
Jordan Ivy-Curry, UCF aim to topple TulsaCharities that help the poor in Lakewood can resume their outreach work from the town square, about a week after one organization was barred from doing so over permitting issues. The Rev. Steve Brigham said Thursday the township is allowing his volunteers to resume their pop-up food pantry after the group was recently approached by police to break down their setup and leave. Brigham was forced to cancel a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for the homeless last week after he said his group was told by police they’d need proper permits to assemble in the town square. Lakewood Township Mayor Ray Coles defended the action by the town, stating that it was never the intention to prevent anyone from assisting the homeless and less fortunate. “What we were attempting to do was develop a schedule, so we knew who wanted to use the square and when,” the mayor said in a statement. “There was never any intent to prevent those who wish to assist folks. We are grateful for the efforts of Destiny’s Bridge and the other groups to provide comfort, especially at this time of the year.” The minister, who is known for publicly advocating for the homeless, said he believes the township may have fielded an uptick in complaints of squatters gathering in the brick-lined plaza on Clifton Avenue and Third Street. “The center of the community is the town square,” Brigham told NJ Advance Media on Thursday. “It’s natural for people to congregate, and it’s the center of town. It’s also the social center of town.” Brigham leads Destiny’s Bridge, a charity providing small homes to homeless seeking temporary shelters. His attorney, Jeff Wilde, contacted the township on behalf of several charity groups that utilize the plaza to help the poor. Wilde couldn’t immediately be reached for comment. Brigham said a resolution between the township and the lawyer was reached earlier Thursday. Destiny’s Bridge intends to resume its 25-year-old practice of handing out supplies from the plaza Saturday morning. After first being warned by authorities, volunteers returned about a week later to distribute food and clothing. They were again told by police to disperse, and have not been back since, the minister said. Stories by Eric Conklin Iconic Wonderland Pier owner: ‘If someone wants to buy it, I would absolutely sell it tomorrow’ Minke whale stranded on Jersey Shore beach had diseases, fluid in organs Future of iconic N.J. boardwalk theme park will be presented at meeting. Here’s how to watch. Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Eric Conklin may be reached at econklin@njadvancemedia.com .
ST. PAUL — A buck harvested near Wheaton in western Minnesota during the opening weekend of firearms season has tested positive for chronic wasting disease, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reported on Thursday, Dec. 12. The adult male deer was harvested within Deer Permit Area 271 along the Minnesota - South Dakota border. To date, no wild deer with CWD had been previously detected in that area, nearby permit areas or near the Minnesota border in eastern South Dakota. “This discovery in western Minnesota, while unwelcome news, highlights the importance and necessity of our disease surveillance efforts and allowing hunters to test deer harvested anywhere in the state if they would like to,” said Erik Hildebrand, wildlife health supervisor with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Deer Permit Area 271 includes all of Traverse County and small portions of northern Big Stone and Wilkin counties. It is located north of Big Stone Lake and the Minnesota River Valley habitat corridor. The permit area is heavily farmed with limited public lands and habitat. So far this year, the total deer harvest in that permit area totals 397, with 303 of the total being adult males, according to the DNR website. Following the detection near Wheaton, the Minnesota DNR will implement measures outlined in its CWD response plan, which calls for three consecutive years of testing to help determine the potential prevalence of the disease in Deer Permit Area 271 and surrounding permit areas. The Minnesota DNR also will work with the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks and the North Dakota Game and Fish Department to coordinate surveillance of chronic wasting disease and management activities in the vicinity. Within deer permit areas where CWD has been detected and confirmed, the Minnesota DNR uses multiple management actions designed to help mitigate disease spread, including carcass movement restrictions, a deer feeding and attractants ban, and, sometimes, increased hunting opportunities with increased bag limits. In 2024, Deer Permit Area 271 will not be included in the CWD late-season management hunt that takes place Dec. 20-22. The adult male deer in that permit area that tested positive for CWD was harvested during the breeding season when deer are known to travel longer distances. Before deciding whether to remove additional deer in a CWD management hunt, the DNR will conduct surveillance in the fall of 2025 to better understand disease prevalence in the permit area.
