Adele Darlington lost 15 litres of blood during the birth of her daughter Jasmine at Warrington Hospital and needed 65 units of blood. A mother who needed 65 units of blood products while giving birth and was told it was “a medical miracle that I’m still here” has met the NHS staff who urgently sent blood to the hospital. Adele Darlington suffered a massive bleed while giving birth to her daughter Jasmine just before Christmas last year. Mrs Darlington, 41, of Stockton Heath in Warrington, needed blood, plasma, cryoprecipitate and platelets during emergency surgery including a hysterectomy to save her life at the end of November 2023. “My husband was told to call in family to prepare to say goodbye, but thanks to everyone’s work I got to spend Christmas with my family and new daughter,” the mother-of-five said during an NHS appeal for Christmas and New Year blood donors. Mrs Darlington, who had placenta previa, a condition where the placenta partly or completely blocks the cervix, started bleeding during a planned C-section and lost 15 litres of blood in total. An average woman’s body contains just under five litres. After a four-hour operation during the C-section, she underwent another nine hours of surgery for a hysterectomy, tube and ovary removal and partial cervix and bladder removal. During surgery, Mrs Darlington received 28 units of red blood cells, 20 units of fresh frozen plasma, nine units of cryoprecipitate, and eight units of platelets – the biggest transfusion at the hospital since 2000. NHS Blood and Transplant’s Liverpool team had to send nine emergency orders overnight to Warrington Hospital for Mrs Darlington and other patients, as a huge team of nurses and doctors, including four surgeons operating at once, worked to save her life. To thank staff and support the Christmas appeal for blood donors, Mrs Darlington visited the regional centre which sent most of the blood for her care. Staff laid out the exact number of units of blood products she received to illustrate how much help she needed. Mrs Darlington said: “It’s been a really humbling experience to meet some of the people who sent blood when I had my transfusion, it’s been a really special day. “It was unbelievable to see the same quantity of blood that I received laid out, knowing that it took so many people to save me. I’m forever indebted to the more than 65 people who gave me the gift of life. “I never thought in a million years that this would happen to me, but trauma and the need for a lot of blood can happen to anyone at any time, including at Christmas, so I would urge anyone who is able to donate to please do so.” Mrs Darlington said she vaguely remember Jasmine being born during the C-section before she passed out. “By this point I’d already lost six litres of blood and it was thought that I’d stabilised, but in the recovery room it become evident that I was still internally bleeding so I was urgently rushed back into theatre,” she said. “They told me I needed a hysterectomy to save my life. “I had this sense of doom that I would not make it. “My blood pressure and heart rate were at dangerous levels. “I remember crying and saying: ‘I think I’m dying’, and telling the theatre staff that I was scared to go to sleep because I didn’t think I would wake up.” Mrs Darlington’s condition was so severe she developed disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), a blood-clotting problem in trauma patients so severe it is sometimes informally referred to as ‘death is coming’. “I was told it’s a medical miracle that I’m still here,” Mrs Darlington said. She added: “I’m still on a road to recovery I am just forever grateful that I am here. I am very aware that I shouldn’t be. “All of these amazing people worked together to save me. “Blood donors might think it’s not a big thing to donate – they donate and they have a hot drink and a biscuit – but I can’t thank them enough. “I will be eternally grateful to these selfless donors who took time to voluntarily donate and ultimately save my life.” Her husband Ian, who owns a media business, has signed up as a blood donor, along with many friends and family members. Julie Riley from NHSBT Liverpool Hospital Services, said: “I was on shift issuing the blood, and meeting Adele was absolutely beautiful. “We don’t normally get to meet anyone – we work in labs for eight hours a day. I am glad she got home for her little kiddies.” Michael Kay, NHSBT blood delivery driver, said: “It was the end of my shift but I stayed on to do a blue-light delivery and it’s just amazing to find out it went to Adele”. Chris Philips, NHSBT head of hospital customer service, said: “It was incredibly moving to see Adele visit our teams because that night is very clear in their memories – they won’t forget it any time soon. “This is an amazing example of NHS teams working together but without donors none of this would have happened.” England remains in amber alert for low blood stocks. To register or book an appointment to give blood, visit blood.co.uk /, use the GiveBlood app or call 0300 123 23 23.An ode to hot dish, with Food Network star Molly Yeh
