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Orioles fans in the Baltimore region will soon be able to watch in person the best prospect the club has signed as an international free agent during the Mike Elias era.
The Orioles are promoting catcher Samuel Basallo, ranked by Baseball America as the organization’s fifth-best prospect, to High-A Aberdeen, a source with direct knowledge of the move confirmed to The Baltimore Sun.
Basallo, who the Orioles signed out of the Dominican Republic in January 2021, has been one of the most impressive prospects this season in a farm system ranked as the sport’s best. After posting solid numbers in rookie ball in 2021 and 2022, the 18-year-old backstop dominated Low-A competition in his first year of full-season ball. In 83 games with Delmarva, Basallo slashed .299/.384/.503 — good for an .887 OPS — with 19 doubles, 12 home runs and 60 RBIs.
His performance, combined with his plus power at the plate and arm behind it, has zoomed Basallo up prospect rankings. After opening the season as the organization’s 15th-best prospect, according to Baseball America, he has since leapfrogged several well-known Orioles youngsters, including Heston Kjerstad, Joey Ortiz and Connor Norby, all of whom are putting up good numbers in Triple-A. Basallo is also one of seven Orioles players on Baseball America’s top 100 list as the publication’s No. 58 prospect.
The only Orioles players still in the minor leagues who rank ahead of Basallo are Jackson Holliday, the overall top prospect in the sport, and Coby Mayo. Colton Cowser and Jordan Westburg are still considered prospects even though they’re in the major leagues.
Basallo’s success this season is an example of how the current Orioles regime, which began when Elias was hired as general manager in November 2018, differs from the previous one. After years of reluctance to spend money in the international market, Elias and company brought in a new philosophy that led to signing Basallo, just 16 at the time, for a then-organization record $1.3 million signing bonus.
Many Orioles prospects have struggled at Aberdeen, given the gap from Low-A to High-A is considered perhaps the biggest in the minor leagues. Basallo, who turns 19 in two weeks, will be the youngest player to appear at the level this season, according to FanGraphs.
“He’s still young and still growing up and still trying to mature, but the desire to be good or be great stands out,” Delmarva hitting coach Josh Bunselmeyer said in June. “It’s been really cool to see him from where he started to where he’s at now and the attention he’s starting to get as he’s played well.”
The Orioles are also promoting catching prospect Silas Ardoin from High-A to Double-A, a source confirmed. Ardoin, the Orioles’ fourth-round pick in 2022, slashed .215/.369/.336 in 68 games with the IronBirds.
MASNSports.com first reported the promotions.
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https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/07/31/orioles-promoting-catcher-samuel-basallo-clubs-no-5-prospect-to-high-a-aberdeen/
| 2023-07-31T21:53:52
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https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/07/31/orioles-promoting-catcher-samuel-basallo-clubs-no-5-prospect-to-high-a-aberdeen/
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Diamondbacks vs. Giants: Odds, spread, over/under - July 31
On Monday, July 31 at 9:45 PM ET, the San Francisco Giants (58-48) host the Arizona Diamondbacks (56-50) at Oracle Park. Alex Cobb will get the nod for the Giants, while Ryne Nelson will take the mound for the Diamondbacks.
The favored Giants have -150 moneyline odds to win against the underdog Diamondbacks, who are listed at +125. An 8-run over/under is listed for this contest.
Diamondbacks vs. Giants Time and TV Channel
- Date: Monday, July 31, 2023
- Time: 9:45 PM ET
- TV: NBCS-BA
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Venue: Oracle Park
- Probable Pitchers: Cobb - SF (6-3, 2.97 ERA) vs Nelson - ARI (6-5, 4.97 ERA)
Watch live sports and TV without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
Diamondbacks vs. Giants Betting Odds, Run Line and Total
Check out the odds, run line and over/under for this matchup available at different sportsbooks.
If you're wanting to wager on the Diamondbacks and Giants matchup but want some assistance with how to get started, here's a quick primer. Wagering on the moneyline, run line, and total are some of the most common ways to make bets. A moneyline bet means that you think one of the teams -- say, the Diamondbacks (+125) -- will win the game. Pretty simple, right? If you bet $10 with those odds, and they wind up winning the game, you'd get $22.50 back in your pocket.
Plus, there are lots of other ways to play, like player props (will Ketel Marte get a hit?), parlays (combining picks from multiple games to multiply your winnings), and more. For more details on the many different ways you can play, check out the BetMGM website and app.
Ready to place your bet? Click here and enter bonus code "GNPLAY" to claim your BetMGM promo today.
Read More About This Game
Diamondbacks vs. Giants Betting Trends and Insights
- This season, the Giants have won 28 out of the 54 games, or 51.9%, in which they've been favored.
- The Giants have gone 14-14 when they have played as moneyline favorites with odds of -150 or shorter (50% winning percentage).
- The implied probability of a win from San Francisco, based on the moneyline, is 60%.
- The Giants were the moneyline favorite for six of their last 10 games, and finished 2-4 in those matchups.
- In its last 10 outings, San Francisco and its opponents combined to go over the run total two times (all 10 of the games had set totals).
- The Diamondbacks have won in 26, or 48.1%, of the 54 contests they have been named as odds-on underdogs this year.
- The Diamondbacks have a win-loss record of 11-12 when favored by +125 or worse by sportsbooks this year.
- The Diamondbacks have played as underdogs in four of their past 10 games and won one of those contests.
- When it comes to hitting the over, Arizona and its opponents are 4-6-0 in the last 10 games with a total.
Diamondbacks vs. Giants Player Props
Check out all the player prop markets available for this game, including betting on players to get a hit, go deep, or pick up a bunch of strikeouts. Head to BetMGM for the latest odds available for the , and place your bets. New depositors can use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
Want a different way to play? Put together your best lineup of players and you could win cash prizes! Sign up for FanDuel Fantasy using our link for the best first-time player offer.
Diamondbacks Futures Odds
Think the Diamondbacks can win it all? Check out the latest futures odds for Arizona and place your bets with BetMGM Sportsbook! Be sure to use our link and enter the bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit sportsbook websites for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved.
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https://www.azfamily.com/sports/betting/2023/07/31/diamondbacks-vs-giants-mlb-odds-over-under/
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DENVER, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Principal Real Estate Income Fund (NYSE:PGZ) announces the sources of a distribution paid on July 31, 2023 of $0.1050 per share to shareholders of record at the close of business on July 18, 2023, pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan. This press release is issued as required by an exemptive order granted to the Fund by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and includes the notice below sent to shareholders regarding the source of the distribution.
Statement Pursuant to Section 19(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
The following table sets forth the estimated amount of the sources of distribution for purposes of Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the related rules adopted thereunder. In accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"), the Fund estimates the following percentages, of the total distribution amount per share, attributable to (i) current and prior fiscal year net investment income, (ii) net realized short-term capital gain, (iii) net realized long-term capital gain and (iv) return of capital or other capital source as a percentage of the total distribution amount. These percentages are disclosed for the current distribution as well as the fiscal year-to-date cumulative distribution amount per share for the Fund.
The Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur, for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in the Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with 'yield' or 'income'.
The timing and character of distributions for federal income tax purposes are determined in accordance with income tax regulations, which may differ from GAAP. As such, all or a portion of this distribution may be reportable as taxable income on your 2023 federal income tax return. The final tax character of any distribution declared in 2023 will be determined in January 2024 and reported to you on IRS Form 1099-DIV.
The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this 19(a) Notice are only estimates and not for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes.
Presented below are return figures, based on the change in the Fund's Net Asset Value per share ("NAV"), compared to the annualized distribution rate for this current distribution as a percentage of the NAV on the last day of the month prior to distribution record date.
While the NAV performance may be indicative of the Fund's investment performance, it does not measure the value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund. The value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund is determined by the Fund's market price, which is based on the supply and demand for the Fund's shares in the open market. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the amount of this distribution or from the terms of the Fund's Managed Distribution Plan.
Furthermore, the Board of Trustees reviews the amount of any potential distribution and the income, capital gain or capital available. The Board of Trustees will continue to monitor the Fund's distribution level, taking into consideration the Fund's net asset value and the financial market environment. The Fund's distribution policy is subject to modification by the Board of Trustees at any time. The distribution rate should not be considered the dividend yield or total return on an investment in the Fund.
Please retain this document for your records.
ALPS Advisors, Inc. is the investment adviser to the Fund.
Principal Real Estate Investors LLC is the investment sub-adviser to the Fund. Principal Real Estate Investors LLC is not affiliated with ALPS Advisors, Inc. or any of its affiliates.
ALPS Portfolio Solutions Distributor, Inc. is the FINRA Member.
PRE000386 7/31/2024
View original content:
SOURCE Principal Real Estate Income Fund
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https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/principal-real-estate-fund-announces-notification-sources-distribution/
| 2023-07-31T21:53:54
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A one-day sales event unlike any other invites customers to stock up on used books for just one cent per page.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The busiest day of the year at 2nd & Charles is officially on the docket: Penny-A-Page, happening on Saturday, August 12, at all 2nd & Charles locations nationwide.
Where miles of books are surrounded by pure, boundless energy, customers can purchase up to five books for just one cent per page during 2nd & Charles' first-ever Penny-A-Page.
This unique and rare promotional event applies to all used books, giving customers the opportunity to fill their shelves with lengthy, expensive, and well-loved volumes – all for a fraction of the price. Yes, on a 250-page book, 2nd and Charles customers will pay just $2.50.
"Our loyal customers love it when we offer a discount on multiple books at the same time," says Eric Bishop, Senior Vice President at 2nd & Charles. "This is a 'can't miss' day! We are opening early at 9 a.m. to accommodate all our impassioned readers wanting to get a head start on their summer reading," he says.
Communities across the nation now have a remarkable opportunity to find their next stack of great books at an extraordinary price. Arrive early for the best selection! Come in, get lost, and find yourself at 2nd & Charles.
ABOUT 2ND & CHARLES
2nd & Charles is a unique retail concept specializing in an ever-changing inventory of new and used books, music, games, toys, collectibles, decor, accessories, and pop culture merchandise. Since its first store opened in Birmingham, AL, in 2010, 2nd & Charles has expanded to include more than 40 stores in 18 states—and counting.
A sister store to Books-A-Million, the nation's second largest book retailer, 2nd & Charles has established itself as a hip and fun-loving purveyor of passions catering to readers, gamers, and collectors of all ages. Through the store's buyback program, customers can sell their gently used merchandise in exchange for cash or store credit.
Click here to find your nearest 2nd & Charles store, and follow 2nd & Charles on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
CONTACT
Olivia Anderson McDaniel
Vice President of Marketing, Omnichannel
205.909.3563
mcdanielo@booksamillion.com
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SOURCE Books-A-Million, Inc.
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https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/penny-a-page-hottest-used-book-promotion-happening-2nd-amp-charles/
| 2023-07-31T21:53:56
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FOXBORO — Bill Belichick huddled the Patriots around him near the end of practice late Monday morning. He delivered a simple message.
Be physical, but stay on your feet. Let’s get out of here without anyone getting hurt.
The injury bug had already bitten the Pats throughout their first padded practice of the summer, temporarily taking out left guard Cole Strange, his backup, Chasen Hines, one tight end and a defensive back. The next few minutes of low red-zone plays followed by goal-line work would bring increased injury risk. The live goal-line period would also be a first at Patriots training camp in two years, another change against the backdrop of a lost 2022 season.
Moments later, the ball was placed inside the 2-yard line. Game on.
Surrounded by two tight ends, an extra offensive lineman and a couple backs, Mac Jones turned right from under center and into a hand-off. First came newly converted fullback Jahlani Tavai, then Kevin Harris, a bowling ball of a runner at 5-foot-9, 225 pounds. Behind Tavai, Harris barreled into a mass of linemen, where it became unclear whether the second-year back had scored before going down.
The next play didn’t lack clarity. Veteran safety Jabrill Peppers smashed Tavai in the hole on another inside run, forcing Harris backwards well short of the goal line. On Jones’ third and final goal-line play, he drifted right at the snap and overthrew tight end Hunter Henry, who had been angling for the back right pylon but may have strayed from his route path.
Incomplete.
Practice ended with backup quarterback Bailey Zappe handing off a successful touchdown run, a consolation prize for an offense with thinning depth. Though not all absences were injury-related, as running back Rhamondre Stevenson received his second rest day of camp; an unprecedented break for a young Patriots player at this stage of the summer.
Oh, and Matt Judon and Trent Brown joined him on the separate conditioning field. Elsewhere, a rookie receiver continued to produce, Marte Mapu kept busy at multiple positions and Kendrick Bourne ended a lengthy drought.
Here are the Herald’s complete practice observations.
Attendance
Injured: OL Cole Strange, OL Chasen Hines, TE Scotty Washington, S Brad Hawkins, OL Bill Murray
Returned: WR Kayshon Boutte
Absent: RB/WR Ty Montgomery, OL Jake Andrews, LB Terez Hall
Limited: LB Matt Judon, OT Trent Brown
Non-contact jersey: LB/S Marte Mapu
PUP: OL Mike Onwenu, S Cody Davis
Non-Football Illness: OT Calvin Anderson
Notes: Strange hurt his left leg during a 1-on-1 blocking drill, received medical attention as he laid on a training table, then did some agility drills. He did not return to practice, but was allowed to join his teammates from the sideline and watch the final periods. Hines, Washington and Hawkins did not return, either, after suffering mid-practice injuries. Murray, playing right guard, got banged up on the final play of practice.
Judon and Brown departed for the lower conditioning field after initial drills. Stevenson lasted one more period, then did the same. Boutte was a full participant after missing Sunday’s practice. Montgomery has been out for three straight practices, while Andrews missed his second and Hall was out after being limited Sunday.
Play of the Day
Peppers’ goal-line stand
It’s generally a bad idea to allow Jabrill Peppers, one of the pound-for-pound strongest players on the Patriots’ roster, the chance to inflict a massive hit. Let alone in tight quarters.
Peppers’ collision with Jahlani Tavai near the goal line showed why, as Peppers stopped Tavai, who has 30 pounds on him, and by extension running back Kevin Harris. Peppers has been running regularly with the starters in training camp, and goal-line stop like Monday’s should help ensure he remains there for the foreseeable future.
Player of the Day
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
Over a steady, yet unspectacular practice, Smith-Schuster caught half of Mac Jones’ completions in team drills. All four passes thrown in his direction were complete. He’s taken over full-time slot receiver duties, and seems to be emerging as the Patriots’ new No. 1 option, just as the team had hoped.
QB Corner
Note: The passing stats below were tallied during competitive 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 periods only. The stats in parentheses represent the quarterbacks’ camp-long performance.
Mac Jones: 8/10 (33/60, 2 INTs)
Bailey Zappe: 4/8 (32/56, INT)
Trace McSorley: x (20/38)
Studs
RB Kevin Harris
Harris showed plus patience, vision and cutback ability over a run-focused practice. Harris also took starting reps ahead of fellow 2022 draft pick Pierre Strong, who led off some team drills last week. In the passing game, Harris secured both catchable targets.
P Bryce Baringer
A day after punting to a draw with veteran Corliss Waitman, Baringer pulled ahead in their position competition with a stellar practice. He bombed every single punt, including some that covered more than 45 yards and reportedly cleared over five seconds of hang time. Baringer’s leg strength is rare.
Duds
DL Sam Roberts
Roberts jumped offside in team drills and got moved during a couple runs late in practice. Roberts, who made the team last season as a sixth-round rookie, projects to be on the bubble this summer.
WR Jalen Hurd
Hurd, a 2019 third-round pick who has yet to take an NFL snap, dropped one pass and couldn’t reel in his other target. He deserves more time to harness the talent that once made him a Day 2 pick, but time is ticking.
Offensive notes
- Half of Mac Jones’ eight completions were checkdowns or screens. The other four found targets within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. He was safe, but sharp, and settled for available throws in the face of tight downfield coverage over a run-focused practice.
- Zappe took three shots at the intermediate and deep areas of the field over his 4-of-8 afternoon. He had one pass dropped, another broken up and two bad misfires.
- The story from Monday, though, was up front. The starting offensive line was held together by scotch tape, as Trent Brown worked on a separate field and Cole Strange received medical attention.
- That starting offensive line went, from left to right: Riley Reiff, fifth-round rookie Atonio Mafi, David Andrews, Bill Murray and Conor McDermott. The Patriots will be in major trouble if that O-line ever sees the field together on Sundays.
- McDermott has now started more practices at right tackle with the first-team offense than Reiff, who opened camp as the starter. It’s unclear whether McDermott starting at right tackle Monday was a result of Reiff covering for Brown, or if it remains Plan A, with Reiff coming off the bench.
- Mafi has seen more time with the first-team offense than most rookies, including fourth-rounders Jake Andrews and Sidy Sow. Jake Andrews has missed two straight practices. Mafi left college as one of the most experience guards in his draft class, and could be trending toward a primary backup spot.
- The backup offensive lines was a hodgepodge of rookies, unheralded second-year backups and back-of-the-roster-bubble veterans. Zappe’s O-line to start 11-on-11s went left tackle Andrew Stueber, left guard Chasen Hines (pre-injury), center James Ferentz, right guard Kody Russey and right tackle Sidy Sow.
- In the backfield, Harris worked with the starters and split all carries with Pierre Strong and J.J. Taylor. Strong repped with the second and third-string offenses.
- The first and second-team offenses got stuffed on approximately one-third of their run plays. Part of those struggles can be explained by injuries to the O-line, and the nature of early training camp practices, which tend to favor the defense.
- Sixth-round rookie wide receiver Demario Douglas caught all three of his passes from Zappe. His best play, though, was a perimeter block he delivered against veteran backup corner Rodney Randle during a 7-on-7 drill. His block drew loud praise from teammates and receivers coach Ross Douglas.
- Kendrick Bourne finally caught his first pass in competitive team drills, a short offering over the middle from Zappe. Hallelujah.
- Another quiet day for the tight ends, including Hunter Henry, who went 0-for-1 when targeted. Mike Gesicki had the only catch among tight ends who repped with the first or second-team offense, a safe flat throw from Mac Jones.
- Gesicki also lined up in-line on a few run plays, something that’s not expected to be a major part of the Patriots’ new offense given Gesicki will essentially function as an oversized slot receiver.
- At the goal line, not only did Tavai play out of position as a fullback, the Patriots deployed a sixth offensive lineman to beef up their run-blocking. Their packages with six offensive linemen proved ineffective last season, though two of their top tackles back then have moved on.
- Top targets in team drills: JuJu Smith-Schuster 4/4, Demario Douglas 3/4, Kevin Harris 2/3, Pierre Strong 2/2
- Drops: Jalen Hurd, Raleigh Webb
Defensive notes
- Starting and second-string personnel during team periods: defensive linemen Davon Godchaux, Christian Barmore, Lawrence Guy, Deatrich Wise, Keion White, Carl Davis and Daniel Ekuale; linebackers Ja’Whaun Bentley, Chris Board, Mack Wilson, Jahlani Tavai, Josh Uche and Anfernee Jennings, and defensive backs Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips, Jalen Mills, Jabrill Peppers, Christian Gonzalez, Jonathan Jones, Myles Bryant, Jack Jones and Marcus Jones.
- Interceptions: None
- Pass breakups: Isaiah Bolden
- Would-be sacks: Carl Davis
- No one was busier Monday than third-round rookie Marte Mapu, who played linebacker with the starting defense for stretches, safety with the third-string unit and settled back in at linebacker with the second-team defense.
- Mapu’s best role appears to be a subpackage linebacker, though more won’t be known until the Patriots complete more padded practice and work on their run defense.
- As for the subpackage linebacker role, Mack Wilson continues to rep as the lone linebacker in dime personnel groupings (six defensive backs). Wilson rivals Mapu as the team’s most athletic linebacker, so his ascension could infuse more speed into the defense.
- Ja’Whaun Bentley, the Pats’ starting inside linebacker and likely captain, has been helping organize the second-team defense thus far in camp. His role in most packages is secure.
- Sacks and pass breakups were down from Sunday, a sign of offensive progress and result of running fewer pass plays. However, the coverage overall remained strong and forced Mac Jones to eat a steady diet of checkdowns. Jonathan Jones, Christian Gonzalez, Kyle Dugger, Jabrill Peppers and Adrian Phillips led that effort.
- Myles Bryant rejoined the first-team defense for most 11-on-11 periods. Bryant opened training camp as the starting nickelback, a role he’s since split with Marcus Jones and Jonathan Jones.
- Elsewhere in the secondary, Jack Jones returned to his regular role with the second-team defense after stealing a few starting snaps Sunday.
- Seventh-round rookie cornerback Isaiah Bolden recorded the only pass breakup, deflecting a long Bailey Zappe sideline pass intended for Tyquan Thornton with his back turned. Bolden has been a frequent target of Patriots passers in camp.
- The starting defensive line continues to feature Josh Uche, Davon Godchaux, Lawrence Guy and Deatrich Wise. Christian Barmore and Daniel Ekuale have also seen first-team reps, as part of subpackages defending simulated 2-minute drills.
- Backup nose tackle Carl Davis recorded his sack on an 11-on-11 snap where the pocket swallowed up Zappe within two seconds.
- Like Sam Roberts, Wise ran a penalty lap for jumping offside during a team drill.
Special teams
- Punt returners: Marcus Jones, Myles Bryant, Demario Douglas, Ed Lee
- Punt team: Baringer/Waitman, long snapper Joe Cardona, Matthew Slater, Brenden Schooler, Chris Board, Raleigh Webb, Adrian Phillips, Mack Wilson, Anfernee Jennings, Pierre Strong, Anthony Firkser
- Myles Bryant bobbled and lost a return on Baringer’s final punt of the day.
Extra points
- Overall, the energy felt low for a much-anticipated padded practice. The focus, especially after the initial injuries struck, seemed to be playing under control instead of going all-out right away.
- In the middle of a 7-on-7 drill, wide receivers coach Ross Douglas took a draw hand-off and shook a defender before racing into space.
- The Patriots have moved tomorrow’s practice time from 12:30 p.m. to 9:45 a.m.. Practices on Wednesday and Thursday will start at 9:30 a.m.
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https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/07/31/patriots-training-camp-day-6-pats-d-makes-goal-line-stand-rhamondre-stevenson-sits/
| 2023-07-31T21:53:58
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MENLO PARK, Calif., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Robert Half Inc. (NYSE: RHI) announced today that its board of directors has approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.48 per share. The cash dividend will be paid on Sept. 15, 2023, to all shareholders of record as of Aug. 25, 2023.
Robert Half is the world's first and largest specialized talent solutions and business consulting firm that connects people with meaningful work and provides companies with the talent and subject matter expertise they need to confidently compete and grow. Robert Half is the parent company of Protiviti®, a global consulting firm that provides internal audit, risk, business and technology consulting solutions. Robert Half, including Protiviti, has been named to the Fortune® Most Admired Companies™ and Most Innovative Companies lists and is a Forbes Best Employer for Diversity. Robert Half has talent solutions and consulting operations in more than 400 locations worldwide.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Robert Half
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https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/robert-half-announces-quarterly-dividend/
| 2023-07-31T21:54:01
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https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/robert-half-announces-quarterly-dividend/
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DENVER, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Principal Real Estate Income Fund (NYSE:PGZ) announces the sources of a distribution paid on July 31, 2023 of $0.1050 per share to shareholders of record at the close of business on July 18, 2023, pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan. This press release is issued as required by an exemptive order granted to the Fund by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and includes the notice below sent to shareholders regarding the source of the distribution.
Statement Pursuant to Section 19(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
The following table sets forth the estimated amount of the sources of distribution for purposes of Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the related rules adopted thereunder. In accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"), the Fund estimates the following percentages, of the total distribution amount per share, attributable to (i) current and prior fiscal year net investment income, (ii) net realized short-term capital gain, (iii) net realized long-term capital gain and (iv) return of capital or other capital source as a percentage of the total distribution amount. These percentages are disclosed for the current distribution as well as the fiscal year-to-date cumulative distribution amount per share for the Fund.
The Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur, for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in the Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with 'yield' or 'income'.
The timing and character of distributions for federal income tax purposes are determined in accordance with income tax regulations, which may differ from GAAP. As such, all or a portion of this distribution may be reportable as taxable income on your 2023 federal income tax return. The final tax character of any distribution declared in 2023 will be determined in January 2024 and reported to you on IRS Form 1099-DIV.
The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this 19(a) Notice are only estimates and not for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes.
Presented below are return figures, based on the change in the Fund's Net Asset Value per share ("NAV"), compared to the annualized distribution rate for this current distribution as a percentage of the NAV on the last day of the month prior to distribution record date.
While the NAV performance may be indicative of the Fund's investment performance, it does not measure the value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund. The value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund is determined by the Fund's market price, which is based on the supply and demand for the Fund's shares in the open market. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the amount of this distribution or from the terms of the Fund's Managed Distribution Plan.
Furthermore, the Board of Trustees reviews the amount of any potential distribution and the income, capital gain or capital available. The Board of Trustees will continue to monitor the Fund's distribution level, taking into consideration the Fund's net asset value and the financial market environment. The Fund's distribution policy is subject to modification by the Board of Trustees at any time. The distribution rate should not be considered the dividend yield or total return on an investment in the Fund.
Please retain this document for your records.
ALPS Advisors, Inc. is the investment adviser to the Fund.
Principal Real Estate Investors LLC is the investment sub-adviser to the Fund. Principal Real Estate Investors LLC is not affiliated with ALPS Advisors, Inc. or any of its affiliates.
ALPS Portfolio Solutions Distributor, Inc. is the FINRA Member.
PRE000386 7/31/2024
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Gas prices jumped a dime in Massachusetts during the past week, driven higher by increases in the price of oil, experts say.
The average price at the pump hit $3.67 in the latest survey, according to AAA, a full ten cents higher than a week ago and 12 cents higher than a month ago,
“Gas demand, meaning people fueling up, remains tepid. It’s lower now than at this time last year and in 2021,” said Mary Maguire, AAA Northeast’s Vice President of Public and Government Affairs. “But while the heat may be keeping some folks home, it also suppresses refinery production, according to experts. Constrained supplies and a higher cost of oil are tipping the balance toward rising pump prices for now.”
Gas prices in Massachusetts remain lower than the national average, which hit $3.75 in the most recent survey. The national average jumped 16 cents in the last week, according to AAA.
Fuel prices are still lower than last year, however. The price at the pump on July 31, 2022 was $4.47, 90 cents higher than today.
Mega Millions jackpot grows pas $1B
The Mega Millions jackpot prize has grown to $1.05 billion ahead of Tuesday’s drawing.
The prize is the fifth-largest in game history, according to Mega Millions, and the cash value is estimated to about $527.9 million.
Tuesday’s drawing will be the 30th in the current sequence. The last jackpot, in which a player had all six matching numbers, was won on April 18.
Five tickets had the five matching numbers worth the $1 million prize, according to the Mega Millions. Those tickets were purchased in Arizona, California, New York and Pennsylvania. One of the two Pennsylvania winners won an additional multi-million dollar Megaplier prize.
Drawings are 10 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays, according to a Mega Millions release.
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https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/07/31/ticker-gas-prices-spike-10-cents-in-a-week-mega-millions-jackpot-grows-pas-1b/
| 2023-07-31T21:54:04
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Published: Jul. 31, 2023 at 3:30 PM CDT|Updated: 1 hour ago
Business highlights include $50 million share repurchase, continued progress integrating recent acquisitions, ongoing development and implementation of organic growth and customer experience initiatives including our new University Park, IL service center, and eighth consecutive increase in the quarterly dividend. Quarterly results include strong cash flow generation.
CHICAGO, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ryerson Holding Corporation (NYSE: RYI), a leading value-added processor and distributor of industrial metals, today reported results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023.
Highlights:
Achieved Net Income attributable to Ryerson Holding Corporation of $37.6 million with Adjusted EBITDA1, excluding LIFO of $70.1 million
Earned Diluted EPS2 of $1.06 on revenue of $1.3 billion
Generated Operating Cash Flow of $115.3 million and Free Cash Flow of $69.1 million
Maintained Net Leverage ratio within target range at 1.4x, debt of $396 million and net debt3 of $366 million as of June 30, 2023
Repurchased 1.4 million shares directly from an affiliate of Platinum Equity, concurrent to their secondary public offering, creating value for shareholders and contributing to free float increasing to 77% as of June 30, 2023
Announced third quarter 2023 dividend of $0.1825 per share, a 1.4% increase from the prior quarter
A reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to the comparable GAAP measure is included below in this news release.
Management Commentary Eddie Lehner, Ryerson's President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "I want to thank all of my Ryerson teammates for their continued dedication to operating safely and productively, and I want to thank our customers for the opportunity to create and deliver better customer experiences which we never take for granted. Counter-cyclical industry conditions, particularly within our stainless-steel products franchise, arrived mid-quarter and were evidenced by industrial metals bellwether price index declines and demand contraction in Ryerson's later-cycle end markets. Counter-cyclical conditions as experienced during the second half of last year re-emerged in the second quarter of this year for a myriad of reasons. Shifting consumer spending patterns, higher interest rates, quieted but still present financial system stress and tightening as well as an economic recovery in China that has failed to materialize all contributed to a subdued manufacturing macro environment during the quarter. Ryerson is investing in and preparing for the next synchronized manufacturing upturn whose secular characteristics around the necessity of above trend growth in fixed-asset investment with greater supply-chain resiliency remain intact. We are confident that carrying our growth and operating model investments across counter-cyclical waters as expressed through our recent acquisitions, greenfield service centers and facility modernizations and capital expenditures around value-added fabrication as well as ongoing investments in digitalization, future-state systems and additive manufacturing will position Ryerson well for both the next cyclical upturn and the longer term secular growth in North American manufacturing activity that is underway. As we have during past counter-cycles, we will take out non-value-added costs, flex expenses down, and better optimize our industrial metals inventories as we move through the third quarter and back-half of the year."
Second Quarter Results Ryerson generated net sales of $1.3 billion in the second quarter of 2023, a decrease of 4.5%, compared to the first quarter of 2023. This was largely driven by sequentially lower volumes, which decreased 4.4%, while average selling prices remained unchanged, compared to the first quarter of 2023.
Gross margin expanded sequentially by 60 basis points to 19.4% in the second quarter, compared to 18.8% in the first quarter. Gross Margins reflected LIFO income of $9M, as the commodity price curves for our metals products sales mix decreased resulting in a LIFO credit in costs of goods sold.
Excluding the impact of LIFO, gross margin contracted 40 basis points to 18.7% in the second quarter, compared to 19.1% in the first quarter. This was primarily driven by a decrease in stainless steel commodity prices coupled with continued high inventories in the channel that put downward pressure on average selling prices. Warehousing, delivery, selling, general and administrative expenses increased 4.3% to $202.6 million in the second quarter, compared to $194.2 million in the first quarter, primarily driven by expense related to acquisitions, higher depreciation expense driven by higher capital expenditures on growth initiatives, reorganization expenses related to an ERP systems implementation and start-up costs associated with the University Park service center, which were partially offset by lower fixed operating expenses.
Net income attributable to Ryerson Holding Corporation for the second quarter of 2023 was $37.6 million, or $1.06 per diluted share, compared to net income of $47.3 million, or $1.27 per diluted share in the previous quarter. Ryerson generated Adjusted EBITDA, excluding LIFO of $70.1 million in the second quarter, compared to the first quarter Adjusted EBITDA, excluding LIFO of $90.1 million.
Liquidity & Debt Management Ryerson generated $115.3 million of cash from operations in the second quarter of 2023, supported by net income attributable to Ryerson Holding of $37.6 million and working capital release of $37.8 million. The Company ended the second quarter of 2023 with $396 million of debt and $366 million of net debt, sequential increases of $1 million and $15 million, respectively, compared to the first quarter. Ryerson's leverage ratio as of the second quarter was 1.4x, within the Company's target leverage range. Ryerson's global liquidity, composed of cash and cash equivalents and availability on its revolving credit facilities was $790 million as of June 30, 2023.
Shareholder Return Activity
Dividends. During the second quarter of 2023, Ryerson paid a quarterly dividend in the amount of $0.1800 per share, amounting to a cash return of approximately $6.2 million. On July 31, 2023, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.1825 per share of common stock, payable on September 14, 2023, to stockholders of record as of August 31, 2023.
Share Repurchase. On May 8, 2023, Ryerson repurchased 1,369,300 shares of common stock for approximately $50.0 million directly from an affiliate of Platinum Equity. Additionally, over the course of the second quarter of 2023, the Company repurchased 12,872 shares for $0.4 million in the open market. In total, Ryerson repurchased 1,382,172 shares of common stock resulting in a return to shareholders of approximately $50.4 million for the second quarter of 2023. Ryerson made these repurchases in accordance with its share repurchase authorization, which allows the Company to acquire up to an aggregate amount of $100.0 million of the Company's common stock through April of 2025. As of June 30, 2023, $49.6 million of the $100.0 million remained under the existing share repurchase authorization.
Outlook Commentary For the third quarter of 2023, Ryerson expects a continuation of slowing demand conditions, with customer shipments expected to decrease approximately 2% to 4%, quarter-over-quarter. The Company anticipates third-quarter net sales to be in the range of $1.25 billion to $1.30 billion, with average selling prices decreasing 1% to 2%. LIFO income in the third quarter of 2023 is expected to be $2 million. We expect adjusted EBITDA, excluding LIFO in the range of $43 million to $47 million and earnings per diluted share in the range of $0.31 to $0.43.
Earnings Call Information Ryerson will host a conference call to discuss second quarter 2023 financial results for the period ended June 30, 2023, on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, at 10 a.m. Eastern Time. The live online broadcast will be available on the Company's investor relations website, ir.ryerson.com. A replay will be available at the same website for 90 days.
About Ryerson Ryerson is a leading value-added processor and distributor of industrial metals, with operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and China. Founded in 1842, Ryerson has around 4,300 employees in approximately 100 locations. Visit Ryerson at www.ryerson.com.
