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ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) — The man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare’s CEO struggled with deputies and shouted while being led into court Tuesday as new details emerged about his possible motivation behind the ambush. In his first public words since a five-day search ended with his arrest at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania, Luigi Nicholas Mangione emerged from a patrol car shouting about an “insult to the intelligence of the American people” while deputies pushed him inside a courthouse. The 26-year-old Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family is fighting attempts to extradite him to New York so that he can face a murder charge in the Manhattan killing of Brian Thompson , who led the United States’ largest medical insurance company. A law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press said that at the time of his arrest, Mangione was carrying a handwritten document expressing anger with what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain for corporate greed and power. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive health care system in the world and that profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin. In social media posts, Mangione called “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski — who carried out a series of bombings while railing against modern society and technology — a “political revolutionary,” according to the police bulletin. Mangione remained jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was initially charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Manhattan prosecutors were beginning to take steps to bring Mangione to New York, but at a brief hearing Tuesday, defense lawyer Thomas Dickey said his client will not waive extradition and instead wants a hearing on the issue. Mangione was denied bail after prosecutors said he was too dangerous to be released. He mostly stared straight ahead at the hearing, occasionally looking at papers, rocking in his chair or looking back at the gallery. At one point, he began to speak to respond to the court discussion but was quieted by his lawyer. “You can’t rush to judgment in this case or any case,” Dickey said afterward. “He’s presumed innocent. Let’s not forget that.” Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 230 miles (about 370 kilometers) west of New York City, after a McDonald’s customer recognized him and notified an employee, authorities said. Images of Mangione released Tuesday by Pennsylvania State Police showed him pulling down his mask in the corner of the McDonald's while holding what appeared to be hash browns and wearing a winter jacket and beanie. In another photo from a holding cell, he stood unsmiling with rumpled hair. New York police officials have said Mangione was carrying a gun like the one used to kill Thompson and the same fake ID the shooter had used to check into a New York hostel, along with a passport and other fraudulent IDs. A law enforcement official who wasn’t authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity said a three-page, handwritten document found with Mangione included a line in which he claimed to have acted alone. “To the Feds, I’ll keep this short, because I do respect what you do for our country. To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn’t working with anyone,” the document said, according to the official. It also said, “I do apologize for any strife or traumas but it had to be done. Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.” Thompson, 50, was killed last Wednesday as he walked alone to a Manhattan hotel for an investor conference. From surveillance video, New York investigators determined the shooter quickly fled the city, likely by bus. Mangione was born into a life of country clubs and privilege. His grandfather was a self-made real estate developer and philanthropist. Valedictorian at his elite Baltimore prep school, he went on to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a spokesperson said. “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” Mangione’s family said in a statement posted on social media late Monday by his cousin, Maryland Del. Nino Mangione. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” From January to June 2022, Luigi Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Honolulu. Like other residents of the shared penthouse catering to remote workers, Mangione underwent a background check, said Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin. “Luigi was just widely considered to be a great guy. There were no complaints,” Ryan said. "There was no sign that might point to these alleged crimes they’re saying he committed.” At Surfbreak, Martin learned Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life, from surfing to romance, Ryan said. Mangione left Surfbreak to get surgery on the mainland, Ryan said, then later returned to Honolulu and rented an apartment. Martin stopped hearing from Mangione six months to a year ago. ___ Scolforo reported from Altoona and Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. Contributing were Associated Press writers Cedar Attanasio and Jennifer Peltz in New York; Michael Rubinkam and Maryclaire Dale in Pennsylvania; Lea Skene in Baltimore; Jennifer Sinco Kelleher in Honolulu and John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio.CEZ, a. s. (OTCMKTS:CEZYY) Stock Price Down 0.3% – What’s Next?