‘Strangest I’ve ever seen’ – bizarre moment fans stay silent despite ex-Celtic star scoring openerBy DEVNA BOSE and JOHN SEEWER “Wanted” posters with the names and faces of health care executives have been popping up on the streets of New York. Hit lists with images of bullets are circulating online with warnings that industry leaders should be afraid. Related Articles National News | Military service academies see drop in reported sexual assaults after alarming surge National News | Unidentified drones spotted flying at locations across NYC, including LaGuardia Airport National News | About 2.6 million Stanley cups recalled after malfunctions caused burns. Is your mug included? National News | Woman who falsely accused Duke lacrosse players of rape in 2006 publicly admits she lied National News | Musk says US is demanding he pay penalty over disclosures of his Twitter stock purchases The apparent targeted killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the menacing threats that followed have sent a shudder through corporate America and the health care industry in particular, leading to increased security for executives and some workers. In the week since the brazen shooting , health insurers have removed information about their top executives from company websites, canceled in-person meetings with shareholders and advised all employees to work from home temporarily. An internal New York Police Department bulletin warned this week that the online vitriol that followed the shooting could signal an immediate “elevated threat.” Police fear that the Dec. 4 shooting could “inspire a variety of extremists and grievance-driven malicious actors to violence,” according to the bulletin, which was obtained by The Associated Press. “Wanted” posters pasted to parking meters and construction site fences in Manhattan included photos of health care executives and the words “Deny, defend, depose” — similar to a phrase scrawled on bullets found near Thompson’s body and echoing those used by insurance industry critics . Thompson’s wife, Paulette, told NBC News last week that he told her some people had been threatening him and suggested the threats may have involved issues with insurance coverage. Investigators believe the shooting suspect, Luigi Mangione , may have been motivated by hostility toward health insurers. They are studying his writings about a previous back injury, and his disdain for corporate America and the U.S. health care system. Mangione’s lawyer has cautioned against prejudging the case. Mangione, 26, has remained jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested Monday . Manhattan prosecutors are working to bring him to New York to face a murder charge. UnitedHealthcare’s parent company, UnitedHealth Group, said this week it was working with law enforcement to ensure a safe work environment and to reinforce security guidelines and building access policies, a spokesperson said. The company has taken down photos, names and biographies for its top executives from its websites, a spokesperson said. Other organizations, including CVS, the parent company for insurance giant Aetna, have taken similar actions. Government health insurance provider Centene Corp. has announced that its investor day will be held online, rather than in-person as originally planned. Medica, a Minnesota-based nonprofit health care firm, said last week it was temporarily closing its six offices for security reasons and would have its employees work from home. Heightened security measures likely will make health care companies and their leaders more inaccessible to their policyholders, said former Cigna executive Wendell Potter. “And understandably so, with this act of violence. There’s no assurance that this won’t happen again,” said Potter, who’s now an advocate for health care reform. Private security firms and consultants have been in high demand, fielding calls almost immediately after the shooting from companies across a range of industries, including manufacturing and finance. Companies have long faced security risks and grappled with how far to take precautions for high-profile executives. But these recent threats sparked by Thompson’s killing should not be ignored, said Dave Komendat, a former security chief for Boeing who now heads his own risk-management company. “The tone and tenor is different. The social reaction to this tragedy is different. And so I think that people need to take this seriously,” Komendat said. Just over a quarter of the companies in the Fortune 500 reported spending money to protect their CEOs and top executives. Of those, the median payment for personal security doubled over the last three years to just under $100,000. Hours after the shooting, Komendat was on a call with dozens of chief security officers from big corporations, and there have been many similar meetings since, hosted by security groups or law enforcement agencies assessing the threats, he said. “It just takes one person who is motivated by a poster — who may have experienced something in their life through one of these companies that was harmful,” Komendat said. Associated Press reporters Wyatte Grantham-Philips in New York and Barbara Ortutay in San Francisco, contributed to this report.
