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REFORM, Ala. (AP) — A federal judge ruled that the family of former NFL player Glenn Foster Jr., who died in law enforcement custody in Alabama, can pursue a lawsuit alleging his death was the result of excessive force. Foster, a former New Orleans Saints defensive end, died on Dec. 6, 2021, three days after being arrested and taken to jail in rural Pickens County for alleged speeding and attempting to elude police. A judge ordered Foster taken to a medical facility in Tuscaloosa for a mental evaluation. Foster was found unresponsive in the back of a law enforcement vehicle when he arrived at the facility. He was pronounced dead about 30 minutes later. His widow, Pamela Foster, filed a lawsuit against officers at the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office and jail saying Foster had been beaten, shocked with a Taser and strangled while at the jail. The defendants then asked a federal judge to dismiss the case. U.S. District Judge Annemarie Carney Axon ruled Thursday refused to dismiss allegations of excessive force and failure to intervene. Axon dismissed other portions of the lawsuit. The ruling came a day before the third anniversary of Foster’s death. Foster appeared in 17 games for the Saints in 2013 and 2014.
WWE is seeking a bigger stage and Netflix, pushing for more live events, is providing itNone
Trump gave Interior nominee one directive for a half-billion acres of US land: ‘Drill.’Over the last four years, as street fentanyl overdose deaths surged, the Biden administration scrambled to fund addiction treatment programs and expand use of opioid-treatment medications like buprenorphine and naloxone. There are signs those efforts may be helping, with fatal overdoses dropping 14.5% over the last year. But during the campaign that led to President-elect Donald Trump’s victory, he promised a very different approach, cracking down on fentanyl smugglers, securing the U.S.-Mexico border and executing drug dealers. “You know, I’d like to end the drug epidemic, if that’s okay,” Trump said . After the election, the man Trump named to serve as border czar threatened U.S. military action against Mexican drug cartels. Tom Homan said in a Fox News appearance the new administration will use “the full might of the United States special operations to take them out.” Critics say there’s no indication Trump’s efforts to secure the southern border during his first term were effective in stopping fentanyl. Studies show nearly ninety percent of people convicted of fentanyl smuggling are U.S. citizens , not migrants or Mexicans as Trump has suggested. “Everything got worse. The drug supply got worse and [fentanyl] became more readily available,” said Kassandra Frederique, who heads an organization called the Drug Policy Alliance that supports the decriminalization of addiction. During the campaign, President-elect Donald Trump promised sweeping change that would protect U.S. families from fentanyl overdose deaths. Critics say many of his ideas are unlikely to work and could do more harm than good. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/Getty Images North America) Still, many addiction experts said Trump’s tough talk — and the promise that his second term will bring a quick fix to the fentanyl crisis — appealed to voters at a time when 96,000 people in the U.S. are still dying from drug overdoses every year. New research from Philly ER doctors shows the ‘excruciating’ effect of xylazine withdrawal, and how to manage it The powerful animal tranquilizer has started appearing in the illicit heroin and fentanyl market in recent years. 2 weeks ago “People are tired of the theft, they’re tired of the open drug use and they want some accountability,” said Tom Wolf, an activist in California who is in recovery from opioid addiction. Keith Humphreys, a prominent drug policy researcher at Stanford University, agrees. He said there is a public perception that Biden era policies, treating fentanyl as a medical problem that should be “destigmatized” went too far. “I think there’s a bit of a backlash to the idea of seeing drug use as sort of an inalienable right,” Humphreys said. People who lost relatives to a drug overdose sit among imitation graves set up by the Trail of Truth, near the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on September 24, 2022. (STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images/AFP) From Drug War to quagmire? But even many addiction experts who want a tougher response to the fentanyl epidemic voiced concern at the Trump team’s rhetoric. Wolf said he fears the new administration could pivot too aggressively away from treatment and public health toward a full-scale drug war. “I’d like to see the pendulum stop in the middle,” Wolf said. “We all know the drug war of the 1980s was over draconian and as a result it failed.” Some of Trump’s most aggressive proposals have sparked alarm from drug policy analysts, who said they would do more harm than good. “Even invoking the idea of military action in Mexico against traffickers is the worst idea anyone has