Notes: 1For EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA excluding LIFO please see Schedule 2 2EPS is Earnings per Share 3Net debt is defined as long term debt plus short term debt less cash and cash equivalents and excludes restricted cash
Legal Disclaimer The contents herein are provided for general information purposes only and do not constitute an offer to sell or buy, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any security ("Security") of the Company or its affiliates ("Ryerson") in any jurisdiction. Ryerson does not intend to solicit, and is not soliciting, any action with respect to any Security or any other contractual relationship with Ryerson. Nothing in this release, individually or taken in the aggregate, constitutes an offer of securities for sale or buy, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any Security in the United States, or to U.S. persons, or in any other jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation is unlawful.
Safe Harbor Provision Certain statements made in this presentation and other written or oral statements made by or on behalf of the Company constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding our future performance, as well as management's expectations, beliefs, intentions, plans, estimates, objectives, or projections relating to the future. Such statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "objectives," "goals," "preliminary," "range," "believes," "expects," "may," "estimates," "will," "should," "plans," or "anticipates" or the negative thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy. The Company cautions that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and may involve significant risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may vary materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Among the factors that significantly impact our business are: the cyclicality of our business; the highly competitive, volatile, and fragmented metals industry in which we operate; the impact of geopolitical events, including Russia's invasion of Ukraine and global trade sanctions; fluctuating metal prices; our indebtedness and the covenants in instruments governing such indebtedness; the integration of acquired operations; regulatory and other operational risks associated with our operations located inside and outside of the United States; the ownership of a significant portion of our equity securities by a single investor group; work stoppages; obligations under certain employee retirement benefit plans; currency fluctuations; and consolidation in the metals industry. Forward-looking statements should, therefore, be considered in light of various factors, including those set forth above and those set forth under "Risk Factors" in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022,our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2023 and in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Moreover, we caution against placing undue reliance on these statements, which speak only as of the date they were made. The Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances, new information or otherwise.
The above press release was provided courtesy of PRNewswire. The views, opinions and statements in the press release are not endorsed by Gray Media Group nor do they necessarily state or reflect those of Gray Media Group, Inc.
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MENLO PARK, Calif., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Robert Half Inc. (NYSE: RHI) announced today that its board of directors has approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.48 per share. The cash dividend will be paid on Sept. 15, 2023, to all shareholders of record as of Aug. 25, 2023.
Robert Half is the world's first and largest specialized talent solutions and business consulting firm that connects people with meaningful work and provides companies with the talent and subject matter expertise they need to confidently compete and grow. Robert Half is the parent company of Protiviti®, a global consulting firm that provides internal audit, risk, business and technology consulting solutions. Robert Half, including Protiviti, has been named to the Fortune® Most Admired Companies™ and Most Innovative Companies lists and is a Forbes Best Employer for Diversity. Robert Half has talent solutions and consulting operations in more than 400 locations worldwide.
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NEW YORK — Troubled trucking company Yellow Corp. is shutting down and headed for a bankruptcy, the Teamsters said Monday.
An official bankruptcy filing is expected any day for Yellow, after years of financial struggles and growing debt. Its expected liquidation would mark a significant shift for the U.S. transportation industry and shippers nationwide.
“Today’s news is unfortunate but not surprising. Yellow has historically proven that it could not manage itself despite billions of dollars in worker concessions and hundreds of millions in bailout funding from the federal government,” Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien said, in an announcement saying the union had been served with legal notice for the bankruptcy filing. “This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry.”
Yellow did not have a comment when reached by The Associated Press Monday. As of Monday afternoon, no bankruptcy filings from the company could be found on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website.
The company’s collapse arrives just three years after Yellow, formerly known as YRC Worldwide Inc., received $700 million in pandemic-era loans from the federal government. But the company was in financial trouble long before that — with industry analysts pointing to poor management and strategic decisions dating back decades.
Former Yellow customers and shippers will face higher prices as they take their business to competitors, including FedEx or ABF Freight, experts say — noting that Yellow historically offered the cheapest price points in the industry.
Yellow is one of the nation’s largest less-than-truckload carriers. The closure of the 99-year-old Nashville, Tennessee-based company risks a loss of 30,000 jobs.
Safety vests that appeared to belong to former Yellow workers were zip-tied to the fence of a closed YRC Freight terminal in St. Louis, Missouri on Monday. Names and years worked at the company were written on them.
“Ron Fisher 2017-2023 was here,” one vest read.
Reports of Yellow preparing for bankruptcy emerged last week — as the Nashville, Tennessee-based trucker saw customers leave in large numbers, per The Wall Street Journal and FreightWaves. And the company reportedly stopped freight pickups earlier in the week.
Yellow shut down operations on Sunday, according to The Journal, following the layoffs of hundreds of nonunion employees on Friday.
In 2020, under the Trump administration, the Treasury Department granted the company a $700 million pandemic-era loan on national security grounds. Last month, a congressional probe concluded that the Treasury and Defense departments “made missteps” in this decision — and noted that Yellow’s “precarious financial position at the time of the loan, and continued struggles, expose taxpayers to a significant risk of loss.”
Yellow has racked up hefty bills over the years. As of late March, Yellow had an outstanding debt of about $1.5 billion. Of that, $729.2 million was owed to the federal government.
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POMPANO BEACH, Fla., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern Auto Finance Company, LLC ("SAFCO") today announced a Chief Financial Officer transition. Jason Person has been named as SAFCO's new CFO.
Most recently, Mr. Person served as the Vice President and Treasurer of Regional Management Corporation, a diversified consumer finance company, where he managed a team responsible for liquidity management, investor relations, and financial analytics. Prior to Regional Management Corporation, Mr. Person served as the Director of Treasury and Capital Markets at Global Lending Services and as Assistant Vice President of Finance for Exeter Finance Corporation. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management from Anderson University and an MBA from Texas A&M University.
The company's current CFO Gary Stein is retiring after 22 years of dedicated service to SAFCO. Mr. Stein will remain in an advisory capacity for several months to help with the transition.
Commenting on the transition, SAFCO's CEO George Fussell, Sr. conveyed his heartfelt appreciation for Mr. Stein's contributions during his tenure, stating "We owe Gary a great debt of gratitude for his years of service. His remarkable leadership, financial acumen, and mentorship of the team have been instrumental in shaping the very foundation of our company's success. We wish him the best in his well-deserved retirement." Mr. Fussell further stated, "Jason represents a significant addition to our executive leadership team. He brings a wealth of expertise in treasury/capital markets, financial planning, and analytics that will undoubtedly contribute to SAFCO's continued success as we move forward."
About SAFCO
SAFCO is an industry-leading auto finance company with the power to see creditworthiness where others don't. Our proprietary originations system, complete with deep machine learning, enables us to see beyond credit scores and basic alternative data and instead base our decisions on unique, realistic insights that reveal the full credit potential of applicants. SAFCO is headquartered in Pompano Beach, Florida.
Contact: Drew Pickens
Vice President of Human Resources
954-745-2529
apickens@gosafco.com
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| 2023-07-31T21:54:15
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By JILL COLVIN and BRIAN SLODYSKO (Associated Press)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump ‘s mounting legal woes are growing more expensive, leading his campaign to request a refund from a supportive super PAC and launch a new legal defense fund to help cover costs.
His political action committee, Save America, is expected to disclose Monday that it spent more than $40 million on legal fees during the first half of the year for costs related to defending the former president, his aides and other allies, according to a person familiar with the filing who spoke on the condition of anonymity before the deadline. The number was first reported by The Washington Post.
At the same time, Trump’s allies are creating a new legal defense fund that will help pay the soaring legal fees as Trump faces dozens of criminal charges stemming from indictments in New York and Florida, with more expected as soon as this week. The Patriot Legal Defense Fund, as it is called, is intended to raise money to defray costs for those “defending against legal actions arising from an individual or group’s participation in the political process,” according to a filing made last month with the IRS. The group will be run by Trump campaign senior advisers Susie Wiles and Michael Glassner.
“The weaponized Department of Justice and the deranged Jack Smith have targeted innocent Americans associated with President Trump,” said Trump spokesman Steven Cheung. “In order to combat these heinous actions by Joe Biden’s cronies and to protect these innocent people from financial ruin and prevent their lives from being completely destroyed, a new legal defense fund will help pay for their legal fees.” The fund was first reported by The New York Times.
Smith is the special counsel leading the federal investigations of Trump. His team has expressed interest in the payment of legal fees for Trump-aligned witnesses in the investigations and has sought information about it, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss ongoing criminal probes.
Trump’s PAC has also requested that his super PAC, MAGA Inc., return some of the money that it transferred to seed the group to help cover costs. It is unclear whether money was actually transferred or how much.
A spokesman for the super PAC did not respond to a request for comment.
Trump launched his PAC, Save America, in the days after the 2020 election, which he lost to President Joe Biden. For weeks, the group bombarded supporters with a nonstop stream of text messages and emails that purported to raise money for an “election defense fund” that would be used to contest the election’s outcome.
But the $170 million that the effort raised in less than a month was not used to contest the election, records show. Instead, it was used to pay down campaign debt and replenish the coffers of the Republican National Committee, with Trump also stockpiling another large chunk for his future political endeavors. Last year, the Justice Department issued a round of grand jury subpoenas that sought information about the political action committee’s fundraising practices.
Since then, Save America has served as a different sort of “defense fund,” covering the legal expenses for Trump operatives, allies and employees who have been ensnared in the Justice Department’s ongoing investigation.
Some of Save America’s money has been used to boost other candidates, though it’s a pittance compared to how much Trump has spent on ballooning legal costs.
As the 2022 midterm elections approached, Trump pledged to back congressional candidates loyal to him. But of the roughly $65 million earmarked by Save America for political spending, less than a third — about $20 million — was used to back midterm candidates through campaign contributions or paid advertising.
“Forty million dollars — I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Paul S. Ryan, a longtime campaign finance attorney in Washington, referring to the sum the group spent on legal fees this year. “There’s no legal issue. It’s really just a question for his donors: Do they want to be funding lawyers?”
___
Colvin reported from New York.
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Published: Jul. 31, 2023 at 2:30 PM MDT|Updated: 1 hour ago
Business highlights include $50 million share repurchase, continued progress integrating recent acquisitions, ongoing development and implementation of organic growth and customer experience initiatives including our new University Park, IL service center, and eighth consecutive increase in the quarterly dividend. Quarterly results include strong cash flow generation.
CHICAGO, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ryerson Holding Corporation (NYSE: RYI), a leading value-added processor and distributor of industrial metals, today reported results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023.
Highlights:
Achieved Net Income attributable to Ryerson Holding Corporation of $37.6 million with Adjusted EBITDA1, excluding LIFO of $70.1 million
Earned Diluted EPS2 of $1.06 on revenue of $1.3 billion
Generated Operating Cash Flow of $115.3 million and Free Cash Flow of $69.1 million
Maintained Net Leverage ratio within target range at 1.4x, debt of $396 million and net debt3 of $366 million as of June 30, 2023
Repurchased 1.4 million shares directly from an affiliate of Platinum Equity, concurrent to their secondary public offering, creating value for shareholders and contributing to free float increasing to 77% as of June 30, 2023
Announced third quarter 2023 dividend of $0.1825 per share, a 1.4% increase from the prior quarter
A reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to the comparable GAAP measure is included below in this news release.
Management Commentary Eddie Lehner, Ryerson's President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "I want to thank all of my Ryerson teammates for their continued dedication to operating safely and productively, and I want to thank our customers for the opportunity to create and deliver better customer experiences which we never take for granted. Counter-cyclical industry conditions, particularly within our stainless-steel products franchise, arrived mid-quarter and were evidenced by industrial metals bellwether price index declines and demand contraction in Ryerson's later-cycle end markets. Counter-cyclical conditions as experienced during the second half of last year re-emerged in the second quarter of this year for a myriad of reasons. Shifting consumer spending patterns, higher interest rates, quieted but still present financial system stress and tightening as well as an economic recovery in China that has failed to materialize all contributed to a subdued manufacturing macro environment during the quarter. Ryerson is investing in and preparing for the next synchronized manufacturing upturn whose secular characteristics around the necessity of above trend growth in fixed-asset investment with greater supply-chain resiliency remain intact. We are confident that carrying our growth and operating model investments across counter-cyclical waters as expressed through our recent acquisitions, greenfield service centers and facility modernizations and capital expenditures around value-added fabrication as well as ongoing investments in digitalization, future-state systems and additive manufacturing will position Ryerson well for both the next cyclical upturn and the longer term secular growth in North American manufacturing activity that is underway. As we have during past counter-cycles, we will take out non-value-added costs, flex expenses down, and better optimize our industrial metals inventories as we move through the third quarter and back-half of the year."
Second Quarter Results Ryerson generated net sales of $1.3 billion in the second quarter of 2023, a decrease of 4.5%, compared to the first quarter of 2023. This was largely driven by sequentially lower volumes, which decreased 4.4%, while average selling prices remained unchanged, compared to the first quarter of 2023.
Gross margin expanded sequentially by 60 basis points to 19.4% in the second quarter, compared to 18.8% in the first quarter. Gross Margins reflected LIFO income of $9M, as the commodity price curves for our metals products sales mix decreased resulting in a LIFO credit in costs of goods sold.
Excluding the impact of LIFO, gross margin contracted 40 basis points to 18.7% in the second quarter, compared to 19.1% in the first quarter. This was primarily driven by a decrease in stainless steel commodity prices coupled with continued high inventories in the channel that put downward pressure on average selling prices. Warehousing, delivery, selling, general and administrative expenses increased 4.3% to $202.6 million in the second quarter, compared to $194.2 million in the first quarter, primarily driven by expense related to acquisitions, higher depreciation expense driven by higher capital expenditures on growth initiatives, reorganization expenses related to an ERP systems implementation and start-up costs associated with the University Park service center, which were partially offset by lower fixed operating expenses.
Net income attributable to Ryerson Holding Corporation for the second quarter of 2023 was $37.6 million, or $1.06 per diluted share, compared to net income of $47.3 million, or $1.27 per diluted share in the previous quarter. Ryerson generated Adjusted EBITDA, excluding LIFO of $70.1 million in the second quarter, compared to the first quarter Adjusted EBITDA, excluding LIFO of $90.1 million.
Liquidity & Debt Management Ryerson generated $115.3 million of cash from operations in the second quarter of 2023, supported by net income attributable to Ryerson Holding of $37.6 million and working capital release of $37.8 million. The Company ended the second quarter of 2023 with $396 million of debt and $366 million of net debt, sequential increases of $1 million and $15 million, respectively, compared to the first quarter. Ryerson's leverage ratio as of the second quarter was 1.4x, within the Company's target leverage range. Ryerson's global liquidity, composed of cash and cash equivalents and availability on its revolving credit facilities was $790 million as of June 30, 2023.
Shareholder Return Activity
Dividends. During the second quarter of 2023, Ryerson paid a quarterly dividend in the amount of $0.1800 per share, amounting to a cash return of approximately $6.2 million. On July 31, 2023, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.1825 per share of common stock, payable on September 14, 2023, to stockholders of record as of August 31, 2023.
Share Repurchase. On May 8, 2023, Ryerson repurchased 1,369,300 shares of common stock for approximately $50.0 million directly from an affiliate of Platinum Equity. Additionally, over the course of the second quarter of 2023, the Company repurchased 12,872 shares for $0.4 million in the open market. In total, Ryerson repurchased 1,382,172 shares of common stock resulting in a return to shareholders of approximately $50.4 million for the second quarter of 2023. Ryerson made these repurchases in accordance with its share repurchase authorization, which allows the Company to acquire up to an aggregate amount of $100.0 million of the Company's common stock through April of 2025. As of June 30, 2023, $49.6 million of the $100.0 million remained under the existing share repurchase authorization.
Outlook Commentary For the third quarter of 2023, Ryerson expects a continuation of slowing demand conditions, with customer shipments expected to decrease approximately 2% to 4%, quarter-over-quarter. The Company anticipates third-quarter net sales to be in the range of $1.25 billion to $1.30 billion, with average selling prices decreasing 1% to 2%. LIFO income in the third quarter of 2023 is expected to be $2 million. We expect adjusted EBITDA, excluding LIFO in the range of $43 million to $47 million and earnings per diluted share in the range of $0.31 to $0.43.
Earnings Call Information Ryerson will host a conference call to discuss second quarter 2023 financial results for the period ended June 30, 2023, on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, at 10 a.m. Eastern Time. The live online broadcast will be available on the Company's investor relations website, ir.ryerson.com. A replay will be available at the same website for 90 days.
About Ryerson Ryerson is a leading value-added processor and distributor of industrial metals, with operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and China. Founded in 1842, Ryerson has around 4,300 employees in approximately 100 locations. Visit Ryerson at www.ryerson.com.
Notes: 1For EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA excluding LIFO please see Schedule 2 2EPS is Earnings per Share 3Net debt is defined as long term debt plus short term debt less cash and cash equivalents and excludes restricted cash
Legal Disclaimer The contents herein are provided for general information purposes only and do not constitute an offer to sell or buy, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any security ("Security") of the Company or its affiliates ("Ryerson") in any jurisdiction. Ryerson does not intend to solicit, and is not soliciting, any action with respect to any Security or any other contractual relationship with Ryerson. Nothing in this release, individually or taken in the aggregate, constitutes an offer of securities for sale or buy, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any Security in the United States, or to U.S. persons, or in any other jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation is unlawful.
Safe Harbor Provision Certain statements made in this presentation and other written or oral statements made by or on behalf of the Company constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding our future performance, as well as management's expectations, beliefs, intentions, plans, estimates, objectives, or projections relating to the future. Such statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "objectives," "goals," "preliminary," "range," "believes," "expects," "may," "estimates," "will," "should," "plans," or "anticipates" or the negative thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy. The Company cautions that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and may involve significant risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may vary materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Among the factors that significantly impact our business are: the cyclicality of our business; the highly competitive, volatile, and fragmented metals industry in which we operate; the impact of geopolitical events, including Russia's invasion of Ukraine and global trade sanctions; fluctuating metal prices; our indebtedness and the covenants in instruments governing such indebtedness; the integration of acquired operations; regulatory and other operational risks associated with our operations located inside and outside of the United States; the ownership of a significant portion of our equity securities by a single investor group; work stoppages; obligations under certain employee retirement benefit plans; currency fluctuations; and consolidation in the metals industry. Forward-looking statements should, therefore, be considered in light of various factors, including those set forth above and those set forth under "Risk Factors" in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022,our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2023 and in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Moreover, we caution against placing undue reliance on these statements, which speak only as of the date they were made. The Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances, new information or otherwise.
The above press release was provided courtesy of PRNewswire. The views, opinions and statements in the press release are not endorsed by Gray Media Group nor do they necessarily state or reflect those of Gray Media Group, Inc.
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https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/ryerson-reports-second-quarter-2023-results/
| 2023-07-31T21:54:16
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POMPANO BEACH, Fla., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern Auto Finance Company, LLC ("SAFCO") today announced a Chief Financial Officer transition. Jason Person has been named as SAFCO's new CFO.
Most recently, Mr. Person served as the Vice President and Treasurer of Regional Management Corporation, a diversified consumer finance company, where he managed a team responsible for liquidity management, investor relations, and financial analytics. Prior to Regional Management Corporation, Mr. Person served as the Director of Treasury and Capital Markets at Global Lending Services and as Assistant Vice President of Finance for Exeter Finance Corporation. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management from Anderson University and an MBA from Texas A&M University.
The company's current CFO Gary Stein is retiring after 22 years of dedicated service to SAFCO. Mr. Stein will remain in an advisory capacity for several months to help with the transition.
Commenting on the transition, SAFCO's CEO George Fussell, Sr. conveyed his heartfelt appreciation for Mr. Stein's contributions during his tenure, stating "We owe Gary a great debt of gratitude for his years of service. His remarkable leadership, financial acumen, and mentorship of the team have been instrumental in shaping the very foundation of our company's success. We wish him the best in his well-deserved retirement." Mr. Fussell further stated, "Jason represents a significant addition to our executive leadership team. He brings a wealth of expertise in treasury/capital markets, financial planning, and analytics that will undoubtedly contribute to SAFCO's continued success as we move forward."
About SAFCO
SAFCO is an industry-leading auto finance company with the power to see creditworthiness where others don't. Our proprietary originations system, complete with deep machine learning, enables us to see beyond credit scores and basic alternative data and instead base our decisions on unique, realistic insights that reveal the full credit potential of applicants. SAFCO is headquartered in Pompano Beach, Florida.
Contact: Drew Pickens
Vice President of Human Resources
954-745-2529
apickens@gosafco.com
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| 2023-07-31T21:54:23
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BALTIMORE, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (NASDAQ-GS: TROW) announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly dividend of $1.22 per share payable September 28, 2023, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on September 15, 2023.
ABOUT T. ROWE PRICE
Founded in 1937, T. Rowe Price (NASDAQ: TROW) helps people around the world achieve their long-term investment goals. As a large global asset management company known for investment excellence, retirement leadership, and independent proprietary research, the firm is built on a culture of integrity that puts client interests first. Investors rely on the award-winning firm for its retirement expertise and active management approach of equity, fixed income, alternatives, and multi-asset investment capabilities. T. Rowe Price manages $1.40 trillion in assets under management as of June 30, 2023, and serves millions of clients globally. News and other updates can be found on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and troweprice.com/newsroom.
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| 2023-07-31T21:54:22
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BALTIMORE, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (NASDAQ-GS: TROW) announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly dividend of $1.22 per share payable September 28, 2023, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on September 15, 2023.
ABOUT T. ROWE PRICE
Founded in 1937, T. Rowe Price (NASDAQ: TROW) helps people around the world achieve their long-term investment goals. As a large global asset management company known for investment excellence, retirement leadership, and independent proprietary research, the firm is built on a culture of integrity that puts client interests first. Investors rely on the award-winning firm for its retirement expertise and active management approach of equity, fixed income, alternatives, and multi-asset investment capabilities. T. Rowe Price manages $1.40 trillion in assets under management as of June 30, 2023, and serves millions of clients globally. News and other updates can be found on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and troweprice.com/newsroom.
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SOURCE T. Rowe Price Group, Inc.
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https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/t-rowe-price-group-declares-quarterly-dividend/
| 2023-07-31T21:54:29
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CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ten Oaks Group, a recognized family office and standout in the corporate carve out sector, proudly announces the addition of four exceptional professionals to its esteemed team of Operating Partners. The recent hiring of James Deng, Greg Warren, David Izquierdo, and Lauren Celano underscores Ten Oaks Group's commitment to bringing accomplished talent with diverse capabilities and amplifying its capacity for turnaround, legal, and international investment exceptionalism.
James Deng assumes the position of Operating Partner at Ten Oaks Group. Prior to joining, he was a Vice President at Audax Private Equity supporting value creation initiatives. James has also served as Director of Revenue Growth Management at Keurig Dr Pepper and a management consultant at Ernst & Young focused on Corporate and Growth Strategy.
Greg Warren brings a wealth of legal and restructuring knowledge as he joins as Assistant General Counsel and Operating Partner. Greg previously was a member of White & Case LLP's financial restructuring and insolvency practice, representing debtors and creditors both in and out of bankruptcy. Greg has experience in operational, corporate, and financial matters, as well as litigation and acquisitions.
David Izquierdo joins as an Operating Partner focused on Ten Oaks Group's European portfolio companies. Prior to Ten Oaks, David focused on designing and implementing strategic and transformation programs across a wide variety of industries in roles in corporate development at Selenis and management consulting at Monitor Deloitte and PwC.
Lastly, Lauren Celano joins the team as Associate Operating Partner, leveraging her vast experience from the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries, where she also led business development efforts. Additionally, she has experience at Alvarez & Marsal and other private equity and venture capital firms.
"At Ten Oaks Group, we believe that attracting top-notch talent is essential for leading value creation efforts for our portfolio," said Kendall Thurlow, head of value creation at Ten Oaks Group. "Lauren, James, David, and Greg embody the caliber of professionals we seek to bring on board, and we are excited to welcome them as valuable members of our team of Operating Partners."
Ten Oaks Group is committed to cultivating a dynamic and growth-oriented environment for its practitioners. With a commitment to fostering private equity careers, the company offers comprehensive opportunities for professional development and advancement.
To learn more about the background and expertise of the newly hired Operating Partners and explore potential career opportunities with Ten Oaks Group, visit www.tenoaksgroup.com.
About Ten Oaks Group:
Ten Oaks Group is a family office focused exclusively on investing in corporate divestitures. It brings speed, flexibility and certainty to divestitures of non-core businesses that no longer fit their parent company's corporate strategy. Following acquisition, Ten Oaks Group leverages its experienced team of Operating Partners to manage the transition and separation process and implement operational strategies that reveal and optimize the underlying potential of each business.
Each company within Ten Oaks Group operates independently under its own dedicated management team and receives management support services from Ten Oaks Management, LLC. Ten Oaks Group was founded by Matt Magan and Mike Hahn and has closed 25 carve-out transactions across 10 countries since inception.
To learn more about Ten Oaks Group's unique approach to corporate divestitures, please visit www.tenoaksgroup.com.
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SOURCE Ten Oaks Group
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https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/ten-oaks-group-expands-capabilities-with-strategic-hires/
| 2023-07-31T21:54:30
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CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ten Oaks Group, a recognized family office and standout in the corporate carve out sector, proudly announces the addition of four exceptional professionals to its esteemed team of Operating Partners. The recent hiring of James Deng, Greg Warren, David Izquierdo, and Lauren Celano underscores Ten Oaks Group's commitment to bringing accomplished talent with diverse capabilities and amplifying its capacity for turnaround, legal, and international investment exceptionalism.
James Deng assumes the position of Operating Partner at Ten Oaks Group. Prior to joining, he was a Vice President at Audax Private Equity supporting value creation initiatives. James has also served as Director of Revenue Growth Management at Keurig Dr Pepper and a management consultant at Ernst & Young focused on Corporate and Growth Strategy.
Greg Warren brings a wealth of legal and restructuring knowledge as he joins as Assistant General Counsel and Operating Partner. Greg previously was a member of White & Case LLP's financial restructuring and insolvency practice, representing debtors and creditors both in and out of bankruptcy. Greg has experience in operational, corporate, and financial matters, as well as litigation and acquisitions.
David Izquierdo joins as an Operating Partner focused on Ten Oaks Group's European portfolio companies. Prior to Ten Oaks, David focused on designing and implementing strategic and transformation programs across a wide variety of industries in roles in corporate development at Selenis and management consulting at Monitor Deloitte and PwC.
Lastly, Lauren Celano joins the team as Associate Operating Partner, leveraging her vast experience from the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries, where she also led business development efforts. Additionally, she has experience at Alvarez & Marsal and other private equity and venture capital firms.
"At Ten Oaks Group, we believe that attracting top-notch talent is essential for leading value creation efforts for our portfolio," said Kendall Thurlow, head of value creation at Ten Oaks Group. "Lauren, James, David, and Greg embody the caliber of professionals we seek to bring on board, and we are excited to welcome them as valuable members of our team of Operating Partners."
Ten Oaks Group is committed to cultivating a dynamic and growth-oriented environment for its practitioners. With a commitment to fostering private equity careers, the company offers comprehensive opportunities for professional development and advancement.
To learn more about the background and expertise of the newly hired Operating Partners and explore potential career opportunities with Ten Oaks Group, visit www.tenoaksgroup.com.
About Ten Oaks Group:
Ten Oaks Group is a family office focused exclusively on investing in corporate divestitures. It brings speed, flexibility and certainty to divestitures of non-core businesses that no longer fit their parent company's corporate strategy. Following acquisition, Ten Oaks Group leverages its experienced team of Operating Partners to manage the transition and separation process and implement operational strategies that reveal and optimize the underlying potential of each business.
Each company within Ten Oaks Group operates independently under its own dedicated management team and receives management support services from Ten Oaks Management, LLC. Ten Oaks Group was founded by Matt Magan and Mike Hahn and has closed 25 carve-out transactions across 10 countries since inception.
To learn more about Ten Oaks Group's unique approach to corporate divestitures, please visit www.tenoaksgroup.com.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Ten Oaks Group
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| 2023-07-31T21:54:35
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Funding by California Transportation Commission and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
LONG BEACH, Calif., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On the heels of opening the nation's largest public charging depot for electric commercial trucks at the Port of Long Beach, WattEV announced today it has secured $40.5 million in grants to further expand its growing network of electric truck stops into Northern California and Oregon.
WattEV, the industry leader in heavy-duty freight electrification, has been awarded two separate grants: one for a solar-powered truck charging depot across Interstate 5 from the airfreight hub adjacent to Sacramento International Airport, and another for a grid-connected charging depot along Interstate 5 in Salem, Ore.
WattEV has secured a $34 million federal grant through the California Transportation Commission to build and operate what will become the nation's largest electric charging depot on more than 100 acres of land immediately south of Sacramento International Airport (SMF) on Interstate 5.
The SMF project is expected to open in mid- to late-2025 with 15.6 MW of solar power supplemented by 7.2 MW of grid power supplied by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District.
The SMF depot will have 30 DC fast chargers for passenger vehicles, 90 high-power CCS-1 cords for medium- and heavy-duty commercial electric vehicles, and 18 megawatt cords for pass-through charging of HD trucks using the upcoming Megawatt Charging Standard (MCS).
"We're proud to partner with WattEV as they continue to advance transition of U.S. trucking transport to zero emissions," said Cindy Nichol, Director of Sacramento County Department of Airports. "Sacramento International Airport's proximity to one of largest goods distribution centers in the state makes this an ideal location to serve California's 'electric highway.'"
WattEV was also awarded $6.5 million from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to build a 6-acre EV charging depot. The Salem, Ore., site will be grid-connected in cooperation with Portland General Electric.
Planning for the Salem electric truck stop includes 30 CCS 240 KW chargers and six MCS 1200 KW chargers. It's expected to open in 2025 as well.
"These grant awards will allow us to meet our plans to expand our network of electric-truck charging depots from the Mexican border to Portland, Oregon, via Interstate 5, on what government planners and industry stakeholders are calling the 'electric highway,'" explained WattEV co-founder and CEO Salim Youssefzadeh.
The grant for the SMF project comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation's "Trade Corridor Enhancement Program," which distributes funding through state transportation agencies.
"We're building out the West Coast corridor while also reaching eastward along the I-10 toward Arizona and Texas and, eventually, to the East Coast," Youssefzadeh said. "To expand the WattEV network, we'll match our grants with private capital to fund this massive infrastructure buildout."
WattEV selects the locations of its charging depots based on analysis of freight routes, range of electric trucks and energy supply.
"We picked our site in Sacramento because of its strategic location next to the Metro Air Park Logistics Center, where more than 10-million square-feet of warehouse space is planned," said Youssefzadeh, "and its close proximity to downtown Sacramento – just 10 minutes away."
Sacramento County and surrounding areas contain one of the largest concentrations of California's goods distribution centers, serving many of the largest shippers in the country.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (Sac Metro Air District) has committed to working closely with WattEV on the project as it will have significant air quality benefits for Sacramento.
"Emissions from fossil-fuel powered cars and trucks are the largest source of air pollution in the Sacramento region," said Sac Metro Air District Transportation and Climate Change Program Manager Raef Porter. "Over the past 25 years, the Air District has invested $300 million in clean air projects. We're proud to continue that commitment by partnering with WattEV on this transformative solar-powered, electric charging depot. Building new electric vehicle infrastructure is imperative to the successful transition to clean transportation and ensuring a clean air and low carbon future for all."
The SMF depot will initially serve as a charging hub for local and regional distribution centers, and later as a depot serving the north-south freight corridor stretching from WattEV's newly opened charging depot in the Port of Long Beach, connecting to Oregon and Washington state.
"We not only have the demand for regional distribution in Sacramento County," Youssefzadeh explained, "but we also have existing shippers asking us to transport freight from their logistic centers in the Los Angeles area to distribution centers of retailers in Sacramento."
About WattEV
WattEV's mission is to accelerate the transition of U.S. trucking transport to zero emissions. It relies on a combination of business and technology innovations to create charging infrastructure and data-driven workflow that provide truckers and fleet operators the lowest total cost of ownership. WattEV's goal is to get 12,000 heavy-duty electric trucks on California roads by the end of 2030, exceeding existing forecasts. More information is available online at www.WattEV.com.
About the Sac Metro Air District
The Sac Metro Air District is the leading Sacramento region agency responsible for monitoring air quality, reducing air pollution, enforcing air quality regulations, and promoting decarbonization efforts through innovative incentive programs and projects. The Air District also works to ensure clean air and meet National Ambient Air Quality standards. For more information about the Air District, please visit www.AirQuality.org.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE WattEV
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https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/wattev-awarded-405-million-build-truck-charging-depots-northern-california-oregon-along-electric-highway/
| 2023-07-31T21:54:36
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Funding by California Transportation Commission and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
LONG BEACH, Calif., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On the heels of opening the nation's largest public charging depot for electric commercial trucks at the Port of Long Beach, WattEV announced today it has secured $40.5 million in grants to further expand its growing network of electric truck stops into Northern California and Oregon.
WattEV, the industry leader in heavy-duty freight electrification, has been awarded two separate grants: one for a solar-powered truck charging depot across Interstate 5 from the airfreight hub adjacent to Sacramento International Airport, and another for a grid-connected charging depot along Interstate 5 in Salem, Ore.
WattEV has secured a $34 million federal grant through the California Transportation Commission to build and operate what will become the nation's largest electric charging depot on more than 100 acres of land immediately south of Sacramento International Airport (SMF) on Interstate 5.
The SMF project is expected to open in mid- to late-2025 with 15.6 MW of solar power supplemented by 7.2 MW of grid power supplied by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District.
The SMF depot will have 30 DC fast chargers for passenger vehicles, 90 high-power CCS-1 cords for medium- and heavy-duty commercial electric vehicles, and 18 megawatt cords for pass-through charging of HD trucks using the upcoming Megawatt Charging Standard (MCS).
"We're proud to partner with WattEV as they continue to advance transition of U.S. trucking transport to zero emissions," said Cindy Nichol, Director of Sacramento County Department of Airports. "Sacramento International Airport's proximity to one of largest goods distribution centers in the state makes this an ideal location to serve California's 'electric highway.'"
