Benton County News Now

Delta Expanding Its Flight Services From Atlanta To These European Cities – 11Alive.com WXIA https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/delta-expanding-its-flight-services-from-atlanta-to-these-european-cities-11alive-com-wxia/ Delta will also be showcasing upgraded fleets of Airbus A330 jets along with the revamped Boeing 767-400 for these international trips. ATLANTA — As many people look ahead to summer 2023 and start planning their next vacations, Delta Air Lines announced Friday they are now increasing their international destinations to several European cities out of Atlanta. The airline will soon be offering new or resumed flights to the following destinations out of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. London-Heathrow, United Kingdom (LHR) Paris, France (PAR) Geneva, Switzerland (GVA) Stuttgart, Germany (STR) Berlin, Germany (BER) “With nearly 620 weekly flights and connectivity to 32 destinations in Europe and beyond, customers will have a wealth of iconic destinations to explore and an unmatched journey to enjoy across the pond,” a Delta senior vice president said. Delta is the largest international carrier in Atlanta while also maintaining its status as the largest global connector, with roughly 800 peak-day flights a day, according to the airline. When next summer arrives, Delta will be adding 11 weekly flights to three additional trans-Atlantic locations, it announced in a statement. The destination details include: Three-times-weekly service to Dusseldorf beginning on May 9 (restarting the route post-pandemic).  Five-times-weekly seasonal service to Edinburgh beginning on May 25 (a route not operated since 2007).   Resuming three-times weekly service to Stuttgart beginning on March 26, although some service to Stuttgart is expected to resume soon. Delta will also be showcasing upgraded fleets of Airbus A330 jets along with the revamped Boeing 767-400 for these international trips. The airline also announced that there will be 8% more available seats offered for summer 2023 than there was this past summer. %

Biden Administration Launches Environmental Justice Office In N Carolinas – Business Standard https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/biden-administration-launches-environmental-justice-office-in-n-carolinas-business-standard/ US President Joe Biden (Photo: Reuters) Forty years after a predominantly Black community in Warren County, North Carolina, rallied against hosting a hazardous waste landfill, President Biden’s top environment official visited what is widely considered the birthplace of the environmental justice movement on Saturday to unveil a national office that will distribute USD 3 billion in block grants to underserved communities burdened by pollution. Joined by civil rights leaders and participants from the 1982 protests, Michael Regan, the first Black administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, announced he is dedicating a new senior level of leadership to the environmental justice movement they ignited. The Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights comprised of more than 200 current staff members in 10 US regions will merge three existing EPA programs to oversee a portion of Democrats’ USD 60 billion investment in environmental justice initiatives created by the Inflation Reduction Act. The president will nominate an assistant administrator to lead the new office, pending Senate confirmation. In the past, many of our communities have had to compete for very small grants because EPA’s pot of money was extremely small, Regan said in an interview. We’re going from tens of thousands of dollars to developing and designing a program that will distribute billions. But we’re also going to be sure that this money goes to those who need it the most and those who’ve never had a seat at the table. Biden has championed environmental justice as a centerpiece of his climate agenda since his first week in office when he signed an executive order pledging 40 per cent of the overall benefits from certain federal clean energy investments to disadvantaged communities overwhelmed by pollution. Now, Regan said, this new office intertwines environmental justice with the central fabric of the EPA, equating it to other top offices like air, land and water, and cementing its principles in a way that will outlive the Biden administration. North Carolina in 1978 designated Warren County, a small, Black farming community along the Virginia border, as a disposal site for truckloads of soil laced with highly carcinogenic chemical compounds that later contaminated the water supply. As the first trucks rolled into town in 1982, hundreds of residents flooded the streets, blocking their path to the landfill. Though they were unable to shut down the operation after six weeks of nonviolent protests and more than 500 arrests, their efforts have been lauded by civil rights leaders as the impetus for a global uprising against environmental racism in minority communities. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Subscribe to Business Standard Premium Exclusive Stories, Curated Newsletters, 26 years of Archives, E-paper, and more! First Published: Sun, September 25 2022. 07:30 IST

ESA Solar Awards Community Grants To 5 Stafford County Organizations – Fredericksburg.com https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/esa-solar-awards-community-grants-to-5-stafford-county-organizations-fredericksburg-com/ ESA’s Enon Road Solar Farm Community Grant Program has awarded funding to five community-based organizations who are making positive impacts locally in community revitalization, environmental sustainability, education support or healthy living. The organizations awarded were Stafford Junction, Zoe Freedom Center, 516 Project, Christian Brothers Transition Program and Youth of Promise. “Cultivating relationships with local organizations and amplifying their impact is core to our ethos as a company. We are humbled to support such phenomenal organizations who work tirelessly every day to make Stafford County an even better place,” said Justin Vandenbroeck, executive vice president at ESA. “We are inspired by their work and look forward to doing our part to ensure that low-to-moderate income community members have pathways to economic relief from rising electricity costs.” “With the funding support from this Enon Road Solar Farm grant, we will be able to provide experienced tutors, learning supplies, transportation, healthy meals and safe spaces to our students this coming school year,” said Stafford Junction Executive Director Mark F. Cartledge. “Stafford Junction’s Brain Builders tutoring program gives students from seven at-risk neighborhoods in Stafford County a hand up out of poverty and food insecurity through educational means.” “This grant from ESA will ensure we can continue to meet the needs of those experiencing addiction in our community at no charge, removing any barriers to them getting the help they need,” said Zoe Freedom Center co-founders Dana and Mark Brown. “516 Project is excited to receive this grant from ESA,” said 516 Project consultant Carl Pates. “This funding allows us to Build Access to Hope by building wheelchair ramps and handicap accessible bathrooms for families in need.” “This grant will allow CBTP to buy auto repair tools and supplies this year instead of 2023; just in time for the surge of formerly incarcerated people released into the Stafford community,” said Christian Brothers Transition Program CEO Jack L. Richards. “We are so excited to receive this grant that will help us support and expand quality mentoring efforts serving at-risk youth,” said Youth of Promise Executive Director Kymmollotkis Mason. “Our program focuses on healthy living and providing our youth life skills so that they can be the best version of themselves.” ESA is in the process of developing a small community solar farm on approximately 15 acres of land in Stafford for low-to-moderate income residents who are currently Dominion Energy customers. They will be able to “subscribe” to the Enon Road Solar Farm as part of the Virginia Shared Solar Program and save money on their electric bill. ESA has successfully developed six small community solar projects in southern Virginia. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Cincinnati Bengals At New York Jets: Predictions, Picks And Odds For NFL Week 3 Matchup – Yahoo Sports https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/cincinnati-bengals-at-new-york-jets-predictions-picks-and-odds-for-nfl-week-3-matchup-yahoo-sports/ Still looking for their first win of the 2022 NFL regular season, Joe Burrow‘s Cincinnati Bengals hit the road to face Robert Saleh and the New York Jets. The Bengals are off to an awful start just one season after reaching the Super Bowl and will look to rebound from the previous two weeks against a rebuilding Jets squad that mounted a comeback Week 2 win against the Cleveland Browns behind Joe Flacco and Garrett Wilson. The game kicks off Sunday at 1 p.m. ET from MetLife Stadium. Here’s a look at the betting details and USA TODAY’s NFL staff picks for the Bengals vs. Jets Week 3 game: Bengals at Jets odds, moneyline and over/under Spread: Bengals (-5.5) Moneyline: Bengals (-260); Jets (+210) Over/under: 45.5 More odds, injury info for Bengals vs. Jets ‘LOT OF URGENCY, BUT NO PANIC’: Joe Burrow confident Bengals will fix issues on offense POWER RANKINGS: Bills, Chiefs remain 1-2, but Dolphins among two new teams in top five NFL ROUNDTABLE:  Aside from the Buffalo Bills, which 2-0 team has been most impressive? NFL Week 3 odds, predictions and picks Steelers vs. Browns | Saints vs. Panthers | Texans vs. Bears | Chiefs vs. Colts | Bills vs. Dolphins | Lions vs. Vikings | Ravens vs. Patriots | Bengals vs. Jets | Raiders vs. Titans | Eagles vs. Commanders | Jaguars vs. Chargers | Rams vs. Cardinals | Falcons vs. Seahawks | Packers vs. Buccaneers | 49ers vs. Broncos | Cowboys vs. Giants Lorenzo Reyes: Bengals 26, Jets 20 Cincinnati is better than its record shows, though it needs to solve its offensive line issues. Zac Taylor should have a plan in place to overcompensate for this, perhaps getting the ball out more quickly. And while the Jets pulled off the miraculous upset last week, I’m chalking that up more to Cleveland’s absolute collapse and lack of urgency more than anything. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) celebrates a first down with wide receiver Tee Higgins (85) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Arlington, Tx. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth) Safid Deen: Bengals 28, Jets 20 Joe Burrow and the defending AFC champion Bengals have been down 17-3 in both of their games this season, but that trend will end this week. Burrow will find star receiver Ja’Marr Chase early and often, and the Bengals get their first win. The Jets, after a thrilling comeback at Cleveland last week and beating Cincinnati at home last season, won’t be able to overcome Cincy’s firepower in this one. Lance Pugmire: Bengals 35, Jets 10  An opportunity to restore confidence following wrenching defeats to the Steelers and Cowboys, the defending AFC champions should score the rout here. If not, the trouble is real. Jarrett Bell: Bengals 26, Jets 20 Nate Davis: Bengals 27, Jets 23 Tyler Dragon: Bengals 26, Jets 20 RANKING PLAYOFF VIABILITY: Which NFL teams can survive 0-2 start to 2022 season? NFL NEWS, DELIVERED: Breaking news, in-depth analysis delivered to your inbox. Sign up here! SEASON PREDICTIONS: Super Bowl 57, playoffs, MVP and other awards NFL salaries: These are the highest-paid NFL players All players Quarterback Running back Wide receiver Tight end Tackle Guard Center Kickers Edge rusher Safety Cornerback Linebacker Interior defensive linemen Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See applicable operator site for its terms and conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER. Must be 21 or older to gamble. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cincinnati Bengals at New York Jets predictions, picks for NFL Week 3

Facebook Charity Initiative Provides Homeless People VR Rigs To Wander Streets Of Metaverse – Hard Drive https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/facebook-charity-initiative-provides-homeless-people-vr-rigs-to-wander-streets-of-metaverse-hard-drive/ BY Camden Brazile ON September 24, 2022 MENLO PARK, Calif. — Meta announced a new initiative to give back to the California community by providing local unhoused residents their own Meta-branded VR headset as a way to integrate them into Zuckerberg’s Metaverse project. “With how necessary and rapidly-advancing technology has become, so many members of the world are deemed archaic and left out of the modern trends,” Zuckerberg said. “With Meta’s new charity push, we sought to give unhoused people access to the most realistic, life-like world to explore completely free of charge. Conversely, this helps Meta expand the reality of its digital world, with online users now being hassled for digital currency by actual, real homeless people. Truly amazing.” Henry Right, a local homeless man chosen for Meta’s program, expressed his gratitude to the corporation for giving him a chance at civilized society.  “I was forced out of my home after losing my job, I thought I had lost everything,” Right said. “But after Mr. Zuckerberg gave me these goggles, I got to start all over again. Yes, things like businesses and private property are locked out to my avatar because of my unhoused profile, but it’s nice to be able to move up and down various street corners without having to leave my spot in the real world or get tired.” Facebook Philanthropy coordinator Moira Evans said the initiative is already seeing positive results.  “This promotion has been a smashing success so far,” said Evans. “Already users are reporting experiencing real, palpable fear walking downtown in the Metaverse at night, and our brilliant programmers have been able to code in every disease or deformity that the homeless users have into the digital realm.” At press time, Facebook was reported that after the charity event had concluded, all participants would be lucky enough to receive an itemized bill for their VR headset.

