “locked down” at the time.
Traffic was indeed stopped along a nearby two-lane road with a turning lane as police tried to weave their way to the school.
Police have given unclear information on Hale’s gender. For hours Monday, police identified the shooter as a woman. Later in the day, the police chief said Hale was transgender. After the news conference, Aaron declined to elaborate on how Hale identified.
In an email Tuesday, police spokesperson Kristin Mumford said Hale “was assigned female at birth. Hale did use male pronouns on a social media profile.” Later Tuesday, at the news conference, Drake referred to Hale with female pronouns.
Authorities identified the dead children as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney. The adults were Cynthia Peak, 61, Katherine Koonce, 60, and Mike Hill, 61.
The website of The Covenant School, a Presbyterian school founded in 2001, lists a Katherine Koonce as the head of the school. Her LinkedIn profile says she has led the school since July 2016. Peak was a substitute teacher, and Hill was a custodian, according to investigators.
Koonce was remembered as someone who would run toward danger, not away from it.
“I guarantee you if there were kids missing (during the shooting), Katherine was looking for them,” friend Jackie Bailey said. “And that’s probably how she got in the way — just trying to do something for somebody else. She would give up her own life in order to save somebody else’s.”
Founded as a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church, the school is in the affluent Green Hills neighborhood just south of downtown Nashville. It has about 200 students from preschool through sixth grade and roughly 50 staff members.
Before Monday’s violence in Nashville, there had been seven mass killings at K-12 schools since 2006 in which four or more people were killed within a 24-hour period, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. In all of them, the shooters were males.
The database does not include school shootings in which fewer than four people were killed, which have become far more common in recent years. Last week alone, for example, school shootings happened in Denver and the Dallas area within two days of each other.
___
Contributing to this report were Associated Press writers Denise Lavoie in Richmond, Virginia, John Raby in Charleston, West Virginia, and Stefanie Dazio in Los Angeles.
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2023-03-30T00:34:43+00:00
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ksn.com
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https://www.ksn.com/news/national-world/nashville-shooter-was-ex-student-with-detailed-plan-to-kill/
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Southwest Florida International Airport Fully Operational and Rental Cars Available, Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort and Spa Open for Business
MARCO ISLAND, Fla., Oct. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- While other parts of South Florida bore the brunt of Hurricane Ian, the beaches, restaurants, retail and hotels on Marco Island sustained minimal damage. Currently, many first responders are being housed at the Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort and Spa, but as they transition home, the popular resort destination is open for business and ready to welcome guests back immediately.
Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW), which serves as a key gateway to Marco Island and the region, and other south Florida airports are fully operational and have resumed regular flight schedules.
"The Hilton Marco Island and its property were fortunate not to incur any significant damage during Hurricane Ian, and for the past few weeks has been proud to provide shelter, meals, and other services needed by the many wonderful first responders assisting with the recovery of the affected communities," said James Garcia, General Manager, Hilton Marco Island Resort & Spa. "We thank these men and women for their tireless efforts."
"People might assume this is not a good time to travel to Marco Island, but the exact opposite is true. The return of visitors not only supports our local and regional economy, but also generates jobs and reassures the people who work on Marco Island and in the surrounding region that they are not alone, and that they are supported," added Garcia.
The award winning, 310-room Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort and Spa in Southwest Florida is close to Naples and 55 minutes away from Fort Myers International Airport. The Hilton Marco Island features amenity-rich guestrooms including furnished balconies that enjoy unobstructed views of the Gulf of Mexico.
Visitors looking to relax and unwind can enjoy the luxury beachfront resort along with Marco Island Water Sport, the Marco Island Beach, and local restaurants.
HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGES OF MARCO ISLAND, TAKEN THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 17th, CREDITED TO OLSHAN PROPERTIES, CAN BE FOUND HERE: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/uv6mijev0650wxw8k84lz/h?dl=0&rlkey=j83wi1cc3jvu6b55ppfwwutvo
View original content:
SOURCE Olshan Properties
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2022-10-24T15:31:23+00:00
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kmvt.com
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https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2022/10/24/marco-island-beaches-restaurants-hotels-spared-by-hurricane-ian-welcoming-first-responders-visitors/
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Updated August 4, 2022 at 10:20 AM ET
When Hungary's prime minister, Viktor Orbán, arrived in the U.S. this week, he bypassed the White House and President Biden to pay a visit to a more admiring U.S. president. He caught up with former President Donald Trump at his golf course in Bedminster, N.J.
That was on the way to the Conservative Political Action Conference's annual gathering in Dallas, where Orbán will give the kickoff address on Thursday afternoon – despite a speech last week widely decried as racist, even by one of his top aides. She resigned in protest.
Yet to many in the right wing of the Republican party, Orbán offers a model for electoral success. His endurance – he won his fourth straight term as prime minister in April – relies on an unrepentant appeal to a white and Christian heritage for Hungary. It has also depended on rounds of crackdowns on civil liberties and dissenting voices inside the country.
In the U.S. Orbán has been given intellectual credence by the American Conservative's Rod Dreher and extraordinary exposure by Fox News's Tucker Carlson. The primetime cable star has played an outsized role in presenting Orbán to a broader public in this country with interviews, a documentary series and a recurrent argument that the U.S. would be better off with the Hungarian leader's approach. Both have waved away the more problematic implications of Orbán's rhetoric. Last night, on his show, Carlson even offered what he presented as an apology to one of Orbán's advisers — on behalf of the American media.
"Just a few years ago, his views would have been seen as moderate and conventional," Carlson said last summer, in introducing a week's worth of Fox shows from Hungary. "He thinks families are more important than banks. He believes countries need borders. For saying these things out loud, Orbán has been vilified."
In May, Orbán returned the favor, saying the conservative media cannot compete with what he called "the dominant media."
"Only my friend Tucker Carlson places himself on the line without wavering," Orbán said in May, to a gathering of an arm of CPAC in Budapest, according to a translation offered by CNN. "Programs like his should run day and night. As you say, 24-7."
Many Hungarian policies would rankle the American right. Abortion is legal in Hungary, to a point. The state greatly restricts private gun ownership. And the government offers health care to all.
Such distinctions make no difference to fans seeking inspiration from a strong leader. At that CPAC convention in May, Carlson popped in by videotape, to offer his endorsement of Orbán's Hungary.
Orbán is scheduled to kick off CPAC's Dallas conference later today — same group, different location.
CPAC speaker list includes senators, media stars and conspiracy theorists
The conference excites a cadre of hardline conservative donors and activists. Announced speakers in Dallas include Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Fox News's Sean Hannity and conspiracy peddler Jack Posobiec. When Trump was in office, the two men praised each other often. Both offered Russian President Vladimir Putin a warm reception. And Orbán has echoed Trump's attacks on wokeness and cancel culture and other hot-button issues. He particularly takes rhetorical aim at Hungarian-born billionaire liberal philanthropist George Soros, a frequent target of Fox's Carlson and others on the right. (Carlson gave Soros a full documentary treatment in January on Fox Nation, its streaming service.)
The Vanderbilt University historian Nicole Hemmer argues that Orbán's appeal to conservative media echoes the lionization of authoritarian figures in past decades, such as the leaders of the South African apartheid regime and Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet.
"Those leaders turned to right-wing media to gain access to American audiences, hoping those audiences would pressure US leaders and shore up American support for their regimes," Hemmer writes in a message to NPR. "For right-wing hosts, it was a chance both to help Cold War allies and embrace a set of racial politics that had become increasingly less palatable domestically. I think those same dynamics are at play today with Orbán."
In Orbán, attendees will hear from a European leader who promotes an explicitly Christian and white vision of Hungary, one who built up a hard border and severe policies to keep migrants out. Orbán's ruling party has also ground down political opponents, bought off or starved independent voices in the press and universities and targeted human rights groups.
Last week, a senior advisor resigned after an Orbán address she characterized as a "pure Nazi speech." In it, Orbán repeatedly denounced the idea of "mixing races" in Hungary. Carlson, CPAC chairman Matt Schlapp and a spokesman for Orbán did not reply to NPR's requests for comment. (Schlapp told Bloomberg News people should hear what Orbán has to say before deciding whether to criticize him.)
Orbán excels at presenting himself as though he is "fighting for values" says Aron Demeter, program director for Amnesty International in Hungary. Amnesty is among the independent groups that have been targeted by Orbán's right-wing populist Fidesz party.
"He's fighting for an old white world or old white Europe where, you know, men were men and women were women," Demeter tells NPR. "And there were no transgender people or gay people. Or if there were gay people they stayed at home."
The U.S.-based human rights group Freedom House has called Hungary a hybrid regime — in a transition between democracy and autocracy.
"There has been a democratic backsliding in Hungary for looking at press freedom, for looking at LGBTQ rights," says the Hungarian journalist Flora Garamvolgyi, who has written about Orbán's ties to U.S. conservatives. "And I don't think that aligns with American values, whether you're a Republican or a Democrat."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
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2022-08-04T17:19:27+00:00
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mtpr.org
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https://www.mtpr.org/2022-08-04/why-conservatives-invited-hungarys-autocratic-leader-to-headline-dallas-event
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BEIJING (AP) — China on Wednesday said President Xi Jinping’s just-concluded visit to Russia was a “journey of friendship, cooperation and peace,” and again criticized Washington for providing military support to Ukraine.
The trip that ended Wednesday signaled no new progress in ending the bloody conflict between Russia and Ukraine while shoring up President Vladimir Putin’s standing amid growing efforts to isolate him and his government internationally.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin reiterated China’s claims that it remains neutral in the conflict and said it had “no selfish motives on the Ukraine issue, has not stood idly by … or taken the opportunity to profit itself.”
“What China has done boils down to one word, that is, to promote peace talks,” Wang said at a daily briefing.
Wang also accused the U.S. of lacking impartiality and of “fanning the flames” of the conflict by providing defensive weapons to Ukraine to Washington’s own benefit.
The U.S., NATO and partner nations have openly supported Kyiv since the start of the conflict, and China is widely seen as providing economic backing for Putin’s regime while avoiding being directly involved.
“President Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia is a journey of friendship, cooperation and peace, which has aroused positive responses in the international community,” Wang said.
China would “continue to play a constructive role in promoting a political settlement of the Ukrainian issue,” Wang said, an apparent reference to a 12-point peace proposal put forward by Beijing that calls for a cease-fire and negotiations.
The document has already been dismissed by the West, largely because China — which has said it has a “no-limits” relationship with Moscow — is not seen as an impartial broker and the proposal says nothing about a Russian withdrawal from Ukrainian territory it has occupied by force.
Xi’s visit was heavily promoted by both China and Russia but was overshadowed by a visit to Kyiv by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan, a close U.S. ally and a key Chinese rival in east Asia.
The U.S. and others have continued to express concerns that China may provide military equipment to supplement its purchases of Russian energy resources and provision of computer chips to keep the Russian economy afloat.
The New York Times on Tuesday said Russia had purchased more than $12 million in drones and drone parts from China in the year since the invasion began, citing official Russian customs data provided from a source it did not identify.
The paper said it was difficult to tell whether the drones contain American technologies. It said the shipments included products from DJI, which is among the world’s leading makers of commercial drones, as well as smaller companies, and were often channeled through a web of brokers and smaller export firms.
In other comments on Ukraine, Wang said Russia and China agreed that the U.N. Charter must be observed and international law be respected. It said they opposed unilateral sanctions imposed by the U.S. and others to economically punish Putin and his financial backers.
Wang said nothing about the arrest warrant issued for Putin by the International Criminal Court on charges of alleged involvement in abductions of thousands of children from Ukraine.
In a joint statement signed in Moscow, Russia and China emphasized the need to “respect legitimate security concerns of all countries” to settle the conflict, echoing Moscow’s argument that it sent in troops to prevent the U.S. and its NATO allies from turning the country into an anti-Russian bulwark.
“The two sides pointed out that the solution to the Ukraine crisis must respect the legitimate security concerns of all countries and prevent the formation of bloc confrontation and fanning flames,” Wang said Wednesday in Beijing.
“The two sides stressed that responsible dialogue is the best way to resolve the issue steadily,” Wang said.
“To this end, the international community should support relevant constructive efforts, and the two sides call for the cessation of all actions that could lead to a tense situation and prolonged war, so as to avoid further deterioration or even loss of control of the crisis,” he said.
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2023-03-23T10:14:05+00:00
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fox59.com
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https://fox59.com/news/national-world/ap-international/china-calls-xis-russia-visit-one-of-friendship-peace/
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Patrick Kane is Broadway-bound, and the New York Rangers are far from the only top contender making big moves with still three sleeps left before the NHL trade deadline.
The Rangers acquired Kane from Chicago in a three-team trade Tuesday night, adding the three-time Stanley Cup champion to their core that reached the Eastern Conference final last year and a couple of recent additions, including prolific scoring winger Vladimir Tarasenko.
“I think Patrick recognized it was a good fit for him and it’s a good fit for us,” general manager Chris Drury said. “We’re certainly excited that he wanted to be traded and that it was to the New York Rangers.”
Adding Kane — hours after Metropolitan Division-leading Carolina made a trade and days after NHL-best Boston got bigger and tougher — moves New York into the thick of the championship race.
“This decision puts me in the best spot to immediately win another Stanley Cup,” Kane said after waiving his no-movement clause to go from the Blackhawks to Rangers. “I look forward to this next step in my career.”
Some of the other top teams around the league did not wait for the Kane trade to happen to get their deals done. Carolina is buying low on an underachieving young scorer, Toronto is making wholesale changes to prepare for the playoffs and two perennial contenders are looking toward the future.
The Hurricanes got Jesse Puljujarvi from the Edmonton Oilers, who were also active in adding Mattias Ekholm from Nashville, and the Maple Leafs completed three separate deals with an eye on navigating a difficult road through the Eastern Conference. Toronto acquired big defenseman Luke Schenn from Vancouver, sent Rasmus Sandin to Washington for a first-round pick and veteran Erik Gustafsson and traded forward Pierre Engvall to the New York Islanders.
General manager Kyle Dubas said it was no secret the Maple Leafs “wanted to become more competitive” and that’s evident now that they’ve brought in six new players in the past two weeks. Engvall, traded for a 2024 third-round pick, is one of two additions for the Islanders, who are chasing one of two wild-card spots in the East and were eager to augment their forward depth.
Out West, Minnesota paid that same price in a deal with Washington for well-traveled forward Marcus Johansson, who has now been traded five times in under six years, including the second time the Wild have added him. Minnesota also got injured winger Gustav Nyquist from Columbus for a 2023 fifth-round pick, which the Wild got from the Bruins for facilitating the trade with the Capitals last week.
“These two players, I think, are what we were missing, what we needed.” Minnesota GM Bill Guerin said. “They’re highly skilled guys, excellent skaters. I think they’re going to provide us with that natural ability out there.”
Keeping true to GM Brian MacLellan’s plan to reset quickly to try to win again as soon as next year, the Capitals sent Boston’s first-round pick that they got last week to Toronto with Gustafsson for Sandin, who turns 23 next week and is signed through next season at the bargain price of $1.4 million. Washington also re-signed defenseman Nick Jensen to a $12.15 million, three-year extension.
Nashville, which like Washington has been a playoff mainstay, continued selling by trading Ekholm to Edmonton for defenseman Tyson Barrie, forward prospect Reid Schaefer, a first-round pick this year and a fourth-rounder in 2024. Ekholm gives the Oilers, who are giving up more than three goals a game, some balance on the blue line behind the top two scorers in the league: MVP favorite Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
“And I know they have a bunch of other guys that really can put the puck in the net,” Ekholm said. “Coming in as a defensive defenseman, I know that if we can (handle) our defensive side of the game and I guess I’m doing my job, then I think we have a great chance of winning hockey games.”
The Hurricanes would love to roll through the loaded East and figure Puljujarvi can help them do that. They sent the rights to 22-year-old unsigned draft pick Patrik Puistola to the Oilers in a swap of Finnish forwards.
The Hurricanes aim to unlock Puljujarvi’s offensive abilities after the 2016 No. 4 pick has put up just 117 points in 337 NHL regular-season and playoff games. The move helps replace what Carolina expected out of Max Pacioretty before the veteran winger re-tore his right Achilles tendon last month.
“Jesse possesses a great blend of size and skill, and he will add to the depth of our forward group,” Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said. “He has familiarity with some of our other Finnish players, and we see him as a great fit for our team and locker room.”
Puljujarvi, 24, joins countrymen Sebastian Aho, Teuvo Teravainen, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Antti Raanta with the Hurricanes. He played on a line with Aho for Finland at the 2016 world junior championship and led the tournament with 17 points in seven games.
“I think I’m going to be a good fit,” Puljujarvi said. “I’m getting a new opportunity, and I’m excited for that. I hope this is going to be good for me, and I’m going to work really, really hard to do everything right and be best player I can be and help the team in Carolina.”
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Freelance writer Brian Hall in St. Paul, Minnesota, contributed.
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Follow AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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2023-03-01T06:53:01+00:00
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myfox8.com
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https://myfox8.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-hurricanes-get-puljujarvi-capitals-make-pair-of-trades/
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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Elections officials from across the country meeting under heightened security were urged Tuesday to prepare for supply chain issues that could lead to shortages in paper used for everything from ballots to “I voted” stickers for years to come.
The summer meeting of the National Association of State Election Directors brought together nearly 200 people, including elections directors from 33 states, experts in election security, interest groups that work with elections, vendors and others.
Election security experts told the directors to be prepared for possibly years of supply chain issues affecting paper, computer hardware and other things.
The supply chain as it affects elections may not return to normal until 2026, said Ed Smith, a longtime election technology and administration veteran who chairs a federal government-industry coordinating council that works on election security issues.
The lead time to obtain election hardware is two- to three-times longer than the norm, a delay not seen since 1999 or 2000, Smith said. Costs are also higher and elections officials should be prepared for spotty and unpredictable problems due to transportation and pandemic-related shutdowns, he said.
The supply chain issues are largely sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic and exacerbated by worldwide closures of factories and a drop in people in the workforce. They have been felt by a wide array of industries.
Elections officials preparing for the November midterm are also bracing for their own problems that could make it difficult to get paper needed to print ballots, informational inserts and other materials needed to run an election.
“Certainly, the paper supply has been the leanest it’s ever been,” said Jim Suver, co-chair of a federal election security working group that focuses on supply chain issues. The biggest crunch will start in September, when all states are working toward the same November election, he said.
Suver said that hoarding was not an issue.
“There’s not enough paper to hoard,” he said. “It is not happening.”
Elections officials were urged to order their supplies early and be prepared for shortages and delays.
The biggest risk is having an urgent request, like the need for a large number of reprints, 10 days or 15 days before an election, Suver said. It will be crucial for jurisdictions to be extremely careful in proofreading ballots so they don’t have to place reorders, Smith said.
Printing errors already have occurred during this year’s primaries. In Oregon, election workers in Clackamas County had to transfer the votes from tens of thousands of ballots that had blurry bar codes and had been rejected by ballot-counting machines. In Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a printing company mailed thousands of ballots with the wrong ID code, which meant they couldn’t be read by scanning machines.
The three-day meeting, which also covered issues such as insider threats to running elections and how to connect with hard-to-reach communities, comes as elections officials are facing increasing threats amid false claims by former President Donald Trump and his supporters that the 2020 election was stolen.
Amy Cohen, executive director of NASED, cautioned meeting attendees to wear their name tags when at the event so that security could see they belong there, but to take them off when out and about in the city.
“Don’t advertise who you are and exactly why you’re here,” she said.
Cohen said meeting organizers coordinated with federal, state and local law enforcement for the event. The group was not live tweeting or livestreaming the event, but there was no prohibition on attendees posting about it on social media.
“Please do be thoughtful about what you post and remember that some of the people in this room are dealing with serious security concerns and we need to be respectful to keep everyone safe,” Cohen said.
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2022-07-20T01:14:09+00:00
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wivb.com
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https://www.wivb.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/elections-officials-urged-to-prepare-for-shortages-delays/
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UTHAI SAWAN, Thailand (AP) — Grief-stricken families prayed Saturday at a Buddhist temple filled with children’s keepsakes, flowers and photos of the smiling toddlers who were slain as they napped on blankets at a day care center in northeastern Thailand.