WattEV was also awarded $6.5 million from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to build a 6-acre EV charging depot. The Salem, Ore., site will be grid-connected in cooperation with Portland General Electric.
Planning for the Salem electric truck stop includes 30 CCS 240 KW chargers and six MCS 1200 KW chargers. It's expected to open in 2025 as well.
"These grant awards will allow us to meet our plans to expand our network of electric-truck charging depots from the Mexican border to Portland, Oregon, via Interstate 5, on what government planners and industry stakeholders are calling the 'electric highway,'" explained WattEV co-founder and CEO Salim Youssefzadeh.
The grant for the SMF project comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation's "Trade Corridor Enhancement Program," which distributes funding through state transportation agencies.
"We're building out the West Coast corridor while also reaching eastward along the I-10 toward Arizona and Texas and, eventually, to the East Coast," Youssefzadeh said. "To expand the WattEV network, we'll match our grants with private capital to fund this massive infrastructure buildout."
WattEV selects the locations of its charging depots based on analysis of freight routes, range of electric trucks and energy supply.
"We picked our site in Sacramento because of its strategic location next to the Metro Air Park Logistics Center, where more than 10-million square-feet of warehouse space is planned," said Youssefzadeh, "and its close proximity to downtown Sacramento – just 10 minutes away."
Sacramento County and surrounding areas contain one of the largest concentrations of California's goods distribution centers, serving many of the largest shippers in the country.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (Sac Metro Air District) has committed to working closely with WattEV on the project as it will have significant air quality benefits for Sacramento.
"Emissions from fossil-fuel powered cars and trucks are the largest source of air pollution in the Sacramento region," said Sac Metro Air District Transportation and Climate Change Program Manager Raef Porter. "Over the past 25 years, the Air District has invested $300 million in clean air projects. We're proud to continue that commitment by partnering with WattEV on this transformative solar-powered, electric charging depot. Building new electric vehicle infrastructure is imperative to the successful transition to clean transportation and ensuring a clean air and low carbon future for all."
The SMF depot will initially serve as a charging hub for local and regional distribution centers, and later as a depot serving the north-south freight corridor stretching from WattEV's newly opened charging depot in the Port of Long Beach, connecting to Oregon and Washington state.
"We not only have the demand for regional distribution in Sacramento County," Youssefzadeh explained, "but we also have existing shippers asking us to transport freight from their logistic centers in the Los Angeles area to distribution centers of retailers in Sacramento."
About WattEV
WattEV's mission is to accelerate the transition of U.S. trucking transport to zero emissions. It relies on a combination of business and technology innovations to create charging infrastructure and data-driven workflow that provide truckers and fleet operators the lowest total cost of ownership. WattEV's goal is to get 12,000 heavy-duty electric trucks on California roads by the end of 2030, exceeding existing forecasts. More information is available online at www.WattEV.com.
About the Sac Metro Air District
The Sac Metro Air District is the leading Sacramento region agency responsible for monitoring air quality, reducing air pollution, enforcing air quality regulations, and promoting decarbonization efforts through innovative incentive programs and projects. The Air District also works to ensure clean air and meet National Ambient Air Quality standards. For more information about the Air District, please visit www.AirQuality.org.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE WattEV
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https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/wattev-awarded-405-million-build-truck-charging-depots-northern-california-oregon-along-electric-highway/
| 2023-07-31T21:54:42
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Canada's Allysha Chapman goes on explicit tirade toward Australia coach, caught on hot mic
Australia eliminates Canada from Women's World Cup with 4-0 win
Canada’s frustrations during their Women’s World Cup loss to Australia boiled over on Monday as defender Allysha Chapman went on an expletive tirade against Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson.
The incident occurred in the 64th minute of the match with Australia leading 3-0. Chapman challenged Australia’s Hayley Raso for the ball. Raso was on the ground in pain after the scuffle and then Chapman turned and delivered some harsh words to Gustavsson.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
"She f---ing jumped into me you t--t," she was heard saying.
BBC commentator Robyn Cowell and Sevens Network commentator David Basheer both addressed the profane language.
"Apologies there if any language was picked up on the very sensitive pitch-side microphones it seems," Cowell said, according to The Sun.
USA VS PORTUGAL: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WOMEN'S WORLD CUP MATCH
"Allysha Chapman looked over to Tony Gustavsson and said some pretty stern words," Basheer said, per the New York Post. "It was just a coming together, really. It wasn’t Chapman’s doing. It was just Raso’s determination to win the ball."
Raso scored two first-half goals to put Australia ahead early. Mary Fowler and Steph Catley scored in the second half and Australia won the match, 4-0.
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The loss means Canada exits the Women’s World Cup while Australia and Nigeria, which came to a 0-0 draw against Ireland, will advance to the knockout round.
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https://www.foxnews.com/sports/canadas-allysha-chapman-goes-explicit-tirade-toward-australia-coach-caught-hot-mic
| 2023-07-31T21:54:43
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Delivered record-breaking second quarter performance in Total Revenues, Operating Profit and net new adds
Total Revenues up 25%; System Sales grew 32% in constant currency; Operating Profit increased 216%
Store openings accelerated, 655 net new adds in the first half, on track for full-year net new store target
SHANGHAI, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Yum China Holdings, Inc. (the "Company" or "Yum China") (NYSE: YUMC and HKEX: 9987) today reported unaudited results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023.
Second Quarter Highlights
- Total revenues increased 25% year over year to $2.65 billion from $2.13 billion (a 32% increase excluding foreign currency translation ("F/X")).
- Total system sales increased 32% year over year, with increases of 32% at KFC and 30% at Pizza Hut, excluding F/X. Growth was mainly attributable to same-store sales, new unit contribution and lapping of temporary store closures in the prior year.
- Same-store sales increased 15% year over year, with increases of 15% at KFC and 13% at Pizza Hut, excluding F/X.
- Opened 422 net new stores during the quarter; total store count reached 13,602, as of June 30, 2023.
- Operating Profit increased 216% year over year to $257 million from $81 million (a 228% increase excluding F/X), primarily driven by sales leveraging and margin expansion.
- Adjusted Operating Profit increased 215% year over year to $259 million from $82 million (a 227% increase excluding F/X).
- Restaurant margin was 16.1%, compared with 12.1% in the prior year period.
- Effective tax rate was 24.7%.
- Net Income increased 138% to $197 million from $83 million in the prior year period, primarily due to the increase in Operating Profit.
- Adjusted Net Income increased 137% to $199 million from $84 million in the prior year period (a 207% increase excluding the net loss of $9 million in the second quarter of 2023 and net gain of $16 million in the second quarter of 2022, from the mark-to-market equity investment in Meituan; a 219% increase if further excluding F/X).
- Diluted EPS increased 135% to $0.47 from $0.20 in the prior year period.
- Adjusted Diluted EPS increased 135% to $0.47 from $0.20 in the prior year period (a 206% increase excluding the net loss from the mark-to-market equity investments in the second quarter of 2023 and net gain in the second quarter of 2022; a 219% increase if further excluding F/X).
Key Financial Results
CEO and CFO Comments
Joey Wat, CEO of Yum China, commented, "We achieved outstanding results, delivering substantial growth in the top-line and bottom-line, in the second quarter, thanks to our teams' dedication and creativity. This once again demonstrates our anti-fragile business model and ability to capture opportunities in good times and stay resilient in bad times. Our innovative products and compelling value captured customer demand and drove double-digit same-store sales growth. KFC's "K-zza" and Pizza Hut's new menu items were hugely popular. Our exciting campaign with Genshin Impact and fun toy offerings with Sanrio and Pokemon spurred strong demand and brought consumers moments of joy. We registered record daily transactions of 8.5 million on Children's Day. Our amazing operations team, robust end-to-end digital capabilities and agile supply chain enabled us to flexibly handle surges in customer traffic through holiday periods and special marketing campaigns, while maintaining consistent quality and customer service. As a result of these collective efforts, our operating profit for the first half of this year already exceeded the entire year of 2022."
Wat continued, "We accelerated the pace of new store openings in the second quarter and celebrated two milestones. Pizza Hut surpassed 3,000 stores in China and KFC exceeded 500 stores in Shanghai alone. With 655 net new stores in the first half of 2023, we are on track to meet our expansion goals for the year. Importantly, new store payback periods remain healthy. Furthermore, we see abundant white space in China. With a presence in 1,900 cities, we are still tracking over 800 cities without a KFC. Similarly, Pizza Hut has a great potential for expanding its footprint. With our flexible store formats, we continue to expand addressable markets across city tiers. By actively pursuing our RGM (Resilience-Growth-Moat) strategy and leveraging our industry-leading strengths, we are confident in our ability to capture long-term growth opportunities."
Andy Yeung, CFO of Yum China, added, "We delivered record second-quarter revenues and profits, despite challenging macro conditions and an uptick of COVID infections during the quarter. When customer demand softened in May, we adjusted nimbly to address consumer needs, captured holiday spending and successfully regained sales momentum. Sales growth and proactive cost structure rebasing helped us improve operating leverage, expanding restaurant margins and delivering record operating profit in the quarter. Even though same-store sales remained below 2019 levels, our revenue in the second quarter has increased by 25% and operating profits have risen by 26% compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019."
"As we move into the third quarter, driving sales remains our top priority. We have lined up exciting marketing campaigns and resources to seize sales opportunities in the peak summer season. Our efforts on efficiency improvement and cost structure rebasing should continue to benefit profitability in the long run. But, it is worth noting that last year's record third-quarter restaurant margins set a relatively high benchmark, due to austerity measures and temporary reliefs. We will continue to stay agile through evolving market conditions, expand our store network and fortify our competitive moat to drive sustainable long-term growth," Yeung concluded.
Share Repurchases and Dividends
- During the second quarter, the Company repurchased approximately 1 million shares of Yum China common stock for $62 million at an average price of $60.23 per share. As of June 30, 2023, approximately $1 billion remained available for future share repurchases under the current authorization.
- The Board declared a cash dividend of $0.13 per share on Yum China's common stock, payable on September 18, 2023 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on August 28, 2023.
Digital and Delivery
- The KFC and Pizza Hut loyalty programs exceeded 445 million members combined, as of quarter-end. Member sales accounted for approximately 66% of system sales in the second quarter of 2023.
- Delivery contributed approximately 35% of KFC and Pizza Hut's Company sales in the second quarter of 2023, a decrease of 3% compared with the prior year period.
- Digital orders, including delivery, mobile orders and kiosk orders, accounted for approximately 90% of KFC and Pizza Hut's Company sales in the second quarter of 2023.
New-Unit Development and Asset Upgrade
- The Company opened 422 net new stores in the second quarter of 2023, mainly driven by development of the KFC and Pizza Hut brands.
- The Company remodeled 171 stores in the second quarter of 2023.
Restaurant Margin
- Restaurant margin was 16.1% in the second quarter of 2023 compared with 12.1% in the prior year period, driven primarily by sales leveraging and ongoing benefits of cost structure rebasing efforts; partially offset by lapping austerity measures in the prior year, higher promotion costs, and wage inflation.
2023 Outlook
The Company's fiscal year 2023 targets remain unchanged:
- To open approximately 1,100 to 1,300 net new stores.
- To make capital expenditures in the range of approximately $700 million to $900 million.
Company Updates
- On July 17, 2023, the Company announced the appointment of Mr. David Hoffmann to the Board of the Directors. With this appointment, the Board is now comprised of 10 directors, nine of whom are independent.
Note on Non-GAAP Measures
Reported GAAP results include Special Items, which are excluded from non-GAAP adjusted measures. Special Items are not allocated to any segment and therefore only impact reported GAAP results of Yum China. See "Reconciliation of Reported GAAP Results to Non-GAAP Adjusted Measures" within this release. In addition, for the non-GAAP measures of Restaurant profit and Restaurant margin, see "Reconciliation of GAAP Operating Profit to Restaurant Profit" under "Segment Results" within this release.
Conference Call
Yum China's management will hold an earnings conference call at 8:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on Monday, July 31, 2023 (8:00 a.m. Beijing/Hong Kong Time on Tuesday, August 1, 2023).
A live webcast of the call may be accessed at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/4rchbbk4/.
To join by phone, please register in advance of the conference through the link provided below. Upon registering, you will be provided with participant dial-in numbers, a passcode and a unique access PIN.
Pre-registration Link: https://s1.c-conf.com/diamondpass/10031360-wcv829.html
A replay of the conference call will be available one hour after the call ends until Tuesday, August 8, 2023 and may be accessed by phone at the following numbers:
Additionally, this earnings release, the accompanying slides, as well as the live and archived webcast of this conference call will be available at Yum China's Investor Relations website at http://ir.yumchina.com.
For important news and information regarding Yum China, including our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, visit Yum China's Investor Relations website at http://ir.yumchina.com. Yum China uses this website as a primary channel for disclosing key information to its investors, some of which may contain material and previously non-public information.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including under "2023 Outlook." We intend all forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and by the use of forward-looking words such as "expect," "expectation," "believe," "anticipate," "may," "could," "intend," "belief," "plan," "estimate," "target," "predict," "project," "likely," "will," "continue," "should," "forecast," "outlook," "commit" or similar terminology. These statements are based on current estimates and assumptions made by us in light of our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that we believe are appropriate and reasonable under the circumstances, but there can be no assurance that such estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the future strategies, growth, business plans, investment, dividend and share repurchase plans, earnings, performance and returns of Yum China, anticipated effects of population and macroeconomic trends, the expected impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, pace of recovery of Yum China's business, the anticipated effects of our innovation, digital and delivery capabilities and investments on growth and beliefs regarding the long-term drivers of Yum China's business. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance and are inherently subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and could cause our actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by those statements. We cannot assure you that any of our expectations, estimates or assumptions will be achieved. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are only made as of the date of this press release, and we disclaim any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law. Numerous factors could cause our actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: whether we are able to achieve development goals at the times and in the amounts currently anticipated, if at all, the success of our marketing campaigns and product innovation, our ability to maintain food safety and quality control systems, changes in public health conditions, including the COVID-19 pandemic, our ability to control costs and expenses, including tax costs, as well as changes in political, economic and regulatory conditions in China. In addition, other risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe to be immaterial could affect the accuracy of any such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements should be evaluated with the understanding of their inherent uncertainty. You should consult our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including the information set forth under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q) for additional detail about factors that could affect our financial and other results.
About Yum China Holdings, Inc.
Yum China is the largest restaurant company in China with a mission to make every life taste beautiful. The Company has over 400,000 employees and operates over 13,000 restaurants under six brands across 1,900 cities in China. KFC and Pizza Hut are the leading brands in the quick-service and casual dining restaurant spaces in China, respectively. Taco Bell offers innovative Mexican-inspired food. Yum China has also partnered with Lavazza to develop the Lavazza coffee concept in China. Little Sheep and Huang Ji Huang specialize in Chinese cuisine. Yum China has a world-class, digitalized supply chain which includes an extensive network of logistics centers nationwide and an in-house supply chain management system. Its strong digital capabilities and loyalty program enable the Company to reach customers faster and serve them better. Yum China is a Fortune 500 company with the vision to be the world's most innovative pioneer in the restaurant industry. For more information, please visit http://ir.yumchina.com.
In this press release:
- The Company provides certain percentage changes excluding the impact of foreign currency translation ("F/X"). These amounts are derived by translating current year results at prior year average exchange rates. We believe the elimination of the F/X impact provides better year-to-year comparability without the distortion of foreign currency fluctuations.
- System sales growth reflects the results of all restaurants regardless of ownership, including Company-owned, franchise and unconsolidated affiliate restaurants that operate our restaurant concepts, except for non-Company-owned restaurants for which we do not receive a sales-based royalty. Sales of franchise and unconsolidated affiliate restaurants typically generate ongoing franchise fees for the Company at an average rate of approximately 6% of system sales. Franchise and unconsolidated affiliate restaurant sales are not included in Company sales in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income; however, the franchise fees are included in the Company's revenues. We believe system sales growth is useful to investors as a significant indicator of the overall strength of our business as it incorporates all of our revenue drivers, Company and franchise same-store sales as well as net unit growth.
- Effective January 1, 2018, the Company revised its definition of same-store sales growth to represent the estimated percentage change in sales of food of all restaurants in the Company system that have been open prior to the first day of our prior fiscal year, excluding the period during which stores are temporarily closed. We refer to these as our "base" stores. Previously, same-store sales growth represented the estimated percentage change in sales of all restaurants in the Company system that have been open for one year or more, including stores temporarily closed, and the base stores changed on a rolling basis from month to month. This revision was made to align with how management measures performance internally and focuses on trends of a more stable base of stores.
- Company sales represent revenues from Company-owned restaurants. Company Restaurant profit ("Restaurant profit") is defined as Company sales less expenses incurred directly by our Company-owned restaurants in generating Company sales, including cost of food and paper, restaurant-level payroll and employee benefits, rent, depreciation and amortization of restaurant-level assets, advertising expenses, and other operating expenses. Company restaurant margin percentage is defined as Restaurant profit divided by Company sales.
- Certain comparative items in the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been reclassified to conform to the current period's presentation to facilitate comparison.
Reconciliation of Reported GAAP Results to Non-GAAP Adjusted Measures
(in millions, except per share data)
(unaudited)
In addition to the results provided in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP") in this press release, the Company provides non-GAAP measures adjusted for Special Items, which include Adjusted Operating Profit, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Earnings Per Common Share ("EPS"), Adjusted Effective Tax Rate and Adjusted EBITDA, which we define as net income including noncontrolling interests adjusted for equity in net earnings (losses) from equity method investments, income tax, interest income, net, investment gain or loss, certain non-cash expenses, consisting of depreciation and amortization as well as store impairment charges, and Special Items. We also use Restaurant profit and Restaurant margin (as defined above) for the purposes of internally evaluating the performance of our Company-owned restaurants and we believe Restaurant profit and Restaurant margin provide useful information to investors as to the profitability of our Company-owned restaurants.
The following table set forth the reconciliation of the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures to the non-GAAP adjusted financial measures. The reconciliation of GAAP Operating Profit to Restaurant Profit is presented in Segment Results within this release.
Net income, along with the reconciliation to Adjusted EBITDA, is presented below:
Details of Special Items are presented below:
(1) In February 2020, the Company granted Partner PSU Awards to select employees who were deemed critical to the Company's execution of its strategic operating plan. These PSU awards will only vest if threshold performance goals are achieved over a four-year performance period, with the payout ranging from 0% to 200% of the target number of shares subject to the PSU awards. Partner PSU Awards were granted to address increased competition for executive talent, motivate transformational performance and encourage management retention. Given the unique nature of these grants, the Compensation Committee does not intend to grant similar, special grants to the same employees during the performance period. The impact from these special awards is excluded from metrics that management uses to assess the Company's performance.
(2) The tax expense was determined based upon the nature, as well as the jurisdiction, of each Special Item at the applicable tax rate.
The Company excludes impact from Special Items for the purpose of evaluating performance internally. Special Items are not included in any of our segment results. In addition, the Company provides Adjusted EBITDA because we believe that investors and analysts may find it useful in measuring operating performance without regard to items such as equity in net earnings (losses) from equity method investments, income tax, interest income, net, investment gain or loss, depreciation and amortization, store impairment charges, and Special Items. Store impairment charges included as an adjustment item in Adjusted EBITDA primarily resulted from our semi-annual impairment evaluation of long-lived assets of individual restaurants, and additional impairment evaluation whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the assets may not be recoverable. If these restaurant-level assets were not impaired, depreciation of the assets would have been recorded and included in EBITDA. Therefore, store impairment charges were a non-cash item similar to depreciation and amortization of our long-lived assets of restaurants. The Company believes that investors and analyst may find it useful in measuring operating performance without regard to such non-cash item.
These adjusted measures are not intended to replace the presentation of our financial results in accordance with GAAP. Rather, the Company believes that the presentation of these adjusted measures provides additional information to investors to facilitate the comparison of past and present results, excluding those items that the Company does not believe are indicative of our ongoing operations due to their nature.
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SOURCE Yum China Holdings, Inc.
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Boston suspect arrested for allegedly stealing car with toddler inside: police
Boston police said Mendes was arrested in the South End on Monday
A Massachusetts suspect has been arrested for allegedly stealing a pickup truck with a child inside this month.
Boston resident Cristofanes Mendes, 33, was charged with assault by means of a dangerous weapon and larceny of a motor vehicle on Monday morning. He was arrested without incident.
The Boston Police Department reported that they located Mendes in the South End of Boston at around 10:30 a.m. on Monday. The suspect was in the vicinity of Massachusetts Avenue and Chesterton Street in Roxbury.
The pickup truck theft took place on July 14 in Dorchester. A family told police that they pulled over near Geneva Avenue to take care of their 2-year-old child, but the suspect jumped into their vehicle and sped down the road.
MASSACHUSETTS MAN PLOTTED $10K MURDER-FOR-HIRE SCHEME TO KILL WIFE, PROSECUTORS SAY
The suspect eventually came back and dropped off the child, who was sitting in the car seat.
"Moments later, the suspect returned to 430 Geneva Ave. and placed the infant, who was still in the car seat, on the sidewalk," Boston Police Department said in a previous press release. "The suspect then fled in the stolen truck toward Bowdoin St."
PILOT OF PLANE THAT CRASH LANDED AT MARTHA'S VINEYARD AIRPORT DIES
"The infant was reunited with the parents and Boston EMS responded to evaluate the infant," police added.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The truck was later located at 156 Columbia Road. Police had asked for the public's help in locating the suspect.
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https://www.foxnews.com/us/boston-suspect-arrested-allegedly-stealing-car-toddler-inside-police
| 2023-07-31T21:54:49
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Delivered record-breaking second quarter performance in Total Revenues, Operating Profit and net new adds
Total Revenues up 25%; System Sales grew 32% in constant currency; Operating Profit increased 216%
Store openings accelerated, 655 net new adds in the first half, on track for full-year net new store target
SHANGHAI, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Yum China Holdings, Inc. (the "Company" or "Yum China") (NYSE: YUMC and HKEX: 9987) today reported unaudited results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023.
Second Quarter Highlights
- Total revenues increased 25% year over year to $2.65 billion from $2.13 billion (a 32% increase excluding foreign currency translation ("F/X")).
- Total system sales increased 32% year over year, with increases of 32% at KFC and 30% at Pizza Hut, excluding F/X. Growth was mainly attributable to same-store sales, new unit contribution and lapping of temporary store closures in the prior year.
- Same-store sales increased 15% year over year, with increases of 15% at KFC and 13% at Pizza Hut, excluding F/X.
- Opened 422 net new stores during the quarter; total store count reached 13,602, as of June 30, 2023.
- Operating Profit increased 216% year over year to $257 million from $81 million (a 228% increase excluding F/X), primarily driven by sales leveraging and margin expansion.
- Adjusted Operating Profit increased 215% year over year to $259 million from $82 million (a 227% increase excluding F/X).
- Restaurant margin was 16.1%, compared with 12.1% in the prior year period.
- Effective tax rate was 24.7%.
- Net Income increased 138% to $197 million from $83 million in the prior year period, primarily due to the increase in Operating Profit.
- Adjusted Net Income increased 137% to $199 million from $84 million in the prior year period (a 207% increase excluding the net loss of $9 million in the second quarter of 2023 and net gain of $16 million in the second quarter of 2022, from the mark-to-market equity investment in Meituan; a 219% increase if further excluding F/X).
- Diluted EPS increased 135% to $0.47 from $0.20 in the prior year period.
- Adjusted Diluted EPS increased 135% to $0.47 from $0.20 in the prior year period (a 206% increase excluding the net loss from the mark-to-market equity investments in the second quarter of 2023 and net gain in the second quarter of 2022; a 219% increase if further excluding F/X).
Key Financial Results
CEO and CFO Comments
Joey Wat, CEO of Yum China, commented, "We achieved outstanding results, delivering substantial growth in the top-line and bottom-line, in the second quarter, thanks to our teams' dedication and creativity. This once again demonstrates our anti-fragile business model and ability to capture opportunities in good times and stay resilient in bad times. Our innovative products and compelling value captured customer demand and drove double-digit same-store sales growth. KFC's "K-zza" and Pizza Hut's new menu items were hugely popular. Our exciting campaign with Genshin Impact and fun toy offerings with Sanrio and Pokemon spurred strong demand and brought consumers moments of joy. We registered record daily transactions of 8.5 million on Children's Day. Our amazing operations team, robust end-to-end digital capabilities and agile supply chain enabled us to flexibly handle surges in customer traffic through holiday periods and special marketing campaigns, while maintaining consistent quality and customer service. As a result of these collective efforts, our operating profit for the first half of this year already exceeded the entire year of 2022."
Wat continued, "We accelerated the pace of new store openings in the second quarter and celebrated two milestones. Pizza Hut surpassed 3,000 stores in China and KFC exceeded 500 stores in Shanghai alone. With 655 net new stores in the first half of 2023, we are on track to meet our expansion goals for the year. Importantly, new store payback periods remain healthy. Furthermore, we see abundant white space in China. With a presence in 1,900 cities, we are still tracking over 800 cities without a KFC. Similarly, Pizza Hut has a great potential for expanding its footprint. With our flexible store formats, we continue to expand addressable markets across city tiers. By actively pursuing our RGM (Resilience-Growth-Moat) strategy and leveraging our industry-leading strengths, we are confident in our ability to capture long-term growth opportunities."
Andy Yeung, CFO of Yum China, added, "We delivered record second-quarter revenues and profits, despite challenging macro conditions and an uptick of COVID infections during the quarter. When customer demand softened in May, we adjusted nimbly to address consumer needs, captured holiday spending and successfully regained sales momentum. Sales growth and proactive cost structure rebasing helped us improve operating leverage, expanding restaurant margins and delivering record operating profit in the quarter. Even though same-store sales remained below 2019 levels, our revenue in the second quarter has increased by 25% and operating profits have risen by 26% compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019."
"As we move into the third quarter, driving sales remains our top priority. We have lined up exciting marketing campaigns and resources to seize sales opportunities in the peak summer season. Our efforts on efficiency improvement and cost structure rebasing should continue to benefit profitability in the long run. But, it is worth noting that last year's record third-quarter restaurant margins set a relatively high benchmark, due to austerity measures and temporary reliefs. We will continue to stay agile through evolving market conditions, expand our store network and fortify our competitive moat to drive sustainable long-term growth," Yeung concluded.
Share Repurchases and Dividends
- During the second quarter, the Company repurchased approximately 1 million shares of Yum China common stock for $62 million at an average price of $60.23 per share. As of June 30, 2023, approximately $1 billion remained available for future share repurchases under the current authorization.
- The Board declared a cash dividend of $0.13 per share on Yum China's common stock, payable on September 18, 2023 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on August 28, 2023.
Digital and Delivery
- The KFC and Pizza Hut loyalty programs exceeded 445 million members combined, as of quarter-end. Member sales accounted for approximately 66% of system sales in the second quarter of 2023.
- Delivery contributed approximately 35% of KFC and Pizza Hut's Company sales in the second quarter of 2023, a decrease of 3% compared with the prior year period.
- Digital orders, including delivery, mobile orders and kiosk orders, accounted for approximately 90% of KFC and Pizza Hut's Company sales in the second quarter of 2023.
New-Unit Development and Asset Upgrade
- The Company opened 422 net new stores in the second quarter of 2023, mainly driven by development of the KFC and Pizza Hut brands.
- The Company remodeled 171 stores in the second quarter of 2023.
Restaurant Margin
- Restaurant margin was 16.1% in the second quarter of 2023 compared with 12.1% in the prior year period, driven primarily by sales leveraging and ongoing benefits of cost structure rebasing efforts; partially offset by lapping austerity measures in the prior year, higher promotion costs, and wage inflation.
2023 Outlook
The Company's fiscal year 2023 targets remain unchanged:
- To open approximately 1,100 to 1,300 net new stores.
- To make capital expenditures in the range of approximately $700 million to $900 million.
Company Updates
- On July 17, 2023, the Company announced the appointment of Mr. David Hoffmann to the Board of the Directors. With this appointment, the Board is now comprised of 10 directors, nine of whom are independent.
Note on Non-GAAP Measures
Reported GAAP results include Special Items, which are excluded from non-GAAP adjusted measures. Special Items are not allocated to any segment and therefore only impact reported GAAP results of Yum China. See "Reconciliation of Reported GAAP Results to Non-GAAP Adjusted Measures" within this release. In addition, for the non-GAAP measures of Restaurant profit and Restaurant margin, see "Reconciliation of GAAP Operating Profit to Restaurant Profit" under "Segment Results" within this release.
Conference Call
Yum China's management will hold an earnings conference call at 8:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on Monday, July 31, 2023 (8:00 a.m. Beijing/Hong Kong Time on Tuesday, August 1, 2023).
A live webcast of the call may be accessed at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/4rchbbk4/.
To join by phone, please register in advance of the conference through the link provided below. Upon registering, you will be provided with participant dial-in numbers, a passcode and a unique access PIN.
Pre-registration Link: https://s1.c-conf.com/diamondpass/10031360-wcv829.html
A replay of the conference call will be available one hour after the call ends until Tuesday, August 8, 2023 and may be accessed by phone at the following numbers:
Additionally, this earnings release, the accompanying slides, as well as the live and archived webcast of this conference call will be available at Yum China's Investor Relations website at http://ir.yumchina.com.
For important news and information regarding Yum China, including our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, visit Yum China's Investor Relations website at http://ir.yumchina.com. Yum China uses this website as a primary channel for disclosing key information to its investors, some of which may contain material and previously non-public information.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including under "2023 Outlook." We intend all forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and by the use of forward-looking words such as "expect," "expectation," "believe," "anticipate," "may," "could," "intend," "belief," "plan," "estimate," "target," "predict," "project," "likely," "will," "continue," "should," "forecast," "outlook," "commit" or similar terminology. These statements are based on current estimates and assumptions made by us in light of our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that we believe are appropriate and reasonable under the circumstances, but there can be no assurance that such estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the future strategies, growth, business plans, investment, dividend and share repurchase plans, earnings, performance and returns of Yum China, anticipated effects of population and macroeconomic trends, the expected impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, pace of recovery of Yum China's business, the anticipated effects of our innovation, digital and delivery capabilities and investments on growth and beliefs regarding the long-term drivers of Yum China's business. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance and are inherently subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and could cause our actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by those statements. We cannot assure you that any of our expectations, estimates or assumptions will be achieved. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are only made as of the date of this press release, and we disclaim any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law. Numerous factors could cause our actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: whether we are able to achieve development goals at the times and in the amounts currently anticipated, if at all, the success of our marketing campaigns and product innovation, our ability to maintain food safety and quality control systems, changes in public health conditions, including the COVID-19 pandemic, our ability to control costs and expenses, including tax costs, as well as changes in political, economic and regulatory conditions in China. In addition, other risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe to be immaterial could affect the accuracy of any such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements should be evaluated with the understanding of their inherent uncertainty. You should consult our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including the information set forth under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q) for additional detail about factors that could affect our financial and other results.
About Yum China Holdings, Inc.
Yum China is the largest restaurant company in China with a mission to make every life taste beautiful. The Company has over 400,000 employees and operates over 13,000 restaurants under six brands across 1,900 cities in China. KFC and Pizza Hut are the leading brands in the quick-service and casual dining restaurant spaces in China, respectively. Taco Bell offers innovative Mexican-inspired food. Yum China has also partnered with Lavazza to develop the Lavazza coffee concept in China. Little Sheep and Huang Ji Huang specialize in Chinese cuisine. Yum China has a world-class, digitalized supply chain which includes an extensive network of logistics centers nationwide and an in-house supply chain management system. Its strong digital capabilities and loyalty program enable the Company to reach customers faster and serve them better. Yum China is a Fortune 500 company with the vision to be the world's most innovative pioneer in the restaurant industry. For more information, please visit http://ir.yumchina.com.
In this press release:
- The Company provides certain percentage changes excluding the impact of foreign currency translation ("F/X"). These amounts are derived by translating current year results at prior year average exchange rates. We believe the elimination of the F/X impact provides better year-to-year comparability without the distortion of foreign currency fluctuations.
- System sales growth reflects the results of all restaurants regardless of ownership, including Company-owned, franchise and unconsolidated affiliate restaurants that operate our restaurant concepts, except for non-Company-owned restaurants for which we do not receive a sales-based royalty. Sales of franchise and unconsolidated affiliate restaurants typically generate ongoing franchise fees for the Company at an average rate of approximately 6% of system sales. Franchise and unconsolidated affiliate restaurant sales are not included in Company sales in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income; however, the franchise fees are included in the Company's revenues. We believe system sales growth is useful to investors as a significant indicator of the overall strength of our business as it incorporates all of our revenue drivers, Company and franchise same-store sales as well as net unit growth.
- Effective January 1, 2018, the Company revised its definition of same-store sales growth to represent the estimated percentage change in sales of food of all restaurants in the Company system that have been open prior to the first day of our prior fiscal year, excluding the period during which stores are temporarily closed. We refer to these as our "base" stores. Previously, same-store sales growth represented the estimated percentage change in sales of all restaurants in the Company system that have been open for one year or more, including stores temporarily closed, and the base stores changed on a rolling basis from month to month. This revision was made to align with how management measures performance internally and focuses on trends of a more stable base of stores.
- Company sales represent revenues from Company-owned restaurants. Company Restaurant profit ("Restaurant profit") is defined as Company sales less expenses incurred directly by our Company-owned restaurants in generating Company sales, including cost of food and paper, restaurant-level payroll and employee benefits, rent, depreciation and amortization of restaurant-level assets, advertising expenses, and other operating expenses. Company restaurant margin percentage is defined as Restaurant profit divided by Company sales.
- Certain comparative items in the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been reclassified to conform to the current period's presentation to facilitate comparison.