Star Trek: Lower Decks – 10 Other Franchises That Should Focus On Its Background Characters – Screen Rant https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/star-trek-lower-decks-10-other-franchises-that-should-focus-on-its-background-characters-screen-rant/ Star Trek: Lower Decks puts the focus on the background characters that wouldn’t traditionally be seen in regular Star Trek projects. It’s an opportunity to poke fun at the franchise through some meta-comedy, while also genuinely expanding the shared universe through some brilliant character arcs and threads that tie into other releases. Somehow because of the unique concept and approach Lower Decks, which recently enjoyed its third series, sometimes feels more Star Trek than other projects. Countless franchises may also benefit from this kind of world-building, through unexpected spinoffs that might just draw in audiences through their heart and humor. 10 Rick & Morty Rick & Morty features countless wacky dimensions and planets, full of whimsical and sometimes outright bizarre characters. Any one of them could be featured in their spinoff series and there’s always the potential for Rick & Morty to expand their sci-fi universe in this way. There are prime candidates like Birdperson that would make for an intriguing lead, but in the vein of Lower Decks, there are other avenues to explore, from the boring everyday life of an employee of the Galactic Federation to a Morty working in the Citadel (a plot thread which has been touched upon in the past). 9 Harry Potter Fantastic Beasts was an attempt to look at a lesser-known character in the Wizarding World, but completely missed the mark on what could have been achieved. There are numerous scenarios within the Harry Potter franchise that could lend themselves to a Lower Decks-style comedy. Whether they are a shop owner on Diagon Alley, a Hogwarts employee who works behind the scenes, or someone tasked with cleaning up the messes of wizards and witches in the Ministry of Magic, the very concept of the Wizarding World is perfect for launching niche fantasy spinoffs with minor characters. 8 Fast & The Furious The Fast & the Furious doesn’t on the surface offer the same opportunities as other franchises. However, imagine a character that’s witnessing the mad climactic heists and superhuman elements of this universe that are continuing to surface, each more chaotic than the last. There are certainly divisions of law enforcement or clean-up crews that will have to deal with the impact of Dom’s ‘family.’ That’s a concept that could really work; although there’s surely a chance to focus on low-level street racers as well, who usually fill up the background spots in larger Fast scenes. 7 Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe has briefly flirted with the notion that it might focus on lesser-known characters. While S.H.I.E.L.D. got its own series to explore the workings of the security agency, other entities like Damage Control haven’t been given the chance to expand on their own. The science fiction and fantasy elements of Marvel Comics lend themselves to a Lower Decks spinoff. Someone is having to clean up the mess of these superhero antics. Plus, there’s sure to be an interesting story to be told about being a thug or henchmen in the likes of Hydra. She-Hulkhas come the closest so far, looking at the universe from a law-focused narrative. 6 Men In Black Men In Black is one of the most popular sci-fi franchises of all time and yet there are still so many elements that fans don’t know about this fictional world. For the most part, audiences have been given a snapshot of what it’s like to work on the front lines, hunting down aliens. However, there’s definitely a lot of material to bring to the screen with regard to everyday life within the organization. The processing of new captives, the smaller diplomatic missions, and the logistics of mind-wiping everyone involved in an incident, are all examples of events that could populate a show. 5 James Bond James Bond continues to put the focus on the rest of MI6, if only for brief amounts of time. Moneypenny, M, Q, and the new 007 are all examples of other operatives that have been given the limelight alongside the titular protagonist. Surely they deserve their own series though. A James Bond spinoff could be really intriguing, even if it doesn’t necessarily focus on these named characters. There must be other agents going on exciting adventures, or fun threads to explore involving those who make all the gadgets alongside the Quartermaster. 4 Star Wars There are always smaller tales set within the galaxy far, far away that put the emphasis on the farmer, unnamed soldier, or perhaps diplomat. However, it’s rarely portrayed on screen, with the animated Star Wars shows doing a better job of capturing general life. There are plenty of opportunities to dive into concerning what it’s really like to live in the Star Wars universe. This kind of slice of life is an element that draws fans to The Mandalorian, but a comedy perhaps about working as a Stormtrooper, or within the Jedi Temple, might be a cool change of pace. 3 Jurassic Park Jurassic Park and Jurassic World actually introduced a huge range of characters. They never fully go into what it was like to work within these parks, as someone who isn’t the main protagonist. Nor did the sequel series actually investigate the world outside now that it is overrun by dinosaurs. The closest it came was the short film Battle at Big Rock which was both incredibly thrilling and compelling. There’s no reason that a live-action spinoff couldn’t continue on that same theme, perhaps an anthology about surviving in this brand-new landscape. 2 DC Comics Gotham Police Department is gaining its own series in the near future, and that’s a firm indication that DC Comics might be heading in the right direction when looking at Lower Decks-esque spinoffs. However, this isn’t a comedy in the same way Powerless was, which followed a similar concept. DC hasn’t quite managed to get it right thus far, but it’s certainly closer than other franchises. Life as a supervillain is also touched upon in the animated show Harley Quinnwhich manages to get everything right. These kinds of concepts are perfect, but DC could push them so much further, by really placing the spotlight on unknown or seemingly unimportant figures. 1 Pirates Of The Caribbean Pirates of the Caribbean has a genuinely rich landscape to explore but thus far the main focus has been Jack Sparrow’s adventures. Sure audiences have had the opportunity to see some other pirate empires in this cinematic universe, but it’s all through the lens of a few characters. What it’s like to work on one of these ships, or be a part of an establishment in Tortuga, can provide the kinds of comedy and lower-level character exploration that fans are looking for. The combination of realistic pirate lore and fantastical mythology is absolutely ripe for further storytelling. NEXT: The 10 Smartest Star Trek Characters In Lower Decks

Eden Prairie-Based Crypto Company Files For Bankruptcy – Bring Me The News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/eden-prairie-based-crypto-company-files-for-bankruptcy-bring-me-the-news/ Eden Prairie-based Compute North, which operates crypto-mining centers, has filed for bankruptcy. The company filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in Texas Thursday, Bloomberg reports. It cited the increasing cost of electricity and the lag time between building the centers and revenue generation. Compute North owed as much as $500 to more than 200 creditors, according to Yahoo! Finance. In addition to the bankruptcy filing, the company’s CEO Dave Perrill also stepped down. Along with its Eden Prairie headquarters, Compute North also operates facilities in Texas, Nebraska and South Dakota. In a filing, Compute North Chief Financial Officer Harold Coulby said the company had taken out up to $300 million from one lender to finance its Texas and Nebraska projects, according to CoinDesk. “Facing the threat of ongoing degradation to the value of its business, including the potential termination of contracts that Compute North may be able to assign in a sale transaction, Compute North had no choice but to commence these Chapter 11 Cases in order to preserve and maximize the value of its assets,” he wrote. Bitcoin, the most widely used cryptocurrency, has also become increasingly difficult to mine, CoinDesk reported earlier this month. The cryptocurrency’s mining difficulty recently reached an all-time high.

U.S. Women, Japan Men Nab Olympic Spots At ISA World Surfing Games In Huntington Beach – Los Angeles Times https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/u-s-women-japan-men-nab-olympic-spots-at-isa-world-surfing-games-in-huntington-beach-los-angeles-times/ Kanoa Igarashi slammed his hand against his surfboard in exultation before throwing it back in the ocean. The Huntington Beach native delivered another winning performance Saturday afternoon on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier. This one, though, had implications for more people than just himself. Igarashi, the two-time U.S. Open of Surfing winner, won the men’s gold medal at the International Surfing Assn. World Surfing Games. Surfing for Team Japan, Igarashi also helped the Team Japan men earn the team trophy, meaning Japan has earned at least spot for the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris in 2024. “Obviously, the individual win is great, but to know that I secured a spot for Japan in the Olympics coming up, that’s such a special feeling,” Igarashi said. “The thing is, it’s not even whether I go or one of my teammates goes. Just knowing that there will be someone there representing— that means a lot. Honestly, I’d be more than happy to see one of my fellow countrymen go. Hopefully it’s not just one of us, hopefully there’s multiple of us.” Huntington Beach’s Kanoa Igarashi tosses his surfboard as he celebrates winning the ISA World Surfing Games men’s title. (Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer) On the women’s side, Kirra Pinkerton of San Clemente accomplished the same thing. Her gold-medal individual performance helped the Team USA women finish atop the podium and book at least one Olympic spot for Paris. Team USA also won the overall team trophy for best men’s and women’s combined score. Nat Young (fifth place), Kolohe Andino (seventh) and Griffin Colapinto (tied for 19th) were the surfers for the U.S. men. Gabriela Bryan, who finished tied for ninth, and Zoe McDougall (tied for 21st) were the other U.S. women who helped the team earn victory at the event, hosted by Visit Huntington Beach. Igarashi, who has dual citizenship in the United States and Japan, was the silver medalist in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. He was dominant throughout the World Surfing Games, winning every heat in which he competed, to help Japan’s men earn the top spot with 1,835 team points along with teammates Shun Murukami and Keanu Kamiyama. The United States was second with 1,555 points, followed by Indonesia in third with 1,532 points. Team USA surfer Kirra Pinkerton, of San Clemente, celebrates winning the ISA World Surfing Games individual women’s final. (Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer) Igarashi eased to a win in the 35-minute men’s finals, finishing with a two-wave score of 15.96. That was followed by silver medalist Rio Waida of Indonesia (14.04), bronze medalist Jackson Baker of Australia (11.67) and copper medalist Guilherme Fonseca of Portugal (9.36). “This week I learned a lot about myself,” said Igarashi, 24, who earned his first ISA gold medal. “Surfing, usually you have to be so selfish, but I really learned a lot about myself as a person and how important it is to share that competitive edge with the team. A country like Japan, we have so many supporters and so many people rooting for us, we really want to win as a team.” Pinkerton, 20, certainly felt like she accomplished a lot for the Americans. Her final win wasn’t decided until the closing minutes, but she managed a first-place two-wave score of 13.63. Pauline Ado of France, who led for much of the heat, finished in silver with a 13.00 score. Sally Fitzgibbons of Australia followed with a bronze (11.60) and Danielle Rosas of Peru was fourth with a 9.20. “I’m very happy right now,” Pinkerton said after being carried up from the beach. “Hopefully we can have the 2028 Olympics here now, because I want to win it here. I’ve just been envisioning this moment for like a week now. Every heat, I’ve been envisioning winning the heat. In the final, I thought I could get the score at the end. I just can’t believe it happened. The last three minutes went flat, and I was just praying that would happen. I’m just so thankful right now, and so thankful to have gotten a spot for the U.S.” Team USA surfer Kirra Pinkerton is surrounded by members of the media after winning the ISA World Surfing Games on Saturday. (Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer) Huntington Beach native Brett Simpson, who coached the U.S. in the inaugural Olympics for surfing last year, made sure that Pinkerton knew that she had helped America earn an Olympic spot for 2024 in France. She described the end of the finals heat as filled with disbelief. “I just lost my breath,” Pinkerton said. “I was like, ‘There is no way this is happening.’ I actually didn’t know if I did win or not because I was too scared to check. I was like, ‘Wait, am I just tripping out right now? Did I actually win?’” Yes, she did, and it likely fueled motivation for her bright future. “I’m leaving for Portugal tomorrow for another contest that is going to get me closer in the rankings for the Olympics,” she said. “I’m just going to be fired up this whole next, like, probably four or five years. I hope I can make it there.” Huntington Beach’s Kanoa Igarashi, of Team Japan, competes during the ISA World Surfing Games individual men’s final. (Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer) Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber.

Women’s Tennis Wraps Up Fall Season At ITA’s – Stevens Institute Of Technology Athletics – Stevens Institute Of Technology https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/womens-tennis-wraps-up-fall-season-at-itas-stevens-institute-of-technology-athletics-stevens-institute-of-technology/ FREDERICKSBURG, Va. (September 24, 2022)  – Graduate student Agatha Malinowski and first-year Stephanie Untermeyer scored a pair of impressive victories to lead the Stevens Institute of Technology women’s tennis team Saturday at the ITA Atlantic South Regional Tournament, hosted by the University of Mary Washington. After dropping their first match of the tournament, the tandem scored victories over Sweet Briar College’s Isabela and Alexandra Guillarte (8-2), before topping Johns Hopkins’ Niamh Harding and Alison Bader, 8-5 to reach the consolation semifinal. The Ducks’ tandem raced out to a 6-3 lead before the Hopkins squad won consecutive games to pull within 6-5. However, Malinowski and Untermeyer, the Middle Atlantic Conference champions at first doubles, quickly recovered and closed out the triumph by winning the last three games to score the victory. The pair would then receive a walkover victory before bowing out of the tournament. Untermeyer also scored an 8-5 victory in singles competition over Averett’s Paula Ryhsen. “It’s always a privilege to compete at the ITA’s against the top teams in our region, and some of the best teams in the country,” head coach Arik Zeevy said. “I am very proud of our competitiveness and how we represented Stevens all weekend.” The Ducks had four total representatives at the tournament. Joining Malinowski and Untermeyer in taking the court were sophomore Isabella Dona and junior Polina Odintseva. Dona and Odintseva opened their tournament with an 8-3 victory over Ursinus’ Alessandra Armour and Shannon Stewart. The Ducks’ duo bowed out of the tournament with a hard-fought 8-7 (7-5) setback to Averett’s Brenda Poulakidas and Keira Gunning. Up Next: Women’s Tennis will return to the courts in the spring. Stay tuned to StevensDucks.com for the spring slate. Facebook: “Like” Stevens Athletics          Twitter: @stevensducks Instagram: @stevensducks #AllRise