Content Delivery Network Growth: USD 15.91B in 2022 to USD 93.86B by 2031 at 21.8%.SAN ANTONIO, Texas (AP) — Zach Calzada threw for 182 yards and his 17-yard scoring pass to Roy Alexander was the game's only touchdown and Incarnate Word beat Villanova 13-6 on Saturday in the second round of the FCS playoffs. The Cardinals (11-2), who earned their highest seed in program history at No. 6, travel to face third-seeded South Dakota State in the quarterfinals. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.BOSTON (AP) — Two men, including a dual Iranian American citizen, have been arrested on charges that they exported sensitive technology to Iran that was used in a drone attack in Jordan that killed three American troops early this year and injured dozens of other service members, the Justice Department said Monday. The pair were arrested after FBI specialists who analyzed the drone traced the navigation system to an Iranian company operated by one of the defendants, who relied on technology funneled from the U.S. by his alleged co-conspirator, officials said. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
BOSTON (AP) — Two men, including a dual Iranian American citizen, have been arrested on charges that they exported sensitive technology to Iran that was used in a drone attack in Jordan that killed three American troops early this year and injured dozens of other service members, the Justice Department said Monday. The criminal case in federal court in Massachusetts charges the men, identified as Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi and Mohammad Abedininajafabadi, with export control violations. U.S. officials blamed the January attack on the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias that includes Kataib Hezbollah. Three Georgia soldiers — Sgt. William Jerome Rivers of Carrollton, Sgt. Breonna Moffett of Savannah and Sgt. Kennedy Sanders of Waycross — were killed in the Jan. 28 drone attack on a U.S. outpost in northeastern Jordan called Tower 22. In the attack, the one-way attack drone may have been mistaken for a U.S. drone that was expected to return back to the logistics base about the same time and was not shot down. Instead, it crashed into living quarters, killing the three soldiers and injuring more than 40. Tower 22 held about 350 U.S. military personnel at the time. It is strategically located between Jordan and Syria, only 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the Iraqi border, and in the months just after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, and Israel’s blistering response in Gaza, Iranian-backed militias intensified their attacks on U.S. military locations in the region. Following the attack, the U.S. launched a huge counterstrike against 85 sites in Iraq and Syria used by Iran's Revolutionary Guard and Iranian-backed militia and bolstered Tower 22’s defenses. ____ Tucker and Copp reported from Washington. Steve Leblanc, Eric Tucker And Tara Copp, The Associated Press
SALINAS, Calif. , Nov. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Scheid Vineyards Inc. (dba Scheid Family Wines) (OTC Markets: SVIN) announced today its financial results for the six months ended August 31, 2024 (second quarter of fiscal 2025). Scott Scheid , President and CEO, commented, "It continues to be a difficult time for the wine industry. Bulk wine prices remain depressed and the market for cased goods, which has been impacted by distributor and retailer destocking, continues to be challenging. As a company, we've made significant efforts to do more with less, highlighted by our second quarter results showing a decrease of 16% in sales and marketing expenses and a decrease of over 5% in G & A. These efforts are ongoing and I'm proud of our teams who work each day on finding opportunities for growth and ways to improve our business." Mr. Scheid continued, "We recently executed new forbearance agreements with our lenders extending through July 31, 2025 . The terms of these agreements include forbearing interest and principal payments on the Company's existing debt. In addition, under the agreement with our operating lender, the Company received an additional $5.0 million to strengthen our working capital base." Financial Results Total revenues decreased 6%, to $26.1 million for the six months ended August 31, 2024 , from $27.7 million in fiscal 2024. Cased goods sales decreased 6%, to $21.2 million in the first six months of fiscal 2025, from $22.5 million in fiscal 2024, as the bottled wine business across the entire market slowed in the first few months of calendar 2024. The Company's bulk wine sales decreased 14%, to $1.8 million from $2.1 million , and winery processing and storage revenues remained flat at $1.5 million . Gross margins remained at 20% for each period. Sales and marketing expenses decreased 16%, to $4.8 million , from $5.7 million , and general and administrative expenses decreased 5%, to $3.5 million , from $3.7 million , as the Company continues its cost-cutting efforts. During the first quarter of fiscal 2025, the Company recognized revenue of $3.6 million from proceeds received from the dissolution of a winery processing agreement. In addition, the Company recognized a gain from the sale of non-vineyard land in the amount of $1.7 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2025. Interest expense rose 150%, to $7.5 million , from $3.0 million , due to increases in interest rates as each of the Company's lenders are accruing interest at the default rate of an average of 14.3%. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) increased to $4.4 million , from a loss of $1.2 million , primarily from the sale of land and the proceeds from the contract dissolution. In total, the Company reported a net loss of $3.9 million for the six months ended August 31, 2024 , compared to a net loss of $4.8 million for the six months ended August 31, 2023 . SCHEID VINEYARDS INC. AND SUBSIDIARY UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS SIX MONTHS ENDED AUGUST 31, 2024 AND 2023 (amounts in thousands, except per share data) Six Months Ended August 31, 2024 2023 REVENUES: Cased goods sales $ 21,233 $ 22,539 Bulk wine sales 1,826 2,145 Winery processing and storage revenues 1,508 1,451 Direct sales revenues 1,340 1,329 Vineyard management revenues 203 229 Other revenues 7 5 Total revenues 26,117 27,698 COST OF SALES (20,962) (22,121) GROSS PROFIT 5,155 5,577 Sales and marketing expenses (4,790) (5,696) General and administrative expenses (3,545) (3,674) LOSS FROM OPERATIONS (3,180) (3,793) Interest expense, net (7,489) (3,008) Proceeds from contract dissolution 3,613 — Gain on sale of property, plant and equipment 1,690 80 Other income (loss) 2 (40) LOSS BEFORE BENEFIT FROM INCOME TAXES (5,364) (6,761) BENEFIT FROM INCOME TAXES 1,509 1,915 NET LOSS $ (3,878) $ (4,846) NET LOSS PER SHARE $ (4.23) $ (5.31) WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING 916 912 About Scheid Family Wines Scheid Family Wines, a family-owned and operated wine company for over 50 years, is ranked among the top 25 largest wine producers in the United States . Based in Monterey County, California , Scheid is vertically integrated to bring high quality estate grown wines to the marketplace from its sustainably and organically certified vineyards and grower partners throughout the Central Coast. Scheid's innovative, luxury-level winery is 100% powered by renewable wind energy generated by a 400-foot-tall wind turbine, which also supplies energy to the local community. The Scheid Family Wines globally distributed brand portfolio includes Scheid Vineyards, Sunny with a Chance of Flowers, VDR (Very Dark Red), Grandeur (organically certified), Fog & Light, Metz Road, District 7, Ryder Estate, and HOXIE, a premium wine spritzer. Scheid Family Wines sells internationally to over 30 countries and is one of the largest producers of premium exclusive brands. Please visit www.scheidfamilywines.com and www.otcmarkets.com/stock/SVIN/quote for more information. CONTACT: Scott Scheid, President and CEO, scott.scheid@scheidfamilywines.com Mike Thomsen, Chief Financial Officer, mike.thomsen@scheidfamilywines.com View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/scheid-family-wines-reports-second-quarter-fiscal-2025-results-302316784.html SOURCE Scheid Family Wines © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.HERZLIYA, Israel and CALGARY, AB , Nov. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Innocan Pharma Corporation (CSE: INNO) (FSE: IP4) (OTCQB: INNPF) ("Innocan" or the "Company"), a pioneer in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, is pleased to report positive results from a basic safety assessment study, evaluating LPT-CBD administered as a single injection in Göttingen minipigs. The drug was administered in three ascending doses, and the animals were closely monitored over a 28-day period for key safety parameters. These included clinical observations, vital signs, blood parameters, and local injection site reactions. Encouragingly, no adverse events were recorded during the study. All animals exhibited normal weight gain and demonstrated excellent tolerance to the drug, with no local reactions observed at any of the administered dose sites. Minipigs are breeds of miniature domestic pigs which are recognized by the FDA as a robust translational model due to their anatomical, physiological, and biochemical similarities to humans. They provide valuable insights into pharmacokinetics, toxicity, and drug efficacy. "We are thrilled that LPT-CBD once again demonstrates a promising safety profile, particularly in minipigs, which are widely regarded as a strong toxicology model," said Prof. Chezy Barenholz, Chief Scientific Officer of Innocan Pharma. Dr. Eyal Kalo , Innocan's R&D Director, added: "These results are immensely gratifying as they provide strong feasibility for LPT-CBD's safety evaluation, supporting our upcoming regulatory milestones and paving the way for its ultimate approval." LPT-CBD is an innovative injectable liposomal formulation designed for the sustained release of CBD, targeting the treatment of chronic pain. Previous preclinical studies in various animal models have demonstrated prolonged CBD pharmacokinetics, delivering long-term efficacy. About Innocan Pharma: Innocan is a pharmaceutical tech company that operates under two main segments: Pharmaceuticals and Consumer Wellness. In the Pharmaceuticals segment, Innocan focuses on developing innovative drug delivery platform technologies comprises with cannabinoids science, to treat various conditions to improve patients' quality of life. This segment involves innovative drug delivery technology: LPT CBD-loaded liposome platform facilitating exact dosing and the prolonged and controlled release of CBD into the blood stream. The LPT delivery platform research is in the preclinical trial phase for Chronic Pain Management. In the Consumer Wellness segment, Innocan develops and markets a wide portfolio of innovative and high-performance self-care products to promote a healthier lifestyle. Under this segment Innocan carries on business through subsidiary, BI Sky Global Ltd. that focuses on developing advanced targeted online sales. https://innocanpharma.com/ Contact Information: For Innocan Pharma Corporation: Iris Bincovich, CEO +1 5162104025 +972-54-3012842 +442037699377 info@innocanpharma.com NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain information set forth in this news release, including, without limitation, the Company's plans for human trials of its LPT-CBD platform, is forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. By its nature, forward-looking information is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond Innocan's control. . The forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by Innocan, including