ever had,” said Jonathan Caulkins a researcher at Carnegie Mellon University. “If that is anything other than empty rhetoric, it is plain stupid.” The pipeline of deadly fentanyl into the U.S. may be drying up, experts say Street fentanyl has long been viewed as unstoppable. Now many experts say the supply of the deadly synthetic opioid is suddenly drying up in many parts of the U.S. 2 months ago Many experts believe U.S. military action against the cartels, which Trump also proposed during his first term , would do little to slow fentanyl smuggling or save American lives, but could shatter diplomatic relations and destabilize Mexico. “It’s quite difficult to control fentanyl because it’s so easy for the illegal supply chains to produce and distribute it,” Caulkins said. Experts say cartels or other drug gangs can easily rebuild illegal drug labs after they’re destroyed and can operate from almost any location. A recent investigation by CBC News found fentanyl production in Canada has already surged, with a growing number of “superlabs” now operating north of the U.S. border. In a critique published, last week , the libertarian Cato Institute said launching military strikes inside Mexico to target fentanyl production would lead to a “quagmire” without stemming “the flow of drugs across the U.S. southern border.” Experts have also condemned Trump’s plan to implement the death penalty against drug dealers, pointing out that many people experiencing addiction in the U.S. also traffic and sell drugs to support their habit. “There are thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of Americans who are our neighbors who are doing something illegal, dealing drugs,” said Brandon Del Pozo, a former police chief who studies drug policy at Brown University. “The idea we might execute them? That shocks the conscience.” Some experts said they believe Trump might implement more moderate drug policies, toning down his approach now that the political campaign is over. “You have very tough rhetoric, but then the actual policies are more of a bipartisan consensus which really is a balanced policy,” said Kevin Sabet, a long-time addiction policy researcher. Sabet noted that Trump signed a bipartisan measure in 2018 that increased funding for some drug treatment programs. “I actually come at this with a sense of hope,” he said. But Frederique with the Drug Policy Alliance predicted Trump will attempt to implement many of his most aggressive ideas in hope of a quick end to the crisis. “Someone is saying to you that we will just turn off the faucet, cut off the supply chain, arrest all the people and then we won’t have to deal with this anymore,” Frederique said. “While that can be attractive to people, it’s a mirage.” Philadelphia sees a decline in drug overdose deaths among residents for the first time in 5 years, data show Drug overdose deaths among Philadelphians have risen every year since 2018, but preliminary numbers for 2023 show a drop. 2 months ago Fentanyl deaths are dropping. Will that last? Another reason many experts voice concern over Trump’s apparent pivot toward a fentanyl crackdown is the growing evidence that the Biden administration’s public health approach may finally be helping. Drug deaths dropped sharply over the last year, a trend that saved about 16,000 lives according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “The latest data show that our efforts are working,” said Dr. Rahul Gupta, head of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. “Every life saved means one less grieving family and community.” Researchers are divided over why drug deaths are dropping so rapidly. Some believe street fentanyl reaching the U.S. may be less potent , increasingly diluted with other chemicals that come with serious long-term health risks but trigger fewer fatal overdoses. Keith Humphreys at Stanford University said it would be a mistake for Trump’s team to cut programs developed by Democratic administrations, including the Affordable Care Act, that appear to be helping. “My fear would be that [Trump] continues chopping away at the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid, which are the financial backbone of the American addiction treatment system,” Humphreys said. Vanda Felbab-Brown, a drug policy expert at The Brookings Institution, said what’s needed now is even more healthcare in Black, Native American and rural white communities that remain highly vulnerable to fentanyl overdoses. “That would take require sustained special focus by the next administration and it’s not clear there’s any thinking along those lines,” Feldbab-Brown said. One view shared by every expert interviewed by NPR is that Trump’s promise of a quick fix to the fentanyl crisis is unrealistic. Despite recent progress, all agreed that bringing drug deaths down to pre-fentanyl levels will take years if not decades. Never miss a moment with the WHYY Listen App! Play, pause, and rewind the live radio stream, access on-demand audio features, and dive into podcasts from both local and national sources. WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.
A stampede at a football match dedicated to Guinea’s junta chief killed at least 56 people, the government said on Monday, as the opposition accused the military-led authorities of being “directly responsible” for the tragedy. Fans at Sunday’s game in the second city of N’Zerekore invaded the pitch after one or two players were sent off and a penalty was awarded to the opposing side Labe at the end of the game, witnesses said. The events had initially been reported as clashes between fans. Officials watching the match, including two ministers, were prevented from leaving, prompting stone throwing and the firing of tear gas by security forces, a witness said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Panic quickly set in, leading to an uncontrollable stampede,” he said. “People were trampled underfoot or injured as they tried to flee,” he added. The match in the southeastern city was the final of a tournament organised in honour of Guinea’s junta leader, General Mamady Doumbouya, who seized power in a 2021 coup and has installed himself as president. The opposition has accused the junta of using sport for political ends. Videos circulating on social media, which AFP was unable to immediately verify, show a huge crowd packed in the dilapidated stadium. “The thousands of people at the stadium were gripped by panic and fear. It was every man for himself,” said a local official, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Protests of dissatisfaction with refereeing decisions led to stone-throwing by supporters, resulting in fatal stampedes,” the government said in a statement which was read out on national television. “Hospital services have put the provisional death toll at 56, with several others injured,” it added, describing the incident as a “tragic event”. Videos posted on social media showed chaotic scenes, with people climbing what appear to be the stadium’s perimeter walls to escape. Others showed numerous bodies lying on the ground. Doctors told AFP on Sunday that dozens had died. Access to verified information in the remote part of the West African country is limited. Local media reported that hospital wards and a morgue were overwhelmed by the injured and dead. “The government is doing everything possible to respond to this tragic event,” Doumbouya said in a statement on social media. “An emergency mission led by the prime minister has been dispatched,” he added. Doumbouya said a commission of enquiry would be set up “to rule on the causes of this tragedy and to determine who is responsible”. The junta chief called for calm in the West African nation, which has a turbulent political history and remains poor despite considerable natural resources. The crackdown on an opposition rally at a stadium in the capital Conakry left at least 156 people dead in 2009, according to a UN-mandated international commission of enquiry. Such football tournaments and other public gatherings have become common in Guinea in recent weeks, in what is widely seen as a campaign to promote Doumbouya’s candidacy in any future presidential election. The military seized power by force in September 2021 by overthrowing civilian President Alpha Conde. Under international pressure, the junta pledged to hand power back to a civilian government by the end of 2024 but has since made clear it will not. Several of Doumbouya’s aides have recently expressed their support for his possible presidential bid. One of the last remaining dissident voices in Guinea, the National Front for the Defence of the Constitution (FNDC), published a statement expressing its “outrage” at the tragedy in N’Zerekore. It said it held the junta chief and his government “directly responsible for this disaster, which cost the lives of innocent citizens, including many children”. “This demonstrates the cynical use of sport by the junta, exploiting these images of mobilisation for political ends,” the statement added. Related Story QFA forms new LOC for premier football events 116 killed in stampede at India gathering
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CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 2, 2024-- Accel Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: ACEL) and Fairmount Holdings, Inc. today announced the successful closure of their transaction where Accel has acquired the owner of the FanDuel Sportsbook & Racetrack, for total consideration of approximately 3.45 million shares of Accel Class A-1 common stock. The strategic transaction adds a promising single site racetrack and future casino to extend Accel’s convenience gaming expertise to a larger and more concentrated form factor – an adjacency in locals gaming that is complementary to Accel’s steadily growing, route-based footprint. During the year ended December 31, 2023, Fairmount generated $29 million of revenue and modest Adjusted EBITDA from the site’s existing sportsbook, racetrack and 3 OTB locations. Accel plans to invest $85-95 million to fund Phase I and then Phase II casino construction and modest track investments. Accel’s five-year forecast suggests an Adjusted EBITDA potential of $20 to $25 million and over 75% free cash flow conversion – pointing to a compelling cash flow return on capital. The asset will be the cornerstone in a local gaming platform that builds on Accel’s capabilities and strengths as a leading route-based operator. “We are excited to close the acquisition of Fairmount and eager to refresh and revitalize an iconic racing and gaming asset. Our plan and timeline are ambitious and achievable, and we look forward to welcoming investors and visitors to our Phase I casino opening in Q2, 2025,” said Andy Rubenstein, Accel co-founder, President, CEO and Director. Mark, Phelan, Accel’s President of U.S. Gaming added “Over the past few months, our team has been hard at work. We’ve hired a Casino General Manager, received approvals from both the Illinois Gaming Board and Illinois Racing Board and finalized design and development plans for the first phase of the casino.” Compelling Strategic Rationale Natural Adjacency Accel’s organic and tuck-in M&A growth model has been proven over 14 years, scaling route-based gaming in Illinois, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, Nebraska and Georgia Accel has built a deep expertise in player experience, commercial partnerships, regulatory relationships and procurement The acquisition of the FanDuel Sportsbook and Racetrack extends route-based capabilities to a convenient single site for locals The casino Accel’s developing targets consumer segments adjacent to route-based gaming, owns the relationship with the player and leverages partner expertise in real estate development, food and beverage, and hospitality Attractive Return Profile The transaction has two parts – acquisition of Fairmount, the holder of the license and underlying site assets, for approximately 3.45 million shares of Accel Class A-1 common stock, and $85-95 million of expected casino build out and track investments funded from Accel’s revolver Projections of five-year adjusted EBITDA and robust free cash flow conversion point to an attractive return on capital – in-line with existing Accel’s route-based footprint Platform for Future Growth This transaction accesses a ‘locals gaming’ total addressable market (“TAM”) estimated by Eilers & Krejcik to be ~$15 billion in size Locals gaming assets remain largely unconsolidated, under family or small business ownership and far less often contested by larger gaming players The transaction has been approved by Accel’s Board of Directors, the Board of Directors and shareholders of Fairmount Holdings. Wells Fargo acted as exclusive financial advisor and Lewis Rice LLC acted as legal counsel to Fairmount Holdings in connection with the transaction. About Accel Accel is a leading distributed gaming operator in the United States and a preferred partner for local business owners in the markets it serves. Accel offers turnkey full-service gaming solutions to authorized non-casino locations such as bars, restaurants, convenience stores, truck stops, and fraternal and veteran establishments across the country. Accel installs, maintains, operates and services gaming terminals and related equipment for its location partners as well as redemption devices, stand-alone ATMs and amusement devices, including jukeboxes, dartboards, pool tables, and other entertainment related equipment. Accel also designs and manufactures gaming terminals and related equipment. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release are forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, any statements regarding the proposed acquisition, including statements regarding the anticipated benefits of the acquisition, investment and expansion plans, projected future results and market opportunities, as well as our estimates of number of gaming terminals, locations, revenues, Adjusted EBITDA and capital expenditures, our ability to generate returns on capital and improve our trading multiple. The words “predict,” “estimated,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “projects,” “will,” “would,” “continue,” and similar expressions or the negatives thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements represent our current reasonable expectations, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, Accel regarding Fairmount, the acquisition or its anticipated effects or benefits, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our or Fairmount’s actual results, performance and achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the forward-looking statements, and you should be aware that results and events could differ materially and adversely from those contained in the forward-looking statements due to a number of factors including, but not limited to: Accel’s ability to integrate Fairmount’s operations with Accel’s own, to complete the casino development on a timely basis and within budget, and to operate the race track and casino businesses successfully; Accel’s ability to operate in existing markets or expand into new jurisdictions; Accel’s ability to offer new and innovative products and services that fulfill the needs of location partners and create strong and sustained player appeal; Accel’s dependence on relationships with key manufacturers, developers and third parties to obtain gaming terminals, amusement machines, and related supplies, programs, and technologies for its business on acceptable terms; the negative impact on Accel’s future results of operations by the slow growth in demand for gaming terminals and by the slow growth of new gaming jurisdictions; Accel’s heavy dependency on its ability to win, maintain and renew contracts with location partners; unfavorable macroeconomic conditions or decreased discretionary spending due to other factors such as interest rate volatility, persistent inflation, actual or perceived instability in the U.S. and global banking systems, high fuel rates, recessions, epidemics or other public health issues, terrorist activity or threat thereof, civil unrest or other macroeconomic or political uncertainties, that could adversely affect Accel’s business, results of operations, cash flows and financial conditions, Accel’s ability to integrate, develop and operate FanDuel Sportsbook & Racetrack and other risks and uncertainties indicated from time to time in documents filed or to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Accordingly, forward-looking statements, including any projections or analysis, should not be viewed as factual and should not be relied upon as an accurate prediction of future results. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on Accel. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control), or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those factors described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31,2023 filed by Accel with the SEC on February 28, 2024 (the "Form 10-K"), as well as Accel’s other filings with the SEC. Except as required by law, we do not undertake publicly to update or revise these statements, even if experience or future changes make it clear that any projected results expressed in this or other press releases or future quarterly reports, or company statements will not be realized. In addition, the inclusion of any statement in this press release does not constitute an admission by us that the events or circumstances described in such statement are material. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements. In addition, the industry in which we operate is subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk due to a variety of factors including those described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the Form 10-K, as well as Accel’s other filings with the SEC. These and other factors could cause our results to differ materially from those expressed in this press release. Non-GAAP Financial Information This press release includes certain financial information not prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States (“GAAP”), including Adjusted EBITDA, Free Cash Flow, and Net Debt. EBITDA, Free Cash Flow and Net Debt are non-GAAP financial measures and are key metrics used to monitor ongoing core operations. Management of Accel believes such non-GAAP financial measures enhance the understanding of Accel’s underlying drivers of profitability and trends in Accel’s business and facilitates company-to-company and period-to-period comparisons, because these non-GAAP financial measures exclude the effects of certain non-cash items, represents certain nonrecurring items that are unrelated to core performance, or excludes non-core operations. Management of Accel also believes that these non-GAAP financial measures are used by investors, analysts and other interested parties as measures of financial performance. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241202466306/en/ CONTACT: Investors Mathew Ellis Chief Financial Officer Accel Entertainment, Inc. 630-972-2235ir@accelentertainment.comMedia Eric Bonach H/Advisors Abernathy 212-371-5999eric.bonach@h-advisors.global KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA ILLINOIS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: CASINO/GAMING GENERAL ENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT MOBILE ENTERTAINMENT SOURCE: Accel Entertainment, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/02/2024 04:30 PM/DISC: 12/02/2024 04:32 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241202466306/enOptiSigns to Showcase Cutting-Edge Digital Signage Solutions at the Digital Signage Experience 2024 in Las Vegas
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