Coffins containing the 36 killed, 24 of them children and most of them preschoolers, were released Friday and placed inside Wat Rat Samakee and two other temples in the town nestled among rice paddies in one of Thailand’s poorest regions.
Several mourners stayed at Wat Rat Samakee overnight in the tradition of keeping company for those who died young.
“All the relatives are here to make merit on behalf of those who died,” said Pensiri Thana, an aunt of one of the victims, referring to an important Buddhist practice. She was among those staying the night at the temple. “It is a tradition that we keep company with our young ones. It is our belief that we should be with them so they are not lonely.”
The massacre left no one untouched in the small town, but community officials found helping others was helping assuage their own grief, at least momentarily.
“At first, all of us felt so terrible and couldn’t accept this. All the officials feel sad with the people here. But we have to look after everyone, all these 30 victims. We are running around and taking care of the people, giving them moral support,” Somneuk Thongthalai, a local district official, said.
A mourning ceremony will continue for three days before the royal-sponsored funerals, which will culminate in the cremation of the bodies according to Buddhist tradition.
No clear motive may ever be known for Thailand’s deadliest mass killing after the perpetrator left the day care center Thursday and killed his wife and son at home before taking his own life.
Late Friday, King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida visited hospitals where seven people wounded in the attack are being treated. The monarch met with family members of the victims in what he said was a bid to boost morale.
“It is a tragedy that this evil thing has happened,” the king told reporters in a rare public appearance. “But right now, we have to think of what we can do to improve things to the best of our ability.”
Outside the Young Children’s Development Center in Uthai Sawan, bouquets of white roses and carnations lined an outside wall, along with five tiny juice boxes, bags of corn chips and a stuffed animal.
At Wat Rat Samakee, mourners and those trying to lend them support crowded the grounds.
“It was just too much. I can’t accept this,” said Oy Yodkhao, 51, sitting Friday on a bamboo mat in the oppressive heat as relatives gave her water and gently mopped her brow.
Her 4-year-old grandson Tawatchai Sriphu was killed, and she said she worried for the child’s siblings. The family of rice farmers is close, with three generations living under one roof.
Police identified the attacker as Panya Kamrap, 34, a former police sergeant fired earlier this year because of a drug charge involving methamphetamine. An employee at the day care told Thai media Panya’s son had attended but hadn’t been there for about a month. Police have said they believe Panya was under a lot of stress from tensions between him and his wife, and money problems.
Panya was cremated Saturday in the neighboring province of Udon Thani after Buddhist temples in Uthai Thani refused to host his funeral, Thai media reported. The website of the Manager newspaper said the abbot of the temple hosting the ceremony, attended by about 10 relatives, asked that it not be identified so as not to upset its members and neighbors.
Manager reported that his mother, carrying out the traditional bathing ritual at the side of his coffin, implored Panya’s spirit: “When you’re born in the next life, don’t kill anyone. I love you, son. If you had any problems, why didn’t you talk to me? Don’t do this again. I’ve made merit for you. Go to heaven, my son.”
Mass shootings are rare but not unheard of in Thailand, which has one of the highest civilian gun ownership rates in Asia, with 15.1 weapons per 100 people. That’s still far lower than the U.S. rate of 120.5 per 100 people, according to a 2017 survey by Australia’s GunPolicy.org nonprofit organization.
Thailand’s previous worst mass killing involved a disgruntled soldier who opened fire in and around a mall in the northeastern city of Nakhon Ratchasima in 2020, killing 29 people and holding off security forces for some 16 hours before being killed by them.
The previously worst attack on civilians was a 2015 bombing at a shrine in Bangkok that killed 20 people. It was allegedly carried out by human traffickers in retaliation for a crackdown on their network.
___
Associated Press writers Chalida Ekvitthayavechnukul, Grant Peck and Kaweewit Kaewjinda in Bangkok contributed to this report.
___
See more AP Asia-Pacific coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific
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2022-10-08T20:23:32+00:00
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pix11.com
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https://pix11.com/ap-international/ap-mourners-pray-at-thai-temple-filled-by-childrens-keepsakes/
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A shared commitment to promoting consumer financial wellness has powered the partnership's growth and success
DUBLIN, Calif., Dec. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SavvyMoney, the leading provider of innovative credit score solutions, and Alkami, the leading provider of cloud-based digital banking solutions for banks and credit unions in the U.S., recently signed their 100th shared customer, an exciting milestone in their rapidly expanding partnership. Since its launch in 2019, the number of Alkami digital banking clients choosing SavvyMoney as their credit score solution has grown steadily.
Beyond sharing a customer base of financial institutions, the organizations also share an unwavering commitment to promoting consumer financial wellness, which powers the partnership's steady growth and success. Alkami's clients offer tremendous value to their over 13.7 million digital banking users.
SavvyMoney's president and CEO, JB Orecchia elaborated on this further, "Both SavvyMoney and Alkami are committed to delivering our joint clients an unparalleled digital banking experience that prioritizes transparency, trust, and overall financial wellness. We are proud of what we've accomplished in the past three years with Alkami and look forward to the many exciting partnership milestones yet to come as we continue to invest in and grow this relationship for many years ahead."
SavvyMoney's innovative solution allows banks and credit unions without a proprietary credit score solution to offer unlimited, real-time access to credit score and reporting information to their clients. Beyond credit score visibility, SavvyMoney's innovative, highly interactive solution delivers unique, value-added benefits, including: monitoring and alerts, educational content, interactive savings and loan calculators, and personalized loan offers. SavvyMoney helps consumers make more informed financial decisions by increasing credit awareness and digital engagement, saving them money, and improving their overall financial well-being. SavvyMoney reports that 38% of digital banking users who enrolled in SavvyMoney through the Alkami partnership improved their credit scores a full tier.
In addition to the value SavvyMoney delivers to the financial institutions' end users, the credit score solution delivers tangible value to the banks and credit unions themselves in the form of credit data, analytic tools, and digital marketing capabilities, along with extensive tracking and reporting functionality. By leveraging real-time data to drive highly targeted and personalized digital marketing strategy, Alkami's clients can efficiently and successfully increase share of wallet and improve customer retention.
Alkami's co-founder and chief strategy and product officer, Stephen Bohanon had this to say about the partnership, "At Alkami, we take great pride in bringing our clients best-in-class digital banking solutions through the power of partnerships. The SavvyMoney solution on the Alkami Platform has provided our shared clients with immediate and on-going value. We look forward to adding many more joint clients in the future."
The Alkami clients that adopted SavvyMoney cite the product's ease-of-implementation, user friendly interface, and excellent customer service as reasons for their decision. As Matthew Tully, VP of Marketing for Credit Union of Southern California (CU SoCal), an Alkami digital banking client, noted, "SavvyMoney's solution not only transforms credit score data into actionable insights, but the partnership team has been invaluable in helping us leverage these insights to drive tangible results. Whether it's working closely with our own team to implement successful marketing campaigns or teaching us the value of a tactic like retargeting, they have proven themselves a solid partner over the years. We feel like they are an extension of the CU SoCal team." For more information, visit www.savvymoney.com and www.alkami.com
A leading provider of credit score solutions, SavvyMoney serves nearly 1000 banks and credit unions across the country. Combining real-time data with digital personalization tools, SavvyMoney's solutions integrate seamlessly with over 35 online banking platforms. SavvyMoney's innovative technology is backed by hands-on service and a commitment to helping financial institutions strengthen and deepen their customer relationships. To learn more about SavvyMoney, visit www.savvymoney.com.
Alkami Technology, Inc. is a leading cloud-based digital banking solutions provider for financial institutions in the United States that enables clients to grow confidently, adapt quickly and build thriving digital communities. Alkami helps clients transform through retail and business banking, digital account opening and digital loan origination, payment fraud prevention, and data analytics and engagement solutions. To learn more, visit www.alkami.com.
Contact Info:
Chris Fraenza, SVP, Sales & Partnerships
chris.fraenza@savvymoney.com
925-291-0841
Marla Pieton
marla.pieton@alkami.com
Katie Schimmel
katie@outlookmarketingsrv.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE SavvyMoney
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2022-12-20T15:00:38+00:00
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ksla.com
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https://www.ksla.com/prnewswire/2022/12/20/savvymoney-alkami-celebrate-an-exciting-partnership-milestone-100-banks-credit-unions/
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INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana’s near-total abortion ban will go into effect Tuesday.
The United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that legalized abortions in the U.S., in 2022.
Indiana was the first state in the nation to pass new legislation restricting abortion access.
Senate Bill 1 was passed last August, banning all abortions except in cases of rape or incest and in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy if needed to save the mother’s life or if the fetus has a fatal abnormality.
The ban will replace state laws that generally prohibited abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy and tightly restricted it after the 13th week.
A doctor could now lose their medical license if they perform an illegal abortion or fail to file required reports. The Senate passed the bill with a 28-19 vote and the House passed the bill with a 62-38 vote.
PREVIOUS | Where abortion stands in Indiana one year after the overturn of Roe V. Wade (wrtv.com)
However, the ACLU of Indiana sued the state to block the law in two separate cases.
The first lawsuit was filed on behalf of Planned Parenthood. It argued the abortion ban was unconstitutional. In June, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled the ban is constitutional.
Another lawsuit was filed on behalf of Hoosier Jews for Choice and five women who have religious beliefs that they must be able to obtain an abortion under Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
"RFRA, a law that passed the Indiana legislature in 2015, prohibits government action that interferes with a person’s religious exercise, unless the government can prove it has a compelling reason for doing so that is the least restrictive alternative available,” a press release from the ACLU said.
The lawsuit argues that although some religions believe that human life begins at conception, that opinion isn't shared by all religions or religious people.
The plaintiffs represent faiths including Judaism, Islam and "independent spiritual beliefs", according to the release.
While that case is still ongoing, if it is won, a person could still receive an abortion in the state of Indiana with a religious exemption.
PREVIOUS | New ACLU lawsuit claims Indiana's abortion law violates religious freedom rights (wrtv.com)
Planned Parenthood temporarily paused their abortion care at their location on Georgetown Road from Dec. 2022 until last month.
Indiana abortion clinic operators have told The Associated Press that they'll stop offering abortions when the ban takes effect but continue to support patients with information about out-of-state clinics.
Planned Parenthood plans to keep its four Indiana clinics that offer abortions open and provide sexually transmitted disease testing and treatment, and contraception and cancer screenings, which it says comprise the bulk of its services.
Indiana University Health, the state’s largest hospital system, has set up advisory teams that include a lawyer for consultations on whether patients meet the legal requirements for abortions.
When the law starts being enforced on Tuesday, Indiana will join more than a dozen states with abortion bans.
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2023-07-30T22:17:21+00:00
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wrtv.com
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https://www.wrtv.com/news/politics/indianas-near-total-abortion-ban-will-go-into-effect-aug-1-heres-what-you-need-to-know
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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco resident Pia Harris hopes for reparations in her lifetime. But the nonprofit program director is not confident that California lawmakers will turn the recommendations of a first-in-the-nation task force into concrete legislation given pushback from opponents who say slavery was a thing of the past.
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It frustrates Harris, 45, that reparations opponents won’t acknowledge that life for Black people did not improve with the abolition of chattel slavery in 1865. Black families have been unable to accumulate wealth through property ownership and higher education. Black boys and teenagers are still told to watch out for law enforcement, and Black businesses struggle to get loans, she said.
“I want them to stop acting like it’s so far removed, and it’s not currently happening,” said Harris of the lingering effects of slavery and discrimination. “I want them to understand that we’re still going through things now as a community. It’s not — it hasn’t been over for us.”
Black Californians have watched closely as the state's reparations task force forged ahead in a two-year study, finally signing off this month on a hefty list of recommendations that will be submitted to lawmakers. It's uncertain what lawmakers will do with the proposals, which include payments to descendants of enslaved people and a formal apology from the state.
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The Associated Press interviewed a handful of Black advocates and residents who followed the task force’s work — as well as those who have long been engaged in the conversation about reparations. The activists who fought for civil rights in the 1960s and young entrepreneurs echoed a common fear: They hope California's exploration of reparations does not become another example of the government offering false hope.
Reparations proposals for African Americans date back to 1865, when Union General William Tecumseh Sherman ordered that newly freed people be given up to 40 acres (16 hectares) of land. That didn't happen. In recent decades, Democratic lawmakers in Congress have tried to pass legislation to study federal reparations to no avail.
In 2020, California became the first state to approve the creation of a reparations task force — in order to study the state's role in perpetuating systemic racism and to find ways to atone. Although California entered the union as a “free” state, it did not enact laws guaranteeing African Americans’ freedom, according to a draft report from the task force.
The state faces a projected $31.5 billion budget shortfall, which reduces the possibility of legislative support for some of the task force's more ambitious recommendations, including direct payments to eligible residents and the creation of a new state agency to help those families research their ancestors and to file claims.
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The task force did not recommend specific payment amounts but estimates from economists say that the state is responsible for more than $500 billion due to decades of overpolicing, mass incarceration and redlining that kept Black families from buying homes in appreciating neighborhoods.
Damien Posey, 44, grew up in historically Black neighborhoods in San Francisco, where he heard gunshots at night and was bussed to schools in neighborhoods that weren't so welcoming to Black children. He spent a decade in prison on a weapons charge and later started a nonprofit called Us 4 Us Bay Area to mentor youth and reduce gun violence.
Meaningful reparations would include an official state apology, public funding for nonprofit organizations that assist Black residents, and cash reparations for every eligible person for the pay denied to their ancestors, who built this country with their labor, he said.
“And our people deserve it, honestly,” he said.
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Compensation is an important part of state reparations proposals because Black Americans have “been deprived of a lot of money,” due to discriminatory policies, said Les Robinson, 66, an associate pastor at the Sanctuary Foursquare Church in Santa Clarita, a city about 30 miles (48 kilometers) north of Los Angeles.
But money isn’t everything, Robinson said, and the task force's other important work shouldn't be lost in a fixation on dollar figures alone. He pointed to efforts to retell California history through a different lens — one that examines the state’s role in perpetuating systemic racism despite its label as a “free” state.
Robinson was “hit by a tsunami of emotions” when he learned in 2017 he was descended from a man who founded the first Black church in California and played a critical role in the state’s pioneering African American community.
He was disappointed that more people — himself included — were not taught the story of Daniel Blue, his great-great-great-grandfather who created what is now known as the historic Saint Andrews African Methodist Episcopal Church in Sacramento.
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Robinson is skeptical that reparations will be approved by lawmakers, if history is an indicator.
“People wonder why African Americans at large are angry,” he said. “Because we’ve been lied to. We’ve been bamboozled. For centuries — not decades — centuries.”
Like Robinson, former Black Panther Party member Joan Tarika Lewis has been researching her lineage and was proud to discover several ancestors came to California in the mid-19th century and helped other Black people escape slavery.
Lewis, who became the party's first female activist when she joined as a teenager, wants more Black residents to learn about their heritage and for all Californians to know more about the contributions of Black pioneers and civic leaders. Lewis, 73, also wants to raise more awareness about what the community has lost.
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Her father operated a boxing gym in West Oakland that served as a community space for young people to learn from their elders. But then government officials took the land, and in its place built a freeway and commuter line. The family was paid a pittance for what would go on to become valuable San Francisco Bay Area property.
Lewis is optimistic that state lawmakers can make reparations happen if they have the political will.
So is Vincent Justin, a 75-year-old Richmond resident and retired bus driver who has fought for racial equity for decades. He marched in the 1960s with Martin Luther King Jr., Huey P. Newton, Stokely Carmichael and other major civil rights figures.
Though the fight has been long, he hopes reparations will one day be approved at the federal level.
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“I think that we’re going to come to a fair and equitable ending,” he said.
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Har reported from San Francisco. Sophie Austin is a corps member for the Associated Press/ Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Austin on Twitter: @ sophieadanna
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2023-05-17T05:11:47+00:00
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seattlepi.com
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https://www.seattlepi.com/news/politics/article/black-californians-hope-state-reparations-don-t-18103655.php
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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Before Edwin Diaz and Timmy Trumpet took over the baseball world in 2022, it was another set of horns that were instantly recognizable for Giants fans. When Banda MS’ “El Mechón” played over the loudspeakers at Third and King, it meant Sergio Romo had left his post in bullpen, back then still in left-field foul territory, and was on his way to close out another game.
Nobody has pitched in more games at Pac Bell, or AT&T, or Oracle Park than Romo’s 515 appearances. And, now, the last active member of San Francisco’s “Core Four” will get one more appearance on the shores of McCovey Cove.
The Giants signed Romo, 40, to a minor-league deal with an invitation to big-league camp, manager Gabe Kapler confirmed after The Athletic first reported the news. The intent isn’t to beef up their bullpen but to send Romo off into retirement with the organization that drafted him, where he established himself as a big leaguer and, most importantly, where he won three World Series championships.
“El Mechón” will sound one more time, during the Giants’ exhibition with the A’s at Oracle Park on Monday, March 27.
“It feels like the right thing to do,” Kapler said. “Anytime you have a player coming in feeling like he’s being given a good opportunity to kind of close the book on what has been a phenomenal career, it just kind of feels right, to be honest.”
Romo will join the Giants in Scottsdale on Friday, according to The Athletic, and could get into a spring game or two before the Bay Bridge exhibitions.
Romo, who grew up in the tiny Central Valley community of Brawley, took an unlikely path to the majors that ventured through Arizona Western College, the University of North Alabama and Colorado Mesa University before the Giants drafted him in the 28th round. Few players selected that late make the majors, and an even smaller number reach the heights Romo did.
From 2008-16, Romo recorded more saves (84) than all but six other pitchers since the team moved to San Francisco while posting a 2.58 ERA. Pairing a low 90s fastball with his signature sweeping slider, Romo struck out 498 batters as a Giant. Perhaps his most memorable punchout, however, won’t show up anywhere besides postseason stats. After feeding Miguel Cabrera three straight sliders, he froze the future Hall of Famer on an 88-mph fastball to clinch the 2012 World Series, with Buster Posey leaping into his arms only moments later.
Kapler, who overlapped with Romo as a player from 2008-10, joked that he might have gone down swinging against one of Romo’s sliders. But the current Giants manager never did face Romo, according to Baseball Reference.
Since leaving San Francisco after 2016, Romo has taken almost as much of a winding path as he did to get to the big leagues. He bounced around between the Dodgers, Rays, Marlins, Twins, A’s, Mariners and Blue Jays before latching on in the Mexican League.
“He was a really successful pitcher not that long ago. It wouldn’t surprise me at all for him to get into a game and be OK,” Kapler said. “That’s kind of fun, too.”
But, Kapler added, “I think we all see this the same way.
“This is a cool opportunity to close a chapter on a great career and give him some spotlight that he deserves and let him retire as a Giant.”
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2023-03-17T00:50:47+00:00
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santacruzsentinel.com
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https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2023/03/16/sf-giants-sign-sergio-romo-give-core-four-member-a-chance-to-close-the-book/
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(WHNT) — If you used Google to search and clicked on results the search engine provided between October 25, 2006, and September 30, 2013, then you might be eligible to receive a part of a recent settlement.
That’s a LOT of potentially eligible people.
According to a class action lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the proposed $23 million settlement claims that Google improperly shared those search queries with third-party websites and third-party companies during the above timeframe.
Because the amount of people who may be entitled to some of that settlement money is vast, to say the least, so anyone who has their claim approved (depending on how many file) is estimated to receive around $7.70 per person.
The lawsuit reports that “Google denies all these claims and the Settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing by Google.”
Claims must be filed by July 31, 2023. You can register for a class member ID here.
While the Court in charge of the lawsuit has preliminarily approved the settlement, a final approval hearing has been scheduled for October 12, 2023.
As part of the settlement, Google would also revise its “FAQs” and “Key Terms” pages regarding how and when search queries might be disclosed to third parties via referrer headers (search results).
You can find everything you need to know about the class action lawsuit here.
Once you file, you can go here to submit your info, verify that you meet the requirements, and choose how you want to receive your payment: PayPal, Venmo or a prepaid card.
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2023-06-16T18:15:44+00:00
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cbs42.com
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https://www.cbs42.com/news/used-google-you-might-be-in-for-some-cash/
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Kids’ rooms are always smaller than the primary bedroom, but if strategically planned, they can still be well-lived-in rooms that hold everything a child might need. Space-challenged rooms can benefit from furniture that serves dual purposes, like a seat with hidden storage underneath or built-in items that won’t reduce the square-footage.