expectations and assumptions concerning the anticipated benefits of the products, satisfaction of regulatory requirements in various jurisdictions and satisfactory completion of production and distribution arrangements. Forward-looking information is subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and experience to differ materially from the anticipated results or expectations expressed in this news release. The key risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: global and local (national) economic, political, market and business conditions; governmental and regulatory requirements and actions by governmental authorities; and potential disruption of relationships with suppliers, manufacturers, customers, business partners and competitors. There are also risks that are inherent in the nature of product distribution, including import/export matters and the failure to obtain any required regulatory and other approvals (or to do so in a timely manner). The anticipated timeline for entry to markets may change for a number of reasons, including the inability to secure necessary regulatory requirements, or the need for additional time to conclude and/or satisfy the manufacturing and distribution arrangements. As a result of the foregoing, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking information contained in this news release. A comprehensive discussion of other risks that impact Innocan can be found in Innocan's public reports and filings which are available under Innocan's profile at www.sedarplus.ca . Readers are cautioned that undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking information as actual results may vary materially from the forward-looking information. Innocan does not undertake to update, correct or revise any forward-looking information as a result of any new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2046271/3968398/Innocan_Pharma_Corporation_Logo.jpg
Julia Purvy recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds to go along with three assists and three steals as host Souderton cruised to the final of Jim Church Classic. Alaina Picard connected on three 3-pointers in scoring 11 points for the Indians (2-1), who led 32-16 at halftime then outscored Dock Mennonite 29-12 in the third quarter. Olivia Herron and Madison Bealer both had seven points with Bealer collecting four assists. Dana Delamater had 16 points for the Pioneers (0-2). Abby Arnold finished with 14 points and six rebounds as host Methacton used a strong second quarter to earn a victory in the Lady Warrior Classic. Olivia Organtini added nine points for the Warriors (2-0), who outscored Ridley 17-5 in the second quarter to lead 29-14 at halftime. Morgan Smith paced Ridley with eight points. Kenna Winland finished with 20 points as Plymouth Whitemarsh outscored Agnes Irwin 21-9 in the second quarter to lead 29-21 at the break the held off the Owls in the second half of their Lower Merion Tip-Off contest. Eliza Meersman scored eight of her 12 points in the second quarter for the Colonials (2-0). Liv Patete had 11 rebounds and three points. Simone Harvey had 14 points for Agnes Irwin. Nico Vacchiano, Mason Stelzer and Grant Ajemian had clutch buckets as Wissahickon held off host North Penn. Vacchiano finished with 24 points, nine rebounds and four steals for the Trojans (2-0), who led 23-12 at halftime before North Penn pulled to within four late. Ben Schwartz had 10 points, Michael Maltin grabbed nine rebounds while Stelzer had seven points and five assists. Lee Hammond scored 11 points for the Knights (2-3). Dock Mennonite made 7-of-10 free throws in the fourth quarter with a defensive stop helping the Pioneer earn a win at State College’s Skip Coleman Tip-Off Tournament. Tony Martin scored 23 points for Dock while Marques Brown, Ethan Kratz and Koby Rollerson all contributed to the victory. Tyler Nolan scored 12 of his game-high 20 points in the fourth quarter as Germantown Academy rallied past host Abington Friends. Bryce Presley chipped in 13 points for the Patriots (3-1). Zamir Parker-Barnes had 15 points for AFS while Kamani Healey contributed 14 points. Central Bucks East trailed 45-40 at halftime before outscoring William Tennent 17-9 in the third as the Patriots went on to claim a win at the Pennridge Memorial Tip-Off Tournament. Nolan Behm scored a game-high 24 points and collected eight rebounds for East (1-0). Shane O’Hara-Jamison added 15 points, five rebounds and four assists, Connor Mekanik had 13 points while Graham Smith recorded nine points and seven assists. Jayden Bright paced Tennent (0-2) with 20 points. Tre Stracuzzi hit four 3-pointers in finishing with 19 points. Ayden Wise had 18 points as Pope John Paul II used a strong third quarter to beat Sankofa Freedom at the City of Basketball Love Winter Classic at Exeter Township. Jason Green collected 14 points for the Golden Panthers (3-0), who led 23-20 at halftime before outscoring Sankofa 20-10 in the third. The Souderton boys and girls swim teams both took second in a tri-meet with Parkland and Quakertown. In the boys meet, Parkland was first with 158 points, Souderton had 126 points with Quakertown posting 39 points. The Parkland girls had 160 points, Souderton with 99 points and Quakertown at 66. Souderton had several District 1 qualifying efforts. On the boys side, Gian Carlo Bocchino in the 200 individual medley (2:01.22) and 100 free (48.51), Ryan Christie in the 100 fly (52.37) and the Indians’ 200 free relay of Christie, Kelly Moody, Nathan Kleppinger and Bocchino (1:29.29). For the girls, Julianna Yaglenski in the one-meter diving (212.50) and Riley Weikel in the 100 fly (58.95).