Getting High In The Appalachian Mountains | The Sunday Times – The Times https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/getting-high-in-the-appalachian-mountains-the-sunday-times-the-times/ Six thousand feet up in the North Carolina back country, our trail towards the top of Mount Mitchell has shrunk to just a cleared path between the roots. A red-spotted purple butterfly lands on my shirt, mistaking me, perhaps, for one of the laurel trees closing in on us. As the way grows steeper, a rope appears out of the foliage to steady us as we find our footings in the craggy earth. Then, just as we start to break a sweat, it evens out and the forest parts to reveal a stone viewpoint and a mountain range that seems to stretch on for ever. Mount Mitchell, in North Carolina’s wild west, is as high as you can get east of the Mississippi River. A favourite of outdoorsy types in the region, it keeps a fairly low profile internationally — probably because it is only half the height of the average Rocky Mountain. But for fair-weather hikers like me and my husband, it presents a leisurely, and far less crowded, alternative. We have come to preview the Appalachian High Route, the new trail connecting the tallest peaks in the Appalachians — and there are dozens, from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Great Smokies. Hardcore hikers may soon be clambering to outpace one another around the entire 350-mile route. But until that happens you can spend a week daytripping between its greatest hits and retreating to old-timey village inns by night — and have it practically to yourself. Our guide up Mount Mitchell is Jake Blood, a retired military veteran and experienced climber. As co-founder of the North Carolina High Peaks Trail Association, he spends most of his time these days up among the clouds, maintaining the route: whacking weeds and unclogging water boreholes to prevent flooding. Blood lives in Burnsville, a homely town just north of the peak, and has long wondered why Mount Mitchell was never included in the area’s biggest attraction: the Appalachian Trail (AT). The epic 2,000-mile hiking route is so close by that he can point to a fire tower on its path. “When Benton MacKaye laid out the trail 100 years ago, he intended to connect the two highest peaks in the east: Mitchell and Mount Washington, up in New Hampshire,” Blood says. “But he hadn’t considered all the private landowners around here, who fought it off.” Locals didn’t want a trail cutting through their land. The Appalachian High Route is Blood’s way of finishing MacKaye’s job. Together with his neighbour — Jennifer Pharr Davis, a local adventurer who holds the record for hiking the AT, in less than 47 days (a typical “thru-hiker” would take six months, at least) — he found a clever back route unofficially linking Mount Mitchell to the peaks of the AT. When we meet he hands us a map, hot off the press, and traces out a six-mile circuit that will deliver us back to our car. Hiking the new Appalachian High Route Blood is what he calls a “macro hiker”: he appreciates big views that trigger a “Wow!” reflex. I can see why he’s such a fan of Mount Mitchell. Sauntering ahead, brandishing a walking stick, he leads us to big-picture vistas in every direction: to the north, the Blue Ridge Mountains stretch out in an ascending scale of blues; to the west, clouds drift across the Great Smoky Mountains like wafts of smoke from a barbecue. In his Appalachian drawl, Blood drops his aitches and “huge” becomes “yuge”, which describes the 10,000-acre expanse of uncultivated woodland, and the white scars on the landscape left by obsolete mines. The Great Smoky Mountains are also “yuge”, he says. With the Appalachian High Route complete, he can draw a line from them to here. It’s a quick walk back to the car park from Mount Mitchell’s summit, but our journey has barely begun. One of the other highlights of North Carolina’s interior is the Blue Ridge Parkway, a scenic motorway built to dazzle with peak views all the way to Tennessee — and we’re keen to check it out. To make the most of it my husband hires a Mustang convertible for the week. At £20 a day more than a standard saloon it’s a splurge. But after our first spin — Grateful Dead on the radio; wind in our hair — we don’t give it a second thought. We spend our first couple of nights in Marshall, an old drover’s junction on a river called the French Broad. It’s a nostalgic old town, all clapboard, vintage pick-ups and faded signs whispering of bygone hardware shops. From where we are staying, at the Old Marshall Jail Hotel, a road spirals into the Blue Ridge foothills. In the Appalachians you’re never far from a great hike. Marshall was completely dry until 2008, when the economy tanked. And while spirits are still verboten, we hear good things about Mad Co, a new craft brewery in the old town hall. At the bar it’s not long before a regular offers us a taste from his glass — it’s that friendly here. We order two Marshall Pales and follow him to the riverside terrace, where we’re joined by the owner, Rhesa, and eventually everyone else. By closing time — a healthy 9pm — we’ve all exchanged numbers and promises to keep in touch. From here we spend the rest of our trip exploring the region, using Blood’s map to pick out the Appalachian High Route’s most impressive climbs. By midweek we’ve decamped to nearby Hot Springs, a town where brew pubs outnumber traffic lights two to none. There’s a buzzy bingo game at Big Pillow Brewing that we join with mugs of El Guapo lager and, it seems, everyone in town. Out on the terrace a wizened guitarist covers Lynyrd Skynyrd’s back catalogue. Our climb the next morning follows a gradual slope over the Pump Gap — close enough to our rustic lodge that we can leave the car behind and hike in full. Nearly two hours from Mount Mitchell, the landscape is lusher here, a forest of hemlock and hornbeam swarmed by kudzu, known locally as “the vine that ate the South”. There’s a sultriness to the air here — likely thanks to all the heavy breathing and sweat. Halfway to the summit, the Lover’s Leap Ridge spoils us with a view streaked by feathery clouds, like wisps from a Virginia Slim. Our final stay is in Bryson City, a town straight out of the cult 1990s TV show Twin Peaks, where the Everett Street Diner serves mountain-fried steak, sausage gravy and Southern biscuits for breakfast. We’re welcomed in like old friends, and when the host gets wind of a birthday at the next table, he rouses the entire house: “Hey everyone, let’s all sing Happy Birthday to Peaches!” Bryson City is the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains range and its highest peak, Clingman’s Dome, which was recommended by Blood for its waterfalls and dizzying views. At 10am we park at the summit to take in the misty mountain panorama, then set out on a six-mile loop that takes us across the Tennessee state line. The forest up here is its own fragrant ecosystem of spruce and Fraser fir — more akin to Canada than the American South. The trees came down with the glaciers, aeons ago; when the glaciers retreated the bracing mountain climate suited them just fine. About halfway along I start to hear cars darting past. This is near the spot where, Blood told me, you can cut and run: ring a taxi or head back, clean and dry, along the winding back road. But in the opposite direction, through the bare trunks of the conifers, I can see the undulating ridge of the Great Smokies and, beyond, the trickling Little River. ● America’s most incredible national parks ● The coolest road trips in the US The view tugs at my feet; I’m starting to believe I belong up here on the trail. I get the feeling that, like Blood, I’m a macro hiker too. Ellen Himelfarb was a guest of Visit North Carolina (visitnc.com), the Old Marshall Jail Hotel (B&B bunk rooms from £66; oldmarshalljail.com), Laughing Heart Lodge in Hot Springs (B&B doubles from £88; laughingheart lodge.com), Bryson Village (room-only cabins from £84; brysonvillage.com) and Terrell House in Burnsville (B&B doubles from £106; terrellhousebandb.com). Blue Ridge Hiking, owned by Jennifer Pharr Davis, has four nights on the Smokies Benton MacKaye Trail Backpacking Trip, which traces part of the Appalachian High Route, from £1,000pp, including backpacking gear, on-trail meals, transfers and lodging the night before the trip (blueridgehikingco.com). Fly to Charlotte Three more epic US walks 1. Art and microbrews The Appalachian Trail extends as far as Mount Katahdin in Maine. Macs Adventure’s New England hike focuses on the Berkshires, the leafy highlands west of Boston. Its six-night, 31-mile Appalachian loop takes in the 3,491ft Mount Greylock, classic Massachusetts towns and the “purple valley” around Williamstown, named for the colour of the mountain landscape at dusk. Hike the trail from inn to inn and discover small-town New England life through its art, food and microbrews. Details Six nights’ B&B on a portered trek from £1,525pp (macsadventure.com). Fly to Boston 2. Red rocks From Monument Valley to Zion, America’s southwest has some of the most eye-popping scenery in the western hemisphere. In nine days you can tick off bucket-list treks starting at the Grand Canyon, climbing from its lowest to highest points. You can explore the belly of Bryce Canyon, then dip into Utah to circle the otherworldly red rocks of Arches National Park, and still have enough time left to try your hand at the slots in Las Vegas, via Route 66. Details Ten nights’ room-only on a guided trek from £3,099pp (exodus.co.uk). Fly to Las Vegas Yosemite National Park CAPTURED BLINKS PHOTOGRAPHY/GETTY IMAGES 3. Gold Rush country Shake up your California coastal holiday with a four-night detour into Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park and the Sierra Nevada. This tour with Intrepid starts with a hike on the Land’s End Trail in San Francisco before cutting across Gold Rush country to Yosemite for a trek on the Mist Trail, a ...

The Best Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure Stocks To Invest In Right Now – Best Stocks https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/the-best-hotels-restaurants-leisure-stocks-to-invest-in-right-now-best-stocks/ The hospitality sector is thriving, with the number of available jobs increasing by almost 10% between 2014 and 2016. So it’s no surprise that investors are flocking to top hotels, restaurants, and leisure stocks to get in on the action. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the global travel and tourism industry is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 4-5% over the next decade. The increased spending power of millennials is also fuelling demand for urban experiences combined with a sense of home. We’ve identified the best hotels, restaurants, and leisure stocks. Hyatt Hotels (H) Hyatt Hotels is one of the largest hotel companies in the world, with over 6,000 hotels and resorts in over 100 countries. The company’s business model is centered around managing hotels for third-party owners, with Hyatt owning only a tiny percentage of its hotels. Hyatt has a strong presence in the US and Asia, with a growing portfolio of upscale properties. As a result, Hyatt is an outstanding long-term stock to buy for several reasons. First, global travel remains strong, with demand expected to grow in Asia in the coming years. Second, Hyatt is well positioned to benefit from rising demand for upscale experiences and a growing millennial segment. Finally, Hyatt’s share price has fallen by almost 30% over the past year, making it a compelling buy for long-term investors. Hilton Grand Vacations (HGV) Hilton Grand Vacations is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns and manages Hilton’s vacation ownership and timeshare business. Hilton Grand Vacations holds and contains morholdsan 200,000 units across 90 resorts in 29 countries. Hilton Grand Vacations is the second-largest timeshare company in the world, trailing only Marriott Vacation Club. Hilton Grand Vacations benefits from solid growth in the timeshare market, with the number of vacation ownership sales growing at an average annual rate of 4.3% since 2012. Hilton Grand Vacations is also well positioned to benefit from the rising demand for upscale leisure experiences and the increasing spending power of millennials. As a result, Hilton Grand Vacations is a compelling long-term investment, with the company’s share price down roughly 25% over the past year. Dutch Bros (BROS) Dutch Bros Coffee is a franchised chain of drive-thru coffee shops with more than 400 locations across ten states. Founded in Utah in 1992, Dutch Bros has a distinct, Western theme and serves fresh, gourmet coffee and fresh food items. Dutch Bros has strong unit growth and has expanded from Utah to California and Arizona, with plans to open more than 400 new stores by the end of 2020. In addition, the coffee shop industry has strong long-term growth prospects, as coffee consumption is expected to increase globally. As a result, Dutch Bros Coffee is a compelling stock to buy for several reasons. First, coffee consumption is expected to increase in the coming years, driven by increased coffee exports from Brazil and Ethiopia and rising demand in growing Asian markets. Second, the coffee shop industry is highly fragmented, with no single chain accounting for more than 10% of the market. As a result, Dutch Bros has a solid competitive position. Aramark (ARMK) Aramark is a global leader in food services and uniforms. The company provides food and beverage, health and wellness, facilities management, and other services to food service clients in healthcare, education, sports, and business and industry. Aramark has a strong presence in the US and Europe, with plans to expand its business in Asia. Aramark has a strong addition company in the healthcare sector, where demand for medical services is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. Aramark is a compelling stock to buy for several reasons. First, consumers are spending more on experiences rather than material goods. As a result, growth in the leisure and hospitality sector is expected to accelerate significantly in the coming years. Second, Aramark has a solid competitive position and is well positioned to benefit from growth in the food services industry. Summary The hospitality sector is thriving, with the number of available jobs increasing by almost 10% between 2014 and 2016. With increased spending power among millennials fuelling demand for urban experiences, top hotels, restaurants, and leisure stocks are poised to benefit. Hyatt Hotels, Hilton Grand Vacations, Dutch Bros Coffee, and Aramark are great long-term stocks to buy. %

AHF Continues Call On Gov. Newsom To ‘Help People With HIV’ – Business Wire https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/ahf-continues-call-on-gov-newsom-to-help-people-with-hiv-business-wire/ September 24, 2022 06:33 PM Eastern Daylight Time LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–AHF will run a full-page, full-color advocacy ad in the Los Angeles Times this Sunday, September 25th. The ad, headlined, “Governor Newsom: Help People with HIV” is a heartfelt appeal to the governor seeking his assistance to help prevent the interruption of care for over 1,400 AIDS patients in Los Angeles. AHF is asking Newsom to intervene and stop Medi-Cal from cancelling a respected 27-year-old AIDS care program created and operated by AHF—the only specialized managed care plan for people living with AIDS in California. AHF published a similar plea in the Sacramento Bee last Sunday (September 18, 2022). In late June, AHF received notice from state’s Department of Managed Health Care that it was not renewing AHF’s contract for the plan for 2023, leaving patients at the mercy of other care plans whose medical providers don’t have the years-long relationships with these patients—and may also not have the same degree of expertise in managing the care of AIDS patients. In its ad in the Times, AHF cites the decades-long, time-honored tradition of AIDS activism that awakened a nation to the poor quality of treatment of AIDS patients and reminds Governor Newsom: “You have had a distinguished record as mayor and governor supporting the LGBTQ community, which is most affected by HIV. We trust that you will continue to keep faith with us.” The ad continues: “Your department admits the reason for canceling this contract has nothing to do with the quality of care we provide but solely that we sought to mobilize our patients to advocacy. We are appealing this decision, but your department has openly said that it will cancel this contract while the appeal is pending. That’s just unfair and makes a mockery of due process.” Unless Governor Newsom intervenes or AHF’s appeal to California’s Department of Managed Health Care is heard quickly and it prevails, AHF’s contract for its managed care plan for people living with AIDS will sunset or end on December 31st of this year. AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to over 1.6 million individuals in 45 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Eastern Europe. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth, follow us @aidshealthcare or subscribe to our AHF podcast “AHFter Hours.”