From purchasing the best bunk bed, to adding bursts of color and thoughtfully planning your room’s layout, here are some ideas on how to make sure every square inch serves a purpose.
Find The Best Bunk Bed To Double The Fun
Using bunk beds can help maximize square-footage, as they provide a way for kids to sleep in a vertical configuration, saving floor space.
The best bunk bed for kids is set up so the top bunk is lower to the ground and contains durable guardrails for safe slumber. While climbing up the ladder is fun for most, why not make it exciting to get down too by buying a bunk bed with a slide?
A well-designed bunk bed may also include storage and shelving to help save even more space. Be sure to look for units that cover all your bases.
Maximize Creative Storage Options
Does your kid’s room have a window where a seat could be installed? This nook may not only be a great spot to sit and read, but installing a bench or chest here can also double as a storage solution.
Additionally, one of the least utilized storage areas is under the bed. This area is the perfect place to stash items out of site — think books, toys and clothing. Use shallow totes to free up dresser and closet space and simply slide them under the bed.
Don’t Let Vertical Space Go To Waste
While the best bunk beds know how to maximize vertical space well, the same goes for shelving that goes all the way to the ceiling. Don’t let precious wall space go to waste. Another smart space-saving option for a small bedroom is to use a bookshelf as a headboard.
Consider Creating A Built-in Bed Or Bookshelf
If you have the option for a small remodel, built-in beds can free up valuable floor space by fitting into alcoves cut directly into the wall and folding out when needed. Pull the bed down when you need it and fold it back up in the morning. With this type of furniture, making the bed may not even be necessary!
Additionally, built-in bookshelves can hold books, toys and more without taking up precious floor space. Lower open shelves also work well for little ones who want to access their favorite items frequently, while higher ones can display special gifts, picture frames or anything that might easily be broken.
Use Color Wisely
A monochromatic palette can enhance a small space, but that doesn’t mean it should be devoid of color. Decorate with soothing and uplifting colors like yellows, grays and blues to make it inviting for the little ones that live there.
If you’d rather use patterns or bright colors, consider limiting them to one wall to ensure you don’t shrink the size of the room. This can also save you cash if you’re planning to use wallpaper for your accent area.
You don’t need a big home to make lasting memories, and a child’s bedroom doesn’t need to cost a lot to furnish. With a little forethought and strategy, you can make the most of a small space and create a warm and welcoming environment for your child.
This story originally appeared on Don't Waste Your Money. Checkout Don't Waste Your Money for product reviews and other great ideas to save and make money.
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2023-03-29T20:57:47+00:00
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kjrh.com
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https://www.kjrh.com/these-kids-bedroom-ideas-are-great-for-small-homes
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SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Leaders of Georgia’s oldest city voted Thursday to strip the name of a former U.S. vice president and vocal slavery advocate from the public square named in his honor more than 170 years ago.
Plotted in 1851, Calhoun Square was named for John C. Calhoun, a prominent politician from neighboring South Carolina, who before his death in 1850 spent decades in Washington serving in Congress and as vice president under Presidents John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson.
Calhoun was also outspoken in his support of slavery during the decades preceding the Civil War. That has made him a target in recent years of racial justice advocates in Savannah and elsewhere seeking to remove from public spaces statues and other honors to the Confederacy and white supremacists.
The Savannah City Council voted unanimously to remove Calhoun’s name from the square during a meeting Thursday afternoon. The mayor said it could take a year for city officials to decide on a new name.
“John Calhoun had a phenomenal career as an American statesman. On that side of it, he is a legend,” said Savannah Mayor Van Johnson, who nonetheless said he supported removing Calhoun’s name because his views on race don’t “reflect Savannah in 2022.”
“I think the views of Mr. Calhoun really propagated, supported and promoted slavery,” said Johnson, who like 54% of Savannah’s population is Black.
Calhoun Square was among the last of two dozen public squares established in Savannah’s downtown historic district between 1733 and 1851. With towering live oaks and blooming azaleas framing benches at its center, the square is surrounded by Greek Revival homes and two city landmarks — Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church, dedicated in 1890, and the 1855 Massie Common School House, one of Georgia’s oldest public school buildings.
A block to the north is Clary’s Cafe, the diner featured in author John Berendt’s 1994 bestseller “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.”
Before Savannah acted, honors had been stripped from Calhoun in his home state of South Carolina. City officials in Charleston dismantled a statue of Calhoun in one of its squares in 2020, and Clemson University removed his name from its honors college the same year.
In the early 1800s, Calhoun became known as “The Cast-Iron Man” for his unbending support of Southern states’ rights. He called slavery a “positive good” and said in speeches on the U.S. Senate floor in the 1830s that Southern slaves were better off than free Blacks in the North. With his pro-slavery “Calhoun Doctrine,” he led the South toward secession before he died in 1850.
Some in Savannah opposed taking Calhoun’s name off the square, where it had long been printed in bold white letters on signs as well as on a metal plaque embedded in a brick walkway.
Calhoun earned the honor through his four decades of service in Washington,, said Andy Calhoun, a Savannah native who says he is a descendant of John C. Calhoun’s brother. In addition to serving in both houses of Congress and as vice president under two presidents, John C. Calhoun had also been a U.S. secretary of war and secretary of state.
“It’s obvious why the city of Savannah honored his statesmanship,” said Calhoun, 69. “He wasn’t honored for his views on domestic slavery.”
He added: “Why people are so intent on revising history, I just don’t get it.”
Savannah tour guide Patt Gunn, one of the leading proponents for renaming Calhoun Square, applauded the council’s decision on a day when Tropical Storm Nicole brought gusty winds and occasionally heavy rain to coastal Georgia.
“I think it should be a day of cleansing, because of the rain,” said Gunn, a Savannah native and slave descendant. “And by removing Calhoun, it will be part of a healing process.”
Gunn spent the past two years leading a group of advocates in calling for a new name for Calhoun Square.
A major hurdle for the group was a city ordinance requiring a majority of property owners on the square to agree to any name change. Gunn said her coalition got the required signatures three times, only to see homes of supporters sold to new owners. That negated their name-change petition before city officials could act.
Johnson and allies on the city council agreed on a workaround. Their vote Thursday was solely to remove Calhoun’s name from the square. The mayor said he plans to give property owners and other residents a chance later to help decide on a new name for the square.
“If it takes a year to do, I’m not mad about it,” Johnson said in an interview.
The mayor asked Savannah’s city manager to have signs in the square bearing Calhoun’s name removed immediately. Until there’s a new name, he said, it should be called “the square formerly known as Calhoun Square.”
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2022-11-10T21:54:29+00:00
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wdtn.com
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https://www.wdtn.com/news/u-s-world/ap-us-news/ap-georgia-city-to-strip-slavery-advocates-name-from-plaza/
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – The investigation into a deadly officer-involved shooting that happened in a Nashville neighborhood earlier this year has been closed, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).
The TBI said Mark Capps was shot and killed by a Metro SWAT officer on Jan. 6. Capps was wanted on assault and kidnapping warrants involving his 60-year-old wife and 23-year-old stepdaughter, authorities say, after he allegedly held them hostage at gunpoint all day.
The Grammy-winning sound engineer was seen in body camera footage answering the door and an officer can be heard yelling “Show me your hands” before firing seconds later. Capps died at the scene.
Nashville District Attorney General Glenn Funk said in a statement that the shooting was “reasonably necessary,” and no charges have been filed.
Capps’ website says he is a multiplatinum Grammy award-winning Engineer/Mixer/Producer. He won four Grammys for his work on polka albums. His website lists several other albums on which he has done mixing and engineering work.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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2023-05-24T21:43:56+00:00
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kron4.com
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https://www.kron4.com/news/national/officer-cleared-in-shooting-that-killed-grammy-winner/
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Stephen Kessler provided us with yet another humorous and informative editorial in Saturday’s Opinion section yet it seems some readers have reached Taj Garage fatigue and are reluctant to read the whole piece so allow me to summarize some of the more salient points.
• The 5,000 signatures obtained to get Measure O on the November ballot were not gathered “behind closed doors.”
• The Lot 4 library will cost about $17 million more than renovating the existing site as passed by voters in 2016 with Measure S.
• The proposed new structure is not environmentally friendly as more than 22,0000 tons of carbon would be emitted just to produce the concrete.
• The mixed-use parking structure will equate to a taxpayer subsidy to the developers of the proposed high rise luxury hotel that proposes to provide little if any parking.
— Michael Funari, Santa Cruz
The Sentinel welcomes your letters to the editor. Letters should be short, no more than 150 words. We do not accept anonymous letters. Letter-writers should include their full name as well as a street address and telephone number. We don’t publish those details in the newspaper, but need the information for verification purposes. Occasionally, we reject letters simply because we’ve had so many on the same subject. Submit your letters online at www.santacruzsentinel.com/submit-letters.
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2022-08-30T22:17:04+00:00
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santacruzsentinel.com
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https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2022/08/30/letter-kessler-column-made-important-points-on-library/
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An 11-year-old Florida girl was arrested after falsely texting authorities that her friend was kidnapped by an armed man. She later confessed the prank was part of a YouTube challenge.
The girl texted 911 Wednesday morning to say her friend, 14, was abducted by “an armed male driving a white van on South I-95 in Oak Hill,” the Volusia Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. The girl said she was following the van in a blue Jeep. NBC News is not identifying the 11-year-old because she is a minor.
A dispatcher to the sheriff's communication advised the sheriff's office at 9:45 a.m. of a “suspicious incident reported by text message.” The 11-year-old then texted updates for the next hour and a half — describing the male suspect and saying he had a gun.
Deputies responded along with help from the sheriff's office aviation unit and officers from Edgewater, New Smyrna Beach and Port Orange to search for the suspect vehicle — but no van was found. At about 10:30 a.m., deputies tracked the cellphone that was texting 911 to a home in Port Orange. Once at the home, they spoke with the girl's father, who said she was inside with her family.
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Read the full story on NBCNews.com here.
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2023-07-27T19:10:32+00:00
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nbcchicago.com
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https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/11-year-old-florida-girl-arrested-after-prank-texting-911-to-say-her-friend-was-kidnapped-as-part-of-a-youtube-challenge/3195564/
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By Morf Morford, Tacoma Daily Index
In my prior career, I taught English and writing at the college level.
As the years went by, I noticed that my students seemed less capable and prepared for college level research and writing with each passing year.
Each new school year seemed to bring less knowledge, let alone understanding of culture, history and identity.
The nuances and complications of human history, psychology and mixed, even conflicting motives that become all too apparent when one looks closely at human affairs and relationships were only confusing and irritating, if not offensive, to most of them.
The vast majority of my students were not equipped to understand, let alone respond to, the complications of the written word. They had difficulty reading and comprehending the thoughts of others, and even more difficulty expressing their own.
But it was worse than that
Basic life skills that had served humanity well for centuries, if not millennia, seemed to be dropping off the flat-earth horizon of many of my students.
Being able to read a map, fixing a broken tool (if they used literal tools at all), raising a garden or caring for a pet, even preparing a non-frozen or non-instant meal seemed to be beyond virtually all of them.
Everything, from political opinions to food to religious quotations seemed, for most of them, to come from a package, created, marketed and sold like some interchangeable blue light special for every aspect of life.
Even the idea of actual freedom, decency, integrity, courage, generosity, compassion, critical thinking skills, creativity, and the ability to problem-solve – or come to a conclusion distinct from any one else could not have been more alien – and for most, absolutely terrifying.
From not being able to read cursive handwriting to having no sense of direction thanks to GPS, our young people could not be less prepared to face a complicated world with ever more increasingly demanding issues – at higher and higher stakes.
Enter Artificial Intelligence
Perhaps to rescue us, or at least fill the gap in knowledge, the past few years have brought us the advent of widespread access to artificial intelligence (AI).
I have to admit that I have been working with and using rudimentary forms of AI for years – if not decades. Among other things, I introduced my students to Eliza, the first AI Chatbot, in the 1980s.
My assumption from the very beginning was that AI would, or at least should, be used as a tool to enhance and supplement our intelligence and unique humanity, not replace it.
Our uniquely human combination of thought, feelings, perceptions and visions of what could be are what define us – and separate us from machines and algorithms.
We humans excel and are at our best when we discover, think, explore, create, express and interpret the often baffling, frustrating and demanding forces and obligations of life.
AI, especially in synch with social media, has had multiple deleterious impacts on, among many other things, the mental health of young people who have been born and raised in an intrusive, almost debilitating digital age.
You can see a study of the mental health impacts of social media here.
Technology to the rescue?
But has technology made us kinder, better, more companionate and creative?
Or even more capable? Or productive? Or “free”?
Like any powerful tool – or drug – technology lends itself to other-than-intended uses and impacts.
Articles and news segments have explored the effects that digital technology use could have on everything form sleep, attention span, emotional intelligence, and cognitive development. And mental health.
Technology addiction is only one unintended consequence of these machines that guide us, control us and purport to know everything.
Search engines vs chatbots
Search engines, by definition, “search” – they scan and give us dozens – if not hundreds – of possible answers to our query. It is up to us to sift, sort and find the most relevant answer. Or maybe even do another search.
Chatbots promise to give THE answer.
Serendipitous discoveries are near impossible with chatbots.
When I was in college, and even high school, my greatest discoveries were those tomes on the library bookshelves alongside what I was originally looking for.
In many cases, the path accidentally taken was vastly more interesting, and often more productive, than the intended search.
AI is a great tool, but as it usurps meaning, discovery and a sense of community, it leaches out from us far more than it could ever give us.
In short, AI, like every tool, from automobiles to jackhammers, is a great, even life-saving and creative servant, but a terrible master.
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2023-02-28T10:03:28+00:00
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tacomadailyindex.com
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https://www.tacomadailyindex.com/blog/in-artificial-intelligence-we-trust/2465385/
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Celtics vs. Heat Injury Report Today - May 27
The Boston Celtics (57-25) are monitoring just one player on the injury report as they prepare for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Miami Heat (44-38) at FTX Arena on Saturday, May 27 at 8:30 PM ET.
Watch the NBA all season long on Fubo!
Last time out, the Celtics bested the Heat 110-97 on Thursday. Derrick White led the Celtics to the victory with a team-high 24 points. Duncan Robinson notched 18 points in the Heat's loss.
Celtics vs Heat Additional Info
Boston Celtics Injury Report Today
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Miami Heat Injury Report Today
Celtics vs. Heat Game Info
- When: Saturday, May 27, 2023 at 8:30 PM ET
- Where: FTX Arena in Miami, Florida
- TV: TNT
Celtics Season Insights
- The 117.9 points per game the Celtics record are 8.1 more points than the Heat allow (109.8).
- Boston has a 49-12 record when scoring more than 109.8 points.
- In their last 10 games, the Celtics have been scoring 108.8 points per game, an average that's much lower than the 117.9 they've scored over the course of the 2022-23 season.
- Boston knocks down 4.4 more threes per contest than the opposition, 16 (second-most in the league) compared to its opponents' 11.6.
- The Celtics average 115.7 points per 100 possessions on offense (third in the league), and give up 108.8 points per 100 possessions (third in the NBA).
Heat Season Insights
- The Heat score just 1.9 fewer points per game (109.5) than the Celtics give up (111.4).
- When it scores more than 111.4 points, Miami is 26-8.
- The Heat are posting 107.6 points per contest over their past 10 games, which is 1.9 fewer points than their average for the season (109.5).
- Miami connects on 12 three-pointers per game (16th in the league) at a 34.4% rate (27th in NBA), compared to the 13.1 per contest its opponents make, shooting 36.7% from deep.
- The Heat rank 25th in the NBA with 110.4 points scored per 100 possessions, and ninth defensively with 110.6 points conceded per 100 possessions.
Celtics vs. Heat Betting Info
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved.
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2023-05-27T20:55:06+00:00
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wymt.com
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https://www.wymt.com/sports/betting/2023/05/27/celtics-vs-heat-nba-eastern-conference-finals-injury-report/
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NFL scoring down to lowest level since 2010 at halfway point
By JOSH DUBOW
AP Pro Football Writer
Halfway through the 2022 season it appears NFL defenses have finally started catching up. After a five-year run of hot-shot quarterbacks lighting up scoreboards and leaving defenses with few answers, the pendulum has turned away from the offense for a change. The 21.8 points per game average through nine weeks is the lowest at this stage of the season since 2010, when teams averaged 21.7 points per game. Scoring is down a staggering 3.5 points per game from this point two years ago when offenses peaked in partly empty stadiums due to the pandemic, and 1.6 points per game from last season.
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2022-11-09T11:20:02+00:00
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kyma.com
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https://kyma.com/news/2022/11/09/nfl-scoring-down-to-lowest-level-since-2010-at-halfway-point/
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MADRID (AP) — A wildfire in southern Spain forced the evacuation of 2,000 people amid fears that torrid weather on Thursday may feed the blaze. Emergency agencies deployed almost 1,000 firefighters, military personnel and support crews to fight it.
Authorities raced against the clock in the dry, hilly area of Andalucia as Spain’s AEMET weather service said the country could be on the verge of a heat wave. Temperatures were forecast to reach well over 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) and get even hotter over the weekend.
The Andalucian Forest Fire Extinction Service, Infoca, said the fire had burned 2,150 hectares (5,000 acres) of mountain terrain so far. Authorities were hoping that a change in wind direction on Thursday will help crews fight the fire.
The blaze injured three firefighters after it broke out Wednesday amid gusting winds; one suffered severe burns. People were evacuated as a precaution late Wednesday from five different locations across the province of Malaga, with most sheltering with relatives or in local hotels, officials said.
Crews sought to take advantage of lower temperatures and more humid conditions overnight that saw the flames quiet down, according to Infoca and the Andalucia regional government. Seven water-dropping helicopters and a coordinating plane were on standby.
Spain’s Emergency Military Unit, which is assigned to help civilian forces with major incidents, sent 233 personnel and more than 80 vehicles to the area, authorities said.
Spain’s worst wildfire last year ravaged the same rugged area inland from the coastal resort town of Marbella. Nearly 10,000 hectares (24,000 acres) burned before the fire was finally put out after 46 days. One firefighter died in the blaze.
Scientists say global warming is making events like wildfires and extreme storms more common.
___
Follow all AP stories on climate change issues at https://apnews.com/hub/climate.
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2022-06-09T21:36:20+00:00
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ksn.com
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https://www.ksn.com/news/national-world/spain-evacuates-2000-as-crews-race-to-counter-wildfire/
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A judge in Tennessee has temporarily barred two federal agencies from enforcing directives issued by President Joe Biden’s administration that extended protections for LGBTQ people in schools and workplaces.
U.S. District Judge Charles Atchley Jr. in an order on Friday ruled for the 20 state attorneys general who sued last August claiming the Biden administration directives infringe on states’ right to enact laws that, for example, prevent students from participating in sports based on their gender identity or requiring schools and businesses to provide bathrooms and showers to accommodate transgender people.
Atchley, appointed by President Donald Trump in 2020, agreed with the attorneys generals’ argument and issued a temporary injunction that prevents the agencies from applying that guidance on LGBTQ discrimination until the matter can be resolved by courts.
“As demonstrated above, the harm alleged by Plaintiff States is already occurring — their sovereign power to enforce their own legal code is hampered by the issuance of Defendants’ guidance and they face substantial pressure to change their state laws as a result,” Atchley wrote.
The attorneys general are from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and West Virginia.
The directives regarding discrimination based on sexual orientation was issued by the U.S. Department of Education and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in June following a landmark civil rights decision by U.S. Supreme Court in 2020 that, under a provision called Title VII, protects gay, lesbian and transgender people from discrimination in the workplace.
The Department of Education guidance from June 2021 said discrimination based on a student’s sexual orientation or gender identity would be treated as a violation of Title IX, the 1972 federal law that protects sex discrimination in education.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission released guidance that month about what could constitute discrimination against LGBTQ people and advised the public about how to file a complaint.
With its guidance, the Biden administration in part took a stand against laws and proposals in a growing number of states that aim to forbid transgender girls from participating on female sports teams. The state attorneys general contend that the authority over such policies “properly belongs to Congress, the States, and the people.”