Realisation of brand identity: Internet domain namesToyota to Share Progress on Woven City at CES 2025WASHINGTON — The Biden administration has responded to reported drone sightings over New Jersey and other states with assurances that there’s no evidence of “malicious intent,” with a National Security Council official signaling that federal entities think the brouhaha has been much ado about nothing — even as top Democrats demand answers. Thousands of tips about mysterious flying objects over the Garden State and neighboring states had produced about 100 credible leads as of Saturday, administration officials told reporters on a briefing call. The officials repeatedly stressed that multiple federal departments and agencies had not detected any evidence of criminal intent, public safety risks or national security implications. In fact, the NSC official poured cold water on many of the phoned-in tips and myriad social media anecdotes of drones as large as school buses buzzing around and hovering over New Jersey residential areas. “We have not been able to corroborate the reported visual sightings using sophisticated electronic detection technologies provided by federal authorities. And, upon review of available imagery, it appears that many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft, operating lawfully,” the NSC official told Roll Call. “At this time, we do not have indication based on the investigation thus far that these reported sightings pose a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus,” the official said via email. “The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI are actively investigating these sightings and working closely with state and local law enforcement to provide resources, using numerous detection methods, to better understand their origin and intentions.” The official referred to “many” of the sightings as manned aircraft mistaken for remotely piloted drones. But that would suggest that drones could be included among the remaining sightings. The Biden administration has yet to explain why those aircraft are in the air and who is operating them. Administration officials have also not yet explained how they have ruled out possible criminal intent, public safety risks and national security implications when they remain stumped about the operators of the aircraft. Asked to explain the metric used to draw such conclusions, the NSC official did not respond to a follow-up email. “To date, we have no intelligence or observations that would indicate that they were aligned with a foreign actor or that they had malicious intent,” a Defense Department official told reporters on the weekend call. “But I’ve just got to simply tell you, we don’t know. We have not been able to locate or identify the operators or the points of origin.” Meanwhile, a senior administration official echoed the NSC official in suggesting that citizen-tipsters have been mistaken about what they are seeing. “At this point, we have not identified any basis for believing that ... these drones, that there’s any criminal activity involved, that there’s any national security threat, that there’s any particular public safety threat, or that there’s a malicious foreign actor involved in these drones,” the senior administration official said. “That said, as you’ve heard from all of the experts on this call, all of the departments and agencies are taking this incredibly seriously and investigating every possible lead and working to try to understand what these sightings are,” the official added. The situation has put the Biden administration in yet another tricky political spot. The New York-New Jersey metro area is heavily represented by Democrats, who have been hearing from concerned, panicked and angry constituents about the mysterious activities they say are happening above them. Social media is rife with conspiracy theories, some accusing the administration of withholding information about exactly what is happening. Among the region’s Democrats pressing the administration for more information is Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York. In a Sunday letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Schumer pushed for the department to deploy more “drone-specific radar” systems, infrared cameras and other detection equipment. “In addition, these sightings have exposed the federal government’s limitations when it comes to the authorities for protecting against the illicit use of UAS,” Schumer wrote, using an acronym for unmanned aircraft systems. “State and local law enforcement agencies currently lack the explicit authorities to assist DHS in deploying technology to detect drone signals. These local agencies are responsible for keeping our citizens safe at the local level, and they must be part of a coordinated response.” Trump weighs in The confusing situation has again made clear the differing approaches of President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump. Biden administration officials have repeatedly cited analyses and reviews of flight data and other information. Throughout his term, the president has leaned on experts and by-the-book government processes. Trump, who often ridicules experts as know-nothings, is more inclined to shoot from the hip. “Mystery Drone sightings all over the Country. Can this really be happening without our government’s knowledge,” Trump wrote Friday on social media. “I don’t think so! Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!!” At a press conference Monday in Florida, Trump contended that “the government knows what is happening” and “our president knows.” “Look, our military knows where they took off from. If it’s a garage, they can go right into that garage. They know where it came from and where it went,” he said. “And, for some reason, they don’t want to comment. And I think they’d be better off saying what it is.” Trump said he doubts the drones are being operated by a foreign government, but declined to disclose whether he had received an intelligence briefing on the situation. Presidents-elect have long been able to access the same intelligence as sitting commanders in chief to ensure a smooth transition between leaders.None
Specialty Board Certification Error Causes Headaches for Doctors MedPage Today story. Some doctors had a sleepless night when the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology's (ABPN) online certification program locked them out earlier than the expected deadline -- leading some to believe they would lose their board certification. Physicians were working on their quizzes to maintain board certification late on the evening of Saturday, Dec. 14, when the online tool shut down -- ahead of the expected deadline of 11:59 p.m. Central Time on Sunday, Dec. 15. "I almost had a heart attack thinking that I would no longer be board certified," one physician told MedPage Today. "I was laying in bed at 4 a.m. with chest pain. I thought I was either going to have a heart attack or a panic attack." By the morning of Dec. 15, some physicians had taken to social media channels, posting that... ABC News