Blame Us, Not Government, For Obesity | Comment | The Sunday Times – The Times https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/blame-us-not-government-for-obesity-comment-the-sunday-times-the-times/ Charities have urged the government not to scrap the sugar tax on soft drinks after it was reported that obesity measures were being reviewed to ease the cost of living crisis GETTY IMAGES Dr Rachel Clarke says that if we scrap the sugar tax, she will have to watch more patients die (Comment, last week). But, like all of us, those patients are free to choose what they eat. The sugar tax has not stopped people eating junk food, though the effects are well known and cheaper, healthy food is available. Likewise walking, cycling and jogging are free, but despite many articles explaining why movement is good for you many choose not to exercise. It’s too easy to blame government for this. Obesity is something the majority of us can avoid if we make the decisions to do so — and those choices are ours to make. Suzanne Stringer, Aberfeldy, Perthshire Terrible battle As someone who

College Football Scores, Schedule, NCAA Top 25 Rankings, Games Today: Texas, Oregon In Action – CBS Sports https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/college-football-scores-schedule-ncaa-top-25-rankings-games-today-texas-oregon-in-action-cbs-sports/ See New Posts Pinned Stunner in Miami Final: MTSU 45, Miami 31 Middle Tennessee racked up 507 yards and held Miami to just 367 in a rather dominant victory marked in large part by a series of miscues from the Hurricanes. Three straight turnovers to begin the game. Worst of all may have been a turnover on downs later in the game following a first-and-goal at the 1-yard line. Tyler Van Dyke was pulled in favor of backup Jake Garcia. Provided a brief spark but not enough of one. Pinned Wreck ’em Final: Texas Tech 37, Texas 34 (OT) Texas drops to 2-2 in Year 2 under Steve Sarkisian while Texas Tech improves to 3-1 in Year 1 under Joey McGuire as Trey Wolff hits from 20 yards out to lift the Red Raiders to an overtime victory. A Texas fumble on the first possession of OT set Texas Tech up in excellent position to clinch it, and the fans stormed the field as it went final. That snaps a five-game losing streak for the Red Raiders in the series. Pinned Notre Dame’s redemption Final: Notre Dame 45, North Carolina 32 Take a deep breath, Notre Dame fans. That has to be an encouraging game to watch after offensive struggles of the first three games. Drew Pyne threw it well, Audric Estime and Chris Tyree ran it well, as did Logan Diggs. Michael Mayer was great and the defense was good enough against UNC’s high-powered attack. Notre Dame totaled 576 yards and a whopping 35 first downs. 8 of 14 on third downs. What a showing. Pinned Hello, Cam Ward Mid 4Q: Washington State 27, Oregon Hello, Cam Ward! What a play by the Wazzou quarterback here. You won’t see a coach teaching their quarterback to do this. Just a great, improvisational, instinctual play here by the Incarnate Word transfer. He’s played his game yet today here against a solid Oregon defense and has the Cougars in position to improve to 4-0. Pinned Overtime in Lubbock End 4Q: Texas 34, Texas Tech 34 The teams trade field goals in the final 30 seconds with Hudson Card delivering a couple of incredibly clutch completions to get the Longhorns into range, and we’re headed to OT. Texas Tech is a whopping 6 of 8 on fourth downs in this game, and the risks have paid off as the Red Raiders have a chance to snag an early signature victory for first-year coach Joey McGuire. Pinned JMU shocks App State Final: James Madison 32, Appalachian State 28 After going down 28-3 in the first half, James Madison scored 29 unanswered points to shock Sun Belt favorite Appalachian State and move to 3-0 as an FBS program. The game was the Dukes’ first conference game as a member of the Sun Belt, and it couldn’t have been more memorable. Quarterback Todd Centeio threw for 204 yards and rushed for 88 yards with three total touchdowns in another sensational performance. The only piece of bad news? The dynamic Dukes are ineligible to either play in a bowl game — or win the Sun Belt.  Pinned Oregon scores Early 4Q: Washington State 27, Oregon 22 The Ducks go 84 yards on 10 plays and punch it in from a yard out on the first play of the fourth quarter. Good finish brewing in Pullman, where Oregon is outgaining Washington State by over 200 yards but trailing because of a pick-six and other red-zone issues. Cam Ward is 27 of 31 through the air for the Cougars.Oregon scores Pinned Down to the wire Late 4Q: Texas 31, Texas Tech 31 The Longhorns and Red Raiders are playing a good one in Lubbock. The Red Raiders have scored 14 unanswered and have the football after falling behind 31-17 late in the third quarter. Longhorns have punted on three straight possessions after scoring on five of their first seven. The Red Raiders are 5 of 7 on fourth downs so far in this game. Pinned Vols up 10 End Q3: No. 11 Tennessee 31, No. 20 Florida 21 Running back Jabari Small had a touchdown catch and a touchdown run in the third quarter to give the Volunteers a 10-point lead as the teams switch sides for the final time. Florida is driving, though. Quarterback Anthony Richardson hit receiver Justin Shorter for a 39-yard gain on fourth-and-2 from the Gators 27-yard line to get inside Tennessee just before the end of the third quarter. This is a critical drive for Florida considering how quickly the Vols’ offense operates.  Pinned MTSU holding on Start 4Q: MTSU 31, Miami 17 Middle Tennessee leads Miami 31-17 entering the fourth quarter, but  the Hurricanes are driving and could cut it to one score here. Going to be a tense fourth quarter as the Hurricanes look to avoid a catastrophic defeat on the heels of last week’s offensively lifeless loss at Texas A&M. Tyler Van Dyke has been pulled in favor of Jake Garcia, who has been effective thus far. Pinned Aidan O’Connell out Purdue quarterback Aidan O’Connell did not come out for warmups ahead of the Boilermakers’ game against FAU. Multiple reports subsequently indicate he’s out tonight and that Austin Burton will start in his place. Tough break for Purdue, which is off to a 1-2 start and could use a smooth game tonight before entering the thick of Big Ten play. Pinned Red Raiders driving 4Q: Texas 31, Texas Tech 24 Texas took a two-score lead over Texas Tech in the second half, but the Red Raiders forced a three-and-out and are now driving with a chance to tie the game heading into the fourth quarter. Running back Bijan Robinson has 89 yards rushing and two scores, but only 11 carries through three quarters. Texas Tech has three drives of at least 15 plays to shorten the game and get Texas out of rhythm.  Pinned OK, Notre Dame… Mid 3Q: Notre Dame 38, North Carolina 14 You had to think Notre Dame’s offense would look better against North Carolina than it did against Cal and Ohio State (and Marshall, for that matter), but this is turning into a bloodbath. The Fighting Irish have out-gained the Tar Heels 401-159 midway through the third quarter and have scored on six straight possessions. Mack Brown’s reaction here seems like a good representation of the way things are going today for the Heels. Pinned MTSU scores Mid 3Q: MTSU 31, Miami 10 Miami just keeps giving up catastrophic plays. This time, it’s a 69-yarder from Chase Cunningham to Elijah Metcalf to put the Blue Raiders ahead by three scores. Doesn’t look like a great crowd at Miami, but whoever is there must be displeased. This team, apparently, is NOT back as many declared after wins over Bethune-Cookman and Southern Miss. Pinned Rebels pulling away Half: No. 16 Ole Miss 35, Tulsa 17 The Rebels were down 14-7 at the end of the first quarter, but ripped off 28 straight points — including a 31-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Jaxson Dart to Jonathan Mingo with 1:25 to play in the half to create some breathing room at the break. Freshman running back Quinshon Judkins has been the star of the afternoon, scoring two touchdowns on 87 rushing yards through 30 minutes.  Pinned Oh no, Bo Late 2Q: Washington State 17, Oregon 6 Oregon is out-gaining Washington State 236-157 but is down by 11 because of this. What a disaster and potential 14-point swing as the roller-coaster ride that is Bo Nix continues in Pac-12 play. Ducks have been running the football well but have been to the red zone three times now without a TD. Pinned Tennessee leads at halftime Half: No. 11 Tennessee 17, No. 20 Florida 14 The Volunteers and Gators traded off two touchdowns each in the second quarter to keep this game close at the break. Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson threw his first touchdown pass of the season when he found Keon Zipperer for 44 yards early in the second to give Florida a 7-3 lead. It went back and forth throughout the quarter, which ended with a touchdown pass from Vols quarterback Hendon Hooker to receiver Bru McCoy in the final minute. That final drive included this incredible catch from Ramel Keyton. Pinned What a score Half: MTSU 24, Miami 10 Middle Tennessee is in the process of doing something potentially stunning at Miami. The Blue Radiers are averaging 8.4 yards per play(!!!) on Miami’s defense and have benefitted from a litany of ‘Canes turnovers. That YPP average is influenced heavily by a couple of big-hitters from MTSU. Miami gets ball to start the third quarter. Pinned Longhorns score to end half Half: Texas 24, Texas Tech 14 Texas took a late two-score lead over Texas Tech to end the first half thanks to a physical touchdown run from running back Bijan Robinson. Quarterback Hudson Card threw a bad interception, but also had two touchdown passes and 203 yards passing to give the Longhorns a lead. Texas Tech has put together touchdown drives of 18 and 13 plays, but went three-and-out on their final two drives of the half.  Pinned Good one in Chapel Hill Late 2Q: Notre Dame 21, UNC 14 Notre Dame’s offense needed to play this North Carolina defense! The porous Tar Heels are letting the Fighting Irish gain some confidence after a woeful start to the season offensively. Audric Estime just finished off a 75-yard drive with a 1-yard TD run to put ND ahead 21-14. Drake Maye is off to a good start for UNC, though. This one is shaping up to be another high-scoring game. Pinned Ole Miss tied with Tulsa Early Q1: No. 16 Ole Miss 14, Tulsa 14 The Rebels fell into a 14-7 hole to the Golden Hurricane, but freshman Quinshon Judkins scored from seven yards out early in the second quarter to bring coach Lane Kiffin’s crew even with a Tulsa team that was a 21-point underdog at kickoff. The Rebels’ rushing game has been on point early on. They’re averaging 7.4 yards per rush, with quarterback Jaxson Dart leading the way with 54 yards on four carries. Pinned Ducks battling End 1Q: Washington State 10, Oregon 3 Looks like a good one is shaping up in Pullman, as Washington State leads Oregon 10-3 after the fi...

Games Industry, Entertainment And Metaverse Communications Guru Jacki Vause Joins ME Ventures Board – Yahoo Finance https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/games-industry-entertainment-and-metaverse-communications-guru-jacki-vause-joins-me-ventures-board-yahoo-finance/ – ME Ventures, future-focussed music investment fund, builds out advisory board with leading tech innovators and savants – Jacki Vause, Dimoso CEO and Founder, brings specialist comms expertise from 30 years in entertainment, enterprise technology, and games LONDON, September 23, 2022–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Music investment fund for the creator economy, ME Ventures, has announced it has appointed Jacki Vause to its advisory board. Jacki’s role will be to advise on contributing to the fund’s mission to nurture and inspire the next generation of creators and innovators. She brings decades of experience across the entertainment and creative industries, and a natural eye for innovation talent. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220923005491/en/ Jacki Vause, CEO and Founder of Dimoso joins ME Ventures advisory board. (Photo: Business Wire) Headed up by international music artist and producer Jalen James Acosta, the board of ME Ventures sees Jacki joined by leading names from across the music, tech and entertainment industries. Jacki is joined by a team of diverse global innovators and pioneers including Mike Pell, Chief Envisioneer and Director of the Microsoft Garage in New York City; Sergio Sontolongo, former Managing Director of Goldman Sachs; and Brandon Pankey, Founder of Artist Presented Experiences (APEX) and Vice President at Live Nation Urban. “I’m thrilled to contribute my expertise and experience to supporting an empowered and rewarded creator economy through a funding infrastructure that expertly straddles the worlds of music, entertainment and Web3 with ME Ventures,” says Jacki Vause, CEO and Founder of Dimoso. The creation of the fund is further evidence of an undeniable movement behind the coming revolution of the creator economy. ME Ventures is investing in early-stage companies at the intersection of music, media and future technology. The ethos is to drive opportunities that reduce obstacles and barriers to entry for creators. Determined to tackle the music industry’s challenges head on, Jacki’s skillset is perfectly tuned to working with these new integrated solutions and helping them in their goal to empower creators to build sustainable careers in a multi-industry Web3 infrastructure. “ME Ventures is on a mission to close the gap between creators and the billions of dollars generated by this technology disruption. We don’t just make wealthy investors wealthier; we give artists a unique opportunity to work behind the scenes, putting their experience and ideas into this next generation of tech,” says ME General Partner Rachel Lynn Karry. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220923005491/en/ Contacts Jessie Galman, jessie@dimoso.com

10 Best Stealth Games – DualShockers https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/10-best-stealth-games-dualshockers/ Stealth games are not some of the most readily available modern-day titles, as the genre has kind of died down over the years. They require a little more thinking than the typical FPS game, as trying to take on situations without putting much thought will–a lot of the time–get players overran and killed. Stealth games are like giant puzzles that concern themselves with figuring out how to navigate around or quietly kill enemies. Some of the games that will be mentioned allow players to take on a more hands-on approach to combat, but, for the most part, these games rely mainly on players figuring out intricate ways to deal with their opponents. 10 Styx: Shards of Darkness Styx: Shards of Darkness took the original, which was a subpar game, and made it a better stealth game. The game has many flaws, but it still gives players exactly what they would want from a stealth game. There are plenty of objects and tools to help players take out enemies, and Styx’s skill tree is improved upon heavily. The game has many problems in terms of its actual combat and the way that combat takes place around the player. The game’s environments and stealth mechanics are great for those that love strictly stealth games and can put up with some hiccups here and there. 9 Volume Volume is a top-down game that is visually stunning and has a strong, enjoyable story about broadcasting virtual heists to put it all together. It feels like a Pac-Man game, but instead of collecting yellow orbs, players must collect diamonds. There are also various types of enemies that must be traversed around differently. The gameplay is key as players can use the surrounding environment as well as the few tools they are equipped with to distract guards and get past them. It’s a lot simpler than many games on this list but filled with heist-like adrenaline. 8 Batman: Arkham Asylum Out of all the Batman games, Batman: Arkham Asylum feels like it focuses on stealth the deepest as there are a lot of areas that absolutely require that gameplay mechanism. If stealth is not used, then brute force will get Batman killed. There are also parts of the game that are heavily focused on combat, but it’s still a stealth game that’s meant to make the player feel like the real Batman. Players will also unlock different gadgets along their journey that add to the diversity of combat and stealth mechanics the game places forward. 7 Dishonored Dishonored made a stealth game that felt heavily inspired by the BioShock franchise and Thief series. Each of the levels feels like a large maze that needs to be stealthily traversed. The game does offer combat options, but a lot of the time, players will have to combine these with stealth elements to take out enemies. The game allows players to complete its entirety without ever killing anyone. Going with an entire pacifist run adds more challenge and thought to the game. However, it’s important to note that killing more people (using stealth) causes some interesting end-game events. 6 Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory is probably the best Splinter Cell game in the series. It takes on a true stealth approach. This is not a game that offers the choice of stealth, but that makes the player have to use stealth or risk failing the mission they’re on. There are many different ways for players to view the world they travel in, with night vision, infrared, and emf visions. These different modes allow for different stealth options. This game might not be as large in scale as some other games, but it does everything right in terms of providing a nice variety of stealth options for completing them. 5 Sly Cooper: Thieves In Time Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time continues the story of one of the best platforming stealth series available. The game’s iconic characters emerge to drive the story forward in an interesting tale that surrounds itself with different eras that players must explore. The game allows players to play as all of Sly’s ancestors that he comes across. Each of Sly’s ancestors has different mechanics that specifically pertain to them, like being able to leap to faraway areas and, in a not-so-stealthy approach, pull out a gun to shoot at enemies. It’s a game with a comic-like style and entertaining variety. 4 Deus Ex: Human Revolution Deus Ex: Human Revolution feels like a giant cyberpunk spy mission. The game heavily focuses on stealth and is one of the harder titles on the list. That’s because a lot of the levels in the game require players to act perfectly in each moment, as making mistakes will be heavily punished with quick deaths. The game has a lot of upgrades that augment a player’s main character’s cybernetic body and allow for new stealth options like the ability to breathe in poisonous gas or sprint silently. The game encompasses everything it needs to live up to the definition of “Cool.” 3 Outlast Outlast is a stealth game unlike any other in this list because of its horror gameplay, which provides players with zero ways to fight back against enemies. The game focuses on players needing to sneak around areas while being hunted down by different types of enemies and having to avoid them. Each of the enemies in the game feels like a nightmarish antagonist as players will spend quite a bit of time navigating around them. Outlast is not for those who are squeamish, as the game is meant to horrify players while providing interesting stealth mechanics. 2 Hitman 3 Hitman 3’s gameplay is very similar to that of its predecessors, but the maps feel a lot larger and more alive in how players are able to take on targets. Each area feels like something that players would see in a big-budget film, but players can experience their own espionage-style hits in these large gorgeous settings. Each mission feels like it has more and more to add to the game’s mechanics, and all of this comes together in the game’s final mission. The last mission is a lot tighter in scope but still offers several distinct options to complete it. Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain has some of the best stealth mechanics ever added to video games. The game feels as though it is intelligently trying to outsmart the player as it will make situations more difficult by strategically place enemies after learning a player’s preferred play style. It’s a game with an open world that allows players to roam through it freely and form their own adventures. It also lets them take on missions in the best ways they see fit, with many players’ choice of completing missions being specific to themselves. There is a lot of attention to detail, as even the weather impacts the flow of combat in the game. NEXT: Most Successful Indie Games