The education policy carried the possibility of federal sanctions against schools and colleges that fail to protect gay and transgender students.
The attorneys general argued that a delaying a legal review of the directives would “cause them significant hardship, as Defendants would be allowed to use the ‘fear of future sanctions’ to force ‘immediate compliance’ with the challenged guidance,” Atchley wrote.
“The Court finds that Plaintiffs have shown a credible threat of enforcement,” Atchley wrote. “Plaintiffs highlight that private litigants are relying on Defendants’ guidance to challenge Plaintiffs’ state laws.”
Atchley noted that the U.S. Department of Education has filed a statement of interest in a West Virginia lawsuit taking a position that Title IX prohibits the state from excluding transgender girls from participating in single-sex sports restricted to girls.
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2022-07-17T01:29:05+00:00
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everythinglubbock.com
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https://www.everythinglubbock.com/news/national/us-agencies-temporarily-barred-from-enforcing-lbgtq-guidance/
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BEIJING – A massive fire sent flames and black smoke pouring Friday from a 42-story skyscraper in central China belonging to the country’s largest telecoms operator, but no casualties were reported, officials said.
Dozens of floors burned in the China Telecom building in the city of Changsha, the capital of central Hunan province. The city’s fire department said it sent 280 firefighters who were able to quickly extinguish the blaze on the 218-meter (720-foot) building.
No injuries or deaths have been reported, China Telecom said in a statement. It said there was no disruption to cellphone service, but social media users complained of being unable to use their phones.
Videos of the blaze showed one side of the building scorched black, with debris falling to the ground. Other videos from local media showed workers inside managing to evacuate the building.
There was no immediate information on the cause of the blaze.
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2022-09-17T15:08:04+00:00
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clickorlando.com
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https://www.clickorlando.com/news/world/2022/09/16/fire-engulfs-42-story-building-in-china-no-deaths-reported/
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CLEVELAND, Ohio — It was more of a mercy killing than a murder, actually. But when Will Brennan’s line drive absolutely flattened a wounded bird behind the pitcher’s mound Monday it sparked something in Cleveland’s offense. The Guards went on to a 3-0 win that included a home run from the most unlikely place — the catcher’s spot in the order.
On Tuesday’s podcast, Paul Hoynes and Joe Noga look at what went right for the Guardians on Monday and how they can repeat their performance against Dylan Cease and the White Sox in Game 2 of the Chicago series.
Recommended Guardians stories
- What went wrong for the Guardians on a disastrous road trip to Chicago and New York? (Podcast)
- Springless Guardians need more than a team meeting, but it’s a start: Paul Hoynes
- What happens to the Guardians’ rotation when Aaron Civale and Triston McKenzie return?
Got a question you want answered on the podcast? Register for Guardians Subtext to hear your Cleveland Baseball questions answered exclusively on the show. Send a text to 216-208-4346 to subscribe for $3.99/mo.
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2023-05-23T16:26:57+00:00
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cleveland.com
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https://www.cleveland.com/guardians/2023/05/how-many-birds-must-be-sacrificed-in-order-for-guardians-to-succeed-podcast.html
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BOSTON (AP) — Boston is seeking to ban fossil fuels from new building projects and major renovations, Mayor Michelle Wu announced Tuesday.
The Democrat said the state’s largest city will take advantage of a key provision in the climate change bill signed into law by Republican Gov. Charlie Baker last week.
That legislation, which is meant to bring the state closer to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, calls for a pilot project allowing 10 Massachusetts cities and towns to require new building projects be all-electric, with the exception of life sciences labs and health care facilities.
Wu said the city will file a home rule petition with the state Legislature to join the pilot.
“Boston must lead by taking every possible step for climate action,” she said in a statement. “Boston’s participation will help deliver healthy, energy efficient spaces that save our residents and businesses on utilities costs and create local green jobs that will fuel our economy for decades.”
Wu's office said natural gas, oil and other fossil fuels used in buildings represent more than one-third of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions.
New York, Washington, D.C., and Seattle are among the major U.S. municipalities that have enacted similar bans, The Boston Globe reports.
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2022-08-16T17:38:20+00:00
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seattlepi.com
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https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Boston-seeks-to-ban-fossil-fuels-in-new-buildings-17377046.php
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SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Chileans voted in a plebiscite Sunday on whether to adopt a far-reaching new constitution that would fundamentally change the South American country.
The proposed charter is intended to replace a constitution imposed by the military dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet 41 years ago.
For months, opinion polls have shown a clear advantage for the rejection camp, but the difference has been narrowing, giving hope to the charter’s supporters that they can pull out a victory.
“We are clearly in a situation in which the result will be close,” said Marta Lagos, head of MORI, a local pollster. “The Chilean is a political animal who decides at the last minute.”
The outcome will have a resounding impact on President Gabriel Boric, 36, who has been one of the main proponents of the new constitution. Analysts say voters also likely view the vote as a referendum on Chile’s youngest-ever president, whose popularity has plunged since taking office in March.
Fifty-year-old Italo Hernández said he had backed the changes as he exited the polling station in the National Stadium in Chile’s capital of Santiago on an unusually hot and sunny winter day. “We have to leave behind Pinochet’s constitution that only favored people with money.”
Hernández said it was “very symbolic and very emotional” to be voting at a stadium that had been used as a detention and torture site during the military dictatorship.
Others, however, remain deeply skeptical of the proposed charter.
“There are other ways and other paths to achieve what people are asking for or what we need as a nation that isn’t simply to change the constitution,” Mabel Castillo, 42, said. “We all need to evolve. I know it’s an ancient constitution that needs changes, but not in the way that is being done today.”
Voting is mandatory in the plebiscite, which climaxes a three-year process that began when the country once seen as a paragon of stability in the region exploded in student-led street protests in 2019. The unrest was sparked by a hike in public transportation prices, but it quickly expanded into broader demands for greater equality and more social protections.
The following year, just under 80% of Chileans voted in favor of changing the country’s constitution that dates from the country’s 1973-1990 military dictatorship led by Augusto Pinochet.
Then in 2021, they elected delegates to a constitutional convention. Amid the anti-establishment fervor of the time, Chileans largely chose people outside the traditional political establishment to draft the new constitution. It was the first in the world to be written by a convention split equally between male and female delegates.
The makeup of the convention is precisely why some people are excited to vote for the new document.
“This is the first time we all write a constitution, because before it was only up to small, powerful groups,” Fernando Flores, 71, said after casting his ballot. “We can’t keep living this way.”
After months of work, delegates came up with a 178-page document with 388 articles that, among other things, puts a focus on social issues and gender parity, enshrines rights for the country’s Indigenous population and puts the environment and climate change center stage in a country that is the world’s top copper producer. It also introduces rights to free education, health care and housing.
The new constitution would characterize Chile as a plurinational state, establish autonomous Indigenous territories and recognize a parallel justice system in those areas, although lawmakers would decide how far-reaching that would be.
In contrast, the current constitution is a market-friendly document that favors the private sector over the state in aspects like education, pensions and health care. It also makes no reference to the country’s Indigenous population, which makes up almost 13% of the country’s 19 million people.
“This is a door to build a more just, more democratic society,” said Elisa Loncon, an Indigenous leader who was the first president of the convention. “It isn’t as if Chile will wake up with all its political and economic problems automatically resolved, but it’s a starting point.”
Hundreds of thousands of people took over a main avenue in Chile’s capital Thursday night at the closing rally of the pro-charter campaign, a turnout that proponents say shows a level of excitement the polls do not reflect.
“Polls have not been able to capture the new voter, and above all, the young voter,” Loncon said.
Once the convention got to work, Chileans quickly began souring on the proposed document, with some worrying it was too far left.
“The constitution that was written now leans too far to one side and does not have the vision of all Chileans,” 41-year-old Roberto Briones said after voting. “We all want a new constitution, but it needs to have a better structure.” Briones was particularly opposed to the “different systems of justice,” saying, “We’re all Chileans, regardless of whether we have different origins.”
Supporters say opposition to the new document has been due at least in part to a flood of falsehoods spread about its contents.
But Chileans also grew frustrated at the convention delegates, who often made headlines for the wrong reasons: One lied about having leukemia and another cast a vote while taking a shower.
“An opportunity was missed to build a new social pact in Chile,” said Sen. Javier Macaya, head of the conservative Independent Democratic Union party that is campaigning against the new constitution. “We are defending the option to reject (the document) so we have a new chance to do things better.”
Macaya insists it is important for a new constitution to win approval by a broad margin “through consensus and compromise.”
Although Chileans, including the country’s political leadership, largely agree the dictatorship-era constitution needs to be tossed out, how that will be achieved if the current proposal is rejected remains to be seen.
“If it’s rejected, what is institutionalized is maintaining Pinochet’s constitution — that constitution that no longer answers the needs of Chilean society,” Loncon said.
|
2022-09-04T20:37:26+00:00
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kxnet.com
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https://www.kxnet.com/news/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-chile-votes-on-proposed-constitution-with-big-changes/
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LONDON (AP) — British authorities issued their first ever “red” warning for extreme heat early next week, declaring a national emergency as forecasters predict record temperatures that will put even healthy people at risk of serious illness and death.
The warning covers Monday and Tuesday, when temperatures in England may reach 40 C (104 F) for the first time, the U.K Met Office said. The British record is 38.7C (101.7F), set in 2019.
The alert comes as scientists say climate change is increasing the likelihood of exceptional heat waves in Britain, a country better known for gray skies and rain. The chances of temperatures like those forecast for next week are already 10 times higher than they would be without the influence of human activity, said Nikos Christidis, a Met Office climate scientist.
“We hoped we wouldn’t get to this situation, but for the first time ever we are forecasting greater than 40°C in the U.K.,” Christidis said in a prepared statement. “In a recent study we found that the likelihood of extremely hot days in the U.K. has been increasing and will continue to do so during the course of the century.”
The U.K. Health Security Agency increased its own hot weather alert to the highest level, putting it to “national emergency.” The warning system was created in 2004, when concerns about climate change spurred authorities to develop their first plan to protect the public from severed heat.
’’At this level, illness and death may occur among the fit and healthy, and not just in high-risk groups,” UKHSA said.
The weather alert, which covers a big chunk of England from London north to Manchester, also warns of potential disruption to air and rail travel and potential “localized loss of power and other essential services, such as water or mobile phone services.”
The two agencies issued lower level warnings earlier this week as large parts of the U.K. experienced higher than normal temperatures, although cooler weather prevailed Thursday and Friday. Temperatures are expected to rise in the coming days as the system that brought record highs to parts of Europe this week moves north over Britain.
“Even as a climate scientist who studies this stuff, this is scary,” said Professor Hannah Cloke, a natural hazards researcher at the University of Reading. “This feels real. At the start of the week I was worried about my goldfish getting too hot. Now I’m worried about the survival of my family and my neighbors.”
Nigel Arnell, a professor of climate system science at the University of Reading, said Britain needs to prepare for more hot weather in the future, retrofitting buildings to cope with extreme weather and planting more greenery in cities.
Adaptation and resilience need to become a political priority, he said.
“We can’t keep on dealing with extremes in crisis mode,” Arnell said.
___
Read more stories on climate issues by The Associated Press at https://www.apnews.com/Climate
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2022-07-15T23:20:31+00:00
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kdvr.com
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https://kdvr.com/news/nationalworld-news/ap-international/uk-issues-1st-ever-red-warning-for-hot-weather-next-week/
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(The Hill) – Particulate air pollution is reducing life expectancy by 2.2 years globally compared to a hypothetical world that meets international health guidelines, a new report has found.
Worldwide exposure to fine particulate patter — PM 2.5, or particles with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less — has an impact on par with that of smoking, more than three times that of alcohol use and unsafe water, according to the University of Chicago’s 2022 Air Quality Life Index.
The life expectancy effect of this type of pollution amounts to six times that of HIV/AIDS and 89 times that of conflict and terrorism, researchers observed.
“It would be a global emergency if Martians came to Earth and sprayed a substance that caused the average person on the planet to lose more than two years of life expectancy,” Michael Greenstone, index co-creator and an economics professor at the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute, said in a statement.
“This is similar to the situation that prevails in many parts of the world, except we are spraying the substance, not some invaders from outer space,” Greenstone added.
PM 2.5 poses such a threat that the World Health Organization (WHO) recently decreased what it deems to be a safe level of exposure from 10 micrograms per cubic meter to 5 micrograms per cubic meter, the authors noted.
Despite the fact that the economy incurred significant losses during the first year of the coronavirus pandemic, average PM 2.5 pollution remained largely unchanged from the year before, the researchers stressed. Meanwhile, growing evidence has emerged that even low levels of air pollution can damage human health, the authors added.
These circumstances led the WHO to change its guidelines, bringing about 97.3 percent of the global population within the unsafe realm, according to the report.
The worst impacts of PM 2.5 exposure are visible in South Asia, where more than half of the total life burden of pollution occurs worldwide, the researchers found.
Residents of the region are projected to lose about five years off their lives on average if countries maintain today’s high levels of pollution. Since 2013, about 44 percent of the global rise in pollution has come from India, according to the study.
Like South Asia, 99.9 percent of Southeast Asia is experiencing unsafe levels of pollution — with rates increasing in a single year by as much as a quarter in some areas, the researchers found.
Residents of the Mandalay, Myanmar; Hanoi, Vietnam; and Jakarta, Indonesia regions, which are suffering the greatest impacts, are expected to lose three to four years from their life expectancies on average, the authors noted.
More than 97 percent of Central and West Africa is considered unsafe by the WHO’s recent guidelines, with the researchers determining that those residents in the most polluted areas could lose as much as five years from their lives average.
If China began meeting the WHO guideline, residents there could gain 2.6 years of life expectancy on average, according to the study. The authors acknowledged, however, that China has made significant progress, with particulate pollution levels falling by almost 40 percent between 2013 and 2020 — and by about 9 percent from 2019 to 2020 alone.
Although strong enforcement measures have helped reduce particulate pollution in both the U.S. and Europe, about 92.8 percent of the former and 95.5 percent of the latter fail to meet the WHO’s new guideline, the authors found.
In the U.S., average particulate pollution level was slightly above the WHO guideline of 5 micrograms per cubic meter, at 7.1 micrograms per cubic meter, while that of Europe was 11.2 micrograms per cubic meter.
By meeting the revised WHO guideline, American life expectancy would improve on average by 2.5 months, while that of Europeans would improve by 7.3 months.
Integrating the new guidelines into the Air Quality Life Index provides “a better grasp on the true cost we are paying to breathe polluted air,” the index’s director, Christa Hasenkopf, said in a statement.
“Now that our understanding of pollution’s impact on human health has improved, there is a stronger case for governments to prioritize it as an urgent policy issue,” Hasenkopf added.
|
2022-06-14T13:09:36+00:00
|
pahomepage.com
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https://www.pahomepage.com/uncategorized/particulate-air-pollution-is-reducing-global-life-expectancy-by-more-than-two-years-analysis/
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Highlights Provides Parents with Curated Holiday Shopping List
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Highlights, the global media brand dedicated to nurturing and developing the whole child, has officially launched its Kids Gift Guide, which has everything parents and grandparents need for the young creators, puzzlers, dreamers and adventurers on their holiday shopping lists, ages 0-12. Additionally, Highlights has launched its purchase rewards program called Highlights Cash.
"The holidays are a time to connect, and sometimes we do that by watching a favorite holiday movie or playing an online game, but we know families also crave time off screens and in tactile and engaged play," said Lece Lohr, President of Highlights for Children Consumer Business. "This holiday season, parents can shop our Kids Gift Guide for timeless gifts that will provide hours of educational, screen-free adventures to balance out their family's media consumption. Parents can shop confidently knowing that Highlights creates fun and memorable moments to encourage children to discover their best selves."
The Kids Gift Guide features classic staples, as well as all-new items, including:
- The Highlights Book of How – The latest deluxe title from the successful and best-selling Highlights Things to Do collection (MSRP $29.99, ages 7+).
- Activity Kits – New and exclusive to Highlights, this family-friendly product line is designed to unleash a child's creativity (MSRP $14.99 – $49.99 each, ages 6+). Available on Oct. 17, 2022.
- Long Sleeve Tee & Hoodie Collection – Unique designs built from Highlights' DNA with extended sizing for kids and adults (MSRP $24.99 – $49.99 each).
- Highlights Magazine Subscriptions – A beloved, childhood icon for more than 75 years provides 12 months of stories and activities that are as entertaining as they are educational (MSRP: $71.88 – $215.64, ages 6-12).
Shoppers can earn $10 in Highlights Cash on any purchase from Oct. 1 to Nov. 30. Rewards will be delivered by email and customers must have a valid email on file to receive their rewards. Highlights Cash may be redeemed from Dec. 1-14 on purchases of $30 or more.
To learn more about giving the gift of Highlights, visit the Kids Gift Guide at https://shop.highlights.com/kids-gift-guide.
Highlights is a global media brand dedicated to helping children become curious, creative, caring, and confident through engaging content and experiences that are focused on nurturing and developing the whole child. Highlights reaches children 0-12 with its most popular magazines and books, and on multi-media digital experiences, toys/games, podcast, parenting site, apparel, gear, and activity-based products, and more. Connect with Highlights at: Highlights.com, Instagram, Facebook, HighlightsKids.com, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
Media Contact:
Elizabeth Landy
Highlights
elizabeth.landy@highlights.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Highlights for Children
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2022-10-04T20:44:06+00:00
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kcrg.com
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https://www.kcrg.com/prnewswire/2022/10/04/highlights-announces-2022-holiday-kids-gift-guide/
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DETROIT (AP) — Taylor Moore and Taylor Pendrith shared the Rocket Mortgage Classic lead at 13 under Friday, hoping to hold off a veteran trying to end a victory drought and a promising young pro aiming for his first PGA Tour victory.
Pendrith shot an 8-under 64 at Detroit Golf Club, one off the tournament record. Moore, who began the day tied with Monday qualifier Peter Kuest, had a 67 to match Pendrith at 13-under 131.
Rickie Fowler (65) and former top-ranked amateur Ludvig Aberg (67) were a shot back after two straight solid rounds.
The 34-year-old Fowler jumped into contention, chipping in for eagle from 27 feet on the par-5 17th. Fowler set himself up with a chance to for his first win since 2019 at the U.S. Open two weeks ago with an opening 62 before closing with a 75 to plummet into a fifth-place tie.
“We can’t try and press too hard,” he said. “Definitely know we can win. How I’ve played is some of the best, if not the best, I’ve felt about my game and on the course really ever.”
The 23-year-old Aberg, who starred at Texas Tech, finished the season No. 1 in the PGA Tour University ranking. The Swede became the first player to go straight from college to PGA Tour membership without going through Q-school or earning enough money or points from sponsor exemptions. He’s in his third event as a pro after tying for 25th in the Canadian Open and 24th last week in the Travelers Championship.
“I know what I’m capable of and I know that I can hit the golf shots, but you’ve got to be able to handle everything else,” Aberg said. “This is new setting for me.”
Collin Morikawa (67), Justin Lower (65), Aaron Rai (68), Adam Schenk (68) were 11 under, two strokes behind the leaders.
The 29-year-old Moore won the Valspar Championship in March when he outlasted Jordan Spieth for his first PGA Tour title. Moore missed the cut in his previous three tournaments after tying for 72nd at the PGA Championship, but said he hasn’t panicked as he would’ve in the past.
“Golf’s just such a finicky game,” he said. “I really haven’t felt like I’ve been that far off and haven’t made a cut in a couple weeks.”
On Friday, Moore opened with a bridie and had a temporary cushion with five birdies in a six-hole stretch midway through his round.
Pendrith, a big hitter from Canada, closed the gap with five birdies on his front nine and three more on his back in a bogey-free round. He tied for seventh this year in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am for his best career finish.
Kuest, ranked 789th in the world, had a bogey early and late in his round to finish with a 70 that put him three shots back.
Playing for the third time as a qualifier this season, his third tee shot went way left. Faced with a risk-reward decision due to low-hanging tree branches between him and the green, he played it safe and punched a shot to his right and onto the fairway. After an accurate approach set up a 4-foot putt, he lipped out for bogey.
Justin Thomas, defending champion Tony Finau and Hideki Matsuyama missed the cut. Finau won last year at a tournament-record 26 under.