Reconciliation of Reported GAAP Results to Non-GAAP Adjusted Measures
(in millions, except per share data)
(unaudited)
In addition to the results provided in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP") in this press release, the Company provides non-GAAP measures adjusted for Special Items, which include Adjusted Operating Profit, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Earnings Per Common Share ("EPS"), Adjusted Effective Tax Rate and Adjusted EBITDA, which we define as net income including noncontrolling interests adjusted for equity in net earnings (losses) from equity method investments, income tax, interest income, net, investment gain or loss, certain non-cash expenses, consisting of depreciation and amortization as well as store impairment charges, and Special Items. We also use Restaurant profit and Restaurant margin (as defined above) for the purposes of internally evaluating the performance of our Company-owned restaurants and we believe Restaurant profit and Restaurant margin provide useful information to investors as to the profitability of our Company-owned restaurants.
The following table set forth the reconciliation of the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures to the non-GAAP adjusted financial measures. The reconciliation of GAAP Operating Profit to Restaurant Profit is presented in Segment Results within this release.
Net income, along with the reconciliation to Adjusted EBITDA, is presented below:
Details of Special Items are presented below:
(1) In February 2020, the Company granted Partner PSU Awards to select employees who were deemed critical to the Company's execution of its strategic operating plan. These PSU awards will only vest if threshold performance goals are achieved over a four-year performance period, with the payout ranging from 0% to 200% of the target number of shares subject to the PSU awards. Partner PSU Awards were granted to address increased competition for executive talent, motivate transformational performance and encourage management retention. Given the unique nature of these grants, the Compensation Committee does not intend to grant similar, special grants to the same employees during the performance period. The impact from these special awards is excluded from metrics that management uses to assess the Company's performance.
(2) The tax expense was determined based upon the nature, as well as the jurisdiction, of each Special Item at the applicable tax rate.
The Company excludes impact from Special Items for the purpose of evaluating performance internally. Special Items are not included in any of our segment results. In addition, the Company provides Adjusted EBITDA because we believe that investors and analysts may find it useful in measuring operating performance without regard to items such as equity in net earnings (losses) from equity method investments, income tax, interest income, net, investment gain or loss, depreciation and amortization, store impairment charges, and Special Items. Store impairment charges included as an adjustment item in Adjusted EBITDA primarily resulted from our semi-annual impairment evaluation of long-lived assets of individual restaurants, and additional impairment evaluation whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the assets may not be recoverable. If these restaurant-level assets were not impaired, depreciation of the assets would have been recorded and included in EBITDA. Therefore, store impairment charges were a non-cash item similar to depreciation and amortization of our long-lived assets of restaurants. The Company believes that investors and analyst may find it useful in measuring operating performance without regard to such non-cash item.
These adjusted measures are not intended to replace the presentation of our financial results in accordance with GAAP. Rather, the Company believes that the presentation of these adjusted measures provides additional information to investors to facilitate the comparison of past and present results, excluding those items that the Company does not believe are indicative of our ongoing operations due to their nature.
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SOURCE Yum China Holdings, Inc.
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Pipeline operators agree to $12.5M payout for Montana, North Dakota oil spills
Penalties for Belle Fourche, Bridger LLC to resolve claims related to Clean Water Act, Pipeline Safety Laws
Two pipeline operators have agreed to pay a $12.5 million civil penalty related to crude oil spills in Montana and North Dakota.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday announced the settlement in a 2022 federal court lawsuit. Belle Fourche Pipeline Company and Bridger Pipeline LLC will pay the $12.5 million to resolve the claims made under the Clean Water Act and Pipeline Safety Laws, EPA said. The affiliated companies own and operate oil pipelines in Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming.
In 2015, Bridger's Poplar Pipeline broke and spilled more than 50,000 gallons of crude into the Yellowstone River near Glendive, Montana. Bridger has completed cleanup of the site, and in 2021 settled a lawsuit with federal and Montana authorities for $2 million.
In 2016, Belle Fourche's Bicentennial Pipeline in Billings County, North Dakota, broke due to a landslide and spilled over 600,000 gallons of oil, impacting an unnamed tributary, Ash Coulee Creek and the Little Missouri River. Belle Fourche's cleanup is ongoing with oversight from North Dakota's Department of Environmental Quality, according to EPA.
Belle Fourche also will pay the state's past response costs, totaling over $98,000, according to court documents filed Monday.
"Oil pipeline spills can cause enormous and long-lasting damage to the environment," Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator Larry Starfield of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance said in a statement. "This settlement holds Belle Fourche and Bridger Pipeline accountable for their significant oil spills and requires them to take meaningful measures to prevent future spills from their oil pipelines."
The operators also are required to implement specified compliance measures, in addition to the civil penalty.
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Belle Fourche and Bridger are owned by Wyoming-based True Companies, whose spokesman, when reached by email, did not have an immediate comment on the agreement.
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https://www.foxnews.com/us/pipeline-operators-agree-12-5m-payout-montana-north-dakota-oil-spills
| 2023-07-31T21:54:55
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Princeton University student pleads guilty to joining mob's Jan. 6 attack on Capitol
22-year-old was seen encouraging other rioters to join assault on police officers
A man who was a Princeton University student when the FBI arrested him on charges related to the U.S. Capitol riot pleaded guilty on Monday to joining a mob's attack on police officers during one of the most violent clashes on Jan. 6, 2021.
Larry Fife Giberson was on the front lines when rioters attacked police officers in a tunnel on the Capitol's Lower West Terrace. Giberson, 22, of Manahawkin, New Jersey, waved other rioters into the tunnel and then joined in a coordinated push against officers guarding an entrance to the building, according to a court filing.
Giberson tried in vain to start a chant of "Drag them out!" and then cheered on rioters using weapons and pepper spray against police in the tunnel, according to an FBI’s agent affidavit. Giberson remained in the area for roughly an hour, the affidavit says.
Giberson pleaded guilty to a felony charge of interfering with police during a civil disorder, court records show. U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols is scheduled to sentence him on Nov. 1. The judge allowed him to remain free until his sentencing.
Giberson was enrolled at Princeton as an undergraduate when he was arrested in March on riot-related charges. On Monday, a university spokesperson declined to answer questions about Giberson’s enrollment status.
GOP MICHIGAN GOVERNOR CANDIDATE PLEADS GUILTY TO JAN. 6 MISDEMEANOR CHARGE
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Charles Burnham, an attorney for Giberson, didn't immediately respond to emails and a telephone call seeking comment.
Giberson was wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat and a Trump flag around his neck when he joined the Jan. 6 attack, which disrupted the joint session of Congress for certifying President Joe Biden's electoral victory over Donald Trump.
The FBI posted images of Giberson on social media to seek the public’s help in identifying him. Online sleuths also posted images of Giberson using the "#DragThemOut" hashtag moniker.
Investigators matched photos of Giberson from the Capitol to several images found on Instagram and Princeton University’s website, according to the FBI.
Approximately 1,100 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Capitol riot. More than 600 of them have pleaded guilty. Over 100 others have been convicted by judges or juries after trials in Washington, D.C.
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| 2023-07-31T21:55:01
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Colts camp observations: Unheralded CB makes plays, LBs hit hard, Richardson sits
WESTFIELD — The Colts cornerback room remains remarkably young and inexperienced beyond the steady play of veteran Kenny Moore II, and two of the rookies expected to compete for playing time, JuJu Brents and Darius Rush, have been unable to practice because of injury early in training camp.
A little-known undrafted free agent Indianapolis picked up from Arizona early in the season last year is trying to take advantage of the extra snaps.
Offered a chance to play with the starters consistently, Darrell Baker Jr. made two nice plays on Monday, attacking and breaking up short routes to Alec Pierce and Michael Pittman Jr. during the team’s 7-on-7 period of practice.
Baker Jr. started turning heads on the practice squad last season, and he played 14 snaps on special teams in the team’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings after being activated late in the year. When Indianapolis general manager Chris Ballard decided to go young at the cornerback position this offseason, it opened opportunities for a lot of players, and Baker Jr. is trying to take advantage.
“D.J.’s done an excellent job,” Colts defensive backs coach Ron Milus said. “He’s come a long way from a guy that, I didn’t really know who he was. … Right now, he’s playing with our 1s at times, him and Tony Brown. With what we’ve got going on with injuries, it’ll kind of go back and forth between them.”
Brown is also Moore II’s backup in the nickel.
Baker’s shaping up to be one of the surprises with a chance to make the roster.
“Darrell’s got really good speed, and really good cover skills,” Colts head coach Shane Steichen said. “We’re excited about where he’s at.”
Richardson restless
Rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson couldn’t practice on Monday.
The rookie Colts quarterback underwent a procedure to fix his nasal septum, an injury that’s unclear when it occurred. Steichen offered few details on the genesis of Richardson’s procedure.
“It was just something he had to get done in there,” Steichen said. “Just so he could breathe better. We didn’t want him to come in and not start camp, so let’s let him get through the camp and do it on an off day.”
Richardson had trouble staying out of practice entirely, though. The rookie quarterback went through stretches with the rest of the team, and he handed off to the running backs in positional drills before taking a spot behind the offense, right next to quarterbacks coach Cam Turner.
“He was definitely in tune out there at practice, going through his reads in the back,” Steichen said. “It’s not a big concern at all. Should be out there tomorrow, and worse-case scenario, he’ll be out there the next day.”
Linebackers laying the wood
The Colts put pads on Monday for the first time in training camp, and even though Shaquille Leonard was held out of 11-on-11 work — part of the team’s plan to ease the All-Pro linebacker back to full contact — the Indianapolis linebackers made their presence felt early and often.
Veteran Zaire Franklin lit up running back Zack Moss on the third play of the practice, added another big hit in 7-on-7 and set the tone for a linebacking group that made its presence felt.
E.J. Speed made three plays in four snaps during one 11-on-11 period, including a hard hit on Moss, and ended his day by delivering another hard shot to running back Deon Jackson. Segun Olubi smacked tight end Will Mallory on the sidelines on the rookie’s first catch of camp, then came free on a blitz to “sack” Sam Ehlinger on the final series — defenders can’t actually hit the quarterbacks during training camp.
Fellow linebackers Grant Stuard and JoJo Domann appeared to combine for another sack of Ehlinger early in the practice.
More:Colts RB Zack Moss will likely miss six weeks with broken arm
Injury report
Moss will likely miss six weeks after suffering a broken arm during Monday’s practice.
An injury also forced second-year tight end Jelani Woods to stop practicing early, although Woods did not leave the field. Woods was seen stretching and being examined by trainers early in the practice, wore a wrap on his left leg later and did not return to action.
“I think he’s got a little hamstring,” Steichen said. “I’ve got to get more details on it.”
Rookie tackle Jake Witt (hip) has missed the last two days of practice, joining a list of injured players that includes Brents (hamstring), Rush (shoulder), strong safety Julian Blackmon (hamstring) and defensive end Samson Ebukam (hamstring).
Running back Jonathan Taylor and defensive end Tyquan Lewis (knee) remain on the active/physically unable to perform list, but the Colts got Mallory back from an offseason foot injury, and the fifth-round pick caught a pass in 11-on-11 work.
“Getting him off PUP and getting him some reps, especially individual reps, it’s been good to see him out there,” Steichen said.
Quick hitters
Gardner Minshew completed 6 of 7 passes Monday, hitting Moss three times before the injury, Pittman Jr., Deon Jackson and Drew Ogletree. … Wide receivers coach and resident legend Reggie Wayne took a tumble in positional drills, getting knocked on his back while holding a blocking pad, prompting a laugh from the crowd. Wayne took it good-naturedly, then jokingly threw down the pad at the end of the drill. … A couple of kids kept screaming “hit the Griddy” at Jackson after one long run during practice, and the third-year back eventually obliged, doing a step or two of the popular dance before sprinting back to the huddle. … Kickers Matt Gay and Lucas Havrisik traded field goals for the first time in an official practice, the veteran making all five of his attempts and Havrisik making four.
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SAN FRANCISCO – A brightly flashing “X” sign has been removed from the San Francisco headquarters of the company formerly known as Twitter just days after it was installed.
The San Francisco Department of Building Inspection said Monday it received 24 complaints about the unpermitted structure over the weekend. Complaints included concerns about its structural safety and illumination.
The Elon Musk-owned company, which has been rebranded as X, had removed the Twitter sign and iconic blue bird logo from the building last week. That work was temporarily paused because the company did not have the necessary permits. For a time, the “er” at the end of “Twitter” remained up due to the abrupt halt of the sign takedown.
The city of San Francisco had opened a complaint and launched an investigation into the giant “X” sign, which was installed Friday on top of the downtown building as Musk continues his rebrand of the social media platform.
The chaotic rebrand of Twitter's building signage is similar to the haphazard way in which the Twitter platform is being turned into X. While the X logo has replaced Twitter on many parts of the site and app, remnants of Twitter remain.
Representatives for X did not immediately respond to a message for comment Monday.
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If the impasse continues: Possible trade destinations for Colts running back Jonathan Taylor
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor has requested a trade and hasn't practiced at training camp. Colts owner Jim Irsay says he won't trade Taylor.
Taylor is in the final season of his rookie contract, so the Colts hold the leverage in this dispute. However, if the impasse continues, would it be good for both sides if the team moves Taylor?
If so, here are some trade destinations that may make sense.
Deal:What should a contract extension for Colts RB Jonathan Taylor look like?
Recent deals:Here's what Indianapolis could get for the RB
Chicago Bears
Current RBs: D'Onta Freeman, Khalil Herbert, Roschon Johnson.
Bears coach Matt Eberflus was the Colts defensive coordinator in Taylor's first two seasons, so they're familiar with each other. They have more salary cap space than most teams in the next couple of years. Also, Taylor would take pressure off quarterback Justin Fields.
New England Patriots
Current RBs: Rhamondre Stevenson, Ty Montgomery, Pierre Strong Jr.
Though Stevenson had a strong 2022 season, New England has shown interest in free agent running backs. Adding Taylor would give the Patriots a 1-2 punch that takes pressure off quarterback Mac Jones.
Miami Dolphins
Current RBs: Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson Jr., Devon Achane
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel has said he likes the possibility of adding free agent Dalvin Cook, but if Cook winds up somewhere else, McDaniel would welcome a back who has carried the load for a team. Miami has several breakaway receivers, but it ranked near the bottom of the NFL in rushing last season.
Buffalo Bills
Current RBs: James Cook, Damien Harris, Latavius Murray
The Bills believe a top-flight running back is the piece that could launch them past the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC. Also, they have lost a weapon with Nyheim Hines' injury. Quarterback Josh Allen was Buffalo's second-leading rusher in 2022.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Current RBs: Rachaad White, Ke'Shawn Vaughn, Chase Edmonds
The Buccaneers were the NFL's worst rushing team in 2022 and need something to bolster an offense led by quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask.
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ORLANDO, Fla. – An 85-year-old man was reported missing on Monday after leaving his home in Orlando, according to the police department.
Police said Luis Alvarado, 85, was last seen leaving his apartment near 1700 Mercy Drive on Sunday.
He was wearing a yellow shirt and slacks while carrying a duffel, a release from the department shows. The release states that Alvarado often visits the Mercy Market and CITGO nearby.
MISSING: Luis Alvarado, 85 yrs old, was last seen leaving his apartment in the area of 1700 Mercy Dr. on 7/30 wearing a yellow shirt & slacks & carrying a duffle bag. He frequently visits the Mercy Market & CITGO in the area. His family is worried they haven't heard from him. pic.twitter.com/UpO2IDxZC2
— Orlando Police (@OrlandoPolice) July 31, 2023
According to police, Alvarado’s family is worried because they haven’t heard from him.
Anyone with information on Alvarado’s whereabouts can contact the police department at 407-246-2121.
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VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – A series of forums is kicking off Monday night to teach Volusia County parents and guardians what internet trends they should be looking out for on their kids’ phones and what they can do to get ahead of an issue. The series comes after multiple arrests of adults meeting juveniles through cell phone apps and a rise in teens getting arrested for trends they see on social media.
“The kids aren’t going to stop. The parents have to be, and I’ll use the term, ‘helicopter parents.’ If you’re going to give your kid a cell phone then you need to know everything that’s going on with that cell phone,” said Sheriff Mike Chitwood.
Chitwood said his team of child exploitation experts and DCF investigators will run the forums over the next month, showing parents and guardians exactly what their kids may be hiding from them and how to find it.
“There’s so much out there that we as parents and grandparents just do not know because we didn’t grow up with this. They do. They know all about this stuff, they know how to hide stuff from you,” said Chitwood.
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The sheriff said he saw the need for this after a 29-year-old man was arrested earlier this month. He’s accused of traveling to Deltona to meet and have sex with a 12-year-old.
The sheriff said the two had already met up on multiple occasions and met through an app called Wink.
“This Wink app, we’ll just pick on that one, that was described as the ‘Tinder for teenagers,’” said Chitwood.
On top of predators, Chitwood said his investigators are seeing swatting and prank call trends getting kids in trouble.
Just last week, an 11-year-old Port Orange girl was arrested after making a fake 911 call, claiming her friend was kidnapped as part of a challenge she saw on YouTube.
Now, with school around the corner, the Sheriff wants to curb the fake school shooting and bomb threat 911 calls they saw dozens of times last year and landed most of the students with felony charges.
“We want parents to understand that we want you to protect your child from putting themself in a place where they’re vulnerable and they can get injured, hurt or killed. At the same token, we want you to see what they can do on these apps that gets them arrested,” he said.
Here’s the full schedule of forums:
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| 2023-07-31T21:55:31
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SANFORD, Fla. – A woman was found dead with a zip tie around her neck at a home earlier this month, according to the department.
Police said they were called to a home along Saltmarsh Loop shortly after 2 p.m. on July 17 after receiving calls about an unconscious woman.
An incident report shows Joysee Cartagena, 49, was declared dead by paramedics. Police said fire crews removed the zip tie while trying to render aid.
No information has yet been provided about the cause of death or what led to the zip tie being placed on Cartagena’s neck.
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Officers said there is a possible person of interest in this case, but did not provide a name or what they may know about the woman’s death.
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| 2023-07-31T21:55:32
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said Monday that the state will proceed with this week's planned execution of a man who abducted and killed a 6-year-old girl nearly two decades ago, though the man's attorneys are still pressing claims he is mentally incompetent.
Johnny Johnson, 45, is scheduled to receive a lethal injection Tuesday evening for the July 26, 2022, fatal beating of Casey Williamson in her St. Louis County hometown of Valley Park.
Johnson's attorneys have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to halt the execution. They also asked that Parson grant clemency — reducing Johnson's sentence to life in prison — while asserting that Johnson's mental illness has left him incapable of understanding the connection between his actions and his execution.
Parson denied the clemency request. He noted that a variety of courts — including the original trial judge and 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals just days ago — have thus far rejected Johnson's incompetency claims.
“Johnny Johnson’s crime is one of the most horrific murders that has come across my desk,” Parson said in a statement. “Casey was an innocent young girl who bravely fought Johnson until he took her life."
Parson, a former sheriff, said he received “countless letters in the last few weeks seeking justice for Casey” and hopes that carrying out the execution “may provide some closure for Casey's loved ones.”
In a clemency petition, Johnson's attorneys said that Casey's father, Ernie Williamson, opposes the death penalty.
But other relatives urged the governor to let the execution go forward.
Casey's great aunt, Della Steele, sent a message to Parson emphasizing that Johnson could have turned back at any point but instead chose to abduct, assault and kill Casey and then literally covered up his crime. The grief from Casey's death led to destructive events in the lives of other family members, she wrote in the message, which she shared with The Associated Press.
“Please stand strong beside Casey,” Steele wrote. “Remove this threat from our presence. Send the message that it is not okay to terrorize and murder a child.”
Casey's mother had been best friends in childhood with Johnson's older sister and had even helped babysit him. When Johnson showed up at a barbecue, Casey's family let him sleep on a couch in the same house where they were spending the night.
In the morning, however, Johnson lured the girl out of the home to an abandoned glass factory, even carrying her on his shoulders on the walk. When he tried to sexually assault her, Casey screamed and tried to break free, according to court documents. He killed her with a brick and a large rock, then washed off in the nearby Meramec River. Johnson confessed to the crimes that same day.
After a search involving first responders and volunteers, Casey’s body was found in a pit not too far from her home, buried beneath rocks and debris.
At Johnson’s trial, defense lawyers presented testimony showing that he had stopped taking his schizophrenia medication and was acting strangely in the days before the slaying.
Johnson would be the fourth person executed this year in Missouri, and the 16th nationally.
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https://www.clickorlando.com/news/national/2023/07/31/missouri-governor-rejects-mercy-plea-from-man-set-to-be-executed-for-killing-6-year-old-girl/
| 2023-07-31T21:55:34
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is running as a Democrat against President Joe Biden, tells many stories on the campaign trail about himself, his life's work and what he stands for that are the opposite of what his record actually shows.
The Associated Press found that Kennedy's insistence that he is not anti-vaccine doesn't square with his long record of opposition to vaccines. His claims that he is a true Democrat inheriting the mantle of his famous family are contradicted by his alignment with far right figures and support from Republicans. And despite listing the environment as a campaign priority, he has pushed bitcoin — a cryptocurrency that requires massive amounts of electricity from supercomputers to generate new coins, prompting most environmental advocates to loudly oppose it.
Kennedy's campaign is widely considered a long shot, but it's gained media attention due to his famous name and the possibility that his run could weaken Biden ahead of what is expected to be a close general election in 2024.
The campaign didn't return emails seeking comment about the contradictions in his candidacy.
Here are the key takeaways from the AP’s reporting:
KENNEDY'S ANTI-VACCINE RECORD
Kennedy told a congressional committee this month: “I have never been anti-vaxx. I have never told the public to avoid vaccination.” But Kennedy has a long record of anti-vaccine comments and rose to public prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic through the work of his anti-vaccine group, Children's Health Defense.
Just this month, Kennedy said in a podcast interview that “There’s no vaccine that is safe and effective” and told FOX News that he still believes in the long-ago debunked idea that vaccines can cause autism. In a 2021 podcast, he recalled telling people on hiking trails not to get their children vaccinated.
That same year, Kennedy appeared in a video promoting an anti-vaccine sticker campaign by his nonprofit. A sticker shown beside him declared “IF YOU’RE NOT AN ANTI-VAXXER YOU AREN’T PAYING ATTENTION.”
The AP found that anti-vaccine activists are at the heart of Kennedy's campaign. FEC records show several people paid to work on the campaign previously worked for Children's Health Defense.
Kennedy has also received substantial support from the anti-vaccine community.
Children’s Health Defense currently has a lawsuit pending against a number of news organizations, among them The Associated Press, accusing them of violating antitrust laws by taking action to identify misinformation, including about COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines.
ASSOCIATION WITH FAR RIGHT HAS RAISED KENNEDY'S PROFILE
Kennedy is running as a Democrat, yet he has aligned himself with far right figures who have worked to subvert American democracy.
He has appeared on Infowars, the channel run by Sandy Hook conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. He has granted interviews to former President Donald Trump ally Steve Bannon and Tucker Carlson. After he headlined a stop on the ReAwaken America Tour, the Christian nationalist road show put together by former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn, he was photographed backstage with Flynn and Trump ally Roger Stone.
Those appearances have led to goodwill on the right. Trump supporters have floated a Trump-Kennedy unity ticket.
Kennedy’s run is also getting financial support from the right. A super PAC supporting Kennedy’s presidential run, called Heal the Divide PAC, has deep ties to Republicans, Federal Election Commission records show.
Kennedy denied knowing the PAC when it came up at a recent congressional hearing, but video available online shows he was a guest speaker at a Heal the Divide event just two days earlier.
SUPPORT FOR BITCOIN RUNS COUNTER TO ENVIRONMENTAL STANCE
Kennedy lists the environment as one of six top priorities on his campaign website and has spent many years speaking against pollution and climate change as an environmental lawyer. Yet he has made supporting the energy-intensive cryptocurrency bitcoin a key part of his platform.
Bitcoin mining, the process of generating new coins, uses massive amounts of electricity — more than some entire countries, experts say.
Kennedy has acknowledged the environmental downsides, but says he wouldn't let them hinder its use. He promotes the argument that demand for the cryptocurrency will boost investment in renewable energy projects.
Kennedy has invested between $100,001 and $250,000 in bitcoin, his financial disclosure documents show.
KENNEDY INVOKES HIS FAMOUS FAMILY, WHILE RELATIVES DENOUNCE HIM
Though Kennedy peppers his speeches, podcast appearances and campaign materials with invocations of the Democratic Party legacies of his uncle President John F. Kennedy and his father Robert F. Kennedy, his relatives have distanced themselves from him and even denounced him.
“He’s trading in on Camelot, celebrity, conspiracy theories and conflict for personal gain and fame,” Jack Schlossberg, President Kennedy’s grandson, said of his cousin in an Instagram video earlier this month. “I’ve listened to him. I know him. I have no idea why anyone thinks he should be president. What I do know is, his candidacy is an embarrassment.”
Kennedy’s recent comments that COVID-19 could have been “ethnically targeted” to spare Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people — which he denies were antisemitic but concedes he should have worded more carefully — also drew a condemnation from his sister, Kerry Kennedy.
___ The Associated Press receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about AP’s democracy initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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https://www.clickorlando.com/news/politics/2023/07/31/takeaways-from-aps-reporting-on-inconsistencies-in-rfk-jrs-record/
| 2023-07-31T21:55:50
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Donald Trump has scored a major victory in his efforts to reshape the mosaic of state Republican Party rules that determine the GOP presidential nominee.
The California Republican Party over the weekend voted overwhelmingly to approve a plan to award all of their 169 presidential delegates to a candidate that wins a majority of the vote in the state's March 5 primary.
That's a hurdle that Trump, who remains popular in the party and is the early frontrunner in the crowded 2024 GOP field, could clear.
If no candidate wins more than 50%-plus-one in California’s Super Tuesday primary, then the delegates will be awarded to candidates based on their share of the vote. The rule change passed on a 53-16 vote Saturday by the California GOP’s Executive Committee is much more favorable to a frontrunner than a proposal that the party was considering a few weeks ago.
Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung called it “a humiliating defeat” for Trump's strongest rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and the super PAC that's been heavily supporting his presidential campaign.
“We are pleased the California Republican Party readopted a Winner-Take-All provision, and we look forward to competing across California to win all of its delegates, just as President Trump did in 2016 and 2020," Cheung said in a statement.
DeSantis' campaign had said it was closely monitoring the delegate plans in the states, but a spokesman for the campaign did not respond to questions about their conversations with the California GOP.
Communications Director Andrew Romeo said: “We’re putting an organization together that can win in any state, in any format, anytime, and anywhere. Game on."
But Never Back Down, a super PAC supporting DeSantis’ campaign whose top advisors are schooled in the arts of delegate rules, was less sanguine.
“Smoke-filled back rooms do not reflect the will of or benefit voters in any state. Yet across the country games are afoot to enhance the potential outcome of primary elections for one former president who half of the Republican electorate no longer wants as the party leader," Ken Cuccinelli, the founder of Never Back Down, said in a statement. “Even with these asinine primary rules changes, we remain confident Governor DeSantis will become the Republican nominee and 47th president of the United States."
Never Back Down did not respond to a request to make Cuccinelli available for an interview.
California has more delegates to award than any other state, making its delegate haul valuable in the contest to win the majority of more than 2,000 Republican delegates and secure the party's nomination.
State parties set their rules governing how delegates are awarded based on the results of presidential caucuses and primaries, a process that Trump and his team have been working for years to influence.
The complex process repeatedly tripped up Trump’s 2016 campaign but after years of work by the former president himself and his advisers, the resulting system largely favors a frontrunner.
Many state Republican parties made changes to their rules ahead of the 2020 election by adding more winner-take-all contests and requiring candidates to earn higher percentages of the vote to claim any delegates.
As state parties this year are finalizing their delegate plans for 2024, California's proposal received heightened attention because of the number of delegates at stake.
The party was originally considering a plan earlier this month that could have potentially allowed a second-place finisher to collect more delegates.
The earlier proposal would not have allowed for a candidate to take all the delegates if they received a majority of the votes.
Instead, it split the 169 delegates into two groups. Of those, 156 of the delegates would be allocated based on the primary results in each of the state’s 52 congressional districts. The candidate who received the most votes in each district would receive two delegates, while the second-place candidate in the district would get one. The remaining 13 delegates would have been allocated to candidates based on the percentage of the statewide vote they won.
That proposal drew outrage from some Trump supporters on Twitter who cast it as a plot to harm Trump.
California Republican Party Chairwoman Jessica Millan Patterson said the initial proposal “was a starting point so that we could take the issue up," but dividing up the delegates proportionally incentivizes every candidate to campaign in California because they could be awarded their share of what they win.
“This is what primaries are for,” Patterson said. “I’m excited to see all of these candidates step up and either show us that they can take a portion or win the state on their own and to make that case to California voters."
Patterson declined to detail the specific input each campaign provided but said the party heard from campaigns beyond just those of Trump and DeSantis, along with supporters of the various candidates and potential delegates.
She said it was "a very open and transparent process,” with the party allowing for public comment and discussion during the final weekend vote and during an earlier meeting of the party's rules committee, which first passed the change.
“I feel good about where we ended up on Saturday, despite what some people might say," she said.
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https://www.clickorlando.com/news/politics/2023/07/31/trumps-early-work-to-set-rules-for-nominating-contest-notches-big-win-in-delegate-rich-california/
| 2023-07-31T21:55:56
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https://www.clickorlando.com/news/politics/2023/07/31/trumps-early-work-to-set-rules-for-nominating-contest-notches-big-win-in-delegate-rich-california/
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Dew points — a measure of humidity in the air — are way down compared to recent times and it could certainly be felt through a distinct lack of additional sweat factor when out and about. Tonight might be windows open kind of night for some. Quite a nice to start August, tomorrow, as well.
Listen to our daily D.C. forecasts: Apple Podcasts | Amazon Echo | More options
Through Tonight: With dew points in the rather pleasant 50s, readings that were in the 80s fall off relatively quickly this evening. Low temperatures range across the 60s. Mainly clear conditions persist through the night.
View the current weather at The Washington Post.
Tomorrow (Tuesday): I like to say August isn’t as bad as people make it out to be, and this one is a prime example. We just saw the hottest weather of the year and then — bam, a beautiful Tuesday. Mostly sunny, minimal humidity and highs in the low and mid-80s should feel quite nice. Add in a bit of a north wind for the feel of it.
See Jason Samenow’s forecast through the weekend. And if you haven’t already, join us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. For related traffic news, check out Gridlock.
Wet July: With this morning’s rainfall, D.C. is up to 6.46 inches of rain this month. That’s more than 2 inches above average for July, and by far the wettest month of the year thus far. Before July, April was the only month of the year that had seen above average precipitation, and it was just 0.35 inches above average.
Want our 5 a.m. forecast delivered to your email in-box? Subscribe here.
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/07/31/dc-area-forecast-nice-tuesday/
| 2023-07-31T21:56:02
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/07/31/dc-area-forecast-nice-tuesday/
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Chants of “freedom” echoed through the streets outside an aid facility in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, on Monday where just days earlier an American nurse and her daughter were kidnapped by armed men.
Hundreds of Haitians marched through the gang-ravaged zone, bursting with anger at the abduction, which has become a symbol of the worsening violence plaguing the Caribbean nation.
New Hampshire woman Alix Dorsainvil had been working as a community nurse for the religious and humanitarian aid group El Roi Haiti when she and her daughter were taken from its campus on Thursday, the organization said. She is the wife of its founder, Sandro Dorsainvil.
Witnesses told the Associated Press that Dorsainvil was working in her organization's small brick clinic when a group of armed men burst in and seized her. Lormina Louima, a patient waiting for a check-up, said one man pulled out his gun and told her to relax.
“When I saw the gun, I was so scared,” Louima said. “I said, ‘I don’t want to see this, let me go.'"
Other members of the community said the unidentified men asked for $1 million in ransom, something that's become standard as Haiti's gangs turn to slews of kidnappings to line their pockets and bleed the country dry. Hundreds have been kidnapping in Haiti this year alone, figures from the local nonprofit Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights show.
Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, gangs have taken over much of Port-au-Prince, killing, raping and sowing terror in communities already suffering endemic poverty.
The same day that Dorsainvil and her daughter were taken, the U.S. State Department issued a “do not travel advisory” for Haiti and ordered nonemergency personnel to leave amid growing security concerns. In its advisory, the State Department said that “kidnapping is widespread, and victims regularly include U.S. citizens.”
The violence has stirred anger among Haitians, who say they simply just want to live in peace.
Protesters, largely from the area around El Roi Haiti's campus, which includes a medical clinic, a school and more, echoed that call as they walked through the sweltering streets wielding cardboard signs written in Creole in red paint.
“She is doing good work in the community, free her," read one.
Among the protesters was Jean Ronald, a local resident who said the community has significantly benefitted from the care provided by El Roi Haiti.
Such groups are often the only institutions in areas far beyond the reach of the law, but have increasingly had to shut down operations as violence has deepened. The closures often leave thousands of vulnerable families without access to basic services like healthcare or education.
Earlier this month, Doctors Without Borders announced it was suspending services in one of its hospitals because some 20 armed men burst into an operating room and snatched a patient.
As the protesters walked through the area where Dorsainvil was taken, the streets were eerily quiet. The doors to the clinic where she worked were shut, the small brick building empty. Ronald and others in the area worried the latest kidnapping may mean the clinic won't reopen. Such closures
“If they leave, everything (the aid group's programs) will shut down," the Haitian worried. “The money they are asking for, we don't have it.”
Shortly after, protests dispersed.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller refused to confirm Monday whether the abductors had made any demands, or to answer other questions.
“I will say we are aware of the reports that two US citizens were kidnapped in Haiti. Obviously, the safety and security of American citizens overseas is our highest priority. We are in regular contact with the Haitian authorities. We’ll continue to work with them and our US government interagency partners, but because it’s an ongoing law enforcement investigation, there’s not more detail I can offer,” Miller wrote in a statement Monday.
In a video for the El Roi Haiti website, Alix Dorsainvil describes Haitians as “resilient people.”
“They’re full of joy, and life and love. I’m so blessed to know so many amazing Haitians,” she says.