Biden’s Anemic Crypto Framework Offered Us Nothing New – Cointelegraph https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/bidens-anemic-crypto-framework-offered-us-nothing-new-cointelegraph/ The long-awaited cryptocurrency regulation framework released by President Joe Biden’s Treasury Department this month attempted to outline a plan for managing the burgeoning crypto industry. Unfortunately, the department’s assessment failed to embody more substance than a mere mission statement. While Biden’s administration appears to be taking a “whole-of-government approach” toward overseeing the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector and its ripple effects on the traditional economy, they are focused predominantly on defending against negative events — such as financial crime — and failing to facilitate positive events, such as the wealth-building opportunities that crypto offers to Americans excluded from the traditional big-banking system. The new framework was a follow-up to Biden’s executive order in March, titled, “Ensuring Responsible Development of Digital Asset.” Officials focused predominantly on prosecuting money launderers and Ponzi schemers across jurisdictions. That may come as no surprise, considering it was developed as crypto dominoes fell over the summer months. Those included the collapse of Terraform Labs, which led to an Interpol arrest warrant for its founder, Do Kwon; the Celsius Network’s bankruptcy; and the collapse of crypto prices. Nonetheless, these events served the healthy purpose of shaking out bad actors who were in crypto for criminal or self-interested purposes. An effective set of laws related to crypto that prevent illicit activity and promote peer-to-peer financial transactions would work wonders for crypto’s public image. The Biden framework, which is more reactive than proactive, doesn’t achieve that. Related: Biden is hiring 87,000 new IRS agents — and they’re coming for you As a nation, we don’t agree on much these days. We mostly want the United States to remain a global economic superpower, but we differ on how to do it. Stablecoins and other cryptocurrencies dismantle the power of federal currencies and allow individuals to accrue wealth independently, which is exactly why the federal government doesn’t like them. The Biden framework literature suggests digital currency is key to securing America’s future as an economic leader. But if it grants power over crypto to the same authorities who wield power over traditional finance, the status quo isn’t going to change. Instead of establishing the U.S. dollar’s “digital twin,” the government would be better off finding a way to coexist with alternative currencies. The White House’s proposed framework is a fucking disgrace. – Clear attack on proof-of-work by implying they will set environmental standards for mining. – Pushing FedNow over crypto – Framing everything as a potential scam or threat – Harping on volatility and consumer risk — The Wolf Of All Streets (@scottmelker) September 16, 2022 It’s time to move beyond the enforcement of existing regulations and to institute new programs that integrate blockchain technology into areas most in need of disruption, such as healthcare and big business, even if we can’t quite agree on how to address currencies. For example, keeping medical records on a blockchain — like Estonia’s highly advanced e-health system already does — would streamline and secure each person’s health data from birth through death, with each doctor or pharmacist along the way accessing an accurate history to make the best decision. Collecting anonymized, uncorrupted medical data is going to lead to better research, better treatments and more cost-effective health care. Related: Cryptocurrency is picking up as an instrument of tyranny Similarly, putting property and business records on a blockchain would lead to more accountability for big, opaque corporations that make bold claims of charity and sustainability. Such transparency would allow consumers to make more informed decisions about who they buy from — and bank with. The federal government should also nurture blockchain technology by investing in large-scale blockchain projects and incentivizing companies that use it to better serve the public. Going forward, let’s hope both federal and state governments will cooperate to write real crypto industry legislation, not just to mitigate its damage, but to foster its potential. Cryptocurrencies and other digital assets have the capacity to bring wealth-building opportunities to huge swaths of unbanked Americans, break up monopolies, and hold wealthy Goliaths accountable for their business dealings to a degree never seen before. The Biden framework is a lukewarm beginning, but we have a long way to go. Guy Gotslak is the president and founder of the CryptoIRA platform My Digital Money (MDM). He holds a degree in computer science & engineering from UCLA and an MBA from Northwestern University. This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.

North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile Ahead Of U.S. VP Harris Visit – Reuters https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/north-korea-fires-ballistic-missile-ahead-of-u-s-vp-harris-visit-reuters/ North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un addresses the Supreme People’s Assembly, North Korea’s parliament, which passed a law officially enshrining its nuclear weapons policies, in Pyongyang, North Korea, September 8, 2022 in this photo released by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). KCNA via REUTERS Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com SEOUL, Sept 25 (Reuters) – North Korea fired an unidentified ballistic missile towards the sea off its east coast on Sunday, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said, ahead of large-scale planned military drills by South Korean and U.S. forces involving an aircraft carrier. South Korea’s military did not provide further details about the missile including the range or its trajectory. South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported on Saturday North Korea may be preparing to test a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), citing the South’s military. read more Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com The launch comes after the arrival of a U.S. aircraft carrier in South Korea to participate in joint drills with South Korean forces, and ahead of a planned visit next week by U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. read more It was the first time the North carried out such a launch after firing eight short-range ballistic missiles in one day in early June, which led the United States to call for more U.N sanctions for violating U.N. Security Council resolutions. North Korea rejects U.N. resolutions as an infringement of its sovereign right to self defence and space exploration. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Daniel Wallis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Komac, Tiglea Advance At ITA Texas Regionals – Texas Tech Red Raiders – TexasTech.com https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/komac-tiglea-advance-at-ita-texas-regionals-texas-tech-red-raiders-texastech-com/ FORT WORTH, Texas – It was another winning day for the Red Raiders at the ITA Texas Regional tournament as Metka Komac won three matches on the Saturday to stay alive in both singles and doubles. Komac, who posted three wins yesterday, continued her hot streak as she won all her singles and doubles matches today. In singles, she took on UT Arlington’s Francisca Vergara, who is also the 10-seed in the tournament. Komac was able to win her match in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3, to advance to the quarterfinals. She will face Vivian Ovrootsky of Texas tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m. Paired up with teammate Cristina Tiglea in doubles, the Red Raider duo is semifinals bound after winning two matches today. First, the Red Raiders defeated the 13-seeded SMU pair of Winslow Huth and Maja Makoric, 8-4, before beating Rice’s six-seeded duo of Marte Lambrecht and Allison Zipoli, 8-6. They will continue doubles play tomorrow with a match against nine-seeded Jasmine Adams and Matilde Morais of North Texas. MAIN DRAW SINGLES RESULTS [5] Metka Komac def. [10] Francisca Vergara (UT Arlington), 6-2, 6-3 [6] Hadley Doyle (SMU) def. [12] Cristina Tiglea, 7-5, 6-1 MAIN DRAW DOUBLES RESULTS [4] Metka Komac/Cristina Tiglea def. [13] Winslow Huth/Maja Makoric (SMU), 8-4 [4] Metka Komac/Cristina Tiglea def. [6] Marte Lambrecht/Allison Zipoli (Rice), 8-6 UPCOMING MATCHES [4] Metka Komac/Cristina Tiglea vs. [9] Jasmine Adams/Matilde Morais (North Texas) [5] Metka Komac vs. [4] Vivian Ovrootsky (Texas)

Money Being Raised For WSP Trooper Shot In The Face In Walla Walla. He’s In Harborview ICU – Tri-City Herald https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/money-being-raised-for-wsp-trooper-shot-in-the-face-in-walla-walla-hes-in-harborview-icu-tri-city-herald/ A GoFundMe account has been opened for Washington State Trooper Dean Atkinson Jr., who was shot in the face Thursday evening in Walla Walla and drove himself to a hospital. Courtesy GoFundMe Walla Walla, WA Money is pouring in to help the Washington State Patrol trooper who drove himself to a hospital after being shot in the face Thursday evening in Walla Walla. As of Saturday morning, more than $11,000 had been raised in a GoFundMe account for Trooper Dean Atkinson Jr. of Walla Walla. He plans to be married next summer after becoming engaged in December. “Let’s help alleviate any financial burden they have from this tragic act of violence,” posted fundraiser organizer Jenny Mayberry. Hot Mama’s Espresso in Walla Walla posted on Facebook, “He literally just took a bullet to the face for our beloved community and we should raise enough money to pay for his wedding and honeymoon.” At the Walla Walla High School football game Friday night, players carried both the U.S. flag and also a thin blue line flag onto the field to honor Atkinson. A GoFundMe account has been opened for Washington State Trooper Dean Atkinson Jr., who was shot in the face Thursday evening in Walla Walla and drove himself to a hospital. Courtesy GoFundMe Atkinson was in the intensive care unit of Harborview Medical Center in Seattle on Friday, where he was listed in serious condition. In Walla Walla, a suspect in the case made his first appearance in court on Friday. Brandon Dennis O’Neel, 37, of Walla Walla, is being held in the Walla Walla County Jail on suspicion of premeditated first-degree murder, first-degree assault with a deadly weapon and attempting to elude police, according to court documents. Trooper’s car rammed before shooting Atkinson, a five-year veteran of the state patrol, was rammed by a vehicle about 5:10 p.m. Thursday at Myra Road and Poplar Street near Sportsman’s Warehouse. The trooper then was shot. WSP Trooper Sarah Clasen said the WSP had contact with the suspected shooter earlier in the day. Court documents show O’Neel was served Thursday with an eviction notice at his Walla Walla apartment and inside officers found a sign that said, “Bomb.” The WSP’s bomb squad found no explosives but he had left a note that said, “Evict me and I will execute any cop or manager you send period,” according to the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin. O’Neel returned to his apartment about 4:50 p.m. and could not get in and drove off in a silver car, said the documents. Less than 20 minutes later, witnesses reported seeing a man get out of a silver car and shoot at Atkinson’s marked white patrol car, said the documents. O’Neel allegedly fired a gun three or four times at Atkinson. Atkinson remained conscious and alert and drove himself a little more than a mile and a half down West Poplar Street to Providence St. Mary Medical Center at 401 W. Poplar St. It’s unclear if O’Neel also rammed the trooper’s car as officials previously reported. A Washington State Trooper who was shot at Myra Road and Poplar Street in Walla Walla drove himself to St. Mary Medical Center. Google Maps Atkinson was treated there and then flown to Harborview, escorted to the airport by numerous emergency vehicles. Walla Walla area law enforcement officers responded to the scene of the shooting, said a Tri-Cities-based Regional Special Investigations Unit news release. The independent unit is called in to investigate officer-involved shootings. Several minutes later police officers from Milton Freewater, Ore., tried to stop a gray or silver car matching the description from the incident. A short pursuit toward the Oregon state line ended on Highway 125 north of Stateline Road and O’Neel was taken into custody. Trooper’s strength called out “This evening we were once again reminded of how dangerous the profession of law enforcement can be when one of our troopers was involved in a critical incident while on duty in Walla Walla,” WSP Chief John R. Batiste said Thursday night. “We were also reminded of how strong and resolute our people can be when Trooper Dean Atkinson, though seriously injured, found the strength to drive himself to the hospital.” Gov. Jay Inslee posted on Twitter Friday, saying “What an incredible feat of strength.” He said he was sending “thoughts of comfort” to Atkinson. A Facebook screenshot shows the Walla Walla High School football team honoring Trooper Dean Atkinson Jr., shot in the face Thursday, by carrying the thin blue line flag onto the field Friday night. Batiste thanked the public for an outpouring of support. “Though there is certainly danger and cruelty in our world, there is also courage and grace, and for that we are thankful just as we are thankful for this fine young trooper’s service and survival,” Batiste said. The Oregon Department of Transportation reported Highway 11 was closed at the Washington and Oregon border for several hours Thursday evening for law enforcement activities. Washington Highway 125 becomes Highway 11 at the state line. Walla Walla Police Chief Chris Buttice requested the assistance of the Regional Special Investigations Unit to conduct the investigation of the incident. The unit, which covers Benton, Franklin and Walla Walla counties, does independent investigations of officer-involved shootings. This story was originally published September 24, 2022 11:51 AM. Senior staff writer Annette Cary covers Hanford, energy, the environment, science and health for the Tri-City Herald. She’s been a news reporter for more than 30 years in the Pacific Northwest.