Thomas, who won 2017 FedEx champion after winning his first of two PGA Championships, was still a crowd favorite in the Motor City.
“J.T., you’re a man of the people,” a man shouted as Thomas slapped hands with fans. “Can I have your putter?”
After ranking 118th on Friday and closing in the middle of the pack on the Detroit Golf Club greens, Thomas may have thought about giving up his putter.
___
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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2023-07-01T18:36:36+00:00
|
ktalnews.com
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https://www.ktalnews.com/sports/ap-moore-pendrith-share-the-rocket-mortgage-classic-lead-at-13-under/
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NEW YORK (AP) — Federal Trade Commission sues to block Microsoft’s $69 billion takeover of video game company Activision Blizzard.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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2022-12-08T20:14:27+00:00
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kob.com
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https://www.kob.com/news/business-money/federal-trade-commission-sues-to-block-microsofts-69-billion-takeover-of-video-game-company-activision-blizzard/
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The consumer-centered, digital solution ensures easy access to diagnosis and treatment for the 80% of people who otherwise fail to find solutions for OSA
MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- GEM Specialty Health, Inc., a digital specialty health company, today announced the 40-state availability of GEM SLEEP, a comprehensive solution offering diagnosis, treatment and support for the 30 million people in the U.S. who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
Nearly one in eight Americans suffer from sleep apnea and roughly 80% of those are untreated. GEM SLEEP is a digital, one-stop solution that includes a virtual sleep clinic, a range of treatment options, and ongoing support to ensure a better night's sleep.
According to a study by the National Library of Medicine, untreated obstructive sleep apnea can lead to abnormal physiology with serious implications including increased cardiovascular disease, stroke, metabolic disease, excessive daytime sleepiness, work-place errors, traffic accidents, and even death.
GEM SLEEP overcomes key barriers to treatment in a highly fragmented, difficult to navigate category that has not yet been addressed. GEM SLEEP offers:
- Timely Access: Instead of waiting 2-3 months to get into a sleep clinic, GEM SLEEP offers a home sleep test within days.
- Affordability: GEM SLEEP bundles care and products driving cost down and improving price transparency.
- Improved Experience: Navigating traditional sleep apnea care is fragmented and disconnected. GEM SLEEP is the end-to-end solution.
- Robust Support: GEM SLEEP has built-in support to help consumers succeed and adhere to their treatment.
- Outcomes: GEM SLEEP seeks to improve health through improved blood pressure, resting heart rate, and quality of sleep. This will also lead to improved quality of life through less grogginess, lower likelihood to have an accident, and maximum personal performance.
"Sleep apnea continues to be a troublesome condition for millions of people around the world," said Brian Sauer, CEO and Founder of GEM HEALTH. "My personal experience with getting diagnosed and treated for sleep apnea was anything but delightful. GEM SLEEP improves the consumer experience and helps unlock the sleep apnea market for our provider, payer, employer, and device partners."
GEM SLEEP starts with a free online assessment. Those who show a risk of sleep apnea can order an at-home sleep test. Those tests are reviewed by GEM SLEEP clinicians and within days, individuals who are diagnosed with OSA will receive a customized treatment recommendation and next steps available within GEM SLEEP.
OSA sufferers and their bed partners can get started with GEM SLEEP at www.mygemsleep.com. More information on parent company, GEM HEALTH can be found at www.gem.health. GEM HEALTH is actively pursuing insurance coverage to ensure affordability for the over 30M Americans who are currently living with sleep apnea.
GEM HEALTH helps people live healthier, happier lives by addressing their specialty conditions from end to end. GEM HEALTH removes the confusion and frustration of not knowing where to start or the next steps when navigating a new condition. The first product, GEM SLEEP, helps the estimated 24 million people with undiagnosed or untreated obstructive sleep apnea find relief. GEM SLEEP provides a simple guided experience through diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing support; reducing the time to relief from months to weeks. GEM SLEEP treats patients in 40 states (and growing) and is actively developing reimbursement options through health plans and employers to ensure broad access to care. To learn more about GEM HEALTH's approach to obstructive sleep apnea, visit mygemsleep.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
View original content:
SOURCE GEM HEALTH
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2023-01-19T15:03:15+00:00
|
wlbt.com
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https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2023/01/19/gem-sleep-now-available-40-states-unlocking-needed-access-obstructive-sleep-apnea-support-solutions/
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BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A Brownsville woman was arrested after attempting to scan fake barcodes in the Wal-Mart self-checkout line, police say.
Mericarmen Gomez, 34, was taken into custody for the offense of fraud, destroy, removal, concealment of writing and theft.
On Saturday, police responded to the Wal-Mart on Boca Chica where they were informed that Gomez was at the self-checkout line with some items. According to police, the suspect was scanning items with a barcode that she was holding in her hand.
The barcode that she was using to scan was charging items for $0.25 rather than full price. Police say Gomez was intentionally deceiving the self-checkout by not paying full price for the items. Gomez owed over $100 for the items she attempted to take.
As she tried to leave the Wal-Mart, Gomez was confronted by loss prevention officers. When police arrived, she was taken into custody and transported to the Brownsville City Jail.
Gomez was arraigned Sunday and has a bond set at $3,000.
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2022-09-06T21:42:54+00:00
|
pahomepage.com
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https://www.pahomepage.com/news/pd-woman-arrested-for-scanning-fake-barcodes-at-wal-mart-self-checkout/
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BEIJING (AP) — China on Thursday imposed trade and investment sanctions on U.S. military contractors Lockheed Martin and Raytheon for supplying weapons to Taiwan, stepping up efforts to isolate the island democracy claimed by the ruling Communist Party as part of its territory.
The companies are barred from importing goods into China or making new investments in the country, the Ministry of Commerce announced.
It wasn't clear what impact the penalties might have on Lockheed Martin or Raytheon. The United States bars most sales of weapons-related technology to China, but some military contractors also have civilian businesses in aerospace and other markets.
Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war. The island never has been part of the People's Republic of China, but the Communist Party says it is obliged to unite with the mainland, by force if necessary.
President Xi Jinping's government has stepped up efforts to intimidate Taiwan by flying fighter jets and bombers near the island and firing missiles into the sea.
|
2023-02-16T09:58:18+00:00
|
ourmidland.com
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https://www.ourmidland.com/news/politics/article/china-sanctions-lockheed-martin-raytheon-for-17787788.php
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Carrie Fisher’s Princess Leia gown goes up for auction
Published: Jun. 23, 2023 at 4:03 AM CDT|Updated: 24 minutes ago
(CNN) - The white Princess Leia gown that Carrie Fisher wore in “Star Wars: A New Hope” in 1977 is up for auction.
It’s estimated to sell for up to $2 million when bidding closes on June 28.
The dress is reportedly the only Princess Leia costume known to still exist from the original film.
Costume designer John Mollo created the gown and went on to win an Oscar in 1978 for his work on the film.
Fisher wore the gown during the film’s final scene while in the throne room as she bestowed Luke Skywalker and Han Solo their medals of honor.
Copyright 2023 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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2023-06-23T09:28:16+00:00
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kxii.com
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https://www.kxii.com/2023/06/23/princess-leia-gown-worn-by-carrie-fisher-goes-up-auction/
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The College Board on Wednesday released a revised version of an Advanced Placement African American studies course following criticism from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who refused to allow the program to run in the state’s schools.
In a new framework for the course reviewed by The Hill, Black writers and scholars associated with critical race theory have been scrubbed from the curriculum, as have those who touch on the Black queer experience and Black feminism. Other topics, like Black Lives Matter, are now optional.
The Board also added “Black conservatism” as a potential research topic.
David Coleman, the head of the College Board, told The New York Times that these changes were not made to bow to political pressure.
“At the College Board, we can’t look to statements of political leaders,” Coleman said. The changes, he said, came from “the input of professors” and “longstanding A.P. principles.”
But last week, when changes were first announced, DeSantis’s administration took credit for the move.
“Thanks to @GovRonDeSantis’ principled stand for education over identity politics, the College Board will be revising the course for the entire nation,” press secretary Bryan Griffin said on Twitter last week.
DeSantis’s administration rejected the original course because “the content of this course is inexplicably contrary to Florida law and significantly lacks educational value.”
The administration specifically named topics of intersectionality, Black queer studies, the Black Lives Matter movement, Black feminist literary thought, the reparations movement, and the Black study and Black struggle in the 21st century as key concerns.
It also identified writings by Kimberlé Crenshaw, the “founder” of intersectionality; Angela Davis, a “self-avowed Communist and Marxist”; Roderick Ferguson; Leslie Kay Jones; bell hooks; and Robin D.G. Kelly as problematic.
At a press conference defending his decision, DeSantis said queer theory had nothing to do with Black history and added his administration believes in “teaching kids facts and how to think,” not political agendas.
“We want education, not indoctrination,” he said. “If you fall on the side of indoctrination, we’re going to decline. If it’s education, then we will do.”
The NAACP’s Legal Defense Fund said Tuesday that Black Americans “are multifaceted individuals.”
“We can identify with multiple communities,” it added. “We can be both Black *and* LGBTQ+.”
DeSantis’s actions have been met with backlash across the nation.
“Gov. DeSantis’ whitewashing of history and book bans are his latest assault on American history and our First Amendment rights,” Florida state Sen. Shevrin Jones (D), the state’s first openly gay senator, said in a statement.
“Horrifyingly, it is our vulnerable and underrepresented students who will suffer the most as a result.”
Last week, three students threatened to file a lawsuit against the governor if the course was kept from schools.
Meanwhile, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) sent a letter to the College Board stating he expects any AP African American studies course to “include a factual accounting of history, including the role played by black queer Americans.”
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2023-02-01T16:24:03+00:00
|
pix11.com
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https://pix11.com/hill-politics/college-board-revises-african-american-studies-class-after-desantis-criticism/
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3,700+ equipment items sold from five locations for US$50+ million in gross transaction value
CHEHALIS, Wash., Dec. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Last week, Ritchie Bros. conducted its largest auction ever in the Pacific Northwest, selling 3,700+ items from five locations in one online auction and generating US$50+ million in gross transaction value.
The December 21, 2022, event attracted 8,200+ bidders from 40+ countries, with approximately 95% of the equipment purchased by U.S. buyers, including 33% sold to Washington buyers, 22% to Oregon, and 8% to California. The remaining 5% of the equipment was sold to international buyers from as far away as Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, and the Netherlands.
"Our regional auction events continue to grow thanks to the success of our satellite yard program, which provide our sellers more locations to store and display equipment for potential buyers," said Griffin Squires, Regional Sales Manager, Ritchie Bros. "With equipment at physical sites, customers can inspect, compare, and test items prior to bidding online. That ability to 'kick the tires' in person combined with our robust online platform provides convenience for buyers and access to a large global buyer base for sellers."
Approximately 88% of the assets in the Pacific Northwest auction were sold from Ritchie Bros.' permanent site in Chehalis, WA, while the remaining 12% was sold from yards in Spokane, WA; Billings, MT; Lake Point, UT; and Wasilla, AK.
Mr. Squires continued, "Many of our consignors benefitted by dropping their equipment off at one of our sites early so we had plenty of time to market their assets to buyers around the world. The more time we have, the more eyes we can get on your equipment. If you have assets to sell, we have a multitude of solutions to meet your needs—contact us today!"
Equipment highlights in the Pacific Northwest event included 180+ excavators, 175+ truck tractors, 70+ aerial work platforms, 45+ wheel loaders, 35+ dozers, and more. All equipment was sold without minimum bids or reserve prices.
Five Big Sellers from the Pacific Northwest
- 2008 Liebherr LTM11130-5.1 143-ton 10x10x6 all-terrain crane – US$400,000
- 2019 John Deere 950K LGP dozer – US$390,000
- 2017 Komatsu PC800LC-8EO VG hydraulic excavator – US$390,000
- 2020 Komatsu HM400-5 articulated dump truck – US$340,000
- 2017 KPI-JCI FT2650 jaw crushing plant – US$305,000
AUCTION QUICK FACTS: PACIFIC NORTHWEST (DECEMBER 2022)
- Gross transaction value: US$50+ million
- Number of items sold: 3,700+
- Number of consignors: 500+
- Number of bidders: 8,200+
Ritchie Bros. currently has 30,000+ items listed to be sold in its upcoming auctions and online marketplaces. For a complete list of events, visit rbauction.com.
About Ritchie Bros.
Established in 1958, Ritchie Bros. (NYSE and TSX: RBA) is a global asset management and disposition company, offering customers end-to-end solutions for buying and selling used heavy equipment, trucks and other assets. Operating in a number of sectors, including construction, transportation, agriculture, energy, mining, and forestry, the company's selling channels include: Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, the world's largest industrial auctioneer offering live auction events with online bidding; IronPlanet, an online marketplace with weekly featured auctions and providing the exclusive IronClad Assurance® equipment condition certification; Marketplace-E, a controlled marketplace offering multiple price and timing options; Ritchie List, a self-serve listing service for North America; Mascus, a leading European online equipment listing service; Ritchie Bros. Private Treaty, offering privately negotiated sales; and sector-specific solutions GovPlanet, TruckPlanet, and Ritchie Bros. Energy. The Company's suite of solutions also includes Ritchie Bros. Asset Solutions and Rouse Services LLC, which together provides a complete end-to-end asset management, data-driven intelligence and performance benchmarking system; SmartEquip, an innovative technology platform that supports customers' management of the equipment lifecycle and integrates parts procurement with both OEMs and dealers; plus equipment financing and leasing through Ritchie Bros. Financial Services. For more information about Ritchie Bros., visit RitchieBros.com.
Photos and video for embedding in media stories are available at rbauction.com/media.
View original content:
SOURCE Ritchie Bros.
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2022-12-27T12:59:14+00:00
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wlox.com
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https://www.wlox.com/prnewswire/2022/12/27/satellite-yards-enable-ritchie-bros-largest-auction-ever-pacific-northwest/
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NAIROBI, Kenya — An airstrike in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region killed at least five civilians during a major religious holiday earlier this week as the revived war continues, according to humanitarian workers and an internal document seen by The Associated Press.
Humanitarian workers in the Tigray capital, Mekele, and the region’s second-largest city, Shire, 25 kilometers from Adi Daero, confirmed the deadly attack. One of the Shire workers said fighter jets attacked both Adi Daero and Shire almost simultaneously. No one in Shire was injured, while some of the injured from Adi Daero were brought to Shire, the worker said.
All spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.
On Friday, an Ethiopian government-run Twitter account accused the rival Tigray forces of “hiding its arms” in residential areas and said Ethiopia’s air force recently targeted the forces’ “military equipment and arsenal” in Adi Daero.
In a statement Thursday, Tigray forces accused the air force of neighboring Eritrea of striking Adi Daero and killing “a number of civilians.” Eritrean forces are fighting alongside Ethiopia’s military in Tigray.
The AP was unable to verify who was responsible for the strike. Satellite imagery shared this week by Maxar Technologies showed a military buildup inside Eritrea near the border with the Tigray region.
Several airstrikes have been reported in Tigray since fighting resumed in August after a months-long lull in the fighting. Humanitarian aid to the long-blockaded region of more than 5 million people has again been cut off.
“We’re not moving any trucks in presently” and no staff has been able to enter or leave Tigray since Aug. 24, the World Food Program’s regional director for East Africa, Michael Dunford, told a think tank on Thursday, adding that there is a “real need for the offensive to end, for the fighting to stop.”
He said 89% of people in Tigray have limited food capacity and more than 40% are “acutely food insecure.”
Dunford said diplomats are better placed to advocate for a humanitarian truce.
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2022-09-30T15:18:17+00:00
|
washingtonpost.com
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/airstrike-in-ethiopias-tigray-region-kills-civilians/2022/09/30/fa45b686-40c6-11ed-8c6e-9386bd7cd826_story.html
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Eastern Market restaurant Bunny Bunny reopens with counter service
A community-focused restaurant with an eclectic menu, Bunny Bunny is reopening for service after announcing it would close at the end of last summer.
Serving a mix of southern American and northern Indian and South African cuisines, Bunny Bunny has returned with a more streamlined service model. Now, guests order their food at the counter and can take it as a carryout, or enjoy it in the dining room or upstairs at Collect beer bar.
Guests can still order online for carryout, and in some cases, delivery.
"After some careful thought, we've decided that we are going to stay in the space and finish our lease that extends through 2024," said Bunny Bunny chefs Jennifer Jackson and Justin Tootla in a statement sent to The Detroit News.
"As everyone has seen over the last three years, the dining landscape is constantly changing and we're doing our best to adjust and adapt. Through these processes we will hopefully create a model that is sustainable for us and the guest."
Jackson and Tootla opened Bunny Bunny during the pandemic in 2020 with a pay-it-forward business model and Chinese cuisine, which was praised by food writers and critics across town. A year later, they changed the cuisine to better reflect their personal roots.
A few of the dishes on the menu now include butter chicken roti wraps, chicken and dumplings, green crab curry and Goan pork noodles, plus some daily specials. On Sundays they'll serve a different menu of burgers and fried chicken biscuits.
Bunny Bunny, 1454 Gratiot in Detroit, is open 5-9 p.m. Thurs.-Fri., 1-9 p.m. Sat. and noon-3 p.m. Sun. Call (313) 974-6122 or visit bunny-bunny.square.site.
For subscribers:These Metro Detroit restaurants, bars, cafes and bakeries opened or closed in January
mbaetens@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @melodybaetens
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2023-02-17T18:53:57+00:00
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detroitnews.com
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https://www.detroitnews.com/story/entertainment/dining/2023/02/17/eastern-market-restaurant-returns-with-streamlined-service-model/69914404007/
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — When Chance the Rapper visited West Africa earlier this year, he initially thought his trip with fellow Chicago hip-hop artist Vic Mensa would be just another vacation getaway.
Instead, the Grammy winner connected with Mensa’s father’s family in Ghana and other natives from the Motherland on a deeper level. He saw Ghana’s beautiful ocean coastline and waterfalls, engulfed himself in the musical culture and art scene and learned more about the country’s rich history of being the first sub-Saharan African country to free itself from colonialism.
After a couple more trips to Ghana, Chance decided to create a free concert series and visual arts show so others could experience the country’s vibrant culture just like he did. During the summer, Chance and Mensa brought eight students from Chicago to Ghana to learn more about Africa.
“I felt so free in Ghana. .. and I want others to feel the same way,” said Chance, who along with Mensa will host the inaugural Black Star Line festival in Accra, Ghana, in 2023. The weeklong festival will feature events, panel discussions and a free concert on Jan. 6 with performances by Chance, Mensa, Erykah Badu, T-Pain, Jeremih, Sarkodie, Tobe Nwigwe, Asakaa Boys and M.anifest.
The event will be held in Accra’s Black Star Square, a monument to the political freedom that was won by Ghanaians in 1957. The festival’s title was inspired by civil rights leader Marcus Garvey’s Black Star Line, which was founded in 1919 and operated by Black people who helped link global shipping and tourism opportunities between America, the Caribbean and Africa.
Garvey inspired Chance’s music video “ YAH Know, ” featuring King Promise, and his upcoming album “Star Line Gallery,” which is expected for release next year. He’s already released a few other new music videos — such as “ Child of God,” “ A Bar About a Bar ” and “ The Highs & Lows ” with Joey Bada$$ — in which he calls “album art” to highlight popular artists in Africa.
Chance said Naila Opiangah ’s art piece for “Child of God” will be on display at the festival. He said his new “songs are candid realities of Black life.”
“Artists have amazing graphics and album covers and single artworks that are made by great artists every day that’s released,” he said. “But the only time you get to see it is on this little inch-by-one inch depiction of it. These pieces are painted by world class artists. The ability to go see those pieces and interact with them in real life kind of adds people’s understanding of the music.”
Through his festival, Chance says he wants to bridge the gap between Black people abroad and Africa.
“I think that specifically the story of the founder’s independence is something that all black people should know,” he said “There are no free sub-Saharan African countries until 1957. I think they should know about the revolutionary leaders on the continent and abroad. I think that if we had this connectedness and this interaction, people will actually have a chance to see this.”
Initially, it was tough gaining commitments from big-name music artists to travel and perform in West Africa. With few sponsors, much of the expenses to fund the free concert were out-of-pocket.