Dorsainvil graduated from Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts, which has a program to support nursing education in Haiti. Before that, she went to Cornerstone Christian Academy in Ossipee, New Hampshire which offers pre-K through eighth grade education.
“Pray that God would keep her safe, be with her through this trial, and deliver her from her captors,” the school said on its Facebook page.
Dorsainvil’s father, Steven Comeau, reached in New Hampshire, said he could not talk.
El Roi Haiti celebrated the nurse's work in a statement over the weekend.
“Alix is a deeply compassionate and loving person who considers Haiti her home and the Haitian people her friends and family,” El Roi president and co-founder Jason Brown said in the statement. “Alix has worked tirelessly as our school and community nurse to bring relief to those who are suffering as she loves and serves the people of Haiti in the name of Jesus.”
Earlier this month, the National Human Rights Defense Network issued a report warning about an upsurge in killings and kidnappings and the U.N. Security Council met to discuss Haiti’s worsening situation.
——
AP reporters Megan Janetsky in Mexico City and Pierre Richard Luxama in Port-au-Prince contributed to this story.
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https://www.clickorlando.com/news/world/2023/07/31/haitians-weary-of-gang-violence-protest-the-kidnapping-of-an-american-nurse-and-her-daughter/
| 2023-07-31T21:56:02
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https://www.clickorlando.com/news/world/2023/07/31/haitians-weary-of-gang-violence-protest-the-kidnapping-of-an-american-nurse-and-her-daughter/
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Scary Video Shows Moment Plane Crashes in Front of Crowded New Hampshire Beach
Somehow no one was injured when a plan made a crash landing near a crowded beach in New Hampshire on Saturday
According to Fox News, a bystander captured a video of the plan plummeting into the waves at Hampton Beach where it then appeared to overturn.
According to Hampton Fire/Rescue, the crash happened just after noon about 30 yards off the shore of the main beach.
Rescue crews from multiple agencies were needed to retrieve the plane from the choppy ocean waters.
The report from Hampton Fire/Rescue stated the aircraft's pilot needed to be assisted out of the water but was not transported for medical assistance.
Given the time of the crash, the beach was packed with sun seekers looking for a relaxing day. Many were able to capture video of the plane's frightening splashdown into the ocean.
Hampton Fire/Rescue says the plane was returned to its owner after a brief investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The department also reported there has yet to be any charges connected to the incident and that all hazards have been removed from the water.
Hampton Beach is a popular recreation and resort area in Hampton, New Hampshire.
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https://nj1015.com/ixp/252/p/scary-video-shows-moment-plane-crashes-in-front-of-crowded-new-hampshire-beach/
| 2023-07-31T21:56:05
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https://nj1015.com/ixp/252/p/scary-video-shows-moment-plane-crashes-in-front-of-crowded-new-hampshire-beach/
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Chloe Dygert’s career could have ended at the bottom of an Italian ravine, where the American cyclist had been racing for a world championship with an eye on Olympic gold before colliding with a guardrail and sustaining devastating leg injuries.
Her comeback to the top of the sport has been daunting.
Dygert needed several rounds of surgery to repair the damage. She was waylaid by the Epstein-Barr virus, which left her fighting extreme fatigue. She had heart surgery last fall to treat supraventricular tachycardia, an irregularly fast heartbeat. And this spring, another training crash took her off the bike again.
She is nothing if not resilient. Yet it's hardly surprising that there were moments the past three years when Dygert, perhaps the most talented American rider of her generation, thought about giving up — on the bike and in life.
“What I physically had to go through for the injury itself, then mentally what I had to go through — all the personal things I won't go into — my life at times did not matter to me,” Dygert told The Associated Press in an interview. “I didn’t care if I was alive. I did not care about things. People don't see and understand, and I can say the same thing: I see people with injuries and things going on, and I can't understand what they're going through.
“So now,” Dygert continued, “when I'm able to come back and race and step on a podium and look at a goal, or winning nationals, it's like, they matter so much to me. ... It just makes me so proud and excited for myself.”
Dygert spoke by phone from Belgium, where the 2019 world time trial champion is finishing her preparations for this year's worlds, held over a 10-day stretch beginning Thursday in Glasgow, Scotland.
It's the first time the UCI, the governing body for cycling, will hold nearly all of its championships in one place, and it will make for a busy stretch for the 26-year-old from Indiana. Dygert will compete in the velodrome in the track cycling events, then head outside for the road race and time trial, where the U.S. champ will be among the favorites to win gold.
Just like she was in Imola, Italy.
Dygert hoped the 2020 worlds would be a springboard toward a golden Tokyo Olympics, and she was well ahead of the leading pace when her bike wiggled on a fast right-hand turn. Dygert crashed into the guardrail and skidded down a steep grassy pitch, and the gash to her thigh resulted in extensive blood loss.
It took Dygert nine months before she was sufficiently recovered to ride again. And while Dygert was able to compete at the Summer Games, which had been pushed back to 2021, she acknowledges now that she was nowhere near her best, even after helping the Americans win bronze in the team pursuit.
“My body was far from being anywhere close to being competitive,” Dygert said. “That was obvious.”
Afterward, Dygert turned her focus toward the Paris Games, now less than a year away. But those preparations have been hamstrung by Epstein-Barr, the heart procedure to treat a condition she had dealt with for a decade and another crash while at a team camp in Europe that left her fearful of a broken femur; nothing was broken but she was off the bike until March.
That made her performance last month at U.S. championships all the more impressive: She roared over the roads near Nashville, Tennessee, winning both the road race and time trial.
Throw in podium finishes at the Vuelta a Burgos Feminina, a stage win at the RideLondon Classique and more podium finishes at the prestigious Giro Donne, and Dygert again is among the favorites to land on the podium at worlds.
“I feel like there were moments where, ‘I hate cycling and I’m never riding a bike again,'” Dygert said, “but I don't think there was ever a doubt I'd continue. More the doubt: ‘Will I be back at my level? Will I be competitive again?’”
As much as anything, those are the thoughts that led Dygert to some dark places the past few years.
“It's crazy to think about it now," she said, “but life was just not OK. It was not.”
Mental health among Olympic athletes has become an important issue in recent years. Simone Biles has been outspoken ever since the Tokyo Games, where she dealt with the “twisties” — a mental block where gymnasts can lose track of where they are in midair. Caeleb Dressel walked away in the middle of last year's swimming worlds because of the pressure and stress, and fellow swimmer Adam Peaty is taking an extended break to work on with his own mental health.
Then there is cycling.
At the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, Dygert was on the same pursuit team with Kelly Catlin, helping the U.S. win a silver medal. Three years later, after struggling with depression and one failed suicide attempt, Catlin was found dead in her Stanford residence.
“Everybody puts on such a front,” Dygert explained. “When I think about Kelly and the situation, what that was and what that meant for her family, for her teammates, for the world, it's like — it's not like, ‘I can’t do that and be like Kelly,' but the trauma that caused for everyone around us, I think that was a huge factor. My life does matter. I do matter to people.”
Dygert believes she is in a better place these days. Her fitness is not yet where she wants to be, but the results show she's on the right track. Optimism abounds not only for worlds but the Paris Games.
“I would never take anything that's happened in my life back. It's made me so tough,” Dygert said. "I don't know how to explain it, but it's made me a better person, not for any other reason than just the compassion and maybe sympathy I have for a person or someone else. My outlook on things. It's made me such a better person on and off the bike.
“It's all part of God's plan,” she added. “As much as I didn't agree with it at the time, it was part of the plan.”
___
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
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https://www.clickorlando.com/sports/2023/07/31/american-cyclist-chloe-dygert-overcomes-injuries-dark-days-to-make-another-world-title-run/
| 2023-07-31T21:56:09
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https://www.clickorlando.com/sports/2023/07/31/american-cyclist-chloe-dygert-overcomes-injuries-dark-days-to-make-another-world-title-run/
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The Very Best Hiking Trail in New Jersey Ranked Among Best In U.S.
One of our (My wife and I) favorite things to do is to get out and explore with a good hike. Over the years we have visited hundreds of parks around the nation and hiked so many right here in the Garden State. It's a great way to get exercise and enjoy the outdoors without overly stressing the body. Walking is a fantastic way to get a good healthy workout. According to Forbes, "According to the 2022 Outdoor Participation Trends Report from the Outdoor Foundation, 58.7 million people in the U.S. went hiking in 2021"
In a recent article by Reader's Digest, they highlighted the best hiking trails in the U.S. and this list included their pick for best hiking trail in New Jersey. "There's something magical about lacing up your hiking boots, hitting the trail and immersing yourself in the beauty of nature." The pick for New Jersey will take you to Burlington County.
According to Reader's Digest, "Pine Barrens, aka the Pinelands, is an enormous area of land that covers 1.1 million acres. The Franklin Parker Preserve takes up 9,700 acres of that space and has four hiking trails covering 21 miles. You'll find loops that weave around cranberry bogs, blueberry fields and around the homes of bald eagles. And when you're finished hiking, try winding down with some classic family camping movies at a nearby campground." So maybe your next hike you check out the Franklin Parker Preserve.
Be sure to check out my hiking page to see some great trails around the Garden State. CLICK HERE for "Hiking NJ".
LOOK: Most commonly seen birds in New Jersey
KEEP READING: 15 Natural Ways to Improve Your Sleep
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https://nj1015.com/ixp/394/p/the-very-best-hiking-trail-in-new-jersey-ranked-among-best-in-u-s/
| 2023-07-31T21:56:11
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https://nj1015.com/ixp/394/p/the-very-best-hiking-trail-in-new-jersey-ranked-among-best-in-u-s/
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CLEVELAND – In the midst of the playoff race, the Guardians traded their hottest pitcher for a minor league prospect currently sidelined with an injury.
An uneven season in Cleveland just got a little bumpier.
Despite being just one-half game out of first place in the AL Central, the Guardians dealt starter Aaron Civale to the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday for first base prospect Kyle Manzardo, who has been out with a shoulder strain.
Civale's name has been thrown around in trade speculation for weeks, which has coincided with the 28-year-old right-hander pitching as well as he has in several seasons. Civale posted a 1.45 ERA in six July starts and worked six scoreless innings Sunday in a win over the Chicago White Sox to improve to 5-2.
As for the Rays, Civale gives them another solid starter for the playoff push. Tampa Bay entered the week 1 1/2 games behind first-place Baltimore in the AL East and leading the wild-card standings by four games.
"I’ve seen his name on ESPN recently about a pretty good month of July, so that makes me excited," Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe said at Yankee Stadium before the opener of a three-game series. "Hopefully he comes in and doesn’t miss a beat and keeps doing exactly what he’s been doing. No more pressure than what he’s been dealing with over in Cleveland.
"So he’s coming over, he’s going to be welcomed in like he’s been here all year.”
The Guardians have dealt with injuries to their rotation all season and are currently missing ace Shane Bieber, Triston McKenzie and Cal Quantrill. While the move with Civale creates a major pitching void for Cleveland, president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said getting a player of Manzardo's stature was more important.
“Tough trade to make,” Antonetti said in a Zoom call. “But we did feel it was a unique opportunity to acquire someone like Kyle. We knew it would come at a steep cost.”
Antonetti said it's possible the Guardians could make more trades before Tuesday's deadline to address their pitching issues.
Noah Syndergaard, acquired last week in a trade with the Dodgers, could help. The oft-injured right-hander is making his debut for the Guardians on Monday in Houston.
Manzardo, 23, was named Tampa's top minor leaguer in 2022 after hitting .327 with 22 homers and 81 RBIs in 93 games between Single- and Double-A. Antonetti expects Manzardo to be playing in minor league games before the end of the season.
Cleveland has been in the market for a young power hitter for some time. The team is hoping Manzardo can end that search.
“The industry holds Kyle in high regard and we think he can develop into a really good offensive player and he’s a guy that’s near or close to the major leagues at some point in the next few seasons,” Antonetti said. “Those guys are not easy to acquire and so we made the choice in this case as we surveyed the landscape, but this is the right path forward for us.”
___
AP Sports Writer Mike Fitzpatrick in New York contributed to this report.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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https://www.clickorlando.com/sports/2023/07/31/cleveland-guardians-trade-pitcher-aaron-civale-to-tampa-bay-rays-for-prospect/
| 2023-07-31T21:56:15
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https://www.clickorlando.com/sports/2023/07/31/cleveland-guardians-trade-pitcher-aaron-civale-to-tampa-bay-rays-for-prospect/
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Two $1 Million Powerball Tickets Sold in New Jersey
There is reason to celebrate for two lucky lottery players in New Jersey after two winning $1 million tickets were sold Saturday, July 29 in the national Powerball Lottery.
One of them was sold right here in South Jersey.
According to the Powerball Lottery, winning $1 million tickets were sold at the Wawa on Green Tree Road in Marlton, Burlington County, and at the Kearny Deli & Liquor on Midland Avenue in Kearny, Hudson County.
Both tickets matched five of five winning numbers for the July 29 drawing: 10, 25, 27, 34 and 38.
Four other lucky tickets were sold in New Jersey Saturday in the Mega Millions Lottery each worth $10,000. The tickets were sold at these locations...
- Ocean County: Country Farms #2 on Drum Point Road in Brick
- Morris County: Garden State News on Main Street in Madison
- Passaic County: Jackpocket on Warwick Turnpike in Hewitt
- Union County: Quick Chek #23 on Westfield Avenue in Clark
Tuesday's Powerball Lottery jackpot is now worth $1,050,000,000.
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https://nj1015.com/ixp/397/p/two-1-million-powerball-tickets-sold-in-new-jersey/
| 2023-07-31T21:56:18
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https://nj1015.com/ixp/397/p/two-1-million-powerball-tickets-sold-in-new-jersey/
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WASHINGTON – Defending champion Liudmila Samsonova stretched her winning streak in Washington to six matches by beating 2022 Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins 6-1, 6-3 in the first round of the DC Open on Monday.
The eighth-seeded Samsonova saved both break points she faced while winning four of Collins' service games. Collins hurt herself by double-faulting eight times.
Samsonova is a 24-year-old from Russia who is currently ranked 18th. Her trophy on the hard courts of the U.S. Open tune-up tournament a year ago was one of four singles titles she's won.
In other women's matches on Day 1 at the first combined ATP-WTA 500 event, sixth-seeded Belinda Bencic advanced when Anastasia Potapova retired from their match in the first set with an injured left ankle, and Marta Kostyuk eliminated 2019 U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5).
In men's action, Aslan Karatsev beat Kiranpal Pannu 7-6 (3), 6-1, Alexander Shevchenko defeated Maxime Cressy 6-3, 7-6 (8), Michael Mmoh beat Bradley Klahn 6-3, 6-3, and Yosuke Watanuki moved into the second round when Wu Yibing stopped playing because of illness.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
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https://www.clickorlando.com/sports/2023/07/31/defending-champion-liudmila-samsonova-defeats-daniella-collins-at-dc-open-in-washington/
| 2023-07-31T21:56:22
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https://www.clickorlando.com/sports/2023/07/31/defending-champion-liudmila-samsonova-defeats-daniella-collins-at-dc-open-in-washington/
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GoFundMe Set Up for Beloved Clementon, NJ Restaurant Manager Killed by Drunk Driver
The Clementon and entire Gloucester Township, New Jersey community is in mourning after the sudden death of a beloved restaurant manager killed recently, allegedly by a drunk driver.
A warm, friendly greeting. Someone who walked around from table to table to see how guests were enjoying their meals. That's how I think of Frank Bersani, Jr., the longtime General Manager of Cotardo's Italian Restaurant in Clementon.
Bersani, Jr., who lived in Laurel Springs and worked at Cotardo's for 40 years, was reportedly stuck and killed in a drunk driving accident on July 28th. He was 56.
According to NJ.com, the accident happened Friday night around 10:30 p.m. at the intersection of Ganttown Rd. and Egg Harbor Rd. in Washington Twp. when an allegedly impaired driver ran a red light and plowed into Bersani's SUV. 36-year-old Julia Scanlon, of Sewell, was arrested at the scene and charged with reckless vehicular homicide, strict liability vehicular homicide, and assault by auto.
Bersani was reportedly taken to Cooper University Hospital for medical attention, but he did not survive.
Now, Frank's family and friends have established a fundraiser in his memory to help offset funeral expenses and support the children he leaves behind.
Funeral services for Frank Bersani, Jr. are scheduled for Saturday, August 5th at Gardner Funeral Home in Runnemede. Visitation will be from 8:30 am to 10:45 am with a funeral mass to follow at 11:30 am at Our Lady of Hope Parish, St Agnes RC Church, Blackwood.
Cotardo's will be closed for lunch the day of Bersani's services, and will reopen at 4:30 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the Bersani family asks donations to be made through a GoFundMe page.
Life is so unpredictable and precious and can change in an instant. I can't tell you how much Frank's presence at Cotardo's will be missed. Those who've dined there over the years know what kind of spirit he brought to the restaurant. My thoughts are with his family, friends, and co-workers at this heartbreaking time.
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https://nj1015.com/ixp/398/p/beloved-clementon-nj-restaurant-manager-killed-drunk-driver-fundraiser/
| 2023-07-31T21:56:24
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Fox 29’s Beloved Morning Traffic Anchor, Bob Kelly, Assaulted at the Jersey Shore
A beloved face of Philadelphia morning TV was reportedly the victim of a physical assault over the weekend.
Reports say that longtime Fox 29 morning traffic anchor, Bob Kelly, is recovering after being assaulted at an event, which was held in a bar on the Jersey Shore Sunday afternoon.
The Inquirer was the first to report the news on Monday afternoon.
The Inquirer reports that Kelly was hosting an event at Oar House Pub in Sea Isle City, NJ on Sunday afternoon when the incident occurred. A man filmed himself pouring beer onto Kelly's head and shoulders, sources told the newspaper. When the veteran TV anchor reportedly swatted away the beer, the man responded by punching Kelly in the face, The Inquirer says.
You can click here to read more of The Inquirer's exclusive reporting.
Earlier in the day 94.5 PST saw rumors of the incident surfacing online, but we haven't been able to independently confirm the news. So we have reached out to Sea Isle City Police, but as of Monday afternoon, have not heard back.
Kelly was reportedly taken to a local hospital, but The Inquirer's sources say he did not suffer any serious injuries.
A manager at the bar confirmed to CrossingBroad.com that the incident took place during what appears to have been a charity event for "Kelly's Kids." The organization, run by Bob, is a non-profit that collects donations for area pediatric hospitals.
Meanwhile, neither Kelly nor the TV station has issued a statement about the incident, so we don't know for sure if he'll return to the station's morning broadcasts on Tuesday. Kelly is typically off on Mondays in the summer so his absence from this morning's broadcast was not a surprise.
As for the suspect in the incident, The Inquirer says they were arrested. However, Sea Isle City's police department has not issued any official confirmation at this time.
We'll update this story as soon as we have more information.
In the meantime, we're wishing you a speedy recovery, Bob!
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| 2023-07-31T21:56:30
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Long Branch, NJ man drowns at Thompson Park
🔴 A group at Thompson Park called police when someone went missing
🔴 Searchers didn't locate the body of a drowning
🔴 There were two other incidents involving water in Middletown Saturday
MIDDLETOWN — A man died at a county park reservoir on Saturday, the second drowning this weekend in Monmouth County.
A group at the Swimming River reservoir at Thompson County Park called 911 at 6:25 p.m. when the man they were with went missing.
After the group making the call was located on the border between the park and Brookdale Community College, emergency responders from eight agencies began a search that included drones and the State Police aviation unit.
The search was suspended at 11:30 p.m. Saturday without a body being found.
The victim's body was found from the air
The Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office Maritime Emergency Response Team (MERT), located the victim, Jose M. Urbina Contreras, 24, of Long Branch, in approximately 20 feet of water, about 50 feet from the water’s edge.
Swimming is not permitted in the reservoir.
“We are deeply saddened over the tragic loss of this swimmer and thoughts remain with his family,” Sheriff Shaun Golden said in a statement. “While the outcome is not what we had hoped for, the brave rescue efforts of all involved in their attempts to rescue and then recover the victim is commended. It’s extremely important to always take the proper precautions in the water and adhere to posted regulations.”
Drowning at nude beach
People at Gunnison Beach in Sandy Hook pulled a man from the water Saturday afternoon. The National Park Service said the man had been swimming in an unguarded section of the beach. The man's identity was not known Monday afternoon.
Rescued from capsized boat
Four boaters clinging to the hull of a capsized sailboat off the coast of Sandy Hook were rescued early Sunday morning. Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook launched a search along with the FDNY, NYPD aviation and NYPD harbor units.
The aviation unit located the boat and along with the Coast Guard rescued all four.
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| 2023-07-31T21:56:36
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SAN FRANCISCO — (AP) — A brightly flashing "X" sign has been removed from the San Francisco headquarters of the company formerly known as Twitter just days after it was installed.
The San Francisco Department of Building Inspection said Monday it received 24 complaints about the unpermitted structure over the weekend. Complaints included concerns about its structural safety and illumination.
The Elon Musk-owned company, which has been rebranded as X, had removed the Twitter sign and iconic blue bird logo from the building last week. That work was temporarily paused because the company did not have the necessary permits. For a time, the “er” at the end of “Twitter” remained up due to the abrupt halt of the sign takedown.
The city of San Francisco had opened a complaint and launched an investigation into the giant "X" sign, which was installed Friday on top of the downtown building as Musk continues his rebrand of the social media platform.
The chaotic rebrand of Twitter's building signage is similar to the haphazard way in which the Twitter platform is being turned into X. While the X logo has replaced Twitter on many parts of the site and app, remnants of Twitter remain.
Representatives for X did not immediately respond to a message for comment Monday.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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| 2023-07-31T21:56:36
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ROSS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A car fire spread to a local business in Ross Township.
PHOTOS: Car fire spreads to local business in Ross Township
Allegheny County 911 confirmed police, fire and EMS units were called to the 1100 block of Perry Highway at 4:09 p.m.
Photos from the scene showed flames pouring from a car and black smoke filling the air.
Smoke was also seen coming from the roof at Willi’s Ski and Snowboard.
Scary moments for @Willisski in #Rosstwp after a #carfire in the parking lot, spread to their building. @WPXI pic.twitter.com/lLbYnei1uw
— Steve Pierce (@Steve_WPXI) July 31, 2023
According to the business’s website, the Willi’s shops are closed during the spring and summer months. They’re scheduled to reopen on Labor Day weekend.
This is a developing story and Channel 11 has a crew at the scene. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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| 2023-07-31T21:56:43
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NJ man shoots ex-wife, dog in Little Egg Harbor murder-suicide, cops say
🚨 Police found a dead Little Egg Harbor woman and her killer in her apartment Saturday, officials said
🚨 The shooter has been identified as the victim's ex-husband
🚨 A GoFundMe has been organized for the victim's two sons
LITTLE EGG HARBOR — A woman shot to death in her apartment Saturday morning has been identified as the mother of two sons and authorities say her ex-husband is her killer.
Police found the body of Kimberly Hoffman, 49, after they forced down the door of her Little Egg Harbor apartment on Whitemarsh Court, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said. The officers were responding to a 911 call from Hoffman around 5:10 a.m. reporting that someone was breaking into her apartment.
Hoffman had been shot in the face. Her dog had also been shot more than once and died, Billhimer said.
Police also found Hoffman's ex-husband Carl Schulz, Jr., 52, of Little Egg Harbor at the scene, according to authorities. Schulz is accused of shooting Hoffman and the dog before shooting himself in the head.
Despite the head wound, Schulz was alive when officers arrived at the apartment. However, he later died at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City.
Hoffman worked as the director of admissions at Seacrest Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center, according to her social media pages. The nursing home is located in Little Egg Harbor.
A GoFundMe page for Hoffman's two sons has raised over $24,000 as of Monday afternoon. The money will cover their living expenses including education, counseling, and medical bills.
"In honoring Kim's memory, we come together as a community to support her children, who meant everything to her. Let us surround them with love, compassion, and financial assistance, ensuring that they have the opportunity to heal and thrive despite the immense pain they are experiencing," the page said.
MORE: Deadly NJ nursing home shooting kills married couple, cops say
Saturday's shooting is the second reported murder-suicide in New Jersey this month.
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| 2023-07-31T21:56:45
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FIRST ALERT WEATHER DAY: Tuesday for Strom Chances
Warmer and Humid with Storms Mid-Week
TONIGHT:
Some smoke lingers in the valley in Northern Minnesota including Roseau to Mahnomen and east to Lake of the Woods through Bemidji. An air quality alert is in effect until 3pm on Tuesday. Air quality is expected to reach the “orange” category, meaning unhealthy for sensitive groups of people.
FIRST ALERT WEATHER DAY:
Our next chance of storms will be tomorrow afternoon with Stronger and scattered severe storms. These storms start to build in the early hours of the morning before the sun rises. This will just be the first band of these storms. Morning lows will be warmer, in the 60s to near 70 before the storms.
The airmass will be quite warm and unstable. Strong to severe storms will develop out west in the afternoon through evening. High temperatures peak in the 80s to low 90s. However as the sun begins to set, it will weaken as it continues to move to the Eastern part of the Valley.
Most of the area is in a Slight level 2 risk of these severe storms with other areas being in a marginal level 1. Wind and hail are again looking to the be the primary threat with gusts up to 70 mph, though there will be a little spin in the atmosphere that may support a brief tornado. There is also a possibility of some sizeable Hail, with sizes being up to 2+”.
EXTENDED FORECAST
WEDNESDAY - FRIDAY: The peak of the heat for the week comes on Wednesday as highs warm into the 80s and low 90s. A cold front arriving will bring another chance of storms. High pressure returns after Wednesday’s cold front, and temperatures for Thursday and Friday dip back into the 80s. It also looks drier to wrap up the week.
NEXT WEEKEND: We will continue to have the temperatures maintain in the mid 80s n the afternoon and 60s in the mornings. Seasonable as we continue to start off our first weekend of August.’
NEXT WEEK: Temperatures continue to stick around the seasonable conditions as week kickstart the second week of August in the 60s and 50s in the morning, but warming up to the 80s in the evening. Other than a chance of showers on Wednesday, things look to be quiet.
Copyright 2021 KVLY. All rights reserved.
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WASHINGTON D.C. — On an average day, there are more than 20,000 phone calls made to domestic violence hotlines around the country, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
Now a proposal in Congress aims to invest more federal funding for programs that help domestic violence survivors.
The bill dubbed The Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2023 is a bipartisan measure introduced in the Senate by Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).
“Family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence are a public health crisis in this country,” said Sen. Casey.
“This bill would work to increase access to services like crisis counseling, emergency shelters, and support prevention efforts,” said Sen. Murkowski.
It would increase funding levels to $270 million to expand services for survivors and to improve access to those services.
“It’s nearly impossible to be walking about the world and not know someone who is a survivor of domestic violence,” said Katie Ray-Jones, CEO of the National Domestic Violence Hotline. “We know that the complexities that exist can be deep, can take years to heal and make it really difficult for someone to exit that relationship, which is why connecting with an advocate, connecting to services, is so critically important for anyone who is in a violent relationship and looking for the ability to leave the relationship.”
Ray-Jones said it’s critical for lawmakers to pass the bill to ensure these essential resources don’t run out of funding.
“Often times survivors are looking for different things,” said Ray-Jones. “It might be shelter. It might be transitional housing. Counseling. Legal services.”
The bill also creates a new grant program to help domestic violence survivors in underserved communities.
That includes people living in rural areas and Tribal communities, people with disabilities and older adults.
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©2023 Cox Media Group
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| 2023-07-31T21:56:49
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Impeached Texas AG Ken Paxton seeks to have most charges dismissed before September trial
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Lawyers for impeached Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Monday sought to have most of the charges against him dismissed, arguing that they rely on alleged acts of corruption before he was reelected to a third term in 2022.
In motions filed with the Senate, where Paxton’s impeachment trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 5, his attorneys said they believe state law bars the removal of an official for conduct that occurred before their most recent election. Paxton was first elected attorney general in 2014 and the impeachment charges include alleged conduct since then.
“The Articles allege nothing that Texas voters have not heard from the Attorney General’s political opponents for years,” Paxton’s attorneys wrote. They accused the GOP-dominated Texas House of Representatives of seeking to oust Paxton because they were unable to unseat him by popular vote.
“Texas voters rendered their judgement by re-electing Attorney General Paxton to serve a third consecutive term. As a matter of both common sense and Texas law, that should be the end of the matter,” his attorneys wrote.
Only one of the 20 impeachment charges — an allegation that Paxton settled a whistleblower lawsuit in an effort to hide from the public corruption allegations against him — would not have to be dismissed under the so-called “prior term doctrine,” Paxton’s attorney said. Paxton asked state lawmakers this year to have the state pay the proposed $3.3 million settlement.
In a second filing, Paxton’s attorneys said the trial should exclude any evidence of alleged conduct that occurred prior to January 2023, when his third term in office began.
The motions from Paxton’s attorneys are similar to moves in a criminal or civil legal cases when defense attorneys seek to have charges or lawsuits dismissed before trial.
In this case, the presiding officer over Paxton’s impeachment trial will be Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a powerful Republican who also serves as the president of the state Senate. The Republican-controlled Senate will consider the evidence and decide whether to convict or acquit Paxton in the first impeachment trial of a statewide official since 1917.
Patrick has already issued a sweeping gag order over the parties and attorneys involved ahead of the Senate trial. Attorneys for House of Representatives managers prosecuting Paxton did not immediately respond to the motions filed Monday.
Paxton has been suspended from office since the House first approved the articles of impeachment on May 27. He could be permanently removed if convicted by the Senate.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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| 2023-07-31T21:56:55
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Propelled by a rocket-fueled lineup that mixes star signings Corey Seager and Marcus Semien with younger ignitors such as Josh Jung, the Texas Rangers have been holding down first place in the AL West since April 9 and have led the stalking Houston Astros by as many as 6.5 games. But even after a massive offseason overhaul of the starting rotation, GM Chris Young has been spending the days leading up to the midnight hour that is Tuesday's MLB trade deadline pursuing more, more, more.
Specifically, more pitching. After acquiring Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, Andrew Heaney and Jake Odorizzi and re-signing Martín Pérez over the winter, the Rangers have now added Max Scherzer and Jordan Montgomery in trades. That brings the count, if you weren't keeping track, to seven veteran starting pitchers added or retained since the end of the 2022 season. And incredibly, the Rangers' ethos of pitching abundance is necessary. They might even need more.
That’s the Astros effect.
As Young and manager Bruce Bochy knew coming into the season — and even after they leapt out to the pole position — stealing the division from the defending World Series champs and perennial contenders was never going to be easy. That explains Texas' heavy spending on a lacking starting rotation in the offseason and why they're aggressively retooling it now as one of the deadline's most obvious buyers.
Entering Monday, the Astros have closed the AL West gap — which reached its 6.5-game apex on June 23 — to just one game. Playoff odds from FanGraphs and Baseball Prospectus chart the Astros, not the Rangers, as the favorites to win the division and seize one of the byes into the ALDS.
If Young and Bochy had their druthers, they would be lining up deGrom, Eovaldi and Jon Gray for the stretch run, which includes a three-game showdown with the Astros in Arlington in early September. But that vision went out the window a while ago. With deGrom out for the season after elbow surgery and Eovaldi at least temporarily on the injured list due to elbow issues that sapped his velocity, the Rangers are assembling a trade-deadline backup plan to buttress the offseason master plan.
They certainly hope Eovaldi — whose ace turn was a big reason for the Rangers' first-half surge — returns soon, but for now, Scherzer and Montgomery will step in atop a rotation that needs to stabilize if Texas is going to take advantage of a fully loaded lineup. The pitching has not been holding up its end of the bargain recently. The Rangers staff ranks eighth-worst by park-adjusted ERA- since June 1 and third-worst since June 23, the peak of their AL West dominance. Figuring out exactly how to apportion the incoming help — which includes earlier bullpen acquisition Aroldis Chapman and reliever Chris Stratton from the Montgomery deal — will be crucial.
Scherzer, taking flight from Queens amid the New York Mets' retrenchment, will reunite with pitching coach Mike Maddux after working with him in Washington and aim to find a consistent form that keeps him productive despite the pains of aging. Montgomery, meanwhile, has been a beacon of consistency, despite moving for the second straight trade deadline. Since the start of 2022, when he was with the New York Yankees, the 30-year-old lefty has a 3.46 ERA (good for a 117 ERA+) in 299 1/3 innings.
Pretty much everyone on the Texas staff is contributing to the recent stumbles, but Pérez (7.13 ERA since June 23) and Andrew Heaney (6.21 ERA in that time) have been particularly vulnerable to damaging home runs. One or both are likely to find themselves moving to the bullpen as Scherzer and Montgomery slot into the rotation, but this could be the start of a shuffle of competence. Dane Dunning, the 28-year-old righty-hander who has filled in admirably in deGrom’s absence, boasts a 3.28 ERA, but worrisome underlying numbers (such as a 15.5% strikeout rate) point to overperformance that might give way to something more like his 4.87 xERA or 4.26 FIP.
Scherzer has struggled with home runs himself. The 39-year-old has allowed 23 in 19 starts this season and might benefit from working in shorter bursts. His performance in the middle innings, by ERA (6.25) or wOBA allowed (.398), is bottom-five among qualified starters.
Montgomery, who will hit free agency at season’s end, has been steadier, even if he doesn’t come with Scherzer’s ceiling or pedigree. He has given up only 0.74 homers per nine innings and sports a 2.37 ERA since the beginning of June, despite the generalized chaos that was unfolding around him in St. Louis.
Scherzer, Montgomery and any other pre-deadline additions are walking into a high-stakes race. With the Los Angeles Angels' decision to add around Shohei Ohtani and the Seattle Mariners not yet moving in any direction, the AL West might be doling out some of the league's toughest schedules the rest of the way.
And, of course, the Astros loom. Buoyed by All-Star Kyle Tucker and breakout outfielder Chas McCormick, Houston made up much of the ground in the division without thumpers Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez, who recently returned from injuries. Now, the Astros earn projection systems’ benefit of the doubt by putting all those pieces together, along with José Abreu, who has rebounded from a brutal start to bat .282/.324/.473 the past two months.