US CEO slaying suspect charged with murder as 'act of terrorism'SpaceX knocks out 1st of final 2 Space Coast launches of 2024NEW YORK (AP) — Top-ranked chess player Magnus Carlsen is headed back to the World Blitz Championship on Monday after its governing body agreed to loosen a dress code that got him fined and denied a late-round game in another tournament for refusing to change out of jeans . Lamenting the contretemps, International Chess Federation President Arkady Dvorkovich said in a statement Sunday that he'd let World Blitz Championship tournament officials consider allowing “appropriate jeans” with a jacket, and other “elegant minor deviations” from the dress code. He said Carlsen's stand — which culminated in his quitting the tournament Friday — highlighted a need for more discussion “to ensure that our rules and their application reflect the evolving nature of chess as a global and accessible sport.” Carlsen, meanwhile, said in a video posted Sunday on social media that he would play — and wear jeans — in the World Blitz Championship when it begins Monday. “I think the situation was badly mishandled on their side,” the 34-year-old Norwegian grandmaster said. But he added that he loves playing blitz — a fast-paced form of chess — and wanted fans to be able to watch, and that he was encouraged by his discussions with the federation after Friday's showdown. “I think we sort of all want the same thing,” he suggested in the video on his Take Take Take chess app’s YouTube channel. “We want the players to be comfortable, sure, but also relatively presentable.” The events began when Carlsen wore jeans and a sportcoat Friday to the Rapid World Championship, which is separate from but held in conjunction with the blitz event. The chess federation said Friday that longstanding rules prohibit jeans at those tournaments, and players are lodged nearby to make sartorial switch-ups easy if needed. An official fined Carlsen $200 and asked him to change pants, but he refused and wasn't paired for a ninth-round game, the federation said at the time. The organization noted that another grandmaster, Ian Nepomniachtchi, was fined earlier in the day for wearing sports shoes, changed and continued to play. Carlsen has said that he offered to wear something else the next day, but officials were unyielding. He said “it became a bit of a matter of principle,” so he quit the rapid and blitz championships. In the video posted Sunday, he questioned whether he had indeed broken a rule and said changing clothes would have needlessly interrupted his concentration between games. He called the punishment “unbelievably harsh.” “Of course, I could have changed. Obviously, I didn’t want to,” he said, and “I stand by that.”
CONWAY, Ark. (AP) — Elias Cato scored 23 points as Central Arkansas beat UNC Asheville 92-83 in double overtime on Sunday. Jordan Morris made two free throws with one second left for UNC Asheville (2-3) to force overtime tied at 71. Fletcher Abee's 3-pointer with 33 seconds left in the first overtime tied the game at 79 and led to the second extra period. Michael Evbagharu's layup gave Central Arkansas (2-4) the lead in the second OT and Cato followed with a 3-pointer as the Bears outscored the Bulldogs 21-12 to pull out the victory. Cato added nine rebounds for the Bears. Layne Taylor totaled 19 points, seven assists, six rebounds and five steals. Brayden Fagbemi pitched in with 19 points, seven assists and five steals. The Bulldogs (2-3) were led by Fletcher Abee, who recorded 27 points. UNC Asheville also got 17 points from Josh Banks. Toyaz Solomon finished with 15 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by and data from . The Associated Press
Left-hander Max Fried agrees to $218 million, 8-year contract with Yankees, AP source says DALLAS (AP) — A person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press that Max Fried and the New York Yankees have agreed to a $218 million, eight-year contract, the largest deal for a left-handed pitcher in baseball history. New York made the move two days after outfielder Juan Soto left for a pending $765 million, 15-year contract with the rival Mets. Fried, who turns 31 in January, gets the fourth-highest contract among pitchers behind the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Yankees’ Gerrit Cole and Washington’s Stephen Strasburg. Fried broke the mark for lefties set by David Price at $217 million. Mbappe, Vinicius and Bellingham on target as Real Madrid beats Atalanta 3-2. Liverpool wins again Real Madrid’s big stars turned on the style to revive the Spanish giant’s faltering Champions League title defense. Galacticos Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham all scored in a 3-2 win at Italian league leader Atalanta. It was only Madrid’s third win in the competition’s revamped league phase and leaves the 15-time champion in the unseeded playoff positions in 18th place. In contrast Liverpool leads the way after maintaining its perfect record in Europe this season after a 1-0 win against Girona. Mohamed Salah scored his 50th Champions League goal to seal it for Liverpool. Analysis: After Juan Soto's megadeal, could MLB see a $1 billion contract? Probably not soon For the second straight Major League Baseball