But Chance’s team found a way to make the trip more affordable for travelers through a partnership with United Airlines, which is offering discount fares to Ghana for a year.
It’s taken a lot of work to organize the event in such a short time, but Chance believes this festival could live on successfully for the next 50 years. In the future, he wants to host the festival in other countries, such as Jamaica and Haiti.
But for now, Chance’s focus has been on attracting more people to Ghana, a place he can envision his family living after his daughters head to college.
“I wish I could live there right now,” said the rapper, who has lived in Chicago his whole life. “I want people to see the convergence and similarities in all of these Black lives.”
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2022-12-22T16:50:58+00:00
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wric.com
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https://www.wric.com/entertainment-news/ap-chance-the-rapper-to-bring-free-concert-festival-to-ghana/
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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ The winning numbers in Sunday evening's drawing of the Indiana Lottery's "Cash 5" game were:
18-20-26-31-33
(eighteen, twenty, twenty-six, thirty-one, thirty-three)
Estimated jackpot: $125,000
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ The winning numbers in Sunday evening's drawing of the Indiana Lottery's "Cash 5" game were:
18-20-26-31-33
(eighteen, twenty, twenty-six, thirty-one, thirty-three)
Estimated jackpot: $125,000
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2023-01-02T06:03:33+00:00
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lmtonline.com
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https://www.lmtonline.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Cash-5-game-17689301.php
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When a shooter attacked a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, over the weekend, its security guard tried to stop him. At least one of his shots hit the gunman, but it didn’t stop the deadly rampage because the gunman was wearing body armor.
At least 21 mass shooters over the last four decades have worn some kind of body armor — and the majority of those were within the last 10 years, according to a database maintained by The Violence Project, a nonpartisan research group that tracks gun violence.
Among them: A massacre that killed 12 people and injured dozens more at a crowded movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, in 2012, and another in nearby Boulder that left 10 people dead at a supermarket last year. The shooter in Texas’s deadliest mass slaying was also wearing protective gear when he killed more than two dozen people at a church in 2017, as was a radicalized Islamic couple who carried out a terror attack in San Bernardino, California, in 2015.
“They’re demonstrating this intent that, ‘I want to absolutely kill or hurt as many people as I possibly can before I just can’t fight anymore,’” said Chris Burbank, the former police chief in Salt Lake City who’s now with the Center for Policing Equity.
The Violence Project database doesn’t show a clear correlation with body armor and the number of victims. But such gear can enable attackers to shoot longer and is a symbolic way to adhere to societal expectations of what a mass shooting looks like, said James Densley, a criminal justice professor at Metro State University in Minnesota who co-founded The Violence Project.
“A mass shooting is intended to be a final act — you don’t get away with a mass shooting,” Densley said. “So it’s meant to be a big spectacle, and it’s meant to have people pay attention and to notice it. One of the ways you do that is you dress up pretending you’re in the military.”
Police officers are seeing body armor in other types of investigations, like narcotics cases, said former Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina. Body armor is relatively easy to get, especially the soft body armor similar to the bulletproof vests regularly worn by police officers that are effective against handguns.
Getting body armor isn’t difficult under U.S. laws. It’s illegal under federal law for a convicted felon to buy body armor, but other than that there are few restrictions on purchasing it. Only one state blocks it from being ordered online and shipped to homes: Connecticut, which requires a face-to-face purchase.
Colina would like to see more states consider stricter rules.
“I don’t think it’s something that is really thought about too much, but we’ve seen it many times and we’ve seen it here in south Florida,” Colina said. “Somebody commits a crime wearing body armor, and it’s terrifying. The idea that you may not be able to stop them if you had to use deadly force is terrifying.”
Still, body armor itself isn’t inherently dangerous and is in fact aimed at protection — something on the minds of many people amid a spike in gun violence in the U.S., Burbank said. And it’s unclear what effective body armor regulation would even look like, given the difficulty of regulating the weapons that are used in the shootings.
“Most of those same laws apply to guns,” Burbank said. “Does that prohibit anyone in this nation from having access to a firearm?”
Body armor hasn’t been worn in the majority of mass shootings, said James Alan Fox, a criminologist at Northeastern University who has been tracking mass killings back to 2006 along with The Associated Press and USA Today.
But it does indicate a level of planning. Body armor was mentioned more than a dozen times in the online writings attributed to the white suspect in the Buffalo shooting, Payton Gendron, who was arrested at the supermarket and has pleaded not guilty to murder.
The Violence Project database also doesn’t include slayings that don’t meet the definition of a mass shooting because fewer than four people were killed.
In one such shooting at Philadelphia’s Thomas Jefferson University Hospital last October, a nursing assistant wearing blue scrubs and a ballistics vest killed a co-worker and then wounded two police officers before being killed himself. In another, this month in Round Rock, Texas, a 31-year-old Marine veteran wounded a neighbor before engaging in a shootout with law enforcement, after which he was found dead, wearing body armor.
In contrast to U.S. laws, four Canadian provinces have enacted severe restrictions on the possession of body armor — Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Nova Scotia. Residents must obtain permits to possess body armor, including ballistic vests, and must undergo background checks before getting those permits, which must be renewed on an annual or biannual basis. Violators face hefty fines and jail time.
Alberta adopted its law in 2012 because of spiraling gang violence in which gang members wore vests while committing crimes such as drive-by shootings and even sported them in public, said Ian Roddick, a spokesman with the province’s Ministry of Justice and Solicitor General.
Applicants must have no criminal record. Permits generally are granted to those whose jobs, such as security guards, require protection.
Some Australian territories also restrict body armor possession.
___
Associated Press writer Susan Haigh in Hartford, Connecticut, contributed to this report.
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2022-05-18T12:06:03+00:00
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washingtonpost.com
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/buffalo-is-latest-mass-shooting-by-gunman-wearing-body-armor/2022/05/18/ed5b3da2-d699-11ec-be17-286164974c54_story.html
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REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (AP) _ Zuora Inc. (ZUO) on Wednesday reported a loss of $23.2 million in its fiscal first quarter.
The Redwood City, California-based company said it had a loss of 18 cents per share. Losses, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, came to 3 cents per share.
The enterprise software company posted revenue of $93.2 million in the period.
For the current quarter ending in August, Zuora expects its results to range from a loss of 6 cents per share to a loss of 5 cents per share.
The company said it expects revenue in the range of $96.5 million to $98.5 million for the fiscal second quarter.
Zuora expects full-year results to range from a loss of 19 cents per share to a loss of 15 cents per share, with revenue ranging from $402 million to $406 million.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on ZUO at https://www.zacks.com/ap/ZUO
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2022-05-25T21:18:49+00:00
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sfgate.com
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https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Zuora-Fiscal-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17198842.php
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SANTA MARIA — Allan Hancock College is displaying a variety of creations by its fine arts students in their first show since in-person classes resumed last fall.
The exhibit is continuing through May 12 at the Ann Foxworthy Gallery on Hancock’s Santa Maria campus.
The art varies from paintings to drawings, graphic design, sculpture, photography, and digital media in representational and abstract forms. This year’s show will also include monologues and “pop-up” performances.
“The works that this talented and unique group of students created are engaging and delightful,” said Ann Foxworthy Gallery Director Laura-Susan Thomas.
“They are expressing themselves in some incredible and creative ways in this exhibition,” she said in a news release.
The gallery will host a reception featuring the show’s student-artists from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday. The reception will include a live performance by college drama students at 5:10 p.m. Students, staff and members of the community are invited to attend.
The Ann Foxworthy Gallery is located in the Academic Resource Center, building L, on the Santa Maria campus. The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursdays. It is available by appointment only on Fridays. The gallery is closed on weekends and holidays.
For more information, visit www.hancockcollege.edu/gallery or contact gallery director Laura-Susan Thomas at laura.thomas@hancockcollege.edu or 805-922-6966, ext. 3652.
— Dave Mason
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2022-04-17T17:00:10+00:00
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newspress.com
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https://newspress.com/hancock-college-hosts-students-art-show/
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Alexandria trail named after late City Councilman Louis J. Marshall
ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) - On Tuesday, April 12, 2022, the City of Alexandria named a walking and biking trail after late City Councilman Louis J. Marshall. Marshall passed away in 2019.
Louis J. Marshall served two terms as the councilman for District I. Throughout his time on the city council, he was committed to the Alexandria community. He was involved in building community gardens and pushed for the walking and biking trail now named after him.
“Louis Marshall was very adamant about working in this area, working in the district and having a walking trail and a park,” said Roosevelt Johnson, former City Council President, and friend of Marshall. “He was very proud of this for this area, proud of this for the city, proud of this for anyone who wanted to come out here and use it. It was important to him in his dedication, for his commitment to the well-being of people.”
The trail leads from Bolton Avenue to upper Third Street. The decision to rename the trail was unanimously approved by the City Council in 2019. Marshall’s widow, Winnie Marshall, said the family appreciates the recognition for his work.
“It feels very good, it is something that he deserved,” said Marshall. “He was always a people person, doing things that needed to be done.”
Alexandria Mayor Jeff Hall, who spoke at the renaming ceremony, said Marshall’s commitment to the community continued even after his time on the council.
“He never lost his commitment to service in the community, even as a non-city councilman, he wanted projects to take place,” said Hall. “He thought the park area and recreation were not only good for the person, but good for the community.”
The marked Louis J. Marshall trailhead and plaque can be found on North 16 Street, next to the bridge.
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Copyright 2022 KALB. All rights reserved.
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2022-04-14T08:00:54+00:00
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kalb.com
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/04/12/alexandria-trail-named-after-late-city-councilman-louis-j-marshall/
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ISTANBUL, Turkey — Turkish authorities claim to have identified the perpetrator of Sunday's explosion on Istanbul's best-known commercial street that killed at least six people were killed and injured 81 others.
Istanbul police released a statement on their official Twitter account saying the bomber had been identified as a Syrian woman named Ahlam Albashir.
The statement says that during interrogation, the woman admitted she received her orders from the PYD, Syria's Democratic Union Party, which Turkey views as the Syrian affiliate of the PKK, the Kurdistan Workers' Party, a group Turkey has been battling for decades.
The statement goes on to say that 46 other individuals were also detained for questioning about any possible role they may have had in the attack.
Turkey's Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu briefed reporters on the latest developments — including the capture and detention of the bomber.
In his remarks, Soylu condemned countries who he said harbor terrorist groups. He specifically named the United States, saying getting a condolence message from Washington was like "a killer being the first to show up at a crime scene." The U.S. has supported Kurdish groups in Syria over the past decade as they've battled the Islamic State, which has long been a source of disagreement with Turkey.
Turkey has also condemned Sweden for allegedly supporting terror groups.
A return to more dangerous times
For some Istanbul residents, the blast Sunday was a reminder of more dangerous periods in the recent past.
Shop owner Hasan Ozsut, who estimates he was roughly 500 yards from the blast when it happened, said he saw about four people lying on the ground and many others running.
Ozsut is a dairy farmer who sells his products at a shop on Istiklal Avenue. He thinks his shop was very near to the blast site, and would like to check the damage, but he was prevented from reaching the scene Sunday as police, fire fighters and ambulances descended on the scene.
The 60-year-old says he's proud to be a merchant on Istiklal Avenue, which he says many see as the heart of Istanbul. But he knows that every time something like this happens, people naturally stay away for a time.
With the end of the year holidays approaching, he wonders if this season will be a poor one for businesses.
Usually, he says, "The people are going to be Christmas shopping, they're going to come here, you know, do some Christmas tourism. This is actually a bomb to [the] Turkish economy."
Oszut and other Istanbul residents see Sunday's explosion as an echo of earlier terrorist attacks in the city.
On New Year's Day in 2017, a gunman shot and killed 39 people at a nightclub. Almost 80 others were also injured. In 2003, a series of suicide bombings was carried out using trucks at four locations in the city.
The U.S. condemned the explosion, describing it as an act of violence in a statement issued by the White House press secretary.
"We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our NATO Ally," press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in the news release.
Five prosecutors were assigned to investigate the explosion, state-run Anadolu news agency said.
Turkey's Interior Minister repeated Erdogan's pledge to bring those responsible to justice — and to deal a harsh blow to those engaging in terrorism against the country and its citizens.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
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2022-11-14T15:04:04+00:00
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upr.org
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https://www.upr.org/npr-news/npr-news/2022-11-14/turkey-blames-kurdish-group-for-istanbul-bombing
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RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Dating back to the beginning of 2021, more than 200 suspects have been arrested across Chesterfield and Henrico Counties in undercover VICE operations or sex stings. But how successful are these investigations?
8News dug through hundreds of cases to find out.
Cutting down on crime
In many of these operations, detectives worked to intercept suspects believed to be soliciting sex from minors through the internet on websites and social media. As seen in an October 2021 sting in Chesterfield County, authorities posed as a prostitute under the age of 18 and communicated with suspects directly, arranging requests for services, costs and meeting locations. But when the suspects arrived to the planned location, they were met with handcuffs.
In other instances though, there was an actual minor involved. In February of 2021, for example, Chesterfield Police arrested Robert Joseph Scianna, Jr., 25, for soliciting sex from a juvenile online through a social media platform. Scianna was charged with electronic solicitation of a minor for sex, and pled no contest, resulting in a guilty verdict, jail time, and a fine. He was also charged with attempted indecent liberties, but that charge was dropped.
Additionally, authorities conducted these undercover operations to crack down on actual prostitution, and even human trafficking.
“It seems to come in waves,” 8News Legal Analyst Russ Stone said. “I have actually handled cases and spoke with defendants who were charged with these kinds of offenses who have indicated, for instance, in Henrico County, that they have gotten the message and they’re trying to ply their trade in other places.”
Stone noted that there appear to have been concerted efforts in recent years to increase the frequency with which such operations are conducted and minimize these offenses in Central Virginia, but successfully stopping crimes may require additional multijurisdictional coordination.
“When they know that this sort of thing is [something] that the police are taking seriously in one area, they will try to move it to some other area,” Stone said. “That doesn’t necessarily put an end to it. It just kind of moves it around. It’s like playing a game of Whac-A-Mole.”
Chesterfield County results
A Chesterfield County Police Department (CCPD) spokesperson provided a list of defendants who were arrested across seven undercover operations where detectives posed as minors from 2021 to 2022.
In total, there were 60 arrests made, with 43 of those cases currently closed. Of those 43 closed cases, 36 resulted in at least one guilty finding, whether through a jury trial, agreement or plea of no contest — that is approximately 84%. Additional cases are ongoing, with several having been certified to a grand jury or having had a trial date set, meaning prosecutorial actions have moved forward.
In addition to facing a solicitation of prostitution charge in some form, the majority of defendants also faced an additional charge. Using vehicles to promote prostitution or unlawful sexual intercourse, for example, is a Class 1 misdemeanor under the Code of Virginia. However, in several cases where a defendant was found guilty on a solicitation charge, the vehicle usage charge was nolle prossed or dropped.
“Over the last several years, different departments and cities have decided that they’re going to be more aggressive in their prosecution of prostitution-related offenses,” Stone said. “If a jurisdiction has decided, ‘We’re going to be more aggressive in pursuing them,’ then it’s kind of like throwing the kitchen sink at somebody. You’re going to place every charge you can think of, and then, down the road, you may work out some kind of a deal where they plead guilty to certain offenses.”
Recent controversy
That prosecutorial aggression has been called into question by local leaders in recent months, following the Chesterfield County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office’s decision to drop similar charges against a Virginia Beach pastor who was arrested in October 2021 along with 16 other men. Of those defendants, 13 cases resulted in a guilty finding, with one cases still playing out in court. Six defendants were also sentenced to serve time behind bars, not including those who were granted suspended sentences that equated to the duration of the sentencing length.
“The internet and technology have both made crimes easier to commit and easier to prove,” Stone said, referencing text messages that were released by police between Rock Church International Pastor John Blanchard and undercover detectives posing as a 17-year-old prostitute. “People say things online that, obviously, get them into a lot of trouble.”
Stone previously noted that there appeared to be enough evidence in the case against Blanchard to move forward with prosecution, though it would be up to a judge and jury to determine the defendant’s guilt or innocence. However, almost exactly one year after Blanchard’s arrest, the Chesterfield County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office moved to drop the charges against him, citing a “lack of evidence;” something state Del. Tim Anderson and Chief of Police Col. Jeff Katz have contested.
On Thursday, Commonwealth’s Attorney Stacey Davenport announced that, due to new information provided to her office with the 48 hours prior to the announcement, she would be asking for the appointment of a special prosecutor to review the case against Blanchard and determine whether to move forward with prosecution.
Henrico County results
From January 2021 through December 2022, the Henrico County Police Division (HCPD) reported 193 arrests from undercover VICE operations and sex stings. Dozens of the defendants arrested in 2022 have their cases still playing out in the court system.
Of the 84 suspects arrested in the 2021 investigations, though, 73 cases are now closed, with 44 of those resulting in a guilty verdict on at least one charge. In addition to the offense of using vehicles to promote prostitution or unlawful sexual intercourse, as seen in Chesterfield County, a number of the suspects also faced drug charges.
“There is a tremendous amount of drug use that’s involved with the victimization, whether that drug use, that initial addiction, is a product of recruiting or getting control over that person into this industry; if it’s being used as a coping mechanism to kind of deal with the trauma as a result of being in this industry,” an undercover officer who works on these types of operations told 8News back in November.
Similar to Chesterfield County, a number of the cases that have not yet concluded have a trial date or plea hearing set, meaning the percentage of defendants who were prosecuted has the potential to increase.
Some suspects also had firearm charges filed against them, while others had no prior record.
“Henrico really was very aggressive for the last few years. They’ve been particularly aggressive in pursuing human trafficking offenses,” Stone said. “People get involved in this until they actually get stopped and arrested, and then, you know, hopefully, that is the trigger that makes them stop doing it.”
A shift in the system
In recent years, Stone noted that there have been efforts by law enforcement to cut down on these crimes before they happen, using undercover operations and intercepting communications.
“There are some jurisdictions that have always pursued the prostitute,” Stone said. “There’s a movement to try to get the people that are actually making the money — from the pimps, the ones that are organizing this. I’m not sure that anybody’s figured out the real cure to the situation, but that’s sort of what guides the various departments as they pursue that sort of thing.”
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2023-01-23T21:55:43+00:00
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wric.com
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https://www.wric.com/news/taking-action/undercover-sex-stings-result-in-hundreds-of-arrests-but-how-successful-are-they/
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Santa Fe District Attorney receives 'Rust' investigation from sheriff's office
A big announcement Thursday came from the Santa Fe District Attorney regarding the 'Rust' movie set shooting investigation.
The district attorney said she has finally received the investigative report from the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office.
“It's only taken a year, which is remarkable for a non-complicated case. But the DA is saying we got the case and now evaluate it and determine what we're going to do next,” said John Day.
KOAT legal expert John Day is surprised it took more than a year for the DA to get an investigative report and thinks it may be because celebrities are involved.
“Because it involves some Hollywood names and film productions, I think people are stepping back from this and saying this is huge deal when at the heart of it, it's a relatively simple case,” Day said.
According to Day the investigative report by the sheriff's office will carry huge weight.
“This is the heart of the case. The strengths and the weaknesses of this case will depend on the kind of legwork that they have done and bring it to the DA's office,” Day said.
While all body cam video from the afternoon of the shooting was released to the media earlier this year, Day said there may be additional evidence in the investigation given to the DA.
Which may mean the case can be drawn out longer.
“The DA may look at this and say, I want certain things reinvestigated or I don't think these things were done the way I want them done. We don't know what's in there. And, you know, we have no idea how long it's going to take,” Day said.
We asked Day how long it typically takes for a DA to decide on charges after receiving an investigation, he said with this case he would not expect any charges any time soon as it has moved unusually slow.
The Santa Fe DA’s Office said in part:
"The district attorney and her team of investigators and prosecutors will now begin a thorough review of the information and evidence, to make a thoughtful, timely decision about whether to bring charges. As with all cases the DA handles, her focus will be on upholding the integrity of the process, enforcing the laws of the state of New Mexico, and pursuing justice.”