Houston has pitching depth questions of its own, following injuries to Luis Garcia, Lance McCullers Jr. and Jose Urquidy, but it can point to a track record of developing solutions.
For now, the Rangers have decided their best tact is to buy solutions, with cash and with prospects. This lineup — best in the AL and second overall to the Atlanta Braves, by wRC+ — is World Series-level good. All the days spent in first, though, don't guarantee the Rangers passage to October glory or even to the playoffs. With the super-competent Astros and super-motivated Angels charging hard, the Rangers will need all the arms they can get to power this season to an ending as satisfying as its early trajectory.
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Memphis police shoot suspect after he fired shots outside Jewish school, authorities say
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis police on Monday said officers shot a suspect after he attempted to enter a Jewish school with a gun and fired shots after he couldn’t get into the building.
Assistant Police Chief Don Crowe said the suspect, whose identity has not been released, approached Margolin Hebrew Academy-Feinstone Yeshiva of the South around 12:20 p.m. He fired several shots and then left in a maroon truck.
“Thankfully, that school had a great safety procedure and process in place and avoided anyone being harmed or injured at that scene,” Crowe said.
Officers soon located the suspect’s vehicle “shortly after that,” Crowe said, adding that officers then shot the suspect after he exited the truck with a firearm in hand. The suspect was sent to a local hospital where he is in critical condition.
It was not immediately clear if school was in session.
When asked if law enforcement believe the shooting was a hate crime, Crowe said officers were still on the scene and collecting information.
“It’s way too early for that. Again, we’re very early in this investigation,” said Assistant Police Chief Don Crowe.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is now handling the case.
U.S. Rep. Seve Cohen, whose district includes Memphis, said in a statement that he was “shocked” to hear about the incident at the school and noted that acts of “violent antisemitism” are on the rise across the country.”
Monday’s shooting comes nearly four months after a shooter opened fire at a private Christian school in Nashville and killed six people, including three nine-year-old children. That tragedy has sparked closer scrutiny of Tennessee’s relaxed gun laws and renewed calls to strengthen security at both public and private schools across the state.
___
Kimberlee Kruesi contributed to this report from Nashville, Tennessee.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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| 2023-07-31T21:57:01
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Football is (un)officially back! This week, the 2023 NFL preseason opens with the Hall of Fame Game between the Cleveland Browns and the New York Jets, kicking off three weeks full of football that concludes with a nationally broadcast game between the Houston Texans and New Orleans Saints — and that's all before the 2023 NFL regular season even starts. Ready to watch some football? Here's everything you need to know about how to watch the 2023 NFL preseason, including the full preseason schedule, where to stream NFL games this year and more.
2023 NFL preseason full schedule:
All times Eastern
Hall of Fame Game
Thursday, August 3
Cleveland Browns at New York Jets, 8 p.m. (NBC)
Week 1
Thursday, August 10
Houston Texans at New England Patriots, 7 p.m.
Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks, 10 p.m.
Friday, August 11
Green Bay Packers at Cincinnati Bengals, 7 p.m.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 7 p.m.
New York Giants at Detroit Lions, 7 p.m.
Atlanta Falcons at Miami Dolphins, 7 p.m.
Washington Commanders at Cleveland Browns, 7:30 p.m.
Denver Broncos at Arizona Cardinals, 10 p.m.
Saturday, August 12
Tennessee Titans at Chicago Bears, 1 p.m.
Indianapolis Colts at Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m.
New York Jets at Carolina Panthers, 4 p.m.
Jacksonville Jaguars at Dallas Cowboys, 5 p.m.
Philadelphia Eagles at Baltimore Ravens, 7 p.m.
Los Angeles Chargers at Los Angeles Rams, 9 p.m.
Sunday, August 13
Kansas City Chiefs at New Orleans Saints, 1 p.m.
San Francisco 49ers at Las Vegas Raiders, 4 p.m.
Week 2
Thursday, August 17
Cleveland Browns at Philadelphia Eagles, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, August 18
Carolina Panthers at New York Giants, 7 p.m.
Cincinnati Bengals at Atlanta Falcons, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, August 19
Jacksonville Jaguars at Detroit Lions, 1 p.m.
Miami Dolphins at Houston Texans, 4 p.m.
Buffalo Bills at Pittsburgh Steelers, 6:30 p.m.
Chicago Bears at Indianapolis Colts, 7 p.m.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New York Jets, 7:30 p.m.
Tennessee Titans at Minnesota Vikings, 8 p.m.
Kansas City Chiefs at Arizona Cardinals, 8 p.m.
New England Patriots at Green Bay Packers, 8 p.m.
Denver Broncos at San Francisco 49ers, 8:30 p.m.
Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Rams, 9 p.m.
Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks, 10 p.m.
Sunday, August 20
New Orleans Saints at Los Angeles Chargers, 7:05 p.m.
Monday, August 21
Baltimore Ravens at Washington Commanders, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
Week 3
Thursday, August 24
Pittsburgh Steelers at Atlanta Falcons, 7:30 p.m.
Indianapolis Colts at Philadelphia Eagles, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
Friday, August 25
Detroit Lions at Carolina Panthers, 8 p.m. (CBS)
New England Patriots at Tennessee Titans, 8:15 p.m.
Los Angeles Chargers at San Francisco 49ers, 10 p.m.
Saturday, August 26
Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers, 1 p.m.
Cleveland Browns at Kansas City Chiefs, 1 p.m.
Arizona Cardinals at Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m.
Buffalo Bills at Chicago Bears, 1 p.m.
New York Jets at New York Giants, 6 p.m.
Cincinnati Bengals at Washington Commanders, 6:05 p.m.
Baltimore Ravens at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 7 p.m.
Miami Dolphins at Jacksonville Jaguars, 7 p.m.
Los Angeles Raiders at Dallas Cowboys, 8 p.m.
Los Angeles Rams at Denver Broncos, 9 p.m.
Sunday, August 27
Houston Texans at New Orleans Saints, 8 p.m (Fox)
How to watch NFL preseason games:
Many NFL preseason games are broadcast on local channels, so if you're looking to catch an in-market game, it may be as simple as turning on your TV (or setting up a digital TV antenna). If you want to watch out-of-market games, a $5 monthly subscription to NFL+ will get you access to every out-of-market-game in the season (and preseason). There will also be a few national broadcast NFL preseason games airing across NBC, ESPN, Fox and CBS (and one streaming on Amazon Prime Video) in the coming weeks. Here's how to watch every NFL preseason game in 2023.
When does football season start?
This year's NFL season, made up of 272 regular-season games, kicks off on Thursday, September 7, 2023 with a match between the Detroit Lions and the Kansas City Chiefs. The 2023 NFL season will see the first football game on Black Friday, as well as international games in London and Munich.
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Eight months ago, Donald Trump's third presidential run was generating little enthusiasm — and plenty of mockery. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, meanwhile, was hailed as the GOP's newest star.
Now, with the first debate of the GOP primary less than a month away, Trump is the clear frontrunner for his party’s presidential nomination, while DeSantis has been fading in the polls — and the Republican establishment has been desperately looking for another candidate able to attract both MAGA voters and moderates.
Read more from our partners: George Will: Trump and DeSantis will be GOP primary losers
Trump isn’t going anywhere
The most recent New York Times/Siena poll of Republican voters finds Trump easily leading the Republican field, with 54% of respondents saying they were most likely to vote for him over other GOP contenders for the presidential nomination.
DeSantis is a distant second, at 17%.
Multiple indictments have done nothing to chip away at Trump’s support. If anything, they have solidified his popularity with the GOP base, which shares many of his grievances.
"If they can do it to Trump, where he can defend himself," one focus group respondent recently said, "I can only imagine how it would be if it was just a normal person. I feel like he stands for the small people."
Read more from Yahoo News: Trump faces more indictments, fines and possible jail time as legal troubles mount
Mounting legal troubles
Trump has already been indicted by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on improprieties related to a payment he made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels; he also faces 37 counts related to his alleged mishandling of classified documents, boxes of which he removed from the White House after his presidential term concluded. Three more charges were added to the original 37-count indictment in a superseding indictment that describes, with added detail, extensive efforts at obstructing a federal investigation into the documents' whereabouts.
Special counsel Jack Smith is also expected to file more charges related to Trump's participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. In Atlanta, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is reportedly preparing to charge Trump with trying to meddle with Georgia's results in the 2020 presidential election.
A guilty verdict in any one of those cases could result in a lengthy prison sentence.
Read more from our partners: Fulton County DA says work is done in Trump probe and 'we're ready to go'
DeSantis continues to struggle
Ron DeSantis was supposed to be “DeFuture,” as the New York Post called him after the Florida governor defeated his Democratic competitor Charlie Crist by 19 points in last November’s election campaign.
But ever since he launched his campaign during a Twitter Spaces event full of technical malfunctions, DeSantis has struggled to convince voters that he is a superior candidate to Trump. His “electability” argument has been severely damaged by several mistakes, including a homophobic campaign ad, a video containing Nazi symbolism and an argument over slavery.
For now, however, DeSantis stands alone in second place in the primary field. His political action group, Never Back Down — which can boost his candidacy but cannot coordinate with the campaign — has more than $100 million it intends to spend in early-voting states like Iowa and New Hampshire. His supporters say he may be down but not out.
Read more from Yahoo News: DeSantis disappoints, and some Republicans seek new Trump-slaying savior
Republican alternatives
Donors and establishment Republicans are desperately looking for a candidate who can fulfill the promise they once thought DeSantis had.
With his optimistic personality and inspiring personal story, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina has drawn comparisons to Ronald Reagan. "He's the one guy running who's got some personality and charisma. His delivery is terrific," a top Republican donor told Politico earlier this month.
The problem for Scott is that he's stuck at 3% in the latest New York Times/Siena poll, well behind DeSantis.
Rupert Murdoch, whose conservative media empire helps set the national Republican agenda, is reportedly a fan of Glenn Youngkin. The primaries are still six months away, giving the Virginia governor time to build out a campaign, but he would be entering a crowded field dominated by Trump. He may thus conclude that it is safer to wait until 2028, as some believe DeSantis should have done.
Read more from our partners: Few Americans know Sen. Tim Scott, but some Democrats see him as a tough general election opponent
The case against Biden
Lost in the coverage of candidates’ jostling for donors and endorsements is the fact that whoever emerges from the Republican primary will have to make a pitch to general election voters who are, on the whole, much more moderate and less interested in culture war issues than the conservative GOP base.
So far, that pitch has not come into view.
Polls continue to show that Biden remains an unpopular president. Questions about his age are not going away. Neither are concerns about his vice president, Kamala Harris.
But the economy continues to recover from the pandemic, with fears of a recession starting to fade.
It is true that many Americans believe that the country is heading in the wrong direction, but they don’t yet know what direction Republicans would like to take.
Read more from Yahoo Finance: The Republican case against Biden is fizzling
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Dallas Cowboys running back Ronald Jones was suspended two games by the NFL on Monday for violating the league's performance-enhancing substances policy.
The league announced the ban in a statement. The statement did not specify what substance triggered the suspension. Jones will miss Cowboys games in Week 1 and Week 2 against the New York Giants and New York Jets. He'll be eligible to return in Week 3 against the Arizona Cardinals.
Cowboys RB Ronald Jones has been suspended first 2 games for violating policy on performance-enhancing substances pic.twitter.com/s0dDh9ORfR
— Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) July 31, 2023
The Cowboys signed Jones as a free agent in March for depth behind starter Tony Pollard. Pollard is recovering from a broken ankle sustained in the playoffs last season, but is participating in training camp in anticipation of being ready to play Week 1.
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As you may have heard, the term "Kenergy," first uttered by Ryan Gosling ahead of the new Barbie movie, is taking on a life of its own.
Leading up to the film's July 21 U.S. premiere, the term became a viral sensation, though even his co-stars didn’t know what to make of the term's rising popularity.
"I think it's definitely a play on BDE [big d**k energy]," Robbie joked with Yahoo Entertainment about the term, as costars Kate McKinnon defined it as "a recognition of the ways in which masculinity under patriarchy is limiting," Michael Cera saw it as more of a vibe, and Issa Rae called it "a whole lot of nothing."
Since seeing the movie, a growing number of men have found cathartic connection in Ken's journey, and see the term as a way to describe what healthy masculinity looks like.
Nicholas Balaisis, a Toronto-based psychotherapist who wrote about the term for Psychology Today after seeing Gosling's performance, says Kenergy is a feeling most men aspire to but are afraid to discuss.
“It is a version of masculinity that is maybe a little naive but rooted in a genuine need to connect emotionally with women and other men," he explains to Yahoo Life. "It's 'male energy' that may be a little stuck in rigid gender models, but one that is at heart sensitive and longs for real authentic interpersonal connections."
Similarly, Will Courtenay, a licensed therapist known as "The Men's Doc," says Kenergy represents "a healthier form of manhood."
"Men who endorse more traditional, old-school ideas about masculinity have far greater physical and mental health risks than men who don’t," he tells Yahoo Life after having seen the film. "Kenergy symbolizes a more fluid, less restrictive expression of masculinity."
Similarly, Sally Spencer-Thomas, a suicide-prevention advocate and founder of the campaign Man Therapy, says Kenergy is reflective of a mindset that many young, progressive men share.
"It's a goal," she tells Yahoo Life of the term, adding that it is a visual representation of what happens when men break free of societal expectations and, as a result, are unafraid to express their emotions, be vulnerable with others and build richer connections with friends and romantic partners.
“We’ve come to a crossroads in many ways about flipping the script on what it means to be a man,” she says. “Older, more stoic, self-reliant generations that say, ‘Suck it up, Buttercup,’ are being challenged by younger leaders now.”
In Barbie's Barbieland, women rule, leaving Gosling's Ken as "superfluous," as Margot Robbie's Barbie notes. But all that changes when he travels to the real world and learns about partriarchy, a concept he swiftly embraces. That shift leaves audiences to ask themselves big questions: Why has our system benefited men for so long in the first place? And how do we break free of the pressure to maintain our gendered roles?
Those questions, Spencer-Thomas says, are important for young men to ask themselves. "I am Kenough," the phrase seen on the sweatshirt Ken wears after having a self-identity breakthrough near the end of the film, is "a good mantra to accept who you are, where you are and all of who you are. Not just one aspect of your male identity," she says.
Such themes are hitting home for a lot of men, Balaisis argues, due to Gerwig's lighthearted touch.
"The film invites us to laugh at a number of male stereotypes, such as fixations on male totems like horses or beer, the difficulty for men to form male friendships, or tendencies to 'mansplain' as a way to court women," Balaisis says, noting that when he saw Barbie, "there were large, knowing laughs that accompanied these scenes, which spoke to their familiarity to the viewing audience."
Poking fun at typical male behaviors in a fun way, he adds, gives permission for men to "laugh without feeling the sting of heavy criticism."
That's why, Courtenay says, "media representation like this means something," not just through the film itself, but through Gosling's self-deprecating humor on the press tour, which has helped drive home the message that men ought not to take themselves too seriously.
“Boys and men learn a lot about how to be a man from movies, television, video games and other forms of media," he explains. "Most of those lessons are unhealthy ones. Ken challenges many traditional stereotypes about masculinity. 'Kenergy' gives men permission to do the same.”
It's all part of society's shift when it comes to manhood, he adds, noting that young men have witnessed the mental anguish older generations have taken on — due to societal expectations — and they don't want to repeat their mistakes.
“Men with more traditional or stereotypical beliefs about manhood have poorer health,” he says, "because the tools we give men in America to become ‘real men’ are largely unhealthy attitudes and behaviors."
The best thing we can do, Balaisis says, is to carry the message of Kenergy to the future. Even if the term loses its buzz, the feelings behind it shouldn't.
"Having conversations about what it means to be a man in 2023 are really important... even if it starts from being upset or angry about things they saw in Barbie," he says. "As the film shows, anger usually hides other important emotions that, while difficult to examine, can ultimately lead to better relations with self and others."
Wellness, parenting, body image and more: Get to know the who behind the hoo with Yahoo Life's newsletter. Sign up here.
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Football fans, get ready, your favorite sport is returns this week with the NFL preseason opener, the Hall of Fame Game. This year, The Cleveland Browns face the New York Jets. It's been well over 20 years since either of the teams played the Hall of Fame Game, which, as the name suggests, is scheduled just a few days before the 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame class is enshrined. New Jets player Aaron Rodgers will unfortunately not be making his debut at the preseason opener, leaving curious fans to look towards the preseason final game against the New York Giants.
Ready for football season to (un)officially start? Here's how to watch the 2023 Hall of Fame Game, what you need to know about the NFL preseason and more.
How to watch the 2023 NFL Hall of Fame Game: Browns vs. Jets
Date: August 3, 2023
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Canton, OH
Game: Cleveland Browns at New York Jets
Hall of Fame Game channel: NBC
Hall of Fame Game streaming: Peacock
When is the NFL Hall of Fame game?
The 2023 NFL preseason kicks off with the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, August 3, 2023 at 8 p.m. ET.
Who is playing in the 2023 NFL Hall of Fame Game?
This year's Hall of Fame Game will feature the Cleveland Browns at New York Jets.
What channel is the 2023 NFL Hall of Fame Game on?
The Hall of Fame Game will be nationally broadcast on NBC (and stream live on Peacock). Coverage starts at 7 p.m. ET, and the game officially kicks off at 8 p.m.
Where to watch the Hall of Fame game 2023?
When does football season start?
This year's NFL season, made up of 272 regular-season games, kicks off on Thursday, September 7, 2023 with a match between the Detroit Lions and the Kansas City Chiefs. The 2023 NFL season will see the first football game on Black Friday, as well as international games in London and Munich. But first, it's time for the 2023 NFL preseason, which opens with the Hall of Fame Game on August 3, 2023.
2023 NFL preseason full schedule:
Hall of Fame Game
Thursday, August 3
Cleveland Browns at New York Jets, 8 p.m. (NBC)
Week 1
Thursday, August 10
Houston Texans at New England Patriots, 7 p.m.
Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks, 10 p.m.
Friday, August 11
Green Bay Packers at Cincinnati Bengals, 7 p.m.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 7 p.m.
New York Giants at Detroit Lions, 7 p.m.
Atlanta Falcons at Miami Dolphins, 7 p.m.
Washington Commanders at Cleveland Browns, 7:30 p.m.
Denver Broncos at Arizona Cardinals, 10 p.m.
Saturday, August 12
Tennessee Titans at Chicago Bears, 1 p.m.
Indianapolis Colts at Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m.
New York Jets at Carolina Panthers, 4 p.m.
Jacksonville Jaguars at Dallas Cowboys, 5 p.m.
Philadelphia Eagles at Baltimore Ravens, 7 p.m.
Los Angeles Chargers at Los Angeles Rams, 9 p.m.
Sunday, August 13
Kansas City Chiefs at New Orleans Saints, 1 p.m.
San Francisco 49ers at Las Vegas Raiders, 4 p.m.
Week 2
Thursday, August 17
Cleveland Browns at Philadelphia Eagles, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, August 18
Carolina Panthers at New York Giants, 7 p.m.
Cincinnati Bengals at Atlanta Falcons, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, August 19
Jacksonville Jaguars at Detroit Lions, 1 p.m.
Miami Dolphins at Houston Texans, 4 p.m.
Buffalo Bills at Pittsburgh Steelers, 6:30 p.m.
Chicago Bears at Indianapolis Colts, 7 p.m.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New York Jets, 7:30 p.m.
Tennessee Titans at Minnesota Vikings, 8 p.m.
Kansas City Chiefs at Arizona Cardinals, 8 p.m.
New England Patriots at Green Bay Packers, 8 p.m.
Denver Broncos at San Francisco 49ers, 8:30 p.m.
Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Rams, 9 p.m.
Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks, 10 p.m.
Sunday, August 20
New Orleans Saints at Los Angeles Chargers, 7:05 p.m.
Monday, August 21
Baltimore Ravens at Washington Commanders, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
Week 3
Thursday, August 24
Pittsburgh Steelers at Atlanta Falcons, 7:30 p.m.
Indianapolis Colts at Philadelphia Eagles, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
Friday, August 25
Detroit Lions at Carolina Panthers, 8 p.m. (CBS)
New England Patriots at Tennessee Titans, 8:15 p.m.
Los Angeles Chargers at San Francisco 49ers, 10 p.m.
Saturday, August 26
Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers, 1 p.m.
Cleveland Browns at Kansas City Chiefs, 1 p.m.
Arizona Cardinals at Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m.
Buffalo Bills at Chicago Bears, 1 p.m.
New York Jets at New York Giants, 6 p.m.
Cincinnati Bengals at Washington Commanders, 6:05 p.m.
Baltimore Ravens at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 7 p.m.
Miami Dolphins at Jacksonville Jaguars, 7 p.m.
Los Angeles Raiders at Dallas Cowboys, 8 p.m.
Los Angeles Rams at Denver Broncos, 9 p.m.
Sunday, August 27
Houston Texans at New Orleans Saints, 8 p.m (Fox)
How to watch all NFL preseason games:
Many NFL preseason games are broadcast on local channels, so if you're looking to catch an in-market game, it may be as simple as turning on your TV (or setting up a digital TV antenna). If you want to watch out-of-market games, a $5 monthly subscription to NFL+ will get you access to every out-of-market-game in the season (and preseason). There will also be a few national broadcast NFL preseason games airing across NBC, ESPN, Fox and CBS (and one streaming on Amazon Prime Video) in the coming weeks. Here's how to watch every NFL preseason game in 2023.
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Colorado is headed back to the Big 12 conference next summer, and Oregon coach Dan Lanning sounds completely unbothered by the move.
Lanning took a very clear, yet accurate, shot at the Buffaloes on Monday.
"Not a big reaction," Lanning said when asked about Colorado's plans to return to the Big 12.
"I'm trying to remember what they won to affect this conference and I don't remember. Do you remember them winning anything? I don't remember them winning anything."
Dan Lanning with the 🎤 ⬇️
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) July 31, 2023
(via @JamesCrepea, @BrennaGreene_) pic.twitter.com/h1v6ueUBwI
Though that’s harsh, he's not wrong.
Colorado has had just a single winning season since joining the Pac-12 in 2011. Outside of their 10-4 finish in 2016, the Buffaloes never won more than three conference games in a single season. They went 0-9 in conference play in 2014, and have four seasons in which they won just a single Pac-12 game. Deion Sanders is Colorado’s fifth head coach since it moved to the Pac-12, too.
Based on that, it’s easy to see why Lanning and Oregon wouldn’t care much about the Buffaloes’ plans.
Colorado officially voted to move back to the Big 12 in 2024 last week. The Buffaloes' decision to leave followed USC and UCLA opting to join the Big Ten next season. That's left the Pac-12 with just nine teams. The Pac-12 still has yet to announce plans for a new media rights agreement — that's reportedly coming later this week — something that Colorado athletic director Rick George said played a part in their decision to leave.
The Pac-12 is clearly not in a good place, and it feels like it could fall apart at any moment. Arizona is rumored to be considering a jump to the Big 12, too, which would only complicate things even further for Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff.
But for now, at least publicly, Lanning and Oregon are fine with Colorado leaving the conference. The way they see it from a football perspective, the move is irrelevant to them.
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WASHINGTON — (AP) — President Joe Biden has decided to keep U.S. Space Command headquarters in Colorado, overturning a last-ditch decision by the Trump administration to move it to Alabama. The choice ended months of thorny deliberations, but an Alabama lawmaker vowed to fight on.
U.S. officials told The Associated Press on Monday that Biden was convinced by the head of Space Command, Gen. James Dickinson, who argued that moving his headquarters now would jeopardize military readiness. Dickinson's view, however, was in contrast to Air Force leadership, who studied the issue at length and determined that relocating to Huntsville, Alabama, was the right move.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details of Biden’s rationale for the decision.
In announcing the plans, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, said the decision was based on an “objective and deliberate process informed by data and analysis.” He said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin supported the president’s decision.
Reaction to the decision came fast and was sharply divided, as Colorado lawmakers praised it and Alabama officials slammed it as a political maneuver. “This fight is far from over,” warned Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.
Biden, said the U.S. officials, believes that keeping the command in Colorado Springs would avoid a disruption in readiness that the move would cause, particularly as the U.S. races to compete with China in space. And they said Biden firmly believes that maintaining stability will help the military be better able to respond in space over the next decade. Those factors, they said, outweighed what the president believed would be any minor benefits of moving to Alabama.
Biden's decision enraged Alabama lawmakers and is sure to fuel accusations that abortion politics played a role in the choice. The location debate has become entangled in the ongoing battle between Alabama Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville and the Defense Department over the move to provide travel for troops seeking reproductive health care. Tuberville opposed the policy is blocking hundreds of military promotions in protest.
The U.S. officials said the abortion issue had no effect at all on Biden's decision. And they said the president fully expected there would be different views on the matter within the Defense Department.
Tuberville, in a statement, said the top three choices for Space Command headquarters were all in Republican-leaning states — Alabama, Nebraska and Texas — and bypassing them “looks like blatant patronage politics.”
Formally created in August 2019, the command was temporarily based in Colorado, and Air Force and Space Force leaders initially recommended it stay there. In the final days of his presidency Donald Trump decided it should be based in Huntsville.
The change triggered a number of reviews.
Proponents of keeping the command in Colorado have argued that moving it to Huntsville and creating a new headquarters would set back its progress at a time it needs to move quickly to be positioned to match China’s military space rise. And Colorado Springs is also home to the Air Force Academy, which now graduates Space Force guardians, and more than 24 military space missions, including three Space Force bases.
Officials also argued that any new headquarters in Alabama would not be completed until sometime after 2030, forcing a lengthy transition.
Huntsville, however, scored higher than Colorado Springs in a Government Accountability Office assessment of potential locations and has long been a home to some of earliest missiles used in the nation’s space programs, including the Saturn V rocket. It is home to the Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command.
According to officials, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, who ordered his own review of the matter, leaned toward Huntsville, while Dickinson was staunchly in favor of staying put. The officials said Austin presented both options to Biden.
In a statement Monday, Kendall said the service will work to quickly implement Biden's decision, adding that keeping the command in Colorado will “avoid any disruption to its operational capability.”
The decision was hailed as a victory in Colorado lawmakers and condemned in Alabama.
“For two and a half years we’ve known any objective analysis of this basing decision would reach the same conclusion we did, that Peterson Space Force Base is the best home for Space Command," Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., said in a statement. “Most importantly, this decision firmly rejects the idea that politics — instead of national security — should determine basing decisions central to our national security.”
Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., said the decision “restores integrity to the Pentagon’s basing process and sends a strong message that national security and the readiness of our Armed Forces drive our military decisions.”
Rogers, meanwhile, vowed that his committee will continue an investigation into the matter, calling it a “deliberate taxpayer-funded manipulation of the selection process.” He added, “It’s clear that far-left politics, not national security, was the driving force behind this decision.”
Republican Alabama Sen. Katie Britt echoed his sentiment, saying it was irresponsible for Biden to “yank a military decision out of the Air Force’s hands in the name of partisan politics.” She said an Air Force evaluation of the potential locations ranked Huntsville first, adding that the decision ”should have remained in the Air Force’s purview.”
___
Associated Press writer Kim Chandler in Montgomery, Ala., contributed to this report.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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Idaho Today Idaho Today: Look Before You Lock With Treasure Valley Subaru & Idaho Humane Society More Videos Next up in 5 Example video title will go here for this video Sponsored by Treasure Valley Subaru.
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- Former President Donald Trump and a dozen of his Republican primary rivals descended on Iowa, with some sharing a stage for the first time.
- Trump accused Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis of "fighting against ethanol" before the Corn State crowd.
- Former Texas Rep. Will Hurd was booed as he left the stage after throwing the strongest punch of the evening at Trump.
Former President Donald Trump and a dozen of his Republican primary rivals descended on Iowa over the weekend, with some sharing a stage for the first time as they vied for support in the state where the nation's first nominating contest will be held.
But "rival" is relative. Few of Trump's ostensible opponents — even his apparent top competitor, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — appear to be even close to touching him in the polls. And with less than six months to go before the Iowa caucuses, most of the GOP field remains reluctant to take aim at the biggest obstacle to their party's nomination.
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Trump has not shared their hesitations.
After DeSantis spoke at Friday's Lincoln Dinner in Des Moines, Trump took the stage and within three minutes lashed out at the governor, accusing him of "fighting against ethanol" before the Corn State crowd.
"He fights against it all the time," Trump said of "DeSanctus," a condensed version of the derisive nickname "DeSanctimonious" that he has attempted to popularize.
Other speakers at the dinner included former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former Vice President Mike Pence.
Money Report
The dynamic between Trump and his would-be challengers has held firm even as Trump racks up criminal charges in multiple cases, with possible additional indictments forthcoming.
One day before he spoke at the dinner, Trump was hit with a superseding indictment in the federal criminal case related to his alleged efforts to conceal classified documents that he kept after leaving the White House. The latest charges accuse Trump and his co-defendants of trying to delete surveillance footage at his resort home, Mar-a-Lago, after it was sought by a federal grand jury.
Trump now faces 40 charges in the unprecedented federal case, the first ever to be filed against a former president. He has pleaded not guilty in that case and in a separate criminal case in Manhattan, where he is charged with falsifying business records related to hush money payments to women who claim they had extramarital affairs with him.
Yet few of the candidates who spoke at Friday's dinner mentioned Trump at all in their remarks, which mostly featured condensed versions of their campaign stump speeches. The ones who did are considered extreme long shots in the primary, and their criticisms were hardly well received by the crowd of 1,200 Iowa Republicans.
Former Texas Rep. Will Hurd was booed as he left the stage after throwing the strongest punch of the evening at Trump.
"Donald Trump is not running for president to make America great again," Hurd said. "Donald Trump is running to stay out of prison."
Hurd holds less than 1% in FiveThirtyEight's tracker of national GOP primary polls.
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is also polling in the low single digits, warned the crowd, "As it stands right now, you will be voting in Iowa while multiple criminal cases are pending against former President Trump."
DeSantis did not mention Trump in his speech.
He has defended that strategy even as his poll numbers have appeared to sag and as his two-month-old campaign launches a reboot that includes firing a chunk of its staff and reassuring donors amid new financing concerns.
"We need to focus the election on Joe Biden's failures and our positive vision for the future," DeSantis told NBC News earlier Friday. "If we're litigating things from four or five years ago, Republicans are going to lose."
Meanwhile, Trump's legal woes don't seem to be dampening his campaign. A New York Times/Siena College poll released Monday found Trump leading DeSantis by 37 percentage points among likely Republican voters.
No candidate other than Trump and DeSantis topped 3% support in the poll, which was conducted from July 23 to July 27 and has a margin of error of 3.96 percentage points.
The poll also found that a majority of GOP respondents said they considered Trump better able to beat Biden than DeSantis.
Trump lost to Biden in the 2020 election but has falsely claimed he won. The former president has pushed a raft of debunked conspiracy theories about widespread voter fraud to explain his defeat. Swaths of Republican voters still say they suspect Biden's victory was illegitimate, polls show.
Since his indictments on the campaign trail, Trump has worked to re-frame the charges against him as a tale of political martyrdom. "If I weren't running, I would have nobody coming after me," he said at the Lincoln Dinner. He has vowed to keep up his campaign even if he is convicted and sentenced before the 2024 election.
His fundraising operation has put a spotlight on Trump's legal threats as it solicits donors for contributions. The New York Times reported Saturday that Trump's political action committee, Save America, has spent more than $40 million this year alone on legal fees racked up by the ex-president and his allies.
They may soon have to spend more. The special counsel who investigated Trump's retention of classified documents is also leading a Trump-centered probe of interference in the 2020 presidential election. Trump said he has been informed that he is a target in that criminal probe, a signal that charges are likely coming soon.
At the same time, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is expected to soon seek indictments in her investigation of the efforts by Trump and his allies to meddle in Georgia's election in 2020.
"We've been working for two-and-a-half years," Willis said over the weekend, according to a local news report. "We're ready to go."
Trump, who left Iowa to speak at a crowded campaign rally on Saturday night in Erie, Pennsylvania, said he considers each new indictment "a badge of honor."
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Donald Trump has scored a major victory in his efforts to reshape the mosaic of state Republican Party rules that determine the GOP presidential nominee.
The California Republican Party over the weekend voted overwhelmingly to approve a plan to award all of their 169 presidential delegates to a candidate that wins a majority of the vote in the state's March 5 primary.
That's a hurdle that Trump, who remains popular in the party and is the early frontrunner in the crowded 2024 GOP field, could clear.
If no candidate wins more than 50%-plus-one in California's Super Tuesday primary, then the delegates will be awarded to candidates based on their share of the vote. The rule change passed on a 53-16 vote Saturday by the California GOP's Executive Committee is much more favorable to a frontrunner than a proposal that the party was considering a few weeks ago.
Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung called it "a humiliating defeat" for Trump's strongest rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and the super PAC that's been heavily supporting his presidential campaign.
“We are pleased the California Republican Party readopted a Winner-Take-All provision, and we look forward to competing across California to win all of its delegates, just as President Trump did in 2016 and 2020," Cheung said in a statement.
DeSantis' campaign had said it was closely monitoring the delegate plans in the states, but a spokesman for the campaign did not respond to questions about their conversations with the California GOP.
Communications Director Andrew Romeo said: “We’re putting an organization together that can win in any state, in any format, anytime, and anywhere. Game on."
But Never Back Down, a super PAC supporting DeSantis’ campaign whose top advisors are schooled in the arts of delegate rules, was less sanguine.
“Smoke-filled back rooms do not reflect the will of or benefit voters in any state. Yet across the country games are afoot to enhance the potential outcome of primary elections for one former president who half of the Republican electorate no longer wants as the party leader," Ken Cuccinelli, the founder of Never Back Down, said in a statement. “Even with these asinine primary rules changes, we remain confident Governor DeSantis will become the Republican nominee and 47th president of the United States."
Never Back Down did not respond to a request to make Cuccinelli available for an interview.
California has more delegates to award than any other state, making its delegate haul valuable in the contest to win the majority of more than 2,000 Republican delegates and secure the party's nomination.