offseason, a norm-shattering contract has been the talk of the winter, with Juan Soto agreeing with the New York Mets on a $765 million, 15-year deal that’s the richest in baseball history. It comes almost exactly one year after the Los Angeles Dodgers forked out a princely sum of $700 million on a 10-year, heavily deferred deal for two-way Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani. The way it’s going, a contract approaching $1 billion doesn’t seem out of the question. But several factors are working against it — at least in the near future. Joe Burrow's home broken into during Monday Night Football in latest pro-athlete home invasion ANDERSON TOWNSHIP, Ohio (AP) — Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s home was broken into during Monday Night Football in the latest home invasion of a pro athlete in the U.S. Authorities said Tuesday no one was injured in the break-in, but the home was ransacked. Deputies weren’t immediately able to determine what items were stolen. Both the NFL and NBA issued alerts to players following prior break-ins, urging them to take precautions. The homes of Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were broken into in October. In the NBA, Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr. had their homes broken into. Scottie Scheffler in a landslide to win PGA Tour player of the year for third straight time Scottie Scheffler is the PGA Tour player of the year in a vote that had about as much drama as some of his victories. Scheffler earned 91% of the vote in winning the Jack Nicklaus Award for the third straight season. He joins Tiger Woods as the only players to win three straight times. Woods won it five times in a row, and three straight times on another occasion. Scheffler won seven times on the PGA Tour against only the strongest fields. He also won the FedEx Cup. He also won the Masters green jacket and an Olympic gold medal. MLB investigated to ensure no early Sasaki deal in place, pitcher likely to pick team mid-January DALLAS (AP) — Major League Baseball investigated to ensure no team had an advance deal in place for Roki Sasaki, and the agent for the Japanese pitcher says picking a club will be “like the draft in reverse.” On the first day of Sasaki’s 45-day window to sign with an MLB team, agent Joel Wolfe says the 23-year-old right-hander likely will sign shortly after the 2025 international signing pool window opens on Jan. 15 and wouldn’t wait until the Jan. 23 deadline. Sasaki helped Japan win the 2023 World Baseball Classic and has a fastball clocked at 102.5 mph. Cubs Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg says cancer has returned, spread CHICAGO (AP) — Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg says the prostate cancer he thought had been eliminated by radiation has returned and spread. The Chicago Cubs great made the announcement on Instagram on Tuesday. Sandberg announced in January that he had metastatic prostate cancer and in August said he was cancer-free after chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Sandberg was the National League MVP in 1984 and a 10-time All-Star during 15 seasons for the Cubs from 1982 to 1997, with 282 home runs and 344 stolen bases. After his playing career, he served as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies from 2013 to 2015, going 119-159. Nolan Arenado open to switch from third base to first and leaving Cardinals for a team he approves DALLAS (AP) — Nolan Arenado is open to a trade from the St. Louis Cardinals, at age 33 wanting to be on a World Series contender. Agent Joel Wolfe says “it’s like his biological clock is ticking and if the team’s not winning it’s driving him crazy every day.” An eight-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove third baseman, Arenado is open to a switch to first base. He hit .272 with 16 homers and 71 RBIs this year, his poorest season in a decade. St. Louis acquired Arenado from Colorado ahead of the 2021 season. Washington Nationals win lottery for No. 1 pick in next amateur baseball draft, Angels No. 2 DALLAS (AP) — The Washington Nationals will have the No. 1 overall pick in the amateur draft next summer. The Nationals won the draft lottery through a drawing of ping-pong balls at the winter meetings in Dallas. Unlike last year, when the Nationals were ineligible after initially coming out with the top spot, they will get to make the first pick in July in Atlanta during All-Star Game festivities. The Los Angeles Angels got the second overall pick for next summer. Seattle, Colorado, St. Louis and Pittsburgh round out the six lottery picks. Athletes in $2.8 billion college lawsuit tell judge they want to create a players' association The athletes whose lawsuit against the NCAA is primed to pave the way for schools to pay them directly also want a players’ association to represent them in the complex contract negotiations that have overtaken the industry. Grant House, Sedona Prince and Nya Harrison wrote to the judge overseeing what’s known as the House Settlement, saying that although they are generally happy with the terms of the proposed settlement “there still remains a critical need for structural changes to protect athletes and prevent the failures of the past.”