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2022-10-28T04:44:36+00:00
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koat.com
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https://www.koat.com/article/santa-fe-district-attorney-receives-rust-investigation-from-sheriffs-office/41795923
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Myanmar and Bangladesh begin cleaning up, counting casualties after devastating Cyclone Mocha
By GRANT PECK
Associated Press
BANGKOK (AP) — Recovery efforts are underway in Myanmar and Bangladesh after a powerful cyclone smashed into their coastlines, causing widespread destruction and at least 21 deaths, with hundreds of others believed missing. Myanmar took the brunt of Cyclone Mocha on Sunday, while Bangladesh was spared a feared catastrophe. Many of the dead and missing had been living in ramshackle displacement camps for members of the Muslim Rohingya minority who lost their homes in a brutal 2017 counterinsurgency campaign led by Myanmar security forces. The storm also damaged the central city of Bagan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was Myanmar’s capital 10 centuries ago.
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2023-05-16T19:38:03+00:00
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keyt.com
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https://keyt.com/news/2023/05/16/myanmar-and-bangladesh-begin-cleaning-up-counting-casualties-after-devastating-cyclone-mocha/
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The U.S. and Canada have reached a deal that would allow both countries to turn away more migrants at unofficial border crossings, according to a rule that's set to be published in the Federal Register.
President Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are expected to announce the agreement today in Ottawa.
The new agreement, which takes effect early Saturday morning, will allow Canada to send asylum-seekers who cross the border at unofficial crossing points back to the U.S., and vice versa, according to the published text of the rule.
The deal is the latest move by the Biden administration to discourage migrants from crossing the border illegally in order to seek asylum, over the objections of immigrant advocates and some Democrats.
The U.S. and Canada have long had a "Safe Third Country Agreement" in place that allows them to turn away migrants if they cross through official ports of entry. But Canada has seen a dramatic uptick in traffic at unofficial crossings.
Last year, more than 39,000 asylum-seekers crossed into Quebec outside official ports of entry — many of them using Roxham Road, a small road in northern New York that dead-ends at the U.S.-Canada border. That's led Canadian officials to call for tougher restrictions.
Many of those migrants initially came to the U.S. at the southern border and were bused to New York City. But tens of thousands have since found themselves in limbo -- unable to work legally, or to send money back to their relatives in Venezuela and other countries in Latin America and beyond.
As part of the deal, Canada has also agreed to accept an additional 15,000 migrants per year from the Western Hemisphere.
Still, immigrant advocates criticized the deal for limiting the movement of asylum-seekers.
"Asylum seekers flee violent conditions to build better futures for themselves and their families—they undergo extreme journeys across thousands of miles in search of safety and relief," said Murad Awawdeh, the executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition, in a statement. "To now restrict the movement of asylum seekers is to recklessly endanger their lives."
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
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2023-03-24T17:26:31+00:00
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nprillinois.org
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https://www.nprillinois.org/2023-03-24/u-s-and-canada-reach-a-deal-to-close-a-popular-but-unofficial-border-crossing
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NEW YORK, Dec. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 5WPR, one of the largest independently-owned PR firms in the U.S., announced today the extension of their beauty practice with a specialty sub-division supporting U.S.-focused campaigns for Korean, European, and Australian beauty brands. With a keen understanding of the U.S. market, 5WPR provides strategic counsel and strong communication plans for partners that seek to launch or expand their footprint stateside.
Within the past year alone, 5W has skyrocketed a multitude of brands from around the globe into the U.S. market, launching new indie beauty brands into mass retail, and introducing top-selling brands to national and regional media and consumers alike. Through dynamic programs inclusive of strategic media relations, influencer marketing, events, ambassador procurement, and more – 5W has curated a built-in network of media and content creators who are specifically interested in discovering new-to-market brands.
"International brands need a smart PR strategy to build brand affinity and educate curious media and consumers. 5W takes a strategic approach to storytelling and brand building for companies looking to break into the U.S. market," shared 5WPR CEO, Dara A. Busch. "Our team of specialists generates impactful PR campaigns and influencer marketing programs on a variety of social channels including TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube to further consumer visibility and industry credibility."
5W's Beauty Division is led by a team with extensive experience in the category who employ unparalleled techniques to drive results for clients through key industry relationships with influencers, celebrities and of course, media.
Partners receive maximum exposure through integrated campaigns including PR, Digital, Influencer and Professional Partnerships, and Social Media.
About 5WPR
5W Public Relations is a full-service PR agency in NYC known for cutting-edge programs that engage with businesses, issues and ideas. With more than 300 professionals serving clients in B2C (Beauty & Fashion, Consumer Brands, Entertainment, Food & Beverage, Health & Wellness, Travel & Hospitality, Technology, Nonprofit), B2B (Corporate Communications and Reputation Management), Public Affairs, Crisis Communications and Digital Marketing (Social Media, Influencer, Paid Media, SEO). Founded by Ronn Torossian nearly 20 years ago, 5W was named to Inc. Magazine's Best Workplaces 2022 list, awarded 2020 PR Agency of The Year, and brings leading businesses a resourceful, bold and results-driven approach to communication.
Media Contact
Dara A. Busch
dbusch@5wpr.com / 212.999.5585
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SOURCE 5W Public Relations
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2022-12-05T15:21:22+00:00
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waff.com
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https://www.waff.com/prnewswire/2022/12/05/5wpr-continues-expand-us-services-international-beauty-brands/
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CARLISLE, Pa. (AP) — Republican Senate hopeful Mehmet Oz is stepping up his criticism of far-right candidates in Pennsylvania who are gaining traction ahead of Tuesday's primary election.
After spending much of the campaign steering clear of fellow Republican Senate contender Kathy Barnette, Oz on Saturday said she was out of step with the GOP and would be unable to win the general election in November. In an interview, he took issue with a 2015 tweet from Barnette in which she wrote that "Pedophilia is a Cornerstone of Islam."
Oz, who would be the nation’s first Muslim senator, described the comments as “disqualifying."
“It’s reprehensible that she would tweet out something that is defamatory to an entire religion," Oz told The Associated Press. “This state was based on religious freedom. I’m proud as a Pennsylvanian to uphold those founding beliefs that every faith has its merits.”
The Barnette campaign did not respond to a request for comment. Earlier in the week, Barnette told NBC News that she did not make the statement, which was still live on her Twitter feed on Saturday.
For months, the race for the Republican nomination for Pennsylvania's open Senate seat has been an expensive fight between former hedge fund CEO David McCormick and Oz, who have spent millions of dollars attacking each other on television. Each has also faced questions about their ties to Pennsylvania. McCormick grew up in the state, while Oz went to medical school there and was married in Philadelphia.
But in the final days of the Republican primary, a third candidate — Barnette, a conservative commentator who has courted hard-line pro-Trump groups — has emerged. Trump himself has warned that Barnette's background hasn't been properly vetted.
With the election just days away, polls show a tight three-way race with a sizable number of undecided voters who could sway the results next week.
Oz has won Trump's endorsement in the Senate contest, although some Trump supporters continue to question his conservative credentials.
When asked to clarify his views on abortion in the Saturday interview, Oz distanced himself from Trump's newly minted pick for Pennsylvania governor, Doug Mastriano, a far-right conservative who has called abortion "the No. 1 issue." In a recent televised debate, Mastriano said he supports banning abortion from conception, with no exceptions for rape, incest or the life of the mother.
Oz described himself as “pro-life,” but said he would prefer an abortion ban in Pennsylvania that would include exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother.
“There are times when we disagree with other pro-life advocates,” Oz told the AP. “In my case, those disagreements often come about because, as a doctor, I've dealt with issues that threaten the life of the mother.”
Oz saved his most pointed criticism for Barnette, however, echoing Trump's concerns that her background hasn't been properly scrutinized. He lashed out at her previous comments on Islam, noting that she also has a history of anti-gay remarks.
“We know so little,” Oz said. “Every time she answers a question, she raises more questions. But I think it’s disqualifying to make Islamophobic and homophobic comments, not just for the general election, but the Republican primary as well.”
___
Associated Press writer Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pa., contributed to this report.
Credit: Matt Rourke
Credit: Matt Rourke
Credit: Matt Rourke
Credit: Matt Rourke
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2022-05-15T00:03:04+00:00
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springfieldnewssun.com
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https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/reprehensible-oz-condemns-gop-opponents-tweet-on-islam/D5EMHD3CS5HRVN5546NMXUMI34/
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Promotions include Tyler Rowe to Principal, and Austen Dixon, Graham Kantor and Eugene Kim to Vice Presidents
BOCA RATON, Fla., Sept. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AE Industrial Partners, LP ("AEI"), a private equity firm specializing in aerospace, defense & government services, space, power & utility services, and specialty industrial markets, announced today that it has promoted Tyler Rowe to Principal, and Austen Dixon, Graham Kantor and Eugene Kim to Vice Presidents, effective immediately.
"AEI is proud to recognize the vital contributions of our talented and committed team, both to our firm's growth and success and to that of our companies," said David Rowe, Managing Partner of AEI. "We congratulate Tyler, Austen, Graham and Eugene on their promotions, which reflect their hard work and dedication to our shared goals."
"Our smart, enterprising professionals bring value to the firm every day, particularly as they help our portfolio companies navigate complex and rapidly changing business environments," added Michael Greene, Managing Partner of AEI. "We look forward to seeing what Tyler, Austen, Graham and Eugene will help us achieve in the future."
Tyler Rowe is a member of AEI HorizonX team, the venture capital investment platform formed in partnership with The Boeing Company, where he. helps identify, evaluate and lead unique venture investments across all of AEI HorizonX's target markets. Focused on early-stage investing for the last 12 years, he holds a BA from the University of Alabama.
Mr. Dixon, who joined AEI in 2019, is primarily focused on financial modeling, due diligence, executing new investments, and monitoring portfolio investments. Prior to joining the firm, he was an analyst focused on M&A for clients across a wide range of industries. Mr. Dixon received a BS in Business Administration from Georgetown University.
Mr. Kantor, who joined AEI in 2019, is primarily focused on financial modeling, due diligence, executing new investments, and monitoring portfolio investments. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Kantor worked at several investment firms where he focused on communications infrastructure and industrial sector transactions. He holds a BBA from the University of Georgia.
Mr. Kim, who joined AEI in 2018, is a member of the AEI HorizonX team. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Kim was a Specialist in the Corporate Development group at The Boeing Company, where he focused on M&A and other strategic activities. Prior to Boeing, Mr. Kim was a member of Sandler O'Neill + Partners' Investment Banking Group, where he focused on M&A and capital raising for financial institutions. He received a BA from Northwestern University, and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
AE Industrial Partners is a private equity firm specializing in aerospace, defense & government services, space, power & utility services, and specialty industrial markets. AE Industrial Partners invests in market-leading companies that can benefit from our deep industry knowledge, operating experience, and relationships throughout our target markets. AE Industrial Partners is a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment and the ILPA Diversity in Action initiative. Learn more at www.aeroequity.com.
AEI HorizonX was formed as Boeing's corporate venture capital arm in 2017 and is now managed by AE Industrial Partners, a private equity firm specializing in aerospace, defense & government services, space, power & utility services, and specialty industrial markets, with $5 billion of assets under management. AEI HorizonX is an active participant in venture capital within its core strategic areas of focus, investing in more than 50 startups globally and building numerous relationships and partnerships across the aerospace, technology, and investing ecosystem.
Media Contacts:
Lambert
Jennifer Hurson
jhurson@lambert.com
845.507.0571
Or
Beth Wiegard
bwiegard@lambert.com
954.494.8261
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE AE Industrial Partners
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2022-09-01T15:38:48+00:00
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kcrg.com
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https://www.kcrg.com/prnewswire/2022/09/01/ae-industrial-partners-announces-firmwide-promotions/
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Stowaways found on a ship's rudder in Spain's Canary Islands
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Spain’s Maritime Rescue Service says it has rescued three stowaways found on a ship's rudder in the Canary Islands after the vessel sailed there from Nigeria.
The men, found on the Alithini II oil tanker at the Las Palmas port, appeared to have symptoms of dehydration and hypothermia and were transferred to hospitals on the island for medical attention, Spain's Salvamento Marítimo said.
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The agency shared a photo of the three men sitting on top of the rudder under the ship's massive hull with their feet hanging only a few centimeters (inches) from the water.
According to the MarineTraffic website which tracks ships, the Malta-flagged vessel left Lagos, Nigeria on Nov. 17 and arrived in Las Palmas on Monday after an 11-day journey. The distance is roughly 3,000 kilometers (2,000 miles).
Though extremely dangerous, it is not the first time stowaways have been found risking their lives to reach Spain's Canary Islands off Northwest Africa in this way. In 2020 a 14-year-old Nigerian boy was interviewed by Spain’s El País newspaper after surviving two weeks on a ship’s rudder, at the mercy of bad weather and rough seas. He had also departed from Lagos.
“It's not the first time nor will it be the last,” tweeted Txema Santana, a journalist and migration advisor to the regional government of the Canary Islands.
Santana added that on previous occasions where this has happened, the ship owner is usually responsible for returning the stowaways to their point of departure.
Thousands of migrants and refugees from North and West Africa have reached the Canary Islands irregularly in recent years. Most make the dangerous Atlantic crossing on crowded boats after departing from the coast of Morocco, the Western Sahara, Mauritania and even Senegal.
More than 11,600 people have reached the Spanish islands by boat so far this year, according to figures released by Spain's Interior Ministry.
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2022-11-29T20:09:48+00:00
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yorkdispatch.com
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https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/news/2022/11/29/stowaways-found-on-a-ships-rudder-in-spains-canary-islands/69684933007/
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JENSEN BEACH, Fla. — We first met Owen Russell back in April when the single dad and his 17-year-old daughter had just moved into a Jensen Beach church after months of church hopping and couch surfing.
Eight months later, Russell remains homeless, living in a church house temporarily.
Russell, a full-time driver for non-emergency patients, is among Florida’s working-class and first-time homeless who have become victims of a statewide housing crisis fueled by soaring rents, overpriced homes, and stagnant wages.
“I was able to support me and my daughter, and then all of a sudden, my income was not good anymore,” he said.
After more than a year of living homeless, Owen, a Florida boy born and raised here, is ready to pack up one last time and leave. Over the next month or so, he plans on trading pricey Florida for a small, more affordable town in Georgia.
“I’m actually in the process of trying to buy a house where my mortgage payment will be $600 a month,” he said. “I am almost 50 years old, and I have to restart my whole entire life again and it's a shame, but it's something I have to do for me and my family.”
“He's doing everything, right. He used to be able to afford to live here on that same single income, and now he cannot,” explained Madeline Bozone Greenwood, who leads Family Promises in Martin County.
The organization is an advocacy group that helps families dealing with housing instability, including Owen’s. Her group is also helping Owen get a mortgage to make the move north. In the eight months since we last interviewed Greenwood, she said the calls for help have only gone up.
“The phones will ring constantly, and not just from our own county; we have people calling us from as far as Miami, up to Orlando,” she said.
But while Martin County, like many other counties and cities in Florida, has announced plans to build new affordable housing units, Family Promise in Martin County is working to create short-term solutions of its own.
Among the ideas include building tiny homes on church land and buying apartment units the organization can lease to families at discounted rates. Nothing, Greenwood said, is off the table given the community’s incredible need.
“We’re all just figuring this out together, and it's just a big mess. It's such a big mess,” she said, referring to the crisis hitting working and low-income families the hardest.
Across the state in St. Petersburg, more families are also experiencing homelessness. Among them include Tai Ortiz, a single father of four who recently moved his young family into a Family Promise shelter after being evicted from his rental and then losing his $50,000-a-year job when, he said, he couldn’t afford daycare for his youngest.
“Right now, I am doing Uber while they're in school and then overnight when I'm able to have someone watch them. That's pretty much all I can do right now until we get a referral for daycare,” he explained.
While St. Petersburg has been lauded as one of several Florida cities aggressively tackling the affordable housing crisis, with federal housing dollars dried up and pandemic-related federal assistance programs over, Florida’s Housing Coalition believes local governments need to take a closer look at rezoning single-family neighborhoods to multi-family.
Community land trusts, which are properties where the government owns the land a home is built on, are also likely to become more widespread in Florida as affordable housing remains a statewide crisis.
“Do you think that we've experienced the full consequences of this crisis, asked Reporter Katie LaGrone.
“I don't know. I guess that's yet to be seen. I'd say right now, things are pretty dire for a lot of individuals and families,” explained Amanda Rosado with Florida’s Housing Coalition.
“It just doesn't make sense for the normal person to struggle to live here,” Owen Russell said.
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2022-12-15T18:56:41+00:00
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wsfltv.com
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https://www.wsfltv.com/news/investigations/floridas-affordable-housing-crisis-continues-leaving-many-homeless-as-a-new-year-begins
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Study: Exxon Mobil accurately predicted warming since 1970s
DENVER (AP) — Exxon Mobil’s scientists were remarkably accurate in their predictions about global warming, even as the company made public statements that contradicted its own scientists’ conclusions, a new study says.
The study in the journal Science Thursday looked at research that Exxon funded that didn’t just confirm what climate scientists were saying, but used more than a dozen different computer models that forecast the coming warming with precision equal to or better than government and academic scientists.
This was during the same time that the oil giant publicly doubted that warming was real and dismissed climate models’ accuracy. Exxon said its understanding of climate change evolved over the years and that critics are misunderstanding its earlier research.
Scientists, governments, activists and news sites, including Inside Climate News and the Los Angeles Times, several years ago reported that “Exxon knew” about the science of climate change since about 1977 all while publicly casting doubt. What the new study does is detail how accurate Exxon funded research was. From 63% to 83% of those projections fit strict standards for accuracy and generally predicted correctly that the globe would warm about .36 degrees (.2 degrees Celsius) a decade.
The Exxon-funded science was “actually astonishing” in its precision and accuracy, said study co-author Naomi Oreskes, a Harvard science history professor. But she added so was the “hypocrisy because so much of the Exxon Mobil disinformation for so many years ... was the claim that climate models weren’t reliable.”
Study lead author Geoffrey Supran, who started the work at Harvard and now is a environmental science professor at the University of Miami, said this is different than what was previously found in documents about the oil company.
“We’ve dug into not just to the language, the rhetoric in these documents, but also the data. And I’d say in that sense, our analysis really seals the deal on ‘Exxon knew’,” Supran said. It “gives us airtight evidence that Exxon Mobil accurately predicted global warming years before, then turned around and attacked the science underlying it.”
The paper quoted then-Exxon CEO Lee Raymond in 1999 as saying future climate “projections are based on completely unproven climate models, or more often, sheer speculation,” while his successor in 2013 called models “not competent.”
Exxon’s understanding of climate science developed along with the broader scientific community, and its four decades of research in climate science resulted in more than 150 papers, including 50 peer-reviewed publications, said company spokesman Todd Spitler.
“This issue has come up several times in recent years and, in each case, our answer is the same: those who talk about how ‘Exxon Knew’ are wrong in their conclusions,” Spitler said in an emailed statement. “Some have sought to misrepresent facts and Exxon Mobil’s position on climate science, and its support for effective policy solutions, by recasting well intended, internal policy debates as an attempted company disinformation campaign.”
Exxon, one of the world’s largest oil and gas companies, has been the target of numerous lawsuits that claim the company knew about the damage its oil and gas would cause to the climate, but misled the public by sowing doubt about climate change. In the latest such lawsuit, New Jersey accused five oil and gas companies including Exxon of deceiving the public for decades while knowing about the harmful toll fossil fuels take on the climate.
Similar lawsuits from New York to California have claimed that Exxon and other oil and gas companies launched public relations campaigns to stir doubts about climate change. In one, then-Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said Exxon’s public relations efforts were " reminiscent of the tobacco industry’s long denial campaign about the dangerous effects of cigarettes.”
Oreskes acknowledged in the study that she has been a paid consultant in the past for a law firm suing Exxon, while Supran has gotten a grant from the Rockefeller Family Foundation, which has also helped fund groups that were suing Exxon. The Associated Press receives some foundation support from Rockefeller and maintains full control of editorial content.
Oil giants including Exxon and Shell were accused in congressional hearings in 2021 of spreading misinformation about climate, but executives from the companies denied the accusations.
University of Illinois atmospheric scientist professor emeritus Donald Wuebbles told The Associated Press that in the 1980s he worked with Exxon-funded scientists and wasn’t surprised by what the company knew or the models. It’s what science and people who examined the issue knew.