McDermott, AFC East-leading Bills refreshed coming out of bye week, and looking ahead to host 49ersThere are many good reasons to bring about reforms in zoning, but reducing the cost of housing is certainly not the best one. There are other far more effective strategies to make housing more affordable. In the current housing crisis, zoning is often singled out as a major obstacle to building affordable housing. Restrictive urban planning regulations are said to limit the supply of new housing and drive up prices and rents in the process. There is some truth to this criticism . A change in practices is necessary. But the question of zoning must be placed in its historical and political-economic context and be approached with care. The potential and problems of zoning Research into the history and evolution of zoning – to which I have contributed since my doctoral studies and as a full professor at the Université de Montréal’s School of Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture – clearly shows that in North America , zoning was used from the outset to protect middle- and upper-class neighbourhoods, and keep poor and racial and ethnic minority households out of them. Zoning regulations were adopted with the active support of real estate developers, or even at their request, because they protected property values. Yet zoning actually serves a variety of functions. Adopted under the police power, which allows the state to impose constraints without compensation if they promote the health, safety and well-being of the population, zoning can be used to achieve a variety of goals . In addition to protecting the financial and social capital of property owners, it can keep sources of nuisance and danger away from residential neighbourhoods, help in planning public infrastructure according to the needs of the various zones to be urbanized, shape living environments where every dwelling has good access to light and air, and create greater visual harmony in the city. Starting in the 1960s, other issues were then added to these: protection of cultural and natural heritage, protection of agricultural land and, in a historical reversal against exclusionary zoning , the inclusion of affordable housing and public facilities in private development projects. This article is part of our series, ‘Our cities from the past to the future.’ Urban life is going through many transformations, each with cultural, economic, social and political implications. To shed light on these diverse issues, La Conversation Canada and The Conversation Canada are inviting researchers to discuss the current state of our cities. The rigidity of North America Zoning presents a double problem. As Sonia Hirt, professor of landscape architecture and urban planning at the University of Georgia, has shown in her book “Zoned in the USA,” unlike European countries, the United States and Canada have used zoning in a very rigid way, strongly separating the various uses and forms of dwellings. This practice has had a particularly profound effect on the construction of North American suburbs and their monofunctional landscapes. In addition, our zoning attributes significant power to individuals and associations who want to defend the local status quo. So it is prized not only by property owners, whose investments it protects, but also by defenders of local democracy, whose input can become a de facto veto. Although zoning is meant to serve the public interest, it makes rational planning of urban and regional development more difficult by giving a central place to local conflicts over individual projects . A reform that does little to reduce costs Faced with this double problem, many, including the Canadian government, are calling for zoning reform, both in content and in process . I have no doubt that some changes are necessary. At the very least, zoning reform should be carried out to serve the following purposes: simplify regulations and speed up permit issuance; allow the construction of secondary units or duplexes in zones currently reserved for single-family homes; require higher densities in any corridor served by public transit; reduce parking space requirements; promote mixed-use development; promote the creation of quality public space; prevent small groups of citizens from blocking projects that serve the public interest. Changes in this direction are already underway in many municipalities. They need to be multiplied and generalized. Zoning reform: not a cure all However, I do not think zoning reform is the best way to bring down the cost of housing, for four reasons. Firstly, in large cities, there is generally great development potential that is poorly utilized in residential, commercial and industrial areas where zoning changes won’t create much controversy. These areas, which are already served by public infrastructure, as well as federal, provincial or municipal public lands , should be given priority for redevelopment. Secondly, the main change hoped for – the increase in project density – does not necessarily bring prices down . Aiming for affordability generally means building at good densities, but with average building heights. Thirdly, the rise in housing prices is due to many reasons other than inadequate zoning regulations. These include the financialization of the housing sector by major economic players , as well as rapidly rising construction costs and the lack of productivity gains in a construction sector that is still dominated by traditional, on-site production . These trends need to be countered by supporting the community sector and its not-for-profit players, and by supporting technological innovation in building materials, techniques and processes. Finally, zoning reform will do nothing to change the fact that today’s standard housing is simply too expensive for part of the population, and that the poorest households cannot find decent housing without state assistance, as I explained in a previous article. Read more: Choices made nearly a century ago explain today's housing crisis A multifactoral crisis There are many legitimate reasons to criticize our regulatory practices in urban development. This criticism is already dated; it goes back to the 60s (e.g. under the impetus of Jane Jacobs ). However, it is wrong to think that zoning reform is the main solution to the current housing crisis. This crisis has multiple causes and will only be resolved by using a variety of strategies. Simplifying and streamlining regulations is one of these, but much better financing of the community sector is another.J.K. Dobbins' knee injury could be tough news for the Chargers offense