SCDC ENTERS INTO A CONTRACTUAL PARTNERSHIP WITH ELEMATIC FOR PRECAST CONCRETE MANUFACTURING PLANT DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION
has died today, December 29, after receiving more than a year of hospice care at his home in Plains, Ga. President Carter will be remembered for living out his devout Baptist faith through his pursuit of peace and support for human rights as well as acts of service, such as building homes for Habitat for Humanity. When it came to following Jesus, Carter walked the walk. Lesser known, and particularly relevant for American politics today, is our 39th president’s commitment to the Baptist value of religious liberty. The United States’ most religious president in recent memory was also the most committed to the separation of church and state. “I think that prayer should be a private matter between a person and God,” then-President Carter concerning Supreme Court rulings against mandatory government-sponsored prayers in public schools in 1962 and 1963. “I think the Government ought to stay out of the prayer business and let it be between a person and God and not let it be part of a school program under any tangible constraints, either a direct order to a child to pray or an embarrassing situation where the child would feel constrained to pray.” He told the editors that he agreed with the Supreme Court’s rulings “as a Baptist.” Here’s how Carter described his commitment in his 2010 autobiography : “My religious faith had become a minor issue during the [1976] campaign, when I responded ‘yes’ to a reporter’s question ‘are you a born-again Christian?’ Some reporters implied that I was having visions or thought I received daily instructions from Heaven. My traditional Baptist belief was that there should be strict separation between church and state. I ended the longstanding practice of inviting Billy Graham and other prominent pastors to have services in the White House and our family assumed the role of normal worshippers in a church of our choice.” Before I moved back to my home state of Texas, I was a member of the church the Carters chose, The First Baptist Church of the City of Washington, D.C., and I currently lead the organization – – that continues to advocate for religious freedom for all in the same spirit as Carter did. BJC awarded Carter our J.M. Dawson Religious Liberty Award in 1996. We continue to strive to see a country where Americans like Carter, who have deep theological convictions, can bring their full selves to their public lives, while never imposing their religious beliefs on others or using the government to promote religion. “I just look at death as not a threat,” Carter said during an in 1976. “It's inevitable, and I have an assurance of eternal life.” As we remember his life and mourn with his family, we are also concerned about the threats to the separation of church and state—an American ideal that Carter championed throughout his life. Sadly, people who seem inclined toward a theocracy instead—like many who were part of the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021—continue to organize and gain political power. The ultra-conservative majority of the U.S. Supreme Court is eroding the line between government and religion in case after case. Carter was also concerned about the growing alliance of right-wing politics and conservative Christianity. “There's no doubt that the Christian right has gone to bed with the more conservative elements of the Republican Party,” he said in with the in 1997. “And there's been a melding in their goals when it comes to the separation of church and state.” In addition to his work at the Carter Center, Carter continued to play an active role in Baptist life. While he from the Southern Baptist Convention following the fundamentalist takeover of the denomination, Carter remained a deacon and taught Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia, well into his 90s. In 2007, he brought Baptist leaders from across racial and theological divisions in Baptist life together, culminating in the . In a time of growing reinforced and manipulated by officeholders and candidates, more government entanglement with religion as a result of misguided decisions from the U.S. Supreme Court, and the rapid decline in church attendance, I hope we can pause for a moment as we remember the life of Jimmy Carter to consider how different the relationship between religion and government would look in the United States if our political leaders would follow Carter’s example. Not only would our nation’s commitment to religious freedom for all—including those who want to be free religion—be strengthened, but I also believe Christianity would flourish. Baptists believe that faith should be freely chosen, not imposed on people by the government. “We believe in separation of church and state, that there should be no unwarranted influence on the church or religion by the state, and vice versa,” Carter as president in 1977. We don’t need theocracy to revive American Christianity; we need people to act like Jesus. Thank you, my dear brother in Christ, for being the epitome of a faithful Christian in American public life. May we remember and be inspired by your life during these challenging days for our country and our faith.TikTok advertisers stay put after US appeals court upholds law forcing saleShanghai Shenyin Group Was Recognized as Shanghai "SRDI" Enterprise