“It was clear that Exxon Mobil knew what was going on,’’ Wuebbles said. “The problem is at the same time they were paying people to put out misinformation. That’s the big issue.”
There’s a difference between the “hype and spin” that companies do to get you to buy a product or politicians do to get your vote and an “outright lie ... misrepresenting factual information and that’s what Exxon did,” Oreskes said.
Several outside scientists and activists said what the study showed about Exxon actions is serious.
“The harm caused by Exxon has been huge,” said University of Michigan environment dean Jonathan Overpeck. “They knew that fossil fuels, including oil and natural gas, would greatly alter the planet’s climate in ways that would be costly in terms of lives, human suffering and economic impacts. And yet, despite this understanding they choose to publicly downplay the problem of climate change and the dangers it poses to people and the planet.”
Cornell University climate scientist Natalie Mahowald asked: “How many thousands (or more) of lives have been lost or adversely impacted by Exxon Mobil’s deliberate campaign to obscure the science?”
Critics say Exxon’s past actions on climate change undermine its claims that it’s committed to reducing emissions.
After tracking Exxon’s and hundreds of other companies’ corporate lobbying on climate change policies, InfluenceMap, a firm that analyzes data on how companies are impacting the climate crisis, concluded that Exxon is lobbying overall in opposition to the goals of the Paris Agreement and that it’s currently among the most negative and influential corporations holding back climate policy.
“All the research we have suggests that effort to thwart climate action continues to this day, prioritizing the oil and gas industry value chain from the “potentially existential” threat of climate change, rather than the other way around,” said Faye Holder, program manager for InfluenceMap.
“The messages of denial and delay may look different, but the intention is the same.”
___
Bussewitz reported from New York.
___
Follow AP’s climate and environment coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment
___
Follow Seth Borenstein on Twitter at @borenbears and Cathy Bussewitz at @cbussewitz
___
Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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2023-01-12T22:09:55+00:00
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kcbd.com
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https://www.kcbd.com/2023/01/12/study-exxon-mobil-accurately-predicted-warming-since-1970s/
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Show your friend how much you care with one of these creative gifts
If you’re lucky enough to have a true-blue friend who’s always ready to share all of life’s ups and downs, you want to make sure they know exactly how much they mean to you. That’s why there’s always some pressure involved in finding the perfect gift for them.
It takes a little creativity to find a present that speaks to your buddy’s personality and interests and can really make their day.
Are you having trouble shopping for your bestie? Check out these unique gift ideas that will thrill your friend regardless of their favorite hobbies or pastimes.
Choosing unique gifts for friends
You usually have an advantage when gift shopping for friends since you probably share many of the same interests. Selecting a gift that celebrates your friend’s favorite hobby or encourages them to pursue an activity they’ve always wanted to try is often the best way to go. Consider your friend’s personality and how they like to spend their free time to find a truly special item they’re sure to love.
- Friends who enjoy cooking will appreciate items that help them try new recipes and techniques in the kitchen.
- Gardening supplies like seed starter kits are a safe bet for friends who have a green thumb.
- If your friend spends all their free time at the gym, don’t just stick to basics like workout pants or a fitness tracker. Gifts that add a little more fun to their workouts, such as a jump rope or a punching bag, are excellent options.
- Friends who love to try out the latest makeup and skin care products will get a kick out of the newest beauty gadgets, such as smart mirrors and facial exercisers.
Best unique gifts for friends
Unique gifts for friends who love to cook
DIY Gift Kits Hot Sauce Making Kit
If your friend likes a little more heat in their recipes, this DIY hot sauce kit allows them to craft their own at home. It contains all the ingredients necessary to make seven hot sauce recipes and includes plastic bottles and labels for the finished sauces.
Sold by Amazon
Chefman Electric Crepe Maker Griddle
This electric crepe pan makes it quick and easy to whip up paper-thin crepes. It has a generous 13-inch cooking surface and comes with a spreader to distribute the batter and a spatula for flipping. It also doubles as a griddle for pancakes, omelets and more.
Sold by Amazon
Unique gifts for friends who garden
AeroGarden Harvest Indoor Garden
If your friend wants to grow their own herbs but lacks outdoor space, this indoor hydroponic garden makes the perfect gift. It comes with basil, parsley, dill, thyme, Thai basil and mint seeds and can grow up to six plants at a time. It also has a control panel that alerts you when it’s time to water and automatically turns the lights on and off as needed.
Sold by Amazon
AvoSeedo Avocado Tree Growing Kit
This simple kit makes growing an avocado tree at home super easy. It features a plastic bowl with a hole in it to place an avocado pit, so it can float in a water-filled pot. It also includes small flags to insert in the bowl to keep track of the date you started germination.
Sold by Amazon
Unique gifts for gym junkie friends
This 3.6-pound hula hoop not only burns fat and strengthens the core, but it can also add plenty of fun to your friend’s workout. It features extra-thick padding to protect the skin during use and is easily assembled by pressing a button on each segment’s end to connect them.
Sold by Amazon
Unique gifts for friends who love tech gadgets
Hatch Restore Smart Sleep Assistant
This smart alarm cook allows you to customize a sleep-wake routine to aid in falling asleep, staying asleep and waking more easily. It offers a library of soothing sounds and white noise to encourage sleep and has a soft reading light that won’t strain the eyes.
Sold by Amazon
Petcube Bites 2 Wi-Fi Pet Camera
For a friend with a beloved pet, this Wi-Fi camera lets them monitor their cat or dog and even give their pet a treat when away from home. The camera offers a wide-angle view and night vision to make it easy to keep track of pets and even has a microphone and speaker that allow for communication with furry friends.
Sold by Amazon
PhoneSoap 3 UV Cellphone Sanitizer and Universal Charger
This handy device features two UV-C bulbs scientifically proven to kill 99.9% of germs and bacteria on the surface of a cellphone. It also has a USB port and a USB-C port to charge your smartphone while sanitizing it. Best of all, it works with nearly all smartphones, including larger models.
Sold by Amazon
Unique gifts for beauty-minded friends
Misavanity Bluetooth Makeup Vanity Mirror
This large, lighted mirror has a built-in Bluetooth speaker, so you can stream music — or a makeup tutorial on YouTube — from your smartphone or tablet. It also has a USB charging port and multiple lighting options. It has user-friendly touch controls and a magnifying mirror too.
Sold by Amazon
Nurse Jamie TriAngle Facial Beauty Tool
This sonic face massage can help the skin look firmer and more radiant when used with a favorite serum, eye cream or moisturizer. It offers two massaging modes, normal and heated, and works well for the eye area, brow area, cheeks, jawline, chin and neck.
Sold by Amazon
Unique gifts for hard-to-shop-for friends
Sharper Image Light Up Word Clock
This striking clock provides the time in five-minute intervals, but it does so in a word design, lighting up phrases like “Five minutes past ten.” It is available in a copper or black finish and comes with a USB power cable and adapter, so you can plug it in anywhere.
Sold by Amazon
Urban Accents Movie Night Popcorn Kernels and Seasoning Variety Pack
Help your friend have the most delicious movie nights with this tasty popcorn variety pack. It comes with three types of popcorn kernels and five flavorings, including white cheddar, kettle corn, sriracha, chili lime and caramel corn. You can also use the seasonings for other foods, such as potatoes or corn on the cob.
Sold by Amazon
Want to shop the best products at the best prices? Check out Daily Deals from BestReviews.
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Jennifer Blair writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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2022-12-23T02:26:09+00:00
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wearegreenbay.com
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https://www.wearegreenbay.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/holiday-br/17-unique-gifts-your-friend-will-be-delighted-to-receive/
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Probe into sexual assault cases at US Coast Guard Academy kept secret, documents say
(CNN) - New questions are being raised about the secret investigation into sexual abuse, including rapes, at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.
According to documents viewed by CNN, the assaults were treated as minor misconduct by Coast Guard command and were usually covered up.
The investigation, dubbed “Fouled Anchor” ran from 2014 to 2019 but only reviewed sexual assaults from 1990 to 2006.
Of the dozens of old cases examined, only one person was prosecuted, and the charge was dismissed when a court ruled the statute of limitations had run out.
Many of the alleged perpetrators graduated and went on to high-ranking positions in the Coast Guard or other branches of the military.
A source said the report was centrally controlled like how a classified report would be treated.
The Coast Guard only briefed Congress in recent weeks.
The controversy will likely be addressed Thursday, when a commandant is set to appear before a Senate committee.
Copyright 2023 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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2023-07-12T16:02:41+00:00
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kalb.com
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https://www.kalb.com/2023/07/12/probe-into-sexual-assault-cases-us-coast-guard-academy-kept-secret-documents-say/
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Giveaway4Moms names the Brandless' Pro-Blender a perfect gift for Summer
DRAPER, Utah, June 30, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Needing the perfect gift for a special man in your life? Look no further than the Brandless Pro-Blender. Victoria from Giveaways4Mom recognized the Pro-Blender as one of the best gift ideas for men. Victoria's review mentions, "You can't go wrong with the Pro-Blender by Brandless. It's priced affordably and is super versatile. It works for creating smoothies, soups, sauces, and more."
In addition to the Pro-Blender, Brandless offers a Grilling Essentials Bundle that makes the perfect gift for a grillmaster. The bundle includes all the tools needed to make the best Summer recipes, including grilling tongs, spatula and basting brush. To create the ultimate BBQ toolkit, Brandless also has a full line of stainless steel grilling accessories. These products can stand the test of time and deliver on the company's promise of quality products at accessible prices.
Brandless is focused on helping people make better choices about the products they use in and around their home. That's the products are sourced with a dedication to sustainability and only use the best ingredients. Brandless provides kitchen essentials and product bundles that live up to the brand mission—brand less, live more. For more information about the Brandless bundles and gift sets, visit brandless.com.
About Brandless:
Brandless is one of the world's fastest-growing omnichannel commerce platforms. We make it easier for people to take better care of themselves, their families and the planet by working with the best ingredients, partners, and customers to drive community-led innovation and validation. By focusing on collaboration over control, quality over packaging and people over promotion, we're leading a movement that believes that making better choices should be simple and easy.
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2022-06-30T18:47:00+00:00
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hjnews.com
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https://www.hjnews.com/news/state/the-brandless-pro-blender-is-named-a-must-have-gift-this-summer/article_30d26c9c-bda9-528e-a5b6-c8fd118b4633.html
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A 39-year-old Cedar Rapids, Iowa, woman is behind bars after police say she stole money from a trampoline park last year.
Tiffany Ferraraccio faces a felony charge of second-degree theft, court records say.
The incident on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021
At 5 p.m., Davenport Police were conducting follow-up in reference to a theft Sept. 23, 2021, at Elevate Trampoline Park, 4800 Elmore Ave., Davenport, according to arrest affidavits.
At the time, Ferraraccio was the store manager there, and had her own personal office with locked-door access. Inside her office was a closet that had a drop safe, arrest affidavits say. She was the only person in the area with keys to the safe.
Six different deposits of currency with a total of $3,828.08 were missing from the safe. Ferraraccio “was observed counting currency then entering the closet area with the money then exiting the closet empty handed,” affidavits say.
She claimed she deposited the currency in the bank, but the bank confirmed the deposits did not occur, affidavits say.
Ferraraccio’s “ever-changing comments regarding excuses why the deposits at the bank were not completed shows mistrust and deflect from the currency being gone,” affidavits say. She “claimed not knowing which bank location she deposited the currency, went to a department store to buy printer paper so she did not have time to deposit the currency in the bank and having a toothache, to list a few,” affidavits say.
The store owner confronted her, and asked for the currency to be returned without any police involvement “in which the defendant denied any wrong doing,” affidavits say.
Ferraraccio “stopped arriving to work, kept the keys to the business and did not pick up her final paycheck,” affidavits say. “All of these factors show a totality of circumstances and clues which lead to the probable cause and request of a warrant,” affidavits say.
“It is believed the defendant entered the closet with the currency then hid it on her person,” affidavits say. She “did intend to deprive the store of the currency without depositing it in the bank as she was supposed to have done,” affidavits say.
Ferraraccio, who was arrested on a warrant, is being held on a total of $12,000 bond in Scott County Jail. She is set for a preliminary hearing Aug. 18 in Scott County Court.
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2022-08-09T03:51:52+00:00
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ourquadcities.com
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https://www.ourquadcities.com/news/crime/police-manager-stole-thousands-from-trampoline-park/
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(Our Auto Expert) — This is the sort of fan fair you would expect for a vehicle that has sold over 10 million units. The most powerful Mustang ever with a classic look but a very chiseled look. Capturing that iconic feel of freedom and disruptive spirit but for a new age.
The Mustang is not like other vehicles. Apart from the fact it has been the world’s best-selling sports coupe for the past seven years, it appeals to every demographic.
Groundbreaking features include owners being able to rev their vehicle directly from the key fob. This new electronic e-brake looks similar to a traditional parking brake but can be used in drift mode when activated from the touch screen.
This drift mode was developed by formula drift racer Vaughn Gittin jr, who has been working with Ford performance on the mustang and electric mustang Mach-E for several years to expand the brand’s drifting potential as the sport of drifting explodes.
Inside big steps have been made on-screen space. A new gauge cluster and a new infotainment display, each over 12 inches. Normal, sport, and track modes. Shift lights and fully customizable gauges are just a few of the features.
In years gone by, freedom was expressed in America with a driver’s license and a full tank of gas, but Ford understands that a new generation of Mustang owners may express freedom differently. Younger Americans express freedom with technology.
To reflect the younger generation’s idea of freedom, this Mustang has more technology than any other Mustang. With safety technology, connectivity technology, and communications technology. The 7th generation mustang should since it can communicate over the air for updates. After all, the interior was designed to resemble the cockpit of a jet fighter.
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2022-09-20T01:48:26+00:00
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wcia.com
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https://www.wcia.com/reviews/br/automotive-br/the-worlds-best-selling-sports-coupe-is-all-new/
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DETROIT (AP) _ The winning numbers in Friday evening's drawing of the Michigan Lottery's "Daily 4" game were:
2-1-8-3
(two, one, eight, three)
DETROIT (AP) _ The winning numbers in Friday evening's drawing of the Michigan Lottery's "Daily 4" game were:
2-1-8-3
(two, one, eight, three)
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2023-01-21T01:21:25+00:00
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lmtonline.com
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https://www.lmtonline.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Daily-4-game-17731947.php
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This summer, get ready for your next backyard barbecue with flavors that wow – found on social feeds
VIDALIA, Ga., July 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Vidalia Onion Committee (VOC) announced its partnership with Certified Angus Beef for a social media content series aimed at helping at-home chefs level-up their grilling. Launching this summer, Vidalia onion fans and Certified Angus Beef ® brand enthusiasts can expect delicious recipes and grilling inspiration to impress any crowd.
The content series will focus on the unique, sweet flavor of Vidalia onions and tap into the desire to discover new recipes that take the outdoor grilling experience to the next level. The Certified Angus Beef chef team is creating three videos with stunning open-fire visuals that incorporate Vidalia onions into the best beef recipes. The first recipe, now live on Instagram, is a modern take on steak + eggs: a hash made from Certified Angus Beef ® ground beef with sweet Vidalia onions and savory herby eggs.
"We're thrilled to partner with Certified Angus Beef this summer to create these videos showing delicious ways to use Vidalia onions while they're in season," says Cliff Riner, chairman of the VOC. "We have two premium brands that are wanting to bring the best to consumers seeking out quality and inspiration, which is what made this partnership a natural fit. We always aim to showcase different ways to cook with Vidalia's when they're available, so we're excited to launch the new series."
"This is an exciting summer grilling partnership!" says Tracey Erickson, senior executive vice president of marketing at Certified Angus Beef. "Here at Certified Angus Beef, we're all about finding ways to inspire and elevate every meal and every moment with the best beef. Showcasing mouthwatering recipes with Vidalia onions is a great way to inspire the best at-home chefs and enjoy every bite this grilling season."
Vidalia onions are available between mid-April through early September. Known for their sweet flavor and versatility, Vidalia onions complement almost any dish – from mains, soups, salads and even desserts. Grown in 20 South Georgia counties, the unique combination of weather, water and soil is what gives Vidalia's their sweet taste. Consumers can find Vidalia onions across the United States and in most of Canada.
To view the social media content series, follow Certified Angus Beef on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. For more information on Vidalia onions, visit vidaliaonion.org and follow the Vidalia Onion Committee on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
About the Vidalia® Onion Committee
Because Vidalia® onions are sweetly unique, farmers united to seek legal protection for their crop and its name. Federal Marketing Order No. 955 was established in 1989, to stipulate where the crop can be grown and help with research and promotion of Vidalia onions. The Vidalia Onion Committee administers FMO No. 955 and authorizes production research, marketing research and development and marketing promotion programs. This federal program along with Georgia state laws that protect the Vidalia trademark have provided a legal framework for the industry. So, you can try to grow a sweet onion elsewhere, but you cannot call it a "Vidalia," unless it is from Georgia! For more information, visit VidaliaOnion.org.
What is the Certified Angus Beef ® brand?
The original Angus beef brand. Based in Wooster, Ohio and owned by family farmers and ranchers, we're more than just Angus beef. Only the very best makes our cut. We set strict standards to certify every bite is tender, juicy, and full of flavor, whether you're cooking at home or dining at the best steakhouse. It's why we're the world's most trusted beef brand and have been since 1978. For more information, visit CertifiedAngusBeef.com, follow the brand on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and LinkedIn, or join the brand's Steakholder Rewards™ loyalty program.
For more information contact:
Chelsea Blaxton Page
912-537-1918
cblaxton@vidaliaonion.org
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Vidalia Onion Committee
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2023-07-24T18:24:54+00:00
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witn.com
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https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2023/07/24/its-grilling-season-vidalia-onion-committee-partners-with-certified-angus-beef-inspire-elevate-outdoor-grilling/
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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A former Indiana state senator was sentenced Wednesday to 10 months in prison for his role in a scheme that illegally funneled money from a casino company to his unsuccessful 2016 congressional campaign.
The federal investigation into contributions to Republican Brent Waltz’s campaign tied to a former casino executive led the Indiana Gaming Commission to force the company out of its lucrative ownership of projects for new casinos in Gary and Terre Haute.
Waltz, 48, of Greenwood, pleaded guilty in April to helping route about $40,000 in illegal contributions to his campaign and making false statements to the FBI.
Waltz said during Wednesday’s court hearing that his “greatest regret” was that his actions tarnished his reputation as a public servant, which included 12 years as a state senator representing the southern suburbs of Indianapolis, The Indianapolis Star reported.
Federal prosecutors had requested the 10-month sentence. U.S. District Judge James Sweeney, who also ordered Waltz to pay a fine of $40,500, could have sentenced him to up to five years in prison on each charge.
A sentencing hearing was scheduled Wednesday afternoon for John Keeler, a former top executive of Indianapolis-based Centaur Gaming.
Keeler, a lawyer who was a Republican legislator for 16 years in the 1980s and 90s, pleaded guilty in April to filing a false tax return for claiming as a business expense $41,000 that the casino company paid to a political consultant who, prosecutors say, made the contributions through straw donors.
Centaur Gaming sold two Indiana two horse track casinos to Las Vegas-based Caesars Entertainment Corp. in 2018 for $1.7 billion. Keeler and longtime Indiana casino heavyweight Rod Ratcliff later led a group that then formed Spectacle Entertainment to buy the Gary casino operation.
The September 2020 indictment of Keeler and Waltz led to Spectacle Entertainment being forced from ownership of Gary and Terre Haute casino projects now run by other companies.
The state gaming commission also raised financial misconduct allegations against Ratcliff, who agreed to give up his state casino license and exit the gambling industry. Ratcliff has not faced any criminal charges.
Federal prosecutors urged the judge to sentence Waltz and Keeler to at least 10 months in prison to discourage similar crimes by others. Prosecutors described both men as wealthy with successful careers.
“None of this was enough for either defendant,” prosecutors wrote in a court filing. “They wanted more, and they chose to commit crimes of opportunity — not economic necessity — to get what they wanted.”
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2022-08-17T18:53:57+00:00
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expressnews.com
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https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/Ex-Indiana-lawmaker-sentenced-in-casino-money-17379695.php
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