NEW YORK , Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Halper Sadeh LLC, an investor rights law firm, is investigating the following companies for potential violations of the federal securities laws and/or breaches of fiduciary duties to shareholders relating to: Patterson Companies, Inc. (NASDAQ: PDCO)'s sale to Patient Square Capital for $31.35 in cash per share. If you are a Patterson shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options . NeuroMetrix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NURO)'s sale to electroCore, Inc. If you are a NeuroMetrix shareholder, click here to learn more about your legal rights and options . Penns Woods Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: PWOD)'s sale to Northwest Bancshares, Inc. for 2.385 shares of Northwest common stock for each share of Penns Woods common stock. If you are a Penns Woods shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options . Cara Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CARA)'s merger with Tvardi Therapeutics, Inc. Upon completion of the proposed transaction, Cara shareholders are expected to own approximately 17.0% of the combined company. If you are a Cara shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options . Halper Sadeh LLC may seek increased consideration for shareholders, additional disclosures and information concerning the proposed transaction, or other relief and benefits on behalf of shareholders. We would handle the action on a contingent fee basis, whereby you would not be responsible for out-of-pocket payment of our legal fees or expenses. Shareholders are encouraged to contact the firm free of charge to discuss their legal rights and options. Please call Daniel Sadeh or Zachary Halper at (212) 763-0060 or email sadeh@halpersadeh.com or zhalper@halpersadeh.com . Halper Sadeh LLC represents investors all over the world who have fallen victim to securities fraud and corporate misconduct. Our attorneys have been instrumental in implementing corporate reforms and recovering millions of dollars on behalf of defrauded investors. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Halper Sadeh LLC Daniel Sadeh, Esq. Zachary Halper, Esq. (212) 763-0060 sadeh@halpersadeh.com zhalper@halpersadeh.com https://www.halpersadeh.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shareholder-investigation-halper-sadeh-llc-investigates-pdco-nuro-pwod-cara-on-behalf-of-shareholders-302338483.html SOURCE Halper Sadeh LLP
RENTON — There was no rest for the weary Seahawks on Monday. A day after a deflating 27-24 loss to the Vikings that boiled their playoff hopes down to hoping the Cardinals can beat the Rams on Saturday night, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald and his staff got to work preparing for a game Thursday night in Chicago against the Bears. Because so much of the Seahawks' fate rests on tiebreakers associated with the Rams and needing them to lose to Arizona — and needing to beat L.A. the following week — the game with the Bears doesn’t have a lot of meaning by itself. While Macdonald acknowledged that the Seahawks losing control of their destiny “stings," he said it won’t affect the team’s approach to the game against the Bears (4-11), who have lost nine in a row. “It doesn’t change anything," Macdonald said during his weekly day-after-game news conference Monday afternoon. “It really doesn’t change your mentality, your approach. It won’t change with our guys. Not worried about that one bit.’’ The bigger issue, he said, is navigating the challenge of a short week and the Christmas holiday. Players had Monday off, other than for treatment of injuries, with the coaches using the day to prepare a game plan. The Seahawks will practice Tuesday and Wednesday before flying to Chicago. They usually travel two days before a game in the Central or Eastern time zones, but they are accommodating for the short week. Macdonald said that it might be the best for the team’s psyche and moving past a difficult defeat in which the Seahawks had the Vikings (13-2) on the ropes before letting a late lead slip away. “I guess the best gift you can get after a tough loss like that is an opportunity to move forward on a short week and get going,’’ he said. “So [we] altered the short week schedule a little bit." Macdonald also addressed a few other issues. Here’s a recap: Running back Kenneth Walker III left in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury and didn’t return. He was listed as not being able to practice if the team had practiced Monday in the report the team had to release by NFL rules. “No updates right now on him,’’ Macdonald said. “But getting a test done. We’ll have a good idea of what it looks like over the next day or two.’’ Zach Charbonnet played 14 snaps backing up Walker after dealing with an oblique injury last week. He also was on the injury report Monday as limited with an elbow issue. Macdonald indicated Charbonnet will be OK for Thursday. “Seemed like he was limited during the game, but signs are positive with Zach right now,’’ Macdonald said. That means Charbonnet likely starts if Walker can’t go, backed up by Kenny McIntosh. While there was lots to lament in the wake of the loss, Macdonald said on his radio show on Seattle Sports 710 that a sack taken by Geno Smith when the Seahawks had a first-and-10 at Minnesota’s 37 with 3:04 left “was probably our worst play of the game as a whole offensive operation." Macdonald didn’t assess any specific blame other than to say, “That’s one where we have to be better in that moment, really for everybody involved.’’ The Seahawks, who trailed 27-24, gained only 1 yard on the ensuing two plays, which forced them into a decision facing fourth-and-15 at the 42 at the two-minute warning. The Seahawks had the time out to think about it before opting for a 60-yard field goal attempt by Jason Myers, which came up a few yards short. Macdonald said the next option would have been to punt and try to pin the Vikings back and use their two remaining time outs to get the ball back. “We would have had faith in our defense to go get a stop,’’ he said. Macdonald said he felt like the decision to let Myers kick is what would have “helped us win the game the most. ... That’s a tough ask of (Myers), but the guy’s a gamer, man, a competitor. He wanted a crack at it, so we gave it to him.’’ Macdonald said he wouldn’t go into detail to assess blame on specific plays, including the two interceptions thrown by Geno Smith. Smith’s picks included one thrown in the direction of DK Metcalf from their own 12-yard-line with 55 seconds left. The pass seemed like one made out of desperation as Smith was under pressure and with no timeouts, a sack would have been disastrous. Vikings safety Theo Jackson said he was “just as surprised as you all were’’ that Smith threw the ball his way. “We were in two-high. I saw him throw it and I was kind of confused myself as to why he threw it,’’ Jackson said. “I’m going to catch the ones he throws to me.’’ Smith threw for 314 yards, completing 31 of 43 passes and tied a season-high with three touchdown, and Macdonald praised his overall play. “He did some really great things,’’ Macdonald said. “You know, if we get a stop when we're up four in the end of the fourth quarter, we're having a different conversation right now. Everybody wants to talk about the interceptions and rightfully so, and those are things that we're working through, but I mean, one of the reasons that we're here with life, like I said last night, is I really felt that Geno's helped put us in this position. So, I thought he played a strong game."
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes got back to climbing on Wednesday after the latest update on inflation appeared to clear the way for more help for the economy from the Federal Reserve . The S&P 500 rose 0.8% to break its first two-day losing streak in nearly a month and finished just short of its all-time high. Big Tech stocks led the way, which drove the Nasdaq composite up 1.8% to top the 20,000 level for the first time. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, meanwhile, lagged the market with a dip of 99 points, or 0.2%. Stocks got a boost as expectations built that Wednesday’s inflation data will allow the Fed to deliver another cut to interest rates at its meeting next week. Traders are betting on a nearly 99% probability of that, according to data from CME Group, up from 89% a day before. If they’re correct, it would be a third straight cut by the Fed after it began lowering rates in September from a two-decade high. It’s hoping to support a slowing job market after getting inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. Lower rates would give a boost to the economy and to prices for investments, but they could also provide more fuel for inflation. “The data have given the Fed the ‘all clear’ for next week, and today’s inflation data keep a January cut in active discussion,” according to Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. Expectations for a series of cuts to rates by the Fed have been one of the main reasons the S&P 500 has set an all-time high 57 times this year , with the latest coming last week. The biggest boosts for the index on Wednesday came from Nvidia and other Big Tech stocks. Their massive growth has made them Wall Street’s biggest stars for years, though other kinds of stocks have recently been catching up somewhat amid hopes for the broader U.S. economy. Tesla jumped 5.9% to finish above $420 at $424.77. It’s a level that Elon Musk made famous in a 2018 tweet when he said he had secured funding to take Tesla private at $420 per share . Stitch Fix soared 44.3% after the company that sends clothes to your door reported a smaller loss for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It also gave financial forecasts for the current quarter that were better than expected, including for revenue. GE Vernova rallied 5% for one of the biggest gains in the S&P 500. The energy company that spun out of General Electric said it would pay a 25 cent dividend every three months, and it approved a plan to send up to another $6 billion to its shareholders by buying back its own stock. On the losing end of Wall Street, Dave & Buster’s Entertainment tumbled 20.1% after reporting a worse loss for the latest quarter than expected. It also said CEO Chris Morris has resigned, and the board has been working with an executive-search firm for the last few months to find its next permanent leader. Albertsons fell 1.5% after filing a lawsuit against Kroger, saying it didn’t do enough for their proposed $24.6 billion merger agreement to win regulatory clearance. Albertsons said it’s seeking billions of dollars in damages from Kroger, whose stock rose 1%. A day earlier, judges in separate cases in Oregon and Washington nixed the supermarket giants’ merger. The grocers contended a combination could have helped them compete with big retailers like Walmart, Costco and Amazon, but critics said it would hurt competition. After terminating the merger agreement with Kroger, Albertsons said it plans to boost its dividend 25% and increased the size of its program to buy back its own stock. Macy’s slipped 0.8% after cutting some of its financial forecasts for the full year of 2024, including for how much profit it expects to make off each $1 of revenue. All told, the S&P 500 rose 49.28 points to 6,084.19. The Dow dipped 99.27 to 44,148.56, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 347.65 to 20,034.89. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.27% from 4.23% late Tuesday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for the Fed, edged up to 4.15% from 4.14%. In stock markets abroad, indexes rose across much of Europe and Asia. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was an outlier and slipped 0.8% as Chinese leaders convened an annual planning meeting in Beijing that is expected to set economic policies and growth targets for the coming year. South Korea’s Kospi rose 1%, up for a second straight day as it climbs back following last week’s political turmoil where its president briefly declared martial law. AP Writers Matt Ott and Zimo Zhong contributed.