CT scans offer first look inside massive hailstones, unlocking formation mysteries
ARTHUR Gourounlian and Brian Dowling enjoyed an "incredible" night at the Strictly Come Dancing live show last night. The celebrity couple, who are parents to Blake, two, and five-month-old Blu, enjoyed a quick trip away to London this weekend. Arthur and Brian often keep fans up to date on their day-to-day life together. Brian took to his Instagram on Saturday to reveal that they had "planned a little 22-hour trip to London" a few weeks ago. And on Saturday morning, the pair headed to the airport where they caught a flight to London. During their short stay, Arthur and Brian enjoyed some quality time together as they headed out for dinner while also exploring the city. Last night, they attended the Strictly Come Dancing live show to watch all the outstanding performances. Both Arthur and Brian took to their social media 's after the incredible night to express their gratitude. The dads-of-two captured a number of snaps together in the Strictly studio. They also posed alongside the judges and host Tess Daly , who kindly invited them to come to the show. Arthur looked dapper in black trousers paired with a black satin shirt and a black blazer with diamante detailing on it. Meanwhile, Brian was sporting black jeans and a black polo neck top paired with a brown bomber jacket. Alongside his post, Brian wrote: "London, you NEVER disappoint!!!! What fun we @gourounlian had at @bbcstrictly this evening. "Thank you to my darling @tessdalyfor inviting us. It’s such a joy to see you in FULL PRESENTING MODE!!! Let me tell you, this BLONDE BOMBSHELL knows how to work a room. "We’ve known each other 23 years & you still make me laugh as much now as you did back on those SMTV Live Days. We have memories together I will CHERISH FOREVER. "Arthur & I are currently in a car back to the hotel where I can’t wait for some room service & a movie, we are clearly going WILD. The GLAMOUR of Strictly was fun while it lasted." Arthur wrote in the comments: "What a STUNNING night. @tessdaly WE LOVE YOU. Merci for tonight." The Dancing With The Stars judge also wrote a lengthy heartfelt caption alongside his post. Arthur said: "Now, tonight was truly a full-circle moment for me, 20 years later. I had butterflies sitting in that ballroom, reliving such a significant part of my journey. "Back in May 2004, during the first season of @bbcstrictly, I had the incredible honor of performing alongside the one and only Emma Bunton . "Never in a million years did I think I’d be sitting on a judging panel 18 years later, in the beautiful Ireland, on @rteone for my first season of @dwtsirl. It’s an opportunity I’ll forever be grateful for and will always cherish. "Now, 20 years later, to be back in the OG ballroom at the invitation of the queen herself, @tessdaly celebrating 20 years of the show, was absolutely surreal. "Watching her shine and do what she does best was just incredible. I loved every single minute of it this time from the other side of the judges’ table, enjoying the magic of the show. "Naturally, I couldn’t leave without snapping a quick pic with the beauties that are the judges. Though it was a brief visit with my gorgeous husband @bprdowling it was worth every moment. "Tess, you are simply OUTSTANDING. We adore you thank you so much for having us. Now, I’m more excited than ever to kick off DWTS Season 8 this January 2025. I CAN’T WAIT!"Chuck Woolery, smooth-talking game show host of 'Love Connection' and 'Scrabble,' dies at 83
NoneArmy veteran-turned-TikTok celebrity “Papa Jake” Larson will celebrate his 102nd birthday in Martinez this week with his nearly 900,000 social media followers tuned in, and he is not bashful about wanting you to send him a birthday card. Admittedly, “World War II veteran” and “TikTok Star” are not words we usually use together. But we will in the case of Martinez resident “Papa Jake” Larson, who has 842,500 followers on TikTok , and as KTVU reminds us, is turning 102 years old this week on Friday, December 20. And he’s not too proud to ask for a birthday card, which you can send to a PO box listed at the bottom of this post. “I got a little birthday coming up here,” the surprisingly spry Papa Jake says in the video above . “December 20, I’m going to be 102. And thanks to you, I have never felt so good. I enjoy reading your letters and I really enjoy seeing the amount of you who follow me. My god, I'm near a million [followers] there! It’s crazy. It’s