State parties set their rules governing how delegates are awarded based on the results of presidential caucuses and primaries, a process that Trump and his team have been working for years to influence.
The complex process repeatedly tripped up Trump’s 2016 campaign but after years of work by the former president himself and his advisers, the resulting system largely favors a frontrunner.
Many state Republican parties made changes to their rules ahead of the 2020 election by adding more winner-take-all contests and requiring candidates to earn higher percentages of the vote to claim any delegates.
As state parties this year are finalizing their delegate plans for 2024, California's proposal received heightened attention because of the number of delegates at stake.
The party was originally considering a plan earlier this month that could have potentially allowed a second-place finisher to collect more delegates.
The earlier proposal would not have allowed for a candidate to take all the delegates if they received a majority of the votes.
Instead, it split the 169 delegates into two groups. Of those, 156 of the delegates would be allocated based on the primary results in each of the state’s 52 congressional districts. The candidate who received the most votes in each district would receive two delegates, while the second-place candidate in the district would get one. The remaining 13 delegates would have been allocated to candidates based on the percentage of the statewide vote they won.
That proposal drew outrage from some Trump supporters on Twitter who cast it as a plot to harm Trump.
California Republican Party Chairwoman Jessica Millan Patterson said the initial proposal “was a starting point so that we could take the issue up," but dividing up the delegates proportionally incentivizes every candidate to campaign in California because they could be awarded their share of what they win.
“This is what primaries are for,” Patterson said. “I’m excited to see all of these candidates step up and either show us that they can take a portion or win the state on their own and to make that case to California voters."
Patterson declined to detail the specific input each campaign provided but said the party heard from campaigns beyond just those of Trump and DeSantis, along with supporters of the various candidates and potential delegates.
She said it was "a very open and transparent process,” with the party allowing for public comment and discussion during the final weekend vote and during an earlier meeting of the party's rules committee, which first passed the change.
“I feel good about where we ended up on Saturday, despite what some people might say," she said.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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| 2023-07-31T21:57:49
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BOISE, Idaho — A 27-year-old man was killed after being hit by a vehicle early Monday morning, according to the Boise Police Department. Investigators believe the man was walking in the travel lanes of North Cloverdale Road at the time of the crash.
Police said a woman was driving south on Cloverdale Road when she hit the 27-year-old around 1:30 a.m. Monday. The crash occurred near the intersection with West Briarwood Drive.
Ada County Coroner Richard D. Riffle identified the man as Aldin Ekic of Meridian. He died at the scene of the crash, according to a news release. Ekic's cause of death and manner of death are listed as "pending."
While Boise Police said early evidence shows the man was walking in the southbound lanes of Cloverdale Road when he was hit, Monday's crash remains under investigation. No charges have been filed.
BPD's Violent Crimes Detectives and Crash Reconstruction Team responded to the scene Monday morning.
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https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/meridian-man-hit-killed-by-vehicle-boise/277-e6b94afd-b506-45b1-b933-9334bba83489
| 2023-07-31T21:57:53
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- Carlos De Oliveira — the new co-defendant in the Trump classified documents criminal case — appeared in Miami federal court but had his plea postponed to give him time to hire a local Florida lawyer.
- De Oliveira was ordered free on a $100,000 signature bond by Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres.
- De Oliveira worked in maintenance at former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.
- He is charged with participating in a cover-up effort with Trump and Trump valet Walt Nauta, to hide surveillance video evidence that showed boxes of classified documents were being moved around the club.
Carlos De Oliveira — the new co-defendant in the Trump classified documents criminal case — appeared in Miami federal court Monday morning, but had the entry of his plea postponed to give him time to hire a local Florida lawyer.
De Oliveira was ordered free on a $100,000 signature bond by Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres at the brief hearing after Torres read out the four charges facing the defendant.
De Oliveira, who worked in maintenance at former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, is charged with participating in a cover-up effort with Trump and Trump valet Walt Nauta, to hide surveillance video evidence that showed boxes of classified documents were being moved around the club.
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De Oliveira's failure so far to get a Florida lawyer mirrors the difficulties that Trump had hiring a local attorney for the case. Nauta had his arraignment twice postponed because of the same issue.
Courts as a rule insist that parties in criminal and civil cases be represented by lawyers who are licensed to practice in the state where the case was brought. Out-of-state attorneys can, however, take the lead on representing a party in a case if they have a local attorney's cooperation.
Money Report
De Oliveira's lawyer John Irving, whose office is in Washington, D.C., was allowed to represent him Monday for the initial appearance.
"We are in the process of ascertaining local counsel," Irvin told Torres.
The judge ordered De Oliveira to next appear on Aug. 10 in federal court in Fort Pierce. He also told De Oliveira not to have contact with witnesses in the case.
De Oliveira was accused in an indictment last week of telling a Mar-a-Lago co-worker that Trump — "the boss" — wanted surveillance video from the club deleted after a federal grand jury had issued a subpoena for the video.
He also is charged with lying in an interview with the FBI, when he denied participating with Nauta in moving boxes of documents, which were being sought by the U.S. government.
Trump and Nauta previously pleaded not guilty.
Trump is the main defendant in the case, accused of dozens of criminal counts related to his retention of classified government records after leaving the White House in January 2021.
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is running as a Democrat against President Joe Biden, tells many stories on the campaign trail about himself, his life's work and what he stands for that are the opposite of what his record actually shows.
The Associated Press found that Kennedy's insistence that he is not anti-vaccine doesn't square with his long record of opposition to vaccines. His claims that he is a true Democrat inheriting the mantle of his famous family are contradicted by his alignment with far right figures and support from Republicans. And despite listing the environment as a campaign priority, he has pushed bitcoin — a cryptocurrency that requires massive amounts of electricity from supercomputers to generate new coins, prompting most environmental advocates to loudly oppose it.
Kennedy's campaign is widely considered a long shot, but it's gained media attention due to his famous name and the possibility that his run could weaken Biden ahead of what is expected to be a close general election in 2024.
The campaign didn't return emails seeking comment about the contradictions in his candidacy.
Here are the key takeaways from the AP’s reporting:
KENNEDY'S ANTI-VACCINE RECORD
Kennedy told a congressional committee this month: “I have never been anti-vaxx. I have never told the public to avoid vaccination.” But Kennedy has a long record of anti-vaccine comments and rose to public prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic through the work of his anti-vaccine group, Children's Health Defense.
Just this month, Kennedy said in a podcast interview that "There's no vaccine that is safe and effective" and told FOX News that he still believes in the long-ago debunked idea that vaccines can cause autism. In a 2021 podcast, he recalled telling people on hiking trails not to get their children vaccinated.
That same year, Kennedy appeared in a video promoting an anti-vaccine sticker campaign by his nonprofit. A sticker shown beside him declared “IF YOU’RE NOT AN ANTI-VAXXER YOU AREN’T PAYING ATTENTION.”
The AP found that anti-vaccine activists are at the heart of Kennedy's campaign. FEC records show several people paid to work on the campaign previously worked for Children's Health Defense.
Kennedy has also received substantial support from the anti-vaccine community.
Children’s Health Defense currently has a lawsuit pending against a number of news organizations, among them The Associated Press, accusing them of violating antitrust laws by taking action to identify misinformation, including about COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines.
ASSOCIATION WITH FAR RIGHT HAS RAISED KENNEDY'S PROFILE
Kennedy is running as a Democrat, yet he has aligned himself with far right figures who have worked to subvert American democracy.
He has appeared on Infowars, the channel run by Sandy Hook conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. He has granted interviews to former President Donald Trump ally Steve Bannon and Tucker Carlson. After he headlined a stop on the ReAwaken America Tour, the Christian nationalist road show put together by former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn, he was photographed backstage with Flynn and Trump ally Roger Stone.
Those appearances have led to goodwill on the right. Trump supporters have floated a Trump-Kennedy unity ticket.
Kennedy's run is also getting financial support from the right. A super PAC supporting Kennedy's presidential run, called Heal the Divide PAC, has deep ties to Republicans, Federal Election Commission records show.
Kennedy denied knowing the PAC when it came up at a recent congressional hearing, but video available online shows he was a guest speaker at a Heal the Divide event just two days earlier.
SUPPORT FOR BITCOIN RUNS COUNTER TO ENVIRONMENTAL STANCE
Kennedy lists the environment as one of six top priorities on his campaign website and has spent many years speaking against pollution and climate change as an environmental lawyer. Yet he has made supporting the energy-intensive cryptocurrency bitcoin a key part of his platform.
Bitcoin mining, the process of generating new coins, uses massive amounts of electricity — more than some entire countries, experts say.
Kennedy has acknowledged the environmental downsides, but says he wouldn't let them hinder its use. He promotes the argument that demand for the cryptocurrency will boost investment in renewable energy projects.
Kennedy has invested between $100,001 and $250,000 in bitcoin, his financial disclosure documents show.
KENNEDY INVOKES HIS FAMOUS FAMILY, WHILE RELATIVES DENOUNCE HIM
Though Kennedy peppers his speeches, podcast appearances and campaign materials with invocations of the Democratic Party legacies of his uncle President John F. Kennedy and his father Robert F. Kennedy, his relatives have distanced themselves from him and even denounced him.
"He's trading in on Camelot, celebrity, conspiracy theories and conflict for personal gain and fame," Jack Schlossberg, President Kennedy's grandson, said of his cousin in an Instagram video earlier this month. "I've listened to him. I know him. I have no idea why anyone thinks he should be president. What I do know is, his candidacy is an embarrassment."
Kennedy's recent comments that COVID-19 could have been "ethnically targeted" to spare Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people — which he denies were antisemitic but concedes he should have worded more carefully — also drew a condemnation from his sister, Kerry Kennedy.
___ The Associated Press receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about AP's democracy initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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| 2023-07-31T21:57:55
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WASHINGTON — A New Hampshire nurse, who has reportedly been kidnapped in Haiti, has described Haitians as “resilient people” in a video about her work for a nonprofit Christian ministry in the country.
“They're full of joy, and life and love. I'm so blessed to know so many amazing Haitians,” Alix Dorsainil says in a video on the website of the ministry she works for, El Roi Haiti.
Dorsainvil and her daughter were kidnapped Thursday, the organization said in a statement over the weekend. El Roi Haiti, which runs a school and ministry in Port au Prince, said the two were taken from campus. Dorsainvil is the wife of the program’s director, Sandro Dorsainvil.
That happened the same day that the U.S. State Department issued a “do not travel advisory” in the country and ordered nonemergency personnel to leave there amid growing security concerns.
“Alix is a deeply compassionate and loving person who considers Haiti her home and the Haitian people her friends and family,” El Roi president and co-founder Jason Brown said in the statement. “Alix has worked tirelessly as our school and community nurse to bring relief to those who are suffering as she loves and serves the people of Haiti in the name of Jesus.”
A State Department spokesperson said in a statement Saturday is it “aware of reports of the kidnapping of two U.S. citizens in Haiti,” adding, “We are in regular contact with Haitian authorities and will continue to work with them and our U.S. government interagency partners.”
The department has not issued any updates since then. Alix Dorainvil's father, Steven Comeau, reached in New Hampshire, said he could not talk.
Dorsainvil graduated from Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts, which has a program to support nursing education in Haiti. Before that, she went to Cornerstone Christian Academy in Ossipee, New Hampshire.
“Pray that God would keep her safe, be with her through this trial, and deliver her from her captors,” the school posted on its Facebook page.
In its advisory Thursday, the State Department said that “kidnapping is widespread, and victims regularly include U.S. citizens.”
It said kidnappings often involve ransom negotiations and U.S. citizen victims have been physically harmed.
Earlier this month, the National Human Rights Defense Network issued a report warning about an upsurge in killings and kidnappings and the U.N. Security Council met to discuss Haiti’s worsening situation.
In December 2021, an unidentified person paid a ransom that freed three missionaries kidnapped by a gang in Haiti under an agreement that was supposed to have led to the release of all 15 remaining captives, t heir Ohio-based organization confirmed.
The person who made the payment was not affiliated with Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries, and the workers say they don’t know who the individual is or how much was paid to the gang, which initially demanded $1 million per person. Internal conflicts in the gang, they say, led it to renege on a pledge to release all the hostages, freeing just three of them instead on Dec. 5.
The accounts from former hostages and other Christian Aid Ministries staffers, in recent recorded talks to church groups and others, were the first public acknowledgement from the organization that ransom was paid at any point following the Oct. 16 kidnapping of 16 Americans and a Canadian affiliated with CAM.
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https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/nation-world/american-mother-daughter-haiti-kidnapping-alix-dorsainil-praised-country-for-resilience/507-031e1f23-84f4-47d4-831b-0f4e1131a173
| 2023-07-31T21:57:59
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Are you ready for some football?
A little under six months after the Kansas City Chiefs won Super Bowl LVII, the NFL returns this week with its first preseason game ahead of the new 2023 season.
As is tradition, the preseason opener will be played in Canton, Ohio, just days before the 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame class is enshrined.
Before the NFL preseason kicks off, here's what to know about the 2023 Hall of Fame Game:
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Who is playing in the 2023 NFL Hall of Fame Game?
This year's Hall of Fame Game features the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets. It's been more than two decades since either team played in the Hall of Fame Game, with Cleveland last appearing in 1999 and New York in 1992.
Is Aaron Rodgers playing in the NFL Hall of Fame Game?
NFL
Aaron Rodgers unfortunately won't make his unofficial Jets debut against the Browns. Head coach Robert Saleh said if Rodgers plays at all in the preseason, it would be in the team's finale against the New York Giants.
Where is the 2023 NFL Hall of Fame Game?
Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, is the site of the Hall of Fame Game. The venue is adjacent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
When is the 2023 NFL Hall of Fame Game?
The Jets and Browns will square off on Thursday, Aug. 3.
What time does the 2023 NFL Hall of Fame Game start?
Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
What TV channel is the 2023 NFL Hall of Fame Game on?
The Hall of Fame Game will air on NBC. Live coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
How to stream the 2023 NFL Hall of Fame Game live
Fans can stream the preseason action on Peacock, NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app and the NBC app.
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WASHINGTON — Paul Reubens, the actor and comedian best known for his character Pee-wee Herman, has died at 70 years old after a years-long battle with cancer that he did not make public. The Monday announcement of his death was met with an immediate outpouring of grief from his friends and colleagues in the entertainment industry.
"Russian Doll" star Natasha Lyonne, who made her acting debut at 6 years old on the first season of "Pee-wee's Playhouse," shared images from the hit television series on social media.
"Love you so much, Paul. One in all time. Thank you for my career & your forever friendship all these years & for teaching us what a true original is," she wrote, adding several heart emojis and one emoji of a broken heart.
Lyonne was one of many actors and comedians who described Reubens as a friend or mentor, sharing photos or personal stories.
"No tweet can capture the magic, generosity, artistry, and devout silliness of Paul Reubens. Everyone I know received countless nonsensical memes from Paul on their birthday, and I mean EVERYONE. His surreal comedy and unrelenting kindness were a gift to us all. Damn, this hurts.
"Paul Reubens was like no one else - a brilliant and original comedian who made kids and their parents laugh at the same time. He never forgot a birthday and shared his genuine delight for silliness with everyone he met. My family and I will miss him."
"Paul Reubens was a great, great friend. He gave me the muppets for my birthday and never forgot anyone’s birthday from our class. He was in my class at CalArts and we had the same business manager. He was always kind to me and to everyone. He will be missed."
"Paul Reubens was a gifted performer and a nice person. He brought so much joy to people over the years as Pee Wee, my sister and I loved that character. I was privileged to work with him in a film and he was as great in real life as he was on screen. Tough news here."
"This is devastating. Truly heartbreaking. Paul was such a comedy genius. From his Letterman appearances to his TV shows and movies, he was so original and hilarious. And such a sweet man too. This is a huge loss for comedy. Thanks for all the laughs, Paul."
"One of the patron saints of all misfitted, weird, maladjusted, wonderful, miraculous oddities."
"One of the greats is gone. It is a very sad day. Thank you for the joy, @peeweeherman. Chris and I were so proud to call you friend. You will live in our hearts forever, Paul.
"The greatest. No one ever like him ever."
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| 2023-07-31T21:58:05
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SAN FRANCISCO — A brightly flashing “X” sign has been removed from the San Francisco headquarters of the company formerly known as Twitter just days after it was installed.
The San Francisco Department of Building Inspection said Monday it received 24 complaints about the unpermitted structure over the weekend, including concerns about its structural safety and illumination.
The Elon Musk-owned company, which has been rebranded as X, had removed the Twitter sign and iconic blue bird logo from the building last week. That work was temporarily paused because the company did not have the necessary permits.
The city of San Francisco had opened a complaint and launched an investigation into the giant “X” sign that was installed Friday on top of the downtown building as Musk continues his rebrand of the social media platform.
Representatives for X did not immediately respond to a message for comment Monday.
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| 2023-07-31T21:58:11
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DADE CITY, Fla. — An 11-year-old dirt bike rider died on Sunday after he was struck by another rider at a Florida motocross track, authorities said.
According to the Dade City Police Department, the boy was riding an 85cc dirt bike at Dade City Motocross at about 10 a.m. EDT when he crashed after completing a jump over a hill, the Tampa Bay Times reported. The boy, whose name has not been released because he was a minor, got up and was picking up his bike, but then was struck by another rider who was jumping the same hill, according to the newspaper.
The boy was struck in the upper torso, Pasco News Online reported.
11-year-old killed after being struck by dirt bike at Dade City Motocross track, police sayhttps://t.co/PKuadh0vi1 pic.twitter.com/PotPuykjY3
— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) July 30, 2023
First responders at the raceway went to the boy’s side and began assessing his injuries, WFLA-TV reported. Medical personnel called for Pasco County Fire Rescue due to the extent of the boy’s injuries in his shoulder area, according to the television station.
The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner notified Dade City police at about 2 p.m. EDT that the boy had died from his injuries, the Times reported.
An investigation is ongoing, according to WFLA.
Dade City, in Pasco County, is 38 miles northeast of Tampa and 63 miles west of Orlando.
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| 2023-07-31T21:58:17
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ST ANTHONY, Idaho — Lori Vallow Daybell was sentenced Monday to life in prison without the possibility of parole on five separate counts after being found guilty on six charges relating to the deaths of her 16-year-old daughter Tylee Ryan, her 7-year-old son JJ Vallow and Tammy Daybell, the then-wife of Vallow's now-husband, Chad Daybell.
In a crowded Fremont County courtroom, Lori Vallow, 50, heard victim impact statements from pre-approved people that the sentencing judge deemed closest to - and most victimized by - the high-profile murder case.
Vallow's only surviving son, Colby Ryan, along with Kay Woodcock, the grandmother of JJ Vallow; Summer Shiflet, sister of Lori Vallow and aunt of JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan; and Vicki Hoban, Tammy Daybell's aunt, were permitted by Fremont County Judge Steven Boyce to deliver victim impact statements and address the court prior to Lori Vallow Daybell’s sentencing. Although approved, Ryan was absent from the hearing and opted to have his statement read by a representative. Vallow's younger sister, Summer Shiflet, did not attend the hearing.
Following the emotional impact statements from the victims, Lori Vallow was also offered an opportunity to make a statement - of which she accepted.
Vallow began her bizarre sentencing statement by quoting a Bible verse from the New Testament - before then proceeding with a story about her allegedly dying while in labor with Tylee in 2002. Vallow said that she "went to heaven" before returning to her body. She then claimed the experience enabled her to communicate with Jesus Christ and "have access to heaven and the spirit world."
Of the odd things mentioned throughout Vallow's statement, perhaps the strangest were her repeated mentions of JJ, Tylee and Tammy being "busy" in the "spirit world."
Lori Vallow Daybell's statement in full:
I would like to start by quoting John from the New Testament in the Bible. In John chapter eight verse seven Jesus says, "You guys without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." Then in first verse 15. Jesus says, "You judge after the flesh, I judge no man. And yet if I judge, my judgment is true." Jesus knows me. And Jesus understands me.
I mourn with all of you who mourn my children, and Tammy. Jesus Christ knows the truth of what happened here. Jesus Christ knows that no one was murdered. In this case. Accidental deaths happen. Suicides happen. Fatal side effects of medications happen.
I have a different perspective in life. Because in 2002 when I was pregnant with Tylee, I died in the hospital. while in labor with her. They tried to stop my labor. They put me on the table, and they put something in my IV and I felt my spirit falling to the floor. I was standing near my pregnant body watching the doctors tried to revive me which took them a few minutes. In that time, my sister Stacy was standing to my left. I turned to hug her and was surprised that her spirit was as tangible as a physical body, because I knew I was in spirit, and she was in spirit.
She said she needed to show me some things and we went to heaven. I later returned to my body. Because of this experience, I have access to heaven and the spirit world. Since then, I have had many communications from people now living in heaven, including my children Tylee Ashlyn and Joshua Jackson, my sisters, Stacy and Lolly, my aunts and my uncles and my grandparents.
I have had many communications with Jesus Christ, the Savior of this world and our heavenly parents. I have had many angelic visitors have come and communicated with me and even manifested themselves to me. Because of these communications, I know for a fact that my children are happy and busy in the spirit world. Because of my communications with my friend Tammy Daybell, I know that she is also very happy and extremely busy.
I have always mourned the loss of my loved ones and I have lost many in this mortal world. However, I know that more than most people, I know where they are now and what they're doing. I know how wonderful Heaven is and I'm homesick for it every single day. I know we all lived in heaven before we were born on earth, and we were all adults spirits in the heavenly realm. We chose to come to earth as mortals.
Heaven is more wonderful than you can possibly imagine. I do not fear death. I do not I did not want to return to my body when I was out of it. Even though my son Colby, who I adored more than anything, was only six years old at the time and I was about to give birth to this new baby girl that I wanted so badly. I was a young mother, and you would think I wouldn't want to leave my children but as I stood in heaven, I did not want to go back. I thought they would be fine without me because I was peaceful, and I was happy, and I was home. But then I was told by Jesus that I needed to go back and complete things that I had covenanted or promised to do before I was born.
This caused me a lot of distress because I knew heaven was my real home. And I only wanted to be there. I was free from pain, emotional and physical. Then I was shown how I would help my children and others in the future. So ultimately, I did agree to go back to my body
Tylee has visited me. She is happy and very busy. Tylee is free now from all pains of her life. Tylee suffered horrible physical, pain her whole life. I sat with Tylee in the hospital year after year after year, while she screamed in pain when the morphine wasn't even enough to take away the pain of her pancreatitis. I sat there while she cried and I held back her hair while she threw up and I am the only person on this earth who knows how much Tylee suffered in her life. She had pain every single day. She never felt good. Her body did not work right and I don't know if that was from complications from me dying was us being born or something else but she had a very difficult life. She was sexually abused by her own biological father since she was three years old, and she was forced by family court to go visit him for 10 years against her will. I fought for her in court. I protected her. I tried to protect her with my whole life. I tried to protect her. I worried about her every single day. Tylee had to get her GED because she couldn't go to school every day because she never felt good. She felt sick. Nobody knows this because Tylee, like myself, tries to put on a good front. Tries to be a happy person tries to have hope in life tries to know that she's here for a purpose and that she has an eternal purpose to be on this earth. But I never stopped worrying about her.
One of the times that Tylee came to me as a spirit after she died, she said she commanded me, and she said to me "Stop worrying mom. We are fine." She knows how I worry and how I miss her.
The first time JJ visited me after he passed away. He put his arm around me, and he said to me "you didn't do anything wrong mom. I love you. And I know you loved me every minute of my life."
JJ. Joshua Jackson was an adult spirit. And he was very, very tall when he put his arm around me. He is busy, he is engaged. He has jobs that he does there, and he is happy where he is. His life was short, but JJ's life was meaningful. JJ was a wonderful person and touched the lives of everyone and I adored him every minute of his life.
My eternal friend Tammy Daybell has visited me on several occasions. She came to bring me peace and comfort. And I know that she is extremely busy helping her family, especially her children and grandchildren. And I have a great love for Tammy.
My beautiful children, Tylee Ashlyn and Joshua Jackson rest safely this day in the arms of Jesus. My wonderful friend Tammy Daybell rests safely this day in the arms of Jesus and I look forward to the day we are all reunited, and I too will rest with them in the arms of my Jesus.
End statement.
Victim impact statements are delivered at sentencing. They are heard after a criminal conviction and judgement (in Vallow's case - a guilty verdict reached on May 12, 2023) and before the judge imposes a sentence upon the criminal. The sentencing judge is permitted to take into consideration what is heard in these statements.
After Vallow’s statement, Judge Boyce reiterated her charges.
Lori Vallow Daybell was convicted in May for conspiracy to commit murder and first-degree murder of two of her children, JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan – their remains were found on Vallow’s current husband, Chad Daybell’s, property on June 9, 2020. The remains of Tylee, 16, were found in charred, burnt pieces. JJ, 7, was found suffocated and bound in duct tape. Vallow was also found guilty of grand theft and conspiracy to murder Tammy Daybell, Chad Daybell’s wife at the time. A jury convicted Vallow in a six-week trial that ended May 12.
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MIAMI — A federal judge in Florida on Thursday dismissed a $5 million class-action lawsuit brought against the parent company of Velveeta’s microwavable Shells & Cheese cups, which claimed that the public was misled about the length of time it takes to prepare the meal.
U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom on Thursday dismissed the lawsuit brought by Amanda Ramirez, of Hialeah, who filed the class-action lawsuit on Nov. 18, 2022, in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida’s Miami Division.
In the lawsuit, Ramirez accused the Kraft Heinz Food Company of violating state and federal laws against deceptive and unfair trade practices, fraud, false and misleading advertising, breach of express warranty, negligent misrepresentation and unjust enrichment, according to the Sun-Sentinel.
Florida judge tosses $5 million lawsuit over microwavable mac and cheese https://t.co/1xQVWjPcle pic.twitter.com/wpijT0NhfF
— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) July 31, 2023
The lawsuit alleged that the company claimed that the macaroni and cheese cups took 3½ minutes to prepare. The suit claimed that the time limit did not include the amount of time it took to remove the lid, add water and stir in the cheese sauce, WFLA-TV reported.
The lawsuit did not state how long it took Ramirez overall to prepare the cups for consumption.
Ramirez bought a box of eight 2.39-ounce cups at several locations, including a Publix supermarket in Hialeah, “between October and November 2022,” the lawsuit stated.
Ramirez said she paid “a premium price” of $10.99, the Sun-Sentinel reported.
The suit claims that the $10.99 price is higher than similar products that are represented in a “non-misleading way.”
In Thursday’s ruling, the court said that Ramirez “does not allege that she was unable to consume the product or that it was otherwise so flawed as to be rendered useless.”
“In fact, the complaint does not even include an allegation that plaintiff ever attempted to cook the product,” according to the ruling. “Similarly, plaintiff’s complaint contains no factual allegations of the price she might have paid if defendant’s product was not marketed as ready in three and a half minutes.”
The court said that Ramirez failed to demonstrate an injury.
“There is no real and immediate threat of future injury,” the court said.
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| 2023-07-31T21:58:23
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A man who attempted to force his way into a Jewish school in Memphis, Tennessee, on Monday was shot by police when he opened fire outside the building, authorities said.
During a news conference, Memphis Police Department Assistant Chief Don Crowe said that officers were called to the Margolin Hebrew Academy at 12:20 p.m. CDT when the suspect attempted to enter the building with a gun, WMC-TV reported.
When he could not enter the school due to the facility’s double doors, the man allegedly fired shots outside of the building, according to WHBQ-TV.
BREAKING: Police confirm a man is in critical condition after firing shots outside the Margolin Hebrew Academy with a gun. He left the school, and police caught up with him in Berclair and shot him. Police say it’s too soon to tell if this is a hate crime. @3onyourside pic.twitter.com/y3ZIyagOOz
— Ashley Paul (@AshleyPaulNews) July 31, 2023
Crowe said the man fled the scene in a maroon Dodge Ram pickup truck with California license plates, WREG-TV reported.
Officers later spotted the vehicle in the Berclair area of Memphis and initiated a traffic stop, according to the television station. When the man exited his vehicle with a weapon in his possession, he was shot by Memphis police.
The suspect was taken to an area hospital in critical condition, WMC-TV reported. There were no other injuries.
Memphis-Shelby County Schools said all of their schools were placed on a precautionary lockdown, which has since been lifted, according to WREG.
In a statement, Memphis police Chief Cerelyn “C. J.” Davis praised the officers who responded to the area.
“I am proud of the vigilant and quick response of MPD officers who mitigated a potential mass shooting situation today,” Davis said. “Many thanks to our neighboring jurisdictions for also providing critical information to stop the suspect’s actions.”
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation, police said.
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OSHKOSH, Wis. — A pilot killed during an aircraft incident in Wisconsin on Saturday was the daughter of two-time Super Bowl champion Bruce Collie.
Devyn Reiley, 30, of Guadalupe, Texas, died when the World War II-era plane she was piloting crashed into Lake Winnebago near Oshkosh, WBAY-TV reported.
Reiley, who co-owned a New Braunfels-based flight school with her husband, was in Wisconsin for the Experimental Aircraft Association’s annual fly-in convention, according to the San Antonio Express-News.
Also killed in the crash with Reiley was Zach Colliemoreno, 20, WBAY reported.
Reiley’s single-engine North American T-6 Texan aircraft crashed at about 9:07 a.m. CDT, according to the television station. The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that the plane crashed shortly after taking off from Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, People reported.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the aircraft was reportedly maneuvering before rapidly descending from about 3,000 feet altitude, the Oshkosh Northwestern newspaper reported.
Reiley, the oldest of 13 siblings, was raised in Wimberley, Texas, the Express-News reported.
Pilot Devyn Reiley was passionate about sharing the history of female WWII aviators. https://t.co/VknLxMetbK
— San Antonio Express-News (@ExpressNews) July 30, 2023
“She was the older sister that was the one -- everybody looked up to her, everyone does look up to her,” her sister, Calyn Collie, 21, of Wimberley, told the newspaper.
Collie, 61, who is also a pilot, won two Super Bowl rings with the 49ers and was inducted into the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame in 2019. He posted a tribute to his daughter in a Facebook post.
Reiley became a certified private pilot in 2017 and was working toward becoming a certified commercial pilot, according to a Facebook post from Texas Warbird Museum, a nonprofit she co-founded with her husband, Hunter Reiley, and his family. The organization’s aim is to preserve retired WWII-era military aircraft known as warbirds, the Express-News reported.
Bruce Collie played in the NFL from 1985 to 1991, playing on the offensive line with the 49ers (1985-89) and the Philadelphia Eagles (1990-91).
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| 2023-07-31T21:58:36
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PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — (AP) — Chants of “freedom” echoed through the streets outside an aid facility in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, on Monday where just days earlier an American nurse and her daughter were kidnapped by armed men.
Hundreds of Haitians marched through the gang-ravaged zone, bursting with anger at the abduction, which has become a symbol of the worsening violence plaguing the Caribbean nation.
New Hampshire woman Alix Dorsainvil had been working as a community nurse for the religious and humanitarian aid group El Roi Haiti when she and her daughter were taken from its campus on Thursday, the organization said. She is the wife of its founder, Sandro Dorsainvil.
Witnesses told the Associated Press that Dorsainvil was working in her organization's small brick clinic when a group of armed men burst in and seized her. Lormina Louima, a patient waiting for a check-up, said one man pulled out his gun and told her to relax.
“When I saw the gun, I was so scared,” Louima said. “I said, ‘I don’t want to see this, let me go.'"
Other members of the community said the unidentified men asked for $1 million in ransom, something that's become standard as Haiti's gangs turn to slews of kidnappings to line their pockets and bleed the country dry. Hundreds have been kidnapping in Haiti this year alone, figures from the local nonprofit Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights show.
Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, gangs have taken over much of Port-au-Prince, killing, raping and sowing terror in communities already suffering endemic poverty.
The same day that Dorsainvil and her daughter were taken, the U.S. State Department issued a "do not travel advisory" for Haiti and ordered nonemergency personnel to leave amid growing security concerns. In its advisory, the State Department said that "kidnapping is widespread, and victims regularly include U.S. citizens."
The violence has stirred anger among Haitians, who say they simply just want to live in peace.
Protesters, largely from the area around El Roi Haiti's campus, which includes a medical clinic, a school and more, echoed that call as they walked through the sweltering streets wielding cardboard signs written in Creole in red paint.
“She is doing good work in the community, free her," read one.
Among the protesters was Jean Ronald, a local resident who said the community has significantly benefitted from the care provided by El Roi Haiti.
Such groups are often the only institutions in areas far beyond the reach of the law, but have increasingly had to shut down operations as violence has deepened. The closures often leave thousands of vulnerable families without access to basic services like healthcare or education.
Earlier this month, Doctors Without Borders announced it was suspending services in one of its hospitals because some 20 armed men burst into an operating room and snatched a patient.
As the protesters walked through the area where Dorsainvil was taken, the streets were eerily quiet. The doors to the clinic where she worked were shut, the small brick building empty. Ronald and others in the area worried the latest kidnapping may mean the clinic won't reopen. Such closures
“If they leave, everything (the aid group's programs) will shut down," the Haitian worried. “The money they are asking for, we don't have it.”
Shortly after, protests dispersed.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller refused to confirm Monday whether the abductors had made any demands, or to answer other questions.
“I will say we are aware of the reports that two US citizens were kidnapped in Haiti. Obviously, the safety and security of American citizens overseas is our highest priority. We are in regular contact with the Haitian authorities. We’ll continue to work with them and our US government interagency partners, but because it’s an ongoing law enforcement investigation, there’s not more detail I can offer,” Miller wrote in a statement Monday.
In a video for the El Roi Haiti website, Alix Dorsainvil describes Haitians as “resilient people.”
“They’re full of joy, and life and love. I’m so blessed to know so many amazing Haitians,” she says.
Dorsainvil graduated from Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts, which has a program to support nursing education in Haiti. Before that, she went to Cornerstone Christian Academy in Ossipee, New Hampshire which offers pre-K through eighth grade education.
“Pray that God would keep her safe, be with her through this trial, and deliver her from her captors,” the school said on its Facebook page.
Dorsainvil’s father, Steven Comeau, reached in New Hampshire, said he could not talk.
El Roi Haiti celebrated the nurse's work in a statement over the weekend.
“Alix is a deeply compassionate and loving person who considers Haiti her home and the Haitian people her friends and family,” El Roi president and co-founder Jason Brown said in the statement. “Alix has worked tirelessly as our school and community nurse to bring relief to those who are suffering as she loves and serves the people of Haiti in the name of Jesus.”
Earlier this month, the National Human Rights Defense Network issued a report warning about an upsurge in killings and kidnappings and the U.N. Security Council met to discuss Haiti's worsening situation.
——
AP reporters Megan Janetsky in Mexico City and Pierre Richard Luxama in Port-au-Prince contributed to this story.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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| 2023-07-31T21:58:42
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Chloe Dygert’s career could have ended at the bottom of an Italian ravine, where the American cyclist had been racing for a world championship with an eye on Olympic gold before colliding with a guardrail and sustaining devastating leg injuries.
Her comeback to the top of the sport has been daunting.
Dygert needed several rounds of surgery to repair the damage. She was waylaid by the Epstein-Barr virus, which left her fighting extreme fatigue. She had heart surgery last fall to treat supraventricular tachycardia, an irregularly fast heartbeat. And this spring, another training crash took her off the bike again.
She is nothing if not resilient. Yet it's hardly surprising that there were moments the past three years when Dygert, perhaps the most talented American rider of her generation, thought about giving up — on the bike and in life.
“What I physically had to go through for the injury itself, then mentally what I had to go through — all the personal things I won't go into — my life at times did not matter to me,” Dygert told The Associated Press in an interview. “I didn’t care if I was alive. I did not care about things. People don't see and understand, and I can say the same thing: I see people with injuries and things going on, and I can't understand what they're going through.
"So now," Dygert continued, "when I'm able to come back and race and step on a podium and look at a goal, or winning nationals, it's like, they matter so much to me. ... It just makes me so proud and excited for myself."
Dygert spoke by phone from Belgium, where the 2019 world time trial champion is finishing her preparations for this year's worlds, held over a 10-day stretch beginning Thursday in Glasgow, Scotland.
It's the first time the UCI, the governing body for cycling, will hold nearly all of its championships in one place, and it will make for a busy stretch for the 26-year-old from Indiana. Dygert will compete in the velodrome in the track cycling events, then head outside for the road race and time trial, where the U.S. champ will be among the favorites to win gold.
Just like she was in Imola, Italy.
Dygert hoped the 2020 worlds would be a springboard toward a golden Tokyo Olympics, and she was well ahead of the leading pace when her bike wiggled on a fast right-hand turn. Dygert crashed into the guardrail and skidded down a steep grassy pitch, and the gash to her thigh resulted in extensive blood loss.
It took Dygert nine months before she was sufficiently recovered to ride again. And while Dygert was able to compete at the Summer Games, which had been pushed back to 2021, she acknowledges now that she was nowhere near her best, even after helping the Americans win bronze in the team pursuit.
“My body was far from being anywhere close to being competitive,” Dygert said. “That was obvious.”
Afterward, Dygert turned her focus toward the Paris Games, now less than a year away. But those preparations have been hamstrung by Epstein-Barr, the heart procedure to treat a condition she had dealt with for a decade and another crash while at a team camp in Europe that left her fearful of a broken femur; nothing was broken but she was off the bike until March.
That made her performance last month at U.S. championships all the more impressive: She roared over the roads near Nashville, Tennessee, winning both the road race and time trial.
Throw in podium finishes at the Vuelta a Burgos Feminina, a stage win at the RideLondon Classique and more podium finishes at the prestigious Giro Donne, and Dygert again is among the favorites to land on the podium at worlds.
“I feel like there were moments where, ‘I hate cycling and I’m never riding a bike again,'” Dygert said, “but I don't think there was ever a doubt I'd continue. More the doubt: ‘Will I be back at my level? Will I be competitive again?’”
As much as anything, those are the thoughts that led Dygert to some dark places the past few years.
“It's crazy to think about it now," she said, “but life was just not OK. It was not.”
Mental health among Olympic athletes has become an important issue in recent years. Simone Biles has been outspoken ever since the Tokyo Games, where she dealt with the "twisties" — a mental block where gymnasts can lose track of where they are in midair. Caeleb Dressel walked away in the middle of last year's swimming worlds because of the pressure and stress, and fellow swimmer Adam Peaty is taking an extended break to work on with his own mental health.
Then there is cycling.
At the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, Dygert was on the same pursuit team with Kelly Catlin, helping the U.S. win a silver medal. Three years later, after struggling with depression and one failed suicide attempt, Catlin was found dead in her Stanford residence.
“Everybody puts on such a front,” Dygert explained. “When I think about Kelly and the situation, what that was and what that meant for her family, for her teammates, for the world, it's like — it's not like, ‘I can’t do that and be like Kelly,' but the trauma that caused for everyone around us, I think that was a huge factor. My life does matter. I do matter to people.”
Dygert believes she is in a better place these days. Her fitness is not yet where she wants to be, but the results show she's on the right track. Optimism abounds not only for worlds but the Paris Games.
“I would never take anything that's happened in my life back. It's made me so tough,” Dygert said. "I don't know how to explain it, but it's made me a better person, not for any other reason than just the compassion and maybe sympathy I have for a person or someone else. My outlook on things. It's made me such a better person on and off the bike.
“It's all part of God's plan,” she added. “As much as I didn't agree with it at the time, it was part of the plan.”
___
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — (AP) — The Denver Broncos braced themselves for a second straight season without their steadiest wide receiver and locker room leader after Tim Patrick was carted off the field with a left Achilles injury Monday — almost a year after tearing his right ACL at training camp.
"It's a tough break for us as a team when you see something like that, a great player, a great leader," cornerback Patrick Surtain II said. "We wish him the best and just go on from there."
With an energized crowd of 3,000 looking on as the Broncos practiced in full pads for the first time, Patrick hit the ground in pain just as he came out of his cut on a short route during a seven-on-seven passing drill. He threw his helmet as teammates including Courtland Sutton and Russell Wilson rushed to his side.
The injury happened right in front of head coach Sean Payton, who was watching Patrick make an adjustment from a previous route.
“It's always difficult, especially a guy like that's a leader who's coming off an entire year of rehabilitation,” Payton said. ”It's difficult for his teammates, for all of us. So, maybe, hopefully we get some good news. But it appears it's his left Achilles."
After being carted off, Patrick entered the Broncos facility on crutches, keeping weight off his left leg.
Patrick is known for his strong work ethic and no-nonsense approach. He was one of the more notable finds by the Broncos in recent years.
Undrafted out of Utah in 2017, Patrick bounced around the Ravens' and 49ers' practice squads before arriving in Denver later that year. He became a contributor in 2018 and '19 before posting back-to-back productive seasons that earned him a three-year, $34.5 million contract extension in November 2021.
He was the team's No. 1 receiver going into last season when he tore his right ACL in a noncontact drill on Aug. 2. Two months later the Broncos lost their top running back when Javonte Williams suffered a knee injury and Denver's offense never recovered from the one-two punch, averaging a league-worst 16.9 points a game in Wilson's first year in Denver.
Like Williams, Patrick was looking for a big comeback in 2023 atop the receiver rotation alongside Sutton and Jerry Jeudy.
“When I got hired here, he was one of the guys I saw every day because he was rehabbing last year's injury,” Payton said. “So, that's what makes it more difficult.”
The Broncos do appear to be in better position to weather the loss of Patrick this year if the injury proves to be as serious as suspected.
They bolstered their receiver room, chiefly by drafting speedster Marvin Mims Jr. out of Oklahoma in the second round and signing veterans Marquez Callaway and Lil'Jordan Humphrey in free agency.
“We've just got great guys all around the receiving room, so obviously next man up situation,” Surtain said. “But Tim is a big loss, a big blow, because he brings such a presence out there on the field that many people can't compare to.”
Mims pulled a hamstring in June and suffered a setback before camp, but Monday marked his first practice of camp and Payton was encouraged: "He's feeling good. You're going to see him more and more this week. He's ramping up and we're encouraged.”
However, another receiver, KJ Hamler, who is on the mend from a torn chest muscle, posted on Instagram on Monday that he was diagnosed with the heart condition pericarditis "after feeling some chest pains while working out on the break before camp started." He vowed to return to the field as soon as he could "better and stronger than ever."
Notes: Payton had no comment about Aaron Rodgers' spirited defense of Jets OC Nathaniel Hackett after Payton ripped him last week for his poor head coaching job in Denver last year. "No, we're past it," said Payton, who did a mea culpa last week, saying he regretted criticizing Hackett, the Jets and members of the Broncos' front office in trying to spread the blame for Wilson's career-worst season in 2022 during an interview with USA Today.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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| 2023-07-31T21:58:55
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CLEVELAND — (AP) — In the midst of the playoff race, the Guardians traded their hottest pitcher for a minor league prospect currently sidelined with an injury.
An uneven season in Cleveland just got a little bumpier.
Despite being just one-half game out of first place in the AL Central, the Guardians dealt starter Aaron Civale to the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday for first base prospect Kyle Manzardo, who has been out with a shoulder strain.
Civale's name has been thrown around in trade speculation for weeks, which has coincided with the 28-year-old right-hander pitching as well as he has in several seasons. Civale posted a 1.45 ERA in six July starts and worked six scoreless innings Sunday in a win over the Chicago White Sox to improve to 5-2.
As for the Rays, Civale gives them another solid starter for the playoff push. Tampa Bay entered the week 1 1/2 games behind first-place Baltimore in the AL East and leading the wild-card standings by four games.
"I’ve seen his name on ESPN recently about a pretty good month of July, so that makes me excited," Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe said at Yankee Stadium before the opener of a three-game series. "Hopefully he comes in and doesn’t miss a beat and keeps doing exactly what he’s been doing. No more pressure than what he’s been dealing with over in Cleveland.
"So he’s coming over, he’s going to be welcomed in like he’s been here all year.”
The Guardians have dealt with injuries to their rotation all season and are currently missing ace Shane Bieber, Triston McKenzie and Cal Quantrill. While the move with Civale creates a major pitching void for Cleveland, president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said getting a player of Manzardo's stature was more important.
“Tough trade to make,” Antonetti said in a Zoom call. “But we did feel it was a unique opportunity to acquire someone like Kyle. We knew it would come at a steep cost.”
Antonetti said it's possible the Guardians could make more trades before Tuesday's deadline to address their pitching issues.
Noah Syndergaard, acquired last week in a trade with the Dodgers, could help. The oft-injured right-hander is making his debut for the Guardians on Monday in Houston.
Manzardo, 23, was named Tampa's top minor leaguer in 2022 after hitting .327 with 22 homers and 81 RBIs in 93 games between Single- and Double-A. Antonetti expects Manzardo to be playing in minor league games before the end of the season.
Cleveland has been in the market for a young power hitter for some time. The team is hoping Manzardo can end that search.
“The industry holds Kyle in high regard and we think he can develop into a really good offensive player and he’s a guy that’s near or close to the major leagues at some point in the next few seasons,” Antonetti said. “Those guys are not easy to acquire and so we made the choice in this case as we surveyed the landscape, but this is the right path forward for us.”
___
AP Sports Writer Mike Fitzpatrick in New York contributed to this report.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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| 2023-07-31T21:59:02
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DOUGLAS COUNTY, GA. (KSNT) – A 26-year-old man was arrested in Douglas County, Georgia, for leaving the scene of a crash that resulted in the death of a 57-year-old man and his 81-year-old father.
The man was arrested in connection to a case that originally happened on Oct. 26, 2019, in Grant County, Kansas.
The man was identified as the driver of a semi-truck that failed to yield the right of way to the father-son duo. He then stole a pickup truck from a witness and fled the scene, according to the U.S. Marshals Office of Public Affairs. The pickup truck was later found abandoned.
The 26-year-old was also wanted for a federal supervised release violation from Wichita, Kansas, according to the U.S. Marshals Office of Public Affairs. He was arrested and taken to the Douglas County Jail in Georgia.
“I am proud of the dedicated work of our Fugitive Task Force, and I hope this arrest will help the victim’s family get some sense of closure,” U.S. Marshal for the District of Kansas Ronald Miller said.
KSN News does not release suspect names unless they are charged with a crime.
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https://www.ksn.com/news/crime/man-arrested-in-georgia-for-deadly-kansas-hit-and-run/
| 2023-07-31T21:59:05
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WASHINGTON — (AP) — Defending champion Liudmila Samsonova stretched her winning streak in Washington to six matches by beating 2022 Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins 6-1, 6-3 in the first round of the DC Open on Monday.
The eighth-seeded Samsonova saved both break points she faced while winning four of Collins' service games. Collins hurt herself by double-faulting eight times.
Samsonova is a 24-year-old from Russia who is currently ranked 18th. Her trophy on the hard courts of the U.S. Open tune-up tournament a year ago was one of four singles titles she's won.
In other women's matches on Day 1 at the first combined ATP-WTA 500 event, sixth-seeded Belinda Bencic advanced when Anastasia Potapova retired from their match in the first set with an injured left ankle, and Marta Kostyuk eliminated 2019 U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5).
In men's action, Aslan Karatsev beat Kiranpal Pannu 7-6 (3), 6-1, Alexander Shevchenko defeated Maxime Cressy 6-3, 7-6 (8), Michael Mmoh beat Bradley Klahn 6-3, 6-3, and Yosuke Watanuki moved into the second round when Wu Yibing stopped playing because of illness.
___
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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https://www.wpxi.com/sports/defending-champion/2KYOZNIH2LZA6BSVMIBEAIJ6HQ/
| 2023-07-31T21:59:09
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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Florida is seeing a rise in leprosy cases that could mean the disease has become endemic in the Sunshine State, according to a letter published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The letter, which was published in mid-July, said while leprosy is historically uncommon in the United States, cases more than doubled in the South over the last 10 years.
Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s Disease, is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae and is characterized by discolored patches of skin, ulcers, lumps and damage to the nerves.
The CDC said if untreated, the disease can progress to paralysis, blindness, the loss of one’s eyebrows, physical disfigurement, and even the “shortening of toes and fingers due to reabsorption.”
The Florida Department of Health said the disease first appeared in the state in 1921. The National Hansen’s Disease Program found that 159 cases of leprosy were reported in 2020. Florida was at the top of the list of states with the most new cases.
According to the Florida Health Charts, the state had 26 reported cases in 2019, 27 in 2020, and 14 in 2021.
“Central Florida, in particular, accounted for 81% of cases reported in Florida and almost one-fifth of nationally reported cases,” the letter said. “Whereas leprosy in the United States previously affected persons who had immigrated from leprosy-endemic areas, [about] 34% of new case-patients during 2015–2020 appeared to have locally acquired the disease.”
A disease becomes endemic when it occurs regularly within a certain community or area.
The CDC letter said multiple cases showed no sign of animal-to-human transmission or “traditionally known risk factors.”
One patient, a 54-year-old man in Central Florida, was treated at a dermatology clinic for a progressive rash caused by leprosy.
When asked, the man said he had lived in Central Florida his whole life, did not travel domestically or internationally, had no exposure to armadillos (which can carry the disease), had no contact with immigrants with endemic leprosy, and had no connection to someone with the disease.
Experts said there was some support for the theory that an increase in migration from other countries to the United States may have caused the disease to enter non-endemic areas. However, while leprosy cases are increasing in the U.S., the rate of new cases in people born outside of the U.S. had been on a decline since 2002.
“This information suggests that leprosy has become an endemic disease process in Florida, warranting further research into other methods of [local] transmission,” the letter said.
In the state of Florida, medical practitioners must report leprosy by the next business day so contact tracing can be done and reduce further infections.
“In our case, contact tracing was done by the National Hansen’s Disease Program and revealed no associated risk factors, including travel, zoonotic exposure, occupational association, or personal contacts,” the letter said. “The absence of traditional risk factors in many recent cases of leprosy in Florida, coupled with the high proportion of residents, like our patient, who spend a great deal of time outdoors, supports the investigation into environmental reservoirs as a potential source of transmission.”
The CDC said travel to Florida must now be considered when conducting contact tracing for leprosy in any state.
Leprosy, when contracted, can be treated by a combination of different antibiotics to prevent it from developing resistance to the medication, according to the CDC. Leprosy can be cured after one or two years of treatment.
However, even when cured, any nerve damage and disfigurement caused by the disease will be permanent.
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| 2023-07-31T21:59:11
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WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Exploration Place set a new record attendance with 363,047 guests in the 2022-23 fiscal year.
The previous attendance record was in Exploration Places’ first year of operation in 2000-01, with 348,532 guests.
It has also set a new record this year for memberships with 9,203 households. Exploration Place says this reflects a 45% growth from the previous year.
“We’ve worked really hard to offer creative and fun exhibits, movies, events and programs that are appealing to the public,” President and CEO Adam Smith said. “The number I’m most proud of is the growth in our member households, which tells me that families in Sedgwick County are finding increased value in our museum.”
Smith said it is a priority for Exploration Place to be accessible to all. There were 26,361 free admissions provided in the 2022-23 fiscal year, including 8,799 free field trips for students from Title 1 schools and 200 free STEM camp scholarships.
Free admissions are offered through the Museums for All program, which is open to anyone receiving federal food assistance by showing a SNAP EBT card. Exploration Place is also free to Blue Star Families from Armed Forces Day through Labor Day. Other free visits are available by checking out passes from local libraries.
Exploration Place says it anticipates welcoming its 5 millionth visitor before the end of 2023.
“The best is yet to come,” said Smith. “We have a strong program coming up, including the Drone Light Festival, three LEGO-themed exhibits, and a DC Super Heroes exhibit. And next year, we begin a multi-year expansion on our 20-acre riverfront site that will propel us to exciting new heights.”
Check out exploration.org for the latest.
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| 2023-07-31T21:59:17
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This year’s U.S. Ryder Cup team is introducing a fresh face into the American vice captain’s rotation.
Stewart Cink, a five-time Ryder Cupper as a player, was appointed Monday afternoon as captain Zach Johnson’s fifth vice captain for next month’s matches at Marco Simone Golf Club in Rome.
The 50-year-old Cink, who won twice during the 2020-21 PGA Tour season but has since slipped outside the top 250 in Official World Golf Ranking, played his five Ryder Cups in succession, though he hasn’t teed it up in the biennial event since 2010. The U.S. lost by a single point that year, but Cink didn’t lose a match, going 1-0-2 with Matt Kuchar in team play before halving Rory McIlroy in singles.
Cink holds a 5-7-7 individual record at the Ryder Cup, but he's been a part of just one winning team (2008).
At least one of Johnson’s previously named vice captains – Steve Stricker, Davis Love III, Jim Furyk, Fred Couples – has served as a vice captain on each of the past six U.S. Ryder Cup teams. Of those four, only Couples has not also been a captain.
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https://www.golfchannel.com/news/stewart-cink-tabbed-ryder-cup-vice-captain-first-time
| 2023-07-31T21:59:51
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DEAR ANNIE: I’m in my late 30s. Is it rude to ignore a much older boomer friend who constantly texts me asking dumb, ridiculous questions? This person has always been out of touch, but lately they’ve been extra annoying for some reason. Every time I answer, it just extends the conversation, so when can I cut them off? And how? -- A Ghost
DEAR GHOST: If you don’t want to hear from your friend, then simply stop replying to his questions.
***
MORE FROM DEAR ANNIE:
Dear Annie: How can we get our daughter to move out without having our grandson taken away from us?
Dear Annie: Most would want to end their marriage after finding their partner cheated ... not me
Dear Annie: Most would want to end their marriage after finding their partner cheated ... not me
Dear Annie: Thoughts on elderly folks behind the wheel
Dear Annie: Nurse tells patient’s relative she doesn’t want a ‘sugar daddy’
***
“How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?” is out now! Annie Lane’s second anthology -- featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation -- is available as a paperback and ebook. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information.
Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM
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https://www.nj.com/advice/2023/07/dear-annie-is-it-rude-to-ignore-a-boomer-friend-who-constantly-asks-dumb-questions.html
| 2023-07-31T21:59:51
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The Education Matters team is going in a “new direction” with a new set of candidates, including a police detective, planning to run in the 2023 Jersey City school board elections.
But the slate, which currently has a 9-0 majority on the school board, was dealt a setback Monday afternoon when one of its candidates, Renes Cruz, was disqualified after election officials found he did not have enough valid signatures. The deadline to file petitions was at 4 p.m.
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https://www.nj.com/hudson/2023/07/10-file-for-3-school-jersey-city-board-seats-as-jcea-heads-in-new-direction.html
| 2023-07-31T21:59:57
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https://www.nj.com/hudson/2023/07/10-file-for-3-school-jersey-city-board-seats-as-jcea-heads-in-new-direction.html
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Country singer Craig Morgan reenlists in military while on Grand Ole Opry stage
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Gray News) – Country singer Craig Morgan reenlisted in the military Saturday night while on stage at the Grand Ole Opry in hopes of encouraging others to enlist.
According to a news release, Morgan was sworn into the U.S. Army Reserve on stage by U.S. Army Forces Command Gen. Andrew Poppas.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn joined them on stage.
After the ceremony, Morgan returned to the microphone to perform his song “Soldier.”
Morgan previously served in the Army for 17 years, with certifications including Airborne, Air Assault and Rappel Master.
“I’m excited to once again serve my country and be all I can be in hopes of encouraging others to be a part of something greater than ourselves,” Morgan said in a news release. “I love being an artist, but I consider it a true privilege and honor to work with what I believe are the greatest of Americans, my fellow soldiers. God Bless America. Go Army.”
Morgan plans to continue touring and releasing new music while serving in the Army Reserve.
The 59-year-old singer is known to frequently perform at military bases both in the U.S. and abroad. In 2006, Morgan was awarded the USO Merit Award for his support.
Morgan began his music career in 2000. He is best known for his No. 1 single “That’s What I Love About Sunday” from 2004.
He was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 2008.
Copyright 2023 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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| 2023-07-31T22:00:01
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https://www.kbtx.com/2023/07/31/country-singer-craig-morgan-reenlists-military-while-grand-ole-opry-stage/
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Nov. m7 marks the annual tradition of schools board elections in many Hudson County municipalities, and the ballots will be jam-packed with candidates vying for a role in governing local public schools.
Communities like Bayonne, Hoboken, Kearny and Secaucus will be hosting contested elections with various number of seats available, while Guttenberg’s candidates are running unopposed. Here is who is running for the school boards in each municipality.
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https://www.nj.com/hudson/2023/07/jam-packed-hudson-county-school-board-elections-taking-place-this-november.html
| 2023-07-31T22:00:03
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https://www.nj.com/hudson/2023/07/jam-packed-hudson-county-school-board-elections-taking-place-this-november.html
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With dangerously high temperatures across the country, hospitals are seeing more people with potentially deadly heat illness. A southern city is coping with what may be the new summer medical reality.
Copyright 2023 NPR
With dangerously high temperatures across the country, hospitals are seeing more people with potentially deadly heat illness. A southern city is coping with what may be the new summer medical reality.
Copyright 2023 NPR
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https://www.wdiy.org/2023-07-31/a-new-summer-reality-hospitals-and-ers-see-more-parents-with-heat-related-illness
| 2023-07-31T22:00:05
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https://www.wdiy.org/2023-07-31/a-new-summer-reality-hospitals-and-ers-see-more-parents-with-heat-related-illness
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High prices ‘disproportionately pinching’ younger Americans, data shows
30% of Gen Z, 28% of millennials have no emergency savings
(InvestigateTV) — More than seven in 10 younger Americans are saving less because of inflation when compared to Gen X and baby boomers, a recent Bankrate.com survey found.
Sarah Foster is a principal writer for Bankrate.com. She said this is a time for younger Americans to be very mindful of how much they are spending and to hyper analyze their budgets.
Foster said the ultimate goal for Gen Z and millennials should be to make sure they are living within their means. She added there are several advantages to being young right now, especially when it comes to retirement contributions.
“Really the best way to gain wealth and beat inflation in the long run is to make sure that you’re holding a diverse portfolio of assets, including stocks,” Foster explained. “And so, we know that even if someone were to stop investing for three years because of inflation and they’re in their mid-twenties, they’d leave almost $200,000 on the table by the time they were 70.”
Foster said don’t stop retirement contributions during inflation. The amount can be reduced, but consistent contributions is key.
She said another reason younger Americans are being hit hard is they are early in their careers and haven’t reached their peak earnings.
Foster advised them to put any raises or extra money in savings or retirement accounts.
Bankrate has 11 tips for young Americans trying to reach financial goals during high inflation, including:
- Look for high-yield savings accounts that offer much better returns that traditional accounts
- Automate savings to build an emergency fund
- Wait 24 hours before any unnecessary purchases
Copyright 2023 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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| 2023-07-31T22:00:08
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If you were to walk by Jets coach Nathaniel Hackett’s team meetings, you’d think they were playing with the classic Fisher Price toy the “See ‘n Say.” You know, the game where you pull the handle causing an arrow to spin before landing on an animal and telling you what it says?
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard revealed the unique style of coach Hackett.
BUY JETS TICKETS: STUBHUB, VIVID SEATS, TICKETMASTER
“He gets a room of grown men to make animal noises,” he said while chuckling.
Just imagine seeing 300-pound linemen crowing like roosters or future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers, who took a $35 million pay cut last week, mooing like a cow.
Don’t worry, Hackett isn’t playing Zoo with his players during meetings. Instead, the noises pertain to different plays, according to Lazard.
“Whether it’s a whale, a kangaroo, a pony, a shark, you’d have to sit in the meetings to hear,” he said, drawing laughter from reporters. “He’s the only person that can get grown men to do something like that. I’ve never experienced something like that in my playing career.”
Hackett has been in the headlines lately, thanks to Sean Payton, who ripped him to USA Today last week. It’s mostly been good for the Jets assistant, as Coach Robert Saleh and Rodgers have shown their unyielding support for him.
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This latest development will only endear him more to Jets fans, who will be listening closely the next time they can watch their team on TV. I know I’ll be listening.
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Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.
Manuel Gomez may be reached at mgomez@njadvancemedia.com.
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https://www.nj.com/jets/2023/07/jets-coach-has-grown-men-making-animal-noises.html
| 2023-07-31T22:00:09
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More U.S. shrimpers have sold their boats. Most Americans don't realize that the cheap, plentiful shrimp they buy in the market and order on pad thai is driving domestic shrimpers out of business.
Copyright 2023 NPR
More U.S. shrimpers have sold their boats. Most Americans don't realize that the cheap, plentiful shrimp they buy in the market and order on pad thai is driving domestic shrimpers out of business.
Copyright 2023 NPR
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https://www.wdiy.org/2023-07-31/demand-for-cheap-shrimp-is-driving-u-s-shrimpers-out-of-business
| 2023-07-31T22:00:11
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https://www.wdiy.org/2023-07-31/demand-for-cheap-shrimp-is-driving-u-s-shrimpers-out-of-business
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Impeached Texas AG Ken Paxton seeks to have most charges dismissed before September trial
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Lawyers for impeached Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Monday sought to have most of the charges against him dismissed, arguing that they rely on alleged acts of corruption before he was reelected to a third term in 2022.
In motions filed with the Senate, where Paxton’s impeachment trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 5, his attorneys said they believe state law bars the removal of an official for conduct that occurred before their most recent election. Paxton was first elected attorney general in 2014 and the impeachment charges include alleged conduct since then.
“The Articles allege nothing that Texas voters have not heard from the Attorney General’s political opponents for years,” Paxton’s attorneys wrote. They accused the GOP-dominated Texas House of Representatives of seeking to oust Paxton because they were unable to unseat him by popular vote.
“Texas voters rendered their judgement by re-electing Attorney General Paxton to serve a third consecutive term. As a matter of both common sense and Texas law, that should be the end of the matter,” his attorneys wrote.
Only one of the 20 impeachment charges — an allegation that Paxton settled a whistleblower lawsuit in an effort to hide from the public corruption allegations against him — would not have to be dismissed under the so-called “prior term doctrine,” Paxton’s attorney said. Paxton asked state lawmakers this year to have the state pay the proposed $3.3 million settlement.
In a second filing, Paxton’s attorneys said the trial should exclude any evidence of alleged conduct that occurred prior to January 2023, when his third term in office began.
The motions from Paxton’s attorneys are similar to moves in a criminal or civil legal cases when defense attorneys seek to have charges or lawsuits dismissed before trial.
In this case, the presiding officer over Paxton’s impeachment trial will be Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a powerful Republican who also serves as the president of the state Senate. The Republican-controlled Senate will consider the evidence and decide whether to convict or acquit Paxton in the first impeachment trial of a statewide official since 1917.
Patrick has already issued a sweeping gag order over the parties and attorneys involved ahead of the Senate trial. Attorneys for House of Representatives managers prosecuting Paxton did not immediately respond to the motions filed Monday.
Paxton has been suspended from office since the House first approved the articles of impeachment on May 27. He could be permanently removed if convicted by the Senate.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kbtx.com/2023/07/31/impeached-texas-ag-ken-paxton-seeks-have-most-charges-dismissed-before-september-trial/
| 2023-07-31T22:00:15
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Authorities have released the identities of the victim and perpetrator of an incident on Saturday morning that has been ruled a murder-suicide.
The woman found dead in her Little Egg Harbor apartment has been identified as Kimberly Hoffman, 49, and her attacker was her ex-husband, Carl Schulz Jr., 52, also of Little Egg Harbor, officials said.
Police were called to the unit on Whitemarsh Court about 5:10 a.m. by a woman who believed someone was breaking into her apartment. Upon arrival, officers located the body of Hoffman, who made the 911 call, and died of an apparent gunshot wound to the face, prosecutors said.
Police also found the carcass of a dog, who also appeared to have been killed by gunfire, before locating Schulz, who had sustained a gunshot wound to the head, but was still conscious, authorities said.
Schulz was later pronounced dead at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center.
Investigators later determined that he broke into his ex-wife’s apartment and shot her and the dog before turning the gun on himself, officials said.
Editor’s note: NJ Advance Media typically limits reporting on suicides to those that occur in crowded public places, involve public figures or, in special circumstances, where there is a larger public impact. Suicidal thoughts and behaviors can be reduced with the proper mental health support and treatment. If you are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.
Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription.
Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at nfernandes@njadvancemedia.com.
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https://www.nj.com/ocean/2023/07/jersey-shore-man-killed-dog-ex-wife-and-then-himself-authorities-say.html
| 2023-07-31T22:00:16
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Many public housing residents are especially vulnerable to extreme heat, but there's no federal requirement for air conditioning. That leaves cash-strapped local agencies struggling to provide it.
Copyright 2023 NPR
Many public housing residents are especially vulnerable to extreme heat, but there's no federal requirement for air conditioning. That leaves cash-strapped local agencies struggling to provide it.
Copyright 2023 NPR
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https://www.wdiy.org/2023-07-31/getting-ac-to-residents-of-public-housing-where-extreme-heat-can-be-dangerous
| 2023-07-31T22:00:17
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https://www.wdiy.org/2023-07-31/getting-ac-to-residents-of-public-housing-where-extreme-heat-can-be-dangerous
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The following is a listing of all home transfers in Warren County reported from July 24 to July 30. There were 25 transactions posted during this time. During this period, the median sale for the area was a 1,840-square-foot home on Sunrise Terrace in Washington that sold for $450,000.
Belvidere
210 Depue Street, Belvidere, $160,000, 1,026 square feet, $156 per square-foot.
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https://www.nj.com/realestate-news/2023/07/see-all-homes-sold-in-warren-county-july-24-to-july-30.html
| 2023-07-31T22:00:22
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https://www.nj.com/realestate-news/2023/07/see-all-homes-sold-in-warren-county-july-24-to-july-30.html
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Memphis police shoot suspect after he fired shots outside Jewish school, authorities say
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis police on Monday said officers shot a suspect after he attempted to enter a Jewish school with a gun and fired shots after he couldn’t get into the building.
Assistant Police Chief Don Crowe said the suspect, whose identity has not been released, approached Margolin Hebrew Academy-Feinstone Yeshiva of the South around 12:20 p.m. He fired several shots and then left in a maroon truck.
“Thankfully, that school had a great safety procedure and process in place and avoided anyone being harmed or injured at that scene,” Crowe said.
Officers soon located the suspect’s vehicle “shortly after that,” Crowe said, adding that officers then shot the suspect after he exited the truck with a firearm in hand. The suspect was sent to a local hospital where he is in critical condition.
It was not immediately clear if school was in session.
When asked if law enforcement believe the shooting was a hate crime, Crowe said officers were still on the scene and collecting information.
“It’s way too early for that. Again, we’re very early in this investigation,” said Assistant Police Chief Don Crowe.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is now handling the case.
U.S. Rep. Seve Cohen, whose district includes Memphis, said in a statement that he was “shocked” to hear about the incident at the school and noted that acts of “violent antisemitism” are on the rise across the country.”
Monday’s shooting comes nearly four months after a shooter opened fire at a private Christian school in Nashville and killed six people, including three nine-year-old children. That tragedy has sparked closer scrutiny of Tennessee’s relaxed gun laws and renewed calls to strengthen security at both public and private schools across the state.
___
Kimberlee Kruesi contributed to this report from Nashville, Tennessee.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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| 2023-07-31T22:00:21
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https://www.kbtx.com/2023/07/31/memphis-police-shoot-suspect-after-he-fired-shots-outside-jewish-school-authorities-say/
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Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. Rep. Will Hurd talks with NPR Politics Podcast co-hosts about why he thinks Trump is vulnerable.
Copyright 2023 NPR
Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. Rep. Will Hurd talks with NPR Politics Podcast co-hosts about why he thinks Trump is vulnerable.
Copyright 2023 NPR
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https://www.wdiy.org/2023-07-31/white-house-hopeful-and-former-congressman-will-hurd-on-the-race-to-dethrone-trump
| 2023-07-31T22:00:23
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https://www.wdiy.org/2023-07-31/white-house-hopeful-and-former-congressman-will-hurd-on-the-race-to-dethrone-trump
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