(The Center Square) – National Governors Association (NGA) Chair and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, D-Colorado, joined Governors Joe Lombardo, R-Nev., Spencer Cox, R-Utah, and Mark Gordon, R-Wyo., alongside education experts to support an NGA initiative this week, according to a press release from the organization. The initiative is called Let’s Get Ready: Educating All Americans for Success . It aims to improve public education in the following areas, according to the initiative’s website: early literacy, numeracy, and high-quality curriculum; after-school, summer, and expanded learning; work-based learning and apprenticeships; dual and concurrent enrollment; skills-based learning and non-degree credentials; technology and artificial intelligence in the classroom; educator development and support; and data systems and roles of state agencies. “Launched in July 2024, Let’s Get Ready is a yearlong initiative designed to support the nation’s Governors drive innovative education policies,” the release said. “Let’s Get Ready aims to help Governors form policies that better evaluate outcomes for state investments in education and improve outcomes for learners at all stages of their education journey. The initiative also focuses on the ways states can meet the future needs of the workforce by preparing students for success in and outside of the classroom. Last month, Governor Polis held the first Let’s Get Ready convening in Denver.” On Wednesday, Polis and Lombardo plan to tour Southeast Career Technical Academy where they will “highlight the innovative work the school is leading to empower students with the tools needed to succeed with professional career paths,” the release said. Southeast Career Technical Academy is the first career and technical education high school in Las Vegas. More from this section “I started the Let’s Get Ready initiative because I’m committed to advancing the American principle that all students should have access to education that prepares them for success in life,” Polis said in the release. “We know that education is the key to prosperity and success for individuals, our communities, and our economy. That’s why we’re encouraged that Governors from both sides of the aisles are working with our country’s top education experts to find innovative solutions to improve education policies and outcomes. We can ensure all learners have access to quality education by implementing policies that look to the current and future needs of students and our workforce.” Lombardo said the academy meshes well with his educational goals as governor. “Better preparing students for college and career paths is one of my top priorities,” Lombardo said in the release. “Nevada is taking action on a variety of fronts – expanding early childhood education, hiring more teachers, increasing per-pupil funding, supporting innovative charter schools, and increasing accountability to ensure schools deliver results for students. Establishing better education to workforce pathways takes coordination with teachers, students, and business leaders. I appreciate the opportunity to host Governors and education leaders in Nevada to spur a national conversation on education.” The Las Vegas-based event will feature panel discussions with education experts on both sides of the political aisle. Some education experts participating include : David Coleman, CEO of College Board; Dr. Shanika Hope, Education for Social Impact Director at Google; Dr. Sal Khan, founder and CEO of Khan Academy; and Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code, the release said. Additional information about the Let’s Get Ready initiative and upcoming bipartisan events are available on the NGA website .
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NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes got back to climbing on Wednesday after the latest update on inflation appeared to clear the way for more help for the economy from the Federal Reserve . The S&P 500 rose 0.8% to break its first two-day losing streak in nearly a month and finished just short of its all-time high. Big Tech stocks led the way, which drove the Nasdaq composite up 1.8% to top the 20,000 level for the first time. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, meanwhile, lagged the market with a dip of 99 points, or 0.2%.
Patna HC seeks state’s reply on increase in road fatalities