plain crazy.” His granddaughter McKaela Larson adds, “For the past four years, we’ve been surprising Papa Jake with birthday cards from all over the world, from viewers just like you. And I want to ask you if you want to send him a birthday card this year.” Papa Jake’s most viral video is the absolute tearjerker above , where vintage photos of his late wife Lola are animated and brought to life. “This past November 23, we would have been married 75 years,” he says, choked up. “And I still love her.” But Papa Jake’s World War II stories are something else. The above video is one in a four-part piece where he recalls 1944’s D-Day, the largest amphibious invasion in the history of the world, when he helped storm Omaha Beach in Normandy. “I finally got behind a little burrow that was about six inches high, with two machine guns shooting at me from two sides,” he recalls. “I reached into my pocket, I was smoking at the time.” “About two feet behind me, there was another soldier. I said ‘Hey, have you got a match buddy?’ I got no answer,” he continues. “Next time I looked, there was no head under the helmet. I thank that soldier’s soul, for me right then getting up and running when I did, because the machine guns had stopped to reload. And I got started, and they started shooting at me.” “But I made it. I made it to the cliff without a scratch.” The family’s goal is to get cards from all 50 states, which they have done, though they still don’t have one from Washington, DC. They’ve also put a call out for cards from celebrities, and Papa Jake has received a card from former President Jimmy Carter, who's also 100 years old. We are going to go ahead and publish the address where you can send cards, as this does not appear to be Papa Jake’s home address. It’s the address of something called Lafayette Pack and Ship + Print Center , where Papa Jake apparently has the following postal box: “Papa Jake” Larson 3559 Mount Diablo Boulevard, #200 Lafayette, CA 94549 Related: 100-Year-Old National Park Ranger Betty Reid Soskin Has Retired [SFist] Image: storytimewithpapajake via TikTok
GAITHERSBURG, Md., Dec. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BullFrog AI Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: BFRG; BFRGW) ("BullFrog AI" or the "Company"), a technology-enabled drug development company using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to enable the successful development of pharmaceuticals and biologics, today announced the appointment of Josh Blacher as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective immediately. This appointment comes in the wake of the untimely passing of Dane Saglio, BullFrog AI’s former CFO, who recently lost his battle with cancer. “Dane’s contributions to BullFrog AI were immeasurable. Beyond his exceptional expertise and dedication, Dane was a trusted advisor and a cherished friend. His wisdom, humility, and steadfast commitment to our mission will be deeply missed,” said Vin Singh, CEO of BullFrog AI. “At the same time, we are grateful to welcome Josh to our team at this pivotal moment. Josh’s extensive experience and leadership in financial strategy and corporate governance will be invaluable as we carry forward Dane’s legacy and advance our mission to revolutionize drug development.” Mr. Blacher, with more than two decades of experience in strategic finance and corporate development for life science and biotech companies, brings to BullFrog AI a proven track record in financial stewardship, capital raising, operations and profitability, and deal making. He has successfully overseen SEC reporting and investor relations for both private and publicly traded companies. Most recently, he has served as CFO for Predictive Oncology, Rampart Bioscience, Excision BioTherapeutics, and has previously held senior roles at Teva Pharmaceuticals, among others. Mr. Blacher earned his BA in Economics from Yeshiva University and an MBA in Finance from Columbia Business School. In assuming the role of CFO, Mr. Blacher will build on the foundation laid by Mr. Saglio, focusing on enhancing the Company’s balance sheet strength, financial operations and supporting its strategic initiatives. About BullFrog AI BullFrog AI leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to advance drug discovery and development. Through collaborations with leading research institutions, BullFrog AI uses causal AI in combination with its proprietary bfLEAPTM platform to analyze complex biological data, aiming to streamline therapeutics development and reduce failure rates in clinical trials. For more information visit BullFrog AI at: https://bullfrogai.com . Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements. We base these forward-looking statements on our expectations and projections about future events, which we derive from the information currently available to us. Such forward-looking statements relate to future events or our future performance, including: our financial performance and projections; our growth in revenue and earnings; and our business prospects and opportunities. You can identify forward-looking statements by those that are not historical in nature, particularly those that use terminology such as "may," "should," “could,” “will,” "expects," "anticipates," "contemplates," "estimates," "believes," "plans," "projected," "predicts," "potential," or "hopes" or the negative of these or similar terms. In evaluating these forward-looking statements, you should consider various factors, including: our ability to change the direction of the Company; our ability to keep pace with new technology and changing market needs; and the competitive environment of our business. These and other factors may cause our actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement. Forward-looking statements are only predictions. The forward-looking events discussed in this press release and other statements made from time to time by us or our representatives, may not occur, and actual events and results may differ materially and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions about us. We are not obligated to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this press release and other statements made from time to time by us or our representatives might not occur. Contact: Dave Gentry RedChip Companies, Inc. 1-407-644-4256 BFRG@redchip.com
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The company will operate Baldwin into 2027, slightly longer than previously announced Media kit available: photos and b-roll IRVING, Texas , Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Vistra (NYSE: VST ) today announced that two new utility-scale solar projects in Illinois have connected to the grid and that, amid widespread concern over reliability in the MISO market, it is amending the retirement schedule of its 1,185-megawatt (MW) Baldwin Power Plant in Baldwin, Illinois . The company now intends to run the plant through 2027 instead of retiring in 2025, as previously announced, while still meeting federal Environmental Protection Agency retirement and pond closure obligations. "Vistra is committed to the responsible transition of our fleet in Illinois , and in this case, the most reasonable path forward is to continue to operate the plant as a reliable bridge to 2027, as we, and others, bring new generation assets online in the state," said Jim Burke , president and CEO of Vistra. "As many organizations have recently raised concerns over reliability and resource adequacy in central and southern Illinois , we are taking action and delivering solutions that balance the needs of reliability, affordability, and sustainability." With the addition of a new 68-MW utility-scale solar and 2-MW/8-MWh energy storage system, which began generating power this month, Baldwin is a power generation hub. The $135-million investment involved the placement of over 200,000 solar panels across 420 acres of property the plant has owned and maintained for decades. The solar generation facility will produce approximately 140,000 MWh of zero-carbon electricity annually over the next 20 years. The use of multiple technologies at Baldwin , including thermal, solar, and energy storage, demonstrates the company's commitment to evaluating how to best leverage the footprint, infrastructure, and transmission connections already at the plant sites to meet the evolving electricity needs of customers. "With more than $1 billion in projects recently completed or underway across Illinois , we are helping the state attain its future energy goals consistent with their stated values and regulations while remaining flexible as we retain reliable baseload generation to meet customer needs," said Burke. "We know the decision to operate Baldwin through 2027 will be welcome news to our dedicated employees, the Village of Baldwin , and Randolph County , as the plant has a tremendous economic impact. We are pleased that Baldwin will provide an opportunity for employment longer than originally anticipated, providing a benefit to the families of the plant community." The 1,185-MW Baldwin Power Plant produces enough electricity to power approximately 592,500 homes. Approximately 120 employees operate the Baldwin plant. Union employees are represented by IBEW Local 51. Reusing Plant Sites to Power a Growing Economy Across the country, Vistra is undertaking a methodical, site-by-site analysis of its coal fleet to determine the economic feasibility of repurposing the sites by responsibly retiring some technologies and renewing the plants with less carbon-intense generation, including solar and energy storage. The investment at the Baldwin plant site is part of the State of Illinois' innovative Coal to Solar and Energy Storage Initiative, which encouraged the development of renewable energy assets at existing power plant sites. Along with Baldwin , Vistra continues to make progress on other Coal to Solar