(TNS) — Crawford Central School Board members officially pulled the plug Monday on a major infrastructure project meant to generate years of energy savings for taxpayers while also cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Instead, just 13 years after it began operation, the Biomass District Heating System is set to be disassembled and sold for parts while taxpayers continue footing the bill for the plant’s construction at a rate of about $181,000 per year for another 12 years. Board members on Monday voted unanimously in favor of an addendum to the original agreement that will allow Crawford Tech to convert the biomass building to classroom space once the high-pressure steam system has been removed. With the notable exception of the ongoing debt payments, the move brings to an end a multimillion-dollar effort at alternative energy production. “I think it’s time to move on,” board President Kevin Merritt said after the meeting. “It was costing us more money to operate the biomass than if we just went back to natural gas.” While the choice to pursue the biomass did not pay off, Merritt declined to point fingers at his predecessors on the board. “It’s not a fault of the people that made the decision back when they started it,” he said. “Things just didn’t materialize to what was expected or anticipated from the original agreement. Gas prices were supposed to skyrocket. They never did.” First conceived 16 years ago, the biomass plant proposal came in direct response to natural gas prices that had remained high for several years before spiking even higher for much of 2008. Looking back, the plan still sounds like a good one, Matt Barnes, a certified energy manager with Erie -based Rabe Environmental systems, suggested in separate presentations to board members at Crawford Central and Crawford Tech earlier this year: Find a cheaper source of fuel and use it to heat the Meadville Area Senior High-Meadville Area Middle School complex, Crawford Tech and the Meadville Area Recreation Complex (MARC). “It was extremely high,” Barnes said of the cost of natural gas when the plant was being planned, “making the viability of the biomass a good, cost-effective source of energy at the time. I believe the district made a good-faith decision to build and operate the plant but would not have been able to predict the amount that natural gas prices would have dropped over the subsequent years.” A biomass plant burns renewable and biodegradable energy sources, such as switchgrass or wood chips, to generate heat or electricity, and the possibility of an energy fuel with a stable and relatively low price that was readily available in the region proved appealing to federal and state officials at the time as well. According to Meadville Tribune reporting at the time, Crawford Central secured $3.6 million in financing for a project that ultimately cost about $3.2 million. The financing included $1.1 million in state and federal grants and a $2.4 million loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development. After multiple refinancings and years of payments going almost exclusively toward interest, nearly $2.3 million in total debt remains: $2.1 million of the original principal and $230,300 in interest. Based on a 2008 agreement, payments are split between the three entities that partnered on the biomass project: Crawford Central is responsible for 42 percent; the authority that oversees the MARC, 34 percent; and the Career and Technical Center, 24 percent. However, since at least 2016, Crawford Central has paid the MARC’s share in an agreement reached after the district slashed its annual funding for the facility. Since Crawford Tech receives its funding from Crawford Central, Conneaut and PENNCREST school districts, with the districts splitting the annual budget based on the percentage of students they send to the school, Crawford Central ends up funding nearly 85 percent of the debt payments. Board members at the time had no way of knowing it, but when natural gas climbed to $12.69 per 1 million British thermal units (Btu) in June 2008, it was by far the highest price that natural gas would reach for the next 16 years. As demand plummeted in the wake of the Great Recession, the price fell to $5.82 per 1 million Btu by the end of 2008, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the statistical and analytical agency for the U.S. Department of Energy. Increased production has kept prices low in the years since. In fact, since 2008, the price has climbed over $5 per 1 million Btu in just 21 of 190 months. In the last two years, the monthly average price has fluctuated between $5.53 and $1.49 per 1 million Btu. In retrospect, the dropoff in price was so steep — and so perfectly timed following the decision to proceed with the biomass — it appears “almost comical,” Crawford Central Business Manager Austin Stofferahn told board members in September. As the plant neared completion in late 2011, district officials were still projecting that it would save taxpayers $1.5 million over 25 years. Thirteen years later, the savings estimate seems naive. Operating the biomass last winter cost at least $61,000 more than heating with natural gas-fueled conventional boilers would have cost, according to a report from Barnes. Stofferahn’s skepticism regarding savings extended even further. “I’d almost be willing to bet that the savings were extremely minimal, even from the first year, second year, third year,” he told the board in September. “After that, I’d be willing to bet there was no savings.” In addition to lower fuel costs, the biomass plant was originally projected to generate its own electricity, which would be used to offset the cost of operating the plant. That never happened, according to Merritt. According to a presentation on the biomass plant this spring, electricity for the facility cost $32,000 last winter. “The electric generator — that went offline shortly after it started,” he said. “Nobody ever repaired it.” Like the savings projections, the original agreement between the school district, the recreation complex and Crawford Tech seems naive from today’s vantage point. “Biomass has historically been a stable, low-cost energy source and modern equipment to burn biomass for hot water heat is reliable, efficient and clean,” the 2008 agreement stated. Despite that optimism, reliability has been an issue for Crawford Central’s biomass plant almost from the start. The plant began operating in the winter of 2011-12. By the summer of 2013, Crawford Central was raising taxes and slashing its annual funding to the MARC, largely as the result of state funding cuts to education that resulted from the Great Recession. Following an outpouring of community concern to save the MARC, Crawford Central slashed but continued its annual funding for the MARC. Doug Lang, one of the leaders of the effort to save the MARC, told The Meadville Tribune at the time, “Now that we’ve stabilized things, we can get on with trying to market the MARC to the community, which should lessen the financial burden on all the community — and figuring out how to make the biomass work right.” By the middle of the decade, Crawford Central was replacing 10 to 15 of the steel tubes at the heart of the plant due to corrosion each year. In 2021, that number jumped to 40, resulting in $52,000 in repairs. By the end of last winter, the biomass was no longer being used to heat the MARC due to a ruptured hot water supply line that occurred about a month before the end of the October to April heating season, according to Matt Tarr, director of buildings and grounds for Crawford Central. In addition, a feasibility study revealed early this year that the biomass boiler’s refractory material, the heat-resistant brick lining in the interior of the boiler, was failing and needed to be replaced. The news came just before the retirement of the longtime district employee who was the only person qualified to operate the plant. Repairs needed to get the plant running for this fall were estimated at $240,000, but to convert it from high pressure steam to hot water, find appropriate staffing and address other long-term concerns would likely have cost more than $500,000, according to the HHSDR consultants who conducted the study. The original biomass agreement also called for the formation of a Biomass Operating Committee with members from the board for each of the partner entities. It’s not clear if such a committee ever met, according to Merritt, who was elected to the Crawford Central board in 2019. While the biomass plant will soon be disassembled, the partnering entities behind its construction continue to work together. Crawford Central still sends students to Crawford Tech, of course, and continues to lease the use of the MARC’s facilities. The decision to let Crawford Tech use the biomass building for classes will require extensive renovations following the removal of the biomass equipment. It also comes after Crawford Tech earlier this year purchased the former location of Integrity Complete Auto Repair for $545,000 in a move also intended to enable the school to expand its classes. Like their counterparts on the Conneaut and PENNCREST boards, Crawford Central members also approved the Integrity purchase; at the time, Crawford Central members were still determining their plans for the future of the biomass. Merritt, who chairs the joint committee that oversees Crawford Tech in addition to presiding over the Crawford Central board, said that “ultimately we could probably use both” buildings. Discussions earlier this year called for the school’s automotive technology and diesel technology classes to be moved to the Integrity location. The biomass building has been touted as a possible location for welding classes. Crawford Central efforts in recent months to persuade Conneaut and PENNCREST, its partners in the technical school, to pick up an increased share of the biomass debt payments proved unsuccessful. Recent meetings have suggested a possible fraying of the partnership between the school district and the MARC. Where the district once contributed as much as $260,000 to the MARC’s budget each year and sent all of its fourth graders to the facility for swim lessons, today it pays $45,000 and has not offered swim lessons in nearly a decade. The addition of the MARC’s share of the biomass debt payments brings the total annual contribution to about $105,000, still well short of what it was paying 15 years ago. At the school board’s work session last week, several members questioned an agreement that would continue the district’s annual payments to the MARC at the same rate, with Merritt saying he couldn’t support the arrangement and another saying he “actually started laughing” as he read the contract. Like Merritt and other current Crawford Central board members, Aaron Rekich, the executive director of the MARC, was not involved in the development of the biomass plants and its early years of operation, but he was optimistic about the working relationship between the district and the complex despite what he characterized as recent confusion regarding both the expenses associated with the annual facilities usage agreement and the evolution of the biomass. “There was an agreement back when this first started that we’re trying to iron out and figure out exactly where the information is. Apparently right now there’s a lot of miscommunication on what happened back when the biomass was made and why they’re paying for the bonds,” Rekich said. “We’ll end up putting something together and talking to (Superintendent) Jenn Galdon about it.”
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Hello, Reader... How do you balance the potential for another 20%+ return for the market in 2025 with the growing risk of a fiery crash that ends this bull market? InvestorPlace’s technology investing expert, my friend and colleague Luke Lango , recommends that you “embrace the boom”... while you also “beware the bust.” But how do we do that, exactly? Today, I’m going to share a special video interview between Luke and InvestorPlace Digest Editor Jeff Remsburg in which they dive into this idea in more detail. Their discussion centers around Luke’s new stock screener, Auspex , which is engineered to identify the strongest stocks in the market according to a suite of fundamental, technical, and sentiment indicators. It’s one of the most rigorous, selective screening systems I’ve ever seen, flagging only around 10 to 20 stocks per month out of a universe of 10,000. Luke crunched the historical data, and from September 2019 to September 2024, if rebalanced monthly, Auspex would have returned 1,054%.Over the same period, the S&P 500 returned just 110%. Here are a handful of the other questions Luke and Jeff tackle: I’ll note that Luke’s commentary about 2025’s market conditions by itself is well worth the listen. By the way, if you missed it, Luke held a live event last week that went into even more details about Auspex. We’re making that broadcast available for a limited time, which you can access here. That’s enough introduction from me, folks. Press “play” below to watch for yourself. And once again, here’s the link to Luke’s Auspex Anomaly Event . Now, let’s look at what we covered here at Smart Money this past week... Smart Money Roundup There’s a Multi-Bagger Opportunity in This Classic Daily Routine If you live in the Pacific Northwest, you probably know this company and have frequented one of its drive-through coffee kiosks. If you live anywhere else in the U.S., you probably haven’t... but you will. That is why I’m highlighting a coffee company that I believe is especially attractive to investors right now. History Tells Us That This Is the Best Investing Strategy Similar to how the best predictor of college grades is a student’s high school grades, high performing companies tend to keep doing well once they get going. However, while momentum investing works well, Tom Yeung shares why we get excited when stocks go down. Google’s Quantum Breakthrough Could Change the Way We Invest in... Just About Everything Google’s latest quantum chip – called Willow – has the potential to reshape entire industries. Continue reading to learn how this advancement may impact your investment strategy going forward, especially as we continue down the Road to AGI. What Elon Musk’s Game-Changing Supercomputer Means for the AI Boom... Last month, we learned that Colossus – the world’s largest supercomputer – is about to get a lot bigger. And two AI companies are key in this expansion: Nvidia and Supermicro. My InvestorPlace colleague Louis Navellier discusses the ramifications of this announcement on the AI Boom, and briefly addresses whether investors can feel confident in these names moving forward . Looking Ahead When OpenAI launched ChatGPT two years ago, that was the moment that many consider the dawn of the Age of AI. But the newest development in the world of AI – what Louis Navellier, Luke Lango, and myself are calling AI Day One – is fast approaching. AI Day One will be the biggest, most transformational economic event of our lifetimes. It will also be the biggest investment opportunity of our lifetimes, where we believe the AI appliers will dominate. These are companies that are not at the forefront of producing the material needed to create AI. Instead, they are employing AI technology within their own products and services. Louis, Luke, and I will continue discussing AI Day One – and all that it entails – throughout this week. Stay tuned... Regards, Eric Fry