Inside The Secret World Of Luxury Hotels-Within-Hotels – The Points Guy https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/inside-the-secret-world-of-luxury-hotels-within-hotels-the-points-guy/ Even if you’ve been to Las Vegas dozens of times, you may not know there’s a secret, ultraluxe hotel hidden within the MGM Grand. Called The Mansion at MGM Grand, this hotel-within-a-hotel consists of 29 “Mediterranean-themed residences ranging from 2,400 square feet to 12,000 square feet” all within “an enclave of privacy and pleasure where the sensual riches of Tuscany reach their fullest expression,” according to the website. Translation: There’s a little Tuscan village, exclusively for the rich and famous, under a glass dome in the shadow of the famous green resort on the Las Vegas Strip. And guests staying in that VIP village get exclusive perks such as private butlers, limousine transport, highly customized private dining, an exclusive pool and more. Sign up for our daily newsletter Interested in a stay? “Qualified guests only,” the website warns. But what makes someone qualified? The Mansion at MGM Grand. SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY A representative for the hotel remained tight-lipped about who qualifies, but a call to the reservations desk answered a few questions. You technically don’t need to be a high roller or a Grammy winner, as I assumed, to book a stay in one of these villas, but a reservation request has to be approved by management, the phone agent explained to me. That’s because those managers give priority (and probably free stays) to the actual high rollers who are droppings hundreds of thousands of dollars in the casino. But if you’re gambling is more modest, or even nonexistent, anyone who can afford the Mansion — I was quoted $6,000 to $7,500 a night for a two-bedroom villa — can put in a request and, assuming they’re not all blocked off by the higher powers, there’s a fair chance the stay is yours. One word of advice: Don’t try to book a stay here when there’s a big event on the books, like a fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Also, don’t try to book more than 90 days in advance, as these larger-than-life villas (including the four-bedroom villa with an indoor pool) seem to be mostly set aside in case a true VIP pops into town. While The Mansion at MGM Grand is certainly one of the most top-tier experiences in Sin City, it’s not the only hotel-within-a-hotel in town. In fact, there are quite a few on the Strip. And now the trend of putting another entirely separate hotel, hidden or not, within another hotel is starting to spread outside the confines of Las Vegas. Hotels hiding in plain sight In its most simple form, a hotel-within-a-hotel is exactly what it sounds like: a separate hotel tucked away inside a bigger or better-known hotel. In theory, there are no set rules and a hotel-within-a-hotel can be whatever a hotelier wants it to be, from a set of luxurious villas with a private reception area to an entirely different brand or chain in the same building. “A hotel-within-a-hotel is a more elevated experience offering elite interiors, designated check-in areas, exclusive services, dedicated staff and upgraded amenities that are completely different from the host hotel,” Benjamin Kott, vice president of hotel operations at Aria and Vdara in Las Vegas, told TPG. Kott added that MGM has hotels like this in its portfolio, including NoMad at Park MGM and Delano at Mandalay Bay. The NoMad Las Vegas in the Park MGM is a great example of a well-known brand setting up shop within a larger host hotel. The Sydell Group, the force behind brands like Line and Freehand, originally created the much-loved NoMad New York, which closed in 2021. Playing off the success of that hotel, Sydell Group, which owns Park MGM, brought a taste of New York to the Strip in the form of a hotel-within-a-hotel, the NoMad Las Vegas, which has its own porte cochere, or private entrance. The entrance to the NoMad Las Vegas. MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL But that’s not the only one. The Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas is tucked away in the Mandalay Bay complex and the Nobu Hotel Las Vegas, the very first in the Nobu hotel empire that’s sweeping the globe, is found in Caesars Palace. While each of these hotels is different in what it offers, one of the big perks is that guests in the more exclusive (often more expensive) hotels can still use the amenities of what Kott called the “host” hotel. At the Four Seasons in Las Vegas, for example, guests can swim in the private Four Seasons pool or take advantage of Mandalay Bay’s massive pool complex and its real-sand beach. FOUR SEASONS But there’s another type of hotel-within-a-hotel — one that’s created by and within the host hotel to offer an elevated, luxurious experience for someone looking for something beyond just a place to sleep at night. “As the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas sees a variety of visitors from all over the globe who travel to the city with specific tastes and interests,” said Kott. “We’re seeing now, more than ever, that our guests want an elevated stay and experiences that showcase more customer service and amenities and hotels-within-hotels offer all that and more.” At his hotel, Aria, there are actually two hotel-within-a-hotel experiences: Aria Sky Suites and Sky Villas, both of which just went through head-to-toe remodels. At Sky Suites, there are 400 suites with one to multiple bedrooms that can be booked directly online by anyone willing to shell out upward of $1,100 per night. A Sky Suites one-bedroom penthouse. MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL The Sky Villas are akin to The Mansion at MGM Grand, requiring management approval to release one of the resort’s top-tier rooms that would otherwise be given to a high roller. Calling to see what kind of price we might be looking at for one of the Sky Villas, a phone representative said he recently saw managers approve a three-bedroom suite for $20,000 a night and smaller rooms (they start at 2,000 square feet, so not that small) for between $10,000 and $12,000 a night. But hey, that’s the price of exclusivity. “Aria Sky Suites and Sky Villas at Aria are definitely separate experiences from Aria itself in that they both offer complimentary luxury transportation to and from the airport,” Kott explained. “They also have their own separate entrance and designated check-in area, a separate pool area and a 24-hour concierge that gives Sky Suites and Sky Villa guests effortless access to some of the city’s best offerings.” And if you’re curious if these hotels-within-hotels are competing against their host hotels, the answer is a simple no, according to Kott. “It’s a different kind of clientele so it doesn’t compete.” Beyond Las Vegas Though Las Vegas may hold the crown for most hotel-within-a-hotel experiences, it’s not the only place you can find the concept. One place to look for it is Miami, where there are a number of properties offering a secret (or not-so-secret) hotel within another. At the storied Eden Roc Miami Beach, which opened in 1955 to the sounds of a live Harry Belafonte performance, would-be guests can book a stay at Nobu Hotel Miami Beach, which has a pool for guests 21 and older and a private beach area. Marriott got in on the action by opening The Hotel Beaux Arts, part of the Autograph Collection, on the top floors of the JW Marriott Marquis Miami. There, guests might not have the same exclusive perks as in Vegas, but guests can have a more boutique stay in the room while enjoying shared amenities between the two like the Enliven Spa, a 19th-floor pool, virtual bowling and even basketball courts. Up in Palm Beach, Florida, guests can always expect a luxurious stay at The Breakers, a palatial oceanfront property that dates back to the late 1800s. But for a much more exclusive stay, check into The Flagler Club, a boutique-like hotel on the top floors of the resort that comes with Telsa chauffeur service, a private lounge and rooftop terrace, a dedicated team to help with any needs and more — all for about $1,000 more per night than a standard Breakers room. On the other side of the country, in California, San Diego’s Hotel del Coronado just unveiled an entirely new hotel-within-a-hotel experience, alongside its other hotel offerings, billed as “neighborhoods.” The newest hotel, The Shore House, comprises 75 one-, two- and three-bedroom residential-style accommodations right off the beach of the Pacific Ocean. The Shore House pool. HILTON Though the resort itself is a sprawling complex with accommodation types for every type of traveler, The Shore House is an elevated, luxury experience that feels more like a vacation rental with a dedicated resort entrance, a zero-edge oceanfront pool with private cabanas, a poolside bar and access to the resort’s other amenities, plus a VIP concierge exclusive to Shore House guests. Rates at The Shore House start at $1,299 a night. Bottom line Hotels-within-hotels aren’t a new concept, but it’s also a growing trend I hope we see more of in the future, especially at big resorts like you’ll find in Las Vegas and other popular vacation destinations. While club-level rooms at a lot of hotels do offer special perks like a lounge and a happy hour, having an entirely different hotel-within-a-hotel creates a truly distinct experience that can totally elevate a trip (and its price tag). So, the next time you’re looking for a place to stay, be sure to do a little digging. Who knows, there might just be a secret hotel — or Tuscan village — hiding in the shadows. Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. %

The Villages Is A Business – Villages-News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/the-villages-is-a-business-villages-news/ By Letters to the Editor September 24, 2022 To the Editor: No matter how much we would like to think otherwise, “The Villages” is a business corporation – a business, not our favorite old uncle. Margaret Shark Village of Springdale More Headlines Stories in and around The Villages, Florida Man jailed after allegedly threatening to hit woman in face with hammer at Lowe’s Sumter County steps up spraying after confirmation of West Nile Virus and St. Louis Encephalitis Bicyclist riding without lights arrested with syringes and methamphetamine Motorcyclist from Sumter County dies after struck by van Allamanda Recreation Center billiards tables to be renovated Irrigation system will be flushed in the Village of Winifred Load more

Lynchburg-Area Programs, Parks Aim To Encourage Healthy Living – Lynchburg News And Advance https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/lynchburg-area-programs-parks-aim-to-encourage-healthy-living-lynchburg-news-and-advance/ Dr. Cate Varney and P.E. teacher Kelly Walters discuss childhood obesity in Charlottesville, Va. Childhood obesity is a problem around the nation and in Virginia, and the Lynchburg area is no exception. Dr. Michael Jones, a specialist in bariatric medicine at Centra Weight Loss in Lynchburg, described childhood obesity as a significant and growing problem. “It’s really becoming a huge issue,” Jones said. “It is estimated that the current generation of children will be the first generation of children in modern history that have a lower life expectancy than their parents. And we think a very significant percentage of that is the obesity epidemic.” Jones spends a lot of time counseling and working with patients in the Lynchburg area who suffer from obesity and has worked in Lynchburg for almost five years. He said he has become rather passionate about talking to patients who are young parents on addressing their obesity. He uses that as a means of helping their children. “If you have one parent with obesity, you have a greater than 50% likelihood of developing obesity even if you were skinny as a rail all the way up through high school,” Jones said. The Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth was established in 1999 by the Virginia General Assembly and encourages youth in the commonwealth to make healthy choices by reducing and preventing tobacco use, substance use and childhood obesity. It did a survey in 2019 in partnership with the Virginia Department of Health, the Department of Education in Virginia and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Michael Parsons, director of programs for Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth, said officials went to schools around the state and surveyed high school students ages 15 to 18, using that data to get an idea of what programs could help youth. In the survey from 2019, about 32% of youths described themselves as slightly or very overweight, and about 18% said they were obese.  “Both Southwest Virginia and Central Virginia do have childhood obesity rates that are higher than the statewide average,” Parsons said. Parsons said the group is waiting for updated data to come in from last year, to see the effect the pandemic has had on obesity numbers. “This has not been a normal two-year period, and so I’m not sure what it’s going to show us,” Parsons said. “I don’t know what the impact of school closures or what the impact of a public health pandemic will be on childhood obesity rates,” Parsons said. Lynchburg Parks and Recreation has programs in place around the city for physical activity. Jennifer Jones, director of parks and rec, said one big way the city provides physical activity and infrastructure is through neighborhood centers. There are six such centers: College Hill, Daniels Hill, Diamond Hill, Fairview, Jefferson Park and Yoder in Timber Ridge. Activities at the centers include playgrounds and basketball courts that have been recently upgraded. Lynchburg Parks and Recreation is working on several plans, such as the Jefferson Park Master Plan and the College Park Master Plan. Those efforts are intended to bring new infrastructure, including new sports courts, new ball fields and natural playgrounds. Along with receiving the proper amount of physical activity, Jennifer Jones said eating the right amount of nutritious food is important. To that end, fresh produce is free at all neighborhood centers. “A lot of times what’s missing isn’t necessarily the activity piece, it’s the nutrition piece, and we’ve really focused on making locally grown produce available,” she said. Jennifer Jones also emphasized the educational piece. At the centers, there are programs that teach children how to grow and harvest their own food. There’s also a program called healthy eats in partnership with Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this program, kids learn the importance of healthy eating, the repercussions of not eating healthy and how to cook meals. Also, Jennifer Jones said Lynchburg City Council has adopted in its Lynchburg Plan — a roadmap of how the city will accomplish council’s priorities — a 10-minute walk program, which is the idea of placing a park within a 10-minute walk of every neighborhood. She said this makes people three times as likely to get the recommended physical activity daily. Overall, the parks and rec director emphasized that the department is conscious of this problem. “We’re very conscious of this; health and wellness is one of three pillars in parks and recreation,” Jennifer Jones said. “So you know we are super focused on that.” Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter.

Tennessee Vs. Florida Score: Live Game Updates, College Football Scores, NCAA Top 25 Highlights Today – CBS Sports https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/tennessee-vs-florida-score-live-game-updates-college-football-scores-ncaa-top-25-highlights-today-cbs-sports/ Season Leaders passing A. Richardson423 YD, 4 INTS A. Richardson423 YD, 4 INTS H. Hooker844 YD, 6 TDSH. Hooker844 YD, 6 TDS rushing M. Johnson Jr.25 ATT, 240 YD, 2 TDSM. Johnson Jr.25 ATT, 240 YD, 2 TDS J. Wright45 ATT, 231 YD, 3 TDSJ. Wright45 ATT, 231 YD, 3 TDS receiving R. Pearsall7 REC, 120 YDR. Pearsall7 REC, 120 YD J. Hyatt18 REC, 267 YD, 3 TDSJ. Hyatt18 REC, 267 YD, 3 TDS See New Posts Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned TENNESSEE IS BACK IN THE END ZONE The Vols hit paydirt with seven seconds left in the first half. Hendon Hooker hits Bru McCoy for a two-yard touchdown toss in the back of the end zone to put the Vols up 17-14. The Vols went 99 yards on 12 plays in only 2:43! Hendon Hooker is up to 248 yards passing and 65 yards rushing. What’s more important is that Tennessee will get the ball to start the third quarter. That means they’ll have a chance to go from down four to up two scores before Florida touches the ball again. Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned LOOK A THIS CATCH BY RAMEL KEYTON Pinned Pinned Pinned WE’VE HAD OUR FIRST PUNT The Tennessee defense helps out its offense by holding the Gators to only 12 yards on its possession following the turnover on downs. The Vols get teh ball back at the UT 1 with 3 timeouts and 2:50 on the clock. It’ll be interesting to see how aggressive they get here. Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned HOOKER STRIPPED AND IT’S FLORIDA BALL The good news is that it was already 4th down, so it’s not as devastating as it could’ve been, but the bad news is Hendon Hooker was stripped from behind by Amari Burney and the fumble was recovered by Ventrell Miller. The Gators get the ball back at the UF 38 with a chance to go up two scores before halftime.  Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned TOUCHDOWNS EVERYWHERE That’s three straight possessions ending in the end zone. Florida goes 75 yards in eight plays, with Anthony Richardson finishing the drive with a 7-yard TD run. Richardson has looked terrific so far today. He’s 10/16 for 207 yards and a TD passing and has now rushed for 41 yards and a touchdown. It’s starting to look like we’ve got a shootout on our hands. I just can’t decide whether it’s first to 40 wins, or team that has the ball last wins. I guess we’ll find out! Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned See More

GDCC Blockchain Announces Launch Of Its Metaverse GDC World And Pre Sale Of Bliss Token – Digital Journal https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/gdcc-blockchain-announces-launch-of-its-metaverse-gdc-world-and-pre-sale-of-bliss-token-digital-journal/ London, UK, 24th September 2022, ZEXPRWIRE, The most awaited metaverse is here, GDCC Blockchain-backed Global Digital City metaverse is live now. Global Digital City was launched on 22 Sept 2022 at a YouTube event online. GDC world is the first community-owned virtual world. It consists of over 1 Lacs plots of LAND. The plot comes with its own built-in website, a game, and a social network, Potential features that Global Digital City has planned for this platform such as A unique way of socializing and interacting with other players, A built-in game that you can play at any time or even offline, A networked community where you can interact with other players from all over the world and A place where you can buy land plots and build your dream home. The Global Digital City Project is an effort to develop a decentralized, virtual community where all members have an equal voice in the direction of their virtual community. Once the city is built, members will be able to create and build upon their own unique vision of the city. The project envisions a platform where all members can interact, gather, discuss and learn about each other’s visions, goals, and ideas. Copies of the City will be able to tokenize, with the potential to generate recurring income through strategic investment and mining. The platform will include both centralized and decentralized features, making it possible to build a fully-functional city from the start to finish. GLOBAL DIGITAL CITY Global Digital City prides itself as the first community-owned virtual world. It consists of over 1 Lacs plots of LAND, which are unique NFTs built on the Global Digital Cluster Coin (GDCC) blockchain. Global Digital City has many types of LAND, including different kinds of individual parcels, ESTATES consisting of many plots, districts, a collection of parcels with similar themes, and plazas, which are untradable parcels that serve as hubs owned by the community. These parcels of LAND can be purchased and sold on the Global Digital City marketplace, as well as wearables and names for in-game avatars. BLISS TOKEN Bliss is an GDCC-20 token that can be used to transact within the Global Digital City ecosystem with almost zero gas fees. BLISS token will serve functions like Staking, Advertising, Digital Collectibles and Social Groups. These functions will create a seamless and scalable experience for the creators and users of the platform. The Bliss Token pre-sale is now live. The 1st and 2nd rounds are over. Currently, Round 3 is ongoing and will end on 30th September 2022, at a price of 0.10 $. There will be a Round 4 starting on 1st October and ending on 31st October 2022 with a Buying Price of 0.20$. Round 5 will begin on November 1st, 2022, ending on February 14th, 2023, at a $0.40 Buying Price. It will be listed on centralised and decentralised exchanges starting 1st March 2023 to 1st April 2023, with a listing price of 2$. GDCC ECOSYSTEM GDCC Blockchain is growing day by day currently GDCC has 150 + projects that are live on our blockchain. As of now, GDCC blockchain have half a million holders and before the end of 2022 GDCC blockchain will be crossing 2 million+ holders. GDCC Ecosystem that are live: Testnet Platform for Muzella and Hopium: First time GDCC Blockchain are giving an opportunity to our user to come and create liquidity on Testnet and even swap the tokens and learn how to use decentralized exchange beside this GDCC is also giving the same platform for muzella where users can test their Nft’s. Hopium Dex : After creating the smart contract user can easily create the liquidity on dex and start the token trading instantly. User can add liquidity to different pools and enjoy the benefits of earning fees from the transaction. Muzella Studio – Nft’s Buy and Sell Platform : In muzella Users can buy and sell Nft’s in the form of art, music, utility, sports, cards, collectibles and so on. GDCC do have a criteria where user can set the royalty fee at the time of creating the Nft’s from this they will be getting the passive income every time at the time of buy and sell of their Nft’s. Cross Chain Platform – GDCC, BNB & ETHEREUM : User can move our GDCC coins and tokens to different chains in the form of wrapped coins and tokens. Currently GDCC is supporting Bnb, Ethereum and in coming future GDCC will be adding more chains into that. GUSD – Pegged Stable Coin : Same as USDT. GDCC have launched our own stable coin for our ecosystem it is 100 % pegged and backed up with the USD in the form of USDT, USDC$ BUSD. Metaverse – Global Digital City : As we all know these days metaverse is so much trending in the market so keeping in mind GDCC have also launched our Global Digital City as a metaverse projects Bliss Token – Bliss is an GDCC-20 token that can be used to transact within the Global Digital City ecosystem with almost zero gas fees. Upcoming projects At least 5 more metaverse coming on GDCC Blockchain two already started working. Virtual Bay city and other one is Ocean Land Business. More play-to-earn games coming including like casino sports book, slots games and more. To participate in Bliss Token Pre-sale visit : www.blisstoken.io Visit Global Digital City Metaverse : Gdc.world

Slime Rancher 2: All Gordo Slime Locations – EXputer https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/slime-rancher-2-all-gordo-slime-locations-exputer/ The cute and squishy slimes are here, finally. As a player, you will know all about the Gordo Slime locations in Slime Rancher 2 in our guide. Slime Rancher 2 is a sequel to the first Slime Rancher game that was released back in 2017. You can also check out our guide on how to get a jetpack in Slime Rancher 2 and upgrade it as well.  Moreover, as Beatrix LeBeau, you will get to discover new lands in a world far away called Rainbow Island. Other than that, players will also find out so many new slimes of different kinds, all possessing special features and attributes.  Furthermore, make sure to stick around and come across new islands and even get to farm a conservatory. The conservatory will be used to craft and create new types of equipment that come in handy while battling your way through Slime Rancher 2.  What Are Gordo Slimes? Gordo Slimes are huge, immovable slimes. If you want to burst them, then just simply keep feeding them more food, and they will eventually crack. Gordo Slimes can even get teleporters unlocked that are very valuable and also help in dropping several slimes. Furthermore, players can also get access to some areas through Gordo Slimes, which they cannot go to otherwise. Moreover, you will also come across around sixteen Gordo Slimes in the wild in some range areas. Gordo Slimes are created when several slimes of the same kind mix up. Due to this, slimes cannot move anywhere.  Gordo Slimes are also capable of holding a Slime Key, and players can also get the Static Teleport discovered through it furthermore, if you want to spawn a Gordo on a site of Gadget. However, you would need to get the Gordo Snare by feeding it. It is also important to know that the Gordo that is snared cannot hold any keys. Below, we have mentioned all the locations of the Gordo Slime.  Locations Of Gordo Slimes If you want to see all the locations to get Gordo Slimes, keep reading. As valuable as they are, knowing the location can be just as difficult. However, in our guide, you will know all about the different Gordo Slimes and their locations. Locations Of Gordo Slime, Rainbow Island. Cotton Slime Gordo The slimes of Cotton are loved by almost everyone in Slime Rancher 2. When you see them, the slimes will remind you of small round bunnies, and it would be very easy to be caring towards them.  Moreover, finding the location of these slimes can be extremely easy as well. To find Cotton Gordo Slime, players can look at the southwestern side of Rainbow Island in the depths.  Cotton Gordo Slime. Just keep walking towards the south from your conservatory; you can also get your map in your hands to find it easily. Furthermore, as a player, you will have to feed the Gordo Cotton Slime hell lots of vegetables to get it defeated. Pink Slime Gordo Finding the Pink Slimes of Gordo is the easiest task in Slime Rancher 2, and they are also very adorable. Players will instantly feel lighter and relaxed when they are in the company of pink Gordon Slimes.  Pink Gordo Slime Players can locate the pink Gordo Slime and move towards the northwestern side of the fields of Rainbow. Check the map once you have walked towards the west from your conservatory. After the players have gotten to the Transfer Refinery icon on the map, keep walking, and you will come across Pink Gordo. To defeat this slime, players can get them to eat any kind of food they can get their hands on and defeat it. The Pink Slime Gordo is not at all choosy. Phosphorus Gordo Slime A very cool and fun slime in Slime Rancher 2 is called the Phosphorus Gordo Slime. The slimes look like bugs of lightning and have these green slugs inside of them, and it is so hard to resist just squeezing and squishing them! They are the kinds of slimes that every player, and we mean including us, would want to have existed in our real world. Finding the location of Pink Slimes would not take much of your time. However, we have described its location of it in detail in our guide.  Once the players are in the conservatory, they should start moving towards the side of the south and stop once they have found a ramp. The ramp will be seen located near a water body. So keep looking for it around the water, and you will find it for sure! Moreover, on the ramp, keep walking downwards, and you will also find a cave. Head inside the cave, and you will see Phosphorus Gordo Slime in there. To get the slime defeated, make sure you feed him tons of fruits.  Hunter Slime Gordo Hunter Slimes Gordo is so cute that the players will love finding them even if they did not offer any special rewards. Also, the locations for finding Hunter Slime Gordo are not that far, nor a difficulty.  However, players need to make sure that they have gotten the region of Starlight Strand unlocked beforehand. After it is accessible, start moving around and discovering more of that place. Along the way, you will lay your eyes on a field where there will be several cute little pink rock slimes everywhere. But you do not have to stop there; keep moving and going further unless you come across a little pathway. On that way, you will see the glorious hunter slime Gordo. Moreover, players need to make sure they got a hand full of meat to defeat the Gordo Slime in the game.  Wrap Up These are all the locations of Gordo Slime in Slime Rancher 2. Make sure to look at all the places mentioned carefully so that you do not miss out on any slime. Get the slime in your hands and beat them by feeding them various foods. Image Source: Trophy Tom Was this article helpful? Good job! Please give your positive feedback How could we improve this post? Please Help us.

Best New Crypto Coin Listing – Is Tamadoge The Next Shiba Inu, Dogecoin Or GMT – Cryptonews https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/best-new-crypto-coin-listing-is-tamadoge-the-next-shiba-inu-dogecoin-or-gmt-cryptonews/ Disclaimer: The Industry Talk section features insights by crypto industry players and is not a part of the editorial content of Cryptonews.com. Tamadoge (TAMA) will list on OKX exchange Sep 27 at 11:00 UTC and aims to combine the appeal to investors of meme coins like SHIB and DOGE with a P2E game, incorporating metaverse and move to earn mechanics. Is the best new coin listing to watch this week? New crypto TAMA is the in-game currency and rewards token of the Tamadoge battle app, used to mint virtual pets tokenized as NFTs and earnt by players in its ecosystem. This week Capital.com reviewed the Tamadoge project – another indicator its initial exchange offering (IEO) could perform well. OKX New Coin Listing Announcement – Tamadoge Next GMT Tamadoge raised 19 million USDT in its token presale in under two months, from July 25 – Sep 18, attracting a high level of investor interest despite crypto prices trending down – Bitcoin and Ethereum are still trading under $20,000 and $1,500 this week. That high demand eclipsed most crypto presales, private sales or initial coin offerings (ICOs) of 2021 or 2022 – for example the STEPN (GMT) token sale raised just $9.2 million, which included investment from crypto VCs such as Binance Labs, Alameda Research, Sequoia Capital and other big names. Coverage in CNBC at the 15 million USDT point may also have helped push the new crypto token’s seed round funding over the finish line a month earlier than planned on the Tamadoge roadmap. Yahoo Finance also highlighted TAMA as early as its beta sale. Across crypto news media, Tamadoge has made headlines in BeInCrypto, Bitcoinist, NewsBTC, The Cryptonomist, ZyCrypto, and others – TAMA combines the most popular sectors of cryptocurrency as a play to earn crypto asset, a meme coin and having upcoming metaverse and move to earn features. GMT at its peak hit a $2.5 billion live market cap – topping out at $4.18 with a circulating supply of 600 million (10% of its total supply, 6 billion). Its ICO price was $0.64, and its bull run took place while the Bitcoin price was in a downtrend – early March to late April 2022. Tamadoge will launch with a 1 billion circulating supply (50% of its total supply of 2 billion), at a listing price of $0.03 – an initial market cap of $30 million. Achieving the same market capitalization STEPN reached eight weeks from its launch would mean a TAMA price target of $2.50, an 83.3x gain.  Today since its correction GMT has a market cap of just over $380 million – which TAMA would hit at $0.38 per token, a 12.6x gain from its listing. Unlike GMT, TAMA is deflationary with an in-built token burn on Tamadoge store transactions – when players upgrade their Tamadoge NFT pets with accessories, or buy dog food. Having a higher percentage of its token supply unlocked at its IEO could also help support the price. Tamadoge also has no expensive barrier to entry like STEPN – in its M2E crypto game, players were required to buy NFT sneakers. The explosive bull cycle of GMT took place during a time period in which NFT sneakers had a floor price of around 12 Solana (SOL) – a testament to how popular apps that pay users in crypto are. Next Shiba Inu Shiba Inu initially dumped after its Binance listing (May 2021, and its Coinbase listing was in January) and hit a low of 0.00000510 USDT four months later in September It then exploded 17.3x to 0.00008854, mostly based on hype and FOMO – since then it has retraced most of its bull run, now trading slightly over 0.00001. At press time the Shiba Inu price is up, however its market structure is still bearish – printing lower highs and lower lows. Even after its approximately 90% correction from the top, Shiba Inu has a market cap of $6.4 billion today and fully diluted valuation (FDV) of closer to $7 billion. All with little utility or incentive to hold SHIB. Tamadoge could potentially be the next cryptocurrency to explode with its Doge aesthetics and more concrete use case, being the native currency of a play to earn crypto game – something Shiba Inu is beginning to explore with the recent launch of its Shiba Eternity P2E game. Next Dogecoin The Dogecoin price is up today by 10% – but at the time of writing its $0.06 – $0.07 price range is an almost 92% retracement from its all time high of $0.74 hit in May 2021 just before Elon Musk appeared on Saturday Night Live. Since launch, the Dogecoin total supply increased from 100 billion to almost 133 billion – DOGE is an inflationary asset with an infinite supply (no maximum supply). That aspect of its tokenomics will have contributed to its correction over the last 17 months. Terra Classic (LUNC) dominating the crypto news headlines in recent weeks for becoming a deflationary asset – the LUNC Burn is again in the news this week, covered on the Binance blog – will have raised awareness for many investors that deflationary cryptocurrency coins are a better investment. Tamadoge could potentially perform well both after its initial exchange listing and in the long term, due to its deflationary tokenomics. Crypto investors also increasingly look for new altcoin projects with doxxed teams. The Tamadoge developers and founders are public, rather than remaining anonymous – often a red flag and a sign of a potential scam or rug pull. As well as that transparency, Tamadoge completed a Solid Proof audit, CoinSniper KYC verification and has partnered with fiat payments gateway Transak. Best New Crypto Listing on OKX – Pre Register to Buy Tamadoge Tamadoge having its IEO on OKX – with more crypto exchange listings to follow – is another potential bullish catalyst for TAMA being the best new crypto coin to invest in. OKX has an exchange score of 6.1 on CoinMarketCap and a green rating – which CMC only awards to 21 top tier crypto exchanges. That exchange platform score is based on a variety of metrics including how trustworthy and safe an exchange is, its daily trading volume ($1.6 billion in the past 24 hours for OKX), and number of cryptocurrencies listed. Other big names like Bitmex, Delta exchange, Phemex, Bittrex, Poloniex and Bitmart all have a lower score and orange rating on CMC. The video above posted to the Tamadoge YouTube channel explains how to buy Tamadoge when it is listed – OKX also has a separate DEX for those unable to use its CEX. Tamadoge will also have its initial DEX offering (IDO) on OKX the same day six hours after the CEX listing (11:00 UTC) at 17:00 UTC. As well as Tamadoge potentially being the best new coin listing this month, new OKX signups have a chance to win a mystery box valued at $10,000. Visit OKX Visit OKX DEX Visit Tamadoge Website

Iranian Americans Are Demonstrating Across The US In Support Of Protesters In Iran – CNN https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/iranian-americans-are-demonstrating-across-the-us-in-support-of-protesters-in-iran-cnn/ CNN  —  Iranian Americans are staging demonstrations across the United States this weekend in solidarity with ongoing protests in Iran over the death of a 22-year-old woman who collapsed while in custody of morality police. “Join us in solidarity and be the voice of the Iranian people who are getting brutally suppressed for fighting for basic human rights while their access to internet is cut off,” read a flyer for an event on Saturday in Boston. Similar events are being held in California, Rhode Island and Florida, among other states. Protests erupted in the Islamic Republic earlier this week, following the death of Mahsa Amini last Friday. Days before her death, she was arrested by morality police in Tehran and taken to a “re-education” center to receive guidance on her attire. Iran’s morality police is a dedicated unit enforcing strict dress codes for women, such as wearing the compulsory headscarf. While in custody, Amini fell into a coma and died shortly thereafter. Police have called Amini’s death an “unfortunate incident” and denied she was physically harmed in custody, semiofficial news agency Fars News said on Monday. Iranian officials have said Amini died after suffering a “heart attack” following her arrest, but her family say she did not have a preexisting heart condition. Protesters, demanding justice and accountability for Amini’s death, have since taken to the streets of Tehran and beyond. Videos show crowds cheering as women cut their hair and burn their headscarves in defiance of laws requiring women to cover their heads while in public. Chants range from “Women, life, freedom” to “Death to the dictator,” a reference to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. The government has attempted to curb dissent with force and an internet blackout. Dozens of protesters have reportedly been killed in resulting clashes with security forces. CNN cannot independently verify the death toll – a precise figure is impossible for anyone outside the Iranian government to confirm – and different estimates have been given by opposition groups, international rights organizations and local journalists. Amnesty International said Friday at least 30 people, including four children, had died; according to state media the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, 35 people have died. In support of the protests, Iranian Americans are hosting rallies, vigils and other events. Many are calling for an end to the police crackdown, as well as greater human rights for Iranian women, including an end to compulsory dress codes. Earlier this week, protests were held at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, as well as University of California, Berkeley, among other locations. Demonstrations will continue through the weekend, including San Francisco, where supporters will attempt to form a human chain across the Golden Gate Bridge Sunday. Majid Sadeghpour, an Iranian American who lives in Virginia, is one of the organizers of a Saturday rally in Washington. The protests, Sadeghpour told CNN, symbolize solidarity with those in Iran who are “ready to overthrow this regime despite the cost.” “People of Iran are in the process of another revolution,” Sadeghpour said. “The regime has been declining for years and now is literally falling. We call on the international community to sever ties with this regime and instead support the Iranian people and their organized resistance.” Sepideh Sanie, a protest organizer in Chicago, said she felt compelled to amplify Iranian voices, especially since the internet blackout has prevented so many from being heard. “As people not living under the oppression of the Islamic Regime, we are obligated to speak up and be the voice of our people,” Sanie said. “The government has been restricting access to the internet and social media platforms to silence the voice of Iranians, and that is where we, those with freedom and access to different platforms, come in.” Solidarity events are also taking place in other countries, including Turkey, Lebanon, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain and Germany.

Tech Hits The Road To Face Wake Forest – VT Hokiesports.com https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/tech-hits-the-road-to-face-wake-forest-vt-hokiesports-com/ BLACKSBURG – The Virginia Tech women’s soccer team will travel to Winston-Salem, N.C. to take on Wake Forest on Sunday, Sept. 25 at 5:00 p.m. Sunday’s match against Wake Forest will air live on ACC Network Extra. Virginia Tech leads the series against Wake Forest with an away record of 5-4-2.  Sunday, September 25 – 5pm  Spry Soccer Stadium, Winston-Salem, N.C. vs. Wake Forest (7-1-2, 1-1)  Live Stats: CLICK HERE Watch Live: CLICK HERE •Rankings Don’t Determine Results (7-2-1, 1-1): Virginia Tech upset the #22 NC State Wolfpack on Thursday in Raleigh with a 1-0 victory. Taylor Price banked the game-winning shot versus the Wolfpack with an assist from Natalie Mitchell in the 62nd minute. The Hokies held the shot advantage (21-7) throughout the entire match keeping the Wolfpack down to one shot on goal. Tori Powell led the shot count with five shots, two on goal. Lauren Hargrove blocked the Wolfpacks’ single shot on goal to record her fourth clean sheet of the season.  • The Unexpected  (7-1-2, 1-1):  Wake Forest defeated #14 Clemson (4-1) in Winston- Salem on Thursday, claiming their first home conference win of the season. Clemson scored the first match of the game in the 24th minute and held a shot advantage of 14-10. The Demon Deacons immediately answered back with their first goal of the night 12 seconds after Clemson. Wake Forest ended the first half leading 2-1. In the second, the Deacons scored twice ending the game with a score of 4-1. Last Sunday, Wake Forest dropped their lead against NC State 2-1 with two goals by the Wolfpack in the final 13 minutes.  • Strengths: Natalie Mitchell continues to lead the Hokies in shots with 39 in 10 games, tied for fourth in the ACC. Mitchell is also tied for first in assists in the ACC with six assists. Fellow freshman, Taylor Price is tied for third in goals in the conference with six goals this season. Price has scored the first Hokie goal four times this season in the last 10 games.  Wake Forest may not be in the top 10 for shots, goals, or points, but the team is backed by the top-rated goalkeeper in the conference, Kaitlyn Parks. Parks has recorded six shutouts this season with 19 saves. However, Parks has not been faced with as many shots as Lauren Hargrove who has recorded four clean sheets with 28 saves. Hargrove is ranked fifth in the conference for saves, Parks is ninth.  The Deacon Demons are led by junior Liv Stowell with four goals and four assists on the season.  • Deep into the Net:  Virginia Tech has made 191 shots this season while holding opponents down to 81 shots. Wake Forest has kept their opponents down to 26 shots on goal, but the team has only made 138 shots in 10 games. The Hokies average 19.1 shot per game compared to the Deacons’ 13.8.  UP NEXT  • The Hokies travel home to Blacksburg to take on North Carolina on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 7:00 p.m. Click here to support Virginia Tech Women’s Soccer all season by making a pledge per goal today.

Tri-Cities COVID Deaths Still Worry Officials. More Outbreaks Reported – Tri-City Herald https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/tri-cities-covid-deaths-still-worry-officials-more-outbreaks-reported-tri-city-herald/ Kennewick, WA Public health officials were generally pleased this past week with trends for COVID-19 in the Tri-Cities area and the state. However, there continue to be too many deaths, according to both state and local officials. In the Tri-Cities area a single death due to COVID was announced this week by the Benton Franklin Health District. It brings the total recent deaths in Benton and Franklin counties so far this month to nine, with four of those reported Sept. 18. The most recent death was a Benton County man in his 80s, making him the 725th in the two-county area known to have died of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. Seven of the deaths reported this month have been people in their 70s or older, although two people in their 40s also died. About 350 people a day continue to die nationwide from COVID-19, said Lacy Fehrenbach, the Department of Health deputy secretary for prevention, safety and health, at a news briefing last week. COVID outbreaks There already have been eight outbreaks this month in long-term care homes for the elderly, such as nursing homes, said said Heather Hill, infectious disease supervisor for the Benton Franklin Health District, speaking last week on the Kadlec on Call podcast. In August there were six. The Benton Franklin Health District has been working with long-term care homes to encourage more residents and staff to get their COVID-19 boosters, which have been shown to reduce the risk of hospitalization and death and also long COVID. Washington state Department of Health Face coverings continue to be required by the Washington state Department of Health for visitors to long-term care facilities. Quality face coverings continue to be one of the best ways to protect yourself from infection not only from the coronavirus but also flu and other respiratory infections as they start to increase in the fall, Fehrenbach said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists it as the third leading cause of death in the nation for 2020 and 2021, behind heart disease and cancer. Schools also are having COVID-19 outbreaks since students have returned to class this fall, Hill said. There currently are four school outbreaks in the two counties with 15 other potential outbreaks under investigation, she said. Tri-Cities COVID cases Both Benton and Franklin counties earned a COVID-19 community rating of “low” on Thursday, an improvement from the previous week’s rating of “medium” by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Just four counties in the state of Washington received ratings of “medium” Thursday — Walla Walla, Columbia, Klickitat and Skamania, all on the southern edge of the state — and the other 35 counties were rated “low.” Benton and Franklin counties have “low” COVID-19 community levels, according to the CDC. Just four Washington counties still have “medium” levels, as shown in yellow. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The CDC bases its COVID-19 community level ratings not only on new case rates, but also hospital beds used by patients with COVID and hospital admissions for people with the disease. The number of new confirmed cases in the Tri-Cities area is down slightly since the start of September, dropping from 123 new cases per 100,000 in a week to 110 in a week. Benton County’s new case rate has held fairly steady for the month, but Franklin County’s weekly case rate has dropped from 146 to 110. However, Benton and Franklin counties remain among 11 of the 39 counties in Washington state with weekly new COVID-19 case rates above 100, according to the most recent statewide data. Two counties have case rates below 50. Updated municipal wastewater test results were not released this week, but the latest data shows that concentrations of coronavirus in Kennewick, Pasco, Richland and West Richland had increased to levels seen four weeks ago. Concentrations remained at about half of the summer peak of the omicron variant, however. In Washington state the percentage of hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients has dropped from 11% to 7% over the past month and nationally hospitalization also is down, said Dr. Umair Shah, state secretary of health, on Thursday. In the Tri-Cities the hospitalization rate matches the rate of a month ago, but it is lower than it was earlier in September. COVID-19 vaccination In Washington state more than 173,000 people have received the latest COVID-19 boosters this month, and plenty of the booster vaccine doses are available, said Michele Roberts, the state’s assistant secretary for prevention, safety and health. She expects eligibility for the new booster to expand to allow children ages 5 to 11 to also receive it later in October. Now it is only available to people 12 and older. The booster can be given at the same time people get their annual flu shot, she said. Washington state Department of Health Hill recommends that people eligible for a booster get it soon. Now the boosters are free, but that could change, she said. The booster should be given no sooner than two months after the latest vaccine dose. The new booster, which is targeted against the original COVID-19 strain and the omicron strain, is widely available at pharmacies. The vaccine booster also is available at free community clinics outside Super Mex, at 720 N. 20th Ave., Pasco, 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 24-25; and outside Fiesta Foods, 115 S. 10th Ave., Pasco, 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8. The Department of Health Care-a-Van also will be giving free COVID-19 vaccinations noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 28-29 at Grocery Outlet, 1325 4th Ave., Kennewick. Gift cards worth $50 will be given to people getting the first or second dose in their primary series from the Care-a-Van. Senior staff writer Annette Cary covers Hanford, energy, the environment, science and health for the Tri-City Herald. She’s been a news reporter for more than 30 years in the Pacific Northwest.