sites, including: The 44-MW solar and 2-MW/8-MWh energy storage facility at the Coffeen Power Plant site is generating power. Construction of the 52-MW solar and 2-MW/8-MWh energy storage facility at the Newton Power Plant will begin in 2025. Separately, as previously announced, construction has begun on a 405-MW utility-scale solar facility that will interconnect at the company's retired EEI-Joppa Power Plant through a to-be-constructed approximate 8-mile transmission line. Since its merger with Dynegy in 2018, Vistra has taken decisive steps to responsibly operate, retire, and transform its coal plant fleet in Illinois . The company has committed to retiring these plants no later than the end of 2027 to comply with existing federal EPA regulations. Economic & Fiscal Impact The Baldwin Power Plant provides significant direct and indirect economic benefits to the region and state. An economic impact study projected the plant's direct, indirect, and induced economic benefits and concluded that within Randolph County , the existing Baldwin plant: sustains approximately 298 full-time direct, indirect, and induced jobs in the area generates more than $41 million in income for local workers in the county has a total regional economic output of $262 million Local governments had been anticipating the plant's property taxes to decrease after the plant's planned retirement in 2025. Extending the window of operations will provide additional local property taxes to help fund essential public services and local schools. The new solar facility is expected to generate $6 million in total property tax payments over the project's life. About Vistra Vistra (NYSE: VST ) is a leading Fortune 500 integrated retail electricity and power generation company that provides essential resources to customers, businesses, and communities from California to Maine. Based in Irving, Texas, Vistra is a leader in the energy transformation with an unyielding focus on reliability, affordability, and sustainability. The company safely operates a reliable, efficient, power generation fleet of natural gas, nuclear, coal, solar, and battery energy storage facilities while taking an innovative, customer-centric approach to its retail business. Learn more at vistracorp.com . SOURCE Vistra Corp
, deputy to the commanding general at Army Futures Command, said the that will support the U.S. Army’s planned Next-Generation Command and Control, or NGC2, capability, consists of several layers: the application layer, operating systems layer, compute layer and transport layer, Breaking Defense reported Monday. During a panel at the Army’s Technical Exchange Meeting, Welch described the tech stack’s operating systems layer for the NGC2 program as the “integrated data layer” responsible for “the collection of services, data interfaces and data models that ultimately are supportive of those applications and allow applications to be built without having to rebuild services that other things may already be taking advantage of.” He cited the challenge associated with the tech stack’s compute layer, which will harness the processing power used to operate the application and operating systems layers. “It’s a very hard optimization problem, and if it doesn’t work, the applications and the services that I just mentioned, those top two layers, are not going to work either,” he noted. As for the transport layer, Welch described it as a component responsible for managing the movement of data across the battlespace. Taking Standardized APIs Into Account Welch noted that the military branch should consider the standardization of application programming interfaces, or APIs, as it works to find the appropriate tools for the tech stack layers. “A lot of the challenges we have with our systems today is that there is no standard way of communication between these layers. The layers are built in a disparate fashion, and there’s also no communication between them. So that is a main focus area that we’re going to have. The goal is open and standardized APIs, but the way that we achieve that is going to be very deliberate,” the AFC official commented. In September, the command issued a as part of its market research for the NGC2 requirement.Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen returns to a tournament after a dispute over jeans is resolved
PINE BLUFF, Ark. (AP) — Dennis Asoro scored 16 points as Arkansas-Pine Bluff beat Ecclesia 120-61 on Tuesday. Asoro shot 8 of 9 from the field for the Golden Lions (3-10). Kyle Brown added 15 points while going 6 of 7 and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line while they also had six rebounds. Zach Reinhart shot 5 for 7 from beyond the arc to finish with 15 points. Justin Reaves led the way for the Royals with 26 points, six rebounds and two steals. Quintus McNeal added 13 points and five assists, and Ahmad Raymond had 12 points and four assists. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .